Who doesn’t love finger foods? They’re perfect for parties, potlucks and quick, light dinners – but really great vegan appetizers can be difficult to come by. Being a true lover of hummus of many varieties, hummus and veggies with a side of pickles/olives tends to be my appy of choice. However, a whole new world of possibilities has opened up with the new cookbook Vegan Finger Foods by Celine Steen and Tamasin Noyes.
This book features more than 100 recipes for appetizers, small plates/entrees, snacks and treats that only require your fingers to eat them! Many of them are simple to make, yet look IMPRESSIVE and promise to wow your dinner guests/potluck host. There are many healthy, low fat options, as well as more decadent recipes too – there really is something for every occasion.
One of the things I like about this book is that each page is marked with symbols at the top of the page, a quick guide to whether you can make them ahead, whether they are gluten-free, and whether they are “quick and easy”. In addition, Steen and Noyes have included lots of recipe notes with tips and tricks to ensure you get the result you are looking for. These recipes are creative, interesting, and the ones I have tried and brought to parties (Falafel Fritters with Spicy Tahini Sauce and Baked Fritatta Minis) were huge hits – and the first of the potluck plates to be cleared.
This week on the Vegan Mainstream Cookbook Club we are featuring Vegan Finger Foods and we will be sharing a variety of recipes, to give you a feel for the scope of the recipes in this book. We will also be chatting with the authors and other members; come join the conversation!
For today, we will leave you with a recipe from the book:
Kale Cucumber Cups
Hurray, kale! The most super of the superfoods! We love the crisp cucumber slices with the seasoned (to-your-taste) kale, but if pressed, we’ll admit to eating this simply as a kale salad. For prettier presentation, score the cucumber with a fork before cutting into rounds. The kale salad can be made ahead of time and stored in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 8 hours, but it will continue to reduce in amount, so make extra.
Yield: 14 cups
2 cups (120 g) packed very finely chopped kale leaves (stems discarded)
2 teaspoons tamari
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1?2 teaspoon Sriracha, or more to taste
1?2 teaspoon white sesame seeds, more to taste
Salt and pepper, to taste
141?2-inch (1.3 cm) thick round slices organic cucumber (see headnote)
Stir together the kale, tamari, and lemon juice in a medium-size bowl. Using your hands, rub it together for a few minutes, or until the kale wilts and softens. Stir in the sesame oil, Sriracha, and sesame seeds. Let sit for 15 minutes for the flavors to meld. The kale will reduce in amount. Using a 1?2-teaspoon measuring spoon or a melon baller, carefully scoop out the center of the cucumbers to create a bowl. Do not scoop all the way through the cucumber. Taste the salad and adjust the seasonings. Fill each cucumber with 1 teaspoon kale salad.
Recipe Note
Although we prefer organic cucumbers, if they aren’t available (or are too pricey), be sure to peel them instead of scoring them.
More about Noyes and Steen:
Tami Noyes, a long time vegan, grew up in a meat- and-potatoes family. After years of cookbook testing, Tami was honored to become an author herself. Her cookbooks show that she found her cooking niche in big, bold layers of flavor and compassionate, super satisfying food. To Tami, cooking is the kindest form of nurturing for the planet as well as all of us who live on it.
With Celine Steen, Tami has also written Vegan Sandwiches Save the Day! and Whole Grain Vegan Baking. Tami’s solo works include American Vegan Kitchen and Grills Gone Vegan. Keep up with Tami at her popular blog www.veganappetite.com.
Celine Steen is also the co-author of 500 Vegan Recipes, The Complete Guide to Vegan Food Substitutions, and Hearty Vegan Meals. A vegan since 2005, she’s also the founder of www.havecakewilltravel.com. She lives in California with her husband and two senior cats.