My 1st Vegan Dinner Party

Most of my friends are not vegan, but when my friend Amie suggested a dinner party, I knew I wanted to make some vegan food for my friends. I decided to make a salad, bread, soup and a dessert. Here is what I served...this menu is great for spring shindigs:

Strawberry Almond Green Salad 

Rosemary Bread

Minestrone Soup

Grapefruit Pound Cake

We had a blast preparing the food and it was super delicious! All the vegan recipes are below the photos!

Strawberry Almond Green Salad (4 servings)

1 bag Romaine lettuce
1 bag mixed greens
16 Strawberries
1 cup sliced almonds
3 Tbsp honey
8 Tbsp poppy seed dressing (I get mine from Arcadia Farms Marketplace in Old Town Scottsdale...such a cute market/cafe)

1. Slice the strawberries and set aside.
2. Pour honey over sliced almonds in a frying pan and heat on medium heat until the almonds start to stick together...don't overcook them. The almonds will soak up most of the honey when they are ready to take off the stove.
3. Plate salad with lettuce first, then strawberries, then almonds and finish with a drizzle of poppy seed dressing.

Rosemary Bread

1 pre-made bag of Fresh and Easy whole wheat pizza dough
Fresh rosemary
olive oil to spritz

1. Heat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Roll out pizza dough
3. Spritz a cookie sheet with olive oil
4. Shape pizza dough into a rectangle
5. Press rosemary into the top of the dough
6. Bake for 8-10 minutes

Perfect for dipping into soup or into flavored olive oils!

Minestrone Soup (from Spark People)

5 cups Organic Vegetable Broth 1/2 cup Elbows Pasta (I used bow tie pasta-cooked per package instructions) 1 cup Onions, raw, chopped 3 cloves Garlic 1 cup Carrots, raw, chopped 2.5 cups Swiss Chard chopped 2 cups Tomatoes (stewed) 1 cup Green Beans (snap) 1.5 cups Zucchini, sliced 1 cup Savoy or Napa cabbage, chopped 2 tbsp Olive Oil 3 tsp Thyme, fresh 1 tsp Pepper, black

1. Dice onions, carrots and chard stems. 15 oz can canned cannellini beans

2. Saute in olive oil for about 10 minutes until onions are translucent. 

3. Add minced garlic and thyme. Stir for another minute.
4. Add vegetable broth and pint of canned tomatoes. Bring to a boil and reduce to simmer. 

5. Add chard that has been torn into bite sized pieces, chopped savoy cabbage leaves, green beans and zucchini. Simmer for 5 minutes.
6. Add pasta and drained, rinsed beans.
7. Simmer until pasta is cooked through. 

8. Season with black pepper and salt if desired.

 

     Vegan Grapefruit Pound Cake (adapted from a Cooking Light magazine recipe)

Baking spray with flour  

9 ounces all-purpose flour (about 2 cups)  

1 teaspoon baking powder  

5/8 teaspoon salt, divided  

1 2/3 cups granulated sugar  

6 tablespoons butter, softened  (I used Earth Balance)

6 ounces 1/3-less-fat cream cheese  (I used Tofutti cream cheese)

2 large eggs  (to veganize use 1 'egg-replacer' and 1/2 cup applesauce)

1/4 cup canola oil  

2 tablespoons grated grapefruit rind  

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract  

1/2 cup 2% reduced-fat milk  (I used vanilla almond milk)

 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar 

1/2 cup fresh grapefruit juice

 

  

1. Preheat oven to 325°.

2. Coat a 10-inch tube pan with baking spray. Weigh or lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Combine flour, baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon salt, stirring well. Place granulated sugar, butter, and cream cheese in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until light and fluffy. Add eggs, 1 at a time. Beat in oil, rind, and vanilla.

3. Add flour mixture and milk alternately to batter, beginning and ending with flour. Spoon batter into pan; bake at 325° for 1 hour and 10 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out with moist crumbs clinging. Cool in pan on a wire rack 10 minutes. Invert cake. Cool on rack.

4. Place juice in a saucepan over medium-high heat; bring to a boil. Cook until reduced to 3 tablespoons (about 4 minutes). Cool slightly. Stir in powdered sugar and remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt. Drizzle over cake.

 

Thanks to Matt, Christie, Amie, Sam, Becky and Gary!

 

 

Vegan tuscan kale salad

I love True Food Kitchen. I have been making this recipe for about a year now, ever since True Food Kitchen posted it on their web site. Their food is healthy, well-balanced and tasty, with many vegan and vegetarian options. I had never eaten kale before having this salad. When I was in high school, I used to work at a retirement home that used kale as decoration for the salad bar. The kale should have been IN the salad bar!!!
This salad is great on its own, but can also be served as a side salad with lunch or dinner. If I ever start having friends over for vegan dinner parties (which I want to start doing!), I would make them this salad as a starter. It's one of those salads that makes people really like kale!

Vegan version of True Food Kitchen's Tuscan Kale Salad

Food as Medicine Kale is among the most nutrient-dense commonly eaten vegetables. One cup provides 1,327 percent of the Daily Value (DV) for vitamin K, 192 percent of DV for vitamin A, and 88 percent for vitamin C.

Ingredients

4-6 cups kale, loosely packed, sliced leaves of Italian black- midribs removed and chopped into strips or bite-size pieces (any store-bought kale will work) juice of 1 lemon 3-4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil 2 cloves garlic, mashed salt & pepper, to taste hot red pepper flakes, to taste 2/3 cup mozzarella Diaya cheese 1/2 cup freshly made bread crumbs from lightly toasted bread (or store-bought panko bread crumbs)

Instructions

Whisk together lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, salt, pepper, and a generous pinch (or more to taste) of hot red pepper flakes. Pour over kale in serving bowl and toss well. Add 2/3 of the cheese and toss again. Let kale sit for at least 5 minutes. Add bread crumbs, toss again, and top with remaining cheese. Ingredients  Chopped kale  Dressing  Finished kale salad  Ready to serve  Want to know more about True Food Kitchen? Here is info from Dr. Weil's website: Concept: All True Food Kitchen locations feature dishes that closely adhere to the principles of Dr. Weil's anti-inflammatory diet. They are intended to be a new kind of restaurant: one in which delicious flavors, healthy nutrients, environmental awareness and an inviting atmosphere come together to create an unforgettable dining experience. Dishes are influenced by Mediterranean, Asian and Californian cuisine, and include soups, appetizers, salads, pasta, rice and noodle dishes, wood grilled dishes, sandwiches and burgers, brick oven pizzas and desserts. Sample dishes: Wild Smoked Salmon with Shaved Radishes; Lemon Cream & Wasabi Peas; Sashimi Tuna Salad with Avocado, Cucumber, Tomato, Edamame & Ginger; Curry Chicken with Rice Noodles; Tuscan Kale Salad; Cauliflower & Cashews; Herbed Hummus; Green Tea Soba Noodles with Peas; Bok Choy & Lemongrass; Fresh Tomato Pizza with Pasilla Chile & Manchego; Grilled Wild Ahi Sliders with Wasabi, Radishes and Cucumber on Pumpernickel; and Natural Half Chicken with Farro, Walnuts, Dried Fig, Brussels Sprouts & Squash. Each location features catering, take out, breakfast, a selection of coffee drinks, natural juice blends, hot and cold tea, sparkling wine cocktails, organic and low-calorie beer and sake. All wines are selected based on wineries' commitment to organic, biodynamic and/or sustainable farming practices. Engrained in True Food Kitchen's ethos is a commitment to a conscious, community-based dining experience - a commitment that ensures that, no matter how many locations are established, True Food will never become what one thinks of as a "chain." Food sources: All True Food Kitchen locations use local, organic sources whenever possible. For example, the Phoenix location receives most of its produce from McClendon Farms, a 25-acre, USDA-certified organic produce farm in Peoria, Arizona. All locations also use the organic extra virgin olive oil and tomatoes that Dr. Weil worked to develop with Lucini Italia, which he considers the finest quality in the world. Green features: The restaurants are decidedly "green" with environmentally friendly accoutrement including: High efficiency kitchen equipment Low voltage LED lighting Waterless urinals (saving 40,000 gallons/year) Ultra low water faucets Low VOC paint White oak butcher block tables and counter tops Reclaimed wood floors Recycled quarry tiles Natura water purification unit. (True Food Kitchen creates both still and carbonated bottled water in-house. Bottles are cleaned, sterilized and reused, eliminating plastic bottle waste). True Food Kitchen locations: Phoenix, Ariz. (opened Oct. 2008) Biltmore Fashion Park 2502 E Camelback Rd. Phoenix, AZ 85016 602.774.3488 Newport Beach, Calif. (opened Aug. 2010) Fashion Island 451 Newport Center Dr. Newport Beach, CA 92660 949.644.2400 Scottsdale, Ariz. (opened Nov. 2010) Scottsdale Quarter 15191 N Scottsdale Rd. Scottsdale, AZ 85254 480.265.4500 Santa Monica, Calif. (scheduled opening Apr. 2011)

Meatless Meatballs=Rad

I was grocery shopping at Sunflower Market yesterday and came across Nate's Meatless Meatballs in the frozen food section. I am always super excited to scope out new vegan items at the grocery store. I stroll every isle just in case there's something new. My sister hates shopping with me because she thinks I take forever. Whatever.

One thing that Mr. Hibbard LOVES is meatballs. I've never liked meatballs, but I figured if I was going to cook up the vegan meatballs for Matt, I might as well partake. These Nate's meatless meatballs are rad! I mean, like super tasty awesome amazingness! I put them on top of quinoa pasta and Sunflower Market basil and garlic pasta sauce with a side of steamed vegetables. Perfecto!

Vegan quinoa black bean patties on lettuce buns with chili lemon baked french fries

I recently ate at The Mission in Scottsdale. It is not a vegan restaurant, but they were able to tell us which items were vegan. One of those items was their Mission Fries, which are sweet potato and potato fries + lemon + chile + cumin. They were tangy and super delicious! I always love it when the ingredients are listed on the menu because I am a diehard recipe copycat! So, I grabbed a bag of potatoes earlier this week to test my copycat recipe. My fries (which are baked, not fried) were a perfect compliment to my quinoa black bean patties, which I sandwiched between 2 leaves of romaine lettuce. I have also come to realize that my quinoa black bean mixture would make a wonderful vegan bean dip! I could even layer it with vegan sour cream, salsa and some teese cheese....I gotta try that for my next party! My sister who is not vegan always hates when I ask her to try the food I make, but when she does, she usually likes it. So, I ended up making her a patty and fries, as well.

Chili Lemon Baked French Fries (HibbardKitchen original recipe)
Makes 4 servings

Ingredients
3 large potatoes (slice how you like-we make long thin french fries, as they bake quicker)
2 tbsp of fresh lemon juice (adding zest would increase the lemon factor....gonna try this next time)
2 tbsp of olive oil
1/2 tsp chili powder (or to taste)
1/2 tsp cumin (or to taste)
salt to taste

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees
2. Mix the lemon juice, olive oil, chili powder, cumin and salt in a small bowl
3. Remove skin from potatoes and slice into french fries
4. Place sliced potatoes in large bowl

5. Pour the oil mixture over the potatoes and toss to coat
6. Lightly spray your cookie sheets with oil (we used 2 cookie sheets)
7. Place coated potatoes onto the cookie sheets
8. Bake in oven for 15 minutes, then switch the upper cookie sheet to the bottom rack and the bottom cookie sheet to the top rack. Bake another 15 minutes or until lightly browned and crispy

I presented the fries to my sister like this...I knew she couldn't resist!

The next time I make these, I am going to experiment with ingredients that might help create a firmer patty. I am also going to experiment with making this recipe into a layered bean dip...
Quinoa Black Bean Patties
Makes 6 patties
Ingredients

• 2 garlic cloves, minced .
• 1 jalapeno pepper, seeded & sliced .
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin .
• 1 c quinoa . (you can use inca red variety or regular quinoa)
• 1 (14 oz) can black beans, rinsed & drained .
• 1/2 tsp chili powder .
• 1/2 c red onions, grated & squeezed dry .
• 1/4 c fresh cilantro, sliced .
• 1/3 c dry breadcrumbs .
• 3 tbsps extra virgin olive oil . (1 for the patty mixture and 2 for the cooking...we just spray the pan, so we only use 1 tbsp of oil to make this recipe)
• 1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper .
• 3/4 tsp salt

Directions

• Step #1 Rinse quinoa under cool water for couple of mins in fine sieve to remove bitterness. (we never do this)
• Step #2 Put in rice cooker with just over 1 & 1/3 c water & set to cook. (or follow quinoa stove top cooking instructions on your quinoa package)
  
  
  
• Step #3 Transfer to food processor/blender fitted with metal blade.
• Step #4 Add beans, garlic, salt, jalapeno, 1 tbsp of oil, onion, cilantro, chili powder, cumin & pepper.
  
  
• Step #5 Puree until smooth. (if the mixture is really soft, you can put in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to an hour to make it easier to handle)
  
  
• Step #6 Form into six 1/2-inch thick patties.
• Step #7 Place bread crumbs in shallow bowl. (The bread crumbs help the patties hold together while cooking)
  
  
  
• Step #8 Press patties into crumbs, turning to coat both sides.
• Step #9 In non-stick skillet, heat remaining oil over medium-high heat. (I use my oil spritzer, so that I am not using the 2 tbsp oil the recipe calls for cooking in)
• Step #10 Cook patties in batches, turning once, for 8 mins or until browned.
  
  
• Serve with buns or lettuce leaves