Cornbread

Cornbread: as my dad might say, it's one of the four main food groups!  It also happens to serve as a great accompaniment to Hoppin John and Collard Greens.

A fluffy yet moist square of cornbread.

The egg-replacer in this recipe incorporates a technique that I've never tried before but that I'll definitely make use of in the future: heating a mixture of water and ground flax seed.  These ingredients are commonly used as an egg-replacer in vegan recipes; however, the act of heating the mixture results in an incredible, viscous texture that comes closer to an egg than any egg-replacer I've used.  Eureka!
 
Recipe:
Cornbread

• 1 cup flour
• 1 cup cornmeal
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt 
• 2 tablespoons ground flax seeds
• 6 tablespoons water
• 1 cup soymilk
• 1/4 cup canola oil

First, preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit.  Grease an 8x8" baking dish and set aside.

Then, in a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt.  Set aside.  

Next, prepare the egg-replacer.  Bring the water to a boil in a small saucepan.  Add the flax seed, and simmer the mixture on low heat for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

Add the egg-replacer mixture to the dry ingredients, along with the soymilk and canola oil.  Mix with a wooden spoon until just combined.  (Do not overmix.)

Pour the batter into the prepared baking dish.  Bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cornbread comes out clean.  Cool 10 minutes before cutting. 

Yields 16 small squares. 

Comments:

Taste:           

Moist, yet fluffy?  Check.  Sweet, but not overly so?  Check. 

Accessibility:               

These ingredients should be easy to find, with the possible exception of ground flax seed.  Tip: If you buy a whole bag of ground flax seed, store it in the refrigerator--it will keep for a long time.     

 Ease of Preparation:        

This is a really quick dish--even with the 20-minute cooking time.  Honestly, waiting for the oven to pre-heat was my biggest delay.   

Non-vegan friendliness:             

The only off-putting element of this dish is the visibility of the flax seeds.  The cornbread is light-colored, so the flax seeds stand out.  Taste-wise, this corn bread is just as good as non-vegan versions.  (Large pat of vegan butter, optional.)

Avocado, Spinach, and Sun-dried Tomato Panini

Every once in a while I browse Vegetarian Times' website for recipes.  They have a pretty decent selection of vegan recipes, though, as I've said before, most recipes contain dairy products.  The other day I found an intriguing panini recipe: what I like most about it is that it doesn't assume I have a panini maker (I don't).  Plus, anything with sun-dried tomatoes and avocado catches my eye.     

The perfect summer sandwich--even in October.

Here's the Vegetarian Times recipe with a few of my own adjustments.

Recipe:     
Avocado, Spinach, and Sun-dried Tomato Paninis

• 1 - 8.5 ounce jar julienned sun-dried tomatoes in oil
• 3 avocados, halved and thinly sliced
• 1 small red onion, sliced thinly
• 3 cups lightly packed baby spinach
• 6 ciabatta rolls, cut in half

First, use a fork to remove the sun-dried tomatoes from the oil; set aside.  Next, layer each roll with  avocado, sun-dried tomato, onion, and 1/2  cup spinach.  Then lightly spray the exterior of each roll with cooking spray.  

Heat a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.  Place one or two paninis in the pan and weight them down with a smaller-diameter saucepan weighted with one or two cans.  Cook for about two minutes, remove the weight, carefully flip the paninis using a spatula, replace the weight, and cook for another two minutes.

(If you do have a panini maker, cook for four minutes using the panini maker.)

Cut in half and serve.  Yields 6 paninis.

Comments:
Taste:          

Our paninis struggled a bit because our rolls were pretty small (they were square-shaped and maybe four inches wide).  It was difficult to keep all of the ingredients in the panini, let alone get all of the ingredients together in one bite.  As a result, I recommend using medium or large ciabatta rolls to ensure the structural soundness of each panini. 

When all of the ingredients did come together, it was a delicious bite.  The firm, toasty bread contrasted nicely with the smooth avocado, and the sun-dried tomatoes added a smoky, sweet flavor.  

Accessibility:        

We had trouble finding appropriately-sized ciabatta rolls at our regular grocery store (it doesn't have the greatest bakery section).  Everything else was easy to find, though the ingredients are a bit expensive as far as sandwiches go. 

 Ease of Preparation:         

While assembling the sandwich is quick and easy, it was a little difficult to flip the paninis in the pan without spilling some ingredients.  Again, I think larger rolls would help solve this problem. 

Non-vegan friendliness:         

I could see this panini on the menu of any café or sandwich shop.     

Summer Squash Bread

Although I haven't yet figured out how to cultivate a garden in my apartment, I was fortunate enough to receive two home-grown summer squashes from my parents' garden.  Thank you, mom and dad, for enabling me to make Summer Squash Bread! 

A sweet, fragrant loaf of squash bread.

Recipe:     
Summer Squash Bread

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups grated summer squash
• 2 cups sugar
• 1/4 cup canola oil
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 tablespoons honey or another liquid sweetener
• 1 ripe banana, mashed
• 1 carrot, grated
• zest of 1 lime
• 1.5 cups Ghirardelli chocolate chips (optional)

First, preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.  Place 12 muffin cups in a muffin tin and set aside.  Lightly grease a loaf pan and set aside. 

Next, mix together the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, nutmeg, and salt in a large bowl.  Form a well in the center of the bowl and set aside.  In a separate medium bowl, mix together the remaining ingredients (except chocolate chips).  Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl of dry ingredients and stir until just combined.  Then fold in the chocolate chips.

Fill the muffin cups 3/4 full with batter; then pour the remaining batter into the loaf pan.  Bake both pans for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center of a muffin comes out clean.  Once the muffins have been removed, lower the oven temperature to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and bake the loaf for another 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.  Once the muffins have cooled for a few minutes in the pan, remove them to cool completely on a wire rack. 


Yields 12 muffins and 1 loaf.

Comments:
Taste:        

I'm not sure there are many more delicious ways to eat squash.  This spiced bread is moist and dense, yet springy.  I'd say it's almost more of a cake than a bread.  The chocolate chips are optional--and the bread would be great without them--but for the chocoholic like me, they do add a little something special.  

Accessibility:     

This "bread" recipe makes use of a healthy number of fruits and vegetables (pun intended!), so it's probably best made in the summer. 

 Ease of Preparation:        

If you have a grater attachment on your food processor, this is a good time to use it.  Once the ingredients are ready to go, the method is quite simple.

Non-vegan friendliness:       

I brought the muffins in to work and they were a big hit!  My vegan/gluten-free coworker and I are slowly but surely exposing our office to the joys of vegan baking. 

Baked Macaroni and Cheese

Last week we decided to try out a new recipe for vegan macaroni and cheese.  I've tried several such recipes as a vegan, but none of them has been quite right.  Many vegan mac and cheese recipes incorporate nutritional yeast, a powdery substance with a nutty, cheesy flavor; however, in addition to the creamy, cheesy flavor it brings to a dish, nutritional yeast also has an aftertaste that can mar the overall tastiness. 

With that in mind, I decided to make use of the rich nuttiness of cashews in this version of Baked Macaroni and Cheese. 

Don't you love that crusty baked top?

Spoiler alert: it turns out that nuts and vegetables can combine into a pretty delicious pasta sauce, but they certainly don't become cheese. 

Recipe:     
Baked Macaroni and Cheese

• 8 ounces whole wheat macaroni
• 4 slices of old bread, torn into large pieces
• 2 tablespoons + 1/3 cup vegan butter
• 2 tablespoons shallots, peeled and diced
• 1 cup potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1/4 cup carrots, chopped
• 1/3 cup onion, diced
• 1 cup water
• 1/4 cup unsalted cashews
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1/4 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1/4 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika

First, prepare the macaroni in salted water, according to package instructions.  Drain and set aside.

Next, place the bread and 2 tablespoons butter in a food processor and process until you have fine breadcrumbs.  Set aside.

At this point, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Then, bring the shallots, potatoes, carrots, onion, and water to a boil in a medium saucepan.  Cook for 15 minutes or until very soft.  Meanwhile, process the cashews, salt, garlic, 1/3 cup butter, mustard, lemon juice, pepper, and cayenne in a food processor or blender.  Once the vegetables are cooked, add them along with the cooking water to the blender and mix until smooth.  

Mix together the pasta and "cheese" sauce in a large casserole dish or glass baking pan.  Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the top and dust with paprika.  Bake uncovered for 30 minutes or until the top is golden brown.  Serve hot.

Serves 6.

Comments:

Taste:        

We all enjoyed this pasta dish--and it was incredible to see vegetables and nuts come together into such a delicious sauce--but, when it comes down to it, this macaroni and cheese just isn't very cheesy.  The flavor was nutty and smooth, but neither creamy nor gooey.  As Rachel put it, "It's [not] the cheesiest!"  Still, as I said, it was a tasty dish.  My favorite part was probably the crispy, crunchy texture of the baked topping...and the fact that it didn't set me back over 1,000 calories.

Accessibility:     

This recipe uses many ingredients to make up for one (cheese), but nothing is too hard to find.  Buying cashews might seem a little expensive when you only need 1/4 cup, but you can always snack on the extras later.  Yum.

 Ease of Preparation:        

This recipe takes a while to make between the boiling and baking, but it's all pretty simple (as long as you have a blender or food processor). 

Non-vegan friendliness:       

Yummy pasta dish?  Yes.  Macaroni and cheese?  No. 

Cherry Tomato Focaccia Bread

Hello, loyal readers.  I know I promised to post the salad recipe that goes along with the Spaghetti with Walnuts and Fried Breadcrumbs from last night, but I've decided against it.  It turns out that some things (job applications, for instance) take precedence over blogging about a fairly unexciting salad.

Don't fret, though: I am going to post a delicious focaccia recipe instead. 

What could be better than this?

Recipe:     
Cherry Tomato Focaccia Bread

• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 1.5 cups whole wheat pastry flour (or another 1.5 cups all purpose flour)
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2.5 teaspoons active dry yeast
• 2 teaspoons salt
• olive oil, for greasing the baking sheet + 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup shelled pistachios
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
• 2 cups cherry tomatoes, halved

First, prepare the dough.  Stir together the flours, sugar, yeast, salt and 1.25 cups water in a large bowl.  Turn out the dough onto a clean work surface and knead with your hands for five minutes.  Return the dough to the bowl, cover with a towel, and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour, or until the dough doubles in size.

Meanwhile, generously grease a rimmed baking sheet with olive oil.  Once the dough has risen, stretch the dough into a 12" x 11" rectangle in the pan.  Let rise for another hour.

While the dough is rising, prepare the focaccia topping.  Place the pistachios in a plastic bag and use the back of a spoon to crush them against your counter top (or use a food processor), leaving some larger pieces.  Transfer the pistachios to a small bowl and stir in the olive oil, garlic, and rosemary.

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.  Once the dough has risen, dimple the dough with your finger tips.  Whisk 2 tablespoons water into the topping mixture and brush the mixture onto the dough.  Then press the tomato halves cut-side up into the dough.  

Bake for about 25 minutes, or until the bread is golden brown.  Serves 8. 

Comments:

Taste:      

The tomatoes, pistachios, and whole wheat dough come together into a hearty, nutty, toasty, yet fresh bite.  The light crust on the top of the focaccia adds a welcome crunch to the thick bread, and each tomato's sweet juiciness is icing on the cake. 

Accessibility:    

Pistachios should be easy to find--in my experience, they can be found in the bulk section of the grocery store, rather than in the snack nuts section--but they can be expensive.  Whole wheat pastry flour can also be replaced by regular flour for a lighter focaccia bread. 

 Ease of Preparation:        

There's nothing terribly complicated about this recipe, but it does take a long time and require some muscle. 

Non-vegan friendliness:       

"Mmmm!"  That is the sound that non-vegans make when they eat this focaccia bread. 

Homemade Soft Pretzels

Think you can only get soft pretzels at an over-priced stadium concession stand?  (Or from a convenience store, or in the frozen food section of the grocery store?)  Think again!
 

A pair of pretzels on a plate.

Simon and I took a stab at soft pretzel-making over the weekend.  Without a stand mixer and dough hooks to ease kneading, we put our muscles to good use.  That's what I call a work-out.

Recipe:     
Homemade Soft Pretzels

• 1.5 cups very warm water
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 package active dry yeast
• 22 ounces flour (a generous 4 1/2 cups) + more to flour your work surface
• 2 ounces vegan butter, melted
• Vegetable oil to grease your pans/work surfaces
• 10 cups water
• 2/3 cup baking soda
• Pretzel or kosher salt to sprinkle on top

First, whisk together the warm water, sugar, and kosher salt in a large bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer, if you have one) until dissolved.  Sprinkle the yeast on top and allow to sit for 5 minutes or until the mixture begins to foam.

Then add the flour and butter.  Using a wooden spoon (or your stand mixer's dough hook attachment on low speed), mix until well combined. At this point, turn the dough out onto a clean, floured work surface and knead--sprinkling flour to keep it from sticking, as needed--until the dough is smooth, approximately 5 minutes.  (Or, continue kneading in your stand mixer on medium speed until the dough pulls away from the side of the bowl.  Then remove the dough from the bowl.)

Grease the inside of the empty dough bowl with vegetable oil and return the dough to the bowl.  Cover tightly with plastic wrap and allow the dough to rise in a warm place for approximately 50 minutes, or until the dough has doubled in size.

Once the dough has risen, preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and lightly grease with oil.  Set aside.  Then combine the 10 cups of water and baking soda in a large saucepan and bring to a boil.

Meanwhile, place the dough on a clean, lightly oiled work surface and divide into 8 equal pieces.  Using your hands, roll out each piece of dough into a 2-foot long cord.  To form each pretzel, start by making a U-shape with the dough.  Then, holding the ends at the top of the U, cross them over each other and press onto the bottom of the U.  Carefully place each pretzel on the parchment-lined baking sheets.  

 Finally, one by one, carefully place each pretzel into the boiling water and cook for 30 seconds.  Remove the pretzels from the pot using a large spatula and return them to the baking sheet.  Sprinkle salt over top of each pretzel while still wet.

Bake the pretzels until they are golden brown in color, about 14 minutes.

Yields 8 large pretzels.

Comments:

Taste:          

I was thrilled with how these pretzels came out.  Ours were a bit short and stout rather than long and lean, but they were still fluffy on the inside with a nice browning on the outside. 

Accessibility:   

Sometimes, staple ingredients are all you need.

 Ease of Preparation:      

This is a good weekend recipe because it does take a while to make, between the dough rising and kneading.  That said, it's pretty simple to do (even without a stand mixer).

Non-vegan friendliness:      

These taste better than many, if not most, of the soft pretzels I've had the pleasure of meeting. 

Hearty "Sausage" Stuffing

I love stuffing.  It's one of the most under-appreciated foods in existence.  Actually, everyone appreciates it with gusto at Thanksgiving (and maybe one other holiday each year); so, why don't we eat it more often?

Go on, make stuffing more than once a year!  You won't regret it.  Plus, it's a good use for stale bread!

Here's my recipe for Hearty "Sausage" Stuffing. 

Recipe:     
Hearty "Sausage" Stuffing

• 1 package Gimme Lean Sausage, cut into small, bite-sized pieces
• olive oil, for sautéing 
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 2 stalks celery, diced
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 3/4 cup frozen corn
• 3/4 cup frozen peas
• 15 ounces low-sodium vegetable broth
• 1 egg-equivalent (I use 1.5 teaspoons Ener-G Egg Replacer whisked together with 2 tablespoons warm water, here)
• a pinch of sage
• 1/2 cup vegan butter, melted
• 1 loaf day-old bread, cut or ripped into cubes

First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Grease a casserole dish or large baking pan with cooking spray and set aside.

Next, brown the sausage.  Add about a tablespoon of oil to a large, nonstick skillet and heat over medium-high heat.  Add as many sausage bits as comfortably fit in the bottom of the pan and allow to brown on one side for a few minutes.  Flip the sausage and continue browning.  Remove from the pan and set aside before browning the remaining sausage in a second batch.  Set all sausage aside. 

In the same (now empty) skillet, add a bit more olive oil and the garlic and heat over medium heat.  Add the celery, onion, and carrots and sauté, stirring occasionally, until tender.  Then add the corn and peas and continue to cook until heated through.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine the broth, egg replacer, sage, and melted butter.

Once all of the components are ready, mix together all ingredients in a large bowl.  Transfer the stuffing to your baking dish and bake, uncovered, for 45-50 minutes.

Yields 1 pan stuffing.  

Comments:

Taste:          

This stuffing is truly hearty and delicious.  It's almost like a bread casserole, and I eat it more like a main dish than a side dish (though it would be great as a side dish, too).  The vegetables and sage come together to create an irresistible, savory flavor, and the browned, crispy sausage adds both protein and varied texture.  Simon likes how the sausage makes it substantial, noting that "it has all of the components of a main dish."

Accessibility:  

Unfortunately, vegan sausage is scarce at most standard grocery stores.  (It does freeze well, though, so we often stock up at Whole Foods whenever we're there.)  If you're planning to leave out the sausage, though, the recipe becomes much more accessible.

 Ease of Preparation:      

There are several steps involved in this recipe, but they're all worth it.  As I wrote above, I like to reuse the sausage skillet for the veggies to save on prep and clean-up time.

Non-vegan friendliness:      

Stuffing is a pretty everyone-friendly food.  This version is no exception.  Simon even planned to bring it to a work party.  (Sadly, he dropped the glass dish of stuffing on the kitchen floor, and broken glass/floor dirt aren't great additions to the recipe.) 

Vegetable Ribollita

Last night we made Vegetable Ribollita for dinner.  What's that, you ask?  I didn't know before making it, either.  According to ever-helpful Wikipedia, ribollita is "a hearty potage made with bread and vegetables."  Wikipedia continues to explain that ribollita--a Tuscan soup dish--dates back to the Middle Ages, when "servants gathered up food-soaked bread trenchers from feudal lords' banquets and boiled them for their own dinners."  After reading such an enticing description, how could I not try this out?

Our hearty potage!

Recipe:   
Vegetable Ribollita

• 1/4 cup olive oil 
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2.5 cups diced onion
• 3/4 cup sliced celery 
• 1 medium zucchini, diced
• 3/4 diced carrot 
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary
• salt, to taste
• pepper, to taste
• 1 medium head of cabbage, coarsely chopped 
• 1 - 15 ounce can diced tomatoes
• 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
• 1 teaspoon marjoram
• 1 - 15 ounce can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
• 8 cups low-sodium vegetable broth 
• 2 cups water (or two more cups vegetable broth)
• 4 cups cubed sourdough bread (about 1/2 loaf)
• 3 cups baby spinach leaves

First, heat the olive oil and garlic in a large soup pot over medium heat.  Add the onions, celery, zucchini, carrots, and rosemary, and season with salt and pepper.  Cook until the vegetables become soft and begin to brown, or about 10 minutes. Add the cabbage, tomatoes, basil, and marjoram, and season again with salt and pepper. Cook until cabbage is just tender, or another 10 minutes. Then stir in the beans, vegetable broth, and water.  Bring the soup to a boil, lower the heat, and simmer for about 20 minutes. Next, stir in the bread and spinach, increase increase the heat to medium, and cook until the soup thickens, about 10 minutes more. Finally, taste the soup and season with salt and pepper one last time before serving.

Comments:

Taste:        or     

Wikipedia's description is dead-on when it calls this soup "hearty."  The flavor is simple and subtle without being bland, and each bite highlights a different soup component.  I also really like the fact that this soup has something different going on in it: bread cubes.  However, Simon wasn't as pro-ribollita as Rachel and I were.  He felt that the bread was unpleasantly soggy and he didn't like that the texture was somewhere between a soup and a stew.   

Accessibility:        

There are a lot of fresh ingredients involved in this soup, but they are all very easy to find in any grocery store.  The great thing about this recipe is that it's not critical that your bread be incredibly fresh.  If your bread is a little old, just toast it before using. 

 Ease of Preparation:    

These vegetables require a fair amount of chopping to prepare.  As always, it will make your life much easier if you chop everything before starting the recipe. 

Non-Vegan friendliness:    

This is a really filling soup and I would feel comfortable serving again as a one-pot meal.  The dish doesn't present much of a wow-factor, but it's a solid dinner.  We also dipped some leftover bread in the soup, and Simon and Rachel melted cheese onto their bread in the toaster oven before dunking.