Photo by Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times

The March 23rd issue of the New York Times has an interesting article by Martha Rose Shulman about the benefits of making whole grains the "center of the plate." Amen to that, sister! The article includes an amazing recipe for Wild Rice and Brown Rice Salad with Walnuts and Asparagus, and unlike many other such potentially delicious recipes, this one isn't compelled to add a sprinkle of cheese at the end. Because who needs that?

Blue Potatoes in The Seattle Times

Photo by Steve Ringman
The March 15th issue of The Seattle Times features a great article by Greg Atkinson about blue potatoes, complete with a mashed potato recipe. This is a perfect example of vegan serendipity--a recipe that would typically contain dairy doesn't contain dairy just because it would "only mask the brilliant color and delicate flavor of these spuds." How cool is that?

Golden Potatoes with Caper Brown Butter Crumbs from Gourmet.com

Photo by Roland Bello.


Gourmet's website this month features ten April favorite foods chosen by their editors. As you might expect, most aren't vegan, but the first one is, assuming you already know that butter = Earth Balance. Golden Potatoes with Caper Brown Butter Crumbs is easy and incredibly delicious--a great way to add life and liveliness to your 'taters. Try it with grilled tofu and a big salad. The recipe is by Maggie Ruggiero, a food editor at Gourmet.

Millenium Restaurant in San Francisco

I just found a link to this article in the Honolulu Star-Bulletin about fine dining, vegan style, at Millennium restaurant in San Francisco. It doesn't contain any recipes, but it's an interesting commentary on how the "gourmet vegan" concept is becoming more mainstream and economically viable as a hook for restaurants. The photo shows a vegan chocolate caramelized banana torte from Millennium restaurant.

Midwest Living March/April 2009

photo from the March/April edition of Midwest Living
The new issue of Midwest Living has a few gems inside. Sure, the Midwest loves meat, but we midwesterners also love our home-grown produce and lots of flavor.

A harbinger of spring here in Iowa is, undoubtedly, the appearance of rhubarb stalks in backyard gardens. Midwest Living apparently agrees. Check out the Rhubarb Crunch, which is entirely vegan since we all know that "butter" actually means "Earth Balance."

In a more savory mood? Then look for the Italian Rice Salad, featuring a garlic vinaigrette plus sweet peppers and artichoke hearts. This recipe comes from Bev Shaffer, a natural-food store cooking teacher in Ohio, according to the magazine.

The issue also features colorful decorating ideas and cool Midwestern trips, so check it out. And be patient--spring really will be here soon and we can all start eating local again.

Saveur February 2009

Photos by Andre Baranowski.

The new issue of Saveur rocks, and they are not paying me to say this. It's a veritable vegan paradise. Sure, it has bound-and-gagged chicken on the cover, but it is the home cook edition, which has some excellent articles about tools and pantry staples, along with some really great basic have-to-have-it recipes inside that can greatly enhance your cooking efforts. You'll refer back to these again and again, I'm guessing.

First, check out page 35, for a list of the best sugars, and page 39, for a run-down of superior olive oils. Learn more about salt on page 57, and get a lesson on bartender techniques on page 79.

If you don't mind that Guinness may or may not be vegan, check out the Spicy Guinness Mustard recipes on page 47.

Then it gets serious. Check out the fantastic recipe for Harissa on page 50 and you won't ever have to buy the jarred stuff again.

Or shun those big ketchup companies and make your own from the ketchup recipe on page 52.

On page 56, find a recipe for Worcestershire Sauce (just skip the 1 anchovy). If you look closely you can find a recipe for Couve (sauteed Collard Greens) on page 62.

Jazz up your food with Sofrito from the recipe on page 63, which comes from Oswald Rivera, who wrote Puerto Rican Cuisine in America. Then find a great recipe for Hot Sauce on page 64. Douse your tofu in this and never look back.

On page 69, check out Zuppa di Grano Cuturru (Sicilian Greens and Bulgur Soup). Just use veg broth instead of chicken and skip the totally unnecessary garnish of pecorino. Leave out the fish sauce and make Gaeng Pet (Thai Red Curry Paste) or choose a recipe where you don't have to leave out anything and make Spaghetti with Oven-Roasted Tomatoes and Caramelized Fennel from page 75.

I know this issue will keep me in the kitchen for awhile.