Category Archives: appetizer

Vegan Baby and Bridal Shower Menu Ideas

Posted on April 4, 2013 | 1 Comment

I’m not trying to throw hints out there for my own benefit folks, but damn if there’s anything that I don’t love more in this world than cute, tiny food, and cute party food in general. I was talking to some friends about showers and where they can go awry, and we decided that one of the foundations of a great shower shouldn’t be what cheesy games you play or how many people you can invite; showers should be an intimate gathering of the mom/bride to-be’s closest friends where you can treat her by splurging a little on beautiful food from your local patisserie, or creating a menu tailored to her favorite foods or cravings. When planning a shower for someone who’s vegan, or vegan and gluten free, it can be hard to find options at your local baker, or co-op depending on your area- I can’t find both gluten free and vegan treats anywhere in Minneapolis. In those cases, making a few treats and eats from scratch will not only save you money, but your guest of honor will feel extra special that you went the extra mile for her. You could even ask each guest as they RSVP if they wouldn’t mind making a recipe that you send to them, or keep a note next to the avid bakers on the guest list. Keep in mind that not everything needs to be ‘from scratch’ either. I’ve found multiple brands of gluten free and vegan crackers at Costco, and hummus, tapenade, and dairy- free pesto are easy finds in most any deli. For those who can get crafty in the kitchen, I scoured my favorite blogs and pinterest for summer friendly shower treats, salads, and snacks that look as beautiful as they taste. Some are more labor intensive, and some are as simple as cracking open a can of Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese and opening a loaf of bread.
* Not all adorable options are gluten free, (GF) options marked


These little raw lemon tartlettes from Fragrant Vanilla Cake look so refreshing! (GF)

Coconut Macaroons from The Vagabond Baker (GF)

Berry Creme Tart with Coco Olive Crust from The Post Punk Kitchen

photo: freepeople

photo: freepeople


Roasted Balsamic Strawberry Tarts with Whipped Coconut Cream (GF)
So sexy!

Easy Vegan Lemon Bars from 86Lemons.com (GF)

photo:sweet miscellany

photo:sweet miscellany


Lemony Macaroon Cups with Blueberry Compote (GF)
Can you tell I adore lemon?!

Vegan Yum Yum makes some awesome little finger sandwiches!

Chickpea Radish Hors Doeuvres from Vegan Yum Yum (GF)

Blackened Tomato Canapés from Vegan Yum Yum

Cute Cucumber Tea Sandwiches from Vegan Yum Yum
*Both could potentially be gluten free if you find or make an awesome gluten free vegan bread

Spring Chickenless Salad from Manifest Vegan (GF)

Photo: Alyson Kramer at Manifest Vegan

Photo: Alyson Kramer at Manifest Vegan

This looks filling, and totally inviting.

Gluten Free Focaccia from Manifest Vegan (GF)

Spicy Cilantro Crackers from Manifest Vegan (GF)

Melon salad with Mint and Lime from The PPK (GF)

Photo Credit: Isa Chandra @ The PPK

Photo Credit: Isa Chandra @ The PPK


Deviled Potatoes from The PPK (GF)
Ok, I’ll admit that I’ve been craving deviled eggs and potato salad like a mo-fo lately, and this essentially combines the two into a very delectable looking appetizer.
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Blackened Tempeh Wraps with Chipotle Ranch from Fork and Beans (GF) Would make a substantial nosh.

goat Raw Vegan Goat Cheese from Fork and Beans (GF)
Now, maybe grandma wouldn’t go for anything with the words ‘vegan’, and “cheese” in them, so just tell her it’s “awesome cashew pesto dip”. Everybody likes dip, right?

photo: Alyson Kramer @ Manifest Vegan

photo: Alyson Kramer @ Manifest Vegan


Lastly, Chocolate Covered Potato Chips from Manifest Vegan (GF), because the idea of chocolate covered potato chips sounds like the best thing to happen since peanut butter and jelly.

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Crispy Bean Curd Rolls

Posted on March 29, 2013 | 1 Comment

Since going gluten free, I often find myself wanting a crispy egg roll- sans egg of course. Since wonton/eggroll wraps are wheat based, they’re off the table. Rice paper wraps are delicious, but they don’t fry well and don’t come to mind when I think of something to encase cooked shredded cabbage, garlic, carrot, and other savories with. Then it hit me: Bean Curd “Skin”!
Similar to Yuba, bean curd skin is essentially paper thin sheets of tofu, made from skimming soymilk as it cooks. When it’s purchased in super thin, dried sheets its generally Yuba, whereas the fresh/frozen sheets I have been stumbling upon are more often thick and called Bean Curd Skin. Regardless of which you dabble with, the sheets are full of protein, and can be used to make all sorts of fun culinary delights. If you find dried yuba, be sure to carefully pull the sheets apart, and moisten them with a damp paper towel rather than soaking, as they tear very easily.
While they don’t get as sinfully greasy and crispy as their wheat based counterparts, the bean curd sheets fry up lightning fast, leaving the exterior lightly crispy, and the interior delightfully chewy and tofu-y. Dip these babies in hot mustard, sweet and sour sauce, or a little brags mixed with chile garlic paste.

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These are the Bean Curd sheets I found

Crispy Bean Curd Rolls

1 package of bean curd sheets- 24 total
4 cups shredded cabbage
1 cup shredded carrot
2 veggie burgers crumbled, or about 1 to 1 1/2 cups veggie crumbles
1 tsp minced garlic
1 tsp minced ginger
salt and pepper
oil for pan frying, and simmering veggies

for wrapping you will need a cup of warm water mixed with cornstarch to make a slurry

Place the cabbage in a skillet over medium heat. Sauté in a tablespoon of oil until beginning to soften. Add the carrot, garlic, and ginger and season with salt and pepper. Continue to cook until the cabbage has softened and the veggies are fragrant. Mix in the veggie crumbles and set aside.
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Take a bean curd sheet and place in front of you so that it’s in a ‘diamond’ versus a square. Brush the sheet with the cornstarch slurry. Place about a tablespoon of filling in the bottom third, and fold the bottom corner up and over the filling.
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Fold the side corners in before rolling up. Place each finished roll seam side down on a plate and continue until all of the rolls have been finished.
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Heat about 1 1/2 inches of oil in a heavy bottomed frying pan until a small piece of wrapper bubbles instantly wjhen dropped in, and turns golden within 30 seconds. Fry 6-8 rolls at a time until golden brown on both sides, and place on a clean paper bag to drain while you finish the rest.

IMG_6476

IMG_6482

Aren’t they cute?!

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Maple, Walnut, Pecan, and Sage crusted Tempeh Cutlets and other Thanksgiving delights

Posted on November 25, 2012 | Leave a comment

i have no idea why i was stressing out about this years thanksgiving meal- maybe it’s because i used to be the ‘seitan guru’ and not having my usual wheat based, classed up centerpiece to fall back on left me feeling lost. then i remembered my often forgot about friend, tempeh. duh!  tempeh! *smacks forehead 

tempeh was the perfect solution to my centerpiece ‘problems’. its naturally gluten free, has a great texture, and can get jazzed up easily. i’ve made this tempeh several ways now, once with tomato jam holding the nuts in place, and the second with a thick maple glaze doing the work. both are equally delicious,  but not everyone will be able to find tomato jam at the grocery store so i’m sticking with maple for this recipe. this was fabulous as our thanksgiving main, but if cut into smaller triangles, would make an excellent appetizer, or side dish!

Maple Pecan Walnut and Sage crusted Tempeh Cutlets

serves 6

1 bundle fresh sage leaves, about 4 large stems full of leaves

1 1/2 cups vegetable stock

2 tbs gluten free soy sauce/tamari

2 packages lightlife tempeh, original soy flavor

1/2 c grade b maple syrup

1/2 c raw pecans

1/2 c raw walnuts

salt and pepper

1/4 tsp each marjoram and thyme

1/4 tsp smoked paprika

start by poaching the tempeh; take each rectangle of tempeh, and slice into 3 slightly odd shaped triangles. place in a skillet and cover with the vegetable stock, soy sauce, and submerge 2 of the stems of sage into the broth. take a fork and lightly prick the top of each piece of tempeh. cover, and bring to a simmer. cook for 15 minutes, flipping once. let cool completely in the broth, or let marinate over night.

poaching the tempeh

poaching the tempeh

place the nuts, 10 sage leaves, the paprika, marjoram, thyme, salt and pepper into the bowl of your food processor. pulse until the nuts are finely ground. simmer the maple syrup in a small saucepan until reduced slightly and it clings firmly to the back of a spoon. brush all sides of your tempeh cutlets with the syrup, and then press into your nut mixture, coating each side evenly. i baked mine in a toaster oven for 20 minutes on the broil setting, without flipping. you could also pan fry, or bake these little guys in a regular oven.

maple walnut pecan and sage crusted tempeh

maple walnut pecan and sage crusted tempeh

other thanksgiving delicacies

beccas GF green bean casserole

beccas GF green bean casserole

my sister makes her own cream of onion soup and crispy onions, rendering this staple vegan, gluten free, and perfect for mushroom-phobes!

raw caramel pecan truffles

raw caramel pecan truffles

she also made these amazing truffles, from a recipe on fragrant vanilla cake!

a very vegan, gluten free thanksgiving meal!

a very vegan, gluten free thanksgiving meal!

from top center to right; maple pecan sweet potatoes, cranberry cherry relish, mashed potatoes with savory mushroom gravy, cornbread, cranberry, and apple stuffing, maple walnut pecan and sage tempeh, and green bean casserole in the center. YUM.

and lastly. the PIE, now lovingly known as pumpkin pie-zilla. i found the crust on fork and beans, and the filling on gluten free goddess.

gluten free vegan pie crust

gluten free vegan pie crust

as you can see, GF crusts may roll out well between 2 pieces of parchment, but that doesn’t mean you should expect them to just drop in like normal. i ended up pressing the crust in, but i might add a little chia gel next time to help pliability and moisture retention. the fluted edges started to crack off during the extended baking time since i made a deep dish pie. i’d also brush the crust with a little earth balance and agave nectar to help the edges brown more as well. but, it was a delicious stand in for a wheat based crust!

vegan and gluten free pumpkin pie

vegan and gluten free pumpkin pie

i’m not a huge fan of molasses, so i cut the amount down to 1 tbs, and subbed extra maple for the rest. most vegan pumpkin pies call for tofu, but the cashews are such a superior stand in! the texture, and flavor of this pie are unlike any other and is going to be in the rotation every year from now on. also- this made a deep dish 10″ pie, that easily served 12.

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OMFG Polenta Fries!

Posted on October 20, 2012 | 1 Comment

have you heard about these?! polenta is already an amazing use of cornmeal as is, but spicing them up and sending them into a bubbling cauldron of hot oil makes them downright sinful. i make these often because of how simple they are, and recently discovered how much more simple life is when you slice and freeze them for a later use! honestly, you can spice these however way you like, and you can skip the second bath in the deep fryer if you’re not into ultra crunchy snacks. but i figure, if a girls gonna deep fry, she’s gonna deep fry. knowmsayin’? i dip mine in a mix of sriracha and ketchup, or chipotle tabasco sauce- but you could sauce them in just about anything!

Cheesy Polenta Fries

1 c cornmeal grits

2 -3 cups vegetable stock

1 tsp salt

1/4 c nutritional yeast

1 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp smoked paprika

1/2 c daiya shreds- optional.

start by bringing 2 cups veggie stock to a boil over low heat. whisk in the polenta and spices and cook until thick and creamy, about 10 minutes. if the texture gets too hard to stir, start adding more stock to compensate- the goal is to make a thick porridge. once the polenta is cooked through and no longer ‘crunchy’, stir in the nutritional yeast. let rest on the counter for 15 minutes before folding in your daiya, if using, otherwise spoon your polenta into a lightly oiled 8×8 brownie pan and pop it in the freezer to chill down.

now for the frying!

fill a pan with at least 2″ oil and heat until a piece of bread browns in 60 seconds, or turn your deep fryer to 365. while the oil is heating, remove your polenta block from the fridge, and slice it into fries. grab a paper grocery bag and lay it out on the counter, and make sure you have a ‘spider’ spoon, or slotted spoon for pulling your fries out of the hot oil. place about 6 pieces of polenta into the hot oil at a time so that you don’t overcrowd them, and fry until golden brown. remove from the oil to your grocery bag, salt lightly, and proceed to the next round. serve immediately!

for extra crispy fries. for extra crispy fries that don’t go limp when cool, fry them once until pale gold, and once you’ve gone through your whole batch- fry them again until golden brown. this makes them deliriously delicious.

baked fries. place your fries about a half an inch apart on a cookie sheet, and broil

cheesy polenta fries

cheesy polenta fries

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Todays Lunch: Sambar

Posted on March 2, 2012 | Leave a comment

we didn’t have toor dal so we subbed red lentils, resulting in a creamy sambar more reminiscent of yellow dal. either way you make it, it’s dal-licious! sambar is technically a condiment of sorts, or side dish served with chapatis, dosas, etc, but i love it as a main soup with a side of bread.

recipe

creamy red lentil sambar

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Nacho Lovers, Unite!

Posted on February 6, 2012 | 1 Comment

i didn’t watch the Super Bowl, or the puppy bowl for that matter, but for some reason i had a hankering for salty tortilla chips dunked in neon orange goo with a side of salsa. the hubby is back home again, and he too had a craving for bar food, but instead of plunking down $30+ bucks for a few rounds and some so-so vegan nachos at a local bar, we made our own! *i’m also still trying to ride the Gluten-free train as much as possible, and vegan nachos at the bar usually involve wheat flour in the nooch sauce, so making my own also saved me from a few days of achy joints! yay! i think this is my best version of cheesy sauce yet, and i’ll give you a few GF options to tweak it! (just for you, clairedo!) chickpea flour thickens this like a dream, and it doesn’t get gelatinous when it cools, so you don’t need to resort to trickery when you want to reheat it.

Basic Gluten Free Cheezy Sauce

2 cups Unsweetened Almond Milk

1 heaping tbs raw cashew butter

1 tbs miso paste- white

1/4 tsp sea salt *or more if you really like salt or won’t be dumping this on salted chips

1 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1/4 tsp smoked paprika

1/4 tsp turmeric

1 c nutritional yeast flakes, aka nooch

1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar, this adds a little “tang”

3 tbs garbanzo bean flour, also called besan, gram, or chana dal flour at indian grocers

3 tbs water

this is super duper easy:

melt the cashew butter over low heat in a heavy bottomed saucepan. whisk in everything else except for the water and the chickpea flour and increase the heat to medium high.  slowly whisk the water into the chickpea flour, and stir until completely smooth. add some of the hot sauce into the chickpea flour to help warm it, (much like tempering eggs if you’re familiar) whisking until smooth. now, slowly whisk the chickpea mixture into your sauce and keep stirring until thick and smooth. enjoy as is, or follow some options for tinkering!

10 am nacho fix!

for nacho/queso cheese:

add 1/4 tsp chipotle pepper powder, and up to 1 c of your favorite salsa. you may need an extra tablespoon of chickpea flour if your salsa is runny.  you can also fold in a cup of daiya pepperjack or cheddar if you want the consistency of stadium/pump cheese, but after experimenting, i don’t notice a big difference in flavor to make it worth a 5$ bag of cheese.

for mac and cheese:

double the sauce recipe and use regular paprika instead of smoked. add a pinch of ground nutmeg. fold into one pound of  al dente quinoa or brown rice noodles (or regular if you tolerate gluten). then, fold in up to an entire bag of daiya if you really, really want to go overboard on the cheesiness factor. i sometimes like a small sprinkle on top, but i won’t judge ;) spoon into a lightly oiled casserole, cover, and bake for 30 minutes, or until bubbly.

bechamel style- great as a fondue dip:

skip turmeric, omit 1/2 of the nutritional yeast. add a pinch of nutmeg and an extra tsp of onion powder. serve with blanched vegetables, cubes of bread-regular or gluten free, olives, and wine.

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Crazy For Cashews

Posted on February 2, 2012 | 1 Comment

oh cashews, how do i love thee? let me count the ways…

cashews kick ass, and lately i can’t seem to get enough of their creamy, protein packed flavor. it all started when the vegetarian times had a recipe for cashew goat cheese.  i can bring it anywhere, re-named as ‘savory cashew spread’ and it’s devoured almost instantly. then i discovered dr. cow’s tree nut cheeses; aged for 3 months, these cheeses develop the same sharp tang as traditional cheese, making them an insanely delicious pairing with crackers and wine. i’ve always wanted to re-create them, but aging? that seems a bit too complex for my decidedly amateur cooking skills. then, i found chef tal ronnen, his book ‘the conscious cook’, and his amazing recipe for cultured cashew, and macadamia nut cheeses. it’s similar in concept to the vegetarian time’s cashew cheese; you soak raw cashews and cream them, but before flavoring and setting the cashew cream, you culture it with store-bought probiotic powder -1 tsp per 2c cashews- for 16 hours, and then let it set up in the fridge. the result is incredibly reminiscent of cream cheese; tangy, velvety, and with a hint of sweetness. i’ve been making, and devouring his recipe weekly. it’s my favorite snack with slices of apple, cucumber, and gluten free flax crackers.

i’ve also been tinkering with using it as a base for faux-ranch dressing.

cashew ranch

next, i want to try making raw cashew cheesecake. i love the version they make at the ecopolitan, but i think culturing the cashews will add the backbone that it’s been missing!

raw cheesecake

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food porn! tales of the deep………fryer

Posted on September 6, 2011 | Leave a comment

i almost forgot to tell you, i got a deep-fryer. *cues the “duh duh duhhhhhh” music.

vintage 70's fry-daddy

daiya filled pizza dough

beingets!

i didn’t know where to begin, so i dabbled in beingets, which i think is fancy for “doughnut hole”, and pizza dough stuffed with the remnants of a bag of daiya. i promised the hubby that i’d keep the frying down to a minimum- which isn’t hard considering i don’t keep tater tots on hand-although, i do have some green tomatoes in the garden…..

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butternut squash risotto croquettes with a caramelized onion puree

Posted on December 7, 2010 | 2 Comments

my house smells fantastic right now. i had an idea for croquettes last week that never came to fruition, and a craving for risotto this week. i guess this is the lovechild of the two. i will say that the clincher for making croquettes was an episode of “what would bryan boitano make”, while jogging at the gym. although his were paella-inspired, i wanted to try the technique of creamy rice patties dredged in breadcrumbs, and pan-fried to gloriously golden, crispy heaven. to make dinner go faster, i roasted my squash cut side up-with 2 softball sized onions, at 400 degrees for 1 1/2 hours. not satisfied with the done-ness of the onions, today i proceeded to puree them, and have been reducing and caramelizing the puree for the last couple hours. a mini crock (if i hadn’t blown mine up) would be ideal so you could leave the house, but i’ve been tidying up all day so i’ve been within 15 feet of the stove-no fire hazards here! *knock on wood. the additional star of tonight’s show is a lovely bottle of tuscan olive oil that a client gifted me for the holidays. want some? click here for annona gourmets website. i folded some of this fragrant oil into the rice mixture, and drizzled some on the plate with the onion sauce. i also decided after some experimenting, that the cakes were sticky enough to hold a thin coating of breadcrumbs; a flaxseed wash ended up not crisping to my liking, and once the cakes began to cool it became a little rubbery. no bueno. once i tweak and remake this a few more tries, i may just add the recipe.

roasted veggies

roasted veggies

roasted onion puree

roasted onion puree

3 hours later on the stove

3 hours later on the stove

*it became even darker as i finished it off with some “secret” ingredients

naked butternut squash risotto cakes

naked butternut squash risotto cakes

crispy pan-fried goodness!

crispy pan-fried goodness!

*the pale ones had the flaxseed wash to adhere the breadcrumbs-fail!

the finished result!

the finished result!

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Posted in appetizer, baked goods ect, side dishes

Chipotle Spiced Sweet Potato Croquettes

Posted on January 12, 2010 | Leave a comment

this started as a use for leftovers, but turned seriously delicious -and substantial! i served these spicy little patties with steamed kale and garlicky green beans for a light, yet filling dinner, but you could also use them as a starter. i didn’t get a photo,but don’t let that sway you- these are simple and tasty! swap the regular tempeh for smoky tempeh strips (fakin bacon), or veggie sausage for a breakfast side. for extra crunch, roll in breadcrumbs or ground nuts before pan frying.

Chipotle Spiced Sweet Potato Croquettes

makes 8

1 package tempeh, any flavor, cubed

1 cup veggie stock

1 tbs soy sauce (use wheat-free tamari for GF)

1 medium sweet potato, cubed-about 1 1/2 cups

1 tsp en r g egg replacer powder, or corn starch

1/2 tsp chipotle powder, or to taste

salt and pepper

roast the sweet potato for 45 minutes @ 400 degrees, or until soft and browned around the edges and set aside. poach the tempeh in the veggie stock and soy sauce until the liquid is absorbed. add a tablespoon of oil and gently pan fry until golden brown. crumble the tempeh into the potato, and mash with the starch to make a slightly lumpy dough. add some salt and pepper, and chipotle powder to taste. mix thoroughly. pan fry both sides on medium heat with a tablespoon of oil, until golden brown and slightly firm. serve at once.


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