Happy ThanksLiving

Well on Wheels has been taking a little break this week in order to celebrate Thanksgiving (or as we like to call it, "ThanksLiving") with family and friends.  And so I give you a photo retrospective of the week leading up to the feast.  Soon to follow:  a week of cleanse!

Wishing you all a Happy Thanksgiving!!

RAW Special #1:  "Refried Bean" Tacos with Mango Salsa and Sunflower Sour Cream

RAW Special #2:  Spiralized Zucchini Spaghetti with Red Pepper and Sundried Tomato Marinara

And onto the Thanksgiving feast...

First Course:  Butternut Squash Bisque

Second Course:  Green Salad with Poached Pear, Dried Cranberries 

and Pecans with Balsamic Vinaigrette

The Feast:  Cornmeal Crusted Tofu, Brown Rice and Candied Walnut Stuffing, Mushroom Gravy, Mashed Potatoes, Mashed Yam, Brussels Sprouts, Green Beans and Kale

Dessert:  Oh My... Pumpkin Streusel Tart with Toasted Pecan Crust

Here's a closeup of that crust

And now... a decadent caramelly slice

Weekly Menu

This post represents a recap of meals for the past two weeks.  It's been a busy time here at Well on Wheels headquarters, doing some holiday planning, testing recipes, expanding services, taking on new clients, and training chefs.  The Fall Menu promises to be warm and comforting.

Pan-freid Tempeh with Mushroom Gravy, Colcannon, and Carrots

Spicy Peanut and Basil Tofu Saute with Brown Rice

Hearty Black Bean and Fire-roasted Tomato Chili with Brown Rice

RAW Red Pepper Romesco with Dijon Greens

This Week's Entrees

Baked Tofu Piccata with Quinoa and Yellow Cauliflower

Pan-fried Tempeh with Smoked Paprika Cashew Cream and Sriracha, 

Mashed Potatoes, and Brussels Sprouts Amandine

Baked Tempeh with Harissa, Garlic Greens and Quinoa

GF Pumpkin Spice Bread

As we brace for the first snow storm of the season, I seek refuge in the kitchen.  And what better way to fight the cold than to bake some bread?  Today's recipe comes courtesy of a former client of mine who forwarded me a recipe for a vegan pumpkin bread.  She assured me it was awesome, so I set out to see if I could make an equally awesome gluten-free version.  I think I succeeded.

I substituted a mix of garbanzo bean flour, tapioca flour, and rice flour for the whole wheat, then added a little xanthan gum to bind it all together.  The batter was smooth and thick, aided by the silken creaminess of some canned pumpkin puree.

As it baked in the oven, the sweet spicy aromas wafted through my house, almost making me forget the storm that was brewing outside.  I think this will be the perfect reward after shoveling the driveway later tonight.  The crumb was perfectly moist, yet tender, and it held together nicely.  Tomorrow morning I've already got my sights set on experimenting with Pumpkin French Toast for breakfast.

Gluten-free Vegan Pumpkin Bread

1 cup garbanzo bean flour1/2 cup white rice flour
1/4 cup tapioca flour
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp allspice
¼ tsp cloves
1 cup canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie mix)
3 Tbl maple syrup
3 Tbl water
½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans

1 cup Florida Crystals vegan sugar

½ cup oil

Preheat oven to 350°F.  In a large bowl, mix together flours, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, xanthan gum, salt, and spices. In a small bowl, whisk together pumpkin, oil, syrup, and water. Add wet mixture to dry; combine until just moistened. (Batter will be very thick; don’t worry!) Fold in nuts. Pour into oiled pan and bake for 40-50 minutes or until top is browned and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool 20 minutes; use a butter knife to gently loosen bread from sides of pan, then invert onto a cooling rack. Yields 1 loaf.

On the Menu

It's been another couple of busy weeks at Well on Wheels headquarters, and so this post will be a summary of menus offered during that time.  As we transition to cooler weather, seasonal veggies such as butternut and acorn squash and Brussels sprouts make an appearance.  Hooray!  I welcome their return (more so than the cold)!!

Baked Tofu with Mushroom Gravy, Steamed Asparagus and Quinoa

Pan-fried Tempeh with Broccoli and Carrot Sautee on Quinoa

Maple Glazed Baked Stuffed Acorn Squash with 

Wild Rice and Red Bean Pilaf and Toasted Pine Nuts

RAW Special:  Zucchini Lasagna with Macadamia "Rawcotta" 

and Sundried Tomato and Red Pepper Marinara

This week's entrees

Baked Tofu with Dijon Glazed Brussels Sprouts and 

Cinnamon Spiced Baked Butternut Squash

Pumpkin, Spinach and Chickpea Curry with Brown Rice

Baked Polenta with Portobello Mushroom Sauce, 

Escarole and White Beans, with Toasted Pine Nuts

Raw Taco Supreme

A client of mine has been on a raw food cleanse for the past two weeks, and this has inspired me to reintroduce some raw recipes into my repertoire.  I was in the mood for something spicy, so I decided to make a raw taco with "refried beans," mango salsa, and cashew sour cream.

The refried beans are made by soaking sunflower seeds in water until they're soft, then pulsing them in a food processor with carrot, onion, garlic, lemon juice, cumin, oregano, and sea salt until a paste forms.  These don't get cooked, but they're somehow close in consistency to the refries we love so much.

I spread a good portion of the mixture onto a crispy romaine lettuce leaf (the "taco" shell), then got my handy squeeze bottle to make a cute squiggle of cashew sour cream over the top.  On the side is a good portion of salsa made with fresh mango, local tomatoes, red and green onion, cumin, lime juice, and cilantro.  Beautiful and delicious!

This Week's Menu

Even though the thermometer outside says something like 82 degrees, it's really fall, and many of my favorite veggies of the season are beginning to make an appearance at the grocery store and on my menus.  So this week I was inspired to make use of the giant head of cauliflower I found perched proudly in the produce aisle.

The first entree uses cauliflower in an unusual way:  cutting it into thick slices and panfrying the slices until caramelized.  This process brings out the cruciferous vegetable's natural sweetness, and when combined with a savory basil cashew cream sauce, the flavors balance perfectly.

The second entree filled the kitchen with aromas of southern style crispy chicken (in a good way), which brought my client in for a peek to see what was cooking.  I combined the baked tofu cutlets with colcannon, a traditional Irish dish of mashed potatoes and kale, and some blanched carrots.

The third entree featured panfried tempeh and more cold weather veggies.  These were dressed in an agave Dijon mustard glaze for a nice boost of sweet and spicy to balance the bitter greens.  It was a simple presentation which packed a surprising flavor combination.