Vegan Green Bean Casserole

This delectable holiday favorite was noticeably missing from my Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner tables for years after I became vegan.  Now, there is a competitive alternative that is considerably healthier and I'd argue considerably more flavorful than before.  With the binding ingredient, Cream of Mushroom Soup, sufficiently substituted, I present:

Vegan Green Bean Casserole

Servings: 8
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:

1 1/2 lb Green Beans, cut & cooked
10 oz Button & Shitake Mushrooms
3 Cloves minced garlic
2 T. Flour
3/4 C. Vegetable Broth
1 T. dry Sherry
3/4 C. Soy Creamer
3 T. Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper to taste

Directions:

Heat oil in saucepan.  Add mushrooms, garlic, salt and pepper. Whisk flour and broth and add to saucepan.  Continue to whisk mixture and add mushrooms and sherry.

Simmer, stirring until thick.  Add soy creamer and simmer again until thick, about 5-10 minutes.  Stir in green beans.

Oil a casserole dish and put green bean mixture into into the dish.  Preheat oven to 425 degrees.


Top green bean casserole with shoe string potatoes.  Bake in oven at 425 for 15 minutes.

Calories: 1 serving = 102 calories.

Grilled Veggie Quesadillas with Salsa Verde

When I suggested quesadillas for dinner the other night, Jeff exclaimed that he just happened to be an expert quesadilla maker.  I put him to the test suggesting veggie quesadillas that the meat eater and vegan could both enjoy.  Here is his creation.

Grilled Veggie Quesadillas

Servings: 4 Quesadillas
Prep time: 30-40 minutes
Ingredients:

1/2 Large sweet onion, thickly sliced
1 Green bell pepper sliced into strips
1-1/2 C. Sliced baby bella mushrooms
1 Clove minced  garlic
1 Pkg. Shredded Soy Cheddar Cheese (I love the Daiya brand)
1 Can Black beans, drained
1 Avocado, thinly sliced
1 C. Shredded Cheddar cheese
1 C. Shredded Mozzarella cheese
4 large Soft Flour Tortilla Shells
2 T. Olive Oil
Salt & pepper taste

Directions:
Wash and slice veggies and garlic as directed above.   Grill in a frying pan on the stove just until tender.

In another skillet on medium-high heat, place one of the tortilla shells. Put 1/2 cup of cheese of your choice on the shell and top with a portion of the grilled veggie mixture.  Add a heaping 1/4 cup of black beans and a few slices of avocado.

Grill the quesadilla for 2 minutes as shown above.  Then flip one side up folding it in half.  Continue to grill it about 5 minutes on each side until light golden brown. 

While Jeff was busy making the quesadillas, I made the salsa verde - same recipe for the Grilled portabella mushroom tacos that won first place in the vegan main dish contest at the Iowa State Fair this year.

 

Salsa Verde

Servings: 2-1/2 C.
Prep time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:
4 Tomatillos, chopped (or 1 C. canned)
1 Large green bell pepper chopped
1 Large bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
1 Medium onion, chopped
3 Cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. Olive oil
1 tsp. pepper
½ tsp. salt

Put all ingredients in a food processor or blender, and process til smooth.

Serve up the quesadilla on a large plate and slice into quarters.  Add the salsa verde on the side.  Shown here with Corn & Black Bean Salsa and tortilla chips.  This was fantastic, and Jeff definitely lived up to his hype.  He'll be making quesadillas again :)

Kramer's Salsa

Kramer's Salsa is the freshest canned salsa I have ever had, and I've had a lot of salsa.

I first sampled this delicious find at the Iowa State Fair this year, and was blown away by the flavor and purchased a jar then and there.

I opened it up last night after having several bad salsa experiences on the way down to my new post in the south, and WOW! What a fantastic blend of flavor and aromas! Made with fresh ingredients like vine ripened tomatoes, garlic, green peppers, and cilantro with just a hint of Italian spice mingling nicely like old friends at a high school reunion. 

My preference is for a medium heat and this medium salsa hits the spot with just the right amount of heat that doesn't over power the flavors and keeps you going back for more!

The ingredients are all natural and taste very fresh, unlike other over-preserved salsas from a jar.

If you find this spicy gem in your Iowa grocery store don't pass it up!  This salsa can also be ordered online at www.KramerSpecialtyFoods.com, which you can bet I will be doing soon!

Millhouse Steakhouse, Brunswick, Georgia

Brunswick, Georgia - This vegan foodie has been absent as of late, as I'm being relocated to the South.

I've been on the road the for the last week and am nearing my final destination in Savannah, Georgia.
So tonight, I've stopped in Brunswick, Georgia, an old historic town right along the Atlantic.

After eating a granola bar, soy latte, and sea salted almonds today, I was ready for a decent meal tonight.

I opted for the restaurant attached to the Holiday Inn I was staying at, the multiple award-winning Millhouse Steakhouse. After a long day on the road, the menu looked interesting enough to try.  And I left very full and satisfied.

Upon arriving I was automatically greeted with a baguette and garlic olive oil, plain olive oil, and Italian seasoning and olive oil.  This was a delightful array of appetizer options for the vegan.  The garlic and olive oil was by far my favorite with a great blend of garlic and sea salt -- a definite favorite.

There were a few vegan options for dinner, probably something I will have to get used to in the south. Zero vegan tapas or appetizer options but there were several vegetarian ones like Southwestern Queso Dip - southwest spices and cheddar cheese served with warm tortilla chips; Fried Mozzarella Marinara: fresh  whole milk mozzarella fried crispy, topped with warm marinara, served over house greens and tomato vinaigrette; Jumbo Stuffed Mushrooms: flash fried mushrooms, seasoned cream cheese and brandy, tossed in parmesan reggiano.

Dinner options for the lone vegan included Traditional Stir Fry, Fresh Lo Mein, Vegetable Lo Mein, and a "modified" Primavera.  I chose the modified Primavera.

Normally, it would include: Fresh asparagus, broccoli, tomatoes, snow peas, bell peppers, onions and scallions.  Sauteed with fresh herbs, lemons, butter, garlic, and white wine over parmesan linguine pasta.

I asked for the dish made sans butter, cream, cheese and suggested it just contain the pasta, veggies, and olive oil.

What I got was pretty good.  Asparagus, red bell peppers, broccoli, onions, snow peas, Italian seasoning and pasta.  It was lacking in the white wine and olive oil additions but I added a little olive oil from my bread dipping plate and a little salt and this was a fantastic meal.

This restaurant has a very sizable menu, unlike a lot of the other restaurants serving primarily seafood that I've been to in thesouth.  The Millhouse in Brunswick, or any of its other three locations in Georgian and Florida, are good options for the vegan and the avid meat eater to try out.  

I'm especially thankful to my waitress Mellisa for being so accommodating! 

This one is worth a try!

Blue Ribbon Grilled Portobella Mushroom Tacos with Salsa Verde

This recipe for tacos and the salsa verde scored very high marks at the Iowa State Fair to earn a First Place Ribbon in the Vegan Main Dish contest.

Blue ribbon for tacos on the right.

Here is what the judges said: 

Taste: 73.25/75 points
Appearance: 23.25/25 points
Total: 386/400points
Comments:

"Excellent taste. Great combination of ingredients"

"Very good combination of flavors and textures.  Sauce very good and does not overpower.  Enhances flavor of avocado."

"Very tasty vegan dish that non-vegans would enjoy because of the mushrooms.  You wouldn't miss the meat.  Wonderful Mexican seasoning.  Healthy and fresh."

"The salsa is delicious.  Perfect punch of spice.  The mushroom adds great texture.  The cabbage adds crunch. Wonderful alternate for a vegan. Perfect flavor balance."

Grilled Portobello Mushroom Tacos with Salsa Verde

Servings: 6

Prep time: 45 minutes

Ingredients & Directions: 

Marinade  6 large portobello mushroom caps in:

⅓ C. Olive oil
1/4 C. Balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. Ground black pepper

Salsa Verde

4 Tomatillos, chopped (or 1 C. canned)
1 Large green bell pepper chopped
1 Large bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
1 Medium onion, chopped
3 Cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. Olive oil
1 tsp. pepper
½ tsp. salt

Ingredients in my trusty Osterizer

Put all ingredients in a food processor or blender, and process til smooth. 

Salsa Verde

Tacos

6 6-inch soft corn tortillas
2 avocados, sliced
2 cups chopped tomatoes
3 cups shredded cabbage
Vegan sour cream, optional

Directions

Grill mushrooms 3 to 5 minutes per side. Cool until easy to handle, then slice into strips.

Pour the salsa over the mushroom strips and let set for 10 minutes for the flavors to mingle.

Lightly warm tortillas 15 seconds per side in skillet.

On a plate, fill tortillas with sliced mushrooms, avocado slices, tomatoes, and cabbage.

Put Tofutti brand vegan sour cream on the side.  Garnish all with fresh cilantro. Enjoy!

Iowa State Fair Results

After nearly two weeks of furiously baking and cooking up foods for the Iowa State Fair Food Competition -- the results are in!

I entered sixteen contests and earned eight coveted State Fair ribbons and two "Overall" winner rosettes.  Let me tell you, this is no small feat!

Here is a run down of my second and third place winners:

Coming in 3rd Place (white ribbon) was my apple pie, earning 88 out of a total of 100 points (all entries can earn up to a total of 100 points based on different judging criteria).
Taste: 44/50
Creativity: 27/30
General Appearance: 17/20
The judges' comments:
 "Appropriate golden color -- nicely decorated -- apples are nice and tender -- crust is nice and tender -- flavors compliment each other nicely -- the spices overwhelm the apple flavor - interesting list of ingredients."
My meat eater, who is usually pretty critical as well, was in town for the fair and able to try out this pie -- he did not agree that the spices where overwhelming, said the pie was amazing and ate darn near the rest of it.

Also earning 3rd Place was my vegetarian tempeh enchilada recipe I entered into the "Versatile Vegetarian Dish" contest.  It earned 85/100 points:
Taste: 52/60
Appearance: 33/40
The judges' comments:
"The tempeh is a nice addition and good source of protein. Would benefit use of more seasoning.  I also like the potatoes.  Appearance is attractive."

My meat eater was also in town when I made this dish and he loved it! I just made two enchiladas in preparation for the contest, and he ate the one I didn't enter for breakfast the next morning.  He likes tempeh in general and thought the enchiladas were a great flavor and texture combination.

Earning a 2nd Place (Red) ribbon was my pumpkin rice pudding which I entered in the "Cooking with Pumpkin" contest. It earned 93/100 points and was judged by three judges on:
Taste: 38,28,40/ 40
Appearance: 28,28,29/30
Originality: 30, 28, 29/30
The judges' comments:
"Very original recipe. Good taste." "Very original idea. Could use a little more pumpkin. Very nice appearance." "Nice refreshing mixture. Tasted cool."

Pumpkin Rice Pudding

I know, and my friend Jess can attest to it, that a significant factor in your Iowa State Fair food contest success is dependent upon your presentation - so garnishing ALL your entries is a MUST!

This is my third year entering food in the Iowa State Fair food competition but I was a 10-year 4H member many years prior where I learned many a valuable lesson on presentation.

All of these recipes of my own creation.  Look for them to be posted soon!

Tapas Tuesday at Ceviche

The last time I visited Jeff down in Tampa we decided to try out Tapas Tuesdays at Ceviche. Tapas Tuesday’s big appeal is $4 tapas, $4 sangria, and live salsa music.  

Jeff and I had a busy day and didn’t get there until about 8:00.  We’d been told there was valet parking if you get there before 7pm – someone can correct me if I’m wrong.  Ceviche’s was packed, which was good sign when trying out a place for the first time. 

Live salsa music was playing inside, we put our name on the wait list for a table, got drinks and then hung out on the patio-deck awaiting our table. 

It was a hot night but we had cold drinks, good company, and Ceviche’s had a fun up tempo atmosphere.  We waited about 30 minutes until we were seated at a table inside. 

Bread with olive oil & pesto

Inside the restaurant was hot, loud, and filled with people.  It was hard to talk across the table, but the salsa music was good and the restaurant décor had a vibrant, yet at-home flavor.

We were immediately served bread with olive oil and pesto – which is a nice change from the standard butter or simply olive oil you usually find at restaurants.  No cheese in the pesto, and it was fresh and fantastic.

The vegan and the meat eater found numerous options on the menu.  We ordered five tapas dishes:

Baba Ganoush – described as roasted eggplant with tahini, garlic, olive oil, served with toast points. 

Corazones de Alcachofas – marinated artichoke hearts, sweet onions, hearts of palm and caper berries.

Pipirrana- “beautiful salad with faboda beans, crispy cucumbers, capers, tomatoes, sweet peppers and onion in Jerez vinegar.

Champinones del Monte – Grilled and marinated woodland mushrooms with garli, olice oil, fresh herbs and sherry.

Calamares Frites – Tender squid lightly dusted in seasoned flour and fried crispy, served with lemon and paprika aioli. 

Corazones de Alcachofas on the left, Baba Ganoush on the right

I found the baba ganoush to be mostly tahini and the texture not consistent throughout, it was almost just tahini butter in places.  That being said, I couldn’t taste any eggplant, though I presume the eggplant gave the dish it’s light and fluffy consistency.  It had a nutty flavor and I preferred it with the veggies rather than the toast points. The toast points don’t do it any favors and Jeff simply did not like the dish at all.

 

Corazones del Alcahofas

The capers, artichoke hearts, hearts of palm, and onions in the Corazones del Alcahofas were an excellent combination together mixed in a light oil and vinegar marinade.  The vegetables were tender and had a refreshing crisp flavor.

  

Pipirrana Salad, eggs on Jeff's side, cucumber on mine.

The Pipirrana salad was indeed a beautiful array of colorful vegetables.  It did come with hard boiled eggs, but I just turned them towards my meat eater’s side of the table and we shared the salad. The vinegar on the salad was just the right amount and overall the salad had great flavor. The faboda beans and capers were excellent additions that really made the salad. 

Champinones del Monte

The Champinones del Monte can best be described as the best marinara sauce you’ve ever had, prior to it being sauced. This was probably my favorite and a great blend of veggies in oil and vinegar.  

I was most impressed with the freshness of all the dishes and how light the oil and vinegar were - just enough to compliment the veggies and blend the flavors.  The marinades were never heavy and oppressive.  Just right.

  

Jeff with his Calamares Frites & Sangria

Jeff will have to add his comments [here] on the Calamari Frites – we took notes in the restaurant but I can’t read his writing and wouldn’t want to confuse “dusting” with “disgusting.”  I do know, however, he had some strong words for the baba ganoush. 

As we enjoyed our meal and the night went on, it became significantly less noisy with fewer people and Ceviche's was really quite pleasant.  The best features of Tapas Tuesdays were the live salsa music and $4 tapas – and of course good company makes it all the better.  I highly recommend you try it out, but get there early! 

 

Welcome to Iowa, Whole Foods!

The first Whole Foods store in Iowa opened today (18 July, 2010) in West Des Moines. From everything I heard and read it was a huge success and insanely busy all day long.

I went to a Whole Foods for the first time when I was visiting my aunt & uncle in Boulder (I was probably high-school aged).  I was a relatively new vegan then was enthralled by all the vegan food options Whole Foods provided -- not just in the aisles but also in the deli and bakery.  I am certain I packed on a few pounds that trip.

When I got back to Iowa I remember I sat down at my computer, looked up Whole Foods' corporate headquarters and wrote them a letter.  Whole Foods needed to come to Iowa. I recall talking up all the great things about the state - fields full of soybeans from which all kinds of vegan and vegetarian products are made.

Today after work, I drove over to the new store to check it out. Weary of crowd of people just trying to get in the door, I cautiously ventured in.

I went straight to the deli and bakery to make sure it was like all other Whole Foods Stores.  The deli and salad bar may have been a few selections smaller than other whole foods. No smoothie bar.  And I was a bit disappointed in the bakery, but granted, it was the end of the day.

There were not the usual amount of vegan bakery items.  There was a vegan blueberry muffin, which I bought for $2.39 and was concluded it was delicious upon consumption.

I picked several prepared vegan salads from the salad bar, 0.96 pounds worth to be exact, at $7.99/pound for anything you put in the recycled card board containers. The food is very fresh and it is all kept very clean. It is also infinitely healthy with the variety of fruits, veggies, and grains they use.

I was mostly comparing prices because the local Hy-Vee food stores here do as good a job as any stocking vegan and vegetarian products. Veganaise mayo was $4.99 - about a dollar more at HyVee; Tofutti Better than Sour Cream was $2.69 is about what it is at HyVee; one liter of Whole Foods brand olive oil for $5.49!

So we welcome Whole Foods to Iowa, 10 years after I wrote them that letter making the case for a store here.  I'm under no illusions anyone ever even read my letter. I firmly believe, however, they will quickly see that Iowa was a great choice.