4th of Jul-fry! Fry Me Up Some Dinnah!

I don't know what it is about holidays, but they always make me want to stuff my face with indulgent things I wouldn't often make. Today was no exception. While I was working I was very well behaved. I made a very healthy juice with farm fresh carrots, cucumbers and beets from the garden and some other alkalizing veggies. Then I signed off and all sensibility left me.

I had some really beautiful baby portobello mushrooms. Not the tiny ones that are all different shapes and sizes, but the bigger ones that were gorgeous and pretty uniform in size. I thought about stuffing them or maybe even just sautéing them with a little thyme, salt and pepper. Then something happened. My inner fried food demon popped out and it was on! I whipped up a quick batter, heated up some oil in my trusty skillet and made a quick sauce for dipping'

The mushrooms were meaty and gorgeous sticking out of the perfectly golden and crispy coating. I tried one dipping sauce that just wasn't doing those 'shrooms justice. I regrouped and came up with what I thing is the perfect compliment to my golden beauties. The hint of lemon and the sweet tarragon in the sauce paired beautifully with the earthy mushies and the slightly smoky crust. These were pretty darn quick to make too. I made so many and couldn't stop eating them. It ended up being my entire dinner. Hee hee.

Golden Beauty Fried Mushrooms with Cheater Béarnaise

I recommend making the sauce ahead of time to let the flavors develop.

12 large baby bella mushrooms, stems removed and reserved

3/4 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup corn starch (Rapunzel's is GMO free)
1/3 cup panko bread crumbs
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/4 cup soy milk

Oil for frying (I used grape seed)

1 recipe Cheater Béarnaise (recipe below)

Add oil to iron skillet or other heavy bottomed skillet to a depth of at least 1 inch. Heat oil to 375.

Line a large plate with a paper bag topped with paper towels to drain mushrooms.

While oil is heating make batter. Add flour, corn starch, bread crumbs, onion powder, garlic powder, paprika and salt. Combine well. Whisk in soy milk until a fairly thick batter is formed. If batter seems too thick to coat the mushrooms, add a touch more soy milk.

Using a fork or a toothpick, dip the mushroom in batter and coat completely. Gently tap off excess. Carefully place mushroom into hot oil, using an additional fork to slide it gently off of the fork or pick into the oil. Repeat with each mushroom, cooking in batches. Make sure not to crowd the pan. Fry until golden on one side (about 3-5 minutes). Carefully turn over and fry for about 3 more minutes. Remove from oil and place on prepared plate to drain. These babies are very hot, so please let them cool for a bit lest you burn your poor tongue. Serve with Cheater Béarnaise.

Cheater Bearnaise

Makes 1/2 cup

1/2 cup Veganaisse or other vegan mayo
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon dried tarragon or 1/2 teaspoon fresh, minced
1 1/2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
Dash Tabasco

In a small bowl, stir all ingredients until well combined. Cover and refrigerate for at least and hour. Will last several days in the fridge.

A Cool Appetizer for the Hot Summer

Summer is in full force. It's that time of year when turning on the oven is much akin to shoving splinters under your nails. When the temps heat up, I crave cool and easy dishes.

The other night, I needed a quick and easy appetizer to take to a potluck after work. It was my first time bringing food to this group, so I wanted it to be impressive, but also follow my mood for keeping cool. We have started getting some really nice big cucumbers. I knew those had to be a part of the plan. I plunked around Pintrest and found some very cute cucumber appetizers. One of my favorites was a cucumber-hummus cupcake. But I felt with the heat, even hummus might not hold up.

Then I went to the pantry and fridge to see what I could see. I had a few left over fresh shiitake mushrooms that were about at the end of their viable life. The pantry had some soba noodles and that did it for me. I was inspired to make a cool, asian inspired, easy to eat with your hands appetizer.

Soba and Shiitake Cucumber Cups

4 large cucumbers (about 2-2 1/2 inches wide)

Dressing ingredients

1 tablespoon red miso
2 tablespoons brown rice vinegar
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon low sodium tamari or soy sauce
1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated or finely minced

Filling ingredients

2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
1/2 cup diced fresh shiitake mushrooms
1 red jalapeño or fresno pepper minced
1 tablespoon finely diced sweet onion
1 large clove garlic minced
4 oz. soba noodles, broken in half and cooked according to package directions*

Black and/or white sesame seeds for garnish
Thinly sliced green onion tops for garnish (optional)

*IMPORTANT NOTE: make sure to rinse noodles under very cold water until completely cooled or they will get very gummy.

Peel cucumbers. Score the cucumber lengthwise with a fork all the way around. Slice into inch slices keeping thickness as even as possible. Using a small melon baller or small paring knife, carefully scoop out most of the seeds and flesh of cucumber to create a little bowl. Make sure to leave a little cucumber on the bottom for the bowl. Place in a single layer on serving platter and set aside.

In a small bowl whisk dressing ingredients together and set aside.

In a 10 inch iron skillet or sauté pan over medium heat. Heat sesame oil until just warm and not smoking. Add shiitake mushrooms, jalapeños and onion. Saute until shiitake mushrooms are softened, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and sauté until garlic is fragrant, about 30 seconds. Remove from heat.

In a medium mixing bowl gently combine the chilled soba noodles, dressing and mushroom mixture.

Using a fork, twirl soba noodles to make a small and fairly tight "nest" of noodles**. Carefully place the "nest"inside the cucumber bowls. Repeat with remaining cucumber bowls and noodles.

Sprinkle each cute little bowl with sesame seeds and green onion for garnish. Serve immediately or they can be refrigerated for an hour or two before serving.

**NOTE: The mushroom mixture may fall out while twirling the noodles. Use a small spoon or your fingers to sprinkle some of the mixture on top of filled cucumbers.

Spain Memories - Pimientas del Padron

When I visited Spain a couple of years back, I was lucky enough to have hosts that let me play in their kitchen. Not only did I get to play in the kitchen, I had the honor of having my friend Nena share a couple of her family recipes. Such great memories of the day we hung out and cooked together.

Spain has these incredible chilies that are about the same size as a big jalapeño, but are shaped a little bit differently. They are called Pimientas del Padron from La Caruna in northwestern Spain. These peppers are typically pretty mild, but every so often, you may get one that is realllllly hot. My dear friend got one of these crazy hot ones on our last trip to Spain. I like to call it "Pepper Roulette". It's a very delicious gamble.

I had never seen these pepper stateside before. Last week I found them at Whole Foods. I was over the moon! I just couldn't believe it. I snapped up a big bag of them. The traditional preparation for them (as taught to me by the fabulous Nena) is quite simple. A healthy portion of olive oil is heated to a high temperature (but do not let it smoke!). Pour the peppers in the pan and cover with a lid. Let them sauté for about 5-7 minutes, the peppers should be nice and browned. Shake pan to turn peppers. Saute for another 5-7 minutes. Drain on paper towels. Salt with coarse sea salt. Let them cool for a couple of minutes so as not to burn your mouth with the temperature cuz you may burn it with the heat if you get one of those fiery babies!

They are a rare find, so if you see them, make sure to get your hands on them!

Last Minute Ideas for the Big Game

Last Minute Superbowl Food Ideas

Today is the big day. Football fans everywhere will be partying and very hungry. So, maybe you haven't come up with your menu or dish yet. Hey, life gets busy, I get it. Most parties will be laden with animal product laden craziness. What's a plant based football fanatic to do? Here are some last minute ideas from posts past with links to the recipes!

I recently heard that Wing Sauce is the flavor of football. I couldn't be happier about that one! This recipes for Wingz and Wasabi Mayo is a perfect fit for the spread.

How about some Tempeh Reuben Sliders? These little morsels will be a touch down with your gridiron warriors.

Oh, how about Loaded Tots? Yeah, bake off some tots until crispy. Top off with Daiya cheddar, sliced grilled jalapenos and some chopped seitan bakon. Put back in a 424 oven for just a minute to two to make your cheeze melt. Sprinkle with sliced green onions. If you are feeling very indulgent, serve with vegan ranch.

I'm making my famous Sloppy Chipotle Jose's, but in slider form. I am making the 50/50 buns from American Vegan Kitchen in mini form and bringing lots of napkins! These travel well via crock pot if you are going to a party today.

I don't want to neglect the cold appetizers. This Special Spinach Artichoke Dip is always a huge hit. I like to serve it in a bread bowl to make it look extra fancy.

 

No matter which team your routing for, make sure you have delicious vittles to make the party a complete WIN!

MoFo Day 24 - W is for Wingz and Wasabi Mayo

W is for Watching Football, Wingz and Wasabi

I'm writing this post during Monday Night Football. The reason I mention that fact is that Wingz to me are the quintessential football snack. They were the thing that was hardest for me to give up when I stopped eating meat. I'm so happy I didn't really have to give up anything, but have gained a new friend in these tempeh wingz. Fred is not a fan of tempeh, so I got to eat more. He did love the sauce, so I will be making a seitan version for him in the future. But I wanted to make something gluten free for those of you who must abstain. I had to keep one toe in Asia for this one!

Wingz with Wasabi Dipping Sauce

Makes 2 football sized servings (8 pieces)

1/2 cup soy milk
1 tablespoon tapioca starch

3/4 cup oat flour or your favorite GF flour
1 teaspoon granulated onion
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt

1 - 8 oz package tempeh torn into 8 similar sized pieces

Grapeseed or other mild oil for frying.

4 tablespoon Earth Balance butter
2 tablespoons Louisiana Hot sauce
1 tablespoon Chile Garlic Sauce

In case you were wondering about what the chile garlic sauce and Wasabi looked like:

1 recipe Wasabi Dipping Sauce (recipe below)

Wasabi Dipping Sauce

Makes about 2/3 cup

1/2 cup vegan mayo
2 tablespoons unsweetened soy milk
2 teaspoon wasabi paste
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
1/4 teaspoon five spice powder
1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Steam tempeh for 10-15 minutes until softened a bit. Let cool enough to handle.

While tempeh is steaming, whisk soy milk and tapioca starch together in wide shallow bowl. In another wide shallow bowl combine oat flour (can sub your favorite GF flour), granulated onion, granulated garlic, smoked paprika and salt.

In a 12 inch iron skillet or heavy bottomed skillet (not non-stick) heat enough oil to come up the side of the pan about 1/2-3/4 inch to 350. Soak each piece of tempeh in the soymilk mixture. Dredge in flour mixture until covered on all sides. Gently place coated tempeh in oil. Fry for about 4 minutes each side until golden brown. Remove from oil and drain on paper towel to remove excess oil. In a large bowl, combine melted Earth Balance, Louisiana Hot Sauce and chili garlic sauce. Add fried tempeh wingz to sauce and gently stir to coat. I lots of sauce, so it will be messy! Serve immediately with celery sticks, carrot sticks and Wasabi Dipping Sauce.

Go Bears!

Mofo 2013 - Day 3 - B is for Basil, Beans and Bruschetta

About a year and a half ago, we planted some basil in a half of an old wine barrel. I'm not sure if it was the variety of basil or the container, but it was never very happy. It grew strongly flavored tiny leaves that were just no fun to chiffonade. We did not have a loving relationship. This year, we planted Genovese basil in the garden. As you can see below, this plant is happy and is producing beautiful, fragrant, delicious leaves. Basil loves the sun, so AZ is a perfect place to grow it as long as you give it lots to drink.

Pesto is a no-brainer for using the bounty of basil coming off of this plant. It's super easy to make, freezes great and makes dishes pop.

Basil-Spinach Pesto

Makes about 1 1/4 cup

3 cups lightly packed basil leaves, stems removed

3 cups lightly packed spinach leaves, large stems removed

1/4 cup nutritional yeast

5 cloves garlic, crushed

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/4 cup pine nuts

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup olive oil

Add basil and spinach to food processor with a large bowl. Pulse a few times to make more room in the bowl. Add remaining ingredients, except for olive oil. Pulse a few more times to roughly blend ingredients. Scrape down the sides of processor bowl. Turn processor to the on position. Slowly drizzle olive oil down the tube until mixture is well blended an emulsified. Pesto can be served immediately, stored in the fridge for up to a week or frozen in smaller batches for easy use later on. GF

Lets go for some more B action. True story. My step-daughter (I hate that term because it seems kind of impersonal and she is amazing) offered to cater her cousin's wedding last year. In turn, I volunteered to help. We made and ate so many bruschetta that weekend, we both swore we would probably not eat it for years to come. Well like childbirth and other painful experiences, the memory fades with time. I'm back to my bruschetta making and eating ways. This version featured another of my favorite "B" foods; beans. Cannelini Beans are perfect for a mediterranean appetizer. The salty and piquant capers and kalamatas compliment the mild creamy beans. Get some really crusty Italian baguette to make an impressive small plate for your friends.

Bruschetta with Mediterranean White Beans and Pesto

1 - 15 oz. can Cannelini beans, rinsed and drained
3 tablespoons chopped sun-dried tomatoes in oil, measure after chopping small
1 tablespoons capers
12 kalamata olives, quartered
2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon olive oil from sun-dried tomatoes
salt and pepper to taste
1/3 cup Basil-Spinach Pesto (or your favorite pesto)
8 slices of toasted baguette
8 small basil leaves for garnish (optional)

In a medium size non-reactive bowl, combine beans, sun-dried tomatoes, capers, olives, vinegar, and olive oil. Taste and add salt and pepper to taste. The bean mixture can be used immediately, but I highly recommend giving it at least and hour to let the flavors meld and really get amazing. You can make this the day before as well.

Spread about 2-3 teaspoons basil on each slice of baguette. Top with about 2 tablespoons of bean mixture. Add a small dollop of pesto and a basil leaf on top for garnish.

Serve immediately.

Mofo 2013 - Day 2 - A is for Artichoke Arancini with Arugula Salad and San Marzano Tomato Sauce

The beginning of the alphabet is a joyous beginning to this year's MoFo. While there were several very worthy foods starting with A (asparagus, avocado, apples, apricots, almonds, etc.), I decided to utilize the noble artichoke and nutty arugula.

The artichoke is believed to be a native Mediterranean plant from the thistle family. There are over 140 varieties of artichoke. If you have been a follower of the blog for a while, you may remember our epic artichoke plant that yielded more than 50 of these beautiful globes. For this recipe, I used canned artichoke hearts. you could easily sub fresh or frozen. Oh man, now I want fresh artichoke hearts!

Arugula lends a nutty backdrop for the rich Arancini. Arancini is a pretty name for friend rice balls. These Sicilian balls of glory are crispy and a touch sinful. The San Marzano Tomato Sauce is the perfect sauce to dip your balls in! Enjoy!

Artichoke Arancini with San Marzano Tomato Sauce

Makes 16 balls

1 recipe Artichoke Risotto
1/2 package Daiya Havarti Wedge Cheese, cut into small cubes (a little smaller than 1/2 inch), keep very cold until ready to use
1/2 cup plain breadcrumbs
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs

1 recipe San Marzano Tomato Sauce (recipe below)

10 large basil leaves, chiffonade for garnish

Oil for frying ( I prefer to use grapeseed oil)

Artichoke Risotto

1/4 cup olive oil
3 tablespoons minced yellow onion
1/3 cup canned artichoke hearts, drained, chopped small (measured after chopping)
1 cup arborio rice
1/2 cup white wine, chilled
1 3/4 cups cold vegetable stock
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley or 1 teaspoon dried

In medium sauce pan heat olive oil over medium heat. Add minced onion and saute for about 3 minutes until slightly softened. Add artichoke and saute for another minute. Add rice and saute, stirring to coat, about 2-3 minutes. Turn heat to low and add wine. Simmer, stirring constantly until wine is absorbed. Repeat with cold vegetable stock (1/2 cup at a time). Risotto should be cooked through, but not mushy. If all liquid has been added and risotto is still not done, add 1/4 cup cold vegetable stock at a time until proper doneness is attained. Remove from heat and stir in nutritional yeast and parsley. This risotto is wonderful as a side dish on its own. If you want to have it that way, stop here and serve immediately. For the balls, cool completely in refrigerator. This step is very important. If risotto is not completely cooled it will be sticky and difficult to work with. Can be made a day ahead of time.

While risotto is cooling, start preparing tomato sauce (see recipe below).

Using a xx oz. scoop, scoop out approximately 1 1/2 tablespoons risotto. with index finger, make indentation large enough to insert cube of cheese. Insert cheese and cover up hole completely. Set ball on plate. Repeat for next 15 balls. Set aside.

Add oil to 10 inch iron skillet until about 1 inch deep. Heat oil to 350 degrees.

In bowl combine bread crumbs. Roll each ball in breadcrumbs to coat and place back on plate. Cooking in batches of 4, carefully slide arancini into oil. The balls can be delicate, so use caution when putting them in the oil. Fry for about 2-3 minutes or until golden brown. Carefully turn to other side. I find using two forks to gently turn them works really well. Fry for another 2-3 minutes or until golden brown. Remove from oil and place on paper towel lined plate. Repeat for remaining balls.

Serve immediately drizzled with warm San Marzano Tomato Sauce. Garnish with fresh basil chiffonade. Serve with Arugula Salad on the side.

San Marzano Tomato Sauce

This is a very simple sauce. The San Marzano tomatoes are key to making the flavor, oh so special. Sauce can be used on pasta as well.

Makes about 3 cups

1/3 cup minced sweet onion
2 large cloves garlic, minced
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried oregano or 1 tablespoon fresh oregano, minted
1/4 teaspoon dried red pepper
28 oz can pealed whole San Marzano Tomatoes with juice

Heat olive oil in medium saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and saute until translucent, about 3-5 minutes, stirring occassionally. Add garlic and saute until just fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add salt, pepper oregano and crushed red pepper. Saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add tomatoes. Turn heat to low. Break apart tomatoes with wooden spoon. Let simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. I let it keep cooking until risotto is cold, which is sometimes longer. Can be made ahead and refrigerated for several days.

Arugula Salad

6 cups baby arugula
1/3 cup dried cranberries
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons raspberry balsamic or 2 tablespoons balsamic with 1 teaspoon agave nectar

Place arugula and cranberries in large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and vinegar. Toss. Salt and pepper to taste.

Love Those Hot Wingz

Going veg wasn't really super hard for me, except for the haunting smell of wings. In the first few months after I stopped eating meat, I would get this crazy intense craving for wings. It was the one dish that almost made me revert back to the meaty side. It only took me a short time to realize, that I could indeed have my wingz and eat them too.

This version can be made with either tempeh or seitan. Honestly, I prefer seitan, but if I don't have any made up, it is super easy to pick up a package of tempeh at the store when I just can't wait to have me some spicy goodness. It may look like a lot of ingredients, but most of the ingredients are spices.  These are really pretty simple to throw together. The bulk of the time is inactive marinating the "wings". These are gluten free if you use tempeh.

Wingz of Fire

Makes 8 Wingz

1 - 8 oz package tempeh, torn into 8 rectangular pieces
(can also substitute 8 oz seitan)
1 recipe marinade (see below)
1/4 cup tapioca or corn starch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
3 tablespoon Earth Balance vegan butter (from the sticks), melted
2 tablespoons Louisiana Hot Sauce (or your favorite)
1 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional for those who like 'em suicide hot)
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
Vegetable oil for frying

Marinade

2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
3 Tablespoons Louisiana Hot Sauce (or your favorite hot sauce)
3 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

Place tempeh pieces in steamer and steam for 10 minutes. While they are steaming, mix together marinade ingredients in an 8 x 8 or smaller non-reactive pan, large enough to fit tempeh or seitan in a single layer. This doesn't make a lot of marinade, just enough to get soaked up by the protein. Add tempeh while it is still hot or seitan and turn to coat both sides. Marinate for a minimum of 2 hours*.

In a shallow bowl, combine the tapioca starch, salt and smoked paprika.

In a small saute pan, melt vegan butter and stir in hot sauce. Keep warm.

Heat enough oil to come 1/2 inch up the side of a 10-inch iron skillet (or other skillet but make sure it is not a non-stick type) to 350 degrees. Dredge marinated tempeh or seitan in tapioca starch mixture. Carefully slide into hot oil. Cook for about 3 minutes per side until golden. Drain on paper towel.


In a bowl big enough to toss all of the wings, combine the melted vegan butter, hot sauce and peppers (if using). Toss fried wingz in sauce and serve immediately with vegan blue cheese or ranch dressing (recipe below), carrots and celery.

*If you are pressed for time, you can shorten the marinating time, but they are much more flavorful if they get some time to soak up all of that flavor.


Ranch Dressing

Makes about 1 cup

1/2 cup  plus 2 tablespoons vegan mayonaise (I like Veganaise brand)
1/2 cup unsweetened soy milk
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic or garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon granulated onion or onion powder
1/8 teaspoon dried thyme

In a small bowl, mix all ingredients with a fork or wire whisk until completely combined. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to two weeks. 

Iron Chef - Beets!!!

Wow, I'm posting way later than usual. In my defense, I have been experimenting in the kitchen a good portion of the day. Even better, some of my BFF's came by to hang out this afternoon. The were willing subjects of my latest round of cooking experiments. If that wasn't enough to make my day, my friend Potato, brought over a beautiful bottle of red that she has been saving since my birthday last year. After the first bottle I thought it was only fitting to bring out one we'd had in the wine cooler for 4 years. We agreed that the company was certainly special enough to bring out the special bottles and a great time was had by all.

I got a new kitchen toy yesterday. In preparation for my next dinner party/cooking class at Hackett House, I have been toying around with ideas for plating the entree. Thinly sliced beautiful beets have been invading my dreams. I talked Fred into going over to Sur la Table to look at mandolins. A very nice gentleman was hunting down parts to demo the $200 version when another customer told me the best one was sitting in an unassuming box on one of the shelves nearby for only $65.00. Yippee! 

I bought some lovely red and golden beets, this week's iron chef ingredient. I just wasn't feeling the creative vibe in the kitchen today at all. So, I'm hanging out in the kitchen with my sister hoping something will kick in and inspire some beet love. I'm just standing there like a big dope and I see a little iron skillet sitting on the stove. Then it hits me! I'm going to use that iron skillet and my new mandolin (which by the way makes the most beautiful thin cuts I've ever done in my life) and make a beet gratin. It still needs a little tweaking, so I am not posting an exact recipe yet. But it has great potential to be a stunning dish.

I used the mandolin to make super thin slices for yukon golds, red and golden beets. In between I sprinkled on some granulated garlic, toasted granulated onion (thank you Penzey's spices), a touch of rosemary and some Daiya Mozz. Oh and of course lots of olive oil. As I suspected the red beets permeated the color of the entire dish. We all agreed that while it was a gallant effort, the recipe needs a little work: perhaps a little more spice and I think a few more layers. But I love the idea of the dish and look forward to perfecting it in the near future.

It was so shiny, it almost looked like it had aspic on it. 

Oh yes, let us not forget the giveaway of The Sexy Vegan Cookbook. Thanks to all of you who commented. Out of fairness, the folks who commented before the deadline of midnight 10/6/12 MST were eligible.

The winner is...

 #4 Cabby!!!

Congrats! Please email me your shipping information to receive your sexy book!

Playoff Food

Well, my Bears lost. I am so bummed they didn't make it to the Super Bowl. I was hoping Papa Bear Halas could look down and smile today, but it was not to be.

I was supposed to meet some friends to watch the game and they bailed. So I pouted for a little while and then thought "Why am I sitting here in this bar by myself wondering what I can order to eat?" So I could have sat there and ordered mediocre food and paid way to much, or I could head home and kick back with the doggie and make something I REALLY wanted.

I am on my quest to lose weight and once a week I allow myself a splurge. Today was that day. I fired up my fryer and made some sinful yumminess. The base is crispy fried Cascadian brand crinkle cut fries. They were placed on a pizza pan and covered with Daiya cheddar cheeze and thrown under the broiler. While the Daiya was getting tantalizingly melty, I tossed thinly sliced jalapenos and red onions in seasoned flour to lightly coat and threw them in the fryer for about 2 minutes. The fries were pulled out of the oven as the cheeze was just perfectly melty. Then the crispy fried jalapenos and onions were sprinkled on top and voila! I think these just might be my new favorite football watchin' snack!

Where Did the Time Go?

Sheesh! I haven't posted in a very long time. I am so sorry I have been MIA. It seems I lost my kitchen MoJo at Christmas. It was actually starting to make me a little nervous. I had absolutely no desire to test, create or even cook for weeks. Anyone who knows me should have been calling me every day to make sure I hadn't been committed or something, because this is extremely out of character for me. I am slowly recovering from whatever it was that was ailing my kitchen spirit, but it is still very slow going. I think I need a session with a kitchen exorcist or something.

As I slowly break out of my funk I am focusing on more foods that are healthy, less fatty, less processed. No it's not a New Year's resolution. It is a solid goal to take of a lot of pounds before I hike rim to rim in the Grand Canyon in May. The last thing I want to do is carry 20-30 extra pounds in and out of there. So, I am very motivated to eat good stuff.

It just so happened that I needed to test a delicious light Ponzu Sauce for Robin Robertson's upcoming Quick-Fix Vegan. I decided that I would team it up with some yummy, colorful spring rolls. For the spring roll filling I used julienned carrots, pea sprouts, sauteed fresh shiitake mushrooms, chopped raw cashews and fresh cilantro leaves. They were really fresh and yummy. It was a nice change from all of the heavy fat laden goodies I had indulged in during the holidays. If you are looking for a fun way to eat healthy, try your hand at rolling up some of these pretty little things. They are GF too! The ponzu sauce was a great complement and was super easy to make as an added bonus.

Shiitake Spring Rolls
Makes 8-10 rolls

2 large fresh shiitake mushrooms thinly sliced
2 teaspoons low sodium tamari
2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
2 medium carrots, peeled and julienned
handful of pea sprouts
3 tablespoons raw cashews, coarsely chopped
16-20 cilantro leaves
8-10 - 6 inch round rice paper wrappers

In small saute pan over medium heat, saute mushrooms in sesame oil until just starting to soften. Add tamari and saute for 2-3 more minutes until tamari is absorbed. Set aside to cool.

Prepare ingredients by laying them out for assembly. Now I've been told the secret to a good spring roll is to make certain you roll them tightly. The secret is to make sure the rice paper does not get too wet and rip. Heat water in a 8" skillet until warm but not boiling. Working with one sheet of rice paper at a time dip into water for 3-4 seconds. Don't worry if it is not completely soft, it will become so in about 30 seconds. After removing from water, place on a flat surface. Once it is pliable, place 1/8 of each ingredient about 1 inch from the edge closest to you. I recommend putting the carrots on the bottom. This gives you a little more stability when you start rolling.

Fold the short end of the rice paper over the filling tightly, rolling to cover the filling. After the filling is encased. fold the sides over and continue to roll it up. I like to fold the ends in, but you can also leave them open if you are so inclined. Slice in half when ready to serve. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce. I like a Ponzu or soy based dipping sauce myself.

Click here for a pictorial on how to roll spring rolls.

MOFO - Day 14 - Iron Chef - Quinoa

The iron chef ingredient this week is quinoa. Now I love quinoa in so many ways. I wanted to do something reflecting fall and Thanksgiving. I also managed to make it gluten free for my sensitive friends and readers. Quinoa is an amazing seed (it is not actually a grain). It is a complete protein all on its own which makes me love this cute little nutritionally packed ingredient even more.

I thought about making something very healthy, but seeing as I just acquired a brand new deep fryer, my inner fried food loving fiend won out. I was very pleased to discover that quinoa makes an incredibly crunchy coating for fried treats. To keep with the chile theme, I used two types of chiles in today's dish: hatch green chiles and serrano chiles.

Red Inca Quinoa Crusted Hatch Green Chile Croquettes with Serrano - Lime Cranberry Sauce

Serrano Cranberry Sauce

Makes just under 1 cup

1/2 cup agave nectar
1/2 cup water
8 oz fresh cranberries
1 teaspoon tequila
1 tablespoon lime zest
1 tablespoon fresh squeezed lime juice
1 serrano chili pepper, seeded and finely minced

In a medium sized sauce pan over medium heat. place all ingredients in pan and simmer until thickened, stirring frequently. This should take between 15-20 minutes. Cranberries will pop as they cook. Be careful of splattering. Once thickened, remove from heat.

Red Inca Quinoa Crusted Hatch Green Chile Croquettes

Makes 20 croquettes

3 large cloves garlic minced
2 tablespoons red onion, finely minced
2 teaspoons olive oil
3 tablespoons minced roasted Hatch chiles (you can sub any type of roasted green chiles)
1 1/2 cups roasted mashed sweet potatoes
3/4 cup corn flour
3/4 teaspoon ancho chile powder
1 teaspoon teaspoon salt (to taste)
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1 1/2 cups cooked red inca quinoa

Preheat deep fryer or oil in deep pan (with enough oil to be 2 inches deep in pan).

In small saute pan over medium heat, saute garlic and onion in olive oil until onion is just soft, about 2-3 minutes. In large bowl, combine garlic, onion, chiles, sweet potatoes, corn flour and dry spices until well combined. Form 1 tablespoon of mixture into a ball.  Roll ball into cooked quinoa, coating evenly. You may have to press quinoa into ball. Carefully drop balls into oil. Do not crowd. Fry for 3-4 minutes until croquette is golden dark brown. Drain on paper towels. Serve with toothpicks and side of cranberry sauce.

MOFO - Day 2 - The Day of the Jalapeno

Jalapenos

Today we'll be featuring the ever-so-popular jalapeno. These babies show up on dishes all over the country and all over the world. The fun thing about jalapenos is you never really know how hot they are going to be. I have a theory (that is not proven by the way) that the more pointed they are the hotter they will be. While I find this to be the case most of the time, I have been proven wrong on occassion. I have gotten a mighty hot surprise by using this theory on some not-so-pointy-hotter-than-hell peppers. Ouch! But it hurts so good.

Most jalapenos are grown in North America, with most being grown in Texas and New Mexico. It is estimated that 5500 acres in the United States are dedicated to growing jalapenos. This pepper is named after the town Xalapa, Veracruz where the pepper was traditionally grown in Mexico. In Mexico it is also called Huachinago or chile gordo. The jalapeno is a medium sized chile pepper measuring about 2 - 3 1/2 inches long. It is most commonly green in color, but when ripened will be red. They measure 2500-8000 on the Scoville heat scale, so these are considered medium heat. Now remember even though they are considered medium heat, they pack quite a punch if you touch your eyes after handling them. So make sure you are careful when you handle them, lest you burn your delicate parts.

So I worked 12 hours today and had an appointment after work. I really am trying to make my own recipes as much as possible for MOFO. Tonight it had to be quick and simple.

Jalapeno Chickn Salad

1 cup Butler Soy Curls
boiling water
1/2 cup jicama, diced very small
1/3 cup green onions white and green parts finely chopped
1/2 cup tomatoes, seeded and diced small
1/4 cup loosely packed cilantro, chopped (will be about 1 tablespoon when chopped)
1 teaspoon ancho chili powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon Bill's Chicknish Seasoning
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons Vegannaise

Place soy curls in a bowl and cover with enough water to cover by 1 inch. Let soak for about 5 minutes to rehydrate. Drain and let cool. Once cool dice into small pieces. In medium sized bowl add all ingredients and mix until evenly distributed. Add more salt and pepper to taste if you'd like.

Now we started eating this before I had a chance to measure how much it made. I can tell you we served these in the Fillo Factory Brand Mini Fillo Shells. I love these shells, they are so cute, convenient, organic and VEGAN! It filled 15 of the shells. They are a cute tasty little appetizers. Fred loved them, so I will make them again soon and measure the volume for you. Our jalapenos were a bit wimpy tonight, so next time I might up the amount, but my heat tolerance has been pretty high lately.

Serving Suggestions

You might also like to serve these as a sandwich, a wrap with some avocado, or in a corn tortilla mini-shell. It's versatile, so have fun!

Look at this cute little guy!

Food Network Friday - Guy Fieri's Spicy Cherry Ribs

I don't know why, but I really love to watch Guy Fieri's shows. Especially Diners, Drive In's, and Dives. He makes me want to take road trips to little divey gems all over the country. This weeks FNF challenge was to veganize his Spicy Cherry Ribs recipe. I had a lot of fun with this challenge. I decided to go way outside of the box and do an Asian/Southwestern infusion plate. I strayed a bit from Guy's original recipe by replacing Sriracha hot sauce with chipotles in adobo to give it a Southwestern flair. After all we do live in the heart of the Southwest.

I figured my cohorts and I would probably do similar sauces, so I wanted to attempt to make this remake shine with some interesting accompanying components. There are a lot of different components and flavors going on in this dinner. I started off with the Chipotle-Cherry Glazed Smoked Tofu and Tempeh. Then things really got interesting.

To run with my Asian/Southwestern vision I decided to try a really cool variation of tamales. First I wanted to make a tamale type filling without spending a load of time or adding all the shortening and fat to the filling. I made an interesting polenta filling complete with shiitake mushrooms and hatch green chilis. The polenta can be enjoyed on its own, but man is it good as eggroll filling! To round out the flavor and heat profile, it seemed a good idea to do a creamy sauce for the eggrolls to tame the chipotles down a bit.

Now we can't have dinner without some veggies. I'm totally in love with baby bok choy (Asian) these days. Today at the farmers market there was some kick booty sweet corn (Southwestern). I made a simple glaze by using an all natural jarred hoisin sauce. I used 1/2 cup of the hoisin, 1/2 cup veggie broth, 1 teaspoon tamari, and about 1/2 teaspoon Sriricha. The corn was sliced into 1/2 inch wheels and par boiled. Then both the corn and the bok choy were grilled and brushed heavily with the hoisin mixture just long enough to get the bok choy to el dente stage. Make sure not to over cook. It should still have a bit of crunch.

Chipotle-Cherry Glazed Smoked Tofu and Tempeh

8 servings

1 - 12 oz. package tofu

1 - 8 oz package tempeh

2 teaspoons yellow mustard

dry rub:

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1 recipe Cherry Chipotle Glaze (recipe below)

Chopped scallions for garnish

Sesame seeds for garnish

Slice tofu into equal rectangles. Cut tempeh block in half. Take each half and slice it down the middle to make thin rectangles. Cut each rectangle on a diagonal to make 8 total triangles. Steam tempeh for 10 minutes. Let cool enough to handle. Place tofu and tempeh in smoker with pecan chips. Follow smoker directions. It should take around 15 minutes to smoke. You can buy pre-smoked if you'd like.

Make rub by mixing all dry spices. Reserve 1 teaspoon rub for East Meets Southwest Tamale Eggrolls (recipe below).

Once tofu and tempeh are cooled, brush both sides with mustard. Coat each side of tofu and tempeh with dry rub. Place on a deep rimmed baking sheet. Let sit out at room temperature for 1-2 hours.

Preheat oven to 350.

Brush each side of tofu and tempeh with Cherry Chipotle Glaze. Pour remaining evenly over tofu and tempeh. Cover pan with aluminum foil. Bake for 25 minutes and remove foil. Bake for 10 more minutes. Remove from oven. Plate 1 piece of tofu and top with 1 piece of tempeh on each plate. Garnish with thinly sliced scallions and sesame seeds. Serve with East Meets Southwest Tamale Eggrolls (recipe below)

Cherry Chipotle Glaze

1 teaspoon sesame oil

1 cup diced red onion

3 tablespoons fresh minced ginger

2 cans red cherries in water, drained

1 tablespoon blue agave

8 cloves garlic, minced

2 teaspoons tequila

2 chipotles in adobo chopped (do not remove seeds)

1 1/2 tablespoons adobo sauce (from chipotles)

1 1/2 teaspoons dry sherry

1 1/2 teaspoons brown rice vinegar

4 tablespoons low sodium tamari

In medium saute pan over medium heat saute onion ginger, cherries, agave, and garlic in sesame oil until mixture thickens. Deglaze with tequila. Add remaining ingredients and simmer for 20 minutes. Put in blender or food processor until pureed. Return to pan and let cool to room temperatre. Can be stored in fridge for up to 3 days.

East Meets Southwest Tamale Eggrolls

8 eggrolls

1 cloves garlic minced

1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

3/4 cup thinly sliced shiitake mushrooms

1/2 teaspoon low sodium tamari

2 roasted hatch chilis, seeded and chopped small

1 1/2 cups vegetable broth

1 teaspoon reserved rub mix from recipe above

1/2 cup coarse corn meal (polenta)
8 Vegan egg roll wrappers

1 recipe Creamy Coconut Eggroll Sauce (recipe below)

In a medium saucepan heat toasted sesame oil over medium heat. Add garlic and saute for 30 seconds until it becomes fragrant. Add mushrooms and tamari. Saute until mushrooms are soft. Add hatch chilis. Saute for 2 more minutes. Pour in vegetable broth. Turn heat to high and bring mixture to a boil. Slowly pour in polenta whisking constantly. As mixture thickens switch to a wooden spoon and stir until polenta  thickens and get fairly stiff but not hard. Immediately assemble eggrolls. Using vegan eggroll wrappers, take one wrapper putting corner closest to you. (it will look like a diamond). Spread about 3 tablespoons of polenta mixture across the wrapper as pictured. Fold both sides over the end of the mixture. Take bottom of the diamond and wrap over the filling an roll egg roll style. Put in glass baking dish covered with a damp cloth. Repeat with remaining 7 egg roll wrappers. If you have never made egg rolls before, click here for a really nice pictorial on how to do it.

Heat canola oil to 350 in 10" iron skillet. Test with eggroll wrapper. It should bubble and cook very quickly. Carefully place 4 eggrolls at a time in the oil. Drain on paper bag topped with paper towel. Keep warm in warm. Fry the remaining  eggrolls. Drizzle 2-3 tablespoons sauce on plate. Cut each eggroll in half diagonally and place over sauce. Serve immediately.

***The polenta/tamale filling is also excellent on its own***

Creamy Cocunut Eggroll Sauce

Makes about 1 cup

1 cup coconut milk

1 teaspoon arrowroot

1/4 teaspoon 5 spice powder

3 tablespoons hot salsa

1 teaspoon mellow white miso

In a small saucepan over medium heat whisk together all ingredients until miso is dissolved. Heat until sauce reduces by about 1/4 and thickens a bit, whisking frequently. Turn heat off and start assembling eggrolls. Sauce is best served at a little above room temperature.

For dessert I decided on something simple and summery, but still taking on kind of an Asian theme. I made Terry's Favorite Almond Cookies from Veganomicon. They are similar to those yummy almond cookies you get in Chinese restaurants. I made them into ice cream sandwiches using Coconut Bliss Maraschino Cherry flavor. Perfect for the summer heat. 

DON'T FORGET TO CHECK VEGAN APPETITE TO SEE MORE AWESOME VERSIONS OF GUY'S RECIPE!

Happy New Year 2010! NYE Food Extravaganza - Course 1

A few years ago a friend of mine came up with a great idea. Instead of going out and dealing with the amatuer night that is know as New Year's Eve, why not have a night in with good friends cooking great food. The first couple of years we did this together. Unfortunately there were some conflicts with a couple of the husbands. Around the same time Fred and I stopped eating meat. Sadly the original crew has kind of disippated.

The tradition is a great one, so we wanted to carry on with it. Happily, we have other friends who embrace the challenge of cooking incredible vegan food. Each couple picks a course they want to prepare and a wine they want to pair with it. This is our second year doing it completely vegan. It was a great success! Over the next couple of days I will be posting details on each course. No baby animals were harmed making any of the incredible dishes you are about to lay your eyes on. Grab a napkin for the drooling you are about to experience.

For the first course my good friend Jerry, who is also an avid foodie, embraced the spirit of culinary adventure. His lovely wife and dear friend of mine, Beth, told me he had been experimenting with a few different recipes over the last couple of weeks. He is truly a foodie after my own heart!!! He even found a way to veganize a very un-vegan sauce. For this I am grateful and truly impressed. I am hoping he will share the recipe! If he does, I will post it here for you. It is a really beautiful dish and the flavors were just fantastic.

Here he is having a great time creating in the kitchen.

Jerry's Fabulous Singapore Bok Choy Rolls with

Exotic Mushrooms and Vegetables

Served on a Bed of Crispy Bean Sprouts

with Char Siew Sauce and a Drizzle of Sriracha

With wine paring and the lovely Beth

Vegan MOFO Day 23 - Jackie's Stuffed "Andouille Stuffed Jalepenos

My friend Jackie is a self described chile fiend. She is also a fantastic cook, so I knew I needed to be on my game to veganize one of her favorites.

Most of the recipe looked pretty easy to veganize. I used Toffutti brand non-hydrogenated cream cheese for the regular cream cheese and daiya Italian blend for the Mozzarella in the original recipe.

The challenge for me was how to make an Andouille substitute that was not made from vital wheat gluten. I don't have anything against making seitan style sausages, mind you, as a matter of fact I love them. However, I let my day get away from me and didn't have time to make the sausages and give them proper sitting time. I decided to use marinated tempeh as the substitute. It went a little something like this:

Jackie's Stuffed "Andouille" Jalepenos

14 fresh jalepenos, halved and cleaned of seeds and pith
1/2 cup red bell pepper, finely diced
1/4 cup red onion, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tablespoon canola oil
8 oz Toffutti brand non-hydrogenated vegan cream cheese
1 - 8 oz package tempeh, diced in 1/4 inch cubes
1/2 teaspoon liquid smoke
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup Daiya vegan mozzarella cheese

For the marinade:
1/4 cup dry red wine
1/4 cup vegetable broth
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon chipotle pepper powder
1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon gumbo file
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika (important that it is smoked)
1 chili tepin, crushed
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1/4 teaspoon thyme

Steam tempeh for 10 minutes. While tempeh is steaming mix all of the ingredients in a container just large enough for the tempeh to cover the bottom in one layer. Pour hot steamed tempeh in marinade. Marinade for at least 30 minutes, preferably overnight. The longer it is marinated the more flavorful it will be.

Preheat oven to 350.

Bake jalepeno halves for 10 minutes. Let cool.

In a large iron skillet or saute pan over medium heat, saute red peppers, red onion, and minced garlic until soft, about 5 minutes. Add tempeh and all of the marinade, if there is any left (marinade may be soaked up by tempeh) and saute until liquid is gone, tempeh is just browned and mixture is a bit sticky, maybe 10 minutes. Remove from heat and put in medium sized bowl. Cool down to room temperature. Stir in cream cheese, liquid smoke and salt (to taste).

Stuff jalepeno halves with about 2 teaspoons mixture each. Sprinkle top with mozzarella. Bake until cheese is melted and just starting to get golden.

Vegan MOFO - Day 19 - Gail's Buffalo Chickn Dip

My friend Gail always says she can't cook. She lies like a rug. She has hidden talents that pop out when she thinks you aren't paying attention. Sometimes I think she just tells me that so I'll cook for her (or just to make me feel better)!

Before I shunned the chickies Gail busted out this incredible dip at one of her and John's famous Halloween parties. It tasted like wings in a dip. I have to admit, wings were one of the things that almost made me break down more than once. I love the smell of the hot sauce steaming. I love the way the heat makes my nose run. Ahhhhhh! I no longer crave the fleshy version. This dip will take the edge of when I need a fix.

Tonight it was Monday Night Football. What better time to make something wing-esque? Another dish you want to eat in moderation as it is full of calorie rich ingredients.

Gail's Buffalo Chickn Dip

1/4 cup vegan blue cheese dressing (I made my own, still needs some tweeking, use your fav)
4 oz. toffutti non-hydrogenated cream cheese, softened
2 tablespoons Louisianna hot sauce
1 tablespoon Ta Patio hot sauce
2 oz shredded blue sheeze (vegan blue cheese)
1/2 cup chicken style seitan, chopped small (could sub Butler soy curls rehydrated in chix broth)
1 stalk celery, finely diced

Makes approx 1 1/2 cups

Preheat oven to 325.

In medium size bowl cream together the blue cheese dressing, cream cheese, and hot sauces until smooth. Stir in remaining ingredients until well mixed. Pour into 1 1/2 cup pyrex or other ovenproof dish. Bake for 25 minutes, until hot and just bubbly. Let sit for 10 minutes before serving. This would also work well in a mini crock pot. They usually have only one temperature. Heat in mini crock for 1-2 hours until bubbly and hot. This recipe will double nicely for a larger party.

Blue Cheeze Dressing

Makes approximately one cup

1 cup vegannaise
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon tahini
1 teaspoon mellow miso
1 tablespoon dried parsley
1 tablespoon blue sheeze (optional)
Black pepper to taste
If you like a thinner dressing, thin with a small amount of unsweetened soy milk

In small bowl mix thoroughly. Best if it can chill for at least an hour.

Hail to the Chief and See ya El Diablo Bush!

Today is a very historical day in history. For the first time I can remember I was actually excited about voting. It feels like real change is coming...good change. OK I'll stop spewing my political joy and get down to the real business of this blog...FOOD.

Tonight I am attending an inauguration celebration. I wanted to bring food that was Obama - esque, but hadn't a clue what to make. I plunked around the internet and read that the Obama's are fans of Rick Bayless. Easy enough. I set out to find a good Bayless recipe. I found quite a few that would be easy enough to veganize. The one that kept catching my attention was his Tequila-Infused Queso Fundido. I have grown to love nooch based "queso" so this is right up my alley. I wanted it to be flavorful and spicy and a little special for such an occasion. I think I may have come up with my favorite queso to date. Give it a try and let me know what you think.

Tequila Scented Queso with Hatch Green Chiles

1 Tablespoon canola oil

1 medium red onion diced small

1 large heirloom tomato diced small

2 hatch green chiles, roasted, peeled, and diced (seeds left intact if you like the heat)

2 Tablespoons of your favorite tequila

1/3 cup nutritional yeast

1/3 cup flour

1/4 teaspoon ancho chile powder

1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/4 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon salt

1 cup water

1 Tablespoon Earth Balance or other vegan butter

1/2 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves

Heat oil in saute pan. Add onions and saute until just soft. Add tomatoes and chilies and saute for about 5 more minutes. Deglaze with tequila. Cook down until mixture is slightly sticky. Turn off heat and let cool while preparing the rest of the queso.In a medium sauce pan whisk dry ingredients into water. Turn heat to med-low and cook while whisking frequently. Don't leave the pan unattended or you will end up with a glop of yuk. Once it has thickened turn off heat. Add Earth Balance and stir until melted. Add tomato mixture. Finely chop cilantro and stir into queso.

Serve warm with chips.

Vegan MOFO Day 18 - Iron Chef - Sushi

I love sushi. I love the way it looks. I love the whole ritual involved with eating it. My creation for this week is a departure from the traditional sushi I adore. I didn't have time to go to the grocery store to prepare, so this was pantry digging creativity.


Azuki Sushi Cakes
Makes four 4 inch cakes

1 cup sushi rice
1 1/4 cups cold water
2 Tablespoons rice vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1 sheet nori crumbled

Filling

2/3 cup dried shitake mushrooms
1 c water
1/4 cup tamari
1/4 teaspoon 5 spice powder
3/4 cup azuki beans
2 green onions, green part only chopped
1/2 teaspoons fresh grated ginger
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
2 Tablespoons veganaise
1 teaspoon wasabi powder
1 cup panko crumbs

In 2 quart saucepan mix rice and water. Bring to a boil. Reduce to low and cook for about 20 minutes until water is absorbed. When cooked add in rice vinegar and sugar. Let rice cool in large bowl.

While rice is cooling make filling. Bring water, tamari, and 5 spice powder to a boil. Pour over dried shitakes to rehydrate. In a medium sized bowl mix azuki beans, green onions, ginger, sesame oil, veganaise, and wasabi powder together. Salt to taste.

When rice is cool enough, mix in crumbled nori into rice. To make cakes have bowl of cold water handy for hands to prevent rice from sticking while forming. Take about 3 T rice and flaten into a circle. Put about 1 T filling in the center of the cake. Top with approx 2 T more rice. Form into round cake. Put panko in shallow wide bowl. Dredge cake gently into panko. Place in refrigerator until firm, about 1 hour. Preheat large iron skillet. Coat bottom of pan with canola oil adding 1 T toasted sesame oil. When oil is hot, gently place cakes into pan leaving plenty of space between cakes for flipping. When cake is golden flip to the other side* and saute until the other side is golden (approx 5 minutes per side). Drain on paper towels.

Make sauce.

Sauce

1/3 cup veganaise
1 Tablespoon Chinese hot mustard
1 teaspoon mellow miso

Stir together sauce ingredients until smooth.

To serve cakes, place 2 cakes on each plate. Top with dollop of sauce. Garnish with chopped green onion (optional) and sesame seeds.
*Warning - the cakes are very delicate. Flip very gently or they may fall apart.

I had some leftover filling, so I thought I would make some rolls. We had these with hot mustard seasoned tamari.