Plant- Vegan Awesomeness in Asheville

Post number 7 for VeganMoFo.

John and I decided to have a weekend away in Asheville, NC. We found a green B&B that understood vegan/gluten free food and was close to downtown. We booked a room and headed to Asheville on Friday morning. We took our time and left later in the morning. We were not in any hurry to rush. It was our weekend and we wanted to relax. Our first meal in Asheville was dinner on Friday night and we decided that it was time to try Plant, the new vegan restaurant that opened in Asheville in late summer. I had contacted the restaurant in advance and learned that many of their dishes were gluten free. With that confirmation, we were off to have a nice, relaxing evening of delicious cruelty-free fare. I could hardly wait!

The restaurant was easy to find and had a nice modern decor inside. The kitchen was open, so you could see the chefs working tirelessly on their vegan creations. Every seat in the restaurant was taken. We arrived right before the rush and avoided waiting, but I'd recommend reservations in the future. The hostess seated us and provided us with a one page menu and a corresponding drink list.

Now it was on to the good part- VEGAN FOOD! John ordered a local beer and I ordered an iced mint tea. As a starter we ordered the cheese plate. It was composed of the homemade almond cheese with herbs sprinkled on top served with black garlic oil and vinegar, apples, olives, pea shoots (or some kind of small green), and shredded carrots. We were both impressed by the cheese plate. The almond cheese was soft and spreadable. It was delicious on the apple or eaten with the olives. The cheese is versatile enough to be eaten with a sweet or savory accompaniment.

For dinner I ordered the black pepper tofu which came with a jasmine rice and kaffir lime cake and a saute' of zucchini, and exotic mushrooms with spinach on top. I do not know the name of the mushrooms, but I had never had them before. To date they are my favorite mushroom. They had a nice chewy texture and a smooth flavor that is hard to describe. I asked the waitress the name and of course forgot it since. The rice cake was crispy and flavorful and I could have eaten a dozen of them. Luckily, they only put three on my plate!

John had the sweet corn risotto. It was a grilled tempeh with a green chili cream sauce, and a zucchini, cremini, red pepper, and okra mixture (which they called risotto) with spinach on top. I really enjoyed the combination of flavors in his dish. The creme sauce was rich, yet not over powering. It worked well with the "risotto" mixture. He absolutely loved it and wished he had had a full other plate of the delicious entree. I wished the same for mine.

The portions were not large, but we left feeling satisfied and happy. We decided to pass on dessert as we had picked up raw, vegan, gluten free macaroons as the co-op that we wanted to try. We headed out to a local coffee shop and enjoyed a hot cup of apple cider and enjoyed our raw dessert.

The night was a delicious success. I will recommend Plant to vegans, vegetarians, and omnivores. It is a place for anyone who would like a bit of upscale dining with a lot of flavor and creativity!

Simple Spanish Rice

Post number 6 for VeganMoFo.

I love rice. It is comforting, filling, and can be somewhat nutritious if you eat brown rice. I enjoy rice warm or cold and find that it pairs well with vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds, and beans. It is a versatile grain that is a comfort food for me. One of my favorite ways to enjoy it is a simple dish that my Mom and Grandma made named Spanish rice. I don't know if my Grandma made it up or read about it somewhere, but when she makes it everyone eats it (well, except my Dad.) The simplicity of this rice dish lends it to being able to be easily modified to include additional flavor components. I make it a bit different then my family, so I'll give you my take on the recipe.

Spanish Rice

• 1 Tbsp of olive oil or vegetable broth for sauteing
  
• 1 small onion, diced
• 1/4 tsp of red pepper flakes (more or less to taste)
  
• 8 oz can of no salt added tomato sauce
• 1 cup water or homemade vegetable broth
• 1 cup of brown minute rice
• Pepper to taste
• 1/4 tsp chili powder
• 1/4 tsp of garlic powder

Place oil or vegetable broth in a skillet and heat on medium. When the oil is heated add the diced onion and saute' until the onion is translucent. Halfway through the time to cook the onion, add the red pepper flakes, When onions are translucent, add in the can of tomato sauce and cup of water. I usually fill the can up with water and swish it around to get all of the sauce off the sides. Let the sauce come to a boil. Add in minute rice, pepper, chili powder, and garlic powder and bring back to a boil with the lid off. When the mixture boils, time it for five minutes. After five minutes, remove from heat, cover, and set aside for 10 minutes. When finished, fluff with fork and serve.

We serve this side with many entrees, but on this particular night we made hard shell tacos with pinto beans, lettuce, tomatoes, salsa, vegan cheese, and served with a salad of red leaf lettuce, carrots, radish, olives, sunflower seeds, and goddess dressing. This meal was filling, delicious, and fast!

Blueberry Almondshake

Post number 5 for VeganMoFo.

Lately, I have been in a mood for shakes and smoothies. Not the kind with ice cream, syrups, and a lot of fat. I want something healthy and nourishing that adds to my fruit and vegetable intake each day. I find myself getting bored with breakfast and I want a way to liven it up a bit.

We have been experimenting with different flavors and textures. Our experiments have shown me that our regular name-brand blender just isn't cutting the mustard any longer (or in this case, chopping the nuts/seeds/berries/etc). Sure, it is pretty with a silver base, but I need more than looks. I want something that will chop up ice without throwing a fit and scaring the dog. I want a blender than can handle turning seeds or nuts into a flour. I want to have a smoothie or shake without unpleasant chunks.

So, we find ourselves contemplating the Vita-Mix. It is way too pricey for a blender, but I have seen the magic that it can create and I want in! This is, after all, our health that we are investing in. BUT...it is still a lot of money to throw down for a small kitchen appliance. I'll save this debate for another day.

Even though we do not yet own a Vita-Mix, I have been making due with our current blender. This is a recent that I made that proved to be a satisfying and delicious breakfast. I enjoyed drinking a beautiful purple shake. It was delicious to boot!

Blueberry Almondshake

• 1 c raw almonds
  
• 4 dates
  
• 2 Tbsp raw sun flower seeds
• 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1 1/2 cold water (used ice cubes to cool the water)
• 1 frozen banana
• 1 quart of frozen or fresh blueberries (fresh are ok if you use ice)

Soak the almonds and dates overnight in water. Blend the almonds, dates, sunflower seeds, vanilla, and the water with ice. Once blended and the sunflower seeds are ground, add in the banana and blueberries. Blend until smooth and enjoy.

Quinoa Loaf

Post number 4 for VeganMofo.

As the weather gets chilly, I crave heartier foods containing grains or potatoes. I generally do not prefer to have the two in the same meal because they are both starches. John could care less and every once and a while he wins and we have the two together. I feel better when the grain is quinoa because it is such a healthy grain. It is high in manganese, magnesium, iron, protein, and other vitamins and minerals- it is nutritional powerhouse.

With the weather getting a bit cooler, I felt it was time for a quinoa loaf. The recipe for the loaf was adapted from a recipe card that came inside a package of red quinoa that I purchased years ago. The recipe needed a bit of tweaking to get it to our liking and the result is nutty and delicious. To go along with the loaf I made a raw kale salad and purple roasted potatoes. The potatoes have a pretty design when cut open. They almost seemed too pretty to eat, almost. After cooking, the potato seemed to loose the purple, but it is still delicious.

Nutty Quinoa Loaf

• 3 cups of cooked red quinoa
• 2 scallions chopped finely
• 2 Tbsp low sodium tamari
• 1/2 c chopped walnuts
• 1/2 c chopped pecans
• 6 Tbsp cashew butter
• 3 tsp poultry seasoning*
• 1/4 tsp ground pepper

Mix all of the ingredients together. Oil a bread pan and fill with the mixture. Press the mixture into the pan and smooth out the top. Bake in the oven at 375 degrees for 35-45 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool 5 minutes. Enjoy warm.

*Poultry seasoning does not contain meat. It has marjoram, sage, thyme, rosemary, and nutmeg

xgfx Pasta Ponza xgfx

Post number 3 for VeganMofo!

One of my favorite things to do when I have spare time is watch cooking shows and veganize the recipes. Since going gluten free over a year ago, I now task myself with veganizing and gluten freeing recipes. Those of us that are vegan and gluten free like to call vegan and gluten free foods xgfx.

Half of my heritage is Italian and it can often be challenging to have an Italian xgfx meal. While I can think of some, very few dishes are naturally free of gluten, dairy, and meat products. Instead of becoming discouraged, I try and remake my favorites. Many of those favorites contain pasta. I'll admit it, I love pasta. I grew up with it at the table at almost every Baccari family occasion. When the family learned I had gone vegetarian, the fix was "roni" with butter (roni= macaroni). Since going vegan and then later gluten free, I have had to become a bit more creative.

Our garden this year has been more abundant than years past and has yielded a crop of tomatoes that are going strong. Our sungold tomatoes are still blossoming and yesterday I picked a quart full of ripe tomatoes. In addition, I purchased another variety of tomatoes from the farmers market, knowing this would be one of the last weeks that they were in season. Having so many tomatoes in the house, I thought it was time for a pasta dish that I had veganized years ago. It is a dish created by a Food Network star who feels that butter and cheese are essential to every dish. I disagree. Here is my version of Pasta Ponza.

xgfx Pasta Ponza xgfx

• Olive oil spray
• 4 cups of tomatoes (sungolds, red cherry, grape, or yellow cherry will do)- chopped
• 1/4 c capers, liquid drained
• 1 Tbsp olive oil, plus more for drizzling
  
• pepper to taste
• 1/2 c gluten free breadcrumbs*
• 1 lb of gluten free ziti or short tube pasta
• 1/2 c fresh parsley, chopped
  
• 1/4 c fresh basil leaves, chopped

Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Spray an 8 x8-inch glass baking dish. Set aside.

Place the tomatoes, capers, olive oil, and pepper to taste in the baking dish. Toss to coat. Sprinkle the GF breadcrumbs* over the tomato mixture. Drizzle the top with additional olive oil and bake for 30-35 minutes until the top is golden.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add gluten free pasta and cook until tender, but still firm. Drain and reserve about 1 cup of the pasta water.

pleace the pasta in a large serving bowl. Spoon the tomato mixture onto the pasta. Thin out the sauce with a little cooking water, if needed. Season with more pepper. Sprinkle parsley and basil over the top and serve.

*To make the breadcrumbs, I ground up gluten free vegan bread and seasoned them with pepper and dried herbs (oregano, basil, thyme, rosemary, parsley, etc)

Coconut, Curry, Ginger, and Cilantro Vegetables

VeganMoFo is going strong! Here is post number 2.

If I have not said it before, I will say it now. Asian food is my favorite! Particularly Thai and Vietnamese food. The rich flavors of the herbs and spices they use delight my taste buds. As long as it is vegan and gluten free, I cannot ever imagine passing up a Thai or Vietnamese meal. The thought of ginger, cilantro, mint, Thai basil, rice vinegar, and chilli oils make my mouth water. I love my Italian/Jewish heritage, but for some reason Asian cooking says home to me.

I aspire to make this cuisine as good as you would find in your favorite restaurant. Sometimes I come close and sometimes I fall short. Either way, I keep trying. On a recent occasion, I had a success that I must share. This recipe is rich in ginger, cilantro, scallions, coconut, curry, and some of my favorite vegetables. As long as you use the base of the sauce, any vegetables could work in this recipe. I just happened to use my two favorites in stir fries- mushrooms and broccoli!

Coconut, Curry, Ginger, and Cilantro Vegetables

• 2 Tbsp vegetable broth (or oil)
  
• 6 scallions, chopped
  
• 4 large cloves of garlic, grated
  
• 2 Tbsp ginger, grated
• 3/4 c cilantro, leaves chopped
• 3 c broccoli, florets and stems choppped
• 2 carrots, chopped
• 3 bell peppers, chopped (I used red, purple, and yellow here)
  
• 3 1/2 c mushrooms, sliced
• 3 Tbsp low sodium gluten free Tamari
• 3/4 c coconut milk (I used lite)
• 1 Tbsp red curry paste
• 2 Tbsp lime juice

Heat the vegetable stock in wok or skillet until hot. Saute' scallions, garlic, ginger, and cilantro for two minutes. Add broccoli and carrots and stir fry for 2 minutes. Add bell pepper and stir fry for 2 minutes more. Add mushrooms and soy sauce and stir fry another two minutes. Add coconut milk and red curry paste. Stir the vegetables o that the curry dissolved. Simmer uncovered for 5 minutes for the sauce to thicken. Serve over steamed brown rice and enjoy!

(Cilantro, ginger, scallions, and garlic- Yum!)

VeganMoFo Celebration of Autmun- Hearty Potato Soup

We find ourselves in the month of October and the start of VeganMoFo. (If you don't know what it is, refer to this post.) VeganMoFo is always held in Autumn and I am delighted since it is my favorite season of the year. I wait for the season each summer with anticipation. Ever since I was a child, I have loved everything that makes up this season. The smell of the fall air, leaves changing, rain, October moons, cooler weather, hearty meals, and sweaters.

I feel that it is fitting that I start off this challenge with a post about a hearty soup to help you celebrate the fall. You will probably find a dozen or more potato soup recipes on the internet and this one might not be all that different from them. I am posting the recipe as it calls to mind what I love most about the season. The cooler weather and heartier foods.

Late September was a particularly busy month and two of my closest friends gave birth to their first child. Knowing that their lives have become extremely busy, we decided to make dinner for each family to help ease their burden. Jessie and Tim have very similar taste to us, so we thought that this soup would be a perfect hearty and healthy dinner as they spend time with their new little angel, Violet. Along with the soup, we made a salad consisting of lettuce, cranberries, and almonds served with a simple vinaigrette.

Hearty Potato Soup

• 4 large potatoes
• 2 Tbsp vegan margarine
• 1 large onion, finely diced
• 2 cloves of garlic, chopped finely
  
• 2 tbsp gluten free flour
• 4 c homemade vegetable stock (if you use one from a store, buy low sodium)
• 2 c water
• 4 Tbsp cornstarch
• salt and pepper to taste
  
• 1/4 c nutritional yeast
  
• 1/2 tsp basil
• 1/8 tsp thyme
• 1/4 tsp chili powder
• 1/4 tsp dried chives
  
• 1 c non-dairy milk
• Chives or scallions to garnish

Microwave the potatoes until soft enough to mash. Around 5-10 minutes depending on your microwave. Set aside and allow the potatoes to cool.

Melt the margarine in a large saucepan and saute' the onion and garlic until the onion is translucent and soft. Add the GF flour and stir to make a roux. Add the stock, water, cornstarch, nutritional yeast, and spices and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

Cut the potatoes in half and scoop out the contents. Chop the potatoes into bite-sized chucks. Add half of the chunks to the pan and place the other half into a bowl. Mash the potatoes in the bowl and add them along with the non-dairy milk to the saucepan. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes until thickened.

Spoon the soup into bowls and garnish with chives or scallions.

I hope you enjoy this soup on a beautiful Autumn day!