March 30, 2011April 10, 2011 by betsy

Vegan Spicy Spiked Skillet Chili

Yield: 4-6 servings

If you live in a part of the world where temperatures have dipped–or never rose to begin with–this ultra-simple, ultra-satisfying chili will warm you from the inside out. However, if you live in warmer climes, a bowl of this spicy soup just might get a little perspiration going and cool you down–nature’s own air conditioning.

The most difficult part of making this dish is waiting while the chili simmers for 25 minutes to allow the flavors to marry.

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 medium yellow onion, but into 1/4-inch dice

2 large cloves garlic, chopped

8 ounces tempeh

sea salt and pepper to taste

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground oregano

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon smoked, sweet or spicy paprika

1/4 teaspoon chipotle chili powder

1-15 ounce can petite diced tomatoes in juice

12 ounces light beer or non-alcoholic beer (see note below)

1 tablespoon miso paste (any kind)

1 tablespoon brown rice syrup or agave nectar

(Note: you may substitute 2 tablespoons of tomato paste for the miso paste and the brown rice syrup.)

1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder

1 cup frozen corn

1-15.5 ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained

Optional: 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

Optional garnishes: dollops of my Vegan Cheddar “Cheese,” dollops of vegan sour cream, and cilantro sprigs

Optional accompaniment: Frito Scoops for “Frito Chili Pie”

Heat oil to shimmering in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, and a pinch of salt, and saute, stirring frequently, for 3 minutes. Crumble tempeh into the pa, add all spices and saute, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes or just until tempeh starts to brown. Add all remaining ingredients and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 25 minutes or until all flavors have married. Serve hot garnished as desired.

Note: According to Ali Tadayon in “Beware the Beer: Is Yours Vegan,” found in the Vegan Mainstream e-newsletter, not all beer is vegan, as it may include albium (derived from animal blood), isinglass (derived from the swim bladders of fish), gelatin, charcoal, pepsin, lactose, and even insects. She recommends the following vegan-approved beers: Amstel, Corona, Heineken, New Belgium Brewery, Pabst Brewing, Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, and Tecate over these non-vegan ones: Castle Rock Brewery, Guinness, Newcastle Brown Ale, and Red Stripe.

March 19, 2011March 20, 2011 by betsy

Vegan Skinny Indian Soup

Yield: 4 servings

Take a look at that rich color…it’s hard to believe that this earthy, spicy soup is both low in fat and low in calories, isn’t it?

I created it last weekend as an antidote to my Vegan Ginger-Spice Caramel Pecan Rolls, of which I ate TWO in one day (though I went for long walks and shared the rest with co-workers on Monday). I knew I needed to eat something else that was very low in fat and calories, but full of vitamins, so Skinny Indian Soup was born.

It’s simply vegetable stock–store-bought for convenience–simmered with lots of sweet roasted garlic cloves–also purchased for convenience –and Indian spices plus a little Liquid Aminos, lemon juice for brightness, and nutritional yeast with bushels of fresh baby spinach added near the end. You won’t believe the depth of flavor! And the only fat comes from any that might be clinging to the roasted garlic cloves. (I buy the garlic NOT in a jar, but in bulk from my grocery store’s antipasto bar.)

Note: I like fairly pronounced lfavors of spices in most all of my food; if you don’t, consider starting with half the amount of each spice, tasting after a couple of minutes of simmering and adding more if desired.

Since the soup itself lacks adequate protein, I enjoy it with a cold glass of unsweetened soymilk and, if I haven’t overdone it in the calorie department, a couple of “everything” flatbread crackers spread with just a smidge of my Vegan Cheddar “Cheese” Spread and a tiny pinch of paparika for color.

Here’s to the last spinach of winter and the great bodies of summer!

4 cups vegetable stock

1 tablespoon Bragg’s Liquid Aminos

Juice of 1 medium lemon (about 4 teaspoons)

1 tablespoon nutritional yeast

1/2 cup roasted garlic cloves (sounds like a lot but, because they are so sweet, that it’s perfect)

1 tablespoon dried cilantro

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon dry mustard

1 teaspoon turmeric

3/4 teaspoon ground cardamom

1/2 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

8 cups lightly packed fresh baby spinach (if desired, save 4 leaves for garnish)

In a 4-quart saucepan, simmer together all ingredients except spinach for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add spinach and gentely simmer, still stirring occasionally, for 2-3 minutes more. Spinach should retain some nice green color. Serve warm, garnished, if desired, with a roasted garlic clove in fresh spinach leaf “boat.”

July 10, 2010July 21, 2010 by betsy

Vegan Carrot-Coconut Milk Thai Bisque

If you’ve read my previous two posts, you know that I have been traveling and, hence, not grocery shopping. Late this week, starving, I suddenly realized we had precious little in the fridge or pantry to make a whole meal out of. Literally, the only produce on hand were baby carrots and a half a tomato that had seen better days.

So, the tomato had to be composted and the carrots had to be the main event, but how to prepare them so that they would be a full meal? A quick look in the pantry revealed a can of lite coconut milk and some ancient boil-in-bag brown rice. With these ingredients, a couple more staples, and a little Vietnamese basil, mint and chives from the garden, I knew I could make a delicious soup that would betray it’s “desperation dinner” roots.

I hope you find it as beautiful and tasty as I did.

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 small onion, diced

2 large cloves garlic, minced

3 cups baby carrots

2 cups vegetable stock

1-15 ounce can lite coconut milk (yes, the regular has more flavor, but I just can’t justify those calories; if you can, feel free to substitute!)

6 tablespoons vegan fish sauce, or to taste (sold as “vegetarian” in Asian markets)

approximately 12-16 leaves fresh Asian basil (mine is a Vietnamese variety)

approximately 12-16 leaves fresh mint

brown or white rice (Jasmine is particularly good with Asian dishes, but I had brown)

Fresh chives or basil/mint sprigs for garnish

In a large soup pot over medium high, heat olive oil to shimmering. Add onion and garlic and saute, stirring frequently, until a little color develops. Add carrots, veggie stock, coconut milk and herbs. Simmer until carrots are very tender. (Meanwhile prepare rice according to package directions.) Process in a food processor in two batches. Reheat if needed, check for salt and add if needed, and serve in bowls with an ice cream scoop of rice. Garnish with herbs as desired.

March 6, 2010February 10, 2011 by betsy

Vegan Sausage, Fennel, White Bean and Kale Stew

Yield: approximately 8 servings

The winter greens in the grocery store are ravishing right now making it impossible not to build some meals around them. This one is such a warm and welcoming dinner to come home to. Plus it’s one of the tastiest infusions of antioxidants and flavorful vegan protein going. But you might have noticed that those are chick peas, not white beans, in the photo. I was in a hurry in a grocery store where I don’t usually shop and reached for the first can I saw with a white colored bean-like object on the front. They were delicious in the stew, so use them if you have them, but next time I’ll use white beans for a little more authentically Italian dish

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For this recipe and some 170+ more,
I invite you to purchase my first cookbook:

The Blooming Platter:
A Harvest of Seasonal Vegan Recipes

Vegan Heritage Press
Spring 2011

November 27, 2009July 21, 2010 by betsy

Vegan Thai Sweet Potato and Coconut Milk Soup–A "Souper" Way to Start a Non-Traditional Thanksgiving Feast

Yield: 6-8 Servings

I thought that cucumber sounded like an odd ingredient, but please don’t omit. It adds welcome color, taste and texture to this beautiful soup.

2-3 tablespoons canola oil
2 shallots or 1/3 cup onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 small dried chili, whole
6 cups vegetable stock
3 kaffir lime leaves (available in the freezer section of Asian markets)
2 medium-large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into bite-size dice
2 tablespoons vegan fish sauce
2 tablespoons lime juice
2-3 teaspoons sugar
1/2 of a large red bell pepper, cut into bite size pieces
1/2 cup rich or extra-rich coconut milk
1 medium cucumber, cut into bite size pieces (leave peel on)
Handful of fresh basil leaves, preferably Thai basil leaves

Heat oil until shimmering in the bottom of a soup pot or wok over medium-high heat. Add the shallot or onion, garlic and chili. Stir fry for just a few minutes to release fragrance and soften onion and garlic. Add stock and lime leaves and bring to a boil. Add the sweet potato. Reduce heat to medium and allow soup to simmer until the potato is easily pierced with a fork, about 6-8 minutes. While sweet potato is cooking, add the vegan fish sauce, lime juice and sugar. When sweet potato has softened, and the red pepper and the cucumber. Allow to simmer for only 1-2 minutes, as the vegetables should retain their firmness. Reduce heat to low and add the coconut milk, stirring to incorporate. Adjust seasoning for balance of salt, sweetness and spice. Stir in basil leaves and allow to wilt. Remove whole chili and serve warm. Soup keeps and reheats well.

Source: Veganized from: http://thaifood.about.com/od/thaisnacks/r/pumpkinsoup.htm

November 14, 2009February 10, 2011 by betsy

Vegan Parsnip-Cardamom Soup with Vegan Hazelnut Gremolata

Yield: approximately 4 servings (these aren’t large servings, but the soup is filling)

Parsnips are my new favorite vegetable. I didn’t grow up eating them, and somehow I always associated them with turnips and rutabagas, the only two known vegetables to which I have an aversion. But how wrong I was. The flavor is, to me, a cross between carrots, potatoes and, odd as it sounds, corn.

Lately, these quite beautiful, pale yellow carrot-looking veggies have been turning up in the fall culinary magazines, so when they also turned up in my grocery story, I bought some. The first ones ended up as a creamy lemony dish with the consistency of perfect mashed potatoes. One taste, and I was hooked. That dish is part of the Thanksgiving menu soon to be published in my monthly column in the Virginian-Pilot and, immediately following, here on The Blooming Platter.

My next experiment with them resulted in this silky soup. Perfumed with ground cardamom, fresh ginger, a pinch of nutmeg, and both lemon juice and zest, the soup enhances the parsnips while allowing their flavor to shine through.

As I’ve said on The Platter before, I am not a big fan of cardamom in sweets, but I love the way it infuses savory dishes such as this with an enchanting taste and aroma, and I hope you do too.

For this recipe and some 170+ more,
I invite you to purchase my first cookbook:

The Blooming Platter:
A Harvest of Seasonal Vegan Recipes

Vegan Heritage Press
Spring 2011

September 7, 2009July 21, 2010 by betsy

Vegan Carrot-Cucumber-Cashew Soup

Yield: 4-6 servings

This soup is so tasty that I will certainly make it even after I can eat solid food. Created for my post-oral surgery diet, it helps me feel less deprived because it contains much of the nutritious deliciousness that makes me crave Thai food.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 of a medium onion, peeled and slivered
2 large cloves garlic, sliced
2 generous cups baby carrots
3/4 pound seedless cucumbers (3 very small cucumbers)
1 cup cashew pieces and halves
1-14.5 ounce can coconut milk
1 scant tablespoon vegan fish sauce
1/4 cup very lightly packed fresh cilantro leaves
1/4 cup very lightly packed fresh Thai basil leaves
Coarse sea or kosher salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
zest of one lime

In a large cast iron skillet over medium-high, heat olive oil until shimmering. Add onion and garlic and saute for a few minutes or until softened and just starting to turn golden. Meanwhile, steam carrots just until tender. Rinse with cold water to stop the cooking and drain. Place all ingredients except lime zest in the bowl of a food processor and puree until almost smooth, but flecks of texture and color remain. You may want to puree in two batches to prevent overflow. Transfer to a saucepan or microwave-safe bowl, stir in zest, and heat. Serve warm.

September 7, 2009July 21, 2010 by betsy

Vegan Broccoli Tomato Soup

Yield: 4-6 servings

This soup is another one created for my post-oral surgery diet, but I would eat it regardless, so delicious it is. Inspired by a broccoli-tomato-caper pasta that I ordered on our recent cruise vacation to Nova Scotia and the Northeastern U.S., this soup is just as tasty, but lighter because of the absence of pasta. However, it is also low in protein for that reason, so be sure to enjoy it with a glass of unsweetened soy milk. If, unlike me, you can chew, than pump up the protein any way you choose.

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 of a medium onion, peeled and slivered
2 large cloves garlic, sliced
4 generous cups broccoli
4 sundried tomatoes, torn or sliced into about 3 pieces each
1-14.5 ounce can petite diced tomatoes in juice
1/2 can unsweetened soy milk
1 scant tablespoon balsamic vinegar (I use homemade balsamic vinegar reduction for more intense flavor)
Optional: 1 tablespoon capers or caper brine
Coarse sea or kosher salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

zest of one lemon

In a large cast iron skillet over medium-high, heat olive oil until shimmering. Add onion and garlic and saute for a few minutes or until softened and just starting to turn golden. Meanwhile, steam broccoli just until tender. Rinse with cold water to stop the cooking and drain. Place all ingredients except lemon zest in the bowl of a food processor and puree until almost smooth, but flecks of texture and color remain. Transfer to a saucepan or microwave-safe bowl, stir in zest and reheat. Serve warm.

June 12, 2009February 10, 2011 by betsy

Vegan Tortilla Spinach Soup

Recently, I was invited to be a guest blogger on vegcooking.com. It was thrilling to be included on one of my favorite vegan websites. Just follow the link at the bottom of this post to my recipe for Vegan Tortilla Spinach Soup which was a huge hit last week at my annual “Un-birthday Party.”