by betsy

The Bloomin’ Best Red Velvet Pancakes

If you’re celebrating Valentine’s Day this weekend, you’ll want to wake up your sweetie tomorrow with these not-too-sweet, but almost-too-good-to-be-true Red Velvet Pancakes.

The recipe isn’t in The Blooming Platter Cookbook (though 150+ mouthwatering recipes for special and not-so-special occasions are!), so just click here to go to the original post for the short back story and complete list of ingredients and instructions.

Ever since childhood, I have loved to have the occasional breakfast for dinner, especially in the winter.  So, since Valentine’s Day falls on a weekday this year, and since–if you’re like me–breakfast during the week is a soy-something-or-other from Starbucks, why not enjoy these beauties for dinner with a side of fruit and a glass of soymilk?

I plan to post retro-recipes from my blog for other Valentines favorites along with a brand new creation, but I encourage you to search “Valentine” to see what goodies pop up that might grab your interest.

Happy Valentine’s Day from the Blooming Platter!

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by betsy

Just When You Think It Can’t Get Any Better…Vegan Cookbook Author Bryanna Clark Grogan Claims “Betsy DiJulio Saved the Day”

Photo Credit: Bryanna Clark Grogan

While my husband and I are still riding high on our dog, Huff’s, meteoric rise to fame as the co-star of a locally-produced commercial that garnered it’s director and our friend ONE MILLION CLAMS by virtue of being chosen by USA Today’s Ad Meter Poll as the No. 1 ad on the Superbowl, beloved vegan cookbook author, Bryanna Clark Grogan, writes this in her Superbowl post on her website:

“…Betsy, author of The Blooming Platter Cookbook, is one of my favorite vegan cookbook authors (see my review here to find out why!)…”

Follow this link for her entire post.

Wow.  Just when you think it can’t get any better!

Thank you, Bryanna; I bow in your direction.

Note: You can learn all about the big win in the Doritos “Crash the Superbowl” Commercial Competition here.  Thank you WAVY TV 10 for this great story.

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by betsy

Crash the SuperBowl Snack Recipe #7: Vegan Peanut Butter and Rice Cereal Balls with a Dried Apricot-Almond Surprise and Erewhon Product Review

Yield: 12 “stuffed” balls or 24 unstuffed (easily doubles)

In this recipe, a childhood favorite grows up…just a little.  And, because these treats are portable and can sit out indefinitely, they lend themselves to Superbowl noshing, as well as brown bag lunches, backpack snacks, and travel.

As a kid, my mom, sister and I used to make Peanut Butter and Rice Krispie Treats.  So when Alisa Fleming of Go Dairy Free, who also does some online marketing, offered to send me a couple of varieties of cereal from Attune Foods to review and mentioned that Erewhon Crispy Brown Rice Cereal was a good “recipe cereal,” I knew what I would make as soon as the package arrived on my doorstep

But, being one who likes to play with her food–that is, adapt original recipes–I started brainstorming about what I could do to make them extra-special.  I’m not a big cereal eater, as most are so carb- and calorie-dense and fail to make me fill satisfied, but I do like the idea of cereals with fruit and nuts.   And my good pal, Katherine Jackson and I had recently gone on a 7+ mile hike in Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge and False Cape State Park with dried apricots and almonds in tow.  So, it occurred to me that I could form the mixture into balls around a piece of dried apricot and tuck a roasted almond into the top.  Delicious, nutritious, and cute to boot. (Note: Katherine authored the book, Walking Virginia Beach.)

Eureka!  These are so good that the only danger is eating too many.  Though reasonably healthy albeit pretty heavy in the sweetener department, they are far from low-calorie.  So, make them for your Superbowl or any other gathering–or to give as gifts (they pack and travel well)–and limit yourself to just one…or two.  Wouldn’t they be cute as Valentine’s “candy”?

First, before the recipe, the cereal “review”:  I loved Erewhon Crispy Brown Rice Cereal.  It is almost identical to Rice Krispies, but it is made with the whole grains of organic brown rice.  And I found Erewhon’s particular crunch to be pleasantly dense, not as light and airy as the Kellogg version.  Erewhon is vegan, of course, gluten free, all organic, kosher, low fat, very lightly sweetened with brown rice syrup, and contains no artificial anything.  You can buy it at

Vegan Peanut Butter and Rice Cereal Balls with Dried Apricot-Almond Surprise
1/2 cup agave nectar (I used the light colored variety as a substitute for corn syrup–works beautifully)
1/2 cup natural sugar
1/2 cup organic, unsweetened, creamy peanut butter
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Approximately 2 3/4 cups crispy rice cereal (like Rice Krispies, but I used Erewhon)
3 plump dried apricots, cut into quarters
12 whole roasted almonds
Line a carton or tin with waxed paper or mini muffin/candy liners.  In a 2-quart saucepan over medium-high heat, bring agave nectar and sugar to a simmer, stirring frequently.  Book gently, stirring, for one minute.  Remove the pan from the heat, and stir in the peanut butter until melted.  Then stir in the vanilla extract, followed by the cereal, combining well.  When the mixture is cool enough to handle and easily hold its shape, divide it into 12 portions.  Form each into a ball around one-quarter of an apricot and insert a whole almond into the top.  Place the balls as you shape them into a prepared container.  Store tightly covered at room temperature.  Note: if you choose not to stuff them, you can make them half the size and end up with 24 or twice as many.
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by betsy

Crash the Superbowl Snack Recipe #6: Fresh Pear and Dried Cranberry Chutney with Vegan Cheddar Cheese Spread

I did it again: missed a day yesterday in my “Crash the Superbowl Snack Recipe.”  Darn it.  It was a really busy day, but that’s no excuse.  So, I owe you two today.

Let’s start with one of the recipes I intended to post a while back when I mentioned having been invited to present a program, complete with samples, on The Blooming Platter Cookbook for Alpha Rho, the educational sorority to which I belong.

I love this combination of rich cashew cheese (featuring my secret “cheesy” ingredient!) and tangy sweet-and-savory chutney.  The pairing is perfect perched on a cracker but, after the meeting and some errands, I was starved, so I came home and made a grilled cheese-and-chutney sandwich on super-thin Danish rye bread.  Oh, my…

My recommendation is to make the Vegan Cheddar Cheese Spread first so that it can be chilling while you make the chutney.

Next, make the chutney.

Fresh Pear and Dried Cranberry Chutney

Yield: 4-5 cups

1 tablespoon olive oil

1/2 of a red onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice

2-3 large cloves of garlic, minced

3 Asian pears, stemmed, cored, and coarsely chopped in a food processor (I’ve only every seen Asian pears in one size and that’s large!  About the size of a small grapefruit.)

1/3 cup apple cider vinegar

1/3 cup natural sugar

1/4 cup catsup

2 teaspoons paprika

1 teaspoon ground allspice

1 teaspoon coriander

1 teaspoon cumin

1 teaspoon turmeric

1/2 teaspoon chipotle chili powder

1 1/3 cups dried cranberries

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary or to taste

In a large cast iron skillet over medium-high, heat olive oil.  Add onion and saute, stirring occasionally, for about 3 minutes or until softened.  Add garlic and continue to saute and stir for about 30 seconds.  Add pears and saute, stirring frequently, for another 5 minutes or so, or until pears release juices and begin to cook down.  Add all remaining ingredients and cook, stirring occasionally, for about 20 minutes or until the mixture has reached the desired consistency.  Stir in rosemary and cook and stir for another minute.  Remove the skillet from the heat and allow the mixture to cool to room temperature.  Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.  Serve chilled or at room temperature with crackers or crostini.

Note: To make a Grilled Cheese-and-Chutney Sandwich, melt about 1 tablespoon of vegan butter in a skillet over medium-high heat.  While butter melts, spread one piece of bread first with the cheese and then with a layer of chutney.  Cover with a second piece of bread and grill for a minute or two on each side or until golden brown.

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by betsy

Crash the Superbowl Snack Recipe #5: Vegan Queso Con Carne Dip

This hearty Vegan Queso Con Carne Dip is an oldie but goodie, and the essence of traditional Superbowl snacking.

Though this recipe lacks the seasonal influence of most of my other recipes, like those in The Blooming Platter Cookbook, frozen corn, soy crumbles, soy milk, and nutritional yeast makes it nutritious, and onions, green chilies, Ro-tel tomatoes, and a host of Mexican spices insures that it is fragrant and addicting.

Even though our dog Huff is co-starring in a “Crash the Superbowl” Doritos commercial. I like this “Queso” served with Frito “Scoops” to do just what the name says.  And I don’t feel too badly, as Frito-Lay makes both products.

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by betsy

Crash the Superbowl Snack Recipe #4: Vegan Indian Cauliflower with Black Mustard Seeds

Note: I inadvertently skipped yesterday in my Crash the Superbowl Snack Recipe countdown, so I will make up for it by posting two today.  Sorry about that!

 

Yield: 4 servings

Okay, I admit it: Indian dishes aren’t the first thing that pops into my mind when I think of the Superbowl.

But someone recently singled out this photo from my album of Blooming Platter Cookbook winter dishes on Facebook and I was reminded of how pretty it is.  But I was also reminded of a Christmas Eve party that my family has attended for many years.  Annually on the menu is a huge bowl of marinated cauliflower, rings of fresh onion, black olives and shrimp (which I avoid) served with toothpicks.  Everyone always enjoyed it and it was fun to eat.

So it occurred to me, though it’s not your standard Superbowl fare, that a big platter of my Indian Cauliflower set out with toothpicks would easily serve and satisfy a crowd.  It is fragrant, simple and delicious. Try using orange cauliflower when making the recipe; it tastes the same as white and it looks beautiful with the black mustard seeds (see photo).

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

1 cup chopped onion

1 head white or orange cauliflower, cut into small florets

2 teaspoons ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 cup water

1 tablespoon vegan butter

1 tablespoon black mustard seeds

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, optional

 

1.  Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring frequently, until golden. Add the cauliflower, coriander, turmeric, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the water and simmer until the cauliflower is tender and most of the water is absorbed, 3 to 5 minutes.

2. In a small skillet over medium-high heat, melt butter with the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add the mustard seeds and cook for 2 minutes.

3. To serve, transfer the cauliflower to a serving platter, drizzle with the mustard seed mixture and sprinkle with cilantro, if using. Serve hot (or room temperature).

 

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by betsy

Crash the SuperBowl Snack Recipe #3: Vegan Fat-Free Spinach-Three Bean Dip Included in FatFree Vegan Kitchen’s Superbowl Starting Line-Up

A big and fat-free thank you to Susan Voisin, the queen of delicious fat-free vegan food, for including The Blooming Platter and one of my recipes in her tasty fat-free Superbowl starting line-up at the Fat-Free Vegan Kitchen.

Just follow this link for her list of great ideas and links for guilt-free snacking, including my Vegan Fat-Free Spinach-Three Bean Dip.

I can think of no better endorsement for this scrumptious dip than that my National Art Honor Society teenagers ask for it by name and devour it at our meetings!

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by betsy

Crash the SuperBowl Snack Recipe #2: Vegan Buffalo Wings with Creamy Blue “Cheez” Dressing

The SuperBowl wouldn’t be the SuperBowl without “wings.”

But make sure the only animal in your celebration is the pigskin on the field with my authentic-tasting Vegan Buffalo Wings.  You’ll love their chewy texture and their finger-lickin’ sauce.   They are absolutely habit-forming with my Creamy Blue “Cheez” Sauce and crunchy celery sticks.

Oh, there is one more animal that we hope will be part of the big game:  Huff, our Great Dane.  Read all about his chance at national stardom in the Doritos “Crash the Superbowl” commercial competition here.

For 150 other seasonal recipes for every occasion, I invite you to peruse The Blooming Platter Cookbook.

 

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by betsy

Product Recommendation from Vegan Cookbook Author: Calphalon’s Stainless Steel Roasting Pan

This roasting pan was a Christmas gift I requested from my dear parents at their insistent urging.  After conducting some research, I chose Calphalon’s Stainless Steel Roasting Pan with Rack (16 x 13.5 x 3.75″), largely based on a Cook’s Illustrated recommendation.

I place a lot of “stock” in anything Cook’s says, such as:  “Stainless steel is attractive, nonreactive, lightweight, and relatively durable. It’s also a poor conductor of heat, making it no surprise that our two top-performing pans featured an aluminum core inside the stainless steel.”  The pan’s outstanding conductivity means perfect and consistent browning.  And the pan’s highly reflective interior means  changes in the food being roasted are easy to discern so that the cook can achieve precisely the desired color.  Though I will never brown a turkey or a roast in this pan, I still love having it for seeds, nuts and veggies.

I intentionally purchased a pan without a nonstick coating and, as its maiden voyage proved today, with a good slick of olive oil, nothing even thought about sticking to it.  It cleaned up easily and brilliantly with a non-abrasive sponge and liquid dishwashing soap.  While it is dishwasher safe, it would take up a lot of room.  Note: Avoid using non-stick spray, as it will discolor the pan and is purported to be nearly impossible to remove.

One minor drawback is its size in regard to storage.  My current collection of cookware and the height of this pan’s handles prevented it from fitting in our cabinets.  But, no worries: it slipped between the fridge and upper cabinet neatly and with room to spare.  And because it is so handsome, I don’t mind a bit of it showing.

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by betsy

Crash the SuperBowl Snack Recipe #1: Vegan Smoked Paprika and Garlic Roasted Pumpkin Seeds (+ a Product Recommendation for Calphalon’s Stainless Steel Roasting Pan)

Previously, I posted my favorite stove top recipe for toasted pumpkin seeds, but this kicked-up oven-roasted version is just right when you need to serve a crowd, make a large batch for gift-giving or, in my case, both.

Every day from now until the SuperBowl (aka Supper Bowl) next Sunday, February 5, I am delighted to post a vegan recipe ideal for snacking during the big game.  Some will be from my Blooming Platter Cookbook, some will be new, and some, like this one, will have been previously posted, but worth highlighting perhaps with a ‘coupla changes.

We’re feeling particularly “bowl protective” about this year’s game because, as some of you know, our dog, Huff the Great Dane, co-stars in a locally-produced commercial by our friend, Jonathan Friedman, that earned a Top Five Finalist status in the Doritos “Crash the Superbowl” competition!  TODAY IS THE LAST DAY TO VOTE to make “Man’s Best Friend” a Top Two Finalist, thereby earning it air time during the bowl game.  (Click here to vote.)

We abandoned plans for a huge bash when we learned that Frito-Lay would not be announcing the winners, even to some of their own employees.  Rather, everyone just has to watch and see.  Jonathan and Matt, his brother and assistant director, will be watching from the Frito Lay sky box on the 50 yard line!  So, just in case our boy doesn’t win, we decided to have just a few close friends over for a potluck.  And these seeds will be perfect for healthy snacking.

But, these addicting pepitas are also serving another purpose:  the busy winter holiday season came and went without my preparing a gift from my kitchen as I do every year for my freelance clients.  So, with two weeks of grueling exams over last Friday–grueling for teachers AND students–this was the weekend I promised myself I’d get them made for delivery early in the week as more of a New Year’s gift.

Before I share the recipe, though, I want to put in a plug for the world’s best roasting pan: Calphalon’s Stainless Steel Roasting Pan.  See what I have to say here if interested.

Vegan Smoked Paprika and Garlic Roasted Pumpkin Seeds

Yield; 6 pounds

This recipe is easily cut to one-third or two-thirds.

Generous 1 tablespoon of olive oil

6 tablespoons vegan butter (my choice is Earth Balance)

1 tablespoon + 1 1/2 teaspoons garlic powder

1 tablespoon smoked paprika

6 pounds raw pepitas or pumpkin seeds (I purchase Trader Joe’s brand in 2-pound bags)

Plenty of sea salt to bring out all the delicious flavors

6 tablespoons nutritional yeast

Coat a large (16 x 13.5″) roasting pan with the olive oil, add butter, and place the pan in a cold oven.  Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and allow the  butter to melt during the preheat.  Mix together the garlic powder and smoked paprika.  Remove the pan from the oven, add the seeds, the spice mixture, and a sprinkling of sea salt.  Roast the pepitas for 25 minutes total, removing the pan from the oven and stirring well in 5 minute intervals.  I recommend adding a pinch of salt and tasting at each stage, building up the layers of perfectly salted goodness to your preferred level so that you don’t over-do it.  After 15 minutes, add the nutritional yeast, stir well, and return the pan to the oven for the remaining 10 minutes, remembering to stir after 5.  The pepitas should be light golden brown.  Remove the pan from the oven, place it on a rack, and allow to cool.  Store the pumpkin seeds tightly covered at room temperature.  If you accidentally let the seeds get a little more roasted than you intended, pour them onto a baking sheet to cool, so that the residual heat from the pan does not continue to cook them.

Note, if you bake a smaller batch, you might need to adjust the cooking time down, as they will likely cook more quickly since the layer of seeds will be thinner, unless you use a smaller roasting pan.  My seeds were about  1-inch deep.

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