Ahh nostalgia…

The other day mum picked up from the post office’s discarded magazine box a special “Best of 2011″ Better Homes and Gardens magazine. Well of course, none of the recipes are vegan, but they are certainly fun to look at. Lots of old fashioned recipes…ones that I used to have growing up. The one recipe that caught my eye and tugged at my heartstringsgot my stomach grumbling was the recipe for pinwheel cookies. They made theirs into the traditional spiral patterned slice, but when I was growing up, mum always made a “pinwheel” cookie that looks a little like a NYC black and white cookie where one half is chocolate and one half is vanilla. That got me thinking…I should veganize mum’s old recipe! So out comes the book with all of the old, cryptic recipes cards, and bam! Vegan pinwheels are about to be born. This is basically a direct translation from nonvegan to vegan simply by replacing shortening with margarine (stick) and eggs with egg replacer. Simple. And delicious. They even got picky Rigby’s seal of approval (she gobbled one down and she almost NEVER eats my baked goods. Win.)

Pinwheel Cookies

Mum’s Pinwheels

Yields: 2 dozen cookies

Ingredients:

• 1 stick vegan margarine (1/2 cup)
• 1/2 cup white sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp ener-g egg replacer mixed with 2 tbs warm water
• 1 tbs nondairy milk
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• salt
• 2 tbs semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1 tbs nondairy milk
• 2 tbs cocoa powder

Directions:

Cream together the margarine and sugar, then adding in the egg replacer, milk and vanilla. Beat in the flour, soda, baking powder, and salt. Remove half of the dough and transfer to another bowl. In a small microwavable bowl, melt the chocolate chips with the milk. Add the chocolate mixture to half of the dough along with the cocoa powder. Mix and set both bowls of dough in the fridge for an hour or two. When workable, transfer to a flat surface and form both the vanilla and the chocolate doughs into long thin logs, about a foot or so long. On a large piece of plastic wrap, set the vanilla log. On top of the vanilla, align the chocolate log and form into one log (it will look like a half-moon of each flavour…kind of like a black and white cookie), wrapping with the plastic wrap. Transfer to the freezer for about a half an hour. When good and firm, remove from the freezer. Preheat your oven to 375F. Quickly slice your long into 24 slices, and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Bake for 8 to 9 minutes. **space well – they spread a bit.**

To add to the comforting feeling of nostalgia, I decided to make a yummy, comfy dinner as well. It’s by no means a tradition in my family. In fact, before tonight, I’ve never even had one before…a stuffed cabbage roll. For some reason, I just had the idea that that is what I should make. So I did. And they were good. And filling.

Cabbage Rolls

 

Stuffed Cabbage Rolls

Serves: 4 as a main, 8 as a side

Ingredients:

• 8 large cabbage leaves
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 1 clove of garlic, minced
• 1 cup cooked brown rice
• 1/2 cup cooked beans
• 1/2 cup frozen green peas
• 1 small tomato, chopped small
• 3 tbs braggs liquid aminos (or more if necessary)
• 1 tbs ketchup
• 1/4 tsp dried basil
• a pinch of paprika and red pepper flakes
• black pepper, to taste
• 1 cup tomato sauce

Directions:

Preheat your oven to 350F.

From a medium/large cabbage, remove 8 of the large outer leaves, being careful not to tear, and cut out the tough vein in a “v” shape (don’t cut in half or anything – you want the leaf whole). In a steamer, steam for 3 to 5 minutes, until soft and workable. Set aside.

In a cast iron skillet sprayed with non-stick cooking spray, cook your chopped onion for about 3 minutes over medium heat. Add the minced garlic and cook for another two or three minutes, stirring to prevent sticking. Add in your brown rice and beans, turn the heat to medium low, and cook for another 3 to 5 minutes. Add some of your braggs if things start to stick, or even a little water if necessary. Go ahead and mush up the rice and beans a bit. Next, add in your peas and chopped tomato. Cook long enough to break down the tomatoes a little bit and cook the peas through. Add in the ketchup, herbs and spices and mix. Turn off the heat. Now it’s time to assemble. Spoon 1/2 cup of the sauce in a smallish casserole. Next, take your cabbage leaves. On a flat surface in front of you, lay a leaf so that the “v” is on the right side as it is set in front of you. Take 1/8th of the filling and dollop it on the half of the leaf closest to you. Wrap as you would a burrito, rolling up as tightly as possible. Set, seam side down, in the casserole. Repeat with the remaining leaves and filling. Cover your casserole with tinfoil and baking for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for another 10.

Shockingly, for how filling they are, these rolls are low in calories. A little over 75 calories per roll, making them totally guilt free, not to mention very healthy. And omni friendly!  You can honestly say that there is nothing “weird and vegan” in there. It’s beans and rice people. Totally. Normal. Anyways…we had this with some garlic bread, and called it a night!

Garlic Bread

 What foods make you feel most comforted? Do you have any traditional family recipes?