summer sangria
In honor of a year of blogging recipes and the fact that I have made sangria many, many times for friends, I thought I would post a recipe. We just made a big (really big!) batch, and I think this is the best yet! There’s nothing like some delicious summer fruit, chilled wine and ice to refresh on a cool evening. I encourage you to make a batch to take to a party or a picnic sometime this summer! This really does make a lot, so if there are only a few of you or you won’t be able to drink it all over the course of a few days, I would recommend halving the recipe.
Summer Sangria
Ingredients:
- 4 liters of Carlo Rossi Burgundy
- 1.75 liters cheap white Rum
- 4 navel oranges, thinly sliced
- 4 limes, thinly sliced
- 4 plums, thinly sliced
- 4 peaches, thinly sliced
- 1 pound strawberries, quartered
- 4 cups Bing cherries, pitted
- 1 cup sugar
Instructions:
1. Prep the fruit and toss in an 8 quart pasta pot.
2. Cover with sugar and stir. Let macerate for 15-20 minutes.
3. While the fruit is macerating, pour rum into a saucepan and bring to a boil.
4. Boil rum for 10 minutes, or until much of the alcohol has cooked off.
5. Pour rum and wine over the fruit and stir.
6. Let sit for an hour. Serve over ice with chunks of fruit.
7. Sangria actually improves with time, as the flavors break down and incorporate further into the wine. Keeps for up to a week.
8. Enjoy!
Filed under: Libations, Vegan | Leave a Comment
Tags: sangria, summer, wine
banana-dulce de leche milkshakes
We were hosting a family for brunch this morning that included two little ones. This fact, in combination with the windfall of Urguayan dulce de leche from our friend Katherine, was the inspiration for a little breakfast banana milkshake. I used frozen yogurt to create a lighter dish and added the dulce de leche to bring depth to the bananas. The caramel flavor of the dulce de leche complements the banana’s flavor and texture. You can find Dulce de Leche at any supermarket that carries latin products. This recipe makes enough for four milkshakes.
Banana-Dulce de Leche Milkshakes
Ingredients:
- 4 bananas
- 2 cups milk
- 1 pint vanilla ice cream
- ½ cup dulce de leche
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions:
1. Peel bananas. Add all ingredients to a blender.
2. Blend until smooth and creamy.
3. Enjoy!
Filed under: Breakfast, Dessert, Libations, Vegetarian | 1 Comment
Tags: bananas, brunch, dulce de leche, milkshakes
vegan cole slaw
Cole Slaw is another classic side that can be made totally vegan and delicious! Cole Slaw is an exercise in balance; creamy and crunchy, tangy and sweet, salty and spicy. Here I use apricot preserves to add flavor and sweetness. The bell peppers add a nice crunch. A word of warning: this recipe makes a large batch — great for a group. If you are having a smaller gathering, I would recommend halving the recipe.
Vegan Cole Slaw
Ingredients:
- Medium head of cabbage, shredded
- 2 large carrots, shredded
- 1 medium onion, minced
- 1 red pepper, cut into 1 inch by 1/8 inch strips
- 1 green pepper, cut into 1 inch by 1/8 inch strips
- 1 cup Vegenaise (my favorite vegan mayo substitute)
- 3/4 cup apricot preserves (I recommend St. Dalfour 100% Fruit)
- Juice of one small lemon
- 1/4 cup white vinegar
- 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons dry mustard powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon celery salt
- Pepper to taste
Instructions:
- Prepare cabbage, carrots, onion, and red and green peppers and toss in a large bowl.
- In a small bowl, mix Veganaise, apricot preserves, lemon juice, white vinegar, red wine vinegar, ground ginger, dry mustard powder, salt, and celery salt until well incorporated.
- Add pepper to taste.
- Mix vegetables and dressing until well incorporated.
- This salad is ready to eat, but the longer it sits, the more the flavors develop. I recommend leaving this salad out on the counter for 2-3 hours before serving.
- Enjoy!
Filed under: Holidays, Salads, Sides, Vegan | Leave a Comment
Tags: apricot preserves, cabbage, peppers, Veganaise
bbq baked beans
So often when folks think of the 4th of July, backyard gatherings and barbeque, they think of meat. Frankly, that makes sense. Barbeques can be a tough place for vegans. This year Mark Bittman of the New York Times wrote an article discussing this very matter here. In honor of making the 4th a tasty and inclusive holiday, I have developed a few recipes for vegan sides to accompany your meatless main dishes. This year we had grilled portobello mushrooms, zuchinni and onions in place of hamburger patties. Slather some of the extra bbq sauce on your “burger,” make these sides and finish with a big slice of watermelon! Happy vegan 4th!
BBQ Baked Beans
BBQ Sauce
Ingredients:
- 2 tablespoons canola oil
- 1 medium onion, minced
- 4 strips tempeh bacon, diced
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- 1/8 teaspoon celery salt
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 tablespoon mustard powder
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- 3/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup ketchup
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 1/3 cup molasses
- 1 teaspoon prepared horseradish
- ½ cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 15 oz. cans tomato sauce
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions:
- Heat canola oil over medium heat in a large sauce pan.
- Add onion and sauté until translucent, about 3 minutes.
- Add tempeh bacon and stir. Cook for 3 minutes.
- Add paprika, celery salt, ginger, mustard powder, garlic powder and onion powder. Stir until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
- Add brown sugar. Stir and cook until melted, about 2 minutes.
- Add ketchup, tomato paste, molasses and horseradish. Stir until incorporated.
- Add apple cider vinegar, cans tomato sauce and salt. Stir to incorporate.
- Reduce heat to low. Simmer, stirring every few minutes, for 1-2 hours, or until the sauce has reduced by half. Sauce can be eaten after an hour, but will improve the more reduced it gets. Be careful of splattering (I use a screen to prevent splatters) and burning/sticking to the bottom of the pan.
- 3 tablespoons canola oil
- 1 medium onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 4 strips tempeh bacon, diced
- 1 red pepper, diced
- 1 green pepper, diced
- 2 15 oz. cans great northern (white) beans
- 1 15 oz. can kidney beans
- 1 15 oz. can pinto beans
Instructions:
- Heat canola oil over medium heat in a medium sauce pan.
- Add onion and sauté until translucent, about 3 minutes.
- Add garlic, stir and sauté until fragrant, about 3 minutes.
- Add tempeh bacon, stir and sauté until fragrant, about 3 minutes.
- Add green and red peppers, and sauté until soft.
- Reserve 1/3 of pan. This can be added to spaghetti sauce, chili or any other dish that would benefit from peppers, onions, garlic and “bacon.”
- Add beans and stir to incorporate.
- Add bean mixture and two cups of bbq sauce to an oven-safe casserole dish.
- Bake at 325 degrees, or until mixture is incorporated and heated through.
- Enjoy!
Filed under: Holidays, Sides, Vegan | Leave a Comment
Tags: bbq, beans, molasses, peppers, tempeh
I have been making this scramble for brunches for awhile now. The mushrooms add a meaty flavor and bite; the mascarpone makes the egg soft and rich. I serve this dish with sautéed tomatoes because I think it is a nice complement to the egg dish. The tomatoes are sweet and bright while the eggs are intensely savory and rich.
It has taken me years to improve my ability to scramble eggs. What finally helped me improve was the concept “low and slow.” The trick with making fluffy scrambled eggs is to stir over low heat; if you rush, then the eggs brown and aren’t as delicious!
Oyster Mushroom-Mascarpone Scramble with Sautéed Tomatoes
Scramble
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon butter + 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 1/2 cups oyster mushrooms
- 8 eggs
- 1/4 cup water
- Salt & Pepper
- 4 ounces mascarpone cheese
- Chives, snipped into 1/4 inch pieces
Instructions:
- Heat 1 tablespoon butter and olive oil over medium heat in a medium-sized sauté pan.
- Saute osyter mushrooms until brown, about 7 minutes. Remove from heat.
- Whisk eggs and water in a bowl until incorporated.
- Heat remaining butter over medium-low in medium-sized sauté pan.
- When melted, add eggs and salt and pepper.
- Stir and cook over medium-low heat as soft pillows of egg form.
- When about half of the eggs have begun to set, stir in mascarpone cheese.
- Keep stirring until the mascarpone has melted and incorporated into the dish.
- Stir in chives. Remove from heat when eggs have set.
Sautéed Tomatoes
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 cups cherry tomatoes, washed and halved
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon pesto
- Salt & Pepper
Instructions:
- Heat olive oil over medium heat in a small-sized sauce pan.
- When oil is hot, add tomatoes and stir.
- Add salt and sugar.
- Stir until tomatoes have some to a simmer. Reduce heat to medium-low.
- Stir occasionally.
- When tomatoes have reduced by one half, add pesto, stir, and remove from the heat.
Filed under: Breakfast, Vegetarian | Leave a Comment
Tags: basil. cherry tomatoes, eggs, mascarpone, oyster mushrooms, scramble
spring market salad
Spring is here! The sun shone more days than not this past week in SF. Asparagus and strawberries are in the markets. Jasmine is blooming in my neighborhood. I feel that rush of adrenaline (Seattleites know what I’m talking about) that only spring can create.
In honor of the arrival of spring, I have created a salad that showcases a few key seasonal ingredients: Bibb lettuce, fresh English peas and asparagus. I threw in red onion and portobello mushroom to add depth of flavor, and finished the dish with Parmesan cheese (optional) and a balsamic-honey-Dijon vinaigrette.
Spring Market Salad
Ingredients:
- 1 head of Bibb Lettuce, washed and torn into bite-sized pieces
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 red onion, cut into 1/4 inch slices
- 1 pound asparagus, washed and bottoms snapped
- 1 portobello mushroom, cut into 1 inch cubes
- 1/8 cup balsamic vinegar
- I cup blanched fresh English peas
- 1 can of water-packed artichokes, drained and chopped
- 1/2 cup shredded Parmesan cheese (optional)
- 1/8 cup honey
- 1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
- 1/4 cup Dijon mustard
- Juice of one half a lemon
- 1 tablespoon water
- Salt & Pepper
Instructions:
- Prepare lettuce. Set aside in large salad bowl.
- Heat olive oil over medium heat in a medium-sized sauce pan.
- Prepare onion. Sauté until soft, about 5 minutes.
- Prepare asparagus. Add to pan and sauté another 5 minutes.
- Prepare portobello mushroom. Add to pan. Deglaze with the balsamic vinegar.
- Cook until all vegetables are cooked. Remove from heat and let cool.
- Make dressing. Put honey, balsamic vinegar, Dijon mustard, lemon, water, salt and pepper in a jar with a screw top. Shake until completely mixed.
- Add sautéed vegetables, peas, artichoke hearts and cheese to lettuce in bowl.
- Toss with dressing (you can use more or less depending on your preference).
- Enjoy!
Filed under: Mains, Salads, Uncategorized, Vegan Optional | Leave a Comment
Tags: asparagus, balsamic vinegar, Dijon, english peas, portobello mushroom, Spring
carrot, beet, avocado salad
This recipe has roots (ha!) from three places… Firstly, a vegan family member requested a recipe that features beets. Secondly, I had pounds and pounds of carrots from my organic veggie boxes the past two weeks. Thirdly, this salad was inspired by a salad we had at our friend’s house awhile back (sorry — I don’t know where the original recipe came from!). The lemon and cilantro add a fresh, acidic quality to the sweetness and earthiness of the carrots and beets and the creaminess of the avocado.
Carrot, Beet, Avocado Salad
Ingredients:
- 2 cups carrots, sliced in 1 inch pieces and braised
- 4 medium-sized beets, boiled, peeled and sliced in 1 inch pieces
- 2 avocados, chopped in 1 inch pieces
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
- Juice of one large lemon
- Salt & Pepper
Instructions:
- Boil whole beets until soft — about 35-40 minutes. Drain, peel and chop into one inch pieces.
- Put one cup of water in a medium saucepan to boil. Peel and chop carrots into one inch pieces. Braise in water until soft but still a little firm — about 15-20 minutes. Drain.
- Chop avocado into one inch pieces.
- Mince cilantro.
- Put vegetables and cilantro in bowl.
- Add lemon juice and salt and pepper.
- Toss and serve.
- Enjoy!
Filed under: Salads, Vegan | 2 Comments
Tags: avocado, beets, carrots, cilantro, salad, vegan
This weekend we welcomed our friends Deborah and Akio into our home for a visit. We had a great time exploring the hills, flowers and food of San Francisco! Akio is a remarkably sensitive and thoughtful 2-year old. Deborah is a patient and thoughtful mom. We all get along really well!
In between visits to some of our favorite San Francisco restaurants and parks, we hung out at home, napping and snacking. I was excited for the opportunity to try out my newly developed vegan mac & cheese (same pan — leftovers!) recipe on two omnivores, one of whom is a tough critic in the form of a pint-sized palate.
Much to my delight, the mac & cheese was a hit with both our friends, especially Akio! If I can convince a toddler to eat vegan mac and ask for seconds, I feel like I developed a solid recipe!
Here’s a photo montage of Akio’s take on the dish:
First bite (served with a little ketchup): looking good!
A serious face for some serious eating!
Taking a break to wipe his face; Akio is a very polite guy!
All done, and (no joke) asking for more! He ate another serving!
Filed under: Mains, Vegan | 1 Comment
Tags: cashews, healthy, kids, mac & cheese, vegan
vegan mac & cheese
A vegan friend of mine challenged me to create a recipe for vegan mac & cheese that didn’t taste like soy sauce. I pulled out all the glutamate stops for this recipe (broth, tomato paste, salt, brandy, etc.). The result is a rich, creamy vegan version!
Vegan Mac & Cheese
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups cashews
- 2 cups hot water
- 2 teaspoons veggie oil
- 1 small yellow onion, diced
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 3/4 cup water
- 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
- 2 tablespoons brandy
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon turmeric
- 1 teaspoon powdered mustard
- 2 cups cooked diced butternut squash*
- 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
- 16 oz. macaroni, cooked al dente
- 1 tablespoon margarine (I like Earth Balance)
- 2 cups panko bread crumbs
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Put three cups water in a medium saucepan to boil. Cook macaroni until al dente. Drain and put back in pot with a little bit of cooking water. Reserve 1 cup pasta water.
- Put cashews in a bowl and cover with 2 cups hot water. Let sit for 20 minutes.
- Peel, dice and steam butternut squash until soft.*
- Dice onion.
- Heat 2 teaspoons veggie oil in a saucepan over medium heat.
- Sauté onion until translucent.
- Add onion powder, garlic powder and tomato paste.
- Stir and let cook 3 minutes.
- Add 3/4 cup pasta water to saucepan and reduce heat to low. Cook for 5 minutes more.
- Take off heat and let cool.
- Drain cashews.
- Put cashews, broth, brandy, lemon juice, salt, turmeric, powdered mustard, onion mixture, butternut squash, and nutritional yeast in blender. Blend until smooth. Add tomato mixture. Blend. Depending on the size of your blender, you may need to blend in batches. Be sure to blend batches together before mixing with the noodles.
- Mix 2/3 of cheese mixture and macaroni. Macaroni should be well coated but not soupy. Add more cheese sauce as needed. Otherwise safe and serve on vegetables!
- Use margarine to “butter” a 9×13 glass casserole dish.
- Pour noodles and cheese mixture in dish.
- Heat 2 tablespoons margarine in a medium saucepan over medium heat.
- When melted, add breadcrumbs, salt and onion powder.
- Stir until breadcrumbs, margarine and salt are incorporated.
- Remove from heat and spread over casserole dish.
- Bake casserole in 375 degree oven for 25 minutes, or until breadcrumbs are browned on top.
- Enjoy!
* To save time for the butternut squash prep, Trader Joe’s sells bags of prepped, diced butternut squash.
Filed under: Mains, Vegan | 2 Comments
Tags: butternut squash, cashews, mac & cheese, panko bread crumbs
corn chowder
This recipe was inspired by both an article I recently read in Cook’s Country magazine and the rainy spring weather we have been having in San Francisco. Much of the recipe has been altered, but I was intrigued by their use of puréed canned corn. The result in this recipe is a smooth, thick stew, with hearty chunks of vegetables.
Corn Chowder
Ingredients:
- 4 red potatoes, peeled and diced
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 medium yellow onion, chopped
- 4 stalks celery, chopped
- 2 large carrots, chopped
- 1 red pepper, chopped
- 1 yellow pepper, chopped
- 16 oz package frozen corn
- 3 cups broth (Better Than Bouillon)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
- 2 cups potato water
- 3 15 oz cans corn
Instructions:
- Put three cups water in a medium saucepan to boil. Boil two peeled potatoes until soft. Reserve liquid.
- In a medium-sized frying pan, heat olive oil over medium-high until shimmering.
- Sauté onions for 5 minutes, or until translucent.
- Add carrots and celery. Cook 5 minutes more.
- Add peppers. Cook another 5 minutes.
- Add frozen corn, stir and cook 5 minutes, or until the corn has begun to defrost.
- Add broth, 2 potatoes and salt and pepper. Bring to boil and then reduce to a simmer.
- Take boiled potatoes and 2 cups reserved potato water and blend until smooth.
- Add potato purée to soup pot.
- Drain two cans of corn; reserve the liquid of one can. Puree cans of corn in the reserved liquid.
- Add corn purée to soup pot.
- Heat through and serve.
- Enjoy!
Filed under: Mains, Soups, Vegan | 1 Comment
Tags: chowder, corn, peppers, potato, puree, soup, stew
veg here 
