Blackberry-Lime Tartlets

Can we talk about the weather? I don't know what it's like where you are, but here in central Mississippi it's officially sweltering. I was just out watering the garden and between the heat and the clouds of hungry mosquitoes, I couldn't get inside fast enough.

In this heat, I don't really feel like doing a lot of cooking. Though fresh fruits and vegetables are plentiful, I'd rather eat them raw than have to spend much time cooking them over a hot store. So I've been making a lot of barely-cooked dishes that are as easy as they are refreshing. Like this one. It's a light dessert that looks and tastes elegant but is very easy to put together using store-bought phyllo (or fillo) shells and Wildwood soyogurt. (Though I could have made my own phyllo crusts, ready-made shells are a great time-saver.) The yogurt filling, flavored with fresh lime and thickened slightly with agar, goes well with just about any fruit; I just happened to find these big, juicy blackberries irresistible. They combine beautifully with the flakiness of the pastry and the sweet-tart creaminess of the filling.



Blackberry-Lime Tartlets
(printer-friendly version)

24 mini phyllo shells (in your grocer's freezer case)
1 cup plain soy yogurt
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon grated lime peel
1/4 cup apple juice
1/3 cup light-colored organic sugar
2 teaspoons agar powder
6 ounces blackberries

Crisp the phyllo shells by baking them for 4 minutes in a 350F oven. (This keeps the filling from causing them to get soft.) Set aside to cool while you make the filling.

In a medium-sized bowl, mix the soy yogurt with the lime juice and grated peel.

Put the apple juice and sugar into a small sauce pan and heat it, stirring, until the sugar dissolves. Sprinkle the agar powder over the juice and continue to heat until the agar completely dissolves. Remove from the heat and pour into the yogurt mixture, stirring well.

Divide the yogurt equally among the phyllo shells. Refrigerate the shells until the filling has chilled and set, about an hour. Place blackberries on top and serve.

Makes 6 servings of 4 tartlets each. 4 tartlets contain 158 Calories (kcal); 5g Total Fat; (27% calories from fat); 2g Protein; 27g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; 51mg Sodium; 3g Fiber. 3 Weight Watchers Flex Points. (Nutritional breakdown assumes Wildwood plain soyogurt.)



Definitely kid-friendly!

Making the Transition to Veganism

I get a lot of email from people who have questions about veganism, and one of the most common things they ask is how they can make the transition from an omnivorous diet to a vegan one. I do my best to answer but, to be honest, it's been a long time since I became vegan and even longer since I became vegetarian, and my memory is just not that good. I remember intending to transition slowly into vegetarianism but then becoming inspired and just throwing away all of the meat in my kitchen. I had one vegetarian cookbook and no internet, so it's amazing to me now that I managed to keep my resolve to stop eating meat. The details of how I did that are lost somewhere in the haze of the last 20 years, so I'm not much help to those of you who need specifics.

But I've just discovered that Erik Marcus, author of Vegan: The New Ethics of Eating, has a series of short audio podcasts that do a great job of explaining how to make the transition to veganism "as easily, healthfully, and gracefully as possible." Aimed at people following Oprah's 21-Day Vegan Cleanse, the 21 podcasts provide information about getting adequate nutrition, setting up your kitchen, and avoiding animal ingredients, as well as offer plenty of answers to the common question, "What do I eat?" As Erik says, it's not about discipline and cutting things out: "Rather than cut out foods, crowd them out. Your main job will be to try as many vegan foods as possible....The more foods you try, the more sensational options you'll discover."

Though Oprah's cleanse is over, I know that there are a lot of people reading this blog who are in the transitional stages of becoming vegetarian or vegan, and I think you'll get a lot out of this podcast series. Each podcast is about 8 to 12 minutes long, the perfect length to listen to as you check your email in the morning.

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The Veg Blog Search Engine

I wanted to let you all know that I've finally succeeded in putting my Vegetarian Blog Search Engine on its own web page: vegblogsearch.com. This is the same search engine I've linked to for years on my Blogs I Like page, but now it's on its own, easy-to-find domain. Putting it together has been a labor of love for me because I think vegetarian blogs are a valuable source of recipes and information, and finding that information should be as easy as possible. I added each of the over 400 blogs by hand, carefully checking that they are really vegetarian or vegan, and still I continue to find new vegetarian blogs every day. (If you search for your blog's title and it doesn't appear, email me and I'll add you.)

The site is in its beta stage right now, with "placeholder" graphics until I can find a graphic artist who will really give it some personality. I've made the little widget above available to anyone who would like to use it. Click on the graphic to go to the page where you can copy the code; then open your blog's template and paste the code where you'd like it to appear on your blog. Your readers can then use the search engine directly from your blog. I hope you find it as big a help as I do!

Polenta and Tofu Skillet

When Nava Atlas wrote to me a couple of years ago and asked if I'd consider taking the photos for her new book, Vegan Express, I recognized it as a unique opportunity to expand my photography skills and have my photos published in an actual book--a chance that wasn't likely to ever come along again. Working with Nava, her editor, and the book's art director was a great learning experience, but an unexpected benefit was that my family got to sample over a dozen of the recipes before the book was ever published. One of the first recipes I tried, when I was still "auditioning" for the job, was Seitan and Polenta Skillet with Fresh Greens, and it was such a hit with my husband that he was overjoyed when the art director asked me to re-shoot the photo--it meant that I'd have to make the recipe again. As it turned out, I've made the dish several times at my husband's insistence, and we never get tired of it. There's something delicious about seitan, polenta, and fresh greens, and when you season it all with balsamic vinegar and sundried tomatoes, it's a hearty yet "haute" meal.

So a few days ago, when I needed to get a meal on the table fast and to use up some baby bok choy before it went bad, I thought of Nava's recipe. Unfortunately, I didn't have any seitan, and oil-packed sundried tomatoes are not on my diet, but I did have a roll of prepared polenta in the pantry and a willingness to experiment. My version, which uses marinated tofu instead of seitan, isn't quite as quick, as easy, or as photogenic as the original, but it was still a big hit with my family. And without those oil-packed tomatoes, it's light enough to get the seal of approval from just about any low-fat diet plan, including Weight Watchers' Core and the McDougall Program.



Polenta and Tofu Skillet
(printer-friendly version)

Using reduced-fat tofu will make this even lower in fat.

5 sun-dried tomatoes (not packed in oil)
14 ounces extra firm or firm tofu
2 tablespoons soy sauce, low sodium
1 tablespoon water
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/2 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
5-6 baby bok choys or 1 head regular bok choy
1 18-ounce package prepared polenta
1/2 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon basil
1/4 cup vegetable broth
freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Put the sundried tomatoes in a bowl and pour boiling water over them to cover. Set aside until soft. When they're soft, drain the water and cut each tomato into 1/4-inch slices.

Mix the soy sauce, water, garlic, and balsamic vinegar together. Cut the tofu in half lengthwise, and slice each half into 1/2-inch rectangles. Put the tofu into a ziplock bag, pour the marinade over it, and turn gently to coat. Let it marinate while you prepare the bok choy and polenta.

Cut off the end of each head of bok choy so that the stalks are separated and wash them well to remove all dirt and grit. Slice the stalks and leaves into 1/4 to 1/2-inch thick slices. Set aside until needed.

Cut the polenta into 1/2-inch slices and cut each slice into 4 wedges. Heat a non-stick skillet (lightly sprayed with olive oil, if you're worried about sticking); once it is hot, add the polenta in a single layer. Cook until lightly browned on one side, and then turn over and brown the other side. Remove from the pan and set aside. Keep the skillet hot.

Lift the tofu out of the marinade and place it in the hot skillet. Cook until just beginning to brown and then turn it over. Put the bok choy on top of the tofu and pour the vegetable broth, oregano, basil, and reserved marinade over the greens. Cover tightly and steam until the greens begin to wilt. Stir in the sundried tomatoes and polenta and cook, covered, just long enough for the stalks to get tender-crisp, about 1-2 minutes. Add freshly ground black pepper to taste, and serve with additional balsamic vinegar at the table.

Makes 4 servings. Per serving: 206 Calories (kcal); 5g Total Fat; (31% calories from fat); 15g Protein; 10g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; 885mg Sodium; 4g Fiber. Weight Watchers Core/ 4 Flex Points.

Blueberry-Oat Bars

Sometimes I really miss living in the country. When I was growing up, acquiring fresh blueberries was just a matter of walking outside and picking them from one of the bushes in our yard. Getting my blueberry fix these days takes a little more effort. For the past few summers, E and I have visited a local U-pick blueberry farm where we'd spend an hour or so in the sun and come home with a couple of gallons of blueberries, some to be eaten immediately and most to be frozen for later.

Well, this year "our" U-pick farm has gone out of business, and we haven't succeeded in finding another. So we've had to make do with the next best thing: organically grown blueberries from the local natural foods store. When I saw them there a few days ago, I just had to pick up a pint; even though the cost was several times what I'd pay to pick my own, blueberries are such a part of summer to me that I couldn't pass them up.

Besides, I really needed them to make these bars, which I'd been craving for a few weeks. You won't believe how healthy they are: no refined flour, no white sugar, no added fat, no soy, and no gluten*. They're not super-sweet, but they're full of fresh fruity taste.



Blueberry-Oat Bars
(printer-friendly version)

If you prefer a sweeter bar, add more agave nectar, sugar, stevia, or your favorite sweetener to the blueberries as they are cooking. Or add a sugar glaze on top by mixing a little vegan powdered sugar with water until it's the right consistency for drizzling.

1 pint blueberries
1/4 cup agave nectar
1/4 cup apple juice
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons cornstarch mixed with enough water or juice to form a smooth paste

3 cups oatmeal* (regular, not instant)
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 ounces unsweetened applesauce
6 tablespoons (3/8 cup) agave nectar
6 tablespoons (3/8 cup) water
1 teaspoon vanilla


Preheat oven to 375F. Oil an 8x8-inch baking dish.

In a small saucepan, combine the blueberries, agave nectar, and juice. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. When it boils, stir in the vanilla and the cornstarch mixture. Continue to stir as the mixture boils and thickens. Remove from heat and set aside.

Put 1 1/2 cups of the oatmeal into a blender and grind it to a fine powder. Pour it into a medium-sized mixing bowl and add the remaining oatmeal, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt. Mix well. Stir in the apple sauce, agave nectar, water, and vanilla, and mix well.

Spread half of the batter into the prepared pan, smoothing well to cover the bottom of the pan. Spoon the blueberry filling over the batter, and cover the blueberries with the remaining batter.

Bake for 30 minutes, or until the top is lightly browned. Allow to cool before cutting into bars.

*Use gluten-free oats to make these gluten-free.

Makes 16 bars. Each contains 117 Calories (kcal); 1g Total Fat; (7% calories from fat); 3g Protein; 26g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; 81mg Sodium; 2g Fiber. Weight Watchers 2 Flex Points.

Golden Potato and Tempeh Casserole

Does anybody make casseroles anymore? I'll be the first to admit that just the sound of the word is enough to give me flashbacks to the potato chip-sprinkled, tuna and cream of mushroom soup concoctions that were so popular when I was growing up. They were enough to drive a kid to vegetarianism, which, now that I think of it, is a point in their favor.

But maybe it's time that we vegans take it upon ourselves to change the casserole's image. After all, potatoes, grains, and pasta--all naturally vegan ingredients--are the backbones of most casseroles, and without the artery-clogging meat, cheese, cream, and cream of this-or-that soup, casseroles can actually be healthy (and easy) main dishes. The one drawback that I can see is having to turn on the oven during these hot summer months, but I justify that by doing all my cooking in the oven at the same time. Case in point, this potato casserole: roast a big pan of vegetables at the same time, add a green salad, and you'll have a complete meal without having to use the stove at all.

The recipe was inspired by all those potato, cheese, and ham concoctions of yesteryear, but instead of cheese I use a variation on the sauce from Macaroni and Cheeze, and instead of ham I substitute a simplified version of tempeh bacon. To be honest, the tempeh breaks down so that it's like neither ham nor bacon, but crumbly and delicious in its own right. Though the recipe looks complicated, once you've got the casserole assembled, it practically cooks itself; you'll have plenty of time to toss a salad, pour yourself a glass of wine or juice, and kick back and enjoy the aromas wafting from your oven.

One more thing: The family says to tell you that this recipe is kid-friendly and husband-approved...which is a good thing because you'll probably have enough leftovers for the whole family's lunch the next day.



Golden Potato and Tempeh Casserole
(printer-friendly version)

Fresh tarragon gives this casserole a real spark of flavor, but if you don't have it or don't enjoy tarragon, you can leave it out.

Tempeh Ingredients:
6-8 ounces tempeh
1 cup vegetable broth
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 teaspoon Liquid Smoke
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika

Sauce Ingredients:
1 1/4 cups water
1 cup plain, unsweetened soymilk
3/4 cup nutritional yeast
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 tablespoon stoneground mustard
1/2 teaspoon Spanish paprika
1 pinch cayenne
2 tablespoons tahini
2 teaspoons white miso
1 teaspoon fresh tarragon, snipped (optional)

1 1/2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes
black pepper, to taste
1 teaspoon vegan Parmesan (optional)

Slice the tempeh about 1/4-inch thick. In a flat, microwavable baking dish arrange the tempeh slices in a single layer. Mix the remaining ingredients and pour over the tempeh.

In the microwave, cook on high power for 3 minutes. Turn or rearrange any pieces that were not covered by broth and microwave on high for 2 minutes. Then cook at 50% power for 3 more minutes. Allow the tempeh to stay in the broth until you're ready to assemble the casserole.

Make the sauce by putting all the sauce ingredients except the tarragon into a blender and blending until completely pureed. Stir in the tarragon just before using the sauce.

Preheat the oven to 400F. Oil a large, 3-quart casserole (or use two smaller casseroles). Wash the potatoes and cut them in half lengthwise. Slice each half into 1/4-inch slices.

Put half of the potato slices in the bottom of the casserole dish. Lift the tempeh out of its marinade and arrange it on top. Put the remaining potatoes over the tempeh. Stir the sauce and pour it over the potatoes. Sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper and cover tightly.

Bake for 45 minutes. Remove the cover, sprinkle with vegan Parmesan, and bake for 10-15 more minutes, until potatoes are tender and sauce has thickened. Remove from the oven and let stand a few minutes before serving.

Makes 6-8 servings. One sixth of the recipe provides 281 Calories (kcal); 6g Total Fat; (18% calories from fat); 18g Protein; 42g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; 839mg Sodium; 6g Fiber. Weight Watchers: 5 Flex Points.

Cumin-Grilled Tofu with Papaya Salsa

I know that some of you are eager to hear how the McDougall Celebrity Chef Weekend went, but I'm sure others couldn't care less and are just waiting for the next recipe to be posted. So, in the interest of being all things to all people (a character flaw of mine), here's a quick summary of my trip, followed by the recipe for the first new dish I've made since I got home.

In a nutshell, the McDougall weekend was an amazing experience for me. I shared a tiny "pantry," a makeshift kitchen way on the far side of the pool from the main kitchen and conference rooms, with Bryanna Clark Grogan, one of the nicest people you could ever meet. There we prepared the ingredients for the recipes that we would make on stage, but we also had to cook extra batches of everything so that there would be enough to share with everyone in the audience--about 75 people. Since Bryanna was giving two demonstrations, both before mine, I spent a lot of time chatting with her and her husband/assistant, Brian, and trying to stay out of their way. Though I spent the better part of two days on my feet, preparing food and running back to the main kitchen for equipment, the time passed quickly because of their wonderful company. (Bryanna offered me helpful advice for dealing with my nervousness, which had gotten so bad that I wasn't sleeping at night, so I'm really in her debt.)

Since my presentation was the last one, I didn't have a lot of time to see the other chefs in action. I did manage the first night to see Chef Kevin Dunn work miracles with tempeh. His recipes were complex, each requiring several sub-recipes, but the results were outstanding. I hope to be able to use some of his component recipes, such as one for Italian Tempeh, in some of my own dishes. The other presentation I was determined to see was Bryanna's Brilliant Breakfasts, where she made amazingly delicious waffles from cannellini beans and oatmeal--no flour. (Check out my photo of the samples that were handed out to the audience.) And I caught a few minutes of Colleen Patrick-Goudreau, just enough to see that her exuberant, humorous demo was going to be a tough act to follow--but then again, all the presentations were so professional that I was a nervous wreck!

Though I wasn't able to attend all the cooking demos, I was very careful to never miss a meal (other than the one right before I went on stage) . We were served three HUGE meals a day of completely vegan, low-fat dishes. There was always something delicious, from fresh fruit in the morning to lasagna for dinner to Chocolate Decadence for dessert. But more important than the food was the companionship: I met so many interesting, lovely people who made me feel welcomed. I don't want to mention any names because I'm sure to leave someone out, but rest assured that every one of you made a big impression on me, and I'll always remember how warm and supportive you were. Please feel free to get in touch with me by email, if you haven't already.

When it came time for me to speak, I think I was so relieved at finally being up there, not having to dread it anymore, that all my nervousness just seemed to disappear and I had a really great time. I know that there are things I forgot to say (such as that soy yogurt is my favorite fat-replacer in baking) and that there are things I shouldn't have said (like that joke about my husband not letting me have sleepovers!) but I think I did a pretty good job without embarrassing myself too much. More importantly, I didn't burn any of the four dishes I prepared (Banana Coffee Cake, Skillet Gardener's Pie, Refried Bean Soup, and Mac and Cheese) and the audience seemed to like them. Having such a lively, enthusiastic audience really helped me relax and enjoy the experience.

I want to commend the hard-working McDougall crew, including Mary McDougall, who was so reassuring and supportive, and Tiffany, who never blanched when I had yet another unforeseen request, as well as the excellent kitchen staff without whom I would have been lost. Thank you all. It was an honor to work with you. (Photos of all the speakers and the food are available here on the McDougall site.)

Immediately after my presentation, I jumped in my rental car and drove to San Francisco, where my husband was already checked into our hotel. We spent the next two days constantly on the go from one vegan restaurant to another, one tourist attraction to the next. Just briefly, here's where we ate: Golden Era (Chinese faux-meat, just around the corner from our hotel); Weird Fish (seitan tacos for me and tortilla soup and fried seitan "fish" for D); Millennium (we shared gnocci with morels for our appetizer, I had coconut-crusted tofu, D had zucchini Napoleon, shared Chocolate-Almond Midnight for dessert; words can't do it justice--just go); The Usual Suspects Cafe (terrific pizza and Shawarma with cake by Melisser; I'm hearing that they went out of business later that day, so we're lucky we ate there when we did); and Cha Ya (vegan Japanese with an overwhelming menu).

It was a short, intense, strenuous (those hills!), wonderful trip to a city I hope to visit again soon. If you're interested, you can see photos of some of the sights we saw on my Flickr page.

And now, the moment some of you have been waiting for: the recipe! D came home from the Hong Kong Market in New Orleans with the biggest papaya I've ever seen. I decided to have him start a fire in the bbq grill so that I could grill some corn and tofu, and inspired by the fruit salsa on the tacos at Weird Fish, I took about a fourth of that papaya and made this salsa using mint and a Serrano pepper from our garden. The grilled corn was amazing (really, it's so flavorful that you don't need margarine) and the papaya salsa had us licking our plates (secretly, of course, when no one was watching). E refused the salsa (too "weird" for her) so we had some leftover that we used as salad dressing. In the photo below you see the tofu atop lettuce, but in actuality we ate it soft taco-style in corn tortillas. Seriously good. We'll be making this one again and again!



Cumin-Grilled Tofu with Papaya Salsa
(printer-friendly version)

Tofu:
1 pound tofu
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon agave nectar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon cumin

Papaya Salsa:
2 cups papaya, cut into cubes
2 tablespoons red onion, finely diced
1/2 cup red bell pepper, finely diced
1 hot pepper, seeds removed and minced
1 teaspoon mint, minced
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
1 teaspoon agave nectar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 pinch cayenne
freshly ground black pepper -- to taste

Tofu:

Slice the tofu into 8-10 slices and press each one lightly between paper towels (or tea towels) to remove some of the moisture. Mix the remaining tofu ingredients in a small bowl. Put the tofu into a large zip-lock bag, add the marinade, and turn to coat. Turn the bag every now and then, letting it marinate for at least 1 hour while you make the salsa and prepare the grill. (You can marinate it in a long baking dish, of course, but the zip-lock bag is easier.)

Papaya Salsa:

Mix all ingredients in a bowl. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

After marinating the tofu, cook it on a barbecue grill until lightly browned on both sides. (Or, heat a non-stick skillet, lay the tofu in a single layer, and cook, turning once, until brown on both sides. Just before removing from heat, add the marinade and cook until it's absorbed by the tofu.)

Serve tofu topped with papaya salsa.

Makes 4 servings. Per serving: 151 Calories (kcal); 6g Total Fat; (30% calories from fat); 10g Protein; 18g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; 402mg Sodium; 3g Fiber. Weight Watchers 3 Flex points (should be Core, except for agave).

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