Chow Vegan

How about a couple of cupcakes for dinner?

I haven’t made lasagna in ages but after seeing the oh-so-cute Petite Lasagnas at Can You Stay For Dinner?, I just had to make a vegan version. Super easy to make using wonton wrappers, the mini lasagnas bake in about ten minutes or so.

I didn’t bother to replace the meat in the sauce called for in the original recipe, I just went with vegetables – fresh shiitake mushrooms and baby zucchini from the farmers market. Baby veggies fit in easily without having to chop them into smaller pieces.

Once cool enough to handle, you can actually pick one up and eat it without a fork. Fun for a party or an easy dinner. Highly customizable too, just use your favorite sauce and fillings.

I only wish the Daiya cheese was a little more melted (I would have left it in the oven for a bit longer but the tips of the wontons were getting to be pretty brown and I have a very touchy smoke detector).

Vegetable Lasagna Cupcakes
Makes 12

24 wonton wrappers
1 cup pasta sauce or spaghetti sauce
1/4 cup of your favorite cheese

Vegetable Filling
2 ounces shiitake mushrooms, washed and thinly sliced
2-3 baby zucchini, peeled, washed and sliced crosswise
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon vegetable oil

Tofu Ricotta
8 ounces firm tofu with water squeezed out and crumbled
10 fresh basil leaves, chiffonade
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
Salt and pepper to taste

To make the vegetable filling, heat a wok or sauté pan to hot. Add the oil and swirl to coat. Add the garlic and sauté for a few seconds, add the zucchini and cook for a minute or so then add the mushrooms and cook for another minute until the vegetables are tender. Place in a bowl and set aside.

Next, make the tofu ricotta. Crumble about 3/4 of the tofu in a bowl, add the basil, olive oil, nutmeg, garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to a food processor and pulse until smooth but still slightly lumpy. Crumble in the remaining 1/4 tofu, mix to combine and set aside.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Lightly coat a 12 cup muffin pan with oil. Layer a wonton wrapper in each cup, gently pressing down on the bottom and up the sides of the cup.

Divide the tofu ricotta in half. Using the first half, distribute evenly on top of each wrapper. Layer the vegetables next using the same distribution method. Top with the tomato sauce then cheese.

Place a wonton wrapper on top but going in the opposite direction. Repeat the layers of the ricotta, vegetables, sauce and finally the cheese on the very top.

Bake for 10 – 15 minutes until the wonton wrappers are golden. Let cool in the pan for a few minutes before serving.

A new product that I’ve been experimenting with lately is ecoVegan Orientals’ Joy. Although I am a little puzzled on the name, it’s not very descriptive and the small window to peek inside at its contents provides little clue. I suppose it’s par for the course as they’re part of the same organization as the Loving Hut chain of restaurants.

On first impression, Orientals’ Joy reminds me of a veggie version of pork, the texture and shape is similar. Which is nice, since there’s plenty of alternatives for veggie beef, chicken and seafood. But not much for a faux pork other than veggie ham or bacon.

It’s main ingredients are non-GMO soy protein and fiber, wheat protein and seasonings. The seasonings are light so it’s good plain or tossed with something else. I went with a stir-fry but I bet it’ll be good prepared as an American dish too, something like veggie pork chops and applesauce.

Veggie “Pork” with Vegetables
Serves 2-4

1 package ecoVegan Orientals’ Joy
6 ounces yu choy sum, about 1/2 a bunch
2 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms, sliced
1 garlic clove, smashed and roughly chopped
1/2 inch fresh ginger root, smashed and roughly chopped
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil, divided
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/2 tablespoon Shaoxing rice wine

Wash the yu choy sum in several changes of water, trimming off any old leaves, tough stems and the bottom 1/4 – 1/2″ from each stalk. Cut the stems into 3″ pieces, halving the bigger stalks lengthwise.

Slice the veggie meat thinly. Heat a skillet to hot, add 1 tablespoon of oil and pan fry the veggie meat over medium heat for a few minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

Heat a wok to hot. Add the rest of the oil and swirl to coat the wok. Add the garlic and ginger, stir-fry for a few seconds. Add the mushrooms and greens, and stir until wilted, bringing up the greens at the bottom to the top. Add the soy sauce and rice wine, then the veggie meat and stir to combine. Serve with rice or noodles.

Vegan cookbooks nowadays are such an embarrassment of riches. There’s so many out there – the latest one that I’ve received for review is The Happy Herbivore Cookbook by Lindsay Nixon.

To be honest, when I first saw the recipe for Baked Tofu Parmesan, I thought how different can it really be from the Crispy Baked Tofu that I’ve already been making for so many years. I was surprised and delighted with the results.

It totally tasted like parmesan, with the tofu it’s more like a chicken type of parmesan (but I bet it would be just as good with eggplant). I served it up on a bed of spaghetti squash.

The secret seems to be the vegan parmesan. Early on, I must have tried a brand that was not that tasty and was a little turn off by it. But the flavor and texture of Galaxy Nutritional Foods Vegan Grated Topping “Parmesan Flavor” is quite good. The tofu just by itself seems like any other baked tofu. But combined with the marinara sauce, vegan parmesan and spaghetti squash – it’s delicious.

Flipping through the rest of the cookbook, the recipes cover many of the same types of dishes as other vegan cookbooks as well as dishes that I already make and love. But it’s always interesting to see how other people make their version of a certain food. And as with the Baked Tofu Parmesan, it’s possible to learn something new.

To see for yourself, I’m giving away a copy of The Happy Herbivore Cookbook.

To enter the giveaway:
Leave a comment in this post with the dish or food that makes you the most happy. Comment must be made by midnight PST on Monday, April 4th; 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 Tuesday, April 5th. 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 $19.95). 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 any of the links and make a purchase of anything.

What did I do with my homegrown oyster mushrooms? I made a po’ boy, of course.

I’ve wanted one ever since I heard Disneyland had a veggie po’ boy. Never got around to trying it there but after making Baked King Trumpet Mushroom Calamari, I figured I could do the same thing but with oyster mushrooms.

Baked instead of fried, it has all of the goodness of being crispy without the oily mess. It’s best on a soft bread, I went with a baguette on the first go around and it’s much too hard of a bread (everything just squished out).

I also kept it simple with a very basic aioli, just smashed garlic mixed with vegan mayo and added a little bit of lettuce. So good.

If you’re thinking about giving the oyster mushroom growing kit a try, the folks at BTTR have kindly offered a 20% discount, just enter the coupon code: Chow20.

Happy Fat Tuesday!

Oyster Mushroom Po’ Boy
Makes one sandwich

Baked Oyster Mushrooms
4 ounces oyster mushrooms, cleaned and separated (slice the bigger mushrooms)
1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
Freshly squeezed juice from 1/2 small lemon
Pinch of sea salt
2 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon ground flax meal
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon smoked sweet paprika
1/4 teaspoon onion powder

Combine the olive oil, lemon juice and a generous pinch of salt in a mixing bowl. Add the mushrooms and toss, leave to marinate for about 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Mix together the water and flax meal in a small bowl and let stand for a few minutes until the mixture becomes slimy and somewhat sticky. In a separate plate or pan, combine the breadcrumbs, spices and salt to taste.

Dip a mushroom piece into the flax seed wash and then into the breadcrumbs, covering well. Place on the baking sheet in a single layer.

Bake for 10 minutes, flip over the mushrooms and bake another 5 minutes on the other side until crispy.

Sandwich Assembly
1 garlic clove
Vegan mayonnaise
1 soft-crusted loaf of bread
Shredded romaine lettuce

To make the aioli, mince and mash the garlic to a paste. Mix in the mayonnaise.

Slice the bread along one side, leaving the other side hinged. Spread the aioli on each side. Pile the lettuce on the bottom and top with the mushrooms. Serve immediately.

Related Posts
Growing BTTR Mushrooms
Baked King Trumpet Mushroom Calamari

Now that I have a dough that I can actually work with, I’ve been making my very own hot pockets. It’s so easy and simple. It’s basically the same dough from VegWeb that I had used for Seitan in a Blanket with just an extra bit of seasonings.

This is totally the dough for me – I don’t have to deal with yeast or anything scary like that. Doesn’t matter if the pockets don’t come out perfect and are sadly misshapen like mine. Let’s just say they’re “rustic”.

The filling can be pretty much whatever you want. I used leftovers, making it super quick as well as getting rid of stuff in the fridge. I made one with pizza sauce, Daiya Mozzarella and sliced seitan dogs. I still had a bit of Cantonese Style Curry hanging around so I used that in the other pocket.

The topping is King Arthur Flour Everything Bread & Bagel Topping – a blend of poppy and sesame seeds, dried onion, garlic and salt. It’s a little bit on the salty side with the topping. So I tried the dough with and without the salt and it works either way if you’re looking to cut down on the sodium.

Super Easy DIY Pockets
Makes 2 pockets

Crust
1/2 cup flour
1 tablespoon cornmeal
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup water
Large pinch of bread topping

Filling
Can be anything from

• pizza sauce, seitan sausage and vegan cheese
• curry veggies
• sautéed spinach and mushrooms and vegan cheese

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Combine all of the crust ingredients, except the water and bread topping, in a bowl and mix until it looks like coarse meal. Add a little bit of water at a time, mixing until the dough comes together in a ball (I added less than a 1/4 cup of water).

Sprinkle a bit of cornmeal on the work surface and rolling pin so the dough doesn’t stick. Divide the dough in half and roll it out into a thin circle. The thinness should be based on what you’re planning to fill it with. For the pizza filling, it can be fairly thin; for something like the curry where it’s a bit more chunky, it should be thicker otherwise you start to get holes poking through.

Place the filling on one side, leaving about an 1/2 inch edge, do not over stuff. Carefully bring the other side over the top and press along the edges to seal. Repeat with the other dough half.

Place the pockets on a well-oiled baking sheet and brush the tops with olive oil. Sprinkle with the bread topping. Bake for about 20 minutes until the top and edges are lightly browned and warmed through.

Eating vegan doesn’t necessarily mean healthy eating (shocking, I know). Sure there’s fruits and veggies galore, but there’s also plenty of vegan junk food to go around, not to mention high fat, high sodium and any number of highly processed vegan food. I’m guilty of eating all of these things.

But then, I received a review copy of Isa Chandra Moskowitz’s latest cookbook, Appetite for Reduction. Hallelujah.

There’s so many yummy sounding recipes, covering a range of cuisines and dishes complete with nutritional information for each one. Having never really cooked Indian food before, I decided to make the 2nd Avenue Vegetable Korma – a rich, creamy, mildly spicy curry with vegetables.

Super easy to make and so flavorful and it only took about 30 minutes. Can you tell I used an orange cauliflower? Also known as “cheddar” cauliflower, it’s just like a regular white one except it has extra beta-carotene (hence the brilliant orange color and 25% more vitamin A).

2nd Avenue Vegetable Korma
Serves 4

1 teaspoon olive oil
1 small red onion, quartered and sliced thinly
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tablespoons minced fresh ginger
2 teaspoons curry powder
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups vegetable broth
1 1/2 pounds cauliflower, trimmed and cut into florets
1 pound zucchini, cut on a bias in 1/4-inch slices
1/2 pound carrots, peeled and cut on a bias in 1/4-inch slices
3/4 cup frozen peas
3/4 cup light coconut milk
1 teaspoon agave nectar
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional)
Extra chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish

Preheat a 4-quart pot over medium heat. Sauté the onion in the oil for about 5 minutes, until translucent. Use a little nonstick cooking spray if needed. Add the garlic and ginger, and sauté for another minute.

Add the broth to deglaze the pan. Mix in the spices and salt. Add the cauliflower, zucchini, and carrots. They won’t be completely submerged, but that’s okay. Cover the pot and turn up the heat to bring the broth to a boil. Let boil for 7 to 10 minutes, until the veggies are tender.

Add the peas, coconut milk, agave, and cilantro (if using). Taste for salt. Turn off the heat and let the flavors meld for about 5 minutes. Serve the korma in bowls over rice, garnished with cilantro.

From the book Appetite for Reduction by Isa Chandra Moskowitz. Excerpted by arrangement with Da Capo Lifelong, a member of the Perseus Books Group. Copyright (c) 2010.

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

Chinese cuisine is not generally known for its curry. Arriving in China via India way back when, it’s mostly popular in Southern China. I grew up eating a kind of curry version of “meat-n-potatoes” which I’ve veganized using seitan.

Unlike some other curries, this one is not hot at all, but mildly spicy with a nice curry flavor. I used Penzey’s Sweet Curry Powder which includes turmeric, coriander, cumin, ginger, fenugreek, nutmeg, fennel, cinnamon, white pepper, cardamom, cloves, Tellicherry black pepper and cayenne red pepper. It’s a good starter curry for those unfamiliar with the flavor.

Cantonese Style Curry
Serves 2-4

2 garlic cloves, smashed and roughly chopped
8 ounces seitan chunks
3 medium red potatoes
1 medium carrot
1 medium zucchini
2 teaspoons curry powder
1/2 teaspoon sugar
Salt to taste
1 teaspoon olive oil
1 green onion stalk, chopped

Peel and slice the carrot at a diagonal, peel and cut the potatoes and zucchini into 1″ chunks using a roll cut.

Heat a wok until it’s hot, add the oil and swirl to coat the wok. Add the garlic and stir-fry for a few seconds. Add the seitan and brown for a couple of minutes.

Add the rest of the vegetables and give it a few quick tosses then add the curry, sugar and salt to taste and mix to combine. Add water to just barely covering. Cover and bring to a boil.

Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring occasionally, until the water is absorbed and the vegetables are tender. To thicken the liquid to make more of a sauce, smash a few of the potatoes.

Garnish with the chopped green onions and serve on top of steamed rice.

I’ve been busy cooking up a batch of my favorite foods in preparation of the Thanksgiving weekend. I try to eat as much homemade food at the beginning of the week as possible since I know I’ll be dining out a lot during the holiday weekend with traveling and all. It’s my little attempt at trying to keep a balance.

Today, I made Vegan Menudo in the morning, Roasted Tofu with Leeks and Black Bean Sauce and the Chickpea Cutlets from Veganomicon in the afternoon. And then it happened, I didn’t mean to do it.

The bowl of leeks in black bean sauce was just sitting there innocently (I was going to combine it with the roasted tofu later). I had finished the cutlets earlier and left them out to cool. Looking at the two items side-by-side, I thought maybe that sauce would go well with the cutlets.

I usually eat the cutlets plain straight out of the oven or later with bbq sauce or gravy. But why not a stir-fry topping for a nice Asian flavor?

The sauce recipe is basically the same with the addition of fresh ginger and Chinese dried mushrooms. Next time I would also add a bit more water for a little more sauce for use on the cutlets.

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

Related Links
Roasted Tofu with Leeks and Black Bean Sauce
Chickpea Cutlets From Veganomicon