Vegan MoFo Day 5!

Today we share with you a very special item to Alex's family-Pączki!! Prounounced "pun-ch-key" they are: "A pączek is a deep-fried piece of dough shaped into a flattened sphere and filled with confiture or other sweet filling. Pączki are usually covered with powdered sugar, icing or bits of dried orange zest. A small amount of grain alcohol (traditionally, Spiritus) is added to the dough before cooking; as it evaporates, it prevents the absorption of oil deep into the dough.

Although they look like berliners (German name), bismarcks (south-central Canada/north-central US name), and jelly doughnuts (generic name; sometimes "jam donut"), pączki are made from especially rich dough containing eggs, fats, sugar and sometimes milk. They feature a variety of fruit and creme fillings and can be glazed, or covered with granulated or powdered sugar. Powidła (stewed plum jam) and wild rose hip jam are traditional fillings, but many others are used as well, including strawberry, Bavarian cream, blueberry, custard, raspberry and apple.

Pączki have been known in Poland at least since the Middle Ages. Jędrzej Kitowicz has described that during the reign of August III, under the influence of French cooks who came to Poland, pączki dough was improved, so that pączki became lighter, spongier, and more resilient." [thank you wikipedia]

They are traditionally served in Poland on Fat Thursday (the last Thursday before Ash Wednesday) but here in America Hamtramck & Chicago especially on Mardi Gras or Fat Tuesday. They usually use up all those pastry ingredients hanging out in Polish Gramma's & Mama's pantry's before lent and are about 1,000 calories each. And as you read are usually made with loads of non-vegan ingredients meaning Alex wouldn't eat them... until she converted the recipe!!!! And then there was much rejoicing in our little home (and then in Alex's office when she brought extras to work so as not to have a too-fat Fat Tuesday)! :D

Here is our amazing converted recipe for traditional (vegan) Pączki:

1/2 cup lukewarm soy milk
1/4 cup cup sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 packages of yeast (plus 1/4 cup lukewarm water and 1 teaspoon sugar)
Egg replacer for 1 egg (we used apple sauce)
1/4 cup vegetable shortening
3 to 3.5 cups flour

crap-ton of powdered sugar (you'll see why later)

vanilla custard filling from The Only Vegan in the Village:
1/3 cup sugar
pinch of salt
2 tbsp. cornstarch
1-1/2 cups vegan milk
1 tbsp. margarine
1 tsp. vanilla

apple filling:
1 tablespoon Earth Balance
3 cups diced peeled Granny Smith apple (about 1 pound)
1/2 cup apple juice
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon





Stir together the soy milk, sugar, and salt. Prepare the yeast, adding the packet to lukewarm water (100 to 110 degrees F) with some sugar to get the yeast all bubbled up and excited. Once you're sure the yeast is alive and well, stir it into the above mixture until all the yeast is dissolved. Add in the egg replacer and vegetable shortening. Add in the flour slowly, a half cup or so at a time so your mixer doesn't kick a ton of flour up into the air and make a mess.

After the flour is all mixed in, remove the dough from your mixer and knead it. Place it into a greased bowl in a warm spot and cover with a warm, damp (clean) kitchen towel. Allow it to rise until it has doubled in size (about an hour to an hour and a half). Punch the dough down and turn completely over in the bowl. Let rise again until almost double (30 to 45 minutes this time), then remove from the bowl and roll out to about 1/3" thick.

After you've shaped your Pączki, allow them to rise on your counter or a board until they're light and have a slight crust on the dough (about 30 minutes).

While they're rising, fill deep sauce pot with several inches of canola or other vegetable oil (enough for a Pączki to drop to the bottom then rise to the top) or get your deep fryer going. Once the oil has reached 370 to 380 degrees, drop a few donuts in at a time and fry until both sides are golden brown (you will have to flip them with a slotted spoon to get both sides). Monitor the oil temperature carefully.

Once the Pączki are fried, lay them out on a paper bag to drain. Once cooled, slice small opening into them. Set aside.






To make the vanilla filling, combine sugar, salt and cornstarch in a saucepan. Add milk and whisk together. Bring the mixture to a light boil over medium heat while whisking constantly. Lower to a simmer and whisk until thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and add margarine and vanilla. Pour into a bowl and let cool, stirring every few minutes. Filling will continue to thicken as it cools. Leave until cold.

To prepare apple filling, melt 1 tablespoon margarine in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add apple; sauté 3 minutes. Add 1/2 cup apple juice, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Reduce heat to medium-low; simmer 3 minutes or until liquid is almost absorbed. Remove from heat; cool.

Place fillings in separate pastry bags & squeeze into holes cut into Pączki until full. Our favorite was a combo of both apple & vanilla fillings-MMMM!! SO DELICIOUS! Then sprinkle a crap-load (very technical term there) of powdered sugar on top. Now eat until you weigh a million pounds! :D








REVIEW:

Alex: AMAZING! Best Ever! SO IN LOVE WITH THESE! And honestly so glad to have converted an old family favorite into something I can enjoy even more now & be able to share that tradition with new friends (& eventually one day my future kiddos).

Joe: Awesome. Simply awesome. Fried dough is one of mankind's greatest achievements, right up there with landing on the moon and fire. I liked the Pączki with both fillings the best. If you leave the powdered sugar on for too long, it will absorb into the dough. I always put it on right before I ate some. They go stale in a day
or so, but I don't think they will last that long. :)

Vegan MoFo Day 4!

Today for our vegan MoFo we hit on a very important food topic in our home-sandwiches. We love them! We are kinda picky about them though-we like them to be perfect as sandwiches are works of tasty art. Here is one of our very favorites from Veganomicon, Chile Cornmeal-Crusted Tofu Po' Boys!!



RECIPE:

2 (12") Baguettes sliced in half & split open
Sandwich pickles

Chile Cornmeal Crusted Tofu:
cor or veggie oil for frying
1lb. extra firm tofu, drained & pressed
1 cup soy or rice milk
2tbs. cornstarch
1 cup cornmeal
2tbs. chile powder
1tsp. ground cumin
1/4tsp. cayenne
1tbs. grated lime zest
1.5tsp salt

Creamy Coleslaw:
slaw:
3 cups finely shredded purple or white cabbage (or combo of both)
1 carrot peeled & shredded
pinch of dill
1/4 cup veganaise
2tbs. plain soy milk
1tbs. lemon juice
pinch of white pepper (to taste)
pinch of mustard powder


Chipotle Mayo:
1 canned chipotle (with a little of its sauce)
1/4 cup veganaise


Prepare Chipotle mayo by mashing ingredients together with a fork. Prepare slaw by mixing veganaise, soy milk, lemon juice, pepper & mustard powder together. Toss in cabbage & carrot. Taste & salt & pepper as needed.







Slice tofu widthwise into 8 slices, cut each of those in 1/2 diagonally (from upper left corner to lower right corner) so you end up with 16 long triangles. Set aside. Combine soy milk & cornstarch in wide shallow bowl. Mix vigorously with fork until cornstarch is mostly dissolved. In another shallow bowl toss together cornmeal, spices, lime zest, & salt. Heat about 1/4" oil in large skillet over medium heat. To test oil readiness sprinkle in pinch of batter, when it sizzles & bubbles form rapidly around it, oil is ready. Dip each individual triangle in milk mixture, then drop into cornmeal mix & use opposite to dredge it in mixture (use one hand for each mix to avoid the dreaded club hand!!!) & coat all sides. Transfer coated tofu to skillet in 2 batches as to not crowd the pan. Fry tofu for 3 minutes on one side, flip with tongs & fry other side for 2 minutes. Drain on paper towel or paper bag.

If you want to avoid frying (which we often do) you can bake these babies in the oven at 350 degrees on a parchment lined baking sheet for 12 minutes on each side. Just be sure to spray both sides with some oil until lightly coated.

Sandwich assembly is as follows: 1. spread chipotle mayo on bottom of baguette, 2. place 2 triangles of tofu on bread, 3. add slaw, 4. add pickles, 5. spread chipotle may to top slice, 6. close bread & slice diagonally, 7. scarf these bad boys down!!






REVIEW:

Alex: I am obsessed with this sandwich. I love it for dinner & lunch the next day! Plus if I am uber hungry I can eat some slaw on the side with the sammich! It's pretty easy to make and I like baking it even better than frying it as it tastes less heavy & allows us time to make the slaw and mayo whilst the tofu is baking. Joe usually does either the milk part of the mix or the cornmeal & I do the other so we don't get club hands-those are gross & difficult to work with!

Joe: Pretty simple and gratifying. I truly enjoy coleslaw, so virtually anything with coleslaw is great in my opinion. I find the breading is somewhat difficult to maintain on the tofu, but enough stays on to achieve a crunchy, delicious exterior! Overall, a great sandwich.

Vegan MoFo Day 3!

So here we are at Day 3 of Vegan MoFo and can I just say how much I am loving this?! So our recipe today was a new one we tried from Ann Gentry's cookbook "Vegan Family Meals". If you're in LA than you know Ann as the woman behind a favorite restaurant of mine Real Food Daily, her books is amazing & this was the second recipe we tried from it. Behold Szechuan Noodles with Hot Spicy Peanut Sauce...

RECIPE (Alterations by Joe & Alex in parentheses):

Sauce:
1/4 cup minced fresh ginger (We actually used 2tsp of ground ginger powder that day!)
6 gloves garlic
1/2 tamari (We used soy sauce)
1/2 cup toasted sesame oil
1/4 cup agave
1/4 brown rice vinegar (We used plain (white?) rice vinegar)
1/4 smooth peanut butter
1/4 cup tahini
1 tsp crushed read pepper (We used close to a tablespoon!!!)

Noodles:
1 pound udon noodles (We used capellini (Angel Hair), but we imagine Spaghetti, Linguine, etc. all work fine)
1 tablespoon sesame oil
3 tablespoons chopped shelled peanuts (We omitted these)
3 scallions, sliced diagonally
1.5 tbsp toasted sesame seeds (We used regular ones)

Joe minced the garlic super fine (and would have the fresh ginger, if we had some!) with a knife and the mixed all the sauce ingredients in a bowl big enough to hold the pound of cooked pasta.

Then, cook the pasta as usual in salted water with the tablespoon of sesame oil. Stir frequently in first few minutes to prevent the pasta from clumping together.

(Joe: "I've often wondered about the effectiveness of this. Some expert says it makes a big difference, another says it doesn't. When it comes to adding oil to pasta water; who really knows? I think it may offer some improvement, but I doubt it offsets the cost of the sesame oil. Alex: (*sigh*)
You are such a nerd.)

When the pasta is al dente, drain well. Transfer to the bowl with the sauce while hot and mix thoroughly. Add the scallions and sesame oils and mix.

Joe thinks the addition of some fresh cilantro would be nice and also some leafy vegetables, like chopped baby bok choy as well.





[we kinda sucked it up on the pictures for this one guys-sorry!!!]

REVIEW:

Joe: I liked it a lot. It was quick, easy, and reasonably delicious. And I finally found a non-hummus use for the millions of jars of tahini we have in our pantry!

Alex: We have 2 jars-oy! I did NOT like this recipe. It was too peanut buttery for me. I ate probably 5 bites and made Joe take it away. However, the next day, running late for work I grabbed a glass storage container out of our fridge (we try to be green 'round here-yay for glass not plastic!) for my lunch. Starving (not really just hungry) by noon I opened it to find the devilish too peanuty noodles! I popped some in my mouth to stifle the groans from my tummy only to find I really like it cold! Huzzah!

Joe: I really like it cold as well!

Alex: We have decided this dish is far superior when chilled & suggest for those who try it out to serve it cold. I don't know by what magic it turned delicious but boy did it ever! Mmm! :D

Try it out and tell us what you think!

Vegan MoFo Day 2!

Day 2 of our Vegan MoFo we are making Monkey Bread!!! This is one of our ABSOLUTE FAVORITES in this house. But we try to only make it if there is company because otherwise we eat the ENTIRE batch ourselves because it is too too too delicious not to! Check it out...

RECIPE:

3 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp salt
3 tbsp sugar
2 tbsp Earth Balance Buttery Spread
1 cup warm water (around 110 F)
1 tbsp sugar
2.25 tsp (one packet) dry yeast

1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1.5 tsp cinnamon
1/2 Earth Balance, melted



Combine water, 1 tbsp sugar and yeast and let the yeast activate for 5 mintues. A layer of foam indicates if your yeast has activated.

Add flour, salt, 3 tbsp of sugar and Earth Balance to a stand mixer, food processor or large bowl. Mix to combine. Slowly add water, while mixing, to incorporate. Once the dough comes off the sides, continue to knead until the dough becomes elastic and smooth. This takes 3-5 minutes using a machine and 15-20 by hands. Place in a lightly oiled/cooking sprayed bowl and cover with plastic wrap/ damp towel and let proof for 1 hour, until the dough has doubled in size.




After the dough has risen, combine the remaining sugars and cinnamon in a medium bowl. Divide the dough in half, and roll each half of the dough out into a snake shape on a lightly floured surface. Cut the snakes into pieces, roughly 3/4 in size. Form each piece into a ball. Dip each ball into the melted Earth Balance, and then roll into the cinnamon/sugar mixture to coat. Arrange in a sprayed pan (I use a 9" round cake pan, but anything roughly that size will work), leaving 1/2 space between balls on the first layer. Continue this procedure by placing the second layer in the spaces of the first. You may or may not evenly cover the pan with the dough balls, but it isn't too important. I pour a part of any remaining butter and sugar over the top, but this is optional. Cover with plastic wrap/damp towel and let proof for another 45-60 minutes.




In an oven preheated to 350 F, bake for 25-30 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean of the bottom layer of dough balls. Let cool for 10 minutes and enjoy warm!

OUR REVIEWS:

Joe: This is the best f-ing s**t on the planet! BEST!

Alex: I agree-it's sweet and delicious. It's like a donut but better and I get to slap the bread which is super fun! Joe and I like to each take a bit, he drops the dough in the vegan butter and I do the sugary party. And I can pretty much eat monkey bread all day and any day. It's a great breakfast, snack, and dessert. The only bad thing is the desire to eat it all and then put on a million pounds! HA! But in all seriousness it is pretty addicting so make with company in mind! :D

Vegan MoFo Day 1!

So Joe & I are participating in Vegan MoFo for the month of October where it's all vegan deliciousness all month. The goal is one post each day and while I missed yesterday due to my ridiculous schedule Joe and I are kicking off day 1 today with Vegan Sushi!!!

Our theme is cooking (and eating) as a couple. Now sushi is mostly an operation for 1 person but I helped out as much as I could! So without further adieu here is the recipe with pictures and our "reviews" on the meal:

RECIPE:

The Rice
2 cups short grain rice (sushi rice)
1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
2tsp sugar
1tbps mirin
1/2 tsp salt

The Filling
1 8oz package tempeh, steamed and cut into a fine dice.
white parts of 6 scallions
Green parts of 8 (or more) scallions
1/4 cup Veganaise
1 tbsp Siracha
2 ripe avacados
8 sheets nori

Rinse rice until water runs clear. Add 2.5 cups of water and bring to a boil over high heat. Lower heat to low, cover and cook for 20 minutes, until excess water has been absorbed. Turn off heat and let the rice sit for 20 minutes.



Meanwhile, combine the vinegar, mirin, salt and sugar in a small pot and combine over medium heat, until salt and sugar have disolved. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.

In a large bowl, empty the rice in and begin to fan. Fold the rice over itself while fanning and begin to add the vinegar mixture, a tablespoon at a time. I find it easy to fan after I fold the rice one or two times. Keep this up until the rice is roughly room temperature.






In another bowl, combine the Veganaise, Siracha and white parts of the scallions. Add the tempeh and mix to coat.




To assemble, place a thin layer of rice over the nori, leaving 1/2 of space at the top. Add a green onion piece, 2 slices of avacado and 2 tablespoons of the tempeh mixture. Then wet the exposed nori with fingertips dipped in water and gently, but tightly, roll the sushi. Use the sushi mat to tighten and shape the roll. Set aside and roll the rest.






When ready, run a sharp knife under water and gently pat of any excess water. Slice each roll in half, then each half into 3 or 4 pieces, depending on your preference. Serve with wasabi, soy sauce, and pickled ginger!






An alternative is to make a bowl but just adding the roll ingredients into a bowl and putting small pieces of nori over top. Drizzle with some wasabi mixed with soy sauce and enjoy!

OUR REVIEWS:

Joe: I love it because it's delicious & easy to make!

Alex: I love it because it really is delicious! Spicy (if you add as much wasabi as I do!) and really cures my jones for sushi. It really is a great favorite in our house and I can help by chopping veggies & fanning the rice-Joe is the superior roller though. He has a knack! It's just fun to be in the kitchen together cooking foods we love and then enjoying them together (and tonight with friends)! Please enjoy this comfort food in your home too & tell us how you like it! :D