We spent the last couple days in the hospital while my youngest had her appendix removed (a kid should never be sick like that). She's back now and recuperating and playing with her sister. So I won't have a picture today. The sandwich I made today is surely worthy of a quick post.
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I frequently experiment with new ideas for vegan sandwiches, especially sandwich spreads. They make school-time lunches a breeze and they often double as a dip for veggies or chips. With my oldest daughter, it's often a dip for her spoon.
I've made this Artichoke Dip a few times. It's got a subtle white bean base and just creamy enough, while avoiding a calorie overload. And the artichoke flavor shines through. I've also made this Spinach Dip. With the stronger spinach flavor, I could use a whole can of white beans without tasting beany. But my girls turn their nose up at all the spinach. This iteration, blending the two is the perfect mix. It's healthy enough to use it in a sandwich, its got great flavor and my girls love it. In fact, it's my favorite of the three.
Artichoke Spinach Dip
1 bunch spinach, washed, chopped and cooked
8 oz water chestnuts, finely chopped
6 oz jar marinated artichoke hearts, minced
2 tbs pickled jalapeno peppers, minced
Sauce:
1 can white kidney beans
1/2 cup vegan sour cream
1/4 cup vegenaise
1/2 lemon, juiced
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 cloves garlic
Add the sauce ingredients to a blender and blend thoroughly, until very smooth. To the blended sauce, add the cooked spinach, minced water chestnuts, minced artichokes, and jalapenos. Pulse the blender to combine and refrigerate until the sauce thickens, at least a couple of hours. The dip is better if kept overnight.
Makes about 3 cups
12 servings: 139 cal (5g fat, 19g carbs, 6g protein)
I used to love meatloaf sandwiches. Since abandoning those days, I've tried a couple of nut loaves and lentil loaves, but nothing really matched the texture. Nothing made for a satisfying sandwich. So, finally, I started playing with ingredients and arrived on this recipe. It's got great texture, just firm enough to hold together when hot and perfect for cold sandwiches the next day. And it was moist as well. I added coconut milk (yummy saturated fat) and minced onions to the loaf to keep it from dying out and it worked like a charm. Just make sure you chop your onions very finely.
Vegan Meatloaf
Bulgur Mixture:
1/2 cup bulgur
1/4 cup ketchup
1 cup coconut milk (small can)
2 tbs vegan Worcestershire Sauce
2 tbs steak sauce
Dry Ingredients:
6 oz tempeh, grated
1 onion, very finely chopped
1/2 cup oatmeal
2 tbs ground flax seed
1/2 tsp Marmite (optional, but very good)
1 tsp browning sauce (optional, for color)
3/4 cup vital wheat gluten
Herbs:
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp fresh thyme, minced (or 1/2 tsp dried)
1/2 tsp fresh oregano, minced (or 1/4 tsp dried)
1/2 tsp fresh rosemary, minced (or 1/8 tsp dried)
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1 cup parsley, chopped
Glaze:
1/3 cup ketchup
Combine the bulgur with the wet ingredients in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Stir and remove from heat. Set aside, allowing the bulgur to absorb the moisture, for about 20 minutes. It will still be a bit saucy.
Meanwhile, start grating & chopping. Combine all the dry ingredients and herbs, EXCEPT the vital wheat gluten. When the bulgur is ready, stir together with the dry ingredients. Add the vital wheat gluten and knead with you hand for a couple minutes, allowing the gluten to fully hydrate. Form into a loaf and place into a greased bread pan. Spread the remaining ketchup on top of the loaf. Cover with tin foil.
A few minutes before you're ready, preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Bake for 60 minutes, removing the foil for the final 15 minutes of cooking. Let cool for 5 minutes.
6 servings: 312 cal ( 14g fat, 28g carbs, 22g protein)
I've been playing a bunch with bulgur lately. Bulgur is a parboiled whole grain that, when cooked, imparts a texture similar to ground beef. I've used it in chili and as a taco filling and it works perfectly in Sloppy Joes. This Sloppy Joe recipe combines bulgur with temeph and smokey barbecue sauce for a delicious, easy meal that's healthy and freezes beautifully. I made a double batch, froze half and still had enough for dinner and several lunches.
I have fallen in love with this BBQ sauce and it works great with these sandwiches and its easy to veganize.
Sloppy Joes
2 tbs vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 green pepper, cored & chopped
2 stalks celery, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
6 oz tempeh, crumbled
1/2 cup bulgur
15 oz tomato sauce
1 cup hickory/smokey barbecue sauce
Heat the oil in a saute pan over medium high heat. Saute the onions, celery and green peppers until the onion begins to carmelize. Add the garlic and stir until aromatic, about a minute. Stir in the remaining ingredients bring to a boil and reduce heat to lowest setting. Cover and let cook for about 20 minutes. Periodically test the bulgur for doneness, adding a little water, if necessary. This makes over a quart, easilly enough for 8 heaping sandwiches.
8 servings: 214 cal (7g fat, 32g carbs, 9g protein)
For the first time, a couple months ago, I started making unbreaded, marinated, pan fried tofu. I stumbled across this tofu recipe which used leftover cranberries in a marinade for tofu steaks. I tried it and was hooked. I love the texture for sandwiches. That experience set me off and, a few iterations later, I came up with this recipe. The marinate is sticky sweet, a little tangy and has just a hint of heat. The steaks make an amazing sandwich, but they're also great in a salad or sliced for sushi.
Sweet & Spicy Tofu Steaks
1 lb tofu
2 tbs vegetable oil
Marinade:
1 cup vegetable broth
1/3 cup agave syrup
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 tbs mirin (or other vinegar)
1 tsp red pepper flakes
Drain the tofu and cut into 1/2 inch steaks. Mix together the marinade ingredients. Pour into a lidded container and stack the tofu slices, making sure that the marinade covers. Refrigerate for at least several hours; overnight is better. I've kept the tofu marinading for as long as two days and the flavor is better the longer it sits, but at some point, you get antsy and you just want to eat it.
When ready to cook, oil in a saute pan over medium-high heat. If you don't have a large enough pan, you may have to cook in a couple batches. Place the tofu in the pan and ladle a couple spoonfuls of marinade over the top of each slice. Cook, gently moving the tofu to avoid sticking, until the steaks are fully browned. Flip, adding a couple more spoonfuls over the slices again (you will use less than half the marinade). Also spoon a little into the pan. When the steaks are fully browned on both sides, remove from pan and allow to cool a little. Add to a covered container and refrigerate.
4 servings: 122 cal (6g fat, 1g cabs, 7g protein)
Note: I figured 50% absorption of the oil and 1/3 use of the marinade.
We'll be hosting a Super Bowl party tomorrow. So, last week, I started scanning the internet for cajun cooking ideas (go Saints!!). During my search, I stumbled upon this video of a New Orleans' classic: Parasol's Po Boy sandwich. It's a giant sandwich with shredded lettuce & tomato and pickles & mayo and piles gravy soaked meat. I thought, "I can make that."
I started by making two fat Italian baguette loaves. Then I sliced a couple roasts of beefy seitan razor thin, then simmered it in this delicious gravy. The video started with nasty, unseasoned, boiled cow, and added a potent garlicy gravy. But since I don't know how to make nasty, unflavored seitan, I stuck with my suculent, beef flavored seitan and used a smooth, less potent gravy. I piled it on the baguette with some vegenaise, lettuce, tomato and pickle and served it with some collard greens and chips. It was heaven on a bun or, more accurately, heaven dripping down my arm.
Until next time, GO SAINTS.
First off, these weren't actually barbecued. This time of year, you can't get the rain to stop long enough to light a match. But next summer I will be grilling these every chance I get. I had been anticipating them for a week and they were worth every thought. And the mashed potatoes were the perfect fall accompaniment. The gravy, posted by Tofu Mom, was the best gravy I've tried in a very long time. A poultry version will definitely be on my Thanksgiving table next month.
BBQ Seitan Sandwich
4 Chicken Flavored Seitan Cutlets
1/4 cup flour
3 Tbs vegetable oil
1/2 cup barbecue sauce
1 sweet onion, sliced
1/4 cup vegenaise (1 tbs per sandwich)
4 hoagie rolls
Heat oil in a large saute pan set to medium high. Lightly dust each cutlet with flour and pan fry until each cutlet has a browned and slightly crispy crust. Remove from heat and brush each cutlet, both sides with barbecue sauce. Broil (or grill) until the top side has dried. Brush with barbecue sauce and turn. Broil again. Brush the top again and put in the oven just long enough to heat the last brushing of sauce. Remove from heat.
Broil the buns (buttered if you like) until they have sufficiently browned. Spread with vegenaise, add onions and top with the seitan. Eat with a bib.
4 Servings: 598 cal (24g fat, 60g carbs, 33g protein)
I got a call the other day from a caterer who was providing food for a retreat. He was unfamiliar with what foods he should avoid and what he could serve. I talked him though some options and offered some suggestions and pitfalls. In the end, the guest was pleased and appreciative.
But, during our conversation, he asked the classic question. What does a vegan eat anyway? The question just happened to coincide with a stretch of meals in my house that spanned five cuisines in five days. Beginning on October 1, I had made Black Eyed Peas, Fried Rice, Arroz con Pollo, Spaghetti, Curried Cauliflower Soup and, finally Muffuletta Sandwiches. So the answer to his question is simple: Everything not animal. And everything else is a pretty big list.
Anyway, this sandwich was amazingly delicious. Muffuletta is a New Orleans classic with layers of meat, cheese and pickled olive salad mix. I made two loafs of fococcia and layered a package of Yves deli salami, thin slices of vegan Mozzarella and a thick layer of olive mix. Then I wrapped them in foil and baked them for 10 minutes, just to heat the bread. Finally, I sliced the loaves up and ate way too much.
Muffuletta Olive Salad Mix
1 1/2 pitted green olives, quartered
1/2 cup kalamata olives, finely chopped
1 cup Giardiniera (pickled cauliflower, carrots & peppers)
2 oz pimentos
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbs chopped shallots
1 stalk celery, thinly sliced
2 tsp red wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tbs fresh parsley, chopped
1 tbs fresh oregano, chopped
1 tsp red pepper flakes
Combine all ingredients and refrigerate for at least 24 hours.
With a little planning, seitan can make for a delicious week-night meal. I pulled a couple of my beefy seitan roasts from the freezer and, after they had partially thawed, sliced. The slices can keep in the refrigerator for several days. I used the slices to make french dips. For the Au Jus, I used the sauce from my Mushroom Stroganoff recipe. Just whisk together 2 cups beef flavored broth, 1 tsp ground mustard, 1 tbs vegan Worcestershire sauce and salt & pepper to taste.
And nothing goes better with french dips, than a heaping pile of cabbage. I braised this cabbage in a little soy creamer for some added depth. It's easy, tasty and was perfectly messy piled on a hoagie roll with seitan.
Cream Braised Cabbage
1 Tbs vegetable oil
2 tsp mustard seed
1 sweet onion, sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 cup soy creamer
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 head cabbage
Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large saute pan. Add the mustard seed and cook until they pop, just a few seconds. Reduce the heat to medium and saute the onion until it begins to brown. Add the garlic and cook until aromatic, then add the cabbage, salt, pepper and creamer. Bring to a boil and simmer until the cabbage is cooked and the creamer has mostly boiled off. Squeeze the lemon over the cabbage and stir.
4 Servings: 146 cal (6g fat, 19g carbs, 4g protein)
I made black bean enchiladas this weekend and, since black beans were on sale, I made a gigantic batch of beans. I figured I was sharing snack duty again at work and I couldn't go wrong with a tasty dish of beans. The problem with black beans, though, is that they are undeniably ugly. They're tender and break apart easily, there is very little contrast between whole and mashed bean and they are, well, black. They're black hole black in that they suck every bit of color from a dish.
So I put this spread together (which makes a tantalizing sandwich), and spooned dolobs onto slices of baguette. It made for tasty finger food that only barely looked like the second coming of your last meal. I was quick, easy and a double batch lasted barely lasted 24 hours. And that's the truest sign of success.
Black Bean Dip/Sandwich Spread
3 cups cooked black beans (2 cans)
1/2 lime, juiced
1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded & minced (more to taste)
2 small shallots (2-3 tbs total)
1/4 cup salsa
1 tbs Vegenaise
1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
dash cayenne pepper (or to taste)
salt to taste
Partially mash the beans so that they somewhat clump, but still have many whole beans. Stir the remaining ingredients together with the beans and season to taste with salt. The flavors, especially the shallot and jalapeno will mellow and blend with time. The were best eaten the next day, but let them sit, for at least an hour.
8 servings: 103 cal (2g fat, 17g carbs, 6g protein)
Yesterday was a confluence of ideas and requests. My wife was working out with a friend, so I was to make two dinners, one early for the kids, and alter for the adults.
My girls were introduced to hush puppies a couple weeks ago and have been begging for them ever since. I made them hush puppies and sammiches. I rarely deep fry anything, so, while I had the oil out, I decided to whip up some pakora batter and fry up some zucchini and mushrooms to go with the baked sweet potato fries, a perfect complement to the lady's health conscious efforts. I also make tofu Rueben sandwiches piled high with tofu, cabbage and thousand island dressing.
German Style Seed Bread
Alisa posted this bread on her blog: One Frugal Foodie. Her blog is dairy free and usually include vegan alternatives. She's got some yummy bread and baking recipes.
The German Bread is a no knead and looked pretty good. I ended up swapping some of flour (1 1/2 cups rye, 1 1/2 cups white and 2 1/2 cups whole wheat) and used 1/2 cup crushed flax and 1/4 cup sunflower seeds. This recipe made a dense, heavy and very filling bread. But in a good way. It was delicious and hearty and easy.
Tofu Reuben Sandwich
I've seen a couple of tofu Reuben sandwiches pop around the ether, and I wanted to try something a bit different. Corned beef is a brined meat, and tofu is naturally absorptive, so I decided to brine the tofu in corned beef spices for a couple of days. The brine was perfect, but didnt' soak into the tofu as much as I wanted. The sandwiches were good, especially on the fresh bread, but the tofu needs some tinkering. Maybe next time, I'll have a winner.
Sweet Potato Fries
These were another work in progress. I baked them in oil, brown sugar, cumin, cilantro and lime juice, but they came out soggy. I think I've got to find a way to introduce the lime juice without turning them to mush. The taste was great though, so they're worth some additional effort.
Chickpea Salad has to be one of the vegetarian world's best kept secrets. Its cheap and easy, low fat and high in fiber, and it's universally tasty. I brought half a dozen cans of chickpeas with me when I went camping this summer. I wanted to make sure we'd have something to eat regardless of the menu. Instead, the menu became chickpea salad sandwiches. My family routinely abandoned their turkey or cheese sandwiches for a little more chickpea salad. Every vegetarian's got a recipe, but, just for giggles, I'll post mine to.
Spinach Dip is one of those foods that I've always loved, but ate sparingly because it was so calorific. I set out to make one that was vegan and a little better around the waste. I succeeded. This version works great as a dip or sandwich spread (I've been spreading it on leftover chapati). It's firm enough to spread, but still creamy and has a nice spinachy taste.
Chickpea Salad
1 can chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 stalk celery, finely chopped
1/2 small pickle, finely chopped
1 tsp mustard
1 tbs vegan mayonnaise
1-2 tbs chopped shallots, scallions or sweet onion, finely chopped
1/4 tsp Black Indian Salt (optional)
Roughly mash the chickpeas with a fork. They should form somewhat of a paste, with some of the beans still whole and many partially in tact. Stir in the remaining ingredients. The Black Indian Salt is optional, but it gives it a faint eggy aroma that I find appealing.
4 Servings: 120 cal (2g fat, 21g carbs, 5g protein)
Spinach Sandwich Spread or Dip
1 lb baby spinach, washed and chopped
1 can water chestnuts, chopped
1 can white kidney beans
1/2 cup Tofutti sour cream
1/4 cup vegan mayonaisse
1/2 lemon, juiced
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
Chop and cook the in a saute pan with just the moisture clinging to the washed spinach. Drain the cooked spinach by pressing between two plates. Put the spinach in a bowl and allow to cool in the refrigerator. Thoroughly mash the beans with a fork or in a food processor. Combine the beans, chilled spinach and remaining ingredients. Mix thoroughly.
8 Servings: 199 cal (7g fat, 26g carbs, 8g protein)
