EASY Roasted Tomato, Garlic, and White Bean Pasta

So, what recipe did I choose to tackle from the "Dreena, I need a recipe for _____" post? None other than angel food cake! I know!! Nothing too simple, right? I could try replicating a poached egg for the next challenge, ha! Seriously though, the reason I'm going to take on veganizing angel food cake is simply because I had SO many requests for it! Really! Apparently many of you have fond memories and recipe variations on angel food cake, and though it was never something I enjoyed a whole lot myself (anyone else notice they'd get a 'squeaky teeth' feel when eating it? or is that my own idiosyncrasy?). So, in a couple of weeks time (after we clear through a couple of busy weeks for our family) I'm going to start testing, and will report the results on our 1st "Dreena, I need a recipe for ______" event! Fun!!

Until then, I have some regular nummies to share with you. To make this divine pasta dish, I employed the method from my Velvety Roasted Herbed Tomato Soup from TEV to roast and caramelize those luscious pieces of tomato and garlic you see adorning the noodles.

In the soup recipe (p. 90 of TEV), the tomatoes and garlic are pureed with the other soup ingredients for this thick, luscious, smooth herbaceous tomato soup. But here, for the pasta, I left the roasted tomatoes and garlic in large, chunky pieces! The method is simple, and yet gives maximum flavah!

So, let's get to how it's done. I prefer to use roma or plum tomatoes, but other varieties can be used. You don't even need to measure for this pasta, just eyeball it. Get 6-8 tomatoes and cut in half, and place on a baking sheet (lined with parchment). Then, get a bunch of garlic cloves, maybe 10 or so, and smash with a knife to remove the skins. Then, cut in halves or quarters, and embed the cut garlic cloves in the juicy pockets of the tomatoes. Shower the tomatoes withdried oregano, basil, sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, and of course extra virgin olive oil - sllllurp! Those tomatoes love that olive oil! Here they are all ready... Pop in the oven and roast 'em up, anywhere from 375 - 400 degrees for about 40 - 50 mins (longer time for lower heat, and also depending on how big the tomatoes are). You'll know they're done when they look like this...


All golden and shriveled and roasty-toasty marvelously good! And - the garlic cloves stay moist in those tomatoes, instead of burning.

That's about it! Get your pasta ready when the tomatoes are just about finished (or you can do the tomatoes ahead of time, no problem)... gently toss the tomatoes and juices (scrape all those juices off the paper) with the pasta, along with some olive oil and s & p to tastel. I also added white beans and fresh basil. Splendid delicious! Not to mention that by using a whole-grain pasta with the white beans, you have a protein-rich dish as well.

What's not to love.... cook it up, my pretties!

Gluten-Free. Vegan. Chocolate Cake!

**update: I've received lots 'n lots of fun (& challenging) requests since posting last week. So, let's take a breather on the requests for now, and after I tackle the first creation (and succeed! - yes we must remain +'ve!!) I'll open up the request-line again!

"hey, Dreena, I need a recipe for a gluten-free vegan chocolate cake!"

Okay! Here you go...

This cake inspired my teaser post on Wednesday. You see, I received an e-mail from a gal that was referred to me by a long-term follower of my blog. She was needing a recipe for a gluten-free vegan chocolate cake for her daughter's birthday. Her daughter had some food sensitivities, and so a regular wheat, or even spelt cake was not an option.

I immediately referred to my Triple Layer Chocolate Cream Cake from TEV. I threw on my gluten-busting apron (complete with cape and GF logo) (kidding!) and got to testing! I ran two trials. The first was very good, but just a touch sticky and almost chewy. Yet, the taste was great, and it was moist, so I knew I was on track. Test #2... the cake was moist, chocolatey, sliced nicely, and was not at all gritty or crumbly as some gluten-free baked goods can be.

I surprised myself with the texture and taste of this cake. Surprised, because I was fully expecting a grainier, drier mouth feel to the cake. Surprised, because I could easily serve this cake with the chocolate cream, without any hesitation that guests would notice it is gluten-free or vegan.

So, I give you the recipe for this gluten-free vegan chocolate cake. Keep in mind that I baked it in 2 round pans, rather than three that I've used for the original cake. I was cautious that the cake layers would be slightly too delicate for a three-layer cake, so I opted for two. That won't interfere with your frosting... just means you might be able to pack away a lil' container of extra frosting in the fridge for spoonish snacking! Ohhh yeah, baby. Or, serve it on its own with a simple sauce and fruit, as shown. The cake is tender and tasty enough to stand on its own.

And... this brings me back to my teaser post. This isn't the first time I've 'customized' a recipe for someone, and yet ultimately I realize that I really enjoy doing this kind of thing. It's a good feeling to be able to provide a food solution to someone! Especially when it's for a special occasion, like this birthday party. So, I thought I'd expand on this idea: Dreena, create-me a recipe! (oh my, that's truly awful grammar, ha).

So:
- do you need a wheat-free or gluten-free recipe for a muffin, cake, or cookie?
- do you need a soy-free version of a vegan recipe? (ex: I'm currently working on two versions of a "fit-tucine alfredo" - one with soy, the other soy-free)
- do you have a favorite childhood recipe that you'd like to make vegan?
- do you have a hankering or idea for a dish that you'd like to see formalized in a recipe?
- or, do you just want to challenge the dickens out of Dreena?

E-mail me (dreena@everydayvegan.com) with your request. If it's something I think I can tackle, I'll post about it and then later post the results along with the recipe. And, the recipe may even make it into a future book or other cooking project. Please keep in mind that priority of which recipes I work on 1st, 2nd, etc, will depend on a number of factors (ex: how quickly a recipe is needed such as for a birthday, ingredients I have on hand, and also my own life schedule). Having mentioned my life schedule, if you do have a need for a recipe for some event, please let me know a couple of weeks in advance. I am a mom of two busy kidlets afterall, so my recipe testing gets squeezed in during small windows of any given day. So, the more notice, the better!

I really hope you enjoy the cake like I did... let me know if you make it and what you thought!

Now, go eat, drink & be vegan (and um, gluten-free)!! :)

Chocolate... and more chocolate

Can't have too much of a good thing, right? :)

I'm still mucking about with some gluten-free cookies. Remember the Lemon Cornmeal Cookies? They actually started out as these Chocolate Chip Cornmeal Cookies (also gluten-free). I first wanted the chocolate chip cookies, but as I was making them I thought "mmmm, a lemony version of these would be wonderful".

Well, they're both delicious, and so both versions are keepers. I just have to find time to finalize the test versions and get the edits into my computer. It's been a busy few days. Some not so great things - but as for the very great things... one of my best friends had her third baby (so adorable)!! I made her Sniffle Soup and Maple Banana Bread. We also celebrated hubby's birthday on the weekend. I won't tell you how old he is, but here's a hint...

The girls helped decorate his cake. See the swirly blotchy bit to the left of the '3'? That was our younger girl pushing chocolate chips down the same spot in the cake repeatedly and me trying to patch it over! Our older girl made the '3 and 9'. She said "wow, dad... that's BIG!". :)

So, what's the cake? Well, I used my Chocolate Cream Frosting recipe from The Everyday Vegan, and an all-purpose vanilla cake recipe that will be in ED&BV.

This frosting pictured is the ultimate in chocolate frosting. Now, I've harped on about my Triple Layer Chocolate Cream Cake a few times now and have coaxed you to make it. So, finally... here's the last push you need... recipe is now posted! Enjoy - and try not to eat too much of the frosting before decorating your cake. :)

Easy Falafels

Falafels + tahini sauce = yummy.

but... sometimes:

making falafels from scratch + making tahini sauce = too much work for one day!

Finally, I've found some prepared falafels that I like! You see, I've tried the dried mixes where you add water, mix up, then form in patties and fry. They are oddly spicy to me, and I always have leftovers that I don't use because they just aren't worthy of a second meal.

Then, I come across these refrigerated prepared falafels by Pita's in our local supermarket (Save-On). I'd give you a website for more info, but I wasn't able to find one. Too bad, because these are tasty "instant" falafels. Even though I'd take homemade falafels over prepared any day, the blend of ingredients in these is not too spicy, and pairs perfectly with a homemade tahini sauce.

Speaking of tahini sauce, I've posted my Tahini-Tamari Sauce from TEV and my Sesame Mustard Tahini Sauce from Vive on my recipe page. Why both? I can't choose which one I like best, so you can choose which one you want to use! The Tahini-Tamari sauce is more lemony with parsley, and the Sesame Mustard Tahini Sauce is a little richer with more toasted sesame oil. Personally, I often choose the Tahini-Tamari Sauce for falafels, and then the Sesame Mustard Tahini Sauce for other dishes (like my Sunflower-Lentil Pie or Moroccan Chickpea Patties from Vive, or as a salad/sandwich dressing).

Whichever you choose, they are simple to make. I whiz them up with my handblender, directly in a jar (this is one of those 'Nuts to You' larger nut butter jars). This pic is the Tahini-Tamari Sauce, and you can see the flecks of parsley blended in - nummy!

These falafels are a snap to prepare. Just have to place them on a baking sheet to reheat. No need to fry them, because they already been fried to get a crispy coating before packaging. But... they aren't too oily or greasy - just have a nice crispy coating that gives a crunch to bite into.

I served them in these very thin flatbreads instead of pitas (just less bread so I can enjoy the taste of the falafel more). I had picked these Mountain Bread wraps at Capers in Vancouver, and haven't seen them in our local area. Checking out their website, I'm now jealous to see all the varieties they have - oat, corn, barley - wow! These were great for the falafels, and would work nicely for any type of wrap. But, if you can't find them, use whole-wheat tortillas instead. Or, if you can find whole-wheat pitas that aren't too thick and bready, go for those.

So, the falafels are served up on the flatbreads with the tahini sauce drizzled over top. We also had salad and leftover home fries to add to the meal.

And what's that in the corner of the plate? Cranberry sauce! Yep, cranberry sauce. Trust me, this works. I wanted something to contrast the spice and savory flavors of the falafel and tahini sauce, and the cranberry sauce did the trick! Much like a mango chutney with Indian food. Anyhow, this was my own cranberry sauce from E,D&BV, but you can buy a prepared cranberry sauce or relish - there are some on the market now that are quite good and made with natural sweeteners.

I hope you can find some of these 'convenience' foods in your area. Makes for an easy falafel dinner.

Home Fries and Potatoes 101

Home fries. On the Burton menu every week. Family loves them, easy to prepare, taste amazing, and they're good for you. Yes, potatoes are good for you. How did our poor spuds get such a bad rap. Well, we know how. Atkins, anyone? But we know potatoes are good for us, and are just plain good to eat!
After this post, Teresa asked about varieties of potatoes, and what type to use for different recipes. I'll cover some basics, and then move on to tell you how to make those delicious home fries.

Potatoes are classified as starchy, all-purpose (medium starch), and low starch, or waxy. This is not how they are labeled in stores, though. We see "Russet", "Red Potatoes", "White Potatoes", and some other varieties like new potatoes and blue (purple) potatoes. So, which is which and how do we use them? (note: if you have TEV, you can also see p.32)

The very common Russet potato is a starchy potato. These spuds bake up with a dry, mealy, fluffy texture that doesn't hold it's shape. They are often used for baked potatoes and mashed potatoes, but can also be used for fries.

The common 'white' potato is a medium-starch/all-purpose potato. Yukon Gold (lower right) also falls in this category. Yukon Gold has a yellow color flesh and its flavor is a little richer than the white variety. But, both White and Yukon Gold potatoes hold their shape better with their waxier textures. Very good for home fries, and also for boiling, and baking... as mentioned, the all-purpose tater.

Red potatoes, new potatoes (both on left), and other varieties like blue and fingerling are the low-starch, 'waxy' potatoes. These potatoes aren't great for mashing, but are stars for salad recipes, for boiling, and for pan roasting. Most of these spuds also have a natural creamy flavor.

When shopping for potatoes, be sure to look for firm potatoes, without cracks or splits, and with no green underhues. If some of your potatoes have a green hue under the skin, you can peel until the green is removed, but then you are taking away the skin that has so many nutrients.

There's your tater cheat sheet! But, don't fret about always having the right potato in your pantry. For very special recipes, like a potato salad you are making for a potluck, then sure, go shop for the potatoes called for in the recipe. But for day-to-day cooking, have some all-purpose potatoes on hand, and a few Russets, and you'll be fine.

Now, on to home fries! Shop for the all-purpose potato (though, I often make home fries with Russet or Red, and we are perfectly happy with those). Try to get a few larger, longer spuds so you can cut longer fries. If your potatoes are smaller, that's fine. You can still cut in short strips, or in rounds, or wedges, chunks, or half-moon's.

After washing/scrubbing your potatoes, simply cut into strips. Thicker strips will take longer to cook, but will also stay more tender, whereas thinner fries will get crispier. To make cutting easier, first remove a slice off one side of the potato, then use that flat side to stand the potato on your cutting board so it doesn't slip around (get the idea?). Now you can cut the potato in slices, and then those slices into strips.

Throw - well, don't actually throw, that could get messy :) - your fries on a rimmed baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Toss with olive oil and/or coconut oil, and sprinkle with salt. You can also season with other herbs/spices if you like, but most times simplest is best (though a teaspoon or so of chopped fresh rosemary is a match made in tater heaven).

Bake the fries at about 400 for about an hour - less/more depending on thickness of fries. Be sure to toss the fries a couple of times through baking to help get the sides of the fries nice and golden. When done, sprinkle with a little extra sea salt. And eat up! Nummy.

Roasted Veggies

One of my all-time favorite thing to do with an abundance of veggies in my fridge is to roast 'em up.

I loosely followed my Roasted Veggie Feast recipe from TEV for these, though I didn't have any eggplant or mushrooms so I substituted zucchini and extra fennel in their place. That works for me, because I'm not always in the mood for eggplant, but I can pretty much always be in the mood for roasted (or grilled) veggies.

Why? Because the flavors intensify - enhance - caramelize. Simply put, the flavors are magnificent. It's too bad the colors aren't retained in the process, but I'll accept that in exchange for the flavor in this case! Plus, you can always garnish with some fresh herbs to please the eyes as well as the palate.

Why else? Because they are E-A-S-Y to prepare. Chop, toss in some seasonings and olive oil, and let the oven do the rest of the work.

Need another reason to love roasted veg? Think of all the ways you can eat them:
- toss into pasta
- serve with whole grains
- top all over a pizza crust (double yum!)
- use in sandwiches/pita breads (with hummus, vegenaise, etc)
- roll in tortillas and bake (adding beans/tofu/seitan if you want)
- stuff in potato skins (using white or sweet taters)
- puree just a little and use to stuff in dumplings or ravioli
- use in a casserole with grains or beans
- add into veggie patty mixtures(can mash/puree a little if you need)

With all these options, be sure to roast up a mighty big batch of veg to keep extras in your fridge.

One last note... although this pic features a lot of late summer veg like bell peppers and zukes, you can also roast winter veggies - sweet potatoes, celeriac, parsnip - to mention a few. Just be sure to cut them in smaller chunks and give them a little extra baking lovin'! :)

Roasted Parsnip and Fennel Soup

This past Sunday was our last Farmers' Market for the season :( Yes, I will miss it, so I indulged in some retail therapy - produce style!

I bought a 40 lb box of apples which will store well in our garage, 3 beautiful Red Kuri squash, organic garlic, and I also bought some lovely looking parsnip which I used in this soup last night.

Do you like parsnip? If not, have you ever had it roasted? The flavor is much better than if you have ever had parsnip boiled with other veggies like carrots or turnips. Their natural sugars develop and they caramelize and develop a sweet earthy flavor.

I was feeling the fall coolness since Sunday, and with these parsnip on hand and a very large fennel bulb, I decided to make my Pureed Roasted Parsnip and Fennel Soup from TEV... but, with a few changes.

Here is what changed:

1. I didn't have quite enough parsnip. I did have a parsley root that I also bought at the market. It was my first time using it, and I enjoyed it. It looked very much like parsnip, but with a definite parsley aroma. Parsnip has a parsley-like flavor, so they complemented each other well. I was still short, so I used a sweet potato. Not an orange sweet potato - a yellow flesh sweet potato. With these three veggies, I yielded 6 cups, chopped/sliced.

2. I had one very large fennel bulb, and this was equivalent to two smaller bulbs that I usually use in this soup. Either way, it will yield about 3 1/2 - 4 cups roughly chopped... yes, this was one BIG fennel bulb!

3. I roasted the veg on one baking sheet instead of two. As always, I line with parchment paper, and because my baking sheet is quite large (sometimes called a jelly roll pan), I put everything on this one sheet. They needed the hour plus another few minutes since the veggies did not have as much room on the one pan, but that was fine, the soup wasn't rushed.


Here are the veggies before going into the oven...

and now all toasty roasty done

While the veggies were roasting, I prepped the other ingredients, and cooked up the onions and broth. Then, the roasted veg are added to the soup pot, blended with an immersion blender


fresh rosemary stirred in


and the soup cooks for another 5 or so minutes and then served... ahhhhh!


Unlike baking, where even small changes can ruin a recipe, substitutions can often be made in cooking with lovely results. This soup worked beautifully with the addition of the parsnip root and sweet potato. Other veggies that would work nicely in here are celery root and rutabaga, and even a small amount of white potato. If you like parsnip, you will really enjoy this soup... hey, even my parsnip-phobic husband had two big bowls of this last night! Go figure.

Thanksgiving, Squash and Recipe

This is our Thanksgiving weekend in Canada. Some of you may have your menu planned... but if not, consider working some winter squash into your festive meal.

Do you want to know more about winter squash? Like what's the difference between a buttercup, red kuri, and butternut squash? Well, read on to find out a few tips, nutritional notes, and a recipe from an article that I wrote for VegFamily some time ago. The recipe on its own is also on my Recipes Page.



I posted about this Pureed Curried Squash and Yam Soup before. It is one of my favorite soups, because it
(1) is pretty easy
(2) makes a huge ol' batch for lots of leftovers to freeze
(3) tastes delicious with the combination of deep orange squash, creamy yams (sweet potatoes), and a hint of curry flavor.

This soup would make a lovely starter to your Thanksgiving meal, or even as part of a main course, served with rustic breads, perhaps a tofu dish or bean casserole alongside, and a salad of mixed greens.

For other ideas for a festive meal, check out this post. Most of these recipes are also in TEV, and you can reference them on page 39 of TEV - the "Holiday Feast Menu". I make this full meal only once a year - it really is a FEAST (and a lot of prep!) - but there may be one or two recipes that help to round out your own menu. Two of my favorites in that menu are the Yam (Sweet Potato) Puree and the All-Dressed Squash (pictured in link).

Enjoy... and Happy Thanksgiving! :) (Don't forget, you can always adopt a turkey for Thanksgiving - or rabbit!)

Banana "Ice-Cream"

What do you do with 2-3 lbs of very overripe bananas? Obviously you can bake all day - banana breads - banana muffins - banana baked anything! But why bake when you can whiz up ice-cream?

This is Banana "Ice-Cream" from TEV. What I love about this treat...
-Simple & quick to make.
-No ice-cream maker needed (just food processor).
-Delicious soft-serve texture.
-Wholesome and can be soy-free.
-You can vary it with sweeteners, flavorings, chocolate, nuts, etc.
-Kids love it!

In fact, I served it to our older girl and she said "mmmmm, mom, this is yummy. This is the bestest ice-cream I've ever had!". This from my very food-choosy girl. Our younger daughter ate it after first coating her arms, feet, and high-chair (guess she knows bananas are good for the skin - ha). She's also 'choosy', but does enjoy munching on the odd shoe, book, and of course any choking hazard in range (oh, my stress level)!

Couple of notes:
- It IS best freshly made and hardens a lot once refrozen with a textural change. You can re blend it though, or make smaller batches.
- Measuring the frozen banana chunks is far from exact, so add the soy (or other non-dairy) milk in small amounts to start until you're happy with the taste/texture.

Instead of freezing bananas whole, when overripe I remove the peels, slice them, and put them in a ziploc container (about 4 cup size). Then, when frozen, I can wedge out chunks with a butter knife and use in smoothies, ice-cream, etc. Even better would be to lay the slices/chunks individually on a large lined baking sheet, place in freezer on sheet, and then transfer frozen chunks to a container (so they don't stick together). For me, the route of less steps works best, so straight into the container they go!

Now, about ice-cream... has anyone else noticed a change in Soy Delicious Decadent ice-cream? Unfortunately, not a good change, imo. I have always lovedthe Peanut Butter Zig-Zag. I've dug into a couple of pints lately that have no pb zigged or zagged in there - just sort of blended with the chocolate - what? Also, I tried two pints of the Praline Pecan (which I USED to love), and the ice-cream tastes like they have used flax in there that has gone rancid. Ditto for the white mint-y part of the Chunky Mint Madness. I'm pretty certain I know my ice-creams... what's going on? Am I the only one noticing this?...