Native Foods Blog

Chicago VeganMania!

by Native Foods Cafe

 

Chicago friends and family!  We will be at VeganMania this Saturday, September 29th at the Broadway Armory located at 5917 N Broadway.  This is the biggest vegan festival in the Midwest with tons of food, fun and fashion too.  We will be serving up Meatball Sub Sliders, Crunchy Kale Salad and Saigon Rolls all day long.  And Chef Kendall will be doing a cooking demo at 12pm.  We are stoked!  Admission is free and it goes from 10am-5pm.... hope to see you there!

Native Foods Cafe, vegan, vegan food, vegan festival, vegan restaurant, chicago vegan, veganmania

Tofu Waldorf Salad

by Holladay Allen

Native Foods Cafe

I love Waldorf Salad, all kinds.  Vegan that is.  For Thanksgiving, we always have a Wheatberry Waldorf Salad on the menu at Native Foods Café.  And I really love making a tofu version, which I am going to share with you right now.  But first, I would like to inform you that traditionally the Waldorf Salad is made up of celery, apples, walnuts and mayo, and is usually served on a bed of lettuce.  My grandmother would often order Waldorf Salads when we out to lunch at the “club.”  I’m not talking about “da club,” I am talking about the country club.  This makes sense since the Waldorf originated in a similar setting at the Waldorf Hotel in New York City (now the Waldorf-Astoria, you know…. where the king stays in Coming to America).  The maître’d Oscar Tschirky came up with it, along with many other of the Waldorf’s signature dishes. 

My other grandmother would always serve another version (with marshmallow crème instead of mayo) at Thanksgiving.   Apparently, Waldorf is in my blood, so it makes sense that I can sit around on a Sunday afternoon and shamelessly consume copious amounts of this Tofu Waldorf Salad.  A few notes: I use grapes instead of apples, pecans instead of walnuts and I throw some red onion in too… I hope this wouldn’t get me ousted out of the Waldorf Hotel.

Tofu Waldorf Salad

 

5 oz super firm tofu, diced

1 TBSP liquid aminos

1 TBSP nutritional yeast

1 tsp coconut oil

 

1 cup celery, chopped

1 cup red seedless grapes, halved

¼ cup red onion, chopped

¾ cup pecans, toasted and chopped

¾ to 1 cup vegenaise

fresh cracked black pepper to taste

 

First, fry up that tofu!

Heat the oil in a pan on medium-high heat.  Cook until nice and lightly crispy.  Like so…

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Then toss with liquid aminos and nutritional yeast.  Set aside and let cool.

While cooling, toast the pecans over medium heat in a pan.... they will smell delicious.

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Let them cool a bit, then chop the pecans.

Mix together all the other ingredients in a bowl, then add cooled tofu.

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Toss all together, and enjoy….. on crackers, on a sandwich, in a wrap…. Or on a spoon!

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Peanut!

by Holladay Allen

Native Foods Cafe

 

I would like to formally apologize to the peanut.  I missed National Peanut Day…. and I feel awful.  I mean, I love the peanut.  In all sorts of forms, as itself, roasted and salted, in a creamy butter form, in a weird defatted powdered form… in a savory sauce…. in the Peanut Butter Parfait at Native Foods Café.  So I fully intended to make a special recipe on National Peanut Day (September 13^th), but I completely spaced it!  So I am going to try and make amends to the almighty peanut today with these...

 

No Bake Peanut Butter- Pretzel Cookies from Vegetarian Times

Native Foods Cafe, vegan, vegan food, vegan recipe, vegan no bake cookies

½ cup vanilla-flavored powdered soy beverage

1 ½ tsp. vanilla extract

½ cup creamy peanut butter

½ cup sugar

3 TBSP. brown rice syrup

2 cups crushed mini pretzels

⅓ cup sweetened flake coconut, chopped, optional

1/3 cup chocolate chips

 

1. Coat baking sheet with cooking spray. Whisk together powdered soy beverage with 4 TBSP. water in bowl (and maybe more). (I couldn’t find a powdered soy beverage, so I used a couple packets of Vega Vanilla Almondilla Shake & Go Smoothie… which worked great.  But it is green, so it changed the color a tad). Stir in vanilla.

2. Warm peanut butter, sugar, and rice syrup in saucepan over medium heat 2 minutes, or until smooth. Stir in soy beverage mixture. Stir in crushed pretzels, coconut and chocolate chips until evenly combined.  Things started looking weird here... but keep going, they taste delicious.  The whole batch was gone immediately.

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Pinch off pieces of dough, and place on prepared baking sheet to cool. Cool cookies 10 minutes before serving.

Native Foods Cafe, vegan, vegan food, vegan recipe, vegan no bake cookies

 

Fall Has Arrived!

by Chef Kendall Huff

Native Foods Cafe

 

This morning I work up with a bit of a chill. My throat was scratchy, the windows were down, and I sneezed 4 times in the shower. Yes my Midwestern friends, Fall is upon us again! My favorite season by far! Not only because it’s hoodie time, football season and Thanksgiving time, but more because honeycrisp apples and parsnips are in season. Combining both of theses in a dish would make my season!

 

 

 

The Honeycrisp apple is absolutely the most flavorful apple species out there.  Created in Minnesota, by crossbreeding the Macoun and Honeygold apples.  These apples are sweet, firm and tart.  And since 2006, it’s been the state fruit of Minnesota.

 

 

 

 

This sister vegetable to the carrot, are root veggie that are sweeter, buttery, and slightly spicy. They also have hints of butterscotch and occasionally cardamom. 

Like the carrot, the parsnip is rich in vitamins and minerals. They are rich in potassium and fiber.

 

 

Here is a great vegan snuggling soup recipe for one of those chilly nights...

 

1 cup roasted garlic

1 oz oil

1 oz vegan butter 

8 oz onions (sliced)

2.5 # parsnips (peeled and Sliced)

8 cups water

2 cups soy milk 

2 tsp salt

¼ cup thyme, chopped

 

* Heat oil and butter in a pan. Add the onions and garlic and cook for a minute.

* Add parsnips and cook for 2 more minutes.

*Add water and milk. Allow to cook for 20 to 25 minutes.

*Buzz in blender till smooth.

 

Garnish with some chopped tossed pecans and a little fresh thyme!

 

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Use your Noodle…

by Chef Kendall Huff

Native Foods Cafe

 

My dad use to say,  “Use your noodle” to me whenever I made those childish mistakes and I never really understood it. I understand it now, and I took that saying and gave it a whole new meaning. Use my noodle you say, don’t mind if I do!  I love my Soba, Udon, Somen and Ramen noodles… and I use them all the time!

 

Soba Noodles

These delicious noodles come from Japan and thin noodles made from buckwheat flour. They can be eaten cold with a dipping sauce, in a flavorful broth or soup or mixed with sautéed veggie like bok choy and enokii mushrooms.

Best part about these noodle is that they are packed with all 8 amino acids and antioxidants! And don’t be shy with these noodles. Slurping is acceptable!!

 

 

Unbelievable Udon

This noodle came from Japan as well. They can be made from wheat flour or corn. Traditionally the are served hot is soups, but break them traditions and try them on their own in a sauce or cold sesame peanut salad! Wok-fry them and get that smoky delicious flavor on them!

 

 

Sexy Somen

These noodles are in the “super model” family, aka VERY THIN!! They must be 1.3 mm in diameter, or they can’t be called Somen Noodles. This Japanese noodle is usually served cold. Some restaurants in Japan serve these noodle threw a bamboo tube that flows around the restaurant. Guests must use their chopsticks to catch the noodle in order to eat. Nothing like adding a little challenge to your dinner!

 

 

Righteous Ramen

Besides being the go to for college students, these noodles are also a great go to for a carb pick up! These Chinese style wheat noodles are amazing served in sesame soy sauce, or in miso soup topped with seaweed and scallions. Ramen is made from wheat flour, salt, water and kansui (a type of alkaline mineral water).

 

 

 

Japanese noodles mixed with a broth during the Fall season… I’m all over it. This is a simple and easy Miso Udon soup that I like to make when I need an immune boost and an Udon fix! And let me tell you, you’ll feel great after you eat this.  Get your Udon on!

 

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6 cups water (for noodles) 

½ pack Udon Noodles

4 cups water 

¼ cup Brown Rice Miso 

½ cup Kale 

 1 TBSP Dulse Flakes 

1 TBSP Soy Sauce

1 TBSP Sesame Oil

½ sheet Nori

 

-Boil 6 cups of water and add the Udons. Make sure to make them about in the water. NO STICKING HERE!! When they are all done (6 to 8 minutes), strain and set them aside.

- Place the 4 cups of water in a saucepot and heat on medium heat. When the water begins to heat up, whisk in the miso. Do not let the miso soup ever boil!

- Add in the kale pieces, spy and sesame oil and cook for 5 to 6 minutes.

-Taste! Don’t be afraid the change or tweak things. Add a chili if you want. Perhaps a dry shitake or two. Play with your broth!

-When it to your tasting, add in the Udons, nori and dulse flakes! And enjoy your journey to feeling absolutely fantastic!!

 

Native Foods Cafe, vegan, vegan food, vegan recipe, vegan restaurant, soba, udon, somen, ramen

 

 

                                                           Native Foods Cafe, vegan, vegan food, vegan recipe, vegan restaurant, soba, udon, somen, ramen

Butterscotched

by Holladay Allen

Native Foods Cafe

 

Happy National Butterscotch Pudding Day, eh?  September 19th is the day to get butterscotched. Well, you can get butterscotched anyday, but today alot more people maybe right there with you.  I don't believe I've had butterscotch pudding since I was a kid.  And to tell you the truth, I never really understood what butterscotch is... butter? scotch? a passionate love affair between the two? Actually it is the passionate love affair that occurs when alot of brown sugar and butter is melted together.  Then some cream and vanilla get involved, and well, the rest is history.  So today, during the most glorious of butterscotch celebrations, I made some vegan butterscotch pudding.  It was really easy, and quite good... but super sweet.  It actually reminded me more of a caramel pudding.  I noticed some recipes were adding yams, which makes sense to impart that orangish color into the pudding.  But anyway...  (and I got the recipe here)

Vegan Butterscotch Pudding

 3 TBSP corn starch

¾ cups dark brown sugar

1/8 tsp salt

2 ¼ cups unsweetened almond milk

1 TBSP vegan butter

1 tsp vanilla

Preparation:

1. In a small saucepan, combine the corn starch, sugar and salt until well mixed. Add ¼ cup of almond milk and place the saucepan over medium-low heat, mixing well to dissolve the corn starch and sugar.

3. Add the remaining almond milk, stirring constantly until mixture thickens for about 3 minutes. Remove the pan from heat and whisk in the soy margarine and vanilla until completely mixed. Transfer pudding to a heatproof dish, place plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pudding (this will prevent a skin from forming), and chill in the refrigerator for at least 3 hours before serving. Serve cold.

 

Native Foods Cafe, vegan, vegan food, vegan restaurant, vegan recipe, vegan butterscotch pudding

Vegan Apple Dumplings

by Holladay Allen

Native Foods Cafe

 

I bet you guys thought I totally spaced on National Apple Dumpling Day….. never!  September 17^th will always occupy a very important space in my heart, as National Apple Dumpling Day.  And I realize that I am just making it in by the skin of my teeth.  I literally just finished making these, and despite my doubts throughout the baking process, they came out absolutely delicious.  So whilst googling various recipes, I also look at the images for the best-looking goods… and my eyes were drawn to these baked apple dumplings.  So I switched out the real butter for vegan, and here we have  (recipe borrowed from Alli ‘n Sons):

 Browned Buttah & Ginger Ale Apple Dumplings

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 Whatcha Need:

 1 large apple (I used honey crisp)

1 can refrigerated crescent roll dough (Yes! It’s vegan.  Not necessarily healthy, but vegan.  Feel free to make your own dough too :)

½ cup browned butter

¼ cups white sugar

¼ cup brown sugar

½ tsp ground cinnamon

½ cup ginger ale

 

Whatcha do:

For da Browned Buttah:

1. Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat.

2.  Cut the butter and add it to the pan, whisking as you go so it doesn't burn.

3.  The butter will foam up, then subside.   (This happened with the vegan butter.)

4.  Let the butter cook, whisking often. Tiny brown flecks will begin to form at the bottom of the pan, and then the butter will turn a golden brown and smell nutty.  (This did not happen with the vegan butter.  It actually smelled a bit strange.  So I just stopped cooking it, and poured it over the sugar and cinnamon.)

5.  Remove the pan from the heat and pour the butter into a dish with sugars and cinnamon. Let cool.

 

For das Dumplings

 1.Preheat the oven to 350º F.

2. Spray an 8x8 inch baking dish with nonstick spray.

3. Cut the apple into 8 wedges.

4. Open the can of crescent roll dough and separate into triangles, 8 total.

5.  Wrap each crescent roll triangle around each apple wedge.  Pinch to seal and place in the baking dish.

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6.  Spoon the butter-sugar-cinnamon mixture on top of the dumplings.

7.  Pour the ginger ale top of the dumplings.  Sh** will get foamy!

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8.  Bake for 20 minutes, remove from oven and spoon the sauce from the bottom of the pan over the dumplings.  Bake for another 15-25 minutes until golden brown.

9.  Serve warm with vegan ice cream.  So freakin’ good.  And a half can of soda was poured over them, jeesh.

Native Foods Cafe, vegan, vegan food, vegan restaurant, vegan apple dumpling, national apple dumpling day

5 Reasons to Vegan this Week!

by Holladay Allen

Native Foods Cafe

 

1.  Righteously Raw Cacao Bars: They are righteous indeed.  And decadent, and delicious.  I like the caramel, but their are other flavors to suit your fancy.

 

2.  Brooks Running Shoes:  Brooks has stated that all of their shoes are vegan, with the exception of some of their walking shoes.  That is rad!

3.  Oasis Lentil Dip:  This dip has zero fat, 110 calories in the whole container and has only 9 ingredients, all of which I use at home.  And it is sooooo delicious, I almost ate the whole container.

4. Pansy Maiden's Port Cities Tote:  It is reversible, very stylish.... and durable.

5.  The Cheese Issue of VegNews:  This is a glorious thing people!  There is all sorts of homemade cheese recipes in here from vegan cheese mastermind Miyoko Schinner.  And we can't wait to try each and everyone of them!

 

Native Foods Cafe, vegan, vegan food, vegan restaurant, 5 Reasons to Vegan This Week

The Portobello Po' Boy Sandwich

by Native Foods Cafe

 

That's right folks, the Portobello Po' Boy Special Sandwich is available this weekend only!  And what a great sandwich it is.  So good in fact, that we watched one of our peeps down two of them in one sitting.  That is no tall tale either.  That blazing heat in July created hallucinations of sitting on a bayou in Louisiana in a muggy heat sipping ice cold beers and eating fried oyster mushrooms... so we dreamed up a vegan po'boy!

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Well, what exactly is a po' boy you may be asking?  It is a submarine sandwich that almost always is served with meat or fried seafood.  According to the Wiki-Master:

There are countless stories as to the origin of the term po' boy. The more popular theory claims that "po' boy" was coined in a New Orleans restaurant owned by Benny and Clovis Martin (originally from Raceland, LA), former streetcar conductors.  In 1929, during a four-month strike against the streetcar company, the Martin brothers served their former colleagues free sandwiches.  The Martins' restaurant workers jokingly referred to the strikers as "poor boys", and soon the sandwiches themselves took on the name.  In Louisiana dialect, this is naturally shortened to "po' boy."  

 So we say leave the seafood in the sea and let's use shrooms instead.... and the rest is history, or quite possibly the future, as in your next meal... if you can make it in this weekend... 

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The Portobello Po' Boy Special Meal at Native Foods Cafe

Crispy battered shrooms with tangy chipotle remoulade, lettuce, tomato and pickle chips on a warm grilled baguette.  Served with lemon wedges & old bayou fries.  Just $9.95

September 14th- 16th only!

Las Pepitas Bonitas

by Holladay Allen

Native Foods Cafe

 

Pumpkin season is almost here…. and I am super stoked for the following three reasons:

• Pumpkin Pie
• Pumpkin Pie Temptation Ice Cream (if I can get my hands on a pint!)
• Jack-o-Lanterns

And all the pepitas that come from the jack-o-lanterns!  (Oh, and I would love some homemade vegan pumpkin ravioli, but we’ll see what happens with that.)  Now I know that pepitas are available year round, but there is something special but harvesting them with your own bare hands from a sea of pumpkin guts… then toasting them in the oven with a sprinkle of sea salt whilst listening to old Halloween mix-tapes, or just plain old spooky sounds...

 I also love adding them to kale salads, or every so often I make a simple dish of brown rice, kale sautéed with lemon, garlic & olive oil, black beans and homemade hummus… then I top with a generous portion of toasted pumpkin seeds.  This is my kind of homey comfort food.  If you find yourself dining at a Native Foods Café longing for pepitas, you will find them atop the Ensalada Azteca, as well as in our homemade pesto.

The Ensalada Azteca from Native Foods Cafe, vegan, vegan food, vegan restaurant

So pumpkin seeds are delicious, we got it.  But there health properties are pretty amazing too.  Take it away Wikipedia:  The seeds are also good sources of protein, as well as iron, zinc, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, copper, and potassium. In regards to iron, 25 grams of pepitas can provide over 20 percent of the recommended daily iron intake.

AND they paralyze intestinal parasites.  What?!  How bizarre.  I remember a friend of mine who had eaten sushi at a questionable establishment, worrying about whether or he was going to get worms from the sushi he had eaten… as it tasted “funny.”  But then he said, “Well I’ll just eat a bunch of pumpkin seeds and kill all the potential worm babies growing in my stomach.”   And I was baffled.  But it is partially true.  Pumpkin seeds can paralyze the worms (in the intestine) preventing them from latching on to the walls of the intestine, hence allowing them to move on out! 

So what is it exactly that paralyzes the worms? Once again, I will leave that to Wikipedia:   Cucurbitacin is any of a class of biochemical compounds that some plants — notably members of the family Cucurbitaceae, that includes the common pumpkins and gourds — developed in order to defend themselves from herbivores. Cucurbitacins are chemically classified as steroids.

Whoa.  So pumpkins developed a compound to ward off us hungry herbivores.  Pretty freakin’ amazing.  Nature rules.  So next time you find yourself with a new friend, or 100, that happen to live in your intestines…. load up on las pepitas bonitas!  

Native Foods Cafe, vegan, vegan food, vegan restaurant, pumpkin seeds, pepitas, intestinal parasites