Vegan MOFO Psychedelic Sunday Rockin' Mockin' Toona

Psychedelic Sunday is so named because of a new book/cookbook I am reading called "Dropping Acid: The Reflux Diet Cookbook and Cure." It's not vegan, but it does have many vegan or vegetarian recipes or recipes that can easily be made vegan. I've been having an issue with what seems to be known as "Silent Reflux." My doctor thinks its GERD, but I'm not convinced. My first line of defense is usually "what am I eating that could be causing this?" or "what else can I eat that will help me?" Dr. Jamie Koufman believes that a low-fat, low-acid, alkaline diet will help this condition.

Rockin' Mockin' Toona is my version of her "Marc's Tasty Tuna Salad." Well, in fact, it's not even close to her version cause it's MY version of tuna salad!

Be sure to scroll to the bottom to see all the versions of things you can make with this basic vegan "Tuna" salad.

For all you non-vegan folks who might be making this for your loved one (or the one you want to love!), just think what a great picnic lunch this would make! And if he/she is gluten-free, too, definitely make it a salad on a bed of lettuce or stuffed in a tomato or on some nice GF bread.  (Just maybe take an enzyme tablet in case the garbanzo beans decide to create a little uncalled-for music!)

Rockin' Mockin' Toona Salad

1 can organic garbanzo beans
4 stalks celery, chopped finely (about 2/3 cup)
1-2 spring onions, chopped
2 Tbs pickle relish
1 Tbs lemon juice (about 1/2 lemon)
2 tsp kelp granules*
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 Tbs mustard
2-4 Tbs vegan mayo

Alternative options: tomato, bread, corn chips, lettuce, meltable vegan cheese.

*I was out of kelp granules, which I think helps to give it a "fishy" tuna taste. Instead, I had some toasted nori snacks on hand and I carefully chopped up 4 of the little sheets. I think you could also chop up a regular sheet of sushi nori and get the same result. I kept a little to garnish with.

1. Strain and rinse garbanzo beans under cold water. Shake dry and pat with a towel to dry a little more. Too much liquid and you will have a runny salad. Chop them in a food processor or by hand with a masher until they are about the consistency of tuna flakes. Put in large bowl.

2. Add celery, onions, pickle relish, lemon juice, kelp granules, garlic powder and salt to the bowl and mix thoroughly. You can leave out the lemon juice and/or the garlic if you know it causes reflux.

3. Add mustard and mix.

4. Add mayo one tablespoon at a time and mix well. This is high in fat, and you really only need just enough to make it a nice spread that holds together. Depending on your own tastes, you may like 1-4 tablespoons. I like it with 2.

Serving suggestions:
Here's where the fun begins...

1. Just eat it right now! Out of the bowl!
2. Chill and eat later.
3. Stuffed Tomato: Slice a tomato in half and scoop out a little from each half. Fill with Toona Salad. Guaranteed to impress your vegan. Serve on a bed of lettuce or a few pretty lettuce/kale leaves. Garnish with sprinkles of kelp or chopped nori. (Note: Tomato is not usually reflux-friendly.)
4. Make a sammy! Any old bread will do, but to make it special, try toasting the bread! Or lightly frying in a pan. My DH loves his Toona Sandwiches with crumbled corn chips, olives and pickle slices inside the sandwich!

5. Toona Melt!! I've never actually had a real Tuna Melt before, but this Rockin' Mockin' Tuna Melt is pretty darn tasty. My version: Toast a nice piece of bread that has been lightly buttered. Spread with Toona Salad and top with your favorite Daiya Cheese. Broil in a toaster oven until cheese is melted. Garnish with a sprinkle of paprika, chili powder (watch out for reflux) or curry.

Vegan MOFO 2013

 The Vegan Month of Food (MOFO) is right around the corner. I've signed up this year for this blog, and hopefully will be listed. (Not sure I did the RSS thing right!)

I'm going to mix it up a bit this coming month (September) with a different theme for each day of the week.

Psychedelic Sundays

One of my latest health issues is "silent reflux" and I've been reading a cookbook (not vegan), called "Dropping Acid: The Reflux Diet Cookbook and Cure." I'll create vegan versions of some of these recipes or come up with my own. I wanted to call it "Dropping Acid Sunday" but there was no alliteration!

Mash-it-up Monday

Food that are mashed, maybe blended, maybe two things that don't usually go together, like two songs that become a "Mash Up."

Love-Me-Tender Taco Tuesdays

This last spring some friends had a Taco Tuesday almost every week. I was going through a number of diet-related issues and kept finding I needed to tweak (not twerk!) my usual foods into something that was Vegan Paleo or Vegan AIP (Autoimmune Protocol) and now I'm looking at low-acid recipes to control reflux symptoms. You can look forward to recipes that "love you" and keep you feeling good.

Wicked Ways Wednesdays

I'm thinking some fun dessert recipes. As always, keeping it simple. Maybe some alcoholic drinks thrown in there...although those are not Paleo/AIP/Low Acid at all!

Thaw-it Thursdays

I'll bring out the stuff I've frozen and throw it in a recipe. If I've been really lazy, it might just be a frozen waffle! (Lets hope not!) Or a review of the best vegan frozen food out there...or the worst.

Fry-it Fridays

Sounds unhealthy, right? Well, maybe, maybe not. We'll see.

Soupy Sales Saturdays

Ok, so who out there even knows who Soupy Sales was? You'll find out on the first Soupy Sales Saturday, that's for sure. Yeah, probably some great soup recipes.

Oh...all those health issues I'm trying to uncover are the reasons I haven't been blogging much here. But you can see more of my work over at some of my other food sites, too.

The Vegan Reduction Project

http://veganreductionproject.blogspot.com/

The Coastal Vegan Cave Girl

http://coastalvegancavegirl.blogspot.com/

Vegan Gluten-free Hamantaschen

The original recipe for this Purim cookie can be found at ShalomVeg.com at this link. I just changed the flour to a mix of gluten-free flours that I had on hand.

• 4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
  (My gluten-free mix: used a mix: 2 cups brown rice flour, 1 cup almond flour, 1/2 cup tapioca flour and  1/2 cup potato flour, 1 tsp xanthan gum)
• 4-3/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup margarine, at room temperature ( I used Earth Balance sticks)
• 1-3/4 cups granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup water
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• filling (prepared poppy seeds, chocolate chips, jam, halvah)
  (I used orange marmalade and fig jam. Also made a couple with chocolate chips.)

1. In a large bowl, with a mixer set on medium speed, beat flour, baking powder, salt, margarine, sugar, water, and vanilla. Add a small amount of water if necessary to smooth (I added about 1/4 cup more water).
2. Preheat oven to 375°F. Lightly grease 2 cookie sheets.
3. Roll out dough to 1/4" thickness. Cut out 3" circles with cookie cutters.
4. Place spoonfuls of desired filling into center of each circle and fold into triangular shape.
5. Bake for 10 minutes or until slightly browned. Remove from pans and cool on wire racks. Baking time may vary depending on your oven.
6. Chill overnight. (Umm, we just ate them right away!)

More about Purim and the origins of this cookie a little later....

Winter White Chili

Gluten-free

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon canola oil
• 1 1/2 cups chopped onion
• 2 4-ounce cans chopped green chiles (opt)
• 1-4 cloves garlic
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/8-1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 can each great northern beans, white lima beans
  and navy beans, rinsed
• (or use 2 ¼ cups dried beans, soaked)
• 4 cups reduced-sodium broth
• 1-2 cups diced soy strips
• 1 head of cauliflower, chopped up
• salt, to taste (after beans have cooked)
  
  Add after cooking:
• 2 tablespoons cider vinegar
  

Preparation

1. Heat oil in a large pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion; cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, chiles, oregano, cumin and cayenne. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes. Stir in beans, cauliflower, soy strips and broth; bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 20 minutes. Add soy strips and vinegar; cook for 5 minutes more.  Add cider vinegar. Serve.
   
   
2. Pressure Cooker method: Use dried beans. Soak in water the night before, pour off water and rinse before adding to soup. Cook onions in oil in bottom of pressure cooker, add garlic, stir, add herbs and spices. Add other ingredients, cook on high pressure for 10-12 minutes, slow release.
   
   Either method: For a thicker soup base, use an immersion blender in the pot or take some out and blend it.

Holiday Herbed Cheeze Ball

My sister used to make the greatest herbed cheese when my parents had a restaurant in Stockton, CA. I think we used it as a spread in a sandwich. (The restaurant was "St. George and the Duck" at St. Mark's Plaza for those who might remember it!) I was eating cheese in those days, still not realizing all that my dairy allergy entailed.

Fast forward to today, when I am a vegan with fond memories of herbed cheese and a longing to be able to eat a cheese ball at a party!

I've put them all together here. It might look fancy, but it's quite simple. You do need to plan ahead a little if you want to make it into a ball (it needs to firm up in the fridge), but you can even make and eat it in 10 minutes if you want to use it as a dip or spread. (Although the flavor is enhanced if you let it sit for a few days to really infuse the cheese with the herbs.)

You can use fresh herbs, but I've made mine with what I've got in the spice cabinet. All measurements are estimates since I just throw in what I think will work. You can adjust to your own tastes and contents of your spice cabinet!

Herbed Cheeze Ball
(Vegan, Gluten-free)

1 8 oz container non-dairy cream cheese
3 Tbs white wine (adjust amount for firmness)
1-3 tsp dried parsley
1-3 tsp dried rosemary
1-3 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1-4 Tbs dehydrated onion flakes (these will help to firm it up)

Coating (if you are making a ball)
1/2 cup chopped nuts (I used walnuts)
1/4 cup dried cranberries (optional)

Serve with crackers. (Serve with gluten-free crackers if you've got GF friends. I like rice crackers.)

Instructions:
Put the first seven ingredients in a bowl and mix well with a fork. You are done now if you want to serve it as a dip or spread right away or you can let it sit in the fridge.

To make the ball:
Place the mixture in the fridge for 1-3 days to firm up. The longer it sits, the more the flavors develop. If you have used the dehydrated onion flakes, they will help soak up the wine and make it firmer.

Just before serving (or the day of the party), take the mixture out of the fridge. With clean hands, roll it into a ball shape (this is the messy part), and then either:

1. Roll the ball in the chopped nuts, covering the ball well. Place on your serving tray.

or

2. Place the ball on your tray and arrange cranberries in two lines over and across the ball, like a ribbon on a package. You can even place a row along the bottom edge. Carefully apply chopped walnuts in the areas between the cranberries.

A note on serving: when I made this for a party at someone else's house, I put my "naked" cheeseball on a small circle of cardboard covered with tinfoil. That way I didn't have to apply the nuts to it on a big plate that wouldn't fit in my fridge. I could still fit it in a container (wrapped loosely in tinfoil) and I dressed my plate once I was at the party.