Wheatball Mania

Plate of wheatballs

A new job has been keeping me busy and away from posting about my VegCookbook Club cooking experiences. However I did find time to tackle one "Basics" recipe from Robin Robertson's Vegan on the Cheap, the May cookbook. Introducing...The Wheatballs.

This quick recipe requires a food processor and a skillet. You make the balls from chickpeas, mushrooms, bread crumbs, and vital wheat gluten, adding various Italian spices. (Also soy sauce, which I was out of, so I subbed lemon juice.) After two minutes of kneading the dough mixture, you pan-fry the balls. The finished wheatballs are light and airy, not dense and "meaty."    

Minestrone with wheatballs

The wheatball is a "component" recipe that works with other recipes in the book. So I tried using it two additional ways. First, I used it in minestrone (above). This is a freestyle minestrone, but Robin Robertson does provide her own recipe in the book. She suggests adding small wheatballs to the bowl. I had made regular size wheatballs, so I just halved them. I liked this addition to the soup and never would have thought of it on my own.

Next I made a wheatball sandwich (below) because how could I not? I began by whisking up the fast, tasty, and healthy Cheezee Sauce. It is an oozy nutritional yeast-based sauce that thickens with cornstarch. Then I warmed up the wheatballs in jarred marinara sauce--a suggested convenience "splurge." 

Assembling the sandwich on a roll was easy. Eating it was not. What a mess! (I think this was because the balls became even softer in the tomato sauce. Or maybe the bread was too crusty?) It was the kind of sandwich that just went "splurt!" all over the plate. I recommend serving it with a fork and knife. 

Wheatball sandwich with Cheezee Sauce 

Union Station kiosk to the rescue

My boyfriend and I ended our Norfolk trip with an early return (via thruway bus and train combo) to DC. When we arrived at Union Station, located at 50 Massachusetts Ave NE, it was lunchtime and we were starving. Luckily, Union Station has some good vegan options, especially of late.

For hungry travelers in a hurry, Sunrise Caribbean Cuisine now operates a handy seasonal outdoor kiosk. This kiosk can be found on the west side of the station, near the exterior escalator.

The friendly operator warned us that he only had a few vegan menu items on hand at the kiosk. Next time, he suggested that we should check out their food court stand, located on the station's lower level, for greater variety. (I didn't even know about this excellent food court addition!)

It looks like Sunrise also has a full restaurant, located at 107 Kennedy Street NW, and a catering company. Sunrise Catering is owned by Alisa Plaza, who was born in Trinidad and Tobago, but self-identifies as a "world citizen."

Below are photos of the lunches that we wolfed down. While these Styrofoam containers don't look pretty, this meal was amazing. The food was fresh, flavorful, and comforting. Even the mock chicken dish was full of veggies. I'm hoping to hit Sunrise every time I am traveling through Union Station, especially after wearying journeys.

Curried Potatoes and Chickpeas, Curry "Chicken," and Collard Greens

Peas and Rice, Curry "Chicken," and Collard Greens  

Norfolk, VA bites

 

Amtrak recently extended its North East Regional service to Norfolk, VA. My boyfriend and I love to explore cities via train, so we decided to make a mini-trip to this new end of the line. An otherwise sleepy, Southern city, Norfolk has one of the most active ports I've ever seen. We gawked at the naval vessels, rode the free ferry for kicks, and spotted Peta's headquarters on the Elizabeth River. And, of course, we sampled some of the vegan fare that Norfolk has to offer. Here are some highlights:

In the Ghent neighborhood, we split a sandwich at Cogan's Pizza, 1901 Colonial Avenue. This vegan "chicken" Philly sub (above) was a delicious mouthful. I think Gardein and Daiya have been discovered big time in Norfolk. The sandwich was packed full of these mock products. It also had sautéed onions and peppers. There was a high charge for our vegan substitutions ($4). However, the friendly staff split the sandwich into two baskets, each with pickle and chips. Cogan's has a good beer selection and ample outdoor seating in their welcoming front patio area.  

In Downtown Norfolk, we visited Hell's Kitchen for dinner. Located at 124 Granby Street, Hell's Kitchen is convenient to the light rail and not far from the waterfront. This chill bar/restaurant/live music venue has a small vegan menu with some pricey items. (However, they have no hidden vegan tax.) I ordered the BBQ Grilled Burrito. I asked for black beans but it came with fake chicken instead, which was fine. This tasty burrito featured a sweet, tangy BBQ sauce. I thought the provided steak knife was a joke at first but it really was helpful for cutting.

My boyfriend had the Buffalo "Ficken" Wrap (below). This wrap was less inspired, with limp lettuce, dry tomatoes, and, you guessed it, more Gardein. As for the side veggies, the asparagus was great, the broccoli terrible. I can't recall when I've had broccoli that tasted so much like cardboard. Still, it was nice to have green sides after all the processed food.  

Vegan on the Cheap for May

My library hold has arrived for the May VegCookbook Club selection, Vegan on the Cheap by Robin Robertson. The first recipe that I have made from this cookbook is an affordable and simple one. This recipe also appears for free, on Robin Robertson's Global Vegan Kitchen website.

Penne-Wise Peanutty Pasta  
Although this was a budget dish, it tasted rich and decadent. First you prepare an easy Asian-style peanut sauce, with peanut butter and silken tofu. I subbed almond milk for the soy milk and added extra garlic and red pepper flakes. Next you cook your whole-wheat penne and veggies.

I wasn't a fan of the cooking method for the broccoli and carrots. I worry that boiling them in the pasta water loses some nutrients. However it is quick trick, for when you are short on time, as well as money. For garnish I used more green onions instead of herbs and extra peanuts. I liked this dish but thought it could be tweaked. Maybe you could use less peanut butter too?

Quick empanada fix at Julia's Empanadas

This isn't your coworker's Hot Pocket.

Looking for quick street food in Adams Morgan? Julia's Empanadas is the spot. Located at 2452 18th ST NW, this humble take-away shop offers up a variety of handmade South American-style empanadas, including their vegan/vegetarian option. This special menu item changes weekly and is affordably priced (~$4) for an impressively-sized savory pastry.

According to Julia's online menu, the veggie empanada dough is made with puréed butternut squash. I didn't pick up on that flavor but did enjoy what was stuffed inside the thick, crusty shell. It was a lightly curried mix of pinto beans, cauliflower, collard greens, onion, and carrots. A satisfying, fresh, and fast fix.

They also had vegan black bean soup when I visited and some good-looking packaged salads. Julia's is open late night in Adams Morgan. Sadly, their Columbia Heights location closed recently. (It was too close to Sticky Fingers for me.) But they still have establishments in Dupont and Brightwood.

Julia's Empanadas

Popsicles and a shake to finish HIAV!

Popsicle prep - DIY-style

The month of May has almost arrived and with it comes another VegCookbook Club pick. Vegan on The Cheap: Great and Simple Strategies that Save You Time and Money by Robin Robertson is next month's selection. Being a cheap vegan myself, I've placed it on hold at the public library.

Here are the last two recipes that I made from April's VegCookbook, How It All Vegan! Both appear in the "Meals for the Picky" section of the Vegan Kids Stuff chapter.

Rabbit Shake
This seems more like a smoothie than a shake to me. However, I've never thought to grate a carrot or put silken tofu into a smoothie before this recipe. These two additions made one of the thickest drinks I've ever encountered. If viscosity is the top criterion, perhaps it is a shake after all?

The recipe also calls for orange juice and frozen banana chunks. Because I'm an adult, I threw in some ground flax seeds and a handful of spinach, which I doubt kids would even notice taste-wise.

I liked this sweet, creamy rabbit shake so much, I made it twice. However I did substitute vegan milk for the tofu on the second round. I'm going to keep this drink in my arsenal, especially for when I'm running low on berries.

Tofudgesicles
Basically, you make a silken tofu pudding (not unlike the one I made earlier this month). Then you freeze it. I froze these ice pops overnight but I think they were probably ready after an hour or two.  

The recipe calls for Popsicle molds, but I decided to be DIY, using only what I had on hand. So I dug out some little plastic picnic cups from my cupboard. Then I inserted some stray bamboo To-Go Ware utensils for the "sticks." Finally, I used plastic wrap to position the sticks upright. Amazingly, this DIY trick worked!

The ice cold pops were messy and delicious. Next time I would like to play around with the spices and try to attempt a Mexican hot chocolate pop, just like my beloved Pleasant Pop paleta.

ve = vegan at Ping Pong Dim Sum

It had been awhile since I visited Ping Pong Dim Sum, located at 900 7th ST NW, at the north end of DC's tiny Chinatown. A global restaurant chain, Ping Pong has locations in London, São Paulo, and Dubai. "Little steamed parcels of deliciousness" is the dim sum restaurant's motto and promise. They focus on small plates, kind of like an Asian-style tapas experience. There is no steam cart, rather you are given a pencil and a set list menu to mark your selections. (It's not unlike placing a sushi order.) In theory, this is a nice way to sample and share a variety of little dishes. In practice, it often results in a light, expensive meal instead of an ample, cheap smorgasbord.

Happily, since my last visit, Ping Pong's dim sum menu now denotes vegan dishes, as well as vegetarian ones. The letters "ve" mean "vegan." ("V" still stands for "vegetarian.") This minor notation puts significant questions to rest (e.g., eggs and honey). Now a vegan can fearlessly order dish after dish. Ping Pong's online menu takes this a step further, providing filters for different diets, including "gluten friendly" and "no nuts." These excellent menu clarifications are certain to please many customers.  

Little parcels of deliciousness

Here is a photo of our parcels of deliciousness from the night that my boyfriend and I visited. As usual, the food was attractively arranged. However the restaurant's mood lighting made taking glamorous photographs difficult. We started with a soothing vegetable wonton soup (left). Followed by a flurry of bamboo baskets, containing: (middle row, top to bottom) steamed vegetable buns, pak choi dumplings, and broccoli with celery salt. The fried spinach and mushroom dumplings (right) were my favorite items, with an intensely vinegary sweet and sour sauce.

In general, menu items arrive in threes, so be ready to negotiate if sharing. (I've become adept at cutting with chopsticks. My boyfriend is better at taking half bites.) Also be forewarned, the bustling servers always bring two types of hot sauce to each table. The servers will tell you which of these hot sauces contains fish and, therefore, isn't vegetarian. Meanwhile, the vegan hot sauce is great stuff--spicy and fiery red. I took a photo of it too.

The vegan hot sauce

Ping Pong Dim Sum has a vegetarian prixe fixe menu, but they do not currently have a vegan one. They do have an impressive beverage selection. They offer inventive cocktails, fine teas, wine, saki, Asian beers, and other cooling concoctions. Their Chinatown location features a sleek, modern decor with a sunken dining area, posh bathrooms, and a long side bar. The restaurant is often packed and has a tendency to get loud. Ping Pong has a second Washington D.C. location, close to Dupont Circle.