Chow Vegan

With cantaloupes in peak season, I thought now would be a perfect time to try this melon carpaccio recipe from Gourmet. But as usual, I made a couple of changes.

I didn’t use the tarragon called for in the recipe. I had mistakenly bought sage instead of tarragon (this is what happens when I don’t make a shopping list). So the tarragon got left out and I knew better than to throw the sage leaves on there. I did add thinly julienne veggie bbq pork, for more of a savory contrast to the sweetness of the cantaloupe. It’s so good and so easy to make.

The secret is in the selection of a nice ripe cantaloupe. I employ the smell test. Give the cantaloupe a good sniff, if it’s ripe it should smell very sweet and very aromatic and you’ll know it’ll be very tasty.

I love sushi but I’m getting a little tired of the same ol’ avocado roll, the ubiquitous cucumber roll or a variation of pretty much the same vegetables in a combination roll. I have been to a few Japanese restaurants that do have innovative veggie rolls, but those are usually the exception.

It just seems like the possibilities for creating new and interesting veggie sushi is endless and really unexplored. So I’m going to venture forward and give it a shot myself.

For this first attempt, I didn’t have any sushi rice and knew better than to try to substitute it with long grain rice. I made a hand roll instead with king oyster mushrooms in a spicy sauce, avocado, cucumber and romaine lettuce.

I was very happy and pleased with this taste combination. It’s got a nice balance between the spicy and the cool, the chewy and the crunchy.

But I do need to work on my nori toasting technique - 1. I almost burned myself waving it around a flame 2. The nori did catch on fire (it was quickly put out) and 3. Now it smells all burnt-like in the kitchen.

Despite all that, I believe it’s a successful, good start.

I had some jackfruit leftover from when I made Jackfruit Carnitas Tacos. Instead of having more tacos, I made taquitos with the jackfruit. Taquito means “little taco”. They’re similar to tacos in that it’s a savory filled corn tortilla but it’s rolled up so it’s neater and easier to eat.

Baked until crispy and served with an avocado green sauce, it has a very satisfying crunch. The thin green sauce (it’s suppose to be thin) provides a creamy and refreshing contrast to the slightly spicy filling.

Jackfruit Carnitas Taquitos
Makes 5 taquitos

5 six inch corn tortillas
1 cup jackfruit carnitas filling

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

Soften the tortillas by microwaving for 30 seconds between wet paper towels so they’re soft and easy to roll. Spoon about 2 1/2 tablespoons of the jackfruit across a tortilla and roll tightly. Stick a toothpick in the middle to keep it closed. Repeat with each of the tortillas. Place on a oiled baking pan.

Bake for 8 - 10 minutes on each side until crispy. Remove the toothpicks and serve with Avocado Green Sauce for dipping.

Avocado Green Sauce
Makes about 1 cup

1/2 ripe Hass avocado, chopped
1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons fresh cilantro, chopped
1/8 teaspoon salt

Combine ingredients and blend until smooth. Chill for for 30 minutes to an hour if desired or serve immediately.

A Taste of Yellow is a blogging event in support of LiveSTRONG Day on May 13th. Hosted by Barbara of Winos and Foodies, she invites food and wine bloggers to make yellow food to show their support.

LiveSTRONG Day is the Lance Armstrong Foundation’s one-day grassroots initiative to raise awareness and funds for the fight against cancer. A worthy cause indeed.

My contribution to the event is the Yellow Tomato Brushchetta. It’s got beautiful colors, tasty flavors, simple and fresh ingredients. It’s a quick and easy recipe for sharing with a group of friends or family. Food has always brought people together to celebrate, mourn or support life’s events, great and small. A Taste of Yellow is a great one.

Yellow Tomato Bruschetta
Makes 16 pieces

4 ripe medium sized yellow tomatoes, diced
1 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon balsamic vinegar
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 French bread baguette

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, combine the tomatoes, garlic, basil, oil and vinegar. Add salt and pepper to taste, set aside.

Slice the bread into 16 pieces about a 1/4 inch thick and place on a baking sheet. Toast the bread in the oven for about 2 minutes on each side. Top with the tomato mixture. Or serve family style with the tomatoes in one bowl and the bread in another and everyone can just help themselves.

Yuba? You betcha!

Yuba is made from the skin that forms on top when soymilk is heated. It’s also known as bean curd skin or tofu skin. It’s usually sold dried or frozen at the Asian grocery store. I’m fortunate enough to be able to get fresh yuba at the local farmer’s market. Fresh yuba. Fresh tofu. Handmade and totally organic. Yes, I’m very spoiled here in the Bay Area.

I made the yuba rolls using the recipe for Homemade Vegetarian Noodle Prawn from The Modern Vegetarian with a few minor changes. As I didn’t have the white radish called for in the recipe, I substituted cooked bamboo shoots instead. And the shape of mine are more like spring rolls (I didn’t do the twist on the end for a tail), then baked in a 350 degree oven for ten minutes on each side or until golden with a lacquered look.

And voilà! You got yourself delicious yuba rolls, way healthier and tastier than the pan-fried version wheeling around on those dim sum carts in Chinese restaurants. They’re also surprisingly easy to make as well. It’s a great, high protein, low carb starter for any Asian meal.

Could you eat a whole pound of tofu in one day?

I can!

Well, I almost did. When it comes to Crispy Baked Tofu, I actually have to stop myself from pigging out on it. The story is - I have a few when they first come out of the oven, because they’re so nice and crispy. Yum. Later on, I need a snack and have a few more. Yum again. Over half is gone already, I could have some more for dinner but probably best to save the rest for tomorrow. Future yum. See? I could if I really wanted to, eat a whole pound of tofu in one day.

Crispy Baked Tofu
Makes 10 to 12 slices

1 pound firm or extra firm tofu, drained and water pressed out
1 cup panko breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
Olive oil

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Cut the tofu into 1/4″ thick slices. In a shallow bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, nutritional yeast, onion powder, garlic powder and salt, mix well.

Brush a baking sheet with olive oil. Take one tofu slice and brush the sides and edges with olive oil, place in the breadcrumbs and coat well. Then place onto the baking sheet. Repeat until all the slices are coated.

Bake tofu slices for about 20 - 30 minutes until light golden brown and crispy, turning them over halfway through. Serve with your dipping sauce of choice - ketchup, bbq sauce, or ranch dressing.

Going to the Asian supermarket is a lot like going on a treasure hunt - you never know what you’ll discover there. In the refrigerated section, I came across fresh soy sheet knots which I’ve been dying to try but I had no idea what to do with them. Then I came across a recipe from TheVeganRonin for Homestyle Vegan Chicken Fingers that I absolutely had to try.

Oh my gosh, it’s sooo good! So much better than those frozen veggie chicken nugget things. Normally, I don’t like to fry anything at home because of the greasy mess it makes, but this recipe is so worth it.

The texture and taste is spot on. I followed most of the recipe but used the fresh soy knots instead of the dried. And I didn’t have the cumin or garlic powder on hand that it calls for so I left it out and added onion powder instead and it still came out great. It has a nice, spicy, Cajun flavor. Add a couple of sides and it really makes a lovely dinner. Or serve as an appetizer at your next party and impress all your friends.

Sometimes it’s nice to be indulgent and have a little decadent something or other. Today, it’s fried wontons and not just fried wontons but cream cheese fried wontons. Made a bit more healthier by baking rather than deep frying and adding spinach to the filling so you can eat up with not too much guilt. For this recipe, I used the Bloomsdale variety of spinach for its excellent flavor and tasty leaves. This is the kind of spinach nice restaurants like to use. I purchased mine at the local farmer’s market.

Cream Cheese Wontons
Makes 16 wontons

1/2 pound spinach
8 ounce package Tofutti cream cheese non-hydrogenated plain
16 wonton wrappers
1 bunch chives roughly chopped
Olive oil
Rice vinegar
Chili garlic sauce (comes in a jar from the Asian grocery store)

Wash the spinach and saute until just wilted, set aside to cool.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Have a small bowl of water handy for wetting the edges. Place 1 teaspoon cream cheese in the center of the wonton skin, add 1 teaspoon of spinach and sprinkle some chives on top. Wet the edges with a finger and fold to form a triangle. Press down to seal the edges, making sure to get all of the air out. I’ve found a simple flat triangle shape works best for baking.

Brush a dark colored baking pan with oil (a darker pan helps to brown the wontons). Place the folded wontons on the pan and brush with oil. Bake for 8-10 minutes on each side until brown, brushing oil on the other side as well.

Serve with a dipping sauce of rice vinegar mixed with chili garlic sauce to taste.