Category: Food

Sweet Heat

Successful appetizers manage to pack serious taste sensation into a small, bite-sized package. When the food is eaten in one gulp, there’s no room for meek spices or filler of any sort. That’s where these easy, intensely flavorful little snacks come in. After an over-enthusiastic purchase that resulted in many leftover shishito peppers, I soon was forced to scheme up new ways to use up my bounty, beyond the traditional grilling method. Contrasting flavors were the name of the game, and so I turned to the humble sweet potato. The gentle sweetness of those orange-fleshed tubers seems to both accentuate and mellow the heat of those green chiles, effortlessly adding another dimension. Despite how deceptively easily they come together, they’re quite complex in flavor, and had me reaching for a second, and a third, before I knew it.

Yield: Makes 25 - 30 Stuffed Pepper Halves

Shishito Pepper Poppers

Shishito Pepper Poppers

The gentle sweetness of those orange sweet potatoes both accentuates and mellows the heat of shishito peppers, effortlessly adding another dimension of flavor to this effortless app.

Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Additional Time 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 Pound Sweet Potatoes, Peeled and Cubed
  • 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
  • Salt and Pepper
  • 1/2 Pound Shishito Peppers
  • 1 Canned Chipotle in Adobo, Finely Minced
  • 1/4 Cup Coconut Milk
  • 1 Tablespoon Vegan Butter or Coconut Oil, Melted
  • 1 Tablespoon Dark Brown Sugar, Firmly Packed
  • 1/4 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
  • Pinch Cayenne Pepper (Optional)
  • Chopped Walnuts or Pecans (Optional)
  • Chopped Fresh Parsley or Cilantro, for Garnish

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees, and line a baking sheet with a silpat, aluminum foil, or parchment paper.
  2. Toss the peeled cubes of sweet potato and with the oil and a pinch each of salt and pepper so that the pieces are all evenly coated. Spread them out on your prepared baking sheet in one even layer, and roast until fork-tender and lightly browned around the edges; about 20 – 30 minutes. Transfer to a large bowl and let cool for at least 5 – 10 minutes before proceeding, so that they’re easier to handle.
  3. Meanwhile, you can go ahead and prep your shishito peppers. Slice each on in half, and carefully remove the seeds and white inner membrane. Set aside.
  4. To complete the filling, take your roasted potatoes and add the minced chipolte, coconut milk, butter or coconut oil, sugar, and cinnamon. Mash thoroughly, until mostly smooth but with a few small chunks remaining for texture. If you really like it hot, go ahead and add in cayenne pepper, to taste, but bear in mind that the shishitos will add a good deal of spice to the party, too. For a crunchy contrast, toss in a handful of finely chopped nuts, in desired. Fold in so that the pieces are well distributed.
  5. Spoon or pipe the mashed sweet potatoes into your halved peppers. You may have leftover filling, but it makes for a fantastic side dish all on its own, too. Line up the stuffed peppers on the same baking sheet you just used. No need to clean it; the leftover oil will help to prevent the peppers from sticking. Bake for about 15 minutes, until the peppers have wilted slightly and are tender. Let cool before serving, top with parsley or cilantro if desired, and serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes

Feel free to increase the heat by using jalapenos instead of shishito peppers.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 121Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 55mgCarbohydrates: 14gFiber: 2gSugar: 6gProtein: 1g

All nutritional information presented within this site are intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information on BitterSweetBlog.com should only be used as a general guideline. This information is provided as a courtesy and there is no guarantee that the information will be completely accurate. Even though I try to provide accurate nutritional information to the best of my ability, these figures should still be considered estimates.

© Hannah Kaminsky
Cuisine: Japanese / Category: Starters and Snacks

Hannah (BitterSweet)28 Comments

In [Lemon] Mint Condition

Years ago, back when a trip to Grandma and Grandpa’s house really was a trek through the woods, and quite a few miles, I would spend the long car ride anticipating all of the goodies to come. Nothing less than the perfect grandparents, they kept their home stocked with the foods that my young, underdeveloped palate adored, and often was denied in most circumstances. It was as if they went grocery shopping with just us kids in mind.

Cabinets stacked high with dried pasta, we could have chosen a new shape each visit and still have never run out of new whimsical noodles to try. Candy dishes decorated every spare flat surface, and I recall on more than one occasion slipping away to “play piano” in order to get dibs on the mint chocolates stashed on the glossy wooden lid.

Best of all, though, was the spare fridge in the basement. That’s where the real treasure was hidden: the cookies.

Perhaps they had a penchant for buying in bulk, but it seemed as though there were never fewer than a half-dozen open packages to pick at. Eaten right away, with the refrigerator’s cool breath still clinging to them, chilling each morsel to the core, it was a unique experience that made even mundane, store-bought baked goods seem somehow special.

My absolute favorites were the big, crisp cookies covered in so much powdered sugar that you couldn’t help but spray some of the white sweetness all over your clothes, and the surrounding furniture, as you ate. I never learned the name of those cookies and haven’t seen the exact ones since, but they sound a whole lot like the discontinued lemon coolers, a classic Girl Scouts offering.

With the annual Girl Scouts’ harassment in full-swing, these sweets immediately came to mind, and I couldn’t resist a little trip down memory lane. A bit more grown up than those original cookies, my version adds a bright splash of peppermint to the party, replicating that cooling sensation I enjoyed so much. For the full experience, you’ve simply got to store them in the fridge… Although considering how easy they are to eat, I can’t promise that will allow them to last any longer!

Yield: Makes 2 Dozen Cookies

Lemon-Mint Cooler Cookies

Lemon-Mint Cooler Cookies

Covered in powdered sugar with a bright splash of citrus and cooling peppermint, these are invigorating little morsels to enjoy. For the full experience, try eating them straight out of the fridge.

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Additional Time 5 minutes
Total Time 5 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1/2 Cup Vegan Butter
  • 1/3 Cup Granulated Sugar
  • Zest of 1 Lemon
  • 2 – 4 Drops Peppermint Oil or 1/4 – 1/2 Teaspoons Peppermint Extract
  • 1/4 Teaspoon Salt
  • 1 1/2 Cups All Purpose Flour
  • 1/4 Teaspoon Baking Soda
  • 2 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
  • 1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla
  • 1/2 Cup Confectioner’s Sugar

Instructions

  1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line two baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper. Set aside.
  2. In the bowl of your stand mixer, thoroughly cream together the butter and granulated sugar using the paddle attachment. Pause periodically to scrape down the side of the bowl as necessary.
  3. Once the mixture is homogeneous and fluffy, add in the lemon zest, peppermint, and salt, and mix to combine. Introduce the flour and baking soda next, starting the mixer on a slow speed until the flour is mostly incorporated, to prevent the dry goods from flying out and re-decorating the kitchen.
  4. Finally, add the lemon juice and vanilla. It may seem as though the mixture is too dry to come together, but be patient and keep mixing; it will eventually form cohesive dough. Resist the urge to add more liquid!
  5. Scoop out walnut-sized balls and roll them between your palms to achieve smooth spheres. Place them at least 1-inch apart on your prepared baking sheets, and flatten them out slightly.
  6. Bake for 12 – 15 minutes, or until the bottom edges just begin to brown. Carefully pull the cookie-topped baking sheets off of the hot sheet pans, and let rest for 5 minutes before tossing them in the confectioner’s sugar.
  7. Let cool completely before enjoying. Better yet, store them in the fridge for an even more cooling treat!

Recommended Products

Please note that some of the links above are affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you decide to make a purchase after clicking through the link. I have experience with all of these companies and I recommend them because they are helpful and useful, not because of the small commissions I make if you decide to buy something through my links.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

24

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 89Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 10mgSodium: 66mgCarbohydrates: 12gFiber: 0gSugar: 5gProtein: 1g

All nutritional information presented within this site are intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information on BitterSweetBlog.com should only be used as a general guideline. This information is provided as a courtesy and there is no guarantee that the information will be completely accurate. Even though I try to provide accurate nutritional information to the best of my ability, these figures should still be considered estimations.

© Hannah Kaminsky
Cuisine: American / Category: Cookies and Bars

Hannah (BitterSweet)43 Comments

February, Quite Contrary

Writing about a month that’s nearly over and full of contradictions isn’t easy. Try as I might, on this bonus leap year day, I can’t find the words to sum it all up in one neat little package. Back in December, I thought I was being so clever when I prepared a batch of my favorite hearty, warming dishes, creating ample blog fodder for the brutal winter to come. Now I have a stock pile of main meals that are just a bit too rich for most days- Thank you very much, fickle Mother Nature. Still, inconsistent to the very end, there’s talk of snow in today’s forecast again today, so I’m seizing the opportunity to trot out a genuine belly-warmer while I still can.

It was something mentioned in an interview, an offhand comment that I forgot about as soon as I said it. A dish that I often would whip up for myself for a quick dinner, something easy to eat, and admittedly, almost embarrassing to spill the details about. You know those meals that you love but would never serve to anyone else? That was this curry.

Although it was undeniably inspired by Sri Lankan curry, featuring cashews soaked for hours to lend them a uniquely creamy yet toothsome texture, I figured that people of more standard food preferences may find that approach a bit unappealing. Naturally, this was the comment that most readers picked up on and asked about, clamoring for a recipe. So here I am, sharing my secret semi-junky, completely inauthentic comfort food curry that was never intended to be shared in the spotlight. Lesson learned: Be careful what culinary sins you casually divulge on the internet.

Thankfully, it’s far from beyond saving, and a few small adaptions can make it more agreeable to pickier customers. Don’t soak the cashews to keep them crunchier, or swap them out altogether for beans to create a lighter dish. All the rest is pretty standard, but it’s gotten me out of a dinner jam more times than I can recall. When I think of comfort food, this recipe is high on my list.

Yield: Serves 4 - 5 Solo; 6 - 7 with a Grain Accompaniment

Sri Lankan-Inspired Cashew Curry

Sri Lankan-Inspired Cashew Curry

Quick, comforting, warm, and flavorful, this unique curry features soaked cashews that take on a creamy yet toothsome texture. It's a rich and satisfying dish for any day of the week.

Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Additional Time 2 hours
Total Time 2 hours 35 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 Cups Whole, Raw Cashews*, Optionally Soaked for 2 Hours
  • 1 Tablespoon Olive or Coconut Oil
  • 1 Large Yellow Onion, Diced
  • 3 - 4 Cloves Garlic, Minced
  • 1 Inch Fresh Ginger, Peeled and Minced
  • 1/2 Cup Vegetable Stock or Water
  • 2 - 3 Tablespoons Madras Curry Powder
  • 1 Large Sweet Potato or 2 Medium, Peeled and Chopped
  • 2 Medium Zucchinis, Halved Lengthwise and Chopped
  • 1 14-Ounce Can Light Coconut Milk
  • 1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce
  • 2 Cups Frozen Peas
  • Salt and Black Pepper, to Taste
  • Cooked Rice, Quinoa, or Couscous to Serve (Optional)

Instructions

  1. Rinse and thoroughly drain you cashews if soaking (or beans, if canned); Set aside.
  2. In a large sauce pot over medium heat, warm the oil before adding in the diced onion. Stir occasionally to prevent sticking and burning, until soften and translucent; about 5 minutes.
  3. Add in the garlic and ginger, and continue to saute for 8 – 10 minutes longer, so that everything is very lightly caramelized and highly aromatic. De-glaze with the vegetable stock or water, being certain to scrape up any tasty brown bits that may be clinging to the bottom of the pot.
  4. Follow that addition with the cashews or beans, curry powder (to taste- I find it’s very mild and go with 3 tablespoons, but if preparing this for children, they may prefer the lesser amount), sweet potatoes, zucchinis, coconut milk, and soy sauce.
  5. Stir well to incorporate, cover, and simmer for about 15 minutes, until the sweet potatoes are fork-tender. Turn off the heat, and incorporate the peas, straight out of the freezer. No need to thaw, as they’ll immediately come up to temperature once they hit the hot curry. Add salt and pepper to taste, and serve immediately!

Notes

Leftovers reheat beautifully; just save in an airtight container in the fridge once fully cooled, and bring it back up to a simmer on the stove when you’re ready to eat. Add more water if necessary to thin out the stew.

*For a lower-fat (and lower-cost) alternative, substitute 2 – 3 cups cooked white kidney beans.

Recommended Products

Please note that some of the links above are affiliate links, and at no additional cost to you, I will earn a commission if you decide to make a purchase after clicking through the link. I have experience with all of these companies and I recommend them because they are helpful and useful, not because of the small commissions I make if you decide to buy something through my links.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

7

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 370Total Fat: 19gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 322mgCarbohydrates: 41gFiber: 7gSugar: 8gProtein: 12g

All nutritional information presented within this site are intended for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information on BitterSweetBlog.com should only be used as a general guideline. This information is provided as a courtesy and there is no guarantee that the information will be completely accurate. Even though I try to provide accurate nutritional information to the best of my ability, these figures should still be considered estimations.

© Hannah Kaminsky
Cuisine: Sri Lankan / Category: Main Dishes and Entrees

 

Hannah (BitterSweet)26 Comments

Alone in the Kitchen

Eating alone is one thing- The act of scarfing down a sloppy assemblage of discordant ingredients while on the run, a quiet moment stolen away from a hectic schedule, shared only with a soothing bowl of soup and sandwich- Just a small, acceptable aspect of the modern world we must make peace with. Whether these meals are a respite or a terribly lonely hour are all in the eye of the beholder, or should I say, mouth of the eater. Cooking alone, in my opinion is an entirely different subject though. When you make the conscious effort to cook something from scratch, taking into consideration exactly what you want to feed yourself with, it’s a far more meditative, nourishing experience than merely grabbing a solo bite between meetings.

It looks different for everyone, but eating alone for me means a bowl of cereal for dinner or reheated leftovers. Cooking alone, at least in the winter, means rich curries packed full of vegetables, hearty soups enriched with miso and nutritional yeast (vegan catnip, from my point of view), or red sauce, enriched with thick, creamy coconut milk and vodka.

A perfectly balanced dinner, it is not, but sometimes it’s the less healthy option that’s better for your soul. Rather than mope over previously picked over scraps, while away the night time hours by myself, I poured myself into making a simple vodka sauce, tending the pot while listening to music and allowing the savory scent of stewed tomatoes fill the entire house. Smooth, with a few chunks of diced tomatoes for a more satisfying texture, vodka sauce is a favorite that isn’t indulged in very often around here. More than anything else, this recipe is an effort in self-editing. Resist the urge to throw in garlic (Yes, must fight the temptation, at least the first time you try it!), keep the fancy herbs at bay, and stick to the basics. Time is the best seasoning in this case, so approach this sauce with plenty of patience in stock. Top it all off with a fine chiffonade of fresh basil if you absolutely must, but that’s it!

Pasta, that simple, starchy comfort food, naturally makes the best sort of base. Go for something tube-shaped to catch and hold on to all that creamy crimson goodness, and if you must pretend like you’re eating healthily, go ahead and toss in some chickpeas or baked tofu for protein.

With the scent of my carefully tended vodka sauce wrapping around me like a thick, soft blanket on a cold night, just like that, I didn’t feel so alone when it came time to eat.

Yield: 2 Quarts

Coconut Vodka Sauce

Coconut Vodka Sauce

Smooth, with a few chunks of diced tomatoes for a more satisfying texture, this vegan vodka sauce is enriched with coconut milk rather than heavy cream.

Ingredients

  • 1/2 Cup Coconut Oil, Melted
  • 1 Large Onion, Finely Minced
  • 1 Cup Vodka
  • 2 28-Ounce Cans Diced Tomatoes
  • 1 14-Ounce Can Full-Fat Coconut Milk
  • Salt and Pepper, to Taste

Instructions

  1. In a large saucepan over medium heat, saute the onion in the melted coconut oil until softened and just beginning to take on a brown color. De-glaze with the vodka, stir well, and let cook for 10 minutes. Mix in canned tomatoes, juice and all, and bring the mixture up to a rapid bubble. Reduce the heat to medium-low to keep the sauce at a steady, low simmer, and cook for another 30 minutes. Pour in coconut milk and cook for a final 30 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper, but be generous with both. Transfer half of the sauce to a blender and puree, or hit it with the immersion blender until it reaches your desired consistency. Be sure to leave it slightly chunky.
  2. Serve while hot, or store in an air-tight container in the fridge after cooling, for up to a week.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

16

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 161Total Fat: 12gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 136mgCarbohydrates: 5gFiber: 2gSugar: 3gProtein: 1g
© Hannah Kaminsky
Cuisine: Italian / Category: Dips, Dressings, Sauces, Spreads, and Condiments

Hannah (BitterSweet)40 Comments

Blissfully Delicious

For such a highly-regarded and lauded brand, you’d think it would be a snap to launch new flavors to an existing, successful line of products, to have them gobbled up by an eagerly waiting and hungry fan base. Well, at least half of that statement is true… Coconut Bliss ice creams have always been an easy sell, boasting organic, fair trade, and generally wholesome ingredients, but finding those frozen pints can be another matter entirely. Just as four exciting new flavors were scheduled to launch, disaster struck, and a coconut shortage meant that there wasn’t much Bliss to go around. After waiting for nearly a year and only being able to secure one of those new offerings, I decided to focus on the existing, available flavors instead of only those latest additions. Surely, there was still plenty of delicious ice cream to discover beyond those freshest flavors! Especially considering my latest cookbook venture, it seemed only fair that I get a good taste of the commercially available competition, after all.

Caramel Ginger Cookie, the one new ice cream offering I managed to get my hands on, promises great things even with a merely casual glance. An abundance of cookie pieces are swirled into each easily scooped spoonful, with a thin ribbon of caramel not far behind. Though the base is unmistakably coconut flavored, the addition was not unwelcome here, adding depth and complexity to the light vanilla essence. Rather than providing a crunch, the cookie pieces had softened to an almost cake-like consistency through their trip to the deep freeze, but the rich molasses flavor and gentle warming spices still brought a delightful contrast to the ice cream overall. If only that gooey stripe of caramel was slightly darker, tasting just slightly more burnt, it would be practically perfect.

Failing to find the Mocha Maca Crunch I so desperately craved, I turned instead to another favorite combination, found in the Mint Chip Galactica. Tiny shards of delicate chocolate flakes are strewn throughout the snowy white pint, looking for all the world like a negative photo of a galaxy of chocolate stars, instantly explaining the creative title. Cool, refreshing mint flavor carries this ice cream, tasting like fresh mint leaves without veering into more grassy notes or toothpaste territory. Bright and curiously light considering the rich coconut base, it strikes me as the perfect snack to beat the heat on a summer’s day. The chocolate stracciatella is key to the success of this ice cream, lending a subtle bitter edge that makes the combination all the more satisfying. Sweetened just enough to balance out the pint, it’s like my childhood mint chocolate chip, but all grown up.

Finally, I needed a full-fledged chocolate experience, so I dove into the Chocolate Hazelnut Fudge ice cream with abandon. Sweetened once again with a light hand, this is a strong, slightly bitter chocolate offering for mature palates. Not exactly a full-bodied, rounded chocolate flavor but a really intense cocoa instead, it still covers up the coconut flavor more thoroughly than the previous two pints, making it a more attractive option to those not so crazy about coconuts. Small pieces of hazelnut are hidden within, adding good crunch but seeming to lack in that deep, toasted flavor I craved. However, hands down, the fudge swirl makes this flavor worth a second scoop, adding a delightful gooey texture, and an extra punch of flavor every now and then. Perhaps it’s not one for the kids, but who says you would want to part with even a spoonful in the first place?

Far richer than most vegan ice creams found in the mainstream marketplace, tasting Coconut Bliss for the first time is like discovering super-premium ice cream when you’re accustomed to bulk economy quarts. Though notably pricier than many other options out there, a smaller scoop is likely sufficient to satisfy even the most voracious sweet tooth, so it all evens out with careful portioning. That is, if you can resist the strong temptation to indulge in just a bit more Bliss.

Hannah (BitterSweet)34 Comments

Coming to a Newsstand Near You

A new pair of months means a new VegNews, and for the March/April issue, it also means a new My Sweet Vegan column! After what felt like an inordinately long break, it’s time to break out the sugar and salt shaker, because I’m bringing the sweet and and the salty together for two easy, palate-pleasing candies.

Potato Chip Chocolate Truffles may steal the show, their intense, dark chocolate centers covered in crunchy shards of crushed potato chips, but Buttery Popcorn Brittle is not far behind in the lineup. Like kettle corn in one thick plank, it’s a new way to enjoy that classic theater snack with less muss and fuss. Both could be whipped up on a whim, and let me tell you, they make for excellent gifts… If you can bear to part with either treat.

In addition, I had the pleasure of shooting more savory delights by the lovely and talented Allison Samson. Bringing Cheesy Twice-Baked Potatoes to the party this time around, these rich spuds are not to be missed. Stuffed with creamy mashed potatoes and smothered in gooey “cheese” sauce, it may be tough to go back to plain baked potatoes after trying these tempting tubers.

Have you gotten your issue yet?  Of course, it’s packed full of other recipes, too, so there are plenty of equally attractive dishes to choose from.  What do you plan on making first?

Hannah (BitterSweet)23 Comments