Some Vegetarian and Vegan Christmas Cookbooks In My Kitchen

I am  joining  in with In My Kitchen series hosted by Sherry's Pickings just in the nick of time as the link is closing in a couple of hours.

In fact, I was not going to join in as I don't have anything new in my kitchen, but then I thought I would share some Vegetarian and Vegan cookbooks on my shelf that I have ben flicking through for inspiration and ideas.  

First and foremost, i have to start of with my go to Christmas Vegetarian Cookbook has always been Vegetarian Christmas published in 1992 from the British Queen of Vegetarian Cuisine - Rose Elliot.  I've made many of Rose Elliot's recipes from various cookbooks,  but from this cookbook the Parsley Potato Stars are always popular, but I shape as Christmas Trees.

Then we have Vegan Christmas Feasts by Jackie Kearney. 

And Happy Vegan Christmas by KarolineJonsson.  I was given these two books last year for Christmas by  D, so have not yet cooked from them as of yet.

So funny, a decades or ago you could hardly find a vegetarian or vegan Christmas book and in the last two years there has been an explosion.

The next vegetarian cookbook I have is 'Tis The Season by Nanette Blanchard.  I've had this for years.  I think I picked it up from Oxfam Bookshop when i lived in Glasgow. I've made White Chocolate and Cranberry Muffins and Egg Nog Pineapple Loaf. 

I also this from Marie Laforet called The Vegan Holiday Cookbook: From Elegant Appetizers to Festive Mains and Delicious Sweets.

I am sharing another two cookbooks, although not focusing on the festive holidays as such in it's book titles, the innovative recipes and elegant presentation in Neither Fish Nor Fowl: Meat Free Eating for Pleasure  by Sarah Beattie is a superb cook book I'd like to recommend.  This stylish, sophisticated  and sumptuous vegetarian cookbook was published in 1993and  featured recipes ahead of its time like Beetroot and Cranberry Consomme, Raspberry Soup, Avocado Soup, Stuffed Nasturtium Salad and that's just for starters.  It was and still is a pioneering cookbook in my eyes, as it was the first vegetarian dinner party cookbook I came across that moved away from  the wholemeal way of cooking.  It also has Asparagus Eclairs and Chestnut Souffles and Raspberry Brulee and so so much more .   

And if you like the sound of Neither Fish Nor Fowl, then i'd also say look out for Sarah Beatties second cookbook The Table of Content: A Vegetarian Dinner Party Book for All Seasons (1995) is just as amazing... 'from the simplest vegetables to the more esoteric delights of borscht poached uszki with smetana...'. 

I am planning on doing some baking later in the week.  One of which will be gingerbread people  (and may up-date this blog post), the other thing I may make are these vegan Oreo Christmas Wreaths vegan Cakes, but if not - i thought I would share here as to provide you with some festive inspiration. 

I'm very much looking forward to seeing what is in your kitchen and thank Sherry for hosting the In My Kitchen Series through the pandemic and these strange, unusual and scary times.  

Cooking from Veggiestan

I am  joining  in with In My Kitchen series hosted by Sherry's Pickings with what little i have in my kitchen; and what I have made in recent days. But a little update to those of you who have been following and reading of my blogger problems in some of my posts. The problem seems to have resolved itself, but I am monitoring it. 

Anyway, I picked up the cookbook Veggiestan from the book shelf to cook a recipe from it way back in September with homegrown tomatoes.  It has also provided inspiration for carrots from the garden this and last month.  

I made this Carrot and Chickpea Pilaf, Pilau, Plou, Osh, Pilavi .Savoury Rice dish. 

Unlike the Savoury rice dish I often make with Indian spices, this one is made with Baharat which I made from scratch - not being able to go to my favourite Spice vendor in Cardiff Market. 

This Carrot Chickpea Pilaf appealed as it also use tinned chickpeas from the cupboards.  It also has some whole bulb of garlic cloves in it too that sweetened and softened on cooking. It was wonderfully fragrant and not too much fuss to put together. 

I also made this Afghan Carrot Hot Pot Quorma-e-Zardak from the same cookbook.  It is also made with yellow spit peas and i tossed in some of our golden cherry tomatoes. 

With the autumnal season being swapped for frost. It also made for a wonderful winter warmer and got better a day or two later, when we were still eating it out of a bowl.  

This may go onto explain why the colour of my food changed from golden to dark hues. The next recipw to be made from the cookbook was Mushroom Stifatho. I adapted it a little with the smallest onions I could find  as I did not have shallots; and also the red wine for vegetable stock. And  served it with homemade read (made in the bread maker by the way).

I quite liked the piquancy of the Mushroom Stifatho, but D was not that keen on it. I cannot remember the reason why though. 

Sweet Potato Tortilla Pie

I am a bit frustrated today. I haven't been blogging much, but today I thought i'd sit down and blog and have noted  problem with my blog. And i wonder if anyone else with blogger is having trouble?!

In the Post section where blog posts and draft posts are recorded. My thumb nail image is incorrect, it is inserted with someone else and some of my blog posts - draft and those posted have been inserted with images that are not mine.  However, outward - it all appears un-affected. Is anyone else with blogger encountered this problem? Please let me know. I have left feedback with blogger, but don't know if they will respond; and if so how long. 

I will leave you with this Sweet Potato Tortilla Pie.

Didi Emmons writes if 'Mexicans had invented quiche, this is the way they might have made it'.  The crust of the pie is made from tortilla filled with eggy mixture enhanced with cumin, coriander, and cheese and roasted sweet potatoes.  

It was extremely light to eat, that I will be making it again

The recipe is adapted from the Vegetarian Planet: 350 Big Flavour Recipes for Out of this World Food Every Day by Didi Emmons.  

Baby Tomato Kofta with Smoky Tomato Sauce

So how is your weekend going?!

The part of Wales i live in is in another lockdown.  Not as severe as the first as peopleare still able to go out and about, and moreso to the supermarket, but within regional boundaries.  It is NOW mandatory to wear a face mask which i think should have been the case in the first place, but hey the local government thinks it knows best.  I think in not too long, the whole of Wales will be in lockdown.  Not much for me has changed since the first lockdown, but that does not mean i have got used to it, far from it - we are all managing and coping in our own way. I am finding distractions at home - I have been doing a lot of reading, and attending on-line learning sessions - but there is only so much a person can take staring at the computer and zoom calls.  So I am always thankful for the garden space that is still feeding us well.

I've not ventured very far - that is the honest truth.  I have been out of my area three times to see family and friends and that is all and it was all socially distanced unable to kiss and hug.  And on those days went to the supermarket with D.  D has been doing the weekly shopping.

Anyway i made this Cypriot recipe called Domatokeftethes - Baby Tomato Kofta some time last week. The cookbook author writes ' this is kind of based on a Lenten Cypriot recipe. But it's got a splosh of Armenian ad a sprinkle of Turkey in there too'. 

On recommendation of the cookbook author I served it over pasta.

Then smothered with smoky paprika tomato sauce. The recipe i bookmarked from Sally Butcher's Veggiestan: A Vegetable Lover's tour of the Middle East.

It was my first time shallow frying tomatoes.  I must admit i was a bit nervous because of the liquid content in tomatoes, as i had expected some spluttering. But the not so pretty  batter above, benefited from sitting the fridge to firm up. I guess this also absorbs some of the liquid content. 

The Domatokeftethes - Baby Tomato Kofta  are shallow fried in oil and were a little reminisce of South Asian onion bhaji's minus the spices.  

We had plenty left over to eat the following day - cold.  I am sharing this Cypriot Baby Tomato Kofta with Smoky Tomato sauce with Soup, Salad and Sammies hosted by Kahakai Kitchen. 

Celia Brooks SuperVeg and Baked Mexican Eggs

Yesterday, I spent much of it in the garden greenhouse up-potting vegetable plants, whilst D made wigwam frames for climbing beans and peas.  I have said it before and I will say it again that we are very fortunate to have a garden in these challenging times, as many people do not have this outdoor green space.

I will share progress in the vegetable garden plot tomorrow, today I want to share what I made for brunch a few weeks back with what I had in the house - Baked Mexican Eggs. 

We don't normally have a cooked breakfast during the working week, often only munching on a oatmeal flapjack.  Cooked vegetarian breakfast is reserved for weekends, but since the lockdown and working from the safety of our homes, we have been having breakfast, or rather brunch quite a lot.  

The recipe for these Baked Mexican Eggs comes from Celia Brooks, but don't ask me which cookbook - I can't remember as I have all 9 of them - Yes, I am a fan. I think it may be Entertaining Vegetarians also called Vegetarian Party Food. 

The eggs are baked into a tortilla, beneath the egg either harissa or chipotles in adobo is smeared. The cracked egg is then topped with grated cheese and spring onions, with a little dusting of paprika.  These are really good and I recommend them.

Those of you who read my blog, may remember the name Celia Brooks.  She is one of my favourite vegetarian food writers and chefs. I have featured many of her recipes on my blog over the years from Rhubarb Lentil Curry  and Avocado Soup with Tortilla Cheese Topping .  See bottom of blog post for further recipes.

Her last cookbook is called SuperVeg:  Over 100 Recipes Celebrating the Joy and Power of the 25 Healthiest Vegetables on the Planet.

Eat Your Greens Challenge and some Recipe Inspiration from Sarah Beattie's Meat Free Any Day

Well hello September, I am off on holiday.  I will also be taking a blog break as well, but before I go, I wanted to leave you with Eat Your Greens challenge, as it's my turn to play host.  This will hopefully give you plenty of time to think about sharing a green recipe with us this month.  

If your new to the Eat Your Greens Challenge, then you'll be pleased to learn that it's really easy to join in.  All you have to do is make either a vegan or vegetarian recipe with green vegetables or fruit on your blog.  Then copy the blog link to the comment section below and we will share it at the end of the month in our monthly round up.  The deadline is the 29th September and the Round up will be on the 30th September 2019.  For more details on how to participate, please Follow this link  just please remember to link back to the host page (this page) and my co-host The VegHog.   Also if your looking for some seasonal inspiration, then please do check The Veg Hog round up from August. 

Before I go, I also have some green vegan and vegetarian recipe ideas for you as well.  Last month I made a few interesting dishes,  all courtesy of Sarah Beattie's cookbook MeatFree Any Day.  

I made Sarah Beatties Peixinhos da horta which translates as 'little fish from the kitchen garden'.  It was delicious.  The husband has asked me to make them again.  You can find the recipe both in her cookbook Meat Free Any Day and on Sarah Beatties Facebook page.    

Last month I found my turtle jelly glass mould. I wanted so much to use it, that i decided to make Sarah Beatties  Avocado Coriander Jelly,.  I did of course adapt it a little with courgettes to mimic the outer shell.  It was part effective, and part not so much.   

It was still impressive though, but it could have been elevated further had i served it on a bed of lettuce.  I served this Courgette Avocado Coriander Jelly with a good crusty bread.  I think if I was to make it again, I may just make individual portions. 

Finally, I also made her Green Bean Korma, again I made only minor change and this was to substitute some for the green beans with homegrown courgettes.  You can find this and the Avocado Coriander Jelly recipe in Sarah Beattie's cookbook Meat Free Any Day.

One of these good looking green dishes will be my contribution to the Eat Your Greens challenge, but I am hoping to have encouraged you to join in this month. 

Vegan Chinese Tofu Short Ribs

It is truly by coincidence that this recipes coincides with Chinese New Year of The Pig.

It is because I am still cooking recipes from The Superfun Times: Vegan Holiday Cookbook by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and the next recipe I had bookmarked to make was these Tofu Short Ribs which mimic Chinese Pork Ribs.  

These vegan Chinese Tofu Short Ribs were also so easy to make, you bake slices of tofu in the oven and then smother it generously in the sauce made with hoisin sauce, Chinese five spice and other ingredients all of which I found in my kitchen, other than the Hoisin sauce which I had to purchase (Please see my In My Kitchen blog post for brand).  

These Vegan Tofu Short Ribs tasted pretty good too. I will definitely be making them again and perhaps try them with seitan. 

If you want to have a go at making these vegan Chinese Tofu Short Ribs at home and you don't have the cookbook,  Isa Chandra has been generous and shared the recipe on her website  - follow this link for ease.

I had so much of the sauce left over, that we had this again the following day but this time I also included some slices of King Oyster Mushrooms and it was awesome.

Anyway, may I wish all my readers, especially those whom are celebrating the Chinese New Year - A very Happy Year of the Pig. 

Rosemary Cashews

I have been admiring Johanna's efforts over the festive season.  She got round to making everything that I wanted to, but did not from nut roast, mince pies to fudge and even panforte.  However, it was after seeing Johanna's homemade Sweet and spicy nuts that I was prompted to make some  savoury nibbles at home.

Stuffed Courgette Tondo di Piacenza with Ricotta and Pine Nuts

Are you getting tired of my Courgette -  Zucchini recipes?!

If so, I am not that sorry as I am still set to continue with this seasonal vegetable.

Today, I share with you Stuffed Courgette Tondo di Piacenza with Ricotta.

This Courgette Tondo di Piacenza  with Ricotta with Pine Nuts is a little fancy to eat and sounds like a lot of faff to make, but it is actually quite simple to assemble.  The time consuming part is the hollowing out, the rest is a breeze.

From Weed to Dinner Plate: Eating Dandelion Leaves

The weather was fantastic over the weekend and like many people with gardens or allotment plots, I was out working in mine.  Between the two of us, we got loads done including a lot of weeding including dandelions.

The potatoes have gone in.  I have sowed many seeds.  The seeds I sowed two weeks ago have germinated, tomatoes, courgettes, chard, broad beans and some have not.  I will up-date my Sowing The Seeds page to let you know what I am attempting to grow this year, but today, I am sharing my dinner plate of vegan meatballs on a bed of wilted dandelion leaves.

 I was inspired by a recipe for Fried Dandelion Greens with Lemon and Garlic Potatoes I saw in Street Vegan by Adam Sobel.  My food presentation is not good, a little corny I think but the finished dish was delicious.  The meatballs were zinging and the spicy herby coating infuse the crispy brown exterior of the veggie meatballs.  The sauteed dandelion greens were not at all bitter, but the flavour was completely transformed.

Other Wild Week Recipes on Allotment2Kitchen
Wild Weed 'Eccles' Cake
Wild Weed Tortilla
Stinging Nettle Hummus
Stinging Nettle Gnocchi
Stinging Nettle Risotto

Foraging Eyes

Turmeric Risotto with Preserved Lemons and Green Olives

I know what your thinking Olives for dinner , but this Turmeric Risotto has more than just olives, it also has preserved lemons.

The late Karen Hubert Allison, cookbook Author of The Vegetarian Compass was so right when she wrote All roads to Preserved Lemons lead to Paula Wolfert classic cookbook Couscous and Other Good Foods From Morocco (1973) and who am I to disagree.

I sometimes make my own Preserved Lemons, but there is nothing wrong with picking up a jar of ready made, there are quite a few good brands about.  

I was inspired to make this Turmeric Risotto with Preserved Lemons and Green Olives a little while back when I had limited fresh vegetables in my home, much of what went into this was store cupboard ingredients or those often found in my fridge.  I had picked up a packet or organic tempeh the last time I went into the city.   The tempeh served almost like crispy croutons and made for an interesting contrast against the soft rice grains. 

Adapted from The Vegetarian Compass by the late Karen Hubert Allison.