How to Make Substitutions Without Loosing Your Mind - Part 2

A Veg Turkey From: http://why-veg.com/tag/vegan/

Two of the dishes that may be the hardest to successfully replace or recreate at the VGF holiday table are: a satisfying main dish and stuffing.  Compounding this problem is that to many, this is part of/the whole/the only reason to be having this dinner anyway.  But don’t despair!  Being open to replacing the traditional roast meat and it’s breadcrumb stuffing, rather than recreating them, leaves many more avenues open to experiencing delicious (and usually more healthful)  alternatives. 

Alternatives?! No, I am not saying that instead of ham you should be happy with a beancurd and kale casserole.  Rather, I mean being happy with a dish that fulfills all of the scrumptious functions of, let’s say a roast turkey, can be had without, let’s say, relying on the main dish being sculpted like a turkey. Personally, I find the ‘fake drumsticks’ and the like to be deeply disturbing (and keep in mind, I still eat meat, occasionally – the hubbie is the veggie; see the first post for details). 

So, I guess that is my long and drawn-out point: you can recreate or replace.  If you desire the meaty chew and the slather-it-in gravy attributes of the roast beast, then by all means make a main that has those qualities (see homey & substantial below).  If you really just want a meatless main that is visually appealing and elegant enough to win over {your significant other’s} {special people}, go for a version of the ‘elegant & contained’ option below.  Breading/Stuffing/Dressing will be covered in 'Part 3'

Making a Meatless Main

Press-In Crust ready for filling

For something elegant and contained, try a savory tart or individual tartlets.  A lovely seasonal combination of chanterelles,leek and kale (and one of my favorites) is great place to start, but any of your favorite vegetables roasted or sautéed could take their place using the same press-in crust.

Shmeat Loaf with Mmmm mushroom gravy

For something homey and substantial, try a meatless loaf that can be presented more like a roast and served with traditional accompaniments like gravy and cranberry sauce.  Shmeat Loaf is a crowd pleaser, for vegetarians and omnivores alike – it and the Mmmm mushroom gravy are both vegan(!) too, but you’d never notice.  You can make this ahead of time too and just reheat in the oven the day of your feast.

For something comforting yet refined, try a layered dish of grains and vegetables in a pretty oven-to-table dish.  While calling it a ‘casserole’ conjures up images of Tuesday tuna surprise, more sophisticated dishes like the classic Italian tiella di verdura sound as special as they taste.  I found just such a recipe in Nancy Harmon Jenkins’s New Mediterranean Diet Cookbook that I’m dying to try.  Here is a very similar version, albeit without the rice (which you could easily layer in, or substitute with millet or quinoa).

Eggplant Timpano

Or the slightly more labor-intense but parcel-perfect Eggplant Timpano featured in this Tuesday’s FoodDay in the Oregonian.

Somewhere between comforting and contained is the tamale, a Mesoamerican staple of the Christmas table.  Tamales consist of a filling, either sweet or savory, surrounded by a corn-based dough and them steamed in a leaf wrapper (corn husk, banana or plantain leaf) which is removed before eating.  The sky is the limit when considering fillings so these can be very fun to experiment with.  There is even a local food cart, Koi Fusion, that is making tamales with an Asian twist, filling them with longbeans, daikon, short-rib and some fabulous spices.  I know the short-rib is less-than-vegetarian, but you get the point.

The ingredient list is short, and their only need a small tweak to make vegetarian or vegan as you like.  The corn base is actually masa, a special treatment of dent corn (as opposed to sweet corn) with lime to remove the husks and, as it turns out, unlock some of the bound nutrients in the kernels.  Most well-stocked grocery stores now carry masa, a common brand is Maseca which also makes a blend of masa especially for tamales, though this is not crucial and you can use just masa (I don’t know what makes them different).  Traditionally made with lard, you can substitute vegetable shortening, coconut oil or vegetable oil to make them vegan. We are making these today, so I will post it soon!  If you have access to a copy of The Veganomicon by Moskowitz & Romero (truly, the vegan bible) I am using their recipe as a base – you can find it on page 59.   Otherwise try this recipe from Vegetarian Times

 Note: They mention that ‘masa for tamales’ contains fat, presumably they mean of animal origin, and so to use plain masa instead.  The ingredient list on my bag of Maseca for Tamales states only: “selected corn treated with lime”. If you are unsure however, uses plain masa.

For the first in this series, check out Part 1 - aka 'The Crazy Season is Upon Us'

The Crazy Season is Upon Us

As the happy commotion of late summer activities made way to the blazing glory of fall, I find myself now contemplating the dying light of December(!). How quickly we find ourselves at the precipice of the shortest day, and headlong into ‘the crazy season’ in more ways than one.  ‘Tis the season to remember the important things in life: friends & family, a warm meal, shelter from the storm.  So as you gather round to celebrate, give thanks for this day: the present.

I am thankful for all the wonderful meals that I have had the pleasure of sharing with friends and family over the years.  I am grateful too that many loved ones have graciously adapted their favorite recipes to accommodate JJ’s and my restrictions with meat and wheat, among other things.  Whether you are new to the substitution game, or just stumped on specifics, making holiday dishes allergy friendly might be easier than you think.  Here are a few of the most common encounters: breadcrumbs, chicken stock, and the magic that is bacon.

How to make substitutions without loosing your mind - Part 1

Breadcrumbs

Conventional Subs

• GF Breadcrumbs are more widely available now in many specialty grocery stores
• If you have GF bread around, toast the slices until dry and then pulse in a food processor
• As long as the favor was not the failed part, I keep the results of ‘bread experiments’ sliced up in the freezer, and then thaw for making into crumb or croutons as needed

Creative Subs

Popped Amaranth

Depending on the function the breadcrumbs are fulfilling, numerous other ingredients, or combinations thereof, could be successfully employed:

• Topping/Crunch/Coating: quinoa flakes, slivered or sliced almonds, popped amaranth
• Body/Moisture Absorption: cornmeal/polenta, almond meal, GF flour like brown rice, or simply cooked rice or another GF grain; any of these could also be combined with some veg starch, such as potato or tapioca, especially if making a patty or loaf

Animal Stock/Broth

Chicken/Light Broth

Option 1 – Premade Vegetable Stock – good quality is important!

My favorite pre-fab veggie broths are from Wolfgang Puck (which I can't seem to find anymore) and Field Day Organic.  I've tried others and they can be exceptionally anemic and/or salty.  That being said, unfortunately the low-salt versions tend to also suck.  You can add a little poultry seasoning to reinforce the idea of ‘chicken’ if you like.  You can make your own veggie stock too, and I applaud you, but don't have the time myself, nor the freezer space to do this regularly.

Option 2 – Bouillon cubes

Good bouillon cubes are by Edward & Sons or Rapunzell.  Using bouillon you can get a little closer to the flavor right off the bat, with Edward & Sons Not-Chick’n 

Option 3 - Substitution

Depending on the recipe, you could sub all or part of the stock called for with water, white wine (diluted if necessary), or even a splash of rice wine vinegar.  Use your judgment accordingly when augmenting water as a substitution – I’m not telling you to make ‘chicken noodle soup’ with a bottle of wine!  Whatever you choose, amping up the spices can help to make up for any deficit in flavor.

Beef/Dark Stock

'Mushroom Liquor' from soaking dried ones

Option 1 – Premade liquids

Pacific Foods brand is ok for vegetable stock, but where they really shine is with their mushroom broth.  Mushrooms in general have great umami flavor that helps to give depth.  Using the soaking liquid from reconstituting dried mushrooms is another great option too, just be sure to strain it through a coffee filter or paper towel to catch any grit.

Option 2 – Bouillon cubes

Go for Edward & Sons Not-Beef bullion cubes.

Option 3 - Unctuous Onion Base

UOB - Unctuous Onion Base

Make a batch with this recipe, then thin it with a mixture of red wine and vegetable stock.  Let it simmer, the longer the better, to cook the alcohol out of the wine and allow the flavors to marry.  Add any spices you desire – bay leaf, black peppercorn and herbs complementary to the rest of your dish would be a nice start.

The 'secret' to veggie bacon flavor! Smoked paprika

Pork Products

Bacon

Flavor – smoked paprika, liquid smoke mixed with maple syrup, smoked salt

+ Texture – For a bacon-y base, sauté

• mushrooms, swiss chard stems &/or cubed firm tofu in
• caramelized onions, garlic, and
• a healthy dose of either smoked paprika or the liquid smoke & maple syrup mix, salt & pepper
• add a splash of veg stock

Swiss Chard stems - don't throw them out, make bac'n!

And you will have delicious smoky nuggets!

If you have neither paprika nor liquid smoke, try finishing the above with smoked salt before serving.  The grill can also impart vital smoky flavor – combined with a salty sweet glaze, you can get close to why all the reasons people love bacon.

Sausage

Tomato sauce with soyrizo

Flavor – many Italian seasoning mixes that contain fennel can really mimic the flavor that sausage imparts to a sauce (such as Williams-Sonoma Italian Sausage Seasoning). Another option is Montreal steak spice, or try a diy srasoning mix by combining:

• 2 T hungarian or sweet paprika
• 1 T coarsely crushed fennel seeds
• 2 t each of dried thyme, oregano, ground coriander, and garlic powder
• ¼ t – 1 t crushed red pepper flake depending on the desired level of heat

Mix together thoroughly and store in an air-tight jar. Use by the tablespoon (About 2 T for 1 lb of 'shmeat' or 30 oz of sauce).

+ Texture - Try commercially available ‘soyrizo’ or a like product, which tastes like spicy Mexican chorizo.  Read the label to ensure that the product is also gluten-free, most are.  Other options are to include one of the seasonings above with Quorn meat-free grounds, crumbled firm tofu, and/or ground or diced mushroom (especially portabello, porchini, shitake or crimini) which will give you a good texture and flavor approximation.

Hope this gives you some ideas on how to substitute for meat and/or wheat in your holidays dishes, and throughout the year.  For tips on how to reinvent some traditional side dishes in the VGF fashion, check out last year's post:
Very Good Food for the Holidays: Side Dishes Reconsidered

Or Check Out Part 2 of this 'series' - Making a Meatless Main

105 Things to Try

I was recently surfing the web, following one idea to the next down some proverbial rabbit hole and ended up inspired a blogger (Brow-Eyed Baker) who had a tab entitled ‘My 100’.  It was a culinary bucket list of sorts that she had compiled, comprised of the many dishes she hoped to conquer in the kitchen.  And that got me thinking – why not put together a list of all the yummy things that aren't, by nature, vegetarian gluten-free that we could try to make that way?

Now most of the things on the list are already vegetarian OR gluten-free, so should not be too difficult to adapt.  Some dishes did rise to the top of the difficulty meter, by being neither veg nor gf (French onion soup, beef stroganoff, sausage & chard strata, grilled burgers, meatloaf, Chinese-style lemon chicken), by being very hard to substitute with gf products (fresh pasta, gnocchi, ravioli, a ‘real’ baguette, tiramisu, spanakopita, samosas), by being difficult to approximate with gf veggie protein (beef burgundy, paella, bacon, lardons), or by being just technically difficult (soy cheese,mozzarella, verjus). I’ve nicknames them ‘The Tricky Twenty” and they are highlighted in bold in the list below.

Observant types might have notice mozzarella – hey, that is vgf already, what gives? Well, that’s where the rest of the ‘bucket list’ comes in. I ended up with 75 items to adapt, but as the ideas were rolling in I started thinking of some culinary delights I would love to create, just for the joy of it.  These 25 loosely fall into fresh cheese making, pickling, and creating other things from scratch - like homemade mayo.

I’m sure this is just the tip of the iceburg, but it is a good start – and a way to inspire me in the kitchen when I’m thinking ‘what should I make today?’.  I’ve reposted it in its own tab too (without the commentary), where I will cross off dishes as they are developed and pass muster (along with the inevitable failures). See My 105. Bonus is that we have already made meatloaf and mac 'n' cheese - yay!  I want to know from you – what is on your 100?  What are you struggling to adapt to meet your needs?  Let me know and we can work at it together.

Italian Delights

1.       Fresh pasta - A quintessentially ridiculous dish to make gf.

2.       Gnocchi - We have tried, failed, and will try again.

3.       Lasagna - What could be more homey and delicious?

4.      Eggplant parmigiana – Successfully breading the eggplant may also lead to parmigiana sandwiches.

5.       Pasta e fagioli - Pasta and beans, traditionally favas.

6.      Stuffed zucchini blossoms - Usually dredged in flour and stuffed with breadcrumbs.

7.       Arancini - Risotto balls usually bound with breadcrumbs or panko.

8.      Ravioli - Once the pasta is figured out we can explore these beauties.

Bread! & Baked Things

9.      A ‘real’ baguette - A HUGE treat, yet to find one gf that passes muster.

10.    Biscuits - Almost as good as a baguette.

11.     Flatbread -  Pita, na’an, or chipatis, looking for whatever will work best.

12.    Good sandwich bread - Something that will hold up to mayo and all the fixin’s.

13.    Whole brown rice bread - A mythic, traditional Japanese loaf that sounds fabulous.

14.    Sprouted grain bread - Why can’t it be gf too?  Easier to digest than flour.

15.    Pizza dough - Enough said!  A craving for us gf folks.

16.    Quick bread - Something that can be adapted to sweet or savory ends

17.    Muffins - Would love to replicate my mom’s Pumpkin Crunch in gf!

18.    Cottage cheese bread - Have some very nostalgic memories of this, with lots of dill.

19.    Crackers - A must for all the fresh cheese further down the list.

Sweets

20.   Angel food cake – My absolute fav as a kid.

21.    Fruit galette - My absolute fav now.

22.   Broken glass dessert - A jello & whipped cream concoction of my Grandma’s with lots of memories J

23.   Cheesecake - Who doesn’t love a good cheesecake?

24.   Brownies - Hard to resist, even for us non-dessert types.

25.   Meyer lemon curd - The quintessential lemon indulgence, I have to try it.

26.   Vegan fruit crisp - Loooove fruit crisp, why not make it more inclusive?

27.   Tiramisu - Lots of gf hurdles with this one, homemade ladyfingers?

28.   Gingerbread cookies - Another sweet soft spot.

29.   Shortbread - We’re Scottish, after all!

30.   Chestnut flour cake - Intriguing traditional Italian confection.

31.    Decent tart shell - That can take a bunch of seasonal fruit & still behave.

Savory Pastries

32.   Gourgettes - French cheese puffs, would love to make these work out.

33.   Spanakopita - Miss this fantastic combination of feta & spinach.

34.   Samosas - One of the best, hearty snack foods I used to adore.

35.   Empanadas - Latin American handpies, maybe with maseca?

36.   Turnovers - Infinitely stuffable with goodness.

Soups & Stews

37.   French onion soup - Beef broth & bread slice make this a double hurdle.

38.   Mulligatawny soup - Creamy, curry chicken with surprises of apple.

39.   Naomi Pomeroy’s celery velouté - Looks divine, but started with a roux.

40.  Miso soup - Complete restorative; usually has bonito fish broth.

41.    Posole - Heartwarming soup with hominy, pork and chicken.

42.   Pho - The Vietnamese staple that hits all the right notes.

43.   Guinness stew - How to get that rich beefy goodness in veggies form?

Main Events

44.  Meatloaf - JJ’s favorite, especially for sandwiches

45.   Falafel - One of my favs, but often adulterated with wheat flour, and served in a pita.

46.  Beef burgundy - Julia Child might not be impressed, but I am determined!

47.   Beef stroganoff - A yummy classic that needs much VGF revision.

48.  Mac & Cheese - Oh yah!

49.  Sausage & Chard Strata - Found this bread-based recipe and just have to try it.

50.  Burgers that can be grilled - If only… without breadcrumbs they tend to fall apart.

51.    Beef burgers - Looking for depth of flavor and great texture

52.   Chicken burgers - Something lighter but still substantial with some zing.

53.   Lamb kofta - Trying to be like our friend Huseyin, who makes it best

54.   Soufflé - For those fancypants dinner parties, usually contain flour

55.   Shepherd’s pie - Rich and comforting even in VGF form

56.   Chicken wings - If it’s coated in good sauce, will you know that it’s tofu?

57.   Bacon - Working for that smoky somtin’ somtin’.

58.   Paella - How to make so many kinds of meat replacements?

59.   Dirty Rice - A New Orleans staple.

60.  Lion’s head meatballs - Pork-based Chinese wonders.

61.   Chinese-style lemon chicken - A guilty favorite.

62.   Carne asada - Gimme spice!

63.   Shredded beef - Love the texture, would love in more on a sandwich.

64.  Lardons - Pork belly cubes of saturated goodness, might be hard to make veggie style.

65.   Butter chicken - Love it! 

66.  Jerk chicken - Bring on the heat…

67.   Chili - A favorite of sporting events, sloppy sandwiches, & nachos

68.  Something tea-infused - Totally intrigued by the cover of Culinary Tea.

Faux Dairy

69.  Vegan “butter” - There has to be something healthier to dip my artichokes in.

70.   Vegan cheese sauce - Morbid curiosity.

71.    Vegan mayo - We use veganaise, but it is getting sooooo expensive!

72.   Almond milk - Homemade has to be better, right?

73.   Soy milk - Intrigued, because of the following two possibilities:

74.   Soy yogurt - Does this work or taste okay?

75.   Soy cheese - Is this possible at home?

{Onto those that are just for the fun of it….}

Fresh Cheese & Dairy Delights

76.   Mozzarella - Mmmm fresh mozza with tomatoes, basil & olive oil.

77.   Ricotta – Yummy.

78.   Ricotta salata - Double yummy.

79.   Mascarpone - Is seem some great dessert potential.

80.  Paneer - Then onto peas paneer, one of JJ’s fav Indian dishes.

81.    Queso blanco - A must for the Latin dishes.

82.   Quark - The oldest form of cheese in Europe, dates to 3 B.C.E!

83.   Feta - Can you imagine fresh feta at home?!?!?!

84.  Chèvre - Another big favorite – though JJ isn’t as fond of it as I am.

85.   Soft goat cheese - Apparently there is a difference between this and chèvre.

86.  Goats milk mozzarella - Interesting…

87.   Sour cream - I’ll try it at least once, just to see.

88.  Crème fraîche - And then onto Truffled Crème Fraiche!

89.  Butter - Looks too easy not to try.

90.  Ice cream - Saw a recipe for white chocolate ice cream, so have to try it.

91.    Paskha - An interesting looking Russian Easter ‘dessert’ made in clay flower pots! HAVE to try that!

Canned & Homemade

92.   Dill pickles - A classic, growing my own cucs this year too!

93.   Pickled eggs - Not as weird as you think, now I’m addicted!

94.  Pickled beets - Just for Kim J

95.   Picked asparagus or beans - I won’t lie, they're destined for Homemade bloody marys.

96.  Pickled hot peppers – Addictive! Thinking of you, Shelly!

97.   Giardiniera - A classic Italian picked veg medley that is delicious.

98.  Verjus - Vinegar made out of unripe grapes, and boy do we have grapes.

99.  Low-sugar fruit jam - Apricot, fig or blueberry? Decisions decisions.

100.   Pear or apple butter - Fruit purees that you spread like butter caught my interest.

101. Apple sauce - Just to try, probably destined for baking.

102.Homemade mayo - A must.

103. Homemade mustard - A cool looking Roman mustard recipe sparked this.

104.   Homemade ketchup - Because the stuff from the store is SCARY.

105.Own Montréal steak spice - One of our secret weapons, so why not make it our own?

Yes, I AM That Crazy

Notice the "key ingredient" to cook in this mess (hint: its not the spackle knife)

I know that this has been a long reno "black out" period for the blog, but I want you to know that I am still working on recipes and pictures for post-kitchen-apocalypse posts!  Here is a snapshot of what it was like last week, when I couldn't take take-out anymore (but apparently had no problem adding more chaos to the counters).

I wish the shopvac I was tripping over made dinner clean up easier!

I had come across a recipe for a jerk marinade (applied to chicken of course) earlier in the reno and decided to give it a go with tofu.  Well, after three days marinating in the fridge I figured it was now or never to make it for dinner.  I added some sauteed caramelized plantains, fresh cara cara orange segments and toasted cashews, all nestled on a bed of spinach with a simple lime juice vinaigrette.

Nothing says tasty like a little construction adhesive!

Unfortunately whether it was the extended marinade, the adaptation to tofu, or the sizes that I cut everything, it wasn't quite where I wanted it to be....don't get me wrong, it was totally edible and still welcome after a long day of dust and elbow grease.  I just want it to be stellar in order to post it for you!  So if you have a great Jamaican jerk marinade recipe, by all means try your own version of this simple yet flavorful, and filling, dinner salad.   Until a can try out a better one, at least you can have a laugh at how food crazy I really am.

In the end it was still better than another night of takeout

Very Good Food for the Holidays: Side Dishes Reconsidered

Cooking for a diverse crowd these days often involves a little head scratching as how to make an impressive vegetarian main dish besides pasta, or a “dressing-like” side that is gluten-free, or what to do about that guest who doesn’t eat dairy.  Well, it’s not as hard as it seems as when you are looking through a disparate assemblage of cookbooks.

Consider first that many of the traditional side dishes are already VGF, or easily made that way.  Most roasted sweet potato/yam dishes already hit the mark (but ditch the marshmallows, which insult the sweet potato anyway).  If you just can’t imagine making Brussels sprouts without real bacon and breadcrumbs, consider at least adding a nice platter of mixed roasted vegetables.  The bounty available this time of year such as carrots, beets, fennel, leeks, and mushrooms are fantastic dressed simply with some olive oil, salt and fresh cracked black pepper, and roasted at 425 degrees F until fork tender, about 40 mins.  You can take it to the next level with some truffled crème fraiche – truly decadent but deceptively easy.

Below are some ideas on how to substitute minor ingredients in these classic side dishes (in progression of intensity of substitution):

Mashed Spuds
Problem	Substitute	Or try…
Sometimes made indiscriminately with chicken stock	Veg stock, or (non)dairy milk of your choice – unsweetened, unflavored of course [1]	Scalloped potatoes
Brussels Sprouts with Bacon & Breadcrumbs
Problem	Substitute	Or try…
Well, the bacon and breadcrumbs!	Smoked paprika for the bacon, and either parmesan crumbs or quinoa flake for the bread crumbs  if you can't find GF crumbs– the quinoa will add a distinct nutty flavor to the dish.	Roasted Brussels with truffle crème fraiche…………mmmmm tasty!  Though I don’t knock adding some smoked paprika also to put it over the top.
Sweet Potato/Yam Casserole with Marshmallows
Problem	Substitute	Or try…
Most commercial marshmallows contain gelatin, which is made from animal hooves & hides, and thus not vegetarian	Look for vegetarian marshmallows that use agar or egg whites instead, or vegan versions. Make your own with Alton Brown’s recipe subbing agar for the gelatin he calls for.  Or check out some other gelatin alternatives.	These tubers are pretty sweet all by themselves – try pricking them with a fork and roasting them whole in a 425o oven until tender, about 40 min.  Remove from the skin and mash with a little butter, salt & pepper.  If you really need sweet, add a drizzle of maple syrup or some crushed candied pecans, or make Maple Roasted Sweet Potatoes from eatingwell.com
Green Bean Casserole
Problem	Substitute	Or try…
Traditionally made with chicken stock, a can of mushroom soup, and French’s fried onions, however all is not lost for this perennial favorite	Use a hearty veggie stock (such as Wolfgang Puck or homemade), VGF mushroom soup (bought or homemade with this recipe [2]) and a tablespoon of veggie starch (such as potato, corn or tapioca) and make Crispy Shallots for the topping.	Steamed green beans with 1 T grainy mustard, 1 T rice wine vinegar, 1 t agave nectar, a generous sprinkling of smoked paprika if you wish and salt & pepper – top with Crispy Shallots if you want/need/love the crunchy onions.
Gravy
Problem	Substitute	Or try…
Usually made from pan drippings and thickened with a wheat flour slurry	Mmmm Mushroom Gravy, which uses an unctuous onion base for depth of flavor and is thickened with veggie starch of your choice (potato, tapioca or corn).	Mmmm Gravy sans the mushrooms? You gotta have gravy!

Please, please, please comment, facebook &/or email with questions, comments & suggestions for other holiday side dishes that need reforming, and I will brainstorm as best I can to help everyone have a very good food side dish!  

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[1] For this I will recommend Silk brand (soy or almond) and Almond Breeze (almond) – be sure to buy UNSWEETENED & UNFLAVORED. Vanilla is great for shakes but not so well received in gravy

[2] While I do not advocate microwaving, here is an easy diy recipe for condensed mushroom soup.  If this recipe weirds you out a little – consider what you are actually eating with “regular” cream of mushroom soup.

Ricotta Tartlets

Makes 12

This recipe is adapted from one in the Canadian Living Vegetarian Collection[1], a great veggie cookbook that was given to me by my sister-in-law.  This was the first one I made out of the book because it intrigued me immensely, and has since become a huge hit with many of my friends and family.  I love to serve them as an accompaniment to Nicoise-Inspired salads, or as a clever and tasty protein boost to a green salad or simple soup.  You can change the herbs to suit the rest of your meal, or choose something mild like chives, parsley or thyme to keep them more compatible with anything you might dream up.  They keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days, but I bet they will be long gone before that!  I only have one muffin pan, but if you have two this recipe could easily be doubled. You could also halve the recipe if you have a mini-muffin tin and make fun canapés.

Start by finely grating

• 5 oz (~1 cup) parmesan cheese, or other hard dry cheese (you can cube it and run it through a mini or full size food processor to speed this up)

You are looking for something close to parmesan “dust” to coat the muffin tin (see below), but the remainder of the cheese can just be grated.  Don’t sweat it too much – cooking should be fun!

Grease a muffin tin with oil (using a pastry brush or wax paper can help with this).  Using about ¼ cup of the grated parmesan, sprinkle evenly amongst the muffin cups.   Shake and tilt the pan to encourage some cheese to stick to the sides of each cup until all sections are evenly coated and set aside.  This makes a nice crust on the outsides of the tartlets hand helps make the pan “non stick”.[2] 

Preheat the oven to 350^oF.  In a large bowl beat together the following until smooth:

• 15 oz part-skim ricotta (1 small container, about 2.5 cups)
• 2 egg whites
• remaining parmesan
• 2 T vegetable starch (potato, tapioca or corn)
• 1 T neutral tasting GF flour (brown rice, white rice, sorghum or almond meal)
• 1 t baking powder
• ~2 T fresh, or ~2 t dried herbs of your choice (can use more if mild or less if strong

Good choices for herbs are thyme, rosemary, chives, tarragon, parsley, herb du Provence, and/or lavender (used in combination with another milder herb). I like to use 1 T fresh chives with either 1 T of fresh tarragon or fresh thyme.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan, dividing equally amongst the cups (about 1 T in each -the cups won’t be full).  Bake in the center of the oven until puffed and golden, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 40 minutes.  Rotate the pan halfway through the cooking time if you have any hotspots in your oven.  Let the pan cool on a rack for 5 – 10 minutes before running a butter knife gently around the edges to loosen.  Serve hot, warm or cold – all are delicious!  These are deceptively filling, so serve one to two per person depending on what they are accompanying, to save yourself from demolishing them all!

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[1] Kent, Alison & the Canadian Living Test Kitchen.  2010. The Vegetarian Collection: Creative meat-free dishes that nourish and inspire. Transcontinental Books: Montreal, QC. 288 pp.

[2] If you want to cut down on the cheese, you could try making these with paper or silicone baking cups – let me know how it works out!

A Craving for Meatloaf

One of, if not the favorite dish of my husband’s is meatloaf.  I hated it as a kid.  But out of love I am constantly on the hunt for something using Very Good Food that can be made into loaf form and satisfy us both.  When I made this version, I knew we were onto something… and that the craving for meatloaf is more common than I thought. 

JJ took leftovers to work one day (actually, I think leftover meatloaf is his favorite) and once reheated, the smell wafted over to a the desk of a new colleague.  Sniffing around, she tracked it to its source and proclaimed that it smelled just like her mom’s meatloaf.  She insisted on learning how to make it and so a dinner was planned.  Over the course of the evening stories were shared, wine was imbibed, meatloaf was made (eventually), and a friendship was born. 

Such is the power of food to bring people together and turn acquaintances into friends.  To this day Tricia inspires me to keep track of what I’m cooking so I can learn from mistakes, and more importantly, share it with others.  It also helps to right things down when the champagne is flowing and the mind gets a little foggy! 

This recipe was inspired by one entitled ‘Yogi Steak’ in Food as Medicine by Dharma Singh Khalsa, M.D.[1]  He recommends it as a potent anti-cancer food due to its richness in antioxidants and cruciferous vegetables (those in the broccoli family).  Besides that, this is a great veggie version of meatloaf - which even I really like.  It’s a fabulous gateway dish to facilitate not only conversion to the VGF side, but great comradery. 

We recently had a fabulous time making this dish at Tricia & Russ’s house, everyone pitching in and giving their two cents as we tried to nail down the quantities.

Menu

Shmeat Loaf

served with mashed potatoes

smothered in mushroom gravy

topped with crispy shallots

accompanied by a fresh tossed salad

You can freely substitute the mashed spud with sweet potatoes, yams, mashed roasted cauliflower, squash, or the lovely veg of your choosing.  The crispy shallots aren’t essential, but are delectable.

Shmeat Loaf

A note on loaf pans:  usually they are referred to by the poundage of the dough they will contain e.g. 1 lb, 1.5 lb, 2 lb.  1.5 lb pans are usually 8.5” by 4.5”.  I only posses 1 lb loaf pans which are 7.5” by 3.5”.  While this recipe will all fit into either one 1lb pan or one 1.5 lb pan, I prefer to split it between two 1 lb pans to reduce the cooking time and facilitate portioning and sharing of the final product.  You could do the same with two 1.5 lb loaf pans, but will have to increase the cooking time if you use one loaf pan of either size.

Preheat the oven to 375^oF.  Grease one or two loaf pans and set aside (see note about pans above).  If you are really worried about sticking, line the bottom of the pan with baking parchment.

Grate, chop, or pulse in a food processor, the following vegetables until finely diced but not pureed:

• 1 c broccoli florets
• 1 c brussels sprouts
• 1/2 sweet onion
• ½ c flat leaf parsley
• 1.5 c unctuous onion base, about 4 or 5 boiler onions worth (you will need the same about for Mushroom Gravy if you choose to make it) click here for how to make unctuous onion base

Transfer to a large bowl and stir in

• 2 T freshly grated ginger root

In a medium-large bowl mix together the dry ingredients:

• 1 c yellow cornmeal
• 1 c brown rice, soy or other mild tasting GF flour
• 2 T poppy seeds
• ½ t cayenne pepper
• 2 T Hungarian/sweet paprika
• 1 T garlic powder
• Salt & pepper to taste

In a measuring cup or medium bowl mix together the wet ingredients:

• ¼ c grainy mustard
• ½ can tomato paste
• ¼ c tamari
• ½ c water
• 3 t agave nectar or honey 

Pour the wet ingredients into the veggie and mix thoroughly (hands are the easiest).  Add the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly (again, hands are the easiest).  Knead together and, if using two pans, divide into two equal balls.  Transfer to greased pan(s), smoothing the tops with a silicone spatula. 

Bake in the oven for 45 min or until a toothpick inserted to the center comes out clean.  Add time if making one loaf.  Remove from the oven and let rest 10 min.  Run a butter knife around the edge of the pan to dislodge and turnout on a cutting board.  Slice into ½ slices and serve 1-2 slices if you made a single loaf or 3-4 slices if you made two loaves.  Serve with mmmmm mushroom gravy or the condiments of your choice.

Bonus Recipe: Shmeat Loaf Sammies

Take two pieces of leftover shmeat loaf and toast or pan fry briefly until crisped and warmed through.  Slather on the condiments of choice, lettuce, tomato, pickled onions, and a fried egg, cheese or the protein of your choice, top with the other slice.  Ta-da!  A shmeat loaf sammie where the shmeat is the star…you may never make one with bread again!

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[1] Khalsa, Dharma Singh. 2003. Food as Medicine: How to use diet, vitamins, juices and herbs for a healthier, happier and longer life.  Atria Books: New York, NY.  358 pp.