Vegan Waldorf Blue Cheese Crepes

Three of my very favorite things all wrapped up to make a delicious meal: waldorf salad, blue cheese dressing, and crepes! This is such an easy and quick dish that’s great for breakfast, brunch, or lunch. Serve at a gathering and it’ll definitely be the star of the party.

I love crepes. I think they may be my favorite food. They’re quick. They’re customizable, great for breakfast or lunch (or dare I say even dinner?). They can be sweet OR savory. What else do you want, man?!

Isn’t it especially fantastic when a recipe blooms from the need to use up ingredients in the fridge? This all started with a bottle of blue cheese dressing I found that was almost empty and about to expire next month. Some leftover plain butter lettuce that was given to me after a dinner party. A honeycrisp apple that I needed to use before our vacation and voila! Waldorf Blue Cheese Crepes. The best recipes are often improvised recipes. I firmly believe this.

Vegan Waldorf Blue Cheese Crepes

By Kathleen Henry - Produce On Parade

Three of my very favorite things all wrapped up to make a delicious meal: waldorf salad, blue cheese dressing, and crepes! This is such an easy and quick dish that’s great for breakfast, brunch, or lunch. Serve at a gathering and it’ll definitely be the star of the party.

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 tbsp vegan granulated sugar
• ¼ tsp Kala Namak salt or table salt
• ¾ cup plain, unsweetened soy milk
• ¼ cup + 2 tbsp liquid from a can of chickpeas (about ½ can)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 heads of butter lettuce, chopped
• 1 medium honeycrisp apple (or similar), chopped small
• 1 medium celery stalk, chopped small
• ½ cup dried cherries, chopped (or dried blueberries, cranberries, or raisins)
• ½ cup toasted walnuts or pecans (I like pecans), chopped
• ¼-½ cup vegan blue cheese dressing, to taste

Instructions

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour through the salt. Whisk the soy milk, chickpea liquid, and oil into the dry mixture until smooth and no lumps remain. Cover and allow to rest at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
2. While the batter rests, make the salad filling by adding the lettuce through the nuts to a large bowl; toss to combine.
3. Once the batter is done resting, heat a 12 inch large cast iron skillet coated with a nonstick cooking spray over medium-high heat. Test if it’s hot enough by flicking a droplet of water into the pan; if it sizzles then it’s ready. Using a ½ cup measuring cup, ladle the batter onto the hot pan. Tilt the pan in a circle, allowing the batter to fill the entire base of the pan. Heat for about 3 minutes, until just slightly golden and the top is firm to the touch. Flip using a skinny, heat-proof spatula by sliding it around the edges to loosen the crepe, then down the middle of the crepe to flip. Heat for 1 minute then transfer to a large plate and repeat with remaining batter.
4. To assemble the crepes, fill the middle of one crepe (top to bottom) with a handful of the salad then top with a drizzle of dressing, to taste. Roll the crepe like you would a burrito, then drizzle more dressing on top if desired. Serve immediately.

Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes
Total time: 50 minutes
Yield: 4 12 in crepes

Agave & Miso Braised Turnips with Steamed Broccoli

Wednesday nights can be a bit panicked for me. Especially yesterday. Instead of making Friday Soup (Definition - A soup, made on Friday, that uses up all the aging vegetables from last week's CSA box) last week, I made three loaves of bread. Seeing as my CSA box comes on Thursday, I had to scramble to use up a couple of turnips and a head of broccoli last night. Sorry, kale, next time...hang in there little buddy!

Do you have a few turnips? Clueless about what to do with them? Don't worry, you're taken care of. I'm sure you have some miso, walnuts, and TVP on hand like any respectful vegan (just kidding, there are no rules...I'm still trying to like tahini...as vegan, I know, it's sacrilege!) This dish is easy as pie, and simple enough to allow all the flavors to be shine.

“There is nothing necessary or desirable for human nutrition to be found in meats or flesh foods, which are not found in and derived from vegetable products. ”

— Dr. John Harvey Kellogg

Sweet and meaty turnips are braised with TVP and walnuts in agave nectar and washed with miso. Perched atop a bed of steamed broccoli and topped with sprouts, you can feel good about this unique and delicious meal. 

Agave & Miso Braised Turnips with Steamed Broccoli

Sweet and meaty turnips are braised with TVP and walnuts in agave nectar and washed with miso. Perched atop a bed of steamed broccoli and topped with sprouts, you can feel good about this unique and delicious meal. NOTES: Feel free to use any other root vegetable in place of the turnips. Instead of broccoli, this can be served over rice, quinoa, or couscous.

Ingredients

• 1 Tbsp. vegan butter
• 2 small turnips, peeled and diced
• 2 Tbsp. walnuts, chopped
• ½ cup vegetable broth
• ½ Tbsp. agave nectar
• 2 large pinches of kosher salt
• 1 small head of broccoli
• 1 Tbsp. miso paste
• ¼ cup dry TVP (textured vegetable protein)
• handful of broccoli sprouts (optional)
• dash of ground black pepper, to taste

Cooking Directions

1. In a large, heavy bottomed frying pan or soup pot, heat the butter over medium-high heat.
2. Add the turnips and walnuts. Cook until slightly browned, about 5-8 minutes.
3. Add the broth, agave, and salt stirring well to combine. Bring the broth to a boil, then reduce to a simmer and cover. Cook for about 25 minutes, until the turnips are tender.
4. Meanwhile, chop and steam the broccoli for about 10 minutes, until just tender and bright green.
5. Once the turnips are done, remove from heat and whisk in the miso paste. Add the TVP, stir to combine, then cover and allow to rest for about 5 minutes.
6. Serve the turnip mixture over a bed of steamed broccoli and top with sprouts. Crack black pepper over it, to taste. Serve hot.

Boo! It's been a wee bit windy over here in the Last Frontier. Can you tell? This is Todd, all fixed up to take Bob on his evening constitutional. #thisishowwerollinAK

Dutch Word of The Day

Turnip --> raap (rahp)

Good Deed of The Day

Like we need another reason to ditch dairy...but here you go. From an environmental standpoint. Cow Palace. Omg.

Blueberry Maple Baked Oatmeal

I am making a concerted effort to refrain from making the blueberry crisp from a few posts back. That crisp was so delicious I ate the entire thing in two days, by myself. If I knew it could even adequately sustain human life, it's all I'd eat. A healthier substitute had to be created. 

In full confession, bashfully, I made this oatmeal bake yesterday and by tonight it will be completely gone. All me, yep. This is not a surprise, I knew it would happen. My blueberry gluttony apparently knows no bounds (it's a wonder that I don't need to be rolled around everywhere like the giant blueberry girl from Willy Wonka & The Chocolate Factory), however, this time I was smart and made something that's both irresistible and healthy. 

My blueberry maple baked oatmeal can be enjoyed for breakfast or dessert....or yes, dinner I too suppose. That's what I did (shhhh! omg and it's my lunch today too, don't tell). It's minimally sweetened and full of the nutritional goodness of old-fashioned oats and wild blueberries. Flaxseed and walnuts make an appearance for good measure, as well. No butter and just one tablespoon of oil. 

So give it up to a breakfast/dessert/dinner(..../lunch?) you don't have to feel guilty about. Even if you do eat half the thing in one night...like me. 

Not to mention it's done in 30 minutes flat. 

Blueberry Maple Oatmeal Bake

By Katie Henry - Produce On Parade

Healthier than a crisp, this adaptable blueberry oatmeal bake is flavored with sweet maple syrup and speckled with toasted walnuts. It’s a wonderful, wholesome, and delicious breakfast or dessert. Notes: Feel free to use any flour, milk, oil, and nuts of your choice. This is a very adaptable recipe.

Ingredients

• 1 cup old-fashioned oats, dry
• 2 Tbsp. ground flax seed
• ¼ heaping cup of flour (I used whole wheat white)
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• ¼ tsp. kosher salt
• ¼ tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 cup unsweetened, plain coconut milk
• 3 Tbsp. maple syrup
• 1 Tbsp. lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp. melted coconut oil
• 1 ½ tsp. vanilla extract
• ½ tsp. maple extract (optional)
• ¼ cup whole walnuts
• 2 cups frozen wild blueberries

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 F and coat a square 9x9 inch or round 9 inch baking dish with a nonstick cooking spray.
2. In a food processor, add the oats through and including the cinnamon. Pulse several times until coarsely chopped. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
3. In a small bowl whisk together the milk through and including the maple extract. Slowly pour into the dry mixture while stirring.
4. Fold in the blueberries and then spread the mixture evenly in the baking dish.
5. Add the nuts to the food processor and pulse until chopped. Sprinkle evenly over the top of the oatmeal and bake at 400 F for about 20 minutes.
6. Remove from oven and allow to rest for 5-10 minutes before serving hot.

Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 00:20
Total time: 00:30
Yield: 4-6 servings

German Word of The Day

Oatmeal --> Haferflocken (halfer-flocken)

Good Deed of The Day

Did you know at Martha's Vineyard they hold six lemur races a day from August 21-24th? Yuck. Lemurs are an endangered species and no animals should be crammed into tiny crates then forced to race, solely for the pleasure of screaming onlookers. Seriously? People have no other means of entertainment? Let's try and stop that. It reminds me of the mice races at our state fair. Even as a kid they made me sad. It makes sense now why I seemed to be the only one disturbed by this.