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April 23, 2012

Decadent--but not diet-killing--Butternut Squash Soup


Creamy, dreamy butternut squash soup is one of my very favorite things about autumn. The rich, delectable blend of flavors is irresistible. The only problem is that, when this favorite of comfort foods becomes a little TOO comforting and I eat three bowls of it, I have to live with the terrible guilt of having consumed very fattening and almost undoubtedly non-vegan fare. So, I came up with this delightful, guilt-free version of my own. It is every bit as flavorful and creamy as the "regular" versions, but has none of the fat (particularly, animal fat) and a fraction of the calories. I can't keep my husband out of it! I hope you love it as much as we do!

What you'll need:

  • 1 tablespoon organic canola oil
  • 1 cup chopped vidalia or yellow onion
  • 2 - 3 cloves minced fresh garlic
  • 2 tablespoons brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cumin
  • 1 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 teaspoon cloves
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 6 cups vegetable stock or broth
  • 2 1/2 lbs. fresh butternut squash, peeled, cored, and diced (since peeling and dicing this squash is definitely the most time-and-energy-consuming part of this recipe, nobody will think less of you for buying the pre-peeled and chopped kind! It even comes organic now)
  • 4 ripe Bartlett pears, peeled, cored, and diced (feel free to experiment with the types of pears you use--they can change the flavor of the soup in unexpected and interesting ways!)
  • 1/2 a 16oz. package of silken tofu
 In a Dutch oven or large soup pot, heat the canola oil over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook, stirring frequently until soft and fragrant (about 5 minutes). Quickly (it's better if you have these ingredients pre-mixed and ready to toss in at a moment's notice) add the garlic, brown sugar, cumin, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves, and cook for just 30 seconds, stirring constantly.

Add the veggie stock, squash, and pears. Bring the mixture to a boil, cover, and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for 30 minutes (or until squash is very tender). Remove the soup from heat and add the tofu. Puree the mixture using an immersion/hand blender, and enjoy! If you don't have an immersion blender, I suggest you buy one, as they are inexpensive and super-duper handy, but you can definitely get around this by using a regular blender, so worry not!

*A note about spices: for my beloved readers who have not yet discovered the joys of using organic cooking spices, I just want to urge you to buy a couple of your very favorites and give them a try; compare the scent, color, and most importantly, flavor, against their non-organic counterparts, and I absolutely guarantee you'll be impressed! One of the easiest things you can do to make your cooking taste more gourmet is to upgrade to organic spices. I've also found that they don't have to be cost-prohibitive! At Fairway in NYC, I find them for $3 a bottle! Awesome! So give it a shot--you won't be disappointed.

Great Grains Medley with Chickpeas and Leeks






This delectable blend of pearl barley, a variety of brown rices, and bulgur--brought alive with delicious seeds and herbs--makes this an incredibly tasty side dish (or meal!), and a really healthy addition to your day--not to mention the fact that the explosive blend of textures and flavors makes for a little party in your mouth!

What you'll need:

  • 6 teaspoons organic avocado oil, divided
  • 1/2 cup sunflower seed kernels, unsalted
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
  • 2 teaspoons vegan margarine (as usual, I recommend Earth Balance)
  • 1 1/2 cups thinly sliced leek (about 1 1/2 large leeks)
  • 2 cups water
  • 2 cups organic vegetable broth (homemade always tastes the best, but there are some great vegan brands on the market too if you just don't have the time)
  • 3/4 cup uncooked pearl barley
  • 1/2 cup brown rice variety blend (the wilder, the better! Go nuts!)
  • 1/2 cup uncooked bulgur
  • 1 can organic chick peas
  • 1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
  • freshly ground black pepper to taste
  • optional: fresh basil leaves for serving (see photo)
What to do:

Heat a Dutch oven or very large frying pan (with a lid) over medium-high heat. Once the pan is sufficiently heated (test this by flicking a single drop of oil into the pan; if it sizzles, your pan is ready to go!), add 3 teaspoons of the avocado oil, the sunflower seeds, and 1/4 teaspoon of the salt. Stir frequently together for about three minutes, or until lightly browned and fragrant. Remove them from the pan and set aside for now.

Reheat your pan over medium heat this time, and add the remaining 3 teaspoons of oil, plus the vegan margarine. Once they melt, stir in the leek slices and cook for approximately 5 minutes, or until tender. Stir them frequently to keep them from sticking to the bottom of the pan.

Then, add the water, vegetable broth, pearl barley, and brown rice blend, and bring the mixture to a rolling boil. Cover the pan, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer for 35 minutes. Stir in the bulgur; re-cover and cook for another 10 minutes, or until the grains are tender and all the liquid is absorbed. Don't give in to the temptation to turn up the heat at this stage--it will only crispy-fry the bottom of your rice, turning it black and giving the rest of your dish a nasty flavor! Be patient, and keep the heat nice and low for fluffy, perfect rice. 

Once your rice looks just the way you want it (make it to your preference: pull it off the heat sooner if you like soupier rice, or cook it longer if you like drier rice), remove it from heat and stir in the sunflower seeds, remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, parsley, chick peas, and pepper to taste. Stir and enjoy!

Presentation tip: For a special occasion (or if you're just feeling fancy!), trim each mound of the grain medley with a circle of basil leaves, and stick an extra sprig right in the center (see photo). It looks beautiful, and tastes delicious too!


April 22, 2012

Tangy Raspberry Mandarin Spinach Salad


This salad absolutely screams summer! From its fresh raspberry vinaigrette to the lovely array of farmer's market produce in the salad itself, this salad is absolutely delightful enjoyed on a summer evening, out on a starlit patio with a glass of white wine. Salud! (N.B. This recipe was inspired by one of my favorite vegan chefs, Colleen Patrick-Goudreau. While her recipe was delightful as is, I have modified it significantly to encompass a little more of summer's bounty. Thanks Colleen!).

What you'll need:

  • 8 - 10 cups triple washed organic spinach leaves
  • 3 cans mandarin oranges, drained (or, if you prefer, 3 fresh oranges, peeled, sliced, and quartered. Normally, I prefer fresh produce every time, but mandarins just have a very special flavor that lends itself nicely to this salad)
  • 1/2 cup toasted macadamia nuts, coarsely chopped
  • 1/4 cup raw or toasted sunflower seeds (depending on your preference--just stay away from salted)
  • 2 tablespoons poppy seeds
  • 2 cups fresh red raspberries
  • 1 cup fresh golden raspberries (if you can't find these, just use more red ones)
  • 1 cup fresh strawberries, washed and sliced
  • 1/2 cup seasoned rice vinegar
  • 1 tbsp. canola or coconut oil
 In a nice, big salad bowl, toss the spinach with the mandarin oranges, macadamia nuts, sunflower seeds, poppy seeds, 1 cup of the red raspberries (reserving one cup for the dressing), the golden raspberries, and the strawberries.



In a powerful blender, pulverize the the remaining cup of red raspberries, seasoned rice vinegar, and oil. You can either drizzle it over your salad for a beautiful effect (see above photo to see how striking this dressing is!), or simply toss it all together if you plan to eat it all that night. A word of caution: once you combine the dressing with the salad, it won't keep for more than about 12 hours, so I don't recommend mixing them unless you're absolutely sure you're going to eat all of it in one seating; better to store the salad and dressing separately and enjoy it again tomorrow!

Dynamite Israeli Pine Nut Couscous with Fresh Herbs


This couscous is SO delicious, it's practically indescribable.  It combines the buttery crunch of toasted pine nuts with the delectable chewiness of the giant couscous pearls, and just when you think your tastebuds couldn't possibly be any more overwhelmed, we hit ya with three garden fresh herbs and some shallots (I said practically indescribable)! Oh yeah baby...no mercy.

What you'll need:
  • 3 tbs. vegan butter substitute (earth balance is my favorite)
  • 3/4 cup pine nuts
  • 1/2 cup shallots, finely chopped
  • 1 1/2 cups (or roughly one average box) Israeli couscous
  • 1 3/4 cups vegetable broth (homemade or store bought will do)
  • 1 bay leaf
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley
  • 1/8 cup fresh chopped thyme
  • 1/8 cup fresh chopped oregano
Directions
  1. Melt 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large frying pan over medium-low heat. Add the pine nuts and cook for 5-10 minutes or until golden brown and very fragrant, stirring frequently.   Transfer to a small bowl.

  2. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in the same pan over medium heat. Add the shallots and saute until they're golden. Add the dry couscous and bay leaf, and stir often until couscous browns slightly. Add the vegetable broth and salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer until liquid is absorbed and couscous is tender and fluffy. Remove from heat and stir in pine nuts, parsley, thyme, and oregano. Season with freshly ground black pepper for a little extra flavor!

Brunch Blueberry Muffins with Struesel Crumb Topping



This delicious blueberry muffins are a perfect combination of the Sunday morning classic and cinnamon-streuseled coffee cake usually reserved for fancy brunches. And best of off, you don't need any of the usual eggs, milk, or butter to pull them off! Whip up a batch of these the next time you invite the family over for breakfast, and I promise you--they won't know the difference ;)

What you'll need:
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup vegan margarine, softened (earth balance is my favorite)
  • 1 tablespoon ground flax seed
  • 3 tablespoons water
  • ½  cup all-purpose flour
  • ½ cup whole wheat flour
  • 1 cup cake flour (if you can’t find this, just use more all-purpose flour)
  • 4 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/4 cups non-dairy milk
  • 1 ½  teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 ½-2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries (though if frozen, thaw and drain before using)
  • STREUSEL INGREDIENTS:
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 cup cold vegan margarine

Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Beat the flax seed and water until thick and creamy and set aside. In a mixing bowl, cream white sugar and softened margarine until very smooth. Add flax mixture; mix well. Combine flour, baking powder and salt; add the dry mixture slowly to the creamed mixture, alternating with the non-dairy milk. Stir in the vanilla. Fold in the blueberries. 

    If the batter seems too thick to spread into muffin cups, add a bit of extra non-dairy milk by 1/8 cups until you’re satisfied with the consistency—but don’t overdo it! Fill 12 greased or paper-lined muffin cups two-thirds full. Now, let's make the struesel! In a small bowl, combine the brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon; cut in the cold margarine until very crumbly. Sprinkle over muffins. Bake at 375 degrees on LOWEST oven rack possible to avoid burning streusel for 25-30 minutes. or until browned.

April 6, 2012

Bacon-laced Green Beans with Wild Mushrooms


These smoky, earthy green beans are divine with a main dish or on their own. If you can find it, an organic wild mushroom blend will make this dish extra-special.

What you'll need:
  • 2 lbs. fresh green beans, washed and stemmed
  • 1/2 lb. or one package wild mushroom variety (if you can't find this, cremini mushrooms work best), chopped finely
  • 1/2 package your favorite vegan bacon, chopped finely
  • 1 large red onion, peeled and chopped finely
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
In a large frying pan, heat the oil over medium heat and add the onions. Cook about five minutes, or until gently done (not quite browned). Add bacon and mushrooms, and allow to cook another five minutes, stirring frequently. Lay the green beans on top of the bacon mixture and cover, allowing to steam for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir the mixture together and continue to cook, uncovered, for 10-15 more minutes, or until the onions are caramelized and the mushrooms and bacon well browned. Enjoy!

Perfect Banana Bread


This vegan version of the American classic is every bit as rich, moist, and banana-packed as the original...I promise that you won't even miss the eggs! Quick tip: the easiest way to grind flaxseed is to use a coffee grinder! I discovered this through MUCH trial and error, and believe me--this way will cause you the least amount of stress.

What you'll need:

  • 3 cups white  flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt 
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 3 tablespoons ground flaxseed
  • 9 tablespoons water
  • 1 cup vegetable oil
  • 2 cups white sugar
  • 5-6 bananas, very ripe (the blacker the better!)
  • 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
  • cinnamon and sugar for sprinkling                                                                                                                                   
  •                                                                                                                                                           First, preheat the oven to 325 degrees. Then, beat the flaxseed and water together until thick and creamy (and mixer works best for this) and set aside. Sift together the flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, and baking powder in a separate bowl. Add the oil and sugar to the flaxseed mixture and beat well. Add bananas and vanilla to the mixture. Slowly mix in the dry ingredient blend and mix well. Add nuts, if desired. Divide the batter evenly between 2 well-greased loaf pans and sprinkle loaves with cinnamon and sugar. Bake for 1 hour.