Egg(less) Salad Sandwich

I'M CELEBRATING eggs this month. Well, not the egg as food, but as a symbol of new life. And since it's April, with many people observing Easter, I went
with an egg theme this month.

FROM as early as 5000 B.C., eggs have been colored, exchanged in friendship, and eaten to celebrate the coming of spring. Eggs are a symbol of rebirth and rejuvenation. Some ancient cultures believed the world began as an enormous egg. Many thought the egg had healing powers.

EGGS are hidden in nature, and the finding of eggs has long been likened to finding treasure. I painted a Robin's nest picture (with the story of my childhood searches for birds' eggs) for my art page (NadiSpencer.com). For 1st Saturday in Three Rivers (our local monthly event, 1stSaturdayTR.com), we hid colored eggs throughout town for customers to find.

SINCE I don't eat eggs now, but wanted to keep with the theme, I came up with this version of my old favorite. I like my sandwich simple, but you could also add chopped green onions, celery or carrots to the mixture.

Egg(less) Salad Sandwich

1 (12 ounce) package regular extra- firm tofu
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/3 cup vegan mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish
1 tablespoon dry mustard
1/2 scant teaspoon coarse salt

1. Place tofu in a towel and squeeze the water out.

2. Place tofu and all other ingredients in a bowl; mix well.

3. Place mixture on bread and add lettuce.

Note: There are 2 main kinds of tofu; silken and regular. Regular tofu is packed in water and sold in the refrigerator section. Silken is softer and is packaged in aseptic boxes that do not require refrigeration. Both kinds can be found in soft, medium, firm and extra-firm consistencies. They have the same ingredients but are made differently, and are not interchangeable in recipes.

My Vegan Recipe Greeting Cards are available at:
http://www.cafepress.com/NadiSpencer/6466741

Irish Stew

IT'S MARCH and I thought it would be fun to cook up a St. Patrick's Day meal – a traditional Irish dish in a not-so-traditional vegan way. Big meaty chunks with carrots in a beer stew. Mmmm...

FOR SOMEONE who started out as a meat-eater, I crave that chewy texture, and that's why this recipe is a winner. It's worth the extra effort and time. I make the "meat" ahead of time and put it in the refrigerator.

THE PHOTO is taken in my back yard. You've heard that a picture is worth a thousand words? Well this one is worth 600 dollars. While I was setting up the shoot, my clumsy Great Dane, Navarre (whom I still love), ran through the yard, knocking over the water onto my Panasonic Lumix camera – ruining it. I was able to borrow a camera within minutes, and this recipe greeting card will be in my studio in time for 1st Saturday, March 5th.

IRISH STEW

To make “meat”:
1/3 cup breadcrumbs 1 pound extra firm tofu
1/8 cup wheat bran 2 T soy sauce
2 T nutritional yeast 2 T olive oil
1 T onion powder
1/4 tsp. poultry seasoning
1/4 tsp. garlic powder

1. In a bowl, combine breadcrumbs, wheat bran, yeast, onion powder,
poultry seasoning and garlic powder.
2. Break up tofu into stew-sized chunks. Dip in soy sauce, then coat
with bread mixture. Put on oiled cookie sheet and bake at 375º oven
for 1 hour.

To make stew:
1 onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup carrots, cut into chunks
1 T tomato paste
1 cup vegetable bouillon (I like Better Than Bouillon, No Beaf Base)
1 tsp. Kitchen Bouquet (optional for color)
1/2 vegan beer
salt, pepper to taste
pinch cayenne
1 T flour

1. In a large non-stick pot, put all ingredients except tofu. Cook over
medium heat until carrots are tender but firm, about 20 minutes.
2. Add cooked tofu.
3. Mix flour in a little water until smooth, then add to stew to thicken.
4. Serve with mashed potatoes.

I LOVE the cold here in California. It rarely reaches temperatures that call for a coat- for me anyway. Just cold enough to see your breath. And, since I live close to Sequoia National Park, snow is always just a quick drive away. Occasionally you can wake up to a white morning even here in Three Rivers, but it usually melts before I get a chance to drive up the South Fork with my camera.

LET IT SNOW is the theme for January's 1st Saturday in Three Rivers event, our local art hop. In anticipation of this wish coming true I have created a wintry backdrop for the perfect hot soup to take the chill off.

TURNIP POTATO soup is creamy and cheesy- two tastes hard to get just right in vegan food. I use Better Than Bouillon No Chicken Base , but you can use any vegetable broth. The little zing that makes this recipe special is the "cheese" sauce added at the end.

SERVE in a cup, grab a pair of gloves and walk out into nature's beauty. Or stop into my studio on January 1st for a taste – it's free while it lasts.


Turnip Potato Soup

2 T. olive oil
2 white onions
2 turnips
4 Russet potatoes
1 quart vegetable broth (I like Better Than Bouillon No Chicken)
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper

1/4 cup tahini
1 T. nutritional yeast
1 T. lemon juice
2 T. light miso
2 T. vegan cream cheese (Tofutti)
1 tsp. onion powder
1 cup water


1.Saute onions in olive oil until soft. Add turnips, potatoes, broth,
salt, garlic powder and cayenne pepper. Cook until done, about 25
minutes.
2. Combine tahini, nutritional yeast, lemon juice, miso, cream
cheese, onion powder and water in a blender and blend until smooth.
Remove from blender and set aside.
3. When soft, blend 1/2 of potato mixture in batches in blender, leaving
other half in pot.
4. Return blended portion to pot along with tahini mixture. Stir well
and heat just to simmer.*


*miso loses some benefits if boiled.

Blueberry Sun Scone Recipe Card

Here is my August Recipe Greeting Card. The painting is celebrating Lughnasadh, August 1st, the Celtic holiday for the first harvest. Click HERE to see how I painted it. You can buy them on Cafepress.  I've included the recipe here. Just click on it to see printer-version.

MARCH is Redbud month here in the foothills of California. The hills are dotted with these beautiful small trees with their spectacular magenta color. Accompanied by the purple color of the Blue Dick flowers and the profuse green of Miner's Lettuce, they are food for the eyes. But did you know all three can satisfy your appetite as well?

REDBUD blossoms are among the best of wild foods. They can be served either as buds or full flowers. They have a tangy bean flavor and are high in Vitamin C. When picking, pull the flowers or buds off the branch into a large bowl. Rinse well and remove twiggy stems.

MINER'S LETTUCE is a tender, fleshy spring plant found in mountain areas. Native Americans and early settlers collected and ate it. The pleasant tasting leaves contain Vitamin A and C and take on the flavor of seasonings. Gather plenty, including flower heads.

BLUE DICK, also known as Wild hyacinth, is a member of the Lily family. It is a showy purple-blue Brodiaea-like flower that grows on hillsides from March to May.

COMBINE all three items in a large bowl and toss well. Serve with Balsamic Vinegar or any favorite dressing. Then enjoy the bounty of the California foothills.

GREEN is the color of March here in Three Rivers, CA, in the foothills below Sequoia National Park. It'll be gone in the blink of an eye, so soak it up while you can. The Miner's Lettuce leaves are abundant now and I can't wait for the Redbuds to join them (in my salad). But that's next month's 1st Saturday meal.

GREEN is the way to celebrate all things Irish as well. So, to celebrate the coming of spring and St. Patrick's Day, I will be serving Avocado Orange Chocolate Truffles for 1st Saturday Three Rivers (March 6th)- vegan of course. Dressed in shiny green foil, these little morsels will lighten a rainy day (and it WILL be raining on Saturday).

GREEN candles will be burning, along with a warm fire in the stove. The coffee will be hot. What better way could you spend a cold wet afternoon. But if you can't make it, you've just GOT to try these truffles. I make extra and freeze them so I always have some for guests.

AVOCADO ORANGE CHOCOLATE TRUFFLES

1 large ripe avocado, peeled
1/2 cup vegan butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract
2 tsp. orange extract
4 cups powdered sugar
1 1/2 cups unsweetened cocoa
2 cups chopped walnuts
1 cup powdered sugar for rolling

1. Melt butter in large saucepan.
2. Puree avocado in food processor until very smooth, adding a little melted butter if necessary.
3. Add avocado, vanilla and orange extracts, 4 cups powdered sugar, cocoa, and walnuts to saucepan with melted butter. Mix well.
4. Refrigerate until hard.
5. Roll tablespoons of mixture into balls. Roll in powdered sugar.

* To freeze, place them on a cookie sheet; when frozen seal in a freezer bag.