Jerk Tempeh, Slaw, and a Library Book

I observed a blogging trend in the first week of 2013. Quite a number of vegan bloggers listed their favorite posts of 2012. Since I am a mover and a shaker, (worth my salt, baha ha shaker- salt ?!), and like to get the leg up on the competition, like being number one in the universe, am incredibly brilliant, am humble enough to respect what other writers in the vegan community do, and like to be on the cutting edge, I bring you Veganville's Best of...

which would be the post before this one, my only 2013 post and this one if I finish it. I had a really great New Year's Day she-bang but none of my friends took any food pics. Only vegans do that. Apparently my friends are more than happy to take pics of back room Bingo Parlors, but none of my spectacular Hoppin' John. I am beginning to think my friends suck. I mean none of them go to the library either. They have kindles and nookies and unlimited credit for Amazon. My friend Noreen reasons that she doesn't like the gook she's found stuck to library pages. I say she doesn't know what she's missing. I scored a lime green lollipop once. Page 72 of the Shirley Temple Black autobiography. 

Last week I was super stoked to take out a new Raw dessert cookbook from my local library . Yep, as you know I dig those raw date nut crusts and and all things nut. I am not mentioning the book because I don't like giving any body a bad rap or rep except maybe well hmm, Ann Coulter but she did not write this book. All these stupid recipes said was, put this cookie in your dehydrator for 36 hours, put this fruit in your 535 dollar Vita-Mix. Put this in that and that in this. If I had 36 hours I would make ten batches of cookies, and if I didn't spend all my money in a tattoo parlor, don't you think I would have a Vita-Mix by now? I did find a dried fig on page 32 though. I love the library.

I just took out Bryant Terry's newest book out of the library, and now I am the library patron who gunks up the book, (not true, not true). I am totally going to buy this book, but a new one without green sauce smeared on page 65. I like this book so much I decided to make it overdue.

Look inside to see if you got something.

I made Jerk Tempeh, which took about 1/36th of the time to cook as those stupid dehydrator  cookies and whipped up my own kale-tahini sauce. I riffed on Bryant's cabbage beet slaw, and instead made a pineapple broccoli slaw. The sweet slaw definitely complimented the spicy tempeh. We even had leftovers. Because I am mighty generous I left a little tempeh chunk for the lucky patron who takes this book after I return it to the library. Nicer than a lolly, don't ya think?

GiGi's Kale-Tahini Sauce-(that's the green stuff on top of Terry's tempeh)

1 clove garlic minced
1/2 C water
2 T Rotel (Kendy over@ Miss Muffcake turned me onto this, it's chopped tomato with diced chili)
2.5 T tahini
1 C packed kale torn from it's ribs-(this is not violent!)
2 T lemon juice
sea salt

Spray a pan with canola oil and saute garlic and sea salt for about two minutes. Transfer to blender and puree with remainder of ingredients.

Broccoli Slaw with Pineapple-(riffin' on Terry)

1/2 Bag of TJ's broccoli slaw mix
1 C pineapple chunks (juice reserved)
3 T pineapple juice
2.5 T apple cider vinegar
1 tsp non-alcoholic dijon mustard
1/4 C kale torn into pieces
2 tsp agave
1/4 C silken tofu 
1/2 C chopped pecans
1.5 Granny Smith apples cored and julienned

Place broccoli slaw and pineapple chunks in bowl. Set aside. In upright blender combine and puree all ingredients except pecans and apples. Salt to taste. Pour enough dressing over slaw and massage, (wash your hands please), as if you would kale. Layer onto plate. Slaw, apple, slaw, apple,top with pecans and drizzle with dressing. 

You can find Bryant Terry's recipe for Jerk Tempeh on page 132, along with the surprise I left you.

Thank you for stopping by. 

What Do You Call Hoppin' John A Week Later?

Y'all know what Hoppin' John is dontcha y'all? I had a Southern accent once. It's true. I adopted a Southern accent after living in what I affectionately dubbed "the armpit of the South". I drank a lot of tequila in those days. Slurring my words could easily pass as a drawl. I was a veg back then too. My diet consisted of grits, hush puppies and spirit water. My favorite book about the South is "Tequila a Mockingbird". Did I just lose 15 readers? Bahahaha.

Enough tangentialism... Back to Hoppin' John. Does this make this a blog hop now? What are those things anyway? Blog hops. Hmmm.

Hoppin' John is a dish that is traditionally eaten in the South on New Year's Day. Hoppin' John always includes black eyed peas. I think black eyed peas represent prosperity. Either that or a can of black eyed peas will become a collectible. So remember to save black eyed pea cans.

Here's your trivia of the day: If you eat Hoppin' John as a leftover (like on January 2nd) it's no longer called Hoppin' John. What's it called?
Hint 1:  ( fill in the blank) let's not "jump" or "___" to conclusions, shall we...
Hint 2: She married a short Scientologist.

If you guessed "Leapin Katie" you are correct!!! Leapin Katie is leftover Hoppin John!

We had a small gathering of friends who mean a lot to us (and also had no place else to go) over on New Year's  Day. My friend Marcia and I had both planned to make Hoppin' John. So dang it we had a shoot out, to see which Hoppin' John was left standing. Actually both Hoppin' John's were vegan of course, but that's where the similarity ended. Marcia made a Hoppin' John salad, that was as lovely as it was delicious. Marcia remembered that I have a gag reflex when it comes to celery, but had forgotten that the gag reflex only happens with cooked celery. Marcia left it out even though the salad was cold.  You could make it either way, with or without celery but it would be  unlikely since I didn't get the recipe from Marcia. I'll hit Marcia up for it though. We'll probably have coffee and celery sticks later this week. I want Marcia to come work with me!!! Below  is reason # 575 I want to work with Marcia again! I love her salad.

Marcia's Hoppin' John

Hoppin' John with Fragrant Basmati Rice and Roasted Rosemary Reds

3 cans Black Eyed Peas drained and rinsed
2 C White Basmati Rice
3 C Vegan Broth ( I use 365 brand) for the rice
1-2  More C Vegan Broth for the Hoppin' John Mix
1 medium sized onion, chopped
1-2 cloves garlic smashed and minced
2 C carrots chopped
1 bell pepper medium dice
1/2 C (or more) Daiya vegan cheese
1/4 C low sodium soy sauce
1/2 packet creole or taco seasoning (taco seasoning has paprika, red chili and black pepper so it works)
2-4 T Tabasco sauce (to taste)
1 Package Italian Tofurky Sausage cut into rounds and halved
21 salute seasoning to taste
1 bag spinach optional (to add in the last 3 minutes of cooking)


Directions:
You can cook your Basmati rice in a separate pot than the Hoppin' John. You can  make any kind of rice you like. I'm partial to Basmati. The color of the rice comes from the broth it's cooked in (and the Daiya that is later added). Rinse and drain the rice and then add with broth to a big sturdy pot. Bring to a boil and then turn to low. Spray another large pot with cooking spray and saute onion, and garlic for about 4 minutes, add carrots and pepper, and Tofurky and cook for another minute. Salt to taste. Add the drained and rinsed black eyed peas, and the remaining broth and seasoning mix. It should be ready about the same time as the rice. How cool is that.
Cook the rice for about 17-20 minutes. When I cook basmati it almost always takes 17 minutes. Stir in the Daiya, and salt to taste. Remove from stove.

Serve with vegan sour cream, Tabasco, spinach, balsamic, even roasted red potatoes.

Happy New Year y'all. Here's to a prosperous, healthy, compassionate 2012. Remember to stock up on those black eyed peas!