Deconstructed and Reconstructed

Die-hard devotees may cry foul, but I happen to love seeing new renditions of classic dishes. The originals may stand the test of time, and retain their allure despite their newer, trendier counterparts, but times change and food changes with it. For example, falafel is a Middle Eastern staple that almost everyone can claim some sort of fondness for, but no one would want to eat it every day. If the palate fatigue doesn’t get to you, the heavy, greasiness of it all will. Though lusciously rich and filling, those golden fried orbs tend to sit in my stomach like leaden golf balls, encouraging naps soon after rather than resumed productivity- Not exactly the thing to take in for lunch on a work day. After spending one too many afternoons in a falafel-induced daze, I knew that this was one tried-and-true meal in need of some reinvention.

Baked or raw falafel is certainly a worthy consideration, but for days when there’s barely enough time to get dressed and run out the door in the morning, let alone get something into the oven or dehydrator, I have just the alternative.

Still bearing all of the vibrant flavors and key components of your standard fried falafel, my falafel-inspired salad is considerably lighter on the stomach, and easier on an over-scheduled day. No cooking required, just mix and enjoy. Best of all, this assembly is just as tasty warm as it is cold, so it’s perfect packed lunch fodder. Highly satisfying and re-energizing, I daresay this more modern take on falafel has the edge on the competition… Should you crave that hand-held eating experience, you can even stuff it snugly into a pita, and enjoy it in a more “tradition” fashion!

Yield: Makes 4 - 5 Servings

Deconstructed Falafel Salad

Name: Deconstructed Falafel Salad
Prep time: 5 min
Total time: 5 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Israeli
Ingredients: 2 Cups Cooked Brown Rice; 1 15-Ounce Can Chickpeas; 1 Small Leek, Cleaned, Greens Removed and Thinly Sliced; 2 Cloves Roasted Garlic, Minced; 1/4 – 1/2 Cup Chopped Fresh Parsley; 1/4 – 1/2 Teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes; 2 Teaspoons Ground Cumin; 2 Teaspoons Ground Coriander; 3 Tablespoons Lemon Juice; 1 Tablespoon Flax Oil; Salt and Pepper, to Taste; 2 Tablespoons Sesame Seeds, Toasted

Bearing all of the vibrant flavors and key components of your standard
fried falafel, my falafel-inspired salad is considerably lighter on the
stomach, and easier on an over-scheduled day. No cooking required, just
mix and enjoy. Best of all, this assembly is just as tasty warm as it
is cold, so it’s perfect packed lunch fodder.

Prep Time 5 minutes

Total Time 5 minutes

Ingredients

Deconstructed Falafel Salad:

2 Cups Cooked Brown Rice
1 15-Ounce Can Chickpeas
1 Small Leek, Cleaned, Greens Removed and Thinly Sliced
2 Cloves Roasted Garlic, Minced
1/4 – 1/2 Cup Chopped Fresh Parsley
1/4 – 1/2 Teaspoon Red Pepper Flakes
2 Teaspoons Ground Cumin
2 Teaspoons Ground Coriander
3 Tablespoons Lemon Juice
1 Tablespoon Flax Oil
Salt and Pepper, to Taste
2 Tablespoons Sesame Seeds, Toasted

Instructions

Preparation for this one couldn’t be simpler- Just toss everything
together in a large bowl until the ingredients are well distributed and
evenly coated in spice, and either heat and serve, or cover and stash it
in the fridge until chilled. It will last up to 5 days refrigerated,
so you can make this at on Monday and enjoy it throughout the work week
with ease.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 282Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 289mgCarbohydrates: 45gFiber: 10gSugar: 4gProtein: 10g

January 19, 2011November 28, 2025

Hannah (BitterSweet)45 Comments

Smooth Operator

“Citrus fruits are some of the very few redeeming aspects of winter,” I declared with no uncertainty in my voice, immediately following yet another grating comment about all of the snow. Just as the novelty of trudging through dense, wet, frozen slush wears out quickly, so does one’s patience for hearing about it. So, instead of boring you with yet another long rant about how nasty this season has been behaving, let’s skip right to the good stuff, shall we?

Blood oranges, those elusive orange globes that masquerade as a standard Navel or Valencia, only reveal their true colors when sliced open. Crimson red, their juicy dips do look every bit as macabre as their name, but their flavor is so much more enticing. A bit sharper and more intense than their paler brethren, these babies are worth waiting all year for. Their season is pitifully short though, so enjoy them while you can- As soon as that snow starts to thaw, they’ll vanish from store shelves and farmers markets so fast, it will be like there never were blood oranges at all.

Though this sweet and tangy winter smoothie is a disarming shade of creamy pink, it actually tastes like a brilliant orange creamsicle. Thanks to the unusual hue, you could even get away with sneaking in a good splash of beet juice too, should you want to squeeze in a serving or two of veggies.

Yield: 1 - 2 Servings

Midwinter Morning's Dreamsicle (Blood Orange Smoothie)

Prep Time 5 minutes

Total Time 5 minutes

Ingredients

2 Blood Oranges
1 Frozen Banana
1 Cup Orange Juice
1/2 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
1/4 Teaspoon Ground Ginger
1 - 2 Tablespoons Light Agave Nectar (Optional, if you like it sweeter)

Instructions

Slice or peel away the skin from the oranges and remove any pips you should find. Toss the whole oranges, membrane and all into your blender, along with all of the remaining ingredients.
Blend on high for a minute or two until pureed and completely smooth. Enjoy with a straw for ultimate satisfaction (because smoothies really taste better slurped through a straw, of course.)

Notes

Standard navel oranges can be substituted, but the color won't be as rosy.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 237Total Fat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 5mgCarbohydrates: 59gFiber: 5gSugar: 41gProtein: 3g

January 17, 2011February 12, 2019

Hannah (BitterSweet)43 Comments

Nothing Fishy About It

Long gone is the notion that sushi, in all of its various interpretations, is exotic cuisine. Though still a fine delicacy in the right hands, the humble roll has also undergone detrimental adaptions to become easily accessible “fast food,” palatable to the crudest of tastes and tightest of budgets. Somewhere in the middle of that spectrum falls the everyday sort of sushi, an option that most people can imagine grabbing after a long day’s work, pretense not attached. Despite the nearly universal acceptance of this concept, once verboten due to the shocking raw fish at the heart of the concept, it still shocks some people that a vegan might partake as well. Composed not of uncooked aquatic creatures, but any fresh veggies under the sun, one would think that vegetable sushi should be brainlessly simple, not to mention far more budget-friendly for restaurateurs and diners alike. Alas, typically restricted to limp cucumbers and rapidly browning, mushy avocado, the vegetable rolls rarely impress, and fall depressingly short of their full potential.

Though I rarely feature local eateries, Miya’s Sushi in New Haven, CT is one place that anyone can take inspiration from, even if a trip there is out of the question. Boasting the most expansive and creative vegan sushi menu I know of, this is one restaurant where I know that I will not only be able to find a decent meal, but one worth remembering. Additionally, Miya’s holds the title as one of the most sustainable sushi stops in the US, an honor of no small importance even to those not partaking in the pescetarian options.

Flamboyant names like Charlie Chan’s Ching Chong Roll precede brilliantly filled bundles of their signature multigrain rice. Not the most descriptive perhaps, but one taste of the flavorful broccoli, roasted garlic, and black bean combo tucked within, and the somewhat questionable title can easily be forgiven.

Not to be missed is the Killer Squid Roll, which seeks to approximate the chewy texture of squid tentacles with toothsome lengths of tempura-fried udon. Marinated in mushroom stock, they even posses that elusive umami quality so hard to attain without the bonito usually ubiquitous in Japanese cooking. Request additional whole mushrooms in this one for an savory experience worth dreaming about. Though originally not one I had intended to order, it may have ultimately been my favorite of the evening.

Eggplant may not sound like the most sushi-friend vegetable, but cooked to a meltingly tender state and accented with spicy miso, avocado, and scallions as in the Mount Fuji Roll, even eggplant-haters will be won over by this artfully seasoned rendition.

Unphotographed but not to be forgotten in the It’s a Great Pumpkin, Miso soup, one of the very few vegan miso soups out there, and easily the only that I’ve tasted which possess such a depth of flavor. Replete with tiny bites of sweet pumpkin, it’s a must for every time I visit.

Not all of the vegetable options are vegan, as many involve cheese, but the staff at Miya’s are patient and graciously open to making substitutions when asked. Don’t get stuck in a veggie sushi rut ever again- Try something different, don’t be afraid to experiment with unorthodox rolls! Just hearing some of their ideas makes me want to try them out in my own kitchen, so no matter where you are in the world, their menu can be a springboard of inspiration.

January 14, 2011

Hannah (BitterSweet)36 Comments

Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fireplace…

For as few holiday traditions we keep in my family, the ones we do hold close are absolutely unshakable. If, for example, we didn’t throw at least a few fresh chestnuts on the still smoldering embers of our single yearly conflagration in the fireplace, I don’t know if the entire winter season would truly count. Simply sliced to allow the inner nutmeat to cook, wrapped up in foil like a hastily assembled present, it takes no more than five minutes to prepare and perhaps 20 to cook.

Emerging lightly charred and smoking hot, we sit around chatting as a family, cracking the chestnuts out of their shells and popping the rich, creamy centers in our mouths. The odd nut that won’t crack or turns out dry doesn’t dampen our spirits; back into the fire the rotten few go, along with the spent shells, coaxing the hungry flame to return. The nutty smell of the fire permeates the whole house, and eventually, when it’s time to turn in for bed, I have chestnut-flavored dreams.

Such inspiration is hard to resist, come morning. Although chestnuts aren’t commonly thought of as dessert ingredients in the US, it’s a real shame, since the mildly sweet flavor and richness makes it a perfect match with sugar, and of course all sorts of other sweet ingredients, such as chocolate. Mont blanc is a traditional chestnut sweet, often prepared with a base of crunchy meringue and topped with a mountain of chestnut creme. Taking this basic concept but dressing it up a bit further, I could hardly resist switching out the meringue for a dense, intense chocolate cake, and hiding a luxuriously creamy chocolate truffle within the chestnut peak.

It may have been created with the holidays in mind, but while chestnuts are still in season, it’s still perfectly reasonable to whip up this decadent treat just to celebrate the nut itself.

Yield: Makes 8 - 9 Servings

Chocolate Mont Blanc

Mont blanc is a traditional chestnut sweet, often prepared with a base of crunchy meringue and topped with a mountain of chestnut creme. Taking this basic concept but dressing it up a bit further, I could hardly resist switching out the meringue for a dense, intense chocolate cake, and hiding a luxuriously creamy chocolate truffle within the chestnut peak.

Prep Time 45 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Additional Time 1 hour

Total Time 2 hours 15 minutes

Ingredients

Chocolate Fudge Cakes:

1 Cups All Purpose Flour
1/2 Cup Dutch-Processed Cocoa Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Baking Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
2/3 Cup Granulated Sugar
1/4 Cup Olive Oil
3/4 Cup Water
1 Teaspoon Apple Cider Vinegar
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Chocolate Truffle:

12 Ounces Semi-Sweet Chocolate
1/2 Cup Full-Fat Coconut Milk
1 Tablespoon Light Agave Nectar
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1/3 Cup Chopped, Toasted Walnuts
1/2 Teaspoon Almond Extract

Chestnut Mousse:

1 10-Ounce Package Extra-Firm Silken Tofu
1 15-Ounce Can Unsweetened Chestnut Puree, or Homemade Chestnut Puree*
1 Cup Granulated Sugar
2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
1/4 Teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
1/4 Teaspoon Salt
Confectioner's Sugar for Serving, Optional

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees, and set out 8 – 9 mini tart or crumb cake paper molds on a baking sheet. Alternately, lightly grease and 8-inch square baking pan and plan to cut out individual cake shapes once baked.
In a large bowl, sift together the flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt. Whisk lightly to combine.
Separately, mix together the sugar, oil, water, vinegar, and vanilla before pouring them all into the bowl of dry goods. Stir just enough to bring the batter together, being careful not to over-work it. Distribute the batter evenly between your paper molds, or pour it all into the baking dish if using. Bake for 10 – 15 minutes for the individual cakes, 15 – 20 for the single 8-inch cake, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool, and cut into 8 – 9 pieces if applicable.
For the truffle centers, simply melt the chocolate together with the coconut milk, agave, and oil, stirring until completely smooth. Fold in the nuts and almond extract, and transfer into a baking dish or metal bowl. Let cool, and then place in the fridge for at least 3 hours to set. Scoop out balls of about 2 – 3 teaspoons each, and roll them into even rounds between the palms of your hands. Place one truffle on top of each cooled cake.
Finally, to prepare the chestnut mousse, place all of your ingredients in your food processor or blender, and puree until smooth, pausing to scrape down the sides of the work bowl as needed. Transfer the mousse to a piping bag fitted with a multi-opening piping tip, and pipe the creme on top of the cake in a spiral pattern, completely covering the truffle. Lightly dust with confectioner’s sugar just before serving for a “snowy mountain” look, if desired.

Notes

*To make your own chestnut puree, start with about twice as many chestnuts in the shell as you think you’ll need. Score the tops each in an “x” pattern, and wrap them all up in a packet of foil. Toss them on the embers of a recently extinguished fire, and let cook for 15 – 30 minutes, depending on how hot the cooking surface is. Once they crack themselves open and are lightly charred on the outside, they should be about done. Let cool, and remove the shells. Weigh out the required amount for the recipe, and thoroughly puree while still warm, until completely smooth. If you’re without a fireplace, you can also roast them in the oven.

Recommended Products

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 744Total Fat: 29gSaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 16gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 215mgCarbohydrates: 121gFiber: 7gSugar: 79gProtein: 9g

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.

January 10, 2011May 13, 2025

Hannah (BitterSweet)36 Comments

A Taste of the Tropics

As we settle into winter and the cold, snowy weather that comes with it, a bit of spice, brightness, and excitement is always welcome to escape this dreary season, if only for a moment, or a single meal. While a one-way ticket to a tropical island is undeniably appealing, a much more reasonable approach to handling the cold is to hunker down with a good cookbook and whip up something warming. The Caribbean Vegan, a new release by blogger extraordinaire Taymer Mason, is a bit outside of my culinary comfort zone, but just enticing enough to warrant a closer look.

Filled with traditional dishes from all over the islands, sans meat, egg, and dairy, The Caribbean Vegan manages to pack tons of flavor into the simplest of preparations. Though unfamiliar with the spice combination and a few new ingredients, I was excited to taste another cuisine that isn’t readily as available to me, and so rarely made with vegans in mind.

First up, a Creamy Pumpkin Soup sounded like just the thing to shake off a nasty chill, so I wasted no time throwing sweet potatoes, pumpkin, and aromatic spices into the stock pot. Wholly unlike my typical approach to pumpkin soup, it was love at first spoonful. Enriched with a splash of coconut milk and blended to a perfectly smooth consistency, the balance between sweet and savory was incredible. Thick but not cloying, it seemed so much more satisfying than the typical bowl of orange squash puree, and had an instantly soothing quality, like a nice warm hug for your stomach. Delicately and warmly seasoned with a melange of ginger, cinnamon, all spice and more, it’s still subtle enough for kids to appreciate, but much more complex in flavor than one might expect from a humble soup. This is one that I will absolutely make again and again throughout the winter.

Encouraged by this early success, I moved on to a more complex (but still easy) dish; the White Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie. Never before had I seen nor heard of a white-fleshed sweet potato, so off to the store I went, fully planning to pick up a standard orange yam. Clearly it was fate intervening, because lo and behold, as soon as I entered the produce department, white sweet potatoes stood proudly piled right in front of me. They must have been hidden in plain sight all along!

Surprisingly spicy for the typically humdrum meat-and-potato pie, this recipe breathes new life into the tired old casserole. Kicked up with curry, paprika, and a good dose of pepper, the mildly sweet mashed potato topping pairs beautifully with the hearty filling below. Hearty enough to satisfy the most voracious appetites, this is one that I would recommend serving to omnivores and vegans alike. Don’t skip over the optional peas, though, as they add much needed color and textural variation to the dish.

The instant I opened up this cookbook, there was one recipe in particular that leapt out and seized me by the throat: Ackee Scramble. Just days earlier, I happened to spy a can of the elusive ackee at my standard grocery store, and was taken aback by the steep price. Not willing to spend so much on a risky ingredient I knew nothing about, I was thrilled to finally get the bit of advice on how it might be prepared. Enticed by the opportunity to try a whole new food, I took the plunge and treated myself to one of those pricey tin cans. Taymer explains that the ackee is a fruit related to the lychee and longan, but cooks up looking for all the world like scrambled eggs. No kidding, this was the most “realistic” scramble I had made since eschewing eggs.

Soft and somewhat creamy, the texture was shockingly spot-on. I could hardly believe what a find this exotic fruit was! Admittedly, I wasn’t crazy about the seasonings and especially the use of liquid smoke, but you can be certain that this is not the last ackee scramble that will grace my plate. Using Taymer’s recipe as a template, I will definitely be trying a more traditional tofu scramble-type of approach, sulfurous black salt and everything.

Whether you’re familiar with the flavors of the Caribbean or have never tasted a single dish from the tropics, The Caribbean Vegan is a fun and engaging way to immerse yourself in the food culture. Filling a niche otherwise almost entirely untouched by those seeking cruelty-free cooking, it’s an invaluable text for any adventurous cook’s shelf.

January 7, 2011January 7, 2011

Hannah (BitterSweet)28 Comments

The Christmas Cookies That Weren’t

Despite best intentions, holiday gifts always end up as a rushed, last-minute affair. What with the endless waffling over precisely what to make and share, there ends up being little time to actually bake, wrap, and ship those treats off so that they arrive before the appointed holidays have passed. Well, for the first year in recent memory, those sweets never made it to the post office at all, let alone their destinations. To put it simply, it was an “epic fail” on my part.

Still borderline delirious after being taken out by a vicious head cold, perhaps it was not the best idea to leap into a project of such scale. But oh, what false confidence I had! I even did a test run of the recipe, to make sure it was tasty, reasonably mail-able, and all around a solid choice. Shaped as adorable little wreaths and brilliantly emerald green, they were so perfectly festive, too! Glittering with a light sprinkle of coarse sugar, I was certain that these sweet, minty little numbers would be the hit of the holidays. Of course, I tested them as a small batch… And I foolishly believed that this formula could effortlessly be increased, by four times, no less.

No dice. As soon as the mixer started to crank up into gear, I knew I was in deep sh– …dough. Flour and sugar spraying over the sides of my overburdened mixing bowl like a lawn sprinkler on a rampage, those ingredients had no desire to come together and make cookies. Feverishly working to remedy the situation and add more of the dry goods with no rhyme, reason, or measuring, things only got worse with every haphazard addition. The dough was unsalvageable; a depressing lump of lurid green goo that no one in their right mind would want to consume.

So, to all of my friends and loved ones, these are the cookies that you should have received this holiday season:

Can you accept an IOU, and the (successful, small batch) recipe, instead?

Yield: Makes 40 – 50 Cookies

Minted Matcha Wreaths

Shaped as adorable little wreaths and brilliantly emerald green, these spritz cookies glittering with a light sprinkle of coarse sugar for a perfectly festive finishing touch.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 12 minutes

Additional Time 10 minutes

Total Time 37 minutes

Ingredients

1/2 Cup Vegan Butter
4 Ounces (1/2 Package) Vegan Cream Cheese
1 Cup Granulated Sugar
1 3/4 Teaspoon Matcha Powder
1 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
1/2 Teaspoon Peppermint Extract
1 3/4 Cups All-Purpose Flour
1/2 Cup Garbanzo Flour
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
1/4 Teaspoon Baking Powder
Decorative White Sugar Crystals or Turbinado Sugar, as Needed for Decoration

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line two baking sheet with silicone baking mats or parchment paper. Set aside.
In your stand mixer with the paddle attachment installed, thoroughly cream together the vegan butter, cream cheese, sugar, and matcha, so that the mixture is homogeneous. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to make sure that everything is incorporated. Add in both extracts, mix to combine, and set aside.
In a separate large bowl, whisk together all of the remaining dry goods for the cookies so that the ingredients are well-distributed throughout the mixture. Slowly add them to the stand mixer, incorporating them in 2 or 3 separate additions. The resulting batter with be very thick, and it may seem like it’s not going to come together, but just be patient; Do not, under and circumstances, add any extra liquid!
Once you achieve a cohesive dough, place a few mounds of it into your spritz cookie gun, which should already have the design you desired installed (the wreath shape, if you want to keep with the intended theme here.) Squeeze out cookies as directed by the manufacturer of the gun, reload when you run out of dough, and repeat. Lightly sprinkle decorative sugar on top of the cookies.
Bake for 8 – 12 minutes, until no long “wet” looking on top and the cookies look solid, with just the vaguest hint of golden color around the edges. Be sure to pull them before they become too brown, or you’ll loose the effect of having pretty green wreaths.
Let the cookies cool on the sheets for at least 10 minutes, and then completely on a wire rack.