Crispy Potato Latkes with Chunky Applesauce

In light of Hannukah (get it?), we made latkes last week!  I'd never made homemade latkes before so I was a bit worried about how they would turn out (egg is usually used as a binder to hold each latke together), but happily ours came out and held together well.  Just remember to pat each one with a paper towel to remove excess oil... 

A trio of piping hot latkes topped with applesauce.

I recommend making the applesauce first so it can cool a bit while you make the latkes. 

Recipe:
Chunky Applesauce

•  1 tablespoon canola oil
• 5 large Fuji apples, peeled and diced
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice

First, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the apples, stir, and sauté for two minutes.  Add the cinnamon and cloves; cover and reduce the heat to medium-low.  Allow the apples to cook for about 15 minutes (until they are tender).  Then, uncover the skillet and cook for another 10 minutes, or until the applesauce has thickened.  Stir in the sugar and cook for two more minutes.  Finally, remove from heat, stir in the lemon juice, and cool.

Crispy Potato Latkes

• 4 large russet potatoes, peeled
• 1 onion, peeled and quartered
• 3 tablespoons chopped parsely
• 1 egg equivalent (we used Ener-G Egg Replacer powder)
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/4 cup canola oil, plus more as needed, for frying

First, grate the potatoes and onion using the grating attachment of a food processor (or a regular hand-grater).  Alternate between the onion and potato while grating.  Transfer the grated ingredients to a colander.

One handful at a time, remove the grated ingredients from the colander, squeeze to remove as much liquid as possible, and place the mixture in a large bowl.  Then stir in the parsley, egg equivalent, flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper. 

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat in order to fry the latkes.  To form each latke, use a large slotted spoon to compress potato mixture into a pancake.  Then carefully place the latke into the pan and flatten using the spoon.  Fry the latkes for 4 minutes on each side (use two spoons/spatulas to turn them over to avoid oil splatter), or until very crisp on the outside.  Set the cooked latkes on a paper towel-covered plate while cooking the rest.  

Serve hot with applesauce.  Yields 18 latkes. 

Comments:

Taste:           

This recipe was a success.  The latkes were crisp on the outside, cooked on the inside, and nicely flavored.  I loved the homemade applesauce on top of the latkes: it adds a nice contrast in texture and temperature to the dish.  I wouldn't change anything about this recipe!

Accessibility:            

The ingredients in this dish are not difficult to come by.  Just be prepared to go through a lot of oil while frying. 

 Ease of Preparation:      

This is a pretty labor-intensive dish to prepare, though using a food processor to grate the onions and potatoes is certainly a time- and energy-saver.  Be sure to be cautious and delicate when dealing with the latkes in hot oil! 

Non-vegan friendliness:           

Simon, our resident latke expert, says that these taste as good as traditional non-vegan latkes, but they may not have held together quite as well.  Also, just as a note, Simon and Rachel ate some of their latkes with sour cream.

Warm German Potato Salad

Warm potato salad might seem like an odd concept if you're used to cold, mayo-based potato salad.  While I certainly ate my share of the latter before I was vegan, I will always have a special place in my stomach for Warm German Potato Salad--something I grew up eating with the Pennsylvania German (Dutch) side of my family.  The traditional version of this dish is made with bacon, while a vinegar base stands in for mayo by design.  

A pan of warm potato salad.

Here's a recipe for a vegan version of this tasty side dish.  

Recipe:     
Warm German Potato Salad

• 4 large potatoes, cubed
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 5 slices mock bacon strips
• 1-2 tablespoons sugar
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 2/3 cup water
• 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon brown mustard
• 1 small bunch scallions, sliced
• salt and pepper to taste

First, place the potatoes in a saucepan or pot and add just enough water to cover them.  Bring the potatoes to a boil and cook until tender (around 15 minutes, depending on how big your cubes are).  Drain the potatoes, cover, and set aside.  

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a skillet over medium-high heat and cook the bacon strips until crispy (follow the package instructions).  Then chop or crumble the bacon into small pieces and set aside. 

Next, with the heat on medium, whisk the sugar, flour, water, vinegar, and mustard into the oil in the skillet. Continue whisking for another minute or so until the sauce thickens.  Add the potatoes, bacon, and scallions to the pan and stir to coat the potatoes well.  Remove from the heat, season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve hot.

Comments:
Taste:            

German potato salad has a deliciously sweet, tangy, mustard-y flavor.  Unfortunately, ours ended up a bit under-dressed (I attribute this to the fact that our potatoes were pretty giant), meaning the flavors were a bit too subtle.  I adjusted the recipe above to allow for a bit more vinegar dressing on the potato salad, but feel free to add more if needed.  I also think the potato salad tasted better when served immediately rather than when reheated as leftovers.     

Accessibility:          

You probably have many of these ingredients in your pantry or fridge already.  Our usual grocery store carries vegan bacon strips, but I imagine it might be more difficult to find in some other locations. 

  Ease of Preparation:     

This is a pretty straightforward recipe, and you can definitely multitask while the potatoes are boiling in order to save time.

Non-vegan friendliness:           

Since German potato salad is usually vinegar-based, anyway, there isn't much occasion for comparison between this dish and its non-vegan version--except for the vegan bacon.  The mock bacon's bold, bacony flavor adds to the dish, although the texture is a bit off.  I'm not sure I'd eat a slice of mock bacon for breakfast, but it gets the job done as part of the potato salad. 

Aloo Matar

While I pretty much always choose chana masala when it comes to making or ordering Indian food, there are times when something different is in order.  Last week we made Aloo Matar: a saucy, somewhat spicy Indian dish with potatoes and green peas.  The dish was easy to make and very filling when served over brown rice; plus, it's full of beautiful colors that brighten up any meal. 

Aloo Matar served over brown rice.

Recipe:     
Aloo Matar

• 1/4 cup olive oil 
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 onion, diced 
• 1 green pepper, diced
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger
• 1 - 28 ounce can crushed tomatoes
• 1 jalapeno, seeded and minced 
• 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
• a dash of each of the following spices: cinnamon, cumin, coriander, black pepper, cloves, and nutmeg (or use 1/2 teaspoon garam masala in place of these spices, if you can find it)
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon ground coriander
• 2 large potatoes, cubed and boiled
• 2 cups frozen peas 
• salt, to taste

First, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  When the oil is hot, add the cumin and bay leaves and cook, stirring occasionally, for a couple minutes. 

Then add the onion, green pepper, garlic, and ginger; cook for about five minutes or until the onion and pepper begin to soften. 

Next, add 1 cup of the crushed tomatoes, the jalapeno, and the remaining spices.  Stir together and cook for another three minutes.  Add the remaining crushed tomatoes, potatoes, and peas and cook for two minutes. 

Finally, lower the heat, cover the skillet, and simmer for about 10 minutes. 

Salt to taste and serve hot over brown rice.  Yields 6 servings.

Comments:
Taste:          

We all enjoyed this dish, but we found different elements to be noteworthy.  Rachel commented on how spicy it was (which I didn't notice).  I particularly enjoyed the ginger flavor.  Simon wished there were more vegetables involved, so next time we might include spinach. 

Accessibility:       

This recipe calls for several spices, and it can get expensive to buy them all just for this recipe.  But don't worry: most of these spices are pretty standard in Indian dishes (or other cuisines!), so any spice purchase will be worth your while. 

 Ease of Preparation:         

This is a pretty easy recipe, but it does require some attention to timing.  To make dinner preparation go more smoothly, make sure you boil the potatoes the day before, or as the first thing you do before chopping everything else.  You can also cook the rice while you're cooking everything else.

Non-vegan friendliness:        

Aloo Matar is a vegetarian dish by design, so there's nothing lacking in this version.  Plus, the potatoes really fill you up. 

Simple Vegetable-Patata Soup

This week we made one of the simplest one-pot meals imaginable (and it was tasty, too): Vegetable-Patata Soup.  I like to think of this soup as a Latino minestrone soup because it's chock full of tomatoes and vegetables with some south-of-the-border spice and potatoes. 

It's such a hearty soup!

Recipe:    
Simple Vegetable-Patata Soup

• 2 cups red potatoes, washed, de-eyed, and diced
• 2 cups frozen green beans
• 2 cans black beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 cans stewed tomatoes
• 10 ounces frozen corn
• 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
• 1 cup of your favorite salsa
• A few shakes of salt and pepper, to taste
• 1 tablespoon chili powder

 

Combine all of the ingredients in a large soup pot.  Cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.  Then lower the heat and simmer for at least 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender and the flavors have combined.  

 

Serve with fresh bread for dunking.  Yields 6 hearty servings. 

Comments:

Taste:          

I was pleasantly surprised by this soup.  The flavors are neither impressive nor complicated; however, I appreciated the fact that it was spiced without being spicy and had a warm, hearty flavor. 

Accessibility:  

The ingredients in this dish are both inexpensive and easy to find.  

 Ease of Preparation:      

There's nothing easier than putting ingredients in a pot and letting them cook for a half hour!

Non-vegan friendliness:      

The heartiness of this soup makes for a filling, non-vegan friendly dish.  Plus, you could swap different vegetables  in or out of the soup to please any palate. 

One-Crust Veggie Pot Pie

Yes, pot pie usually has one crust on the bottom and one on the top--but we decided to try making pot pie with just one crust on top.  While the pot pie filling isn't as contained as it could be without crust on the bottom, the dish came out quite well.  It's a delicious, hearty comfort food that I'd eat any night.  

Delicious pot pie, with just one crust

Recipe:   
One-Crust Veggie Pot Pie

Single Pie Crust

• 1 cup flour
• 2.5 tablespoons sugar 
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup vegan butter, cold, cut into small pieces
• 1.5 tablespoons cold water

Pot Pie Filling

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 carrots, diced
• 2 large potatoes, diced
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 2 cups cauliflower florets (we used frozen cauliflower)
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 3 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1/4 cup water

First, prepare the pie crust.  Pulse together the flour, sugar, and salt in a food processor until combined.  Add the pieces of butter and pulse together another 5-7 times, until the mixture is crumbly.  Add the cold water and pulse together 5-7 more times until the mixture comes together, forming dough.  Transfer the dough to a floured work surface and briefly knead the dough until all of the dry ingredients are incorporated.  DO NOT knead the dough more than necessary or it will become tough.  Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate until needed.

At this point, preheat the oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and have ready a 11"x7" baking dish or a large casserole dish.  

Then prepare the filling.  Heat the oil and garlic in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the onions and cook for about 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Stir in the carrots, potatoes, celery, cauliflower, peas, and vegetable broth and bring to a boil.  Turn down the heat and allow the mixture to simmer for about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Meanwhile, whisk together the cornstarch, soy sauce, and water until the cornstarch is completely dissolved.  When the vegetable mixture has been simmering for 5 minutes, stir the cornstarch mixture into the skillet and allow the mixture to simmer for another 3 minutes or so, until the sauce thickens. 

Roll out the dough on a floured surface to fit the top of your baking dish.  Pour the filling into the dish and place the dough over the filling.  Seal the dough around the edges of the dish and bake for 30 minutes or until the crust is golden brown.  Once you remove the pot pie from the oven, allow it to set for about 10 minutes before serving hot. 

Yields 6 servings.

Comments:

Taste:       

This dish has a definite pot pie flavor and the filling is great, but it's different than traditional pot pie in a few ways.  The combination of half as much crust and a filling that isn't as thick as it could be means that this dish is lighter than classic pot pie.  I enjoyed this twist, though of course you could double the crust for a more comforting comfort food.     

Accessibility:      

It was pretty darn easy to find all of the ingredients in this All-American dish.  Big-box grocery stores like Giant really pull through when ingredients like seitan and lentils aren't required... 

 Ease of Preparation:   

If you don't have the time or the desire to make your own pie crust, have no fear: vegan, premade pie crusts do exist.  Look for them in the refrigerated section of the grocery store.  If you are making your own pie crust, note that a food processor isn't required.  While using a food processor does make it easier to mix the dough without overmixing, you can do the same by hand. 

Non-vegan friendliness:     

We all really enjoyed this dish and went back for more.  That said, it's not a classic pot pie.  As Simon put it, this dish is "a solid stew with some crust on top."  In other words, it's a tasty variation on a classic comfort food.  

Hearty Vegetable Stew

Tonight's Hearty Vegetable Stew was perfect given the recent snow and frigid temperatures outside.  We also bought a loaf of fresh bread to dunk in the stew for extra comfort.
 

Dipping the bread was SO good.

Recipe:
Hearty Vegetable Stew

• 4 cups low sodium vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 cans white beans, drained and rinsed
• 4 carrots, chopped
• 4 medium-sized potatoes, cut into bite-sized pieces 
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons tomato paste
• 3 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 teaspoon marjoram
• 1 teaspoon tarragon
• 1 teaspoon thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1.5 tablespoons barbecue sauce or 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika 
• salt, to taste

Combine all ingredients (except salt) in a large soup pot.  Cover and bring to a boil over high heat.  Then lower the heat and simmer for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Remove the bay leaves, salt to taste, and serve with bread for dunking.  

Yields about 6 servings.

Comments:

Taste:      

The stew was good but not great.  It had a pretty starchy taste (lots of potatoes), so I would add more vegetables and one fewer potato next time.  It needs something green--maybe peas or kale? 

Accessibility:        

We only needed to go out and buy a few ingredients for this dish.  Thank you, stew, for a low grocery bill this week.     

 Ease of Preparation:   

This was extremely easy to prepare.  It's a great one-pot meal.       

Non-vegan friendliness:   

Simon noted that this dish lacks the varied texture that beef or some other meat would add to a stew.  I thought serving the stew with crusted bread added a nice crunch to the meal, but I do think a meat-enthusiast might miss it in this meal.              

Shepherd's Pie

I've always loved shepherd's pie, but I can't say it's been a big part of my vegan life.  I was excited to try out this recipe since we had success with soy crumbles before.  Plus, you can't go wrong with soy crumbles, sage, rosemary, and thyme, right? 

Parsley Soy Crumbles, Sage, Rosemary, and Thyme

So, is this Shepherd's Pie a vegan classic?  I say yes, but try it out for yourself! 

Recipe:
Shepherd's Pie

For the potatoes:

• 3 potatoes, cubed 
• 1 clove garlic, crushed 
• 1/4 cup soymilk
• 3 tablespoons vegan butter
• salt and pepper, to taste 
  

For the filling:

• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 carrots, chopped small
• 2 - 12 ounce packages Lightlife Smart Ground crumbles 
• 2 tablespoons flour 
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper 
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 2 teaspoons tomato paste
• 1 teaspoon dried rosemary leaves
• 1/3 teaspoon ground thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon ground sage
• about 14 ounces frozen peas
• about 14 ounces frozen corn 

First, prepare the mashed potatoes.  Place the potatoes and garlic in a pot, add water until the potatoes are covered, and sprinkle with salt.  Bring to a boil and cook for about 12-15 minutes until the potatoes are tender.  Drain the potatoes and garlic and mash with the soymilk, butter, salt, and pepper.

 Meanwhile, prepare the filling.  Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.  Heat the olive oil and garlic in a large skillet over medium high heat.  Once the oil is hot, add the onions and carrots and cook for about 6 minutes, or until the vegetables begin to become tender.  Next, add the crumbles, flour, salt, and pepper and mix well.  Whisk together the vegetable broth and tomato paste and add to the pan along with the herbs, peas, and corn.  Stir well, cover, turn down the heat, and simmer until the sauce has thickened. 

To assemble to shepherd's pie, first pour the filling mixture into an 11x13 inch baking pan and spread evenly over the bottom.  Then, using a rubber spatula, dollop the potatoes over the top of the filling and spread evenly over the filling, all the way to the edges.  Bake for 25 minutes.  Let the pie cool for about 10 minutes before serving.

Yields 6-8 servings.

Comments:

Taste:     

Another successful recipe!  Rachel and I both really liked this dish.  The herbs and vegetables meld together to create a great savory flavor.  Of course, I'd love any dish that is reminiscent of Thanksgiving...

Accessibility:        

If you can't find the crumbles, you could just chop up vegan veggie burgers or use some other beef substitute.  I do think these crumbles are worth finding, though.  Also, if you're up to using fresh herbs, I'm sure that would make the dish even better.  Just use 2 teaspoons fresh rosemary (chopped), 1 teaspoon fresh thyme (chopped), and 1 large sage leaf (chopped). 

 Ease of Preparation:  

This recipe takes a while to make (probably about an hour and a half from start to finish).  Using the dried herbs sped up the cooking time.       

Non-vegan friendliness:   

Whenever you make something that replicates a non-vegan dish, you risk disappointing non-vegans.  I think this dish is a great alternative to shepherd's pie, but it's clearly not an exact replica.  Still, Rachel commented that both the texture and flavor are great.  She really enjoyed it and wasn't disappointed.       

Spicy Potato Curry

Tonight I made an old favorite--Spicy Potato Curry.  It was about time we made some more Indian food!
  

Smooth and spicy.

Recipe:
Spicy Potato Curry

• 2 potatoes, cubed
• 2 sweet potatoes, cubed
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons cumin
• 1 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
• 5 teaspoons curry powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 - 1 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced
• 2 teaspoons salt (or more to taste)
• 1 - 14.5 ounce can diced tomatoes
• 1 - 15 ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 15 ounces frozen peas
• 1 - 14 ounce can coconut milk

First, cook the potatoes.  Place the potatoes in a large pot, cover with water, and add 1/2 teaspoon salt.  Bring to a boil over high heat; then reduce heat to medium low, cover, and simmer until tender (about 12 minutes).  Drain.

While the potatoes are cooking, add the oil and garlic to a large skillet and heat over medium-high heat.  Once the oil is hot, stir in the onion and cook for about 5 minutes or until onions become tender.  Stir in the spices, ginger, and salt and cook for 2 more minutes.  Finally, add the rest of the ingredients, bring to a simmer, and simmer for 10 minutes before serving.  

Yields 6 servings.  

Comments:

Taste:     

This is a consistently great curry recipe.  The spiciness blends nicely with the smooth coconut milk to create a deliciously layered flavor.  I really like the way the peas sort of pop when you bite into them, providing a bit of a crunch to every bite.   

Accessibility:        

This recipe includes fairly basic ingredients.  I like to use both sweet potatoes and regular potatoes, but you can use just one or the other if you like.  Feel free to add other vegetables, as well. 

Ease of Preparation:   

This dish doesn't take too long to prepare and there isn't too much chopping involved.  Once you get the potatoes going you can chop and prepare the remaining ingredients, so the timing works out well.     

Non-vegan friendliness:   

Rachel described this as an Indian version of chili--mainly because it's so hearty.  This is a very satisfying dish and I'm confident that non-vegans would love it, too.   

Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Here's the recipe for the mashed potatoes that I made last night, along with Vegan Swedish Meatballs and peas.  These mashed potatoes were the highlight of the meal!  I usually make mashed potatoes without a recipe, so I did my best to record what went into them. 

Recipe:
Garlic Mashed Potatoes

• 6 yellow potatoes, sliced evenly to speed up cooking time
• 1/2 cup plain organic soymilk
• 1/4 cup vegan butter
• 1/2 teaspoon celery salt
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, or to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder, or to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, or to taste

Place the potatoes in a saucepan and add water until they are just covered.  Bring to a boil and cook until the potatoes are tender and can be easily pierced with a fork.  Drain the potatoes and dump them in a large, deep bowl (or the bowl of your electric stand mixer--I used a hand mixer since I don't have a stand mixer yet).  Mix the potatoes a bit on their own, and then add the remaining ingredients and beat until smooth and creamy. 

Comments:

Taste:   

This recipe saved our meal last night, in my opinion.  Mashed potatoes are always great, but I think the secret ingredient here--celery salt--really makes the dish.  They have a great fresh taste on top of the garlic flavor.

Accessibility:    

This recipe is easy to make.  If you don't have an electric mixer, a potato masher will work just fine.  I just prefer the electric mixer because it creates the creaminess that I like.      

Ease of Preparation:  

These potatoes aren't difficult to make, but it does take a bit of time to cook the potatoes.

Non-vegan friendliness:  

I've made these potatoes many times and they're always popular.  My extended family raved about them at Christmas and everyone liked them last night.  It's hard to mess up mashed potatoes.   

 Now it's time to eat!