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Versatile Vegan Appetizers

I’m excited to roll out two vegan and gluten-free appetizer recipes today—a Sweet Potato Cashew Dip and a Mushroom Pâté. You will no longer miss the traditional cheese ball once you have some delicious replacement treats!

Both of these dishes work perfectly as a dip for raw or roasted vegetables or a spread for crackers or bread. But don’t stop there! These versatile appetizers can also play a bigger role at your holiday table when you serve either or both as a side dish.

The Mushroom Pâté was inspired by a dish that my friend Ellen Brock would make for dinner parties when we roomed together in college. This recipe is especially flexible, both in terms of its ingredients and also how it can be served. I used shiitake mushrooms, which are known for their immune-boosting properties, but you can use any kind of mushrooms you prefer. You can also experiment with herbs other than the called-for sage and thyme. Ellen would make this with wine, but since I didn’t have any wine in the house, I used an inexpensive cooking sherry, which worked perfectly was delicious. In addition to serving the pâté as a dip, spread, or side dish, you could consider use it as stuffing for your next winter squash. A dollop or two would be enough. You could put it into sautéed arugula and serve it over pasta. Or you could top any favorite roasted, grilled, or sautéed veggie with the flavorful mushrooms to turn an ordinary dish into something quite memorable.

Not everyone loves mushrooms, of course, but I have seen very few people turn away from a good sweet potato dish. After I tested the Sweet Potato Cashew Dip, my husband declared he’d be happy for me to make it any time! I started by baking the sweet potatoes because I love how a long baking process deepens the flavor of a sweet potato. Once they are done and cool for about 15 minutes, it will only take another 10 minutes or so to whip up this dish in a food processor. I used very mild spices, but you can go as savory as you like with the addition of your favorite curry powder.

During this season of joy, have fun making these easy—and healthy—appetizers that will delight all of your holiday guests this season.

Lisa J. Mitchell

 

 

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MUSHROOM PÂTÉ
Vegan, Gluten-Free

Preparation Time: About 30 minutes
Serves 6 to 10

You can make this with herbs you prefer, using a single herb or several favorites, totaling 1 tablespoon.

1 small, sweet onion
2 tablespoons coconut oil
2 teaspoons fresh sage
1 teaspoon fresh thyme
10 to 12 ounces shitake mushrooms
¾ to 1 cup white or red wine, or cooking sherry
1 medium-sized clove garlic, put through a garlic press or minced
1 cup vegan sour cream
½ to ¾ teaspoon mineral salt
½ cup walnuts, chopped

1. Finely chop the onion. Heat a large sauté pan on medium-low heat. Add the oil and onion and cook until the onions turn golden brown and begin to caramelize.

2. While the onion is cooking, you can mince the herbs. Place the mushrooms in a food processor and pulse several times until the mushrooms are finely minced. (If you prefer chunky mushrooms, that’s okay, too.)

3. Once the onion is soft and beginning to brown, add the minced herbs. Stir for about 10 seconds. Then add the minced mushrooms, the wine (or sherry), and the pressed or minced garlic. Let everything cook, uncovered, until the liquid from the mushrooms and alcohol is completely absorbed, 10 to 15 minutes. Stir in the sour cream and salt. Then stir in the chopped walnuts. Serve the pate warm or room temperature with crackers, bread, or vegetables, or serve it plain as a side dish. Bon appétit!

Ayurvedic Note: Mushrooms can be a little difficult to digest for people with vata problems, but the garlic, onions, and sour cream make this dish tolerable to eat on occasion.

SWEET POTATO CASHEW DIP
(Or Side Dish)
Vegan, Gluten-Free

Preparation Time: About 2.5 hours (about 20 minutes active)
Serves 4 to 12

 I recently stayed in an ashram on the Upper West Side of New York City, and it was Terry Bothe’s delicious sweet potato dip that she served which inspired this recipe. I had some leftover coconut whipped cream that I used when making this dish, but you can also use simple unsweetened coconut milk.

2 large sweet potatoes (at least 1 pound total)
1 cup raw cashews
¼ to ½ cup high fat coconut milk
1 tablespoon coconut oil
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
¼ teaspoon ground coriander
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon ground cardamom
¼ teaspoon garam masala or curry powder
⅛ teaspoon ground ginger powder
½ to ¾ teaspoon mineral salt

1. Preheat the oven to 450˚F. Line a baking sheet with foil or place a large piece of foil directly on the oven rack. Scrub the sweet potatoes, prick them 2 or 3 times with fork, and wrap them in foil. Place them in the oven on a baking sheet or a piece of tinfoil lining the oven rack. Bake for 90 minutes, until the potatoes are completely tender when a fork is inserted. Remove the potatoes from the oven and let them cool 10 minutes until you’re able to handle them easily. Remove the foil, slice the potatoes down the middle, and let the flesh cool another 10 to 15 minutes.

2. After the potatoes are in the oven, cover the cashews with water for at least an hour. Strain the cashews and place them in a food processor or blender with ¼ cup coconut milk. Run the processor about 30 seconds. Add more milk if necessary to make a smooth base of processed cashews.

3. Heat the coconut oil over a low heat in a saucepan or, if you have one, a small spouted saucepan. Once the oil is melted, add the spices. (If you know you love hot, spicy food, increase the garam masala or curry powder to ½ or ¾ teaspoon.) Stir the spices in the oil for about 10 seconds and then set aside.

4. Once the potatoes have cooled to warm (instead of hot), peel them and add the potatoes to the cashews and coconut milk. Process or blend until the ingredients are well mixed. Finish by adding the spice mixture and the salt, and, once again process or blend until all the ingredients are well mixed and smooth. Taste and adjust spices and salt to taste. Serve warm or room temperature with crackers or as a side dish.

Ayurvedic Note: Sweet potatoes are very grounding for vata and are supportive for pitta. Kapha types should limit sweet potatoes to once a week. Kapha types may also want to increase the spices, particularly the garam masala or curry powder.

You may wish to double the garam masala or curry powder.

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