Vegan Crab Cakes at Jazzy Veggie in Ann Arbor

My daughter and I went to Jazzy Veggie on Main Street to check out Ann Arbor’s first truly all vegan fare restaurant.  These Crab Cakes were our favorites.  They tasted just like crab and were crispy on the outside and chewy on the inside.  I used to eat real crab cakes before I went vegan in November 2009 and these little vegan gems were genuinely satisfying.  I will definitely be back to try them another time.

I’ve never made vegan crab cakes at home, have you?  I found this recipe for Chesapeake Tempeh Cakes at the Post Punk Kitchen.  In the short time I’ve been cooking vegan, I haven’t gone wrong with any food I’ve made that comes from Isa Chandra Moskowitz‘s cookbooks, including the fabulous Veganomicon and Appetite for Reduction.  This particular recipe is from Vegan Brunch.  Apparently, you make everything the day before and then cook it up to serve.  I think it’s time for a party!

Here’s the full menu from Jazzy Veggie to entice you.  As an added plus, it looks like they also deliver!

Hope you are enjoying the Vegan Month of Food!

Ann Arbor Vegan Restaurants

Ann Arbor is better than many small cities in its vegan offerings but I am hoping more of our talented chefs take on the challenge of adding delectable vegan food to their offerings.  And of course, you can always ask for modifications wherever you go!  If you are interested in checking out the vegan restaurant fare that Ann Arbor has to offer, here’s a short list.  Of course, the best vegan food is what we make at home!  But there are nights that going out and having someone else cook for you is delightful.

Please let me know any restaurants you know that should be added.

Jerusalem Garden-delicious falafel

Cafe Verde/People’s Food Co-op – check out the menu for the food bar for October

Pilar’s Tamales-Try the vegan eggplant tamales!

Seva – yam fries, Thai salad, spinach salad and on and on….

Earthen Jar-EVERYTHING!

The Lunch Room – barbecued Tofu Sandwich, Aloo Yoop Stew, molasses cookies, EVERYTHING!

Jazzy Veggie-vegan crab cakes (I’ve yet to try anything else)

Chia Shiang-Soybean skinrolls with broccoli

Hut-k Chaat – It’s all a “party in my mouth”!

Blue Nile– Vegetarian Feast (I believe it’s all vegan)

Vegan MoFo Day 10: Butternut Squash Soup

October is flying by just as fast as the rest of my life.  Participating in the Vegan Month of Food has had a slowing effect though. Perhaps by documenting each day with the vegan food or interests that occupy it, I feel more grounded in that particular day.  And of course, eating yummy food is a savoring experience that keeps me in the present moment, one delicious bite at a time!

Along with the butternut squash, this recipe also includes greens (I used swiss chard), bell pepper, carrots and corn to make it even more colorful and veggie hearty, packing in the Vitamins A and C, fiber and antioxidants.

This recipe was adapted from a Food and Wine recipe from 2006 that included bacon.  I had collected it years ago when I was still eating animals.  I thought I’d look at their site to see if they have included many vegan items in their listings.  When I entered a search for “vegan food”, 1000 “vegetarian” entries popped up.  I did find the term vegan in one of these recipes and followed it to this vegan recipe slide show.  Just 22 recipes are included in this clearly labeled vegan slide show.

Butternut Squash Soup

6 cups organic no chicken broth

One 2 pound butternut squash-quartered, seeded, peeled and cut into 2 inch pieces

5 thyme sprigs

2 garlic cloves, halved

3 medium leeks, white and pale green parts only, cut into 1-2 inch pieces

2 celery ribs, cut into 2 inch pieces

1 tablespoon organic canola oil

2 packed cups coarsely chopped chard, collards or kale

2 cans pinto or white kidney beans, drained and rinsed

2 medium carrots, finely diced

1 red bell, finely diced

1 1/2 cups corn kernels

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Saute garlic, leeks and celery in oil until just soft.

2. Add squash, thyme and broth.  Bring to a boil, cover and simmer on low for 45 minutes.

3. Discard the thyme sprigs from the soup.  Using an immersion blender, puree the soup or using a standard blender, puree in batches.  Add the carrots, greens, beans, bell pepper and corn and bring to another boil.  Simmer over moderately low heat, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, about 7 minutes.  Season the soup with salt and pepper and serve.

There are so many butternut squash soup recipes out there.  What’s your go to favorite?  Please share!

Babycakes Zucchini Muffins!

My daughters’ complain that I never bake.  Although my tastes tend to run more savory than sweet, I also avoid baking to avoid the extra calories and fat it implies.  A few weeks ago, I promised my daughter Olivia I would bake something for her.  I went to my most recent favorite zucchini recipe in my most recent favorite cookbook, Babycakes, Vegan, Gluten-Free and (Mostly) Sugar-Free Recipes from New York’s Most Talked About Bakery.  I know I just talked about this book with my post of the double chocolate chip cookies but I tell you, this book has inspired me to bake!  The idea of creating delicious decadence with healthier ingredients makes baking fun again.

These recipes use coconut oil as their favored fat.  Although it can be more expensive, according to the author, Erin McKenna “it is high in omega-3 fatty acids, packed with lauric acid, stores in your body as energy and not fat and supports the proper functioning of the thyroid, thus stimulating the metabolism.” This is a big improvement over traditional fats used in baking.

I made these once before with melt in your mouth results, so I was ready to repeat the experience.   I had two large organic zucchini sitting in my refrigerator.  Every time I consider the zucchini, I feel a loving feeling in my heart because my relationship with my husband began with a zucchini baked good.  We met in the late 70’s when zucchini bread was hip (hip?), yes I know I sound totally unhip when I say that!  Anyway, my dear friend Rosanne had made this particular zucchini bread for a party given by another friend of ours.  So it came to be that Rose and I were standing by her zucchini bread when my would be husband and his friend wandered in, drawn to the zucchini heaven on a plate.  And so it began.  Here’s a wonderful zucchini muffin recipe, almost 33 years later, from Babycakes Bakery with coconut oil, spelt flour, rice milk, agave nectar and flax meal for a more health-conscious snack.  The best praise?  Olivia said “This is the most delicious muffin I have ever eaten!”

Ingredients:

2 cups whole spelt flour

1/2 cup flax meal

2 tsp baking powder

2 tsp baking soda

2 tsp ground cinnamon

1 Tbsp ground ginger

1/2 cup coconut oil

3/4 cup rice milk

1 Tbsp pure vanilla extract

2 cups shredded zucchini

Directions:

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.  Line a 12 cup muffin tin with paper liners. (I did this but found the muffins  moist and oily enough to probably not need this.  Also made me wonder if I could cut back on the coconut oil!)
Whisk together the flour, flax meal, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and ginger.  Add the coconut oil, agave nectar, rice milk, and vanilla to the dry ingredients and stir until the batter is smooth.  Fold in the zucchini until evenly distributed.
Pour 1/3 cup batter into each muffin liner and bake for 22 minutes, rotating 180 degrees after 15 minutes.
Let the muffins stand in the tin for 15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.  Store the muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

I am going to try to freeze a few of these and see how well this works.

Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

These Double Chocolate Chip Cookies are from the Babycakes Bakery cookbook.  This is the fourth recipe I’ve tried from Erin McKenna and I’ve loved every one.  My whole family has devoured every sweet I’ve made, including Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins, Zucchini Muffins, Brownies and these delicious cookies.  (I’m not drawn as much to baking as I am to savory food, so my family feels so deprived……awwww)

I’ve been having fun sending care packages to my daughter at college as well as sending these delectable vegan baked goods to friends and family for birthday gifts.  What a delightful surprise to unwrap a present of yummy goodness!  Anyone interested in sending me such a gift, I’m open!

I’ve read complaints that Erin’s recipes contain unusual ingredients that may be expensive. In my mind, they are expensive only if I don’t use them all.  Since her recipes consistently call for these ingredients, I know I will have what I need and use what I have.  She uses coconut oil as her fat and a variety of flours that I was new to using, like garbanzo-fava bean flour and brown rice flour.  As most of her recipes are gluten-free as well as vegan, these substitutes for wheat flour fit the bill, and the taste.

Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

1 cup coconut oil

1 1/4 cups evaporated cane juice (I used organic sugar)

1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce

1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1 teaspoon salt

2 tablespoons vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free All Purpose Baking Flour

1/4 cup flax meal

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 1/2 teaspoons xanthum gum

1 cup vegan chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees fahrenheit.  Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

2. In a medium bowl, mix together the oil, evaporated cane juice, applesauce, cocoa powder, salt, and vanilla.  In another medium bowl, whisk together the flour, flax meal, baking soda, and xanthum gum.  Carefully add the dry ingredients to the wet with a rubber spatula and combine until a dough is formed.  Gently mix in the chocolate chips.

3. Use a melon baller (I used a tablespoon), drop the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, one inch apart.  Gently press the top flat with the bottom of a measuring cup to help them spread.  Bake the cookies on the center rack for 14 minutes, rotating the sheets 180 degrees after 9 minutes. (I just realized I had read this wrong and cooked mine a total of 23 minutes.  They were still extremely delicious, perhaps a bit more crunchy than they were meant to be.  I’ll try it Erin’s way next time as the finished cookies are meant to be crisp on the edges and soft in the center.)

4.  Let the cookies stand on the sheets for 10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool.  Story the cookies in an airtight container up to 3 days.  (I have put some in the freezer and they melt in my mouth like fudge when I bite into them, yum!)

Options:  Erin suggests adding minced fresh mint to the dough to make these taste just like Girl Scout Thin Mints!

Tuscan Roasted Tomato Soup

We’ve had a bumper crop of cherry tomatoes this summer and we’re continuing to gather as many as we can before the first frost.  The ones we grew last year were “Little Baby Girl” and were so sweet that they barely made it out of the garden into the kitchen!  This year, we thought we had planted the same variety, but this was definitely not the case.  This year our cherry tomatoes were a bit bigger, rounder and less sweet, so I was looking for recipes to enhance their flavor.  A big favorite was the Tomato, Basil and Arugula Bruschetta from the wonderful Colleen Patrick Goudreau‘s delectable Vegan Table.  I used spinach instead of arugula since my husband doesn’t care for the bitterness.  I brought a tray to the neighborhood party and it vanished immediately.

So, it was cold outside this weekend and I happened upon this Tuscan Roasted Tomato Soup recipe from Ann Gentry’s new cookbook Vegan Family Meals.  Oh my goodness, it was so delicious!  I loved it with the herbed croutons, my husband preferred it without.  In any case, the soup was gone in one evening!

Tuscan Roasted Tomato Soup

4 pounds ripe tomatoes, cored and quartered (you can use any kind or a mix)

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

12 large garlic cloves, roughly chopped

3 teaspoons fine sea salt

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 small red onions, coarsely chopped

1/4 cup lightly packed chopped fresh basil

2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley

1-1/2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh sage (I used 1 teaspoon dried since that’s what I had)

5 cups cold water

For the optional herbed croutons

1/2 loaf crusty French bread, (about 8 ounces) crust removed, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

1/2 teaspoon dried dill

1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit (232 degrees Centigrade)

2. In a large bowl, toss the tomatoes with 1/4 cup of the olive oil, the vinegar, garlic, 2 teaspoons of the salt, and the black pepper.  Transfer the tomato mixture (including all of its liquid) to a large heavy rimmed baking sheet.  Arrange the tomatoes in a single layer, skin side down.  Roast until the tomatoes are charred on the edges, about 40 minutes.  Let cool slightly.  Slip the skin off the tomatoes ( I left the skin on).

3. Meanwhile, heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a heavy pot over medium heat.  Add the onions and the remaining 1 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring often, until the onions are quite soft, about 10 minutes.  Add the basil, parsley, and sage and saute for about 1 minute. (I only used 1 teaspoon of sage as I found this spice to be overwhelming).

4. Stir in the roasted tomatoes and garlic along with all the accumulated juices from the baking sheet and bring to a simmer.  Add the water and simmer gently just until the flavors meld, about 8 minutes.  If you want a smoother consistency, you can blend some of the soup with an immersion blender or a standing one.

Make the Croutons

5. While the soup simmers reduce the oven temperature to 375 degrees.  Toss the bread cubes, basil, dill, rosemary, black pepper, and salt in a medium bowl.  Drizzle the oil over the herbed bread cubes and toss to coat.  Arrange the bread cubes in a single layer on a rimmed baking sheet.  Bake until the croutons are golden brown, tossing and stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes.  Let cool.

6.  To serve, ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with croutons if you wish.  (This soup is best eaten the day it is made, but can be refrigerated for up to 1 day).

Welcome to Vegan MoFo 2011!

October 1st is special because it’s my husband’s birthday and it’s also the first day of the Vegan Month of Food.  This is my first year of participating in VeganMoFo!  This delectable and informative event is being created and celebrated by over 700 bloggers who have agreed to devote at least 20 blog entries through the month of October to anything and everything vegan. Last year was the first year I discovered VeganMoFo and was blown away by the variety of themes, recipes and knowledge shared.  I definitely recommend subscribing to the RSS Feed bundle of participating bloggers!  If however, 700 bloggers writing is too much information, pick and choose from the 2011 blogroll!

Here in Ann Arbor, Michigan, it is a well-educated college town with several vegetarian and vegan restaurants.  I still feel a bit isolated and surrounded by omnivores although more folks are definitely being more mindful and trying to support local food growers. I hope that the benefits and pleasures of being vegan continue to come to light and inspire more to try it on.  My intention is to share what I’ve learned with anyone who is interested in leaning in that direction…..recipes and resources for better health, with compassion toward the animals and care for our planet.  Being vegan feeds me on so many different levels…..the food is so incredibly delicious (!) and cooking has become so very fun for me again. I love knowing that no animals have been harmed with what I eat and that I am walking on this earth with a smaller footprint.  My spirit is fed through all these paths of living more mindfully and in harmony with my peaceful nature.

Now, I’m off to dinner to celebrate with my husband and our friends.  We’re going to a place that I will have to make a special request for vegan fare, which I am getting very good at doing.  Happy Birthday, Jimbo, my mostly vegan, sometimes vegetarian, rarely omnivorous best friend and darling husband!

Let me know your thoughts about leaning into vegan, being vegan in Ann Arbor, Vegan MoFo or anything else!