Vegan Lox - Smoked "Salmon" and Happy New Year!

Vegan Lox - Smoked "Salmon." 

Happy New Year boys and girls! May this year be a fantastic time for all of us. Every New Year's Eve, I plan on painting the town red, but as the clock nears midnight, the color tends to be more beige than red. This time the color was indeed red with no beige overtones.

Last night I went on an adventure of pub beer crawl, and also restaurant hopping. It was fun, but today I am paying for it in more ways than one.

I started my journey with The Corner Tavern located in Boston's Back Bay. They have a great vegan friendly beer selection and a few dining options (with use of trickery), and the atmosphere is pretty fantastic.

My snack was roasted garlic hummus with toasted pita bread. It was pretty good.

At the end of the night, I was stuffed, but managed to get two chocolate bars, which incidentally are now mostly consumed.

I got it at Max Brenner Restaurant located in Boston's Back Bay.  

Onto the recipe. The idea of making my version of vegan smoked "salmon" has been traveling in my head for a while now. I used to love bagels with lox when I was a pesceterian many moons ago.

Vegan Lox has it going on. 

And so, I went to my pantry, found what I needed, and here we are. You probably have most of the ingredients on hand.

Few things: liquid smoke is necessary for this recipe along with the smoked paprika as that is how the smoky flavor is achieved. Additionally, kelp granules are also required to give the dish a "fishy" flavor. If you are unable to find this seasoning, I am certain that other sea vegetables will work well here. For instance, you can use pulsed nori sheet that amounts to one teaspoon.

One last thing, feel free to use more olive oil for a richer taste.

That's it. Get thee to the kitchenry!

Vegan Lox (Easy to make! Don't believe me? Prove me wrong, I dare you.)

Ingredients
1 (16-oz) package high protein organic super firm tofu (I used Trader Joe's brand), thinly sliced
1 medium sized onion, thinly sliced
1 large lemon, half sliced, the other half squeezed for juice and used in the marinade

Marinade 
Juice of half a lemon
1/3 cup soy sauce (Use Tamari to make it gluten-free.)
2 tablespoons liquid smoke
1 teaspoon granulated garlic
1 tablespoon dried dill
1 teaspoon granulated onion
1 tablespoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon kelp granules (Use an extra teaspoon if you like it super "fishy," and less sea salt. I used one teaspoon of kelp granules.)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground sea salt (Optional, but I recommend using it for the salty "fishy" taste.)
1 to 2 teaspoons olive oil (Use more to make it extra rich. This is not necessary.)
1 teaspoon raw cane sugar
Freshly ground black pepper to taste (About 1/2 teaspoon.)
1/2 cup carrot juice (I made mine. Sorry, I did not mean to brag about it.)

Drizzle extra olive oil when serving and storing for a richer flavor. 

Directions
Drain the tofu and dry it with a towel. Use a hand grater with the large grating slots, and carefully grate the tofu into thin slices. Don't worry if the pieces break or are not the same size. Perfection is not welcomed unless you need it to join you in the kitchen.

Grated tofu. The oranges are eye candy only. 

Place the grated tofu in a medium/large container with a lid, and layer it with half of the sliced lemon, and the entire onion. Make the marinade in a separate bowl by combining all the ingredients. The color should look like this. The consistency is thick.

This is what the marinade looks like. 

Now pour the marinade over the tofu lined with raw onion and lemon slices. Close the lid, gently shake it and keep in the refrigerator overnight. The longer it marinates, the better the flavor.

Sliced tofu with layers of onion slices and lemon, topped with the marinade. 

When you are ready to bake the tofu, preheat the oven to 350F. Spray large baking pan (I used two because my oven is pretty small), and line the tofu on the pan. Do not overlap the tofu, or it will steam instead of baking. Ladle additional marinade over tofu pieces that may lack color. Bake for 15 minutes, and flip over. Spray again with the non-stick cooking spray, and bake for another 15 minutes or less, depending on the texture you desire.

Additionally, do not bake the onion or the lemon slices, but rather keep them for decoration when serving. I used the raw onion for my sandwich, and squeezed the lemon on top for additional flavor when I served it.

Store in the refrigerator for up to one week. Serve in salads, on sandwiches or anything you like.

Serve on a toasted bagel with vegan cream cheese and cucumbers. I used the uncooked onion from the marinade to top my bagel. 

Cheers to 2014!!!

Falafel Hall of Fame in Springfield, MA - Eating Out Vegan

I do not usually eat out as much as I have lately. The school break has been the catalyst for this. The door will be closing on this fun shortly; however, I am determined to keep a crack open for Fun to sneak in as much as possible, when school resumes.

Yesterday, on my way to the historical town of Windsor, CT, I had a two-hour lay over in Springfield, MA. It is a relatively short commute on the Amtrak train from Boston. I have to also mention how excited I was to hear Amtrak offers a vegan burger as one of its dining options. Rock on!

In case you end up in Springfield, MA, be sure to check out the town's most famous attraction: The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Yes boys and girls, basketball was invented in the town of Springfield. If you are as big of a basketball fan as I am - did I convince you of being a fan? - then this is a must see place for YOU.

The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame is about 15-20 minute walk from the train station. 

Once you are done learning about the history of basketball, be sure to be on the look out for The Simpsons family. I did since they live in Springfield, the state is unspecified.

I beg to differ. I really enjoyed hanging out in Springfield. 

But alas, I was not able to chat with any Simpson family member. I did manage to get this photo of Bart though…

You could not be more wrong Bart! I think tofu would complete this sentence beautifully. 

On my way back to the the train station, I stopped by Nadim's Mediterranean Restaurant and Grill located in Springfield, MA, for an early dinner.

They start you off with pita bread and an oil infused dipping sauce.

It was quite good. 

I had a falafel plate served with rice and lentils, topped with fried onions. It comes with a side of hummus and tahini sauce. The tahini sauce is usually infused with yogurt. They will accomodate non-yougurt preference, and the sauce tastes great without!

It was excellent! I had it with pita bread, not pictured. 

There are other vegan options in this restaurant. You can also have a hummus wrap with french fries.

I did not have it, but it received excellent reviews by its consumer. 

Cheers Springfield!

Eating Out Vegan in Brooklyn Yo!

I went to NYC recently to visit peeps and to soak up the City's energy for my upcoming final school semester. Yikes!

I took the Megabus from Boston to NYC, about 4.5 hours each way, and made an amazing 24-hour trip out of it. You can get a lot done while traveling in a Megabus, but sleeping is most likely not one of these activities.

When I got to NYC, I walked around a bit, visited the Chelsea Market - I used to work there many moons ago. It is a great place to hang out and taste good food.

They offer vegan options in most of the eateries located inside the Chelsea Market. While hanging out, I purchased a souvenir at one of the Italian specialty stores found inside the market. Are you curious to find out what it is?

What? No good? 

Near the Chelsea Market, you will find the High Line Park. It is a park built on old rail tracks. I have visited the High Line Park often when I lived in NYC.

High Line Park.

The hotel, depicted to the right, has a reputation of tourists exuding their nakedness in front of its large, uncovered windows. New Yorkers are up to speed with this inside information. Consider yourself warned.

After a few hours in the City, catching up with good friends from the olden days, I headed to Brooklyn, to meet up with another lovely friend. There she is and there we are….

Peace! 

Then I ended up at the Thistle Hill Tavern in Park Slope, Brooklyn. The tavern is frequented by hipster and non-hipster humans alike. No matter where your allegiance lies, you will fit right in. I had the vegan burger. It was fantastic! I could tell they make it onsite and put some creativity into making this dish.

My picture does not do it justice - I took it with my phone. And yes, I am trying to be "artsy fartsy" about it.

Here is the vegan burger in color and increased in size. Cheers!

White bean, cracked wheat and mushroom vegan burger served on a potato roll with salt and pepper french fries. 

Eating Vegan at Boston's North End

I enjoy cooking, and trying out new recipes - don't look so astonished. Conversely, eating out is also fun and enjoyable. There are a lot of vegan options out there. Even in the most unexpected places, you can find something vegan from the menu. This may require using some trickery and borrowing ingredients from one course and transferring those to another. Most restaurants are happy to accommodate you, just be sure to be polite when you choose this route. Go out there and explore. Go on, I will wait. 

Last night after an intense tour of the Harpoon brewery in Boston, MA, on the way back home, I stumbled upon Gennaro's Restaurant at the North End. Before I delve into the description of the restaurant, I would like to mention that Harpoon brewery is great destination for a Bostonian or a traveler alike.

   I ordered a vegan friendly sampler. 

The tour is $5, but don't frown if you don't get a chance to participate, in case it is sold out, during the time frame you are there. You can drink all the beer you want at the brewery's Beer Hall. The Beer Hall is fantastic because you can choose to either sit at the bar or share a table with a bunch of strangers - both equally fantastic options!

Cheers!

Now onto Gennaro's Restaurant at Boston's North End. The have a VEGAN MENU! Say what? While the restaurant does not advertise the vegan menu option on their web site, be sure to ask for it. The only reason I knew about it was through reviews on Yelp.

Check it out! There are no veggie burgers involved. I love a good veggie burger, but I want more out of my dinning experience. Don't you? 

Rigatoni with fingerling potatoes, peas, and pesto. I am going to try replicating this dish one of these days. 

The restaurant is a little fancy pants, but the prices are decent and you don't have to wear fancy pants to dine there. Ok, I am out! Cheers!

Christmas Borscht/Beverage - To Your Health!

I was talking to my mom the other day. She lives in a land far away, also known as Polandia.

We were discussing serious stuff, mainly how we both love a beet beverage that is often served during Christmas time along with tiny mushroom dumplings.

After much deliberation, both of us have decided to make it. So here it is peeps. Enjoy! 

Even though it looks like a soup, this is what happens when you add dumplings to the beverage. If you are looking to make beet soup, the recipe for it lives here. Cheers!

Christmas borscht/beverage with mushroom dumplings.  Artwork by Andy Warhol. 

Christmas Borscht/Beverage 
Please note this recipe requires 2 days to make. On the bright side, cooking is not necessary!

Ingredients
6-8 medium sized beets, peeled and sliced (thin slices are not mandatory, so slice as you please)
8 cups of hot water, not boiling
2-3 cloves of garlic, whole
2 teaspoons raw cane sugar
Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste (I used about half a teaspoon of each)
1 piece of whole wheat bread crust
Dried dill weed for garnish (add at the end)

Additional: large glass jar to accommodate 8 glasses of water, cheese cloth, and twine.

Directions
First, fill your tea kettle all the way, and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, turn off, and wait about 10 minutes before using it for this recipes.

Use a large glass jar for this recipe - I used a glass container which I store my flour in. Do not use plastic! Place the beets in the jar along with the garlic cloves. Pour 8 cups of hot water that you have prepared in the kettle. Add sugar, salt and pepper. Mix, and add the whole wheat bread crust.

Cover with cheese cloth, use twine to secure the jar, and leave it on the counter (do not refrigerate!) for two days. Like this.

Waiting and waiting...

Once the beverage is ready to consume, season with additional salt and pepper, and add dill weed. Use a mesh sieve to separate the beets, garlic and crust. Be sure to heat the beverage first before drinking or serving it with the mushroom dumplings.

Store in a container in the refrigerator for up to one week. I would not recommend making this recipe in the summer.

*Note
Do not throw away the beets. Bake them in the oven with a bit of olive oil, and spices of choice.

Drink! 

Mushroom Dumplings (aka "little ears") and…

Mushroom dumplings, pan-fried! 

...and what? So, what did you get from Santa? I got an awesome food dehydrator which I have been wanting for quite some time. I am planning on making tofu jerky soon. Look out for that recipe in theaters or VKP blog near you!

In case Santa was not generous this year, sometimes that happens, please accept a personal gift from me - this recipe. Sorry, that's all I can do on such short notice.

Mushroom dumplings, also known as "little ears" or "uszka" in Polandia. 

This morning, I have decided to make these dumplings on a whim since my low maintenance borscht (no cooking involved!) is almost ready to consume - recipe coming soon.

These little dumplings are traditionally served with borscht during Christmas, but you can fry them and eat them as they are. Either way, you will not be disappointed. Just be sure to have a dumpling making companion to keep you on track.

Cheers!

Mushroom Dumplings - "Little Ears" or "Uszka"(Makes about 25 to 30 dumplings)

Ingredients 
Dough
3 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon of salt
1 cup hot water, not boiling

Filling
1 medium sized onion, finely diced
1 (10-oz package) baby bella mushrooms, finely chopped
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 tablespoon olive oil (optional)

Directions
Prepare the filling first. In a large pan, sauté the onion and mushrooms in olive oil over a medium heat. Non-stick cooking spray works well here too. Add salt and pepper to taste and continue sautéing for about 15-20 minutes until the onion becomes translucent and the mushrooms have shrunk quite a bit. Turn off the heat and set aside to cool.

Now make the dough. In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt. Add one cup of hot water. I boiled the water in a kettle and waited about 10 minutes for it to cool off prior to adding it to the dough. Knead for a few minutes until all the flour has incorporated. The dough will feel a bit hot to the touch, so be careful. Set the dough aside and let it rest for a few minutes.

Divide the dough into two "equal" pieces and roll it out as thin as you can. Meanwhile, keep the remaining part of the dough moist by covering it with a wet towel.

Use a small glass (about 1.5 to 2 inches in circumference) to make the shapes. See below.

In the meantime, bring a large pot of water to a boil.

Yup, Sam Adams is the king of beer here in MA.

Now, place a little bit of the filling in the center of the dough and fold it to a moon shape.

Like this...

I keep a cup of warm water when making dumplings, and dip my fingers in case the dough gets too dry and won't adhere. 

Now take the edges of the dumplings and stick them together, see below. Once the water is ready, drop 5 to 8 dumpling at a time to the boiling water, and wait for them to float to the top. This should take about a minute or so.

Use a slotted spoon to remove the dumplings and continue until all the dumplings are done. Serve with borscht, or fry them in olive oil, garlic and bread crumbs. Enjoy!

See why they call them "little ears'? 

Eat! 

Sauerkraut with Mushrooms and Figs Stew - Bigos. Can you dig it?

Sauerkraut with Mushrooms and Figs Stew, also known as Bigos. 

This year I celebrate the holidays without a Christmas tree. It was not intentional, it just happened that way. Don't feel badly for me. I have this little green wonder to keep me happy - see below.

I am green and...real - that's most important,
said the tiny Christmas tree. 

Now onto the recipe. I have been thinking about making my own version of a popular Polish dish called Bigos or Hunter's Stew.

Most traditional recipes call for uncanny ingredients to us vegans, while others are even vegetarian or accidentally vegan. Typically, dried fruits such as prunes  - [did they change the name back to dried plums recently?] - are also used. I have decided to go with dried figs instead.

Cheers to being salty!

Sauerkraut with Mushrooms and Figs Stew
Please note this recipe requires 4-5 hours of cooking time. Yikes!

Ingredients
2 (32-oz bags) sauerkraut, do not drain ( I used this brand)
1 large carrot (about 1 cup), peeled and shredded
1 large bay leaf
1/2 cup to 1 cup dried mushrooms, reconstituted ( I used Bay Bolete dried mushrooms)
1/2 to 3/4 cup dried figs, stems removed and chopped
1 to 2 tablespoons olive oil (add at the end)
Freshly ground black pepper to taste

Directions 
In large pot, add the sauerkraut with juices, along with the shredded carrot and bay leaf. Cover, and bring to a boil.

Once boiling, lower the heat to simmer and cook for about 4-5 hours (I am not kidding!), stir occasionally.

In the meantime, prepare the mushrooms. Place the dried mushrooms in a small bowl, and cover them completely with boiling water. I used about 1 cup if not more. Allow to sit and reconstitute for at least 2 hours. Do not drain! You will need the mushroom liquid later.

One to two hours before the stew is ready, add the mushrooms along with their liquid, chopped figs and freshly ground pepper to the pot with the sauerkraut. Stir and continue cooking until the water has almost completely evaporated and the sauerkraut has turned brown/orange color.

In case the liquid is not evaporating quickly enough, uncover the pot and increase the heat to medium-low. Conversely, if there is no liquid remaining before the stew is ready, add water gradually as needed.

Turn off the heat and add olive oil. Stir, and add more pepper if necessary. Do not add salt unless you want to. The stew should be salty enough.

Serve with favorite crusty bread or mashed potatoes. You can add vegan sour cream as well. Store in the refrigerator for up to one week. The stew tastes better the next day.

*Note
To decrease the sodium content, replace the sauerkraut liquid with equal amounts of water or low-sodium vegetable broth. The stew gets most of its flavor from the sauerkraut liquid and the mushrooms. However, if you choose to take the alternate route, be sure to let me know how it turns out. Much obliged. Peace out!

Salty ;)