stinging nettle slaw
June 15, 2011
Okay all you v:gourmet followers, here’s a kooky one but good. I bought stinging nettles at the farmers market the other day and have been anxious to use them for all their amazing properties. This lacklustre weed makes up for its poor reputation by being packed full of iron, magnesium, potassium, calcium, vitamins A and C, and protein. Granted they require a little attention when handling to avoid the “stinging” part of “stinging nettle” but it’s worth the effort. You can use nettles like any green provided you either steam them first or, if raw, blend them well with other ingredients, both of which de-activate the sting. I decided to make a raw nettle dressing to add to some slaw as I find most slaw recipes a little uninspired. The nettle recipe gave it the zing and the zip I was looking for.
1/2 cup washed nettle leaves, handled with gloves
Juice of 6 lemons
4 tsps maple syrup
4 tbsps cider vinegar
2 tbsps shoyu or soy sauce
4 tbsps tahini
2 tsps fresh chopped ginger
2 cloves garlic
sea salt and pepper
Place all ingredients in a blender and blend well until really mixed. Add water if you need to thin out the dressing but this shouldn’t be necessary. Add sea salt and pepper to taste. Toss with chopped cabbage, red cabbage, and carrot. Serve with a tasty quinoa red bean and pecan burger or our favourite VLT.
tabbouleh
June 6, 2011
Back in the summer of 1990 Andrew was working for – oddly enough – Dr. Peter Richardson. The other one in Kingston. Not my dad in Toronto. After we accidentally killed his forsythia bush, he invited us for dinner. Not sure why. I suppose because he was a magnanimous kind of guy and we were young and foolish. He served us this tabbouleh. The very one. We loved it then. We love it now. Although whenever we eat it we think of that poor plant. Try it with the roasted fennel and tomatoes. Awesome combo.
P.S. Did you know Tabbūle is a Levantine Arabic word meaning literally “little spicy.” Originally from the mountains of Syria and Lebanon, a Turkish variation of the dish is known as kısır, while a similar Armenian dish is known as eetch. In Cyprus, where the dish was introduced by the Lebanese, it is known as tambouli.
1 1/2 cups cooked couscous or bulgur
1/2 red onion, diced finely
2 tbsps sesame seeds
1/3 cup parsley, chopped finely
1/3 cup mint, chopped finely
1 1/2 tbsps olive oil
3 tbsps lemon juice (juice from about a lemon and a half)
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cucumber, chopped finely
1 tomato, chopped finely
sea salt and pepper
After cooking couscous or bulgur, let it sit and cool. Once cool, mix with all other ingredients. Let it sit again so the flavours meld. Serve and enjoy.
tender greens with creamy maple sesame dressing
June 1, 2011
This is kind of a funny story. Last fall on a dreary, cold night I pulled out a recipe for salad dressing, made it, loved it, got the super-endorsement from Bekah, and then promptly forgot where I had found the recipe. I looked everywhere. Riffled through each and every cookbook I owned. Nowhere to be found. Every couple of months I would look again because it was driving me crazy (and because Bekah was on my case!). I finally gave up, deciding I had dreamt it. Well, finally on Sunday night I found it again in vegan yum yum. And I’m promptly posting it so that I never lose it again and so that you, too, my trusty followers, can enjoy its nuances. Great on a tender green salad with cranberries, toasted pecans, and sliced pear. But be creative. And enjoy.
This recipe doesn’t make much. I would double it and keep a jar in the fridge.
3 tbsps veganaise (or other vegan mayonnaise)
3 1/2 tsps balsamic vinegar
4 tsps toasted sesame oil
3 tsps dijon mustard
3 tbsps maple syrup
1/2 tsp salt
fresh pepper to taste
8 tbsps olive oil
Mix together the mayo, vinegar, sesame oil, mustard, maple syrup, salt and pepper in a mixing bowl. Slowly drizzle the olive oil into the bowl while whisking vigourously to emulsify. The oil should blend completely into the dressing and it should thicken nicely. Taste and adjust if necessary. Serve or refrigerate.
asian noodle salad
April 10, 2011
I’m dedicating this recipe to Noah, our friends’ 15 year old son. He’s their devoted steak-frites eldest son and he announced last month that he’s gone veggie. Right on Noah! Bring it on. This recipe is for you – it’s easy, fresh, quick, healthy, and delicious. A recipe every 15 year old should have in their repertoire. And, for the rest of you, when you hear someone say “I could never do that, I like steak too much,” tell them about Noah. If he can do it, anybody can.
1/4 cup soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes
1 garlic clove, minced
2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger
200 gram package rice noodles
1 cup coarsely shredded carrot
3 scallions, cut crosswise into thirds and thinly sliced lengthwise
2 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted
bunch cilantro, chopped
Cook rice noodles in a large pot of boiling water until just tender, then drain in a colander and rinse under cold water until cool. Meanwhile, mix together soy sauce, vinegar, oil, red pepper flakes, garlic, and ginger. Toss noodles with dressing, carrot, scallions, sesame seeds, and cilantro in a large bowl. Garnish with a little extra cilantro and serve.
hey dilly dilly potato salad
March 12, 2011
I made this the other night with the hope that I would have enough left over the next day so I could take a nice photo and post it on v:gourmet. But, alas, the potato pigs in the house hoovered it down and it was gone before I could steal some away from the table. I’ve been dreaming about it all week and decided to make twice as much today since I know, once again, it will be hoovered. You can half the recipe below if you think that’s necessary but I wouldn’t. Have I ever mentioned who needs meat when you’ve got salad like this?
4 lbs mini red potatoes, quartered
6 cobs of corn, shucked
1/4 cup olive oil
8 green onions, chopped
1 large shallot, chopped
1/2 cup sherry vinegar
5 tsps dijon a l’ancienne
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground pepper
a whole bunch of dill, chopped
Boil potatoes in salted water under tender. Toss corn cobs in a little olive oil and salt and grill until nicely browned.
Meanwhile, chop shallots and soak in the sherry vinegar to make them tender and sweet. Chop green onion and dill and set aside. Once the corn is done, slice the niblets off the cob. In a large bowl, combine niblets, potatoes, olive oil, green onion, dill, sherry vinegar and shallots, dijon, salt and pepper and toss. Serve immediately and watch it get hoovered.
warm cauliflower swiss chard salad
February 12, 2011
This is a really nice warm winter salad. Warm salads are under-rated, especially during a Canadian winter in the doldrums of February but maybe with more salads like this one – comforting, nutritious, colourful, tasty, and filling – they will get their due. This salad is nice on its own for lunch or a light dinner. It would also be nice as a side if you are serving other veggies, or beside non-vegan entrees for the meat-lovers (pork in particular me thinks). It takes no time to whip up and will please both the nose and the taste buds with its light middle eastern earthiness.
1/2 cup light olive oil
1 head cauliflower, separated into florets
1 tsp ground cumin
6 large swiss chard leaves, chopped into strips
1 red onion, cut into slices
2 garlic cloves, minced
14-oz can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1/4 cup tahini
3 tbsps lemon juice
1/4 tsp freshly ground pepper
sea salt
Put the oil in a heavy skillet and heat. Add the cauliflower florets and saute until golden brown, about 8 – 10 minutes. Add the cumin and cook stirring for another minute. Add the swiss chard, onion, and garlic to the skillet and cook for another 2 – 3 minutes. Add the chickpeas and stir. Season to taste with salt.
Combine the tahini, lemon juice, and pepper in a small bowl and add a little salt to taste. Whisk to combine. Transfer the vegetables to a bowl and drizzle the dressing over the top. Serve warm.
Adapted from market vegetarian by Ross Dobson.
summer salad rolls
November 27, 2010
I know. I know. It may seem odd. November is not summer so the posting of summer rolls is hardly seasonal. But we went to dinner at our friends’ Quinn and Cory’s house and they put together a stellar vegan meal. Job well done (thank you!). For appetizers they served these fantabulous summer rolls with peanut sauce which we made for dinner last night to try them out and, well, just because they were so yummy. It’s kind of a fun “structural” exercise that the kids like – and they’re healthy and they’re tasty. So summer, winter, fall, spring. Who cares? They are just damn good.
Summer Rolls
one 1.8- to 2-ounce package bean-thread (cellophane) noodles
1 1/2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 large Boston lettuce leaves, washed well and spun dry
eight 8-inch rounds rice paper plus additional in case some tear
2 tablespoons roasted peanuts, crushed
1 scallion, cut into 2-inch julienne strips
1/4 cup finely shredded carrot
1/3 cup thinly sliced cabbage
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves (preferably Thai basil), washed well and spun dry
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, washed well and spun dry
1/4 cup fresh coriander leaves, washed well and spun dry
In a bowl soak noodles in very hot water to cover 15 minutes and drain well in a colander. Reserve half of noodles for another use. With scissors cut remaining noodles into 3- to 4-inch lengths and in a small bowl toss with vinegar and salt to taste.
Cut out and discard ribs from lettuce leaves, halving each leaf.
In a shallow baking pan or cake pan soak 2 rounds rice paper in hot water to cover until very pliable, 45 seconds to 1 minute.
Carefully spread 1 soaked round on a paper towel, leaving remaining round in water, and blot with paper towels. Arrange 1 piece of lettuce leaf on bottom half of sheet, leaving a 1-inch border along edge. Top lettuce with about one fourth of peanuts and about one fourth of noodles, arranging them in a line across lettuce. Top noodles with one fourth each of scallion, carrot, cabbage, and herbs. Roll up filling tightly in rice paper, folding insides after first roll to completely enclose filling, and continue rolling.
Spread remaining soaked rice paper round on tea towel and blot with another tea towel. Wrap rice paper around spring roll in same manner. (Double wrapping covers any tears and makes roll more stable and easier to eat.) Wrap spring roll in rinsed and squeezed paper towel and put in a resealable plastic bag. Make 3 more rolls with remaining ingredients in same manner. Rolls may be made 1 day ahead and chilled, wrapped in wet paper towels in sealed plastic bag. Before serving, bring rolls to room temperature.
Halve rolls diagonally and serve with peanut sauce.
Spicy Peanut Sauce
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes, or to taste
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 tablespoon tomato paste
3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter
3 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon sugar
2/3 cup water
In a small saucepan cook garlic and red pepper flakes in oil over moderate heat, stirring, until garlic is golden. Whisk in remaining ingredients and bring to a boil, whisking. Simmer sauce, whisking, until thickened, about 1 minute. Sauce may be made 3 days ahead and chilled, covered.
Serve sauce warm or at room temperature.
Adapted from epicurious
spring salad with maple mustard ginger dressing
November 26, 2010
This is my favourite dressing recipe. The stand-by that I always turn to when I’m tired, and have little energy, and need something comforting and familiar. Like an old friend at the end of a long day. Add it to a spring salad with red onion, sprouts, toasted almonds, and sliced radishes.
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tablespoons grainy Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon grated ginger
dash maple syrup
1/2 cup Olive oil
Salt and Pepper
grilled corn peach and tomato salsa
September 6, 2010
Nothing says “September” like corn, peaches, and tomatoes, fresh from the farmers’ market. I had an abundance of all of them so decided to make corn soup and corn salsa. Here’s the salsa recipe. Just grill up these babies, mix with a few other critical ingredients, and, presto, you’ve got a dip to accompany blue corn chips, a nice tangy sauce for BBQ veggies or chicken (for the meat eaters in the house), or a nice light lunch if thrown on top of, or beside, fresh greens.
oil for grilling
5 medium tomatoes
4 ears of corn
2 chile peppers
3 small peaches
3 tbsps olive oil
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
1 to 2 tsps lime juice
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 cup fresh cilantro or parsley, chopped
Heat up the grill on medium-high. While the grill is heating, prep the vegetables. Core the tomatoes and cut a small x on the bottom. Lightly oil them and place them on the grill. Shuck the corn, lightly oil it, and place it on the grill. Place the whole chiles on the grill. Peel, halve, and pit the peaches and set aside.
Grill the vegetables for about 15 minutes, turning frequently. If you’re using an outdoor grill, mind the tomatoes. If they get too soft, they’ll melt right through the grates. Once all the vegetables have some colouring and are cooked, about 15 minutes, remove and let cool. While the vegetables are cooling, grill the peaches for about 1 minute, then turn and grill for 1 minute more. Remove and let cool.
Once cool, chop tomatoes and put into a large bowl. Remove the corn from the cob and place in the bowl with the tomatoes. De-seed the chiles, mince, and add to the bowl. Dice the peaches and add to the bowl.
Add the olive oil, vinegar, lime juice, salt, and cumin. Mix well, taste, and adjust seasoning. It will get spicier as it sits. Let it sit in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Remove from the fridge, add fresh, chopped cilantro or parsley and enjoy!
From vegan yum yum by Lauren Ulm
lentil salad two ways
August 8, 2010
Lentil Salad with Cumin Mustard Dressing
I was craving lentil salad the other day and started going through my cookbooks to find one that would totally hit the spot. This was harder than I expected, as it turned out, since my craving wasn’t just any craving – it was specific to a mustardy-cumin-infused-shallot-rich-lentil-salad-perfect-for-lunches kind of taste. So, as is my tendency, I decided to take about 4 recipes and mash them up until I had one that seemed to me to be the perfect answer to my craving. It was pretty close. I would still like to tweak it a bit but I left the lunch table totally satisfied, and happy that there were left-overs for the next day.
Lentils:
2 cups du puys lentils
6 cups water
2 bay leaves
2 tsps fresh thyme
3 cloves garlic, peeled
Vegetables:
Variety vegetables, finely chopped and sauteed
Dressing:
1 shallot
3 tbsps sherry vinegar
2 tsps dijon
2 tbsps lemon juice
1 1/2 tsps cumin
3/4 cup olive oil
Rinse the lentils. In a medium-sized saucepan, bring the lentils, water, bay leaves, thyme, and garlic to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for approximately 20 minutes, until tender, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, choose a variety of vegetables (I used what happened to be in the fridge – 3 yellow carrots, a yellow zucchini, a small leek, 2 ears of fresh corn), chopped finely and saute in olive oil until just tender. Set aside.
Drain the lentils and discard the bay leaves and thyme sprigs. Remove the garlic, mash it, and set it aside for the dressing.
For the dressing, chop shallots finely and soak in sherry vinegar and a little salt for at least 15 minutes or longer to sweeten the shallots. Add dijon, lemon juice, cumin, salt and pepper, and the mashed garlic set aside from the lentils. Mix well. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil as you whisk briskly.
When lentils are cool, toss with the sauteed vegetables and dressing. Adjust seasoning and serve at room temperature.
Andrea’s Assiniboine Salad with herbs
Last summer we went to Calgary to visit friends. In an attempt to accommodate my growing vegan-like diet they made a lentil salad for dinner one night. We had left-overs so we brought it with us to Mount Assiniboine Lodge where we were headed for the long weekend. To this day, every time I eat it I think of how much fun we had, how much I love those guys, and how much we wish they could live closer! Funny that. Food is such an emotional thing with so many deep associations. I don’t know where the recipe is from but, to me, it will always be Andrea’s Assiniboine Salad.
2 cups green lentils
1-2 carrots, diced
1 onion, diced
1 bay leaf
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 tsp sea salt
2 medium bell peppers, roasted
2 tsp mint, chopped
3 tbsps fresh herbs – parsley, marjoram, cilantro, basil, thyme, chopped
8 oz feta (optional)
Lemon Vinaigrette
juice of one lemon
1/4 tsp paprika
pinch cayenne pepper
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 tsp sea salt
6-8 tbsps olive oil
Cook lentils in water with carrots, onions, bay leaf, garlic and salt. Drain when lentils are soft. Add chopped roasted peppers, chopped mint, herbs and feta. Toss with lemon vinaigrette. Serve and enjoy warm or cold.
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