COOKIN' UP A STORMSea Stories and Vegan Recipes from Sea Shepherd's Anti-Whaling Campaigns

Sea Shepherd’s Pie

Sweet Potatoes with Balsamic Onions

Captain’s Favorite Carrot Cake

Sea Shepherd’s Pie

We couldn’t have an official Sea Shepherd cookbook without including our signature dish,

Sea Shepherd’s Pie. Perfect for entertaining, this one-dish wonder can easily be made in advance and baked later in the day. Consider it your go-to entrée when you don’t want to be stuck in the kitchen—or galley—if you can be enjoying good company instead.

Makes 6 servings

Per serving: 537 calories, 26 g protein, 6 g fat (1 g sat), 67 g carbohydrates, 726 mg sodium, 70 mg calcium,14 g fiber

Filling

1 tablespoon (15 ml) vegetable oil

1 tablespoon (15 ml) vegan butter

3 cups (750 ml) sliced button mushrooms

1 leek, thinly sliced (tender green parts only)

1 onion, diced

1 carrot, peeled and diced

1 stalk celery, finely diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

3 tablespoons (45 ml) reduced-sodium tamari

1 teaspoon (5 ml) freshly ground black pepper

3 cups (750 ml) no-salt-added vegetable broth or water, plus more as needed

3 cups (750 ml) dried French lentils, picked over, rinsed, and drained

2 tomatoes, finely diced

1 tablespoon (15 ml) cider vinegar

1 tablespoon (15 ml) nutritional yeast flakes

Topping

4 potatoes, peeled and diced

1 tablespoon (15 ml) olive oil, plus more for drizzling

Pinch salt

1 tablespoon (15 ml) thinly sliced fresh chives

To make the filling, put the oil and butter in a large soup pot over medium-high heat until the butter is melted. Decrease the heat to medium and add the mushrooms, leek, onion, carrot, celery, and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until soft, about 10 minutes.

Add the tamari and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes.

Add the broth, lentils, and tomatoes and bring to a boil over medium-high heat.

Decrease the heat to medium, partially cover, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the lentils are tender, about 25 minutes. If necessary, add more broth as the lentils cook so they don’t become dry. Stir in the vinegar and nutritional yeast. Transfer to a 4-quart (4 L) casserole.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C).

While the lentils cook, prepare the topping. Fill a medium saucepan with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the potatoes, partially cover, and cook until soft, about 15 minutes. Drain. Add the oil and salt and mash until the potatoes are smooth and creamy.

Spread the topping evenly over the filling. Sprinkle the chives evenly over the topping and drizzle with olive oil. Bake for 20 minutes, until golden brown and bubbly.

Serving suggestion: Serve hot, covered in Punk Rock Gravy (page 106) and with a side of steamed vegetables.

 

Sweet Potatoes with Balsamic Onions

 The balsamic onions in this dish offset the sweetness of the roasted sweet potatoes, creating a mouthwatering sweet-and-sour finish. Store any leftovers in the fridge; for a super-tasty way to use them up, stir them into hot pasta.

Makes 4 servings

Per serving: 300 calories, 4 g protein, 14 g fat (3 g sat), 39 g carbohydrates, 386 mg sodium, 109 mg calcium,6 g fiber

4 medium sweet potatoes, scrubbed and cut into 2-inch-thick slices

2 tablespoons (30 ml) vegetable oil

½ teaspoon (2 ml) salt

2 tablespoons (30 ml) olive oil

2 red onions, sliced

1 tablespoon (15 ml) dark brown sugar

½ teaspoon (2 ml) freshly ground black pepper

½ cup (125 ml) balsamic vinegar

2 cups (500 ml) stemmed baby spinach or arugula, packed

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.

Arrange the sweet potatoes cut-side up on the lined baking sheets. Brush with the vegetable oil and sprinkle with the salt. Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until fork-tender.

While the sweet potatoes bake, prepare the onions. Put the olive oil and onions in a skillet over medium-low heat and cook, stirring frequently, until the onions begin to caramelize, about 20 minutes. Sprinkle with the brown sugar and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are very soft and sweet, about 10 minutes longer. Remove from the heat and stir in the balsamic vinegar.

Transfer the sweet potatoes to a large serving dish. Spoon the onions evenly over the sweet potatoes. Top with the spinach. Let sit for 10 minutes before serving to allow the flavors to mingle.

Serving suggestion: For an attractive finishing touch, sprinkle some toasted pine nuts over the top before serving.

 

Captain’s Favorite Carrot Cake

No Sea Shepherd cookbook would be complete without Captain Paul’s favorite dessert.

This is one sweet way to eat your veggies.

Makes 8 servings

Per serving: 669 calories, 8 g protein, 46 g fat (12 g sat), 59 g carbohydrates, 412 mg sodium, 79 mg calcium, 5 g fiber

 Cake

2 cups (500 ml) peeled and shredded carrots

1 cup (250 ml) dark brown sugar

1 cup (250 ml) vegetable oil

¾ cup (185 ml) apple juice

2 tablespoons (30 ml) ground flaxseeds

1 teaspoon (5 ml) vanilla extract

2½ cups (625 ml) unbleached all-purpose flour

1½ teaspoons (7 ml) baking powder

1 teaspoon (5 ml) baking soda

1 cup (250 ml) walnut pieces

1 teaspoon (5 ml) ground cinnamon

½ teaspoon (2 ml) ground nutmeg

½ teaspoon (2 ml) salt

¼ teaspoon (1 ml) ground cloves

Frosting

8 ounces (225 grams) vegan cream cheese

1 tablespoon (15 ml) powdered sugar

Zest of ½ lemon 

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (180 degrees C). Line a 9-inch (23 cm) round cake pan with parchment paper.

To make the cake, put the carrots, brown sugar, oil, apple juice, flaxseeds, and vanilla extract in a large bowl and stir until well combined.

Sift the flour, baking powder, and baking soda into a large bowl. Add the walnuts, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and cloves and stir until combined.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until well combined.

Scrape the batter into the lined pan using a rubber spatula. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool completely before removing from the pan.

To make the frosting, put all the ingredients in a food processor and process until smooth. Scrape the frosting into a small bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate.

When the cake is completely cool, remove it from the pan and transfer to a serving dish. To frost the cake, spread the frosting over the top using a metal spatula.