Thanksgiving 2009

Hope that everyone had a great Thanksgiving! We were lucky this year to have a visit from my mom, who was wonderful to have around and made meal preparations a lot easier by watching our toddler while we worked away in the kitchen. The menu this year included:

• Baked tofu
• Mashed potatoes
• Gravy
• Roasted sweet potatoes
• Braised kale
• Arugula, pear and caramelized pecan salad
• Cranberry sauce

And, for dessert, pumpkin and apple pies. Everything turned out absolutely delicious! Our toddler was especially smitten with the kale, which she polished off quickly, and happily ate everything else too. Well, the arugula was not such a big hit with her, but she loved the pecans in the salad.

One of the stars of the meal was the gravy. For some reason, it has been difficult to master the perfect vegan gravy, but I think we have done it this year. The secret? A rich, homemade mushroom broth. From there, it was super easy to whip up the perfect topping for our baked tofu and mashed potatoes. We made the stock the day before and also used it in the tofu marinade, so although it was an extra step, it really made the meal special.

Shiitake Mushroom Stock
Makes ~1 gallon

Ingredients

2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
1 onion, coarsely chopped
1 shallot, coarsely chopped
1/4 cup red wine
2 stalks celery, coarsely chopped
2 carrots, coarsely chopped
2 ounces dried shiitake mushrooms
16 cups filtered water (you can use less if you want it more concentrated)
1/4 cup soy sauce (or to taste)

Preparation
Heat olive oil over medium-high heat in a thick-bottomed stock pot. Cook onion and shallot for 3 to 5 minutes and then pour in wine to deglaze pan. Cook for a few more minutes, then add all the other ingredients except soy sauce. Cover, bring to a boil, and then simmer over medium heat for 3 to 4 hours, stirring occasionally and removing lid about halfway through cooking time. Add soy sauce to taste. Strain into a storage container and refrigerate or freeze until ready to use.

Easy Vegan Gravy
Makes 2 cups

Ingredients

1/4 cup non-hydrogenated vegan margarine (such as Earth Balance)
1/4 cup flour
2 cups shiitake mushroom stock, warmed

Preparation
Melt margarine over medium heat. When melted, add flour and whisk together for a few minutes until the roux is bubbling vigorously. Whisk in warm stock. Heat until gravy has thickened to preferred consistency. If it gets too thick, add a bit more stock to thin it out. Serve immediately.

2009 Garden Wrap-Up

First, a short apology for my lack of blog posts and rather infrequent Twitter updates. This fall has been extremely busy, and the main reason for neglecting my online life has been that my hours at work have gone up temporarily. This has led to various adjustments in our family's schedule, and since I spend much of my work time in front of the computer, I'd rather spend my time at home playing with my daughter, baking, reading, etc. There are other reasons, but... more about that later. I am hoping to have more time to post after the new year begins.

Well, the chilly, drizzly, grey Seattle fall is officially upon us now. Though I had planted a small winter garden (cabbage, beets and green onions), I must have gotten started a bit too late because the plants aren't growing very well. I think I will just sow a cover crop to put the garden to bed for the year.

All in all, though, it was a pretty good year for the garden. I am glad that I planted zucchini, so that we had at least one prodigious crop, and the leeks also did fairly well. There are still a few Christmas lima bean pods waiting to be harvested (which will probably give us a grand total of less than 10 beans... a toddler-size portion, I suppose).

We also got a very small harvest of Jacob's Cattle beans (maybe 1/4 cup):

I think that's the last time I will try to grow dry beans, since they are so inexpensive to buy in bulk. But, it was a fun experiment and they were pretty tasty.

On the fruit side, our apple tree didn't produce any apples this year (last year's bumper crop must have been a bit too much for it), but we got quite a few plums. Much to our daughter's delight, the blueberries also came in with a vengeance. "Blueberry" was one of her first words--every time we went outside we had to see if there were any more that were ripe enough to pick. She really enjoyed "helping" with the garden this year and watching all of the plants grow. And her favorite part, of course, was helping to harvest and eat all the yummy fruits and veggies. I expect that next year she will be an even more enthusiastic helper.

Next year, I think I will keep it small and simple, and stick with just a few crops that grow quickly and do well in our climate. I also hope to plant kale again. We took the year off from brassicas in one of our beds since we had some pest problems, so I am eager to grow my favorite veg again next year. While I am by no means an expert gardener, I did appreciate the opportunities that my garden provided to get me outside more and help my daughter learn about where food comes from.

VT's Nut Cheeses, Simplified

I was excited to see a spread on homemade, nut-based vegan cheeses in Vegetarian Times back in the spring. I set out to try the cashew and almond-based cheeses, and found them to be quite delicious. (They also were a huge hit with the husband and daughter.) However, they took a long time (2 days!) from start to finish, since the nuts need to be soaked overnight before they are blended together with the other ingredients, then they drain in cheesecloth overnight before being baked at a low temperature for several hours. (Though the recipes stated they needed to bake for only 40 minutes, that didn't get them very firm in my oven).

While the recipes as printed would be wonderful to serve at parties, I decided they could use a little simplification in order to be more of a staple in our house. I have been playing around with the recipes and came up with slightly less time-consuming versions. These versions are not firm enough to be sliced, but they work great as a dip or spread. They are wonderful as an afternoon snack with crackers, or spread onto sandwiches (we made awesome grilled cheeses, dressed up a bit with the aid of some red onion confit we had on hand--an amazingly delicious combo), or as a dip for veggies. The cashew cheese would also make a fine cream cheese substitute.

We tend to make the almond cheese more often, since almonds have a slight nutritional edge over cashews, with higher levels of protein and calcium. But both types of cheese are delicious and full of healthy fats. They are fairly high-calorie, though, so if you are watching your weight, be sure to stick to a reasonable portion size. You could also experiment with cutting down on the added oils in the recipes.

My simplified versions are below, but the original recipes from VT (Almond Feta Cheese with Herb Oil and Pepper-Crusted Cashew Goat Cheese) are definitely worth checking out if you are looking to impress a crowd!


Almond Feta Cheese
Adapted from Vegetarian Times, April 2009
Makes ~10 oz.

Ingredients

• 1 cup whole blanched almonds
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 3 TB olive oil
• 1/4 cup water
• 3/4 tsp salt

Preparation

1. Place almonds in medium bowl and cover with 3 inches cold water. Let soak 12-24 hours. Drain soaking liquid, rinse almonds under cold running water, and drain again.
2. Puree almonds with remaining ingredients in food processor or blender about 6 minutes, or until very smooth and creamy. Transfer to storage container or serving bowl.
3. Let sit in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours (preferably overnight) before serving.

Cashew Goat Cheese
Adapted from Vegetarian Times, April 2009
Makes ~10 oz

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup raw cashews
• 6 TB canola oil
• 1/4 cup lemon juice
• 1 TB tahini
• 3/4 tsp salt

Preparation

1. Place cashews in medium bowl and cover with 3 inches cold water. Let soak overnight. Drain soaking liquid, rinse cashews under cold running water, and drain again.
2. Puree cashews with remaining ingredients in food processor or blender about 6 minutes, or until very smooth and creamy. Transfer to storage container or serving bowl.
3. Let sit at room temperature for at least 2 hours (up to 12) before serving. Store in refrigerator.

Almond Plum Tart

When late August rolls around, our backyard plum tree is usually bursting with ripe fruit, leaving us with the (pleasant) dilemma of what we are going to do with the bountiful harvest. This year, I pitted and dried some in the oven for prunes, and also made some marvelous plum butter using my new slow cooker. So we will have some plum goodness to carry us through the fall, at least.

Even after all that, we still had quite a few left over. Besides eating them out of hand (an activity of which our daughter never seems to tire), I used a bunch of them for one of my favorite summertime desserts, a plum tart with frangipane filling. I have made it for several tea tastings and potlucks throughout the years, and it's always a hit! The slightly sweet almond paste gives it a satisfying richness, and the fruit topping is a refreshing counterpart. The filling would also pair well with many other fruits (cherries, apricots, peaches, nectarines...), so feel free to use whatever is locally available and in season!

Almond Plum Tart
(Adapted from Stone Fruit: Cherries, Nectarines, Apricots, Plums, Peaches by Cynthia Nims)
Serves 8-10

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup blanched* almonds
• 6 TB sugar
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup non-hydrogenated margarine (such as Earth Balance), at room temperature
• 1/4 cup almond milk
• 1/2 tsp almond extract
• 1 pie crust (I usually use this classic recipe, with Spectrum Organic palm oil shortening)
  
• 1-1.5 lbs ripe but firm plums

Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 400F. Prepare your pie crust and transfer to a tart pan.
2. Put the almonds in a food processor or blender along with the sugar and flour, and process until the almonds are very finely ground. Add the margarine, almond milk, and almond extract, and pulse a few times to evenly blend, scraping down the sides as needed.
3. Spread the frangipane evenly into the crust. It won't look like it is very full, but don't worry, it will puff up a bit when baking.
4. If you want to make your tart look extra fancy, slice the plums and arrange in a lovely pattern atop the tart. If you are pressed for time, cutting the plums in half and placing them cut side up on top of the tart works just as well. If your plums are very tart, or you just want a little extra sweetness, sprinkle a tablespoon or two of sugar on top.
5. Bake until the plums are tender and the pie crust is beginning to brown, 30-35 minutes. Allow to cool for a few minutes, then slice and enjoy warm or at room temperature.

*You can blanch raw almonds yourself by adding them to boiling water and cooking a few minutes until their skins become loose and they begin to float. Remove from hot water and allow to cool, then pop the almonds out of their skins, towel dry if they seem a bit damp, and proceed with the recipe.

Vegan Dietitian is Two Years Old!

As of today, it has been two years since I began writing this blog! I hope that its mix of recipes, nutrition topics, and stories about our family continues to be of interest. I apologize that the posting frequency has been relatively low lately, thanks in part to a busy 17-month-old who takes short naps and also to our desire to get out and enjoy the glorious Seattle summer. I'm afraid that I also have a busy autumn ahead, so I won't be getting many posts in throughout the remainder of the year, but I hope to chime in now and again. You can always follow me on Twitter for more frequent updates about what our family is eating, occasional quick recipes, veganism in the news, and other tidbits.

Anyway, this is a cause for celebration! Bring out the cupcakes!

Chocolate cupcakes with chocolate mousse frosting from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World

Well, since it is the 2nd anniversary, might as well have two....

Vanilla cupcake with pomegranate "buttercream" frosting

Lastly, I just want to say how grateful I am to all of the readers of this humble blog. I always love to hear your comments and suggestions for posts.

Thanks for reading!

In the Garden: First Harvest

Finally, our work in the garden is beginning to pay off! Last weekend, we harvested our first zucchini of the season. I planted the squash figuring that I needed at least one crop that would be sure to grow, and I'm very glad I did. Zucchini is a great crop for beginning gardeners--it's sure to boost your confidence!


Remember those cute little squash sprouts?


And here they are now. Completely taken over the bed. Wow!


With the first harvest, I decided to make a simple Italian-inspired bean salad, and was surprised at how delicious it turned out. It's a great way to make use of summer vegetables, along with fiber- and protein-rich white beans! The "recipe" (such as it is) follows--the amounts are just estimates, and it is very open to improvisation.


Roasted Summer Vegetable Bean Salad
Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

• 2 15-oz cans or 3 cups of cooked white beans
• 1 pint of cherry tomatoes
• 1 lb or so of zucchini (I used 4 small)
  
• 2 cloves garlic (optional)
• Olive oil
• Salt
• Pepper
• ~1/4 cup vinaigrette dressing (I made my own using olive oil, balsamic vinegar, agave nectar, salt, pepper, roasted garlic and fresh thyme)

Preparation:

• Preheat oven to 350. Slice tomatoes in half and arrange cut-side up on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Put in oven while prepping zucchini.
• (Optional: you can peel a few cloves of garlic to roast along with the tomatoes so that you can add to your dressing later.)
• Slice zucchini into thin rounds and place in a bowl. Toss with a few tablespoons of olive oil and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Arrange in a single layer on a separate baking sheet.
• Roast vegetables for 30-45 minutes, until zucchini is starting to brown, and tomatoes look slightly dehydrated and bottoms are brown. The zucchini will likely be finished before the tomatoes.
• If you are making your own dressing, now is a good time to put it together.
• Allow vegetables to cool for a few minutes. Refrain from "taste-testing" all of the delicious roasted tomatoes.
  
• Drain and rinse beans (if using canned). Add to serving bowl and fold in vegetables. Add dressing to taste. Serve and enjoy!

Celebrate Food Independence Day on July 4th!

As a dietitian and food lover, I am a huge proponent of eating locally. There are so many benefits to eating food that is grown close to where you live: by buying local, you are able to support your regional economy, meet the farmers who grow your food, and reduce the number of miles that your produce travels to get to your plate. Not to mention the fact that super-fresh produce just tastes better (we had some chard from our CSA tonight that was out-of-this-world delicious--the best I've ever had, and I've had a lot of chard!), and if you like the way your vegetables taste, you are bound to eat more of them--a very good thing for your health. Plus, you are voting with your fork for a better, more sustainable and health-promoting agricultural system.

This July 4th, foodindependenceday.org is urging us to "declare our food independence by sourcing the ingredients for our holiday meals as locally, sustainably and deliciously as possible"--and asking our elected officials to do the same. Their website offers a petition to the 50 first families of the United States to lead by example and source the ingredients of their holiday meals locally. Just think of the impact that the White House's organic vegetable garden has already had on raising awareness of sustainable agriculture--these seemingly small actions can make a big difference.

As Roger Doiron of Kitchen Gardeners International so eloquently puts it:

Moving towards food independence doesn't mean having to do everything and grow everything on our own. It's about learning what we, our soils, climate, and local farmers can produce, effortlessly or with some coaxing, and committing to eat more of these things when nature offers them up to us. In doing so, we discover that we have more choices and freedom than we realized.

Plus, in striving for greater food independence for yourself, your family and community, you’ll be joining a revolutionary tradition that transcends time, cultures and borders. The battle for food independence is inextricably entwined with the history of political independence. Whether it’s the “Sons of Liberty” tossing crates of tea into Boston Harbor or hungry French peasants storming the Bastille armed only with farm tools and stale baguettes (a lethal weapon, if you've ever been on the business end of one), history offers inspiring examples of what small bands of people can achieve when they put their mind to something.

So, don’t just celebrate your independence this summer, savor it in all its freshness, localness, and drip-down-your-chin juiciness. We can’t know it for sure, but I suspect it’s what the “Founding Farmers” would want us to do.