Author: betsy

by betsy

Vegan Pea, Pistachio & Fresh Tarragon Hummus

Yield: approximately 6 servings

With our good friends Karen and David coming for dinner Saturday night, I had a lite Greek menu in mind as, though they are not vegans, they are very health-conscious. And I wanted to build the meal around what was fresh at Stoney’s, a local outdoor market. Among lots of other delectable produce were pints of May peas. Processed with a few pistachios, olive oil, lemon juice and some tarragon from our garden, they became a beautiful green hummus-type spread. We enjoyed it with a bowl of mixed olives and some pizza dough wedges. I had two nice balls of frozen homemade dough in the freezer, so I pressed each into a small round, cooked them for 8 minutes, brushed them with olive oil, cooked them for two more minutes and then sprinkled them with coarse sea salt before cutting them into wedges. I made those ahead so that they were room temperature when I served them. This spread is so tasty, though, that Karen said she would have been happy to devour it with a spoon.

2 cups fresh raw green peas, simmered for 15-18 minutes in just enough salted water to cover and drained (or use 2 cups pre-cooked peas)
1/3 cup roasted and lightly salted shelled pistachios
1/4 cup loosely packed fresh tarragon leaves
2 tablespoons walnut or olive oil
juice of one lemon
coarse sea or kosher salt to taste
freshly cracked black pepper to taste
Garnish: a few whole or chopped pistachios, a slice of lemon, and/or a sprig of fresh tarragon

Place all ingredients in food processor fitted with a metal blade and pulse until desired consistency is reached. Check for seasoning and add salt and pepper if needed. Pulse one more time and scrape into serving bowl. Garnish as desired and served with the bread, toast, crackers or veggie dippers of your choice.

by betsy

Vegan Shitake, Cucumber & Herb Salad

Yield: 6-8 servings

The salad for a lite Greek meal we served friends on Saturday night was this cool, crunchy and refreshing rendition. With its fresh herbs from my garden and skin-on cucumber cubes, it is emerald green and as cooling to look at as it is to eat.

1 pint shitake mushrooms, stemmed and the caps thinly sliced
1 cucumber, skin left on, cubed
6 tablespoons walnut or olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
3/4 cup fresh minced herbs, either equal parts or any proportions you choose (I used chives, parsley and the most dill)

Combine vegetables in a shallow medium-large non-reactive bowl. In a small bowl, whisk together oil and lemon juice an drizzle over veggies. Sprinkle with herbs, salt and pepper. Toss gently and check for seasoning. Cover and chill if not serving immediately. Serve chilled or at nearly room temperature.

Source: Adapted from Food Network Magazine, June 2010. Essentially, I made the salad as directed, only I doubled the dressing and herbs and added the cucumber.

by betsy

Vegan Maple-Cornmeal Pancakes with Minted Strawberries

Yield: 8 pancakes

The dessert for our lite Greek dinner mentioned in the previous several posts was a very simple mixture of local fresh strawberry halves combined with spearmint chiffonade from our garden and drizzled with a little balsamic reduction. It may sound odd, but it was divine. I had some of the mixture sans balsamic reduction left over and I woke up this morning with, for some reason, those beautiful berries as a topping for cornmeal pancakes on my mind. And they had to be cornmeal, not just any pancakes. As I devoured a tall stack of 4 of them, I knew my instincts about combining the cornmeal with the strawberry-mint mixture had been spot-on. I do love summer!






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

by betsy

Vegan Apricot-Almond Pancakes with Vegan Cream Cheese and Apricot Preserve Filling

Yield: 8 pancakes

Our weather has been absolutely schizophrenic this spring. One day, it’s chilly, damp and windy and the very next its 88 degrees with brilliantly blue skies. Consequently, my meals have been similarly varied. Sunday morning was, though sunny, quite windy and cool. Perfect for a last wintry breakfast hurrah.

If you follow this blog, you know that I make weekend pancakes a lot and that I stir into the batter all kinds of ingredients and top them with a variety of special syrups. But I never fill them. That is until I now. They seemed to cry out for a simple vegan cream cheese and apricot preserve filling. And after tasting the end result, I see why. Boy, oh boy, are you in for a treat. In this case, I recommend plain maple syrup to perfectly complement the pancakes and their filling, but not compete. I made an apricot-maple syrup that I wasn’t wild about, so save yourself the trouble and the disappointment. They are much better–delicious in fact–without it.

½ cup whole wheat flour
½ cup self-rising flour
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cups unsweetened soymilk (plain or vanilla soy milk would also be good–regular or lite)
1/2 teaspoon real almond extract or to taste
1 cup finely diced plump dried apricots (they should be nice and moist even though technically “dried”)
1/2 cup sliced almonds
Vegan butter and/or vegetable oil for frying
Vegan Cream Cheese
Apricot Preserves (buy the most wholesome brand you can find with as few additives as possible)
Maple Syrup
Optional Garnishes: a whole or half dried apricot and a sprinkle of sliced almonds per serving

Preheat oven to warm. In a medium mixing bowl, place first 5 dry ingredients. Make a well in the center and pour in soymilk and almond extract. Whisk together until well combined. Then stir in diced apricots and sliced almonds with a spoon or fork. In a large cast iron skillet or griddle over medium-high heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the vegan butter, oil or a combination. (I like a combination: the oil reduces chances of burning while the butter contributes flavor.) Using a 1/4 cup measure, make pancakes, two at a time. Cook two-three minutes on the first side until you get a nice rise, a few bubbles appear, and the edges appear set. Gently flip and cook another couple of minutes on the reverse. Add butter and/or oil to keep skillet greased as needed. If pancakes are cooking too quickly, lower heat to medium, especially for second side. When cooked through, remove pancakes to plates or a serving platter, keep warm, and repeat with remaining butter and pancake batter. To serve, spread 4 of the pancakes with about 1 tablespoon of vegan cream cheese. Spread another tablespoon of apricot preserves over that. Top with remaining pancakes and serve warm with maple syrup and a garnish of a whole or half of a dried apricot and a sprinkling of sliced almonds.

by betsy

Vegan Iced Mocha Soy Latte a la Starbucks

Okay, I admit it: I am a Starbucks junkie. I know they are “corporate giants,” but, come on, they always have soymilk and, as of May 1, they started offering any of their addicting frappucinos with soy. Plus, they are socially conscious and they offer their employees health insurance.

But, alas, I think their drinks are pretty expensive. No, I don’t have to order a venti, but the grande just doesn’t seem like quite enough. So, I go for a while and then I cut myself off. When I do, I satisfy my craving with this concoction that I created which, at least to me, comes pretty darn close to an SB Iced Mocha Soy Latte.

This recipe makes a large quantity, so I mix it up in one of those covered plastic containers meant for storing and pouring cereal. I keep it on the bottom shelf of the refrigerator door for easy access. In fact, our old refrigerator is in our garage, so I keep it there. In the morning, I grab my backpack, camera, sketchbook and insulated cup of ice and fill it up on my way to the car (or scooter).

2 cups water
1 to 1 1/2 cups regular or decaf instant coffee (use a good brand for maximum flavor satisfaction) 8-12 individual packets of Splenda (or the equivalent of your favorite sweetener)
1/3 cup regular or lite coffee syrup in your favorite flavor (I like hazelnut)
3 cups chocolate or chocolate lite soymilk
8 cups (a half-gallon) unsweetened soymilk (plain or vanilla, regular or lite, would also be good; just adjust sweetener accordingly)

In a large container, whisk coffee into water until completely dissolved. Whisk in Splenda and coffee syrup. Then whisk in both soymilks and chill. Enjoy over ice or soy ice cream as a float. (I have tried blending it with ice, but it gets a little too crystal-y for my taste.)

by betsy

Vegan Cheesy Swiss Chard-Stuffed Acorn Squash

Yield: 4 servings

The produce looked so good in the market today that I loaded up and, realizing that I had probably purchased more than I could cook while it was still at it’s peak, started devising ways to combine the different veggies. This acorn squash and chard dish is even more than the sum of its farm-fresh parts. The sweet squash is an ideal foil for the tangy-salty greens, both of them creamy in their own luscious ways. And the light crunch of buttery bread crumbs is the perfect finishing counterpoint.








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

by betsy

Vegan Angel Hair Pasta with Orange Bell Pepper, Kale, Grape Tomatoes, Fresh Basil and Lemon

Yield: 4 Servings

Arriving home late one night this week and virtually starving, I fortunately had some leftover finely chopped kale in the fridge and enough other fresh ingredients and pantry staples to create a beautiful and nutritious dinner on the fly. It was equally as delicious–if not more so–as lunch today. When lots of fresh veggies are used, a little higher-calorie pasta can go a long way. I think angel hair cooks up particularly creamy.









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

by betsy

Vegan Fresh Strawberry-Mint Pancakes with Vegan Balsamic-Maple Sryup

Yield: 8 pancakes

Hooray–strawberry season in Eastern Virginia is here! A few of the ingredients in these farm stand-fresh pancakes may sound a little odd, but you’ll just have to trust me: the end result is spectacular. These are not IHOP’s strawberry pancakes. Not even close. Instead, they are healthy, beautiful and sophisticated, but not bizarre.

1 1/2 cups unsweetened soymilk (plain or vanilla soy milk would also be good–regular or lite)
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
½ cup whole wheat flour
½ cup self-rising flour
4 tablespoons self-rising cornmeal (or cornmeal mix)
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
pinch garlic powder (you don’t necessarily want to be able to identify the garlic flavor, but rather lend a certain savoriness to the batter)
1 cup finely diced fresh strawberries
approximately 4 fresh mint leaves, stacked, tightly rolled, and thinly sliced to make chiffonade
Vegan butter and/or vegetable oil for frying
Balsamic-Maple Syrup (recipe follows)
Optional Garnishes: sprigs of fresh mint and whole fresh strawberries

Preheat oven to warm. In a small bowl or cup, whisk together soymilk and balsamic vinegar. set aside to curdle, which will happen almost immediately. Meanwhile, in a medium mixing bowl, place next 7 dry ingredients. Make a well in the center and pour in soymilk mixture. Whisk together until well combined. Then stir in diced strawberries with a spoon or fork. In a large cast iron skillet or griddle over medium-high heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the vegan butter, oil or a combination. (I like a combination: the oil reduces chances of burning while the butter contributes flavor.) Using a 1/4 cup measure, make pancakes, two at a time. Cook a couple of minutes on the first side until you get a nice rise, a few bubbles appear, and the edges appear set. Gently flip and cook another couple of minutes on the reverse. Add butter and/or oil to keep skillet greased as needed. If pancakes are cooking too quickly, lower heat to medium, especially for second side. When cooked through, remove pancakes to plates or a serving platter, keep warm, and repeat with remaining butter and pancake batter. Serve warm with Vegan Balsamic-Maple Syrup, a sprig of fresh mint leaves and a perfect whole strawberry if desired.

Vegan Balsamic-Maple Syrup:
1/2 cup finely diced fresh strawberries
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1 1/2-2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
approximately 4 fresh mint leaves, stacked, tightly rolled and thinly sliced to make chiffonade
a few grounds of fresh black pepper

Whisk all ingredients together and heat gently in a saucepan on top of the stove or in the microwave. Two intervals of about 30 seconds in the microwave will do the trick.

by betsy

"Cheesy" Vegan Zuccini with Vegan Crumb Topping

Yield: 4 servingsThis recipe was inspired by a chicken dish my mom used to make. Though I didn’t eat the chicken, even as a vegetarian, I loved the filling that she stuffed just under the skin. It was made of zucchini, Swiss cheese, torn up bread cubes and eggs. My vegan version relies on a tasty homemade Swiss “cheese” sauce, doesn’t include eggs, and uses bread crumbs to create a crunchy topping that contrasts beautifully with the creamy zucchini.

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

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