Warm Lentil-Ham Salad with Dijon Cream

Adding chopped vegan deli ham slices to this lentil salad makes it hearty enough for an entree. Use any brand you like, as the options just keep expanding: Lightlife, Yves Veggie, and Tofurky are just a few from which to choose. Despite the recipe title, you can serve the dish warm, chilled, or at room temperature.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup dried lentils
• 1/2 cup lite vegan sour cream (such as We Can't Say It's Sour Cream)
• 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
• 2 tablespoons plain non-dairy milk
• 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 and 1/3 cups chopped vegan ham slices
• 3/4 cup chopped celery
• 3/4 cup chopped red onion

1. Place the lentils in a large saucepan and cover with water to about 2 inches above the lentils.  Bring to a boil; cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 20 minutes.  Drain.

2. Combine the sour cream, mustard, milk, white wine vinegar, thyme, and black pepper in a large bowl.

3. Add the lentils, ham, celery, and red onion, and toss well.

I paired this salad with white wine.  Any (vegan) French white wine seems particularly apt here, to go with the flavors of Dijon mustard, lentils, and ham.

To round out the meal, add French bread rolls, and this simple and quick sauteed Swiss chard recipe: heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add 12 ounces torn Swiss chard, and saute for 3 minutes.  Add 1 teaspoon vegan sugar, 1 teaspoon white wine vinegar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt; saute for a final minute.

Nutrition Info:
4 servings (about 1 and 1/3 cups), Calories 291

Tasting Notes:
I really enjoyed the combination of lentils, ham, and mustard, the last of which was subtle but noticeable in each bite. I definitely would use more spices, both more thyme and something else in addition to it. The raw celery and red onion did get slightly warmed just by being next to the warm lentils, but next time I would blanch them quickly to reduce some of the raw bite, as in my Edamame with Mustard Vinaigrette. I enjoyed the salad best warm, but chilled leftovers do make for an easy lunch.

Rating:
3

Update:
I tried this salad again about a week later, wondering if dried thyme would taste stronger than the fresh, so I used 1/4 teaspoon dried thyme. Unfortunately the opposite was true - even less noticeable - so I do recommend seeking out fresh herbs when you prepare this.

I also used Vegan Gourmet sour cream the second time around, thinking it would be creamier and richer, but the difference in taste was negligible.

Pear, Walnut, and Blue Cheese Salad with Cranberry Vinaigrette

With a leftover can of Whole Foods' cranberry sauce in my pantry, the recipe for this novel vinaigrette caught my eye. It's nicely reminiscent of the holidays, now that we're solidly into January.  Make the dressing up to a week ahead, and store in the fridge, if you want to toss this salad together in a hurry.  Try the Soy Bleu from Veg Cuisine for a crumbly vegan version of blue cheese.

Ingredients:
For the vinaigrette:

• 1/2 cup canned whole-berry cranberry sauce
• 1/4 cup fresh-squeezed orange juice
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 1 teaspoon vegan sugar
• 1 teaspoon peeled and minced fresh ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

For the salad:

• 18 Bibb lettuce leaves
• 2 cups peeled and sliced pear
• 2 tablespoons fresh-squeezed orange juice
• 1 cup (1/8-inch thick) sliced red onion
• 1/3 cup crumbled vegan blue cheese (such as Veg Cuisine)
• 2 tablespoons coarsely chopped and toasted walnuts*

1. To prepare the vinaigrette, whisk together the cranberry sauce, 1/4 cup orange juice, olive oil, vinegar, sugar, ginger, and salt; set aside.

2. To prepare the salad, place 3 lettuce leaves on each of 6 salad plates. The small, slightly-cupped leaves of Bibb lettuce are a perfect base for this kind of salad:

3. Toss the pear with 2 tablespoons orange juice.  Separate the onion slices into rings, and divide the pear and onion evenly among the salad plates.

4. Top each serving with 1 tablespoon blue cheese and 1 teaspoon walnuts, and drizzle each serving with about 2 and 1/2 tablespoons vinaigrette.

*Toast the walnuts in a small skillet over medium heat for about 5 minutes, until toasty smelling. Be sure to stir or shake the pan frequently to prevent burning.

Nutrition Info:
6 servings (3 lettuce leaves, 1/3 cup pear, 1/6 cup onions, 1 tablespoon cheese, 1 teaspoon walnuts, 2 and 1/2 tablespoons dressing), Calories 148

Tasting Notes:
More so than the cranberry, it was the burst of fresh ginger that stood out in the vinaigrette. The ingredients of the dressing sounded like an odd mix, but the end result is spectacular, not too sweet, and very Christmas-y. The rest of the salad had a little bit of everything - fresh lettuce, tender pear, salty blue cheese, and toasty walnuts. Even the raw red onion, which is not normally my favorite, was great here, and a nice foil to the pears and blue cheese in particular. A real keeper.

Rating:
4

Chicken with Eggplant-Pepper Sauce

It's been a few months since I last made an entree with Gardein's Tuscan chicken breast. I almost never use the sauce that comes in the package, preferring to prepare fresh, homemade sauces to go over the vegan chicken instead.  This particular sauce comes together in a pinch since the veggies are cooked in the microwave.

Ingredients:

• 1 medium eggplant (about 8 ounces)
• 2 red bell peppers (about 1 pound)
• 3/4 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon ground red pepper, divided
• 4 Gardein Tuscan chicken breasts (without sauce)
• 2 teaspoons olive oil, divided
• 1 teaspoon paprika
• 4 teaspoons lemon juice

1. Cut the eggplant in half lengthwise, and pierce the skin with a fork.  Cut the tops from the bell peppers, and discard the tops, seeds, and membranes.

2. Place the eggplant and bell peppers on a microwave-safe plate and microwave for 7 to 8 minutes, until tender.

3. Meanwhile, combine 1/4 teaspoon salt, the ginger, garlic powder, and 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper; sprinkle evenly over the chicken.  Heat 1 teaspoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.  Add the chicken and cook for 6 minutes on each side.

4. Combine the eggplant and bell peppers in a blender or food processor with the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper, 1 teaspoon olive oil, paprika, and lemon juice.  Process until smooth.

Serve 1 chicken breast and about 1/3 cup sauce on each of 4 plates.

I recommend adding crusty bread on the side to round out the meal.

Nutrition Info:
4 servings (1 chicken breast, about 1/3 cup sauce), Calories 194

Tasting Notes:
I started with a bite of the eggplant sauce, and found it to be too fiery from the spices. However, the taste of the spicy sauce in combination with the ginger-flavored chicken was so intriguing, I had to boost my overall rating of the dish. An incredibly... different combination. The sauce is smooth and creamy, although you don't really taste the eggplant, under all that spice.  The dish also definitely needed a "green" element, which was why I added parsley sprigs as garnish at the last minute; I would stir in chopped parsley after pureeing, next time.

Rating:
3.5

Roasted-Poblano Guacamole with Garlic and Parsley

I'm taking a trip to Mexico in my kitchen tonight. Starting with oven-roasted poblano chiles gives this guacamole an authentic taste.  Poblanos are a mildly spicy, dark green chile, smaller than a bell pepper.  The flavor is a bit similar to a green bell pepper, but more concentrated. Queso anejo, an aged, salty Mexican cheese, would normally be sprinkled on top here. I decided to use vegan Parmesan sprinkles to capture the flavor, but you might consider crumbling a vegan feta (such as Veg Cuisine) on top instead.

Ingredients:

• 2 poblano chiles (about 6 ounces)
• 2 plum tomatoes (about 6 ounces)
• 2 unpeeled garlic cloves
• 1 and 1/3 cups coarsely mashed and peeled ripe avocado
• 3 tablespoons chopped flat-leaf parsley
• 2 tablespoons fresh-squeezed lime juice
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 tablespoons vegan Parmesan sprinkles (such as Galaxy Foods)
• 2 tablespoons sliced radishes
• 7 ounces baked tortilla chips 

1. Cut the poblanos in half lengthwise, and discard the seeds and membranes.  Place on a foil-lined baking sheet, skin sides up, along with the tomatoes and garlic cloves.  Broil for 12 minutes, turning the tomatoes over halfway through.

2. Transfer the poblano halves to a zip-top plastic bag and seal; let stand for 10 minutes.

3. Peel the poblanos, tomatoes, and garlic (the skins should slip easily off all three, at this point).  Transfer the poblanos and garlic to a food processor; pulse until coarsely chopped.

4. Combine the poblano mixture in a bowl with the tomatoes, avocado, parsley, lime juice, and salt.  Sprinkle with the Parmesan and radishes, and serve with the tortilla chips.

Note: If it seems strange not to chop the tomatoes, don't fret; they will be so tender after broiling that they'll practically melt into pieces in the avocado as you dip with chips:

Nutrition Info:
8 servings (1/4 cup guacamole, about 3/4 cup chips), Calories 179

Tasting Notes:
Wonderfully fresh, although the flavors were, surprisingly, not as strong as I was hoping. To wit, the roasted tomatoes and poblano almost tasted a touch dull, and although the sweet roasted garlic was yummy, it was not very pronounced. Certainly more salt would help, and perhaps a touch more lime juice. Great creamy avocado though, and the parsley was a nice alternative to more-expected cilantro.

Rating:
3.5 

Update:
Just to give it a try, I used Veg Cuisine's vegan feta for the queso anejo on my second make of this recipe. Honestly the difference was slight, since either way you're only using 2 tablespoons cheese, but the slightly larger crumbles of the feta compared to the vegan Parmesan sprinkles are my preference if I had to choose between the two.

I also used the opportunity to chop the tomatoes before adding in to the mix, so that the tomato was more dispersed than last time.

 

If you want more fun ways to play with queso anejo (whether using vegan Parmesan sprinkles or vegan feta), both are delicious over store-bought enchiladas:

corn on the cob:

or on homemade corn masa snacks. Here I used masa harina to make a simplified version of gorditas (masa dough stuffed with vegan refried pinto beans):

Peanut Butter Pie

Start with the graham cracker pie crust from Arrowhead Mills to make this easy no-bake pie.  Because you won't find non-dairy sweetened condensed milk in the grocery store, you will have to spend some time making your own. But once that process is out of the way, this pie comes together in mere moments.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup vegan powdered sugar
• 1 cup Tofutti cream cheese
• 1 cup creamy peanut butter
• 1 and 3/4 cups sweetened condensed non-dairy milk*
• 4 and 1/2 cups whipped Soyatoo whippable topping**
• 2 (9-inch) ready-made graham cracker shells
• 4 teaspoons chocolate sundae syrup (such as Santa Cruz)

1. Combine the powdered sugar, cream cheese, and peanut butter in a large bowl, and beat with a hand mixer until smooth - the mixture will be quite thick at this stage.

2. Add the condensed milk and beat until combined. Stir in the whipped topping.

3. Divide the mixture evenly among the two pie shells.  Chill for 8 hours - the filling should be set, but still soft and fluffy.

4. Drizzle each pie with 2 teaspoons chocolate syrup, and cut into wedges to serve.

Since the recipe generously makes two pies, put one in the fridge, and the other in the freezer. When it comes time to serve the second pie, don't bother to thaw; frozen wedges will have the consistency of an ice cream pie.

*To make the condensed milk, you'll need 2 batches for this recipe, since each only makes 1 cup. For each batch: combine 1/2 cup vegan sugar and 3 cups rice or soy milk in a saucepan.  Cook over medium-low heat until reduced to 1 cup, stirring the entire time - it will take almost exactly 2 hours.  I recommend making one batch two days before the pie, and the second batch the day before, so you're not at the stove for 4 hours on any one day.

**As always, remember that Soyatoo's whippable topping comes in a box, and needs to be whipped for about 3 minutes, until fluffy, before adding to the recipe.  Do not substitute their spray whip from a can.

Nutrition Info:
2 pies, 10 servings per pie (1 wedge), Calories 264 

Tasting Notes:
Unexpectedly, the pie filling tasted exactly like Reese's Pieces - except in light fluffy form instead of hard-shelled candies.  The graham cracker crust was a nice compliment, but because it was crumbly, I'd be curious how this would taste in regular pie dough.  That doesn't stop this pie from earning a "5."

Update: If this was amazing chilled, it was even better frozen. Soft from the fridge, you'll gobble it up so quickly that you might not have time to enjoy the complexity of the flavors. Eating it frozen, I was able to savor it, and the whole thing was that much better. I recommend letting stand about 5 to 10 minutes out of the freezer for perfect consistency. 

Rating:
5

Tahitian Coffee

I'm not sure if this recipe is actually something folks drink in Tahiti. But just as Bailey's Irish cream makes regular coffee into Irish hot coffee or Kahlua makes it into Mexican hot coffee, the addition of dark rum certainly makes this drink feel suited to a Tahitian isle.  Serve in place of spiked eggnog, mulled cider, or hot cocoa as you gather with friends and family in the next few days.

Ingredients:

• 2 and 3/4 cups hot strong brewed coffee
• 1/4 cup dark rum
• 1 tablespoon vegan sugar
• 1/2 cup low-fat vanilla non-dairy ice cream
• 4 cinnamon sticks (optional for garnish)

1. In a pitcher or bowl, combine the coffee, rum, and sugar, stirring until the sugar dissolves.

2. Pour 3/4 cup coffee mixture into each of 4 mugs, and top each serving with 2 tablespoons ice cream (I used the soy vanilla from So Delicious).

Cinnamon sticks make a lovely garnish, plus impart a touch of cinnamon flavor to every sip.

Nutrition Info:
4 servings (3/4 cup coffee, 2 tablespoons ice cream), Calories 75

Tasting Notes:
Turns out the key here is the cinnamon stick garnish; the bitter black coffee and strong dark rum would have been too much for me otherwise, but slip the cinnamon stick in and let it infuse the drink with sweet-spicy goodness and you have a fantastic holiday drink. The ice cream melts quickly to become the "cream" in this coffee. Although the initial contrast between hot coffee and frozen ice cream is yummy, the overall effect is that you soon have a tepid beverage. Instead, I recommend Soyatoo's whipped cream, so the coffee doesn't cool down so much. If you do stick with ice cream, I recommend using a full 1/4 cup per serving; the drink is quite strong and black with only 2 tablespoons. But this recipe is still a fun alternative holiday beverage.

Rating:
3

Vegan extra:
Finding great beauty tools can be a little frustrating as a vegan. Luckily, I recently discovered EcoTools, eco-conscious and 100% cruelty-free makeup brushes with no animal bristles.

You can purchase individual brushes, or a cute little set with every tool you need to apply your holiday party face. Bonus points for the adorable carrying pouch made from cotton and hemp.

Southwest Chocolate Stack-Ups

If you're a bit tired of holiday cookies, this decadent dessert is a delicious alternative, and a fun afternoon project for kids. Make the components ahead of time, but assemble the stacks right before serving. You'll have a quadruple chocolate dose - two kinds of chocolate chips, cocoa powder, and chocolate syrup on top.  Look for Ah-laska or Santa Cruz chocolate syrup in a squeeze bottle; both are vegan.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chips (such as Chocolate Dream)
• 1/2 cup Tofutti cream cheese
• 1/2 cup vegan sugar, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 (10-ounce) container Soyatoo whippable topping*
• 1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 6 (6-inch) flour tortillas
• Cooking spray
• 2 cups sliced strawberries
• 1/4 cup chocolate minichips (such as Enjoy Life)
• 8 tablespoons chocolate sundae syrup

1. Place 1/2 cup chocolate chips in a small glass bowl and microwave for 2 minutes, stirring halfway through. The chips should be almost melted, although you'll have the occasional chocolate chunk leftover.  Set aside.

2. Place the cream cheese, 1/4 cup sugar, and vanilla extract in a bowl and beat with a hand mixer until blended.

3. Pour the whippable topping into a second bowl and beat for 3 to 4 minutes, until thick.  Add the whipped topping and melted chocolate chips to the cream cheese mixture, stirring gently to blend.  Cover and chill.

4. Meanwhile, combine the remaining 1/4 cup sugar in a bowl with the cocoa and cinnamon.  Cut each tortilla into 4 wedges, and arrange in a single layer on baking sheets coated with cooking spray.  Coat 1 side of the tortilla wedges with cooking spray, and sprinkle evenly with the cocoa mixture.  Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.  Remove from the pan and cool completely on a wire rack.

5. To assemble the stacks, spread 1 and 1/2 tablespoons cream cheese mixture on 1 tortilla wedge, cocoa side up.

6. Top with an additional tortilla wedge, cocoa side up, followed by 1/4 cup strawberries, 1 and 1/2 tablespoons cream cheese mixture, a final tortilla wedge, cocoa side up, and a final 1 and 1/2 tablespoons cream cheese mixture.  Sprinkle with 1 and 1/2 teaspoons minichips, and drizzle with 1 tablespoon chocolate syrup.

7. Repeat the procedure 7 times with the remaining ingredients.

Nutrition Info:
8 servings (1 stack), Calories 341

Tasting Notes:
First things first: the cream cheese mixture. It tastes a bit like chocolate mousse...only the lightest, fluffiest, airiest mousse you've ever eaten.  Kind of, well, like eating creamy chocolate air. I believe the "Halleluiah Chorus" may actually have struck up in my head after the first couple bites.  Wow.  The tortilla crisps tasted a bit like cinnamon toast crunch cereal, which is not at all a bad thing.  Meanwhile the chocolate - whether the chocolate chips on top or the chocolate syrup - were just gooey yummy bits of chocolate. Put it all together and you have one heck of a dessert.

The mere 1/4 cup of strawberries sort of got lost in the mix. Double the amount of strawberries if you want a fruitier dessert. That said, you could almost do away with them otherwise. I was not entirely wild about how crispy and crunchy the tortillas were; they didn't fit in with the rest of the dish, so I'd use something softer like thin cake layers next time, although then, you couldn't describe this dish as "Southwest."  A "5," therefore, for the separate components of the dessert, but a "4" once you put it all together.

Update: Despite the recommendation to serve immediately, I actually liked these better the next day. The tortilla wedges soften under the cream cheese mixture by that point, so the whole dessert goes together better. Ignore my earlier admonition to assemble just before serving. Either way, be prepared for a gooey mess of awesomeness, and enjoy. 

Rating:
4