Death By Chocolate... Hummus

Death By Chocolate... Hummus

• 1 can chickpeas (14oz), drained and rinsed
• 1/2 cup all natural peanut butter (MaraNatha Organic Creamy)
• 1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips, melted plus more to taste (Enjoy Life Semi Sweet Chocolate Mega Chunks)
•  1/4 cup honey OR agave (Madhava Light Agave Nectar)
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar

Combine all ingredients in a food processor, pulse until completely smooth. Taste, and adjust as needed. Store in refrigerator until ready to serve. Serving recommendation - as a dip for fresh strawberries.


Notes: Just in case you give a flying fig, I added the product name which I used behind the ingredient where applicable. 
   Be prepared for some altering after tasting - adding more chocolate chips and agave to adjust chocolate levels and sweetness to your personal tastes. 
   This is absolutely a recipe you will want to taste and adjust accordingly. This was the final appetizer I made for the art reception and again - kids and adults, omnis and veggies, all seemed to gather under a rainbow of kitten tears and hold hands over this dish. Maybe it wasn't quite that dramatic - but it was a cross-over food which I view as a success!

 

Mock Chopped Liver/Cashew and Green Bean Pate

Here's another appetizer I made for my BFFZ Tonya's (above, right) closing art reception. Shockingly, I didn't get a photo of the actual food - so here are some event pics instead. Not as good - I know!

I discovered this recipe on the Veg Kitchen website. It was posted by a user named Nava - who is a genius by my account.
http://www.vegkitchen.com/recipes/savor-and-flavor/snacks-and-dips/mock-chopped-liver-cashew-onion-and-green-bean-pate/

Mock Chopped Liver (Cashew and Green Bean Pate)
Makes: About 2 cups

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 cups chopped onions
• 2/3 cup toasted cashews*
• 1 cup steamed green beans, cut into 1" lengths, or 1 cup thawed frozen cut green beans
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Heat the oil in a medium skillet. Saute the onions slowly over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until nicely browned.

Combine the onions with the remaining ingredients in the container of a food processor. Process until smoothly pureed, scraping down the sides as needed. Store in a jar until needed, and bring to room temperature before serving.

*I like the added flavor given by the toasted cashews, but if you're into raw cashews, by all means, use them.

Notes: For serving, I used Mary's Gone Crackers crackers original flavor. This was the most popular appetizer at the art reception. Little babies loved it, omnis loved it, and vegans loved it! Guests wanted to scoop it up and gobble it down as is without the cracker. I have never tasted liver but I am sure this is 100% healthier and maybe tastier? I can say this pate was DAMN good!

 Tonya Kehoe-Anderson (left), the artist and Cortnie Widen (right) the hostess and owner of White Rabbit. There are no flies on these girls!

Me, setting up the appetizer table in my farm apron!

Fakey Eggy Byte Baby Sandwich Appetizer with Homemade Mayo

For these fakey eggy appetizer sandwiches I combined two recipes and some touches (of evil) of my own.  This looks SO like real egg salad thanks to the coloring of the turmeric and the secret ingredient of Hell fire.

For the dressing I used the extra homemade garlic mayo from Vegan Diner by Julie Hasson  I had made for the potato salad we had at the weenie roast the previous weekend.


Homemade Garlic Mayo
Makes about 2 cups)

• 1 (12.3-ounce) package extra-firm silken tofu, preferably the Mori-Nu brand
• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 large cloves garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

In a food processor or blender, combine the tofu, olive oil, mustard, lemon juice, garlic and salt. Puree tofu mixture until ultra smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl or blender as necessary. Make sure that there aren't any little bits of unblended tofu.
   Taste the mayonnaise, and adjust seasonings to taste. Transfer to a covered container and refrigerate for an hour, if possible, to let the flavors meld before using.

The Complete Guide to Vegan Food Substitution by Celine Steen and Joni Marie Newman is and UH-MAH-ZING resource I recommend to every vegan cook. It is chock-a-block with resources, information and recipes, including this one...


Traditional "Egg" Salad

For Eggs:

• 20 ounces (567 g) extra-or super-firm tofu, drained and pressed
• 1 tsp turmeric
• Salt and pepper to taste

Optional Add-Ins: chopped celery, pickle relish, chopped fresh parsley, chopped fresh green onions

To Make The Eggs: Mash half of the tofu in a mixing bowl with the turmeric until it resembles crumbled egg yolks and the turmeric is well incorporated. This is the "egg yolks." Cut the remaining tofu into tiny cubes. This will be the "egg whites." Combine the whites and the yolks and mix in the dressing. Add optional 
add-ins, with salt and pepper to taste.

Notes: Egg salad needs that sulfurous Hells Bells smell, right? The secret ingredient is... black salt - which is actually a depressing pinkish/grey and it is PUNGENT. Add small amount, mix, then taste adding more if needed.
I added some very finely chopped celery for crunch and put green onions on top as a garnish.
To serve this as an appetizer I got some baby bread slices (wheat and rye), added a small amount of extra mayo - you could use Veganaise too - to aid in the sticking to the bread, put on a dollop of eggy mix and topped with some sprouts and thin slices of green onion.
For the gluten-free crowd I put the mix on a nice leaf of lettuce.