Sunday, October 18, 2009

NBC 30 Health & Wellness Festival


I had a great time yesterday at the NBC 30 Health & Wellness Festival. This was my second year making vegan food on their cooking stage, which meant I was a little more relaxed and could goof around with the audience. It helped that my parents were there lending their support, too. :)

I made one of my favorite recipes, a Winter Vegetable Bisque, with butternut squash, sweet potato, carrot, parsnip and leeks, all cooked to perfection and pureed until smooth in my can't-live-without Vita-Mix. The secret ingredient was Mellow White Miso by Westbrae Natural, which gave the base a slightly sweet and savory balance.

It was good to see so many people interested in learning about vegan food. I think there were about 15 people gathered around during the demo, and then a huge swarm of about 30 more people came from out of nowhere to line up for a free sample. Everyone seemed pleasantly surprised by the taste.

I topped off the soup with Spiced Pepitas made by sauteing raw pumpkin seeds in a pan with a little Earth Balance margarine, chili powder and sea salt until they were lightly browned and popping. The slightly spicy toasted seeds contrast really nicely with the smooth and creamy sweetness of the bisque. Plus, I think that's one of my favorite snacks.

Perfect for a rainy autumn afternoon.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I was at the Health and Wellness Festival and watched your cooking demonstration and sampled your Winter Vegetable Bisque. It was delicious and so comforting. I made it this week and everyone couldn't believe how flavorful it was, especially those who are not too fond of butternut squash. Thanks for sharing your recipe.

Unknown said...

Thank you so much for coming to the demonstration, and for making the recipe at home. It's really nice when people are pleasantly surprised that such simple ingredients can taste so delicious. I'm glad to hear everyone enjoyed it!