White Pepper Leek Tart

Spring is here and that means one of my favorite Michigan events–VegFest–a wonderful opportunity to discover a world of plant-based food and associated lifestyles.  There will be cooking demonstrations by chefs from all over the country, free food samples, lectures and lots more.

So, join me on Sunday, April 29, 11am to 5pm, at the Suburban Showplace in Novi. I will be there demonstrating a recipe from my private collection, Pistachio Quinoa & Kale Croquettes–simple, delicious and served with Garden Fresh Black Bean and Corn Salsa–one of my favorites.  See you there!

A new recipe by Chef George Vutetakis, author of:

Vegetarian Traditions: Favorite Recipes From My Years At The Legendary Inn Season Cafe

Pistachio Quinoa & Kale Croquettes

Article and recipe in the Oakland Press

Article in the Detroit Free Press and Quesadilla Recipe

The Vegetarian Guy and VegFest are sponsored by

I love spring in Michigan. During the first warm days, it seems that all of us are happy and celebrating the arrival of the earth’s transition as it awakes from its long winter slumber. Delicate flowering buds suddenly appear on trees which looked dormant only days earlier and bright green shoots begin to push through the soil as they reach for the sunlight.

For those of us who love to cook, these signs of spring let us know that soon the farmers are beginning to show up at the markets with the first of many tender harvests.

Like precious gems, the first baby greens, sweet and succulent, are quickly snatched up by those of us who treasure the flavors and textures which only occur this time of year.

Certified Organic Farmer Don Cinzori of Cinzori Farms in Ceresco, Michigan, has become a good friend over the years. This Spring Equinox week, his booth is my first stop at the Royal Oak Farmers Market, where I quickly survey his stall which is full of baby greens and a variety of potatoes, radishes and onions from the root cellar.

He directs me toward his wheat grass and soil-grown sweet pea sprouts–a sign that Michigan pea season is almost here

There are three kinds of peas commonly found in the local markets:  Sugar Snaps, Snow Peas and English Sweet Peas.  Sadly, the English peas are grown less because it is inconvenient to shell them and it seems to take forever to get enough for one or two people.  Thus, most of our experiences are canned, frozen or dried split peas.  To add insult to injury, when we finely muster up the courage to shell some peas, they come from a grocery store and were harvested at least a week or two before.

To appreciate the magnificience of fresh peas, grow your own or buy them from a local farmer, like Don Cinzori (Know your farmer, know your food!), who has brought them ripe and fresh to market that morning.  Cook as soon as possible, as the the sugars in peas turn into starch only hours after they have been picked.

This versatile legume can be prepared in so many ways that there is no possibility for boredom: fresh pea soups, in salads, sauteed with other vegetables, in whole grain pilafs and pulaos as well as in pasta dishes.  The recipe below is a little different and highlights the green flavor of the peas with fresh Indian spices and rich flavor of Lacinato kale.  Easy to prepare with simple spicing, a sure crowd pleaser!

Kale Wrapped English Peas

Serves 4

1 teaspoon coconut oil

½  teaspoon cumin seeds

2 teaspoons ginger root, minced

1 teaspoon green chile, minced

1 tablespoon cilantro, minced

½ cup sweet onions, minced

½ teaspoon curry powder

1 tablespoon lime juice

2 tablespoons water

1 ¼ cups English peas, podded

¼ teaspoon sea salt

8 large Lacinato kale leaves, stemmed

½ teaspoon ume plum vinegar

In a small sauce pan, heat the coconut oil on medium high and cook the cumin seeds until they start to brown,  Add ginger, chile, cilantro, onions and curry powder.  Turn down to a simmer, add the lime juice, water, peas and sea salt.  Cover and cook for 10 minutes, stirring periodically then check to see if the peas are soft.  When soft, mash the peas and onions.  Separate into eight portions, place a portion on a kale leaf and roll until the entire leaf is wrapped around.  Carefully place in a steamer and cook for 5 minutes, or until the kale is tender.   Place 2 to 3 drops ume vinegar on top of each. Serve hot.

There is much to be said and appreciated about a cookbook which is stained with use.  The adventures of the favorite recipes continue from one generation to the next with splotches and smears of ingredients. I have a collection of cookbooks from my family, as well as many others, which have charmed me over the years with their dog-eared pages.

With the computer revolution, things have changed.  A new generation stores many of their books and recipes on their hard-drives, not their shelves.  Tens of thousands of recipes can be found online with the click of a mouse.  I have a Twitter Feed which allows me to share vegan recipes from the world-wide-web with my followers on a daily basis.

Many individual online recipes stand alone, without connection to their cultural background or the inspirations which influenced the chefs who created them.  It is different with an ebook, which is the entire book presented the way the author intended it.  I now offer my cookbook, Vegetarian Traditions, in an Ebook edition allowing me to share the most popular dishes from Inn Season Cafe anywhere in the world.  Some of the available formats are below.

Vegetarian Traditions Kindle Edition

Barnes & Noble Nook Edition

iTunes iBook Edition

Adobe Digital Editions/Sony Reader

One of the timeless Inn Season Cafe recipes was Carrot Cashew Soup–still a favorite at the Royal Oak, Michigan cafe.  Warm root-vegetable soups in the winter can be a transcending experience, lifting us into a place of healing comfort.

My earliest memories of carrots are of my father helping me to grasp scraggly green tops jutting out of the ground and pulling them to discover the bright orange tuber.  As a toddler, my father’s assistance was necessary, but I soon perfected the technique and all the carrots were harvested whether ready or not. This didn’t bother him at all; perhaps he sensed the budding of my life-long relationship to vegetables.

Carrots are quite versatile, but often under-rated. They can be eaten raw or juiced for a vitalizing drink. They can be used in salads, soups and desserts, in addition to adding sweetness and substance to a multitude of vegetable dishes. I even use pureed carrots as a base for salad dressings, sauces and in a number of dessert dishes, not the least of which is carrot cake.

Carrot Cashew Soup reveals the venerable carrot as an excellent base for a soup. When mixed with cashews and blended, it becomes a melt-in-your-mouth cream soup. Best of all–it is so easy to prepare!

Carrot Cashew Soup

Serves 6

3 cups carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped

1 teaspoon garlic, minced

1 cup celery, chopped

1/2 cup red onions,chopped

1 bay leaf

2 tablespoons Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon dill weed, chopped

1/4 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper

1/4 teaspoon fresh ground white pepper

1 tablespoon tamari

1 teaspoon sea salt

1/2 cup red bell peppers, chopped

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1 cup raw cashews

5 cups water

1/2 cup parsley leaves, finely chopped

Preheat oven to 400 F. Mix all ingredients, except water and parsley. Transfer to a large casserole or roasting dish. Cover and bake for one hour. Allow to cool, add 1 cup water and puree in a blender until smooth. Transfer to a soup pot, add remaining 4 cups of water, stir, reheat and simmer for 10 minutes uncovered. Serve hot and top with a sprinkle of chopped parsley in each bowl.

Recipe from the cookbook: Vegetarian Traditions: Favorite Recipes From My Years At The Legendary Inn Season Cafe

By George Vutetakis

Garden Fresh Gourmet founder and CEO, Jack Aronson, recently invited me to participate in the first annual Motown Macdown in Ferndale, Michigan.  This macaroni ‘n cheese competition is a benefit for Justin’s Vision, a non-profit organization which sends children with severe illnesses and their families to the Give Kids The World Village in Kissemee, Florida.  The Macdown was to be a fierce battle of accomplished and well known chefs in Southeast Michigan:  Brian Polcyn of Forest Grill & Cinco Lagos, Brian Perrone of Slows BarBQ, Chris Franz of The Rattlesnake Club, Matt Baldridge of Cliff Bell’s, The Hungry Dudes bloggers and me–The Vegetarian Guy.

I got to work creating what I do best, delicious plant-based dishes, with a goal of showing vegans and non-vegans alike that a dairy free mac ‘n cheese can be as satisfying as its counterpart.  My entry was not only 100% plant-based, but also gluten-free–emulating the classic American macaroni and cheese many of us grew up on.  I drew inspiration from  my grandmother’s Greek pastitsio, a noodle and cheese dish, which I frequently enjoyed during childhood visits to her home.

Super Mac ‘N Cheese: MyFoxDETROIT.com

The recipe includes some ancient whole grains (quinoa, teff and amaranth), cashews, almonds and extra virgin olive oil–all healthy and energizing ingredients. This dish feels and tastes like the traditional mac ‘n cheese, without the simple carbohydrates or cholesterol laden fats.  It thrives on the synergy between flavor, texture, healthy ingredients and comfort. The coup d’etat is my chive and extra virgin olive oil puree, which adds a zesty “zing”–mostly appreciated by us grown up kids.

Although my entry did not win the competition, it was the surprise of the event.  After the blind tasting, many were asked if they knew one of the dishes was vegan and gluten-free.  Most tasters had no idea and were pleasantly surprised!  Proving that this dish can stand on its own in flavor and texture no matter what one’s dietary preference is.

The Macdown was a huge success.  Not only was it a great time with music and song–but it sold-out!  Justin’s Vision not only gained a lot of recognition and press through this fundraiser, but it raised enough funds to send a family to the Give Kids The World Village and helped to pave the way for the next exciting fundraiser!

Super Mac N Cheese

Super-food, Vegan and Gluten Free

Serves 6

10 cups water

½ teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil

8 ounces Ancient Harvest quinoa macaroni

½ teaspoon sea salt

2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

Preheat oven to 350 F.  In a large saucepan, bring water, ½ teaspoon sea salt and 1 teaspoon olive oil to a boil.  Add macaroni and stir to remove clumping.  Cook until the pasta is tender around the edges, but firmer than Al Dente.  Strain, rinse with cool water, drain well and place in a bowl with ½ teaspoon salt and 2 teaspoons olive oil.   Mix well and reserve.

Blend A

½ cup raw cashews

1 tablespoon dijon mustard

1 ½ cups soy milk or other non-dairy milk

Puree all ingredients in a blender until very smooth and transfer to a bowl.  Reserve.

Blend B

3 tablespoons nutritional yeast flakes

25% of Blend A

¾ cup soy milk

1 cup Daiya cheddar style shreds

Puree all ingredients in a blender until very smooth. Reserve.

Bechamel

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

¼ cup yellow onions, minced

1 teaspoon garlic powder

2 tablespoons teff flour

2 tablespoons amaranth flour

2 tablespoons almond flour

1 teaspoon black pepper

½ teaspoon smoked paprika

1 ½ teaspoons sea salt

¼ teaspoon turmeric powder

½ cup soy milk

75% (the rest of) of Blend A

½ cup water

1 ½ teaspoons lemon juice

½ cup grated Daiya cheddar style shreds

Lightly oil a 6×9 baking dish, set aside.  In a medium saucepan on medium-low heat, slowly cook the onions until clear around the edges, then add the garlic, teff and amaranth.  After 1 minute, add the almond flour, black pepper, smoked paprika, sea salt and turmeric.  After another minute, stir in soy milk and the remaining Blend A.  Simmer and stir until a thick gravy consistency, about 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in water, lemon juice and Blend B.  Transfer to baking dish and fold in the noodles and ½ cup Daiya.  Spread out evenly.

Topping

½ cup Daiya cheddar style shreds

¼ cup almond flour

2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

½ teaspoon mild paprika

Evenly sprinkle Daiya on top, then almond flour, oil and paprika evenly.  Bake for 30 minutes.  Allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Note:  All ingredients were found at my local Whole Foods Market.  Many groceries now carry most of the ingredients.

Some years after George Washington chopped down the cherry tree, Thomas Jefferson gave him a gift of pecan trees to plant at his Mount Vernon estate.  First grafted commercially in 1846, pecans became integral to Southern hospitality and lifestyle.  Most of the world’s production is still grown in the Southern states.  Pecan pie was created in the 17th century by French settlers who were introduced to pecans by the native tribes in the area around New Orleans. The familiar version made with corn syrup does not show up until the beginning of the 20th century.

Thanksgiving 2008, our family held the first vegan versus traditional pecan pie throw-down.  My dairy-free, maple syrup-sweetened recipe has won the contest every year.  It is not full of fat, like most pecan pies, so you can help yourself to a second or third guilt-free piece.

Of course, the key to a good recipe is the freshness and quality of ingredients.  Pecans are harvested from September through December; there is nothing quite like the taste of a fresh pecan, toasted and dressed with maple syrup.  This is Americana at its best.

On our most recent journey from Detroit to San Diego, Sara and I took the southern route down to Nashville and then west through Tennessee, Louisiana, Texas, New Mexico and Arizona.  While we found the plant-based culinary options to be limited, we discovered a few treasures –one of them being freshly harvested pecans.

We first started seeing pecans in New Orleans and then found the organic and unshelled ones at Whole Foods in Austin.  Our surprise discovery was just outside of Bowie, Arizona, between the New Mexico border and Tucson, where the climate is very dry.  Local olives, honey, pistachios and pecans were being sold at a reinvented Stuckeys, just off the highway, with the unlikely name of Dwayne’s Fresh Jerky. Dwayne is a colorful character who described the local bounty with humor and warmth.  He agreed with me that the freshness of pecans is paramount and can make the difference between a hum-drum recipe and a culinary all-star.  It is even better when you have a direct connection with the farmer, adding an unspoken magic to the dish.

Maple Pecan Pie

Pecans
2 ½ cups pecan halves
Preheat oven to 350 F.  Spread pecans evenly on a baking sheet and toast for 11 minutes.  Remove and reserve.

Crust
1 cup unbleached wheat flour
½ cup whole wheat pastry flour
½ cup blanched almond flour
3 tablespoons canola oil
3 tablespoons maple syrup
¼ teaspoon sea salt
¼ plain soy milk or almond milk

In a food processor, pulse all crust ingredients until a dough-like consistency is formed, do not over mix.  Hand form dough into a patty and place into a lightly oiled 9 inch glass pie dish.  Gently press the dough evenly onto the bottom and sides of the dish.  Crimp the edges for a decorative look, if desired.

Filling
1 ¼ cup maple syrup
1 teaspoon unsulphured molasses
¼ teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons arrowroot flour
3 tablespoons almond meal/flour
1 vanilla bean scraped or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons Grand Marnier

Using a food processor, grind 1 cup of the toasted pecans into a fine meal.  In a large mixing bowl, whisk together all filling ingredients and the pecan flour.  Pour into pie shell and evenly place the remaining 1 ½ cups of toasted pecans on top.  Bake for 20 minutes.  Remove and cover with aluminum foil, shiny side up.  Bake for 30 minutes.  Remove foil and allow to air cool before refrigerating for 8 hours.  Serve cold or at room temperature.

Notes
-For this recipe, I use Bob’s Red Mill flours and almond meal.
-For a gluten-free recipe, use Bob’s Red Mill gluten-free baking flour instead of the wheat flours in the crust.

The last segment of our San Diego to Detroit veg restaurant tour took us to the town of Downers Grove, a southern suburb of Chicago, where our destination,The Borrowed Earth Cafe, awaited.  This turned out to be a little gem–an oasis of delicious raw cuisine, with all the food prepared on-site and served with an efficiency that rivals fast food restaurants.

Owners Danny and Kathy Living’s passion for the raw cuisine they serve is evident through beautiful presentations, a magical environment and great humor–Danny had Sara in stitches the entire two hours we were there.

We began our meal with a wonderful creamy coconut and corn soup,

followed with a colorful sweet potato quesadilla exploding with vibrant flavors–each morsel felt like an indulgence.

Kathy recommended the special walnut-crusted green beans, her version of  “fried” green beans–raw and unfried.  She explained that she loves to experiment with comfort foods from her childhood to create raw, living versions which are then served at the cafe.  The dish was very satisfying and provocative with a nutty flavor and delicate crunch.

The finale was Out of this World Cheesecake and has made it to the top of our raw dessert list–Sara and I were practically fighting over the crumbs!

At the Borrowed Earth Cafe, we discovered the passion, talent and presentation we had been yearning for in our veg restaurant tour.  We left Downer’s Grove feeling great about the state of the veg union–not to mention, fully satiated and thoroughly entertained.

The last stop was our home turf of Detroit–a city in the budding stages of a veg renaissance with pockets of culinary passion and  a surprisingly large collection of veg cafes and farmers markets.

As we stuck our forks into the incomparable Inn Season Cafe salad, piled high with fresh, organic produce, nuts seeds, avocados and marinated onions, we couldn’t help but feel that there’s no place like home!

On Monday, October 17, Inn Season Cafe owners, Nick Raftis and Thomas Lasher, will host an open house to celebrate  30 years of providing the Detroit area with fresh, unadulterated, farm to table, fine vegetarian cuisine.

I will join founding owners, Maggie O’Meara and John Armstrong, at the cafe between 6pm and 10pm for this free, festive event with food, wine and song.

As part of the month-long anniversary celebration, the cafe will give away cupcakes and other goodies.

For more information check out www.theinnseasoncafe.com.

You will also be able to purchase my cookbook Vegetarian Traditions: Favorite Recipes From My Years At The Legendary Inn Season Cafe

…and I will be there to sign your book!

Read The Inn Season Cafe Story

Click Here!

30 Years Of Inn Season Cafe In Pictures

Click Here!

Photo gallery from the 30th Anniversary open house

October 17, 2011

Staying healthy sometimes can be a challenge.  Aside from taking common sense precautions, there is a lot we can do to keep ourselves healthy with food–colorful foods, that is.

The darker and more colorful fruits and vegetables are healthier with more anti-oxidants and immune building micro-nutrients.  For example:  red and yellow beets, carrots, radishes and red peppers–which all happen to be in my Harvest Vegetable Salad recipe.  Local farmers markets should have plenty of these vegetables in stock!

Harvest Vegetable Salad Recipe

Serves 6

Vegetables

1 ½ cups golden beets, peeled and grated

2 cups carrots, peeled and grated

2 cups parsnips, peeled and grated

½ cup red radishes, sliced into 1 inch long matchsticks

½ cup celery, finely diced

¼ cup sweet red pepper, finely diced

½ cup green onions, angle sliced thin

In a large bowl, mix all ingredients.

Dressing

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 teaspoons Dijon mustard

¼ cup dried currants

½  teaspoon sea salt

¼ cup brown rice vinegar

1 teaspoon ume plum vinegar

¼ cup lemon juice

In a medium bowl, whisk together all dressing ingredients and fold into the vegetable mix at least 30 minutes before serving.

Tip:  Use a food processor with a grating blade to grate beets, carrots and parsnips.

State of the Veg Union Part 4

Traveling east, through amber waves of grain, to Lincoln, Nebraska, on our San Diego to Detroit restaurant tour, my wife Sara and I marveled as the Rocky Mountains disappeared into the ground and flattened into the Great Plains of the mid-west.

We pulled into the historic Haymarket District of Lincoln, where the old rail and distribution system has been largely bypassed by 21st century modernization.

Over a century ago, way stations for the railroad system, which distributed grains, produce and farm products, were set up from coast to coast. These stations became distribution centers and agricultural hubs, standing out like sparkling jewels in corn and wheat fields when there was little else around.  Eventually, these became the urban centers, which were integral components for the westward expansion of America’s commodity food system. Thanks to local efforts, many of the magnificent edifices from the late 19th and early 20th century are preserved and now function as cultural centers of the community.

In one of those old warehouse structures stands Maggie’s Vegetarian Cafe–an all-natural, from-scratch cafe using local and organic ingredients whenever possible.   It is very casual and charming with down-to-earth sensibility.

Owner Maggie Pleskac was in the kitchen and made our Spicy Hummus Wrap and Unfried Falafel Wrap, which we found to be filling and delicious with noticeably fresh ingredients.

On the walls were pictures of the local farmers who supply the cafe–Maggie told us which one provided each part of the sandwiches.  We left with renewed energy from a simple, yet satiating, meal and felt good about supporting a business that reveres the local farmers, who I view as the true heroes of the modern food revolution.

Omaha was our next stop.  This city still has many of the mansions and magnificent structures from the early 20th century.  Reminiscent of the elegant neighborhoods populated by the auto-barons of Detroit, these were the homes of cattle barons.  Omaha was one of the capitals of the early factory farming industry in America.

Ironically, McFosters Natural Kind Cafe is at the edge of this neighborhood.  The building looks like an old Tudor-style home, but was originally Skip’s Skelly Gas Station, one of the original service stations on the old Lincoln Highway.  Now re-incarnated as a natural foods restaurant, it fuels visitors with freshly-prepared food.  Although they serve seafood and free-range chicken, it reminded me of the old-school vegetarian cafes–down to earth, funky and colorful, with an expansive, but uncomplicated, menu.  Unfortunately, we had filled ourselves in Lincoln, so a salad and carrot juice were all we could manage–both were fresh and flavorful.  We hope to travel through Omaha again–this time with empty stomachs.

Our appetites returned that evening as we pulled into Iowa City, Iowa, a college town with a number of veg choices.  We chose The Red Avocado, an upscale, yet cozy, vegan restaurant in the lower level of a house near the university.  We began with a Cilantro-White Bean Dip garnished with toasted pepitas and fresh baked flatbread (check out my version of the recipe below).

This was followed by a Corn-Mushroom Soup which was creamy and savory.  Our first entree was Corn Cakes with Shiitake Mushrooms and Tofu, a beautifully prepared dish with excellent flavors and textures.

Second was Gnocchi, properly light and fluffy–unfortunately, it was swimming in tomato sauce. Dessert was a chocolate truffle which we took to go because the restaurant was closing. Later, we discovered this to be the weak-link in the meal; however, the rest of the experience, including the great service, overcame any disappointment.  This was one of our favorite meals of the entire trip.

Click Here For Video!

The heartlands of Nebraska and Iowa were a pleasant surprise.  We were heartened  to see the passion and commitment for local and organic foods as well as a relative abundance of plant-based options.

Next, in our quest to discover the state of the veg union, we visit a raw, culinary treasure in Downer’s Grove, Illinois.

Inspired by the Cilantro-White Bean appetizer at The Red Avocado in Iowa City, I created my own version to celebrate the heartlands of America and those good people who are making a difference.

White Bean Cilantro Dip

Click here for the recipe!

If you have questions or suggestions, please email or write me on Facebook or comment here.