Work and blogging don't mix!

Sad, but true, I've been cooking up a proverbial storm.  Due to work, family, and my continuing study of Japanese, my time for sitting in front of the old computer has been, lets just say, severely limited.  I have although, been following quite a few people via Instagram, twitter and other social media pages for inspiration, and in some cases just plain nausea.

My pursuit of GOOD vegan food is never ending.  What amazes me, more often than not, is what passes for GOOD food.  Why? Why oh why have my eyes and taste buds been assaulted so many times over the past few months?  In the age of the Internet, people, [and I don't remove myself from this equation] are privy to speak their mind and showcase their "talents".  There is no harm in that, none at all. What frost my muffin is when they ceremoniously pat them selves on the back and call it greatness.  I'm the first to post a picture of a great looking dish, but what I wont do is post a recipe until I've tested it and had others test it as well.

When writing a recipe, savory especially, the average at home cook, can bring flavors together with the best of them, but her lies the rub.  to translate your vision so others may duplicate it is often more difficult than its made out to be.  I read cookbooks all the time, even published authors have flubbed on a few of the directions.  How many times have you read a recipe, and realized halfway through, an ingredient which is listed in the directions is NOT listed in the ingredients.  Or better yet, an entire method or procedure is left out.  The best is one in which the author assumes you know what they are talking about and doesn't either show, or describe the technique in detail.  [raising my hand] I know I've done it myself, I admit it, but its a lesson learned.

I stalk the blogs, the post, and offer my kind words as a suggestions to help my fellow recipe developers.  "Hey check out this technique!....Maybe try this ingredient instead, its cheaper and more readily available" But alas, my kind words are smacked with ridicule and hatred.

I simply ask, no I implore my fellow blogger's.  Test your recipes before you post, your readers will thank you!

[putting my soapbox away and hanging my head in shame]  

Oysters for Lent...Oyster Mushrooms of Course

Lent is the time of year when fish on Fridays in my house is law. Well as the lone vegan in the house, and head cook and bottle washer, I have the wonderful duty of coming up with meat alternatives. As you can see, I'm not a big fan of fish. My husband, the carnivore is. So I decided to come up with a compromise for our Friday night meal. His love of fish tacos gave me the inspiration and it just took off from there.

It was trial and error to say the least and we found that bold flavors and good quality beer for the batter do the best.

We wanted our mushrooms to be light and airy, not like the bar food variety that you find at TG Mc Fridays. (so to speak). A cross between a beer batter and a tempura batter. The batter was the easiest part in this journey. It was imparting that bold flavor that threw us for a loop.


Spicy was the word de jour and we wanted it to have a Baja feel. Everything from chipotle to guajillo chiles were used. Even habaneros made the list. But it was the smokey and sultry chipotle which made the grade. Imparting just a bit more flavor, was marinating as well. The mushroom just soaks up the flavors and it leaves it really juicy as well.


Whats fried food with out a sauce or a dip. What better choice for our spicy tidbits, than avocado cream. Avocados, cilantro, green onion, garlic, lime juice, tofu sour cream and a touch of diced green chilies (or roasted poblanos) and it was good to go!



While researching just what goes best with a Baja style fish taco, I found that cabbage slaw was the side of choice.

Our victims (I mean taste testers) really enjoyed the flavor of the mushrooms and the slaw together and actually said that they could do without the tortilla. Go figure. The avocado cream was a hit. That being said the head carnivore of our house was absolutely floored at how delicious and satisfying our Baja Oyster Mushrooms were. I'm pleased to say its been put on the family favs list for good!!

Oyster Mushroom Tacos
serves 4

8 small corn tortillas

½-1 lb of oyster mushrooms

1 – 2 tbsp vegetable oil plus more for frying

½ cup corn starch

½ cup rice flour

½ cup all purpose flour for dusting mushrooms

1 tsp baking powder

¾ tsp southwest seasoning*

2/3 cup club soda [non alcoholic version] or ale/beer

Wash and thoroughly dry the mushrooms and set aside.  In a large skillet add enough oil to allow mushrooms to be fried [about 1 ½ inches deep].   In a mixing bowl stir together corn starch, flour, baking powder, and seasoning. Add club soda and whisk until the batter is smooth.  Toss mushrooms in remaining flour.  In small batches dip flour dusted mushrooms in batter and fry until golden brown turning often.  Drain on a wire rack and sprinkle lightly with salt.  Continue to fry until all the mushrooms have been used.  Set aside and keep warm in a low oven. 

*Southwest Seasoning Recipe (you can use this seasoning to spice up all your dishes)

2 tbsp chili powder

2 tbsp paprika

1 tbsp coriander [ground]

1 tbsp garlic powder [not granulated]

1 tbsp kosher salt

2 tsp cumin

1 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp crushed red pepper flake

1 tsp ground black pepper

1 tsp oregano

Blend until combined and place in an air tight container.

Avocado Crema 

2 large ripe avocados

1/2 c vegan sour cream 

1 finely chopped jalapeno or Serrano Chile pepper

1 clove minced garlic

2 tbsp chopped cilantro

3 tbsp fresh lime juice 

¼ tsp cumin

Salt and pepper to taste

In a food processor, add avocado, sour cream, chile, garlic blending until smooth.  Remove from processor and place in a small bowl.  add cilantro, fresh lime juice cumin and season to taste with salt and pepper. 

Chipotle Lime Cole Slaw 

1/2 head of green cabbage shredded  

1/4 head of red cabbage shredded 

1/4 c shredded carrots 

1/2 c vegan mayonnaise [vegannaise is my personal choice] 

1/2 c vegan sour cream 

2 limes zested and juiced 

1 table spoon of canned chipotle peppers with adobo sauce or 1 tsp of dried chipotle pepper [you may add more if you prefer more spice]

1 tsp sugar or 2 tsp agave nectar 

1/4 c chopped cilantro leaves 

salt and pepper to taste 

In a small bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice, zest, chipotle, and sugar.  In another bowl, toss together shredded cabbage and carrots.  Pour dressing over cabbage and toss to coat.  Finish with cilantro leaves and season with salt and pepper to taste.  Refrigerate until ready to use. 

Take it to the plate! 

When your ready to serve warm 8 small corn tortillas in a dry non stick skillet.  Place 3-4 medium sized fried oyster mushrooms in each and top with cole slaw and avocado crema.  Serve with cilantro rice, black beans and plantains.  Just a suggestions or course.  These are good on their own! 

A little bit of Southern Pride...GRITS

I may live in the Midwest, but I'm a true southern girl at heart. Grits represent all that is southern.  Every family has a special way to prepare them.  Some like them thick and creamy others more like a thin porridge, but which every way you cook them, its a blank canvas for a myriad of flavors.

In my quest for unique vegan breakfast ideas, I came across the book "A Real American Breakfast". Written by award winning authors Cheryl Alters Jamison and Bill Jamison.  In this 300+ page cookbook they travel the globe.  But, its meat centric. So, whats a vegan chef to do?  Turn it on its head of course.

I love grits.  I could eat them every day for breakfast and never get tired of them.  Some southern dishes which come to mind when I think of grits are often Creole in nature. This recipe is inspired by it and it shows.  The flavors are bright, light and filling. The ingredients are simple. A its great way to start any morning.  As a way to step away from meat analogs and replacements, you can leave out the tempeh. If you still have that desire for a little smokey flavor, smoke your own! This can be done at home using a stove top smoker.

Nassau Grits 

1 small white onion chopped
1/3 c chopped green bell pepper
1/3 c chopped red bell pepper
1 clove garlic minced
1/2 c diced tempeh
4 tbsp water
1/8 tsp liquid smoke or hickory smoke powder
3 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp braggs amino acid or soy sauce
2 large plum tomatoes seeded and chopped
fresh black pepper to taste
2 1/4 c water
1/2 c Quaker quick grits [you may use old fashioned grits or stone ground. Follow cooking directions on the package]


Tempeh
In a medium skillet, heat 3 tbsp oil. Over medium heat, begin to cook tempeh until slightly brown and crisp. Add 4 tbsp of water, soy, and hickory smoke powder/liquid smoke.  Stir until most of the water has been absorbed.  Add onion, bell peppers and garlic continue to cook until vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and season to taste

Grits
Bring 2 1/4 c water to a bowl and quickly whisk in grits, stirring constantly until the mixture returns to a boil.  Reduce to a very low simmer stirring occasionally until desired consistency is reached.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Spoon grits into shallow bowls and top with tempeh mixture, serve immediately.  For a good southern breakfast serve along side, home fries, vegan buttermilk biscuits and homemade strawberry jam.

Oh how SWEET it is!!!

Nothing says weekend breakfast like a yummy, gooey, sticky sweet cinnamon roll. I have fond memories of waking up to my dad pulling this gems out of the oven and slathering them with cream cheese frosting. Ah, but the days of butter and cream cheese for this vegan are long gone. So I thought, why not. It can't be that difficult. Honestly, it's not.

This is truly a labor of love, and can be spread out over a two day period. The key here is patience. Letting the yeast bloom, the scalded milk cool and incorporating the flour slowly.

When baking people often neglect a few key points. The measuring must be exact and the ingredients room temperature. Not only does this insure a great end product, but also guarantees ease in putting the ingredients together.

For my sweet roll creation I've gotten great results with a German recipe for Kuchen. It's a very forgiving dough with an excellent crumb. It's also versatile. I've made donuts, danish, event coffee cake with this very same dough. So, once you've mastered it, you're going to LOVE IT.

The recipe, as originally written suggests kneading this dough by hand. Well, if you want a good work out have at it. Personally, I'll take a kitchen aid any day of the week.

German Kuchen

1/4 oz (one package) or dry yeast
1/4 c warm water (not to exceed 105 degrees)
1 3/4 c scalded milk unsweetened soy milk
1/2 c margarine
3/4 c vegan sugar
1 tsp sea salt (fine grain)
zest of 1/2 lemon
6 c flour set aside
1/4 c for dusting and rolling 
1 tbsp ground flaxseeds/flaxmeal + 3 tbsp warm water (mix for 2 minutes until well combined.)

Filling 

3/4 c light brown sugar 
2 tbsp cinnamon 
1 tsp vanilla extract 
1/2 stick vegan margarine 

Glaze

4 oz vegan cream cheese 
1 c vegan powdered sugar 
1/4 c vegan margarine
1/4 tsp vanilla extract

For the dough:Dissolve the yeast into the warm water and set aside. In a medium sized sauce pan, bring soy milk to a quick boil and remove and whisk in, margarine, sugar, salt and lemon zest. When milk is warm to the touch but not scalding hot (105 degrees) add flaxmeal mixture. Whisk into yeast and stir in enough flour to knead dough. Knead until smooth and elastic. (If you are doing this in a kitchen aid stand mixer about 2-3 minutes. Be sure not to over knead the dough) Place the dough in a lightly oiled bowl and cover tightly with plastic. Let rise until doubled in bulk. (For better flavor place in refrigerator overnight to rise for 24 hour. For this method remove 30 minutes before to bring to room temp before rolling)

When you are ready to roll, try your hand at making it a 13 x 9 rectangle 1/4 inch thickness.  I know it sounds difficult, but try your best.  Once you find a shape you can call your own, brush lightly with 1/2 cup melted vegan margarine.


For the filling: 
In a small bowl whisk together all the ingredients and sprinkle over the top of melted margarine mixture  


Along the long edge of the  dough, begin to roll away from you.  Go slowly to insure a tight seal, squeeze as you go.  When your done, you are ready to slice!  Here's the tricky part.  You want equally sized slices.  Spray a 13 x 9 inch pan lightly with oil.  Place dough in pan sliced sides up, try to leave as little space between them as possible.  Cover lightly with a damp kitchen towel in a warm place and let rise until doubled in volume 40-60 minutes. 

Time to bake!  In a 375 degree oven, place pan on the middle rack. Bake until the tops are golden brown.  [To be extra certain of doneness you can take a kitchen thermometer placed in the center of one of the rolls.  It should reach a temperature of 180 degrees.] When rolls are done. removed them from the oven and let cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes.  


For the glaze:
Combine cream cheese, powdered sugar, margarine, and vanilla extract in a bowl and whisk until smooth and creamy. Spread glaze over warm rolls and serve immediately or at room temperature  

Move over Bacon....now there's something tastier!

When it comes to breakfast in a carnivores world, its just not breakfast without bacon, sausage or ham for that matter. In my world, bacon is a no no. Unfortunately in my former life, I was [gulp] a meat eater and I loved the crunch of bacon. Now a days, there are quite a few meat analogs to choose from which offer, well, the taste of bacon, sausage, and ham. But why buy when you can make your own!

The famous Millennium Restaurant in San Francisco California is known for its vegan fair. Most importantly, vegan brunch. Although I've never had a chance to visit the restaurant personally I have purchased the Millennium Cook Book. Chef Eric Tucker brings flavor profiles which boggle the mind. I've fallen in love with his simply toothsome tempeh sausage. In my house even my meat eating husband enjoys the flavor. The ingredients are easy to come by, quick to put together, and best of all, if you make double the recipe, they freeze wonderfully!

Millennium Tempeh Sausage
[I've added a few twist, turns and short cuts]
Serves 8

8 oz tempeh sausage [*poached and marinated cooled and grated]
1 russet potato, peeled, finely dices into 1/4 inch cubes, boiled until fork tender and drained
2 to 3 scallions, finely chopped
2 tbsp cornstarch
1 tsp salt
1 tsp dried sage
1 tsp dried fennel
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/8 tsp red pepper flake [optional]
2 tbsp canola oil

In a medium sized bowl combine all the above ingredients. Use your hands to ensure the mixture is well combined. Let this mixture chill 30 minutes to 24 hours. When ready, form the mixture into 1/2 inch thick patties. On a lightly oiled cookie sheet, place each patty and lightly brush with oil. In a 375 degree oven bake for 8-10 minutes until lightly brown, turning once. Sausages should be slightly firm to the touch. To reheat, crisp slightly and heat through in a lightly oiled skillet. 2-3 minutes per side and enjoy!

[*to poach, place tempeh brick in a marinade of 1/2 cup soy, 1 tsp paprika, 2 cloves crushed garlic, 1 tsp dried sage, 2 tsp thyme, 2 tsp maple syrup or brown sugar and 2 cups of water. Whisk ingredients together and pour into a sauce pan bring to a low simmer and place tempeh in liquid. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Let tempeh cool in liquid]

Now...We've got the sausage, but mother needs a little crunch. Bring on EGGPLANT BACON!
When making this delicious breakfast treat is quick simple, and a crunchy treat you will be eating way beyond breakfast.

So which eggplant works best. This is a question which I asked myself and researched through other vegan websites. Here are a few options

Chinese Eggplant

White Eggplant

Sicilian Eggplant





Each eggplant imparts a different flavor on the end product. Sicilian eggplant tends to be a bit bitter, Chinese eggplant is a bit milder but still has a slight bite. My personal favorite is white eggplant. Not only does it taste good, creates a wonderful looking piece of "bacon"! Marinating is the key to this dish, so try to let it set as long as possible. If you are in a rush you can let it sit for as little as 30 minutes and you are ready to eat.

[this video shows how to use a mandolin correctly]

Eggplant Bacon

1-2 medium sized white eggplants or small purple eggplants sliced 1/4 inch thick
[using a mandolin is the easiest way to do this if you don't have one using a sharp knife will do as well]

2 tbsp brown sugar

2 tsp soy sauce

1 tsp liquid smoke

1 tsp granulated garlic

1 tsp paprika [you can also used smoked for a deeper flavor]

2 tbsp vegetable or canola oil [neutral flavored oil is the best]

1/4 cup water

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Using a mandolin slice the eggplant [unpeeled] into 1/4 inch slices [as thin as 1/8 inch if you like. The thinner the eggplant the quicker it will cool]. Set eggplant in layers in a glass or plastic container which will allow it to lay flat. Whisk together remaining ingredients. Pour marinade over the eggplant. Be sure that all the pieces are well covered. Place plastic wrap directly on to the surface of the eggplant to ensure that the marinade is in constant contact with it. Refrigerate 30 min-24 hours. When ready, place a sheet of aluminum foil over a cookie sheet. Place eggplant in single layers making sure not to overlap any of the eggplant. Bake 20-35 minutes checking frequently turning at least once. Bacon should be crisp and brown. Cool at room temperature and store in an airtight container at room temperature. Now lets eat some breakfast! 

Breakfast...Southern Style

Nothing is more southern than a biscuit. While visiting relatives in Nashville, my husband noticed most meals offer biscuits as a form of bread with everything; be it breakfast, lunch or dinner. As the child of southern born and raised parents, this was a culinary choice I was simply oblivious to. Breakfast wasn't breakfast with out a biscuit to push the accompanying goodies around on the plate.

According to Food Network Magazine, the chicken biscuit from "Sunrise Biscuit Kitchen" is one which should not be missed. The biscuits are described as being light as air, flaky as well as buttery.
The folks at SBK take it one step further which the addition of a crispy, breaded chicken breast. Described by Jane and Michael Stern of Road Food.com as a "luxurious pillow of expertly fried white meat chicken with a golden crust and inside moist enough to flavor the biscuit once that crust is severed." Hmmm....well the challenged has been made and I've come up with a lovely, simple and delicious version of this carnivore delight.




Golden Fried Portabello Mushroom

6-8 Medium sized cleaned portabello mushrooms
1/2 cup unbleached all purpose white flour
1 cup rice flour
1 cup corn starch
1/2 cup unsweetened unflavored soy milk or coconut milk
1/4 cup seltzer water
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp celery salt
1 qt neutral flavored oil for frying

1. Place oil in a larger heavy bottom pan [cast iron works best] and heat to 375 degrees. The oil should be at least 1/2 inch deep. If you do not have a thermometer, here is a good trick. When the oil begins to heat up, to check for the correct temperature, place the handle of a wooden spoon or chop stick in the center of the pan. If bubbles begin to form around it the oil is at the correct temperature.
2. In a large plastic bag place white flour and portabello mushrooms. Shake to coat the mushrooms completely and set aside.
3. In a non reactive mixing bowl, whisk together rice flour, corn starch and dry spices. Add the milk and seltzer until blended.
4. Dip the flour coated mushrooms in the batter and let excess batter drip back in the bowl. slowly lower the cutlets into the oil making sure to place them in the pan away from you, one by one. Fry in small batches to ensure a nice crisp coating. Mushrooms should be turned once during frying. Remove from the pan when golden brown and drain on a wire rack. Keep mushrooms warm in a low oven [120 degrees] until all the cutlets have been cooked.

Cornmeal Biscuits

Note: This recipe requires a digital scale to ensure accurate measurements. If a scale is not available use the attached recipe for cornmeal biscuits courtesy of food network

16 oz [1 lb] of unbleached all purpose flour

4 oz golden yellow cornmeal

1 tbsp kosher salt

1 oz sugar

1.25 oz of baking powder

7 oz of vegan margarine

13 oz of soy milk + 1 tbsp of white vinegar

1. In a larger bowl sift together all dry ingredients.
2. Using your fingers, mix the margarine into the flour until well incorporated. the mixture should look like this:

3. Whisk together the soy milk and vinegar until thick. Slowly add the mixture to the flour in a steady stream until a dough starts to form. Knead the mixture until smooth. Let the dough rest for 5 minutes.

4. Roll the dough out to a thickness of 1/4-1/2 inch. The thicker the dough is rolled out the higher the biscuit. Using a 1/2 inch biscuit or cookie cutter. Cut biscuits into rounds.

5. Place on a unlined cookie sheet. Biscuits may be touching or spread out on the sheet.

6. Bake in a 425 degree over [400 degree convection oven] for 16 minutes or until biscuits are golden brown. Remove from oven and let cool in pan. [for a lovely flavor and texture, brush biscuits with melted margarine once they are removed from the oven and then let them cool]

To make the sandwiches:

Split the biscuit in half; place the bottom on a plate. Top {optional top with vegan cheddar cheese slices, or other desired toppings} with fried mushrooms. For and added bonus drizzle agave nectar over the top of the chicken. Place biscuit top over mushrooms and serve.

Living without....

January has been an exciting month. With the new year, I decided to turn over a new leaf and let go of my carb addiction.  As a vegan, "we" tend to rely on carbohydrates for EVERYTHING! When in doubt carb it out.  With that being said.  It's been an interesting 30 days.  I've had to really pull out all the stops and think hard on what to cook each and every night.  Now, I have to preface this by saying I didn't stop eating ALL carbs, but I did relinquish my reliance on bread and pasta.

When you take a good long look at what you eat as a vegan, and what restaurants offer us, it relies heavily on breads, pastas and "cheese".  I did take a few wrong turns and have a potato and a bowl of brown rice or two, but, in my defense those carbs are in their natural state and as wholesome as possible.

Breakfast, was a hard one.  The meal alone, in my house, is usually pancakes, toast, or a sandwich in some form or another.  With the wonderful group of fellow bloggers I found inspiration in all shapes forms and ethnic backgrounds.  Rice and soy milk slightly heated with a touch of cinnamon, yes hot rice pudding is a wonderful breakfast.  Or, quinoa, agave nectar, toasted walnuts, golden raisins and dried cranberries.  HEAVEN.  Tofu scramble was reinvented with left over tortilla chips, salsa rojo, chopped avocados and pickled jalapeno peppers, GOOD MORNING!

Lunch.  Now, salads were my go to meal.  Again, thinking out of the box, fried green plantain as bread, topped with refried black beans, red and green cabbage with a creamy avocado dressing and spicy jackfruit.  Delish!  Or how about Tempeh salad with sprouted raw crackers and bib lettuce.  In my quest to replace bread I discovered so many different vehicles for lunch.  Rice paper, tofu pouches, sprouted corn tortillas, lettuce, even thin sliced veggies.

Dinner. 30 days took us around the world in more ways than one.  We toured the ring of fire, the far east, South America, even the continent of Africa.  When my family gathers around the table, they never knew what they might get.

Over the next week, I'll be posting some of the recipes.  As an homage I'll include links to those bloggers who inspired some of these dishes as well.  So stay tuned fellow vegans!