Vegan

Weekend + Gluten-Free Cranberry-Orange Walnut Tart

November 19, 2012 by Erica

What a great weekend! I am so tired.

I said that I just wanted to sleep this weekend. But it turns out there was a lot of other stuff I wanted to do, too! So now I’m drinking green tea, hoping it will keep me up long enough to finish this post before I faceplant into my pillow.

Friday night was relatively uneventful. My cousin is in town to audition for the symphony, so once she got in on Friday, we went to dinner at a Middle Eastern restaurant in town. After dinner, it was pie baking time! I wanted to bring two pies to a Thanksgiving dinner party on Saturday night, so I had to get started. First up: a cranberry-orange walnut tart.

This tart was yummy, and believe it or not, gluten-free! I’ll give the recipe below. I’m eating a leftover slice right now!

Making one pie was all I could handle on Friday, so we called it an early night. Saturday we were up early for brunch at Caffe Niche, followed by more pie-baking!

I really liked this pear frangipane tart. I’ll give the recipe if anyone wants to see it, but I didn’t modify it at all from the original.

Saturday afternoon, we also did a bit of Salt Lake City sight seeing. Then we headed over to our friends Matt and Alex’s for a fancy Thanksgiving dinner party. Just look at what they turned their living room into!

They had more than 20 people to a sit-down dinner. Alex is super crafty, and made us each a personalized clay charm for our wine glass! She also did the beautiful table decorations.

We ate way too much, of course. There was also some wine involved!

Yum.

We had such a great time with friends Saturday night – thanks Alex and Matt! It made a little hard to get up Sunday morning to go up to Snowbird. Luckily, we made it!

It was my first day out this year, and happily, the snow was good! It was actually snowing quite hard in the afternoon. It made for tough visibility, but a few good runs!

I had meant to get some powder skis for this season (my second winter in the West!), but I haven’t gotten around to it yet. I also never got around to getting the skis I do own tuned up. They literally had cobwebs on them when I took them out of our storage shed this morning. It made for a pretty sloppy day. But I can’t lie… it’s the skier, not the skis, that has some cobwebs to clear! Hopefully I’ll get out more this year than last, and improve a bit more.

My partner in crime. How cute is he?

Pete and Suzanne made me jealous with their bright-colored ski pants. I think I may need to get some…

And we ended the day with beer and nachos up at Alta.

So I’m now realizing that my weekend could be summarized into “eating, skiing, and more eating.” Yep. Pretty ideal, if you ask me. Let’s do it again next weekend!

Anyway, speaking of eating, let me get back to the cranberry-orange tart.

I didn’t actually mean to make this gluten-free, but it ended up that way, so I’ll take it! This tart has a crust made almost entirely out of walnuts, filled with a cranberry-orange mixture. It’s kind of like eating cranberry sauce out of a nutty crust, to be honest. It’s a pretty basic pie and is not too sweet, so it would make a good end to a rich, filling meal. Leftovers would also make a great breakfast the next day – a time-honored Foulser family tradition. :)

If you’ve never made a nut pie crust before, I highly recommend it. It’s much easier than rolling out a traditional pie crust and adds extra flavor. As a bonus, it’s a really easy way to go gluten-free. I’ve tried making regular pie crust before with gluten-free flour mixes, and never had very good results. So if you’re baking with a gluten-free family member or friend in mind, give it a try. The walnut one below could be filled with chocolate or any number of other fillings. I might use it for a pumpkin pie on Thursday.

5.0 from 1 reviews

Gluten-Free Cranberry-Orange Walnut Tart

Hands-on time

10 mins

Cook time

30 mins

Total time

40 mins

Author: Coffee & Quinoa

Yields: 10

Ingredients

For the crust:
3 cups walnut halves
1 Tbsp canola oil
3 Tbsp maple syrup
⅛ tsp salt
For the filling:
juice of 1 orange
2 1/2 Tbsp cornstarch
1 (12-ounce) package fresh cranberries
½ cup maple syrup
1/4 cup orange marmalade
1 Tbsp grated orange rind
2 Tbsp chopped walnuts, toasted, plus extra for topping (optional)

Instructions

Pre-heat oven to 325 degrees.
In a food processor, process 3 cups walnuts to a find crumb. Remove to a bowl and mix with remaining crust ingredients. Mixture should hold together when pinched between two fingers, but not be too wet. Add some extra ground walnuts if it seems too wet, or a bit more maple syrup if it doesn't hold together.
Press into a tart or pie pan, taking care to press some up against the sides to hold in the filling. Bake for 10 minutes, remove and let cool on a wire rack before filling.
Increase oven temperature to 350. In a saucepan (without heat yet), whisk together orange juice and cornstarch. Now add the remaining filling ingredients. Heat over medium, stirring, until mixture is thick. This will take only a few minutes.
Spread evenly into prepared crust. Bake at 350 for 20-30 minutes, until crust is golden brown. Remove to wire rack and let cool completely before serving. Optionally, top with additional toasted walnuts once cool.

Notes

Filling adapted from http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/cranberry-orange-tart-10000000522224/

Farro Risotto with Butternut Squash and Kale

November 16, 2012 by Erica

Happy Friday! Do you need the weekend as much as I do?

Last weekend, I had a whole list of things to cook and bake. I woke up early on Saturday morning energized to get started, and just kept going all weekend. As much fun as it was to try out a bunch of new dishes, I don’t think this weekend will be like that. I just want to sleep! And ski. Oh yeah… and bake some pies for a Thanksgiving dinner party I’m going to on Saturday night. OK, so maybe it will be a liiiiittle bit like last weekend.

With any luck, I’ll have some pie recipes to share with you next week. For today, I have this risotto, which was part of last weekend’s craziness. Nate says it’s a keeper, and I have to agree with him, seeing as I ate about two servings worth of samples as I stood over the stove.

I was pretty scared of risotto after my last attempt, on Valentine’s Day, left me a hot sweaty mess after stirring the stuff for about an hour longer than the recipe called for. Not very romantic, especially since I was pretty grumpy by the time it was done. It was also a farro risotto… the stuff just would not cook! Nate’s mom pointed out to me that I should use pearled farro, which cooks a lot more quickly. Make sure you use that here to reduce the time you spend stirring! I found a package of it in Whole Foods near the rice (although they didn’t have it in bulk).

I am all about easy cooking (very little patience over here). So if I can make risotto and not be be swearing by the end… trust me, you can, too!

For this risotto, the squash and kale are cooked separately (this could even be done ahead of time) and then added at the end. The farro, onion, and garlic are simmered with white wine and vegetable broth. I tend to favor a “stir once or twice and then just stay in the vicinity” technique rather than constant stirring. That way I don’t go crazy, and I even get some dishes washed while I cook.

There is a fair amount of olive oil and vegan butter going on here. So it’s definitely a treat, but a tasty one worth having once in a while!

5.0 from 1 reviews

Farro Risotto with Butternut Squash and Kale

Hands-on time

15 mins

Cook time

65 mins

Total time

1 hour 20 mins

Author: Coffee & Quinoa

Yields: 4 as an entree

Ingredients

3 Tbsp vegan butter, divided (I used Earth Balance)
1 medium butternut squash, chopped into 1/2 inch cubes
large bunch of kale (I used curly), stems removed, leaves torn into 2-inch pieces
3 Tbsp olive oil, divided
1 1/2 cups pearled farro (can use regular farro but cooking time will double)
1 sweet onion, diced
3 large or 4 small cloves garlic, minced
1 cup dry white wine
4 cups vegetable stock, warmed (you may use slightly more or less depending on cooking time)

Instructions

First, roast the squash. (You can do this step ahead of time and keep roasted squash in the fridge.) Preheat oven to 375 degrees. On a foil-lined baking sheet, toss the cubed butternut squash with 1 Tbsp olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast about 35 minutes, until squash is tender, stirring 2-3 times in the process to cook evenly.
Next, toast the farro. Heat remaining olive oil in a large oven-proof skillet over medium-high heat. Add farro and toss to coat. Toast the farro about 1-2 minutes in the pan (you will hear it start to sizzle), then transfer to the oven (still at 375) to finish toasting for about 6 more minutes. Stir once after 3 minutes. The farro won't look toasted, but it will start to smell a bit toasted and will be sizzling. Remove the farro to a bowl and wipe out your skillet.
Now we’ll actually cook the risotto. In the same skillet, melt 2 Tbsp vegan butter over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the onion and saute until translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook about 2 minutes more. Now add 1/2 cup of the wine and increase heat to high to deglaze the pan. Stir once or twice, reduce heat to medium, and let simmer until the wine is almost evaporated, about 2-3 minutes.
Add farro and about 1/2 cup of vegetable stock to the skillet. Stir and let simmer until almost all liquid is absorbed. Continue doing this, alternating veg stock with the rest of the white wine, until your farro is tender, about 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, cook your kale by sauteing with a small amount of water, tossing continuously, until bright green, about 30 seconds. Run under cold water until cool, then set aside.
Once farro is tender, stir in remaining Tbsp vegan butter, squash, and kale. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Serve hot!

Notes

Adapted from Bon Appetit magazine via http://iheartyum.com/main-course/farro-risotto-with-butternut-squash-and-kale/

Shredded Brussels Sprouts with Garlic and Lemon

November 15, 2012 by Erica

Have I told you that I love vegetables?

Probably. There’s no way I could be vegan if I didn’t.

Have I told you that sometimes, while I’m chopping vegetables, I’m chopping with one hand and eating with the other?

Nate has to witness this all the time. (Sorry hun.) But he’s usually busy trying to eat the vegetables that I’m chopping, too. Competition for chopped vegetables – I’m pretty sure that’s how you lose a finger. And I’m VERY sure that my mom had a no-hands-on-the-cutting-board rule.

Luckily, this isn’t the story of a dinnertime emergency room trip. It’s the story of a pile of shredded vegetables that I made Nate eat for dinner.

How awesome is it that I have a boyfriend who will eat spaghetti squash and brussels sprouts for dinner and say it reminds him of his childhood? I’ll tell you: It’s really awesome.

Now despite the fact that the spaghetti squash dominates these pictures, it’s the brussels sprouts I’m here to tell you about. I recently learned that shredded brussels sprouts are even more delicious than whole ones. There are several restaurants in Salt Lake that serve them this way, and it’s worth going out just to get them! This recipe is from the Copper Onion, one of my favorite restaurants in Salt Lake (although not at all vegan-friendly… sad face).

These brussels sprouts are chopped up, quickly sauteed in a bit of oil, and tossed with minced garlic and lemon juice. As easy as that! They make a great easy side dish to pasta or any other hearty entree. Try them and let me know what you think!

Shredded Brussels Sprouts with Garlic and Lemon

Hands-on time

10 mins

Cook time

3 mins

Total time

13 mins

Author: Erica

Yields: 6

Ingredients

Extra virgin olive oil
About 25 brussels sprouts
Salt and pepper to taste
2 garlic cloves, minced
Juice of 1 lemon

Instructions

Thinly slice brussels sprouts using a mandolin or a sharp knife.
Add garlic and lemon to the serving dish.
Heat a large pan over medium-high heat. Add a bit of olive oil. Once hot, add brussels sprouts and salt and pepper to taste.
Saute until brussels sprouts are bright green and slightly softened. (This takes me 2-3 minutes.)
Pour brussels sprouts into the bowl with garlic and lemon. Toss to coat and serve warm.
Enjoy!

Notes

Recipe from the Copper Onion via http://www.abc4.com/content/news/dailydish/story/Shaved-brussel-sprouts-with-garlic-and-lemon-from/TqyQzQV0QEKnK7XkhhHbtg.cspx

Fudgy Chocolate Pumpkin Cake

November 14, 2012 by Erica

I had planned on posting about something completely different today.

But then I thought that would be unfair, because I’ve had chocolate on the brain all week. So obviously everyone should. Also, do you see this cake?

It is fudgy, pumpkiny and vegan. I really hope you’re not sick of pumpkin yet, because this cake is something special!

Last fall, my roommate and I found this recipe on the Whole Foods website. I’m not sure what we were looking for when we found it (not a pumpkin recipe, I don’t think), but we tried it and it was way better than we expected. It was so good that she made it again to surprise me for my birthday! So sweet. (Miss you Kera!)

I was also pleasantly surprised this weekend when I was able to create a vegan version of this cake pretty uneventfully. (That has not been the case for most of my vegan baking attempts… but more on that some other time.) Probably because it was somewhat healthy to start out with, containing pumpkin and all, the vegan version tasted just like I remembered it. Success!

I’m embarrassed to say that this particular cake spent less than 36 hours on this earth. I had some help… but not much.

This cake isn’t too fancy. It’s good for snacking, or bringing over to a friend’s house to share. It’s sweet, but still pretty healthy!

The one problem with this cake is that it always looks so uneven, you know? Every time you cut a slice, the remaining cake just needs to be evened off a little… now just a little over here… oh shoot, might as well just eat the rest of that row.

And that, my friends, is why there was no cake left when Nate got home on Sunday.

5.0 from 2 reviews

Fudgy Chocolate Pumpkin Cake

Hands-on time

10 mins

Cook time

35 mins

Total time

45 mins

Author: Erica

Yields: 9

Ingredients

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup canola oil
3/4 cup natural cane sugar
1 6-oz container plain soy yogurt (3/4 cup)
1 15-oz can pumpkin purée (1 ½ cups)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 ½ cups vegan chocolate chips
powdered sugar, for dusting (optional)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray an 8-inch square baking dish.
In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients (flour through salt).
In a separate large bowl, whisk together the oil, sugar, yogurt, pumpkin, and vanilla.
Mix the flour mixture into the wet ingredients until well combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.
Pour into prepared dish. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with fudgy crumbs, about 35 minutes. Set the dish on a cooling rack.
Once thoroughly cool, dust with optional powdered sugar. Slice and serve directly from the dish.

Notes

Adapted from Whole Foods http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipe/pumpkin-chocolate-cake

Simple Guacamole

November 13, 2012 by Erica

Guacamole makes everything better, don’t you think?

Chips. Tacos. Spoons. Tuesdays. All made tastier by mashed-up avocado goodness.

As for this post, I’m not so sure it’s a “recipe.” It’s really just… the way I make guacamole.

Everyone has the guac ingredients and method they swear by. Salsa vs. tomatoes, chunky vs. smooth, food processor vs. fork, avocado pit in the bowl or not… these could all become heated debates. I think I learned to make it this way from my mom. And you just don’t mess with Mom’s recipes! They are time-tested and Dad-approved.

(Although Mom now informs me that she adds cumin and cayenne to hers. Sorry Mom – I messed with it!)

There are only a few ingredients in my guac, which makes it ideal for whipping up quickly before a party. Or do what we did last Sunday night and scoop some on top of these chipotle sweet potato tacos from Naturally Ella!

5.0 from 2 reviews

Simple Guacamole

Hands-on time

10 mins

Total time

10 mins

Author: Erica

Yields: 6

Ingredients

4 ripe avocados
1 vine-ripened tomato, diced
¼ to ½ red onion, finely diced
juice of 1 to 2 limes
½ tsp salt plus more to taste

Instructions

Halve the avocados and scoop the flesh out into a large bowl. Mash quickly with a fork or potato masher, leaving some chunks.
Dice the tomato and onion and add to the bowl with the avocados. Depending on the size of the onion, I usually start with a quarter and see how that looks, then add a bit more if necessary.
Juice 1 lime over the bowl, sprinkle ½ tsp salt over, and stir to combine. Taste test, then add up to 1 more lime and another ½ tsp of salt to suit your tastes.
Serve with tortilla chips or however your prefer!

How do you like your guacamole?

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