Butter Bean Miso Hummus

I've been creating a lot of complicated dishes lately and haven't had the time to record them in my blog. I tend to record the easy stuff and unfortunately some of the best stuff I've been making hasn't made it to my blog. 

I recently had a big party at my house and cooked up a variety of vegan goodies. The non-vegans at the party went nuts for several of my recipes, which I find very rewarding. When you can open people's minds to the idea of veganism it can be very powerful. It's amazing how good tasting food can make more of an impact than a discussion about cholesterol, cancer and animal rights. The way to many people's hearts are definitely their stomachs! 

For my party I made three types of hummus. One was sun dried tomato and fresh basil, the second was a spicy black bean and for a third one I wanted something really different. I wanted to create something savory yet different than typical hummus. 

I pulled out various items from my pantry and fridge and just started adding things into my food processor. I sampled as I went until I got the right flavor. It wasn't fabulous at first, but like your typical hummus - it tasted WAY better once it chilled in the fridge for a while. It actually got even better the next day. I really have no idea of the amounts I used for most of the ingredients, so I'll just do my best to record what I used. I had so many compliments on this dip that I don't want to forget what I did. Okay.....

In a food processor add the following: 

-2 cans drained butter beans

- 1 heaping tablespoon of yellow miso (miso is very salty - so you might want to add a little at a time because the canned butter beans may already be a little salty)

- 3 green onions (cut into thirds before tossing in)

- a tablespoon (maybe more) of tahini (I used the regular not the roasted, but they should both taste fine, I think.)

- coarse ground pepper to taste

- red pepper flakes to taste

- nori flakes (this is seaweed and it will add to the salty flavor so be sure to keep your salt balance in check) to taste

- roasted sesames to taste 

- a tablespoon (maybe less) of sugar (this just helps balance out the flavor but don't go crazy with  the sugar - I just tossed a few sprinkles in here and there as I tried to get the taste just right)

- wasabi powder to taste

- extra virgin olive oil - to get the whole thing mixing (add as needed to blend) 

- I don't remember adding two of the key ingredients of typical hummus - garlic and lemon juice. I suppose you could add these two ingredients (or just one) but I don't think they're necessary. 

The final consistency will resemble mash potatoes, if it is too stiff to dip a chip then add more olive oil and continue to blend. 

When trying to get the balance right, be sure to sample the dip with the exact type of dipping device your guest will use. If you're serving salty chips, make sure your dip isn't too salty. If you're serving french bread then make sure the hummus has a full flavor that will incorporate with the bread as a flavor sensation. 

Sweet Potato Fries

These fries are baked and have so much flavor that ketchup is definitely optional. 

You'll need a big pan or cookie sheet. I'd line it with parchment paper to make the clean-up a snap. Plus it will allow you to pick up the fries and move them without messiness. If you've never used parchment paper - get some! 

Modify  the number of potatoes used, depending on the size of your pan/cookie sheet and the number of peeps you're going to feed. For up to three people I'd use two medium sweet potatoes. 

Pre-heat oven for 400 to 410 degrees. 

- Peel the potatoes

- Slice potatoes into stick "like" shapes. I always have an odd assortment of shapes, such as short, rounded edges, skinny, etc. The various shapes will cook up differently - some will be crispy, others will be soft in the inside (a potpourri of flavor sensations). 

- Place the potato pieces on cookie sheet (or pan) so that they're not overlapping.

- Lightly pour extra virgin olive oil over the fries (don't make them greasy, just enough to make them wet)

- Season the fries (be sure to oil the fries before seasoning). I dust the fries with sea salt (or seasoning salt), dill weed, coarse ground pepper and paprika. For extra zip I also use red pepper flakes and/or a blend of cajun spices. The spicy mixed with the sweet tastes really good!! 

- Bake for 20 to 35 minutes. If you like your fries extremely crispy then cook around 30 to 35 minutes. I like mine soft and plump, so I usually pull them out around 20 to 25 minutes. If you're unsure of how long you should cook them, pull them out of the oven periodically and sample a fry. You can always flip the fries mid-way, but I never do. 

- After removing from the oven, pull up the parchment paper and give the fries a good shake. All the seasoning and oil will mix together to get the fries nice and coated with yummy goodness. Serve right away. 

Spicy Black Bean (Hummus) Dip

I had a bag full of fresh, organic jalepeno and wanted to make a spicy dip with them. Since black beans go so well with jalepeno, I created a cross between hummus and bean dip that is rather yummy. I started out making a single batch but it tasted so good that I ended up doing a double batch (which by the way tasted even better the next day after it had time to chill). The instructions below are for a single batch. 

In a food processor blend the following and chill to serve: 

- 1 can (drained) black beans (I used organic, low sodium)

- 3 green jalepeno (seeds and spine removed)

- 2 to 3 teaspoons of lemon juice

- 3/4 to 1 tablespoon of crushed garlic

- 2 to 3 of shakes of coarse ground pepper

-  2.5 to 3 heaping tablespoons of tahini 

- somewhere around 2 to 3 teaspoons of extra coarse sea salt (add more to taste)

- 5 or so good shakes of cumin

- 5 or so good shakes of paprika

- 1 or 2 tablespoons of olive oil

- 4 to 6 shakes of chipotle hot sauce (This really depends on your level of spice tolerance; you may want to blend and add until you get to the level of spice you like. I like the Bufalo brand pictured above and it contains no traces of actual buffalo. This stuff also tastes great in guacamole.)

My husband begged me to add this to my blog so I wouldn't forget the ingredients. I hope you find it as tasty as he does. 

The dip tastes great with the new veggie chips from Trader Joes. 

Savory steamed dumplings: Sweet potato, shiitake and mock duck (gluten)

My Dad turned 89 last week and we had a large gathering at my house. I made all of the food; which was all vegan. It was carnivore approved and no one missed any of the flesh or (milk) puss they were used to. I made a variety of foods and my guests nagged me to give them the recipes. Since they all came from my head, I need to blog as much of the dishes as I can before I forget. 

One of the show stoppers was my steamed dumplings. These little suckers are a little time consuming to make, but well worth it. If you've never made asian dumplings, I'd suggest watching a tutorial on the web. If you google it, you'll find step by step images and video on how to stuff and fold the dumpling. When buying the dumpling skins, make sure they are the round ones (the square ones are for wonton and the thickness is different) and vegan (some brands contain egg). 

I used to make one dumpling at a time, but I found it easier to lay out as many dumpling skins as you can (I used an extra large cutting board as my base), place the stuffing in each, then fold (you must wet the rim of the dumpling before you fold and pinch the skin edges together). You will need something to steam the dumplings with. I use the traditional bamboo steamers, which is placed in a wok. The wok contains the water which then steams the dumplings. I line my bamboo steamer with parchment paper. The dumplings peel right off and there is no cleanup. I also flavor the water in the wok with miso and/or large chunks of sea salt. 

Dumpling contents:

Put the following in a food processor.....

 

- 1 large sweet potato (cooked: either bake ahead of time or pop in the microwave until soft)

- 1 handful of shiitake mushrooms (I used fresh ones, however if you use the dried ones make sure you rehydrate them enough to be soft)

- 1 can of mock duck (wheat gluten) drained (you can use your own seitan, but this stuff has been perfectly flavored for the job)

- a couple of shakes of dark mushroom soy sauce (this stuff is the bomb! - it has a rich, salty flavor that brings out the flavor of the mushrooms)

- a couple of shakes of vegan mushroom oyster sauce (this stuff is also the bomb - it has a sweet taste that will bring out the flavor of the sweet potato)

- a few shakes of thick ground pepper

Pulse in the food processor until everything is chopped up. You want a thick consistency, not creamy; so don't blend the mixture. You might want to open the food processor between each pulse to push the contents down. 

I stored the mixture in the fridge for 24 hours to bring out the flavor. If you don't have that much time, you can probably start stuffing the dumplings whenever you want. Just make sure that the mixture is at least room temperature or colder. If you used a hot potato, you'll need to wait until the mixture cools. 

Now start stuffing the dumplings. Each dumpling will only hold a little dollop of the mixture, so you can make around 25 or so from this recipe. Don't over stuff the dumpling or it will tear. 

Serve warm, with a dipping sauce (although they're so tasty you don't really need extra sauce). I prefer sweet chili sauce or hoisin (plum sauce). However, tradational dipping sauce is fine too, but is salty rather than sweet. 

Sunshine Soup (Yellow Split Pea & Sweet Potato)

I had a left-over baked sweet potato and wanted to use it, so I came up with this idea for a soup. My husband named it Sunshine Soup based on its yellow-orange color. The soup has a nice balance of sweet and spicy flavors. I'll do my best to capture what I did....

In a sauce pan heat up (don't let it boil over, it should be cooked on medium-high to medium low for around 35-40 minutes until almost all of the water is gone):

1 cup dry yellow split pea

2 cups water

In a frying pan saute (line pan with olive oil, but don't make it too greasy):

1/2 large sweet onion (chopped up - large pieces okay)

a few shakes of red pepper flakes

a few good size shakes of pepper

a few shakes of seasoning salt

a few grinds of sea salt

a few shakes of paprika

Once the onions start to brown and the olive oil is nearly dry:

add one heaping spoonful of vegan margarine

a few shakes of gravy thickener

Saute until mixture starts to get brown chunks and is no longer greasy. Remove from heat.

In a food processor add the following and blend until creamy:

cooked split peas (if there is a little water left in the pan, add that too)

sauteed onion mixture

1 medium sweet potato (cooked)

a few shakes of tamari

a couple of shakes of cayenne pepper

a few grinds of black pepper

3 tablespoons of yellow miso paste

2 to 3 cups soy milk

If mixture is on the thick side, add more soy milk and blend.

Pour mixture into soup pot. Add more soy milk if soup is still too thick. Add cayenne pepper and black pepper to taste. Add more miso or tamari for a saltier flavor. Cook until thoroughly heated. 

Tasty Tomato Soup

It was cold and rainy outside last night and I was craving the warm goodness of tomato soup. I didn't want a runny type of soup. I wanted something a little more hearty. That's when this idea popped into my head. The result was a success and my husband insisted that I add this recipe to my blog. I will try to remember all the proportions I used.

In a soup pot saute the following:

-1/2 sweet onion (chopped)

-a few drizzles of olive oil

-a few shakes of red pepper flakes

-a few good size shakes of pepper (I used a giant container from Costco with big holes. I'm really into black pepper right now)

-a few grinds of coarse sea salt

-a heaping tablespoon of crushed garlic

Saute mixture on medium to medium high heat until the onions become golden brown (don't let the onions get crispy). Remove from heat and set aside. 

In a food processor, add the following and blend until it becomes a slightly coarse yet creamy consistency: 

-1 can of stewed tomatoes with Italian spices (undrained)

-1 can of great northern beans (drained)

-4 or 5 good size shakes of dried parsley

-4 or 5 good size shakes of dried basil (If you have fresh, I'd use that instead. I didn't have any in the house at the time.)

-a cup of soy milk

-the sautéed onion mixture (Put soup pot aside and do not wash; we're going to use it next.)

-a few scoopfuls of sun-dried tomatoes (the wet type in oil): Warning!! The sun-dried tomatoes have a VERY powerful flavor that will overpower the soup, do not go overboard when adding this element. This is where you'll want to get the balance right. You can always blend up more later and add it to the soup if you think it doesn't have enough of the sun-dried tomato flavor. You could also top the soup with a few chopped up sun dried tomatoes when serving. . Remember - you can always add but you can't take away!

Pour mixture into soup pot and cook on medium to medium-high heat. Add the following: 

-A heaping spoonful of vegan margarine

-3 shakes of Bragg's Amino

-1 veggie bullion cube (break it up so it will dissolve faster)

-1/2 cup soy milk

Stir and let simmer on medium-low. If mixture is too thick, add more soy milk until you get the consistency you want. Also, you may want to add some ground pepper as well. 

This soup is pretty hardy. I served it with sauteed green on the side and it was extremely filling. It makes around 4 to 5 good-size bowls.

Cranberry Sauce With A Twist

I love HOMEMADE cranberry sauce. It is one of the easiest things to make; so I'm baffled as to why anyone would eat cranberry sauce out of a can!! Besides, have you ever looked at the ingredients of canned cranberry sauce? YUCK! Here's a little twist on cranberry sauce that I came up with. It's sweet and tart, but not too much of either. 

In a saucepan add the following ingredients: 

1 bag of whole cranberries

1 apple, cut into small pieces (depending on how chunky you want it - you can have tiny to bit size pieces)

1 orange: squeeze all the juice over the cranberries

3/4 cup sugar

1 cup water

Cook for about 12 minutes starting from high to medium heat as the mixture starts to boil. Keep an eye on it, you don't want it to boil over. You'll hear the cranberries popping as it cooks. Stir it occasionally. Cook for about 12 minutes. Remove pan from heat to cool. Within an hour to an hour 1/2 the sauce should no longer be runny and is ready to be served.