I’m so glad to have my friend and colleague Laura Theodore back on my plant chat today! Laura is a recognized public television personality, vegan chef, radio host, cookbook author, and award-winning actor and recording artist. Laura is the on-camera host of the highly successful, Jazzy Vegetarian plant-based cooking series on public television presently in its sixth season, and she is host of the popular podcast radio show, Jazzy Vegetarian Radio, now in its ninth year. Check out my interview with Laura on her show here. She is co-founder of the online Jazzy Vegetarian TV network, a subscriber-based channel, which streams popular episodes from the television series.
Laura is author of four vegan cookbooks, including Laura Theodore’s Vegan-Ease, Jazzy Vegetarian Classics, and Jazzy Vegetarian. In addition to her own books, Laura is a major contributor to The China Study All-Star Collection and her recipes can be found in the Amazon number one bestseller, Living the Farm Sanctuary Life, by Gene Baur. Laura is recipient of the Taste Award for Best Health and Fitness Program (Food and Diet), and she was recently inducted into the Taste Hall of Fame. She is also featured in the new, groundbreaking documentary film, Food Choices, on Netflix, and is launching her latest book, Jazzy Vegetarian’s Deliciously Vegan, in March 2018. Keep reading to learn more about Laura’s love for good food, compassion for animals and enthusiasm for great music!
How did you combine food and music into one amazing career?
Great question! Many people ask how I went from being a jazz singer to promoting vegan food. I originally became interested in plant-based cooking many (many) years ago when, as a popular jazz singer in New York City, I began experimenting with converting my cherished family recipes into tasty vegetarian, and eventually vegan versions. As my culinary creations became increasingly popular with my New York City friends (who were all omnivores!), I started writing down the recipes that were hits at the various soirees that we so often held in our small New York apartment. Then once we moved out of the city, I began adapting my recipes, and fine-tuning them to utilize ingredients I could easily obtain locally while still producing fabulous vegan fare that would please the omnivorous palates of our new neighbors, overnight guests (from New York City), and visiting relatives. This is the point when it all came together for me -combining my love of music with my passion for creating compassionate, vegan food – and the Jazzy Vegetarian was born.
What inspired you to eat a plant-based diet?
My inspiration comes from my life-long love of animals. I started on my vegetarian journey in the 1980s, when I stopped eating red meat. I was vegan on and off over the next 20 years and became fully vegan 10 years ago.
What do you love most about hosting your podcast radio show, Jazzy Vegetarian Radio?
Jazzy Vegetarian Radio focuses on tasty, plant-based recipes, eco-living tips and celebrity interviews, all served up with a bit of music on the side! The show speaks to health conscious people of all ages, by reaching out to dedicated vegans and omnivores alike, who are seeking compassionate food choices. I adore combining both the food and music aspects of Jazzy Vegetarian, creating an educational and entertaining podcast!
Tell us about the new documentary, Food Choices, you are in. What is this film about, and what was it like to appear in it?
I am so honored to be part of this incredible film (which is available on Netflix). This ground-breaking documentary explores the impact that food choices have on people’s health, the health of our planet and on the lives of other living species. It discusses several misconceptions about food and diet, offering a unique perspective on these issues. Featuring interviews with 28 world-renowned experts, including Dr. T Colin Campbell, Dr. John McDougall, Dr. Pam Popper, Dr. Michael Greger, (and yours truly), Food Choices will change the way you look at the food on your plate.
What are your top tips for people who want to switch to a plant-based diet?
Here are my top tips for starting on the path to plant-based meals, without sacrificing great taste:
If you are new to vegan eating, start by serving one non-meat, plant-based meal each week, for dinner. Try preparing vegan versions of hearty and satisfying favorites like chili, lasagna, spaghetti, soups and burgers. There are over 350 free recipes to help get you started on www.jazzyvegetarian.com!
Use mashed bananas, ground flaxseeds mixed with water or whipped organic tofu to replace eggs in many baked goods recipes. This works especially well when making muffins, brownies and many cakes. (If a baked goods recipe calls for just one egg, in most cases you can just leave the egg out and your recipe will still be perfect!)
Now widely available in most supermarkets, purchase rice, soy, almond, cashew, coconut or oat nondairy milk for topping cereal or as a substitute for dairy milk in almost any recipe.
Got a sweet tooth? Vegan dark chocolate is available in most supermarkets and health food stores. (I like Pascha Chocolate)
When food shopping, take a moment to explore the rainbow of colors and tastes that fresh produce has to offer. Try adding one new vegetable or fruit to your cart every time you shop. This will make your journey toward a vegan diet more flavorful and fun.
Many people are intimidated by plant-based cooking, what advice do you have for them?
Vegan cooking is like any type of cooking. There is a learning curve, at first, but once you get the hang of it there are endless choices of plant-based foods that you can combine to make tasty and satisfying meals.
Give us a sneak peak at your latest book, Jazzy Vegetarian’s Deliciously Vegan? What will readers be excited to learn about on its pages?
Thank you for asking! In addition to over 175 new plant-based recipes, I share what it takes to stock and cook in a well-equipped vegan kitchen, with my essential Top Ten lists:
Ingredients to have on hand at all times in your pantry
Effective egg substitutions for baking
Delicious options for making vegan cheese and cream
Two-ingredient recipes
Herbs and spices to always keep in your kitchen
This new cookbook features some of my favorite delectable main dish recipes like Teriyaki Kebabs, Sunny Black Bean Burgers and Gingered Portobello Steaks. Crowd-pleasing party foods include Guacamole Mini Peppers, Chili-Maple Almonds and Miso Hummus. Vegan Burritos with Tofu Queso Fresca, Golden Cashew Milk and Seitan Fajitas round out diverse dinner menus. And for dessert – plenty of scrumptious sweets – like Lively-Lemon Cupcakes, Sweet Potato Pie and Divine Chocolate Mousse Cake. Plus, I share holiday entertaining menus, and lots of to everyday ideas for preparing quick plant-based meals for the family
What is your personal nutrition and wellness philosophy?
I like to keep my daily meals casual, unprocessed and simple as possible. Taking regular walks are a favorite goal, too. As the CEO of Jazzy Vegetarian, I oversee the television show, books, social media content, podcast and my new restaurant café (opening in May in Hendersonville, NC), so I try and keep focused, while keeping my stress levels to a minimum. Giving back, whenever I can, and living a compassionate lifestyle is my top mission.
What are some of your favorite go-to meals?
A stewed fruit combo, served with oatmeal are a breakfast favorite these days. For lunch, a quick Miso-Veggie soup is often on the menu. I love avocados with carrot sticks, a crisp apple, thin rice cakes drizzled with tahini or peanut butter (and maybe a bit of maple syrup), or cold sliced (leftover) sweet potatoes, for a quick and satisfying snack! For supper, steamed veggies (tossed with tahini-tamari-walnut oil sauce) served with sautéed tofu or tempeh, make a favorite evening meal.
Delicate and delightful, but not too sweet, these cheezy cakes showcase fresh raspberries nestled in a tofu cheese-like filling, with an easy-to-prepare, gluten-free, flourless fruit and nut crust.
Ingredients
Scale
Crust:
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup unsweetened shredded dried coconut
Filling:
1 block (14 to 16 ounces) extra-firm regular tofu, well drained
1 aseptic box (12 to 12 1/2 ounces) firm silken tofu, well drained
3 tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Topping:
5 teaspoons maple syrup, divided
1/3 cup apricot preserves
2 teaspoons water
36 fresh raspberries
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Thoroughly coat a 12-cup standard muffin tin with vegan margarine.
To make the crust, put the raisins, pecans and coconut into a high-performance blending appliance and process until the mixture forms soft dough. Transfer the dough to a plate. Put 1 heaping tablespoon of the dough into each of the prepared muffin cups and gently press it into the bottom of the cup to make a crust. Continue in this manner to make 12 crusts. Pre-bake the crusts for 6 minutes. Put the tin on a wire rack and let cool for 10 to 15 minutes before adding the filling.
Once the crusts have cooled, put the filling ingredients into a high-performance blending appliance and process until very smooth. Divide the filling evenly among the 12 muffin cups, smoothing out the top as you go. Bake for 24 to 26 minutes, or until the filling is almost set.
Put the pan on a wire rack and loosen the sides of each mini-cake with a knife. Drizzle ¼ teaspoon of maple syrup over the top of each mini-cake. Let cool 10 minutes, then carefully remove each mini-cake from the muffin cup and place it on the wire rack to cool for 15 minutes.
While the mini-cakes cool, put 1/3 cup apricot preserves, the remaining 2 teaspoons maple syrup and 2 teaspoons of water into a small bowl and briskly whisk until combined. Spoon about 11/2 heaping teaspoons of the mixture over the top of each mini-cake. Artfully press 3 raspberries into the top of each mini-cake. Refrigerate at least 4 hours before serving. Loosely covered and stored in the refrigerator, the mini-cakes will keep for 1 day.
