Monthly Archives: February 2016

Yesterday, the class had the pleasure of making a variety of pâtes, butters, and spreads. Pâtes are traditionally made with cooked meat and fat minced into a spreadable paste. Butters and spread are usually very fattening and has a lot of dairy included. I can see how it can be intimidating for vegetarians to recreate those items or even to convert others. But it was definitely an experience to have explored; all of the different spices and textures that mimic non-vegetarian dishes.

I have never tried pâtes, nor do I really want to, but the herd-crusted peppercorn lentil-nut pâte I’m sure comes close in comparison and I was surprised at how sort of meaty and juicy it was. The other pâtes were also thick and meaty in texture, making them more hearty and filling than the spreads. Pertaining to the spreads, I was really surprised as to how certain ingredients combined works well on the palate; for instance I never would have thought to put carrots with almond butter and miso or brussels sprouts with mushroom as a pâte.

People typically associate vegetables with drab colors and bland flavors but that was not the case in our class. The only exception were the pâtes. The prices for each dish are pretty affordable to anyone trying to make homemade and healthy spreads or pâtes. Also, the ingredients used in each pâte and spreads are everyday pantry items; some you may have to splurge but it is worth it because of the immediate energy and health benefits

Included are the assortments of pâtes and spreads:

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Carrot-Almond Spread and Artichoke Pesto

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Sunflower Seed and Sundried Tomato Pâtes

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Herbed-Crusted Peppercorn Lentil-Nut Pâtes

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Moutabel (Eggplant Spread)

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Skordalia (Greek Garlic Potato Spread)

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Carrot Spread with Harissa and Pistachios  

 

 

 

Sweet Potato Butter and Herb Farm Spread

Week 2: Soups

This week was a learning experience that was a pleasure to be a part of when creating the plant-based soups. Although, I had been a vegetarian for over a decade, I was intrigued by the process of making vegan soups. I was greatly impressed, not only by the powerful flavor concepts, but by how inexpensive each soup was, after it had been costed, which allowed the soups to be more achievable to make outside of the class without having to purchase exuberantly priced ingredients.

One of the most surprising items that we made in class was the eggless mayonnaise which tasted very similar to the original version. This goes to show that while many of us find a vegan lifestyle expensive and consists of flavorless food based on how this cuisine is labeled publicly. Now, this has been challenged especially with innovative recipes that allow this cuisine to be cost efficient enough to not exceed anyone’s budget while not lacking in any flavor components.

This week, our class had the pleasure of making international soups that used a limited amount of animal products. Below are the soups that we created.

Vegetable Matzo Ball Soup

Vegetable Matzo Ball Soup

 

Black Bean Soup with Tofu Sour Cream

Black Bean Soup with Tofu Sour Cream

 

Butternut Squash Soup with Green Herb Oil

Butternut Squash Soup with Green Herb Oil

 

Thai Red Lentil Soup with Chili Oil

Thai Red Lentil Soup with Chili Oil

 

Spicy Chickpea and Bulgur Soup with Creamed Feta Paste and Tofu-Cilantro Sour Cream

Spicy Chickpea and Bulgur Soup with Creamed Feta Paste and Tofu-Cilantro Sour Cream