Strawberry Sweet Wine Compote Cake Bites

I loved these so much I made them for several events last summer. I based the recipe off One Green Planet's recipe. These use a mini-cupcake tin, which is a perfect bite-sized dessert.


Ingredients:
Strawberry Wine Compote:
1 1/2 cups fresh strawberries (hulled and quartered)
1/2- 3/4 cup sweet wine, such as Riesling, Moscato, Gewürztraminer, or another sweet wine

1/4 cup sugar 

Cupcakes:
3/4 cup almond milk
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 1/4 cup flour
2 tablespoons cornstarch
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup canola oil
1/2 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract 

baking spray

Sweet Wine Frosting:
1/4 cup vegan margarine, room temperature
1/4 cup vegan shortening
3-3 1/2 cups powdered sugar
2-3 tablespoons sweet wine of your choice (see above) 

Additional fresh strawberries, hulled and quartered

Additional powdered sugar

Directions:
To Make the Compote:

1. Combine the strawberries, wine and sugar in a small pot and heat over medium high heat. The amount of wine depends on your taste. The 3/4 cup measure will provide a fuller flavor, but it will take a little bit longer for the compote to cook down.
2. Bring the compote to a boil, reduce the heat to simmer. Let the compote simmer for about 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally. The liquid should have reduced by about 3/4 and all of the strawberries should be broken down. 
3. Set aside and allow to cool.

To Make the Cupcakes:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and spray a mini cupcake tin with baking spray.
2. Use a whisk or a fork to mix the apple cider vinegar into the almond milk. Set aside.
3. In a large bowl combine the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Whisk or sift the mixture together.
4. Add the oil, sugar and vanilla to the almond milk mixture. Mix well and add to the flour mixture. 
5. Use a whisk to beat the mixture for a minute, getting rid of lumps. (Electronic mixers are good for this.)
6. Pour the strawberry wine compote into the batter and use a spatula to fold it in. Do not completely mixed, you want ribbons of the compote throughout the cupcakes.
7. Pour batter into each cupcake cup about half-full or so and bake for 9-11 minutes, until the cupcakes are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. 
8. Allow the cupcakes to cool in the tin for about 10-15 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely. 

To Make the Frosting:

1. Use an electric mixer to cream the margarine and the shortening together, beating for about 2 minutes. 
2. Add the powdered sugar half a cup at a time with the mixer on low. 
3. After 2 cups of powdered sugar are added, add 2 tablespoons of wine. 
4. Add 1 more cup of powdered sugar. 
5. Beat for 2 minutes on high (as high as your mixer can go without frosting being flung all over your kitchen!). Taste the frosting, add more sugar or wine as needed.
6. Once the cupcakes are completely cooled, frost them with a butter knife or using a pastry bag. 
7. Dust with powdered sugar for a pretty presentation.
8. Store covered at room temperature.

Notes:

• If you are desperate, you can use frozen strawberries for the compote, but they will not make pretty toppings.
• Makes 48 mini-cupcakes, or so.
• By the way, I shared these with a large group of people that I did not tell they were vegan and then once they found out (because 1 person knew I was vegan and saw me eat one, they were amazed.)

White Wine Risotto

While I was helping my parents out this past winter, my mother procured several recipes from other vegans she knows that I could make while I was visiting. My mother never wants me to go hungry. One recipe was this White Wine Risotto from Isa Does It that I skipped the "extras" and did my own. The fun fact about Isa Chandra Moskowitz is that her restaurant, Modern Love, has a location in Omaha not far from the home I grew up in. 

Ingredients:
1/2 cup cashews
1 cup water
4 cups or so vegetable broth
olive oil
1 sweet onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp dried thyme
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
1 1/2 cups white wine 
fresh black pepper
1/2 tsp salt
2 tbsp lemon juice

Directions:

1. Soak the cashews in enough water to cover and adsorb for at least 2 hours or up to overnight.
2. When ready to make the risotto, drain the cashews.
3. Add the cashews plus the 1 cup water to a blender, and blend until smooth. Set aside.
4. Warm a large pot over medium heat.
5. Add olive oil and warm.
6. Saute onions and garlic in oil until translucent.
7. Mix in the thyme and saute for 1 minute more.
8. Add the rice and use a wooden spoon to stir and coat with oil. 
9. Add the white wine and stir occasionally, until the wine is mostly absorbed.
10. Add a few dashes of black pepper and 1/4 tsp salt.
11. Turn the heat to medium-low.
12. Add the broth in 1-cup increments, stirring the risotto after each addition until the broth is mostly absorbed (6-8 minutes per each cup added.)
13. With the last cup of broth, add the blended cashew mixture and lemon juice.
14. Add remaining salt if needed by taste. 
15. The risotto is ready when the rice is chewy but not over-cooked and the sauce is creamy.

Notes:

• Serve topped with an additional green vegetable. I had sauteed brussels sprouts on hand that I served my risotto with. 
• They don't make blenders like they used to. This is my mom's Hamilton Beach that she received as a wedding gift in 1970. (Meanwhile, I've gone through many, many blenders in the last 20 years I've been married.)

Grilled Steak and Vegetable Salad (with Vegan Option)

This is a fairly easy recipe to make on a warm day. It really did only take 45 minutes total (including adding a couple sides), so not too long to make. This has both the original recipe (not sure the original location) and a veganized version. I am a vegan living in an omnivore household, so two versions of many of our recipes get made and reported.

Ingredients:

Marinade

1/2 cup dry red wine

1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce

3 garlic cloves, pressed

1 tsp dried rosemary

1 tsp dried thyme

1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil

Salad

1 lb flat iron steak

1 medium yellow squash, slicedd 1/2-inch thick

1 medium onion, sliced 1/2-inch thick

1 red pepper, sliced 1/2-inch thick

8 cups salad lettuce mix

Directions:

1. Combine red wine, soy sauce, garlic rosemary, thyme and olive oil to make marinade sauce, then divide.  Marinate steaks with half of the red wine sauce for 30 minutes. While meat is marinating, wash and trim squash, onion, and pepper. Cut all vegetables into 1/2-inch thick slices.
2. Prepare grill (medium-high heat.) Grill steaks to desired doneness. Cut steaks crosswise into strips and set aside. Brush remaining sauce on sliced vegetables and grill until just cooked through, turning occasionally, about 8 minutes.
3. Serve steak and vegetables over salad lettuce mix and serve warm (in one dish or plated singly.) Alternate option: serve meat, veggies, and lettuce in separate dishes for everyone to serve themselves. 

Veganized:

Everything is the same, except use Field Roast or your favorite vegan meat instead of a flat iron steak. You can skip marinading the vegan meat. You can also skip the vegan meat altogether and do more veggies. More peppers, onions, squashes, or add zucchini, potatoes, tomatoes, or any other veggies you think would grill nicely. 

Notes:

• Prep: 25 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Serves 4
• I served this with fresh French baguette and a pasta side, since veggies were in abundance. 
• Please note that anything that calls for options that could be vegan or not, the vegan option is preferred (such as red wine, butter, milk.)

Side: Sweet Onions

We've been making these for several years now. They make a great topping for your grilled meat (brats, burgers, steak) or veggies (baked potatoes).

Ingredients:
1/2 - 1 white or yellow onion
2-3 Tbsp olive oil
1-2 Tbsp butter
white wine or beer

Directions:

1. Chop and slice the onion into half rings.
2. Put olive oil into a saute pan over medium-high heat.
3. Cook onions until soft. Throw in a couple pats of butter. Cook until caramelized.
4. Deglaze the pan with some wine (or beer if you don't have a white wine.)
5. Serve as a topping.