Clafoutis and Beyond
The French are known for doing freakishly delicious things with their fruit. Take for example, clafoutis, a tasty flan-like cake filled with the season’s best fruit. An easy, fancy pants dessert that you can whip up in no time.
You’ll need:
2/3 cup all-purpose flour
⅓ cup sugar (1 tablespoon to dust the baking dish)
¾ cup non-dairy milk (I used light coconut milk)
¼ cup plain yogurt
3 free range, organic eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
¼ teaspoon salt
2-3 cups of your favourite fruit (thinly sliced apples, pears, mangoes or berries work great – just go with the seasons!)
1) Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2) Grease a 9-inch pie or tart dish with the margarine and dust the entire surface with sugar, add more if you need it. Give the dish a tap to get rid of the excess sugar.
3) In a blender or large mixing bowl, add all of the ingredients except the margarine and fruit and blend or stir vigorously until the batter comes together. It should be thoroughly mixed with no lumps.
4) Pour half the batter into the pan. Gently top it with fruit (in a fan shape if you want to get all fancy like) and slowly pour the rest of the batter on top. Make sure you cover all of the fruit.
5) Bake for 45-60 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean and the edges are nicely golden-brown).
6) Best served warm. Before serving, top it off with powdered sugar and go à la mode for a well rounded dessert.
Phở Chay (Vegetarian Pho)
Phở is as Vietnamese as sushi is Japanese, at least it is over here in most of North America. This ubiquitous noodle soup dish is the first thing that comes to my mind when I think Vietnamese food, and while it’s not the only dish I love, it’s one of my favorite things to have on a cold, rainy Vancouver day.
Phở bò or beef noodle soup is the most common version of phở you’ll find – it’s also the one my mom still makes vats of for family dinners. Although a lot of popular Vietnamese dishes are centered around meat, Vietnam also has a rich culinary tradition of great vegetarian eats, usually reserved for days of religious observance from the Buddhist faith.
So to celebrate a great traditional Vietnamese dish and match it with meatless option, here’s my recipe for Phở Chay or vegetarian pho. This completely vegan version doesn’t lose any points on flavor and goes well with any kind of chewy protein (I’m particular to slices of fried tofu).
You’ll need:
2 large yellow onions
Small piece of ginger (5 inches)
Small Saigon cinnamon stick (3 inches)
5 star anise
5 whole cloves
1 teaspoon black peppercorns
1 daikon, peeled and cut into large slices
8 cups of vegetable broth* (2 litres)
1 small chunk rock sugar
Fresh pho noodles (Bánh Phở Tươi)
Vegetarian fish sauce / light soy sauce to taste
Mung bean sprouts, fresh mint, coriander, Thai basil, limes, Sriracha chili hot sauce for garnishing
1) In an oven or over a hot grill, broil the onions and ginger for 10-15 minutes, or until the the outsides are slightly charred and the onions start to “sweat”. If you’re doing this in your oven, turn up the fan and open the windows because it’s gonna get smokey. Don’t skip this step because it brings out the sweetness of the onion and deep, mellow flavor of the ginger.
2) In a large pot, add the stock and bring it to a boil over high heat then lower just till it simmers.
3) Wash and peel the onions until cool running water, cut them in half and add to the stock. Smash the ginger and add it to the stock, along with the star anise, cinnamon, cloves, and daikon.
4) Simmer for 45 minutes to an 1 hour. Add salt and soy sauce to taste. You may not need to add much depending on the type of stock you use.
5) Ladle the hot soup over your prepared noodles and protein. Garnish with fresh herbs, lime, and hot sauce to suit your personal phở-lovin’ tastes. Enjoy!
*The flavor of your pho will vary depending on the type of vegetable stock you use. I use and recommend a more “Asian” configuration that has mushrooms, carrots, and cabbage, which gives the nice deep flavor that beef-based pho soup has.
A Pesto Pasta Experience
Nothing says hearty like a heaping bowl of warm pasta – even better when it takes less than 20 minutes to whip up! This pesto gets all creamy-like with the power of soft tofu and a whirl in a food processor (my favorite kitchen gadget). A note for tofu haters: all you’ll taste is creamy pesto goodness, I promise. Serve it hot and fresh.
You’ll need:
Your favourite pasta, cooked and drained
1 cup fresh basil (try Thai basil for a spicier flavor)
1/3 cup almonds or pumpkin seeds
2 cloves garlic, smashed
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 cup grated parmigiano reggiano or vegan parmesan, or omit it completely but add more lemon and salt
1 teaspoon salt and a pinch of pepper
300 gram container soft tofu (I use Superior Tofu)
1/3 cup olive oil
1) Add everything except the tofu and olive oil into food processor and give it a whirl until finely chopped. Add the tofu and oil and whirl until you get a creamy, thoroughly mixed pesto sauce.
2) Combine the pesto with your pasta in a pot and quickly warm it up over medium heat.
3) Top it off with some torn basil and fresh cherry tomatoes.
Basic Vegan Waffles
Waffles – the fluffy breakfast food of the Gods! Gabe and I whip up a batch of basic animal-free waffles that are just as tasty as the conventional Eggo, with the added perk of adding a bunch of delicious ingredients into the batter (we opted for blueberries and coconut).
Top it off with your favorite yogurt, granola, fruit, or get fancy with a Coconut Rum Syrup and you’ve got a breakfast fit for a king, queen or family of picky royals.
Ultimate Dairy-free Grilled Cheese Sandwich
If you don’t eat dairy for whatever reason, because you’re vegan, lactose intolerant, or just trying to cut down on animal products, chances are that you’ve forayed into the world of non-dairy cheeses. You’ll know that not all non-dairy, vegan cheeses are made the same – they melt differently than dairy cheese, often have… unique textures, and more importantly, they vary in taste. For me, the ultimate test of a good alternative to conventional cheese is none other than the grilled cheese sandwich – a classic comfort food (especially if you’re in college).
I think the best non-dairy cheese on the market is currently made by Daiya, Deliciously Non-Dairy Cheese. Why? It makes a dern good grilled cheese sandwich and doesn’t taste like I just licked a orangutan’s foot.
Here are my steps for a perfect grilled cheese sandwich (great for Daiya cheeses, but also works for your regular shredded cheddar too):
1) Butter both sides of two pieces of nice bread. I like to use Earth Balance.
2) Heat the pan to medium-high heat before putting in the sandwiches.
3) Add your sandwich and turn down the heat to medium.
4) Put a lid over your sandwich, this is trap the heat and guarantee melted cheese-y goodness.
5) Grilled on each side until golden brown (about 3-4 minutes per side).
And what’s a grilled cheese sandwich without tomato soup?