Thanksgiving 2013

Woah. It is already January and I haven't done my annual Thanksgiving post yet! IN MY DEFENSE, Thanksgiving was really late this year!

Sorry, lovers. It was a mighty busy end to the year but I have a little more flexibility time-wise for the next couple weeks so I will have a slew of posts comin' atcha!

This past Thanksgiving was my 5th Thanksgiving as a vegan. As per usual, it was full of delicious food, great company, and stellar wine. I feel incredibly fortunate to have such a wonderful network of family and friends who are, at the very least, open to veganism on Thanksgiving and who gladly accommodate my enthusiasm for cooking and preparing vegan meals.

The menu this year included (but was not limited to):

• Quinoa stuffed baby bell peppers
• Cashew Cheese Ball 
• Brussel Sprouts with Sautéed Portobello Mushrooms
• Cornbread and Kale Stuffing
• Mojito-Lime Fruit Salad
• Tabouli salad (made by a friend)
• A slow-cooked Cashew and Roasted Vegetable Rice Dish (made by a friend)
• Spiced Cranberries
• Grilled Asparagus (made by a friend)
• Mashed Potatoes
• Soft Dinner Rolls
• Tofurky w/ Roasted Root Vegetables (made by a friend)
• 2 types of gravy: mushroom and a nutritional yeast 
• Pumpkin-Caramel Cheesecake with a Caramel Drizzle 

Anyone who ever said it would be difficult to be vegan on Thanksgiving has clearly never met me. Thanksgiving is my FAVORITE holiday. Probably because eating is my favorite past-time and it is just such a wonderful time to show all the people in your life how much you appreciate them. Also, it is a great time to spread the word about the treatment of animals through food and love. 

Get outta here turkey, we don't need ya on our dinner plates!

In general, I tried to keep it super simple this year. I didn't use a whole lot of recipes (aside from the pumpkin caramel cheesecake which was totally new and turned out delightfully), rather I focused on techniques and flavors I was familiar with. Lots of onions and mirepoix, garlic, fresh and dried herbs, good healthy oils (mainly avocado), herb rubs and salt blends and flavorful, robust, seasonal vegetables that were roasted, sautéed, pureed, and cooked in an assortment of different ways.

For example, for the brussel sprouts, I simply drizzled a massive stalk of sprouts with a bunch of avocado oil, seasoned with good salt and herbs and roasted until the outer layers were crispy. I didn't even set a timer; I just let them roast and made minor adjustments until they tasted good to me:) Then, I sautéed up a bunch of baby portobello mushrooms with some soy sauce, avocado oil, salt and pepper and then tossed the brussel sprouts and mushrooms together as one dish. So simple yet so incredibly satisfying! The crispy outer layers of the sprouts contrasted beautifully with the soft, succulent mushrooms and the flavors complemented each other nicely.



Cornbread made night before for the cornbread stuffing

For the cornbread-kale stuffing, I made up a batch of the Trader Joe's boxed cornbread mix (this stuff is the BEST EVER - make it with a flax egg!) in my cast-iron pan the night before and left it out overnight to stale out a tiny bit. Then I basically just sautéed a onion and celery with a bunch of fresh herbs (see: parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme) w/a big ol' glob of Earth Balance in my le creuset pan. I added in the kale and let it wilt down slightly and then crumbled the cornbread straight into the pan, added a cup or so of bread crumbs and about a cup of good veggie broth. Then I popped it in the oven until the top was nicely browned. It was hands-down my favorite stuffing ever.



Quinoa-spinach stuffed baby bell peppers



Cashew "Cheese" ball



Brussel Sprouts + Mushrooms



Cashew, vegetable rice dish



Tabouli Salad



Mojito Fruit Salad



Cornbread kale stuffing



Roasted asparagus



Homemade cranberry sauce



Tofurky with roasted root vegetables



My Plate! (Well, the first one at least)

I made the pumpkin-caramel cheesecake with caramel drizzle the night before, as well. This thing was AMAZING and I would absolutely definitely for-sure make it again.

Pumpkin-Caramel Cheesecake

Adapted from Namely Marley

For the Cookie Crust

• Most of a container of Trader Joe's cinnamon cat cookies
• 2 cups walnuts, chopped
• Pinch of Sea Salt
• 1 tsp. dried ginger
• 1 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
• 2 Tbsp. brown sugar
• 4 Tbsp. coconut oil, melter

Preheat oven to 350ᵒF. Spray springform pan w/cooking spray

Toast the walnuts to bring out their flavor by spreading walnuts in a single layer in a large skillet or sauté pan and toast briefly until just beginning to brown and fragrant.

Pulse cookies and walnuts until course. Add the spices and brown sugar and pulse again to combine. Add melted coconut oil and pulse until incorporated.

Spread into the bottom and up the sides of a springform pan and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

For the Caramel Sauce

• 1/4 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup non-dairy milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 Tbsp Coconut Oil

Combine sugars and milk in a small saucepan over medium heat. 

Cook for a minute or two until the sugars dissolve. Increase the heat slightly to allow the mixture to come to a boil. Continue to cook until the caramel thickens to a desired consistency.

Remove from heat, add the vanilla and coconut oil and stir until the oil is incorporated into the caramel. Set aside to cool.

For the Pumpkin-Cheesecake Filling

• 1 tub vegan cream cheese (I used Daiya's new cream cheese and it is SO GOOD. The best I've had)
• 1 package 14-15 oz extra firm tofu
• 1 1/2 cups white Sugar
• 1 can  Pumpkin Puree
• 2 tsp. pumpkin pie seasoning
• 2 Tbsp. corn starch
• 1 Tbsp. ground flax seeds

Combine all filling ingredients in a food processor and pulse until smooth and fully combined (about a minute).

Assemble the Pumpkin Cheesecake:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Remove crust from fridge. Spread dollops of the caramel sauce over the crust. Spread about half the filling evenly over the caramel sauce. Spread more dollops of caramel sauce (save some for the topping though!) Spread the second half of the cheesecake filling over that caramel layer! Top with remaining cheesecake filling, reserving some caramel sauce for topping.

Bake for an hour and 20 minutes or until the top looks slightly browned and the center of the cake looks relatively firm (a little jiggly is OK). Set the cheesecake on a rack to cool. Then top with topping ingredients (extra chopped walnuts, crushed cookies, caramel sauce). Refrigerate for AT LEAST 4 hours before serving. I put mine in the refrigerator all night and most of the next day and it was just perfect :)



So concludes my annual Thanksgiving post! If you have questions about any of the other recipes feel free to comment or contact me!



Live long and prosper. And cook tasty food for your loved ones during the holidays!

Pumpkin Scones with Maple Glaze

Another pumpkin recipe! Not out of the ordinary at all for me this time of year, as I tend to put pumpkin in everything, but exciting nonetheless.

You can never have too much pumpkin! I always say...

But really, there is an abundance of this nutrient-dense, widely applicable squash this time of year, so get it while it is in season! After Halloween, many places practically give pumpkins away (the pumpkin I last bought was from a farm stand at the market where every pumpkin was $1, regardless of size). Plus: when you buy pumpkins, not only do you have the flesh with which you can make innumerable pumpkin baked goods or add to any assortment of things such as smoothies, oatmeal, risotto, pasta (the list goes on and on) BUT YOU ALSO HAVE THE SEEDS. Roast them! Snacks for days!

It's such a magical squash. I absolutely adore pumpkin.

For this particular recipe, I used pureed pumpkin that I made by simply roasting a large, de-seeded and cut-up pumpkin in the oven at 425 for about 30-40 minutes (or until the flesh is soft), removing the outer skin and then pureeing it in my vitamix for about a minute. I then distributed the pumpkin puree among 3 containers, leaving on in the fridge and placing two in the freezer for later use.

You could theoretically roast up as much pumpkin as you liked and place it in freezer safe containers and have pumpkin puree all year! And all from a $1 pumpkin! Your yield will be about 10X that of canned pumpkin and for a fraction of the price. So neat.

Pumpkin Scones w/Maple Glaze

I made these scones on the smaller side (mini scones!) but feel free to make them larger if that suits your purpose :)

For the Scones  

• 2 cups flour
• 1 Tbsp baking powder
• 1/3 cup sugar
• 3 tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup cold Earth Balance
• 1 cup homemade pumpkin puree
• 1 tsp vanilla extract 
• Almond milk, for consistency

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine all dry ingredients and stir together until fully mixed.

Using 2 knives or a pastry cutter, cut the cold Earth Balance into the dry mix until crumbly.

Mix in the pumpkin puree, vanilla extract and almond milk until a thick dough is formed.

Form the dough into 2 circles (3/4 - 1 inch in depth). Use a super sharp knife to cut into 8 equal wedges (per dough - 16 wedges total).

Place the scones in the oven and cook for 13-14 minutes (for little guys) or 16-17 minutes (for larger guys).

After the scones have cooled slightly, top them with maple glaze and chopped walnuts. 

For the Glaze

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1/4 tsp high quality salt
• 1 Tbsp melted Earth Balance
• 1/2 tsp vanilla
• 1/3 cup maple syrup 
• Almond milk, for consistency (I made my glaze a little thinner but it's totally up to you!) 
• 1/4 cup walnuts, chopped finely

Whisk together all ingredients except almond milk and walnuts in a medium bowl. Add almond milk until you reach desired consistency.

Using a large spoon, drizzle and smooth glaze over scones evenly. While still sticky, top with chopped walnuts. 

These are so pretty and a GREAT choice for use of pumpkin. They are relatively low in sugar and all around a great fall snack. Pair with a chai tea latte and you have exemplified the season in food-form.

Enjoy!

Live long and prosper. And put pumpkin in everything. Tis the season.

Seasonal Weeknight Eats

 

Despite the fact that we are still having summery weather in Portland, the produce that is in season is definitively autumn-y. I always think I am going to be so sad when the summer bounty is gone, but there is still so much bounty being produced by all of the wonderful farmers who make their living in Oregon that it is difficult to feel anything but grateful.

This week, I picked up:

Kale (2 kinds)

Collard Greens

Cauliflower

Carrots

Baby Bell Peppers

Purple Cabbage

Zucchini (late season)

Delicata Squash

Spaghetti Squash

Butternut Squash

Apples (3 kinds)

Pears (2 kinds)

GF Bread from Happy Campers

Hops Honeywine from Nectar Creek

White Radish Kimchi from Choi's Kimchi

 I mean, look at that list! What an incredible amount of beautiful foods are still available, in this unseasonably sunny and dry October. So in love with my local food community right now!

In celebration of these autumn veggies (and fruits!) - I have a couple quick, fresh and easy to prepare weeknight recipes to share that really maximize these seasonal-veggie goodness.

Raw Collard Wraps with Zucchini-Cashew Cream 

For the Wraps

• 2 large collard leaves
• 1/2 bell pepper, chopped
• 1/4 small head of purple cabbage, chopped
• 6-8 florets of broccoli, chopped
• 6-8 florets of cauliflower, chopped
• 3 carrots, chopped
• 1/2  avocado, chopped

Remove the stems from the collard leaves so they are pliable and foldable. (If you need to briefly steam them, feel free - I did and it made them easier to work with!)

Layer all chopped veggies on top of leaves and top with Zucchini-Cashew Cream!

For the Zucchini-Cashew Cream

• 1/2 small zucchini
• Small handful of cashews, soaked for 4-6 hours
• 1 Tbsp nutritional yeast
• Small handful basil + small handful of cilantro
• Juice from 1/2 lemon
• 1 Tbsp maple syrup
• Dash of cayenne pepper
• Dash of salt

Place all ingredients in the Vitamix or other blender and blend until smooth. Pour on top of collard wrap and fold up like a burrito!

Delicata Squash, Kale and Purple Cabbage Scramble

• 1 Tbsp coconut oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 cloves of garlic, diced
• 1 small delicata squash, seeds removed and chopped
• 1 head kale, chopped
• 1/2 small purple cabbage, chopped
• Veggie broth/white wine, as needed
• 1 Tbsp garlic salt

Saute onion and garlic in the coconut oil for 5-7 minutes or until browned and fragrant. Add veggie broth or white wine if they start to stick.

Add chopped delicata squash (you can leave the skin on! It tastes delicious) and saute for another 3 minutes. Continue to add broth/wine as needed. 

Add chopped cabbage and saute for another 5 or so minutes

Add kale and garlic salt and saute for a final 3 minutes or until kale is wilted

Raw Pad Thai

For the Noodles

• 1 medium zucchini
• 1 large carrot
• 1 yellow or red bell pepper, sliced
• 3 green onions, chopped
• 1/4 avocado, sliced 

Spiralize zucchini and carrot with a spiralizer (or use a veggie peeler or mandolin to make "noodles"). Combine zucchini, carrot, and bell pepper in a large bowl. Set onion and avocado to the side. 

For the Sauce

• 1 garlic clove
• 2 Tbsp raw almond or peanut butter
• 1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
• 1 Tbsp tamari
• 1 tsp pure maple syrup 
• 1 tsp Trader Joes Thai Spice Blend
• Water, as needed

Place all ingredients in Vitamix or other blender and blend until smooth! Pour over veggies and toss until completely coated. Top with avocado and green onions!


That's it, loves! Hope you got some inspiration for all that beautiful and bountiful farmers market produce! Don't let it go to waste!!

Live long and prosper! And nourish your body ALL week with simple, fresh meals :)

Pumpkin Cupcakes with Pumpkin Pie Frosting

 

My absolute favorite part of this time of year is pumpkin. Hands down, pumpkin things win my heart in terms of fall favorites. Pumpkin beer, pumpkin pie, pumpkin candles, pumpkin hummus, pumpkin seeds, and dogs dressed up as pumpkins (of course Wyatt has a pumpkin costume). Yes, falling leaves are beautiful; yes, scarves and boots are a nice change of pace; yes, crisp, clean mornings and dynamic trail runs are much appreciated; but pumpkin takes the cake.

Speaking of cake, I decided to exemplify this love of pumpkin into my favorite food-form: cupcakes.

 

These pumpkin cupcakes are heavy on the pumpkin flavors. Using canned pumpkin in conjunction with the pumpkin pie spice and the sweet molasses from the brown sugar (not to mention the pumpkin pie frosting) mean these cupcakes are pure fall happiness in cake form.

I chose to use flax eggs in this recipe, but I am assuming vinegar+soymilk (buttermilk) or egg replacer would work just as well. You can also use roasted pumpkin - just puree it and sub it in for canned pumpkin. Also, if you are looking to cut down on the oil - sub out 1/4 cup oil for 1/4 cup applesauce. Whatever floats your boat.

Pumpkin Cupcakes

• 2 "flax eggs" (2 tbsp. flax + 6 tbsp water)
• 1 cup flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/3 cup white sugar
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 3 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 cup canned pumpkin
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a small bowl, prepare your flax eggs. Place flax in bowl and then whisk in cold water. Leave in fridge for 10 minutes or so to thicken.

Meanwhile, in a large bowl, sift together all dry ingredients. When flax egg is prepared, fold in wet ingredients, including canned pumpkin. If batter is too thick, add a little bit of non-dairy milk until smooth.

Line cupcake tin with liners and pour batter into liners until about 1/2 - 3/4 full.

Place cupcakes in preheated oven and bake for 17-19 minutes, depending on your oven.

While the cupcakes are cooking, prepare your frosting!

Pumpkin Pie Frosting

• 1/2 cup vegan nonhydrogenated shortening  
• 1/2 cup vegan nonhydrogenated margarine (i.e. Earth Balance - I used the whipped) 
• 3 1/2 cups powdered sugar 
• 1/3 cup canned pumpkin
• 3-4 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice
• Splash of nondairy milk, if needed 

 In a stand mixer (preferably kitchen aid), beat the margarine and shortening together until fluffy.

Slowly add in powdered sugar and continue to beat for another 4-5 minutes.

Add pumpkin, spices and nondairy milk (if needed - add this last) and continue to beat for another 5 or so minutes or until light and fluffy and frosting-y!

Pipe frosting onto completely cooled cupcakes and be ready to get hit with fall flavors!

 

Ah! Wonderful :) Feel free to pair with a Hot Toddy, mulled wine or - best idea, yet - Pumpkin beer!

Live long and prosper! And enjoy this wonderful season we call fall. 

Summer's End Vegan Dinner

First off, I want to say thank you to everyone who reads/has read/lives by/occasionally browses my blog. As of yesterday I reached 100,000 views which seems like a ton to me. I have received so many comments, questions and pleas for advice since beginning this blog and I really hope that, whatever your interaction with it, you have gotten something out of it! I really love being part of the blog world, so thanks!

OK! Onto the food!

For my mom's birthday, I made two reservations at the 3rd annual "Summer's End Vegan Dinner" hosted by Chef Greg Gourdet of Departure and Blossoming Lotus.

My general impression of the entire evening was basically that I was blown away. Seven courses of beautifully and articulately crafted vegan and paleo food complied by a couple of the best chefs Portland has to offer. I mean what could be better? This was the type of experience that is (yet another) reminder that vegan food can do pretty much anything "other" food can do. It can be just as complicated, flavorful, delicate, fine and diverse (in terms of flavor, texture and experience) as any other "fine dining" type of food. And it can do it better. And by harming the animals and the world less. Aaaand healthier.

I could go into complete detail about each course but I was so overwhelmed by the amazing-ness that I think my feelings got all mushed together and overlapped. So I'll just leave you with these photos along with a brief description of each course :)

Wanted to start with this photo because it is my favorite :) I mean, really. Look at that! It's spiced tamari glazed lobster mushrooms, purple potato dumplings, truffle-coconut broth with roasted heirloom veggies and lotus chips. The mushrooms were PERFECTLY cooked and the truffle-coconut broth complimented the delicacy of the whole dish quite well but honestly my favorite part of the whole thing was the potato dumplings. I don't have any idea how they were made or what else was in them but I literally could eat those dumplings every day. They were melt-in-your mouth delicious. I think they might have been my favorite part of the whole meal.

Taking a real quick step back, I am not generally a big hard-alcohol drinker and I started with a glass of wine when we were sitting on the back deck of the Nines before our reservation (see amazing photo of the view below!) but when I saw this on the menu, I had to have it. I do NOT like cloyingly sweet mixed drinks, but simultaneously spicy, salty and fresh-fruity drinks are on the top of my list.

And, of course, this drink has Jacobsen Salt on it (gets me everytime) so, naturally, I ordered it.

Let me tell you, I wasn't disappointed! Fresh jalapeno and fresh raspberry? Absolutely. This drink was perfectly balanced and complimented the meal delightfully.

The view that I mentioned :) The Nines is SUCH a beautiful hotel.

My mom and I, pre-meal <3

 

This first course was, as waitstaff informed us, was "not on the menu." It was just an extra little bonus appetizer (you know, just in case the six other courses weren't enough). There were little rice balls, a raw ravioli and sushi rolls with a couple purees on top. That is about  all I can tell you (remember - mushy emotions and thoughts about the food all blurred together because of the wonderful-ness)

Don't worry! This part WAS on the menu :) Official course #1 - charcuterie board. On it was (drum roll, please!) 

Part 1 (the cheeses)

1. Brie with a pear mostarda (which, I learned because I had to look it up, is an Italian condiment made of candied fruit and a mustard flavored syrup)

2. Pepper jack with a red pepper jam

3. Apricot ginger chevre with apricot chutner

In terms of these cheeses, the cherve was both my mom and I's favorite. They were all so unique and had a shocking breadth of flavor and texture, but I do remember we agreed on the pairing of the cherve and apricots as the clear favorite. 

Part 2 (the other delicious things)

1. Broccoli and marinated tomato terrines

2. Shiitake mushroom mousse with blackberry glaze

3. Chia and pumpking seed crackers 

The crackers were BOMB. The broccoli was perched on top of a little broccoli pudding that was so fresh and smooth. The Shiitake mushroom mousse I really liked but my mom didn't. I thought it was a little much to have both the mushroom mousse and the broccoli pudding thing; they were too similar in texture and with everything else on the plate, I thought one or the other would have been sufficient. 

Seriously glowing with happiness :)

 

Course # 2/3 (depending on if you count the first appetizers...which I do. We'll call it #3) was the "End of Summer Fruit and Vegetable Trio"

From left to right:

Corn custard with grilled sweet corn, tomato syrup and sea beans

Smoked eggplant curry and roasted chile stuffed eggplant

Fig and walnut tart, ginger-onion marmalade and  beet vinaigrette

Each of the components on this place made me so excited. Sea beans! Fig tart! Smoked eggplant! That's sort of like what my reaction was like. I LOVE sea beans. Just love them. They are so real and fresh tasting - they really taste straight from the sea which I adore.

I am obsessed with figs. Can't ever get enough. So a fresh fig tart is obviously a win by my standards. 

The EGGPLANT. I don't know how they made the smoked eggplant but it was definitely one of my favorite bits of the night. I think that smoked eggplant would satisfy any meat-eater - it was so smokey and hearty. Just wonderful.

Soup course! Look at my mom...isn't she cute?

 

Soup! Celeriac and Macadamia Nut Soup to be exact. With an apple fritter (in the center), Asian pear, maple nam prik and thai basil. The beauty and delicacy of this soup speaks for itself. It was just as pleasurable to eat as it was to look at. Some serious culinary art right there. Plus I got to explain to my mom what celeriac is. And she liiikes it.

The mushroom/potato dumpling course, discussed above

Did I mention there were TWO dessert courses? No? Well there were.

Dessert course eins (pictured above): 

Grilled zucchini cake, triple peach ice cream, curry carrot curd with pomegranate syrup and candied carrot.

Edible flowers! And moist, fluffy zucchini cake, accented intelligently with the curry/carrot flavors. I love vegetables for dessert. Especially when they are so sweetly paired with a complex array of flavors.

Last but not least: Mignardises. Ginger beet lollipops. dark chocolate nut clusters, coconut caramels and raspberry pate de fruit.

I'm not going to lie, I was so full by this point that we had to take these desserts home. But since then I have snacked on them every night and that caramel is probably one of the greatest creations ever. I hadn't had caramel in so long and I forgot how good it is. Sigh.

So that concludes the summary of our wonderful evening! What an amazing experience. Can't wait to do it again next year. And if YOU'RE in the Portland area, you should definitely attend. You won't be sorry.

Thanks Chefs!!

All right beautiful people: as always, Live Long and Prosper. And thank you for all the love.

Vegan Things I'm Loving

Life's craziness and my relative absence from the blog-scene does not mean I'm not still experiencing awesome vegan-related things on a near daily basis.

I am continually overwhelmed by how much incredible vegan stuff and amazing vegan people exist in our world.

As much as I love sharing my own personal cooking adventures, I want to give some props to some of the super vegan things I have encountered in the last couple weeks.

First stop - this beautiful dish that was crafted for me by the chef at Chow in Bend, OR.

I had heard great things about Chow and convinced my mom to go there with me during our recent mini-vacation to Bend. When we got there, I noticed several vegan or vegan-friendly options on the menu, but I really wanted something, I don't know, inspired. So I asked our waitress to have the chef make something raw (which their menu specifically stated they specialized in) and vegan, more in the savory realm, and to take as much creative license as they wished. When my waitress brought out this avocado, walnut, mushroom stack over greens with blueberries and vinaigrette, paired with markedly fresh avocado and tomatoes, I wanted to hug her. It was so perfectly suited to the moment (and my appetite - I was starving after a full day of cycling) and oozed care and creativity.

 

In the vein of care and creativity, Chef Gregory Gourdet of Departure has put forth some pretty epic vegan offerings in recent weeks. Aside from being a bad-ass ultra runner, Greg has been strikingly influential in bridging the gap between the culinary/foodie world and the vegan one (worlds which, at times, seem mutually exclusive). Aside from creating bomb vegan and gluten free menus at Departure, Greg continually pushes the vegan edge in a variety of otherwise traditionally gourmet contexts, from events like his Electric Summer Bash (which was one of the more fun events I've ever been privileged enough to attend), to his coconut milk-based, chef-inspired flavor created for Portland Ice Cream behemoth Salt & Straw, to his frequent collaboration with vegan trendsetters like Blossoming Lotus and Sizzle Pie Pizza, Greg is doing some pretty cool stuff.

Aside from eating an entire pint of his ice cream over the course of two nights, I am blindly chasing after (stalking? ...maybe) yet another of Greg's creations - his Summer's End Vegan Dinner. For the third year in a row, Greg is teaming up with Blossoming Lotus to host this incredible vegan + paleo five-course meal at Departure. It's September 25th (at the tail-end of Portland's more meat-based Feast festival) so no insight yet to this food experience, but I can almost guarantee it will be magical.

 

 And on a completely different note, vegan bars are probably my favorite scene. This Sriracha filled love fest was photographed at NE Portland's totally vegan bar, Bye and Bye. This bar is always such a blast. We always end up chatting with some really interesting people, and although the lines can be long and the place can get super crowded, it's a quintessential Portland place to hang out with food good and strong drinks. Oh and the bar tenders are attractive - always a plus ;)

Jumping back to myself for a minute (sorry, couldn't resist posting this picture), I have been LOVING buying up the most random and unique looking produce I can find at the Farmer's Market (produce so beautiful it almost seems like artwork I could never create/grow) and finding the simplest ways to enhance the flavors for my own consumption. That being said, I had to post this picture of a seriously incredibly heirloom tomato paired with a steam purple carrot over market greens, topped with flake salt (of course).

Next in the line-up, I have to give a shout to to Sizzle Pie. With nine vegan pizzas on the menu, I always assumed the owners and staff of this super hip pizza joint cared about animal issues, but I really had no idea how incredibly awesome and caring they were until I emailed them about an event that my group, the Student Animal Legal Defense Fund, was putting on. I emailed them asking if we could potentially get a discount on purchasing a fairly large order of vegan pizzas from them and they almost immediately emailed me back and said they love supporting animal rights groups and would donate 12 pizzas, no problem. I mean, seriously! How awesome is the world we live in sometimes? It's that kind of generosity that makes you appreciate life a little bit more :) AND these pizzas are good. It is so nice to have such a variety of different vegan pizzas (not that they lasted long). How awesome, Sizzle Pie. If you are in the Portland area, go support them.

I've also been doing some vegan entertaining at my house which is always a total blast. Last weekend I had a potluck at my place for SALDF where I baked peanut butter cookies, made veggie gyoza, a spicy purple-cabbage slaw and put together a veggie tray. People showed up with a whole myriad of fresh fruits, veggies, hummus, salads and tons and tons of desserts. Plus lots of beer, wine, and good company. I love leading such a motivated, dynamic and compassionate group of people. Again, another one of those "so grateful" moments :)

Ignore the law school text books in the background :)

Speaking of wine and hummus. A couple girlfriends texted me last weekend and asked if I wanted to go out. I had literally been out with college friends all day (there was body paint and beer pong involved - yikes!) and so I suggested that they come over and bring wine and I would cook them dinner instead. It was beautiful - we all hung around in comfy clothes and talked and drank wine (they brought 4 bottles and we had 4 kinds of hummus - that's how I party) and had a super perfect evening. I made a kale and Beyond Meat chicken hash over sprouted brown rice and quinoa paired with roasted delicata squash and olive ciabatta bread from Pearl Bakery. They loved it - neither of them had eaten Beyond Meat before and it was fun cooking with it. Speaking of which, in other vegan news, Alton Brown wrote a review of Beyond Meat for Wired Science which is pretty badass. I like seeing stuff like Beyond Meat gaining popularity and edging its way a little bit more into mainstream society. 

So those are a few of the vegan things I'm loving lately. In general, I'm just trying really hard to stay balanced and appreciate the small things in life. When you work two jobs, go to school full time, run an awesome group and have a dog-child, life can feel overwhelming. But everyone has their battles and at the end of the day, the more we can appreciate the beauty in the world and follow the things that make us happy, the better of this planet of ours will be.

 

So that's it, lovers. Do what makes you happy. Surround yourself with people who contribute something to your life. Don't sweat the negatives and appreciate the positives. You only have one life so, as always, live long and prosper. 

Savoring Summer

I cannot believe we are already into the first week of September!

Summer in Portland always seems to fly. I wait all year for this beautiful season and then it fades before I can even settle into it. On the bright-side, the fleeting nature of summer compels me maximize the incredible wealth of seasonal bounty that Oregon provides.

I don't think I've gone more than a meal or two without incorporating some kind of local or homegrown produce. From blueberries on my almond butter toast in the mornings to kale in my smoothies to huge salads made with fresh greens to spiralized zucchini and carrot pastas with fresh pesto and cherry tomatoes - I am literally in produce heaven. Makes me feel so fortunate to live in such an incredible community of farmers, growers and other locavore-foodies.

I was invited to some friends' house the other night and, with no real meal plan, we pillaged from their garden and used the goods in order to craft an extra-fresh dinner. We started with a melon-tomato gazpacho. And by "we" I mean my brilliant friend Kristina used the orange watermelon I brought over and vitamixed it with tomatoes, spices and magic to make this amazing cold soup.

I wish I had the recipe for you but I don't. She whipped it up so fast I barely even had a chance to ask what the general ingredients were, let alone take down the full recipe. 

But don't worry - while she was crafting her magic-soup, I was throwing together this bruschetta which is one of my go-to summer dished that always seems to be a crowd-pleaser

Backyard Bruschetta

• 2 large heirloom tomatoes or a pint of heirloom cherry tomatoes
• 2 medium lemon cucumbers
• 1 large handful of basil
• White balsamic vinegar, to taste
• High quality olive oil, to taste
• High quality salt (like Jacobsen Salt), to taste

Chop tomatoes and cucumbers and combine in a medium sized bowl.

Chiffonade basil and toss with the veggies. 

Add olive oil, vinegar and salt and stir until combined. Continue to adjust until you get the right balance of acidity and smoothness.

Spoon on top of a toasted, locally baked baguette and enjoy.


In terms of the rest of our dinner, we simply picked veggies straight off the vine (tree, plant etc...), slathered them in various sauces and tossed them on the grill. Add a bottle of Rose' and it's difficult to imagine a more perfect summer night.

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Another bounty-inspired summer meal that I made recently was this one of collard wraps and my take on a Catalonian Romesco sauce.

I adore greens in all forms, but there I especially love greens that can be used to make wraps. Between green wraps and spiralized-veggie noodles, I am getting more than my fair share of fresh summer vegetables. To make these wraps, I used Collars which I have found are the best in terms of shape and texture to make wraps out of. Any heartier green will work, however, so it's really up to you.

I stuffed these wraps with steamed sweet potato, black beans, pan fried padron peppers from Viridian Farms, spinach and carmelized onion. Like I said, though - you can put pretty much anything in them. Despite not being the prettiest or most photogenic topping, I spooned a romesco-type sauce over the top which I thought complimented the flavors of the wraps nicely :) I didn't use toasted or stale bread in my romesco as is traditionally done - I used roasted eggplant instead for a thicker texture. 

Collard Wraps(Serves 2)

• 8-10 large collard green leaves
• 1 can black beans
• 2-3 sweet potatoes, chopped and steamed
• 10-12 padron peppers, roughly chopped
• Large bunch fresh spinach
• 1 medium Walla Walla sweet onion, chopped
• 2 Tbsp. coconut oil, divided
• 1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
• 1 large handful fresh basil, chopped
• 1 large handful cilantro, chopped
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp Italian seasoning

Start by heating a tablespoon or so of coconut oil in a fry pan over medium heat. When the oil is heated, add the chopped padron peppers and pan fry until crispy (you can add more oil depending on the size of your pan). Remove the peppers from the pan and set aside.

Add the second tablespoon of coconut oil to the pan and bring up to medium heat. Add the chopped onion and begin to saute. After 5 or so minutes, add the balsamic vinegar and cotinue to caramelize for another 10-15 minutes. Add the black beans and steamed sweet potatoes and saute everything for another 3-5 minutes. Add spinach, fried peppers, fresh herbs and spices and saute until spinach is just wilted. Remove from heat immediately.

Next, fill up a large sauce pan with water and bring to a boil. Chop the thickest part of the collard stems off. Using tongs, submerge an individual collard leaf in the water for 10-15 seconds or until pliable. Remove from water and set on a flat surface. Spoon filling into the center of the collard leaf and roll up like a burrito. Repeat until all leaves and filling are used up! 

Lightened-up Romesco

•  1/4 cup raw hazelnuts (preferably from Freddy Guys)
•  1 medium eggplant, roasted and skinned
•  2-3 cloves of garlic, roasted
•  1/2 red onion, roasted
•  2 medium red peppers, roasted
•  1 large heirloom tomato
•  1-2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar (could also potentially use red wine)
•  1 tsp red pepper flakes
•  1 tsp smoked paprika

I roasted everything in my oven (the peppers I then broiled to scorch them to make it easier to remove the skin) but you could easily do it in the BBQ if you have that baby up and running. Once roasted, combine all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until chunky and blended. If necessary, heat over the stove for a few minutes until warmed through.

Top collard wraps with sauce and enjoy! Pair with steamed broccoli and flake salt if it suits you.

In other news. I've also been baking pies. With blackberries from my back yard. I don't have a recipe for this guy either because I literally used what I found in a family friend's kitchen to make it. Hadn't made a pie in a while (let alone on a whim, without a recipe) but I will say it turned out pretty well. Add enough sugar and shortening to anything and it will turn out just dandy. Vegan, yes. Healthy? Not so much. But DELICIOUS.

Also sometimes I put wine on Wyatt's head. He loves to go wine tasting with us :)

What a trooper.



Live long and prosper, lovers. And enjoy the rest of this stunning summer.