Po-Tay-To, Po-Tah-To; Just Not May-O!

Like clockwork, as the days grow progressively longer and warmer, grills emerge from hibernation at just about any opportunity, eager as their owners to host all of the newly sprung vegetables, plus plenty of old favorites.

Summer holidays practically require the presence of a grill, and with Memorial Day just around the corner, it seems like high time to dust that old furnace off. Tossing on veggie burgers and not-dogs, toasting up simple white bread buns to golden-brown perfection, it’s the start of a perfectly “American” meal. But what to serve alongside those main dishes? Perhaps a side of fries or chips, maybe potato salad- Just as long as the lovable spud makes an appearance.

Here’s where my menu takes a somewhat different turn. Potato salad sounds great in concept, but mayonnaise, dairy-based or otherwise, is simply not welcome in this household. Serve something containing even a half ounce of that white glop, and you may very well have an all out revolt on your hands.

Thus, eschewing this vile condiment in favor of a lighter dressing, I tend to favor olive oil, lemon juice, and whatever fresh herbs happen to be on hand. This time though, it felt necessary to start the season off with a bang and spice things up a bit.

Essentially glorified samosa filling freed of its pastry, this starchy side is just the thing to liven up any backyard BBQ spread. Delicious served both warm or chilled, it can easily be made a day ahead of time to give you one less thing to worry about later.

Don’t wait until you have a party to make it though- Any number of savory mains would pair beautifully with these spicy potatoes, and you can keep it for up to a week in the fridge.

Yield: Serves 6 – 8 as a side dish

Samosa Potato Salad

Name: Samosa Potato Salad
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 18 min
Total time: 23 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 2 Pounds White New Potatoes; 1 Bay Leaf; 1/3 Cup Olive Oil; 2 – 3 Large Shallots, Chopped (About 1 Cup); 4 Cloves Garlic, Finely Minced; 1 Inch Fresh Ginger, Peeled and Grated; 2 Teaspoons Garam Masala; 1/2 Teaspoon Ground Coriander; 1/2 Teaspoon Turmeric; 1 Teaspoon Ground Cumin; 1 Tablespoon Fresh Lemon Juice; 1 1/2 Cups Frozen Peas; Salt and Pepper; Fresh Chives (Optional)

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 18 minutes

Total Time 23 minutes

Ingredients

2 Pounds White New Potatoes
1 Bay Leaf
1/3 Cup Olive Oil
2 – 3 Large Shallots, Chopped (About 1 Cup)
4 Cloves Garlic, Finely Minced
1 Inch Fresh Ginger, Peeled and Grated
2 Teaspoons Garam Masala
1/2 Teaspoon Ground Coriander
1/2 Teaspoon Turmeric
1 Teaspoon Ground Cumin
1 Tablespoon Fresh Lemon Juice
1 1/2 Cups Frozen Peas
Salt and Pepper
Fresh Chives (Optional)

Instructions

Wash the potatoes thoroughly before chopping them into bite-sized pieces. Place them in a large pot, and fill it with cold water so that all of the pieces are covered. Move the pot onto the stove, toss in the bay leaf, cover with a lid, and bring to a boil over moderate heat. Once boiling, cook with the lid off for 5 – 8 minutes, until the potatoes are fork-tender. Discard the bay leaf, drain, and let cool.
Mean while, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat, and add in the shallots. Cook for about 3 minutes until somewhat translucent, and add in the garlic and ginger.
After another minute or two has
passed, incorporate all of the spices and lemon juice.
Add in the the peas, and continue to stir the mixture for 5 minutes or so, until the peas have completely thawed.
Toss the potatoes and dressing together in a large bowl, add salt and pepper to taste, and top with freshly chopped chives, if desired. Serve immediately if you want it warm, or let cool and chill thoroughly in an air-tight container.

Recommended Products

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 226Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 8gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 73mgCarbohydrates: 32gFiber: 5gSugar: 4gProtein: 5g

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.

May 21, 2009June 25, 2020

Hannah (BitterSweet)46 Comments

Oh, Baby!

Even if you’re thousands of miles away from New York City, or even on the other side of the world, I’m willing to bet that you’ve at least heard of Babycakes, the 100% vegan bakery that also caters to celiacs, diabetics, and above all else, people who really just want good cake. Seeming to be the answer to an unspoken question, this hot spot has been thriving since it opened in 2005, and is in fact doing so well that there are plans to open a west coast outpost in Los Angeles in the works. That’s not the most exciting morsel of news Erin McKenna, the proprietor and baker extraordinaire, has to share with her fans: No matter where you live, you can now enjoy all of those wonderful offerings found at Babycakes, thanks to their newly released cookbook that divulges all their secrets.

So, what’s the secret, you may wonder? I certainly did, and quickly flipping through the pages in a mad rush not unlike a sugar-high, my first thought was that it must be all that coconut oil. Yes, what was truly striking was how much coconut oil these recipes called for, and pretty much no other type of fat at all. That, plus the special gluten-free flour mixes, powdered soymilk, coconut powder, and so on make each recipe a fairly expensive venture. At the very least though, it certainly explains the relatively steep prices that the bakery charges. You’re definitely paying for quality here though; There are few ways around such expenses if you want to make a dessert without refined sugar or flour that’s still edible.

Immediately I was drawn to the cupcakes, the focal point of this little bakery, and especially the frosting. The book would have been worth buying if only for the frosting recipe, but unfortunately, I never could get it quite right. After turning into a lumpy, curdled mess, only an overnight stay in the freezer and then a vigorous second blending helped smooth the mixture out at all, but even then it was far too thin to consider piling on top of a cake. It pains me to think of the the whole 1 1/2 cups of coconut oil that was wasted.

At the very least, the Chocolate Cupcakes worked out just as written, rising just above the papers to achieve nice flat tops. Alone, they weren’t much to talk about, and did have a slight bean-y flavor thanks to the garfava flour, but overall were decent gluten-free cupcakes. Frosted, I’m sure these would be downright delicious.

While they may look like short cupcakes, these are actually gluten-free Blondies. Curious as to how such a creation might be possible, I couldn’t resist these round little sweets. Strongly flavored with vanilla, I loved the taste, but the texture left a bit to be desired. Much more like a moist cake than a blondie, I would simply call these tea cakes if serving them to an unsuspecting crowd. Unfortunately, these may not be for everyone, as my mom announced that her “favorite part about these were the chocolate chips” after trying one.

Going for one of the non-gluten-free recipes, the Raspberry Scones seemed promising. Very simple in construction and made with hearty spelt flour, these are something you don’t need to feel guilty about eating for breakfast. Again, they were much like tea cakes in texture, and not exactly what I would think of as a scone, but over all I truly enjoyed these little treats along with a strong cup of coffee in the morning.

If you’re looking for healthier, less-processed baked goods with classic flavors, or gluten-free desserts, this is the book for you. Despite having a fair share of hits and misses, it’s ultimately a beautiful cookbook with lots of helpful tips and ideas for creating your own sweet masterpieces, no matter your dietary restrictions. I’ll admit that it probably won’t be the first book I’ll turn to myself, but it will still hold a prominent place on my bookshelf.

Does any of that sound good to you? If so, then I’d love to give you a copy of the book as well! Just leave me a comment and tell me: What would be the first thing you’d like to make from it if you win? No double comments, please. The giveaway will close May 28 at midnight EST, and the winner will be announced the following day. Good luck!

May 19, 2009May 21, 2009

Hannah (BitterSweet)158 Comments

Whoopie! School’s Over!

For someone who’s spent as much time driving to and from Massachusetts as myself, it’s surprising how little I’ve actually enjoyed the sights and sounds of Boston. Nonetheless, even as an outsider, the hustle and bustle of city life is somehow comforting, and after wandering the streets for just a night, I feel right at home. There will hardly be time to enjoy these surroundings as per usual, but this time, it’s for a very good reason indeed; Having traveled up for just the weekend, my family is now gathering to watch my sister graduate from her Boston-based university. A day that seems overdue and yet altogether too early, there’s so much to celebrate and so little time to pack in all this merriment. That’s why I started the party early, by presenting her with a sweet treat yesterday that absolutely screams “Boston,” both in name and heritage…

A Boston cream pie! But this was not any old yellow layer cake with custard filling- Try a Boston cream whoopie pie!

Converting this classic was a very simple task. Using the recipe from My Sweet Vegan as a starting point, additional flour replaced the cocoa, and an extra splash of vanilla joined the batter. For the filling, 3 tablespoons of custard powder added that familiar, rich pudding-like flavor, in addition to a creamy yellow color. Half of the cookies got a quick dip in ganache, were allowed to sit in a cool place until set, and then got paired up with a plain cookie and generous dollop of cream filling.

Here’s wishing that my sister’s life after graduation will be just as sweet, too.

May 17, 2009May 18, 2009

Hannah (BitterSweet)54 Comments

Quick Cookie Fix

Just when it seems like life couldn’t possibly get any more hectic, there’s bound to be something extra to squeeze into that already overbooked schedule. At least that’s been my experience lately, splitting my time between recipe development, restaurant work, a photography internship, and of course, the blog.

Free time is but a fantasy, and I’m sure I’m not alone in feeling like there simply aren’t enough hours in a day to accomplish everything on that mile long “to-do” list. Thank goodness my time is occupied by things I love doing, and at the end of the day, there are still plenty of sweets and good eats in general left over to enjoy.

For the average 9 to 5 worker bee though, it’s no surprise that baking and cooking may fall by the wayside, not willing to spare those precious extra moments in the kitchen. And it’s really a shame, too, because many baked goods can be as quick and easy to make as another business appointment.

Peanut butter cookies are hardly innovative, but for those stressed out and simply craving a small morsel of comfort, these fit the bill perfectly. Calling for only three ordinary ingredients, I’m willing to bet that you already have everything you need for these babies on hand right now. As an added bonus, they’re naturally gluten-free, so they should appeal to a very wide crowd.

The potential variations are endless as well, so take this opportunity to exercise your creativity! Substitute any sort of nut butter (almond, hazelnut, cashew…) or add in a pinch of your favorite spice mixture (chai, five spice, apple pie…). Try using brown sugar instead of white, and go crazy with any sort of add-ins you fancy (chocolate chips, chopped nuts, coconut…).

Make this recipe your own and dress it up or down as you please. Most importantly though, just make it!

Yield: Makes 32 – 40 Little Cookies

1-2-3 Peanut Butter Cookies

Calling for only three ordinary ingredients, I’m willing to bet that you
already have everything you need for these babies on hand right now.
As an added bonus, they’re naturally gluten-free, so they should appeal
to a very wide crowd.

Prep Time 5 minutes

Cook Time 12 minutes

Additional Time 10 minutes

Total Time 27 minutes

Ingredients

2 Cups Creamy Peanut Butter
2 Cups Granulated Sugar
1/4 Cup Whole Flax Seeds*

Instructions

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or sillicone baking mats.
Grind the flax seeds in a spice or coffee grinder until they turn into a fine powder. Transfer the powder into a large bowl, add in the peanut butter and sugar, and mix well. Go ahead and mix like crazy, because there’s no gluten involved! Just make sure they mixture is completely smooth and homogeneous.
Scoop out about 2 teaspoon of batter per cookie, and space them approximately 1 inch apart on your prepared baking sheets. Bake for 8 – 12 minutes, until very lightly browned around the edges. Let the cookies cool for 10 minutes on the sheet before transferring them to a wire rack. Take a moment and enjoy (they’re fabulous warm, too!)

Notes

*Using flaxseeds results in a somewhat crumbly cookie- Substituting an equal amount of chia seeds tends to hold the cookies together a bit better. Both will work though!

Tempting Tempeh

UPDATE: While this product line has sadly been discontinued, skip ahead to get the meat bun recipe with an easy adaptation to use any tempeh you like!

Considering how long I’ve been vegan, it’s surprising how rarely tempeh has appeared on my menu. Even more stigmatized by mainstream cooks and eaters than tofu, it hasn’t quite reached universal acceptance as not only a viable but delicious ingredient, and is all too often labeled as a very “crunchy-granola” sort of food. Funny enough, tempeh has much more in common with tofu than meets the eye, and the biggest difference stems from the fact that the soy beans are pureed and filtered to make tofu, whereas with tempeh, you get the whole thing. Thus, these cakes of naturally fermented soy are higher in fiber, in addition to that all-important protein. It’s no beauty to look at though, so the fear of picking up one of these lumpy, brownish-grey blocks or strips is understandable. My own hesitation to incorporate such a nutritious ingredient into my diet is not due to bias or lack of initiative, however, but a lack of imagination. What to do with these firm, somewhat crumbly slabs? How should they be cooked, and where does one start when it comes to adding harmonious, appealing flavors?

For those of you in the same boat, fear not. LightLife has just developed Tempeh-Tations, a new line of pre-seasoned tempeh cubes that provide an easy starting point for any meal, and a painless way to test the waters of cooking with tempeh. Available in three different varieties, they’re found in the refrigerated section, ready to eat, making those little packages especially appealing after a long day at work.

Ripping open the Zesty Lemon flavor, I’ve got to admit, these bumpy brown chunks didn’t immediately get me salivating. Aesthetics aside, it smelled quite promising, and an little pool of extra marinade sitting at the bottom of the package meant that there was plenty to help flavor the rest of the dish these pieces went into as well. Tossing the tempeh into a very quick pasta salad, it was all but an instant meal once the orzo was cooked and drained. Strikingly tangy and perhaps even bordering on sour, the lemon flavor is definitely front and center here. A nice hit of garlic balances things out a bit, and the soft but toothsome texture makes it a very satisfying addition. While it wasn’t my favorite meal in the world, I was thrilled with how convenient and satisfying this product proved to be.

“Planning” a meal around the Ginger Teriyaki flavored Tempeh-Tations meant scrounging through the fridge at the last minute, using up all the veggies I could find to make some simple cabbage wraps. Smelling of the ubiquitous Americanized Chinese Food brown sauce, I didn’t have very high hopes for this one from the get-go. Undeniably sweet, mild in overall flavor, and completely lacking the zing of ginger I had wanted, this sticky marinade didn’t do very much for me. While it was unoffensive and pleasant enough to eat, I don’t know that I would want it again. Nonetheless, it may very well have been tastier had the cubes been sauteed and served warm in a stir-fry instead of eaten cold with raw veggies.

When it came time to try the Classic BBQ, I was trepidation, to say the least. Barbecue sauce is perhaps the last condiment on earth I would want to add to my plate, but shockingly, I found this rendition to be so mild, it was easily the best BBQ-anything I’d had in a long time. Wonderfully smokey with just a vague tang, no spice or heat to speak of, I’m sure it would be a hit with picky kids, too.

Going all-out to dress this one up, I thought it might be fun to make my own “meat” buns, cooking up the tempeh with a mess of vegetables and lentils, and then stuffing it into bread dough. The result was a savory, portable snack or meal, perfect for a packed lunch or easy eats on the go. This formula also opens up the possibility to insert any sort of veggies you have on hand, so don’t let my suggestions limit your creativity.

Yield: Makes 12 Buns

Tempeh Meat Buns

Tempeh makes an hearty, healthy meatless protein for stuffing into tender bread dough. The buns make an excellent portable snack or meal, perfect for a packed lunch or easy eats on the go.

Prep Time 25 minutes

Cook Time 50 minutes

Additional Time 1 hour 30 minutes

Total Time 2 hours 45 minutes

Ingredients

Dough:

3 Cups All-Purpose Flour
1/4 Cup Instant Mashed Potato Flakes
2 Tablespoons Granulated Sugar
1 1/4 Teaspoons Salt
1 0.6-Ounce Cube Fresh Yeast or 1 (1/4-Ounce) Packet of Active Dry Yeast
1 Cup Warm Water
1/2 Teaspoon Apple Cider Vinegar
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

Filling:

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
1 1/2 Cups Roughly Chopped Cabbage (Pack to Measure)
1 Cup Chopped Yellow Onion (About 1 Medium)
1/2 Cup Diced Zucchini
1 6-Ounce Package BBQ Tempeh-tations*
1 Cup Cooked Black Lentils
1 Cup Chopped Potato (About 2 Small)
Freshly Cracked Black Pepper
Chili Powder
Cayenne
Cumin
Salt

To Finish:

Plain Non-Dairy Milk
Sesame Seeds

Instructions

In a large bowl, mix together the flour, instant mashed potato flakes, sugar, and salt. Crumble the fresh yeast into small pieces with your fingers, and stir to disperse the pieces evenly throughout the dry ingredients.
Separately, combine the water, vinegar, and oil before pouring the whole mixture into your bowl of dry goods. Mix well, and once everything has become incorporated into a loose dough, switch over to using the dough hook for your stand mixer, and allow it to slowly work the dough for about 10 minutes. Let the dough rest for 5 minutes before proceeding.
If you don’t have a stand mixer, just skip right to kneading by hand on a lightly floured surface- Take about 15 – 20 minutes on this step if you haven’t work it with the machine, but only 5 – 10 if you have. Once it becomes smooth and elastic, tacky but not sticky to the touch, place it in a greased bowl and cover loosely.
Place it in a warm area and let it rise until doubled in volume, about 1 – 1 1/2 hours.
While the dough is rising, you can begin to prepare the filling. In a large skillet over moderate heat, begin by heating up the olive oil before tossing in the cabbage, onion, zucchini, and tempeh. Stir frequently, and once the onions are translucent, add in the potato and lentils. Cover and let cook for about 15 minutes or until potatoes are fork-tender. Add seasoning to taste (I didn’t measure, but all you need to do is just add spices until it tastes good.) Move the filling into a large bowl and allow it cool.
Once risen, Punch down the dough and divide it into 12 equal pieces. Gently roll out each piece into a 5-in. circle, or as thin as you can get it. Place around 1/4 cup of filling in the center, and fold dough over that filling to meet in the center; Pinch the edges together to seal, and place each finished bun with the seam side down on a silpat-lined baking sheet.
Repeat for all of the remaining buns, and let rise once more for about 30 minutes. Brush lightly with non-dairy milk to encourage a golden-brown crust, and sprinkle lightly with sesame seeds. Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 20 – 25 minutes until nicely browned.

Notes

*Tempeh-tations have been discontinued, but fear not! You can use plain tempeh and add 2 tablespoons of your favorite BBQ sauce instead.

Dog Years

They say that childhood crushes and friendships will never last beyond high school, and most of the time I would be compelled to agree, but here I am, still just as attached to my best friend as I was 12 years ago when we met. I was but 8 years old, working through the 2nd grade, and she, well… She was just a newborn.

Although the years have aged us both in strange and unpredictable ways, she’s still pretty much the same- Acting like a rambunctious puppy, destroying any fun things (from toothbrushes to razor blades) that might have been carelessly left in her reach, or begging relentlessly for scraps at the dinner table. There are few people (or animals) that I have spent more time with, and it brings me great joy to celebrate yet another birthday with her. Better yet, it gives me the opportunity to make her something special, and even better than past years’ attempts.

At its core, this plated dessert is simply my Canine Cake from My Sweet Vegan dressed up. Using finely diced green apples instead of carrots, and tahini in place of peanut butter, it as spread out thin and baked in a loaf pan. Once cooled, rounds were cut out from the rectangle and then layered with vegan “sour cream.” Topping off the stack is a tower of apple rings, which were simply overlapped on a silpat and baked in a slow oven until crispy. Finally, a smear of tahini at the bottom of the plate leads to a tiny scoop of vanilla ice cream. All perfectly suited to a puppy’s palate, I could only hope that Isis would appreciate my efforts…

Of course, I needn’t have worried, as the whole dessert disappeared in 5 seconds flat.

Happy 12th birthday Isis, and here’s to many, many more!

May 5, 2009May 5, 2009

Hannah (BitterSweet)63 Comments