holiday sandwich

I'm a sucker for complete meal type of sandwiches, as demonstrated by my Thanksgiving Burger, a recipe from 2014. Since the holidays are around the corner, what better way to start the celebration than with this easy to make Holiday Sandwich:

It might look a bit much, but it really is easy to put together. The patty is made of mushrooms and chickpeas as the base. It doesn't include any binding, but it stays together relatively well. It dries out and because the acorn squash is very moist, together, they work in harmony.

A few spices and dark miso help to keep this burger from falafel-ville. It is decidedly not a falafel.

You process all the ingredients in a food processor, form into patties and bake them with the acorn squash. The timing is about the same and because you don't peel the squash, the process is easy.

There is nothing more on the squash than salt and pepper because the flavor is in the patties.

This sandwich needs some crunch, so I tossed thin onion slices with cornstarch/arrowroot and air-fried it until crisp. I did add a few sprays of oil to help it brown, but it is nothing like deep frying them.

The sauce. It is so simple and so delicious! It is Cranberry Aioli and it is the bomb. Just mix together cranberry sauce and vegan mayonnaise or vegan yogurt and liberally add to the sandwich. It is tangy and sweet but creamy and rich. Don't skip it.

And because no holiday is complete without something green, this sandwich features steamed kale. A crusty bread or roll and you are in business, my friend.

Photo by Caitlin Galer-Unti from The Vegan Word.com

Speaking of holidays, gift-giving season is almost here and it is time to start planning. Caitlin from The Vegan Word has amassed an amazingly thorough list of vegan gift ideas. I truly am impressed! Take a look for yourself.

Holiday Sandwich
Makes 4 servings

Patties:
1 3/4 cups or 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained
3 ounces of trimmed shiitake mushrooms (trimmed of stems)
1 tablespoon dark miso
1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
1/2 teaspoon onion granules
1/2 teaspoon garlic granules
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon sage

Onions:
1 medium onion, sliced very thin
2 tablespoons arrowroot or cornstarch
Oil spray, as needed

Sauce:
1/4 cup cranberry sauce
1/4 cup vegan mayonnaise or plain nondairy yogurt

Other:
Sea salt and black pepper
1 medium acorn squash, cut into 4 sections
1 bunch kale, tough stems removed and finely chopped
4 crusty rolls, split


1. Patties: Preheat the oven to 350-degrees F. Combine the chickpeas, mushrooms, miso, yeast, onion, garlic, thyme and sage in a food processor. Process until finely ground. Divide the mixture into 4 portions and form into patties about the size of your rolls. Transfer to a parchment or silicone mat lined baking sheet. Add the squash quarters to the pan and season with salt and black pepper. Bake for 20 minutes. Flip the patties and the squash and bake for another 20 minutes. If the squash is tender remove it from the pan. Continue to bake the patties for another 15 to 20 minutes or until golden brown and hold together fairly well. 
2. Onions: Combine the onion, starch and spray with oil. Transfer to the basket of an air-fryer and cook until semi-crisp, about 10 to 15 minutes. Shake the basket after every 5 minutes and make sure not to burn. The onions will become crispy after they sit for a minute off the heat.
3. Sauce: Combine the cranberry sauce and mayo. Mix well. Set aside. 
4. Steam the kale until very tender and toast the rolls. Season the kale with salt and pepper.
5. Assemble the sandwich by spreading the bottom and top with the aioli. Add kale, a patty. Scoop out the squash from the shells and add one to the sandwich. Top with onions and serve. 


© 2016 Copyright Zsu Dever. All rights reserved.

green pea toast with cayenne caramelized onions

We have all seen the new culinary favorite, toasts (which is really just an open-faced sandwich) and we have encountered the British favorite green pea spread, so why not combine the two?

Before I actually made a green pea spread I wasn't really sure what all the fuss of combining peas and mint was, but I understand now. The mint in no way overpowers the peas, and, in fact, complements its natural flavor - now I'm a believer.

You can actually forget the caramelized onions (but, really, why would you?) and add slices of avocado or toasted pine nuts or even salsa fresca (external link to a few of my sauces featured on Daily Dose of Art).

Whatever you feel doing, do it, but I'll let you in on a secret: this is a fantastic recipe to make in the middle of winter to bring back some of that summer feel. Frozen peas are perfect in this recipe and really lets the sun shine in.

I used my air-fryer (!!) to make the onions and they came out just right. I didn't even spray them with oil, just let the machine do its magic.

That little container in there cost me $6 from [AMAZON] and it isn't non-stick, which I love because Teflon is made with plastic. Besides, the pan that is actually sold for this machine costs $30+. I only wish it was stainless steel.

This recipe uses a whole bulb of garlic because roasted garlic is awesome! Cut the tips off the garlic and lightly smash them to easily remove the paper skin, that way your garlic will remain whole. The onions are cooked with balsamic vinegar to add even more sweetness to them.

Look at that pot of sunshine! Once you lightly cook them and puree them with the other fabulous ingredients, you have the makings of an amazing toast. Word of caution: please season the peas appropriately with salt; legumes need it to bring out their flavor.

Green Pea Toast with Cayenne Caramelized Onions 
Serves 4

Onions:
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 whole bulb garlic cloves, peeled
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon water
1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon cayenne

Spread:
2 cups green peas (frozen is fine)
2 tablespoons almonds or sunflower seeds
1 garlic clove
1/4 cup mint leaves (not packed)
1 tablespoon white miso
1 to 2 tablespoons lemon juice
Sea salt and black pepper

2 (6-inch) baguettes
Oil spray

1. Combine the onions and garlic in an air-fryer pan and cook on 360-degrees for 10 minutes. Add the vinegar, stir well and cook for 10 more minutes, stirring halfway through. Add the water and cook until the onions and garlic are tender, another 5 to 10 minutes, stirring after every 5 minutes. Alternatively, cook the onions and garlic in the oven, covered, until tender, about 45 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes. Season with salt, black pepper and the cayenne. 
2. Combine the peas and enough water to cover in a medium saucepan. Bring to boil over medium heat and cook 3 to 4 minutes or until heated through and lightly cooked. Remove from the heat and drain. Set aside.
3. Add the garlic and almonds to a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Add the reserved peas, mint, miso and lemon juice. Process until smooth. Season with salt and black pepper. 
4. If you are making toast, cut the baguettes in half and toast. If you are making appetizers, cut the baguettes into 1/2-inch thick slices on the diagonal and toast. In either case, spray with oil before toasting. 
5. Spread the toasts with the pea spread and top with the onions. Serve. 


© 2016 Copyright Zsu Dever. All rights reserved.

PIN IT!

dinner to bento: caramelized onion and kale sautee

Before I get into today's post, I have to announce the winner of The Taco Cleanse (Amazon, B&N)! The winner is: CHARJ! Congratulations! Contact me at zsusveganpantry dot com so I can get your mailing address.

With one of my girls in college and the other with a job and school, I have been finding the need to pack them lunchboxes. That adds another level of work to my day and I've been wondering how best to tackle that. With a potential new book in the works, I really don't have the luxury any more to make lunch in the middle of the day and then dinner at night.

What to do?

How about making dinner and then using some of those ingredients or components to make lunch for the following day (or the day after)? Sounded good to me! If all goes well, this will become regular blog posts that I can share with you.

I'm calling these Dinner To Bento.

My first offering is Caramelized Onion and Kale Saute with Brown Rice and Beans. After you cook the dinner, set aside some of the saute and rice and make them into Chipotle Burgers. The burgers can be served in wraps, on buns or on a bed of greens.

The easiest ways to cook brown rice fast is to use my method or a pressure cooker.

The ingredients are pretty simple: onions, garlic, sage, kale, broth, rice, beans and jalapenos. Slicing the onions as thin as you can (without taking forever) makes the onions cook faster. Get the rice on first and then start slicing the onions.

After cooking the onions about 8 minutes (keeping the pan covered and adding splashes of broth about every 4 minutes), add the sage and garlic. Another 10 more minutes and you will have caramelized onions.

Add the broth, beans and kale and continue to simmer until the kale is tender - about 10 minutes. By now the rice should be cooked and steaming under a kitchen towel (this goes for either method - once cooked, drape a kitchen towel over the pot).

Before you serve the saute with the rice and chile, set aside 1 cup of the saute (drained) and 1 cup of the rice.

Transfer the saute, mustard, chipotle puree (simply blend a can of chipotle en adobo until smooth and store in the fridge in a covered container where it will keep for months) and quick-cooking oatmeal to a food processor and pulse to chop.

Mix the processed mixture with the rice, form into patties and cook in a skillet until browned. Pack in lunchboxes the next day (in a microwave-safe container if you are planning to reheat it) with a bun or tortilla, a container of chipotle mayo and lettuce and tomato.


That's it! Two meals in one, yet different enough to transcend "leftovers."

Caramelized Onion and Kale Saute/Chipotle Burgers
Prep and cook time: 45 minutes  
Serves 3 to 4 

Saute:
2 cups medium or short-grain brown rice
3 medium onions, thinly sliced
2 cups vegetable broth, divided
2 sprigs fresh sage or 1 teaspoon dried sage
6 garlic cloves, sliced
8 ounces kale, tough stems removed and chopped
2 cups cannellini beans
1 jalapeno, thinly sliced
Sea salt and black pepper

Burger:
1 cup drained saute
3/4 cup quick-cooking oats**
1 teaspoon chipotle puree*
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 cup cooked medium or short-grain brown rice
1 teaspoon olive oil

Mayo:
1/3 cup vegan mayonnaise
1 teaspoon chipotle puree*


1. Cook the brown rice. 
2. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the onions (use a little oil if you like, but it is not necessary). Cover the skillet and cook for 5 minutes. Stir, add a splash of broth, cover and continue to cook for another 3 minutes. Add 1/2 teaspoon salt, sage, garlic, cover, and cook for 3 minutes. Repeat with a splash of broth, stir and continue to cook until the onions are caramelized, about 10 more minutes. 
3. Add the kale, beans and remaining broth to the skillet. Season with salt and pepper and stir well. Cook until the kale is tender, about 10 more minutes. Mash some of the beans using a potato masher or large spoon and cook for another minute. Before serving, remove 1 cup of the sautee (drained) and 1 cup of the rice. Serve with the brown rice and slivers of jalapeno. 
4. For the burgers: Add the saute, oats, chipotle and mustard to a food processor. Pulse until combined but not pureed. Transfer to a bowl and add the rice. Mix well and adjust seasoning. Divide the mixture into 4 portions and form into patties about 1/2 an inch thick.
5. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the patties and cook until golden, about 1 to 2 minutes per side. Serve on buns with the chipotle mayo.
6. For the mayo: Mix the mayonnaise and chipotle in a small bowl until well combined. 

** If you don’t have quick-cooking oats, process rolled oats in the food processor before adding the saute, mustard and chipotle. 

* Blend a can of chipotle en adobo until smooth and store in the fridge in a covered container where it will keep for months.

 © 2016 Copyright Zsu Dever. All rights reserved.

premium patty melt

Day 10 VeganMOFO Burger Bonanza is a souped-up Premium Patty Melt. Sure it's an easy one - more to the point - a familiar burger. But, unlike a regular patty melt which consists of cheese, burger, bread and is really nothing more than an underrated panini or an overrated grilled cheese, mine is so much more!

I used vegan cheese, melted well, grilled bread and a vegan burger, but this one also has a Special Sauce and caramelized onions and mushrooms.

When onions and mushrooms are cooked properly (onions, low and slow; mushrooms, high sear) they taste incredible. Object is to avoid burning the onions before they are tender and avoid steaming the mushrooms.

I added a sauce (a doctored 1,000 Island dressing) to add some ooey, gooey creaminess that usually comes from a ton of dairy cheese, and to give the sandwich a bit of tang to off-set the sweetness from those fine caramelized onions.

Use your favorite burger patty, grill it up and serve with chips or fries and be instantly transported to the 80's, except this time, go in style!

PREMIUM PATTY MELT PRINTER-FRIENDLY RECIPE

Premium Patty Melt

Makes 4 burgers

3 tablespoons neutral oil, divided

2 large onions, thinly sliced

Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper

10 garlic cloves, minced and divided

1 pound button mushrooms, sliced

4 burger patties, sauteed, grilled or baked

Vegan butter, as needed

8 slices rye bread

½ cup shredded vegan cheese

Special Sauce, recipe below

1. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, cover and cook until soft, about 15 minutes. Uncover and season with salt and black pepper. Stir in 4 minced garlic, reduce heat to low and cook until caramelized, about 30 more minutes.

2. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a separate large skillet over medium-high heat and stir in the mushrooms. Cook until softened, about 4 minutes. Season with salt and black pepper and continue to cook until golden, about 7 more minutes. Stir in the remaining garlic and cook for another minute. Remove from heat and set aside.

3. Cook the burgers in the skillet, if sauteeing the burgers.

4. Heat the large skillet over medium heat. Spread a thin layer of butter on one side of the bread slices. Add 4 slices of bread to the skillet and add 2 tablespoons of cheese to each bread. Cover the skillet to melt the cheese and toast the bread.

5. Divide the onions and mushrooms evenly over each cheesy bread and add a burger patty to each bread. Spread 2 tablespoons of sauce on the burgers and add the remaining bread slices, butter side up. Flip the sandwiches to toast the uncooked bread slices.

6. When toasted golden, cut the sandwiches in half and serve.

 

Special Sauce

½ cup vegan mayonnaise

1 tablespoon dill relish

1 tablespoon ketchup

1 teaspoon sriracha

Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper

1. Combine the mayo, relish, ketchup and sriracha in a small bowl. Add salt and black pepper to taste.

© 2014 Copyright Zsu Dever. All rights reserved.





Last chance giveaways!

Vegan Heritage Press is giving away a copy of "Everyday Vegan Eats" (my cookbook). Enter to win HERE. Contest ends September 14.

Have you entered to win "Vegan without Borders," the soon-to-be-released cookbook by Robin Robertson? Contest ends September 14. Enter HERE.

cream of celery soup with spinach and crispy onion

I'm relatively sure we are all experiencing quite a hot summer, regardless of where we are individually located. While the weather is so scorching, soup might seem to be the last meal on your mind to make, but this Cream of Celery Soup with Spinach and Crispy Onion is light and delicate.

I chose celery as the base of this soup because celery automatically brings to mind a level of coolness and it is easy on the budget.

Since celery is very stringy (in fact, I like to peel my celery before I dip the stalks in any dip) it is imperative that the soup be strained through a fine mesh strainer, otherwise instead of enjoying a delicious soup, you'll find your mouth full of celery fiber.

This is not as difficult as it sounds, and the straining can be accomplished in around five minutes. Transfer your soup to the strainer set over a clean pot and use the back of a ladle to swirl the soup around in the strainer. This motion will effectively push the soup through the strainer without back-aching strain.

There was a comedian on Last Comic Standing a few weeks ago who joked that since celery is about 10 calories, the digestive process requires more energy than the celery provides, therefore you can kill yourself eating celery.

To avoid this calamity, I've added thin ribbons of spinach to increase the nutrition.

The soup is garnished with crispy fried onions, which adds another layer of flavor, and minced celery leaves, which increases the celery flavor.

There is a little bit of vegan cream cheese in the soup and some might be tempted to omit it, however, doing so is the difference between a creamy potato soup with celery and cream of celery soup.

CREAM OF CELERY SOUP WITH SPINACH AND CRISPY ONIONS 

PRINTER-FRIENDLY RECIPE

Cream of Celery Soup with Spinach and Crispy Onions  

Serves 2 as a meal, 4 as an appetizer

1 tablespoon neutral oil

1 bunch celery, trimmed and chopped, leaves reserved

1 medium onion, chopped

2 medium (9 ounces) waxy potatoes, peeled and chopped

pinch cayenne

2 cups vegetable broth

2 cups water

Sea salt and ground white pepper

2 tablespoons vegan cream cheese

1 cup thinly sliced spinach, tough stems removed

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

Crispy Onions, recipe below

1. Heat the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Stir in the celery and onion. Cook for 2 minutes to soften the vegetables. Add the potato and cayenne. Stir and cook for 2 more minutes. Stir in the vegetable broth and water. Season with salt and white pepper. Bring to boil, reduce to simmer and cook until the potatoes are very tender, about 15 minutes.

2. Blend the soup until smooth using an immersion blender or use a standard blender, taking care not to overfill the blender jar. Strain the soup through a fine mesh strainer into a clean pot. Use the back of a ladle, swirling the soup in the strainer, to move the soup through the strainer and into the pot.

3. Return the soup to a simmer, add the spinach and cook gently until the spinach is tender. Stir in the cream cheese, using a wooden spoon to stir until smooth. Stir in the lemon juice, taste and adjust seasoning.

4. Mince the reserved celery leaves and serve the soup garnished with the Crispy Onions and celery leaves.

Crispy Onions

½ medium red onion, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon arrowroot starch or cornstarch

1 tablespoon neutral onion

1. Toss the onion and arrowroot. Season with salt and black pepper.

2. Heat the oil over medium heat in a medium skillet. Add the onions, stir with the oil and cook until crispy, stirring occasionally.

© 2014 Copyright Zsu Dever. All rights reserved.

I am linking to these recipe parties: Healthy Vegan Fridays, What I Ate Wednesday, Gluten-Free Fridays and Virtual Vegan Linky Potluck. 

 

    

food trucks! pizza mike's award-winning pie

Season Three of The Great Food Truck Race saw 8 brand new teams competing for the $50,000 prize and the privilege to keep their food truck. While $50K is nothing to sneeze at, the food truck is worth a heck of a lot more, to the tune of 30-200K, depending on how tricked out your truck is, and the Food Network has some sweet rides. The lower end of that budget will only get you a trailer to pull, a used one, at that.

Season Three featured the truck Pizza Mike's from Columbus, Ohio. Michael Evans was the owner and operator of Michael's Pizza, an establishment that burned down around 2008. Not having the funds (or the desire?) to reopen the same place, Mike entered The Race and is currently still operating his own food truck in Ohio, albeit not the same one as he drove on the show. Mike and his team left the race in the third episode. 

In 2001, Mike represented the USA in the World Pizza Championship in Salsimiogorre, Italy, where his "Michael's Traditional" was awarded "Best in the USA" prize. The winning pizza was topped with his Grandfather Collura's sausage recipe, pepperoni and sweet onions. 

Making it vegan, I used Yve's pepperoni substitute and doctored Gimme Lean Sausage. Relatively easy pizza to replicate given vegan ingredients. I figure the sausage, the crust and the sauce are the necessary ingredients to work on. 

In addition to "Michael's Traditional," I also made another of his popular pies, this time topped with pepperoni, roasted red peppers, green peppers, olives and onions.

 Roll your dough thin, bake on high and allow it to rest before cutting. 

Not much chance that Pizza Mike's has anything vegan, so head to the kitchen and make your own "Best in the USA," or at least in your kitchen, pizza pie. 

That's Amore!

Mike's Traditional Pizza Printer-Friendly Recipe

tempeh-no-tuna salad

Back in the 80's, when I still ate fish, Tuna Melt was at the top of my favorite's list. Tuna Salad is one of those meals that if you once had an affinity for, a substitute might be welcome. For that matter, if you like tempeh, this is a kick-butt tempeh sandwich. For event that matter, if you don't like tempeh, this might convince you that you might be missing something. 

It is popular to "fake" tuna salad using chickpeas or tofu, but after making Tempeh Filet Meal a la Long John Silver's, I discovered that the very best substitute for tuna is tempeh -- especially one that is prepared with a tiny bit of dulse. Really tiny, just enough to hint at the sea, not take a dip in the ocean. 

Preparing the tempeh in this way is really rather hands-off -- simmering it in a flavorful broth and cooling it in the same broth while you attend to other matters. After that, it is a simple matter of combining the flaked tempeh with vegenaise, dill, onion and carrot or celery. A splash of lemon juice and your Tempeh-No-Tuna Salad is ready. 

Since I love tomatoes, it makes sense that I added them here, making this salad into a melt in the process, but you certainly can omit them. This was one of the best tuna-free sandwiches I've had. Any tempeh lovers out there?

Cost Breakdown

tempeh: $3

vegenaise, spices, lemon: $.75

bread: $2

tomato, onion, carrot: $1.25

Total to make 4 servings:

$7.00

healin' noodle soup

RECIPE UPDATE: this soup has been tested and revised and will be featured in the upcoming cookbook "Everyday Vegan Eats," by Zsu Dever.

Tis the season! Flu season! One of my little ones has come down with a bug. When this happens, my first reaction is to make this soup. Other people might reach for the big brand soup in the can, but for us vegans, we tend to insist on something more wholesome than what comes out of such a container, let alone try our damnedest to avoid what goes into it in the first place. 

In fact, over the years, my kids have come to expect this soup when they are feeling under the weather. It takes about 20 minutes to make, including prep time, but it tastes like you've had on the back burner all morning. 

The soup contains about the same simple ingredients as the canned stuff (if you don't include all the unpronounceable ingredients, that is): just carrots, celery, onions, noodles and seasonings. 

Bookmark this page for the next time you need a little pick-me-up. 

Cost Breakdown

pasta: $1

vegetables: $1

seasoning: $.75

Total to make 6 servings:

$2.75