Month: June 2013

by betsy

Ms. Fit Mag Selects Blooming Platter “Zucchini, Onion, and Yellow Squash Gratin” as a “Friday Favorite”

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAFor their spring issue, Ms. Fit Mag featured my recipe for Zucchini, Onion, and Yellow Squash Gratin in their article “Friday Favorite: Five Favorite Early Summer Veggies.”

The concept of the article was clever and straight forward: subheadings for five early summer vegetables, each with a photo and three links to recipes using that vegetable from some of their “favorite food bloggers.”

I’m so honored to be included…and you’ll be so happy to have this recipe so you can celebrate what is freshest right NOW at your local farmers markets.

Happy Early Summer!Ms Fit Magazine Header

by betsy

Blooming Platter “Vegan ‘Pulled’ Spaghetti Squash Barbecue” Featured on KitchenTreaty.com!

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAHi all!  I’ve been on vacation for 5 days and have missed cooking and posting.

But I was delighted to return home and find a pingback related to my Vegan “Pulled” Spaghetti Squash.  Evidently, it had been featured by Karen Troughton on KitchenTreaty in 2012.   I don’t know much about this site other than what the tagline says “Vegetarians and Meat-Eaters CAN Live Together.”  But, regardless, thanks Karen!

As it happens, I found my mouth watering at the aroma of barbecue in the Houston International airport yesterday on our way home from (fabulous!) Aspen.  So, it seems that the universe is telling me that I need to remind readers about this recipe for summer BBQ enjoyment!

If you visit the KitchenTreaty post, you’ll see a couple of things:

1) That Karen created her own sauce recipe.  It contains a far shorter list of ingredients than mine but, trust me, I tweaked the flavor profile so that, at least to my palate, it is perfect!  And the only extra time involved is opening a few more spice jars.  The resulting sauce is well worth a tiny bit of extra effort.  So I wouldn’t tinker with my recipe unless you have a BBQ sauce that is your absolute favorite.

2) It appears, at least from her photograph, that her final dish ended up very moist. I like it much dryer, as in my photograph, so that the pile of “pulled” barbecue stands up nicely on it’s own, much like it’s non-vegan inspiration (see my photo above)–rather than sitting sort of puddle like on the bun. 🙂

But, however you like it–wet or dry–enjoy!  (Oh, and you’ll love my corn cakes and slaw in my recipe too!)

by betsy

Go Faux! Mid-Century Modern Makeover

Saarinen Arm Chairs Reupholstered--Mid-Century Modern MakeoverIt’s true…I’ve done the unthinkable and reupholstered our original Saarinen Arm Chairs!  Sacrilege, I know.  (Eero Saarinen is the architect-designer of Dulles airport in D.C.)

But, Mid-Century Modern Minnie had done a number on the original orange fabric.  She looked so cute curled up in the chairs, but I should have protected them with a pad of some kind.

Anyway, a week ago, I decided I couldn’t take it any more, so I took them to the fabulous Joe’s Upholstery in VA Beach where I found an exact match for the original fabric–a rich persimmon color–in a VEGAN maritime faux leather. 

If this fabric can stand up to sun, sand, and saltwater in a boat, then surely Minnie will be no match for it.  On the other hand…have you met Minnie?

 

 

 

by betsy

Single Serving Vegan Granola Pancakes with Sour Cream, Maple Syrup and Fresh Fruit (Recipe Easily Multiplies)

Granola Pancakes

Yield: 1 serving (2 small pancakes) [recipe easily multiplies]

These golden disks of textured bliss would be perfect for any Father’s Special Day.  Go Dairy Free kindly published my recipe for all to enjoy.  Just click HERE.  And if you’re interested in the back story, read on!

When I first met my dear friend, Yvette Hetrick, a foodie and entertainer extraordinaire, many years ago, she rhapsodized about granola pancakes that she and her husband, Randy, would devour for weekend brunches in, I think it was, San Diego. when they were dating.

She has a memorable way of describing food and I was sold from her first mention.  I have even tried to reproduce them before with no luck.

But, for some reason, I was craving them recently, my husband–who has cleaned up his eating act somewhat–had some Bare Naked Granola in the pantry, and I had some local Pungo strawberries fresh from the farmer’s market in the fridge.

My husband, a creature of habit and routine, is on an oatmeal kick as part of his new approach to eating.  So I knew he wouldn’t want any pancakes, no matter how irresisistable to the rest of us.  There was only one thing to do:  create a recipe for a single serving that could be easily multiplied to serve a family or a crowd.  And I’m so glad I did!

My fairly thick batter is the perfect consistency to support the granola.  Be sure to serve them granola-side up so folks will know these are no ordinary pancakes even before the first bite!

Happy Father’s Day!

by betsy

A Perfect and Perfectly Light Spring Lunch: Vegan Spinach Quesadillas with Local Strawberry-Spring Onion Salsa

DSCN1256

Here in Eastern coastal Virginia spring has sprung and the Pungo Strawberry Festival is a thing of the past.  But, I hope wherever you live, you still have access to fresh local strawberries and spring onions… or perhaps you aren’t the stickler for seasonal ingredients that I tend to be. 🙂

There were some delays getting this recipe published on One Green Planet because they questioned the quality of the photo, and rightly so.  Earlier this spring, I came home from yoga and the farmer’s market one Saturday, whipped this dish up for lunch, and it was so tasty that I hastily snapped a photo of it despite less than optimum lighting conditions.  After reviews and a protracted email exchange–all necessary for quality control–we decided to just go with it in the end.  But, alas, by then it was summer!

Sure, I could retake the photo, but I’d have to buy the strawberries and spinach out of season.  For now, we’ll leave it as is with my apologies for the quality of the photo but no apologies for the recipe which I think you will love…now or next spring!

Click HERE for my beautiful and simple recipe.

 

by betsy

My Vegan Caramelized Double Onion, Fresh Kale, and White Bean Dip Published on Tofutti Website! (doubles as an enchilada filling)

DSCN1429What is twice as good as Vegan Onion Dip?  Why, Vegan Caramelized DOUBLE Onion Dip of course!

It’s the perfect dip:  deep, rich flavor from the caramelized onion, lots of vitamins and vibrant color from the fresh kale, and plenty of protein and fiber from the white beans.

And holding it all together is the delicious flavor and creamy-firm body of my go-to vegan sour cream: Tofutti Better Than Sour Cream…and it really is.  Better that is.

The good folks at Tofutti liked my dip so much that they have kindly posted it on their website.  Just click HERE for the recipe.  And while you’re there, check out the many other mouthwatering posts.

By the way, if you think this recipe is good as a dip…you should try it as an enchilada filling!

by betsy

Vegan Fish-and-Chips (A Cleaned-Up British Classic!)

DSCN1363I don’t mean to brag, but…

If you eschew seafood, yet crave that briny taste of the sea, have I got a “fix” for you!

After one failed attempt to impart that elusive oceanic flavor to a vegetable-based alternative–tofu “fillets” in this case–I put the full weight of my mental capacity to the task at hand.

The result was a truly novel method for infusing the complex flavor and aroma of the sea into humble tofu triangles.  Hint: wrapping them in Nori sheets is one of my secrets.

This and all of the remaining secrets to my successful go at Vegan Fish-and-Chips are yours for the clicking at One Green Planet.

I call my version a “cleaned up British classic” because, after one oily and messy round of beer battering and frying the “fillets,” I created a different method for an ahoy-there-mate breading that is baked, as are my “chips.”  To me, the flavor AND the crunch of both are irresistible.  I hope you agree!

DSCN1371

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