Cookbook Challenge 2 - Vegan with a Vengeance

Cookbook Challenge II - Vegan with a Vengeance

This is the book that started it all! As the humorous and heartfelt introduction points out, Vegan with a Vengeance is Isa Chandra Moskowitz's first cookbook. The tangible product of her veganness and public access cooking show (The Post Punk Kitchen - some episodes are still available here), Vegan with a Vengeance is a compilation of recipes developed over a decade, and it is full of veganized classics - - and utterly unique creations. It's really fun to read (yes, I read cookbooks) and Isa's got a great attitude and perspective that reflects much of what I also value - compassionate cooking, feeding good food to your friends, loving all animals and loud punk music.

This week, like prior weeks, I sought to test out recipes I'd never made before. I've cooked my way through about half of this book, so the pickins were still plentiful.



Baking Powder Biscuits with White Bean Tempeh Sausage Gravy



Last Sunday's breakfast was unexpectedly easy to make, and was made up entirely of pantry staples (if tempeh isn't a "pantry staple" for you, I think you need to reevaluate your life). The White Bean and Tempeh Sausage Gravy combined crumbled tempeh with warming herbs - dried rubbed sage, crushed fennel seeds, a small sprig of thyme and a dash of oregano - and pureed white beans to create a thick and velveteen gravy akin to what any Southern grandma would serve with homemade biscuits. Oh wait, I did that, too! The Baking Powder Biscuits are the other half to this harmonious love story of a breakfast. They were flaky and buttery to the point of perfection, and not at all sticky! Biscuits in generally are so easy to make, but often leave you with clumps of dough stuck between your fingers - well, not these babies! They were some of the easiest I've made, ever. 



Banana-Pecan Pancakes

Contrary to those breezy biscuits, only once have I ever made a perfect vegan pancake (most of my love&devotion are reserved for waffles, anyway). It was so long ago that I hardly remember the recipe, or from where it originated. Most likely it was my own interpretation of one of the many pancake recipes recipes found of Vegweb.com. Why are pancakes so difficult, you wonder? I haven't the slightest clue! Mine have always burned to easily, been too runny, or tasted slightly chalky. Ignoring my inner thoughts and warnings, I decided to give the Banana-Pecan Pancakes a shot because I had all of the ingredients on hand, and I was intrigued by the thicker-than-you-average-pancake introduction. Oh, these were thick all right - almost like eating a cake. 



Banana-Pecan Pancakes

Thick, dense and moist, these pancakes weren't terrible. The flavors were perfect and the texture would have been wonderful...if I didn't have frantic and finicky stove top burners! Canola spray oil should not smoke on medium-low, right? Well my pan was smoking in a matter of minutes - so much that I had to change pans half way through because it was taking too long to cool down. The recipe suggests medium-high heat, but that was clearly not an option. As a result, my p-cakes were nearly burnt on the outside and wet on the inside, but my immaculate photography skills had you thinking otherwise...right? Overall, the recipe will receive a positive review, because I can't pass my poorly executed pancakes off as a recipe problem. Next time, I'll probably just make waffles.

Fettuccine Alfreda

A recipe that has always called out to me is the Fettuccine Alfreda. I thought this was really tasty, albeit nothing to write home about. In the recipe introduction, Isa warns that this isn't exactly like the alfredo found in Italian restaurants & pizzerias, but more like a spur-of-the-moment creamy pasta dish resulting from the ingredients she possessed on hand - mainly nutritional yeast and pine nuts. There was too much nutritional yeast for my preferences and I couldn't get over the fact that it wasn't vegan fettuccine alfredo in the aforementioned restaurant style. It almost reminded me of macaroni and cheese cheese sauce (kind of American/cheddar-y), but much more mellow, which I did enjoy. It was really thick for me so I thinned it with pasta water. Also, pine nuts are waaaay to expensive to use on a sub par sauce (roughly $30/lb here!), so if I were to make this again, I will most certainly sub cashews for pine nuts, cut back on the nooch and add a little bit of unsweetened almond milk...and probably a dollop of earth balance for good measure.

White Bean and Roasted Garlic Soup

This was fantastic! The White Bean and Roasted Garlic Soup from Vegan with a Vengeance is criminal. The soup was alarmingly easy to make, but the final flavor profile blew me away. Two words: roasted garlic. Two whole bulbs cloaked in olive oil roasted for about 30 minutes at 350 degrees until they were a mellow paste encapsulated in their shell. Just thinking about them has my mouth watering! They were combined with creamy canellini beans (any white bean will do), sauteed onions, earthy spices - fennel, thyme, oregano - and pureed into a thick soup perfect for rain or snow or whenever! I left about one ladle's worth of soup whole, which for me was a good thing; a few chunky beans and garlic cloves here and there are definitely welcome. This was perfect for the recent dip in temperatures (Louisiana had freezing rain!). We dipped the leftover Baking Powder Biscuits in the soup and ate just about the entire pot - yes, there were only two of us...



Brooklyn Pad Thai

Never having had Pad Thai from Thailand, I'm ok with this version reining from New York. Brooklyn Pad Thai tasted almost like what I've eaten numerous times at Thai/Fusion restaurants, and Matt (a man obsessed with all things Pad Thai) gave it two thumbs up. Rice noodles are so easy to work with, and this recipe really comes together in a sinch. Just make sure to use a large sauteing vessel - preferably a wok with high sides. I didn't, so it was a bit of a mess for me. If you chop all your vegetables beforehand, the meal is ready in less than 20 minutes (10 of which are reserved for cooking the rice noodles!). The sauce was a little spicy for me, so I'll be sure to reduce the amount of chili sauce (I used Sriracha) next time. I also had to omit the bean sprouts because I forgot about them on my grocery run (lemongrass, too!). Considering my minor changes and omissions, this was really good. Full of flavor and easy enough to make on a weeknight, but only if Matt will agree to clean up afterwards!

Cookbook Challenge 2 - Urban Vegan

This week's challenge feature a cookbook with which I am unaccustomed. Oh, I've previously browsed Dynise Balcavage's blog, Urban Vegan, but I've never really followed one of her recipes before. I've only had this cookbook in my possession for about a month, and the spine is still stiff. That's not to say I'm uninterested in her recipes, it's quite the opposite actually. I'd dare to say I'm intimated by them! Her recipes are well-traveled and intelligent, mimicking the sophisticated versatility and variety of urban life. And I only ended up making one thing all week.

Due in equal parts to the mound of leftovers in the fridge, my failed attempt at grocery shopping and a general lack-o-time, I barely explored all of the potentially decadent recipes at my disposal. I did, however, LOVE the one meal I made in the middle of the week. 

Cashew Curry Casserole

Matt and I love all things curry, and we weren't feeling too experimental this week, so we went with something we knew we'd love. The Cashew Curry Casserole took 15 minutes to prep and 45 minutes to bake. That is my ideal weeknight meal scenario; it's just enough time to play with and feed the puppies, have a beer or two and decide what movie we're going to watch. By 7PM the timer was buzzing and  the scent warm aromatic curry filled the air. What could be more comfortable on a rainy weeknight than that?

This casserole consisted of chickpeas, broccoli, and tomatoes all tossed in a cashew butter & almond milk mixture. Red Thai curry paste was dissolved in the liquid, and I upped the spices to include crushed red pepper, cumin and oregano. A dollop of tomato paste was adjusted into the recipe, and I follow Dynise's suggestion to add sliced mushrooms and red bell pepper strips. This casserole was fantastically comforting and contained most of my favorite food items. We served it with some Thai jasmine rice and a sprinkle of cashew pieces. The leftovers tasted great the next day.

Cookbook Challenge 2 - Veganomicon: The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook

Cookbook Challenge II - VEGANOMICON!!!

For the second week of CCII, one of the most widely known and well revered vegan cookbooks made its way into my kitchen. Veganomicon: The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook is what I like to call the rebellious younger sister to Irma Rombauer's The Joy of Cooking. Moskowitz and Romero of The Post Punk Kitchen have at it in this all-encompassing, over-achieving bookshelf staple. With nearly 50 pages devoted to kitchen gadgets, stocking the vegan pantry and vegetable/grain/bean cooking how-to's, this truly is the ultimate vegan cookbook. Oh, the 250+ vegan recipes might also have something to do with it.

Upon it's publication, I remember hanging out at the local bookstore while I waited for my then-boyfriend to get out of work. I'd pick up a copy of Veganomicon and read it, cover-to-cover, but never had enough money in my pocket to help me bring a copy home (bah, unemployment!). Eventually I saved up enough quarters and it was aaaallll mine. Since then, I've discovered some of my favorite meals and have made them repetitiously. Though to be honest, I've only made a handful of the recipes in this book because the first ones I tried were so amazing, and I never saw the need to try something new! Well, that changed this week. I selected three recipes I've never tried, but were well received within the vegan (and omnivorous) community!

Quinoa Salad with Black Beans and Mango Peaches

I'm a huge fan of grain & bean salads. They're more filling and add a lot of depth and flavor to the monotonous leafy green salad. When I saw the recipe for the Quinoa Salad with Black Beans and Mango, I was hooked. I ended up subbing the mango with defrosted peaches (from this past summer - so sweet and juicy!) and unfortunately had to omit the fresh cilantro as a result of absent-minded grocery shopping. The salad had every sort of sensation your mouth could fathom without being overwhelming. Sweet and savory are a wonderful pairing; here they are harmoniously tied with rice vinegar, grapeseed oil (I used olive) and salt for a hearty combination of soft, crunchy, sweet, and salty.

Corn and Edamame-Sesame Salad

In an effort to juxtapose my gluttonous eating of prior days, I opted for another wholesome salad. The Corn and Edamame-Sesame Salad was ridiculously easy to make and kept me full for hours. Edamame is loaded with protein and is ready to eat in under a minute - buy it shelled and frozen for those nights when you only have time to boil water! The dressing is a nutty and salty combination of sesame oil, rice vinegar and tamari (or soy sauce), all of which are relatively inexpensive (considering how little is used per serving in most recipes), especially at Asian markets. I added diced red onion and shared this with some new friends at a vegan potluck! It keeps well and is great served cold or at room temperature - perfect for traveling, picnics or workday lunches.

The final recipe that I selected is one of Veganomicon's most famous; Chickpea Cutlets have been popping up all over the vegan blogosphere since the book's release. I have no good excuse for not making them until now, so I won't even waste your time. They were as wonderful as I anticipated.

Chickpea Cutlets, mashed sweet potatoes, steamed green beans

Now that is my kind of meat-and-potatoes dinner. Not the traditional typical American meal, but so much more flavorful than any I've ever had. The chickpea cutlets were very "meaty" due to the vital wheat gluten - a natural protein found in wheat used to improve the texture and elasticity of bread, also the main ingredient in seitan - and packed with fiber AND flavor (who knew?!). I opted for the baked method instead of pan-frying to cut out some fat. These were wonderful and my only complaint is that I didn't triple the recipe. The firm yet moist cutlets were perfectly crispy and had a really robust flavor. They were mellow enough to be served in a myriad of ways - my next batch will be devoted to a vegan Po'boy and I'll season it appropriately (Matt said so). I served this batch with steamed green beans and Indian mashed sweet potatoes - made Indian by the leftover  dal saag (lentil/spinach dish) from a friend's birthday dinner.

Three more recipes down, and I've barely unearthed the magnificence that is the ultimate vegan cookbook - Veganomicon. Tune in next week for the third installment of CCII - The Urban Vegan: 250 Simple, Sumptuous Recipes, From Street Cart Favorites to Haute Cuisine.

Vegan MoFo 2010: Day Ninteen

Ok, I've comed to terms with the fact that I haven't and won't be posting every single day this month (for MoFo). By the end of last week, I was utterly burnt out on kitchen creativity, blogging and my bank account had taken a serious hit from ingredient purchasing. I'll definitely complete the 20 recommended minimum posts for the month, and I should have a lot to write about by Friday. Matt and I are driving to Tallahassee today. We'll be leaving straight after work and getting in around midnight, traffic permitting. I've already planned a holiday feast for an inevitable potluck. Today, however, is devoted to some of my favorite ingredients all piled into one bowl. Chickpeas, eggplant, and a peas took a nice long bath in a creamy tomato sauce and I managed to spill vegan mozzarella all over it!

That's all, because I'm at work and have nothing more to say on the matter.

Also, I've just spent the last two hours making origami, at work!

Vegan MoFo 2010: Day Eighteen

Well, it looks like I've finally broken my perfect posting record! I've been working 10-12 hours a day all week, and my evenings have been dark, cold and short.  We're implementing a new accounting system at my job, and the training has been tedious. I haven't cooked much in the way of MoFo-worthy fare, but I have managed not to starve myself. The other night I made tempeh marinated in teriyaki sauce (recipe here) with lo mein noodles and frozen broccoli-stirfry veggies. It was a really satisfying meal and didn't require anything other than what I had on hand. In an effort to strictly budget my spending for the next week, I have not allowed myself to venture to the grocery store for any reason. While I did falter and purchase a bottle of wine (Thursday was the 2010 release of Beaujolais Nouveau!!), I haven't bought anything else in a while - almost three weeks.

So in the spirit of saving dough (and staying classy!) I made a white bean picatta! I've had picatta once in my life, and only after going vegan. Sublime Restaurant in Fort Lauderdale makes a seitan picatta served over mashed potaotes (I think) and it was delicious. I whipped up a quick lemony sauce, tossed in some frozen peas and beans I cooked earlier in the week alongside whole wheat penne for a very satisfying dinner.

Vegan MoFo 2010: Day Seventeen

Day Seventeen: The Frugal Vegan

Last night's snack left me craving something warm and filling. In a successful attempt to use only foods from my current pantry stock, Matt and I created just that. Half a block's worth of tempeh triangles were marinated in a sweet and salty teryaki sauce, adding dimension to a simple vegetable lo mein. A frozen bag of stir fry vegetables (broccoli, red peppers, mushrooms and carrots) was cooked alongside flat pasta to create this tasty dinner. I'll definitely post the recipe tomorrow! Happy MoFo!

Vegan MoFo 2010: Day Sixteen

What a long, busy day! Work meetings filled up most if my day, even resulting in a few hours of overtime. Rush hour traffic was heinous and it took me twice as long to get home. I'm exhausted, stressed and not hungry in the least. I promise to get back on track tomorrow. I'm thinking about terykai tempeh with broccoli stir fry. Tonight, I'm having tea to settle my nerves and chills (cold front!) and popcorn to accompany The Abyss.

While I don't normally grab the Earl Grey (I'm more of a chai drinker), Matt was having a cup and it's his preferred. I added almond milk, agave and cinnamon to make it much more comforting.

 

I don't know about you, but I'd rather not eat plain popcorn. I like to dress mine with an assortment of spices, depending on my mood. Tonight, I wanted something warm and a little spicy. I opted for nutritional yeast (as always with popcorn) and a mild curry powder. This popcorn was full of flavor and  swiftly disappeared between my roommates and I.

Vegan MoFo 2010: Day Fifteen

Day Fifteen: I'm broke

It's week three here in Vegan MoFo land, and I've decided to temporarily abandon my weekly theme: The Five Course Vegan. Before the riot ensues, let me explain myself. With the approaching holidays, traveling expenses are eating up my funds. I'll be flying to south Florida for a good friend's wedding in the middle of Decemeber, and Matt and I have decided to take a road trip to Tallahassee, FL at the end of next week. We'll need to rent a car, pay for gas and food while we're away. In an attempt to save as much money as I can, I'll be featuring some of my favorite recipes that rely strictly on pantry staples. It's been over a week since my list visit to the grocery store and produce market, but I'm determined to make this work. I do plan on going to the produce market for a few vegetables (all I have is a head of garlic, 2 small sweet potatos, and 1 carrot), but I'm not carrying more tha $5 in my wallet. Food and gas are easily my two greatest expenses, and in an effort to reduce my consumption of the latter, I'll be biking to anywhere that isn't work. I drive about 60 miles roundtrip for work, and anything I can do to reduce my car's mileage and my exhaust output is worth my while. 

Last night I conducted a kitchen inventory, excluding items like flours, spices, condiments, etc. because they aren't common purchases and don't play a heavy role in my budgeting. I'll use these items to make meals for two (Matt and I) and try my hardest not to purchase anything from the grocery store. Here is a list of items from which I'll need to make lunch and dinner (for two) for the next week or more:

sweet potatoes (2)

carrot (1)
garlic (1 bulb)
lemon (1 - large)
pasta (3 boxes - opened; farfalle, medium shells and spaghetti)

chickpeas (1 can)

canned tomatoes (1 28 oz. can)

dried navy beans (1 medium bag)
coconut milk (1 can)
lentils (1 cup)
quinoa (1 cup)
frozen corn (2 cups)
frozen peas (1 cup)
frozen stirfry vegetables (1 bag)

frozen bananas (2)
frozen pie crust (1)
cashews
pepitos
Earth Balance
tomato paste
miso
tempeh (1 block)
ackee (2 cans from grammy!)
calalloo (also from grams)

With a little planning and creativity, I don't think this will be too difficult. To kick off my budgeted week, I made an ackee and calalloo quiche. For those of you unfamiliar with ackee, it's the national fruit of Jamaica and one of my favorite foods. The consistency is similar to crumbled tofu or scrambled eggs, making it the perfect stand-in for tofu in a breakfast scramble and it has a tangy flavor. You can't find it fresh in the US (it's illegal to grow or ship fresh ackee) because the seeds are seriously poisonous, but canned varieties are available. Just check out your local caribbean market or a well-stocked grocery store.


Ackee and Calallo Quiche with Peas

If you do happen to find a can or two of ackee, why not try this quiche!? It sets nicely and have a really smooth, velvty texture. I seasoned mine with jerk spice (allspice, cloves, cinnamon, scallions, nutmeg, thyme, garlic, salt, and pepper) and baked it in a premade pie crust that has been sitting in my pantry since my last quiche.

Ackee and Calallo Quiche with Peas
makes 1 quiche

1-28 oz. can of ackee
1-28 oz. can of calalloo
2 tablespoons jerk seasoning
1/2 frozen peas
1 ready-made pie crust, or your favorite vegan recipe
tomato slices

Preheat over to 375 degrees Farenheit. Mash ackee in a large bowl until smooth and uniform. Add calalloo and spices, stiring to combine. Add frozen peas, stirring again. Pour filling into pie crust and smooth out with the back of a spoon. Garnish with tomato slices and black pepper. Place pie in oven for 40 minutes, or until filling has firmed up. Remove quiche from oven and allow to cool for atleast 10 minutes. Enjoy!