DAVEGAN: Food for Thought

A carefully curated collection of healthy, delicious recipes (that happen to be vegan). Lives in Kansas and pulls from all over the world.

Dave+Vegan = DAVEGAN

Couscous With Tomatoes, Kale and Chickpeas

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/3 cups couscous, preferably whole wheat
  • 1 to 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • Pinch of red pepper flakes
  • 1 can (28-ounce) tomatoes, with juice, pulsed a few times in a food processor or mini processor
  • Pinch of sugar
  • Salt to taste
  • 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
  • 1 bunch (about 3/4 pound) black kale, stemmed and washed thoroughly
  • 1/4 to 1/2 cup chopped cilantro (optional)

Directions:

  1. Begin heating a saucepan full of water for the kale. Put the couscous in a bowl, add salt to taste, and if desired, 1 tablespoon of the olive oil. Stir or rub between your fingers to distribute the oil (with the oil the couscous is a little fluffier, but you can omit this step). Cover with ½ inch of warm water or stock, if you have some. Let sit while you prepare the tomato sauce. Stir every once in a while to fluff.
  2. Heat the remaining tablespoon of oil over medium heat in a wide skillet or saucepan and add the garlic and red pepper flakes. As soon as the garlic begins to smell fragrant (30 seconds to 1 minute), add the tomatoes, sugar, and salt and bring to a simmer. Cook, stirring often, until thick and fragrant, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat, taste and adjust seasoning.
  3. By now the water in the pot will be boiling. Add salt to taste and the kale. Blanch for 3 to 4 minutes, until tender but still bright. Using a skimmer, transfer to a bowl of cold water. Drain and squeeze out excess water. Chop medium-fine and stir into the tomato sauce, along with the chickpeas and cilantro. Keep warm.
  4. Cover the couscous bowl with plastic wrap, pierce in a few places and microwave for 2 minutes at full power. Remove from the microwave carefully, as the bowl will be hot. Carefully remove the plastic and fluff. Cover again and return to the microwave for 1 minute. Serve the couscous topped with the tomato and kale sauce.

Yield: Serves 4

via: NYTimes

“Close-tess” Crème-Filled Cupcakes

These cupcakes look fantastic and seem easy to make. For an incredibly “upbeat” video of Chef Chloe in action, check out this video from the Hungry Channel. One interesting fact from the video that hadn’t occurred to me is that vegan desserts are perfect for people who keep kosher! You learn something new every day…

CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES

  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (or gluten-free all-purpose flour plus ¾ teaspoon xanthan gum)
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup cold coffee or water
  • 1/2 cup canola oil
  • 2 tablespoons white or apple cider vinegar
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 (12-cup) cupcake pan with 14 cupcake liners.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together coffee, oil, vinegar, and vanilla. Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and whisk until just combined. Do not over mix.

Fill the cupcake liners about two-thirds full with batter. Bake for 16 to 18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cupcake comes out clean with a few crumbs clinging to it. Cool the cupcakes completely before frosting.

To assemble the cupcakes: Fit the piping bag with a small round or Bismarck tip and fill with the Crème Frosting. Insert the tip into the center of the top of each cupcake and squeeze the bag to fill with about 2 to 3 teaspoons frosting. There is no need to scoop out any of the cake. Spread the top of each cupcake with a thin layer of Chocolate Ganache and pipe a 4-loop design with the Crème Frosting.

CRÈME FROSTING

  • 1 cup non-hydrogenated vegetable shortening
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2 to 5 tablespoons soy, almond, or rice milk
  • 1 piping bag, fitted with a small round or Bismarck tip

To make the Crème Frosting: Using a handheld or stand mixer, beat the shortening until smooth. With the mixer running on low, add powdered sugar, vanilla, and 1 tablespoon nondairy milk at a time, as needed, until frosting reaches a spreadable consistency. You may not need to use all of the nondairy milk. Beat on high for 2 more minutes until light and fluffy.

CHOCOLATE GANACHE

  • 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips (dairy-free)

  • ¼ cup canned coconut milk, mixed well before measuring
  • 2 tablespoons canola oil

Melt chocolate chips and coconut milk in a double boiler or microwave. Whisk in oil until smooth.

Make-Ahead Tip:
The Chocolate Cupcakes can be filled with Crème Frosting and frozen for up to 2 weeks. Thaw cupcakes and apply Chocolate Ganache topping and swirl design before serving. Any leftover Crème Frosting can also be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Makes 14 cupcakes

Chipotle Chili with Sweet Potatoes and Brussels Sprouts

Bring it on, Winter!

Ingredients:

  • 1 teaspoon olive oil
  • 1 red onion, diced small
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon coriander seeds, crushed
  • 2 teaspoons dried oregano
  • 3 chipotles in adobo, seeded and chopped (3 is a lot of spice, so if you’re not to into the heat, try just 1 or 2)
  • 1 ½ pounds sweet potatoes (2 average-size), peeled and cut into ¾-inch pieces
  • 12 ounces Brussels sprouts, quartered lengthwise (about 2 cups)
  • 2 teaspoons ground cumin
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes
  • 1 cup water
  • 1 (16-ounce) can pinto beans, drained and rinsed (about 1 ½ cups)
  • 1 ½ teaspoons salt
  • Freshly squeezed lime juice

Directions:

  1. In a 4-quart pot over medium heat, sauté the onion in the olive oil for 5 to 7 minutes, until translucent. Add the garlic, coriander seeds, and oregano, and saute for a minute more. Add the remaining ingredients (except the lime juice). Mix well. The sweet potatoes and Brussels sprouts will be peeking out of the tomato sauce, but don’t worry, they will cook down.
  2. Cover the pot and bring it to a boil, then lower the heat to simmer and cook for about half an hour, stirring often, until the sweet potatoes are tender but not mushy. Squeeze in the lime juice to taste and adjust any other seasonings. Let the chili sit uncovered for at least 10 minutes before eating.

via: LJWorld.com

Fluffy Vegan Pancakes

Happy New Year, everyone! I hope the holiday season went well for everyone and that you were able to try out at least a couple of new recipes. If anyone is giving veganism a try for the first time as part of a 2013 New Year’s resolution, way to go! I wrote a post last year with some tips for vegans just starting out which might be helpful.

It’s been snowy and cold around here and so I’ve been craving warm breakfasts lately. These pancakes with a cup of coffee and a grapefruit is a perfect meal for snow-gazing out the window and contemplating calling in sick …

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 3 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup almond milk (or soy milk)
  • 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon ground flax seeds
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 3 tablespoons canola oil
  • 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Directions:

  1. In a large mixing bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Make a well in the center.
  2. Measure the milk into a measuring cup. Add vinegar and ground flax seeds, and use a fork to vigorously mix the ingredients until foamy. This will take a minute or so.
  3. Pour the milk mixture into the center of the dry ingredients. Add the water, canola oil and vanilla and use a fork to mix until a thick, lumpy batter forms. That should take about a minute. It doesn’t need to be smooth, just make sure you get all the ingredients incorporated.
  4. Preheat the pan over medium-low heat and let the batter rest for 10 minutes.
  5. Lightly coat the pan in oil. Add 1/3 cup of batter for each pancake, and cook for about 4 minutes, until puffy. Flip the pancakes, adding a new coat of oil to the pan, and cook for another 3 minutes or so. Pancake should be about an inch thick, and golden brown.
  6. Rest pancakes on a cooling rack covered with tin foil until ready to serve. To reheat, place pancakes in on a baking sheet covered with tin foil in a  300 F degree oven for 5 minutes or so.

TIPS:

  1. Don’t use an electric mixer for the batter. Overmixed pancakes tend to result in a dense pancake. I use a dinner fork to get everything mixed.
  2. You have to let the batter rest for ten minutes or so. The vinegar and the baking powder need to react with each other and the gluten needs to settle in and rest.
  3. Don’t crowd the pan. Even in my big cast iron, I don’t make more than two pancakes at once.
  4. Don’t use too much oil in the pan. It will result in a tough exterior. A very layer of oil is what you want and a spray can of organic canola oil works perfectly for this.
  5. Preheat the pan for a good ten minutes. I use cast iron and put it on moderate low heat (right around 3 on my stovetop), but you will probably need to adjust a little to get the temp just right. Remember, the temp is not set in stone. Lower and raise in tiny increments as needed. Even turning the dial 1/4 inch can result in big changes.
  6. Use a measuring cup (with a rounded bottom if possible) to scoop out the batter. And remember to always spray the cup between pancakes, to prevent sticking.
  7. Once you drop the pancake in, refrain from futzing with the batter too much. But don’t be afraid to delicately nudge the batter a tiny bit with your fingers to get a more circular shape and more even cooking. But the batter should spread a tiny bit and puff up all on its own.

Via: the Post Punk Kitchen

Clementine and Pomegranate Salad with Avocado

This is a beautiful, colorful salad that would be perfect with a holiday meal. It features clementines and pomrgranates which are in season during the wintertime. As a quick tip, get a large bowl of water and peel out the pomegranate seeds underwater. The seeds will sink to the bottom and the white, fleshy part will just float on top!

For the dressing:

  • 1 1/2 tablespoons white (or golden) Balsamic vinegar
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon clementine zest
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

For the salad:

  • 1 to 1 1/4 pounds clementines (or another seedless variety of Mandarin oranges or tangerines)
  • 2 large ripe, but not too soft, avocados
  • 8 small handfuls of mixed baby lettuces (about 5 to 6 ounces)
  • 3/4 to 1 cup pomegranate seeds, from one medium pomegranate

Directions:

To make the vinaigrette, in a small bowl whisk the vinegar, lemon juice, mustard, zest and 1/4 teaspoon salt until smooth. While whisking, add the olive oil in a thin stream. You should obtain a lightly thickened, emulsified vinaigrette. Taste and correct the balance and seasoning. The vinaigrette should be sharp (to balance the sweetness of the fruits).

To prepare the clementines, cut the stem and blossom ends from the fruit. Place each fruit cut side down on the cutting board and, following the contour of the fruit with your knife, remove the peel and cottony pith — working from top to bottom and rotating the fruit as you go. When the clementines are all peeled, slice them cross-wise into 1/4-inch pinwheels. Set aside.

When you are ready to make the salad, halve the avocados and remove the pit and peel. Cut each half in half lengthwise (to obtain a quarter) and slice the avocado cross-wise into 1/4-inch slices. Drizzle with a bit of the vinaigrette and season with salt and pepper.

In a large bowl, place the greens and season with salt and pepper. Drizzle with a small amount of vinaigrette. Toss the greens with the vinaigrette, adding more vinaigrette if necessary, until all of the leaves are coated with a light film of dressing.

Place half of the greens on a large platter. Nestle half of the avocado slices and clementine pinwheels into the greens, being careful not to flatten the greens. Scatter half of the pomegranate seeds over all. Arrange the rest of the greens on top, and tuck the remaining avocado slices and Clementine pinwheels into the salad, again scattering the pomegranate seeds over all. Drizzle with some of the remaining vinaigrette, if you like. (Alternatively, build the salad on individual salad plates.)

Note: The amounts of clementine, avocado, salad greens and pomegranate seeds are only a guideline. The idea is to make a salad that is abundant with fruit. Also, if your pomegranate and clementine are on the acidic side, consider softening vinaigrette’s sharpness with a little extra oil or a teaspoon or so of sugar/agave nectar.

via: Paige Vandegrift

Red Lentil Thai Chili

Ingredients:

  • Olive oil (1 teaspoon to 2 tablespoons, however much you feel like using)
  • 1 large yellow onion, diced medium
  • 1 red bell pepper, seeded and diced medium
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons chili powder
  • 1 ½ lbs sweet potatoes cut into ¾ inch chunks
  • 1 cup red lentils
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 4 cups vegetable broth
  • 2 15 oz cans kidney beans, drained and rinsed
  • 2 tablespoons Thai red curry paste
  • 1 15 oz can lowfat coconut milk
  • 28 oz can diced tomatoes
  • ½ cup fresh cilantro, plus extra for garnish
    Limes for garnish (optional)

Directions:

  1. Preheat a 4-quart pot over medium heat. Saute onions and pepper in oil with a pinch of salt, for 5 to 7 minutes. Add garlic and saute a minute more.
  2. Add chili powder, sweet potatoes, lentils, salt and vegetable broth. Cover and bring to a boil. Let it boil for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent burning. When lentils are cooked and sweet potatoes are tender, add the remaining ingredients and heat through.
  3. Taste for salt and seasoning, top with cilantro and lime and serve!

Note: for a slow cooker version, saute the onions, garlic, and pepper, then put all ingredients except the coconut milk and cilantro in a slow cooker. Cook it on low for 6 hours, then add the coconut milk and cilantro and continue cooking for another half hour or so.

via: The Post Punk Kitchen

Pumpkin Spice Cake

Ingredients:

  • 1 15 oz can chickpeas, drained & rinsed
  • ½ cup soy buttermilk (soy milk combined with 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar)
  • 1 cup Vegan Butter (aka Earth Balance)
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 1 15 oz can pureed pumpkin
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • 2 ½ cups flour, (either regular flour or for a gluten-free version use: 1 cup buckwheat flour, 1½ cups brown rice flour)
  • ½ cup corn starch
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ½ teaspoon ground allspice
  • ½ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 cup chopped pecans (optional)
  • Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting

Directions:

  • Heat oven to 350˚F. Spray a 9 X 13 baking pan with vegetable spray
  • In a food processor, combine the rinsed chickpeas with the soy buttermilk. Pulse for several seconds until the chickpeas are smooth. Add the Vegan Butter and sugar and pulse some more until everything is good and creamy.  Add the pumpkin and vanilla and pulse a little more, for the fun of it.
  • In a separate bowl stir together the flour, corn starch, baking soda, salt, cinnamon nutmeg, allspice, cloves, salt, baking soda, and baking powder. Stir until well combined.
  • Next pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the flour mixture and stir until well-combined. Just say “no” to clumps of flour in your batter! That’s what I say!
  • Add chopped pecans if you’re into that kind of thing.
  • Pour the batter into your prepared cake pan and bake for about 35 – 40 minutes. You can always do the old piece of dry spaghetti trick. Insert a piece of dry spaghetti into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean, the cake is done! If not, you should let it bake for another 5 minutes or so.
  • Allow the cake to cool before adding the Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting.

Frosting:

  • 1 16 oz container Vegan Cream Cheese, softened
  • 1 stick dairy free margarine, softened
  • 3 cups powdered sugar
  • 3 tablespoons soymilk

Cream together the vegan cream cheese and margarine until smooth. Add powdered sugar a little at a time until well combined. Add soy milk one tablespoon at a time until you get the desired consistency.

via: Namely Marley

Basic Chocolate Bundt Cake

This is a fairly basic cake recipe, so I’m guessing you could use it in a layer or bundt cake. Regardless, I’m sure it’ll be delicious. Have a great weekend!

Ingredients

  •    3 cups all-purpose flour
  •    2 cups unrefined sugar
  •    1 1/2 cups cocoa
  •    2 teaspoons aluminum-free Baking Powder
  •    1 1/2 teaspoons Baking Soda
  •    1/2 teaspoon salt
  •    1/4 cup coconut oil
  •    1/4 cup canola oil
  •    1/4 cup vegetable shortening
  •    1/2 cup prepared egg-replacer (Energie or Brand)
  •    1 tablespoon vanilla
  •    2 cups almond milk (or other non-dairy milk)
  •    2 cups cold coffee
  •    1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 375º, and coat your pan with non-stick cooking spray or canola oil.
  2. Combine the dry ingredients in a bowl: Flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda, & salt.
  3. In a separate bowl (or using a mixer) beat the coconut oil, canola oil, shortening, egg replacer, and vanilla until fluffy.
  4. Pour the coffee and almond milk onto the dry mix, then add the whipped oil and egg-replacer, and stir in the chocolate chips until the mixture is smooth.
  5. Bake for about 30 minutes (or until edges pull away from sides of pan).

via: The Kind Life