Tofu Dandelion Stuffed Shells
Photo by Gabe Hasser

Tofu takes the place of cheese in this stuffed shell recipe. The addition of dandelion greens and walnuts it is not only a healthy choice, it is very tasty!

 Ingredients

• 1 package large pasta shells, boiled and cooled
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 large onion, diced
• 3 cloves of garlic, minced
• 1 bunch of dandelion greens, chopped
• 1 pound firm tofu, crumbled
• 1/2 cup walnuts, chopped
• Zest from 1/2 a lemon
• 1 preparation of tomato sauce
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Grated Parmesan cheese or Vegan Parmesan substitute (optional)

Preparation

1. Heat olive oil in a large skillet. Over medium heat saute the onion until it is tender. Add garlic and continue cooking until fragrant, about one minute. 
2. Add dandelion greens, tofu, and walnuts. Continue cooking, stirring continuously, over medium heat until the greens begin to wilt, about two minutes.  Stir in the lemon zest, season with salt and pepper to taste, then remove from heat.
3. Stuff the shells and arrange in a large baking dish. When the dish is at capacity top with sauce and a little grated Parmesan cheese or cheese substitute.
4. Bake at 350 degrees until sauce simmers, about 15 minutes.

Gluten-free variation: Substitute gluten-free shell or manicotti pasta, or roll the filling in blanched Brussels sprouts greens or collard leaves.

This soup, packed with herbs and quinoa, is very reminiscent of many soups we ate while living in Huaraz, Peru.  The parsnips add a nice mild earthiness to this soup.

Parsnip Quinoa Soup

Ingredient

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 large yellow onion, diced 
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 celeriac stalks or 1 celery stalk, diced
• 2 tablespoons white wine
• 3/4 pound parsnips, cut into 1/4 inch pieces
• 1/2 cup raw quiona
• 4 cups light vegetable broth
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• salt and black pepper to taste

Preparation

1. Saute the onion and garlic in olive oil until the onion is translucent.
2. Add celeriac and white wine and continue to simmer until wine is evaporated, another three to four minutes.
3. Add the parsnips and saute for five minutes.
4. Add broth, quinoa, and oregano. Bring to boil then cover, reduce heat to low, and let simmer until the quinoa is cooked, about 15 minutes.
5. Serve garnished with fresh celeriac or celery leaves, diced spring onion, parsley, or other fresh herb of your choice.

Rutabagas are a cross between cabbage and turnips. So, while this recipe resembles potato salad the flavor is more akin to the other ubiquitous cookout dish – coleslaw.

Rutabaga “Potato” Salad

Ingredients

• 3 pounds rutabaga, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch pieces
• 1 carrot, grated
• 1/2 cup vegan mayonnaise
•  1/2 cup curly parsley, chopped
• 1/4 cup celeriac greens or celery tops, chopped
• 2-3 green onions, finely chopped
• 1 sprig of green garlic, finely chopped
• 1/2 lemon, juiced
• salt and pepper to taste

Preparation

1. Boil rutabaga in salted water until tender, about 15-20 minutes. 
2. Drain the rutabaga and allow to cool to room temperature.
3. Combine cooled rutabaga cubes with the remaining ingredients.

Mini Allspice Dram Cakes with Mayfair Icing

Ingredients

• 2 cups gluten-free flour, divided
• 1/3 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 2 teaspoons Allspice Dram, divided
• 3 tablespoons non-margarine butter substitute
• 1/3 cup white sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup light coconut milk
• 1 teaspoon white vinegar
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil

Preparation

1. Combine 1/2 cup of gluten-free flour, brown sugar, chopped pecans, and 1 teaspoon Allspice Dram in a medium bowl. Cut non-margarine butter substitute into the mixture and set aside.
2. Combine coconut milk and vinegar in small bowl and let stand for 5 minutes.
3. Combine remaining flour, white sugar, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.  Add the vegetable oil, remaining Allspice Dram, and coconut milk mixture.
4. Coat the cups of a muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray. put one table spoon of topping in the bottom of each cup. Top with 1/2 cup of cake batter.  Bake for 20-30 minutes at 375 degrees Fahrenheit until they pass the toothpick test.
5. Turn the cakes out on to a rack to cool.

Note: For a little extra kick, drizzle the cakes with Mayfair Icing.

This icing is inspired by the Mayfair Cocktail.

Ingredients

• 2 teaspoon Apricot Brandy
• 1/2 teaspoon Allspice dram
• 1/4 teaspoon orange zest
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons water

Preparation

1.  Mix all ingredients until smooth.
2. Spread on cooled baked goods as desired.

These spring rolls are filled with lots of fresh vegetables and herbs.  Feel free to substitute other seasonal veggies or herbs to put your own spin on this recipe.  As always, use fresh ingredients for the best flavors!

Ingredients

• 6 – 8 spring roll wrappers
• 2 cups shredded cabbage (we prefer Savoy cabbage)
• 2 medium carrots, shredded
• 1 large cucumber, shredded or cut into matchsticks
• 4 ounces firm tofu
• 1 large avocado, peeled, cut in half, and thinly sliced
• Fresh cilantro
• Fresh mint
• Salt
• Peanut Dipping Sauce to accompany

Preparation

Making Spring Rolls

Beautiful teak cutting board courtesy Proteak at the Barton Creek Farmers Market in Austin, TX.

1. Submerge a spring roll wrapper in warm water until it is pliable, about 20 seconds.  
2. Lay the wrapper on a flat surface, then layer cabbage, carrots, cucumber, tofu, avocado,  cilantro leaves, and a few small pieces of mint along the center of the wrapper.  Sprinkle on a little salt if desired.
3. Now roll it all up – Start by folding one side of the wrapper over the filling, fold the short edges over, and finally, fold the last side over the top of the whole roll (see photo for visuals on this process).  This will probably take some trial and error, so don’t give up!

This quick and simple sauce goes great with spring rolls, grilled tofu, or on a veggie wrap!

Peanut Dipping Sauce

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup natural, unsweetened peanut butter
• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
• 1 spring onion, minced
• 1 small clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 Thai chili, minced (optional)
• 5-6 tablespoons hot water

Preparation

1. Combine peanut butter, soy sauce, spring onion, garlic, and chili in a small bowl. 
2. Stir in hot water, one tablespoon at a time, until the sauce is at the desired consistency.

This week I was lucky enough to be in Maryland where I discussed my “vegetarian crab cake” idea with James’ mom. Apparently, this is not a strange idea in the Old Bay State and Eleanor was almost immediately able to put her hands on a photocopy of an article “Not Quite Crab” (author, date, and publication did not make it to the Xerox machine).  The article included two recipes for Zucchini Crab Cakes which had appeared in Maryland community cook books and it was exciting to see evidence of a vege-tizing tradition around this traditional and revered Maryland food. Zucchini and crab are both in-season in the summer, but since there are no zucchinis to be found this weekend I used turnips, which impart a little more earthiness and spice.

Poor Man’s Crab Cakes

Ingredients

• 4 pounds purple-top turnips, grated
• 2 tablespoons kosher salt
• 4 spring onions, minced
• 4 tablespoons Old Bay seasoning
• 1/2 cup egg replacer
• 3 tablespoons non-margarine butter substitute, melted
• 2 cups breadcrumbs

Preparation

1. Combine grated turnips and salt in a large bowl. Allow the turnips to drain for at least four hours. 
2. Drain the excess liquid from the turnips, then add onion, Old Bay seasoning, egg replacer, and melted butter substitute. Combine thoroughly with your clean hands.
3. Pour breadcrumbs into a shallow dish and set aside.
4. Form the “crab” mixture into fist shape balls squeezing firmly to remove excess liquid. Roll the balls in the bread crumbs the transfer to a greased cookie sheet and flatten gently with the palm of your hand. Repeat until all of the “crab” mixture has been used.
5. Bake the crab cakes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes. Turn the cakes with a spatula then return to the oven and bake for another 10 minutes.
6. Serve warm with your favorite creamy sauce.

This old school San Francisco-style Pisco Punch is sure to be a hit at your next fancy (or not so fancy) party!  To properly prepare it, you will need to give yourself at least 3 days advance notice so the ingredients can adequately meld and mingle.  This punch can be served either in a punch bowl or by the glass.  For this recipe and lots of other great classics, check out Imbibe! by David Wondrich.

Ingredients

• 1 pineapple, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 2 cups turbinado sugar
• 2 cups water
• 1 750-ml bottle of Pisco
• 7 lemons

Preparation

1. Place the pineapple chunks in a large bowl.  In a separate pot, bring the water to  boil, turn off heat, add sugar, and stir until completely dissolved.  Pour this simple syrup mixture over the pineapple chunks.  Let cool, cover, and then refrigerate for about 24 hours.
2. The following day, use a fine mesh strainer to separate the syrup (which now will have a delicious pineapple flavor) from the sweetened pineapple chunks.  Store the pineapple chunks in an airtight container in the refrigerator
3. In another jar or large bottle, combine the entire bottle of pisco with 1 cup of the pineapple syrup.  Store this mixture in the refrigerator for at least 2 days before using (it should last for weeks – the longer the better). Store the remaining syrup in a jar in the refrigerator (it is great for tiki drinks!).
4. On the day you are serving the punch, you can either serve in a large punch bowl or by the glass:
   • In a Punch Bowl: Combine the pisco-syrup mixture with 16-ounces cold, filtered water, and the juice of all 7 lemons.  If desired, sweeten with more of the leftover pineapple syrup.  Add a large block of ice (see note below), and serve in small punch glasses, garnished with a few of the sweetened pineapple chunks.
   • By the Glass: Combine 2 ounces pisco-syrup mixture, 3/4 ounce filtered water, and 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice in a shaker with several cubes of ice.  Shake vigorously, then strain into a cocktail glass. Garnish with a couple chunks of sweetened pineapple.

Note – Making a Block of Ice:  We’ve found the easiest way to make a punch bowl-sized block of ice is to use an empty milk or juice carton.  Just cut the top off, clean the inside with warm water, fill with filtered water, and freeze.  It will probably take at least 12 hours to freeze solid, so take this into consideration when planning your punch party.

Two of our favorite vendors at the Barton Creek Farmers’ Market (other than Johnson’s Backyard Garden, of course) are Dad’s Granola and Rinkon Farm’s Preserves. This recipe combines their marvelous products into one delicious recipe.

Ingredients

• 4 cups (1 package) your favorite type of Dad’s Granola, divided
• 1/2 cup dry unsweetened coconut
• 2 tablespoons ground flax
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup egg replacer
• 1/4 cup turbinado sugar
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1/4 cup garbanzo flour
• 1 jar (11 ounces) of your favorite Rinkon Flume Creek Preserves
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Preparation

1. Combine 3 cups granola, coconut, flax, salt, egg replacer, sugar, oil, almond milk, and flour in a large bowl. 
2. Transfer the granola mixture to a greased rectangular baking sheet and press into an even layer.
3. Spread the jam evenly over the layer of granola. Sprinkle the remaining 1 cup of granola evenly over the jam and spray lightly with a vegetable oil-based cooking spray.
4. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes.
5. Cut granola squares with a sharp knife and allow to cool before serving.