Recipe: Cheesecake with Silken Tofu, a Nut Crust, and Homemade Caramel Sauce

The zest and fresh juice from one lemon gives this cheesecake a delicate, tangy flavor. A drizzle of homemade caramel sauce provides a burst of sweetness, and the nut and coconut crust provides a hearty chew.

This crust recipe comes from: Hungry hungry hippie

The homemade caramel sauce comes for the entertaining VeganZombie (part of Butterbeer recipe)

Lemon Cheesecake

Crust:

1 c. of nuts (I had a mix of almonds and Brazil nuts) 

2 T liquid sweetener (I used agave)

1 c. coconut flakes

1 tsp. cinnamon

Directions: 

Soak the nuts for four hours and then drain and empty into a food processor. Add the rest of the crust ingredients and pulse for 1-2 minutes until mixed thoroughly. Press the crust into a pie dish. (I didn’t grease the pan and my crust came out fine)

The blended nut crust is sweet and chewy.

The tofu in the cheesecake recipe

 Filling:

1 12oz package of silken tofu

1 tsp of almond extract

Juice and zest of 1 lemon

¼ c. of sugar

½ c. of vegan cream cheese (I used Tofutti)

Tiny pinch of salt

Directions: 

Preheat oven to 350. Wash the food processor after making the crust and place all the filling ingredients inside. Blend until smooth, about 1-2 minutes. Scrape down the sides as needed.

Empty filling into crust and bake for 15 minutes. Turn down heat to 250 and bake another 10 minutes. Turn off the oven and allow the cheesecake to sit in the oven for an additional 10 minutes. Cool and refrigerate at least 4 hours before serving.

Ready to bake

Caramel sauce from the Vegan Zombie:

Ingredients:

1 cup sugar

1/4 cup water

1 tsp lemon juice

1/4 cup almond milk

In a medium saucepan, heat the sugar and water up to a boil. Add lemon juice (to prevent crystallization) and swirl pan around without stirring (but you can scrape the sides to keep sugar from sticking to the sides of the pot). Once it turns a dark amber color, remove the sauce from heat. Add the almond milk and stir it all together.

My contribution to this recipe is that I add a pinch of salt and 1 tsp. of vanilla extract at the end. 

The cheesecake filling is tangy and creamy and goes well with the sweet caramel sauce. 

Recipe: Vegan Eggs for a Hearty Egg, Bacon, Avocado, and More Burrito

Tonight I had a scrumptious “breakfast burrito” for dinner. It had herbs, avocado, “meat,” and vegan eggs. 

Before you make this burrito, you'll need some eggs -- and I don't mean the kind from our friends, the chicken. 

I mean a tofu-based egg product. I love my vegan egg recipe. The dish tastes like a cross between egg salad and deviled eggs. Indian black salt makes this dish, so don’t attempt this recipe until you buy this product. You can find this item at Indian grocery stores or on Amazon. Buy finely ground black salt.

Black salt, aka Kala Namak, gives off a sulfur smell. It sounds gross, but it works. 

Vegan Eggs

Ingredients:

• 12-15 oz container of tofu (The firmer the tofu, the firmer your “eggs,” so unless you like them runny, use extra firm)
• 4 T of vegan mayo (I used 3 T of Just Mayo Original and 1 T of Follow Your Heart Chipotle Mayo in this latest batch)
• 1 tsp of yellow mustard or 1 tsp of Dijon mustard – or do what I do and use ½ tsp of both!
• 3 T of sweet pickle relish (you can add more later if you want)
• 1 T of fresh lemon juice or 1 T of white vinegar or pickle juice
• 1 tsp of smoked paprika
• 1 tsp of turmeric (omit if you don't want bright yellow eggs)
• Dash of black pepper
• 1 tsp of black salt (you can add more later if you think the egg flavor is subtle)
• Optional: dash of hot sauce

In a bowl, mix everything but the tofu together. If your tofu was packed in water, like most are, wrap it in some paper towels while you assemble your other ingredients. Once all your ingredients (except the tofu) are mixed, taste it. It should be salty, tangy and eggy. Add the tofu and break it up with a fork or potato masher. Make it as chunky as you like. Mix everything well and taste. Add more relish (if you want more sweetness) or a pinch of black salt if you think it needs more egg flavor. Be careful with the black salt; too much and your dish will be very salty.

Note: I usually use Earth Balance Mayo or Follow Your Heart Vegenaise Original with this recipe, but I used Just Mayo. It’s runnier than the other mayo products, so I added a small spoon of potato flakes (instant mashed potato mix) to thicken the sauce before adding the tofu.

Second note: If you want this dish without the tofu, use cooked red potatoes that you’ve boiled and mashed (it's up to you if you want the skins removed or not). The finished dish will taste like an eggy potato salad.

To make the breakfast burrito, warm up a large flour tortilla. Smear it with a sauce, if you like. I smeared a spoon of Follow Your Heart’s Roasted Garlic Mayo on the tortilla. Next, add any ingredients you like. I chopped up a few slices of Upton’s Bacon and sautéed it in a pan until crispy (2-3 minutes). I added the bacon, cilantro, half a sliced avocado, some spinach, and then a couple spoons of the egg mixture. I also added a little chili garlic sauce for some heat. Roll up one side, tuck the right and left ends in, and continue rolling. Then, dig in!

If the neon yellow color of the eggs is a turn-off, omit the turmeric. But...turmeric is very good for you because it fights inflammation. Its power is boosted when mixed with a little black pepper!

You'll love this hearty burrito for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Add whatever veggies, herbs, and fake meats you like.

Recipe: Tamale Casserole with Neat Mexican Mix

In yesterday’s post I reviewed Neat, which is a shelf-stable, dry-mix, meat-alternative product that’s available in three flavors: Mexican, Italian, and Original.

Using the Mexican mix, I made a hearty tamale casserole inspired by a recipe from Plan To Eat. 

Tamales are delicious but definitely require a bit of time to prepare. That’s why I like making tamale casseroles because I cook the filling, throw it in a pan, top it with the masa dough, and then bake. The trick to a perfect topping is steaming the masa dough so it obtains the tender, flaky consistency of a tamale cooked in a corn husk.

The last couple times I’ve made a tamale casserole, I prepared my dish, topped it with the masa, and then set the glassware on a rack inside of a roasting pan. I then added enough water into the roasting pan so the water level came about halfway up the side of the glassware. I covered the entire roasting pan and glassware with a few sheets of aluminum foil and baked it. The water bath steamed the masa effectively. 

I wanted to try Plan To Eat’s way because it didn’t involve the water bath. I did cover the glassware with foil because I was concerned the masa topping would get dry without it.

Masa is fun to work with because the texture is very fine. When you add a liquid, the mixture feels soft and fluffy in your hands. 

Tamale Casserole

Ingredients:

Topping:

• 2 cups masa
• 1-1/2 tsp of baking powder
• ½ tsp of salt
• ½ c of melted coconut oil
• 2 cups of vegetable broth

Directions:

Combine the dry ingredients in a large bowl and then pour in the melted coconut oil and vegetable broth. Mix with a spoon and then your hands until the dough can be shaped into a ball. Set aside the bowl and complete the filling.

Filling:

• 1 package of Neat Mexican mix, prepared and set aside
• 1 T of oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 c. salsa
• ½ c. corn
• 1 can of black beans, drain and rinsed
• 1 c. of chopped olives
• Optional: chopped jalapenos, bell peppers, green onions.

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Over medium heat, saute the onions in the oil in a large skillet. After 5 minutes, add the minced garlic and cook for 1-2 minutes. Add the salsa, corn, beans, and prepared Neat mix. Simmer for 3-5 minutes and then remove from the heat. The Neat mixture will break down in the skillet and take on the texture of refried beans. You want the filling to be on the wetter side, so add more salsa juice or a couple tablespoons of veggie broth if the mixture starts to get pasty. Taste and add salt if needed.

The onion, corn, bean, and Neat mixture.

Transfer the filling to a 13-by-9-inch pan. Top with the chopped olives. (I also added chopped green onions). Grab a handful of the masa dough and flatten it in between your hands before laying it on the filling; repeat until the filling is covered. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 50 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and leave it covered on the stove for 10 minutes or so. 

Once in the glassware, I topped the mixture with chopped olives and green onions.

I flattened the masa dough in my hands and then placed the pieces over the mixture.

The masa topping was flavorful and slightly moist. The water-bath method produces a slightly moister topping, but the difference isn’t that great. With the water-bath method, you bake the dish for about an hour and then allow it to cool under the foil for 10-15 minutes. Bake longer if the topping looks like it needs more steaming.

I topped this tamale pie with salsa and some homemade Cilantro Avocado cream sauce, recipe from Oh She Glows here. (Scroll down for cream recipe)

A piece of tamale casserole topped with salsa and a cilantro avocado cream sauce.

The dish was spicy, sweet, tangy, and briny. The beans and corn gave a nice chew, while the Neat provided a creamy texture. The masa topping delivered a slight corn flavor and pastry-like texture. This is a dish worth making again! 

Product Review: Neat Meat Replacement Is Neato-Keano Swell (also #gluten-free, #soy-free)

The three flavors of Neat, a meat replacement and shelf-stable product. From left, Mexican, Italian, and Original

One of my favorite new vegetarian products that emerged on the market in 2013 is a shelf-stable, meat-replacement product called Neat. Neat was born in the kitchen of a Pennsylvania family, and the name came about when daughter Morgan said, “This isn’t meat; it’s neat!”

Another great thing about the company is that Neat is packaged by VisionCorps at its food facility in Lancaster County, Pa. VisionCorps provides support programs and employment opportunities to people who are blind or vision impaired.

Home cooks can prepare the Mexican, Italian, or Original mix with 2 tablespoons of water and 2 eggs or 2 egg substitutes (Yay, vegan option!). Parmesan or a vegan Parmesan is needed to make Italian neatballs. Once all the ingredients are combined, the thick mixture is then cooked in a pan with a little oil. 

I'm breaking up the Mexican Neat mix into crumbles as it cooks.

I’ve prepared and tasted all three mixes, and the finished products are slightly moist and just ever-so crumbly in your mouth.

Here’s a roundup of the three flavors:

• Mexican: As I prepared the mix, the smells brought back memories of Old-Ortega taco night as a kid. The strong aroma of chili powder and onion powder automatically makes you inhale deeply to take in that awesome taco-seasoning smell. This is definitely my favorite of the three, and I plan to use the mix when I make a tamale casserole (I’ll post the recipe and photos tomorrow).

• Original: This mix has the most delicious smells as you mix it and cook it in a pan. The package only lists “spices” in the ingredient list, but whatever the “spices” are, it’s a good combination fo’ sure. You can make ground neat, which will resemble the crumbles you get when making the Mexican mix. You also can make burgers – four patties per package.

• Italian: This mix definitely makes you think of Italian food as you prepare it. I made neatballs (eight balls per package) and used Parmela’sParmesan Style Aged Nut Cheese where the recipe called for 1/3 c. of Parmesan cheese. I added the cooked neatballs to some noodles and then poured on my homemade pesto sauce. My family enjoyed this dish tremendously, and the neatballs held their own well.

Neat can be purchased at VeganEssentials, Amazon, Vitacost, and on the Neat website.

Recipe: Mom's Halushka Goes Vegan

Halushka is an example of a non-vegan recipe that had emotional ties to me. The flavors and textures with this dish, which was cooked often by my mother, were always comforting – the sweet, tender noodles; the wilted cabbage; the salt and garlic flavors over the pan-fried protein. 

I remember how proud my mom was to serve this dish to her family as well as neighbors and at potlucks. It was always well-received. Well, I definitely don’t miss the animal protein, but that’s easily remedied with Viana’s Smoked Veggie Frankfurters. My vegan dish that was inspired by my mom’s Halushka recipe achieves everything that the original does without the Kielbasa.  

My mom’s recipe was very garlic heavy, which I loved, so don’t be surprised with how much garlic is in this recipe.

Ingredients:

¼ c. of vegan buttery spread

1 onion sliced thinly

4-5 cloves of garlic sliced thinly

1/4 c of garlic powder, divided

4 links of Viana’s Smoked Veggie Frankfurters sliced into discs

One small or medium head of cabbage shredded

2 servings of cooked thick noodles (I used brown rice fettuccine-style noodles that I had in the pantry)

Salt, as needed

Optional ingredients that are not in my mom's original recipe: red chili flakes, chopped kale

Directions:

Cook the noodles according to the directions and set aside. Melt the buttery spread in a large pot, and add the sliced onions. Sautee for 5 minutes over medium heat and then add the sliced garlic, 2 T of garlic powder, and the sliced frankfurters. Cook for 5 minutes. Add the shredded cabbage and put a lid on the pot to help wilt the cabbage. You can lower the heat a little while you wait. Once you’re able to stir the mixture easily and the cabbage is nearly wilted (5-10 minutes), stir in the cooked pasta. Taste and add salt to your liking. I added the other 2 T of garlic powder at this point. Continue to stir the mixture so the noodles get incorporated throughout. Remove the pot from heat. 

You can leave the dish as-is, or you can add red chili flakes and/or one bunch of chopped kale. You can either incorporate the kale into the hot mixture in a separate large bowl or place the chopped kale on top of the hot mixture and put a lid on the pot. After several minutes, the steam and heat from the cooked food will make the kale easier to incorporate into the mixture. 

Viana's Smoked Veggie Frankfurters have a smooth consistency and a smoky, salami-like flavor.

I see stinky garlic breath in my future.

The perfect bite: a little kale, cabbage, noodle, and smoked sausage. I think my mom would be proud. Now I have a version of the recipe I can pass on to my son.  

Recipe: Almond and Pumpkin Porridge (#gluten-free, #grain-free)

Over the past few days, my breakfasts have consisted of a tasty eggless-salad sandwich with three strips of Upton's Bacon Seitan (Recipe to come!).

I wanted something different this chilly Sunday morning, so I tested a new recipe that I printed about a month ago from Choosing Raw.  Instead of oats, this porridge uses almond pulp that's produced from making homemade almond milk. I don't make my own almond milk, so I used almond flour.

The recipe calls for cinnamon. For the heck of it, I'm using Apple Pie Spice. Use Pumpkin Pie spice if you want.

Almond and Pumpkin Breakfast Porridge (gluten-free and grain-free)
Ingredients:

• 1 c. pumpkin puree
• 1/3 c. almond pulp (I used almond flour)
• 1 T of ground flaxseed or chia seeds, which are not ground up
• 1/3 c. of almond milk (I used unsweetened vanilla almond milk)
• Pinch of salt
• 1/2 tsp. of ground cinnamon (I used Apple Pie Spice)
• 2 tsp of maple syrup (Go with Grade B, it's more flavorful than Grade A)

Toppings: chopped nuts, vegan chocolate chips, dried fruit, etc.

Directions:

Add the pumpkin, almond pulp (or flour), flax or chia (I used chia), almond milk, salt, and cinnamon to a small to medium saucepan. Whisk the ingredients over medium heat until they start to bubble. Simmer for 5 minutes, whisking gently and continuously. Empty contents into a bowl and drizzle with the maple syrup and toppings. I sprinkled a little more Apple Pie Spice on top. 

My porridge seen just before it began bubbling. Try to keep the chia seeds in the mixture.

The porridge was slightly salty and had the wonderful consistency of the cream of wheat I remember eating as a child. If you want your porridge creamy, then use flax; otherwise, the chia seeds add a chewy bite (I loved it). I tasted the pumpkin with each bite, but it wasn't strong. I didn't really taste the cinnamon or anything else, which is perfectly fine. So, adjust the seasonings to your liking. I might try this with ground cardamom next time. 

My finished bowl of almond and pumpkin porridge drizzled with maple syrup.

It was a hardy breakfast, and I only could eat half. My husband enjoyed the small spoonful I gave him, and my son -- as expected -- didn't like it. With his autism, textures can be a problem, so the chia seeds were not a welcome addition to his palate. He struggles sometimes with soups, cereal, and dishes that have different components (such as a sauce over rice). He loves crunchy things, so cereal in the beginning is good, but once it gets soggy he starts to gag with the mushy texture mixed with the runny almond milk. He doesn't struggle to eat; some children on the spectrum have low muscle tone in their mouths that affect their ability to chew and swallow. But, his problem is more of a strong gag reflex that comes about because he's sensitive to textures. His eating habits have improved tremendously over the years, so I have no doubt this problem will be a short blip in his life. 

Enjoy the porridge. It's definitely a keeper in my stack of recipes.

Creative Curry Time

I was craving a tomato-based curry in which to submerge some baked tofu and eat with a few sweet potato falafels, but I didn't have any canned or fresh tomatoes. Good thing I had a can of chunky tomato soup (vegan, of course). This soup was already sweetened a bit and had some herbs tossed in, so I liked that some of the flavoring was done for me.

My baked sweet potato falafels. Recipe from FatFree Vegan Kitchen.

A little back story -- I'm hoping my family gets to move to Arkansas in the next couple of months, so I've been working through all the food I have stored in my pantry and freezer to save up some money and lighten the moving load. The move would be part of a relocation through my husband's job. When my husband first mentioned that we might have the opportunity to move to Arkansas, I opened up Google and typed in "vegan restaurants in Bentonville, Ark." I didn't search for rental rates, schools, or big-city-like things -- I just wanted to know what the atmosphere would be like. I was happy to see in the search results that there are vegetarian restaurants that could easily serve me vegan fare. Plus, I read they also have cool farmers markets in the area, so I'm gung-ho about going. Anyway, that's why I don't rush out to buy "missing" ingredients when I want to cook; I just try to be creative with what I have.

So, back to the recipe ...

Ingredients:

• 2 T of olive oil
• 2 tsp. cumin seeds
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1-inch piece of ginger, minced (I used a big honkin' spoon of ginger-garlic paste because I was out of garlic and ginger -- about 2 T; the paste can be found at Indian stores)
• 1 minced hot pepper -- jalapeno or green chili, for example (I had one lonely chipotle pepper sitting in about 2 T of adobo sauce sitting in a container in the fridge; I used this pepper and the sauce)
• 1 tsp curry powder
• 2 tsp paprika
• 2 tsp of garam masala
• 3 chopped tomatoes or 1 15-ounce can of diced tomatoes (I used my 19-ounce can of tomato soup)
• 1 tsp of baking soda
• 1 c. of cubed baked tofu (You could use chopped mushrooms instead)
• 1/4 c. of raisins (I didn't have raisins, so I used dried cranberries)
• 1/2 c of chopped cashews
• Optional ingredients: dash of cinnamon, coconut milk, vinegar, sugar

Directions:

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the cumin seeds and allow them to sizzle for less than a minute. Add the ginger and garlic and saute for a couple minutes. Add the curry powder, paprika, garam masala, and tomatoes. Stir well and simmer for 5 minutes. If you want a thicker sauce allow the liquid to reduce a bit on low heat. Add the baking soda and stir well (the mixture will foam a bit; the baking soda cuts away some of the acidity). Add the cubed tofu, cashews, and raisins, and simmer for another 5 minutes. At this point, I added a dash of cinnamon and about a 1/2 cup of coconut milk I had sitting in the fridge. (I had used most of the cream to make coconut whipped cream, so I had mostly the watery portion leftover). If you want your curry sweeter, add a little sugar. If you need more tang, add 1-2 T of vinegar. 

That's it. You can add a pinch of salt if needed. My tomato soup had salt in it, so I didn't need to add any extra. Serve with tortillas, naan bread, or over rice. I'm weird and like to eat my chunky curries like stew. 

My finished curry. My spoon shows the baked tofu and some cashew bits.

I was happy with how the curry turned out. It had a little heat to it, and the tofu chunks and bits of cashews and dried cranberries provided great texture. The baked tofu wasn't mushy; it had a nice chew to it. The cashews were softened, but still had a bite to them, and the dried cranberries gave bursts of sweetness that cut into the smoky heat from the chipotle pepper and adobo sauce.

I love this brand of baked tofu. I buy it from Whole Foods and freeze the extras. I used half a package for this recipe (two chunks are in each package). I then slice the tofu in half the long way, and then I cube it.

My husband loved the curry. I like surprising him with my fun creations and showing him that his American-born Desi girl knows how to use her spices!