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!

 

 

Dominex Eggplant Cutlets

Another new item I discovered at Sunflower are these Dominex Eggplant Cutlets. They are all natural, vegan breaded eggplant cutlets and only 100 calories for a serving, which works out to about 3 points. They are sooooo tasty. We decided to bake them in the oven (12-15 minutes) and then put a little marinara sauce and Daiya cheese on top. It tastes so good that you'll think you's eating naughty food, but the combo is only 6 Weight Watchers points. We put a small baked potato and steamed vegetables with it for a dinner total of 9 points. It's a quick easy main dish for busy vegans.

Lenny and Larry's Complete Cookies

I am in love...with a cookie. I usually scour the aisles of Sunflower and Fresh and Easy for new vegan items, when I go shopping. A couple weeks ago, I saw these massive cookies at Sunflower called Complete Cookies by Lenny and Larry. Right on the front of the packaging, it says 'vegan'. I bought a chocolate chip one just to see if it was any good. I split the soft cookie own the middle and gave half to Matt. We both looked up at each other after our first bite; YUM! So, this is not a low-calorie food, but it is not highly-processed and is a great source of protein. For half a cookie, it is 5 Weight Watcher points. You really only need half a cookie....it is huge. I bought a few the last time I went to the store, and when we need a sweet treat, we grab a Complete Cookie from the pantry. You'll love it.

Hankerin' For Coconut Macaroons

Tuesday night, Mr. Hibbard asked me to print out a recipe for vegan coconut macaroons and he would make them while I was at a night work appointment. I came home to a macaroon pancake...ha! Not his fault, but it just wasn't a good recipe. I always try to use vegan recipes, but sometimes, you have to 'veganize' a well-reviewed non-vegan recipe to get a good result.

This non-vegan coconut macaroon recipe has 605 mostly great reviews. So, my challenge was to veganize it. The only non-vegan ingredients I had to have substitutions for were the butter (I used Earth Balance) and sweetened condensed milk (I had to make my own!).

I don't think I have ever baked with sweetened condensed milk, even before becoming vegan. So, I went to the internets and found this recipe for vegan sweetened condensed milk . I happened to have some powdered soy milk, from my holiday adventures with vegan white chocolate, so this recipe was perfect.

Vegan Sweetened Condensed Milk
Powdered soy milk (re-constitute using package recommendation...I used 24 ozs of water and 3/4 cup of NOW Foods powdered soy milk)
1 1/2 cups sugar
6 Tbsp vegan butter/margarine (I used Earth Balance)

1) Add soy milk powder and the accompanying water into a pot and heat until mixture boils.
2) In a separate pan, melt 6 tbsp of vegan butter/margarine
3) Add sugar to the melted butter
4) When sugar begins to melt, add the hot milk from the other pot and add a dash of salt.
5) Bring the mixture to gentle boil for at least 5 minutes. The mixture should be finished cooking when it gets a little thick.

 

Vegan Coconut Macaroons
Makes 12 macaroons

• 1/4 cup and 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour
• 2 1/4 cups and 1 tablespoon flaked coconut (I used Fresh and Easy sweetened shredded coconut)
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup and 1 tbsp vegan sweetened condensed milk
• 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line cookie sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, coconut and salt. Stir in the sweetened condensed milk and vanilla using your hands until well blended. Use an ice cream scoop to drop dough onto the prepared cookie sheets. Cookies should be about golf ball size. 
3. Bake for 12 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven, until coconut is toasted (mine took about 17 minutes and I probably could have baked them longer)

 

Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte With Soy=NOT Vegan

I guess I didn't get the memo that the Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte has milk in it, even if you get it made with soy. Bummer, big time. According to Your Daily Vegan, Starbucks pumpkin spice latte syrup contains: Sugar, condensed nonfat milk, sweet condensed nonfat milk, anotta (a colorant), natural and artificial flavors and caramel coloring. 

I distinctly remember seeing advertisements a year or so ago for Starbucks new 'vegan' soy drinks, so I assumed a soy pumpkin spice latte would be dairy free. I figured they used a sugar syrup, so how could it not be vegan?! I think they should consider making vegan-friendly seasonal alternatives! My suggestion is to replace the condensed nonfat milk with condensed soy milk and the sweet condensed nonfat milk with sweetened soy condensed milk.  I'll just have to enjoy my pumpkin spice lattes at home for now.

Hibbard Kitchen Original: Vegan Pumpkin Spice Latte 

6 oz freshly-brewed coffee (or espresso, if you have it)
1/2 cup almond milk (or any non-dairy milk)
2 TBSP vegan sweetened condensed milk (recipe below)
3 TBSP pumpkin spice syrup (recipe below)

Combine all ingredients into a cup. I like mine iced, so I brew my coffee over ice, then add the other ingredients.

Pumpkin Spice Syrup
1 1/2 cups water
1 1/2 cups sugar
4 cinnamon sticks or 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon (I used 4 cinnamon sticks)
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 tablespoons pumpkin purée

1) Combine water and sugar in a medium pot over medium heat. Cook until sugar has completely dissolved.
2)Whisk in remaining ingredients.
3) Cook for about 6 minutes, stirring frequently. Do not allow mixture to come to a boil.
4) Strain syrup through cheesecloth into a large glass measuring cup or bowl.
5) Transfer to bottle of your choice and store in the refrigerator. I poured my syrup into a salad dressing mixer, which is awesome for mixing it up before pouring it into my coffee.

Vegan Sweetened Condensed Milk
Powdered soy milk (re-constitute using package recommendation...I used 24 ozs of water and 3/4 cup of NOW Foods powdered soy milk)
1 1/2 cups sugar
6 Tbsp vegan butter/margarine (I used Earth Balance)

1) Add soy milk powder and the accompanying water into a pot and heat until mixture boils.
2) In a separate pan, melt 6 tbsp of vegan butter/margarine
3) Add sugar to the melted butter
4) When sugar begins to melt, add the hot milk from the other pot and add a dash of salt.
5) Bring the mixture to gentle boil for at least 5 minutes. The mixture should be finished cooking when it gets a little thick.

I think this pumpkin spice latte tastes very similar to Starbuck's version. If you skip the sweetened condensed soy milk, it will likely fall short of your expectations though.

Vegan Italian Cheese Panini

I have been obsessed with paninis, ever since I ate at Sweet Pea Baking Company in Portland, OR this summer. The first panini recipe I created at home is based on Sweet Pea's Bendishaw sandwich. Wheat bread, pesto, fresh tomatoes and Daiya cheese. If you are strapped on time and craving pizza, this panini will be your best friend. The only thing that requires advance preparation is the vegan pesto, but it can stay fresh for about 2-3 weeks in the refrigerator.

Vegan Italian Cheese Panini (for 2)

Ingredients:

• 4 slices of whole wheat bread (we use the whole wheat sourdough bread from Fresh and Easy)
• 1 medium tomato sliced (4 slices is ideal)
• 2-3 tbsp vegan pesto (recipe below)
• 1/2 cup mozzarella-style Daiya cheese
• Olive oil (for spritzing the bread)

Preparation:

1. Turn on the panini machine.
2. Spritz the outside of the bread slices lightly with olive oil and flip the oil side down.
3. Place 2 slices of tomato on one slice of bread for each sandwich.
4. Spread 1-1 1/2 tbsp of vegan pesto on the other slice of bread for each sandwich.
5. Sprinkle 1/4 cup of Daiya cheese on the slices of bread with the tomato.
6. Put the pesto bread slices on top of the other slices of bread to complete the sandwiches.
7. Transfer the sandwiches to the panini machine and hold down the handle for 10 seconds and then release the handle.
8. Cook the sandwich for 3 minutes and then check for dark grill marks. If you don't see dark grill marks, cook for additional 1 minute intervals and check for grill marks.
9. Flip the sandwich with tongs or a fork and cook for an additional 3 minutes.

Vegan Pesto
 Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups fresh basil
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1 cup pine nuts (other nuts, such as almonds or walnuts may be substituted)
• 5 cloves garlic
• 1/3 cup nutritional yeast
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Preparation:

Combine all ingredients in a food processor until nuts are ground. Pesto should still have texture and not be completely smooth. Add more salt and pepper to taste and enjoy! One variation is to add 1/2 cup rehydrated sun-dried tomatoes. For a lower fat version, replace half the oil with non-dairy milk.