Tag: vegan

Heartnut Basil Pesto

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Local to me, Grimo Nut Nursery is home to the heartnut, a member of the walnut family fashioned in a heart shape. Heartnuts have a smooth, creamy texture with a flavor similar to a cross between walnuts and cashews, and an impressive nutritional profile, too. They have twice the fibre of walnuts, are rich in omega 3 and 6 fatty acids, and are recognized for their role in heart health.

Here, smooth, silky pesto is laced with basil, a touch of garlic, and the unique flavor of toasted heart nuts. Serve as desired, such as with your favourite whole grain pasta, in lieu of pizza sauce, or stirred into mashed potatoes.

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Heartnut Basil Pesto

2 1/2 cups loosely packed basil leaves
1/2 cup shelled heart nuts, toasted
1/4 cup water
1 large clove garlic
Pinch sea salt
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

Put the basil leaves, heart nuts, water, lemon juice, garlic, and salt in a food processor. Process until smooth, turning off and scraping down the sides as necessary with a rubber spatula. With the food processor running, slowly stream in the olive oil, continuing to process until completely smooth. Adjust salt to taste.

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Chocolate Mousse Dip

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I was creating a recipe to use local Southbrook Vineyards‘ Bioflavia, an organic red wine grape skin powder loaded with antioxidants. Beginning with wine-waste—the leftovers from crushing grapes for wine—the skins are dried, separated, and milled into a fine powder. This dip is an antioxidant powerhouse, with both Bioflavia and cocoa powder as main ingredients. Enjoy as a fruit dip, use as a pie filling, or simply eat it with a spoon (I choose the latter). You can nix the Bioflavia if you can’t get your hands on it; it will taste the same.

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Chocolate Mousse Dip

4 small to medium ripe avocados
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa or cacao powder, sifted
1/2 cup agave nectar, pure maple syrup, or coconut syrup
2 scoops (20g) Bioflavia*
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Pinch salt
4 to 8 tablespoons unsweetened nondairy milk

Put the avocados, cocoa powder, agave nectar, Bioflavia, vanilla extract, and salt in a food processor. Process until smooth, adding nondairy milk as necessary. Refrigerate overnight before serving for best flavor. It will thicken in the refrigerator; thin with additional nondairy milk before serving if desired. Serve with fresh fruit, or enjoy as a pudding/mousse.

*Bioflavia comes with a little scoop inside the container.

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Those little tiny blackish bits in the mousse are the grape skin pieces, but it doesn’t taste gritty (or like anything) at all. Just smooth, silky, deliciousness.

Grilled Tofu with Rhubarb BBQ Sauce

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Pressing tofu gives it a meatier texture, and when followed by chargrilled crust, well, it’s a combination that’s hard to pass up—especially when it’s slathered by a tangy homemade barbecue sauce. If you like your barbecue sauce really sweet, add additional maple syrup to taste.

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Grilled Tofu with Rhubarb Barbecue Sauce

1 teaspoon olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 heaping cups finely chopped rhubarb (about 4 large stalks)
Juice of 1 large orange
2 tablespoons tomato paste
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
2 tablespoons tamari, gluten-free soy sauce, or coconut aminos
2 teaspoons yellow mustard
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 (350g-ish) block tofu, cut into 12 slabs, pressed of excess moisture, seasoned with salt and pepper

Heat the oil over medium-high heat in a shallow saucepan with a lid. Add the onion and cook until it begins to soften, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and continue to cook for an additional minute. Add the rhubarb, orange juice, tomato paste, maple syrup, tamari, yellow mustard, chili powder. Mix well, cover, and simmer, about 10 minutes, until rhubarb is softened. Use a handblender to puree until smooth, or transfer the mixture or a heat-safe blender or food processor and process until smooth. Taste for seasoning—depending on your brand of tamari, soy sauce, or coconut aminos, you may want to add a pinch of salt.

Put the tofu in a shallow baking dish and cover with the sauce (you may have some leftover). Marinate for at least 3 hours.

Preheat a grill to 400F. Generously oil the barbeque grate. Put the tofu on the grate and grill for about 5 to 7 minutes (flipping it too early will cause it to stick). Transfer it to a plate, re-oil the grate, and grill on the other side for an additional 5 to 7 minutes. Serve warm, either on its own or in a sandwich, with additional sauce if desired.