Summertime Kale and Seaweed Salad...

All that talk about sea vegetables yesterday really inspired me!  After writing the last post there was nothing more I wanted then a big ‘ole salad full of goodness and sea veggies. I know I’ve been kind of slacking this year, school, work, the new job, and then finally being done with school and just needed to relax and veg out - I’ve neglected this blog. Sure I’ve posted, but most of my posts these days tend to be restaurant, or product reviews. Otherwise they’re posts about what I made for the holidays but no original recipes. I feel bad about that, but the truth is that my eating’s been erratic. I’ve either eaten really healthy - but boring, thus not worthy of being blogged about. Or I’ve gone really over the top, but using the recipes of others. I’m really going to try to change that. I want to post recipes again, I want to be more active here again, and so here’s a start.

Unfortunately when I was making my lunch yesterday I wasn’t doing so with the intention of posting the recipe. I just whipped some stuff together and didn’t really measure anything. So take the measurements as suggestions and approximations and adjust as you see fit. Even if you add a little more of ‘this’ or a little less of ‘that’ I know you’ll enjoy this salad. It’s rich in high-quality nutrients, and packed full of flavor. It really hits the spot mid-afternoon afer a long bike ride, or a good yoga session. Enjoy while sitting out in the summer sun, with a nice cool glass of water or your favorite kombucha!

Summertime Kale and Seaweed Salad 

3 Big Leaves Kale torn into bite sized pieces
1 Medium Carrot peeled and julienne
½ Cucumber peeled and julienne
Red Onion sliced thin (about 1/4 C or to taste)
½ C Corn (Fresh or Frozen)
½ C Frozen Edamame
2 Tbsp Hemp Seeds
Small handful Arame ( 1/4 C or less) Soaked in warm water for five minutes. Then drained and rinsed, then patted dry.
1-2 Sheets Nori (to taste) torn into bite sized pieces
2 Garlic Cloves minced

1 tsp Sesame Oil
1 tsp Rice Vinegar

Dressing 

2 Tbsp Tahini
1 Tbsp Tamari
1 Tbsp Mirin (or Agave)
½ Tbsp Lemon Juice
Sriracha to taste
Water as needed to thin
Salt and Pepper to taste -  optional

- Place your torn kale into a large bowl, drizzle the sesame oil and rice vinegar over top and massage thoroughly with your hands utnil the kale breaks down a bit. Set the bowl aside and continue making the rest of the salad.
- Heat a small pot of water on the stove, when boiling add the Edamame - and if using frozen corn add that too - boil for 2-3 minutes until Edamame and Corn are cooked through. Drain and let cool.

- Mis all dressing ingredients together in a small bowl and set aside.

- Assemble the salad. To the kale add in the julienne carrot, cucumber, sliced red onion, minced garlic cloves. Corn, edamame, Hemp seeds, torn nori sheets, and arame. Drizzle the dressing over top and toss a few times to make sure all of the vegetables get evenly coated.

*** Note - Gluten Free if using GF Tamari.***

Thai Inspired Cabbage Salad with Creamy Tahini Lime Dressing...

This is one of my favorite salads. Seriously. I’ve been making it frequently over the past couple of years and though it’s super simple and easy it never fails to amaze me just how satisfied I am after eating it. This is one of those recipes that came about because a growling hunger was gnawing at my stomach at a time when my refrigerator was looking pretty sparse, so I had to make due with what I had. Sometimes that’s the best way to cook. Though it can be restrictive to cook with an empty fridge and an empty pantry, it can simultaneously be inspiring. It can provide you with the kind of freedom to be creative that you might not have otherwise. There’s always something a little magical in that.

Over the years this recipe has changed and transformed. The basic heart of it however has stayed the same. It was initially inspired by Thai flavors, - Thai cuisine being one of my favorites - and those hot lazy days of mid-summer when you don't want to do a lot of cooking anyway. Though no matter how I choose to make it these days, it always has the same six basic ingredients. Cabbage, cilantro, green onions, tahini, lime juice and soy sauce. Some days I use a little more of this, or a lot more of that. Some days I throw certain ingredients in, and leave others out, it all depends on my mood and what I have on hand, and that’s the beauty of this. It’s versatile! There are no hard and fast rules to making it, as long as you have those six basic ingredients it’s a winner every time.

I really do love the cool crisp cabbage slathered in thick rich, creamy, and nutty tahini. The sourness of the lime, the saltiness of the soy sauce, the bite of the onion, and the earthiness of the cilantro. It’s such a satisfying combination, made even better by various additions. A little sweetness from agave, or bell pepper, extra crunch from bean sprouts, a little spice from the radish. Cool and creamy avocado, or sweet mango, a hint of ginger or a hint of garlic. This version that I present to you is definitely a more jazzed up version of that original salad that I first made years ago, but it is extremely delicious. Of course it’s meant to be simple, so if you don’t have everything on the list don’t fret. In keeping with the spirit of the original work with what you have, and enjoy!

Thai Inspired Cabbage Salad with Creamy Tahini Lime Dressing 

1 Small Nappa Cabbage sliced thin
½ Head Red Cabbage sliced thin
1 Large handful bean sprouts
2 Large Carrots shredded
1 bunch green onions Sliced
1 bunch cilantro Minced
6 Red Radishes Sliced Thin
1 Cucumber Sliced thin
1 Red Bell Pepper Sliced thin
Handful of Raw or Roasted Unsalted Peanuts

Half a Mango sliced thin (Optional)
Half an Avocado sliced thin (Optional)

Creamy Tahini Lime Dressing

4 TBSP Tahini
4 Tbsp Lime Juice
2 Tbsp Tamari
2 Tbsp Water (as needed)
1 Tbsp Agave
1 small piece Ginger Grated finely
1 Clove Garlic Minced
1/8 tsp Cayenne


- To make the salad slice, chop or mince all ingredients as directed and place into a large mixing bowl.

- Whisk together all the dressing ingredients in a small bowl and taste for flavor. Adjust seasonings as needed if you want more lime, more tamari, more garlic etc.. or if you need to thin it more with a little water.

- When the dressing is to your taste pour it over the salad in the mixing bowl. Mix the salad thoroughly to combine and serve!

- Enjoy garnished with extra cilantro and peanuts if desired. Or with sliced avocado and/or sliced mango.

PS: I chose to use Tahini here in the dressing because I love it, and it's what I had on hand. However if you were interested in a more traditional Thai taste, you could easily substitute almond butter or peanut butter for the Tahini. Though it's not something I do myself i'm sure it would be just as lovely.

Pear and Parsley Spiked Green Smoothie...

I know, two smoothie recipes in as many days? How original, but really this smoothie is freaking fantastic and I thought that since it’s January and everyone’s cleansing it might be appreciated. As I said the other day, part of my goal for this year is to make sure I start every day off right, that means getting my exercise in first thing, and then enjoying a refreshing nutrient packed smoothie for breakfast. I have no rules as far as what kind of smoothie to have for breakfast, it doesn’t have to be a green smoothie or a veggie cocktail, just as long as it’s healthful, and loaded with nutrition. Since I get bored with drinking the same smoothie each day I’ve been treating myself to three different concoctions. My Strawberry Sunshine Beet Blast, a Tropical Avocado Smoothie, and this delicious Pear and Parsley Spiked Green Smoothie. It was extremely refreshing and revitalizing after my hard workout yesterday morning.

The Pear, Parsley, Cucumber and Coconut Water are what make this smoothie particularly refreshing. Both Pears and Cucumbers are loaded with beneficial antioxidants, and both are anti-inflammatory as well. The added bonus of throwing them into your smoothie is that their calorie content is relatively low for the nutrient boost they provide. Parsley also is a wonderfully healing herb, with vibrant color and great flavor it also boasts an amazing amount of Vitamin K, as well as being a rich source of antioxidant nutrients. It also provides you with a good dose of Vitamin A and C, and only has 1 Calorie per Tablespoon how awesome is that? Then you have the coconut water. There is a lot of buzz and hype about coconut water, particularly over the past couple of years as more and more companies began producing and selling it commercially to capitalize on it's popularity. Some people claim it's a miracle food, while skeptics say it's a scam. I personally don't drink coconut water because it's popular, I drink it because it's damn delicious, and while i'm not a food scientist, or doctor I can personally attest to the fact that after I drink it I do feel more energized and definitely more refreshed. It's certainly true that Coconut water is full of electrolytes - which are great to consume if you've just had an intense work out - it's also a great source of potassium - far better then say a banana, - but whether any of the other health claims are true only time will tell. In the meantime i'm going to keep drinking because it's delicious, and also very low in calories. Roughly 45 calories per 8oz provided you're buying pure, natural, no sugar added coconut water.

From the very first sip you take from this smoothie you just know you're drinking something that tastes great, and is great for you, and once you know that, it makes it so damn easy to keep going. Enjoy!

Pear and Parsley Spiked Green Smoothie 

1 Pink Lady Apple
1 Large Banana
1 Large Anjou Pear
! C Kale
½ Large Cucumber
A pinch of Fresh Parsley (or more to taste)
1 tsp Spirulina
½ C Coconut Water
1/4 C Orange Juice (or as much as ½ C if you want the smoothie a bit thinner)
4-5 Ice Cubes (Optional)

- Place all ingredients into a high-speed blender and blend on high for 60-90 seconds until completely smooth. Pour into a tall glass and enjoy after a good workout!

Simple Asparagus Tip and Cucumber Salad...

Remember my ‘Sesame Asparagus Maki’ recipe from way back in January? Well, I love asparagus, and I love asparagus sushi, if you’re anything like me, you do too. Which means you probably have a whole bag of asparagus tips sitting in your fridge that you either don’t know what to do with or keep forgetting about. Have no fear because I have the perfect solution for all those delicious tips! They can easily be converted into a tasty salad that takes absolutely no time at all to whip together. Free too of fussy ingredients and subtly seasoned with ingredients the majority of us already have on hand.

This simple salad truly screams spring to me. It’s full of spring flavor and freshness, and is the perfect accompaniment to any spring or summer inspired meal. It’s also great on it’s own for a light lunch, an appetizer or alongside a nice bowl of chilled or warmed soup. Best of all it’s a fantastic way to clear your fridge of leftover asparagus tips, half used onions and those fresh herbs you picked up from the market or plucked from your own garden. Try it out and see what I mean, you’ll be amazed at how something so seemingly simple can taste so divine and really hit the spot on a warm spring evening.

Simple Asparagus Tip and Cucumber Salad

2 Large Cucumbers
Asparagus tips from a 1 ½-2 lb bunch of Asparagus
1/4-1/2 Red Onion diced small (to taste)
Small handful fresh Basil minced (to taste)
Small handful fresh Dill minced (to taste)
3 Tbsp Olive Oil
2 Tbsp Lemon Juice
1 tsp Maple Syrup
White Pepper, Black Pepper, and Sea Salt to taste
Pinch of Dried Crushed Rosemary (you can use fresh if you have it)

- Fill a pot fitted with a steamer basket with an inch or so of water. Add your asparagus tips and steam for five to ten minutes until tips are tender-crisp and bright green.

- While tips are steaming peel your cucumbers. Slice them lengthwise in half then remove the seeds. Slice each half into thin half moon shapes.

- Add the sliced cucumber and the diced red onion to a large bowl add the minced basil and minced dill. Add the asparagus tips when they’re ready.

- In a small bowl whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, maple syrup, Rosemary, pepper and salt. Taste for seasoning and adjust as needed. Pour over salad and serve either at room temperature or chilled. Personally I prefer It when the asparagus is still a bit warm.

Classic Greek Salad with Fantastic Tofu Feta...

I have a real passion for Greek Cuisine. I’ve mentioned my love of it before, and being part Greek myself this should come as no surprise. However despite my undying love for the aromas and flavors of Greek culinary tradition Greek food isn’t something I often prepare myself. Nor would it seem is it a culinary delight I seek out at restaurants these days. When I lived in Vancouver I frequented several different Greek restaurants on a regular basis. There were tons to choose from but I had my favorites, they made my favorite dishes like tzatziki, pita, rice pilaf, souvlaki, moussaka (though no one can compare to my grandma’s moussaka) dolmathes and so on just right. When I moved to Chicago the number of palatable - In my opinion - Greek restaurants severely diminished and the few that I enjoyed never could quite compare to my favorites from back home. I don’t know why but for a city that has a decent sized Greek community I find the food to be rather lackluster at most of the Greek restaurants I’ve been to here. There seems to be a fundamental difference between how Greek food is prepared in Chicago and how it’s prepared in Vancouver which I assume comes down to differing culinary and regional trends and traditions that develop as a result of diaspora. Traditions after all, often change when people leave their homeland and are forced to adapt to new ways of life in another country.

So this is one of the main reasons I stopped eating Greek food out, the other main reason is that I became vegan and as much as I love Greek cuisine it is by no means vegan friendly. Vegetarian friendly yes, most certainly, but not vegan friendly. Why I don’t cook Greek food at home more often is something of a mystery. It’s not as though I haven’t got the skill or the resources to do so. I guess it’s just one of those things, but I digress...

All last week I was having a wicked hankering for Greek food. It happens like that sometimes, all of a sudden I’ll get a taste for a certain ethnic cuisine and that’s all I’ll want to eat for days. One of the dishes in particular that I was craving, is a long standing favorite of mine. Just a super simple but delicious Greek Salad. I stopped eating Greek salad when I moved to Chicago because the restaurants here don’t make it right everyone’s got their twist on this classic salad and it drives me nuts. People are always throwing romaine lettuce into it, which I absolutely do not understand. The dressings are never right, there’s never enough garlic, and different places like to throw in other random additions that in my opinion just don’t belong. Kalamata olives, squid, sun-dried tomatoes, radishes - you name it and I’ve seen it stuck in amongst the lettuce leaves. I’ve made it at home several times in the past of course but when I went vegan that option went out the window too. A Greek salad just isn’t a Greek salad without the feta, in my opinion anyway, and since my husband doesn’t like olives there hardly seemed a point in making a salad in which the two most important ingredients were absent.

What about tofu feta? You might ask. Of course I was aware of tofu feta. I’d heard about it, I’d heard about people making it. I’d seen recipes in books on how to make it, but honestly none of the recipes I ever saw sounded like they’d be anywhere close to real feta, and while that may be fine in some instances it is certainly not fine within the context of a Greek salad. Tofu, or tofu tasting things do not belong. I just never saw how it would work or how it would be edible, particularly for me since I’m not a big fan of tofu to begin with.
That craving just wouldn’t let up though, and so I spent a day debating, deliberating, pondering and contemplating just how I could make tofu into feta cheese and have it not only be adequate but damn near amazing. The only other time I’ve tried to replicate the taste of feta was last summer when I veganized my mom’s recipe for spinach and feta stuffed peppers. I thought back to that recipe and came to the conclusion that the same basic principals should work again, if given the right amount of time and with the right technique. So I began, and what I ended up with turned out to be so mind-blowingly fantastic I can’t even begin to put it into words.

This recipe is super simple, all it takes is patience and time, and the result is phenomenal. Never again will I long for the days of cow’s milk feta. Never again will I even consider it for a second. Not only did the end result of this not taste anything even slightly resembling tofu, but it tasted exactly like what I remember feta to taste like. It was so damn good that when I went to go taste test it I ate a handful of it straight out of the container, by itself! For a tofu evader like me that’s freaking huge! It really made the salad, which of course was fantastic and totally satisfying!

So without further adieu here are my recipes for tofu feta, and a traditional Greek Salad - traditional at least where I’m from - I hope you enjoy them, and as far as the tofu is concerned I highly recommend using a tofu-press if you have one. See the note for more details. The press really is amazing, I’m just saying!

Fantastic Tofu Feta

1 lb Extra Firm Tofu drained and pressed for 2-4 hours
½ tsp Garlic Powder
½ tsp Dried Oregano
½ tsp Dried Dill
1 ½ tbsp Dried Basil
3 tbsp Olive Oil
2 tbsp Lemon Juice
4-6 tbsp Caper Liquid
Black Pepper to taste
Sea Salt - start with ½ tsp and go up until you reach the desired saltiness

- When you press your tofu, try to make sure as much water comes out as possible. Your block of tofu should become extremely condensed, to the point of being almost half of it’s original thickness. It should not be really wet, slippery or slimy. This is how you know it’s been pressed long enough, and trust me when I say this level of pressing is what goes along way in helping the tofu actually taste like real deal feta. Take the time to do it right if you can otherwise the end result will not be as wonderful.

- Once tofu has been pressed crumble it into a bowl. Add all the other ingredients and stir until well combined. Taste for salt and seasoning and adjust as needed. Place in an air-tight container and let marinate overnight. 12-24 hours is good, keep in mind the longer you allow it to marinate the stronger the flavor will be, thus the more feta-like it’ll be. I highly suggest at least a 12 hour marinade. Make the feta a day in advance, and actually the longer you leave it in the fridge the bolder the flavor becomes. It should last you up to a week in the fridge, and I think it tastes best at 2-3 days but a 1 day marinade is totally sufficient for this purpose.

Greek Salad

5 Medium Tomatoes cut into chunks
½-1 Small Red Onion sliced paper thin (to taste)
1 15 oz can Black Olives drained
1 large Cucumber Peeled and cut into chunks
1 large Green Bell Pepper cut into chunks
1 recipe Tofu Feta

Classic Greek Dressing

1/3-1/2 C Olive Oil
1/3-1/2 White Vinegar
2 tsp Dried Oregano
½ tsp Dried Basil
Sea Salt and Black Pepper to taste
1 Packet Stevia (optional)
3-6 Cloves Garlic finely minced (or to taste)

- Combine Chopped Tomato, red onion, pepper, olives, and cucumber in a bowl. Sprinkle tofu feta over top. You may not need or want to use the entire batch, that’s up to you. I used about 3/4 of a batch.

- Whisk all dressing ingredients in a bowl until well combined. Then pour over salad. Again depending on how much salad all your veggies yield you may not need to use the entire dressing. I used roughly two-thirds of it.

- Let the whole thing marinate 1-3 hours in the fridge. As with the tofu the longer you let it marinate the stronger the flavor will be. The raw onion and garlic also mellow out a little the longer they sit marinate in the dressing which is nice.

- When ready serve as an appetizer or side dish to a wonderfully home-cooked Greek feast! And enjoy!

PS: Stay tuned for more Greek inspired recipes!

*** Note - You don’t need a tofu press to press the water out of tofu, however I strongly recommend it. A lot of people argue that using a kitchen towel and a heavy object works just fine, I can’t attest to that personally because I’ve never had any success with that method. Try as I might a heavy bottomed frying pan on top of my block of tofu didn’t press out all that much, and because of the differing in size between the pan and the tofu it never sat level. If I tried to force more water out by pressing the pan down on the tofu all I succeeded in doing was squishing or crushing my tofu but it still contained water. The great thing about the press is that there’s a plate in place held down by a spring that’s forcing constant pressure onto the tofu so that water seeps out. The tofu retains it’s rectangular shape because of the box surrounding it and you don’t have to fuss or fight with it to get the water out. Put it in, set it up and leave it along for 2 hours. It’s a thing of beauty, and it works fantastic. Now that I have one I don’t know how I ever survived without one. It makes eating tofu a lot tastier, and I tend to avoid it less now. A press costs about $35 and in the grand scheme of things it really isn’t all that much money, certainly not if you’re going to get your money’s worth.***

Green Hydration Smoothie...

You know how sometimes you wake up and feel super desperate for water? Somehow over the course of the night your mouth transformed into a desert wasteland and now your body is just aching for some good old fashion hydration? In addition to drinking some delicious agua upon waking this smoothie is the perfect solution. It’s not only hydrating but refreshing. I consider all the ingredients in this smoothie to either be hydrating or refreshing. Cucumbers are especially hydrating because they contain so much water themselves, they’re also super refreshing particularly on a hot day. Mint too helps to calm and cool the body leaving you feeling oh so good, and bananas help replenish your electrolytes.

The great thing about this smoothie - in addition to it being delicious - is that it’s super light. It has a consistency more akin to a juice rather then a smoothie due to all the high water content produce within. So you can drink a large amount of it and not feel bogged down or overly full. In fact even if you drink the entire blender full you’ll still have a bit of room to have a bit of solid breakfast if you wish. I recommend drinking this smoothie upon first waking, then get yourself into some exercise, light cardio, a brisk walk a nice jog, then come home and drink another glass with a bit of breakfast. It’s the perfect start to a beautiful day.

Green Hydration Smoothie

1 Small Zucchini
1 Large Cucumber seeded ***
1 thumb sized knob of Ginger Root (or to taste)
2 Granny Smith Apples (or Pink Lady or a Combination)
2 C Water
6 Leaves Fresh Mint (or to taste)
2 Packets Stevia
3-4 Tbsp Lime Juice
1 Banana

- Place all ingredients except stevia in a high-speed blender and blend on high for 60 seconds or until completely smooth. Add in Stevia, blend to incorporate and serve.

*** Note - You do not have to seed your cucumber if you don’t want to. However I find that depending on the cucumber the seeds can be sweet or bitter. I recommend tasting a piece of your cuke and if the seeds are bitter remove them. If not feel free to leave them in ***

*** Note - Because this is a question I often get I would like to make it clear that whenever I’m using non-organic produce I always, always peel it. If you are using non-organic zucchini or cucumber or apples in this recipe I urge you to peel them! If you are using organic then there is no need for you to do so. Just give them a wash. As for water, whenever I call for water in recipes particularly smoothie, sauces or other non-cooked recipes I’m always talking about filtered water. You can use bottled or filtered tap, whatever works for you, but I don’t recommend using unfiltered tap water, particularly if you’re living in an area where the water might not be so pure.***

Vegan Mofo #6 - Isa & Terry’s Mediterranean-Style Cashew-Cucumber Dip...

Vegan Mofo #6 - Isa & Terry’s Mediterranean-Style Cashew-Cucumber Dip

The Book - Veganomicon
The Author - Isa Chandra Moskowitz & Terry Hope Romero
The Recipe - Mediterranean-Style Cashew-Cucumber Dip
Page # 66
Difficulty - Easy
Duration - 15 minutes total time

Posting this today I see a third unintentional theme emerging during my Vegan Mofo. "Foods I loved as an omnivore that I never thought I’d eat again as a Vegan." Tzatziki certainly fits the bill there.

I absolutely love Tzatziki! Honestly, just how much I love it could never accurately be described in words. It is the quintessential Greek food for me. Growing up I ate a lot of Greek food, sometimes homemade but usually take-out from a very good authentic Greek place near where I lived. I remember the square white carry-out containers my dad would bring home, the aromatic scent of lemon and garlic wafting out of them like steam. Inside, each box would contain a portion of Greek Salad, Chicken or Beef Souvlaki, Greek Rice Pilaf, sometimes dolmathes or Greek style potatoes, a lemon wedge, thick warm Pita bread, and of course a generous dollop of tzatziki. Though we always ordered extra tzatziki because however generous that dollop it was never enough to satisfy us - or at least me. The food was divine but it was the tzatziki I loved the most. It was the tzatziki I craved, and waited in eager anticipation for. It was always perfect, thick, creamy, garlicky, and lemony. It is and has always been my favorite part of Greek Cuisine. I smothered it on everything. The pita, the souvlaki, the rice, the dolmathes and the potatoes. If there was any left over after that I’d literally eat it straight from a spoon.

In Greek restaurants when we ordered pita and tzatziki as an appetizer every bite I took was more tzatziki then pita. I loaded up on it - much to everyone else's amusement. I literally couldn’t get enough, and I was quite the tzatziki connoisseur and critic. Though Vancouver and the greater Vancouver area plays home to many very good Greek restaurants, all serving very good tzatziki I definitely favored some over others. In fact to this day the best ‘conventional’ tzatziki I’ve ever eaten was at a small hole in the wall Greek place downtown, on Davie Street. Unfortunately I’ve since forgotten the name, and honestly have no idea whether or not it’s still there. When I moved to Chicago another North American city that boasts a relatively large Greek population I found the tzatziki to be a bit different, slightly more watery, but still pretty good.

The perfect tzatziki is thick, creamy with nice shreds of cucumber and minced mint or dill. It’s level of garlic should be overpowering but in a good way!

Yet strangely despite my love and passion for tzatziki it was the one Greek dish I always seemed incapable of making properly. Everything else in Greek Cuisine? No problem. Moussaka? No problem. Spanokopita? No problem. Baklava? No problem. Tzatziki? Huge freaking problem! How ironic that, that’s the one culinary skill my Greek Ancestors didn’t see fit to impart on me.

I have tried so many recipes over the years and failed miserably at every single one. Before I went vegan I’d made tzatziki so many times with so many differing ingredients from regular yogurt, to Greek yogurt to cultured yogurt to goats milk yogurt. Different levels of herbs and lemon varying degrees of garlic, and every experiment only left me in frustrated tears. It’s really impressive when you think about it, there is not one other dish on earth that has seen me fail so spectacularly so many times.

Then I went vegan, and I thought happily that things might change. I excitedly tried a handful of vegan tzatziki recipes all to the same glorious end. I failed, utterly and completely over and over again. At that point what’s a pour tzatziki loving Greek Vegan to do? Give up, that’s what. I decided to give up, and resigned myself to the certainty that I would never eat tzatziki again. It broke my heart of course but I found that as long as I didn’t think about it, as long as I pushed it to the furthest reaches of my mind I was okay.

Then I got hold of Isa and Terry’s brilliant "Veganomicon" Of course an initial read-through of the Contents revealed they had a vegan tzatziki, which I bitterly decided to ignore. No way could it be good, not after so many failures. I just wasn’t ready to try again. I’d given up hope of ever making a delicious vegan tzatziki and didn’t want to get my spirits up again if this recipe too proved to be a failure.

Then I decided to throw a party, and found myself in a mad scramble to find creative yet delicious appetizer recipes. Most people tend to make their tried and true recipes for parties, but not me. You see I cherish originality, I crave creativity and eating the same thing - tried and true or not - at every party is just well... boring. Making something new for the first time for a party is always a gamble but at this point in my life I’m very confident in my culinary ability and so far everything - with the exception of a disastrous Pineapple Upside-down cake, which I’ll write about later - turns out top notch.

Originally I wasn’t even interested in the tzatziki recipe, I was interested in another recipe on the opposite page. Then I caught a glance at the ingredients list and found myself intrigued. Nowhere was there a non-dairy yogurt sub listed. Also nowhere to be found was the traditional mint. Now, how silly I thought. How can you make tzatziki without yogurt and mint? In their place were raw cashews and dill. Who’d ever heard of such a thing, really! I thought it so silly I nearly laughed. Yet as absurd as it sounded I couldn’t stop myself from periodically flipping back to the recipe. My curiosity was definitely peaked, and we all know what happens next. Despite my many reservations I set about the task of making yet another tzatziki.

I went about preparing this tzatziki like a chemist working with potentially volatile compounds. Carefully following all instructions exactly. Carefully measuring out all ingredients exactly. Offering up a few whispered words to Buddha. When the tzatziki was finally finished I hesitantly poked my finger into my vitamix for a taste test. Quickly closed my eyes in anticipation of pain, like you would when getting a shot at the doctor, and literally could not believe my tastebuds. It was amazing! Phenomenal even, in need of slightly more garlic and dill but otherwise incredible! I quickly added in a little more garlic and dill to taste and tried it again. It was a miracle! Not only was it the best tzatziki I’d ever made, but it was easily one of - if not - the best tzatziki I’d ever eaten vegan or not. It’s as good if not better then my gold standard for tzatziki from that now nameless Greek restaurant in Vancouver’s downtown.

This tzatziki is so rich, so creamy and so garlicky. All of the things a good tzatziki should be. It might not have been prepared in a ‘traditional’ way with the ‘traditional’ ingredients and yet it tastes more ‘traditional’ then ‘traditional’ tzatziki. How that’s possible I have no idea. What I do know is that I’m super ecstatic that I no longer need to live a tzatzikiless life. I can now eat my favorite Greek food with pleasure anytime I desire.

And how did my omni friends and family feel about it you might ask? Several of whom are also at least in part Greek? They freaking loved it! Everyone praised it, everyone was amazed by it, everyone agreed that it was one of the best tzatziki’s they’d ever eaten. They had no idea that it was full of cashews and missing yogurt. They devoured it. Smothered it on pita bread, Naan bread and dunked raw veggies into it. They could hardly keep away from it and in fact several people just decided to plunk themselves down at the table in front of it to make eating easier.

If you love tzatziki as much as I do and haven’t tried this recipe yet, it is a must! Serve it with pita, naan, flatbread crackers or raw veggies. Spread it onto a vegan Donair or gyro, thin it and use as a salad dressing. Smother Seitan, Tempeh or Tofu kebabs in it, or pour it over Gardein ‘Beefless Tips’ dip a dolmathes in it or just eat it by the spoonful. Whatever you decide to serve it with I’m absolutely sure you won’t be disappointed.

PS: Do not be tempted to skip the step in which you are asked to squeeze all the water from the grated cucumber. This step is absolutely crucial even if it is a pain in the ass.

Toasted Tomato Cucumber Sandwich with Dill Mayo and Sweet Cajun Plantains

Today’s recipe(s) is super simple but also super delicious. It’s the perfect thing to whip up for a quick filling lunch or a light dinner. The best part is that it doesn’t have you slaving over a hot stove or grill in this agonizing heat. The sandwich is simple I know, using few ingredients, but it packs a flavorful punch. It’s very reminiscent of the toasted tomato mayo sandwiches I ate and loved during the summers of my childhood. Though grown this is still a meal I find myself craving at least a few times each summer season. Something about the texture, the toasted bread, the creamy mayo, and the cool refreshing tomato.... the sweet juicy taste of fresh vine-ripened tomato paired with black pepper... mmm... This version of course is slightly different then the Toasted tomato sandwich of my childhood, but no less delicious, more so in fact. Also back then my sandwich was usually paired with chips, fresh fruit or raw veggies. I highly recommend the fresh fruit and raw veggies but on this particular day I was feeling something slightly more decadent... sweet, fried plantains!

Revamped Toasted Tomato Cucumber Sandwich

2 Slices Whole Wheat Bread (lightly toasted)
4 Slices tomato
8 Thin slices cucumber
Fresh ground Black Pepper to taste (3-4 grinds of a pepper mill usually does the trick)
Pinch of White Pepper (Optional)
Dijon Mustard (Optional)
1 Batch Dill Mayo (Recipe Follows)

- Toast your bread till lightly golden. You don’t want it to be soft but you don’t want it to be super crunch either.

- Spread a thin layer of Dijon mustard over one slice if desired. Spread the Dill Mayo on the other slice of bread. Add cucumbers in an even layer over Dijon side of bread. Evenly layer over tomatoes, add your ground pepper and then place mayo slice of bread on top and cut in half if desired. Serve with fresh fruit, raw vegetables or Sweet Cajun Plantains (recipe Follows) like I did.

Dill Mayo

1 ½ Tbsp Vegan Mayo (My new Favorite is Earth Balance’s ‘Mindful Mayo’ original, SO GOOD!)
1-2 Tbsp fresh chopped Dill (or to taste) (I used 2 heaping tbsp)

- Place mayo and dill in a small bowl and whisk until well combined. May be a bit chunky depending on how much dill you use but that’s okay.

Fried Sweet Cajun Plantains

*** Note - Now normally I don’t eat fried foods, but every once and a while I don’t think it hurts to indulge a little, and in all honestly frying plantains is my all-time favorite way to eat them. If you prefer you can bake the plantains in the oven as you would any type of potato fries, but it will take a lot longer then the frying method, making this dish slightly less ‘quick’ so keep that in mind.***

2 Ripe Plantains (The yellow kind with black spots)
½ - 1 Tsp your favorite Cajun Seasoning (or to taste)
1 Tbsp Brown Sugar (or less if desired)

- To Peel plantains cut the a tiny bit off each end and use your knife to score down the side of the skin. Deep enough to get through the peel but not deep enough to cut into the flesh of the plantaine. Remove the peel carefully like you would a banana peel.

- Pre-heat your deep fryer. (If you don’t have a deep fryer you can fry your plantains in a pan on the stove using any kind of vegetable oil. Enough to cover the pan and the plantains. Set burner to medium-high heat) Slice each plantains into rounds on the diagonal. When deep fryer is ready, (or oil in pan is hot enough) add your plantains to the oil and fry for about 5 minutes, or until plantains are a light to medium golden brown.

- Remove plantains from oil and place in a paper towel. You want to remove some but not all of the oil otherwise the seasoning mix won’t stick as good.

- Place plantains in a container that has a fitted or locking lid. Add to the plantains the sugar and Cajun seasoning. Then close the lid and shake well for roughly a minute until all plantains are well coated with seasoning.

- Dump out onto a plate alongside your sandwich and enjoy!

PS: I thought since I was absent on both Saturday and Sunday it was only fair to give you more then one recipe today