Friday, October 21, 2011

vegan mofo :: coincedences and win "vegan diner!"


I used frozen blueberries to create Julie's classic, all-in-one-pan cobbler. So much flavor for so little work.

"In mathematics, two angles that are said to coincide fit together perfectly. The word coincidence does not describe luck or mistakes. It describes that which fits together perfectly."– Dr Wayne Dyer

About 5 years ago, a food photographer named Steve Legato shot me [and my ex] for the New York Times. Words and wine flowed like water, and Steve immediately felt like an old friend. He introduced me to my agent, which helped lead to my first –and second – cookbooks. Flash forward a few years later. My friend, vegan cooking goddess Julie Hasson, asked me to write a blurb for her fabulous new cookbook, Vegan Diner. Around the same time, I was surprised to run into Steve in my hallway. As it turned out, he had moved his photography studio from across town into my loft building, just a floor below me.

When Julie's book came out earlier this year, she sent me a copy. I paged through and noticed Steve's name in the photo credits; he did all of Julie's photography, just a floor below me, while I was writing a blurb for the very same book. I couldn't believe it. Ironically, Steve and I were chatting in the hallway last week when I received the advance copy of Celebrate Vegan. [Just two more weeks, kids!] Coincidence? Yes, according to the above definition. It made sense that he should see it come full circle. 

Coincidentally (!), it's time for another giveaway contest! Isn't Vegan Mofo fun? If you'd like to enter to win a copy of Vegan Diner, please leave a comment with your favorite vegan diner food [US residents only, please. Sorry but these are the rules specified by Julie's publisher.]. I'll announce a winner in the next few days. In the meantime, try Julie's recipe for Easy Blackberry Skillet Pie. It's the quintessential autumnal dessert– sweet, warming and comforting.


Easy Blackberry Skillet Pie from Vegan Diner [Reprinted with permission by author and publisher]
Filling:

  • 6 cups frozen blackberries (or other berries)
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup cornstarch
Topping:
  • 3/4 cup unbleached, all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
  • 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 4 T non-hydrogenated vegan margarine [eg, Earth Balance], melted
Makes 1 pie

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Grease a 10-inch cast-iron or ovenproof skillet or glass or ceramic pie.
  2. Filling: In a saucepan, combine berries, sugar and 1/4 cup water. Bring to a simmer over medium, stirring occasionally.
  3. In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and 5T water until smooth. Stir the cornstarch mixture into the hot berries, and simmer until thick and mixture is clear, stirring continuously.
  4. Remove from heat and scoop the mixture into the prepared pan.
  5. Topping: In a small bowl, mix together the flour, oats, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Add melted margarine, stirring until incorporated. Using your fingertips, work the margarine into the flour mixture, squeezing until nice and crumbly.
  6. Sprinkle topping over filling and bake for about 20 minutes or until topping is nicely browned.

48 comments:

Book and Cat Librarian said...

That's an interesting coincidence!

My favorite vegan diner meal is a milkshake with a burger and fries

face said...

Honestly, any breakfast bread dish (french toast, waffles, pancakes, scones, etc) works for me here, but deep down I'm always from the DelVal and can't turn down some spicy, cornmeally goodness from some scrapple (the vegan kind is so much better than my memory of the traditional).

Cindy said...

Wow! How small the world is! My favorite diner foods are burgers and fries.

Kate said...

Pancakes, scrambled tofu, and hashbrowns! If I'm in a lunch mood, then a tempeh or seitan Reuben and sweet potato fries!

pickygourmet said...

I adore Brussels sprouts hash!

Suburban Snow White said...

Favorite vegan diner food? Sweet potato fries, hands down. Salted and peppered. Yum.

MikeC said...

Either a good veggie burger with onion rings or a Reuben. Yummm. Now I'm hungry, time for supper.

Anonymous said...

I would love to get my hands on a copy of Vegan Diner! My library doesn't have any copies :-(

I haven't been to a diner in 11+ years since going vegan, but pre-vegan, my favorite foods would have to have been grilled cheese and a vanilla milkshake!

Courtney

TS =) said...

Pancakes, OJ, and sweet potato hash. With canteloupe =)

Amanda said...

My favorite diner food is biscuits and gravy. But that skillet pie could come in for a close second.

I love full-circle stories like yours. What an amazing wonder the Universe is.

Amanda @ Hungry Vegan Traveler said...

Ooh, skillet pie! That looks so sweet and gooey and awesome!

Fav diner food, hmm... Milkshakes, probably. I didn't know how wonderful they were until I had a peanut butter cookie dough shake at the Chicago Diner a few years ago.

Chef Amber Shea said...

Fave diner food is probably home fries or hash browns, or any form of taters!

Anonymous said...

Flapjacks! I remember getting them from Denny's as a kid... does that place even count as a diner? haha!

Space.Clown said...

My favorite diner food is french fries! :)

Chris said...

I like a burger, sweet potato french fries, and a milkshake.

radioactivegan said...

oooh, that's a tough one. Diner food equals greasy food in my mind, so I'll have to say hash browns!

Vegan Triangle said...

My favorite diner food is "chicken" fried steak (with tofu scramble or vegan frittata in close second!).

Richa said...

mmmmm.. pancakes and french fries 4 sure! even hash browns!


Richa @Hobby And More Food Blog

Rachel said...

Pancakes, veg sausage and hashbrowns, all drizzled with real maple syrup =)

Mary said...

I actually have Julie's Vegan Diner Book and looove it!!! My absolute fav recipe from the
book is the Rockin Reuben, page 92, and the very secret sauce it uses(page 166)!!!

Heather B said...

I've been coveting this book! I totally miss being able to order a greasy cheeseburger and fries dipped in ranch. Totally unhealthy but so good on occasion.

Lauren Lowe said...

Tempeh reuben!

moonsword said...

There's a local place that makes a swooningly good artichoke pesto panini...lovelovelove it!

Jessica said...

Hard choice! But I was actually able to visit Saturn Cafe which is a vegetarian diner in Santa Cruz, CA. I loved the vegan burger, sweet potato fries and shake combo. It was really good!

princesstofu said...

vegan diner: saturn cafe in berkeley. best vegan diner food: nacho fries!!! smothered in beans, vegan cheese, guac, vegan sour cream and love.

Marcella Marsella said...

I know this isn't really in line with with all these comments about burgers and pancakes, but my favorite thing to order at a diner is a big, fat Greek salad. Second choice would be none other than fried green tomatoes, of course!

bitt said...

my fave diner food is vegan bacon cheesy fries from wayward cafe in seattle.

Andrea said...

I love coincidences like the ones you've described — synchronicity in the Universe. I have to admit I'm a sucker for spicy fries at vegan diners.

Thea Renee said...

My favorite vegan diner food would have to be milkshakes... with fries to dip in them, obviously!

Tofu Mom (AKA Tofu-n-Sprouts) said...

My fave diner meal is mac-n-cheese!!!

Eowyn Blythe said...

Sweet potato fries! And PIE! Can't go to a diner without getting pie :D

Virginia said...

Tough to choose, but would say Fakin' BLT and fries with tofu scramble and hash browns being the runner up of fav vegan diner meals.

Anonymous said...

Wings! Tofu wings, seitan wings, any of them. They're all good.

Erin @EatPlantsandRun said...

I would have to say a veggie burger or Tempeh BLT with spicy sweet potato fries! Yummmmmmm.

Anonymous said...

My favorite vegan diner meal would be a tempeh reuban ( veg news last year I think had the recipe)and the OMG onion rings from Appetite for Reduction. My kitchen is undergoing a face lift right now so I am cooking challenged.

MarkTwain said...

So many.... onion rings....mac and cheeze.... Chicago Diner's rueben-(AMAZING)... fries..... I could go on.... :)

heartoftexas said...

I recently went vegan and found a recipe for a vegan shrimp and grits. I'm so psyched! I love cooking but I don't own any vegan cookbooks yet. Internet and blogs are my best friends right now.

Johanna said...

Tempeh Reuben.

jared said...

Favorite vegan diner food? Tofu scramble and crispy hash browns

Jackie Smith said...

Definitely french toast (you know that your pain perdu is a perennial favorite around here!) and hash browns.

MizShrew said...

My favorite vegan-friendly diner, the Palomino Bar in Milwaukee, WI, serves a VLT with avocado, with sweet potato tots. Yummmmm.... with a side of vegan remoulade. Oh yeah.

veganhomemaker said...

Back in the day, I would order Spaghetti with chili. It would come with a slice of american cheese on top. I have this book on my Amazon wish list.

Ohso Veggie said...

My favorite diner food would be a crisp grilled cheese sandwich, fries, and a vanilla coke!!! mmm mmmm good!!

Stephee said...

Vegan creamed chip beef!! Yumm.

Lauren said...

My favorite is onion rings!

Randy said...

My favorite diner food is the "Happy Waitress": open-faced grilled #vegan cheese with tomato!

Kristy said...

I am just starting my vegan journey so I would have to say a "Cheeseburger", fries and shake@

Lauren (PB&G) said...

Oooh.. it's gotta be a rueben with steak fries and a chocolate shake!