the urban vegan

Here's a breakfast dish from the cookbook, Shitake on a Shingle, not to be confused with its slightly more vulgar-sounding cousin. Shitake mushrooms and tarragon – and the absence of dried chipped beef and– transform this lowbrow diner classic from trashy to classy.

Are you planning on flying over the holidays?
I was recently interviewed by Philadelphia City Paper, along with 2 other Philly veg*ns, regarding vegan air travel. Check out the article for some useful tips. [Addendum: If you're vegan and request an Asian vegan meal, you should still specify "no eggs and no honey."]


Lastly, and most importantly, please send some good vibes to Pablo. When we came back from Barbados, we noticed that there was blood in his urine and that he was visiting the litterbox every 5 minutes, poor little guy. He's at the vet's right now, getting tested. Stress sometimes triggers urinary tract infections in cats, and Pablo certainly does not like his daily routine changed. Here he is, on a happier day, playing with Bossa Nova while we made the bed. [Bossa is the lump under the sheet.]

The kaleidoscopic Barbadian sunsets. The iridescent Caribbean Sea. The nightly chorus of whistling frogs. The reggae music pounding from the mini-van taxis. To the Bajans, it's just another day on the island. To us? A relaxing week in paradise.


At first, courtesy of the season's first snowstorm, shot from the windows at Philadelphia International Airport, Omniman and I were going nowhere fast.


Our plane even had to be de-iced, always a comforting thought.


So why then, do I look so happy and relaxed? Somehow, Omniman and I ended up in first class – even though we paid for economy class. [We didn't ask any questions. We just did as we were told.] Wine and leg room flowed freely, and for us, waiting three hours for the storm to pass was really not so bad. Would you believe that, even though I am 43 and have traveled a good bit for both business and pleasure, this was my very first first class experience? To be honest, I can't ever see myself actually paying extra for this luxury; I'd rather give the cash to charity. But the legroom did make a huge difference to 6' 2" Omniman, who in the past, has endured economy class to places as far away as India, Buenos Aires and the Middle East.



The next morning, we woke up to a stunning contrast: clear blue skies and a lush view of the pool from our hotel balcony.



Colorful sailboats on the beach just across the street from our hotel.



There's Omniman, enjoying a dip in the warm sea.


I brought along my new iPhone and was amazed to learn that I could get Internet reception on the beach.


But swimming, snorkeling and observing beach critters, like this little sand crab, proved to be much more meditative.


We enjoyed near-perfect weather. But one morning, we witnessed a brief shower, and then a beautiful rainbow appeared. Rainbows always remind me of my mom, who passed away in 1985. Whenever I see one, I know she is smiling at me from somewhere.


And now for the chow.
Being vegan in Barbados isn't as effortless as it is in some places; meat permeates most dishes, even baked beans and rice and pigeon peas. But with so many Rastafarians around, there are usually at least one or two veg options to choose from.


We ate breakfast at Bean 'n Bagel almost daily. My typical daily morning meal consisted of fried mushrooms on a sesame seed bagel, washed down with black coffee. These were the freshest bagels I've ever tasted.



Omniman loved their tropical shake.


Lovely lunch salad with mango-chili dressing, again from Bean 'n Bagel.


Veggie tostadas at El Sol. We had to wait more than an hour for this dinner. Getting used to "island time" was especially hard for 2 very hungry Northeastern city dwellers like us. We were hoping that Gordon Ramsay would magically appear to save the day.


Potato roti at Chefette, Barbados' home-grown fast food restaurant. Tasty, filling and only $3.


Veggie burger, again from Chefette. It almost looks sacred, doesn't it? The flavor certainly instilled a sense of devotion from me. I searched high and low for an ingredient list, to make sure these were vegan, but could not find one anywhere. [If anyone out there knows for sure, please let us know.]


"Chips," again courtesy of Chefette. [When we find something we like, we stick to it!] I'm not ordinarily a French fry person, but I could quickly become addicted to Chefette's version.


Two of our favorite beach snacks, Guava Cheese and Tamarind Balls, flavored with pepper. We loaded our suitcases with tons of these semi-healthy-but-sugary treats.



Rock cakes, authentically Bajan and vegan.

We left just as Bajan Independence Day was kicking off. During this festive weekend, people traditionally make "conkies," a steamed sweet made with coconut, raisins, sweet potatoes and almond extract, wrapped neatly in a banana leaf.


To think, Bajans enjoy these simple pleasures every day. Our second trip to this little island was more cleansing and relaxing than either of us could have expected.

Omniman and I are escaping the frigid weather by flying south for a week of much-needed relaxation in Barbados. [We found a great online deal earlier this year.] Life's been extra stressful lately: I've been juggling my full roster of freelance writing and creative direction projects, including a few articles for VegNews, in addition to writing the cookbook. It's like having another full-time job, but I love it. After all, I'm doing it for the animals – and, of course, for you lovely readers.

I leave you with a shot of the Quince-Cranberry Sauce from the cookbook, and links to a few of my Thanksgiving-friendly dessert recipes:

• Cranberry Upside-Down Cake
• Punka and Apple Pies
• Chocolate-Swirl Cheesecake [scroll down for recipe]

See you back here after December 1. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.

This is a classic country French recipe that, over the years, became wildly popular amongst French city dwellers. Meat-laden versions grace the menus of countless restaurants all across France. I call my version “Nouveau Pot au Feu” because it imparts all the traditional complexities of this slow-cooking stew with a new, meatless spin that also happens to be fat-free. Little bits of seitan add some texture, balancing out the tender autumnal vegetables.

When it comes to successful Pot au Feu, there are three secrets: good quality wine, good quality dark vegetable broth, and a long, slow simmer time. This recipe is perfect to make when you are snowed in or have an entire day to just putter around the apartment and occasionally stir the pot.


To be completely authentic, serve with a dollop of mustard, a dish of cornichons (tiny French pickles) and crusty whole grain bread for mopping up the complex broth.

Living in the city means sharing – not a bad thing. We share seats in the subway, for example, and when we're driving, we share the road with bikers. We share public places like parks and libraries. And many cities, Philly included, offer environmentally friendly car shares and bike shares. It’s nice to know, though, that when you make these single serving mini cakes, you’ll never have to share your bundt cake. This pumpkin spice cake is moist and surprisingly light. Espresso powder adds a masculine shot of gravitas.


Dinner at Le Virtu

One nice thing about living in Philadelphia is that we have restaurants specializing in cuisine from just about every region of Italy. On Saturday night, Omniman and I dined out at Le Virtu, a popular South Philly restaurant that concentrates on food from the Abruzzi region of Italy. We started with the grilled vegetables. I especially loved the deliciously bittersweet radicchio.


For my entree, I ordered the Pasta al' Oglio. Flavorful and al dente, just the way I like it. My only complaint was that they used about 1 tsp of red pepper flakes in the sauce! That's too much, even for a spicy girl like me.


Dessert? A shot of Sambuca, festooned with 3 espresso beans. Traditionally, you light the beans, which then infuses the liqueur with a nice coffee backdrop. We asked the waiter to do it and he refused, supposedly for liability reasons. This made us laugh. So many restaurants flambé desserts and light fire to other dishes right at your table, just narrowly missing your eyebrows.

Watch for new blog address in the near future
Though I hate to leave the neighborhood, I have no choice. Many of you have written saying that RSS and Blogger feeds aren't picking up my posts; it's been a source of tremendous frustration to me. After some investigating, I learned that there's some bad code hidden somewhere in the 550+ blog posts I've written. I don't want to do it, but the easiest solution is to create a new blog address. I suppose it's good timing, with the upcoming publication of my new cookbook. Stay tuned: I'll let you know about the new blog address, probably by the end of the year.

Speaking of recipes, here are the Wheat-Free Soft Pretzels that will appear in the cookbook. Philadelphia is synonymous with soft pretzels, slathered with mustard. You can buy them at street carts throughout the city. But to be honest, I’m not crazy about these giant hunks of white, processed flour. So using spelt flour, I made a less allergic, slightly healthier, much tastier version. I eat them plain, coated with lots of Earth Balance, or topped with either cinnamon sugar or nutritional yeast. They make wonderful lunch bag treats, plus they're fun to make.


Using a silpat mat makes working with the dough so easy: the dough doesn't stick, and clean-up is a breeze. First, roll the dough into long strips, then tie a little twist at the top of each.



Flip the "antennae" so that they reach the U-shaped "smile" at the bottom of the pretzel and voilà!



Ready for baking...


After baking, brush with melted Earth Balance. You can enjoy them right now, or...


Dip them in cinnamon sugar while they're still wet. Heaven!

Thanks to everyone for visiting and entering.
The winner? Our favorite PhD candidate – American-Aussie vegan, Theresa!

The prize(s)? Theresa actually gets TWO prizes. One prize right now: A $25 gift certificate to Peta Mall ...And one prize later which also happens to be my big news:


A signed copy of...



Thanks so much for supporting and reading my blog over the years. I'm writing this book for all of you, and I certainly could not do it without you.

A Call for Testers
I need about 15 recipe testers who can commit to testing at least 5 but ideally 30 recipes by February 7. Those who test 30 recipes will get a free book, and those who test at least 5 will get a mention in the book. Interested? E-mail me at theurbanvegan@yahoo.com with "TESTERS" in the subject line [Please don't leave off the "R!"].

It's time for another contest, to announce some very happy news.

1. How do you enter? Simply add a comment. I'll put everyone's name in a hat and pick one winner in the next few days.
2. What do you win? Meet me back here in a few days, and I'll announce the winner and the mystery prize. I think you'll like it.
3. What's the news? You'll see. Just meet me back here in a few days. [I know, I know.]
   

In the meantime...

Meet the very handsome Apollo, the turkey we adopted this year from Farm Sanctuary. Check out our adorable previous adoptees:

• Luna (2007)
  
• Macadamia (2006)
  

This year, instead of eating a turkey, consider adopting one. It's tax-deductible, cholesterol-free, and cruelty-free – which is a lot more than you can say about a drumstick.

Ever get a yen for something simple and fruity to cleanse your palette? How about sparkling ruby pomegranate seeds suspended in a celadon sea of honeydew melon? These colorful jigglers give you all the nutrients and fiber of fruit – and a little sugar rush, to boot. And I suspect that kids will love them, especially when you make them in molds. [Great lunch box fodder.]

You can make jigglers with agar-agar and just about any fruit or juice you have on hand. For information on working with agar, see my post on agar basics.

This is a Thanksgiving no-brainer. Actually, it's an anytime no-brainer: nutritious, decadent and easy to make, all at once.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Halve an acorn squash and remove the seeds. [If you're feeling Martha-Stewart industrious and/or Amy-Dacyzyn frugal, wash off the seeds, and salt and toast them]. Oil and salt the squash halves, and place them cut-side down on a greased cookie sheet. Bake for about 25 minutes, or until the squash is soft.

Here' are the squash halves, just out of the oven. [I think they'd make a cute bikini top.] Cut a sliver off the bases near the stems so that the squash will be able to stand without toppling. Flip them over, rub each half generously with maple syrup or agave nectar and stuff with your filling of choice. Here are 10 ideas, to get you started:

1. Traditional bread stuffing: my favorite. I make mine with whole grain bread, toasted, powdered pecans, dried cherries, sage and loads of softened onions and celery.
2. Cooked brown rice, walnut oil, cranberries, apples and bread crumbs.
3. Cooked millet, olive oil, black olives, capers, and tomatoes, with a healthy helping of basil, Millet is especially easy to mold and shape.
   
4. Thai-style veggies, roasted in coconut milk and curry powder.
5. Cooked whole wheat couscous, olive oil, toasted almonds, chopped apricots, moistened raisins, and harissa.
6. Potatoes, turnips and parsnips, mashed with grated ginger, olive oil and tons of garlic. A veritable carb-fest!
   
7. Vegan chorizo, seasoned with lots of garlic, and mixed with enough bread crumbs to give it a firm consistency.
8. Barley, tomatoes, green beans, olive oil and onion, seasoned with Herbes de Provençe and nutritional yeast.
   
9. Chopped pears and apples, cranberries, and pomegranate seeds, mixed with cooked spelt, za'tar, sumac, olive oil, lemon juice, and salt.
10. Seitan, marinated in marsala, oil and a splash of best quality balsamic vinegar, then sauteed with mushrooms and fennel, them mixed with whole grain bread crumbs.
    

Bake the stuffed squash for 20 more minutes. Then let me know how you stuffed your squash.

Obama won the election. And the Phillies won the World Series. And California voters overwhelmingly said yes to Proposition 2, a precedent-setting act that bans 3 of the cruelest factory farming confinement devices: battery cages, veal crates and gestation crates. All this within a week. I'm not sure I can take all this excitement. Although I usually reserve baking fancy breakfast goodies for weekends, today, it was high time to celebrate sweet success. This morning for breakfast, I made my Raspberry Swirl Pound Cake with Limoncello Glaze.


This very American pound cake gets a dash of European sophistication from fiori di Sicilia, the citrus essence used in Pannetone. Fresh lemon juice, lemon zest and a Limoncello glaze reach across the aisles to tease out the raspberries' tart, slightly cloying flavor.

It's a beautiful day. Bask in it, kids!

Pablo is quite the sports lover. Never one to just sit back and be a couch potato, he prefers to get into the action, as you can see here. He never misses a soccer match.

Amy, one of my dear readers and a new vegan, wrote and asked for some Thanksgiving recipe ideas. So I give you my recipe for Ninja Ginga' Bread. It's so named because its sophisticated flavors are not for the faint of heart. [Stay tuned for more ideas, Amy.]

Being a city girl, I choose to ignore gingerbread conventions and instead start a few trends of my own. While most gingerbread recipes rely on light, dainty molasses, I use Blackstrap Molasses, since I adore its deep, damp muskiness. I also don’t think that white flour has any business going anywhere near a gingerbread batter. But adding a helping of nutty teff flour to the spelt flour-based batter complements the spectrum of spices. Best-quality Dutch cocoa powder, espresso powder, and a splash of best-quality balsamic vinegar...yes, balsamic vinegar! ... further round out the heady flavors of this seasonal favorite. It’s delicious as is, better when slightly warmed, and through-the-roof good when served slightly warmed, with a large scoop of vanilla soy ice cream or vegan whipped cream, which helps to balance the ninja assault of autumnal spices.

NINJA GINGA' BREAD
• 1½ cup spelt flour
• ¼ cup teff flour
• 2 heaping T soy flour
• ½ cup brown sugar, packed
• ¼ cup coconut oil
• 1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
• ¼ cup dark corn syrup
• 1/2 cup Blackstrap molasses
* 2 T Dutch cocoa powder
• 2 tsp espresso powder
• 1 T baking powder
• 1 T powdered ginger
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ¼ tsp cloves
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extracts
• 1 tsp rum extract (optional, but wonderful)
• ½ tsp balsamic vinegar
• Few drops orange oil
• Confectioner’s sugar, for dusting

Serves 9

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9 x 9 inch baking pan.

In a large bowl, with electric mixer, cream together oil, applesauce, brown sugar, corn syrup, extracts, and orange oil until smooth (Depending on the temperature, the coconut oil may not totally dissolve, This is normal.)

In another large bowl, sift together the dry ingredients. Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet, about a cup at a time, mixing each time until smooth. Pour the batter into the pan and bake for 30-40 minutes, or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.

Phinally! Last night, the Philadelphia Phillies clenched the World Series title, after 28 long years. I was in 10th grade the last time we won. What did we eat to celebrate?


Homemade gnocchi with red sauce, of course! Served with red wine.


Here are the gnocchi, resting on my Silpat just before cooking. I use spelt flour along with the potatoes. Use the tines of the fork to make gentle indentations in the dough. They do more than just look pretty: they grab the sauce.


Here's the marinara sauce, simmering....


And here are the happy little gnocchi, swimming in the sauce.

In my fantasy, self-employment would surely be a tranquil return to serenity. But the reality is that I am busier than ever, juggling a spectrum of different projects and deadlines. I'm not complaining – especially in this economy. But after a busy day working, and a vigorous workout to de-stress, I haven't had any leftover brainpower for creativity in the kitchen. Nava Atlas' Vegan Express to the rescue. The other day, using ingredients I had on hand [a feat that always makes me feel haughtily frugal], I threw together her Miso-Ginger Red Beans with Broccoli, which I served over Japonica black rice. It was the perfect entree for a cold day: comforting, filling and best of all, fast and easy.

On Friday night, Omniman and our good friend Violet enjoyed dinner out at an old favorite: Rx in West Philadelphia. My entree? Acorn squash, stuffed with a textured-vegetable protein-based Massaman curry. It was delectable, but "Massaman curry" was a misnomer. The volcano-hot filling did not contain any of the sour or sweet elements typically found in Massaman curry. It was more like a spicy chorizo. Although I loved this dish to bits, it unfortunately didn't love me back. I won't get into the gory details, but I was sick all weekend.


Before dinner, we stopped at a friend's glass gallery opening. Hudson Beach Glass Works is now open for business on 26 S. Strawberry Street in Old City, just around the corner from Amada. Gorgeous, ethereal work that transcends your usual crafty fare. Amazingly, despite the crowded space, free-flowing wine, and plethora of wildly gesticulating guests, not a single item was broken!

Homemade seitan with satay dipping sauce. The sauce is made from peanut butter, light coconut milk, agave nectar and a healthy dose of curry paste – for that unmistakable Southeast Asian hot-sweet tang. It's addictive and also works well over steamed veggies and rice. Try topping a baked potato with this sauce, too. It's an easy, "quickie" meal or side.


I pan-fry my seitan nuggets in a non-stick pan using the tiniest bit of canola oil. It gives them a shiny, pleasantly charred finish.

Homemade seitan is a breeze to make.
Take 1 and 1/3 cup of instant vital wheat gluten and mix it with 1 cup of vegetable stock. Knead for 5 minutes. [I use my Kitchen Aid], then let it rest for 5 minutes. Bread into chunks, or cut into steaks, and simmer in broth for one hour. Drain and use right away, or store in the 'fridge, covered with broth, for up to a week. This makes about 4 servings.

Seitan troubleshooting tips
Many people complain that their homemade seitan is rubbery and tasteless. With props to Escoffier, I believe the flavor depends largely on the stock you use for simmering. Use homemade or a good-quality store-bought. I vote for Better than Bouillon/Vegetable. Don't just use water flavored with a handful of herbs and some soy sauce.

Over-simmering seitan is what I think leads to a too-chewy texture. One hour is plenty. remember KISS: Keep it Simple, Seitan.

I made this from a supermarket recipe I got that was actually *gasp!* vegan. Filling, comforting, and super-healthy, to boot: just what you need when the weather turns – and flu season kicks in. It wasn't exactly haute cuisine, but I think it's good to get back to basics, every once in a while. It helps retrain your palette.