Pumpkin French Toast - from "Vegan Brunch"

Seems like as soon as we flip the calendar to October, the world goes mad for pumpkin.  I fall for it every year. Once I made a pumpkin latte in my crock pot….totally yucky…there were pieces of canned pumpkin floating around in there. Not my style. I make a mean pumpkin pie and somewhere on this blog is a killer chocolate pumpkin torte, but usually, I lean away from the stuff (which is strange, cuz my pantry is full of cans of it.)

My worst experience with pumpkin was when I gifted some homemade pumpkin dog treats to my dog-loving friends. Within 3 days every single doggie cookie had gone rancid-moldy-green-stinky. A total humiliation and embarrassment!  How that happened, I have no clue. But I think my reputation as a great cook took a hit that day.

Last week I made this Pumpkin French Toast for brunch and even I must admit – it was heavenly. My photo does no justice to this beautiful breakfast. I made apple compote as a side dish and also served tempeh bacon. Delicious!

If you don’t know Isa Chandra Moskowitz’s work, well, you better get to the library or book store and check out her cookbooks. Her recipes are amazing! This recipe comes from Vegan Brunch. There’s also a Peanut Butter Waffle batter included in the book that is great.

Brewpub Cauliflower Dip

Serve this with dipping size Fritos Chips. By the way,
this is a double batch.

I feel as though I have turned a corner in my vegan adventure. Last week,  I hosted an entire vegan dinner party for 12 friends and nobody blinked an eye.  Appetizers were enjoyed, plates were licked clean and desserts were spectacular. (I made both Triple Lemon Cupcakes and Flourless Chocolate Tart.) I think maybe one person on the invitation list was ‘anti-vegetable,’ and probably a bit skeptical to eat at my table, but I noticed he ate his entire meal. Just goes to prove you must never underestimate anyone.

This was all that was left the next day. 

I also stepped up and served this unusual appetizer at my annual choir party open house. I say unusual because of the list of ingredients – I knew I HAD to try it! Not only was it great, people came back for seconds. I heard a few people call it the ‘Buffalo Chicken Dip’…… ha! Little did they know it was sauerkraut! This dip has all the elements of any other indulgent cheesy bar dip - except it's made with cashews, and oatmeal, and cauliflower, and celery. I told you the ingredient list was unusual! 

This recipe can be found in “Vegan Finger Foods” by Celine Steen and Tamasin Noyes. I actually WON a copy of this fun cookbook during the Vegan Month of Food. There are over 100 recipes included and I want to try at least 90 of them!

Autumn Harvest Acorn Squash

I've made this beautiful Autumn Harvest Acorn Squash a few times recently. It’s deceptively simple and very delicious. What makes it extra easy (and quick) is to pre-bake the squash in the microwave before popping it in the oven. These are special enough to go on any holiday table in any home (vegetarian or not!)  Is it too early to make your menu for Thanksgiving and Christmas 2015? If you’re like me, you’re always thinking of food and menus J

Here’s what you need:

Acorn squash

Onions

Garlic

Slivered or sliced almonds

Dried cranberries or cherries (golden raisins would be good also)

Dried thyme

Store bought grain mixture (quinoa, brown rice, etc) I think the quality of your finished meal will depend on what type of grain mixture you choose. I used Earthly Choice Three Continent Blend (check it out here) and it was perfect

Here’s what you do:

Stab the squash with a sharp knife a few times and place in microwave oven for about 10 minutes. Be sure to check on it and maybe turn it over a few times.  Carefully cut the squash in half and remove the seeds and extra strands of stuff.

Saute lots of onions in a bit of olive oil. Add minced garlic at the end. Also add the dried cranberries and almonds. Cook the grain mixture according to the manufacturer’s directions. Mix grains and veg and spoon generously into the squash halves. (The amounts are all a guessing game, but plan on about ¾ C filling per squash)

Drizzle squash with olive oil and sprinkle dried thyme over the top. Bake at 350 until the squash is totally soft – about 45 minutes. 

Grilled Portobello Sandwich

I copied this meal after one we ate recently at a one of our favorite restaurants in Douglass, Michigan called Everyday People. The pickled cukes and onions put this simple sandwich over the top …. and a garlicky grilled bun – well, don’t get me started. We love this place. It’s nestled in such a quaint and cozy corner of our gorgeous state. If you are ever driving through west Michigan, I high recommend it. And if you’ve never been to nearby Saugatuck, Michigan, you must put it on your bucket list. Both tiny cities – Douglass and Saugatuck – are quintessential Michigan. Art, food, bars, water, boats, shopping and the most darling neighborhoods you can imagine!

Not only does Everyday People serve this fab Portobello Sandwich, they offer a do-it-yourself Bloody Mary bar, where you can spice it up as much as you want. PLUS they have never ending champagne if you’re interested in that type of headache! J Great way to spend a Sunday afternoon!

Here’s what you need:

Portobello mushroom caps

Cucumber

Red onion

Red wine vinegar

Good sandwich rolls, ciabatta for example

Here’s what you do:

Peel and slice the cuke and onions paper thin. Sprinkle red wine vinegar over the veg and allow to marinate for a few hours. You’ll be surprised at how quickly this becomes pickled.

Just before meal time, prepare the mushrooms by removing the tough stem. I used to remove the gills, but it doesn’t make a big difference  if you leave them. Grill the mushrooms over medium heat on a skillet or grill pan which has been lightly oiled. You want them tender and juicy. I salted mine about half way through to remove some liquid. Don’t let them dry out. The entire grilling process might take 10-12 minutes depending on the pan you use and the amount of heat you use.

In the meantime, make the absolute best garlic toast for your buns – butter, garlic salt, pepper, parmesan, basil, parsley, etc….whatever you use for your best garlic toast. Warm the buns gently in the oven and give them a toast at the end under the broiler.

Assemble the sandwich, being generous with the veg. Hubby put goat cheese on his  sandwich,  but it was excellent without it.

Vegan Manicotti

Oh man. This was good. We ate this like there was no tomorrow. I was lucky to have what you see in the photo for a leftover lunch the next day. It warmed up perfectly in the microwave, but straight out of the oven? Killer!

This meal was requested by my son, and I wanted to avoid all the cheese and calories and cholesterol, so I created this vegan version and he loved it. LOVED it.

Here’s what you need:

1 recipe of Cashew Ricotta (from Veganomicon by Isa Chandra)

                ½ C raw cashews

                ¼ C fresh lemon juice

                2 T olive oil

                2 cloves garlic

                1 pound firm tofu, drained and crumbled

                1 ½ t dried basil

                1 t salt

In a food processor or high speed blender, mix the cashews, juice, oil, and garlic until smooth. Add the tofu and continue blending until thick and creamy. Add basil and salt to taste.

2 large cups of fresh spinach

2 cloves garlic, minced

Manicotti pasta (I used 11 total tubes in this recipe)

1 jar marinara sauce

Dehydrated tomatoes  (mine came from my garden. I reconstituted them in about 1 C boiling water. I then snipped them with kitchen scissors into bite-size pieces.)

Vegan Parmesan

Here’s what you do:

Make the cashew ricotta and set aside.  Warm some olive oil in a saute pan and add the garlic, being sure not to brown it at all. Place the spinach in the warm oil, turn off heat, stir until it’s all coated with oil. It should cook down to a small amount.

Stir the spinach and ricotta together and spoon into a large plastic bag. Set aside.

Cook the manicotti for about 4-5 minutes in boiling water. Do not overcook them. Snip a tiny corner off the plastic bag and fill each manicotti tube with the spinach/ricotta mixture. Carefully place in a 9x13 or other size pan. (I had to use two pans to accommodate the entire recipe). Keep going until the kitchen is a total mess and all the filling is used up. Cover with some prepared marinara sauce. Scatter some reconstituted tomatoes over the top for a fantastic punch of flavor. I sprinkled the cashew Parmesan on the manicotti before I baked them….next time I might wait till it comes out of the oven.

Orange Sesame Tofu – Eat, Drink and Be Vegan

I am extremely proud of myself for learning how to cook and eat an entirely new food group: tofu. I say food ‘group’ because there are lots of different styles and types of tofu. While I am not yet an expert in the tofu arena, at least I’m not terrified of it any more.  Yes, I was terrified of the harmless stuff just a few short months ago! Terrified, I tell you!

At first I had no idea what the scary stuff was let alone how to use it. I admit that I did not even know it was made from a simple soy bean. For you newbies, let me say that it’s not nearly as difficult as it seems to add this healthful food to your weekly menu.

 Zero dietary cholesterol and tons of protein. Plus it’s inexpensive! Find a simple recipe, like the one below and give it a try.  Hey, if Benjamin Franklin ate it back in the day and billions of people eat it nowadays, then it’s good enough for me.

I served this delicious tofu with Coconut Lime Rice (also from Eat, Drink and Be Vegan) and roasted broccoli with a garlic-chili paste dressing. A squeeze of fresh lime really brightened up everything. Excellent! 

Orange Sesame Tofu  (adapted from Eat, Drink and Be Vegan by Dreena Burton)

Here’s what you need:

2 t cornstarch

½ C freshly squeezed orange juice

1 t orange zest

3 T soy sauce

2 T maple syrup

2 T apple cider vinegar

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 T toasted sesame oil

1 pkg  (12 oz) extra-firm tofu, sliced and patted dry

Green onions and sesame seeds for garnish

Here’s what you do:

Zest the orange first. Squeeze the juice out of the orange. To this juice add the cornstarch and whisk until fully incorporated.  Add the zest, juice, soy sauce, maple syrup, vinegar, garlic and sesame oil to a 9X12 baking dish. Stir until well blended. Add the tofu slices and spoon each piece with the marinade. Allow to marinate for at least an hour or as much as 24 hours. Cover with foil and bake at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes. Carefully turn tofu over and spoon sauce over the pieces. Bake for another 10 minutes, uncovered. The sauce should be thicker and will continue to thicken as the dish cools. Garnish with green onions and sesame seeds.

Two Soups for Teacher

Soba Noodle Soup

Two amazing soups from “The Vegan Table” by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau. Both eaten at my desk at school. Same week. Same pile of papers.  Notice the panda bear coffee cup.

Potato Leek Soup

If you don’t have this cookbook, then I recommend you rush to the library or book store and pick up a copy. Every recipe I have tried has been perfect. I especially love the Pineapple Upside-Down Cake which I’ve made at least 3 times in the past year. Included in the cookbook is Colleen’s famous Garlic and Greens Soup, which I hear is heavenly!

Just photos today – you’ll have to purchase the book to get the details!

Curried Tofu - Warm and spicy on a cold November night.

This would be a perfect complement to any Asian or Indian meal. It would also be good on a green salad, maybe with chick peas and fresh sliced tomatoes. I served it with a big pile of rice, cauliflower and peas that I smothered in a bottle of Trader Joe’s Thai Red Curry Sauce.

The recipe calls for a full quarter cup of curry…. I was leery of the amount, but if you like curry, then I encourage you to go for it and use the entire quarter cup. It also uses a lot of cumin seeds which were nice and crunchy. This recipe is modified from "Veganonicon" by the incredible vegan goddess, Isa Chandra Moskowitz. 

Here’s what you need:

3 T rice wine vinegar

2 T olive oil

2 T soy sauce

¼ C curry powder

1 t cumin seeds

1 pound firm or extra firm tofu – sliced and pressed dry

Here’s what you do:

Mix marinade ingredients and smear over tofu. Marinate for at least an hour. Grill or fry in a tiny bit of oil. 

Flourless Chocolate Tart (From “The Vegan Table”)

Apparently everyone else has their mind on pumpkin …. Pumpkin bread, pumpkin cookies, pumpkin lattes and so forth. 

 I have my mind on chocolate. I made this for a dessert buffet and it was killer. Gotta plan some sort of dinner party so I can make this again.

I lifted up the tart so you can see the nutty crust. Delish! Look carefully and you
can see my new orange purse in the background....vegan, of course! 

 Thanks to the awesome Colleen Patrick-Goudreau for the recipe from “The Vegan Table.”  

Baked Almond Feta - Vegan Month of Food

Poesy and Plate

 Vegan Month of Food  2014

(check out the hundreds of VeganMoFo blogs HERE)
My goal: cook and blog about vegan food 20 times
  during the month of September. 
My theme: words and food

"Veganism is not a sacrifice. It is a joy." (Gary Francione)

Well, here it is. My 20th post about vegan food during the month of September. Be sure to click on the link above to check out other bloggers who participated in the VeganMoFo this year. There is some pretty amazing food being eaten out there! 

This baked almond feta comes from Maple Spice and I followed the recipe to the letter, except that I don't have cheese cloth. You can see I used a few coffee filters to drain my cheese. 

Basically, you whirl the ingredients in a blender, drain the mixture overnight in the fridge, shape it and bake it. 

The crusty part of this cheese was especially nice. It held up perfectly as a spread on crackers and it would be perfect in a lasagna or stuffed in some shells smothered in marinara sauce. 

Miso Ramen Stir-fry with Greens and Beans – Vegan Month of Food

Poesy and Plate
 Vegan Month of Food  2014

(check out the hundreds of VeganMoFo blogs HERE)
My goal: cook and blog about vegan food 20 times
  during the month of September. 
My theme: words and food

This had so much flavor! Delicious and easy to throw together after a busy work day. 

The Bean Eaters

By Gwendolyn Brooks (1963)

They eat beans mostly, this old yellow pair

Dinner is a casual affair.

Plain chipware on a plain and creaking wood,

Tin flatware.

Two who are Mostly Good.

Two who have lived their day,

But keep on putting on their clothes

And putting things away.

And remembering….

Remembering, with twinklings and twinges,

As they lean over the beans in their rented back room that is full of beads and receipts and dolls              and cloths, tobacco crumbs, vases and fringes.


This poem almost makes me cry when I read it. You too?

Here’s what you need: (from Appetite for Reduction, Isa Chandra – the vegan goddess of the universe)

1 pound broccoli – stems and florets

8 ounces  noodles (I used ramen, Isa suggests  udon )

Garlic

1 bunch Swiss Chard, stems removes, chopped

1 C green onions, sliced

16 ounce can azuki beans, drained and rinsed

1/3 C miso

½ C hot water

4 t sesame seeds

Sriracha hot sauce

Sesame oil (my addition)

Here’s what you do:

Cook noodles according to package. Set aside but be sure to keep ½ C of the starchy pasta water. Satue broccoli in a tiny bit of oil until for tender. You can add a splash of water and cover the pan to encourage it. It’s OK if there are a few brown spots. Set aside. In the same pan, gently saute the minced garlic, making certain it does not brown. Add the Swiss chard and onions to the pan. When the leaves have cooked down, add the beans and heat through. Use the hot pasta water to thin the miso and pour this over the Swiss chard. Heat through and mix with the noodles. Garnish with sesame seeds and sesame oil. 

Green Tabasco Sauce - Vegan Month of Food

Poesy and Plate
 Vegan Month of Food  2014

(check out the hundreds of VeganMoFo blogs HERE)
My goal: cook and blog about vegan food 20 times
  during the month of September. 
My theme: words and food

“I trust your garden was willing to die. I do not think that mine was – it perished with beautiful reluctance, like an evening star.” Emily Dickinson, in a letter to her Aunt. 1880

My Lucy loves to nibble on strawberries - it's kinda annoying. 

A garden that perishes with reluctance. A few lingering eggplants, ever bearing strawberries that are still blooming, and jalapeno plants that just won’t quit. And then there are my gorgeous Asian pears, just waiting to be picked. I find my little corner of the gardening world to be a paradise of sorts, each and every summer day (and now into the fall.)

I got this recipe from a 'cyber friend' on a "Lutherans Who Love to Cook" Facebook page
 Don't you just love how small and friendly our world is becoming?
Thanks Sandy!! Your recipe rocks!! 

Here’s what you need:

1 pound fresh jalapeno peppers, seeded and de-veined

Salt

1 ½ - 2 C Vinegar

Here’s what you do:

Place peppers, salt and vinegar in food processor and blend until quite fine and liquidy. Transfer to a sauce pan and simmer for 15-20 minutes.  After simmering, you may strain the sauce  or return it to the processor and continue to blend until smooth. This tabasco freezes very well. 

Freeze in portion size ice cube trays. Perfect! 

Eggplant Bacon - Vegan Month of Food

Poesy and Plate
 Vegan Month of Food  2014

(check out the hundreds of VeganMoFo blogs HERE)
My goal: cook and blog about vegan food 20 times
  during the month of September. 
My theme: words and food

“The Harding White House was frequently bustling with guests during large formal gatherings and small intimate parties. President Warren G. Harding, inaugurated March 4, 1921, favored Eggplant Salad West Coast Style consisting of eggplant slices that were first baked, and then marinated in a mixture of mayonnaise, vinegar, lemon juice, salt, pepper, Worcestershire and chili sauces. These were presented in a lettuce-lined bowl and garnished with chopped hard-cooked eggs.” (from http://www.vegparadise.com/highestperch67.html )

Mr. Smith: “I see we’ve been invited to the White House for dinner next week.”

Mrs. Smith: “I certainly hope Mr. Harding has not included that horrid Eggplant Salad West Coast Style on the menu.”

Mr. Smith: “Yes, I agree! I cannot stomach the thought of eating that slimy purple thing!”

Mrs. Smith: “Maybe we can simply push it around on our plate.”

Mr. Smith: “Or maybe we can say we are allergic to it in all its forms.”

Mrs. Smith: “If we’re lucky, we can slip our portion to the dog.”

Mr. Smith: “Shall we cancel the invitation?”

Mrs. Smith: “Oh, dear, I did so much want to visit the White House…..”

Mr. Smith: “But darling, an EGGPLANT!”

Mrs. Smith: “Alas, we must to the honorable thing and cancel the dinner invitation. How else can we avoid the dreaded vegetable?”

Mr. Smith: “Why MUST Mr. Harding insist on serving EGGPLANT?”

Mrs. Smith: “…sigh….”

 Here's what you need:

One medium eggplant, sliced 1/8 inch on a mandolin

1 T maple syrup

2 T soy sauce

1/2 t liquid smoke

Here's what you do: 

Bake the eggplant slices on an oiled baking sheet at 425 degrees for about 12-15 minutes, turning them over and removing them if they get too brown. You need to watch them closely. 

Prepare the marinade by whisking the remaining ingredients together. 

Dip each slice of baked eggplant in the marinade and return to the baking sheet. Continue to bake at 350 degrees for about 8-10 more minutes. Watch the slices closely and turn them over often. 

Easy Tofu Bacon – Vegan Month of Food

Poesy and Plate
 Vegan Month of Food  2014

(check out the hundreds of VeganMoFo blogs HERE)
My goal: cook and blog about vegan food 20 times
  during the month of September. 
My theme: words and food

“True human goodness, in all its purity and freedom, can come to the fore only when its recipient has no power. Mankind's true moral test, its fundamental test (which is deeply buried from view), consists of its attitude towards those who are at its mercy: animals.” Milan Kundara “The Unbearable Lightness of Being”

My husband and I sometimes read the same book at the same time, creating a sort of mini book club. (Our favorite was “Tortilla Flat” written by John Steinbeck. Such lovable characters! Unforgettable! Read it!) 

Actually it’s pretty rare that we enjoy the same type of book, but we’re both big readers. For example, he *loved* the sci-fi classic “Dune” and suggested that I read it, but I could barely get through it and in all honesty, I didn’t really even understand it. Not a lot for the two of us to discuss at our ‘mini book club.’

This summer we decided on “The Unbearable Lightness of Being,” by Milan Kundera.  A beautifully written novel about how each decision we make influences our lives.  I think it also had lots to say about finding happiness in the places we find ourselves; finding contentment in what life brings. I found the setting – Czechoslovakia, 1968 – very informative. I think we might equate what happened to the Czechs to what is happening to the Ukrainians right now.

Anyway, I loved all the characters and I especially enjoyed the character of  their pet dog that they loved so very much. The novel takes a sharp turn right at the end, when the dog dies of cancer (sorry for the spoiler, but if you read at all, you know when a dog is in a novel, it’s gonna die….sob, sob….)  Kundera writes at length about man’s ability to show compassion toward animals. This is where we encounter the powerful quote I share today.

Can we love a dog and not love a pig? Could you be open to putting down the bacon and eating tofu bacon? Simple questions to ask yourself. 

Easy Tofu Bacon : find the recipe HERE