You’ve been so patient, I’ll jump straight to the winners:

#2 – Rhizo

#9 – Laurie

Congratulations! I’ll try to contact you, but if you would email me, too, it would be awesome!

I’ll leave you with a drink to enjoy on the first big grill weekend of summer. This one is from Grills Gone Vegan and is a wonderful sipper while you’re tending the grill.

Sparkling Margaritas

Sparkling Margaritas

Yield: 4 servings

Serve this fruity, light cocktail on the rocks or straight up. Grilling the fruit is key here. Not only does it add nuances to the flavor, it also substantially increases the amount of juice you’ll get from the citrus.

2 lemons

2 limes

1 orange

1 1/2 cups vegan Prosecco (see Cook Smart), chilled

1/2 cup vegan white tequila, chilled

2 tablespoons agave nectar, plus more if desired

Preheat a grill, grill pan, or electric grill to medium-high heat.

Slice the lemons, limes, and orange in half, put them on the grill, cut-side down, and cook until marked, about 5 minutes. (If using an electric grill, keep it open and cook a few minutes longer if necessary.)

When the fruits are cool enough to handle, squeeze them and put the juice in a pitcher.

Add the Prosecco, tequila, agave nectar and stir gently to combine. Taste and add up to 1 more tablespoon agave nectar if desired. Serve chilled or over ice.

Per serving, 191 calories, 0 g protein, 0.1 g fat (0 g sat.), 19 g carbs, 1 mg sodium, 22 mg calcium, 2 g fiber

Cook Smart

• For a nonalcoholic beverage, substitute sparkling water for the Prosecco and omit the tequila.

• It might come as a surprise that beer, wine, and spirits sometimes aren’t vegan, generally because animal products are used in processing. For reliable information on vegan spirits, visit Barnivore.

Recipe from Grills Gone Vegan, Book Publishing Company, 2013.

Grills Gone Vegan is out and we’re working on some fun promotional ideas for that one, too. So stay tuned. In the meantime, you might want to take lots of pictures of what you are cooking from the book…..(hint hint).

In honor of the PPK Cookalong featuring Vegan Sandwiches Save the Day! from June 1oth to 23rd , I’m giving away 2 copies. All you have to do is comment on this post with something to do with sandwiches. Anything about sandwiches! The winner will be chosen at random on Wednesday, May 22th. So act fast! (US and Canadian shipping only, please).

Talk to me about sandwiches! Go!

You are in for a treat! Or make that “treats”! Some of our amazing and wonderful blogger friends have agreed to feature Whole Grain Vegan Baking on their blogs for a brand new tour. You are bound to see recipes here and there, reviews, and even contests. Who doesn’t love those? Be sure to hit each and every one of these blogs and you’re likely to fall in love with them as we did.

Happy Baking!

May 14: Weekly Vegan Menu

May 15: Olives for Dinner  

May 16: Vegan Eats and Treats

May 17: Three and a Half Vegans

May 18: Seitan is My Motor

 May 19: My Zoetrope

May 20: Get Sconed!

 May 21: Year of the Vegan 

May 22: Little Foxes

May 23: Vegan Feast Kitchen

 May 24: Vegan Cookbook Aficionado 

May 25:  Julie’s Kitchenette

 May 26: Vegan Cookbooks Illustrated   

 May 27: Don’t Eat Off the Sidewalk 

 May 28: Urban Vegan   

Jim’s Favorite Spinach Pizza

Have you heard? Grills Gone Vegan is hot off the presses and ready to make this your best grilling summer ever. It’s packed with 125 recipes that are geared to the grill, but also have indoor options for those of us who live in changeable weather locations. Even the indoor variations capture that deep, dark, outdoor taste so you might as well spread a blanket on the floor and make it an indoor picnic.

With all books, sometimes a recipe or two just don’t fit. That’s ok, because it just let’s you get a sneak peek into the feel of the book but on the blog with a bonus recipe.

Be sure to check back in a few days for a big announcement. Trust me, you won’t want to miss this!

Jim’s Favorite Spinach Pizza

Yield: 1 (12-inch) pizza

The easiest way to put a pizza crust on a grill is by using parchment paper. Roll the pizza dough out on lightly floured parchment paper. To transfer to the grill, flip it over and lay it on the grill grate while pulling away the parchment. Quickly spread the dough with a spatula to reshape the pizza if needed.

3 tablespoons olive oil

2 cloves garlic, minced

3/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

6 ounces baby spinach (5 cups packed)

1 teaspoon Italian seasoning blend

5 roma tomatoes, sliced into 1/4-inch rounds

3 artichoke hearts, rough chopped

1/2 cup grated vegan cheese, mozzarella style (optional)

1 tablespoon pine nuts, toasted

1/2 recipe Pizza and Calzone Dough (just use your favorite pizza dough if you don’t have the book yet)

Put the oil, garlic, salt and pepper in a food processor. Process to combine. Add the spinach and seasoning blend. Pulse until the spinach is chopped and no whole leaves remain, but not to create a sauce. Taste and adjust the seasonings.

Preheat the grill to medium high (400 to 425 degrees F.). On a lightly floured surface, roll out the pizza dough to 12-inch round. Carefully transfer the crust to the grill, close, and cook 3 to 5 minutes or until marked. Remove from the grill and put with the cooked side up. Use a slotted spoon, so any liquid remains in the food processor. Spead the spinach sauce evenly over the crust. Top with the tomatoes, artichoke hearts, cheese (if using), and pine nuts. Put the pizza back on the grill and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, or until the bottom is marked and the cheese is melting.

To cook on a cast iron grill pan, proceed as above, with slightly longer cooking time. Place pizza under broiler to finish melting cheese.

 To bake the pizza in the oven, preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Place the pizza crust on a baking sheet or pizza stone. After topping, bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until the bottom is golden brown.

Notes:

When cooking outside, if the cheese isn’t melted enough, the pizza it may be placed under the broiler to finish.

On an outdoor grill, if you have multiple burners, cook the pizza using indirect heat. Keep the burners directly under the pizza on low and the outer burners on higher heat. This helps the cheese melt.

Sauekraut Stuffed Corned Seitan

Some testers found it easier to pat the sausage into a 6 inch by 4 inch rectangle, then fill it with the sauerkraut, and roll up. Go with whatever works for you! Just seal them well.

4 ounces (113 g) extra firm tofu, crumbled
1/2 cup (128 ml) vegetable broth
2 tablespoons (32 ml) sauerkraut juice from a jar
2 tablespoons (33 g) tomato paste
2 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon (35 ml) tamari, divided
1 1/2 cups (216 g) vital wheat gluten
1/4 cup (30 g) nutritional yeast
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon (2 g) ground coriander
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon (2 g) ground cumin
1 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon (10 g) onion powder
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
2 teaspoons dried mustard
2 teaspoons garlic powder
1 teaspoon allspice
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 cup (142 g) sauerkraut, drained
1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds
2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
2 teaspoons pure maple syrup
Canola oil, for cooking
Favorite Thousand Island Dressing, for serving

Prepare a steamer and four 10-inch (25 cm) pieces of foil.

Combine the tofu, broth, sauerkraut juice, tomato paste, and 1 tablespoon (15 ml) tamari in a small blender. Blend until smooth.

Combine the vital wheat gluten, nutritional yeast, and the coriander through the pepper in a medium bowl. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir with a fork until combined. Add an additional tablespoon (15 ml) of broth or (9 g) vital wheat gluten if needed to make a kneadable dough. Divide the mixture into 4 equal portions (5.5 ounces, or 156 g each) and place on the foil.

Stir together the sauerkraut and caraway seeds in a small bowl.

Shape into a 6-inch (15 cm) log about 1 1/2 inches (4 cm) in diameter. Using your fingers, press to form a trench down the length of the log. Divide the sauerkraut evenly in the logs. Fold the seitan to enclose the sauerkraut, pinching to close, and patching with pinches of seitan where needed. Roll the foil around the seitan and twist the ends. Steam for 1 hour 10 minutes. Let cool and refrigerate until serving.

To serve, stir together the 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon (20 ml) tamari, Dijon and syrup in a small bowl. Slice the sausages into 1/2 inch (1.27 cm) rounds. Heat a thin layer of oil in a cast iron skillet over medium high heat. Brush one side of the rounds with the tamari mixture and put in the skillet, sauced side down. Brush the top sides with the rest of the mixture. Cook 6 to 8 minutes, until browned, turn over to cook the second side, about 5 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature with toothpicks and Thousand Island dressing.

Yield: 28 rounds

Give this recipe a try as written, then launch off in your own directions. I also have a kimchi version that is a knock-out. The variations are endless!

Don’t forget to visit the facebook page for Whole Grain Vegan Baking! I’ll be posting a contest for our new book here on my blog soon, but in the meantime, enter this one! Good luck!

Lazy Lattice Cherry Bars

You know the saying “Baseball, not-dogs, apple pie and lemonade?” Not in Tami’s family.  Mouth-puckering sour cherry pie is the family favorite. Making pie is a labor of love, but sometimes cutting corners can be a good thing. This quick bar cookie version is lower in fat than a typical double crust pie, but still delivers on taste.

Nonstick Cooking Spray

For the filling:

One can (14.5-ounce, or 451 g) pitted red tart cherries, drained

20 g (2 tablespoons) coconut sugar

24 g (2 tablespoons) instant tapioca, such as Let’s Do…..Organics!

12 g (1 tablespoon) Sucanat

3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon almond extract

For the crust:

60 g (1/2 cup) almonds, or almond meal

90 g (3/4 cup) whole wheat pastry flour

68 g (3/4 cup) oat flour

21 g (3 tablespoons) finely ground cornmeal

15 g (2 tablespoons) barley flour

40 g (1/4 cup) coconut sugar

12 g (1 tablespoon) Sucanat

7 g (1 tablespoon) flax meal

1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

1/4 cup (60 ml) neutral-flavored oil

1/4 cup (60 ml) vegan milk, more if needed

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C, or gas mark 5). Lightly coat an 8-inch (20 cm) square pan with cooking spray.

To make the filling: Combine all the ingredients in a medium-size saucepan over medium heat. Stir and cook for 5 minutes, until bubbly and thickened to a jam consistency. Set aside while making the crust. The tapioca will still be visible, but will disappear when the bars are cool..

To make the crust: Put the almonds in a food processor and process until powdered. Add the flours,cornmeal, sugars, flax meal, and salt and process until powdered. Drizzle in the oil and process the mixture into crumbs. Drizzle in the milk, as needed, to make a cohesive crust that can be pinched together. Process until the crust forms a ball and clears the sides of the food processor bowl.

Remove a generous 1/2 cup (145 g) of dough. Lightly flour a work surface and roll the removed dough into a 5 x 9 inch (13 x 23 cm) rectangle. Use a rotary cookie cutter with a scalloped edge to cut the rectangle into 5 strips measuring 1 inch (2.5 cm) wide and 9 inches (23 cm) long. Press the remaining dough thinly and evenly into the baking pan. Press the dough up the sides of the pan about 1/2 inch (1.3 cm). Spread the cherry filling evenly over the dough. Top with the strips laying 3 evenly across the dough, then laying the remaining 2 strips perpendicular. Lightly press the ends of the strips to rimmed edge of the dough of the bottom layer.

Bake for 20 to 23 minutes, until golden brown. Let cool 30 minutes before cutting into 12 bars 2 x 2 2/3  inches (5 x 68 cm).

Yield: 12 bars

We were also very fortunate in being featured on the Spoon page. The page isn’t entirely vegan, but we always enjoy the features that are. Hop over there if you’d like to try our Sweet Potato Waffles.

Contest, contest, contest! Tomorrow might just be your lucky day. Starting Friday, March 15th, you’ll have a chance to win a copy of our book over at Goodreads! 

Good luck! And Happy Pi Day! Oh, by the way, you can keep up with our new book over at the facebook page, too. Hope to see you there!

Cookin’ Crunk by Bianca Phillips hit stores last year. I’ve made several recipes from the book, and enjoyed them immensely. So when I got an email from Bianca inviting me to participate in this promotion, I enthusiastically said yes! I’ve recently fallen in love with Asheville, North Carolina, which (besides Cookin’ Crunk) is my only exposure to Southern cooking.

During this love affair with Asheville, we’ve been fortunate to indulge in many incredible meals prepared by Jason Sellers at Plant. That’s where I learned to love grits, and pecan crusted seitan (me, a nut hater!), and many more dishes. It was during brunch at Plant with our friend John P that I first heard of tomato gravy. It’s been in the back of my mind ever since, and seemed the perfect choice for this “crunking” of one of my signature dishes: tofu scramble.

I make tofu scramble every weekend and in every way imaginable. While the vegetables and seasonings vary, I think I’ve figured out the technique to get the kind of scramble I love. Being weird about textures, I like super pressed tofu, cooked dry, with a sauce on top. I’m sure you see where this is going: Crunk Scramble with Tomato Thyme Gravy. The gravy is a knock-out! I almost always think of tomatoes in sauces Italian style. The Southern version is so different! It’s smoky and addictive and is sure to become a fixture in my menu planning. Maybe it will in yours, too!

The scramble is prepared my usual way, starting with cooking the tofu until golden before adding the seasonings and vegetables. This version is made with onions, peppers, swiss chard, and mushrooms, which are barely cooked to retain their texture. Greens are almost always in our scrambles, adding such great flavor! For the seasoning, I used a Cajun blend from Penzey’s. I couldn’t resist serving this with Quick and Easy Hash Browns from my soon–to-be- released Grills Gone Vegan book.

Speaking of soon-to-be-released, don’t miss Whole Grain Vegan Baking  (out in April!) which is co-authored by Celine Steen. We’re also teaming up for another book to hit the shelves next spring. The working title is Vegan Finger Food!  It will be filled with appetizers, small plates, snacks, skewers and even some mini desserts!

In the meantime, give this crunked up scramble a try. It is a fantastic way to start or finish any day. Thanks to Bianca for spurring me on to cook outside the box a little, to Jason Sellers for lots of cooking inspiration, and to John P for wonderful conversation and introducing us to Asheville.

Tomato Thyme Gravy

Originally made with butter and bacon drippings, this lighter version of tomato gravy doesn’t  miss a beat. It’s amazingly versatile, so store any leftovers (if you have them!) in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

1/2 cup finely minced onion

2 tablespoons all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons canola oil

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 (15 ounce can) diced tomatoes with juice (I use no salt added)

3/4 cup tomato juice

1 tablespoon Frank’s Hot Sauce (or more to taste)

2 teaspoons liquid smoke

Heat the onion, flour, oil, thyme, salt, and pepper in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring 3 to 4 minutes, until the flour is cooked. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer over low heat for 15 to 20 minutes.

Yield: 2 cups

No party is complete without wings. I’ve got you covered with some from Food Network Friday (remember that?) that were originally from Tyler Florence. Recipe for the Red Curry Lime Wings here.

Spicy Balsamic Maple Wingz

Looking for something a little more traditional? This recipe from American Vegan Kitchen is the one for you! These Spicy Balsamic Maple Wingz are one of our favorites.

Fried Avocado Wedges

Of course, there are the always popular Fried Avocado Wedges. If you haven’t tried these yet, what are you waiting for? There is a recipe from California Avocado Commission right here, but I prefer the one in American Vegan Kitchen.

Oooey Gooey Garlic Bread

This Oooey Gooey Garlic Bread is a once year indulgence, but this Sunday is the time to break it out! Hopefully with lots of company so you can’t eat too much of it.

The Party Monster

How about the Party Monster from Vegan Sandwiches Save the Day! ? This one is hearty and can be made ahead so you can enjoy your company. Stuffed with either homemade or store-bought deli slices, it’s a real crowd pleaser.

Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

And for dessert? These classic Oatmeal Raisin Cookies always hit the spot. Get the recipe here!

Whatever you do this weekend, hope it’s a wonderful one for you. And Happy February!

We redid our kitchen, making me want to spend even more time there. Here is a corner shot.

We discovered Asheville, North Carolina! Thanks to Plant, we had the best restaurant meals ever.

Tried our first Indian food, and haven’t been able to get enough since. Sorry, no photos!

We celebrated the release of Vegan Sandwiches Save the Day!, with music, food, and good friends. Thanks to Purola Brothers Bridge Street Pizza, the pizzas kept coming even after the sandwiches had run out.

Speaking of music, Jim found the best musicians to form the most fun band he has ever been part of.  Watch some Bobbiedazzler videos here!

I went canning crazy, and am happily reaping the benefits of canned San Marzano tomatoes and  lots of other goodies.

2012 was the year of the Great Garlic Garden, too! Here’s a photo of part of our crop. If I keep using words like “crop”, you might confuse me with a farmer! Trust me when I say I don’t have a green thumb. Garlic is very resilient.

We brought our third kitty into our home, Sophie. She is a bundle of kitten love who moves at the speed of light.

I made the best pho I have ever eaten, thanks to Terry and Vegan Eats World. Here it is, still steaming!

After wishing I knew how to quilt, I finally took the plunge in December, even managing to make a couple lap quilts for Christmas gifts. We also got to do a bunch of fun stuff with our family throughout the year.

2013 promises to be another incredible year. Grills Gone Vegan is coming out this spring, and so is Whole Grain Vegan Baking, written with the best writing partner ever, Celine Steen. We’re meeting our good friends Liz and Matthew in Asheville and reconnecting with the wonderful Asheville vegans. Jim’s band has at least one show scheduled each month, which is a really fun way for me to spend time with my good friends, Laura and Nicky. Watch for more quilting and canning to be happening, and of course, some surprises as well.

Wishing you the best in the New Year!

Time really flies, doesn’t it? December, already? I thought I’d share what we had for Thanksgiving, and with tweaking, it might be something you’d like to have for a Christmas dinner. It’s a portbello with greens wrapped in puff pastry. For sides, we had maple glazed brussel spouts, garlic mashed potatoes with  super easy gravy, and roasted carrots and parsnips. I need to tweak the greens for the mushroom some, as I used arugula and too much of it! I’m a huge fan of arugula, so I never thought “too much” was even a possibility. Overall, it was an easy to make, low fuss dinner that really felt like a celebration.  Here is the inside shot.

In a total change of topic, some of you may know that we have a new kitten. Our “older” cats, Sadie and Cleo have adapted well. It was touch and go for the first few days, but Sadie had some latent maternal tendencies, and Cleo has a lot of patience. Really, this post is all about cats.

 In a rare moment of stillness

Showing Sadie that she is big!

Pouncing

Trying to stand on her head

 Cuddling with Sadie

 Sadie, Cleo, and Sophie

This might seem like a lot of cat photos, but it’s hardly a drop in the bucket! I have gazillion more over on at Flickr.

Speaking of Flickr, do you know about my facebook pages? Follow me here and follow Vegan Sandwiches Save they Day! here. The latest post at our “official” book page includes a radio interview we did with Boundless Vegan Radio. We were also featured on SPOON, complete with a recipe for our Taste of Tuscany Sandwich.  Check it out and follow all our big news.

Take December slowly! It’s way too easy to stress out this time of year.