speedvegan

This is a recipe many years in the making. I’ve stalled on making it for many reasons, the most notable being lack of confidence. Through the years, I’ve made many modifications to it while in draft mode. I always felt there was something missing. Then, while in NZ, Geoffrey and I spotted vegan white chocolate bars at a local supermarket chain. It was like spotting an endangered bird for me. Suddenly I knew just what was missing from my dream dessert. We brought back many of these white chocolate bars with us and I’ve been keeping a stash for the day I decided to take on this challenge. Well, this weekend, I finally slapped on the apron of courage and created it. The results were extraordinary, which is just what I’d hoped for. It’s a dessert worthy of bringing in a New Year with, which we did, delightfully. If you’re looking to serve a spectacular dessert at your next special occasion or vegan dinner party that doesn’t just look amazing, but tastes so as well, I have your winning recipe right here.

1 qt coconut milk, divided
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp almond extract
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1 loaf stale bread, cut into cubes
1/2 pkg firm aseptic silken tofu
1/2 cup sugar
1 bar vegan white chocolate, finely chopped

Sautéed Berries
2 cups frozen berries
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup non-hydrogenated vegan margarine
1 tbsp cognac (optional)

White Chocolate Sauce
1 bar vegan white chocolate, roughly chopped
3/4 cup coconut milk creamer
2 tbsp non-hydrogenated vegan margarine
1 tbsp cognac (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly oil an 8×8 baking dish. Set aside. I realize this may seem like too small a baking dish for this recipe. The bread cubes might actually poke out of the top a bit. That is totally fine. The bread pudding will recess a bit after it is out of the oven. You want the end result to be tall (and proud) and a small baking dish will make that happen !

2. In a large bowl, whisk together 3/4 quart coconut milk, vanilla and almond extracts, cinnamon and nutmeg. Stir in bread cubes until well coated. Set aside for 15 minutes or until all liquid has been absorbed. Fold in the finely chopped white chocolate bar. Transfer to baking dish.

3. In a blender, combine the remaining coconut milk, tofu, and sugar. Blend until smooth. Pour over bread cubes in baking dish.

4. Bake for 45-60 minutes or until firm and golden brown.

5. To make the sautéed berries, place berries, lemon juice, sugar and cognac, if using, in medium bowl. Toss to coat. Melt margarine in large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add berry mixture. Cook for about 5 minutes or until juices thicken slightly, stirring gently.

6. In a double broiler, stir remaining vegan white chocolate bar and coconut milk creamer until melted. Once smooth, add the margarine and cognac, if using.

7. Re-heat the large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat, melt a dab of margarine and pan-fry a serving of bread pudding until outside is crispy. Transfer to serving plate. Scoop sautéed berries on and around the bread pudding. Drizzle with white chocolate sauce. Repeat for each serving. Serve warm.

Yields 4 large or 9 small servings

Smashed pea soup for dinner, originally uploaded by speedvegan.

1 tbsp olive oil
1 small yellow onion, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 cup split peas
4 cups vegetable broth
4 cups water, divided
1 tsp lemon juice
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp dry mustard
1/2 tsp fresh parsley
1/4 tsp fresh thyme
1/4 cup farro (or barley)
1 medium carrot, diced
fresh ground pepper, to taste
fresh oregano, for garnish

1. In a large stock pot, sauté onion and garlic in olive oil over medium heat until onions are translucent. Stir in the celery and cook for another minute.

2. Add the peas, broth and 1 cup water. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and stir in the lemon juice, sugar, salt, mustard, parsley and thyme. Cover and simmer for about 45 minutes or until peas are soft.

3. While the soup is cooking, combine farro and 3 cups water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and simmer for about 30 minutes. Drain and set aside.

4. Puree split pea mixture until smooth with either a handheld or standard blender. Pour back into the stock pot.

5. Add cooked farro to split pea mixture. Stir in the carrots and fresh ground pepper. Simmer for another 15 minutes or until carrots are tender, stirring occasionally. Adjust water if necessary.

6. Let soup sit for 10 minutes before serving. Garnish each serving with fresh oregano. Enjoy !

Aloo Matar, originally uploaded by speedvegan.

1 tbsp vegan margarine
1 small yellow onion, diced
4 medium potatoes, cut into cubes
1 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp ground coriander
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp ground tumeric
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp sugar
3/4 tsp salt, or to taste
2 cups vegetable broth, or as needed
1 cup frozen peas
fresh ground pepper, to taste

1. Melt margarine in medium pot over medium heat.

2. Sauté onion until translucent. Add potatoes, spices, sugar and salt. Stir until potatoes are well coated with spice mixture.

3. Add vegetable broth, enough to fully cover potatoes. Bring to a boil. Lower heat, cover and let simmer for 15 to 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

4. Add peas and fresh ground pepper. Cook for 2 more minutes, until peas are cooked.

5. Serve over rice and enjoy !

Gingery Apple Muffins, originally uploaded by speedvegan.

Though I’m not a fan of traditions, Geoffrey and I have inadvertently created a few of our own. Wednesdays have become date nights and weekends typically include a trip to a coffee shop with a container full of fresh, homemade muffins. Recently, however, I’ve become quite disturbed by how unhealthy some muffin recipes are and I’ve taken to modifying my favorites in an effort to make them a bit healthier without sacrificing taste. This particular recipe still needs some work – using whole wheat flour, perhaps less sugar, etc, but it’s a start. They were so tasty that I wanted to share them with anyone who doesn’t mind a little white flour every now and then.

2 cups white flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup lite coconut milk
2 tbsp applesauce
2 tbsp canola oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 apple, seeded and grated
1/4 cup crystallized ginger, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Lightly spray a muffin pan with cooking spray, or fill the pan with cupcake liners. Set aside.

3. Sift dry ingredients into a large bowl.

4. Combine coconut milk, applesauce, oil and vanilla extract in a separate bowl. Add to dry ingredients, stirring until just combined. Fold in the grated apple and crystallized ginger.

5. Spoon batter into the muffin pan. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in a muffin comes out clean.

Farro con Verdure, originally uploaded by speedvegan.

Farro is a grain we discovered during our trip to Italy. We’re not sure what it is exactly. Some say it’s spelt while others disagree, so I’ll just call it farro. The bottom line is that it is delicious, like a cross between brown rice and wheat berries. It’s available at Whole Foods if you feel like trying this recipe.

1 carrot, peeled and cut into small chunks
1/2 bunch asparagus, cut into small chunks
2 portabello mushrooms, cut into small chunks
8 oz extra firm tofu, cut into small cubes
1/2 yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 tbsp olive oil, divided
1 tbsp dried basil
1 tsp sea salt
fresh ground pepper, to taste
1 cup farro
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

2. Combine the carrots, asparagus, mushrooms, tofu, onion and garlic in a large bowl. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt, and pepper, and toss to coat. Spread the vegetables on a baking dish and roast for 15 minutes. Stir once and cook for another 10 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, bring 2 cups of water to boil, season with salt, and add the farro. Bring to a simmer and cover. Cook for 15 to 20 minutes, until soft but still chewy in the center. Drain.

4. Combine the cooked farro and vegetables. Whisk together the remaining 2 tablespoons of olive oil with the balsamic vinegar, seasoning with salt and pepper, and drizzle over the farro mixture.

Serve warm and enjoy with a glass of good red wine !

Seitan Enchiladas, originally uploaded by speedvegan.

Recently, Geoffrey and I joined an organic produce co-op. It has been a very exciting experience for us – not knowing what we’ll get and then coming up with recipes once we’ve picked up our share. This week we got a ton of green peppers and onions as well as some pear shaped cherry tomatoes. It’s fun to try to come up with ways to use it all up, even the items that I’m not too crazy about, like tomatoes. And that’s how this recipe was born. For the sauce, I used Isa’s Salsa Verde recipe in Veganomicon for inspiration, but the outcome was so different, that I’ve decided to blog my version.

Sauce:
1 tbsp olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
10 cherry tomatoes, roughly chopped
1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp chipotle powder (optional)
1/2 tsp sugar
1/4 tsp salt
2 cups vegetable broth
juice of 1 small lime
1 cup fresh cilantro

Enchiladas:
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 green pepper, diced
1 pound seitan, chopped
1 tsp Mexican seasoning
1/2 tsp salt
cayenne pepper, to taste (optional)
chipotle powder, to taste (optional)
1/2 cup vegetable broth
1 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped
8 flour tortillas
5 oz vegan cheddar cheese, shredded

1. Make the sauce first. In a small saucepan, saute garlic and jalapeno in olive oil over low heat for a few minutes. Add the tomatoes and spices. Cook until tomatoes begin to soften. Then add the vegetable broth. Bring to a simmer and cook for about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool for a few minutes. Stir in lime juice and cilantro. Transfer to a blender and process until relatively smooth. Set aside.

2. Preheat oven to 400 degrees and start making the filling. In a large skillet, saute onion in olive oil over medium heat for a couple of minutes. Add garlic, green pepper and seitan. Cook for a few more minutes. Stir in about three tablespoons of the enchilada sauce until well incorporated. Add spices and vegetable broth. Cook until liquid is mostly absorbed. Stir in the cilantro and remove from heat.

3. Spread about four tablespoons of the enchilada sauce over the bottom of a 13×9 baking dish. Start assembling the enchiladas by adding about three heaping tablespoons of the filling and some of the cheese to each tortilla. Roll and place in baking dish next to each other. Pour remaining sauce over enchiladas. Use a brush to spread evenly. Cover with remaining cheese.

4. Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for another 10 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool before digging in (the filling will be VERY hot). Serve with vegan sour cream.

The Awesome Stack, originally uploaded by cloudmonkey.

1/4 cup pesto sauce
1 jar vegan marinara sauce
1 large eggplant
salt
olive oil
fresh ground pepper
2 cups water
1 cup coarse yellow cornmeal

1. Make the pesto sauce ahead of time.

2. Pour marinara sauce into a medium saucepan. Keep warm over low heat, covered, until ready to use.

3. Heat grill and broiler.

4. Slice eggplant into 1/2 inch thick rounds. If desired, salt eggplant and set aside for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, rinse eggplant and pat dry. Generously brush each slice with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper, to taste. Place on grill and cook for 5-7 minutes on each side. Keep brushing with olive oil while eggplant is cooking.

5. In the meantime, bring water to a boil. Add cornmeal and bring down to a simmer. Cook for about 5 minutes or until all liquid is absorbed. Stir in the pesto and cook for another minute. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Place polenta in an 8×8 or slightly bigger baking dish, smooth top. Broil until golden. Set aside to cool. Then slice into squares.

6. To serve, start with one eggplant slice. Cover it with marinara sauce. Place a polenta slice on top and cover it with some more marinara sauce. Repeat. Garnish with fresh basil.

This is a perfect gourmet meal for any special occasion.

Being from New Zealand, Geoffrey has always had a soft spot for pies. Recently, Sublime teased him by adding a delicious Pot Pie to the menu only to take it out a few months later. We’ve heard rumors that it will make a comeback during the winter, but in the meantime, we’ve been busy trying out different recipes on our own. I found a couple online that were OK, but not quite as good as Sublime’s. Geoffrey made Isa’s own Pot Pie recipe in Veganomicon which was the bomb, but still missing something. Finally, I found a bit of information that helped light my way: Sublime’s recipe uses a marsala sauce base. So, off to the kitchen I went determined to create something I could proudly serve Geoffrey during our belated Thanksgiving celebration.

As you can imagine, my experiment was a grand success, so here it is. I used Isa’s recipe for the crust because she is the Goddess of all things baked and there really is no reason to mess with perfection. I am planning to make this again for our Christmas dinner.

1 Basic Single Pastry Crust (recipe below)

1 potato, peeled and cubed
1 sweet potato, peeled and cubed
3 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup onion, diced
1 tbsp garlic, minced
8 oz mushrooms, sliced
3 tbsp flour
1/2 cup red wine
3 1/2 cups vegetable broth, divided *
1 bay leaf
1 tsp thyme
1/2 tsp rubbed sage
1/2 tsp celery salt
salt and pepper, to taste
8 oz seitan, cubed
3 tbsp cornstarch
1 cup frozen peas

1. Prepare Basic Single Pastry Crust, steps 1-3.

2. Parboil potatoes.

3. While the potatoes are cooking, prepare the sauce. Heat olive oil in large saucepan or stockpot. Add onions, garlic, mushrooms and saute until mushrooms are tender. Stir in the flour and cook about 1 minute. Use wine and 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth to deglaze the pan. Keep stirring until mixture thickens.

4. Add bay leaf, spices, salt, pepper and seitan to the sauce and cook for another 5 minutes until flavors are blended.

5. Combine remaining 2 cups vegetable broth with cornstarch. Add to the sauce mixture along with the potatoes and peas. Cook for another few minutes, stirring gently, until mixture thickens.

6. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Pour mixture into baking dish and set aside to cool. Continue with Basic Single Pastry Crust, steps 4 and 6. Using a fork, poke a few holes onto the top of the crust.

7. Bake for 45 minutes, until crust is lightly browned. Allow pie to cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.

* I used Imagine No-Chicken Broth.

Basic Single Pastry Crust

Excerpted from Veganomicon: The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Jerry Hope Romero (Marlowe & Company, 2007). Copyright 2007 by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Jerry Hope Romero.

Makes 1 pastry crust

Time: 20 minutes, plus chill time

This recipe produces a flaky, all-purpose, unsweetened pie crust. We used to get incredibly frustrated with pastry crusts because they are so temperamental—but now we know the secret. Make sure all of your ingredients are cold as can be—you should even refrigerate the flour. This way, the pockets of fat will stay pockets of fat and provide you with the flakiness you so desire. Baking powder and a touch of vinegar tenderize the flour for even more flakiness. Finally, a humble piece of baking parchment keeps the pastry from sticking and also makes a handy vehicle for flipping your pastry into the pie plate.

1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/3 cup cold non-hydrogenated vegan shortening
1/4 cup cold water, plus 2 tablespoons if needed
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, salt and baking powder. Add the shortening by the teaspoon, but you don’t need to be precise about this. You just want to add it in small chunks in three batches and then cut it into flour with each addition. Cut the shortening in until the dough is crumbly and pebbly.

2. Combine the vinegar with 1/4 cup of the water. Add the mixture to the dough in three batches, gently mixing it into the dough with a fork, until the dough holds together when pinched. If need be, add up to 2 tablespoons more water.

3. Gather the dough into a ball and knead gently a few times, just until it holds together. Sprinkle a clean work surface with flour, then flatten the ball into a disk. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for about an hour.

4. When ready to roll out the crust, place a large piece of baking parchment on your work surface. Unwrap the dough and place it on the parchment. Sprinkle your rolling pin with flour and roll the dough into a 12-inch circle. It may slip around a bit from the parchment, but that’s okay, just work steadily and gently. Your crust is now ready to use.

5. If using as a bottom crust, lift the parchment and flip the crust into the pie plate. Tuck in and trim the edges.

6. If using as a top crust, lift the parchment and flip the crust onto the filling. Trim the edges and press with the tines of a fork to get pretty edges, or pinch the circumference with your thumb and forefinger.

Banana Nut Muffins, originally uploaded by cloudmonkey.

A vegan take on the classic.

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup sugar
2 large ripe bananas, mashed
2/3 cup hemp milk *
1/4 cup canola oil
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease or line a 12 muffin tin and set aside.

2. Sift flour and baking powder into a large bowl. Stir in salt and sugar.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk banana, hemp milk, canola oil and vanilla extract until combined.

4. Use a wooden spoon to create a well in the dry mixture bowl. Pour wet ingredients into well and stir until JUST combined. Do not overmix ! Fold in the walnuts.

5. Spoon batter muffin tin. Bake for 20 minutes or when toothpick comes out clean.

* Feel free to substitute soy milk or coconut milk. I’ve used both in the past.

Sangria, originally uploaded by cloudmonkey.

We decided to have a small Sangria party for my birthday this year. I modified a recipe I found online which turned out really well so I’ve decided to post it.

1 bottle of dry red wine
1 tbsp sugar
juice of 1 large orange
1 large orange, sliced thin crosswise
2 medium peaches, peeled, pitted and cut into chunks
1 cup (8 fl. oz) club soda

1. Combine all the ingredients except for the club soda in a large serving pitcher. Mix well. Refrigerate overnight.

2. Immediately before serving, mix in the club soda. Ladle into cups with ice cubes and enjoy !

I added strawberries and raspberries to a few of the batches, which I liked even better, so feel free to try that as well !