tofugazi

VEGAN GRAPEFRUIT DONUTS
adapted from A Beautiful Mess

1 cup almond milk
1/8 cup grapefruit juice
1/4 cup sugar
1 package (2 1/4 tsp) instant dry yeast
1/2 cup plain, unsweetened applesauce
1/2 cup + 2 tbsp earth balance coconut spread
4 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt
zest of 1 grapefruit
oil for frying

For Glaze
1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup grapefruit juice

Warm almond milk and grapefruit juice over low heat in a saucepan on the stove. Stir in the sugar until dissolved. Remove from heat and stir in the yeast. Set aside to bubble for 5 minutes.

Heat coconut spread until nearly melted on stove top. Stir in applesauce until fully combined. Remove from heat and pour into a large bowl. Pour in yeast+milk+juice mixture and stir gently. If you have a standing mixer you could beat it on low with the dough paddle, but I did it by hand. Add the flour one cup at a time, fully combining before adding the next. Add the salt and zest, then knead until fully combined and a stretchy dough is formed.

Place in a bowl, cover and refrigerate 8-10 hours.

Flour a surface and roll out the cold dough into a 1/2 inch thick slab. Cut out with a circle cookie cutter or the mouth of a glass. Cut out an inner circle with the top of a bottle (ex: I used the screw top to a vodka bottle). Lay in a single layer on a baking sheet or large plate. Cover with a towel and let rise in a warm spot for an hour. 

Heat oil in a pot. I used about 1qt in a stock pot that was wide enough to cook a few simultaneously. You want a deep enough layer of oil for the donuts to initially be submerged then float to the surface. When oil reaches about 375 degrees you are ready to go! Use the donut holes as testers.

Cook donuts for 45 seconds on each side after they rise to the surface. Place on paper towels or in a colander to let oil drain.

Whisk powdered sugar and grapefruit juice together. I dipped them once because I thought they were sweet enough with one layer of glaze, but you could dip them multiple times, letting glaze dry between each dip, if you like a higher proportion of glaze.

Battered & Fried Okra
Soak 1 tbsp flax seeds in 5 tbsp water in a bowl.
Rinse 1/2 pound whole okra and set aside to drain, you want it to be damp but not dripping.
In a large bowl, stir together 1/2 cup cornmeal, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp paprika, 1/4 tsp cayenne, 1/4 tsp garlic powder, 1/4 tsp onion powder and 1/8 tsp black pepper.
Toss the damp okra in 1/4 cup flour (use chickpea flour if you’re avoiding gluten!).
Whisk the flax mixture, which should now have a filmy quality similar to a raw egg. Dip the okra in the flax mixture then into the cornmeal & spice mixture to coat.
In a skillet or pot heat 2 inches of vegetable oil.
Add the okra in small batches, frying for 2-3 minutes until golden. Remove with a slotted spoon and let drain on a rack or paper towels.

I served them with a spicy vegan mayonaise!

Zucchini Carrot Bread with Raisins & Walnuts
Preheat oven to 350 F and grease a loaf pan.
Whisk together 1.5 cups flour, 1 tsp baking soda, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp cinnamon.
In a separate bowl blend together 3/4 cup sugar, 1/2 cup walnut oil, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1/2 tsp salt and 2 egg substitutes (I used ener-g, made with almond milk).
Stir the wet ingredients into the dry.
With a few swift strokes blend in 1 cup grated zucchini, 3/4 cups grated carrots, 1 cup raisins and 1/2 cup fine chopped walnuts.
Scrape the batter into the greased pan. Bake for 45 minutes or until the bread pulls away from the sides of the pan. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing to cool completely on a rack.
Serve warm with vegan butter substitute. 

Easy and a healthier snack to tide you through study sessions.

Savory Pumpkin Stew
Heat some vegetable oil in a stock pot.
Sautee 3 medium onions, diced, sprinkled with salt, until softened over medium heat. Add 2 tsp cumin and cook another few minutes until fragrant.
Add 4 cups roasted pumpkin, cut into 1 inch cubes, and 2 large or 4 medium potatoes, half waxy and half floury, cubed. (I used 1 large and 2 small, each a different kind and kept the skins on for color), 1 garlic clove, minced, and 1/2 tsp coriander.
Sprinkle with salt and add vegetable broth until everything is just covered.
Cover and bring to a boil then reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.  
Stir in 1/2-1 tsp chile paste, according to taste. 
De-stem 4 collard green leaves and mince. Reduce heat to very low and add collards, cook for about 5 minutes or until greens reach your preferred softness. 
Salt & pepper to taste. 

White Pizza with Caramelized Onions, Black Olives, “Beef” Crumbles and Rosemary

Pizza Crust (variation on a Joy of Cooking recipe)
Dissolve 2 1/4 tsp dry active yeast in 1 1/2 cups warm water. (Optional - Substitute 1-2 tbsp white wine for an equivalent amount of the water) Let stand until yeast is dissolved, about 5 min.
Add 3 1/2 cups all purpose flour, 2 tbsp olive oil and1 tbsp salt  (optional - rosemary, thyme, fresh garlic or other herbs/spices). Stir with a wooden spoon until it comes together.
Knead for about 8 minutes or until smooth and elastic.
Transfer to a bowl coated in olive oil, cover with a clean towel and leave in a warm ace to rise until doubled, about an hour.
Preheat the oven to 425. Grease a pizza or baking pan and dust with cornmeal.
Punch down the dough and divide in half. Form each part into a ball and cover for 10 minutes more.
Flour a flat, clean surface and flatten each ball into a disc. Roll our stretch each out into a 12” circle. Place on prepared baking sheets. Pinch up the edges to form the outer crust.
Brush with olive oil and let sit ten minutes, this will help prevent sogginess if using a sauce.
Top and bake 8-12 minutes. 

Carrot, Ginger, Cashew Soup
Soak 1/2 cup cashews in water to soften.
Melt 2 tbsp margarine in a large pot over medium heat.
Add 1 yellow onion, chopped into approximately 1/2inch pieces. Sautee 10 minutes.
Add 5 smashed cloves garlic and 4 tbsp minced ginger and cook until onion is soft and translucent. 
Add 5 cups vegetable broth and bring to a simmer.
Add 1.5 pounds carrot, sliced 1/4 inch thick. 
Cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Check carrots by piercing with a fork, if they fall apart they’re done.
Turn off burner and let soup cool somewhat. Stir in 1 tsp nutmeg.
In small batches pour into food processor or blender along with drained cashews and puree until smooth.

Salt & Pepper individual bowls to taste and garnish with parsley.

Cold Steeped Iced Coffee Concentrate
Pour 1/4 pound coarse ground coffee beans into a lidded pot or jar.
Add 2.5 cups of water, room temperature, filtered if your local tap water isn’t free of impurities or is high in minerals that give the water a noticeable taste.
Cover and let soak 8-10 hours in a cool, dark place.
Break the coffee crust gently with a spoon. Strain through cheesecloth or fine mesh sieve into bottle or jar. Will keep approximately 5 days in fridge.
Serve in 1:1 proportion with milk of your choice, I prefer almond milk, and sweetener to taste.

I’m on my second bottle of concentrate this week and I’ve been sweetening mine with whiskey syrup. I would recommend simple syrup over honey or agave as the latter two are hard to dissolve in cold drinks.

Blueberry Soup
Whisk 2 tbsp arrowroot powder into 1/2 c water in a small cup.
Heat 2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen, and 1.5 cups water in a saucepan.
Either pre-blend blueberries & water in a standing blender or blend in saucepan with immersion blender.
When it comes to a simmer add the starch mixture, stirring rapidly, and 3/4 c sugar.
When the sugar has dissolved and the mixture has thickened, remove from heat.
Add the juice of 1-2 lemons (2-4 tbsp) and cinnamon to taste.

This soup is nice hot or cold. If enjoying it cold, on a sweltering summer day, let the soup cool before adding lemon and cinnamon. 

apple-ginger scones
these came out too soft to properly be scones, but I’m sharing the recipe until I have time to test some alternatives
Preheat oven to 425
Toss 1/2 cup diced fresh apple, 1 tbsp slivered fresh ginger (or 1 tsp powdered or 1/4 cup candied), 1 tbsp lemon juice and 1 tsp cinnamon in a bowl.
In a large bowl sift 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tbsp baking powder, 3 tbsp sugar and 1/2 tsp salt together. 
Stir in apple-ginger concoction. 
Divide 5 tbsp “butter” into half inch cubes. Add these to the bowl and cut in with 2 knives or your hands. 
When the mixture resembles coarse meal, with a few larger butter clumps, stir in 1 cup minus 1 tbsp (reserve this for later) imitation cream (I used an oat based kind, MimicCreme or similar kinds should work). Stir with spatula for about 30 seconds, just until a dough begins to form.
Transfer to a heavily floured surface.and knead by hand for 10 seconds, until the dough comes together in a rough, sticky ball. 
Return to bowl and refrigerate 15 minutes. 
Turn dough back out onto the floured surface, form in a disc and cut into 8 roughly triangular wedges.
Place on parchment lined baking sheet, brush with reserved cream and sprinkle with coarse sugar.
Bake 15 minutes and allow to cool at least 5 minutes on baking sheet after removing from the oven.

optional: melt some bittersweet chocolate in a double boiler and spread on top