Food52 raises the bar on vegan cooking
You might not even notice no animal products are used
Food52 founders Amanda Hesser and Merrill Stubbs were wary of vegan cooking until launching Gena Hamshaw’s New Veganism column in 2012 and watching their passionate online food community fall in love with her recipes.
Now, they’ve teamed up for a vegetable-driven cookbook. You may not even notice that it’s vegan. The book: Food52 Vegan: 60 Vegetable-Driven Recipes for any Kitchen ($29.99) features Hamshaw’s recipes and James Ransom’s photos. Chapters are divided into breakfast, appetizers and snacks, soups, salads, main dishes and desserts. Twenty-one tidbits and tips at the end of some recipes add up to a “vegan 101.” The author: Food52, founded by Amanda Hesser and Merrill Stubbs, is an online community for cooks. Gena Hamshaw (pronounced Jenna) is a certified clinical nutritionist, food writer, “passionate vegan” and cookbook author who wrote Choosing Raw in 2014. She lives in New York City, blogs at choosingraw.com and writes the New Veganism column on Food52. She grew up in a meat-loving Greek family, and battled eating disorders and irritable bowel syndrome. She turned to a plant-based diet and became vegan eight years ago. Recipes I’m dying to make: Roasted Cauliflower and Freekeh Salad, Smokey Tempeh and Hummus Sandwiches, Lentil Sloppy Joes, Banana Chia Pudding, Raw Citrus Cheesecake and Baked Kale Chips as seen in the video.
Five-Minute No-Bake Granola Bars
Star Tested This is Hamshaw’s most popular Food52 recipe. It’s easy and adaptable. Be warned: these are very soft, not baked and crisp, so may crumble depending on your ingredients (brown rice syrup seems to bind better than agave). Just cut them smaller if they do. 2-1/2 cups (675 mL) large-flake oats
or quick oats
1 cup (250 mL) pepitas (raw green
pumpkin seeds) 1/2 cup (125 mL) raisins 2/3 cup (150 mL) almond butter
or peanut butter 1/2 cup (125 mL) agave nectar or brown rice syrup, plus more as needed Pinch f i ne sea salt (optional depending on which nut butter you use) Line an 8-inch (20-cm) square pan with parchment, foil or plastic wrap with enough to cover and hang over sides for easy lifting.
In large bowl, stir together oats, pepitas and raisins.
In medium bowl, stir together almond or peanut butter, 1/2 cup (125 mL) agave or brown rice syrup and salt if desired. Add to oat mixture; stir until sticky and well combined. If it’s too dry to hold together, add a bit more syrup.
Spread mixture in prepared pan. Cover with parchment/foil/plastic overhang; press firmly to form an even layer. Refrigerate at least 4 hours to help firm up.
Remove from pan and transfer to cutting board. Use long, sharp knife, cut into 10 bars or 20 squares. Wrap individually in plastic. Refrigerate up to 2 weeks.
Makes 10 large bars or 20 small squares. jbain@thestar.ca