Passion fruit (maracuya) is tart and delicious and pairs fantastically with ripe sweet strawberries (fresas). Chobani makes a Passion Fruit Greek yogurt that we used for this recipe, but plain Greek yogurt and two tablespoons of fresh passion fruit will also produce excellent results.

Maracuya y Fresa Marciano Ingredients

Ingredients

• 1 cup Passion Fruit Greek Yogurt
• 1 cup fresh strawberries, hulled and minced
• Pinch of cinnamon
• 1/2 cup milk or preferred milk substitute
• 1 1/2 tablespoon or more of turbinado sugar to taste

Preparation

1. Combine yogurt, strawberries, and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Using a fork lightly mash the strawberries until softened.
2. Add the milk and sugar to taste. Stir until the sugar is thoroughly dissolved.
3. Portion the mixture evenly in Popsicle molds. Freeze for at least two hours, loosen under running water for a few seconds, and enjoy!

Remember our words: Summer is coming.

I don’t like to eat any food that I can’t make myself. Translation: I want to eat a whole food plant based diet and I don’t like vegan or vegetarian foods that replace meat with lab creations. This aversion, however, does not extend to gluten “meats” since 1) gluten is the protein found in wheat and you can extract at home with relative ease, if you are so inclined; and  2) I am fortunate enough not to have any gluten intolerance so gluten based meat substitutes are a good source of protein in my diet.

This recipe and method for gluten and bean “sausage” are inspired by Post Punk Kitchen. This version uses black beans, ground Cayenne for heat, and substituted the thyme with Fertile Earth’s Organic Thyme Blend Spice Rub.

Black Bean Veggie Sausage on the grill (Gabriel Hasser)

Ingredients

• 1 15 ounce can of black beans, rinsed and drained
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
• 2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoons fennel seed, crushed
• 1/2 teaspoon Cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme or spice blend
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 cups vital wheat gluten

Preparation

1. Blend beans and broth together in a food processor or blender until smooth.
2. In a large bowl, combine the bean puree with olive oil, soy sauce, nutritional yeast, garlic, spices, and salt.  Once thoroughly combined, stir in the wheat gluten.
3. Divide dough into 6 even portions and place the portions in individual sections of tin foil, Mold the dough into 5 inch long sausages and wrap in the tin foil.
4. Place wrapped sausages in a steamer basket and steam for 40 minutes. Enjoy immediately or refrigerate until ready to use.

These sausages make great hotdog substitutes! We recommend them with Drippin’ Sauce’s Mild Chipotle Ketchup or spicy mustard.

Grilled Asparagus is simply delicious and the addition of portabello mushrooms and this marinade make them to die for!

Grilled Asparagus (Gabriel Hasser)

Ingredients

• 1 pound of asparagus, washed with stems trimmed
• 2 large portobello mushrooms, washed and sliced into 1/2 inch thick strips
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• 1 tablespoon of ginger paste
• 1 teaspoon salt

Preparation

1. Combine ingredients in an airtight container and allow to marinade for at least 2 hours.
2. Place the marinaded vegetables directly on a lightly greased grill. Cook rotating occasionally until the vegetables are tender, 8 to 10 minutes.
3. Serve warm.

Note: If your grill is of questionable cleanliness or you are concerned about loosing a few asparagus lay a square of tinfoil on the grill poke it with a few small holes to allow some smoke to come through the surface, and place your vegetables on the foil.

This recipe is our vegan adaptation of a BBQed Egg.

Grilled Bell Pepper with Tofu Scramble (Gabriel Hasser)

Ingredients

• 1 block tofu, drained, pressed, and sliced into small cubes
• 2 green onion, sliced
• 2 cups spinach, washed and chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1 rounded tablespoon nutritional yeast
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon Cayenne pepper
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 large red bell peppers, washed, halved, and seeded
• 2 teaspoons sesame seeds

Preparation

A patch of Indian Blankets on the banks of the Pedernales River.

It has been a picture perfect spring week in Austin, so, with a few free days on our hands we decided to go camping. Camping is great for the change of scenery, exercise, fellowship, and food. Half the fun of the endeavor is to build a fire and make a hot meal in natural surroundings as our common primitive ancestors did in eras gone by.

For our temporary escape from civilization we sought refuge at Pedernales Falls State Park about an hour west of Austin in the hill country. The park is famous for its falls and pools that the Pedernales River has carved out of the limestone bedrock. This time of year it is also a great place to view the spring wildflowers and wildlife.

View of Pedernales Falls

Since the trip was simply an overnight car camp we decided to seize the opportunity to test out some new camping recipes. We picked dishes that could be prepped ahead of time and cooked over a charcoal grill which are available at all of the Park’s developed sites. For lunch we packed sandwiches, fruit, and trail mix which we enjoyed while hiking around the Park’s loop trail that crosses the river and climbs a steep bluff offering views of the surrounding Hill Country. In the evening we had some homemade vegan Italian- style sausages and served them with grilled asparagus and portabello mushrooms that we packed in a simple Asian-inspired marinade. Dinner was of course accompanied by a campfire and some cold brews. For breakfast we tried a new experiment — Over our summer road trip James and I frequently enjoyed grilling eggs in bell pepper halves. For a healthier vegan take on that theme we grilled a tofu scramble in pepper halves over hot charcoal. It worked beautifully!  These simple meals were delicious, filling, and just what we needed to fuel our venture into the great outdoors!

It took me a long time to get around to appreciating smoked spices. My reluctance is the same thing that make so many people love them: smoky flavors remind me of meat. But, I am growing up and trying new things and after enough coxing I have learned to appreciate smoked spices. I am even considering making my own using the same grill method described in Culture Magazine to smoke cheese. Look for an update on this experiment on our News page in the weeks to come.

For now I am using trader Joe’s South African Smoke Seasoning Blend, but any smoked seasoning will do. Just remember, a little will go a long way.

Ingredients

• 2 cups of cooked black beans, drained
• 1/4 cup vegetable stock
• 1 clove garlic
• 1/4 teaspoon smoked spice
• salt to taste

Preparation

1. Combine ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Season with salt to taste.

On Saturday night we attended a beer tasting party at a friend’s house. Everyone attending the party brought two 20 ounce bottles of a favorite craft beer to share and everyone was able to sample and document beers they may not have tried before. These are a great way to get together, drink beer, and pretend that the beer drinking is part of a scientific process. For us, it is a great way to drink with friends and test new recipes.

The Lineup

At this gathering we debuted Quick Radish & Cipilloni Pickles, Tomato and Feta Crostini, and Black Bean Toquitos with Mango Avocado Salsa and Smoky Black Bean Dip. Pickles have become popular on small plate menus in bars around Austin and we found that this recipe paired well with the Westmalle Belgian Triple (Trappist Belgian Tripel),  Clown Shoes Brewery Brown Angel (American Brown Ale), and Harpoon 100 Barrel Series (Black IPA). Tomato and Feta Crostini are really savory and flavorful which we enjoyed with rich malty beers like Lagunitas Wilco Tango Foxtrot (American Strong Ale), Left Hand Brewery Wake Up Dead (Imperial Stout), and Unibroue Terrible (Belgian Strong Dark Ale). The toquitos and salsa were the most versatile appetizer and most stereotypical drinking grub. They went well with the Ass Kisser Porter Pounder (Smoked Porter), Saint Arnold Endeavor (Double IPA), and of course the Bud Light we dipped into once the craft brews were out. All in all it was a great night to expand our beer palates and debut some delicious new apps.

Black Bean Taquitos

Taquitos are a Tex-Mex snack in that typically consist of corn tortillas rolled around small portions of ground beef then deep fried. These little flavor bombs will fulfill anyone’s quotient for junk food particularly when dipped in to a sour cream or cheese sauce. These healthier taquitos are baked and also vegan and gluten-free.

Ingredients

• 2 cups refried black beans
• 2 poblano peppers, roasted and sliced
• 2 dozen corn tortillas, softened*
• Vegetable or olive oil cooking spray

Preparation

1. Roll the taquitos by placing a tablespoon of black beans and a slice of pepper in the center of a corn tortilla, fold in half, then roll tightly.
2. Place the rolled taquitos in a large baking dish coated in cooking spray.
3. Once the dish is full with a single layer of taquitos, liberally spray the taquitos with some additional cooking spray.
4. Bake in the oven at 400 degrees Fahrenheit until crispy, about 15 to 20 minutes.
5. Serve warm with your favorite salsa or aji.

*Corn tortillas are notorious for crumbling. If they are fresh (still warm) this will not be a problem, but it is reasonable to expect that this may not be possible. Here are some instructions for softening corn tortillas to make them more pliable.

The Big Texan on I-40 in Amarillo, Texas

I am a native Texan and I have talked to many many people along the way who say “I have been to Texas before.” When this happens I respond with “Oh good! Where did you go?” Occasionally I will hear a story about a 4H trip to Dallas or an Americorps job in Beaumont, but the majority of the time I hear “I drove through Amarillo on my way to…” In case you don’t know Amarillo is in the Panhandle, a portion of Texas that juts out into the great plains and is the best place to stop for gas on I-40 between Oklahoma City and Albuquerque.  In other words, if you slip up and  indicate to a Texan that your big fill-up in Amarillo earned you of Loan Star cred then you need to do some damage control. This is where the Big Texan might save you. If the sentence concludes: ” I drove through Amarillo on my way to California and stopped at the Big Texan” you might escape one of my more ocular-nerve defying eye rolls.

9 brew sampler at Big Texan

Big Texan is Texas kitsch that everyone can love. The exterior and adjacent motel are fixed up to look like the set of an Old Western movie, the foyer has a shooting gallery game, and the establishment is decorated with enough taxidermied remains to fill a small zoo. However, its biggest claim to fame, until now, was being the home to the free 72 ounce stake. So why on earth are a couple of vegetarians excited to talk about the Big Texan? Well, on a recent trip to Amarillo to visit family I learned that Big Texan is now the home to the panhandles first and only microbrewery! In addition to loving good vegetarian food, James and I are also proud beer nerds and avid home brewers who never pass up the chance to try a new brew. We tried all of the different styles they had to offer and found them to be very palatable. My favorite was the Pecan Porter and James liked the Rattle Snake IPA. We supped on fried okra and a baked potato and grabbed some homemade fudge on our way out the door. So while I can’t recommend the 72 ounce stake, I can say that the Big Texan has something to offer a more vegetarian leaning crowd.

Mango Avocado Salsa

Ingredients

• 2 small avocados, diced
• 1 medium mango, diced
• 1 large jalapeno, minced
• 1 spring onion, minced
• 1/4 cup cilantro, minced
• 1/2 lime, juiced
• Salt to taste

Preparation

1. Combine ingredients in a medium bowl.
2. Season with salt to taste and serve.