what the hell _does_ a vegan eat anyway?

Thursday, March 29, 2007

Garlic Tofu, Gyoza, Tofu Triangle with Sweet and Sour Dipping Sauce

Dinner 3/29

Garlic Tofu
(tofu, carrot, red bell pepper -- the sauce is garlic, ginger, scallion, veg stock, tamari, red pepper flake, lime juice, sugar, cornstarch slurry)

Deep-Fried Gyoza
(filled with napa cabbage, carrot, garlic, ginger, tamari)

Deep-Fried Tofu Triangles
(with sweet and sour dipping sauce: simple syrup, red pepper flake, lime juice, tamari)

Another re-creation of our long ago jaunts to Lemongrass in Cleveland Hts.

The two apps are straightforward, just watch out for the wrappers -- most have some kind of milk product hidden in the ingredients.

The sauce follows the sweet/sour/hot/salty base infused with as much garlic as you can stand -- and we can stand a great deal... ;)

Wednesday, March 28, 2007

Yellow Beet Ravioli, Tomato Confit, Mixed Greens Salad with Cashew Cheese, Almond Carob Bars

Raw Food Wednesday 3/28

Yellow Beet Ravioli

Tomato Confit

Mixed Greens Salad with Cashew Croutons

Dessert

Carob Almond Balls
(from VegNews)

It's sort of a "greatest hits" night, as it's spring break week around here, and we all went out for the day, which left little time for prep -- hence the tried and true recipes...

The ravioli are thinly sliced on a mandoline (watch those fingers kids!), marinated with a little olive oil, salt and pepper, then stuffed with the ubiquitous cashew cheese. The confit is chopped grape tomatoes, marinated for 12 hours in olive oil, pepper, nama shoyu, lemon juice and herbes de provence...

The dessert also fell under the "quick" heading -- they're supposed to chill for a couple of hours, but still taste great...

Tuesday, March 27, 2007

Crepes stuffed with Seitan and Lentil Stew, Grilled Aspargus

Dinner 3/27

Crepes stuffed with Seitan and Lentil Stew

Grilled Asparagus

Steamed Artichoke

The crepes are from from VwaV (basan flour natch), and the lentils in the stew are quickly cooked in the pressure cooker -- another one of the indispensable kitchen tools that gets used a couple of time a week (mainly for making veg stock).

The (in-season) asparagus were fairly thick, so we blanched them, then quickly marinated them with olive oil, tamari and pepper, and finally grilled them until crisp...

As for the artichoke, I'm unsure if it's for eating or bowling...

Monday, March 26, 2007

Blackened Tofu, Rice and Beans, Plantain and Soyrizo Mash, Okra and Tomato Stew

Dinner 3/26

Blackened Tofu
(tofu, tamari, pepper, smoked paprika)

Rice and Beans
(basmati rice, onion, garlic, kidney beans, smoked paprika, mexican oregano, veg stock, salt, pepper)

Plantain and Soyrizo Mash

Okra and Tomato Stew

It's hard to see the plantain/soyrizo mash as it's on the bottom of the center stack, under the okra and tomato stew, but you notice it once you start digging in...

Sunday, March 25, 2007

Ye Olde Stir-Fry, Jasmine Rice

Dinner 3/25

Ye Olde Stir-Fry
(tofu, carrot, red bell pepper, sriracha, tamari, pepper)

Jasmine Rice

the warm weather has returned, and it just sucked all the energy out from wanting to cook (especially after the labor-intensive Indian food last night). So, as is often the case, stir-fry is your friend ;)

Saturday, March 24, 2007

Onion Bhaji, Masala Dosa, Samosas stuffed with Aloo Matar, Tamarind Chutney

Dinner 3/24

Onion Bhaji

Masala Dosa
(stuffed with turmeric potatoes)

Samosas stuffed with Aloo Matar
(potatoes, cauliflower, peas)

Tamarind Chutney

The Onion Bhaji are basically tempura made with basan (chickpea) flour, mixed with cumin, chili powder, turmeric and cardamom, with baking powder and club soda to make them "puffy" -- these would be great as a starter or appetizer.

For the dosa you ferment a mix of urad dal and rice, and then cook them much like a crepe -- we used our large flat-bottomed wok which works perfectly for these -- it's well-seasoned, so it acts like a non-stick pan, and it's heavy enough so it retains heat in a nice even manner..

I've never stuffed samosas before, so it took me a couple tries before getting into a groove -- it's just a question of keeping the dough sealed while they're deep-fried. Liz made the filling, which was spot on in it's flavor...

Buddha's Hand

Buddha's Hand

Liz picked these up at ~~the opening of the new Whole Foods Market~~ Heinen's on Wednesday (she went both places, I can't tell the difference between the produce stickers, my bad) -- for only $2.99 each -- which is an absolute steal.

You only use the zest, as it has no juice. but it smells beautiful -- sort of a cross between lemon and flowers ;)

from: wikipedia:

"Buddha's Hand, Buddha's Hand citron, or Fingered citron (Citrus medica var. sarcodactylus) is a fragrant citrus fruit. It grows on a shrub or small tree with long, irregular branches covered in thorns. Its large, oblong leaves are pale green and grow about four to six inches. Its flowers are white or purplish and grow in fragrant clusters.

The fruit itself is a type of citron and is often described as lemon-like. The fruit is segmented into finger-like sections. It has a thick peel and a small amount of acidic flesh and is seedless and juiceless. It is very fragrant and is used predominantly by the Chinese and Japanese for perfuming rooms and personal items, such as clothing.

The peel of the fruit can be candied. In Western cooking, it is often used for its zest. The inner white pith is not bitter as is usually the case with citrus, so the fingers may be cut off and then longitudinally sliced, peel pith and all, and used in salads or scattered over cooked foods..."

Friday, March 23, 2007

Fettuccine with Cauliflower, Green Olives and Almonds, Tuscan White Bean Soup, Spinach Salad with Roasted Baby Beets and Creamy Dill Dressing

Dinner 3/23

Fettuccine with Cauliflower, Green Olives and Almonds
(adapted from 01/07 Gourmet)

Tuscan White Bean Soup
(olive oil, onion, garlic, carrot, celery, rosemary, cannelinni beans, tomato, veg stock, wilted beet greens, salt, pepper)

Spinach Salad with Roasted Baby Beets and Creamy Dill Dressing

The baby beets were simply roasted, then cut in half and placed on the salad -- delicate, yet earthy, they matched well with the creamy dill dressing.

Thursday, March 22, 2007

Oyster Mushroom Quesadilla, Guacamole

Dinner 3/22

Oyster Mushroom Quesadilla
(oyster mushrooms, black beans, poblano rajas, onion, garlic, fyh Monterey Jack, salt, pepper, soy sour cream)

Guacamole
(avocado, tomato, jalapeño, onion, garlic, chili powder, salt and pepper)

With mushrooms this gorgeous, it's best just to get the hell out of the way... ;)

Wednesday, March 21, 2007

Raw Food Wednesday: Falafel in a Romaine Lettuce Wrap, No-Bean Hummus, Mixed Greens Salad with Cashew "Feta" and Biscotti

Raw Food Wednesday 3/21

Falafel in a Romaine Lettuce Wrap
(adapted from RAWvolution: sprouted chickpea, sunflower seed, almonds, lemon juice, nama shoyu, garlic, olive oil, sea salt, fresh ground turmeric, fresh ground cumin seeds, fresh ground coriander)

No-Bean Hummus
(from RAWvolution: zucchini, garlic, raw tahini, salt, pepper, olive oil, lemon juice)

Mixed Green Salad with Cashew "Feta"

Dessert

Biscotti
(from Raw Food /Real World)

The Falafel are made with sprouted chickpeas, which are then shaped into rounds -- in the book they're made more round and are supposed to dehydrate for 32 hours(!) -- but smaller sized, it took only 9 hours at 115F.

They're wrapped in a romaine lettuce leaf with some of the hummus, onion, cucumber and tomato. Later I cut the lettuce into section, one per falafel -- it made for a less wieldy, "hand-held" solution...

The biscotti were fabulous -- pistachio, almonds, agave and dried cherries made into loaf and dehydrated, then cut into strips and dehydrated for another six hours -- firm, yet chewy enough that you won't break a tooth ;)

Tuesday, March 20, 2007

Seitan Stew, Bulgur Pilaf with Currants and Pine Nuts, Steamed Big Heart Artichokes

Dinner 3/20

Seitan Stew
(seitan, onions, garlic, cannellini beans, tomato, veg stock, allspice, smoked paprika, cinnamon, pepper, tamari)

Bulgur Pilaf with Currants and Pine Nuts
(bulgur, veg stock, salt, pepper, allspice, currants, pine nuts)

Steamed Big Heart Artichokes

The seitan stew was adapted from Claudia Roden's "The New Book of Middle Eastern Food" and should have had chickpeas in it to be more authentic, but I'm soaking/sprouting the last batch of dried chickpeas for tomorrow's falafel...

The bulgur pilaf is, as always, a welcome change-of-pace from the usual rice -- it plumps up nice and chewy here, with the addition of currants and pine nuts.

Monday, March 19, 2007

Jerk Tofu, Plantain and Soyrizo Mash, Gobetti Pasta

Dinner 3/19

Jerk Tofu
(recipe below)

Plantain and Soyrizo Mash

Gobetti Pasta

Jerk Tofu

2 scallions chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tsp allspice, ground
1 tsp. herbes de provence
1/2 tsp. cayenne
1/2 tsp. fresh-ground black pepper
1 tsp. garlic salt
1 tsp nutmeg, grated
1 tsp agave
2 tbs. vinegar
2 tbs. canola oil

1 block of extra-firm tofu cut into 8 cutlets
1 tbs. tamari

Puree all the ingredients, except the tofu and tamari. Pan-fry the tofu until golden, splash the tamari on and cook and additional minute.

Take the jerk mixture and pour over the tofu, rotating the tofu to get even coverage. When it reduces completely and you start to see black spots on the tofu, it's done. Serve over rice or pasta

Sunday, March 18, 2007

Stir-Fry, Jasmine Rice, Broiled Maitake Mushrooms, Szechuan Eggplant, Steamed and Seared Bok Choy, Dim Sum

Dinner 3/18

Broiled Maitake Mushrooms

Stir-Fry
(tofu, red bell pepper, carrots, toasted sesame oil, tamari)

Szechuan Eggplant

Steamed and Seared Bok Chok

Dim Sum
(stuffed with tvp, tamari, sesame oil, carrot, bok choy, shallot, garlic and ginger)

The maitake mushrooms are marinated in a mixture of 3 tbs. tamari, 2 tbs. sake and 2 tsp. mirin for an hour then placed under the broiler for 3-4 minutes per side.

The bok choy is cut in half, put in a steamer basket and steamed until tender, then quickly fried in a wok with a little oil, then a splash of tamari and finally finished with the toasted sesame seeds.

The eggplant is wok-fried in oil with garlic and ginger until browned, then the sauce of roughly equal proportions of veg stock, tamari, black bean paste and hoisin, with sriracha (rooster) sauce to taste and 1 tbs. of agave (or sugar). It's then simmered, covered, for 10-15 minutes. Finally, increase the heat to reduce it to a thick glaze and serve hot.

The stir-fry is just your garden variety wok-fried tofu, carrots, red bell pepper, sesame oil, tamari over steamed jasmine rice... with the maitake's on top

The Dim Sum were so good that our daughter ate six in a row, which is some kind of record...

Saturday, March 17, 2007

St. Patrick's Day: Colcannon, Beer Gravy, Cock of the North, Soda Bread, Chocolate Mocha Ice Cream, Stout Brownies

Dinner 3/17

Colcannon
(mashed potato and cabbage)

Beer Gravy

"Cock of the North"
(seitan stew flamed with whiskey)

Soda Bread

Bistro Salad

Dessert

Chocolate Mocha Ice Cream

Stout Brownies

Be afraid -- we broke out the ice cream maker...

The chocolate mocha ice cream had an insanely great mouthfeel and flavor -- very adult tasting with the black cocoa. Paired perfectly with the stout brownies. Surprisingly, the main ingredient is cashews. Adapted from "Vice Cream" by Jeff Rogers.

The colcannon (mashed potatoes and sauteed cabbage) holds down the middle of the plate, filled with a beer gravy (onion, garlic, mushroom, nutritional yeast, flour, stout beer, water, tomato paste, red miso, agave, tamari, pepper, bay leaf, thyme)

The "Cock of the North" is a seitan stew made with onions, carrots, garlic and seitan which are flamed with whiskey, then the red wine and water are added and it's all braised for 45 minutes. The mushrooms were added at the end.

Friday, March 16, 2007

"Vegan Saute"

Dinner 3/16

"Vegan Saute"

*sigh* I really don't want to write this one up -- we went out to dinner at one of the few (if not only) places where we know we can get a vegan meal without having to explain what "vegan" means -- The Mustard Seed in Fairlawn, OH (they also have a store in Solon, OH).

Now, we've been going to this store since they opened (and even before that when they were still a little store in a former Lawson's down in the valley 20+ years ago), and their vegan food has always been serviceable, and occasionally very good (they did our wedding cake 16 years ago, a lemon vertical cake, that was phenomenal).

This "special" menu item tonight however... $17.99(!) for steamed veggies with marinara sauce over pasta with tempeh.

I should have known better, but still, I thought it couldn't be this bad.

I was wrong.

The thought process must have sounded a bit like this... "let's take the stir-fry products, steam them and put them over pasta instead, with a couple of chunks of steamed (not even fried) tempeh. It'll look like an Italian Stir-Fry"

It looked very pretty, but with zero flavor... It makes me never want to eat yellow squash again... and the price? Tempeh isn't that expensive.

Bleh... Double bleh.

I don't want to go out just to eat fake-meat products. Time to re-vamp and re-think the vegan portion of the menu...

Thursday, March 15, 2007

Baked Pasta and Asparagus, Braised Brussel Sprouts, Arugula Bistro Salad with Cherry Tomatoes

Dinner 3/15

Baked Pasta and Asparagus

Braised Brussel Sprouts

Arugula Bistro Salad with Cherry Tomatoes

A lovely dish of lemon, thyme, pasta and asparagus filling topped with bread crumbs. In my never ending quest for new plating ideas, I cut it out of the casserole dish with a large cookie cutter (which is not easy to do, mind you)...

and yes, it does look like a turtle...

Wednesday, March 14, 2007

Raw Food Wednesday: Tomato and Macadamia Cheese Napoleon, Blood Orange Salad, King Trumpet and Cherry Tomato over Zucchini Pasta

Raw Food Wednesday 3/14

Tomato and Macadamia "Cheese" Napoleon

King Trumpet and Cherry Tomato over Zucchini Pasta
(adapted from "Raw Food/Real World")

Blood Orange Salad

Dessert

Raw Carob Almond Truffles
(recipe from VegNews)

The "napoleon" was just an idea I had a while back, but as the tomatoes have sucked lately (as they are want to do in winter) we haven't had a chance to try it out.

The cheese is also from "Raw Food / Real World" and gets the distinctive orange color from blending in red bell pepper to equal amounts of macadamia nuts, with a little lime juice, sea salt and pepper and then dehydrating at 115° for 6-8 hours. Then using a cookie cutter slightly larger than the dehydrated tomato, alternately stacking the cheese and tomato pieces. The only thing missing was basil, which we could find, but next time...

Tuesday, March 13, 2007

Broccoli Rabe over Orecchiette Pasta, Steamed Artichokes, Mixed Greens Salad

Dinner 3/13

Broccoli Rabe over Orecchiette Pasta
(blanched, then sauteed in olive oil with red pepper flakes)

Steamed Artichoke

Mixed Greens Salad with Olives, Cucumber, Almonds, Carrots
(with a fig vinaigrette)

Dessert

Grilled Panettone Bread with Tofutti Ice Cream and Shaved Dark Chocolate

yes, it tasted as good as it looks ;)

While it's not Christmas time, we made a panettone using the mold from the monkey bread... we cut off a slice, put some soy margarine on and grilled it -- topped with Tofutti Vanilla Ice Cream and shaved dark chocolate.

Monday, March 12, 2007

Stir-Fry, Jasmine Rice, Seared & Steamed Brussel Sprouts

Dinner 3/12

Stir-Fry
(tofu, red bell pepper, carrot, toasted sesame oil, tamari, pepper)

Jasmine Rice

Seared & Steamed Brussel Sprouts

Dessert

Grilled Pineapple with Tofutti Vanilla Ice Cream

It's a Busby Berkeley plate again ;)

For the Brussel Sprouts: peel, clean and cut an "X" an the bottom of the stem, then stir-fry them with a little oil in a wok until well browned. Add a mix of veg stock, tamari and sriracha, and reduce the heat to low, cover and steam for 10 minutes.

Sunday, March 11, 2007

Eggplant, Green Bean and Seitan Curry,

Dinner 3/11

Eggplant, Green Bean and Seitan Curry

Jasmine Rice

Bean Sprout Salad with Tofu

The bean sprout salad recipe is adapted from Ming Tsai, just swap out the tofu for the ham... it's nice to have a back-up recipe (other than pad thai) for the bean sprouts ;)

Saturday, March 10, 2007

Enchiladas, "Manchamanteles" Mole

Dinner 3/10

Enchiladas
(stuffed with fyh soy cheese and onions)

"Manchamanteles" Mole
(pineapple, seitan, plantains, ancho chiles, veg stock, cayenne, cumin)

Manchamanteles is one of the classic seven Oaxacan Moles -- a.k.a. "tablecloth stainer" -- it's really dark, but it's a lovely flavor, spicy with the tropical hits from the plantains and pineapple...

Friday, March 09, 2007

Shepherdess Pie

Dinner 3/09

Shepherdess Pie

Another stab at the test recipe for the next cookbook from "Vegan With A Vengeance" authors Isa and Terry -- and they recently revealed the title of the new book: "Veganomicon"

(Insert your own Bruce Campbell reference here)

And yes, I was let loose with the pastry bag, something usually left in the far more capable hands of my lovely wife. After the second ramekin, I hit a groove with the right amount of pressure and a clean release. ;)

Thursday, March 08, 2007

Elvis-Fried Tofu, Braised Carrots, Pom Pom Mushrooms

Dinner 3/08

Elvis-Fried Tofu over Fettuccine
(tofu, marinated in tamari dredged in flour, smoked paprika, pepper, salt)

Braised Carrots

Fried Pom Pom Mushrooms

The Pom Pom (a.k.a. Lion's Mane) Mushrooms are always a treat whenever we can get them, but they're not cheap -- $15.99/pound -- so it's a good thing they're very light, but that also means they shrink quite a bit. Hairy buggers, eh? ;)

The tofu was adapted from "Fit For A King" -- an Elvis cookbook...

here's the brief recipe...

Fried Tofu (makes 16 pieces)
(adapted from "Fit For A King")

1 block of firm tofu, cut into eight cutlets, then cut diagonally into long triangles and marinated in tamari for 5 minutes

3/4 cup of AP flour
1 1/2 teaspoons of (smoked) paprika (if you have it, if not regular will do)
1 1/2 teaspoons of salt
1/4 teaspoon of black pepper

Oil (for frying)

Add the flour, paprika, salt and pepper in a brown paper bag and shake to mix.

Add the marinated tofu cutlets and shake until well coated. Remove from bag and knock off excess flour.

In a cast-iron skillet add about 1/4" of oil over high heat. When oil has come to temp, add the coated tofu pieces gently into the oil and fry until well browned on both sides (about 3-4 minutes per side). Drain on a rack (or the brown paper bag).

Wednesday, March 07, 2007

Raw Food Wednesday: Burritos and Chiles Rellenos

Raw Food Wednesday 3/07

Burritos
(walnut taco filling from RAWvolution, corn, romaine lettuce, jalapeño, avocado, cashew cheese)

Chiles Relenos
(stuffed with pumpkin and sunflower seeds, onion, celery, carrot, garlic, lemon juice, sea salt, mexican oregano, jalapeño, cumin seed, pepper)

a pair of dehydrator favorites... the burrito shells are adapted from Gabriel Cousens.

Use 1/2 cup of soaked flax seeds, 1/2 of an avocado, cumin seed, mexican oregano, sea salt, black pepper all thrown into a vita-mix and pureed, poured onto a teflex sheet and dehydrated for 4 hours at 115F, flipped and go for one more hour -- the trick is to keep them pliable, not stiff.

The filling included some of the raw corn from last summer, in addition to the quick and easy walnut "taco" mix from RAWvolution.

The chiles rellenos, as always, hit the spot and are one of the easiest raw dishes we make, prep only takes 15 minutes, and the rest of the time is spent in the dehydrator.

We get a lot of questions about the dehydrator: what type is it? (an Excalibur 2900); and how much does it cost? (about $250 w/ shipping). It's pretty much indispensable these days for our weekly raw food experiments...

Tuesday, March 06, 2007

Seitan Stroganoff over Fettuccine, Roasted Potatoes

Dinner 3/06

Seitan Stroganoff over Fettuccine
(recipe below)

Roasted Potatoes

Roasted Beet and Baby Spinach Salad with Horseradish Dressing
(horseradish, olive oil, apple cider vinegar, vegenaise, salt and pepper)

It's Potato-Henge! Or something... ;)

Seitan Stroganoff

canola oil
8 oz. seitan, cut into thin strips
1 red onion, thinly sliced
1 clove of garlic minced
shiitake (or cremini) mushrooms, sliced
1 tsp. tamari
1 tbs. flour
1 tbs. soy margarine
1 cup veg stock
1 tsp. mustard (or to taste)
1 tbs. soy sour cream
Salt and pepper to taste

In a heavy pan (or wok) on med-high heat, add 1 tbs. of canola oil and fry the strips of seitan until well browned. Remove from pan and set aside.

Fry the onion slices in the remaining oil until just starting to brown, add the minced garlic and fry for one more minute. Remove and add to the seitan.

Add 1 tbs more of canola oil and fry the mushroom slices until just starting to brown, add 1 tsp. tamari and pepper then fry for one more minute. Remove and add to the seitan.

Reduce the heat to medium and add the soy margarine and melt, add the flour and whisk to combine, making a roux. Let cook for 1-2 minutes.

Slowly pour the (room temp) veg stock into the roux, getting rid of the lumps as you quickly whisk to combine for 2-3 minutes.

As the gravy thickens, add the mustard and whisk to combine, simmer for 1-2 minutes.

Reduce the heat to med-low, and add the soy sour cream, continuing to whisk, simmer for another 1-2 minutes.

Add the seitan, mushrooms, onion and garlic to reheat.

Taste for salt and pepper. Serve over pasta.

Monday, March 05, 2007

Penne Alla Vodka, Bistro Salad

Dinner 3/05

Penne Alla Vodka
(onion, garlic, red pepper flakes, tomato sauce and soy cream sauce)

Bistro Salad
(romaine lettuce, vegenaise, mustard, the most pungent shallot known to man, salt, pepper, cherry tomatoes)

yep, it's Monday night -- pasta and a salad sounds about right ;)

Sunday, March 04, 2007

BBQ Tofu with Red Onions, Baked Potato, Roasted Broccoli

Dinner 3/04

BBQ Tofu with Red Onions

Baked Potato

Roasted Broccoli

After a long day of painting the living room and moving lots of furniture around, something easy was called for...

We used the apple to smoke the tofu again -- it's definitely milder than the hickory, and a little sweeter, so it goes well with the BBQ sauce (one day, I'll write out the sauce recipe)

Saturday, March 03, 2007

(Not Deep-Dish) Pizza

Dinner 3/03

Pizza
(fyh monterey jack and cheddar soy cheese, onion, kalamata olive, garlic, soy italian sausages)

I know, it's not a deep-dish pizza, what were we thinking?

Actually, the reason was that we all made our own (pictured is the kids version), so they could practice rolling, shaping and most importantly, only put ingredients on it that they like. ;)

Friday, March 02, 2007

Pomegranate Seitan Tagine, Okra and Tomato Stew, Rice Pilaf with Pine Nuts and Parsley, Roasted Potatoes with Cumin and Smoked Paprika

Dinner 3/02

Pomegranate Seitan Tagine
(seitan, onion, garlic, smoked paprika, cumin, chickpeas, pomegranate syrup, veg stock, tamari, pepper)

Okra and Tomato Stew

Rice Pilaf with Pine Nuts and Parsley

Roasted Potatoes with Cumin and Smoked Paprika

I know -- starch heavy with the rice and potatoes -- but the tagine really went with the rice and the okra and tomato stew worked with the poatoes.

and hey! more pretty rice molding ;)

Thursday, March 01, 2007

Stir-Fry, Jasmine Rice

Dinner 3/01

Stir-Fry
(tofu, snap peas, shiitake mushrooms, carrots, red bell pepper, tamari, pepper)

Jasmine Rice

Continuing on in a series of meals using a bowl as a mold for the Jasmine rice. ;)

The snap peas were a nice addition to the ever-changing stir-fry veg combo...