Vegan Caesar Dressing

I'm still surprised at the number of people who assume Caesar Dressing is Vegan (or even Vegetarian). I do realize it's all too easy to pick up a pretty bottle in the supermarket and not really think about what's in our food. (Hey, I do it too!).

And while raw eggs and smashed-up little fish don't exactly sound appetizing to me, I will admit to loving the dressing and looking far and wide for fish-free versions, even when I ate eggs.

"'Fine' said The Little Red Hen. 'Than I shall do it myself!'

... And she did."

This dressing, while possibly not spot-on for an authentic Caesar Dressing fan, is very close and has never disappointed unknowing salad eaters in my house. I realize there are several equally delicious Caesar recipes in popular vegan cookbooks; but this is my version, so of course it uses ingredients I have on hand, and generally seems easier to throw together - at least to me.

Enjoy!

Vegan Caesar Dressing

• 3 cloves garlic, pressed (or mashed with salt, if you want to do it properly)
• pinch of salt
• 1 largish lemon, juiced
• couple pinches lemon zest
• 2 Tbsp. capers, coarsely chopped
• 3 Tablespoons Veganaise (or other vegan Mayo)
• 1/2 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
• 1 tsp caper brine
• 1/4 tsp. kelp powder, nori, dulse or other crumbled seaweed product
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• Fresh-ground black pepper to taste

Mash the garlic with salt using this technique (or put thru garlic press). Scrape into small bowl. Add capers and lemon juice and mash a bit more. Add the rest of the ingredients and mix well with a fork.

Adjust tastes if needed. Some people prefer more cracked pepper, more lemon juice or more olive oil. It's up to you and it's ALL yummy!
*If you have it, a pinch of India Black Salt adds a nice, authentic "eggy" touch to this dressing but it's NOT necessary.

To make the salad:

Wash and dry a couple 'hearts of romaine' and tear or chop into small pieces. Add lettuce to a large salad bowl. Toss with the amount of dressing you prefer, until the dressing is clinging equally on all the leaves.

Serve with fresh ground pepper and your favorite croutons, and some vegan Parmesan if you have it.

Super Easy Tofu And Broccoli Stir-Fry with Peanut Sauce

This is about as basic a meal as we get around here. Easy, simple, my kids love it and I almost always have all the ingredients on hand.

Of course, use whatever veggies you like, broccoli just took over as the vegetable of choice when my Sprouts were younger; sometimes dinner wasn't worth forcing them to take another bite of dreaded carrots, mushrooms or squash.

Now, thankfully, they like pretty much everything, but they still ask for this combo fairly often.

Serve it with rice, noodles, miso soup or pot stickers.

Super Easy, Super Simple Tofu And Broccoli with Peanut Sauce

• 1 tub or package water-packed firm tofu, well-drained (I wrap in paper towels and press for about 1/2 hr. if I think about it)
• 2 Tbsp. cornstarch
• peanut oil
  
• soy sauce
  ~~~
• large bunch fresh broccoli, broken into med-small flowers (or the large frozen pieces work fine here too. Use straight from the package.)
  ~~~
• Peanut Sauce (To make it SUPER easy on yourself? Don't tell anyone, but the jarred stuff from Trader Joe's or The Ginger People works well here, OR use the recipe below if you prefer)
• Sesame seeds

PREPARE THE TOFU:
Cut tofu into small cubes, about the size of a sugar cube, sprinkle lightly with soy sauce. Stick in a ziploc bag with the cornstarch and toss until coated, remove from bag, shaking off any excess.

Fry in a shallow layer of peanut oil: To fry - Heat oil in pan (I like a non-stick, but use what you like) add 1 layer of tofu cubes without overcrowding, let sit in hot oil for a few minutes to develop a 'crust' and then turn carefully. Do a couple more turns, waiting a couple minutes in between sides, until crisp and very slightly browned (light tannish). Remove to a paper-toel to drain. This process is MUCH easier than it sounds. Repeat until all tofu is browned.

PREPARE BROCCOLI: Wipe excess oil from pan. Add brocolli and quickly stir-fry with a few dops oil and soy sauce until bright green and tender crisp (or to your liking).

Add tofu back to pan with broccoli, and carefully add peanut sauce to your preference (we prefer a light coating, some people like it swimming in sauce). Stir carefully to heat thru, another minute or two and serve, sprinkled with sesame seeds.

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PEANUT SAUCE

• 1/3 cup peanut butter, any type, softened
• 3 tbsp water
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• juice from 2 limes (or 3 Tbsp rice, or cider vinegar)
• 2 Tbsp. fresh ginger, shredded fine (I use a microplane)
• 1/2 tsp brown sugar
• 1+ clove garlic, pressed
• 1/8 tsp toasted sesame oil
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, or to taste
• salt to taste

Mix together. If too thick, add water or apple juice to thin to your preference. This can also be whizzed up in your food processer.

Hot Artichoke-Spinach-'Teese' Dip

Again with the Chicago Soy Dairy Teese Challenge!

This time I had some "mozzarella-style" Teese to experiment with. Now, it's been well-documented that the stuff melts beautifully on pizza, so no need to go there - besides, this is a "challenge"which means "try something half-way creative".

So. I finally tried "vegan-izing" my old comfort-food favorite - Hot Artichoke Spinach Dip. I realize it relies heavily on vegan dairy "substitutes" but I tend to add more spinach and artichokes, so hopefully the dip isn't as heavy and rich as your typical recipe. Mind you, I haven't tried the original, goopy, mayo-laden dip in over six years, but in my humble opinion, this vegan version knocks the original right out of the tail-gate party!

Although spinach is traditional, I've also tried this with very finely chopped and cooked kale or chard, and the results were good. Different; the kale isn't quite as soft or mild, but still tasty. The dip also makes a wonderful pasta sauce, just in case you have leftovers.

Hot Artichoke-Spinach-'Teese' Dip

1/2 a tube Teese Mozzarella-style, (about 1 cup) crumbled or shredded
1/2 cup raw cashews, soaked overnight
1/2 cup Vegan Sour Cream
2 Tbsp. nutritional yeast (optional if you don't like it - makes a less "runny" dip)
1 clove garlic (or MORE!!), peeled and minced/pressed
1/2 tsp. dried basil or 2 Tbsp. fresh, minced

1/4 cup chopped water chestnuts (optional but I like the crunch)
salt and pepper to taste
couple shots Tabasco (optional and to taste)

juice from 1/2 a lemon
1 14 oz. can OR 1 9 oz. frozen bag artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
OR 1 jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and coarsely chopped (sometimes I use more)
2 cups frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well-drained (wring in cheesecloth)

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
Lightly grease a small baking dish.
Blend cashews in food processor with just enough water to make a thick, smooth "cashew cream". Set aside.

In a small saucepan over medium heat, melt 1/4 cup vegan sour cream and 'Teese' until runny.

In a medium bowl, mix together "cashew cream", the rest of the sour cream, the sour cream-Teese mixture, garlic, basil, Tabasco, water chestnuts, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Gently stir in artichoke hearts and spinach.
Transfer the mixture to the prepared baking dish. Top with a bit more 'Teese' if you want. Put in oven about 10 - 15 min, just until Teese bubbles and melts on top or dip is starting to brown.

Serve with crackers, veggies, or put in a hollowed-out bread-bowl. Yum!

Teese Vegan Challenge!!

Just updating with a cool link:

Chicago Soy Dairy posted some great "Teese"-cheese recipes from myself, and several fellow bloggers on their website.

Click here to check out The Teese Vegan Challenge!!!

That is all, we now return to our regularly scheduled programming.

Cheesy Mexican Risotto with Green Chiles

So the lovely people at Chicago Soy Dairy sent me some "Teese" vegan soy cheese to experiment with and I have to say I was pleasantly surprised.

First, I'm not a fan of vegan cheese products. Second, I am not a big fan of packaged and processed items unless I find I REALLY love them, or find they are possibly a bit necessary (like margarine or coconut milk) And third, I thought I had tried Teese some time ago and put it on the reject list in my brain.

Well, I'm glad to report I was wrong on all accounts. The Chicago Soy Dairy people actually make a fairly good vegan cheese product, (one I apparently had NOT tried before, because I really didn't recognize the little tube-like packages that came in the mail).

Well, I'm not exactly sure where my mind was, because I opted for the "Nacho Cheese Sauce" product, something I wouldn't have eaten even back in my "real" cheese days. What to do, what to do? I called upon the creative brain-power and vegan cooking skills of my friend Shaun, and we put our heads together and came up with a lovely (and very UN-Nacho-like) Risotto. I am now SO glad I chose this variety!

Yes, I realize risotto isn't typically "Mexican" but vegan risotto is a specialty of Shaun's, and we had a plethora of "Mexican" type ingredients to complement the "Nacho Cheese" - so away we went. The end result was creamy, flavorful and had me creeping back to the 'fridge in the middle of the night to scarf down the leftovers. Perfect with grilled portabellos and roasted asparagus, prepare to be amazed.

Cheesy Mexican Risotto with Green Chiles

About 3 cups vegetable broth
3 teaspoons margarine, divided
1/3 cup diced onions
1 cup small diced red bell pepper
1 cup roasted New Mexico green chiles, well drained (We used Bueno Foods frozen New Mexico green chiles, thawed and drained in a sieve, adding any liquid to the above broth. If you have access to fresh fire-roasted green chiles, by all means use them!)
1 teaspoon chopped fresh cilantro
1 cup Arborio rice
1/3 cup dry white wine
1/2 a package Teese Nacho Cheese Sauce
Salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper

Heat the stock in a saucepan and keep hot over low heat.
Heat 1 teaspoon margarine over medium heat in a small skillet or frypan. Add the onion and cook until it turns translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the red peppers and cook until tender crisp. Set aside.
In a separate pot, melt two teaspoons margarine, add rice, stir and turn the heat to low. Add the white wine and cook until the wine has reduced by half.
Add about 1 cup of the hot stock to the rice mixture, and stir slowly until the stock is absorbed. This is the time-consuming part of making risotto.
Continue to add the stock 1 cup at a time, stirring slowly, letting the rice absorb the stock before adding more. After 15 minutes, add in the red peppers, onion and drained green chiles. Continue to cook.
The risotto is cooked when it is creamy on the outside and slightly firm (al dente) in the center, about 20 to 25 minutes, maybe longer.
Stir in the Teese Nacho Cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste. If the risotto is too thick, add a little more stock until it becomes creamy.
Divide the risotto into serving dishes and sprinkle with the chopped cilantro.

DEEEEELISH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I Like My Tofu "Chik'n Fried"...

I'm a bigger fan of Country Music than I am of PETA, thus I am posting this little blurb just for the heck of it, 'cause I do LOVE the Zac Brown Band, regardless of their choice in foods or song titles, and PETA? Sure, they do a lot of good, but frankly? Sometimes they make me embarrassed to admit I'm vegan.

A Little Bit Of Tofu Fried? No soy treats will be in the Zac Brown Band diet
despite PETA's suggestions to make their No. 1 hit "Chicken Fried" more animal-friendly.
The group tweeted Monday (2/8), "Dear PETA: Plants are living creatures, too ... Bacon had a mother, but so did Pickle. It takes life to support life - welcome to the planet."
According to last Thursday's (2/4) PETA blog, the organization sent the band a basket of "delicious, protein-rich faux meats" to make their offer "more tempting."

OK, (*roll eyes*) obviously The ZBB doesn't have a real original Twitter reply either... but asking them to change up a #1 hit to make it more "animal friendly"? Really?

No haters, please. I support vegetarianism and eliminating animal cruelty 100%, but sadly, when PETA pulls something (like this) you have to admit it really isn't going to win them any friends or supporters - OR make people "think twice" about their food. C'mon guys, just let them sing!

Seriously - "Chicken Fried" is a style of cooking. You can "chicken-fry" a whole lot of foods (especially if you live in the South!) And the song mentions "cold beer on a Friday night" too. I don't do beer, and CERTAINLY don't want my ten-year-old kicking back on the weekends with a cold one - so maybe I should ban it from my iPod altogether? Freedom of speech... errr... lyrics.

Actually, maybe this "non-animal-friendly" song is doing more good than they know. Every time my ten-year-old hears it, she asks for "Chick'n-Fried Tofu" because that's what the song reminds HER of... Hence, my recipe tonight.

This is just one of probably ten versions of "Fried Tofu" that I have, but it's one my kids like a lot - and it's pretty detailed which seems to help some people get the hang of it.

And while I've played with it a lot - I don't think I've posted it before:

"Chik'n-Fried Tofu"

15 oz. package of extra firm tofu, drained and patted dry (you can "press" it for a few hours IF you want - sometimes I do, other times I don't bother...)
1 t. smoked paprika
2 cloves garlic, chopped or pressed
1 t. salt
2 cups of "buttermilk" ( = 2 cups soymilk + 2Tbsp vinegar/lemon juice )
1/2 t. freshly ground pepper

2-3 cups of panko breadcrumbs

3 Tsbp. cornstarch

2 Tbsp. Egg Replacer powder

4 Tbsp. Veganaise

2 Tbsp. ground flax seeds

salt and pepper

Oil (I like coconut or peanut here, but use whatever)

1. Marinade: (or use your favorite). Combine paprika, garlic, salt, "buttermilk", and pepper in a glass baking pan or dish. Slice tofu into cubes or strips and place directly into marinade. Refrigerate for several hours, turning the pieces occasionally.

2. Prepare breading ingredients by placing the breadcrumbs and cornstarch in a shallow, wide dish and season (fairly heavily) with salt and pepper and whatever else you'd like).

3. Then drain the tofu and reserve the marinade - to the marinade add the egg-replacer, vegenaise and flax. Mix well, it should be a pretty thick mixture.

4. Bread tofu pieces by dipping them first in breadcrumbs, then in Vegenaise mixture, then back into breadcrumbs. It's messy and you have to press the crumbs onto the tofu a bit, but it's worth it... Let tofu sit a bit while heating the oil.

5. Pour oil into a large saute pan or frying pan to a depth of about 1/2 inch. Heat the oil over medium heat.

6. Fry breaded tofu pieces a few at a time until golden brown on bottom side (2-3 minutes). Flip and fry for a few minutes more until golden brown on both sides.

7. Remove from oil with slotted spoon or tongs and place on paper towels to drain. Sprinkle with a little bit of sea salt and repeat with remaining tofu pieces. Serve with sauce of your choice.

Valentine Peppermint Truffles

These are surprisingly similar to those famous "York Peppermint Patties", except they're entirely vegan. My kids and I love making them together because they're messy, sugar-y and covered with chocolate - what kid wouldn't like to make something like THAT!?

And if you're looking for a perfect use for last year's red, foil heart-shaped candy-box, try filling it with these babies.

Since it's close to Valentine's, I've been toying with making heart-shaped candy, but haven't actually done so. Yet. Stay tuned. These are SO easy, and really tend to impress the vegan-skeptics out there: another one of those "WHAT!?!?!? THIS is vegan?" type-recipes.

Peppermint Patties

• 1/2 medium baked potato or one small
  (out of the peel of course, mashed up, no butter or salt or pepper added, you need about 2.5 Tablespoons of mashed-up baked potato)
• 2 cups powdered sugar
  (more, if needed, and I usually do. You could use quite a bit depending on factors in your kitchen. Vegan powdered sugar is available at most Whole Foods, Trader Joe's and health food stores, though I admit I'm not one of those overly sugar-concerned vegans. I usually just try to avoid cane sugar which is more likely to be bone-char processed. Beet sugar is not bone-char-processed, and is what most store-brand sugar is actually derived from. Your call. )
• 1 1/2 tsps peppermint extract
  (make sure this is real PEPPERMINT extract, not the nasty-tasting "mint-flavoring" or mint extract that is usually part spearmint and a bit on the bitter side)
• 2 tbsp soymilk powder
  (if you can find it, it makes the finished product drier, smoother and easier to work with - but isn't absolutely essential)

Line a cookie sheet with foil.
Make sure your baked potato is mashed up very smooth, with no small lumps or anything.
Add all ingredients together and mix well until a stiff candy filling (fondant) forms. Add additional powdered sugar until it becomes mold-able like playdough. The sugar amount can vary a bit. When the fondant is holding shape, take about a tablespoon of the mixture at a time and form into balls. Place them on the cookie sheet and press them down into a patty shape. When all are formed, place in the freezer for a few minutes until firm.

Chocolate coating

2 cups chocolate chips, or finely chopped dark chocolate of your choice
2 tbsp. Earth Balance

Melt the chocolate with the margarine in a double boiler or a small pan balanced in a large pan of boiling water. Don't let ANY water get in the chocolate.

Remove patties from the freezer. Dip the patties in the chocolate and place back on the wax paper. (For the dipping, I take a wooden skewer, poke the candy onto the end of it and then dip and remove with a flick of the finger. You have to figure out what method works for you. It is the only difficult part and MUCH easier to actually DO than to explain).
When all are coated, place in the refridgerator until chocolate is set. Keep stored in the fridge.