vegan | Cooking with Alison

Mango Quinoa Salad Recipe

In Soups and Salads on November 2, 2010 at am

In an attempt to reduce the amount of meat that I eat, I started making quinoa salads more regularly since quinoa is high in nutrients and an excellent plant-based source of protein. I have compared quinoa purchased from Bulk Barn to Bob’s Red Mill organic quinoa. I found that Bob’s Red Mill organic quinoa held its shape more firmly, had a better texture, and tasted better (even though both sources of quinoa are basically flavourless). So in my opinion, it is worth it to pay [much] more for the brand name product.

This variation of quinoa salad was inspired by mango ceviche (recipe here). See my other quinoa salad recipes here and here.

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food, gluten-free, Indian, recipes, vegan, vegetarian

Chana Masala Recipe (chickpeas)

In Indian on October 22, 2010 at am

Chana masala is an Indian dish that consists mainly of chickpeas and tomatoes. It is mildly spiced and is slightly sour in taste. What I love about this recipe is that the tartness comes from amchur / amchoor powder, which is ground, dried mangoes! (You could also make this using lemon juice, but I highly recommend getting the amchoor.) All of the people that tried this asked for the recipe. See here for tips on how to get the most flavour out of your Indian spices.

Photo below: For my friend’s birthday, I made homemade Indian takeout and we had dinner at her place. I made fast-cooked beef “borma”, tarka dall and chana masala (and rice, of course).

Chinese food, food, gluten-free, recipes, vegan, vegetarian

Bok Choy Soup

In Asian, Soups, Soups and Salads on October 19, 2010 at am

This soup takes less than 10 minutes to make. When my mom makes this, she only uses broth, water, baby bok choy, and ginger. So it can be as simple as that. Just be sure to wash the vegetables very very well, especially if you’re using shanghai bok choy because a lot of dirt and bugs collect between the leaves. Although full sized bok choy will work, I much prefer the taste and texture of baby bok choy.

Note: I used baby shanghai bok choy for the soup in the photo below.

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food, recipes, vegan, vegetarian

Sun Dried Tomato Focaccia Recipe (from scratch)

In Breads on October 15, 2010 at am

Focaccia is an Italian bread that can be topped lightly or substantially, or used as sandwich bread. Its popularity in North America has resulted in overly simplified recipes using prepared pizza dough. I like Peter Reinhart’s recipe from his very well-rated book, The Bread Baker’s Apprentice. Although it is a 1 to 2 day process (most of the time spent rising the dough), it is well worth the effort. My family couldn’t get over how good this bread was.

I had extra sun dried tomatoes after making warm wild mushroom salad (recipe here), so I used them for focaccia. See my herbed focaccia recipe here.

Some other suggestions:

olives, roasted garlic, herbs, herb oil, or garlic infused oil (dimple these in before the 2 hour proofing time)
hard cheeses such as parmesan, chedder, swiss, or Monterey Jack (add this 5 minutes before the finished baking time)
soft cheeses like mozzarella or feta (add these about 10 min before the finished baking time)
try topping the finished focaccia with an assortment of meat and/or vegetables (ie. carmelized onions and goats cheese)
try slicing the focaccia in half and using it as a sandwich bread

food, recipes, vegan, vegetarian

Herbed Focaccia Recipe (from scratch)

In Breads on October 14, 2010 at am

I made focaccia for the first time one weekend, while studying for a designation exam. Each step between rising became a study break. Since I had a variety of fresh herbs on hand, I made herbed focaccia. See my sun dried tomato focaccia recipe here.

Some other suggestions:

olives, roasted garlic, herbs, sundried tomatoes, or garlic infused oil (dimple these in before the 2 hour proofing time)
hard cheeses such as parmesan, chedder, swiss, or Monterey Jack (add this 5 minutes before the finished baking time)
soft cheeses like mozzarella or feta (add these about 10 min before the finished baking time)
try topping the finished focaccia with an assortment of meat and/or vegetables (ie. carmelized onions and goats cheese)
try slicing the focaccia in half and using it as a sandwich bread

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Chinese food, food, gluten-free, recipes, vegan, vegetarian

Chinese Mushroom Gravy on Tofu

In Other Asian Foods on September 14, 2010 at pm

I used a combination of asian mushrooms (fresh and dried) to make a hearty Chinese gravy that is quick and easy to make. I served it over a plate of steamed soft tofu. You could also serve this mushroom gravy over steamed broccoli or a plate of stir fried Chinese vegetables.

Photo below: This dish would have been more visually appealing if I had used fresh shimeji (aka beech) mushrooms, but they weren’t in season at the time.

Guacamole and Avocado Salsa

In Appetizers, Hors D'oeuvres, Snacks on August 1, 2010 at pm

I am in love with avocados. When it comes to guacamole, I prefer the texture of roughly mashed avocados, so I use an S-shaped potato masher. A fork works well too; or you could use a large mortar and pestle like Chef Bobby Flay. For a slight variation, serve this as an “avocado salsa” by Not mashing the avocado pieces and cutting the roma tomatoes into slightly larger pieces (or halve cherry tomatoes instead). Guacamole is pictured above.

Chinese food, food, recipes, vegan, vegetarian

Cheong Fun with Teem Cheong (Rice Noodle Roll with Sweet Sauce)

In Dim Sum, Other Asian Foods on June 8, 2010 at pm

I love Chinese rice noodle rolls (chee cheong fun). These are steamed and can have various fillings such as shrimp, Chinese BBQ pork, ground beef, or dried shrimp and green onions. They are also delicious plain when served with the flavourful sweet sauce (teem cheong / timzheong) and sesame paste. We order this a lot in Hong Kong restaurants, so I was ecstatic when I learned how easy it is to make. I love making food from scratch to avoid the added preservatives and chemicals. I’ve heard that the cheong fun sold in grocery stores (and used by the restaurants) contain a particularly harmful additive – borax. (For cheong fun with shrimp, see here. For cheong fun with dried shrimp and green onions, see here.)

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food, gluten-free, Indian, recipes, vegan, vegetarian

Indian Lentil Soup

In Indian, Soups and Salads on April 29, 2010 at pm

Most Indian lentil soups are pureed and very thick. But the vegetable soup that I had at a popular local Indian restaurant was light, brothy, lemony, and in my opinion, much better than the typical pureed lentil soup. So I re-created it at home. You can easily adjust the water or boiling time to achieve your preferred consistency. See here for tips on how to get the most flavour out of your Indian spices.

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Fruit Salad

In Appetizers, Hors D'oeuvres, Snacks, Other Desserts on April 16, 2010 at pm

I love fresh fruit salads. I like serving them with brunch, or as a snack or dessert. Instead of following a recipe, I usually choose fruits based on 2 textures and 4 colours. I like to use one fruit that adds a slight crunch, so I usually use grapes (red or green) or apples (red or green). Then I choose fruits of each of the colours: red, green, white, and orange. For the red, I like to use strawberries or raspberries. For the green, I like to use kiwis. For the white, I like to use bananas or pears. For the orange, I like to use citrus slices (orange, tangerine, and/or grapefruit), mangoes, peaches, or nectarines. Sometimes I like to add blue or purple by adding blueberries or plum slices. Use any fruits in any combination that you like. You could try making an exotic fruit salad using fruits like papaya, pineapple, passion fruit, lychee, dragon fruit, etc.

If you’re eating the salad right away, there’s no need to dress it. But if it’s going to sit for a while, then you should dress it with some freshly squeezed lemon juice (do not substitute with bottled lemon juice) and some honey or white granulated sugar to taste. This will prevent certain fruits from browning.

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Deep Fried Chick Peas

In Appetizers, Hors D'oeuvres, Snacks on April 8, 2010 at pm

I’ve been trying to incorporate more legumes into my diet in hopes that I’ll develop a better appreciation for them. I love hummus but I don’t like eating chick peas whole. So when I first heard of people deep frying chickpeas, I knew I had to try it. It was the perfect snack for a poker night that I hosted, because I needed a vegan alternative for one of the guys.

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Candied Walnuts

In Appetizers, Hors D'oeuvres, Snacks on March 24, 2010 at pm

I started making my own candied walnuts when I started making waldorf salads (recipe here). These are fantastic snacks, especially while watching a movie or a game. And if you put them into clear gift bags tied with pretty ribbon, you can sell them at bake sales or use them as cute favours for dinner parties, showers, or gifts over the holidays.