Vegan Week: Vegan Spinach Artichoke Dip

As mentioned in the first post of the current vegan week, I'm having to rely a lot on the recipes of others to make it a success. This is a recipe I tried from Rachel who writes the awesome blog My Naturally Frugal Family. Be sure to check it out. It's a treasure of lots of vegan recipes. She posted this recipe for vegan Spinach-Artichoke Dip, I had to try it to see if it could be done! But first, let's report in on the vegan diet for Thursday, Friday and Saturday (last day):

Thursday:

• English muffin with spinach-artichoke dip
• dark chocolate
• baby carrots
• barbecued tofu
• Tortilla soup
• ginger cookie**
• coconut cookie**
• chow mein noodles
• Drinks: coffee, tea, water, coke, soy nog, red wine 

Friday:

• Oatmeal, with dried fruit and almonds
• Tortilla soup 
• Dark Chocolate
• Barbecue tofu
• Gardein strips with mustard & hot sauce 
• To drink: coffee, tea, water, diet coke 

Saturday:

• hash browns
• winter minestrone over pasta
• barbecue tofu
• olives
• Tofu steak entree at local Japanese Restaurant. Included tofu, sauteed veggies, rice, and vegetable maki
• To drink: Coffee, water, tea, Plum wine

Because of this vegan week, we were able to be more mindful of not overindulging before Christmas. We also felt less guilty of any indulgences we partook in on Christmas Day, though truthfully, we ate fairly light for a holiday.

Well, now on to the fun part. Rachel's kickin' vegan spinach-artichoke dip. This recipe is totally hers, with the smallest of modifications based on what was available to me. Recipe is posted in my own words.

Vegan Spinach Artichoke Dip (makes about 2 C)

• 1/2 C vegan mayo (I used nayonaise) 
• 1/2 C silken tofu
• 1 10-oz package frozen spinach, thawed, drained, and moisture pressed out
• juice of 1 lemon
• 1 clove garlic
• salt to taste
• pepper to taste
• 1/4 C soy Parmesan (I used "shaker" style)
• 1/2 C artichoke hearts (I used canned, not marinated)

1. Preheat the oven to 350. Place all above ingredients in a food processor. Pulse about 15 times, or until fairly smooth. 
2. Pour the contents in a small casserole dish. Place in oven and bake 15 mins, or until the edges begin to brown slightly. Serve immediately, or for a thicker dip, make ahead and reheat in oven or microwave. 


Kitchen Notes: Rachel's original recipe called for 5 oz kale and 5 oz spinach; I think this would be super tasty, but I didn't have any on hand. It also calls for a slice of lemon (I like a strong lemon flavor) and 1/4 more Parmesan. I limited the amount of soy Parmesan for my attempt at it because the soy Parm I have is very granular and I didn't want the dip to have a gritty texture.

Verdict? I was seriously impressed with how similar to the real thing this tasted! You could easily fool someone into thinking this was dairy, it has all the richness, texture, and creamy zing of the full-fat version. A total keeper. Fresh out of the oven, it's a bit runny, but reheated it's the exact texture of the traditional version. The spinach flavor is quite assertive--it would be milder with fresh spinach. I might bump up the artichoke ratio a bit. I've been serving it as a sandwich spread, as a topping for breakfast English muffins and with pita. I'm super excited about this recipe!

Vegan Week: Tortilla Soup

Yesterday, my husband said to me, very gently, "I'm a little souped out".  My thoughts? Too bad. Soups are for me among the tastiest and most satisfying ways to comply with a vegan diet. No apologies here.

Wednesday I ate:

• veggie burrito
• winter minestrone
• coconut cookie**
• salt & vinegar chips
• Gardein strips
• Chipotle casserole
• to drink: coffee, tea, coke, water

Veggie Tortilla Soup (serves 6-8)

• 1 1/2 Tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 3 large garlic cloves, minced
• 1 Tbsp ground cumin
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 2 qt veggie broth
• 14 oz can diced tomatoes with juice
• 1 can pinto beans 
• 1 1/2 C corn kernels 
• juice of 3 limes
• zest of 1 lime
• 3 chipotles in adobo, chopped
• 1/3 C cilantro, chopped
• salt & pepper to taste
• chopped avocados
• tortilla chips 

1. Heat the oil in a heavy stock pot over med-high heat. Add the onions, and saute, stirring frequently til translucent and slightly browned, about 5-7 mins. Add the garlic and stir a couple more mins, ensuring the garlic doesn't burn.
2. Add the cumin, chili powder, oregano and garlic powder and stir constantly for 1 min. Add the veggie broth and tomatoes, and bring, covered, to a boil. 
3. Reduce heat to a simmer, add pinto beans, corn, lime juice, lime zest and chipotle. Simmer covered for 30-45 mins. 
4. Add the cilantro, salt and pepper to taste, cook for 5 more mins. 
5. Serve immediately, and add diced avocado and tortilla chips to the bowl. 

Kitchen Notes: I'd prefer this to be a heartier soup, so add additional fixin's as desired. I am a fiend for cumin, so that's why there is so much in this dish. I used Food Should Taste Good lime-flavored tortilla chips and I highly recommend using a chip with a lime flavor.

Verdict? As mentioned above, I'd love for this to be a bit heartier, maybe some rice and additional beans. This is a nicely seasoned soup and very warming on a cold day. I think the tortilla chips are fun. I'd also like to try this spooned over polenta rounds.

And, for your viewing pleasure, since I don't have any more pictures of soup, my cat Issa, doing her best impression of a 12-pack:

Vegan Week: Creamy Chipotle Orzo Casserole

This recipe is U-G-L-Y. It's the epitome as to why casserole is a dirty, 4-letter word. You know those recipes (and they are usually comfort foods) that look gawd-awwwful but taste delicious? This is one of them. I made this Wednesday, but I have to report on Tuesday, first.

                                                    Yup, it's ugly, but it tastes great.

Vegan week is posing a challenge regarding work. My office was considerate enough to accommodate veggie options for me, but 

Tuesday I ate:

• English muffin with spinach-artichoke dip*
• baby carrots. Lots of baby carrots
• Green salad
• macaroni & cheese**
• mashed potatoes**
• candied nuts**
• veggie burrito
• winter minestrone
• To drink: water, seltzer, coffee, coke, Shiner Bock 

*Recipe to be posted
**Exempt item

So this recipe is simply inspired by the contents in my fridge, primarily things that need to be used up, primarily 2 pitiful peppers, some silken tofu, french-fried onions, and some cooked orzo. As a result, measurements are very imprecise, I had to guesstimate a lot.

Creamy Chipotle Orzo Casserole (serves 4-6)

• 2 1/2 C orzo, cooked
• 2 bell peppers, different colors, cut into thin strips
• 2 green onions, sliced thin
• 1/2 C french-fried onions
• 12 oz soy sour cream
• 2/3 C silken tofu
• 3 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
• juice of 1 lime
• 1 clove garlic
• salt & pepper to taste 
• 1/3 C french-fried onions 

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium casserole dish, combine the orzo, bell peppers, green onions, and french-fried onions and mix well. 
2. In a food processor, combine the soy sour cream, tofu, chipotles, lime juice, and salt and pepper until smooth. Taste, and adjust seasonings if needed. 
3. Pour the sour cream mixture over the orzo and combine. Pop in the oven, covered, and bake for 30 mins. Uncover, and the additional onions, and bake 5 more minutes. Serve immediately. 

                                                                Taste is blind?

Kitchen Notes: This tastes like it actually has dairy in it--it's that creamy. Some of this is due to the fact that orzo has a fairly creamy texture. I would not substitute the orzo with an alternative pasta shape.

Verdict? For something that originated solely out of the contents of my fridge, I was super happy with the outcome. It has a genuinely creamy flavor, without the aftertaste often associated with soy. I enjoy it as an alternative to Spanish rice. Next time, I'll add a bit of cumin to the dish.

Vegan Week: Winter Minestrone

Husband and I are embarking on another vegan (almost) week prior to Christmas. I say (almost) week due to the fact that we started Monday and will not be eating vegan on Christmas day. We do this periodically to help cope with excess indulgences and as a fun challenge. We do have 2 exceptions to abiding by vegan week: 1) food that would spoil in our fridge if not eaten during the period; 2) We're allowed to sample small amounts of veggie (but non-vegan) food during work celebrations this week. If you're really curious about the origins of vegan week (and I know you are--wink! wink!) check it out here.

             Steam makes it tricky for me to take a clear pic--but don't you feel warm?

For my first day of vegan week, I ate:

• English muffin with spinach-artichoke dip*
• Winter Minestrone Soup
• Clementine
• Lime tortilla chips
• Dark chocolate
• Pan fried tempeh with artichoke dip
• coconut cookie**
• ginger cookie**
• Water, seltzer, coffee, wine spritzer to drink 

*recipe coming soon
**Exempt item

For vegan week to be a success, I rely a lot on the recipes of others. This lovely winter minestrone comes from Joanne at Eats Well With Others. Her recipes always look scrumptious and amazing! I followed it very closely, though I changed the ratio of some veggies to suit my tastes, and changed the order of ingredient additions based on how I have made soups before.

Winter Minestrone (serves 6-8)

• 1 1/2 Tbsp olive oil
• 3 medium/large carrots, coarsely chopped
• 1 large red onion, diced
• 6-8 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 large bunch chard, leaves roughly torn, stems coarsely chopped, leaves & stems kept separate
• 1/2 C parsley, finely chopped
• 1 28-oz can tomatoes, either diced or whole and chopped, with juice
• 1/2 head cabbage, cored and cut into strips
• 1 15-oz can white northern beans, drained
• 2 quarts veggie broth
• 1 1/2 C small pasta shapes, cooked, reserve a bit of the cooking water, if possible
• salt and pepper to taste

1. In a large pot, heat the olive oil over med-low heat. Add the carrots & onion, and cook for 20 mins, stirring occasionally. 
2. Meanwhile, in a large soup pot, begin boiling the broth. In the pot with the carrot and onion, add the garlic, chard stems, & 1/4 parsley, stirring constantly for a couple of mins. Then, add the tomatoes & tomato juice & cook for 10 mins, stirring occasionally. 
3. Add the tomato/onion/chard stem/etc. mixture to the boiling broth. In addition, add half of the cabbage leaves and half of the chard leaves. Bring to a boil, reduce, and simmer 30 mins, covered.
4. While the soup is simmering, bring some water to a boil (I just used the same pot I cooked the veggies in--I didn't bother to rinse it). Add the remainder of the cabbage & chard leaves, cook for 2 mins, strain, and put in ice water to prevent further cooking. 
5. After the soup has been cooking 30 mins, add the blanched cabbage, chard, 1/4 C parsley, pasta, & 2/3 of the white beans. Take the remainder of the white beans, a bit of the soup broth, and a bit of pasta water and puree. Add the puree to the soup and some salt & pepper. Serve immediately.

                                      My soups all look alike. See here, here, and here

                                                                The fancy pasta I used!

                                                        So pretty while cooking!

Kitchen Notes: The original recipe calls for 1 fewer carrots and 2 bunches of chard as well as a whole head (!) of garlic. It also calls for less broth and no pasta. Blanching the veggies helps to keep them crisp and green and gives the soup a beautiful color. It also calls for finishing it off with Parmesan cheese. In this recipe, each of the veggies are discretely tasted, so good ingredients are important.

Verdict? A veggie-lover's soup. Nice full flavor. I love that it's hearty, filling, yet clean and light at the same time. I'm giddy about the nutrition packed into this soup, and it warms nicely on a winter day. I'm glad I decreased the amount of chard so that it didn't overwhelm, but I am always excited about a recipe that uses chard stems. And now, some pretty pictures of the beautiful carrots and chard one local farm still grows, even in December:

 

A Trio of: Party Snacks. Brigadeiro (Brazilian Chocolate Caramels)

 ...A rather delightful, but ill-defined confection. Is it a caramel? Is it chocolate? Is it a truffle? Don't trifle yourself with these questions! Just make and enjoy. My camera does not do these little candies justice, they look like little jewels when the light hits them.

I'm also classifying this as an ingredient elimination recipe, with the feature ingredient, sweetened condensed milk. I had a small amount of condensed milk from my sweet potato pecan pie and was looking for something to do with it. I stumbled upon Brigadeiro, first on the blog Las Vegas Food Adventures, but I found the recipe duplicated verbatim many other places, so I don't know who gets credit for it! The original doesn't call for the cocoa to be sifted, nor does it include the salt or liquor. I was so happy with the outcome, that I made a full size batch, then another, and other for a Christmas party I was hosting.

Brigadeiro (makes about 20 candies)

• 1 can sweetened condensed milk
• 3 Tbsp cocoa powder, sifted
• 1 Tbsp butter, softened
• 1/2 shot liquor of choice (I used peppermint schnapps, vanilla rum, and Irish cream in different batches)
• pinch salt 
• butter
• red or green sugar, or chocolate sprinkles, for coating 
• mini-candy cups 

1. Combine the condensed milk, cocoa powder, butter, liquor and salt in a heavy bottom saucepan using medium low heat. Initially, stir constantly and vigorously, incorporating the ingredients well.
2. Continue stirring frequently, for about 12 mins, making sure the chocolate doesn't stick or burn. At about the 12 min point, the chocolate should begin to thicken. 
3. Remove from heat, cool (I just put mine out on the porch, it was a cold day). Once cool and easily molded, it's ready to be formed into candies. 
4. Assemble several baking cups. Thoroughly butter your hands to prevent the candy from sticking. Roll into small balls (about 1/2 inch) and roll in the sugar, and place into cups. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve. 


Kitchen Notes: Getting these to the right consistency can be tricky. If after you've cooled the chocolate it still cannot form into balls, heat the mixture on the stove for a few more mins until you get the desired consistency. You'll want to use a good quality cocoa powder as there's not much else in this recipe.

Verdict? A very easy, very delightful treat, with a lot of versatility. They have a rich chocolatey flavor and mild caramel flavor. They are smooth but chewy. These little candies are so beautifully festive looking, enjoy!

A Trio of: Party Snacks. Oven-Fried Cajun Chickpeas

 This recipe comes with 2 warnings: 1) Prepare to become addicted to this tiny treats; 2) Symptoms of this addiction include a tongue made raw by crunchy chickpea bits and cajun heat, AKA a condition known as "Cap'n Crunch Tongue".

I've been quiet with blogging as I've been busy preparing for a Christmas party that we hosted last night. Since (ehem!) I had to focus so many efforts on housecleaning, I wanted to enjoy experimenting with simple, yummy party foods.

Two restaurants in town feature a little fried chickpea appetizer, both featuring smoky paprika seasoning. The fried chickpeas at Radio Maria and Carmon's Bistro for me, frequently overshadow the main course. After reading a lot of reviews that fried chickpeas made an easy, crowd pleasing appetizer, I figured I'd give it a go. Since every recipe I looked up stated they needed to be made more or less immediately before serving, and I didn't want to mess with frying oil in a party dress, I looked for an alternative. Steamy Kitchen offered up this recipe, which I followed more or less as directed. As an added benefit, I got to use my new bottle of Dinosaur Bar-B-Que Cajun Foreplay Spice Rub and a new baking pan designed to make oven fried foods crispier. Here are pictures of them:

And the pan:

Cajun Oven-Fried Chickpeas

• 2 cans chickpeas
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• Cajun seasoning, or other spice blend to taste (I used 2-3 Tbsp)
• salt to taste

1. Preheat the oven to 400, 325 if using convection. Rinse and drain the chickpeas.
2. Line a baking pan with paper towels. Pour the drained chickpeas on the towel in single layer and place a paper towel on top. Let sit for 10 mins.
3. After 10 mins, rub the palm on your hand on the top paper towel to remove the outer skins of the chickpeas. Discard the skins that remove easily.
4. Dispose of paper towels. Pour chickpeas in a bowl. Add the olive oil, and stir until the chickpeas are well coated. 
5. Return the chickpeas back to the baking pan in a single layer. Cook for 20 mins, stir. Cook for about 20 mins more, or until chickpeas are crispy.
6. Pour chickpeas in a bowl, gradually adding/mixing in salt and seasoning to desired flavor. Serve immediately. 

Kitchen Notes: These will store for a day or so, but some crispness is lost. I think these would be excellent on a salad.

Verdict? It's a good thing that this blog is written, rather than spoken since my tongue is so sore from eating too many of these. These are almost as good as the fried ones, but easier to make, and possibly healthier. I'm really excited to make these again and again and I think they'll be a fabulous substitute for a lot of commercial salty snacks.

Berry Chocolate Turnovers

I'm making these for a Christmas party that I'm hosting. Due to time constraints and a tiny kitchen, I don't want to mess with a lot of ingredients, but I still want to feed my guests, so I thought up this recipe. it's a five ingredient dessert.

In August, I declared a moratorium on puff pastry when I made Apple Turnover Squares, but it's time to lift the ban. It's been a long time since I sang the praises of puff pastry, so I figure I owe it one.

With this recipe, I baked a few as test pastry and I've prepared and frozen the others to be baked next Saturday. This recipe makes a bit more chocolate than you'll need, so have a plan for the extra.

Since it 'tis the season, I listened to Pandora's Indie Holiday station.

Berry Chocolate Turnovers (makes about 8 mini-Turnovers)

• 1 package puff pastry sheets, thawed (I used Pepperidge Farm)
• 6 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 Tbsp milk
• good quality berry preserves 

1. Preheat the oven to 400. Roll out the thawed puff pastry, 1 sheet at a time, on a non-stick surface. If it's a rectangular sheet of pastry, lay it so that the long way is left-to-right.  
2. In a double boiler, or in a small saucepan set into a saucepan of boiling water, melt together the chocolate, vanilla extract and milk over medium heat and stir until smooth. When all the chocolate mixture is melted, reduce heat to low and continue to stir occasionally.
3. Cut the puff pastry into 4 2in strips (for a 9 x 9 in sheet of pastry--You'll have a thin strip leftover, be sure to save it to fill in any oozing filling)
4. On each strip, smear a small amount (1/2 tsp) preserves in the center of the bottom of the strip, smearing about 1/4 way up the strip, taking care to avoid the edges.
5. Spoon about 1 scant tsp chocolate mixture in the same pattern as the preserves. 
6. Fold each strip into triangles, pinching around the edges to seal. 
7. Place each triangle on a greased cookie sheet. Bake for 15-20 mins or until golden brown. Serve hot or at room temperature. 

Kitchen Notes: Because this recipe uses so few ingredients, it's important to use decent quality chocolate chips and preserves. I used  3 berry preserve that featured black currants, raspberries and strawberries. If you don't have a double boiler, a small saucepan set into a slightly larger saucepan with boiling water works fine, however, be careful not to 1) splash yourself with the hot water; 2) allow the water to splash in the smaller pan as it will seize your chocolate. This recipe benefits from some photo explanation, so please see below:

                                                                Adding the filling...

                                                               Making triangles...

                                                                          Keep going!

Verdict? Great as a quickie dessert. I love that these are tiny. Since they are very rich, a mini-turnover is the perfect size. Have fun experimenting with different flavors.

Quadruple Onion Holiday Dressing

Disclaimer: Leeks are not technically onions, but they are close relatives. Please allow me poetic license on this one. 

So, here's my last Thanksgiving post, more than a week after the holiday. Fashionably late I suppose. To recap, the Thanksgiving recipes that graced my table and were posted are:  shallot mashed potatoes with mushroom gravy, port cranberry sauce, sweet potato & pecan pie, and chive scones.

I like my Thanksgiving dressing fairly basic. I don't really care much for fruit in my dressings. I've been making this one for a few years now, adapting it a bit each year. It's adapted from The Veggie Table, and they've adapted it from the cookbook The New Vegetarian Epicure. I love how recipes adapt over time.

What did I listen to? Thanksgiving is a bit of a blur, I forgot to document! Oops.

Vegetarian Bread Dressing (serves 8-10)

• 3/4 C butter
• 1 C onion, diced
• 2/3 C leeks, thinly sliced
• 1/3 C shallot, diced
• 1 C celery, chopped
• salt & pepper to taste
• 3 tsp sage
• 3tsp thyme
• 1 tsp marjoram
• 1 tsp rosemary
• 3 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 medium loaf sourdough, torn into cubes about 1/2 in
• 1/2 C parsley, minced
• 1 1/2 C walnuts, lightly toasted
• 2 C vegetable broth
• 1/2 C fried onions

1. Preheat the oven to 350. Melt butter over medium high heat. Add the shallots and leeks and saute for about 5 mins. Add the onion, and saute til translucent, about 5-7 more mins. Add the celery, and saute 5 mins more. 
2. Add the salt & pepper to taste, the sage, thyme, marjoram, rosemary and vinegar. Stir well and remove from heat. 
3. In a large casserole dish or roasting pan, add the bread and walnuts and mix together. Pour over the onion mixture and mix well. Drizzle 1 C broth and mix in the parsley.
4. Cover and bake for 45 mins. Check on the dressing every 15 min, adding 1/4 broth each time if needed.
5. After 45 mins, remove cover and sprinkle on the fried onions. Bake for 5 more mins. 


Kitchen Notes: Use stale bread cubes if possible. When reheating, drizzle a bit of broth and to reconstitute a bit.


Verdict? Simple and tasty. Very herbal. Due to the sourdough, this dressing has a pleasant, chewy consistency. Not appropriate for folks who don't care for onions.

Chive Scones (Don't run away--Yes there's Tofu in these Scones)

Hello! A few weeks back, I made Hungry Couple's pumpkin scones. And then I made them again. Yummy. Here they are for you to see:

I thought that'd I'd like to make a savory scone, and I wanted to serve them for Thanksgiving. Since I was happy with the Hungry Couple's recipe with regards to its consistency, I wanted to use it as a base. I knew that removing the pumpkin from the scone would alter how it baked entirely, so I wanted to figure out something that was a similar texture. I settled on silken tofu, though I also considered sour cream and feta, and I will revisit those another time. Here they are:

Listened to: WTF Podcast. Not very Thanskgiving-y. 

Chive Scones (makes about 9 scones)

• 2 C AP flour
• 1 Tbsp baking powder
• 1 heaping tsp fine salt
• 1 stick unsalted butter, chilled
• 1/2 C soft silken tofu
• 1/4 C milk, plus extra
• 1/3 C chopped chives
• 1 egg
• 1/2 tsp rosemary, partially crushed
• cracked black pepper, to taste

1. Preheat the oven to 350. In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt, and baking powder. Set aside. 
2. In a medium bowl, combine the tofu, milk, chives, egg, rosemary, and black pepper. Stir until well-mixed and smooth. Set aside.
3. Cut the chilled butter into small pieces. Add to the flour mixture, and using 2 butter knives, cut the butter into the mixture until it forms coarse crumbs.
4. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix well. Prepare a lightly oiled baking sheet or sheet with a silpat. With your hands, form the scones. If needed, add a bit more milk to the mixture, though it should be fairly dry.  Place on the baking sheet.
5. Bake for 30-40 mins or until golden brown.

 Kitchen Notes: It's important to get the butter into small pieces, but not so small that the butter melts. If the butter melts, the scones will not have that lovely flaky consistency. If the butter pieces are too big, they won't incorporate into the baking scones but melt everywhere. These scones dry out fast, but are phenomenal the day you make them, and even better fresh out of the oven.

Verdict? Why didn't I try to make savory scones long ago? They are flavorful & biscuity, and will satisfy even the most tofu-phobic friends. The tofu bakes into the scones perfectly and undetected. Enjoy!