bruschetta with sicilian greens
serves 6
Typically Sicilian, toasted bread is topped with dark greens sautéed in olive oil and garlic with crunchy walnuts and sweet raisins. Capers and the optional red pepper flakes provide additional flavor notes.
6 cups packed fresh spinach or chard
3 cloves garlic
½ cup walnut pieces
3 tablespoons golden raisins
2 tablespoons capers
¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 baguette, cut diagonally into ½-inch slices
Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a food processor, combine the spinach, garlic, walnuts, raisins, capers, and red pepper flakes, if using. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the spinach spread and season to taste with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until the spinach is wilted and the garlic is fragrant, about 3 minutes. Keep warm while you toast the bread.
Arrange the bread slices in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake until golden brown, about 5 minutes. To serve, transfer the spinach mixture to a bowl and serve warm spooned onto the toasted bread.
two-tomato pastry purses
makes 16
Frozen vegan puff pastry is my secret weapon for easy quick-fix entertaining. Here, sweet cherry tomatoes and sun-dried tomatoes team up for a luscious filling in these flaky pastry purses.
2 teaspoons olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 scallions, minced
2 cups cherry tomatoes, chopped
¼ cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, minced
3 tablespoons chopped kalamata olives
2 tablespoons minced fresh basil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 sheet frozen vegan puff pastry, thawed
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and scallions and cook until fragrant, 30 seconds. Add the cherry tomatoes, sun-dried tomatoes, olives, and basil. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until the tomatoes release their liquid, a few minutes. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate.
Roll out the pastry on a flat surface and cut into 16 equal squares. Drain off any watery liquid from the tomato mixture. Place a teaspoonful of the tomato mixture in the center of a pastry square. Gather the four corners of the pastry and bring them to the center, pressing together to seal the filling inside the “purse.” Repeat with the remaining filling and pastry. Arrange the filled pastry purses on an ungreased baking sheet. Bake until golden brown, about 18 minutes. Serve warm.
curried puff pastry nibbles
serves 8
Almost effortless to make, these flavorful nibbles make great party fare. They’re also quite delicious served with an Indian meal.
2 tablespoons finely crushed roasted unsalted cashews (see note)
1 tablespoon mild or hot curry powder
½ teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon light brown sugar
¼ teaspoon salt
1 sheet frozen vegan puff pastry, thawed
Preheat the oven to 400°F. In a small bowl, combine the cashews, curry powder, coriander, cumin, brown sugar, and salt. Mix well and set aside.
Roll out the pastry on a work surface and brush the top lightly with water. Coat evenly with the reserved seasoning mixture. Place a sheet of parchment paper, waxed paper, or plastic wrap over the pastry and use a rolling pin to press the nuts and spices into the pastry so they adhere.
With a sharp knife or a pizza cutter, cut the pastry into two pieces, about 5 by 10 inches each. Cut each piece into ½ by 5-inch strips. Pick up each strip and twist to create a spiral “straw” and arrange on a baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining pastry strips. Bake until the pastry is golden brown, about 15 minutes. Serve warm.
note: If unsalted cashews are unavailable, use salted cashews, but omit or reduce the amount of salt used.
provençal stuffed mushrooms
makes 16
Experience the exciting flavors of Provence all stuffed inside succulent mushrooms. A great appetizer when made with smaller mushrooms, you can also stuff the filling inside four large portobellos for a delectable main dish serving 4.
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 scallions, minced
16 cremini mushroom caps, stems removed and chopped
1 large roasted red bell pepper (see here), or 1 (6-ounce) jar, drained and minced
2 tablespoons minced oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
1 teaspoon herbes de Provence
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 to 4 tablespoons dried bread crumbs
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and scallions and cook until softened, 30 seconds. Add the mushroom stems, bell pepper, sun-dried tomatoes, herbes de Provence, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring, until the mixture is softened, and well combined, about 3 minutes. Remove from the heat and sprinkle on the bread crumbs, stirring to mix. Taste and adjust the seasonings.
Stuff the mushroom caps with the stuffing and arrange in a greased shallow baking pan. Bake until the mushrooms are tender and the stuffing is hot, about 18 minutes. Serve hot.
vegetable fritters
serves 4 to 6
These easy and versatile fritters can be made with any combination of vegetables you desire. It’s a great way to use up leftover cooked veggies—just chop them up and add to the batter. You can also swap out about ¼ cup of the all-purpose flour for chickpea flour or cornmeal, for a slightly different flavor. I like to serve the fritters with vegan sour cream spiked with a little Tabasco or other hot sauce. In addition to being a good appetizer, they make a great side dish.
¾ cup all-purpose flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
½ cup nondairy milk
1 yellow onion, shredded
1 small Yukon Gold potato, shredded
1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed
½ cup frozen peas, thawed
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
1 tablespoon olive oil
Preheat the oven to 250°F. In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and pepper. Stir in the nondairy milk, onion, potato, corn, peas, and parsley and mix well to combine. The mixture should be thick.
Heat the oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Spoon 2 tablespoons of the mixture onto the hot skillet and flatten with the back of your spoon. Repeat to make as many fritters as will fit comfortably in your pan without crowding. Cook, flipping once, until browned on both sides, about 8 minutes total. Transfer the cooked fritters to a heatproof plate and keep hot in the oven while you cook the remaining fritters. Serve hot.
easy artichoke puffs
serves 4 to 6
This delicious and elegant appetizer can be assembled quickly with on-hand ingredients. For an even faster version, instead of puff pastry, spoon the filling into small bite-size phyllo cups available in the freezer case of most supermarkets.
1 sheet frozen vegan puff pastry, thawed
1 teaspoon olive oil
¼ cup minced scallions
1 (6-ounce) jar marinated artichoke hearts, drained and finely chopped
2 tablespoons finely minced oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes
1 teaspoon capers
3 tablespoons vegan cream cheese
⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat and set aside. Unfold the pastry onto a flat surface. Use a knife to cut the pastry into 16 or so squares or use a 2 to 3-inch cookie cutter to cut it into circles or other shapes. Arrange the pieces of pastry on the prepared baking sheet. Bake until puffed and golden brown, about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside. Reduce the oven temperature to 375°F.
While the pastry is baking, heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the scallions and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Add the artichokes, tomatoes, capers, cream cheese, and red pepper flakes, if using. Season to taste with salt and pepper and stir to mix well. Remove the pan from the heat.
Use your finger to press an indentation into the center of each baked pastry puff. Spoon the artichoke mixture into the centers of the pastry puffs. Bake until hot, 5 minutes. Serve hot.
jerk-spiced kale crisps
serves 4 to 6
Recipes for kale chips seem to be popping up all over. It’s great to see people so excited about eating their veggies. Although crispy kale is often served plain or with just a touch of salt, I prefer to spice mine up by sprinkling them with a jerk spice blend. If your jerk seasoning blend doesn’t contain salt, you might want to add a little extra. Watch the kale carefully when baking so it doesn’t burn—the time it takes to bake will depend on the type of kale used.
1 bunch kale
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon jerk spice blend
Salt
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Remove the tough stems from the kale and discard. Be sure your kale is dry after you wash it (use a salad spinner to do this). Tear the kale leaves into bite-size pieces and arrange on 1 or 2 baking sheets in a single layer. Bake until crisp, 10 to 15 minutes, depending on the type of kale used. Curly kale takes 15 minutes; more fragile kale takes about 10 minutes. Be careful not to burn.
Transfer the kale to a large bowl and drizzle with the olive oil. Sprinkle with the jerk spice blend and season with salt to taste. Toss gently to coat. Serve immediately. Do not refrigerate.
super nachos
serves 4 to 6
I call these nachos “super” not just because they’re super-good but because they include a bottom layer of zesty pinto beans and salsa, making them satisfying enough to enjoy as a meal. Of course, they make a “super” snack, too!
1½ cups home-cooked pinto beans, or 1 (15-ounce) can, drained and rinsed
1 cup tomato salsa
1½ teaspoons chili powder
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 ripe Hass avocado
⅓ cup nutritional yeast
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon mellow white miso paste
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 teaspoon prepared mustard
½ teaspoon onion powder
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
¾ cup nondairy milk
6 cups tortilla chips
GARNISHES
½ cup vegan sour cream
⅓ cup sliced black olives
¼ cup pickled jalapeño slices
2 tablespoons minced scallions
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Grease a 9-inch baking dish and set aside. In a small saucepan, combine the pinto beans, ½ cup of the salsa, and 1 teaspoon of the chili powder, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring, until well mixed, mashing the beans somewhat to break up and become creamy, about 4 minutes. Spread the bean mixture in the bottom of the prepared baking dish and set aside. Halve and pit the avocado, spoon out the flesh, and chop. Set aside.
In a small skillet, combine the nutritional yeast, flour, miso, lemon juice, mustard, onion powder, cumin, the remaining ½ teaspoon chili powder, and the nondairy milk. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, over medium heat until the sauce thickens, about 4 minutes.
Spread the tortilla chips on top of the bean mixture, then spoon the sauce over the tortilla chips and bake the nachos until hot, 5 minutes. Spoon the remaining ½ cup salsa on the nachos and top with the reserved avocado. Garnish with the sour cream, olives, jalapeños, and scallions. Serve immediately.