to 9 minutes, or until the crust begins to brown. Remove from the oven, and top with the parmesan topping and basil.
SNACKS! YES!! VERY EXCITING!! This is the one meal that we can all get behind. While a lot of us don’t care so much for breakfast or put a whole lot of time into planning lunch or dinner (some issues that I have hopefully resolved with this book), the little bites in between these meals (or way, way after them) are the ones that we, as a people, have been most passionate about. Whether it’s to tide you over before a late dinner date or to sate a ravenous case of the post-boozing munchies, this chapter has what you need. Chow down!
TATER SKINZ
Things are much cooler when you replace an s with a z. Just ask Jay-Z — his original last name was S. Just imagine if he’d kept it.
Serves 4
2 large russet potatoes
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
Salt and pepper
8 strips Tempeh Bacon, chopped into bits (see recipe, page 32 )
4 tablespoons Smoked Cheddar Sauce (see recipe, page 215 )
4 tablespoons Sour Creaminess (see recipe, page 205 ) or other vegan sour cream
½ cup diced seeded tomato (see Tip, next page)
1 scallion, thinly sliced
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Pierce the potatoes a few times with a fork, coat with 1 teaspoon of the oil, and season with salt and pepper. Bake for 75 to 90 minutes. When you can easily insert a fork or toothpick all the way to the middle, they’re ready. Remove from the oven and let cool.
Turn off the oven and set your broiler on high. When the potatoes are cool enough to handle, cut them in half lengthwise, and scoop out the flesh, leaving a ¼-inch layer still attached to the skin. Save the flesh to make gnocchi or to stir into soup as a thickener. Rub the inside of the potatoes with the remaining 1 teaspoon of oil, salt, and pepper. Place the potatoes, flesh side up, under the broiler for 1 to 3 minutes, or until browned. Remove them from the broiler, and top each of the skinz with one-quarter of the bacon bits, and top that with 1 tablespoon of cheddar cheeze sauce. Placethe skinz back under the broiler for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the cheddar sauce begins to brown and bubble. Take them out of the oven and top each with 1 tablespoon of sour creaminess, 2 tablespoons of tomato, and a few scallions.
TIP
To seed a tomato, cut the tomato into quarters lengthwise, thus exposing the pockets of seeds. Run a paring knife along the inner flesh of the tomato, just under the seeds. Discard the seeds and gel-like substance around them.
CREAMY ONION DIP
Ahem…serve this dip with a healthy, elegant assortment of fresh vegetables…pffft, who are we kidding? Polish it off with a family-size bag of potato chips, crack some brew-dogs, and yell at the sports players through your TV. I’m so manly.
Makes 2 cups
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups diced yellow onion
Salt
2 cloves garlic, sliced
½ teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
1½ teaspoons brown sugar
1 cup Sour Creaminess (see recipe, page 205 ) or other vegan sour cream
1 tablespoon vegan mayo (see WTF, page 42 )
1 teaspoon chopped fresh Italian parsley
Pepper
In a frying pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the onion and a pinch of salt, and give it a quick stir. Let the onion cook for 3 to 4 minutes on one side, then stir and let cook for 3 more minutes. Stir in the garlic and thyme, and cook for 2 more minutes. Lower the heat to medium-low, and stir in the brown sugar. Let this mixture slowly cook for 15 to 20 more minutes, stirring occasionally. When the onions are soft and caramelized, they’re ready. Let them cool.
In a food processor or blender, combine the onion mixture, sour creaminess, mayo, and parsley. Blend until smooth. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
GOLDEN BEET HUMMUS
If you leave the beets out of this one, you’ll have a basic hummus that can act as a blank flavor canvas. You also may need a little more water to get the desired consistency. Add olives, sundried tomatoes,
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