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Food 4OREthought:)

Dear Food: 

Will you marry me?  I LOVE YOU!  This blog is dedicated just to you. I celebrate you by sharing my "made from scratch" recipes.
Nutrition Facts. org

Fathers Day Brunch: Vegan Hollandaise & Sunflower Pâté

6/13/2014

5 Comments

 
It is completely meaningless to put effort into activities that have no essence - Atisha
Sunday breakfast meals bring out the "made-from-scratch" in me and I think with Mother's Day just around the corner we should all make an effort to cook a nice meal for our mums, good friends or just for ourselves!  Vegans and Non Vegans alike will enjoy these great recipes I always use! Below I share two recipes: My vegan Hollandaise and a super tasty Polenta-like pâté made from ground sunflower seeds, cornmeal & potatoes.  And, of course, how can you make Eggs Benedict for your friends without HOMEMADE English Muffins. I made these foods from scratch from tried and true recipes that I love! BUT, of course, I alway give any recipe a bit of my own twist.  You should, too!  Have fun! and celebrate mothers past, present and future on May 11th - they make our wold a better place!
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Vegan and Non-Vegan: On the left my Vegan Sunflower pâté topped with vegan Hollandaise along side Eggs Benedict.
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Mmmmmmmm - Nooks and Crannies!  Home made English Muffins. I use Mark Bittman's recipe for sandwich bread in his book How to Cook Everything. This is a wonderful recipe. It is not vegan as it contains milk- but vegans can substitute with almond milk or other milk alternative.  The recipe is so easy and the ingredients so basic but the end result is so impressive  So, have at it and make these!
Another terrific appetizer, snack or protein main dish on Brunch Day is this wonderfully delicious Sunflower pâté. So flavorful and satisfying!  You will not believe it's vegan. Nutritional Yeast is what gives this pâté a rich, cheesy, nutty flavor. I LOVE this dish for picnics, lunches or parties.  See this and my Mock Arugula Hollandaise recipe below. 
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Sunflower pâté  

This recipe is from one of my favorite vegan cookbooks that I picked up at the bottom of a pile in a thrift sale.  It's called Vegan Delights by Jeanne Marie Martin and was published in 1993.  Wonderful recipes in this book.  

Serves 6-8 people 

INGREDIENTS

  • 1 Cup Sunflowers seeds, finely ground
  • 1/2 cup corn meal
  • 1//2 cup yellow nutritional yeast  - click here for more information on nutritional yeast
  • 3 tsp. dried parsley flakes (I didn't have any but if you do, great!) 
  • 1.5 tsp dried basil
  • 1 tsp dried thyme, crushed
  • 3/4-1 tsp sea salt 
  • 1/2 tsp dried sage leaves (I didn't have sage on hand and it still tasted great!)
  • 1/4 tsp sea kelp powder

  • 1 Cup finely grated potato (I just used grater on food processor)
  • 1 and 1/3 cup water
  • 1/4 cup sunflower oil or other natural oil (you can reduce this amount if you wish)
  • 2 TBS soy sauce or Tamari

Optional: 3-4 tsp prepared horseradish.  I didn't have this on hand either so did not include this. Other things you could add include some finely chopped onions or minced garlic.  Keep the wet veggies to a minimum. 

DIRECTIONS: 
  • Mix the dry ingredients together in a large bowl.  Grate the potato and rinse it thoroughly to remove excess starch.  Squeeze and drain it after rinsing.  Add the remaining ingredients in the order given above, stirring in the potato last. Mix well. 
  • Preheat over to 375 degrees.  Generously oil a 9" glass pie plate and scoop in the pâté mixture. Put it in the oven and immediately turn the heat down to 350 degrees.  Bake 35-45 minutes until well browned. 
  • Let the pâté cool 1-2 hours and then chill it thoroughly before serving to set it completely.  It may be reheated later if desired.  It is tastiest when served at room temperature.  Keeps up to 7 days refrigerated or may be frozen in pie wedges (with reduced oil and no onions or garlic)

Vegan Arugula Hollandaise Sauce

Makes about 1 cup

INGREDIENTS

  • 3 TBS Earth Balance or Butter Alternative.  Or - use Ghee or Butter - whatever suits you!
  • 2 TBS Flour (I use gluten free flour)
  • 1/4  to 1/2 tsp Turmeric (this creates the hollandaise color)
  • 1 Cup Milk Alternative (Soy, Almond, etc) - I use homemade almond (none of the flavored stuff from the store:(
  • 2 TBS Nutritional Yeast 
  • Pinch cayenne
  • 1/2 or 1 TBS Veganaise (Vegan Mayo - I use Wildwood Vegan Aioli) 
  • Salt and Pepper to taste
  • Small handful of baby arugula. 


DIRECTIONS

  • Sizzle "butter" in heavy skillet on stove over med high heat
  • Add flour & turmeric to butter and mix thoroughly to create a paste - (do not burn paste)
  • Whisk in almond milk and keep whisking until smooth
  • Remove from heat and add the nutritional yeast and pinch of cayenne
  • At this point your "hollandaise" should be smooth, colorful and flavorful.  Next step is to the food processor 
  • In a small bowl of your food processor add your hollandaise, handful of arugula and 1/2 TBS or 1 TBS of Veganaise. Blend thoroughly and add water by the TableSpoons to reach the correct consistency you desire.  I thinned mine a bit with water.  It will thicken each time your reheat it - you can add water likewise each time you reheat. 
  • Add salt and pepper to taste.  Reheat when ready to serve.  Taste to your liking and add things you prefer!



5 Comments

What's on the Menu Tonight? Indian Broccoli Polenta!  

4/10/2013

3 Comments

 
Tonight's feature is my take on Polenta.  I pan roast the corn with Indian spices before adding my pre-heated water and broccoli parts.  This makes for a wonderful, hearty, bountiful flavor that blends perfectly with sauteed Balti spiced onions, mushrooms and spinach.  Now that's YUMMY in my TUMMY! See recipe below picture for my Indian style polenta!  
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1 Cup Polenta Corn Grits
3.5 cups vegetable broth or water (go low sodium if using broth)
2 TBSP Sunflower oil (or Olive or Grapeseed)
4 Cups very well-chopped broccoli, stalks & tops (I pulse them in processor - no large than 1/4" pieces

SPICES:  
1/8 tsp Hing 
1/2 tsp Whole Cumin Seeds
1/4 freshly ground Black Pepper 
1/4 tsp dry Ginger Powder
1 tsp Tumeric
1/2 tsp Salt
1 tsp Coriander

To prepare the corn grits:
  • Preheat on the stove top a large dutch skillet or cast iron skillet on low setting (about 1-2 minutes)
  • Put in cornmeal and dry roast for 5 Minutes and add all the spices except the coriander.  
  • Add oil and then the coriander and mix with dry corn grits thoroughly.  
  • Slowly add your hot water (be careful of rising steam!!!) and stir as you add to avoid lumps (I add water in portions and stir after each portion)

  • Add the broccoli and stir thoroughly (veg does not have to be pre-cooked)
  • Simmer on low heat covered for 15 minutes (stirring every so ofter)
  • After 15 minutes remove from heat, keep covered and let sit for 10 minutes. 


To prepare molds:  
  • Grease a 12 muffin tin (lightly).  
  • Scoop polenta into muffin tin almost to top and then flatten with a spoon. 
  • Refrigerate for no less than 1 hours
  • Use dull bladed knife to lift out  
  • to reheat: place under broiler and watch closely (approx 3 minutes)


Serve atop sauteed veggies!!  This meal was AWESOME tonight and totally satisfying.  Can't ask for anything better and the cost to make this was next to nothing!  Much better than going out and easy to make!


3 Comments

    ABOUT THIS BLOG!

    I am simply a person with a serious passion for FOOD! I am not a chef, chemist or doctor - I am just a foodie food-head!  The recipes in this blog are things I make for myself, my family and my friends and they have been tested and tried by some of my closest food critics.  This blog has helped me become more aware and appreciative of the food I prepare and share and I am very grateful for this. 

    As for this blog - I have one piece of advice: Food is like our DNA - it is unique and specific to each of us! Add your own flare, energy and pulse and personality to your food.  It is a part of you!  It is who you are.  So, if something doesn't work for you in my recipes then be sure to be fearless and try your own flare... and  share your inspiration with us!  

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