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12/19/2019 11:00 PMRich and Creamy Egg Nog
(vegan, gluten free)
serves 6-12 (depending on 1 cup or ½ cup servings)
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1 15 oz bpa-free can full-fat coconut milk
¾ cup raw unsalted cashews, soaked overnight and drained
2 mejdool dates, pitted, soaked overnight and drained
2 cups water
¼ -1/3 cup maple syrup (taste to adjust sweetness)
½ tsp freshly ground nutmeg
½ tsp ground cinnamon
1/8 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
little pinch of sea salt
1/3 cup – ½ cup spiced rum or Bourbon (optional)
¼ tsp xantham gum (optional, for a really thick and creamy texture)
cinnamon sticks, for garnish
Blend all ingredients together in a high-speed blender until completely smooth; it may take a few minutes for the mixture to become creamy and uniform due to the dates, so be patient. Served warm or chilled.
Sweet, Smoky, Spicy Roasted Nuts
(vegan, gluten free)
makes about 4 cups
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½ cup coconut sugar
1 ½ tsp sea salt (see note below)
¼ tsp smoked paprika
1/8-¼ tsp cayenne pepper
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 lb (about 4 cups) mixed raw unsalted nuts (walnuts, pecans, almonds, cashews)
3 Tbsp aquafaba (liquid from bpa-free can of garbanzo beans)
1 Tbsp water
NOTE:
If canned beans are not sodium-free, reduce added sea salt to taste. If you would like a delicious (and still gluten-free) alternative to sea salt, try 2 Tbsp coconut aminos or low sodium tamari.
1. Preheat oven to 300F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Mix sugar, salt (see note above), cayenne, paprika, cinnamon, making sure there are no lumps. Set aside.
3. Beat aquafaba and water until frothy. Add nuts and stir to coat evenly.
4. Place nuts on baking sheet and sprinkle with sugar and spice mixture, mixing with your hands until they are evenly coated and spread out in a single layer on the sheet.
5. Bake 30 mins, stirring every few minutes, until the nuts are deeply browned and just dry to the touch. Remove from oven and separate nuts as they cool, if they are clumping together. Serve warm or at room temperature, or store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.
Rustic Fig, Walnut, and Rosemary Crackers
makes approximately 16 crackers
(vegan, gluten free)
*
1 Tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 Tbsp water
1 cup raw unsalted walnuts
½ cup raw unsalted sunflower seeds
½ cup quinoa flour (or other gluten-free flour of choice; oat flour would work nicely with these flavors)
½ Tbsp chopped fresh rosemary
sea salt
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
3 dried figs, finely sliced
1. Preheat the oven to 350F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Mix the ground flaxseed with water and set aside to thicken, about 10 minutes. (This is your binder, or “egg”.)
3. Place walnuts and sunflower seeds into a food processor or blender and pulse until finely ground. Scoop into a mixing bowl. (If you want a nuttier taste to your crackers, toast the walnuts first.)
4. Add quinoa (or other gluten-free) flour, rosemary, and sea salt to taste and whisk together until fully incorporated.
5. Stir in olive oil, followed by the flax “egg”.
6. With your hands or with a wooden spoon, bring together into a dough. (Add in extra water by the teaspoon, if necessary. The dough should feel slightly wet and oily.) Stir in the chopped figs.
7. Shape the dough into a ball and place it onto the parchment paper. Using a rolling pin, roll it out into a circle until it is uniformly about ¼” thick. Be patient with the dough; it may crack because of the figs. Just use your hands to shape it and push it back together, and continue to roll.
8. Using a pizza cutter cut the dough into 16 wedges, like you would cut a pizza, or into large squares, triangles, and/or diamonds.
9. Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until the dough is firm, slightly crisp, and golden brown. Let cool.
10. Break into bite-size pieces (if necessary) and store in an airtight container for up to a week – or enjoy immediately!
Cranberry Rosemary Crusted Cashew Cheese Log (or Ball)
makes 1 16 oz ball or log
(vegan, gluten free)
*
2 cups raw unsalted cashews (soaked overnight)
2 Tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tsp roasted garlic
½ — ¾ tsp fine sea salt
¼ — ½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
handful of roasted salted mixed nuts (walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, etc.)
¼ cup dried cranberries
2 sprigs fresh rosemary
1. Rinse and drain the soaked cashews. Blend them in a food processor or high- speed blender with nutritional yeast, garlic, and salt and pepper until smooth.
2. Place mixture onto a cheesecloth, wrap tightly, and squeeze to drain any liquids. If a ball shape is desired, then shape the mixture into a ball, still in the cheesecloth. Place over a sieve or strainer and store in the refrigerator for 6-8 hours. If a cylinder shape is preferred, transfer the squeezed cashew mixture onto parchment paper and roll into a log. Twist the sides (like a candy) and tuck them underneath to hold the shape. Let it sit on a dishtowel in the refrigerator to let some extra moisture get absorbed in the dishtowel.
3. Chop the nuts, cranberries, and rosemary, and spread the mixture onto a clean work surface. Unwrap the cheese and roll it in the toppings, evenly pressing them into the “cheese”. Serve immediately or return the cheese to the refrigerator until time to serve. Lovely with your favorite crackers or in a salad!
Walnut, Sage, and Cranberry Stuffed Holiday Mushrooms
makes 12 mushrooms
(vegan, gluten free)
*
1 lb large cremini or baby bellla mushrooms, steemed (about 12 mushrooms with 2” diameter)
1 ¼ cup raw unsalted walnut pieces, divided
2 cloves garlic, smashed and peeled
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
½ cup finely diced shallots (about 2 medium shallots)
2 Tbsp finely chopped fresh sage leaves
2 tsp minced fresh rosemary
¼ tsp dried thyme
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
1/3 cup dried cranberries, finely chopped
1 tsp sherry vinegar
1 Tbsp nutritional yeast flakes
¼ cup flat-leaf parsley, stemmed and finely chopped
1. Preheat oven to 400F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Use a small spoon to gently scrape away the gills from each mushroom. (More space = more filling!)
3. Add 1 cup of the walnuts and the garlic to a small food processor and pulse 15 to 20 times, or until very finely chopped or coarsely minced.
4. Heat a large sauté pan over medium-low heat and add the olive oil, walnut mixture, shallots, sage, rosemary, thyme, sea salt and black pepper to taste, and continue to cook for 5 minutes, or until the shallots soften and the walnuts are lightly toasted, stirring frequently. Remove from the heat and stir in the cranberries and sherry vinegar. Taste and season with more sea salt and black pepper, if desired.
5. Add the remaining ¼ cup walnuts and a pinch of sea salt to a small food processor, along with the nutritional yeast flakes. Process for 20 seconds, or until the mixture resembles finely grated parmesan cheese. Set aside.
6. One at a time, pick up each mushroom and use a small spoon to fill it with the walnut-herb mixture. (You are not using the walnut-nutritional yeast mixture yet.) Use the back of the spoon to gently compact the mixture into the mushroom cap and transfer to the lined baking tray. Repeat, stuffing all of the mushrooms. (I find it easiest to hold the mushrooms over the pan with the walnut filling while stuffing. That way, excess filling falls back into the pan instead of on the lined tray.) Sprinkle the top of each mushroom with a generous pinch of the walnut “parmesan.”
7. Bake for 16 to 20 minutes, or until the mushrooms are tender and the top of the filling is golden brown.
8. Garnish the mushrooms with a sprinkle of parsley and serve immediately.
Delicata Squash Wreaths with Maple Balsamic Pomegranate Glaze
serves 5-7 as an appetizer
(vegan, gluten free)
*
2 medium-size delicata squash (1 ½ lbs total)
1 ½ Tbsp maple syrup (preferably grade B)
1 ½ Tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
sea salt
freshly ground black pepper
1 Tbsp pomegranate molasses ½ cup fresh pomegranate arils
1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley and/or mint
maldon or other coarse sea salt
1. Preheat the oven to 400F. Line a baking pan with parchment paper.
2. Wash and dry the squash. Cut off the very ends of each squash. Slice the trimmed squash into ¾-inch thick rounds. Use a sharp paring knife or edge of a spoon to cut out the seeds, leaving the squash rounds intact.
3. Combine the maple syrup, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, and salt and pepper (to taste) in a medium-size mixing bowl. Add the squash rings and toss with the glaze. Lay the squash in a single layer on the prepared baking pan.
4. Roast the squash for 15 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and turn the squash over.
5. Stir the pomegranate molasses into the glaze remaining in the bowl. Gently brush each round of squash with the remaining glaze, using all of it. Roast for another 15 minutes, or until the squash is tender but not mushy and the glaze has thickened into a sticky coating that adheres to the “wreaths”.
6. Let cool to room temperature and serve the squash sprinkled with finely chopped parsley and/or mint, fresh pomegranate arils, and a little coarse sea salt. (The skin is edible, so guests can eat this as finger food.)
Spinach and Artichoke Stuffed Phyllo Triangles
serves 8-10
(vegan)
*
1 14-oz bpa-free can artichoke hearts packed in water (drained and rinsed, then gently squeezed dry)
5 mushrooms (button or baby bella)
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 9-oz package frozen chopped spinach, thawed and squeezed dry
1 bpa-free can no sodium added garbanzo beans (drained and rinsed; save the aquafaba, or liquid from the can, for another use!)
juice from ½ lemon
3 Tbsp fresh mint and parsley, minced (divided)
sea salt
freshly ground pepper
pinch of dried red chile flakes (optional)
1 Tbsp tahini or nutritional yeast (optional, for a bit of umami flavor)
½ -1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil, plus more for brushing
1 package phyllo dough, thawed according to package directions
sesame seeds or chopped pistachios (optional)
1. Preheat oven to 375F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Put all ingredients except olive oil, phyllo, sesame seeds or pistachios, and 1 Tbsp of mint and parsley into a food processor and pulse until very well combined but not pureed (you want to keep a little texture). Drizzle in a bit of olive oil to smooth it out.
3. Working quickly, take one sheet of phyllo and brush it lightly with olive oil; top with another sheet of phyllo and brush it lightly with olive oil as well. (As you are doing this, be sure that your extra phyllo sheets are kept underneath a damp kitchen towel so that they don’t become brittle.) Take a third sheet and top it with a thin layer of the spinach artichoke mixture.
4. With a pizza cutter, slice stacked phyllo sheets lengthwise, into as many 2-3” sections as you can. Working quickly, fold the bottom right corner of each phyllo strip over to form a right triangle. Continue to fold phyllo strips this way until you reach the top of the strip. Place phyllo triangles seam-sides down on the parchment lined baking sheet and brush the tops with olive oil. Sprinkle with sesame seeds or chopped pistachios if desired.
5. Repeat process with remaining phyllo sheets and spinach artichoke mixture.
6. Bake triangles for 20-25 minutes, until puffed up and golden brown. Transfer to a rack to cool slightly. Serve warm or at room temperature, topped with the remaining Tbsp of minced mint and parsley.
NOTE:
If the triangles become soft before serving, simply re-bake in a 375F or 400F oven for a couple of minutes, until crisp.
Steamed Jade Dumplings with Two Dipping Sauces
(vegan)
makes 24 dumplings
*
1 Tbsp minced or grated fresh ginger
2 garlic cloves, peeled and minced or grated
1 Tbsp toasted sesame oil
1 Tbsp low-sodium tamari
1 cup bok choy, tat soi, or any Chinese green, blanched and minced
5 shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and caps minced
1/3 cup edamame, or shelled soy beans
1 Tbsp arrowroot powder or cornstarch
2 scallions, cut into long thin strips to be used as string
24 round dumpling wrappers (make sure these are vegan, if necessary)
romaine lettuce leaves
handful of sesame seeds, for serving
1. Mix ginger and garlic in a small bowl. Heat toasted sesame oil in a shallow pan skillet and sauté ginger and garlic in hot oil for one minute. Put back into small bowl.
2. Add tamari, blanched minced greens, mushrooms, edamame, and arrowroot powder or cornstarch and mix well.
3. Put one tsp of the vegetable mixture on each dumpling wrapper, gather it up like a purse, and tie a scallion strip around the top to hold it together. Steam immediately or put in the refrigerator, covered, for up to 8 hours ahead.
4. Place steamer rack in a large pot. Pour enough water into pot to reach depth of ½ inch. Line steamer rack with romaine lettuce leaves. Heat water to a simmer. Working in batches, arrange dumplings side by side (but not touching) on steamer rack, on top of lettuce leaves. (This prevents sticking.) Cover and steam for 15 mins. (You may also do this with a bamboo steamer, using the lettuce leaves and same basic procedure.) Serve warm or at room temperature, on the steamed romaine leaves, with dipping sauces (see below) and a sprinkling of sesame seeds.
Miso-Soy-Sesame Dipping Sauce
(vegan, gluten free)
makes enough for dipping 24 dumplings
*
1/3 cup low-sodium tamari
1 Tbsp light colored miso paste
1 scallion, very thinly sliced
2 Tbsp rice vinegar
2 tsp toasted sesame oil
Stir together in a small bowl to blend. Ready!
Thai Peanut Dipping Sauce
(vegan, gluten free)
makes 1 2/3 cups
*
¾ cup creamy all natural peanut butter, well stirred
¼ cup rice vinegar
¼ cup water, plus more if necessary
1/3 cup low-sodium tamari
3 Tbsp agave nectar or maple syrup, or to taste
1 ½ tsp freshly minced or grated ginger
1-2 medium cloves garlic, minced or grated
¼ tsp red pepper flakes
sprinkling of chopped roasted peanuts, squeeze of lime, and minced scallion, for serving
In a medium size bowl, whisk together the ingredients until well blended and sauce reaches desired consistency. Taste to adjust sweetness. Ready! (Or store in refrigerator, covered, for up to a week. Re-whisk and reinvigorate flavors with a squeeze of lime or dash of vinegar.)
Perfect Sugar Cookies
(vegan)
makes approximately 24 2”-2 ½” cookies
*
dry:
2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
½ tsp baking powder
¼ teaspoon sea salt
binder:
1 Tbsp ground chia or ground flax
3 Tbsp water
wet:
¾ cup vegan butter, preferably unsalted and from sticks rather than a tub (if salted, simply adjust added salt above to taste)
¾ cups sugar (white, cane, or, for a darker and richer tasting cookie, coconut)
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
½ tsp almond extract
an abundance of icing:
4 cups powdered sugar
4 Tbsp tsp non-dairy milk or water
½ tsp pure vanilla extract
natural food coloring (turmeric, beet juice, etc.) (optional)
1. Preheat oven to 350F. Line a rimless cookie sheet with 2 sheets of parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, mix together all the dry ingredients.
3. In a small bowl, mix together the ground flax or ground chia, and the water, and set aside to thicken, about 10 minutes.
4. In a third bowl, or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the vegan butter and sugar together until creamy, about 3 minutes. Add remaining wet ingredients, including the flax or chia mixture, and mix well. Add wet mixture into dry and combine until a dough is formed. (Vegan butters can differ in moisture content, so add up to 1 Tbsp of water until dough just comes together, if necessary.)
5. Put dough between the two sheets of parchment paper and roll it out to about ¼ inch thick. Pop baking tray and rolled dough into freezer for 15 minutes or into the fridge for 30 minutes.
6. Lift the top layer of parchment off and cut cookie shapes from chilled dough, leaving 2 inches between shapes and removing excess dough as you go. Reroll the dough scraps in the same manner as above, chilling once it has been rolled.
7. Bake cookies 8-11 minutes, until just golden brown and slightly firm to the touch. Let cool on parchment for a couple of minutes, then carefully place them on a cooling rack using a spatula.
8. Make the icing while the cookies cool: add powdered sugar, 2 tsp nondairy milk or water (or more), to reach desired consistency. Add colors if you like. Let cookies cool completely before decorating.
Perfect Spicy Gingerbread Cookies
(vegan)
makes approximately 24 2”-2 ½” cookies
*
1 1/3 cups whole wheat pastry flour
2/3 cups unbleached ap flour
pinch of sea salt
1 ½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
3 tsp ground cinnamon
3 tsp ground ginger
½ tsp freshly grated nutmeg
½ tsp ground cloves
½ tsp ground cardamom
½ cup coconut oil, room temperature
½ cup + 1 Tbsp coconut sugar
1 Tbsp ground flax
3 Tbsp warm water
½ cup molasses (not blackstrap)
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2+ Tbsp non-dairy milk
1. In a medium bowl combine flours, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and cardamom. Set aside.
2. In a small bowl, stir together the ground flax and warm water. Let sit for 10 minutes.
3. In a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the coconut oil and coconut sugar. Beat for 1-2 minutes until the mixture is light and airy. Add the flax mixture, molasses, vanilla, and non-dairy milk, and beat for another 30 seconds to mix thoroughly.
4. Gradually add the flour mixture to the creamed sugar mixture, beating to combine. If the dough is too dry to come together, add another more milk, a tablespoon at a time, until it forms a ball.
5. Flatten the dough into a thick dis, wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
6. Once you are ready to make cookies, bring the dough to room temperature.
7. Preheat the oven to 325F.
8. Roll the dough directly onto a sheet of parchment paper placed on a cookie sheet to a uniform ¼” thickness, sprinkling a very little bit of flour on the rolling pin or dough if you need to. Use cookie cutters to cut shapes, and a flat spatula to gently remove the excess dough, keeping the shapes about 1 ½”-2” apart. Keep re-rolling and cutting out the dough until it’s all used up, refrigerating the scraps if they become too soft and difficult to work with.
9. Place the unbaked cookies on the cookie sheet into the freezer to chill for 10 minutes.
10. Bake for 8-10 minutes, until the cookies are lightly browned around the edges and barely firm in the center.
11. Let cool completely before decorating with icing (see sugar cookie recipe). Or store them in an airtight container for a lovely chewy molasses cookie texture. (To keep the cookies crisp and snappy, store them with a little of bit ventilation.)