August 26, 2011August 27, 2011 by betsy

A Flood of Storm Preparedness Tips and Recipes in Vegan Unplugged

I hope this recommendation isn’t too late for those of you who, like us in Southeastern, VA, are staring down Hurricane Irene. However, this book is good to have on hand year-round for all kinds of disasters.

Vegan Unplugged is a manual/cookbook, written by Jon Robertson, with recipes by his wife, well-known vegan cookbook author, Robin. It is an indispensable resource for folks who want to eat well when the lights go out!

There are loads of indispensable general tips in addition to meat- and dairy-free gourmet “pantry cuisine” recipes based on the ingenious “Five Day Meal Box” complete with a shopping list and a photo of how to pack it all in.

With this handy, helpful and very readable guide, you can treat yourself to upscale dining when the power lines are down!

Be safe!

August 25, 2011August 25, 2011 by betsy

My Friends and I Ate Like (Vegan) Field Hands at Founding Farmers in D.C.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA — Vegan "Fish" and Chips at Founding Fathers Restaurant in D.C.

What’s better than introducing two of your nearest and dearest?

Nothing, unless it’s introducing them over a fabulous lunch at the hip and eco-sensitive restaurant, Founding Farmers!

In the middle of July, Allison Price, a close friend from my time in Nashville some 20+ years ago, spent a week here in VA Beach. In the middle of the week, she and I headed to D.C. for an overnighter.

Our visit included lunch with Sonya Harmon, another close friend from some 10+ years ago when we worked together at the Contemporary Art Center of VA, followed by the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden and the National Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden.

Sonya now lives in the D.C. area and generously took the afternoon off from work so that she could join Allison and I for lunch and a little museum-going. Both of these gifted gals coincidentally now work as editors and feel they’ve known each other for a long time. Our lunch destination was Sonya’s spot-on recommendation. Another coincidence: Joe and I and another couple with whom we spent New Year’s Eve in D.C. had tried to get into Founding Fathers for brunch on New Year’s Day, but it was too crowded.

I am patting myself on the back for trying it again, as I enjoyed one of the most satisfying restaurant meals in recent memory. Granted, the company was tops, which added to the experience immeasurably, but the restaurant was beautiful and comfortable in an eco-chic way, the service friendly and professional, and the food outstanding. I splurged on the vegan “Fish” and Chips from their vegan menu and, for the record, I did NOT eat all of the chips and fries!

But I devoured the fried tofu “fish” and wasn’t hungry again until 9 p.m., and then only because our hotel, Hotel Palomar (fabulous!) at 2121 P Street, NW, was next door to a magnificent Moroccan Restaurant called Marrakesh Palace where we dined on soup, chickpeas, and homemade bread spread with this nearly indescribable “pesto” of tomatoes, onions, garlic, celery, carrots, olives and olive oil.

The next morning, Allison and I drove to Baltimore with one destination in mind: the American Visionary Museum. It came highly recommended by Trish and Ken Pfeifer, local collectors of “outsider art” among other genres who make an annual sojourn to the museum, and we weren’t disappointed. In fact, we were thrilled. It was such a refreshing change of pace from the rarefied atmosphere of the “Fragments of Time and Space” temporary exhibition at the Hirshhorn and their too often BS-ridden text panels. A couple of pieces in the exhibition were noteworthy. But too much of it fell in the “Emperor Has No Clothes” category.

Don’t get me wrong: I love contemporary art, worked as a contemporary art museum education director for 11 years, and frequently incorporate it into my studio art classes. But precisely because I find so much of it so deeply meaningful, I cannot abide pseudo-intellectual/academic art or writing about it. Sorry folks: too often the emperor has doffed his drawers!

The American Visionary Museum proved to be a peak artistic and cultural experience, worth enduring the stop-and-go traffic during our 6-hour ride home (which should have taken about 4 1/2). Al and I talked until we were hoarse. In fact, that morning, our eyes and mouths had snapped open simultaneously and we didn’t close them for a good 15 hours!

August 25, 2011August 25, 2011 by betsy

Vegan Fresh Blueberry and Golden Grape Tomato Chutney

When the Condiment Queens recently requested chutney, I hopped to!

My dear friend, Ann, who, thankfully, just had successful open-heart surgery, and her daughter, Dearsley, who is serving as her primary hospital advocate, are self-proclaimed “Condiment Queens.” Though these gals are very self-sufficient, when asked if there was anything I could bring them, they both requested something low-salt and high-flavor to perk up the perfectly competent and imperfectly bland institutional food. I was immediately at their service.

I’m not much of a nurse–I once let my husband sleep through an important timed dose of medication following some orthopedic surgery–but I am only too happy to heed the culinary call. A trip to one of our local farm markets produced gorgeous and succulent blueberries and golden grape tomatoes. Since virtually any produce that grows in the same season is compatible in terms of taste, I knew they would marry harmoniously in this beautiful, flavorful and low-salt chutney. Vinegars, herbs and spices more than compensate for the tiny amount of salt.

If you hurry, at least where we live in southeastern Virgina, this seasonal produce is still yours for the pickin’.

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium-small onion

Pinch of sea salt

2 large cloves garlic, minced

2 cups fresh golden grape tomatoes

2 cups fresh blueberries

1 Anaheim chili pepper, very finely diced

1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

1/4 cup natural sugar

1/4 cup maple syrup

1/2 teaspoon allspice

1/2 teaspoon dried mustard

1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon (or about 1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh)

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

Freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup loosely packed fresh basil chiffonade (stack a few leaves at a time, roll tightly, and slice very thinly into very thin ribbons)

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

In a large cast iron skillet over medium-high, heat the olive oil to shimmering. Add the onion and a pinch of salt and saute, stirring frequently, for about 3 minutes or until the onion is softened. Add the garlic and saute, stirring for about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes and cook, stirring frequently, for about 3-5 minutes or until softened. Add the blueberries and Anaheim pepper, and do the same. Stir in all of the remaining ingredients except the basil and the lemon juice and simmer, stirring occasionally and lowering heat if necessary to prevent sticking, for about 25 minutes or until thick and pulpy. Cooking times will vary depending on the juiciness of the fruit. Mash any whole recalcitrant tomatoes with the back of your wooden spoon until they pop. Stir in the basil and lemon juice and cook, stirring, for one more minute. Remove the pan from the heat and cool the mixture to room temperature before serving. Or, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. For the best flavor, return the chutney to room temperature before serving. It is delicious served over vegan brie or other cheeses as a crostini topping, or served with your favorite vegan protein liked tempeh.

For 150+ additional seasonal recipes not on this website, I invite you to explore The Blooming Platter Cookbook: A Harvest of Seasonal Vegan Recipes.

August 25, 2011August 25, 2011 by betsy

Vegan Fresh Fig-Green Tomato Chutney

What does an English lass request when faced with hospital food? Chutney!

And so my good ex-pat friend’s request fed into my natural desire to exploit the freshest seasonal ingredients sans all but a pinch of salt–she’s a heart patient–playing up their natural flavors instead with vinegars, herbs and spices.

At the farm market, I bought what looked the most succulent and beautiful–fresh figs, green tomatoes, golden grape tomatoes, and blueberries–only deciding how to pair them up once I got home. But here’s a little tip: what grows together in a given season typically tastes quite delicious together, so I couldn’t have gone wrong, and neither can you!

For this chutney, I married the fresh figs with the green tomatoes. So, quickly, before this season’s crop is all gone, whip up a batch of this unforgettable chutney for a last blast of summer freshness.

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium-small onion

Pinch of sea salt

2 large cloves garlic, minced

2 medium green tomatoes, cored, and cut into 1/4-inch dice

3 cups fresh fig halves (mine were very small, like a grape tomato; if yours are larger, quarter)

1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

1/4 cup natural sugar

1/4 cup agave nectar

1/2 teaspoon chipotle chili powder (substitute ancho if chipotle is too hot for your taste)

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano (or about 1 1/2 teaspoons fresh minced)

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

Freshly ground black pepper

1/4 cup loosely packed pineapple sage or sage, preferably Mexican, chiffonade (stack leaves, roll tightly, and slice very thinly into very thin ribbons)

2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice

In a large cast iron skillet over medium-high, heat the olive oil to shimmering. Add the onion and a pinch of salt and saute, stirring frequently, for about 3 minutes or until the onion is softened. Add the garlic and saute, stirring for about 30 seconds. Add the tomato and cook, stirring frequently, for about 3-5 minutes or until softened. Add the figs, and do the same. Stir in all of remaining ingredients except the sage and the lemon juice and simmer, stirring occasionally and lowering heat if necessary, to prevent sticking, for about 25 minutes or until the mixture is thick and pulpy. Cooking times will vary depending on the juiciness of the fruit. Stir in the sage and lemon juice and cook, stirring, for one more minute. Remove the pan from heat and cool the mixture to room temperature before serving. Or, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. For the best flavor, return the chutney to room temperature before serving. It is delicious served over vegan brie or other cheeses as a crostini, or served with your favorite vegan protein liked tempeh.

For 150+ additional seasonal recipes not on this website, I invite you to explore The Blooming Platter Cookbook: A Harvest of Seasonal Vegan Recipes.

August 21, 2011August 21, 2011 by betsy

Vegan Roasted Corn with Spicy Romesco Sauce

Yield: 4 servings as a side dish

So far, I’ve found nothing that isn’t enhanced by my new summer rave: Romesco Sauce!

Though I’ve cooked for as long as I can remember, Romesco Sauce never appealed…something about breadcrumbs in a sauce. Boy, had I been missing out! But all that changed in July when we enjoyed the last of several of my birthday dinners this year–I like to stretch it out–at the amazing Ubuntu in California’s Napa Valley. This veg restaurant deserves its Michelin stars in 2010 and 2011 and then some!

Their bar snack of chick peas enrobed in a delectable Romesco Sauce created a near obsession. Because the sauce recipe I created made a “gracious plenty,” as they say down South, I found several ways to enjoy it. If golden grape tomatoes are still coming in in your area, be sure to try both my Vegan Golden Grape Tomato Tart with Spinach Pesto and Spicy Romesco Sauce and my Vegan Spicy Chickpeas Romesco a la Ubuntu featuring this delectable sauce. And, definitely, before the last of the summer corn is gone, try this recipe which is less a recipe and more of a “procedure” with plenty of flexibility.

4 ears of fresh corn, husks and silk removed (save 4 thin strips of the husks if you like to tie around the “stem” end of the corn as a decorative touch)

1 generous tablespoon of olive oil

5 tablespoons nutritional yeast, divided (optional but recommended)

pinch sea salt

approximately 1/2 cup Romesco Sauce (click on link for recipe)

optional: 4 Romaine lettuce leaves

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Pour olive oil into roasting pan and then roll each ear of corn in the oil, leaving them in the pan. Sprinkle the corn with approximately 2 tablespoon of nutritional yeast, total, and a pinch of salt, turning to coat.

Roast for 20-25 minutes, turning after about 10 minutes, until desired color is achieved; just avoid drying it out. Remove the corn from the oven and, when cool enough to handle, spread each cob with approximately 2 tablespoons of Romesco Sauce and sprinkle with a couple of teaspoons of nutritional yeast. Serve on a lettuce-lined plate if desired. And for a special touch, tie a strip of the reserved husk in a knot or bow around the “stem” end of the cob.

For 150+ additional seasonal recipes not on this website, I invite you to explore The Blooming Platter Cookbook: A Harvest of Seasonal Vegan Recipes.

August 20, 2011 by betsy

Barnes & Noble “Blooming Platter” Book-Signing an SRO/Sell-Out!

Thanks from the bottom of my bloomin’ heart to all who made last Tuesday’s Barnes & Noble Blooming Platter book-signing a standing room only/sell-out!

Marian Atterberry, who handles community relations for Barnes & Noble, VA Beach, was warmly cautious when I approached her initially, but quickly became wholeheartedly enthusiastic, going above and beyond to help insure a successful event.

The local media, who had been beyond generous with coverage when The Blooming Platter Cookbook was launched in May with the “Incredible Edibles” art exhibition and book-signing at Mayer Fine Art in Norfolk, could hardly offer a repeat performance. But they graciously included large photos with their calendar listings which were widely seen and commented on, driving interest ed folks to our event.

This “author event” was billed as a “book-signing and discussion,” but we weren’t sure if there would be enough people for the discussion, figuring that I could just enjoy chatting with people individually as I signed their books. But, before 6, a signing line began forming and I signed steadly for I don’t even know how long, but when I finally looked up, much to my delighted surprise, every seat was filled and kind folks were standing around the edges!

After a very brief introduction, I invited questions from our guests and so began a lively discussion among total strangers, friends, neighbors, colleagues and former colleagues and former students, some with their mothers. I was so gratified to be surrounded by such a cross-section of wonderful folks from our community.

Marian had asked me to bring some vegan products which was a great suggestion, as people who were unfamiliar with them were really glad to see some of the packaging, so they’d recognize it in a store, and learn that most of it came from Kroger! The aroma of nutritional yeast delighted the uninitiated, others were glad to learn of markets that was new to them like the Organic Depot, and still others about Norfolk’s new vegan restaurants: Path and Quenna’s Raw & Vegan. One was in search of fresh fava beans and another in search of information on the vegan diet for hard-core “strong man” fitness enthusiasts, and I ipromised to try to find them the info they sought. It was such a diverse group of interesting and interested people!

Because of health department regulations, we unfortuantely couldn’t offer edible samples to those in attendance, but I did gift Marian and her staff with Peaches-and-Cream Cupcakes with Peach Butter Whip Frosting afterwards. She said they were the best dessert she’d had in a very long time!

Thanks again to all~may your platters bloom in profusion!

August 15, 2011August 15, 2011 by betsy

My Platter Blooms on One Green Planet: Crostini Topped with Creamy Macadamia “Cheese” Spread and Fresh Curried Fig & Golden Grape Tomato Chutney

I’m perfectly thrilled to share a bit of news and, indirectly, a new recipe/photo: just today, One Green Planet published a brand new recipe and short article I created for especially for their readers. What an honor to be included in this “online destination for the ecologically ethical generation”!

Can we get a bright green, “Oh, yeah!”?

Team One Green Planet requires that authors submit original content, so you won’t find this recipe in my cookbook or here on my blog. Instead, please visit One Green Planet to read my piece and explore their site which is packed with information and ideas pertaining to Animals and Nature, Lifestyles, and Science and Technology, in addition to Food and Health.

When you visit, I hope you will join the growing number of kind folks that have already “liked” it and even “Tweet” it.

Cheers!

August 14, 2011August 14, 2011 by betsy

Vegan Peaches-and-Cream Cupcakes/Cake with Peach Butter Whip Frosting

Yield: 12 regular size cupcakes (or a single 8-inch layer; double the recipe to make an 8-inch layer cake)

This cake has quite a provenance. When I baked the vegetarian version in 1997 for my friend Yvette’s birthday, she and her husband, Randy, both sophisticated foodies, pronounced it , “the best cake we’ve ever eaten.”

The next year, another good friend, Sonya Harmon, and I made it for our director at the Contemporary Art Center of VA, Barbara Bloemink’s, wedding. It was a huge hit, as guests weren’t taking dainty slices but hefty slabs.

And, finally, Sonya’s mother, Sandy, entered it in a church baking contest and won top honors. (We suspect the contest is a thinly-veiled excuse for the men of the church to eat lots of scrumptious cakes.) The cake is definitely a winner, but I don’t even remember from whence the original recipe hailed. I want to say Southern Living Magazine.

Why I haven’t made it in over a decade, I can’t imagine. And why I picked now, I’m not sure, except that I was watching “Cupcake Wars,” got excited about slightly out of the ordinary flavors, remembered this cake, and decided it was high time I veganize it. My dairy-free version is at least as good–and I think better–than the original. And, though I made it as cupcakes, feel free to double the recipe and make it as a layer cake.

When I made the vegetarian original, I “cheated” and used a Duncan Hines Moist Deluxe “French Vanilla” cake mix. The main difference between garden-variety “vanilla” and “French vanilla,” is a rich “eggy” taste, as well as a caramel-like depth of flavor with “floral notes.” So, I caramelized the sugar and used a real vanilla bean for this vegan rendition. Wow!

I suppose that making a cake with a dried peach filling at the height of peach season is almost blasphemous, so try it with fresh if you like; you just might need to “tighten up” the filling with a little cornstarch. Regardless of how you decide to fill it, it will quickly become a favorite.

Note: Make and chill the Vegan Chantilly Whipped Cream for the Vegan Peach Butter Whip Frosting the day before you plan to use it.

Vegan French Vanilla Cupcakes/Cake:

1 cup soymilk

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

3/4 cup sugar

2 tablespoons soymilk

1 1/4 cups white whole wheat flour (if you want them to be more delicate, use unbleached all-purpose flour)

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup canola oil

1 vanilla bean, split, and seeds scraped out with the sharp tip of a knife

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

Dried Peach Filling (recipe follows)

Vegan Peach Butter Whip Frosting (recipe follows)

Optional Garnishes: a tiny slice of fresh peach and a mint leaf; a dot of Vegan Chantilly Whipped Cream and a lemon verbena or mint leaf; etc.

In a small bowl, whisk 1 cup of soymilk with vinegar and set aside to curdle. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a regular-size 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake papers. In a large cast iron skillet over medium-high, stir sugar for 2-3 minutes or until it begins to look moist. Add the 2 tablespoons of soymilk and cook, stirring constantly, until creamy, heated through, and slightly more golden in color, about 2 more minutes. Set aside to cool. In a large bowl combine dry ingredients and make a well in the center. Add oil, vanilla bean seeds, and both extracts to the curdled soymilk and pour into the well. Whisk wet and dry ingredients together just until well-combined and no lumps remain. Divide batter evenly among cupcake papers; they should be about 2/3 full. Bake 20-22 minutes or until a pick inserted into the center of one of the cupcakes comes out clean. Remove cupcake tin to a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes. Then remove cupcakes from the tin and allow them to cool completely on the wire rack. When cupcakes are cool, top each with about 1/12 of the filling and frost with 1/12 of the frosting. I like to pipe it on in a spiral using a large star tip. Garnish as desired. If not serving immediately, or if there are leftovers, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Leftovers? What leftovers?

Dried Peach Filling:

1 3/4 cup dried peaches or peach pieces

1 1/2 cups water

1/4 cup natural sugar

2 tablespoons agave nectar or light corn syrup

Combine peaches and water in a 2-quart saucepan and bring to a boil. Cover, remove from the heat, and let stand 30 minutes or until peaches are soft. Add sugar and nectar and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and gently simmer for 15-20 minutes or until most of the liquid has evaporated (not all of the liquid or it will be too stiff). Remove from the heat and process the mixture until smooth. Cool.

Vegan Peach Butter Whip Frosting:

1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons vegan butter, softened

1 pound powdered sugar

1 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/8 teaspoon almond extract

3/4 cup cashew Chantilly Whipped “Cream” (recipe follows)

4 tablespoons peach filling

Beat together at medium speed vegan butter, 1 cup powdered sugar, and vanilla and almond extracts until fluffy. Then add remaining powdered sugar alternately with Chantilly Whipped Cream, beating after each addition to combine well. Add peach puree and beat an addition minute and a half on high speed until the frosting is smooth, very fluffy and holds peaks.

Vegan Chantilly Whipped Cream

2 cups raw cashews, divided

1 1/4-1 1/2 cups water, divided

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons natural sugar or, for a lighter color, granulated or powdered sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a small bowl, combine 1 cup raw cashews and water. Cover, and let sit for 8 hours or over night. (I like to begin the soaking process in the morning so that I can make the Cream in the evening and let it chill overnight before using.) Rinse and drain well. In the bowl of a food processor, combine soaked cashews, cashews, 1/4 cup water, lemon juice, sugar and vanilla. Process until very smooth, thick and creamy. Chill. Reserve remaining Chantilly Whipped Cream in an airtight container in the refrigerator for another purpose.

For 150+ additional seasonal recipes not on this website, I invite you to explore The Blooming Platter Cookbook: A Harvest of Seasonal Vegan Recipes.

August 13, 2011 by betsy

The Blooming Platter Cookbook: August 16 Book-Signing at Barnes & Noble, VA Beach

Amelia, pictured here, may well be the youngest “Blooming Platterist,” and certainly the cutest!

This vivacious gal lives out of state, but her aunt and uncle live in our town. Known to her family, as “Little Chef,” she is visiting here this week, but will go home before the official book-signing next week.

So, tonight my husband and I happen to be hosting the 3rd annual “Happy Birthday Julia Child” potluck dinner party to which her aunt and uncle were invited. They aren’t able to attend because they don’t have a sitter–and it’s an “adult” party or we would welcome Amelia–but “Little Chef” wanted to make an appetizer, bring it by ahead of time, and have me sign her cookbook. How adorable is that?

I can’t wait to meet her and taste her creation!

And I’d love to meet/see you at the official book-signing. Here are all the details:

The Blooming Platter Cookbook: A Harvest of Seasonal Vegan Recipes

Book-signing and Discussion

Barnes & Noble Booksellers

4485 Virginia Beach Blvd, Virginia Beach, VA 23462, 757-671-2331

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

7 -8 p.m.

When the focus is seasonal, the flavor is sensational!

Hope to see you there!

~Betsy D.

August 13, 2011August 13, 2011 by betsy

And The Blooming Platter Winner of American Vegan Kitchen Cookbook Is…

…Babs!

Using www.random.org, Babs’ number came up, literally.

I’ve mentioned this site in relation to other give-aways, but if you aren’t familiar with it, I’d love to tell you about it. You simply go to the site and on the right hand side is a “True Random Number Generator” where you enter the beginning and ending numbers, in this case 1 and 28. I simply assigned a number to each comment, beginning with the first received. Then you click “Generate,” and up pops your randomly generated number. In this case it happened to be #14, right in the middle.

Thanks to ALL of you who entered. You are certainly one healthy comfort food-eating group of folks! I didn’t reply to your comments individually, as that would have added comments and thrown off the random numbering, but I read and appreciate every one.

If you would be so kind, please share my website with all of your like-minded friends. I post new recipes weekly–sometimes daily, especially in the summer–and, of course, offer give-aways from time to time.

Oh, and please remember my cookbook, The Blooming Platter Cookbook: A Harvest of Seasonal Vegan Recipes, as well. Of course, I’d be thrilled for you to purchase it. But times are tough. So, I’d love for you to request it at your local library as well.

Cheers!