July 19, 2010July 21, 2010 by betsy

Vegan Lemonade Ice Cream

Yield: approximately 1 quart

This is my mom’s favorite ice cream made my way.

When I was visiting my family a couple of weeks ago, Mama wanted me to veganize her Lemonade Ice Cream–doesn’t that just sound like summer?– to christen the Cuisinart electric ice cream maker I had given her and my dad (they gave me one just like it and I think it’s tops).

We didn’t get the ice cream made until the day before I was leaving early the next morning, so I wasn’t able to try any, but she reports that it met with ahhh-proval all the way around. I’ve been craving some ever since and finally made a batch this weekend. Oh, my, is it ever good: creamy and citrusy, kind of like a Dreamsicle only lemon flavored.

As always, I use Wheeler del Toro’s basic formula (if you didn’t purchase his Vegan Scoops cookbook last summer, treat yourself to it this summer). Since it makes about half as much ice cream base as my Mom’s recipe, which calls for one large can frozen lemonade, I simply used half a can.

Also, there was no arrowroot powder in my folks’ pantry, so I substituted an equal amount of cornstarch and it thickened beautifully. The only difference is that cornstarch doesn’t “break” when heated and, in fact, it needs to be cooked just a minute or so to thicken properly. Arrowroot reportedly prevents the formation of ice crystals and I’m not sure that cornstarch does. However, the batch I froze at my parents’ emerged from the ice cream maker silky smooth and didn’t last long enough for them to find out.

Enjoy this cool and refreshing sweet taste of summer as often as you like, as it’s a breeze to make.

1/4 cup unsweetened soy milk
2 tablespoons arrowroot powder
3/4 cup unsweetened soymilk (plain or vanilla would also be nice)
2 cups soy creamer
1/2 cup sugar
Optional garnish: twists of lemon rind or sprigs of fresh lemon verbena

In a small bowl, whisk together 1/4 cup soy milk with arrowroot powder until smooth. Set aside. Pour remaining soymilk, soy creamer and sugar into a small to medium saucepan and stir to combine. Place over medium heat and bring just to a boil. Remove from heat and quickly whisk in soy milk-arrowroot mixture until very smooth. Allow to cool to room temperature, whisk again if lumps remain and/or press through a sieve, and then cover and refrigerate several hours or overnight. When ready to freeze the ice cream, shake the lemonade container well, and whisk half a can into the soymilk mixture. Then freeze according to your manufacturer’s directions. Scrape the finished ice cream into an airtight container and store in freezer. Initially mine was frozen, but quite soft. But, after a night in the freezer, it was perfect. So you may want to freeze it a day before you plan to serve it.

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 14, 2010July 21, 2010 by betsy

Vegan Pasta Caponata

My Caponata is lovely tossed with pasta. Simply cook your pasta in well-salted water (I used angel hair, as that’s what I had on hand), drain, transfer to a serving bowl and toss with as much golden savory caponata as your heart desires. Spoon a little more on top if you’d like, sprinkle with a bit of optional nutritional yeast or vegan parmesan and garnish with a fresh basil sprig. My caponata includes pine nuts, but a few more nuts on top could never be a bad thing.

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, 2010July 21, 2010 by betsy

Spiked Vegan Chocolate Mousse

Yield: 6 servings

1/2 cup chocolate soymilk

9-10 ounce bag semisweet vegan chocolate chips (not carob chips)

12 ounces Silken firm tofu

1/4 cup Amaretto, Kahlua or liqueur of your choice (or sweetened coffee in your favorite flavor)

pinch salt

2 tablespoons sugar

1/4 teaspoon pure almond extract

Optional garnish: sweetened cashew cream or a little sweetened vegan sour cream flavored with a tiny bit of vanilla extract plus a whole nut (I like cashews on anything!)

Heat milk in microwave for one minute. And chips and stir to melt and then whisk to combine. Place tofu and remaining ingredients in the bow of a food processor fitted with a metal blade and process until smooth. Taste and adjust flavoring, adding a bit more almond extract if needed and processing another couple of seconds. Chill in a large bowl; individual bowls, glasses or ramekins; or an 8-inch or individual tart crusts for approximately 1 1/2 hours to chill through. The mousse will set up almost immediately.

Source: Adapted from www.101cookbooks.com/archives/000310.html

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

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.

July 10, 2010July 21, 2010 by betsy

Vegan Carrot-Coconut Milk Thai Bisque

If you’ve read my previous two posts, you know that I have been traveling and, hence, not grocery shopping. Late this week, starving, I suddenly realized we had precious little in the fridge or pantry to make a whole meal out of. Literally, the only produce on hand were baby carrots and a half a tomato that had seen better days.

So, the tomato had to be composted and the carrots had to be the main event, but how to prepare them so that they would be a full meal? A quick look in the pantry revealed a can of lite coconut milk and some ancient boil-in-bag brown rice. With these ingredients, a couple more staples, and a little Vietnamese basil, mint and chives from the garden, I knew I could make a delicious soup that would betray it’s “desperation dinner” roots.

I hope you find it as beautiful and tasty as I did.

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 small onion, diced

2 large cloves garlic, minced

3 cups baby carrots

2 cups vegetable stock

1-15 ounce can lite coconut milk (yes, the regular has more flavor, but I just can’t justify those calories; if you can, feel free to substitute!)

6 tablespoons vegan fish sauce, or to taste (sold as “vegetarian” in Asian markets)

approximately 12-16 leaves fresh Asian basil (mine is a Vietnamese variety)

approximately 12-16 leaves fresh mint

brown or white rice (Jasmine is particularly good with Asian dishes, but I had brown)

Fresh chives or basil/mint sprigs for garnish

In a large soup pot over medium high, heat olive oil to shimmering. Add onion and garlic and saute, stirring frequently, until a little color develops. Add carrots, veggie stock, coconut milk and herbs. Simmer until carrots are very tender. (Meanwhile prepare rice according to package directions.) Process in a food processor in two batches. Reheat if needed, check for salt and add if needed, and serve in bowls with an ice cream scoop of rice. Garnish with herbs as desired.