High Vibe Crudites w/ Hemp Buttermilk Ranch

HIGH VIBE CRUDITES w/ HEMP BUTTERMILK RANCH

Cut your own veggies and just say no to sad, pre-fab vegetable trays. And definitely serve it with our house ranch.

Creating your own Vegetable tray...

Search out the freshest organic and/or locally grown vegetables, making sure that are in an unprocessed state. Pre-cut and processed vegetables, have lower energetic life vibes going on and taste mediocre. Convenience has a sad price and less nutrients. The site of the standard vegetable tray is the epitome of American laziness. OMG you can handle cutting own vegetables. Just do it already.

The veggies...

Baby Broccolli is a succulent addition

cut off 1 inch of ends & lightly steam

Carrots, splurge and get the fresh ones with their leaves on top, look for fun heirloom varietals that are purple and/or yellow

Peel with vegetable peeler, cut into 4-5 inch long thick matchsticks

Celery, purchasing Organic is very important with this veggie

Cut off the leafy tops off (save in freezer and add to homemade veggie stock) and cut stalks into 4-5 inch long fat matchsticks. I usually get about 7 celery sticks per stalk

Cucumber, perhaps the easiest vegetable to add, get Organic and avoid the toxic wax thats' on conventional cukes

Slice it to desired thickness, 1/4 inch a good size

Yellow or Red Peppers

Cut in half, then quarters, getting rid of the stem and all white pilth.

Do your best to make slices suitable for dipping

Globe Radish, Daikon, or Watermelon Radish, spicy and easy to add

Clean off the radishes real good and remove the green tops. Slice.

The Daikon may need to be peeled with a vegetable peeler

Green Beans, garden fresh is best

Cut off the ends and lightly steam

Snap Peas or Snow Peas
Cut off the tough ends

HEMP BUTTERMILK RANCH DRESSING

Recipe makes 2+ cups

Whisk the following ingredients together in small bowl:

1.5c  Vegan Mayonaise, preferably Just Mayo or Veganaise brand

5/8c  Hemp Buttermilk, link to blog recipe

2T    fresh lemon juice, from a real lemon

1.5t   garlic powder

fresh cracked black pepper, a few good turns

.75t   dried oregano or marjoram

1t      onion powder

1/4t   sea salt, Himalayan, or Utah red salt

1/8t   celery seed powder

1T     fresh minced chives, optional

1T     fresh minced parsley, optional


Copyright Disclaimer:  The information provided here is copyright protected and used with written permission. Recipes are for personal use only and may not be used for any other purpose(s) without the written consent of Revolution in the Kitchen, Sarah Gordon and/or Veg Fresh Cookery. Commercial use is not authorized. We offer restaurant menu consultations and food industry consultations. For more information visit www.revolutioninthe.kitchen

Deviled Yukon Golds

DEVILED YUKON GOLDS

People flip out when I serve these. They are the first to go at my catering events. Its’ like 1950’s nostalgia remixed by Skrillex for a brand new beat. SO! Listen up! You’ve got to use Kala Namak salt in this recipe, nothing else is a substitute. This specific salt is the key to recipe success. Its’ hard to find and you may have to go to a middle eastern grocer or order it off of Amazon (like I did). This salt is featured in other recipes of mine, think quiche and veg fried rice, so you’ll be glad you made the purchase. Its’ an Indian black salt that smells and tastes like eggs because of its’ high sulfur content. Don’t substitute “black salt” or anything else. Only use Kala Namak. Got it? Recipe makes 20 Deviled Yukons

This recipe was inspired by the following recipe blog on Post Punk Kitchen: http://www.theppk.com/2013/03/devilish-potatoes/

You have to plan ahead on this recipe! 2 hours before starting, soak:

1/2c hemp hearts in 1c water

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

20 small Yukon gold potatoes, the size of an egg*

Cut all potatoes in half lengthwise. Cut off round ends of halves so the cut part resembles the diameter of a dime. Basically, make the cut as small as possible. This helps the potato half sits nicely on serving platter. Put all potato halves on a sheet pan and top with:

1-2T olive oil

1t sea salt or sal gris

Toss to coat and then arrange potatoes large side down onto sheet pan. Bake for 15-22 minutes, flipping over/rotating potatoes halfway through. Potatoes should be tender and lightly browned. Baking time varies dependent on factors such as potato type and size. When done, take out and remove from pan. Place potatoes in a container and let them cool a bit before proceeding to next step.

Now the fun part…making the potato look like a deviled egg:

Relax. You got this. This step takes a detailed hand and patience. Give yourself a little extra time to get the hang of it. With a small soup spoon, gently carve out the inside of each potato half, leaving ¼ inch onto the potato skin edges. Be careful not to break through the cut bottoms or to tear the top browned part. Save the scooped out insides and set aside.

Lets’ make the filling. 

Strain the soaked hemp hearts (remember that first step to the recipe?) through a fine meshed strainer or cheesecloth. Discard the water. Place in food processor (or blender if you absolutely have to) with:

3/8c vegetable broth

Process or blend on high till creamy, about 1 minute, scraping the sides down halfway through. A blender is a pain in the arse here. You will have to stop repeatedly and scrape down the sides often, but it will work.

Add to the mixture:

Potato insides

1/2t turmeric

1t Kala Namak, not optional so find this shiz fast

2t fresh lemon juice, from a real lemon

fresh cracked black pepper

Process on high till perfectly thick and creamy. The goal is a thick enough mixture that will hold its’ form when piped with decorator bag. Yet, it has to be pipable and creamy too. If its’ too thick, it won’t be go through piping tip. If its’ too thin it will lose its’ shape. Yep- kinda tricky! Add 1/8 -1/4c more vegetable stock, if needed, to get the proper consistency. If you find that you added too much stock and the mixture isn’t thick enough, you can add arrowroot or potato starch 1/8c at a time until right texture is achieved. The starch has to be mixed in with a blender or food processor. Proceed.

Okay so the perfect filling has been made. I knew you could do it!

Get your pastry bag (those triangle plastic bag thingys in cake decorating section) outfitted with the largest star shaped tip you have. Kitchen specialty stores carry big ones, my favorite to use. Fill it up with potato filling mixture. Put in refrigerator for 10 minutes or so to let the mixture thicken up.

Arrange potato skins on large platter. Pipe filling into each halve to resemble a deviled egg. 

Garnish with:

Smoked Paprika

Sprigs of Fresh Dill

Take a look at the pretty photo in this blog again for artsy plating inspiration.

 *Search out baby yukons the size of an egg. Trader Joes’ sells these by the bag. I’ve also had luck at Natural Grocers and King Soopers with finding smallish potatoes within the potato section. Baby red potatoes can be substituted if need be.

Copyright Disclaimer:  The information provided here is copyright protected and used with written permission. Recipes are for personal use only and may not be used for any other purpose(s) without the written consent of Revolution in the Kitchen, Sarah Gordon and/or Veg Fresh Cookery. Commercial use is not authorized. We offer restaurant menu consultations and food industry consultations. For more information visit www.revolutioninthe.kitchen

Edamame with Hemp Seed Gomasio

  EDAMAME W/ HEMP SEED GOMASIO

This healthful snack appeals to children and adults and is a popular shared appetizer. Edamame are whole soybean pods. Eat by placing in mouth and use teeth to pop out the beans. Don’t eat the pods- only the beans inside! Find Edamame in the frozen section, usually in the “health food” zone. Make sure to get the whole pods, not unshelled edamame. Look for the GMO free and/or Organic label before purchasing, as soy is widely genetically modified. Recipe makes 2 cups.

Steam according to package directions:

2 cups frozen edamame

Finished edamame pods are spring green in color. Place in serving bowl. 

Sprinkle:

 2-3t hemp seed gomasio, recipe follows, on top, to taste

HEMP SEED GOMASIO SEASONING

Gomasio is a Japanese seasoning featuring toasted sesame seeds. Its’ a low sodium alternative to salt, full of micronutrients and food energetics that only seeds can give. I put this on everything. Encrust pan-fried tofu, sprinkle over steamed veggies, or add to your next stir fry. Its’ delicious on Edamame and surprisingly compatible with Mexican food dishes. Make it, experiment with it, love it.

Recipe makes 1.5 cups.

Toast till dry in skillet, and then place in medium bowl:

2t unrefined Himalayan, sea, or Utah red salt*

Toast till popping/crackling:

3/4c brown sesame seeds

Put ½ of seeds in bowl with salt and the other half in food processor.

Add the following to the seeds in food processor:

¼ c shelled hemp seeds (aka hemp hearts)

¼ sheet of Nori seaweed, tore into bite size pieces

Pulse until the seaweed is broken down. Add this mixture to sesame seed/salt mixture and mix together. Let cool completely then store in spice containers or mason jar.

 *A note about salt: Standard refined iodized salt has no place in a high vibe diet. It has been proven to deplete and have a negative effect on our bodies at a cellular electromagnetic level. Unrefined salts such as Himalayan and sea salt enhance our cellular energetics. Himalayan salt is from the biggest mountain ranges on Earth – that’s’ the kind of energy I want in my body! There is an ancient sea salt that comes from Utah sold as Utah red salt. I use this salt often as well. It is my salt go to for making Gomasio.

Copyright Disclaimer:  The information provided here is copyright protected and used with written permission. Recipes are for personal use only and may not be used for any other purpose(s) without the written consent of Revolution in the Kitchen, Sarah Gordon and/or Veg Fresh Cookery. Commercial use is not authorized. We offer restaurant menu consultations and food industry consultations. For more information visit www.revolutioninthe.kitchen

Sputnik Brunch | Vegan in the City | Denver Restaurant Reviews

Sputnik
3 South Broadway, Denver Colorado

THE FOOD ORDER:
Stacks of Vegan Power- Quinoa cakes, potatoes, veggies, greens, avocado, roasted garlic sauce

Chilaquiles, veganized- Corn tortillas, pinto beans, pickled nopales, pico de gallo, green chili, and scrambled tofu

Side of Home Fries

Oh Sputnik! Somedays you perform beautifully with creative food, great service, and perfectly executed dishes. I leave happy and satisfied. I rant about your abilities, your food, and send friends your way. Then there are the other days...
Sadly, these are becoming more commonplace. A change in staff perhaps? An unhappy kitchen? Possibly, Sputnik is now relying on their well deserved reputation from the past and not continuing to improve or maintain those standards. Thank you for giving us vegan options. Yet don't just throw mindlessly prepared food our way, call it vegan, and expect us to be happy and keep coming back. A vegan menu needs more than creative dish titles and unique ingredients. It needs consistent execution and a well trained staff. It needs thoughtful food preparation and trained knowledge of vegetables. 

As can be divulged from the opening paragraph, the brunch was incredibly disappointing. It was some of the most mediocre and sloppily prepared food I have ever had in Denver. It tasted like a hungover cook who should have taken the day off instead of gracing us all with his thoughtless cooking. To begin, I do not want to listen to full blast Sirius XM Classic Rock music at 11:00 in the morning. That overplayed Journey song does not excite my taste buds and only added to the annoyance. Does anyone want to hear Classic Rock full blast while eating brunch? We asked our server to turn down the music, but our requests were ignored.

As a seasoned traveller to Mexico, I was excited to see a veganized version of Chilaquiles being offered. This is the ultimate comfort food breakfast south of the border. Sputniks' version compared on some levels with a flavorful tomatillo sauce perfectly saucing crispy tortilla chips. The scrambled tofu was excellent and accompanied the Chilaquiles well. However, the beans looked inedible and they were frigid cold. They appeared as if they had been on the food line for a few days resulting in dried out beans with a thick, unappetizing texture. Canned beans would have had more appeal. It is obvious these beans came from a can. Just how many days ago was the mystery at hand. 'Pickled Nopales' are served with this entree. Sputnik's version, or the hungover cook's version, is canned nopal cactus strips mixed with chile powder and raw onions. It is served cold. It is the weirdest preparation of nopal cactus I have ever encountered. It makes no sense on a foodie level. It has no place on the menu. The flavor of canned nopales is dramatically different than freshly prepared nopales. It might sound cool and creative on the menu description, but don't bother bringing me the cheap canned version. It is a sad reflection on this central mexican dish.

Lets' move on to the side of home fries I ordered. They were cut up french fries. I was served chopped up french fries and told it was 'home fries'. I am still speechless, even as I write this review.

Stacks of Vegan Power is quite a menu item name. The description sounds amazing and I am sure when this dish is prepared correctly, it is a great creation. At first glance, all I could see was a huge pile of kale and veggies as the server set this down for us to eat. The presentation was sloppy and looked thrown together in a hurry. Kale is a food trend that many restaurants are getting on board with these days. It is a superfood that needs to be treated with respect by chefs and cooks. When properly prepared, depth and complexity is instantly added to any dish it is featured in. The most basic rule with kale is to remove the huge, chewy center ribs. The second rule is to make sure it gets enough moisture through sauteeing and/or steaming so that the kale isn't chewy and can be eaten easily. Oh Sputnik! I expected you to know how these rules. A plate of undercooked, chewy, chunky, and ribbed kale pieces epitomized a health food meets dive bar food nightmare. So we have a tasteless vegetable pile of kale combined with raw onions and undercooked carrots. There was absolutely no seasoning detected on these vegetables. My taste buds screamed '"MEH"! Thankfully, the Quinoa cakes hidden underneath were flavorful, however, deep fried. I enjoyed the garlic sauce and wished there was twice as much of it. This dish needs work, but has potential.

In summary, I will go back to Sputnik and give this place another chance. I have had great food experiences in the past and am hopeful to have more. This review is harsh. But a restaurant needs to have pride in what it serves and this should be reflected in each dish given to customers. The mediocrity and poor execution of the brunch was inexcusable. I eat vegan, but expect the same amount of attention to be paid to my food as well.

Gluten Free Holiday Catering | Vegan Holiday Catering | Denver | Boulder

Revolution in the Kitchen offers innovative holiday catering. Choose from specialty platters that can be ordered separately or a whole spread of food. We focus on gluten free and plant foods based offerings that people of all dietary backgrounds enjoy. Our catering uses only GMO free ingredients and a minimum %75 organic ingredients in all of our food. 
Contact us:
revolutioninthekitchen@hotmail.com  
P 970.317.4009
visit our website:
http://www.vegfreshmex.com/#!services/c1u9e

RAW PISTACIO MIMOSA STUFFED DATES

orange zested himalayan sea salt gremolata

SPRING ROLL PLATTER with THAI PEANUT SAUCE

GREEN CHILE POLENTA

with Palisade Peach Salsa

RAW OYSTER MUSHROOM CEVICHE in ENDIVE

ASIAN PLATTER

shitake tofu lettuce tacos, forbidden rice sushi, veg california roll, organic edamame with Utah salt gomasio, wasabi tamari

DIVINE FELINE GALA MENU

PUMPKIN BARS

lemon buttercream, himalayan salted caramel, gluten free and vegan

SHITAKE TOFU LETTUCE TACOS

pea sprouts, siracha cream, organic edamame with Utah salt gomasio

DEVILED YUKON GOLD POTATOES

RAW NUT CULTURED HOLIDAY CHEESEBALL

pomegranate and pistacio encrusted, candied ginger and orange zest