Sesame Ginger Peanut Sauce

A few weeks ago a local university emailed out that they were looking for families to host students for dinner. Aaron and I jumped on the chance to meet some new people looking for a home-cooked meal, and the experience did not disappoint. Our guests were a freshman from California and a graduate student from India and we had a wonderful time getting to know them. We did a make-your-own stir fry with separate components of rice, veggies, tofu, chicken, garnishes, and two sauces, one of them being this one. I generally love peanut-based sauces but the best thing about this sauce was that our Indian guest told us it was a lot like a sauce his mom makes. When he said "I'm tasting home right now," I almost melted. So whether or not this sauce tastes like home to you, I hope you find it tasty!

Sesame Ginger Peanut Sauce (makes 1 1/2 cups)

1/3 cup tahini

1/2 cup peanut butter

1 1/2 Tbls. fresh grated ginger

1 tsp. sesame oil

2 tsp. rice vinegar

1 Tbls. Bragg's liquid aminos/soy sauce/tamari

2 Tbls. mirin

1/4 cup water

1 Tbls. lime juice

Combine the tahini and peanut butter and microwave for 30 seconds. This will make it easier to combine the rest of the ingredients.

Whisk in the rest of the ingredients and use however you want. Refrigerate if not using using right away.

Green Goodness Dressing

The food company Annie's has two amazing salad dressings: Goddess, which is vegan, and Green Goddess, which is not. When I was in high school the Green Goddess dressing was all the rage. Salads were made cool again with this ridiculously tasty dressing. While looking for a new salad dressing a couple weeks ago I pointed out the two dressings to Aaron and though he was skeptical, he agreed to try the Goddess one. He did like it but I ended up eating most of it. It's kind of expensive so I thought hey, check out the ingredients list and I'll make my own. And I made it green just for fun. I can't remember if it tastes even remotely like the Green Goddess but whatever, it's good. And super easy. Can you put ingredients in a blender? Great, you can make this dressing.

Green Goodness Dressing (makes 2 cups)

3/4 cup tahini
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup Bragg's liquid aminos/tamari/soy sauce
1/4 cup agave nectar
1 bunch parsley
1/2 bunch cilantro
2 green onions

Blend it all together and pour over your favorite salad.

Smoky Cheddar Cheese Spread/Dip

At a work meeting yesterday someone brought cheese and crackers as a snack and I couldn't stop staring. I'm chalking it up to the baby hormones, as lately I've been loving looking at cheese but maintaining my lack of interest in actually eating it. Sometimes I google pictures of cheese. I once put that cubed, cocktail cheese in our grocery cart so I could look at it while we shopped and then made Aaron put it back on the shelf when we were checking out. But I've never wanted to actually eat it. Making sliceable vegan cheddar cheese takes a few days and ain't nobody got time for that. So I looked up a cheddar cheese spread recipe, made it, and...it was not good. So I made my own today. Eating it now. Getting food all over my computer. Don't care.

Smoky Cheddar Cheese Spread/Dip (makes 1 1/2 cups)

1 cup cashews, soaked in water for several hours
2 sun dried tomatoes, soaked in water for several hours (use the large flat dry kind, not the oil-packed kind)
1 Tbls. white vinegar
1 tsp. yellow mustard
2 Tbls. nutritional yeast
1 Tbls. tahini
1/2 Tbls. Bragg's liquid aminos
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/8 tsp. turmeric powder
1/8 tsp. smoked paprika (if you don't want it "smoky," leave this out, or use regular paprika)
1/4 tsp. citric acid
1/8 tsp. sea salt
1/4 cup water

Drain and rinse the cashews and tomatoes. Blend all ingredients together until smooth. Refrigerate.

Yummy on a cracker (Bite-Size Everything Crackers from Trader Joe's).

This is what one's kitchen looks like after trying to invent vegan cheese.

Seeded Energy Bars

Don't get me wrong, I love my granola bars, but I was in the mood for a different kind of noshy, healthy snack. I've been really enjoying the Oh She Glows blog lately, mainly because the woman who writes it is everything I want to be in life (a vegan, a parent, and a Canadian citizen), and this recipe seemed like something she would make. It's super easy, super tasty, and will give you superhero powers. I'm kidding about the last part, but it is full of lots of good-for-you stuff. Change it up with a different fruit puree or different seeds/nuts.

Seeded Energy Bites (makes 8-12, depending on how you cut them)

1 cup oats
Scant 1 cup cashews
8-10 dates (depending on how sweet you want it)
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
1/4 cup hemp seeds
1/4 cup chia seeds
2 Tbls. pumpkin seeds
2 Tbls. flax seed

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Soak your dates in warm water while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.

Pulse together the oats and cashews in the food processor several times until they resemble small crumbs.

Measure out the rest of your ingredients and set aside. Pit the dates and discard the pits. Add the date flesh to the food processor and pulse several times until the dates are chopped into pieces the size of a small marble. Run the food processor on low for just a bit to mix everything. It should still look like crumbs, you don't want it blended.

Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and stir in the pumpkin puree, then the seeds.

Grease a large pan and spread the mixture evenly into it. Press down with your hands to flatten. Bake for 12-15 minutes, until set.

Let cool, then cut into bars. Refrigerate if you have any left after a few days.

All-Purpose Sauté Sauce

If I don't have anything in particular planned for dinner (and my chef of a husband isn't cooking me one of his fantastic meals that I keep asking him to blog about) I'll typically just sauté up whatever random veggies are in the fridge with rice and beans. Or some variation of that...Anyways, this sauce has been my go-to for seasoning lately and while I usually just mix things in until they "taste good," this time I actually measured out proportions so I could blog about it. Adjust the proportions to your liking - all of the flavor profiles are in there so it will be yummy no matter what!

All-Purpose Sauté Sauce (makes enough for 2-3 cups of whatever you're cooking - veggies, beans, etc.)

1/2 Tbls. miso (I like red)
1 1/2 Tbls. rice vinegar
1 1/2 Tbls. Bragg's liquid aminos (or soy sauce or tamari)
A large splash of mirin
Siracha (optional)
1 Tbls. nutritional yeast

In a small bowl mix the miso and vinegar until the miso dissolves.

 Next, mix in the rest of the ingredients except for the nutritional yeast.

About 2 minutes before whatever you're cooking is done, add the sauce. In the last 30 seconds of cooking, add the nutritional yeast.

Sorry the picture is so bad...if you're wondering that is kale, cauliflower, broccoli, and edamame.

That's. It.

Creamy Basil Lime Salad Dressing

If you've been reading this blog on the regular you've probably heard me lamenting about the lack of yogurt in my life (if you think the saga of a yogurt company having to re-vamp their production is interesting you can click all the way back on their blog...but the short version of the story is the yogurt I like was out of production for about a year), but now it is BACK and I am EXCITED. Aaron and I were bored with our current salad dressings last week so I whipped this one up and oh boy did we like it! And then of course I had to re-make it with, ya know, actual measurements so I could blog about it.

Creamy Basil Lime Salad Dressing (makes a generous 1 cup)

1 cup unsweetened plain non-dairy yogurt
Juice of 1 1/2 limes
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
3/4 tsp. dried basil
1 1/2 Tbls. agave nectar
2 Tbls. olive oil*

*We have a delightful lime-infused olive oil, but if you don't have that then regular olive oil is just fine

Whisk together all ingredients except for the oil. Continue whisking while you slowly drizzle in the oil.

Smoky White Bean Hummus

I started making white bean hummus several years ago when I bought cannellini beans for hummus because the store was out of chickpeas. And I learned that white bean hummus is so. good. Though for some reason I like it better without olive oil in it, whereas I love the olive oil in traditional chickpea hummus. I've made variations of this one over the past couple months to give it a smoky kick but this was the first batch that I actually thought "Yes, this is how I want it to taste."

Smoky White Bean Hummus (makes 3 cups)

2 cans cannellini beans, drained with 1/2 cup of liquid reserved
2 cloves garlic
Juice of 1/2 lemon (fresh!)
2 Tbls. tahini
1 tsp. liquid smoke
1 tsp. smoked paprika
3/8 tsp. sea salt*
3/8 tsp. citric acid*
1/4 tsp. white pepper*

*If you have all of your hummus seasonings in a big batch like I do here, just 1 tsp. of the mix.

Combine all of the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.

Ricotta Cheese

At the risk of discouraging you from reading this post, I have never liked ricotta cheese. When I ate dairy I tolerated small amounts of it in lasagna but I have never been crazy about it. Though sometimes you just need ricotta cheese! My parents had a dinner party last weekend and my mom made lasagna roll-ups (basically spread the lasagna ingredients on a flat lasagna noodle, roll it up, and bake it with cheese and sauce. Amazing.). She asked me to bring vegan ricotta cheese so she could make mine separately and after checking out a couple recipes online, this is what I came up with. And I definitely like this ricotta cheese!

Ricotta Cheese (makes 1 1/2 cups)

1 package extra firm tofu
2 Tbls. nutritional yeast
1 Tbls. lemon juice (fresh is best)
1 Tbls. tahini
1 Tbls. white miso paste
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. salt

Start by pressing the tofu. While it is pressing, mix the other ingredients together in a large bowl.

Crumble the tofu into the seasonings and mix together with your hands. Use however you would use ricotta cheese (though it does not melt!).

Lentil Walnut Pate

When I was a kid, pate was the ultimate "gross food." The how-could-anyone-think-to-eat-this food. One of those foods you never even try but are so. certain. you do not like. Anyways, two decades later and I still haven't eaten pate, but for very different reasons :). Actually I still think it's gross, but thats's besides the point. The point is that this lentil walnut pate is delicious and no animals were harmed in the making of it. I spread it on flatbread (see below) but I think it would also be tasty as a dip for pretzels, pita bread wedges, or veggies.

Lentil Walnut Pate (makes a scant 2 cups)

1 cup brown or green lentils, cooked according the package directions
1 cup walnuts, toasted
1 clove garlic
1 tsp. onion powder
2 Tbls. Bragg's Liquid Aminos, tamari, or soy sauce
2 Tbls. apple cider vinegar
1/2-1 tsp. salt

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until well combined but not too combined.

To make the lunch I had today, spread the pate on flatbread crust, topped with arugula, balsamic glaze (as made in this recipe), and garlic-infused olive oil.

Pretzel Buns

Who doesn't love soft pretzels? I had one nearly every day in high school (yup, Mom, that's where all my lunch money went) and while I would like to think my palate is a bit more sophisticated, everyone loves soft pretzels so there's really no shame about it. Pretzel buns just give us a way to enjoy the best snack ever with something else. I made these hotdog-style for bratwursts, but if you want them for burgers just shape them into thick disks rather than logs. And if you want them to be pretzels, just roll a long rope and fold it into a pretzel shape!

Pretzel Buns (makes 4)

1/4 cup water, plus more as needed
1/4 cup coconut milk
2 Tbls. brown sugar
1 Tbls. butter
1 tsp. active dry yeast
1 1/2 cups flour
1/4 tsp. sea salt, plus more for sprinkling
1 tsp. wheat gluten
1/3 cup baking soda

In a small pot over low heat combine the water, coconut milk, brown sugar, and butter until the butter has melted. Let cool until it is warm, not hot, and stir in the yeast. Let sit for 5-10 minutes until the yeast has fully bloomed.

In the meantime, combine the flour, salt, and wheat gluten in a large bowl.

When the yeast is ready, stir it into the flour mixture, then switch to kneading with your hands. Depending on the humidity in your home you may need a little bit more water. Add small amounts slowly until the dough just forms a ball. Cover it with plastic wrap and let sit for half an hour.

Shape into logs (or whatever shape you're using), cover with plastic wrap, and let rest for another half hour.

When the buns are nearing the end of the second rising, bring a large pot of water to boil. Very slowly add in the baking soda and keep it boiling, watching so it doesn't overflow. If you add in the baking soda too fast you will have a big mess! Also preheat the oven to 425 F, making sure you have one rack on the bottom of the oven and one on the top.

Cut three slits in each bun.

Using a slotted spatula, transfer 1 or 2 buns at a time (depending on the size of your pot) to the boiling water. Boil for 30 second on one side, flip, then 30 second on the other side. Place on a wire rack to drain, sprinkling immediately with sea salt.

Once all the buns have boiled, transfer to a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 5-6 minutes on the bottom oven rack, then switch to the top for another 5-6 minutes. Cool and eat!

This is what they looked like the first time I tried to make them pretzel-shaped. Notice one is not a pretzel shape. I'm okay with that. I want it to know I value it for what it tastes like and not what it looks like. Let's celebrate difference.

Dinner Rolls

I love bread. Even in our society's darkest days when people were afraid of carbs, it was cool. More for me. I used to be intimidated by baking bread but it is actually quite simple. These rolls are perfect if you are serving them as an accompaniment to whatever else you're cooking for dinner because you can start them first, then prepare whatever else you're making, and they'll be done in time to join the rest of the meal.

Dinner Rolls (makes 4)

2-3 Tbls. of seeds/nuts/grains/etc. (Whatever you want that gives texture and oomph to your bread. Totally optional.)
1/2 Tbls. agave nectar
1/4 cup warm water, plus more as needed
1 packet (2 1/4 tsp.) active dry yeast 
1 cup flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 Tbls. wheat gluten*
1/2 Tbls. olive oil

* Wheat gluten looks like flour but behaves very differently when mixed with water. It is basically just the protein part of flour and is what gives bread that bread-y quality. It is also the thing that people with gluten sensitivities can't eat. Not at all necessary for this recipe as flour already has gluten in it, but it will make your rolls that much more tastier.

If adding nuts, seeds, etc. soak them in warm water while you prepare the dough. I used flax seeds and wheat berries for this recipe.

In a small bowl dissolve the agave nectar in the warm water. Gently stir in the yeast and let it sit for a few minutes until bubbly and foamy. If it doesn't do this either your yeast was too old or your water was the wrong temperature. Try again.

In a large bowl combine the flour, salt, olive oil, and wheat gluten (if using). Add the yeast mixture and stir as best you can, then switch to kneading to incorporate all of the flour. Depending on the humidity in your home and the flour quality you may need to add more water. If you do add just a teeny bit at a time until all of the flour just sticks and the dough forms a ball. Knead for a few more minutes. Then put it back in the bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let it sit in a warm place for about an hour or so, or until the dough doubles in size. 

Before rising

After rising

Punch the dough to release the gasses (this is my favorite part). Drain the seeds, etc. if using and knead to incorporate into the dough. If you are not adding anything, just knead the dough a little bit. Separate into 4 sections,  and roll into balls. Place on a baking tray and cover with plastic wrap for 20 minutes. While the dough is resting preheat the oven to 350 F.

Bake for 12-15 minutes, until the rolls are lightly browned on top and sound hollow when the bottom is tapped. Cool on a wire rack.

Chocolate Coconut "Clif" Bars

When Aaron says things like "I would buy Clif bars more often if they weren't so expensive," I hear "I am challenging you to make this in our kitchen, and to make it vegan." This recipe took a couple revisions, but they finally got Aaron's stamp of approval. He likes chocolate and coconut, so chocolate and coconut we did. 11 grams of protein. And they happen to be gluten-free. Take that, Clif.

Chocolate Coconut "Clif" Bars (makes 6)

3/4 cup oats
6 medjool dates, pitted and soaked in warm water for at least 15 minutes
1 can black soy beans, drained and rinsed (these are different than black beans, make sure the can says black SOY beans)
1/2 cup shredded coconut
3 Tbls. raw shelled hemp seeds (also called hemp hearts)
1/4 cup cashews
1/4 cup cocoa powder
3 oz. semi-sweet baking chocolate, melted
2 Tbls. ground flax seed
1/4 cup agave nectar
2 Tbls. water

Preheat the oven to 300 F. 

Put the oats in the food processor on high for a minute or two, until they are crumbly and form a meal.

Add the rest of the ingredients and process until they form a paste. (If your food processor is just not having it, gradually add a bit more water, but only as much as needed so it will actually blend.) Grease an 8" square pan and press the batter evenly into the pan. 

Bake for 20 minutes. Cool in the fridge and cut into 6 bars. Wrap individually and store in the fridge.

For the record, Aaron requested a protein bar with 10g of protein because that's what Clif bars have. But these have 11.

Green Pea Edamame Hummus

I. Love. Hummus. Hummus with veggies, hummus on toast, hummus on a spoon, twice I've had restaurants make me a quesadilla with hummus instead of cheese and mmh mmh was that good! My sister's friend posted a Green Pea Hummus recipe and it inspired me to amp up my hummus game. Success. Though of course, if you're more of a traditionalist, my classic hummus recipe is here.

Green pea Edamame Hummus (makes about 3 cups)

1 cup canned chick peas, liquid reserved
1 cup frozen green peas
1 cup frozen shelled edamame
2 cloves garlic
1/4 cup tahini
Juice of 1/2 lime
15 mint leaves
1/2 tsp. citric acis
3/4 tsp. sea salt
3/4 tsp. white pepper
2 Tbls. olive oil

Put the peas and edamame together in a microwave-safe dish. Add just enough water to cover and microwave for 2 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water.

Add all of the ingredients except for the reserved chickpea liquid and olive oil into your food processor or blender. Blend, slowly adding the liquid until it is the desired consistency (about 1/2 cup). Let the motor go for a few minutes to get it super creamy, and drizzle in the olive oil at the end with the motor still running. Yum!

That would be the hummus in the middle. And why yes that is homemade pita next to it. I use this recipe from The Fresh Loaf and it turns out perfect every time.

Lime Cilantro Vinaigrette

I made this dressing for this salad recipe that I saw on a Buzzfeed post recently. And by saw I mean I literally just glanced at the picture of the salad and then couldn't find the post again when I actually wanted to make it. At any rate, I thought that a lime cilantro vinaigrette would be good and oh yes it is! I made a pretty big batch for a salad that will likely all get eaten tonight so I don't know how long it would keep in the fridge (a week, I'm guessing?) though the flavor will definitely improve over time as the cilantro muddles with everything.

Lime Cilantro Vinaigrette (makes...a lot)

1/2 cup white vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup sugar
Juice and zest of 2 limes
1 tsp. sea salt
1 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves, chopped

Whisk together everything except the cilantro leaves. Then whisk in the cilantro leaves. Let sit at room temperature about half an hour before serving to develop the flavor, but refrigerate after that. Whisk before serving.

Lemon Tahini Salad Dressing

If you live in or near the Chicago suburbs you have likely (I hope!) been to Pita Inn, a glorious fast-food Middle Eastern restaurant. One of my favorite pastimes is stuffing my face with everything vegan on their menu - which is a lot of stuff. In high school I even had them on speed-dial and now I've promoted Aaron to "Favorites" status over Pita Inn - sorry, falafel, I guess I should put my husband first. Anyways, their Jerusalem Salad is a very simple salad of tomatoes and cucumbers with a tahini dressing. This is my attempt to re-create it and while I don't think it's exactly the same it is very tasty.

Lemon Tahini Salad Dressing (makes a generous 1/2 cup)

Juice and zest of 1 lemon

1/4 cup tahini (near the peanut butter in the grocery store)

1/4 cup water

1 tsp. white vinegar

1 rounded Tbls. maple syrup

1/2 tsp. sea salt

1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

1/8 tsp. citric acid

1/2 tsp. dried basil

Whisk all ingredients together. Let sit for 15 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to blend together.

I like it over a simple salad of kale, tomato, and cucumber topped with parsley and sesame seeds.

Peach Vinaigrette

Inspired by the mango vinaigrette I decided to go with a peach vinaigrette. Our friends had a housewarming party a few weeks ago and while we were there they were showing off their peaches that Trader Joe's had on sale. I tend to forget about peaches throughout the year until those magical summer months when peaches are deeelliissshhh. I used yellow peaches for this since I don't like white peaches but use whatever you prefer.

Peach Vinaigrette (makes about 2 cups)

2 peaches
2 Tbls. vinegar
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 Tbls. balsamic vinegar
1 Tbls. olive oil
1 Tbls. apple cider vinegar

Blend everything together until smooth. Adjust acidity/sweetness to your liking, if needed.

I realized I don't have a picture of this. Fail. It looks like orange salad dressing. I'm sure you can form a sufficient mental picture.

Melted Parmesan Cheese

Aaron made an amazing risotto a while back and asked if they made vegan parmesan cheese. I haven't seen it commercially, and other than the parmesan sprinkles I make, which don't melt, I don't have experience with vegan parmesan cheese. So I did the next logical thing: Figure out how to make my own. I designed this cheese to be only melted, as in its base state should be of a melted consistency, like a sauce. Aaron added it to the risotto and it was aaammmaazzziing. I also had it on potatoes the next day, which was tasty as well.

Melted Parmesan Cheese (makes a scant 1/2 cup)

2 Tbls. melted coconut oil
3 Tbls. nutritional yeast
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1 Tbls. fresh lemon juice
1 Tbls. + 1 tsp. vinegar

Blend all ingredients together. Use as you would melted parmesan cheese.

Mango Vinaigrette

Well it has certainly been a while since I posted! Not that I haven't been cooking, but getting married and trying to by a condo at the same time means the blog has been put on the back burner for a few weeks (pun intended). Note to anyone getting married and buying real estate: I highly recommend not doing those two activities at the same time. But anyways, back to the recipe. I realized halfway through cutting up the mango that watching a YouTube video on how to slice a mango would have been an excellent idea, since that pit is something else. Even though I made an enormous mess I was able to figure out it. And it was worth it!

Mango Vinaigrette (makes 1-1 1/2 cups)

1 ripe mango (I used Haitian)
1-2 Tbls. white balsamic vinegar*
1-2 Tbls. white whine vinegar*
1 Tbls. olive oil
1/2 Tbls. agave nectar

*I think this would also be great with champagne vinegar, though I unfortunately couldn't find it.

Peel the mango and slice into large chunks. You want to get all of the flesh off, but do the best you can, it's tricky. Blend the mango with the rest of the ingredients.

Chocolate (Veggie) Muffins

Chocolate what muffins, you say? These muffins were my experiment to see how many vegetables I could cram into a chocolate muffin and still have it taste like a chocolate muffin and not a chocolate salad (gross). These did the trick, and as far as muffins go I think they're relatively healthy. If there are any veggie-haters in your life I'd love to know if these muffins were able to fool them or if they totally called your bluff. Poor Aaron tried these when I was already asleep and just assumed they had veggies in them, because why on earth would I bake anything chocolate without kale? I need to bake him a real chocolate cake someday...

Chocolate (Veggie) Muffins (makes 4)

1 large leaf kale, stem removed
1/2 cup chopped yellow squash
1/4 cup soy milk
1/2 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 cup flour
3 Tbls. sugar
2 Tbls. cocoa powder
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. baking soda
1/8 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
1 Tbls. canola oil
2 Tbls. chocolate chips
Sprinkles (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Tear the kale leaf into small pieces and put in a bowl with the chopped squash. Add a little water, mix, and microwave for 3 minutes.

Drain the water and add the veggies to a blender with the soy milk. Blend until thoroughly combined. Stir in the lemon juice and let sit while you prepare the dry ingredients.

In a medium bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Stir in the veggie mix, vanilla, and olive oil. Then stir in the chocolate chips.

Line 4 wells of a muffin tin and divide the batter evenly. Top with sprinkles, if using, and bake for 25 minutes.

I'm more nutritious than meets the eye!