How I Spent My Summer Vacation Part 2

Vacation Part 2

Much of early August is full of birthdays and anniversaries, which is why we take a few weeks off to recover. ;)

As always, good times were had by all...

The No-knead Bread was the starting point for this birthday meal of small plates, and Liz is finally getting close to the right ratio that doesn't (severely) stick to her hands or doesn't develop the deep rich flavor that the Einkorn flour brings to the party. Served along with Roasted Chickpeas (onion, garlic, berbere, tamari, pepper), Shishito Peppers (pan-fried with lemon juice, salt) and local Chanterelle Mushrooms (pan-fried, splashed with tamari and pepper at the end). Thanks to Jeff at KNF for hooking us up.


Also along for the ride were Braised Leeks...


...and Artichoke Dip (with arugula)


For another birthday dinner we again utilized the Chanterelles, this time in a Garlic Cream Sauce over Apple-Wood Smoked Tofu...


... along with Grilled Okra and Onions as well as the always popular Cat-Head Biscuits (more on those later).


As you guys know by now, we like to have fun with our pizzas, and tonight was no exception -- the corn from the farmers market was the start of this Oaxacan-style Pizza (with Squash Blossoms, soyrizo, nooch and vegenaise) was perhaps the best pizza of the year (no small feat).


It's been a somewhat temperate (and rainy) summer here in Northeast Ohio, and we peeked ahead to fall for some Polenta with Roasted Cauliflower, Rosemary, Cannellini Beans and Collard Greens


For lunch one day, Liz found some really nice Portobello Mushrooms which were marinated (olive oil, tamari, ketchup, pepper), grilled and served on the Cat-Head Biscuits along with Roasted Red Bell Pepper, Spinach, Red Onion and Vegenaise


More lovely corn from the Farmers Market were incorporated into Chiles Rellenos along with refried beans (black beans, pinto beans, onion, garlic, Mexican oregano, salt, pepper and smoked paprika)...


... the corn was briefly pan-fried along with red onion, garlic and a pinch of Mexican oregano, salt and pepper), spooned on top of the refried beans (with a little Daiya cheddar) and roasted for 20 minutes at 350°F to bring it all together.


As we get deeper into the season at the Farmers market local Peaches are at their peak, and Liz whipped up a Peaches and Blueberry Tart


More corn this time, in the form of Old Bay Tofu Cakes from Tal Ronnen's book (recipe), which we've made before, with the addition of some pickled chard stems that Liz made (in place of the beets) and roasted cauliflower.


Finally, a sure sign that Fall is coming, Beet Bourguignon over lentils.

...we now return you to regular programming, already in progress...

Raspberry and Strawberry Crepe Cake

Dessert 09/06

Raspberry and Strawberry Crepe Cake

Slightly adapted off the cover of VegNews, this one (via Miyoko Schinner) deserves its own entry...


Starting with the (silken tofu) crepes...


... a layer of homemade strawberry freezer jam...


... a layer of fresh strawberries and powdered sugar...


... a layer of Soyatoo whipped cream (the box kind, whipped in the stand mixer).

Finally, topped with one last crepe, the raspberries and a little more powdered sugar.

Socca with Kale, Chickpeas, Mushrooms with GF Chorizo-Style Sausages, Roasted Garlic with Breadsticks

Dinner 09/06

Socca with Kale

Chickpeas, Mushrooms with GF Chorizo-Style Sausages

Roasted Garlic with Breadsticks

Another Friday night "what's in the fridge that needs to be used?" small plates kind of meal.

The kale went into the Socca...


...the mushrooms were pan-fried & deglazed with sherry and added to onion, garlic, salt, pepper & smoked paprikia, chickpeas and a fresh batch of Chorizo-style GF sausages (more on those soon).


Breadsticks were paired with...


...Roasted Garlic which also went on the Socca.

Cauliflower Steaks

Dinner 09/04

Cauliflower Steaks

As much as we love cauliflower steaks, we haven't made them in a while.

For this version, we broke out the cast-iron pan -- the recipe is from "Root to Stalk Cooking" by Tara Duggan -- thick cut slices of cauliflower pan-seared over med-high heat, topped with diced tomato and olives, seasoned with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Good stuff!

Fritto Misto

Appetizer 09/01

Fritto Misto

Earlier this summer, I wasn't sure we'd have any squash blossoms -- it's been a rough growing season this year with the endless rain. But in the last week or so, we finally have blossoms, and that means Fritto Misto along with some button mushrooms along for the ride. The squash blossoms were carefully rinsed inside and out (you never know who is sleeping in there), and then stuffed with a mixture of vegan cream cheese, shallots, nutritional yeast, salt and pepper.

The recipe has evolved over the years, here's the latest version...

Fritto Misto

1/2 cup Einkorn flour
1/2 cup brown rice flour
1/2 tablespoon baking powder
1 tbs. cornstarch
1/4 tsp. smoked paprika
salt & pepper to taste

1 cup water

Canola oil for frying

Sift the flours, baking powder and cornstarch into a medium bowl. Stir in 1 cup of the water, salt, pepper and smoked paprika. Allow to rest for a few minutes. Additional water may be needed to adjust thickness.

In a wok or large pot, heat the oil to 375F, dredge the veggies in the batter and carefully drop in the oil.

Cook until until golden brown (about 3-5 minutes).

The dipping sauce is Vegenaise, garlic and smoked paprika.

Paella with Braised Fennel, Green Beans, Apple Wood-Smoked Tofu and Mushrooms deglazed with Sherry

Dinner 08/31

Paella with Braised Fennel, Green Beans, Apple Wood-Smoked Tofu and Mushrooms deglazed with Sherry

One of our all-time favorites! The recipes for both the Paella and Fennel are here.

How I Spent My Summer Vacation Part 1

Part 1

Well, our month-long vacation is over, the kids are back in school, so it must be time to update the blog...

We went to the Kent Farmers Market almost every weekend -- here Surprised Cat is Surprised by the Squash Blossoms (and everything else from the market)


Starting off with Socca, Grilled Corn and Tofu -- the corn came from Heron Hills Farm at the market and the tofu was cherry-smoked, marinated in olive oil, tamari and black pepper, then grilled.


Also from the market, these lovely Watermelon Radishes -- sprinkled with salt and served on a slice of no-knead bread with a little Earth Balance for the radishes to stick to.


Squash Blossom Fritto Misto (recipe) were from the Cinderella Squash growing in our front yard. Stuffed with vegan cream cheese, shallots and smoked paprika, then dipped in the batter and deep-fried at 375°F until golden brown.


Speaking of deep-frying, these lovely Vidalia Onion Rings were gorgeous -- served with a little Vegenaise & Smoked Paprika dipping sauce.


I don't even remember what this was used in, but I just liked this picture of the Cthulhu Mushrooms. ;)


For dessert one night, Liz made her Chocolate and Coconut Milk Ganache Tart with a Walnut Crust topped with Sea Salt -- because we had an opened can of coconut milk that needed to be used, so we used it. A slight riff on her usual method with the walnut crust to make it GF-friendly.

That gets us through the end of July, Part 2 will cover the rest of August next...

Hatch Chiles

Dinner 08/25

Roasted Hatch Chiles

It's that time of year again, when Hatch chiles start showing up in the markets. We bought a dozen or so of both the hot and mild, roasted them (as shown), then peeled and de-seeded the chiles. Finally, we then vacuum-sealed and froze them for the winter ahead. We saved a couple for dinner tonight (quesadillas with oyster mushrooms & tomatoes from the garden) and the Hatch chiles added a nice change of pace flavor profile the the usual jalepeno or serrano chiles.

Corn Fritters, Braised Leeks, No-Knead Bread, Olive Bagna Cauda, Shishito Peppers, Icicle Radishes

Dinner 07/20

Corn Fritters

Braised Leeks

No-Knead Bread

Olive Bagna Cauda

Shishito Peppers

Icicle Radishes

A little bit of this and that, using some of the mornings Farmers Market produce. We did the usual Braised Leeks recipe and made a small batch of corn fritters topped with a garlic mayo on a bed of the local lettuce.


For apps, we made the Olive Bagna Cauda recipe from Food & Wine, fried up the Shishito peppers and finished them with a splash of lemon and salt, sliced the radishes thinly with a pinch of sea salt, plus we took another run at the no-knead bread(sticks) from Jim Lahey -- still trying dial in the right amount of water/yeast/flour for the Einkorn -- but we're getting closer...

Farmers Market

Farmers Market 07/20

Dodging the rain drops, Liz made her way to the Kent Farmers Market and returned with these goodies which will get turned into dinner later.


Beautiful lettuce...


... beets, turnips, collards, radishes, green beans, zucchini, cucumbers


Red onions with more beets, turnips and lettuce.

Stay tuned.

Chili Salad

Dinner 07/17

Chili Salad

With temps in the low 90s and the heat index topping 100°, a salad begins to look like a really viable choice for dinner. ;)

The chili started with 1/2 cup of TVP, soaked for 15 minutes in veg stock along with smoked paprika and cumin. While that absorbed, we sauteed one diced onion, 3 cloves of garlic until golden, added salt, pepper and a little ancho powder (to taste). Then we added the in soaked TVP and cooked that until it all the liquid had evaporated and started to darken. At this point Liz likes to add 1 tbs. of dark cocoa and 1 tbs. of tamari.

Next we added 32 oz. of cooked kidney beans and 16 oz of Pinto beans (you can use pressure cooked or canned -- canned was a really good option tonight.) Finally we added a 28oz can of whole fire-roasted tomatoes, crushed them with a potato masher and let it simmer on the back of the stove for 40 minutes until thickened. Check for seasoning and serve over a bed of baby romaine or mixed greens, top with your favorite hot sauce, a splash of lime, vegan sour cream and line the bowl with chips.

Bananas Foster Pancakes

Breakfast 07/13

We had Bananas Foster for dessert the other night and needed to use up the last of the bananas -- so it was as simple as A + B = tasty. ;)

The base pancake recipe is from "Vegan Diner." The Bananas Foster was 2 tbs. Earth Balance & 1/4 cup of Brown Sugar melted in a pan with a pinch of cinnamon added. Being breakfast, we skipped the rum and ice cream, but did add a 1/4 cup of rice milk to smooth it out. The bananas were cut and tossed with the sauce and added to the top of the pancakes.

No-Knead Bread, Sherry-Infused Mushroom Pate

Appetizer 07/12

No-Knead Bread

Sherry-Infused Mushroom Pate

Liz wanted to try out the No-Knead Bread technique by Jim Lahey (author of "My Bread" and "My Pizza") to see what would happen when using Einkorn Flour.

The first batch was made a few days previously -- the final loaf was in the ballpark -- perhaps a little wet, which made it difficult to handle. We baked it in our large cast-iron dutch oven, which was one size too large and led to a rather tasty, but thin loaf.

So after a few adjustments (an extra bit of flour and yeast), Liz made a second batch, this time baked in the Le Creuset French Oven (7 1/4 Qt.) -- after first removing the lid handle, which will melt at 500°.

As you can see, it turned out really well -- a rustic loaf with a deep, well developed flavor. The kids also loved it.


Liz also made some large breadsticks (almost baguettes) from the no-knead dough that paired very nicely with the Sherry-Infused Mushroom Pate (recipe from "Urban Vegan" by Dynise Balcavage) -- which uses pecans to great effect.

Shish Kabobs: Maple-Smoked Tofu, Mushrooms, Red Bell Pepper and Pineapple

Dinner 07/11

Shish Kabobs

Our grill certainly is getting a workout this summer -- tonight, we marinated some maple-smoked* tofu, mushrooms, red bell pepper and pineapple with 1 tbs. of olive oil, 1 tbs. of tamari, black pepper (to taste) and 1 tbs. of ketchup and put them on wooden skewers and served them on a bed of rice (to absorb all the tasty juicy bits).


* a new wood chip flavor for us -- our son noticed it right away -- we have taught him well... ;)

Hot Dogs, Pasta Salad and Sweet Potato Fries

Dinner 07/07

Hot Dogs

Pasta Salad

Sweet Potato Fries

We fired up the grill again and rocked the Holiday weekend food stuffs!

The sweet potato fries were cut into quarters and tossed with olive oil, salt, pepper and a tiny bit of smoked paprika and baked at 425° for 25-30 minutes turning halfway through cooking.


Liz broke out her hot dog bun pan and tried the "Old-Fashion Hamburger Bun" recipe from "Vegan Diner" by Julie Hasson with great success!




A close-up of the dogs with ketchup, onions & relish...

Paella

Dinner 06/29

Paella

It's always a good time when we break out the Paella pan! ;)

We used our basic Paella recipe, augmented tonight with green beans, button mushrooms deglazed with sherry, hickory-smoked tofu and red bell peppers.

Brown Rice Burger, Grilled Asparagus, Mixed Greens Salad with Grapes

Dinner 06/23

Brown Rice Burger

Grilled Asparagus

Mixed Greens Salad with Grapes

The recipe for the brown rice burgers hasn't changed much -- maybe less chipotle & jalapeno. The tomato is from our mini-garden on the patio (given that the deer will find anything tomato-related in the front or back yard, we have to put the older plants up on the deck).

The asparagus were tossed with olive oil, tamari and black pepper and grilled -- we've taken to putting a wok-lid over items on the grill (i.e. corn) to help even out the cooking with great success, making it act more like an outdoor grill.

Strawberry Shortcake

Dessert

Strawberry Shortcake

The recipe ("Mixed Berry Shortcake") was from adapted* from "Chloe's Vegan Desserts" (p. 129) by Chloe Coscarelli.



It was delicious.

That is all.

* we made two single cakes, didn't have any other berries and used Einkorn flour, as usual.

Guacamole and Chips

Appetizer 06/15

Guacamole and Chips

We had some friends over and started out the evening with guacamole & chips -- and maybe a Margarita or two, which is why there aren't any pictures of the enchiladas we had for dinner or the pumpkin flan we had for dessert. ;)

Thai Noodle Salad

Lunch 06/14

Thai Noodle Salad

I'm pretty sure there are items waaaay in the back of our pantry that have been there since we moved into the house in '94. Thankfully the Thai noodles (rice vermicelli) are a (somewhat) more recent purchase. ;)

There's stir-fried carrots, cabbage and tofu mixed into a quick sweet and sour sauce (lime, agave, sriracha, tamari) with the noodles, topped with cucumber, radish and peanuts.