Flourless & Frozen

You know you’ve had a tough day when you’re forced to eat desserts all day.

 puddings- rice, tapioca, fruit, chocolate 

We had the “Flourless and Frozen” class today- never has a title been simultaneously nondescript yet appropriately named. We spent the entire day making flourless and frozen desserts. Yes, life has been harder.

 vegan sorbets & ice creams

 fruit compotes to top our “frozens”

We had an extremely busy month, which is why I’ve been quiet. School has been flying by and I can’t believe I’m already past the midpoint. Look out for more pictures and recipes!

NYC Catering Events

view from Brooklyn Heights

Private Party (Oct. 7)

A few weeks ago I assisted Personal Chef Minna Suh cater a small party for 30-40 people. It was my first official paid job in my new career. It was amazing! She was extremely knowledgeable and boosted my confidence in being able to be successful in this field. Helping her helped prepare me for last week’s Self Magazine/Pretty City’s event for 175-200 people.

Menu for Minna Suh

Duck Spring Rolls (non-veg)

Sweet Corn Mini Madelines

Mushroom Parsnip Tarts

Lemon Curd Crepe Rolls with Candied Lemon Zest

Chocolate Cherry Truffles

Self Magazine/Pretty City Event (Oct. 12)

The night before the event several CTP (Chef’s Training Program) students assisted the chefs on all the prep work. I along with my fellow CTP schoolmate poured our hearts and souls into supremeing oranges and slicing + toasting whole wheat baguettes.

How To: Supreme an Orange

Some stats: ~18 oranges=~250 half slices & sliced and toasted 415 slices of bread

Menu for Self’s event

Cilantro-Lime Chicken Salad on Mini Papadum (non-veg)

Tempeh Meat Balls with Sweet and Spicy Tomato Chutney

Goat Cheese and Beet Crostini topped with Orange and Dill

The event was hosted at Marquee night club, which was a weird venue, but what made it weirder was where our booth was located. We were a bit hidden in the back of the club across from a nail polish stand. If it makes you feel any better it was “healthy” nail polish.

It was an extremely mixed crowd and we spent most of the night explaining what tempeh was and handing bite sized treats to girls trying to balance their half bitten cupcake without ruining their freshly polished nails. I’ll have to admit that I enjoyed prepping more than the event, but I’m glad I went.

I left with a swag bag and a bag full of crostinis. It was a good day.

 all the swag

Friday Night Dinner

Every Friday night my school is transformed into a restaurant that serves a 3-course vegetarian meal at $40 per person and you’re allowed to B-as much of-YOB without a fee. As part of the final project, each person who enters the Chef’s Training Program (CTP) works with an instructor and fellow group members to develop a menu, prep and cook the food. The main group is assisted by students from other CTP classes.

This past Friday, I was among several other students who helped CTP 201 prep their meal.

Not only did they develop a beautiful menu, they transformed the classrooms with fresh flowers, candlelight and string lights, which gave guests a relaxed backyard feel indoors.

We started prepping Thursday night and finished on Friday. Even though I knew what we were serving, to be honest, I didn’t know what it would look like or how the flavors would come together. Would they even come together? I was nervous.

Later that night, I finally saw how they were plated and had my ah-ha moment when I tasted everything. It was delicious. Why did I even question it? Afterall, this was their final project. They definitely knew what they were doing.

 latkes with picked vegetables, homemade applesauce and almond cream

 brussels sprouts & arugula salad with a lemon vinaigrette

 tempeh collard rolls, cauliflower puree, tomato sauce & some $$$ mushrooms

I regret two things from that night: (1) not taking more leftovers and (2) not taking a picture of the dessert.

If you’re ever in New York City, make sure you come to a Friday Night Dinner. You won’t regret it!

FYI: Mine will be on January 13, 2012. Hope to see you then!

Apple Cake

My sister left me with a big bag of organic almond flour, a popular replacement for gluten-free recipes, so I decided to make a cake. This was my first time using almond flour so I didn’t know what to expect. I rarely bake sweets and I’ve never made anything gluten-free, so I was excited!

I loosely followed this recipe from comfy belly and made it my own with several substitutions.

The cake turned out really well! I was surprised how moist it was and how easy it was to make. I would definitely make it again.

About the Cake

This recipe is extremely low in carbs, which is one of the benefits of using almond flour. However, the fat content is high because of the ground almonds as a base. Naturally, almonds are high in fat, but contain good fats which may help lower cholesterol.

As far as diets are concerned, I have never tried a gluten-free diet so I don’t know what the long-term effects are.

Recommended blogs below to learn more about gluten-free diets and what to cook.

• Elana’s Pantry
• Comfy Belly   

Let’s Bake!

Ingredients

• 4 Fiji Apples (use what you have)
• 1 tbsp of butter
• 1/4 tsp of cinnamon
• 1/4 cup of maple syrup
• 1/2 cup of pear sauce
• 1 tsp of vanilla
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp of baking soda
• tiny pinch of salt
• 2 cups of almond flour

To Make

Step 1: Peel, slice and remove core for all 4 apples

Step 2: slice apples evenly about the same width

Step 3: pre-heat oven to 300°F

Step 4: toss all slices, cinnamon and butter in a pan and allow it to soften on medium heat

Step 5: in a bowl, mix all wet ingredients together

eggs, maple syrup, vanilla & pear sauce

Step 6: in the same bowl, mix in all the dry ingredients

Step 7: in a 9″ cake pan layer the sliced apples to cover the bottom

Step 8: evenly spread the cake batter over the apples

Step 9: bake on the center rack for 40-50 mins till goldenbrown- insert toothpick in the center to check if it comes out clean (if clean, you’re done.)

Step 10: Let the cake cool completely, then flip over on a plate and serve

 

Enjoy!

Fig & Banana Smoothie

 

I’m finally back in the States after spending most of my Summer in Taiwan. What I miss the most is having fresh tropical fruits on a daily basis. So now that I am back, I have been trying to incorporate more fruits in my diet. I bought two pounds of fresh brown turkey figs because they’re delicious, in season and I got them for $5!

California’s Fresh Figs Seasonal Chart

Chart and descriptions below from California Fresh Figs

• Fresh Brown Turkey Figs 

They are a light purple to black skinned fig with pink flesh and a robust flavor.

• Fresh Black Mission Figs

They are a purple to black skinned fig with pink flesh and an intense earthy flavor.

• Fresh Kadota Figs 

They have a creamy amber color when ripe with a light delicate flavor.

• Fresh Calimyrna Figs 

They are large pale yellow skinned figs with a nutty, sweet flavor.

I enjoy figs in all recipes, but what I love the most is eating them fresh. I’ve been making this smoothie for a couple of days now and still have not gotten tired of it. I love figs!

Fig & Banana Smoothie Recipe

Serves: 1

Cook Time: 5-10 min

• 3 Fresh Figs
• ½ Banana*
• ½ tbp Shredded Coconut
• 1 cup of Soymilk or Coconut milk
• ½ cup of Ice
• ½ cup of Water
• Agave or Honey to taste**

*I used frozen banana chunks. My bananas were softening so I cut them up and put them in the freezer.

**It was sweet enough for me without adding anything extra.

To Make: Add all ingredients in blender and blend

Enjoy!

Vegas Style Vegetarian Buffet

Jen Dow Vegetarian Buffet Restaurant

This restaurant is more commonly known as Lian Xiang Zhai (连香斋) Vegetarian buffet, a Taipei specialty. Changchun Road, No. 353; 011-886-2-2547-4788.

They serve lunch, afternoon tea and dinner. I suggest going for lunch (NT 660 (roughly $23 USD).

If you are vegan, most foods in Taiwanese vegetarian restaurants are vegan including this one.

When my family first told me about LXZ I couldn’t believe it. It’s a vegetarian foodie’s dream; an all veg buffet featuring foods from around the world. What?!

I didn’t want to get my hopes up. I’ve been disappointed by many veg restaurants in my life. Would this be another Whole Foods heat lamp style weigh-your-food type place?

When I walked into LXZ it was a true experience like a condensed Vegas style buffet. It’s a welcoming place- bright lights, delicious foods and more variety than your stomach can handle.

Overview

Blue (2,3,5,10,11)- desserts and sweets

Light Blue (6)- cold foods

Yellow (1,7,9)- drinks

Red (4,8,12,13,15,16,17)- hot foods

White (14)- kitchen

 

My Map of LXZ

Brief Description of Each Section (1-17)

1- coffee and tea station (fresh ground coffee and asian style tea)

brew your own tea choose from flowers and tea leaves

2- Haagan-Dazs ice cream (8 flavors) and 5-6 platters of fresh fruit

3- traditional Chinese hot desserts (e.g. fresh almond puree)

4- noodle and wonton stand (made to order)

wonton soup

5- Japanese style handrolls (made to order)

6- salad bar

selection of lettuce and sprouts

7- mixed drinks (cocktail type drinks)

8- 15+ dishes of Chinese food (standard restaurant dishes)

9- bar with variety of American liquor (minimal fee req’d)

10- chocolate fondue fountain, 10+ varieties of cakes (1/2 were vegan)

11- puddings, cream puffs and jellies (vegan available)

12- fresh veggies (sautéed to order) and 3 rice cookers full of rice (rarely touched due to the plethora of food)

13- 15-20+ items of dim sum (all made fresh), 15+ items of standard restaurant food (fried rice etc.)

14- open kitchen

15- Italian style foods (pizza, made to order pasta); Japanese foods (sushi, ramen, miso soup, sashimi); 4 types of drinking vinegars

16- western soup stand (2 freshly made soups)

17- asian soup row ( 5-6 types of stews and soups)

Though I didn’t see all the veg foods from around the world like my mom advertised, it exceeded my expectations. All the foods were fresh and delicious.

It’s an amazing place! Every time I’m in Taiwan I make sure to come here at least once. It’s too good not to. There is no other place in the world that showcases and delivers this amount of variety, taste and quality that LXZ does.

If you are ever in Taiwan, it’s definitely a must!

 

Summer in Taiwan

I will be spending most of my summer in Taiwan. The weather is awful and will only worsen as the summer progresses. It’s sunny, 90 degrees with over 50% humidity everyday. So why visit? The food is amazing.

Taiwan is the little red dot next to China

Taiwan is located about 75 miles off the coast of mainland China. Its culinary influences come mostly from various parts of China, Japan and the natives of the island (to learn more about why). Because of its location and weather, it harvests the best tropical fruits. It also is home to the Les Masters de la Boulangerie (aka world cup of baking) 2010 Master Baker champion, Wu Pao-chun.

my favorite potstickers at a local food stand

Taiwan has roughly 23 million people with about 90% of its population following Buddhism or Daoism. I grew up in a strict Daoist family, which is why I was raised vegetarian. Though most people in Taiwan are not vegetarian, there seems to be a high percentage of people who are compared to the U.S. I’ve had the best and most varied vegetarian foods in Taiwan. For foodies, including vegetarians and vegans, it’s a culinary paradise.

fresh mango shaved ice

I will be traveling to multiple Asian countries this summer, but mostly remain in Taiwan. My posts will center on the accessibility and location of vegetarian foods along with any recipes I make.

Enjoy!

Review: Tasty Harmony, Ft. Collins

I spent Memorial weekend in Fort Collins, Colorado. After my friend picked me up, we were both hungry. I only had an energy bar and some over priced rice crackers from the airport. I needed a good meal. As a lifelong vegetarian, I didn’t know what to expect from Fort Collins. I was excited to find out.

Tasty Harmony is not a pretentious organic vegetarian restaurant that it would be if it was in Los Angeles. It’s inviting and not over the top friendly, which I find creepy. They’re there to serve good food. The menu is diverse and provides a large drink menu, from teas, smoothies to local beers.

I ordered the Kentucky Fried Freedom, $13 “Battered and pan fried mock chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy, black eye peas and garlicky greens.” It was delicious! The prices are higher than I expected, but their portions are big enough for two.

My friend ordered the Nachos de Ynez, $10.50 “Layers of our homemade cashew cheese, black beans, guacamole, vegan sour cream and salsa piled on top of corn chips.” They tasted just like nachos, not vegan nachos, which is great!

Then, we proceeded to dessert. My friend and the waiter boasted about their desserts so I was excited to try them.

I ordered the raw strawberry cheesecake, $7.50. It had a strange grainy texture that I expected from a vegan cheesecake. So, I was disappointed after having an amazing non-vegan tasting meal.

My friend ordered the Peanut Butter Chocolate Pie, $6.95. I still dream about this pie. It was smooth and creamy with the right amount of everything. I was so close to licking the plate. If you don’t come here for the food, you should come here for this!

Yelp Reviews of Tasty Harmony

Panko Crusted Lentil Loaf

About the Loaf

I didn’t think that I was a lentil loafy kind of person, but when I tried this recipe; I fell in love.

I adapted this recipe because I knew I could make something more delicious. Actually, I just forgot to buy all the ingredients. I was shocked by the taste because I didn’t notice the difference. I made the original many times before, but I plan on sticking with my own. It’s just as tasty, healthier and has a nice crunchy top.

◊Serves 6

Cookware

• Squarish Baking Pan (I used Emeril’s 9.5″ x 9.5″)
• Pan for sauteing (I used a wok)

Ingredients

• 1 pack of Trader Joe’s Steamed Lentils (wt. 17.6 oz.)
• 1 medium onion
• 2 medium to large zucchinis
• 1 pack of TJ’s shredded carrots (2.5 cups)
• 1/4 cup of water or veggie broth for lentils
• 3/4 cup of water for tomato paste
• 1 tbsp of olive oil
• 2 medium eggs
• 1 tbsp of dried basil
• 1 tbsp of dried oregano
• 2 tsp of garlic powder
• salt & pepper to taste
• 6 oz. can of tomato paste
• ~1 cup of Panko breadcrumbs (may need more or less to cover surface)

To Make

Step 1: chop onion and zucchini

Step 2: in saute pan on medium heat add olive oil, chopped zucchini, onion and shredded carrots till softened

Step 3: add vegetable broth and lentils then saute till incorporated

Step 4: add garlic powder, oregano, basil, salt and pepper (good time to taste test) turn off heat

Step 5: after desired taste, mix in two beaten eggs

Step 6: transfer to nonstick baking dish and preheat oven to 350°F

Step 7: in a bowl mix tomato paste and water then spread evenly

Step 8: on center rack bake for 35 mins then remove

Step 9: add panko breadcrumbs and return to oven for 15 mins

Crust should look like this

Serve and Enjoy!

Quinoa and Spinach Salad with Berries

My friend moved to Fort Collins, Colorado last year and I went to visit over the weekend. It was filled with fun and of course, delicious food. (I’ll go into more details later. For now, let’s focus on this salad.) Not only is quinoa delicious, it’s actually nutritious and easy to make.

Why it’s nutritious

“When NASA scientists were searching decades ago for an ideal food for long-term human space missions, they came across an Andean plant called quinoa. With an exceptional balance of amino acids, quinoa, they declared, is virtually unrivaled in the plant or animal kingdom for its life-sustaining nutrients.”- New York Times (an article about the origins of quinoa and current dilemma in Bolivia)

Quinoa has a chewy texture with a nutty flavor. It’s often mistaken for a grain, but it’s actually related to beets and spinach. The textures and flavors worked well and it’s easy to adapt your favorite nuts and fruits to this dish.  We made it for dinner and savored every bite.

Give quinoa a try! You will be pleasantly surprised.

Serves 3-4

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of quinoa
• 2 cups of vegetable broth
• 1 tbsp of olive oil
• ~2 loose cups of chopped spinach
• 1/4 cup of cranberries
• 1/4 cup of currants
• 1/4 cup of azuki beans (unsweetened)
• 2 tbsp almond slices
• 2 small garlic cloves
• juice from 1/2 lemon (~2 tbsp)
• 2 tsp of maple syrup or agave
• 1/4 tsp of cayenne pepper
• salt and pepper to taste

To Make:

Step 1: boil quinoa with vegetable broth (your package should come with instructions or follow this great video)

Step 2: in a bowl, add in all your ingredients in order listed and mix

Enjoy!