Epicurvegan

Photos from a vegan test kitchen...

2008-06-14T21:04:00.008-07:00

Experiments in bowls full of yummy goodness that I'm hoping will lead to recipes for my cookzine... As for the cookies (see the poll at right), the winner will be posted this week. Thanks to everyone who voted!

Now feast your peepers on these. Any takers?

Cookie countdown

2008-06-09T20:37:00.002-07:00

The response to the cookie poll has been great! Every day the Earl Grey Tea Cookies and Lime Meltaways have been only one vote apart. There are only 22 hours left to get your two bites in, and then...

Carrot Cake Cookies: The takedown of Martha Stewart has begun!

2008-05-27T18:08:00.012-07:00

While this recipe is fantastic, it really has far too much sugar in it, which seems to be the case with quite a few of Martha Stewart's cookie recipes. To cut down on the sugar coma factor of these Carrot Cake Cookies, try cutting down the amount of granulated sugar to 1/2 cup or eliminating it entirely and using just the 1 cup of brown sugar that is called for. The same goes for the cream cheese frosting. It is way too sweet and could definitely benefit from using just half the amount of icing sugar called for. Using half the amount of sugar will also ensure that your cream cheese frosting doesn't get too soft at room temperature, which mine did.

I also think the frosting could benefit from a 1/2 tsp. of lemon extract. Trust me on this one. I worked at Cinnabon/Cinzeo in my youth. I know what they put in their cinnamon buns and frosting.

For those of you who have Martha's new Cookies cookbook or are thinking of buying it, this is just a little FYI regarding a typo in the directions of the original recipe. The list of ingredients calls for a little extra flour to be set aside for "flattening" the cookies. The directions never mention this as a step. I didn't flatten my cookies simply because my first batch out of the out of the oven was perfect. The picture that accompanies the recipe in the book shows cookies that are a little flatter than mine were. However, I still would not flatten these cookies, as a hot spot in my oven showed me that flattening the cookies would have resulted in larger pancakes than some of mine turned out as!

Cookie Ingredients
(modified from Martha Stewart's Cookies: The Very Best Treats to Bake and Share, 2008)

1 cup (2 sticks) Earth Balance Natural Buttery Sticks, coarsely chopped*
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup granulated cane sugar
2 flax eggs (2 tbsp finely ground flax seeds + 6 tbsp water, whisked until thickened)
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 cups whole wheat flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. ground ginger
2 cups. whole oats
1 1/2 cups finely grated carrots (excess moisture squeezed out)*
1 cup raisins

Cream Cheese Frosting Ingredients

1-8oz. container Tofutti plain vegan cream cheese
1/2 cup (1 stick) Earth Balance Natural Buttery Sticks
1 cup. organic icing sugar
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

Cookie Directions

* Note: It is very important that only the Earth Balance Natural Butter Sticks be used in this recipe. If you can't find this brand where you live, be sure to use a vegan margarine that will stay firm at room temperature. The Earth Balance Natural Margarine in the yellow tub will not do, because it will be too soft and will cause your cookies to spread too much while baking in the oven. I have experienced many a cookie disaster using the tub margarine because it is simply not solid enough for baking with cookies.
Also, be sure to squeeze as much moisture out of the grated carrots as you can (and don't throw the juice away -- drink it!). Not taking this extra step this will result in a cookie dough that has too much moisture. Just like not using the right margarine, this excess moisture will result in cookies that spread too much when baking. When measuring the grated carrots, be sure to "fluff" them up with your fingers -- the squeezing out of the moisture will have compacted it and throw off your measurement.

1. In a large bowl, combine the granulated cane sugar and brown sugar (or just the brown sugar) and the 1 cup of coarsely chopped buttery sticks. Using an electric mixer, beat the mixture on high until fluffy, about 4 minutes. Add in the flax eggs and vanilla and beat the mixture on medium speed until completely combined.

2. In another bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt. When the mixture is thoroughly combined, add it to the sugar/butter mixture in 1/2 cup parts, mixing with a wooden spoon until just blended. Once all the flour has been added, mix in the oats, carrots, and raisins. Chill the cookie dough in the fridge for 1 hour, or until firm.

3. Once the dough has finished chilling, preheat your oven to 350 F. Using a tablespoon measure (or a very small ice cream scoop equivalent to a tablespoon), shape the dough into round balls and place on the prepared sheets about 2" apart.

4. Bake the cookies in the oven until lightly browned on the bottom, 12 to 15 minutes. Be sure to rotate the cookie sheets in the oven half way through the baking time. Also make sure that your cookie sheets are adequately greased before each new visit in the oven to ensure your cookies don't stick to the sheets.When done, remove the sheets from the oven and let sit for 5 minutes before transferring cookies to a cooling rack.

5. When ready to eat the cookies, spread about 2 tsp. of cream cheese frosting onto the flat side of one cookie, then sandwich with the flat side of another cookie. Voila! You'll have a cookie that may just start a riot!

Cream Cheese Frosting Directions

1. Using a rubber or silicon spatula, in a bowl cream the cream cheese until it is smooth. Add in the butter in batches and continue to cream the mixture with the spatula until it is completely blended and smooth. Add in the icing sugar, continuing to cream the mixture until it is combined. Add in the vanilla extract (and lemon extract, if you read my recipe prologue and want to use it). Stir the mixture until the extract(s) is combined.

2. If not frosting your cookies right away, refrigerate the frosting until ready to use.

Self-propelling my way to foodie greatness

2008-05-25T09:43:00.005-07:00

It's been another long absence from here I'd not intended. But so many things have happened in the last month and a bit, and many of my days have left me with little time or desire to spend yet more time on the computer. That said, time spent plunking away on my laptop is about to increase five-fold and I am certain not to regret a bit of it.

Starting this past month, I had my first ever food article appear amongst the glorious pages of Momentum Magazine, complete with my own photos! And very recently I was offered the fantastic opportunity to be the magazine's food editor. I am absolutely thrilled to bits about it, and am quite pleased to a part of such a fantastic publication. The magazine, which "reflects the lives of people who ride bikes....[and] provides urban cyclists with the inspiration, information and resources to help them fully enjoy their riding experience and connect with their local and global cycling communities," is distributed across North America. If you'd like to check it out for yourself, check out this distribution page to see where you can get your copy.

As for my personal forays into cooking in the last while, I have begun a bit of a love affair with rice bowls that I hope to make a major part of the food zine I am planning (still no ETA, but I am slowly getting along with it). I do have pictures to post, which I will get to eventually.

I have also successfully veganized the Carrot Cake cookie recipe from Martha Stewart's new Cookies cookbook (and I shall post it here soon). Packed with 175 recipes, my goal is to veganize every single one of the cookies (and some squares) in the cookbook. My boyfriend was wonderful enough to buy me the book last week, contingent on my making him the Carrot Cake cookies and designating him the chief tester of all the cookies I make. Although I have no idea what Martha's views on veganism are, in the spirit of Hezbollah Tofu I am taking the highest of all domestic divas down by making every single one of her cookies vegan. It may take me a while, with many an unwitting friend and coworker scarfing them down, but that is one frond of fennel I intend to have in my cap!

Sourdough lovin'

2008-04-15T10:06:00.006-07:00

These days it seems like the vegan blog world is a flame with sourdough posts. Perhaps it is because it's spring and that's when folk feel creativity urging them along. After all, it is the season when new things are born. After being inspired by Kittee's injera experiment last year, I finally got around to making my own sourdough starter last week. I haven't done a day-by-day posting on the happenings in my starter jar, simply because it looks the same every single day. It's been bubbly and stinky since day two, and that's about it. I owe my happy starter to using freshly squeezed orange juice instead of water in the first few days. I also used whole wheat flour, which apparently is not always the best to use in starting out with making a starter. But I've had fantastic results. I got the inspiration for the orange juice from The Fresh Loaf while looking for some direction on how to begin. Today is day 7, and I think there's a little while yet to go before I am sure it's ready to use. I think the weekend will have me doin' some bakin'! Yay!

Here's a low-down on the last few days:

Day 2 (picture above)

From the get-go, the starter has been pretty happy. It's bubbly and has a slight beer smell. And I think there may be a wee bit of hooch floating there on top...

Day 3 (picture above)
Still the same. Lotsa bubbles and a bit more of a beer smell. The starter got quite bubbly again just an hour after I fed it. I keep peeking at it as if something different is going to happen and I don't want to miss it. I did notice that overnight into day 4 the starter seemed to rise and then fall. I guess this is a good thing.

Day 4
Time to stop adding the orange juice. I'm supposed to remove a 1/4 cup of the starter, discard the rest and then feed it with plain water and flour. Seems like a waste of starter to me! But I'll follow the directions...

Day 5
The starter looks happy, but I messed up when I fed it. I didn't take out the 1/4 cup of starter and discard the remainder before I fed it. I just added the 1/2 cup each of water and flour. There's a bit of water on top of the starter and it still rose back to the top after I mixed it back in. I hope I didn't ruin it!

Day 6
It's not dead yet. There's still some bubbles. I'll add a few tablespoons of flour to soak up the excess water and then leave it alone for another day. And cross my fingers.

Day 7
It's alive! It's alive! And stinky! It's starting to smell like sourdough. And there's a heck of a lot of bubbles, not to mention actual starter. My boo-boo ended up in me having twice the amount of starter. Now I have two jars of starter. It was a shame to take out the 1/4 cup and toss the rest, and there was enough of it to divide it in two and have two starters going at the same time. Oooh! The possibilities!

Relief!

2008-04-12T19:10:00.003-07:00

The other day I somehow deleted all the passwords I'd saved in Firefox, including the password to this blog. For some reason, I wasn't able to recover them either through Firefox or Google. But I figured it out! And I am immensely relieved, because I thought that I may never be able to access this blog again. Yikes!

Anyway, I have been busy in the last few days. Feast your peepers on these lovelies:

I really thought that it would be a shame to hide the delicate flavour of these ravioli with a sauce, so I simply drizzled them with some extra virgin olive oil and a little freshly ground black pepper. I think this is the best way to really enjoy fresh pasta. If you wanted to use a sauce, perhaps a light roasted red pepper or tomato sauce, like a marinara, would be good so that the flavour of the sauce doesn't overwhelm the pasta.

As an aside, it hasn't escaped me that these ravioli look just like sunny-side up eggs!

Hand-made Roasted Yam Ravioli with Thyme

1 pkg. Chinese wonton or dumpling wrappers
1 1/2 cups roasted yams, cooled, skins removed and mashed
1/2-1 tbsp. finely chopped fresh thyme
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. garlic powder

Directions

In a medium bowl, mash the yam until there are no lumps. Add the thyme, salt, pepper and garlic powder and mix well.

Taking one wonton/dumpling wrapper, place the wrapper on a dry surface and in the middle of the wrapper place 1 tsp. of the mashed yam. Then, with you fingers or a pastry brush, pat some water all around the exposed dough. Don't use too much water because that will make the dough soggy. But you want to be sure to use enough to make sure there are no gaps between the layers of dough and you create a good seal all around the pasta. Carefully place a second piece of wrapper over top, matching up the edges of the dough and taking care to leave part of the wrapper open to let out air that is trapped between the layers.

Using a dry finger, trace the area around the filling to nudge out any air. When you have made sure there is no air trapped in around the filling, seal the ravioli. By doing this, you will make sure there is a good seal around the filling and that the ravioli don't open up in the water and let out their filling when you cook them.

Next, take a cookie cutter and place it over the ravioli, centering the filling in the middle of the cutter. Press down firmly. Remove the cutter and carefully remove the excess dough from around the ravioli. Transfer the ravioli to a rack to sit until you are ready to cook them. If not cooking them right away, place them on a non-stick cookie sheet in the freezer for up to 30 minutes and then transfer to an air-tight container or freezer bag.

When ready to cook, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Turn down the heat so the water is gently boiling. Add several ravioli to the water at a time for two minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon to drain the excess water and add the ravioli to whatever sauce you may be using to keep warm and to keep the ravioli from sticking together.

Makes 3-4 servings
(or 36 ravioli, depending on how many wonton/dumpling wrappers you have).

One of my reasons for being vegan

2008-04-08T21:07:00.004-07:00

Okay, so this isn't a food post. This is my baby Branwen. Well, she's not actually a baby; she's rather elderly at a ripe 12 years old. She weighs all of 18 grams and could fit into a chicken egg with room to spare. Not much more than a bunch of feathers with a beak, she's nicknamed "Shark" by the vet for her wicked way of biting you with the tip of her beak. She'll give you a piece of her mind any time and has a variety of pitches and tones in her "meep" to let you know, even though "meep" is the only word in her vocabulary. But she's the sweetest little thing you'll ever meet. She takes baths like she was a fish in another life and turns into a fluffy pancake with squinty eyes if you whisper softly to her. She's not an vegetarian by any means -- she downs her meal worms like it's a lost art. But she's awesome. And she's one of the reasons I am vegan.

Exciting things are a stirring...

2008-04-07T11:28:00.004-07:00

I have just finished writing and photographing vegan recipes for an article that will be appearing in the May/June 2008 issue of Momentum Magazine, a sweet Vancouver publication for self-propelled people distributed across North America. While I can't post anything from my article on here just yet, I will be sure to post a link to the article once the magazine is out. You can check out this page on Momentum's website to see where you can get your copy. I am hoping that this opportunity will lead to more yummy food articles, and some features and news articles about food too. Super exciting! (well, I'm really excited). It's a nice way to be able to show that vegan food can be good and open up people's minds about it. The article makes no mention of the recipes being vegan or even vegetarian. But that is, I think, the key to changing people's misconceptions about veganism. What I mean is, I find people are much more receptive to veganism when they have stomachs full of delicious food. Food, really, is the key to almost anyone's heart.

Also, I have begun accumulating recipes for my upcoming cookzine. This idea has been just floating in and out of my mind for almost a year now, but I really want to get this going just because it would be fun to do. I don't even have an ETA for it yet or even a name (though "Epicurvegan" has a nice ring to it). But I do have a small list of recipes that I am building upon by looking for yummy and not too complicated (for the most part) recipes that are not run of the mill. Great vegan dessert recipes are easy to find, and while I mean to include some of those in my zine I always find myself looking for non-dessert recipes that present food in a different way. The kind of food that appeals to me is the kind that, if it were a person, would be some sort of grand imposter that would fool even the staunchest pessimist. For instance, one of the best "imposters" I have come across in recent weeks is this divine Alfredo recipe originally posted in the PPK forums, which I found over at Don't Get Mad, Get Vegan! (copied from her blog and my changes added). It's pretty much the best vegan Alfredo I think I'll ever try, and it's definitely a recipe that will be added to my repertoire of staple recipes:

Vegan Alfredo Sauce

1/2c Earth Balance
2 cups unsweetened soymilk, with 3 tbsp set aside for the arrowroot powder
1 package Mori-Nu silken extra firm tofu
1-2 tsp apple cider vinegar (because I never have wine in the house...)
2 tbsp onion powder
2-3 tsp garlic powder
1-2 tsp sea salt
1-2 tsp black pepper (to taste)
pinch of nutmeg
1/2 cup Red Star nutritional yeast
2 tbsp arrowroot or cornstarch powder, dissolved in the 3 tbsp reserved soy milk

Combine all of the ingredients, except for the dissolved arrowroot powder, in a blender and mix on high until throughly combined. Transfer to a saucepan and bring to a low boil over medium heat. Whisk in arrowroot mixture and reduce heat to medium-low, whisking constantly to ensure no lumps form. Serve warm.

Note: If you have any leftover sauce, you may need to thin it with a little soy milk when reheating it.

Comfort food with a twist

2008-04-02T09:27:00.004-07:00

This past Christmas, I gave my mom several zines I'd bought from Jae Steele, author of the upcoming Get it Ripe cookbook, whom I'd had the fortune to meet a couple of times at the Canzine fair in Toronto. After trying out a recipe from one of the zines (I'll post the title when I remember it), my mom insisted I had to try this apple crumble with cashew cream. As simple as it is, it's also very rich and very addictive. There are any number of crumble recipes to be had, but this one beats any I can remember having eaten. Even Jae says of the recipe, "I've never tasted an apple crumble better than the one my mum makes." And the cashew cream is amazing. You could use it to top other desserts or even warm breakfast cereals like quinoa or oatmeal.

Apple Crumble
(modified from Jae Steele's zine)

Filling

5 large apples, peeled with cores removed and sliced
1 tbsp. brown sugar
2 tbsp. whole grain flour
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Topping

1/3 cup canola oil
2/3 cup whole or rolled oats
1/2 cup whole grain flour
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. sea salt

Directions

Pre-heat the oven to 350 F.

In a small dish, combine the sugar, flour and cinnamon. Place the apples in a large bowl and sprinkle with the with the flour mixture, tossing to thoroughly coat the apples. Transfer the apples to a 9"x9" baking dish.

In another bowl, combine the dry ingredients for the topping and mix thoroughly until combined. Add the canola oil and rub the mixture with your fingers until it takes on a grainy, large breadcrumb-like consistency. With a spoon, spread the topping over the apples. Place the baking dish in the oven and bake the apple crumble for 40-45 minutes. Test with the tip of a knife for doneness by piercing the fruit. Set the dish aside and let cool for 10-15 minutes. Serve the crumble warm topped with a dollop of cashew cream.

Cashew Cream

1 cup raw cashews, placed in a bowl and covered with water to soak for 4 hours
2 tbsp. agave nectar or other liquid sweetener
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/8 tsp. sea salt

After the 4 hours for soaking the cashews is up, drain the soaking water off the cashews. Place the cashews in a blended with the remainder of the ingredients and blend the mixture on high until well combined and the cream is smooth (about 1 1/2 - 2 minutes). If the cream is too thick, add a tbsp. of water at a time and reblend between additions. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Note: According to Jae, this cream may be frozen for future use in other recipes.

The peeps are representin'

2008-03-19T14:20:00.005-07:00

As I was searching for a gumbo recipe to veganize, I found something quite unlikely: Moby in a series of cooking video clips on Epicurious. For those of you who are not famillar with Moby, he is a vegan recording artist and restauranteur extraordinaire (he co-owns the Teany restaurant in New York city) known for his electronic music that has been licenced out for use in many a TV ad.

Last year, the Conde Nast publication Bon Appetit (Conde Nast is the same company that owns Epicurious) made a move toward publishing more vegan recipes, and this was news because Bon Appetit has long been known as being very much a meat-oriented publication. Seeing clips of Moby on the Epicurious website was quite a funny thing because it wasn't something I expected to stumble across on that particular website. That said, I think it is also an intriguing move that has me wondering what the people behind Epicurious are thinking. The journalist in me wonders if it's a marketing move designed to appeal to a wider audience of consumers, or if it is a move toward genuine recognition of the importance and healthiness of a plant-based diet. The clips include a segment on "Vegan Philosophy and Lifestyle", which I really think could have been done much better -- it really missed the mark on the joys of vegan food. But whatever Epicurious' motives may be, check out the clips and, if you have a moment, drop the folks at Epicurious line and let 'em know what you think:

Moby Does Epicurious

Do I taste a cookzine?...

2008-03-19T13:00:00.008-07:00

Just when I have loads of time on my hands to do absolutely anything I want, I do nothing. Normally I am looking for any lengthy amount of free time for the opportunity to bake up a storm. For a while now I've been wanting to wake up at the crack of dawn and bake away to fill up the freezer for those "rainy" days when I don't want to cook. Somehow, I can't get my act together. That's not to say that I haven't been doing anything with food.

Recently I whipped up a bunch of goodies for a housewarming good friends of mine held on International Women's Day. What better way to celebrate women than to offer people delish vegan food that also celebrates animals and says no to their exploitation? Since gluten, wheat and nuts were no-nos, I managed to create some quite impressive offerings using a rice flour mixture that turned out to be way more workable and moist than I ever imagined rice could be. In fact, they turned out so good I am thinking of doing some more tinkering with recipes to create a bunch of wheat- and gluten-free munchies to include in a cookzine. Here's a sampling of a few things that were enjoyed:

Gluten-free Soft Ginger Snaps

These ginger snaps were oh so slightly chewy on the outside and very soft and light on the inside. I was so amazed with them (I've never baked with rice flour before) all I could do was gawk at them, much to the bemusement of my boyfriend. I think that anyone who's ever eaten commercial rice-based baked goods knows some of them can be quite dry and bland. Not these babies! With rising wheat prices and with the success of these cookies, I think a switch to rice-based flour is definitely in order. It'll be easier on the tummy too!

Gluten-free Raspberry Chocolate Chunk Blondies

Where on earth these squares got their moisture I don't know. Adapted from a VwaV recipe, they were almost too moist. A little on the heavy side (I think there was a little too much dough) but they were definitely rich and tasty. And I never knew rice flour would get such a lovely golden brown colour. The raspberry filling, which really would have been better as a seedless jam, definitely needs to be doubled. Also, parchment paper would have made getting them out of the pan much easier.

I am really interested in creating a vegan cookzine (for a small price) that includes recipes that are not necessarily run of the mill. For instance, hummus is great, but I really don't need yet anther recipe for it. If you are interested in something like this, give me a quick shout by leaving a comment. Simply say "yea"or "nay", or give me some feedback on a recipe you'd like to see veganized, made wheat- or gluten-free, or feel free to make any other suggestions. If I can get it together to get a zine out, I'd very much like to donate 100% of the profits to an animal sanctuary, like the Peaceful Prairie Sanctuary.

Ahhh! Comfort!

2008-02-28T18:55:00.005-08:00

I've never been much for scones. They weren't something that got my yah-yahs going. That is, until I got Colleen Patrick-Goudreau's Joy of Vegan Baking. Then I tried these scones. They are definitely comfort food, and not too much sugar to boot. I use blackstrap molasses just because I like the richer, stronger flavour it has, but these would be just fine with any molasses, even treacle (which is pretty much like blackstrap molasses). I also used whole wheat flour because I don't like to buy white flour if I can help myself (sourdough is another matter entirely). They're heavenly for brekkie, dessert or any time you feel munchie -- even with nothing on them. The original recipe calls for a glaze on top, but they're just fine without it. I like them so much that I've even eaten two of them in one day!

Gingerbread Scones
(modified from The Joy of Vegan Baking)

1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
3/4 cup whole oats
1/3 cup lightly packed Demerara sugar
2 tsp. ground ginger
1 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. salt
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/2 cup vegan margarine
1/3 cup raisins
1/2 cup non-dairy milk (don't use rice milk -- it won't thicken into a "buttermilk")
1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
2 1/2 tbsp. blackstrap molasses
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions

Preheat your oven to 400F. Lightly coat a baking sheet with a little margarine and set aside.

In a large bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients and mix well. Cut in the butter with a pastry blender, a fork or your hands and combine until you have a breadcrumb-like consistency (if using your hands, be careful not to make a paste!). Stir in the raisins.

In a large measuring cup, combine the non-dairy milk and vinegar. Let the mixture sit for several minutes until thickened, then add the molasses and vanilla. Mix until just combined.

Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and combine until just mixed. This is important -- don't over mix or you'll end up with a soupy dough. Add a little more flour a bit at a time if you find the dough is too wet (my experience each time I've made this recipe is that the dough is always too wet, but wait to see if the same thing happens to you, then add more flour if necessary).

Lightly flour a work surface. Gather together the dough and place on the work surface, patting out the dough into a disk until about an inch (1") thick. Cut the disk into 8 pieces and place the scones on the baking sheet a little bit apart from each other.

Bake the scones for 15-20 minutes, or until the bottoms have lightly browned. Remove the scones from the oven when an inserted toothpick comes out of center of the scones clean. Let cool on a wire rack until they are cool enough to handle -- then eat them up!

Makes 8 scones (or more, depending on how you cut them)

I ain't got nuthin'

2008-02-26T18:39:00.009-08:00

Alrighty. I am feeling lazy and I'm not even sure I want cook, much less eat, which is weird for me. But here's some "food" for thought (from Kamutflake Girl's blog):

1. If you have to choose between locally grown or organic, which do you usually choose?
Some foods I refuse to buy non-organic, but I LOVE to peruse the local farmer's markets for the fresher, sometimes different produce. I always buy strawberries and grapes organic, and I try to buy potatoes and tomatoes organic, though I find it very hard to buy bell peppers, organic or not, when just one costs $2.50!

2. Favourite way to prepare potatoes:
Smashed. Preferably with stuff in them. And lotsa garlic.

3. Do you press your tofu before preparing/cooking it (if you eat soy)?
Not usually, because I am too impatient.

4. Name your favorite recipe that is a tradition in your family:
Whipped shortbread, though I am having some problems veganizing our recipe.

5. Any food allergies?
Eggplant :(

6. When you want to go to a fancy dinner, where do you go?
Bo Kong (Buddhist) Vegetarian Restaurant, in Vancouver. I don't do fancy. I do food.

7. When you have a cold, what do you crave?
Everything. I never loose my appetite when I have a cold. Mind you, I get a cold once every decade. I usually get whammied by the flu once a year or so, but I still have a roaring appetite.

8. What kind of water do you drink? (Filtered, spring, tap, etc.)
Filtered tap water, in a glass or in my stainless steel Kleen Kanteen. Plastic anything where drinks are concerned freaks me out.

9. Name a flavor of soda you'd love to see:
I don't drink pop at all. But a combination of mango, coconut and lime would be a nice one.

10. If the recipes you ate as a child were compiled into a cookbook, what would the title be?
How Not to Be Vegan, and Other Omni Stories

11. If you were allowed to grow one food that can't grow in your climate, what would it be?
Just one?!? Probably pineapple.

12. Favorite type of mushroom?
Errr, mushrooms and I have an odd relationship. I try not to look too hard at them and they let me eat them. They weird me out, especially the gills on portobellos. But if I must, it's the creminis. The flavour is so creamy and lovely.

13. Most frustrating part of your kitchen?
Lack of counter space.

14. Last food you burned?
Latkes. I just can't make 'em no matter what I do.

15. Usual response to a veg*n's favorite question, "But where do you get your protein?":
Oh for Pete's sake! I tell people I get it from everything I eat and they're dubious about that. I just turn it around on them and say, "Well, I know where I get my protein, but where do you get yours?"

16. If you were baking your own birthday cake today, what flavor would it be?
Oh, the possibilities! Since I have a yen for coffee at the moment, I'd like a nice tiramisu cake. Ask me again in a hour, and it'll be something else.

17. Favourite brand of chocolate chips?
Don't have one, though I try to buy free trade chocolate chips when I do. And jumbo chips are the best!

18. You have $200 of your tax return reserved for Williams Sonoma - What do you buy?
Gadgets! I really want a mandoline, and a spiral slicer would be nice.

19. Do you plan your menus in advance? Any tips to share?
I try to sit down and pick a bunch of recipes for the week ahead that make enough food for lunches the day after we've had them for dinner. Other than that, I don't do much planning. Some of my best dinners have been made on the fly trying to use up whatever is hanging around.

20. You have 3 minutes before you have to leave the house and you're starving - What do you eat?
A peanut/cashew butter and jam sandwich. Preferably with strawberry jam.

21. If Martha Stewart, Paula Deen, and Rachel Ray got into a fight, who would win and how?
Who cares? If it's at Martha's place, I'd be more concerned about sneaking into her kitchen and making off with the appliances!

22. If you eat oatmeal, what do you add to it before serving?
Oatmeal does nothing for me, so I usually don't eat it unless I want to be starving in an hour. I opt for a hot quinoa cereal boiled with apple juice or non-dairy milk, raisins and lots of cinnamon.

23. If you got to travel to one country and learn all the traditional dishes there, where would you go (ignore commitments in your current place of residence)?
Ethiopia.

24. Favourite late night snack?
I don't get the whole midnight snack thing. I've never been a late night eater; I'm too concerned with sleeping.

25. Favourite springtime food?
Mangoes! The Ataulfo kind that start out yellow and look like little kidneys.

26. Favorite food-related magazine?
Anything I can veganize and say "Nyah, nyah! Mine's better than yours!"

27. Which do you prefer: shoyu, tamari, conventional soy sauce, or Bragg's Aminos?
All of them. They all lend different tastes to different dishes, and some sauces are more suited to some dishes than others, like thick Chinese soy sauces.

28. What vegetable or fruit do you dislike the most?
Asparagus! Ewww! Yuck! Phhttttt!

29. Name a holiday food you look forward to all year long:
Heck, why wait for the holiday? If I want something, I'll make it.

30. If you could convert anyone to veganism with your magic wand, who would you convert?
I once could have answered that, but now I can't because I'm not looking to "convert" people. I just want them to enjoy better food. Hence this blog.

Breaking the Raw Barrier

2008-02-25T20:26:00.007-08:00

"Raw! Raw! Raw!" was all I could say the moment my lips got a load of this:

Salsa Finta and Cashew Polpetta
(click on the title for the link to this recipe on The Raw Chef blog)

Now, I like my food cooked and I will never give up a nice toasty gingerbread scone. But this dish was something to behold. The combination of flavours was so unexpected and mouthwatering that even my boyfriend -- normally very suspicious of anything raw -- polished off his plate. Once he had a taste of it he said, "Congratulations, Honey. You just broke the raw food barrier." Coming from him, the greens-phobe that he is, that's like the Oscar of compliments.

Nestled atop a bed of baby greens, zucchini "spaghetti" is topped with salsa finta and cashew polpetta, which would make a fantastic raw cannelloni filling. I made my polpetta with cashews instead of almonds since almonds are an allergy no-no in my house. I also didn't combine the salsa and polpetta, as was called for in the recipe, because the polpetta had such an amazing flavour it was a shame to change it. I was so excited about posting this picture and the link to Russel James' phenomenal recipe I wondered what I could do to get any of you to make this dish short of climbing to the peak of the nearest mountain and singing my foolish heart out about this recipe. But the picture does it justice. Just try it. I promise you won't be disappointed. And make sure you get Roma tomatoes with good flavour for the salsa finta. If you can afford organic, go for it -- it'll make this dish that much more of a heart breaker.

And if that wasn't enough food porn for you, check out this stunner:

Wilted Kale Salad with a Creamy Chipoltle Dressing
(click on the title for the link to this recipe on The Raw Chef blog)

Every bit of this salad is raw, even though the kale looks like it's been boiled or steamed. The secret? Salt and a massage! With a weakness for anything chipoltle, I just had to make this salad, if not to see how the heck you could get kale to look like that and be raw. Well, after eating this very filling but oh so satisfying salad, I'm brimming with ideas on all the different ways to eat one of my favourite greens and never cook it again! If you're a sucker for kale, this recipe will really float your boat!

A work in progress

2008-02-23T08:43:00.003-08:00

For Valentine's Day, my boyfriend and I went to Vancouver's Foundation Lounge, a resto that's an interesting mishmash of retro 50s, hippie and rap/hip-hop with a generous dash of "if you don't like it, we don't care" attitude. The menu itself seems to have a Che Guevara and Rage Against the Machine flair with some very funky but good food combinations. If you're ever in town, I highly recommend you give it a go. The line to get in may be long, the food may take a while and the servers may occasionally forget part of your order, but it's definitely a place not to miss for it's interesting atmosphere and delish mostly vegan food.

While we were there, we had a fantastic dip of smoothly pureed spiced yam with flatbread, a warm broccoli satay salad with candied peanuts, another broccoli dish called the "OPPP" (I'll get to that in a moment) and a vegan version of a very deadly pie: the French Canadian/Acadian "Tart au Sucre". A French Canadian friend of mine said the vegan version couldn't hold a candle to the original from Quebec, a recipe which is said to be as old as the dominion of Canada. I disagree, however, as the Foundation's incredibly decadent vegan version uses what I think is a caramelized combination of coconut milk, maple syrup and perhaps brown sugar, and that's about it. Served with sliced bananas or strawberries and drizzled with maple syrup, the 1/4 pie slice you get is delicious but more than enough to put you into a sugar coma.

Now, we were definitely down wit' the the Foundation's OPPP, which I guess could mean "Other people's peanut pasta", but I could be very wrong about the meaning of that name. The combination of somewhat phallic looking rotini pasta with large "bushy"-looking florets of broccoil slathered in a creamy peanut pesto definitely brings to mind both the melody of the 1991 Naughty by Nature song and what the Foundation staff must have been thinking when they named this dish. Besides the highly suggestive connotations here, the dish was good enough to start me on my next mini food obsession -- broccoli. I attempted to recreate the dish at home with okay results. In the spinach pesto, I used a combination of toasted cashews and pine nuts. I didn't have peanuts, but I should have gotten them -- they would have added a much better taste and maybe more creaminess, which my version of the pesto was lacking. I also added firm tofu cut into small triangles to the mix. The dish probably would have also been better with some caramelized onions. It's a great way to get your greens, and it is definitely a work in progress since a creamy mess of pasta and broccoli definitely seems to me a meal worthy of default dinner status. Here's a picture of it -- perhaps it'll inspire you to create your own OPPP:

A gingery cinnamon obsession

2008-02-21T19:56:00.005-08:00

Sometimes I go on jags where I crave an ingredient or flavour and want to eat it in everything. At one time it was chickpeas, then basil, dates, broccoli, sesame seeds, and at the moment it is combinations of ginger and cinnamon. Gingerbread cake with lemon sauce, soft ginger snaps, candied ginger, fresh ginger juice, gingerbread scones, cinnamon-spiked smoothies, cinnamon bun-like waffles...The recipe below is a slight adaptation of the Waffles I recipe in Colleen Patrick-Goudreau's phenomenal The Joy of Vegan Baking. But one tip for anyone using a Belgian waffle maker: even if it is a non-stick waffle maker, use a cooking spray or a little melted margarine brushed on with a silicone basting brush -- it'll save you the headache of your waffles sticking to the waffle irons like mine did at first. Here's a picture of the lovelies I made for dinner the other night (not the best picture, but you definitely get the point):

Cinnamon Bun Belgian Waffles

3 tbsp ground flaxseed
1/2 cup water
6 tbsp melted vegan margarine
(plus a little extra melted margarine for oiling the waffle irons, or use cooking spray)
1 1/2 cups non-dairy milk
1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1 tbsp brown sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/3 cup raisins
a pinch of salt

Directions

Using either a blender or food processor, blend together the flaxseed and water on high for about two minutes until the mixture is frothy. Add in the melted margarine and non-dairy milk and combine for one more minute. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the remainder of the ingredients and mix until well combined. Add in the flaxseed mixture and mix the batter until just combined. Spray the preheated waffle iron lightly with cooking spray, or lightly coat with a little melted vegan margarine. Depending on the size of your waffle maker, spoon 1/3 cup (or the amount suggested by the manufacturer's directions) onto the waffle iron. With a spatula, spread out the batter on the iron until 1/4"away from the grids. Close the lid and bake the waffles until golden brown. Keep your waffles warm in the oven on a cookie sheet on low heat until ready to serve. Top with Brown Sugar Cinnamon Butter and agave nectar or maple syrup.

Makes 10 or more waffles, depending on the size of your waffle maker.

Brown Sugar Cinnamon Butter

1/4 cup vegan margarine (I like the whipped Earth Balance for it's lighter texture)
1 tbsp packed brown sugar
1 rounded tsp ground cinnamon

Directions

In a small bowl, combine the ingredients and mix with a spatula until well combined. Transfer the "butter" to a small custard or creme brulee dish. If the butter is too soft, store the dish in the fridge for a few minutes until firm. (Note: this would also be great on toast, warm muffins or a slice of your favourite sweet loaf).

Foiled again!

2008-02-20T21:05:00.005-08:00

Well, I do have yummy pictures and a recipe or two to post -- how does brown sugar cinnamon "butter" sound, dripping over divine almost cinnamon bun-like waffles? Alas, my camera batteries are AWOL and my boyfriend's camera doesn't want to give up my photos. So the pictures will have to wait. I also created a rather simple but mouthwatering quinoa chickpea pilaf of sorts that I was too quick to gobble up before I took a photo. But here is the recipe, sans photo:

Quinoa Chickpea Pilaf

1 cup dried quinoa, cooked with a veggie boullion or stock
1 (generous) cup cooked or canned chickpeas
1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes, diced into bit-size chunks
(if using dried sun-dried tomatoes, soak them in a little boiling water to soften first, then drain and pat dry with a paper towel)
4 scallions, white parts and some green, thinly sliced
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
3 tbsp. balsamic vinegar
3 tbsp. olive oil
salt to taste (optional)

Directions

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the first 5 ingredients and mix until just combined. If you would like this to be a warm pilaf, cook the quinoa just prior to mixing the ingredients. Whisk together the vinegar and oil and pour over the pilaf, mixing to coat thoroughly. Taste and add a pinch of salt, if necessary.

Makes 4 side servings.

And in while I try to coax the camera to give me my photos, check out this mouthwatering raw vegan food blog: The Raw Chef Blog. While I am pretty sure I'd never be able be more than 50% raw in my diet, this guy makes raw look good enough to make me more than just a little interested in trying my hand at it...

Where to start?...

2008-02-16T21:20:00.007-08:00

Here's what's been behind my absence of the last several months:

- Decided to get rid of an entire household of furniture in one weekend
- Shipped off all my belongings via snail mail in more than 20 boxes
- Turned my life upside down to move across a country in two weeks
- Fly 5,873 miles from Toronto to Vancouver
- Live out of suitcases and boxes yet again
- Find a new job
- Find a place to live
- Start a whole new life

I also have not been able to use my Mac to log into the Net in the last three months, so I've not been able to update anything (my mom's PC didn't wanna share the Net connection with my Mac)!

Now I'm home, somewhat settled and hungry. And there are plenty of delectable new posts to come starting with vegan waffles and my new Belgian waffle maker tomorrow morning! Yay!

A little of this, a little of that

2007-10-27T08:36:00.001-07:00

After a few weeks of constantly forgetting to make the starter before I went to bed at night, I finally made these lovely English muffin morsels - thanks to this recipe from the Urban Vegan. While these English muffins were better than anything I've ever bought in a store, they also had a texture reminiscent of pancakes and not as much of a sour taste as I would have liked. They also lacked the "nooks and crannies" I expected. That said, they were excellent in every way and didn't last more than two days in my house. Next time I will let my starter sit for at least 15 hours, if not longer, and toss in a bit of baking soda in with the baking powder.

Even Better than Veganaise

2007-10-25T14:38:00.001-07:00

I love Veganaise so much I could eat it out of the jar with a spoon, never mind putting it in or on anything. Here in Toronto, it usually costs between $5 and $7 per jar, which is more than enough to stop me from picking it up off the shelf no matter how much I want it. While sleuthing for a carrot-ginger salad dressing one day, I happened upon a recipe for vegan mayonnaise that didn't use tofu - just soy milk and oil with some seasonings. Curious to know how this could work without tofu, I made a batch. It was so damn good I'll never buy Veganaise again! Give it a try - it's every bit as creamy and delicious as Veganaise, and a few dollars cheaper, too. Just try not to go gonzo on it since it's still got as much fat as any other mayo.

Damn Good Vegan Mayonnaise
(adapted from The Candle Cafe Cookbook)

1 cup soy milk (make sure it is plain and unsweetened, if possible)
2 1/4 cups safflower or canola oil
1 1/2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1/4 -1/2 tsp dry mustard
1 tsp to 1 tbsp agave nectar
Dash of hot sauce (optional)
2 tsp sea salt
1 small clove finely minced garlic
Freshly ground black pepper

Directions

With a blender, measure the soy milk and pour it into the blender jug. Turn on the blender and slowly drizzle in the oil until it is fully combined and the mixture creamy. Add the remaining ingredients and mix until just combined. If you find that the mixture is not as thick as you would like it, blend it on high for a few seconds until it reaches the consistency you want. Taste and adjust seasonings to your preference. Transfer to a container and refrigerate for up to one week.

Makes about 2 1/2 cups.

I used to like the fall...

2007-10-20T07:11:00.000-07:00

With moving house, cleaning, a bout of mild flu, long days of overtime and daily tension headaches from craziness at work, I have had little desire to do anything at all when I come home at night. The weekends as of late have been spent doing almost nothing so as to recuperate from the week before. I used to like the fall, but nowadays it seems like life is far too busy and the days pass by in a blur. My mom has asked me many times, "When did life get so complicated?" I never wholly understood what she meant until now. But when life gets complicated, I want to cook homey, comforting meals. So here are a few of the things I have managed to churn out of my kitchen in the last few weeks (recipes to follow, when I am not too tired to post them):

Hoppin' John with Kale - using veggie ham slices and kale instead of collard greens, this layered dish from the November/December issue of Vegetarian Times was much better than I thought it would be. And it made for mighty fine lunch leftovers.

Roasted Cauliflower with Kamut Penne - Like carrots and broccoli, cauliflower is a veggie I get bored with because it seems to always appear the same way: boiled or steamed. I jumped on this recipe, also from the November/December issue of Vegetarian Times, because roasted cauliflower is not something I've tried before. The results were amazing, and several days later I am still craving the medley of lemon zest, chili flakes, parsley and cauliflower. To go with the dish, I created a "parmesean" cheese from cashews, ground sesame seeds and sea salt that was quite tasty on top of the pasta.

Savory Lentils with Arborio Rice - Intending to make one dish and creating quite another was what happened when I modified this recipe to the point it became a risotto and not a warm salad, which is what the original recipe was. With the addition of vegetable stock, mustard seeds and toasted pistachios, this accident of a dish is one I will definitely be keeping on hand - it was super yummy and fill my whole apartment with an amazing smell.

Vegan Semolina Halwa with Medjool Dates - When I was attending university, I used to buy lunch from a Hare Krishna monk who would cook a buffet-style vegetarian lunch and bring it to the school every week, accepting only donations for his food. Included with the lunch was a sweet semolina desert he referred to as halva. As I had only ever eaten Greek-style halva, I was for some time confused about why he called it halva. Craving it, I recently set out to look for a recipe only to find that several regions of Europe and Asia - the Mediterranean, Turkey and India, for instance - have different versions of a dish commonly referred to as halva or halwa. The Indian version of the dish is the one I was after. The traditional recipe is far too sweet and fatty, calling for 1/2 cup each of sugar and ghee (clarified cow's milk butter). I have cut the amount of sugar down to a 1/4 (and it could be reduced further or agave nectar could be substituted) and reduced the vegan margarine down to 3 tbsp. The fat is essential to keeping the dessert from becoming a solid clump of wheat grits (aka semolina). It is a simple, comforting dish that can be altered in a variety of ways by adding different dried fruits, nuts and flavourings. In this version, I used medjool dates, but fresh chunks of banana would also be very nice.

Moving House

2007-09-30T07:31:00.000-07:00

In addition to the rest of the craziness in my life this week, I'll be moving today and tomorrow, which means no Internet access for a few days. I hope to be back soon with lots of yummy photos and recipes to share, particularly these lovely vegan English muffins from the Urban Vegan.

Have a good week everyone!

What a Week...

2007-09-27T14:57:00.000-07:00

Life has been super crazy this week, so I have not been able to cook as much as I have wanted to. But I did have a chance to make one of my favourite dishes, Idiyappam. A quick Google search of Idiyappam - which supposedly comes from Kerala, India - yields quite a few ideas about what this dish is made of. Sweet or savory, breakfast or dinner, it mostly seems to be a dish made for breakfast with coconut and ghee. My recipe is a savory one using tofu instead of the boiled eggs sometimes that are used. The unusual sauce, along with the onions and cashews, makes it a different dish well worth trying.

Idiyappam
(adapted from The Essential Rice Cookbook)

225 g (7oz) rice sticks or dried rice vermicelli
1 cup whole cashews
1 medium onion, sliced paper thin
1/2 pkg extra firm tofu, cut into 1/4" cubes
1 bell pepper, sliced into very thin strips
1 cup shelled frozen green peas
6 tbsp ketchup
3 tbsp soy sauce
1 1/2 tsp curry powder
Oil, for frying (optional if you are using a non-stick skillet)

Directions

Fill a large pot halfway with water and let come to a boil. While you are waiting for the water to boil, in a medium skillet heat a little oil over medium heat and add the onion, cooking for 5 minutes, or until soft (don't fry the onions crisp). Add the bell pepper and peas and cook another 5 minutes, or until the bell pepper is soft and the peas warmed through. Remove the vegetable mixture from the skillet, placing aside in a bowl.

Return the skillet to the stove top and heat a little more oil over medium-high heat. Add the tofu, making sure it is thoroughly coated with the oil so that it doesn't stick to the skillet. Saute the tofu until it is golden and crisp (about 6 minutes), making sure to move it about the skillet so that all the sides of the tofu are crispy. Add the cashews and saute another 2 minutes, stirring the mixture several times so that the cashews don't burn. Remove the skillet from the heat and add back in the vegetable mixture.

In a measuring cup, combine the ketchup, soy sauce and curry powder and mix thoroughly. Pour the mixture over the mixture in the skillet and stir until just combined.

When the pot of water has come to a boil, remove it from the heat and add in the vermicelli. Let the noodles soak for no more than 1-1 1/2 minutes (otherwise, they will become too soft and disintegrate when you mix them with the rest of the ingredients). Quickly drain the noodles in a colander and immediately transfer to the skillet (if you let the noodles sit for a length of time, they'll stick together and be hard to work with). Mix all the ingredients until just combined.

Makes 3-4 servings.

Note: I added chili sauce to my noodles because I like heat to my food sometimes, but this really masks the flavour of the sauce in the Idiyappam. So try it first before you add any hot sauce.

C'est Magnifique!

2007-09-24T14:16:00.000-07:00

Spicy Seitan "Wings"
(adapted from this PPK seitan recipe and Katie's Tempeh Wingz over at Don't Eat Off the Sidewalk. Go to Don't Eat Off the Sidewalk to buy Katie's recipe zine and get more mouthwatering recipes like her fabulous Tempeh Wingz)

Seitan

1 1/2 cups vital wheat gluten flour
1/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes
1 cup no-salt vegetable broth (a mushroom stock works very nicely)
1/3 cup soy sauce
(try to use low sodium or Braggs to cut down on the salt)
2 tsp onion granules or powder
2 cloves garlic, pressed or finely minced
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Olive oil or non-stick spray, for frying

Batter

1/3 cup non-dairy milk
1/3 cup flour
1 tsp thyme
1 tsp paprika
fresh ground pepper, to taste
2/3 cup panko (Japanese breadcrumbs)

"Wings" Sauce

4 1/2 tbsp margarine
2 1/2 tbsp hot sauce
(chilpotle hot sauce lends a really nice flavour if you can find it)
5 tbsp ketchup
2 1/2 tbsp agave nectar

Directions

In a large bowl, mix together vital wheat gluten flour and nutritional yeast flakes. In a large glass measuring cup (2-cup measure), mix together the remaining ingredients. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and combine with a wooden spoon, kneading the dough with the spoon for about 3 minutes until a spongy, elastic dough is formed. Let dough rest for a couple of minutes.

Prepare a large pot of water and place on high heat to bring to a boil. In a skillet over medium-high heat, heat a little olive oil or cooking spray. Take your dough and divide it into 14 roughly equal pieces, shaping them into oval-ish patties. Taking a few at a time, place the patties into the skillet and fry lightly on each side, about 1 minute per side (they should have a nice golden-brown colour). Remove and place on a plate while cooking the remainder of the patties.

When all of the patties have been cooked and the water in your pot has come to a rolling boil, carefully place the patties into the water, taking care not to burn yourself. Boil the patties for about two minutes. When they have finished boiling, remove them from the water with a slotted spoon and place on a clean tea towel to drain. Let the patties cool until they are handleable.

Preheat your oven to 400 F.

Combine the flour, pepper, thyme and paprika. Mix well. Set up an assembly line for making the "wings" using one bowl each to hold your non-dairy milk, flour mixture and panko. Prepared a lightly greased baking sheet to bake the "wings" on.

Taking a seitan patty, dip it in the milk and then coat in the flour. Dip it again in the milk before thoroughly coating it in the panko and placing it on the baking sheet. Repeat with the rest of the patties until they are all coated with the batter and breadcrumbs. Bake the "wings" in the oven for ten minutes. After ten minutes, remove the pan from the oven, flip the "wings" over, and bake them for ten more minutes.

While you are waiting for the "wings" to finish baking, combine the sauce ingredients in a small saucepan and heat until combined (you don't need to bring this to a boil - it just needs to be warm enough for eating).

When the "wings" have finished cooking, remove them from the oven. Using tongs, dip each "wing" into the sauce, thoroughly coating it. Serve immediately.

(Note: these make great leftovers for lunch!)

Makes 14 pieces, or 4-5 servings.

Zesty Bread Salad

1/2 crusty whole grain French baguette, cut into small 1/2" cubes or torn into bite-size pieces
4 small tomatoes, cut into large chunks
2 tbsp capers
Zest of one lemon, grated
Juice of one lemon
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
salt, to taste
freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Directions

In a large bowl, combine the bread, tomatoes and capers. In a measuring cup, combine the zest, wet ingredients and salt and pepper. Whisk together and pour over the bread mixture, tossing the salad several times to thoroughly coat the bread and tomatoes.

(Note: This also makes good lunch leftovers and doesn't get at all soggy).

Makes 4 generous servings.

Where have you been all my life?...

2007-09-23T07:28:00.000-07:00

Growing up, my mom would always get after me for not following recipes exactly. Even now I find I can almost never follow a recipe word-for-word, which is a very good thing in the case of this latest creation. Taking my inspiration from Emmie at Veg Bitch and using locally grown Victory plums and yellow nectarines, I made a plum and nectarine galette. I think that in my entire life I have eaten fresh plums twice, and they were the red kind usually found in grocery stores. Not much of a fan until now, I'm wondering where these lovelies have been all my life? The addition of toasted and finely ground pecans to the dough gave an already fabulous crust a slight crispiness and richness. This alone made my skeptical boyfriend want seconds before he was done his first slice.

Plum and Nectarine Galette

Crust

1 and 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
3 tbsp sugar
1/2 cup plus 4 tbsp vegan margarine
2 tbsp cold water
1/3 cup toasted pecans, finely ground in a food processor

Filling

2 cups ripe plums, seeded and cut into slices
2 cups ripe nectarines, seeded and cut into slices
3 and 1/2 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp flour
2 tsp cinnamon

Directions

Preheat the oven to just a few degrees below 400F. In a medium bowl, combine the flour and sugar and cut in the margarine with a fork or pastry cutter until it looks like a pea-sized coarse meal. Add in the water and mix with hands until the mixture forms a ball of dough. Do not over knead - just mix the dough until it is combined. Line a cookie sheet or pizza pan with tin foil or parchment paper and lightly greased with a bit of margarine. Pat the dough out into a circle and transfer it to the sheet, rolling it out into a large circle of about 1/5" thickness. Let the dough rest while you prepare your filling (don't refrigerate it - it will make the dough too brittle when you need to fold it over the filling).

Cut the plums and nectarines in half and deseed them. The easiest way to do this is with a knife follow the cleavage line of the fruit from the stem section and cut all around. Gently twist the halves apart. You may have to use the knife to carefully cut around the side with the pit to coax it out of the fruit. Combine the fruit in a mixing bowl with the cinnamon, sugar and flour and turn gently with a spoon to combine the ingredients.

Pile the fruit mixture in the centre of the dough. Gently gather the sides up and over the filling. You may or may not end up with a few cracks around the edges of the galette. Not to worry - simply pinch the dough together or patch it up with a pit of extra dough from the top of the galette. The edges will be rough and will not cover the entire top of the galette, and they're not supposed to. You may have some of the juice from the filling run out, but this is supposed to be a rustic sort of pie and a little juice will likely come out of little seams anyway.

Place the sheet with the galette in the oven for about 40 minutes, keeping an eye open to make sure it doesn't burn. When it is done, remove the galette from the oven and let sit for 15-20 minutes before serving.