Winter Delights
By Zel Allen
Picture bins brimming with brilliantly colored squashes, freshly harvested apples, bright orange persimmons, and mountains of rich tasting nuts in the shell — all of them begging to come home with you. That's the dazzling produce department scene you'll find while grocery shopping throughout the winter.
And if you can't resist bringing home at least one package of fresh cranberries to bake into a pie or a couple of plump red pomegranates that are just plain fun to rip apart until the juices stain your hands red, who could blame you?
Whether you're planning a meal for the family, just a couple of friends, or a larger gathering, you can always count on guests arriving hungry. Turn to heavenly Chestnut Pattycakes that come together quickly with cooked and peeled chestnuts in vacuum packages.
While vacuum packages or jars of prepared chestnuts are a gift for today's busy households, there are those who do have the time and desire to prepare the chestnuts from scratch. The peeling process can be especially relaxing while you sip a cup of tea, and the tasty result is a delectable gift from nature.
Another of nature's treasures comes with Almond Paradise Baked Apples, an old-fashioned comfort food that never loses its mojo. Reach for the apple corer and bake up a classic, homespun dessert for your family. You might even bake these delights while eating dinner. About halfway through the baking time, you'll notice the air is irresistibly infused with the distinctive aromas of exotic rose water and almond extract featured in the stuffing.
On weekends, when mornings are more leisurely, prepare a batch of irresistible sweet-tart Cranberry Crown Muffins. This recipe makes 18 muffins, but could easily make three gifts in a wrapped box of half-dozen each. To spread the joy even further, follow the Cook's Note below the recipe to create four dozen adorable little mini muffins, and package them in small gift boxes.
Planning a brunch? Begin the festivities with Hot Mulled Wine or Cider and pass a platter of Almond and Chive Stuffed Mushrooms that make ideal finger foods. Then, serve the muffins with a bountiful fruit salad, some vegan sausages as the second course, and finish the meal with coffee, tea, or hot chocolate accented with a cinnamon stick.
When winter weather becomes harsh and bitter, you'll want to spend a little more time indoors. That's when you'll need a few hearty and exceptional dishes to serve friends and family who come to visit. You'll love serving Winter Wonderland with Savory Walnut Sauce, just made for feasting with guests who'll be swept off their feet by its appealing presentation. This dish makes a stunning centerpiece choice for the buffet table.
For a cozy family night dinner, you'll want the Meatless Crumble Roasted Eggplant. Just plain delicious, it pairs wonderfully with a lemony broccoli side dish.
These hearty winter dishes make your season delightful, delicious, and a little more comfy. They're like a warm sweater that makes you feel good the minute you put it on.
Cranberry Crown Muffins
(Makes 18 muffins)
1-1/4 cups unflavored soymilk
1 Tablespoon apple cider vinegar, rice vinegar, or distilled vinegar
2-1/2 cups fresh cranberries, divided
3/4 cup plus 1 Tablespoon organic sugar, divided
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1-1/4 cups wheat bran
1/2 cup old fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup golden raisins
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup mashed ripe banana
3 Tablespoons organic canola oil
3 Tablespoons maple syrup
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line muffin pans with paper baking cups or use ungreased silicone muffin pans. Put the muffin pans on a large rimmed baking sheet and set aside.
Pour soymilk into a medium bowl and add vinegar. Stir well and set aside to sour.
Coarsely chop the cranberries in a food processor. Remove 1/3 cup of the cranberries to a small bowl and stir in 1 Tablespoon sugar. Set aside for the topping. Transfer the remaining cranberries to a large bowl and add the remaining 3/4 cup sugar.
Add the flour, wheat bran, oats, raisins, baking powder, cinnamon, cardamom, salt, and baking soda to the bowl and stir well.
Stir the bananas, canola oil, maple syrup, and vanilla into the soured soymilk and mix. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir to form a thick batter. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin pans, filling each section to the brim. Place a dollop of the sugared cranberries on top in the center of each muffin and bake 28-33 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool the muffins 10-15 minutes before removing from pan.
Cook's Note: Because cranberries are seasonal, consider fresh apples, pears, peaches, nectarines, plums, apricots, or berries instead to enjoy this tasty recipe year-round. Frozen and thawed cranberries also work. Baked in metal mini pans, the muffins will be done in 12-14 minutes. The silicone mini muffin pans make slightly larger minis and bake in 15-20 minutes.
| Total calories per serving: 152 | Fat: 3 grams |
| Carbohydrates: 30 grams | Protein: 3 grams |
| Sodium: 151 milligrams | Fiber: 4 grams |
Chestnut Pattycakes
(Makes about 12-14 patties)
1 cup panko-style breadcrumbs
2-1/2 cups torn pieces of day-old or lightly toasted whole wheat bread
1-1/2 cups cooked, peeled chestnuts (see Cook's Note)
1/4 cup plus 2 Tablespoons low-sodium vegetable broth
1 medium carrot, coarsely shredded
1/2 cup finely chopped onions
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon dried tarragon, oregano, or marjoram
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Pinch cayenne
2 Tablespoons Follow Your Heart VeganEgg powder or The Vegg powdered egg replacer
1/2 cup ice water
Cluster of herbs of choice, for garnish
1 lemon slice, for garnish
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment.
Put the panko in a wide-mouth bowl and set aside. Place the bread, chestnuts, and broth in a food processor or powerful blender. Process until the mixture becomes completely puréed. If needed, add a Tablespoon of water to moisten. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl. Add the carrots, onions, salt, tarragon, garlic powder, pepper, and cayenne and mix well.
Put the vegan egg powder in a small bowl and add the ice water. Using a small whisk, mix vigorously until well blended. Add the vegan egg to the bread-chestnut mixture and incorporate completely.
Using your hands, form the mixture into patties about 1-3/4 to 2 inches in diameter. Dip the patties into the panko and turn to coat both sides. Transfer the patties to the prepared baking sheet. Bake the patties for 20 minutes. Turn with a spatula and bake 10-15 minutes longer. Remove the patties to a serving platter and garnish with fresh herbs and lemon.
Cook's Note: For busy cooks, vacuum-packaged, precooked, and peeled chestnuts are the best choice.
| Total calories per serving: 79 | Fat: 1 gram |
| Carbohydrates: 16 grams | Protein: 2 grams |
| Sodium: 459 milligrams | Fiber: 1 gram |
COOKING AND PEELING FRESH CHESTNUTS
Many home chefs are unfamiliar with chestnut preparation, and so here's a brief
primer on cooking and peeling them. Once you've tasted their sweet, creamy rewards,
you'll become a devoted fan and make them part of your autumn and winter tradition.
For convenience, chestnuts can be cooked and peeled up to two days ahead and kept
refrigerated. Even more convenient, buy them already cooked and peeled in
vacuum-sealed jars or boxed packages.
Here's the method:
1. Using a firm, sharp, short-bladed paring knife, make a crisscross cut on one or both sides of each chestnut. Put the chestnuts into a large saucepan, and cover with about 3 inches of water.
2. Cover the saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-high or medium, and boil the chestnuts gently for about 25-35 minutes.
3. Using a slotted spoon, transfer eight chestnuts at a time to a small bowl and place it in front of you. Have a second bowl handy for the peeled chestnuts and another for the discarded shells. Cool the chestnuts only briefly, about 1 minute — they peel more easily when hot.
4. Using your paring knife, take hold of the shell close to a crisscross cut, and remove it with a pulling motion. You will also need to remove the brown inner skin called the pellicle. Be prepared for a little tug-of-war. Sometimes the inner skin is stubborn and the chestnut may need to cook a few more minutes.
5. As the chestnuts cool, they become more challenging to peel. It's best not to fight with them. Just put the pot back on the burner and heat them up for a few minutes so you can finish the task with ease. Be sure there is enough water in the pot to cover the chestnuts.
Almond & Chive Stuffed Mushrooms
(Serves 12, spread makes 1 1/2 cups)
3/4 cup almond meal
1/2 cup well-drained, diced hearts of palm
1 Tablespoon dried minced onions
1/3 cup snipped chives or green onion tops
1/4 cup water
2 Tablespoons fresh lemon or lime juice
2 Tablespoons unsweetened, unflavored soymilk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon liquid hickory smoke flavoring
24 button mushrooms, stemmed
1/4 red bell pepper, seeded and finely diced, for garnish
1-2 Tablespoons finely minced parsley, for garnish
Add all ingredients, except the mushrooms, bell pepper, and parsley, to a food processor or blender. Pulse and process until the ingredients are fully incorporated. Stop the machine once or twice to scrape down the sides. Alternatively, mix by hand until fully incorporated.
Spoon the spread into the stemmed mushrooms caps. Top each with 3 or 4 tidbits of red bell pepper and garnish with a sprinkle of parsley.
| Total calories per serving: 54 | Fat: 4 grams |
| Carbohydrates: 4 grams | Protein: 3 grams |
| Sodium: 81 milligrams | Fiber: 1 gram |
Hot Mulled Wine or Cider
(Makes about 25 4-ounce servings)
Hot mulled wine, called glogg in the Nordic countries and gluhwein in Germany, is served in winter. Though it's typically alcohol infused, fruit juices make a delicious alcohol-free stand-in. Start the preparations early to allow sufficient steeping time.
8 cups water
3-4 cinnamon sticks
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
15 whole cloves
10 cardamom pods, peeled, seeds crushed in a mortar and pestle
2-inch piece of fresh peeled ginger
Zest of 1 fresh orange
Juice of 1 fresh orange
1/2 cup organic sugar (omit in alcohol-free version)
One 750-ml bottle vegan ruby port wine or
3-1/2 cups alcohol-free apple cider
One 750-ml bottle vegan burgundy wine or
3-1/2 cups alcohol-free cranberry juice
1/2 cup brandy or 1/2 cup alcohol-free grape juice
1 pound black raisins
1 pound blanched almonds
Pour the water into a 10-quart stockpot. Using string, securely tie the spices and orange zest in cheesecloth and drop it into the stockpot. Cover the pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer 15-20 minutes. Set aside for 2-4 hours to steep. Remove the spices and leave the stockpot uncovered.
To make the alcoholic version, add the orange juice, sugar, and both wines and bring to a boil. Immediately reduce the heat to barely simmering to keep the beverage warm and retain the alcohol. Add the brandy and gently warm through, simmering about 15-20 minutes. Be careful not to overheat the punch or the alcohol will evaporate.
For an alcohol-free version of this beverage, add orange juice, apple cider, cranberry juice, and grape juice to the spice-steeped water. Do not add additional sugar to the juice version of this warm punch. Gently warm through, simmering about 15-20 minutes.
To serve, use a ladle to pour the servings into small punch cups and add a Tablespoon of raisins and a few blanched almonds to each cup. Serve with spoons so guests can easily enjoy the traditional infused raisin and almond treats at the bottom of the cups.
Cook's Note: Check www.Barnivore.com for vegan wine brands.
Alcoholic Version
| Total calories per serving: 261 | Fat: 9 grams |
| Carbohydrates: 28 grams | Protein: 5 grams |
| Sodium: 10 milligrams | Fiber: 3 grams |
Non-Alcoholic Version
| Total calories per serving: 181 | Fat: 9 grams |
| Carbohydrates: 23 grams | Protein: 5 grams |
| Sodium: 23 milligrams | Fiber: 3 grams |
Winter Wonderland with Savory Walnut Sauce
(Serves 8)
Bulgur Wheat
1-1/2 cups coarse bulgur wheat or brown rice
3 cups water
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup raisins
Walnut Sauce
3 cups walnuts
3 cups unsweetened, unflavored soymilk
1-2 Tablespoons nutritional yeast
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon organic sugar (optional)
Pinch cayenne (optional)
Vegetables and Garnish
2 large carrots, coarsely grated
2 large zucchinis, coarsely grated
1 large yellow squash, coarsely grated
1 medium onion, chopped
2 Tablespoons water
1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced, crosswise
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon dried marjoram
Freshly ground black pepper
Juice of 1 lemon
1/2-3/4 cup pomegranate seeds, for garnish
2 Tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
To make the bulgur wheat, combine bulgur, water, and salt in a 2-quart saucepan. Cover, and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to low, and steam for 12-15 minutes. (If using brown rice steam 35-45 minutes, or until tender.)
Put the raisins in a small bowl and cover with additional hot water. Set aside to plump.
To make the walnut sauce, put the walnuts, soymilk, nutritional yeast, salt, pepper, and optional sugar and cayenne in a blender. Process until smooth and creamy. Adjust seasonings as needed. The sauce will thicken when standing. Set aside in a saucepan and warm gently before serving.
To make the vegetables, combine the carrots, zucchini, squash, onions, water, olive oil, garlic, oregano, basil, marjoram, and pepper in a large, deep skillet. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until the vegetables are soft, about 5-7 minutes. Add one or more Tablespoons water as needed to prevent burning the vegetables. Adjust seasonings to taste. Add lemon juice. Drain the water from the reserved raisins, add them to the vegetables, and toss well.
To assemble the dish, first mound the bulgur wheat or rice onto a large serving platter, spreading to the edge. Spoon half of the walnut sauce over the bulgur or rice, leaving a 1-inch border of grains. Then top with cooked vegetables, leaving the border of grains and walnut sauce around the edges. Finish with a sprinkle of pomegranate seeds and/or parsley. Serve the remaining walnut sauce on the side.
| Total calories per serving: 503 | Fat: 33 grams |
| Carbohydrates: 45 grams | Protein: 15 grams |
| Sodium: 212 milligrams | Fiber: 11 grams |
Meatless Crumble Roasted Eggplant
(Serves 5)
Oven-Roasting
1 large eggplant, cut in half lengthwise
Extra-virgin olive oil
Black pepper, to taste
1-1/2 pounds Roma tomatoes, cut lengthwise into quarters
Skillet Sauté
1 large onion, sliced into half-moons
2 cloves garlic, minced
10- to 12-ounce package of frozen vegan meatless crumbles, about 2 cups (see Cook's
Note)
1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
5 Tablespoons dry red wine or water
1 Tablespoon lite soy sauce or tamari
1/2 teaspoon dried, crushed rosemary
2/3 cup pitted and sliced Kalamata olives
1/4 cup capers, drained
1-1-1/2 pounds roasted mini potatoes, to serve
3 medium zucchini, sliced and roasted, to serve
Preheat oven to 375 degrees and have a large rimmed baking sheet and a large, deep skillet both ready.
Using a paring knife, score the eggplant, cutting deeply and closely in both directions. Rub both the flesh and eggplant skins with oil and season lightly with pepper. Turn the eggplant flesh-side down on the baking sheet.
Add the tomato quarters to the same baking sheet and brush tops with oil. Season these lightly with pepper. Roast the eggplant and tomatoes about 30 minutes. When the tomatoes are very soft, remove to the skillet. Return the eggplant to the oven and roast 20-30 minutes longer, or until fork-tender. Remove and set aside to cool.
While the eggplant and tomatoes are roasting, put the onions and garlic in the skillet. Add the meatless crumbles, oil, red wine or water, soy sauce, and rosemary. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until the crumbles are heated through, about 3-4 minutes. Add the roasted tomatoes and continue cooking until the onions are soft and the tomatoes are broken down and very tender, about 10-15 minutes.
When the eggplant is cool enough to handle, use a large spoon to scoop the flesh into the skillet, mixing well to distribute it evenly. Add the olives and capers and cook 1-2 minutes to blend flavors.
To serve, spoon the eggplant mixture onto a large serving platter. Form a border with the roasted potatoes and zucchini slices.
Cook's Note: Many brands of vegan meatless crumbles are available, including Beyond Meat, Boca, Earth Grown (Aldi), Gardein, and Lightlife. Packages range in size from 10-12 ounces, which is about two cups, and any brand in this size range will work in the recipe.
| Total calories per serving: 339 | Fat: 11 grams |
| Carbohydrates: 46 grams | Protein: 19 grams |
| Sodium: 850 milligrams | Fiber: 13 grams |
Almond Paradise Baked Apples
(Serves 4)
4 large firm apples (Braeburn, Fuji, Gala, Granny Smith, or Pink Lady)
Filling
2/3 cup almond meal
3 Tablespoons water
2 Tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons organic sugar
1 teaspoon rose water (optional)
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1/4 cup black raisins
1/4 cup golden raisins
Sauce
1-1/2 cups unsweetened apple or pineapple juice
1/4-1/2 cup organic sugar, to taste
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and have ready an 8 x 8-inch baking dish. Wash and core the apples, arrange them in the baking dish, and set aside.
To make the filling, stir almond meal, water, sugar, rose water, and almond extract into a creamy paste. Spoon the almond paste into a small bowl and add the raisins, mixing well to distribute throughout the filling.
Using a pointed spoon or your fingers, fill the apple cavities with the almond filling, packing it firmly all the way down into the bottom of the cavity. Mound the remaining filling over the top of the apples, using all the filling.
To make the sauce, combine the juice and sugar in a small bowl, mixing to desired sweetness. Pour the sauce into the bottom of the baking dish around the apples and cover the dish with aluminum foil.
Bake 50 minutes to 1 1/2 hours, until soft, depending on the apple variety. Fork-test the apples after 50 minutes. To serve, put the apples in dessert bowls and spoon some of the sauce into each bowl.
Cook's Note: Rose water is available online and at Middle Eastern grocers. Alternatively, substitute vanilla extract.
| Total calories per serving: 352 | Fat: 10 grams |
| Carbohydrates: 68 grams | Protein: 6 grams |
| Sodium: 12 milligrams | Fiber: 8 grams |
Zel Allen is a regular contributor to Vegetarian Journal and author of Vegan for the Holidays and The Nut Gourmet. She lives in California and has blogged at www.vegparadise.com for 21 years.
