Being vegan usually means missing out on some really good food…. cheese, a good piece of meat, etc. I found a recipe online for Vegan Creme Brulee and after making it, I just had to share it.
You can view the recipe at Vegan Visitor. Check it out.
Vegan Creme Brulee
November 16th, 2007 by FreshSummer Squash Pizza
July 24th, 2007 by FreshIn the local farmer’s market, baskets of summer squash have appeared… zucchini, yellow squash, patty pans, etc. I typically add squash to scrambles and fajitas, but thought I’d try creating a pizza with them.
Summer Squash Pizza
1 ball of pizza dough (I use pre-made ones from Trader Joe’s)
2-3 medium summer squash, sliced into thin strips
Half a small onion, chopped
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
Olive oil
Salt and fresh pepper to taste
Heat olive oil over medium heat in a saute pan
Add onions, and saute until translucent, approx. 5 min.
Add garlic and cook until fragrant, approx. 2 min
Add squash and cook until tender, approx. 7-8 min
Remove from heat
Follow the instructions for oven temperature and preparation of the pizza dough
After rolling out dough, top with cooled squash mixture and drizzle some olive oil on top
Cook according to pizza instructions
Remove and serve immediately
Zucchini fritters….. so damn tasty
July 8th, 2007 by FreshSundays are good days to cook; I can find something I’ve never made before, take a trip to one of the best grocery stores in the world and spend the afternoon working in the kitchen. Today I felt like something crispy and after skimming through one of my cookbooks, I found this wonderful recipe for fritters. I’ve adapted it for vegans. I hope you enjoy!
Zucchini and Tofu Fritters with Lemon
adapted from The Complete Italian Vegetarian Cookbook
servers 4 to 6
1/2 cup extra firm tofu, processed until smooth
3 tsp. egg replacer
4 tbsp. warm water
2 tbsp. minced parsley, fresh
2 medium cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp. grated lemon zest
3 medium zucchini, scrubbed and ends trimmed
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 3/4 cups bread crumbs
Vegetable oil for pan-frying
Lemon wedges
Combine egg replacer and hot water in large bowl, whisk till blended.
Add tofu mixture, parsley, garlic and lemon zest.
Shred the zucchini, through a large holes of a grater. Wrap shredded zucchini in paper towels and squeeze out as much of the liquid as possible. Add zucchini to the tofu mixture. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir well. Add 1 cup of the bread crumbs, so that the mixture is no longer sticky, and combine.
Spread the remaining bread crumbs on a large plate. Heat 1/2 inch of oil a large skillet over medium-high heat.
Take 1/3 cup of the zucchini mixture and form into a 3 inch patty. Coat each side with bread crumbs and set aside. There should be enough mixture for 15 patties.
When oil is ready for frying, add patties, leaving enough room to flip easily. Fry on each side for 4 minutes, until the patty is a rich, golden brown.
When finished with all patties, divide among plates and serve with lemon wedges.
Vegan Ice Cream – I keep trying and one day it’ll be the best…
June 24th, 2007 by FreshI got an ice cream machine a few Christmas’ ago and I’ve attempted to make vegan versions a couple of times. Those first attempts never yielded anything worth sharing with others, but I think I’ve stumbled on to a pretty decent vegan cream base.
This base is a version of the one used by Ben and Jerry's.
1/4 tsp. Guar Gum
1/8 of a block of firm tofu
3 tsp. Egg Replacer
4 tbsp. hot water
3/4 cup sugar
3 cups soy milk
Mix the Egg replacer and hot water. Set aside.
In a blender, combine tofu and 2 cups of soy milk. Process until the tofu has been blended into milk.
In a mixing bowl, add the Egg Replacer mixture and slowly whisk in the sugar, a little at a time, until completely blended.
Pour in the tofu mixture and remaining cup of soy milk. Add Guar Gum and mix till combined.
Use as the base for your favorite ice cream flavor and follow your ice cream maker’s instructions.
Basic Pesto sauce
February 25th, 2006 by Fresh4 cups of packed fresh basil
3 or 4 cloves garlic
1/4 cup of pine nuts, toasted
1/4 cup of olive oil (virgin)
Combine all ingredients in food processor.
Serve immediately over pasta, or store in air-tight container in the fridge. Should last for approx. 1 week.
Variations:
Replace the pine nuts with walnuts or pistachios
Replace the basil with parsley
*Note:
If you don’t have a food processor, you can use a blender instead. If you have neither, simply chop all ingredients, place into a bowl, cover with oil. Stir until all ingredients are combined.
Want to do something with that pesto?
February 25th, 2006 by FreshI was visiting friends last weekend in LA, and Emily made this amazing vegan sandwich. (She really enjoys making vegan food for me!) I didn’t have the recipe, but I thought all week about how I would construct something. The Pesto recipe is the first step, though you could go buy pre-made pesto sauce. I’m a fan of making most sauces, dips, etc. on my own. There’s something special that comes from eating food you’ve made with your own hands. Add the rave reviews you’ll get from friends and it jumps up another notch!
Seitan, Pesto and Sundried Tomato Sandwichs
16oz. pkg of Seitan (works well if you use the Chicken flavored), chopped
8 oz. of Soy Mozarella, grated
8 Sundried tomatos from oil, drained and coarsely chopped
1/2 bunch of fresh Basil, coarsely chopped
1 loaf rustic bread, like Pugilese
Salt and Pepper to taste
3 tbsp. Olive oil
Pesto Sauce
Directions:
Heat oven to 400.
Heat oil in pan over medium-high heat.
When hot, add chopped Seitan. Season with salt and pepper.
Saute for 5 minutes and remove from heat.
Slice loaf of bread in half, lengthwise. Arrange pieces cut-side up on a baking sheet.
Spread each side of loaf with desired amount pesto sauce.
Put seitan on bottom piece of bread. Add the sundried tomatos on top.
Divide chopped basil in half. Add to the top of the bread.
Divide mozarella in half. Add to the top of the bread.
Bake in oven for 10 minutes, or until cheese is melting.
Remove from oven. Put the top piece of bread onto the bottom piece. Cut into desired serving sizes and serve immediately.
Variations.
For meat eaters:
Replace Seitan with 1lb. of chicken and Soy Mozarella with 8 0z. of fresh Mozarella.
Cook chicken till cooked through. Proceed with the rest of the recipe.
Vegan Chocolate Chip cookies
January 2nd, 2006 by Fresh(adapted from The Chocolate Chip Cookie Page)
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
1 cup margarine
1 cup unbleached sugar
1/2 cup organic brown sugar
3 tsp. Ener-G Foods Egg Replacer
4 tbsp hot water
2 teaspoons vanilla
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon soda
1-1/2 teaspoon salt
One 12-ounce package chocolate chips.
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Directions
Cream margarine and sugars in a large bowl.
Add egg replacer, hot water and vanilla, mix well.
Add dry ingredients.
Stir in chocolate chips and walnuts.
Drop teaspoonfuls onto greased cookie sheet.
Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes.
Yummy Portabellos
November 28th, 2005 by FreshI made this for a friend the other nite. Served it with some sauteed green beans and a potato salad.
From Foodnetwork.com
Fresh Herb and Goat Cheese Stuffed Grilled Portobellos
Recipe courtesy Chef Jon Bonnell
Recipe Summary
Difficulty: Easy
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Yield: 5 servings
User Rating:
5 large portobello mushrooms, stems removed
Extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste
8 ounces fresh goat cheese (recommended: Deborah Rogers Farmstead Goat Cheese)
1 small clove garlic, minced
2 sprigs fresh thyme
2 sprigs fresh cilantro
1 sprig fresh rosemary
1 sprig fresh dill
3 to 4 large fresh basil leaves
Clean the dark black gills from the mushrooms, then drizzle with a little olive oil, season with salt and pepper and place over medium heat on an open barbecue grill, face down. After a few minutes, turn them over and continue to cook.
In a mixing bowl combine the goat cheese with minced garlic, salt and pepper, to taste, and the mixture of fresh herbs torn by hand.
Mix the cheese until all of the ingredients have been incorporated and a nice creamy texture is achieved.
When the mushrooms begin to get soft and give off a little of their juice, add a nice spoonful of the goat cheese mixture right into the center of each portobello.
Close the lid of the barbecue and let cook until the cheese gets bubbly and the mushrooms are nice and soft.
A viewer, who may not be a professional cook, provided this recipe. The Food Network Kitchens chefs have not tested this recipe and therefore, we cannot make representation as to the results.
Episode#: BQ0303
Copyright 2003 Television Food Network, G.P., All Rights Reserved
Vegan sushi? Mmmm…..
October 23rd, 2005 by FreshMinako Organic Japanese Restaurant
My rating: 4 out of 5
Amazing. A Japanese restuarant where I can eat almost anything and not have to worry about meat or byproduct.
My favorites:
Miso – I never get to have the miso at any other place I go.
Agedashi Tofu – Other places bring out a bowl with a few cubes of tofu. Minako’s version is a block of tofu (that’s right, a block…), fried as expected and wading in a pool of lovely sauce. It’s heavenly.
Sushi rolls – Here I can get the vegan versions of those rolls I drool over when I’m out at other restaurants. And they’re delicious.
The owner and her mother – The chef is Mom and you can taste the love in every bite. I was told that she cooks in shifts; all meat, clean the grill, all veggies. This is wonderful. And the owner, who also happens to be part of the wait staff, is equally as lovely.
Recommedations:
If you go, don’t be in a rush. My average dining time has been over an hour. It moves along well if you order some appetizers, a few pieces of sushi and an entree. That way you’ll have food on the table at all times.
They also close when they run out of food, so you’re taking a chance later in the evening, rather then earlier.
Pros: Food, atmosphere, wait staff
Cons: Speed of service
Banana Bread
October 16th, 2005 by Fresh1/2 cup softened butter or margarine
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
1 cup mashed ripe bananas (3 medium)
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped walnuts
Cream butter and sugar together. Add one egg at a time, beating till smooth. Blend in mashed bananas.
In second bowl, stir flour with baking soda, baking powder, salt and nuts. Add to banana mixture stirring only to moisten. Transfer to greased loaf pan. Bake in 350 deg. F. oven for about 1 hour until inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let stand 10 minutes. Remove from pan and place on cake rack to cool. Wrap to store.
This banana bread recipe makes 1 loaf.
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