by betsy

Blooming Platter Vegan Egg Salad in Top 50 List

Goodness Bakeshop has named my Vegan Egg Salad as #12 in her List of Top 50 Vegan Recipes, and it tops her list for lunch choices!  Click on the link and check out her delightful virtual bakery.

Note that her link to my recipe will take you to my old site, but if you’re reading this, you know where to find me now!

Yield: approximately 2 cups

As a vegetarian, one of my all-time favorite old-fashioned sandwiches has to have been fluffy egg salad. Once I became a vegan, I figured they were a thing of the past. Happily, that turned out not to be the case. However, all tofu egg salad recipes are not created equal. I have made recipes and tasted purchased varieties that didn’t satisfy the craving. But this creation made the grade.

Feel free to adjust proportions to suit your taste, but do keep in mind that, while it is an indispensable ingredient to an authentic taste, celery seed is a little bitter, so avoid over-doing it. Also, if you don’t eat sugar, you may leave it out. I found, though, that because boiled eggs are ever-so-slightly sweet–at least according to my best recollection–the sugar is a necessary addition if authenticity is your goal. Similarly, I use apple cider vinegar for its subtle sweet note but, by all means, use white vinegar if you have it on hand or even dill or sweet pickle juice.

14 ounces firm tofu, drained (not Silken–a test proved it to be unsatisfactory)

1 1/2 teaspoon black salt (available at Indian markets or online) or sea salt or to taste

2 stalks of celery, trimmed, sliced vertically into 4 strips and sliced thinly crosswise

3 tablespoons vegan mayonnaise

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1/2-1 teaspoon yellow mustard

1 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

1 1/2 teaspoon celery seed

1 teaspoon dried dill weed or 1 tablespoon fresh minced dill

1 teaspoon natural sugar

salt, freshly ground black pepper and sugar to taste

Mash tofu with salt in a medium-size bowl using a potato masher or a fork. Don’t worry about over-mashing, as the texture seems to improve with additional mashing. Fold in celery with a fork. Whisk together all remaining ingredients except additional salt, black pepper and sugar. Pour over tofu mixture and mash until dressing is completely incorporated. Adjust seasoning with salt, pepper and sugar if needed. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

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by betsy

The Blooming Platter (Vegan) Cookbook Give-Away

I’m delighted to usher in spring by sharing a giveaway my publisher, Vegan Heritage Press, is sponsoring through their new blog.  Just click here and follow the simple directions for three great chances to win a copy of my new cookbook: The Blooming Platter Cookbook: A Harvest of Seasonal Vegan Recipes.

Hurry, the contest ends Sunday, May 1, at midnight!

A visit to the VHP blog will also afford you a sneak preview of one of the most luscious and ultra-easy recipes from my book: Mango-Coconut Cream Sorbet.

Hope you win!

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by betsy

Vegan Beet Muhummara Gets Shout-Out on Veg Kitchen with Nava Atlas

Nava Atlas, the prolific and talented cookbook author, blogger, writer, and artist recently featured one of the recipes from my new cookbook The Blooming Platter Cookbook: A Harvest of Seasonal Vegan Recipes as her Recipe of the Week which I shared on Facebook.

But, she also posted my popular Beet Muhummara on her website, Veg Kitchen with Nava Atlas.

I invite you to check it out as a prelude to the 150 or so fresh and colorful recipes you’ll find in my book.

Thanks, Nava!

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by betsy

Vegan Grilled Radishes and Spring Greens with Maple Curry Vinaigrette

I’m thrilled to share a sneak preview of the first of several recipes from my brand new cookbook, The Blooming Platter Cookbook: A Harvest of Seasonal Vegan Recipes which hit the stands just this week.

I chose this grilled radish salad for several reasons, including that it is spring personified.  But also, I love to utterly transform an ingredient through an unexpected cooking method; in this case, grilling these humble, but ravishing red root veggies.  Not a radish fan?  Not so fast!  You have never had radishes like these!

The drizzle of Maple Curry Vinaigrette complements the earthy sweetness of these slightly caramelized beauties just perfectly.  And the peanut garnish?  Well, you be the judge!

Yield: 4 servings

Salad:
8 large red radishes, ends trimmed, and halved lengthwise
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
Pinch sea salt

Maple-Curry Vinaigrette:
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon maple syrup
3/4 teaspoon curry powder
Pinch garlic powder
Pinch sea salt

To serve:
2 cups spring salad greens
1 tablespoon chopped roasted peanuts

1. Salad: Heat an oiled grill pan over medium-high heat. While the pan heats, prepare the radishes.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, curry powder, and salt. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary. Add the radishes and toss to coat.
3. Arrange the radishes on the hot grill pan, cut-side down, placing them close together. Grill for 2 1/2 minutes, then turn 90 degrees and grill for 2 1/2 minutes more or until slightly caramelized with nice grill marks. Baste with the remaining curry-oil mixture.
4. Turn the radishes over and cook for another 2 1/2 minutes or until they develop grill marks, basting again. The radishes should be tender, but not soft. Transfer to a plate and allow to cool slightly.
5. Maple-Curry Vinaigrette: In a small bowl, whisk together the vinegar, olive oil, and maple syrup. Add the curry powder, garlic powder, and salt to taste, whisking well to combine.
6. To serve: Arrange the greens on 4 plates. Top each with 4 radish halves, drizzle each with one quarter of the dressing, and sprinkle evenly with the peanuts.

Cookbook Ordering Information:

For 150 or so more recipes for eating deliciously and compassionately this spring, summer, and all year ’round, I’ll hope you’ll consider purchasing a copy of the cookbook for your very own.

To purchase on-line, visit Amazon or Barnes & Noble.  You can also contact me for a Trade Sheet to take to the bookseller of your choice with your personal request to stock the book.

Locals have a couple of additional options: if you can attend the official Launch Party, Book Signing and “Incredible Edibles” Exhibition on May 21, 2001, from 7-9 at Mayer Fine Art Gallery in Norfolk, we hope you will buy a book there.  But, if you can’t make the party, you can now purchase the book at Prince Books in downtown Norfolk.  Visit the store website or email owner, Sarah Pishko, at sarah@prince-books.com.

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by betsy

Blooming Platter (Vegan) Cookbook is Hot Off the Press

I am thrilled that my first book, The Blooming Platter Cookbook: A Harvest of Seasonal Vegan Recipes is now in print!

I arrived home on a recent Friday to find a box on our front porch much larger than the necklace I had ordered!  When I saw that it was from my publisher, the Vegan Heritage Press, I nearly tumbled down the steps.

Once inside and safely out of the drizzling rain, it was such a joy to tear into the box and hold a copy in my hands.  And I can’t wait for you to do the same.  Previously just available for pre-order on Amazon, the book is now available for shipping.

I’m very excited to share what have been called both “simple and sophisticated” and “accessible and elegant” recipes for “easy home-style dishes to creative upscale meals you’ll be proud to serve your guests.”  How bloomin’ fantastic is that?!

The Blooming Platter Cookbook: A Harvest of Seasonal Vegan Recipes is a celebration of the seasons, featuring a wide range of accessible, elegant vegan recipes for the home cook. Spanning regional American favorites and global cuisines, these 175 recipes feature all the essential goodness that fresh vegetables, fruits, and herbs bring to your table, all year ‘round. The book includes recipes for appetizers, soups, sandwiches, salads, main dishes, sides, desserts, and brunch, and they are divided by season within each chapter. Recipe variations and menu suggestions provide inspiration for creativity in the kitchen. The book also includes 8 pages of full-color photos, a general index, and indices for each chapter.

Order your copy from Amazon or Barnes & Noble now!  Please visit to take a look and, if you like what you see, I hope you will click the “like” button and order a book of course!  If you already have a book, I’d love it if you’d write a review!

If you’re a local, The Blooming Platter Cookbook is available at Prince Books, Norfolk’s favorite book store.

If you prefer to purchase from a bricks-and-mortar bookstore in your town, please contact me with your email address to request a Trade Sheet.  You simply print it and take it to your local bookseller in order to request that they carry the book.

Cheers and thank you for your support!

Vegan Heritage Press

Paperback, 224 pages, $18.95

ISBN: 978-0-9800131-3-9

Pub Date: April 20, 2011

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by betsy

Huff and Minnie and Their Vegan Mid-Century Modern Sofa

Because of Huff and Minnie:

Photo Credit: Donna Reiss

I needed to recover our living room sofa.  It is a striking mid-century piece that I bought from a friend for a song.  She had inherited it covered in gorgeous apple green silk from her mother-in-law.  But her young children were destroying it with their peanut-butter-and-jelly fingers.

When I rescued it, I spent a pretty penny to have it reupholstered in two tones of butterscotch chenille-like fabric.  Because I knew the dogs would lounge on it, I laid a matching rubber-backed carpet runner over the bottom cushions (as  you can see in the photograph), but Minnie liked to burrow behind the pillows and, consequently, it was smelling a bit like dog and showing some wear.

Not wanting to spend a fortune nor figure out how to transport it to Joe’s Upholstery in VA Beach (the best!), I decided to simply recover the two large bottom cushions and the 4 oval back cushions.  Because of the dogs, I wanted something like leather, but for the sake of cows, I wanted a leather-look.  “Automotive Vinyl” was recommended and, while it sounds utilitarian and not terribly comfortable, it is the opposite.

I was able to match the butterscotch chenille of the frame and had new bottom cushions cut, as the others had gotten compressed.  Now, it’s stylish, comfy and animal-friendly in more ways than one.   The results are pretty retro-modern fab, don’t you think?

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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.

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by betsy

Vegan Spicy Spiked Skillet Chili

Yield: 4-6 servings

If you live in a part of the world where temperatures have dipped–or never rose to begin with–this ultra-simple, ultra-satisfying chili will warm you from the inside out.  However, if you live in warmer climes, a bowl of this spicy soup  just might get a little perspiration going and cool you down–nature’s own air conditioning.

The most difficult part of making this dish is waiting while the chili simmers for 25 minutes  to allow the flavors to marry.

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

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

2 large cloves garlic, chopped

8 ounces tempeh

sea salt and pepper to taste

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon ground oregano

1 teaspoon chili powder

1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon smoked, sweet or spicy paprika

1/4 teaspoon chipotle chili powder

1-15 ounce can petite diced tomatoes in juice

12 ounces light beer or non-alcoholic beer (see note below)

1 tablespoon miso paste (any kind)

1 tablespoon brown rice syrup or agave nectar

(Note: you may substitute 2 tablespoons of tomato paste for the miso paste and the brown rice syrup.)

1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder

1 cup frozen corn

1-15.5 ounce can black beans, rinsed and drained

Optional: 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

Optional garnishes: dollops of my Vegan Cheddar “Cheese,” dollops of vegan sour cream, and cilantro sprigs

Optional accompaniment: Frito Scoops for “Frito Chili Pie”

Heat oil to shimmering in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat.  Add onion, garlic, and a pinch of salt, and saute, stirring frequently, for 3 minutes.  Crumble tempeh into the pa, add all spices and saute, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes or just until tempeh starts to brown.  Add all remaining ingredients and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 25 minutes or until all flavors have married.  Serve hot garnished as desired.

Note:  According to Ali Tadayon in “Beware the Beer: Is Yours Vegan,” found in the Vegan Mainstream e-newsletter, not all beer is vegan, as it may include albium (derived from animal blood), isinglass (derived from the swim bladders of fish), gelatin, charcoal, pepsin, lactose, and even insects.  She recommends the following vegan-approved beers: Amstel, Corona, Heineken, New Belgium Brewery, Pabst Brewing, Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, and Tecate over these non-vegan ones:  Castle Rock Brewery, Guinness, Newcastle Brown Ale, and Red Stripe.

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by betsy

Vegan Cinnamon-Sugar Doughnut-Pancakes

Yield: 8 pancakes

Nope, “doughnut-pancakes” is not a misprint.

I was inspired to make these scrumptious breakfast treats recently while watching “Diners, Drive-ins and Dives.”  On the program, the chef made a nutmeg-flavored muffin batter and, when the muffins were baked, removed them from the tin, dipped them in butter, and rolled them in cinnamon-sugar.

My mind instantly translated them into my beloved pancakes, going a little easier on the butter and cinnamon-sugar.  I started with my go-to pancake batter, added lots of ground nutmeg for that distinctive cake doughnut taste, and then simply brushed the tops of each one with a little vegan butter and a generous sprinkling of natural sugar mixed with ground cinnamon.  They need no syrup, as the combination of the tender pancake, silky butter and crunchy topping are all any pancake- or doughnut-lover could ever want.

As they cooked, these doughnut-cakes filled the kitchen with a homey, heady aroma, very welcome on this gray, frigid day in March with sleet audibly pelting against the windows.

Topping:

1/4 cup natural sugar

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

2-4 tablespoons vegan butter (I actually like to use 4 tablespoons, as sometimes the pancakes will be more absorbent than others, and use any leftovers for another purpose)

Pancakes:

1/2 cup spelt or whole wheat flour (I am a new and devout fan of spelt flour)

1/2 cup self-rising flour

3 tablespoons natural sugar

2 teaspoons ground nutmeg (freshly ground, if possible)

1/2 teasopon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1 cup unsweetened soymilk (plain or vanilla would also be good–regular or lite)

1/4 teaspoon vanilla

additional vegan butter and canola oil for frying

Preheat the oven to warm. Line a cookie sheet with waxed or parchment paper.  Make topping by mixing together sugar and cinnamon in a small cup.  Set aside.  In another small cup, melt butter for about 20 seconds in microwave, and set aside.  Make pancakes:  in a medium mixing bowl, place both flours, sugar, nutmeg, baking powder, and baking soda.  Make a well in the center and pour in soymilk and vanilla. Whisk together 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. (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 around the edges, 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 lined baking sheet to brush the tops with butter and sprinkle generously with sugar mixture.  Translate to plates or a serving platter, keep warm, and repeat with remaining butter or oil, pancake batter, butter and cinnamon-sugar.

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