Monday, June 9, 2008

Provencal Olive Spread

Here's another of the bean spreads I promised to feature this month - again, a savvy way to make beans (that go-to vegan protein powerhouse) more interesting.

Watch how easy this is! In a food processor, combine one can of Great Northern beans (rinsed and drained), 1/2 tsp. fennel seeds, 2 teaspoons capers, 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar, 1/4 tsp. dried oregano, a dash of salt, and 8 kalamata olives. Now puree until smooth.

Spoon it into a bowl and refrigerate until ready to serve. This one is great as a topping on vegetarian burgers. In particular, I really like the new Bistro burger from Amy's frozen food line (www.amys.com). At only 90 calories per patty, you can pile on more of the bean spread. Burger buns can be tricky as a vegan - if you read the labels, you'll find that most contain eggs or honey or some other no-no. I've always found, however, that English muffins make a great bun for veggie burgers. Try the whole wheat ones from Whole Foods own brand, and you're good to go.

The recipe for the spread itself yields one cup, and each tablespoon is 30 calories.

Cost:
Great Northern beans $1.69

2 comments:

  1. This sounds delicious. I'm not a vegan, just a vegatarian. (I do eat dairy.) But I'm going to try this. I have another recipe that I think qualifies as vegan. What do you think? I usually do put some cheese on it. But took it off for this version:

    Red Onion and Artihoke Pizza
    Cornmeal for pan
    2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
    2 red onions, thinly sliced (2 cups)
    1 10-ounce package frozen artichoke hearts, thawed and sliced (2 cups)
    1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried
    Salt & freshly ground pepper to taste
    Pizza Dough:
    1 1/2 cups all-purpose white flour
    1/3 cup whole-wheat flour
    1 package quick-rising yeast
    1 teaspoon salt
    1/2 teaspoon sugar
    3/4 cup water
    1 teaspoon extra-virgin olive oil
    Combine flour, yeast, salt and sugar in a food processor and pulse to mix. Heat water and oil in a small saucepan. Process until the dough forms a ball. Then process for 1 minute to knead. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 10 minutes. Set oven rack in lowest position. Preheat oven to 500°F. Sprinkle a pizza pan or baking sheet with cornmeal, then set aside. Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. Add onions and cook, until softened and golden, about 10 minutes. Add artichoke hearts and rosemary. Cook until the artichokes are tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and season with salt and pepper. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough into a circle. Place in prepared pan. Place onions and artichokes on top. Bake the pizza for 12 to 15 minutes until lightly browned. Great on the grill too, with a Pizza Q. Takes only 5 minutes!

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  2. Loralei - thanks for the recipe! This sounds delicious - artichokes are one of my favorite veggies. Please keep sharing!

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