Crunchy Tofu with Mango Jalapeno Aoili

It's been a drizzly, dreary (but not cold!) weekend, so I took lots of time reading through my gazillion cookbooks to come up with a Sunday dinner worthy of my son's visit. He loves tofu, and he suggested a breaded and pan fried version. I am AWFUL at frying, probably because I just don't do it that much. My son said he loves to fry stuff, so I came up with a veganized version of a Hot 'n Crunchy Chicken we ate years ago. The recipe is from a local 5-star restaurant (famous for cooking up elk, rattlesnake, and even kangaroo!). Crunchy needs mushy to go with it, so I also made smashed sweet potatoes and a roasted vegetable medley. My son likes unadulterated mashed potatoes, so that's why these are literally smashed with a little salt and pepper only.
Isn't that breading beautiful?!! I can say that because I take no credit for the recipe. We put 8 slices of tofu into a marinade of mostly fat free garlic vinaigrette and teriyaki sauce, and then some other stuff we found in the refrigerator. I made twice as much breading as I needed, but here's the recipe:

Crunchy Tofu Coating:
1/4 cup toasted almonds
1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds
1 cup cornflakes
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon red chili flakes
1 teaspoon salt

Mango Jalapeno Aoili:
In a small bowl, mix together:
1 fresh mango, diced
2 cloves garlic, pressed
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 red onion, diced
1 large jalapeno, seeded and diced
dash of salt

In a food processor or blender, mix together:
1 box firm silken tofu
juice of one large lemon
1 clove garlic, pressed
1 tablespoon mango jelly
salt and pepper to taste

When combined, add to mango jalapeno mixture. Add in a 1/2 bunch of chopped cilantro and chill until ready to serve.

We began our meal with Millet-Spinach Soup from Nava Atlas' new soup cookbook http://blog.vegkitchen.com/wp-content/Soups%20front%20cover.jpg. It was wonderful and made a huge pot. It is very flavorful with a hint of curry powder and so filling.
I made an Oatmeal Whole Wheat quick bread to go with it. I haven't had a lot of luck with vegan breads besides cornbread, but this one turned out pretty good.

I think I may have stumbled onto a new kitchen tip. The millet soup called for fresh grated ginger. Since I had already pressed some garlic into the soup, I cut off a piece of ginger and pushed it through the garlic press, skin side up, and that worked better than any fancy ginger grater I've ever bought.

For our dessert I decided we should have something light. I rolled out some phyllo dough, cut it into six pieces, and put the pieces into my giant muffin pan. I cut up some fresh peaches, quince, and kiwi and put those into the shells. Then I made a pastry cream of silken tofu, brown rice syrup, cinnamon, and vanilla. I had enough leftover to make some mini tarts too, but apparently Blogger is limiting my photo uploads tonight.

The lighting for the pics is not so good today with such overcast skies.

I'm still cooking. We're having an office potluck breakfast tomorrow. I took a hint from Vicki at Vegetarian Family and am roasting potatoes so I'll have something to eat. I can see it now - my potatoes, along with six boxes of doughnuts and a sausage, egg, and cheese casserole.

Hot Brown Sandwich

I've seen so many wonderful sandwich posts lately, I decided to forget I'm poor and buy myself a loaf of $5 gluten free bread. I found this tofu at the asian market. (I think the label should read "thin sliced tofu" because the ingredients are only soybeans, water, salt, and pepper - not spicy!) When I found it, it reminded me of deli roast beef. I wasn't craving a roast beef sandwich, but it was something different to try. I hoped when I opened the package I would get long thin strips, so the plan was to make a panini. Yes, I was willing to pull out the George Foreman. But the slices were only about an inch square. I knew I wanted onion with it, so I grabbed a red onion, chopped it up, and sauteed it in the skillet. Then I threw in the tofu and some spices. When the onions were softened, I decided that mixture would just make a big mess in the Foreman, so I switched gears and opted for an open face sandwich.


I didn't want a roux type gravy, so I rinsed and drained a can of chickpeas and put them in the mini prep, added 1/4 cup water, 1/4 cup nutritional yeast, 1 tablespoon of dijon mustard, and 1 tablespoon Bragg's -- sort of quickie Punk Rock Chickpea Gravy. I whizzed that all together, then added it to the skillet to get hot.


Meanwhile, I toasted an expensive slice of bread, and got a couple of slices of fresh tomato. When the bread was toasted, I put some of my fave broccoli slaw on it and a little fat free vinaigrette. Then I added the tomato, and topped it off with the tofu.

I enjoyed the sandwich. I toasted the bread pretty dark, so I could pick it up instead of using a fork. I would love to describe the texture and flavor, but it's really difficult. (I'm not into faux meat, although I love tofu and tempeh; can't have seitan.) The tofu is so thin I hardly noticed it. It had a chewy "meaty" texture, I guess. I think I mostly tasted the chickpeas and mustard.

Now, what to do with the leftovers.......

Fiesta!!!

Yay for Dale, my computer repairman! Now I can post my Vegetarian Day Fiesta pics. Even though that was the day my son came over with 103 fever and didn't eat a thing, the rest of us celebrated with lots of yummy food. I sent two bags of leftovers home with him, which he was able to enjoy the next night. The meal was all made with fresh farmers market ingredients and it was muy bueno!

Here's the menu:

Tortilla Soup garnished with baked torilla strips
Baked Tofu with Ranchero Sauce
Giant Chalupas with:
Mashed Anasazi Beans
Guacamole
Mixed lettuces
Pico de Gallo
Cheeze

Brown Rice with Sweet Peppers and Cilantro
Chocolate Chip Coconut Cake
Cinnamon Almond Soy Ice Cream




The Tortilla Soup and Ranchero Sauce recipes are from Real Food Daily. I'm sad the author is no longer vegan, but I guess it's okay to use her recipes created while she was vegan. I love the soup because it's thickened with chopped tortillas that get mushy and creamy in the broth. But mostly I love those tortilla strips! They are seasoned with chili powder and maple sugar, and they are smoky sweet, and I could eat them all day. In fact, I'm going to make tostadas with that recipe and use them for nachos. My soup turned out a little redder than it should be because I added a couple of tablespoons of chili powder to the original recipe.




The Ranchero Sauce headnote says you could also use this recipe in place of Italian style tomato sauces, so that was my clue that I would need to make it a little more "ranchero." After tasting, I added 3 tablespoons of chili powder and a serano pepper. It makes 5 cups. I marinaded the tofu in the sauce and had plenty left over to serve on the side.



The guacamole recipe is from Alton Brown. You can find it on Foodtv.com. It is my absolute favorite, hands down. It is the perfect combination of avocado, tomato, onion, lime, garlic, cumin, cayenne, and cilantro. No sour cream and naturally vegan.

The cheeze recipe is from The Saucy Vegetarian. I've never really been a cheese fan, but I used "I Can't Believe it's Not Cheese" and it seemed to go well with the chalupas.

The Pico de Gallo was your basic tomatoes, onions, jalepenos, and cilantro. Again, the fresh ingredients are just bursting with flavor.

Although nothing will ever compare, in my opinion, to the magnificent Eat Peace Please bule corn tacos, our giant chalupas were quite beautiful and flavorful. I offered bowl-sized plain corn toritillas and sturdy red corn tortillas for the base. Then we piled on beans, lettuce, guacamole, pico, ranchero sauce, and cheeze. I wanted to eat 3 chalupas but stopped myself at 2. The fresh ingredients take the food to the next level. I would like to make my own tortillas some day, but my grocery store makes them fresh everyday and they only cost a dollar for 3 dozen, so.......


Now for the recipes.


Mashed Anasazi Beans:
4 cups cooked beans (I cooked my beans with one chopped onion; otherwise, add some chopped onion to this recipe)
1/4 cup red bell pepper
3 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 cup vegetable broth
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1/2 teaspoon cumin
2 teaspoons Tabasco
1 teaspoon chili powder
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
salt and pepper to taste


Saute the bell pepper and garlic in a little broth until soft. Add in all remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer about 10 minutes. Remove from heat. Mash the beans with a potato masher until thickened.




Brown Rice with Sweet Peppers and Cilantro:
2 cups prepared brown rice
1 cup chopped bell peppers, mixed colors are nice
1 medium chopped tomato
1/2 cup red onion
3 scallions, white and green parts

Mix all together and serve hot!



Chocolate Chip Coconut Cake:
1/2 cup quick cooking oats
2/3 cup boiling water
1/2 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
a few grates of fresh nutmeg
dash of salt
1/3 cup chocolate chips
1/3 cup sweetened shredded coconut
1/4 cup margarine, softened
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 egg equivalent egg replacer


Spray an 8-inch cake pan with nonstick spray and then line the bottom with parchment paper. Spray the parchment paper. Heat the oven to 375 degrees.


Put oats in a small bowl and cover with boiling water. Stir, then set aside until cool, about 15 minutes.


In a small bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, and spices. Add in the chocolate chips and coconut and mix well. (This helps keep the chips and coconut from clumping together and settling at the bottom of the pan.)


When oats are cool, put them into a mixer. Add in the margarine and brown sugar and mix well. Add in the egg replacer. Stir in by hand the flour mixture and blend well. Pour into pan. Bake for 25 minutes.


We didn't actually get to have the soy ice cream that night. And I couldn't really send it home with my son, so I ate the entire quart all by myself. It did however take me two weeks to finish.

Cinnamon Almond Soy Ice Cream:

1 box firm silken tofu
1-1/2 cups plain soy milk
1/3 cup brown rice syrup
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/2 cup toasted almonds

Combine tofu, soy milk, syrup, sugar, vanilla, and cinnamon in a blender and puree until smooth. Refrigerate overnight (or several hours). Pour chilled mixture into ice cream maker and freeze according to your machine's instructions. Add in almonds about 2 minutes before ice cream is ready.

Ole!

Lunch with Friends

I am so lucky. The past two Wednesdays I have had lunch at Nu Age Cafe. The cafe was featured in VegNews magazine recently as one of the top 20 veg restaurants in the country. Everything I've ever eaten there is perfect and bursting with layers of flavor. They have recently started offering lunch "express" specials, which I almost always order. For around $7 you could get a burger and fries, or a huge plate of some sort of soy protein with a great sauce and broccoli or green beans, or a half order of the house salad and a big bowl of soup. My lunch companions are nowhere close to vegetarian, but are very accommodating of my way of eating. Fortunately, a restaurant like this can sure help convince skeptics that tofu and seitan and veggies are good things! Anyway, my absolute favorite thing on the Nu Age menu is their house salad. I remembered that PETA had Nu Age as a featured restaurant awhile back, so I went to the website and lo and behold, I found the recipe for the salad! The recipe does not mention that the pecans in the salad are candied. That's one reason the salad is so awesome! Here's a link to the recipe: http://www.vegcooking.com/rec-NuAgeCafe.asp#salad. There is also another recipe with that link for a pesto linguine that looks pretty good. I haven't had it because it's not gluten free. Nu Age does identify all its gluten free items on the menu, which I appreciate.

Another of my favorite restaurants is Koriente. If you want to see some really really beautiful food, check out this menu: http://www.koriente.com/menu.html.

I was supposed to get my home computer back yesterday. I would love to post pictures of my Veggie Day Fiesta tonight, but I'm baking cookies for our local SPCA Barktoberfest, and my stupid computer probably won't get delivered today as promised anyway.......

A Sunday Birthday Dinner

I'm still posting from my office on my lunch break until my home computer is repaired.

We had a delicious, easy to prepare meal last night topped with a triple layer coconut birthday cake. We made Creamy Tofu and Broccoli Skillet from The Vegetarian Family Cookbook. We added red and roasted bell peppers and used nutritional yeast instead of faux cheese. A tip: many of the recipes in this book call for baked tofu. Sixteen ounces costs about $8.00 at Whole Foods. I baked my own for $1.29.

I also made a simple salad that everyone went crazy over. I took a bag of broccoli slaw, added shredded carrots, some craisins, and a can of black beans, and tossed it all together with a bottled lime cilantro vinaigrette.



I also made the Polenta Napoleans from the recipe given to me in macrobiotics class. The stacks are made of baked polenta and two different pestos, and are topped with a mushroom onion sauce. The sundried tomato pesto was good, but I have to say the pepita cilantro pesto is about the best thing I've ever eaten. I don't know if I toasted the pumpkin seeds just right or what, but it was so great.


The coconut cake takes two days to make. I used a recipe from Dining With Friends. I haven't made anything else from that book, but it has lots of tasty looking recipes I would like to try. Between the cake layers is a coconut custard creme which is so good. I think I like it better on its own. The frosting is a basic buttercream and beautiful toasted large flakes of coconut. It's a shame I didn't get pictures to do it justice.

Too bad my hometown chef couldn't beat Bobby Flay last night, but he made a great showing. I endured 20 minutes of meat cutting to support my chef! I always try to imagine tofu in place of the meats on all the food shows, or concentrate on the sauces and side dishes, but it's not always easy.

Tofu Strips and "Iron Chef"

I bought tofu strips and bamboo shoot strips (i.e. noodles) at an asian market a few days ago. I made a basic stirfry with the bamboo shoots and it was fine. But last night I made a "fajita" stirfry with peppers and onions and spicy seasonings, then put that over the tofu strips, which just require steaming for 1o minutes. I am in love with those tofu strips! They are so hearty and filling, and a gazillion times better than shiratake noodles. Megan the Vegan has a picture of it on her recent post. http://meganthevegan.blogspot.com/index.html


Okay, this may seem weird, but I can't wait to watch Iron Chef on Sunday. It's because a homeboy is going to challenge Bobby Flay. He's a 5-star chef, 31 years old, a father of 4, really cute, a genius, and already highly acclaimed. He invited the public to a viewing party so I'm guessing he won. You should watch, if for no other reason, his exquisite plating. And also for his creative combination of ingredients.



I got the inside scoop on the show. A few months before taping, the chefs were told the secret ingredient would be either caviar, peppers, or wild boar. Of course I found out I'll have to watch them carve up the wild boar. He prepares 35 different components for his 5 dishes. He will serve the judges (along with the boar) grilled watermelon, garlic risotto with chive emulsion and caraway molasses glaze, whiskey apples, black truffle grits, and corn whipped potatoes. And Bobby Flay has a "mishap" when flames shoot up 2 feet high from a roaster.





To end on a soothing veg note, the macrobiotic chef from my class told us she was moving to Kauai to be the pastry chef at The Blossoming Lotus. She is the luckiest person in the world. Check out their website and recipes at http://www.blossominglotus.com/about_kauai.htm. Their cookbook is so beautiful. I don't know why I haven't bought it yet.

What I Learned in Macrobiotics Cooking Class

I'm a sad little woman. I've been without my home computer since Sunday and I feel lost. I really really miss blogging. (I'm sneaking in a post from my work computer on my down time.) I live in a veg-friendly city. My family is very accepting of my way of eating. But honestly, most people don't understand being vegan. Most people think I'm depriving myself, that deep down I really want a big hunk of red meat and I'm starving myself with salad and broccoli. I miss blogging because I truly enjoy sharing recipes and ideas and pictures with compassionate, like-minded others. Oh, well. I'll survive.

My Monday night class was so fun! What I learned: Macrobiotics is the practice of spiritual, physical, and nutritional wellness. Macrobiotic cooking is seasonal, local, and organic. (I have emailed the chef to ask why fish is included, but have not yet received a reply.) Our chef instructor for the class is from a local "campus" where there is not only a communal style dining room which serves only macrobiotic, vegan, wheat-free meals, but also includes a natural cooking school, a Montessori school (don't those kids get a great school lunch!), a yoga studio, meditation centers, and a small food store and bookstore. Lunches ($10) and dinners ($12) are all you can eat and always include a soup, green salad and dressing, grains, beans (including soy), veggies, and pickle. Desserts are extra, but so worth it. I truly feel nourished inside and out after having a meal there.

Other stuff from my notes: Always leave skins on organic produce as they contain the most nutrition, even carrots and sweet potatoes. Scrub like a maniac or remove skins from conventional produce. Bitter taste is beneficial to the liver. Coconut oil is best for baking. Steam tofu for 10 minutes before using in dishes to make it more digestible. Popcorn flavored with Bragg's and nutritional yeast is properly titled "Hippie Popcorn."

Most importantly, I learned that (1) Siamese twin plantains taste as good as normal plantains (that was some freaky 'nanner!) and (2) umeboshi is actually green apricots, not plums, and using the paste will add a cheesy flavor to whatever you're cooking.

The chef prepared this menu:

Mixed green salad with strawberry dressing
Sweet potato and plantain fries with Tamarind Ketchup
Polenta Napoleans
Espresso Mousse with Mocha Drizzle

Everything tasted incredible. I have been searching for a ketchup recipe and this one is soooo good. I'll share it with you.

Tamarind Ketchup

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 sweet onion, large dice
pinch of salt
1/3 cup palm sugar
1/4 cup tamarind paste
2 tablespoons fresh orange juice
1 clove garlic
1/2 tablespoon umeboshi paste
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 tablespoon juice from freshly grated beet (for color)
(Chef squeezed out juice into a tablespoon and then added.)

Put olive oil in skillet and sweat onion on low heat with salt, partially covered, until translucent. Meanwhile, combine remaining ingredients in food processor. When translucent, add onion and blend until smooth.

Ketchup will last 5 to 7 days.

I think I'm preparing a birthday dinner Sunday and I want to make the Napoleans to serve then. They were awesome - layered with two kinds of pesto and topped with mushrooms.

A Bittersweet Weekend

My weekend started with a food shopping spree all day Saturday. First, the farmers market, then Whole Foods, then the grand opening of a 70,000 s.f. asian supermarket. It ended with my monitor quitting on me and then contemplating whether or not to take my son to the emergency room with 103 temperature. I did get his fever down, so he wouldn't go to the ER. Right now I'm in my office and my son is with his grandparents at the doctor. I'm nervously awaiting the diagnosis.

In between all the shopping and the fretting, I prepared a huge Fiesta to celebrate Vegetarian Day. I have great pics and recipes to post later this week. Tonight I'll be at a vegan/macrobiotic cooking class and anticipate having something to share with you from that as well. I'm hoping to get my video card replaced Tuesday evening and then update my blog.

Leaves of Brussels Sprouts, lightly dressed

I grabbed Chez Panisse Vegetables off the bookshelf to see how Ms. Waters would prepare Brussels sprouts. At her restaurant, the chefs trim the stems and peel off each leaf. Cooking them this way, she says, is like eating a new vegetable. Well, I'm up for a new veggie, so this is what I set out to do.

I trimmed and peeled away the leaves from 4 Brussels sprouts and then decided I just did not have the patience to continue on. The rest of the sprouts were quartered, cores cut out, and whatever leaves fell off went into a pile, and what remained was thinly sliced. I heated about a teaspoon of olive oil in a pan and added the leaves and a little salt. After about 2 minutes I added 2 slices of finely chopped onion and a few shakes of crushed red pepper. I continued cooking until the leaves were softened and beginning to brown, about 4 more minutes. Then I turned off the heat and added one clove of crushed garlic and the juice of half a lemon.

Alice Waters did not lie! These were not boiled or roasted Brussels sprouts. There was absolutely no bitterness. The taste was mild and the sliced parts of the sprouts had the same flavor as the leaves, clean and green and tender throughout. And I didn't have to cut them. This recipe gets a big thumbs up. I'd give you a bite, but I ate the whole pan.

Glazed Edamame and Carrots

Tonight I ventured away from my usual green veggies and decided to fix myself some carrots. I know edamame is green, but it's a soybean, not a vegetable.

This recipe serves one.

Prepare 1/2 cup edamame and set aside.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium skillet, then add 20 baby carrots. Sprinkle with kosher salt. Cook over medium high heat, stirring occasionally, about 8 minutes or until browned.

While the carrots are cooking, mix together 1 tablespoon Bragg's and 2 teaspoons agave nectar. When the carrots are done, add in the edamame and the Bragg's and agave mixture. Mix well. Transfer to a plate and sprinkle with a little salt and a little maple or brown sugar.

This makes a delicious combination of sweet and savory, and it was a nice change of pace from my usual garlic and onion flavored greens.

Since I feel I must eat broccoli nightly, I did steam a small head, but instead of sprinkling on garlic salt I poured Gaia's Dijon-Dill Dressing http://liveitupvegan.blogspot.com/ over it. I still promise her I will try it on beets, but it was excellent on broccoli!

Last night I made Kale and Beans which was posted by Don't Get Mad, Get Vegan. http://dgmgv.blogspot.com/. As you can tell from the picture, I used pinto beans instead of blackeyed peas and I added one chopped fresh tomato. I love kale, and this was a flavorful and filling dish.

And to satisfy my sweet tooth, I topped banana "ice cream" aka frozen banana with some fresh fruit. As Rachel Ray would say, yummo!

A Quick Note of Thanks

It occurred to me this morning that I must have been subconsciously inspired by SusanV's Surprise Gyoza recipe http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2006/09/surprise-gyoza.html to create Fruity Spring Rolls last night. So I thought I would acknowledge that, and take this opportunity to thank Susan, once again, for always being such an incredible inspiration with her creative recipes and beautiful photos. THANK YOU, SUSAN!

Fruity Spring Rolls with Dipping Sauce

I love my veggies so much I tend to neglect fruit. I like fruit and I buy fruit, but I tend to eat it plain or in my oatmeal. So tonight I decided to make a fruit salad. It's boring to chop up fruit and throw it in a bowl, and I didn't want to pour sweet stuff all over it. I went to the pantry to see what kind of nuts I had on hand, and I saw spring roll wrappers and got an idea. I've seen meat and fruit wraps. All fruit wraps can only be better.

You could use whatever fruits you have on hand. Here's what I did:

I chopped up 1 large peach and 2 kiwis. I thinly sliced 1 large black plum, and I rinsed and picked through a small package of raspberries. I toasted 2 tablespoons of slivered almonds and grabbed a bag of shredded coconut. I soaked the wrappers, layered on the fruit, some coconut, and a few almonds, and rolled them up. I had enough fruit for 4 spring rolls. It was terribly easy. The spring rolls were awesome without a dipping sauce, but I decided it was weird not to have sauce with spring rolls, so I made one.

For the dipping sauce, I mixed in a blender the following:

1/3 package of silken tofu

1/4 cup vanilla soymilk

3 teaspoons sugar

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 drop of orange oil

I intended to make a vanilla/almond sauce, but I had run out of almond extract. I also didn't have any soy yogurt, but that would be an easy dip as well.

Oh, how I love delicious, beautiful, healthy food.

Eat Your Sea Veggies!

Tonight I honored my pledge to myself to eat more sea veggies. And if our farm produce continues to be contaminated, maybe that's something we should all consider. For me, the hardest part about incorporating sea vegetables is their fishy smell. I used to love fish, so I think what bothers me is that I don't want the fishy taste or smell to dominate the recipe. I decided to start with a small amount of wakame. It is the mildest of the sea vegetables. It's got a silky, but not slimy, texture when rehydrated. I bought it chopped. If you haven't used it, be warned - it rehydrates to 10 times its package size. So here's what I came up with:

Millet with Shitakes and Wakame

I began by rehydrating a 1 ounce package of shitake mushrooms and probably only 1 tablespoon of wakame. It was 2 good pinches. I'm a little afraid of how much it grows. Then I saw some sundried tomatoes and threw in about 8 of those.

While those were rehydrating, I prepared the millet. Toast 1/2 cup of millet in a medium nonstick saucepan for 1 minute, then add 1 cup of boiling water. When it returns to a boil, reduce to a simmer and it's ready in 10 to 12 minutes.

In a large skillet, heat 1 teaspoon of sesame oil. Saute one small red onion, 1 cup of fresh baby bella mushrooms, and 1/2 cup of shredded carrots with a little kosher salt.

By the time the onion mixture is soft, the millet should be ready. Take it off the heat and set aside. Drain the wakame, tomatoes, and shitakes. I deglazed my skillet with a little water, then added 1 tablespoon Braggs, the drained veggies, and the millet.

The verdict? It was a hearty, chunky, fried rice-like dish with nice textures and no fishy taste or smell (although it still smells fishy in the kitchen). I picked out a piece of wakame to taste alone, and it really had no distinct taste at all. In fact, the shitakes provided the most flavor. I began my meal with a small, tentative bowl and went back for another! Hey, it was a start.

Thanks to everyone who wished my son good health. He let me know today he felt good enough to attend classes.

Farewell to Summer

I hate for summer to end. Yeh, it was the hottest August EVER, but cold, rainy weather is no fun. Sundays are usually family get-togethers. My son has been sick and he asked me to fix his favorite meal - grilled tofu steaks with onion-mushroom gravy, sweet potato fries, and a cold salad. Tonight's salad was good, but is still in the development stage.

Right now it is Broccoli Salad with Apricot Tahini Dressing. It has broccoli flowerets and stems, julienned carrots, red onion, water chestnuts, and dried apricots. I think I need to add toasted almonds, and more apricot flavor and a little crushed red pepper to the dressing. I seem to always want to make everything spicy and I was trying to stay away from that, but oh well....

For a sweet ending, I made Dreena's Easy Pleasin' Oat Bars, which it seems everyone is baking lately. I added chocolate chips to mine. It's a great recipe, but I think next time I'd like to try also adding peanuts or peanut butter.

Tart Cherry Buckwheat Bundtlettes with Chocolate Drizzle

These moist little cakes combine tart cherries, nutty buckwheat, and sweet chocolate. They are made with all natural ingredients and are vegan and gluten free. The flavor combination is a real treat for the tastebuds, and the perfect ending to any meal.

To make:

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Oil or spray a 6-cake bundtlette pan.

Ingredients:

2-3/4 cup buckwheat flour

1/4 cup arrowroot powder or cornstarch

1-1/2 tablespoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 cup canola oil

1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce

1 cup brown rice syrup

1-1/2 cups soy milk

2 tablespoons vanilla

1 cup dried tart cherries

Chocolate Drizzle:

1 cup vegan, gluten free chocolate chips

2 - 3 tablespoons warmed soy milk

Method:

Combine the buckwheat flour, arrowroot powder, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. In a medium bowl, combine the oil, applesauce, brown rice syrup, soy milk, and vanilla. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk together until combined. Do not overmix. Fold in the dried cherries. The batter will be rather sticky. Pour the batter into the bundtlette pan. Bake 22 to 25 minutes, or until cake tests done in the middle. Cool the cakes in the pan for 30 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

When cakes are cooled, make the chocolate drizzle. Melt the chocolate chips, then add enough warm soy milk to reach drizzling consistency. Place cakes onto plates and spoon chocolate over the tops.

Roasted Red Pepper Vinaigrette (fatfree)

I found this excellent recipe on Dr. Weil.com. I'm always looking for colorful, tasty sauces to add to my plate and this one is a beautiful red. I made the dressing exactly as written except I added 1 teaspoon of agave nectar. I prepared it in my mini prep, but I think it would do better in a blender.

Put the following into the blender:

1/4 c. apple juice

1/4 c. cider vinegar

2 T. chopped onion

2 cloves minced garlic

1/2 t. dried oregano

pinch of rosemary and thyme

1/2 t. dry mustard

1/2 t. paprika

1/2 of a roasted red bell pepper

(I used one from a jar)

Blend until smooth.

That's it! I put some on sweet potato cakes and broccoli tonight, and I'll put some on my lunch salad tomorrow.

Gala Applesauce (and two gifts)

I saw this in my Driskill Hotel cookbook and thought it was too cute.

The recipe in the cookbook uses 5 apples for the applesauce and six apples for baking. I made a test recipe with one apple and had to supplement the filling with jarred applesauce. The cooked applesauce is delicious.

Cut the top off an apple, leaving the stem intact. Scoop out the centers and remove the seeds, then place into a small saucepan. Add the following:

1 t. sugar

1/2 t. apple cider vinegar

1/4 c. apple juice

Bring to a boil over high heat. Turn down to a simmer and cook until the apples are soft, about 5 minutes. Mash the apples.

Instead of coating the inside of the apple with butter and sugar and baking in the oven as the recipe called for, I put the whole apple in the microwave for 1 minute, and the top in for 25 seconds. Then just fill the apple with the applesauce and top it with the stem.

By the way, the Driskill chef, David Bull, will be competing against Bobby Flay on Iron Chef Sunday, October 8 at 8:00 p.m. central time. I guess he wins because he's rented out a movie house and invited the public to come watch.

Here's two gifts I got this week - a loaf pan with a ruffled edge, and a genuine ulu knife my neighbor brought back from Alaska. I know the knife is supposed to be great for chopping herbs, but I need to find out more uses for it.

Roasted Chickpeas with Apricot Wasabi Glaze

Have you ever had a craving for wasabi? I've had one all week. Tonight I wasn't too hungry, so I decided to make my favorite snack - roasted chickpeas - and try adding a wasabi glaze to them. I've tried roasting chickpeas different ways, using different oven temperatures and baking vessels. The best results are achieved by draining, rinsing, and drying one can of chickpeas and placing them in a glass baking dish coated with cooking spray. I actually use 2 pans to keep the chickpeas separated better. Spray the chickpeas in the pan, then add a little kosher salt and a little garlic powder. The salt will help to dry them out. Put them into a 400 degree oven and roast for 30 minutes, giving them a shake about halfway through. They are perfect just like this. Knowing this, I decided to experiment with only half of them. This is how they look.

For the glaze, put a 1/2 cup apricot jam (I used low sugar), 1/2 c. water, 2 teaspoons wasabi paste, and 2 teaspoons horseradish. If you don't have horseradish, I would suggest an additional teaspoon of wasabi paste and a tablespoon of white wine vinegar. Bring this mixture to a boil, then remove from heat. Add in the roasted chickpeas, then remove them with a slotted spoon and place them back in the baking dish. Roast for an additional 10 to 15 minutes, stirring half way through.

I must admit I preferred the plain roasted chickpeas. However, I put the leftover glaze over my steamed broccoli and it was deee-lish!

Glazed Chickpeas

Cannelini Zucchini Boats

I used my zucchini from the farmers market for tonight's meal. The zucchini are stuffed with a cannelini bean mixture, then baked. It's a recipe you can and should adapt to suit your tastes. The important thing to keep in mind is that the beans are very mild, so getting the taste you want from the stuffing mixture is the key to this recipe.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut the stems off the zucchini and slice them lengthwise. Scoop out the pulp, leaving 1/4-inch shell; reserve the pulp. Spray a baking dish with nonstick spray and place the shells in the dish.

1 medium onion, diced
8 to 10 white mushrooms, chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 - 15-ounce can cannelini beans
reserved pulp
1 T. white balsamic vinegar

Saute the onion and mushrooms in a nonstick skillet until soft and golden. I then deglazed the pan with a little white wine. Reduce the heat and add in the garlic and about a half cup water; add the beans, pulp, and vinegar. Mash the beans lightly. Add in your favorite herbs and taste often. I used a combination of fresh and dried oregano, parsley, rosemary, and salt, and a little crushed red pepper. When heated through, scoop the mixture into the shells. (Any leftover mixture would make a great dip or bruschetta topping.) I sprinkled the tops with nutritional yeast. You could top with soy cheese or even your favorite tomato sauce. Bake the shells for 20 - 25 minutes or until shells are soft and the filling is hot. I topped mine with chopped fresh, chopped, cold tomatoes because I like the temperature contrast.

Here's how mine turned out. Let me know how you prepared yours!

Sweet Corn Chowder (with tofu)

I served this chowder as an appetizer at last night's dinner. Everyone would take a bite, then say "this is really good." Take another bite and say "this is really really good." Finish it off and say "that was really good." I'll definitely be serving this again. That's why we cook, right? For all the compliments!

This recipe serves 6:

1 T. canola oil
2 roasted (or carmelized) chopped onions
4 cups fresh (about 8 ears) or frozen (one 10-ounce bag) yellow corn - I actually used 1/2 fresh and 1/2 frozen
1/2 c. diced carrots
1 medium white potato
6 c. vegetable broth
1/2 t. cumin
1/2 t. rosemary
1 t. oregano (preferably mexican)
2 cloves crushed garlic
salt and white pepper to taste
1 box silken tofu

Heat the oil in a dutch oven and cook onions, corn, carrots, and potato until softened slightly. Add 2 cups of the vegetable broth, garlic, and spices and continue cooking until veggies are soft.

Meanwhile, puree tofu in a blender or food processor. When smooth, add in 2 to 3 cups of the soup (about half) and blend until smooth. Stir the puree back into the remaining soup. Heat over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until hot. Taste and adjust seasonings.

Garnish with chopped fresh tomato and cilantro or parsley.

Fresh Nectarine Cake with Fresh Blueberry Sauce

I needed a dessert for Sunday night dinner and had intended to bake an apricot cake. I thought fresh apricots were still a bargain, but they were $4.50 a pound. Nectarines, however, were 99 cents a pound. They were big and beautiful and taste great with blueberries. This recipe is based on the gluten free cinnamon banana bread recipe from Babycakes bakery featured in this month's Food & Wine magazine. The cake is moist and accented nicely by the fresh nutmeg. It's terrific on its own, and even better with the sauce.

Nectarine Cake
1 c. gluten free flour mix
1 t. baking soda
1 t. baking powder
1/2 t. xanthan gum
1/2 t. allspice
1/2 t. fresh nutmeg
pinch of salt
1 overripe mashed banana
1/4 c. canola oil
1/3 c. agave nectar
1/3 c. vanilla soy milk
1 T. vanilla

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly oil or spray an 8 x 4 inch loaf pan.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, xanthan gum, allspice, nutmeg, and salt. In another bowl, whisk together the banana, oile, agave nectar, soy milk, and vanilla. Add the banana mixture to the dry ingredients and mix until smooth. Pour into pan and bake for 40 to 45 minutes or until a tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool for 20 minutes before removing from pan. Let cool completely before slicing.

Fresh Blueberry Sauce
1 pint fresh blueberries, rinsed and stems removed
scant 1/4 c. organic sugar
1/2 t. cornstarch

Combine berries, sugar, and cornstarch in medium pan. Mash lightly so some berries remain whole. Set over moderate low heat and stir gently until sugar dissolves. Raise heat to medium high and boil, stirring constantly for 3 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.

Serve warm blueberry sauce over cake.

Roasted Pepper Salad with Harissa

I went to the farmers market early this morning and picked up some great looking produce. I bought sweet peppers, onions, squash, apples, and greens. I decided to look for a recipe to utilize the peppers, and found this interesting salad recipe at http://epicurious.com. I changed it a little by using multicolor peppers. lime juice instead of lemon juice, and only one tablespoon of olive oil. I also couldn't bear to blacken my beautiful peppers, so I roasted them in a 450 degree oven for 20 minutes.

Roasted Pepper Salad with Harissa

2 pounds peppers

1/4 c. raisins

juice of 1 lime

1-1/4 t. harissa

1/2 t. kosher or sea salt

1 T. olive oil

1/3 c. toasted chopped walnuts

Roast the peppers in a 450 degree oven for about 20 minutes or until soft, but not charred. When cool, peel any blistered skin and discard stems and seeds. Cut into strips and put into a medium size bowl.

While peppers roast, soak raisins in hot water for 15 minutes, then drain. Whisk together the lime juice, harissa, salt, and oil, then toss with peppers. Sprinkle with raisins and walnuts. Refrigerate overnight. Bring to room temperature before serving.

The result is a spicy, sweet fresh tasting salad. I expect it to taste twice as good tomorrow.

Here's the top of the salad with raisins and nuts sprinkled over.

Miso Mushrooms

I found this recipe today. It was titled Miso Mushrooms (Pickles), so it intrigued me. The simple recipe includes shitakes, miso, and sake. http://world.std.com/~kcl/Rmisomushrooms.html. I decided to make a test batch, scaling the ingredients the best I could. First I rehydrated 10 shitake mushroom caps, then sauteed them on high heat in a teaspoon of olive oil until golden brown. While the mushrooms cooled, I mixed together 2-1/2 T. white miso and 2 t. rice vinegar. It was still quite thick and pasty. I eventually added a total of 2 T. vinegar. It was still thick, but I mixed it into the mushrooms and let it set for an hour.
It was really, really good! It was, however, still quite thick with miso, so I mixed it all in with my steamed broccoli. Maybe I was just in the mood for miso and mushrooms, but I was quite impressed with such a simple recipe.

I still can't figure out why they are called pickles!

Dinner in 20

These tasty Spiced Black Bean Burgers were prepared and cooked in 20 minutes. Since I didn't have a gluten free bun, I put together some lettuce and tomato on a plate and steamed some broccoli while the burgers cooked. This recipe was taken from http://epicurious.com.

Put the following ingredients in a food processor (I used my mini prep for easy cleanup):
1-15 ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained
1/3 c. chopped onion
1/4 c. dry breadcrumbs (I used oatmeal)
2 T. favorite salsa
1 t. ground cumin
2-3 dashes Tabasco
salt and pepper

If you don't have a nonstick pan, put a little oil in or spray the bottom of a large fry pan. Shape the bean mixture into 3 or 4 patties and place them into the pan. Be sure they don't touch or they will stick together. Cook on medium high heat for about four minutes on each side or until heated through.

It's as easy as that!

Morrocan Chickpea Stew

Tonight I made my favorite quick meal. It's based on the recipe from the fatfree recipe site. I begin by sauteing whatever fresh veggies I have on hand, usually onions, mushrooms, and zucchini, then add in a bag of frozen veggies, and a can of rotel tomatoes. Then I season it with coriander, cumin, crushed red pepper, garlic, salt and pepper. It's great plain or served over rice. Add a green salad and a fresh fruit and you have delicious, nutritious meal! http://www.fatfreevegan.com/stews/moroccan.shtml

Plum Quinoa Salad

Plums are at their peak of season now, and I have been anxious to try this recipe ever since it was given to me a few weeks ago. If you love a good healthy salad, give this recipe a try. Firm, ripe plums add a wonderful sweetness. I replaced the bell peppers in the original recipe with sundried tomatoes, because I don't like raw peppers. The peppers would add nice color and crispness to the salad. I also reduced the amount of dressing to save calories.

Recipe:

1/2 c. quinoa
1 c. water
1 large plum, pitted and diced
1 T. chopped walnuts
10 sundried tomatoes, rehydrated and chopped
3 scallions
3 radishes, halved and sliced thin
2 t. ground flax seeds
1 t. e-v olive oil
1 T. white balsamic vinegar
1 t. agave nectar
1 clove garlic, crushed
pinch of salt

Rinse quinoa and add to water. Bring to a boil, then simmer, covered, for 10 to 15 minutes or until all water is absorbed. Let stand a few minutes, then fluff and set aside to cool. In the meantime, mix together in a medium sized bowl the diced plum, nuts, tomatoes, scallions, radishes, and flax seeds. In a small bowl, mix together the oil, vinegar, agave, garlic, and salt. Pour the dressing over the plum mixture, then add the mixture to the quinoa. Cover and chill for at least an hour.

Rice and Pie

My one indulgence, besides an occasional cooking class, is a Monday evening session with my personal trainer. After working out, I'm way too tired to lift pans or stir anything in a pot, so no fancy cooking on Mondays. I promised yesterday to post pix of the rest of last night's dinner.

The rice is merely instant brown rice with lots of green onion and cilantro. I love anything green added to rice. I have some wakame I like pretty well, and I haven't used it in anything but soup yet, but I don't see why it can't go into rice. I'm trying to learn all I can about using sea vegetables. Nearly everyday another health benefit is reported.

The finale to last night's dinner was more pretty than tasty, unfortunately. I put a fresh strawberry filling into a toasted almond and oatmeal pie crust. I usually make a graham cracker crust for strawberry filling, but I wanted to be gluten free so I could eat it too. The reason it wasn't a great pie is because we all thought the crust tasted like peanut butter! So a banana or chocolate filling would have been the perfect choice. The crust is really good, though, and deserving of posting the recipe. I adapted this recipe from the Lake Austin Spa cookbook as well. I used oatmeal instead of 6 melba toast. I have had the melba toast crust and it is surprisingly good.

Pie Crust:
1/2 c. toasted almonds
1/2 c. oatmeal
2 T. sugar
1 T. melted margarine
Grind the almonds in a food processor; add in the oatmeal and sugar, and pulse a few times to blend. Add in the margarine and whirl until crumbly and well mixed. Press into a pie pan sprayed with cooking spray, and bake for 10 - 15 minutes at 350 degrees.

Using information from ingredient packages, I figured nutritional info for six servings of crust. Each serving = 96 calories, 5.75 g. fat, and 10 carbs.

Spa Cuisine

Tonight's meal was selected from my Lake Austin Spa cookbook. The spa is one of the best in the country, due mainly to the talented chef. I selected for the main course Tortilla Stack with Red Chile Sauce and veganized it and adapted it to what I had on hand. It is basically a corn tortilla, a "cheese sauce," a layer of veggies, another tortilla, then the sauce, and a drizzle of "creme." Here's the recipe:

1 c. diced steamed sweet potatoes
1 c. red beans, rinsed and drained
1 c. lima beans (I used edamame)
1/2 c. corn
2 T. diced pimentos
Cheese sauce
Red Chile Sauce
Creme
12 corn tortillas

Combine the potatoes, beans, edamame, corn, and pimentos and set aside. (I prepared these a day ahead.) Put six tortillas on a baking sheet and spread with some of the cheese sauce. Put a scoop of the veggie mixture on top of each tortilla. Spread some cheese sauce on the remaining tortillas and place them cheese side down over the veggies. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for about 10 minutes or until hot. Serve with red chile sauce and creme.

For the "cheese" I made the low fat version of "I Can't Believe It's Not Cheese Sauce" from The Saucy Vegetarian.

Whirl together in a blender the following:
3/4 c. water
2 T. tahini
1/4 c. silken tofu
2 T. nutritional yeast
2 T. lemon juice
2 T. chopped onions
2 T. white miso
dash salt

It won't hold the tortillas together, but it worked out beautifully.

The creme also came from The Saucy Vegetarian - "Tarator Cream."

Combine all ingredients in food processor or blender:
3/4 c. silken tofu (I used the remainder from the cheese sauce)
1/4 c. lemon juice
2 T. tahini
1/2 t. crushed garlic
1/4 t. dried oregano
a dash each of salt, pepper, paprika

The best part is the Red Chile Sauce. I would recommend using this with any mexican food dish. It is absolutely delicious!

6 dried red chiles
1 small onion, thickly sliced
4 Roma tomatoes
2 cloves garlic
2 t. cumin
1 t. dried oregano
1/4 tomato juice
2 T. flour or masa harina
2 c. vegetable stock
2 - 3 t. semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. salt

Lightly toast the chiles in a dry skillet over medium heat for a few minutes, turning often. Remove and discard the stem. Place the chiles in a bowl and cover with hot water; set aside for 30 minutes. Drain and reserve. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Arrange the onion, tomato, and garlic on the baking sheet and spray them lightly with cooking spray. Roast at 375 degrees for 20 minutes. Toast the cumin and oregano in a dry skillet for 30 seconds. Combine the reserved chiles, onion, tomato, cumin, and oregano in a blender or food processor and puree. (I did this much the day before.) Combine the puree, tomato juice, flour, stock, chocolate, cinnamon, and salt in a saucepan over medium high heat. Cook until thickened and smooth, stirring often (about 15 minutes). Strain and keep warm. (I did not strain my sauce.)

I served this with a cabbage slaw dressed with 2 T. red wine vinegar, 1 T. lime juice, 1 t. salt, and 1 t. sugar. It's not very much dressing, but it keeps the slaw crisp, which pairs nicely with the tortilla stacks.

I also served green onion and cilantro rice, and a strawberry pie. I'll share those with you tomorrow.