Vegan Junk Food

17 Feb

Yes, you read that correctly…I’ve taken a little visit to the vegan world!  Usually, reviewing a vegan cookbook wouldn’t pique my interest, but when I heard about Vegan Junk Food: 225 Sinful Snacks that are Good for the Soul by Lane Gold, it struck my comfort food nerve.  I’m always up for learning about new ingredients, and this would be the perfect way – using vegan alternatives I’ve never tasted to make some traditional recipes I usually crave.

Who would have thought there would be delicious vegan recipes for Chicken Pot Pie, Eggnog French Toast wiht Butter Rum Sauce, Baked Ziti Pizza, and Coconut Creme Brulee?  I know, I know…vegan diets are usually promoted for their health benefits, but let’s face it…even vegans need the chance to pig out once in a while! 

Beer-Barbecued Meatballs, made with textured vegetable protein (TVP), walnuts and ground flaxseeds, were such a happy surprise!  The texture was a bit odd for this non-vegan, but I think that was partially because I didn’t mince the walnuts finely enough.  The flavor, on the other hand, was fantastic!  I think the vegan “meat” mixture actually soaked up even more yummy flavor from the beer-barbecue sauce marinade than traditional meatballs. 

Vegan or non-vegan, you will fall completely and totally in love with the Layered Pizza Dip!  At first, I balked at all of the vegan substitutes…vegan cream cheese, vegan pepperoni, and mozzarella-flavored rice shreds aren’t usually in my repertoire…but boy, was I surprised!  I can honestly say this dish could be the perfect fakeout – it tastes exactly like the traditional dish!  The only small difference is that the rice shreds didn’t melt like non-vegan cheese does, but that’s ok…it became golden and crispy like mac & cheese edges instead!  Seriously – I sat and ate this dip for waaayy longer than I should have – it was so good!

I realize it is encouraging to hear that even a non-vegan enjoyed the treats in Vegan Junk Food, but I figured I should get some actual vegans’ opinions on the recipes…so I asked Jersey Guy and Mama I to test out a recipe for me, too.  Jersey Guy and Mama I have been following the plant-based, oil-free eating plan spelled out in Prevent and Reverse Heart Disease by Caldwell Esselstyn, M.D., so they had to make a few changes when they tried outVegan Junk Food’s Sloppy Joe recipe (i.e., no oil, and Jersey Guy’s own bread recipe rather than hamburger buns), but since their diet is vegan-based, I thought they would be perfect recipe testers!  According to Jersey Guy, “There was really nothing that we didn’t like.  Prep was easy, quick to prepare, taste and experience was excellent.  It was very nice on the whole wheat bread but the next day we used the little that was left over as topping on spaghetti and that was excellent too.  Definitely a keeper. “  I love Jersey Guy and Mama I’s idea of using the sloppy joe mixture as a topping on spaghetti…add some chopped onions and vegan shredded cheese, and you’ve got a vegan alternative for Cincinnati chili!

I have to admit – I was very pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed the recipes I made from Vegan Junk Food.   With both vegans and non-vegans singing the praises of the recipes in this book, what’s not to love?  In fact, I loved the pizza dip recipe so much, that with permission, I am sharing it with you here:

Layered Pizza Dip (From Vegan Junk Food: 225 Sinful Snacks that are Good for the Soul by Lane Gold. Copyright © 2012 Lane Gold)

Serves 4–6

  • 1 8-ounce container vegan cream cheese
  • 1 3-ounce package sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon oregano
  • 1 cup marinara sauce
  • ½ cup vegan pepperoni slices
  • ¼ cup mushrooms, sliced thin
  • ¼ cup bell peppers, sliced thin
  • ¼ cup onions, sliced thin
  • 1 cup vegan mozzarella shreds
  • French bread baguette

1. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Lightly grease a 9″ × 9″ baking dish.

2. In a small bowl, mix cream cheese, sun-dried tomatoes, and oregano.  Spread in the bottom of prepared dish. Top with marinara.

3. Layer pepperoni slices, mushrooms, bell peppers, and onions on marinara. Top with mozzarella cheese.

4. Bake for 20–25 minutes or until vegetables are tender and mozzarella is melted.

5. Serve with French bread torn into pieces.

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Harry’s Oyster Bar

15 Feb

A cool, casual restaurant with a menu brimming full of everything you crave in a seafood feast, a huge craft beer selection, plenty of TVs at the bar so you can catch whatever game strikes your fancy, and a dining room with boardwalk views? Yes please!  Harry’s Oyster Bar at Bally’s Atlantic City can satisfy your every seafood whim, wash it down with the perfect cold beer, and do it all while you gaze upon the historic Atlantic City Boardwalk!  During a recent media dinner at Harry’s Oyster Bar, I had the opportunity to check out their menu, as well as some of their latest craft beer selections.  Here’s the thing – I’m not the biggest beer drinker, so full disclosure – while I am proud of myself for tasting every one of the beers served that evening, I don’t feel qualified to offer a review of them.  (Although I do know I enjoyed the Yards Love Stout!)  The food, however, I can talk about…and here are all the details!

Tuna Tartare Chips

We began our evening with an assortment of every raw bar option you could possibly imagine…oysters and clams on the half shell, shrimp cocktail, crabmeat cocktail, shrimp ceviche, and the most delicious tuna tartare chips, which were bite-sized versions of Harry’s Oyster Bar’s raw bar offering.  The jewel-toned raw ahi tuna was tossed with a tart lemon soy dressing and sweet cucumber “noodles,” and was a light, delicious (and addictive!) way to begin a meal.

Oysters Rockefeller

Steamed Clams

Oysters Rockefeller were a huge treat, in all their buttery, rich, old-school glory.  I don’t see this dish on too many menus these days, and I’m not sure why…there is nothing like buttery, warm, herby-spinachy, comfort-foody oysters for dinner on a chilly winter night.  And who doesn’t love steamed clams, served in a garlicky broth with big pieces of crusty bread for dipping?

Cajun Fried Shrimp

I have to tell you – we tasted a lot of Harry’s Oyster Bar appetizers that evening, and my favorite by far was the Cajun Fried Shrimp!  The shrimp were coated in a spicy, tangy Cajun batter – not too much, so we could still taste the sweet shrimp inside – and fried to light, crispy, golden perfection!  These beauties are served with sauce for dipping, but you won’t need it – there is no reason to interfere with their spectacular flavor!

Pan Fried Oysters

I ordered my absolute favorite for dinner – fried oysters!  I usually prefer a brinier oyster than the Chesapeake Oysters Harry’s uses for their fried oysters, but that’s ok - these meaty bites were absolutely delicious!  They are served with tartar sauce, cocktail sauce and a spicy remoulade, and I ended up dipping almost all of mine in that yummy remoulade.  I cooled off my palate with the coleslaw served with the fried oysters.  I love the coleslaw traditionally served at seafood restaurants, because it is more acidic and less drenched in mayonnaise than it’s deli counterpart.  Harry’s Oyster Bar is no exception – I loved their coleslaw, and it was the perfect accompaniment to the oysters dipped in spicy remoulade!

Next time you’re in Atlantic City, head over to Bally’s to kick back and relax at Harry’s Oyster Bar.  Enjoy delicious seafood classics, a cold beer, and either the view of the Atlantic City Boardwalk or your favorite game on TV – and when winter’s over, you can sit outside to enjoy it all!

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