April 25, 2010July 21, 2010 by betsy

Vegan Pina Colada Pancakes with Vegan Coconut Cream-Maple Rum Syrup

Yield: 8 pancakes

I’m not sure from whence inspiration comes, but yesterday I suddenly thought that if I didn’t make pina colada pancakes this morning, I would simply burst. So, at 10:30 last night, after dropping my husband off at home following a dinner out, I drove to the grocery store to pick up a few ingredients.

The dried pineapple is perfect in these cakes because it doesn’t add unwanted moisture, but it does add the most delightful nuggets of pleasant chewiness. (Don’t confuse dried pineapple with the candied stuff that is probably alone responsible for the widespread aversion to fruitcake.) I thought of soaking the pineapple in rum, but I really like the toothsomeness of the dried pieces. However, feel free to soak away.

We’re not big rum drinkers (accept in the occasional mojito), so we don’t have it around our house, but if you do, by all means consider substituting it for rum flavoring. Just be careful when you heat the syrup that you don’t accidentally flambe yourself.

½ cup whole wheat flour
½ cup self-rising flour
4 tablespoons granulated sugar
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cups unsweetened soymilk (plain or vanilla soy milk would also be good–regular or lite; I chose soymilk over coconut milk because of the former’s thicker body)
1 1/2 teaspoons rum extract
1 cup flaked coconut (fresh or packaged–sweetened or unsweetened)
1 cup fairly finely diced dried pineapple (not the candied kind used in fruitcakes)
Vegan butter and/or vegetable oil for frying
Vegan Coconut Cream-Maple Rum Syrup (recipe follows)
Optional Garnish: approximately 4 tablespoons of additional flaked coconut (fresh or packaged, sweetened or unsweetened, raw or toasted) and 1/2 maraschino cherry per serving

Preheat oven to warm. In a medium mixing bowl, place first 5 ingredients. Make a well in the center and pour in soymilk and rum extract. Stir together with a fork until well combined. Stir in coconut and dried pineapple. 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 a couple of minutes on the first side until you get a nice rise, a few bubbles appear, 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 plates or a serving platter, keep warm, and repeat with remaining butter and pancake batter. Serve warm with Vegan Coconut Cream-Maple Rum Syrup, a sprinkling of coconut and a half maraschino cherry on a pick.

Vegan Coconut Cream-Maple Rum Syrup:

4 tablespoons pure maple syrup
4 tablespoons Cream of Coconut (it’s vegan!)
1/2 teaspoon rum extract or to taste

Whisk together and heat gently; about 30 seconds in the microwave will do the trick. Note: you can make as much syrup as you like; just whisk together equal parts of the maple syrup and Cream of Coconut and adjust Cream of Coconut to taste.

April 24, 2010July 21, 2010 by betsy

Vegan Heritage Press: "Created by Vegans for Vegans and Those Who Want to Be"

I am proud to give a plug to a relatively new vegan publishing company right here in my home state of Virginia.

The folks at Vegan Heritage Press describe themselves as “an independent book publishing company founded in 2007 to publish quality vegan cookbooks and other publications that promote healthful living and respect for all life.”

To that end they “publish books that bring to vegan cooking new and inventive ideas that can delight longtime vegans, inspire newcomers, and intrigue the curious who want to improve their health and the world in general by cooking great vegan food.”

Check out their first two titles: Vegan Fire and Spice by Robin Robertson and American Vegan Kitchen by Tamasin Noyes. In the fall of 2010, look for Vegan Unplugged by Jon Robertson with recipes by Robin.

Here’s to the “little company with big ideas”–The Blooming Platter wishes you perennial success!

April 24, 2010July 21, 2010 by betsy

Creamy Vegan Edamame Risotto

Yield: 2-3 healthy servings

Last night we met our friends Jeff and Debbie Berger at The Green Onion in Virginia Beach for a meal that Jeff pronounced “stellar.” I agree. In fact, my husband and I have enjoyed dinner there every Friday night for a couple of months or more.

I had to sneak a tiny taste–or two–of Jeff’s non-vegan risotto so that I could try to duplicate it at home. His creamy-fluffy mound of rice and sweet corn was stellar indeed. So I set about to create my own vegan version at home.

However, I didn’t have any corn. But I didn’t want to stop at the grocery store because I’d been out and about most of the morning, had 80 pounds of dog food in my car and three hungry pups at home. So I decided I’d have to raid my freezer because I was jonesin’ for some risotto big time. The freezer yielded some nice bright green edamame and so my Creamy Vegan Edamame Risotto was born.

Because stock is what lends most of the flavor to this dish, be sure to use one you really like and that isn’t too salty, as both the flavors and the salt intensify as the stock is cooked down. Since risotto takes a fair amount of easy hands-on cooking time, if you go to your “happy place” in your mind or have someone on hand to visit with, the dish will be ready to dive into before you know it.

1 tablespoon olive or walnut oil
2/3 cup rice
1 shallot, finely chopped (or about 2-3 tablespoons of finely chopped onion)
2-3 cloves garlic
4 cups vegetable stock
1 cup white wine (I used a Pinot Grigio)
optional: 1 teaspoon soy sauce (adds salt, so be careful, but in combination with the nutritional yeast, it creates a really delicious flavor that is difficult to identify)
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
coarse sea or kosher salt to taste (you may not need any if your stock is adequately salted)
freshly ground black pepper to taste
optional: 1 teaspoon vegan butter (I like Earth Balance)
optional: 1 tablespoon soy or coconut milk creamer
generous 1/2 cup frozen shelled edamame
optional garnish: a sprinkling of nutritional yeast and snipped chives

In a large cast iron skillet or pot over medium-high, heat olive oil to shimmering. Add rice and, toast, stirring frequently. When barely, golden, add shallot and continue cooking until the color of the rice is a light golden brown. Meanwhile, heat stock and white wine to a bare simmer. Once the rice is the desired color, start adding half cups of the liquid to it, simmering while stirring frequently until almost all moisture is evaporated. Repeat until all liquid is used, which should take about 30 minutes. Be careful that, as the rice becomes creamy, it doesn’t stick to the pan. Lower heat if necessary. After about 15 minutes of cooking, stir in the optional soy sauce and nutritional yeast along with the salt, if needed, and pepper. After about 25 minutes, stir in the edamame and finish cooking the risotto, adding the optional vegan butter and creamer very near the end. Serve warm topped with a sprinkling of nutritional yeast and, if desired, snipped chives.

Note: if you prefer a risotto with a lighter color and less pronounced rice flavor, don’t toast the rice first.

April 24, 2010July 21, 2010 by betsy

Vegan Red, White and Green Orzo (Quick and Easy!)

Yield: 4 servings

My fellow teacher friend, Betsy Morris, is married to a farmer in the Pungo area of Virginia Beach. At various times throughout the year, she will generously bring a basket full of fresh produce to school to share with our faculty and staff. This week, she gifted us with beautiful thin asparagus, my favorite kind. I whipped up this quick and tasty dinner when I returned home from seeing our school’s wonderful production of “Guys and Dolls.” I was ravenous, but it was late, so this light dinner did the trick. Basil would be delicious in this dish, but it’s not quite fresh basil season in our area.

3 cups generously salted water
1 cup orzo
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 bunch asparagus, trimmed, and cut into1-inch pieces
1 cup grape tomato halves
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
coarse sea or kosher salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/2 cup coarsely chopped smoked almonds

In a medium-large pot, bring water to a boil. Stir in orzo, cover loosely, and reduce to a simmer. Cook for approximately 8 minutes or until tender. Drain. Meanwhile, in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high, heat olive oil to shimmering. Add asparagus and saute until lightly browned on some surfaces. Add tomatoes and just heat through. Add drained pasta, nutritional yeast and salt and pepper to taste. Stir well and heat through. Remove from heat and transfer to a serving bowl or individual serving bowls. Top with smoked almonds. (You might want to pass the smoked almonds separately for each person to sprinkle onto his or her serving which, in case there are leftovers, will prevent the almonds from becoming soft.)

April 24, 2010July 21, 2010 by betsy

Vegan Sweet Potato Latkes

Yield: approximately 8 latkes

I can’t believe I haven’t posted any new recipes since last Saturday, but I stayed at school late several days this week, so the light wasn’t good for photographing when I got home and time was short. I made these latkes last Sunday with the sweet potato left over after making pancakes on Saturday. I hope you enjoy this savory take on “sweet potato pancakes” as much as I did (and Minnie too…I let the mini-Dane share one with me).

2 fairly firmly packed cups of grated sweet potato (I used the grater attachment on my food processor)
2 tablespoons grated onion, drained of excess juice
1 tablespoon dried parsley
3 tablespoons cornstarch
pinch garlic powder
pinch onion powder
coarse sea or kosher salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper to taste
canola oil for frying
Garnish: dollops of vegan sour cream and a sprinkling of paprika, coarse sea or kosher salt and optional snipped chives or parsley.

Preheat oven to warm. Place potato shreds in a large bowl. Sprinkle with remaining ingredients, trying to evenly disperse the cornstarch. Mix together all ingredients until well combined using a fork and/or your fingers to keep the potato shreds separated. In a large *well-seasoned cast iron skillet over medium-high, heat a thin layer of canola oil to shimmering. Place approximately 1/4 cup size mounds of the mixture into the skillet and immediately press firmly with a spatula so that latkes hold together. Latkes will be fairly flat. After about a minute or enough time for a crisp surface to begin to develop, gently loosen the bottom of the latkes from the skillet by sliding a spatula under each one. If the latkes appears to want to fall apart, remove the spatula, press again from the top and cook for another 30 seconds or so. In total, cook for approximately 4 minutes on the first side, pressing frequently, to insure crispiness, and checking to make sure latkes are not sticking to the skillet. Carefully flip and cook for another 4 or so minutes on reverse. Place on a paper towel-lined plate and keep warm in the oven while preparing remaining latkes. Serve with a small dollop of vegan sour cream, a sprinkling of paprika and coarse sea or kosher salt and, if you’d like, snipped chives or parsley.

*I have not made these in a non-stick skillet, but it might be even easier provided the latkes brown properly.

April 17, 2010February 10, 2011 by betsy

Vegan Sweet Potato Pancakes with Vegan Bourbon-Pecan Maple Syrup

Yield: 6 pancakes (this is a fairly thick batter, so it only makes 6 even when using a 1/4 cup measure to scoop it up)

This morning when we woke up, it was cool and overcast–unlike yesterday’s 80+ degree temperatures and brilliantly sunny skies–and I had a lone sweet potato in a bowl. There was simply nothing else to do but create sweet potato pancakes.

I grated the potato in the food processor with the grater attachment, leaving the skin on, and was rewarded with a fluffy mound of beautiful shreds. The potato yielded so much that I have saved about 2 cups in water in the fridge to make savory sweet potato cakes tomorrow (stay tuned!).

I stirred a healthy cup of the shreds into my go-to pancake batter, adding fifty percent more soymilk than usual since it was so thick, and a hint of cool weather spices like cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. I’m an impatient kind of gal, so I use the premixed variety sold as “Pumpkin Pie Spice.”

The only thing my south’ren style breakfast needed was a similarly southern syrup: a little bourbon, I thought, would do the trick, along with a garnish of pecan pieces…indeed!

So, eat up ya’ll!

(BTW: if you think my Pumpkin Pancakes sound easier and taste similar enough not to bother with the shredding of sweet potato, please give these a try. I love my pumpkin variety, and they are quicker since you just add canned pumpkin, but these taste enough different to me to warrant having both in my repertoire.)

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

April 15, 2010July 21, 2010 by betsy

Vegan Asparagus, Edamame, Yellow Bell Pepper and Sundried Tomato Quiche with Vegan Presto! Press-In Pie Crust

On Wednesday, my “Veggie Table” column in The Virginian-Pilot’s “Flavor” section featured my vegan quiche…

I’m bringing quiches back.

If you happen to be of a certain age, you probably associate quiches and spinach salads with the fern bars of the 70s. Quiches have gotten a bad rap over the years. But, provided they are made my way—with no meat or dairy products—they are really the perfect food for any time of day: a creamy and colorful protein- and vitamin-rich filling inside a tender crust. “How?” you ask. Easy.

For starters, wipe all images of flour-strewn counters and falling-apart homemade crusts–or store bought facsimiles–out of your mind. My go-to press-in pie crust is delicious, simple and highly adaptable. It can be made with all-purpose flour or, my preference, whole wheat flour, or a combination. You can even substitute a half cup or so of cornmeal for an equal amount of the flour for a fun taste and texture twist. Plus, you can jazz it up with herbs, spices, ground nuts and seeds. Literally, all you do with these dry ingredients is stir them together with a little canola oil and soymilk right in the pie pan, press the resulting dough onto the bottom and sides, and bake for 10-12 minutes.

The filling is similarly hassle-free and endlessly flexible. The secret to making a creamy non-dairy custard that holds its shape is firm tofu. And the secret to making the filling beautiful, flavorful and nutritious lies right in your imagination. For the custard itself, you can keep it straightforward or you can add an array of herbs, spices, pestos or condiments like Dijon mustard or horseradish. To this, you add approximately 4 cups of your favorite fresh or frozen vegetables, sautéing them with onion and garlic just until they are crisp-tender. The whole mixture is then transferred into the partially baked crust and returned to the oven for another half hour or so.

This recipe celebrates spring with asparagus, yellow bell pepper and edamame set off with sundried tomatoes. But I encourage you to celebrate your own creativity with whatever tickles your fancy because there are lots of ways to slice this pie.

Vegan Presto! Press-In Pie Crust
Yield: 8 servings

1 ½ cups all-purpose or whole wheat flour or half of each (I prefer all whole wheat)
1 teaspoon salt (I use coarse kosher or sea salt)
2 teaspoons sugar
½ cup canola oil
2 tablespoons plain or unsweetened soymilk

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Mix the dry ingredients in an 8 to 9 inch pie plate (I like to use the deep dish variety). In a separate container, mix the oil and milk until well blended. Pour the liquid over the dry mixture and work around with a fork or fingers until completely incorporated. Press the crust into the bottom and sides of the pie plate using the bottom of a sturdy glass to achieve a uniform thickness and neat appearance. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until set and slightly browned (or, if not making this quiche, bake according to the directions for whatever recipe you are making). Leave oven on when you remove the crust. Note: this crust, made with whole wheat flour, made beautiful, sturdy 4-inch tart crusts that held up beautifully even when removed from the tart pans and slid off the removable bottoms.

Vegan Quiche Filling or Frittata
Yield: 8 servings

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, fairly finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
*1 bunch of asparagus, woody ends trimmed and stalks cut into 1-inch pieces (if asparagus is thick, I like to slice it lengthwise before cutting in pieces)
*1 yellow bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and slice into ¼-inch slices and then 1-inch pieces
*1 cup frozen edamame
14-16 ounces firm tofu, drained (Note: Silken tofu makes a creamier filling which is nice for desserts, but I prefer the regular tofu for this savory recipe)
½ cup soymilk
8 sundried tomatoes in oil, drained
¼ teaspoon Dijon mustard
¼ teaspoon horseradish
1 generous teaspoon dried tarragon (or 1 generous tablespoon fresh minced)
¾ teaspoon salt (I use coarse kosher or sea salt)
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
¼ to ½ scant teaspoon ground red pepper
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon dried parsley
Optional: 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast or grated vegan Parmesan cheese

*Note: you may substitute approximately 4 cups of your favorite fresh or frozen vegetables. If frozen, sauté with onion and garlic just until thawed. Frozen spinach should be thawed and squeezed out before adding. If vegetables are fresh, sauté with onion and garlic just until crisp-tender.

In a large cast iron skillet over medium-high, heat oil until shimmering. Add onion and garlic and saute, stirring frequently, until golden. Add asparagus and bell pepper pieces and continue sautéing for a few more minutes or until vegetables are still brightly colored, but crisp-tender. When veggies are almost done, stir in edamame just to warm them through. Meanwhile, in a food processor, combine tofu and remaining ingredients; process until smooth. In a large bowl combine tofu mixture with sautéed vegetables. Transfer into pie crust and lightly smooth top. Bake in preheated 400-degree oven for 35 to 40 minutes, or until quiche is set. Allow to stand for at least 5 minutes before cutting and serving. (To make this recipe as a frittata, simply bake filling in an oiled pan with no crust.)

Source: adapted from a recipe at www.steptalk.org

April 14, 2010February 10, 2011 by betsy

Vegan Black Eyed Pea-Spinach Cakes with Vegan Sundried Tomato and Caper "Tartar" Sauce

Yield: 12 main dish cakes, 24 appetizer or 36 hors d’oeuvres portions

At Thanksgiving, my sister-in-law, Tina, and I made Vegan Thai Corn Fritters that were a big hit. Ever since, I’ve wanted to try the same basic method using other vegetables and legumes. So, when I saw a vacuum sealed box of seasoned and cooked black eyed peas in the grocery store, this southern girl knew just what she’d do with them. And, boy, am I glad I did.

Though fried in canola oil, these hearty and colorful cakes are otherwise nutritional powerhouses and lip-smacking good. Black eyed peas, fresh spinach, red bell pepper, green onion, parsley and seasonings are bound together by pureed tofu and a mixture of flour and panko bread crumbs for a little crunch.

The tangy sundried tomato and caper-studded mayo is just the right creamy kick to set complement the cakes’ creamy-chewy-crispy goodness. Garnished with parsley, grape tomatoes and lemon slices, they are pretty as a picture, don’t you think?

I hope you enjoy this sanitized version of southern soul food.

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

April 11, 2010February 8, 2011 by betsy

Vegan Rosemary-Scented Pecan Crumble with Spiked Cranberry-Orange Filling

Yield: 8 servings

I know that a cranberry recipe in April seems odd, especially for a southeastern cook, but I actually have a good explanation:

Each month, as you may or may not know, Better Homes & Garden Magazine runs their “Prize Tested Recipe” competition. I’ve actually won or placed a couple of times in my pre-vegan (though vegetarian) days. The monthly call is for recipes in either of two categories that will be published about 6 months later. Hence, the winners of the “Cranberry Sweets” category that I entered will run next fall.

The recipe I submitted is a favorite that I created for our families’ annual Thanksgiving celebrations a few years back. However, I made a few alterations. For starters, I knew that BH&G would never choose a recipe that called for “vegan butter” as the original version of my crumble does. So, I thought about canola margarine as a substitution, but I wanted something even more widely available; I decided to try good ‘ole canola oil. It worked beautifully!

Knowing, though, that such a change might compromise the flavor, I decided to boost the recipe in that department in several ways. First, I added brandy, orange zest and cinnamon to the filling. Yum. But the real inspiration was what I added to the crumble: fresh rosemary, along with a hint of cinnamon. Double-yum!

If a homespun warm cranberry crumble is not something you find yourself craving this spring, I hope you’ll bookmark it for the fall. It really is already a winner in my (cook) book.

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

April 9, 2010July 21, 2010 by betsy

Vegan Espresso Pancakes with Vegan Mocha-Maple Syrup

Yield: 8 pancakes

So, I’m still on Spring Break, and woke up to a cool, rainy day that seemed like perfect pancake weather, but then I don’t need much encouragement. It’s a good thing that I had time to experiment this morning, as this recipe took two tries. The first was a disaster.

Thinking that brandy and a little orange juice concentrate sounded good with coffee, I added both to my go-to pancake batter, along with the instant coffee. Because of the coffee’s slight bitterness, I added more sugar than usual. Though the batter tasted very good, when I began cooking the pancakes, they burned almost instantly and the texture was sort of spongy and flaccid. My conclusion was that the sugar content was way too high.

So, I tried again for lunch and this time I loved the result. I omitted the brandy and the O.J. and did not increase the sugar. I’m not sure what I was thinking previously, as these are perfect just the way they are. Enjoy!

1/2 cup self-rising flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
4 tablespoons brown sugar
4 tablespoons instant espresso or coffee (I used instant decaf coffee)
generous pinch ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon baking powder
¼ teaspoon baking soda
1 cup unsweetened soymilk (plain or vanilla soy milk would also be good–regular or lite)
Vegan butter (I like Earth Balance) and/or vegetable oil for frying
Vegan Mocha-Maple Syrup (recipe follows)
Garnish: per serving, a dollop of plain or vanilla soy yogurt and a light dusting of cinnamon

Preheat oven to warm. In a medium mixing bowl, place first 7 ingredients. Make a well in the center and add soymilk. Stir together with a fork or whisk until well combined. Melt 1 tablespoon of the vegan butter, the 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 a couple of minutes on the first side until you see a few bubbles, get a nice rise 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. (While pancakes cook, make syrup.) When cooked through, remove pancakes to plates or a serving platter, keep warm in the preheated oven, and repeat with remaining butter and/or oil and pancake batter. Serve warm with syrup and garnish.

Vegan Mocha-Maple Syrup

1/4 cup prepared coffee
1/4 cup maple syrup or brown sugar + a dash of maple extract
generous 1/4 cup bittersweet vegan chocolate chips (I find that organic chocolate is typically vegan)
1 tablespoon of plain soy creamer

In a small cast iron skillet over medium-high, heat first 3 ingredients together, stirring frequently, until sugar dissolves and chocolate melts. Simmer for a few minutes until the mixture reduces just slightly. Stir in soy creamer until completely incorporated. Keep syrup warm until serving time.