Rosemary Soft-Pretzels (Whole Wheat) (Vegan)

We weren't feeling well today so I decided that some old-fashioned chicken noodle soup was in order but we needed something else to lighten up the day and make things more exciting. So, I decided that the perfect accompaniment would be big, chewy, salty soft pretzels. I looked at two recipes for inspiration, two peas & their pods and Will Cook for Smiles. Both had the same great ideas, but I needed to make some slight variations, as I wouldn't be using eggs nor would I be using sugar.

Rosemary Soft Pretzels

For dough:
1 1/4 cup warm water
2 1/2 tsp yeast
3 cups white whole wheat flour
1 tsp Kosher salt
2 tsp maple syrup
2 Tbs olive oil
1 Tbs. fresh Rosemary, chopped finely

For topping:
Olive oil
Kosher salt
Fresh rosemary, chopped finely

Additional:
1 large pot of boiling water with 3 Tbs of baking soda in it

Throw the ingredients for the dough into kitchen mixer and mix on low for two minutes. Continue to beat on med-high for an additional 5 minutes. Place the dough in a large oiled bowl and cover with a damp cloth or plastic wrap. Let rise 30 minutes.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Divide the dough into 12 equal pieces. Roll out and form into pretzel shapes on parchment covered baking sheets. Allow to rise for an additional 20-30 minutes. (Note: the pretzel will rise a good amount still, so when forming them you may want to keep this in mind or you could get pretzel rolls).

Boil each pretzel for 1-2 minutes on each side in the pot of water with baking soda in it. Remove from water, brush with olive oil and sprinkle kosher salt and additional rosemary on top. Bake at 450 degrees for approximately 10 minutes or until golden brown.

The Perfect Tomato Sandwich (Vegan Optional)

Aahhhh... In a perfect world, I would eat a tomato sandwich every day. The chewyness of homemade bread, the fresh tomato bursting with awesome old-fashioned tangy fruity flavor, the creaminess of the mayo and a little heat from the fried hot peppers that top it. I am salivating just thinking about it. So, everyone has ideas on what makes the perfect tomato sandwich, I'm not knocking yours, I'm just telling you mine. You can do these vegan or not. You can use any tomatoes, but they really should be homegrown and/or heirloom to get the best flavors. Today I used Constolato Genovese and Paul Robensons. I really like these two varieties because they both have a deep, striking tomato flavor that I can not get enough of.

Since my tomatoes have been ripening in my garden, this is what I've been eating everyday.

The Perfect Tomato Sandwich (vegan optional)

1-2 Heirloom Tomatoes
2 slices of crusty homemade bread, whole grain or whole wheat
1-2 Tbs Vegenaise or homemade mayonnaise (recipe to follow)
2-4 slices of fried peppers (recipe to follow)



Slather both sides of bread with mayo, stack the tomatoes high and place the peppers on top. Repeat several times. Slice sandwiches in half, sit down and enjoy!


Homemade Mayonnaise

• 2 egg yolks
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
• Kosher salt
• 1 1/2 cups oil (olive oil, canola, peanut)

 Whip the egg yolks, vinegar, mustard and salt in a small bowl, slowly add the oil while continuously whipping until the desired texture is formed. Alternatively, add the first 4 ingredients into a food processor, turn it on and slowly drizzle the oil in until the desired texture is formed.

Italian Fried Mangoes (Peppers)

1-2 pounds banana peppers (we use Hungarian Wax), sliced in half with seeds and stems removed
1/4 cup good olive oil
2 garlic cloves
Kosher salt

Over low-med heat, toss the peppers with oil and fry until they begin to soften. Do not turn the heat up too much or they will cook unevenly. After they begin to soften, add the two cloves of garlic and the Kosher salt liberally. Cook for a few more minutes until tender. Remove and eat copious amounts with every meal.