Friday, December 17, 2010

Vegans Love the Holidays, Too

Got a vegan on your holiday shopping list and not sure what to get? Here are a few ideas to get the ball rolling.


1. VegNews magazine supscription. 2. A useful tool for soy lovers, the Tofu Xpress 3. Vegan-friendly books and literature, such as The China Study by T. Colin Campbell, PhD. 4. Screenprinted produce bags from Wonder Thunder. 5. Color Me Vegan cookbook by Colleen Patrick-Godreau. 6. Appetite for Reduction by Isa Chandra Moskowitz 7. Allison's Gourmet assorted vegan chocolates.

Monday, December 6, 2010

Sass-Squash Pizza

Don’t you love that feeling when a recipe born out of improvisation becomes a super hit? That’s what happened with this squash pizza. I made it a few weeks ago with ingredients I had on hand, and while it was delicious I just knew there was one element that was missing. That element? Roasted garlic, of course. So when I made it the next time for a family pizza party, I spread the roasted garlic over the crust like a paste before adding the sauce or toppings. It was perfect.

Ingredients

  • 3 cloves roasted garlic
  • ¼ cup tomato or pizza sauce
  • ½ butternut squash, chopped
  • 1 tsp. olive oil
  • ½ diced red onion, diced
  • 2 tbsp. green onion, diced
  • 1/2 red pepper, diced
  • Vegan cheese, shredded

To Make

  1. Prepare your own pizza dough, or purchase a premade dough. While I didn’t in this photograph, I usually modify this recipe by using half whole wheat flour and half bread flour. I also pour dried herbs and spices into the dry ingredients for extra zip.
  2. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.
  3. Cook and season your squash as desired. A little salt and parsley can go far. You could rub the squash in olive oil and bake in a 400 degree oven until soft. For a quick fix, place the chopped squash on a plate and cover lightly with water. Microwave for 5-7 minutes. Mash up the squash with a fork.
  4. Spread the garlic and tomato sauce over the dough. Top with the squash, onion and red pepper. Sprinkle as little or as much vegan mozzarella cheese to make it as gooey as you want it.
  5. Bake the pizza for 15-20 minutes.