Here’s a tasty twist on tradition for your Thanksgiving table: a spicy slaw made from Brussels sprouts inspired by an almost comical-looking stalk of this misunderstood vegetable at the farmer’s market. The spicy notes are courtesy of a hint of jalapeno and a light and lively vinaigrette made from the favorite fall flavor of maple kicked up with mustard and given depth with the incorporation of savory-sweet allspice. It’s also delicious with my “Pulled” Spaghetti Squash BBQ.
Yield 4-6 servings
2 cups whole Brussels sprouts, trimmed
1/2 cup red onion, cut into 1/4-inch dice
1 to 2 medium or hot small peppers (about 2.5 to 3 inches), seeds and membrane removed, and very finely chopped (I would add one, taste, and add part or all of another if desired)
Thinly slice Brussels sprouts using the slicer blade of a food processor if available. Place in a medium bowl and add remaining slaw ingredients. Toss lightly with a fork to combine. Pour vinaigrette over the slaw mixture and toss again with a fork to distribute the dressing evenly. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It is best if the flavors are allowed to marry for 2 or more hours before serving.
Maple-Mustard-Allspice Vinaigrette:
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1 tablespoon hazelnut or walnut oil
1 tablespoon maple syrup
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice or to taste
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Pinch sea salt
In a small bowl or cup, whisk together all ingredients until well combined.
Here in America, Thanksgiving approaches. It is so many people’s favorite holiday, and for good reason. Non-denominational and, in fact, not necessarily religious in any direct way, it tends to be a gracious gathering of friends and family who come together to share a traditional meal of fall favorites while giving thanks to anyone for anything they choose.
Pumpkin dishes typically take center stage on the menu, but I crave them before, during and after. If you’re celebrating Thanksgiving late in the day, you might enjoy these pancake-fritters for breakfast; or if your clan breaks bread earlier in the day, try these treats the morning after. Or, heck, go ahead and make them today!
I call them “pancake-fritters” because they are a hybrid, but not by design, at least initially. Rather, the pleasant “stickiness” of the batter and the amount of sugar meant that my first batch, cooked as regular pancakes, had to be put down the disposal! I discovered that they have to be small, and they have to be pan fried in a bit more oil than what pancakes require to prevent them from sticking to the skillet and scorching.
So don’t be tempted to make these as larger pancakes or use less oil or yours will meet the same fate as mine. My second try is what you see pictured and well worth the failed experiment. The resulting pancake-fritters are a little oilier than a pancake, like a fritter or even a fried cake doughnut, with a crispy exterior and a soft and tender interior.
Pumpkin pancakes are a dime a dozen, so while a half-cup of leftover pumpkin initiated the recipe, the desire for a twist on a classic resulted in the addition of oatmeal and espresso powder inspired by my Baked Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal with a cup of coffee. Enjoy and Happy Thanksgiving!
1/2 cup white whole wheat flour (or unbleached all-purpose)
1 cup old fashioned oats
4 tablespoon natural sugar
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
pinch sea salt
1/4 cup soymilk (I use unsweetened, but plain is fine)
2 teaspoons instant espresso
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Optional garnish: maple syrup plus a dab of vegan sour cream and a walnut piece per pancake
Preheat the oven to warm and line a plate with a double thickness of paper towel. In a medium bowl, whisk together the first 7 dry ingredients and make a well in the center. In a small bowl, whisk together soymilk and espresso powder to dissolve the latter. Then whisk in pumpkin puree and vanilla. Pour the wet ingredients into the well and whisk all together just until combined. In a large cast iron skillet, heat about 1/8 inch of canola oil over medium-high. Make pancakes-fritters, 4 at a time, using 1 rounded tablespoon of batter, gently smoothing the top. Cook for about 2 minutes per side, loosening each pancake from the bottom of the pan with a metal spatula after a minute or less of cooking, just enough time for the pancakes to be set enough to gently lift. Reduce heat if cooking too fast. Remove to the lined plate, cover with more paper towel, and keep warm in the oven while you continue with the remaining batter in the same manner. Serve each garnished with maple syrup, a dollop of vegan sour cream and a walnut piece.
As some of you know, though my “day job” is as a high school art teacher, followed closely by cookbook author and blogger, I “moonlight” as a freelance writer. One of my fun monthly gigs is the “DIY Decor” column for the Virginian-Pilot newspaper. It keeps the creative juices flowing, but I accepted the job on one condition: that I not have to do anything so “cutesy” or “crafty”–and definitely not “duck and bunny,” that I wouldn’t have it in my own home or, at the very least, give it to a friend with good, but different, taste than my own! Fortunately, my wonderful editor allows me near complete freedom.
If anyone ever sees me with a Bedazzler in my hand, please tell me to set it down gently and ease away slowly!
I hope you enjoy this month’s column which features cool place card holders made from antique forks, just in time for Thanksgiving. And, so you have plenty of time before the beginning of Advent season, it also features my idea for a quick and clever Advent calendar (though, as my article says, this concept is adaptable to any celebration or holiday in which days are counted and little gifts are given on each of those days).
(Please note that the new 2017 gluten-free version of these cookies, in a different color box, contains egg white powder.)
Yesterday afternoon, I had just left the farmer’s market with a bag full of super-healthy produce, and needed to stop by Trader Joe’s for a few remaining items on my list. But, though, my grocery bag was looking very virtuous, I was thinking impure sugar-laden thoughts.
I prefer homemade cookies any day of the week, but I was jonesin’ pretty badly for something sweet on the fly. We had just come from a Friday night stay at the rustic-elegant Sanderling Inn in Duck, North Carolina, which serves tea and homemade cookies in the afternoon. How I would have loved some cookies with my tea after our 4-mile walk on Friday, but alas, they were off-limits. So, I came home with cookies on my mind.
Therefore, at TJ’s, I detoured down the cookie aisle in search of something sweet and vegan. I must have picked up every box on that aisle to read the list of ingredients only to be met with whey, milk powder, eggs, butter, and all the rest of it. Finally, I picked up the least likely looking box and–Eureka!–all vegan. It turns out that Trader Joe’s brand of Candy Cane Joe-Joe’s in their cheery holiday-striped box are vegan approved!
Think Oreo’s, but with a peppermint filling. So, while you probably won’t want to serve these at your next party, you might want to tuck a couple into you or your child’s lunchbox, or serve up a little quasi-guilty pleasure at a party-for-one when nobody’s looking.
I was thrilled to come home today from a quick overnighter (yesterday was a school holiday) to North Carolina’s captivating Outer Banks to learn that the wonderful folks at One Green Planet had published my recipe for Vegan Miso-Roasted Pumpkin and Grilled Tofu over Udon Noodles. Just click the recipe title to be taken directly to the recipe on their site. Enjoy!
And, of course, you can find 150 more seasonal delights in:
The irresistibly adorable pumpkins at my favorite farm market inspired this pizza. I’ve enjoyed it three or four times this week with my Vegan Caramelized Onion and Apple Pizza and am so sad there is no more.
As I’ve said before, homemade pizza dough is so quick and easy to make that there is scarcely any reason to purchase it, especially since it can be frozen. Hands on prep time is just minutes, but it does take a couple of hours to rise. So, if you are super pressed for time and favor a brand like Trader Joe’s frozen dough, then go for it. If you choose the purchased route, I would definitely recommend a prepared dough as opposed to a prepared crust.
My dough of choice comes from my Blooming Platter Cookbook: A Harvest of Seasonal Vegan Recipes. My recipe calls for a combination of self-rising and whole wheat flours. However, for the pizza pictured, I didn’t have either, so I used all white whole wheat flour with some baking powder. The only difference I found is that it makes a softer dough and, hence, requires additional flour. The crust made this way also benefits especially from a couple of minutes in the oven before topping it and returning it to the oven to insure that the crust doesn’t become soggy.
Make the dough at least 3 hours before you plan to serve the pizza.
Blooming Platter Pizza Dough:
Yield: 2 approximate 8-inch crusts
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons self-rising flour (or 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons white whole wheat or all purpose flour combined with 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder and a scant 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt)
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons whole wheat flour
Note: you may substitute all white whole wheat or all-purpose flour for both of the above. However, you will need considerably more flour, added 1/4 cup at a time, until dough is smooth and elastic, but slightly sticky.
1 teaspoon “quick rise” yeast
1 teaspoon natural sugar
1 teaspoon sea salt
3/4 cup plus 1 1/2 tablespoons tepid water
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil plus 1 teaspoon to oil the bowl
Place all of the dry ingredients in a large bowl, stir to combine, and make a well in the center. Add the water and 2 teaspoons olive oil to the well and stir the wet and dry ingredients together with a fork until fully incorporated.
Knead for 5 minutes with oiled hands or until the dough is smooth and elastic, but slightly sticky. I knead it right in the bowl. Do not over-knead. Lift out the dough and pour the remaining teaspoon of olive oil into the bottom of the bowl and spread to coat the interior with your fingers.
Return the dough to the bowl, rolling it around on both sides to coat with the oil. Cover the bowl loosely with a damp kitchen towel and allow the dough to rise until doubled in bulk, about 2 hours. While the dough rises, prepare the other ingredients.
Next prepare Rosemary-Garlic Olive Oil:
1/4 cup olive oil (makes sure it is super flavorful)
1 5-inch stalk of fresh rosemary
1 clove garlic, thinly sliced
Combine all ingredients in a small cup and set aside.
Before preparing topping, preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place two pizza stones (or two inverted baking sheets) into the oven and heat for 30 minutes.
Topping:
Approximately 1/4 cup Pumpkin and Pepita-Sage Pesto Spread (recipe follows)
Place all ingredients in the bowl of a food processor and process until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. You will have more than you need for this pizza. Store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Enjoy as a dip with fresh veggies, spread on bagels or sandwiches, tossed with pasta, or as a pizza sauce.
Grilled Pumpkin:
Approximately 3 pounds fresh pumpkin (this weight is seeded and with pulp removed, but with the skin on)
Remove the skin from pumpkin with a paring knife. Cut pizza into bite size 1/3-inch thick slices. Spray a grill pan with non-stick spray and preheat over medium-high. Grill pumpkin, in two batches if necessary, for 2 to 3 minutes per side or unil tender with nice grill marks. Remove to a plate and set aside.
To Assemble:
Lay two 10-inch sheets of aluminum foil, shiny side down, on a work surface. Spray each sheet lightly with non-stick pray. With hands lightly dusted with flour, divide the dough in half, shape each half into a ball, and place one in the center of each piece of foil.
Beginning in the center of the ball and working your way to the edges, use your fingertips and palms to gently press the dough into a circle about 8 1/2 inches in diameter, leaving a slightly raised 1/4-inch wide rim. Brush the entire surface of each very lightly with the Rosemary-Garlic Olive Oil; you will likely have some left over. Lift each piece of foil one at a time, crust and all, holding it taught, and place on one of the baking stones. Bake for 2 minutes. Remove the stones from the oven and spread a very thin layer (about 2 to 3 tablespoons) of Pumpkin and Pepita-Sage Pesto Spread on each crust. Divide the pumpkin evenly between the two crusts, arranging pieces in concentric rings. Return the stones to the oven and cook for about 7 minutes, switching the position of the stones halfway through if pizzas seem to be cooking unevenly. Remove the stones from the oven again and dot each with about half of the Pepita and Sage Pesto (1/4 cup each). Return the stones to the oven and cook for 2 to 3 more minutes or until the crusts are golden and the topping is hot. Remove the stones form the oven, slide the pizzas, one at a time, onto a cutting board, and cut each into 8 wedges. Serve immediately garnished with sage leaves or, if you’re lucky enough to grow this herb: ravishing pineapple sage blossoms.
Note: this pizza reheats beautifully on a pizza stone in a 350 degree preheated oven for 10 minutes.
All things autumn was the inspiration for this absolutely addicting pizza. I’ve enjoyed it three or four times this week and I have not yet had my fill!
Homemade pizza dough is so quick and easy to make that there is scarcely any reason to purchase it, especially since it can be frozen. Hands on prep time is just minutes, but it does take a couple of hours to rise. So, if you are super pressed for time and favor a brand like Trader Joe’s frozen dough, then go for it. If you choose the purchased route, I would definitely recommend a prepared dough as opposed to a prepared crust.
My dough of choice comes from my Blooming Platter Cookbook: A Harvest of Seasonal Vegan Recipes. My recipe calls for a combination of self-rising and whole wheat flours. However, for the pizza pictured, I didn’t have either, so I used all white whole wheat flour with some baking powder. The only difference I found is that it makes a softer dough and, hence, requires additional flour. The crust made this way also benefits from a couple of minutes in the oven before topping it and returning it to the oven to insure that the crust doesn’t become soggy.
Make the dough at least 3 hours before you plan to serve the pizza.
Blooming Platter Pizza Dough
Yield: 2 approximate 8-inch crusts
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons self-rising flour (or 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons white whole wheat or all purpose flour combined with 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder and a scant 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt)
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons whole wheat flour
Note: you may substitute all white whole wheat or all-purpose flour for both of the above. However, you will need considerably more flour, added 1/4 cup at a time, until dough is smooth and elastic, but slightly sticky.
1 teaspoon “quick rise” yeast
1 teaspoon natural sugar
1 teaspoon sea salt
3/4 cup plus 1 1/2 tablespoons tepid water
2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil plus 1 teaspoon to oil the bowl
Place all of the dry ingredients in a large bowl, stir to combine, and make a well in the center. Add the water and 2 teaspoons olive oil to the well and stir the wet and dry ingredients together with a fork until fully incorporated.
Knead for 5 minutes with oiled hands or until the dough is smooth and elastic, but slightly sticky. I knead it right in the bowl. Do not over-knead. Lift out the dough and pour the remaining teaspoon of olive oil into the bottom of the bowl and spread to coat the interior with your fingers.
Return the dough to the bowl, rolling it around on both sides to coat with the oil. Cover the bowl loosely with a damp kitchen towel and allow the dough to rise until doubled in bulk, about 2 hours. While the dough rises, prepare the other ingredients.
Next prepare Rosemary-Garlic Olive Oil:
1/4 cup olive oil (makes sure it is super flavorful)
1 5-inch stalk of fresh rosemary
1 clove garlic, thinly sliced
Combine all ingredients in a small cup and set aside.
Prepare the Apple Cider Vinegar Reduction:
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
2 tablespoon maple syrup
Pinch sea salt
Combine ingredients in a 1-quart saucepan and simmer over medium-high until reduced to 1/4 cup. Reduce heat if necessary, so that mixture doesn’t scorch. Pour into a small ramekin or cup and set aside.
Before preparing topping, preheat oven to 450 degrees. Place two pizza stones (or two inverted baking sheets) into the oven and heat for 30 minutes.
Caramelized Onion and Apple Topping:
2 tablespoon olive oil
2 medium-large yellow onion, thinly sliced
4 small-medium apples, stemmed, cored, cut into 1/4-inch wedges; cut wedges crosswise into 3 to 4 pieces
Heat olive oil in a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and saute, stirring frequently, for approximately 15 minutes or until onions are beginning to develop a golden color. Reduce heat if necessary to prevent onions from scorching. Add apple, 2 tablespoons of the Apple Cider Vinegar Reduction, and a pinch of salt, and continue sauteing and stirring about 10 minutes, or until onion is deeply colored and apple is tender and has developed some color. Add water, a teaspoon at a time as needed if mixture appears to be drying out. Check for salt and adjust if necessary. Remove the skillet from the heat.
To Assemble:
Remove the rosemary from the olive oil, strip the leaves off the stalk, mince, and set aside.
Lay two 10-inch sheets of aluminum foil, shiny side down, on a work surface. Spray each sheet lightly with non-stick pray. With hands lightly dusted with flour, divide the dough in half, shape each half into a ball, and place one in the center of each piece of foil.
Beginning in the center of the ball and working your way to the edges, use your fingertips and palms to gently press the dough into a circle about 8 1/2 inches in diameter, leaving a slightly raised 1/4-inch wide rim. Brush the entire surface of each very lightly with the Rosemary-Garlic Olive Oil; you will likely have some left over. Lift each piece of foil one at a time, crust and all, holding it taught, and place on one of the baking stones. Bake for 2 minutes. Remove the stones from the oven and divide the onion-apple topping between the two crusts, spreading evenly to the rims. Divide the Cheese Spread between the pizzas, dotting the top of each with teaspoon-size dollops. Sprinkle each with half of the minced rosemary. Return the stones to the oven and cook the pizzas for 9-11 minutes or until the crust is golden and the topping is bubbly, switching the position of the stones halfway through if pizzas seem to be cooking unevenly. Remove the stones from the oven and slide the pizzas, one at a time, onto a cutting board. Drizzle each pizza with 1 tablespoon of the remaining Apple Cider Vinegar and cut each into 8 wedges. Serve immediately garnished with fresh rosemary sprigs.
Note: this pizza reheats beautifully on a pizza stone in a preheated 3350 degree oven for 10 minutes.
Sorry about the indelicate topic folks, but it’s important on many levels. And since we’re all foodies here, and the pre-colonoscopy diet causes many folks high anxiety–me among them–I wanted to share 3 Tips and some other incidental information.
If you are 50 and have no history of colon cancer in your family, it’s time. If you’re not yet 50 and have a family history of the disease–or any other reason to be concerned–then it’s past time.
So, alas, with my “big” birthday last May, and a “staff day” today at school, I scheduled the appointment for 8 a.m. this morning because I hate to leave my students with substitute teachers, however good they may be. Though doctors probably have different protocols, especially in countries outside the U.S., mine requires a clear liquid diet fast for 24 hours in advance.
Ever try finding more than 1 gram of vegan protein per serving on a clear liquid diet? Well, I don’t think you can. Veggie broths are right about 1 gram. Too late, it did occur to me that miso, at 2 grams of soy protein per serving, might have been acceptable. But I would ask your doctor.
As a vegan with low blood sugar–controlled by the optimum ratio of protein, carb and fat, I was really concerned about making it through the day at school without all of the hypoglycemic symptoms. When I called my doctor, the nurse recommended Iso Pure , a protein drink in a rainbow of clear colors. Turns out that it’s great for vegetarians but its whey-based protein makes it off-limits for vegans.
So, Tip #1: on the day before the procedure, rise early enough to eat or drink a high protein breakfast before the clocks strikes the 24-hour prior mark. I recommend drinking that meal for reasons that will become obvious to you later. My beverage of choice was a venti Green Tea Soy Frappuccino–hold the classic syrup and whip, of course–yesterday morning.
For both lunch and dinner, if you can call it that, I drank warm veggie broth with plain hot tea in the afternoon. At school, I dissolved faux chicken bouillon cubes in hot water for lunch. Mmm… But dinner was more satisfying, so here is Tip #2: the day before, I boiled 4 ounces of Udon noodles in 2 quarts of water plus 8 of those bouillon cubes. When I drained the noodles, I reserved the broth, cooling it, and then storing it in an airtight container in the fridge. The added starch and fat in the broth made that a much more satisfying “meal.”
Now for the truly fun and indelicate part. First, whatever you do, don’t get online and start reading about other people’s experience of “the cleanse.” That will do nothing but contribute to your rising anxiety or, in my case, rising panic. My doctor’s protocol began at 5 p.m. the day before. At the appointed hour, I had to take 4, count them, 4, Dulcolax tablets with 2 to 3 glasses of liquid. I decided to take them with my liquid dinner, as I knew I was about to have to drink more than was entirely comfortable.
Immediately after that, I had to drink 4 cup (32 ounces) of a clear liquid–Gatorade was recommended–with a half of a bottle of Miralax dissolved in it! But, guess what? My cocktail was actually quite delicious and here’s why. Tip #3: the nurse had advised really chilling the mixture. I can’t stand Gatorade on a good day, so I chose Healthy Balance apple juice which I chilled the day before. After I mixed in the powdered solution, which is about the same texture as superfine sugar, I poured it over ice. I think I’ll serve it at my next party! Not. But, truly, it wasn’t only “not bad”–and I had been warned by lots of friends that it is “nasty”–but it was actually tasty and satisfying. Maybe it helped that I hadn’t eaten all day.
Then I went ahead and mixed up the other 32 ounces of apple juice and half bottle of “the stuff” as I would be rising at 3 a.m.–5 hours before the procedure–to drink it. I didn’t try it hot which might have been more satisfying on a chilly fall morning. But, as it was, I sat in bed with my dogs piled around me and read the December issue of VegNews. It was quite pleasant.
Now, what follows both of those large doses isn’t the most fun, but only because it prevents a good night’s sleep. Yet, I definitely wouldn’t want to have scheduled my appointment for later in the day and be trying to conduct normal activities. And besides, I don’t know about any of the rest of you about my age, but sleeping through the night is not something I do anyway. I’d say it’s been 8 years since I did that, though part of that was probably starting my new career as a teacher, not to mention adopting the first of our Great Danes who has slept with us from Day 1.
Well, it’s about time for my husband to drive me to the doctor’s office–note that you are required to have a driver take you home after the procedure because of the sedation (something else I’m not thrilled about, as I’m a bit needle phobic). But everyone says that the prep is the worst part…and it wasn’t half bad! I hope my 3 Tips will ensure smooth sailing on your end–sorry, I couldn’t resist–when the time comes.
…
Oh, and for the record, I’ve now been home since about 10:30 or so this morning, the procedure is a piece of (vegan) cake. Seriously. “Conscious sedation” for me meant “lights out.” I don’t remember anything until I woke up in the recovery area, and I certainly didn’t feel a thing except next-to-nothing when the nurse inserted the IV, twice as it turns out, as I was dehydrated and she couldn’t get what she needed. Honestly that was the part I dreaded the most and it was a non-event. I do remember one embarrassing thing I said and they hadn’t even started drugs through the IV yet because they wanted me to meet the doctor. When he came in to chat and shook my hand, I instantly liked him and he was so handsome. So before I knew it, I was saying to him, “Oh gosh, I wish you weren’t so cute.” He laughed, blushed a little, and looked at his nurse saying, “I think that’s a compliment.”
So if your time has come or will soon come, relax. But don’t plan a big lunch afterwards. Everyone said I would be starving. I wasn’t; instead I was ever-so-slightly nauseated, but just for a minute or so when I got home and was moving around a little too much. I took one anti-nausea pill provided by the doctor which did the trick, and then I fell asleep for a nice long while.
A big thank you is in order to Isa and all the good folks who are the driving force behind Vegan MoFo. Thank you so much for continuing to feed this fire and for making it so easy, not to mention gratifying, for all of us vegan bloggers and many, many readers to participate. What a beautiful thing.
Though MoFo officially ends today, I will still be here offering new recipes several times a week to Blooming Platter readers and subscribers. So I invite you to subscribe if you haven’t already. It’s now easier than ever and you can do it via email, no rss feed necessary. Just look over at the top of the right-hand sidebar and follow the simple prompts.
This version features a split pumpkin biscuit.
And now a sweet for the sweet, but, not so sweet that you couldn’t serve this warming dish for a fall breakfast or brunch, which is how I first enjoyed it.
I grew up loving my mother’s biscuit-style Strawberry Shortcake which, incidentally, she would sometimes allow my sister and me to enjoy for breakfast. So, my fall version of this treat is based on a sweetened pumpkin biscuit.
And it’s topped with a quick and spicy apple and walnut saute. Your kitchen will be perfumed with some of the best fragrances of fall.
Yield: 4 Servings
Note: the following is the Herbed Biscuit recipe from my new Blooming Platter vegan cookbook without the herbs, but with the addition of dehydrated pumpkin powder and a little natural sugar. Just click here to order the dehydrated pumpkin from Barry Farm. I am partial to it rather than pumpkin puree, as it adds lots of flavor and golden color, but no additional un-needed nor unwanted moisture which requires additional flour and, hence, a heavy biscuit. However, if you have a vegan pumpkin biscuit recipe you like, feel free to substitute. Just add about 2 tablespoons of natural sugar to a cup of flour.
My special biscuit method requires freezing the vegan butter and shortening, so don’t forget to pop it in the freezer the night before you plan to make them. And I highly encourage taking the tiny bit of extra time to employ my modified french puff pastry folding method. You won’t believe how buttery and flaky the two together will make your biscuit-shortcakes.
This version features an unsplit pumpkin biscuit.
Pumpkin Shortcakes
Note: this recipe makes about 10 biscuit-shortcakes, more than you need, but they are delicious plain and reheat nicely, so I predict you’ll be glad to have them on hand.
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 cup plain or unsweetened soy milk
1 1/2 cups self-rising flour (or 1 1/2 cups all purpose or white whole wheat flour + 1 tablespoon baking powder)
3/4 teaspoon baking powder (add only if using the self-rising flour)
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice (or your own mix of ground cinnamon, clove and nutmeg to taste)
1/4 cup natural sugar
4 tablespoons frozen vegetable shortening
4 tablespoons frozen vegan butter + 2 tablespoons refrigerated vegan butter (I like Earth Balance)
Warm Spiced Apple Filling (recipe below)
About 1/4 cup of your favorite vegan whipped topping, sweetened cashew cream, or even vegan sour cream and a sprinkle of ground cinnamon
1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. In a small bowl, whisk the vinegar into the soy milk and set aside. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder (3/4 teaspoon if using the self-rising flour and 1 tablespoon if using all purpose or white whole wheat), pumpkin powder, pumpkin pie spice, and natural sugar, and stir with a fork to combine. Make a well in the center. Spray your box grater very lightly with nonstick spray for easier clean up and then grate the frozen shortening and frozen vegan butter into the well. Whisk the soy milk mixture and add it to the well.
2. Incorporate the wet into the dry ingredients by stirring with a fork so that the warmth of your hands doesn’t melt the shortening and butter. Place the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in a 9-inch square pan and place it in the oven to melt the butter. Remove the pan as soon as the butter has melted.
3. On a lightly floured work surface, pat or roll the dough to about 1-inch thick (1/4-inch thicker than for my biscuits). Fold it like a business letter: fold one side two-thirds of the way across and fold the remaining 1/3 back across. Pat or gently roll the dough out to a 1-inch thickness again, turn it a quarter turn and repeat about 4 more times. Do this fairly quickly so that the dough doesn’t warm up.
4. Lightly flour the work surface as necessary. The last time you pa the dough to a 1-inch, cut out biscuits wih a 2-inch biscuit, cookie cutter or drinking glass. Place each biscuit in the prepared pan and flip to coat both sides with melted butter. Bake the biscuits for about 15 minutes or until golden brown. While biscuits bake, make filling (recipe below).
5. When cool enough to handle, either place a biscuit on each of 4 plates; top with 1/4th of the Warm Spiced Apple Filling; garnish each serving with a tablespoon of vegan whipped topping, sweetened cashew cream, or vegan sour cream and a light dusting of ground cinnamon; and serve warm. Or, split the biscuits and place 1/8th of the filling inside and another 1/8th of the filling on top, garnish, and serve. Save the remaining 6 biscuits in an airtight container for another use.
Warm Spiced Apple Filling
1 tablespoon vegan butter (I like Earth Balance)
1/4 cup + 2 teaspoons chopped walnuts
2 medium apples (I like our local Winesaps), cut into 1/4-inch dice
1/4 cup natural sugar
1/4 cup ground cinnamon or to taste
1/4 cup ground ginger or to taste
1/8 teaspoon ground clove or to taste
1 tablespoon maple syrup
In a large cast iron skillet over medium-high heat, melt butter. Add walnuts and toast, stirring frequently for about 3 minutes or until lightly toasted. Remove nuts to a paper towel-lined saucer. Add apple, natural sugar, and spices. Saute for about 3 minutes or until apples soften. Add maple syrup and cook another minute or two until apples are very tender. Add all but 1 tablespoon of walnuts, stir, and heat through. Remove from heat and use as directed above.
Quick-Fix Vegan is an all-new companion volume to the award-winning Quick-Fix Vegetarian.
With 25 years of professional culinary experience and food writing under her apron strings—and almost as many cookbooks!–best-selling author, Robin Robertson, here serves up 150 recipes, each with its own introduction. Short and sweet–not to mention savory–these recipes are fast (all can be prepared in 30 minutes or less), full of flavor, and largely made with fresh ingredients quickly combined with pantry and fridge staples.
I hadn’t made it past the “Starters and Snacks” before I knew what I will make first: Moroccan Pumpkin Hummus. I am wild about the flavors of Morocco and, in fact, chose that flavorful cuisine for my “big” birthday dinner last May. Plus I am an utter fool for pumpkin anything. And, hummus? Well, it is just about the perfect food. And, in Robin’s inspired hands, it becomes even more so.
I’ve always loved fusion cuisine in which one dish is presented in the guise of another, and Robin shares one after another enticing example in this cookbook which draws its inspiration from, quite literally, a world of flavors. I hadn’t even made it out of the “Starters” before I had found the second recipe I want to try: Jerk-Spiced Kale Chips.
Never odd, but often surprising, Robin’s flavor combinations are both interesting and appealing, like these chips or, say, her avocado sauce for pasta. Recipe after recipe will have you asking, “Why didn’t I think of that?”
So, if, like me, you love fresh takes on old faves, then you will find much to love in this book well beyond the Starters. Eight more chapters of recipes, each with its own index and introduction, make the most time consuming and difficult task narrowing down the options. Fun food—take “Snowballs in Hell,” for example–and bold flavors–like “Burmese Ginger Salad”–are hallmarks of this very readable cookbook. But, if you’re more into basics, you won’t be disappointed. Recipes like Zucchini Frittata, Skillet Lasagna, Cream of Mushroom Soup, and Mac and Cheezeburger Bake fit that bill.
In addition to the expected chapters of starters, soups, sandwiches, salads, sauces/condiments, and desserts, main dishes are conveniently divided into ones you make stove top, ones you bake, and pasta because we all know the latter is a food group unto itself. At the beginning of the book, the “Getting Started” chapter is practicality personified with time-saving strategies, a description of the Quick-Fix Pantry, complete with lists, Ingredient Shortcuts, tips for planning ahead and using leftovers, and oh-so-much more.
Though the only full-color photographs in this book are on the front and back covers, Robin’s vivid, but succinct writing paints a vibrant picture of each dish, of the vegan kitchen, and, indeed, of the vegan lifestyle itself.
Here’s a tasty twist on tradition for your Thanksgiving table: a spicy slaw made from Brussels sprouts inspired by an almost comical-looking stalk of this misunderstood vegetable at the farmer’s market. The spicy notes are courtesy of a hint of jalapeno and a light and lively vinaigrette made from the favorite fall flavor of maple kicked up with mustard and given depth with the incorporation of savory-sweet allspice. It’s also delicious with my “Pulled” Spaghetti Squash BBQ.
For 150+ savory, spicy and sweet seasonal recipes, I invite you to peruse The Blooming Platter Cookbook: A Harvest of Seasonal Vegan Recipes.
