what the hell _does_ a vegan eat anyway?: April 2007

Monday, April 30, 2007

Smoked Tofu and Yukon Potato Pizza with Ramps and Shiitake Mushrooms

Dinner 4/30

Smoked Tofu and Yukon Potato Pizza with Ramps and Shiitake Mushrooms
(onion, garlic, tomato sauce, FYH Monterey Jack soy cheese, ramps, shiitake mushrooms, alder smoked potato and tofu)

pic before the soy cheese was added...

yep, pizza again -- this time a more traditional style/crust with some alder smoked tofu and potatoes -- as Liz was craving smoked potatoes (which is pretty unusual in of itself). I'm trying to get Liz to write out the pizza dough recipe -- it's pretty basic (flour, water, olive oil, yeast, pinch of sugar, etc) but I want to get all of the proportions correct...

Sunday, April 29, 2007

Tomato and Potato Soup with Fried Tofu and Shiitake Mushrooms, Fava Beans, Ciabatta, Bistro Salad, Braised Leeks

Dinner 4/29

Tomato and Potato Soup

Fava Beans

Ciabatta

Braised Leeks

Bistro Salad

lots of "small pieces, loosely joined" in a quasi-bistro meal.

We've hit upon the best way to clean/prep the fava beans: make it a race between the children to see who can get the most beans. It not only speeds up the prep time but also give them the connection between the raw and finished product.

And perhaps it's just anecdotal evidence on our part, but the kids seem to give unfamiliar foods a slightly better chance of being eaten if they get to touch and help with the prep. It's not just something green that shows up on the plate without any reference or connection. It beats the ol' "eat this, because it's good for you" schtick. Raise your hand if that was ever successful when you were growing up... ;)

Saturday, April 28, 2007

Green Curry Tofu and Deep-Fried Rice Balls, Baby Corn, Snap Peas and Green Curry, Jasmine Rice

Dinner 4/28

Green Curry Tofu and Deep-Fried Rice Balls

Baby Corn, Snap Peas and Green Curry
(coconut milk, chile paste, lemongrass, shallot, tamari)

Jasmine Rice

We were definitely craving some hot spicy food and this curry, done two ways, fit the bill perfectly -- smooth with a kick to the head ;)

We finally opened the 102 oz. can of baby corn that we picked up at the market over the winter (for $3.99) -- it's one of those situations where once you open it, you better be committed to using it all -- so expect to see more baby corn on the menu in the near future...

Friday, April 27, 2007

Polenta with Grilled Ramps and Morel Mushrooms, Fritto Misto, Grape and Tarragon Salad, Tiramisu Cupcakes

Dinner 4/27

Polenta with Grilled Ramps and Morel Mushrooms

Fritto Misto
(asparagus and morel mushrooms)

Grape and Tarragon Salad

Dessert

Tiramisu Cupcakes
(from "Vegan Cupcakes Take Over The World")

Yay! The ramps have made it to our co-op. They were on the plate in less than two hours after coming out of the ground (we're saving our batch of ramps for next week). We grilled them simply with a little olive oil, pepper and tamari. The last of the morels and asparagus were use in the fritto misto, and the last few morels were sauteed to go along with the polenta and ramps.

Ironically, we didn't test the Tiramisu cupcakes for the "Vegan Cupcakes Take Over The World" -- not quite sure how that happened. We tested so many that it must have slipped through the cracks. Anyway, they turned out as decadent as they sound (as do all the recipes from the book).

Thursday, April 26, 2007

Garlic Tofu, Refried Rice, Szechuan Eggplant, Banana Ice Cream

Dinner 4/26

Garlic Tofu
(stir-fried tofu, carrot, red bell pepper, snap peas, garlic, ginger. garlic sauce: tamari, lime juice, fried garlic, galanga, shallot, lemongrass, red pepper flake, cornstarch, black pepper)

Refried Rice
(jasmine rice, tamari, toasted sesame oil)

Szechuan Eggplant
(recipe here

Dessert

Banana Ice Cream with Toasted Coconut and Peanuts
(coconut milk, sugar, rum and two very very ripe bananas)

the Garlic Tofu sauce is yet another attempt at re-creating the magic from Lemongrass... the only advice I can make for those wishing to make it -- Add. More. Garlic!

The banana ice cream was extremely banana-y, but that's what you're shooting for... ;)

adapted from the Plain Dealer (the link will disappear in a couple of weeks)

Banana and Coconut Ice Cream

Makes 4 servings (about 2 cups)

1/4 to 1/2 cup shredded unsweetened coconut

2 very ripe large bananas
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk, chilled
1 tablespoon agave
Squeeze of fresh lime juice
A few drops of dark rum, if desired

Preliminaries: Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Place the coconut on a sheet pan and bake, tossing occasionally, until it is golden, about 4 minutes. Watch carefully so it does not burn. Set aside to cool.

Preparation: Peel the bananas. Slice into 1/2 inch slices and place them on a cookie sheet. Freeze until solid, at least 1 hour.

Blend the frozen banana slices in a food processor until roughly chopped. Add the coconut milk, sugar, lime juice and rum, if desired, and continue processing, scraping the sides down occasionally until it is the consistency of ice cream, 1 to 2 minutes. (Although at first the mixture will seem granular, as the bananas thaw slightly, it will become very creamy.)

Presentation: Serve at once or freeze up to 1/2 hour before serving. Scatter toasted coconut over each serving.

Source: Recipe adapted from Sally Schneider's "The Improvisational Cook" (William Morrow, 2006) and "A New Way to Cook" (Artisan, 2001).

Wednesday, April 25, 2007

Deep Dish Pizza with Portobello Mushrooms

Dinner

Deep Dish Pizza with Portobello Mushrooms
(onion, garlic, salt, red pepper flakes, tomato sauce, portobello mushrooms, fyh monterey jack soy cheese)

I think Liz has nailed the mechanics/timing/ingredients of the deep dish oeuvre ;)

Deep Dish Pizza (version 6.1)

2 packages dry yeast ("Quick Rise")
2 cups tepid water (90F)
1/2 cup vegetable oil
4 tbs. olive oil
1/2 cup cornmeal
5 1/2 cups flour

In the mixing bowl, dissolve the yeast in the water. Add the vegetable oil, the olive oil, the cornmeal and 3 cups of the flour. Beat or process for 10 minutes. Add the dough hook and mix in the rest of the flour. Knead for 10 to 15 minutes. Put the dough onto a plastic counter top or a cutting board and cover it with a very large metal bowl. Allow dough to rise until double in bulk. Punch down and allow to rise again. Punch down again.

Oil a large round deep dish pan or two cake pans. Put a little olive oil on your fingers and press and push the dough to the edge and up the sides of each pan. The dough should be about 1/8" throughout.

(We par-baked it for 3-4 minutes before putting the filling in the first time, and that seemed to help)

Bake the pizzas in a pre-heated 450F oven for 35 to 40 minutes or until the top is golden and gooey and the crust is a light golden brown.

If you have a pizza stone -- about 5 minutes before it's finished, try to remove the pizza from the pan and put it on the stone -- it'll help firm up the bottom.

Needless to say, Raw Food Wednesday did not happen for a variety of reasons -- mainly a last minute scheduling issue. That's one of the drawbacks to RWF, sometimes it just doesn't work out, and today was one of those days.

Ironically, we made raw buckwheat pizza shells earlier in the week, just for tonight's meal. I had one for lunch yesterday -- so look for those next time...

Tuesday, April 24, 2007

Barley Risotto with Fried Tofu, Steamed Artichoke

Dinner 4/25

Barley Risotto with Fried Tofu

Steamed Artichoke

The barley risotto is made just like rice-based version -- olive oil, onion, garlic, salt, pepper, nutritional yeast, soy margarine, one cup of barley and about four cups of veg stock with a little tamari, slowly added over the course of 20-25 minutes or so... the end result is nicely chewy and nutty with a depth of flavor that matches well with the fried tofu, cut into strips and fried again.

Monday, April 23, 2007

Mac 'n' Cheese, Green Beans

Dinner 4/23

Mac 'n Cheese
(recipe below)

Green Beans

Our son has been taking "Life Skills" classes this year which involves hands-on cooking. As you can imagine, there was a phone call or two with the teacher, who was very cool and allowed him to bring in substitute ingredients for the class. This recipe has been tweaked by our son to his specs -- and yes, he's as much a foodie as his parents. The only bit of advice to girls looking to date him (far, far) in the future -- once you make a food the way he likes it, you had better never change it. Ever.

Mac 'n' Cheese
(makes 4)

1 package pasta, cooked
(you'll probably have leftover pasta depending on what type you use -- this only used about 1/2 of the total amount of fusilli)

2 tbs. soy margarine
2 tbs. AP flour
1 cup of plain soy/rice milk
1 tsp. salt
1 tbs. nutritional yeast

4oz soy cheese, shredded (about half a block)
(we used FYH cheddar)

Melt the soy margarine, add the flour and make a roux. Cook for 2-3 minutes until it bubbles and turns a nice golden color. Add the soy milk slowly, whisking quickly to avoid lumps. Continue to whisk until the mixture thickens. Add salt and nutritional yeast and whisk to incorporate.

Add the shredded soy cheese, stir until melted, add pasta to combine.

Check for seasoning.

Place the pasta into a lightly greased (with soy margarine) Au Gratin dish or 6oz. ramekin. Sprinkle extra nutritional yeast on top (to taste) or bread crumbs (or both).

Place on a cookie sheet and bake at 350°F for 15-20 minutes.

Sunday, April 22, 2007

BBQ Tofu (slight return)

Dinner 4/22

BBQ Tofu
(tofu, tamari, bbq sauce, onion)

A Lazy Sunday indeed... 78F and lots of sitting around drinking cool refreshing beverages, hanging out on the deck and...

Kids: "Dad! What are we having for dinner? We're starving!"

Me: "zzz... crap, what time is it?"

Kids: "5pm. And don't make something that's going to take three hours to prep and an another hour to cook, like you always do!"

Me: (winces) "What do you want?"

Kids: "BBQ tofu!"

Me: "We just had that last week."

Kids: "So?"

Me: "Fine, I could make that new rub I saw in "Chili Pepper" and make that Kansas City style tomato and molasses sauce I've been meaning to try..."

Kids: "No! Use the bottled stuff, now!"

Me: "Damn."

Saturday, April 21, 2007

Pasta Puttanesca, Raw Frozen Mango Tart

Dinner 4/21

Pasta Puttanesca
(onion, garlic, red pepper flake, tvp, smoked paprika, kalamata olives, tomatoes, parsley, thyme, nutritional yeast)

Dessert

Raw Frozen Mango Tart

...and it's not even Wednesday! ;)

Liz wanted to experiment with mangoes for dessert tonight, and decided to have a go at making a raw version of a Martha Stewart recipe -- Frozen Mango Cream Cake (May 2007 MSL). Adapted heavily of course, but the basic idea was...

the crust: macadamia nuts, coconut oil, agave

the filling: orange juice, lemon juice, agar agar, mango, agave, pine nuts, cashews

the verdict: really, really good. Smooth, creamy but with substance -- it helped that the mangoes were perfectly ripe.

Friday, April 20, 2007

Stir Fry with Sriracha, Jasmine Rice

Dinner

Stir-Fry with Sriracha
(tofu, carrot, red bell pepper, garlic, ginger, tamari, sriracha)

Jasmine Rice

A crazy "spring cleaning" kind of day, lots of projects getting underway, meetings with contractors, running around for supplies. Good to know there's always a stir-fry ;)

Thursday, April 19, 2007

Polenta with Asparagus, Morel and Pom Pom Mushrooms, White Beans with Rosemary and Kale

Dinner 4/19

Polenta with Asparagus, Morel and Pom Pom Mushrooms

White Beans with Rosemary and Kale
(garlic, onion, kale, tamari, cannellini beans, pepper, olive oil)

oh my, this meal kicked ass and took names... simple, strong, earthy with a ton of flavor. Have I mentioned how much I love Morels and Pom Pom's? ;)

Wednesday, April 18, 2007

Raw Food Wednesday: Morel Mushroom Stacks With Fennel Puree and Basil Oil, Daikon Spring Rolls, Avocado and Grapefruit Salad, Cucumber, Coconut Water

Raw Food Wednesday 4/18

Morel Mushroom Stacks With Fennel Puree and Basil Oil
(From Trotter/Klein: marinated morel mushrooms, fennel puree, fennel slices, fennel fronds, basil oil)

Daikon Spring Rolls
(daikon wrappers, mango, red bell pepper, young coconut meat, scallion, jalapeño)

Avocado and Grapefruit Salad
(with Garlic Dressing and Cashew Cheese Crutons)

Cucumber, Coconut Water and Lime Soup
(recipe below)

Oh happy day! the morels have finally come in! Fat, earthy and juicy, these are perfect specimens. We salute you, Mrs. Morel Mushroom Picker who sells to Mustard Seed Market in Fairlawn.

The daikon rolls are adapted from Sarma's "Raw Food Real World" -- cut into fat slices on the mandoline, as we don't have a "sheeter" -- and if anyone can point us to one for sale online in the US, we'd be eternally grateful.

The soup was crisp and refreshing with just enough heat from the jalapeño...
the recipe was:

one cucumber, seeded,
water from one young coconut,
lime juice to taste
1 small jalapeno
sea salt to taste

everybody into the vita-mix for 20 seconds

garnished with mint....

Tuesday, April 17, 2007

Fried Tofu with Tomatillo and Chipotle Sauce with Pumpkin Seeds and Pumpkin Oil, Basmati Rice

Dinner

Fried Tofu with Tomatillo and Chipotle Sauce with Pumpkin Seeds and Pumpkin Oil

Basmati Rice

It was easier to make than it sounds ;)

The sauce is 4 cups veg stock, 1 med. onion, diced, 2 garlic cloves, sliced, 1 canned chipotle with a little of the adobo sauce, brought to a boil and simmered for 15 minutes. Then add 6-8 medium tomatillos to the liquid and cook for 10 minutes until they get soft. Puree the mixture in a vita-mix / blender with a dozen cilantro sprigs.

Add 2 tbs. of canola oil on med-high heat to a large saute pan, and add the liquid from the blender (careful, it may splatter). Cook for 15-20 minutes until reduced by at least half. Check for salt and add up to 1 tbs. of sugar, if needed, to balance the heat of the chipotle.

Add fried tofu slices until well coated, or simply pour it over the tofu on the plate.

Toast the pumpkin seeds in a little oil, add salt and cayenne to taste.

Drizzle pumpkin seed oil around plate (warning -- very addictive!)

Bonus pix: a walk through our backyard

Monday, April 16, 2007

Hoisin Tofu Stir-Fry, Jasmine Rice

Dinner 4/16

Hoisin Tofu Stir-Fry
(tofu, hoisin, carrot, shiitake mushroom, garlic, ginger, tamari)

Jasmine Rice

We haven't done the hoisin thing in a while, I've missed it ;)

In other news, we just scored some more oyster and pom-pom mushrooms...

Bonus Pic: a different, frequent visitor to the backyard

Sunday, April 15, 2007

Gemelli with Tomato Cream Sauce, Steamed Broccoli

Dinner 4/15

Gemelli with Tomato Cream Sauce
(onion, garlic, tomato, fresh basil, oregano, red pepper flake, salt, pepper, soy sour cream)

Steamed Broccoli

We spent most of the day finishing up taxes (thankfully we retained most of our hybrid car credit), but that meant less time for dinner prep. So, in the Prius' honor, the classic tomato cream hybrid sauce made an appearance. ;)

Saturday, April 14, 2007

Sweet and Sour Seitan, Seared and Steamed Green Beans, Jasmine Rice

Dinner 4/14

Sweet and Sour Seitan
(seitan, pineapple, carrot, red bell pepper, red onion, baby corn, garlic, ginger, pepper. sweet and sour sauce: 2 tbs. each of tamari, rice vinegar and ketchup, 1 tbs. agave, 1/2 cup water, 1 tbs. cornstarch)

Seared and Steamed Green Beans

Jasmine Rice

The pineapple was at peak ripeness and was balanced nicely by the tangy sauce. As far as molding the rice again, it's just a phase I'm working through... ;)

Friday, April 13, 2007

BBQ Tofu with Red Onions, Baked Potato, Roasted Broccoli

Dinner 4/13

BBQ Tofu with Red Onions

Baked Potato

Roasted Broccoli

A quick meal tonight, as our son is in the school play... it's not often you get to hear your son ask "where's my make-up?!" ;)

Bonus pix: a frequent visitor to our backyard...

Thursday, April 12, 2007

Hoppin' John with Hickory Smoked Tofu, Fried Okra

Dinner 4/12

Hoppin' John with Hickory Smoked Tofu
(adapted from the Lee Bros. Southern Cookbook: onion, salt. pepper, red pepper flakes, black-eyed peas, basmati rice, tomato, veg stock, tamari

Fried Okra

Apparently the Lee Bros. don't cook anything without bacon in it -- so the solution is to hickory-smoke the tofu.

One of central tenets of our personal style of cooking (we have tenets and a style, who knew?) is adding layers of flavor wherever possible -- and smoking has become one of our "go to" methods.

I know it seems like extra work when you can just dump some liquid smoke (*shudder*) into whatever your cooking, but with the variety of woods available and the level of flavor imparted, the extra time and effort is well worth the results...

We sort of made the okra "hush-puppy-ish" -- almost tempura-like with the addition of a bit of cornmeal. Highly addictive. ;)

Wednesday, April 11, 2007

Raw Food Wednesday: Red Pepper Tacos, Daikon and Zucchini Noodle Soup, Romaine Salad with Avocado and Kumquat

Raw Food Wednesday 4/11

Red Pepper Tacos
(recipe below)

Daikon and Zucchini Noodle Soup
(adapted from RAWvolution: juiced daikon, water, sea salt, carrot, celery, dehydrated shiitake mushrooms, zucchini noodles)

Romaine Salad with Avocado and Kumquat

The shells are based on the red chile pepper flour tortillas we use when we make breakfast burritos on Sunday mornings (filled with scrambled tofu and potatoes). The concept is similar to the the avocado and flax seed shells from last week, but actually came out a little softer and more pliable than those...

Also, we've really come to enjoy the kumquats as we've worked through this batch -- we'll definitely need to pick up some more soon...

Red Pepper Tacos

1 red bell pepper roughly chopped
1/2 jalapeño, seeded
1/4 cup pumpkin seed, soaked
1/2 cup flax seed, soaked
1 tsp. mexican oregano
1 tsp. cumin seeds, crushed
sea salt

Puree all the ingredients together in a high-speed blender (vita-mix). Pour the batter out onto a teflex sheet (four to a sheet) and spread them out with an offset spatula into rounds. Dehydrate the shells at 115F for 3-4 hours, flip and dehydrate for another 30 minutes or so. You want them to be flexible, and not too dried out -- unless you want to make them tostadas instead ;)

The filling in this case was the walnut filling from RAWvolution, cashew cheese, dehydrated shiitake mushrooms and avocado.

Tuesday, April 10, 2007

Lemon Risotto with Asparagus, Artichoke and Tofu, Braised Leeks

Dinner 4/10

Lemon Risotto with Asparagus, Artichoke and Tofu

Braised Leeks

OK, so the tofu looks a wee bit like a re-enactment from "Alien vs. Predator" -- but it was perhaps the best risotto I've made to date ;)

Lemon Risotto with Asparagus, Artichoke and Tofu

quick recipe recap: sweat one medium minced onion and two cloves garlic in olive oil over med-low temp, and add salt and pepper. Add one cup of the arborio rice and stir to evenly coat. Let the rice cook for a few minutes. Begin to add veg stock (you'll need about five or six cups total), one cup to start, then 1/2 cup at a time as the rice absorbs it. When the rice just begins to look creamy (about 15-20 minutes), add the thinly sliced asparagus and artichoke bits and cook for an additional 5 minutes. Finally add lemon (to taste), about 2 tbs. of nutritional yeast and stir to combine -- check for seasoning. Serve hot with the shredded/fried tofu on top.

Monday, April 09, 2007

Eggplant Parmesan, Asparagus Fritto Misto

Dinner 4/09

Eggplant Parmesan over Fusilli Pasta

Fritto Misto
(asparagus with a lemon vegenaise dipping sauce)

yep, Monday's back in town ;)

We switched around our usual eggplant method of flour -> cornstarch slurry -> seasoned breadcrumbs by subbing ground flax seed soaked in water for the cornstarch. It really soaks up the water, so don't be afraid to add more, otherwise it gets too thick and gooey and clumps up on the eggplant that's been floured.

In seasoning the breadcrumbs, I went with rosemary, thyme and crushed fennel seeds that lent a nice "pop" on the palette.

Finally, the asparagus fused together while deep-frying the fritto misto and came out just like you see...

Sunday, April 08, 2007

Easter: Seitan and Lentil Stew in Crepes, Grilled Asparagus, Parsley Potatoes, Green Beans, Fava Beans

Easter Dinner 4/08

Seitan and Lentil Stew in Crepes
(crepes from VwaV. stew: onion, garlic, herbes de provence, french lentils, veg stock, tamari, seitan, pepper)

Grilled Asparagus
(blanched in water, marinated in olive oil, tamari, pepper, then grilled)

Parsley Potatoes and Green Beans
(boiled petit potatoes and green beans, sauteed in soy marg, salt, pepper, parsley)

Fava Beans
(not with mint, thank you)

Warm Mushroom Salad
(radish, carrot, cremini mushrooms, dried cherries, leaf lettuce, fig vinaigrette)

Dessert

Easter Cake

The cake is adapted from the Magnolia cookbook -- a vanilla cake with vanilla and chocolate frosting, and chocolate chips for the eyes.

yes, the irony of vegans eating a cake shaped like a lamb is not lost upon me ;)

Saturday, April 07, 2007

Tofu Over Wilted Kale with Kumquat Sauce, Jasmine Rice

Dinner 4/07

Tofu Over Wilted Kale with Kumquat Sauce
(recipe below)

We still has some kumquats left over after the satay the other night -- so tonight's meal was an attempt to come up with something in a Southeast Asian vein, hence the sriracha, shallot, cilantro, sugar and tofu. It has all the hallmark tastes, sweet, salty, sour and spicy and the kumquats really "pop" in your mouth

Tofu Over Wilted Kale with Kumquat Sauce

1 block of extra firm tofu cut into eight rectangular cutlets
canola oil
1 tbs. of tamari

5 kumquats
1 large shallot
1 piece of lemongrass, sliced as thinly as possible
2 tablespoons palm sugar (or regular sugar, or even agave)

1/3 cup water
3 tbs. rice vinegar
1/4 tsp. sriracha (hot sauce, or sub 1/4 tsp. of red pepper flakes)
1 tbs. chopped fresh cilantro leaves
2 cups kale, shredded (about 1 bunch)

Cut kumquats, shallots and lemongrass crosswise into thin slices, discarding any kumquat seeds.

Season tofu with salt and pepper and saute in a hot pan (or wok) until golden on both sides. reduce heat to low, and add 1 tbs. of tamari, turning the tofu until well coated, about 2 minutes.

Remove tofu from pan and set aside.

Add shallot and lemongrass to remaining oil in skillet and cook, stirring frequently for about 1 minute. Sprinkle sugar over shallot and lemongrass and cook, undisturbed, until sugar is melted and golden. Immediately stir in kumquats, water, vinegar, and sriracha and simmer, stirring, until sugar is dissolved. Stir in cilantro and salt to taste and, if sauce is too liquid, simmer until thickened to desired consistency, about 1 minute.

Transfer two thirds sauce to a small bowl and to remainder add kale and salt to taste, turning with tongs until just wilted.

Divide kale between 2 plates and top with tofu. Spoon sauce over tofu.

(we had some leftover carrot and red bell pepper from the kids stir-fry and used it to fill out the plate)

Friday, April 06, 2007

Quinoa Paella

Dinner 4/06

Quinoa Paella
(black and white quinoa, garlic, onion, saffron, parsley, smoked paprika, smoked tofu, soyrizo, chickpeas, roasted red bell pepper, artichoke hearts, green beans, veg stock, tamari, pepper, salt)

If we did do a cookbook (and we're not), this one goes in it... ;)

An all-in-one meal, cooked in a wok -- great for clean-up -- and took about 45 minutes of slow cooking. The black quinoa adds a nice nutty chewy texture in place of the traditional rice...

Thursday, April 05, 2007

Panade, Roasted Broccoli

Dinner 4/05

Panade

Roasted Broccoli

It's freezing, it's snowing, so it must be panade weather.

The panade is a mash-up of Paula Wolfert's (Slow Mediterranean Kitchen) and Judy Rodger's (Zuni Cafe): toasted bread, lacinato kale, FYH Monterey Jack soy cheese, veg stock, shallots, onions, garlic, salt, pepper, tamari. Slow cooked at 275F for three hours, and then 375 for 15 minutes until it finally reaches that Pixies-like (soft-hard-soft) consistency.

And in an effort to sex it up, I cut out the pieces with a large round cookie cutter, rather than another "still-life in the casserole dish" shot. ;)

Wednesday, April 04, 2007

Raw Food Wednesday: Burritos, Jicama Slaw, Mint and Cacao Nib Ice Cream

Raw Food Wednesday 4/04

Burritos
(see below)

Jicama Slaw with Baby Kale and Radishes with a Lime Vinaigrette

Dessert

Mint and Cacao Nib Ice Cream

For the ice cream, we took mint from the backyard, and added it to a cashew base (from "Vice Cream") along with some cacao nibs for that chocolate hit. Oh, yes -- we'll be making this again ;)

The burritos shells (from Gabriel Cousens) are simply 1/2 cup of soaked flax seeds mixed with 1/2 of an avocado, pureed in the vita-mix, dehydrated for 3-4 hours in the dehydrator at 115F.

step-by-step -- the filling:

Walnut taco filling from RAWvolution -- walnuts, cumin seed, corriander, nama shoyu all ground up in the vita-mix

second layer: guacamole (avocado, tomato, onion, fresh ground, cumin seed, salt, pepper)

third layer: cashew cheese (adapted from Trotter/Klein)

fourth layer: sour cream (cashew cheese, lemon juice, salt, white pepper)

fifth layer: shredded leaf lettuce (our local organic purveyor Bill Pennell just brought in the first batch of the year -- so soft you could sleep on it)

completed version

Tuesday, April 03, 2007

Red Chile Seitan and Potatoes with Escabeche, Arroz Verde and Pozole

Dinner 4/03

Red Chile Seitan and Potatoes with Escabeche

Arroz Verde
(poblano chiles, water, cilantro, basmati rice, salt, pepper)

Pozole

The slow braised seitan stew is adapted from Rick Bayless... the braising liquid is soaked ancho chiles, garlic, mexican oregano, sugar, salt, cumin, clove and a wee bit of veg stock and tamari to give it a little depth.

The Escabeche is simple thinly sliced onions and apple cider vinegar left to marinated for a few minutes -- it adds a nice contrasting crunch to the meal...

The rice is from the first Bayless book -- an easy mix of poblano cooked in water for 10 minutes, then pureed with cilantro and salt. The puree is added to the sweated onion, garlic and basmati rice, and cooked pilaf-style for 15 minutes.

The pozole (hominy) soup is a simple mix of onion, garlic, smoked paprika, tomato, hominy, salt, pepper, mexican oregano and veg stock.

Monday, April 02, 2007

Tofu with Red Wine Sauce, White Bean and Roasted Garlic Puree, Braised Leeks, Endive and Apple Salad

Dinner 4/02

Tofu with Red Wine Sauce
(unfiltered, unfined red wine, shallot, veg stock, salt, pepper)

White Bean and Roasted Garlic Puree

Green Beans

Braised Leeks

Endive and Apple Salad

sort of an "what's in the fridge" evening (endive, leeks, green beans), loosely combined in a quasi-French meal mode...

Sunday, April 01, 2007

Seitan Satay with Kumquats, Tofu Triangles with Peanut Sweet and Sour Sauce, Mange-Tout with Refried Rice, Grilled Pineapple

Dinner 4/01

Seitan Satay with Kumquats and Peanut Dipping Sauce
(adapted from "Asian Grilling" by Su-Mei Yu)

Tofu Triangles with Peanut Sweet and Sour Sauce

Mange-Tout with Refried Rice

Dessert

Grilled Pineapple
(with coconut cream, agave, peanuts)

The kumquats (although not as fresh as the ones from kittee's front yard) are back in stores again, so we tried them as part of a satay from the grilling book (not a particularly vegan friendly book, but lots of good ideas for marinades, etc). The kumquats give a very nice juicy sweet/sour/bitter pop along side the crisp seitan.

The marinade is white peppercorn, garlic, tamari, sriracha and coconut cream, which is then also used to brush on the satay as they grill.