Texas VegFest 2015 Cooking Demo

As of today, I have conquered one of my largest fears: a live cooking demo!  I mean, I love cooking, but I have all the grace of Elaine Benes in the kitchen.  So having people watch me make food warranted a merit badge.  Ha!

Today, I opted for super simple recipes that translate well with a large growd.  After all, it is picnic season!  The first recipe I showcased was a blackened chickpea salad.  It's gluten free, veggie based, and has a soy free option.

This is great with veggies and on sandwiches

Blackened Chickpea Salad

gluten free

soy free option: Use soy free mayo.

Dressing:

1 cup vegan mayo

¼ cup dijon mustard

2 Tbsp cider vinegar

2 grated carrots

¼ cup red onion, diced

5 green onions, minced

Blackening Spice:

1 Tbsp smoked paprika

1 Tbsp granulated garlic

1 Tbsp granulated onion

1 Tbsp dried thyme

1 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp black pepper

1 tsp cayenne pepper

1 tsp dried basil

1 tsp dried oregano

Two 15 oz cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
salt to taste

In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients for the dressing.  Add the blackening spice and stir until thoroughly combined.  Pulse the chickpeas until they are broken up, but still maintain a lot of texture (maybe 3-4 times).  Add the chickpeas to the bowl and mix thoroughly.  Salt to taste. Let chill for at least an hour before serving.

Of course, I didn't want to do a demo without doing my recipe for deviled cucumbers.  The original recipe is years old, but I only just recently replaced the tofu for cucumbers.It's so simple and really has a wow factor, so here ya go...

All about that grace, no treble.  Photo by my mom.

Deviled Cucumbers

gluten free

soy free option: Use soy free mayo

2 large English cucumbers, sliced ¼ inch thick

15 oz can white beans, rinsed and drained

scant ⅓ cup vegan mayo

1 Tbsp yellow mustard

pinch of turmeric

1 heaping Tbsp dill relish

black salt (kala namak) to taste

minced chives or green onions for garnish

paprika for garnish

Combine white beans, mayo, mustard, and turmeric in food processor.  Process until completely smooth.  Transfer to a mixing bowl.  Add the dill and black salt to taste.  Chill for at least an hour.  Meanwhile, take your cucumbers and remove a small portion of the seeds from each slice.  Do not hollow them out completely because they will hold the deviled filling.  Once the filling has set, use a piping bag (or freezer bag) to pipe into the cucumbers.  Garnish with paprika and chives.

Smoky variation: Replace the dill relish with 2 Tbsp imitation bacon bits.  Replace the paprika with smoked paprika.

Tex Mex Variation: Replace the dill relish with 1/2 tsp cumin, 1/4 tsp crushed Mexican oregano, and 1 Tbsp finely minced onion.  Garnish with chipotle chili powder and cilantro.

Que Fancy Pants Variation: Combine 3 Tbsp vegan sour cream with 1 Tbsp fresh chopped dill.  Garnish with dilly sour cream and seaweed caviar.