Raw Vegan Doughnut Holes a.k.a. "Tim Bits"

Hey Loves!

I haven't been able to shake the craving for something cinnamon-ny and sweet lately.  The other day after my lady friends and I took their kids tobogganing, we went for tea and hot chocolate at Tim Hortons' (for my international pals, Tim Hortons is the most popular coffee shop chain in Canada, founded by Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman, Tim Horton).  As I ordered a large peppermint tea at the counter, my gaze turned to the racks of freshly made doughnuts, in particular the doughnut holes (in Canada, we call them "Tim Bits") and I felt my mouth begin to salivate.  I rushed home and whipped up a batch of sweet, dense, spiced little gems that were as good as any Tim Bits, and maybe even better, as they were free of white flour, white sugar and a whole host of mystery chemicals.  Oh and did I mention, they're raw?

 

Raw Vegan "Tim Bits"

Ingredients:

- 1 1/2 cups raw flaked oats

- 2 cups raw Brazil nuts

- 1/3 cup coconut oil

- 1/2 tsp nutmeg

- 1/3 cup maple syrup (it's not raw, so you can sub it our for 1/4 cup raw agave if you're serious about the raw-someness!)

- 1/4 cup coconut sugar

- 1 tbsp cinnamon

In your trusty food processor, pulse the oats until they are very fine, almost a flour-like consistency.  Add the Brazil nuts and process until ground.  Add the coconut oil, nutmeg and maple syrup or agave and pulse until the mixture comes together.  

Refrigerate for one hour.  While the mixture is 'chilling out' (pardon the pun), stir together the coconut sugar and cinnamon.

Roll into bite sized (or two-bite sized) balls, and roll in the coconut sugar/cinnamon mixture. 

Refrigerate for another hour and then devour!  Store these babies in the freezer or refrigerator.

XOXO

V.V.       

Roasted Chestnut and Red Lentil Soup

Hey Lovelies!

I decided to try roasting chestnuts on Christmas Eve.  I saw people roasting chestnuts on big, cast iron grills, all over Rome and didn't get a chance to try them.  And they seemed like a totally idyllic thing to eat at Christmas (cue the Nat King Cole).  So I bought some chestnuts, painstakingly scored little crosses on them with my utility knife, tossed them with olive oil, salt, pepper and fresh rosemary, and waited with anticipation of festive bliss as they roasted in the oven.  

I had ten guests over on Christmas Eve and not one had tried a roasted chestnut before.  Once cooled, I proudly brought a massive platter of the toasty beauties into the dining room as a curious crowd gathered.  After wrestling with the peels a bit, we popped the crumbly innards into our mouths with excitement. . . "It tastes like a dry, baked potato."  "Yeah, a really dry potato, but a bit sweet."  A potato?  A dry potato?!  It was certainly not what any of us were expecting, least of all me.  No buttery crunch?  No toasty, warm nuttiness?  None.  Maybe they're better roasted over an open fire?

It goes without saying that I was left with a massive amount of skin-on, roasted chestnuts.  On Boxing Day (the day after Christmas here in Canada) my darling father took to the task of peeling said chestnuts and reserving their meat in a bowl.  "You can't just waste them!" he argued.  So I did what any chic, modern, resourceful gal would do, I Googled!  And that night, I adapted a recipe by Nigella Lawson (LOVE her!) and made a fabulously festive dinner out of my unconventional holiday leftovers.

Roasted Chestnut and Red Lentil Soup
Ingredients:

- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1 large carrot, chopped
- 2 sticks of celery, chopped
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1/8 tsp nutmeg
- 2 veggie bouillon cubes
- 6 cups water
- 1 cup red lentils
- 1 cup roasted chestnut meat (To roast chestnuts:  Buy 2 cups of chestnuts.  Deeply and carefully score an X on the flat side of each nut.  Toss with 2 tbsp olive oil, S&P and some fresh rosemary if you like.  Place the chestnuts in an even layer on a big piece of aluminum foil and then gather up the foil edges around the nuts, leaving a nice big opening at the top.  Place on a baking sheet and roast in a pre-heated 425 degree oven for 30 - 40 min or until the peels curl up a bit.  Let cool and then peel.)
- S&P
-Optional garnish: soy sour cream or cashew cream and chopped parsley

In your favorite soup pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat.  Add the onion, garlic, carrot and celery.  Sprinkle with a bit of salt and pepper.  Cook the veg mixture until slightly softened.  

Add the cinnamon, cumin, coriander, nutmeg and bouillon cubes and cook for one minute or until very fragrant.

Add the water, crank the heat to high and bring to a boil.  Add the lentils and reduce heat to medium low.

Add the chestnuts and simmer the soup until the lentils are very soft, about 20 - 30 min.  You will know they are done when you can smush them on the side of the pot with a spoon very easily.  

Puree the soup with an immersion blender (if you haven't got one, go buy one!  They are very inexpensive and make blending soups such a breeze!) and season with S&P.  

Ladle into soup bowls and garnish with a swirl of soy sour cream or cashew cream and a sprinkle of chopped parsley.      

This is very festive soup and warms you up from the inside out!

XOXO
V.V.  
 

Happy New Year!

Happy Happy New Year Hunny Bunches!

Did you have a nice holiday?  Eat any yummy-licious vegan fare?  My Dad and Step Mama drove from Calgary to Winnipeg and stayed at mine and ATM's newly renovated home, it was so nice to have them here!  They gave me an amazing Breville juicer for Christmas and I am totally hooked on juicing!  We had an awesome Christmas Day brunch at the residence of my lovely Step-Sister Steph and her boyfriend Nick.  Steph made an Eggs Benedict feast and even made a special vegan version for me!

 ATM was working in northern Alberta over Christmas so we hosted a faux-Christmas dinner for her family when she returned.  I made a Pumpkin Parsnip Lasagne from VegNews' holiday 2012 issue (which Santa sweetly tucked into my stocking!); Cinnamon Roasted Root Veg; Haricots Vert with Shallots, Lemon and Walnuts; V.V. style stuffing and gravy; and some PC Brand World's Best Meatless Chicken Filets dredged in cornstarch that was seasoned with S&P and fresh rosemary, and fried pan fried in olive oil.  It was a delightful feast!  

On New Year's Eve, ATM and I hosted a massive NYE bash and I served up vegan tapas that disappeared as soon as they left the kitchen!  In addition to the tapas on the V.V. blog, I made Patatas Bravas (deep fried potato chunks tossed with pimenton and chilies, served with a vegan aioli) a Mediterranean White Bean Dip and cutie little Empanadas with Mushrooms, Walnuts and Olives!

On New Year's Day, aside from cleaning up after our fete, ATM and I celebrated our 2nd Anniversary!  We were too exhausted to cook so we ordered veganized pizza and snuggled.  ATM surprised me with a Vitamix blender as an anniversary gift!  My DREAM blender!!!  Now the V.V. kitchen is totally pimped!

I didn't make any resolutions for 2013 but I certainly made re-affirmations.  I am a documentary junkie and lately Netflix has enabled me to feed my addiction to the umpteenth degree!  So many outstanding docs about diet and nutrition, our food systems and plant based diets are available right now!  First and foremost, if you haven't seen it already, please watch Veducated!  I know many, many people who watched it and really questioned their consumption of meat and other people who went vegetarian or vegan after watching it.  I really do believe that if more people made the connection between a hamburger and what that hamburger really is (was), fewer people would want to eat meat.  Other great docs to see include Hungry For Change, Farmageddon, Food, Inc., and the TED Talks series 'Chew On This'.  American Netflix has waaaaaay more selection than our good ol' Canadian Netflix (lucky ducks!), and I think you can watch Forks Over Knives on there. . . if so, WATCH IT!!!!   Watching these films has helped me re-affirm the reason I bring compassion into my kitchen and into my heart.

XOXOXO
Vivacious Vegan <3

Happy Holidays!

Hello my lovelies!

Life has taken precedence over writing over the past few months and though I haven't been posting lately, I certainly have many recipes and stories to share with you in the New Year!

ATM and I took a trip to Europe this Fall and I have lots of vegan tips for Vegan Euro Travelers!  We have also been renovating our house (meaning a brand-spankin' new kitchen to create more V.V. love!) and it is being completed just in time for my lovely Dad and StepMama's Christmas visit!  I have been living off of my coconut curry noodle soup recipe, cooked in a tiny pot on a two-burner hot-plate and while I am excited over the notion of a fully functional kitchen, I will most likely keep chowing down on the same noodle soup!

Over the holiday's, many herbivores can feel left out of the feasting, but this is so NOT necessary!!!  Here are some of my fave V.V. recipes that are perfect for this indulgent season:

Some lovely appies for your next holiday cocktail party might include Phylo Wrapped Asparagus with a creamy Lemon Aioli or French Lentil Pate.  For New Year's Eve this year, ATM and I are throwing a big party and yours truly will be serving up vegan tapas to our guests!

For an elegant, meat-less entree, try my Homemade Tofurkey with Wild Mushroom Sage Stuffing and Vegan Gravy, a delish and hearty Vegan Coq au Vin, Sunflower Crusted Seitan au Jus with Garlic Smashed Potatoes, or for something a little different, Cauliflower Steaks with a creamy Cauliflower Puree
.

I've never been much for sweets but for me the Holiday's seem incomplete without Vegan Irish Cream Liquor, in abundance!!!

I wish you and your loved ones all the best this season and look forward to sharing more vegan recipes and compassion with you in 2013!

XOXOXOXOXOXO

Vivacious Vegan



 

Vegan Phyllo Wrapped Asparagus with Lemon Aioli

Happy Spring!!!


V.V. has been slacking on posting lately but with good reason!  The memory card from my camera got lost (which was full of beautiful photo's of Vivacious Vegan FOOD PORN!), ATM and I moved out of our beautiful apartment (not by choice, the building is being turned into condos :( ) and are waiting to move into her house and begin renovating (new kitchen - yippee!!!), and I have two disposable cameras full of lovely pics to post with yummy vegan recipes. . . once I get them developed!   

In Winnipeg, the Spring has certainly come in like a lion (kind of like the MGM lion at the beginning of the Wizard of Oz - sort of shocking when you aren't expecting it). I love Spring! The longer daylight hours, the puddles, the warmer temperatures and also the change in my diet from the heavy, comforting, winter fare to a lighter more colourful palate of beautiful Spring veggies!


Asparagus season is at it's peak in Spring time, which means it's plentiful and inexpensive! I like fresh, in-season asparagus sauteed or grilled with a touch of good extra virgin olive oil, a squeeze of lemon and a touch of salt and pepper. So simple, so delicious :)  It's even wonderful sliced thinly and served raw with a light mustard vinaigrette, tossed with a little baby arugula and paper thin radish slices, maybe some minced chives while you're at it. . . I feel some inspiration for a new blog post coming on. . . !


Today's recipe is a classic appetizer application for asparagus spears, wrapped in phyllo dough and baked. It's an elegant dish perfect for s Spring time tea party. The lemon 'aioli' dip adds a bright, zingy, creaminess and an extra tough of elegance. Plus, the whole thing is SUPER simple and sure to impress!

Phyllo Wrapped Asparagus with Lemon Aioli
Ingredients:
for the asparagus:
- 24 asparagus spears, all about the same thickness
- 12 sheets phyllo dough, thawed, cut in half lengthwise and covered with a damp tea towel
- 1/2 cup melted coconut oil, or Earth Balance, or veg oil
- 1 cup fine bread crumbs
for the aioli:
- 1 cup vegan mayo (I vote Vegenaise - SERIOUSLY good)
- zest and juice of one lemon (zest before juicing using a fine grater and make sure you wash the lemon really well first!)
- 1 minced garlic clove


Start by making the aioli so the flavours have a chance to become BFF's.  Simply mix together the vegan mayo, lemon zest and juice and minced garlic.  Et voila!  You can add in some minced fresh herbs like parsley or basil for a fresh, pretty touch.

To prep the asparagus spears, ensure they are washed thoroughly.  The ends of asparagus tend to be too woody and fibrous to eat so to take the end off at just the right spot, simply hold the middle of the stalk between your thumb and index finger in one hand and the end of the stalk in the aforementioned fingers of your opposite and hand bend the spear until it snaps.  It will have broken at the perfect spot :) 

Blanch the asparagus spears in boiling water for 1 - 2 minutes and then plunge them into an ice bath to stop the cooking process.  Pat the stalks dry with a clean tea towel.

Pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees and oil a baking sheet with your choice of grease. 

To assemble, brush a half sheet of phyllo with a pastry brush dipped in melted coconut oil, or Earth Balance or whatever you choose, sprinkle with a light coating of breadcrumbs.  Place an asparagus stem at one end of the phyllo, with the pretty tip hanging over the edge, roll up tightly, brush the outside with a little extra oil and place on the prepared baking sheet. 

Repeat with all the asparagus spears.

Bake the asparagus for about 15 min, or until the phyllo pastry is golden brown.

Serve the phyllo wrapped asparagus on a platter with the lemon aioli <3

XOXO,

Vivacious Vegan  

Vegan Thanksgiving Feast!

Hey Pals,

Thanksgiving Day is upon us in Canada, one of my aboslute favorite holidays.  Sharing a festive meal with family and friends and enjoying the beauty of autumn can be hard for vegans when the star of the show is a big dead bird.  Making your own tofurkey complete with stuffing, cranberry sauce and gravy is very simple and sooooo very tasty!  Surround the tofurkey with a host of yummmmy yegan side dishes: mashed potatoes with veggie stock and Earth Blance butter, roasted yams with a sprinkle of cinnamon, green beans or brussel sprouts with toasted almonds and lemon zest, carrots with agave orange glaze. . .skies the limit!  My Nana used to make boiled, mashed turnips for Thanksgiving. . .ick.

Roasted Tofurkey, Mushroom Sage Stuffing and Gravy 
Ingredients:
Tofurkey:
-2 bricks of extra firm tofu
-1/4 cup soy sauce + 1/3 cup for basting liquid
-1/4 cup nutritional yeast
-1 tbsp garlic powder
-1 tbsp poultry seasoning
-fresh ground pepper
-2 tbsp sesame oil
Stuffing:
-1/4 cup Earth Balance Butter
-4 shallots (or one small onion and 3 cloves of garlic) diced
-2 stalks of  celery, finely diced
-2 cups of wild mushrooms, diced
-6 cups dried bread cubes (available in the bakery of your friendly neighborhhod grocery store)
-2 tbsp finely chopped sage leaves
-approx 2 cups of veggie stock
-S&P
Gravy:
-1/2 cup veg oil
-3 cloves of garlic, minced
-1/2 cup all pourpose flour
-1 tsp poultry seasoning
-1 cup dry white wine
-1/4 cup soy sauce
-2 cups veggie stock
-S&P

STEP 1 - Tofurkey Phase A:  Place two paper towels on a plate.  Place the blocks of tofu on the paper towel.  Place another paper towel over the tofu.  Top with a plate and place heavy cans and other objects on the tofu.  Leave for 1 hour so all the extra water drains out.

STEP 2:  While the tofu is being pressed, prepare the stuffing!  Heat the Earth Balance butter in a pan over medium heat.  Saute the shallots, celery and mushrooms with a sprinkle of S&P until the shallots are translucent, the celery is soft and the mushrooms are well cooked.  

Transfer the veg from the pan to a large mixing bowl and toss with the bread cubes and sage.  Add the veggie stock and mix.  You want the bread cubes to be very moist and the stuffing should be pretty sticky, so add more veggie stock as needed.  Season with S&P and set aside.

STEP 3 - Tofurkey Phase B:  Place the tofu, 1/4 cup soy sauce, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, poultry seasoning and pepper in a food processor and pulse until it becomes a smooth paste.  Alternatively, you can use your hands or a potato masher for this job! 

Line a colander with cheese cloth or a paper towel and place it over a plate or bowl.  Put the tofu mixture into the lined colander and press it down so it's nicely packed in there and the top is flat.  Place a small plate on the top and a heavy can or two on the plate and let sit in the fridge for two hours. 

STEP 4 - Tofurkey Phase C:  Remove the cans and plate from the tofu.  With a spoon, caaaareeeefully scoop out the inner part of the tofu, as if you're making a bowl out of it, leaving a 1" border.  Set the scooped tofu aside.  Fill the cavity with stuffing just to the rim of the tofu bowl.  Cover the stuffing with the reserved tofu, sealing the tofurkey and making the top nice and flat. 

Oil a baking sheet well with veg oil and place on top of the colander.  In a quick, fluid motion, flip the colander onto the baking sheet and release the tofurkey dome.  Remove the cheesecloth/paper towel from the tofurkey dome. 

STEP 5 - Tofurkey Phase D: Mix together the remaining soy sauce and sesame oil and baste the tofukey with it.  Cover the Tofurkey with foil and place in a pre-heated 400 degree oven.  Roast the tofurkey for 25 minutes, remove the foil, baste again and bake for an additional 25 minutes or until the tofurkey is golden brown.  Baste again before serving. 

STEP 6:  GRAVY!!!  While the tofurkey is roasting, heat the veg oil in a large saucepan over medium high heat.  Add the garlic and saute until translucent.  Add the flour and poultry seasoning and cook for one minute, stirring constantly. 

Add the wine, soy sauce and veggie stock and whisk to combine (no one wants lumpy gravy!).  Bring the gravy to a boil and cook until thickened.  Add more stock if tooooo thick.  Season with S&P.

To serve:  Slice the tofurkey into wedges and serve alongside mashed potatoes, your fave veg side dishes and a sea of vegan gravy!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!!!


XOXO,

Vivacious Vegan