The Best Vegan Cornbread

No, seriously...

My quest for the perfect vegan cornbread has ended!  This simple, no frills recipe has single handedly beat out all other cornbread recipes I've tried to date.  It is fantastic! 

I want to thank Chef Vino Girl over at Food.com for posting it.  I see she received it in an email from Cooks Illustrated, developepd by an 11-year old girl.  Apparently, the Blue Ribbon Cornbread winner that year was a VEGAN recipe, too. Even better!

VEGAN CORNBREAD
(Recipe with nutritional info. can be found here)

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons ground flax seeds

6 tablespoons water

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup cornmeal

1/4 cup sugar

4 teaspoons baking powder

3/4 teaspoon table salt

1 cup almond milk, unsweetened

1/4 cup canola oil

*1/2 tsp butter extract, just for something special (optional)

Directions:

1. Mix the ground flax and water in a small microwave safe dish, and microwave for 30 second intervals, then whisk until thick ~OR~ (Original Directions): Bring the water to a boil in a small saucepan.  Add the ground flax seed, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer the ground flax seed in the water for 3 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally.  Set aside. *I was a bum, and didn't want to dirty the extra pan
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt until well-combined.
3. Add the ground flax seed mixture, soy milk, and canola oil to the flour mixture.
4. Mix just until smooth (do not overmix.)
5. Pour mixture into prepared baking pan and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
6. Cool on wire rack 10 minutes; invert cornbread onto wire rack, then turn right side up and continue to cool until warm, about 10 minutes longer.

One taste, and you will see exactly why this recipe is a Blue Ribbon winner.  Try it out, and let me know if you think so, too! ^_^ 

Bistro Broccoli Chowder - Hold the Parsnips...

Another fine and hearty soup from Appetite for Reduction, using one of my favorite vegetables of all time, BROCCOLI.  For anyone who does not have the pleasure of owning this fantastic cookbook, I found the recipe online here, at GoDairyfree.org.

Here in new England, the only "chowda" in most folks' bowls is clam.  For this recipe, however, we swap out our shelled friends for some broccoli, and leave behind the heavy cream and butter for some luscious potatoes and unsweetened almond milk.  Besides potatoes, the recipe calls for a parsnip, which is not one of my usual pantry staples.  Apparently, it is not Stop and Shop's either, which made me sad because I really wanted to try one in this recipe.  No parsnips to be found.

So, in steps a turnip, and we call it a day.  Turnip can be subbed in some recipes that call for parsnip.  It is described as having a "celery-like" flavor, which I thought would be perfect for a soup such as this one.

And, I was right!  This soup rocked.  Although the directions instruct you to puree HALF the soup and leave the rest a little chunky and thick.  I submerged my immersion blender in the soup pot, and literally  tapped the button, and within 6 seconds, the entire pot was pureed. So much for that... and so much for my Job Lot $15.00 immersion blender been cheap and crappy.

So, since the soup was now silky smooth, and a delightful shade of green. I decided to chop up a bunch of RAW broccoli to add some texture back.  Good call. The crunch of the raw broccoli added just the right body to the soup, and at 150 calories a serving, you can't go wrong.  Thank you, Isa.  This was a fabulous, low-cal lunch for a week. ^_^

Trattoria Pasta Salad

New Year, New Resolutions 

"Forget that tired old pasta salad Aunt Gertrude brings to family reunions - this salad is where it's at! NO mayo required" ~from Isa Chandra Moskowitz's cookbook, Appetite for Reduction.  

With the dawn of the New Year, L and I have made a pact to eat more sensibly and healthy. We have both downloaded calorie counter apps for our phones, and are faithfully keeping track of our daily calorie intake and portion sizes.  I'm using MyFitnessPal, which I really like because they have a TON of vegan ingredients already in their database. If your particular brand or ingredient is not there, the app has a handy barcode symbol, which allows you to scan almost any ingredient with a barcode for complete nutritional information. And, as an added bonus, MyFitnessPal has almost ALL of the recipes from Appetite for Reduction already listed, which has made it really easy for us to have quick, easy and healthy, whole food meals at our fingertips.

So, I just so happened to have two red peppers and some kalamata olives hanging around in my fridge. I also happened to have an open bag of sun dried tomatoes, not packed in oil, as well. And, thanks to my co-worker, Thu, I had just gotten some wonderful Vietnamese rice spiral macaroni from the Vietnamese Market (VMart) here in Providence.

Now if you don't happen to have Appetite for Reduction, Isa has posted the complete recipe for this pasta salad on the PPK website here.  Please check it out, and give the recipe a try.

The only change I made was that I kept the red bell peppers RAW instead of roasting, and added just a tiny touch of agave nectar to the dressing, just to take a bit of the edge out.  Results:  Rave reviews, and it tastes even better the next day.  Perfect for work lunches too.  The tangy bite of the sun dried tomato and balsamic dressing, (made with no oil, but rather a few TBSP of toasted walnuts blended well), goes perfect with the peppers, olives, creamy beans and peppery bite of the fresh baby arugula.  I decided to splurge and added to optional half-cup of toasted walnuts into the mix.  Why not, right? ^_^

Xtra Walnuts and Arugula, please

Does Beet Juice Make you Gag? Add More Pineapple

The sight of a fresh glass of juice makes me swoon, but I do admit, I sometimes hesitate when I juice beets.  The crimson juice of a fresh beet is quite potent, and can completely dominate the flavor of anything you mix with it, so I try to mix wisely.

Now, my vegan palate is quite adventurous when it comes to drinking the fresh juice of any vegetable. However, my omnivorous better-half has an involuntary beet gag-reflex.  SHE HATES THEM.

The other day, we wanted juice, and all I had in the fridge was... you guessed it, BEETS.  (I also had two lonely carrots, one (1) green apple, and about one-third of a sliced, fresh pineapple).  

I wonder how much pineapple juice would it take to get L to drink a glass of beet juice?

L's tiny glass. The pineapple worked!

This recipe came about as close as I will ever get:

Pineapple Beet Surprise (for even the worst Beet- Haters)
1 beet, scrubbed and peeled
1 carrots
1 green apple
one-third (1/3) fresh pineapple, peeled but not cored
1" piece fresh ginger

Cut fruits and vegetables into manageable size pieces for your juicer and juice away!  As always, I alternate the pieces of beet and carrot with the pineapple, which is much softer and tends to clog the juicing screen.  The strong fiber of the beet and carrot help to clear that out.

Serve over ice and enjoy the crimson goodness.  The picture does not do it justice!

So, why gag down the beet juice? You can read some facts here, but let's start with the simple fact that beet juice is highly nutritious.  Folate, Magnesium, Potassium, Vitamin C, Iron, Magnesium and Copper are only some of the vitamins and minerals it contains.  Beet juice is also a powerful cleanser of the blood, improves your blood flow, and can lower blood pressure.  Not too shabby ^_^

Thanksgiving Leftover Pie Surprise

"Did you come in for a pie, sir? Do forgive me if me head's a little vague..."  Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street

So, I survived hosting Thanksgiving Dinner at our house for the first time. I normally do quite a bit of the cooking for Thanksgiving, (desserts, side dishes) but I end up having to prep in advance, pre-cook, and then transport it all to my parents' house.  This year, my folks were living in Italy for the Fall, so my brother, his wife, kids and various friends all came to OUR house to celebrate.

And, boy did we celebrate!

My menu was pretty close to last year's, with a few exceptions.  I swapped out the green bean dish in last year's post with PPK's Green Bean Mushroom Casserole, which always gets rave reviews.  And, for a starter, I also made up a pan of my Spinach and Artichoke Dip.

One thing I never realized about hosting Thanksgiving is that even after all the guests have scooped their left-overs "to-go", I was still left with a metric TON of food.

My dear friend, Scott, and his Dad joined us this year, and during the dinner, they were talking about how they used up their leftovers in Thanksgivings past:  They make a pie!

Brilliant!  One (1) box of puff pastry later, and I was ready to roll. I decided to use my lovely cranberry stone Pampered Chef pie plate, which got no use this year because I made Pumpkin Cheesecake instead of pie.  

Assembly:  I started constructing this labor of love with a nice, thick layer of my mashed potatoes.  I thought that would make quite a suitable bottom layer.  Then, I added my remaining four (4) CHICKPEA CUTLETS, sliced into bite sized pieces, and topped that with my home made gravy. Next, came a layer of Green Bean and Mushroom Casserole, followed by a sprinkle of leftover Apple Cider Glazed Sweet Potatoes.

And, last but not least, my favorite: A thick layer of cornbread stuffing with onion, celery and sage. I pressed down gently on the layers, and then topped the pie with a sheet of puff pastry.  I crimped the sides of the pastry around the pie plate, and made two (2) little hearts with the trimmings (aw).

Then, I brushed the whole pie with some unsweetened almond milk, sprinkled the top with a bit of Old World Seasoning from Penzey's spices, and cut a few slits in the top for the steam to escape.  I then baked this (quite solid) pie in a preheated oven (400°) for 30-40 minutes, until the crust was puffed and golden brown.

So, there we have it! Comfort food made completely from leftovers, that would even give Mrs Lovetts a run for her money o_O

My lunch! (so, you could see the layers)

"HEART"

The Best Spinach Artichoke Dip

This recipe is a deliciously-creamy, vegan version of the popular appetizer. I know you will LOVE this, and your dairy loving guests will have no idea that this wonderful dish is not made with mozzarella, cream cheese or mayo. My dear friend, who is lactose intolerant, did NOT eat the dip at first because she was convinced there was dairy in it. The white beans in this blended with the vegan cream cheese make the perfect non-dairy base for the spinach and artichokes. I guarantee, this will give TGI Friday's version a run for its money!

Ingredients:

• 1 (14 1/2 ounce) can cannellini beans or 1 (14 1/2 ounce) can great northern beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small onion, diced
• 4 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 (10 ounce) package frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
• 1 (14 1/2 ounce) can artichoke hearts, roughly chopped
• 8 ounces vegan cream cheese (I use Tofutti brand)
• 1/4 cup panko
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 1/2 cup vegan mozzarella cheese (I use Daiya brand) (optional)

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Add the drained beans into a food processor and blend until smooth, scraping down the sides as you go.
• Next add the vegan cream cheese to the bean mixture, and blend until both are well combined and creamy.
• In the meantime, heat the olive oil over medium heat in a sautee pan.
• Add onion and cook until nearly translucent.
• Add garlic and cook one minute more until fragrant.
• Add artichokes and spinach and cook for 2-3 minutes.
• Remove from heat and stir in bean mixture from the food processor, as well as the panko and nutritional yeast.
• If using the vegan cheese, you may stir it into the dip completely, or sprinkle over the top.
• Cover with foil and cook about 20 minutes.
• Remove foil and cook for 10 or 15 minutes more, until a little browned and heated through.

Vegan Food Gifts!

I received my tester copy of Joni Marie Newman's new book in the mail yesterday, and I couldn't be more thrilled. I have tested for three different vegan cookbooks, but this is the first book that I've received, so I feel super special!

I signed on a little late for testing this one, but all the recipes I've made have been fantastic: Chocolate Espresso Mini Loaves, Cool Lemon Cookies, Saltine Cracker Bark, Pizza Dough Mix, Pizza Sprinkle, Pepperoni Crumbles, Chipotle Ranch Dressing, Spiced Nuts-sweet and spicy, and Homemade Granola (hopefully) pictured here!

L and I are actually roadtripping today, so I am attempting to post from the road...

I am hoping this little mobile app works out, as I have been a bit of a mofo slacker this past week.