Grilled Mexican-Style Street Corn

OK, we live under a rock. Out in the sticks. We don't get out much...

When we stumbled across "Mexican-Style Grilled Street Corn" at our local farmer's Market recently, we thought it was a new, original and truly wondrous thing....

(Of course it wasn't vegan, so I chose to watch and take notes and drool as my kids messily and greedily inhaled ear after ear...) And then we went home and I whipped up my own, VEGAN batch of "Mexican Street Corn". And it was AMAZING. And I thought I'd discovered something exciting and new.

Well, I guess Mexican Street Corn is just common, ordinary street food. And has been around for a very long time, and Bobby Flay's been doing his version all over Food Network for years; And I'm not very original in "vegan-izing" the recipe, because after a little internet searching I discovered that the fabulous Terry Hope Romero has her own marvelous-sounding vegan recipe in her cookbook, Viva Vegan.

Should you want to try her recipe, you can buy the book, or find it here: Street Corn.

However, I didn't know all of this when I dashed home delightedly to invent my OWN vegan version, and it IS different, so I am going to post it here for you to enjoy, should you wish to try it... This is perfect for a BBQ or when you've built a fire in the back-yard fire pit. And if you think that sour cream and cheese and lime sound odd on fresh-roasted corn... well, PLEASE give this a try anyway. You will be HOOKED, I promise!!

Enjoy!

"Mexican-Style" Grilled Street Corn

6 ears of corn, husked*

1/3 cup vegan sour cream
2 Tbsp vegan mayonnaise
2 Tbsp fresh squeezed lime juice
pinch salt

2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
1/4 cup grated vegan hard, crumbly cheese (I used the "Cheshire-Style Sheese" the first time, because I had it on hand, and it was PERFECT for this)
OR 1/4 cup vegan Parmesan-style 'cheese'

Chili-Lime seasoning (We use "Tajin Chili & Lime").
2 limes, cut in wedges
3 Tablespoons finely minced fresh cilantro


Directions:

1. Husk corn, wrap in several layers foil (*or grill in the husk if you prefer - I don't like the mess, but it's your choice).
Grill over BBQ or backyard fire pit until tender and starting to char in spots. (I have no scientific method here, just cook 'till done).

2. In a small bowl, combine vegan mayo, vegan sour cream, salt and lime juice. Whisk together to make it creamy.

3. Mix 'cheese' and nutritional yeast in another small bowl.

3. Remove corn from foil (or husk), put on plate. Rub corn with lime wedge.
Spread, or drizzle sour-cream sauce all over corn.

4. Sprinkle cheese-mixture on corn. Sprinkle fresh cilantro and chili-lime seasoning liberally on corn.

5. Try and figure out how to gracefully eat this lovely mess with a minimum of spillage...

Serves 3 - 6, depending on how much people eat

Happy Birthday Nelson Mandela; South African Lentil and Vegetable Soup

Today, July 18, Nelson Mandela turns 93.

And by all accounts he's enjoying the day in the best way possible - surrounded by family.Congratulations!!

As it turns out, I just finished reading the most interesting book about Mr. Mandela (especially for a foodie/history geek like me), "Hunger for Freedom: The Story of Food in the Life of Nelson Mandela". The author traces Nelson Mandela's journey in food memories and recipes from the corn grinding stone of his Mvezo birthplace and simple dishes of his youth, through wedding cakes, prison hunger strikes and presidential banquets, and on into a retirement with the Mozambican seafood dishes of his third wife, Graça Machel.

While I won't be making seafood dishes from Mozambique any time soon, I DID gain an entirely new insights on the personal and political events in Nelson Mandela's life. And yes, I found some recipes I want to try (or already have!). Read this book if you have the opportunity.

Since I don't have the publishers permission to post an exact recipe here - and since most of them require a great deal of "vegan-izing", I am instead posting a vegan variation using the same ingredients, techniques and spices - but without the soup bone, butter and other animal products - still delicious (probably more so in my opinion!). As with apple pie, goulash, borscht or other "classic" national recipes, there are hundreds of personal variations; this is just one version of the South African classic soup or stew "Potjiekos" (roughly translated as "Pot Food") and it is SOOO good!

Enjoy!

Potato, Jerusalem Artichoke and Lentil Potjiekos

1 lb. Jerusalem artichokes, peeled and cut in chunks (I didn't peel mine and they seemed fine, do what you want)
2 medium red potatoes, cubed
1 large onion, peeled and coarsely chopped

1 leek, cleaned and sliced
1 zucchini, sliced or chopped
1 carrot, shredded or finely chopped
½ cup white wine
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1 Tbsp fresh ginger, chopped
1 cinnamon stick
½ tsp ground nutmeg
2 Tablespoons margarine
2 cups vegetable stock
2 cups water
1 tsp sea salt
2 cups cooked brown or green lentils, (your choice)

1 cup soymilk or soy creamer

black pepper to taste

In a heavy-based soup pot, sauté artichokes, potatoes, onions, leek, zucchini, carrot, garlic and ginger with margarine and spices for five minutes or until vegetables just start to turn color and cook a tiny bit.
Cover with liquids and simmer for 20 minutes or more until very soft - watch and add more water if needed. Remove cinnamon stick, then blend in a food processor until creamy (or leave it somewhat chunky - I did this the second time and actually liked the end result better).
Return to saucepan and add lentils and soymilk. Stir together and simmer over a low heat. Serve with cracked black pepper. Serves 4

Creamy Vegan Potato Salad

Enough with the sweets and desserts and rhubarb! Time to get back to some real FOOD!
This weekend our farmer's market had the most wonderful little red potatoes and I knew immediately it was time for potato salad! Add some beautiful radishes and dill from my Mom's garden and I have the makings of one of my FAVORITE summer salads...

Fairly basic, completely yummy, quick and easy potato salad. Everyone loves this and it's SOO simple!! Enjoy!!

Creamy Radish-and-Potato Salad

3 lbs. red potatoes, scrubbed

1/2 cup thinly sliced red radishes
1/2 cup chopped red onion
3/4 cup Vegenaise (or other vegan mayo)

1/2 cup Tofutti Sour Cream (or other vegan sour cream)
2 tablespoons dijon mustard
1 teaspoon each salt and pepper

3 Tbsp. chopped dill pickles
2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill

2 tsp. red wine vinegar

Cut potatoes into 1 inch chunks. Bring to a boil over medium high heat. Cook until potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. Drain potatoes.

Toss hot potatoes with radishes and onions. Cool to room temperature.

Add in the Vegenaise, sour cream, mustard, salt and pepper, stirring gently. When potatoes cool down to room temperature, add in dill, pickles and vinegar. Taste and adjust seasoning.
Refrigerate at least 2 hours before serving, garnish with dill and fresh cracked black pepper.

Olivia's Fantastic Rhubarb Cupcakes with Lime Buttercream

FINALLY! The much anticipated and amazing Rhubarb Cupcakes (which, sadly, did NOT win any prizes at the Sumner, Rhubarb-Days cook-off, probably because they were just so awesomely unique and original).

OK, so for those of you expecting a long, crazy-gourmet fancy recipe, this is not it. In fact, this is a "cheater" recipe that actually uses a boxed cake mix!! I know, I know, how "original" is that? Try not to be shocked. I promise not to quote something out of "Semi-Homemade With Sandra Lee"; this is actually more creative. And vegan too! (As an ironic side-note though, the semi-famous Sandra Lee - who's cooking show I'm just not a huge fan- is actually FROM Sumner. Go figure. )

Hey, we found out about the bake-off the night before and really wanted to enter, so had to work with what we had in our cupboards.

Anyway, that said, here's the recipe.

Olivia's Rhubarb Cupcakes with Lime 'Butter'cream

1 package Duncan Hines Classic Yellow or White Cake mix (if you're vegan, read the label, many varieties of Duncan Hines cake mix ARE vegan, yay!)

~

1 cup very finely chopped fresh rhubarb

3 Tbsp sugar

3 Tbsp water

~

6 tablespoons cold water
5 tablespoons corn starch
2 cups med-large chopped fresh rhubarb

1/3 cup vegetable oil

optional: few drops red food color if desired

Instructions:

Preheat the oven. The box recommmends 350 for metal or glass pans, 325 for dark or coated pans.

Line cupcake pans with paper liners.

Put ONE CUP finely chopped rhubarb, 3 Tablespoons water and 3 Tablespoons sugar in a small saucepan, bring to a boil and remove from heat. Let sit a couple minutes and then drain well. Rhubarb bits should be tender but NOT mush. Set aside.

Puree the TWO CUPS of coarsely-chopped rhubarb with water, cornstarch and oil (and food color if desired) in food processor bowl until as smooth as possible. Add puree to cake mix and mix with electric mixer as directed on package (batter should be thick).

Fold in bits of cooked rhubarb. Pour into prepared cupcake pans, filling a bit over 3/4 full, these don't rise a whole lot.

Bake as directed on cake box, testing with toothpick for doneness. (They may need a minute or two more).

Cool for several hours and frost with frosting:

Lime 'Butter'Cream Frosting

1/2 cup (1 stick) vegan margarine (I use Earth Balance Sticks)

2 cups powdered sugar (sifted)
zest of 1/2 lime
2 tablespoons fresh squeezed lime juice

Cream the 'butter' until fluffy, add lime juice and gradually beat in the powdered sugar until the mixture is very fluffy. Zest lime into frosting and stir. Frost cooled cupcakes.

**Optional: Lime frosting is especially yummy if "infused" with an herbal undertone. If you'd like to go all Über-fancy , steep 2 Tablespoons chopped, fresh herb of your choice (sage, lemon grass, lemon thyme, purple basil) in 2 Tablespoons boiling water for 10 min. Like you're making tea... Drain and save liquid, discard leaves, cool and whip a teaspoon or two of liquid in the buttercream frosting, adding about 1/2 cup more powdered sugar to maintain spreadable consistency.

Small-Town Rhubarb Days (and PIE!)

So, the cute little town of Sumner (where I work part-time) has crowned itself the "Rhubarb Pie Capitol of the US". It's probably true, as the town has a long history of growing most of the rhubarb for the country.

This weekend was the first ever "Rhubarb Days" in Sumner, and with the festival came antique tractors, face-painting and the ubiquitous Rhubarb Pie Bake-Off. (Besides pies, there were categories for cakes, cookies, cobblers, jams, sauces and beverages.)

The entry form simply stated "Judged on appearance, presentation, taste, originality and unique use of rhubarb".

So my baking-wizard Middle Sprout and I decided we'd enter! We can definitely do "original and unique".

Olivia made some OUTSTANDING Rhubarb Cupcakes with Key-Lime Buttercream Frosting, and I made Rhubarb Cheesecake-Pie with Coconut Shortbread Crust. (All vegan, recipes to follow) And they were AMAZING!

But, I'll spare you the suspense and tell you right up front, we did NOT win. Our creations were beautiful, delicious, original and unique. But probably TOO unique for a small-town Rhubarb Festival, as we were outvoted by the sweet little grey-haired ladies (and some guy named Bob) and their very traditional, "Betty-Crocker" looking, retro Americana pies and cakes. So next year we'll skip that whole "original and unique" thing...

Nevertheless, we shared the cupcakes and pie with my co-workers at "A Good Book" and they gobbled everything down and pronounced it spectacular. Which is better than winning in my book, any day.

If you're still interested, my NON-traditional, NON-prize-winning pie recipe follows - look for the cupcakes tomorrow, they are absolutely AMAZING!!!

**I'd also like to give a shout-out to the fine folks at Galaxy Nutritionals. Some time back, they sent me several cartons of their new VEGAN cream cheese to try out. SO YUMMY!!! Most of it sustained us deliciously us during the non-cooking chaos of our move, (as I totally forgot to buy food for the poor people stuck helping me!) But, I discovered I still had a container in the 'fridge, and it was part of the inspiration for this pie.

Rhubarb Cheesecake Pie

1 pie crust of your choice, baked and cooled
(I used this Coconut Shortbread crust and pressed it up the sides of the deep-dish pie pan and baked as directed. You'll note in the picture I got it JUST a little too dark)

1 1/2 cups water

4 Tablespoons Agar powder

3/4 cup sugar

1/4 tsp vanilla

2 cups medium-fine chopped rhubarb

1 carton Galaxy Nutritionals Vegan Cream Cheese (or whatever vegan cream cheese product you have available)

In a large pan, heat water to a simmer, sprinkle in Agar powder and stir until dissolved with whisk. Add sugar and vanilla and bring mixture to a boil. Boil three minutes, adjusting heat so it doesn't boil over or scorch. Add rhubarb and cook another 3 - 4 minutes until rhubarb starts to soften. (Taste at this point, if still too tangy, add a bit more sugar).

Remove from heat, let rhubarb sit about 1/2 hr to an hour, until it starts to cool and thicken - check and stir every so often, you DON'T want it to solidify yet!

Once rhubarb mixture starts to set up and thicken, scoop out and set aside several tablespoons to use as a garnish/decoration; then add the carton of cream cheese and mix together with electric mixer. It will take about five minutes to incorporate all the cream cheese into the rhubarb mixture.

Pour rhubarb-cream-cheese mixture into cooled pie crust. Drizzle the set aside plain rhubarb mixture over the creamy mixture as garnish. (Mine turned out sorta blobby instead of "drizzled", so I sprinkled shredded coconut on top, too).

Chill overnight in fridge. Slice and serve.

Thai Sweet-Hot Coleslaw

So, in the process of moving, the entire contents of my fridge were dumped in a big box and trucked to the new place... It's been an adventure sorting out my veggies! My Mom, who kindly (and THANKFULLY!!) helping pack up my kitchen remarked that I had a "lot of cabbage to use up"...

Well, yes, thank-you, I know that, but cabbage keeps forever in my vegetable bin; and sometimes I forget I have it, and am lured by the pretty colors at the Farmer's Market and buy even MORE cabbage, which I then forget to use, and so it goes. Anyway, I had four heads of cabbage waiting for me this morning!

So today, the day AFTER the 4th, I'm using up a bunch of that cabbage and making one of my favorite picnic salads. Sweet-Hot Thai Coleslaw.


I love the bright colors as you assemble this salad, the purple cabbage and orange carrots especially, are such a pretty contrast!

Thai Sweet-Hot Cole-Slaw

• 3 Tbsp. soy sauce
• 1/3 cup fresh-squeezed lime juice (from 3 to 4 limes - oh please use fresh! I have issues with that bottled stuff!)
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. toasted sesame oil
• 1 Tbsp canola oil
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 2-inch piece fresh ginger, grated (less if you're not crazy about ginger)
• 1 or 2 jalapeno chiles, minced or to taste, as hot or mild as you like!

• 1 head cabbage, cored and very thinly sliced or coarsely shredded (I use 1/2 red and 1/2 green)
• 2 medium carrots, peeled and grated
• 1 small red onion, very thinly sliced or 4 green onions (scallions) sliced thin as far up into the green part as possible
• 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves, chopped

Dressing: Pour the soy sauce, sesame oil, oil and lime juice into a small bowl, add the sugar and stir until it is dissolved. Add the garlic, ginger and jalapenos. (You can use a food processor at this point if you want, I prefer all the "chunks" be whizzed up!)
Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.

1/2 hour or so before serving, put the cabbage, carrots and red onion into a large bowl and mix together. Pour the dressing over, toss again, cover and refrigerate.

To serve, toss the cabbage mixture in the dressing and put on serving platter. Add half the cilantro, toss with tongs and scatter the remaining cilantro on top.

SO refreshing!! I could eat this stuff for days on end, but it never lasts that long! It gets a little "wilted" and juicy the second or third day, but it is still really good!

Oh, and it's GREAT in a taco shell with crispy tempeh too!

Fourth-of-July and stuff...

So what's everyone doing for the Fourth?

No parades or picnics planned here, because, unlike just about everyone I know, I stayed home for the weekend!

If you haven't heard already - we MOVED! (Thus, the lack of recent posts on my blog).

And with moving, (at least in my case) comes a great deal of panic-inducing chaos and disorganization: So, I desperately need this weekend to re-organize my life and my home!

No need to panic though, (ha! right!), because I still have my trusty computer and we've only moved a few miles across town, to a cute little place that was cheaper, smaller and easier (MUCH!!!) to maintain!!

It has a fabulous little kitchen, and I brought my patio pots (all 17 of them) and hanging flowers, and instantly the place feels SO much like home!

Supper tonight was one of our favorite "comfort foods" and everyone's favorite: Taco Ring (which I guess I've already posted somewhere back in the foggy past, so I'll spare you the details here, but seriously go check it out!).

(Ignore the Mike's Hard Lemonade bottle in the picture... we were celebrating America's Independence... or something...)

We had some beautiful Rainier cherries from the Farmer's Market, to go with.

Then we sat on the back porch, enjoyed the flowers, plants, and two-days-early fireworks - (and tried to ignore the many boxes left to unpack), and enjoyed supper from our new kitchen! Nice! I'll be back with more recipes soon!!