pear tarte tatin recipe

Just in time for the holidays...Pear Tarte Tatin

A tarte tatin is basically an upside-down pie. Showcasing the cello-like pears instead of the more traditional apples gives this French classic just the tiniest bit of haughty edge. The recipe appears in this month's GRID magazine, chock-full of recipes and of eco-inspiring articles. You can find hard copies free at businesses throughout the greater Philadelphia region. Or access the recipe and magazine online.

If the idea of quickly flipping over a pan to reveal a dramatic, all-in-one-piece tarte terrifies you, take heart. It's like riding a bike: do it once and you'll never forget how. Just follow the directions precisely and be confident.

food porn from the cookbook

A down and dirty look at what I've been eating lately...

Nasi Goreng Soup from my cookbook. To spice things up and add a bit of texture, I tossed in some spicy tofu chunks.


For Thanksgiving, Cranberry-Quince Sauce...



And my famous Tira Mi Su, for Thanksgiving dessert



Brussels Sprouts Au Gratin...



And finally, the 10-Minute Corn Consomme, finished here with sweet Spanish Paprika. (I must admit, I bought this spice, because I love the package.)

hangawi

Hangawi interior

Yes, I'm still commuting from Philly to NYC every day. All that traveling makes a girl hungry. Last week, I met my good friend VKO for lunch at Hangawi. This mid-town Korean eatery is 100% vegan. The decor is shrine-like: minimal, all-natural materials, sunken tables, handmade vessels...

My blood pressure lowered the moment I walked in the door and took off my shoes.

We started off with the combination pancakes, served with a delicate soy dipping sauce; they are pure comfort food, not to be missed. Pictured from left to right: leek, kimchi mushroom, and kobocha pumpkin with mung beans.

For her main, the lovely VKO chose the spicy tofu hot pot. It came with rice and two kinds of kimchee. I had a taste: sublime and perfect for a chilly day.

I opted for my all-time favorite Korean dish: stone bowl rice with sesame leaves. The hot stone bowl crisps the rice, giving it an unmistakable crunch.

Thank you, VKO--for the lovely gift and for once again introducing me to another fab restaurant.

adopt-a-turkey time

Gideon

Commercially raised turkeys suffer unspeakable cruelty. After viewing an investigative videotape showing turkey abuse at a factory farm in West Virginia, New York Times journalist Donald G. McNeil Jr. wrote, "The scenes show stomach-turning brutality." Fortunately, the abusers were charged with felonies and 2 of 3 were recently convicted in a landmark case. (The 3rd case is still pending.)

On a much happier note...

The good folks at Farm Sanctuary rescue turkeys, when possible, and place them in loving homes. Farm Sanctuary educates the public about the horrors of factory farming --and promotes the joys of compassionate living (and cooking).

Every year, instead of eating a turkey, I symbolically adopt one. Meet Gideon. (Handsome boy, isn't he?) Adopt a turkey >>.

win a free cookbook at GGA

The vegan divas over at my most favorite-est web site in the world, GirlieGirl Army, are hosting a giveaway of my cookbook, The Urban Vegan: 250 Simple, Sumptuous Recipes from Street Cart Favorites to Haute Cuisine. Five, count em--five!-- lucky readers will win a copy. All you need to do is get creative and leave a comment, explaining why you need my cookbook. Chloe Jo and I will choose the winners. Enter now!

If you haven't already fallen in love with GirlieGirl Army, you best get with the program. This Glamazon Guide to green living is "Sex in the City with brains and a pit bull." The site, blog and newsletters are packed with the hip tips, scrumptuous recipes, hawt vegan fashion leads, help for animals in need of homes, and generally eco-friendly cool tidbits. And I'll now be contributing recipes and occassional blog posts to my favorite web site. (Woo-hoo!)

fennel with chickpeas, toasted pine nuts and sun-dried tomatoes

Yes, I'm still commuting to NYC for work. And yes, I still like to sup on a nice, home-cooked meal regardless of what hour I get home. Necessity is the mother of invention: This dish is super easy and super versatile. Simply dry toast about about 1/4 cup of pine nuts. Rinse and drain a can of chickpeas. Then slice about 4 fennel bulbs, and toss them with a few tablespoons of olive oil in a large pan with some sliced garlic, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, a bay leaf, and the chickpeas. Roast in a 400 degree oven, covered with tin foil, for about 25 minutes or until the fennel is soft. Stir in the the pine nuts and serve.

You can eat this as a side dish, tossed with pasta, or served atop your favorite grain. The subtle, licorice-scented fennel subtly enhances the sweetness of the tomatoes, pine nuts and garlic. It's fabulous with a glass of cava.

thanksgiving e-recipe book – for a great cause

Cranberry Upside-Down Cake in "A Bountiful Thanksgiving"

Thanksgiving is fast approaching, and that means figuring out what to serve all those famished guests. Vegan cookbook author extraordinaire Nava Atlas to the rescue! Nava has put together an e-book, called "A Bountiful Vegan Thanksgiving," chock full of tasty holiday recipes contributed by respected veg bloggers and cookbook authors. It features my recipe for Cranberry Upside-down Cake.

The best news? All profits from this project will be donated to Women for Women (microfinancing and vocational training for women in war-torn countries), The International Justice Mission (working against human trafficking and forced prostitution), and NY Coalition for Healthy School Food. At $8.95 it's a bargain for a good cause. Order the e-book>>.

Pumpkin Cheesecake recipe

Also in time for Thanksgiving, as promised, my recipe for Pumpkin-Swirl Cheesecake appears on page 25 of this month's Grid.

quickie halushki

I've been working in NYC for the past few weeks, commuting from Philly every day -- hence my recent absence from the blogosphere. I usually arrive home tired, starving and ready to sucuumb to my extensive take-out menu collection.

Halushki is a humble Polish-Slovak dish from my childhood. It's simply noodles, cooked cabbage, and onions [I also tossed in some mushrooms, for good measure]. It may look austere, but the flavor combo is sublime: the sweet onions and cabbage dance a mean polka with the starchy noodles. Halushki is pure comfort food. It has prevented me from ordering out many times, since it's so pathetically easy to make – especially if you use store-bought noodles or pasta. It's also incredibly economical.

Halushki How-Tos

Halushki is one of those recipes that everyone makes differently, so it would be sacrilege to give you exact proportions. However you make it, you really can't go wrong with these complementary flavors.

1. Roughly chop one head of green cabbage, an onion or two, and some garlic and mushrooms, if you like. Saute in Earth Balance until soft.
2. Season with salt and plenty of fresh ground black pepper.
3. Meanwhile, boil your noodles--about 2 or 3 cups dry. Ideally, you should make your own noodles, and cut them in shapes to mimic the squarish chopped cabbage and onions [For a recipe, see my cookbook]. But if you're too busy or tired, store-bought pasta is absolutely fine.
4. Gently toss the drained, cooked noodles with the cabbage. Adjust seasonings and enjoy.

use it or lose it dinner

We've all been there...

We shop for groceries with the best of intentions. We load our carts with piles of fresh vegetables, fruits and whole foods. Then the realities of life settle in. The weeks get ahead of us. Other things take precedent over cooking.

So, one night, we peek in the 'fridge facing rice milk five days past its expiration date and farm stand tomatoes that are sprouting fuzzy, Muppet-like growths. That's when you know it's time to use it or lose it.

Faced with past-its-prime, extra-firm tofu, a softish onion and a few spotty-but-salvageable zucchini that I had had every intention of using up the week before last, I ad-libbed this dinner. First, I pressed the tofu and dry-fried it in my wok, along with a splash of tamari. I sauteed the zucchini and onion in olive oil along with plenty of garlic and a swan-song bunch of basil from my windowsill plant. While I would not publish the recipe on my blog or in my next cookbook, the result was truly tasty. And it saved me from tossing the tofu.

pumpkin swirl cheesecake

Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake

I know it's cruel. But today, I am going to be a blatant tease and tantalize you with a photo of my newest creation: Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake. Rich, creamy decadence perched upon a ginger snap base, the recipe for this hedonistic cheesecake will be published just in time for Thanksgiving, in Grid magazine's November issue.

The latest cookbook news

• As you know, the cookbook is now available both in bookstores and online.
• The cookbook was recently mentioned in what I thought was a very positive article on veganism in the Hartford Courant.
• Mark your calendars, Philly peeps. I'll be doing a talk/book signing at Essene on Nov. 11. (Yes, there will be tasting samples.)

easy cream of broccoli soup

Soup season has officially begun.

Since broccoli is abundant and inexpensive right now, what better way to kick off soup season than by making a huge pot of Cream of Broccoli? This soup is a snap to prepare. Plus, it's so rich and filling that it's a meal in itself. The hint of nutmeg infuses this potage with a subtle, earthy sweetness.

Cream of Broccoli Soup

• 2 T olive oil
• 2 large onions, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, sliced
• 1 tsp salt
• 2 heads of broccoli, chopped
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 cups of soy creamer [Use soy or rice milk if you are less inclined toward decadence]
• 2 cups vegetable stock
• Pinch nutmeg
• Fresh ground pepper
• 3 T nutritional yeast
• Best quality extra-virgin olive oil and fresh herbs, for finishing

Serves 6

1. Heat oil in a large soup pot over medium low. Saute the onion and garlic until translucent, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle salt over onions and garlic.
2. Toss in broccoli. Saute for 5 or so minutes, until the color intensifies.
3. Add remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer and cook covered, for 20-3o minutes, or until broccoli is soft.
4. Skim off any foam and remove bay leaf. Carefully puree, either using a blender or immersion blender. Make sure all broccoli is totally pulverized.
5. Finish each dish with a drizzle of olive oil and a snippet of fresh herbs [basil, thyme, etc] if desired.

recent happenings and contest winners

Yours truly, at the Ocean County Cookbook Fair

Ocean County Book Fair

Well, the cookbook officially hits the bookstores on October 1, but family and friends have already spied it for sale at larger bookstores. This Sunday, I did a book signing and offered recipe tastings at the Ocean County Book Fair in Toms River, NJ. I met some wonderful people, all of whom were interested in animal-free cooking. By the end of the day, the samples were all snarfed up and the cookbooks were all sold out. The saleswoman at the book stand told me that my cookbook and one other one were the day's most popular sellers. Nice to hear!

Washing an amazingly well-behaved pooch.

Dog Wash for PAWS

Last weekend, I participated in a Dog Wash at the South Street Whole Foods to benefit Philly PAWS. I washed some amazingly well-behaved pooches, as did my amigos. We raised a ton of cash; Philly folks are so generous. We also introduced pedestrians to some wonderful foster animals who need loving, forever homes.

Jelly the Rottweiler is a former stray. Such a sweetheart!

A passer-by makes friends with a kitten in need of a home.

He doesn't exactly like it, but he knows he'll get a treat once it's over.

If you are interested in adopting a cat or dog or making a donation, please contact PhillyPAWS.

Silk Heart Health Contest Winners

So many impressive haiku--but I could only pick two winners. Congratulations to Bazu for her Ode to Mango Salsa. And to DoggyBloggy for his song to soy milk. Please email me your addresses, and I will send you the coupons.

contest :: win a free half-gallon of silk heart health

Time for another contest, kids.

I'm giving away 2 coupons for a free half-gallon of Silk Heart Health Soy Milk. According to Silk, this formulation is rich in phytosterols. So as a result, it's clinically proven to reduce cholesterol by up to 12%.

Part of my "day job" includes medical writing, which makes me skeptical by nature of any such claims. So I took a peek at the studies' abstracts to see if they were simply wishy-washy marketing spin. The studies were super-relevant: all were either review articles and meta-analyses, which simply put, means they were the synopsized results of loads and loads of other studies. All pointed to a reduction in cholesterol. Bottom line in a nutshell: drink your soy milk.

I usually just pick names from a hat. This time, you'll have to work for your soy milk.

In the comment section, write a haiku poem (5/7/5 syllables) about your favorite vegan food. I'll announce the 2 lucky winners in the next few days. Good luck!

spiced wafers

Crayon-box landscapes. Delicious sleeping weather. An inexplicable urge to revisit your abandoned knitting projects. Fall is coming--you can't feel it in the air and see it in the changing light. Another great thing about the impending autumn is that Spiced Wafers make their much-awaited appearance on grocery store shelves. I love to dip these crunchy molasses cookies in my soy cappucino–especially when the morning air is as crisp as crackers. This brand [Sweetzel's] is a Philly tradition.

3-part harmony

We interrupt the regularly scheduled food posts for some uber-cute kitty shots. Many of you have been asking about the cats. Enjoy the rogue's gallery...

"Dah-link, the light is bothering my eyes." Buttons takes her beauty rest.

I finally had time to pull out my sewing machine last week. All three felines volunteered to jump in and help. They especially enjoyed trimming the threads.

Sewing is hard work. You need to take a rest immediately afterwards. [Look at Bossa Nova's eyes glowing in the wood.]

Bossa has always been a very studious cat...

Studying also makes you tired. Here, Bossa uses the new Anna Thomas cookbook as a pillow.

Meanwhile, Pablo shows us his serious side...for about 2 seconds.

DIY infused oils

Rosemary, Garlic and Basil-Infused Olive Oil

A few months back, Mark Bittman published a pithy piece in the New York Times, explaining how to create your own infused oils. These flavorful oils are available in your trendy, neighborhood gourmet shop – for a price. Making your own infused oils is fun and inexpensive, especially if you are growing your own crop of herbs. Simply bring a cup of good olive oil and a healthy handful of your favorite herbs, spices and/or aromatics to a very gently boil, and let it cook for a few minutes. After cooling, pour the mixture into your vessel of choice and store refrigerated for about 2 weeks. You can strain out the herbs, if you prefer, but I happen to like how they float gracefully in the celadon sea of oil.

The devil looms in my mini Garden of Eden

Tiny pots of rosemary and basil growing in my window served as the inspiration for my oil. While the oil simmered, the kitchen swelled with the herbs' heady aromas, tempered with a piquant garlic low note. I plan on using my infused oil to flavor salad dressings, soups, pastas and baked potatoes.

Here are some ingredient ideas for infused oils. Don't forget, you can mix and match:

• Spanish paprika
• Black or pink peppercorns
• Your favorite fresh herbs: Basil, thyme, rosemary, dill, chives, etc
• Garlic or shallots
• Dried hot peppers

What combination will you make?

panini fever!

Caprese panino: ciabatta bread, vegan mozzarella, fresh basil and heirloom tomatoes

For years, I've lusted after many a high-end panini press. But being as frugal and space-conscious as I am, I could not bring myself to fork out $100 for something so large and seemingly frivolous. In the end, my patience and tightwad nature paid off. Last month, I saw a decent press that was petite enough to store in my city kitchen, advertised on sale for $20 at Macy's. I pounced.

Pressing: the fun part

Now I make panini at least once a week. It's easy and addictive. You can press any kind of bread: French bread, sandwich bread, and even tortillas. But after experimenting, I've determined that ciabatta bread, slathered in Earth Balance, or best-quality extra-virgin olive oil, works best and makes for the most authentic, Italian style panini. "Ciabatta" means "slipper" in Italian, and once you bite into this soft, flat bread, you'll see why. Pressing it makes it just slightly crispy.

There's something elegant about slicing the panini on the diagonal

The fun thing about panini-making is that improvisation is de rigueur. You can literally throw together a sandwich from anything and everything. Here, I married Tuscan white bean spread, fresh sage and artichoke hearts.

A meal within a sandwich

If you're feeling ambitious, you can saute some mushrooms or greens [spinach, broccoli rabe or kale] and add a slice or two of vegan cheese. The possibilities are limited only by your imagination and the contents of your pantry.

DIY vegan ice creams

Blueberry Ice Cream from "Vegan Scoop"

The dog days of August are officially upon us: the temperature soared to 94 degrees in Philly today. As I hobbled to the bank and felt myself withering under the afternoon sun, I wondered, for a moment, if I was back in India. It's ice cream season, plain and simple, and two new inspiring new books can help you cool off sans cholesterol. Both Lick It! and The Vegan Scoop are chock-full of inventive recipes for vegan ice creams, sorbets, ice pops and sauces. Since I bought these books, my ice cream maker has been working overtime.

Lemon Cheesecake Ice Cream from "Lick It"

Lick It! relies mainly on full-fat coconut milk to give its ice cream recipes a creamy, toothsome texture, while The Vegan Scoop leans on soy creamer and arrowroot powder. I've tried numerous recipes from both books, and must say that both versions are excellent. If you like to experiment with exotic flavor combinations, then I would advise you to first delve into The Vegan Scoop. In addition to offering recipes for classic flavors like Vanilla, Chocolate and Butter Pecan, you'll also find recipes for Eucalyptus, Thai Chili Coconut, Sweet Potato, and Sweet Basil, among others. If making ice cream pies and bombes is your thing, then first reach for Lick It! It features gorgeous ice cream pies, bombes and terrines that will knock your guests' socks off.

Strawberry Ice Cream from "Lick It"

As a special added bonus, both books provide much more than just icy dessert recipes. The Vegan Scoop also includes instructions for ice cream's most popular "accessories," including Sugar Cones, Belgian Waffles, and Biscotti. Lick It! also features recipes for classic shakes, ice cream sodas and sauces. My favorite is...get this!...Hardening Chocolate Sauce. It cools over your ice cream to form a crackly, crispy coating that kids from 3 to 103 will adore.

Soy ice cream is costly--about $3 for a pint. Make just 3 or 4 batches of ice cream from either book, and it will pay for itself. Plus, nothing is as satisfying, fun or tasty as DIY vegan ice creams.

there's nothing sexier than a girl in an air cast

My latest fashion statement

Last Thursday, I fractured the 5th metatarsal on my right foot. I wish I had an interesting story to tell you about how this came about. I'd like to be able to say "I broke it while skydiving," or "A herd of elephants escaped from the zoo and ran over it." But the fact is, I simply mis-stepped while crossing the street and that's what did the damage.

So, it looks like 4-8 weeks of R & R and an air cast for me. No yoga, running or dancing. Very minimal walking, as my body allows. I believe there is a lesson in everything. We'll see what I learn from my fracture. It's been an interesting year, to say the least.

In the meantime, please check out the following:

• I published a recipe for Pasta with Kalamata Olives, Spinach and Roasted Cherry Tomatoes in this month's issue of GRID. (See page 26)
• UrbanVegan.net was named by Blogging Health Careers as one of the top 50 blogs for healthy eating and nutrition.
• VegNews magazine featured my upcoming cookbook in their online newsletter. [Please note: The actual book will not be wire-bound! The book they photographed is a review copy, for members of the press only, hence the funky binding.]

thought for the day

As I rushing down 7th Street last week, this tree stopped me in my tracks. Somehow, the iron fence that keeps dogs [and drunks] from peeing on the trunk has impaled the tree. You'd think that someone would removed the fence years ago, when it was still possible. But this little tree was obviously on its own. After years of neglect, it just kept on growing, propelling its wrought iron baggage upward.



This humble city tree moved me to tears. It taught me more about resiliency and persistence than any Wayne Dyer program, self-help book or therapist ever could.