Beating the Winter Blues with Bright, Happy Food

Posted by Nichole Leigh

Dear Readers, the life of a part-time food blogger is a challenging thing. I have been missing my camera charger for about a month. Without photographs, I didn't feel right posting recipes. If the food doesn't look good enough to try, even the best recipe will fail to inspire! Never fear, however. We can breathe a collective sigh of relief, because it's all over now. J's mom was kind enough to mail my camera charger back to me, and now I am ready for foodie business!

January is basically over! I find that hard to believe. I've been bracing for endless cold and snow storms, but it just hasn't happened. In fact, Pittsburgh has actually witnessed whole days of sunshine in December and January. For those of you unfamiliar with the region, that is a freaking miracle.

A miracle that has me ready to start living, breathing, and eating like it's spring. I'm tired of comfort food. Comfort food is best when warm, cozy meals are necessary to ward off dark, dreary days. But the days are getting longer and I'm dying for a bright flavor pallet. It may be too early to look for artichokes, fennel, and strawberries....... but it's summer in Chile! Which means citrus fruit! Hallelujah!

So, with a caveat, here are a few recipes I have planned for Veggie Horizons. Don't be alarmed if you see a lot of lime, fresh ginger, and coconut. My tangy urges are getting the better of me.

A Black Bean Burger Good Enough to Marry
Crunchy Asian Coleslaw
Easy Garlicky Brussels Sprouts
Tangy Root Vegetables
The Vegan Samoa - Revisited
Almond Sunshine Drops
Toasted Coconut Fudge Cupcakes
Chocolate Mousse (Vegan!)
Homemade Sparkling Lime Soda

Easy Risotto - Artichoke, Caprese Salad, and Boursin Risotto

Hi readers! As Nichole said, we're back and better than ever.

Last week, the mood struck me for risotto. I love risotto, but the thought of making it has always intimidated me. While rooting through my fridge, I found a container of Lite Boursin cheese that was close to its expiration date. Perfect! I trolled the internet and found an easy recipe.

But risotto on its own can't make a meal. I was struck with the inspiration for caprese salad and artichokes as well. My caprese salad is simple: beefsteak tomatoes, buffalo mozarella, my home grown basil, olive oil, and balsamic vinegar.


For the artichokes, I steamed them for 30 minutes (I have a great steamer and the artichokes were small. Steaming is definitely a suggestive thing.) Then, I served them with fresh squeezed lemon juice.


The risotto recipe I found comes from Gayle's Bakery.com:

3 1/2 cups vegetable stock
1 1/2 cups water
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons yellow onion, finely chopped
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice (I used brown rice)
1/2 teaspoon fennel seed (optional)
1/3 cup white wine
1/4 cup Boursin cheese (about half a package)
3 tablespoons snipped chives or chopped parsley (I left this step out because I didn't have it in the house. I'm sure it would be delicious :-))

In a small saucepan bring stock and water (if using) to just below a simmer.

Sauté onion in butter in a large saucepan until translucent.

Add rice and fennel seed if using. Stir to coat and sauté for 1 to 2 minutes over medium heat. Add wine and stir until evaporated.

Add 1/2 cup of broth and stir while cooking until the rice absorbs the liquid. Adjust heat as needed. Be consistent in stirring the rice, gently loosening it from the bottom of the pot.

Continue to add the liquid in 1/2 cup increments, letting rice absorb each addition before adding more liquid.

The risotto should be done in about 30 minutes. It should be tender but al dente. Test it at about 25 minutes and if it seems almost ready, start adding the liquid in 1/4 not 1/2 cup increments.

Remove from heat and stir in the Boursin cheese and chives.

Coming Back to Reality: Chana Masala

Posted by Nichole Leigh


Hi Readers!  I hope that 2012 is already proving to be an exceptional year! After a much needed blogging break, I'm ready to hit the ground running! Er.... that is to say, hit the keyboard typing?

Anyway, J and I spent the holidays in Long Island with his family, and Oh My God did we eat! A lot. Every single day. Excessively, even. J's mother (who originally hails from an island off the coast of Italy) is some sort of seafood Goddess. She goes to the fish market nearly every day and haggles with the fishmongers (in Italian, of course) to secure the freshest seafood available. In the ten days that we stayed with J's family, I consumed fresh clams three times, octopus (yes!) twice, mussels twice, calamari, oysters, and god knows how many types of fish. The whole experience was incredible and we had a great time.

But, since we've returned to our little Pittsburgh apartment, I've barely cooked anything. We've been home for twelve days, and I have only cooked dinner once. So what have we been eating? Raw fruit, vegetables, and bread. The fare has been a bit simplistic, but I think we needed a break from complicated, multi-course meals.

Cooking exhaustion aside, I wanted to share the most recent thing I prepared for dinner: this simple, quick, and super satisfying Channa Masala, or Chickpea Curry. If your kitchen is stocked with Indian spices, this is a particularly easy dish to throw together. The whole thing takes about 20 minutes.

Channa Masala - Chickpea Curry

This recipe was adapted from Neelam Batra's 1000 Indian Recipes. I usually serve this dish with rice because it's a pretty soupy curry, but you can certainly eat it with chapati or naan too (if you have a Tandoor oven, that is!) The recipe features the use of canned chickpeas, which is not exactly authentic, but the curry is still delicious.

Photo Courtesy of Hookedonheat.com. View the original here. (I left my camera charger in NY - working on getting it back)

Ingredients

1 small onion, coarsely chopped
1 fresh green chili peppers, such as serrano, stemmed

3 cloves fresh garlic, peeled

1 quarter-sized sliced peeled fresh ginger

2 large tomatoes, coarsely chopped

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon Garam Masala + 1/4 teaspoon for garnish
1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/4 teaspoon ground paprika
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/4 cup plain soy milk whisked with 1/2 teaspoon cornstarch or arrowroot  

1 can chickpeas (also known as garbanzo beans)

1/2 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro, including soft stems

Directions
1. In a food processor or a blender, combine the onion, green chili peppers, garlic, and ginger to make a paste. Remove to a bowl, then purée the tomatoes.

3. Heat the oil in a small nonstick saucepan over medium-high heat and add the cumin seeds; they should sizzle upon contact with the hot oil. Quickly add the onion, garlic, chili pepper, and ginger paste and cook, stirring over medium heat until browned, about 5 minutes. Add the tomatoes and cook until the juices evaporate, about 7 minutes.

4. Add the coriander, garam masala, turmeric, paprika, and lime juice, then add the soy a little at a time, stirring constantly.

5. Mix into the chickpeas and simmer about 15 minutes to blend the flavors. Add more water for a thinner curry.

6. Transfer to a serving dish, mix in the cilantro and the remaining garam masala, and serve.

Christmas Eve Tradition – Cheese Fondue

This Christmas is meat free, of course. Thankfully, our Christmas Eve tradition doesn't have to change! Every year, my mom and I have cheese fondue for Christmas eve with baguette, apples, and pears for dipping. And let me just say, it is my favorite holiday tradition. We only make it this one night a year, which makes it really special.


We're having Christmas in California this year, so we have to improvise with the cheese selection. When in Pennsylvania, we make fondue using brick cheese. Yes, it's called "brick cheese." It's a Wisconsin cheese that melts really well and, you guessed it, is in a brick shape. Unfortunately, we've never been able to find it in California. So, we are substituting gruyere, swiss, and monterey jack this year. Yes, it takes three cheeses to replace the glorious brick cheese.

Cheese fondue, the California way:

Ingredients

• 3/4 lb monterey jack cheese
• 1/4 lb gruyere cheese
  
• 1/2 swiss cheese
  
• 1/2 bottle chenin blanc wine
• 1 clove of garlic
• 3 tbsp flour
• 1 tsp salt

Directions
Rub the inside of the pan you're going to use with the clove of garlic. Add the chenin blanc and heat until it steams. Grate all of the cheese and mix in the flour and salt. Slowly add the cheese mixture to the wine, whisking until smooth. Serve in a fondue pot, on low.


Pennsylvania/Midwest fondue:

• 3/4 lb brick cheese
• 3/4 lb monterey jack cheese
• 1/2 bottle chenin blanc wine
• 1 clove of garlic
• 3 tbsp flour
• 1 tsp salt
  

Follow the same directions.

Merry Christmas, Happy Chanukah, Happy Kwanza, Happy pagan holiday of your choice, etc.

Happy 4th Night of Chanukah: Spiced Olive Tapenade, Garlic Latkes with Fig Apple Sauce, and Chanukah Nut Cake with Honey Syrup

Image from Jewlicious.com

Hi there Veggie Horizons Readers! I felt like the blog was getting a bit Christmas heavy, what with all the Christmas cookies. I feel like  my Jewish buddies are being left out. We can’t have that! In their honor, I’d like to share a couple of recipes that I looked up for Chanukah celebrations.

Caveat: I don’t celebrate Chanukah, but I have many beloved friends who do! I do not profess to be an expert in the holiday itself, or the culture's traditional gastronomy. I've used multiple resources to locate and compile these recipes. (See the end of the post for a list of sources). I apologize if I get anything wrong. Please send me a comment if you see something incorrect, and I will fix it ASAP! 

Spiced Olive Tapenade on Challah Toast

This recipe comes from the NewKosher Cookbook: Your Favorite Jewish Vegan Recipes, and though it is not listed in the sample “Chanukah menu,” I think it sounds like a nice little holiday appetizer!

Ingredients

1 cup colossal green olives, any variety, pitted

1 cup colossal black olives, any variety, pitted

2 cloves garlic, crushed

2 tablespoons lemon juice

Olive oil

Ancho chili powder, to taste

12 slices challah

2 tablespoons lemon zest

2 tablespoons fresh parsley

Directions

1. Combine olives, garlic, and lemon juice in food processor and blend, drizzling in olive oil until a spreadable consistency is reached. Add ancho chili powder to taste.

2. Brush challah slices with olive oil and grill or toast in over at 350 degrees Fahrenheit until edges turn golden brown. Serve warm, spread with tapenade and sprinkled with parsley and lemon zest.

Garlic Latkes with Fig Apple Sauce

These latkes won “best in show” at the Atlanta Cevre Minyan latke cooking contest. You can find the original recipe at Jewish Vegetarians of North America and in the NewKosher Cookbook: Your Favorite Jewish Vegan Recipes. Recipe by Patrick Aleph.

For the Garlic Latkes

Ingredients

1 bag frozen hash browns, thawed

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

Equal parts garlic salt and pepper (a dash for every latke)

Vegetable oil

Directions

1. After thawing the hash browns, squeeze out as much liquid as possible. It helps to use cheese cloth or paper towels. There won't be too much liquid and it saves a lot of time one otherwise spends grating potatoes and onions.

2. Mix flour and baking powder to potato mixture.

3. In a pan, pour a thin layer of vegetable oil. Drop one tablespoon of potato batter into oil and fry until golden brown on both sides. In a regular pan, you should be able to cook at least four latkes at once.

For the Fig Apple Sauce

Ingredients

1 jar apple sauce

Handful dried figs

1 cup hot mint tea

Four brown cardamom pods

Pumpkin pie spice or a combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, mace, and allspice (to taste)

Directions

1. Boil one cup of mint tea with cardamom pods. After tea is brewed, remove pods and steep the dried figs for five minutes or until figs are plump.

2. Remove figs from tea and blend in food processor. Slowly add apple sauce until well blended.

3. Add pumpkin pie spice (a mix of cinnamon, nutmeg, mace and allspice) to taste.

4. Serve chilled with latkes.

Chanukah Chocolate Mousse

This recipe comes from JewishPath.com, and is listed specifically for the fourth day of Chanukah (This year, that’s December 24^th) It's not vegan, but it sounds delicious! 

Ingredients

4 ounces chocolate (milk, semi-sweet or sweet)

4 eggs, separated

1 cup margarine

whipped topping

Directions

1. Melt chocolate in microwave. Add egg yolks and margarine. 

2. Mixing with fork, cook over low heat until thick or cook in double boiler over rapidly boiling water, stirring until mixturebecomes thick. Set aside to cool. 

3. Beat egg whites until stiff. Fold into chocolate mixture. Put into serving dishes and refrigerate. 

4. Top with whipped cream and serve.

12 Days of Christmas Cookies - Gingerbread Biscotti (Vegan)

Posted by Nichole Leigh

So.... Day 12. I am almost at a loss for words. After so many cookies and so many posts - I kind of don't want it to be over. Oh well, there's always next year! I have at least 4 holiday cookiesthat I didn't get around to this year, so maybe this will be annual?

Well, anyway, this final cookie is one of my new holiday favorites. I've never made biscotti before. (Perhaps I've been avoiding anything so overtly Italo-American so as not to feel like a stereotype?) In Italian, biscotti means "cookies" (not cookie... the word is actually plural). Any type of cookies. Not just the log-shaped ones that we are familiar with on this side of the ocean. But, I can't deny that the Italo-American concotions are delicious. So here is my holiday biscotti! I like it so much I'm thinking of making large amounts of dough and freezing it for quick biscotti making in the future.

Gingerbread Biscotti

This cookie is a grown up version of the childhood favorite - requiring no pressing, rolling, or decorating. It's plenty spicy and full of ginger flavor. Furthermore, this dunkable wonder is the perfect compliment to a cup of Earl Gray Tea on a cold, rainy day. It's a bit labor intensive, but don't let that scare you away! It's worth it.

Ingredients
1/4 cup molasses
2/3 cup sugar
2 tablespoons ground flax seeds
1/2 cup canola oil
2 tablespoons soy milk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons ground ginger
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup slivered almonds (optional)

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

2. In a large bowl, beat together molasses, sugar, flax seeds, oil, non-dairy milk, and vanilla with a wire whisk until smooth.

3. Sift in the flour, ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder and salt. Stir with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula to form a smooth dough, then knead in the chopped slivered almonds (if using), pushing any bits that pop out back into the dough.

4. For a log about 11 inches long by 4 inches wide, using a rubber spatula to even the edges and flatten the end sides of the log. Bake for 28 to 30 minutes until the log is puffed and firm but not too brown. It will spread a little, and some cracking is okay. Place the baking sheet on a wire rack, turn off the oven, and allow the log to cool for at least 45 minutes. If any edges of the log are too browned, gently trim them off with a sharp, heavy knife.

5. Preheat the oven to 325ºF. Very carefully, slide the log off the baking sheet and onto a cutting board. With a sharp, heavy knife, cut log into ½-inch-thick slices, using one quick and firm motion, pressing down into the log. Very gently move slices to the baking sheet, standing them of their bottom edge if possible. Rebake the slices for 22 to 24 minutes. The slices should appear dry and slightly toasted, but do not allow them to get too browned. Allow the biscotti to cool 10 minutes on the baking sheet, then carefully move them to the wire racks to complete cooling (warm biscotti may be fragile). Store in a loosely covered container.

12 Days of Christmas Cookies - Espresso Fudge Brownies (Vegan)

Posted by Nichole Leigh

Okay, so these technically aren't cookies. They're brownies.... or maybe we can consider them bar cookies? Honestly, they're so delicious I don't think any of your cookie fans will be complaining if you serve them up this holiday season. In fact, they'll probably be too busy stuffing their faces to quibble about much of anything, much less the correct catagorical  grouping of various baked goods.

Espresso Fudge Brownies
These brownies are dense, fudgy, and absolutely to die for. They are a bit thinner than your average from-the-box brownie, but don’t let their looks fool you. They pack a huge chocolaty punch. I played around with the extracts and added orange extract to make one of my favorite combos: orange-espresso-chocolate, which you may remember from the Orange-Mocha Cupcakes. However, if you don’t like to mix your orange and chocolate, use a full teaspoon of vanilla.

Photo courtesy of Lynne at Milk and Cookiezzz. My camera is still out of commission, but hopefully I will have my own pictures up soon. They do look exactly like this though - so it's a very reliable represenation.

Ingredients
3 ounces bittersweet baking chocolate, chopped (try and find it in bar form in the baking aisle)
5 tablespoons  non-hydrogenated  vegetable margarine (like Earth Balance)
2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup soy milk
1 tablespoon cornstarch or arrowroot powder
1 tablespoon espresso powder
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon orange extract
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
Pinch salt

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 350˚F and grease a 8x8 pan

2. Melt margarine and chopped chocolate in the microwave for about 1 ½ to 2 minutes, or until fully melted. Stop the microwave about halfway through to mix the two together with a fork or whisk.

3. Whisk together soy milk, cornstarch, espresso, orange extract, and vanilla until foamy.

4. Combine with chocolate mixture

5. Sift in flour, baking powder, and cocoa powder, and salt

6. Fold until moistened. Don’t over-mix or your brownies will become tough.

7. Pour in to prepared pan and bake for 22-26 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out with just a few crumbs and no gooey batter.