I do all my own stunts

Vegan Baklava

It exists!

When I first discovered this, I was instantly overwhelmed with joy.  The world had to know about this.  I facebooked, I tweeted.  I was bursting with triumph and love for all.  Vegan baklava.  The world is inherently good.  

Thinking back on it, I don't know why I was so surprised.  The recipe for baklava is easily veganized.  I guess I just thought that when I gave up all animal products, I would also be giving up all of the most decadent, ridiculously delicious desserts in existence.  At the top of that list has always been baklava.  It makes me go crazy.  It's not often that I'm relieved when I realize how small-minded and unimaginative I have been.  But in this instance, I was not only relieved, I was jubilant.  

Well friends, here's the recipe.  You're welcome.  This not only impressed Brian's Monday night poker group, it also garnered a "This is so much better than anything I ate in Turkey" from my fantastic friend, Dana, who recently got back from a vacation in that part of the world.  

I started with this recipe from Martha Stewart's Everyday Food.  I took a lot more liberties with the recipe than I usually have the confidence to do.  I guess I was just in one of those moods.  I reduced the sugar remarkably and substituted a little bit of agave nectar to avoid that sticky sweet baklava flavor you sometimes find.  Here's what I did:  

Vegan Baklava  

2 1/2 sticks non-dairy butter (I like Earth Balance), melted

1 cup sugar

1/2 cup agave nectar

1 tsp vanilla

3 cups walnuts, toasted

1 tsp cinnamon

1/4 tsp allspice

1/2 tsp freshly ground nutmeg

1 package (16 oz.) frozen phyllo dough, thawed in refrigerator

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Brush a 13 X 9 inch baking dish with Earth Balance.  In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar and 1 cup water and heat until sugar is dissolved.  Add the agave nectar and the vanilla and simmer on low heat for about 15 minutes.  Set aside to cool.

In a food processor, pulse walnuts with cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg until finely ground.  

Unroll the phyllo dough and cut it in half widthwise to make two stacks of 13 X 9 inch rectangles.  Place 1 sheet of phyllo in dish (keep remaining sheets covered with a damp cloth).  Brush gently with Earth Balance.  Repeat with 2 more sheets of phyllo, buttering in between each.  

Sprinke 1/3 cup of walnut mixture on top of the buttered phyllo.  Top with 3 more sheets of phyllo, buttering between each.  Repeat with nut mixture, and 3 sheets of phyllo 7 more times ending with a phyllo layer.  

Cut the unbaked baklava with a sharp serrated knife.  I like triangles, but do whatever you think looks nice.  Bake until puffed and golden, about 35 to 45 minutes.  Remove from oven and pour the cooled syrup over the top.  Let stand at room temperature for about 3 hours.  (I couldn't wait that long so I sneaked a piece, but it does get better the longer you let it sit).  Store at room temperature for up to 3 days.  

The soul sessions

My new obsession:  Vegan Soul Kitchen by Bryant Terry

I am so excited about this book!  When I first saw it in the PCC up the street from my house, I thought, Yes!  Vegan food that's not rabbit food!  I flipped through the pages briefly and saw some of the amazing-sounding recipes for southern, soul and Caribbean dishes.  I was salivating.  But then I thought, does my ass really need this book?  Can my jeans withstand these Black-Eyed Pea Fritters with Hot Pepper Sauce without busting the zipper?  In an uncharacteristic fit of dietary conservatism, I put the book back on the shelf and left the store. 

That only lasted a month or two.  I finally gave in and bought it.  AND I LOVE IT!  'Fresh, healthy and creative African-American cuisine' is the subtitle, and upon thorough perusal, I see that this recipe collection isn't entirely deep fried.  There are 150 plant-based recipes, many of which are low in calories and fat.  Bryant Terry is amazing.  All his recipes are accompanied by a personal story which embodies his commitment to nutritious, sustainable, cruelty-free, delicious food and to the rich cultural tradition behind all these soulful recipes. 

Everything I've cooked so far has been out of this world.  Some were so heavenly I couldn't be bothered to take a photo before diving in.  For example:  Baked Sweet Potato Fries with Ginger-Peanut Dipping Sauce (this recipe can be found online here), Cajun-Creole-Spiced Tempeh Pieces with Creamy Grits, Citrus Collards with Raisins Redux (You Tube video and recipe here).  I can't recommend the Citrus Collards enough.  It is Mr. Terry's signature dish and it will change your life.  No lie. 

Here is my attempt at Coconut-Pecan Pralines:

Sweet Tea drinkers rejoice:  Agave-Sweetened Orange-Orange Pekoe Tea (recipe is available online here).

Mouthwatering and exquisite:  Sweet Cornmeal-Coconut Butter Drop Biscuits and Uncle Don's Double Mustard Greens and Roasted Yam Soup (recipe here ). 

My apologies for the dark photo. 

I haven't tested it out yet, but you can find the recipe for the Black-Eyed Pea Fritters with Hot Pepper Sauce here.  Skinny ass be damned.  This one might be on the menu in my house tonight! 

Dinner Tonight

Spicy Peanut Wrap

Over the summer, Brian and I made a little day trip to Lopez Island in the San Juans.  We had an advenure!  We rode our bikes around the island all day making a few pit stops here and there.  We paused at the farmer's/artisan market for a bit and had lunch at the incredible Vortex Juice Bar & Cafe.  Their mostly vegetarian menu is made up of entirely fresh, simple and local ingredients.   You can taste the love they put into each order.  

Brian and I shared a smoothie and after much deliberation, I decided on the Peanut Pepper Wrap.  Isn't it the best feeling when you taste something and you just know that you made the perfect menu choice?  This wrap was so scrumptious and hearty.  Ideal fuel for a long bike ride.  In fact, it was so divine, I've been obsessing over it ever since.  

I finally attempted to recreate it.  This peanut sauce recipe comes from epicurean.com and the rest is totally ad-libbed.  

Spicy Peanut Wrap

Serves 2

5 oz chunky peanut butter

2 tbsp soy sauce

1/4 cup water

3 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp sesame oil

1 1/2 tbsp rice wine vinegar

4 cloves garlic, minced

1 tbsp hot chili oil, to taste

2 large whole wheat tortillas

1 cup cooked brown rice

1/2 cup fresh herbs - cilantro, basil & mint

1/4 cup grated carrots

1/4 cup bean sprouts 

1/4 cup thinly sliced, seeded cucumber

Combine first 8 ingredients in a food processor and puree until smooth.  Divide the rest of the ingredients among the 2 tortillas and spoon the spicy peanut sauce over the top.  Fold in the ends of the tortilla and roll.  Grill in a panini maker for about 5 minutes.  

Note:  Any raw vegetables will work with this.  Use what ever you have on hand or what you think will taste good.  

Also:  You can skip the panini maker step if you don't have one, but you might want to try putting it on a grill or in a skillet (grilled cheese sandwich-style) because the heat softens up the tortilla and really makes the wrap come together.  

A miracle of science

Miraculous silver polish solution + a punch recipe

Old Time Party Punch

Look at my gorgeous new punch bowl!  My lovely, thoughtful and creative friend Sarah is one of my favorite ladies on earth and she is the best gift giver.  Every year she pulls out all the stops for my birthday and finds something beautiful, indulgent and just perfect.

Isn't she pretty?

I've always coveted a fancy and festive punch bowl.  I have been on the look out for a the perfect specimen for years.  Punch has always reminded me of one of my other favorite ladies on earth, my grandma.  My grandma is a supreme genius at hosting lavish, elegant parties.  Sipping sweet punch out of a delicate cup brings me back to my childhood and the many jubilant celebrations she hosted.  

Here is a picture of my grandma and I.  Isn't she pretty? 

Sarah found this antique silver punch bowl along with a ladle and 8 punch cups on ebay.  I absolutely love it!  She is also quite crafty and put together the most adorable collection of punch recipes for me.  I wanted to try the Old Time Party Punch because I imagined it would be the most reminiscent of the sweet and perky punches my grandma used to serve.   

Old Time Party Punch

1 can frozen orange juice

1 can frozen fruit punch

1 can frozen lemonade

1 can frozen raspberry juice

8 cans water

4 liters ginger ale

Mix all juices and water.  Refrigerate until you are ready to serve.  Add ginger ale before serving.  Add ice if desired.

Note:  I don't much like the taste of fruit punch and I couldn't find frozen raspberry juice so I just substituted them each with a can of Minute Maid 'Berry Punch'.  It turned out great.  I also used some sliced oranges, lemons and mint as garnish.  Gotta have a garnish.  Also, this punch is quite sweet and I think the ice is a necessary addition.  

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Polishing silver sucks, doesn't it?  Some find it meditative and fulfilling, but I am not one of those folks.  When I was polishing up some antique silver coasters I got Sarah for her birthday last year, all I could think was, Ugh, this sucks!  

Sarah did a fantastic job polishing the punch bowl, cups and ladle before she wrapped it all up for my birthday.  But there are some nooks and crannies that are truly impossible to get to.  Like at the corners of the cup handles below.

Friends, it's time to go to the chem lab.  Did you know that there exists a basic chemical solution which practically makes polishing silver unnecessary? It instantly removes tarnish with just a simple soak.  It sounds too good to be true, but I'm telling you, it works.  Save yourself hours of meticulous, mind-numbing buffing.  Avoid carpal tunnel.  Make this solution.  

There are 4 basic ingredients.  Salt, water softener, water and tin foil.  

 

The best part is you don't have to be a chem major to do this.  The only real issue comes from the fact that this Calgon stuff is impossible to find.  I had to go deep, I mean deep, into traffic-choked suburbia to put my hands on it...to a place I swore I would never go...rhymes with Smallsmart.  I bought all the bottles they had on the shelf so I won't have to go back for a very long time.  If you want to borrow some, just let me know.  I own all the Calgon in the greater Seattle area.  

Miraculous Silver Polish Solution

Line the bottom of your sink with tin foil.  Add 1 quart of hot water, 1 tbsp of Calgon water softener and 5 tbsp of salt.  

Add your silver to the sink so it is touching the tin foil.  All items should come clean in about 20 seconds.  You may want to buff very badly tarnished areas with a clean cloth after soaking.  

Here are my punch cups soaking.  

This is a remarkably good solution for cleaning tarnished silver jewelry.  Especially pieces with impossibly tiny chain links that make you want to absolutely lose your mind.  

 

My hacky photography talents do not do this transformation justice. Believe me, the results are staggering.  

Try this friends.  No need to thank me; you're welcome.  

I did it. It's done.

Dinner Tonight

Peach Barbecue Tempeh and Miso-glazed Eggplant

It's true friends.  I can rest on my laurels for the rest of the year because with this meal I accomplished not one, but two feats of culinary awesomeness.  First, I have discovered and perfected the most categorically phenomenal technique for preparing tempeh.  Secondly, after extolling the virtues of eggplant for years, I finally found a recipe that has convinced my husband of its deliciousness.  

Tempeh, a fermented soybean cake from Indonesia, is a vegan staple.  Especially in our house where any mention of tofu is met with hurling noises and simulated vomiting on the part of the devastatingly handsome (but crude sense of humor possessing) Brian.  Its flavor is kind of nutty and the texture is more substantial than tofu.  We like it.  

It has taken a while, but I finally figured out the best way to prepare tempeh.  I got the idea from Deborah Madison, my idol, in her Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone.  The great thing about tempeh is that it sucks up a marinade like nobody's business.  The bad thing about tempeh is that you have to steam it before you marinate it to get it to do so.  I learned from Deborah's genius that you can steam the tempeh in the marinade, combining two steps into one!  Eureka!  It works and it makes the most tender and delectable tempeh.  My preferred manner of preparation is to steam/marinate a couple blocks of tempeh an then put them on a grill to heat them through and get some attractive grill marks on them.  

I'll explain how to do it using this recipe for Peach Barbecue Sauce I adapted from Sunset Magazine.  

Peach Barbecue Tempeh

Serves 2

3/4 cup onion, chopped

1 tbsp canola oil

1 garlic clove, chopped

1/2 cup tomato sauce

2 tbsp apple cider vinegar

2 tbsp packed light brown sugar

1 tsp adobo sauce from a can of chipotle chiles

1/4 tsp each dry mustard, ground allspice, and salt

1/2 cup chopped fresh or frozen peaches

1 8 oz package tempeh, cut in half lengthwise

Combine all ingredients except the peaches and tempeh in a food processor or blender and puree.  Place tempeh in a small skillet with a lid.  Pour the barbecue sauce over the tempeh and add the peaches on top.  Cover and simmer on low heat for 10 minutes.  Heat up your grill, remove tempeh from skillet reserving the sauce.  Grill for about 3 minutes per side, until grill marks form.  Serve, smothered in peach barbecue sauce.  

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The second feat of culinary perfection involves eggplant, a finicky vegetable that is difficult to prepare correctly and nearly impossible to love.  I've had eggplant hits and misses in my experience, but my infatuation continues and it's recipes like this one that remind me why.  

This recipe, using Japanese eggplant, is also from Sunset Magazine.  I didn't change a thing; it is perfect the way it is.  Trust me, even die hard eggplant haters will be converted with this recipe.  Plus, it's simple to make and very, very quick.  

Miso-glazed Eggplant

Serves 2

1.5 tbsp vegetable oil

2-3 Japanese eggplant, cut in half lengthwise and flesh scored 1/4 inch deep

2 tbsp yellow or red miso paste

1 tbsp packed light brown sugar

1 tbsp sake or white wine

1/4 tsp red chile flakes

2 tbsp cilantro leaves, chopped

1/2 tsp toasted sesame seeds

Preheat the broiler with a rack 4 inches from heat.  Heat oil in an ovenproof frying pan over high heat.  Add eggplant, flesh side down, and cook until it starts to brown and soften, about 4 minutes.

In a small bowl, combine miso, sugar, sake and red chile flakes.  Turn eggplant flesh side up and brush mixture over it.  Broil eggplant in the pan until the glaze starts to brown, about 3 minutes.  Sprinkle with cilantro and sesame seeds.