Goat Cheese, Roasted Garlic, and Tomato Croutes

Happy March to all!  I love this month because as it transitions from start to finish, we move from the last of cold weather, hearty food to lighter, fresher fare, as the first of spring's vegetables fill the shelves at the grocery store and the tables at the farmers' market.

Tonight, I'm taking a little trip in my kitchen to France, where this tasty toasted bread appetizer would be at home on any bistro menu.  Croute in French is actually the word for crust, but in culinary terms, typically refers to toasted bread slices topped with any manner of savory toppings.  This dish works great for a party appetizer; instead of assembling the croutes as instructed, you can invite guests to rub on the garlic themselves, and top their own bread slices with the vegan goat cheese and tomatoes. 

Ingredients:

• 1 whole garlic head
• Cooking spray
• 3 plum tomatoes
• 2 ounces prepared vegan goat cheese*
• 12 (1/2-inch thick) toasted slices diagonally cut French bread baguette**

1. To start, remove the white papery skin from the garlic head, but do not peel or separate the cloves.  Wrap the garlic head in aluminum foil.  Line a baking sheet with an additional piece of aluminum foil, and coat with cooking spray.  Cut each of the plum tomatoes into 4 wedges, and arrange the wedges in a single layer on the baking sheet.  Bake both the garlic and the tomatoes at 425 degrees for 40 minutes, turning the tomatoes halfway through cooking time.  Remove the tomatoes from the oven, and bake the garlic an additional 5 minutes.

2. Remove the garlic from the oven and let it cool for 10 minutes, then separate the cloves and squeeze to extract the pulp; discard the skins.  Mash together the garlic pulp and goat cheese with a fork, until blended.

3. Spread about 2 teaspoons of the garlic mixture over each toast slice, and top each with 1 tomato wedge.

What to serve alongside your home bistro fare?  Pop open a bottle of vegan Cotes du Rhone, and try a quick vegan "coq au vin" - Gardein chicken simmered with mushrooms, carrots, red wine, and tomato paste.  Or, if it's just a casual night at home and you want a quick French supper on the table, try the Burgundy trio from Gardein.

*I prepared vegan goat cheese once before for this blog (see my recipe for Tomato Goat Cheese Strata), and am using pretty much the same recipe here, with the ingredient amounts adjusted slightly.  In a bowl, combine 2 ounces crumbled Sunergia feta, 1 tablespoon Tofutti cream cheese, 1 tablespoon Tofutti sour cream, and a splash of lemon juice; mix with a fork until blended.  Chill until ready to serve. 

**To quickly toast the baguette, I broiled the bread slices for 1 and 1/2 minutes on each side.

Nutrition Info:
6 servings (2 croutes), Calories 135 

Tasting Notes:
Really delicious, with the bread toasted to perfection, really smooth creamy goat cheese, and just the right touch of garlic.  My only complaint is that the bright burst of flavor from the plum tomato overwhelmed the goat cheese/garlic a bit.  You might try offering two different varieties of croutes - one with the tomatoes on top and one without - so that the goat cheese mixture can shine through more.

Rating:
4

Indian-Style Potatoes

This highly scented dish is very versatile - serve it as a side dish the next time you have chickpea curry or lentil dal for dinner (or any other Indian-themed entree) or make it the centerpiece of the meal, and add Indian flatbread and a simple side salad.

Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1 teaspoon brown mustard seeds
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
• 2 minced garlic cloves
• 1 pound green beans, trimmed*
• 4 cups (1/4-inch) strips peeled baking potato (about 2 small or 1 large)
• 1/4 cup water
• 2 teaspoons fresh-squeezed lemon juice
• 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind (optional for garnish)

1. Heat the canola oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat.  Add the mustard seeds, salt, crushed red pepper, turmeric, dry mustard, and garlic; saute for 1 minute (the mustard seeds should pop about in the pan).  Add the green beans and potato; cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add the water and lemon juice; cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 10 minutes - the potato should be tender by the end.

2. Garnish with the lemon rind, if desired, for a pretty presentation.

*I just learned the proper way to trim green beans, after years of doing so incorrectly.  You only want to trim the tough end, by lining the green beans up on a cutting board and chopping with a knife.  Leave the other end - with the pretty tapered tip - intact.

A note when buying Indian flatbread: commercially available naan is almost sure to have milk or butter in it.  But chapatis are a great safe bet for vegans - they will almost always consist of just three ingredients: whole wheat flour, water, and oil. 

Nutrition Info:
3 servings (about 2 cups), Calories 246 

Tasting Notes:
Although the spice mix was delicious, there were a few reasons I didn't love this dish.  First, the green beans were wonderfully crisp, and the potatoes were wonderfully tender... but the two were an odd contrast to each other.  I feel that the green beans need to be cooked separately first, so they are tender like the potatoes.  I also didn't love the overall combination of the two vegetables - until I wrapped them up in a chapati.  With the bread acting as a binder, the flavor cohered better.  You might consider chopping both the green beans and potatoes into smaller pieces, and either rolling up in flatbread, or serving directly over rice.   

Rating:
3

Lion's Head Meatballs in Spicy Coconut Sauce

These meatballs get their name because they are large like a lion's head; I'm making the dish a bit late in the month, as it is an auspicious dish to eat around the Chinese New Year, since lion's are said to ward off evil.  Still, my fiance has been begging me to try a vegan meatball, so I thought it would be fun to give it a go tonight.

Ingredients:
For the sauce:

• 1/2 cup light coconut milk
• 1/2 cup soy milk
• 2 tablespoons peeled and minced fresh ginger
• 2 teaspoons minced hot red chile pepper
• 1 tablespoon chopped green onions
• 2 tablespoons vegan fish sauce*

For the meatballs:

• 14 ounces vegan ground beef (such as Lightlife)** 
• 1/3 cup chopped green onions
• 1/4 cup chopped water chestnuts
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon peeled and minced fresh ginger
• 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon dark sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon minced hot red chile pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
• 1 tablespoon grated lemon rind

1. To make the sauce, combine the coconut milk, soy milk, 2 tablespoons ginger, 2 teaspoons red chile pepper, 1 tablespoon green onions, and the fish sauce in a bowl; set aside.

2. To make the meatballs, combine the ground beef, 1/3 cup green onions, the water chestnuts, the cornstarch, the flour, 1 tablespoon ginger, the soy sauce, the sesame oil, 1 teaspoon red chile pepper, and the salt in a large bowl; mix with your hands, then shape the mixture into 8 meatballs.

3. Heat the canola oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the meatballs and cook for 7 minutes, turning frequently so they brown on all sides.  Transfer to paper towels to drain.

4. Place the coconut sauce in a large saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.  Add the meatballs, then cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 8 minutes.  Garnish with the basil and lemon rind.  Good side dishes for these hearty meatballs include stir-fried vegetables, sticky rice, miso soup, or rice noodles.  I also enjoyed mine with a cup of ginseng tea as a beverage, instead of water, since hot tea is often served with the main meal in China.  However, if you want a good wine to pair with all the flavor going on in this dish, try the Les Enfants Terrible Zinfandel from Dashe - it is unfined and unfiltered, so a good vegan option, and the fruitiness will work with the ginger and spices.

*I cannot tell you how long and hard I have agonized over the paradox that is vegan fish sauce.  I have considered (and read online) everything from simply substituting soy sauce, to using shiitake mushroom stir-fry sauce, to using vegan Worcestershire sauce (itself a British attempt to recreate fish sauce), to using the liquid from soaking dried shiitake mushrooms, to using a vegan version of dashi (fish stock) flavored with seaweed instead of bonito flakes, to using a mixture of soy sauce and lime juice to add a little funk - and on and on and on.

Finally, I turned up the following recipe online yesterday, and was absolutely thrilled with the result.  You'll recall that real fish sauce is nothing more than anchovies, water, and salt, left to ferment and get all funky over time, and I felt that the recipe below captured that essence best.  It also works out to be nutritionally equivalent to real fish sauce (about 5 calories per tablespoon), which I think is an important consideration whenever I veganize a non-vegan food. 

To make your vegan fish sauce at home, combine 1 and 1/3 cups water, 2/3 cup low-sodium soy sauce, 6 (1 and 1/2-inch) pieces dried kelp, and 1 sun-dried tomato (packed without oil) in a saucepan.  Bring to a boil over medium heat.  Once boiling, strain through a sieve; discard the solids.  Cool to room temperature, then transfer to a jar and store in the fridge.  Take one whiff of this and the lovely, ocean-y smell of the seaweed will make you think it's fish sauce after all. 

**If you prefer, you can also make these meatballs with vegan pork, which is closer to how authentic lion's head meatballs are prepared.  In that case, use 12 ounces thawed Match pork in the recipe above.

Nutrition Info:
8 servings (1 meatball, 3 tablespoons sauce), Calories 297 

Tasting Notes:
There was a lot going on in these meatballs.  From the ginger, to the hot chile pepper, to the green onions, to the coconut, my taste buds were popping.  My only complaint?  With everything else bundled in, I could have used a little more 'meat' in my meatballs!  I would recommend adding another half package of vegan Lightlife ground beef (so 18 ounces total), if you want meatier meatballs.  Still, delicious.  Use a touch less red pepper if you don't want them too spicy.

Rating:
4

Lentil Stew with Ham and Greens

This is a thick, hearty stew, tailor-made for a winter night.

Ingredients:

• 1 and 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 3 minced garlic cloves
• 5 cups vegan chicken broth (prepared from Not Chick'n bouillon)
• 1 cup dried lentils
• 1/2 cup chopped carrot
• 2 bay leaves
• 3 cups chopped Swiss chard*
• 1 and 1/2 cups chopped baking potato
• 1 cup chopped vegan ham (such as Lightlife)
• 1 (14.5-ounce) drained can diced tomatoes
• 1 teaspoon dried basil
• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1. Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat.  Add the onion and garlic; saute for 5 minutes.  Add the chicken broth, lentils, carrot, and bay leaves; bring to a boil, then partially cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 20 minutes.

2. Add the Swiss chard, potato, and ham; return to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.  Stir in the canned tomatoes, the basil, the thyme, and the black pepper; simmer for a final 10 minutes.  Discard the bay leaves, and sprinkle the stew with the parsley.

Note: because the flavors of this soup - particularly the lentils and ham - are reminiscent of northern European cuisine, serve with wine from a similar region.  A (vegan) dry Riesling from Alsace or Germany marries beautifully with the stew.  All you then need to round out the meal are some French bread rolls and sliced cucumbers drizzled with bottled dressing. 

*Depending what looks freshest at your market, or what your taste buds prefer, you could substitute an equal amount of collard greens or fresh spinach for the Swiss chard.

Nutrition Info:
5 servings (about 1 and 1/2 cups), Calories 320

Tasting Notes:
The smokiness from the vegan ham absolutely infused this broth and the stew in general, resulting in a delicious final product, and intensified the earthiness of the lentils. So yum!  My only complaint is that, once wilted, the Swiss chard felt like an afterthought.  Given the fact that the word 'Greens' is in the stew's title, I would have liked a bit more, and would recommend increasing the amount of whatever greens you choose to use.

Rating:
4

Tomato Salad with Lemon and Agave

Earlier in the month I roasted tomatoes, which is one method to perk them up even in the middle of winter.  Tonight, I used marinating as the technique instead - adding lemon and agave will brighten the flavor of the tomatoes right up.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon rind
• 2 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon agave nectar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 4 and 1/2 cups chopped and seeded tomato
• 2 teaspoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 1 thinly sliced lemon (optional for garnish)

1. Combine the lemon rind, lemon juice, olive oil, agave, salt, and black pepper in a medium bowl.  Add the tomato and parsley, tossing gently to coat; let marinate for 15 minutes.  Arrange on a platter and garnish with the sliced lemon if desired, for a pretty presentation.

You can serve this quick dish as a side salad, or it's lovely right on top of vegan chicken or ecoVegan fish fillets as more of a condiment.

Nutrition Info:
9 servings (1/2 cup), Calories 40 

Tasting Notes:

You could have fooled me into thinking it was mid-summer in my apartment tonight, not late February!  The tomato flavor was so fresh, just from the few simple ingredients in the marinade.  The lemon and olive oil flavors were luscious, and the parsley a surprisingly stronger and lovelier addition than I anticipated.  The only flavor that got a touch lost was the agave.

Rating:
3.5

Longevity Noodles

I ought to have made this dish earlier in the month, to correspond with Chinese New Year (the long noodles are said to represent a long and happy life, around the celebration), but better late than never.

Ingredients:
For the peanut sauce:

• 2 teaspoons canola oil
• 2 tablespoons minced onion
• 1 teaspoon peeled and grated fresh ginger
• 1 minced garlic clove
• 1/2 cup soy milk
• 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice

For the marinade:

• 1 tablespoon vegan dry white wine*
• 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons peeled and grated fresh ginger
• 2 teaspoons cornstarch
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 Gardein Tuscan chicken breasts (without sauce)

For the noodles:

• 8 ounces uncooked thin spaghetti**
• Cooking spray
• 1/2 cup trimmed snow peas
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced carrot
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 cup diagonally sliced green onions

1. To prepare the peanut sauce, heat the canola oil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat.  Add the onion, 1 teaspoon grated ginger, and the garlic; saute for 5 minutes.  Stir in the soy milk, peanut butter, and lemon juice, and cook for 3 minutes, stirring constantly.  Remove from heat and cool completely.

2. To prepare the marinade, combine the white wine, soy sauce, 2 teaspoons grated ginger, cornstarch, and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper in a bowl.  Cut the Gardein chicken into thin strips, and add to the marinade, tossing to coat.  Cover and marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, cook the thin spaghetti according to package directions.  Drain and rinse; set aside.

4. To put it all together, heat a large skillet coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat.  Add the marinated chicken and saute for 2 minutes.  Add the snow peas and carrot; saute for 4 minutes.  Stir in the peanut sauce, the salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper.  Add the cooked spaghetti, and toss well to combine.  Sprinkle with the green onions. 

*To make the most of the white wine, use a little bit for cooking and serve the rest of the bottle with dinner.  Wine can be tricky to pair with the flavors in this dish, but I really enjoyed a Pouilly Fume, with notes of herbs and lime that complimented the noodles well.

**Do make the effort to seek out thin spaghetti rather than regular spaghetti, since the longer, thinner noodles are in the spirit of this dish.  One option to try: Brad's Organic. 

Nutrition Info:
8 servings (1/2 cup), Calories 213

Tasting Notes:
Although I enjoyed the flavors in this dish - particularly the ginger and the peanut - I found that the sauce was a bit dry and sticky, and that there was an overall lack of spice or seasoning.  You might try dressing up the dish with some hot sauce, or thinning the sauce with more soy milk to address these critiques.  As it is currently, I can't quite say it was worth the effort for the final product.

Rating:
2

Rich Chocolate Sauce

Here's my final chocolate fix to get you through February (following on the heels of my posts for Chocolate Bundt Cake and Cocoa Fudge Cookies).  This sauce is incredibly versatile, and is just as at home over fresh fruit as it is over your favorite vegan ice cream. 

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup vegan sugar
• 1/2 cup unsweetened coco
• 1 cup plain non-dairy milk
• 1 tablespoon vegan butter
• 1.5 ounces chopped dark chocolate
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Combine the sugar and cocoa in a small saucepan; stir in the milk and butter.  Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly, then continue to cook for 3 minutes, still stirring constantly.

2. Remove from heat and add the dark chocolate and the vanilla extract. stirring until the chocolate melts.  You can serve this warm right away, or let it stand for about 10 minutes to thicken.

Note: when choosing dark chocolate, I love supporting the Endangered Species chocolate company, since part of their profits go towards supporting animals. Use a variety that is about 70% cacao to keep the sauce semisweet, instead of bitter.

Nutrition Info:
12 servings (2 tablespoons), Calories 73

Tasting Notes:
Soooo yummy!  The sauce wasn't overly sweet, which I really liked because it let the taste of the chocolate shine through rather than the taste of sugar.  It was rich and creamy and thick - amazing for dunking pieces of strawberry and banana.  I would go so far as to say this is better than the vegan commercial chocolate sauces I've tried.  A definite keeper! If you want a double-chocolate dose, drizzle the sauce over the vegan chocolate cake from Amy's.

Rating:
5