(What the) Halawa (are in these) Treats (?)

One of my favorite places to explore is the Flint Farmer's Market. One of the permanent spaces at the market is occupied by Jawhari's Beirut Restaurant from Linden, Michigan (click here for a review and directions). In addition to cooking up all sorts of great-smelling dishes, they sell a large variety of Middle Eastern specialties. Since going vegetarian (and then vegan) I always make sure to stop at their booth and pick up something I haven't tried before. Yesterday I came home with sugar-free Halawa (a tahini "fudge") and a bottle of pomegranate syrup. I grabbed a fresh pomegranate as well and on the ride home I started to think of what I could do to create something new.

Here's my experiment. I added a few ingredients (like chocolate and pistachios) and came up with a truffle-like treat. It's sweet, but not too sweet, and definitely a new and unique flavor combination for someone like me.

Halawa Treats

4 tablespoons sugar-free halawa
3 tablespoons pomegranate syrup
Fresh pomegranate seeds from 1 wedge of a quartered pomegranate (or ¼ cup dried pomegranate seeds)
½ cup salted pistachios
2 tablespoons natural sugar (plus more for rolling)
1 king-sized bar dark chocolate



1. Combine all ingredients (excluding seeds and chocolate) in a food processor and blend until smooth. Alternately blend with a hand mixer in a bowl.
2. Fold in seeds. Take a tester of the mixture; if it's not sweet enough, add more sugar until it's to your liking. Using a tablespoon measure, portion out mixture into balls and roll in additional sugar.
3. Place balls in freezer for about 10 minutes until they firm up a bit.
4. Melt chocolate in the microwave or in a double-boiler.
5. Roll balls in melted chocolate and allow them to harden on wax paper.
6. If you use fresh seeds your ingredients will be more moist, so you may want to freeze the treats and serve them cold. If you used dried seeds you'll find that they hold up nicely at room temperature. Makes about 1 dozen.

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Branden's Dinner (with "The Green Stuff")

I love being a teacher. Even on my worst days, it beats folding shirts at The Gap for a living (which I did, briefly, much to the consternation of the company). One of the best things about teaching high school is that I get to watch kids come in as a group of goofy freshman and be a part of how they grow and mature towards their senior year. Some students stick with you, too, and even now, a few thousand kids later, I could probably tell a former student just where he or she sat in my classroom.

Branden and I hit it off from the very beginning. For one thing, he was nearly 6' 7" as a 9th grader to my 5' 1", which he found endlessly amusing. I had Branden for numerous classes during his four years in high school and I never remember seeing him without a huge smile. It was infectious and it still is.

Branden struggled a lot with his weight in high school. Yes, he was tall, but he was also much heavier than he wanted to be. Then, one day, something seemed to "click," and he began to transform into the man we all knew he could be. He began working out in earnest when he started to play football his freshman year in college. The rigor of the program, a dedication to eating healthily, and Branden's never-ending optimism have all made him virtually unrecognizable (with the exception of his smile).

Over the years, Branden has become part of my family. With his mom's blessing he's always managed to fit in some time with us when he comes home from college. When he came to dinner this last time he asked if he could help cook. He's really dedicated to lean proteins and low fat eating, so together we whipped up a quick, easy, healthful meal that he can recreate on his own back at the ATO house. We didn't use a recipe because it was more about tastes and techniques and creating something he could do later on his own. He declared it "awesome" and said "the green stuff" was "EFFING fantastic." I love those college boys!


Some of our ingredients: shallots, spinach, mushrooms, avocado, garlic and tempeh.



Branden preparing the red quinoa (1 cup quinoa to 2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth)



Shallots

 
Branden crying like a girl because the shallots burned his peepers.



Making the "Green Stuff," as Branden christened it.  Scoop out 1 avocado.





Add about a tablespoon of Italian herbs.



Add about a tablespoon of minced garlic.



Add between 1 to 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast.



Add ingredients to food processor.



Add some low sodium broth until it thins out to a sauce consistency.  Taste it and add some salt if needed.  Pop it in the fridge so it's cold to serve.  It was so yummy!



Quick frying of shallots, garlic and mushrooms in a little olive oil.




I had Brandon add little bits of low-sodium vegetable broth, cooking it down until it really reduced and concentrated the flavor.  It adds a buttery flavor without the butter (and fat).



Just before plating the vegetables, Branden adds some ground, toasted almonds for a little texture.





Veggies aren't Veggerific until they get some spinach love!



Here we're trying to capture the comical difference in our height . . .





We cut tempeh in half length-wise and width-wise, then browned it up with olive oil and some sea salt.





Branden says, "Effing FANTASTIC!"

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Drunk-as-a-Skunk Sweet Potato Cups

In my opinion, sweet potatoes are one of the greatest things ever to grow out of the ground. And seeing as this is my blog my opinion is the only one that matters, right? This recipe is adapted from an older Emeril Lagasse dish. It's veganized but really does taste like the original recipe. Try it out before Thanksgiving- you may just find a new side dish for the big day.


Brandied Sweet Potato Cups

5 large sweet potatoes
4 large oranges, cut in half and scooped out so rinds remain
1 stick Earth Balance
½ cup light brown sugar
3 large eggs' equivalent of Egg Replacer
¾ cup fresh orange juice
½ cup silken tofu, beaten in food processor until creamed
¼ cup brandy (optional. I used ginger-flavored)
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
½ teaspoon salt



1. Preheat the oven to 400º. Place potatoes on a baking sheet and bake until tender, about 1 hour. Remove from oven and let rest until just cool enough to handle. Alternately, boil potatoes if pressed for time. Just make sure to drain them well.
2. Lower the oven to 350º. Make the orange cups by cutting oranges in half and scooping out pulp, leaving only the shell. Set aside.
3. While still somewhat hot, peel potatoes and place in a large bowl. Add Earth Balance, and use an electric mixer to blend until smooth. Add sugar, Egg Replacer, orange juice, tofu, and brandy, and mix until smooth. Add cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt, and mix well.
4. Spoon sweet potato mixture into orange cups. Sprinkle tops with nutmeg or cinnamon. Bake until puffed and slightly golden, about 20 minutes.

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Stuffed Eggplant Appetizers

My amazing cousins Jean and Jerry had the best baby shower I ever attended for many reasons, not the least of which was the food. It was catered and there were all sorts of good things to nibble on as we celebrated Molly's impending arrival.

One dish that I especially loved was a stuffed eggplant appetizer. They were presented beautifully and had all sorts of interesting flavors and textures. I've thought about making them myself over the years but never have. Problem with me is that I love eggplant too much, and breaded eggplant is the cat's pajamas. It's hard for me to be patient and do something more to it when it already looks so good.

Having this blog has motivated me to pull out all those clippings and handwritten recipes that I've kept close for years. Even though many have meat as a main component I still like having them close to me, like old friends. I dug into a box last night and pulled this idea out. The note read: Eggplant appetizer from Jean's shower. Pasta, cheese, pine nuts, and some other stuff.

I knew what I meant by that note, but since you might not I've written out the recipe I made up below. :0)

Stuffed Eggplant Appetizers

3 small eggplants, peeled and sliced lengthwise into thin pieces (mine were too thick. If you have a mandolin use that)
1 tablespoon olive oil plus more for frying
Uncooked spaghetti (enough to fit your index finger and thumb
around)
½ cup flour
1 cup Italian-seasoned bread crumbs
½ cup corn meal
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes or ½ cup vegan Parmesan cheese, grated
¼ teaspoon garlic powder
¼ teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon freshly ground pepper
2 eggs' equivalent of Egg Replacer (or more as needed)
½ cup prepared pesto (or Italian seasoning that comes in a tube)
½ cup vegan mozzarella cheese, shredded
½ cup toasted pine nuts, whole or chopped fine



1. Break spaghetti up into quarters or thirds and cook according to package directions. Drain well. In a bowl, toss cooked spaghetti with a little olive oil to keep it from getting sticky and set aside.
2. Cut each slice of eggplant into strips, making rectangles of equal size. A pizza cutter works wonders at this as it doesn’t tear the eggplant. Save the eggplant “scraps” and use them in your morning tofu scramble!
3. Put the flour in a shallow bowl. In a separate bowl, combine bread crumbs, corn meal, grated vegan Parmesan or nutritional yeast, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika and pepper. Stir to mix well. In one more bowl, prepare Egg Replacer.
4. Coat eggplant rectangles very lightly in flour; shake off excess. Dip pieces in Egg Replacer then dredge in bread crumb mixture to coat. Let breaded eggplant rest for about 10 minutes.
5. Heat a few tablespoons of oil in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Fry breaded eggplant until golden on both sides. Drain very well on paper towels. Let eggplant cool to room temperature. While cooling, preheat your oven to 350°.
6. When cooled, spread some pesto on the strip then place about 1 tablespoon of spaghetti mixture at the bottom of each rectangle.
7. Sprinkle some pine nuts and vegan Mozzarella on top of spaghetti.
8. Roll rectangles up from bottom and place on a non-stick cookie sheet, seam end on bottom. Use toothpick to keep them closed, or put them on skewers as I did. Trim off any spaghetti that hangs over the sides with kitchen shears.
9. Bake until heated through, about 8 minutes. Cut each roll in half, if desired, for bite-size pieces. Serve hot or at room temperature.

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Stuffed Pumpkins with Grains and "Chicken"

My friend, Michele, is my favorite guinea pig when I try out a new recipe. Not only is she guaranteed to try everything, she also washes every dish. Who could ask for more?



She came over for this little pumpkin experiment. I'm working on ideas for Thanksgiving and I thought the flavors and presentation would make this a beautiful side dish.



Stuffed Pumpkins with Grains and "Chicken"

4 small pumpkins
1 quart Imagine No-Chicken Broth
1 tablespoon Earth Balance
¼ cup long-grain brown rice
¼ cup forbidden rice
½ cup wheat berries
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
½ pound ground Match "Chicken" meat
½ cup dried cranberries (optional)
½ teaspoon cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground ginger
¼ teaspoon coarsley-ground black pepper
Salt to taste



1. Cut pumpkin tops off and scoop out the seeds (save those seeds! Roast them later!). Place pumpkins face-down in a baking dish. Add ½" of water to dish. Bake at 450º until you can pierce the skin with a fork (about 45 minutes to an hour).

2. Scoop flesh out of shells with a spoon (make sure to reserve the shells; you'll be using them as serving dishes). Put cooked pumpkin in a food processor and pulse until it is the consistency of a thick purée. Keep shells warm and set aside 1 cup of the purée until the rest of the recipe is prepared (go ahead and freeze the rest of the purée if you have more than a cup to use another time).

3. In a small pot, warm broth over low heat.

4. In a large skillet, melt the Earth's Balance over medium heat, then add the rice and barley and toast for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season the grains with the nutmeg and stir in half of the warm broth. Cook until broth bubbles, about 5 minutes.

5. Meanwhile, cook the Match "chicken" in a little olive oil over medium-high heat. Season with cinnamon, ginger and pepper as it cooks. Add the cranberries if using, and stir until heated through. Set aside.

6. Stir remaining broth into the grains, ½ cup at a time, allowing the broth to be absorbed before adding more. Cook until the barley is tender, about 18 minutes.

7. When grains are tender, stir in the pumpkin. Cook over medium heat until just heated through, about 1 minute more. Add the cooked Match "chicken" and mix well. Taste and adjust seasoning and add salt if needed. Scoop mixture into warm pumpkin shells and serve.

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Creamy Coconut-Curry Sauce

There aren't many restaurants in my neck of the woods where one can get a satisfying vegan meal (you know, one with actual protein in it). Sometimes when I go out with friends, I'm reduced to eating french fries (which doesn't do me any favors). My regular lunch date, Kate, has been extremely patient with me as I've begun to eat a vegan diet. I'm like Sally from "When Harry Met Sally," with everything prepared specially or "on the side." The other day, we ate at a chain restaurant called "Stir Crazy." It was a great meal, due in large part to a patient server and a very vegan-friendly menu. I had the coconut-curry vegetable dish and became obsessed with recreating it at home. Kate, who had also tried it, said she was going to stop taking my calls until I figured it out; I kept calling to ask if she tasted this or that in the sauce.

I've never cooked with curry in my life. In fact, before I tried this my jar of curry had never been cracked open (I bought it over a year and a half ago). I am so pleased with the results, though, because this tasted better than the inspiration in my opinion.

Creamy Coconut-Curry with Dry Fried Tofu

1 can light coconut milk
1 tablespoon corn starch
1 tablespoon spicy curry powder (or more to taste)
1 tablespoon minced garlic
½ tablespoon fresh, minced ginger
½ tablespoon minced hot peppers (or more to taste)
1 tablespoon good-quality ketchup
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon tumeric
½ teaspoon sea salt
Freshly-ground black pepper
Stir-fry fixings (I used dry-fried tofu*, red bell pepper, mushrooms, onions, broccoli, coarsley-chopped peanuts, garlic and ginger)
Prepared vegan Japanese noodles (I used soba; I wanted to use udon like the dish I tried to recreate did, but the ones I purchased had egg whites in them. The soba noodles were good, but next time I'm making homemade udon noodles with this recipe!)



1. Pour half of coconut milk into a cup and stir in cornstarch; stir briskly until smooth and set aside.
2. Pour the rest of the coconut milk and all remaining ingredients into a pot over medium heat. Whisk constantly to keep milk from scorching.
3. When it begins to bubble, add milk-cornstarch mixture and whisk well. Stir sauce until it's hot, bubbly and creamy.
4. Prepare stir-fry fixings and noodles. Add well-drained noodles to stir-fry. Add curry sauce and toss everything to coat well. Top with some more minced hot peppers if desired.

*To dry-fry tofu: cut well-pressed, extra-firm tofu into cubes. In a DRY, hot skillet, brown the tofu on both sides, gently pressing out any remaining water as you do so.

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Tempeh Bacon (Insert Clever Bacon Pun Here)

I admit, I had been known to partake in bacon (of the pig variety) in my former life. Leaving bacon behind to become a vegetarian wasn't a deal breaker for me, though, like it is for many others. It would be nice if there was a real-live, super-duper substitute of the veggie kind for bacon, but I'm not holding my breath. What makes real bacon so bacon-y is everything that classifies it as meat. Substitutes are either tooooooooooo salty, too chewy, or too not bacon. I have yet to try any that I can choke down and even the varieties other vegans swear by are unpalatable to me.

So, damnit, I made my own bacon-type substitute. My first disclaimer is that it AIN'T BACON. You must let that go. If finding vegan bacon is standing between you and true bliss, well, I don't see happy skies in your future. Even so, this recipe fills an empty "bacon space" on a breakfast plate or tucked into a sandwich. I mixed and matched recipes I found and then added my own little touches until I had it just the way I liked it. Besides, I hear they take away your vegan merit badge if you don't come up with a tempeh bacon recipe. So, here's mine!

Tempeh "Bacon"

16 ounces tempeh, sliced über-thin, as pictured (man oh man, be careful. Take your time because it really wants to fall apart, but the thinner it is the better it will turn out)
¼ cup maple syrup
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
3-4 teaspoons liquid smoke
4 teaspoons soy sauce
2 teaspoons coarsely-ground black pepper
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon Mrs. Dash Extra Spicy
1 teaspoon Mrs. Dash Steak Grilling Blend
2 teaspoons olive oil for grill



1. Add all marinade ingredients to a large bowl and mix well.
2. Add the tempeh and marinade to a marinating container, making sure to alternate the marinade and tempeh slices. You want the tempeh to be wet with the marinade on all sides.
3. Marinate for a few hours or overnight.
4. When ready to make, carefully remove tempeh from marinade and put on a hot grill. I use a George Forman grill, so it gets good and crispy on both sides and has the groovy grill marks. Go lightly with the oil; too much and you get a mushy mess. I grill it until it starts to dry out a bit, to give it a more bacon-y texture. If you think it needs a tad more flavor, brush with a little reserved marinade as you grill it. Just be sure to cook off the liquid and try not to get too excited as it starts to carmelize.
5. Serve in your favorite sandwich, as a side for breakfast, or crumbled into anthing that's yearning for bacon. Enjoy!

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Snappy Turtle Cookies (or, Saying "I Love You" with Vegan Cookies Means Never Having to Say You're Sorry for Salmonella Poisoning)

These are my favorite cookies . . . one of Grandma's recipes. I'm not sure what's "snappy" or "turtle-y" about these babies, but they've been called that for over 70 years, so who am I to buck family tradition? I love that these are simple and sweet (but not too sweet). These are more a tea-cake cookie, and are just perfect with a warm cup and good gossip from the gal next door.

The original recipe, from the 1940's, was probably pretty expensive to make during wartime; it called for 3 eggs and butter. As I look through family recipes like this to veganize, I'm always amazed that war brides didn't go ahead and veganize recipes themselves. Grandma had all sorts of ways to replace the dairy during rationing, but usually exchanged eggs with mayonnaise or butter with Oleo (which, by all accounts, sounds disgusting even if it was dairy-free). Too bad most people hadn't thought of flax meal. There were probably some pretty disgusting cookies shipped overseas during WWII!



½ cup Earth Balance
½ cup Florida Crystals brown sugar, packed
2 eggs' worth prepared flax meal (2 tablespoons of flax meal mixed with 6 tablespoons of water. Allow to sit for a few minutes so the mixture thickens)
1½ cups unbleached white flour
¼ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
1 heaping tablespoon flax seeds (optional)
½ teaspoon vanilla
½ teaspoon maple extract
2 cups chopped pecans (more or less as needed)
½ cup maple syrup (more or less as needed)
3½ ounces dark chocolate (72% cacao), melted



1. Preheat oven to 350º. Cream together Earth Balance and brown sugar. Add prepared flax meal, vanilla and maple flavoring, mixing well.
2. In another bowl, mix flour, soda, salt and flax seeds (if using), then slowly add to Earth Balance mixture until well blended.
3. Portion dough out with a tablespoon and roll into balls. Dip each ball into the maple syrup, then coat ball with pecans. Flatten each ball gently as pictured. Bake for 12 minutes, or until they start to firm up a little and begin to get darker (I bake mine exactly 12 minutes and they are heavenly). After they are cooled completely, drizzle with melted chocolate if desired. Makes about 1½ dozen cookies (or 1 serving for me!).

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Peanut Butter and Jelly Ice Box Cookies

Soooooooooooo, school's back in session. I'm a teacher by trade, and this time of year is still filled with school supplies and new shoes. It's also when my kids and I start dreaming of goodies for our lunch boxes. For my boys, their thoughts turn to peanut butter and jelly sandwiches (their fave for lunch).

In honor of the new school year and the reemergence of lunchtime treats, I thought I'd veganize my grandmother's recipe for her Peanut Butter and Jelly Ice Box Cookies. Fair warning: I am not a baker. I lack skill and patience to make cookies pretty. The pictures reflect this. However, they were moist and lived up to their name. I brought them to school and left them in the teacher's lounge and they only made it to lunch. That's a good sign, considering there are some very discerning palates in the math department at my school.



Peanut Butter and Jelly Ice Box Cookies

¾ cup Earth Balance
1 cup Florida Crystals Sugar
¼ cup Florida Crystals brown sugar
1 cup natural peanut butter
2 eggs' equivalent of prepared golden flax meal (3 tablespons flax meal with 6 tablespoons water. Stir to mix and let stand about 5 minutes until thickened)
¼ teaspoon salt
2 cups unbleached white flour
½ cup spelt flour
¾ teaspoon baking soda (or 1½ teaspoons baking powder if, like me, you are out out out of baking soda but still want cookies!)
1 jar of jelly or preserves (your favorite kind)
Fresh nutmeg and chopped peanuts to garnish







1. Cream together shortening and sugars. Add peanut butter, flax mixture and salt. When well mixed, add flour and baking soda (or powder), blending well.
2. Form mixture into two logs (about the diameter of a paper towel roll) and wrap in wax paper. Put in “ice box” for a few hours or overnight.
3. Preheat oven to 350º. Remove wax paper. Cut rolls into ¼” slices and place cookies on a non-stick cookie sheet. Make an indentation in each cookie. Top each with a teaspoon or so of the jelly. Alternately, roll each slice into a ball and bake in mini-muffin tins. Make indentations with your finger and top with jelly (as pictured). Bake for 8 to 10 minutes (if using muffin tins, bake 10-13 minutes). When they are still hot from the oven, sprinkle with crushed peanuts. Makes about 2 dozen.

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Mushroom and Wild Rice Tarts with Truffle Oil-Infused Crust

I am getting sassy in the kitchen, People! Time was mixing flour and rolling it out into some pie-shaped configuration was the stuff of nightmares for me. No longer! This entire meal was built around the following thought: What would happen if I used this ridiculously over-priced white truffle oil in a pie crust?



This tart was creamy and warm and using the truffle oil made me feel like a real foodie type. I made this recipe up as I putzed along, but wrote down what I was doing as I went. Hopefully you can recreate it, because it was too good to be vegan!



Mushroom and Wild Rice Tarts with Truffle Oil-Infused Crust

3 cups prepared rice (I like to use wild rice or Wehani rice, prepared in vegetable broth)
1 cup cold mushroom gravy (recipe follows)
6 button portobello mushrooms, sliced
1 cup leeks, chopped
1 tablespoon Italian seasoning
1 tablespoon garlic
Olive oil
Smoked paprika
Parsley for garnish
Truffle Oil-Infused Crust, unbaked (recipe follows)



1. Preheat oven to 350º.
2. Sauté vegetables in a little oil until they just start to get tender.
3. Add all of the ingredients up through the garlic into a large bowl and mix well.
4. Put mixture into 6 prepared (but uncooked) tart crusts. I had exactly enough of the mixture for 6 (4") tarts.
5. Sprinkle tarts with a little smoked paprika, and bake in pre-heated oven for 30 minutes, or until hot and the crust begins to brown up.
6. Remove from tart pan and garnish with parsley.

Mushroom Gravy (Cheater's Version)



1 container Imagine Creamy Portobello Mushroom Soup
2 tablespoons white, unbleached flour
2 tablespoons Earth Balance
1 heaping tablespoon nutritional yeast
¾ tablespoon garlic powder
¾ tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon soy sauce
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1. Melt Earth Balance over medium-high heat and add flour. Stir until flour gets fragrant and begins to brown. Slowly add soup, little bits at a time, whisking well during each addition to break up the flour.
2. Continue whisking until all the soup is added. Bring to boil.
3. Add all remaining ingredients, mixing well, then lower heat to simmer, whisking until thick and creamy.

Spelt Pie or Tart Crust for a Savory Main Dish
This recipe will make 2 (9") pie crusts or 6 (4") tart crusts.

2 cups spelt flour
1 cup unbleached white flour
½ teaspoon sea salt
1 teaspoon white truffle oil
½ cup olive oil
¾ cup unsweetened almond milk, very cold



1. Combine flour and salt in a food processor; pulse a couple times to mix well.
2. In a separate bowl, whisk together oils and milk. Drizzle mixture into the food processor and pulse 6 to 8 times, until the dough resembles coarse chunks (don't work it too much or it will be tough. If you can squeeze some together and it holds its shape it's done). If the dough doesn't hold together, add a little more milk and pulse again.
3. Remove dough from machine and place in a mound on a clean surface. Gently shape into 6 equal balls (for small tarts; if making pie, shape into 2 equal balls).
4. Roll each ball out and carefully fit dough to tart pans or pie plate. Let rest a few minutes, allowing it to come to room temperature, before you add a savory filling.

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