Vegan Cheeze-a-licious

Today for the Vegan Month of Food we're talking all about vegan cheeze!

I wanted to go over some of my personal favorites, starting with the recipe above which is one of my go-tos for vegan mac and cheeze. The recipe comes from Isa Chandra, for her BLT mac and cheeze (complete with tomatoes and eggplant "bacon"). The sauce is cashew-based and creamy, and you'll have to work hard not to devour the eggplant before it gets added into the pasta!

Inspired by Isa's recipe, and a smoky mac I had at an NYC restaurant, I developed a smoky mac and cheeze that I also love, which involves a little liquid smoke for a flavor kick.



Don't have the time (or the blending power) to make your own cashew-based macaroni and cheese? How about trying out the instant mac and cheeze from Earth Balance. It's sort of like the Kraft mac 'n cheese of the vegan world--although I think it's even better!



You can often find these at Whole Foods, or from online retailers like Thrive Market.

If you're looking to have someone else make the mac, and you're in the New York area, I recommend going to Morgan's in Brooklyn. They have a delicious vegan mac with avocado, veggie chorizo and jalapeños!



Looking for vegan cheeze you can order online? Miyoko's Kitchen has some super amazing cashew-based options that are the best I've ever had (they also have a mac and cheeze sauce!).



For the ambitious home cook, Miyoko also has an amazing cookbook (Artisan Vegan Cheese) with recipes for cheeses you can make at home. Many involve creating your own culture (which is a lot of work, but very rewarding!).

For a simple cheese you can create in an afternoon, one of my favorites is this "goat cheese" from the Fork and Beans blog.



If that sounds like too much work and you're in the New York area, there are some great vegan pizza options!

I love Two Boots' V is for Vegan pizza--you can read more about it here.



What are your favorite vegan cheezes? I hope you have a chance to try one of these! I'm getting hungry just looking at them!

Farmigo

Hello all!

Spring is here and there is a plethora of local fresh produce to be had.

It makes me very, very happy.

There's nothing better than throwing open the refrigerator and being overwhelmed with options for a flavor-filled, veggie-filled meal. I made the salad above with local organic arugula, pea shoot micro-greens, sautéed wild ramps, rainbow carrots and perfectly juicy strawberries. Topped with some rosemary-fried marcona almonds and some raspberry vinaigrette--delicious!!

Before I dive into more great recipes I've had the pleasure of eating this spring--and if you're wondering where I got all of the delicious looking veggies for this salad--I want to tell you a bit about my new favorite source for delicious local produce.



They're called Farmigo, and they're kind of like a cross between a CSA and a Farmer's Market. Basically, they have an online market where you can browse and purchase fresh, local produce, and a variety of other prepared foods, online. Their goal is to provide what they call "farm-to-neighborhood" access to food, to benefit farmers and consumers, without the supermarket middleman. They source their food from farmers and food makers that they believe have the best quality products and are located within 500 miles of their respective communities, though more often than not they source from much closer--as they say "the more local, the better!" They also do their best to source from small farmers, either generational family farms or newer, younger farmers, and they let you know every week what percentage of your purchase price is going back to the farmers (hint: it's a lot--which is a great thing!).

As frequently as once a week, you can order your food to be picked up at a location of your choosing. They have a variety of locations in every city they are based in. In Brooklyn there are tons of pickup locations near our apartment. I, for instance, pick up on Monday evenings at a local ice cream shop near me. Some pickups are at schools, or other institutions, basically anywhere someone has volunteered to host. You can order your food whenever you feel like it, or skip as many weeks as you want, there are no fees or anything like that.

Right now they're based in New York, New Jersey, Northern California and Seattle, and they're in the process of expanding. And no, they did not ask me to write this review.  I've just been so thrilled with the quality of the food they offer that I want to spread the word!

The thing I like the most of all is that you can read up about each of their vendors and their practices. This means you can select vendors who treat animals ethically, for instance, or who only use organic farming practices. I love how transparent they are. It allows you to make informed decisions when deciding where your food comes from, which is fantastic.

What types of food options do they have for vegans, you ask? A whole bunch! They have a whole vegan category you can browse, which includes not just great produce, but cashew creams, breads, hummus, sauces, mousses, puddings, chips, chocolate, and some of my favorite veggie burgers in the world, as well as some other great fresh-frozen items. In the winter they had a delicious black bean and squash chili that was hearty and deeply flavorful. They've also got granolas and baked goods, and a true plethora of gluten-free options.

Some of the vegan products are a bit pricey, but I like to treat myself to a vegan splurge every now and again.



They have delicious coconut yogurt made by Anita's. It's creamy and rich, and a 16 oz tub will go a long way. Its made from nothing but coconut milk, coconut water and live cultures, but its hands-down the best vegan yogurt I've ever had.

The mango yogurt (below) is the best yogurt I've ever had. Period.



We've also recently discovered Brooklyn Whatever Shpickles--the carrots are delicious! (hence the fact that this jar was nearly empty when I took this picture) They also have pickled brussels sprouts and broccoli! This jar will set you back just about $8, but one jar goes a long way!



They also have the most amazing sprouted organic almond milk. This is probably the priciest for what it is, and I'm not one to normally even just "drink" almond milk all on its own (unless it's with a cupcake or a cookie!)--but let me tell you, I savor every sip of this stuff!



Anywho...that's all for now...coming up I'll share some of my favorite recent spring recipes, featuring some delicious local produce.

Cauliflower Piccata

I've been markedly absent from the blog-o-sphere lately, with a myriad of things going on in my personal and professional life. But I've been getting back in the kitchen lately and photographing away! So bare with me while I attempt to catch up on my backlog.

Let's start first with something that became a real instant favorite of mine over the winter. Cauliflower piccata! While this may not exactly be a spring recipe, it's perfect for these last few cool weeks as we get ready to make the full transition into summer.

I've long been a fan of seitan piccata, and before that I was eating lots of broccoli piccata, following the recipe from Vegan Lunchbox (a vegan cookbook staple in my household in 2008).

This cauliflower recipe is undeniably inspired by that, as well as a recent recipe I found in the New York Times for whole roasted cauliflower. Simply combine the two, et voilà! Instant classic. My husband absolutely loves this dish, as do I. It's also been whole-heartedly embraced by my non-veg friends and family.

The Times recipe calls for an almond-herb recipe. Sounds delicious. Also sounds like a lot of work. The piccata sauce, on the other hand, literally takes just a few minutes to whisk up. The long part of this recipe is just letting the cauliflower sit in the oven, so keep that in mind when preparing.



Roasted Cauliflower Piccata
What You'll Need:
1 large cauliflower
4 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
4 tbsp capers
2 tsp flour*
4 tbsp vegetable Broth (water will do, in a pinch)
1 large or 2 small garlic cloves, minced

What You'll Need to Do:
Place a small pan of hot water on the bottom rack of your oven, to create steam (save the top for the cauliflower). Preheat your oven to 375°F.

Rinse that cauliflower. Cut off the base of the cauliflower and the leaves. Then cut out the hard core of the cauliflower, taking your knife at an angle, and cutting into the thick stalk of the cauliflower, in a circle, being sure to leave the main stem and all of the florets intact. Once you've gone all the way around, the stalk and the leaves should come away from the rest of the cauliflower easily. Don't cut too deep, you want the cauliflower to stay together!

Once you have the cauliflower trimmed, place it on the cutting board (core side down) and drizzle with 1 tbsp olive oil. Rub the oil in with your hands so that it gets well distributed on the surface and then sprinkle with salt.

Once the oven is heated, place the cauliflower in a heavy baking dish or oven-proof pan (again, core side down) and let it cook for an hour and a half to two hours, until it's nicely golden or browned to your liking. Sprinkle another tablespoon of olive oil on about half way through.

When you're about ready to take the cauliflower out, make your sauce.

To make sauce, whisk together vegetable broth and flour in a small bowl or measuring cup. Heat 2 tbsp olive oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the garlic and cook, stirring constantly until just fragrant, about 30 seconds (being careful not to burn). Add lemon juice, capers, and flour mixture. Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat, season with salt and pepper to taste, and pour it on top of that hot cauliflower!

This all reheats well, too--makes great leftovers.

Bon appétit!



Tips and Tricks:
Short on time? Boil the cauliflower for about 10 minutes first, then roast. It will cook much more quickly (you'll want to give it at least 15 minutes in the oven after boiling).

*Gluten-free version: substitute gluten-free corn starch instead of flour.

Food Monster App

I'm back! It's been a while, I know. Lots going on. I promise I have a large backlog of photos and recipes to share with you all and plan to do so in the very near future. Looking forward to some fresh spring vegetable dishes!

I've also been checking out some great apps and recipe books, and I've got one to talk about here, as it will be released imminently.

If you haven't checked it out already, One Green Planet is a website with an admirable mission, self-described as "your online guide to making conscious choices that help people, animals and the planet." They approached me last year about featuring some of my recipes on the site, and I was more than happy to oblige.

The One Green Planet site has a lot going on. They feature plenty of animal interest pieces, videos and other headlines, a lifestyle section with tips and ideas, and stories about caring for the planet. They also happen to have a huge section on food that is good for you, the planet and the environment (right on!). Their hand-picked selection of recipes is thoughtful and features some delicious dishes, so I was excited when they announced they would be releasing a new app!



They've asked me to review their new app--it is called Food Monster and it features over 5000 vegan recipes, with approximately a dozen new recipes planned to be added each day.



It is super easy to navigate and read, which I definitely appreciate. Where it really excels is in the curation of the recipes. (Did I mention they have many of my recipes on there? Like my kimchi tofu tacos, balsamic seitan, and barbecue apricot meatballs)


They have great categories like seasonal and holiday recipes, as well as some more unusual ones, like "umami" and "spiralized veggies"--over 100 different categories in total. You can also search by ingredient or by your specific dietary restrictions (including gluten-free, raw, soy-free and many  more). They have essentially categorized these recipes in about every way you can imagine, which is the wonderful thing about viewing your recipes on this kind of platform. The options are unlimited!

It has many other features which I'd expect in an app like this, you can "love" recipes, see what's trending and also bookmark recipes to save them for future access. Seeing what's popular or similar to the recipe you have just viewed can be a great place to start when trying to find a quality meal.

And you can easily share links with anyone you'd like using the arrow in the top of the screen (I especially like this feature!).




The ingredients lists are easy to read and straightforward, and they really try to focus on simple, fast, delicious recipes.



The directions are similarly well-presented.



There are a few things I could do without--some of the recipes have "3-D photos" that kind of jump around very quickly on the screen. Although I don't mind a slow pan, I'd really much prefer to just have my food images in one place as I'm browsing through recipes. Occasionally the app can also be a little slow to load, but I am hopeful they will improve on this with time.

What's the catch? A subscription is required to access the recipes. It is $1.99 a month which is pretty reasonable, so you can always try it out and see if it strikes your fancy! If you do like it, it's worth paying $19.99 for the one year subscription.

The app will be released tomorrow, on Earth Day, but today they're offering special early access to all my readers, so here's a link to check it out!

Vegan MoFo Day 29: Vegan Road Trip!

Today's Vegan MoFo prompt asked what you'd bring on a road trip? I figured there was no better time to rehash a few of my snack-time favorites.

I promised you more "junk food," Sally Ride!

And here it is!

To acquire all the vegan goodies required for this entry (and for my pantry), I tried a new online grocery delivery service--Thrive Market. Thrive is kind of like the Costco of natural foods, in a way. You don't order in bulk, but they do offer you bulk prices on everything, in exchange for an annual membership.



With the number of natural foods we have access to here in New York City, and with services like Instacart (for my Whole Foods groceries) and Fresh Direct, I'm not quite decided on whether I'll stick with these guys, as the delivery does take several days, and you can't schedule a time slot (which is especially hard in our apartment).

However, I absolutely love the huge variety of options they have (more even than the other aforementioned companies), particularly for people with restricted diets. And they have a relatively unique feature, that allows you to look specifically at their "vegan", "gluten-free", and "raw" options. You can even sort by "for Moms" and they feature a lot of sustainable home goods, and even bath and body stuff! And like I said, they have bulk prices, which means their stuff is significantly cheaper than it is in New York City.

I especially love that they have the Earth Balance mac and cheese, which can be hard to find but is a real treat for us!

I digress...on to some other "good stuff":


I discovered these fruit ropes by Clif Kid many years ago. While they're technically geared towards kids, they are really tasty--and a nice pick me up on a hike, or during a long afternoon at the office. They're made from organic fruit puree, and colored with vegetable juice. (They're also gluten-free and kosher!)


I discovered Beanfield's tasty bean and rice chips at my work! They are really good--and they are not only gluten free, but corn free. I especially love the Nacho flavor, which definitely reminds me of some Nacho Cheese chips you might already be familiar with...


These aren't the best kale chips I've ever had...but they are kale chips. 'Nuff said.


Peanut butter sandwich crackers! Perfect for some road trip munchies!! This company, Late July, is great--they have all organic and non-GMO ingredients.


And it all comes back to Earth Balance--these guys are making so much more than butter these days--and they're knocking it out of the park! I love the aged white cheddar flavor popcorn and the vegan aged white cheddar flavor puffs are totally addictive.

I guess that more or less coves my most recent snack food bounty! That should be enough to get you through the road trip for at least a few days, right?

Autumn Equinox Eats: Vegan Butternut Squash (and Apple) Soup

It's that time of year...there's a chill in that autumnal air, and soup season has definitely begun!

For today's Autumn Equinox VeganMofo entry I'm revamping an entry for my all-time favorite soup: butternut squash.

I've always loved butternut squash soup (who wouldn't, I ask?). A few years ago, however, I was introduced to a new type of butternut squash soup at a Thanksgiving meal with my husband's family when my mother-in-law brought butternut squash soup with green apple. If you've ever tried it before, you know how amazing that extra tart note is in this dish. It balances the sweetness of the squash perfectly!

If you've never had the pleasure of delving into a bowl of butternut squash-apple goodness, it is something that must be tried to be fully understood.

This recipe is adapted from Simply Recipes.

Butternut Squash and Apple Soup
What You'll Need:
2 tbsp margarine (I recommend Earth Balance)
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
1 rib of celery, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 butternut squash (about 20 oz), peeled and chopped (or you can buy some pre-chopped and peeled squash--much easier!)
1 Granny Smith apple, peeled, cored, and chopped
3 cups vegetable broth
1 cup apple cider*
pinch of nutmeg, cinnamon and cayenne, to taste
salt and pepper, to taste
chives, optional
vegan sour cream (or cashew or coconut cream), optional

What You'll Need to Do:
Heat a large pot over medium-high heat. Melt the butter in the pot, then add the onion, carrot and celery and sauté for about 5 minutes. Add the broth and apple cider, along with the butternut squash and apple. Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer and cover. Simmer for approximately 30 minutes, until the squash and carrots have softened. Once everything has softened, puree in your blender in batches (be sure to release the steam if your blender does not do that for you!), or with an immersion blender. Mix in your nutmeg, cayenne, salt and pepper, to taste. Top with some vegan cream, if using.

Tips and Tricks:
I like to pair this with some sourdough toast and roasted broccoli. I'd also recommend adding a cashew or coconut cream swirl on top--or some vegan sour cream.

*I love adding apple cider to this soup! It kicks up the apple quotient just a bit and it's delicious. In a pinch, however, water will do fine as well.

Seasonal Produce Meal: Zucchini Ribbon Pasta with Tomatoes, Basil and Lemon

Today's entry for Vegan MoFo asked us to make a meal with seasonal local produce. Sounds great to me! One of my friends has been all about the zucchini pasta lately, so I took a little inspiration from her and decided to try my hand at making my own dish.



My friend uses a spiralizer, which is awesome. In lieu of that, however, you can make great ribbons with your vegetable peeler! You simply fry up those ribbons in the sauté pan with some garlic, cherry tomatoes, basil and a splash of lemon, and you've got a delicious, super-simple meal!



Zucchini Ribbon Pasta with Tomatoes, Basil and Lemon
What You'll Need:
2 zucchinis, peeled into ribbons (as pictured) with a vegetable peeler
1 tbsp olive oil
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 c. basil, loosely packed, finely chopped
1 tsp lemon juice
zest 1 lemon (1 tsp)
1 tsp white balsamic vinegar
salt and pepper to taste

What You'll Need to Do:

Preheat a pan over medium heat. Add your olive oil and garlic and sauté until just fragrant and golden, about 1-2 minutes. Add your zucchini and tomatoes and toss in the garlic oil, continuing to toss as you fry. Sprinkle in some salt and pepper. Add half of your basil after a minute or so.You'll want to fry until the ribbons begin to relax, just about 2-3 minutes. Remove from heat, and toss in your lemon and vinegar. Add salt and pepper to taste.




Tips and Tricks:
This recipe makes enough for one person. That's the easiest amount to squeeze into one regular size sauté pan. If you have a larger pan, you can easily double the recipe. Otherwise, if you double the recipe, you'll want to fry up half of your zucchini (with the garlic and oil, as described above) first, remove it from the pan, and then follow the rest of the recipe, tossing in your first batch of zucchini along with the rest of the ingredients, at the end.

Lunch on the Go!

Today for Vegan MoFo we're talking lunch on the go!

I couldn't think of anything more "to go" than this great picnic backpack we received as another wonderful wedding present (thank you, Gretchen!).


This awesome backpack has all you need to enjoy a picnic for two--or four!

You just need a few good dishes to go with it! Might I recommend some balsamic tofu with cherry tomatoes?

This is a super quick and easy dish--you just need a little time to let your tofu marinate. Once you've done that, you just slice your tomatoes and basil, toss and go! It's a great "lunch on the go."



Balsamic Tofu with Cherry Tomatoes
What You'll Need:
Marinade:
4 tbsp vegetable broth
3 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1/8 tsp garlic powder
1/8 tsp basil
1/8 tsp oregano
salt and pepper to taste (several pinches of each)

One 14 oz package extra-firm tofu
12 oz cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
1 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup loosely packed fresh basil

What You'll Need to Do:
Press your tofu first so that it will be able to absorb the balsamic properly. Cut into 1/2" cubes and then mix with the marinade ingredients. Cover and allow to marinate for an hour or so (or in the fridge overnight).

In the meantime, chiffonade your basil and slice your tomoatoes if you haven't already. Once the tofu is done marinating, toss it with the tomatoes and basil, and add in the olive oil. Add more salt and pepper, as needed. Depending on how much of the marinade your tofu has absorbed, you may want to add another tablespoon or so of balsamic.

Tips and Tricks:
I paired this tofu with a nice pasta salad. I simply cooked some pasta, then added a bit of salad dressing (strawberry vinaigrette this time around). Then I threw in some spicy olives (I love Jeff's Naturals antipasto olives which are vegan!) along with the red peppers from the bottle, dried oregano, mustard powder, hearts of palm, arugula and a little bit of olive oil.

And don't forget your baguette!

Make or Eat a Local Dish (Pizza Time!)

Today's Vegan MoFo prompt is all about making or eating a local dish. I've been making plenty of food this month, so I thought it would be nice to go out!

Local cuisine in New York City pretty much screams pizza, so we headed over to a great spot nearby!

I wrote about Two Boots several years ago when writing about my favorite vegan dining spots in New York.

While I lived near a Two Boots in Manhattan, I'm happy to say that there is also one in Brooklyn not so far from our apartment!



The real star of the show at Two Boots for me (and for most vegans, I imagine!) is the pizza pie they call "V for Vegan."



It features Daiya's (tapioca-based) mozzarella cheese, artichokes, and shiitake mushrooms, checkered with a healthy dose of red pepper pesto and basil pesto.



Since writing my last entry, I've been to both the Brooklyn location (pictured here) as well as the one on Avenue A in NYC. They have a great, fun ambience--and I really love this vegan pizza!

Tips and Tricks:
These guys really cater to people with dietary restrictions, and offer a wide variety of vegan, dairy-free, and gluten-free options--just ask your server!

Vegan MoFo Day 4: Avocados and Vinegar (my favorite weird food combo)

Today's Vegan MoFo prompt asks about a weird food combo that you love.



I had some quirky food preferences as a child. One of my best friends introduced me to eating avocado with balsamic vinegar, and it quickly became one of my favorite go-to snacks. It’s not for everyone, I suppose—but I’ve always been a real vinegar lover. And who doesn't like avocado? There is something about the combination of the cool, smooth texture of the avocado with that tart punch from the vinegar—they make an excellent pairing! Just pour the vinegar right in the pit indentation, and you have a perfect afternoon snack.



In fact, after shooting this lovely avocado, I was inspired to make an avocado vinaigrette dressing for our dinner salad. I thought the avocado would add a nice, creamy texture to the dressing—it worked great!

Avocado Balsamic Vinaigrette
What You'll Need:
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
Juice of 1 lime
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp soy sauce
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 avocado, ripe and mashed (depends on your preference for avocado-iness; serve any leftovers sliced on top of your salad)
1 tsp agave nectar
Pepper, to taste
Herbs of your choice (optional, I like adding some sage)

What You'll Need to Do:
Combine all ingredients except avocado in a measuring cup or other glass container that you can easily whisk in to combine. It’s a bit easier to mash the avocado first before adding it (I’d start with 1/2), but if you like you can also mash as you whisk. It’s okay if it’s a little chunky, though if you prefer, you can always zap it in the blender for a couple of rounds to reduce the chunks. Pour over your salad immediately after whisking, and enjoy!