Yay for Yeast!

Saccharomyces Song

I baked a loaf of raisin bread
With dense and hearty whole wheat flour.
I know we’ll scarf down ev’ry shred.

The yeast has formed a foamy head.
I stir in spices, milk that’s sour.
To make a loaf of raisin bread.

And now dried fruits I shall embed.
I knead, then form, then wait an hour
Or two, to let rise ev’ry shred

Of yeast, which on molasses fed.
Now stretch the gluten, raise the power
To make a loaf of raisin bread.

I wait a time still racked with dread,
Busy myself with bowls to scour.
Until I fill the pan with ev’ry shred

Of dough, and place it in its bed--
The oven. Now let us devour!
And there remains no crumb, no shred--
We ate that loaf of raisin bread!


This week I'm excited about yeast--Saccharomyces cerevisiae, if you will. It's not new to me or anything, but come on--yeast is just so cool! It makes dough rise! In my kitchen, yeast made me a fantastic pizza* and a hearty loaf of cinnamon raisin bread. Here's the bread recipe.


Whole Wheat Cinnamon Raisin Bread
1 tbsp active dry yeast
1/4 cup warm water (approx 110F)
1 1/4 cups buttermilk, room temperature or a bit warmer--I used soymilk with about 1 T vinegar stirred in
1/4 cup molasses
2 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
1 cup whole wheat flour
2 - 2 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
2/3 cups raisins

In a large bowl, combine yeast and warm water. Let stand for 5-10 minutes until foamy.
Mix in soured soymilk, molasses, salt, cinnamon and whole wheat flour. Stir well. Gradually mix in white whole wheat flour, stirring with a wooden spoon until dough pulls away from the sides of the bowl. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface, adding a bit more flour as you go to keep it from sticking, and knead until smooth and elastic, about 5-7 minutes (it won't get quite as smooth as breads made with other flours, but it will still be a bit stretchy). Place in a lightly greased bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let stand for 1 1/2 - 2 hours, until doubled in size.
Preheat oven to 375F.
Turn bread out onto a lightly floured surface and gently deflate. Shape into a rectangle, then form into a log by folding the short ends into the center, then pulling the long ends up and pinching them together. Place dough seam-side down into a greased 8x4 inch loaf pan. Let rise for 45-60 minutes.
Bake at 375F for 35-40 minutes. Remove from pan and cool completely on a wire rack before slicing and toasting.
Makes 1 loaf.


*In case you're curious about the pizza toppings, I used the silken tofu pesto from the Fatfree Vegan, a sliced fresh tomato, a handful of chopped dried tomatoes, and a pine-nut "cheese" topping. I'll confess that this was my first try at a faux cheese, and I had my doubts going into it. But it turned out really well, just the thing to put on pizza, in my book!

A Savory Supper Song

for Thai Lime and Lentil Soup

Last night I made a soup of flavors bold.
Desiring that we both be warm and fed,
I filled up our bowls with all they could hold.

The day was cheerless, grey and rainy, cold,
But on the stove there simmered lentils red,
For I had made a soup of flavors bold.

Then later, when the kitchen timer tolled
I added lime juice, nabbed a loaf of bread,
And filled up our bowls with all they could hold.

The spices, stewed, had dyed the dish deep gold;
Made fragrant scents which to the table led.
Last night I made a soup of flavors bold.

Herbs to be chiffonaded I first rolled,
Then sliced and scattered o’er their sav’ry bed.
I filled up our bowls with all they could hold.

And after just one bite, we both were sold.
“Feel free to make this one again,” B. said.
I filled up our bowls with all they could hold.
And then we ate my soup of flavors bold.

The cold and wet weather is setting in around here, which means it's definitely time for soup. This new take on lentil soup was the product of both desperation and inspiration. I really, really wanted a nice, hot dinner, but I also didn't want to make a trip to the store. Lentil soup seemed like the obvious choice--it's simple and can be made with pantry staples. So I reached for the red lentils and a can of tomatoes. Right behind the can of tomatoes, though, was a can of coconut milk, and that got me going in a whole new direction.

Here's the recipe.

Thai Lime and Lentil Soup

1 and 1/2 cups dry red lentils
5 cups water
14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
14.5 oz can light coconut milk
1 lime
1 T fresh ginger, sliced
1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped into large chunks
3 cloves garlic, sliced
1/2 cup vegetable stock
1/2 tsp. turmeric
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. coriander
12-15 leaves Thai basil, chiffonaded (more if you want a nice garnish)

Bring the 5 cups water and 1 cup of the lentils to a boil in a medium-sized saucepan. Simmer uncovered until lentils are mushy, about 20 minutes.

In the food processor, puree the ginger, jalapeno, and garlic with the stock until smooth. In a large stock pot, cook the aromatic puree over medium heat for about 5 minutes.

Zest the lime straight into the stock pot.

Add the spices and cook about 2 minutes longer.

Meanwhile, whiz the cooked lentils, the coconut milk, and the tomatoes in the food processor. It doesn't need to be a smooth puree, some small chunks are fine.

Pour the lentil mixture into the stock pot and bring up to a simmer.

Add the remaining 1/2 cup of dry lentils and cook, uncovered, for another 15 minutes or so.

Stir in the ribbons of Thai basil.

Slice the zested lime and add the juice of one half into the soup.

Salt to taste, and cook just a few minutes longer, for the flavors to blend.


This really hit the spot on our nasty November night! Try it with some good bread and a green salad for a hearty meal.

Festive Salad and Halloween Burritos

A Festive Salad

Of berries red and basil green,
And avocado, luscious treat,
I’ll make a salad, fresh cuisine!

The dressing adds a subtle sheen.
Modena’s vinegar I shall beat
For berries red and basil green.

I tear the leaves and wash them clean.
Then chop the berries, small and sweet.
We’ll have our salad, fresh cuisine!

This fare will surely keep us lean,
Let’s nibble ‘til we are replete
With berries red and basil green.

The bits of berries lurk between
The leaves of romaine—frilly, neat!
We’ll have our salad, fresh cuisine!

I’ll toss it in a blue tureen
Then serve it for us both to eat.
I’ll make a salad, fresh cuisine,
Of berries red and basil green.


B. and I have been having this salad a lot lately. It's simple to put together but really astonishingly delicious. The base greens (meaning base only in the sense of providing structure, not derogatorily at all!) are red and green romaine, but any lettuce you like would be fine. The greens are topped with diced strawberries and avocado, plus a small handful of chiffonaded basil leaves. It's really the dressing that ties the whole thing together. Here's the recipe.

1 tsp. balsalmic vinegar
2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
1/2 tsp. or so brown sugar
hearty grind of black pepper

That makes enough to dress two servings generously.


Here's a semi-literary note. I was recently reading Ruth Reichl's Comfort Me with Apples, the second installment in her trilogy of memoirs. This volume primarily deals with her entry into the world of restaurant reviewing. Anyway, I was surprised and amused to read about the first time she encountered balsalmic vinegar, in the mid-1970s. She had no idea what it was, nor did any of her companions! I guess it's not really surprising, given the time, but for some reason imagining Ruth Reichl--former NY Times restaurant critic and current editor-in-chief of Gourmet magazine--trying balsalmic vinegar for the very first time just really delights me.

Festive and tasty as this salad is, it's not really autumnal. We're just lucky to live somewhere where avocado, strawberries, basil and lemons are still growing nearby. What dinner needed was an orange and black entree. We settled on three-layer burritos, which we've adapted from the Moosewood Restaurant Low-Fat Favorites cookbook. The first layer is a frightfully (sorry, I just couldn't resist) tasty mash of bright orange yams, garlic, jalapeno, lime juice, cilantro, and ground coriander. The second layer is black beans, which we seasoned, cooked, and mashed, but refried beans or whole beans would also work well. And the third layer is extra lime-y guacamole. I know they sound odd, and despite the seasonal colors, they aren't really much to look at. Take my advice and make them anyway; they're yummy and nutritious.

We're planning to settle in for some more autumn treats this weekend, so stay tuned!

A Cupcake Villanelle

A Villanelle which Sings the Praises of Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World

O tiny treat, my dear cupcake!
I turn the pages in a daze.
A million options—what to bake?

Lime? Or ginger? Which should I make?
Perhaps hot cocoa, stirred with maize?
O tiny treat, my dear cupcake!

Petite gateau, make no mistake,
Although adored in myriad ways,
Of all those options, now I’ll bake

Pumpkin, with smallest chocolate flakes.
One dozen sweets rest in their trays.
O tiny treat, my dear cupcake!

My icing pools in glist’ning lakes.
It’s time to drizzle gooey glaze.
A million options; one I’ve baked.

At last they’re done, so let’s partake
Of darling sweets in rich arrays.
A million options, but I’ve baked
That tiny treat, my dear cupcake!

It’s really supposed to be autumn by now, even if it is 80 and sunny here. Case in point--my favorite market has a huge (think 18 feet tall) pile of pumpkins out on display. Actually, there are lots of kinds of winter squash out there—mostly pumpkins, though—and I just get into a harvest-y fall mood each time I go grocery shopping. I want to make whole meals themed around orange foods.*

But it’s pumpkin cupcakes that are featured here today. In case you haven’t caught on yet, I’m a big fan of Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World. That’s where I found the recipe for these pumpkin cupcakes and the cinnamon icing that tops them. They’re yummy, and definitely worthy of being immortalized in verse.

*In more orange tastiness, I bought a bag of persimmons in order to make the Persimmon Bread developed by the Fatfree Vegan. You can find her recipe at http://blog.fatfreevegan.com/2007/11/persimmon-bread.html And stay tuned for next weekend’s entry, which may feature surprising black and orange dishes from Halloween dinner.

Tasty Tofu and Peanut Butter Butterscotch Cookies

Across the bay, the sky is rose,
Our bowls hold tofu over rice,
Fragrant steam rises, eddies, flows.

Another dish of broccoli shows
No flesh shall mar our meal with vice.
Across the bay, the sky is rose.

Soft tofu, in its simm’ring throes--
Lo! Dinner has cooked in a thrice!
Fragrant steam rises, eddies, flows.

And though the chilly West wind blows,
We’re warmed by curry, soothed by spice,
Across the bay, the sky is rose.

Then peanut cookies, round as Os
And herbal tea that smells so nice.
Fragrant steam rises, eddies, flows.

Upon the stove, our kettle glows
It’s time to toss the Yahtzee dice.
Across the bay, the sky is rose.
Fragrant steam rises, eddies, flows.

I was intrigued by the vegan "Presidential Cookie Bake-Off" over at Walking the Vegan Line. Although I'm an Obama supporter myself, I already have a tried-and-true shortbread recipe. It was Cindy McCain's butterscotch chip cookies that really caught my eye. (Especially since I returned home from a recent trip to the East Coast with three bags of vegan butterscotch chips! Thanks, Price Chopper!)

Somehow that recipe just didn't exactly do it for me. Oatmeal butterscotch cookies are classic, sure, but were they the best vegan cookie I could make with my precious butterscotch chips? I didn't think so. This is what I came up with instead.

Peanut Butter Butterscotch Cookies

3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup white whole wheat flour
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/8 tsp. salt
1/4 cup Earth Balance
1/4 cup pear puree (or applesauce)
1 1/4 cup brown sugar
egg replacer for 1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
1 cup smooth all-natural peanut butter
3/4 cup butterscotch chips

Preheat the oven to 350 F.

Sift together both types of flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.

In another bowl, cream together the Earth Balance, pear puree, and sugar.

Beat the egg replacer, vanilla, and peanut butter in with the sugar mixture.

Stir the contents of both bowls together; then gently fold in the butterscotch chips.

Form into balls of about 1 tablespoon and place on cookie sheets.

Bake for 12 minutes. Cookies will appear squishy and underdone, but do not fear! They will firm up and be perfect.

These were delicious, and we enjoyed them inside the house after a satisfying meal on the back porch. Dinner was pretty simple--the "Silken Tofu in Spicy Red Curry Sauce" from This Can't Be Tofu!* along with jasmine rice and steamed broccoli. It was a lovely evening but it did get chilly, and on a chilly fall evening, there's just not much better than ginger tea and cookies!


*OK, so the title of this Deborah Madison (of Greens fame) cookbook is stupid. Although the recipes are good, there's no denying that tofu is the primary component. I'm not sure who would approach a bowl of this red curry tofu and be convinced it did not, in fact, contain tofu. Besides, why disguise it? Tofu's great!

Columbus Day Villanelle; Or, An Ode to New World Fruits

Now add a splash of olive oil
From trees that once in Genoa grew.
The oven's hot; the peppers broil.

Columbus sought the seas that roil
And left his home for worlds new.
Now add a splash of olive oil.

No gold, nor spices for his toil,
But plants that ne'er in Europe grew.
The oven's hot; the peppers broil.

Tomatoes, corn! These fruits were spoils
For that explorer and his crew.
Now add a splash of olive oil.

What riches would laud their turmoil?
America, cross seas so blue!
The oven's hot; the peppers broil.

Columbus stepped on virgin soil
Which yielded crops once strange and new.
The oven's hot; the peppers broil.
Now add a splash of olive oil.

We had a festive (if belated) Columbus Day dinner, starring not one, not two, but five New World fruits! This salad contains roasted bell peppers, poblano chiles, and corn; plus raw tomato and avocado. In a fitting nod to Columbus' Italian roots, the veggies are tossed with pasta and olive oil. Lime juice and cilantro, while not relevant to the New World or the Italian theme, make the dish delicious.

Perhaps it's occurred to you that so far I've only named four New World foods. The fifth is chocolate! I tried out the Mexican Hot Chocolate cupcakes from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World. Like every other recipe I've made from that cookbook, these were great.

It's hard to imagine being vegan without partaking of any New World foods at all. So, despite any reservations I might have about canonizing colonialism, here's just a little "yay!" for Columbus Day.


*Yes, I know it was only "virgin soil" to the opportunistic Europeans who landed there well after native cultures had established complex civilizations and agricultural processes. But "Columbus stepped on virgin soil" is four perfect iambs! Really, how could I resist? Consider it poetic license.