Shake Ya Basil - Health(ier) Pesto

 Shake ya basil, don't you be hurtin' nobody. Dip ya pesto, work ya pesto. This is what I would serve Jay-Z, R. Kelly and Lil' Kim for appetizers. If R. Kelly wants to pee on his, so be it. I don't know his life! But seriously folks, you can use the strong flavors of basil and garlic to sneak in extra nutrients.

• 1 large bunch basil - roughly 3 cups
• 4-6 kale leaves, stemmed
• 1 avocado
• 6 tablespoons walnuts
•  2- 4 garlic cloves
• 1 - 6 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil*
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 1 squeeze lemon 
• A liquid such as: vegetable stock (low sodium); plain soy, almond or rice milk; water
• 1 tablespoon chia seeds (optional - added omega 3!)

*for a lower calorie version replace some of the olive oil with vegetable stock, plain soy milk or water in a pinch.

Put all of the ingredients in a food processor. Pulse, occasionally wiping down edges until desired texture is achieved. Taste and adjust as needed. For a dip, thicker is better; for a pasta sauce you may want to add a liquid to make it runnier. The water you boiled the pasta in is good for this in a pinch - but vegetable stock is my first choice.

Notes: I just made this up on the fly so the ingredient amounts are really flexible. Taste frequently and adjust! Basil and garlic - I add about 4 or 5 large cloves - completely mask the kale and avocado so you can be pretty liberal in adding them. The squeeze of lemon keeps the pesto from turning brown and helps you absorb the nutrients in the kale. I've made this with as little as 1 tablespoon olive oil, so if you want to cut some fat, try subbing one of the other liquids listed - again, veggie stock is my first choice.

Perfect Summer Dinner: BBQ, Coleslaw, Sweet Corn

SJM & HAA Collaborative Coleslaw (German/Irish Coleslaw Compromise)

• 4 cups of finely shredded cabbage - red, green or a combination of both
• 1 cups shredded carrots
• 1/4 to 1/2 cups vegan mayo 
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon agave nectar
• 1/4 teaspoon celery salt
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

In a large bowl add the shredded cabbage and carrots and toss. Add vegan wet ingredients and toss. Add dry ingredients and toss. Taste. Adjust seasoning if needed. Chill for 15 to 20 minutes minimum and serve! Cole Slaw is one of those kooky dishes that get better the longer the flavors have time to meld, so no hurry on serving!

Notes: As with potato salad, people are picky-pants about their coleslaw. It can get ugly based on shred size of the cabbage alone. Some purists (65+ Midwesterners) don't cotton to none of that basted red cabbage. My point being you can easily customize this recipe to your own tastes.
   SJM and I did a good old fashioned cabbage collab on this here pretty, little cole slaw recipe. We used the homemade garlic mayonnaise recipe from the Vegan Diner by Julie Hasson. However, Vegenaise would work just as well.

E-Z BBQ Marinated Tofu on Grill

• 1 package extra firm tofu
• 1 - 2 cups BBQ sauce

1. Open block of tofu and press to remove excess water.*
2. Cut tofu into slices - I cut 8 at approx 1/2" thickness, they need to be big enough to not fall through the grate on the grill.
3. Put tofu in a shallow dish or a large freezer bag and cover with BBQ sauce. Make sure every piece of tofu is covered. Marinate at least one half hour, turning and/or brushing at least once or shaking gently if in plastic bag.
4. Put tofu on grill, cook for about 20 minutes until warmed through, flipping at halfway point.
5. Plate and serve!

* Frozen tofu works the best for this recipe as it gets a spongy texture after defrosting, perfect for sucking up a marinade. Freeze tofu in package for 48 hours, thaw by placing the package in a few inches of boiling waters for roughly ten minutes. Open package and press, if needed (to press tofu, put a clean cotton cloth or several layers of paper towels on a plate, place tofu on plate, repeat layers on top, add several heavy items such as books, let sit 10 to 15 minutes). Cut tofu into strips or cubes and marinate a minimum of half an hour.

Thrift Tip: You can save the extra BBQ sauce to use again (unlike meat, tofu does not contain any dangerous bacteria, etc. - store in refrigerator until needed.

The Best Way To Cook Sweet Corn

1. Shuck corn - be sure to get all those stringy silks off the ear!
2. Fill a tall pasta pot with 1-2" of water and bring water to a boil.
3. Stand ears of corn upright in pot (it's okay if they get slightly submerged), add lid, and steam until just heated through - roughly 10 minutes. DO NOT overcook!
4. Serve piping hot with butter or margarine and salt. 

 

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!

Recipe Review: Get It Ripe: Sesame Kale Soba

Sesame Kale Soba 
from the Get It Ripe cookbook by Jae Steele.

• 1 large bunch green or black kale (about 8-oz/227 g) -
• 1 (8-oz/227 g) pckg soba noodles (or spaghetti noodles if unavailable - preferably wheat free)
• 3 tbsp tamari or shoyu soy sauce
• 3 tbsp toasted sesame oil
• 1 large clove garlic, *grated or pressed
• 1/2 tsp dulse powder (optional)
• freshly ground pepper* to taste (a few generous twists)
• 1/4 cup arame (a dark sea veggie), soaked for 5 minutes until soft, then drained (optional)
• 3 tbsp unhulled sesame seeds

*You can mix it up a little by using 1 tsp grated fresh ginger in lieu of garlic or replace a touch of wasabi paste for black pepper.

Place a large pot of water on high heat to boil. Meanwhile, wash the kale thoroughly, remove the ends of the stems and discard, then chop kale to preferred size.

Add the noodles to boiling water and cook for 4 minutes.

Stir in the kale, and continue cooking until noodles are al dente, then drain and transfer noodles and kale to a large bowl and set aside.


Combine the tamari or shoyu, oil, garlic, dulse, and pepper in a small bowl, mix well, then pour on top of noodles and kale.


Toss gently with the arame ans sesame seeds, and serve.


Makes about 3 servings. GF, NF

Notes: Fascinating food fact about little old me - I love soba noodles. I love to eat with chopsticks (it makes me feel dexterous). I love kale. I love starting sentences with "I". Try adding shiitake mushrooms and/or extra firm tofu for some extra protein and heartiness. You can use the sauce topping as a marinade for the mushrooms and/or tofu. Dulse powder and arame can be difficult to find, so I have thus far made it without and it is still very good and healthful. This is fantastic served cold for lunch too. In addition to a bunch of tasty recipes this book contains very useful information regarding a vegan lifestyle - a good read in every respect!

 Shootin' the shiitake while the mushrooms marinate in the sauce.

Chickpea & Massaged Kale Heat Beatin' Salad

I have literally been eating variations of this salad for both lunch an dinner throughout our entire Iowa heat wave/drought/tire fire. It's fast, nutritious and requires no blasted oven.


Chickpea & Massaged Kale Heat Beatin' Salad

• 2 to 5 leaves of kale, depending on how much you like kale
• 1/2 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 Tablespoon sea salt
• A squeeze of fresh lemon

Add above ingredients to a large bowl and massage kale with your hands until fibers are broken down. You'll be able to feel the softening of the leaves - it only takes about 1 minute of gentle massaging. It's an oily massage. It's fun! 

•  1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained

Add one can rinsed chickpeas and combine.

• Assorted vegetables of your choice such as: cucumber, carrot, baby tomatoes, bell pepper, green onion, etc. chopped. Add as many and whatever variety you desire. Customize!
• 2 to 6 cloves minced fresh garlic - amount to your taste
• Sesame seeds, sunflower seeds, or slivered almonds (optional)
• Salt to taste
• Pepper to taste
• Olive oil to taste

Add assorted fresh vegetables to your own tastes and combine. If desired add nuts and/or seeds. Taste and add salt, pepper, olive 
oil to taste.

I make a huge batch and parse out amounts for lunches and/or dinners as desired. I also just add more ingredients as needed throughout the week as the salad dwindles in size. 


Helpful Hint: Brush and floss after eating as the black sesame seeds and kale chunks tend to get wedged in the toofuses, and your breath will be hella garlicky!

The Basil Beast Unleashed: Vegan Pesto

The Basil Beast Unleashed! Pesto is fast on the dash to make and versatile - it can be slathered on pasta; used as a pizza sauce; or as a spread on bread, crackers or crudite.


Vegan Pesto

• 2 Cups tightly packed basil
• 1/3 Cup olive oil
• 1 Cup nuts - walnut, pine or almond
• Garlic to your taste - I use 5 to 6 cloves but I am a legit garlic luvah
• 1 Tablespoon nutritional yeast or faux Parmesan cheese substitute - Parmela is a fave of mine (optional)
• Sea salt to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Combine all of the ingredients in a food processor and pulse until nuts are finely chopped. You want some nice texture - stop before pesto is smooth. Taste and adjust salt and pepper if needed. If the pesto is too thick, add a small amount of plain soy milk or water.

Recipe Review: BIG VEGAN: Tortilla Soup with Mock Duck & Chipotles

This recipe is from my favorite new cookbook: BIG VEGAN by Robin Asbell published by Chronicle Books.

Tortilla Soup with Mock Duck and Chipotles

• 1  tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 8 oz/225 g Mock Duck (page 38) or chicken style seitan, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 1 pinch ground cloves
• 1 qt/960 ml Basic Vegetable Stock (page 49) or mock chicken stock
• 1 small sweet potato, cubed
• 1/4 cup/45 g quinoa, rinsed
• 1 tbsp chopped chipotle chile in adobe sauce
• 1 tsp dried oregano
• 3/4 tsp salt
• Six 6-in/15cm corn tortillas
• 1 tbsp canola oil
• 1/2 cup/15 g cilantro/fresh coriander
• 1 large lime, cut into wedges, for serving

  1. In a large pot, heat the olive oil over high heat. Add the onion and stir for 5 minutes or so, lowering the heat to medium. When the onion is soft, add the mock duck, garlic, cumin, and cloves. Stir for a few minutes.

2. Add the stock, sweet potato, quinoa, chipotle, and oregano and bring to a boil. Add 1/2 tsp of the salt. Reduce the soup to a simmer and cook for about 15 minutes. When the quinoa is throwing off its tiny white halos and the sweet potato is tender, reduce the heat to low.


3. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F/190 degrees C/gas 5. Stack the tortillas and slice them into strips 1/4in/6 mm wide. Place them on a baking sheet/tray and drizzle with the canola oil and the remaining 1/4 tsp salt. Bake, stirring every 5 minutes until the strips are crisp, 20 to 25 minutes.

4. Serve the soup topped with the cilantro/fresh coriander and tortilla strips, with lime wedges for squeezing over the soup. 

NOTES:    
  Working with mock duck for the first time was a little unsettling. It is almost too like poultry - pimply goose skin and all - and it sort of plops meat-like out of the can. I gagged a few times, to be honest. It is delicious if you can get past that resemblance!
Out of my four taste testers, two thought there was too much clove flavor in my soup. I suggest a very conservative, small pinch. 
   I took the lazy route and used store bought, tortilla chips for the crispy topping. Next time I will set aside more time to make the lower fat homemade version detailed in the recipe.
This was a fun recipe to make and I think meat eaters would like the mock duck, so it would be good for a mixed crowd meal.
   This cookbook has been my go-to for the past few weeks. I really like the recipe page set-up, with ingredients on the left in a green box and instructions to the middle/right. The recipes I've made thus far have been quick, easy and tasty. In my opinion, it  would be a good cookbook for any vegan to have in their arsenal.