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).
These simple retro-contemporary apps are like cute little packages, and they are so quick, easy, and satisfying. Though they are best warm, they are even delicious cold. I know because I have brought them to school for lunch 3 days this week and my days don’t leave time to heat my lunch.
I am not sure why I even had Pillsbury Crescent Rolls in the fridge–vegan Pigs-in-a-Blanket?–but I did and I was craving my Vegan Thai Chicken Bites. However, I had no puff pastry and no cashews. So, I adapted. I used the same sesame-garlic Tofurky Slow Roasted Chick’n and a dab of commercial Thai peanut sauce in both, but added a layer of vegan cream cheese to the roll-ups, and omitted the cashews. Delish.
For presentation at home, I arranged them on a leaf of kale and sprinkled coconut shavings over the top. But, believe me, they are also irresistible out of a Tupperware carton.
1 can Pillsbury Crescent Rolls
Approximately 1/3 cup vegan cream cheese, softened
1 box sesame garlic Tofurky Roasted Chick’n
Approximately 3 tablespoons commercial or homemade peanut sauce + extra for dipping
Optional: fresh kale leaves and coconut shavings
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or Silpat (silicone baking sheet) or spray with nonstick spray. Unroll crescent roll dough and separate triangles, laying them a couple of inches apart on baking sheet. Spread with about 2 teaspoons of vegan cream cheese, top with about 1/8th of the chick’n, drizzle with about 1 teaspoon of peanut sauce, and roll up beginning with wide side of dough triangle opposite point. Bake for approximately 15 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool enough to handle and then serve immediately on an optional bed of kale sprinkled with coconut shavings and a dish of extra peanut sauce for dipping.
Vegan friends, prepare to have your pasta-loving lives changed.
Recently, I fell in love with vegan Dan Dan Noodles, both at V Street in Philadelphia and at Forbidden Bistro, our favorite Chinese restaurant here in Virginia Beach.
The problem for me and the reason I had probably never ordered Dan-Dan before is not finding vegan noodles, but all of the calories in any kind of noodle. The dish at V Street was the perfect “gateway” though, as it was a dimuntive tapas portion. So when I noticed them on the Forbidden Bistro menu, I talked myself into ordering them, but I made more than one meal out of their dinner entree.
As for solving the problem of noodles and all of their calories, enter the amazing No-oodles, a thin, slightly curly, tofu-free shirataki. They have O CALORIES. That’s right. None. Nada. Zip. Feel free to use any brand of shirataki in this recipe, including the type made with tofu, which has a few calories. But I prefer the No-oodles, as their size and shape seems more Dan Dan-like than fetuccine-like.
Locally, I found No-oodles last weekend at a small, niche natural market called Organic Depot. After you read the list of what No-oodles don’t include–dairy, gluten, carbs, calories, etc.–you will wonder what they do include. And that is simple: water, yam flour, and lime. Somehow, they are delicious and don’t break down when simmered. But they lack nutrition of any kind, so you obviously have to be sure to enjoy them with accompaniments that are full of vitamins, minerals, and protein.
Dan Dan is traditionally served with julienne cucumbers, scallions, and lime. But I subbed other ingredients that I had on had for the cuke: tricolor pear tomatoes and a delicious naturally fermented curry-flavored sauerkraut from Whole Foods that included cabbage, carrots, and cauliflower. A vegan Kimchi would be really nice too.
I researched recipes and ultimately decided to tweak one I found online from Food and Wine. It, and the others, called for frying the peanuts for the sauce, which sounds delicious ut messy. So I simply chose already roasted peanuts, the same amount of oil, and skipped the frying step because oil isn’t a problem for me when the noodles have no calories. Though I put peanuts in the sauce, as called for by tradition, I garnished tge dish with a few cashews because I love them so.
Honestly, I could eat this dish every day. And it’s so easy, quick, and healthful that there’s no reason not to. Hmm…
Note: if you want to make Dan Dan Noodles with Tofu, cut 14 ounces of firm or extra firm tofu into cubes and marinate in sauce for an hour or so before removing with a slotted spoon, sauteing in an oiled skillet–or baking/broiling–and spooning over the completed dish.
low
Dan Dan No-oodles
1/4 cup peanut oil (vegetable oil will work in a pinch)
1/2 cup roasted and lightly salted peanuts (or cashews)
1 small jalapeño, stem, ribs, and seeds removed (wash hands after) or 1 teaspoon Asian fire oil (hot, spicy oil)
1 large garlic clove, halved
1/2 teaspoon minced ginger
2 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons water
1 1/2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh cilantro leaves or 1 teaspoon dried (optional)
1 tablespoon Sriracha chili sauce
1 tablespoon sugar (I like coconut sugar in this dish)
1 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
Sea salt to taste if needed (I don’t feel the dish needs extra salt, but it depends on your peanuts)
2-8 ounce packages No-oodles or Shirataki (if the latter is made with tofu, some calories will be involved), drained
Garnish (choose any or all): Julienne cucumber, Asian-compatible sauerkraut (I use a curry variety with cabbage, carrot, and cauliflower from Whole Foods) or Kimchi, sliced scallions, lime wedges, sesame seeds, lightly roasted and salted cashews, sprigs of mint or cilantro
Simply place all ingredients except pasta and garnishes in a food processor–I used my small processor for one recipe–and process until smooth. Scrape into skillet and warm over low or medium heat. Add No-oodles, stir gently, and simmer until noodles are heated through. Serve in bowls topped with the garnishes of your choice; go for contrasts in color and texture. Enjoy with chopsticks.
1 can Pillsbury Crescent Rolls
Yield: 2 servings (easily multiplies)
As for solving the problem of noodles and all of their calories, enter the amazing 
low
