by betsy

Vegan Winter Holiday Recipes Abound in The Blooming Platter Cookbook: A Harvest of Seasonal Vegan Recipes

Vegan Indian Saag Dip from The Blooming Platter Cookbook

Are you in need of accessible, but creative holiday recipes that you won’t find anywhere else?  If so–and who isn’t!–look no further than The Blooming Platter Cookbook. 

My12th Annual Christmas, Chanukah, Curry & Cakes party is this Wednesday and I plan to pull out my copy of The Blooming Platter Cookbook, make my menu and shopping list this weekend, and begin the preparations for this beloved gathering.

I used to host the party as a vegan curry buffet dinner with gifts for about 20  dear friends.  But last year, I changed it to a “Swap” with vegan curried hors d’oeuvres conducive to browsing.  It was such a hit, that I decided to host a Swap again this year.

Click HERE for a fun look at last year’s party, including the menu and a description of my foolproof approach to hosting this type of event where guests bring unused or gently used home & garden items, clothing, accessories, and art to swap with each other.  Ours even ended up benefiting charity, not only through the few leftover items I donated, but through cash that guests used to purchase items when their tokens ran out!

While they shopped, my guests enjoyed, among other things, these dishes all from The Blooming Platter Cookbook:

Bloomin’ Broccoli Dip

Curried Cous-Cous

Indian Saag Dip

Lavender Shortbread Cookies

The Blooming Platter Cookbook also makes a great gift…but not just for vegans!  Anyone who loves fresh, inventive food will find “4 Seasons of Yum!”

As always, while I encourage buyers to support their local booksellers, Amazon is offering some incredible deals right now.

 

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by betsy

Vegan Smokey Pumpkin Grits with Shitake Mushrooms in Kale Pesto and White Wine Cream Sauce

Yield: 4 servings

Simple as it is, my Smokey Pumpkin Grits with Shitake Mushrooms in a Kale Pesto Cream Sauce is one of the tastiest and most satisfying dishes you will ever eat.  Perfect for a fall or winter dinner or brunch, it is both rustic and refined.  The smoked paprika in the grits and the smoked almonds in the pesto are a perfect pairing.  Add to that the smokey notes of Chardonnay, and you have a tasty trinity indeed.  Visually, it is also appealing with the warm, golden-toned grits setting off the creamy green-flecked mushrooms to delicious advantage.  I hope you’ll enjoy this dish many times this fall.  Note:  the pesto recipe makes far more than you will need for one recipe of the mushrooms.

Vegan Smokey Pumpkin Grits (click on the title to go to my recipe on One Green Planet)

While grits cook, prepare mushrooms:

Shitake Mushrooms in Kale Pesto and White Wine Cream Sauce:

2 tablespoons olive oil

10 ounces Shitake mushrooms, stems removed, and caps cut into 1/3 inch slices (just somewhere between a 1/4 and 1/2-inch; feel free to substitute other mushrooms if desired, but Shitakes are particularly tasty and toothsome in this dish)

Pinch sea salt

1/4 cup coconut milk or soymilk creamer

1/4 cup Smokey Kale Pesto (recipe follows)

1/2 cup dry white wine (a Chardonnay is nice for its smokey notes, but use what you have)

In a large cast iron skillet over medium-high, heat olive oil to shimmering.  Add mushrooms and a pinch of sea salt and saute, stirring frequently and lowering the heat if necessary, for about 3 minutes or until mushrooms are softened.  Add cream and saute, stirring, for 3o seconds.  Then add the pesto and do the same.  Add white wine and cook, stirring, for a final minute or until sauce comes together and reduces down to the desired consistency.  Serve mushrooms immediately over hot grits (perhaps with a kale salad).  Garnish as desired.  (In the photo, I used fresh springs of rosemary, sage, and pineapple sage for its beautiful red colored blooms.)

Smokey Kale Pesto:

8 ounces trimmed kale (that’s one bunch with stems removed from our market)

1 cup smoked almonds

4 large garlic cloves

1 teaspoon powdered thyme (or 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves)

1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt or to taste

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1 1/4 cups olive oil

1/4 cup fresh lemon juice

In the bowl of a food processor, process kale in two batches until very finely chopped, returning all kale to the food processor before continuing.  Add remaining ingredients except olive oil and lemon juice and pulse until nuts are very finely chopped and ingredients are well combined.  Then, turn processor on, and slowly drizzle in olive oil and lemon juice until the mixture comes together.  Check for seasoning and adjust if necessary.  Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator.  Or, freeze in ice cube trays and then remove and store in zip-lock bags.

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by betsy

The Blooming Platter Gets Crafty–Cool and Contemporary Ceiling Medallion Wreath

I may have mentioned before that I am an accidental DIY columnist for the Virginian-Pilot.  (Do you remember the book and move, The “Accidental Tourist?)

Don’t get me wrong: I love conceiving of each month’s project and sharing it with readers.  It’s just that I am not the crafty type at all.  So my rule to myself is that I will only present ideas–and I’ve been writing this column for well over a year–that I would not be embarrassed to have in our home or to give as a gift.  So far so good.

This month’s is one of my favorites.

Essentially, I spray-painted a plastic ceiling medallion from Home Depot silver using an inexpensive paint that bonds to plastic.

Then, using a white paint pen, I painted white dots on each of the beads that create the relief border in order to complement the white polka dots in the narrow orange ribbon.

And finally, I made and tied together two bows.  The charcoal gray one was made out of wired ribbon.  I tied the bow so that there was one short and one long tail and I knotted these tails together–concealing the knot behind the bow–to make a loop from which to suspend the wreath from an over-the-door style wreath hanger.  Easy-peasy!

The whole enterprise, including hanger, cost about $47.  But, I have lots of silver paint leftover, in addition to the paint pen, some of the orange and white polka dot ribbon, and the reusable wreath hanger.

If, like me, you favor a minimalist aesthetic, then this may be the wreath for you.  If, on the other hand, you are a fan of over-the-top holiday decorations, you could start with this basic idea and then embellish to your heart’s content using ornaments and an adhesive that will withstand the elements if you plan to hang it outdoors.

My holiday mantra is: “Simplify without sacrificing.”  But yours should be whatever you want!

 

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by betsy

The Blooming Platter Cookbook: A Harvest of Seasonal Vegan Recipes (for ALL Seasons–even the heart of winter!)

Whether you are continuing your holiday shopping from Black Friday and Cyber Monday or just getting started, I would like to humbly suggest–with no pressure at all–that The Blooming Platter Cookbook: A Harvest of Seasonal Vegan Recipes might make a perfect gift for the plant-powered person in your life!

With “Four Seasons of YUM!” as someone once said, it really is the gift that will give all year… for many years.   Each chapter of appetizers, sandwiches, soups and much more is sub-divided into the four seasons with beautiful icons in the top corner of the pages, so it is a cinch to find delicious and nutritious dishes for every meal of the day regardless of the month of the year.

Beautiful things can bloom on your platter even in the coldest winter months, say:

White Bean and Pesto Tart

Roasted Cauliflower Salad with Mustard Vinaigrette

Pear, Walnut and “Blue Cheese” Sandwiches

Sage-Scented Fettuccine with Butternut Squash

Burgundy Poached Pears with Rosemary-Scented Onions

Pear-Rum Cupcakes with Tea-infused Buttercream Frosting

Grits and Greens with Mushroom Gravy

I would love to see you support your local bookseller, but Amazon is running sale…If you live in the local area, I am happy to meet up with you to personalize your book.  But if you live far away, I am happy to personalize and sign a custom-designed bookplate and mail it to you or the book recipient.

Thank you for your support of The Blooming Platter; here’s wishing you and yours a lovely start to the holiday season!

~betsy d.

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by betsy

Vegan Cous-Cous and Grilled Butternut Squash with Anise, Sage, Sumac & Sesame-Scented Vinaigrette

Yield: 4 servings as a side dish

I have to admit: I am quite proud of myself for the combination of spices in this dish!

I think I could eat foods seasoned with cumin and coriander; turmeric and smoked paprika; or sage and rosemary at every meal and be quite happy.

But I challenged myself to branch out, and this mixture, inspired by za’atar, seemed a fitting direction for the combination of cous-cous and butternut squash.  And it is!  Now it will be all I can do not to season every recipe with “Sass” (Sage, Anise, Sumac, and Sesame)!

Garnish this simple dish any way you choose, but since I used anise in the recipe, I thought that star anise would be a lovely, homespun, organic, yet festive nod to the winter holidays.

 

2 cups cooked cous-cous (To cook: bring 2 cups of salted water to a boil, stir in 1 cup cous-cous, cover, and remove from heat.  Let sit for 5 minutes and then fluff with a fork.)

1/2 pound peeled and seeded butternut squash rings, about 1/3 inch thick, grilled,and cut into 1/2 inch pieces (To grill: rub lightly with olive oil, sprinkle lightly with sea salt, and grill over medium high heat for about 4 minutes on each side or until nice grill marks appear and squash is tender.)

3 tablespoons olive oil

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon maple syrup

1 teaspoon yellow mustard

1/2 teaspoon dry rubbed sage

1 teaspoon anise seeds, ground to a powder in a spice or coffee grinder

1 teaspoon white sesame seeds

*1 teaspoon sumac (available at Middle Eastern and some Indian markets)

Pinch garlic powder

Sea salt to taste

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Dried red pepper flakes to taste

Garnish: sage sprigs, chopped pistachios, toasted sesame seeds.

Place cooked cous-cous and grilled butternut squash in a serving bowl.  Drizzle vinaigrette over the top and gently fold in until evenly distributed.  Garnish with fresh sage sprigs, chopped pistachios, and/or toasted sesame seeds and serve warm or at room temperature.

*Note: sumac, with its earthy and subtle lemony flavor, is worth searching for.  But if you can’t find it, a small amount of lemon zest could be substituted, though I wouldn’t know how much to suggestion.  Maybe 1/4 teaspoon?

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by betsy

Tasty Old and New Vegan Dishes Bloomed on Our Thanksgiving 2012 Platter

I love Thanksgiving for many reasons, including that while its religious undertones are undeniable, people can give thanks to whomever or whatever they choose in whatever way they please.

The most important components are friends, family, a grateful heart and–let’s not kid ourselves–fabulous food. In regard to the latter, I’m all about tradition, but I especially love to gently twist or even break it!

The one constant in our celebration is that, except for the first year we were married, my husband and I have hosted Thanksgiving in our home for both families, his from Philadelphia and, now, parts south and west; and mine from Laurel, MS.  The total number of guests has fluctuated in the ensuing 21 years, depending on who was available to travel and, sadly, who was no longer with us. Some years, we have even enjoyed the company of Joe’s aunts and our friends, Art and Donna.

This year, my sister is facing some surgery and, though still working and going about her daily activities, isn’t 100% and wasn’t up to traveling. So my sweet mother stayed home with her, but encouraged my similarly sweet father to fly over. He debated but, in the end, when Gin’s surgery wasn’t scheduled until December, decided he would enjoy coming. We certainly enjoyed having him, “The Thanksgiving Visitor,” as my sister referred to him in emails, a reference to Truman Capote’s book by the same name. But we all missed the Gough girls.

Though the locale has stayed the same, the menu has varied widely. I especially enjoyed the several year run during which we hosted “Thematic Thanksgivings,” from “American Diner”–complete with fried acorn squash rings (instead of onion rings)–to Thai, to Tunisian and much more. After Joe’s mother, who had survived his father by a few years, passed away a couple of years ago, his sisters were feeling nostalgic and requested a traditional celebration, complete with a roast turkey. Eek. I don’t purchase, cook or, certainly, eat animal products, but I told them that if they wanted to cook it and bring it, they could. And they did, bringing the bird from Philadelphia and cooking it in their suite at our oceanfront. As my sister-in-law Tina said, she wasn’t sure who was more excited to see the turkey, my papa or our Great Dane, Huff!

I thought this year’s side dishes, gravy, and desserts were particularly tasty, healthy, and beautiful on our plates.  But they would be just as tasty alone or combined with other favorites of yours during any cool month of the year.  So I wanted to share our menu and links to the recipes (just click on the recipe titles) with all of you for whom I am very grateful.  I hope your Thanksgiving was tremendous!

Thanksgiving Menu 2012

 

Mom’s Corn Pudding (veganized)

Vegan Roasted Garlic Whipped Cauliflower

Vegan Roasted Pumpkin with Pepita-Sage Pesto

Vegan Kale Salad with Pomegranate Balsamic Marinated Figs and Dates Topped with Smoked Almonds

Vegan Mushroom Misto Gravy

Note that I used 4 small striped pumpkins about 6 inches in diameter  instead of a Turk’s Turban Squash as recommended in the link and doubled the Pesto to serve 8 people with other side dishes.

Terri Ann’s Vegan Cranberry-Clementine and Walnut Sauce

Vegan Cranberry Orange Crunch with Blooming Platter Whipped “Cream”

Note: to the filling of my tried and true Cranberry Crunch recipe, I added the zest of one large naval orange to the cooked filling.

Vegan Oatmeal Fudge Bars

Caymus Cabernet/Hot Tea/Coffee

Mom’s Corn Pudding (veganized)


Vegan Roasted Garlic Whipped Cauliflower


Roasted Pumpkin with Pepita-Sage Pesto

 

Vegan Kale Salad with Pomegranate Balsamic Marinated Figs and Dates Topped with Smoked Almonds


Vegan Mushroom Misto Gravy


Terri Ann’s Vegan Cranberry-Clementine and Walnut Sauce


Vegan Cranberry Orange Crunch with Blooming Platter Whipped “Cream”

 

Vegan Oatmeal Fudge Bars

 

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by betsy

Vegan Mushroom Misto Gravy (Perfect for a Veg Thanksgiving!)

Yield: approximately 6 cup of gravy

Vegans need their gravy too and this one is delectable even without–or maybe especially without–“drippings.”

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 large shallot, peeled and finely chopped

5 ounces mixed mushrooms, cut into 1/4-inch slices (e.g. shitake, cremini, baby bellas, etc.; I purchase a pre-sliced blend at the grocery store)

1 tablespoon minced fresh sage

4-2 inch sprigs fresh rosemary

4 cup vegetable stock

Optional: 2 vegetable bouillon cubes for a flavor boost

6 tablespoons all-purpose flour (I bake with white whole wheat flour, so that’s what I use)

6 tablespoons dry white wine

Sea salt to taste

Freshl ground black pepper to taste

Heat olive oil to shimmering in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high.  Add shallot and saute, stirring, for about a minute.  Then add mushrooms and saute until they are softened and have released most of their moisture, about 3 minutes.  Add sage and rosemary followed by vegetable broth and bouillon cubes if using.  Heat to simmering, stirring frequently.  Meanwhile, whisk together in a small bowl flour and white wine.  Then temper the mixture with a ladle full (about a half cup) of some of the hot stock.  Transfer the mixture to the skillet, whisking vigorously.  Simmer, whisking, until flour is no longer raw, about 2 to 3 minutes, and desired consistency is reached.   Remove rosemary stems (the leaves will have fallen off into the gravy) and serve hot.  Note: if you want a really chunky gravy, you may add an additional 5 ounces of mushrooms with the first 5 ounces.

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by betsy

Mom’s Corn Pudding—Veganized!

Yield: 8 servings

A few years back, my mom found the recipe that inspired this dish and started making it when she would come with my sister and dad for Thanksgiving.

It was a hit, but we abandoned it for a number of years because of our multi-cultural “Thematic Thanksgiving” approach.  Two years ago, after both of my husband’s parents’ had passed away, his sisters seemed to be craving a more traditional Thanksgiving for nostalgic reasons.  And this pudding was always a favorite of Tina’s.

So, a month ago, I made it a couple of times, testing different approaches to veganizing it.  The second one was almost “it,” though the silken extra firm tofu didn’t lend quite the right texture.  With my fingers crossed, I made it Thanksgiving morning with regular extra firm tofu and it was perfect.

Though corn is a summer veg, this recipe relies on the frozen variety for it’s special texture, so I like to make it off-season and Thanksgiving is the perfect occasion.

20 ounces frozen corn

2 tablespoons vegan butter (I like Earth Balance)

14 ounces regular (not silken) extra fim tofu, drained

1/2 cup unsweetened soymilk

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour (I bake with white whole wheat, so that’s what I use)

1 tablespoon natural sugar

1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt

1/4 teaspoon black salt (available at Indian markets and online; desired for its sulphury-eggy taste) or an additional 1/4 teaspoon sea salt

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg or mace

1/4 teaspoon sriracha sauce or your favorite hot sauce

1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

1/4 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Coarsely chop corn in a food processor and transfer to a large mixing bowl.  Oil an 8-inch round souffle dish, drop in the 2 tablespoons butter, and melt by heating for a few seconds in the microwave.  In a food processor, combine all ingredients, including melted butter, except corn, vinegar, baking powder, and baking soda.  Process until very smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.  In a small cup, combine vinegar, baking powder, and baking soda (it will fizz up) and add immediately to the tofu mixture.  Process another few seconds or until the vinegar mixture is completely incorporated.  Pour the tofu mixture over the corn and fold together until completely combined.  The mixture will be very thick because the corn is so icy.   Transfer to the prepared baking dish and bake for 1 1/4 hours or until set and top is golden brown.  Serve immediately.  To make ahead: refrigerate the baked and cooled pudding, covered, until one hour before you plan to serve it.  Remove it from the refrigerator and allow to sit at room temperature for a half hour.  Then heat, still covered, for 20-30 minutes in a preheated 350 degree oven.

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by betsy

Vegan Kale Salad with Pomegranate Balsamic Marinated Figs and Dates Topped with Smoked Almonds

Yield: 8 servings

This beautiful and healthful salad was inspired by one that my close friend, Yvette Hetrick, makes with fresh figs caramelized in orange balsamic.  Ever since she shared the idea for her dish with me, I had wanted to make a version for Thanksgiving.

When Yvette and her husband, Randy, lived in VA Beach (they live in Sausalito now), we used to start co-planning in earnest for our respective feasts as soon as the November culinary magazines hit the stands.  And afterwards, we would pool our leftovers for a potluck dinner following a long beach-state park hike with all of our dogs in tow.  She and I both miss that tradition so much.

Undeterred by the lack of fresh figs and orange balsamic in VA Beach, I plunged ahead using two kinds of dried figs, adding some dates for good measure, and substituting pomegranate balsamic vinegar which was readily available at our local Kroger and sounded very fitting for the holiday.

After marinating the figs and dates all day, I turned over their caramelization to our nephew, Curt Lindelow, a partner and manager of a Bonefish Grill in South Carolina, who knows his way around a kitchen.  He did a beautiful job unsupervised by me and even recommended additional dressing, which was on point.  The following recipe reflects our combined efforts.

8 dried Kalamata figs, stems snipped, and the figs sliced into 3 pieces each

8 Mission figs, stems snipped, and sliced in half lengthwise

8 dates, pitted, and sliced in half lengthwise

6 tablespoons pomegranate balsamic vinegar

6 tablespoons olive oil

Sea salt to taste

Freshly ground black pepper to taste

4-2 inch sprigs of fresh rosemary

2 large cloves garlic, thinly sliced lengthwise

1/2 teaspoon yellow or Dijon mustard

1/3 cup smoked almonds plus a few more for garnish

8 cups shredded fresh kale (I fold the leaves lengthwise, cut out the stems with kitchen shears, and pulse the kale in a couple of batches in a food processor fitted with a metal blade)

Several hours or the day before you plan to serve the salad, place figs and dates in a shallow dish (I use a ceramic 5 x 9-inch loaf pan).  Whisk together the vinegar and oil and pour it over the fruit.  Season to taste with salt and pepper, and then add rosemary and garlic.  Stir to combine.  Cover with plastic wrap and let marinate at room temperature.

Just before serving time, heat a cast iron skillet over medium-high.  Add the fruit and all of the marinade and cook down, slightly caramelizing, for about 7 minutes. Whisk in the mustard.  Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper if desired.  Place the shredded kale in a serving bowl and pour the contents of the skillet directly over the kale.  Toss to evenly distribute the fruit and dressing.  Add smoked almonds, toss lightly again, and serve the salad immediately garnished with a few more smoked almonds if desired.

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by betsy

Roasted Garlic Whipped Cauliflower (vegan & plant-based)

Yield: 4-6 servings

If you want to skip this preamble, just scroll down a short ways.

I’ll just confess right off the bat that I have no specific proportions for this delicious vegan and plant-based dish inspired by my dear friend Yvette Hetrick.  For some of you, the lack of a precise formula may come as a great relief, as you can ad lib to your heart’s content.

I started off keeping track of what I was adding for flavor.  However, since I was working in 3 batches for the number of guests we had for Thanksgiving–and since I kept adjusting–I gave up at some point.  (And, by the way, a double recipe would have been plenty for 8 people; I enjoyed lots of leftovers!)

So, following is all you need to know to veganize this old “Weight Watchers” standard to suit YOUR taste.  Don’t let the dish’s dietary “roots” turn you off; it’s just that, ounce for ounce, cauliflower has far fewer calories than potatoes.  However, by the time I get finished doctoring it up, I’m not sure how many fewer calories it actually has.  But it does have it’s own unique flavor somewhere between cauliflower and potatoes.  And for that reason alone, it’s a keeper.  By all means, feel free to go easy on the ‘butta, sour cream and such, and then you can reap the low-cal benefits.

Be forewarned: cauliflower is LOADED with fiber, so it is very easy to feel overly full after a moderate portion of this dish.  Of course, you could just exercise some portion control, but it is so tasty that that is easier than it sounds!

Roasted Garlic Whipped Cauliflower (vegan & plant-based)

Yield: 4 to 6 servings

Note: you can sub a microwaveable 12-ounce bag frozen cauliflower florets to speed things along.

4 cups water

Sea salt

1 large head of cauliflower, cored, broken into florets, rinsed and drained

1 head roasted garlic (rub whole head with olive oil and roast at 350 degrees for 20-30 minutes or until very soft)

Any or all of the following in whatever proportions you desire; let taste be your guide: vegan butter, vegan sour cream, vegan cream cheese, and nutritional yeast (do NOT omit the cheesy “nooch”!)

Pinch white pepper

Optional garnish: snipped fresh chives

In a 4-quart covered saucepan, bring generously salted water to a boil.  Add cauliflower, loosely cover pan, and gently boil for about 6 minutes, reducing the heat if necessary.

  • Drain cauliflower, place in full size food processor (or process in batches), and process until smooth and still warm (this is very important).  Add half the head of garlic and season to taste with vegan butter, sour cream, cream cheese, nutritional yeast, additional salt, and white pepper, processing again to completely incorporate.  If you like a lot of rich garlic flavor, add some or all of remaining roasted garlic.  Serve warm–reheat in microwave if necessary– garnished if desired.
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