
Valentine’s Day may have just passed us, but shouldn’t we show that V-Day love to those around us, and ourselves, all year? Why don’t you treat yourself or someone special to a post V-day night in! I’m thinking Thai Corn Coconut Soup, Veganified Beef Wellington, and my award winning Almost-Raw Devilishly Dark Chocolate Cake Balls for dessert.
Let’s start off with some bubbly, shall we?
Linda Voorhis - Veganification
Ingredients
- 10-12 pomegranate seeds
- ½ ounce (½ jigger) Pomegranate juice
- 6-7 ounces Prosecco/Champagne/Non-alcohol sparkling cider
Instructions
- In a fluted champagne glass, drop 10-12 fresh pomegranate seeds.
- Pour the pomegranate juice into the glass.
- Add the Prosecco/Champagne/sparkling cider
For the appetizer, let’s start with a quick and easy blender soup that can be served either at room temp or warm!
Linda Voorhis - Veganification
Ingredients
- 2 cups corn (about 4 ears fresh corn, or 2 cups frozen and thawed)
- 1 13.5-ounce can coconut milk (full fat)
- 2 tablespoons Lemongrass White Mint Balsamic Vinegar
- 3 kaffir lime leaves, chopped (or 1 teaspoon lime zest)
- 1 shallot, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1” piece of fresh galangal, finely minced (or 2 teaspoons dry)
- 1” piece of fresh ginger, finely minced (or 2 teaspoons dry)
- 1 teaspoon unrefined dark brown sugar or 1 teaspoon brown rice syrup
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- ¾ teaspoon ground coriander
- ½ teaspoon turmeric
- ¼-1/2 teaspoon dried crushed chili, or 1-2 teaspoons chili sauce
- Chopped fresh cilantro for garnish
Instructions
- Place all ingredients into blender and process until smooth.
- Garnish with fresh chopped cilantro
Now, for the main course!
Linda Voorhis - Veganification
Ingredients
- 1 medium onion, chopped finely
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, minced
- 1 pound baby spinach
- 1 cup dried mushrooms, chopped
- 1 cup nutritional yeast
- 1 teaspoon fresh thyme, minced
- 1 teaspoon fresh oregano, minced
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- 2 cups vital wheat gluten
- ¾ cup garbanzo bean flour
- ¾ cup dried shitake mushrooms, ground to a powder
- ½ cup nutritional yeast
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons kala namak (black salt)
- 1-1/2 – 1-3/4 cups broth, separated
- ½ tomato sauce
- ¼ cup namu shoyu
- 2 tablespoons olive oil (or very ripe avocado, pureed)
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 teaspoons liquid smoke
- 1 package vegan puff pastry
- 4 cups broth
- Cheesecloth
- 1 large onion, chopped fine
- ¼ cup avocado oil, separated
- ¼ cup white whole wheat pastry flour
- 3 tablespoons dried shitake mushrooms, ground to a powder in a spice grinder.
- 2 teaspoons Better Than Bouillon No Beef Paste
- 2 cups water
- Sea salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
Instructions
- In large sauté pan, sauté the onions in the oil until almost translucent. Add the garlic and continue to sauté until the garlic is fragrant. Do not caramelize.
- Add the rosemary, and sauté until fragrant.
- Add spinach, and toss until spinach is wilted.
- Add the mushrooms and toss until moisture begins to be absorbed.
- Add nutritional yeast.
- Add thyme, oregano, and paprika, tossing to combine well.
- Remove from heat, and set aside to cool.
- In a large stand mixer with a dough attachment, gently whisk together the Roast dry ingredients.
- In a large bowl, mix together the Roast wet ingredients.
- With the mixer on low, gradually pour in the wet ingredients until a dough forms, then increase speed to high and knead for 5 minutes. If dough is sticky, add a scant amount of vital wheat gluten and knead more to tighten.
- Cover with a damp, warm, clean towel.
- Allow dough to rest for 5-10 minutes.
- Roll dough out into a long rectangle.
- Spread out the stuffing on top of the dough, leaving a 2” perimeter all around.
- Carefully roll dough so that you have a long log. Sealing the seam and sides by folding and crimping together.
- Wrap roast snugly in cheesecloth, tying closed.
- Bring broth to boil in a large heavy stockpot, then carefully place seitan into boiling water. Bring back to boil, cover, and reduce to simmer for one hour.
- Turn stove off, and allow seitan to sit in broth for 15-30 minutes before removing.
- Allow to cool on a wire rack for 15-20 minutes before removing cheesecloth.
- Allow to cool completely on wire rack before proceeding further. Note: You can do this step, and park your roast in the refrigerator or freezer for future use.
- Preheat oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In a large skillet, brown the roast on all sides. Park to cool.
- Open the puff pastry and gently roll over the pastry to remove folds.
- Place cooled roast in the middle of the pastry. Fold sides of pastry to enrobe the robe completely, pinching the seam together and folding the sides to seal.
- Place wellington seam side down on parchment lined cookie sheet.
- Slit the top of the pastry to allow steam to escape.
- Bake in oven for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 425 degrees Fahrenheit and bake for additional 15-20 minutes, or until puff pastry is golden brown.
- Remove from oven and allow to rest for 8 minutes before serving/slicing.
- Serve with warmed gravy.
- In saucepan over low heat, caramelize the onions in 2 teaspoons oil, approximately 20-25 minutes. Be patient and you will be justly rewarded. This is where you will get a large part of your flavor.
- Sprinkle in flour to coat onions.
- Add remaining oil, and stir to combine well and remove any lumps.
- Continue cooking until flour is gently brown but not burned.
- Add mushroom powder and stir to combine.
- Mix the bouillon with water.
- Pour into saucepan, stirring to combine well.
- Continue to cook over medium heat until gravy thickens and begins to simmer. Continue to simmer for additional 2 minutes.
- Pour in gravy boat.
Let’s wrap it up with dessert!
Linda Voorhis - Veganification
Ingredients
- 1-1/2 cups walnuts, raw (6.1 ounces)
- 1-1/2 cup pecans, raw (6.1 ounces)
- 1 cup medjool dates (5.3 ounces plus 2 dates)
- ¾ cup raw cacao (2.9 ounces)
- 3 teaspoons vanilla
- ½ teaspoon Himalayan sea salt
- 8 ounces dark chocolate, melted (the only non-raw ingredient)
- 1 cup unsweetened raw coconut, finely shredded
Instructions
- Soak nuts for 2 hours, then drain.
- In food processor, blend all ingredients until it forms a smooth, rich ball.
- Shape into truffles, and refrigerate.
- Using a chocolate dipping tool, or similar, dip each chilled ball into the melted chocolate, ensuring that coat the ball completely, and then shake off all the excess chocolate.
- Immediately and gently roll the dipped ball into the coconut.
- Place on waxed paper to set.
- Chill the balls.
Notes
Some tips: *Instead of coating the cake truffles in melted chocolate, roll them in raw cacao mixed with a touch of cayenne and/or cinnamon.
*Press the cake into a spring form pan and chill. Remove from the pan and coat with ganache. Sprinkle coconut on top.
*Press the cake into a spring form pan and chill. Remove from the pan and using a cookie cutter, cut into petite fours. Coat with ganache and/or a glaze, then top with vegan candy sprinkles.