Category: Food

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

Portraits and Paella

Cultivating an appreciation for portrait and people photography is one thing, and actually producing decent images on the subject is another entirely. It wouldn’t matter if not for the demands of various photography classes, most of which seem to be written with only one type of student in mind. Either everyone with a camera dreams of growing up to become a high school prom photographer, or some of these lessons are really missing the mark. Where is the passion for still life and commercial photography I find myself immersed in everywhere else? Sure, those basic lighting techniques taught with any sort of subject will prove handy once applied to other disciplines of the art form, but for now, courses entitled “People Photography” sound like one full semester of torture. Forced to face this glaringly weak point in my toolbox of skills, it’s turned out to be a learning experience in more ways than expected so far.

Just before winter break, the final project for a certain “Location Lighting” class demanded numerous shots of people and things in all different places, making for a mad dash around town with unwieldy light stands and giant reflectors in tow. Ultimately, I’m pretty sure it was one particular shot, taken within the comfort of my aunt and uncle’s home, that truly secured my grade.

The take-away lesson from this experience? Make the picture about food anyway! By adding this element of interest, and with the help of my very patient and tolerant Uncle Alberto, it was no longer the same frustrating process of trying to make a scene out of nothing. Now there was a story, and a subject I knew how to work with.

And let me tell you a bit about that subject: Paella. Vegan paella, packed full of fresh vegetables and vibrant yellow grains of rice, all infused with saffron. Redolent of onions and garlic, it’s a simple yet classic dish that must not be underestimated. Though there was a more traditional, seafood-filled version on the table alongside this one, I couldn’t help but notice that everyone seemed to have at least a scoop of the veggie version on their plates, too.

That would have been the end of this story, but then, for my birthday, a wonderful gift fell into my hands… My very own paella pan.

Thank goodness I already had a tried-and-true recipe to turn to, because I wanted to fire up that stove right away! My only alteration was to add a dash of smoked paprika, because I just can’t get enough of that stuff. The beauty of this dish is that it’s endlessly versatile, and pretty much any vegetables hanging out in the fridge will do just fine. Consider throwing in a drained and rinsed can of chickpeas for a bit more protein, too.

Yield: Makes 6 – 8 Servings

Uncle Alberto's Vegan Paella

Uncle Alberto's Vegan Paella

Vegan paella, packed full of fresh vegetables and vibrant saffron rice, is a simple yet classic dish that's bursting with flavor. This is the version my uncle taught me to make using entirely traditional plant-based ingredients.

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 35 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes

Ingredients

  • 3 Tablespoons Olive Oil, Divided
  • 4 Cups Brussels Sprouts, Halved
  • 4 Cups Other Assorted Raw Vegetables, such as Asparagus, Red Peppers, Zucchini, Mushrooms, and/or Artichoke Hearts
  • 1 Medium Yellow Onion, Diced
  • 3 Cloves Garlic, Minced
  • 2 Cups Medium Grain Rice
  • 4 Cups Vegetable Broth
  • 1 Teaspoons Salt
  • 1/4 Teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
  • 1 Teaspoon Smoked Paprika
  • 1 Large Pinch Saffron
  • 2 Cups Frozen Peas
  • Lemon Wedges, to Serve

Instructions

  1. Saute Brussels sprouts with 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, a pinch of salt and pepper until cooked with hints of browning. Lightly saute the other vegetables for about 5 minutes and season to taste. Remove from pan and set aside.
  2. In a paella pan or large skillet on the stove top, heat the remaining olive oil and cook the diced onion and garlic over low heat. Once translucent, add the paprika and saffron, and stir well. Add rice and saute for approximately 1 minute. Add Brussels sprouts, vegetables, and broth and bring mixture to a low boil. Season with 1 teaspoon of salt and 1/4 teaspoon of pepper, stir and cover.
  3. Cook for approx 20 minutes over low-med heat until the liquid has mostly been absorbed. Add frozen peas, stir into the rice, cover and cook for an additional 10 minutes.
  4. Serve in paella dish with lemon wedges.

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:

8

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 202Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 667mgCarbohydrates: 32gFiber: 7gSugar: 8gProtein: 7g

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: Spanish / Category: Main Dishes and Entrees

 

Hannah (BitterSweet)29 Comments

Heart Beets

Unromantic and full of teenage angst, I’ve hated Valentine’s Day with a passion for the better part of my “adult” life. Back in middle school, while all the other kids were still crafting cute cards to share amongst friends, I went home and embroidered the words “Love Bites” in sparkly seed beads on a black t-shirt. Paired with inky-black dyed hair and baggy pants approximately eight sizes too large for my frame, it was the perfect ensemble that said Don’t even think about talking to me today. I was simply charming as a child.

Though still fairly bitter about the rampant commercialism inherent in most Valentine’s Day celebrations, forced sentimentalism, and being single in general, I’ve warmed considerably to the concept since then. Instead of writing it off as a couples-only event, it’s become more about appreciating the people I care about most in my life, be it my mom, my dad, my dog, or what have you. Sure, there’s a good bit of love shared everyday so a holiday needn’t be necessary, but isn’t it nice to have a legitimate excuse to spoil these wonderful people more than normal? That’s my new understanding of Valentine’s Day.

The perfect V-Day dinner isn’t full of supposed aphrodisiacs or drenched in fine wine; It’s all about the care that goes into preparation. Pierogi, a delight that rarely if ever graces our table, sounded like the ideal dish. More involved than your average weeknight meal, shaping each individual potato pillow must be created with great attention to detail. If that sort of dedication doesn’t say “I love you and I want to feed you very well tonight,” then I don’t know what does.

A casual affair through and through, it’s the gesture that speaks louder than words. You don’t need to make your pierogi shaped like fussy hearts (although you certainly could) because it says enough that you would make them from scratch. Better yet, these are no average pierogi…

Made to match the occasion, they’re stuffed with an alluring pink filling of red beets and mashed potato! That savory, earthy flavor paired with the lightly herbaceous wrapping is simply irresistible, especially when pan-fried and paired with a smidgen of vegan “sour cream” on the side. Of course, you could go the healthier route and boil them more like ravioli, but come on, live a little- Treat your loved ones to a truly special meal!

Blushing Beets Pierogi

Blushing Beets Pierogi

These homemade pierogi are stuffed with an alluring pink filling of red beets and mashed potato! That savory, earthy flavor paired with the lightly herbaceous wrapping is simply irresistible, especially when pan-fried and paired with a smidgen of vegan sour cream on the side. Of course, you could go the healthier route and boil them more like ravioli, but come on, live a little; Treat your loved ones to a truly special meal!

Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Additional Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 50 minutes

Ingredients

Herbed Pierogi Dough:

  • 2 3/4 Cups All Purpose Flour
  • 1 Tablespoon Dried Parsley
  • 1 1/2 Teaspoons Dried Dill Weed
  • 1 Teaspoon Dried Basil
  • 1 Teaspoon Salt
  • 3/4 Cup Plain Greek-Style Vegan Yogurt or Vegan Sour Cream
  • 1/4 Cup Water
  • 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil

Beet and Potato Filling:

  • 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil
  • 1 Medium Red Onion, Diced
  • 1/3 Cup Sauerkraut, Drained
  • 1/2 Pound Peeled, Cooked and Cubed Yukon Gold Potatoes
  • 1/2 Pound Peeled, Cooked and Finely Chopped Red Beets
  • 1/4 Cup Plain Greek-Style Vegan Yogurt or Vegan Sour Cream
  • Salt and Pepper to Taste

To Cook (Optional):

  • 3 - 4 Tablespoons Vegan Butter or Coconut Oil

Instructions

  1. Prepare the dough by combining the flour, dried herbs, and salt in a large bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer.  Separately, mix together the vegan yogurt, water, and oil before pouring these wet ingredients in as well.  Stir thoroughly until the mixture comes together into a cohesive dough, and then turn it out onto a lightly floured surface.  Knead by hand for 5 – 10 minutes, until smooth and elastic. Wrap in plastic and let rest for 30 minutes so the gluten can relax, which will allow it to roll out more easily. Set aside.
  2. Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a medium skillet, and add in the diced onion when hot.  Saute for 5 – 8 minutes on medium heat, until softened and beginning to brown around the edges.  Add the sauerkraut, and cook for just 1 or 2 more minutes.  Turn off the heat, and combine the contents of your skillet with the cooked potatoes, beets, and yogurt in a medium bowl. Mash together until creamy but still good and chunky, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Let cool for at least 20 minutes before assembling your pierogi.
  3. NOTE: You can prepare both components up to this point up to one day in advance. Just wrap the dough up tightly, stash the filling in an air-tight container, and store both in the fridge.
  4. Roll out your dough as thinly as possible, pausing to allow it to rest if it continues to spring back and resist rolling thinner. Cut it out into equal circles with a 3-inch round cookie cutter. Re-roll scraps and repeat.
  5. Place 1 – 2 teaspoons of filling in the center of each circle, paint a dab of water around the edge, and seal into half-moon shapes. Crimp the outer edges with a fork to secure.
  6. NOTE: You can again pause here and freeze the pierogi for up to a month. Just line them up on a baking sheet so that none are touching, and let them chill down in the freezer until solid. Transfer to a zip-lock bag or an air-tight container, label clearly, and fit them back into the freezer until you’re ready to enjoy. Don’t defrost; cook them as you normally would, but allow a few extra minutes.
  7. To cook, slide them in a large pot of salted, simmering water for 5 – 9 minutes (up to 15 minutes if frozen), or until they float. Cook only 12 at a time so that you don’t crowd the pot. Remove gently with a slotted spoon. Serve, or for the more indulgent option, pan-fry them in the optional vegan butter or coconut oil until each side is golden brown; about 5 – 8 minutes. Enjoy with someone (or many someones) that you love!

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:

50

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 62Total Fat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 72mgCarbohydrates: 9gFiber: 1gSugar: 2gProtein: 2g

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: Polish / Category: Main Dishes and Entrees

 

Hannah (BitterSweet)50 Comments

Smoke and Mirrors

ISO 100, f/3.5 @ 1/125 second

Canon Digital Rebel XTi
Canon EF50mm f/1.2L USM
Calumet Genesis 200 strobe with rectangular softbox

Steam rising from a dish tells a powerful and immediately understood story: This food is hot, freshly prepared, and waiting for you to dig in right away. Few elements can elicit an appetite response as readily, even when the viewer is far removed from the scene itself. Let’s not forget what an elegant, dreamlike quality it can add to an image, thinking of it purely as an artistic element. No wonder why the above image garnered so many comments and questions! Capturing that natural steam, rather than Photoshopping it in after the fact, is so difficult that most professionals don’t even attempt it. It’s simply easier and yields more consistent results to hire a post-processing genius and paint in a smokey plume exactly as desired. However for the creative photographer up for a challenge, it’s completely possible and well worth experimenting with.

There are a few key elements for successfully photographing something as elusive as steam:

  • Use a dark background so that the smoke or steam stands out. Sadly, you will never be successful with this technique shooting on white. Think high contrast, high drama!
  • Arrange the set so that you have a bright back light or side light. Don’t use too much fill light, because you’ll flatten out all the detail, rather than show off the textures.
  • Most critical of all, have everything on the set arranged as you want it before you start cooking, so that you don’t have to fiddle around with the composition when the food is ready. That also means getting the right exposure (or at least, dialing it in as closely as possible) so you can just pick up the camera and start shooting. That is very important because…
  • You must shoot the food IMMEDIATELY! Don’t give it a chance to cool, don’t fuss around styling it for ages; just plate it and shoot it. A more casual approach works well for most steam shots, because they look like “a slice of life,” being served just as you might see it at home.
  • Don’t over-think it, and don’t psych yourself out. Yes, you must work quickly, but that’s no reason to freak out. If it doesn’t work, you’ll still get delicious images, just without the steam.

Perhaps the biggest secret of all, though, is that the food or drink doesn’t actually have to be hot or steaming. Yep, it’s true, I did cheat on the above photo. That coffee was about room temperature through and through. The trouble with faking it is the risk that your results won’t look as natural, but it’s a fun technique worth playing with at least once. Now, you’ll have to suspend your doubts for a moment and listen with an open mind, because that steam that seems to be rising from the coffee cup? … It came from a tampon, nuked in the microwave.

An unused, brand new tampon, of course! Soaked in water for a minute and then microwaved for 60 – 90 seconds until steaming, I hid it as well as possible just behind the mug and snapped away. As I circled in white above, you can see the tiny shadow that I couldn’t quite avoid, and then what it looked like on the set. (I placed the tampon in a jar lid so that it didn’t get the decorative paper wet.)

Adding steam separately like this gives you the advantage of working with food prepared in advance, and shooting multiple times without reheating and over-cooking the food itself. Plus, you won’t get any condensation on the rim of bowls or glasses. Just be sure to hide that tampon very well- It might be somewhat tricky to explain to the casual viewer.

Spelling out the setup here: I used a large softbox for the key light to the back-left of the set, a white board to bounce light back into the side, and then sunlight was the main light that came in through the window at the back-right corner. No mirrors were used to avoid strange circular highlights on the glass.

Trust me, it’s not nearly as tricky or complicated as it may seem at first!  Have you successfully photographed steam? Do you think you’d try it now?

Hannah (BitterSweet)26 Comments

Can’t Hold a Candle to This Cookbook

Is the suspense getting to you, too? Well your patience will be rewarded, because we have a winner! I wish I could give everyone a copy of the beautiful and inspiring Candle 79 Cookbook, but barring some crazy lottery miracle, I’ll have to settle for sharing a small taste.

Do yourself a favor and click through to check out the Heirloom Tomato-Avocado Tartare. Easy enough to whip up for dinner at the last minute, this dish will effortlessly jazz up the average weeknight meal. Even if you slap it on the table with only a bowlful of tortilla chips on the side, I don’t think anyone would bat an eyelash. It’s just that good.

Back to the main event: As chosen by the wise and all-powerful random number generator, our giveaway winner today is…

~Kris J.- You’ll be able to try those Moroccan-Spiced Chickpea Cakes for yourself now. Congrats!

Hannah (BitterSweet)11 Comments

Winter Tomatoes

Considering how much I already enjoy rambling on about the weather, past, present, and future, I can only imagine what a hoot I’ll be by the time I’m 80 and mostly senile. Every conversation will begin and end with the forecast, as reliably timed as the news stations themselves. Who knows, maybe I just inadvertently stumbled upon a whole new gig for when I retire.

Regardless, it seems that everyone is gossiping about the atmospheric conditions lately. 50-degree days in late January, immediately followed by sleet, later to be washed away for another sunny afternoon? It’s the best sort of madness, removing the fangs from a brutal winter season while keeping things exciting. Scores of sunny days in a row make it seem like spring is just around the corner, and I can’t help but feel optimistic that we put the worst behind us way back in October. Unfortunately, the growing season is now lagging far behind my cravings for fresh produce.

Glistening red orbs of heirloom tomatoes taunt from pristine display towers, looking every bit as viable as the misshapen turnips and beets just down the aisle. Winter tomatoes, which sounds like the butt of a joke, tempt me like never before, and with the warmth of an unseasonably bright sun on my side, I can’t resist this time.

Condensing those savory fruits into a pure and fresh elixir seemed like the best approach, and nothing says “refreshing” quite like home-pressed juice. Inspired by the classic Bloody Mary, this virgin drink is not nearly so gruesome, and so much lighter and brighter than the original.

Yield: 2 Servings

Bloodless Mary

Bloodless Mary

Lighter and brighter than your typical Bloody Mary, this fresh vegetable elixir is incredibly refreshing, rather than intoxicating.

Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes

Ingredients

  • 4 Large, Ripe Tomatoes
  • 1 Ounce Fresh Parsley
  • 1 Very Small Clove Garlic (Optional)
  • 2 Stalks Celery
  • 1 Medium Cucumber or 4 - 6 Big Leaves Romaine
  • 1/4 Lemon, Seeded
  • 1/2 Inch Fresh Ginger
  • 1 Teaspoon Braggs Liquid Aminos
  • 1/4 Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper
  • Freshly Ground Black Pepper, to Taste

Instructions

  1. If you have a juicer, simply run all of the veggies through skim off the foam. Stir in aminos and both ground peppers.
  2. For those working with a blender, toss everything in, except for the lemon. Squeeze the juice from it first before discarding the rind. Turn it on high speed and process until completely smooth. Pass the liquid through a fine mesh strainer or nut milk bag and discard the solids.
  3. Garnish with lemon slices, celery stalks, cucumber spears, or any sort of pickled veggies. Drink up!

Notes

For a Full-Blooded version, simply add 2 teaspoons light agave nectar and 1/4 cup (2 ounces) vodka.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

2

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 111Total Fat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 67mgCarbohydrates: 24gFiber: 8gSugar: 13gProtein: 6g
© Hannah Kaminsky
Cuisine: American / Category: Beverages

Hannah (BitterSweet)16 Comments