Vegan Planet

Pumpkin Cheesecake

2009-11-24T13:58:00.008-05:00

Pumpkin cheesecake is a Thanksgiving tradition in our house, so I make it every year without fail. I like to change up the toppings from year to year, just to keep it interesting.

This year I’m serving it with Cranberry Drizzle, from 1000 Vegan Recipes. For an extra nuance, I’ve also topped it with caramelized pecan halves. The cranberry drizzle is then drizzled onto each slice of cheesecake after plating. By “drizzle,” I mean just spooning about a tablespoon or so per serving onto the slice. That way, there’s just a hint of the sweet-tart cranberry flavor — if you put too much on, it will overpower the pumpkin flavor.

Other toppings we enjoy on pumpkin cheesecake (besides the caramelized pecans and/or cranberry drizzle) are:
- chopped toasted pecans (or other nuts) sprinkled over the entire top or just around the outer edge
- vegan whipped cream (can be flavored with rum extract)
- crystallized ginger (that has been ground to a powder) lightly dusted around the outer edge of the cheesecake
- chocolate curls

Different variations I’ve used on occasion include adding a teaspoon of rum extract to the batter or adding extra spices for a more deeply “spiced” flavor: a combination of ground cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, or cloves are good.

Sometimes, instead of a graham cracker crumb crust, I use crumbs made from vegan gingersnaps or shortbread cookies — or even chocolate cookies. (This time I used shortbread cookie crumbs.) Here's the cheesecake before adding any toppings:

I often get e-mails asking for tips on making cheesecakes, so I thought I’d include some here:

1. Bring cream cheese to room temperature before using. (Use non-hydrogenated vegan cream cheese.)
2. For best results, make your filling in a food processor or use a stand mixer or electric hand mixer, but don’t use a blender because the mixture is too dense to mix properly.
3. For the crust: I usually use about 1 1/2 to 2 cups of crumbs for a 9-inch cheesecake. If you prefer a crisp crust rather than a soft crust, you can prebake the crust for 10 minutes and let cool before adding the filling.
4. When making the crust, add the melted margarine to the crumbs a little at a time — you need just need enough to moisten the crumbs. Usually 1/4 cup of melted margarine is enough, but it depends on the amount of crumbs you use and also how “dry” they are. For example, when I use ground shortbread cookies (instead of graham cracker crumbs) I find that there’s more moisture in the cookies, so I need to use less margarine. Sometimes the crumbs are very dry and I need a little extra margarine.
5. Always grease your springform pan (either with margarine or nonstick cooking spray). Make sure your springform pan is properly closed before using. Place the pan on a baking sheet in the oven to bake.
6. For pumpkin cheesecake, I like to use light brown sugar (which packs tightly into cup). If you’re using a different sugar, you may want to add extra to make it sweet enough.
7. Before scraping the batter into the crust, taste it — you can add a little more spices or sugar if desired.
8. I usually bake cheesecakes for 45 minutes and then leave them in the oven for a few extra minutes to gently continue cooking. A few tiny cracks may appear around the edge. If it overbakes, you may get more cracks.
9. Cool the cheesecake at room temperature for at least an hour, then refrigerate for at least 4 hours. I prefer to bake it the night before to allow for more chilling time.

Here's the cheesecake still in the springform pan:

If you're still looking for ideas for Thanksgiving dinner, be sure to check out my menu and recipes on Vegan.com.

Uttappam and Red Lentil Sambar

2009-11-20T14:20:00.004-05:00

When I lived in Virginia Beach, we used to frequent a wonderful Indian restaurant that featured Southern Indian cooking. The menu was filled with a wide variety of idlis, dosas, and uttappams paired with a luscious vegetable sambar and a sublime coconut chutney. The menu also had a number of fragrant vegetable dishes including an addictively delicious fiery hot cauliflower appetizer that I still dream about. Although it was not a vegan restaurant, Peter, the owner, was vegan, so he was happy to prepare a vegan version of virtually everything on the menu. His kindness didn’t end there, for when I asked him to share some of his delicious recipes with me, he generously obliged, and I’ve included my variations of a few of his recipes in 1000 Vegan Recipes.

One of my favorites is uttappam, a savory Southern Indian pancake that was described on Peter’s menu as “Indian pizza.” As a nod to Peter’s playful menu description, I call my recipe Indian-style Pizza, although there’s really no similarity between them, except to say that both pizza and uttappam are round and delicious.

I developed the recipe from my scribbled notes, and, although it may not be 100% authentic, it’s a very close representation of the original, and it tastes great. It’s made with semolina flour, called sooji, available in Indian markets and gourmet grocers. But if you can’t find sooji, you can use half regular all-purpose flour and half chickpea flour, which will still taste good, but with a slightly different texture. And, of course, you can spice it up with more hot chile or ground coriander, if you like. I prefer a more moderately spiced uttappam, since I like to liberally douse it with a spicy vegetable sambar (or dal) and coconut chutney. For my most recent uttappam craving, however, I served it with a dollop of Pear and Apple Chutney (from 1000 Vegan Recipes), since that’s what I had on hand. (In the photo, the colors almost blend in -- the chutney is in the upper right corner and it was delicious.) Now if only I had some of that spicy cauliflower….

BOOK GIVEAWAY ALERT: Alisa, over at One Frugal Foodie, is giving a way a copy of 1000 Vegan Recipes — hurry over there (after you’re done reading this post, of course!) for your chance to win. The contest closes midnight tonight.

Here’s the recipe for my Indian-Style Pizza from 1000 Vegan Recipes, followed by the recipe for Anshu’s Red Lentil Sambar, from Vegan Fire and Spice.

Indian-Style Pizza
This recipe makes two “personal pan”-size uttappam, enough for a main-dish for two or appetizers for four or more. Recipe is from 1000 Vegan Recipes by Robin Robertson © Wiley & Sons.

1 cup vegan plain yogurt
1 cup semolina flour (sooji)
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/3 cup plus 2 tablespoons water
1 medium carrot, grated
1 hot or mild green chile, seeded and finely minced
1/3 cup minced onion
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon chopped fresh cilantro
1/4 cup finely chopped unsalted cashews
3/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons canola oil

1. Place the yogurt in a medium bowl and warm it in the microwave for 30 seconds. Stir in the flour and mix well to combine.
2. In a small bowl, combine the cornstarch with the 2 tablespoons of water. Blend well, then stir it into the flour mixture, adding the remaining 1/3 cup of water to form a thick batter.
3. Stir in the carrot, chile, onion, the 1/4 cup of cilantro, cashews, coriander, and salt, blending well. Set aside for 20 minutes at room temperature. Preheat the oven to 250 degrees F.
4. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Pour half of the batter into the skillet. Cover and cook until the bottom is lightly browned and the batter is cooked through, about 5 minutes. Be careful not to burn.
5. Carefully slide the uttappam onto a baking sheet or heatproof platter and keep warm in the oven while you cook the second one with the remaining batter.
6. Invert each uttappam onto a dinner plate, sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon cilantro, and serve.

Anshu’s Red Lentil Sambar
This recipe is from Vegan Fire & Spice by Robin Robertson © Vegan Heritage Press. It’s based on a recipe shared with me by my friend Sangeeta’s aunt. Note: Sambar powder is available in Indian markets and online. Serve this flavorful sambar with uttappam or over freshly cooked basmati rice.

1 cup red lentils
3 1/2 cups water
1 tablespoon canola oil
1 teaspoon black mustard seeds
1 onion, finely chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 hot green chiles, seeded and minced
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, drained
2 teaspoons sambar powder
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon curry powder
1 cup finely chopped carrots
1 cup finely chopped cauliflower
1 cup green beans, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 cup finely chopped eggplant
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup chopped cilantro

Combine the lentils and water in a pot and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium, cover, and simmer until soft, 30 minutes. Set aside, do not drain.
Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the mustard seeds. When they begin to pop, add the onion, garlic, chiles, and ginger and cook until softened, 5 minutes. Stir in the tomatoes and cook 2 minutes. Stir in the sambar powder, coriander, cayenne, cumin, salt, and curry powder. Add the carrots, cauliflower, green beans, and eggplant. Cover and cook for 5 minutes to soften. Add the vegetable mixture to the reserved lentils, cover, and simmer until the vegetables are soft, 20 minutes. Add the lemon juice and cilantro and cook 5 minutes longer. (Note: For a “soupier” sambar, you can add more water or a little vegetable broth.)

Tri-Color Rotini with Pesto Bianco

2009-11-16T09:05:00.005-05:00

Can you love a recipe too much? When it’s this yummy pesto bianco, I’d have to say no way! For me, it was love at first bite when I first sampled a “white pesto” in Italy. I developed my own version as soon as I got home. Since then, however, I’ve made the recipe more times than I can count, changing it each time and loving it just as much with each variation.

I’ll begin at the beginning. When I first had it as a primi piatti, the “pesto” consisted of artichokes, garlic, olive oil, pine nuts, and salt, all ground to a paste (that’s where the “pesto” comes in), but with not a leaf of basil in sight (hence the “bianco” or white). The flavor is garlicky like a pesto but with a more sublime, wonderful flavor from the artichokes. I include some soy milk to give it a bit of creaminess and use a combination of pine nuts and cashews (instead of all pine nuts). My original version uses cooked frozen artichoke hearts, but I have since made it with canned artichokes and it tasted fine, so use whatever kind you have on hand. By the way, if you want more of an artichoke flavor to come through, you can add a few extra when you're making the pesto.

I always sprinkle the finished dish with fresh parsley to add color, but you don’t need to stop there. As you can see in the photo, this time I’ve also added pitted kalamata olives and chopped roasted red bell pepper. Other good additions are green peas, pieces of roasted asparagus, or even some chopped artichoke hearts. For a more rustic flavor, you can use walnuts in the pesto instead of cashews and pine nuts. And of course, adding extra garlic is always a good idea.

For a more elegant-looking effect, I’ve also made the pesto in the Vitamix (instead of the food processor) and added a little extra liquid to transform it from a coarse pesto into a smooth and creamy sauce that looks like an Alfredo sauce but packs much more flavor than one.

This is one of those fun recipes that you can play around with to get just the way you like it and so far I’ve liked it every way I’ve tried it. This recipe (and a few others) are featured on Amazon linked from the 1,000 Vegan Recipes page. If you try it, let me know what you think.

Vegetable Treasures

2009-11-11T12:12:00.008-05:00

Since the shopping choices are limited where I live, whenever we travel to DC as we did this past weekend, we always include a stop for groceries in Centreville, Virginia on the drive home, where we visit the Trader Joe’s and a huge Asian market across the street.

I like to think I know my way around a produce department, but every time I go to the Asian market, I find something new and interesting. This time it was tindora, tiny finger-sized squash that look like miniature cucumbers. I also got some gorgeous Swiss chard, kabocha squash, baby bok choy, Thai chiles, and tiny purple eggplants. Oh yes, and a quince.

Half the fun of shopping for these treasures is discovering interesting ways to cook them. I asked an Indian man scooping tindora into a bag how he prepares them and he explained how his little girl enjoys them. I noticed a woman examining a quince with great care. She told me that she likes to use quince in a stroganoff-type recipe, and now I’m obsessed with trying it that way. Not present in the photo are some oyster mushrooms, beets, and arugula that I also brought home.

I decided to cook up the chard first and sautéed it with lots of garlic, onion, chiles, and some sliced vegan sausage. I tossed it with a grain blend I picked up at Trader Joe’s that included Israeli couscous, orzo, red quinoa, and baby chickpeas, which I cooked in vegetable broth. The combination was wonderful, very homey and comforting, but with lots of great flavors and textures. I plan to use the leftovers to stuff that kabocha squash, and I’m still trying to decide how to enjoy those adorable tindora, so stay tuned.

In the meantime....

Go to Vegan.com for not just one but five chances to win a copy of 1,000 Vegan Recipes. And while you’re there, be sure to check out my Thanksgiving recipes.

What’s Cooking for Thanksgiving?

2009-11-05T18:15:00.005-05:00

Is it just me, or is this year really flying by at record speed? I can’t believe Thanksgiving is only three weeks away. If you’re not sure what to make for Thanksgiving dinner, I’ve got some ideas to tell you about.

I already know what I’m making, and you can read all about it (and see a photo) at Vegan.com where I share my menu and recipes for the entire meal. Many of the recipes this year are from 1,000 Vegan Recipes, including Seitan en Croute with Madeira Sauce and Rum-Spiked Sweet Potatoes with Pomegranate Pecans).

For even more holiday dinner options, consider ordering a copy of A Bountiful Vegan Thanksgiving, an e-book compiled by Nava Atlas. It’s filled with holiday recipes contributed by several cookbook authors and bloggers. It includes my recipe for Thyme-Scented Sweet Potatoes with Black Olives and Garlic. Nava is donating profits from this e-book to charities concerned with global women's issues and world hunger.

Wait, there’s more... The editors at VegNews Magazine have just published their Holiday Cookie Collection. This little e-book is filled with all the flavors of the holiday season, from gingerbread and Chocolate-Orange Macaroons, to Pecan Pie Truffles and Candy Cane Whoopie Pies. (The e-book also includes my recipe for White Chocolate Oatmeal Spice Cookies.)

With all these options available, there’s no excuse for not making a great vegan Thanksgiving feast at your house and goodies throughout the holiday season.

Why Is This Cat Smiling?

2009-10-30T16:26:00.003-04:00

He’s happy because his “mom” won a 2009 VegNews Veggie Award! Gary was so excited about the news, he even took a break from playing in his cat tunnel to read all about it.

I’m truly honored to receive this special recognition for my work. It came as a total surprise, with the news being delivered to me by a phone call from VegNews publisher, Joe Connolly, himself. Talk about making my day!

Be sure to see the complete list of 2009 Veggie Award winners in the November+December issue of VegNews Magazine.

Photo Op: If you want to see some yummy-looking photos from 1000 Vegan Recipes, go to Vegan Appetite and check out the 10/26 post. Tami was a tester for this book and has posted several photos of the recipes she made from it. Thanks, Tami!

“Hollan-dazed”

2009-10-25T16:53:00.003-04:00

I might as well face it, I’m addicted to the Hollandaze Sauce from 1,000 Vegan Recipes. So far I’ve used this sublime, creamy, decadent, delicious, lemony sauce on baked potatoes, roasted asparagus, roasted cauliflower, Soy-tan Dream Cutlets, and my current brunch favorite, Burritos Benedict. As seen in the photo, I’ve also used it to top Cashew-Chickpea Medallions. This silky sauce is best made in a high-speed blender for the ultimate in creamy smoothness. It’s very easy to make and a great way to dress up a meal.

As I do with everything I cook, I always taste what I’m making as I prepare it, to be sure of the balance of flavors. The danger with tasting this sauce as you make it, is that you’ll want to keep on tasting it until there’s barely enough left to serve for dinner.

Hollandaze Sauce
This recipe is from my new book, 1,000 Vegan Recipes, published by John Wiley & Sons.

3/4 cup unsalted raw cashews
3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1/2 cup hot water
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon yellow mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon turmeric
Pinch ground cayenne
3 tablespoons vegan margarine

In a high-speed blender, process the cashews to a fine powder. Add the nutritional yeast, water, lemon juice, mustard, salt, turmeric, and cayenne and blend until smooth.
In a small saucepan, melt the margarine over medium heat and add to the cashew mixture. Blend until smooth. Serve as is or return the sauce to the same saucepan and heat, stirring, over low heat.

Pan-Seared Seitan with Artichokes and Olives

2009-10-20T12:39:00.004-04:00

I dream of Soy-tan Dream Cutlets. Well, okay, maybe I don’t actually dream about them, but I sure like to make them for dinner. In fact, they’re among my favorite recipes in 1,000 Vegan Recipes. Made by combining vital wheat gluten and extra-firm tofu with seasonings, the resulting cutlets are more tender than regular seitan and firmer than tofu. Quick and easy to make, these cutlets can then be used in a variety of recipes that feature seitan, tempeh, or extra-firm tofu, such as sautés and stir-fries. I like to cook up a batch and keep them on hand for those nights when I want to get a great meal on the table — fast.

The other night, I used them instead of regular seitan to make the Pan-Seared Seitan with Artichokes and Olives from 1,000 Vegan Recipes. I grabbed some cutlets from my stash in the refrigerator, pan-seared them, and then kept them warm in the oven while I made the topping, a quick sauté of garlic, diced tomatoes, and sliced artichoke hearts, with black olives and capers. (The recipe is below.) In the book, I suggest an optional topping of vegan feta, but I didn’t have any on hand, and the dish was delicious without it.

Since I had pan-searing on the brain, I also seared some sliced zucchini along with a few halved artichoke hearts and grape tomatoes to serve with the cutlets.

In other news…

Book Giveaway: A copy of 1,000 Vegan Recipes is being given away on the blog at vegcooking.com. The deadline to enter the contest is November 4th and the winner will be chosen at random.

New Blog Alert: I just found out about a new blog called “Cooking from 1,000 Vegan Recipes: six vegans, one book, one blog.” Tune in as these six bloggers cook their way through 1,000 Vegan Recipes — it’s kind of like “Julie and Julia” — only better cuz it’s vegan! Check it out.

Pan-Seared Seitan with Artichokes and Olives
This recipe is adapted from 1,000 Vegan Recipes. The original recipe calls for regular seitan, but this time I used Soy-tan Dream Cutlets (also from the book) instead. You could substitute tempeh or extra-firm tofu, if you prefer. Add a few shakes of red pepper flakes if you want a little heat.

2 tablespoons olive oil
4 Soy-tan Dream Cutlets (or regular seitan cutlets)
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 (14.5-ounce) can petite diced tomatoes, drained
1 1/2 cups canned or frozen (cooked) artichoke hearts, cut into ¼-inch slices
1/3 cup Kalamata olives, pitted and halved
1 tablespoon capers
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Preheat oven to 250°F. In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium heat. Add the cutlets and brown on both sides, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Transfer to a heatproof platter and keep warm in the oven.
2. In same skillet, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes, artichoke hearts, olives, capers, and parsley. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, and cook until hot, about 5 minutes. Set aside.
3. Arrange the cutlets on plates and top with the vegetable mixture. Serve hot.

Autumn Vegetable Fritters

2009-10-11T14:24:00.006-04:00

Last night’s dinner was a wealth of autumn vegetables: buttercup squash, sweet potatoes, Savoy cabbage, carrots, and onion, all cut into large chunks and roasted together until crisply browned around the edges and tender-sweet inside. I made more than we could reasonably eat at one meal, so for today’s lunch I decided to use the leftover vegetables to make fritters.

They’re so quick and easy to make. Just chop up the cooked vegetables and place them in a bowl. Sprinkle them with all-purpose flour (about 1/3 cup) and season with salt and pepper to taste. I didn’t add any additional herbs or spices because the cooked vegetables were already seasoned, and I wanted their flavors to come though without other influences.

After shaping the vegetable mixture into patties, fry them in a little oil until browned on both sides. That’s all there is to it. I served them with a lightening-quick applesauce I made by shredding a few apples with a box grater and combining them in a saucepan with a little sugar, cinnamon, and a splash of lemon juice. I cooked the applesauce for no more than five minutes, just long enough to warm through and allow the flavors to combine.

The applesauce tasted great with the fritters which were delicious and so gorgeous—the colors of the different vegetables in the fritters reminded me of the vivid autumn leaves gracing the trees this time of year.

More 1,000 Vegan Recipes Sightings:

On 10/9, 1,000 Vegan Recipes was a staff pick on VegNews Magazine’s This Just In.
On 10/7, the book was also recommended by Erik Marcus on Vegan.com.
Also on 10/7, Jenn, of Vegan Dance If You Want To, did a post about one of my favorite recipes in the book, the Soy-tan Dream Cutlets. Made with both tofu and wheat gluten, these tender and tasty cutlets can be used in your favorite seitan or savory tofu recipes.

1,000 Vegan Recipes Discovered in Minnesota

2009-10-07T10:39:00.002-04:00

Last year, Lisa Dahlmeier and her sister-in-law Toni Dahlmeier tested several recipes for 1,000 Vegan Recipes, so they were excited to see the book in their local Barnes and Noble the other day. To mark the occasion, they had someone snap a photo.

Thanks for sending the photo, Lisa! You two are adorable, and I’m happy to see my new book in such good company!

Spinach Salad with Almonds, Fuji Apple, and Figs

2009-10-04T14:52:00.002-04:00

Apple season has descended upon the Shenandoah Valley and every fruit stand and farmer’s market is bursting with bags, boxes, and bushels of crisp, beautiful apples in more varieties than I can name. I brought home more than I can easily use, but I’ll try my best. Applesauce and baked apples are definitely in our future, and I’ll soon be baking Jon his favorite apple pie.

Personally, I enjoy apples when they’re combined with savory foods such as roasting chunks of apple with carrots and potatoes to serve with a seitan roast, or sautéing sliced apples with cabbage, onion, and vegan sausage. Apples are also a great addition to salads, like this spinach salad that combines a chopped apple with figs and toasted almonds tossed with a light vinaigrette. You can use any kind of apple you like in this salad and walnuts or another nut can be substituted for the almonds.

I love the way the varying textures and flavors in this salad play off one another. It’s a great salad for these autumn days when the weather’s still warm enough that a refreshing salad seems like a good idea, but you want one that’s satisfying enough to remind you that it’s autumn.

Spinach Salad with Almonds, Fuji Apple, and Figs

This simple salad is easily tweaked to suit your tastes. For example, you can use mixed greens instead of spinach or change the ratio of greens to the other goodies — some people like more greens, others prefer more fruits and nuts. Instead of the figs you can use dried cranberries, and of course, whatever variety of nuts or apples you prefer. For a heartier salad, you can top it with some chopped vegan bacon or smoked tofu. The recipe is in my new book, 1,000 Vegan Recipes, published by John Wiley & Sons.

3 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sugar
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
5 cups loosely packed fresh baby spinach
1/2 cup toasted slivered almonds
1/2 cup sliced or chopped figs
1 Fuji apple, peeled, cored, and cut into ¼-inch dice

In a small bowl, combine the oil, vinegar, sugar, and salt and pepper, to taste. Blend well and set aside. In a large bowl, combine the spinach, almonds, and figs. Add the apple along with enough of the dressing to coat. Toss gently to combine.

Mac and Chard

2009-09-25T11:09:00.004-04:00

Autumn is here and at my house, we’re ready for some comfort food meals, especially those oven-baked casseroles that I rarely make unless there’s a chill in the air.

Like many people, mac and cheese is one of our all-time favorites. And, as most vegans know, it’s one dish that everyone seems to have an opinion about. The main point of departure about what makes a great mac and cheese usually concerns how to get that creamy cheesy flavor without using dairy cheese. There’s the nutritional yeast camp, the tofu faction, and the fans of vegan cheese products. Some people like all three ingredients in their mac and cheese, while others will have none of it.

I personally never met a vegan mac and cheese I didn’t like, but I thought it would be great to see if I could come up with a version that didn’t contain any of those debatable ingredients — and still taste like mac and cheese. The other stipulation I gave myself was to include a green vegetable like spinach or chard in the recipe so it could be served as a one-dish meal — and also seem a little more virtuous, to boot.

The result of my personal challenge is called Mac and Chard. This soy-free, nutritional yeast-free, (and of course cheese-free) version of macaroni and cheese is teamed up with the lovely and healthful addition of chopped rainbow chard. The recipe is from my new book, 1,000 Vegan Recipes, which is now available (a week early!) on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Borders.

Mac and Chard
If rainbow chard is unavailable, use another variety of chard or substitute fresh spinach. To make the sauce silky smooth, it is best to use a high-speed blender such as a Vita-Mix to help grind the cashews to a powder. (This recipe is from 1,000 Vegan Recipes published by John Wiley & Sons.)

12 ounces elbow macaroni
1 medium bunch rainbow chard, tough stems removed, and chopped
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 cup chopped yellow onion
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 Yukon gold potato, peeled and cut into ¼-inch slices
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 cups vegetable broth
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon turmeric (for color)
3/4 teaspoon sweet paprika
1/2 cup unsalted roasted cashews
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs (use panko, if you’ve got it)

1. In a pot of boiling salted water, cook the macaroni over medium-high heat until al dente, about 8 minutes. Drain well and set aside.

2. Steam the chard until tender, about 5 minutes. Set aside to cool. When cool enough to handle, squeeze any remaining moisture from the chard and set chard aside. Lightly oil a 9 x 13-inch baking dish and set aside. Preheat the oven to 350° F.

3. In a large saucepan, heat 1 tablespoon of the oil over medium heat. Add the onion, garlic, and potato. Season with salt and pepper, to taste, cover, and cook until the vegetables are softened, about 10 minutes. Add 1 cup of the broth, the turmeric, and 1/2 teaspoon of the paprika, and continue cooking, uncovered, until the vegetables are very soft. Remove from the heat and set aside.

4. Grind the cashews in a high-speed blender until ground to a fine powder. Add the onion and potato mixture, the remaining broth, lemon juice, mustard, and salt and pepper, to taste, and blend until smooth. Taste and adjust seasonings, if necessary.

5. Combine the sauce with the cooked macaroni and steamed chard and transfer to the prepared casserole. Sprinkle with the bread crumbs and remaining 1/4 teaspoon paprika and drizzle with the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil. Bake until hot and golden brown on top, about 30 minutes. Serve immediately.

Crazy for Carrot Cake

2009-09-15T12:59:00.004-04:00

When I was about ten years old, my parents let me grow my own little vegetable garden in the back yard. I tended it carefully everyday and managed to grow a few rows of beautiful tomatoes, lettuce, cucumbers, and carrots. The memory of those perfect vegetables I grew as a child is what made this year’s dismal crop even more frustrating.

As expected, the deer ate the lettuce (although we managed to pick a little for ourselves first). What we didn’t expect, was that the deer also ate the tomato plants — they’d never done that before. The cucumber plants produced only enough small cukes to put up two jars of pickles. And the carrots. I didn’t even want to plant carrots this year because I wanted to save room for pricier produce such as arugula which if I didn’t grow it myself, I’d never spend the money on. But Jon wanted homegrown carrots for a carrot cake which he informed me was now a “tradition” since I baked him a cake using our own carrots for two years running.

Trouble is, for all the planting, weeding, and watering, once we dug up the carrots, washed them off, and trimmed them, they were so small this year that there was just enough to make the carrot cake — no more, no less. Jon ate a piece of the cake before we could take the photo, and it really is tasty — moist and delicious with a creamy frosting. And, as it turns out, is well worth growing just enough carrots for.

The recipe is from my latest book, 1,000 Vegan Recipes, which comes out on October 5. The book is available now for pre-order on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Borders.

Crazy for Carrot Cake
This carrot cake is moist and flavorful without being cloyingly sweet, with sweet bits of carrot and cloaked in a luscious, creamy frosting. And what a decadent way to get your beta-carotene for the day. For a bit of crunch, add 1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts. For an even richer “carrot” color, substitute carrot juice for all or part of the soy milk. This recipe is from 1,000 Vegan Recipes published by John Wiley & Sons.

2 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup plain or vanilla soy milk
1/2 cup canola or other neutral oil
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 cups finely shredded carrots
1/2 cup golden raisins (optional)
1 recipe “Cream Cheese” Frosting (recipe follows)

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease an 8-inch square baking pan and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, allspice, and salt.
3. In a large bowl, combine the sugar, soy milk, oil, maple syrup, and vanilla, then add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Stir in the carrots and raisins, if using, until just mixed.
4. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan. Bake until a toothpick comes out clean, about 45 minutes.
5. Let the cake cool in pan for 15 minutes, then invert onto a wire rack to cool completely. When completely cool, frost the cake with the cream cheese frosting.

“Cream Cheese” Frosting
This frosting is famous for being the crowning glory of carrot cake, but I also like it great on my Banana-Walnut Cake and Spice Cake with Mango and Lime from 1,000 Vegan Recipes.

1 (8-ounce) container vegan cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons vegan margarine
2 1/4 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1. In a medium bowl, beat the cream cheese and margarine together with an electric mixer on high speed until well blended.
2. Add the confectioners’ sugar and vanilla, then beat until light and fluffy. Store leftovers covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

A Handful of Chiles

2009-09-07T18:31:00.004-04:00

To say our vegetable garden didn’t do too well this season is an understatement. The only comfort is that many other people in our area had a similar experience. Not that we didn’t have some wonderful veggies, especially at first, but eventually the weather and the deer took their toll, and we ended up yanking out the garden early this year and relying on the farmer’s market for our “just-picked” produce. In a way, it turned out to be a good thing. It allowed us to find some locally grown goodies that we might otherwise have missed.

One treasure I found at this week’s market were the gorgeous chiles you see in the above photo — all of them hot. The farmer was selling them for a dollar a handful, which was a bargain for two reasons — neighboring stands were selling them at five for a dollar, but also, this farmer had huge hands, so his “handful” was extremely generous.

As he dropped two huge fistfuls into a bag, I mentioned that I’d be posting a photo of these fiery little beauties on my blog. He promptly added three more handfuls for free, including some chocolate habaneros — just to add more color to the photo. I came home with a whopping full bag of hot chiles, all for two dollars. Purchased at another farmer’s table, the same amount of chiles would have cost me nearly twenty dollars. And if my own chiles had survived the summer, I never would have met the generous farmer with the aesthetic eye.

How Green Was My Curry?

2009-08-27T15:55:00.008-04:00

You know you have a great friend when she offers to drive over four hours (each way) to stay at your house and take care of your animals, so you can get away for a few days. When that same friend also brings you a couple cans of the best green curry sauce this side of Thailand, you wish you could clone her.

Incredible but true, my friend Sam did both of these amazing things recently. I came home to an immaculate house, three spoiled but happy cats, and 16 well-fed ducks. Now about that green curry…

I love a good Thai green curry, but because it’s made with fresh and hard-to-find (for me, anyway) ingredients and with no Thai restaurant nearby, I rarely have a chance to enjoy it. Moreover, I had never found a commercial green curry sauce that had a “wow” effect, until Sam turned me onto a brand she found in Guam — Aroy-D. Although I’ve seen it online ($5.99 shipping for a $2 can of sauce?), neither of us have been able to find it at our regional Asian markets, so the last time Sam went to Guam, she brought home a case of the stuff. And, generous soul that she is, she gave me a couple of cans from her private stash. That stuff is fantastic — as good as any I’ve had in a Thai restaurant. And it's makes a quick and easy meal that tastes like it took forever to prepare.

For the dish you see in the top photo, I stir-fried extra-firm tofu with sliced onion, bok choy, green peas, and a red chile. Once everything was cooked, I simply added the green curry sauce and simmered it for a few minutes, then served it over some brown rice. Mmmm. Thanks again, Sam!

1,000 Vegan Recipes

2009-08-10T11:05:00.002-04:00

I still don’t think it’s quite hit me that, yes, I wrote a book containing one thousand vegan recipes. After three (long) years of writing, testing (thanks again, testers!), and tweaking, I can tell you that I’m absolutely thrilled that the publication date is near — the book comes out October 5th. As you might expect, I’m happy to be finished because of the intense work involved. But more than that, I’ll be excited to see this book in print because of what it represents.

At 640 pages, this hardcover book is a reminder of how far the popularity of vegan cooking has come over the last several years. It wasn’t all that long ago that there were only a handful of vegan cookbooks in print, let alone one that contained a thousand recipes. Fast forward a few years and now the shelves are literally filled with vegan cookbooks. But to me, 1,000 Vegan Recipes is more than just a cookbook. It also represents three years of my life and, more importantly, a little piece of vegan history.

1,000 Vegan Recipes is part of an ongoing “1,000 Recipes” series on various cuisines published by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Ten years ago they released 1,000 Vegetarian Recipes and I think it says a lot that, ten years later, they are now publishing 1,000 Vegan Recipes. In the Introduction, I relate that people often ask me “What does a vegan eat?” and soon I’ll have an easy answer — I can just show them a copy of this book!

You can read more about 1,000 Vegan Recipes on my website, GlobalVeganKitchen.com. The book is available for pre-order on Amazon now.

In the coming weeks, I’ll be sharing some of the recipes from the book and look forward to blogging more often now that I’ll have more time.

Curry Love

2009-08-02T17:31:00.006-04:00

I enjoy making Thai curries from scratch, however, I don’t always have the time or ingredients on hand to make it happen. The fact is, there isn’t a lime leaf or piece of lemongrass to be found within an hour of my house, so when I run out of ingredients it can often be several weeks before I replenish my supplies. That’s why I was intrigued when the folks at Curry Love sent me samples of their new line of organic curry sauces. They come in three flavors: Passion Red Thai Curry (hot), Luscious Yellow Thai Curry (mild), and an intriguing Blissful Banana Ginger flavor (medium-hot) — I think I’ll use that one to make some laksa.

I tried the mild yellow curry first, and it smelled wonderful right out of the jar. After stir-frying some onion, carrot, and tofu, I added some steamed broccoli and the curry sauce and simmered it all together for a few minutes. To serve, I spooned it over brown rice and garnished it with a sprinkling of cashews and cilantro. It was as flavorful as the yellow curries I’ve had at Thai restaurants, and I expect the other flavors will be equally good. When I’m too busy to cook and crave some curry, it’s good to know a quick and easy meal is as close as my pantry.

Orzo-Stuffed Zucchini

2009-07-15T17:56:00.002-04:00

At the farmer’s market last weekend, I discovered the most adorable little round zucchini. They were between the size of a tennis ball and a baseball and I couldn’t wait to get them home to stuff them!

It was a simple matter to slice off the tops and scoop out the insides, leaving about 1/4-inch shell all around. I cooked the shells for a few minutes in a pot of boiling water, just to soften them slightly.

For the stuffing, I wanted to include tomatoes because I love the zucchini-tomato combination. Since puttanesca sauce is high on my list of favorite flavors, I decided that was a good place to begin. I sautéed minced garlic in olive oil along with the chopped insides from the zucchini. I then added chopped tomatoes, olives, and capers, and seasoned it with salt, pepper, and basil.

I combined this fragrant mixture with some cooked orzo (this rice-shaped pasta is perfect in a stuffing). I added a little chopped cooked chard that I had on hand and then stuffed the mixture inside each zucchini and baked them for about 20 minutes.

To serve, I nestled these little beauties on a bed of the remaining orzo-puttanesca mixture and they tasted as good as they looked. I can’t wait until next week’s farmer’s market so I can see what other new and interesting vegetables are available.

Garlicky Tomato Salad with Stone-Ground Grits

2009-07-07T13:59:00.003-04:00

On a driving trip through the countryside last week, I visited a mill where they grind their own grains. I picked up some bread flour, buckwheat flour, and some stone-ground grits, which I used to cook all the time when I was a chef in Charleston, SC, but they haven’t been on my home menu very often in recent years.

I simmered the grits in well-seasoned vegetable stock until thick. I then stirred in some shredded cheddar Sheese and a little Earth Balance and transferred it to a baking dish to cool. The next day, I cut it into triangles, arranged them on a baking sheet, and baked them until warm.

For a topping, I sautéed minced garlic in olive oil and then added a tumble of gorgeous little tomatoes that I picked up at the farmer’s market. The colors of the tomatoes ranged from yellow, to orange, to red -- so pretty! I added some parsley from my garden and sautéed the tomatoes just for a few seconds, basically just long enough to coat them with the garlicky olive oil. After adding a bit of salt and some cracked pepper, I spooned the tomatoes over the yummy yellow triangles.

The flavor was incomparable, and I especially enjoyed knowing it was made with local ingredients. Does that make me a “locovore herbivore”?

Roasted Watermelon, Anyone?

2009-07-04T15:34:00.003-04:00

Roasted watermelon has been turning up in various cookbooks and cooking magazines of late. I found the idea intriguing, so I decided to try some for myself to see what all the fuss was about.

I cut out two rounds from a slice of seedless watermelon and roasted them on a baking sheet. Sprinkled with black sesame seeds and served with a balsamic-blackberry reduction, it certainly made a striking presentation on the plate (although I do think it looks eerily like raw tuna). As far as the flavor factor, I wasn’t exactly knocked out by it. Bottom line: I think I’ll stick to eating my watermelon the old-fashioned way: ice-cold slices for dessert or as a snack (or dressed up as in the “fresh fruit cake” of my June 28 post).

Has anyone else tried roasted watermelon? I’d be curious to know what you think of it.

On another topic: I’ve been asked to post the following job opportunity. If you know someone who wants to work as a vegan private chef in the Baltimore area, pass this along:

Immediate need for excellent vegan live-out private chef to cook full-time for 1 person in Baltimore, Maryland. Must have prior experience cooking vegan gourmet meals. Chef must also be vegan/vegetarian. Must also help administrate the household - including running errands, paying bills, coordinating subcontractors for house maintenance. Competitive salary! Fax resume to 410-486-7692.

Veggie Awards: Vote for Me!

2009-07-01T13:47:00.003-04:00

It’s that time of year again: the annual VegNews Veggie Awards -- and I'm happy to say that I’ve been nominated in two categories and would appreciate your voting for me:

"Favorite Cookbook Author"

and

“Favorite Column” (for my Global Vegan column)

As an incentive to cast your vote, you will have a chance to win fabulous prize packages, including a Tropical Vacation Getaway, a His/Her Urban Goodie Bag, a Vegan Ice Cream Starter Kit, and a Chocolate Madness Gift Box.

Here's a direct link to the survey.

The polls close July 31 at midnight, and winners will be announced in the November+December "Best of Vegetarian" holiday edition of VegNews.

Fresh Fruit “Cake”

2009-06-28T15:20:00.004-04:00

Here’s a fun way to serve fresh fruit – turn it into a “cake.” It makes a pretty presentation, it’s easy to make, and makes a refreshing summertime dessert.

For the main part of the “cake,” I sliced off the top and bottom of a small round seedless watermelon. I then placed a plate on top of the watermelon about the same diameter as the pink part of the fruit and used the edge of the plate as a guide for my knife to cut away the rind. This left a pretty pink cylinder of delicious watermelon.

I then placed the watermelon “cake” on a plate and decorated it with blueberries, strawberries, and kiwi slices. I think it would also look pretty with sliced starfruit and blackberries – maybe next time!

Birthday Tradition

2009-06-26T17:53:00.018-04:00

Once you’ve done something two years in a row, does that count as a tradition? On my birthday last year, I digressed from my usual food post to share some photos of my kitties. I thought I’d do the same this year, with a few extras, too. Here are the dynamic duo, Gary and his diminutive partner in crime, Mitski:

The photo below is our darling outdoor kitty, Jason, who “came with the house” (he looks a lot like Gary, doesn't he?). I’m still no closer to making him an indoor kitty, but he enjoys the little house Jon built for him on our deck, and of course, the three squares (actually, two) a day I feed him.

This next guy is not a kitty, of course, but I just had to share a photo of the cutest alpaca we met recently who was kind enough to strike this handsome pose:

And finally, I can’t seem to get by without talking at least a little about food. I was thinking about how great our blackberries were last year and anticipating a new crop this summer. Then I remembered the incredible variety of berries I had the pleasure of sampling a couple years ago in Italy while visiting the Mercato Centrale in Florence.

And they had some amazing olives too, as one would expect.

What I didn't expect was happening upon a restaurant called "Ristorante del Fagioli" -- Bean Restaurant? Sounds like a great place for a vegan to eat -- too bad the place was closed when we were there.

Arugula Potato Salad

2009-06-22T10:43:00.003-04:00

My vegetable garden continues to supply me with enough arugula to open an arugula restaurant. As you know from my previous post, I like to sauté it in garlic and olive oil — just add cooked beans and pasta (or rice) and dinner is served. I’ve also made some great arugula pesto, which, in addition to tossing with pasta, is also good slathered on grilled bruschetta or transformed into a salad dressing. But I think my favorite way to enjoy it is in the Arugula Potato Salad recipe from Vegan Fire and Spice.

In this recipe, cooked potatoes and roasted red bell peppers combine with chopped arugula and a snappy dressing made with garlic, capers, and a touch of cayenne. It’s easy to make, colorful, and loaded with flavor. It makes a great side dish for anything from veggie burgers to seitan “parmesan” — I actually served it with both, so I know from whence I speak. If you add a little extra arugula and a cup of cooked cannellini beans or chickpeas, it can even be enjoyed as a main-dish salad.

The cayenne in the dressing adds just the slightest nuance of heat. If you prefer a spicier salad, you can add some hot red pepper flakes or even add a minced hot chile. And as every garlic lover knows, you can always add more garlic to the dressing.

Some shortcut tips: In the original recipe, the potatoes are cooked on the stovetop and the bell peppers roasted over a flame. Since I had planned to make this salad the night before, and I already had the oven on for something else, I tossed some potatoes in the oven to bake for the salad. Instead of roasting my own bell peppers, I used the jarred kind. (You could also roast your own in advance.) With the potatoes already cooked from the night before, and the roasted peppers from a jar, the salad only took minutes to assemble.

Arugula Potato Salad
This recipe is adapted from Vegan Fire and Spice.

1 1/2 pounds small red potatoes, cut into 1/2-inch dice
Salt
1 large or 2 small red bell peppers
2 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon capers
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon cayenne
1/3 cup olive oil
1 1/2 cups lightly packed arugula, coarsely chopped

1. Cook the potatoes in a saucepan of boiling salted water until tender, about 10 minutes. (Alternately, you can steam the potatoes over boiling water or roast them on an oiled baking sheet. You can also bake the potatoes and dice them after baking.) Place the cooked potatoes in a large bowl and set aside.
2. Roast the red peppers over an open flame or broil about 4 inches from the heat, turning until the skins are completely blackened. Put the charred peppers into a paper bag and let steam for about 5 minutes to loosen the skins. Scrape off the blackened skin and remove the seeds and stems. Chop the peppers into 1/2-inch dice, and add them to the potatoes. (Alternately, to save time, you can use jarred roasted red bell peppers.)
3. Mince the garlic and capers in a food processor or blender. Add the lemon juice, cayenne, and salt, to taste, and process until well blended. Slowly add the olive oil to emulsify. Add the dressing to the potatoes along with the arugula and toss until coated.

Pasta with Arugula and Fava Beans

2009-06-14T11:31:00.001-04:00

This year, my vegetable garden includes several arugula plants. I’m really excited about this since I love arugula and can’t buy it locally – and even if I could, it would be very expensive. As I’m observing how the plants spike upward it’s easy to guess why arugula is also called “rocket” lettuce.

A few years ago, while visiting Umbria, I enjoyed a fantastic pasta dish topped with arugula, fava beans, and tomatoes. I haven’t been able to find fava beans in my area, so I was nearly ecstatic when I discovered packages of steamed favas in the produce section of Trader Joe’s on my way home from D.C. recently.

With favas and arugula in hand, I was able to recreate the dish I had so much enjoyed in Italy. Although Virginia’s Blue Ridge Mountains have replaced the Italian Apennines for ambience, this rich and flavorful meal was still delicious. Here’s the recipe:

Pasta with Arugula and Fava Beans
For this recipe, I used fusilli because I had it on hand, but any bite-size pasta shape would be good with this sauce. Instead of using the steamed fava beans from Trader Joe’s, you can prepare your own fava beans or substitute cooked chickpeas or cannellini beans for a tasty alternative. Another variation would be to use spinach, chard, or other dark green in place of the arugula.

8 ounces fusilli or other small pasta shape
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 to 4 garlic cloves, minced
6 cups coarsely chopped arugula, well washed
1 (14.5-ounce) can petite diced tomatoes, drained
1 (12-ounce) package steamed fava beans (from Trader Joes)
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Cook the pasta in a large pot of boiling salted water.
While the pasta water is coming to a boil. heat the oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the arugula and cook, stirring, until wilted. Add the tomatoes, fava beans, red pepper flakes, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Simmer to blend the flavors and heat through, 5 to 7 minutes. Reduce heat to low and keep warm.
When the pasta is cooked, drain it well. To serve, divide the pasta among shallow bowls and top each with the sauce, or transfer the pasta to a large serving bowl, add the sauce, and toss gently to combine before serving.