Tag: holidays

Vegan Egg Nog

2 Comments

Just like cooked egg nog, this version starts with a custard base then is loaded with flavor and thick coconut milk. If desired, add rum in lieu of the extract, but keep in mind it won’t be as thick.

Vegan Egg Nog

3 cups nondairy milk
1 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch ground cloves
Pinch salt
1/2 cup agave nectar
5 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons sorghum flour
1 can full-fat coconut milk, chilled in the refrigerator (I like Thai Kitchen)
1 1/2 to 1 3/4 teaspoons rum extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Nutmeg, for serving

Put 2 1/2 cups of the nondairy milk, the nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves, and salt in a saucepan. Bring to a simmer.

Put the remaining nondairy milk, agave nectar, cornstarch, and flour in a large measuring cup. Whisk well. Pour about 1/2 a cup of the warm nondairy milk into the agave nectar mixture. Mix well. Pour the mixture into the pot with the simmering nondairy milk. Bring to medium heat, continually whisking until thickened, about 5 minutes.

Once thick, remove from heat and whisk for 30 seconds vigorously. Scrape the mixture into a bowl. Cover with a piece of waxed paper or plastic wrap, pressing directly onto the mixture. This will prevent a skin from forming. Refrigerate until it has set, at least 4 hours, but preferably overnight.

After the custard has set, take the coconut milk out of the refrigerator. Pour it into a blender and blend for 2 minutes, until fluffy. Scrape in the custard mixture, as well as the rum and vanilla extract, adding rum extract to taste. Blend until completely smooth.

Serve immediately or refrigerate until serving, reblending just before serving. Pour into serving glasses and dust with nutmeg.

Just a note: I felt the cloves could have been omitted, it was a little strong at first. But once it sat for a few hours, the flavors came together and it was delicious! It didn’t stay as thick after a day or two in the fridge.

Pecan-Crusted Vegan Cheeseball

2 Comments

Making a vegan cheeseball might seem like a lot of work, but it’s actually just a quick whizz in the food process. No dairy analogs used here, the flavor comes from nuts, nutritional yeast, and a few seasonings and spices.

Pecan-Crusted Pate:Cheeseball

Pecan-Crusted Cheeseball (vegan)

1 cup almonds
1/2 package extra firm tofu, pressed of excess moisture
1/2 cup (24 g) nutritional yeast flakes
2 1/2 teaspoons (12 g) garlic powder
1 teaspoon (5 g) crushed thyme
1 teaspoon (5 g) dried oregano
Juice from half a lemon
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper to taste
1 cup (143 g) pecans, chopped into pieces

Place almonds in the food processor and whizz until finely ground. Add all remaining ingredients, except for pecans, and blend until smooth. Test for seasonings.

Spread chopped pecans onto a plate. Using your hands, form the almond/ tofu mixture into a ball, then roll in the pecans until coated. Wrap and place in refrigerator until ready to serve. (Overnight is best; you can do all of the steps without the pecans, then do that about an hour before serving).

Serve with vegetable sticks and crackers.

Three Mushroom Gravy

4 Comments

If you own any of my books or been to any of my speaking engagements, you likely know I never use rice flour in my baking – it is nutritionally void and has a terrible texture. But I do like it for thickening because it is really smooth and works well in pretty much everything. This thick, earthy gravy, rich with the flavour of dried and fresh mushrooms is open to your interpretation: add your favourite herbs, puree it smooth, make it thick or thin. There is loads of room for experimentation. (Here it’s shown over roasted potato wedges).

Thick-Cut Fries with Tri-Mushroom Gravy2

Three Mushroom Gravy

1 0.5 ounce/14g package dried morel mushrooms
6 cups boiling water
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 pound  white button mushrooms
1 pound cremini mushrooms
Sea salt to taste
Fresh ground pepper to taste
3 shallots, finely chopped
3 to 5 cloves garlic, minced
8 to 10 sprigs fresh thyme
Additional water, if needed
3 tablespoons  sweet rice flour, plus more as needed
3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Put the dried mushrooms in a large bowl (with a capacity of at least 6 cups). Top with the boiling water. Let stand 30 minutes.

Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan. Add the mushrooms, and a bit of salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat for about 15 minutes, until mushrooms are golden brown. Add the shallots. Cook until softened. Add the garlic and continue to cook until fragrant, about a minute longer.

Drain the dried mushrooms, reserving both the mushrooms and the liquid. Chop the mushrooms, and add to the pot along with the soaking water and the thyme. Bring to a boil, then reduce and simmer for 15 minutes.

Whisk in sweet rice flour, and simmer until thickened. Depending on how thick you may like your gravy, you can add more water and sweet rice flour to suit your tastes.