Cheese. The food of the devil. It is probably the one food that stops many a vegetarian from becoming vegan. And I can't say I was immune.
When I was a girl, my favorite activities were to eat and read. Simultaneously. There are an embarrassing number of photos of me with an open book and a plate of cheese and crackers. Mostly cheese. The smellier the better as far as I was concerned. It was a vice I shared with my father.
I remember being sad that I would have to give up cheese but, after I discovered how much my health improved after I gave up dairy, it really wasn't that hard.
But when I saw a recipe for goat cheese (and feta and cheddar) in Vegetarian Times, I was all over it. Especially since it used cashews, something I haven't been able to get enough of lately.
Just making it was fun! You get to throw everything in the food processor, wrap it up in cheesecloth and hang it up to age for the day. I knew it would be good when I tasted the 'batter' from the food processor. But I was very surprised when I tasted the finished product: It's smooth, salty, creamy and dead on.
I used it to make CD's Greek Style Pizza again. Unbelievable. And so easy. I told people I was making cheese and they were dumbfounded. But it was the easiest thing to do. You should try it. It will certainly fix any cheese cravings you might have.
So when the devil comes knocking, there's no need to answer the door.
STATS
Vegan
Calories: 140 per serving (no indication of serving size)
Makes: 10 oz
Find it: Here
Tastes: Fabulous!
Saturday, August 22, 2009
Saturday, August 15, 2009
Strawberry Swirl Ice Cream
You gotta be kiddin' me! Do I ever feel sheepish.
I've been a subscriber to Vegetarian Times forever. Three years? I've made I think three recipes during that time. All from their issue on slow cooking (January, 2008).
I've loved their articles and reviews on gadgets but I've never really gotten into their recipes. WHY?! Did I think I was so smart with my zillion cookbooks? Whatever my problem was, I'm over it. I went through about a dozen back issues and flagged a ton of recipes to try. Hope you're ready for some Vegetarian Times reviews.
This is "Pamper Weekend". That means my Sweetheart is out of town. I scheduled a massage for this morning (divine!) and lots of cooking.
I'll start with one that is finishing up at I write this: Strawberry Swirl Ice Cream.
Holy cow is it good!
I've been on an ice cream kick this week.
If you like fruit ice cream, this one is probably the best. It's also the very first time I've used agave nectar. It is, indeed the sweetener of the Heavens. It's so light and sweet without taking over. You really need to give it a whirl if you've never had it. It is expensive though so I would only recommend using it when you're going to taste the difference.
One thing will you notice the difference on: Jam vs. Jelly. Please use jam or preserves and not jelly. Please, trust me. Jam or preserves.
I confess I only had 8 0z of frozen strawberries so I cheated and threw in some red raspberries. I don't know if it made a big difference, but this ice cream is SO GOOD! Another substitution I made was almond milk with a dash of corn starch to replace the soy creamer. Worked just fine.
You'll fool any dairy lover with this ice cream and I doubt they'll care. In fact, I think I'm going to make this again and switch out the strawberries for, say black raspberries? Blueberries? I predict another winner.
Just like all the other recipes I've tried recently from Vegetarian Times. To be posted soon...
STATS:
Vegan
Calories: 169 per serving. Good luck eating just one.
Makes: The recipe says it serves six. I say it just serves me!
Find it: Here
Tastes: Like you should go make it NOW!
I've been a subscriber to Vegetarian Times forever. Three years? I've made I think three recipes during that time. All from their issue on slow cooking (January, 2008).
I've loved their articles and reviews on gadgets but I've never really gotten into their recipes. WHY?! Did I think I was so smart with my zillion cookbooks? Whatever my problem was, I'm over it. I went through about a dozen back issues and flagged a ton of recipes to try. Hope you're ready for some Vegetarian Times reviews.
This is "Pamper Weekend". That means my Sweetheart is out of town. I scheduled a massage for this morning (divine!) and lots of cooking.
I'll start with one that is finishing up at I write this: Strawberry Swirl Ice Cream.
Holy cow is it good!
I've been on an ice cream kick this week.
If you like fruit ice cream, this one is probably the best. It's also the very first time I've used agave nectar. It is, indeed the sweetener of the Heavens. It's so light and sweet without taking over. You really need to give it a whirl if you've never had it. It is expensive though so I would only recommend using it when you're going to taste the difference.
One thing will you notice the difference on: Jam vs. Jelly. Please use jam or preserves and not jelly. Please, trust me. Jam or preserves.
I confess I only had 8 0z of frozen strawberries so I cheated and threw in some red raspberries. I don't know if it made a big difference, but this ice cream is SO GOOD! Another substitution I made was almond milk with a dash of corn starch to replace the soy creamer. Worked just fine.
You'll fool any dairy lover with this ice cream and I doubt they'll care. In fact, I think I'm going to make this again and switch out the strawberries for, say black raspberries? Blueberries? I predict another winner.
Just like all the other recipes I've tried recently from Vegetarian Times. To be posted soon...
STATS:
Vegan
Calories: 169 per serving. Good luck eating just one.
Makes: The recipe says it serves six. I say it just serves me!
Find it: Here
Tastes: Like you should go make it NOW!
Friday, August 14, 2009
Corn Tamale Casserole
I bought a new cookbook (surprise, surprise!); Fast Cooking in a Slow Cooker Every Day of the Year by JoAnn Rachor. Since I lent out my favorite slow cooking book, I bought a new one to help me get through my newest slow cooking kick. I usually am really good at buying cookbooks. I have not, up til now, bought a dud. I am nervous about this one, though. I tried the Corn Tamale Casserole yesterday. It was not good.
Don't get me wrong, it didn't taste bad, it just didn't taste like, well, anything. This recipe needs a serious overhaul before I'd try it again. The cornmeal sort of sucks up everything and while the result wasn't dry, it also just didn't have enough spice in it. Maybe replace some of the tomato sauce with salsa? Or some hot sauce? Use more spice? Less cornmeal?
One nice thing about the book is that charts are provided to make it easy to make really small batches (about 3 cups) or really big ones (6.5 cups). I made the small one. I'm glad I did. I ate it for dinner last night, and I'm going to finish it for lunch, but only because I don't want to waste food.
Another thing that makes me nervous is that the author includes using rice in some recipes. Granted she suggests the rice be cooked when you put it in to start, but most authors suggest putting the cooked rice in at the end to prevent rice gumminess. So I'm not sure.
But, if this book turns out to be not so hot, I can always lean on one of my 33 (!) other cookbooks.
Stats:
Vegan
Makes: about 3 cups
Find it: On page 41 of Fast Cooking in a Slow Cooker Every Day of the Year
Taste: What taste?
Don't get me wrong, it didn't taste bad, it just didn't taste like, well, anything. This recipe needs a serious overhaul before I'd try it again. The cornmeal sort of sucks up everything and while the result wasn't dry, it also just didn't have enough spice in it. Maybe replace some of the tomato sauce with salsa? Or some hot sauce? Use more spice? Less cornmeal?
One nice thing about the book is that charts are provided to make it easy to make really small batches (about 3 cups) or really big ones (6.5 cups). I made the small one. I'm glad I did. I ate it for dinner last night, and I'm going to finish it for lunch, but only because I don't want to waste food.
Another thing that makes me nervous is that the author includes using rice in some recipes. Granted she suggests the rice be cooked when you put it in to start, but most authors suggest putting the cooked rice in at the end to prevent rice gumminess. So I'm not sure.
But, if this book turns out to be not so hot, I can always lean on one of my 33 (!) other cookbooks.
Stats:
Vegan
Makes: about 3 cups
Find it: On page 41 of Fast Cooking in a Slow Cooker Every Day of the Year
Taste: What taste?
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Tangy Marinated Vegetables
I love pickles. My mother used to make Sweet Refrigerator Pickles. It entailed sugar, vinegar, maybe some water, onions, cucumbers and time. That last part was the one I had trouble with. They're supposed to sit in the fridge for days - a week, maybe? I'd be into them within hours. To this day, I've never had a batch last to the end of the week - when I'm supposed to START eating them. I wonder if they're any better?
Anyhow, I love Vegetarian Times, so when they published a recipe for Tangy Marinated Vegetables, that sounded an awful lot like "Time to Make Pickles" to me!
I made them an hour ago. I have eaten some already. They are great!
The recipe calls for carrots, broccoli and mushrooms but, hey, it also says to marinate at least four hours before eating. Yeah, right. I substituted onions for the mushrooms. I'd like to try the mushrooms someday, but, not having had them on hand, I stuck with onions. And they're all so good. They're perfect for a picnic or just to take along to a pot luck. Super easy to make - but no one needs to know.
Next time, I'll layer the vegetables. Right now, I've got poor broccoli on the bottom that I can't reach so I've not had those, yet.
Maybe they'll make it the whole four hours!
Stats:
Vegan
Calories: 61 calories per 1/2 cup
Makes: About 4 cups
Find it: Here
Taste: Delicious!
Anyhow, I love Vegetarian Times, so when they published a recipe for Tangy Marinated Vegetables, that sounded an awful lot like "Time to Make Pickles" to me!
I made them an hour ago. I have eaten some already. They are great!
The recipe calls for carrots, broccoli and mushrooms but, hey, it also says to marinate at least four hours before eating. Yeah, right. I substituted onions for the mushrooms. I'd like to try the mushrooms someday, but, not having had them on hand, I stuck with onions. And they're all so good. They're perfect for a picnic or just to take along to a pot luck. Super easy to make - but no one needs to know.
Next time, I'll layer the vegetables. Right now, I've got poor broccoli on the bottom that I can't reach so I've not had those, yet.
Maybe they'll make it the whole four hours!
Stats:
Vegan
Calories: 61 calories per 1/2 cup
Makes: About 4 cups
Find it: Here
Taste: Delicious!
Sunday, August 09, 2009
Banana Vice Cream
I used to LOVE ice cream. My parents actually tricked me into walking with ice cream. My grandmother used to let me eat it for breakfast (sorry, mom). I used to eat it all the time. It was also the food that first got me to notice that maybe there was a problem with too much dairy. After I became a vegetarian, I had a huge shake one day. Before I even finished it, I started feeling 'cold-y' (scratchy, sore throat, pounding head, etc). I got really sick. It happened again later after another milk shake and I started cutting out the dairy - including ice cream.
Which was too bad because I had just bought a really nice ice cream maker - the kind that you don't need to pre-freeze. You just throw the batter in and turn it on. I had also bought a gourmet ice cream recipe book, Perfect Scoop. It's good - great, in fact. I may still use it for the Italian Ice recipes and I may try to veganize the recipes. But, for now, I'm sticking with this bad boy.
Vice Cream is an all vegan, ice cream cookbook. It even has recipes for raw ice cream if that's your thing. I've had this book for awhile but never seem to remember to make ice cream. But my sweetheart does. He asked for Banana ice cream. I don't know why. And, as it turns out, neither does he. He said he's never had it before but thought it would be interesting. So, after putting it off for weeks, I finally chose this weekend (the hottest so far this year) to try it out. And, over all, I'd say it's pretty good.
The base is made out of cashews and maple syrup. I was very doubtful. Until I took the lid off the processor. The batter tasted very much like the custard batters I used to make for French Ice Cream. The syrup provided a buttery, rich taste and the cashews made it silky smooth. I threw in a couple of bananas and some vanilla extract and poured the whole thing in the ice cream maker.
Then I started reading the book and realized I should only use achohol free extracts to assist with freezing (duh!). I had not. But it froze anyhow. Still, next time I'll use achohol free.
I also thought that, should I make Banana Vice Cream again, I should use either black-ish bananas or roast them for a deeper flavor. My mother always taught me to bake with blackened bananas. She said it was for better flavor but, as I age, I wonder if it isn't because they're so much cheaper.
After about an hour, it was done and we each had a bowl. It was good. The texture was shockingly rich, creamy, smooth - very much like dairy ice cream. I doubt a dairy eater could tell the difference. The taste was banana. Perhaps this wasn't the best flavor by which to judge a cookbook. Bananas in real life are usually served with something else: Peanut butter, chocolate or pie. This ice cream was no different. It did taste good but a scoop of chocolate or peanut butter ice cream would have really helped it. So I guess I know what I'm making today! Also, next time I'll cut back a bit on the syrup. It did provide the buttery tasting background but my sweetheart also took his first bite and announced 'Pancakes!'. NOT the response I was looking for.
I HIGHLY suggest trying out some of these recipes. But maybe start with Chocolate.
Stats:
Vegan
Makes: About one quart
Find it: On page 34 of Vice Cream by Jeff Rogers
Taste: Like rich, velvety Banana ice cream.
Which was too bad because I had just bought a really nice ice cream maker - the kind that you don't need to pre-freeze. You just throw the batter in and turn it on. I had also bought a gourmet ice cream recipe book, Perfect Scoop. It's good - great, in fact. I may still use it for the Italian Ice recipes and I may try to veganize the recipes. But, for now, I'm sticking with this bad boy.
Vice Cream is an all vegan, ice cream cookbook. It even has recipes for raw ice cream if that's your thing. I've had this book for awhile but never seem to remember to make ice cream. But my sweetheart does. He asked for Banana ice cream. I don't know why. And, as it turns out, neither does he. He said he's never had it before but thought it would be interesting. So, after putting it off for weeks, I finally chose this weekend (the hottest so far this year) to try it out. And, over all, I'd say it's pretty good.
The base is made out of cashews and maple syrup. I was very doubtful. Until I took the lid off the processor. The batter tasted very much like the custard batters I used to make for French Ice Cream. The syrup provided a buttery, rich taste and the cashews made it silky smooth. I threw in a couple of bananas and some vanilla extract and poured the whole thing in the ice cream maker.
Then I started reading the book and realized I should only use achohol free extracts to assist with freezing (duh!). I had not. But it froze anyhow. Still, next time I'll use achohol free.
I also thought that, should I make Banana Vice Cream again, I should use either black-ish bananas or roast them for a deeper flavor. My mother always taught me to bake with blackened bananas. She said it was for better flavor but, as I age, I wonder if it isn't because they're so much cheaper.
After about an hour, it was done and we each had a bowl. It was good. The texture was shockingly rich, creamy, smooth - very much like dairy ice cream. I doubt a dairy eater could tell the difference. The taste was banana. Perhaps this wasn't the best flavor by which to judge a cookbook. Bananas in real life are usually served with something else: Peanut butter, chocolate or pie. This ice cream was no different. It did taste good but a scoop of chocolate or peanut butter ice cream would have really helped it. So I guess I know what I'm making today! Also, next time I'll cut back a bit on the syrup. It did provide the buttery tasting background but my sweetheart also took his first bite and announced 'Pancakes!'. NOT the response I was looking for.
I HIGHLY suggest trying out some of these recipes. But maybe start with Chocolate.
Stats:
Vegan
Makes: About one quart
Find it: On page 34 of Vice Cream by Jeff Rogers
Taste: Like rich, velvety Banana ice cream.
Saturday, August 08, 2009
Baking Powder Biscuits and White Bean Tempeh Sausage Gravy
Have I ever mentioned I grew up on a farm? Or that my family hails from the South? Not quite Confederate Flag south, more like peach cobbler, dirt roads and biscuits and gravy south. And, it is upon the last of those loves that I focus.
My sweetheart loves biscuits and gravy and I recall having seconds (and thirds) of that particular dish myself. So, having learned to trust anything Isa suggests, I jumped at the chance to make this. And, as usual, she was right on the money. It was SUPER easy to make and absolutely delicious! The sausage was easy to make (I used ground tofu). I was concerned at first that the spices might be a bit much. My sweetheart has Crohn's disease and can't handle too many spices or fiber (from whole seeds). The recipe calls for fennel which is a classic problem food for him. But, knowing I would be 'diluting' the sausage mixture with pureed beans, I plowed ahead. And the gravy turned out wonderfully! Guests would NEVER guess the gravy base was made of pureed beans and it didn't bother him at all.
The sausage crumble recipe is very flexible and can be substituted anytime a recipe calls for sausage. However, as a precaution toward my sweetheart's digestive tract, anytime I make this sausage and don't use it for gravy (when the bean puree 'dilutes' the spices), I only use half the fennel. It doesn't seem to bother him and we both like it!
Anyhow, the gravy is perfect and the biscuits follow suit. I followed all the standard crust-making rules (keep everything cold, handle as little as possible, etc) and the biscuits turned out kick-ass! Soft and flaky and melt-in-your-mouth. I know vegan food is good and that, often it's difficult to tell the difference. But this is so dead-on, so reminiscent of the food of my youth, I can hardly believe it. I made it for brunch for my scared-of-anything-healthy-sounding family and they ate every last bite.
THAT'S southern comfort food.
Stats:
vegan
Makes: About a dozen biscuits and gravy to cover it
Find it: On pages 26 & 27 of Vegan with a Vengeance
Taste: Better than the real deal
My sweetheart loves biscuits and gravy and I recall having seconds (and thirds) of that particular dish myself. So, having learned to trust anything Isa suggests, I jumped at the chance to make this. And, as usual, she was right on the money. It was SUPER easy to make and absolutely delicious! The sausage was easy to make (I used ground tofu). I was concerned at first that the spices might be a bit much. My sweetheart has Crohn's disease and can't handle too many spices or fiber (from whole seeds). The recipe calls for fennel which is a classic problem food for him. But, knowing I would be 'diluting' the sausage mixture with pureed beans, I plowed ahead. And the gravy turned out wonderfully! Guests would NEVER guess the gravy base was made of pureed beans and it didn't bother him at all.
The sausage crumble recipe is very flexible and can be substituted anytime a recipe calls for sausage. However, as a precaution toward my sweetheart's digestive tract, anytime I make this sausage and don't use it for gravy (when the bean puree 'dilutes' the spices), I only use half the fennel. It doesn't seem to bother him and we both like it!
Anyhow, the gravy is perfect and the biscuits follow suit. I followed all the standard crust-making rules (keep everything cold, handle as little as possible, etc) and the biscuits turned out kick-ass! Soft and flaky and melt-in-your-mouth. I know vegan food is good and that, often it's difficult to tell the difference. But this is so dead-on, so reminiscent of the food of my youth, I can hardly believe it. I made it for brunch for my scared-of-anything-healthy-sounding family and they ate every last bite.
THAT'S southern comfort food.
Stats:
vegan
Makes: About a dozen biscuits and gravy to cover it
Find it: On pages 26 & 27 of Vegan with a Vengeance
Taste: Better than the real deal
Thursday, August 06, 2009
Taco Soup
So I'm back to slow cooking and I can't remember why I stopped. I love it. I got back in the saddle with Taco Soup from A Year of Slowcooking. She is delightful and her vegetarian recipes are great! Anyhow, I tried out her Taco Soup which isn't really a soup but more like ...Taco Casserole? But soup sounds better. And either way, it tastes great and could not be more easy. I added a few things to the recipe (Heaven forbid I just leave it alone!). To start with, I halved the recipe. I browned an onion and a few cloves of garlic and I used frozen corn instead of canned. I also added a cup of stock to compensate for the lack of moisture from the missing canned corn. Lastly, I used TVP (the crumbled tofu that looks like ground beef) to replace the meat.
It's pretty good. I served it with nutritional yeast on top (for a cheesy flavor) and some crumbled chips. The chips give it the real 'taco flavor' and add some texture.
Next time, I might add some raw onion or diced tomatoes as a garnish or I might throw in a jalapeno. The recipe calls for two cans of diced tomatoes: One with chilies and one without. I used the can with and I still think it could use some more kick. But then I like things spicy. Also, next time I'll probably use chili powder and ground cumin instead of a taco seasoning packet just because they're so high in sodium.
Still, with all those potential changes, this was really good and really easy. I imagine it's an all around winner if you have a big family.
Stats:
Vegan
Calories: 260 per 1 cup serving (not including any garnish)
Makes: 6 cups (remember - I halved her recipe)
Find it: Here
Tastes: Pretty good: B+
It's pretty good. I served it with nutritional yeast on top (for a cheesy flavor) and some crumbled chips. The chips give it the real 'taco flavor' and add some texture.
Next time, I might add some raw onion or diced tomatoes as a garnish or I might throw in a jalapeno. The recipe calls for two cans of diced tomatoes: One with chilies and one without. I used the can with and I still think it could use some more kick. But then I like things spicy. Also, next time I'll probably use chili powder and ground cumin instead of a taco seasoning packet just because they're so high in sodium.
Still, with all those potential changes, this was really good and really easy. I imagine it's an all around winner if you have a big family.
Stats:
Vegan
Calories: 260 per 1 cup serving (not including any garnish)
Makes: 6 cups (remember - I halved her recipe)
Find it: Here
Tastes: Pretty good: B+
Wednesday, August 05, 2009
Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies
I'm not a big fan of chocolate, but I made these twice in the span of one week. My mother used to make non-chocolate thumbprint cookies when I was small with a little dot of frosting in the middle. As I recall, she used her actual thumb which I think leaves a special little trace of love (gag!). So I was happy to try these even though I wimped out and didn't use my thumb (they're hot!).
At first blush, I thought I'd messed up as the batter is quite thick, but they turned out perfectly the first time (the second time was a different story). I used several types of jam (surprise!) to try them out: Red raspberry, apricot, black raspberry and strawberry. That's the order in which I liked them and will use again.
Feel free to add more flour if the batter is in any way runny. You need it to be quite thick and able to hold the shape of a ball before baking. About halfway through baking, you pull them out and make an indentation (if you're tough you can use your thumb, if you're me you use the back of a melon baller), drop in a teaspoon of jam and pop them back in for 5 more minutes. Done.
And wonderful.
Eating them is a delightful, moist bite of chocolate and then a surprising little blast of jam. The red raspberry and the apricot play off the chocolate so well. You might want to make a double batch to ensure that someone else gets one. Just one.
Stats:
Vegan
Makes: 2 dozen
Find it: On page 205 of Vegan with a Vengeance by Isa Chandra Moskowitz
Taste: Great!
At first blush, I thought I'd messed up as the batter is quite thick, but they turned out perfectly the first time (the second time was a different story). I used several types of jam (surprise!) to try them out: Red raspberry, apricot, black raspberry and strawberry. That's the order in which I liked them and will use again.
Feel free to add more flour if the batter is in any way runny. You need it to be quite thick and able to hold the shape of a ball before baking. About halfway through baking, you pull them out and make an indentation (if you're tough you can use your thumb, if you're me you use the back of a melon baller), drop in a teaspoon of jam and pop them back in for 5 more minutes. Done.
And wonderful.
Eating them is a delightful, moist bite of chocolate and then a surprising little blast of jam. The red raspberry and the apricot play off the chocolate so well. You might want to make a double batch to ensure that someone else gets one. Just one.
Stats:
Vegan
Makes: 2 dozen
Find it: On page 205 of Vegan with a Vengeance by Isa Chandra Moskowitz
Taste: Great!
Tuesday, August 04, 2009
Hot-and-Sour Asian Vegetable Soup
I want to like hot and sour soup. I found another recipe for it here that I'm going to try. I guess I want to like it so much because everyone is always raving about it. And it seems so..exotic? Fancy? to me. But I tried this. And I tried to love it. But it was only okay. In fact, I probably won't make it again. And I feel really bad about that. I'm pretty sure the soup was really good, it just wasn't my thing. So, you can try it. And you can try to love it. And then we can chat about how we just didn't. Or you can join the ranks of the elite and truly love it. Either way - here are its stats:
Vegan
Makes: 6 servings
Calories: 134
Find it: On page 45 of Vegan Soups and Hearty Stews
Taste: Probably very good. Provided you like hot and sour soup.
Vegan
Makes: 6 servings
Calories: 134
Find it: On page 45 of Vegan Soups and Hearty Stews
Taste: Probably very good. Provided you like hot and sour soup.
African-Inspired Quinoa-Peanut Soup
So good. So, so good. I made this several times over the course of as many weeks. And bragged about it to people at work. Creamy sweet potato, peanut butter base, quinoa and smooth zucchini blend together in a wonderful, delicious and filling soup. It's only flaw is that it needed a kick of salt to bring it together. I generally dislike adding salt to dishes but this needed it. And it was oh so good afterward that I forgot I cared about salt.
Make this. And don't share with your family - there will be more for you!
Stats
Vegan
Makes: 6-8 servings
Calories: 242
Find it: On page 47 of Vegan Soups and Hearty Stews
Taste: Wonderful. Make some!
Make this. And don't share with your family - there will be more for you!
Stats
Vegan
Makes: 6-8 servings
Calories: 242
Find it: On page 47 of Vegan Soups and Hearty Stews
Taste: Wonderful. Make some!
Curried Lentil, Potato and Cauliflower Soup
I've always been taught that soup needs to simmer all day before it tastes good - preferably sitting in the fridge overnight to meld. So I was highly skeptical when I bought a new cookbook, Soups and Hearty Stews for All Seasons by Nava Atlas, and saw that many of her cooking times are 20 - 30 min.
Who'd have thought a published cookbook author would know more than I do about soup?! I've tried several of her recipes and the cooking times seemed dead on as far as texture and taste go.
This soup was okay. Not awesome but decent. I might make it if I have cauliflower on hand and need to use it up (because I always have lentils and a potato or two around). But there are so many awesome soups out there that I don't want to spend time on 'okay' soup. Nonetheless, it was decent so maybe it will score higher on your scale. Who knows.
Oh! One other big plus to this cookbook - she provides nutrition information! THANK YOU!
Stats:
Vegan
Makes: 6-8 servings
Calories: 250
Find it: On page 72 of Vegan Soups and Hearty Stews for All Seasons by Nava Atlas
Taste: Okay. Not bad by any means. Just not awesome.
Who'd have thought a published cookbook author would know more than I do about soup?! I've tried several of her recipes and the cooking times seemed dead on as far as texture and taste go.
This soup was okay. Not awesome but decent. I might make it if I have cauliflower on hand and need to use it up (because I always have lentils and a potato or two around). But there are so many awesome soups out there that I don't want to spend time on 'okay' soup. Nonetheless, it was decent so maybe it will score higher on your scale. Who knows.
Oh! One other big plus to this cookbook - she provides nutrition information! THANK YOU!
Stats:
Vegan
Makes: 6-8 servings
Calories: 250
Find it: On page 72 of Vegan Soups and Hearty Stews for All Seasons by Nava Atlas
Taste: Okay. Not bad by any means. Just not awesome.
Chinese Black Bean Chili
Tasty. And interesting in a I'll-have-another-bowl-to-figure-out-what's-up-with-that kind of way.
You know I love garlic, chili, Chinese food and a slow cooker. This recipe combines them all.
It makes for a great tasting dish and, with the green onion and chow mein noodle garnish, a dish with various textures. In fact, I'd go so far as to say you NEED the garnish to pull this dish together. It takes 4-6 hours in the slow cooker and is a great meal to come home to after work. It's so easy: Just open the cans, dump everything in the slow cooker and listen to your family tell you what a great cook you are. I'll absolutely make this again. And again. And again.
Stats:
Vegan
Calories: 280
Makes: Serves 8 according to the recipe
Find it: Here: Vegetarian Times Issue: January 1, 2006 p.30 or Here
Tastes: Really good.
You know I love garlic, chili, Chinese food and a slow cooker. This recipe combines them all.
It makes for a great tasting dish and, with the green onion and chow mein noodle garnish, a dish with various textures. In fact, I'd go so far as to say you NEED the garnish to pull this dish together. It takes 4-6 hours in the slow cooker and is a great meal to come home to after work. It's so easy: Just open the cans, dump everything in the slow cooker and listen to your family tell you what a great cook you are. I'll absolutely make this again. And again. And again.
Stats:
Vegan
Calories: 280
Makes: Serves 8 according to the recipe
Find it: Here: Vegetarian Times Issue: January 1, 2006 p.30 or Here
Tastes: Really good.
Bakery-Style Berry Muffins
Best muffins I've ever made. Just a touch of sweet and moist, almost creamy muffin. Plus, the recipe calls for you to fill the tin up so they explode over the top and make for towering muffin tops. So good. The recipe allows for most any type of berry. I've made this with mixed (excellent) and blueberry (superb). Both muffins were delicious with the berry acting as bonus goodness. If you only make one muffin from this book, let it be this one. Until, of course, I try out all the others and let you know.
The recipe does call for soy yogurt. Which I substituted for with sour cream. Which I left at work (I bought groceries on the way to work so as to avoid the rush afterward). So then I substituted with buttermilk. Which I then substituted for with rice milk and a splash of apple cider vinegar. Turned out great!
Stats:
Vegan
Makes: 12 huge muffins
Find it: On page 160 of Vegan Brunch
Taste: Like straight-from-the-bakery muffins
The recipe does call for soy yogurt. Which I substituted for with sour cream. Which I left at work (I bought groceries on the way to work so as to avoid the rush afterward). So then I substituted with buttermilk. Which I then substituted for with rice milk and a splash of apple cider vinegar. Turned out great!
Stats:
Vegan
Makes: 12 huge muffins
Find it: On page 160 of Vegan Brunch
Taste: Like straight-from-the-bakery muffins
Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
So good. They have a nice, lemony zing to them. Be sure not to over cook them as you want these nice and moist. It also helps if you have a lemon juicer as you need 1/4 C of lemon juice which ended up being the juice from one lemon. You'll also need 2T of zest, which I found to be the zest from about two lemons. So you'll have one (zestless) lemon left over to do something with.
Excellent for a true lemon poppy seed lover.
Stats:
Vegan
Makes: 12 muffins
Find it: on page 159 of Vegan Brunch
Taste: Good! B+/A-
Excellent for a true lemon poppy seed lover.
Stats:
Vegan
Makes: 12 muffins
Find it: on page 159 of Vegan Brunch
Taste: Good! B+/A-
Chesapeake Tempeh Cakes
Okay. I've never had crab cakes. I can't personally tell you how these stack up. But I did have a crab cake lover tell me these were good. So I guess if you trust him...
I made these for our monthly sibling/cousin brunch. They were a hit. I knew they were good when I couldn't (fine - didn't want to) stop eating the uncooked batter.
Jewel didn't have the panko bread flakes so I used bread crumbs and then only 2 cups instead of 3. Otherwise, I made no variations. I'm not sure the nori sheets really added a whole lot of 'fishy-ness' to the dish. But I super chopped them in the food processor and put them in anyhow.
The remoulade she has you make is the PERFECT topping for these bad boys. I imagine that this is really what crab cakes are like. Even the tempeh helps out by reamaining in chunks that fall apart easily - reminicent of crab meat. They weren't 'lick the platter clean' but they were good and a fun, fancy change of pace. I'll definetly make them again should I have company. I might try putting in some Old Bay Seasoning to make it taste more 'fishy'.
Stats:
Vegan
Makes: 10-12 2" patties
Find it: On page 132 of Vegan Brunch
Taste: Pretty Good. B+
I made these for our monthly sibling/cousin brunch. They were a hit. I knew they were good when I couldn't (fine - didn't want to) stop eating the uncooked batter.
Jewel didn't have the panko bread flakes so I used bread crumbs and then only 2 cups instead of 3. Otherwise, I made no variations. I'm not sure the nori sheets really added a whole lot of 'fishy-ness' to the dish. But I super chopped them in the food processor and put them in anyhow.
The remoulade she has you make is the PERFECT topping for these bad boys. I imagine that this is really what crab cakes are like. Even the tempeh helps out by reamaining in chunks that fall apart easily - reminicent of crab meat. They weren't 'lick the platter clean' but they were good and a fun, fancy change of pace. I'll definetly make them again should I have company. I might try putting in some Old Bay Seasoning to make it taste more 'fishy'.
Stats:
Vegan
Makes: 10-12 2" patties
Find it: On page 132 of Vegan Brunch
Taste: Pretty Good. B+
Roasted Potatoes
I made use of a variation of this recipe and made Garlic Roasted Potatoes. Shocking, I know.
It is such an easy recipe. I made a big, fancy brunch recently and this easy, simple, no-brainer dish was the most raved about. And it's so easy. When someone asked for the recipe, I was almost embarrassed to give it out. But if you're having brunch, you gotta have potatoes. And not only are these divine, they'll make people think you're a fancy chef. Don't worry, I won't tell if you don't!
Stats:
Vegan
Makes: Enough for 4-6 people
Find it: On page 112 of Vegan Brunch
Taste: Like seconds
It is such an easy recipe. I made a big, fancy brunch recently and this easy, simple, no-brainer dish was the most raved about. And it's so easy. When someone asked for the recipe, I was almost embarrassed to give it out. But if you're having brunch, you gotta have potatoes. And not only are these divine, they'll make people think you're a fancy chef. Don't worry, I won't tell if you don't!
Stats:
Vegan
Makes: Enough for 4-6 people
Find it: On page 112 of Vegan Brunch
Taste: Like seconds
Classic Broccoli Quiche with Basic Pastry Crust
Excellent. I could barely stop myself from eating the filling before it cooked. And by barely I mean I didn't. Starting with the crust: All the basic crust making tricks apply; Be sure that everything is stone cold, mix as little as possible, etc. Also, be sure you don't add too much butter. Dark waves of smoke will emit as the excess butter drips out and burns. Ask me how I know.
As far as the filling goes, it was so, so delicious as is. It's smooth and tasty with just enough bite from the broccoli chunks to make it toothsome. I've never had egg-quiche so I'm not sure how they compare but I found this to be delicious. Plus, I now have a great crust recipe for pie!
Also, making this gave me a great excuse to use my fancy quiche pan.
Stats:
Vegan
Makes: One quiche
Find it: On page 41 of Vegan Brunch by Isa Chandra Moskowitz
Taste: Excellent - fancy enough for guests
As far as the filling goes, it was so, so delicious as is. It's smooth and tasty with just enough bite from the broccoli chunks to make it toothsome. I've never had egg-quiche so I'm not sure how they compare but I found this to be delicious. Plus, I now have a great crust recipe for pie!
Also, making this gave me a great excuse to use my fancy quiche pan.
Stats:
Vegan
Makes: One quiche
Find it: On page 41 of Vegan Brunch by Isa Chandra Moskowitz
Taste: Excellent - fancy enough for guests
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Tempeh Bacon
I used to love bacon as a kid. I liked it cold and burnt. I can't remember the last time I had from-the-pig-bacon. And, to be honest, I don't really miss it. But I did jump at the chance to try this Tempeh Bacon recipe.
I made a whole batch but only made a few strips, putting the rest in the fridge to use for a good breakfast for the next several days.
It was really easy to make even if I had to wait at least an hour before I could eat it (for marinating purposes). I knew it was a good recipe when, after turning the strips in the marinade, my hands smelled TERRIFIC.
Don't think this is a replacement for bacon - you'll never fool a meat eater with this. But it IS quite good and certainly earns a place on your brunch plate.
Isa recommends taking the garlic bits out (I minced mine) but I left them in. This is the first time I've ever used liquid smoke and it's an invaluable ingredient. It really adds that BBQ-ed/smoked layer to the bacon.
I also sliced my tempeh a bit thin (remember, I liked bacon burnt) so I got more servings than Isa suggests. But it seems to have turned out just fine.
STATS
Vegan
Makes: About 12-15 strips depending on how thin you slice it
Cooking Time: About 10 minutes (plus a minimum of an hour to marinade)
Find It: On page 23 of Vegan with a Vengeance
Taste: Excellent
I made a whole batch but only made a few strips, putting the rest in the fridge to use for a good breakfast for the next several days.
It was really easy to make even if I had to wait at least an hour before I could eat it (for marinating purposes). I knew it was a good recipe when, after turning the strips in the marinade, my hands smelled TERRIFIC.
Don't think this is a replacement for bacon - you'll never fool a meat eater with this. But it IS quite good and certainly earns a place on your brunch plate.
Isa recommends taking the garlic bits out (I minced mine) but I left them in. This is the first time I've ever used liquid smoke and it's an invaluable ingredient. It really adds that BBQ-ed/smoked layer to the bacon.
I also sliced my tempeh a bit thin (remember, I liked bacon burnt) so I got more servings than Isa suggests. But it seems to have turned out just fine.
STATS
Vegan
Makes: About 12-15 strips depending on how thin you slice it
Cooking Time: About 10 minutes (plus a minimum of an hour to marinade)
Find It: On page 23 of Vegan with a Vengeance
Taste: Excellent
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Basic Gravy with Variations
Just in time for Thanksgiving! Considering last year's scant vegetarian offerings (cookies and bread), you'll understand why I'm arming myself with plenty of vegetarian options for this year - including bringing my own gravy. This gravy is really good! I'll keep shopping around for other gravies but this one is exactly what the title says: It's a nice, basic gravy.
It's pretty easy to make even if I tend to be a bit impatient when browning the flour. And I beg of you to pour the stock in SLOWLY and make a bit of a paste first before dumping in the rest of the stock. Otherwise you'll have little, undissolved flour bits floating around. The ingredients are all things I tend to have on hand so it's super easy to make. The only change I made was to saute some finely diced onion and red pepper (about 2T each) to add in at the end. It makes a really nice addition. Oh, I think I threw in a dash or two of Spike for seasoning. Delicious!
The recipe yields two cups and I see no reason why you can't 'volunteer' to bring the gravy to Thanksgiving dinner. No one will be disappointed with this gravy and it's vegan! Now if I can just take over the making of the potatoes...
STATS
Vegan
Makes: About 2 Cups
Cooking time: About 15 minutes total
Find it: On page 117 of Vegetarian Meals for People On the Go
Taste: Excellent
It's pretty easy to make even if I tend to be a bit impatient when browning the flour. And I beg of you to pour the stock in SLOWLY and make a bit of a paste first before dumping in the rest of the stock. Otherwise you'll have little, undissolved flour bits floating around. The ingredients are all things I tend to have on hand so it's super easy to make. The only change I made was to saute some finely diced onion and red pepper (about 2T each) to add in at the end. It makes a really nice addition. Oh, I think I threw in a dash or two of Spike for seasoning. Delicious!
The recipe yields two cups and I see no reason why you can't 'volunteer' to bring the gravy to Thanksgiving dinner. No one will be disappointed with this gravy and it's vegan! Now if I can just take over the making of the potatoes...
STATS
Vegan
Makes: About 2 Cups
Cooking time: About 15 minutes total
Find it: On page 117 of Vegetarian Meals for People On the Go
Taste: Excellent
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Slow Cooking
I bought a slow cooker. Actually, I already owned one. My aunt gave me one as a bridal shower gift. A huge, Rival, 7 quart, oval beast of a slow cooker that she purchased thinking it was the perfect size to hold a roast. And it is.
I kept it, not thinking I would ever use it but I can't just throw that thing away. But I wanted a slow cooker that was more a size I could use. So I purchased a Hamilton-Beach 3-in-1 Slow Cooker. I guess because I like hyphens so much.
It's a heating base that has three different bowls that come with it. A two quart, a four quart and a six quart bowl.
The Pros:
It only cost $30 ish dollars and I have three slow cookers.
No matter what size slow cooker the recipe calls for, I have it!
Slow cooking is awesome (more on that later)
The bowl is removable thus making cleanup a snap.
The Cons:
There is no built in timer
There is no automatic 'keep warm' setting after cooking is finished
The cooking base automatically selects the six quart size if, after switching on, a different size is not chosen
When using the six quart size, it can only be filled up about half way, MAYBE a little more, because the base only comes up so high and thus can only cook the food that is as high as it can reach. So, when I'm making a full six quarts of something, I need to use the 7 quart slow cooker from my aunt to ensure the food will all cook.
The results:
I LOVE slow cooking! I used to be afraid a fire would start when I was away from home but I suppose my love of a home-cooked meal overrides my fear of fire. I bought a timer to program the slow cooker on and off. Because there is no automatic 'keep warm' setting, I have to set the slow cooker to cook and, after it is done, switch off for about 30 minutes, switch back on for about 30 minutes, and so on and so forth until I get home. It's not as hard to program the timer as I thought it would be so it's not so bad. One problem unique to the Hamilton-Beach 3-in-1 Slow Cooker is that, when programming it to switch on after I leave the house, the base requires me to push a button when it clicks on to select which bowl size I'm using. Hard to do when I'm not at home. So, my solution is to wedge an Altoids box between the wall and the base on top of the correct button, so that the button is depressed, thus selecting that button as soon as the base clicks on.
Aside from the mechanics of it, I have to say, it's wonderful to ride my bike home in the freezing cold...okay THAT part isn't wonderful but the walking in the front door and smelling delicious food waiting for me is! It's even nice, during the day to look up at the clock and think, "My dinner is starting/cooking/finishing, now!". Slow Cooking is pretty easy: Easy prep, easy clean up. Many slow cooking recipes either require (or should!) browning veggies ahead of time which TECHNICALLY declassifies it from a 'one pot meal'. But it's worth the extra 10 minutes. Trust me.
Overall, it's perfect for me. I have lots of extra time in the mornings and get to come home to a ready meal. And since I'm the type that wants to eat RIGHT NOW when I get home, it helps stop me from eating a lot of junk while I make dinner.
Survey says: Buy a slow cooker!
I kept it, not thinking I would ever use it but I can't just throw that thing away. But I wanted a slow cooker that was more a size I could use. So I purchased a Hamilton-Beach 3-in-1 Slow Cooker. I guess because I like hyphens so much.
It's a heating base that has three different bowls that come with it. A two quart, a four quart and a six quart bowl.
The Pros:
It only cost $30 ish dollars and I have three slow cookers.
No matter what size slow cooker the recipe calls for, I have it!
Slow cooking is awesome (more on that later)
The bowl is removable thus making cleanup a snap.
The Cons:
There is no built in timer
There is no automatic 'keep warm' setting after cooking is finished
The cooking base automatically selects the six quart size if, after switching on, a different size is not chosen
When using the six quart size, it can only be filled up about half way, MAYBE a little more, because the base only comes up so high and thus can only cook the food that is as high as it can reach. So, when I'm making a full six quarts of something, I need to use the 7 quart slow cooker from my aunt to ensure the food will all cook.
The results:
I LOVE slow cooking! I used to be afraid a fire would start when I was away from home but I suppose my love of a home-cooked meal overrides my fear of fire. I bought a timer to program the slow cooker on and off. Because there is no automatic 'keep warm' setting, I have to set the slow cooker to cook and, after it is done, switch off for about 30 minutes, switch back on for about 30 minutes, and so on and so forth until I get home. It's not as hard to program the timer as I thought it would be so it's not so bad. One problem unique to the Hamilton-Beach 3-in-1 Slow Cooker is that, when programming it to switch on after I leave the house, the base requires me to push a button when it clicks on to select which bowl size I'm using. Hard to do when I'm not at home. So, my solution is to wedge an Altoids box between the wall and the base on top of the correct button, so that the button is depressed, thus selecting that button as soon as the base clicks on.
Aside from the mechanics of it, I have to say, it's wonderful to ride my bike home in the freezing cold...okay THAT part isn't wonderful but the walking in the front door and smelling delicious food waiting for me is! It's even nice, during the day to look up at the clock and think, "My dinner is starting/cooking/finishing, now!". Slow Cooking is pretty easy: Easy prep, easy clean up. Many slow cooking recipes either require (or should!) browning veggies ahead of time which TECHNICALLY declassifies it from a 'one pot meal'. But it's worth the extra 10 minutes. Trust me.
Overall, it's perfect for me. I have lots of extra time in the mornings and get to come home to a ready meal. And since I'm the type that wants to eat RIGHT NOW when I get home, it helps stop me from eating a lot of junk while I make dinner.
Survey says: Buy a slow cooker!
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