Polenta with Roasted Red Peppers and Cheese

Four ingredients folks, dinner doesn't get easier than this. If you want even more convenience, use bottled roasted bell peppers. If you'd like to make the recipe a touch more home-made, chop up fresh tomatoes and prepare polenta from scratch.

Ingredients:

• 3 large red bell peppers
• 1 (14.5-ounce) can whole tomatoes
• Cooking spray
• 1 (16-ounce) tube polenta
• 1 and 1/4 cups shredded vegan cheese*
• Fresh basil (optional for garnish)

1. Cut the bell peppers in half lengthwise, and discard any seeds and membranes.  Place the pepper halves, skin sides up, on a baking sheet lined with aluminum foil.  Flatten with your hand.  Broil for 10 minutes, then transfer to a zip-top plastic bag and seal; let stand for 15 minutes.  Peel off the skins and cut the bell peppers into strips.

2. Drain the tomatoes in a sieve over a bowl, reserving the liquid.  Chop the tomatoes, and add to a large skillet heated over medium-low heat.  Cook for 1 minute.

3. Gradually add the tomato liquid, and simmer for 1 minute.  Add the bell pepper strips and simmer for 5 minutes.

4. Spread 1/4 cup of this pepper sauce into the bottom of a 13x9-inch baking dish coated with cooking spray.  Cut the polenta tube into 12 slices, and arrange the slices evenly over the pepper sauce.

5. Spread with the remaining pepper sauce, and sprinkle with the cheese, then bake at 350 degrees for 25 minutes.

Divide into 6 portions to serve. Fresh basil makes a lovely garnish.

*I used Daiya's mozzarella shreds, which are similar to a melty cheese like Fontina. With so many options on the market now, feel free to choose whichever you prefer!

Nutrition Info:
6 servings (1 portion), Calories 187

Tasting Notes:
Simple but quite good. Roasting the bell peppers brings out their natural sweetness, which pairs beautifully with the savory tomatoes and gooey cheese on top. Tube polenta will never be as fresh or flavorful as the homemade kind (particularly if you cook the grains in a mix of non-dairy milk and vegetable broth), so I would take the extra effort and make a batch from scratch next time. For almost no extra effort, I would also chop up the basil and make it part of the sauce next time, rather than just a garnish, or add other herbs like oregano or rosemary. 

Rating:
3.5

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

I used to love cocktails garnished with a pink maraschino cherry, though I rather shudder at the memory now. The cherries are bleached, colored with artificial dyes, and loaded up with high fructose corn syrup. No thank you! But I confess I did miss the taste of these sugary bites, so was delighted to learn Tillen Farms' organic maraschino cherries are vegan.  Making this cake was a nice way to celebrate the discovery.

Ingredients:

• 9 canned pineapple slices (such as Native Forest)*
• Cooking spray
• 1/3 cup caramel sundae syrup (such as Fun Fresh Foods)
• 9 maraschino cherries (such as Tillen Farms)
• 5 tablespoons vegan butter
• 2/3 cup vegan sugar
• 2 Ener-G eggs
• 1/2 cup vegan buttermilk**
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 and 1/4 cups all-purpose flour

1. Press the pineapple slices between paper towels until barely moist, and set aside.  Reserve any remaining pineapple slices for another use.

2. Drizzle the caramel topping in the bottom of a 9-inch square metal baking pan coated with cooking spray.  Arrange the pineapple slices in a single layer over the caramel.  Place 1 cherry in the center of each pineapple slice.

3. Place the butter in a large microwave-safe bowl and microwave for 30 seconds to 1 minute, until melted.  Add the sugar, whisking until blended.  Add the Ener-G eggs, then add the buttermilk, baking powder, vanilla extract, salt, and baking soda.

4. Lightly spoon the flour into dry measuring cups and level with a knife.  Add the flour to the sugar mixture, stirring just until blended.  Pour the batter over the pineapple slices in the prepared pan.

5. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes - a wooden pick inserted in the center should come out clean.  Cool for 1 minute in the pan on a wire rack.  Place a plate over the cake, and invert the cake onto the plate.  Cool completely.

Mmm, vegan goodies:

*A 15-ounce can of pineapple slices from Native Forest will contain slightly more pineapple than you need for this recipe. Just save the rest for snacking!

**To prepare the buttermilk, place 1 and 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice in a liquid measuring cup.  Fill with non-dairy milk to equal 1/2 cup and let stand for 5 minutes to clabber (sour) the mixture.

Nutrition Info:
9 servings (1 square), Calories 264

Tasting Notes:
Wonderfully moist, and the cherry and pineapple slice on each square of cake are a delight. A lightly-sweetened batter, with nice hints of vanilla. My only complaint is that this was not the best use of the caramel sauce, since it seemed to lose some of its flavor during baking. Definitely let the cake cool all the way - I know, it's hard to be that patient! - since the flavors taste best once cooled, rather than when warm.

Rating:
3.5

Apricot and Cherry Salad with Lime-Poppy Seed Vinaigrette

Stone fruits have a fleeting season, so make sure you're eating your peaches, nectarines, and apricots while the getting is good. Earlier in the month I used glazed apricots in a dessert, but this summer fruit salad is a savory - but equally delightful - application in which to use them.

Ingredients:
For the vinaigrette:

• 1/3 cup vegan sugar
• 3 tablespoons water
• 3 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lime juice
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• 2 tablespoons canola oil
• 1 tablespoon poppy seeds

For the salad:

• 6 cups trimmed watercress
• 4 cups sliced apricots
• 3 cups halved and pitted cherries*

1. To prepare the vinaigrette, combine the sugar, water, lime juice, salt, and mustard in a blender; process until combined.  Add the canola oil and poppy seeds and process until blended.

2. Arrange 1 cup watercress on each of 6 plates. Top each serving with 2/3 cup apricot slices and 1/2 cup cherries.

3. Drizzle 2 tablespoons vinaigrette over each salad.

*Use your cherry pitter folks, or this could take all night.

Nutrition Info:
6 servings (1 cup watercress, 2/3 cup apricots, 1/2 cup cherries, 2 tablespoons vinaigrette), Calories 184

Tasting Notes:
All that sugar in the dressing definitely makes it sweet, but it is surprisingly well tempered by the mustard and lime juice, for a pleasing overall taste. That said, you could safely decrease the sugar to 1/4 cup if you'd prefer to use less, and I don't think you'd miss much. Either way, the sweet dressing is perfect over the peppery watercress, so don't swap out another green. My apricots tonight were just so-so, but I had the sweetest most perfect cherries ever - who needs candy when fruit is this delish?

Rating:
4

Penne, Crispy Tofu, and Green Bean Salad

Pasta, check. Super fresh veggies, check. Hearty protein, check. This salad has a little bit of everything, and is sure to be a summer crowd pleaser. Prefer smaller pasta shapes? Check out my post for Orzo Salad with Corn, Tomatoes, and Basil.

Ingredients:
For the salad:

• 1 (15-ounce) package extra-firm tofu
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 2 cups uncooked penne pasta
• 2 cups (2-inch) cut green beans
• 2 cups halved cherry tomatoes
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill*

For the dressing:

• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon fresh-squeezed lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon low-sodium soy sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon vegan sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 3 crushed garlic cloves

1. To make the salad, drain the tofu and cut into 1-inch cubes.  Pat dry with a paper towel.  Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the tofu; saute for 5 minutes, making sure to brown on all sides.  Remove the tofu from the pan and chill for 30 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, cook the penne in boiling water for 5 minutes.  Add the green beans and cook for an additional 5 minutes.  Drain and rinse with cold water; drain again.

3. In a large bowl, combine the chilled tofu, penne, green beans, cherry tomatoes, and dill.

4. To prepare the dressing, combine all the ingredients listed under 'Dressing' in a jar.  Cover and shake to combine.  Pour the dressing over the salad, tossing to coat.  Cover and chill for 30 minutes before serving.

*Use 1 teaspoon dried dill if you don't have fresh on hand.

Nutrition Info:
8 servings (1 and 1/2 cups), Calories 187

Tasting Notes:
Certainly a nice summer salad, but I ought to have trusted my instinct to cook the tofu longer. I'd give it at least 10 minutes next time, for a very crisp, seared exterior, or better yet bake it in the oven for firmer texture. The dressing is light, so increase it if you want a better coating on the pasta, but the dill is a particularly nice touch. Make sure to use super fresh cherry tomatoes and green beans though, and you can't go wrong.

Rating:
3.5

Mango-Passion Fruit Gelato

There is no better time to make homemade vegan ice cream than summer. The past couple years, I took the easy way out and stirred add-ins into commercial vegan ice cream, for brand new flavors like Strawberry Cheesecake, Maple-Bourbon, and Mocha. This year, I took the slightly longer route, and used my ice cream maker to churn up ice cream from scratch. This is a rich recipe, closer to Italian gelato than to American ice cream.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup vegan sugar
• 1 cup water
• 3 cups peeled and chopped mango
• 2 cups passion fruit nectar
• 1 and 1/2 cups plain non-dairy creamer

1. In a saucepan, combine the sugar and water.  Bring to a boil, stirring at the beginning until the sugar dissolves.

2. Once boiling, transfer to a blender, along with the mango.  Process until smooth.  Pour the mango mixture into a large bowl and cool completely.

3. Once cool, stir in the nectar and the creamer.  Pour the mango mixture into the freezer can of an ice-cream freezer, and process according to the manufacturer's instructions. Pardon the blurry photos, as these were taken in motion, but your mixture will go from this:

to this:

Once fully frozen, scoop into bowls, or serve in vegan wafer cones (try Let's Do Organic), for an extra-fun summer treat. 

Nutrition Info:
14 servings (1/2 cup), Calories 130

Tasting Notes:
A fruity blend of the mango and passion fruit, and not overly sweet, which I was pleased to find. I wondered how the juice and the creamer (I used Silk) would mix, but the result is a consistency that tastes somewhat between an ice cream and a sorbet.  The consistency of this is definitely best if you let it sit at room temperature for about 10 minutes. Icy cold and refreshing!

Rating:
3.5

Split Pea-Garlic Dip (Skordalia)

Traditional Greek skordalia is a potato-based garlic puree, served over vegetables or as a dip. This recipe gives it a playful (and healthy!) twist by using two varieties of split peas in place of the potatoes. If you don't have split peas on hand, you could try chickpeas or any white bean in their place.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup green split peas
• 1/2 cup yellow split peas
• 2 cups water
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 2 bay leaves
• 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1 and 1/2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 and 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 peeled garlic cloves
• 3 tablespoons pitted and chopped kalamata olives
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro (optional for garnish)
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh arugula (optional for garnish)

1. Make sure to sort the split peas first, for any stray pebbles and the like. Rinse the split peas in a sieve.

2. In a saucepan, combine the split peas, water, oregano, and bay leaves.  Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 25 minutes.  Stir in 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook for an additional 15 minutes, until the split peas are tender.  Drain, and discard the bay leaves.

3. Transfer the split pea mixture to a food processor, along with the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt, the red wine vinegar, olive oil, black pepper, and garlic cloves.  Process until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.

4. Stir in the olives.  Transfer the mixture to a bowl, cover, and chill for 2 hours.

5. Before serving, sprinkle with the cilantro and arugula as garnish if desired.

The dip is great with baked pita wedges, or with raw veggies.

Nutrition Info:
36 servings (1 tablespoon), Calories 27

Tasting Notes:
I found this very similar in texture to a red lentil dip I prepared for this blog last fall, so as with that recipe, I felt this one needed a creamier consistency. To achieve better results, I wouldn't drain off the excess liquid after cooking the split peas, and would add a touch more olive oil. The bite from the raw garlic was just right though, as was the saltiness from the olives, and I enjoyed the earthy flavor (like a condensed split pea soup). The cilantro and arugula are a must, for great herbal and peppery flavor. My preference was definitely to serve this with pitas, rather than veggies.

Rating:
3

Update:
You can also thin this dip with a little vegetable broth or (vegan) white wine, to make it more of a sauce. I loved it over steamed vegetables:

Gardein chicken:

and EcoVegan's fish fillets:

If thinning with broth, I recommend 2 tablespoons broth per 1/4 cup skordalia, but only 1 tablespoon per 1/4 cup if using wine. My preference was the wine variation.

White Bean, Tomato, and Spinach Salad

I've prepared a few grain-based main dish salads already this month, but if beans and greens are your preference, look no further than this recipe. Two types of summer tomatoes make now the right time to prepare it.

Ingredients:
For the dressing:

• 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
• 1 and 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 crushed garlic cloves

For the salad:

• 4 cups chopped spinach
• 2 cups copped tomato
• 2 cups chopped yellow tomato
• 1/2 cup chopped red onion
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary*
• 2 (15.5-ounce) rinsed and drained cans cannellini beans

1. To prepare the dressing, combine the vinegar, olive oil, black pepper, salt, and garlic cloves in a jar.  Cover and shake to combine.  Set aside.

2. To prepare the salad, combine the spinach, both tomato varieties, red onion, rosemary, and cannellini beans in a large bowl.  Pour the dressing over the salad and toss to coat.

*If you prefer, substitute 1/4 teaspoon dried rosemary for the fresh.

Nutrition Info:
4 servings (2 cups), Calories 207

Tasting Notes:
Fairly standard flavors and Italian dressing, but the rosemary was unexpected and nice, and I loved the fresh tomatoes. The white beans definitely make this hearty enough for an entree, with bread or vegan cheese and crackers on the side.

Rating:
3