You are on page 1of 255

Table of Contents

Clickonanyofthetitlestotakeyoutotheappropriatepiece

Features
ItalianGreens 12
ByJillNussinow,MS,RD

Columns
WhatsCooking? 3

Greensareahugepart,ifoften overlookedpart,ofItaliancuisine. Jillshowsusafewwaystomake usethesegemsattheItalian table.

FindoutwhatsupwiththeVegan CulinaryExperiencethismonth.

EdibleLandscapes28
ByLizLonetti

ThinkingOutsidethePasta Box15
ByMartyDavey,MS,RD

Thismonth,Lizshowsushoweasy itistogrowyourownsprouts!

TipsforHealthyEating31
ByDr.LeslieVanRomer

Martytakesuspastthestandard pastadishesandintotherealms ofgrainsandbeans.

TheBountifulItalian19
ByChefPhilipGelb

Dr.VanRomersharessevenofher strategiestokillthosedeadly cravingsandkeepyoulookingnice andtrim.

Marketplace8

ChefPhilshareswithustenofhis superbveganItalianrecipesanda bitofculinaryhistory.

Getconnectedandfindoutabout veganfriendlybusinessesand organizations.

EasyItalian25
ByChefMayra

RecipeIndex52&53

ChefMayratalksaboutafew simplepastadishes,somepesto variations,andgivesussome backgroundoneachofthemain ingredients.

Alistingofalltherecipesfoundin thisissue,compiledwithlinks.

seethefollowingpagefor interviewsandreviews


A Tour of Italy

February 2009|1

Table of Contents 2 Interviews


InterviewwithChefBrian BeLiveLucas34

Reviews
RestaurantReview: PizzaFusion46
ByJasonWyrick

BrianBeLiveLucasisatalented andversatilerawchefbasedout ofSouthernCalifornia.Discover Brianssecretstomaintaininga healthy,funrawlifestyle.

PizzaFusionisoneofthose restaurantsthatcallsoutfora returnvisit,againandagain.

InterviewwithAthletics TrainerBarryLovelace40

ProductReview:Golden BeanRawChocolates48
ByJasonWyrick

Barryisoneofthoserare treasures.Aveganandafitness coach!FindouthowBarrygot startedwhereheistoday.

GoldenBeanisthequintessential purefood.Healthy,organic, incrediblydelicious,and completelydecadent.

BookReview:TheSaucy InterviewwithTheTraveling Vegetarian50 Vegetarian,YvonneSmith ByEleanorSampson 43

Yvonne,alsoknownasThe TravelingVegetarian,hasa wonderfulinternet/television showthatyouabsolutelyshould notmiss.

TheSaucyVegetarianisfullof,you guessedit,saucerecipes.Perfect fortheinexperiencedand experiencedcookalike.

Clickonanyofthetitlestotakeyouto theappropriatepiece

A Tour of Italy

February 2009|2

The Vegan Culinary Experience


ATourofItalyFebruary2009
PublisherJasonWyrick EditorEleanorSampson NutritionAnalystEleanorSampson WebDesignRandallWillis&JasonWyrick GraphicsAlexSearcy&JasonWyrick VideoProductionKristenMozafarri ContributingAuthorsJasonWyrick JillNussinow MartyDavey ZelAllen MayraDr.Flavor LizLonetti RichardBarnett SharonValencik PhilipGelb

Whats Cooking?
There isagoodreasonwhyItalian cuisineislovedtheworldover.Itsrich flavor,itsheavyuseofearthyherbs, thesmoothblendofingredients,and, ofcourse,itsamazingvariety.Count meamongstoneofitsfans!Yet,its notsomuchthemodernItalian kitchenthatIadore,buttherustic kitchenofahundredyearsago.Why?Becausethatkitchenis filledwithwhole,mostlyunprocessedfoods.Itmakesuseofthe naturalharvestoftheland.And,manyoftherecipesfromthatera areeitherveganoreasytoconverttovegan,whichisnotwhatis commonlyassociatedwiththemodernItaliankitchen.Discovering thatwasapleasantsurprise.Ofcourse,notalltherecipesinthis issuearetraditionalItalianrecipesmadevegan.Manyofthemare simplyinspiredbythisfascinatingcuisineandIhopeyoufeel inspiredbyit,aswell. Lookforsomeupcomingannouncementsandexcitingadditionsto theVeganCulinaryExperienceandkeepspreadingtheword!Itis trulyajoytosharethismagazinewithallofyou. Eathealthy,eatcompassionately,andeatwell!

PhotographyCredits

RecipeImagesJasonWyrick ZelAllen MilanValencik CuppaTeaPhotos, JasonWyrick GreenTea,BlackTea, YinYangTea SproutPhotosLizLonetti ItalianGreensPhotosJudyWittsFrancini Semolina,FavaBeans,GNUFreeDocumentation Lentils,ChickpeasLicense CannelliniBeansCreativeCommons FarroPublicDomain InterviewPicturesProvidedbyinterviewees GoldenBeanPicturesProvidedbyChrisPeck


A Tour of Italy February 2009|3

Contributors
JillNussinow,MS,RD,TheVeggieQueenJillisaRegisteredDietitianandhasaMasters DegreeinDieteticsandNutritionfromFloridaInternationalUniversity.Aftergraduating,she migratedtoCaliforniaandbeganaprivatenutritionpracticeprovidingindividualconsultations andworkshops,specializinginnutritionforpregnancy,newmothers,andchildren.Youcan findoutmoreaboutTheVeggieQueenatwww.theveggiequeen.com.

ZelAllenWhenafocusonhealthyeatingopenedanewdoor,theveganjourneyledChefZel andherhusband,Reuben,topublishVegetariansinParadise,anonlinevegetarianmagazine. Together,theywriteandeditarticlesthatprovideawiderangeofresourcesforthevegetarian community.Zelquellshercuriosityaboutfoodhistoryandnutritionbyresearchingandwriting foodfeaturesforthemagazine.Thepublicationspotlightsherhumorousillustrationsandher innovativerecipes.VisitChefZelAllenatwww.vegparadise.com. JasonWyrickChefJasonWyrickistheExecutiveChefofDevilSpice,Arizona'svegancatering company,andthepublisherofTheVeganCulinaryExperience.ChefWyrickhasbeenregularly featuredonmajortelevisionnetworksandinthepress.Hehasdonedemoswithseveral doctors,includingDr.NealBarnardofthePCRM,Dr.JohnMcDougall,andDr.Gabriel Cousens.ChefWyrickwasalsoaguestinstructorintheLeCordonBleuprogram.Hehas cateredforPETA,FarmSanctuary,FrankLloydWright,andGoogle.VisitChefJasonWyrickat www.devilspice.comandwww.veganculinaryexperience.com.

MayraDr.Flavor - ChefMayrahasbeeninthehealthyeatingandcookingindustryfor over11yearsandhascertificationsinsportsnutrition,macrobioticcooking,veganand vegetarian,holistic,andfengshuicuisine.Shestartedhercareerasacookbylearningand experimentingwithFrench,Caribbean,Southern,Cajun,andWestAfricancuisine. ChefMayraisachefinstructorandconductsavarietyofclassesanddemonstrationsgeared towardsveganathletes,personaltrainers,andanyonewhowouldliketoliveahealthierlife. Dr.Flavorcanmakehealthycookingeasierbybecomingyourpersonalchef! VisitChefMayraatwww.mychefmayra.comorcallherat7023724709.

A Tour of Italy

February 2009|4

Contributors
EleanorSampsonEleanoristheeditorforTheVeganCulinaryExperience,author,andan expertveganbakerwithaspecialtyindeliciousvegansweets(particularlycinnamonrolls!) YoucanreachEleanoratEleanor@veganculinaryexperience.com. MartyDaveyMartyDaveyisaRegisteredDietitianandhasaMastersdegreeinFoodand NutritionfromMarywoodUniversity.Shebecameavegetarianin1980whenshediscovered thatthechemicalsinAmericanmeatmadethemunsellabletoEuropeans.Sheandher husbandhaveraisedtheirsonasavegan.Sheteachesnutritionandhasaprivatepractice specializinginassistingclientstransitioningtoaplantbasedregimestepbystep.Her websiteiswww.martydavey.com. LizLonettiAsaprofessionalurbandesigner,LizLonettiispassionateaboutbuilding community,bothphysicallyandsocially.ShegraduatedfromtheUofMNwithaBAin Architecturein1998.ShealsoservesastheExecutiveDirectorforthePhoenixPermaculture Guild,anonprofitorganizationwhosemissionistoinspiresustainablelivingthrough education,communitybuildingandcreativecooperation(www.phoenixpermaculture.org). Alongtimeadvocateforbuildinggreenerandmoreinterconnectedcommunities,Liz volunteershertimeandtalentforotherlocalgreencauses.Inhersparetime,Lizenjoys cookingwiththeveggiesfromhergardens,sharinggreatfoodwithfriendsandneighbors, learningfromandteachingothers.TocontactLiz,pleasevisitherblogsite www.phoenixpermaculture.org/profile/Liz. SharonValencikSharonValencikistheauthorofSweetUtopia:SimplyStunningVegan Desserts.Sheisraisingtwovibrantyoungvegansonsandrescuedanimals,currentlyarabbit andadog.Shecomesfromalineageofartisticchefmatriarchsandhasbeenbakingsince agefive.Sheisworkingonhernextbook,WorldUtopia:DeliciousandHealthy InternationalVeganCuisine.Pleasevisitwww.sweetutopia.comformoreinformation,toask questions,ortoprovidefeedback.

A Tour of Italy

February 2009|5

Contributors
ChefPhilipGelbPhilipGelbwasbornandraisedinBrooklynNY.HeendedupinFlorida wherehereceivedaBAinculturalanthropologyanddidgraduatestudiesin ethnomusicology.ForthelastdecadehehaslivedintheSanFranciscoBayAreawherehe worksasaprofessionalmusicianandmusicteacheraswellasaveganchef.Asamusicianhe hasperformedallovertheUnitedStatesandinJapan,EuropeandCanada.5yearsagohe startedIntheMoodforFood,avegetarianpersonalchefandcateringcompany.Hehas beenvegetariansince17andafterbecomingvegan4yearsago,hechangedhisbusinessto strictlyvegancuisine.Althoughtotallyselftaughtasachef,heisaverypopularvegan cookingteacher,hostingmonthlyclasses.Hisotherinterestsincludehiking,travelling,and heisanavidfilmbuff.Ofcourse,helovescooking,especiallyforfriendsaswellasprofessionally.VisitPhilat www.myspace.com/InTheMoodforFood. Dr.LeslieVanRomerDr.LeslieVanRomeristheauthorofweightloss,bodybestbook, "GettingIntoYourPants,"chiropractor,weightlosscheerleader,andfeelgoodaboutyou motivationalhealthspeaker.Formoreinformationcontacther:3606838844or888375 3754orvisit:www.gettingintoyourpants.com.

A Tour of Italy

February 2009|6

About the VCE


TheVeganCulinaryExperienceisaneducationalveganculinary magazinedesignedbyprofessionalveganchefstohelpmake vegancuisinemoreaccessible.PublishedbyChefJasonWyrick, themagazineutilizestheelectronicformatofthewebtogo beyondthetraditionalcontentofaprintmagazinetooffer classes,podcasts,aninteractivelearningcommunity,andlinksto articles,recipes,andsitesembeddedthroughoutthemagazineto makeretrievinginformationmoreconvenientforthereader. TheVCEisalsodesignedtobringveganchefs,instructors, medicalprofessionals,authors,andbusinessestogetherwiththe growingnumberofpeopleinterestedinvegancuisine. Eathealthy,eatcompassionately,andeatwell.

Become a Subscriber
SubscribingtotheVCEisFREE!SubscribershaveaccesstoourLearningCommunity,backissues,recipe database,andextraeducationalmaterials. Visithttp://veganculinaryexperience.com/VCESubscribe.htmtosubscribe.
*PRIVACYPOLICYContactinformationisnever,evergivenorsoldtoanotherindividualorcompany

Not Just a Magazine


MealService
TheVeganCulinaryExperiencealsoprovidesweeklymealsthatcoincidewiththerecipesfromthemagazine. ShippingisavailableacrosstheUnitedStates.Raw,glutenfree,andlowfatdiabeticfriendlyoptionsare available.Visithttp://veganculinaryexperience.com/VCEMealService.htmformoreinformation.

CulinaryInstruction
ChefJasonWyrickandmanyofthecontributorstothemagazineareavailableforprivateculinaryinstruction, seminars,interviews,andothereducationalbasedactivities.Forinformationandpricing,contactusat http://veganculinaryexperience.com/VCEContact.htm.

An Educational and Inspirational Journey of Taste, Health, and Compassion


A Tour of Italy February 2009|7

Marketplace
WelcometotheMarketplace,ournewspotfor findingvegetarianfriendlycompanies,chefs,authors, bloggers,cookbooks,products,andmore!Oneofthe goalsofTheVeganCulinaryExperienceistoconnect ourreaderswithorganizationsthatproviderelevant productsandservicesforvegans,sowehopeyou enjoythisnewfeature! ClickontheAdsEachadislinkedtotheappropriate organizationswebsite.Allyouneedtodoisclickon theadtotakeyouthere. BecomeaMarketplaceMemberBecomeconnected byjoiningtheVeganCulinaryExperience Marketplace.Membershipisavailabletothosewho financiallysupportthemagazine,tothosewho promotethemagazine,andtothosewhocontribute tothemagazine.ContactChefJasonWyrickat chefjason@veganculinaryexperience.comfordetails!

CurrentMembers
HolisticHolidayatSeaVegetarianCruise (www.atasteofhealth.org) GoDairyFree.organdMySweetVegan (www.godairyfree.org) JillNussinow,MS,RD,TheVeggieQueen (www.theveggiequeen.com) MartyDavey,MS,RD (www.martydavey.com) ChefMayraDr.Flavor (www.mychefmayra.com) GettingintoYourPants (www.gettingintoyourpants.com) SweetUtopia (www.sweetutopia.com) InTheMoodforFood (www.myspace.com/inthemoodforfood)

A Tour of Italy

February 2009|8

HOLISTIC HOL
OW KN T BOOR BES D FO S AN Y. E T RAT LABILI AI AV

Chosen by National Geographic Traveler as One of the 100 best worldwide vacations to enrich your life.

VegetarianCruise
I DAY AT
MARCH 1-8, 2009

SE

VI

rates from

Special Guest: Isa Chandra Moskowitz


Isa Chandra Moskowitz is a Brooklyn native who began her vegan cooking journey almost twenty years ago at the age of sixteen. She's inspired by New York City's cuisine from all over the world, as well as her own Jewish heritage, and she loves to fuse the two. Isa is the author of Veganomicon: The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook, Vegan with a Vengeance, Vegan Cupcakes Take over the World and an upcoming Vegan Brunch Book.

Cruise for 7 nights aboard the stunning Costa Fortuna to quaint Key West, exotic Roatn (Honduras), and beautiful Grand Cayman and Cozumel from friendly Ft. Lauderdale, March 1-8, 2009 and enjoy a relaxing holistic vacation. Discover why 3,200 people have sailed with us over the last 5 cruises. Bask in warm, gracious, Italian hospitality and service all while enjoying spirited lectures and vegetarian/vegan natural foods and beverages prepared by our own chefs and bakers. Regular cruise menu is optional. Over 30 teachers and 120 holistic lectures, workshops and 12 cooking classes. Special Yoga Nidra and Integrative Relaxation workshops. Private consultations and treatments available. Daily Yoga, Meditation, Pilates, Do-In, Run/Walk Stretch and AB Workouts. Award-winning, environmentally-friendly ship.

1,195*

Lectures and Workshops Featuring World-renowned Teachers and Healers


T. Colin Campbell, Ph.D.
Research scientist and Professor of Nutritional Biochemistry at Cornell University, T. Colin Campbell, Ph.D is author of the best selling book, The China Study: The Most Comprehensive Study of Nutrition Ever Conducted and the Startling Implications for Diet, Weight Loss and Long Term Health.

Dr. Sherry Rogers


Sherry Rogers, M.D., treats emotional illness and chronic disease with diet,nutritional biochemistry,detoxification, and other lifestyle changes. One of this country's prominent environmental medicine practitioners, she has published 16 books, including Detoxify or Die.

Dr. Neal Barnard


Neal Barnard, M.D. is an internationally known integrative medicine researcher, founder of Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine and author of the vegetarian classic Food for Life.

Swim, snorkel and dive in the crystal waters of the Caribbean. Continuing Education Credits available. Dancing, fun socials and singles events; vegan pizza and ice cream parties; cancer support group and recovery panel. Also scheduled to appear: Dr. Christine Horner M.D., Dr. Will Tuttle Ph.D., Dr. Ronald Peters M.D., Chef Mark Hanna, Ohashi, Jessica Porter, Denny Waxman, Warren Kramer, Bob Carr, Robert Pirello, Lino Stanchich and Norio Kushi.

Christina Pirello
Christina is a nationally known vegetarian/ vegan chef, Emmy Award-winning TV celebrity hosting her own show, Christina Cooks, and author of several best-selling cookbooks such as Cooking the Whole Foods Way and Glow.

Yogi Amrit Desai


Renowned Yoga master and authority on holistic living. One of the earliest pioneers to bring Yoga to the West. Founder of the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health.

Dirk Benedict
Dirk is the author of Confessions of a Kamikaze Cowboy, which documents his lifes journey towards holistic health and recovery from prostate cancer. He is a world-renowned actor (The A Team, Battlestar Galactica, etc.). Benedict made his directing debut with his original screenplay CAHOOTS, starring Keith Carradine.

1-828-749-9537 For reservations in the U.S. call 1-800-496-0989 For reservations from outside the U.S. call 1-828-749-1959
For program information call For more details visit

www.atasteofhealth.org

*Rate is in US dollars, per person, based on double occupancy, minimum category. Includes holistic program. Government taxes, gratuities and fuel surcharges additional. Certain restrictions apply. Additional charges apply. Ships Registry: Italy. 6025

A Tour of Italy

February 2009|9

Marketplace

www.mychefmayra.com chef@mychefmayra.com Call 702.372.4709


Eatingvegandoesn'thavetobeboring.Infact,itisthemostexcitingwaytoeat!Freshand organicallygrownplantbasedfoodsareamongnature'smosthealthfulanddeliciousgifts.

Private Chef Mayra provides**Baby Food Classes** plus these healthy services. "A Seduction of the Senses" A flavor fusion to seduce your palate Private & Public Cooking Classes Sport Nutrition information-cooking tips. How to prepare foods as a Vegan or Vegetarian Vegan Desserts & Meal delivery Guidance and coaching for healthy eating for you and your family Hire Chef Mayra Mention this ad and Save 25% on your next Private Service

A Tour of Italy

February 2009|10

Marketplace

A Tour of Italy

February 2009|11

Italian Greens and Reds


By Jill Nussinow, MS, RD, The Veggie Queen
WhenyouthinkofItalianfood, thefirstthingthatcomesto mindisoftenpasta.Forme, though,itsgreens.Thats probablybecauselocalfarms growalotofItaliangreens, includingpuntarelle,radicchio andescarole. Ibelievethatmanypeople avoidItaliangreens,someofwhich, radicchioincluded,areactuallyred, becausetheyarebitter.MostAmericans dontlikebitterfoods(thinkaboutarugula foraflavorcomparison).Iactuallycrave bittergreens,especiallyinthespringwhen myliverneedsagoodcleaningandmost tendergreens,suchasdandelion,start emergingfromtheground. But,backtothegreens.OneofmyItalian sources,JudyWittsFranciniofDivina Cucinahttp://www.divinacucina.com/, sharedsomeinformationwithmeon traditionalItaliangreensthatIwillpasson. Westartedoutwitha discussionofmyfavorite green,whichhereinthe U.S.iscalledDinosauror Lacinatokale.InItalyis calledcavaloneroor blackTuscankale.The darkgreen,ruffledleaves haveadensetextureandearthyflavor, evenaftertheyarecooked.Thiskales narrowleavesaddziptosoups,pasta saucesandstews.Italsoworkswellinside dishes,suchasmy recipefor Mediterranean Greens. Thereisdebate aboutwhetheritis besttoblanch greensbefore cookingornot.I havepreparedthembothwaysandoften nowbraise,ratherthanblanch,them.Its simplerandyieldsthesameresults.Ifind thatstrippingthegreensfromthestems makesthemmorepalatableineithercase. MostItaliangreens tastegreatwithgarlic. WittsFrancinisays, puntarelle(arelative toendiveand escarole)isalways eatenrawinRome, soldatthemarkets alreadycleanedandslicedintothinthreads, onlyneedingtobedressedwiththe typicalanchovy,oildressingwithlemon. Mysuggestionforveganizingthedressingis substitutingabitofmisofortheanchovy.If youwantfatfree,justdrizzlethepuntarelle withfreshlemonjuice. Braisingpuntarelleorescaroleseemsto takethebitternessout.Thebestwaytodo thisisbysautinginabitofoil,ordry sauting,andthenaddingasmallamount ofvegetablestockforcooking,untilthe greensaretoyourliking.Ioftenaddonions and/orgarlicinthisprocess.

A Tour of Italy

February 2009|12

WittsFrancinialso describedawonderful saladcalledradicchioe fagioli(orradicioefasioli) whichismadefroma beautifulradicchiofrom Castelfranco,thatis servedshreddedanddressedwithoiland vinegarandtoppedwithawarmpinto beans,someofwhicharepureedand othersleftwhole,tocreateasoup. Personally,Idprefercannelliniratherthan pintobeans,becausetheyarecreamier. WittsFrancinidescribedbeinginNaples andhavingbroccolirabesautedand servedasasidedish.Itisoftenserved alongsidesausage.Soundslikeagoodtime toserveupsomeFieldRoastorTofurky sausages,if youlike. Thered chunksina salador saladmix are radicchio. WittsFrancinisfavoriteradicchiolookslike apalegreenandredfleckedflower(see photo).Shesaysthattheleavesaremore delicatethanthestandardredtype,andits justslightlybitter.Sheremarksthat radicchiogenerallyiseatenrawbutcanalso begrilled.Seemsashametoruinthe delicatenatureoftheflowerytype radicchiowithgrillingbutperhapsthe standardheadingtypeortheotherredone (seephoto)wouldworkwell.Again,cooking mellowstheflavor. Irecentlymadepestousingarugula,along withbasil,whichwasquitetasty.Youcan

alsocookarugulatomellowitsflavor, whichissomethingnotoftendonehere intheU.S. Ifyouarewaryof eatinggreens becauseyouthink thattheytaste bitter,thencookingis inorder.My MediterraneanGreens, whichIusuallymake withDinosaurkale, collards,andpurple, RedRussianorotherkale,combinesa varietyofflavorstoproduceasweetand sourdish(agrodolceinItalian)thatworks wellasasidedishorcombinedwithpasta, servedoverfarro,barleyorpolenta.Ihope thatyoulikeit. JillNussinow,MS,RD,The VeggieQueenJillisa RegisteredDietitianandhas aMastersDegreein DieteticsandNutritionfrom FloridaInternational University.After graduating,shemigratedtoCaliforniaand beganaprivatenutritionpracticeproviding individualconsultationsandworkshops, specializinginnutritionforpregnancy,new mothers,andchildren.Youcanfindout moreaboutTheVeggieQueenat www.theveggiequeen.com.

SeeNextPageforJillsMediterranean GreensRecipe

A Tour of Italy

February 2009|13

Mediterranean Greens
Ijustlovegreens,especiallyinthewinterwhentheytastethebest.Heretheyarepairedwith tangy,sweetandsalty:asplashofbalsamicvinegar,raisinsorcurrantsandolives.Jill

Ingredients 1tbsp.ofoliveoil(optional) cupoffinelymincedonion 2poundsofgreens,washedbutnotdriedandcenterribsremoved,cutfinely cupofgoldenraisinsorcurrants Waterorbrothasneeded cupoffinelychoppedkalamataolives 12tbsp.ofbalsamicvinegar 1tbsp.ofextravirginoliveoil(optional) Freshlygroundblackpepper Directions Heattheoilinasautpanoveramediumheat. Add theonionandsautfor34minutes,untilitturnstranslucent. Add thegreensandsautfor1minute. Add theraisinsorcurrantsandcookuntilthegreensturnbrightgreen. Stir intheolives. If thegreensgetdrywhilecooking,addbrothorwater1tbsp.atatimebeingcarefulnot toletthemixturegettoliquid. Remove fromtheheatandletcoolabit. Add thebalsamicvinegarandoliveoil. Tasteandadjustseasonings,addingmorevinegar,oil,orpepperasnecessary. Serve oncrostini(Italiantoasts)orwithpasta. Note:ItiseasytoMcDougallizethisrecipebyleavingouttheoil.Itisstillquitedelicious.
FromTheVeggieQueen:VegetablesGettheRoyalTreatmentbyJillNussinow,MS,RD

A Tour of Italy

February 2009|14

Italian Cuisine thinking outside the pasta box


By Marty Davey, RD, MS

Whatcouldagirlfromameatandpotatoes,Irish backgroundknowaboutItaliancuisine? Umtomatoesandpizza?Puttingmycuriosityto thetest,Iresearchedforsomerealcuisineand foundanabundanceofingredients.Besidesthe traditionalredsaucespaghettibowl,trueItalian dishesconsistofeggplant,zucchini,summer squash,fennel,grains,legumes.Grainsand legumes? Yes,muchofItaliancookingisnotmerely substitutingricecheeseforitscowderived alternative.Hereisasampleofthegrainsand legumesusedinItaliancooking.Somearewell knownfoodstaplessuchassemolina,andothersI hadntknownorthoughtofforyears.SinceChef Jasonhassomanyincrediblevegetabledishes, hopefullythesewillenticeyoutotrythemorethe proteindenseingredientsofItaliangastronomy. FarroThisgrain, alsoknownas Emmer Wheat,was whatthe Romanlegions fedtheir troopsohso manyyears ago.Itwasoneoftheearlydomesticated plantsintheMideast.1Thegrainalmost wentoutofexistenceorwouldhavebeen relegatedtoatiny,localcropexceptthat theFrenchintroduceditintothehighend restauranttrade.Theyfounditworkedwell withhardysoupsandsauces. Whilefarroresemblesspelt,thetwoare extremelydifferentwithregardstocooking methods.Speltcanbecookeddirectly, whilefarroneedstobesoaked.Farroalso hasastrongtextureandspeltcanbecome mushy.Historically,farrowasgroundintoa pasteandcooked.2 Ifoundrecipesforfarroinsoupsfromthe EmiliaRomagna,Tuscany,andGarfagnana areas.Theyusedalltypesofvegetables includingkaleandothergreens.Itisalso usedasacolddishwithvegetablesand spicesfrommanyotherareasofItaly. Sincespeltisavirtualtwin,readany packagescloselytomakesureyouare gettingtherealthing. SemolinaSemolinais notagrainitself, ratheracourse remnantof durumwheat particles separatedfromthebran.Thisistheheart ofthedurumkernelorsemolina.Thereisa softsemolinacalledfarina,generallyused asabreakfastcereal.Itisthehardand coarse,groundsemolinaordurumflour whichisusedtomakepasta,couscousand manybreadproducts.3Thehighglutenand proteincontentallowstheflourtobe shapedintothemanypastaderivatives.4

A Tour of Italy

February 2009|15

PolentaWhencornmealmetItaliancooking expertise,polentawasinvented.Originally combinedwithfarroorchestnutflour, polentacanbemilledfineorcoarseto createamushorfirmmealcomponentsuch aspolentacakes.Polentaisfoundin northernItalyandcanbecookedwith mushrooms,rapiniorothervegetablesto createatrulyItaliandish. Intraditionalcooking,polentatakesatleast anhourandrequiredconstantstirring.5 However,therearemethodsusinga microwavethattakeabout12minutes.6 Polentacanalsobeusedasacoatingor batterforbakedvegetablesorevenmade intoasimplecakefordessertandtopped withfruitcompote.7

Carnaroliismorepopularontheotherside oftheAtlantic. WhatIfoundinterestingisthatArboriois cookedsodifferentlythanitsAsian counterpart.Asianricesareaddedto boilingwater,liddedandboiledforatime. Risottoisheatedwithoil,stirreduntilit absorbstheoil,andthenastockisadded. WearealltoldnottoliftthelidonAsian rice;risottoisconstantlystirredandmade insmallbatches.Unlikericewhichisfluffed withaforkattheendofcookingtime, risottoshould,inthewordsofWisegeek, oozeontotheplatemuchlikealavaflow. CouldrisottobeatipofthehattoPompeii? BorlottiBeansThesebeautifulbeanscomeinred andwhitestreakedpods.Whenthepods areopenedthebeanshaveredandwhite streaksintheoppositedirection.Theymay notseemlikeabeanyoucangetinNorth America,butaccordingtotheUnitedStates DepartmentofAgriculture,theyareexactly likecranberrybeansfoundinmanynatural foodsstoresthroughouttheUS.10Most recipesresearchedsimplyhadthebeans cookeduntiltender,notsoft,andaddeda fewspiceswitholiveoil.Theyhaveanutty taste.Thoughboldincolorwhenraw,they turnbrownduringthecookingprocess. Thatssomethingtokeepinmind,ifcoloris keytoyourmealpresentation. CannelliniTheseare theonesusedin mostItalian soups,although theiroriginis Argentina.11In Tuscany,the cannellinibeanbecameaprincipalcrop.In fact,Tuscansareknownfortheirbean consumptionandarecalled,mangiafagioli, translatedtoBeanEaters.Manybeans specieswereeatenthroughoutItaly; however,sinceCannelliniswerefromthe NewWorld,theyreallydidnttakeon nationallyuntilthe17thcentury.12White anddelicateinflavor,thecookedbeans
February 2009|16

RisottoWhenisrice,notrice,andwhenispasta, notpasta?Whenitisrisotto.Ihaveto confessIhadnoideatheyactuallygrewrice inItaly.Infact,Italyisthelargestrice producerinEurope,especiallynorthern Italy.DuringtheMiddleAges,ricewas consideredmedicinalandwasusedonlyin seedform.Thensomenamelessbrainchild gottheideatoplantitinthePovalley,and, VOILA!theItalianricemarketwasborn. Thereisanaturalwaterflowwhichfloods ricefieldsinthePiedmontandLombardy regions.Thehotsummersalsoaddto necessaryclimateconditionsfor cultivation.8Itwasasmallindustryuntil 1839whenanunnamedfriarrippedoff someseedsfromthePhilippines,planted themandbeganexperimentingto germinateadiseaseresistantstrain.An irrigationsystemwasputtogetherandin theearly1900stheExperimentalRice Centrewasestablished. Risottoismadefromoneofthreetypesof ricegrowninEurope:Arborio,Carnarolior Vialonenano.9Manypeopleconfusethe pastaOrzowithArboriorice.Orzostaysin separatepieceswhileArboriocreams together.Arborioisthemostpopularrice forrisottointheUnitedStates,whereas
A Tour of Italy

stayintact.Thismakesthemveryversatile asthebaseofabeanandveggiesalad,hot mealsincludingzucchiniandsummer squashes,antipastospreadwithpickled onionsorasalettucesaladtopper. ChickPeasIsthere acuisine whichdoesnt usechick peas somewhere? Theoriginofchickpeasisnotclear.Whatis clearisthatItaliancookingincludestheCeci peas[chickpeas]forsalads,soups,and spreads.Thereareanumberofrecipes whichcallforcecistobesoakedforeight hoursormore.13Ihaventfoundthis necessary.Iwillsoaktheminhotwaterfor 20minutesbeforecooking,butnotmuch moreisreallyneeded.Italiansservethem justcookedwithoilandafewspicesoras partofmoreelaboratedishes.Witha blenderorfoodprocessoryoucancreate chickpeaflourwhichisusedtomakeatype ofpolentacalledpanissa.Itismixedwith onionsandgreenstomakeaonedishmeal. Soundslikelunchtome.14 FavaBeansOnce usedas currency,fava beansare traditionally planted November2or AllSoulsDay,aholydayintheCatholic religion.Supposedlytherearesmallcakes madetoresemblefavabeanseatenthat daycalled,favedeimorti,orBeansofthe Dead.Havingafavabeaninyourpocketis consideredgoodlucksinceyoucarrywith youtheessentialsoflife.15 Favabeansarealsoknownasbroadbeans andareonlyavailablefreshafewweeksa year.Theyarelaborintensivewhenused freshbecauseyoumustfirstboilthemto opentheskins.Then,boilagain.However, theflavorisworthyofsomeofthework.
A Tour of Italy

Otherthanuseinsoups,favabeansarein sidedisheswithartichokes,eggplantanda hostofvegetablesandbroths,including onerecipewithamlangeofroot vegetables.Oneoftheeasiestandtastiest iswithonions,garlicandbeetgreensina favabeanpuree.16However,youusethem; theyllincreaseyournutritionalcurrency exponentially. LentilsBackwhenIwas young,duringthe Paleolithicand Mesolithicages [13,0009,000 B.C.],Iusedto parkmydinosaurattheFranchthiCavein Greece,andchowdownonlentils.They didntservelentilswithcorianderchutney then,justalittlesalt.AndIhavetoconfess thatIjustcouldnttalkEsau,theguyfrom theoldJewishandbiblestory,outofgiving uphisbirthrightforaplateofthem.17That waseitheronehungrydudeoronegreat plateoflentils. LentilsdidnthititbiginItalyuntilthe BronzeAge.[AndItaliansthinktheyareso cuttingedge!Mypeoplehadalreadybuilt Stonehenge.]Afterthatitbecameacore componentofItaliancooking.Theobelisk inSt.PetersSquaredatesbackto37A.D. andwasshippedfromEgypttoItalypacked inacrateoflentils.18[Iwonderedwhere theideaofpackingpeanutscamefrom.] TwotypesoflentilsaregrowninItaly, mainlyinthesouth.Neitherstrainwas statedasusedmorethananother.Of course,lentilsareusedinsoups,butalso sidedishessuchaslentilfritters,and appetizers.OnNewYearsDay,lentilsarea must.Theysymbolizecoinsandbringing financialsuccessinthenewyear.19 Again,Ifoundmanyrecipessuggesting soakingthemforhoursbeforeuse, somethingIhavenotfoundnecessary especiallyifyouarepressurecookingthem.

February 2009|17

Icantendthissectiononbeanswithout referencingMaccudiSan'Gnuseppi,orLegume soupforSt.Joseph.Thestorygoesthatoneyear allofthecropsfailedinSicilyexceptforbeans.The beanskepteveryonefromstarvation.Thegrateful populationgavethankstoSt.Josephforthisfood crop.Thecommemorativesoupusesallofthe aforementioneddriedseedsinabrothflavored withanativeherb,borragine,whichcanbe substitutedwithgreens.20Madeatthespring equinox,thisdishincorporatestheoldwinter staplesthehousewifeclearsfromherpantry makingroomforthefreshyieldofthecoming seasons. So,beansandgrainsareusedthroughoutItalywith greens,onions,rootvegetables,squash,fresh herbs,andartichokes.Ohyeah,theyalsohave somedishesthatuse...tomatoes.
TheAuthor MartyDaveyisaRegistered DietitianandhasaMasters degreeinFoodandNutrition fromMarywoodUniversity. Shebecameavegetarianin 1980whenshediscovered thatthechemicalsin Americanmeatmadethem unsellabletoEuropeans.Sheandherhusbandhave raisedtheirsonasavegan.Sheteachesnutritionand hasaprivatepracticespecializinginassistingclients transitioningtoaplantbasedregimestepbystep.Her websiteiswww.martydavey.com.

Wisegeek.WhatisFarro?Retrievedfrom http://www.wisegeek.com/whatisfarro.htmonJanuary26, 2009. 2 PhillipsK.[nd].Farro:GrainoftheLegions.About.com. Retrievedfrom http://italianfood.about.com/library/rec/blr0002.htmon January26,2009. 3 Semolina,Wikipedia.Retrievedfrom http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SemolinaonJanuary26,2009. 4 Conent,P.[nd]Grainproductsbasicssemolinaand couscous.EpicureanTable.Retrievedfrom http://www.epicureantable.com/articles/agrainsemolina.htm onJanuary26,2009.
A Tour of Italy
1

Wikipedia.[nd]Polenta.Retrievedfrom http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PolentaonJanuary26,2009. 6 Cooks.com.[nd]Microwavepolenta.Retrievedfrom http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1629,148162 224203,00.htmlonJanuary26,2009. 7 MeleD.[2008]OliveOilPolentaCakeWithPoachedPears. ItalianFoodForever!Retrievedfrom http://www.italianfoodforever.com/onJanuary26,2009. 8 ItalianInstituteforTrade.FivecenturiesofItalianRice. Retrievedfrom http://www.italtrade.com/showroom/riso.htmonJanuary 27,2009. 9 Wisegeek.[nd]IsRisottoRiceorPasta?Wisegeek. Retrievedfromhttp://www.wisegeek.com/isrisottoriceor pasta.htmonJanuary27,2009. 10 EhlerJT.[nd]BorlottiBeans.Foodreference.com.Retrieved from http://www.foodreference.com/html/fborlottibeans.htmlon January27,2009. 11 EhlerJK.[nd]CannelliniBeans.FoodReference.Retrieved from http://www.foodreference.com/html/fcannellinibeans.html onJanuary27,2009. 12 BelangerL.[2006]CannelliniBeans.HighBeamresearch. Retrievedfromhttp://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2 7946313.htmlonJanuary27,2009. 13 PhillipsK.[nd]Ceci!Chickpeasorgarbanzos.About.com. Retrievedfrom http://italianfood.about.com/od/aboutingredients/a/aa0211 00.htmonJanuary27,2009. 14 PhillipsK.[nd]Panissa.About.com.Retrievedfrom http://italianfood.about.com/od/primivari/r/blr0687.htmon January27,2009. 15 Wikipedia.[2009]Viciafaba.Wikipedia.Retrievedfrom http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vicia_fabaonJanuary27,2009. 16 PhillipsK.[nd]FavaBeansandBeetGreens.About.com. Retrievedfrom http://italianfood.about.com/od/legumesandpasta/r/blr0615 .htmonJanuary27,2009. 17 WrightC.[nd]Ashorthistoryoflentils.CliffordA Wright.com.Retrievedfrom http://www.cliffordawright.com/caw/food/entries/display.ph p/id/61/onJanuary27,2009. 18 BarrettJ.2004.Fagioli.Pennsylvania.Rodale. 19 PhillipsK.[nd]Lenticchie,ThatsLentils!About.com. Retrievedfrom http://italianfood.about.com/od/aboutingredients/a/aa0122 00.htmonJanuary27,2009. 20 PhillipsK.[nd]LegumeSoupforSaintJoseph'sMaccudi San'Gnuseppi.About.com.Retrievedfrom http://italianfood.about.com/od/legumesandpasta/r/blr0689 .htmonJanuary27,2009. .

February 2009|18

The Bountiful Italian


By Chef Philip Gelb
GrowingupinBrooklyn,Ibecameenamoredby Italianfoodatanearlyage.Althoughmyapproach tofoodhasdramaticallychangedsincechildhood,I stillretainaloveofItalianfoodandthedelightful pastasandbreads,incredibleredsauces,richolive oils,allsortsofgreenvegetablesandofcoursea richarrayoffrozenandotherdesserts.Italyisa hugefoodculturewithavarietyofverydiverse regionsandapproachesofferingincredibleculinary treasuresforeveryonethusforobviousreasons, Italianfoodisenjoyedbypeoplefromalloverthe worldandonecanfindItalianchefsinallmajor citiesaroundtheworld.Inaddition,onecanfindin manypartsoftheplanetgreatchefswhohave gonetoItalytolearnoneoftheworldgreat culinarytraditions.NorthernCaliforniasharesa similarclimatetotheMediterraneanthuswecan growmostoftheingredientsfoundinItalian cuisineandofcoursebothregionsareknownfor wineandolives.Andofcourse,wecanuseour incrediblyrich,12monthayearharvestalongwith Italiantechniquestocreatesomedelightful fusions. AllMediterraneancuisineshaveaverylarge proportionofvegetariandishesfoundinmost everydaymeals.Anditisrelativelyeasyto changesomeofthemeatdishesintotofuorseitan dishes.However,dairytendstoplayamajor portioninthedietofItaly.Inrecentyears,more packaged,vegancheezesareappearingonthe market.Unfortunatelythesetendtobehighly processedandwhentheymelt,appearmorelike meltedplasticthanmozzarella.ToquoteAlton Brown,thatisnotexactlygoodeats.Inmy kitchen,weprefertokeepingredientscloserto theirnaturalstatesandwemakenonmelting cheezoutofnutsortheveryancientanddiverse ingredientfromChinaandJapan,tofu.
A Tour of Italy

TheRecipes
SautdRapiniandCapers WildMushroomRisotto BloodOrangeandFennelSalad Lasagna(dough,almondricotta,cashewparm,red sauce) VeganFrittata ChocolateIceCream PizzawithPestoandTofuRicotta PolentawithPistachios StuffedSquashBlossoms GriddledRadicchio

sautedrapiniwitholivesandcapers
serves4

Therearesomanyvarietiesofgreenvegetablesin thebrassicafamily.Italianchefsfrequentlyemploy manyoftheseslightlybitterormustardykindsof greensinavarietyofsoups,stewsandsimpleside dishes.Asignificantpartofourdietcomesfrom thisfamilyofvegetable,providingincredibleflavors anddelightfultexturesaswellasafinesourceof nutrientsandfiber.Throughouttheplanetwefind manytraditionalwaystopreparegreensofall types.Thisisasimpleandveryquickwayto preparerapini,oneofthemanytastyItalian greens. 1poundbunchrapini,washedandcutin2inch pieces 4clovesgarlicsliced 1shallot,slicedthinly 5greenolives,chopped 1tsp.capers 2tbsp.oliveoil cupwine(zinfandelworksnicely;marsalaworks greatbutdonotuseitifyouarealreadyusingitin therisottoorotherdishonthesamecourse) Blackpepper
February 2009|19

Preheatfryingpanovermediumhighheatwithoil andsautgarlicandshallotfora30secondsand thenaddrapini,stirringwelltocoatandsautfor2 minutesortillvegetablestartstoslightlywilt.Add olives,capersandwine,immediatelycoverfor30 seconds.Removefromheat,addblackpepperand serveimmediately options almostanygreenvegetablecanbesubstituted suchasBrusselssprouts,broccoli,broccolirabe, etc. useblackolives addtoastedpinenuts

wildmushroomrisotto
serves6

deglazethepotwithmarsalawine,cookingtillitis evaporated.Addonecupofstockatatime,stirring frequently.Whenitisabsorbedaddanotherand keepthisprocessgoingtillthericeiscooked, usuallytakesabout20minutes.Addthecooked mushrooms,choppedparsleyandblackpepper, stirwellandserveimmediately options toptherisottowithroastedbutternutsquashasa garnishforcolorandflavor garnishwithtoastedpinenuts substitutesomeoftheparsleywithfreshbasil insummertime,addfreshpeasinthelastfew minutesofcooking

bloodorangefennelsalad
6servings

Risottoisoneofmyfavoritedishes!WhenIfirst sawmyroommateandoldfriend,PhilBallman preparingrisottowhileIwasingraduateschool,I laughed.IknewtheAsianmethodofcookingrice andthatwasclosethelidanddonottouchittillit isdone!Andheremycrazyroommateissittingover ahotstoveandstirringconstantly.However,I stoppedlaughingwhenItastedtheresults.Risotto isanimmenselypopulardishthatisnotdifficultto prepareandcertainlyworththeeffort. 1cupArboriorice 1onionchopped 1leekchopped 1poundwildmushrooms,cleanedthoroughlyand chopped 5clovesgarlicminced 11/2tspseasalt 1/2cupmarsalawine 6cupsseaweed/mushroomstock 1/4cupchoppedparsley freshlycrackedblackpepper 4tbspoliveoil Keepthestockatsimmer.Inapreheatedfrying pan,sautmushroomswithgarlicand1tbsp.of oliveoilfor5minutesortillwellcooked.Setaside. Warmupastainlesssteelpotandadd3tbsp.olive oilandseasalt,leekandonionandsautfor3 minutes.Addriceandsautforaminute,then
A Tour of Italy

OrganicbloodorangesareeasytofindinNorthern Californiainmidandlatewinter.Oneofthemany, trulyuniqueanddelightfulmembersofthecitrus familyfrequentlyfindsitswayintosaladsand dessertsinmywintermenus.Hereitispairedwith aclassicItalianvegetableandthedressingformy verypopularbloodorangefennelsaladshowssome ofmyJapaneseinfluences. dressing Juiceandzestof2bloodoranges 5tbsp.oliveoil 1tbsp.toastedsesameoil 4tbsp.champagnevinegar 1tbsp.balsamicvinegar 2tsp.agavesyrup 1tbsp.shoyu tsp.seasalt Blendalloftheingredientstogether. salad 1smallbulbfennel,shavedthinly 3bloodoranges,peeledandsectioned 2cupsbabyromaineleaves 12pecanhalves,toasted,chopped Mixtheingredientsandtopwiththedressing.
February 2009|20

lasagna
Whodoesnotlovelasagna?Layersofnoodleswith vegetablesandsauces.Thereisnoonerecipefor thisclassicdish;everyonehastofindanddiscover theirownapproach.Thisdishtakestime.Making yourownnoodlesisalotoffuntodowithyour familyandfriends. noodles Thegarbanzobeanflouraddsproteintothedough whichhelpstogiveanicetexture. 1cupsemolinaflour cupgarbanzobeanflour 2/3cupwhiteflour tsp.seasalt 2/3cupwater Whisktogetherthedryingredients.Addflour, kneadbyhandorinmachinefor10minutes,till verysmooth.Coverandletsitfor30minutes. Dividethedoughinto8partsandthenuseyour pastamachinetorolloutdowntothesecondto smallestsetting.Youwillnotneedallthisdough foronelasagna. redsauce Insummerandfall,Ialwaysusefresh,locally grownorganictomatoesandinnorthernCalifornia, wehaveaccesstoawidearrayofheirloom varietiesatfarmersmarketsandsomeshops.I reallydislikecannedfoodbutinthewinterthereis oneexceptionandthosearetomatoes. 4clovesgarlic,minced 1onion,finediced 1carrot,finediced 1redpepper,finediced 1stalkcelery,finediced 32oz.cantomatoesor15romatomatoes,diced 1tsp.thyme 1tsp.oregano 1tsp.seasalt 1tbsp.maplesyruporagave tsp.blackpepper cupbasilleaves,finelychopped 3tbsp.oliveoil 1cupredwine
A Tour of Italy

Inapreheatedstainlesssteelpot(donotusecast ironpotsfortomatosauces),fryonionstill translucentinoliveoilwithseasalt.Addtherestof thevegetablesandcoverfor5minutes,addthe restoftheingredients,cover,lowerheatandcook foronehour. ricottacheez Ricottaiseasytoimitate!Thiskindofcheeseis aboutthetexture,nottheflavor.Wecaneasilydo thiswithnutsorwithsofttofu. cuprawalmonds 2cupswater 3tbsp.lemon 3tbsp.kudzuorarrowroot tsp.seasalt 1tsp.agave 1tbsp.oliveoil Bringwatertoboilandblanchalmondsfor1 minute.PlacealmondsANDhotwaterinfood processorandprocesstillverysmooth.Thiswill takeatleastaminute.Addtherestofthe ingredientsandprocess.Placethisintoasmall saucepan,overlowheat,stiruntilitthickens.Put inbowlandrefrigeratetillset. veganIdarenotcallitparmesagn! 1cuprawcashews cupnutritionalyeast 1tbsp.whitemiso(saikyomisoisbest!) tsp.seasalt Putallingredientsinfoodprocessorandprocess tillsmooth. vegetableoptions option1 slicedzucchini,roasted slicedeggplant,roasted slicedportabella,roasted sliceanycombinationofthesevegetablesin1/3 inchslices,tosswithasmallamountofsafflower oilandtsp.seasaltandroastat425,coveredfor 30minutes.
February 2009|21

option2 sautpoundmushroomsinoliveoiltillslightly cookedandreleasesitswater. assembling Haveeverythingreadytogobeforeyoustart rollingoutthenoodles!Rollthenoodlesoutasyou placetheminthepan.Takea13by9bakingpan andoilthebottomandplaceasmallamountof sauceonthebottomtocover.Placealayerof noodleandspreadsomeofthericottaonthat. Addalayerofvegetable.Alternatelayersof noodles,sauce,vegetables,andthe2cheezes. Bakeinpreheated350ovenfor30minutes.Let coolfor10minutesbeforecuttingandserving

chocolateicecream
Icecreamisoneofthesupremecomfortfoodsfor manychildrenandadultsandperhapsthehardest thingformetobecomeveganwasicecream!I couldnotpossiblyimaginealifewithoutthis specialfrozendessertandmysamplongs ofpackagedveganicecreamsleftmevery dissatisfiedbecauseofflavor,textureand ingredients.SoIhadtosetoffonmakingmyown. Aftermuchresearch,Iendedupwithsome incrediblysatisfyingveganicecreamflavorsthat arelovedbynonvegansaswellasvegans!Forthe lasttwoyears,mostofmydesertshaveincluded someofmyverypopularicecreamsandIhave developeddozensofflavors. Forsoymilk,Ialwaysmakemyownandithas2 ingredients,organicsoybeansandfilteredwater. Mostpackagedsoyandothergrainandnutmilks havealotofadditive,sweeteners,etc.Ifyouusea packagedonemakesuretheingredientsareonly soybeansandwater.Itishighlysuggestedtoonly consumeorganicsoybeansasnonorganicsoyis highlygeneticallymodified. Youwillneed2specialpiecesofequipmenttomake goodicecream;ahighspeedblenderandanice creammaker.Icecreammakerscomeinmany styles,thebestoneseitherhavecompressorsbuilt inortheoldfashionedstyleswiththeicebuckets. Theoneswhereyoufreezethebowlovernightdo notworkwellastheytendtodefrostbeforeyour icecreamhasset. 3cupssoymilk(unsweetened) cuprawcashews cupmaplesyrup 1tbsp.kudzuorarrowroot 2tsp.vanillaextract tsp.seasalt cup100%cocoapowder Inahighspeedblenderplace:cashews,maple syrup,kudzu,and1cupsoymilk.Processonhigh tillverysmoothyouwantthecashewstobe juicedwithnogritorpowderyresidual.Place
February 2009|22

veganfrittata
agreatbreakfastorbrunchorevenadinnertreat. Wecaneasilyreplicatethetextureofafrittatawith silkentofucoloredwithturmeric. Useyourimaginationforfillings.Hereisabasil shitakeone.Zuchini,artichoke,sundriedtomatoes arealldelightfuladditionsorsubstitutes. 1poundsilkentofu tsp.turmeric 2tsp.kudzuorarrowroot 1shallotminced 3clovesgarlic,minced 1tsp.seasalt Freshlycrackedblackpepper 20basilleaves,chiffonade 10shitake,julienned 2tbspbrandyormarsala Smokedpaprika Infoodprocessor,placesilkentofu,kudzuand turmericandprocesstillverysmooth.Preheat ovento400.Preheatfryingpan,overmedium highheataddoliveoil,shallots,garlicandsaltand saut1minuteovermedumhighheat.Addshitake andbasilandsaut1minute,addbrandy,cover andletsteamsautfor10seconds.Addthistothe tofumixture.Ladlethetofumushroommixture ontoanoiledbakingsheet,creatingcirclesthesize ofanadultpalm.Sprinklewithsmokepaprikaand bakefor25minutes.
A Tour of Italy

thismixtureintoastainlesssteelpotandoverlow heat,whiskingcontinuously,bringtosimmer.You mustconstantlywhiskthemixtureoritwillstick andburn.Continuetillitisverythick,removefrom heatandpourbackintoblender.Addtherestof theingredientsandblendtillsmooth.Placeinice creammakerandfollowtheinstructionsforyour icecreammaker. options Add1ofthefollowing tsp.cardamom 1tsp.cinnamon cuprum cuptoasted,choppedpecansoralmondsor walnuts cupdarkchocolatechips cupdriedblueberriesorcherriesorraspberries cupmadeira

Pizza
AsImentionedearlier,IgrewupinBrooklyn.Nuff said,ILOVEpizzaandneedtoconsumeitonasemi regularbasis.Makingpizzaathomehasdifficulties asideallywewanttobakeatincrediblyhigh temperatures,upto800degrees!Homeovens usuallystopat475andfewofushavethefortune tohaveourownwoodfiredovensinourhomes wherewecanplaywithsuchhightemperatures.A pizzastoneisveryhelpfulforallpizzaandbread bakinginhomeovensandturnituptothehighest possibletemperatureyouhave.Forme,Iprefer simplewhenitcomestopizza,notapiledup moundoftoppings,butverysparinglytoppedismy preference.Again,ratherthangoforafakemelting highlyprocessedcheez,Iprefertoeithergo cheeselessortheoptionofatofubasedricotta. dough 1cupwhiteunbleachedflour cupsemolinaflour tsp.yeast tsp.seasalt tsp.agave 1cupwater

Placeallthedryingredientsinastandmixer.Add waterandletitkneadfor25minutes.This producesaverywetdough.Coverandletrise about6hoursorovernight basilpestosauce 3cupsbasil 1cupparsley 1/3cuptoastedpinenuts 3clovesgarlic 1tsp.salt 1tbsp.whitemiso(saikyoisbest) cupoliveoil Placeallingredientsinafoodprocessorandblend tillitformsapaste. tofuricotta 1poundmediumorfirmtofu 2tbsp.freshbasil,finelychopped 3tbsp.lemonjuice 1tbsp.oliveoil tsp.seasalt Mashthetofuandblendtheotheringredientsin assembling Preheatovento475withthestoneintheoven. Dividedoughinto2halves.Tossdoughintoa circle.Spreadpestoonthedough.Addsmall dollopsofthetofuricotta.Placeonstoneand bake1315minutes,tillbottomisstartingto brown.

polentawithpistachiosandfennel
1cuppolenta 3cupsstock 1cupunsweetenedsoymilk 1tsp.seasalt 1tbsp.freshparsley,chopped 2tbsp.freshbasil,chopped 2tbsp.oliveoil cuptbsp.dicedfennel cupdicedredpepper 1cupredonion,diced 2clovesgarlic,minced cupchardonnayorotherfruitywhitewine
February 2009|23

A Tour of Italy

3tbsp.pistachios,toasted,chopped Freshlycrackedblackpepper Preheatfryingpan,addoil,fennel,redpepper,red onion,garlicandsaltandsautfor2minutesortill vegetablesaresoft.Addwineandherbs,cover, simmeroneminute,removefromheatandset aside.Insaucepan,bringtosimmerthesoymilk andstockandaddpolentawhilestirring.Continue cookingoverlowheat,stirringconstantlyfor30 minutes.Addthecookedvegetablestothe polenta.Pressthepolentainarectangulartrayto shapeandset.Oryoucanshapethemintosmall cakes.

TheAuthor PhilipGelbwasbornandraisedin BrooklynNY.Heendedupin FloridawherehereceivedaBAin culturalanthropologyanddid graduatestudiesin ethnomusicology.Forthelast decadehehaslivedintheSan FranciscoBayAreawherehe worksasaprofessionalmusician andmusicteacheraswellasaveganchef.Asa musicianhehasperformedallovertheUnited StatesandinJapan,EuropeandCanada.5years agohestartedIntheMoodforFood,avegetarian personalchefandcateringcompany.Hehasbeen vegetariansince17andafterbecomingvegan4 yearsago,hechangedhisbusinesstostrictlyvegan cuisine.Althoughtotallyselftaughtasachef,heis averypopularvegancookingteacher,hosting monthlyclasses.Hisotherinterestsincludehiking, travelling,andheisanavidfilmbuff.Ofcourse,he lovescooking,especiallyforfriendsaswellas professionally.YoucanreachChefPhilipGelbat www.myspace.com/inthemoodforfood.

stuffedsquashblossoms
serves4 8smallzucchinioryellowsquashwithblossoms intact 1poundsilkentofu 2tbsp.rawcashews 2tbsp.basil 1tbsp.parsley 2tbsp.lemonjuice 1tsp.seasalt 2tbsp.pinenuts Cornmealtocoat cupsoymilk Oliveoilforpanfrying Infoodprocessor,placesilkentofu,cashews,salt, andlemonjuiceandprocesstillsmooth.Add basil,parsleyandpinenutstothismixture.Stuff thismixtureintosquashblossoms.Brushsquash andblossomswithsoymilk,coatwithcornmealand panfryinoliveoil,turningevery2minutesorwhen startingtobrown.

griddledradicchio
Anincrediblysimpleanddelightfulsidedish. Cutradicchioinhalfandrubeachhalflightlywith seasalt.Placefacedownonaveryhotgriddleand cover.Cook2minutesortillverycaramelized.Add 3tbspbalsamicvinegar,coverandletsteamtill cookedthrough,about30seconds.
A Tour of Italy February 2009|24

Easy Italian
quick and easy ideas for making delicious Italian meals vegan
By Chef Mayra
IcanimagebeingaVeganinItaly.Withan emphasisonfreshlocalproduce,oliveoilinstead ofbutter,andpizzawithoutcheese,eatingvegan inItalyisabreeze.Thatdoesntmeanitdoesnt requirealittleeffort,becausemeatisdefinitelyon allthemenus,butonceyouknowwhattolookfor, Iamguessingyouwillhavenoproblemenjoying localItaliancuisineasajoyfulvegan.Sowiththat inmindletshaveatourofItaly,Dr.Flavorsstyle. EachregionofItalyhasadistinctcuisineand traditionaldishincorporatingfreshingredientsand localproducts.LinkstoItalianrecipesandarticles onItalianfoodit'snotjustredsauceandpizza! AndlearnaboutItalianwinesandthehistory, tradition,andcultureofwinemakinginItaly. Italydoesn'thaveavegantraditionperse.Inthe past,muchofthepopulationcouldn'taffordtoeat meatmorethanonceaweekandasaresulteating meatoftenwasastatussymbol.Thisdoesn'tmean therearentanyvegetarianrecipes,however. Minestronecomestomind,andtherearemany othermeatlessdishesthatwillworkverywellas thecenterpieceofaveganmeal.Addtothem tossedsaladandawine(white,probably),and you'reinbusiness! Hereareacoupleofmixesforyoutohavean Italianvacationinyourkitchen: (chooseorganicispossible) wordpestle),inreferencetothesauce'scrushed herbsandgarlic. InsteadoftheparmesanIusebrewer'syeast,or soy/riceparmesan,oramixtureofboth. 1bunchfreshbasil(anicefullhandful) cuppinenuts 5wholeclovesgarlic tsp.salt severalfreshgrindsofblackpepper,or tsp.alreadyground 2oz.mediumtofu cupyeastand/orsoyparm cupextravirginoliveoil CombineallingredientsEXCEPTOILinthebowlof afoodprocessor. Processuntilsemismooth. Withprocessorrunning,addoilinacontinuous stream. Tosswithpasta;serveontoastedbreadwith tomatoes,etc. Alloftheseamountsareapproximate. Adjustthemtoyourowntaste. It'sprettyhardtomessup. Ioftenuseotherherbsbesidesbasil. Rightnowthere'sacilantropestointhefridge,and lastweekwasbasilmint. Walnutsoralmondscanbeusedinplaceofthe pinenuts,whichareawfullyexpensive(Iprefer walnuts). Ifyouliketonsofgarlic,addasmuchasyouwant, butthemoregarlicyouaddthelongeryoushould letitsitbeforeeating. Pestokeepsverywellandisdeliciousthenextday. Itfreezeswell,too. AdashofDr.Bronner'sliquidaminosisnicein pesto.

PESTOVeganSTYLEwithSeveralIdeasfor PestoFlavors
Pesto(Italian['pesto],Genoese['pestu])isasauce originatinginGenoaintheLiguriaregionof northernItaly(pestoallagenovese).Thenameis thecontractedpastparticipleofpest("topound, tocrush",fromthesameLatinrootastheEnglish

A Tour of Italy

February 2009|25

SpinachLinguinewithLemon,Asparagus andSpringHerbs

2tbsp.oliveoil 2tbsp.veganmargarine 1largebunchscallions,includinghalfofthe greensthinlysliced 2tsp.gratedlemonzest 1tbsp.freshthyme,sage,ortarragon finelychopped Seasaltandfreshlygroundpeppertotaste 2poundsfreshasparagustoughends removed 1poundspinachlinguine 4tbsp.pinenutstoasted 3tbsp.freshparsleychopped 2tbsp.freshsnippedchives,plusblossoms ifavailable ChefsNote:UseVeganCheese(mozzarella) togarnishyourpasta.Greatlightdish pairedwithOrganicWHITEwine...YUM~ VIVALaVEGAN

Whenthewaterboils,saltit,addtheasparagus, andcookuntilpartiallytender,about3to4 minutes. Scoopitout,addittothescallions,andcontinue cooking. Cookthepasta,thenaddittothepanwithsomeof thewaterclingingtothestrands. Raisetheheatandstirintheremainingoil,the pinenuts,parsley,chives,peppertotaste,anda fewtablespoonsofcheese,ifdesired. Divideamongpastaplates,gratealittlevegan cheeseovereachportion,andgarnishwiththe chiveblossoms(ifavailable).

VeganRotiniSOEASY

Linguine(alsospelledlinguini)isaformofpasta flatlikefettuccineandtrenette,butnarrowlike spaghetti.Thenamemeans"littletongues"in Italian.Accordingtothemakingofpastahistory, linguineoriginatesfromtheCampaniaregionof Italy.Whilespaghettitraditionallyaccompanies tomatodishes,linguineisoftenservedwithpesto. Linguineisslightlywiderthanspaghetti,andthere isacompanionproductcalledlinguinifiniwhichis similarinwidthtospaghetti.Inmostrecipes spaghettiandlinguineareinterchangeable. Cookthelinguiniaccordingtopackagedirections.I suggestcookinglinguinipastauntilaldenteaswell. Whilewaterisheatingforthepasta,heathalfthe oilandbutterinawideskilletoverlowheat. Addthescallions,lemonzest,thyme,andafew pinchesofsaltandcookslowly,stirring occasionally. Meanwhile,slice3inchtipsofftheasparagus,the slicetheremainingstalksdiagonallyormakearoll cut.

1tbsp.oliveoil 3cupsslicedzucchini 1cupslicedfreshmushrooms cupchoppedgreenbellpepper cupchoppedonion 2clovesgarlicminced 114.5ozcanstewedtomatoesundrained &chopped 1tsp.choppedfreshbasilor1/2tsp.dried tsp.choppedfreshoreganoor1/4tsp. dried tsp.seasaltortotaste tsp.freshlygroundpepper 2cupshotcookedrotini

Rotiniisatypeofspiralpasta,relatedtofusilli,but withatighterhelix,i.e.withasmallerpitch.The namederivesfromtheItalianfortwists.Rotini originatedfromNorthernItalyandthetighttwists helpthemretainawidevarietyofsaucesbetter. Theyareoftenusedinpastasaladswithpestoor tomatobasedsauces.Rotiniismostoftenmade fromrefined(white)wheatflour,althoughvarieties madefromwholewheatflour,brownrice,orother grainsarealsoavailable.Itisverysimilartofusilli, anothertypeofcorkscrewshapedpasta,butfusilli isthinner.Rotinishouldnotbeconfusedwith rotelle("wagonwheel"pasta). HeatoliveoilinaDutchovenovermediumheat. Addzucchiniandnext4ingredientsandcook, stirringconstantly,5minutes.
February 2009|26

A Tour of Italy

Addtomatoandnext4ingredients;bringtoaboil, andremovefromheat. Addcookedpastaandtossgently. Serveimmediately. Whatdoyouthink?Canyoucreateyourdish?You arethechefinyourkitchen.Thepossibilitiesare justamazing.Havefun! E'semplicementedelizioso..... Buonappetito TheAuthor
ChefMayrahasbeeninthe healthyeatingandcooking industryforover11yearsandhas certificationsinsportsnutrition, macrobioticcooking,veganand vegetarian,holistic,andfengshui cuisine.Shestartedhercareerasa cookbylearningand experimentingwithFrench,Caribbean,Southern,Cajun, andWestAfricancuisine.ChefMayraisachef instructorandconductsavarietyofclassesand demonstrationsgearedtowardsveganathletes, personaltrainers,andanyonewhowouldliketolivea healthierlife.Dr.Flavorcanmakehealthycooking easierbybecomingyourpersonalchef!VisitchefMayra atwww.mychefmayra.comorcallherat7023724709.

A Tour of Italy

February 2009|27

Easy Sprouts!
winter greens in any season
By Liz Lonetti
IthasbeenveryhardtalkingwithmyGrandpaback inMinnesotaabouttheweatherwithoutfeelinga littleguiltyhewastellingmeabout30degree belowzerowindchillswhileIm lookingoutovermybeautifuland productivewintergardenbeds.Of courseIremindmyselfthatsummer hereinPhoenixwillcomeagain, andGrampswillgethisrevenge; butashelamentedthesadlooking andridiculouslypricedproducein thestores,Ifoundinspirationfor thismonthsarticle. Inmanyclimates,wintertimecanbe challengingtofindfresh,vibrant andnutrientpackedfoodsona budget.GrowingupinMinnesota, wereliedheavilyonfrozenand cannedveggiestoseeusthrough thelong,darkwintersofthefrozen tundra(whichisprobablywhyIstill getcoldshiverslookingatcannedpeasinthe grocerystore).Abettersolutiontogettingyour dailydoseofgreenthingsistosproutthem yourself! Sproutingisaveryeasyandinexpensivewaytoget greatnutrition,notjustinwinter,butanytimeof theyear!Therearesomanywaystousesprouted grains,nutsandseeds.Youcouldsproutyouroats beforemakingoatmealoraddsproutedlentilsto yourpancakesforbreakfast.Someofmyfavorite sandwichesandsaladsfeaturesproutedradish seedsforthatlittleextrakickofflavor.Youcanput sproutsinsmoothies,soups,bakedgoods,dips& spreadsevendesserts! Sohowdoesonegoaboutharnessingthepowerof sproutsinyourownhome?Therearemany differentmethods,IllstartwiththefirstoneIhad
A Tour of Italy

successwithusingasimplekitchencolanderwith lentils. WhilelivinginCalifornia,Danand Idevelopedatraditionofhaving pancakeseverySaturdaymorning forbreakfast.Well,atraditional pancakeisnotverynutritiousand Iamafirmbelieverinconsuming asmanynutrientsaspossibleper calorie.SoIstartedthinking abouthowtoupthenutritional content,whilemaintainingataste thatwebothloved,andthe sproutedlentilblueberrypancake wasborn!OnWednesdayor ThursdayeveningIwouldtake abouthalfacupoflentilsandsoak theminwarmwaterovernight.In themorningIwouldrinsethemin acolanderthatIhungoverthe sinkandthenrinsethemagainin theeveningbeforeheadingtobed.Everyday, morningandevening,theywouldgetanotherrinse andbytheweekendtheywerereadytoaddtothe pancakebatter.Iwouldalwaysmakelotsof pancakes,soIcouldfreezethemforlaterinthe weektheyweresoyummy! OfcourseaftermovingtoArizona,Idiscoveredthat mytimetestedcolandermethodnolongerworked theairwasjusttoodrytokeepthelittlesprouts goingonjustatwicedailyrinse.Ihadtostart experimentingagainandinthecourseofmy researchIcameacrossamostvaluableresource. TheSproutPeople(www.sproutpeople.com)had justwhatIwaslookingfor,asimpledevicethat workedmarvelouslyformyclimate,theEasy SproutSprouter.Itwasperfectforkeepingthe lentilsmoistenoughtosprout,andbecauseitwas sosuccessfulandeasy,Ibeganexperimentingwith
February 2009|28

many othertypes ofsprouts. Thereisa wealthof infoon their website andIwas inspiredto findnew favorites. Soonthey gotmeto trypeas, beans, broccoli, and arugula, justtonameafew!EventuallyIcametorealize thatIloveradishsprouts,butunfortunatelythatis

oneofthefewsproutsthatdidntworkasperfectly astheothersintheEasySproutSprouter,they nevergotgreenenoughformytastes. ItwasonlylastmonththatIstumbledacrossmy otherfavoritesproutingdeviceatourlocalAsian market,theNaturalLifeComposition (www.rt4u.co.kr/eng/ceogreeting.html).TheNCL ismanufacturedbyaKoreancompanyandthe instructionsmadeitclearthattheyhadusedsome flawedtranslationsoftwarenottoworrythough, sincethepicturesandphotosareenoughtogetit setupandworkingproperly.Thisdevicehasa largecleardomefittingoverceramicdisksthatsit onawaterreservoir.Thelittlesproutsare protectedfromdryingoutwhilestayingexposedto enoughlighttobecomeverygreen.Theradish sproutsthatcomeoutofitarenothingshortof miraculousspicyandagreatadditiontosalads andsandwiches!

Sprouted Lentil Blueberry Pancakes


Pancakes are definitely worth experimenting with to find the perfect recipe for your tastes! This recipe has been modified from Isa Chandra Moskowitzs Vegan with a Vengeance, a book that I recommend highly. Sift together: 1 cups Whole Wheat Pastry Flour (I use Bobs Red Mill) 2 tsp Baking Powder 1 tsp Cinnamon Blend together: 1 cups Rice or Soy Milk 1 tbsp Flax Seed 1 tsp Vanilla 1 tsp Cinnamon Fold into the batter: 1 cups Blueberries, either fresh or frozen (defrosted and rinsed) Mix the liquids into the dry ingredients, but dont over mix. Let the batter rest for at least 20 minutes. Depending on your batter, you might want to add some additional liquid to keep the batter thin enough. Preheat the skillet (I use cast iron) to just lower than medium (on my gas stove the setting is just over 4 out of 10), lightly grease the skillet if you are not using a non-stick pan. When water drops on the skillet and splutters, the griddle is ready. Ladle the batter onto the griddle and cook until the edges look a bit dry and have lots of bubbles in the center. Flip and cook until both sides are golden brown.
A Tour of Italy February 2009|29

Sproutsareaperfectsupplementtoyourdiet, especiallywhentheweatherisparticularly uncooperativeforgardening.Itreallyisaseasyas soakingsomelentilsandkeepingthemmoist enoughoveracoupledaystostartgrowinggo aheadandgivesproutingatry!


A Tour of Italy

TheAuthor Asaprofessionalurbandesigner, LizLonettiispassionateabout buildingcommunity,both physicallyandsocially.She graduatedfromtheUofMNwith aBAinArchitecturein1998.She alsoservesastheExecutive DirectorforthePhoenix PermacultureGuild,anonprofitorganization whosemissionistoinspiresustainableliving througheducation,communitybuildingand creativecooperation (www.phoenixpermaculture.org).Alongtime advocateforbuildinggreenerandmoreinter connectedcommunities,Lizvolunteershertimeand talentforotherlocalgreencauses.Inherspare time,Lizenjoyscookingwiththeveggiesfromher gardens,sharinggreatfoodwithfriendsand neighbors,learningfromandteachingothers.To contactLiz,pleasevisitherblogsite www.phoenixpermaculture.org/profile/Liz Resources www.urbanfarm.org www.phoenixpermaculture.org

February 2009|30

7 Simple Strategies to Kill Cravings


By Dr. Leslie Van Romer
Americansarewellawareofcommonaddictions: smoking,caffeine,alcohol,amphetamines, prescriptionpainmeds,sleepingpills,andof courseillegaldrugs,suchascocaineandheroine. However,mostofusareblindtothiscountrys biggestaddictionofall:Food.Theshockingtruthis thattoomuchweightnowkillsmorepeoplethan cigarettesmoking. Yes,foodisaddictiveasweallcanattest. Whetheritsaphysical,mental,emotional, conditional,cultural,oralloftheaboveaddiction makesnodifference.Werehooked,andthatswhy itssotoughtobeatthosecravingsthatloudlylure usin,nomatterhowmuchwetrytothinkortalk ourselvesoutofthem. Forsomeofus,itssweetsthatwoo;forothers,its salt.Itcanbegreasychipswechoose,ordietpop wegulp.Breadsoothes,meatrules,cheesepleads. Countlesscombosconnivetocommandand control.Andletsnotforgetthedarkdevilhimself, aseductivemasterwholeavesusweakinthe kneesandvacantofsensechocolate. Whichevercravingsholdyouhostage,theseseven strategiescanhelpyouescapefreeingyoutolose weight,sidestepdiseases,andbuildhealth. 1.SatisfyYourHungerDrive Youmustcontrolyourhungerdrivetoloseand maintainidealweightamythicalculturalmantra youmaybelieve.Whenyoufailtocontrolyour hungerandgiveinoncemoretoyourcravings,you feelinherentlyweak,lackingwillpowerandself control.Deletethatmythfromyourbrain.Your hungerdrivecannotbecontrolled.Itisanatural instinct,and,likeallhumaninstincts,itkeepsyou alive.
A Tour of Italy

Whenyourethirsty,youdrink.Whenyoure sleepy,yousleep.Whenyourehungry,guess what?Youshouldeat.Simplyfillupontheright foodsthatsatisfyyourhungerdrive(seeStrategy #2).Yippee!Youarenowfreetoeatuntilyoure full. Remembertolistentoyourbrainandstopeating beforeyourstomachbegsformercy.Andwhen yourehungryagain,trulyhungryandnotjust needyforemotionalcomfortorrelieffrom boredom,eat!Whowouldhavethunkit?Youget toeatwhenyourehungry! Cravings,triggeredbyhunger,canbecrushed,if youstopwagingwarwithyourhungerdriveand startsatisfyingitbyfillinguponthebestforyou foods. 2.FillUponGoodGuyCarbs Forallthecarbconfusion,thereisoneglaringfact. Allcarbsarenotcreatedequally.Thegoodguy carbohydrates,sourcedbywhole,freshfruits, vegetables,unrefinedgrains(brownrice,not breads)andlegumes,satisfyyourhungerdrive, therebycalmingcravings.Whenoneofyour goodies,butbaddiescreamsatyou,whethermid afternoonorduringeveningT.V.viewing,eatand filluponnaturesbestforyoufoodsfirst,andbe amazedbythefadingofthecraving. Hint:Forcravingstodisappear,youmusteat enoughofthebestforyoufoodstoreallyandtruly fillyouup. 3.DitchBadBoyCarbs Ontheotherhand,thebadboysincitecravings. Steerclearofthem.Scoutthemoutandbanthem fromyourhouse,workplace,andcar.As
February 2009|31

experienceteaches,themorerefinedsugar, desserts,bakedgoods,breads,saltysnacks,and chocolateyoueat,themorehookedyouget.If theyareoutofsight,theyaremucheasiertoavoid. Thenaturalsugarsandsodium(naturessalt), wrappedupinnaturesperfect,nutrientdense packageoffruits,vegetables,unrefinedgrains,and legumes,areyourbiggestalliestosuccessfullyfight andconquercravings.Whencravingscall,besure tofirstloaduponthesefoods,especiallywhole fruitsandvegetables,torenderthosesabotaging urgespowerless. 4.GrazeonFruitforBreakfast Freshfruitexpeditesyourfreedomfromcravings. Thechallengeiseatingenoughfruitinaday whentraditionalfoodfavesdemandfrontstage andcenter.Ratherthanbreakfastingonthetypical badboycarbswhichtriggercravings(driedup cerealfromabox,quickoats,browncoloredwhite toast,pancakes,poptarts,pastries),fatladen baconandeggs,orjustacupofpickmeupthen crashmedown,whynotjumpoutofthebreakfast boxandfillyourmorningandstomachwith naturesbestcravingcrushersfreshfruits? Payattentiontoyourhungerdriveandeatenough wholefruits,approximatelyfourtoten,tofillyou upandsatisfyyou.Grazingonwhole,freshfruits untilnoonhelpsshutthegatebeforethecravings getoutofthebarn,gainmomentum,andsneak attacklaterintheday.Tryit.Seehowmanywhole freshfruitsfillyouupandbeholdyourincredible shrinkingcravings. 5.KeepHealthySnacksHandy Whetherathome,work,oronthego,thinkahead andkeephealthysnackswithyouatalltimescut upveggies,fruit,andraw,unsaltednutsandseeds. Thatway,whencravingsstartcrooning,your fortificationswillstopthemdeadintheirtracks.
A Tour of Italy

6.StoptheDietgoRoundForever Suredietswork,forawhileuntiltheydont.But theyareexcellentatonethingaddingredhot fueltoyourcravings. First,dietsdepriveyouofyourfoodfavesuntil youcantstandit,givein,andsneakthemback intoyourlife.Second,dietsrestrictcaloriesand portions,leavingyouhungry,makingyoucrave more,andbuildingthatfoodfrenzytoaheightthat consumesyourthoughtsandyourlifeuntilyou givein.Third,dietsoftenlimitthemajornutrient, carbohydrates.Withashortageofgoodguycarbs, cravingstakecontrol,andyougrabthefirstbad guycarbinsight.Theresult:youfeellikea hopelessfailureonemoretime. Sothenexttimeyouretemptedtodiet,just rememberonething:DietsDontWork! 7.AddandWiggle! Okay.Letsfaceitrightnow.Yourenotperfect. Youwillneverbeperfect.Nordoyouhavetobe perfecttofinallybefreefromfoodcravings.So giveyourselfsomewiggleroom.Insteadof proclaimingthatyoureneverevergoingtobe seducedbyoneofyourfoodfriendsagain(thats notgoingtohappensowhygothere?),tryanew strategy. Thinkaddition,notsubtraction.Inotherwords, insteadoftrappingyourselfinarestrictivefood boxofcanthaves,deprivingyourselffromthe getgo,thinkaboutwhichfoodsyougettoaddto yourdaythatwillgiveyouthemostnutritionfor yourcaloriebuck.Thesearetheverysamefoods fruits,vegetables,wholegrains,andlegumesthat willshortstopthosecravingsthathaveenslaved youfordecades. Thenfollowthe80/20Rule.Eightypercentofthe timewhenmealsandsnacksareroutinewithout holidays,birthdays,orgettogethers,addandfill upfirstonthosebestforyoufoods.Theother twentypercentofthetime,dontworryaboutit andwiggle!Justbewareyoudontwiggletoo much.
February 2009|32

Nomatterhowdiligentyouareatincorporating these7Strategiesintospecificactionstepsinyour dailylife,ifyouareameremortal,therewillbe timeswhenagoodie,butbaddiewillhopintoyour openlikeababybirdmouth,andwhenyouleast expectit.Noworries,withpersistentmindfulness, time,andpatience,youcanunlockthattrapdoor, freeyourselffromcravings,andbuildyourbody dreamcometrue.


A Tour of Italy

TheAuthor Dr.LeslieVanRomeristhe authorofweightloss,health boostingGettingintoYour Pants,anditscompanion workbook,GettingintoYour PantsPlayBook,Sequim chiropractor,weightloss cheerleader,andmotivational healthspeaker. Formoreinformation,call6838844,emailDr. LeslieatDr.Leslie@DrLeslieVanRomer.com,orhop intowww.gettingintoyourpants.com.

February 2009|33

An Interview with Chef Brian BeLive Lucas


Whatgotyouintobeingarawchef? Iwasintroducedtorawlivingfoodsbymygood friendandmotherofmychildrenWhitney Mckinney.Shehadbeenintoitalittlebithereand theresincethemid80s,andoriginallyintroduced metobeingveganin1992.Afewyearslaterin 1997,IrememberwewoulddrivepastJulianos originalrawrestaurantandshewouldtrytogetme togointoeatbutIkeptavoidingit,Iimagined orangesandapplesonthetablesandthoughtit waspointlesstogoeattheresincewehadplenty offruitathome.Irememberwhenwefinallywent in,Iwasimpressedbythegourmetpresentation anditalsotastedquitegood.Afterwefinished,we walkedoutoftherestaurantandassoonaswe startedwalkingdownthesidewalk,Istartedfeeling asifIwasfloating,justfromthelivingfood.That instantaneouslyconvincedmetogo100%raw livingvegan.Ireadsomeinfoaboutrawfoodsand foundthatithelpedwithmanydiseases,including cancer.Mymotherhaddiedofcancer11years earlier,soIwasinspiredevenmoretoeatraw livingfoods.IbecameJulianos#1customerandI watchedhimandtheprepchefsmakingthe cuisine.Julianowasoneoftheoriginalpioneersof thenewageofgourmetrawlivingcuisine.Heand VictorVityaSagalovskystartedtheirfirst gourmetrawrestaurantcalledRawLivingFoodsin 1995aftertheyhadbeenpreviouslythrowingraw parties.

Whatdidyoudobeforeyoubecameachef?Did youthinkyouwouldendupwiththiscareeror wasitanicesurprise? IwasfollowingtheGratefulDeadaroundthe countryfrom19901995anddidwhatmanyDead Headsdid;selltiedyes,jewelry,veggiesloppyjoes, etc.Twoyearspriortomebeingintroducedtoraw, JerryGarciahaddiedsotheGratefulDeadhad stoppedtouringandIwasjustdoingoddjobs. WhenIwasturnedontorawIwasdrivingacabin SanFrancisco,IwouldpopinandoutofRawLiving Foodsforabitetoeatandhangoutextended periodswithJuliano.Ihadnoideaofwhatwasto comeanditwasaphenomenalsurprise. Wasthereamoment,asortofepiphany,when yourealizedthatthisiswhatyouwanttodo? Absolutely!ItwaswhenJulianotoldmehewas goingtomovetoLosAngelestofurtherhisfilm careeranddoarestaurant.Iaskedhimifhewas goingtosellRawLivingFoodsandhetoldmehe wouldtrybutcloseitifhedidnthavesuccess.So withoutmuchthought,Itookmysavingsandputa downpaymentontheplaceandinstantlywithout hesitationdecidedtobuytherestaurant.Heasked mewhatIwasgoingtocallit,andIremembera namejustmysticallypoppedintomymind,Isaid Organica:TheLivingCuisine.Julianosaid,Ilike it!Iknewhowtocreatethebasicsfromjust watchingfrombefore,butIhadnohandson training.WhenImadethedecisiontotakeonthe
February 2009|34

A Tour of Italy

restaurant,averypowerfulshifthappened,and whatIwouldconsiderGodsteppedinandblessed mewithatalentessentiallyovernight.Atthatpoint IknewIwouldbeinvolvedwithrawlivingcuisinein oneformoranotherfromthenon. Youreapublishedrawfoodsauthor,havinghad yourrecipesinseveralrawbooksaswellasyour own,OrgasmoftheTasteBuds.Pleaseenlighten usabouttheseanddoyoufindyourselfbecoming moreofanauthorandeducatorormoreofa traditionalchefpreppingfoodanddesigning menusbehindthekitchencounter? Thatsagreatquestion.WellIdontseemyself behindacountermuchagainlikeinOrganica,butI aminvolvedinandaminterestedindoingmore menudevelopmentandconsultationswithother restaurantsinterestedinincorporatinglivingfoods intotheirestablishments.CarolAlt,thefamous supermodellovedoneofmyrecipessomuchthat sheendeduppublishingitinherrawrecipebook TheRaw50.Itwasarecipethatmymommade manytimesformewhenIwasgrowingupthatI convertedintoarawvegandish.IcallitBeLives MomsStuffedBells;youcangetitonmywebsite atwww.belivelight.com.IwasraisedSeventhDay Adventistandmyparentsfedmeavegetariandiet, eventhoughtheyatemeatthemselves.Many SeventhDayAdventistsarevegetarians,butsome ofthemfollowasimilartokoshermeatdiet. Recently,Iselfpublishedthefirstversionofmy booktointroduce30ofmyrecipestotheworld, sincemyfoodhasonlybeenavailableforintimate gatheringsandprivatechefworkforthepastthree years.Iseemyselfasafrontlinerwhenturningthe massesontorealizingitcantasteabsolutely fabulousandasgoodasorbetterthananycooked ormeatdishoutthere. Iunderstandyouvegotover1,500recipesand planonpublishinganotherbookthisyearaswell asopeningtworestaurants!Whatcanyoutellus aboutthose? Idohaveover1500recipesandcouldcreate20 tantalizingrecipesadaywithenoughtimeand ingredients.Ihavemorethanthatbecausethats justwithmyrecipes.InChristmas2007mydads
A Tour of Italy

Raw Pasta Therearemanydifferentwaystomakepasta.If youhaveavegetablepastamakerthanuseI encourageyoutouseit,butifnotyoucanusea vegetablepeelertocreateit.ForItalianstyle pastadifferenttypesofsquashsuchaszucchini, yellowsquash,crookneck,etcmakegreat noodles.Justcreatedesirednoodlebyslicing themwithpeeler.Amandolinalsoworksgreat, especiallywithlasagnastylenoodles.After creatingyourchoiceofpastafromsquashputin bowlandsprinklewithfinepinksalt.Thiswill causethesquashtosweat,afterlettingsitfor15 minutes,massagethewateroutofit,thenadd oliveoiltoit.Now,itisreadytouse.Youcanuse samepastaforAsian,Russianandothertypesof noodlesbutyoucanalwaysbuykelpnoodlesand usethemaswell.Therearemanywaystomake differenttypesofNoodleswhichIwillsharein futurebookstocome.

wifeJeanette,broughtaboxinfromthegarage andtoldmethatthecontentsinsideweremine andhadbelongedtomymother.Iopeneditup andfoundabout20vegetarianbooksfrommy childhood;tearsinstantlygracedmyeyesrealizing thatmymomwasherewithme.Irealizedthenand therethatIwouldbedoingaseriesofrawrecipe booksinthefuturetransformingmychildhood favoritesintorawcuisine,anddedicatingthemto mymom.Ihavealreadyfoundover800recipesout ofthethousandsthatIwanttocreate.Asfarasthe 2restaurantsthatIhavebeenvisualizing,1isgoing tobeafastfoodfranchiseandtheotherisgoingto incorporatedifferentprojectsIhaveworkedonin thepast,intoagreensustainablelivingspace combinedwithconsciousfood,musicandfilm.My fianceandpartnerAdorandI,havebeen meetingwithpotentialinvestors,andwere currentlybuildingateamwithotherkey components.Wearefocusedonmakingsurethat theindividualswepartnerupwithtruly
February 2009|35

comprehendwhatourvisionis,weknowthatwe willalignwiththerightpeople. Doyouhaveanyotherexcitingprojectsonthe horizon? Adorisanunbelievabledancer,notonly consideredsobyme,butbymanyothersaround theworld.Shesalifelongdancertrainedinballet, jazz,modern,samba,Africanandbellydanceand shewasalsoanationallycompetitivegymnast.5 yearsagoshestarteddancingwiththefamous troupetheBellydanceSuperstarsandbecamethe worldsfirstacrobaticbellydancer;sheisalsoa trainedactorandSAGmember.Youcangotoher websitewww.bellysoul.comtofindoutmore.With herbackgroundindanceandactingandminein greensustainableliving,consciousmusic,filmand food,wehavestarteddevelopingaLifestyleTV showthatIcanttellyouthenameofandmuch aboutyet,butyoullloveit.Weactuallymanifested aTVpilotforitnotlongafterweenvisionedit,and weareabouttogetacopytoshoparoundto producers.Ador,ourroommatewhoisfilm makerandIhavealsostartedconceivingaTV realityshowaswell,thatImexcitedabout.She andIareeventuallystartingaprepackagedfood line,whichwillincorporaterawversionsofcuisines fromallaroundtheworld;weplanongettingitup andrunningwithinthenextyearorso. Whatisyourbestadviceforsomeonewhowants totransitiontoarawdiet? Idstartbysayingthatwhenyouincorporatea largepercentageofrawlivingveganfoodintoyour life,thereisadetoxificationperiodandthattimeis differentforeveryperson.Alotofpeopledont realizethiswhentheystarteatingraw,thatthe toxinsfromthebodystartcomingoutanditwill causesideeffectsthatdontfeelgoodand sometimesdownrightterrible.Itisalwaysgoodto startoffwithsometypeofcleansethentojustgo rightinto100%rawlivingfoods,toprepareyour bodyforit.Ihaveseentimeandtimeagain,people startingtherawdietandthenallofasudden havingdetoxifyingsideeffectsandblamingthe raw,wheninrealityitistheirtoxicitylevel.Some peopledojumprightintoitwithease,butits
A Tour of Italy

usuallythepeoplethathavebeenontheorganic pathforawhile.Anotherimportantthingisthatit takesexperimentingwithsomethingtoseeifit works,ifitdoesworkthanyoureontherightpath. Itisalsoimportanttonottortureyourself,because itisasbadifnotworsetoeatsomethingthatis greatforyouwithastinkingthinkingattitude,than toeatsomethingthatisbadforyouwithan attitudeofgratitude,thatissimplequantum physics.Itisalsoimportantnottofollowanyone personsadvice100%aswell.Itssmarttoreada lotaboutraw,togatheradvicefromtheexperts, andtotalktoothersabouttheirexperienceswith it,butwhenitcomesdowntoitintheend,allof theknowledgegatheredneedstobeusedbased onwhatresonateswiththeindividual.Weareall different,everysinglebeingonthisplanet.Sowe needtoknowthatwecantexpectanyone personsanswerstocompletelybethewayitis. Justtakeyourtimeandenjoyyourpersonal transitionandifthatmeansyoureeating100% rawlivingveganovernightthangreat!,orifyou arejustadding20%toyournotexistingrawliving dietthanrighton!.Eatingorganic,wildor biodynamicisimportanttoo,especiallywhenthis dayandageofevenorganicfarmingbeing3070% digestiveenzyme,protein,vitaminandmineral deficient. Foryou,whatis thekeytohaving funinthekitchen? Thekeyformeisto alwaysknowthat whatIamdoingfor peopleistruly nourishingthemat thesametimeas enticingthepalate. Ialwayssilently prayasIblessthe foodwithlove,fromtheinfiniteenergyofwhatI considertobeGod,directlyfromsource,through myheart,andintothedish.Ialwaysconsider LOVEmynumberoneingredient.
February 2009|36

Thatdependsontheday.Iamalwaysinthe Whatkitchenequipmentdoyouusethemostat kitchenatleastacouplehours,justpreparingfood homeandwhatistheoneitemyoufeelyoucant forAdorandI.IfIamworking,Icanbeinthere dowithouthaving? for12+hoursatatime.Icouldbedoingprivate chefwork,measuringrecipesformybooks, Thatsdefinitelyatossupbetweenmyblender, foodprocessor,dehydrator developingmenusfora andjuicer.Theyarealljust restaurant,therearemany Exotic Pleasure Rawp #1111 asimportantwhentruly equationstokeepmein doingrawcuisine.Iwould thekitchen.Beingaraw Pate Base saythattheoneitemthatI foodistgivesyoumore Put ingredients in food processor and cantdowithoutfor energyanditalsorequires blend the following: gourmetrawcuisineispink foryoutobeinvolvedwith orseasalt,becauseitisthe thefoodmoreintimatelyin 1 cup Brazil nuts (soak for 12 hours and oneingredientthat general. rinse before using) enhancesthefoodsflavor. cup tomatoes Butreallythatquestionisa Doyouallowotherpeople cup water difficultoneforme tohelpyouinyour 1 tbsp. dry basil kitchen? becauseallofthemare cup fresh cilantro/coriander important,andhonestlyId 1 tsp. fresh mint beverysadifIhadto Absolutely,Iwouldntseeit 1/8 tsp. garlic powder choosebetweenanyof otherwise.Iliketoteach tsp. pink or sea salt them. andlearnfromothers,and 1 tbsp. of agave (Ultimate Raw peoplehelpingrarelygetin preferred) theway.Aslongasknow Whatstaplesdoyoukeep aroundyourkitchen? oneputstheirhandsinthe Wrap foodortriestotasteit For wrap material use raw nori sheet or Herbs,Spices,pinksalt, beforeImfinished,Ihave cabbage leaf nuts,fruits,vegetables, petpeevesaboutthat. agave,cacao,maca,dates, Place inside the wrap material the chlorella,gojiberries,super Whatisthemostamusing following: foods,nori,avocados, kitchenaccidentyouve coconuts,applecider hadathome? Spread a moderate amount of pate vinegar,Icouldkeepgoing base andgoingbecauseI WOW!Icanthinkofafew. of an avocado cup chopped tomatoes considersomanythings Imaderawchocolatefor cup chopped cilantro thatIuse,asstaples. anintimatecacaopartywe cup chopped mint werehavingwithfriendsat cup sunflower or alfalfa sprouts Howdoyouorganizeyour ourhome.Thisissomeof drizzle a small layer of agave on top kitchen? thebestchocolatecandy youhaveevertastedbro, RecipebyChefBrianLucas Iliketoputmytoolsand andeveryoneknewit.It equipmentwhereIhave hadathickbottomlayerof easyaccess,positioningtheminplacesthatwhenI darkcacaoandwhitecacaointhemiddle.Ididnt ampreparingcuisine,Icanusemytimemore havemoldssoIusedabigbowlthatweweregoing efficiently. tocutpiecesoutofafterithadhardened.Sowe waitedpatientlyforacouplehoursforit,then Howmuchtimedoyouusuallyspendinyour everyonestartedgettinganxiousbecauseitwas kitchen? takinglongerthanusualduetobeingreallydeep
A Tour of Italy February 2009|37

Whatdoyouusuallypreparewhenyouentertain andbecauseofthedifferentlayers.Ieventhought guestsathomeanddoyouhaveanyadviceon itwasdonewhenIpulleditoutofthefreezerand entertaining? examinedit,butasIhelditupsidewaystoshow everyone,tomysurpriseallofasuddentheroom Ilovepreparingsaladsanddoingdifferentstagesof wentcrazyastheystartedsayingNo!andAw!. dressings,takingthedressingfromthefirstversion Luckilyasitstartedpouringoutonthefloor,I andcreatingasecondversionofdressingforthe reactedquicklyandturneditbacktoitsnormal secondsaladandsoon.I positionsavingmostofit. willdo5or6generations Immediately2peoplewere Marinara Sauce inanevening.Ialsolove skimmingthetoplayerof (4 servings) makingpastas,soups, chocolateoffthefloorand puddingsandobviously eatingit,Ididntreally Blend the following: chocolatecandy.Asfar resonatewiththatand asadvice,Iwouldalways wouldntpersonallydoit 2 cups of sugar plum tomatoes or suggestmakingasmuch myselfbutthesepeoplewere any desired tomatoes ofthefoodbeforethe seriouschocolateloversand cup fresh basil dinneraspossibleandto obviouslysuperanxiousfor 1/3 cup fresh oregano usuallyleavesomething some.Wehadabiglaughand 2 Tablespoons Cold pressed olive oil todoinfrontof wentontowaitinganother teaspoons Garlic powder teaspoon dried minced onion everyone,sotheycanbe hourlongerforthecandyto teaspoon dried thyme formandwhenitwasdone, inspiredtomakeraw teaspoon dried sage foodforthemselvesin boydidwehavesome teaspoon pink salt thefuture.Iencourage yummychocolate.Good creatingsomethingso thingscometothosewho Add on top of zucchini or kelp noodles theguestscanseethe wait! preparationandhowfun Thai nut pasta andeasyitcanbe. Whattwodishesdoyoufind (4 servings) yourselfpreparingathome mostoften?(Pleaseprovide Doyouhaveanyadvice Blend the following: recipesforourreaders!) forourhomechefs? 1 cups soaked ACTUAL raw cashews IlovemakingExoticPleasure Alwaysbeintuitiveand cup soaked macadamia nuts Rawpsoften;Ihave100sof takechancesinthe 1 cup coconut water kitchen.Greatcreations them.ItalianorThaisauce cup fresh basil andpastaaregreatandIdo happenfromthisspace. teaspoon garam masala Whatisthefamouslogo themoftenaswell.Idont teaspoon cayenne haveanyfavoritesor2dishes fromNike?Thatsright, cup raw agave thatIpreparemorethanany Justdoit! 1 teaspoons pink salt other,buttheseareactually3 Serve over zucchini or kelp noodles. dishesthataretruly Feelfreetotalkabout scrumptious,easyandIcan anythingyouwouldlike RecipesbyChefBrianLucas sharetherecipeswithyour herethatwehavent readers. alreadycovered! Doyouhaveanyadviceonkitchenmanagement? Ireallyhadagreattimedoingthisinterview,it broughtupsomegreatpoints,storiesandissues Beawareofyoursurroundingsandhaveeverything thatneedtobeaddressedtothevegan inplacesthatworkinunisonwithyourflow. community.Forbooking,prices,recipes,events andmorevisitmywebsiteatwww.belivelight.com.
A Tour of Italy February 2009|38

TheboundversionofmybookOrgasmoftheTaste Budsisatwww.lulu.com,andyoucanalsorequest aneBookversionfordonationbasedonwhatyou feelitsworthbyemailingmethroughmywebsite. ThankyouverymuchBrian! BrianLucasakaChefBeLivewasexecutivechefand coownerofOrganica:theLivingCuisine,whichwas locatedinSanFrancisco.PriortoOrganica,ithad beenJulianoBrotman'sRawLivingFoodsand thenJeremySaffronandReneeUnderkoffler'sRaw Experience.OrganicawasoneofthefirstGourmet rawrestaurantsintheworldandwas100%Raw, 100%Veganand100%Organic,Wildor Biodynamic.Theestablishmentwasinoperation from19981999andwasdefinitelyaheadofit's time.Alongwithahandfulofothers,Brianwasone ofthepioneersofthenewgourmetrawliving cuisineera. WoodyHarrelson,MikeD,AndyDick,Brittany Daniel,KeenanIvoryWayans,StephenSpielberg, JeremyPiven,Ammachi,BaryyZito,DavidWolfe, MichaelandRoxanneKlein,Ammachi,Michael Beckwith,HipHopLeaders,amongotherpoliticians andcelebrities,haveeatenBrian'suniquetwiston gourmetlivingcuisine.Hewastheoriginatorof guestchefappearancesintherawrestaurant community.CousinsIVrestaurantandFunky BuddhaLoungeinChicago,ForestWhitaker& NweenaKai'srestaurantTasteoftheGoddessin Hollywood,MichaelRandolphandChefZitari's HigherGroundinNorthHollywood,ChefMellisa Mango'sTerraBellainRedondoBeachallhosted himattheirspaces. Hespecializesinflavoringfoodandconsiders himselfa"transitional"gourmetrawlivingvegan chef,makingpeoples1strawexperienceequal tomanyoftheirfavoritecookedmeals.Healso providesindividualswhohavebeenturnedoffto rawlivingfoodsbecauseofahorribleflavoring experiencea2ndchancetoshowthemitcan beaspleasurableasanyothercuisine.Oneofhis recipeswasfeaturedandrecentlypublishedin CarolAlt'snewbookTheRaw50.

Brianhasencouragedpeopletodiscoverahealthier dietthroughhisflavorfulcuisine,helpingtheir

pleasurerawp,pastamarinaraandsaladwithgoddess vinaigrette

transitionwhenhavingproblemsmakingtheirraw livingmealstastegood.Ideally,hisultimatefinal goalistoassistpeopleinlearninghowtofind "theirownway",andtoeventuallywhathecalls "tastewithyourthirdeye"insteadofrelyingtheir tastebuds.Thefactofthematteristhatmany individualsneedflavorfulfoodtotransitionintothe rawlifestyleinaneasiermanner.Hehasaunique styleallhisownandeveryoneshouldhavethe pleasuretoexperience. Heisanincrediblyinnovativeandinspirationally intuitiveperson.He'sloving,compassionate,a wonderfulfatherandheshareshisheartspace withanywhocomeacrosshispath.Hisformer menufromOrganica,readasfollows..."Money backguaranteetogiveanorganicorgasmofthe mind,soulandespeciallythetastebuds."Hismotto stillringstruetoday. BrianistheauthorofOrgasmoftheTasteBuds,a recentlypublishedgourmetrawlivingrecipebook thatisnowforsellat http://www.lulu.com/content/4326420 http://www.myspace.com/BrianLucas http://www.giveittomeraw.com/profile/BrianLucas http://youtube.com/watch?v=5DaUpIHbtyM

A Tour of Italy

February 2009|39

An Interview with Athletics Trainer Barry Lovelace


Whatledyoutobecomeafitnessathletics trainer? Ibeganworkingwithathletesmanyyearsagoand immediatelygotveryexcitedaboutcreating differentexercisesthatwouldhelpthembecome theirbest.Itwasthecombinationofthecreativity involvedwithcreatingsportspecificmovements andseeingtheincredibleresults,Iwashooked. Whatledyoutobecomevegan? Mywifeanddaughterwerealreadyveganbut neverpushedtheirviewsonme.OnedayIasked mywifetositdownandtellmewhatsheknewand whyshewasvegan.WhenIheardaboutfactory farmingandthehorrorstheseanimalsendureI criedandIneverateananimalproductagain.It waslikeflippingaswitch. Howhavethosetwoaspectsofyourlifemerged? BeingavegancomplimentseverythingIdo becauseitissuchadeeppartofwhoandwhatI am.IbelieveIamamorecompassionatepersonas awholesinceriddingmybodyofanimalproducts andIbelievethatcompassioncomesthroughto theyoungathletesItrain.

Whatchallengeshaveyoufacedasaveganfitness instructorandhowhaveyouovercomethem? Manypeopleinthefitnessbusinessandthose lookingtobuildmusclebelievestronglythat consuminglargeamountsofleananimalproteinsis necessarytoreachthatgoal.Therearetimeswhen IamconfrontedonthisissuebutluckilyIknowthe factsandcanbackupwhatIdo.OnceIspeakto them,inacompassionateandnotinyourface mannertheyunderstand,Ihavechangedthemind setofthousandsofpeoplewhoatminimumhave givenupalldairy. Whatresponsedoyouusuallygetfromathletes whentheydiscoveryouarevegan? Theyareeitherconfused,like,whatisvegan?Or theyaresurprised.Peoplehavesuchahardtime imagininglifewithoutmeatanddairyandbelieve vegansareskinnyandmalnourished. Howmuchdoyouthinkdietplaysinbuildinga soundbodyandwhatresultshaveyouseenin clientswhofollowyournutritional recommendationsaswellasyourtraining programasopposedto,say,justfollowingyour trainingprograms?
February 2009|40

A Tour of Italy

Nutritionissimplyhuge.Totrulyreachyourfull athleticpotential,neitherexerciseornutritionis enough,youneedtodoboth.Aproperlyfueled bodyisfullofenergyandisalsomentallyfocused moresothansomeoneeatingjunkfood.Iwork withyoungathletesandunfortunatelymanyof theirdietsarehorrendous. Howhasbecomingveganaffectedyou personally? Again,ithasmademeamuchmorecompassionate personandalsomuchmoreawareofcauseand effect.Inolongergothroughlifeinmyown bubbleifyouknowwhatImean,Iamawareof thedecisionswemakeandthepowerthatthey have.KnowledgeisPower WhatistheBarryLovelace philosophy? DoitMYWAYwhatother wayisthere Wow,thatisatoughone. Basically,Iwantpeopleto livetheirbestlifeandI believethattodothatyou needtofuelyourbodywith healthyfoodandexercise.It trulyisabigdeal.Somany peoplehavealowqualityof lifebecausetheyareliving oncrapandnotmoving,they havenoenergyforallthat thislifehastooffer.Itall comesdowntopersonal responsibility. Whatareyourprimaryfoodsourcesforbuildinga fitbody?
A Tour of Italy

Wholegrainsandwholegraincereals,oatmeal, beansandvegetablesandfruit.Ialsomakea proteinshakeeverydaywithalmondmilkandrice orpeaprotein.Weeatlotsofgreatfoodandenjoy it. Whatdoesadayinyourkitchenlooklikeandcan youshareafewideaswithourreaderstohelp increaseperformance? Well,Ialwaysstartmydaywithoatmeal.Iliketo putinsliveredalmonds,raisinsandcinnamon,itsa greatwaytokickstarttheday.Lunchisoftenastir frywithtofuorseitanandtonsofveggiesorwhole wheatpastaandveggies.DinneristoughasIam oftentrainingclientsintheevening.Isometimes needtograbaveggieburgerorhaveanAmys burrito.Ibelieveitsimportanttoeatfiveorsix timesadaysoIthrowina proteinshakewithalmond milkandriceorpeaprotein andfruit,abowlofcereal,etc. Obviously,Icanimprovemy nutritionalintakeanditismy 2009goaltodrastically eliminateprocessedfoods.Do youknowanybodythatcan help?;) Whatadvicecanyougiveour readerstogetthemonthe roadtobecomingfitand strong? Makethecommitmentto changeyourlifestyleinstead ofjustsettingagoaloflosing 20poundsorbenching250pounds.Theseare finethingstoaccomplishalongthewaybutthey shouldbepartofabiggerpicture,thepictureof livingahealthy,activelifestyle.
February 2009|41

Takeitstepbystepandpleasedonottrytogofull forceintoanexerciseordietroutine.Whenyougo crazywithitatfirstyouarejustsettingyourselfup forfailureagain.Pleaseworkyourwayintoan exercise/dietprogram. Whatprojectsareyoucurrentlyworkingonand whatisthefutureforBarryLovelace? WheredoIbegin?Ihaveseveralproductsinthe worksaswespeakandtonsmoreinmyhead!I haveanewbaseballtrainingworkoutcomingout sooncalledExtremeBaseballPower.Thisisa followuptomyrecentlyreleasedCorePowerfor Baseball.Ihaveaproductonthewayforgymnasts aswell.Iseemyfutureastravelingtotrainand speaktoteams,coachesandclubsandsharewith themmymethodofathletetraininginadditionto continuingtotrainathletesandcreateathlete trainingproducts.Neverknow.aVeganFitness DVDmaybeintheworks;) Pleasetakethisopportunitytotalkabout anythingwehaventcoveredthatyouwouldlike tocover! Well,tobehonest,wheneverIdotheseinterviews Ifeelsohumbled,Ifeelsoblessedtobelivingthis lifeanddoingsomethingthatIenjoysomuch.So whatIwouldliketosaytoeveryoneisfollowyour dream,askyourselfwhataffectsyou,what motivatesyouandwhatmakesyouhappyandgo forit.Weallhavethatvoiceinourheadthattells usyoucantdothatoritwontwork,the differencebetweenmakingitandnotisquieting thatvoiceandrealizingthatnoonecanstopyou butyou. ThanksBarry!

A Tour of Italy

ContactInfo YoucanreachBarryatwww.barrylovelace.com.

February 2009|42

The Travleing Vegetarian, Yvonne Smith!


TellusabouttheTravelingVegetarian! IamTheTravelingVegetarian!Itisalsothename ofmyshow.Ivisitrestaurantsaroundtheworld andshowcaseveganfood.Igettoanswer questionslike,Whatdoesavegan/vegetarianeat anywayandHowcanyoueathealthyfoodwhile youretraveling? Whatdidyoudobeforeyoustartedtheshow? Ihavedonevariousjobswithintheentertainment industry.Ialwayswantedtobeasinger,but shortlyafterImovedtoNashvilleitbecame apparentthatitwasntgoingtohappenthewayI thoughtitwouldSo,afterworkingforseveral artistsbehindthescenesforawhile,Ifinally starteddoingmyownthing.ItwasntwhatI expected,butIloveit! Whatledyoutostartingyourshowandhowdid yougetitofftheground? Iamalongtimefanoftravelandfoodshows,butI alwayswondered,Whereistheshowforpeople whoeatlikeIdo?Alltheseprogramsseemedto besofocusedonunhealthyfoodsandthereissuch

aneedforTVthatappealstothoseofuswhoeat healthilyandcompassionately. Whatisyourfavoriteepisodesofarandwhy? LaughingSeedinAsheville,NC.Iamsuchafanof ChefJasonSellersbothasanartistandasaperson. Hisfoodistrulydeliciousandbeautifulandmade withsomuchpassion.Honestly,Ihavelovedall thesegmentsIvedoneandhaveeatengreatfood ateveryrestaurantIvecovered,butLaughingSeed standsoutfortheirexceptionalfood,atmosphere, employees,etc. Youveobviouslygottentotrytonsofvegan restaurants.Tellusaboutyourmostexquisite experience! Icandefinitelysaygoodthingsaboutallthevegan andvegetarianrestaurantsIvevisitedallaround thecountry,butIhaveseveralthatstandout.One wasthelasttimeIwenttoLaughingSeed.They wereactuallyclosedthatday,butChefJasonwas therepreppingandhemadeanamazingfour coursemealformyfriendandme.Anotherisat GreenZebrainChicagowhereIhadtheChefs TastingMenuwithwinepairings.Yum!Theyarea vegetarianrestaurant,buttheygaveusavegan
February 2009|43

A Tour of Italy

optionforthetastingandeverythingwasdelicious. ThethirdismylastexperienceatMillenniuminSan Francisco.IhadtheMarketMenuwithwine pairingsandChefTuckerevensentoutanextra courseforus.Everythingwassoincredible,fresh, seasonalanddelicious.Anytimeyouaddawine pairingtoanalreadyphenomenalgourmetvegan meal,itsjustthatmuchmoreofanamazing experience!Ihavepicturesofallofthemealson myFlickrpage,whichyoucanaccessfrommy website. Whatchallengeshaveyoufacedbringingthe showtothepublicandhowhaveyouovercome them? Mybiggestchallengeisgettingthenetworksto realizethatthereisahugedemandforthiskindof show.Mostofmyviewersarenonvegetarian,and eithertheyreinterestedinwhatvegetarianseator theyarejusthungryforknowledgeonhowtoeat better.Peoplearewakinguptothehorrorsof factoryfarming,heartdisease,obesity,diabetes, etc.,andtheywanttoeatmorehealthily,butthey dontknowwheretostart.Myshowgivespeople ideas,sparkscuriosityandmotivatesthemtodig deeperandstartdoingtheirownresearch.When theshowisonanetworkandreachesmillionsof people,Ireallybelieveitwillmakeadifferenceand exposealotofpeopletothingstheydidntknow existed.Imveryexcitedforthefuture! Whathaveyoulearnedaboutvegancuisine,the vegancommunity,andveganissuesingeneral sinceyouvebeendoingtheTravelingVegetarian? Oh,wheretobegin?Thereisjustsuchahuge worldofamazingvegancuisineoutthere.Gone arethedaysofvegetarianslivingmerelyonveggie burgers,pastaandsalads.Therearefewdishes outtherethatcantbeveganizedandthevegan
A Tour of Italy

versionstastebetteranyway!Mostpeopleopen upawholenewworldoffoodstheydidnteven thinktheywouldlikewhentheyatetheStandard AmericaDiet.Iknowthathappenedforme.Iused tobeoneofthejunkfoodvegetarianswhoatea tonofprocessedfoodandlittlevegetables.NowI eatalmostallwhole,organicfoodsthatIthoughtI hatedbefore.Itsallinthewaytheyreprepared andtherearesomanyamazingchefsoutthere creatingartwithveganfood. Ilovethevegancommunity.IwenttoVegetarian SummerfestandAR2008thisyearandbothwere amazingexperiences.Onceyouknowafew vegans,yourebasicallyonedegreeofseparation fromalltheothersanditsacloseknitgroupof folks.Whenyoureinaroomwithhundredsof otherswhoallshareacommonbond,itjustfills youup.IcantwaittogobacktoSummerfestthis year.WejokinglycalleditVeganSummercamp.;) IunderstandyoureabigfanoftheMcDougall plan.Howdidthatcomeabout? IactuallywentveganbecauseofTheNew McDougallCookbook.IwaslookingforTVwork andIwantedtoloseweightandclearupmy complexion.Ihadthebookalreadyandhad dabbledinquittingdairyafewyearsearlier,but likemanyothers,Ihadahardtimegivingup cheeseandicecream.WhenIreaditagain, somethingjustclickedandItotallyquitdairy, loweredmyoilintake,etc.Iendeduplosingtwo sizesandmyfacecompletelyclearedup.Ontopof that,Istoppedgettingmenstrualcrampsand headachesandmyseasonalallergiesgotbetter.It completelychangedmylife.Soonafter,Ilearneda lotmoreaboutthedairyindustryandIcan honestlysayIdonteverwanttoeatanotherpiece ofcheese.IdontfeellikeImmissingouton anythingbecauseIalwaysrememberhowIfeltand lookedwhenIwaseatingdairy.
February 2009|44

Whatdifferenceshaveyouseeninyourlifesince becomingvegan? Imhappierandhealthierthanever.Ieatamuch widerarrayoffoodsandIhavemetsomany incrediblepeoplewhoaredoingsuchgreatthings forthecause.Itreallywasoneofthebest decisionsIvemadeinmywholelife. Iveheardyousayyourenotmuchofacook,but anygoodfoodiehastheirownfavoriterecipes. Canyousharetwoofyourswithus? Iactuallyeatprettysimplyathome.Breakfastis oftencerealorsomesortofgrainwithfruit,nuts and/orveggies,lunchisusuallybeans,brownrice andsomekindofvegetable.Idoenjoycooking though,andhaveafewfavoritethingsthatIliketo prepareforpotlucksanddinnerparties,likemy MexicanLasagna.Iusethecashewricottaand enchiladasaucefromVeganomicon,butyoucan useanycheesesubandenchiladasaucerecipeyou like. Startingwithasquarecasseroledish,ladlesome sauceonthebottom,thenplaceawholewheat flourtortillaoverthesauce.Layermoresauce, somerefriedbeans,cashewricotta,babyspinach leavesandblackolivesontopofthetortillaand placeanothertortillaoverthat.Repeatthis processandtopwiththirdtortilla,moresauceand yourcheesesubstitute.Coverwithfoilandbakein theovenat350degreesuntilcookedalltheway through.Ithenliketouncoverandleaveinfor anothertenminutesorsotobrownthetop. Thiscasseroleissoeasyandsogood!Youcould alsoaddcorn,jalapenos,usecorntortillasinstead, etc.Itsalsoreallygoodwithoutanycheese substitute.Whatever!Itsalwaysahit.Ialsouse thesameingredientstomakequesadillas,which
A Tour of Italy

areveryyummy.Makesmewanttowhipupa batchofenchiladasaucerightnow! Doyouhaveanyexcitingprojectscomingup? WhatisthefuturefortheTravelingVegetarian? Yes!Ijustreturnedfromacrosscountryroadtrip, ImgoingtoAustraliainMarchandImightbeon tourthissummerwithahealthandwellness focusedmusicfestival.Lotsoffunthings happening!ImvideobloggingnowandIplanto blogandvlogaboutmytravelsonmywebsite, http://thetravelingvegetarian.tv ThanksYvonne!

February 2009|45

Resta nt R auran Rev view: Pizza Fus a sion


Revie ewer: Ja ason Wyr rick
5735 E. McKellips Road s a, Mesa AZ 85215 480-8 832-5200 Hour M-T 11-9, F & S 11-10 Sun 11-8 rs: , 0, Loca ations Across the United States s

http: ://www.pizz zafusion.com m/

Pizza aFusion.Iw wasntquitesurewhatto oexpect from mthatname. .Diditmeantherestau urant offer redaquirkycombinationofingredie entsfrom arou undtheworld?Diditme eanitthere estaurant serve edpizzasplu usaneclecticcombinationof dishe es?Wasitg goingtobeg good?!Theanswersto thosequestionswould,ofco ourse,come elater,but tdrewmetheresightunseenwasthepromise what ofgo ood,veganp pizza,andIh hadheardfro om repu utablesource esthatthef foodwastop pnotchand justa asimportantly,thesoycheesereallywas vega an!DidImentionthatP PizzaFusion conc centratesonorganicingredientsand d susta ainability? Atmos sphere Thisw wasoneof mybig ggest surpris sesofthe night.Uponfirst walkin ngintoPizza Fusio on,Icouldte ellthatitwa asfarclassierthana typic calpizzajoin nt.Thelightingwassligh htlydim,the e table eslookednic ce,thebarc classy,andth herewasa niceadornmentofwinesandwinglasse es.There ealsomessa agesaboutsustainability ystenciled were onth hewalls,wh hichIthough htwasavery ynicetouch. . Even ntherestroo omshadwat terconservingfeatures.

Ther reisnomist takingthatP PizzaFusionispartof theGreenmove ement. Serv vice Theservice,from mwhatIcou uldtell,wasfairly stan ndard.Noon newasparti icularlyknow wledgeable aboutthewines s,buttheyw werenttotal llyclueless either.Allinall, ,theservice ewaswhaty youshould expe ectwhenyo ougotoade ecentrestaur rant. Pres sentation Thepizzadoesn notcomeou utinthetypi icalround, butratherasan noblongserv vedonatap pered woo odenpizzapeel.Iprefer rmypizzase ervedthis way ybecauseith hasarustic,elegantlookwhichI appreciate. d Food Ther reweretwo ofoodiedraw wsformeto oPizza Fusion.Thefirstwasthepizza.Goodv veganpizza ardtocomeby,butfortunately,you uwontbe isha disappointedhe ere.WhileP PizzaFusionisnota etarianresta aurant,itdoesgooutof fitswayto vege cate ertovegansanditssoyc cheeseiscas seinfree. Ther reareonlya afewprema adecombina ationsof ingredientsont themenu.T Therealtreasureis
February 2009|46

A Tour of Italy

gettingtobuildyourown.Thebuildyourown ingredientlistisfairlystandardwithafewsurprises thrownin,likearugulaandPortobellomushrooms. Itriedonewitheggplant,sundriedtomatoes,green olives,andarichtomatosauce.Thepizza,Ihave tosay,didnotdisappoint.Whileabitpricey,I consideredorderinganotheronejusttotryouta differentcombinationofingredients!Iconsoled myselfbypromisingtogobacksoon.Ialso consoledmyselfwithmynexttopic,thewine. MostofthewinesatPizzaFusionareorganic,but thebigsurprise?Thewinesthatwereveganwere clearlymarkedasbeingveganandtherewere quiteafewofthem.Youcanexpecttopay anywherefrom$5aglassto$12aglass.Fairly reasonableforquality,organic,veganwine. Overall MyexperienceatPizzaFusionisonethatIcant waittorepeat.Whilethepricemakesthis restaurantsomethingofaspecialtreat,Icansee myselfvisitingtherestauranteverycouplemonths orsoforanightofpizzaandfinewine.Isuggest youdothesame! Rating:4
A Tour of Italy

TheReviewer ChefJasonWyrick isanaward winningveganchef andtheownerof Arizona'sonly vegancatering company,Devil Spice.Servingthestatesince2004asbothacaterer andaprolificveganculinaryinstructor,ChefJason hasgarneredlocalandnationalattention.Hewas chosenasvegcooking.com'sOctober,2005Chefof theMonthandhasbeenfeaturedintheArizona RepublicandonABC'slocalmorningshow,Sonoran LivingLive.Formerlyadiabetic,ChefJason approachesvegancuisinefrombothahealthand ethicalstandpointwithaneyefortasteand simplicity.

February 2009|47

Product Revie G en B ew: Gold Bean R C colat Raw Cho tes


Review wer: Jason Wyrick n

High hIntegrityF Foods,Inc. http p://www.hig ghintegrityf foods.com http p://www.go oldenbean.c com Portland,OR

IfirstcameacrossGoldenBe eanrawcho ocolatesat RawSpiritFe estivalinSed dona,AZin2 2008. theR Ther reweresom manychocola atevendorsatthe festivalthatitsh houldhaveb beencalledR RawCacao Fest, ,andyet,Go oldenBeanc chocolatesm managedto standoutinara athercrowde edvenue.It twasatthe Gold denBeanboo oththatImademylastchocolate stopoftheday( (afterhaving gmadealun nch,well seve erallunches,outofvario ouschocolatesamples) andmetChrisPe eck,oneoft theownerso ofHigh grityFoods. Integ denBeanisc clearlyparto oftheburgeoningraw Gold choc colatemovementspearh headedandlargely inspi iredbyDavid dWolfe,wh hichexplains sthe proli iferationofr rawchocolatevendors.Thatsnot nece essarilyabad dthing,quitetheoppos siteinfact, beca ausethemorechocolate evendorsthereare,the hard deritisforaproducttos standout.T Theones thatdostandou uttypicallyh haveeitherg good mark ketingoranincredibletaste.WhileIcant vouc chforGoldenBeansma arketing,Ica antellyou abou utitstaste,a andohhowgooditis! Gold denBeandef finitelyhast thepurestflavorofany rawchocolateIv vetried.Bythat,Idont tjustmean thec cleanfeelthatmostraw wfoodshave e,Imeanthe e textu ureofthech hocolatebar randthewa aythat
A Tour of Italy

texturesupportstheflavorofthechoco olate.The swereverys smoothandIparticularlyenjoyed bars thewaythecho ocolateslowlymeltedinmymouth, reve ealingitsnua ancedflavor rs. tomynextp point.Thefla avorswere Thisbringsmet incre edible.Ofte en,aschocolatemelts,a abitter undercurrentsh howsitselfw withseveralo other unpleasantflavo orslingering ginthebackground. NotsowiththeGoldenBeanchocolates.Asthese choc colatesmelt ted,thegood dflavorsonly intensifiedandi itwashardn nottochewthe colatestoge etthemtom meltfaster!Theflavors choc beca americher,f fuller,andlu uxuriantwith hout sacr rificinganyo ofthatclean, ,purefeel. Iwa asfortunateenoughtotrythestand dardversion, , theonewithrai isins,andtheonewithM Macadamia nuts s.Thelatter rwasbyfarm myfavorite,an exce ellentpairing gbetweenthedecadenc ceofthe nuts sandtherichnessofthe echocolate.Ididnt quiteliketheon newithraisin nsasmuch,butIstill enjo oyedit,withtheplainve ersioncomin ngrightin themiddle. Ifyo ouhavetheo opportunitytotryasam mpleof Gold denBeanchocolates,Isuggestnotp passingup theopportunity y!Whilenot twidelyavailable,they
February 2009|48

canbeorderedonthecompanyswebsiteat www.goldenbean.com.Rawchocolatesare notoriouslyexpensiveandthisisnoexception,but foranoccasionalindulgence,wellworthit.

TheReviewer
ChefJasonWyrickis anawardwinning veganchefandthe ownerofArizona's onlyvegancatering company,DevilSpice. Servingthestate since2004asbotha catererandaprolificveganculinaryinstructor,Chef Jasonhasgarneredlocalandnationalattention.Hewas chosenasvegcooking.com'sOctober,2005Chefofthe MonthandhasbeenfeaturedintheArizonaRepublic andonABC'slocalmorningshow,SonoranLivingLive. Formerlyadiabetic,ChefJasonapproachesvegan cuisinefrombothahealthandethicalstandpointwith aneyefortasteandsimplicity.

A Tour of Italy

February 2009|49

Book Review: The Saucy Vegetarian


Author: Joanne Stepaniak
Reviewer: Eleanor Sampson
Mostvegetariansandvegansarealreadyfamiliar withJoanneStepaniaksheisthebestselling authorofsuchperennialvegancookbooksasThe UncheeseCookbookandVeganVittles.TheSaucy Vegetarianisabitofadepartureforher,anditis differentfrommostothercookbooks.Insteadof appetizers,sidedishes,maincoursesanddesserts, Stepaniakdoessauces.Over150recipesofsauces, noneofwhichrequirecookingorkitchen equipmentbeyondablenderorfoodprocessor. Eventhoserecipescanbefairlyeasilyreplicated withawhiskandsomeelbowgrease. Beforestartingontheactualrecipes,Stepaniak givestipsonhowtoputtogethermeals.Ifound thissectiontobeextremelyhelpfulherchartof CustomDesignedvegetarianmealsistheessence ofsimplicity.Chooseastarchfromcolumnone, twovegetablesfromcolumntwo,anoptional proteinfromcolumnthree,andasaucefrom columnfour. Personally,Iknowmywayaroundakitchen,and mymostcommonproblemisntfollowingarecipe, itslookinginmycupboardatacontainerofquinoa (oracanofblackbeans,orabagofchapattis)and wonderingwhatinterestingdishIcanmakewithit. Thatsthetruebeautyofthiscookbookthecook doesnthavetorunoutandbuyexoticingredients, heorshesimplyuseswhatisonhandtomakea completelynewdisheverytime.Didntcarefor thefennelmustardsauceonbarleyandcarrots?

Author:JoanneStepaniak Publisher:TheBook PublishingCompany Copyright:2000 ISBN:1570670919 Price:$14.95 Tryitonasteamedpotatowithbittergreensnext time.Thecombinationsarepracticallyendless. Alsoextremelyhelpfulisthefactthatnexttoeach recipe,Stepaniakhaslistedstarch/veggiecombos totrythesauceon.Itsnicetohavesuchopen endedsuggestions.ImightlookattheGarbanzo andCarrotSauceandimmediatelythink cauliflower,orIcantakehersuggestionand serveitwithfettucineorabrownriceandbulgur pilaf.Again,thedecisionisminetomake. Mostoftherecipesyieldbetweenonethirdtoone cupofsauce,thoughnutritionalinformationis givenbythetablespoon.Caloriesperservingrange fromfourcaloriestoonehundredcalories,butits importanttorememberthatthisisbythe tablespoon. IfIhadanycomplaintaboutthecookbook,itwould bethis:figuringoutthetotalcaloriecountofan entirerecipeiscumbersome.Iknowthatfour tablespoonsequalsonequartercup,butifarecipe yieldstwothirdsofacup,Idontreallywanttodo themathtofigureoutthetotalcalories,fatgrams, proteingramsandcarbohydratesfortherecipe. Giventheuniquenatureofthisparticular cookbook,thebasicnutritionalinformationfora fullrecipewouldhavebeenveryhelpful. Thataside,Ilovethiscookbook.Itssimpletouse, mostoftherecipestakebetweenfiveandten minutestocreateandrequirenocooking.
February 2009|50

A Tour of Italy

TheReviewer EleanoristheeditorforThe VeganCulinaryExperience, author,andanexpertvegan bakerwithaspecialtyin deliciousvegansweets (particularlycinnamonrolls!)Youcanreach EleanoratEleanor@veganculinaryexperience.com.

A Tour of Italy

February 2009|51

Recipe Index

Clickonanyoftherecipesintheindextotakeyoutotherelevantrecipe.Somerecipeswill havelargewhitesectionsaftertheinstructionalportionofthem.Thisissoyouneedonlyprint outtheingredientandinstructionalsectionsforeaseofkitchenuse.

Recipe
MainDishes BasicRisotto ChanterelleRisotto WildMushroomRisotto1 WildMushroomRisotto2 CaponataSandwiches RawZucchiniwithCaponata Fagioli ChefJasonsLasagna ChefPhilsLasagna RawLasagna YvonnesMexicanLasagna GnocchiwithWildMushrooms PastaallaNorma PastaPrimavera SpinachLinguinewithLemon, Asparagus,&SpringHerbs Rotini ItalianMeatballs LemonRoastedFennel RomanArtichokes StuffedEggplant MediterraneanGreens ExoticPleasureWrap PizzawithPesto&TofuRicotta StuffedSquashBlossoms

Page
54 58 62 20 66 71 75 79 21 84 45 89 93 98 26 26 102 107 111 116 14 37 23 24

Recipe
Breakfast Fritatta SproutedLentilBlueberryPancakes Sides&Appetizers Arancine ClassicBruschetta FavaBeanBruschetta StuffedPeppers FocacciaGenovese FavaBean&SundriedTomatoDip TuscanPeas Sweet&SourSquash ZucchiniinSweetTomatoSauce SautedRapini&Capers PolentawithPistachios GriddleRadicchio Sauces BasicPesto PowerPesto WalnutPesto SundriedTomatoPesto FreshTomatoSauce RawMarinaraSauce

Page
22 29 122 127 131 135 139 144 149 153 157 19 23 24 161 165 25 169 173 38

A Tour of Italy

February 2009|52

Recipe Index

Clickonanyoftherecipesintheindextotakeyoutotherelevantrecipe.Somerecipeswill havelargewhitesectionsaftertheinstructionalportionofthem.Thisissoyouneedonlyprint outtheingredientandinstructionalsectionsforeaseofkitchenuse.

Recipe
Soup/Stews MinestronewithPesto PappaalPomodoro Ribollita SicilianLentilSoup ClassicLentilSoup HomemadePastas Fettuccine Gnocchi Ravioli Spaghetti RawThaiNutPasta

Page
177 182 186 191 195 199 203 207 211 38

Recipe
Salads SicilianOrangeSalad Panzanella TuscanCannelliniSalad BloodOrange&FennelSalad Desserts&Sweets AnchoCannoli FrangelicoBalls ItalianCannoliCake PoblanoGelato RapidTiramisu ChocolateIceCream

Page
215 219 223 20 227 234 239 245 249 22

A Tour of Italy

February 2009|53

Basic Risotto
Type: Main Dish Serves: 2 Time to Prepare: 25 minutes

1 cup of Arborio rice tsp. of olive oil 1/8 tsp. of salt 3 to 4 cups of veggie stock

Ingredients

Option: cup of white wine in place of cup of veggie stock Instructions

Warm the veggie stock in a pot. Heat the oil over a medium heat in a separate pot. Add in the uncooked rice and toast it until some of the grains turn golden. Add in cup of veggie stock and stir. Keep stirring slowly. When the liquid is mostly absorbed, add in another cup of veggie stock. Add the salt at the end. Repeat this process of stirring, absorbing, and adding stock until the rice is soft and creamy.

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|54

Kitchen Equipment
Medium sized Pot for the veggie stock Ladle Wooden Spoon to stir the rice Measuring Cup Measuring Spoon

Medium sized Pot for the risotto (an enameled cast iron pot works best for this)

Presentation
This recipe is only the base for other risotto recipes, so there is no presentation to speak of.

Time Management
Risottos require constant attention for them to work because the stirring is what creates the

creaminess of the rice. Make sure to warm the stock as the warm stock will absorb faster than one at room temperature. Lastly, if you want to be able to walk away from the risotto, you can cook it in a pressure cooker. Saute the rice the same way as above and then add all the ingredients to your pressure cooker and cook it for 7-10 minutes.

Complementary Food and Drinks


The basic risotto recipe is incredibly versatile. It can take classic Italian ingredients like mushrooms and basil. It can take hot Southwestern peppers. It can be mixed with Thai curry paste for good effect and nuts go very well with almost all risotto recipes.

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|55

Where to Shop
Arborio rice can be purchased packaged in most grocery markets. However, the best place to get

it is in a store that has it in bulk. Youll get a better price on it and often a store with bulk bins will have an inexpensive organic version of it.

How It Works
Risotto is known for its creaminess and that creaminess is derived from the starch of the rice. Rice has two starches. Amylose and amylopectin. Rices with a high proportion of amylose turn fluffy, while rices with a high proportion of amylopectin, a long chain starchy molecule with lots of protrusions that bind to other amylopectin molecules, turn creamy. Short grain rices, like Aroborio rice, contain higher portions of amylopectin than they do amylose. Stirring the rice slowly knocks off the amylopectin molecules into the stock, where they bind together and create a creamy texture. This is why the stock must be added slowly. If it is added quickly, there is not enough time for the amylopectin to work itself out into the liquid and create that creamy texture. Also, if too much of a volume of liquid is added at once, the amylopectin molecules will disseminate in the liquid and not touch, meaning that they wont have the opportunity to bind. Sauteeing the rice in oil also retards the absorption of the liquid, which allows the amylopectin more time to bind. This also gives the rice a deeper, nuttier flavor.

Chefs Notes
Risotto is a bit labor intensive, but it is well worth the effort and time put into it. Keep in mind that it is very filling, so you will not need a lot of it to feed yourself and your guests.

Nutritional Facts (individual servings in parentheses, does not include any options)
Calories 965.2 (482.6) Calories from Fat 104.8 (52.4) Fat 11.6g (5.8g) Total Carbohydrates 193.7g (96.9g) Dietary Fiber 17.6g (8.8g) Sugars 13.8g (6.9g)
The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com
Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|56

Protein 21.4g (10.7g) Salt 1631mg (815.3mg) Vitamin A 534% (267%) Vitamin B6 53% (26.5%) Vitamin C 312% (156%) Calcium 43% (21.5%) Iron 143% (71.5%) Thiamin 87% (43.5%) Riboflavin 5% (2.5%) Niacin 71% (35.5%) Folate 272% (136%) Phosphorous 19% (9.5%) Potassium 46% (23%) Zinc 15% (7.5%) Magnesium 54% (27%) Copper 21% (10.5%)

Interesting Facts
Arborio rice is not the only rice used to make Italian risotto. Carnaroli and Vialone Nano are also used. Risotto is a Northern Italian dish and was the Northern counterpart to the Souths pasta dishes during the past few centuries.

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|57

Chanterelle Risotto in a Creamy Garlic Sauce


Type: Main or Side Time to Prepare: 40 minutes Serves: 4 or 8

cup of chopped chanterelles of a sweet Maui onion, sliced thinly in long strips tsp. of olive oil cup of Arborio rice 2 cups of vegetable stock cup of pinot grigio tsp. of salt 1 sprig of flat leafed parsley, chopped 1 bulb of roasted garlic 3 tbsp. of olive oil tsp. of freshly ground pepper 1 tbsp. of pine nuts Pinch of saffron

Ingredients

Instructions

Roast the garlic on 400 degrees for 35 minutes. Chop the chanterelles and set them aside. Slice the onion and mince the garlic. In the risotto pan, saut the onions in tsp. of oil on a medium heat until they turn translucent. Add the rice to the pan and saut it for about five minutes. Add in cup of stock and stir until the stock is mostly absorbed. Add in the chanterelles. Repeat the process with the stock until the rice is soft, but not mushy (al dente). Add in the parsley, pepper, and pine nuts. In a small pan, saut the garlic for about one minute in tsp. of olive oil on a medium heat. Blend the roasted garlic with the 3 tbsp. of olive oil. Stir together until it turns into a sauce. Mix in the sauce into the risotto. Garnish with saffron.
The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com
Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|58

Cutting Board Small Knife

Kitchen Equipment

Measuring Cup

Measuring Spoon 1 Large Saut pan for the risotto 1 Small Saut pan for the sauce Wooden Spoon

Presentation
You can use this as a main dish or a side, but whichever way you decide, the presentation is the same. Place the risotto on the plate and sprinkle it with a little bit of fresh parsley and pepper. Next, garnish it with the pine nuts and place a pinch of saffron on top for a delicate look and color. This goes along with the chanterelles nicely.

Time Management
Make sure to get the garlic in the oven before you start the risotto. As you are finishing up the risotto, the garlic will be ready to take out of the oven. While you finish the last steps of the risotto, the garlic will cook enough for you to handle. This is something that can be made several serve it. When you are ready to use it, warm it in the oven for about 15 minutes on 250 degrees. hours earlier and will last for a couple days. If you store it, do not garnish it with anything until you

Complementary Food and Drinks


Serve this with the same pinot grigio that you used to make the risotto.

Where to Shop
Fresh chanterelles can often be found at gourmet markets, so check there first. If you cannot find
The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com
Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|59

it, you can look for the more common dried chanterelles at your local market. The Arborio rice should be readily available in a package at your local market, but you will get the best value if you can find it in a bulk bin. Look at Whole Foods for that.

How It Works
The pinto grigio gives a hint of sweetness to the risotto, making it a little milder. Adding the chanterelles in halfway through the cooking process ensures that they soften and release their flavor, but do not overcook. Also, minimizing the ingredients helps keep the chanterelles as the featured flavor. Finally, roasting the garlic allows it to easily blend with the oil, making it creamy; a nice ending touch to the risotto.

Chefs Notes
I originally tried this with sauted garlic, but the roasted garlic was far superior and blended up much better into a garlic cream.

Nutritional Facts (individual servings in parentheses, does not include any options)
Calories 451.8 (113.0) Calories from Fat 122.2 (30.6) Fat 13.6g (3.4g) Total Carbohydrates 63.4g (15.8g) Dietary Fiber 3.5g (0.9g) Sugars 2.4g (0.6g) Protein 9.0g (2.3g) Salt 635mg (158.8mg) Vitamin A 0% (0%) Vitamin B6 14% (3.5%) Vitamin C 9% (2.3%) Calcium 5% (1.3%) Iron 17% (4.3%) Thiamin 19% (4.8%) Riboflavin 9% (2.3%)
The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com
Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|60

Niacin 19% (4.8%) Folate 30% (7.5%) Phosphorous 16% (4%) Potassium 8% (2%) Zinc 14% (3.5%) Magnesium 15% (3.8%) Copper 44% (11%)

Interesting Facts
Risotto began as a peasant dish. be Arborio. It is necessary to use a long grain, sticky rice to make a risotto. To be a true risotto, that rice must

Risottos are a Northern Italian dish.

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|61

Wild Mushroom Risotto


Type: Main Dish Serves: 2 Time to Prepare: 30 minutes

1 cup of Arborio rice tsp. of olive oil 1/8 tsp. of salt 3 cups of veggie stock

Ingredients

Option: cup of white wine in place of cup of veggie stock


tsp. of crushed red pepper 1 tsp. of fresh thyme leaves of a yellow onion, sliced 2 cloves of garlic, minced

cup of dried wild mushrooms or cup of fresh wild mushrooms

Instructions

If you are using dried mushrooms, rehydrate them in 1 cup of warm water and save the water. This 1 cup of water replaces one cup of water in the stock. If you are using fresh mushrooms, slice them. Slice the onion and mince the garlic. Get the thyme leaves ready. On a medium heat in the risotto pot, saut the onion and garlic until the onion is soft. Add in the rice and saut it until some of the grains turn golden. Add in cup of stock and continuously stir the rice until it is absorbed. Repeat this until you get to the last cup and add the crushed red pepper, thyme, and the mushrooms with it. them. Place the risotto on the plates and top each one with the remaining mushrooms. If you are using fresh mushrooms, you will need to saut them for about 2 minutes before you add

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|62

Kitchen Equipment
Medium sized Pot for the risotto Small Pot for the stock Ladle Small Bowl to rehydrate the mushrooms (if using dried) Cutting Board Knife Measuring Cup Measuring Spoon Wooden Spoon to stir the risotto

Presentation
I like to put a few stems of fresh thyme along the side of the plate or, if you can raise them up, just off center. Adding height to a dish almost always helps the presentation.

Time Management
If you are using dried mushrooms, you will need to rehydrate them before you start the risotto so that you can use the now mushroom flavored water as part of the stock. The hotter the water, the better, though it should not go as high as a boil.

Complementary Food and Drinks


Not only does this make a great dish, it also makes a great stuffing for a portabella cap.

Where to Shop
Most grocery stores will have a dried mix of wild mushrooms in their produce section. However, if you go to a high end market, you should find more varieties to choose from and you will often have
The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com
Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|63

access to good quality fresh mushrooms. The rest of the ingredients should be easy to find.

How It Works
This is basically a standard risotto with just a few ingredients added. First, the onion gives the risotto a touch of sweetness. The crushed red pepper gives the risotto an unexpected kick instead of just being the typical mushroom risotto. If you dont like spiciness, just omit them. The fresh thyme adds a deep, herbal quality to the dish. Adding all of these ingredients in towards the end ensures that their flavors dont completely meld into the risotto.

Chefs Notes
My favorite mushrooms to use in this are porcinis, followed by chanterelles.

Nutritional Facts (individual servings in parentheses, does not include any options)
Calories 1000.0 (500.0) Fat 11.8g (5.9g) Calories from Fat 105.9 (52.9)

Total Carbohydrates 201.3g (100.6g) Dietary Fiber 18.9g (9.4g) Sugars 16.6g (8.3g) Protein 22.3g (11.1g) Salt 1632mg (815.8mg) Vitamin A 534% (267%) Vitamin B6 58% (29%) Calcium 44% (22%) Iron 144% (72%) Thiamin 89% (44.5%) Riboflavin 8% (4%) Niacin 74% (37%) Folate 275% (137.5%) Phosphorous 21% (10.5%)
The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com
Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|64

Vitamin C 315% (157.5%)

Potassium 51% (25.5%) Zinc 18% (9%) Magnesium 56% (28%) Copper 38% (19%)

Interesting Facts
Wild mushrooms are a name given to mushrooms that go beyond the basic button, cremini, and portabella varieties. The Egyptians used thyme during embalming.

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|65

Caponata and Zucchini Sandwiches


Type: Sandwich Time to Prepare: 40 minutes Serves: 6

The Caponata 1 small eggplant, diced of an onion, diced 2 tbsp. of diced red bell pepper 6 sundried tomatoes, diced cup of green olives, diced 1 tbsp. of diced basil leaves 1 tbsp. of diced parsley leaves 1 clove of garlic, minced 1 tsp. of olive oil 1 tbsp. of capers 1 tbsp. of lemon juice The Zucchini Sandwich 6 zucchini 1 tsp. of olive oil 1/8 tsp. of salt 3 large sandwich rolls cup of red wine vinegar 6 pieces of lettuce 1 tbsp. of currants stalk of celery, diced

Ingredients

Instructions

Making the Caponata Dice the eggplant, celery, onion, red pepper, tomatoes, olives, basil, and parsley. Mince the garlic. On a medium heat, saut the eggplant, celery, onion, and red pepper in the oil until they are all soft (about 10 minutes). Add the garlic and continue sauting this for another 3 minutes.
The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com
Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|66

Remove this from the heat. Immediately stir in the sundried tomatoes, green olives, basil, parsley, capers, lemon juice, and currants and set it aside. Making the Zucchini Cut the ends off of the zucchini. Slice the zucchini into thick slices (about ) along the length of the zucchini. Slice these in half along the width. soft (about 5 minutes). Assembling the Sandwiches Cut the sandwich rolls in half along the width and then slice them in half horizontally. Hollow out the top of the sandwich rolls. Sprinkle the bottom of each sandwich roll with red wine vinegar. Place a piece of lettuce on the bottom slice of each roll. Top the lettuce with zucchini slices. Fill the hollowed out portions of the tops of the sandwich rolls with caponata. Close the sandwich carefully and serve. Saut the zucchini in 1 tsp. of olive oil with 1/8 tsp. of salt over a medium heat until they are

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|67

Low-fat Version
Omit the olive oil from the recipe and simmer the ingredients in a thin layer of liquid until the veggies are soft.

Raw Version
Caponata is very easy to make raw. Take the veggies that you would have sauted and instead mix about tsp. of salt with them. Place them in a bowl and then place a weight over them. Allow them to sit for at least an hour, until the eggplant is soft. Rinse the veggies and mix them with the other ingredients. You can make lettuce wraps out of the zucchini and caponata or slice the zucchini in half along the length and hollow out the halves, stuffing them with the caponata.

Kitchen Equipment
Knife Cutting Board Measuring Spoon Measuring Cup 2 Saut Pans Stirring Spoon

Presentation
If Im putting these out on a platter for people to come by and pick up, then I just find a nice tray and stack the sandwiches on that. My favorite way to serve them, however, is open-faced, because the caponata has a wonderful color to it.

Time Management
Caponata can be made a couple days ahead of time and it also makes a good dip or spread, so try making a big batch and then using it over the next few days. If youve got caponata ready, the
The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com
Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|68

sandwiches only take about ten to fifteen minutes to put together.

Complementary Food and Drinks


Serve this with a side of fava bean dip to create a good mix of carbohydrates and protein.

Where to Shop
All of the ingredients for this recipe are commonly available, though I either get my capers at

Trader Joes or from an olive bar that happens to have fresh capers. Make sure the skin of the eggplant is tight, not wrinkled. If you cant find currants, usually available at Whole Foods, feel free to substitute raisins for them. Approximate cost per serving is $1.50.

How It Works
The caponata is a mix of savory, sweet, and salty, enhanced by the acidity of the lemon juice. The capers and olives provide the shot of salt, with the sweetness coming from the onion, pepper, and currants. The eggplant forms the base flavor on which all the other flavors ride and also absorbs the surrounding flavors quite well. Some of the ingredients in the caponata are not sauted because applying the direct heat to them would ruin their flavors. The residual heat in the caponata and the pan, however, will cook them for a brief enough time that their flavors release into the rest of the caponata, but those flavors remain relatively fresh. The top of the sandwich is hollowed out to accommodate the caponata. Without hollowing it out, the caponata tends to slide out the side of the sandwich. Red wine vinegar is used to soften the bottom half of the bread.

Chefs Notes
Caponata is an interesting fusion of classic Italian and Middle Eastern cuisine.

Nutritional Facts (individual servings in parentheses, does not include any options)
Calories 943.8 (157.3) Fat 25.8g (4.3g) Calories from Fat 231.9 (38.6)

Total Carbohydrates 136.7g (22.8g)


The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com
Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|69

Dietary Fiber 25.9g (4.3g) Sugars 44.1g (7.4g) Protein 41.3g (6.9g) Salt 1535mg (256mg) Vitamin A 125% (20.8%) Vitamin B6 95% (15.8%) Vitamin C 582% (97%) Calcium 44% (7.3%) Iron 72% (12%) Thiamin 84% (14%) Riboflavin 54% (9%) Niacin 74% (12.3%) Folate 109% (18.2%) Phosphorous 100% (16.7%) Potassium 143% (23.8%) Zinc 58% (9.7%) Magnesium 98% (16.3%) Copper 74% (12.3%)

Interesting Facts
Caponata is one of several eggplant and tomato dishes found throughout the eastern Mediterranean. Eggplant is also called aubergine.

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|70

Zucchini Caponata
Type: Side, raw Serves: 8 Time to Prepare: 2 hours 30 minutes (includes 2 hours of rest time for the caponata)

1 Japanese eggplant, diced stalk of celery, diced 1 tbsp. of capers cup of green olives, diced 1 clove of garlic, diced of an onion, diced 1 tbsp. of raw vinegar or lemon juice 6 sundried tomatoes, diced 1 tbsp. of diced basil leaves 2 tbsp. of diced red bell pepper 1 tbsp. of diced parsley leaves 1 tbsp. of currants 4 zucchini, sliced in half

Ingredients

Option: 1 tbsp. of olive oil Instructions

Dice the eggplant and toss it in 2-3 tsp. of salt. Place this in a colander and put a weight on the eggplant, allowing it to sit for at least 2 hours. Rinse the salt off of the eggplant and press the eggplant into the colander. accounts.) Dice all of the ingredients and combine everything together (barring the zucchini on both This mix is the caponata.

Option: Mix the olive oil into the caponata and let the mix sit for another 30 minutes.
Slice the zucchini in half along the length and scoop out the middles. Fill each zucchini half with the caponata. Note that the longer the caponata sits, the better it gets.

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|71

Kitchen Equipment
Colander 2 Mixing Bowls Knife Cutting Board Measuring Cup Measuring Spoon

Presentation
I serve this on a rectangular plate a couple inches longer than the zucchini on each side because the zucchini fills the space well and it doesnt need any extra adornment.

Time Management
This is one of those recipes that doesnt take a lot of work, but it does a while to set. Use that time to clean up, get ready for guests, make another recipe, or take a walk! Also, keep in mind that be good with just a couple hours of rest. the longer the caponata sits, the better it will be. I find it best if it sits overnight, but it will definitely

Complementary Food and Drinks


This is a nice Italian raw dish which means it should go with even more raw Italian cuisine! Go for a Tuscan harvest soup and a raw zucchini pasta with a sundried tomato sauce.

Where to Shop
All of these ingredients should be available at your local market except for the currants, which can

be purchased at Whole Foods, Central Market, Trader Joes, and most gourmet grocery stores.
The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com
Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|72

How It Works
Salting the eggplant draws out the moisture in it and placing the weight on it greatly assists this process. This has the effect of softening the eggplant and getting rid of the bitterness, mimicking cooked eggplant without cooking it. The celery adds a deep flavor to the caponata and the currants give it a nice sweetness. The capers enhance this with a shot of salt and the lemon juice brightens all of the flavors. The green herbs are there to give the caponata an aromatic quality, the onion and garlic give it pungency, and the sundried tomatoes give it depth.

Chefs Notes
I first taught this recipe at a Raw Foods Made Simple class and it was an instant hit.

Nutritional Facts (individual servings in parentheses, does not include any options)
Calories 346.1 (43.3) Calories from Fat 69.5 (8.7) Fat 7.7g (1.0g) Total Carbohydrates 48.4g (6.1g) Dietary Fiber 15.3g (1.9g) Sugars 31.7g (4.0g) Protein 20.8g (2.6g) Salt 1140mg (143mg) Vitamin A 92% (11.5%) Vitamin B6 61% (7.6%) Calcium 20% (2.5%) Iron 40% (5%) Thiamin 26% (3.3%) Niacin 31% (3.9%) Folate 41% (5.1%) Phosphorous 68% (8.5%) Riboflavin 18% (2.3%) Vitamin C 447% (55.9%)

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|73

Potassium 109% (13.6%) Zinc 37% (4.6%) Magnesium 67% (8.4%) Copper 54% (6.8%)

Interesting Facts
Caponata hails from Sicily.

Caponata has a heavy Middle Eastern influence with the eggplant and currants.

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|74

Fagioli
Type: Main Dish, Italian (Tuscan) Time to Prepare: 1 hour 45 minutes Serves: 4

1 yellow onion, chopped 2 celery stalks, chopped 2 carrot, chopped 2 bay leaves 4 cups of water (should reduce to 2 cups) cup of tomato paste 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 tbsp. of chopped sage leaves 2 tbsp. of olive oil tsp. of salt tsp. of freshly ground pepper 3 cups of cannellini beans, rinsed 1 bunch of spinach, chopped 4 slices of Tuscan (or other Italian) bread, toasted 3 cloves of garlic, smashed

Ingredients

Instructions

Chop the onion, celery, and carrots and smash the garlic. Drain and reserve the liquid, discarding the veggies. Mince the 2 cloves of garlic. Chop the sage.

Simmer the onion, celery, carrot, garlic, and bay leaves in the water for about 40 minutes.

Mix the liquid with the tomato paste, garlic, sage, olive oil, salt, and pepper. Mix the tomato sauce you just made with the beans. Place this in a baking dish and cover it. Bake it on 400 degrees for 45 minutes. While the beans bake, wilt the spinach leaves in a dry pan over a medium heat. Once the beans are done, mix the spinach in with them. This should be served with a side of Tuscan toast.
The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com
Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|75

Low-fat Version
Omit the olive oil from the recipe.

Raw Version
Use sprouted garbanzo beans instead of cannellini beans. They are a bit easier to sprout. Blend four roma tomatoes and cup of reconstituted sundried tomatoes with cup of shredded carrot, 1 tbsp. of diced red onion, 1 clove of garlic, and of a celery stalk. Mix this with the salt, pepper, minutes until it wilts. Rinse the spinach and mix this with the beans and tomato sauce. olive oil, and beans. Salt the spinach and place a weight on top of it and let it sit for at least thirty

Kitchen Equipment
Knife Cutting Board Pot Measuring Cup Measuring Spoon Colander or Strainer Mixing Bowl Stirring Spoon Baking Dish Foil Pan

Presentation
Most Tuscan cuisine has a simple presentation, so I typically just plate this in a shallow bowl or on a plate with either the bread served on the side or with the fagioli served on the bread.

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|76

Time Management
You can skip the baking part of this recipe if you want to reduce the cooking time by 45 minutes. If you do that, just use cup less of the reduced water, which would have evaporated during baking. You can save even more time by using one cup of veggie stock instead of going through the process of simmering the veggies in water. This stock replaces the water and the simmering veggies.

Complementary Food and Drinks


Any sort of Italian bread will go well with this. For wine, go with a red that is low in tannins as a heavily tannic wine will overwhelm the tomato sauce.

Where to Shop
All of the ingredients should be readily available at your local market. Approximate cost per serving is $2.00.

How It Works
By simmering the carrot, onion, celery, and garlic, you are creating your own veggie stock which is used to flavor the tomato sauce. This then bakes around the beans so that the sugar in the stock and the tomato sauces caramelizes, deepening the flavor of the fagioli. Spinach is added both for color and taste and is a traditional Tuscan green.

Chefs Notes
This is absolutely one of my favorite Tuscan dishes. I love the mix of beans, greens, and tomatoes laced with fresh sage. Yum! I could easily eat this for lunch several times a week and would if I wasnt so busy making other recipes.

Nutritional Facts (individual servings in parentheses, does not include any options)
Calories 1712.8 (428.2)

Calories from Fat 311.0 (77.8)


The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com
Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick

A Tour of Italy

February 2009|77

Fat 34.6g (8.6g) Total Carbohydrates 268.1g (67.0g) Dietary Fiber 59.4g (14.9g) Sugars 27.2g (6.8g) Protein 82.4g (20.6g) Salt 2224mg (556mg) Vitamin A 657% (164.3%) Vitamin B6 96% (24%) Vitamin C 237% (59.3%) Calcium 112% (28%) Iron 221% (55.3%) Thiamin 107% (26.8%) Riboflavin 90% (22.5%) Niacin 62% (15.5%) Folate 308% (77%) Phosphorous 117% (29.3%) Potassium 219% (54.8%) Zinc 86% (21.5%) Magnesium 195% (48.8%) Copper 151% (37.8%)

Interesting Facts
Fagioli is a very old recipe and used to be made in a flask placed over a low-heat fire. Instead of bread, fagioli is often served with pasta in a dish called pasta fagioli.

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|78

Lasagna al Forno
Type: Main Dish Time to Prepare: 60 minutes Serves: 4

The Sauce 8 Roma tomatoes cup of water tsp. of fresh thyme leaves tsp. of salt tsp. of freshly ground pepper 1/8 tsp. of cumin The Ricotta 12 oz. of firm tofu tsp. of salt 2 tsp. of lemon juice 2 tsp. of olive oil The Veggies tsp. of freshly ground white pepper 3 cloves of garlic, sliced

Ingredients

Options: cup of soy cream cheese or cup of shredded soy mozzarella

1 bunch of spinach, chopped 1 carrot, sliced 1 zucchini, sliced tsp. of olive oil The Pasta 8-10 lasagna noodles

Instructions

Making the Sauce Chop the tomatoes. Slice the garlic. Add all of the sauce ingredients to the pan.
The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com
Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|79

Over a medium heat, cook the sauce ingredients, pressing on the tomatoes periodically to get them to release their juices quicker and smash into a sauce (they should be ready in 7-8 minutes). Set the sauce aside. Making the Ricotta Crumble the firm tofu. Mix it with all of the ricotta ingredients and set it aside. Options: Add any of the optional ingredients to the tofu ricotta. Prepping the Veggies Chop the spinach. Wilt the spinach over a medium heat just until it has softened and reduced. Drain away the excess water. Slice the carrot and zucchini thinly into rounds. Set all the veggies aside. Cooking the Pasta Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the noodles to the water and stir them for about the first 3 minutes of cooking. water and checking to see if it has turned color. Only cook the noodles to the point where they are slightly underdone. Assembling the Lasagna Spread a thin layer of sauce along the bottom of a baking dish (the one I use is 8 by 4). Lay 2-3 noodles on top of the sauce. Spread a layer of the tofu ricotta over this. Add a layer of carrots and a layer of zucchini. spinach. Add another layer of noodles. Top it with the remaining sauce. lasagna. Cover the lasagna with foil. Bake it on 350 degrees for 30 minutes. If some of your noodles tore, you should have some extra noodles with which to patch the Add another layer of noodles, followed by a little sauce, then the tofu ricotta, and then the The cook time varies on the noodles, but you can check them by pulling a noodle out of the Saut the carrot and zucchini slices over a medium heat in the oil for about 3 minutes.

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|80

Kitchen Equipment
Pot for boiling the noodles Pot or Pan for the sauce Baking Dish Foil Colander Saut Pan Stirring Spoon Mixing Bowl Knife Cutting Board Measuring Cup Measuring Spoon Spatula Oven

Presentation
I like garnishing the lasagna with pine nuts and sliced basil after it comes out of the oven. If I plate the lasagna as individual servings, I wait to do the garnish until after the lasagna is plated and served. If you do it beforehand, the pine nuts and basil fall into the lasagna and some of the clean look of the presentation is lost. Make sure that your knife is very sharp and wet it to keep it from sticking to the noodles as you slice into the lasagna.

Time Management
There are a few cheats you can make with this dish. The first is to use canned tomato sauce. My favorite one to use is the crushed fire roasted tomatoes from Muir Glen. They have excellent flavor and the right texture for the sauce. This saves both time making the sauce and dishes that you wont have to clean. You can also get away with not baking the lasagna since there isnt any cheese to melt. If you do that, make sure to cook the noodles until they are al dente.

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|81

Complementary Food and Drinks


Serve this with a dark green salad with roasted red peppers and pine nuts.

Where to Shop
All of the ingredients should be commonly available. Approximate cost per serving is $2.00.

How It Works
The noodles are slightly undercooked because as they bake, they will absorb some of the liquid from the sauce and veggies. By undercooking them in the pot, they turn out just right in the oven. Tofu is used because it has a good texture and a mild flavor. While it doesnt taste like ricotta, it can have a similar feel. Lemon juice is used to add brightness to the tofu cheese while olive oil gives it the richness of cheese. The spinach, carrots, and zucchini are sauted because they will not soften enough if they are just cooked in the oven and they are split into different sections of the lasagna solely for presentation. The lasagna is covered so that it does not dry out, which is also why sauce is spread on top of it.

Chefs Notes
This is simply one variation on the basic lasagna. The important parts to concentrate upon are how the noodles are cooked, how a fresh sauce is made, and how to make the tofu ricotta.

Nutritional Facts (individual servings in parentheses, does not include any options)
Calories 1361.0 (340.3) Calories from Fat 241.6 (60.4) Fat 26.8g (6.7g) Total Carbohyd213.7g (53.4g)rates Dietary Fiber 23.5g (5.9g) Sugars 31.8g (8.0g) Protein 66.2g (16.5g) Salt 1334mg (334mg)
The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com
Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|82

Vitamin A 483% (120.8%) Vitamin B6 59% (14.8%) Calcium 52% (13%) Iron 118% (29.5%) Thiamin 56% (14%) Niacin 34% (8.5%) Folate 194% (48.5%) Phosphorous 62% (15.5%) Potassium 113% (28.3%) Zinc 33% (8.3%) Magnesium 106% (26.5%) Copper 73% (18.3%) Riboflavin 54% (13.5%) Vitamin C 183% (45.8%)

Interesting Facts
Lasagna is a dish that dates back at least as far as the late Roman Republic.

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|83

Fiery Raw Lasagna


Type: Raw, Main, Italian Serves: 6 Time to Prepare: Four hours for soaking + 30 minutes of prep time

The Pasta 3 zucchini or summer squash, sliced thinly 1 cup of water Juice of 2 lemons 2 tbsp. of olive oil (only 1 tsp. of olive oil remains after rinsing) The Filling 2 cups of mushrooms 5 cups of baby spinach leaves The Cheese* 1 cup of sunflower seeds, soaked 2 tbsp. of tahini 1/8 tsp. of salt 1/8 tsp. of white pepper * If you need to add water to get this to blend, start adding in 1 tbsp. of the marinade at a time while blending the cheese The Sauce 1 cup of sundried tomatoes, rehydrated 4 tomatoes 1 tbsp. of olive oil cup of basil leaves 2 tsp. of oregano leaves 1/8 tsp. of salt tsp. of black pepper 1/8 tsp. of cayenne pepper The Topping Water as needed 1 tbsp. of pine nuts
The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com
Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|84

Ingredients

clove of garlic

Instructions

Making the Pasta

Mix the water, oil, and lemon juice together. Slice the zucchini thinly. Soak the zucchini for at least two hours.

Making the Filling

Slice the mushrooms thinly. Pulse the spinach several times in a food processor until it is coarsely chopped.

the spinach and mushrooms without cooking them. Rinse this thoroughly when the time is done. Making the Cheese Soak the sunflower seeds for at least four hours. Drain them of the water. Blend all of the ingredients for the cheese together. Let this sit for at least thirty minutes for the flavors to combine. Making the Sauce Rehydrate the sundried tomatoes in just enough water to cover them.

then place a weight on the spinach, allowing this to sit for at least two hours. This will wilt

Option: Place a layer of salt on the spinach and sliced mushrooms in a shallow bowl and

Blend all of the ingredients for the sauce together, adding enough of the sundried tomato water as needed for your blender to make a smooth sauce. Assembling the Lasagna Remove the zucchini slices from the water. Line a small, square baking dish with cheesecloth. Make one layer of zucchini strips for the bottom layer. Spread a layer of the filling on next. Spread a layer of sauce on top of this.

Dab on the seed cheese and press it down with a wet spoon. Repeat this process until you are out of ingredients. If you have enough zucchini, make the topmost layer a layer of zucchini. Spread any remaining sauce over this. Top with the pine nuts. Allow this to sit for at least ten minutes. Carefully lift the lasagna out of the dish with the cheesecloth and serve. the plate several times over ten minutes or so.

Option: Skip the cheesecloth step, assemble this directly on the plate, and carefully drain

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|85

Low-fat Version
Omit the seed cheese and you will still have an incredible tasting raw lasagna.

2 Mixing Bowls for soaking zucchini and seeds Blender or Food Processor Cutting Board Small Knife Measuring Cup Measuring Spoon Spatula to spread the layers Small Square Baking Dish Cheesecloth

Kitchen Equipment

Presentation
The longer you can let the lasagna sit in the cheesecloth, the

tighter the lasagna will be, and that will look much better than a

wet lasagna. If you have some of the fresh herbs left over, you can also garnish the top of the lasagna with a few sprigs of those.

Time Management
Make sure to soak the seeds and zucchini at the same time. While they are soaking, put together get the square dish ready with the cheesecloth and get the kitchen equipment out. If you do that, the prep time can be cut down to about fifteen minutes as youll only have to blend the cheese and then layer the lasagna. the sauce and get the spinach and mushrooms ready. The sauce will get better as it sits. Then,

Complementary Food and Drinks


For a drink, set some water out with a couple sprigs of rosemary and a couple slices of lemon. For
The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com
Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|86

a side, carrot spears make a nice simple, quick side.

Where to Shop
I like to make my own sundried tomatoes, but if you buy them, check at Whole Foods for ones that havent had sulfur added to them to preserve them. For the greens, check out Trader Joes as they often have organic basil and baby spinach for incredibly good prices. The seeds, nuts, and tahini, I usually purchase at Sprouts, though Whole Foods works in a pinch. The rest of the ingredients should be fairly common. Price is about $2/serving.

How It Works
Starting off with the pasta, zucchini is used because it has a light color to it when sliced, it slices into big lasagna noodle like strips, and when soaked, becomes very soft. It also absorbs flavors very well. For the filling, the spinach is pulsed a couple times because large spinach leaves have an odd texture in the lasagna. If you salt the spinach and mushrooms and put a weight on them, the salt draws out some of the moisture and the weight helps by pressing it out. This creates a more cooked texture without actually cooking the ingredients. With the cheese, sunflower seeds are soaked to soften them so they blend into something creamy and they also have a nice, nutty flavor. Tahini is used because it is quite creamy and that helps with the texture. White pepper is used because its flavor has a lighter, aromatic quality than the black pepper, which would overwhelm the seed cheese. A bit of the marinade is used to round out the spread and help it blend better. This works better than water because it will already have some flavor in it similar to the zucchini noodles and that unifies the flavors in the lasagna better. Sundried tomatoes are used in the sauce to darken the flavor and make it thick. Because of that dark flavor, black pepper is used in this part of the recipe. Finally, when assembling the lasagna, a square baking dish is used to give shape to the lasagna. This is lined with cheesecloth because a lot of excess moisture will slough off the lasagna and the cheesecloth will allow you to lift it out of the dish and leave the excess moisture behind.

Chefs Notes
Generally, Im against making something that takes as long as this recipe because if I get in the mood for something, I want it then. However, if I know I will want this later in the day, I have no problem getting the ingredients started for it (soaking the seeds and zucchini, for the most part)
The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com
Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|87

because the actual labor involved in the recipe is minimal. If you dont like spicy, you can simply omit the cayenne pepper in this recipe.

Nutritional Facts (individual servings in parentheses, does not include any options)
Calories 2506.8 (417.8) Calories from Fat 891 (147) Fat 98g (16.3g) Total Carbohydrates 245.5g (40.9g) Dietary Fiber 96.6g (16.1g) Sugars 88.1g (14.7g) Protein 161.5g (26.9g) Salt 891mg (148.5mg)

Vitamin A 405% (67.5%) Vitamin B6 313% (52.2%) Calcium 147% (24.5%) Iron 290% (48.3%) Thiamin 669% (111.5%) Niacin 274% (45.7%) Folate 455% (75.8%) Phosphorous 475% (79.2%) Potassium 368% (61.3%) Zinc 232% (38.7%) Magnesium 573% (95.5%) Copper 659% (109.8%) Riboflavin 230% (38.3%) Vitamin C 869% (144.8%)

Interesting Facts
The Romans made a dish similar to the modern lasagna, without tomatoes, called a lasanum. Lasagna appeared in the first cookbook written in England.

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|88

Gnocchi with Wild Mushrooms


Type: Main Dish Serves: 2 Time to Prepare: 20 minutes

cup of hot water cup of dried wild mushrooms 1 clove of garlic, minced 2 tbsp. of sliced basil 1 tsp. of olive oil 3 cups of gnocchi tsp. of pepper 1/8 tsp. of salt

Ingredients

Instructions

Place the mushrooms in a small mixing bowl. Heat the water until its steaming. Pour the water over the mushrooms, allowing them to sit for about 10 minutes. Mince the garlic. Slice the basil. aside. Fill a medium-sized pot with water. Bring the water to a boil. Boil the gnocchi in the water until they float. Immediately remove the gnocchi. Mix the gnocchi with the mushrooms, garlic, basil, salt, and pepper, and serve. Over a medium heat, saut the mushrooms and garlic in the oil for about 3 minutes and set them

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|89

Low-fat Version
Instead of sauting the garlic, add two cloves of minced garlic to the steaming water that is poured over the mushrooms. This will infuse the mushrooms with the garlic flavor. Do not saut the mushrooms.

Raw Version
Raw gnocchi can be made by mixing two cups of almond flour and a pinch of salt with just enough water to form a thick dough. Form the dough into small balls and chill them for at least thirty minutes. Use chopped, fresh oyster mushrooms with a pinch of salt.

Kitchen Equipment
Pot Colander Knife Cutting Board Measuring Cup Measuring Spoon Small Mixing Bowl for the mushrooms

Presentation
Serve this on a small white plate. The starkness of the plate gives the dish a classy look and also emphasizes the colors of the basil and mushrooms. I use a small plate because gnocchi is rather filling, but if you use a large plate, the portion looks too small.

Time Management
It is important to get the mushrooms and garlic sauted before doing the gnocchi because the gnocchi will cool down rapidly and you dont want that to happen while youre finishing up the other ingredients.

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|90

Complementary Food and Drinks


Serve this with a side of mashed roasted garlic, olive oil, and rosemary and a slice of fresh bread.

Where to Shop
You can make your own gnocchi or purchase vegan gnocchi at Sprouts and some conventional markets. I typically use a dried mushroom mix, which is available at most markets. However, youll get a better selection at a gourmet market. Approximate cost per serving is $4.00.

How It Works
Hot water is used to rehydrate the mushrooms because it works far quicker than room temperature water. I use dried mushrooms instead of fresh mushrooms because they have a heartier texture and their flavor has been intensified from the drying process. Gnocchi is boiled only until it floats because over-boiling the gnocchi causes them to become mushy and sticky.

Chefs Notes
Gnocchi, mushrooms, and basil. Its way too hard for that not to be good!

Nutritional Facts (individual servings in parentheses, does not include any options)
Calories 882.0 (441.0) Fat 2.7g (1.4g) Calories from Fat 24.4 (12.2)

Total Carbohydrates 196.3g (98.2g) Dietary Fiber 6.5g (3.3g) Sugars 4.5g (2.3g) Protein 18.1g (9.1g) Salt 2584mg (1292mg) Vitamin A 16% (8%)

Vitamin B6 10% (5%) Vitamin C 1% (0.5%)


The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com
Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|91

Calcium 0% (0%) Iron 18% (9%) Thiamin 4% (2%) Riboflavin 16% (8%) Niacin 15% (7.5%) Folate 6% (3%) Phosphorous 6% (3%) Potassium 9% (4.5%) Zinc 11% (5.5%) Magnesium 7% (3.5%) Copper 56% (28%)

Interesting Facts
Porcini mushrooms are often part of a dried mushroom mix and are a famous Tuscan treat.

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|92

Pasta alla Norma


Type: Main Dish Time to Prepare: 40 minutes Serves: 4

Juice of of a lemon tsp. of salt 8 oz. of medium firm tofu, crumbled 1 small onion, diced 4 tomatoes, chopped cup of water 1 tsp. of olive oil tsp. of crushed red pepper tsp. of salt 2 eggplants, cubed 2 tsp. of olive oil 1 cup of loosely packed basil leaves 4 cups of macaroni or penne pasta Water for boiling the pasta 5 cloves of garlic, minced

Ingredients

Option: Use slices of Follow Your Hearts vegan mozzarella instead of the marinated tofu Instructions

Cube the tofu. Dress it with the lemon juice and salt. Allow it to sit for at least 30 minutes. Dice the onion. Slice the eggplant. Mince the garlic. Slice the basil. Chop the tomatoes On a medium heat, saut the onion in the 1 tsp. of olive oil until it is slightly browned. Add in the chopped tomatoes and cup of water. Add in the salt and crushed red pepper.
The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com
Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|93

Press on the tomatoes occasionally as they cook. Cook these until they turn into a sauce. Blend the sauce for a smooth tomato sauce. Bring enough water to a boil to cover the pasta by at least 4. Add in the pasta and cook it until it is al dente. Bring the 2 tsp. of olive oil to a medium high heat. Reduce the heat to medium. Add the garlic to the pan and saut the eggplant and garlic for another 3 minutes. Plate the pasta. Add the sauce next, followed by a few cubes of the marinated tofu, then the eggplant, and then a couple tbsp. of sliced basil. Add in the eggplant and saut it until it is soft and a bit browned.

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|94

Kitchen Equipment
Pot for the sauce Large Pot for the pasta Colander for the pasta Knife Cutting Board Measuring Cup Saute Pan Spatula Bowl for the marinated tofu Measuring Spoon

Presentation
I like to save a whole basil leaf and raise it out of the finished dish. Its an easy way to give the pasta an elegant look.

Time Management
Start the marinade and then start bringing the water to a boil. While it is coming to a boil, begin the sauce. This will allow you to cook both the pasta and sauce at the same time. While those are cooking, slice the eggplant. This will allow you to work on the eggplant while the sauce finishes cooking.

Complementary Food and Drinks


Serve this with a dry red wine and a fresh slice of garlic bread.

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|95

Where to Shop
All of the ingredients for this recipe should be fairly common. When shopping for the eggplant,

make sure the skin is tight and unblemished. Price per serving is approximately $2.50.

How It Works
Browning the onion creates a sweet base for the sauce. Chopping the tomatoes allows them to water with the tomatoes steams the tomatoes as they cook, decreasing the amount of time they take to soften. This pasta is often served with a slightly tangy and salty mozzarella, so marinating the tofu in the lemon juice and salt creates a bit of that traditional flavor, though it wont have the lushness of the mozzarella.

become soft and release their juices much faster than they would if they were whole. Adding the

Chefs Notes
I generally dont eat pastas, but this was a nice treat and I particularly enjoyed the combination of

the garlic and eggplant with the deep, spicy flavor of the sauce. The simplicity of the fresh basil also added a great deal to the pasta.

Nutritional Facts (individual servings in parentheses, does not include any options)
Calories 1791.2 (447.8) Fat 44.9g (11.2g) Total Carbohydrates 271.4g (67.8g) Dietary Fiber 46.3g (11.6g) Sugars 45.2g (11.3g) Protein 75.4g (18.8g) Salt 1257mg (314mg) Vitamin A 145% (36.3%) Vitamin B6 96% (24%) Vitamin C 243% (60.8%)
The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com
Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|96

Calories from Fat 404.3 (101.1)

Calcium 111% (27.8%) Iron 125% (31.3%) Thiamin 108% (27%) Riboflavin 72% (18%) Niacin 107% (26.8%) Folate 198% (49.5%) Phosphorous 130% (32.5%) Potassium 129% (32.3%) Zinc 66% (16.5%) Magnesium 128% (32%) Copper 128% (32%)

Interesting Facts
This pasta was given its official name in the 1840s in honor of the incredibly popular opera Norma by Vincenzo Bellini.

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|97

Zesty Pasta Primavera


Type: Main Dish Time to Prepare: 40 minutes Serves: 2

1 small zucchini, sliced 1 small carrot, sliced 1 red bell pepper, chopped of an onion, sliced thinly 1 tsp. of fresh rosemary leaves tsp. of fresh thyme leaves 1 tsp. of olive oil 2 cups of pasta 8 cups of water 1-2 tsp. of salt 4 cherry tomatoes, halved Fresh pepper for garnish

Ingredients

Instructions

Slice the zucchini and carrot into medallions. Chop the red bell pepper. Slice the onion thinly into 2 strips. amount. Remove the rosemary leaves and thyme leaves from their stems until you have the appropriate

Toss the veggies and herbs with olive oil. Place these in a baking dish and cover it with foil. Bake them on 400 degrees for 30 minutes. Add in the salt and pasta. Once the pasta is done, drain it through a colander. Top each serving of pasta with the roasted veggies. Halve the cherry tomatoes. Top each serving with four cherry tomato halves. Garnish with fresh pepper.
The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com
Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|98

While they are baking, bring the water to a boil.

Kitchen Equipment
Knife Cutting Board Large Pot Colander Baking Dish Foil Measuring Spoon Measuring Cup Measuring Spoon

Presentation
Place the pasta on a white plate and then add the veggies to the top. Give the pasta a sprinkle of fresh pepper for garnish and allow some of the fresh cracked pepper to sprinkle onto the clean parts of the plate. Its a simple, but elegant touch to this easy dish.

Time Management
To save a few minutes of time, start heating your oven before you work on the veggies. Alternatively, if you dont want to heat up your house, you can place the veggies in foil and throw them on the grill. If your grill is hot enough, it may even save you a few minutes of cook time.

Complementary Food and Drinks


This should be enjoyed with a glass of smooth, red wine and a side of roasted garlic bruschetta.

Where to Shop
All of the ingredients for this dish should be available at your local market.
The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com
Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|99

How It Works
The veggies are baked just enough to soften them and allow some of the flavors to mingle. The thyme and rosemary both provide deep flavors for the dish, with the rosemary adding a strong aromatic finish. The carrot, onion, and pepper are all sweet, which is a nice touch. Also note that each veggie has a distinct color, making this a pretty dish. Finally, the cherry tomatoes taste best when uncooked, so they are added at the end for a nice juicy finish.

Chefs Notes
Traditional pasta primavera has two to three times the amount of oil in this recipe, but I prefer to use as little oil as possible. It allows the flavor of the veggies to really shine through!

Nutritional Facts (individual servings in parentheses, does not include any options)
Calories 535.6 (267.8) Calories from Fat 48.7 (24.3) Fat 5.4g (2.7g) Total Carbohydrates 103.0g (51.5g) Dietary Fiber 10.3g (5.2g) Sugars 13.5g (6.8g) Protein 18.8g (9.4g) Salt 618mg (309mg) Vitamin A 434% (217%) Vitamin B6 23% (11.5%) Vitamin C 468% (234%) Calcium 7% (3.5%) Iron 32% (16%) Thiamin 40% (20%) Riboflavin 21% (10.5%) Niacin 33% (16.5%) Folate 68% (34%) Phosphorous 32% (16%)

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|100

Potassium 33% (16.5%) Zinc 17% (8.5%) Magnesium 30% (15%) Copper 29% (14.5%)

Interesting Facts
Primavera means first green and is the word used for spring.

Pasta primavera is traditionally low in fat, with a focus on fresh vegetables.

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|101

Polpette (Italian Meatballs)


Type: Main Ingredient Time to Prepare: 30 minutes Serves: 30

2 slices of whole wheat bread cup plus 1 tbsp. of regular soymilk 1 pound of Gimme Lean Sausage 1 cup of minced onions cup of chickpea flour 3 cloves of garlic, crushed 1 tsp. of poultry seasoning 1 tsp. of fennel seeds, crushed in mortar and pestle tsp. of dried oregano tsp. of dried basil tsp. of salt tsp. of pepper

Ingredients

Instructions

Have ready a 6-quart Dutch oven or a deep 10 to 12-inch skillet filled with 3 to 4 inches of water. Break the bread into small pieces and put them into a medium bowl. Add the soymilk and stir with a spoon to coat the pieces well. Set aside for 2 to 3 minutes to soften. Combine the remaining ingredients in a large bowl and add the softened bread. Use your hands to mix and blend all the ingredients together thoroughly. Use a heaping teaspoon of the mixture to form 1-inch balls by rolling them between the palms of the hands. For 1 1/2-inch balls use a tablespoon for the mixture. Place the meatballs on a dish. When half the mixture is formed into meatballs, bring the water in the pot to a boil. Carefully drop the meatballs into the boiling water, and boil for 7 or 8 minutes. meatballs.
The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com
Recipe by Chef Zel Allen of Vegetarians in Paradise
A Tour of Italy February 2009|102

Remove them with a slotted spoon to a clean dish and follow the same procedure with the remaining

Option: For super-soft meatballs, use 3 slices whole wheat bread soaked in cup of regular
soymilk and add cup of matzoh meal in place of the chickpea flour to the meatball mixture.

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Zel Allen of Vegetarians in Paradise
A Tour of Italy February 2009|103

Kitchen Equipment
Dutch Oven or Deep Skillet Large Mixing Bowl Measuring Cup Slotted Spoon Large Platter Measuring Spoon

Presentation
Not applicable.

Time Management
If time is limited, cook up a double batch of meatballs on the weekend and freeze them in a single layer on a metal tray. Once frozen, place them into a heavy-duty zipper-lock plastic bag so you can easily take out only as many as you need for a recipe.

Complementary Food and Drinks


Once cooked, the meatballs could morph into an Italian sub sandwich layered with roasted peppers and onions and topped with a flavorful tomato sauce. In the mood for total Italian? You meatballs, and youve got a great dinner. Need a great appetizer dish for a gathering? Make the meatballs tiny and serve them in a warm sauce of your choosing along with plenty of toothpicks. They make the perfect party nibble. cant get much homier than meatballs and spaghetti. Cook up a nice thick tomato sauce, drop in the

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Zel Allen of Vegetarians in Paradise
A Tour of Italy February 2009|104

Where to Shop
Both the Gimme Lean and chickpea flour can be purchased at Whole Foods and Sprouts while

the rest of the ingredients should be fairly common. Approximate cost per serving is $.20.

How It Works
The moistened bread binds together the Gimme Lean, creating a dense meatball dough, which is

heavily flavored with the garlic and herbs. The large amount of herbs is needed because both the bread and Gimme Lean, but particularly the bread, will cut flavors by quite a bit.

Chefs Notes
Meatballs are good old-fashioned comfort foods that not only please the eye, the taste buds, and the tummy but also bring that unmistakable feeling of contentment one notices at the end of a hearty meal. Heres a very tasty basic meatball recipe that could take on a multitude of different sauces, dressings, and marinades along with a fun variety of veggie and condiment toppings. International themes. Meatballs make great pita stuffers and give you the opportunity to play with

Nutritional Facts (individual servings in parentheses, does not include any options)
Calories 712.6 (23.8) Fat 4.5g (0.2g) Total Carbohydrates 98.2g (3.3g) Dietary Fiber 6.7g (0.2g) Sugars 16.4g (0.5g) Protein 69.8g (2.3g) Salt 4524mg (151mg) Vitamin A 3% (0.1%) Vitamin B6 16% (0.5%) Vitamin C 14% (0.5%)
The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com
Recipe by Chef Zel Allen of Vegetarians in Paradise
A Tour of Italy February 2009|105

Calories from Fat 40.6 (1.4)

Calcium 19% (0.6%) Iron 19% (0.6%) Thiamin 23% (0.8%) Riboflavin 20% (0.7%) Niacin 16% (0.5%) Folate 40% (1.3%) Phosphorous 18% (0.6%) Potassium 118% (3.9%) Zinc 10% (0.3%) Magnesium 22% (0.7%) Copper16% (0.5%)

Interesting Facts
Meatballs have been around since at least the time of the Roman Republic and probably much farther back.

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Zel Allen of Vegetarians in Paradise
A Tour of Italy February 2009|106

Lemon Roasted Fennel


Type: Main Dish Time to Prepare: 45 minutes Serves: 4

1 bulb of fennel 1 tsp. of olive oil 1/8 tsp. of salt 2 lemons, sliced 2 cups of small pasta (bow-tie, ziti, etc.) cup of sundried tomatoes, sliced 1 tbsp. of chopped parsley leaves tsp. of freshly ground pepper

Ingredients

Instructions

Cut the fennel in half. Lightly rub the two halves with olive oil. Place them in a baking dish. Dress them with salt and pepper. Slice the lemons. Spread the lemons on the fennel. Cover the baking dish. Bake the fennel and lemons on 375 degrees for 30 minutes. Once it is done baking, start the pasta. Bring a medium-size pot of water to a boil. Boil the pasta until it floats and immediately remove it from the water. Slice the sundried tomatoes. Chop the parsley. Toss the pasta with the sundried tomatoes and parsley. Spread the pasta out onto two platters. Place a fennel half on top of each set of pasta.

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|107

Low-fat Version
Instead of rubbing olive oil onto the fennel, add a thin layer of water to the bottom of the baking dish. This will create steam as the fennel bakes which will keep the fennel moist, which is the purpose of the olive oil.

Raw Version
Instead of using cooked pasta, shave pieces of yellow squash until you have about 4 cups of

squash shavings. Because the lemons wont bake onto the fennel, they wont release the right amount of juice by simply laying them on the fennel, so sprinkle the fennel with the juice of one lemon.

Kitchen Equipment
Baking Dish Foil Pot Colander Measuring Cup Measuring Spoon Knife Cutting Board

Presentation
Make sure to serve this with a sharp knife on a platter that can be cut upon. Each platter serves two and each person will need to cut their own fennel. If you feel that is too much work for you each platter with fennel fronds. guests, slice the fennel for them before plating it and then dress

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|108

Time Management
Make sure not to start the pasta until the fennel is done. If you cook it too early, it will be room temperature by the time the fennel comes out of the oven.

Complementary Food and Drinks


Serve this with an appetizer of chickpea dip flavored with hot red peppers. This complements the citrus of the lemon and strong fennel flavor.

Where to Shop
Make sure that the fennel looks crisp and white, not off-color. You can also check the fronds to ensure that they are a deep green, which is a sign of freshness. For sundried tomatoes that are not packed in oil, check the produce section of your local market. Approximate cost per serving is $1.50.

How It Works
The fennel is baked long enough to become slightly soft, which also allows it to absorb the lemon

juice which is released as the lemons bake. The fennel is rubbed in oil so that it remains moist, for flavor, but also for color.

which is also why the baking dish is covered. The sundried tomatoes and parsley are not only used

Chefs Notes
This is one of the first Italian recipes I ever taught in one of my classes. The students looked wary at first, but as soon as they tasted it, the dish was an instant hit.

Nutritional Facts (individual servings in parentheses, does not include any options)
Calories 890.8 (222.7) Calories from Fat 76.0 (19.0) Fat 8.4g (2.1g) Total Carbohydrates 172.7g (43.2g)
The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com
Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|109

Dietary Fiber 11.8g (3.0g) Sugars 5.1g (1.3g) Protein 31.0g (7.8g) Salt 997mg (249mg) Vitamin A 26% (6.5%)

Vitamin B6 26% (6.5%) Vitamin C 30% (7.5%) Calcium 14% (3.5%) Iron 27% (6.8%) Thiamin 24% (6%) Riboflavin 17% (4.3%) Niacin 27% (6.8%) Folate 25% (6.3%) Phosphorous 50% (12.5%) Potassium 43% (10.8%) Zinc 24% (6%) Magnesium 41% (10.3%) Copper 44% (11%)

Interesting Facts
Fennel was sometimes a tool of the gods in Greek mythology. The most common type of fennel sold is Florence fennel.

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|110

Carciofi alla Romana (Roman-style Artichokes)


Type: Main Dish Time to Prepare: 60 minutes Serves: 2

2 artichokes Juice of 2 lemons tsp. of salt Enough water to cover the base of the artichokes of a red onion, diced 1 tsp. of olive oil cup of rice Pinch of saffron 1 cup of water tsp. of salt 1 Roma tomato, diced 2 tbsp. of chopped mint leaves Juice of of a lemon 2 cloves of garlic, minced cup of red wine

Ingredients

Instructions

Cut the artichokes in half along the length (you will need a heavy serrated knife for this). Leave the long stems on the artichokes. Pull the hard leaves off the outer part of the artichokes. Fill a pot big enough to hold both artichokes with the lemon juice, wine, salt, and enough water to cover the base of the artichoke up to the stem. Bring the liquid to a boil. Place the artichokes upside down in the liquid (stem side up). Boil the artichokes for 40-15 minutes, replenishing water as needed. While they are boiling, dice the onion and mince the garlic. Saut the onion over a medium heat in a pot with the oil until the onion is soft. Add the garlic, rice, and saffron and continue sauting these for another minute. Add the water, lemon juice, and salt to the pot and bring the liquid to a simmer.
The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com
Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|111

Cover the pot and reduce the heat to low. Cook the rice for 15 minutes. While it is cooking, dice the tomato and chop the mint leaves. Uncover the pot and stir the rice, cooking it until all of the liquid in the pot is gone. Remove the rice from the heat. Immediately stir the diced tomato and mint into the rice. Remove the artichokes from the boiling liquid. Remove the chokes of each artichoke. Remove the stems of the artichokes. Stuff the artichokes with the rice and serve.

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|112

Low-fat Version
Omit the olive oil from the recipe, dont toast the rice, and simply boil the onion, garlic, and saffron in the water instead of sauting them.

Kitchen Equipment
Large Pot to hold the artichokes Heavy Serrated Knife Knife Cutting Board Measuring Cup Measuring Spoon Pot with Lid Spoon Stirring Spoon

Presentation
I chose a fairly decorative, classy looking plate so I wouldnt have to garnish the artichokes much. If you use a white plate, dress the plate with extra mint leaves and sprinkles of crushed red pepper.

Time Management
Start the artichokes boiling before you start working on the rice stuffing and dont start the rice until about 25 minutes into boiling the artichokes. That way, the rice will still be warm by the time you finish prepping the artichokes to be stuffed.

Complementary Food and Drinks


Serve these with the same wine which you used to boil the artichokes. It will create a unified taste
The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com
Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|113

throughout the meal.

Where to Shop
Look for large artichokes because they will have more stuffing space. Trader Joes has one of the best prices on saffron and you can pick up the rice while you are there. The rest of the ingredients should be incredibly easy to find. Approximate cost per serving is $4.00.

How It Works
The artichokes are cut in half so that they make a nice cup to hold the stuffing. This also gets rid of the spiky parts of most of the leaves. The artichoke then boils in a highly acidic solution made from wine and lemon juice so that it becomes tart. The rice is a basic rice recipe with a nice mix of tartness and creaminess, the tartness from the lemon juice and the creaminess from the rice. so that they remain fairly fresh. Saffron is used to dye the rice and the tomato and mint are added in at the very end of the recipe

Chefs Notes
I had never had an artichoke that wasnt served steamed with a side of butter or margarine until I started exploring authentic Italian cuisine. I love the flavor the artichoke acquires from the lemon juice and wine!

Nutritional Facts (individual servings in parentheses, does not include any options)
Calories 527.1 (263.6) Calories from Fat 37.7 (18.9) Fat 4.2g (2.1g) Total Carbohydrates 107.0g (53.5g) Dietary Fiber 13.1g (6.9g) Sugars 5.0g (2.5G) Protein 15.4g (7.7g) Salt 1975mg (988mg)

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|114

Vitamin A 23% (11.5%) Vitamin B6 22% (11%) Calcium 13% (6.5%) Iron 22% (11%) Thiamin 18% (9%) Niacin 22% (11%) Folate 35% (17.5%) Phosphorous 33% (16.5%) Potassium 30% (15%) Zinc 17% (8.5%) Magnesium 47% (23.5%) Copper 35% (17.5%) Riboflavin 13% (6.5%) Vitamin C 103% (51.5%)

Interesting Facts
The most common artichoke served is the globe artichoke. Artichoke plants grow up to about chest height with the artichoke sitting at the top of the plant on a long, thick stem.

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|115

Melanzane Ripiene di Riso (Eggplant stuffed with Rice)


Type: Main Dish Time to Prepare: 90 minutes Serves: 2

The Eggplant 2 eggplants 2 tsp. of oil (used after the eggplants are stuffed) The Rice Stuffing of an onion, diced 1 clove of garlic, minced 1 tsp. of olive oil Pinch of saffron cup of white wine tsp. of salt The Egg Stuffing 4 oz. of extra firm tofu tsp. of salt tsp. of turmeric 1 tsp. of olive oil The Sauce 3 tbsp. of chopped mint leaves 4 Roma tomatoes, chopped of an onion, diced 1 tsp. of olive oil 1/8 tsp. of salt tsp. of fresh thyme The Garnish 3 tbsp. of sliced basil leaves tsp. of freshly ground black pepper cup of veggie stock cup of Arborio rice

Ingredients

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|116

Instructions

Prepping the Eggplant

Bake the eggplants on 375 degrees for 40 minutes. Remove them from the oven and allow them to cool until you can handle them.

Gently slice off the ends of each eggplant. Starting about 1 from an end, slice the eggplant open in the middle, stopping about 1 from the other end. Gently scoop out some of the seeded area, creating a pouch in each eggplant. Set the eggplants aside. Making the Rice Dice the onion. Mince the garlic. Saut the onion in the oil over a medium heat until it is soft. Remove the onion from the pot. Add the rice into the pot and toast it for 5 minutes, stirring it slowly the whole time. Add the onion back into the pot, along with the garlic and saffron. Saut all these ingredients for another 3 minutes. Bring this to a simmer and cover the pot. Reduce the heat to low. Allow the rice to cook for 20 minutes. Making the Egg Stuffing Crumble the tofu. Mix the tofu with the salt and turmeric. Saut this over a medium-high heat in the oil for about 5 minutes. Remove it from the heat. Making the Sauce Chop the tomatoes and dice the onion. Saut the onion in the oil over a medium heat until it is soft. Add the tomatoes, salt, pepper, and thyme to the pan. This can take anywhere from 5-10 minutes. As soon as the tomatoes have mostly softened, remove them from the heat so they do not overcook. Smash the tomatoes as they cook so that they fall apart and turn into t sauce. Immediately mix the fresh mint leaves into it. Add the white wine, veggie stock, and salt to the pot.

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|117

Assembling the Stuffed Eggplants Combine the rice and tofu. Stuff the eggplant pouches with the rice and tofu mix. Bring 2 tsp. of olive oil to just above a medium heat. Saut the eggplants on both sides for 3-4 minutes per side (some of the stuffing may spill out, but thats ok). Dress the stuffed eggplants with the sauce and sliced basil leaves.

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|118

Low-fat Version
Omit the oil from the rice and simply toast the rice and then add in the un-cooked onion with the veggie stock. Do not pan-fry the eggplants after they are stuffed, omitting the oil from that part of the recipe, as well. Omit the oil from the sauce and add all of the sauce ingredients to the pan at the same time along with cup of water, simmering everything over a medium heat until the tomatoes soften.

Raw Version
To make the raw version, slice the eggplants in half along the length. Salt the eggplant halves and place a weight on them. Let them sit for about 2 hours. Hollow out a bit of each eggplant half. To make the rice stuffing, use 2 cups of cauliflower that has been crumbled in a food processor. Mix saffron. Instead of the tofu egg stuffing, mix cup of cashew butter with the cauliflower. The tofu is used to bind the rice in the cooked recipe and the cashew butter will do the same in the raw version. Salt and pepper the stuffing to taste. Stuff the eggplant and then dress it with fresh, chopped tomatoes and sliced basil. this with cup of diced red onion, the mint leaves, olive oil, a pinch of turmeric, salt, and a pinch of

Kitchen Equipment
Oven Knife Cutting Board 2 Saut Pans 2 Pots, one with a lid Stirring Spoon Measuring Cup Measuring Spoon Spatula

Presentation
This looks best on a white plate, but you will need to garnish the plate in addition to the eggplants. Sprinkle some extra basil
The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com
Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|119

and/or sauce on the plate so you dont have a nice-looking eggplant surrounded by start whiteness. Make sure to serve the eggplant with fairly sharp knives as regular dinner table knives tend to just smash the eggplant down and force all the stuffing out of it.

Time Management
Start baking the eggplant before doing anything else. Next, start on the rice and once the rice is cooking with the pot covered, move on to the tofu egg stuffing. The eggplant, rice, and tofu eggplant time to cool before you start stuffing it. should all finishing cooking right around the same time. You can then work on the sauce, giving the

Complementary Food and Drinks


Serve this with a side of Tuscan toast. Its perfect for any of the excess filling. A mild merlot goes quite well with this, as well.

Where to Shop
Trader Joes has small boxes of Arborio rice for an excellent price, though you can also find it in bulk bins at Sprouts, Whole Foods, and Central Market.

How It Works
The eggplant is baked intact so that it stays moist while it softens in the oven since the skin of the

eggplant will trap the steam released from the flesh of the eggplant. The rice is fairly basic, using Arborio rice for stickiness. Since the rice is on the sticky side, it tends to feel heartier and also

more easily stay stuffed into the eggplant. This recipe is traditionally made with egg, but the tofu scramble works incredibly well, serving to further bind all the ingredients and add some extra density to the stuffing. Turmeric is used mostly for color, but also for a bit of earthy tanginess. The more easily cut and also adding a touch of extra flavor to it. eggplant is finished off in the frying pan in order to slightly crisp the skin, giving it a texture that is

Chefs Notes
This is definitely one of the more complex recipes I do, so I only make it for very special occasions.
The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com
Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|120

Nutritional Facts (individual servings in parentheses, does not include any options)
Calories 1184.6 (592.3) Fat 30.9g (15.4g) Total Carbohydrates 196.2g (98.1g) Dietary Fiber 36.2g (18.1g) Sugars 40.8g (20.4g) Protein 30.5g (15.3g) Salt 2088mg (1044mg) Vitamin A 134% (67%) Vitamin B6 75% (37.5%) Vitamin C 91% (45.5%) Calcium 37% (18.5%) Iron 78% (39%) Thiamin 105% (52.5%) Riboflavin 27% (13.5%) Niacin 64% (32%) Folate 46% (23%) Phosphorous 50% (25%) Potassium 67% (33.5%) Zinc 29% (14.5%) Magnesium 63% (31.5%) Copper 65% (32.5%)

Calories from Fat 277.8 (138.9)

Interesting Facts
Eggplant is part of the nightshade family. Eggplant is a fruit.

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|121

Arancine
Type: Appetizer/Side Time to Prepare: 60 minutes Serves: 12

of a yellow onion, diced 2 cloves of garlic, minced 2 tsp. of olive oil 1 cups of Arborio rice 1 pinch of saffron cup of dry white wine tsp. of salt cup of dried wild mushrooms Optional Fillings: shredded carrot, roasted red pepper, zucchini Warm water Oil for frying 3 cups of veggie stock (or more if needed)

Ingredients

Instructions

Making the Risotto Dice the onion. Mince the garlic and set it aside. Over a medium heat, saut the onion in 1 tsp. of olive oil until the onion is translucent. Add in the garlic and continue sauting the onion and garlic for 1 minute. Remove the onion and garlic from the pot and set them aside. Add in another tsp. of olive oil, the rice, and the saffron to the pot. Toast the rice over a medium heat for 3-5 minutes. While it is toasting, warm the veggie stock. Once the rice has toasted, add the white wine and 1 cup of veggie stock. Stir continuously until most of the liquid is absorbed. liquid is mostly absorbed. rice.
The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com
Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|122

Ladle in cup of veggie stock at a time, stirring the rice slowly, but continuously until the

Once you are down to the last cup of veggie stock, add the onion, garlic, and salt to the

Continue adding liquid to the rice and stirring until the rice is al dente (you may need to go over 3 cups of liquid; check by tasting the rice). Making the Filling While the rice is cooling, warm enough water to cover the mushrooms. Place the mushrooms in the water and allow them to rehydrate. Once they are rehydrated, dice the mushrooms. Assembling the Arancine Press a layer or risotto in your palm about thick. Place about 1 tsp. of the mushrooms in the center of the rice in your palm. Press another layer of rice on top of the layer in palm with the filling. Squeeze the rice closed into a ball, trying to get the rice fairly tight. Set this aside and repeat this until you are out of filling or out of rice. Add enough oil to a Dutch oven, fryer, or wok to cover one of the arancine. Bring the oil to 375 degrees. Drop in a few arancine at a time (the amount will depend on the size of your frying device; I typically do 4-5 at a time for a large wok). Fry the arancine for about 5 minutes. Remove the arancine and allow them to drain of any excess oil. Repeat this until all the arancine are fried. Once the rice is done, spread the rice out about thick on a baking sheet.

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|123

Low-fat Version
Cover a baking sheet with wax paper and place the arancine on the wax paper. Bake the arancine at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, rotating them about 13 minutes into baking. Be gentle with the arancine when you rotate them.

Raw Version
You can make some really tasty raw arancine using spicy sprouts mixed with just enough almond

butter to make the sprouts stick together. For every cup of sprouts you use, you only need 1-2 tsp. of almond butter. Form the raw arancine in your palm as you with the risotto version and use any or all of the following for the filling: chopped Brazil nuts, salted zucchini, shredded carrot, spinach, and/or basil.

Kitchen Equipment
Pot (enameled pot works best) Knife Cutting Board Stirring Spoon Small Pot for the veggie stock Measuring Cup Baking Sheet Frying Pot of Pan Frying Basket Plate Paper Towels Measuring Spoon

Presentation
Simply serve these on a plate or platter and if you want extra adornment, sprinkle on some freshly cut parsley.

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|124

Time Management
These are best served just a few minutes out of the fryer, but if you must warm them up, bake them in the oven at 325 degrees for 10 minutes and make sure to cover them so they dont dry out.

Complementary Food and Drinks


A few of these go a long way, so dont serve them with anything too heavy. My favorite set to serve them with is an orange and red onion salad, a slice of bread with olive oil, and half a stuffed eggplant.

Where to Shop
Arborio rice can be purchased at Trader Joes, and out of the bulk bins at Sprouts, Whole

Foods, and Central Market. You can also buy it at conventional markets pre-packaged, but it tends to be more expensive. Dried wild mushroom packets can be purchased at most stores. Approximate cost per serving is $.75.

How It Works
The first part of the recipe is a basic risotto recipe, made creamy by the constant battering of the rice while it simmers in the liquid. The onion is removed from the pot before the rice is added so that the onion does not overly brown and overwhelm the rice. The finished risotto is spread on a baking sheet in a thin layer so that it cools both evenly and quickly. Dried mushrooms are used through the starchiness of the risotto. because they intensify in flavor when they are dried and the flavor of the mushrooms needs to shine

Chefs Notes
I first saw the recipe for arancine on Molto Mario and quickly figured out how to adapt them to be vegan.

Nutritional Facts (individual servings in parentheses, does not include any options)
Calories 944.8 (78.7)
The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com
Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|125

Calories from Fat 177.1 (14.8) Fat 19.7g (1.6g) Total Carbohydrates 177.8g (14.8g) Dietary Fiber 7.3g (0.6g) Sugars 5.4g (0.4g) Protein 14.2g (1.2g) Salt 2882mg (240mg) Vitamin A 60% (5%) Vitamin B6 23% (1.9%) Vitamin C 7% (0.6%) Calcium 2% (0.2%) Iron 48% (4%) Thiamin 77% (6.4%) Niacin 44% (3.7%) Folate 177% (14.8%) Phosphorous 21% (1.8%) Potassium 7% (0.6%) Zinc 18% (1.5%) Magnesium 14% (1.2%) Copper 38% (3.2%) Riboflavin 11% (0.9%)

Interesting Facts
Arancine are often made from the previous nights left-over risotto.

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|126

Bruschetta
Type: Side Serves: 12 Time to Prepare: 25 minutes

3 Roma tomatoes, diced cup of thinly sliced basil 1/8 tsp. of salt tsp. of freshly ground black pepper 12 long loaf of thin Italian bread, sliced 1 tbsp. of olive oil 1 large clove of garlic, slightly smashed 3 tbsp. of balsamic vinegar

Ingredients

Instructions

Light your grill and allow the flames to die down. While you are waiting for the flames to die, start making the bruschetta topping. Dice the tomatoes. Slice the basil. Over a medium-low heat, reduce the balsamic vinegar until you have only 1 tbsp. of the vinegar (this works best by quickly removing the pan from the heat just before the balsamic vinegar has finished reducing). Once the vinegar has cooled, mix it with the tomatoes, basil, salt, and pepper. Slice off the ends of the loaf of bread. Slice the bread into 12 or so pieces. Lightly brush each side with olive oil. Gently press on the garlic clove until it just starts to split. Rub each slice with the garlic clove. Grill the bread until it is toasted on both sides (about 30 seconds to 2 minutes per side, depending on how hot your grill is). Top each slice of grilled bread with the tomato and basil mix.

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|127

Low-fat Version
Do not brush the bread with olive oil. This means you need to pay extra attention to it to make sure it does not burn.

Raw Version
Mix the tomatoes and basil with 1 tbsp. of raw vinegar sweetened with tsp. of sweet agave nectar. Serve it over flax seed crackers.

Kitchen Equipment
Grill Tongs Brush Platter to hold the sliced bread Measuring Spoon Mixing Bowl Pan Stirring Spoon Knife Cutting Board

Presentation
Arrange the bread on a platter and garnish it with extra sliced basil. For a nicer presentation, drizzle the platter with more balsamic reduction from a squirt bottle.

Time Management
Once the bread goes on the grill, you will need to pay particular attention to it because the
The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com
Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|128

difference between toasted and burned is about twenty seconds.

Complementary Food and Drinks


My favorite two items to serve with bruschetta are fava bean dip and grilled porcini mushrooms.

Where to Shop
Trader Joes has an excellent assortment of thin, vegan breads and it is ok to substitute French

bread for Italian bread. While you are there, you can also pick up a large container of organic basil. The same items can be found at Fresh & Easy. Keep in mind that the better the vinegar is, the better this will taste. Your vinegar should have a smooth, sweet taste to it. Approximate cost per serving is $.35.

How It Works
The bread is brushed with oil partly to infuse it with flavor by lightly frying it as it grills, but also to keep the bread from burning too quickly. The balsamic vinegar is reduced so that it thickens and better coats the basil and tomatoes.

Chefs Notes
This is one of many bruschetta toppings, but theres a reason it is a classic.

Nutritional Facts (individual servings in parentheses, does not include any options)
Calories 1354.3 (112.9) Calories from Fat 267.9 (22.3) Fat 29.8g (2.5g) Total Carbohydrates 230.0g (19.2g) Dietary Fiber 14.5g (1.2g) Sugars 10.8g (0.9g) Protein 41.6g (3.5g) Salt 3241mg (270mg)
The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com
Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|129

Vitamin A 31% (2.6%) Vitamin B6 18% (1.5%) Vitamin C 39% (3.3%) Calcium 37% (3.1%) Iron 77% (6.4%) Thiamin 148% (12.3%) Riboflavin 80% (6.7%) Niacin 105% (8.8%) Folate 219% (18.3%) Phosphorous 51% (4.3%) Potassium 27% (2.3%) Zinc 28% (2.3%) Magnesium 36% (3%) Copper 48% (4%)

Interesting Facts
Bruschetta should properly be pronounced broos-KET-uh. Bruscare is the Latin root word for bruschetta, which means to roast over coals, and is also the root word for terms like brisket and brusque.

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|130

Fava Bean Bruschetta


Type: Appetizer Serves: 4 Time to Prepare: 15 minutes

4 slices of 4 wide bread 1 tsp. of olive oil 4 oz. of fava beans, rinsed 1/8 tsp. of cumin 1/8 tsp. of salt tsp. of paprika 1 tsp. of water 1 tsp. of lemon juice 1 tsp. of olive oil 1 sprig of rosemary 1 clove of garlic, minced

Ingredients

Option: 1 roma tomato Instructions

Light the grill. Slice the bread. Brush the slices with oil. Mince the garlic. In a small pan, combine the fava beans, olive oil, water, salt, cumin, and paprika. Cook this over a medium heat until the beans are soft, mashing them while you cook them. Cut the rosemary sprig into four parts. Toast the bread with the rosemary sprig placed on it. As it gets dark grill lines on the bottom, flip the bread and replace the rosemary cuts. Mix in the fresh lemon juice into the finished bean paste. Spread the fava bean paste on the finished bruschetta.

Option: Dice the roma tomato and cook it into the bean paste. If you do this, omit the water.

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|131

Kitchen Equipment
Grill Brush Tongs Small Pan Measuring Spoon Small Spatula to spread the fava bean paste Small Knife Cutting Board

Presentation
I like to set aside a couple fresh rosemary sprigs and lay those atop the finished bruschetta. The green looks very striking against the finished dish.

Time Management
Since the beans can take a few minutes to develop, it is easier to manage the beans and then move on to toast the bread. That way, neither the beans nor the bread will burn.

Complementary Food and Drinks


This is a heavier bruschetta, so serve it with something that wont get overwhelmed by the texture. Try this as a side with a portabella stuffed with barley as the centerpiece.

Where to Shop
Fava beans are not typically available at the more common markets. However, you should easily be

able to find them at any Middle Eastern market and most gourmet stores will carry them, as well. Ive also seen them in Whole Foods.
The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com
Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy

February 2009|132

How It Works
The oil is in the bean paste to help lubricate the pan so the beans dont stick as well as the garlic.

It also moistens it, along with the water and lemon juice. Otherwise, it would be too dry. Toasting the rosemary sprigs on top of the bruschetta imparts a subtle rosemary taste. The lemon juice lightens the final dish.

Chefs Notes
This bean spread is a variation on foul madamas, a Middle Eastern fava bean dish. Remove the lemon juice, however, and it becomes a Tuscan dish. It amazes me how closely the cuisine of the two regions can be related!

Nutritional Facts (individual servings in parentheses, does not include any options)
Calories 355.9 (89.0) Fat 11.4g (2.8g) Calories from Fat 94.4 (23.6)

Total Carbohydrates 51.3g (12.8g) Dietary Fiber 6.2g (1.5g) Sugars 2.0g (0.5g) Protein 12.2g (3.0g) Salt 667.3mg (166.8mg) Vitamin A 0% (0%)

Vitamin B6 5% (1.3%) Vitamin C 4% (1%) Calcium 11% (2.8%) Iron 19% (4.8%) Thiamin 21% (5.3%) Riboflavin 16% (4%) Niacin 17% (4.3%) Folate 39% (9.8%) Phosphorous 18% (4.5%)
The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com
Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|133

Potassium 8% (2%) Zinc 9% (2.3%) Magnesium 13% (3.3%) Copper 15% (3.8%)

Interesting Facts
Fava beans are sometimes called broad beans or horse beans. know the wine with which they should be paired!

Fava beans were mentioned at the end of Silence of the Lambs, and if you remember that, you

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|134

Peperone Ripiene di Riso e Funghi (Stuffed Peppers with Rice and Mushrooms)

Type: Main Dish Time to Prepare: 45 minutes

Serves: 4

2 green bell peppers 1 tomato, diced 2 cloves of garlic, minced cup of chopped oyster mushrooms 2 tsp. of olive oil cup of rice tsp. of salt 1 cups of water

Ingredients

Instructions

Roast the bell peppers whole on 375 degrees for 15 minutes. When the peppers are done, cut them in half along the length. Scoop out any seeds and gently cut out the whitish membranes. Set the peppers aside. Dice the tomato. Mince the garlic. Chop the oyster mushrooms. Over a medium-high heat, sear the oyster mushrooms in a pot with the oil until you see parts of the mushrooms turn brown (about 5-7 minutes). Reduce the heat to medium. Add the garlic and rice and saut these for about 3 minutes. Add in the water, salt, and tomatoes. Bring the water to a simmer. Cover the pot. Reduce the heat to low. Cook the rice for 20 minutes. Stuff the peppers with the rice mix.
The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com
Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|135

Low-fat Version
Omit the olive oil and bake the chopped oyster mushrooms on a metal baking sheet at 400 degrees for 20 minutes. Do not saut the rice and garlic, but instead, simmer the water and then add the rice and garlic to it.

Raw Version
Use 2 cups of ground cauliflower for the rice. Salt the mushrooms and place a weight on them, allowing them to sit for thirty minutes. Rinse them after this time and add them to the ground them. cauliflower along with all the other stuffing ingredients. Stuff the raw peppers after de-seeding

Kitchen Equipment
Oven Knife Cutting Board Small Pot with Lid Measuring Cup Measuring Spoon Spoon

Presentation

Make sure that the various ingredients in the stuffing are showing so that your diner can see exactly what tantalizing goodies await them in their stuffed pepper!

Time Management
Cut all the ingredients for the rice, but dont start cooking the mushrooms and rice until the
The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com
Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|136

peppers are in the oven. The peppers will finish before the rice, giving you time to allow them to cool, cut them, and de-seed them just as the rice stuffing is done.

Complementary Food and Drinks


Serve this with a stew of garbanzo beans, tomatoes, garlic, and greens.

Where to Shop
Oyster mushrooms are becoming more common, but are not always available at the average market. Try you local Asian market or Whole Foods for these gems. The other ingredients are easy to find. Approximate cost per serving is $1.00.

How It Works
The peppers roast just long enough to get rid of the raw taste and soften them enough that they are easily cut, but not so long that they completely collapse. This makes them easy to stuff and keep their shape. The oyster mushrooms are seared until parts are brown because searing oyster mushrooms gives them an incredibly rich taste that they otherwise would not have. The rice is toasted to give it a nutty flavor.

Chefs Notes
This is just a very basic rice stuffing recipe, designed to allow for easy additions of other

ingredients, like nuts and beans.

Nutritional Facts (individual servings in parentheses, does not include any options)
Calories 696.5 (174.1) Fat 10.5g (2.6g) Total Carbohydrates 136.0g (34.0g) Dietary Fiber 7.2g (1.8g) Sugars 9.2g (2.3g) Protein 14.5g (3.6g)
The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com
Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|137

Calories from Fat 94.5 (23.6)

Salt 1183mg (296mg) Vitamin A 40% (10%) Vitamin B6 47% (11.8%) Vitamin C 62% (15.5%) Calcium 4% (1%) Iron 20% (5%) Thiamin 23% (5.8%) Riboflavin 23% (5.8%) Niacin 39% (9.8%) Folate 12% (3%) Phosphorous 31% (7.8%) Potassium 32% (8%) Zinc 19% (4.8%) Magnesium 24% (6%) Copper 40% (10%)

Interesting Facts
Oyster mushrooms are termed so because of the shape the mushroom reaches at maturity. A green bell pepper is an unripe red pepper.

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|138

Focaccia alla Genovese


Type: Bread Serves: 6 Time to Prepare: 3 hours (includes time for the dough to rise)

1 tsp. of yeast 1 tsp. of sugar 2 tbsp. of warm water cup of olive oil 2 cups of flour (whole wheat pastry flour is optimal) 1 tsp. of salt 1 cup of water 1 tbsp. of minced sage leaves Extra water

Ingredients

Option: 2 tbsp. of olive oil Instructions

Mince the sage leaves. Combine the warm water, sugar, and yeast together. Combine the flour and salt together. Add the water and olive oil to the water, sugar, and yeast mixture. Stir the wet mix into the dry mix (you should end up with a very soft dough.) Add the sage leaves to the dough mix, but dont worry about having it thoroughly mixed into the dough. Knead the dough with the sage leaves until it no longer sticks to your hands. Roll the dough into a ball. Lightly oil the dough and place it in a bowl. Cover the bowl. Allow the dough to rise in a warm place for 1 hours. Fold the dough in on itself and form it into the shape you wish (usually a rectangle.) Lightly oil the dough again. Cover the dough. Allow the dough to rise for another 30 minutes.
The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com
Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|139

Spread the dough onto a baking stone or into a baking dish until it is about thick.

Take a small amount of water (3-4 tbsp.) and sprinkle it on the top and sides of the dough, gently smearing the dough with the water (its ok if depressions in the dough form and collect excess water.)

Option: Combine the oil with the water and sprinkle that on the dough.
Bake the bread for 25 minutes on 400 degrees. Remove the bread from the oven and allow it to rest for at least 10 minutes.

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|140

Kitchen Equipment
2 Mixing Bowls Whisk Measuring Cup Measuring Spoon Baking Dish or Stone Towel to cover the dough Knife Cutting Board Oven

Presentation
I like to cut these into large rectangles, which are the perfect size for a generous serving of focaccia and makes a nice accompaniment to a meal.

Time Management
The amount of labor in this recipe is fairly small, but the resting time and baking time is just the opposite. That means this bread needs to be started well ahead of serving time. Use the down time in the recipe to make something else or just relax. You can make a large batch of the bread, but cover the left over bread with plastic wrap to keep it fresh. Note that you can use a bread the bread. mixer to get the dough to the right consistency, but you will probably lose some of the softness of

Complementary Food and Drinks


Serve this with a chilled glass of white wine and/or with a light soup.

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|141

Where to Shop
I prefer to use whole wheat pastry flour which I get at Sprouts or Whole Foods. It should also be

available at Central Market and most stores with a bulk section. The other ingredients should be fairly common, with most of them available in the baking aisle of your local market.

How It Works
Allowing the dough to rise accomplishes several things. First, it gives time for the yeast in the bread to ferment, creating a small amount of alcohol which then flavors the bread. Second, the yeast releases acid glutamathione, which relaxes the gluten in the dough, making it more tender. Finally, this relaxation of the gluten allows the dough to absorb more surface water, making it less the outside while it is rising. The first rise gets the dough ready for shaping since the texture will be less sticky and then the second rise gives the dough some volume before it goes into the oven. sticky. It is both oiled and covered to keep it moist. Without that, the dough will develop a crust on

Chefs Notes
I love the extra flavor that the whole wheat pastry flour gave to the focaccia bread. Next time I make it, I may add some garlic to it along with the sage.

Nutritional Facts (individual servings in parentheses, does not include any options)
Calories 1876.4 (312.7) Calories from Fat 994.1 (165.7) Fat 110.5g (18.4g) Total Carbohydrates 194.8g (34.5g) Dietary Fiber 6.8g (1.1g) Sugars 4.7g (0.8g) Protein 25.8g (4.3g) Salt 2331mg (388mg) Vitamin A 0% (0%) Vitamin B6 6% (1%)
The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com
Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|142

Vitamin C 0% (0%) Calcium 4% (0.7%) Iron 64% (10.7%) Thiamin 98% (16.3%) Riboflavin 62% (10.3%) Niacin 74% (12.3%) Folate 76% (12.7%) Phosphorous 27% (4.5%) Potassium 8% (1.3%) Zinc 12% (2%) Magnesium 14% (2.3%) Copper 18% (3%)

Interesting Facts
Focaccia was traditionally cooked over the remnant ashes of the family hearth.

Focaccia recipes abound throughout the villages of the province of Liguria in Italy.

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|143

Macco di Fave
Type: Appetizer Serves: 4 Time to Prepare: 1 hour 15 minutes plus time to soak the beans

The Fava Puree 2 cups of dried fava beans 1 red onion, diced 1 small bulb of fennel, diced 1 tbsp. of tomato paste 2 cups of water (enough to cover the dried beans in a small pot) 4-6 sundried tomatoes tsp. of salt tsp. of freshly ground black pepper The Garnishing Sauce 1 cup of broken vermicelli 1 tbsp. of tomato paste 2 tbsp. of olive oil tsp. of crushed red pepper flakes 1 cup of toasted bread crumbs

Ingredients

Instructions

Making the Fava Bean Puree

Soak the fava beans overnight and then discard the water. Dice the onion and fennel. Combine the tomato paste with the water. In a small pot, add the beans, onion, fennel, tomato paste/water, and the sundried tomatoes. Bring the beans to a low simmer and simmer them for an hour, until they are completely soft. Puree the cooked fava bean mix, adding water as needed to create a thick bean dip. Stir in the salt and pepper. Cook the vermicelli until the pasta is soft (about 5-8 minutes). Stir the vermicelli into the dip.

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|144

Making the Garnishing Sauce Combine the tomato paste with the olive oil and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook this over a medium heat for about 1 minute. Top the fava bean puree with the sauce. Sprinkle toasted bread crumbs over the top and serve immediately.

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|145

Low-fat Version
Omit the olive oil from the recipe.

Raw Version
You can use sprouted fava beans in this recipe. Blend about 12 sundried tomatoes with the beans, salt, pepper, 2 tsp. of olive oil, cup of fennel, cup of red onion, and enough liquid to create a bean dip. Top this with sliced sundried tomatoes, pine nuts, and a bit of extra olive oil.

Kitchen Equipment
Bowl to soak the beans Pot Blender Knife Cutting Board Measuring Cup Stirring Spoon Small Mixing Bowl Pan Measuring Spoon

Presentation
Dont add the bread crumbs until just before serving this, or they will absorb the tomato sauce and lose the contrasting color they provide.

Time Management
You can shorten the cook time down significantly by using canned fava beans. If you do this, you
The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com
Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|146

only need to simmer the onion, fennel, and beans together for about twenty minutes.

Complementary Food and Drinks


Serve this with toasted bread or toasted pita. It makes a great precursor to any sort of rice dish.

Where to Shop
Fava beans can be purchased at most Middle Eastern and Asian markets and some upscale $1.50.

markets. The other ingredients should be commonly available. Approximate cost per serving

How It Works
The fennel gives the beans a licorice like taste while the onion adds sweetness. The tomato paste and sundried tomatoes add depth of flavor. The beans should be soaked overnight so they will cook much quicker when all the ingredients are simmered. Salt is added at the end because salt tends to toughen protein when they are cooked together.

Chefs Notes
I thought this recipe would be reminiscent of ful maddamas, a Middle Eastern fava bean dish, but this ended up being very different, with an incredibly smooth, rich taste.

Nutritional Facts (individual servings in parentheses, does not include any options)
Calories 1511.8 (377.9) Calories from Fat 334.5 (83.6) Fat 37.2g (9.3g) Total Carbohydrates 230.8g (57.7g) Dietary Fiber 40.1g (10.0g) Sugars 20.2g (5.1g) Protein 63.5g (15.9g Salt 2333mg (583mg)
The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com
Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|147

Vitamin A 25% (6.3%) Vitamin B6 42% (10.5%) Vitamin C 42% (10.5%) Calcium 49% (12.3%) Iron 88% (22%) Thiamin 117% (29.3%) Niacin 71% (17.8%) Folate 196% (49%) Phosphorous 104% (26%) Potassium 82% (20.5%) Zinc 53% (13.3%) Magnesium 88% (22%) Copper 103% (25.8%) Riboflavin 67% (16.8%)

Interesting Facts
Fava beans are also called broad beans. Fava beans are used in Chinese, Middle Eastern, North African, and southern Italian dishes.

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|148

Piselli alla Toscana (Tuscan Peas)


Type: Side Dish, Italian (Tuscan) Time to Prepare: 20 minutes Serves: 3

1 onion, diced 1 tbsp. of olive oil tsp. of sugar tsp. of crushed red pepper tsp. of salt 2 cups of fresh or frozen green peas 2 tbsp. of fresh mint leaves 1 tbsp. of tomato paste

Ingredients

Instructions

Dice the onion. Saut the onion in the oil over a medium heat until it is slightly browned. Add in the tomato paste, sugar, crushed red pepper, and salt and stir it all together. Saut the onion and tomato paste mixture for another minute. Add the peas to the pan and stir everything together. Cook the peas until they are soft (about 10 minutes). Remove the peas from the heat. Immediately mix the fresh mint into the peas.

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|149

Low-fat Version
Omit the olive oil from the recipe and saut the onion over a medium-high heat for about 3 minutes and then add in a thin layer of water. Keep sauting the onion, replenishing the water as needed, until it is soft.

Raw Version
To make the tomato paste mix, take 6 sundried tomatoes and blend them with the oil, salt, and onion, peas, and mint.

tsp. of minced hot red pepper. Dice of an onion and mix together the tomato paste blend, the

Kitchen Equipment
Pan Knife Cutting Board Stirring Spoon Measuring Spoon Measuring Cup

Presentation
If you would like to do a fancy presentation, serve this on a bed of lettuce and prop a sprig of fresh mint on the top of the peas. However, I like to serve it as is.

Time Management
You can cheat on this and use frozen peas, which will reduce the cook time by about eight minutes.

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|150

Complementary Food and Drinks


I like eating this dish in the early afternoon, so I often serve it with some sort of sandwich. It goes particularly well with an open-faced eggplant sandwich with the bread toasted.

Where to Shop
You may need to head to a farmers market, Whole Foods, Sprouts, or Central Market to get

fresh peas as they are not commonly available in most grocery stores. My favorite tomato paste to use is the organic one by Muir Glen. Approximate cost per serving is $1.50.

How It Works
The onion provides most of the sweet, pungent base of the sauce, a sauce which is only meant to lightly coat the peas. This is why there is very little sauce used and the sauce is more like a tomato, oil, and onion paste than a real sauce. Sugar is used in the sauce to make the peas just a bit sweeter, but also so the sugar can quickly caramelize and darken the flavor of the dish.

Chefs Notes
This was the first Italian recipe I made for this issue and was instantly hooked.

Nutritional Facts (individual servings in parentheses, does not include any options)
Calories 434.0 (144.7) Calories from Fat 134.0 (44.7) Fat 14.9g (5.0g) Total Carbohydrates 57.4g (19.1g) Dietary Fiber 17.4g (5.8g) Sugars 24.8g (8.3g) Protein 17.6g (5.9g) Salt 1203mg (401mg)

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|151

Vitamin A 49% (16.3%) Vitamin B6 34% (11.3%) Vitamin C 213% (71%) Calcium 11% (3.7%) Iron 28% (9.3%) Thiamin 55% (18.3%) Niacin 34% (11.3%) Folate 51% (17%) Phosphorous 35% (11.7%) Potassium 30% (10%) Zinc 26% (8.7%) Magnesium 29% (9.7%) Copper 31% (10.3%) Riboflavin 26% (8.7%)

Interesting Facts
Tuscan cuisine is known for being one of the healthier styles of Italian cooking, with an emphasis on fresh veggies and greens.

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|152

Zucca Gialla in Agrodolce (Sweet & Sour Acorn Squash)


Type: Main Dish Time to Prepare: 60 minutes Serves: 2

1 acorn squash 2 cloves of garlic, sliced thinly 2 tsp. of olive oil 3 tbsp. of sweet agave nectar 3 tbsp. of red wine vinegar tsp. of salt tsp. of freshly ground black pepper 3 tbsp. of sliced basil 2 tbsp. of fresh mint leaves

Ingredients

Instructions

Bake the squash, whole, at 400 degrees for 30 minutes. Allow the squash to cool for about 10 minutes. While it is cooling, slice the garlic and basil and set them aside. Peel the squash as best as possible. Cut the squash into chunks. Bring the oil to a medium heat in a pan. Add the squash and saut each side for about 3 minutes. Add the garlic when you cook the second side of the squash. Add the sweet agave nectar and then immediately add the red wine vinegar. Cook this until the sauces glazes onto the squash (about 30 seconds to 1 minute). Remove the squash from the heat. Immediately dress it with salt, pepper, sliced basil, and mint leaves. Once the squash has cooled, cut the squash open and scoop out the seeds.

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|153

Low-fat Version
Do not saut the squash in the oil and simply skip to the step where you glaze the sauce onto the squash. Omit the fresh garlic and add 5-6 cloves of roasted garlic, instead.

Raw Version
Raw acorn squash can be a bit hard to use raw, so I suggest going with yellow squash (aka agave nectar together for the sauce. Omit the garlic.

crookneck squash or summer squash). Slice the squash and then mix apple cider vinegar and raw

Kitchen Equipment
Oven Bowl to hold the squash while it cools Knife Cutting Board Saut Pan Spatula Measuring Spoon

Presentation
This can be served as a main dish or as an appetizer. The picture shows how I plated the squash as an appetizer. If you plate it as a main dish, garnish the sides of the plate with extra sliced basil and sprinkles of paprika.

Time Management
If you want to save yourself the trouble of peeling the squash and deseeding it, you can often find peeled, cubed butternut squash at stores like Fresh & Easy. If you use that, bake the squash for
The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com
Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|154

20 minutes in a covered baking dish.

Complementary Food and Drinks


Serve this with a glass of red wine that has a medium level of tannins. It will provide a nice contrast with the sweetness of the sauce.

Where to Shop
All of the ingredients should be available at your local market except for the sweet agave nectar. That can be purchased at Fresh & Easy, Trader Joes, Whole Foods, Sprouts, and Central Market. The first two stores listed will have the best price on it. Approximate cost per serving is $1.25.

How It Works
The squash is baked just long enough so that it is soft enough to cut and peel, but not so soft that it will fall apart in the saut pan. Make sure to leave the squash whole so it does not become dry in the oven. The squash is then sauted to slightly caramelize the sugar in it and then the agave and thicken before the vinegar is added. nectar is added just before the red wine vinegar. This gives the agave a few seconds to caramelize

Chefs Notes
I first saw a version of this recipe in a cookbook put together during the late Roman Empire!

Nutritional Facts (individual servings in parentheses, does not include any options)
Calories 469.7 (234.8) Fat 9.4g (4.7g) Total Carbohydrates 92.8g (46.4g) Dietary Fiber 13.5g (6.8g) Sugars 48.0g (24.0g) Protein 3.4g (1.7g)
The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com
Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|155

Calories from Fat 84.9 (42.4)

Salt 594mg (297mg) Vitamin A 43% (21.5%) Vitamin B6 32% (16%) Vitamin C 60% (30%) Calcium 17% (8.5%) Iron 25% (12.5%) Thiamin 35% (17.5%) Riboflavin 3% (1.5%) Niacin 15% (7.5%) Folate 16% (8%) Phosphorous 16% (8%) Potassium 40% (20%) Zinc 4% (2%) Magnesium 37% (18.5%) Copper 15% (7.5%)

Interesting Facts
Agrodolce means sweet & sour, or rather, sour & sweet!

Squash in sweet & sour sauce is a very Sicilian style recipe.

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|156

Zucchini in Sweet Tomato Sauce


Type: Side Dish, Sicilian Time to Prepare: 25 minutes Serves: 4

2 zucchini, sliced tsp. of olive oil tsp. of salt 2 cloves of garlic, sliced 4 tomatoes, chopped cup of chopped parsley 1 tsp. of olive oil 2 tbsp. of raisins 2 tbsp. of pine nuts 2 tsp. of capers tsp. of freshly ground black pepper

Ingredients

Instructions

Over a medium heat, saut the zucchini in the olive oil and salt until it is soft (about 4-5 minutes). Remove the zucchini from the pan and set it aside. Slice the garlic. Chop the tomatoes. Chop the parsley. Add the garlic to the pan and saut it over a medium heat in 1 tsp. of olive oil for about 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, raisins, and capers to the pan. Press on the tomatoes as they cook so they release their juice quickly. Once the tomatoes have turned into a sauce, return the zucchini to the pan with the sauce. Continue cooking this for 2-3 minutes. Remove it from the heat. Immediately add the parsley and pepper. Continue sauting all these ingredients until the tomatoes are soft.

Slice the zucchini into rounds about thick.

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|157

Low-fat Version
Omit the olive oil in all parts of the recipe. Steam the zucchini for 10 minutes. When you make the sauce, add the tomatoes immediately to the pan with the garlic instead of sauting the garlic beforehand.

Raw Version
Blend all the sauce ingredients, except for the capers, until you have a thick tomato sauce. Add in instead of the salt, adding them to the blended sauce, chopped. Serve this over sliced zucchini.

tsp. of salt and omit the capers. You can also substitute raw, organic black olives for the capers

Kitchen Equipment
Knife Cutting Board Saut Pan Stirring Spoon or Spatula Measuring Spoon Plate or Bowl to set aside the zucchini

Presentation
Sprinkle a few extra pine nuts on top of this recipe to give it a a touch of green.

simple, elegant look. You can also garnish it with extra parsley for

Time Management
To save some time, you can work with two pans at once, cooking the zucchini and tomato sauce at the same time.

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|158

Complementary Food and Drinks


Serve this with a side of rice mixed with raisins, parsley, and pine nuts to create a unified flavor throughout the meal.

Where to Shop
All of these ingredients should be fairly common, though I suggest shopping at stores that have pine nuts for sale from bulk bins. You can also find a good price on pine nuts a Costco. Approximate cost per serving is $1.00.

How It Works
The sauce is basically a tomato reduction which is infused with sweetness from the raisins and

saltiness from the capers. The garlic is sauted briefly beforehand to release more of the volatile oils from the garlic into the sauce, but it is only sauted for a minute so that it does not become bitter. The parsley and pine nuts are added at the end so that they maintain their fresh feel.

Chefs Notes
I enjoyed the mix of sweetness and saltiness in the sauce, which made it far more interesting than a basic tomato sauce.

Nutritional Facts (individual servings in parentheses, does not include any options)
Calories 450.0 (112.5) Calories from Fat 178.8 (44.7) Fat 19.9g (5.0g) Total Carbohydrates 57.8g (14.45g) Dietary Fiber 13.0g (3.3g) Sugars 33.5g (8.4g) Protein 10.0g (2.5g) Salt 791mg (198mg)

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|159

Vitamin A 108% (27%) Vitamin B6 38% (9.5%) Calcium 11% (2.8%) Iron 23% (5.8%) Thiamin 29% (7.3%) Niacin 28% (7%) Folate 44% (11%) Phosphorous 41% (10.3%) Potassium 71% (17..8%) Zinc 18% (4.5%) Magnesium 49% (12.3%) Copper 48% (12%) Riboflavin 19% (4.8%) Vitamin C 81% (20.3%)

Interesting Facts
Zucchini is one of the few strains of squashes that evolved outside of North America, having mutated from a type of summer squash.

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|160

Basic Pesto
Type: Accent Time to Prepare: 5 minutes Serves: Varies

1 cup of basil cup of olive oil 1/8 tsp. of salt 1 clove of garlic cup of pine nuts

Ingredients

Instructions

In a food processor, place the pine nuts, then the garlic and salt, then the oil, and then the basil. Press down the basil. Pulse the ingredients about five times to get them mixed a bit. Blend the ingredients until they well combined, leaving a little coarseness.

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|161

Kitchen Equipment
Measuring Spoon Measuring Cup Food Processor

Presentation
Find a small, white serving dish, about 3 to 4 inches in spoon. Thats if youre going to serve it separately. Usually, pesto is either placed in small mound on top of another recipe or spread on top of it.

diameter and place the pesto in that with a small serving

Time Management
If you do not serve this fresh, cover it with a thin layer of olive oil to keep the basil from oxidizing, cover it with plastic wrap, and store it in your refrigerator.

Complementary Food and Drinks


Pesto is incredibly versatile. It can be mixed into a soup, thinned out to make a sauce, tossed with veggies, spread on top of something, or be served as a dollop. It can even be used as a dip! One classic recipe with which you can try this is bruschetta. Also, try thinning it out a bit and using it as a thick pasta sauce, lightly coating the pasta.

Where to Shop
Trader Joes is absolutely the best commercial chain at which to purchase the basil. You can get a big box of organic basil there for just over $2.00. You can also get big bags of pine nuts at Costco for a very good price.

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|162

How It Works
Pesto is fairly easy. Its basically basil blended with fat to make it rich and the garlic is added for a hint of pungent bite. The pine nuts are the main fatty taste with the olive oil added in to smooth it out. The high fat content is one reason that pesto is served as an accent to a dish.

Chefs Notes
Pesto is one of those fancy recipes that is actually fairly easy to make. Add this to a recipe and

you will be an instant gourmet chef to your guests!

Nutritional Facts (individual servings in parentheses, does not include any options)
Calories 707.1 Fat 71.5g Total Carbohydrates 6.7g Dietary Fiber 4.7g Sugars 0g Protein 9.2g Salt 290.7mg Vitamin A 33% Vitamin B6 5% Vitamin C 14% Calcium 8% Iron 25% Thiamin 15% Riboflavin 5% Niacin 8% Folate 12% Phosphorous 20% Potassium 12% Zinc 12% Magnesium 29%
The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com
Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|163

Calories from Fat 643.5

Copper 23%

Interesting Facts
Pesto is derived from the verb pesta, which means to crush. Pesto originated in Genoa.

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|164

Power Pesto
Type: Sauce Time to Prepare: 5 minutes Yield: 2 cups

3 cups of firmly lightly fresh basil leaves 1 cup of extra virgin olive oil cup of raw pine nuts 2 tbsp. of raw, unsalted sunflower seeds 2 tbsp. of vegan parmesan 1 tbsp. of fresh lemon juice 1 tsp. of salt 2 cloves of garlic, coarsely chopped

Ingredients

Instructions

Wash the basil thoroughly and shake out excess water or use a salad spinner. Strip the basil leaves from the stems and place them into the food processor. Add the remaining ingredients and process for 1 to 3 minutes or until smooth and creamy. If the pesto seems too thick, thin it with a little extra virgin olive oil.

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Zel Allen of Vegetarians in Paradise
A Tour of Italy February 2009|165

Kitchen Equipment
Knife Cutting Board Measuring Cup Measuring Spoon Blender

Presentation
Not applicable.

Time Management
This is something that should be served fresh. If you absolutely must make it ahead of time, cover it with a thin layer of olive oil to keep it from turning color and oxidizing.

Complementary Food and Drinks


Need to perk up a salad? Just two or three leaves of chopped basil does wonders to complement

the greens.

Where to Shop
Trader Joes and Fresh & Easy have the best price on basil while Trader Joes and Costco

both have great prices on large amounts of pine nuts.

How It Works
The sunflower seeds, pine nuts, and oil serve to make the pesto creamy while the lemon juice

brightens all of the flavors. The garlic adds serious bite to it and the basil forms the bulk of the sauce.

Chefs Notes
The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com
Recipe by Chef Zel Allen of Vegetarians in Paradise
A Tour of Italy February 2009|166

Power Pesto is a lively sauce with a splash of lemon juice to give it a little extra tang that brings pasta to life. The recipe makes enough sauce for 1 pound of pasta with a little extra left over to serve over polenta, baked potatoes, or cooked grains. The pesto is one of my familys favorite include 3 or 4 basil plants. pasta sauces in the summer when basil grows prolifically. If you plant a vegetable garden, be sure to

Nutritional Facts (individual servings in parentheses, does not include any options)
Calories 2345.9 Calories from Fat 2243.5 Fat 249.3 Total Carbohydrates 16.4g Dietary Fiber 8.3g Sugars 1.8g Protein 18.2g Salt 2527mg Vitamin A 146% Vitamin B6 17% Vitamin C 50% Calcium 35% Iron 39% Thiamin 19% Riboflavin 13% Niacin 17% Folate 36% Phosphorous 42% Potassium 27% Zinc 28% Magnesium 64% Copper 57%

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Zel Allen of Vegetarians in Paradise
A Tour of Italy February 2009|167

Interesting Facts
Pesto was originally made with a mortar and pestle. In fact, the words pesto and pestle are strongly

related.

Pesto is a Genoese invention.

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Zel Allen of Vegetarians in Paradise
A Tour of Italy February 2009|168

Sundried Tomato Pesto


Type: Accent Time to Prepare: 5 minutes Serves: Varies

1 cup of basil cup of pine nuts 1/8 tsp. of salt 1 clove of garlic 2 tbsp. of diced sundried tomatoes tsp. of balsamic vinegar tsp. of freshly ground pepper 1/3 cup of olive oil

Ingredients

Instructions

Dice the sundried tomatoes. In a food processor, add the pine nuts, then the garlic, then the olive oil, then the salt and balsamic vinegar, then the basil and pepper. Pulse a few times and then blend it until it is slightly coarse. Stir in the sundried tomatoes.

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|169

Kitchen Equipment
Measuring Cup Measuring Spoon Food Processor Small Knife Cutting Board

Presentation
This pesto can be served on top of another recipe or on the side, but it really shines as a small dip. Serve it in a small white bowl with a spread knife surrounded with water crackers.

Time Management
This can be made well ahead of time and will last in the refrigerator for several days if it is covered. It is best when it is allowed to sit for an hour.

Complementary Food and Drinks


This goes very well spread on bruschetta as that will allow the intense flavor of the sundried tomatoes to come through.

Where to Shop
Trader Joes is the place to get the basil and Costco is the place to get the pine nuts. Alternatively, look for them in bulk bins. Make sure you get a good quality balsamic vinegar, too.

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|170

How It Works
This works just like a traditional pesto with the addition of the sundried tomatoes and touch of

balsamic vinegar. The dark vinegar pairs well with the tomatoes and helps to bring out the intensity of their flavors. Mixing the sundried tomatoes in instead of blending them allows a nice red color to come through and also creates little bursts of flavor.

Chefs Notes
Its hard to go wrong with pesto, sundried tomatoes, and good balsamic vinegar. You can even take the ingredients without blending them and use them in another recipe to create great flavor.

Nutritional Facts (individual servings in parentheses, does not include any options)
Calories 882.9 Calories from Fat 812.5 Fat 90.3g Total Carbohydrates 8.1g Dietary Fiber 3.5g Sugars 0g Protein 9.5g Salt 290.7mg Vitamin A 35% Vitamin B6 6% Calcium 8% Iron 27% Thiamin 16% Niacin 9% Folate 12% Phosphorous 21% Riboflavin 6% Vitamin C 24%

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|171

Potassium 15% Zinc 12% Magnesium 30% Copper 24%

Interesting Facts
In Genoa, pesto is pronounced pestu.

Pesto has been around since the Roman Republic.

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|172

Fresh Tomato Pasta Sauce


Type: Sauce Serves: 6 Time to Prepare: 25 minutes

3 pounds of Roma tomatoes (Italian plum) 1 medium onion, cut into quarters of a green bell pepper, diced 4 to 6 cloves of garlic, crushed tsp. of dried oregano leaves tsp. of fennel seeds, crushed in a mortar and pestle tsp. of dried rosemary, crushed in a mortar and pestle tsp. of dried marjoram leaves 1 tsp. of salt 2 to 3 tbsp. of cornstarch 2 to 3 tbsp. of water 2 sprigs of fresh basil leaves, chopped, or tsp. of dried basil

Ingredients

Instructions

Coarsely chop the tomatoes in the food processor. If you prefer a smoother, less chunky sauce, process them a little longer to desired consistency. Pour the processed tomatoes into a large, deep skillet. Finely chop the onion in the food processor and add to skillet. 2 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium and simmer 12 to 15 minutes. Add salt and cook a few minutes longer, until the tomatoes and onions are completely broken down and the flavors are well married. Combine the cornstarch and water in a small bowl and stir to form a thin paste. Add the paste to the gently bubbling sauce a little at a time, stirring constantly for about 1 minute, or until the sauce reaches the desired consistency. Adjust the seasonings if needed. Add bell pepper, basil, garlic, and herbs to the skillet and cook and stir over heat to high for about

Option: For a thicker sauce without using the cornstarch, simply continue cooking the sauce for
20 to 30 minutes more, or longer until it reaches the desired consistency.
The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com
Recipe by Chef Zel Allen of Vegetarians in Paradise
A Tour of Italy February 2009|173

Raw Version
Use fresh herbs, half the onion, and blend all of the ingredients together, excepting, of course, the extra water and the cornstarch.

Kitchen Equipment
Knife Cutting Board Pan Stirring Spoon Scale Measuring Spoon Mortar and Pestle

Presentation
Not applicable.

Time Management
This sauce requires little labor and you can walk away from it for most of the cook time, allowing you to clean or prep another recipe.

Complementary Food and Drinks


This goes well over any sort of pasta, makes a great lasagna sauce, and should be paired with a low-tannic red wine.

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Zel Allen of Vegetarians in Paradise
A Tour of Italy February 2009|174

Where to Shop
You can find a very good price on Roma tomatoes at Fresh & Easy and a decent price at

Sprouts. For organic versions, try Whole Foods. Approximate cost per serving is $.75.

How It Works
The onion adds a touch of sweetness to the sauce while the pepper gives it a full-mouth feel. The

herbs are a mix of savory flavors accented heavily with the aromatic fennel seeds.

Chefs Notes
This is an easy, versatile tomato sauce to have in your repertoire of basics. When you've made this recipe several times, you may find yourself playing with the proportions of many ingredients to vary the flavors.

Nutritional Facts (individual servings in parentheses, does not include any options)
Calories 394.7 (65.8) Fat 3.4g (0.6g) Total Carbohydrates 75.3g (12.6g) Dietary Fiber 22.0g (3.7g) Sugars 43.8g (7.3g) Protein 15.7g (2.6g) Salt 86mg (14mg) Vitamin A 41% (6.8%) Vitamin B6 102% (17%) Vitamin C 340% (56.7%) Calcium 53% (8.8%) Iron 88% (14.7%) Thiamin 53% (8.8%) Riboflavin 54% (9%)
The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com
Recipe by Chef Zel Allen of Vegetarians in Paradise
A Tour of Italy February 2009|175

Calories from Fat 30.7 (5.1)

Niacin 59% (9.8%) Folate 56% (9.3%) Phosphorous 92% (15.3%) Potassium 93% (15.5%) Zinc 17% (2.8%) Magnesium 48% (8%) Copper 59% (9.8%)

Interesting Facts
Roma tomatoes are grown mostly in North America.

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Zel Allen of Vegetarians in Paradise
A Tour of Italy February 2009|176

Minestrone con Pesto


Type: Soup Serves: 6 Time to Prepare: 40 minutes

The Soup red onion, diced 1 leek, sliced 1 zucchini, chopped 1 potato, chopped 2 tsp. of olive oil 4 cups of water 1 cup of small pasta tsp. of salt tsp. of black pepper The Pesto cup of pine nuts 1 clove of garlic 1/8 tsp. of salt tsp. of freshly ground black pepper 1 tbsp. of olive oil 2 tbsp. of water 1 cup of basil leaves 2 cups of rinsed, cooked cannelloni beans 6 Roma tomatoes, chopped 3 stalks of celery, sliced

Ingredients

Instructions

Making the Minestrone Dice the red onion. Slice the celery and leek. Chop the zucchini, potato, and tomatoes. Over a medium heat, saut the onion, celery, and leek in the oil until all of them are soft.
The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com
Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|177

Add the tomatoes next with cup of water and cook them until they are soft, pressing on them as they cook (about 10 minutes). Add the remainder of the water. Simmer the soup for 20 minutes. Once that time has elapsed, add the potato, zucchini, salt, pepper, and pasta and cook the soup for another 5-7 minutes (until the chopped potato is soft). Stir the beans into the soup. Making the Pesto Add the following ingredients to a small blender in the following order: pine nuts, garlic, salt, pepper, olive oil, water, and basil leaves. Puree all the ingredients until they turn into a paste. Top each bowl of minestrone with 1-2 tbsp. of pesto. Remove the soup from the heat.

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|178

Low-fat Version
Omit the pesto and add sliced fresh basil to the soup as soon as it comes off the heat. Omit the olive oil and simply boil the leek, onion, celery, and tomatoes in the water for 30 minutes.

Raw Version
Blend half the onion, half the celery, the leek, and the tomatoes with the water to create the soup base. Omit the rest of the onion from the recipe and add the other half of the celery, the zucchini, and two cups of sprouted garbanzo beans to the soup base, along with the salt, pepper, olive oil, and pesto. Omit the pasta and potato.

Kitchen Equipment
Knife Cutting Board Measuring Cup Measuring Spoon Pot Stirring Spoon Blender

Presentation
This looks best in a wide bowl with a dark color. The dark color gives the soup a warming appearance while the width of the bowl forces more of the veggies to the surface, creating a bed for the pesto.

Time Management
You can make the minestrone well ahead of time, but the pesto should be made and served fresh.
The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com
Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|179

Complementary Food and Drinks


Serve this with bruschetta and a sweet salad.

Where to Shop
I generally purchase my basil at Trader Joes or Fresh & Easy. Both stores have large containers of organic basil for an excellent price. Look for pine nuts in places with bulk bins so you dont purchase more than you need and dont have to pay for packaging. The rest of the ingredients are fairly common. Approximate cost per serving is $1.50.

How It Works
The onion, celery, and leek are softened so that their flavors are more easily released into the

water, creating the base flavor for the soup. Potato and zucchini are added for heartiness while the pasta is added for texture. The pasta is only added at the end so that it does not overcook. This creates a fairly typical vegetable soup which is then made a bit creamy with the pesto. The pesto also gives the soup a very decadent taste.

Chefs Notes
It was hard not to eat all the pesto before it went into the soup when I was making this recipe!

Nutritional Facts (individual servings in parentheses, does not include any options)
Calories 1743.4 (290.6) Calories from Fat 456.5 (76.1) Fat 50.7g (8.5g) Total Carbohydrates 253.4g (42.2g) Dietary Fiber 44.3g (7.4g) Sugars 25.9g (4.3g) Protein 68.3g (11.4g) Salt 2026mg (338mg)

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|180

Vitamin A 134% (22.3%) Vitamin B6 91% (15.2%) Calcium 64% (10.7%) Iron 139% (23.2%) Thiamin 127% (21.2%) Riboflavin 55% (9.2%) Niacin 76% (12.7%) Folate 139% (23.2%) Phosphorous 126% (21%) Potassium 162% (27%) Zinc 83% (13.8%) Magnesium 146% (24.3%) Copper 140% (23.3%) Vitamin C 172% (28.7%)

Interesting Facts
Minestrone is traditionally a soup made from whatever left-over veggies were available, which means the recipe has many variations.

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|181

Pappa al Pomodoro
Type: Soup, Italian (Tuscan) Time to Prepare: 30 minutes Serves: 6

1 onion, chopped or diced 2 lbs. of tomatoes 1 tsp. of olive oil tsp. of salt 1 loaf of rustic Italian bread (French bread can be used), cubed (about 6 cups) 2 cups of water 1 cup of loosely packed chopped basil leaves 1 tsp. of freshly ground pepper 1 tbsp. of olive oil 3 cloves of garlic, sliced

Ingredients

Option: 1 hot red chili pepper. Instructions

Chop or dice the onion and tomatoes. Slice the garlic. Saut the onion over a medium heat in the oil until it is lightly golden.

Option: Add the chili pepper with the onion and saut both.
Add the garlic, tomatoes, and water. Add the salt. Simmer this until the tomatoes are soft. Smash the tomatoes in the pot as they cook. Remove from the heat. Add in the basil, pepper, and extra olive oil. Once the water is boiling, reduce the heat to a simmer.

Add the bread and continue to simmer the soup until the bread has absorbed the liquid.

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|182

Low-fat Version
Omit the olive oil from the recipe.

Raw Version
Forgo the bread. Blend the tomatoes and half the onion and garlic with the water. Add the salt, basil, pepper, and oil, stir everything together, and allow it to sit for an hour or so. You can thicken the soup with 2 cups of almond flour.

Kitchen Equipment
Knife Cutting Board Large Pot Measuring Cup Measuring Spoon Scale

Presentation
Make sure that you have enough basil in the soup so that it clearly shows up in the tomato and bread base. If you need to put in extra basil for this to happen, I doubt anyone would complain!

Time Management
You can make this soup in about ten minutes by using cans of crushed tomatoes instead of making your own tomato base. Just add in half the water called for in the recipe.

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|183

Complementary Food and Drinks


I really like this soup served over rice and with a cup of slightly sweetened coffee.

Where to Shop
All of the ingredients for this are fairly common, though you will get an excellent price on the basil at Trader Joes and Fresh & Easy. This is particularly important since the soup uses so much basil. Approximate cost per serving is $1.00.

How It Works
The onion provides sweetness for the soup, but is sauted first so that it softens, releases its

flavors, and melds with the tomato base. It is best to chop the tomatoes before they begin

simmering so that they will fall apart faster. The bread serves as the thickener for the soup, binding all of the ingredients. The basil is added at the very end so that there is just enough heat in the pot to get the basil to release quite a bit of flavor without destroying much of its fresh quality.

Chefs Notes
This simple soup happens to be one of my favorite Italian dishes. The combination of bread, tomatoes, and basil is an easy win.

Nutritional Facts (individual servings in parentheses, does not include any options)
Calories 1520.4 (253.4) Calories from Fat 307.6 (51.3) Fat 24.2g (5.7g) Total Carbohydrates 256.9g (42.8g) Dietary Fiber 21.3g (3.6g) Sugars 21.9g (3.7g) Protein 46.3g (7.7g) Salt 3261mg (544mg)
The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com
Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|184

Vitamin A 121% (20.2%) Vitamin B6 39% (6.5%) Calcium 50% (8.3%) Iron 89% (14.8%) Thiamin 158% (26.3%) Niacin 115% (19.2%) Folate 234% (39%) Phosphorous 64% (10.7%) Potassium 56% (9.3%) Zinc 34% (5.7%) Magnesium 55% (9.2%) Copper 64% (10.7%) Riboflavin 87% (14.5%) Vitamin C 123% (20.5%)

Interesting Facts
Pappa al pomodoro basically means mush of tomatoes.

Tomatoes were unknown in Italian cuisine before the 18th century.

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|185

Ribollita
Type: Soup, Italian (Tuscan) Time to Prepare: 45 minutes Serves: 6

red onion, diced 1 carrot, diced 1 leek, sliced 1 potato, chopped 1 zucchini, chopped 2 cups of cabbage, chopped 7 roma tomatoes, chopped 2 cloves of garlic, minced 1 tsp. of olive oil 2 cups of vegetable stock 1 cup of cannellini beans 1 tsp. of freshly ground pepper 1 tbsp. of oregano leaves or rosemary leaves 1 tsp. of salt 1 tsp. of olive oil 1 slice of stale bread per bowl celery stalk, sliced

Ingredients

Instructions

Dice the onion and carrot. Slice the celery and leek. Chop the potato, zucchini, cabbage, and tomatoes. Mince the garlic. soft. Add in the tomatoes, cabbage, garlic, and the vegetable stock. Bring this to a simmer and simmer it for 20 minutes. Simmer the soup for another 10 minutes.
The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com
Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|186

In your soup pot over a medium heat, saut the onion, carrot, celery, and leek in the oil until they are

Add in the potato, zucchini, beans, pepper, oregano or rosemary, and salt.

Remove it from the heat. Stir in the olive oil. Place a piece of bread at the bottom of each bowl. Ladle the soup over the bread.

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|187

Low-fat Version
Do not saut the veggies in oil, simply simmer them with the stock. Also, omit the oil at the end of the recipe.

Raw Version
To make the soup base, blend the tomatoes with one of the cloves of garlic, 1 cup of water instead of the veggie stalk, half the onion, half the carrot, and half the celery. Omit the potato and use 1 cup of chopped cauliflower. Omit the bread entirely. Combine all of the ingredients and allow them to sit for at least 30 minutes.

Kitchen Equipment
Cutting Board Knife Stirring Spoon Pot Measuring Cup Measuring Spoon

Presentation
This is a simple, rustic soup, so go with a simple, rustic

presentation. An unadorned bowl works just fine, but if you want to get fancier, you can plate the soup bowl on a wooden platter and add a side of some extra bread to the platter. I also like to garnish this soup with a few pine nuts and a fresh basil leaf.

Time Management
This soup gets better as it sits, so its ok to make a large batch to eat over the following few days. Make sure not to add the zucchini and potato until the end of the cooking process so that they dont become so soft that they fall apart.
The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com
Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|188

Complementary Food and Drinks


Extra bread is always a great accompaniment to this meal. I particularly like Italian bread flavored with roasted garlic and rosemary.

Where to Shop
All of these ingredients should be readily available at your local grocery market. Approximate

cost per serving is $1.25.

How It Works
The carrot, onion, and celery form the base of the soup like many Italian and French soups.

These veggies are sauted to deepen their flavors, which then infuses the tomato and veggie stock broth. The tomatoes are chopped so that they sauce up quickly (chopping them cuts the time this takes in half). The potato and zucchini are added towards the end so that they cook just long enough to become soft, but not fall apart. The final bit of oil is added at the end because fresh olive oil tastes much better than cooked olive oil.

Chefs Notes
This soup was one of my first exposures to authentic Italian cuisine and is still one of my favorite dishes.

Nutritional Facts (individual servings in parentheses, does not include any options)
Calories 1348.1 (224.7) Fat 21.1g (3.5g) Calories from Fat 189.8 (31.6)

Total Carbohydrates 238.9g (39.8g) Dietary Fiber 41.7g (7.0g) Sugars 45.7g (7.6g) Protein 50.7g (8.4g)

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|189

Salt 4683mg (781mg) Vitamin A 468% (78%) Vitamin B6 116% (19.3%) Vitamin C 472% (78.7%) Calcium 67% (11.2%) Iron 101% (16.8%) Thiamin 118% (19.7%) Riboflavin 61% (10.2%) Niacin 93% (15.5%) Folate 89% (14.8%) Phosphorous 91% (15.2%) Potassium 164% (27.3%) Zinc 51% (8.5%) Magnesium 97% (16.2%) Copper 104% (17.3%)

Interesting Facts
This soup is traditionally made with whatever veggies are available at harvest time. Ribollita means reboiled.

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|190

Zuppa di Lenticchie alla Sicilia (Lentil & Escarole Soup)


Type: Soup, Sicilian Time to Prepare: 35 minutes Serves: 4

of an onion, diced 2 stalks of celery, diced 1 small carrot, diced 2 cloves of garlic, minced 3 tomatoes, chopped 1 potato, chopped 1 tsp. of olive oil 4 cups of veggie broth 1 cups of lentils tsp. of salt tsp. of freshly ground black pepper 3 tbsp. of chopped parsley 1 small head of escarole, chopped

Ingredients

Instructions

Dice the onion, celery, and carrot. Mince the garlic. Chop the tomatoes, potato, and escarole. Saut the onion, celery, and carrot in the olive oil over a medium heat until they are soft. Add the veggie broth and bring it to a simmer. Add the tomatoes, potato, escarole, and lentils. Allow the soup to come back to a simmer. Cover the pot. Reduce the heat to low. Cook the soup for 20 minutes. Remove it from the heat. Immediately stir the salt, pepper, and parsley into the soup.

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|191

Low-fat Version
Omit the olive oil, start by adding the veggie broth and then follow that by adding all the veggies at the same time.

Raw Version
Blend all the veggies with 3 cups of water, but only use half the onion and garlic from the recipe. Combine this with the salt, pepper, parsley, and 2 cups of sprouted lentils.

Kitchen Equipment
Knife Cutting Board Measuring Cup Measuring Spoon Pot with Lid Stirring Spoon

Presentation

Garnish the top of the soup with extra parsley and choose a bowl with a light, colorful rim to accent the earthy colors of the soup.

Time Management
This soup will keep for a week in the refrigerator and it takes about the same amount of time to make a large batch of it as it does for a small portion.

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|192

Complementary Food and Drinks


Serve this in a bread bowl or with a side of sweet polenta.

Where to Shop
All of the ingredients for this soup are commonly available. Approximate cost per serving is $1.00.

How It Works
The onion, celery, and carrot combine to make a classic sweet base for most French and Italian soups, which will infuse the veggie stock as everything simmers in the pot. Veggie stock is used instead of water simply for extra flavor. The addition of escarole serves the same purpose that the salt tends to toughen lentils and beans if they are cooked together. use of spinach does in other lentil soups. Salt is added at the end of the cooking process because

Chefs Notes
I like the combination of potatoes and lentils in a soup, so I knew I would like this version of a classic

lentil dish.

Nutritional Facts (individual servings in parentheses, does not include any options)
Calories 1516.0 (379.0) Fat 21..2g (5.3g) Total Carbohydrates 246.2g (61.6g) Dietary Fiber 105.2g (26.3g) Sugars 17.3g (4.3g) Protein 85.1g (21.3g) Salt 3582mg (895mg) Vitamin A 226% (56.5%) Vitamin B6 134% (33.5%)
The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com
Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|193

Calories from Fat 190.8 (47.7)

Vitamin C 142% (35.5%) Calcium 36% (9%) Iron 141% (35.3%) Thiamin 204% (51%) Riboflavin 56% (14%) Niacin 69% (17.3%) Folate 189%(47.3%) Phosphorous 158% (39.5%) Potassium 154% (38.5%) Zinc 111% (27.8%) Magnesium 121% (30.3%) Copper 117% (29.3%)

Interesting Facts
Sicilian cuisine is strongly influenced by Middle Eastern cuisine, both from trade and from returning Crusaders. Escarole is strongly related to the more well-known Belgian endive.

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|194

Zuppa di Lenticchie
Type: Soup Serves: 2 Time to Prepare: 35 minutes

of a red onion, diced 2 cloves of garlic, sliced 1 tsp. of olive oil 2 cups of veggie broth Optional Herbs and Spices: tsp. of turmeric, 1 tsp. of paprika, tsp. of fresh thyme leaves cup of lentils tsp. of salt tsp. of freshly ground pepper cup of elbow pasta 2 slices of toasted bread

Ingredients

Option: Chili oil for garnish Instructions

Dice the onion.

Mince the garlic. Over a medium heat, saut the onion in the oil until it is soft. Add the garlic and saut this for another minute. Add in the veggie broth and bring it to a simmer. Add the lentils to the pot and bring the broth back to a simmer.

Option: Add any of the optional herbs and spices.


Cover the pot. Simmer the lentils for 15 minutes. Uncover the pot. Add the salt and pepper.

Add the pasta and simmer the pasta until it is done (adjust the heat if necessary).

Option: Drizzle the bread with chili oil after it is served.

Serve the soup, topping each serving with a piece of toasted bread.

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|195

Low-fat Version
Omit the olive oil from the recipe and simmer the onion and garlic with the veggie broth instead of sauting them.

Raw Version
Use 1 cup of sprouted lentils in 2 cups of almond milk that has sat with the onion and garlic for at least an hour. Stir in 1 tbsp. of olive oil, the salt, and pepper and the optional thyme.

Kitchen Equipment
Pot with Lid Stirring Spoon Knife Cutting Board Measuring Cup Measuring Spoon

Presentation
The size of the toast you use should determine the size of the bowl. If you simply dont have a bowl big enough to accommodate the bread, you can cut the bread to the shape of the bowl, though youll lose the nice crusty look of the bread.

Time Management
This soup doesnt take too long to make, so there isnt any time management advice for serving this immediately. However, if you plan on making a large batch and storing it for late, I suggest undercooking the lentils by about five minutes because they will absorb the rest of the water as they sit. This should keep their texture intact instead of becoming very mushy in the refrigerator.
The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com
Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|196

Complementary Food and Drinks


Serve this with a salad of dark greens, pine nuts, shredded zucchini, olive oil, and fresh mint.

Where to Shop
All of the ingredients should be readily available at your local market. Approximate cost per serving is $1.00.

How It Works
The onion and garlic are sauted so that they soften before being added to the broth, which allows them to heavily flavor the broth. Sauting them also slightly caramelizes the sugar in both ingredients. Lentils generally take twenty minutes to cook, but the pot is uncovered at fifteen top to absorb any excess liquid, creating a thick soup. minutes so that the pasta and lentils will be done at the same time. Toasted bread is added to the

Chefs Notes
I used veggie bouillon to make the broth of this soup and it turned out to be incredibly delicious,

more so than many other lentil soups. I also think it helped going light on the onion.

Nutritional Facts (individual servings in parentheses, does not include any options)
Calories 806.9 (403.4) Fat 7.1g (3.6g) Total Carbohydrates 141.0g (70.5g) Dietary Fiber 6.9g (3.5g) Sugars 10.7g (5.3g) Protein 44.7g (22.4g) Salt 2673mg (1337mg) Vitamin A 41% (20.5%) Vitamin B6 45% (22.5%)
The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com
Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|197

Calories from Fat 64.2 (32.1)

Vitamin C 15% (7.5%) Calcium 18% (9%) Iron 73% (36.5%) Thiamin 103% (51.5%) Riboflavin 30% (15%) Niacin 32% (16%) Folate 204% (102%) Phosphorous 76% (38%) Potassium 43% (21.5%) Zinc 51% (25.5%) Magnesium 51% (25.5%) Copper 49% (24.5%)

Interesting Facts
Lentils are incredibly rich in iron and have been an important part of vegetarian diets for several thousand years.

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|198

Fettuccine
Type: Main Serves: 6 Time to Prepare: 60 minutes

3 cups of flour cup of water tsp. of salt 2 tsp. of olive oil

Ingredients

Instructions

Take 2 cups of flour and mix it with the salt. Make a well in the middle. Pour into the well the olive oil followed by the water. Mix them together by hand. Flour a flat surface on which to knead the dough. Knead the dough until it no longer sticks to your hands. Allow the dough to sit for about 15 minutes. Roll the dough until it is about 1/16 of an inch. Cut the dough into strips about 6 long. Alternatively, you can roll it through a pasta machine. Roll it through the large flat attachment first and then through the fettuccine attachment. Pour it into a colander and rinse it with cold water to remove the excess starch. Boil the pasta in lightly salted water for about 5 minutes.

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|199

Kitchen Equipment
Rolling Pin Pasta Machine Measuring Cup Measuring Spoon Pot

Presentation
Fettuccine is a good pasta to serve family style. That means putting it in one big serving bowl with a wooden pasta server and letting everyone take what they want from the bowl.

Time Management
Fresh pasta can take awhile to make, mostly because of the kneading process. That usually

means its not worthwhile if you are making a small batch (i.e. one serving.) However, the pasta will freeze well, so even if you are just making it for yourself, make enough for at least four servings and store the rest.

Complementary Food and Drinks


A good sauce to serve over fettuccine is a sticky tomato sauce. Brown of an onion, add a couple cloves of minced garlic, throw in about four or five tomatoes, add a pinch of cumin, salt, and crushed red pepper, and simmer it until it is saucy. Take some of the liquid and about 1 tsp. of corn starch and mix it together. Then, add it back to the pot and stir for about three minutes. Add in a tbsp. of olive oil after its off the heat and serve it fresh.

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|200

Where to Shop
The best kind of flour to use is semolina flour, which is most easily purchased in places with bulk

bins. However, you can still go with white flour or a mix of whole wheat and white flour and those can be purchased at your local market. All of these ingredients can be found in the baking aisle save for the olive oil.

How It Works
The oil in the flour gives it a little bit of flavor, but mostly it assists in smoothing out the dough and a smooth dough is one that tends to stay together. Kneading the dough makes it elastic by activating the gluten in the grains of flour and forcing them to bond together. Thats what makes dough stick together.

Chefs Notes
Fresh pasta is such a nice treat. Even if you dont have a pasta machine, I suggest making it at

least once and using a knife to cut it just to see the difference between fresh and boxed. Its amazing!

Nutritional Facts (individual servings in parentheses, does not include any options)
Calories 1413.7 (235.6) Fat 12.7g (2.1g) Total Carbohydrates 286.2g (47.7g) Dietary Fiber 10.1g (1.7g) Sugars 0g (0g) Protein 38.7g (6.5g) Salt 1170mg (195.0mg) Vitamin A 0% (0%) Vitamin B6 8% (1.3%) Vitamin C 0% (0%)
The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com
Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|201

Calories from Fat 114.1 (19.0)

Calcium 6% (1%) Iron 97% (16.2%) Thiamin 147% (24.5%) Riboflavin 93% (15.5%) Niacin 111% (18.5%) Folate 144% (24%) Phosphorous 41% (6.8%) Potassium 11% (1.8%) Zinc 18% (3%) Magnesium 21% (2.5%) Copper 27% (4.5%)

Interesting Facts
Fettuccine means little ribbons. Most Italian pastas are made from semolina.

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|202

Gnocchi
Type: Main together) Serves: 8 Time to Prepare: 2 hours (1 hour and 30 minutes for the potatoes and 45 to put the gnocchi

2 pounds of potatoes 2 cups of flour tsp. of salt 1 pot of boiling water 1 pot of ice water 2 tsp. of EnerG egg replacer

Ingredients

Instructions

Measure the weight of the potatoes. Wrap them in tinfoil.

Poke holes in the potatoes with a fork. Bake them on 450 degrees for 1 hour and 15 minutes. Mix together the flour and salt. Let the potatoes cool for about 15 minutes and then peel them.

Put together the EnerG Egg Replacer. Combine the peeled potatoes, Egg Replacer, flour, and salt until you have a light dough. Roll the dough into a 1 diameter cigar shape. Cut the dough into slices. Turn each slice over and indent it with a fork. Get both boiling water and ice water ready. Boil the gnocchi until it floats. Remove them with a slotted spoon and immediately transfer to the ice water. Let them sit there for about 1 minute. If they cool down too much, you can warm them back up in the oven. It should not be crumbly and should have a little elasticity to it.

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|203

Kitchen Equipment
Large Pot Bowl for mixing the dough Bowl for the ice water Measuring Cup Measuring Spoon Fork for indenting pasta Knife or Fork for cutting the pasta Slotted Spoon for removing gnocchi from the boiling water

Presentation
Gnocchi should be presented in a big bowl with a serving spoon from which everyone can take some. Consider dressing it with some freshly chopped green herbs for a splash of green color.

Time Management
There is a lot of downtime while the potatoes bake, so consider putting together the sauce then. After the gnocchi are fully cooked, you can take a few minutes to warm the sauce back up and serve the gnocchi fresh out of the pot.

Complementary Food and Drinks


Gnocchi go well with the following sauces: red wine tomato sauce, pesto sauce, and mushroom sauce.

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|204

Where to Shop
All of the ingredients to make gnocchi are easily available except for the EnerG Egg Replacer,

which can be found at Sprouts, Wild Oats, Whole Foods, and many other markets that have a healthy living section.

How It Works
The potato provides flavor and moisture with a starch that is ready to bind to the flour. That binding creates a tight dough. The extra starch from the Egg Replacer holds the dough together even more. Dunking them in cold water quickly hardens the hot gnocchi and keeps them from getting gummy.

Chefs Notes
I first had gnocchi from a package I got from Trader Joes and, while that was great, this fresh gnocchi blows that away!

Nutritional Facts (individual servings in parentheses, does not include any options)
Calories 1680.5 (210.1) Calories from Fat 22.1 (2.8) Fat 2.5g (0.3g) Total Carbohydrates 370.8g (46.3g) Dietary Fiber 24.8g (3.1g) Sugars 9g (1.1g) Protein 43.8g (5.5g) Salt 622.4mg (77.8mg) Vitamin A 0% (0%) Vitamin B6 132% (16.5%) Vitamin C 189% (23.6%) Calcium 4% (0.5%) Iron 73% (9.1%)
The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com
Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|205

Thiamin 161% (20.1%) Riboflavin 71% (8.9%) Niacin 137% (17.1%) Folate 114% (14.3%) Phosphorous 63% (7.9%) Potassium 143% (17.9%) Zinc 30% (3.8%) Magnesium 59% (7.4%) Copper 99% (12.4%)

Interesting Facts
Gnocchi is pronounced nyo-kee, with a long o. Gnocchi is the plural of gnocchi, which means lump. In Tuscany, there is a variety of gnocchi called Priest Stranglers.

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|206

Ravioli
Type: Main Serves: 6 Time to Prepare: 60 minutes

1 cups of flour cup of water tsp. of salt 1 tsp. of olive oil

Ingredients

Instructions

Combine the salt and 2 cups of flour. Make a well in the middle. Pour in the olive oil followed by the water and mix it by hand. Lightly flour a surface on which to knead the dough with the remaining cup of flour. Knead the dough until it no longer sticks to your hands. Let it sit for 15 minutes. Roll the dough out until it is about 1/16 of an inch. Cut the sheet in half.

The Long Way

Place very small mounds of filling spaced evenly in squares across one sheet. Lay the other sheet on top and cut the squares out with a pastry crimping tool.

The Medium Way


attachment.

Use a pasta machine attachment by taking the two sheets and inserting them into the ravioli Place about 1 tsp. of filling in the pocket made between the two halves. Roll it closed (it will roll through the attachment, which will crimp and cut the ravioli as it rolls out the other end.)

The Fast Way

Place a sheet of dough on a ravioli tray. Pat the dough down into the tray. Fill each divot, but do not go over the top plane. Place the other dough sheet on top. Roll along the top with a rolling pin (this will cut and crimp the ravioli along the ridges.)
The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com
Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|207

Kitchen Equipment
Pasta Machine

Measuring Cup Measuring Spoon Bowl for mixing the dough

Presentation
Ravioli looks nice when tossed in a little olive oil and dressed with fresh green herbs or tossed in pesto. You can also mix in different dried herbs and veggies into the dough to make multi-colored ravioli. Just make sure the herbs and veggies are well blended. * The picture shows some with a mix and some with a dark sauce so you can see how the divots lie with the pasta.

Time Management
Make sure to get the filling prepped beforehand so the pasta sheets do not dry out. If they dry out, they may break apart when you add the filling.

Complementary Food and Drinks


Good fillings include the following: Better than Cream Cheese, sauted mushroom pieces, roasted garlic, Shredded Follow Your Heart Monterey jack, sliced roasted red pepper, and sauted zucchini.

Where to Shop
All of these ingredients can usually be found in the baking aisle of your local grocery market, although you will usually find a better price in bulk bins.
The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com
Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|208

How It Works
Ravioli takes a little more care than other pastas as they have to be filled and then the edges need to be thoroughly sealed so that the filling does not leak out while the ravioli boil. Thats where the crimping tool comes in. The crimping toll will press the edges into ridges and those ridges will the same thing as the edges will be forced into ridges by the tray. create more surface area that binds then a simple cut with a knife. Using a ravioli tray accomplishes

Chefs Notes
Freshly made filling with fresh pasta topped with a fresh sauce is hard to beat. Try a mushroom filling with a light, spicy tomato sauce with pine nuts for a truly intense meal.

Nutritional Facts (individual servings in parentheses, does not include any options)
Calories 706.9 (117.8) Calories from Fat 57.1 (9.5) Fat 6.3g (1.1g) Total Carbohydrates 143.1g (23.8g) Dietary Fiber 5.1g (0.8g) Sugars 0g (0g) Protein 19.4g (3.2g) Salt 585.1mg (97.5mg) Vitamin A 0% (0%) Vitamin B6 4% (0.6%) Vitamin C 0% (0%) Calcium 3% (0.5%) Iron 49% (8.2%) Thiamin 74% (12.3%) Niacin 56% (9.3%) Folate 72% (12%) Phosphorous 21% (3.5%) Riboflavin 47% (7.8%)

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|209

Potassium 6% (1%) Zinc 9% (1.5%) Magnesium 11% (1.8%) Copper 14% (2.3%)

Interesting Facts
There is a ravioli recipe recorded on vellum dated 1290 A.D. In China, ravioli are called Italian Jiaozi.

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|210

Spaghetti
Type: Main Serves: 6 Time to Prepare: 60 minutes

3 cups of flour cup of water tsp. of salt 2 tsp. of olive oil

Ingredients

Instructions

Take 2 cups of flour and mix it with the salt. Make a well in the middle. Pour into the well the olive oil followed by the water. Mix them together by hand. Flour a flat surface on which to knead the dough. Knead the dough until it no longer sticks to your hands. Allow the dough to sit for about 15 minutes. Roll the dough until it is about 1/8 of an inch. Cut the dough into 1/8 strips about 6 long. Alternatively, you can roll it through a pasta machine. Roll it through the large flat attachment first and then through the spaghetti attachment. Pour it into a colander and rinse it with cold water to remove the excess starch. Boil the pasta in lightly salted water for about 5 minutes.

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|211

Kitchen Equipment
Rolling Pin

Pasta Machine Measuring Cup Measuring Spoon

Presentation
Because spaghetti is small, it tends to slip away a little more than other pastas, so I like serving this one directly on the plate as opposed to family style. When topping it with a sauce, save some fresh herbs to dress the finished dish. That will give it a nice splash of color.

Time Management
Fresh spaghetti dough will freeze well, so this is something you can make well ahead of time and then spend a few minutes cutting it in the pasta machine and cooking it before guests arrive.

Complementary Food and Drinks


Sometimes, a very wet sauce can be troublesome to eat with spaghetti. I suggest coating it with olive oil, garlic, and a little bit of salt and pepper. Throw some basil in, too, if youve got it.

Where to Shop
Check out the baking aisle in your local market for all of the ingredients. You should even be able to find semolina flour there.

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|212

How It Works
Semolina flour is finely ground, which assists in the pasta staying together. The oil smoothes out

the noodle. Running it through the pasta machine press both gets the noodle the right size and also forces the dough together, which helps it bind even better.

Chefs Notes
Because the spaghetti strands are small, they are sometimes hard to pull apart when they come out of the pasta machine. Dont worry about getting it perfect. If you cant get some apart, throw them in the pot, anyway.

Nutritional Facts (individual servings in parentheses, does not include any options)
Calories 1413.7 (235.6) Calories from Fat 114.1 (19.0) Fat 12.7g (2.1g) Total Carbohydrates 286.2g (47.7g) Dietary Fiber 10.1g (1.7g) Sugars 0g (0g) Protein 38.7g (6.5g) Salt 1170mg (195.0mg) Vitamin A 0% (0%) Vitamin B6 8% (1.3%) Vitamin C 0% (0%) Calcium 6% (1%) Iron 97% (16.2%) Thiamin 147% (24.5%) Niacin 111% (18.5%) Folate 144% (24%) Phosphorous 41% (6.8%) Riboflavin 93% (15.5%)

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|213

Potassium 11% (1.8%) Zinc 18% (3%) Magnesium 21% (3.5%) Copper 27% (4.5%)

Interesting Facts
Spaghetti is the plural of spaghetto.

Spaghetti is a diminutive of spago, which means twine.

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|214

Insalata dArance (Orange Salad)


Type: Salad, Italian (Sicilian) Time to Prepare: 10 minutes Serves: 4

3 oranges, peeled and sectioned 2 tsp. of olive oil 1/8 tsp. of salt tsp. of freshly ground black pepper 2 tbsp. of chopped flatleaf parsley 2 tbsp. of chopped basil

Ingredients

Option: 12 or so oil-cured black olives Option: 1/8 of a red onion, sliced Instructions

Peel the oranges, getting as much of the pith off of the inside of the oranges as you can. Separate the oranges into their sections. Slice the orange sections into bite-size pieces. Mix the oranges with the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Chop the parsley and basil. Mix the basil into the salad.

salad.

Options: Mix in either of the optional ingredients when you mix the basil and parsley into the

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|215

Low-fat Version
Omit the olive oil from the recipe.

Kitchen Equipment
Knife Cutting Board Measuring Spoon Stirring Spoon

Presentation
The combination of basil, parsley, pepper, and oranges in this stand on its own.

salad is beautiful by itself, so I find that its best to let the salad

Time Management
This is best when eaten fresh as the oranges will lose their crisp texture after about thirty minutes.

Complementary Food and Drinks


Serve this with a side of black olives.

Where to Shop
All of the ingredients should be relatively easy to find as they are commonly available. Approximate cost per serving is $1.00.

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|216

How It Works
The oranges and basil are the real stars of this salad, mixing fresh, sweet citrus with the fragrant

green of the basil. The olive oil acts as a small coating for the oranges and a smooth dressing for the salad while the pepper gives the salad a little spiciness to complement the sweetness of the oranges.

Chefs Notes
This salad was one of my first exposures to Sicilian cuisine.

Nutritional Facts (individual servings in parentheses, does not include any options)
Calories 284.8 (71.2) Calories from Fat 85.2 (21.3) Fat 9.5g (2.4g) Total Carbohydrates 46.2g (11.6g) Dietary Fiber 9.4g (2.4g) Sugars 32.1g (8.0g) Protein 3.7g (0.9g) Salt 302mg (76mg) Vitamin A 37% (9.3%) Vitamin B6 12% (3%) Vitamin C 367% (91.8%) Calcium 18% (4.5%) Iron 6% (1.5%) Thiamin 23% (5.8%) Riboflavin 9% (2.3%) Niacin 7% (1.8%) Folate 25% (6.3%) Phosphorous 6% (1.5%) Potassium 22% (5.5%) Zinc 3% (0.8%)

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|217

Magnesium 12% (3%) Copper 11% (2.8%)

Sicilian cuisine has a heavy Greek influence, retaining some of that heritage from when it was a Greek colony over 2,000 years ago.

Interesting Facts

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|218

Panzanella
Type: Salad Serves: 6 Time to Prepare: 10 minutes

1 medium sized loaf of rustic Italian or French bread, cut into small cubes (about 6 cups of bread cubes total) cup of olive oil 3 tbsp. of red wine vinegar 2 large tomatoes, cut into wedges or cubed 1 cucumber, peeled and diced of a red onion, sliced cup of sliced basil tsp. of salt

Ingredients

Option: cup of chopped arugula instead of/in addition to the basil


1 tsp. of freshly ground pepper

Instructions

Cube the bread.

Mix the olive oil and vinegar together. Toss the bread in the oil and vinegar. Slice the tomato into wedges or cube it. Peel the cucumber and dice the cucumber. Slice the onion and basil. Combine all of the ingredients together.

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|219

Low-fat Option
Omit the olive oil and add in 3 tbsp. of water to moisten the bread.

Kitchen Equipment
Serrated Knife to cut the bread Knife for the other ingredients Cutting Board Large Mixing Bowl to toss the bread, oil, and vinegar Measuring Cup Measuring Spoon Whisk to combine the oil and vinegar

Presentation
I like to save a bit of sliced basil and sprinkle that over the top of the finished salad. This looks best on a plate with rustic designs or on a wooden plate.

Time Management
The longer this salad sits, the better it will taste as the bread will absorb not only the oil and vinegar, but the residual flavor from the basil and the juice from the tomatoes.

Complementary Food and Drinks


This goes well with Italian food, of course! Since its a fairly quick salad to put together and favors lunch time more than dinner, try pairing it with something else light and quick like a fresh gazpacho. I would not recommend pairing it with other starchy foods.
The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com
Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|220

Where to Shop
The bread can be found fairly fresh at most markets now, although a bakery will obviously have the best selection of bread from which to choose. The best place to get the basil is at Trader Joes buy them first, though. The rest of the ingredients are easy to come by. and your local farmers market will most likely have the best tomatoes. Ask for a taste before you

How It Works
The bread absorbs the surrounding flavors, softening it, but not to the point where it becomes mushy. This infuses it with flavor. The basil provides a crisp, aromatic quality to the salad (do not substitute dried basil in this one) and the vinegar lightens everything. The tomatoes provide a juicy bite and color while the cucumber gives the salad a cooling quality. Finally, the red onion is cut happens to mix well with vinegar. small so it disappears into the salad while still being able to impart its pungency. Red onion also

Chefs Notes
This salad has been served for a couple thousand years, although it was only in the last few hundred that tomatoes were used. It was a great way to make use of bread that had become stale as the vinegar and oil would re-soften the bread and make it edible.

Nutritional Facts (individual servings in parentheses, does not include any options)
Calories 2313.8 (385.6) Calories from Fat 1130.0 (188.3) Fat 125.6g (20.9g) Total Carbohydrates 250.7g (41.8g) Dietary Fiber 19.0g (3.2g) Sugars 21.8g (3.6g) Protein 45.3g (7.5g) Salt 3844mg (641mg) Vitamin A 75% (12.5%) Vitamin B6 35% (5.8%)
The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com
Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|221

Vitamin C 98% (16.3%) Calcium 45% (7.5%) Iron 83% (13.8%) Thiamin 157% (26.2%) Riboflavin 86% (14.3%) Niacin 110% (18.3%) Folate 232% (38.7%) Phosphorous 62% (10.3%) Potassium 50% (8.3%) Zinc 33% (5.5%) Magnesium 50% (8.3%) Copper 64% (10.7%)

Interesting Facts
Panzanella is a quintessential Tuscan dish. It is a favorite summer salad in Italy.

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|222

Tuscan Cannellini Salad


Type: Salad Serves: 10 Time to Prepare: 10 minutes

2 (15-ounce) cans of white kidney beans (cannellini beans), rinsed and thoroughly drained 2 (15-ounce) cans of water-packed artichoke hearts, quartered 20 pitted black olives, coarsely chopped 16 pimiento-stuffed green olives, chopped 2 red bell peppers, chopped cup of raw pine nuts 1 bunch of minced parsley cup plus 2 tbsp. of fresh lemon juice 2 tbsp. of soy sauce 2 tbsp. of extra virgin olive oil 1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper Salt and pepper to taste Parsley for garnish Paprika for garnish 4 to 5 green onions, thinly sliced 1 (14-ounce) package of firm tofu, drained, rinsed, and crumbled

Ingredients

Instructions

In a large bowl combine the kidney beans, artichoke hearts, tofu, black and green olives, bell peppers, green onions, pine nuts, parsley, lemon juice, soy sauce, olive oil, and cayenne. Mix well and season with salt and pepper, if needed. Transfer to an attractive serving bowl and garnish with a few sprigs of parsley and a sprinkle of paprika.

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Zel Allen of Vegetarians in Paradise
A Tour of Italy February 2009|223

Low-fat Version
Omit the olive oil and pine nuts from the recipe.

Kitchen Equipment
Knife Cutting Board Measuring Cup Colander Mixing Bowl Stirring Spoon Measuring Spoon

Presentation
Serve the salad in an attractive bowl and accompany it with crackers, salad, invite four or five guests and spoon each serving into individual lettuce-lined plates. pita wedges, or baguette slices. To enjoy the dish as a hearty lunch

Time Management
The recipe makes enough for a crowd and can be made a day ahead. If you should have any leftovers, its a good keeper.

Complementary Food and Drinks


Serve with tossed greens and a fruit salad.

Where to Shop
While all of these ingredients can be found at most grocery stores, its best to head to a store
The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com
Recipe by Chef Zel Allen of Vegetarians in Paradise
A Tour of Italy February 2009|224

where you can purchase many of them in bulk. Whole Foods is great for this as they have pine nuts

in bulk and an olive bar so you can choose the best olives. Approximate cost per serving is $1.50.

How It Works
The heart of this salad is the mix of beans, artichokes, and olives with the crumbled tofu acting as a cheese, the pine nuts adding a crunchy texture, and the lemon juice and olive oil creating a bright dressing for the salad.

Chefs Notes
Having a party and need a eye-appealing buffet salad? What better way to welcome your guests than with this Italian inspired salad thats easy to assemble, colorful, and best of alldelicious!

Nutritional Facts (individual servings in parentheses, does not include any options)
Calories 2785.6 (278.6) Calories from Fat 1192.6 (119.3) Fat 132.5g (13.3g) Total Carbohydrates 273.1g (27.3g) Dietary Fiber 82.0g (8.2g) Sugars 25.8g (2.6g) Protein 125.2g (12.5g) Salt 3462mg (346mg)

Vitamin A 189% (18.9%) Vitamin B6 114% (11.4%) Vitamin C 665% (66.5%) Calcium 176% (17.6%) Iron 259% (25.9%) Thiamin 125% (12.5%) Riboflavin 78% (7.8%) Niacin 66% (6.6%) Folate 221% (22.1%) Phosphorous 229% (22.9%)

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Zel Allen of Vegetarians in Paradise
A Tour of Italy February 2009|225

Potassium 205% (20.5%) Zinc 148% (14.8%) Magnesium 286% (28.6%) Copper 278% (27.8%)

Interesting Facts
Kidney beans are one of the most common beans consumed across the world.

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Zel Allen of Vegetarians in Paradise
A Tour of Italy February 2009|226

Cannoli with Ancho Cream Cheese


Type: Dessert Serves: 8 Time to Prepare: 60 minutes

Ingredients The shells

cup soy creamer

1 tsp. maple syrup cup + 1 tbsp. raw sugar crystals 2 tbsp. canola oil 1/8 tsp. salt tsp. vanilla extract 1/8 tsp. EnerG Egg Replacer 1 cups of flour + more as needed Canola oil for frying

The filling

2 anchos, rehydrated and minced 12 oz. of Better than Cream Cheese 3 tbsp. sweet agave nectar

The prickly pear cactus Finishing ingredients


Sweet agave nectar

4 prickly pear cactus fruits, sliced

3 tbsp. toasted pine nuts 1 tbsp. powdered sugar

Instructions Start by making the dough for the shells

In a metal bowl, combine the flour, sugar, and salt. In a blender, combine the rest of the ingredients. Blend them for about 1 minute until they are well emulsified. Add the liquid to the dry ingredients and mix well. tighter (it should feel like a soft bread dough.) Once the wet and dry ingredients form a dough, you can add more flour to make the dough

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|227

Dont over knead the dough. Let the dough sit for about 15 minutes. Cut out 4 inch circles. Wrap the circles around the cannoli forms. wrap. Wet your finger and run it along the seam of the wrap and press down gently to seal the On a floured surface, roll out the dough until it is about 1/16 of an inch.

Set up a deep fryer or wok and fill it with oil until it will cover the shells. Turn it up to medium high. With a set of tongs, drop the wrapped cannoli form into the oil. Fry it until it is a light golden color and immediately remove it. Set it on a paper towel to drain the oil. Repeat with the other wrapped cannoli forms.

Making the filling

Fill up a small pot with water. Turn it to medium low. While it is heating, deseed the anchos by removing the top stem and shaking out the seeds

through the hole that is created.

Place the anchos in the water and rehydrate them. They should turn a lighter color and the skin should smooth out. While they are rehydrating, place the Better than Cream Cheese and sweet agave nectar

in a blender.

Blend them on high for at least one minute.

Alternatively, you can place the Better than Cream Cheese and sweet agave nectar in a narrow, tall, metal bowl and use an immersion blender on it. Once the anchos have rehydrated, mince them very small. Stir the mince into the filling. Alternatively, you can blend it in. Slice the cactus fruit so that you have slices about 1/8 of an inch. Pump the immersion blender up and down to fluff up the filling.

Preparing the cactus fruit

Lightly oil a saut pan. Heat the pan up to a medium heat. Saut the prickly pear fruit for about two minutes or until you see the colors smooth out. Place them on the plate, two or three per plate.

Toasting the pine nuts

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|228

In a saut pan, toast the pine nuts on a medium heat until they start to develop light brown spots on them. This should only take 2 or 3 minutes. Set them aside.

Filling the cannoli

Attach a wide star-shaped tip.

Place the filling in a piping bag (see Chefs Notes for a cheat).

The setup

Pipe the filling into the cannoli shell until it is filled. Arrange the prickly pear fruit on the plate. Lay the stuffed cannoli against the fruit. Drizzle sweet agave nectar across the plate, the cannoli, and the fruit. Sift a little bit of powdered sugar across the plate. Sprinkle some of the pine nuts around the plate.

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|229

Kitchen Equipment
2 or 3 Metal Bowls Rolling Pin Blender Piping Bag with Star Shaped Tip 2 Saut Pans Chefs Knife Measuring Cups Whisk Wok or Deep Fryer Sifter Measuring Spoons Spatula for the Prickly Pear Fruit A Knife or Large Ramekin to Cut the Dough

Presentation
When arranging the prickly pear fruit slices, spread them on top of each other instead of just placing them side by side or stacked right on top of each other. Lay the cannoli against the fruit. Take the bottle of sweet agave nectar and quickly move it from side to side to make the lines. This works if it has the squeeze tip. If it doesnt, put the sweet agave nectar on a spoon and do nuts so they pine nuts give a nice contrast against the whiteness of the sugar. it that way. Put the powdered sugar on before the pine

Time Management
These take awhile to make and are fairly labor intensive. However, the shells and filling can be made ahead of time. If you make the shells ahead of time, serve this as a chilled dessert. The pine nuts and the prickly pear fruit definitely need to be served fresh. Start with the dough. Get the
The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com
Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|230

anchos rehydrated while the dough is resting. Get the filling ready after that. Once you are done with that, roll out the dough and make the shells. While they cool, you can toast the pine nuts and get the fruit sauted. After that, they are quick to put together.

Complimentary Food and Drinks


This goes very well with a nice Riesling or even a lightly flavored cider like a pear cider.

Where to Shop
Anchos can sometimes be found prepackaged in gourmet food stores. However, the best place to shop is one that has a preponderance of Mexican foods. Anchos can often be found there in bulk bins. Note that they are often mislabeled as pasilla peppers. The pepper should be very, Replacer, and sweet agave nectar are most easily found at places like Whole Foods and Wild Oats. Pine nuts can be found at most places, including Costco. The rest of the ingredients can easily be found at the local supermarket. very dark, dry, and the skin should be shriveled. The Better than Cream Cheese, EnerG Egg

How It Works
The dough is tight enough so that it does not fall apart when it is deep fried, but soft enough so that it creates a lightly crisped shell. Using the immersion blender on the filling fluffs it up, making it lighter. There are several different types and levels of sweetness in the dessert. The filling is slightly sweet and the anchos have their own sweetness to them. The shells are fairly sweet, but not cloyingly sweet. The cactus fruit has a little bit of sweetness, but is more astringent. Putting some of the sweet agave nectar on top of the fruit helps that. Lastly, the powdered sugar adds sprinkles of intense sweetness to the dish. The prickly pear fruit is there to give the dessert a beautiful color contrast and a contrast in taste with its astringency. It also gives people something to talk about as most people have not tried it before. The anchos are there to add another flavor most people dont associate with dessert, which is a chili flavor, making the dish even better because of its uniqueness.

Chefs Notes
This recipe requires a lot of setup, but once everything is prepped, it goes very quickly. Thats
The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com
Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|231

why this dessert is best when made for 6 to 10 people instead of 2 or 3. This is also a particularly fun dish to make with friends as each person can be in the kitchen with their own job (one person can do the filling, one person prep the dough, etc.).

Nutritional Facts (individual servings in parentheses)


Calories 2268 (283) Fat 96g (12g) Calories from Fat 864 (108)

Total Carbohydrates 351g (44g) Dietary Fiber 21g (2.5g) Sugars 172g (21.5g) Protein 29g (3.5g) Salt 285mg (36mg) Vitamin A 138% (17%) Vitamin C 70% (8.5%) Calcium 19% (2%) Iron 21% (2.5%) Thiamin 106% (13%) Riboflavin 98% (12%) Niacin 64% (8%) Folate 84% (10.5%) Phosphorous 26% (3%) Potassium 42% (5%) Zinc 10% (1%) Magnesium 81% (10%) Copper 22% (2.5%) * This recipe is by no means healthy, but it is healthier than a regular dairy-based cannoli. I also think its important to treat ourselves to some decadence occasionally.

Vitamin B6 60% (7.5%)

Interesting Facts

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|232

Anchos are the dried form of the poblano pepper, which is the pepper used in chili rellenos. In Spanish, ancho means wide. The cannoli originated in Sicily.

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|233

Frangelico Balls
Type: Dessert Time to Prepare: 3-4 hours Serves: 48

The Frangelico Balls cup of raisins 1/3 cup of Frangelico 1 cup of lightly toasted walnuts or pecans 24 thin vanilla tea biscuits 1 cup of nondairy chocolate chips 2/3 cup of vegan butter substitute 2/3 cup of powdered sugar, sifted The Coating (choose 1 or a combination) cup of powdered sugar, sifted cup of shredded dried coconut (sweetened or unsweetened) cup of lightly toasted pecans or walnuts, ground in a food processor 1 tbsp. of unsweetened cocoa powder sifted with cup of powdered sugar

Ingredients

Instructions

Soak the raisins in the Frangelico in a small bowl for 1 to 2 hours. Process the walnuts in a food processor until just finely ground (take care that they do not become a paste). Add the tea biscuits and the soaked raisins and Frangelico to the walnuts in the food processor and process until finely ground. Transfer to a large bowl and set aside. Melt the chocolate chips and vegan butter substitute in a double boiler over gently simmering water. Stir. Microwave for 25 seconds longer and stir until smooth. If necessary, microwave for an additional 25 seconds. Add the sugar and stir with a wooden spoon. Add the chocolate mixture to the raisin mixture and stir with a wooden spoon until well blended.
The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com
Recipe by Sharon Valencik, author of Sweet Utopia: Simply Stunning Vegan Desserts
A Tour of Italy February 2009|234

Alternatively, place them in a microwave-safe bowl and microwave at medium power for 1 minute.

Refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or until the mixture can be easily molded (not too soft, not too firm). Roll into 1-inch balls. Place the coating of your choice on a plate or sheet of waxed paper on a flat surface and roll the balls in it until evenly covered. Store the balls in a sealed container in the refrigerator. For the best flavor, serve at least 24 hours after making. mixture before refrigerating it.

Option: For espresso Frangelico balls, add 1 tsp. of instant espresso or coffee granules to the

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Sharon Valencik, author of Sweet Utopia: Simply Stuffing Vegan Desserts
A Tour of Italy February 2009|235

Kitchen Equipment
2 Bowls Food Processor Double Boiler Platter Plate or Wax Paper Wooden Spoon

Presentation
Serve these on a cake tray or stacked as a pyramid for optimum effect. The powdered sugar will highlight the balls the best out of all the optional coatings.

Time Management
There is a lot of downtime in this recipe, so take that opportunity to clean or work on another dish. This also goes much quicker if you have a partner or two to help you roll the Frangelico balls.

Complementary Food and Drinks


This is the perfect party dessert, so think of other classy finger desserts with which to serve these, like biscotti, semi-sweet cookies, and individual tarts.

Where to Shop
Kedem brand tea biscuits are a great tasting vegan tea biscuit for this recipe, especially because

you can get them in multiple flavors. Earth Balance makes an excellent vegan margarine while
The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com
Recipe by Sharon Valencik, author of Sweet Utopia: Simply Stuffing Vegan Desserts
A Tour of Italy

Whole Foods 365 brand of chocolate chips works quite well. The other ingredients should be

February 2009|236

commonly available, though much less expensive if you purchase them from bulk bins. Approximate cost per serving is $.25.

How It Works
The filling is comprised of Franjelico-soaked raisins and ground walnuts, held fast by the ground tea biscuits and chocolate sauce, which mingle together to create an intensely flavored binder. This mix then refrigerates so that it will solidify and hold its shape when its rolled into balls and apart. They are then dressed with extra ingredients for texture and presentation. also so that it is cold enough to resist the warmth of a quick roll by hand without melting and falling

Chefs Notes
Little balls of decadence!

Nutritional Facts (individual servings in parentheses, does not include any options)
Calories 2873.3 (59.9) Fat 153.8g (3.2g) Total Carbohydrates 306.3g (6.4g) Dietary Fiber 20.5g (0.4g) Sugars 197.8g (4.1g) Protein 30.0g (0.6g) Salt 265mg (6mg) Vitamin A 0% (0%) Vitamin B6 54% (1.1%) Vitamin C 6% (0.1%) Calcium 23% (0.5%) Iron 60% (1.3%) Thiamin 47% (1%) Riboflavin 51% (1.1%) Niacin 26% (0.5%)

Calories from Fat 1383.9 (28.8)

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Sharon Valencik, author of Sweet Utopia: Simply Stuffing Vegan Desserts
A Tour of Italy February 2009|237

Folate 28% (0.6%) Phosphorous 78% (1.6%) Potassium 46% (1%) Zinc 43% (0.9%) Magnesium 99% (2.1%) Copper 157% (3.3%)

Interesting Facts
Frangelico is an Italian hazelnut liqueur. The bottle of Frangelico intentionally looks like a Franciscan friar.

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Sharon Valencik, author of Sweet Utopia: Simply Stuffing Vegan Desserts
A Tour of Italy February 2009|238

Italian Cannoli Cake


Type: Dessert Time to Prepare: 60 minutes Serves: 12

The Cake

Ingredients
2 cups of sifted all purpose flour 2 tsp. of baking powder tsp. of salt 1 cup of organic sugar cup of light brown sugar 8 ounces of soft tofu 1 cups plus 1 tbsp. of soymilk 2 tbsp. of fresh lemon juice 1 tsp. of vanilla extract 1 tsp. of almond extract cup of Earth Balance or dairy-free non hydrogenated margarine

The Filling cup of golden raisins cup of black raisins cup of dried cherries 1 (18-ounce) package of firm tofu 1 cup of organic sugar tsp. of almond extract tsp. of imitation rum extract tsp. of vanilla extract 1 to 2 tbsp. of lemon juice to taste Pinch of salt cup of vegan chocolate chips The Bittersweet Chocolate Sauce 2 ounces of unsweetened chocolate (2 squares) cup of soymilk cup plus 2 tbsp. of light brown sugar 2 tsp. of organic canola oil
The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com
Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|239

1 tsp. of vanilla extract

Instructions

Preparing the Cake


Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and have ready a jellyroll pan lined with parchment.

Combine the sifted flour, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl and mix well. In a medium bowl cream the two sugars and the margarine until smooth and light. In the blender combine the tofu, soymilk, lemon juice, vanilla extract, and almond extract and blend on high speed until smooth and creamy. Add the tofu mixture to the creamed sugar a little at a time, stirring well to combine. Gradually add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients, stirring well after each addition to create a smooth creamy batter. spoon. Pour the batter onto the prepared jellyroll pan and smooth to the edges with the back of a

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until the center springs back when lightly pressed.

Preparing the Filling

Cool completely, then cut the cake in half to create a two-layer dessert.

Combine the raisins and dried cherries in separate small bowls, pour warm water over them, and set aside to plump for 5 minutes. Drain the water and set aside. Drain the water from the tofu and break it into coarse chunks into the food processor. and creamy, about 1 to 2 minutes. Pour the tofu mixture into a large mixing bowl and add the chocolate chips and the reserved drained raisins. Add 2/3 of the cherries and reserve the remainder for the topping. Add the organic sugar, flavoring extracts, lemon juice, and salt, and process until smooth

Assembling the Cake

Mix well to distribute the raisins, cherries, and chocolate chips well.

Place one layer of the cake on a large round or square platter. over the sides.

Spread half the filling over the cake, spreading to the edges and allowing some to cascade Place the second cake layer over the filling and spread the remaining filling over the top. Melt the chocolate in a 1-quart saucepan over very low heat, stirring constantly. Add the soymilk, brown sugar, canola oil, and vanilla extract and stir well.
The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com
Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|240

Preparing the Sauce

Sprinkle the remaining cherries over the top and drizzle the Bittersweet Chocolate Sauce over the top using a small spoon. plate in a design of your choice. With the leftover chocolate sauce, use the small spoon to drizzle sauce on the edges of the

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|241

Kitchen Equipment
Jellyroll Pan Parchment Paper Oven Sifter Measuring Cup Measuring Spoon Spoon 4 Mixing Bowls Blender Platter Saucepan Stirring Spoon Spatula or Knife

Presentation
You can get the best chocolate lines by loading the chocolate sauce into a squirt bottle and quickly squeezing the sauce along the cake.

Time Management
Dont start on the filling until the cake is baking. This way, you can work while there is some downtime from the cake being in the oven. Once the cake and filling have been properly assembled, only then should you start on the chocolate sauce because the chocolate sauce will thicken as it cools.

Complementary Food and Drinks


This is s very rich dessert, so dont serve it after a meal that is too heavy. For a drink, go with
The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com
Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|242

coffee laced with a touch of frangelico.

Where to Shop
While most of these ingredients are commonly available, the vegan chocolate chips and Earth Balance margarine are most easily found at Whole Foods and Sprouts, with Whole Foods having the slightly better chocolate chip with their 365 brand. Approximate cost per serving is $1.25.

How It Works
The cake part of the recipe is a basic vegan white cake recipe with the margarine providing the fat to make the cake soft, the baking powder to make it fluffy, and the tofu to bind everything together. The filling is a sweet tofu cream mixed with chocolate chips, raisins, and cherries, all of which not done last so that it doesnt thicken before being drizzled over the cake. Oil and sugar are used with the sauce to basically create a caramel chocolate sauce. only add a distinctive flavor, but also add quite a bit of texture to the filling. The sauce should be

Chefs Notes
Delicious and oh! So Italian! This is a delicious vegan dessert youll have fun while assembling the recipe because the aromas alone will signal the great flavor reward that lies ahead. While the recipe appears to have many steps, each one is quick and easy. And you can even have fun decorating the top, sides, and even the platter that holds the cake.

Nutritional Facts (individual servings in parentheses, does not include any options)
Calories 5058.3 (421.5) Fat 170.0g (14.2g) Calories from Fat 1530.1 (127.5)

Total Carbohydrates 7787.7g (64.9g) Dietary Fiber 27.9g (2.3g) Sugars 478.4g (39.9g) Protein 103.4g (8.6g) Salt 3772mg (314mg)
The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com
Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|243

Vitamin A 96% (8%) Vitamin B6 32% (2.7%) Vitamin C 9% (0.8%) Calcium 108% (9%) Iron 210% (17.5%) Thiamin 213% (17.8%) Niacin 102% (8.5%) Folate 115% (9.6%) Phosphorous 118% (9.8%) Potassium 123% (10.3%) Zinc 54% (4.5%) Magnesium 118% (9.8%) Copper169% (14.1%) Riboflavin 163% (13.6%)

Interesting Facts
A traditional cannoli is a fried pastry shell filled with a fluffy whipped cream.

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|244

Poblano Gelato
Type: Raw, Dessert Serves: 6 Time to Prepare: 4 hours to soak the cashews + 1 hour for the gelato to set + 10 minutes of labor

2 cups of soaked cashews cup of raw agave nectar (if available) tsp. cinnamon powder 1/8 tsp. of salt 6 poblanos 2/3 cup of almonds, coarsely chopped

Ingredients

Option: 2 tbsp. of green pumpkin seeds Instructions

Soak the cashews for at least four hours. Soak the almonds for one hour. other halves for blending. Deseed and remove the membranes from the poblanos. of the poblano halves. Freeze this for at least one hour. Load the gelato into the poblano halves. Blend together the cashew butter, raw agave nectar, cinnamon, almonds, salt, and one half of one Cut the poblanos in half along the length, saving the sides with the stem attached and using the

Option: Garnish with the pumpkin seeds.

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|245

Kitchen Equipment
2 Mixing Bowls to soak the nuts Small Knife Cutting Board Measuring Cup Blender

Presentation
Serve this on a plate with raw cocoa powder sprinkled over it and a with pumpkin seeds and/or cinnamon. few dabs of sweet agave nectar. Alternatively, you can garnish it

Time Management
Make sure to soak the almonds while you are soaking the cashews. If you want to forgo the soaking, you can reduce the amount of prep time significantly. However, you will have slightly made in a large batch and will keep frozen for a couple days before losing flavor. grainy gelato. It will still taste great, but the texture wont be as nice. This is something that can be

Complementary Food and Drinks


This is definitely a nice, exotic dessert, so serve it with a fancy main meal. Stick with the pepper theme, although go mild, perhaps with a red pepper coconut soup and a jicama croquette topped with your favorite seasonal veggies.

Where to Shop
I shop at Sprouts for these ingredients because the nuts and seeds are available in bulk. If you dont have one of those stores near you, try Whole Foods since they have the nuts in bulk, as well.
The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com
Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|246

Raw agave nectar can typically be found at both stores.

How It Works
Soaking the cashews softens them enough that they can be blended into a smooth paste and they also add the creamy fat typically found in desserts, though this is a much better fat than say, dairy fat. The almonds soak for a bit less time so that they add some texture to the gelato instead of getting lost in the creaminess of the cashews. Poblano is used because peppers and sweets go well together and it happens to make a nice boat to hold the gelato. Cinnamon is used to give an aromatic quality to the gelato. A pinch of salt is added to the gelato because salt is the contrasting flavor to sweetness. When a hint of it is added, it forces the sweet flavor to the foreground.

Chefs Notes
Nut based raw gelatos are certainly decadent, but I find it worthwhile to occasionally indulge in a treat like this.

Nutritional Facts (individual servings in parentheses, does not include any options)
Calories 2726.4 (454.4) Fat 183.2g (30.5g) Calories from Fat 1648.7 (274.8)

Total Carbohydrates 199.9g (33.3g) Dietary Fiber 26.9g (4.5g) Sugars 70.2g (11.7g) Protein 69.6g (11.6g) Salt 346mg (57.7mg) Vitamin A 50% (8.3%)

Vitamin B6 91% (15.2%) Vitamin C 573% (95.5%) Calcium 39% (6.5%) Iron 137% (22.8%) Thiamin 53% (8.8%)
The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com
Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|247

Riboflavin 74% (12.3%) Niacin 49% (8.2%) Folate 79% (13.2%) Phosphorous 206% (34.3%) Potassium 68% (11.3%) Zinc 135% (22.5%) Magnesium 276% (46%) Copper 380% (63.3%)

Interesting Facts
Gelato is a dense Italian ice cream. called Poblano Sorbetto.

Gelato that doesnt use dairy is called sorbetto, so perhaps this recipe should more properly be

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Chef Jason Wyrick
A Tour of Italy February 2009|248

Rapid Tiramisu
Type: Dessert Time to Prepare: 3 hours Serves: 12

The Nutcakes... 1 cups plain flour 4 oz. of vegan margarine 4 oz. of desiccated coconut or ground almond 6 oz. of golden caster sugar 2 heaped tsp. of baking powder 1 cup of soya or rice milk The Goodies... pint of strong coffee 4 tbsp. of caster sugar 350g (12.3 oz.) of silken tofu 150g (5.3 oz.) of soya yogurt 2 vanilla pods pint (4 oz.) of sweet sherry Zest and juice of 1 orange 3 oz. of best quality dark chocolate

Ingredients

Instructions

Making the nutcakes... Sift the flour. Rub in the margarine. Add the dry ingredients and milk a little at a time alternately. Putting together the tiramisu... In a medium deep bowl (8-10 inches in diameter) slice enough cakes to line the bowl. Arrange them to fit snugly together. Add 2tbs. of sugar to the coffee and pour it over the cakes covering well. While the cakes are soaking, whisk up the tofu and yogurt together with the remaining sugar.
The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com
Recipe by Sandra Barnett of The Veggie Barn
A Tour of Italy February 2009|249

Bake in greased patty tins for 15 minutes at 180deg C (fan oven).

Scrape the seeds from the vanilla pods and add these to the tofu/yogurt mix. While still whisking, pour in the sherry. the chocolate over the top. Finally decorate the top with a little finely grated orange and chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours. Squeeze the orange juice over the cake lining then pour the mixture into the bowl and grate

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Sandra Barnett of The Veggie Barn
A Tour of Italy February 2009|250

Kitchen Equipment
Sifter Measuring Cup Scale Mixing Bowl Baking Tins Deep Bowl Whisk Grater Small Knife Mixing Bowl for the tofu and soy yogurt Measuring Spoon

Presentation
Serve this in a white bowl to contrast the beautiful flavors of the dessert.

Time Management
Most of the time spent on this recipe is for chilling it, so take that opportunity to work on another recipe and do your clean-up.

Complementary Food and Drinks


A nice cup of espresso goes quite well with this dessert.

Where to Shop
The sugar may be hard to find, but you can substitute finely ground turbinado sugar for it. If you

want to use almond meal, you may need to go to Whole Foods to find it, but if you use the dried
The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com
Recipe by Sandra Barnett of The Veggie Barn
A Tour of Italy

coconut, that will be available even at conventional markets. For the chocolate, check out World

February 2009|251

Market (if you have one near you). They have an excellent selection of dark, vegan chocolates.

How It Works
The flour, sugar, and soya milk basically form a glue that holds together the coconut while the margarine provides fat to smooth out the flavors. This creates an absorbent base, much like the lady fingers in a traditional tiramisu. This absorbent base then takes in the flavor of the sweet coffee over which is added the creamy tofu/yogurt whip. This is then finished off with a bit of sherry to add more body to the dessert and everything is brightened by the orange zest.

Chefs Notes
This version of the classic Italian dessert retains all the luxurious qualities of the original but

without the dairy ingredients. A real winner! These little cakes are great on their own and for use in making trifles and other dishes requiring a cake base such as this tiramisu.

Nutritional Facts (individual servings in parentheses, does not include any options)
Calories 4314.7 (359.6) Calories from Fat 1986.2 (165.5) Fat 220.7g (18.4g) Total Carbohydrates 513.8g (42.8g) Dietary Fiber 31.5g (2.6g) Sugars 170.0g (24.1g) Protein 68.3g (5.7g) Salt 1408mg (117mg) Vitamin A 94% (7.8%) Vitamin B6 26% (2.2%) Vitamin C 75% (6.3%) Calcium 77% (6.4%) Iron 115% (9.6%) Thiamin 83% (6.9%) Riboflavin 100% (8.3%) Niacin 64% (5.3%)

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Sandra Barnett of The Veggie Barn
A Tour of Italy February 2009|252

Folate 89% (7.4%) Phosphorous 63% (5.3%) Potassium 39% (3.3%) Zinc 39% (3.3%) Magnesium 80% (6.7%) Copper 96% (8%)

Interesting Facts
Tiramisu means pick me up.

Tiramisu is a late 20th century invention.

The Vegan Culinary Experience Education, Inspiration, Quality * www.veganculinaryexperience.com


Recipe by Sandra Barnett of The Veggie Barn
A Tour of Italy February 2009|253

You might also like