Yield: 1 wheel of vegan “brie”
Since my recipe for vegan “brie” makes two wheels, I had one left over to experiment with. This time, I decided to use phyllo dough for the “croute”–though you could use puff pastry instead–and enclose a hint of fruity and spicy chutney inside. For contrast, I topped it with sweet and spicy toasted pecans. Yum! The perfect winter appetizer.
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
Vegan Pumpkin Cake with Vegan Cranberry-Walnut Streusel
Yield: one 9 x 13″ cake
This is the moistest cake you may ever eat. And it becomes even more so as it sits (well covered of course).
The cake was inspired by a recipe I saw for a dried cranberry-nut pumpkin cake. I didn’t think the dried cranberry and nuts sounded very good in the batter. So, thinking that I wanted to make something that didn’t require frosting, but that was more than just a “naked” cake, I thought of a streusel topping. Then it occurred to me that I could add the dried fruit and nuts to the streusel. Eureka! Goldilocks would agree that the combination is just right.
I crave this cake perhaps most especially at breakfast because it functions well as a coffeecake. But I hope you will enjoy it anytime you please!
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
Red Velvet Pancakes–A New Vegan Valentine’s Breakfast Tradition
Yield: 8 pancakes
I love Red Velvet everything. Ever since childhood and the first taste of my Aunt Bessie’s signature cake of crimson layers swathed in fluffy white frosting with a Jackson Pollock-style drizzle of bittersweet chocolate, it has been my favorite. As beautiful as it is delicious, I chose it as the groom’s cake for Joe’s and my wedding, and I made an especially baroque one as the wedding cake for our good friends Donna and Art. Plus no one who saw “Steel Magnolias” could forget the Armadillo cake.
Over the years, I’ve created Red Velvet versions of anything I could think of from cookies to shortcakes. I even won a prize in a Better Homes & Gardens recipe contest with one version of the cookies.
Presuming I would create a menu and recipes for a romantic dinner for two for February’s “Veggie Table” column in the Virginian-Pilot, I immediately changed my mind when I learned that Valentine’s Day fell on a Sunday. Instead, I started thinking of family-friendly breakfasts, conceiving of and rejecting several ideas in favor of Red Velvet Pancakes. (But my Vegan “Sausage” and Red Bell Pepper Puff Pastry Heart Tarts would be a delicious savory accompaniment.)
First I conducted a little on-line research and, not surprisingly, there were a number of non-vegan iterations, including some from a couple of California restaurant that folks raved about, but none were right. Either they were pink, were too thin, or had an odd-looking texture. Quite honestly, only one that I found appealed: a very romantic and lovely photo with a recipe on someone’s blog, but they were not vegan. Still, it was the look I was after and I knew it could be done dairyless.
So, I turned to the go-to pancake formula that I developed, complete with some whole grain goodness, and then added the key Red Velvet ingredients. After a couple of adjustments, they were ready to cook and boy-oh-boy, can I just tell you: I ate all four from my photo shoot for breakfast. They are the exact shade of deep red that any self-respecting thing calling itself “Red Velvet” ought to be. And they have the characteristic flavor profile of a slight tanginess and an almost imperceptible, yet undeniable, hint of cocoa. Granted, there is more sugar in this recipe than in most of my pancakes, but it is needed to balance the tartness of the vegan “buttermilk” and the appealing bitterness of the cocoa powder.
I hope you and your loved ones, young or old, enjoy them just as much as I did. Happy Valentine’s Day!
1 ½ cups unsweetened soy milk less 1 ½ tablespoons (plain or vanilla soy milk or lite soy milk would also be good)
1 ½ tablespoons apple cider vinegar or white vinegar
½ cup whole wheat flour
3/4 cup self-rising flour
½-3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons cocoa powder
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1-1 ounce bottle (2 tablespoons) red food coloring
Vegan butter and/or vegetable oil for frying
Vegan Sour Cream-Maple Syrup (recipe follows)
Optional Garnish: additional vegan sour cream, orange zest, vegan chocolate chips
Optional Sidecar: fresh or frozen thawed fruit
Preheat oven to warm. In a small bowl, whisk together soy milk and vinegar and set aside to curdle. In a medium mixing bowl, place next 6 ingredients. Make a well in the center and pour in soy milk and food coloring. Stir together with a fork until well combined. In a large cast iron skillet or griddle over medium-high heat, melt 1 tablespoon of the vegan butter, oil or a combination. Using a 1/3 cup measure, make pancakes, one at a time if using a skillet, as this batter tends to spread, but it rises nicely. Cook a couple of minutes on the first side until quite 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 vegan butter and pancake batter. Note: for smaller pancakes that allow you to cook two at a time in a skillet and more on a griddle, use a ¼ cup measure. Serve warm with Vegan Sour Cream-Maple Syrup, an extra dollop of vegan sour cream, and a garnish of a little orange zest and/or a very few vegan chocolate chips, along with a sidecar of fresh or frozen thawed fruit.
Vegan Sour Cream Maple Syrup:
4-6 tablespoon vegan sour cream
4-6 tablespoons pure maple syrup
a squirt of lemon juice (optional)
Whisk together and, if desired, heat gently in microwave for a few seconds. Note: you can make as much syrup as you like; just whisk together equal parts vegan sour cream and syrup and adjust lemon juice accordingly.
Vegan Sesame-Crusted Tofu with Crispy Kale
Serves: 44 tablespoons vegetable stock
1 tablespoon rice vinegar (unsalted/unseasoned)
squirt of fresh lemon juice
1-16 ounce box, extra firm tofu, pressed, drained, and sliced crosswise into 4 equal pieces
1 1/2 teaspoons sesame oil
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
Vegan Basil, Mint and Cilantro Pesto (The Trifecta of Pestos)
Pesto is one of those things that you almost can’t mess up. Proportions are inexact, so go by texture and taste. I like to freeze mine in little balls made to use to season soups, stews, pasta and more.
1 bunch mint, rinsed, dried and large stems removed
1/2 cup nuts (I used cashews, but you could use pistachios, pine nuts, etc.)
a squirt of fresh lemon juice or to taste
freshly ground black pepper to taste
Vegan Muhammara (Middle Eastern Red Bell Pepper, Walnut, and Cumin Spread)
Yield: 1 3/4 cups
This Middle Eastern spread is a hit at parties: it’s unique but not weird. And it’s so versatile because, not only is it a tasty appetizer, but a spoonful or two is delicious stirred into rice or pasta dishes, soups and stews, polenta and the like for a burst of deep flavor. I’ve had a sweeter version in one local restaurant that I didn’t care for as much, though I loved the way it was served: spread onto lettuce leaves and garnished with pomegranate seeds. I’ve also had a version similar to this one in another local restaurant, but I think mine has more flavor.
1-7 ounce jar roasted red peppers, drained
2/3 cup fine fresh or dried bread crumbs
1/3 cup walnuts, lightly toasted and chopped fine (toast at 350 degrees for 10 or so minutes)
2-4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon coarse sea or kosher salt
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, or to taste
2 teaspoons pomegranate molasses (wonderful stuff, but you can substitute a sweet dark syrup of your choice)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes
1/2 cup oil (the original recipe called for 3/4 cup which was too much; in fact, though thicker, the spread is actually delicious with very little or no oil)
Combine all ingredients except oil, if using, in the bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade. Process until smooth and, with motor running, drizzle in optional oil until the mixture comes together.
Source: I cut this recipe out of a culinary magazine a few years back, but I regretfully neglected to note which one.
Vegan Broccoli, Grape Tomatoes, White Beans and Whole Wheat Pasta
Yield: 2-3 servings
What a satisfying supper this pretty dish turned out to be. The original recipe called for broccoli rabe and no pasta. Since rabe isn’t always available where I shop, I substituted broccoli florets and, always looking for ways to boost protein in my meals, I added a tiny bit of whole wheat pasta, since it can be a little heavy. Though I love whole wheat pasta for nutritional, taste and texture reasons, a pasta that is whiter in color–like regular bow ties–would create a prettier visual contrast, as the white beans and whole wheat pasta are almost identical in color.
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
Vegan Chocolate-Peppermint Thumbprint Cookies
Yield: approximately 3 dozen cookies
This is one of those recipes that was very easily veganized simply by substituting vegan butter and chocolate for their dairy equivalents. I thought they looked a little plain–though chocolate-on-chocolate is hard to beat–so I dressed them up a bit with pretty crushed peppermint.
Cookie Dough:
3/4 cup unsalted vegan butter, room temperature (I like Earth Balance)
1/2 cup confectioner’s sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon table salt
1 cup + 2 1/2 tablespoons unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cocoa powder
Peppermint Filling:
3/4 cup semi-sweet vegan chocolate chips
3 tablespoons vegan butter (I like Earth Balance)
1/4 teaspoon peppermint extract
Garnish:
Crushed peppermint candy (place the candy in a resealable plastic bag, place on a hard surface and crush with a mallet or hammer; you may also use a food processor, though even the so-called soft peppermint sticks sound like bee-bees and can scratch the plastic bowl of most food processors)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.Add the vanilla and salt and continue beating about 1 minute more. Add the flour and cocoa and mix on low speed until a soft dough forms, about another minute. Chill dough for 40-60 minutes. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or Silpat. Using a small scoop, scoop up balls of dough and arrange 2 inches apart in rows on baking sheets. Using hands, form each scoop into a smooth ball. With a lightly floured thumb, index finger, or the cylindrical end of a thick-handled spoon or scoop, press straight down in the middle of each ball almost to the cookie sheet to make a deep well. Bake one sheet at a time for approximately 8-9 minutes or until the tops of the cookies look dry. Gently redefine the indentations with the end of a wooden spoon if desired. Let the cookies cool on the sheet for approximately 5 minutes and then cool them completely on racks.
Make filling:
Place the vegan chocolate and butter in a heatproof bowl set in a wide skillet of almost simmering water. Stir with a heatproof spatula until almost melted, 2-4 minutes. Remove the bowl from the heat and stir until melted an smooth, about 30 seconds more. Stir in the mint extract. Let the filling cool, stirring occasionally, until slightly thickened and a bit warmer than room temperature. Using a tiny spoon, fill the well of each cookie with the filling. Garnish with crushed peppermint candy. Cool completely before serving or storing in an airtight container at room temperature. These cookies freeze very nicely.
Source: Very slightly adapted from Fine Cooking magazine. My only adaptions were to use vegan ingredients and to garnish with the peppermint, which looks so pretty.
