"Cheese" and Chive Vegan Biscuits

I could (or should?) post a long apology here about my Blogger-delinquency, but suffice it to say this house has three computers, all of ancient origin and design, and all of them have given up and died.

I am on a little, borrowed, slow netbook that seems to want to die as well. Who knows what the future has in store...

My post today was inspired by the chives I recently discovered had lasted over the winter. Who knew? I could have thrown them into some lovely Spring salad, but our weather has NOT been very Spring-like (regardless of what I may have said previously) so warm and cozy is still on the table...

I do not like "drop" biscuits, they look like rock-like lumps of dough to me, and while they are decidedly easier to make and less chance of hockey-puck-like results, I still much prefer rolled and cut-out biscuits.

Enjoy.

"Cheese" and Chive Cut-Out (as opposed to "drop") Biscuits

• 2/3 c. plain, unsweetened non-dairy milk (I prefer soy)
• 1 tsp. cider vinegar
• 2 Tbsp. Earth Balance or other vegan margarine, cold
• 2 Tbsp. coconut oil, cool and solidified but not rock hard (or just use more Earth Balance but I think this makes much more tender and flaky biscuits)
• 1 c. all purpose flour (I use plain ol' white flour, so shoot me)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 Tbsp baking powder
• 1/2 cup finely minced chives or chopped greens from garlic scapes
• 1 cup finely shredded vegan "cheddar"-style cheese of your choice (I've used both Teese and Daiya with good results)
  
  NOTE: I usually "eyeball' this recipe, so please don't shoot me if the results aren't perfect, it takes a bit of playing with...

OK, so add vinegar to soymilk and let sit for five minutes - it should start to "curdle" a bit.
In another bowl, mix flour, salt and baking powder. Using a pastry blender or two forks, gently cut the Earth Balance and coconut oil into the dry mixture until crumbly. Mix wet ingredients with dry, adding just enough milk to make a kneadable dough. Do NOT over mix!

Gently knead in cheese and chives. Yes, with your hands. Add as little flour as possible and knead as little as possible.

Cover dough and put in fridge for 1/2 hour.

Pat dough mixture out 1/2 inch thick onto lightly floured board (If it appears too sticky to do this, GENTLY add a bit more flour, but the less you add the more fluffy and tender the biscuits). Cut into circles with biscuit-cutter or anything round. DO NOT "twist" the cutter, cut straight down!
Bake at 475 degrees for 10 - 14 minutes until dark golden brown and done.

Quinoa and Spring Mint Salad

YAY! My mint has returned after a long, cold winter and spring. I could hardly wait to put the first green leaves in something cool and refreshing and salad-like!

If you've never tried quinoa, this is a super-easy recipe to start with and SOO good! Quinoa is a lovely (and very nutritious) grain, or seed really, that's tasty and fast to cook. Follow the directions on the box, that's all there is to it! Find it in the grains or Natural Foods sections of most grocery stores.
Quinoa-Mint Salad

• 1 cup dry quinoa, cooked according to package directions. I do mine in my rice-cooker with excellent results.

• 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 Tablespoon fresh-squeezed lemon juice
• 3 green onions, sliced with as much of the green part as is tender
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh peppermint leaves
• 1 clove garlic, crushed in garlic press
• Salt and lemon-pepper to taste
• chopped nuts (optional)

Cook quinoa according to package instructions until light and fluffy. Remove from heat and cool on a cookie sheet.

In a bowl, mix olive oil, garlic and lemon juice into quinoa. Add mint, salt and lemon-pepper, and mix well.

Sprinkle with chopped almonds or other nuts if you so desire. I just happened to have them on hand today.

Serve chilled or at room temp.

Stir-Fry Noodles and Pea Vine Tips

Had a BEAUTIFUL day at the Farmer's Market today!! SUPER crowded with everyone and their dog (literally!) enjoying Washington State's early attempts at appropriate May weather...

My friends Danica and Heather of the fabulous Soundly Vegan blog, made the drive out to the wilds of our little town and poked around the craft stalls, food vendors and millions of tomato plants with my Middle Sprout and me.

It's still a few weeks until produce gets into full swing, but there were plenty of greens, garlic shoots, spring onions and of course, asparagus from eastern Washington.

One of the items I picked up today was tender baby pea vines, or tips (not to be confused with pea sprouts which are sprouted peas), these greens are yet another of my much-looked-forward-to spring veggies.

Pea vine tips are exactly what they sound like - the tender stems, leaves and and even the cute little tendrils of a young pea plant. They are nutritious (lots of protein!), cook in seconds and lend themselves well to stir-fries, especially with noodles (I tend to think anyway). They couldn't be much that's easier to prepare.

Plenty of recipes out there on the Interwebs, this is all I do with them though, plain and simple:

Stir-Fry Pea Vines with Noodles

• 8 oz. package noodles of your choice (I happened to have some sort of Asian brown-rice noodle sort-of like soba noodles)
• 1 "bunch" fresh young pea vine tips, rinsed and cut in manageable lengths (the size of the bunch is up to you)
• 1 clove garlic, crushed
• Several small hot red peppers (I used Thai chilis that are pretty hot!)
• 1 Tbsp. sesame oil
• soy sauce

Cook the noodles according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

Heat sesame oil in large skillet or wok to medium. Add peppers and garlic and stir for just a moment until it starts to infuse the oil with some flavor - do not brown the garlic!

Add pea vines and stir until just starting to cook. Add noodles and stir carefully until pea vines are cooked to your liking and noodles are hot. Add soy sauce to taste.

A little grated, fresh ginger or some sesame seeds are a nice addition if you want.

Spring Asparagus Soup

Saturday marked the beginning of the local (like, right here in in the park) Farmer's Market, and I was first in line to grab some beautiful asparagus and a ton of wonderful and mysterious greens. So excited to see the great variety right here in our little town!

Of course I love fresh asparagus just steamed or roasted, but with such an abundance available right now, it's the green-veggie of choice in our kitchen for at least a few more weeks and I tend to get a little more creative.

This soup has been a family favorite for years now; I remember my oldest 'Sprout' (now 18!!) when she was very small and could barely manage soup with a spoon. She would crumble a ton of crackers into her serving and then happily eat the green "mush". Not as appetizing to the adults that way, maybe, but she LOVED it and always asked for "Green Mushy Soup" when she saw asparagus in the store.

I promise it's delicate flavor doesn't really NEED crackers or croûtons but dress it up however you'd like.

Spring Asparagus Soup

• 1 pound fresh asparagus, break where the stalks naturally break to avoid "stringy" bits
• 3/4 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup vegetable broth
• 1 tablespoon margarine
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 pinch ground black pepper
• 1 1/4 cups vegetable broth
• 1 cup soy (or other) milk, UNsweetened, of course
• 1/2 cup soy yogurt or soy sour 'cream'
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1/4 cup vegan Parmesan (optional)

Rinse asparagus and break at their natural breaking point so you just get the most tender part (usually about 2/3 of the stalk). Chop into 1/2 inch pieces. Cook asparagus and onion in a saucepan with 1/2 cup vegetable broth.

Bring the broth to a boil, reduce heat and let simmer until the vegetables are tender.
Reserve a few asparagus tips for garnish. Place remaining vegetable mixture in an electric blender and puree until smooth, or use a stick (immersion) blender.

Melt margarine in the pan that was used for simmering the asparagus and onions. Turn heat to low.

Stir with a wire whisk, (this is important) while sprinkling flour, salt, and pepper into the butter. Do not let the flour brown. Allow the mixture to cook only 2 minutes. Slowly (VERY slowly!) stir in remaining 1 1/4 cups vegetable broth and increase the heat. Continue stirring until the mixture comes to a boil.

Turn down heat. Stir the vegetable puree and milk into the saucepan and heat gently.
Whisk yogurt or sour cream into the mixture, followed by lemon juice. Stir until heated through, then ladle into bowls.
Garnish with reserved asparagus tips. Sprinkle with vegan cheese or garnish with some fresh herbs if desired.

Cheesy Corn Muffins

I seem to have muffins on the brain, which is odd, because I rarely EVER bake. And - I just found the last of the 'Nacho Cheese-Teese Sauce' (from the great Teese recipe Challenge) stuck away in the freezer. Now, I have no idea if the fine Teese people recommend that you freeze the stuff or not, but it appeared to survive the Ice Age with no harm done.

Since I had cornbread muffins on the brain anyway, I simply melted the Teese and substituted it for part of the oil/milk. It really made the muffins moist, dense and just "cheesy" enough to compliment the other flavors.

Of course, you could substitute any "meltable" vegan cheese here.

Cheesy Corn Muffins

• 1 cup cornmeal
• 1 1/4 cups flour
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup rice milk or soymilk
• 1/4 cup olive oil or melted margarine
• 1/2 a 'tube' 'Teese' Nacho-Cheese sauce (aprox 1 cup?) or equal amount other vegan cheese
• 2 tablespoons white vinegar
• 1 tablespoon maple or rice syrup, (or agave which I dislike, and it dislikes me as well)
• 1 jalapeño minced (or to taste)
• 2 Tbsp. chopped cilantro
• 1/2 cup corn kernels, patted dry (fresh raw, thawed from frozen or canned *gasp* yes indeed, I said canned!)

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
Grease (fairly heavily with coconut oil or Earth Balance) a standard 12-muffin tin.
Combine the dry ingredients--cornmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Melt the Teese in the microwave or mix with margarine and melt on the stove if you're opposed to microwaves like I am. (The aliens and all... you know...).

Anyway.

Stir in the wet ingredients--soymilk, margarine/'Teese' mixture, vinegar, and maple syrup.
Gently fold in jalapeño, corn and cilantro.
Pour batter into muffin tins, slightly over 1/2 full.

Should make 12 muffins.

Bake for 18 minutes (more or less, depending on the type of muffin tins you have, your oven, the humidity and altitude and whatever other variables you can think of) until the sides begin brown and slightly pull away from the edge of the pan and wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

Serve warm with margarine and honey (*gasp*) KIDDING or whatever you might use instead of honey...

Rhubarb Muffins

One more "SPRING" ingredient for you, RHUBARB!! (I guess it's also known as "pie-plant" to some? That was a new one for me, but it makes sense!)

I happen to work in a little town that calls itself the "Rhubarb Pie Capitol of the World".

I'm not sure how the town got the "Pie" title, but it is certainly surrounded by rhubarb fields that yield a beautiful harvest from now through early summer. Definitely been a major crop around these parts for quite some time and one that's anticipated by me with much excitement. I absolutely LOVE rhubarb!! The fact that it's local makes me even happier!

While I have a collection of pies, crisps, crunches and cobbler recipes devoted to rhubarb, this was my first attempt at making muffins and I think they turned out just about like I planned, sweet and spicy with little tangy bits of rhubarb. It's pretty basic. Feel free to play with the recipe as you wish!

Vegan Rhubarb Muffins

5 medium-thin stalks of rhubarb, diced finely
2 Tbsp. Turbinado, or white sugar

2 tbsp. ground flax seeds
3/4 cup almond (or other plant) milk

1 tsp cinnamon
1/3 cup Turbinado or white sugar

1 1/2 cups whole wheat (or half white/half wheat) flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. powdered ginger

1/2 cup softened vegan margarine (I use Nucoa)
1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar
1/2 tsp. vanilla
1/2 cup sugar of your choice


Toss rhubarb with 2 Tbsp. sugar and let sit.
Preheat oven to 375 F, and lightly oil 8 muffin 'cups' in a standard-size muffin pan. (Or use muffin papers).

Make your "flax-egg": In food processor, blend flax seeds and milk. Blend well until flax seeds start to pulverise. Set aside.
Make cinnamon sugar: Mix the 1/3 cup sugar with 1 tsp. cinnamon. Set aside.

In a mixing bowl, mix flour, salt, 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, ginger and baking powder.
In a second bowl, mix the 1/2 cup sugar, margarine, vanilla and vinegar.

Add "flax-egg" mixture to the sugar mixture.
Combine the two mixtures, to make a smooth batter. Stir in rhubarb just until mixed. It should be too thick to pour, yet thinner than "dough". (Add a bit more flour if needed).

Spoon the batter into prepared muffin pan, with equal proportions for each muffin, about 3/4 full.
Sprinkle top with 1/4 tsp. of the cinnamon-sugar.
Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, and remove from oven when the muffins are golden brown on top. Let cool in pan for 10 min. and then remove.
Enjoy.

More Local Food and some musings on GMO's

Let me start by saying that the coming of spring, and the subsequent opening of farm stands and farmer's markets has renewed my conviction to go as organically and locally grown as is possible on my penny-pinching food-stamp budget, yet still eat beautiful, healthy, vegan food.

First, my rant: We all know GMO's (Genetically Modified Organisms) are in some of the food we eat and probably aren't good for us. The more I've read, the more disturbed I've been about the loopholes that allow it to go un-regulated and the proven higher risks for children. Never mind the studies that show GMOs are introducing serious new allergens into foods and contributing to the spread of antibiotic resistance.

Unfortunately, unless you are eating an all organic diet, you are probably consuming far more GMOs then you realize (about 75 percent of the food in the supermarket contains GMOs). Even more unfortunately, those GMOs are probably hurting you more than you think. In fact, some countries consider them so bad they are completely banned from the country (and we have them in 70 percent of our food? Are we crazy? No - don't answer that).

The solution? Eat organic. The problem? In my little backwoods town, ("farming community" though it might be) there are few resources for organic produce, less for affordable organic options.

Yet one more reason I've begun to haunt the co-op, local road-side stands and farmers markets for local, organic and often wild-grown foods as much as my budget allows. This brings me to today's beautiful little ingredient: Wild fiddlehead ferns from my OWN BACKYARD!! Yes. Ferns. This little delicacy is found in the woods and along streams banks, and they are just starting to pop up this month. I saw them at the co-op (for a pretty price) and thought they looked mighty familiar, so following a lot of research and a hunch, I was delighted when I took some samples in to the co-op last week and they confirmed the little shoots in my backyard are indeed the edible variety from ferns. (As they reminded me - it's worth remembering that fully leafed-out fern fronds are actually toxic, use JUST the tightly coiled heads).

What a sweet little discovery! More than just their culinary (and monetary) value, I feel that wild food is on the opposite spectrum of genetically modified food. Wild food isn’t even cultivated, but simply needs to be gathered (and yes, they are generally very high in nutrients). On the other hand, genetically modified food took not only a lot of cultivation, pesticides and other "messing around with" by humans, but also required a scientist to create it in the first place. GMO’s are the scientific world's answer to nature’s natural resources.

My backyard isn't totally untouched and certified organic, it's just a field with brambles, weeds and a couple garden beds. But I don't use chemicals and we're not in the path of any run-off or toxic neighbors. Not perfect but I'm happy I have space to putter and play in the dirt. The fiddleheads were just an awesome spring bonus. (For more info on backyard foraging and fiddleheads in specific, check out this blog: Fat of the Land for local and wild (though not vegan) foods. This post was also inspired in a fit of jealous rage because I could not accompany my friends from Soundly Vegan who are out foraging their own wild green things today. ♥)

Anyway: My fiddlehead recipe? Nothing much, they're very simple to prepare and it's still rather inexact since the amount of fiddleheads I've cooked from time to time varies from three or four stalks to several cups...

Backyard Fiddleheads

• Blanch fiddleheads about three minutes. Rinse in cool water and rub papery skins off (if there are any).
• Set aside.
• In a saute pan, melt a little margarine over medium heat.
• Add a clove or two crushed garlic and saute for 2 minutes until garlic begins to cook but not brown.
• Add the boiled fiddleheads and a tablespoon or so of capers (if you have them) and continue cooking for an additional 2 minutes.
• Squeeze with some lemon juice and serve.

Garlic Scapes = Spring!

I finally accepted spring had arrived today, when I stopped by one of my favorite farm stands and they had garlic scapes!!

Let me introduce you to garlic scapes!! They are basically thin, young, curling, tender, green garlic shoots. They have a much milder 'greener' flavor than regular heads of garlic and show up every spring in Western Washington farmer's markets and road-side-stands.

If left unattended, the scape will grow larger and harden into the familiar opaque white/beige color of garlic peel. Keeping the shoot attached will also curtail further growth of the bulb. So, in an effort to allow the garlic to keep growing, the farmer cuts the 'scapes' or shoots - If you haven't tried them, you MUST!

Try dicing it into scrambled tofu (OR eggs if that's your thing!), adding to stir-fried veggies or as a garnish for rice or a creamy potato soup. My absolute favorite way to use garlic scapes though, is in pesto. The color is bright and green and the garlic flavor is fresh and light, not the strong, robust date-killing aroma that we all associate with garlic. (Don't get me wrong, I LOVE LOVE garlic in any shape or form or strength, but the mildness of garlic scapes is a refreshing change from the "regular" garlic that invades my kitchen!).

Here's my favorite, (and crazy-super-easy) scape pesto recipe:

Bright-Green Garlic Scape Pesto

1/2 cup roasted, shelled sunflower seeds (or pistachios are good here too, lightly salted is fine)
1/4 cup raw cashews
1/4 cup crumbled firm tofu
1/4 cup good extra virgin olive oil (you may need more)
2 Tbsp lemon juice
1 bunch garlic scapes (about 4 large)
1 small bunch of arugula, washed and dried (about 1 packed cup baby arugula leaves)
1/4 cup nutritional yeast

Put sunflower seeds and cashews in food processor and whiz until very fine. Add tofu, lemon juice and olive oil and blend until smooth. This may take a while.

Add garlic scapes, arugula and nutritional yeast and whiz until finely blended - it doesn't have to be a solid paste, but can be "chunkier" or grainy as you prefer... Add salt or pepper to taste if desired.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I tossed this pesto with fresh asparagus, peas and pasta for a TOTALLY yummy, locally grown, spring supper. Yum. Have a GREAT weekend!

VegFest Seattle 2010

Seattle's annual VegFest was held last weekend, and naturally, my Sprouts and I had to make our yearly pilgrimage to test, taste, sample and learn about all the new products being marketed at vegans, vegetarians and those interested in healthy living...


We even brought a van-load of (fairly willing and curious) friends, and while they aren't vegetarian, they still enjoyed the experience and came away with loaded goody bags and full tummies and (hopefully) some new ideas.


As a VegFest veteran, I've watched food and marketing trends come and go, (one year there were 42 hummus samples available!) but this year, my one-sentence assessment of VegFest would have to be: "Too many energy-drinks!" Wow.
I enjoy an occasional green-smoothie or meal replacement shake... but I prefer to make my own, out of fresh, raw fruits and veggies, thank you - without a two-paragraph list of ingredients and the ultra-spendy cost-per-drink that comes with the little nutrition-filled packets of whatever they were selling. I'm sure they appeal to someone. Just not me.


Nevertheless, there was plenty of other good veggie-feasting going on: burgers, dogs, dips, sauces, chips, dressings, tofu, breads (stay tuned for a BREAD-filled blog post soon) as well as our family's two long-time favorites: the good people at Field Roast and Dave's Killer Bread.

Through a FaceBook Fan Page promotion, my kids (AND their friends) read about Dave's Secret Password and they all scored awesome tee-shirts AND a picture with Dave himself, which TOTALLY made their day.

Let me tell you, this was a brilliant PR idea, as the kids are now wearing the shirts EVERYWHERE and insisting that their friends MUST try Dave's bread and furthermore, "...promise you'll ONLY eat Dave's bread from now on, because the stuff rocks and so does Dave and ALL the cool people eat it - duh!..." (their quote, not mine). It is good stuff indeed.

Field Roast was showcasing their "meatloaf" and had samples crumbled and seasoned into a "taco-meat" which was amazing (and the l-o-n-g lines can attest to!). Rumor has it (read their blog) they did sliders and sloppy joes earlier in the weekend, those would have been yummy too!
With the entourage of restless and wandering teenagers, (and I apologise to the Lara-Bar people, apparently some of us *ahem* may not have listened to the very stern and strict vendors at your booth and *may* have have come away with more than just "one" teeny tiny sample...) we didn't pause long enough to catch the speakers or presentations, though they had some good ones, as always; As a side note of trivia, one of the presenters, Dr. Helmuth Fritz, is a good friend of my parents, so it was cool to see him there.

I also ran into a lot of people I knew from work, church, FaceBook, Twitter, fellow blogger-friends (like the creative minds behind the Soundly Vegan blog - they spent the day volunteering there!) as well as quite a few readers who randomly recognized me from this blog. (*waves*).

It was a fun day for everyone, vegetarians, vegans and otherwise. It was great to see ALL of you, and if you're in the Seattle area next Spring, by all means consider checking out this fun festival of all things vegie-licious!

Matzo-Ball Soup

Happy Spring!! We are not Jewish, not keeping a kosher kitchen and not celebrating Passover, but we love Matzo-ball soup, and I tend to make it a lot in the spring-time, possibly because I see all the little supermarket displays with matzo meal and other interesting-sounding ingredients readily available.

At any rate, I figured it was time to share this recipe, regardless of what day it is.

Matzo-Ball soup has long been a favorite with my kids, they tend to like anything with balls of dumpling-like-things floating around in it. And they especially loved the soup I used to make, which traditionally needs eggs to make nice fluffy matzo-balls. Granted, these are a bit different. I wondered if their randomly persnickety palates would notice a difference - apparently not, as this recipe seems to be just as much of a hit.

I've really struggled with veganizing the recipe and still getting the matzo (matzoh? matzah? lots of different spellings out there to confuse me) -balls to turn out anything CLOSE to the "original" but I think we're getting there, finally. (Of course, even more traditionally those matzo-balls are cooked in chicken-broth, but obviously THAT part is easy enough to veganize).

Let me also point out that while I am not Jewish, but I do have several friends who are. I was discussing my matzo-ball-veganization trials and mentioned using tofu. Well, evidently for Ashkenazi members, keeping Kosher at Holidays means no legumes... including tofu. (I've since learned that some rabbis allow tofu for those following vegan and Kosher but I don't really profess to know how all that works exactly.) At any rate, to make things more difficult or maybe just in the interest of a challenge, I decided to try making vegan AND soy-free matzo-balls! Like I don't have enough to do?

However..... Finally, with a lot of gooey, crumbly, sticky, gummy trial-and-errors, I think we have a winner. Or maybe at least a fair substitute for those of you who also love all things Matzo. (Don't be put off by my photo. They actually hold together better than what I have pictured!)

Soy-free, Dairy-free VEGAN Matzo Balls

• 1/2 cup matzo meal
• 2 Tbsp potato starch (or 1 Tbsp vital wheat gluten flour if that works for you.)
• 2/3 cup water (minus about 2 tsp.)
• 1 tsp. oil
• pinch (literally JUST a pinch) of baking soda (optional if you want to leave out any leavening, though the balls will be more dense)
• pinch of onion powder
• pinch of salt
• pinch of parsley

Mix all the above ingredients together until almost the consistency for rolling into balls.

It should be like a soft, slightly sticky play-dough, but it can be quite a bit softer, as the dough will absorb liquid as it sits. Add a little more matzoh or liquid if needed for the right texture - and refrigerate for 1/2 hour.

Roll into about 16 small balls and drop into gently boiling vegetable or vegetarian-"chicken" broth or your own choice of homemade broth or any salty, seasoned water.

Turn down heat and simmer gently for 20 minutes.

Remove from water with slotted spoon and bake on an oiled rack (over a cookie sheet) for about 15 minutes at 350 degrees until they start to dry out. This extra step keeps them holding their shape nicely!!!

Refrigerate if you're not ready to use.

When ready to use, warm in the oven covered with foil (or in the microwave *gasp*). Add to soup of your choice and serve.

My actual "soup" is nothing fancy - I usually throw a bunch of plain old frozen mixed veggies in some simple vegetarian "chik-flavored" broth and add the matzo balls. If you leave the matzo balls in the broth a bit they start to soften which can be good, but too long and they fall apart, (as you can see in my photo) but the broth thickens up nicely too. So do whatever you like, and enjoy!!!!

Mandarin-Sesame Pan-Seared Tofu

I am not a huge fan of canned fruits but I'll also use just about any (vegan) food I have available to me rather than waste it. That said, last week a friend gave as a whole case of those little cans of mandarin oranges; and while I was appreciative, I was also a bit stumped.

Canned oranges. I thought those went away in the '70's or were reserved for neon-colored Jell-O salads. Well, aside from being packed in a pretty sweet syrup, they weren't bad and worked great in smoothies and on breakfast pancakes, but today I decided to try them in a more savory application and they added just the right contrast of color, sweetness and mild citrus. Obviously you could do this with fresh oranges or mandarins too.

Mandarin-Sesame Pan-Seared Tofu

Prepare Tofu:

1 Lb firm water-packed tofu; 1.) frozen, 2.) thawed and 3.) pressed under heavy weight to remove almost all liquid. You should have a very porous tofu product that will soak up lots of marinade.

Prepare Marinade:

3/4 cup mandarin orange segments (fresh or canned) whizzed into a liquid in food processor

1/4 cup rice wine vinegar

1/4 cup apple or orange juice or white wine

3 Tbsp. dark sesame oil

1 Tbsp. soy sauce

2 Tbsp. agave syrup, brown rice syrup or corn syrup

2 teaspoon finely shredded fresh ginger

Blend all marinade ingredients in food processor.

Slice tofu into 1/2-inch thick slices.

Lay in flat baking dish or plastic storage container.

The tofu should have been pressed very well so no liquid remained and there is lots of room to soak up marinade.

Pour marinade over tofu. It should cover all the tofu. Let marinate an hour or so, turn slabs over, let sit another hour or overnight...

Remove from marinade, pat dry and fry in well-oiled very hot iron (or non-stick) skillet. Tofu should sear and turn dark and crispy on the edges. When browned on both sides, set in warm oven until all pieces are done.

Boil marinade until it reduces and thickens.

Lay tofu on serving plate.

Scatter several spoonfuls of mandarin orange segments over tofu. Drizzle with reduced marinade if desired.

Serve with veggies and fried rice or whatever suits you...

Mango-Chipotle BBQ Sauce

So I've been on vacation (both mentally and physically) for a while, and apparently that meant a vacation from my blogging for much longer. It's amazing how easily we slip into other habits...

At any rate, I'm home and blogging and cooking and will be inundating you with recipes, ideas, pictures, opinions and trivia about my boring vegan life and family. Stay tuned (if you dare).

As for today? Well, my youngest 'Sprout' is home sick on the couch with ginger tea and a snuggly blankie, so that means a stay-home day for Mom as well... Might as well make it useful..... Since I've been hit with just a touch of the Spring Cleaning bug, it's "Clean-Out-The-Freezer" week here in the Fairly Odd kitchen, and I'm discovering all manner of interesting ingredients I need to use soon, or break down and just toss them - which I really hate doing. Too many memories of an empty freezer and 'fridge (and pocket-book) have made me very resistant to wasting ANY food, if possible.

So today, one of those "use or toss" is a 1/2 bag of frozen slightly freezer-burned mango-peach-pineapple chunks, presumably for smoothies. And ordinarily I would use these in a smoothie or two, but the excess ice-build-up leaves a bit too much "stale-freezer" taste for my picky palate. (Too much info?) Not to worry, a bit of frost on the mango doesn't HURT anyone, just a taste thing - cooking seems to remedy this, though I don't know any cooked-fruit smoothie recipes, so I had to get creative. Thus; Mango-Chipotle BBQ Sauce was born! I invented this last fall with another half-used bag of fruit, you'd think I'd learn!!Anyway, we liked this so much we've made it twice, with slightly different variations. I think my kids would drink it straight if I let them!

This recipe is actually a variation on a Peach-Chipotle BBQ sauce I've had around for ages. The mango-pineapple blend works perfectly and I may just make it this way from now on.

Mango-Chipotle BBQ Sauce

• 1 1/2 cups mango chunks, (or pineapple, peach or nectarine) peeled, pitted and roughly chopped
• 2 chipotle peppers in adobo, plus 1 tablespoon adobo sauce (these come in a can around here - use whatever equivalent of something spicy that you have available - Sriracha sauce even works! )
• 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 1/2 cup ketchup
• 1/2 cup liquid: apple or orange juice, water or white wine
• 2 Tbsp. brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon smoked sweet paprika (I use more because the stuff is like crack, but use what works for you, or leave it out if you can't find it, which would be sad)
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
• 1/2 cup cilantro (no need to chop, the food processor will get it)
• 1/4 of a red onion, chopped small enough to fit in food processor

Blend all ingredients except cilantro and red onion in food processor until smooth. Simmer on low for about 1/2 hour stirring and adding liquid (apple juice, water or white wine) as needed to keep it from getting too thick. Chop cilantro and red onion in bowl of food processor until finely minced. Stir into warm sauce.

Keeps in fridge for several weeks, longer in the freezer (but then you're right back where you started, with something ELSE you need to use from your freezer.)

To use:
If you're using tofu, freeze firm tofu over night, thaw, press liquid out for several hours and then marinate in sauce.
Place on panini grill, BBQ or in oven and cook until done to your liking, adding more sauce as needed if on the BBQ or in the oven.
If using seitan or other mock meat products, place on grill or baking sheet and brush frequently with sauce or simmer chunks of whatever you like in the sauce - on the stove-top or in oven.

**Picture is of Gardein chunks simmered in the sauce until it got very dark and thick.

Serve with more sauce on the side.

AWESOME with Sweet Potato Fries!!

Kale-Ginger Slaw

Happy St. Paddy's Day.

Here's a colorful, mostly-green recipe to celebrate with; a lightly dressed raw kale-slaw that is even better the next day!!
I think cutting the leaves into thin pieces is key. Then dressing it ahead of time softens it up a bit. Unlike other greens, kale doesn't totally wilt when dressed ahead, so this salad is good for several days.

Kale-Ginger Slaw

• 1 1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 Tbsp vegan mayonnaise (I use Vegennaise)
• 1 tablespoon finely grated ginger
• Pinch of kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 3 cups kale greens (dinosaur/black kale or curly kale), shredded or chopped fine - measure after chopping, packed firmly in cup.
• 1 apple, shredded on coarse grater or food processor blade
• 1 carrot, shredded

In a large salad bowl, add the lemon juice, Vegennaise, ginger, salt and pepper, whisking to combine.
Add kale, apple and carrot and toss well to combine. Taste and adjust seasonings to suit yourself, if needed.

Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Vegan Asparagus Goldenrod

Growing up in the early '70's, one of my favorite vegetable dishes was where my Mom would make asparagus on toast with a white sauce and chopped bits of yellow boiled egg-yolk. (I know, sounds odd maybe? But I always thought it was so "fancy" and elegant).

I didn't realize it was actually a "real" recipe until I discovered years later (in a fancy restaurant, no less) that my childhood favorite was known as "Asparagus Goldenrod" and it was STILL delicious.

In attempting to re-create this comfort-food memory in my now-vegan kitchen, I realized it was simply a matter of a non-dairy white-sauce and possibly something instead of the chopped boiled egg-yolks. Easy - us vegan folk tend to use tofu for eggs whenever we get the chance. (OK, not necessarily!) But it works in this case, scrambling it with a bit of turmeric for that characteristic "golden" color. First time experimenting, I nailed the recipe right on!!
Next time you're looking for something just a little different, but quick and easy (perfect for brunch and sort-of retro) to do with asparagus, give this a try.

Asparagus Goldenrod

• 1/2 a brick firm, water-packed tofu
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1 tsp. vegetarian "chicken"-flavor bullion powder
• 1/4 tsp. India Black Salt
  
  
• 1 pound fresh asparagus
  
  
• 2 tablespoons margarine
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• Dash pepper
• 1 cup non-dairy milk
• 1 tablespoon snipped fresh tarragon or 1 teaspoon dried tarragon, crushed, optional, if you want.
  
  
• 4 to 6 slices toast, cut in half diagonally (these are called "toast points" which makes them sound all fancy)
• 1 tablespoon snipped, fresh chives

Make the "egg" part first; Mash tofu in a skillet with a small bit of oil. You want small pieces, I use a potato masher or a fork. Add spices and stir until well-incorporated, heat on medium-high and "scramble"-fry until dried out and crumbly. This takes 5 - 7 minutes. Mash a bit more to break up, and set aside.

Prepare asparagus; Break off woody bases where spears snap easily. If you like, slice the spears diagonally into 2- to 3-inch pieces. Place the pieces in a steamer basket over boiling water. Cover and reduce the heat. Steam for 5 to 8 minutes or until the asparagus is crisp-tender.

Meanwhile, prepare white sauce: In a medium saucepan, melt margarine. Stir in flour, salt, and pepper. Add the non-dairy milk all at once. Cook and stir over medium heat until the mixture is bubbly. Cook and stir for 1 minute more.
Add the tarragon, if using. Heat the mixture through.
Arrange 2 toast slices on each plate. Top with the asparagus. Spoon on the white sauce. Sprinkle some finely crumbled tofu on top of white sauce. Garnish with the chives to make it look even more fancy.

The Gift of Good Food

This past week I was the very lucky recipient of a wonderful gift.

Food.

Not just any food, mind you, but homemade; personal, unique, vegan comfort-food recipes handcrafted with love, care and attention.

Creating and sharing something from your home and hearth (OK, maybe we don't have hearths any more) is a very intimate type of interaction that I think too few people engage in any more.

All of us have received and enjoyed foodie gifts - like the inevitable cookie-plate at the Christmas office potluck - and yes, these are certainly (usually - hopefully) delicious and fun and appreciated; but I think there's something even more meaningful about a gift given for no reason other than you're friends and you want to share something special from your heart and your kitchen. And while we've all heard the admonitions that food doesn't equal love, there's no mistaking that it certainly does hold a warm and cozy place in our hearts.

Which brings me to the point of this post: Wednesday evening I finally met, in person, several friends I'd struck up an acquaintance with through the wonders of the Internet, Facebook, our respective blogs, and Veggieboards online discussion forums.

It seemed rather silly to message back and forth when we lived a mere twenty minutes apart, and I'm SO very glad we finally hooked up.

Heather and Danica are the creative forces behind the amazing-looking recipes and beautiful photography at the vegan foodie blog "Soundly Vegan". Nearly every post has me commenting about how delicious it all looks. So I can't tell you how very touched I was to be greeted with a huge bag of assorted vegan yumminess, including their practically world-famous (in my mind) homemade mushroom-onion-herb tofu. A whole tupperware-encased brick of it!!! Complete with take-out box of rich, slow-cooked gravy and all the spices and ingredients to make up my own "Chicken Fried Tofu".

Why are you still sitting there? Go! Check out their recipe now!!

Let me just say, this Tofu Mom was IN. HEAVEN.!!!

So, without further raving (because I could easily do that all night) enjoy the picture of MY version of their wonderful Chicken Fried Tofu (that I immediately ran home and whipped up). Yes, it's easily as good as it looks. Far, far better in fact. See all the yummy squiggles of mushroom-y, herb-y goodness swirled through the tofu slabs? No bland, squidgy blob here!!

Made all the more special because this was a delicious, AND nutritious dinner I didn't have to sweat and slave over, it was practically done in advance, needing just a few finishing touches and some added veggies to make a meal... And it was made just for me, with as much love and attention to detail as I give the foods that come from my kitchen (when I have the time to pay attention to all those details, which isn't nearly as often as I'd like).

From a busy Mom with a limited budget, limited time, limited space, limited energy after the day is said and done - Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart!!!

Easy Veggie-"Chicken" Chow Mein

For all those nights when take-out sounds REALLY tempting, recipes like this are a life-saver.

I can whip this up in 15 minutes if I have things prepped ahead (I have rice and noodles in my fridge most weeks, just waiting for a quick dinner like this).

My Sprouts like this over rice; those dry, crunchy, fried chow mien noodles; or the softer pan fried noodles that you can buy pre-cooked in the produce department (I've even been known to use spaghetti if the pantry's a little bare). They also prefer a lot of sauce per amount of veggies, but you can adjust that to your preference.
And my tips to make this even quicker? Have the veggies sliced ahead of time, or stop by the supermarket salad bar. The noodles or rice can be made ahead, as mentioned above, and simply heated in a skillet or steamed a little.

Super Easy "Chicken" Chow Mein

(All the veggies marked with {*} can be mixed,

matched, substituted for your favorite or

increased in amount.)

1 clove garlic, smashed or pressed
3 stalks fresh celery , sliced*
1 cup coarsely shredded cabbage*
handful of fresh broccoli flowers, sliced*

1/2 a red bell pepper, sliced thin*
1 carrot, sliced thinly on the diagonal*
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup bean sprouts*
1 cup sliced mushrooms*
1 (7 ounce) can sliced water chestnuts OR baby corn OR both, drained
2 cups cut up "chicken" (home-made seitan, Morning Star Farms Meal Starters, Gardein or fried tofu cubes, or your fave)
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup water
1 1/2 cups chicken-style vegetable broth
2 Tbsp. soy sauce
pinch of sugar
hot cooked rice
chow mein noodles

In a large skillet or wok, saute garlic, and "harder" vegetables (celery and carrots) in oil for aprox. 2 minutes. They should still be very crisp. Add broccoli, cabbage, pepper, mushrooms and "chicken". Saute for another minute or two, again, just barely cooking.
Add bean sprouts and water chestnuts.
In a large bowl, blend cornstarch with water.
When smooth, add broth, soy sauce and sugar to bowl.
Mix well and pour over vegetables.
Bring to a boil, stirring until sauce thickens.
Reduce heat to low or off.
Serve over hot, cooked rice or chow mein noodles.

You can sprinkle with almonds or sesame seeds if you want a little more protein or if you're not using tofu or "chicken".

"Cheese-y" Flat Bread Crackers

No recipe (of my own) today, but definitely one worth sharing!!

I rarely re-post recipes or links from other bloggers - mainly because my food never looks as beautiful as theirs and I'm embarrassed to say I used the same recipe!

Today though, I tried a recipe for some "cheesy" flatbread crackers from "Soundly Vegan", done by a local blogger/friend and they turned out SO great, (and the picture ain't great, but I suppose makes them look at least edible) so, I wanted to give her blog, and the recipe, a shout-out.

My kids cleaned these out in about half an hour with a vat of hummus and then looked around for more - least I know everything was whole-grain, homemade and good for them! I'm definitely going to have to make them again soon!!

Go here for the recipe: Flat Bread Crackers, it's the second recipe on the post, "Dilled Yease and Flax Seed Flatbread Crackers" and take my word for it - they are AWESOME!!! I didn't change much - used whole grain pastry flour (because that's what I had) and olive oil instead of the walnut oil, (I had to use slightly more oil? Maybe it's just me?) and sprinkled mine with some garlic salt and parsley.

TRY these!!

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.

~~~~~~~~~~
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!