Tag Archives: lemons

lemony donuts

. breakfast, dessert, USA . , , , , ,

20150325_064309Delightfully lemony, these vegan donuts are light, not too sweet, and take just a few minutes to throw together! It’s best to bake them in a donut pan – the donut shape looks really cool – but a muffin pan works just as well. These donuts are best eaten fresh, although they will keep for a couple days (if they last that long!).

1 cup unbleached white flour
1 cup wheat flour
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
Zest of one lemon
2/3 cup almond or soy milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 Tbs. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

Glaze:
1 cup powdered (confectioner’s) sugar
1 Tbs. lemon juice
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
1 Tbs. water, if necessary to make glaze thin

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl.

Add wet ingredients, and stir just enough to remove dry spots. You may need to add a bit of water, a teaspoon at a time, so that batter is not too thick to pour into pan. Fill the indentations 2/3 full. Bake for 11-15 minutes. Makes one dozen.

Cool donuts on paper towels on a rack, and when cool, dip the top into glaze. Before the glaze dries, you can add toasted almonds, poppy seeds, or whatever you like.

tempeh vegetable stir fry in curry peanut sauce

. Asia, entrees . , , , , , , , ,

tempeh vegetable stir fry with peanut curry sauce
This is a really flavorful sauce that could be the foundation for a zillion variations. Try tofu or a chicken substitute instead of tempeh. Add some shitake mushrooms. Use brown or white rice instead of soba noodles. Omit the curry powder and just enjoy the peanut sauce.

sauce:
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
4 Tbs. agave nectar
4 Tbs. white miso
2 Tbs. sesame oil
2 Tbs. lemon juice
1 tsp. chili powder
2 tsp. curry powder
1/2 cup water

stir fry:
2 Tbs. canola oil
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 medium red onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
8 oz. tempeh, cubed
1 medium zucchini, chopped
1 16-oz. bag frozen Asian-style stir-fry veggies
Salt and pepper to taste

Package soba noodles (or brown or white rice)

1. In a medium-size pot over medium heat, whisk together the sauce ingredients. Heat to boiling, stirring constantly, making sure all peanut butter and miso lumps are dissolved. Remove from heat and set aside.

2. Fill a pot with water and bring to boil for soba noodles. Cook according to package directions.

3. Heat the oil over medium heat in a wok or heavy skillet. Add the garlic, onion, bell peppers, and tempeh. Stir fry for about 5 minutes. Add the zucchini and frozen veggies and continue to stir fry until the vegetables are just tender. Stir in the peanut sauce; heat tempeh and veggies until simmering. Remove from heat and serve over soba noodles.

watermelon granita

. drinks, USA . ,

Jill says: “When life gives you watermelons, make granita.”

4 cups seedless watermelon chunks
1/2 cup sugar
Juice of 1 lemon

1. In a food processor, purée all the ingredients until smooth. Pour into a shallow, wide pan and freeze for 1 hour.

2. Rake with a fork, and then freeze for an additional hour. Repeat.

3. Remove from the freezer, rake, and serve in cups. Makes 2 cups.

haroset

. dessert, Middle East . , , , ,

Haroset is a Passover tradition with many regional variations around the world. Rabbis originally created the sweet, fruity, and flavorful dish to counter the bitter herbs used in the Passover Seder. Haroset is a delightful addition to your Passover table.

3 sweet apples, peeled, cored, and chopped
1 Tbs. lemon juice
1/4 cup dried cherries
1/2 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped
1 tsp. lemon zest
1 Tbs. brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 to 3 Tbs. sweet red Passover wine (or more, if necessary)

Place chopped apples in a large bowl and sprinkle with lemon juice. Add chopped cherries, walnuts, zest, sugar, and cinnamon. Moisten with wine to make a thick paste. Adjust seasonings to your liking.

tahini sauce

. Middle East, sauces . ,

Tahini makes a terrific topper for falafel sandwiches.

1 cup tahini
1/2 cup water
Juice of 1-2 lemons (to taste)
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1/2 tsp. cumin
Salt to taste

Whisk all ingredients together in a bowl. Adjust seasonings to taste. Sprinkle with paprika for a colorful garnish. Drizzle over falafel and other pita fillings.

armenian garlic dip

. appetizers, Asia, Europe . ,

This is a great way to use day-old bread, and according to the Armenians, the only way to ingest such massive amounts of raw garlic and enjoy it. Jill in Boulder, Colorado submitted this recipe. She says that this recipe is one of several gifts from her dear friend and brother Spice, a vegan gourmet chef.

Jill advises against kissing or engaging in any close-talking with non-eaters of this raw garlic dip soon after you indulge in the intense garlickyness.

5 or 6 cups whole wheat bread innards (everything except the crust)
3 medium bulbs (not cloves) garlic
1 1/2 tsp. salt
3/8 cup lemon juice (fresh if possible)
1 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Soak the bread in enough water to more than cover it, and then squeeze out the extra water and set the bread aside. In a food processor, mix the garlic, salt, lemon juice, and oil until the garlic is pureed. Add the bread and run until the mixture is homogenous. Refrigerate several hours to allow flavors to develop.

Note: The garlic has a preservative quality that allows this dip to keep at room temperature in a sealed jar for about two weeks. In the refrigerator, it will keep at least as long, with a gradual intensifying of flavors that is desirable.

tabbouli salad

. Middle East, picnic food, potluck food, salads, sides . , , , , , ,

Tabbouli, tabbuli, tabouleh: how many ways can you spell the name of this crunchy, nutritious salad? It’s a refreshing yet filling dish that’s especially good in the summer.

Tabbouli salad’s main ingredient is bulgur (cracked) wheat. To prepare bulgur wheat for the salad, measure 1 cup bulgur into a bowl, and then pour 1 cup warm water over it and let stand for 30 minutes. Yields 2 cups.

2 cups presoaked bulgur
2 large tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 medium cucumber, peeled, seeded, and chopped
1 cup green onions, chopped
2 cups fresh parsley, finely chopped
1/3 cup fresh mint, finely chopped
Salt to taste (try 1/4 tsp.)
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil
Fresh ground black pepper

1. Mix first seven ingredients together (bulgur through salt), and then add fresh lemon juice. Stir to combine.

2. Refrigerate ingredients for about an hour. When ready to serve, add olive oil and black pepper. Mix well.

Notes: Fresh ingredients are absolutely necessary for good tabbouli. A large lemon usually nets 1/4 cup of juice. A large bunch of fresh parsley can yield 1, 2, or 3 cups chopped; use as much as you want. Cold-pressed, extra virgin olive oil is best for salads, and although mint leaves add a unique flavor, they can be omitted in a pinch (sometimes it’s hard to find fresh mint). Cooking is an art, not a science, so have fun and experiment!

uncle bill’s fresh spicy salsa

. Mexico/Central America, sides . , , , ,

Thanks to Rebecca Valencia for submitting her Uncle Bill’s salsa recipe.

2 yellow chile peppers
1 (or 2) jalapeno peppers
4 or 5 Roma tomatoes, diced
3 or 4 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1/2 bunch of cilantro, minced
1/2 bunch of green onions, minced
1/2 lemon
Pinch of salt

1. Prepare the chile peppers by removing the seeds and stems and mincing. For a spicier salsa, reserve some seeds and add to the mixture.

2. Combine the first six ingredients in a bowl. Squeeze the fresh lemon juice over the ingredients and add a pinch of salt. Serve with chips, on vegan tacos, or as a salad dressing!

raw indian red curry salad

. India, salads . , ,

Thanks to Suresh Chandra and Kapil Sharma for this salad recipe. Sharma says that his mother makes a similar salad all the time in India. The flavor combination of ginger, onion, curry, and lemon makes this a tantalizing salad!

Romaine lettuce
1 medium white or red onion
4 Roma tomatoes
1 large piece of fresh ginger
Red Indian curry powder
2 lemons

1. Arrange this salad on a large plate or several small plates instead of mixing in a bowl. Place a layer of lettuce on the plate. Slice the onion in circles (not quarters). Slice the tomatoes in circles. Place a layer of the onion circles on the bed of lettuce. Place a layer of tomatoes on the layer of onions.

2. Cut the fresh ginger in 1/4″ matchsticks. On each tomato, arrange 3 strips of ginger like spokes on a wheel connecting at the center of the tomato. Garnish other strips of ginger creatively on the salad.

3. Cut the lemons in half. Set aside one half to squeeze on the salad. Place the open faces of the other three lemon halves flat on the cutting board. Cut into 1/16 sections, then cut the sections into small pieces. Arrange the lemon pieces on the salad.

4. Sprinkle the red curry powder over the entire salad. Squeeze the fresh lemon half over the top to allow the curry powder to seep into the vegetables. Enjoy!