Chow Vegan

While cruising around the Sunnyvale farmers market, I came across Rau Om, makers of tofu misozuke (miso cured tofu). It’s been described as either a vegan foie gras or a creamy vegan cheese. It’s actually a traditional Japanese cured tofu that dates back to at least the 18th century.

Having never tried foie gras before, I can’t comment on that part. It’s also unlike any cheese I ever had, although I never was much of a cheese connoisseur.

But it is creamy, rich with an intense flavor and savory with umami galore. For me, it’s more reminiscent of Chinese fermented bean curd but without its pungent aroma and you can eat the tofu misozuke plain all by itself. Whereas, you can’t really do that with the Chinese fermented tofu.

You could cook with tofu misozuke, but at 7 bucks for a small block (2.5 oz.), I prefer to enjoy it as is – smeared on a slice of crusty bread. It seems a bit pricey for what you get but it is after all handmade and aged for two months, not unlike fine cheese.

Rau Om has since added a new flavor – kombu (seaweed) aged tofu misozuke, which I liked better than the original. It seemed a lot less like fermented tofu. Aged a bit longer and all wrapped up in kombu, it has more depth and complexity for just 50 cents more ($7.50 for a 2.5 oz. block).

Currently available in-person at the California Avenue Palo Alto farmers market or online. You can also try your hand at making it yourself, the nice people at Rau Om have made the recipe open source, which is so cool. Another thing to add to the bucket list of must-try-recipes.

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I’ve been pretty much overdosing on sweets lately with the holidays and all. But since I recently received Vegan Pie in the Sky by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero to review, I absolutely had to try a recipe or two.

Unable to decide on which cheesecake to make, I half the recipes and made mini cheesecakes. That way I was also able to try out a couple of flavors instead of making one big 9″ pie.

Pictured above is the Chocolate Galaxy Banana Cheesecake – such a smooth and creamy texture! So very decadent-tasting, just like regular cheesecake. Unlike some other vegan cheesecake recipes, there’s no packaged cream cheese in these. The creaminess is from raw cashews, banana and silken tofu.

The other flavor was Raspberry Lime Cheesecake, pictured in the middle. Also very good. Never thought raspberry and lime go together but they do. Since I had a bit of the raspberry and lime topping leftover, I plopped some on top of the chocolate cheesecake, pictured below.

Both flavors were easy enough for me, a baking simpleton, to make. The cookbook is written in the same style as the authors’ other books – easy to understand, lighthearted, full of useful tips and suggestions. Besides the cheesecakes, there’s recipes for various pie crusts, fruit pies, creamy pies, cobblers, crisps and tarts.

When I fully recover from the overindulgence of holiday sweets, I have very high hopes of finally being able to actually make a real pie with a real pie crust and everything. I’m so excited!

Chocolate Galaxy Banana Cheesecake
Makes one 9 1/2 – inch cheesecake

1 recipe Graham Cracker Crust

Filling
1/2 cup whole unroasted cashews, soaked in water for 2 to 8 hours or until very soft
1/2 cup well-mashed banana (about 2 medium-size bananas)
1 (12-14 ounce) package silken tofu, drained
2/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons coconut oil, room temperature
4 teaspoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon lemon juice
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
2/3 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly spray a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray. Prepare the crust and press it very firmly into the pan. Bake for 10 minutes and move the pan to a cooling rack.

2. Meanwhile, prepare the filling: Drain the cashews and blend with the banana, tofu, sugar, coconut oil, cornstarch, lemon juice, vanilla and almond extracts, and sea salt. Blend until completely smooth and absolutely no bits of cashew remain.

3. Set aside 1/3 cup of batter and pour the rest into the crust. Melt the chocolate chips over a double boiler or in a glass bowl in the microwave. Stir the melted chips with a spatula until smooth; add reserved batter and stir until smooth.

4. Spoon dollops of chocolate batter randomly onton the cheesecake. Poke the end of a chopstick into a chocolate batter blob and gently swirl the top to creat a marble-like pattern; repeat with the remaining chocolate blobs.

5. Bake the cheesecake for 50 to 55 minutes until the top is lightly puffed and the edges of the cake are golden.

6. Remove the cake from the oven and set on a cooling rack for 20 minutes, then move it to the fridge to complete cooling, at least 3 hours or even better, overnight. To serve, slice the cake with a thin, sharp knife dipped in cold water.

Graham Cracker Crust
Makes one 9- or 10- inch pie crust

1 3/4 cups finely ground graham crackers (made from 10 ounces of whole graham crackers)
3 tablespoons sugar
4 tablespoons melted nonhydrogenated margarine, melted coconut oil, or canola oil
1 tablespoon plain soy milk or almond milk

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and lightly spray a 9-inch pie plate with nonstick cooking spray.

2. In a mixing bowl, combine the graham crumbs and sugar. Drizzle in the oil or melted margarine. Use a spoon to blend the mixture thoroughly to moisten the crumbs, then drizzle in the soy milk and stir again to form a crumbly dough.

3. Pour the crumbs into the pie plate. Press crumbs into the sides of the plate first, then work your way down to the bottom. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes until firm. Let the crust cool before filling.

From the book Vegan Pie in the Sky by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero. Excerpted by arrangement with Da Capo Lifelong, a member of the Perseus Books Group. Copyright (c) 2011. www.dacapopresscookbooks.com

Disclosure: I received the book free of charge from the publisher to review. The opinions and experience with the book expressed herein are my own. There was no pay to say.

This post also contains an Amazon link, I get a few coins tossed my way if you click on the link and make a purchase of anything.

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Just in time for Halloween, bat-shaped cookie sandwiches from Zest Bakery, a gluten-free bakery in downtown San Carlos (a small town on the SF Bay Area peninsula about halfway between San Francisco and San Jose).

They’re spooky good! Kinda like an Oreo in that it’s a chocolate sandwich cookie with a creamy filling. But so much better.

Not a soft cookie, nor a hard one, it’s somewhere in between. Actually, it’s just about right (I never cared for the hardness of an Oreo cookie). And the creme filling is light and soft. Available in vanilla or chocolate flavor for $1.50 each.

While all of Zest’s items are gluten-free, just a few are also vegan. If coming from afar, it’s probably best to call ahead and see what they have available. Or you can special order things. They’re super nice and they know their stuff.

The batch of cookie sandwiches I first looked at were dairy-free and gluten-free but not quite vegan. It had powdered sugar processed with bone char. But they offered to make some that were vegan by the very next day. And instead of just regular ol’ round cookie sandwiches, they surprised me with cute Halloween bats.

Holy smokes, Batman! How’s that for great service?

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After hearing about Cleo’s Peanut Butter Cups, I finally managed to track one down. They’re basically a vegan version of Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, a favorite before becoming vegan.

Sliding a peanut butter cup out of the package, it looked a little melty and oily. I used a paper towel to blot off the excess and took a bite. I was surprised to find the taste to be sweeter than I expected. Maybe it’s because I don’t eat all that much candy.

On the plus side, the peanut butter isn’t the dry crumbly kind, it’s smooth and creamy. Just like you see in the picture.

Yup, another fine non-dairy, no hydrogenated oils or trans fat, vegan creation from the folks at Go Max Go. There’s also Snap!, a crispy rice milk chocolate bar that I haven’t been able to find locally yet. And I’m still hoping for a vegan version of Twix someday.

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It’s taken me awhile to get to the latest cookbook up for review, Another Fork in the Trail: Vegetarian and Vegan Recipes for the Backcountry by Laurie Ann March. Not because it’s a hard read or anything like that. It’s actually packed full of useful information, from outdoor cooking methods and equipment to nutrition and food storage at camp and recipes.

But quite a few of the recipes required a dehydrator and I didn’t have one at the time. This was the same problem I had with Ani’s Raw Food Asia – recipes I wanted to try but didn’t have the equipment (sure, I could have used the oven but I rather not).

While waiting for the dehydrator to arrive, I made the Roasted Nut and Mango Energy Bars, pictured above. I had no idea they were so easy to make and so much better than store bought energy bars.

Finally, a shiny new dehydrator sits on the kitchen counter. The first thing I made is the Carrot Muffin Leather. I just had to try it because it wasn’t a fruit leather. I’ve had all sorts of fruit leather in my time but never vegetable leather. Guess what? it does taste like carrot muffins.

I also made tofu jerky at the same time using different trays (dehydrators are so efficient). I’ve made tofu jerky in the oven way back when; it’s one of the reasons I rather wait to get a dehydrator than use the oven again.

The marinate produces a nicely flavored tofu jerky – I liked the combination of soy sauce, lime, onion, garlic and red chilies. Bonus points for not using liquid smoke.

I did tweak the recipe a bit based on my previous experience with making jerky, I cut the tofu thinner. And I reduced the amount of soy sauce and only marinated for a couple of hours instead of overnight. I wanted the flavor but not the saltiness, it came out great. I’m thinking the marinate would be good for regular baked tofu too.

I also tried an entree, Mushroom Burgundy. The recipe called for frozen pearl onions which I couldn’t find at Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s. I just left it out and added extra carrots.

Since I wasn’t actually going camping, I didn’t bother to dehydrate the dish. All of the recipes provide instructions for preparing the food for the outdoors, whether dehydrating or other storage, but you can just skip that part if you’re eating at home or around town.

A little woodland friend stopped by and whispered something about sharing. So I’m giving away a copy of Another Fork in the Trail.

To enter the giveaway:
Leave a comment in this post with your favorite on the go snack, it can be for the wilderness or the urban jungle. Comment must be made by midnight PST on Friday, October 21st; one entry per person. No purchase is necessary to enter or win.

One winner will be randomly selected (using random.org) from the comments received and announced in a new post on Saturday, October 22nd. Winner will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be randomly chosen. Prize awarded is the cookbook that I received from the publisher (approximate retail value $17.95). I did not drool on it.

Official Rules:
Open only to U.S. residents age 18 and over. Odds of winning depend on the number of entries received. Void where prohibited by law. Any tax is the sole responsibility of the winner. Winner releases Chow Vegan from any liability arising out of participation in this giveaway or the acceptance, use or misuse of the prize.

Disclosure: I received the cookbook free of charge from the publisher to review. The opinions and experience with the cookbook expressed herein are my own. There was no pay to say.

This post also contains Amazon links, I get a few coins tossed my way if you click on the link and make a purchase of anything.

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I’m under no illusions about dining in some of the top vegan restaurants on the other side of the country. It’s highly doubtful I’m going to be at Candle Cafe or Candle 79 in New York City anytime soon. So when I saw their line of frozen food on sale, I jumped on it.

I’ve seen them before in the frozen section at my local Whole Foods, but at a normal retail price of $6.49, I passed. On sale for $3.99 until 10/11/11, and with a $1 off coupon from the Whole Foods website, brings it down to $2.99. For three bucks, I’ll give it a try.

Out of the four varieties available, I went with the Tofu Spinach Ravioli. Nice, melty cheese (I believe it’s Daiya. Tasted like Daiya, even though the package doesn’t say), tender pasta and the flavor wasn’t bad.

Although I can’t say I really tasted the tofu spinach filling, it’s a little on the skimpy side. I suppose that’s to be expected at 340 calories. Like most frozen entrees though, it’s very high in sodium.

I’m sure it pales in comparison to anything at the actual restaurants. But I would get the ravioli again for a quick meal on a busy day. But only if it was on sale.

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Have you ever tried lemon in popcorn?

Me neither. I couldn’t imagine what it would taste like. Quinn Popcorn describes their Lemon & Sea Salt popcorn as “understated, clean tasting, but buttery (without using butter!).” I’m sold.

It’s definitely an unique taste, I liked it. It’s not a slap-you-in-the-face butter kind of flavor, it’s much more subtle. And non-greasy. I didn’t use all of the enclosed packet of oil, probably less than a third (I normally eat popcorn plain). It’s nice to be able to control the amount of oil and seasoning.

Quinn microwave popcorn is organic, non-gmo, with no hydrogenated oils, preservatives or chemicals. It’s just a couple bags of corn kernels (even the bags are free of chemicals and impurities, it’s just 100% compostable paper).

A couple packets of expeller pressed grapeseed oil and separate ones for the sea salt and dried lemon. You can read all about their quest to find 100% lemon powder here.

Their other unique flavors include Vermont Maple & Sea Salt and Parmesan & Rosemary. Currently only available around the Boston area where the company is located but coming soon to everyone through Amazon.

Before summer gives way to fall, I just had to try the Black Velvet Cupcakes from Hannah Kaminsky’s Vegan Desserts. These cupcakes came out perfect! Moist. Fluffy. Yummy. It’s a baking miracle! It really is. You have no idea what horrible baking disasters have emerged from my oven in the past.

Located in the summer section of Vegan Desserts (the cookbook is divided by seasons), the recipe uses the ingenious idea of blackberries for the cupcake’s beautiful color. No artificial coloring!

Straight-forward and easy to understand, I, a noob baker, was able to follow the recipe without any problems. Although I was puzzled how to make the thirteenth cupcake. My pan only has twelve spots but the recipe said it makes thirteen. I just divided the batter among the twelve and crossed my fingers.

They came out fine. I frosted half of them and froze the other half for later enjoyment. My frosting technique could use a little work, actually a lot of work. It looks like it’s just plopped on top, but it tasted great. Way better than the vegan red velvet cupcakes from Sprinkles, because I made them myself!

To celebrate such a momentous occasion, I’m giving away a copy of Vegan Desserts.

To enter the giveaway:
Leave a comment in this post with your favorite seasonal dessert. Comment must be made by midnight PST on Sunday, September 18th; one entry per person. No purchase is necessary to enter or win.

One winner will be randomly selected (using random.org) from the comments received and announced in a new post on Monday, September 19th. Winner will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be randomly chosen. Prize awarded is the cookbook that I paid for with my own hard-earned money (approximate retail value $17.95). I did not drool on it.

Official Rules:
Open only to U.S. residents age 18 and over. Odds of winning depend on the number of entries received. Void where prohibited by law. Any tax is the sole responsibility of the winner. Winner releases Chow Vegan from any liability arising out of participation in this giveaway or the acceptance, use or misuse of the prize.

This post also contains an Amazon link, I get a few coins tossed my way if you click on the link and make a purchase of anything.

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