This is less of a recipe and more of a mini advertisement for Nasoya brand wonton wrappers, which are vegan and available at mainstream grocery stores, and a method for using them. They are about 3-inches square, handle beautifully, taste delicious and have a lovely texture.
To make 2 appetizer servings of 3 each, or a total of 6, you only need about 3 tablespoons filling. For these I used mashed roasted butternut squash, sliced green onion, and just a drop of soy sauce, sesame oil, minced garlic, and minced ginger. Go easy on the ginger as it easily overpowers.
Simply lay the wontons out flat on a plate or baking sheet, and wet all 4 edges of the first wonton wrapper by dipping your finger in a cup of water and running it around the edges. Place about 1 teaspoon filling in the center, bring corners together at the top, and pinch the 4 seams with dampened fingers to seal. Repeat until all filling is used.
Deep fry for about 1 1/2 minutes at 375 degrees or until golden brown. Drain on paper towel and serve with duck sauce.
I love to eat like it’s happy hour even when it’s not. That is, I love appetizers. They are always the most enticing items on restaurant menus and, Even before the pandemic, I loved My own versions even more. The same goes for this brand new black bean dip with its Chinese flavors. It is sure to make any hour and every guest happy!
I recommend starting with the amounts of ingredients listed and then intensifying any of the flavors that you choose. Be careful with the ginger, as it can be overpowering and quite spicy.
1 15.5 ounce can unseasoned black beans, rinsed and drained
1 large garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon minced ginger
1 teaspoon agave nectar
1 teaspoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons sesame oil
3 thinly sliced green onions, save a little for garnish
Garnish: 1 teaspoon Everything Bagel seasoning or white and black sesame seeds (Everything Bagel seasoning may seem out of place, but I love it because it contains sesame seeds along with dried garlic and onion)
Accompaniments:
Prepared vegan chili sauce and a few roasted and lightly salted cashews or peanuts
Baked Wonton Chips (recipe follows )
place everything except green onions, garnishes, and accompaniments in food processor and blend and tell smooth. Stir in green onions, reserving some for garnish, transfer to a serving bowl and sprinkle with reserved green onions and everything bagel seasoning. Serve with chili sauce for drizzling and Baked Wonton Chips for scooping.
Baked Wonton Chips
10 -3″ vegan wonton wrapper squares (I use Nasoya brand, halved diagonally)
Non-stick vegetable oil spray
Sea salt
Preheat oven to 350°. Place triangles of dough close together on baking sheet, spray very lightly with vegetable oil, and sprinkle with just the barest hint of sea salt. Bake for approximately 5 minutes or until golden.
I just discovered Nasoya brand vegan wonton wrappers in Harris Teeter! They are cut into perfect little squares that make the cutest cups for the Asian salad of your choice.
Preheat oven to 350°. Spray a muffin tin with non-stick spray. Layer 2 wonton wrappers on top of each other with one turned 45° to create eight points. Press into cups. Bake 10 minutes. They will crisp up as they cool.
Laura Theodore, aka the Jazzy Vegetarian, is hitting all the high notes and winning awards and accolades in the process. From her latest vegan cookbook, to the Jazzy Vegetarian on public television, to her podcast radio show, to her pop-up restaurant, this vibrant recording artist never misses a beat. She is everywhere: from Netflix to CBS to HBO, just to mention a few forums where she has been featured.
Her recipes are simple and straightforward; the resulting dishes colorful and flavorful. In fact, I gifted good foodie friends with one of her cookbooks, Vegan-ease this Christmas. Like me, they like to use recipes as a starting point for their own iterations, and no better place to start than with Laura’s, though her recipes are perfectly balanced as is.
When her latest cookbook, Jazzy Vegetarian’s Deliciously Vegan hit the stands, I had promised to participate in a “blog tour,” but life got in the way. So, better late than never. Today, I finally had an opportunity to return the favor to this energetic and supportive member of the vegan community, for years ago, she interviewed me on the Jazzy Vegetarian Radio when my cookbook, The Blooming Platter: A Harvest of Seasonal Vegan Recipes was published.
Says Laura of her quick and easy recipe featured here, “Miso provides texture and taste to this hummus without adding any oil, keeping it a light and low-fat option for a satisfying snack.”
True confession, I added a tablespoon of oil because I love the mouthfeel of a hint of oil, but I also love Laura’s idea of using good ‘ole tap water for most of the moisture. Also, though I know the prevailing wisdom is to make a recipe as printed the first time and then adjust, I didn’t have any chickpeas on hand, it is pouring rain here, and I didn’t want to run into the grocery store. So, I made it with the edamame which I had in the fridge. Yum. And I used my food processor rather than blender.
Also, because my hummus was leaning in an Asian direction–and because I have been cooking and developing award-winning recipes for a very long time–I made a couple of other alterations: I added 2 large cloves of garlic, minced, and, over the top, I drizzled about a tablespoon of my Blooming Platter Mayo (basically, a white tangy “sauce”) and another of Asian Sweet Chili Sauce for color and zing. I think Laura would approve of my “jazzing up” my version just a little.
But, I guarantee that her unadulterated Miso-Parsley Hummus would be delicious as is:
1 can (15 to 16 ounces) chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed 2 to 3 tablespoons water, plus more as needed 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (see note) 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley 1 tablespoon mellow white miso 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
Chef’s Note: For a more lemony taste, add 1 more tablespoon of fresh lemon juice.
Put all of the ingredients into a blender and process until smooth. Add a bit more water, as needed, to achieve the desired consistency.
Dinner on Friday night was delicious, nutritious, beautiful, and almost more than I could eat…but only 25O calories.
We had considered Chinese takeout, but I didn’t want to get back out after walking the dogs. So with Asian cuisine on my mind, I did a mental scan if what was in the fridge and created this satisfying and beautiful bowl.
Be sure to enjoy it with chopsticks; it is so much more fun that way.
1/2 cup shredded cabbage and carrot slaw mix (12.5 calories)
4 green onions, sliced
1 cup frozen, shelled edamane, thawed (110 calories)
1-8 ounce package Shirataki noodles, rinsed and drained (20 calories)
2 tablespoons vegan Fish Sauce (sold as vegetarian in Asian markets–20 calories)
1 to 2 teaspoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons Blooming Platter Mayo (20 calories)
2 tablespoons Asian Sweet Chili Sauce (60 calories)
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro + 1 spring for garnish
Barely cover the bottom of a large skillet with water. Saute cabbage and green onion, just until slightly tender, but still bright in color. Add edamame and do the same. Add all remaining ingredients in order and heat through, stirring until hot and well-combined. Serve immediately in a bowl garnished with a sprig of cilantro.
1 vegan pie crust, prepared or homemade (I use Achatz brand, available at Whole Foods)
1/4 cup naturally vegan Thai peanut sauce, prepared or homemade (I use a prepared brand from the grocery store)
1 package Tofurky Slow Roasted Sesame Garlic Chick’n, cut or torn into bite-size pieces
3/4 of a large red bell pepper, but into 12 thin slices (reserve remainder)
1/2 of medium red onion, cut into thin slices (reserve remainder)
Garnish: roasted and lightly salted peanuts or cashews and cilantro or Thai basil sprigs
Cucumber Salad (recipe follows)
Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or Silpat or use a terracotta baking stone. Lie pie crust on prepared baking pan or baking stone, Spread 3 tablespoons peanut sauce in center to within 1-inch of edges. Sprinkle evenly with Chick’n pieces and then arrange bell pepper strips in a pinwheel over the top and sprinkle evenly with red onion slivers. Drizzle remaining 1 tablespoon of peanut sauce over the top and then fold in edges of crust, crimping and pinching as you go. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oven and serve garnished with peanuts and cilantro sprigs. Serve cucumber salad on the side or piled on top, which is my preferred method.
Cucumber Salad
1 8-inch cucumber, sliced lengthwise and then crosswise into 1/4-inch pieces (I leave the seeds in for nutrition, but remove with a spoon if desired)
Reserved red bell pepper, diced
Reserved red onion, cut into thin slices and then 1-inch pieces
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon natural sugar (I use demerera)
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
In a medium bowl, combine all salad ingredients. Check for seasoning, adjust as necessary, and refrigerate in an airtight container, stirring occasionally, until serving time.
Croustade just prior to folding, crimping, and cooking
Calories: app 217/serving without cashew garnish (app. 1,300 for entire recipe)
I love rice as much as the next gal. BUT, it contains far more calories and starch than I can justify in my 1,500-1,800 calorie daily diet. Thank goodness that someone far smarter than me started the “riced” cauliflower movement. I love all of the “riced” vegetables and even made a previous version of this dish with a combination of them, but I wanted the lighter color and more pure flavor of the cauliflower by itself. I would have loved for the dish to be even more white in color, but cauliflower turns slightly yellowish when cooked. But it is still beautiful, nutritious, and delicious.
I think I got it just right and hope you agree.
10 ounces cauliflower florets, steamed until tender (I steam it in the microwave for about 4 minutes on high)
1 can coconut milk
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup vegan fish sauce (sold as “vegetarian” in Asian Markets or you can make your own)
1 tablespoon coconut oil, divided (you can substitute any vegetable oil, BUT this dish made with coconut oil is indescribably more flavorful, as I tried it both ways)
1 pound riced cauliflower (I’m always in a rush, so I purchase it, but you can make your own by mincing cauliflower in the food processor until it reaches the texture of rice)
1/4 cup red bell pepper, cut into thin strips and then 1-inch pieces
1/2 cup sliced onion
1 cup sliced mushrooms
1 cup fresh peas or frozen peas thawed
1 large clove garlic, minced
1 teaspoon soy sauce
Garnish: roasted and lightly salted cashew halves and pieces; sprigs of Thai basil, mint, and/or cilantro
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Oil a shallow casserole dish, about 9 x 13″, with 1 teaspoon coconut oil. In a food processor, puree cooked cauliflower. Add coconut milk, cornstarch, and fish sauce and puree again until smooth. In a large skillet, heat approximately 1 teaspoon coconut oil over medium heat. Add riced cauliflower and gently saute, stirring frequently, until tender. Transfer to a large bowl. Return skillet to heat and melt remaining teaspoon of coconut oil. Add bell pepper and onion and saute, stirring, until they lose some of their crispness. Add mushrooms and cook until moisture is released and evaporated. Add peas, garlic, and soy sauce and saute, stirring, just until peas are heated through. Add veggie mixture to the bowl of riced cauliflower and pour the pureed cauliflower-coconut mixture over the top. Stir to combine thoroughly and transfer to prepared casserole dish. Bake for 45 minutes or until top is firm. Serve topped with a few cashews and sprigs of Thai basil, mint, or cilantro.
It doesn’t matter how you serve this dish–taco, appetizer, etc.–you will love it. In fact, you might want to just eat spoonfuls of the delectable sauce by itself.
Note: We own a Waring Pro fryer, which is surprisingly affordable (cheap!), and I highly recommend.
Bang-Bang Tofu
Bang-Bang Sauce (recipe follows)
Crispy Fried Tofu (recipe follows)
Optional garnishes: cilantro sprigs, lightly salted cashew halves, snipped chives or green onions; or small flour or corn tortillad and shredded cabbage if serving as tacos
To serve, either toss the cubes of fried tofu with some of the sauce and sprinkle with the garnishes of your choice; do the same, but serve in a soft taco shell with some shredded cabbage; or serve as an appetizer with a toothpick in each tofu square, a little sauce on the side, and the garnishes of your choice. Be sure to prepare just before serving so that the sauce does not make the crispy tofu soggy.
Bang-Bang Sauce
2 cups vegan mayonnaise
1 cup Asian sweet chili sauce
1 tablespoon demerrera sugar
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion garlic powder
1 teaspoon sriracha sauce or to taste
In a medium bowl, whisk together all ingredients. Cover and refrigerate.
Crispy Tofu
1 pound extra firm tofu, cut into 1-inch cubes
1 cup unsweetened soymilk curdled with 2 teaspoons rice vinegar + 1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup cornstarch
Heat 2 to 3 inches vegetable oil to 375 degrees in deep heavy-bottomed pot. Place both the curdled soymilk and the cornstarch in separate shallow bowls. Working with 1/4 of the tofu at a time, dip the pieces first in the curdled soymilk and then coat with the cornstarch. Fry for 3 minutes or until golden brown. Drain on oaper towels. Keep warm in a preheated 170 degree oven (or lowest temperature).
