Corn Fritters

In summertime, at least in the US, corn becomes plentiful and therefore cheap, but creating fritters converts the grain into a delicacy with myriad variations easy to accomplish within 30 minutes or even less.





Ingredients

Olive Oil
3/4 cup corn grits or corn meal
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
Salt and pepper to taste
3/4 coconut or soy milk
Egg substitute (2 eggs equivalent)
2 cups or 2 ears of freshly scraped corn (frozen will probably do, but I've never tried)
1/2 diced red bell pepper
1/4 white onion
3-4 scallions
2 artichoke hearts, sliced into small sections


Instructions

1. Sauté the bell pepper, onion, and scallions in olive oil and/or vegan margarine
2. Scrape the corn from the husks into a large bowl (a curved knife works best)
   
3. Mix the dry ingredients separately
4. Mix the egg substitute with water and add the milk, then add to the corn grits mixture
   
5. Mix all ingredients together in the large bowl
6. Fry in olive oil carefully, browning fully before turning to avoid having them fall apart

Top the fritters with anything that sounds good. This can be maple syrup or agave syrup, hot sauce, guacamole, chopped fresh tomatoes, pico de gallo, or salsa. Syrup and hot sauce in combination is especially good.

Options for substitutions for vegetable ingredients that are good include:

1. 6-7 sauteed oyster or shitake mushrooms
2. Black beans (1/2 can)
3. Hot peppers, such as jalapeno or Thai
4. Red onion
5. Use your imagination
   

Beet and White Bean Salad

This is loosely based on a traditional Russian cold beet salad, but is made vegan by eliminating hard boiled eggs and mayonnaise, and substituting white beans and coconut yoghurt, respectively. White beans make a fine cover for the protein, color, and earthiness of the eggs. Carrots also add a richness, and provide crunchiness (and the orange plays well off the beet red).


Ingredients

2 medium Beets, boiled or roasted, then sliced into small sticks.
1 can of White Beans, Cannellini, perhaps
4-6 Scallions, slice small
1/4 to 1/2 Red or White Onion
2 small Carrots, sliced
2 Tbl Coconut Milk Yoghurt
1/4 cup Cider Vinegar
1/4 cup or more Agave syrup
Cumin, 1/2 tsp ground
Dill, 1/2 tsp dry or more if fresh
Salt and Pepper to taste

Instructions

1. Cook the beets until done, 20 minute boiled, 30-minutes roasted at 400 degrees F
2. Slice all the ingredients as suggested, or as you like
3. Add the vinegar and yoghurt and spices

Serve as a side dish over greens or serve alongside rice and lentils (green lentils and brown rice cook about the same time 30-40 minutes) for a complete meal