Pop Tarts? Not Really. And the Winner is.....

Jim showing off the flaky wonderfulness

Are you here to see who won the Primal Strips giveaway? Since only one person could win, I thought I'd offer a recipe for those of you who didn't. If you're like me, you probably didn't win. But this recipe more than makes up for it.

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Black Raspberry Tarts

These are from Bon Appetit and are extremely easy to make. It's barely modified, but I did cut it in half. I'll write it as I made it (with paraphrased instructions), but with the magazine measurements included also.

Strawberry Pop Tarts
Makes 4

1 cup all purpose flour (magazine = 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 cup chilled vegan margarine, cut into small cubes
5 tablespoons cold water (magazine = 2 tablespoons)
6 tablespoons preserves

Whisk the flour, salt and sugar in a medium bowl. Cut the margine in until you have coarse crumbs. Add the water, a tablespoon at a time, until it holds together like a dough. Form dough into a ball and wrap in wax paper to refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll the dough out on a floured surface to 11 X 13 inches. Trim down to 10 X 12 inches. Cut into 8 rectangles, 3 X 5 inches each. Transfer 4 of the rectangles to the baking sheet. Spread 1 1/2 tablespoons of preserves in the center section of these 4 rectangles. Wet the edges of the pastry with cold water. Using your fingertips, press the remaining rectangles on top of the four filled ones. Seal carefully with your fingers to reduce the chance of filling escaping. If you want, press the tines of a fork around the edge for a fancier tart. Using a toothpick, poke 4 holes in the top of the tarts for the steam. Cover and freeze tarts on the baking sheet for at least 2hours or up to 1 week.

To bake, preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Bake frozen tarts on center rack for 20 to 25minutes, until golden brown. Transfer to a rack to cool. When cool, the tarts may be dusted with powdered sugar, or drizzed with a simple glaze that I'll post below.

Glaze
1/2 cup powdered sugar, sifted
1 to 2 teaspoons water
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Whisk the ingredients together in a small bowl, adding water as needed to reach the appropriate consistency. Drizzle about 1 teaspoon of glaze over each tart.

Notes:

Definitely seal these with wet fingers. It dramatically helped the filling from leaking out. The magazine doesn't suggest it, and I'm not sure why.

As you'll see, I needed a lot more water to get a dough. Start with a lower amount and add it as you need it, just to be safe.

Yes, these have 2 tablespoons of vegan margarine in each one of them. In other words, I don't plan on making them all the time, but they're really good. And it's awesome to see a nearly vegan recipe in mainstream magazines. Thanks, Bon Appetit!

The magazine suggests topping them with powdered sugar, but we really liked the quick and easy drizzle better.

These would be a perfect make-ahead dessert for a dinner party. They are like a fine French tart. The crust is so flaky! The Pop Tart name just doesn't do these justice.

So have you stuck with me this long? The winner is Number 5, Lindsay! Please email me your mailing address and I'll get these Primal Strips in the mail to you. Thanks to Primal Strips for sending me 2 sets of samples so I could send one to you.

Lindsay's not the only winner today. I feel like one, too, thanks to a few of my fellow bloggers posts about American Vegan Kitchen. Check out Bianca's fabulous write-up about one of my french toast recipes. I've been a fan of her blog, Vegan Crunk, for a long time. Over at Save the Kales!, Jaime posted an interview. Jaime's blog is newer and I'm excited to see the course it takes. Be sure to see Robin Robertson's post on her Vegan Planet blog , too. For another mouth-watering photo, check out the adaptation of the mud pie at Vegan.com. Thanks to all of you who have posted reviews and introduced others to the book, as well. I appreciate it very much.

Check back for a new give-away soon. It's a book and international readers are invited to enter.

Hope the sun is shining where you are today!

Review and Giveaway: Primal Strips

The nice people at Primal Strips sent me two sets of Primal Strips to sample, so of course, I'm giving one set away. After checking out this review, post a comment for a chance to win. Be sure to check back to see if the Random Number Generator is smiling on you the week of April 4th. (Change of plans - I will announce the winner later this week, around March 31.)Unlike the book giveaway, I'm limiting shipping for this contest to the U.S. Sorry! But a book review will be coming soon for the international readers, so keep that in mind.

Here's the short story on nutrition, but for the full information, be sure to check their webpage. The non-GMO strips are cholesterol, preservative and artificial color free. They're also 97% fat-free and high in protein.

Taste and texture wise, these are quite a surprise. I never liked meat jerky (the smell alone made me run away in fear), so I can't compare the two. But the texture of the strips is very "meaty", in the way that Gardein is very "meaty". That said, there are still variations in the texture of each strip. For example, some are moister than others, some are chewier. Now for the flavor breakdown:

Hickory Smoked - this one is a lot like Gardein and has that almost shreddy texture. A lot of flavor and probably our favorite. Incidentally, this is gluten-free. (The idea of 'smoke' being a flavor always makes me laugh.)

Hot and Spicy - has a slightly sweet after taste. It's made from shiitake mushrooms and has an Asian influence.

Teriyaki - if you like Kung Pao from Whole Foods, this has very similar flavors.

Thai Peanut - has the heartiest flavors of all. It seems very well balanced.

Mesquite Lime - tangy, in a good way.

Texas BBQ - the first taste of this is like straight onion powder, then it gets better. This and the Teriyaki were probably our least favorite. As a side note, this one is gluten-free, too.

The info from the company suggests that these could be used in recipes. I can see them minced and added to rice dishes, as a topping for a baked potato or salad, or for dry-fried vegetables, among other things. But we like them as a tasty vegan grab-and-go snack.

On a completely different subject: we're going to give Food Network Friday another try. The idea is to veganize this bbq pork panini recipe however you'd like. If you join us, please post to this blog so we know where to find your version by Friday, April 9th, which will be the day we'll be wrapping up this one. Thanks to Amy for choosing the recipe, and to both Liz and Amy for the nudge in doing these again.

And...one last thing! I will be at "Books & Cooks" on April 13th (5:30 to 7:00) at the Madison Public Library, 6111 Middle Ridge Road, Madison, Ohio. I'd love to meet you!

Take a chance and post a comment. I'll be back in a little over a week.

All-American Incrediburgers

Even though it's only March, we've had such wonderful weather that we're ready to get the grill out. That's unusual for this early in the year in Northeastern Ohio, and it's most welcome. With the daffodils 6 inches high and the lilacs showing buds, we're ready.

Since your weather might be even better than ours, here's a fantastic burger for inside or outside cooking. This is that rare burger: one that not only tastes great and has an amazing texture, but holds together just like a burger should. It's mighty in flavor, and in size. Our buns tend to be on the large size and I hate to get bun with no burger, but this could be made into 8 instead of 6 depending on the size of your burger buns. The recipe is from American Vegan Kitchen and uses the spice blend from that book. The blend has all kinds of good stuff: cumin, coriander, cayenne, parsley, smoked paprika and more. But any spice blend that you like can be used.

All-American Incrediburgers
Serves 6

1 1/3 cups hot water
1 cup texturized vegetable protein granules
1/4 cup finely minced onion
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
1 tablespoon All-American Spice Blend, or other spice blend
2 teaspoons instant tapioca
1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons tomato paste
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon vegan Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon liquid smoke
1 1/2 cups vital wheat gluten
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable broth
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 burger buns
Toppings: lettuce, tomato slices, pickles, condiments

1. In a large bowl, combine the hot water with the texturized vegetable protein to rehydrate, about 10 minutes. Prepare a steamer and six (12-inch) squares of foil.

2. When the texturized vegetable protein is rehydrated, add the ingredients in the order given, down to and including the broth. Mix well, and knead for about 4 minutes to make sure the mixture is combined and the gluten is activated. Squeeze the mixture together to work the ingredients throughout.

3. Divide the burger into 6 equal pieces. Shape each piece into a burger, about 4 inches across, and place in the center of a piece of foil. Fold the foil over each burger to make a packet. The foil should not be tight against the burger, to allow for expansion. Transfer to the steamer and steam 1 hour. Remove from the steamer and unwrap carefully. Transfer the burgers to a plate and refrigerate for 1 hour. (At this point, the burgers may be wrapped airtight and frozen. Be sure to put a piece of parchment paper between them to prevent sticking.)

4. To grill: Preheat the grill. Brush the burgers with olive oil and place on the grill. Grill about 5 minutes, or until brown. Brush the top with oil and turn over to cook the other side, about 5 minutes. Serve on buns with toppings of choice.

Variations for cooking -

To panfry: Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the burgers and cook until browned on both sides, turning once about 10 minutes total. (This just might be my favorite method for cooking these because it gives a really great texture layer to the outside of the burger.)

To bake: Arrange the burgers on a lightly oiled baking sheet and brush lightly with oil. Bake for 20 minutes at 375 degrees F, turning once halfway through, or until browned.

This recipe took more tries to get right than just about any of the other recipes in AVK, but the result was worth it. If you keep some of these in the freezer, you can indulge in a burger craving any time, and they please omnis and vegans alike. Once you make them as written, you can adjust the seasonings to come up with your own signature burger. So grab your cast iron skillet or fire up the grill and give these a try. Hopefully they will become a go-to in your home, too.

Happy Spring!

Fresh Kraut for Reubens or Anytime

Fork-and-Knife Reuben

My mom is of Irish heritage and Saint Patrick's Day has always been a celebration in our house. The inside of our house would be draped with paper shamrocks. We'd have green carnations in a vase on the table which was scattered with gold and green coins. My bedroom door had a pot of gold on it. The front door was decorated with what I was sure was a life-sized leprachaun decoration with movable arms and legs. Late in the afternoon, I'd sit at the front window waiting for my dad to get home from work so we could eat a special dinner. Funny, I can't remember much of what we'd have for dinner except for dessert (green ice cream!) and of course, cabbage, usually in the form of sauerkraut.

Nowadays, since reubens are one of my very favorite sandwiches, I cook a version of them once or twice a month. The recipe in American Vegan Kitchen for Fork-and-Knife Reubens initially included a recipe for fresh kraut. I mean really fresh, as in homemade. Since I had a few too many recipes, we opted for using store-bought, but with Saint Patrick's Day around the corner, I thought you might want to give this a try. It's delicious on reubens, or as a side dish.

Fresh Kraut

Serves 4

1/2 tablespoon olive oil

2/3 cup minced onion

2 tablespoons minced red bell peppers

3 cloves garlic, minced

5 cups shredded cabbage

1/2 cup dry white wine

1 tablespoon capers, drained

1/8 teaspoon caraway seeds

Salt and pepper

1 teaspoon agave nectar

2 to 3 tablespoons white wine vinegar (to taste)

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onions, peppers and garlic. Saute about 2 minutes, until fragrant. Add the white wine, cabbage, capers and caraway. Bring to a boil, partially cover and reduce heat to simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the cabbage is soft and wilted, about 30 minutes. Add a splash of water now and then if needed to keep mixture from sticking. Add remaining ingredients and simmer another 5 minutes.

To this day, my mom grows the biggest, healthiest shamrocks I've ever seen. Unfortunately, I didn't inherit her green thumb as I pick dead leaves off my shamrock daily. But I've got enough Irish blood to think that just might change!

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

As you can tell, my battle with Blogger continues. We're working on it! Hopefully, the text will start looking better soon.

Contest Winner! Thanks! and This and That!

I had every intention of writing a 'real' blog update, but somehow this week got away from me. I'm blaming it on spring fever as we've had incredible weather, but in truth, it's been a little of everything, just like this post. Let's get to it!

First up, the first real life store sighting of American Vegan Kitchen is here in this photo that was kindly sent to me by Christine. Christine has the bookstore, Malaprops, in Asheville, North Carolina. If you happen to be in that area, stop in and say hi. Christine is a vegan and is sure to have a great selection of books. I've heard wonderful things about the area, so this is just one more reason for me to try to find an excuse to visit. Thanks, Christine, and thanks to all of you for your interest, comments, emails and reviews about the book.

Second, the winner of Tofu Cookery is Miss V, number 42! Please email me your mailing address, and I'll get this fantastic book in the mail to you. My address is on the About page. I highly recommend making those Chinese Sweet and Sour Balls pronto. Thank you to the Book Publishing Company for sending the book for the review and contest.

Third, the local paper had an article about American Vegan Kitchen! If you'd like to read it, you can do so here. Thanks, Carl!

Fourth, I'm backlogged on a few reviews but I hope to get to them soon. Like when it rains. One of them will have a contest, so please check back.

And, just so it's not a foodless post, here's one of my favorite stir frys: baby bok choy and seitan over noodles. Yum!

Have a wonderful weekend!

P.S. : Blogger seems to be messing with my spacing. It's not letting me keep paragraph breaks. For example, in this post after "Let's get to it", there should be a break. Same thing with "..please check back." Any help to correct this would be hugely appreciated!

Seitan Brew Stew from American Vegan Kitchen

When you hear the phrase "comfort food", it might conjure up some high calorie, high fat dishes. Sure, that type of dish can taste great and is terrific in moderation, but these days "comfort food" can be made much lighter and just as flavorful, if not more so. A good example of this is the Seitan Brew Stew from American Vegan Kitchen. With only 1 tablespoon of oil, this delicious stew made with seitan, vegetables, and spices, was a tester favorite. A little reminiscent of an Irish stew, you can serve it with some Soda Bread for St. Patrick's Day, or anytime.

Seitan Brew Stew from American Vegan Kitchen

Serves 4

My ancestors ran a "Bread and Beer" in Cambridge, Massachusetts back in the 1600s. I like to think that they served a full-bodied stew like this one, using their own homemade brew.

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 medium onion, cut into 1/2-inch dice

1 celery rib, cut into 1/2-inch dice

3 medium carrots, cut into 1/2-inch dice

3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

1 pound Savory Seitan (or seitan of choice), cut into 1-inch dice

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 pound baby white potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 1-inch dice

1 tablespoon dried parsley

2 teaspoons dried thyme

1 teaspoon dried rosemary

1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 dried bay leaf

1 1/2 cups vegan beer, such as Magic Hat Mother Lager

1 teaspoon vegan Worcestershire sauce

1/4 teaspoon liquid smoke

2 (15-ounce) cans, diced tomatoes, undrained

1/2 cup vegetable broth, if needed

1. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onion, celery, and carrots and cook 5 minutes.

2. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, salt, and pepper. Add the seitan and toss to coat. Transfer the seitan and any remaining flour to the pot. Add the garlic and potatoes. Stir and cook 5 minutes. Stir in the herbs and spices and cook 2 minutes longer. The mixture may stick a little.

3. Add the beer, stirring to deglaze, and scrape any bits off the bottom of the pot. Add the Worcestershire sauce, liquid smoke, and tomatoes. Add just enough broth, if needed, to cover the ingredients. Partially cover and simmer 1 hour, or until the potatoes are tender. Taste and adjust the seasonings. Remove bay leaf. Serve hot.

Are you feeling nostalgic? If you're in the mood for more decadent fare, rest assured that American Vegan Kitchen has a handful of fried dishes, such as Fried Dill Pickles, Beer-Battered Onion Rings and Portobello Sticks. But the book is also packed with lighter fare including lower-fat breakfasts such as scrambles and Skillet dishes and lunches such as Sloppy Joes, Fork and Knife Reubens, Asian-Style Salad Bowl, or Mom's Noodle Soup. For dinner options, check out the Salisbury-Style Seitan with Mushrooms or the Red-Eye Tofu and Vegetable Skewers, to name just a few. With more than 200 recipes, you're sure to find a wide variety of dishes that will please your palate.

Coming soon: The winner of Tofu Cookery! Enter now for a chance to win later this week.

*Buy your copy through Vegan.com to help get the word out about veganism.

In addition, a portion of my sale proceeds are also being donated to organizations promoting veganism.

Let's Talk about Maple Syrup

Although it's expensive, maple syrup is one of my favorite sweeteners. It doesn't work in every recipe because of the strong flavor, but when it does, it shines. We always pick up some maple syrup when we take our annual trip to Vermont, which some might think is just this side of treasonous since Ohio also produces some fantastic maple syrup. I'll openly admit that I might prefer the Vermont syrup because of the wonderful vacation memories it evokes as I pour it over pancakes. The B grade is my absolute favorite, with it's deep flavor. Luckily for me, it's also less expensive than the 'fancy' grades and a little bit goes a long way.

Does this look like a lot of syrup to you?

This weekend, we enjoyed the "yeast-raised, make-the-night-before" Summer Waffles from American Vegan Kitchen without the fruit and sauce but with an unhealthy dose of earth balance and the perfect amount of maple syrup. To clarify, that's what I enjoyed. Jim eats his waffles with only earth balance. He thinks I'm a maple syrup fiend because I like it on waffles, pancakes and french toast. Of those three, he only uses it on french toast. So I think that makes him the weird one. I recently made the mistake of mentioning that we also used to have maple syrup with popovers and with fried cornmeal mush for breakfast when I was a kid.


Just recently I started adding it to my coffee. I top my coffee with a little soy milk, too. About a tablespoon of maple syrup sweetens it perfectly. I also find an excuse to add it to anything I'm baking with chocolate or coffee. It gives a delicious undercurrent. It's also really good with baked beans, of course, or in marinades. Oh, and I love drizzling a little on oatmeal.

After being teased a little about my love of maple syrup, I got to wondering. Do you eat maple syrup on pancakes, waffles and french toast? Or are you more discriminating? What else would benefit from maple syrup? I'd hate to miss out on syrupy goodness.