Vegan by Valerie

Vegan Spinach and Cheese Calzones with Sundried Tomato Crust

Happy Tuesday! Today is kind of like my “Sunday”… the end of a very long, 10.5 week summer vacation.

Tomorrow I go back to work, and I’m ready to have a great school year!  As far as I know, I’m working at the same two schools that I was assigned to last year, so that alleviates some nerves since I know what I’m getting myself into.  Although there are always a little bit of nerves on the first day no matter what… here’s the post I wrote on the day before school last year, and I got a lot of great comments about how to psych yourself up for the first day!

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So, yesterday I got my first rejection letter for the cookbook proposal I sent out…. no big deal, I know it happens to the best of ‘em   How do you deal with rejection?

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The other night I was dying to use some of the cheddar Daiya cheese that I had just bought, but I also wanted to get some greens into my diet.  Spinach and cheese together… hmm… that sounded just like one of my favorite meals of all time from my pre-vegan days, the spinach and cheese calzone from a restaurant in my hometown.

The only thing holding me back from attempting to veganize this ahmaaaaaaazing meal was my fear of making dough.  Homemade dough making scares the heck out of me, whether for bread, pizza, or calzones. Surprisingly, this dough ended up knocking my socks off… Mike said it was his favorite part of the recipe! I think it was the addition of the sundried tomatoes.

And this is how the most mouthwatering, tantalizing vegan calzone was born…

Spinach and Cheese Calzones with Sundried Tomato Crust

Dough:

2 ½ tsp yeast

1 T. sugar

¾ c. warm water

3 c. WW spelt flour

2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. dried basil

1 tsp. dried oregano

¼ c sundried tomatoes in oil, chopped finely (I whizzed them in the mini FP for a couple minutes)

¾ c EVOO

1/4 c. water

1 tsp. oil, to sprinkle on the bowl later

1 T.  cornmeal to sprinkle onto the pizza stone

Filling:

~ 1 lb spinach, or about 6 handfulls

2 ½ c. Daiya cheddar cheese

1 T. EVOO

1 T. minced garlic

1 c. diced mushrooms

* Optional: This is great on its own, or with a side of my cheesy tomato dip!

Instructions:

1. In a medium saucepan, heat up the 1 T EVOO, 1 T minced garlic, and sliced mushrooms.
2. After 5 minutes once the mushrooms become tender, add in the spinach and cook at a low heat until the spinach is wilted, stirring occasionally.
3. Mix the yeast and sugar into ¾ c. warm water.  Let sit 5-10 minutes, or until it becomes foamy.
4. Combine all dough ingredients (except the 1 tsp. oil and cornmeal) in a standing mixer with the dough hook. 
5. Stop mixing once the dough starts to form a ball and pulls away from the sides.
6. Knead the dough a couple times in the bowl with your hands.
7. Lightly oil the mixing bowl with 1 tsp. oil, and cover with saran wrap.  Place the bowl in a warm place (I used the top of my oven when it is heated to 350 degrees) for 35-45 minutes, or until you can poke the dough without it bouncing back.
8. Sprinkle the cornmeal onto the pizza stone.
9. Form your calzone shapes (whether you want one large calzone or four smaller ones) on the pizza stone.
10. Mix the fillings ingredients together and then spread them onto half of each calzone.
11. Fold the calzone (pulling the non-ingredient side over the filled side).
12. Use your fingers to make indentations, sealing the side completely.
13. Poke the calzone with a fork or knife a couple times to allow steam to escape.
14. Bake 20-25 minutes, or until the calzone crust is slightly golden and baked how you would like it.

Is there a certain kind of food that you are intimidated to make?  Dough?  Sushi?  Baked goods?

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