Recipe # 20: Lemon Garlic Vinaigrette

I’ve always been a basic salad dressing kind of guy. Give me a nice olive oil, aged balsamic vinegar and I’m good to go. It was my roommate’s birthday over Memorial Day weekend, and as my gift I made and prepared dinner for him and a few of our friends. Although I am the only vegan, all my dishes were well received. For the salad, I picked up a delicious organic blend with radicchio, baby spinach, romaine and a bit of dill. I’m not the biggest fan of dill, and I knew a basic balsamic vinaigrette would be inappropriate. I was lucky enough to find an incredibly juicy lemon from the market, which ended up being absolutely perfect. Always one for more garlic, and trying to get my 3 raw cloves a week, I threw in some thinly diced cloves for an extra kick. The result was spectacular, and turned out to be my roommate’s favorite part of the meal. A perfect way to start the summer season!

Lemon Garlic Vinaigrette

1 lemon
4 cloves garlic
Fresh cracked pepper
Sea salt
Olive oil

Juice the lemon into a bowl and be sure to get any seeds out of the juice. Add twice the amount of olive oil (if you get ¼ cup of juice, add ½ cup of olive oil) directly into the juice. Slice the cloves in half and create a fine dice. Put the garlic in the bowl, along with a sprinkle of salt and cracked pepper to taste. Create the emulsion with a fork, about 1 minute. Let sit for at least 1 hour before serving. Serve over mixed greens.

Recipe # 19: Vegan Risotto

Given my recent infatuation with nutritional yeast, I’ve been trying to find great ways to incorporate it into my diet. I love putting it on my falafel salads with a bit of tahini dressing or over a salad. With the cheesy taste it would be easy to try and make a sauce with it and put it over pasta for a macaroni and cheese dish. However, I’ve been in a quick-and-easy phase and tried something that turned into pure enjoyment. When you remove the grains, there will be some excess water that will help make a sauce. This goes great with broccoli or tofu as a side. Also, it would be a great and healthy addition to an omnivorous meal so feel free to share it with your friends. If you want to spice it up, add in the cayenne pepper for a nice kick!

Vegan Risotto
 

2 cups water
½ cup quinoa
½ cup amaranth
¼ cup nutritional yeast
3 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
1 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)

Bring the water to a boil in a medium sauce pan over high heat. Add the quinoa and amaranth, cover and reduce the heat to low. Cook for 15 minutes and remove from the heat. Add the nutritional yeast, olive oil and salt, stirring to incorporate and form a sauce. Let sit for 5 minutes covered, serve and enjoy.

Nutritional Yeast

My previous experience with nutritional yeast was limited to scrambled tofu, and I rarely used it because I simply didn’t know how. To be honest, I still don’t really understand how to cook with it; however, I have been making a greater effort to use it as a topping on a meal once a day. Full of B-vitamins and other minerals, I have noticed a considerable difference in my energy levels and overall well-being the past two weeks. While it can be expensive, lessen the impact on your wallet and buy it in the bulk section of your local grocer. I like to sprinkle it on everything from a bowl of quinoa to broccoli to soup. Apparently, in the Midwest, they sprinkle it on popcorn so much theaters provide it for you. I have yet to try it as a popcorn topping yet, but it does add a uniquely salty flavor - almost like cheese powder, but in a good way. Try it out and let me know what you think.

Spring Cooking

As April comes to a close (is it really May already?), I’ve been thinking more and more about fresh, hearty dishes inspired by the onset of spring. So, instead of posting another recipe, I encourage you to get out the market and scope out the fresh produce and use this as your inspiration for a meal. If you are one of my tens of readers, you should be familiar enough with my slow food cooking style - letting flavors mingle and come together with low heats and long simmers. Take inspiration from my recipes and go out and create your own. Use parsnips in lieu of carrots in your mirepoix. Use shallots instead of onions for a wonderfully unique flavor. Look for fresh herbs that you can roast vegetables with, season a stock and marinade with. Make a pesto or a chili paste to your own liking. Now, more than ever, should be your time to experiment. Still chilly enough outside to want to stay indoors but not gloomy and dark, as winter can sometimes be. Choose simple ingredients with bold flavors and find something you never knew you liked.

Come next week, I’m sure you’ll like what I have put together with the produce around me. Hopefully, you will get inspired as well.

Recipe # 18: Vegan Chicken Salad (Tofu)

If you have ever been to a grocer or deli specializing in vegetarian cuisine, then you most likely have encountered the "vegan chicken salad".  You were probably perplexed at first, but if took the plunge and tried it I'm sure you became obsessed.  The only drawback is it's pricey.  Thankfully, with a bit of stealthy detective work and kitchen genius, I have crafted an equally delicious version for those of us on a budget.  The key to the recipe is baking the tofu, drawing the water out and creating a chewy texture.  Feel free to adjust the marinade to your preferences and put your own twist on this classic dish.

Vegan Chicken Salad
 

1 block extra firm tofu
3 Tbsp tamari
3 Tbsp sunflower oil
3 stalks celery
½ red onion
1 Tbsp nutritional yeast
3 Tbsp vegan mayonnaise
1 tsp cumin

Preheat the oven to 375°F.  Slice the tofu into 1-inch thick slabs and dry thoroughly on paper towels and press gently.  While the tofu is drying, place the tamari and oil in a bowl and whisk them together to create an emulsion (homogeneous mixture).  Place the slices on a baking sheet and use your fingers to apply the marinade to both sides.  Make sure there is enough space between the slabs so they can cook properly. Put the pan in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes.  Remove and let cool on the pan.

While the tofu is baking, finely dice the celery stalks by slicing them lengthwise and then dicing the strips.  Chop the onion into an equally fine dice and combine with the celery in a large mixing bowl.  Add the nutritional yeast, cumin and vegan mayonnaise and stir completely.  Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator while the tofu cools.

When the tofu has cooled completely, cut the slabs into 1-inch chunks.  If you have extra marinade, put this on the sliced tofu and stir.  Add the tofu to the celery mixture and incorporate the two, coating the tofu evenly.  Serve cool.

Recipe # 17: Lavender Sweet Potatoes

I’m always looking for a fun new way to incorporate carbohydrates in my diet on account of my gluten intolerance.  Day after day of quinoa or gluten-free pasta becomes a bit mundane, and I am not a fan of the texture of rice or white potatoes.  Fortunately, for me, there is the sweet potato.  Rich in complex carbohydrates, it offers a spectacular alternative to the traditional white potato.  Because it has a sweeter flavor (and more sugar), they roast a lot differently - almost to the point of a gooey marshmallow.  The skin is full of nutrients, so I always eat it.  In this case, it lends a pleasant juxtaposition to the gooey cooked sweet potato.  If you don’t have lavender in your pantry, use an Herbes de Provence blend (avoiding the fennel) for another remarkable experience.

Lavender Sweet Potatoes

1 large sweet potato
¾ tsp lavender
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
Sea salt

Preheat oven to 350° F.  To dice the potato, slice it in half length-wise, again in three length-wise sections (per half), and make 4-5 horizontal cuts.  The dice should be about a 1 inch cube.  Scatter the potatoes in a roasting pan and drizzle with olive oil.  Sprinkle on the lavender and incorporate with your hands.   Place in the oven, uncovered, for 35-45 minutes.  The potato will be very soft when you take them out of the oven.  Set on a cooling rack or stove top and let them cool.  Before serving, sprinkle lightly with coarse sea salt.

Recipe # 16: Adzuki Bean Soup

The adzuki bean, a staple in Japanese cuisine, lends its supple texture to this otherwise basic soup.  Prized for its protein and high fiber content, the adzuki bean is much more nutritious and versatile than similar beans.  Small and red in color, you can often find them in the dried bulk section of your local grocery store.  If you are having trouble locating them, try ordering them online through Amazon (you can use the search box on the right) or another retailer.  Building a deep flavor is paramount to the success of this soup, so be sure to thoroughly cook and develop your mirepoix base.  For a nice surprise, keep the garlic chunky - this will leave the garlic tender and buttery in the finished soup!  Like the spicy black bean soup, coupled with a well-stocked pantry this dish is relatively inexpensive and a nice addition to a menu rotation any time of year.

Adzuki Bean Soup

1 medium onions
4 cloves garlic
2 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 Tbsp sunflower oil
1 lb. baby carrots
1 celery heart
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp marjoram
8 cups water
2 cups dried black beans, rinsed and soaked

Soaking the beans:

Place beans in a large colander and rinse thoroughly, picking out any shriveled beans or foreign objects.  In a large pot, bring 8 cups water to a boil.  When the water reaches a rolling boil, add the dried beans and cover, encouraging a rapid return to a boil.  Let the beans cook in boiling water for 2 minutes and remove from heat.  Keeping covered, let the beans soak for at least 2 hours on the stove top.  This can be done a day ahead or before you cook the soup.

Vegetable prep:

• Dice the onion and smash-chop* the garlic.
• Slice the carrots in half  length-wise and dice them into ½ inch pieces, set aside.   Depending on the size of your carrots, you’ll get 2-4 cuts per half.  Try slicing 3-4 baby carrots in half, and then dice them.  This should make the process go faster.
• Trim the celery hearts of the (dried) top and (dirty) bottom and rinse the stalks to ensure you remove all the dirt.  Slice the stalks, lengthwise, into halves or thirds (depending on the width)  and dice into ½ inch pieces.  Like the carrots, you can dice a few stalks at the same time, which should help ease chopping fatigue.

Stovetop:

Heat the oil in a large stock pot, over medium-high heat, and add the onions and garlic.  Stir occasionally to keep the garlic from browning too quickly.  You want the onions to begin to brown before proceeding (you may notice the bottom of the pan becoming “sticky“ from the onions starting to caramelize), about 7-9 minutes.  Add the carrots and keep stirring (the introduction of a water-heavy vegetable will help stop the cooking for a while and get the browned bits up from the pan).  When the carrots begin to brown, after 6-9 minutes, add the celery and keep stirring.  When the celery has reduced by half (you’ll notice a difference in the pot, as the vegetables cook and water evaporates), after 9-12 minutes, add herbs and spices, cooking for 2 minutes to help release the oils.  Add the beans and 8 cups of water, making sure to scrape the bottom of the pot to release the caramelized bits into the broth, and cover.  Bring the soup to a boil and cook for 5 minutes, reduce to a simmer and cover.  Cook for at least 35 minutes, longer for a thicker soup.  Remove from heat and let cool before serving.


*Smash-chop: after you have peeled the cloves, trim the root end off.  Smash the clove with the side of your knife by pressing firmly until the clove breaks into pieces; chop the smashed cloves into a dice similar in size to the onions being used.

Recipe # 15: Tomato Soup

Classic tomato soup is utterly American and a staple in most people’s lives - as a child, at least.  Most versions have some form of dairy (butter, cream, milk) and most vegan options I have tried turn out watery and incomplete in flavor.  The magic of this remarkably simple soup is the creaminess derived form the onions themselves, making a luscious and velvety-smooth experience in your mouth.  If you wanted to spice it up, add some cayenne (not red pepper flake, as this will interrupt the texture) at when the onions are finishing.  Otherwise, take some time to concentrate on the simple flavors of the soup and enjoy the bliss!

Tomato Soup

2 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp sunflower oil
2 large onions
4 cloves garlic
3 28 oz. cans whole tomatoes
1 tsp sea salt
Fresh pepper

Heat the oil over medium heat in a large stock pot while you dice the onions and chop the garlic.  Add the onions, stirring immediately to break up the dice and incorporate the oil.  Cook, stirring occasional, for about 12-15 minutes being careful to not caramelize the onions.  When the onions are translucent, add the chopped garlic and cook for an additional 4 minutes.  Add the cans of tomatoes carefully to avoid splash-back.  Fill two of the empty cans with water and add them to the soup, stir and cover.  When the soup comes to a boil, reduce the heat to just above a simmer to help break down and soften the tomatoes and cook for 35-45 minutes.  When the water has reduced by about half, remove from the heat and let cool.  Using an immersion blender, purée the soup until smooth throughout.  Add the salt and taste, as your palette may require a bit more salt to enhance the flavors.  Serve with a bit of fresh ground pepper on top.

Additional tips:

• If you have some vegetable stock, use it in place of the water for a distinct flavor addition
• Have some herbs that you need to use?  Wrap them in some cheese cloth, tie it with twine, and sit in the soup while it simmers.  Parsley, oregano, basil all work well.  Use caution with strong herbs like thyme and rosemary, as they tend to overpower the delicate tomato flavor.