VeggieTalk

Here it is, not even officially summer, and even in New York’s Hudson Valley we’ve already had more than enough murderously hot days to last for the season. Today is, thankfully, a perfect day, a reminder that these kinds of days do exist to make up for dog days and violent thunderstorms.

When it’s too hot to cook, one of my favorite ways to get in and out of the kitchen quickly and rewardingly is to make cool, no-cook soups. Here’s a variation on classic gazpacho from Vegetarian Soups for All Seasons.

Zesty Green Gazpacho

6 servings

A splendid no-cook soup that will awaken taste buds dulled by summer heat. This soup can be eaten as soon as it is made, but definitely benefits from having time to stand for several hours so that the lively flavors can mingle. This soup is a great first course for a Mexican or Southwestern-style meal.

• 2 large cucumbers, peeled, quartered lengthwise, and seeded
• 1 large green bell pepper
• 6 romaine or large curly green leaf lettuce leaves, coarsely chopped
• 2 scallions, coarsely chopped
• 1/3 cup fresh cilantro leaves
• 1/2 cup store-bought salsa verde (tomatillo sauce)
• 1 mild or hot fresh green chili pepper, seeded and minced
• Juice of 1 lime
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• One recipe Vegan Sour Cream (see following)
• 1 to 2 cups rice milk, as needed
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Reserve about half of one cucumber and half of the bell pepper and set aside. Coarsely chop the rest and place in a food processor along with the lettuce, scallions, and cilantro. Process until pureed, with a little texture remaining. Transfer to a large serving container.

Stir in the salsa verde, chili pepper, lime juice, cumin, sour cream, and 1 cup rice milk. Stir well to combine. Add more rice milk as needed to give the soup a slightly thick consistency.

Season with salt and pepper. Serve at once, or cover and refrigerate for an hour or so, until thoroughly chilled.

Vegan Sour Cream

Makes a little more than 1 cup, about 8 servings

• 1 cup crumbled firm or extra-firm silken tofu,
• 2 to 3 tablespoons rice milk or Silk creamer, as needed
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice, or more to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste

Combine all the ingredients in a food processor or the companion container to an immersion blender. Process until very smoothly pureed, then transfer to a container with an airtight lid. This keeps well for 3 to 4 days, refrigerated.

Lately, I’ve been spending a lot more time in my art studio and less time than ever in the kitchen. For someone who has written so many cookbooks, I actually pride myself on how little rather than how much time I spend cooking! Of course the results have to be good, no matter how simple, but the artist side of me, especially lately, wants to be doing things other than cooking.

I’ve fallen back on some old favorites in the “mindlessly easy” department, and here is one of them, adapted from The Vegetarian Family Cookbook. This was last night’s dinner, and everyone likes this, even our cat, Jasmine.

Stewed Tofu with Corn and Tomatoes

6 servings

Fresh corn and tomatoes are highlighted in this easy skillet stew, making it a great way to serve tofu in the summer and early fall. It’s such a delightful quick dish that I’ve provided an option for using frozen corn and canned tomatoes, so that it can be enjoyed any time of year.

• One 16-ounce tub firm tofu
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 large or 6 medium diced ripe tomatoes, or one 28-ounce can diced tomatoes, lightly drained
• 3 cups cooked fresh corn kernels (from about 4 medium ears), or 3 cups thawed frozen corn
• 4 scallions, sliced
• 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• 1/4 cup minced fresh parsley or cilantro for topping, optional

Cut the tofu into 3/4 -inch thick slices and blot well between layers of paper towel or clean tea towels, then cut into dice.

Heat the oil in a wide skillet. Sauté the tofu over medium-high heat until golden on most sides. Add the tomatoes, corn, scallions, and paprika. Heat gently, just until heated through. Season with salt and pepper. Serve warm or at room temperature with parsley or cilantro sprinkled over the top of individual servings.

Calories: 188; Fat: 9 g; Protein: 10 g Fiber: 4.2 g; Carbohydrates: 24 g; Sodium: 20 mg

VARIATION: Spice this up with hot red pepper flakes if you’d like, and/or use lots more fresh herbs — I had some good basil, so I added that to the dish; or step up the amount of parsley or cilantro if you’d like a bolder flavor.

Today was the first distribution day at the local CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) farm to which my family belongs here in the Hudson Valley. There was not an abundance of produce, but the few items were so beautiful, just picked today. It made me feel so fortunate to be able to drive down the road and have access to such high-quality organic food. There were three kinds of lettuces, plus asparagus, bok choy, and chives. The profusion of fresh chives inspired me to make today’s recipe. Usually I use scallion in these pancakes, but the chives worked just as well.

This recipe is adapted from Vegetarian Soups for All Seasons

Scallion Pancakes

Makes about 24

• 2 cups spelt flour or whole wheat pastry flour
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 cups water
• 2 cups thinly sliced scallions or chives
• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds, optional
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, or as needed

Combine the first 3 (dry) ingredients plus the optional sesame seeds in a large mixing bowl and stir together.

Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and pour in the water. Whisk together until smooth, then stir in the scallions.

Heat a lightly oiled nonstick griddle or wide skillet and ladle the batter on in 1/8-cup portions. Cook over medium heat on both sides until golden brown. Remove to a paper towel-lined plate and keep warm (or start eating!) while cooking the remaining pancakes.

Per pancake: Calories: 50; Total fat: 2 g; Protein: 1 g; Fiber: 2 g;
Carbohydrate: 9 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 105 mg

http://vegkitchen.com/books/vegetarian-soups.htm

The minute spring arrives, I’m completely in the mood for main dish salads. Here’s one I’m making tonight. The delicious twist is the addition of a prepared chutney, which you can find in the international aisle of well-stocked supermarkets as well as natural foods stores. It’s simple to prepare and is chock full of protein, veggies, and even fruits. To complete the meal all you need is a simple pasta or grain dish; to make it even simpler, serve with a fresh bread or pita with hummus. This recipe is from Vegan Express.

Tropical Tofu Salad with Chutney Mayonnaise

4 to 6 servings

I love this salad with mango, but since it’s not always available, pineapple is a good alternative.

• 1 large broccoli crown, cut into small florets
• Two 8-ounce packages baked tofu, diced or cut into strips
• 2 medium mangos, peeled and diced, or one 20-ounce can diced pineapple, well drained
• 2 large celery stalks, sliced diagonally (see note)
• 1/3 cup chopped walnuts, optional
• 1/3 cup vegan mayonnaise
• 1/3 cup mango chutney, or other fruit chutney
• Mixed baby greens, as needed
• Green sprouts (sweet pea shoots, broccoli sprouts, or other), as needed

Steam the broccoli florets in a large saucepan until bright green and just tender-crisp. Transfer to a colander and rinse with cool water until the broccoli stops steaming.

Combine the broccoli with the tofu, mango, celery, and optional walnuts. Stir together.

Combine the mayonnaise and chutney in a small bowl and stir until smoothly blended. Pour into the salad and toss gently.

To serve, mound a small amount of the salad on some baby greens on individual plates and top with some sprouts.

Note: This is not in the book, but since I have some bok choy in the fridge — a great spring veggie — I’m going to substitute it for the celery. I may also substitute pecans for the walnuts since someone brought me a big bag of them as a gift.

Erik Marcus of Vegan.com recently ran a nifty feature on the top 10 vegan recipes of 2008. He contacted the authors of the top recent vegan cookbooks, in which he included Vegan Express, and asked each author to pick a favorite recipe from the book. I chose one that I love to make due to its extreme ease, the Nearly Instant Coconut Corn Soup, which is accompanied by the gorgeous photo taken by Susan Voisin of the FatFree Vegan Blog.

Here are the featured recipes: 1) Plantain Omelet - From Mark Reinfeld and Bo Rinaldi’s Vegan Fusion World Cuisine.

2) Thai Coconut Corn Soup - From Nava Atlas’ Vegan Express.

3) Indonesian Coconut Rice - From Robin Robertson’s Vegan Fire & Spice.

4) Baked Ziti - From Beverly Lynn Bennett’s Vegan Bites.

5) Moroccan Phyllo Rolls - From Dreena Burton’s Eat, Drink, & Be Vegan.

6) Italian Stuffed Crepes - From Bryanna Clark Grogan’s Nonna’s Italian Kitchen.

7) Chickpea Curry - From Hema Parekh’s The Asian Vegan Kitchen.

Desserts:

Banana Chocolate Bread Pudding - From Isa Chandra Moskowtiz and Terry Hope Romero’s Veganomicon.

9) Root Beer Float Cupcakes - From Hannah Kaminsky’s My Sweet Vegan.

10) Fresh Mango Cobler - From Ani Phyo’s Ani’s Raw Food Kitchen.

So this week, instead of one Recipe of the Week, you’ve got ten! To view the entire list (and thus access the recipes) click here.

Though this is listed as the first fall soup in my book, Vegetarian Soups for All Seasons, I was craving this soup this week. I haven’t made it in ages! It’s still a good soup for a chilly spring evening, particularly on a rainy day; but it’s definitely not a warm weather soup. It’s surprisingly filling — I couldn’t eat the rest of the meal after having a hearty bowlful.

Baked Onion Soup

6 servings

Here’s a vegan take on the French classic, with bread and melted cheese. Ceramic crocks with handles are the ideal bowls for this soup, but any type of ovenproof bowl will do. You’ll cry a river while cutting the onions, but you and your family or guests will weep tears of joy while eating this heavenly soup.

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 8 medium onions, quartered and thinly sliced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cups water
• One 32-ounce carton low-sodium vegetable broth
• 1/4 cup dry red wine
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• Long narrow French or Italian bread, as needed
• 1 1/2 cups grated mozzarella-style nondairy cheese (see Note)

Heat the oil in a soup pot. Add the onions and sauté over medium-low heat until golden. Add the garlic and continue to sauté slowly until the onions are lightly and evenly browned, stirring frequently, about 20 to 25 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Pour the water over the onions and give them a good stir. Then add the broth, wine, and mustard. Bring to a rapid simmer, then lower the heat. Cover and simmer gently for 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, cut the bread into 1-inch-thick slices, allowing 1 or 2 slices per serving depending on the size of your soup bowls. Bake for 15 minutes, or until dry and crisp, turning the slices over once about halfway through the baking time.

To assemble the soup, place one layer of bread (1 or 2 slices) in each ovenproof bowl and ladle a serving of soup over it. Sprinkle about 1/4 cup of the grated cheese over each. Place the bowls on 1 or 2 sturdy baking sheets to make them easier to handle. Bake for approximately 10 minutes, or until the cheese is melted. Serve at once.

Note: If you don’t care for nondairy cheese, skip it! Simply float the toasted bread in the hot soup, or make it into croutons instead. No need, then to put the crocks or bowls into the oven.

Per serving: Calories: 307; Total fat: 15 g; Protein: 7 g; Fiber: 6 g; Carbohydrate: 37 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 613 mg

Over the years, one of the recipes readers have asked me for most often is a lighter, dairy-free version of pasta with Alfredo sauce, that creamy concoction that in its original form must have a zillion calories. Doing a quick search on Google, I see that there are many recipes for a lighter version of the sauce, but not too many vegan versions.

To get a sense of just how rich this sauce is in its original form, a recipe for “Perfect Alfredo Sauce” contains 3 cups heavy cream, 3/4 cup butter, and more than 1 cup Parmesan cheese. I get chest pains just reading this recipe! Another site gives Olive Garden’s recipe: 1 pint heavy cream, 1 stick butter, 2 T. cream cheese, 1/2 cup Parmesan. Not much better, but it does not divulge how many servings this is supposed to yield.

Forgive me, as I ran this recipe on this blog a couple of years ago, but once or twice a year I get the craving for pasta with Alfredo sauce, and this is one of those times. This silken tofu-based pasta Alfredo tastes deceptively rich and creamy. I use whole wheat pasta to boost the protein and fiber content, and for whoever wants some, some wilted spinach and sun-dried tomatoes for topping is passed around. The recipe is adapted from The Vegetarian Family Cookbook.

Pasta with Enlightened Alfredo Sauce

6 servings

• 2 tablespoons nonhydrogenated margarine (preferably Earth Balance)
• 2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
• One 12.3-ounce container silken tofu
• 1/2 cup rice milk, or as needed
• 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• Freshly ground pepper to taste
• 12 ounces pasta (see Note)
• Steamed greens (spinach or Swiss chard) for topping, optional
• Sliced sun-dried tomatoes for topping, optional

Cook the pasta in plenty of steadily boiling water until al dente, then drain.

Meanwhile, heat the margarine in a small skillet. Add the garlic and sauté over low heat for 2 to 3 minutes, until golden. Remove from the heat.

Combine the sautéed garlic and margarine with the tofu and rice milk in a food processor. Process until completely smooth and creamy.

Combine the pasta and sauce in a large serving bowl and toss together. Season with pepper and taste to see if you’d like to add more salt. If the mixture needs to be moister, add a small amount of additional rice milk and toss again. Serve at once, passing around greens and/or dried tomaotes for topping, if desired.

I’m so lucky! An Associated Press article on seitan, featuring my recipe for Jerk-Spiced Seitan from Vegan Express, is making its way across the web as well as the wires to newspapers and all kinds of media outlets. An AP photograph accompanies some of these stories, which appear differently depending on the venue. Here’s one that’s on the web site of ABC News. It just spooks me that it looks so meaty!

One of my favorite posts, visually, is the one of Butterscotch Mousse Pie on Diet, Dessert, and Dogs. Ricki Heller is still perfecting her recipe for the coconut cream with which she’s garnished the pie; and I also love her idea for the nut crust. I’m waiting to see if she posts that coconut cream soon, and I would love to try making the pie with it as well as the nut crust. A calorie explosion, to be sure, but a rare and worthy indulgence!

Hope you don’t mind my continuing to share these postings with all of you. It’s really fun for me to see visual representations of my recipes, especially given my own remedial photographic skills.

With Easter coming up this weekend, this nice Jewish girl (me) thought I’d look into some of the dishes I recommended as part of a veg Easter meal in one of my earlier books, Vegetarian Celebrations. The dish that still most appeals to me is the one that follows. There’s nothing about it that’s traditionally “Easter,” but it’s a nice transitional kind of dish, bridging the craving for hearty dishes and lighter, more spring-like flavors. I haven’t made this for years, but it is now officially on this week’s agenda!

Lemony Bulgur with Green Beans and Walnuts

6 to 8 servings

Adapted from Vegetarian Celebrations

• 3/4 cup raw bulgur (presteamed cracked wheat)
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, quartered and sliced
• 2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup sliced mushrooms
• 1 cup canned navy beans
• 2 cups slender green beans, cut into 1-inch lengths and steamed until tender-crisp (see Note)
• 1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts, or more, as desired
• 2 to 3 tablespoons minced fresh dill
• Juice of 1 lemon, more or less to taste
• 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce, or to taste
• reshly ground pepper to taste

Place the bulgur in a heatproof dish. Pour 1 1/2 cups of boiling water over it and cover until the water is absorbed, about 30 minutes. Fluff with a fork.

Heat the oil in a large skillet or wok. Add the onion and sauté until translucent. Add the garlic and continue to sauté until the onion is lightly browned. Add the mushrooms; cover and “sweat” until they are wilted.

Stir in the bulgur and all remaining ingredients and cook over low heat, stirring frequently, for 10 minutes. Transfer to a covered casserole dish to serve.

Note: If you can’t find fresh, slender green beans, substitute frozen organic whole baby green beans, cut in half.

It’s just a couple of short weeks away from spring, but it still seems like an eternity. This winter has been a hard slog all around the U.S., not sure how it has been around the world. In my corner of the world, the Hudson Valley region of NY State, we are truly weary even though we’ve had it much easier than a lot of folks north of us and in the midwest. Right now it is pouring (I suppose that’s better than another snowstorm!), so I took a break from work a bit early to make some soup and cake, always a good antidote to these kind of gloomy, bone-chilling days.

Here’s an offbeat soup from Vegetarian Soups for All Seasons, with a creamy cornmeal porridge base, enlivened with fresh and dried tomatoes and red beans.

Potage Polenta

6 to 8 servings

Cooked cornmeal makes a delightfully dense soup base. Serve this meal-in-a-bowl with a bountiful salad and crusty bread.

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 to 4 cloves garlic
• 6 cups water
• 1 cup yellow cornmeal, preferably stoneground
• One 16-ounce can small red beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 medium-small zucchini, quartered lengthwise and sliced
• 1 cup diced ripe tomatoes
• 1/4 cup oil-cured sun-dried tomatoes, plus more for topping if desired
• 1 teaspoon Italian herb seasoning blend
• 6 to 8 ounces Swiss chard or spinach, well washed, stemmed, and chopped
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• Handful of basil leaves, cut into strips
• 1/2 cup grated mozzarella-style nondairy cheese for topping, optional

Heat the oil in a soup pot. Add the garlic and sauté over low heat until golden.

Add 4 cups of the water and bring to a gentle simmer. Pour the cornmeal into the pot in a thin, steady stream, 1/4 cup at a time, whisking constantly.

Stir in the beans, tomatoes, dried tomatoes, and seasoning. Cover and continue to simmer gently. Uncover to whisk well every 5 minutes or so, for 25 minutes, or until the cornmeal is cooked. Whisk in 1 cup of water with each of the last two stirrings.

Stir in the chard or spinach. Cook for an additional 7 to 10 minutes for the chard and 3 to 5 minutes for the spinach, just until tender but still bright green. Adjust the consistency with more water if needed. The soup should be fairly thick, but thinner than a cornmeal porridge.

Season with salt and pepper and serve. Top each serving with a a few strips of basil, and if desired, a sprinkling of cheese, and a few extra strips of dried tomato.

Per serving: Calories: 184; Total fat: 6 g; Protein: 6 g; Fiber: 7 g; Carbohydrate: 29 g; Sodium: 235 mg