May 6, 2011May 9, 2011 by betsy

Vegan Baked Oatmeal with Berries for Mother’s Day

If my dear mama lived in Virginia, I would make this dish bloom on her platter for Mother’s Day. When I served it to a friend while creating recipes for my Blooming Platter Cookbook, she described it as having a texture similar to bread pudding. I agree!

This photo was shot last summer for the book when blueberries were in season. Since it’s early yet for blueberries, at least where we live, why not try strawberries?

The garnish is one of my favorite newly discovered herbs: lemon verbena. It flourished in our garden last year and I noticed recently that it had returned this spring. I can’t wait to infuse pancakes, cookies and much more with it’s complex citrusy flavor and aroma this summer.

Happy Mother’s Day to mothers everywhere!

Yield: 8 servings

6 ounces firm silken tofu
1 cup soy milk
1/2 cup canola oil
3/4 cup natural sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
3 cups old-fashioned oatmeal
2 tablespoons natural sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 pint of fresh berries, rinsed, drained and patted dry
1. Lightly grease a 9-inch glass or ceramic pie pan and set aside. Combine the tofu, soy milk, canola oil, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a food processor. Process until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Transfer the mixture to a medium mixing bowl and stir in the oatmeal. Spoon this mixture into the prepared pan, gently smoothing the top. Sprinkle the surface with the remaining sugar and cinnamon, cover with foil, and refrigerate overnight.
2. When ready to bake, remove the dish from the refrigerator and preheat the oven to 350ºF. Stud the top surface of the oatmeal with berries, and bake for 35 minutes or until just firm. Serve hot.
Note: The oatmeal may be reheated by covering the baking dish with foil and placing it in a cold oven. Turn the oven temperature to 300ºF. and heat for about 20 minutes, or until warm.

July 16, 2010July 21, 2010 by betsy

Vegan Almond and Fresh Plum Tart

Yield: 8 servings

My go-to press in savory quiche and tart crust gets the sweet treatment with this elegantly rustic dessert. I simply added a little natural sugar to the dough and filled the partially-baked shell with a silky-smooth almond filling crowned with perfect little domes of fresh plums and a feathery dusting of powdered sugar. It’s the perfect way to end a summer meal or, for that matter, begin a summer day with a cup of tea. (Thanks, Diane and Mike, once again, for the gift of these plums from your tree.)

Vegan Press-in Sweet Pie Crust:
1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose or whole wheat flour (I used all-purpose in the photograph, as I didn’t have enough whole wheat, but you can combine the two to get the benefits of both)
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup natural sugar
1/2 cup canola oil
2 tablespoons unsweetened or plain soymilk, lite or regular

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix the dry ingredients in a medium bowl. Pour the oil and milk over the dry ingredient mixture and work around with a fork or fingers until all of the liquid is absorbed. Transfer to an 8-inch tart shell with a removable bottom and press the crust firmly into the bottom and sides of the pie plate. The bottom and sides of a glass accomplish this task nicely. Bake for 10-12 minutes, remove from oven, and reduce oven temperature to 325 degrees. Let crust cool for 3 minutes, and then fill evenly with almond filling. Arrange plums, cut side down, in rings on top of filling, placing close together. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until almond filling is set. Let cool to almost room temperature, dust with powdered sugar and serve. Refrigerate leftovers, covered. Note: this crust, made with whole wheat flour, makes beautiful, sturdy 4-inch tart crusts that hold up even when removed from the tart pans and slid off the removable bottoms. Like the larger crust, I bake them 10-12 minutes before filling.

Pie Crust Source: http://www.steptalk.org/

Filling:

1-12 ounce box firm Silken tofu
1-8 ounce can almond paste, broken up into small pieces with fingers
1/2 cup natural sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon coarse sea or kosher salt

Place all ingredients in bowl of a food processor fitted with a metal blade and process until very smooth, scraping downsides of bowl as necessary.

Topping:
approximately 20 small fresh plums, halved and pitted

Optional Garnish:
a tiny bit of powdered sugar sifted over the top

July 15, 2010September 12, 2023 by betsy

Vegan Tofu en Papillote

Yield: 8 servings

This has become one of my newest go-to recipes for dinner guests, though I made it today for lunch. It’s beautiful, light, healthful and a little special because of being baked en papillote or in parchment paper. I found the recipe online (see “Source” below), but it called for grouper. I simply substitute tofu, cut the onion in half before slicing, substitute yellow or orange bell pepper for the green and use a little less olive oil but, otherwise, I leave it as is. It’s perfect accompanied by a simple salad such as my Vegan Shitake-Cucumber-Herb Salad or my Vegan Israeli Cous-Cous Summer Salad with Champagne Vinaigrette.

2-12 ounce boxes firm or extra-firm tofu (not Silken), placed on a cutting board with a plate and weight on top to press out excess moisture, and then sliced lengthwise into 4 equal pieces
8 rectangles parchment paper about three times as wide as a piece of the tofu
optional: 16-4 inch lengths of kitchen twine
2 pints grape tomatoes (roasted in a dab of olive oil at 400 degrees for 10-15 minutes, just until they barely start to shrivel)
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium red onion, peeled, halved and sliced
1 yellow or orange bell pepper, sliced
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/4 cup dry white wine or sherry (the sherry is my addition and it’s a nice alternative)
1-2 unpeeled zucchini, halved lengthwise and then sliced into 1/4-1/3″ pieces
coarse sea or kosher salt to taste
freshly cracked black pepper to taste
1/4 cup fresh basil chiffonade (stack leaves, roll tightly and slice very thinly into ribbons) or approximately 1 tablespoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano (Greek if you can find it)
a little extra-virgin olive oil

In large cast iron skillet over medium-high, heat olive oil to shimmering. Add onions and peppers and sauté, reducing heat if necessary, for about 6 minutes or until tender. Add tomatoes, garlic, and wine or sherry and simmer for another minute. Stir in zucchini, season to taste with salt and pepper and set aside.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Working with one piece parchment and tofu at a time, set the tofu in the center of one of the rectangles of parchment paper. Season with salt and pepper. Top with 1/8 of vegetable mixture and sauce, and sprinkle with 1/2 tablespoon fresh basil (or 1/8 of the dried) and a pinch of dried oregano. Bring the top and bottom edges up and over the tofu, slightly overlapping. Hold with one hand while you secure the ends with the other to prevent any sauce from escaping. Either twist and then tie each end with the twine or fold each end up toward the center a couple of times, crease, fold under one or two times, and crease again. (I never have twine and always use the folding method I devised, which works great, especially with one hand!) Place each parcel of tofu on a large baking sheet and place on the middle rack of your preheated oven for 25-30 minutes. (The lesser time is enough for the tofu and zucchini.) Carefully transfer one packet to each plate and nudge open at the center. Drizzle with olive oil if you like and serve.

Source: Kalofagas–Greek Food & Beyond by Peter Minakis

July 12, 2010July 21, 2010 by betsy

Vegan Eggplant, Green Olive and Caper Caponata

Yield: approximately 5-6 cups

Scrumptious as an appetizer on pita triangles, the leftovers will either be used to stuff a tomato or pepper, tossed with pasta or spooned over grilled tofu for a satisfying full meal.

I found this recipe at the site listed below under “Source” and adapted it a bit. I omitted the mushrooms because one of our dinner guests doesn’t care for them; I used yellow instead of green pepper because it sits better with my husband; I reduced the amount of olive oil per the author’s recommendation; I used all green olives instead of part ripe as I didn’t have any; I substituted ketchup (sorry!) for tomato paste because, again, I didn’t have any; and I substituted red wine for red wine vinegar because, that’s right, I didn’t have any on hand.

The result was savory, beautifully golden in color, and lusciously balanced in flavors. I think I’ll make it my way every time. Here is my version:

1 medium eggplant, unpeeled and finely chopped

1 large onion, medium-fine dice

1/3 cup medium-fine diced yellow bell pepper

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

3/4 cup pitted green olives, finely chopped

1/4 cup drained capers

3 tablespoons pine nuts

6 ounces or 3/4 cup ketchup (or tomato paste)

1/3 cup water2 tablespoons red wine (or red wine vinegar)

2 tablespoons natural sugar

1 teaspoon coarse sea or kosher salt

1/ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

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

In a large heavy saucepan, combine first five ingredients. Simmer, covered, for 10 minutes. Add remaining ingredients, stir well, and simmer, covered, for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Eggplant should be cooked, but not overly soft. Refrigerate until serving time. (May be frozen.) Serve at room temperature with heated or grilled whole wheat pita triangles, toasts or crackers.

Source: Adapted from www.cyber-kitchen.com/cgibin who shared the recipe from Noteworthy, the cookbook of the Ravinia Festival in Chicago.

July 12, 2010July 21, 2010 by betsy

Vegan Israeli Cous-Cous Summer Salad with Vegan Champagne Vinaigrette

Yield: approximately 6 servings

There is something about the pleasantly chewy whole-wheat cous-cous, the juicy-crunchy cucumber and red onion, and the fragrant basil bathed in a decadent, but light, citrusy dressing that makes one bite feel like you have just done something very nice for yourself.

Salad

1 cup Israeli whole wheat cous-cous (you could substitute regular cous-cous and or the non-whole wheat Israeli variety), prepared according to package directions
1/2 of a medium red onion, peeled and finely diced
1 cucumber, halved lengthwise, seeded and finely diced (I leave the skin on for color and nutrition)
1 tablespoon fresh basil chiffonade (stack leaves, roll tightly, and slice into very thin ribbons)
zest of one orange
juice of one lemon
Coarse sea or kosher salt to taste
Fresh ground black pepper to taste
Vegan Champagne Vinegar Vinaigrette (recipe follows)
Optional garnish: sprig of fresh basil and/or a fresh orange segment

In a medium bowl, gently toss all ingredients together. Drizzle dressing over, toss gently again, chill and serve over an optional bed of baby greens or watercress with an optional basil sprig garnish. If desired, you can reserve a tiny bit of dressing (or make extra) to toss with the greens.

Vegan Champagne Vinegar Vinaigrette

1 tablespoon champagne vinaigrette (it’s expensive, but worth the extra cost for an occasional splurge)
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
Coarse sea or kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper

Whisk all ingredients together in a small bowl or cup.

Optional baby greens or watercress

July 12, 2010February 22, 2011 by betsy

Vegan Rice Cakes with Fresh Plum and Sake-Maple Syrup

Yield: 8 pancakes

I love summer weekdays–I can indulge in a breakfast that, during the school year, I can only prepare on weekends. Some leftover brown rice from my Carrot-Coconut Milk Thai Soup and a gift of beautiful ruby-red fresh plums from a friend of a friend’s tree gave rise to this particular pancake iteration, a perfect melding of flavors, textures and colors. And you’ll swoon for the crisp buttery crust on the rice cakes. I wish I had another big stack facing me right now!

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

June 19, 2010February 10, 2011 by betsy

Vegan Fresh Green Bean and Apricot Salad with Tempeh "Bacon" and Cashews in a Light Vegan Asian Dressing

I love those vegetable side dish recipes that, with the addition of a tasty protein, become a full meal, though, in this case, a very light summery one.

Essentially I added cooked tempeh “bacon” pieces and lightly salted and roasted cashews to my Vegan Fresh Green Bean and Peach Salad with Light Vegan Asian Dressing.

I’m a little embarrassed, but I ate an entire half recipe for lunch. The slightly chewy green beans and smokey tempeh bacon, the sweet juicy peaches, and the crunchy cashews made for quite a texture and taste sensation. And the tempeh wasn’t entirely cool when I added it to the salad, so I found the temperature contrast very appealing.

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

June 12, 2010February 10, 2011 by betsy

Vegan Fresh Green Bean and Peach Salad with Light Vegan Asian Dressing

Yield: approximately 3 cups

I got carried away on a recent trip to Stoney’s, my favorite outdoor market. I realized that some of the produce would spoil if I didn’t combine it into some dishes. For some reason, the peaches and green beans seemed like a nice combination. Tossed with an Asian style dressing, they seem to be made to enjoy together.

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

June 12, 2010July 21, 2010 by betsy

Vegan Strawberry Chicken Salad

Yield: approximately 3 cups

This was another restaurant redux. The vegan chicken marsala I ordered was a flop–the chef, who really tries hard to create pleasing vegan dishes, and sometimes does, admitted to having difficulty making it flavorful–so I brought home lots of leftovers and rinsed off any sauce that still clung to the strips. After they drained, I mixed them with some fresh strawberries from my favorite outdoor market–they come from a rural area of our town called “Pungo” which is known for its strawberries–and a light dressing, serving it over a bed of greens topped with spicy pecans. I do believe I have a keeper.

approximately 1 1/2 cups vegan chicken strips (e.g. chicken flavored Seitan), cut into bite-size pieces
approximately 1 1/2 cups sliced fresh strawberries
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons vinegar of choice (I combined balsamic with apple cider)
1 tablespoon sherry wine
1 tablespoon maple syrup
1 small loose handful of fresh dill, rinsed, dried, leaves removed from stems and minced
1/2 of a small loose handful of fresh tarragon, rinsed, dried, leaves removed from stems and minced
coarse sea or kosher salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper

fresh greens like baby spinach
Vegan Sweet and Spicy Paprika Pecans or the toasted/seasoned nuts of your choice plus sprigs of fresh dill or tarragon

Gently toss vegan chicken and strawberries together. Whisk together remaining ingredients and pour over vegan chicken mixture. Toss lightly and serve over a bed of greens garnished with Vegan Sweet and Spicy Paprika Pecans or your favorite nuts. Note: you will have more dressing than you need, but I like the amount so that I can marinate the vegan chicken and berries liberally. When I serve it, I use a slotted spoon. But if you prefer, you could make 2/3 the amount of dressing (use 2 teaspoons instead of 1 tablespoon, etc.).