Vegan MoFo Day 20: Vegan Crunk Appreciation

Last night, I took a little inspiration from Bianca. After all, it is her birthday season! For anyone not already addicted to her blog, she has the powers of roasted okra and vegan jelly donuts, and her forthcoming cookbook is eagerly awaited. Not to mention that she's super-nice, and a fellow Tennessean.

Recently, she posted about a butternut squash and macaroni recipe from the Whole Foods iPhone recipe app (which is free, and quite useful). With a lot of butternut squash on hand, I decided to give it a try. It's not the most photogenic recipe, but it's completely delicious. As Bianca points out, the coconut milk gives it a delightful creaminess. I changed the recipe a wee bit by caramelizing the onions, and adding a big spoonful of the Hickory Smoked "Bakon" seasoning I bought in bulk yesterday at Wildwood. If northern Georgia is not close to you, Food Fight carries this magical seasoning. We'll be making this very pantry-friendly recipe again soon!

ETA: For non-iPhone people, the recipe is on the WF website.

Vegan MoFo Day 19: Atlanta Adventures

I finally made it to Atlanta, despite more rain and wind and cold on Friday! Upon arrival, I didn't feel like heading out into the night for food, so I just went downstairs in our building to Stella. This was my first time in Stella, as they don't have anything explicitly vegan listed in their online menu, and I was afraid they would not be able to extract the cheese (or eggs in the pasta). However, the waiter was very well-informed, and gave me lots of options. I wound up ordering a pizza (photo above) and it was delicious. The waiter, the chef, and the host all stopped by to be sure I was happy. I'll definitely return.

On Saturday night, I went to a meet-and-greet for a city council candidate. (For you Atlanta voters, take a good look at Adam Brackman.) The gracious hosts had quite a spread of food, including vegan tacos from Holy Taco. These were excellent - black beans, rice, avocado, Ecuadorian salsa, and - most interesting - thinly sliced radish. The radish was a wonderful touch , and I will be copying this at home.

Last night, I had a lovely noodle soup with friends at Nickiemoto's.

Today, driving home, I stopped off in Wildwood, Georgia, near Chattanooga. The Adventist-run Wildwood Lifestyle Center has a great store or stores (as there is a an herb market, a grocery, and a bookstore). I bought Tartex in rural Georgia! And who doesn't need a big bag of Hickory Smoked Bakon Seasoning?

Vegan MoFo Day 18: susietofumonster appreciation

This Sunday brings a word of appreciation for everyone's favorite vegan food scientist, Susie. When she's not cracking the code of egg replacers, or deep in chemistry studies, she can be counted on for good recipes. Above you see her Polenta Seitan, which I made the other night when a friend came to dinner. It's a delicious and versatile recipe. (And, yes, Susie, this is a shameless attempt to get you to return to your blog!)

Vegan MoFo Day 17: Plantains and Hurricanes

When I moved from Nashville to the Bronx in 1987, I had never heard of a plantain, much less seen one. I noticed the boxes of large, strange bananas (labeled platanos) at local bodegas, but I was too busy with New York's other attractions to explore. Some months later, a Jamaican coworker of mine invited several friends to dinner at her apartment in Brooklyn. A hurricane was moving up the Atlantic coast toward New York. Despite the weather warnings, I headed to Brooklyn. The hurricane veered off in another direction, and I was introduced to the wonder of fried ripe plantains - soft, sweet, and caramelized.



As plantains were cheap and filling, they quickly became a regular part of my diet. When I didn't want to prepare them myself, the all-night, bullet-proof Chinese restaurant in my neighborhood offered a big serving of fried plantains for only $1. I later branched out into green plantains, and dishes such as mofongo (easily veganized) and tostones. Peeling green plantains can be annoying, but there is now a gadget which makes it very easy (despite being alarmingly phallic).



Decades later, I can't eat plantains without thinking of hurricanes, Brooklyn, and Jamaican food. I'll be enjoying those memories, and some plantains, this weekend.

Vegan MoFo Day 16: The tincture is ready

You may recall that I started the Vegan Month of Food by making tinctures. The first of them, made from lemon balm, is now ready. I strained it yesterday. I tried to get a decent photo, but it would not cooperate. It looks very dark in the jar, but it is really a deep, crazy, wild green color. The flavor is similarly intense. A little will go a very long way. I see this headed for some sorbet or ice-type-product in the near future.

Vegan MoFo Day 15: VeganDad Appreciation

VeganDad is one of my favorite food blogs, and one of the very few that I check religiously no matter how busy I am. After all, he is the source of the best veggie burger recipe I have ever made. The other day, I made his pumpkin custard. As you can see in the photograph, we now have even more reason to appreciate him. It's very close to traditional custard. The texture does thicken somewhat as it cools, so if you like your custard very soft and jiggly, please enjoy while still warm. (The photo above was taken when it had cooled to about room temperature, and you can see that it remains fairly soft.) My only word of caution is that the caramel browns quickly, so keep the heat low and watch it.

Vegan MoFo Day 14: Boiled Peanuts

If one is driving through rural areas of the Carolinas and Georgia (as I often am), boiled peanuts are available to sustain one on the journey. Taking the back way from Asheville to Atlanta, there is a boiled peanut and fruit stand every mile or so. The proprietor hands them over, hot and dripping in salty brine, encased in a plastic bag. Shelling, eating, and a delicious mess follow.

As this is a food I associate with car trips, it is very rare that I make it at home. However, one of my coworkers received some raw (or "green" peanuts) in her weekly Community Supported Agriculture box, and did not want them. I greedily snapped them up and decided to make boiled peanuts. Most directions say that you should soak them in cold water for 20-30 minutes, and then rinse. I think this is primarily for cleaning purposes.

Having rinsed, put the poor little peanuts into a crockpot, cover with water, and add 1 cup salt for every gallon of water. You can also add spices if you like - a big spoon of Cajun seasoning will nuclearize a whole pot of peanuts. Put the lid on, turn heat to high (if your crockpot has a setting) and let 'er run. I did mine overnight - probably 10-11 hours - and they were about right.

Any that aren't slurped up hot from the pot can be stored in the refrigerator in brine, and reheated as desired. People seem to love or hate boiled peanuts. If you want to try them and you aren't in the South (and aren't growing peanuts in your back yard), look for raw peanuts at Asian markets. I have seen them in Nashville at the K&S World Market on Nolensville Road.