Wednesday, June 17, 2009

Brunch Week: Polenta Rancheros

The Chef: Elizabeth

The Menu: A big bowl of Polenta Rancheros and side salad with fresh corn and grated zucchini. What, exactly, is involved in Polenta Rancheros, you ask? Mostly, this dish is made of black beans simmered in a spiced tomato sauce, topped with a fluffy spoonful of polenta, which is all then topped with fresh guacamole. In short, a huge amount of awesomeness is involved! We could each have eaten about six bowls of this savory standout.

The Goods: Yes, Brunch Week is maybe our most favorite theme of all. Holy heck, every recipe we've made so far has been amazing. Congratulations to Connie, our lucky winner from yesterday's comments! Connie, send us an email with your full name and mailing address, and your copy of Vegan Brunch will be sent out asap! For today's copy of this too-good-to-be-true tome, tell us in the comments: What's your fantasy brunch dish? Yes, you have to pick just one, and of course it has to be vegan!

47 comments:

Danielle Devine said...

Yummm. Ideal brunch: Tofu scramble with roasted red peppers, mushrooms, onions and spinach. Served with freshly baked whole wheat toast and a side of guacamole.

And of course pomegranate champagne cocktails.

Trista Hill said...

Weirdly, fajitas! With creative fillings in addition to fresh sauteed veggies.

Allychristine said...

An "egg McVegan" with tofu egg, melted cheeze, hashbrown squares, vegan sausage, and tofu bacon crumbles in between two waffles with maple flavored Earth Balance. Go!

Oh, and a huge pile of fruit, already cut up, and pretty.

Holly said...

Anything with morel mushrooms! All year, I look forward to the day that I come home from mushroom hunting with a few of those suckers to fry up with my scrambled tofu or marinate and stuff into a pita pocket with cilantro hummus.

Elise said...

actually my ideal brunch would be something mexican, like the one in this post! mm now i'm hungry. thanks again for the giveaway!

Anonymous said...

Ah, my fantasy brunch dish is Mexican, too. I'd love a vegan pozole, freshmade tortillas, a big tropical fruit salad and some bloody Marias. Now, if I could just get my nana on board!

hannah said...

well, the best thing about brunch is you get to drink mimosas.

other than that, i suppose i would like tofu scramble and a blueberry muffin.

Anonymous said...

Wow, this sounds so good. I would like to serve this for my Sunday Brunch.

Ste said...

Strawberry & (vegan, obviously) cream cheese stuffed french toast slathered in maple syrup and earth balance.

Lebkuchen said...

A nice big pecan cinnamon sticky bun...yum!

Anonymous said...

Dave's cajun caesar sandwich, which by the way is only slightly better than mine.

Anonymous said...

Does every vegan dish at Fellini's count as one dish?

shelby h.k. said...

I agree with Hannah! Mimosa's are delish and only to be consumed with brunch.

As for my fantasmagorical brunch, I'd like some cinnamon rolls that are on-par and exact clones of Cinnabon's cinnamon rolls. Oh boy...I'm droolin' like Pavlov's dogs.

Thanks for a great giveaway!

Shaynee said...

My fantasy brunch would be something super, super sweet- like banana bread french toast with powdered sugar, fresh bananas and syrup drizzled on top. Yum!

Unknown said...

my fantasy brunch would definitely be tempeh crab-cakes with garlic collards and sweet potato fries. oh, and I would totally need a cup of green tea with that!

MizzB said...

Fantasy brunch?!?!!
My mouth is watering with thoughts of a savory "roadhouse hash" made up of seasoned tofu, chopped broccoli, carrots, new potatoes, scallions and black beans simmered in a vegan broth topped off with vegan parmesan served over maple wheat toast.
Accompanied by watermelon mimosas.

megatarian said...

I'm a sucker for some good waffles with nice fresh strawberries and maple syrup!

carrie said...

Some sort of vegan recreation of one of IHOP's stuffed french toast, plus savory vegan sausages on the side, whatever is the freshes fruit you can find (to make me feel less guilty), and a big cup of hot Joe.

Emma said...

Ideal bruch...? A veggie-heavy tofu scramble (broccoli, peppers, mushrooms, onions, tomatos, spinach, and asparagus) with a side of vegan french toast, topped with banana, strawberries, and blueberries. I'm drooling even thinking about this!

propinecone said...

0 calorie cinnamon swirl bread french toast stuffed with 0 calorie vegan cream cheese & topped with mixed berries & 0 calorie struesel bits. on the side would be 0 calorie vegan sausage drizzled with 0 calorie maple syrup. a 0 calorie mug of super rich hot cocoa wouldn't hurt either. let's throw a 0 calorie hazelnut coffee vegan milkshake in there for good measure!

and to top it all of, this meal would be prepared for me by a cute boy who knows how to cook..

ideal!

Humboldt Honey said...

A frittata, with the base being a blend of crimini and shitake mushrooms, tofu, and spinach - mixed with fresh thyme and scallions, thinly sliced potatoes, nutritional yeast, the zest of one lemon, salt and pepper, and served with vegan parmesan.

Unknown said...

Hash browns! Anything to do with hash browns! Oh, those crispy carbohydrates...

KitteeBee said...

oh fantasy food = fun.
how about an entire brunch made entirely of candy and rice crispies. ok, too hard to think about at this hour.

instead: upuma, mango lassis with the digs: coconut and cilantro chutney and pickle.

yes indeedy.

Unknown said...

Hands down: a stack of fluffy vegan pancakes (perhaps Veganomicon's Blueberry Corn pancakes...or gingerbread pancakes...or just the classic old-fashioned kind), dripping with melted Earth Balance, smothered in maple syrup, and paired with a cold glass of soy milk. Yummy!

Tessa R. said...

A savory buckwheat crepe with sauteed kale, sweet potatoa, and caramelized red onions on the inside. Let's throw on a shallot aioli on top.

It's a crepe inspired by my favorite Candle Cafe sandwich.

Tessa R. said...

EDITED (because there's no 'a' at the end of sweet potato)

A savory buckwheat crepe with sauteed kale, sweet potato, and caramelized red onions on the inside. Let's throw on a shallot aioli on top.

It's a crepe inspired by my favorite Candle Cafe sandwich.

Carrie Ann said...

Oh! What an absolutely lovely brunch idea! Tofu and champagne--can veganism get any classier? Nom, nom, nommy!!

Susan said...

tofu scramble, peanut butter toast, cinnamon rolls, vegan bacon and sausage,potatoes,bagels with vegan cream cheese, fresh fruit, coffee with soy creamer, orange juice, and mimosas!

Book and Cat Librarian said...

Since we're talking fantasy here, then I have to go with cinnamon rolls

beeps said...

banana flax muffin (recipe from vegweb) with chocolate chips in it. yum.

in fact, i might go make some. i have some bananas.

Panderbear said...

Cinnamon rolls for sure! If I eat one in each hand, that's a balanced breakfast, right?

algae said...

waffles with fresh strawberries, tofu, broccoli, squash and potato scramble, and hot chocolate

Meghan said...

i think my fantasy brunch dish would be the most delicious french toast ever. i believe i have come close, but there is nothing like an amazingly vanilla-y cinnamon-y french toast with delicious coffee, fresh fruit and MAYBE a bellini. but perhaps i am asking too much! Mmmm....

Ssssonya said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Julia said...

I think my dream brunch dish would be a fancy breakfast burrito with tofu scramble and fresh salsa.

AND a vegan bloody mary, natch!

Ssssonya said...

Had to re-do, because apparently I don't understand the concept of "just one." If I had to pick just one, I'm going to go with tofu scramble. Not a terribly original answer, but the dish is quite "customized" with toasted cumin seed, lots of nutritional yeast, tons of sauteed veggies... Droool.c

Unknown said...

I had my fantasy brunch dish recently on a trip to Cleveland, at a little place called Lucky's Cafe: it's called the "Canoewreck," essentially curried tofu hash with potatoes, spinach, zucchini, and lots of other veggies, spices, and nutritional yeast. It was delicious!

BerksBess said...

Winter brunch: Butternut or acorn squash risotto cakes.

Spring brunch: I've had these omelets at a vegan place in NYC, somehow made from frozen grated tofu? I'd like it with asparagus, morels, and ramps, please.

Summer? I make a mean tofu quiche...

Danielle M said...

Tofu benedict with vegan hollandaise and blanched asparagus. Yum.

Ninja Sandwich said...

Banana-bran muffins with dates and walnuts inside!

Meg said...

Tofu florentine. Nothing beats that sauce!!

Dina said...

Since I would eat a "mock" fish taco for breakfast, lunch or dinner, making one for brunch is a good balance lol

Photo Jenny said...

hmmm, hard to choose just one but i'd have to say some sort of mexian tofu scramble with avacados and beans...with some potato side dish..mmmm

Abby said...

The genius of brunch means having several tasty elements make up your one dream dish.

As for mine: Mexican all the way. Thick, homemade corn tortillas piled high with marinated/grilled tofu, garlicky black beans, tofu sour cream, pico de gallo, spinach, thinly sliced radish and perfect avocado slices, with crispy roasted potatoes and smokin' hot sauce on the side.

And while I love me some brunch mimosas, I'd have to chase this dream dish down with a cold, sweet, refreshing tall glass of horchata.

maria said...

A breakfast pizza with gravy sauce and tater tots, homemade 'sausages', onions, tofu scramble, and peppers on top with a glass of fresh orange pineapple juice and a sticky pecan roll for dessert.

oncewerewesties said...

oooh, I think it would have to be chilli and pepper spiced hashbrowns, fresh baked bread, heaps of hummous and delicious chutneys, some veg sausage, and fresh-squeezed juice... mmm...

LCE said...

Endless Belgian waffles that never get me full and never make me gain weight. A nice cup of coffee wouldn't hurt, either.