July 31, 2011July 31, 2011 by betsy

Vegan Spicy Chickpeas Romesco a la Ubuntu Restaurant

Yield: 4 servings

The fun and delicious vegan food continued to flow in California after The Blooming Platter Cookbook book-signing dinner at Millennium Restaurant in San Francisco.

The next morning, our host Yvette Hetrick, her husband Randy, my husband Joe, and I took a TRX class at the TRX Training Center and then headed to the Napa Valley for two nights at Auberge du Soleil (think yoga each morning in The Pagode that looked out over the terraced vineyards), a belated “milestone birthday” celebration for grateful me.

For Saturday night’s dinner, Yvette had made reservations at Ubuntu, a 1 Michelin starred vegetarian restaurant in the town of Napa. So amidst a chorus of teasing from our husbands, we set off to find this mecca of plant-based cuisine. And it turns out that all of us–even the guys–were glad we did.

A warm and energetic ambiance in a converted warehouse space provided the context for our stellar meal of one tapas style dish after another, most made with produce and herbs from the restaurant’s organic garden. All of the vegetarian dishes on the menu can be prepared vegan, so I went vegan while the others opted for some cheese.

One of the vegan dishes that was a favorite of all of ours was not on the menu, but we eyed it on some other diners’ table. Happily, we were told that it was considered a bar snack but that we were welcome to order it, so order we did. These chickpeas with Romesco Sauce were so delicious–tender chickpeas in a silken, vibrant sauce perfect for “sopping” with a little bread–that we ended up ordering them again later in the meal.

Back here at home in Virginia, I was fantasizing about that Romesco Sauce, among many other dishes from our tantalizing meal at Ubuntu. So first, I created my new Golden Grape Tomato Tart with Spinach Pesto and Spicy Romesco Sauce. Afterwards, with leftover Romesco Sauce in the fridge, I decided to try the dish that inspired it all. The key to this dish, in addition to the livelyRomesco, is the drizzle of olive oil at the finish. By all means, if you’re fortunate enough to have an opportunity to dine at Ubuntu, do! But if not–or in between visits–I hope my dish will tide you over.

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 small onion, chopped into 1/4-inch dice

Pinch sea salt

1 medium tomato (preferably an heirloom), cut into 1/4-inch dice (a generous half-cup)

1-2 large cloves garlic, minced

1-15.5 ounce can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

1/2 cup Romesco Sauce

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika or to taste

Freshly ground black pepper

Garnish: a drizzle of fruity olive oil, olives and cilantro sprigs

In a large cast iron skillet over medium-high, heat olive oil to shimmering. Add onion and saute, stirring frequently, for about 3 minutes or until softened. Cook another minute or two if you want a little color to develop. Add tomato and garlic and cook down, stirring frequently, for another 3 minutes, or until tomato juices release and start to evaporate. Add Chick peas and heat through, followed by Romesco sauce and smoked paprika. Cook until mixture is hot through and thickened. Check for seasoning and adjust with salt and pepper as needed. Serve drizzled with olive oil–it adds just the right finish to the dish in taste, texture and appearance–and garnished with olives and cilantro.

July 3, 2011July 12, 2011 by betsy

Vegan Bombay Lentil Sloppy Joes

Yield: 4-6 servings

Here, my Sloppy Joes aren’t so sloppy. I neatened them up a bit by serving them on a rice cracker boat lined with a fresh baby spinach leaf fora little starter or lite lunch. But I served the mixture on whole wheat buns for my AP Students end-of-year dinner. These more traditional “Joes,” with their nod to India, were a hit with these teenagers!

For my presentation here, I particularly like the “Sweet Chili” flavor of Quaker Oats Rice Snacks. That is, I liked them until I discovered the monosodium glutamate in the ingredient list. After a quick scan, I had been delighted that they didn’t contain whey or any other dairy as so many of the “ranch style” and other flavored chips/crackers do. But, when I bought them a second time, a closer read revealed the MSG. Darn! Alas, the “Joe” mixture is delicious on Melba Toast.

But back to the yummy filling: the lentils give it a texture somewhat similar to ground meat–so crumbled tempeh would be a fine substitute–and the flavor is rich and tomato-y like traditional Sloppy Joes, but raisins and spices give the dish warm undertones of India.

Usually when I’m creating a recipe, I am meticulous about writing down the ingredients and precise amounts. However, in this case, I had purchased crushed tomatoes with basil because that’s all Trader Joe’s had, so the flavor was all wrong for what I sought. I started grabbing spices and adding them by the spoonful in order to mask the Italian flavor and punch up the Indian.

The result was so good that I wish I hadn’t been so frantic. At any rate, I remade the recipe for a report and videographer from WAVY TV yesterday when they were here to tape and the results were at least as good, if not better. This time I got the measurements down exactly right. Though inspired by Aarti Sequeira’s Bombay Sloppy Joes, I not only substituted lentils, but used loads of additional spices.

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

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

2 cloves garlic

1 red bell pepper, cut into 1/4-inch dice

1 tablespoon grated ginger

1 small mild (or spicy!) chili pepper, seeded and finely chopped

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon turmeric

1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom

1/2 teaspoon paprika + 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika (or 1 teaspoon of either one)

sea salt and coarsely ground black pepper to taste

1/2 cup water

1 cup diced tomatoes with juice

1 cup tomato sauce (I just blended some of the diced tomatoes and juice)

1 pound steamed lentils (I purchase them already steamed at Trader Joe’s)

1/4 cup shelled pistachios

1/4 cup golden raisins (or dried cranberries)

1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses or agave nectar

1/4 cup very thick coconut milk (like Chaokoh) or soy creamer

Optional (but delish): about 1/4 cup of chopped fresh cilantro

Accompaniments: 4-6 whole wheat buns, if serving as Sloppy Joes, poppadom if serving as an Indian “tostato,” or crackers/toasts if serving as an appetizer

Optional: small fresh baby spinach leaves to line the cracker before adding the Sloppy Joe mixture

In a large cast iron skillet over medium-high, heat olive oil to shimmering. Add onions and saute about 3 minutes, stirring frequently, until soft and some color is just starting to develop. If you want to caramelize them for deeper color, keep sauteeing for a few more minutes and stirring until a warm caramel-y brown is reached. Add garlic and bell pepper and saute 3 minutes more or until bell pepper is softened. Lower heat if necessary to prevent garlic from scorching. Add ginger and chili pepper and saute another minute or so until pepper is softened. Add cumin, coriander, turmeric, cardamom, paprika, and salt and pepper to taste. Stir to combine well, and saute about 1 more minute for flavors to release. Stir in water, diced tomatoes and tomato sauce. Heat through, stirring frequently. Stir in lentils followed by pistachios and raisins. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes. Stir in pomegranate molasses and soy creamer just until heated through. Right before serving, stir in optional cilantro. Serve hot over hamburger buns, spooned over a poppadom like a tostato, or in a bowl surrounded by crackers/toasts as a filling protein-rich appetizer.

June 21, 2011June 27, 2011 by betsy

Vegan “Southern” Indian Cilantro-Scented Cardamom-Coconut Cream Blackeyed Peas, Peppers & Spinach

Yield: 4 servings

That title is a mouthful, but since you can’t inhale the intoxicating aroma in our kitchen, I wanted you to be able to imagine what this luscious and colorful amalgamation would smell and taste like just from the title.

The “southern” part has little to do with Southern Indian cuisine, but with my south’ren roots revealed in the inclusion of blackeyed peas instead of a more traditional Indian legume.

In the photo, I served the dish as a starter, ready to spoon into miniature puri (fried bread puffs) at right, and spooned into a puri and garnished–just break through the crisp top crust with your finger or a spoon–at bottom. But I created it to also be served over basmati rice as a main course or a welcome addition to an Indian-inspired buffet.

1 tablespoon of olive oil

1 cup of yellow onion, cut into 1/4 x 1-inch pieces (about 1 medium)

sea salt to taste

1 large red bell pepper, coarsely diced

2 large cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1-15.5 ounce can blackeyed peas, rinsed and drained

1 teaspoon ground cardamom

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon turmeric

pinch of freshly ground black pepper

1-15 ounce can coconut milk (I don’t use the lite, but rather cut calories elsewhere!)

2 cups, semi-firmly packed fresh baby spinach, finely chopped (I use a food processor)

1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped

1 Roma tomato, cut into 1/2-inch chunks

optional: 1/8 teaspoon asafoetida

Accompaniments: miniature puri for appetizers (little spheres of puffed bread dough available in Indian markets) or over cooked basmati rice (I like to throw in a cinnamon stick and a few cardamom pods–avoid biting into either)

Optional garnishes: fresh cilantro, in sprigs or finely chopped, an/or a few roasted and lightly salted cashews

In a large cast iron skillet over medium-high, heat the tablespoon of olive oil to shimmering. Add the onion and a pinch of salt, and saute for abut 5 minutes, stirring almost constantly, until the onion develops a light brown caramelization. Adjust heat if necessary to prevent scorching. Add the bell pepper and saute for 3 minutes or until it begins to soften. Add the garlic and saute for 2 minutes or until garlic and peppers are soft. Stir in the peas followed by the cardamom, coriander, cumin, turmeric, and black pepper. Add the coconut milk, stir well to combine all ingredients, and heat through. Add the spinach and cook, stirring, just until heated through. Add the cilantro and optional asafoetida, stir to combine, and cook just another minute to allow flavors to combine. Check for seasoning and add additional salt and black pepper if desired. Serve in miniature puri as an appetizer or over basmati rice for a main course. Garnish with fresh cilantro if desired.

May 15, 2011May 15, 2011 by betsy

Vegan Indian Roasted Vegetables and Chickpeas in Cilantro-Mint Chutney Sauce

Yield: 4 salad, side dish or light main dish servings (easily doubles)

A heck of a multi-purpose dish–salad, side dish or even main dish–this new Indian inspired favorite goes together quickly and with few ingredients. It’s inspiration came from several sources.

After the VEER Magazine cover photo shoot for The Blooming Platter Cookbook, there were lots of veggies to cook and enjoy. So before the photographer was barely out of the driveway, I was roasting the asparagus and broccoli together. It was still in the fridge today, and still good, but I had almost forgotten about it.

Then yesterday, on a Hampton Roads Magazine reconnaissance mission for our “Best Of” issue, I came home with a couple of jars of different Indian chutney: a cilantro and a mint, not sure how I was going to use them, but knowing they would give something an extra special flavor boost. Some prepared foods are so good that I can’t make them better at home, and these are two examples.

And finally, I had purchased some poppadom on the International aisle of my local Kroger–another prepared item that I wouldn’t even try to make at home–to accompany a dish that I ended up popping in my freezer a week ago when I realized that there wasn’t time for a photo shoot. Stay tuned for that one!

With all of those tasty ingredients in my larder, I went for a pre-lunch dog walk, fantasizing all the way about what my mid-day repast would be. I decided to toss the roasted vegetables and a can of chick peas together with a dressing made of both of the chutneys and a small dollop of vegan sour cream (or yogurt), and serve the dish room temperature over a poppadom, tostato style.

Oh my goodness. This is a keeper for sure: so quick, so pretty, intensely flavorful and highly nutritious. Plus, it ‘s fun to serve and eat. Enjoy!

1 tablespoon vegan sour cream or vegan plain yogurt (I think the latter can sometimes be too runny and too sweet)

1 tablespoon prepared Indian cilantro chutney

1 tablespoon prepared Indian mint chutney

(or you can use 2 tablespoons of either type of chutney)

1 tablespoon vegan sour cream or plain yogurt

2 cup roasted vegetables (virtually anything would work, but I like asparagus and broccoli; I also like a lot of caramelization, so I roasted a small bunch of each with a little olive oil and sea salt for about 25-30 minutes at 450 degrees, and had twice as much as I needed)

1-15.5 ounce can chick peas, rinsed and drained

Optional Garnish: small slices or wedges of tomato and sprigs of cilantro

Accompaniment: one o per person, microwaved for 1 – 1 1/2 minutes

In a medium bowl, combine chutneys with vegan sour cream or yogurt. Add roasted vegetables and chickpeas and toss well to evenly coat. Serve one-fourth of hte vegetable mixture mounded on top of a poppadum, garnished as desired with tomato slices or wedges and cilantro sprigs. Wait until just before serving to heap the mixture on the poppadum to prevent them from getting soggy.

You may alternatively serve this dish slightly heated to open up the flavors a bit. Heat the vegetable mixture separately from the poppadum and mound it on top just before serving.

May 1, 2011May 9, 2011 by betsy

Vegan Red Lentil-Pistachio Spread Will Bloom on Your Platter

On the Saturday night before Easter, my husband and I enjoyed a Middle Eastern dinner at the new Azar’s at Hilltop in VA Beach. I savored my lamb-less Lenten, I mean, Lentil Soup, redolent of cardamom, with a wine I had never sampled before, but certainly will again: Ksara Vineyard’s Blanc-de-Blancs from Lebanon. A blend of Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon, and Chardonnay, this wine is its own breed: fruity, nutty and…hmm…is “spicy” the right world? It tastes delectably “different.” Try it!

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA — From The Blooming Platter Cookbook

And I happened to think that it would be lovely with my Red Lentil-Pistachio Spread, one of the Starters in The Blooming Platter Cookbook: A Harvest of Seasonal Vegan Recipes. Have you bought your copy yet so that you can get cookin’ on this and some 175 other delectable recipes (if I do say so myself)? The book is available on-line at both Amazon and Barnes & Noble or, locally, at Prince Books, Norfolk’s favorite bookstore.

Remember, you can also enter for three chance to win a copy through the new blog created by my publisher, Vegan Heritage Press. Don’t delay, though, as that contest ends tonight at midnight.

You can also head over to VegWeb’s blog, register, and enter for still another separate chance to win a copy. That give-away ends May 3.

Good luck!

April 3, 2011April 3, 2011 by betsy

Vegan Tunisian Tostatos with Vegan Lemon-Chili Cream

Yield: 4 servings

I love playful twists on fusion cuisine, especially when the result is a fun to eat, like a tostato. In this case, I combine my love of Mexican and Southwestern food with the seemingly more exotic flavors of Tunisia.

The finished dish is beautiful, healthful and a little surprising. But it works, probably because cumin and coriander are spices common to both cuisines. Plus, the lentils function similarly to pinto or black beans on a tostato: a creamy-chewy counterpoint to the crisp tortilla. By itself, the lentil mixture is mouth-watering, but it is transformed into something extraordinary when crowned with a drizzle of the silky Lemon-Chile Cream.

These are irresistible bejeweled with ruby-red pomegranate seeds and crunchy green pistachios, encircled with fresh chopped cilantro, and crowned with a plump dried apricot.

Vegan Lemon-Chili Cream

1/4 cup vegan sour cream

juice of 1/2 of a lemon

dried chili flakes to taste

pinch of sea salt to taste

In a small cup or bowl, whisk together all ingredients. Set aside.

Vegan Tunisian Tostatos

canola oil

4-6 to 8-inch whole wheat tortillas

1 tablespoon olive oil

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

2 large garlic cloves, sliced

1 large red bell pepper, stem, membrane and seeds removed, cut in half crosswise and then into 1/4-inch strips

sea salt to taste

12 dried apricots, chopped

8 sundried tomatoes in oil, drained and chopped

3 tablespoons hummus

1 tablespoon tahini

2-4 tablespoons water

juice of 1/2 of a lemon

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/2 teaspoon ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon fresh grated ginger

1/4 teaspoon turmeric

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

2 1/2 cups steamed lentils (should be firm enough to hold their shape)

Garnish: 4 tablespoons chopped cilantro, 4 dried apricots, pomegranate seeds, chopped pistachios

Preheat the oven to warm. Line a baking sheet with paper towels. In a large cast iron skillet, heat a thin layer of oil to shimmering over medium-high heat. Fry tortillas, one at a time, for a minute or two on each side or until lightly browned and crisp, adding more oil as necessary. Remove each on to the prepared baking sheet and keep them warm in the oven.

To make the lentil mixture: whisk together hummus, tahini, water, lemon juice and all spices until well combined. Set aside. Heat olive oil to shimmering in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, garlic, bell pepper, and a pinch of salt, and saute, stirring almost continuously, for 3 minutes. Add the apricots and sundried tomatoes and saute, still stirring, for 2 more minutes. Add hummus mixture, cilantro and lentils, and cook, stirring continuously, until well combined and heated though.

To serve, place each tortilla on a serving plate, mound with 1/4 of the lentil mixture, sprinkle 1 tablespoon of chopped cilantro around the perimeter, spoon 1/4 of the Lemon-Chili Cream over the lentil mixture, and garnish with a dried apricot, a few pomegranate seeds and some chopped pistachios.

February 28, 2011October 12, 2014 by betsy

Vegan Spinach-Three Bean Dip Gets All Dressed Up

Presentation is everything, no?

Recently, I needed to make a batch of my almost-famous Vegan Spinach-Three Bean Dip for a National Art Honor Society meeting. As my school’s sponsor, I created it a few years back knowing how popular spinach dip is, but wanting the kids to have a protein boost in their afternoon snack. It was a huge hit and my students still ask for it.

For this month’s meeting, I held a little back so that I could photograph it in a different guise than previously presented. In an earlier post, it looks as I intended: hearty and ready for the big game in front of the TV.

Here, I was going for a lighter and slightly more elegant presentation: a dollop in a Frito “Scoop.” Given the humble makings of spinach dip, some folks may think that trying to dress it up is futile, but since we eat with our eyes first, to me it’s like the difference between an ice cream scoop in a cone and one in a pretty parfait glass.

However you serve it, you’re sure to love it.

July 11, 2010July 21, 2010 by betsy

Vegan White Bean, Pistachio and Sage Spread

Yield: approximately 2 cups

2 tablespoons olive oil
leaves from 3 nice size sprigs of fresh sage
1-15 ounce can white beans (like cannellini), rinsed and drained
1/4 cup shelled pistachios
juice of one lemon
approximately 6 tablespoons of olive oil, or enough to reach desired consistency
pinch of sweet or smoky paprika
coarse sea or kosher salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper to taste
Garnish: a sprig of fresh sage

Accompaniment: heated or grilled whole wheat pita triangles, toasts or crackers

In a cast iron skillet over medium-high, heat olive oil until shimmering. Add fresh sage leaves and heat for a couple of minutes, stirring frequently, to release fragrance. Remove from heat and place in processor with all remaining ingredients except garnish. Process until fairly smooth, scraping down sides of bowl as needed. Serve with pita, toasts or crackers.

June 26, 2010July 21, 2010 by betsy

Another Vegan Recipe from The Blooming Platter Featured in FARM’s "Meatout Monday" eNewsletter

The folks at FARM, including my contact, Cindi Saadi, are such great supporters of The Blooming Platter. Once again this week, they featured the following recipe in their Meatout Mondays eNewsletter:

Vegan Black Bean, Roated Corn and Orange Salad with Vegan Cumin-Citrus Dressing and Vegan Sweet and Spicy Paprika Pecans

They do important work and are great people to work with, so I hope you might visit their site and consider signing up for their eNewsletter, joining their organization or whatever suits you. (There is also a link to them under “Important Platters” in my sidebar). If you are interested in their animal rights conference this July in D.C., please click on the banner at the top of my sidebar.