Epicurean Vegan

Healthy eating for discriminating palates

Herbed Almond Cheeze May 31, 2011

Filed under: Appetizers,Dressings/Condiments — epicureanvegan @ 9:07 am
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It’s amazing what you can make with almonds! This recipe is the same as the Almond Cheeze Log, but this time, I added herbs to it. This cheeze is light and fluffy and the herbs are subtle. Feel free to add more than I did, but I think you’ll like this mild version.

INGREDIENTS:

1 C blanched almonds

1/4 C lemon juice

3 Tbs olive oil

1 clove garlic, peeled (I used minced)

1-1/4 tsp salt

1 Tbs fresh chives, chopped

1 Tbs fresh parsley, chopped

1/2 tsp dried dill

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/2 tsp garlic powder

1/2 C cold water

Cheesecloth (a thin cotton napkin works great, too)

DIRECTIONS:

First, to blanch the almonds, add them to a small sauce pan and fill with water, just to cover the almonds. Bring to a boil for 2 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water. Pinch the skins between your finger and the skins will slide right off. Dry them off well.

Place almonds in a medium bowl and cover with 3″ of water; soak for 24 hours. Drain and rinse twice with running water. Next, puree the almonds with the chives and parsley.

Then, add the dill, onion powder, garlic powder, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, salt and water in a food processor until smooth. Place a fine mesh strainer over a bowl and line the strainer with a triple layer of cheesecloth. Spoon mixture into cheesecloth or cloth napkin.

Bring the corners and sides of the cheesecloth together and twist around the cheese, squeezing out any excess moisture. Secure with a rubber band and refrigerate for several hours. Enjoy!

 

 

Edamame Hummus May 29, 2011

Filed under: Appetizers,Dressings/Condiments — epicureanvegan @ 6:40 pm
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My wonderful friend and neighbor brought this over to me. We are both foodies and even though she’s not vegan, she always whips up amazing vegan creations for me to try. This hummus is full of flavor and is great with veggies, chips, crackers, etc. A refreshing summer dip!

INGREDIENTS:

2 C edamame
2-3 garlic cloves
2-3 lemons, juice and zest reserved
1/3 C tahini
5/8 C olive oil
1/2 avocado, peeled and pitted
1-1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp ground coriander
1/16 tsp cayenne
1/2 tsp agave

DIRECTIONS:

Using a food processor, blend edamame, garlic, lemon juice, lemon zest and tahini. With motor running, slowly drizzle in oil to emulsify mixture. Add remaining ingredients and puree until smooth. Enjoy!

Recipe: Edible Front Range

 

VegNews’ Macaroni and Cheese May 28, 2011

Filed under: Dinners — epicureanvegan @ 8:26 am
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So legend has it, this recipe from VegNews is the “best  mac ‘n’ cheese on the planet,”—vegan or not. I had to try it for myself and well . . . the rumors are true. This mac and cheese is outstanding! It doesn’t take fake at all, is creamy and incredibly tasty. You won’t believe that it has onions, carrots, and potatoes in it. Seriously. Between the three of us, we cleaned up a 9×12 pan of it in no time.

INGREDIENTS:

8-oz elbow macaroni (I used about 10-ounces)

4 slices of bread, torn into large pieces (I recommend using 2–4 was WAY too much)

2 Tbs + 1/3 C Earth Balance margarine (this is one stick)

2 Tbs shallots, chopped

1 C red potatoes, peeled and chopped (I used one large russet potato)

1/4 C carrot, chopped

1/3 C onion, chopped

1 C water

1/4 C cashews

2 tsp salt (I used 1 tsp)

1/4 tsp garlic, minced

1/4 tsp Dijon mustard

1 Tbs lemon juice

1/4 tsp black pepper

1/8 tsp cayenne

1/4 tsp paprika

Optional: 1/4 C nutritional yeast (I threw it in for some extra B vitamins)

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350. Place the bread pieces in a food processor with the 2 tablespoons of Earth Balance and process until well crumbly and well combined. I used Rudi’s brand and it made so much! I ended up only using maybe half of what it made and even that was too much. I highly recommend using 2 slices of bread with 1 tablespoon of margarine.

Cook the pasta according to package instructions. In a medium saucepan, combine the potatoes, carrots, onions, and shallots with the water. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cover for 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a blender or food processor, combine the cashews, salt, garlic, remaining margarine, Dijon, lemon juice, pepper, cayenne, and nutritional yeast, if using. I recommend grinding the cashews up first before adding the rest of the ingredients. Blend until smooth.

Add the vegetable/water mixture to the cashew mixture and blend it until smooth. You’ll end up with a creamy cheesy sauce.

In a large bowl, combine the sauce and pasta until well coated. Pour it into a 9×12 baking pan.

Top with the breadcrumbs and sprinkle with paprika.

Bake for 25-30 minutes and enjoy!

 

Kale and Cream Cheese-Stuffed Sweet Chilies May 27, 2011

Filed under: Appetizers,Dinners — epicureanvegan @ 10:09 am
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Geez . . . it’s been a while since I last posted. The Sixth Grader (or should I say, soon-to-be The Seventh Grader) was on a week-long field trip so me and The Husband ate out a lot this week. Produce in my refrigerator, however, was feeling very neglected, so last night I decided to make these. They were delicious! We threw them on the grill, but you can also bake them in the oven at 350 for about 20 minutes. Use this stuffing for small chilies and serve them as appetizers, too.

INGREDIENTS:

3 large sweet chili peppers

10-oz Tofutti cream cheese

3 Tbs lime juice

1 tsp cumin

1 C fresh cilantro, chopped

6-8 sun-dried tomatoes, diced

1 bunch of kale

6-8 green onions, sliced

1/2 C vegan pepper jack cheese, shredded

2 tsp garlic, minced

2 tsp olive oil

DIRECTIONS:

Using a food processor or mixer, cream together the cream cheese, lime juice, cumin, and cilantro.

In a large saucepan or skillet, heat the olive oil and garlic. Add the kale. One bunch may seem like a lot (5-6 cups) but it will cook down quite a bit. Cook it over medium heat, constantly stirring it. I found that tongs work great for this. Cook for 4-5 minutes, or until nice and wilted.

In a large bowl, combine the sun-dried tomatoes, green onions, and cheese. Mix in the cream cheese mixture, then stir in the kale.

To prepare the chilies, there are a number of different ways to do it. First, slice the tops off and pull out the insides–as much as you can. You can either stuff them from the top, or slice them in the side. You can also slice them lengthwise, stuff them, then put them back together. I sliced into the side of it and found that that just worked better for the size of these chilies.

Preheat the grill to a medium-high heat. Wrap the stuffed chilies in foil and place on the heated grill. Cook them for about 10 minutes, turning them often. Once the filling starts to drip out from the foil, remove them from the grill. Unwrap from the foil and enjoy!

 

Vegetables Korma May 18, 2011

Filed under: Dinners — epicureanvegan @ 9:28 am
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I saw this recipe in Vegetarian Times but I made several changes like using barley instead of rice and fresh vegetables instead of frozen. I really loved the flavors and heartiness of this meal. It makes quite a bit, so feel free to halve the recipe if only feeding two.

INGREDIENTS:

1 C barley

4 medium tomatoes, cut into chunks

1 white onion, cut into chunks

3 Tbs fresh ginger, minced

2 Tbs olive oil

1 tsp garam masala or curry powder

3/4 tsp ground cardamom

4 Tbs golden raisins (I used craisins)

2 C broccoli florets

1 C mushrooms, quartered

1 can waterchestnuts, chopped

1 zucchini, sliced then quartered

1-15oz can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed

1/3 C coconut milk

Toasted peanuts, chopped

DIRECTIONS:

Cook the barley according to package instructions. You can use vegetable broth in the place of the water, if you’d like. Keep in mind, the barley will take 50-60 minutes to cook. Using a food processor, puree the tomatoes, onion, and ginger. In a large saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat; add the curry powder and cardamom; cook for 30 seconds. Add the puree and raisins to the pan. Simmer for a couple of minutes until it start to thicken.

Stir in the vegetables, garbanzo beans, and coconut milk. If it’s too thick, add a bit more coconut milk. Season with salt and pepper, if you’d like. Cover and reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 15-20 minutes, or until veggies are tender.

Serve over the barley, sprinkle with the peanuts, and enjoy!

 

Vegan & Gluten-Free Red Velvet Cake May 16, 2011

Filed under: Desserts — epicureanvegan @ 8:38 am
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Some of you may recall when I made this cake about a year ago, I put in way, way too much of the flour mixture and a friend, who I had served it to, joked that I made him eat a brick. The cake was a disaster and apparently, it took me a year to get over it, but here it is. Wow, what a difference correctly following the recipe makes! ;) This cake is outstanding! You’d never know it was gluten-free AND vegan! The cake was soft, moist, and not too sweet. (The icing will sure make up for that)! This is now going to be the family birthday cake for a while—it’s that good! Plus, I’ve completely redeemed myself and my friend told me he can no longer tease me about serving him a brick!

INGREDIENTS:

1 C gluten-free vanilla rice milk

1 tsp cider vinegar

2-1/2 C Betsy’s Baking Mix (recipe below)

1 tsp salt

1 tsp xanthan gum

1-1/2 cups sugar

1/2 C palm oil shortening

2 Tbs unsweetened cocoa powder

1 oz red food coloring

1/4 C + 3 Tbs unsweetened applesauce

1 tsp vanilla

1 Tbs distilled white vinegar

1 tsp baking soda

1 recipe butter cream frosting (below)

Betsy’s Making Mix: this makes 7-1/2 cups–remember, use just 2-1/2 cups of it.

3-3/4 C garbanzo bean  flour

2-1/4 C potato starch

1-1/2 C tapioca starch/flour

Buttercream Frosting:

1 C Earth Balance margarine

4 to 4-1/2 C confectioner’s sugar

Vanilla rice milk

DIRECTIONS:

Preheat oven to 350. Make your baking mix first: Combine all the flours in a large zip-lock bag. Using a whisk, blend them well. Then seal tightly and shake it vigorously for 1 minute. This mix will stay good for up to 3 months.

Grease 2 9″ cake pans, line the bottoms with parchment paper, then grease the parchment paper; set aside. In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine the rice milk and cider vinegar to create “buttermilk” and set aside. In a small bowl, use a spoon to combine the cocoa powder and food coloring. (Keep in mind that 1 ounce is a full-sized bottle of food coloring). It will form a paste:

In a large bowl, combine 2-1/2 cups of the baking mix, salt, and xanthan gum. In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together the sugar and palm oil shortening. Add the applesauce and vanilla and cream everything together until mixture is light and creamy. Add the cocoa paste and mix well.

Alternately, add the dry ingredients and the “buttermilk” mixture to the batter, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Pour the white vinegar into a small cup and sprinkle the baking soda over it. Immediately pour the fizzing combo into the cake batter and thoroughly mix it in. Evenly divide the batter into the two cake pans.

Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of each cake comes out clean. Let the cakes cool completely on a rack before turning them out of the pans.

Once cooled, turn over the pans and remove the parchment paper. Take a large plate and place it upside down on the bottom of one of the cakes (that will be upside down on the rack). Flip over so the cake is face up on the plate.

To make the frosting cream the Earth Balance until smooth. Little by little, add the confectioner’s sugar. Add the vanilla rice milk 1-2 tablespoons at a time until you reach a thick consistency.

Frost the top and sides of the cake that is on the plate. Lay it pretty thick, especially on the top. Carefully place the 2nd cake on top and frost that one.

Slice and enjoy! Cover the leftovers and store in the refrigerator.

Recipe source (cake only): Living Without

 

Wild Rice, Mushroom & Spinach Stuffed Peppers May 13, 2011

Filed under: Dinners — epicureanvegan @ 6:34 pm
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I know what you’re thinking . . . stuffed peppers again?! But these are different—that’s what makes stuffed peppers so great; the ingredient possibilities are endless. These take a bit more time since I used a wild rice mix, which needs to cook for 45-50 minutes, but they’re well worth the extra time. This recipe is enough for 4 peppers, but I made 3; the leftover rice mix will be ideal for tomorrow’s lunch.

INGREDIENTS:

4 large bell peppers, tops and innards removed

1-1/3 C wild rice mix

3 C mushroom broth

1/2 C pumpkin seeds, toasted

2 tsp olive oil

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 C fresh spinach, torn

1-1/2 C mushrooms, diced

1-1/2 C vegan pepper jack, shredded

DIRECTIONS:

In a large saucepan, bring the mushroom broth to a boil. Stir in the rice mix, reduce heat to low and cover for 45-50 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 375 and in a small skillet, toast the pumpkin seeds.

In a large skillet, heat the olive oil and garlic, then add the mushrooms and spinach. Only cook until the spinach starts to serious wilt—just a few minutes. Stir in the cooked rice and pumpkin seeds.

Put a tablespoon or two of cheese in the pepper, fill part way with rice stuffing, then some more cheese. Top it off with more rice mix; a layering effect. Bake covered for 35 minutes, then uncover add a tiny bit of cheese on top and bake another 5 minutes. Enjoy!

 

Product Review: Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Pizza Crust May 12, 2011

Filed under: Product Reviews — epicureanvegan @ 6:30 pm
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I’ve been wanting to try gluten-free pizza crust for quite some time now. I’d like to reduce to the amount of gluten I eat, so I was anxious to try this mix from Bob’s Red Mill. The mix requires water, oil and eggs. However, it suggests using 2 tablespoons of flaxseed meal and water as an egg replacement. I used Ener-G Egg Replacer. The package also comes with a yeast packet. The crust makes 2 12″ pizzas, or one 26″ pizza. Since The Husband is in San Francisco for work, the Sixth Grader and me decided to make a couple of pizzas tonight.

This is a simple process: combine the egg-replacer with water; set aside. In a large bowl whisk together 1-1/2 cups warm water with the yeast and let it sit a few minutes. Add the egg-replacer mixture and 2 Tbs olive oil to the yeast mixture. Stir in the pizza crust mix. I don’t recommend a whisk, as the dough will collect inside of it; use a wooden spoon. Divide the dough into two, cover with plastic wrap and let rise for 20 minutes.

The dough didn’t rise all that much after 20 minutes, but it could be that the dough wasn’t placed in a warm enough area. Preheat oven to 425. Grease a baking sheet/pizza pan and wet your hands with some water. Spread the dough onto the pan. The dough will have a spongy-mashed potato texture and having wet hands is critical when trying to spread it out. Bake for 7-9 minutes.

Top with your favorite sauce and toppings. The kid went with Tofurky Italian Sausage and FYH Mozzarella:

I also like to use Contadina sauce:

The directions said to bake for 16-18 minutes. About 14-15 minutes worked for us, but ovens run differently, so keep an eye on it.

I debated on what kind of pizza to make, but in the end, I went with spinach and mushrooms with truffle oil (big surprise, huh?)

So the verdict is . . . great. We really liked this crust a lot. The edges are crispy, like a crusty bread and the rest if softer and chewier.  The crunchy edge is really the only difference from regular pizza crust. I would regularly use this mix as an alternative to regular pizza dough. I think using this mix is much easier than making your own gluten-free pizza crust and highly recommend this one.

 

Pasta with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce May 11, 2011

Filed under: Dinners — epicureanvegan @ 7:31 am
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This recipe is from Vegetarian Times Quick & Healthy 30-Minute  Meals that I picked up at the grocery store. The recipe is actually entitled: Fusilli Bucati Lunghi with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce, but that’s a long title, plus, you can use any pasta you’d like.

It’s full of some really outstanding meals and I like that they’re done in about 30 minutes (ideally). The Sixth Grader loves to cook so I’ve been having him help me in the kitchen as much as possible. For those of you with middle-grade kids, this recipe is a good one to let them do—that is, if you trust them with a sharp knife. :) When the onions made him cry, he didn’t let it detour him—a sure sign of a dedicated chef! There’s some chopping of vegetables involved, plus some simmer time for the sauce, so this recipe definitely took longer than the 30 minutes the magazine claims. 45 minutes was more like it. Regardless, it was still easy and very delicious; something we’d make again. The kid got to partake in the full culinary experience, by not only cooking dinner, but cleaning up when he dropped the leftover sauce container and creating a quite a mess. Ah well, all part of being a master chef.

INGREDIENTS:

2 Tbs garlic-flavored olive oil (I just use regular olive oil and added 2 tsp of minced garlic)

1 C jarred roasted red peppers, rinsed, drained, and chopped

1/2 medium onion, finely chopped (you’re going to puree this later—we just chopped it)

1 large carrot, finely chopped (Save yourself some time—especially when letting the kids help—and use the food processor)!

8-oz dry fusilli bucati lunghi (or any other pasta you’d like)

DIRECTIONS:

Look at him go . . . chop chop!

We’d still be in the kitchen if he had to finely chop the carrot by hand. I know it’s an extra thing to clean, but use the food processor.

In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, heat the oil (add garlic, if using). Add the peppers, onion, and carrot; saute 5 minutes. Add 3/4 cup of water, cover, and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta according to package instructions. Remove the sauce from heat. The recipe says to use a hand blender to puree the sauce until smooth. Not having this handy appliance, I used the food processor. Season with salt and pepper, if you’d like.

Drain pasta and add to saucepan with sauce. Toss well and enjoy!

 

Falafel Burgers and a Contest Winner! May 9, 2011

Filed under: Dinners,Lunches — epicureanvegan @ 11:40 am
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First of all, congratulations to sandition of Please Pass the Tofu for being the randomly selected commenter who will receive the $25 Amazon gift card!! Thank you to everyone who left a comment about juicing. So far, I’ve made some incredible apple-kale-spinach-parsley juice that is delicious! I think giving away stuff is way too much fun, so I look forward to doing it again soon!

So onto the food. :) This recipe is another winner from The Vegan Table. You can serve these on buns, pita pockets, or open-faced like I did. Either way, I think you’ll enjoy the well-blended flavors of the patty as well as the cucumber sauce—an ideal combination.

INGREDIENTS:

1 can chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed

1 yellow onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 C fresh parsley, chopped

2 Tbs tahini

1-1/2 to 2 tsp cumin

1 tsp coriander

1/2 tsp salt

1/8 tsp black pepper

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp lemon juice

1 tsp baking powder

1 C bread crumbs (I used panko)

For falafel sauce:

1 container (6-oz) plain nondairy yogurt

1-2 Tbs tahini (I used 1-1/2)

1/2 cucumber, peeled and finely chopped

1 tsp dried dill

Optional ingredients:

hamburger buns or rolls, pita bread, tomato slices, lettuce

DIRECTIONS:

I recommend making the sauce first since it has to chill for 30 minutes. I could have made it while the patties baked, but that’s when I cleaned up the kitchen and set the table, etc. To prepare the sauce, combine all of the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and chill for 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 400. Pulse a few times the chickpeas in the food processor until thick and pasty; transfer to a medium-sized bowl. Add the onion, garlic, parsley, tahini, cumin, corriander, salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, lemon juice, and baking powder. (I actually left the beans in the food processor and added the other ingredients and pulsed a few times to just mix them in a little–easier than using a spoon. Then I transferred to a bowl and mixed it more). Slowly add the bread crumbs—using more or less—until the mixture holds together well.

Shape into patties and place on a nonstick baking sheet. I used foil that I lightly sprayed with cooking spray. I also made 5 patties, but the recipe says you can get 8-10 patties.

Bake for 10-12 minutes until golden brown on the bottom. Don’t expect the tops to get brown—they won’t. Flip over and bake for another 10-12 minutes. Serve with some falafel sauce, tomato, and lettuce on bun, pita, or open-face. Enjoy!

 

 
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