Tuna-less salad

It's been more than fifteen years since I've eaten tuna salad, so I make no claims that this tastes 'just like' the original. What I will say is that my vegan version of the classic sandwich spread is delicious whatever you want to call it. I love it on lightly toasted wheat bread, crackers or just with some celery sticks. I've worked out the basic proportion of the tasty spread, so you can make as little or as much as you like--although I never make less than a double batch!

Recipe: Tuna-less Salad
Per 16-ounce can of chickpeas, drained and well rinsed
1 tbsp unseasoned rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp Tamari or soy sauce
2 tbsp Vegenaise
2 tbsp sweet pickle relish
1 1/2 tsp dulse flakes*
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
2 green onions, finely chopped
1/2 tsp spicy or Dijon mustard (optional)
2 stalks celery, thinly sliced (omit, if you intend to serve the salad with celery sticks)

The most important thing here is texture, so it may take you a batch or two to get it to where you like it. The trick is to use a potato masher, which splits the chickpeas into small flakes. You might be tempted to break out the food processor, but I've tried that technique to try and speed up the process and you only end up with pulverized chickpeas.

Place the chickpeas in a big yellow bowl, add the vinegar and Tamari--the liquid helps the mashing process and fully incorporates it with the beans. Mash with the potato masher until there are very few whole beans--although a couple certainly don't hurt. Add the rest of the ingredients and stir until combined. It's delicious right away, but even better after sitting in the fridge overnight, all of the flavored melding together.

*What the heck is dulse? It's a form of seaweed that has been dried and coarsely crumbled into flakes. It has vitamins and minerals in it, plus adds a salty or briny flavor to the salad. You don't have to use it, but it does add flavor and nutrients to the dish.

Lunches

You know you are making something good when your SO walks in the door and says, in an excited voice, "is that smell coming from my apartment?" I 'went to India' tonight and made both a chickpea masala and a saag tofu. The masala was spicy and delicious, but the saag needs a little work. I guess I would like it to be a little creamier, perhaps pureed just a bit? Anyways, plenty left over and packaged up for lunch this week.

Recipes forthcoming once I have them tweaked just a bit.

Are you at all curious about what taco I'll make this week?

Recipe: Chinese Quinoa Salad

Recipe: Chinese Quinoa Salad

Yes, I am jumping continents and countries to pull together these flavors, but the end result is fantastic. If you haven't tried quinoa before, this is the place to start. It's the superfood grain of the Incas and is a perfect protein. But does it taste good? Um, yes. It has a nutty flavor and a great texture, a brilliant alternative to rice or other grains. Mixed with some roasted veggies and a delicious Chinese-inspired peanut vinaigrette and you have a great light supper or lunches ready for a several days.

For the vinaigrette:
1/2 cup unsalted peanuts
Juice of 1 lime
1/2 cup rice-wine vinegar
2 tablespoon soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tsp vegetarian fish sauce
freshly ground tsp pepper
1 tsp crushed red pepper
6 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

For the salad:
1 head broccoli, cut into small florets
5 carrots, peeled and cut into small pieces
Spray olive oil
Salt
1 cup quinoa (I used red quinoa)
4 green onions, cut into 1/4-inch slices
8 oz. Baked tofu, cut into 1/4 inch dice
1/3 cup of slivered almonds

To make the vinaigrette:

In a blender, combine the ingredients from the unsalted peanuts to the crushed red pepper. Process until the peanuts are pureed into the liquid, although you may have a few little bits of nuts left which is fine. Add the canola oil and the sesame oil, process until combined. Set aside.

To roast the veggies:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. On cookie sheet lined with foil, arrange the carrots and broccoli on separate sides. Spray both with the olive oil and sprinkle with 1/2 tsp. of salt. Toss with your hands to combine and ensure they are coated with the oil. Roast for about 20 minutes and check the texture. The carrots may take a few minutes more than the broccoli, so you may need to removed it from the pan.

Cook the quinoa according the package direction.

To assemble the salad:

In a big yellow bowl, combine the quinoa with the veggies, tofu, green onion and almonds. Toss to combine. Drizzle the vinaigrette over the salad, add freshly ground pepper and toss to combine. Taste for seasoning and adjust salt and pepper. This salad can be served at room temperature or you could warm it in the oven.

Red Quinoa Salad

This isn't so much a recipe, as it is an idea: a delicious quinoa salad that is easy to prepare and perfect to pack in lunches for the week. I tossed red quinoa with roasted veggies (broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, mushrooms and parsnips) and a creamy garlic vinaigrette then added chopped celery, sliced green onion and walnuts. Delicious and simple.

I also roasted more veggies than I could use in the salad so I could use the rest in wraps or toss with greens for a simple salad. For the quinoa salad, use about 1 cup uncooked quinoa, 2 1/2 to 3 cups roasted veggies, 2-3 ribs of celery, 3 green onions and 1/4 cup coarsely-chopped walnuts.

Recipe: Creamy Garlic Vinaigrette
1/4 cup mayonnaise (I used Vegenaise)
2 cloves crushed garlic
4 tbsp Champagne vinegar
3 tbsp olive oil
Salt

In big yellow bowl, whisk together the mayo, garlic, vinegar and salt to taste (about 1 tsp, you can add more later). Continue whisking as you drizzle in the olive oil. Taste and adjust seasoning; I always want a little more vinegar than most people. And remember, not too much salt as I assume you salted your veggies when you roasted then! You can adjust again after you get it all combined.

Add the veggies; toss and add the celery, green onions and walnuts; finally, fold in the quinoa. Taste and adjust seasoning, including freshly ground pepper.

Four serving.

I guess it is a recipe after all! Enjoy.

Recipe: Eggless/Tofu/Sandwich Salad

When I first became a vegetarian, I had the darnedest time understanding tofu. Lots of books suggested great ideas for using it, but I had no idea how to prepare it. I would buy the wrong type, prepare it the wrong way and end up with some odd-sort-of good something.

And there were mixes and recipes for 'eggless' salad and I tried to enjoy them, but never came up with something that was really....delicious. After lots of trial and error, I've finally come with a preparation and recipe that you won't be able to stop eating. The key here is how you deal with the tofu, the rest can be handled according to taste. I love the strong flavor of dry mustard and lots of relish, so this recipe leans that way. Like something creamier? Use more mayo. Want something cruchier? Add more celery. Suit yourself.

To prepare the tofu:
Buy a tub of Chinese-style tofu packed in water: don't buy the smoother, Japanese-style sold in aseptic containers. Get extra-firm and organic, if you can find it. Place the tofu in its container in the freezer and leave it there overnight to freeze. That's right: you've got to start this part a day or two ahead. Freezing the tofu magically transforms it, making it firmer and chewier.

Next morning, put the tofu out to thaw. Once it's completely thawed, drain off the water and press as much water out as you can. Next, slice the tofu into six slices. Using a couple of layers of paper towels and working with two pieces at a time, squeeze as much water out of the slices as you can. The more water out, the more flavoring gets in.

Now, here's the recipe for the salad...

Recipe: Happy Sandwich Salad

3 ribs celery, sliced horizontally in three pieces and cut on the diagonal into quarter-inch pieces
3/4 cup mayonnaise or mayonnaise style product (I use a soy product, but its up to you.)*
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1 tsp. tumeric (in addition to giving the salad a great yellow color, tumeric is great for you.)
1 1/2 tsp. dry mustard (use less if you want a milder flavor)
A large pinch of cayenne
1 14-oz package of Chinese-style tofu prepared as described above
4-5 tbsp of sweet pickle relish (if you like it)

In a big yellow bowl, combine the celery with the next five ingredients, stirring to blend. Using your finger, crumble the dried tofu slices into the mixture and fold until well-mixed. Add the pickle relish and stir to combine. Season with salt and freshly-ground pepper, taste and check for seasoning. This is delicious as soon as its prepared, but even better after it sits in the refrigerator overnight. Serve on toast, in a wrap, on a bed of greens or just on a spoon from the bowl.

For my next batch, I am going to substituted finely chopped hot pickled okra for the relish and lemon. It think it will give the salad a briny kick and fiery bite that will be delicious. We'll see.

*I've updated the recipe with a little more mayo, realizing I use a heaping 1/2 cup (more like 3/4 cup) rather than a perfect 1/2 cup. But, to your taste of course!

Pan-fried Deviled Eggs

Eggs. Good or bad for you? The debate rages on, but like everything else I'm sure the answer is moderation. A recent study said that men shouldn't eat more than seven eggs per week and that those who did would have problems as they got older. But does that count eggs in baked goods? And how does one quantify that amount? One cinnamon roll contains .35 egg?

I admit, I've probably been eating a few more eggs than I normally would. In the first place, eggs are simple to prepare when it's just you, and the possibilities are endless. I've also had a busy couple of weeks and have been stopping for breakfast on the way to work at the aforementioned Boo's. And eating eggs. And egg sandwiches. This morning, it was one egg over medium and a cinnamon roll. (One of the best cinnamon rolls around, I might add.) So I guess I had 1.35 eggs for breakfast? Who knows. The point is, I love eggs. It's probably the real reason I couldn't be a vegan, even though I usually say it's ice cream. In reality, I think I could get by on soy dream, sorbets and the lot. But, I'm not sure I could get by without eggs.

A few posts back, I mentioned Lynn Rosetto Kasper's inspirational chapter on eggs. So inspirational that it jazzed-up my tired pasta. But I kept thinking about what she did to those stuffed eggs. And then I read another article somewhere that mentioned the same idea: pan-fried stuffed eggs.

This isn't so much a recipe, as it is an thought of what to do with eggs. Perhaps you have some leftover deviled eggs from a party? I would find that hard to believe, personally, as I have never been to a party where there were leftover deviled eggs. In fact, at parties we used to have in Kansas, Molly would count the deviled eggs and determine how many would be allotted per person. It's really the only fair thing to do. I digress.

IF you had some leftover deviled eggs, or IF you bought some at the market and wanted to make yourself a quick lunch or dinner, this is a wonderful thing to do with them.

Recipe?: Pan-fried Deviled Eggs
Serves one
1. Take three deviled eggs and scrape the top portion of the filling into a small bowl.
2. Add enough vinegar, a dash of salt, a little garlic and a few twists of the pepper mill: whisk to blend. Slowly whisk in a little olive oil and taste. Adjust flavoring.
3. Meanwhile, heat a small pan with olive oil. When warm, place eggs in the pan cut side down. Fry until warm and slightly brown. Turn and fry opposite side until it begins to brown.
4. Toss enough salad greens with the dressing, top with the eggs and enjoy.

This give you wonderful eggs with a little bit of crust to them, the filling warm and runny. I added some sliced, baked tofu to mine. You could add:
Croutons
Fake bacon bits or slices (I had some bac-un bits I should have used!)
Diced tomato
Avocado
Whatever else you might have that would be good in a salad, but keep it simple.

Mangez!

Pimento Cheese

I was visiting with my friend Sherry Dailey, who is on the Swope Board and happens to be from Texas. I'm not sure where our conversation was going, but somehow pimento cheese spread came up and I was lamenting the fact that these Yankee grocery stores do not carry it. (Of course, I could make my own, but I've been feeling lazy.) Sherry was sure that Baesler's Market stocked their own, but I had looked there and not found it. So sweet, she stopped at Baesler's and was able to track down the pimento cheese, which apparently they keep hidden. With the assistance of her clues, I'm sure to find it next time.

I hadn't had lunch, so I walked to my apartment and made a delicious pimento cheese sandwich. Thank you Sherry!

See this post for my favorite recipe for pimento cheese spread.

Mangez!

Udupi Cafe

I went to Indy on Saturday to see the exhibition Radical Lace and Subversive Knitting and run some errands in the city--including lunch! After driving around and around an old shopping center, I finally got out of my car and found Udupi Cafe down a scary hall, tucked behind several stores. Luckily, the smell emanating from the restaurant was enticing, because the dirty hall was very discouraging.

Udupi Cafe serves south Indian vegetarian cuisine and at lunch has a pretty full buffet. I enjoyed the rasam and a pumpkin dal. The biryani was wonderful, slightly sweet but with a surprising and serious kick. They also do made-to-order dosas as part of the lunch service, served warm and crispy and filled with delicious potato masala studded with little seeds for a crunchy burst of flavor. Everything I sampled was very good and I'll definitely be back on subsequent visits to Indy.

Eat and Eat in Madison

Last weekend in Madison was filled, as always, with wonderful eats and delicious treats.

On Saturday we went to the farmer's market, which encircles the capital. There were amazing piles of vegetables, jams and jellies, and piles of baked goods. I bought a jar of blueberry jam and another of spiced tomato. I thought the tomato might be delicious on a grilled cheese with some Gouda or other delicious melty cheese. After our long walk around the square, we has a delicious meal at Himal Chuli, sitting outside on the sidewalk and watching the people go by. I started with a delicious dal, one of the best I have ever eaten, and finished with a seitan cooked in a spicy, yogurt sauce.

Of course, the most exciting part of the visit food wise was a trip to Vom Fass, Dave's new store, which means "from the keg." Vom Fass sells oils, vinegars, liqueurs and wines. You can taste and taste and taste all the varieties: fig vinegar, aged balsamic, grappa, citrus oils, nut oils and on and on and on. I bought some hazelnut oil that is more flavorful and delicious that any I have ever tasted. Vom Fass is poised to take the country by storm, so look for one near you sometime soon.

Missing Austin and craving tacos, we had lunch at Tex Tubb's Taco Palace--which our hosts described as a "faux Austin taqueria." I had a mushroom taco and a fried avocado--both delicious--and washed down with sangria. Pretty real to me. But what do I know about tacos? I live in Indiana...

It was Wisconsin, so of course there was cheese....glorious cheese!

And a little chocolate from the wonderful, amazing Belgian chocolatier, Leonidas.

Mangez!

Asian Slaw

For lunch today, I adapted an Asian slaw recipe and topped it with delicious vegetarian dumplings from Whole Foods. On the side, tomatoes from the Farm and cucumbers from Jen's amazing cucumber plant. (Already consumed and therefore not pictured!)

Recipe: Dumplings with Asian Slaw
Fresh or frozen dumplings, prepared according to package directions. (The Whole Foods ones are fully cooked and ready to go from the case. I actually enjoy them chilled from the fridge.)
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar (seasoned or not, your choice)
3 tsp. brown sugar
2 tsp. soy sauce
2 tbsp. sweet garlic chili sauce
2 tsp. Sriracha sauce (or more, if you like the heat)
2 tbsp. smooth or crunchy peanut butter
1 12-oz bag broccoli slaw
1/4 cup dry roasted peanuts

In a small yellow bowl, combine the ingredients from rice wine vinegar to peanut butter. Whisk to combine. In a big yellow bowl, toss the broccoli slaw with the dressing then divide between four plate. Top with peanuts and prepared dumplings.

Serves 4.