Summer is in full swing, and I’m craving lighter fare that can be whipped up in no time and doesn’t leave me wanting a nap. And, because it is the perfect time of year for them, I’m craving tomatoes something fierce. I have an aversion to non-local, out-of-season tomatoes so I get my fill of them while they’re at their delicious peak…when they’re so sweet you can eat them like an apple and so juicy you need a shower when you’re finished.

With Husband and I trying to get used to a new schedule (I got a new job so I can have evenings and weekends to focus on my photo business and some family time), we’re trying to tag team dinner. So, when Husband got home late in the evening (read: after the blistering sun had set) a couple of nights ago, he whipped up a bannock crust for us to use as a flat-bread base for some tasty Mediterranean-inspired toppings the next day. That way, we wouldn’t heat the house baking the flat-bread the following afternoon and we could just scatter the toppings on and quickly broil it to warm them a little and voila! Dinner!

And what a dinner it was! We came home the next afternoon after a long day at work and dinner prep lasted all of five minutes. When we took it out of the oven, it smelled just like a bistro entrée that we could leisurely enjoy while sitting on a patio somewhere, sipping herbaceous cocktails and people watching for hours. Okay, we ate it while sitting on our couch in our underwear and watching the second season of Community on Netflix; but, you get the idea! I have a feeling this flat-bread will join gazpacho in the summer rotation.

Mediterranean Flat-bread

-1 12″ flat-bread, prebaked (we used our bannock pizza crust recipe)

-1 cup tofu feta

-1 ripe tomato, thinly sliced

-1/4 red onion, diced

-1 cup fresh baby spinach

-1/4 cup fresh mixed herbs, chopped (I had parsley and dill on hand)

-2 oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, thinly sliced

-6 kalamata olives, pitted and chopped

-T. oil from the sun-dried tomato jar

-pinch crushed red pepper flakes

Preheat the broiler for 3-5 minutes. Lay the prebaked flat-bread on a large baking sheet.

Spread the tofu feta on the base, leaving about an inch of crust all the way around. Lay the tomato slices on top on the feta in a single layer. Scatter the remaining ingredients on top, finishing with a drizzle of oil.

Broil the flat-bread 2″ from the heat for 3-5 minutes, or until the spinach starts to crisp. Remove from oven, slice into 8 wedges and serve.

Gazpacho is the only thing I want to eat when the temperature soars past 30 degrees Celsius. There’s something about the chilled soup that is so refreshing and light; even though it feels like a hearty meal. It helps that you don’t need to turn on any appliances to make it and it comes together lightning fast. And the colour! All those delicious, bright-coloured veggies peeking out through the tomato “broth” make me sooo happy!

My recipe is a little different from most gazpacho recipes I’ve seen. Most call for breadcrumbs to be blended with the tomatoes and veggies to give you a thick, smooth soup. Granted, I’ve never tried it this way so it may be even more delicious; however, I just can’t get on-board with the idea of wet breadcrumbs. It reminds me of a childhood friend that liked to tear pieces of Wonderbread and put them in their Campbell’s tomato soup and then they would fish those soggy chunks out and eat them and it disturbed me greatly. I know, I’m crazy…hahaha.

Anyway, if you would like a refreshing and light chilled soup to enjoy while the temperatures are so high, give this soup a try! Husband and I will be living off of vats of it for the next 2.5 months.

Gazpacho

-6 cups tomato juice

-2 large tomatoes, chopped

-1 cucumber, chopped

-1 green pepper, chopped

-2 stalks celery, chopped

-1/4 of a small red onion, peeled and diced

-2 cloves garlic, peeled and minced

-1 jalapeno, seeded and minced

-1/4 cup each chopped fresh parsley and cilantro

-1/2 tsp. cumin

-2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

-the juice of each a lemon and a lime

-2 tablespoons dill pickle brine/juice (it might sound awful; but this is my “secret” ingredient and it adds something really wonderful to the dish)

Combine all the ingredients together in a large pot. Cover and chill at least 12 hours to allow the flavours to develop. Husband and I find it best the second or third day.

I know I just made a pie post last week; but, I couldn’t help myself from making another. That pie up there is just too delicious not to spread the word. I found a recipe years ago on vegweb.com for a chocolate pie using avocados in the creamy filling and after trying it, I was a total convert. Not that I needed any help converting to a lover of all things chocolate or avocado…nonetheless, the pie was life-changing.

A single 9″ pie will feed a small army; it’s so rich and decadent that a tiny sliver is enough to satiate even the most die-hard chocolate fans. That being said, it’s a surprisingly “healthy” pie: even if it tastes like the chocolate was bathed in soy cream for a week before being massaged with Earth Balance…seriously…so rich…almost truffle-y.

Another bonus to this chocolate gem is how quickly it comes together. The hardest part of course is pre-baking the shell; but, you could simply use a store-bought crust if you want to save yourself a few extra minutes. I happened to have some whole wheat pastry in the freezer so I went with that option. It’s equally delicious with a graham crust; but, vegan graham crackers/crumbs/pie shells are pretty difficult to come by in my little neck-of-the-woods. If you can find one or feel like making one, feel free! You won’t be disappointed.

Chocolate Avocado Pie

-1 9″ pie shell, baked and cooled completely

-3 medium avocados

-1 tsp. lemon juice

-1 tablespoon vanilla extract

-1.5 cups vegan chocolate chips

In a double boiler or microwave, carefully melt the chocolate until smooth and glossy.

Meanwhile, blend the avocado, lemon juice, and vanilla together in a food processor or blender until smooth.

Blend the chocolate into the avocado mixture until completely incorporated. Pour the filling into the cooled pie shell. Smooth the top with a spatula and chill for at least 4 hours, or overnight.

Don’t stop there! Think of all the delicious little surprises that could be hiding under that chocolate layer: raspberries, thinly sliced peaches, chopped nuts, candied orange slices…or maybe a little mint in the filling? The options are unlimited; that’s one of the most appealing facts about this pie. And, really, could there be a better treat to go along with your iced coffee on the deck/balcony?!

I’ll be the first to admit it, I’m a summer addict. I love the heat, humidity, sun, sand, all of it. Naturally, one of the best parts about summer is the food. I get so excited to see the seasonal produce arrive in all its multi-coloured glory; I relish my first peach, strawberry, tomato, basil leaf, and zucchini. I also look forward to the first sighting of the summer produce, the best clue as to the wonderful things to come!

A few days ago, my sister-in-law told me the rhubarb in her garden was ready for harvesting. (We have an understanding that I can have as much of it as I want as long as I share the goodies with her.) Yay! Rhubarb means summer is almost here! In a few short weeks, we will begin our crawl down the hill to shorter days and then to cooler temperatures. I feel that’s why rhubarb has such an alarming taste…it’s a wake-up call telling us that the good weather is here so get out and enjoy it because it’s gone all too quickly again (at least for those of us up in Northern Ontario).

And what’s the easiest way to enjoy summer? With a slice of pie, of course! After collecting my pie’s worth of rhubarb, I bought some lovely fresh strawberries and settled on this recipe. Anna is a girl after my own heart with her passion for sweets and baking so I knew that I wouldn’t be disappointed. After trying a bite, Husband declared it the best pie he’d ever eaten: a strong comment from a man whose favourite dessert is pie! Of course, I made a few changes to veganize the recipe and I felt the crumble topping would benefit from the use of whole wheat flour instead of all-purpose flour so I made that change, as well. Having devoured two slices last night, I can assure you that Husband’s assessment was not wrong; this pie is perfect. My veganized version is below:

Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble Pie

Crust:

-1.25 cups flour

-pinch salt

-1/4 cup each cold, cubed vegan margarine and vegan non-hydrogenated vegetable shortening (I use Earth Balance)

-2 tsp. apple cider vinegar

-1/4 cup cold water

Filling:

-4 cups chopped rhubarb

-2 cups hulled and sliced strawberries

-1 cup sugar

-3 tablespoons cornstarch

-3/4 tsp. cinnamon

-1/4 tsp. ground ginger

Crumble:

-2/3 cup whole wheat flour

-1/2 cup sugar

-1/4 tsp. freshly ground nutmeg

-pinch salt

-1/4 cup vegan margarine, melted

To make the pastry, combine flour with salt. Cut in the margarine and shortening with a pastry blender or two forks until it is the consistency of pebble-sized crumbs. Add the vinegar and water and blend till it just comes together. Shape it into a disk, wrap it in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out into a 1/4″ thick circle, large enough to fit into a 9″ pie plate. Trim and cinch the edges.

Toss the fruit with the remaining filling ingredients. Scoop it carefully into the pie shell.

Stir together all the crumble ingredients and sprinkle the mixture over the fruit. Place the pie on a baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees and bake for 45 minutes more, or until the filling bubbles.

Let cool completely before slicing.

I’m starting to feel like me again, slowly but surely. I have a long way to go, I know, but at least now I can see that there is a time in the not-so-distant future when I will not feel so utterly lost and broken.

*phew*

With that out-of-the-way, I wanted to tell you that I started cooking again this week! My sister bought us a stove top grill/griddle pan (the kind that fits over your burners) and can I get a HELLSYEAH!!! for the awesome power of the stove top grill!?! Naturally, the first thing I made was pancakes…you know me…can’t resist breakfast food or carbs of any kind! I just used my old stand-by recipe but stirred in some chocolate chips and toasted coconut (for colour, of course!) How nice it was to cook all the pancakes we needed on one pan, all at once! And how evenly they browned! We also tested the grill side out, grilling agave- and Dijon-marinated tempeh steaks one night and sweet chili lime tofu steaks the next. I have a confession…I think I like the grill side better. Blasphemy, I know; but, the grill marks! And the sizzle!

Yesterday, I made Black Bean Burgers from Hot Damn and Hell Yeah. The flavour was great but they didn’t hold together as well as I would’ve liked. I think in the future, I’ll purée the beans, veggies, and rice together before forming the patties and see if that helps. To go with those burgers, I made my very first batch of homemade hamburger buns. They were a flop. I didn’t like the recipe I used at all. They didn’t rise very well and they didn’t brown very much. The interior of the buns was surprisingly light and airy, though, and the sesame seeds scattered on the tops were a nice touch.

I’m sorry I have no photos…I have hardly touched my camera in the last two months. I’m hoping next week will be the week when inspiration takes over and I am a helpless slave to my 50mm. Keep your fingers crossed for me! And until then, thanks for your patience and understanding, dear readers. I’ve missed you.

I think I’m back! I’m finished working on the wedding I was shooting/catering. The bride will have her photo proofs this evening and then I’ll just have prints to make. Phew! Let me tell you…that was a large undertaking! I love a challenge; but, that one was really, really tough. No wonder caterers charge so much money…it is a lot of work! I cannot stress enough the newfound respect I have for the catering industry!

Now that I have time to focus on my own nutrition needs again, I’ve been trying to spend some more time in the kitchen…you know, for me. I’ve made a couple berry crisps, I tried the Pineapple Right-Side-Up Cupcakes from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World (which were luscious in a way words can’t convey), and I’ve been whipping up waffles like each batch is my last meal! With all this bakery love going on, I figured it was high-time to detoxify with some salad love!

That ruby-themed jewel of a salad up there was dinner a few nights ago. It consisted of organic baby spring mix, shredded carrot, crunchy celery, baked tofu croutons, roasted beets, cremini mushroom slices, juicy vine tomatoes, and thin slices of radish tossed with a simple lemon and herb vinaigrette. It was a delicious “kitchen-sink” style salad…I just kept tossing in whatever looked fresh and colourful until my salad bowl was full. It couldn’t have been simpler to make and it was surprisingly filling.

Now if only all garden salads could be this interesting!

As a vegan, one of the things I get the most frustrated by is the near-complete absence of prepared granola that does not contain honey or milk ingredients or both. Every single time I shop, I always check the granola in the store to see if there is a single vegan option available to purchase…salivating at the wonderful combinations of flavours available in today’s granola; but, I very rarely find one that I can actually take home and enjoy.

That being said, granola is ridiculously easy to prepare at home and after having a hippie-hankering for the crunchy treat for almost three weeks, I finally got around to making some. Some time ago, I stumbled upon this recipe. I loved it! Everybody I shared it with loved it! Of course, I made a few changes to it and after taking a quick peak through my cupboards yesterday morning, I realized I had everything I needed to bake up a batch for Husband and I. Can I just say that the aroma of this granola in the oven is nothing short of divine?

And the flavour is incredible! My sister came over for lunch yesterday and we ended up only having a small spinach salad because we were picking at the granola for an hour before we ate…we couldn’t keep away from it!

I have a severe case of ginger-love; so, my alterations included subbing ginger for raisins and upping the amount of ground ginger in the recipe. I think it’s marvelous this way; but, by all means, if you aren’t as big of a ginger-fan as I am, follow the original recipe’s amount.

Chai-Spiced Granola

-1/4 cup each agave nectar, dark brown sugar, water, and vegetable oil

-1/2 tsp. each cinnamon and ginger

-1/4 tsp. each salt, cardamom, and allspice

-1/8 tsp. each freshly ground nutmeg and black pepper

-2 cups rolled oat flakes

-1/2 cup each kamut flakes,  raw almonds, and pumpkin seeds

-1/4 cup each wheat germ and sesame seeds

-1/2 cup each diced dried apple and diced crystallized ginger

-1/4 cup unsweetened, shredded coconut

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, stir together the agave, sugar, water, oil, and spices. Heat until the sugar dissolves, stirring occasionally.

Meanwhile, combine all other ingredients except apples, crystallized ginger, and coconut in a large bowl. Add the liquid mixture to the oat mixture and toss well to coat.

Spread the mixture out evenly on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to 275 degrees. Stir the granola to prevent from burning and return it to the oven for another 15 minutes.

Turn off the oven, stir the dried fruit into the mixture and return the tray to the oven to cool completely. Store the granola in a sealed container.

I just wanted to share this photo with you. It makes me smile every time I look at it and thought it would be a nice way to wish everyone a super sweet weekend (teehee)!

And yes, they are Cherry Crème Chocolate Cupcakes from the infamous Vegan Cupcakes Take Over The World. And yes, they’re as perfect as they look. I had to give most of them away so I wouldn’t be tempted to just stand over the cooling rack and scoop the filling and cherries out of each and every one of them with my tongue. I only did that to two of them…such restraint!

Please excuse my absense. I’ll try to be back in the next week or two with a little something for you.

Few things make me happier in the morning then a freshly baked scone. Having a couple to chew on between sips of strong Earl Grey tea gives me immense pleasure and starts my day off in such a way that I am assured that the rest of my day will be as enjoyable as my breakfast was, if for no other reason than I can simply recall how wonderful my breakfast was throughout the day and maintain my euphoria.

I let Husband sleep in this past weekend and puttered around the house while he stayed curled up under our down-alternative duvet. I worked out a little, did some tidying, caught up on some reading and decided it was the perfect morning for scones. I figured it would be a marvelous way for Husband to wake up…the aroma of fresh-baked goods luring him from slumber.

Naturally, I turned to Vegan Brunch to find a new recipe to try. I went to the scone recipe and discovered a variation on the page that seemed heavenly: apple rosemary scones. The combination was just too enticing! I was powerless to resist it and started prepping the ingredients and preheating the oven immediately.  A little over a half hour later, I was pulling a sheet of the most fragrant scones I have ever had the pleasure of smelling out of my oven. The aroma woke Husband and he stumbled into the kitchen like a zombie in search of food.

We enjoyed them immensely for breakfast that morning, still warm and torn roughly in half so I could smear the steaming interior with a little Earth Balance, you know…to ensure they weren’t too dry *wink*. The apple rosemary combination is nothing short of brilliant. The rosemary adds a wonderful, unexpected dimension to the simple treat. I brought a couple to work later that morning for my co-workers and those boys inhaled them! One of my co-workers told me he couldn’t believe a vegan baked good could be so decadent and he’d never heard of the flavour combination before. I’d call that another win for vegan baked goods everywhere!