Mash Up Monday: Seaweed and Ranch Dressing

Hello, MoFo!  My, how I have missed you.  I am super excited to kick this year's MoFo off with a funky little recipe I was inspired to create by my friend Katie.  Katie isn't vegan, but she is open minded to vegan cooking and cuisine, plus she's a really talented chef.  She makes a non vegan version of this and, although I never have tasted it, the idea of it sounded super yummy.  The main difference between hers and mine, besides the vegan-ocity, is that hers contains wasabi.  And while a little wasabi here and there is okay, I am not a huge fan.  So I subbed a little prepared horseradish instead.

Nori Garlic Ranch Dressing
Doesn't the nutty seafood-y umami of toasted nori add such a great flavor to dishes?  Ever since going vegan (I think it's about 9 years ago now!) I have been adding seaweed to things to give them that little bit of flavor from the sea.  This is no exception.  The addition of ground up Nori flakes to this slightly kicky ranch is pretty fantastic.  Use it as you would any ranch dressing or dip.  On salads, with crudite,  you can even drizzle it all over your tacos (instead of the recommended Spicy Sushi Sauce.)

12 ounces silken tofu, drained, but not pressed
1/4 cup mild flavored vegetable oil
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 tablespoon agave or brown rice syrup
1 tablespoon minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon prepared horseradish
1 tablespoon ground toasted nori flakes (I used 2 sheets of toasted nori, ground in a dry food processor)
1 teaspoon dried dill
1/2 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon sea salt (more or less to taste)
1/4 teaspoon chipotle powder or cayenne pepper
1/8 teaspoon ground cumin
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 to 1/2 cup water
1 tablespoon black sesame seeds

Add all ingredients, except water and sesame seeds, to a blender and puree until smooth.
Add water a little bit at a time until you reach your desired consistency.  Less water for a dip, more water four a pourable dressing.
Stir in sesame seeds.
Store in an airtight container in te refrigerator until ready to use.
Should last up to 2 weeks in the fridge.
Shake before using, as oil and water tend to separate as they stand.

Yield: 2 1/2 cups (48 tablespoons!)

(1 serving=1 tablespoon)

Nutrition Facts

I get tons of emails asking for the Nutrition Facts for my recipes.  So, I am slowly going to start adding the Nutrition Facts to all of the recipes on the blog.  This is a huge undertaking and will take me quite some time, so please be patient as I am working on this one recipe at a time.

I am using my favorite recipe calculator...the one over at SparkPeople.

The Nutrition Facts I am providing are for informational purposes only.  And, to be honest, I am putting them there for selfish reasons.  I need to know what I am eating too!

Veggie Logs

Originally Posted on Saturday, January 06, 2007

Veggie Logs

I'd like to say I wrote this myself......but the truth is, I don't think anything I make anymore is pure. Everything is inspired by something else. Most likely, this was inspired by Isa and her veggie burgers.

Here they are in the pan (Man, I really love that skillet. Thanks, Mom!)

Here they are all wrapped up nice and pretty in a Lavash blanket with Lettuce and honey mustard (I know, honey isn't vegan, but I eat it.)

Veggie Logs
2 tbsp Olive oil (for the pan)
2 cups mushrooms, finely chopped
1 medium onion, diced
1 tsp cumin (my new favorite spice)
2 or more cloves of galic, minced
2 tbsp + 1 tbsp soy sauce (1 for the TVP)
1 cup TVP, reconstituted with 7/8 cups boiling water and 1 tbsp soysauce
1/4 cup vital wheat gluten flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1/4 cup fresh, chopped parsley2 tbsp peanut butter

Put 1 tbsp olive oil in a large skillet, preferrably cast iron, and heat to medium high heat. Add the mushrooms, chop the onions and add the onions, add the garlic, add the cumin. Let them cook until tender and the onions are translucent. Add the soy sauce, deglaze. Reconstitute the TVP while cooking, add the TVP to the pan and cook for 5 more minutes. Remove from heat and transfer to a large mixing bowl. Let cool enough to handle. Good time for a smoke break. Add flours, parsley and peanut butter to the mixture and work it together with your hands, until sticky and doughy. Divide into 6 and shape into logs. Reheat the pan with the other tbsp olive oil and saute each log until crispy on the outside. Serve in a pita or flatbread with your favorite fixings.
My favorite fixings are red onion slices, sprouts, vegannaise and spinach. But all I had was lettuce and a honey mustard vinnagraitte.
Makes 6 logs.

Nutrition facts, per log:
216 calories, 8 grams fat, 495 mg sodium, 22 grams carb, 2.7 grams fiber, 3.8 grams sugars, 19 grams protein.