rants & recipes

I've never been much of a fan of potato salad. But I think, what I've disliked about it all these years is too much "crunchy stuff" in it - chunks of celery, big bits of pickle, etc. At its basic level, potato salad is potatoes and mayonnaise - hard to go wrong with that!

Vegan Potato Salad (adapted from about half a dozen recipes online)

Ingredients:

• 44 ounces small yellow potatoes, peeled, diced, cooked until tender
• 1 cup vegan mayonnaise
• 1/4 tsp tummeric
• 1 tsp spicy brown mustard
• 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1/4 cup finely diced red onion
• about 2 tbsp sweet pickle relish (I like Vlasic brand - more shredded that little crunchy chunks)
• 1/2 tsp indian black salt
• celery seed
• pinch each of cumin, red pepper and ginger (probably can't tell the difference if you left these out)
• salt, black pepper
• paprika

Instructions:

1. Whisk all ingredients except potatoes and paprika.
2. Pour sauce over warm potatoes, tossing to coat.
3. Sprinkle with paprika.
4. Refrigerate to cool.

Boston Baked Beans (a combination of Alton Brown's recipe and one posted on vegsource.com ages ago)

Ingredients:

• 1lb dry navy beans, soaked overnight
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1 onion, diced
• 2 jalapeno peppers, diced (membranes and seeds removed)
• 1/4 cup tomato paste
• 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 1 tsp dry mustard powder
• 1 tbsp  soy sauce
• 1/4 tsp liquid hickory smoke (or more, depending on how concentrated your smoke is)
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1/4 tsp red pepper
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 2 tsp salt

Instructions:

1. Saute onion and chilies in olive oil, about 5 minutes.
2. Add tomato paste, sugar and molasses.
3. Then add vegetable broth, soy sauce and smoke.
4. Add mustard powder, red and black peppers and salt.
5. Add beans and cook until the mix begins to bubble. Clamp on lid and then transfer to the oven.
6. Bake at 250 degrees for 6-8 hours.

Vegan Homemade Hot Dogs (from this recipe)

Ingredients:

• 30 grams almond, finely ground
• 9 ounces tofu
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 4 1/2 tbsp water
• 3 tbsp oil
• 34 grams onion
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 tsp paprika
• 1 1/2 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 3/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp ground coriander
• 1/2 tsp black mustard seeds
• 1/4 tsp mace
• 1/4 tsp cardamom
• 1/4 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp arrowroot powder
• 140 grams wheat gluten

Instructions:

1. Combine all ingredients except wheat gluten.
2. Process in food processor until completely smooth.
3. Mix in gluten to form a wet dough.
4. Shape into logs, roll in foil, pressure cook 15 minutes past achieving pressure.

Notes:

• These had really good, hot-dog-like flavor but the texture could have been denser - this was more like a 'sausage' in texture. The texture improved some on cooling and we didn't boil them, as directed - I'll try that tomorrow.