Please join us this Friday evening for the Austin Food Blogger Alliance’s annual fundraising event, Cupcakes and Cocktails, benefiting the Arc of the Capital Area.  There will be drinks from local favorites such as Treaty Oak, T1 Tequila, and Hops & Grain, as well as desserts from a whole slew of great local pastry chefs and restaurants. More information on AFBA’s event page, or just cut to the chase and purchase tickets here (only $35!).

A lot of  people from Austin, Texas, and around the country have recently spent time at the Texas Capitol making their voices heard! All of that chanting, tweeting, and milling around can take a lot of energy, and while many Austin eateries have shown support, some activists with special dietary preferences may want to pack a lunch. So in between donated goodies from East Side Pies and Tiff’s Treats, activists with a kitchen at their disposal may want to try these quick, nourishing, and durable recipes.

• Chickpea “Tuna” Salad – This is a versatile protein-packed vegan, gluten-free salad that packs well in a sandwich or with some crackers or carrot sticks.
  
• May Lentil Loaf – This takes a little more time to make, but I imagine it as a modern day loaves and fishes– if you bring a lentil loaf to a march or committee hearing you can feed yourself and your new closest 40 friends a hearty, delicious, energy-packed meal.
• Mujadara – More nutrient dense lentils! This middle eastern salad is good hot or cold and tastes great on its own, on salads, or in pita.
• Blueberry Oat Protein Bars – This is a good one to have in your back pocket. Munch one before you link arms and you will be full and satisfied all the way to county lock up.
• Sweet Potato and Broccoli Pasties – This dish was traditionally made by women first thing in the morning for the menfolk heading off to the factories and mines. Maybe sometime in the next 30 days some helpful allies can whip these up for women marching off in the bowels of the capitol extension.
• Kabocha Squash and Quinoa Tamales with Aji – Tamales are great to-go foods and the squash (available now from Johnson’s Backyard Garden) helps keep the dough moist, adds a healthy veggie, and a delicious flavor.
• Quinoa Tabouli Salad – Quinoa is a super food for the wonder women (and men) that need all the help they can get. This salad will hold up will for several hours in a backpack. Consider pairing with the Mujadara in a pita pocket with some hummus and you’ll have what it takes to shout for days.
• Veggie Spring Rolls – Spring rolls are a great way to eat a lot of veggies. If you are packing them for lunch or a snack minimize the amount of liquid in the rolls. Don’t forget your protein-loaded peanut sauce.
• Barton Creek Market Bars – It will be hard to keep going without something sweet. These bars satisfy the need for a nice treat while still giving you the energy and nutrition your body (and cause) needs.
• Pistachio Biscotti – Biscotti are a great snack, pair well with your first (or fifth) coffee, and will last for days moving from the temperature differential of the South Lawn to the Senate Chamber.

This tasty and simple beverage is actually something I learned back in high school. My good friend Patrick often invited me to his large Filipino family’s parties. These parties were some of my first experiences with real, homemade international foods. This cantaloupe drink was a treat at almost every gathering I remember.

Cantaloupe Aqua Fresca

I never found out a special Tagalog name for this drink, so I’m calling it an aqua fresca for its similarity to the light Mexican beverages. Either way, this melon juice a delicious and refreshing treat on hot summer days!

Ingredients

• 1 large cantaloupe
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 4-5 cups water

Preparation

1. Cut the cantaloupe in half, and scoop out seeds into a mesh strainer.  Put the strainer over a large bowl so you can catch the juice that comes out.
2. Peel the cantaloupe, then grate it using a cheese grater. Make sure to save any juice that is expressed during the grating.
3. Dissolve the sugar in 2 cups of the water.
4. Add about half of the grated cantaloupe to a large pitcher.
5. Add the remaining cantaloupe to the strainer with the seeds, pour the sugar water over this, then use a large wooden spoon to press the flesh against the strainer, squeezing out as much juice as possible. Add all of this juice along along with the remaining water to the pitcher.
6. Refrigerate until cold or serve with lots of ice!

Austin, I found the perfect way to use Johnson’s Backyard Garden‘s personal watermelons. You’re welcome.

Watermelon Cachaça Smash

Ingredients

• 1 personal watermelon
• 2 ounces cachaça
• 1/2 ounce fresh lime juice
• 1/2 ounce Grand Marnier
• 1 ounce simple syrup
• crushed ice
• Angostura bitters
• slices of orange and lime

Preparation

1. Start by preparing your watermelon juice and serving vessel. Slice the top inch of the watermelon off to create the top of your glass. If necessary remove a small slice from the bottom to create a level surface, but be careful not to slice too deeply into the flesh. Now, carefully spoon out the watermelon pulp. Place the cup shell in the refrigerator to chill and juice the watermelon pulp with a juicer or by smashing and straining through a fine mesh sieve.
2. Combine cachaça, lime juice, Grand Marnier, simple syrup, and four ounces of the melon juice in a shaker with ice. Shake to chill.
3. Fill the melon glass with crushed ice and strain the cocktail into the melon. Add a dash of Angostura and garnish with orange and lime slices.

Last weekend AFBA members and attendees of BlogHer were invited to an event hosted by the National Mango Board. We had the opportunity to try some great mango based food and cocktails at Swift’s Attic and the Mango Board was kind enough to send us a box of mangoes!  One of our gift mangoes was under-ripe which is a fantastic opportunity to create this classic southeast Asian salad.

Green Mango Salad

Ingredients

• 1 green mango, deseeded and  julienned 
• 1 bunch green onions, diced, greens discarded
• 1/2 head of purple cabbage, shredded
• 1/4 cup peanuts, coarsely chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, coarsely chopped
• 1 Thai chili or serrano pepper, minced (optional)
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1/2 tablespoon vegetarian fish sauce (available at Asian markets)
• 1/2 tablespoon sesame oil
• Juice of 2 key limes
• Pinch of sugar

Preparation

1. Combine mango, green onions, cabbage, peanuts, cilantro, hot and pepper in a large bowl.
2. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together soy sauce, vegetarian fish sauce, sesame oil, key lime juice, and sugar.
3. Add the dressing to the salad, tossing to combine.

Zucchini Fritters with Poblano Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds zucchini, grated
• 1 small white onion, minced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 tablespoon ground flax seed
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1/4 cup flour or gluten-free flour blend
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Vegetable oil cooking spray

Sauce

• 1/4 cup vegan mayonnaise substitute
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• 1 small poblano pepper, roasted, peeled, and minced
• Salt to taste

Preparation

1. Combine flax seed and water and set aside to soak.
2. Combine zucchini and a pinch of salt in a large mesh strainer. Set aside and allow water to drain for about 5 minutes. Press slightly with a wooden spoon to release excess liquid.
3. When zucchini has drained, combine in a large bowl with onions, garlic, and flax seed. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Heat a cast iron skillet iron skillet over high heat until hot, then reduce heat to medium-low. Spray pan with cooking spray.  Form palm-sized patties from zucchini mixture and carefully place in skillet. Cook until lightly browned, about 5 minutes, then flip and continue cooking until the other side is browned.
5. Continue cooking fritters, re-greasing the skillet between each fritter, until all the zucchini mixture is used.
6. While the fritters are cooking combine the sauce ingredients in a small dish.
7. Serve fritters warm, drizzled with sauce.

This recipe is inspired by the hash served by the excellent Broder in Portland.  If you have some kind of fancy dicing tool, I highly recommend using it because dicing all those root veggies by hand is quite a task!

Root Vegetable Hash with Sauteed Greens

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pound potatoes,  1/8-inch diced
• 1/2 pound mixed other root vegetables (celery root, beet, rutabaga, and/or turnip), peeled and 1/8-inch diced
• 1 small white onion, chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh sage, chopped
• 1 cup dandelion greens, shredded
• 1 cup dino kale, shredded
• 1 cup purple cabbage, shredded
• 5  tablespoon olive oil, divided
• 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup pickled beets, diced
• Salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

1.  In a large soup pot, heat 4 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add diced root vegetables and onions and saute uncovered. Stir occasionally until vegetables are caramelized and tender, about 30 minutes. Add sage, remove from heat, and season with salt and pepper to taste.  If you don’t have a large enough pot, feel free to do the hash in smaller batches, then reheat after all the batches are cooked.
2. White the hash is cooking, heat remaining olive oil in a wok or soup pot over medium-high heat. Add shredded dandelion greens, kale, and cabbage.  Stir continuously until the greens reduce in volume by 2/3 and are tender, about 5 minutes. Finish with apple cider vinegar, remove from heat, season with salt and pepper, and set aside.
3. When the hash is finished, serve topped with greens and pickled beets.

This beet bread has a fantastic color and is great for dessert or a sweet breakfast.

Beet Bread (Photo by Gabriel Hasser)

Ingredients

• 2-3 red beets
• 1/2 cup vegetable oil
• 3/4 cup turbinado sugar
• 2 portions egg replacer (such as Ener-G)
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon
• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 1/2 cup raisins
• Cooking spray

Preparation

1. First, boil beets until fork soft.  Run the cooked beets under cold water so you can peel them by hand, then grate until you have about 2 cups of grated beets.
2. In a large bowl, combine oil, sugar, and egg replacer.  Once combined, stir in vanilla, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
3. Add flour and mix until the flour is completely incorporated.  Fold grated beets, pecans, and raisins.
4. Thoroughly coat a loaf pan with cooking spray, then pour in batter.  Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 45-50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Having trouble thinking up plans to treat Mom for Mothers’ Day (it’s coming up very soon – May 12)?  How about preparing a nice picnic lunch at your local city or state park to enjoy the nice spring weather!  The Texas Parks and Wildlife Division has put up some resources for to help plan your picnic in Texas State Parks.  TPWD has even put together a page of picnic-friendly recipes, two of which from yours truly at Coseppi Kitchen!

Have a picnic in the park!

If  you’re not in Texas, check your local state parks agency to find information about utilizing your local resources to have a great time outdoors!

Austin Bakes is a citywide bake sale benefiting recovery efforts in West, Texas after the terrible fertilizer plant explosion that happened there on April 17.  Home and professional bakers from around Austin will provide treats for the bake sale, happening at 8 locations (see flyer attached to this post) around town from 10AM until 2PM this Saturday, May 4. To get involved, visit www.austinbakes.com. Donations are also being accepted at FirstGiving before and during the bake sale.

Austin Bakes for West