Recipe: Vegan Strawberry Rhubarb "Cheesecake"

The creamy richness of cheesecake with healthy fats, less sugar and raw, vegan ingredients? Why not!I still have some researching and experimenting to do to perfect this, but I think it's a pretty solid recipe. I love rhubarb and strawberries - separate or together - so when I first spotted seasonal rhubarb at the local market earlier this month, looking so vibrant and beautiful, I had to grab some. I've had strawberries on real cheesecake before, so I thought making a strawberry rhubarb compote to top on a vegan "cheese"cake might be a nice complement of flavors and textures.This is one of those vegan foods where you can't go in expecting an exact replica of regular cheesecake. Not gonna happen. But, if you want something cheesecake-like that has a leg up on the "real" thing in terms of nutritional value (note though that this is not a "health food" per say and is not low calorie - though as with anything, you can control caloric intake based on how you portion) and also tastes great, then I highly suggest giving this recipe a try.Keep on reading for the recipe!Recipe: Vegan Strawberry Rhubarb "Cheesecake"What You NeedFor the crust:

  • 1/3 c nuts (I used a mix of macadamia and almond)
  • 3-4 dried dates
  • 1/4 tsp vanilla bean paste (or 1/2 tsp vanilla extract)
  • 1/3 c unsweetened coconut
  • 1/2 tbsp water

For the filling:

  • 1 c soaked raw cashews (soak for 4-6 hours, then drain)
  • 1/2 c coconut cream*
  • 2 tbsp fresh lemon juice
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste (or 1 tsp vanilla extract)
  • 1/4 c + 2 tbsp honey (to taste)

For the compote topping:

  • 4 stalks of fresh rhubarb, cut into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 pint strawberries, sliced
  • zest and juice of 1/2 an orange
  • 1-4 tbsp honey and/or turbinado (to taste)
  • 1-3 tbsp water (optional, for consistency)

For assembly/serving:

  • 3-4 small glass jars, tupperware, or other container(s) of your choice for the"cheese"cake (you can make this into individual portions or one larger serving)

What You Do

  • To make the crust, process all ingredients - minus the dates - in a food processor or powerful blender, until the consistency only has small crumbs (I didn't grind mine up enough to my liking - will blend more next time). Add dates, and process until mix looks evenly combined. Press "dough" into bottom(s) of container(s) from which you'll serve.
  • To make the filling, blend all ingredients until smooth. Taste to make sure no adjusting is needed (more lemon? sweetener? vanilla?). Spoon into serving container(s) over crust.
  • Refrigerate or freeze until the "cheesecake" sets and firms.
  • To make the strawberry rhubarb compote - which should be done in advance so it has time to cool before cheesecake assembly - put rhubarb pieces in a small/medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring. As they begin to heat through and soften, add strawberries. Once the fruit begins to soften and combine a bit - the rhubarb will start falling apart - add orange zest and juice and sweetener. Keep stirring, and taste as you go in case adjustments are needed. Simmer for about 20 minutes, and then remove from heat, cool slightly, and then cool completely in refrigerator.
  • Once the "cheesecakes" are firm, spoon cooled compote on top and store in refrigerator until you're ready to serve!

*Note: To get coconut cream, put a can (or more) of coconut milk (organic if possible -though that won't impact how this turns out!) in the refrigerator for a few hours. Make sure not to shake it up. Once the can is cold, remove and open with a can opener. You'll find "coconut cream" at the top of the can - scoop it out with a spoon - with a thinner liquid beneath it. Chilling the can in the fridge is an easy method of separating the coconut milk into two very different viscosities/consistencies, which can be helpful for recipes, such as this, that require only one or the other.

Recipe: Ultimate Vegan Brownies

As far as vegan baking goes, this was one of the times when if I did a blind taste test, I would absolutely fail at guessing that what I was eating was vegan. These brownies have all of my favorite typical brownie qualities - chewy and fudgey but not too heavy, firm around the edges, very moist, very chocolatey and with a light and thin crust on top.The absence of dairy and eggs (or even an egg substitute, for that matter) is not noticeable. My only comment - can't call it a criticism since it didn't end up being a negative - is that when these were still warm and I started cutting the baked brownies, I had to be careful to not let the pieces separate. I attribute this mainly to the fact that I should have let them cool longer before slicing, but also because there is no egg or other real binding agent in the recipe. But in the end, it didn't matter and I wouldn't go about trying to add something else.These vegan brownies are by no means "healthy" - but at least if you're going to eat a brownie, you're doing your body a bit of a favor by not having dairy/eggs present. And I also like that there are no ingredients atypical of brownies present... which isn't to0 say recipes out there using non-dairy milk, tofu, alternative binding or levenaging agents, etc. aren't great, but it's nice that everything in here is pretty standard as far as brownies go.I've always had success with brownie recipes that include coffee, and a combination of real melted chocolate and cocoa powder, and this was no exception. The taste, texture and consistency of these vegan brownies leave me thinking I won't ever make them with dairy again. Hope you like them as much as I and my taste testers did!!(Click through for the recipe!)Recipe: Ultimate Vegan Brownies*Adapted from this recipe (just the brownie portion)What You Need:

  • 2/3 cup brewed coffee
  • 1 tbsp Earth Balance (or other non-dairy butter substitite; coconut oil should work as well)
  • 3 oz dark chocolate** pieces
  • 2 3/4 c sugar (I used a combination of white and turbinado)
  • 1 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt
  • 2/3 c coconut oil (in liquid form), plus a little extra for greasing the pan
  • 2/3 c water
  • 1/2 tbsp vanilla bean paste
  • 2 c all purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 3/4-1 c dark chocolate chips

What You Do:

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and lightly grease a 9x13 baking dish with a thin coating of coconut oil.
  • In a double boiler over simmering water (or a small saucepan over low heat), melt the dark chocolate, Earth Balance and coffee - stir frequently until all are thoroughly combined and smooth. Set aside.
  • Combine sugar, cocoa powder and salt in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment***, and mix to combine.
  • Add oil, water and vanilla and mix to combine. Then mix in melted chocolate/coffee.
  • In a small bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and chocolate chips; add in thirds to wet ingredients, mixing a few seconds after each addition.
  • When all ingredients are just combined, pour the batter (which will be shiny and delicious!) into the prepared baking pan.
  • Bake on the middle rack for about 40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out just clean.
  • Let cool in the pan for an hour or two before cutting and removing.
  • Eat as is, with coconut milk ice cream, with an ice cold glass of coconut milk, or however you please! Store in an airtight container, and then freeze what/if you don't finish within 3 days.

NOTES:*This recipe is according to sea level needs. I live at about 5000 feet though, so the adjustments I made were to increase the oven temp to 375 degrees and reduce the baking powder to 3/4 tsp.**Not all dark or bittersweet chocolate is dairy-free. Check the ingredient label before you buy and make sure no milk products are present.***You can also use a hand-held mixer, or get a good workout and mix with your best trusty wooden spoon!

Recipe: Raspberry Banana Fruit Leather

Fruit Roll-Ups were a childhood sweet staple for me (my favorite non-healthy - though still HFCS-free - brand is Joray), but as my tastes and taste for healthier alternatives evolved, I learned to instead reach for fruit leather - like Stretch Island Organic - or other similar store-bought products that only have fruit and natural fruit juice as ingredients.But like just about anything else, homemade trumps store-bought - you have complete control over ingredients and taste - and this rule definitely applies to fruit leather. I recently attempted a first stab at making it, so I have some fine-tuning to do - and will post updated recipes in the future - but for now, this seems to be a good basic recipe to build off of.I used a dehydrator, but an oven at a low temp also works fine.We had a little cheesy laugh when I first cut into the prepared and cooled fruit leather - I inadvertently made it into a "C", the first letter of my fiance's last name (and my last-name-t0-be)... or Pac Man, depending on how you look at it...:So I continued slicing wedges:And finally rolled the slices up and placed them in a jar for easy grabbing!:Raspberry Banana Fruit LeatherWhat You Need

  • 1 pint of fresh raspberries
  • 1/2 ripe banana
  • 1/4 tsp vanilla bean paste (optional)
  • 1/2 tsp coconut oil

What You Do

  • Using your fingers, coat the puree/liquid sheet of your dehydrator with a very thin film of coconut oil. If you don't have a dehydrator, line a small baking sheet with tin foil, then parchment paper, and lightly grease that with the oil.
  • In a blender (Blendtec or VitaMix is preferable, for their power), puree the raspberries, banana and vanilla for at least 2 minutes. I left the raspberry seeds in (vs. straining them out) because they contain important nutrients. With a powerful enough blender, the seeds will also be pulverized (I learned my lesson and will blend the mix a bit longer next time).
  • Pour the puree on your dehydrator or baking sheet and spread out evenly with a spatula.
  • Turn the dehydrator (or oven) temperature to 115 degrees. The dehydration process will take longer at this temperature than a higher one, but it will prevent all of the good fruit enzymes from being killed off.
  • Dehydrate for about 12 hours. About 10 hours in, I tested mine and noticed that it was solid and formed, but the underside was still a little mushy. So, I flipped the fruit leather sheet over and continued the process for another two hours or so, and everything dried out evenly.
  • When done, remove and let the fruit leather cool completely on a piece of parchment paper before you cut it.
  • Slice as you like, roll up and eat to your heart's desire! I'd say if you don't finish eating your batch within 2 days, refrigeration is a good idea.

  

Recipe: Vegan Mac & Cheese

If you'd told me a couple of years ago that I'd eat and enjoy - let alone cook myself - vegan "mac and cheese," I'd have laughed. And rolled my eyes. And probably gagged. But curiosity got the better of me recently, after reading about different and new dairy replacement options, and I decided to go for it... still without much confidence that I would end up with a dish I'd feel compelled to eat.Fortunately, I was pleasantly surprised.Let me backtrack again for a moment to say I've personally never been a fan of soy cheese. For lack of a better word... yuck. Even since scaling way back on my dairy intake - a decision I'm happy with for the physical and health benefits - I don't find I miss it. And I was a dairy lover. Ice cream, yogurt, cheese, you name it. Dairy ice cream is easy to replace with non-dairy alternatives (more to come on that soon...), but as for straight up cheese I'd rather generally avoid non-dairy alternatives and instead just savor a few bites of the real deal (helloo Humboldt Fog) on a rare occasion.But then recently, I read about Daiya - a new non-dairy "cheese" that is also soy-free. I came across a few other blogs raving about it's authentic-like properties - the absence of a funky aftertaste, a pleasant flavor and texture, great melting ability, and all-around cooking versatility. So I decided to give it a try.I stood over the stove, beginning the cooking process with what I can only imagine was a skeptical look on my face (think eyebrows either slightly arched or furrowed) as I stirred the pot... literally, not figuratively... and my expression relaxed and morphed into one of happy intrigue (think eyebrows slightly raised while smiling smirkily).  I boiled some pasta, made the "cheese" sauce, combined the two and then baked them. And this is the happy dish I wound up with:This was my first attempt making anything like this, and it's a recipe I'd like to tweak and evolve - I wish I'd made brazil nut "parmesan" before making this dish, because I think it would be great sprinkled on top; I also think chopped broccoli and tomatoes would work very well baked in - but I do think this is a tasty starting place in the world of non-dairy macaroni and cheese.Without sacrificing taste and texture, I'd rather have the ingredients in this go into my body than the bagillion things I can't pronounce on a box of Velveeta or something along those lines, that's for sure - and it's vegan, soy-free and could also be easily made gluten-free with rice pasta or quinoa pasta.So, give it a go and let me know what you think!Recipe: Vegan Macaroni Gemelli & CheeseWhat You Need:

  • 8-10 oz pasta (I used regular gemelli)
  • 1 package of Daiya Shredded "Cheddar"
  • 1 1/4 c coconut milk (from a carton - I think canned would be too rich in this case)
  • 2 tbsp non-dairy "butter" (no margarine - try soy-free Earth Balance)
  • 1 tsp ground mustard seed
  • 1 tbsp nutritional yeast
  • salt to taste (a pinch or two should do)
  • lots of fresh ground pepper
  • garlic powder to taste
  • red pepper flakes to taste
  • 1/8 c breadcrumbs (more about my thoughts on breadcrumbs here!)

What You Do:

  • Preheat oven to 350
  • Prepare pasta according to instructions on package; cook to al dente doneness
  • In a small/medium saucepan, heat coconut milk and "butter" over medium heat until "butter" melts and liquid is simmering
  • Add all other ingredients - minus breadcrumbs - and whisk frequently to stir as everything melts and combines together
  • Simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until "cheese" mixture is smooth and creamy; taste for seasoning and adjust as needed to your preferences
  • Mix "cheese" sauce and pasta in a large bowl, and pour into an oven-safe baking dish (I used a round, glass 9-inch dish)
  • Sprinke breadcrumbs on top
  • Bake on center rack at 350 for about 10 minutes, and then switch oven temperature to high broil
  • Keep a close eye on the oven and broil for about 5 minutes (give or take a min. or two) until bubbling and the top is lightly browned
  • Remove and devour!

Leftovers will keep in the fridge for a couple of days, and reheat well in the oven. I froze some leftovers too, so time will tell how well (or not) it thaws and reheats.. 

Food for Thought: Breadcrumbs

Have you ever checked the ingredient list on pre-packaged breadcrumbs? I remember the first time I did, and was shocked at a few things - most of all the sheer number of ingredients, and also the presence of certain things like milk products and unpronounceable ingredients that I wouldn't think have anything to do with breadcrumbs. Breadcrumbs aren't terribly hard to make from scratch, but it's nice to have a go-to store-bought option - and aside from panko breadcrumbs, I had no such luck for a few years.And then finally, a couple of weeks ago, I found Edward & Sons Organic Italian Herbs Breadcrumbs. The ingredients? Nice and clean - only 9 present, and all serving an obvious purpose. See for yourself here.And these breadcrumbs taste great (and are organic and vegan-friendly!), so I couldn't recommend them more!I found Edward & Sons brand at New Frontiers, and Whole Foods and other natural foods stores should carry it as well.Any other brands of breadcrumbs you recommend that fit the short ingredient list/organic/vegan criteria?

Recipe: Vegan Pesto

Garlic and basil are two of my favorite flavors - so pesto is a no-brainer. If you tasted this without knowing the ingredients, you may be like me in that unless you were told, you wouldn't even realize what "traditional" pesto ingredient isn't present: parmesan. So - this is a vegan pesto recipe, as richly flavorful and robust as any other!Recipe: Vegan PestoWhat You Need

  • 2 1/2 cups of loosely packed fresh basil leaves
  • 1/4- 1/2 cup shelled walnuts (use more or less based on whatever you like - might take a few tries to perfect to your preferences)
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 1/4-1/2 cup olive oil
  • salt & pepper to taste

What You Do

  • Process basil, walnuts, garlic, salt and pepper in food processor until coarsely ground and moist
  • Add in oil in 2-3 tbsp increments, pulsing to combine each addition, until consistency is creamy and only slightly textured
  • Store in refrigerator in an airtight container for 2-3 days (you can drizzle some olive oil on top to help prevent discoloration); freeze to preserve longer

San Francisco Eating: The Plant

At the recommendation of good friend whose taste buds I trust, we decided to check out The Plant - known for its use of local and organic produce/ingredients - at Embarcadero in San Francisco for lunch one day. We arrived at a slightly odd hour between lunch and dinnertime, and were bummed to discover that the actual restaurant was closed - but luckily the related cafe right next door was open. This sample cafe menu is more robust than what we saw, but it didn't matter. It was a good place to catch up over good food with good friends!

We shared the BBQ tempeh panini (tempeh with chipotle barbeque sauce, roasted red onion and vegan aioli), which was served with a fresh side salad and deliciously vinegary pickled cucumber slices that you can tell are made in-house:

And the Plant burger, which is a veggie burger made from lentils, mushrooms, beets, cashews and bulgar. Served on foccacia with roasted onion, lettuce, tomato and vegan aioli and plated along side a salad, herb-roasted fingerling potatoes and more pickled cucumber slices, it was a unique and very tasty veggie burger:

And, The Plant serves Blue Bottle coffee! Soy cappuccino with a foamy flower flourish = yum:

Vegetarian Chinese & Vietnamese Food in San Francisco

Asian cuisine in San Francisco is plentiful and impressive, both in its variety and quality. We lucked out with two great lunches that were vegan, inexpensive but generously portioned, authentic and mouth-wateringly tasty:Steamed vegetables, pan-seared veggie dumplings, steamed rice, veggie roll and wontons (huge plate all for $8.95!) - and good tea of course - at Lucky Creation in Chinatown:Lucky Creation is a 100% vegetarian Chinese restaurant, and one I highly recommend. In addition to the straight up vegetable-based options I opted to order, they also have menu items that sound more typical of your average Chinese restaurant - but everything is bean curd or wheat gluten-based. Vegetable and rice noodle pho with bean sprouts, jalapeno and lemon on the side from Pho Vietnam in Nob Hill:

Egg Replacements in Baking: Flax & Chia

Sometimes eggs can simply be omitted from a baking recipe, if there are other ingredients present that are binding enough - but often something is lost. And egg-like substitutes are not an option as far as I'm concerned. Instead, I've come to love replacing eggs in recipes such as muffins and batter breads (banana, pumpkin, etc.) with a "flax egg." It's easy, cheap, vegan and super healthy - just whisk 1 tablespoon of ground flax with 3 tablespoons of water until thoroughly combined, and then let the mixture sit for a minute or two. It will form a gooey, stretchy consistency that provides the necessary binding properties to various baked goods, without impacting the flavor much if at all. If the overall taste of what you are making is mild, you may be slightly more aware of the presence of flax - it has a subdued, mild nutty quality - but to me at least, it's thoroughly enjoyable.And to boot, flax has tons of health benefits. Particularly for vegetarians and vegans, the omega fatty acids in flax seed are an important boost.If you find that ground flax is a little harsh on your GI system, try using a "chia egg" replacement with ground chia seeds instead.

Restaurant Review: Park Plaza Liquor & Deli

Today's lunch at the Park Plaza Liquor & Deli: a filling and delicious avocado sandwich (avocado, sprouts, tomato, cucumber and a splash or red wine vinaigrette on a great wheatberry bread), with one of my (guilty-ish) favorites - crispy sweet potato fries. And, of course, a pickle. Minus the mystery white dressing on the side (I'm guessing it was ranch, but I did not partake), this was a very enjoyable meal. I love finding new vegetarian and vegan lunch options at restaurants that are repeat-worthy, and this one definitely fits the bill.It was my first time at PPLD - it's a large, high-ceilinged space with restaurant tables up front, an artisan cheese counter, and plenty of well-stocked shelves of wine/liquor/beer making up the bulk of the retail space. With solid food, a good booze selection (including some decent sale prices), cheap happy hour beers (under $3 a pint, for the most part) and occassional tastings, this is a place I look forward to revisiting!

Recipe(s): Putting Vanilla Balsamic Vinegar to Delicious Use

So far, we've used the vanilla balsamic vinegar we purchased from Olive Creations in two dishes - one sweet, one savory (both vegan!) - and both were delicious. The first:Brussels Sprouts with Beans & GrainsThis was one of those on-the-spot, use-what's-in-the-fridge/cupboards meals that was simple and super healthy. It's a combination of some of my favorite foods, and the vanilla vinegar added a special touch (though regular balsamic vinegar would be more than fine as well!)What You Need:- 20 (approx.) brussels sprouts, halved- 1/2 package Trader Joes Harvest Grains blend- 1 can kidney beans, drained and rinsed- Virgin/unrefined coconut oil (a couple of tbsp, to taste)- Sea and/or truffle salt and ground pepper, to taste- Garlic powder, to taste- Vanilla balsamic vinegar, to tasteWhat You Do:- THE BRUSSELS SPROUTS: Heat a (preferably nonstick) cast-iron griddle pan on the stovetop over low-medium heat. Melt about 1 tbsp of coconut oil (add or reduce the amount of oil based on your preference and the pan you're using) on heated pan. Place brussels sprouts flat side down on the pan and season with salt (consider using truffle salt if you have it!) and pepper; cook until they are lightly browned and begin to soften, and then flip and continue cooking to desired doneness. When finished, place in a bowl and toss with approx. 1 tbsp of the vinegar.- THE GRAINS: Cook on stovetop according to directions on the package. I used coconut oil in place of butter or olive oil, and once the grains were finished cooking I added approx. another 1/2 tbsp of coconut oil. Then, season to taste with ground pepper and garlic powder. Keeping the flame beneath the pot on the lowest setting, add the kidney beans and stir; wait until they are warmed through.- SERVE: Combine all in a bowl and enjoy! (Side note: I love the vanilla vinegar so much I also added a bit to the grains in my bowl)Coconut Milk Ice Cream with Vanilla Balsamic VinegarWhat You Need:- Coconut-milk vanilla ice cream- Vegan chocolate chip cookies, or whatever you have handy (I will be posting my recipe this week!)- Vanilla balsamic vinegarWhat You Do:Kind of a no-brainer here - just combine all of the ingredients together in whatever amounts you prefer in a bowl! For three small scoops of ice cream totaling about 3/4 cups, about 1 tsp of vinegar was added on top. You may be surprised at just how tasty the vinegar is with the ice cream! And I'd bet regular aged balsamic vinegar would do just fine as well. 

Restaurant Review: Pita Jungle

Restaurants like [insert any of the following: TGIFridays, Chilis, Applebees, etc.] on the surface are very well-intended - casual family-friendly restaurants that don't kill your wallet - but at the cost of waist-expanding/insulin-raising, artery-clogging, mass-produced food, it's hard to really applaud this restaurant model, or at least it's execution. Most if not all of them have started offering calorie-conscious menu options in the last couple of years, but I've never been impressed with the vegetables I've had at these places and generally don't expect to be served a particularly nutritious or wholesome meal there. And it's really a shame, because if only the offerings at such restaurants were healthier and cleaner all around, it would be a tough deal to beat.Enter Pita Jungle, which appears to be a restaurant model that others should take a few cues from. We went to the newest Phoenix location at Norterra, and I was pretty impressed. It's a casual, family-friendly eatery with a modern and minimalistic decor/layout. It also includes a full bar with a decent beer selection. The menu offers a wide variety of fantastic choices - pretty much all of which are healthy, so you can feel pretty good about whatever you order - and based on what we ate (and glances at neighboring tables), everything looks and tastes as good as it sounds. Also impressive are the prices!We ordered dinner just before the cut-off for the restaurant's happy hour tapas special, so we were able to take advantage and opted for mixed marinated olives, vegetarian dolmades (particularly delicious), and tzatziki (which I could tell was made with low- or non-fat yogurt) for $2 each:The veggie wrap was full of greatness: mixed whole beans, brown rice, broccoli, zucchini, cauliflower, eggplant, tomatoes, and carrots, and seasoned with ginger, basil and garlic. It was served hot and was extremely flavorful - a testament to the freshness of the vegetables. It was a huge portion and cost $7.99. I'd be tempted to get this for dinner on the go on a regular basis if it was closer by!The falafel platter was part of the starter menu, and was also a huge portion - more than enough to be a main dish. The falafel texture was right on - just crispy enough on the outside, light and moist inside - and 5 were served over a salad of lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, onions and pickles with a drizzle of tahini. For $7.59, this was yet another great value.It wasn't all perfect, but my criticisms are pretty inconsequential. The tinfoil on my veggie wrap was folded too thoroughly and tightly around the actual food, so to prevent myself from eating the foil I had to open the wrap up, remove the foil and eat everything with a fork and knife (like I said, not that big of a deal at all - but easily preventable, as I don't think they intended that to happen). I also think there should be a choice of whole grain pita bread and wraps (or just have that be the standard, vs the white they serve).For a quick, inexpensive, healthy and tasty meal at a sit-down restaurant, Pita Jungle is a really fantastic option to have available. As far as chains go, this is one that should go national if they can do so without compromising their impressive qualities!