January's Eat This! Drink That!
Clean Start – Organic & Vegan for the New Year:
With the holidays in the rear-view mirror, many of us have committed to New Year’s resolutions! If you’ve pledged to go a little bit more green this year, choosing vegan and organic wine is a great place to start.
To be considered organic, the wine must be produced with organically grown grapes. Organic producers tend to spray their vineyards less and can’t use some pesticides, herbicides or synthetic fertilizers while vegan wine is made without the use of fining agents like milk protein which would make the end product non vegan friendly.
Start the New Year with meals using fresh and nutritious ingredients paired with a glass of wine you can feel good about!
Wines:
Pata Negra Apasionado Organic
Pata Negra Apasionado Organic is an intense wine with aromas of ripe red fruit, such as cherry and plum. On the palate it is shows the pure expression of Monastrell.
Vina Borgia Organic Garnacha
This delicious and pure expression of Garnacha is a further step in the winery’s journey to manage its environmental impact. Aromas of redcurrant and bramble fruit with appealing leafy notes.
Reyneke Organic Chenin Blanc
Notes of quince, pear and yellow apple are apparent on the nose, with notes of star fruit and sweet pineapple. The palate is fresh and vibrant, showing flavours of lemon zest and apple.
MontGras Organic Sauvignon Blanc
Aromas of citrus and subtle touches of herbal notes followed by a juicy mouthfeel and refreshing acidity on the finish.
Recipes
BBQ Jackfruit Pulled Pork
Author: Nora Cooks
Serves: 4 Prep Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 35 mins
Wine pairing:
Pata Negra Apasionado Organic Monastrell
Ingredients:
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2 20 oz cans young green jackfruit in water
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1 tbsp olive oil
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1 small sweet onion, diced
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1 cup BBQ saucer
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½ cup water
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Sriracha hot sauce
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Salt
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Buns
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Coleslaw
Instructions :
Step 1:
Drain and rinse jackfruit, chop off the hard center core portions.
Step 2:
Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat, add onion and cook until translucent.
Step 3:
Add the jackfruit, BBQ sauce and ½ cup of water. Stir well to combine, then cover and simmer for 20 minutes on low-medium heat, stirring occasionally.
Step 4:
After 20 minutes, remove the lid and mash the jackfruit with a potato masher or two forks, to create a shredded texture so it resembled pulled pork. Add Sriracha hot sauce and salt to taste.
Step 5:
To finish, turn the heat up to high and cook for another 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Serve on buns with coleslaw.
Vegan Goulash
Author: Simple Veganista
Serves: 4 Prep Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 35 mins
Wine pairing:
Vina Borgia Organic Garnacha
Ingredients:
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2 tbsp oil
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2 8oz packages tempeh, crumbled
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1 large onion, diced
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4 cloves garlic, minced
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2 green bell peppers, diced
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1 28oz can diced tomatoes
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1 14oz can tomato sauce
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1 ½ tsp each dried oregano, basil and paprika
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2 bay leaves
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1 tsp mineral salt
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¼ tsp red pepper flakes
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3 ½ – 4 cups vegetable broth
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2 cups elbow pasta
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pepper, to taste
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fresh parsley, to serve
Instructions :
Step 1:
In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat, add the tempeh, onion and bell pepper, sauté for 5 – 7 minutes, until onions are soft and tempeh is lightly browned. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute more.
Step 2:
Add the diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, oregano, basil, paprika, bay leaves, salt, and red pepper flakes and veggie broth. Stir well and bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the pasta and cook for 10 more minutes, make sure to stir often so the pasta doesn’t stick to the bottom. Taste for flavour, adding more salt & pepper to taste. Serve.
Sweet and Sour Tofu
Author: Jessica in the Kitchen
Serves: 4 Prep Time: 20 mins Cook Time: 20 mins
Wine pairing:
Reyneke Organic Chenin Blanc
Ingredients:
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1 16 oz block extra firm tofu
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1 tbsp soy sauce
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½ tsp garlic powder
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¼ tsp salt
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¼ tsp ground black pepper
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1/3 cup cornstarch
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¼ cup oil for frying
For the sauce:
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½ cup sugar
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¼ cup ketchup
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¼ cup rice vinegar
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¼ cup water
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1 tbsp soy sauce
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1 tsp garlic powder
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1 chopped bell pepper
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½ cup cubed pineapple
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½ chopped medium red onion
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½ tbsp sesame seeds
Instructions :
Step 1:
In a medium-sized bowl place the pressed and torn tofu pieces. Add the soy sauce and toss to coat. Add in the garlic powder, sea salt, ground black pepper and cornstarch and toss to thoroughly combine.
Step 2:
Heat a pan over medium-high heat, and add the oil. When hot, add the tofu and toss to crisp up on all sides until the tofu is cooked on all sides, about 5 to 8 minutes. Remove tofu pieces and set aside.
For the Sauce:
Step 1:
In the same pan, lower the heat to over medium-high heat, and add in the onions, pineapples and bell peppers, sauté 5 minutes.
Step 2:
In a separate bowl, whisk together the sugar, ketchup, vinegar, water, soy sauce, and garlic powder for the sweet and sour sauce and stir together until fully combined.
Step 3:
Pour in the sauce over the veggies. Bring to a slight boil, then reduce to a simmer for about 5 minutes until the sauce has thickened up. Add back in the crisped up tofu, and stir to combine. Serve.
Grilled Artichokes with Dill Dipping Sauce
Author: Bon Appetit
Serves: 4 Prep Time: 10 mins Cook Time: 20 mins
Wine pairing:
MontGras Organic Sauvignon Blanc
Ingredients:
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Salt
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1 lemon, halved
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4 large artichokes
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2 tbsp olive oil
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½ cup vegan Greek yogurt
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1 tsp chopped fresh dill
Instructions :
Step 1:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Fill a large bowl with water; squeeze in juice from one half of lemon; add lemon half. Working with 1 artichoke at a time, trim off outer leaves, then cut in half lengthwise through stem. Scoop out choke.
Step 2:
Cook artichokes in same large pot of boiling salted water until almost tender but not falling apart, 10–15 minutes. Drain.
Step 3:
Heat a grill pan or large heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Brush artichokes with oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill cut side down until charred in spots and hearts are tender, about 5 minutes.
Step 4:
Meanwhile, squeeze enough juice from remaining lemon half to measure 2 Tbsp.; place in a small bowl. Whisk in yogurt and dill; season with salt and pepper. Serve the grilled artichokes with the yogurt sauce.