The Complete Guide to *Even More* Vegan Food Substitutions

I am pretty sure that I have already announced that Celine and I were working on a follow up to The Complete Guide to Vegan Food Substitutions, but I thought I would share a few photos and ask you to tell me which of the following recipes you would like me to share as a super sneak peak now that we have turned in our final manuscript and are working on the final edits.

Hearty Vegan Meals for Monster Appetites, French Toast, and a GIVEAWAY!

Hearty Vegan Meals for Monster Appetites by Celine Steen and Joni Marie Newman

Hearty Vegan Meals for Monster Appetites...It's out!  Yeah, I know...already?  I could hardly believe it myself!  But it's true, and this hefty tome full of lip smacking, belly filling, home-style recipes, guaranteed to keep everyone (even the meat eaters) fantastically full, is now available through all the regular channels, like Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and of course, my favorite, HERBIVORE!

A little bit about this book...besides the fact that Celine has totally outdone herself with some of the most amazing photos you'll ever see...it's totally full of comfort foods.  Lots of deep fried deliciousness, lots of heavy sauces, lots of foods you might find yourself noshing on at a state fair.  We've never claimed that this was a health food book, only that it is full of cruelty free recipes that are sure to please even the pickiest of carnivores.  This is the book you can turn to when you are cooking for your in-laws for the first time to prove that you aren't starving your spouse by feeding them only twigs and berries.  This is the book you can turn to when you are craving that doughnut, and aren't anywhere near Voodoo!  This is the book you can turn to when you want a vegan version some crazy fast food concoction (read: the KFC Double Down).  You know, the stuff you know you shouldn't, couldn't, or wouldn't eat everyday, but know that it's important to indulge every now and again.

And because I know times are tough...how about I give a couple away?  Just leave a comment letting me know what your favorite pig-out food is, and I will pick out 2 at random on Saturday night (July 9, 2011 at 9 pm PST) to send a free copy.  (YES, I will ship internationally.  I only ask that those of you who enter the giveaway, please check back to see if you have won, because otherwise I have no way of getting in touch with you to send you your book!) 

CONTEST NOW OVER!  CONGRATS TO THE WINNERS:
 #47 that would be fries. Although i'm very into choclate cake at the moment. By Katharina H.  on 7/7/11
and#12  Oh, this is weird: in theory, I always want scalloped potatoes, and then I make them and don't love them so much. I think this would change if I had your cookbook and the scalloped potato pie which I am dying to try. Until then, the other thing I really love to pig out on is tacos! By celyn  on 7/6/11

KATHARINA H. and CELYN:  Please send me an email to joni@justthefood.com with your snail mail address so I can send you your books!


And just to give you a taste of the hearty goodness you'll find inside, here is a freebie from the book:

The Captain's French Toast (page 23 in HVMFMA)

The Captains French Toast

As far as actual Cap'n Crunch goes, you do not need the real thing...although it does appear to be vegan, it does contain an insane amount of weird things in the ingredients, so try using a natural variety such as GORILLA MUNCH, if for no other reason then it has such a cool name!

2 cups (72 g) sweet corn cereal such as Cap'n Crunch, crushed into a powder
1/2 cup (62 g) all purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 cup (235 ml) vanilla flavored nondairy milk
6 slices of stale fench bread about 1/2 inch (1.25 cm) thick
3 tablespoons (42 g) nondairy butter for frying

Mix together crushed cereal, flour, baking soda, and baking powder in a shallow dish. Mix in milk to make a thick batter.
Preheat a frying pan on high heat. Melt some butter in the pan, use about 1 tablespoon (14 g) for every 2 slices of french toast.
Coat each piece of bread with the batter. Since the batter is thick, you may need to help to smear it on the bread with your fingers.
Pan fry for about 2 minutes per side, or until golden and crispy.
Serve hot with pure maple syrup.

Yield: 6 slices

Sweet Potato Po'Boys (and a holiday giveaway!)

Less than a week until Christmas!?!  Oh my gosh.  I am not even halfway there...not even a quarter way there.

So before I get all caught up in the rush of it all, let me give my present to you...a new recipe featuring my favorite tuber, the sweet potato!  And if you leave a comment (here on the blog, not on facebook or twitter) telling me your favorite way to prepare sweet potatoes, I will pick 2 of you at random, Wednesday night at 8pm, Due to weather related issues, the giveaway has been extended, and I will do the drawing on Wednesday December 29 at 8pm, to receive a copy of Celine and my brand spankin' new book The Complete Guide to Vegan Food Substitutions.  CONTEST NOW OVER

Okay, to the food:


Sweet Potato Po'Boys
If I ever opened a lunch truck or diner, it would be made up solely of gourmet sandwiches and a variety of macaroni salads. This sandwich would definitely be on the menu. Not a traditional Po’ Boy by any sense of the word, it is inspired by the fried seafood sandwiches made famous in Louisiana. Now a true Po’ Boy would be a foot long, so these ones are considered “shorties” and if you decide to use the highly recommended pile of Sweet Peppercorn Coleslaw, well then you can consider your Po’ Boy “dressed.”


As always, a deep fryer works best here, but if you don’t have one, a pot filled with about 1 inch (2.5 cm) of oil will work just fine.

For the Sweet Potatoes:
1 large sweet potato
1/2 cup (120 ml) plain soymilk or other nondairy milk
1/2 cup (62 g) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (14 g) cornflakes, crushed
1 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

For the Fennel Marmalade:
2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil
1 bulb fennel, sliced in a thin julienne (reserve the leaves for later use)
2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
2 shallots, thinly sliced
pinch salt
2 tablespoons (42 g) agave nectar

For the Aioli:
1/3 cup (75 g) vegan mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
1 tablespoon (2 g) chopped fennel leaves (reserved from the bulb above)
1 teaspoon minced garlic

Vegetable oil for frying
4 (6-inch, 15 cm) french rolls
1 recipe Sweet Peppercorn Coleslaw, below, optional, but highly reccommended
Preheat your oven to 400°F (200°C, or gas mark 6).
To make the sweet potatoes: Slice the sweet potato into thin rounds, about 1/4 inch (6 mm) thick. You can peel your potatoes if you choose, but we like ours with the skin on!

Place the potatoes in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment or a silicone baking mat.
Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
To make the Fennel Marmalade: While potatoes are cooking, add olive oil to a pan and heat over low heat. Add fennel, garlic, shallots, and a pinch of salt.
Slowly cook until very soft and tender, and just beginning to caramelize, About 15 minutes, stirring occasionaly.
Add in agave and toss to coat. Crank up the heat and cook about 5 more minutes, stirring constantly, until caramelized, sticky, and browned. Remove from heat and set aside.

To make the aioli: Whisk ingredients together. Keep refrigerated until ready to use.

Finish the sweet potatoes: Preheat your oil to 350°F (180°C). Place milk in a shallow dish. Add flour, cornflakes, Old Bay, and cayenne to a resealable plastic bag and shake to combine. Dip one round into the milk to coat and then add it to the bag. Repeat until you have about 5 rounds in the bag. Shake to coat the potatoes with the flour mixture. Carefully add to the coated potatoes to the hot oil and cook for about 2 to 3 minutes, flipping half way through, until golden and crispy. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towels to absorb excess oil. Repeat until all potatoes are fried.

Assemble the Po’ Boys: Spread a layer of aioli on each half of the french roll. Pile 1/4 of the sweet potatoes on the bottom half of the roll, and top with 1/4 of the Fennel Marmalade, add a heaping pile of the Sweet Peppercorn Coleslaw, if using. Serve immediately.

Yield: 4 Po’ Boys

Sweet Peppercorn Coleslaw
*Gluten Free

*Quick and Easy
This coleslaw is a great side dish on it’s own, but it really takes the Sweet Potato Po’ Boys to a whole new level. You can make this ahead of time, but if you do, keep the dressing separate and toss together just before serving.

For the slaw:
1/2 head of green cabbage, shredded
1 1/2 cups (162 g) shredded carrots
1/2 cup (80 g) raisins or dried cranberries, optional

For the peppercorn dressing:
1/2 cup (120 ml) plain soymilk
2 tablespoons (30 ml) lemon juice
1/2 cup (112 g) vegan mayonnaise
1 tablespoon black peppercorns, coursely ground or cracked
1 tablespoon (2 g) fresh chopped fennel leaf
1 tablespoon (13 g) sugar
salt to taste

To make the slaw: Toss together the ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
To make the dressing: Add soymilk to a small mixing bowl. Stir in lemon juice and allow to sit for a few minutes. It will curdle and become like buttermilk.
Whisk in the remaining ingredients.
Toss dressing with the slaw and serve immediately.

Yield: 8 servings

Burger News!

All-American Burger from The Best Veggie Burgers on the Planet: 101 Flavor-Packed Patties of 100% Vegan Goodness--with More Taste and Delicious Nutrition Than Anything You'd Find at the Store.  Photo Credit: Isa Chandra Moskowitz

Maybe you remember me talking about a burger book awhile back? I mean it was almost done! Then poof, seemed as though it had disappeared from my life.

Well, she's back.  She's new and improved, and she will be available next summer for all of you to enjoy.  Why so long?  I know, summer of 2011 seems like light years away, but there's a reason.

The Complete Guide to Vegan Food Substitutions

Now available for Preorder! Woohoo!

The Complete Guide to Vegan Food Substitutions

You may or may not know that Celine and I are just about wrapping up the testing phase for our next book, The Complete Guide to Vegan Food Substitutions. This really does explain my lack of blogging lately. Here's a few photos of the foods I've been making over the last few months:



1. Smashed Pepper Peas, 2. Curry Tofu Arugula Salad, 3. Maple Sponge Candy, 4. Potato Croquettes, 5. Soup of the Shrier, 6. Ambros-ish salad, 7. Cold Multigrain Salad, 8. Potato Cheese Soup, 9. Orange County Rolls, 10. Beer Battered Corndog, 11. TVP Pepperoni Pizza Topping on Cornmeal Crust, 12. Macadamia Nut Brie, 13. Roasted Tomato Basil and Garlic Soup, 14. Cheezy Chikin Casserole close up, 15. Chococado Pudding, 16. French Onion Soup

You can see more pictures (From Me, Celine, and the testers) by clicking HERE!

I am more than willing to share a recipe or two, so please leave a comment on which of these you'd most like to have and I will see what I can do for ya!

Thanks!