Pumpkin Fest 2010

Not sure if two recipes qualify for a proper pumpkin fest, but here goes. I've spent a year perfecting this muffin recipe and, because it's the holiday season and I'm feeling extra magnanimous, I'm giving it to you! Don't blame me though if you get called a liar when you serve these little beauties to carnivores and tell them they're vegan.


Pumpkin-Apple Muffins with Streusel Topping
Makes about 18+ muffins

Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour
1-1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
2 cups sugar
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
egg replacer for two eggs (I use Ener-G)
1 cup canned, plain pumpkin
1/2 cup melted vegan margarine
1-1/2 cups of applesauce

TOPPING:
1/4 cup turbinado sugar (essential for the crunch factor!)
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 tablespoon vegan margarine

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and salt and set aside.
2. Prepare the egg replacer in a separate, large bowl, following the package directions EXCEPT I HIGHLY recommend that you whip the egg replacer with an electric whisk or stand up mixer until really frothy. I have not had good success getting the frothy, eggy consistency when whipping by hand.
3. Add the pumpkin, applesauce, and melted margarine to the "egg" mixture and stir to combine; stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients just until moistened.
4. Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups three-fourths full.
5. For topping, combine sugar, flour and cinnamon. Cut in margarine until mixture resembles coarse crumbs; sprinkle 1 teaspoon over each muffin. Bake at 350 degrees F for 30-35 minutes or until muffins are done. Cool in pan 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack.

This is one of the fastest soups I make and it is so delicious. I have veganized a version of this that I found in " The Food Processor Bible" cookbook. You might be thinking, "Pumpkin and dill? What the...", but trust me, it works.

Cream of Pumpkin Soup
Serves 2-4

1 medium onion, halved
2 tbs. vegan margarine
2-1/4 cups water
2 cups canned, plain pumpkin puree
2 tsp. "no chicken" bouillon granules
1/2 tsp. dried dill
1-1/4 cup non-dairy milk
salt & pepper to taste
vegan sour cream (optional)

1. Process onion in a food processor until chopped, then cook in margarine over medium heat for about 10 minutes until glossy and tender.
2. Add water, pumpkin, bouillon, and dill.
3. Cover partially and simmer for 15-20 minutes.
4. Put soup in food processor and process until pureed, then return to the pot.
5. Add the milk and salt and pepper to taste.
6. Optionally, add a plop of sour cream to the top and a little sprinkling of dill. Serve with artisan bread.

Alert, Cabbage Lovers: Cabbage & Beer Soup and Asian Slaw

What to do with a head of cabbage. After almost every cabbage recipe you've got half of the damn thing left over. How about this plan: cabbage soup and a cabbage salad? What if I told you the cabbage soup has beer in it and the cabbage salad has wasabi powder? Now you're pretty excited, right? I have to say that this is one of my favorite soups and one of my favorite salads. Together, they make a great meal and a quick one at that!

Cabbage & Beer Soup - serves 8

1 half of a large head of cabbage, cored and shredded or thinly sliced
2 large carrots, peeled and shredded
6 cups vegetable broth
1 can (12 ounces) pilsner beer (I use Miller Lite, because I know it's vegan)
1/2 tsp caraway seeds
2 cups french fried onions, divided
1 pkg vegan kielbasa (optional)
vegetable spray

1. Coat stock pot with nonstick cooking spray and saute the kielbasa (if using) over medium high for 5 minutes. Remove and set aside.

2. Spray the stock pot again and saute cabbage/carrot until translucent and tender about 10 minutes.

2. Add broth, beer, seeds, and one cup of fried onions. Bring to a boil then reduce to low and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes. Spoon soup into bowls, add vegan kielbasa, and top with remaining onions.



Asian Slaw
I took my grandma MeMe's cole slaw dressing recipe and put an Asian spin on it.

INGREDIENTS

Dressing
1 cup Vegenaise (or other vegan mayo substitute)
1/3 cup sugar
1/4 tsp salt
4 tbs rice whine vinegar (white vinegar is ok, too)
2 tbs soy sauce
1 tbs sesame oil
1-2 tbs wasabi paste or 1/2 -1 tsp. wasabi powder

Slaw
1 half of a large head of cabbage, cored and shredded or thinly sliced
1 cup shredded carrots

Topping
2 cups toasted slivered almonds, cashews or sesame seeds

DIRECTIONS

1. Mix the first 6 dressing ingredients together in a large bowl and blend well. Add 1 tbs. of wasabi paste or 1/2 tsp. wasabi powder and blend well. Add more wasabi to taste, depending upon how spicy you want it.

2. Once the dressing is done, add the carrots and the shredded cabbage to the dressing. Add some and then stir to make sure you don't add too much cabbage (salad will be dry then). Keep adding cabbage until you like the consistency (I found that 16 ounces of shredded cabbage was just right for me).

3. Top with either slivered almonds, chopped cashews, or toasted sesame seeds.

NOTES

You can add marinated (in soy) firm tofu to this to make it a complete meal.

Make sure to add the nuts as a topping and not mixed into the salad. If you have to refrigerate leftovers and leave the nuts in there, they'll become soggy.

Thanksgiving Feast...a Little Early!

November. In most Northern areas, it is the month of the final harvest and the month of saying goodbye to long hours of sunshine. It is also the month of saying hello to the plethora of fine fall produce, cocoa, soups and long nights of movie-watching and curling up (if lucky) around a fire with loved ones, human or otherwise. Seattle is the perfect backdrop to the starkness of seasons. In almost an instant, one goes from basking in the afternoon sun to shivering in the morning chill. Colorfully-dying deciduous leaves stand out boldly in an otherwise green and gray landscape. At once we find ourselves celebrating life and death in the natural world. It is the perfect time to find yourself still alive...and the perfect time to feast.

As a vegan, November is also the month that I begin bracing against the meat-fest that is to come. But, feasting for us in the modern world doesn't have to involve the suffering of other beings. Instead, it can be made up, solely, of the inanimate products that the earth naturally produces. Here is just one menu that satisfies the urge to feast, without causing undo harm or suffering to any animals.

Field Roast, Kale & Garlic Mashed Potatoes, & Squash with Wild Rice Stuffing

Field Roast (the easy way)

Slice the Field Roast and saute it in the pan until browned and top with prepared packaged gravy (many gravy packets are vegan, just add water!).

Kale & Garlic Mashed Potatoes

1 bunch kale, stems removed & discarded (a.k.a. fed to the dog), leaves roughly chopped
3 to 5 lbs. of potatoes, peels discarded (to said dog), and quartered
4 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tbs. Earth Balance vegan margarine
1/2 + cups of non-dairy milk
Hickory Bacon Salt

1. Boil the potatoes for 20 minutes.
2. Add the kale to the potatoes and boil for 5 more minutes.
3. Saute the garlic in the margarine over medium-low heat until softened.
4. Drain the potato/kale mixture.
5a. If you're old school, mash with a potato masher and season with salt and pepper to taste.
5b. If you're like me, bust out the electric mixer and whip potato/kale mixture, adding non-dairy milk to reach desired consistency. Add as much Bacon Salt & pepper as needed to make it taste delicious.

Squash:

1 acorn squash, halved and seeded
2 tbs. vegan Earth Balance margarine
2 tsp. brown sugar

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
2. Place squash halves, cut side up, in a casserole dish and plop 1 tbs. of margarine and 1 tsp. of sugar in each. Bake for 45-60 minute, until squash are completely tender.
3. Remove from oven and load with Wild Rice Stuffing

Wild Rice Stuffing:

1/2 cup wild rice
1/2 cup brown rice
4 cups vegetable broth
2 cups chopped mushrooms
1 rib diced celery
1/2 tsp. ground sage
salt & pepper to taste

1. Combine broth, rice, vegetables, and seasonings in rice cooker. Depending upon your rice cooker you may need a little more or less water. Cooking time is around 30-45 minutes.

Vegan Shrimp

So, about a month ago I stumbled across these little vegan shrimps at my local, non-profit, vegan grocery, Sidecar. They are one of MANY vegan meat-replacement products offered by a company called All Vegetarian, Inc.. I had fantasies of making up a batter and deep-frying them, but I guess I've been too unmotivated for that.

Instead, for a quick dinner the other night, I cooked up a box of Zatarain's Gumbo Mix and threw the shrimps in there. I have to say that I was FLOORED at the accuracy of the shrimp-like texture, although, I'm not sure much flavor was coming through. The gumbo turned out pretty good, for one of those out-of-a-box type meals. I served it with sauteed mushrooms and roasted cauliflower. Next time, I'll definitely batter and deep-fry those prawns and whip up homemade cocktail and tartar sauces. Yum!

Disneyland - Vegan Style!

One thing you should know about me: I love Disneyland almost as much as I love eating. Each time I go there, there is some new challenge: a new ride, holiday decorations, a new park. This time around would be my first time going as a vegan, so, naturally, the challenge would be how to eat vegan in Disneyland. I did extensive research; I went through blogs, I combed through all of the menus available online. The result was a three-page document telling me where I could get vegan food in every land of the park, in California Adventure, and Downtown Disney. I have to say, that I was extremely impressed with the level and amount of vegan food available there...if one knows where to look and has a plan.


Thursday - Dinner

On our first night there, we didn't get to the park until evening and we were all starving for dinner. We didn't make it past Main Street before everyone needed to eat. My choices were a *possibly* vegan soup and a *possibly* veganizeable veggie melt at the Carnation Cafe or a Penne Pasta w/ Marinara Sauce at the Plaza Inn. I picked the latter. The portion was so giant, that I shared it with my brother. It was not terribly nutritious, but the sauce was flavorful and the food was filling. Make sure to ask for it with no cheese and skip the cheese bread that comes with.

Friday - Lunch

I was a little worried when everyone got hungry the next day in Tomorrowland, because my options were pretty limited over there. I had the option of getting the same Penne With Marinare Sauce (the same stuff I'd had the night before) at Redd Rockett's Pizza Port or *possibly* veganizing the Roasted Portabello and Vegetable Sandwich at Tomorrowland Terrace. I opted for the latter. I asked to see the ingredients list, which only told me about what went into the roasting of the veggies (lemon, olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic) but nothing about the bread or the aioli. I asked to speak to the chef who told me that the bread was vegan, but the aioli was not. So, I got the sandwich and put a little bit of mustard on it. It was probably one of the most delicious things that I ate in the park. It comes loaded with mushrooms, zucchini, peppers, and onions and is served on the best whole wheat bread I've ever had. Make sure to order it without the cheese & aioli.

Friday - Dinner

Luckily, we were in New Orleans Square at dinnertime, which happens to be the most vegan-friendly land in Disneyland. I was DYING to try the Vegetable (vegan) Gumbo in a bread bowl (vegan) at the Royal Street Veranda. This dish was a tad on the salty side for me (which is pretty standard for DL food), but otherwise it was completely delicious and filling. I ate every last bite of this yummy thing.

Saturday - Lunch

My mom and I both were stoked to eat at Rancho del Zocalo, in Frontierland, for the lunch the next day and planned our day, accordingly. Why are ethnic restaurants so much more vegan-friendly than your standard American fare? There were a couple of things I could've eaten here (the veggie burrito comes to mind), but I opted for veganizing the Vegetable Tostada Salad. I called the chef out and she confirmed that the tortilla, beans, and vegetable preparation was vegan. I just had to eliminate the cheese, sour cream, and dressing business. Again, this was a fantastic AND nutritious meal for DL standards. I really loved this salad.

Saturday - Dinner

We finally made it over to California Adventure, which is even more vegan-friendly than DL. We hit the Wine Country Trattoria. My mom ordered the Quattro Pomodoro with vegan pasta (two of the offered options are vegan, including a gluten-free, rice pasta) and I ordered the Broccolini Aglio Olio with vegan pasta. I thought my mom's was plain and under-seasoned, but my dish was freaking fantastic. The servings here are very generous. Beware, though, that they have absolutely no vegan bread, which I found to be weird and dumb.

Sunday - Lunch

One of my most anticipated, yet disappointing meals, was the Vegetable Po' Boy at the River Belle Terrace. This was supposed to be a yummy, vegan, BBQ sandwich. It was vegan and BBQ, but not yummy in any way. The bun was this crappy, stale, white thing and the veggies weren't properly cooked and were under-seasoned. The sandwich comes with the yummiest vegan baked beans, a pickle, and a choice of sides: coleslaw (not vegan), fruit cups (vegan), and a delicious-looking lentil salad that should be, but is, unfortunately, not vegan. If you wind up at this joint, my advice is to skip the sandwich and see if they'll let you order a giant bowl of the beans, as they were the true highlight here.

Sunday - Dinner

Since Sunday was mom's 60th birthday, I made reservations at the swankiest restaurant that DL has to offer: the Blue Bayou along the "banks" of Pirates of the Carribean. I ordered the Portabello Mushrooms and Couscous Maque Choux and (aside from being slightly over-salted), it was delightful. It was a great end to a my vegan tour of DL.

In addition to these (mostly) great meals, there was much snacking to be done. The popcorn at the DL parks and the soft pretzels, as well as some of the candy and cookies inside the stores are also vegan. If you are going to Disneyland, there is literally a plethora of great vegan options, just do your research and BYO breakfast foods. If you'd like a list, please place your email in the comments below and I'll happily send it to you!

Unfortunately, there were many items that I didn't even get to try: veggie burgers, ratatouille, pomme frites, & vegetable skewers. And that doesn't include the unexplored items of DCA and Downtown Disney. Here's looking forward to next time!