Author: Hannah (BitterSweet)

Author of My Sweet Vegan, Vegan Desserts, Vegan a la Mode, and Easy as Vegan Pie.

Lemon Law

How could something so ambrosial as a lemon get such a bad rap? “When life gives you lemons,” it’s implied that you have a whole lot of something unwanted. If you get a car that’s a lemon, you’ve just purchased a shiny new piece of junk. Tangy, sour, sharp, and bright, perhaps these early phrases come from eaters unprepared for such a blast of bold flavor. Lemons are the key to balancing out dishes both sweet and savory, adding contrast and depth with a floral softness that straight vinegar can’t match. If I could only have one citrus for the rest of my life, I would choose lemons, hands down.

Lemons have a way of making everything they touch simply taste better. They can play the sidekick or the hero with equal grace, playing well with just about any ingredient it meets. Though typically harvested during the cooler months, it’s a perennial staple, effortlessly bridging all seasons.

Lemons have a quiet power; think of how a splash of juice can wake up a dull sauce, how a pinch of zest can invigorate a salad, or how a sweet lemon syrup can turn a humble cake into something gourmet. It’s these little touches that remind us just how much these sunny citrus fruits can do.

With that in mind, I’ve pulled together a roundup of my lemon recipes, celebrating its full range, from zesty mains to crave-worthy desserts, and a few unexpected delights in between. Whether you’re a citrus enthusiast or just looking for something new to try, these ideas are sure to brighten your table.

Continue reading “Lemon Law” →

Hannah (BitterSweet)4 Comments

Grate Expectations

Tempeh has more in common with cheese than you may think. Moldy soybean cakes and buttery curds look nothing alike on the surface, granted, but look deeper. Fermented, full of good bacteria, they’re both naturally funky, umami, and sometimes pungent. For years, I had the hazy idea to make tempeh into cheese by blending it with cashews, though it turns out I was vastly overthinking things. Tempeh is already halfway to cheese-ification, straight out of the package.

Brine and Dine

Inspired by Vegan Scratch Kitchen, it turns out that the only thing separating tempeh from becoming a wedge of genuine cheese is a simple brine, as basic as if you were making refrigerator pickles. Mesmerized by the golden shreds raining down in the dappled sunlight of a cozy kitchen, I knew I had to try it… With modifications, of course.

The Secret Ingredient: Time

Though easy to a fault, it is time-consuming, only in the sense that you can’t plan on having cheese ready for your spaghetti dinner that same day. It’s all passive, waiting for the tempeh to soak, and then dry, requiring minimal effort at every step. For someone with low energy and a limited attention span, it’s a boon to realize your timer is going off and you’re already done.

Falling Short of Grate-ness

Admittedly, the one thing my tempeh cheese (AKA tempeh Parmesan, though not to be confused with the Italian dish typically involving eggplants or chicken) falls short on is its grate-ability. It just crumbles under pressure, which is honestly not a terrible thing. You can use the chunky crumbles in salad like little hunks of cheese, or pulse the whole thing in your food processor to make a fine powder like you’d find in the green cans. I came to prefer this approach, since you can add in extra nooch in this step and boost the cheesy flavor accordingly.

Top This

For a cheesy topping that imitates dairy-based Parmesan, you can’t do any better than this novel, plant-based approach. Made from only whole foods, it’s a high-protein, gluten-free dynamo packed with probiotics, and most importantly, bold flavor!

Continue reading “Grate Expectations” →

Hannah (BitterSweet)8 Comments

Marvelously Mundane

I can’t tell you a single thing I learned in my classes about Art History, but I can tell you in detail about where I went to lunch after. My forgetfulness is unsurprising, but the fact that I’ve dedicated so much brain space to a completely forgettable meal is genuinely infuriating. I’ll be the first to say that neither the eatery nor my order are or were special. Lemonade LA is like an expensive cafeteria for tech bros and hipsters that want to make healthier choices, short of bringing their own food to work. Assemble a tray of cold or hot options and be on your way.

School Lunch in SF

When it first opened in downtown San Francisco, I was one of the first people in line. Anything to shake up the routine of schoolwork and endless commutes. Given the slim vegan options, I immediately lit upon the avocado and tomato salad. It’s every bit as boring as it sounds: avocado, tomato, pine nuts, and lime vinaigrette. Perhaps it was comforting at least in part because it was so unremarkable. Fresh, rich, and satisfying, every single time.

All-Purpose Avocados

It’s the kind of thing you absolutely do not need a recipe for, yet it can be a helpful reminder in times of need. Need something for an impromptu happy hour, pot luck, or unannounced dinner guest? It’s a salad, yes, but also a side dish, salsa, topping, and plant-based ceviche, if you’re feeling fancy.

Serving Suggestions

That’s to say, you can serve it with chips like a dip, or heaped on top of toast. Toss in chickpeas or diced tofu for protein, or add more veggies like sliced hearts of palm, steamed asparagus, or roasted broccoli. Toss with chilled pasta or leafy green to make it a bigger, complete meal. Double it for a crowd or halve it to eat two servings at once, because for all it can do, it can’t do everything, and doesn’t keep well.

The Basic Blueprint

Here’s your cheat sheet. I’ve improvised and simplified the original approach considerably over the years, so trust me when I say that you can’t mess it up. Juicy tomatoes tossed with buttery cubes of ripe avocado, doused in bright citrus will never do you wrong.

Continue reading “Marvelously Mundane” →

Hannah (BitterSweet)6 Comments

The Joy of Food

Food should be a thing of joy. It should be a catalyst of joy; an acknowledgement and celebration of joy; the embodiment of joy that can be felt, seen, and fully experienced. Food Joy: Over 100 Vegan Recipes that Delight the Senses, Nourish the Body, and Uplift the Spirit by Tess Challis pays homage to exactly that, sharing the recipes and principles behind creating unconditional happiness, every step of the way.

As a plant-based cookbook first and foremost, you’ll find the usual range of snacks, soups, salads, entrees, breakfasts, and sweets, all made with whole foods. From this holistic approach, health and wellness are critical components of fostering joy, not tiresome obligations that come at the expense of it. Simple techniques are leveraged to yield quietly spectacular results, meeting cooks of all skill levels where they are.

I had the privilege of photographing and designing the book, watching the journey unfold as Tess worked her magic. It’s her ninth publication, but the first with contributions from her daughter, Alethea, balancing family favorites with fresh inspiration. That means miso soup with a bold citrus infusion, personal pizzas made with flourless, air fried crusts, and creamy mac and cheese boasting more protein than your average filet.

Every page radiates warmth, from the heartfelt anecdotes to the vivid, inviting imagery that captures each dish in its most irresistible moment. There’s a soulfulness to Food Joy that transcends the recipes themselves. Each one feels like a love letter to comfort, creativity, and connection. Whether you’re drawn in by the golden glow of air-fried turmeric cauliflower or the playful elegance of a layered chia pudding parfait, there’s a genuine sense that you’re being welcomed into something special, something deeply personal.

Tess encourages readers to embrace the process, to savor the chopping and stirring as much as the final bite. With Alethea’s voice sprinkled throughout, there’s a multi-generational dialogue that reminds us joy can be passed down, shared, and reinvented. Food Joy is nourishment in every sense of the word: physical, emotional, and yes, even spiritual.

Hannah (BitterSweet)9 Comments