Baked Whole Pineapple

Based on the video below, I veganized the recipe for baked pineapple. Instead of egg whites, I used 1/4 cup tapioca starch and moistened the salt and spice mixture with vegan cognac. You really need to watch the video to understand the rest of the recipe and procedure.

My pineapple was a much larger one so I used about 20 cloves and baked it a full hour at 350°. It came out just right. I quartered it and used two of the sections as suggested. Instead of the marscarpone and basil, I used 1/2 cup Luna & Larry’s Coconut Bliss and mint.

The other sections I chilled and served with salad the next day. The cloves and spiced salt gave the whole pineapple a great infusion of flavor. It was worth the effort and a lot of fun. The only thing I would change would be to wrap the leaves in foil while baking so they might not get as dry and would perhaps look more attractive when serving.

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Coconut Bacon

I am loving yet another product that I would not have tried if I hadn’t signed up for Spencer’s Market – Phoney Baloney’s Coconut Bacon!

It has the right amount of crunch and saltiness and flavor without that odd aftertaste a lot of soy bacon gives. The slight coconut flavor is very pleasing!

I tried it as toppers on a salad an then a recipe my friend Jan shared with me. I have yet to mix it in to see if it hold up to moisture or cooking but I have my doubts that I will have enough. It is great to snack on too!

Here is a terrific recipe that it compliments and called for real bacon on top. It also called for shrimp and I subbed tofu instead.

Old Florida Style Soup

INGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup chopped onion
1 tsp. garlic
1 (1 lb. 12 oz) can Ro*tel tomatoes with chili peppers
1 green pepper, chopped
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 bay leaf
1 carrot, sliced thin
2 med. Celery sticks, sliced
2 med. Potatoes, cubed
2 tsp. salt
1/2 lb. cubed extra firm tofu (pressed and seasoned with old bay)
1/2 cup Coconut Bacon

DIRECTIONS:
Sauté onion and garlic. Add tomatoes, and add rest of ingredients to onion. Bring to boiling point, reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes. Add tofu and heat through. Garnish with Coconut Bacon.

Roasted Garlic Seitan Roll

Inspired by a recipe I saw on Cook’s County, I decided to adapt the Stuffed Seitan Roast I made for A Taste of Thanksgiving.

Since it was only for the two of us, I halved the roast recipe, swapped lentils for pinto beans and dried mustard for the paprika. In the center, instead of stuffing, I put about a dozen cloves of peeled roasted garlic before rolling it and crimping the seam together.

I baked it the same length of time (90 minutes @ 350°) but before wrapping it in the foil, I sprayed the foil with olive oil because I decided to brush a little mustard glaze on it.

Mustard Glaze:
1 Tbl brown mustard
1 Tbl brown sugar
1/2 tsp coarse sea salt
1/2 tsp crushed rosemary
a pinch of powdered cloves

It turned out very nicely, did not need any gravy for seasoning nor moisture and went well with beets and steamed broccoli.

Trader Joe’s Vegan Mozzarella Style Shreds

I wish I had a sample of Trader Joe’s Vegan Mozzarella Style Shreds when I had done my vegan cheese taste test last May. It is definitely different from any that I tried.

I used it on a pizza, making my super easy crust from the Mark Bittman’s How to Cook Everything Vegetarian. Uncooked, the shreds are a lot like a Parmesan, just a little dry and tough but a fine flavor. In the super hot oven, they melted and bubbled up in a visually pleasing way.

This vegan cheese melted and spread a lot more differently than any other vegan cheese shredded product. I allowed the pizza to stand a few minutes as you would a dairy cheesed pizza. The cooked Trader Joe’s Vegan Mozzarella Style Shreds looked a little glossy and when I touched it it was pliant and stringy in a gooey sort of way.

The mouth feel was a bit pasty and stuck to the roof of my mouth and teeth. Unlike Daiya shreds, it left a starchy coating but its flavor was superior. It was not a mellow mozzarella flavor but more like a melted American Cheese or mild Cheddar. If you think of Daiya as a little rubbery, Trader Joe’s Vegan Mozzarella Style Shreds cook up a little pasty.

I think the Trader Joe’s Vegan Mozzarella Style Shreds has a superior flavor but I wouldn’t use it in every recipe where you would want a vegan Mozzarella. It was fine on the pizza but think it would do better replacing a soft queso.

TCB Cupcakes

What’s a vegan to do with an overly ripe couple of bananas, the dregs of the peanut butter jar and not enough vegan bacon bits to make anything out of? Take care of business and get rid of all of the above by mixing up a batch of Elvis inspired:

TCB Cupcakes
makes 12 cupcakes

Ingredients:

1/2 cup crunchy peanut butter
2 very ripe bananas
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup canola oil
2/3 cup soy/rice/your favorite milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/4 tsp. liquid smoke
1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt

For the glaze
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/8 cup vegan powdered sugar
1/4 cup vegan bacon bits

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350F and get your cupcake liners of choice ready.

In a bowl, mash bananas and peanut butter until very smooth. Add wet ingredients: canola oil, soy milk, vanilla extract and liquid smoke, and use an immersion blender until smooth-ish. Don’t ruin the chunky peanut butter texture.

In a larger bowl, sift together dry ingredients–flour, sugar, baking soda and powder, and salt. Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour wet ingredients. Fold wet into dry until just combined. Never overmix your cupcake batter!

Fill liners two-thirds full with batter.

Bake for 20 to 22 minutes until knife inserted into cupcake comes out clean. Cool completely before…

The Glazing:
Place the maple syrup and powdered sugar in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. Bring to a boil, stirring often. Boil for a minute. Turn the heat off, add vegan bacon bits and stir the glaze for another 30 seconds or so.

Use a pastry brush to apply glaze and bacon bits to the tops of the cupcakes.

Jimbo’s Cormsbread

As was evident in my Expectations, Culinary and Otherwise post, I am a little picky about cornbread. Yesterday was one of those days when hot soup and a wedge of cornbread sounded just right. Jimbo rose to the challenge and, with the inspiration of a Skillet Cornbread recipe from Veganomicon, veganized an old recipe we had for Aunt Dorothy’s Cornbread.

Jimbo’s Cormsbread

Ingredients
2 Cups plain soy milk
2 teaspoons chili infused vinegar
2 Cups yellow cornmeal
1 Cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup canola oil
1/3 Cup diced banana pepper rings
8.25 oz can of cream-style corn (most are vegan)

Directions
Preheat the oven to 350°. Lightly grease cast iron skillet and place in oven to pre-heat. Combine the soy milk and vinegar and set aside to curdle. Sift together dry ingredients. Create a well in the center and add the wet ingredients. Mix together until just combined, fold in any additional ingredients. Pour the batter into the prepared skillet. Bake for about 50 minutes, until a toothpick or knife inserted in the center comes out clean. Optional broil to add golden color on top. Remove from oven, let cool a bit before serving.

Refreshed Spice Jars

Old Spices – Old Labels

When a reminder about replacing your old spices (about every 6 months or so) came out on the Post Punk Kitchen Facebook page on December 28th, Jim had a good chuckle. We were already in the midst of discarding old spices, washing our spice jars and totally renaming all of the spices.

That’s right, renaming our spices. Because the old McCormick spice jar labels are paper based, we decided to design new water-proof ones to encourage regular cleaning. I decided if we were redesigning them, it was a great time to keep our lives full of fun and rename them all too!

It became a project over the holidays and enlisted Arron and Amy’s help in coming up with creative names. I didn’t want to have the traditional “snips and snails and puppy dog tails” nor “eye of newt” magical ingredients. The idea was to have crazy names but none that would every infer harm, even to mythical beasts.

Between the 4 of us, we came up with over 60 names for our almost 50 herbs and spices that we regularly use. Terrific ideas like Spiced Mojo, Seeds of Truth and Sowbug Jokes took the place of Whole Cloves, Anise Seed and Cumin Seed.

Cutting out the new waterproof labels.

We washed all of the jars and lids, peeled off the old labels then replaced any old herbs and spices with new. We decided to get rid of the Marjoram because we rarely used it. The same went for Lemon Peel since we zest and freeze what we use rather than nasty dried stuff. That and the double jars we had of Fennel Seed allowed us to swap in a few spices that we had in an overflow drawer.

After the new labels were designed, names chosen to represent specific herbs, labels printed, cut out and applied, difference in overall appearance is wonderful. I am so excited to have jars that I can wash off easily without being afraid of ruining the labels.

Detail of some new names.

If you think it will be confusing as to remembering what spice is what new name, I have to admit that it is a bit. We did, however, print the name of the contents in a smaller font to make clear what was inside. At first glance it looks as if the names are in no order at all but we have kept them in alphabetical order of contents Agar-Agar being first and White Pepper being last even though it looks like Ice Feathers leads the list and The Twitch is the last of the spices.

Even with those precautions, the spices have shifted a bit from what I was used to. Yesterday I sprinkled some Ground Cloves on some corn chips I was baking, thinking it was Chili Powder. It keeps life fresh and makes us smile. I am thinking it will be no time at all until I will be able to tell the Cuddled Imaginaries from the Dragon Sighs.

New spices, new labels.

Pennsyltucky Veggie Awards 2012 – Best Restaurant

Pennsyltucky Veggie Awarded, Best Restaurant 2011

What a splendid year of dining out 2011 has been. Sometimes accompanied by our friends and family, Jim and I have tasted foods from all over this region (see map here). The most difficult part was when we interrupted our dining experiences to actually photograph, write down, and try to subjectively judge the food and restaurants. We hope that the sharing of it has been interesting, maybe even helpful, for a few veggie folks who may want to eat out in this area.

Elk Creek Café + Aleworks, mentioned as noteworthy in the Vegetarian Specials award this year, is the winner of Pennsyltucky Veggie 2012 – Best Restaurant. This is the second year running they have won for best overall restaurant.

Turnip + Lentil Stew with Roasted Beets

Innkeeper of this laudable restaurant in Millheim is Tim Bowser and he has crafted the perfect balance of color, flare, seasoning, rhythm and down home goodness all under one roof. The feel of the place is hospitable, everyone from granny to toddler is welcome, and every member of the staff treat the customers with care and high regard. Assistant General Manager Genny Uhl sees to everyone’s needs with gentle conduct and a caring smile.

If live entertainment is your thing, there are high quality performers brought in a few times every week and celebrations that embrace local events. Art buffs can look forward to receptions or enjoy the works of art displayed on the cheerful main dining room walls. These are some of the pluses that have kept Elk Creek Café + Aleworks king of the heap.

The Green Room Bistro & Juice Bar, Carlisle

It is true that there are other regional restaurants that have a rotation of quality local art, fine musical groups and outstanding staff. The Green Room Bistro & Juice Bar in Carlisle is such a place that is a burning close second place for this 2012 award. Executive chef Pippa Calland can create culinary magic with local and sustainable resources that are regularly vegetarian and vegan. The interior is charming, a perfect place for the local balletomane soiree or family dinner celebrating their Dickinson grad’s accomplishments.

Elk Creek Cafe – Soba Noodle + Seaweed Salad

What still sets Elk Creek Café + Aleworks apart for 2012 is that it offers a more complete spectrum of hospitality for vegan, localvore foodie, pub hanger, and city slicker all under the same roof. World travelers and sophisticated diners have been known to choose the vegan bowl specials over what was offered on the regular menu because of Chef Mark Johnson’s carte du jour mojo. Such patrons share the same pleasure as the kiddos at the next table munching Belgian-style Hand-cut Fries and their parents marveling at the perfectly prepared Walleye Fillet on the plates the smiling server just placed in front of them.

It is only at Elk Creek Café + Aleworks these myriad diners can sit happily together and raise a glass of head brewer Tim Yarrington’s finest together. Bring your whole family out to celebrate this fine establishment’s 5th anniversary this month or go by yourself and cozy up to the friendly bar. Either way you will then personally be able to smile and know why this is the best stuff in Pennsyltucky, especially for us veggie folks. Cheers for winning the Pennsyltucky Veggie 2012 – Best Restaurant!

Have you enjoyed a restaurant better than Elk Creek Cafe? Share it with me so it can challenge the best for 2013! If it’s in central PA (see map here) let me know and I will include it in the judging next year! Drop me, Pennsyltucky Veggie, a line or feel free to leave a comment!

Pennsyltucky Veggie Awards 2012 – Best Vegetarian Restaurant

Winner of the 2012 Pennsyltucky Veggie Award for Best Vegetarian Restaurant is, Gaia Fresh Food Cafe in Carlisle. Gaia is more than its food menu. It is just as it claims, being a “warm comfortable community space to encourage joy and wellbeing.”

Open 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday, 8 a.m.-2 p.m. Monday and closed Sunday., the café is a spruced up two-story house at 57 W. Pomfret St. in Carlisle. The bright and cheerfully painted exterior is but a hint of the color you will see inside. The colorful interior walls are background to some local artwork that is for sale. Just after the entry hall, the open kitchen will greet you with its menu boards written in luminous chalk.

The limited but satisfying menu is all vegetarian and almost all of the ingredients are raw. Fruit smoothies are created with fresh frozen fruits and no added sugar. The menu includes options like Thai Marinated Cucumbers with mangoes and scallions or Brown Rice with Capers, parsley, basil and cilantro mixed with lemon juice and olive oil that can be to be enjoyed as salads, wraps or on a pita. Gaia has coffee, tea, wheatgrass shots and nibbles like some amazing hummus or black olive tapenade with crackers. All menu items are very modestly priced.

Amicable owner George Catselis will make you feel like a long-lost friend as he serves up meals and snacks that are focused on being fresh and healthy. He was kind enough to show us that Gaia Fresh Food Cafe also has a maze of other common rooms. Study and meeting rooms, a family room created for parents with small children, an outdoor patio and even a meditation room.

Free Wifi in the dining area and many of the other common rooms may be slow but the charm of the staff and well-chosen ingredients of the flavorful foods will fill your every moment. Gaia Fresh Food Cafe, open since June 2011, has been a welcome addition to our region. Check out what they have to offer by visiting their Facebook page or give a call and place your order ahead of time at 717-386-5323.

We will dearly miss Jayyid Harvest at its cute corner spot on Second Avenue in Harrisburg. It was the 2011 Pennsyltucky Veggie Award – Best Vegetarian Restaurant and our region’s only other strictly vegetarian restaurant but we are thrilled to recognize, support and enjoy Gaia Fresh Food Cafe as Pennsyltucky Veggie Awards 2012 – Best Vegetarian Restaurant.
Have you discovered another strictly vegetarian or vegan restaurant in Pennsyltucky? Good golly don’t keep it to yourself and let it be in the running for 2013! If it’s in central PA (see map here) let me know and I will include it in the judging next year! Drop me, Pennsyltucky Veggie, a line or feel free to leave a comment!

Pennsyltucky Veggie Awards 2012 – Best Specials

Lovely, local, labeled, and low-cost; wrap your vegan head around this typical Wednesday menu of specials at Otto’s Pub and Brewery in State College.

SOUP OF THE DAY
Chilled Tait Farm Cantaloupe Soup (Vegan)
VEGETABLE OF THE DAY
Green Beans
CRISP FLAVOR
Blueberry
DRESSING OF THE WEEK
Greek (Vegan)

APPETIZER FEATURE — TEMPURA TOFU $8
(Vegan and Available All Day) Battered and Fried Tofu Served with a spicy Thai peanut sauce and a house grown lemon cucumber pickle.
Chef Recommended Pairing: Red Mo

LUNCH FEATURE — BBQ TEMPEH SANDWICH $9
(Vegan and Available All Day) Tempeh in sweet BBQ sauce. Served on a Pacifico Kaiser roll with jicama/pepper slaw. Served with choice of Fries, Salad or Vegetable.
Chef Recommended Pairing: Dubbel Ale

DINNER FEATURE #1 — BEAN CURRY $10
(Vegan and Available All Day) A medley of beans and garden vegetables simmered with Indian spices. Accompanied by jasmine rice.
Chef Recommended Pairing: Slab Cabin

DINNER FEATURE #2 — ISRAELI SALAD & FALAFEL PITA $10
(Vegan and Available All Day) Cucumbers, Heirloom Tomatoes and Sun Gold Tomatoes. Tossed in parsley, garlic, lemon juice, mint, and olive oil. Served in a pita with Hummus, alfalfa sprouts, and falafel.
Chef Recommended Pairing: Pilsener.

Otto’s Pub and Brewery – Spaghetti & Falafel Balls

Specials are just what they imply; they aren’t regularly on the menu and can be looked forward to on occasion. New restaurants and ones that are in the process of changing locations have enough difficulty in establishing their new menu and can delay the adding of specials for a while. Places like aardvark kafé do have occasional specials but they are still getting in the groove of even being open. As it turns out, this seems to have been the case with Otto’s Pub and Brewery when they moved to their new location a couple of years ago. Now settled in with Chef Pete and Sous Chef Steve at the helm, even their regular menu is rife with vegetarian and vegan food. It is the specials on Wednesday that are outstanding.

Elk Creek Cafe – Soba Noodle Salad Special

Zola- Vegan Chile Rellenos

Still highly noteworthy this year is the 2011 winner of this award, Elk Creek Cafe + Aleworks with their supper time Vegan Bowl with grains, greens, root vegetables and perfect seasonal seasonings or a vegetarian creation that would always please our palettes. The focus on local and well crafted meals was so hard to beat, between Elk Creek Cafe + Aleworks and Otto’s Pub and Brewery I think I gained 10 pounds in November trying to make my final decision. The great beer made it all go down very easily too. Add in some great vegan specials created at Zola New World Bistro this year and you can understand why my dedication to running goes hand in hand with dining, I run to eat.

Otto’s Pub and Brewery – Vegan Tostadas with Broccoli rabé

So now vegetarians can walk into a place and throw all caution to the wind by saying, “Give me the special!” This would be Wednesdays at Otto’s Pub and Brewery. They are clued in to what exactly differentiates vegetarian from vegan and sympathetic to cross-contamination. This will explain the lack of gluten free options. They take labeling their menu seriously and it means you can trust when it says it is vegan, it is.

Congratulations to Otto’s Pub and Brewery (most recent restaurant review here) for being awarded Pennsyltucky Veggie 2012 Best Specials. They have made so many changes to the good for vegans and vegetarians, including options for their Pub Club dinners, we know that you won’t be disappointed to try the specials on Wednesday or many of the regular veggie choices too.Do you know of a Pennsyltucky restaurant’s specials that you think can beat Otto’s Pub and Brewery’s in 2013? If it’s in central PA (see map here) and has regular vegetarian specials, let me know and I will include it in the judging next year! Drop me, Pennsyltucky Veggie, a line or feel free to leave a comment!