Akara, Fufu, and Chili-Tomato Relish

We spent Easter this year in Hamburg with our friends, David and Julia. They introduced us to fufu: a staple food of West and Central Africa. Last time I was at the Asian market grocery shopping, I was really excited to find a box of plantain fufu flour. 


Julia warned me that making fufu can be a bit challenging and it takes practice to get it right. I definitely don't think ours turned out perfectly this time. It had the consistency of very dry, instant mashed potatoes but with a powdery flavor. I think I will get some advice from David and Julia before giving it another go. 


Interestingly enough, while trying to figure out what to make with the fufu, I grabbed the August 2009 issue of Veg News and flipped to the page I, at some point in time, marked with a pink post-it note. It is an article called Marvelous Mali and discusses fufu and other African foods. It was one of those really odd moments of 'way too much of a coincidence to believe'. But it quickly became part of the dinner menu for the night.


Clockwise: Garlic bread, Akara, Relish, fufu, eggplant, roasted veggies and chickpeas

Akara (Black-eyed Pea Fritters) are a nice combo of black-eyed peas, onion, garlic, chile and bell peppers, and lots of spices. They are coated in cornmeal and fried. Ideally, they become round, fried, deliciousness. Mine basically melted and became slop. We determined that they required more of a 'deep fried' technique versus the pan frying that we attempted. We just threw the second batch in the oven instead of frying. They were pretty terrible but at least remained in 'ball form'. 


The Chile-Tomato Relish was fine, but too spicy and nothing to write home about. Below is the relish and fufu (sprinkled with fresh cilantro).

Fortunately, my friend Thea brought over lots of veggies, chickpeas, and bread to save the meal!


The eggplants were sliced, sprayed with olive oil and sprinkled with sea salt, herbs, and paprika and baked. 

We chopped a red and yellow pepper, broccoli, and onion along with some chickpeas, sprayed it with olive oil, sprinkled dried tomato flakes and sesame Parmesan and roasted it. 

And, the best part was the bread! Thea started with frozen rolls, thawed a bit and sliced in half. She spread a layer of dijon mustard, grated a little garlic, sprinkled fresh parsley and sesame Parmesan and baked it. The combo of flavors was fantastic. 

Anniversary Dinner!

John and I celebrated our 2 year wedding anniversary with this lovely dinner. I did most of the prep work the day before (Sunday) so I could have it on the table at a decent dinner time (Monday). The meal included:

Cashew Nut Loaf stuffed with Garlic and Mushrooms
Silky Chickpea Gravy
Butternut Coconut Rice
Green Beans with Truffle Oil and Sea Salt
Lemon Macadamia Nut Cupcakes with Lemon Buttercream Frosting

So, the loaf is excellent. My mother-in-law made if for Christmas dinner last year and John specifically requested it for this meal. Instead of making a stuffing (an option in the recipe), there is a layer of sauteed garlic and mushrooms in the middle (assembly process shown below). I have always shied away from nut loafs because of a previous, bad experience. Fortunately, this one has turned me back on to the concept.

I used a combo of almonds, pecans, and cashews. For the bread crumbs, I used a combo of panko and crushed spelt crackers (I didn't realize that I didn't have enough crumbs until it was too late to go buy more! But, it worked out very well.)

The gravy is rich and thick and salty and sage-flavored. It went nicely with the loaf.

I do not have a link to the Butternut Coconut Rice, which is a complete shame because it was the highlight of the meal! I am not a huge fan of rice, but I will make this recipe any and every time I can find a butternut squash at the grocery store! It is a combo of garlic and ginger along with sesame oil, shallot, lime, red pepper flakes, and topped off with creamy coconut milk. We also sprinkled toasted coconut on top. It is addictive stuff! And even better, the recipe is from Appetite for Reduction.

The green beans were sauteed in a touch of truffle oil and sea salt.

And finally, the dessert! I bought new cupcake liners (silicon) and was really excited to try them out. They worked very nicely, left no paper waste, released the cupcakes very easily and in perfect shape, and were easy to clean.

The recipe is from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World. The cupcakes are tangy and fruity while the macadamia nuts are crunchy and delicious! I did substitute almond meal for the macadamia nut meal and, in the frosting, coconut oil instead of shortening.

We also had Tofutti Strawberry flavored icecream. Unfortunately, we were very disappointed. The flavor was so bad we are considering writing the company. John even suggested that we somehow got a 'bad batch' because of how awful it tastes. It is reminds me of some horrible chemical strawberry flavoring. It is organic and I am usually not disappointed with the brand (LOVE the icecream sandwiches). But, in this case, we will never buy this product again!  

Quinoa Salad with Black Beans & Toasted Cumin Seeds

I have made almost half of the salads in Appetite for Reduction. This was good but not my favorite. I had such high expectations for the flavor of toasted cumin seeds. The book says they taste smoky, but I did not get that effect.

At any rate, it was an extremely quick recipe that includes quinoa, toasted cumin seeds, tomatoes, lime juice, agave, black beans, scallions, and mixed greens.

I also made Chickpea cutlets :-)

Brussels Sprout-Potato Hash with Silky Chickpea Gravy

Wow. I haven't blogged for a long time! Life has been, as always, busy. We moved into a different apartment in Aarhus, Denmark. Both John and I have permanent contracts here now, and we are settling in to stay for more than 8 months!

For the first time in 2 years, we are in an unfurnished apartment (we were previously in furnished, company housing), meaning we had to buy all new stuff. I was able to pick up some really fun kitchen items. Although I do miss my old stuff (it is still in storage in Portland, Oregon), I am adjusting nicely.

I have actually cooked a lot in the past month, but many of the things I made have already been posted, or the cameral was packed, or I forgot, or I was lazy!

This meal was one of my favorites for a variety of reasons. 1) John did the cooking AND cleaning! 2) Brussels are my fav. 3) Silky Chickpea Gravy...no more words needed.

The recipes are from Appetite for Reduction.

Here is a recipe for the gravy. Also included in this link is a recipe for Caulipots from the same cookbook. I have not tried them yet!

Here is the recipe for the hash. The flavors of garlic, thyme, and lemon are fantastic.

Chickpea and Chorizo Style Soup

When we were in London in December we went to an Animal Rights Fair. Heather Mills was there selling her cookbook, Love Bites, so I bought an autographed copy (all profit goes to charity). The first recipe I followed from it was this really delicious soup. Coconut oil is used in most of the recipes and I love the subtle addition of the flavor. The ingredients for the soup are tomatoes, chorizo style sausage (I made this recipe), onion, garlic, celery, kale, chickpeas, veggie stock, salt and pepper. It all cooks into a really flavorful and filling soup. Half of it is blended in a food processor for a bulkier base.

Many of the recipes call for a specific brand of meat substitute, one I think Heather Mills was a part of creating. Because I do not have access to the brand, I will figure substitutions out. The cookbook is full of curries, salads, soups, dumplings, tarts, and really simple recipes.

Baked Falafel and Black Bean Hummus

John had a "guys night in" and I was recruited to make snacks. I kept it simple with chips, salsa, and homemade guacamole. Then I added a bit of complexity by making Baked Falafel from Appetite for Reduction, Black Bean Hummus from this recipe, and Whole Wheat pita bread from this recipe.

The falafel (gluten- and soy-free) had a nice flavor but due to the lack of oil, it was a little dry. I also started with dried chickpeas, soaked and boiled them. I feel like this is a cost-effective technique for salads and things that use the chickpeas whole. But, for a recipe requiring the chickpeas to be creamy, canned seems to work better for me. For a low fat version, I give it a thumbs up. If you are expecting greasy, crisp falafel, find a different recipe!

The Black Bean Hummus was a little bland. I am not sure what it needed, but I will find a different recipe next time.

I have only positive things to say about the pita! I can't imagine ever buying pita again knowing how easy it is to make.

Christmas Presents for the Vegans in Your Life

For Christmas, my adorable sister-in-law, Terra and my brother, Craig bought us the cookbook Appetite for Reduction by Isa Chandra Moskowitz. We LOVE it! So far, I have made three recipes but can't wait to try them all. The ingredients lists are short and simple, but packed with flavor. Nutritional information is included with each recipe. And, a majority are soy and gluten free, or give alterations to make them such.

Everyday Chickpea-Quinoa Salad ( because you could eat this EVERYDAY and never get tired of it!!!)

 Shaved Brussels Sprouts

Lotsa Veggie Lentil Soup

 

And, they also bought us a milk frother! So, John made Oat Milk Lattes today.

 

 

Vegan MoFo: F is for Fattoush

Fattoush is to the Lebanese what Panzanella is to the Italians.

Plus, it was an excuse to make homemade pita bread! Here is the recipe I followed. Very easy, less expensive, and such a fresh flavor. I thought I couldn't top homemade flour tortillas, but these pitas have now stepped into the number one spot of "make it yourself" fantasticness.

I found the salad recipe in Vegan Planet. The dressing is a simple combo of garlic, tahini, lemon juice, salt and cayenne.

For the veggies: zucchini (recipe calls for cucumber but I am highly allergic), tomatoes, yellow pepper, red onion, lettuce.

And the extras: chickpeas, fresh parsley and mint, and kalamata olives.

I chopped up 2 of the pitas for the salad and we ate 4 plain! I think I will make hummus this week for the 2 leftover.

Chickpea and Potato Soup

So simple but so much flavor! Here is the recipe.

On the side, Poppin' Popovers from The 100 Best Vegan Baking Recipes.

Tomato and Roasted Eggplant Stew with Chickpeas

I swear I have made this recipe before but I can't find it on my blog anywhere! So, here it is again. I made it for dinner tonight and John brought home a loaf of fresh bread. The recipe, from Veganomicon, says to serve it with polenta. I opted for bread because I thought polenta would be too much food! Everyone (including me) has been talking about eating less and slimming down lately.

Golden Curry with Basmati Rice

In September, I will be changing my status from full-time housewife to "I need more help around the house because I now have a full time job!"
Although I have loved spending my days experimenting with vegan cooking, obsessing over housework, reading, catching up on American TV, traveling, and other adventures inside the home and beyond, I am extremely excited about a) a schedule, b) daily adult interaction that doesn't involve someone being paid to help me (e.g, check-out clerks, ikea employees, dry cleaner, etc.) and c) my own paycheck!

To help me get back into the swing of full time work, John is helping with dinner a few nights a week. For his first meal, he chose this boxed, Indian-inspired, "just add water" dish. I love him to pieces and he is an amazing partner.....but I quickly established it was an old favorite from his bachelor days.

That aside, it was a hot vegan meal, contained veggies and rice, and came together quickly, and quietly!

He added chickpeas, mushrooms, potatoes, carrots, and onion. He was going to add tofu to the mix, but forgot! :-)

Pasta E Fagioli

I found the recipe in the Veganomicon Cookbook. I have never made Pasta E Fagioli before because it just sounded too simple. But, I had all the ingredients (I used linguine instead of tube pasta and garbanzos instead of white beans) and decided the simplicity of it sounded good tonight! I ripped up a few basil leaves for the top and sauteed some spinach in olive oil, garlic, and red pepper flakes to serve on the side.

Chickpea Cutlets with Veggies and Cheezy Sauce

Chickpea cutlets are becoming a regular around here, and that is rare! I don't often make things more than once. But, I have gotten pretty good at whipping them up and we absolutely love them served with anything! I had a large amount of random veggies in the fridge, all leftover from something. I sauteed them in olive oil and dumped a batch of Cheezy Sauce over them. Heaven!

I also made some chocolate chip cookies. I substituted 1/4 cup flour for a granola/flax seed mix and used whole wheat flour. I added white and chocolate chunks and pecans.

Spicy Veggie Millet with Chickpea Cutlets

The recipe for the millet was easy and fast. I used a zucchini and a yellow pepper, instead of a yellow squash. I also left out the chickpeas due to the fact that I was using the chickpeas for cutlets instead! I have made the cutlets one time before this and loved them but not as much as this time! I finally have wheat gluten (that I brought back with me from the US) and it made such a difference in the texture. I also made the cutlets much flatter this time, and fried them in olive oil versus baking. They were superb!

Chickpea-Quinoa Pilaf with Seitan in Wine Sauce

I had chickpeas in the freezer, leftover from something, and needed to clear out the space. I am also re-evaluating my diet to ensure I am getting enough calcium, iron, and zinc. Those are the three I have always had to be more observant of. So far, so good!

Anyway, I found this pilaf recipe in Veganomicon. I always thought of pilaf as having rice in it. Good to know that is not the case because I tire of rice easily. I didn't have coriander seeds, so instead used oregano. I also didn't have tomato paste (or the desire to buy a can of it only to use 1 Tbsp!) so I used ketchup. It worked just fine!

We also had seitan cooked in a white wine sauce. It consisted of a sauteed onion, and then a mixture of veggie broth, white wine, dijon mustard, lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper.

Broccoli slightly sauteed in a bit of olive oil was perfect on the side and I also sprinkled ground flax seed on top of my quinoa.

Cauliflower Leek Pie with Chickpea Crust and Green Beans

A huge hit! I got the recipe from the Comfort Food Vegan blog. The directions are very simple but I did google "how to blanch a cauliflower" just to make sure there were no surprise techniques to improve the outcome. I used the boiling water to then blanch a batch of green beans! I marinated the green beans post-blanch in balsamic vinegar, olive oil, salt and pepper and let them sit in the fridge until dinner time.



My favorite part of the Cauliflower Leek pie is the crust. It was crumbly and buttery and nutty. Here is the crust, the tofu and Parmesan substitute that I used.




I baked the pie for about 35 minutes at 350. The top is sprinkled with salted pumpkin seeds and more Parm. substitute.

Chickpea Cutlets with White Bean Aioli and Bulgur, Spinach, and Cannellini Salad

All three recipes were taken from the Veganomicon cookbook. I have had this cookbook for a few years. It was given to me by a friend that was moving, not vegan, and cleaning out her cookbook shelf. Only recently have I started using it...daily! It is a wonderful vegan resource and although there are a few recipes that don't quite make sense or take an astronomical amount of time, I have plans to continue picking through its recipes.
The Chickpea Cutlets were very easy to prepare and sat in the refrigerator for a few hours waiting patiently to be cooked. I worried that they would dry out, but this did not happen. I fried them in olive oil on the stove. Next time, I will bake them. They cooked a bit too fast and the insides remained very chewy. The good news is, I definitely will make these again in the future. I substituted the Vital Wheat Gluten for plain wheat flour and the lemon zest for lime.
On the side of the cutlets, we had White Bean Aioli. Another very simple, versatile, delicious recipe but an extremely strong garlic flavor. We loved it but, I would be cautious serving it to guests!!!
And for the side dish, Bulgur, Spinach, and Cannellini Salad. It was supposed to be arugula but I had a craving for spinach instead. My bulgur was also a combination of quinoa and bulgur but cooked exactly the same as the recipe instructed. I did not have red wine vinegar, but used apple cider instead. It worked out just fine!

Mexican Millet, Chile Cornmeal-Crusted Tofu and Pesto Hummus

This was my first attempt at millet and I loved it! It is very delicious, light, slightly crunchy, and much more appetizing and less filling than rice. The recipe came from the Veganomicon Cookbook, easily becoming one of my favorites. The tofu is Chile Cornmeal-Crusted also from the same cookbook. I did not use the Old Bay Seasoning (the recipe in the cookbook also does not call for it). The hummus was what brought the meal together though! It seems like an unlikely match to the flavors of the other items in the meal but it actually was perfect with the tofu. I added to the food processor a can of garbanzo beans, a large bunch of basil, lots of olive oil and the surprise ingredient, Gyoza dipping sauce. The recipe that I started to follow but quickly strayed from called for soy sauce of which I did not have. I decided to give the Gyoza sauce a try and it was delicious. I didn't have to add any salt or additional seasonings to the mix.
The circular "rock like" item on the plate was my attempt at cheddar dill scones. One I will not be trying again any time soon!!!

Chickpea and Veggie Salad

John and I started with the idea of a salad on a bed of chickpeas bit it quickly turned into a stir fry. First, we sauteed garlic in a little olive oil and added basil, oregano, and salt and pepper. We added a can of organic chickpeas and cooked them until soft and slightly browned. Then, we added a little of almost every veggie we had in the fridge including red onion, asparagus, green beans, red bell pepper, and tomato. John sliced a perfectly ripe avocado for on top and, on the side, we boiled a few ears of corn on the cob. It was a really tasty meal, excellent leftovers, and left a little room for Coconut Bliss later in the evening!

Sun-Dried Tomato Falafels in Pitas

I can't remember the last time I made falafel from scratch but I do know it did not turn out this great! Taken from Vegan Bites, it took about 45 minutes to get ready and then about 15 to cook. I bought the sun-dried tomatoes in a jar of olive oil; that saved time.
Food processor the following: 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, 1/3 cup water, 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed, 2 tsp garlic, 1 1/2 tsp olive oil, 1 tsp chili powder, 1 tsp curry powder, 1/4 tsp sea salt, 1/8 tsp cayenne. Transfer to a bowl and add 1/3 cup whole wheat flour, 2 Tbsp red onion diced, 2 Tbsp celery diced, 2 Tbsp fresh parsley diced. Mix together and make balls and slightly flatten into thick patties. (the recipe says 6, I thought they were too big and made 8) Fry the falafel patties in olive oil until browned, set on paper towels to drain. I stuffed ours into Ezekiel Pocket Bread and topped with shredded carrots, lettuce, and Broccosprouts. (called for alfalfa sprouts but I am not a fan. These brocco ones were so tasty). The sauce is tahini mixed with a splash of lemon juice.