veganmofo - weird combo + artichoke dip pizza

Day 4 of #vgnmf15! We are asked to share a weird food combo.

To me, "weird" food combo is very relative and what might be weird for me, might not be for you. So, at the risk of not following the rules, I will first list a few combos that I think are a little odd, and then I'll get down to business.

Seaweed and Coconut Ice Cream
Nutritional yeast and Chocolate
Pickles with Vanilla Frosting
Almond Butter and Vegenaise Sandwich
Applesauce on Pizza
Caramel Sauce and Ketchup
...you get the idea.

Now for the story behind what turned out to be my actual post.

My daughters and I were brainstorming together for the prompts for VeganMoFo. When the prompt for Day 4 popped up, my youngest teen offered her opinion of what a "weird" food combo is:

Artichoke dip and Pizza

At that point her older sister googled "artichoke dip + pizza," switched the results to "images" and turned the computer to face her sister. No words were needed, as the entire screen lit up with images of pizza with artichoke dip on them. Not as "weird" as she had thought!

[I advocate using Goodsearch instead of Google, though, since you can donate to a good cause each time you search, such as for Farm Sanctuary.]

Although we had a good laugh, it did offer a good opportunity to share this Artichoke Dip Pizza with you, which appears in Everyday Vegan Eats (Amazon, B&N) and first appeared on my publisher's site, Vegan Heritage Press.

The absolute "weirdest" part of this story is that the pizza below is her FAVORITE pizza and we make at least once a month on Pizza Night, but, more often, twice a month! I'm thinking the name threw her; the book has it as Spinach-Artichoke Pizza, which is how she has come to know it.

For this special mofo, I went ahead and renamed it to keep with the theme ;)

Artichoke Dip Pizza
Makes 2 (9-Inch) pizzas
From Everyday Vegan Eats by Zsu Dever. ©2014 Zsu Dever. Used by permission from 
Vegan Heritage Press.

1/2 (10-ounce) bag frozen chopped spinach, thawed
1/4 cup vegan cream cheese
2 scallions, coarsely chopped
1/2 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper
1 (6-ounce) jar artichoke hearts, rinsed and drained
3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

4 garlic cloves, very thinly sliced
1 pound pizza dough
1/2 cup shredded vegan cheese (optional)


1. Preheat the oven 450°F. Place the oven rack in the middle of the oven.
2. Squeeze the excess moisture from the thawed spinach and transfer it to a food processor. Add the cream cheese, scallions, lemon juice, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and black pepper, to taste. Process into a paste, scrapping down the sides of the bowl, as needed. Taste and adjust seasoning and set aside.
3. Squeeze the excess moisture from the artichokes, chop them and transfer to a medium bowl. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil, garlic, and salt and pepper, to taste. Mix well and set aside.
4. Divide the dough into 2 equal pieces. On parchment paper or a lightly floured, clean dry surface roll out one of the dough pieces into a 9-inch circle. Spread 1 tablespoon of oil on a baking sheet. Transfer the pizza dough to the baking sheet.
5. Spread half of the spinach mixture over the dough using an off-set spatula or the back of a spoon. If using, sprinkle half of the cheese over the spinach. Add half of the artichoke mixture.
6. Bake the pizza for 12 to 15 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and crisp. Slice and serve hot. Repeat with the other pizza dough.

veganmofo - q&e + thai panang curry bowl

Our prompt for day 3 of veganmofo is quick, easy and delicious.

Right away I knew which recipe I would post!

Panang Curry is our whole family's favorite Thai dish, I kid you not! To think that you can make this curry dish in less than 30 minutes is awesome - but to make the dish into a complete meal is even better, and the icing on the cake.

This recipe appears in Vegan Bowls (Amazon, B&N), but I couldn't help but share it with you today!

Basically, Thai curry is coconut milk that is cooked into curry paste. The paste can be made of green curry (using fresh green chilies) or  red curry (using dried red chilies). Panang uses red curry paste with the addition of peanut butter.

Because I am aware that red curry paste is difficult to find vegan (some have shrimp or fish sauce), or when found, a little bottle is sold at an outrageous price, I have included a wonderful, fragrant and most of all, easy, Red Curry Paste in Vegan Bowls.

In addition to being easy and delicious, the Red Curry Paste I offer is low in heat. Using more dried Anaheim peppers (a.k.a California chilies) than small red hot chilies is the key to adjusting the heat level of the paste, and, in turn, the heat level of the curry. Not everyone loves a lot of spice, and my recipe offers great flexibility in that department.

The recipe below uses store-bought curry paste, but if you get the book, you will also receive your very own curry paste recipe.

Enjoy this easy and simple vegan bowl!

Thai Panang Curry Bowl
SERVES 4 
This is such a simple recipe that it almost feels like cheating. In addition to being quick, this curry is super flexible; use any variety of vegetables that you please. (Recipe from Vegan Bowls, copyright © 2015 by Zsu Dever. Used by permission from Vegan Heritage Press, LLC.)


QUINOA
1 cup quinoa, rinsed well
1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1 garlic clove, crushed
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup green peas, thawed if frozen

CURRY
1 (13.5-ounce) can coconut milk, divided
3 tablespoons red curry paste 
2 tablespoons peanut butter
3 (2-lobed) kaffir lime leaves
2 tablespoons reduced-sodium tamari
1/4 to 1/2 cup water
5 cups coarsely chopped vegetables (carrot, winter squash, summer squash, green beans)
1 cup sliced red bell pepper
Sea salt and black pepper
1/2 cup Thai basil or Genoese basil

SOY-FREE OPTION: Substitute coconut aminos and 1/8 teaspoon sea salt for the tamari.

QUINOA: Heat the quinoa, broth, garlic and salt in a small saucepan. Cover, bring to boil over high heat, reduce to medium-low heat, cover and cook for 15 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside for 10 minutes. Fluff with fork and add peas before serving.

CURRY: Heat 1/4 cup coconut milk in a large pot over medium heat. Add the curry paste and cook until the milk reduces a bit, about 1 minute. Add another 1/4 cup of the milk and the peanut butter and cook for another minute. Add the remaining milk, the lime leaves, tamari, and 1/4 cup of water. Add the tough vegetables (carrot, winter squash) and cook for 4 minutes. Add the soft vegetables (summer squash, green beans) and simmer over medium until the vegetables are tender. Add the bell pepper and cook until crisp tender, about 1 minute. Add more water if the curry is too dry. Season with salt and pepper. To serve, divide the curry and quinoa among 4 bowls. Garnish with the basil.

veganmofo - childhood meal + stuffed cabbage bowl

Second day of #veganmofo - childhood meal!

The second suggestion from the folks at veganmofo have us recreating a childhood meal. I love developing Hungarian recipes and have done so in both Everyday Vegan Eats and the upcoming cookbook, Vegan Bowls (Amazon, B&N).

Everyday Vegan Eats  (Amazon, B&N) contains my most (most!) favorite Stuffed Cabbage recipe, which is a complete throwback to my childhood. I lived in restaurants and one of my parents most popular dishes was Stuffed Cabbage.

At the restaurant, my dad tweaked the Hungarian-style Stuffed Cabbage to be more Jewish-style with the addition of tomato sauce and sweetness. Hungarian Stuffed Cabbage is sour and made with ground meat and rice and a touch of smoke. Jewish-style Stuffed Cabbage contains tomato sauce and is sweet instead of sour.

I grew up with the Jewish-style Stuffed Cabbage, which explains why it appears in Everyday Vegan Eats! And while I completely love that version and  reserve a spot in my heart for it, on special (and only special!) occasions my dad would make the authentic Hungarian Stuffed Cabbage; therefore, now, I am at a loss as to which to pick for this round of mofo! Thanks, Obama!

However, since my publisher pulled my authentic Stuffed Cabbage-style Bowl from Vegan Bowls and the recipe will not be appearing in it, I get to share a freebie bowl recipe with you!

Typically, publishers pull recipes for lack of space, recipe difficulty or recipe length. In this case, I think maybe a little bit of all three was involved. While this bowl recipe is not too difficult, not too lengthy and does not take up too much space, I agree that it is partly a bit of all three and the decision to omit it was the right one.

Having said that, this is the easiest way to make stuffed cabbage, period. A bit more involved in the multi-tasking area, but definitely worth it.

This is a great time to introduce you to black cardamom. Black cardamom is not to be confused with green cardamom as they are night and day. Black cardamom is smoky and earthy and green cardamom is floral and sweet. I've discovered that I like using black cardamom because it brings smokiness to dishes without using liquid smoke. I love that!

Another very important thing to note: you MUST add the vegan sour cream. Make your own whole foods version or buy store-bought, but the sour cream brings the dish together. Without it, I'm afraid disappointment is in store. There is a creamy, sour, and tangy component that this dish desperately needs and cannot fare well without. Even the non-vegan version needs it, so do not skip it.

Stuffed Cabbage-Style Bowl
Unlike the tomato-based stuffed cabbage that we have come to love, Hungarian stuffed cabbage includes very little tomato. Instead, it is full of soured cabbage. In fact, even the cabbage that the rolls are stuffed in is a head of sour cabbage. To bring this traditional dish to a vegan bowl, I combine sauerkraut and green cabbage. Hungarians wouldn’t dream of preparing any dish without sour cream, so to make this bowl complete, I call for vegan sour cream, either store-bought or homemade, using the recipe from the Paprikás recipe.
Serves 4
SFO

Mushrooms:
6 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and cut into 1/8-inch slices
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon reduced-sodium tamari
1 teaspoon smoked paprika

Lentils:
3 ½ cups vegetable broth
1 cup green lentils, picked over and rinsed
2 large black cardamoms
2 teaspoons Hungarian paprika
1/2 cup drained sauerkraut

Rice:
2 cups water
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
3/4 cups long-grain white rice

Lecsó:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 medium onion, cut into 1/8-inch slices
1 medium bell pepper, cut into 1/8-inch slices
2 medium Roma tomatoes, coarsely chopped
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon fresh or dried thyme
1/2 head small green cabbage, cut into 1/4-inch slices

Sauté:
2 tablespoon whole-wheat pastry or all-purpose flour
1 cup drained sauerkraut
2 teaspoons Hungarian paprika
1 tablespoon olive oil

Vegan sour cream, homemade or store-bought

1. Mushrooms: Preheat the oven to 425°F. Transfer the mushrooms to a baking sheet and bake until considerably shrunk, about 5 minutes. Combine the oil, tamari and paprika in a small bowl and stir into the mushrooms. Stir well and arrange the mushrooms in a single layer. Continue to bake until almost crisp, about 10 to 12 more minutes, stirring midway through cooking. Set aside.
2. Lentils: Combine the broth, lentils, cardamom, paprika and sauerkraut in a medium saucepan. Bring to boil over high heat, reduce to a strong simmer over medium heat and cook until the lentils are tender but not falling apart. Remove and discard the cardamom. Drain and reserve 1 1/4 cups of the cooking broth.
3. Rice: Heat the water and salt over high heat in a small saucepan. Bring to boil, reduce to simmer and add the rice. Cook the rice until tender. Drain and set aside.
4. Lecsó: Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Add the onion, cover and cook until softened, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the bell pepper, cover and cook until softened, about 4 more minutes. Add a splash of water or broth if needed, and add the tomato, garlic and thyme. Cook until the tomato breaks down, an additional 4 minutes. Add the cabbage and cook to wilt, about for 3 minutes.
5. Saute: Reduce the heat to medium and add the flour and stir until well incorporated. Add the drained rice, the reserved broth from the lentil, the sauerkraut and the paprika. Stir well and simmer until the vegetables are tender, about 5 minutes. Stir in the reserved lentils, drizzle with the remaining tablespoon of oil and continue to simmer for an additional 3 minutes.
6. Assembly: Serve the cabbage sauté in bowls, garnished with vegan sour cream and the bacon mushrooms. 

Quick tip: Preheat the oven to 425°F right away. Heat the broth for the lentils and the water for the rice right away. First chop the onions and then begin chopping the mushrooms while the onion cooks. Chop the bell pepper while the onion cooks. Chop the tomato and cabbage while the bell pepper cooks. 

Soy-Free Option: Substitute coconut aminos with a few pinches of sea salt for the tamari.

Substitute: Substitute 1/2 teaspoon of liquid smoke for the black cardamom.


 © 2015 Copyright Zsu Dever. All rights reserved.

veganmofo - breakfast

First day of #veganmofo - Vegan Month of Food! I know that many people across the vegan blogosphere await the return of veganmofo with bated breath. In fact, many folks prepare their themes and even begin writing posts well before the arrival of the month.

This year the mofoers threw a wrench into well-laid plans and changed the rules, shaking things up quite a bit! The narration has changed a bit and now each day comes with its own unique suggestion of what to post.

The first day's suggestion is breakfast. As soon as I saw that, I knew that my first post would be about the breakfast options in my new cookbook, Vegan Bowls (Amazon, B&N).

This is amazingly exciting for me because breakfast/brunch is always the more challenging meal of the day because aside from standard go-to ideas - cereal, pancakes, waffles, bagels, oatmeal, granola, scrambles -  there is not much of a shake-up.

For Vegan Bowls I pulled all the punches and went around the world to bring you unique breakfast bowls - bowls that maybe you haven't come across or ones that we might not think are traditional breakfast fare, yet they nourish people around the globe.

Take, for instance, Ful Medames Breakfast Bowl. This fava bean bowl is a daily breakfast bowl in the Middle East and North Africa. It is a staple breakfast bowl served with pita bread and a quick radish salad. This stuff is addictive!

From Asia comes THIS typical breakfast/brunch meal: Congee.

Congee is a rice porridge that can be as plain as just the rice cooked in water, to something dazzling and complex with the rice cooked in broth and topped with a variety of extras, such as fried tofu, marinated tempeh, scallions, fried garlic slices, scallions and ginger.

Find out how to make this breakfast in under 30 minutes - a dish that normally needs to cook for about an hour.

Back from my homeland, I bring you this Hungarian Breakfast Bowl, complete with a Hungarian scramble, sausage-style mushrooms and roasted tomatoes. Served with some crisp rye toast, you will be in-the-know with these delicious Hungarian breakfast flavors.

Quinoa has been a staple in South America for eons - they knew long before we did the benefits and nutritious qualities of this tiny pseudocereal.

This mildly sweet take on the normally savory quinoa will have you making it again and again for breakfast. I pair quinoa with oranges, nuts, cardamom and pears. These ingredients all harmonize, and when you make it, you'll see why.

From Mexico, I re-create Huevos Rancheros, an egg-based dish with corn tortillas and ranchero sauce. This one is out of this world and I am very proud to say that I have finally (after years!) got it to taste just right.

In all, there are 12 delectable Breakfast Bowls in Vegan Bowls. Want to see the other recipes in this chapter?

I can honestly say that I love them ALL! I can also testify to the fact that breakfast at our house is no longer a dilemna.

Vegan Bowls (Amazon, B&N) will be released September 15 - in the middle of MoFo! A little more than two weeks off! Eeek! Exciting!!

burger wrap-up

Day 20 Vegan MoFo. This is it! This is the last post for Vegan MoFo 2014. Congrats to all who made it this far, and congrats to all who started in the first place. It can be pretty intimidating, especially if you aren’t a daily blogger (does anybody blog daily?)

My last post is not another burger post, but rather a round-up of five of our favorite burgers from this MoFo and tips on how to make your own vegan burgers.

Our Top Five Faves from this month, in no particular order:

Schnitzel Burger. This was the only burger that was fried and was made out of seitan. There is nothing else needing to be said, as basically anything fried would taste good, but then make that fried something a seitan, add a dill-horseradish sauce AND serve it on a homemade pretzel bun? Forget ‘bout it! This definitely makes our Top Five.

Rou Jia Mo (Chinese Burger). This one didn’t get a lot of hit action for some reason. It didn’t seem to appeal to too many of you. You have no idea what you’re missing. You HAVE to make this burger, from bun to finish. I guarantee love at first bite. The sauce/broth is nothing short of amazing and I am not the least bit surprised that this is a street food of unparalleled love in China.

Pizza Burger. Another one with a homemade “bun,” this one made out of focaccia. Even if you make the focaccia and not the burger (read: eat it alone in the back of the kitchen quietly so no one is the wiser and comes to pilfer your treasure), you are still way ahead of the game. Make the sausage-style burger and the sauce for it, and you have died and gone to pizza heaven. Decadent!

Eggplant Sriracha BBQ Burger. An elusively simple burger to make in the sense that the burger patty is nothing more than grilled eggplant. But that is just the start of the magic. It is then based with Sriracha BBQ Sauce and served with a Zucchini Slaw to cool things down. Do not forget the mayo! It ties everything together and is the host of the party. Told you it is simple, but the sum is so much more than the parts. Said that before, but with burgers, this is the #truth.

Thanksgiving Burger: all the holiday fixings on a single burger. Admit it, we all have our perfect bite at Thanksgiving – a bit of stuffing, a little cranberry sauce, some green bean casserole, a little gravy – and then we shovel it all in our mouths. Now you can stuff to contention and not feel as though you have crossed some sort of social divide. Eat your Thanksgiving meal! One complete bite at a time. The way the Feast was meant to be enjoyed.

Tips to Making Your Own Burgers:

The Bun:

You can use any bun you like but make sure to toast it. And I’m not talking just any old way. Lightly butter the buns and toast them in a skillet or grill pan over medium heat. That is the best way to toast your buns for your burgers.

Think outside the bun! I used all “burger” type buns because of the theme (lest someone mistake my burger for a sandwich!) but you have no such restrictions. Use lettuce leaves, lavash, tortillas, bread slices, whatever you have handy or you desire.

The Sauce:

All burgers need a sauce, whether it as simple as vegan mayo or ketchup or as complex as a BBQ sauce. But you can do better than ketchup, can’t you? Mix that ketchup with the mayo and add some grated onion and sriracha. While moderation is always best (please, don’t make a 40-ingredient sauce), get creative and add a few things: spicy, sweet, creamy, tangy, etc.

The Veggies:

Contrasting the hot burger, cool veggies are always a welcome addition. Your veg can be a slaw, a lettuce leaf, a slice of onion, a tomato slice, pickles, cucumbers, shredded cabbage, whatever you feel would make the burger complete. Try to match your veggies with your burger patty – napa cabbage on an Asian burger, etc.

The Burger Patty:

As I’ve demonstrated this month, your burger patty can be anything, from a cauliflower steak, to a cabbage steak, to tempeh and tofu and beans and anything that can be mashed, flavored and formed into a burger. All you really need is a binder for a patty, if you mash up ingredients such as veggies and beans.

Your binder can be: gluten flour, nut butters, seed butters, bread crumbs, oat flour (or other flours), flax meal, soaked chia seeds, etc. Anything that becomes sticky and acts like glue. Get the ratio of “food glue” to delicious burger filling right and you’ve got a burger that won’t fall apart, won’t become mushy and won’t be hard as a rock, but WILL be full of flavor.

Which brings me to flavor: over flavor the filling because once you sauté it or grill it, it tends to mute the seasonings. This includes salt. Don’t go overboard, but don’t produce a bland burger, either.

Theme:

Yes, you need a theme. Otherwise what on earth will you make? A theme is your starting point. It can be a region, a country, a style of burger, a flavor, a dish you want to make into a burger, etc. Making an Asian-inspired burger will start your journey with an Asian vegetable or flavor profile, such as teriyaki sauce, sriracha or Thai basil.

Recreating a meal into a burger, such as making your favorite curry Burger-fied: start with a coconut-curry sauce and make your patty from there: perhaps a cashew-tofu-veggies-Thai-curry-paste burger patty. 

The theme is your starting point from which you will draw your map. Don’t veer too far off-course, and you’ll find your way to your burger destination.

Thus ends Vegan MoFo 2014 for me! I’ll be reading and chatting with you all over the coming weeks. Thanks for all the support and enthusiasm! It’s been a blast!

Zsu

I am linking to these recipe parties: Healthy Vegan Fridays, What I Ate Wednesday and Virtual Vegan Linky Potluck. 

 

nothing fishy burgers

Day 19 Vegan MoFo is the final burger in this burger marathon and it is my Nothing Fishy Burger. This is in lieu of salmon burgers, crab cakes and other sea animals, that are best left in the ocean and not piled onto a sandwich.

This burger utilizes oyster mushrooms, which have an awesome texture for this type of a filling and it is accented with a hint of seaweed. I use my absolute favorite sea vegetable: dulse flakes. They are just a reminder of the sea instead of a harsh sea flavor, and therefore, they are perfect for the uninitiated.

I top this burger with a Caper-Relish Sauce, which is a kicked-up tartar sauce (because we can't have any repeats this month!) thanks to the capers and chipotle peppers. To cool things down, the Cucumber Slaw is a welcome addition for its effect and it's crunch.

I've made a crab-cake like sandwich before: Crabby Cakes, HERE, which we loved, too. Those are made with tofu and these Nothing Fishy Burgers are soy free. Oh, the choices!

Now that the burgers are all done, what will tomorrow bring, the final Vegan MoFo Day of 2014? A Round Up, of course, and ...perhaps some tips and advice on how to make your own vegan burgers. Let me, one whose made the mistakes, let you in on a few tips of the trade.

NOTHING FISHY BURGER PRINTER-FRIENDLY RECIPE

Nothing Fishy Burger

Makes 5 burgers

3 tablespoons neutral oil, divided

1 large onion, minced

6 garlic cloves, minced

Sea salt and black pepper

1 pound oyster mushrooms, trimmed

2 teaspoons dulse flakes, divided

¼ cup vegan mayonnaise

1 ½ teaspoons Old Bay seasoning

½ cup plus 2 tablespoons dry bread crumbs, divided

¼ cup chopped parsley

Cucumber Slaw, recipe below

Caper-Relish Sauce, recipe below

5 burger buns, toasted

1. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Stir in the onions and cook until golden, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and season with salt and black pepper. Cook for another 2 minutes and remove from skillet to a large bowl.

2. In the same skillet, add 1 tablespoon oil, increase heat to medium-high and add half the mushrooms. Cook, stirring infrequently, until golden brown, about 5 minutes. Transfer mushrooms to work surface and chop well, but do not mince. Repeat with remaining 1 tablespoon oil and mushrooms.

3. Add the chopped mushroom to the large bowl with the onions. Add 1 teaspoon dulse, mayo, Old Bay, ½ cup bread crumbs and parsley. Mix well and season with salt and black pepper. Divide into 5 portions and form into burgers. Handle them carefully. Just like crab cakes, these are delicate and will fall apart if handled with a harsh hand. Gentle dredge each burger in the remaining bread crumbs.

4. Heat the skillet again, add a little oil the remaining dulse flakes and cook them until golden brown, about 3 minutes per side.

5. Assemble the burgers by spreading the bottom bun with the sauce, adding a burger and topping with the slaw. Serve.

Cucumber Slaw

½ large cucumber, cut into julienne strips

1 medium carrot, cut into julienne strips

1 tablespoon white vinegar (such as white balsamic or coconut vinegar)

1 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds

½ teaspoon natural sugar

¼ teaspoon sea salt

1. Combine all the ingredients in a medium bowl. Sti well. Adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper

Caper-Relish Sauce

¼ cup vegan mayo

¼ cup vegan sour cream

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1 tablespoon drained capers

1 tablespoon sweet relish

2 teaspoons minced chipotle

Sea salt and black pepper, to taste

1. Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl. Stir well and season with salt and black pepper.

© 2014 Copyright Zsu Dever. All rights reserved

california burger

Day 18 Vegan MoFo is all about the state I reside in, at the moment: California. We tend to move around a lot, although not as such as my family did in my adolescence, which was up to twice in one year, at times.

This burger has everything going for it that you've come to expect from a California type sandwich: sprouts, vegan bacon, avocado, tomato and a homemade burger patty.

This patty is a variation of my Better Burger Patty, which I'm trying to perfect. This patty omits the beets (athough it is an omission I only made because I didn't have fresh beets) and uses Marmite instead of a homemade beef-style seasoning.

As for the bacon, use whatever vegan bacon you like. I used my Tofu Bacon (page 36) from Everyday Vegan Eats because we love it so much - crispy, crunchy, salty, smoky. Perfect on this burger.

The sauce is Avocado-Cilantro Sauce that makes use of the other half of avocado that you thinly slice for the sandwich.

Our kids love the California Club Sandwich (EVE, page 83) from Everyday Vegan Eats, and I figured I'd make it into a burger because, why not?

Note: I was supposed to publish this last night. Grr! I'll add two post today or tomorrow to finish my MoFo on a high note!

CALIFORNIA BURGER PRINTER-FRIENDLY RECIPE

California Burger

Makes 10 burger patties. Makes 4 burgers, with the other 6 freezing well.

1 (14-ounce) package tofu

6 tablespoons vegan mayonnaise

3 teaspoons yeast extract spread (such as Marmite)

1 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 cup chopped onions

½ teaspoon sea salt

2 cup vital wheat gluten flour

½ cup steak sauce (such as A-1)

8 strips vegan bacon

Avocado-Cilantro Sauce, recipe below

½ avocado

1 cup sprouts

4 tomato slices

4 onion slices

4 leaves lettuce

4 burger buns, toasted

1. Preheat the oven to 230-degrees F. Combine the tofu, mayo, yeast extract, mustard, onions and salt in a food processor. Process until smooth. Add the gluten flour and pulse until the dough comes together. Transfer to a large bowl and knead until gluten threads form. Divide into 10 portions and form each portion into a burger patty. Arrange the burgers in two baking dishes. Spread 1 teaspoon of steak sauce on each side of the burgers. Cover the dishes tightly with foil and bake for 2 hours. Cool the patties throroughly before using.

2. Heat a grill pan or large skillet over medium heat. Oil the burgers with oil spray and cook until golden, about 2 minutes. Baste with more steak sauce, flip and continue to cook until golden, another 2 minutes. Baste, flip and cook for another 2 minutes.

3. Assemble the burgers by spreading sauce on the bottom bun, adding a tomato slice, an onion slice, adding a burger patty, adding a few slices of avocado, topping with sprouts and adding the top of the bun. Serve.

Avocado-Cilantro Sauce

½ avocado

2 tablespoons chopped cilantro

¼ cup vegan mayo

1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Sea salt and black pepper, to taste

1. Combine all the ingredients in a personal blender. Blend until smooth. Adjust seasoning with salt and black pepper

© 2014 Copyright Zsu Dever. All rights reserved.

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irish burger

Day 17 Vegan MoFo burger is an Irish Burger!

These burgers are made with cabbage steaks that are rubbed with horseradish and dusted with corned seasoning and then roasted. It is then topped with melted cheese.

The second layer is sauerkraut and crumbled homemade tempeh-bacon.

The third layer is fried potatoes - because you can't have an Irish burger without potatoes! Finally the sauce is made of relish, mustard and grated onion - a twist on the traditional 1,000 Island dressing that graces a Reuben.

This burger has a lot of action happening, but it all comes together in one magical sandwich.

IRISH BURGER PRINTER-FRIENDLY RECIPE

Irish Burger

Makes 4 burgers

5 tablespoons neutral oil, divided

1 large Russet potato, cut into julienne strips

1 head cabbage (about 1 pound), cut into ½-inch slices

Prepared horseradish, as needed, about 2 tablespoons

Corned Spices, recipe below

½ cup shredded vegan cheese

1 (8-ounce) package tempeh, finely chopped

1 tablespoon reduced-sodium tamari

1 tablespoon nutritional yeast

1 teaspoon smoked paprika

Special Irish Sauce, recipe below

1 cup sauerkraut

4 burger buns, toasted

1. Preheat the oven to 400-degrees F.Toss 1 tablespoon of oil with the potato strips on a baking sheet. Bake until tender, about 20 minutes and set aside.

2. Arrange the cabbage slices on an oiled baking sheet. Spread 1 teaspoon of horseradish on each cabbage slices. Sprinkle the Corned Spices over the top of the slices. Roast the cabbage in the preheated 400-degree oven until tender, about 20 minutes. Add cheese over the cabbage steaks and continue to bake until the cheese melts. Set aside.

3. Meanwhile, heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the tempeh and cook until golden about 4 minutes. Add the tamari, yeast and cook until the tamari evaporates. Remove from heat and stir in the paprika. Set aside.

4. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet and cook the baked fries in batches until crisp. Drain on paper towels and season with salt and black pepper.

5. Assemble the burgers by spreading about 2 tablespoons of sauce on each bottom bun, add a cabbage steak, tempeh bacon, ¼ of the sauerkraut and ¼ of the fries. Top with the top buns and serve.

Corned Spices

2 teaspoon mustard seeds

1 teaspoon dill seeds

1 teaspoon coriander seeds

Pinch ground clove

Sea salt and black pepper

1. Combine all the ingredients in a spice grinder or personal blender. Blend until finely ground.

Special Irish Sauce

½ cup vegan mayo

½ small onion, grated

2 tablespoons sweet relish

1 tablespoon dijon mustard

Sea salt and black pepper

1. Combine all the ingredients in a small bowl. Stir well.

© 2014 Copyright Zsu Dever. All rights reserved.

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