Pumpkin & Sage Perogies

By Pam Hadder

One of the comfort foods I grew up with was perogies - my Mother's German and Russian heritage meant a lot of savory, stick-to-your-ribs (and other body parts) cooking!  Of course, my Mom and her siblings were long and lean like super models - they were active and helped on the farm so they could burn it all off :) Most of us today are much more calorie conscious!

As a vegan, I was missing the succulent, tender dumplings, that my dear Momma filled with yummy potato and cheddar cheese, AND topped with bacon bits, green onion AND sour cream (just in case there wasn't enough calories in the cheese LOL! My little brothers used to compete with each other to see who could eat the most - OMG (oink oink)!!!

I can never eat that kind of food again - wouldn't want to, in all honesty.  However, I thought if I could find a good vegan perogy dough recipe, I'd fill the dumplings with one of my favourite veggies instead: pumpkin.  I was pleasantly surprised to find several vegan perogy dough recipes online, but couldn't find a good pumpkin filling.  I scoured through scores of pasta recipes, thinking someone MUST have a pumpkin ravioli recipe I could adapt... but no such luck.  So I did a little experimenting! 

The good news is that my experiment paid off - my kids and family all enjoyed these.  The recipe makes about five dozen medium-sized perogies (about 3" in length and 2" at the widest part). The even better news is that these yummy tidbits are satisfying and so much lower in calories and fat.   I served my Pumpkin & Sage Perogies with Gentle Gravy (vegan mushroom gravy**), but you could also top them with fried onions, crisp-fried Shitake mushrooms 
(tastes like bacon!), and/or vegan sour cream.  I will include my fav Vegan Sour Cream recipe with this post also.   These are so worth the effort... the dough is dreamy, soft, super easy to make and easily worked, and this recipe is easily halved.  What more could you ask for? Happy cooking :)

Pam's Pumpkin & Sage Perogies

Dough Ingredients
4 cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp. sea salt
1-1/4 cup  warm water
1/2 cup canola oil
Note: you will need 2 Tbsp. vegan margarine - for after they are cooked
Dough MethodMix together the flour and salt in a large bowl. Combine the oil and warm water and mix into the flour.  When the flour is mostly combined, knead the dough with your hands for about five minutes - it will be slightly sticky, but try not to add any more flour, as it will make your dough tough.  When the dough feels smooth, pat it into a ball and cover the bowl with plastic wrap.  Let the dough stand for 30 minutes. While the dough is resting, start making your filling.

After 30 minutes, knead the dough slightly and divide the dough in four parts.  Roll out the first piece on a lightly floured surface - about 1/8" thick.  Cut the dough into circles with a biscuit cutter or, as I do, with a floured drinking glass (about 3" diameter will work nicely). Add a rounded teaspoon of filling (approx.) to one half of each circle, fold over and pinch the edges to seal.

The completed perogies will look like little crescent moon shapes.  Set the assembled perogies aside on a clean cotton tea towel in neat rows, taking care to not let them touch - or they will stick together.  It's okay if the surfaces dry - perogy dough is a bit like pasta and the perogies will soften when boiled.

Ideally, you will have two people assembling the perogies - a cutter and a filler.  I made mine solo the last time, but it really goes quickly and is more fun with company!  When your perogies are all made up, drop about 18 at a time into a large pot of boiling, salted water.  Perogies don't take long to cook - as soon as they float to the surface, scoop them out with a slotted spoon, and cook another batch.

Place the cooked perogies into a casserole dish and add margarine (a tsp. or two at a time, with each batch you cook) - tossing gently to keep them from sticking together. I use a non-stick, wok-style skillet to boil my perogies - it heats up quickly and has perfect depth, as well as a wide surface area to keep the dumplings from sticking.  You may wish to give the perogies a very gentle stir once or twice while cooking - this also ensures that they don't stick together or stick to the bottom of the pot/skillet.  Some folks a) deep-fry or b) lightly pan-fry perogies - boiled is much healthier, but you can easily take the boiled variety and lightly brown them in a non-stick skillet before you serve them: yum! They also reheat nicely in a microwave, and freeze exceptionally well. Pre-freeze the dumplings on a cookie sheet.  When they are frozen, transfer them to freezer bags - this keeps them from mushing together!  After all that work, you need to treat these little morsels with respect ;)
 
Filling Ingredients
2 cups cooked pumpkin or other sweet winter squash
3 medium potatoes (any variety), cooked and mashed
2 Tbsp. olive oil
2 medium sized onions, finely chopped
12 ounces crimini mushrooms, finely chopped
1 tsp. dried, ground sage
1/2 tsp. sweet paprika
Salt and pepper, to taste

Filling Method
Heat the oil in a medium sized skillet, heating to medium-high.  Add in onion and cook, stirring constantly until the onions are translucent (about 5-7 minutes).  Stir in the mushrooms and all seasonings, cooking a few more minutes.  In a medium bowl, mash together the pumpkin and potatoes until well-combined and creamy in texture.  Stir in the onion/mushroom mixture.  Allow the filling to cool somewhat before beginning to fill your dumplings.

So Easy - Vegan Sour Cream

Ingredients
16 ounces silken tofu
1 Tbsp. olive oil (or canola oil)
5 Tbsp. freshly squeezed lemon juice, strained
2 tsp. apple cider vinegar, strained if necessary
1/2 tsp. sugar
1/2 tsp. salt
(you may wish to adjust the salt and sugar to taste - slightly less or more)

Method
Place all ingredients in a blender and process on high until smooth. Use within 5 days

**My secret weapon for the mushroom gravy... add a little Vermouth or other high quality sweet white wine with the vegetable broth.  So nice with the flavours in this recipe xox.

Chickpeas Please - Yummy Channa Dal!

By Pam Hadder

Indian curries for the holidays? Why not!  My family and friends are eclectic and so is our feast.  This easy and delicious recipe for Channa Dal (spicy Indian chickpeas) can be warmly savoury or fiery hot, depending on your taste.  It's fantastic over rice, with a lush green salad, or in a pita with your favourite greens - you name it, it's simply delish... AND easy to make too.  Here's the recipe for you to try and enjoy xox.


Ingredients: 
2 large cans of chickpeas (about 3 to 3-1/2 cups)
2 medium yellow onions, finely diced
2 cloves minced garlic
2 Tbsp. freshly grated ginger root
2 tsp. turmeric
1 tsp. ground cumin
2 tsp. ground coriander
1-2  tsp. hot curry powder or cayenne (adjust to taste)
2 Tbsp. vegan margarine
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 cup chopped cilantro (garnish)
Salt, to taste
1 litre vegetable broth

Method:
Rinse and drain the chickpeas.  Place in a medium saucepan with the vegetable broth, stirring in the turmeric, cumin, coriander, and curry. Cover and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.  Reduce heat and simmer loosely covered for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, melt the margarine with the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add in the onion and cook until soft and clear.  Stir in the garlic and fresh grated ginger and cook a few minutes longer - the onions should be slightly caramelized.   Add the chickpeas and all liquid they are in to the large skillet with onion mixture.  Mix to combine and simmer for another 10-15 minutes.  Serve with cilantro as a garnish.  Finely chopped fresh tomato is also a lovely garnish, as is vegan (non-dairy/no gelatin) yogurt.

Try varying this recipe by adding chopped tomato and cauliflower to the onion and garlic mixture, and by varying the levels of hot curry spice. 

Pumpkin Lasagna

By Pam Hadder

Another holiday season has come and gone. My home and kitchen are small and humble, but I always like to think BIG for holiday meals. It's casual and hearty, and I really have fun adapting traditional family favourites like turkey stuffing to my vegan diet. I also love to try new recipes and flavours.

I am a strict vegan, but my kids and family members are not, so the holiday feast presents challenges.  I have to be realistic and compromise - so, I still cook a turkey and make an orange jelly salad for the children (icky!), but all other dishes are vegan.  

This year the feast included an eclectic mix: vegan samosas with tamarind sauce, Channa Dal, whole grain buns, spinach salad with Mandarin orange and red onion courtesy of my sister, Sooz; cauliflower and carrots; cranberry sauce,  stuffing, gentle (mushroom) gravy, vegan cabbage rolls (thanx Mom!), mashed potatoes, pumpkin lasagna, assorted vegan dainties, and red wine sangria :)

Here is the recipe for my pumpkin lasagna - I was planning to make pumpkin perogies, but ran out of steam, and so the lasagna was born!  Hope you will try the recipe and enjoy it - fair warning, lasagna making  is more of a method, but I have done my best to give you accurate measures and proportions.  You will find it is very forgiving and simple to make, and whether or not you are vegan, I think you will appreciate the savoury and satisfying results :)

Pam's Pumpkin Lasagna

Ingredients:
One pkg. oven ready lasagna noodles
5 cups cooked and puréed pumpkin
2 cups sliced shiitake mushrooms
2 medium cooking onions, finely diced
1-2 cloves minced garlic
2 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
2 tsp. summer savoury
1/3 cup of Vermouth or other sweet white wine
4 cups marinara sauce (home-made or store-bought)
4 large tomatoes, thinly sliced
Assortment of vegan cheese, finely grated (I use Italian flavour and cheddar flavour soy cheeses, Daiya Jack cheese, and soy Parmesan)
Fresh nutmeg, to taste
1 litre vegetable broth (home-made or store-bought)

Method:
To create the pumpkin filling, sauté the onion in the olive oil until clear.  Add the garlic and mushrooms and cook a bit longer - the mushrooms should be lightly browned, but take care not to burn the garlic.  Add in the Vermouth, savory and pumpkin, stirring to combine.  Add in enough of the broth to make a runny consistency - when working with the oven-ready lasagna noodles, additional moisture is essential.  When the mixture begins to bubble, cover and simmer for 25- 30 minutes to combine the flavours.  Meanwhile, grate the cheeses and set aside - you will need about 3-4 cups volume of grated cheese.

Preheat the oven to 350 and assemble your lasagna.  Begin with a 9 x 13 baking dish or medium-size lasagna pan.  Spread half of the marinara sauce on the bottom of the pan and place three dry noodles on top - do not worry if the lasagna noodles do not cover the whole bottom, as they expand when they cook.  Spread 1/3 of the pumpkin over the first layer of noodles. Add three more dry lasagna noodles, topped with 1/3 of the pumpkin sauce and a layer of sliced tomatoes (use half of the tomato slices).  Add a third layer of dry lasagna noodles and top with the final 1/3 of the pumpkin filling and top this layer with the second half of the tomato slices. Add a final layer of dry lasagna noodles, topped with the final 1/2 of the marinara sauce.  Spread your mixture of grated soy cheeses over top (use 1/2 of the 3-4 cup amount),  and grate the fresh nutmeg over top.  Reserve half of the cheese for later use - keep in the fridge. Cover the lasagna loosely with foil - creating a dome-like cover so that the cheese will not stick. Bake for 1.5 hours.  Remove the lasagna from the oven, and test noodles for tenderness.  If the noodles are not tender, you may need to add a few tablespoons of water or broth, re-cover with foil and bake for another 15 minutes.

If tender, top casserole with the reserved cheese and return to oven - broil for 5-7 minutes until cheese is lightly browned and bubbly.  Remove from the oven and allow to rest 10 - 12 minutes before cutting into squares.  This lasagna can be varied using layers of your favourite veggies  in place of/or in addition to the fresh tomato slices - for example Japanese eggplant, zucchini or chopped broccoli.

This lasagna, like meat-based lasagna, is even better (and easier to portion!) on the second day.  I hope you will try making this and that you will enjoy putting your own stamp on this recipe by varying seasonings and vegetable choices xox.

Gentle Thanks

By Pam Hadder

Thanksgiving has come and gone in a blur of autumn leaves and cool, smokey air.  This year was a particularly fast-forward experience as I continue to fight for space in my life to accommodate my three loves: art, music and the written word.

Other challenges... I am a vegan among omnivores, and I have a very small war-time house - the solution was to cook it all vegan, with the exception of the traditional turkey and gravy, and keep it buffet style!  I just love cooking for a big mess-hall size crowd - I guess the attraction for me is that it accentuates that feeling of community and abundance! Maybe one day I'll have a big kitchen and an expansive dining area where my grandiose culinary imaginations can be unleashed without me feeling like a novice tight rope performer...once false step and... lol

This year I served (all vegan): mashed potatoes, mixed root vegetable bake, dressing, cranberry sauce, mushroom gravy, lentil loaf, spelt berry salad, strawberry spinach salad, multigrain baguettes, assorted pickles and olives; and pumpkin pie with a ginger snap crust and cashew cream topping - oh, and lots of lovely vino, of course! I must say, the feast was tremendously appreciated by everyone, and I had fun preparing it all.

I was a little surprised at how fast the lentil loaf got devoured - I must admit I was hoping for leftovers for Monday's lunch!  And due to requests for the lentil loaf recipe, I am posting it, along with my recipe for mushroom gravy. I hope you will try these great, easy recipes and enjoy them with those who are near and dear to you xoxo.

Holiday Lentil Loaf

Ingredients:
2/3 cup green lentils (uncooked measure)
1 cup finely chopped cooking onion
2 tsp. olive oil
2 cloves minced garlic
2 tsp. summer savory
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 Tbsp. flour
1 tsp. tamari or soy sauce
3/4 cup tomato sauce
3/4 cup finely crumbled multi-grain bread (I use Squirrel Bread)
3/4 finely chopped walnuts (or other favourite nuts)
2 tsp. vegan margarine

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Rinse and clean the lentils; place in a medium pot with about 4-5 inches of water covering them.  Bring to a boil over medium heat; reduce heat and simmer for 25-30 minutes - lentils are ready when they can be easily squished with the back of a spoon; try testing a couple on a small plate if you are not sure of done-ness :)  Drain the lentils well, and set aside.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a medium non-stick skillet and saute the onion over med-high heat.  When onions are clear and softened, stir in the garlic and cook a few more minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and stir in the flour, seasonings and soy, cooking a few more minutes; stirring constantly.  Then add in the tomato sauce and stir to combine and heat through (about 5 minutes more).  

Combine the cooked lentils, crumbled bread, nuts and tomato sauce mixture in a medium bowl and stir well to combine.  Butter a Pyrex loaf pan with the vegan margarine, and spoon the loaf mixture into the pan; packing it down slightly.  Place loaf in the oven, uncovered, and bake for 25-35 minutes.

Variation: Substitute Italian seasoning mix for the summer savory, and make a topping sauce using 1/3 cup ketchup, 1 Tbsp. brown sugar, 1/2 tsp. dry mustard and a dash of dried crushed red chilies.  Spoon this over the loaf in the pan before baking - great sweet barbecue flavour!

Mushroom Gravy

Ingredients:
3/4 cup of your favourite mushrooms: crimini, morel and shitake are particularly delicious, but white button are fine too :)
1 medium onion, diced finely

1/4 cup vegan margarine, or olive oil

1/4 cup flour

3 cups vegetable stock

1/2 tsp. sea salt

1 tsp. soy sauce

1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

2 tsp. summer savory or poultry seasoning

Method:
Melt the margarine in a medium non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Saute the mushrooms and onions.  When mushrooms are golden brown, and onion is translucent in appearance, stir in the flour, soy, salt, pepper and seasonings.  Stir continuously for 4-5 minutes, and then gradually add in the veg broth.  Bring to a boil, stirring constantly, then reduce heat and cover until serving time.  Delicious with lentil loaf, and on mashed potatoes and dressing :)

The Chocolate Fix

By Pam Hadder

For those of us that LOVE chocolate, there is nothing quite like the aroma of pure cocoa goodness wafting through the house, married with fresh coffee brewing. 

Yes, every once in a while, this girl needs some chocolate-themed therapy! Of course, like all sensory moments, it's nicest when shared with a like-minded soul, but if you are flying solo, fear not - baking a decadent treat like this can blossom into a romantic, sensual moment without the commitment and emotional baggage - it's a sticky kiss that is guaranteed to make your heart sing, your lips smile and will leave your head reeling with dreamy thoughts ;)

Whenever you are craving some sweetness, this easy vegan  brownie recipe fills the order and I appreciate that it does not call for any hard-to-find ingredients.  I adapted this recipe from one found on the Vegan Recipes app for iPhone (yes, a fav resource!).

This brownie recipe was a big hit with visiting friends and family - which was a blessing  because the recipe makes a large cake pan (9 x 13) of  brownies!  So the next time I make them, I will likely make half the recipe and will also cut back on the fat by replacing half the oil with some apple sauce or prune purée (too much of a great thing, perhaps?).  Hope you will give this great recipe a whirl and let me know how it goes xox.

Pam's Easy Vegan Brownies

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1- 1/2 cups white sugar
3/4 cups cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup chopped walnuts (or pecans)
1 cup canola oil (use half and add 1/3 cup apple sauce or prune purée)
1 cup soy milk (plain, vanilla or chocolate)
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
1 Tbsp. vegan margarine
2-3 bars Lindt chocolate (dairy free - silver wrapper)

Method:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.  Butter a 9 x 13 glass baking dish with 1 Tbsp. vegan margarine, and set aside.  (NOTE: if you are using a metal pan, you can increase the oven temp to 350.)

Combine the flour, sugar, cocoa, salt, cinnamon, nuts and baking powder in a medium-size bowl and set aside.  Mix the oil, soy milk and vanilla extract and stir into the dry ingredients to form a smooth batter. Bake for 35 - 45 minutes - brownies are done when an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Take care not to over-bake, as they should be moist inside - just not raw!

While the brownies are baking, unwrap the Lindt bars and break them into pieces.  As soon as the hot pan comes out of the oven, distribute the chocolate bar pieces over the top.  Once the chocolate pieces are softened (3-5 minutes), spread the chocolate with an icing or butter knife to form the frosting.  To speed the setting of the icing, loosely cover the pan with foil and place in the fridge for 15 minutes.  

The Chocolate Fix

By Pam Hadder

For those of us that LOVE chocolate, there is nothing quite like the aroma of pure cocoa goodness wafting through the house, married with fresh coffee brewing. 

Yes, every once in a while, this girl needs some chocolate-themed therapy! Of course, like all sensory moments, it's nicest when shared with a like-minded soul, but if you are flying solo, fear not - baking a decadent treat like this can blossom into a romantic, sensual moment without the commitment and emotional baggage - it's a sticky kiss that is guaranteed to make your heart sing, your lips smile and will leave your head reeling with dreamy thoughts ;)

Whenever you are craving some sweetness, this easy vegan  brownie recipe fills the order and I appreciate that it does not call for any hard-to-find ingredients.  I adapted this recipe from one found on the Vegan Recipes app for iPhone (yes, a fav resource!).

This brownie recipe was a big hit with visiting friends and family - which was a blessing  because the recipe makes a large cake pan (9 x 13) of  brownies!  So the next time I make them, I will likely make half the recipe and will also cut back on the fat by replacing half the oil with some apple sauce or prune purée (too much of a great thing, perhaps?).  Hope you will give this great recipe a whirl and let me know how it goes xox.

Pam's Easy Vegan Brownies

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1- 1/2 cups white sugar
3/4 cups cocoa powder
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. sea salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup chopped walnuts (or pecans)
1 cup canola oil (use half and add 1/3 cup apple sauce or prune purée)
1 cup soy milk (plain, vanilla or chocolate)
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
1 Tbsp. vegan margarine
2-3 bars Lindt chocolate (dairy free - silver wrapper)

Method:
Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit.  Butter a 9 x 13 glass baking dish with 1 Tbsp. vegan margarine, and set aside.  (NOTE: if you are using a metal pan, you can increase the oven temp to 350.)

Combine the flour, sugar, cocoa, salt, cinnamon, nuts and baking powder in a medium-size bowl and set aside.  Mix the oil, soy milk and vanilla extract and stir into the dry ingredients to form a smooth batter. Bake for 35 - 45 minutes - brownies are done when an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Take care not to over-bake, as they should be moist inside - just not raw!

While the brownies are baking, unwrap the Lindt bars and break them into pieces.  As soon as the hot pan comes out of the oven, distribute the chocolate bar pieces over the top.  Once the chocolate pieces are softened (3-5 minutes), spread the chocolate with an icing or butter knife to form the frosting.  To speed the setting of the icing, loosely cover the pan with foil and place in the fridge for 15 minutes.  

A Little Spice :)

By Pam Hadder

My adventures in vegan cooking continue!  Tonight I was very excited to come across a recipe for vegan ginger cookies and was delighted when they passed the ultimate test - my eleven-year-old son's discriminating taste buds :)

Ginger cookies are his favourite home-baked treat, and the soft, chewy recipe I used to make (Mary Moore cookbook) was a standard in our home.  So, to replace that recipe with a vegan alternative seemed a bit "pie in the sky", however, I tried a recipe from the Vegan Recipes for iPhone app this evening and the rest is history.

I am so happy to share this recipe - not only does it require no exotic ingredients, it's quick and easy to whip up a batch of the dough! The next time I make these, I am going to substitute Malibu Black rum for the 1/3 cup of water...but that's to be continued (wink) - I just think the rum taste would be heavenly with all of those spicy flavours.  I hope you will bake a batch of these amazing cookies, and enjoy them with a great cup of coffee, tea or soy milk xox!

Ginger Molasses Cookies

Ingredients:
3/4 cup softened vegan margarine
1-1/4 cup white sugar (divided use)
3/4 cup molasses
1/4 tsp. sea salt
2 tsp. ground ginger
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. nutmeg
1/2 tsp. cloves
1/3 cup water
1 - 1/2 tsp. baking soda
3/4 cup Thompson raisins, rinsed and drained
2 - 1/2 cups all purpose flour
Candied ginger pieces, cut into small pieces, for garnish (optional)

Method:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Mix together the margarine and 1 cup of the sugar until creamy, then beat in the molasses, salt, and spices until well-combined.  Stir the baking soda into the water and gradually mix it into the margarine mixture.  Add in the flour and raisins, stirring to fully combine - the dough will be moist and slightly sticky. Place the reserved 1/4 cup sugar in a small bowl.  Roll the cookie dough in balls about the size of a large walnut, dip one half in the sugar and place sugar-side-up on aluminium baking sheets; garnish with a piece of ginger in the centre, and place the cookies about 2" apart.  Bake 12 minutes, allowing to cool slightly before removing from baking sheets.  Makes about 36 cookies.