Zine Dining à la Maud

I found out about the world of 'zines' just recently (boy, was I out of touch). I had seen the term bandied about, but wasn't sure exactly what it meant. Well, that all changed about a month ago when Maud sent me two issues of her zine. Turns out that Maud's been creating her zine, Marmaläde Umläut, since 2007. A lot of you already know Maud and read her blog Food Feud, and, probably quite a few of you know about her zine. I'm writing to say that if you haven't yet checked it out, you should. This post is dedicated to Maud's zine along with  a couple of recipes from the most recent issue.

After reading the two issues from front to finish, I had to order the latest one too. She's a talented writer and cartoonist: witty, humorous, insightful with a bit of whimsy tossed into the mix. Some of the regular features include: "Wot's in Your Fridge?," "Fat! So?--Food for Feminists," and "Food Memories."
Oh, but you'll find so much more too, the pages are illustrated with her collages, you'll find cartoons, word games, and even a "Where Should I Go for Lunch??" flowchart (Issue17).

(Did you know that in old days before the advent of modern ovens with temperature gauges, they judged whether an oven was hot enough for baking by sticking their arms in and if the arm hairs singed, it was ready?... That's not a direct quote, just something I learned from reading the zine--a tidbit of the things there are to ponder.)

Maud uses a conversational tone, and while reading, I often wish I could just start gabbing with her about what she's writing. (And, that has nothing to do with my lifelong habit of talking to myself.) The title says it all really: creative and engaging--on par with a satisfying natter with a good friend.

With Maud's permission, here are couple examples of what you'll find inside.

One of Maud's cartoons:

Maud provides some new words for food groupings:

(I can't decide which is my fav, A Dunklette of Cookies or a Thinking of Mushrooms!!)

But, I haven't even begun about the recipes. Of course, there's no shortage of those: cakes, salads, dinners are interspersed and woven into the theme along the way. In honor of summer, I chose a couple salad recipes from the latest issue.  First up is Cabbage and Corn Salad. 

The recipe calls for red cabbage; I used both red and green because I had both on hand to use up. 

Again with Maud's permission, here's the recipe:

The sweetness of raw corn, the crunch of cabbage, and the richness of avocado make this a cooling, comforting, and refreshing slaw. This salad is as calming to the eye as it is cooling to the tongue. 

Next up is Peach Salsa/Salad, which is flashy, sweet, and has a good kick of heat, like a summer fiesta in a bowl.

Thank you Maud, for the great recipes and the segues into them!:

The Peach Salsa complimented the cool crunch of the Corn and Cabbage Salad.

We enjoyed them with lettuce wraps (also inspired by Maud of course). Both salads are all raw and oil-free, super healthy and delicious. Thanks again Maud--keep the zines comin'! 

Rose Tobin Seattle
Rosanne Tobin
Roseann LaPonte
Rosanne Marie Tobin
Rosanne LaPonte

Polenta Stacks

I don't have a lot to say about this, so I'll be brief.

Sunday night's dinner: roasted polenta, zucchini, eggplant, and tomato slices layered with homemade spaghetti sauce.

It's simple to put together once you have the sauce made and the veggies roasted. The only slightly tricky part is slicing the polenta. To do this, I cooked the polenta in veggie broth, added fresh herbs and nutritional yeast, then smoothed it into a square dish and let is set up in the fridge. When it was cold, I used a serrated knife to slice it into thin layers.

Note: I don't know whether it was strictly necessary, but I sprayed the square dish with oil before spreading the polenta into it, just to make sure it didn't stick. My inkling is that it wouldn't have stuck, but  I didn't want to take the chance. 

The polenta looked a bit pale after it set, so I toasted the slices under the grill for a few minutes until they turned golden. I was a little worried that the polenta would turn out hard from the grilling, but after letting it sit for several minutes layered with with spaghetti sauce, the polenta soaked up the sauce and turned out savory and soft with a light crunch on the outside.

We also had  some broccoli salad with red pepper, sweet onion, pine nuts and a warm garlic vinaigrette.

It was good, and that's all I have to say about that.
Rose Tobin Seattle
Rosanne Tobin
Roseann LaPonte
Rosanne Marie Tobin
Rosanne LaPonte

Micro Greens Salad

radish, chard, kale and mustard sprouts with red onion and blueberries

Or in less fancy talk, veggie sprouts. 

I'm sure I'm not alone in the fact that when I sow seeds, I inevitably over sow. This is partly because it's difficult not to (especially with smaller seeds), and partly because it's a pretty good strategy. You can always thin out a row, but it's inconvenient to fill in a sparsely sown row with supplement seeds. Over sowing also allows for some loss through critters, pathogens, or less robust seedlings etc., without necessarily loosing everything. And of course, there's always at least a few duds in a batch of seeds that aren't viable. 

About 2 weeks ago, I planted my autumn greens and now they are coming up in crowed little rows: 

the radish crowd

Some leafy crops don't need too much thinning, especially if you want to harvest them as baby greens. Mesclun, leaf lettuces, dandelion, or arugula for example don't seem to mind crowds and there's just more for you to harvest.  Other things like root crops and fruiting crops (peas, squash, tomatoes, etc), really need the space to allow for the root and plant to grow unimpeded. And, while things like chard, kale and mustard are fine in crowds if you want to harvest them as young baby leaves, if you want to grow nice big individual plants, it's a good idea to thin them out as you go. Having said that, it always pains me to thin rows ; I feel sorry for the little guys. This regret fades a little, I find, if you eat them.

Hence, micro greens salad. They also make lovely garnishes to sprinkle over your food. Just rinse them gently, sprinkle and eat. 

Kelp Noodle Salad and Other Important Things, Including Rhubarb "Mead"

I was at the store recently, when some kelp noodles caught my eye. As something new and interesting to try, they were calling out to me, but I'll admit that I was a little hesitant as well. I like sea vegetables when they have a mild flavor. I'm down with some arame seaweed or a little wakame. I can even handle a little bit of dulse in small doses, but I'm not an all-out seaweed lover...If the flavor is too strong it literally makes  me gag. So, the first thing that crossed my mind was "what if they turn out really seaweedy?...Gulp!" But, as I read through the package, the words "Neutral Flavor" won me over.

There are  a few recipe ideas on the back of the package. One for a miso/peanut noodle salad sounded especially tempting, and I'll try that next time. But today, I wanted to go for something more low-cal, so decided on a soy-wasabi salad:

For the veggie base, I used green onions, sunburst squash, red pepper, carrot, celery and daikon.

The package just gives the ingredient list for the dressing, not the measurements, so here's what I ended up throwing together: 2 Tablespoons Bragg's Aminos, 1 Tablespoon raw agave, 1 Tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar, a good splash of cider vinegar, 1 clove minced garlic, and 1/2 teaspoon wasabi paste. I went light on the wasabi...a little bit more would have been good though.

You don't have to cook these noodles;  they're ready to eat right out of the bag. Here's what they look like: 

According to the package, these little noodlers have a lot going for them: fat-free, gluten-free, low cal and low carb, and they are a source of many trace minerals including iodine.  

My verdict? The texture is great, a little bit rubbery and toothsome...maybe not everyone's cup of tea, but I really like it. The flavor is indeed neutral; the noodles add texture and serve as a vehicle for the dressing, while the core of the salad's flavor comes from the veggies you choose. All in all, I'm glad I gave these a try. They'll be fun to add to salads and switch things up a bit.

Part of the reason I wanted to eat light today was because yesterday (Easter) was quite a feast. We didn't plan on it being quite so sumptuous...it just sort of happened that way. For the vegan main course, I made some fettuccine in cashew-basil cream. It was a winner; everyone enjoyed it. 

I didn't measure the sauce when I was making it, but here's roughly what I put in:

Cashew Basil Cream Sauce:
1 generous cup raw cashews, soaked in water for an hour or so
2 generous Tablespoons pine nuts
2 cloves minced garlic
1/8-1/4 cup nutritional yeast (to taste, I usually go for 1/4 cup)
6-8 drops ume plum vinegar (because it's quite salty and tangy, I just drizzle a bit in...you'll have to adjust to your tastes)
1 generous/heaping Tablespoon white miso
2-3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice ( I usually go for more like 3)
1.5 cups water
Generous 2 cups chopped fresh basil leaves
salt and pepper to taste

Drain the cashews and blend in food processor with the rest of the ingredients, except the basil. Add the water gradually until you get the smoothness and consistency you want, I went for a thick consistency that was still "pourable".  For a nice smooth consistency, blend it for several minutes. When you've achieved the consistency you want, toss in the chopped basil leaves and pulse a few times to blend through.

Toss the cashew/basil cream with some drained noodles that are just on the verge of al dente and gently heat through. Serve right away with lightly steamed green beans, and some pine nuts and basil shreds to garnish. Pretty yummy stuff!

In addition to the pasta we had broccoli, pineapple, sweet potatoes, salad, and some rye bread. My mom also made some awesome fresh tomato salsa for hors d'oeuvres:

We had strawberry pie and coconut milk ice cream for dessert...sorry no pics. See, what I mean about the feasting?

Now, for a rhubarb "mead" update for anyone who might be interested. Over the weekend, we broke open the rhubarb mead I posted about here. It's a lovely color, lightly effervescent and has a mild flavor, not terribly rhubarby though. (rhubarby...that sounds funny! :D)

Alessandra suggested that it might be more aptly named rhubarb beer...kind of like ginger beer, and I'm inclined to agree. There is only a trace amount of alcohol in it, which can be either good or bad depending on your perspective. Personally, I was hoping for something wee bit stronger. But, it is refreshing mixed with some sparkling water or other sparkling juice, and we'll certainly enjoy sipping it from time to time as the weather warms up. 

And last but certainly not least, I want to give a big Thank You to Rebecca of Enjoying the Journey blog, who was my seed swap partner. Cassie of Vegan Fox fame hosted a seed swap this month, which I thought was a fun idea. 

Rebecca sent me some kale, lavender, and lemon cucumber seeds, all of which I love. She also included a handy seed-starting guide and some fun animal rights stickers. Thanks Rebecca! I'll plant the kale and lavender now, and the cucumbers I'll start in early June. 

Lilies, Rhubarb Mead, and a New Cooker

Spring is here in the Pacific Northwest as the showers will attest--we've had a wet Spring so far, which is par for the course around here.  Prompted into bloom by the rain, these Checkered Lilies are delicate beauties that I always forget about until they bloom out. 

Another spring treat, local rhubarb, has arrived in the markets.  I always feel like I want to do something different with rhubarb.  With that in mind, I tried my hand at some rhubarb mead. 

The Stripey Cat directed me to this recipe (scroll down to the third recipe on the page). It calls for rhubarb (I threw in some strawberries too), sugar, yeast and water. Here's what it looks like after fermenting for 24 hours:

Then strained and put into bottles:

It's supposed to sit in a cool place for another three days...I'll let you know how it turns out. 

Always a source of interesting recipes, The Stripey Cat  also posted a recipe for rhubarb tzatziki that I think will be my next foray into rhubarb this season. She also directed to me to a link for rhubarb pickles, which I want to try, but I can't post the link because I've lost it.  I'll need to do some backtracking and find it. 

In other news, we got a new cooker. We've been in the same rental house for the last four years, and the stove was a gem from the 70's. When was the last time you saw a "digital" display like that?

To be fair, it worked great until about six months ago when two of the top burners went out...basically the electrical wires were disintegrating. I cooked on two wonky burners for a few months, but then when the oven went, I finally called the landlord, and he brought us a shiny new cooker. 

On the food front, we've been eating lots of beans and salads...nothing too spectacular, but healthy and satisfying. 

I also bought some kelp noodles that I want to try and hopefully blog about soon. Until then, happy April everyone. 

Anchovy & orange Salad - The Video of February

Dear readers, today I want to show you how to prepare a delicious unique salad with very few ingredients typical of our territory: oranges, anchovies and red onions (or green onions).
Have a look at the video and do not hesitate to try this lovely dish. Enjoy!

Thanks to Patrizia Laria for the video editing.

Heart Beets

St. Valentine's greetings!
 

Like many, I enjoy taking this opportunity to make heart-shaped food, and beets seem especially conducive to this type of thing. Heart-shaped dining commenced early, with a heart beet salad and some pizza with heart-shaped beetaroni :

Beetaroni pizza with mushrooms, red onions, and Daiya vegan cheese

Beetaroni? Yes, it's so cool. I'm sure many of you already know about it, but if you don't, you'll have to check out Ricki Heller's original post about this ingenious idea.  It's basically thinly sliced beets slow baked in a smokey, spicy, garlic-y marinade. The end result really does go well on pizza: lightly smokey, spicy and tender..adds a nice color too. I never ate or liked pepperoni before going vegetarian (seemed suspect to me), but beetaroni...now, that's another story.

I didn't have a cookie cutter, so I made a little stencil to guide the heart-shaped cuts...cutting the raw beets was much easier than cutting the cooked ones in my experience. (I'll use the cut-out scraps in salads throughout the week.)

Here are the beets in the marinade, pre-baking:

And then out of the oven. The marinade bakes into the beets and as the liquid evaporates, the little beets curl up a bit:

Sorry, no heart-shaped dessert, but we did enjoy some raspberry beer: Lindemans Framboise Lambic. It's like raspberry soda, but with a little punch. The apple flavored one is good too. According to barnivore.com, Lindemans' beers are vegan friendly.

Happy Valentine's Day!! 

Roseann Laponte Tobin

Garlic Soup, Obsessed with Salad, and More Soup and Garlic

This soup makes a bigger sensation on the taste buds than it does on the eyes, but if you like garlic and are in the mood for a brothy, aromatic soup that clears the sinuses, this soup hits the spot. I like it this time of year as a warming cup or bowl after a long walk in the cold temperatures--warming and satisfying, but not too filling.

The recipe makes about 4 servings, and I used 8 good-sized garlic cloves, because that's the amount Mr D is generally comfortable with...I think I could go a few more cloves if I were making it just for myself. The sherry is optional, but it really does add a rich dimension to the soup, which I love. Also, the saffron is not strictly necessary...but very nice in this if you have it on hand.

Garlic Soup with Sherry and Saffron
8  good-sized garlic cloves, peeled
2 tablespoons olive oil (or veggie broth for fat free)
6 cups veggie broth
salt to taste
pinch of saffron
2-3 tablespoons dry sherry (Manzanilla)
pinch of Spanish paprika to garnish (optional)
1 cup small pasta like orzo, stars, or alphabets, cooked

Put the garlic cloves and oil in a food processor and process until the garlic is finely minced. Alternately, you could put the garlic through a press or plane grater if you want the garlic to be more pureed with no bits. ( I like the bits.)

In a large pot, heat the garlic and olive oil mixture very gently (medium-low) for 2 minutes...just enough heat so it becomes aromatic and warm, not sauteed. Keep an eye on it, because if the garlic gets over heated here it will turn bitter.

Add the veggie broth to the aromatized garlic and bring it up to a simmer. Add the pinch of saffron and salt to taste.  Allow the soup to simmer for another half hour or so.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta in a separate pot, according to package instructions. Drain and rinse until cool.

When ready to serve, add the sherry to the soup and stir through. Scoop some of the cooked pasta into each serving bowl and ladle hot soup over it. Garnish with a pinch of Spanish paprika.

                                                                      
                                                                                          ***********

On to my latest food obsession: spinach and arugula salad. My mom made some with  Christmas dinner, and I've been eating copious amounts of it ever since. The spicy arugula goes so well with the milder, but spongey/leafy spinach. My favorite combo these days is making it with julienned carrot, red onion, and sunflower seeds. Sometimes I toss in some grapes, walnuts, and radish if the mood strikes. I seem to be craving raw onion these days.

I know, I know, big deal: it's just a flippin' salad. But sooo good, and well, it really is a large portion of what we've been eating lately chez Dandelion.  I've been dressing it with a mixture of Bragg's Aminos, sherry vinegar, whole grain mustard and nutritional yeast (v. yum)...a combo I read about on DirtyDuck's blog...here, where you can read about how it came to dress a somewhat unmanageably large salad. :D Thanks for the awesome dressing idea DirtyDuck!!

Another recent dinner was some leek-potato soup with bread rolls, roasted elephant garlic, manzanilla olives, and spicy brown mustard. Maybe, a slightly odd combo, but tasty. (The garlic is in the dish that has the knife sitting on it.)

So, I guess it goes without saying that with all the garlic and raw onions, it's just as well that I'm typing this rather than telling you in person. :0

For dinner tonight, I'm making some of baked onion rings that Sara at Busy Vegan Mama  posted about today...I think they're gonna be good!

Ciao!!!