thanks so much for the <3! The lemony lentil salad is a great place to start :) Would love to hear what you think of it!
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Apple Cinnamon Pancakes

Most of my weekend mornings begin exactly the same way. This is my version of pillow talk.

Bella: “Mummy? Muuuummmmmy? Are you awake yet? Pancakes”.
Me: “What’s missing from your question?”
Bella: “Mummy. May I have pancakes PLEASE?”
Me: “Yes you may baby let’s go.”

What an adorable way to wake up. Who doesn’t love making pancakes for the person they love most in the world, especially when they enjoy them so much they wake up craving them and forget their carefully constructed manners when asking for them? Grumps. Since I’m no grump so I make them often.

The only variable in this little weekend exchange is a swap in breakfast items. Saturday is pancakes. Sunday is waffles, which I’ll also post my recipe for very soon, promise.

Even if you don’t have the cutest kid on the planet (no bias here) waking you up with the request, there’s something about the fall air that makes you want to stay inside a little longer. With the warmest mornings behind us, there’s no longer a rush to get out and enjoy the day. The first crisp mornings of fall are perfect for pancakes. So stay in, enjoy the Suburbs and make the most of the day but doing as little as possible.

Now I know that making pancakes sounds like a lot of work and I’ve just suggest you do nothing but, I assure you, it is not. Once you’ve done this once, it’s a 20 minute project tops, including frying time. If you apply a “this is going to be SO worth it” attitude, put on a pot of coffee and some solid tunes, you might even enjoy the process. When you’re looking at a delicious stack of pancake goodness topped with streaks of maple syrup, you’ll be happy you decided to commit to this bit. Who knows? Maybe you’ll end up with a weekend ritual of your own.

Apple Cinnamon Pancakes

Would Rather Gather Original
Prep Time: 10 minutes / Active time: 10 minutes / Serves 4 conservatively or 2 enthusiastically

For the pancakes:

1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
2 tbsp demerrera sugar
1 tsp baking powder
2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp freshly grated nutmeg
1/4 tsp fine sea salt
1 large apple, peeled and coarsely grated
1 serving tofu dessert
1/4 Earth Balance buttery stick, melted + more for the pan
1/2 cup Soy or Almond milk
1 tsp cider vinegar

Method pancakes:
 1. Place tofu dessert in a tall container. Melt butter and pour over tofu dessert and puree until light and fluffy with immersion blender.
2. Combine soy milk and cider vinegar in a small bowl and let stand for 5 minutes.
3. Combine all dry ingredients in a bowl and whisk to remove all clumps and evenly combine.
4. Add soy milk mixture to tofu mixture with the vanilla and whisk until just combined.
5. Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour in the wet mixture. Using your whisk gently fold in the wet ingredients with the dry until just combined. Add the gated apple and stir again until just combined.
6. Over medium heat in a non-stick pan, melt enough Earth Balance to lightly coat the bottom of the pan. Add spoonfuls of batter until you’ve reached the desired size and shape.
7. When the bubbles begin to appear around the edges and through the centre of the pancake, they’re ready to flip over. The second side always cooks a lot faster than the first so watch them carefully!
8. Repeat until you’ve run out of batter, slather with Earth Balance, maple syrup and enjoy!

Pancakes can be wrapped in saran and kept in the fridge for up to a week and in the freezer for a few months and popped in the toaster for midweek morning enjoyment. Eggo might have pioneered this process but they don’t have exclusivity so double up this recipe for a yummier start to your weekday mornings.

1 Comment Posted by Shawna on September 26, 2010
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Market Challenge #1: Grilled Vegetable Torte

So one of the very best things about summer is the sheer abundance of produce. Our Sunday trip to the farmers market at Lansdowne Park was an embarrassment of riches. It has been said that you can have too much of a good thing and this plethora posed a problem: too much possibility. I needed a focus for my work and thus the market challenge was born.

The rules of the market challenge are simple. The majority of the ingredients for the dish must come from the market. I’ve made some concessions for proteins like soy, items unavailable locally like citrus or nutritional yeast and pantry items like vinegars or spices because they’re crucial to the balance of a dish. Otherwise, if it’s not found in the stalls of Lansdowne, it won’t be part of this showcase showdown.

My beau and I collected a classic combination of vegetables perfect for grilling and enough basil and fresh “Art-is-in” bread to create something truly great but what would that be? A salad? Snoresville. A sandwich? Nope, not special enough for Sunday night dinner pour deux. Then it came to me: a torte. Why just grill vegetables when you could layer them in a dish with tons of basil, beautiful balsamic then top it all off with tofu ricotta and a breadcrumb gremolata just to put things over the top?

So how did it turn out? Brilliantly. The veggies were grilled to greatness and then made better by the basil and balsamic. Both added a bold layer of flavour to the dish upping the complexity considerably. Add to the mix some super creamy tofu ricotta to round things out with richness and a crisp, crunchy gremolata to provide some texture and a balance-achieving zing and we had a real winner on our hands. The only thing we felt was missing from the dish was missing from the Market: mushrooms. When I created this dish, it was still too early for Le Coprin to grace us and our torte with their stunning wares. Their mushrooms are in such high demand by local restaurants and organic groceries that they didn’t have enough product to bring to market until the first week of August. The good news is they’re currently stallside enabling you to take advantage of their marvelous mushrooms should you choose to accept this challenge and make the dish for yourself.

This challenge was a ton of fun and the perfect way to make the most of the local growing season. In fact, we liked it so much we’re going to do it again. Stay tuned to see what comes of the next trip. Sundays have now become fundays.


Newbie Note: Balsamic glaze is simple to make but it does require some patience and consistent supervision. You don’t need to hover but frequent check-ins will be necessary unless you want to make it twice. Like all reductions, for a long time it seems like nothing is happening until the heat hits critical mass, then reduction happens quite rapidly and sometimes too rapidly. It’s tempting to up the heat to reduce the time but if you do, you’ll run the risk of burning the glaze as the sugar count in balsamic is quite high. Once you’ve burned it you can’t save it and you’ll need to start over again. Instead, try to remember slow and steady will win this race. Swirling the balsamic around the pan will help diffuse the heat if the simmer turns to a boil. Just be sure to keep your eyes and nose out of the way as the fumes produced by a vinegar reducing are acrid. If you forget this bit and lean into the stove for a sniff as you swirl, don’t worry, the smell will offend you so much you’ll never do it again. Finally, it’s best to remove the glaze from the heat once it’s thick enough to coat a spoon with a second or two of hang time. The residual heat will be enough to take the balsamic down to half and significantly reduce your chances of burning or overcooking it. Now enough with the mother-henning, you’ve got a torte to turn out!

Market Challenge #1: Grilled Vegetable Torte

Loosely adapted from Mark Bittman’s column in the New York Times, July, 21, 2010
Prep time: 30 minutes / Active time: 30 minutes / Bake time: 30 minutes / Serves 6 generously
Special equipment: Microplane or box grater with razor sharp fine setting

For the balsamic glaze:
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar

For the tofu ricotta:
1/2 brick of firm tofu
1 tbsp nutritional yeast
1/2 lemon, juice only
1/4 cup cashew cream or belsoy
sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste

For the gremolata:
2 tbsp Earth Balance buttery stick
6-8 inches of baguette, toasted and cut into 1/2′ cubes
1/4 cup pine nuts, toasted
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tsp sesame seeds, toasted
1/2 lemon, zest only
sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste

For the torte:
4 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, finely minced
1/2 lemon, juice and zest
1 tbsp dried thyme
pinch of red chili flakes
2 tsp sea salt
2 tsp freshly cracked black pepper
3-6 tomatoes, depending on the size, sliced into 1/4″ slices, seasoned with salt and pepper
2 zucchini, sliced into 1/4″ discs or strips
2 summer squash, sliced into 1/4″ discs or strip
2 eggplants, sliced into 1/4″ discs or strip (I’ve used Japanese)
2 red onions, 1/2″ wedges, reserving the core to help keep the wedges intact
1 large bunch of basil, leaves only, in chiffonade

Method balsamic glaze:
1. In a sauce pan over medium-low heat simmer balsamic until reduced by half, stirring occasionally to ensure the bottom doesn’t get too sticky. Set aside until ready to use.
NOTE: If you’ve just skipped down to this nitty gritty, you may want to scroll up for some helpful tips on how to get this glaze right the first time around.

Method tofu ricotta:
1. Over a medium-sized bowl, grate all of the tofu. Once done, run the grated tofu through your fingers until the texture resembles the course ground of ricotta.
2. Add the cashew cream/belsoy, nutritional yeast, lemon juice and stir to combine well.
3. Season to taste with salt and pepper and chill in refrigerator until ready to use,

Method gremolata:
1. Combine all ingredients, save the Earth Balance in a food processor and pulse until a course meal forms and season with salt and pepper to taste.
2. Add earth balance to mixture. Using your fingers run the Earth Balance through the breadcrumb mixture until evenly distributed and set aside until ready to use.

Method torte:
1. Pre-heat oven to 400° and spray a medium-sized oven proof dish with a neutral oil.
1. In a large bowl combine olive oil, garlic, thyme, lemon rind, peel, sea salt and pepper and whisk until well combined.
2. Add all vegetables, except the tomatoes to the olive oil mixture and toss until all are evenly coated.
3. Lay tomato slices on a flat surface and season lightly with salt and pepper.
4. Over high heat, grill all the vegetables and set aside.
5. Begin layering the torte beginning with an even mixture of the grilled vegetables, drizzle with balsamic glaze, followed by a layer of basil chiffonade and tomatoes. Repeat this sequence until you only have a 1/2″ distance from the top of the pan remaining. Spread tofu ricotta over the torte in an even layer, top with gremolata and bake for 30-40 minutes until bubbling and top is golden brown and crispy.
6. Remove from oven, let stand on a cooling rack for 20 minutes, serve and enjoy!

You could probably serve this over pasta or with a nice green salad but we were happy to eat it all alone. A lot of it.

2 Comments Posted by Shawna on August 27, 2010
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Insalata Caprese

This salad is as straight forward and sexy as the Isle of Capri from whence it hails. When the weather is hot and the humidity high this is the only thing I crave. Few things are as fresh on the palette as this.

This salad is a scant seven ingredients to heaven and beyond simple to prepare. I’ve elected to make my version a summer savory mille feuille. To preserve the shape of the tomato, I’ve used a cookie cutter to create tofu rounds. This step and approach is by no means necessary. This salad is just as tasty if you cube the tofu and tomatoes for a “hacked” version of the salad, it just won’t have the same aesthetic quality. Since I, like most people, eat with my eyes first, this is the perfect method to satisfy my desire for both form and function.

Traditionally, this salad is made with fresh buffalo mozzarella. This delicate cheese  is usually found in whey or water and is made from whole milk. It has a much softer texture and a sweeter, milder flavor than nearly any other cheese. While Mozzarella di bufala is the most prized of the fresh mozzarellas, my body’s inability to process dairy couldn’t care less about its credentials. In my honest and most humble opinion, this form of mozzarella really doesn’t taste like anything, which makes it easier to replace. All I needed to make a vegan version of this classic first course was a creamy, mildly-flavoured, medium-textured white substitute to insert in its place. Hello medium-firm tofu. Problem solved!

With the tofu in play, I’ll move on to the balsamic reduction. All you need to make an amazing balsamic glaze is a saucepan, balsamic vinegar, a small spatula and some patience. Ah patience. The fourth item in the list seems the most difficult to come by and it’s really needed here.

The balsamic needs to simmer over medium low heat for about 12 -15 minutes. If you raise the temperature to shorten the time, the sugars will caramelize too quickly and burn. For the first 10 minutes it appears to be doing nothing but you cannot leave it unattended because the sweet spot for this glaze has a one minute half life. Leave it too long and you’ll end up with a too-thick, syrupy mess you can’t even scrape off the bottom of the pan. The trick is to take the glaze off the heat when it can coat the back of a spoon with a few seconds of hang time. The residual heat will reduce the vinegar the rest of the way without taking it too far into taffytown.

I know I said this was an easy salad and this seems complicated but trust me, once you nail the glaze the first time you’ll never think twice about it again. Since you’ll be craving this salad on a near daily basis, actual ease of assembly is supremely important.

Oh, and one more thing. I fed this to self-described carnivores who loved this salad and had to concede they could not tell the difference between the this and the bufala original. If you’ve read my About page, you know this is my ultimate goal. Score!

Insalata Caprese

Knowledge so timeless it’s unattributable.
Prep time: 15 minutes / Active time: 2 minutes, 5 if you get artsy / Serves: 4

For the salad:

4 of the freshest, firmest tomatoes you can find, cut into four 1/2″ thick slices
1 package of medium firm tofu, cut into 1/4″ slices, then 12 rounds same size as tomatoes
32 large basil leaves, whole
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
Extra virgin olive oil to drizzle
Sea salt and freshly cracked pepper to season and taste.

Method:
1. Add balsamic vinegar to a small sauce pan and simmer over medium-low heat, stirring frequently until reduced by half. Once reduced remove from heat and set aside until ready for use.
NOTE: See paragraph five for some super helpful hints if you just skipped down to business.
2. Lay slices of tomatoes and rounds of tofu on a cutting board or plate and season liberally with salt and pepper. Let stand for 10 minutes to allow the seasoning to be fully absorbed.
3. Once glaze has cooled slightly, you can begin to layer the insalata in the following order: slice of tomato, drizzle of olive oil, enough basil leaves to cover tomato slice, round of tofu, drizzle of balsamic glaze and repeat sequence until you hit the final slice of tomato to top.
4. Repeat with remaining tomatoes, top with additional leaf of basil and you’re done.

No Comments Posted by Shawna on August 16, 2010
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Fresh Tomato, Zucchini and Lemon Risotto

Risotto. How do you make risotto without cream? Parmesan? Butter? Easy. Trust the tomatoes. Trust the rice. Trust that the creamy starch they release will bring the mmmmmm factor home.

I had the unbelievable pleasure of eating at a sexy little spot in Montreal called DNA last summer. Not only was the interior design out-of-this-world but the food was to die for. Beyond the raw materials, they produce 90% of what they serve in house. They link their own sausage, cure their meat and even make some of their own cheese. They focus on the freshest, local ingredients and then employ them the best way they know how. The evening I dined with them, I had the most amazing fresh tomato risotto. The tomato plants were used in their entirety. Even the bitter leaves from the vine were sautéed, softened and added to give this airy dish some depth. The result? An incredibly well-balanced, light dish that is the epitome of late summer produce.

As most risottos are on the heavier side, the lightness of this dish surprised me. The secret? Tomato water instead of stock and no cream. Sacrilegious. No stock? No cream? No way! The absence of these traditional ingredients produces a lighter, fresher but still creamy risotto. The addition of nutritional yeast not only adds the nutty, cheesy flavour the parmesan would ordinarily deliver but it’s a perfect protein and killer source of vitamin B12, which as a vegan, I need quite a bit of to ensure my vitamin intake is well-rounded. Finally, unless you grow your own, tomatoes with the leaves still intact are difficult to come by so I’ve replaced the bitter greens with the peppery arugula. Not quite the same but just as good until September rolls around. So. Good.

Let’s get this show on the road shall we?

Fresh Tomato, Zucchini and Lemon Risotto

Would Rather Gather original inspired by an incredible meal at DNA, Montreal
Prep time: 20 minutes / Active time: 25 minutes / Serves 4 as a main, 6 as a side

For the risotto:

2 tbsp Earth Balance butter
1 tbsp olive oil
1 cup small white, Spanish onion, finely diced
1 clove garlic, minced
3 cups fresh tomatoes of your choice, diced roughly into 1-2 inch cubes
1 zucchini sliced into discs as finely as possible
2 cups or arborio rice
4 cups tomato water (2 cups tomato juice combined with 2 cups water)
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
small handful of basil, en chiffonade
1 tbsp fresh flat leaf (Italian) parsley, roughly chopped

Method:
1. In a saute pan over medium heat, bring the Earth Balance and olive oil up to temperature, add the garlic and saute until golden.
2. Add the onions and saute until soft and translucent. Should the edges begin to brown, turn down the temp, you’re heat is too high.
3. Add arborio and saute until rice becomes warm and glossy, about 3-4 minutes.
4. Add white wine and stir constantly until liquid is almost entirely absorbed and the rice mixture is nearly dry.
5. Once wine is absorbed, begin to add the tomato stock 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly until the liquid is absorbed and the mixture is nearly dry. Repeat, adding the stock in a 1/2 cup at a time, tasting as you go until rice is el dente.
6. Add tomatoes, zucchini and lemon juice, stirring constantly until water from tomatoes and zucchini is absorbed. Tasting as you go, continue adding more stock if needed until the rice is firm but not mushy.
7. Stir in basil, parsley and enjoy! This is as good as summer gets in bowl format.

1 Comment Posted by Shawna on July 25, 2010
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Cornmeal Crusted Chick’n with Warm Corn, Tomato and Fennel Salad

So being in the kitchen has it’s ups and downs. On one hand I have the exquisite joy of being able to create and enjoy new and exciting dishes whenever I please. On the other, literally, manicures never last. If this evening’s dish didn’t work out, I might have been a lot more annoyed but seeing as this is one of my favorite dishes to date, my $11 polish change is acceptable carnage. So much for Ahisma…

Right, back to the food. The best thing about May is the influx of fresh produce, albeit not entirely local or seasonal, it  is available. Today during my Hartman’s hunt, I found corn on the cob. So. Exciting. You see I love the fresh, clean, crunch of corn off the cob. The frozen stuff does a very respectable job, but nothing can replace the burst of sweet goodness of freshly hulled husk.

Clearly the ears were coming with me. Now, what would I adorn them with? Tomatoes are a classic pairing, check. Love fennel, check. Throw in some dill, parsley and lemon for good measure and I’m counting the minutes to prep time in the checkout line.

I wasn’t positive the dill was gonna work but I’ve been on a kick lately and thought I’d give it a go. Not only does it work but it firmly keeps the dish from feeling southwest. Tall order with the corn but we (the Dill and I) emerged victorious!

Adorable Side Note: My daughter Bella thinks corn “has hair like Bert“. Almost died laughing. I’m sure those behind me at Hartman’s were convinced I’d lost it. I’m not convinced they’re wrong.

Cornmeal Crusted Chick’n with Warm Corn, Tomato and Fennel Salad

Would Rather Gather original, roughly inspired by Gourmet, 2000
Prep time: 20 minutes, Active time: 15 minutes, Serves 2

For the Chick’n
2 Lemon Dijon Gardien Chick’n Breasts, rinsed of marinade and pat dry
1 cup cornmeal
1 tsp cayenne pepper
1 tbsp freshly cracked pepper
1 tbsp fine sea salt
enough canola oil to coat the bottom of the pan to 1/2 inch depth

For the Salad:
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp Earth Balance
1/4 tsp red chili flakes
1 pint miniature heirloom tomatoes
2 ears of corn, husked and kernels removed from cob
1 cup fennel, diced to approximately the same size as corn
1/2 cup sweet onion, diced to approximately the same size as corn
1 small clove garlic, minced
2 tbsp fresh dill, roughly chopped
2 tbsp flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped
1 tbsp lemon juice
sea salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste

1/4 Israeli couscous

Method Coucous:
1. Bring a sauce pan of salted water to boil and cook couscous until el dente as per package instructions. Drain and set aside until ready to incorporate into the salad.

Method Chick’n:
1. Remove Chick’n breasts from packaging, rinse/wipe clean of marinade and pat dry.
2. Combine cornmeal, cayenne, salt and pepper on plate.
3. Coat each breast evenly by pressing both sides of piece into the cornmeal mixture.
4. In a saute pan, bring oil up to temperature (should be lightly bubbling, like champagne)
5. Fry chick’n for 3-4 minutes on each side or until they are crisp and golden, drain on paper towel and serve immediately.

For the Salad:
1. In a saute pan over medium-high heat, bring olive oil and Earth Balance up to temperature. Add garlic and chilis and saute until golden.
2. Add onion to pan and saute until translucent. Add corn, fennel and tomatoes and saute until corn is crisp tender, about 4-6 minutes.
3. Add dill, parsley, lemon juice and couscous. Season salad mixture with sea salt and freshly cracked pepper to taste. Top with cornmeal crusted and chicken and enjoy!

No Comments Posted by Shawna on May 13, 2010
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Lemony Lentil and Rice Salad

I love a good rice salad. They’re perfect for lunches, potlucks and sometimes in-car eating on road trips. Boston is a 7-hour drive from Ottawa, so anyway your slice it, you’re going to need something to eat at some point. As it’s not exactly to find vegan-friendly roadside options, I thought I’d try making this salad and see how well it travelled. As it turns out, pretty darn well.

If you stuff all of the ingredients into a large ziplock bag, keeping the nuts and dressing separate until you’re ready eat, the crunch of the pecans and the zing of the dressing come through loud and clear.

When lunchtime rolled around, we were nowhere near a good stop point so we kept rolling. I added the nuts and dressing to the bag, rolled and shook the salad until it was evenly coated and served in bowls en route. Not only were we satisfied, but we saved the 30 minutes it would have taken to stop. Who doesn’t love a salad that is both delicious and car-service freindly?

Clearly the photo compliment above is not the salad I made in the ziplock but the second go round. Hope you like it enought to make it twice too!

Crunchy Lentil and Rice Salad

loosely based on recipe from Gourmet, 2000
Prep Time: 30 minutes / Active Time: 5 minutes / Serves: 4

For the salad:

1 cup basmati rice, cooked as per instructions on packaging
1 cup french green or beluga lentils
1 tbsp vegetable stock cube, powder or paste
1 clove garlic, peeled & smashed
4 green onions, sliced into 1/4 inch slices
1 cup english cucumber, seeded and diced
1 cup quartered heirloom tomatoes
1 small bulb fennel, shaved
1/2 cup red seedless grapes, halved
1/2 cup spiced pecans

For the dressing:
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup fresh dill, roughly chopped
1/4 cup flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped
1/4 cup toasted pine nuts
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
3 tbsp white balsamic vinigar
2 tbsp lemon juice + zest of one lemon
sea salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste

Method:

1. In a medium saucepan, bring water to boil, add vegetable stock, garlic and lentils. Stir well and reduce heat to medium low. Cook for approximately 20 minutes or until lentils are tender. Drain and set aside to cool.
2. Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, including pecans, add dressing, toss until evenly coated and serve.

Everything should be this easy.

6 Comments Posted by Shawna on May 3, 2010
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Savoury Chickpea Cakes with Lemon Garlic Aioli and Arugula Fennel Salad

Chickpeas cakes are such a great alternative to veggie burgers or other traditional vegan main proteins. Over a salad and topped with a lemon garlic aioli, it’a a sophisticated main course perfect for a dinner party.
Stuffed in a soft, crusty bun, it’s brilliant for a picnic or Tuesday night.

As with most things, it all comes down to knowing your audience and applying the appropriate medium. In this case, I’ve gone with the traditional Dinner Party execution method.

Looking at the list of ingredients and the method for this dish, you’d assume this would take forever and be a giant pain in the ass. Nothing could be further from the truth. I just made this in under 20 minutes flat. Prep to plate and it was lovely. Consider it a challenge to see if you can do the same.

Savoury Chickpeacakes with Lemon Garlic Aioli and Arugula Fennel Salad

Combination of common knowledge and Would Rather Gather originals
Prep Time: 40 mins / Active Time: 15 mins / Serves: 2

For the chickpea cakes:
1 tbsp Earth Balance buttery stick
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup onion, minced
1/4 cup red pepper, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tbsp flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
1/4 cup bread crumbs, finely chopped
1/4 cup cashew cream
1 tbsp tomato paste
14 oz. can chickpeas, drained and mashed
chickpea flour, salt, pepper mixture for dusting
fresh cracked sea salt and black pepper to taste
enough canola oil to coast the bottom of the pan to 1/4 inch

For the salad:
3 tbsp white balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp olive oil
1/4 cup red onion, in fine rings
1/2 cup fennel bulb, shaved
1/4 cup flat leaf parsley, coarsely chopped
2 cups baby arugula
1/2 cup, cherry tomatoes, quartered
fresh cracked sea salt and black pepper to taste

For the aioli:
1/4 cup of veganaise
1 tbsp lemon zest
1 tbsp lemon juice
2 cloves garlic, finely minced

Method aioli:
1. Combine all ingredients in a small bowl, cover and place in fridge to keep cool until ready for use.

Method chickpea cakes:
1. In a saute pan, over medium heat, bring oilive oil and Earth Balance up to temperature, saute garlic with chili flakes until golden, add onion, red pepper and saute until soft. Remove from heat and set aside.
2. While onion red pepper mixture softens, combine breads crumbs with cashew cream. Let stand for 5 minutes, then using a fork mash bread and cream together to create a paste.
3. In a medium sized mixing bowl, mash chick peas until mostly smooth. Add onion and red pepper mixture, nutritional yeast, breadcrumb paste, tomato paste, parsley and mix until well combined. Salt and pepper to taste.
NOTE: I like to use a pastry cutter but if you don’t have one or a masher on hand, the back of a fork always works – it just takes a little more elbow grease and time.
4. Form mixture into cakes and dust with chickpea flour mixture (1/4 cup flour with 1 tsp salt and tsp pepper)
5. In a large heavy bottom pan, bring canola oil up to temperature (bread will immediately become golden) and fry cakes for 3 minutes or until golden and crispy on each side. Drain on paper towel and serve over salad with a dollop of aioli.

Method Salad:
1. Just as the chickpeas are draining, toss all ingredient together until salad is evenly coated. Salt and pepper to taste.

2 Comments Posted by Shawna on May 1, 2010
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Linguini with Salsa Verde, Gremolata and Tomatoes

Last night I finally got around to reviewing the gluten-free, vegan challenge episode of Top Chef Masters I’ve had stored on the PVR forever. It started off a little rough but once the Chefs got over themselves and stopped whining about “how they had both hands tied behind their back”, a few really great dishes were born.  Michael Chiarello’s pasta was really well received by everyone regardless of their dietary status. Not only did it win best dish that episode but it looked damn tasty. I had to try and make this super yummy dish.

Now, normally I try to adapt “regular” recipes to fit vegan requirements, but this time the challenge was to try and replicate the already vegan recipe without a full ingredient list or the method available for reference. Suffice to say pause and rewind function of my remote got a really good workout. Adding to the difficulty level was the fact that I knew neither what differentiated a salsa verde from a pesto (they looked the same) nor did I have a good idea of what a gremolata was. Hummmm.

Apparently a salsa verde is a chopped herb condiment with parsley, vinegar, capers, garlic, onion and olive oil and is similar to a pesto except it doesn’t have the pine nuts or parmesan. Clearly the parmesan wasn’t gonna fly here but I’ve ad-libbed a little somethin’ somethin’ below to make this verde very fine.

Gremolatas are drier simplified version of a salsa verde composed of just parsley, garlic and lemon zest. Due the non-meatness of this dish, Chef Chiarello wanted to give this past a “little crunch and a lot more heft” so he elevated it by adding some gluten free crackers and pine nuts for good measure. Yum. Since I’m very cool with all things gluten, I used fresh breadcrumbs in place of the crackers, although I’m sure they were awesome too.

Considering more than 75% of the recipe was missing at the onset and the learning curve was a little steeper than usual, this turned out well. It’s a really well-rounded dish that will fill you up without filling you out. All of the components are pretty fantabulous but my favourite part has to be the oven-dried tomatoes drizzled with aged balsamic. So. Very. Yummy.

So once you get into the salsa verde recipe it looks like a ton of ingredients and a lot of work but I promise you it’s not. The food processor does all of the heavy lifting. If you’re really not feeling the effort, as long as you remove all of the stems from the herbs, you can throw almost everything in whole and just blend it a little longer. No biggie. If you complete all of the steps in the order outlined in the method the pasta, gremolata and tomatoes should finish within minutes of each other. I promise you won’t be disappointed.

Linguini with Salsa Verde, Gremolata and Tomatoes

divined from Michael Chiarello, Top Chef Masters Season 1, serves 4
Prep time: 30 minutes / Active Time: 30 minutes (with some overlap)

For the Tomatoes:

2 pints of mini heirloom tomoatoes or sherry tomatoes
old balsamic vinegar you can get your hands on, 3 yr age minimum

For the Salsa Verde:

3 cups fresh parsley
2 cups olive oil
1 cup green onion
3/4 cup drained, rinsed capers
1/2 cup lemon juice
3 tbsp garlic, minced
2 tbsp chopped basil
1 tbsp chopped oregano
4 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves only
1 1/2 tsp fresh sage
1/3 cup nutritional yeast flakes
freshly cracked pepper to taste

For the Gremolata

1 tbsp Earth balance Buttery Stick
1/2 tbsp olive oil
1 cup of baguette, very finely diced
1/2 cup pine nuts
3 cloves garlic
1 tbsp lemon rind, coarsely grated
2 tbsp basil, roughly chopped
small pinch of red chili flakes

For the Pasta:

4 servings of linguini
1 tbsp olive oil and 2 tbsp sea salt to season the water

Method:
1. Pre-heat oven to 375℉.
2. Halve tomatoes and place sliced side up on a lined, neutral oil sprayed baking sheet and roast for 30 minutes until soft and slightly caramelized on the bottoms. Once out of the oven drizzle balsamic over the tops of each tomato and set aside until ready to serve.
3. While tomatoes are roasting, place all of the ingredients for the Salsa Verde in a food processor and puree until smooth. Set aside until ready for use.
4. Bring a large pot of water seasoned with sea salt and olive oil to a boil and cook pasta until el dente according to instructions on package. Drain and cover with lid to keep warm and set aside.
5. In a non-stick saute pan over medium high heat melt the Earth Balance and olive oil up to temperature. Add chili flakes, bread crumbs and garlic and toss to evenly coat in oil. Toast mixture in saute pan by shaking and tossing frequently to ensure mixture evenly browns. Once mixture begins to brown add, basil and pine nuts and continue to toast until entire mixture is golden brown. Remove from heat and transfer mixture to a ceramic plate to halt the cooking process.
6. Add salsa verde to warm pasta and toss until evenly coated and serve in deep pasta bowls.
7. Spoon an even amount of tomatoes around the edge of each bowl, top with a big handful of gremolata and enjoy!

Note: The Salsa Verde can be done up to 3 days ahead of time when stored in a air-tight container in the fridge.

1 Comment Posted by Shawna on April 18, 2010
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Grain and Parsley Crusted “Chicken” with Mustard Maple Pan Sauce and Broccoli Rabe

I love Gardein. A lot. So much so in fact, I burned 20 minutes on epicurious looking for the perfect recipe to adapt for it, making me late for daycare pick-up and it was totally worth it!

This is everything I love all together on one plate. Sweet, spicy, crunchy and green with enough richness and weight to elicit audible yummy-in-my-tummy noises. After a “Thursday Night” class, I was starving and this was relatively quick (I completed prep before I left for class) to make when I got home. Needless to say, it lasted a whole four minutes on my plate with no sauce to spare. I wouldn’t say it’s 100% “healthy” but nothing this good ever is…..

Grain and Parsley Crusted Chick’n with Mustard Maple Pan Sauce and Broccoli Rabe

adapted from Bon Appétit, October 2009

Makes 2 servings (doubles perfectly for 4)

Prep Time: 30 minutes / Active Time, 30 minutes

For the Crust:

1 slice of whole grain bread with crusts, diced to 1″ cubes

1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds

1 tbsp finely chopped parsley

1 tbsp flour (any kind will do – I’ve used organic white)

freshly cracked pepper and sea salt to taste

For the Gardein™

4 lightly seasoned Gardein Chick’n filets, with original marinade removed and patted dry

2 tbsp of dijon mustard

1 tbsp of Eath Balance Buttery Sticks

enough canola oil to coat the bottom of the saute pan

For the Broccoli Rabe

1 tsp Better than Bouillon vegetable stock concentrate

2 cloves garlic, smashed

1 large bunch of broccoli rabe, washed and trimmed

For the Mustard Maple Pan Sauce

1/2 cup Broccoli Rabe Cooking liquid, reserved

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tbsp Earth Balance Buttery Stick

1 good splash of White Wine

2 tbsp pure maple syrup

1 tbsp dijon mustard

1 tbsp grainy mustard

freshly cracked pepper and sea salt to taste

Method:

1. Combine all ingredients for the crust in a food processor (mini works well here) and pulse until a fine crumb forms. Dump mixture out onto small plate and set aside.

2. Pre-heat oven to 200℉.

3. In a pot large enough to hold all the broccoli rabe, fill with water to 2/3 mark and bring to a boil. Once water is boiling, add the tsp of vegetable stock concentrate, smashed garlic cloves, broccoli rabe and cook until just tender, 4-5 minutes. Once tender, strain rabe (reserving 1 cup of cooking liquid for sauce) and place in a cold water to stop cooking. Place cooled rabe on tea towels to drain and dry.

4. In a non-stick saute pan over med-high heat, add 1 tbsp Earth Balance and enough canola oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Don’t skip on the oil, you’ll never achieve a good crunch in the coasting without it.

5. While oil in saute pan heats, evenly coat Gardein™ filets with dijon mustard and press in crust mixture until well-coated with no bare patches visible.

6. Once saute pan has reached temperature (oil and Earth Balance mixture is lightly bubbling) gently place Gardein in pan. Cook each side for about 3 minutes or until golden and crispy. Once both side are done, place the Gardein on a paper towel-lined oven-proof dish and place in the oven to keep warm while you make the pan sauce.

7. Rinse or wipe out saute pan from Gardein , add 1 tbsp of olive oil and 1 tsp of Earth Balance over medium heat. Once at temperature (same as Gardein above) add minced garlic and saute until golden. Add splash of white wine and saute for about 1 minute until the alcohol burns off.  Whisk in mustards, maple syrup and thin out with reserved rabe cooking liquid until desire consistency is achieved. Salt and pepper to taste. Add rabe and saute in sauce until warmed through.

8. Divide rabe and sauce evenly between plates, top with Gardein filets and enjoy!

No Comments Posted by Shawna on April 4, 2010
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Lemon Scented Sugar Cookies

It’s nearly Easter and my daughter has a special day planned for tomorrow. She and her daycare buddies and going to run around in their jammies, watch a movie and eat a special treat. What treat is this you ask? Sugar cookies in the shapes of bunnies of course.

Confused because sugar cookies have a fair amount of sugar but also a lot of eggs and butter? No need. Once again there’s a work around. These cookies aren’t as sweet as their lacto-ovo counterparts but they are just as crisp and delicious. In bunny form they’re totally adorable.

The process of making these cookies is time consuming but they are so cute when you’re done you won’t care. Clearly this batch of dough has been dedicated to rabbit-form but it could have just as easily been hippos or butterflies. It really doesn’t matter what you shape them into, they’ll be just as good.

Lemon Scented Sugar Cookies

Adapted from Martha Stewart, makes 24, 3″ bunnies.
Prep time 5 minutes / Active time: 2.25 hours

For the dough:

1 cup or 2 sticks of Earth Balance Buttery Sticks, softened to room temperature
1 cup raw granulated sugar
1 cup course turbino sugar
1 serving tofu dessert
1 tbsp vanilla
1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
zest of two lemons
4 cups all-purpose flour + more to flour work area
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 xanthum gum
1/2 tsp salt

Method:
1. Pre-heat oven to 325℉
2. Using a stand mixer, whip butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Should be a pale yellow.
3. Add vanilla. lemon juice and tofu dessert and beat again, until light and fluffy.
4. In a medium-size bowl, combine lemon zest, flour, salt. baking powder, baking baking soda and xanthum gum and sift or whisk all dry ingredients together.
5. Add to the butter and sugar mixture on lowest speed. Integrate the dry ingredients in a slow and steady stream until just combined. Cover and chill completely in refrigerator, about 45-50 minutes and up to a day in advance.
6. Once dough is chilled, divide into 4 sections. You may need to collect scraps left by cutter and roll out again. Generously flour workspace and roll each section of dough out to a 1/4 inch thick rounds . Cut out desired shapes, place on baking sheets and chill for another 15 minutes then bake for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are just beginning to get golden.
7. Repeat until all dough has been exhausted and enjoy!

No Comments Posted by Shawna on April 1, 2010
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