Sweetly Delicious Goodies from Allison's Gourmet and The Winners Are ...

Allison Rivers Samson is beautiful, successful, compassionate, and a gifted gourmet vegan chef. Her cookies, brownies, and confections have made believers out of vegans and non-vegans alike. For years she has proved that vegan treats can taste just as good if not better, than baked goods made with milk, butter, and eggs. I have been a fan from the beginning. So when Allison surprised me in Nevada City with a gift box of her delightful treats, I was completely blown away. I also knew that I would want to share the contents with you here.

Beautifully wrapped with her new signature lavender bow, it's hard to believe that I resisted the temptation to open the box before I got home.


Peering inside, I was met with a feast for the eyes—a gorgeous assortment of cookies, candies, and truffles!


And to my sheer delight, hiding beneath one package of cookies was a delectable pecan brownie! (I made work of it too quickly, I think!)


I cannot begin to describe how moist, chewy, rich, and delicious all of Allison's baked treats are. I've yet to taste one of her cookies or brownies that I didn't love, and she's always inventing exciting new seasonal items and flavors. (Can you say "Vanilla Chai Fudge"?)

This was the first time I tasted her chocolate truffles, and I kid you not when I say that they are the most sensuously sweet truffles this side of heaven. Mark and I had a hard time deciding which ones to eat first, as they all looked and sounded so divine: Hazelnut, Chocolate Caramel, Almond, Mocha, Pecan, and Peanut Caramel. Biting into one was like sinking my teeth into nirvana.

I'm not usually big on caramels, but the caramel truffles were insanely delicious. And the Chipotle Caramel Candies, made with coconut milk and agave nectar are lovely. Their sweet-and-spiciness reminded me of a sultry summer day in New Mexico.

Whether you're looking for the perfect gift for someone special or want to treat yourself to an epicurean indulgence, check out the exquisite offerings at Allison's Gourmet. Emblazoned on Allison's homepage are the words "Unadulterated Decadence," and that just about says it all.

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Congratulations to the winners of my little Sweet and Sara's mini marshmallows contest ... Kelli and Tweedle! (Generated by random.org) Kelli, I need your email address. Tweedle, please check your email inbox!

A Contest! How Would You Like to Win Some Sweet Little Vegan Pillows from Heaven?

Back in 2004, I reviewed my two favorite vegan marshmallows made by Vegan Supremes and Tiny Trapeze. They were very, very good! But by early 2006, they were nowhere to be found. The reason: It turned out that the vegan gelatin manufactured by Emes Kosher Foods, which both companies used to make their delicious treats, was suspected of not being vegan. According to several sources, the gelatin tested positive for the presence of animal protein, and it looked as though Emes Kosher-Jel was not so kosher (or vegan) after all. (You can read the whole distasteful story here.) Without a suitable replacement for this vital ingredient, both companies stopped making vegan marshmallows, and vegans went back to doing without. And sadly, this put Vegan Supremes (a woman-owned vegan company), out of business. It looks as though Tiny Trapeze is gone, although I'm not sure their departure is at all related to the vegan gelatin fiasco.

But then a very industrious and creative vegan baker named Sara Sohn spent over a year in her Long Island City (my hometown) kitchen, quietly developing a genuinely vegan gelatin that would enable her to create a soft, chewy, meltable vegan marshmallow. And what a success her effort was! Sweet and Sara Vegan Marshmallows are a delightful gourmet vegan treat that taste incredibly delicious. These heavenly little pillows come in some very luscious flavors: Vanilla, Toasted Coconut, Cinnamon Pecan, and Strawberry. They are packaged in 8.5 oz containers which hold about 16 large marshmallows (the perfect size for toasting!) Sara also makes the most incredible S'mores I've ever eaten> They're so rich, I can't possibly eat a whole one in one sitting, which means that I get to have my S'more and eat it, too!

More recently, Sweet and Sara introduced Mini Marshmallows that are the perfect size for hot cocoa (and for satisfying any marshmallow cravings in fewer-calorie bites!) Sara sent me a few packages to try, and I have to say they are every bit as soft and sweet as the full-size marshmallows, and far better tasting than any other vegan marshmallows I've tasted.


So how would you like to win your own bag of vegan mini marshmallows? I've got three bags, and I'm sharing them with my readers. (One for me and one each for two of you!) To enter to win, simply visit the Sweet and Sara website and then come back here and leave a comment telling me about any of their products you've tasted, or which of their goodies sound most exciting to you. I'll pick 2 winners at random, so please make sure I can contact you by email.


I made my hot cocoa with So Delicious Vanilla Coconut Milk Beverage and Stevita Delight Chocolate Powder. It's very chocolatey, rich, and delicious! Oh, and did I mention the cute little Sweet and Sara vegan Peeps you can buy just in time for Easter? Go check them out!

The Food, The Weather, The Scenery, The Bliss!I Must Be Dreaming (or in California!)

This past week I took a long overdue mini-vacation to Nevada City, California. I flew into Oakland, instead of the closer airport in Sacramento, because the fare and the rental car were so much less expensive. I actually enjoyed the extra two-hour drive, and it gave me the opportunity to stop in for a meal at Cafe Gratitude in Berkeley. After waking up at 5 AM to make my first flight to Seattle (where I changed planes), and getting into Oakland at about noon, I was feeling pretty hungry and already worn-out. So a menu full of juices, smoothies, and elixirs with names like "I Am Rejuvenated" and "I Am Enlivened" seemed like just the ticket to energize me. I also thought that choosing the "I Am Accepting" bowl of steamed Bhutanese red rice tossed with kale, avocado, cucumber, nori, scallions, and herbs in sesame-ginger sauce would not only be delicious, but would help ground me for whatever adventures (or misadventures, read: traffic) might greet me on the rest of my journey.


Just a scant two or three miles south of Nevada City, lies the city of Grass Valley, where I had planned to stop and pick up a few essentials at the BriarPatch Co-op. I was stunned at how large and beautiful this store was for such a small town. There are only about 12,000 people living in Grass Valley and perhaps 3,000 more in Nevada City.


The co-op had everything I could possibly want or need, including a lovely selection of my favorite So Delicious coconut milk beverages, yogurt, creamer, and kefir and Soyatoo Whipped Topping! (I bought some of the rice Soyatoo one night and in lieu of dinner, enjoyed it with a pint of large, juicy, sweet, and delicious organic strawberries! I thought the rice whipped cream tasted just as good, if not better than the soy.


I was treated to outstanding hospitality by managers Liza and Kurt at the delightfully quaint Outside Inn, where I rested in spectacularly colorful surroundings. "The Celestial Room" contained all the comforts of home including a mini-fridge and flat=screen TV. It even had glow-in-the-dark stars on the ceiling!


After such a long day of travel, I fell soundly asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow! I awoke to the sounds of birds gaily chirping and the sun shining! I couldn't wait to check out what would soon become one of my favorite hangouts in Nevada City—a a funky little vegetarian cafe called Fudenjuce!


It's large menu of fresh organic juices, wraps, salads, rice bowls, vegan soups, smoothies, and organic coffees and teas kept me coming back for more. Seth took great care of me, and made the most scrumptious hot carob beverages, Hawaiian smoothies, and Morninglory Breakfast Wraps!


My furry new feline friend, Minnow, kept me company while I waited for my breakfast to arrive.


One of the tastiest meals I had in Nevada City was at Ike's Quarter Cafe. It's by no means a vegetarian restaurant, but they had some impressive vegan offerings like vegan French toast and tempeh jambalaya. The dish I ordered is called the "Back to Health Plate," but eating it was so much more inspiring than the name implies. It's a large bed of gingered greens topped with tempeh in a perfectly seasoned roasted tomato sauce. It's served with a green salad with roasted tomato vinaigrette, and I ordered a slice of delicious gluten-free vegan cornbread to go along with it. I could kick myself for not having my camera along with me when I ate there!


This tiny town boasted both an oxygen bar and a raw cafe! I truly enjoyed my 30-minute vanilla oxygen experience at The Spot Oxygen Bar one evening after dinner. And the heavenly raw Raspberry-Lemon Cheesecake topped with Coconut Creme at The Fix was intoxicatingly delicious.


The Fix Raw Food Cafe and 33 Degree Boutique are housed in an impossibly adorable, modern-retro corrugated barn, where you'll find everything from eclectic jewelry and fun organic clothing to gourmet living foods all under one roof.





Even more deliciousness at The Fix! Raw chocolate truffles and blackberry white chocolate cheesecake?



After all those incredible breakfasts, lunches, and sweets, it's amazing that I could still be hungry for dinner! Well, there's always room for vegetarian sushi, isn't there? There are two sushi restaurants in Nevada City, and I chose Sushi Q because it looked so warm and inviting.


I was really happy that I did, because the sushi chef, Tokisan, was extremely accommodating and happy to prepare my special "Gail rolls" of inari, avocado, and cucumber. He did an amazing job, and they were even more delicious than the rolls I am able to get here at home!


Have you ever had a Thai massage? I never had, but it just seemed like my visit to Nevada City wasn't going to be complete until I had this experience. So I headed down Broad Street and made my way to Jindana Thai Therapeutic Spa.


I truly had no idea what to expect, but if I had to describe it, I'd say that Thai massage is like someone doing yoga to your body. Actually, yoga is one of the six points of Thai massage: Yoga, Exercise, Meditation, Reflexology, Acupressure, and Healing Art. It's quite unlike any other experience (massage or otherwise), and it's also quite wonderful! My massage therapist, Alex, had magical hands (and feet—I'm not kidding!), and as with any good healing modality, afterward, I felt both relaxed and invigorated and noticed a freeing of blocked energy within my body. My broken toe (don't ask), was significantly less painful the following day!

Nevada City boasts its own decent-size natural foods store, too: California Organics. I decided to try their restaurant, The Organic Grill for dinner on my last evening in Nevada City, as I was in the mood for vegan fajitas. They were quite yummy.


Brilliantly beautiful artwork by local artist Gary Dini covered was on display at the restaurant. His sculptural paintings combine acrylic with collage that utilizes costume jewelry. Each piece was more dazzling than the next.



Lest you think that all I did in Nevada City was eat and lie around letting someone else do lovely things to my body, I actually did do quite a bit of walking around town with my friend, Dana.


It was on such a walk that I discovered an amazing cocoanut tea at Gold Mountain Tea Shop, pictured below with Sol Sprouting Goji Rose Chocolate Love Spirals, (which I discovered at Fudenjuce).



On one sunny day, we took a lovely little hike along a meandering river. It was a little tricky to do with a broken toe. But Dana was a great sport, and she let me lean on her shoulder when we were walking downhill, so that I wouldn't further injure myself on any jagged rocks.


This was the view as I headed down Broad Street leaving Nevada City on Thursday morning. It took my breath away. I didn't ever want to leave this heavenly place.

After all that good eatin' it's a wonder I was still excited to get back to Oakland and have lunch at Manzanita Macrobiotic Restaurant. But this is a food blog, and therefore I must eat to write! On such a delightfully bright and balmy 65-degree-day, it was a joy to have lunch outdoors in the middle of winter. (I can't remember the last time I was able to do that!)

Chef Tenzin is a master of macrobiotic cuisine, and I knew this was going to be my last meal of the day...


So I ordered the larger "Full Meal," which included all of the following: Bean-Cauliflower-Cabbage-Broccoli-Miso Soup, Long Grain Brown Rice with Millet, Roasted Kabocha-Turnip-Yam, Garbanzo Beans with Onion-Leek, Steamed Kale with Shiitake-Beet Sauce, and a Mixed Green Salad with Mustard Vinaigrette.


On this trip I also met with two people I have known and admired for many years. Allison Rivers Samson, owner and founder of Allison's Gourmet and Tony Plotkin, president and owner of Grainaissance. But more about that in a later post.

Red Rose Petal Parfaits

If there is anything more romantic than a red rose, I simply don't know what it could be. We have a large red rose bush in our backyard that is so visually stunning, it seems almost dreamlike.


And when the roses begin to come into full bloom, I can't resist cutting one and placing it in a small vase in my bedroom.


I've learned that I must place my rose somewhere out of Thelonious's reach or else he will eat it, as he is so shamelessly demonstrating with this pink rose. (Can't say that I blame him!)


I love painting roses, whether on glass or paper. I even sport a rose tattoo, (which I won't reveal here).



I find the fragrance of a rose as intoxicating as lavender, and its flavor as sublime. So what could make a more romantic Valentine's Day dessert than one which captures the essence of red roses? I had all the ingredients necessary to put something incredibly sweet and delicious together, and came up with this idea: Red Rose Petal Parfaits!


Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups evaporated cane crystals
1 cup of Organic Red Roses (I buy them from Mountain Rose Herbs.)
1 cup water
1 pint Purely Decadent Vanilla Bean Coconut Milk Ice Cream

Directions:

Place all ingredients in a small saucepan, and bring to a gentle boil, stirring occasionally. Reduce heat to low, and simmer for 45 minutes, until syrup has thickened. Remove from heat, and when cooled, strain through a fine-mesh sieve. Pour syrup into a squeeze bottle and place candied rose petals into a container with a tight-fitting lid. When ready to serve, alternate 2 scoops of ice cream with rose petal syrup in two parfait glasses. Top each with a few candied rose petals. Refrigerate remaining syrup and candied rose petals for up to two weeks. Candied rose petals can be enjoyed as a sweet treat, just like candy, and the syrup is divine on crackers or English muffins!

Viewed from above, you can really see the lovely candied rose petals.


I hope you'll enjoy these on Valentine's Day with your sweetheart.

Tempting Tempeh Too Good For Words Burgers

Eugene, Oregon has become quite the vegan magnet. It is the long-time home of Turtle Mountain, makers of the most incredible dairy-free ice cream, beverages, and yogurts on Earth, Holy Cow Vegan Cafe on the U of O campus, Lotus Garden Chinese Vegetarian restaurant, The Divine Cupcake, Holy Donuts, which has its own brand new storefront with an impossibly adorable outdoor courtyard, and two new vegan food carts: Viva Vegetarian Grill and Cornbread Cafe. Eugene is also the home of vegan chef extraordinaire Beverly Lynn Bennett, who together with husband Ray Sammartano, is also the author of The Complete Idiot's Guide to Vegan Living and The Complete Idiot's Guide to Vegan Cooking.

Always on the prowl for tasty vegan recipes I can "McDougallize," when I came upon Beverly's recipe for Tempeh Too Good For Words Burgers, it sounded too tempting to pass up.


Instead of cooking the onion and mushrooms in olive oil, I sautéed them in water. And instead of cooking the patties in a skillet with more oil, I baked them on a nonstick baking sheet in a 375° oven for 10 minutes on each side. For a gluten-free version, you can use wheat-free tamari and garbanzo bean flour instead of wheat or spelt flour. They'll still be just as delicious. Served up on toasted hearty whole grain buns with a side of tasty baked yam fries, this was one quick and satisfying weekend meal. And in case you're wondering if I ate mine naked, I could have, but didn't. I topped my burger with grilled onions and organic ketchup.

Win a 32GB iPod Touch from Turtle Mountain

I was excited to learn that my favorite ice cream company is holding a Twitter contest for a brand new 32GB iPod Touch! I already own an iPod G2, so I had to find out just what makes a 32GB iPod Touch even better. I didn't know, but OMG, I need one of these! In addition to all the great music features, you can store tens of thousands of photos, record and playback voice memos, and with built-in Wi-Fi you can rent and play movies, browse the Internet, check your email, find the nearest vegan restaurant (you can even find yourself, if you're lost), and access over 100,000 apps. Sheesh, all my iPod does is play music! I'd love to win this baby!

Contests like this remind me of the joke my mother once told me about the old Jewish man, who, after years of never winning the lottery asked God why he never wins. God replied, "First you have to buy a ticket, Morty."

While winning a $300 toy might not be as good as winning the lottery, at least you don't have to buy a ticket to win. All you need to do is follow @So_Delicious on Twitter, and tweet the following message:

Follow @So_Delicious and you can win a 32GB iPod Touch! #So Delicious Coconut milk products are the best! http://bit.ly/8Y5Ekn #contest

A 1 in 5,000 shot at winning is not too shabby, either. There's nothing to lose, and you could win yourself a nifty little gadget.

Balsamic Bliss

It takes a lot to get me excited, even when it comes to food. But at this weekend's Good Earth Home, Garden, & Living Show at the Lane County Fairgrounds, along with everything having to do with sustainable living, there was an entire pavilion dedicated to food and beverages. I had no trouble grazing my way through the exhibit hall, stopping to indulge in Turtle Mountain's full line of coconut milk beverages, ice cream, yogurt, and kefir, Theo Chocolates' dark chocolate bars (the Ginger Rose bar is intoxicating), and Klickitat Canyon Organic Wines. But my favorite new find has to be Bistro Blends' line of barrel-aged balsamic vinegars. There are five flavors to choose from, one more sensational than the next: Heirloom, Very-Berry Strawberry, Raspberry, Blackberry, and Black Mission Fig.


I couldn't resist coming away with one bottle each of the blackberry and fig flavors. Are they pricey? Well, yes, I'm not gonna lie. At $12 for a 6-oz bottle, (apparently, these smaller bottles are a show special), they're certainly not cheap. But they are worth every penny for such an extraordinary culinary indulgence. The blackberry flavor is deeply rich and fruity, and the black mission fig with just a hint of vanilla, tastes indescribably fragrant.

Even after sampling to my heart's content at Bistro Blends' show booth, I couldn't wait to get home and break into a bottle with Mark. He chose the blackberry, which we enjoyed with a fresh loaf of ciabatta I also picked up at the show.


How exciting to find something so tantalizingly delicious to enjoy as part of a low-fat vegan diet. Both of these vinegars will be amazing drizzled over fresh fruit, salad, and Purely Decadent vanilla ice cream. And I look forward to exploring all of the other ways I can come up with to enjoy them. I'm already imagining the amazing cole slaw the blackberry flavor will make! Stay tuned for the recipe ...

And here's some exciting news: Bistro Blends will be back in Eugene at the Lane County Home & Garden Show on March 11th through the 14th. Mention that you read about them in my blog, and they'll extend a discount to you!

Black Bean & Sweet Potato Chili

I've never been a fan of canned chili. And since I never tasted chili that didn't come from a can (at least as far as I can remember), I thought I simply wasn't a fan of chili. So when my friend, Marr, emailed me this recipe the other day, I had to stop and think about it before hitting the ol' delete button. Rich with flavorful ingredients and without even a drop of added fat, this recipe sounded too delicious not to try. And with a couple of minor adjustments, like using chipotle chile powder and doubling the amount of black beans, this meal turned out to be hearty, warming, and satisfying: in short, a real winner!


Ingredients:

2 cloves garlic, minced
1 large onion, diced
1 small sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped
1 small yam, peeled and chopped
2 medium carrots, diced
1/2 red bell pepper, chopped
1 stalk celery, chopped
2 15-oz can black beans, rinsed and drained
1 15-oz can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1 15-oz can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup vegetable broth
1/2 tbsp chipotle chile powder (if you use regular chile powder, you may wish to double this amount, as chipotle is very hot, so I use less)
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp cayenne
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
freshly ground pepper, a few twists

Directions:

Saute onions in 2 tablespoons of water for 3-4 minutes, then add sweet potatoes, carrots, red bell pepper, and celery, and cook until onions are soft, about 5-6 minutes.

Reduce heat to medium low, and add remaining ingredients, stirring to combine well.
Simmer, partially covered and stir occasionally, for 20-25 minutes, until flavors have mingled and vegetables are fully cooked. Makes 4 servings.

Chow Down Chow Mein

Chow mein is typically made with fried noodles. Since I'm adhering to a McDougall-style, low-fat diet, fried noodles are not an option. Nevertheless, this soft-noodle Chow Mein was delicious, and it brought back memories of tasty take-out dinners from my favorite Chinese restaurant in New York City.


Ingredients:

1/2 lb. Chow Mein noodles
1 lb. extra-firm tofu, drained, cut into very small cubes, and marinated
2-inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated
1/2 lb. mushrooms, chopped
1 6-oz can bamboo shoots
1 6-oz can water chestnuts
1/2 red bell pepper, cut into thin strips
1 cup fresh sugar snap peas
2 celery stalks, sliced
3 large bok choy leaves, sliced into bite-size pieces
3 green onions, chopped
2 Tbs dark soy sauce
1 teaspoon evaporated cane crystals
1 Tbs rice vinegar
1 cup mung bean sprouts
water for stir-frying, as needed

Marinade:

4 Tbs vegetarian oyster sauce
4 tsp soy sauce
Ground pepper, to taste
2 tsp cornstarch

Directions:

To prepare the marinade, Mix the marinade ingredients together in a large bowl with a tight-fitting lid, adding the cornstarch last. Marinate the cubed tofu for 20 to 25 minutes. Turning the container occasionally to coat all pieces.

Prepare noodles according to the package directions, drain, and set aside.

You may wish to rinse the bamboo shoots and water chestnuts under cool running water for several minutes to remove any tinny taste.

Heat the wok and add 1/4 cup water. When pan is hot, add the minced ginger and stir-fry for 1-2 minutes, until aromatic. Add the mushrooms, water chestnuts, and bamboo shoots. Stir-fry briefly, and add the other vegetables except for the mung bean sprouts. Stir-fry briefly, and add the marinated tofu and noodles.

Mix together the soy sauce, sugar, and rice vinegar, and pour into wok. Stir to coat, and then add in the bean sprouts. Cook for another minute, and serve hot. Makes 4 servings.

Moroccan Couscous with 8 Vegetables and Tfaya

Mark and I tried to see Avatar on Sunday, but of course, it was sold out by the time we got there. (No, we didn't think of buying our tickets ahead of time, as we rarely ever go out to the movies.) So when we got back home I started flipping through TV channels, when I came upon the Create TV cooking show Gourmet Adventures with Ruth. Described as a show in which viewers can "travel the globe alongside host and editor/food icon Ruth Reichl, her Gourmet colleagues, and celebrity guests as they visit exotic cooking schools and experience the local foods and traditions," it certainly looked interesting to me! In this episode, actress Lorraine Bracco was traveling with Ruth through Morocco and learning how to prepare some of the local cuisine. I landed on this channel just as she was learning the fine art of making couscous from scratch from a lovely old woman. It whetted my appetite for couscous.

Couscous is made from two different sizes of the husked, crushed, unground semolina. Creating this delicate little grain before it can even be cooked is a painstaking process still performed in the traditional handmade fashion, only in rural villages. First the couscous is formed by rubbing and rolling together large grains of hard wheat semolina with finer grains in a large earthenware platter sprayed with salted water to raise the humidity of the semolina. Then the couscous is dried in a midūna, a latticework basket made of palm or esparto grass. Next it is transferred to a finer weave basket for more drying. After a short time, the couscous is returned to the midūna for more rolling. Then it is sieved numerous times to form a uniform grain. The couscous is then left for four or five days to dry in the sun with occasional light sprays of water. It must be completely dry before storing or cooking.

During this episode, I was reminded of the spicy delicacy, tfaya, which I can only remember having eaten once many years ago. This delectable topping of caramelized onions and raisins pairs beautifully with couscous, and was easily made fat-free without the butter traditionally used, and without detriment to the flavor.

You can find a similar couscous recipe to this one all over the internet that is made with seven vegetables, instead of eight (if you include garbanzo beans in the vegetable group). But I love parsnips and couldn't resist adding them to mine. This dish is so rich and flavorful, you won't believe it doesn't contain a drop of added fat.

Couscous Ingredients:

1 medium red onion
2 Tbs. vegetable broth
4 cups vegetable broth
2 carrots, peeled
2 parsnips, peeled
2 turnips, peeled
1 sweet potato, peeled
1 zucchini
1 red bell pepper
1 can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained
1 15 oz. can tomato sauce
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. turmeric
pinch of saffron
pinch of curry
2 cups couscous grains

Directions:

Cut all of the vegetables into large, bite-size chunks. In a large pot, sauté onion in 2 tablespoons of vegetable broth until lightly browned. Add the rest of the broth, and bring to a boil. Add carrots, parsnips, turnips, and sweet potato. Simmer for 15 minutes. Lower heat, and add zucchini and pepper. (At this point, prepare tfaya, or it can be prepared in advance and reheated before serving.) Cook vegetables for 20 minutes more. Then add beans, tomato sauce, and spices. Stir to combine, and cook until heated through.

In a separate small pot, bring 2 1/2 cups of water to a boil. Add couscous, cover, and remove from heat. Let stand 5-7 minutes, fluff with a fork and serve with vegetables and tfaya on top.

Tfaya Ingredients:

2 large red onions, thinly sliced
1 cup raisins, soaked in water for 15 minutes, then drained
1/2 cup water
4 tablespoons agave nectar
1 teaspoon pepper
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ginger
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon saffron threads, crumbled

Directions:

Mix the sliced onions, raisins, agave, and spices in a medium saucepan. Add the water, cover, and bring to a simmer. Continue simmering for a half hour or longer over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the onions are very soft and golden. Add more water only if the liquids evaporate before the onions are cooked. Once the onions are cooked and richly colored, reduce the liquids to a thick syrup. Turn off the heat, and set the caramelized onions aside. If prepared in advance, reheat the onions just prior to serving.

Book Review: The Indian Vegan Kitchenby Madhu Gadia

I think I've said this before elsewhere in this blog: When I was in India, it was astounding to me how difficult it was for a predominantly vegetarian country to wrap it's collective brain around the idea of veganism. More than once I bit into a piece of paneer in a dish that was ordered without cheese. And I'm sure that many a curry was served in a cream sauce or cooked with ghee, even though it was requested that no dairy be used in the preparation of my meals. But that's history, and I'm told that things are slowly changing in India, and people are beginning to learn that the dairy they consume does not generally come from happy, well-treated cows.

Author Madhu Gadia, a registered dietitian living in Ames, Iowa, admits how difficult it was for her to think and cook outside the lacto-vegetarian box, not realizing how extensively and automatically she added dairy products to the dishes she prepared and enjoyed. It is our good fortune that she took the time to research vegan nutrition and create this beautiful book with more than 150 delicious and authentically Indian vegan recipes.

Newcomers to Indian cuisine will appreciate her glossary of spices and other unfamiliar ingredients, list of basic kitchen equipment, tips on cooking techniques, and perhaps most helpful, a list of online retailers for those difficult-to-find ingredients. As a long-time Indian-food lover and aficionado of curries, I appreciated the new world of dishes this book made available to me, like Stuffed Mung Been Pancakes (Bharva Cheele) and Dried Fruit Rice (Meva Chawal). For me, finding a vegan recipe for Badam Barfi (a sensuously sweet almond pastry made with edible foil) was like finding hidden treasure! The challenge for me was going to be preparing these delicious dishes without the oil used in most recipes, while maintaining the integrity and the full flavor of each.

One of my favorite Indian dishes ever is Vegetable Korma, which is typically made with heavy cream. Needless to say, I haven't tasted a decent korma in decades. Madhu's recipe for Creamy Vegetable Stew (Subji Korma) used cashews to give the dish its characteristic creamy taste and texture. To maintain my McDougall diet program, I omitted the three tablespoons of canola oil called for in making this dish, and still the result was incredible. Otherwise following Madhu's directions, the onions, green beans, cauliflower, carrot, peas, and peppers cooked to perfection, delicately, without risk of being overcooked. It was delightfully fragrant served on a bed of basmati rice.


Next, I tried making a dish I had never eaten before, Pav-Bhaji, which literally translates to "vegetables on a bun," but Madhu refers to as "Veggie Sloppy Joe Sandwiches." Made with potatoes, onions, cauliflower, green peppers, peas, carrots, and tomatoes, the dish is seasoned with pav-bhaji masala (one of many different masala spice blends) and lemon or lime juice. It's absolutely fascinating to me how very different each dish tastes depending on the type of spices used. And once again, I omitted the oil called for in this dish, replacing it with water, and still it tasted delicious. I didn't have the heart to eat my pav-bhaji on an American whole wheat bun, so I opted to scoop mine up by the "spoonful" with torn pieces of whole wheat chapati.


I hadn't realized that "dal" is the generic name for all dried beans, peas, lentils, legumes, and pulses, and is used interchangeably for both dry and cooked beans. Madhu has included recipes for more than a dozen dals, and because I had some pink lentils on hand, I chose to try her Ginger-Spinach Pink Lentils or Andrak-Palak Dal. It required the use of asefoetida which has a very strong and pungent odor, but imparts a very distinct yet pleasing flavor to dishes. Asefoetida powder smells so awful, it's also known as "stinking gum" and "devil's dung," so it's important to store it in a tightly-sealed container, or it will stink up your whole kitchen. I choose a glass jar with a tight-fitting lid for this purpose. Of the three dishes I tried, I must say that I liked this dish the best of all. And that's pretty remarkable, because I never thought of myself as a huge fan of dal, when there are so many other tasty Indian dishes to be savored. But the combination of ginger, lentils, spinach, and tomatoes along with cumin seeds, coriander, cayenne, and yes, asafeotida, made this dish powerfully flavorful and satisfying. Again, I did without any of the cooking oil, and don't believe that I sacrificed any of the flavor. Served along with a plate of nutty-tasting brown basmati rice, I felt as though I was eating something sinfully rich, though it was deliciously hearty and vibrantly healthful.


I look forward to trying many of the delectable-sounding desserts and beverages in The Indian Vegan Kitchen as well as the flat breads, salads, chutneys, and more of the curries. This is a lovely book filled with exotically inspired recipes that will bring a great deal of eating pleasure to both vegans and non vegans alike.