Mini Vegan Quiches

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Mini Vegan Quiche with Gluten-free Crusts

(Margaret’s tried and true version)

This can be made with various ingredients, but here’s a start!

1 12.3 oz package firm silken tofu, drained

¼ cup plain soymilk

2 tbs nutritional yeast

1 tbs cornstarch (or potato starch or arrowroot)

1 tsp tahini or cashew butter (I use more like a tbs)

¼ tsp onion powder

¼ tsp turmeric

½- ¾ tsp kala namak salt—gives an eggy flavor (or regular salt)

1 tsp minced garlic (can use powdered if needed)

1 tbs minced fresh chives

1 tsp minced fresh rosemary (or ½ tsp dried)

black pepper to taste (I omit)

1 cup finely chopped broccoli or other veggie or (2 cups spinach, etc)

1 cup chopped mushrooms (I rehydrated dry, or leave out and use more veggies)

Opt: ½ - 1 cup grated non-dairy cheese

1 package GF crust mix. Make per directions (divide in two and chill), then divide into the number of muffins cups you are going to use as you line the cups.

The conundrum here is numbers—one recipe of the quiche makes about 12 quiches. One recipe of a GF crust mix (for two pie crusts) makes about 16-24 quiches–about 16 if you spread the crust to the top, or stretch it to 24 if you just go halfway up the muffin cup. You can underfill the cups with quiche or do a double recipe and stretch. Or just make some without the crust. Or make fewer and roll out extra crust and cut out adorable shapes to stick on top…chicks/bunnies for Easter, etc.

Preheat oven to 375° F. Spray (or use liners) 12 muffin or cupcake sized cups with non-stick spray...or grease lightly with vegan butter.

Mix tofu and soymilk in blender or food processor til smooth. Then add in next 10 ingredients. Pour this mixture into large bowl of chopped veggies/mushrooms and stir well.

Fill muffin tins (already lined with raw crust) with this tofu mixture. Bake in oven about 20-35 minutes. Cool slightly and serve. They are nice with some vegan butter. Also good cold. Freezes well.

Vegan MOFO: Soupy Sales Saturday–Peachy-Keen-Arino Chilled Soup

Soupy Sales was an old-school slapstick comedian. I'm sure I first saw him in his later years on shows like What's My Line? or Hollywood Squares. He hosted many a radio or TV show from the 1950s on through the 1980s. One early show was called "Lunch with Soupy" and an evening show called "Soup's On." He was famous for throwing cream pies (or getting one in the face himself). Only the frozen one did any damage. (See Wikipedia for more Soupy info.)

I remember him as a funny guy with a big smile on his face. He passed away in 2009 at the age of 83. I hope he had a great run at life and enjoyed the fun he brought to others.

In researching his name, ironically, I found that it's quite the un-vegan nickname! His older brothers had been nicknamed "Ham-bone" and "Chicken-bone" and he was given the nickname "Soup-bone" which was later shortened to "Soupy."

Well, fear not vegan friends, I will include no bones in my recipes or any Soupy Sales Saturday creations (soups and pies, maybe?). Just maybe a funny-bone or two.

The names of a couple of Soupy's characters are inspiring me with meal ideas. There's "Peaches" his girlfriend (played by him in drag) and Onions Oregano, a stinky-breathed henchmen. Today, I think I'll go with Peaches...

Peachy-Keen-Arino Chilled Soup
(adapted from a Whole Foods recipe)  
6-8 servings

6 large ripe peaches 
2 1/2 cups water 
1/2 cup apple or orange juice 
1/8 cup agave 
2 drops liquid Stevia  
1 lime, zest and juice of 
Salt and pepper to taste 

Optional: Some powdered or freshly grated ginger. 

Mint sprigs or orange peels for garnish.

My own easier directions: Put all ingredients in your Vitamix and blend away. Chill and serve. Or replace 1/2 cup of water with 1/2 cup ice cubes and serve right away. (The Whole Foods instructions have you blanch the peaches and take the skin off. I think there are plenty of nutrients in that skin!)

Smoothie Alternative: For 2 Smoothie Servings: Reduce all ingredients by half (omit salt and pepper) and use only 1 cup water and a few ice cubes for a refreshing Smoothie. 

Paleo/AIP: Omit sweeteners and juice. Maybe throw in a couple dates when blending. If your peach skin is bitter, peel peaches first.

Vegan MOFO: Fry-it Friday–Beggin' Strips

I do miss a BLT. Not that I miss eating animals, I just miss that mix of flavors. A number of vegetarian "bacon" substitutes have crossed my path, but they have fallen away for various reasons. One was not vegan, and the most current one in our house (Lightlife Smart Bacon, which The Girl loves) is based in wheat gluten and expensive! That whole BLT thing is nearly lost to me now–I don't eat bacon, tomatoes give me reflux and wheat bread gives me IBS. I'm fine with lettuce, thank goodness and avocado (a favorite add-on) is still a staple for me.

So what's a vegan, refluxing, cramping girl supposed to do?

Come up with a bacon substitute, for one thing.

This is my own creation, although I'm sure others out there have come up with the same thing. I just tried this out in my kitchen and I like it. My inspiration was realizing I could cut my tofu very thinly and fry it. But I am not a consistent slicer. The truly inspired moment came when I gazed upon a kitchen implement–the cheese slicer (still in our house because The Man still eats dairy cheese).

Oh, you say I can use a cheese slicer on firm tofu and get a consistent thin slice of tofu? And it will approximate a slice of bacon? Yes. Approximate is the key word here. It's close, it's not exact, but it's a start. And a whole lot cheaper than a $5, 5 oz box of vegan bacon slices.

And even though this is "Fry-it Friday" I give alternate directions for baking this. I know some of you prefer to reduce oil consumption. And, it's less messy. But it's Fry-it Friday for gosh sakes.

Beggin' Strips for Humans
(about 60 3" strips)

1 block firm tofu, drained of any water. I prefer the Wildwood brand vacuum-packed. About 12 oz.

1/2 cup Soy sauce or Tamari (wheat-free if needed) or Bragg's Liquid Aminos (salty!!)*

1 tsp smoke flavoring (I used Wrights Hickory)

Oil for frying or spray oil for baking.

Directions (How-to photos at bottom)
1. Use a cheese slicer to cut your tofu into any size or shape you like. To approximate a strip of bacon, cut your large block of tofu in half or thirds on its narrow side (this all depends on the size and shape of your block of tofu).
2. Slice from the narrow edge into as many strips as you can get. You can slice very thinly for a crispier bacon or a little thicker for a chewier strip. Your choice. Experiment. It's not rocket science.
3. Blot each strip carefully (especially if you've cut them really thin) between two paper towels or a clean cloth towel.
4. Mix your Soy Sauce/Tamari/Braggs in a bowl or deep dish with the smoke flavoring.
5. Let your strips soak in the liquid for a few minutes or a few hours.

Cooking
6a. Heat your pan and oil. Place soaked strips in oil carefully. They will splatter.
7a. Cook on one side a few mintues until "done" to your liking (brown, crispy, etc), flip and brown on other side.
8a. Let drain on paper towels.
OR
6b. Heat your toaster or regular oven to 350 degrees. Spray a cookie tray lightly with oil, place strips on tray, spray strips.
7b. Bake for about 7-10 minutes (depends on the thickness of your strips and your oven), then turn over, bake another 5-10 minutes.
8b. Drain on paper towels if needed.

Serving Suggestions

• Great for a BLT of course. 
• Just plain. Eat with sliced avocado. 
• Wrap it up in a lettuce leaf or tortilla with some avocado and some vegan mayo. 
• OK, you can add those tomatoes if you can handle them.

Final note: After I tried my recipe and wrote up these directions, I found that Bryanna Clark Grogan has a similar recipe and blog post at her site. Her recipe is a little more involved (more ingredients, but still simple) and she lets her tofu marinate much longer. But I think her post is worth a look It's a recipe from her own book (The Almost No-Fat Cookbook) that she tweaked a little. Visit her post at Vegan Feast Kitchen.

* Bryanna's post includes a link to information she gathered about sodium content and prices of several leading soy sauces and Bragg's. Be sure to use what best fits your health needs and budget. I tried this recipe with both Bragg's and Low Sodium Wheat-free Tamari, and they were much saltier with the Bragg's (a lot like the vegan jerky I buy now and then).

The How-to of it all...

 Slice like cheese. This is why a really firm tofu is necessary.

 Blot on paper or cloth towels so marinade will be absorbed better.

 Let sit in marinade a few minutes or a few hours.

 I realized I had a better container that would stay
sealed when flipped and distribute marinade better.

 Fry in some oil in the pan... or...

 ...bake in the toaster oven with sprayed on oil.

Blot on paper towels as last step before eating!

Vegan MOFO: Thaw-it Thursday–Amy's GF Tofu Scramble

Ok, so Wicked Wednesday gave me a total sugar high and I flaked on getting posts up even on Thursday! Here's the catch-up for Thaw-it Thursday...Amy's Gluten Free Tofu Scramble Breakfast Wrap.

  

I love this company since they make vegan foods and they make them well. They are made with real ingredients, most of them taste good and to top it off, they are a local company. How lucky can a girl get? Amy's produces dozens of items...be sure to check out their website since your local store may not carry them all. My hometown Whole Foods never seems to carry this wrap anymore, but I can get the next town over or at Pacific Market here in town.

I've had an interesting history with this wrap. I appreciate any company that can make a gluten-free food, and one that tastes good. This wrap is a little soggy (and tends to fall apart) when it first comes out of the microwave (you purists who only use real ovens may like it crispier from a toaster oven), but I've discovered a trick–if you aren't in a hurry to eat, that is!

I was working for a friend on a large job out of town, staying at her place with a number of other women also working this job. A tiny kitchen and several women does not make for elaborate meals! Especially when only one of us is vegan. I needed to pack myself a lunch and I decided to defrost this in the micro one morning and put it in a container for my lunch. I didn't need it hot. What I discovered was that it was very tasty cold, and actually held together better (like a real burrito) in my hands and was a perfect on-the-job lunch to pull out of my bag. So, letting it sit for a few hours after heating it up seemed to improve the "wholeness" of it!

I still like to have these around when I might have no time to make a real breakfast or need to pack a lunch. Thumbs up for Amy's Gluten Free Tofu Scramble.

Vegan MOFO Mash-it-up Monday: These Aren't Your Mother's Scrambled Eggs

For the month of September, Mash-it-up Monday will have recipes for things that are...mashed, blended or maybe things put together that you normally wouldn't think of putting together. Like two songs in a "Mash-Up." Or Sea Salt with Dark Chocolate. (We know now this goes together...but three years ago?) Maybe smoothies or blended soups. Or mashed potatoes or mashed .... you name it!

Today's recipe is a favorite of my daughter's...she routinely asks for my Tofu Omelettes and Scrambled Tofu. Makes me happy. (It's not always easy to please a 12 year old.)

This is an easy breakfast to make, and you can use whatever veggie you have in the fridge–you don't have to use broccoli. But to really impress a vegan, you do need to do a little planning if you don't regularly have tofu and turmeric on hand.

The secret these days to a great vegan "egg" dish is the salt. Not just any old sea salt or Himalayan Pink. This is India Black Kala Namak Salt, by The Spice Lab (available at their website or via Amazon). It really does have that "sulphur" smell and taste, which gives tofu eggs that special egg-y flavor. (Great for making vegan deviled eggs, too.)

These Aren't Your Mother's Scrambled Eggs
(Unless you are my daughter!)

1     Package Firm Tofu (the kind in water, not vacuum packed, about 15 oz)
2     baby carrots, grated
3     broccoli florets, grated or chopped very finely
1/2  tsp turmeric
1     tsp granulated onion*
1/2  tsp garlic powder*
1/4-1/2 tsp India Black Kala Namak Salt
1     tsp dried parsley (or 1 Tbs fresh)
1/2  cup vegan cheese, grated (I use Daiya Mozzerella)**

1-3  Tbs water or non-dairy milk (opt)

1-3  Tbs oil/margarine or water for frying

Serving suggestions:
Serve with vegan sour cream, vegan margarine or ketchup.

* If using fresh onion and/or garlic, chop finely and saute in large frying pan first in oil/margarine or water.

** The cheese is optional, but I found that using it helps the mixture stay together and it browns better, like the photo. If you like your scrambled "eggs" really soft, then omit the cheese or melt it on top later.

Directions
1. In a large bowl, crumble the tofu with your hands or with a masher. Grate carrots into bowl, then grate broccoli into bowl. Mix well.

2. Add turmeric, onion, garlic, salt, parsley and vegan cheese. Mix well. Don't worry that it doesn't look very yellow yet. It "colors up" when it cooks.

3. If mixture seems too dry, add water or non-dairy milk a tablespoon at a time until wet. Mix well.

4. Place the mixture about a 1/2 cup at a time in a hot pan (med high) with your choice of oil/margarine. Pat it down with your spatula so it is flat and not too thick. Let the bottom brown before you turn it. When you go to flip a section, try to flip one spatula-full at a time. Don't stir this up like you would a real egg scramble (unless you like your eggs softer). I like the browning it since it adds a little mouth-feel, and you won't get it if you keep stirring it. There will be plenty soft "egg" inside still.

5. Serve and eat!

Pumpkin Pie Smoothie

Pumpkin Pie Smoothie
(Sorry for being inexact--I never really measure!)

1/4 to 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1/2 cup to 1 cup milk alternative
1/2- 1 fresh orange
1/2 cup frozen mango
1/4- 1/2 tsp Pumpkin Pie spice (or combo of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger)
1 Tbs agave nectar (a couple of dates would work, too)
1/2 tsp vanilla
Blend and enjoy! 
Grate a little nutmeg on top if you like. 
Fancy version: vegan whipped cream on top!

You can make this with almost any mixture of fruits. I happened to have mango on hand and thought the orange would really brighten it. I've also made it with just pumpkin and milk.

Chavomondo Milkshake

Raw version, serves 1-2
1/4 cup almonds (soak first if you like)
7 oz water
1 avocado
1-2 Tbs raw cacao powder
1-2 Tbs raw agave nectar
2-3 ice cubes

Optional ideas
cinnamon
nutmeg
mint

Soak almonds first in water for an hour, if you like, then drain. Place in blender with 7 oz water and blend until smooth. You can now choose to strain out the almond pulp if you want a very smooth milkshake or keep it in for more fiber and protein.

Add avocado, cacao and agave nectar, blend until very smooth.

Ahh...chocolatey raw goodness! (This doesn't have to be raw. You could use any prepared non-dairy milk, regular cocoa powder and any kind of sweetener. I can see this being very tasty with coconut milk, a little mint at the holidays or even cinnamon and nutmeg.)

Avocado Smoothie

Makes 2 smoothies
1 avocado
1 cup non-dairy beverage
1-2 tbs agave nectar
1 tsp vanilla

Whir in a blender. Drink up! Oh...the smoothness...the richness!

Mixed-Berry Smoothie

Serves 3
8 oz soy or other non-dairy milk
1 banana
1 cup mixed frozen berries
2 tsp vanilla
1 Tbs agave nectar
Optional:
2 tsp maca powder
1 Tbs ground flaxseed
1 Tbs cocoa powder
Blend all ingredients. Serve.

Chef A.J.'s Rockin' Smoothie

My daughter actually likes it! AND she knows it has spinach in it!

Vegan Chef Abbie Jaye presented this at the McDougall Vegan Celebrity Chef Weekend in Santa Rosa in June. These are not her exact measurements, but how I tend to throw it all in the blender. Blend well after each addition. This tends to make enough for two--or one very large one.

Chef AJ's Rockin'
Blueberry Smoothie

8 oz non-dairy milk
5-6 dates
1-2 cups fresh spinach
1/2 banana
1 cup frozen blueberries
4-6 oz pomegranate juice
1 tbs cocoa powder
1-2 tbs ground flax seed
(my addition)

Blend like crazy...
I tell you no lies...
This smoothie will make you happy, healthy and wise!

UPDATE!!
AJ sent me her original recipe for this Smoothie...

Nutrient Rich Chocolate Smoothie

Ingredients:

6 ounces of unsweetened Almond Milk
4 ounces of Pomegranate Juice
6 ounces organic baby spinach
1 banana, frozen
Dates (or date paste) to taste
3 Tablespoons Raw Cacao Powder
2 cups frozen blueberries

Preparation:

Place all ingredients in a high power blender and process until smooth.

Chefs Notes: When available, AJ likes to use 1 cup of blueberries and one cup of cherries.

Vegan Omelette

The term Vegan Omelette sounds like an oxymoron, but you really can make one, and they are quite tasty--as tasty as you'd like them to be!

My mom and I have decided that our new Mother's Day tradition is a champagne brunch of vegan omelettes and onion rings from the local drive-in!

We started by having the house to ourselves. We packed up the DH and the DD to go see the other grandma for Mother's Day. That left us to our own devices!

Here' a recipe I used, gleaned from the "Fatfree Vegan Kitchen" blog. I added some fat! And I made this as a recipe for two instead of one, so I have doubled all the ingredients. I think that's more efficient anyway since you can use a whole box of silken tofu and not waste it--just make two omelettes or scramble the rest and make breakfast burritos the next day if there's only one of you!

1 package silken tofu
2 TBS soymilk
2 TBS nutritional yeast
2TBS potato starch or cornstarch
2 tsp tahini (I was out of tahini--would have been good)
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp turmeric
salt to taste
2 pinches of chipolte pepper or smoked paprika (optional--I used the paprika)

Also needed: Omelette filling of choice (have warm or at room temp)
vegan bacon bits
vegan cheese
sour cream
spring onions, chopped
pesto sauce

Blend all ingredients until smooth. ( I used my food processor.)

Spray a large non-stick skillet with olive oil and heat on medium-high until very hot. Pour the batter into the center of the skillet in a circular patter about 6-8 inches across and use a spoon or spatula to smooth over the top. Place filling ingredients over the batter, and reduce heat to low.

Cover and cook about 2-4 minutes, checking often to see if it's done. When the edges have dried out, lift a small section with a spatula and check to see the the omelette is set. It will be golden in color but not browned. When it's ready, loosen the omelette by sliding the spatula under it from each direction, and then fold one side over the other.

Cook about one minute more. Carefully lift or slide it onto a plate and serve hot.

Margaret's experience: I used sauteed mushrooms and onions with a couple slices of vegan cheese in the middle, and some chopped chives. Topped with vegan sour cream and a couple lavender sprigs for that "Mother's Day" touch. Since lavender is edible, my mom and I tried it--a little strong, but interesting addition to the whole flavor.

I used vegan margarine to cook the omelette and had added a little oil to the batter.

I found it hard to get the whole omelette to cook through--ours were a little "wet" still, inside. I made one the next day with leftover batter and made it more like a pancake and flipped it (not easy) to get it to brown on both sides.

Next time I think I will put more in the batter--like maybe some dry vegan "chicken" broth, and a little more soy milk--the batter seemed a little thick. Maybe put the chives in the batter, too.

You can see how you could make any kind of omelette here, just like in a restaurant--spicy mexican, cheesy greek, vegan sausage, etc.

Pearson Pinkham Pancakes

Vegan
Difficulty Rating: 1 (easy)

Sift together

1 1/4 - 1 1/2 cups flour
2 Tbs sugar
3 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon (opt.)
1/2 tsp nutmeg (opt.)
1/2 cup walnuts

Mix together

1 Tbs cooking oil
1 1/4-1 1/2 cups water (or combination with non-dairy milk)
1/2 tsp vanilla

Mix the dry. Mix the wet. Mix the two together (be gentle, do not over-mix).
If you use no-gluten Red Mill flour, either reduce the water or increase the flour.

This is my adaptation of a recipe in my first vegan cookbook, The Farm Vegetarian Cookbook, produced by a commune many ages ago in Tennessee. (A good friend, whom I met a few years ago, was actually born there.)

I have added more baking powder and the spices, and reduced the sugar.

You can certainly add banana, different nuts, chocolate chips, berries...anything you want. It's a great basic recipe.

Gluten-free update: I used Bob Red Mill Gluten Free Flour Mix and a little Xanthan Gum and I swear they turned out better than ever!

Chapter 7-The Recipes

Chapter 7a Breakfast

Chapter 7b Appetizers

Chapter 7c Entrees

Chapter 7d Salads

Chapter 7e Soups

Chapter 7f Baking

Chapter 7g Sweets

Chapter 7h Misc