Midwest Vegan

Mesir Wat

2012-01-27T18:48:00.000-06:00

So, I finally hunted down some berbere (you know, through the wild and raucous aisles that are known as Amazon) and I'm now able to make myself some "Ethiopian" food. It's probably not authentic at all, but it has a sort of taste that I'm looking for. Or maybe it is kind of authentic. I'm not really sure. Anywho, this is my recipe for Mesir Wat, which is a lentil stew. I added berbere to this so it's probably more like kik wat... but with lentils. I have no idea. This is why I need a copy of Papa Tofu Loves Ethiopian Food.

To round out this meal, I served it with sauteed spinach (no collards on hand, otherwise I would have tried my hand at Ye'abesha Gomen. I love me some greens) and leftover potatoes that I cut up and sauteed in some coconut oil. Good idea, by the way!

I used red lentils, which normally cook pretty quickly, but I wanted to get this stew nice and thick so I simmered it about an hour. Just FYI. Oh, and most recipes for mesir wat contain a fair amount of oil. What you do is simmer the onion and the spices in the oil before you ever add the lentils. I might try that next time, but for now I just sauteed the onions and spices in about one tablespoon of oil.

Mesir Wat:
1 c. split red lentils, rinsed
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 Tb. neutral-flavored oil
1/2 Tb. coconut oil
1 Tb. berbere
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. hot paprika
4 c. water
1/2 tsp. sea salt

1. In a large saucepan, saute the onions and garlic in the oil over medium heat until soft and golden, about 10-12 minutes. You want to cook it a little slower than usual.

2. Add the berbere, cumin, and paprika and let it cook another 2 minutes or until fragrant. Add the lentils and the water. Bring the pot to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, about 45-1 hour. I used medium-low. You want to cook it until it's nice and thick, without a lot of extra water.

3. Before serving, stir in 1/2 tsp. sea salt (or to taste). Enjoy!

This will make four small-ish servings at around 206 calories, 4.5 g. fat, and 11.7 grams protein. The small serving is good if you have some sauteed greens and a starch (like potatoes, millet, or injeera to go with it). Otherwise, I'd go ahead and serve up two!

Anywho, next week I'm flying down to Athens, Georgia and I hear there are some very good vegetarian/vegan places down there. Athens is nothing like the town I currently live in. They have hummus places and brunch places and coffee places and Indian and Thai places (and that's just the food!). I'll have to let you all know what I try out. Have a great afternoon!

Golden Bowl: Take Two

2012-01-21T20:41:00.001-06:00

I've had a hankering for cabbage lately, but I'm not really in the mood for anything spicy or Asian. I thought about the kind of food that I would like to eat and that turned out to be "comfort food". Many people's definition includes such items as macaroni and cheese, spaghetti, chili, etc., but I've never been a mac n' cheese eater (not even before I went vegan), and I don't really care too much for pasta-heavy dishes. For me, comfort food means a return to the ingredients and flavors I'm most familiar with. The ones I grew up eating: onions, celery, mushrooms, carrots, beans, rice, potatoes...

So needless to say, I've been eating quite a few of these Golden Bowls. This version here is a winter-version of my other Golden Bowl recipe which features summer squash. It has all the items I want, regular ol' vegetables, a little salt and nutritional yeast for flavor, and tofu for protein. Also, the veggies are a little beyond crisp-tender with just the right about of bite to them without being soggy.

This recipe will serve two as a main dish when served with a cooked grain. Of course, I often just pile the whole skillet into a tupperware container and take it to work with me. It's super easy to make and it comes together in a flash.

Golden Bowl II (or, Attack of the Late Winter Vegetables):
1/2 a carton of extra-firm tofu, pressed and drained 15 minutes, cut into small cubes
2 c. green cabbage, cored and shredded
1 c. celery, sliced on a bias (about 3 stalks)
2/3 c. sliced white button mushrooms (about 4-5)
1 large carrot, sliced
1/2 a red bell pepper, cut into 1/2" pieces
2 green onions, white and green parts, chopped
2 Tb. nutritional yeast
Bragg's liquid aminos and/or salt

1. In a large skillet sprayed with some nonstick, saute the tofu cubes over medium-high heat until golden, about 10 minutes. Stir occasionally with a spatula. Once golden, sprinkle the cubes with some Bragg's liquid aminos (as desired) and set aside. Before cooking the veggies, you may need to wipe out the skillet.

2. Respray the skillet with some nonstick, add all the veggies and saute for five minutes. Add the tofu cubes back to the skillet and continue cooking the veggies another 2-3 minutes, or until the cabbage is mostly soft with just a little bit of crunch.

3. Turn off the heat and toss the veggies/tofu with the nutritional yeast plus some more Bragg's/salt to taste. Enjoy!

I love my golden bowls!

This particular version has: 384 calories, 15 grams of fat, 17 grams of fiber, 34 grams of protein, your entire RDA of Vitamin A and Vitamin C, plus a third of your daily iron and calcium. If you eat the whole thing by itself. Which I do. Every time. So good. Although I'm not gonna lie, I gotta take one of those Beano meltaways before I do. Darn cruciferous vegetables...

Noochy goodness.

I've also been juicing more, just like I said I would! I got a new juicer (one of them Breville juice fountains, though not the super-expensive ones) and gave my old Juiceman, Jr. (which worked really well actually!) to my parents who still juice quite a bit (I'm so proud!). Amber recently shared a juice recipe on her blog, Almost Vegan and it's a pretty famous one that's been making the rounds for quite a while. And for good reason. It's delicious!

It's a basic mix of kale, celery, cucumber, green apple. lemon, and ginger. It's addiciting and I feel so vibrant after drinking it. In fact, I drank it at 7 pm and actually rolled around in bed all night because I was so wired! I couldn't sleep at all. I just had way too much energy! I'm real excited to begin starting my mornings with one of these because they make me feel great.

I have a lot of good recipes to share with you all. More healthy comfort food for sure. I made vegan reubens last night and they were awesome (and I followed that up with a reuben salad today!). I also have a recipe for mocha chip muffins (probably gluten-free, though I know for sure I'll be doing some GF baking), sun-dried tomato pesto, and I'll be trying my hand at doing some Ethiopian cooking in my own kitchen. I'm seriously craving some Blue Nile right about now. Have a great night!

A Medley of Eats

2012-01-11T12:18:00.000-06:00

So... I've been eating a lot of simple things for lunch/dinner lately, but they are hearty and comforting and that's what winter food is all about:

1. Roasted Vegetables with Kale

I simply roasted some cauliflower, sweet potatoes, garlic, onions, and baby Yukon Gold potatoes with a little olive oil and salt. I boiled some chopped kale for a couple minutes, then drained it and put it on the baking sheet with the veggies the last five minutes of cooking to crisp up a little.

2. Grain and Veggie Salads

This one here is a packaged salad blend + romaine + baby spinach topped with cooked brown rice, steamed butternut squash, hemp seeds, and raspberry vinaigrette. A very tasty combination. I've also been drinking this Dark Chocolate Mate I found from the Republic of Tea (in the corner of the photo). I love yerba mate and this chocolate-flavored variety is no exception! It has as much caffeine in it as a really strong espresso (100 mg) so I generally limit myself to one cup before work. It gives a good boost!

3. Various Miso Soups

I've been loving the miso lately. For this particular soup I sautéed together some onion, shiitake mushrooms, and thinly sliced carrot. I also boiled some edamame and tossed it with some walnut and toasted sesame oil. At work, I combined together the sautéed veggies, the edamame, some leftover grain (red quinoa in this case), and water. After heating it up I added a tablespoon of white miso, some Bragg's, and baby spinach and stirred until the spinach was wilted. It made a real quick and easy lunch at work. I've been making lots of variations on this combination too (sautéed veggies + greens + edamame/tofu + miso).

4. Happy Herbivore's Chickpea Tacos

What an easy, tasty idea! The only thing I did differently was use one tablespoon of my jarred taco mix instead of all the spices she had listed (my mix has the same ingredients). I also used mashed avocado to help keep the beans in place in the taco. I then topped it with pickled onions from Viva Vegan (which really brought it together!) and romaine. Definitely a tasty lunch.

5. Nut Butter-Stuffed Dates

I don't have a picture of this one, but lots of other bloggers do! I had always seen almond butter stuffed dates but I was pretty "meh" about it. Sure, I like almond butter and I love me some medjools, but I doubted the combination as being anything special.

At least, until I made my own almond butter stuffed dates! Alone, those two foods are tasty, but when you combine them, they are amazing! They complement each other perfectly, especially if you have those big, soft medjool dates.

Big Lots Find-O-The Month:

Source

I found Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Lara Bars at my Big Lots this month! And not as individual bars, either. They are being sold in a five-pack box for $2.80 (that's $0.56 a bar!!!). So if you have a Big Lots near you, check it out and you just might find yourself a box (or two or three!). I also found some Arrowhead Mills no salt almond butter there for $2.50 and that was what set me off on my date-stuffing marathon.

Luckily, if I move to Georgia, the city I would live in also has a Big Lots. I don't know what I would do without that place! Lol.

Chickpea-Vegetable Miso Breakfast Soup

2012-01-02T16:30:00.003-06:00

Inspired by my latest edition of Whole Living magazine, I decided to try something a little different for breakfast and I made a veggie-heavy miso soup. I know that miso for breakfast is popular in Japan (or so I'm told), but had never tried it out for myself. So, this recipe is pretty much the one from Whole Living, but I pared down the recipe to just make one serving, not four, and I reduced both the cooking time and the overall fat content.

This soup didn't take very long to make, which is good, because it is breakfast after all. I know that when I wake up I'm cranky, need coffee, and have grumblings in my tummy, so breakfast must be a fairly quick ordeal. I woke up on my day off, so I had a little extra time to spare to make this gem of a veggie soup. It took me about 25 minutes, which I wouldn't exactly consider quick (for breakfast anyway), so to speed up the process I would chop everything up the night before and have it in a container ready-to-go. I've made this recipe about three times already (that's how you know it's tasty!) and I also started sauteing the broccoli with the celery and onions which shaves off another five minutes or so. Instead of coffee though, I drank some hot lemon water with this.

The coffee came later, lol.

Miso-Vegetable Soup For One:
1 celery stalk, finely chopped
2 Tb. yellow onion, minced (1/8 an onion)
1 clove garlic, minced
half a carrot, chopped
1/2 c. broccoli florets, chopped
1/4 c. chickpeas (rinsed if from a can)
1/4 c. vegetable broth (can use water instead, but I always have an open container around)
1 c. water
1/2 Tb. white miso
Sea salt, to taste

1. In a small saucepan sprayed with nonstick, saute the celery, onion, garlic, carrot, and broccoli for about 5 minutes, or until softened.

2. Add the chickpeas, vegetable broth, and water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for about 10 minutes (you may have to simmer a little longer if you want your broccoli to be completely soft. I'm indifferent). Remove from heat.

3. Mix the miso with 1/2 Tb. cool water until blended, then stir into the soup. Add salt to taste, then serve!

This breakfast really is a nice change of pace, and I'm sure it will fit on everyone's diet/detox plan for this new year we've stumbled into. This meal will set you back only 1 gram of fat and 147 calories. Not only that, but you will gain 7 grams of protein, all your Vitamin A for the day, more than 3/4 your daily Vitamin C, and 8 grams of fiber. That doesn't even include the goodness you get from miso!

I don't really have any New Year's Resolutions other than to continue to eat healthy and stay active. Although, I would really like to juice more, so I'm going to work on that. Oh, and maybe one of these days I'll mess around with my camera long enough to figure out how to remove the date from each one of my photos...

Anywho, I feel like this year will be kind of epic compared to the steady last couple of years I've had, so I guess we'll see how it all turns out!

Whole Foods Salad: Take One

2011-12-29T15:15:00.000-06:00

Like a majority of others, I am completely obsessed with Whole Foods' salad bar. It doesn't matter what I put on my creation, it will always taste good. As long as they have some of my favorite items: marinated gigante beans (delicious!), toasted pumpkin seeds, and shredded raw veggies of some sort, I am a happy camper.

Unfortunately, I live almost an hour and a half from the nearest Whole Foods, so if I wind up going there it becomes quite an excursion. It always take a few hours, involves a giant shopping list, and of course, eating an amazing salad at the salad bar and drinking a kombucha from the tap.

After eating wicked amounts of sugar over the holidays, I have been mega-craving salads, beans, and other healthy foods. And since I'd much rather be feeling like my usual vibrant and healthy self than a sluggish mess of brain fog, I decided to go ahead and start afresh with my diet. Why wait until the New Year to start over if I can do it today and feel great now?

So, due to the fact that I yearn for some crisp, clean vegetables and whole grains and beans, I did my best to recreate my favorite Whole Foods salad:

Bascially, it's a layered salad made up of the following:
2 c. mixed salad greens and baby spinach
1 c. chopped romaine lettuce
1/2 c. steamed squash (delicata this time around, 10 min. to steam)
1/2 c. butter beans, rinsed and patted dry
1/4 c. cooked quinoa or brown rice
A heaping 1/8 c. raw beets, shredded
1/8 c. raw zucchini, shredded
1/8 c. raw carrots, shredded
1/8 c. daikon, shredded
2 Tb. low-fat raspberry vinaigrette
2 Tb. chopped green onion
1 tsp. shelled hemp seeds

The major difference between my homemade salad and the Whole Foods one is that I usually add a little bit of baked tofu and use pumpkin seeds instead of hemp on the WF one. Also, at Whole Foods I use the Follow Your Heart Oil-Free Tamari-Miso dressing. It is amazing! I will buy some the next time I down there.

Also, you might be thinking, "raw beets?? raw zucchini?? daikon??". These raw shredded veggies are a great addition to your salad. You don't really notice the flavor because they're shredded up so fine but they add lots of nutrition. Daikon tastes like a sweeter, milder radish when raw, and I like it a lot, but you could also leave it out. I just shred a good amount at once that way I have plenty on hand for awhile.

As for delicata squash, some people really like it, but I wasn't very impressed. I don't really like the skin on it (which is edible), so if I ever cook it again, I'll leave off the skin. However, that seems like a lot of work and I really love butternut (what can I say?) so I'll probably stick to steamed butternut for my salads. Although, I do have a carnival squash I have yet to roast and I'd still like to try a kabocha sometime this winter, if I can find one.

Overall, this is a mega tasty salad. I will eat it until I run out of raspberry vinaigrette, then I will switch things up a bit!

Almond Joy Cake!

2011-12-26T09:20:00.001-06:00

Alright! I baked a cake! I love baking those things! I wanted a cake for my graduation party, and since it was MY party and MY cake I make it the way I wanted. With coconut. Ha ha!

This cake had two layers of moist vanilla-almond cake, a dark chocolate-coconut-almond filling, and a fluffy dark chocolate frosting. It was then garnished with sliced almonds.

CAKE. VEGAN LAYER CAKE. I win.

So actually, I suppose it's a Mounds cake... with almonds... but eh. I think Almond Joy has more name recognition. Lol. For the chocolate, I used Enjoy Life brand (which is gluten-free, nut-free, and dairy-free. Also, it's affordable). I think that it is a milder chocolate, so it's good for people who don't have as much love for the dark stuff. It also comes in the bag as mini chips so it's fairly easy to measure out and melt.

Almond Joy Cake:
For the cake:
3 c. unbleached, all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
2 c. turbinado sugar
1/4 c. canola oil
1/4 c. coconut oil (warmed to liquid, then measured)
2 Tb. no-sugar-added applesauce
1 1/2 c. unsweetened almond milk
1/2 Tb. rice vinegar
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. pure almond extract

For the frosting/filling:
2 c. vegan chocolate chips (12 oz., which is one full bag plus part of another)
1/2 c. plain coconut creamer (or soy creamer)
2 sticks Earth Balance, softened
2 c. powdered sugar (make sure there are no lumps, sift if you have to)

1 c. sweetened, flaked coconut
1/3 c. sliced almonds, plus additional almonds to decorate the top of the cake

FOR THE CAKE:
Preheat oven to 350F, and prepare two 8" rounds by covering the bottom and sides with parchment paper, using a spritz of nonstick to help them adhere to the pan. Spray the bottom of each round with some more nonstick.

1. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl.
2. In a large bowl, beat together the sugar, canola oil, coconut oil, applesauce, almond milk, vinegar, vanilla and almond extracts until completely combined.
3. Beat in half the flour on low speed.
4. Stir in last half the flour until combined.
5. Pour half the batter into each of the cake pans and bake for 25-30 minutes or until the top springs back when touched and a toothpick comes out clean. Allow the cakes to cool in the pans about 5 minutes, then let them finish cooling on a wire rack.

FOR THE FROSTING:
1. Combine the chocolate and the coconut creamer in a bowl and heat in the microwave until the chocolate is melted. Stir it every 30 seconds or so until it is completely smooth. Remove it from the microwave and allow it to cool about 15 minutes.
2. Beat together the softened Earth Balance and powdered sugar until it's nice and fluffy, then add the melted chocolate.
3. Beat in the melted chocolate and whip the frosting together about five minutes, so that it is well combined. Set aside.

*It's IMPORTANT that the chocolate has cooled (until it's lukewarm to touch), otherwise it will melt the butter!!*

FOR THE COCONUT-ALMOND FILLING:
1. Remove about 1/3 the prepared frosting and place it into a small bowl.
2. Add in the flaked coconut and sliced almonds and mix completely. Set aside.

TO ASSEMBLE THE CAKE:
1. Remove the parchment paper and place it onto the platter/cake tray that you plan on serving it on.
2. Place one layer right side up, and cover the top of it with the coconut-almond filling.
3. Place the second layer UPSIDE DOWN so that the flat part is on top. This will give you a nice, smooth surface to decorate. You may need to cut off part of the top of the second layer so that the cake will be level (if you want).
4. Use the rest of the frosting to completely cover the sides and the top of the cake. It helps if you have a flat spatula to smooth it out with. I would frost the cake as soon as the cake is cool enough to handle frosting. Otherwise, it might harden.

Makes a good breakfast...

Garnish with sliced almonds and flaked coconut! Also, I think that you should leave this cake at room temperature. It tends to harden up if left in the fridge. I also liked to eat my slices nuked in the microwave for about 10 seconds so that the chocolate got slightly melty.

This cake got a thumbs up from all who tried it... even those who didn't care too much for coconut!

Also, it is official. Now that I have eaten cake, I am a university graduate! I'll have an interesting announcement regarding that in February or so, and it may just change the direction my blog is headed... literally... like, the Midwest Vegan will probably be moving to Georgia this summer!

ANYWHO, I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! My boyfriend got me a wok, a bamboo steamer, and the Happy Herbivore cookbook (he knows me so well!). Which is good, because I've really wanted to make steamed dumpling for forever. Also, I make a lot of stir-fry and the regular ol' skillet just ain't cutting it. And last but not least, I make some awesome vegan cinnamon rolls for Christmas for my family (who loved them!) and I shall post the recipe before New Year. After all, something-something New Year's resolutions something something, am I right?

(So yes, lots of healthy stuff coming from me in a couple of days!).

Pad Thai with Edamame!

2011-12-24T16:43:00.001-06:00

Haha. My last few posts have been pretty centered on Asian ingredients and flavors and this one is no different! However, I do feel the winds of change a-blowin' and I'm pretty sure that I'm going to wander off into some Indian flavors for awhile. Well, I mean I'm at least gonna make some chickpeas and butternut squash (cooked in coconut milk) because I've been hoarding those two ingredients for awhile. I live with three other people and our pantry has started getting crazy! Must... clear... space!!

In a change of pace from my usual Korean and Chinese-styled lunches, I made something Thai-ish. It's something I've made for a long time, and each time I made it I tweaked it a little bit more. I believe it's finally done being tweaked with and is now ready for your own enjoyment! It's really not that authentic, but I did my best with what I had available, lol. I also used edamame (which is obviously not Thai) instead of tofu because I felt I was kind of in a tofu rut and I really liked it a lot. And I'm not gonna lie, boiling some edamame for a couple minutes is really super easy. Add the edamame to some packaged broccoli slaw, a touch of fresh ingredients, and some rice noodles, and you've got your self a very quick meal. It will definitely be on your table in 30 minutes.

This is what pad Thai looks like naked. Must... garnish...

I actually made up the sauce part the night before to save even more time. It worked just fine! You could also chop up all the garnishes beforehand too, if you know you're going to be in a pinch. Also, I don't have a picture of it all garnished and fancy. I forgot. All well. I'll be making this again!

Pad Thai with Edamame:
1 c. frozen shelled edamame, cooked according to package directions
1 pkg. broccoli slaw
1/2 c. minced shallots (about 2-3 shallots, can use onion)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 Tb. coconut oil

Sauce:
1/4 c. fresh lime juice (about 2-3 limes)
1 tsp. lime zest
3 Tb. Bragg's liquid aminos (or soy sauce or tamari)
1 Tb. brown sugar
1 tsp. tapioca starch (or cornstarch)
1/2 tsp. tamarind paste
1/4 tsp. garlic powder

Rice noodles, cooked according to package directions, to serve
Chopped peanuts, to serve
Lime wedges, to serve
Chopped cilantro, to serve
Sesame seeds, to serve
Chopped green onions, to serve
Sriracha, to serve

1. Mix all the sauce ingredients and set aside.

2. In a large skillet or wok on medium-high, add the coconut oil and let it melt. Add the minced shallots and garlic and cook until softened and golden, about 3 minutes.

3. Add the broccoli slaw, cooked edamame, and sauce, and cook another 5-7 minutes, or until the slaw is crisp-tender and the sauce has thickened/cooked into the veggies. You can add more tapioca starch if necessary.

4. Serve the Pad Thai over the rice noodles, and garnish with the peanuts, cilantro, sesame seeds, green onions, lime wedges, and sriracha.

This makes your kitchen smell really good! And really, even if you don't normally add oil to your stir-fries, you should really add some coconut oil to this one. It gives it a little something-something. Same with the lime zest. I got a microplaner (zester) awhile back and I love it.

Photo from Amazon.com

I normally don't really promote kitchen gadgets or trinkets, but a lot of my recipes call for zest. The zest of a citrus fruit contains all the flavor and essence of that fruit, even more so than the juice does, due to the aromatic oils and other compounds located there. If you made Orange Tofu with orange juice once and you were extremely disappointed about the lack of oranginess, it's because it needed a boost from the zest. I use mine all the time (because we all know them box graters don't actually work with fruit!), and it's actually pretty easy to clean. It's literally one of my favorite kitchen devices. Best $12 bucks I ever spent!

Ok, shameless plug over with! Lol, and just so you know, I don't get any money from that. I just borrowed the picture and used the link so you could see what I was talking about. My blog will always be ad-free, and the other products/items/ingredients I mention are ones that I personally use on a regular basis!

Oh, and my next post will involve my Almond Joy cake. Yumz.

High Protein Lo Mein? Yes.

2011-12-11T14:11:00.002-06:00

So, I've had mega cravings for all sorts of Asian inspired recipes lately and that's mostly what I've been eating. I pulled out a copy of 30 Minute Vegan's Taste of the East this past grocery day and I've picked out a couple of recipes to make from it. I'm definitely going to be making some Pad Thai (I have't had any of that in awhile!), and the Tofu with Lemon Sauce sounds glorious. The only little problem that I'm running into is that I can't find any Szechuan pepper. It's so ridiculous! I live in a CITY of 80000 people (yes, four zeros there) and none of our grocery stores carry any sort of Szechuan anything. I mean, I could understand if it was something obscure, like pomegranate molasses or berbere or something, but it's not!!! It's a famous Chinese spice blend. My HyVee carried it a couple months ago, but magically, when I want it, it's gone. Ok... rant over...

Le Sigh. I'm still hoping I can find it somewhere. I have one more place to look. If I can't find it, I'm not going to make Kung Pao anything (or Lemon Tofu anything). It'll just have to wait. And yes. I am that ridiculous. This is one of those occasions where a substitute will not suffice! I'm going to Whole Foods next week and I will definitely spend some time browsing the spice aisle (along with pretty much every other aisle...).

Anywho, when I was at the grocery store picking out my maple syrup fix, I looked over my shoulder to see some "soybean spaghetti" from a brand called Explore Asian.

Being intrigued, and deciding that soybean spaghetti might be quite alright, I picked up a bag. Vegan... Organic... Gluten-Free.... 20.5 grams of protein a serving?? For reals?? And I then proceeded to toss that baby in my shopping cart. Today, when lunchtime rolled around, I knew that this was what I would be crafting my meal around. The noodles are kind of thin, but I like them like that, and they would make a good gluten-free substitute for udon or ramen (even though they're not nearly as thick as udon). Since everything was getting all noodle-y up in my kitchen and I was running short on time, I decided to made a quick lo mein. When I opened the package, I thought they smelled a little different and it caught me off guard, but I mean, they didn't smell bad or anything, just like soybeans, I suppose!

My Lo Mein turned out perfect, even though I forgot to oil up the drained noodles and they wound up sticking to each other. The noodles themselves had a pleasant flavor and a good texture (actually, I liked the texture a lot. It reminded me of my beloved, much-missed ramen) and even though I ate lunch at 1:30-ish, I was still satisfied until 5:30. I work second shift and I usually take a "fruit break" (instead of a smoke break) around 4:00 when I start feeling a little snacky, but I wound up working through it because I wasn't ready for my fruit break yet! So, I guess these high protein noodles do a pretty good job of filling me up and keeping me satisfied! I will definitely be buying them again.

Note: The spaghetti takes six minutes to cook, so brown the tofu first while bringing the water to a boil. If you add the chopped veggies to the tofu at the same time you add the spaghetti to the boiling water, everything will come out around the exact same time (just be sure to have the sauce mixed and the veggies prepped!).

High-Protein Lo Mein:

1/2 a tub (9 oz.) of firm or extra-firm tofu, pressed for 15 minutes, drained, and cut into cubes

1/2 a package of soybean spaghetti

1 tsp. walnut oil (or oil of choice)

1/2 yellow onion, cut into chunks

1 red bell pepper, cut into chunks

3 stalks celery, cut diagonally (just for fanciness)

1/2 c. sliced mushrooms (crimini, shittake, white, or a mixture)

2 c. baby spinach, packed

Sauce:

1 1/2 Tb. Bragg's liquid aminos or soy sauce/tamari (keep it gluten-free to make this recipe GF)

1 1/2 Tb. sherry (or mirin if you have it)

2 tsp. peanut oil (or oil of choice)

1 tsp. toasted seasame oil

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

Big pinch of dried pepper flakes

2 green onions, white and green parts, chopped

1. Sauté tofu cubes in a skillet sprayed with nonstick over medium-high heat until golden brown.

2. Meanwhile, boil spaghetti according to package directions (it takes six minutes).

3. Once the tofu, is golden, add the onions, bell pepper, celery, and mushrooms and sauté about 5 minutes.

4. Drain the spaghetti and toss it with the walnut oil. Set aside.

5. Add the baby spinach and the sauce (already mixed together and ready to go) to the tofu mix and sauté everything together for another minute or two until the spinach is wilted. Turn off the heat and add the drained noodles. Toss everything together real good and...

...voila! You now have a quick and easy, high protein lo mein!

This recipe makes two servings. Each serving has about 450 calories and around 14 grams of fat (slightly dependent on how much oil you decide to use), almost 25% of your daily calcium (muy importante!), and 35 grams of delicious, clean, vegan protein. If you can find soybean spaghetti near you, I suggest you give it a try. It's a little different, all gluten-free pastas are, but I like it a lot. Enough to make it my long noodle-y pasta of choice!

Ok, and just to let you all know, I'm pretty much out of school, so be prepared! I have a lot of recipes that I've been piling on my "to make" list and now that I don't have to devote the front half of my day and spare time to school, I can FINALLY start cooking and baking delicious things again. And first things first, I've got a vegan, ALMOND JOY LAYER CAKE to make. My graduation ceremony is Saturday (the 17th) and I decided I wanted a nacho party (with all the fixins') and a cake at home with my family and boyfriend. I'll let you know how that cake turns out (and I hope to do another step-by-step layer cake tutorial, since I have a better camera to take pictures with this time).

Have a great afternoon!

Roasted Veggie Noms

2011-11-14T10:00:00.000-06:00

I love vegetables, and one of my favorite things about fall cooking is working with lots of root vegetables. So behold, the root vegetables:

Aww. Look at that little lonely carrot.

As I was reading last month's issue of Vegetarian Times, I saw a roasted vegetable recipe that called for fennel. Suddenly, fennel sounded really good, which was super weird because I've had fennel before and I thought it was kind of "meh". But, since I'm on a veggie kick now, I decided I would try roasting the fennel to see how that would come out. My previous attempts were all sauteed.

I didn't use the recipe in VT, I just roasted the vegetables like I always do: a touch of olive oil and kosher salt, then finished off with some good balsamic vinegar. I also went crazy with the vegetables I had (note to self: stick to boiling turnips. They get kind of weird and crunchy went you roast them).

Anywho, I LOVED the roasted fennel. It tamed its anise-like flavor and became really sweet (in a good way). When mixed with the potatoes, onions, and cauliflower, the whole dish had a nice balance to it. I wanted to find a celery root to stick in here (since they're another root I'd like to try), but although I've seen them around town before, they're not here now. Maybe some other time? Also, I threw a carrot in there. I don't know why and it was only one carrot. Didn't really add much to the dish, lol (hence the lonely carrot in the above photo!). Feel free to add a carrot or two though, if you'd like!

Roasted Vegetables with Fennel:
1/2 a head of cauliflower, broken into florets
1 fennel bulb, end and top remove, thinly sliced
1/2 lb. baby potatoes (about 12), halved
1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
5 cloves of garlic, smashed
1 Tb. olive oil
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
a few pinches black pepper
Preheat oven to 400F.

1. In a large bowl, toss together the cauliflower florets, fennel slices, baby potatoes, onion slices, garlic.
2. Drizzle the veggies with the olive oil, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss to coat.
3. Turn veggies out onto a large baking sheet that has been lined with parchment paper and roast at 400 for about 45-1 hour, or until the veggies are golden brown, soft in the middle, and crispy on the edges. I would give them a good stir every once in awhile, and rotate your pan if your oven is the devil, like mine is.

This recipe serves four as a side dish or two as a main dish. For a main dish (half the recipe, and not including the single carrot!) you get 114 calories, 3.9 grams of fat, 3.9 grams of fiber, 3.1 grams of protein, and about half of your daily Vitamin C. Surprisingly, fennel and potatoes have a good amount of that vitamin in them.

See, there is literally one piece of carrot in there! Bwahaha!

Oh, and those purple things are potatoes. I bought a bunch of mixed colored ones to make it a little more interesting, but it pretty much wound up monochrome anyway! I meant to make a chickpea-orzo pilaf to go along with this, but I just wound up eating it for dinner all by itself. I know I'll be roasting more veggies in the future, so maybe I'll just save it until then. Lol.

Best way to serve leftovers? Warm. In a tortilla. With a hummus. Yeah. Roasted vegetable hummus wrap.
Have a great day!

Korean Stir-Fry For One

2011-11-13T09:58:00.003-06:00

So, I realize "stir-fry for one" isn't exactly a recipe amount that is in high demand, but I remember when I was a new vegan. I wanted to try a lot of new things and I was only cooking for myself. What if I didn't like it? What if I had too many leftovers?

Heck, even now there are days when I just want to whip up something quick for just me. Don't get me wrong, leftovers are great, but sometimes a stir-fry just takes best as a crispy stir-fry the first time around.

This stir-fry is great. It's Korean-inspired (a personal fave) and full of spicy and savory flavor. I served it on top of some soba noodles with some kimche on the side and lunch was on my table in less than 20 minutes (I would say 15 but that might be rather bold. Lol).

It's so awesome it's bathed in an ethereal mist.

So this recipe makes enough stir-fry for one person (well, as in one average me), but feel free to double this goodness if you have more than one person to feed. As a note though, if you decide to double this for two people, I wouldn't double the sauce. I think it would be fine with the amount the recipe already makes. You don't want it to be too salty.

Oh, and gochujang is a spicy, fermented Korean chili paste. It doesn't really have a substitute since it has a flavor to it, but you could simply omit it for a less-spicy version. If you still want some heat, a pinch of chili flakes would be good.

And one last thing! Extra tofu can be stored in water, in the fridge, for a few days. Just be sure you change the water every so often.

Korean Stir-Fry For One:
Stir-fry:
1 serving extra-firm tofu (3 oz. or around 1/6 of a container)
1/2 a container shiitake mushrooms, sliced
4 white button mushrooms, sliced
1/2 a red bell pepper, sliced
1 c. baby spinach, packed

Sauce:
2 green onions, white and green parts, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
1 Tb. tamari
1 tsp. oil
1 tsp. liquid sweetener
1/2 tsp. gochujang
1/2 tsp. white miso

1. Press the tofu for about 15 minutes, drain the water, and cut it until little cubes. Spray a skillet with some nonstick and saute it until golden brown over medium-high heat, about 5-8 minutes.
2. Add the sliced mushrooms and red bell pepper and saute another 4-5 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, make the sauce by mixing together the chopped green onions, garlic clove, tamari, oil, sweetener, gochujang, and miso until well-combined.
4. Once the mushrooms and bell pepper are done sauteing, add the spinach and stir-fry sauce and saute until the spinach is wilted and everything is coated with sauce, about another 1-2 minutes.

Serve over pasta or rice and enjoy!

The stir-fry (including sauce, but not any noodles) has 177 calories, 8 grams of fat, 12 grams of protein, and lots of Vitamin A and C! Add a grain and you get a nice calorie and fiber boost to make a healthy and satisfying lunch!

So remember my declaration of healthy eating this past Monday? Well, it's been going great. I've been eating a lot more vegetables and fruit, and a lot less sodium (you really wouldn't believe how much sodium them crystal noodles had. Lol. Way more than a person should ever eat, around 1200 mg a container... eek!). I haven't made it to the gym yet, but I'll work on that one again next week, lol. I've got deadlines!

Anywho, expect some roasted veggies (with fennel!), some stuffed poblanos, chickpea tagine, and carrot cake oatmeal in the near future. Have a great afternoon!

Weekend Beans

2011-11-08T13:24:00.000-06:00

I realize the title of this post is called "Weekend Beans" and it's well, not the weekend, but that was when they got ate. Another good reason why I call them weekend beans? Because the recipe below makes enough for two servings, or two meals. I took these beans to work both nights this past weekend and they were gone even before I had time to get sick of leftovers, lol. Which, if you make beans from scratch very often, it's pretty easy to wind up making a TON of beans! Of course, since my recipe makes two servings of beans, you could easily double it to get enough for more than one day's worth of leftovers or to feed a couple more people.

That's another good point. These beans were made from dried, so that's a huge money saver. Seriously. A pound of red beans is about $1.50 (although, I think they're actually a little cheaper than that around here). Then say, one full bag contains about 2 cups dried beans (it's probably more, lol). If you make half the bag W(1 cup) and split what you make between two people (that would be two servings apiece since 1/4 cup dried is one serving), your meal of beans is only costing you $0.38! Talk about economical! Show me the beans!

Of course, spices and whatnot up the cost a little bit, but bottom line is: beans are cheap.

And healthy.

And since I've been working on my healthy eating (less processed food. I've gotten lazy), beans are the perfect food to get plenty of.

I also made a batch of cornbread, and I ask you, what good is that without a pot of beans?!

These are my "comfort" beans. The kind Mom made for my Dad and I. Of course, she used ham in hers and a little butter. I use a few spices, a little oil, and some liquid smoke. They're a little plain (which is how I like them) so they go best with some cornbread or rice and some caramelized onions on top. Oh, and Taco Bell hot sauce... but I'll leave that to your discretion!

Weekend Beans:
3/4 c. dried "small red beans" (that's what the bag says)
1 bay leaf
3 Tb. minced yellow onion
1/2 Tb. garlic powder
1/2 Tb. onion powder
1 tsp. olive oil
1/4 tsp. liquid smoke
Sea salt to taste

1. Rinse and pick through beans. Get rid of any stones or bad beans. Rinse beans and if any float to the surface, toss 'em.

2. Cover them with water (about 2 inches above the surface of the beans), bring them to a boil, and let them boil 3 minutes.

3. Once they're done boiling, cover them and let them soak for about an hour to an hour and a half.

4. Once the beans are done soaking, drain the water, rinse them a few times, and cover them with enough water to go about 1 inch above the surface of the beans.

5. Bring them to a boil, add the onion, bay leaf, garlic powder, onion powder, and liquid smoke. NOT THE SALT. Cover them, reduce the heat to a simmer and let them cook, stirring occasionally, for about an hour or until the beans are tender.

6. Once they're done cooking, remove a little of the broth (although you don't have too), give them a few good mashes with a potato masher to thicken them a little, and add the salt to taste.

Serve them with a grain and or cornbread, and some caramelized onions and you have a hearty meal!

Since I made this into two servings, each serving contains 110 calories, 2.25 grams of fat (from the olive oil. The beans themselves are fat free), and 10.5 grams of protein. You also get 22.5% of your RDA of iron and 24 grams of fiber (!).

Ahh. Good stuff. Hearty winter food for sure!

I Finally Posted My Cornbread Recipe!

2011-11-06T14:25:00.001-06:00

But before I go any further, there is something I would like to mention. Teniesha of Vegan on the Go-Go gave me the Liebster Blog award! I love Teniesha's blog and I read it regularly. Her food is always full of color and nutrition and her posts always are friendly and honest. I just happened to stumble across it one day, and I've loved it ever since!

Anywho, liebster is German for “dearest” or “favorite” and is an award given to lesser-known blogs.

When receiving a Liebster award, you're supposed to do the following:
1) Show your thanks to those who gave you the award by linking back to them.        (CHECK)
2) Link 5 of your top picks and let them know by leaving a comment on their blog.     (UM...)
3) Post the award on your blog.                                                                             (CHECK)
4) Enjoy the love and support of some wonderful people.

Okay, so I know you're supposed to link 5 of your favorite blogs, but I always keep links to my favorite blogs on the right-hand side of the page. I like to cruise around the blogosphere and as soon as I find some goodies I post them on the side. So, I hate to be a party pooper, but I'm gonna take the easy way out and tell you that my links are on the side of the page (don't hate me!!! lol!). I've just been unbelievably busy this semester. I don't have enough to to cook, or bake, or read blogs, or even hardly workout!

Now, to divert your attention, I shall show you pictures of foodz...

Some mighty fine ears you got there.

My family is a cornbread family. Everytime we ate beans (which was quite often), we had cornbread. When I made beans or Mexican food or hearty bean stews, I made cornbread. Sometimes I just wanted cornbread... so I made cornbread. I've been using this recipe for years, so I can guarantee that this recipe is tasty and delicious. I actually tried to go out of the box a couple months back and bake a cornbread recipe from a certain well-known vegan cookbook author and I did not like it at all! I was so disappointed that I vowed I would use my recipe from now on (unless of course, I find a super decadent one to try).

MY cornbread is slightly dry and crumbly, but in a good way. It's not so dry you can't eat it by itself (with peanut butter...) but it's dry enough that it does a good job soaking up soupy deliciousness. It also stays in one piece so you don't have it crumbling all over the place. It's a tad sweet, but not too sweet. I've never been fond of sugary "Northern" cornbread. It's also not too high in calories, which I think is something a lot of health-conscious people look for in a cornbread (of course, it kind of depends on how many muffins you decide to make out of the batter...).

For this recipe I used melted (vegan) butter to give it richer flavor, but feel free to use the same amount of oil. I also used liquid sweetener instead of granular to add some moisture to the final product. I've found that most vegan cornbread tends to be unpleasantly dry, but using liquid oils and liquid sweeteners help remedy that.

Good ol' Cornbread:
1 1/4 c. unbleached, all-purpose flour
3/4 c. yellow cornmeal
1 Tb. baking powder
3/4 tsp. sea salt
1 Tb. flax meal +2 Tb. warm water
1 c. unsweetened original almond milk + 1/2 Tb. rice vinegar
1/4 c. liquid sweetener of your choice (agave, maple syrup, etc.)
4 Tb. Earth Balance, melted

1. First, preheat the oven to 400F. Stir together the flax meal and the warm water and set aside. Stir together the almond milk and rice vinegar and set aside.

2. Whisk together the all-purpose flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and sea salt until well-combined.

3. Stir in the flax "egg", the melted Earth Balance, the almond milk mixture, and the liquid sweetener until completely combined. Pour into muffin tins that have been sprayed with nonstick or pour into a 9" x 9" round pan (also sprayed with nonstick). You can also you an 8" x 8" square pan or muffin tins, but adjust the time as necessary.

4. Bake about 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Enjoy!

If cut into 16 squares or wedges or made into 16 muffins, you get: 98 calories, 3.3 grams of fat, and 1.6 grams of protein per serving (1 muffin/square/wedge). Not too shabby for a cornbread!

I love, love, LOVE retro/vintage/antique kitchen things. I have literally been looking for a cornbread pan that made "mini-corns" for ages! I mean seriously, corn-shaped cornbread?? Bwahaha!!! I've probably seen about a hundred of them, but all the ones I've came across have been pretty beat up or rusted all to heck. I found this pan at a thrift store for $1.48 yesterday and I seriously went home to make cornbread and try it out. It was everything I dreamed it would be! The little corns came out looking like, well, corns, and with a nice coating of nonstick, they popped out of the heavy cast iron just fine. My boyfriend got a kick out of them and I have a now have a new favorite vintage kitchen item!

Anywho, I've been living off a lot of vegan convenience foods because I've been so busy with work and school, but I've only got about a month left. I've been MEGA craving some vegetables and I'm sick of the sodium overload I've been feeding myself. I'm DONE. I'm going to make the time to start cooking again because I miss having veggies and leftovers around the house. I've also gained a couple "stress" pounds since I tend to munch while I study and I haven't had the time to workout. Blech. I miss being my active, healthy me, so this week I'm gonna step it up a notch. I'm gonna start running again on Tuesdays and Thursdays (hey, two days a week are better than none!) and I'm working on a list of meals for next week. I'm for sure going to post my recipes. For now, I've got roasted veggies with balsamic-flavored orzo as well a Morroccan stew planned. Teniesha's blog has got me craving squashes and chickpeas so I'm going to make sure I get a hefty dose of those this week.

I'm so ready for a change!

Happy Halloween!

2011-10-31T21:33:00.000-05:00

I know most of you have probably done all your celebrating, but I wanted to wish you all a safe and fun Halloween anyway!

So, until next year...

Happy Halloween!

(and no, those aren't real bird feathers!!)

Big Lots Obsession of the Month

2011-10-31T15:48:00.000-05:00

Alright guys! It's time for my latest Big Lots find! A couple of weeks ago I ran in there real quick during my between-work-and-school break. I needed something really fast for lunch, that wasn't refrigerated, and I knew that that day was going to be my lucky day! Thank goodness I was right because I only had about $5 and 45 minutes so there wasn't any back up plans in case the Big Lots idea didn't work out...

Anywho, one of the first aisles I walked in had a bunch of different, brightly-colored, cup-o-noodle looking things. I picked one up and I was surprised to find out that it was completely vegan. Even better, there wasn't a whole lot of weird, convenience-food ingredients in there either (there were a few, but not many). Way less than ramen, that's for sure. There were about six flavors and half of them were accidently vegan. The ones that weren't vegan contained eggs, but they were all vegetarian and none of them contained dairy. I bought one of each vegan flavor: Spicy Sesame Paste, Savory Shoyu, and Spicy Tofu. The sesame paste one isn't pictured before. It had already been nommed. Also, two words: A dollar-fifty. It's two words because one is hyphenated. Also, that's what I paid.

So it's basically just a cup of bean-thread (or cellophane) noodles with a dehydrated block of vegetables and spices. The spicy tofu one also has a packet of spiced oil and the sesame paste one has a packet of sesame paste. You just dump everything out, add boiling (or really hot) water to the line, cover it, and let it sit there for like, five minutes. I usually do ten but that's just whatever.

Dehydrated block of whatchusay?

I didn't like the sesame paste flavor, but that's honestly just a personal preference thing. I like a touch of tahini, but this one had bold flavor. A little too much for me. I LOVE the spicy tofu flavor. It's hot. Hot and spicy. And delicious. If I had more adjectives, I'd throw them out there as well, but alas, it's late and my brain is tired.

And you know me, in order to make my "cup-o-noodle" a little more satisfying, I toss in some leftover tofu cubes (simply pressed and sauteed until golden, then tossed with a touch of Bragg's Liquid Aminos), sprinkle on some sesame seeds, and throw in a green onion or two. This is way better than ramen and it actually rekindled my love of cellophane noodles. I thought I didn't like them, but I guess it's all about preparation and they sure were tasty prepared like this:

Ha-ha! I found black sesame seeds! Yay for contrasting garnish!

I can't guarentee that you'll find them at a Big Lots near you, but they're a California based company so you might be able to find them at a regular old grocery store. They're called "Crystal Noodles". I think I literally went this entire post without mentioning what they were called...

Anyway, that's about all I got for now. I've got six weeks of school left, so bear with me! I promise I'll be a little more regular with my posts since I've finally just gotten over my midterm hump. It's all downhill from here baby!

Mmmm... Bibimbap

2011-10-09T09:30:00.002-05:00

So, just a couple of days ago, a huge kimche craving hit. There's just something about that spicy, fermented cabbage I've grown to love. I had a small variety of vegetables in my fridge so I decided to get my Korean food fix and make some bibimbap.

I made this in true Korean style... instead of sticking to a rigid recipe, I just used a bunch of different items that I already had. I also used one authentic ingredient: gochujang.

Gochujang is a spicy, fermented soybean and chili paste. It's spicy, but not super spicy (though that bit of information is according to me... it did make my nose run!). The box shows a chili pepper and the number 3, so I assume that means "medium-spicy"... also assuming that's on a scale from one to five! Lol. Anywho, since I live in the ethnic ingredient void that is the Midwest, I had to buy this online from Amazon. It was kind of expensive, since it is an import from South Korean, but one tub will last you quite awhile. Also, I had a gift certificate to Amazon. I just closed my eyes and clicked "add to shopping cart" and pretended I didn't see how much the shipping was... I think the item plus shipping was like, $15. But I needed it. You know how that goes.

Back to the bibimbap. It's a very famous Korean dish and I believe it literally means, "mixed meal". A bowl is filled with rice, then all the ingredients are arranged on top. Before serving, everything gets all mixed together, hence its name. It usually consists of rice, mixed vegetables, sliced meat, and an egg, but my version is much more vegan-friendly!

This can be prepared with any veggies you might have on hand: carrots, daikon or radishes, cucumbers, mushrooms, bean sprouts, zucchini, spinach, bok choy, etc. For a garnish you could top with sliced green onions, sesame seeds, toasted pine nuts (very popular in Korean cooking), and of course, the gochujang. I like to use both tofu and edamame for protein but you can use whatever you like. It's a mixed meal after all, so feel free to use up any odds and ends you think might work.

The main musthaves for my bibimbap are shiitake mushrooms, kimche, tofu, and a green veggie of some sort. As long as I have those four things, everything else is a bonus! The sauce is a modified recipe from Saveur, but you can just use a dollop of gochujang.

Vegan Bibimbap:
Bibimbap vegetables:
2 c. shredded green cabbage
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 med. carrots, cut into matchsticks
1/2 pkg. shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced
3-4 button mushrooms, thinly sliced
9 oz. firm or extra-firm tofu, pressed, cut into small cubes
1 Tb. oil
3/4 c. frozen edamame
1/2 tsp. walnut or sesame oil
a few drops toasted sesame oil
Bibimbap sauce:
1/4 c. gochujang
2 Tb. lemon-lime soda
1 Tb. miso
2 tsp. liquid sweetener
2 tsp. sesame oil
1 tsp. rice vinegar
1/4 tsp. ginger

hot cooked brown rice (short-grain is good here if you have it)
kimche (check to make sure it's vegan before you buy it)
2 green onions, white and green parts, chopped

1. In a small bowl, whisk together the gochujang, soda, miso, liquid sweetener, sesame oil, vinegar, and ginger until thoroughly mixed. Set aside.

2. Sauté the tofu over medium-high in the oil until golden brown on all sides. Set aside. Meanwhile, boil the frozen edamame (only takes three minutes). Drain it, and place it in a small bowl and toss with the walnut oil and toasted sesame oil. Set aside.

3. In a skillet, sauté the minced garlic and the cabbage for three minutes over medium-high. Place on a plate and set aside.

4. In the same skillet, sauté the carrots for about three minutes or until crisp-tender. Feel free to add some nonstick spray or oil if you need to. Set aside on the same plate as the cabbage.

5. In the same skillet (wipe out and respray with cooking spray if necessary), sauté the shiitake mushrooms and the button mushrooms until they are softened and browned, about three minutes. Set aside on the same place as everything else.

6. To serve, fill a bowl with hot (or room temperature) cooked rice. Around the edge of the bowl, arrange the tofu, edamame, sautéed cabbage, carrots, mushrooms, and ~~lots and lots of~~ kimche. Garnish with green onions and 1-2 tablespoons of the gochujang sauce.

OR

Sauté all the vegetables (mushrooms, carrot, cabbage, garlic) all together for 3-5 minutes. This will save time, since the separate cooking of all the vegetable parts is mostly for presentation anyway! For other (raw) vegetables, like daikon, radishes, shredded lettuce, and cucumber, just cut them into slices or matchsticks and arrange them on top of the cooked vegetables.

Needs more kimche.

Another bonus: leftovers can be served cold! Talk about easy!

This recipe makes about four servings. When made just like the recipe above, each serving (not including the rice, kimche, or sauce), you get 141 calories, 8 grams of fat, and 8.8 grams of protein. It's also got half your daily Vitamin A and about 18% of your daily calcium.

Dishes like this are the reason why I love Korean food. They're usually pretty quick to make, flexible with the ingredients (for the most part), full of flavor and fresh veggies, and are easily adapted to the vegan lifestyle. I also like spicy foods and Korean dishes can usually be made hot... or not. I hope y'all like it as much as I do!

Indian-Spiced Detox Soup

2011-10-06T17:12:00.000-05:00

The other day I decided that I needed to make a big ol' pot of soup so that I could have something to take to work for the next few nights. I glanced around my kitchen and I had quite a medley of ingredients to work with: carrots, cauliflower, sweet potatoes, split peas... So after thinking about the kind of flavor I wanted to create, I decided that a cauliflower-based Indian soup was the direction I wanted to head.

As I started compiling my ingredients, I went ahead and threw in some millet to make it a complete protein. I also decided to include sweet potato, but leave out regular potato.

After simmering for awhile on the stove, I looked into my pot and decided it didn't look too appetizing, what with the little bits of cauliflower, green peas, and the bright yellow color from the turmeric. This soup had to be a blended soup! There was no way to get around it!

Then, as I was enjoying a soothing bowl of hot soup, I started to think about all the goodness that was in it: whole grains, organic vegetables, legumes, and anti-inflammatory spices... I also pondered what wasn't in it and I realized that this was a perfect food for those who have decided to embark on a detox diet, or for those who just wanted to ease back into a healthy diet after eating too much junk food or too little whole foods.

This soup is perfect. It is full of Indian spice (but isn't hot), is thick and satisfying, low in fat, and high in nutrition!

It's also completely free of: wheat, gluten, nightshades, dairy, eggs, and soy. Though keep in mind that some store-bought vegetable broths may contain gluten/wheat/soy. Just remember to check the labels.

If you're not on a detox, or if you're not on a very strict one you can top the soup with a little plain soy yogurt and chopped, toasted cashews. Delicious!

Also, since the water and vegetable broth are estimates based on how much I used, you may have to use more or less, depending on how large your vegetables are.

Indian-Spiced Detox Soup:
1/2 c. green split peas, washed and picked through
1/4 c. millet, washed
1 smallish head of cauliflower, chopped up into small pieces
1 small to medium sweet potato, peeled and chopped
2 1/2 c. vegetable broth
1 small onion, finely chopped
3 stalks celery, finely chopped
2 small, whole carrots, peeled and finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 Tb. olive oil
2-3 tsp. mild curry powder
1tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. coriander
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. onion powder
1/4 tsp. turmeric
1 bay leaf
Sea salt and white pepper to taste

1. Place the split peas in a medium soup pot and cover with an inch or so of water. Bring to a boil, cover, and let boil 3 minutes. Keep covered, and allow the peas to stand for an hour.

2. Once the peas are done soaking, drain and rinse them, then add the vegetable broth, 1 1/2 cups of water, millet, cauliflower, sweet potato, and the bay leaf. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer.

3. Meanwhile, sauté the onion, carrots, celery, and garlic in the olive oil over medium heat until softened and golden, about 5-7 minutes. If they start to go a little dry, you can add about 1/4 cup of vegetable broth to finish sautéing them instead of adding more olive oil (or you can omit the oil altogether and just add broth).

4. Add the curry powder, cumin, coriander, garlic powder, onion powder, and turmeric to the vegetables and continue to sauté another 2-3 minutes or until fragrant. Add the vegetables to the soup pot, return to a simmer, and allow the soup to simmer for about 45 minutes to 1 hour, or until everything is nice and soft.

5. Using a blender, blend the soup in batches until completely smooth. You might have to add a little broth or water if you blender is having a tough time. Mine is just a regular old Oster blender and it was no trouble, so I'm sure your blenders will do just fine. No need for a Vitamix here! Reheat to serve if necessary. You can also use an immersion blender, but I don't have one of those yet. Lol.

This golden fall soup was just what I needed to bring me back to life. Have a great evening.

Brussels Sprouts n' Lima Beans

2011-09-28T13:35:00.000-05:00

Okay, back track eight years ago. I definitely would not have been eating this:

Pictured: Delicious stereotypical health food.

Heck, I hadn't even tried a brussel sprout yet. And, except for one dinner in which my much younger self and younger sister made a mess with Lima beans and ketchup (ketchup made them "taste better"...), I hadn't ate a Lima bean either. Now, however, I'm much more in tune with what is good for me, good for the planet, and well, good tasting!

I got a small bag of baby brussel sprouts from the garden and I knew that they would be roasted. But with what? I have a Whole Foods recipe app for my phone and awhile back I bookmarked a recipe for roasted lima beans. Why not roast the two things together?

Luckily, the idea turned out to be genius and I was able to munch on these for a couple of days! The sprouts and beans rely on roasting to really bring out their flavor and the onions, garlic, and thyme give them a little oompf. This meal comes together fairly quickly and without much effort. It's also great if you only have a couple items on hand. To make it a complete meal I served them with mashed sweet potatoes and a little bulgur that I had leftover. This meal goes really well with sweet potatoes (but then again, what doesn't!?).

I am not gonna lie though, I felt super granola-crunchy-hippie as I was eating this... but that's not always a bad thing! Lol.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Lima Beans:

1 (10 oz.) box of frozen Lima Beans

1 bay leaf

3 c. brussel sprouts, ends trimmed and quartered if large

1 onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, divided, minced

3/4 tsp. thyme (I used the leafy thyme, not powdered... not sure if that makes a difference...)

1 Tb. olive oil, divided

Kosher salt and pepper

1. Preheat oven to 400F.

2. Combine sprouts with onion, 3 cloves garlic, 2 tsp. oil, and kosher salt and pepper to taste. Pop in the oven and roast for 20 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, boil the frozen lima beans in salted water with the bay leaf and a minced garlic clove for 6-8 minutes or until firm-tender. Drain them well and blot the excess water with a paper towel. Set aside.

4. After the 20 minutes is up, pull the sprouts out of the oven and toss them with the drained limas, an additional teaspoon of olive oil, and the thyme. Stir well to mix everything up.

5. Roast an additional 15 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the sprouts are browned and tender. Enjoy!

This recipe will make about three servings, with about 192 calories, 4.9 grams of fat, 9.3, grams of protein, 13.3% of your Vitamin A, 145.7% of your Vitamin C, 8.5% of your Calcium, and 15.8% of your Iron per serving! And since it's a cruciferous vegetable (like broccoli, cabbage, kale, and collards) you know it's an excellent part of a disease-fighting, healthy diet!

For the sweet potatoes, I just cut a couple peeled potatoes into 1/2 inch thick coins and boiled them until they were done (around 10-15 minutes or until a fork pierces them easily). After that, they were drained, mashed, buttered, and a little plain, unsweetened almond milk was added for smoothness. Delicious! I'll be making this whole meal again once I get some more brussel sprouts.

Oh, and by the way, how is this thing spelled: Brussels sprouts (capitalized like the city?), Brussel (capitalized like the city but not plural?), brussel (quite possibly not named after any city??). I'm too lazy to look it up, lol. Anywho, some more quick meals I've got planned: an epic tofu scramble (I know, I know, what vegan doesn't make a tofu scramble... but this one is awesome, I promise), a bok choy, bell pepper, and tofu stir-fry, and ohmygoodness... today I tried a Field Roast sausage. Amazing! I am going to stock up when I go to Whole Foods next month, because even though they're expensive, they're still WAY cheaper than where I get them!

So yeah, that's about it! I've got 11 weeks and I'll be back to blogging on a regular basis, no more school for me (except, for that additional six years I plan on undertaking next year...)! People keep giving me a confused look and saying, "Jess, isn't that three months?" Le sigh... yes, it is, but "weeks" don't sound nearly as long as "months"!

Mabon Recipes Two and Three!

2011-09-19T21:39:00.001-05:00

Sorry I don't have any pictures to go with these recipes. The last time I made them was last fall... I guess that means that I'm going to have to make both of these dishes all over again so I can show you what they look like, huh?

The first recipe is my Pecan and Apple Stuffing. I lurve stuffing. Of course, I'm a carboholic, so I tend to naturally gravitate towards these kinds of foods anyway, lol. This stuffing is great, and I've even made it for our large family gatherings and nobody knew it was vegan... soy sausage and all! The tart apples and crunchy pecans give a nice balance to the savory sausage. This dish (as well as the veggie medley, below) have all the flavors of fall wrapped up into one dish!

One note: the recipe calls for fresh sage, but I've never used fresh. I usually use a teaspoon or two of rubbed sage (the leafy kind, not the powdered kind). Since sage can be a little overpowering, I would just add a teaspoon of dried and then maybe go from there. Just don't add 1/4 cup dried! Lol (ahem... speaking from experience here...). Also, I can't remember where the recipe is from or what I've done to change it. My bad. I usually like to give credit where credit is due, so if it looks familiar, just let me know!

Pecan and Apple Stuffing:
10 slices whole wheat bread, cubed
10 slices hearty white bread, cubed (I like to use a thick oat bread)
1 (14 oz.) tube Gimmie lean, crumbled
1 Tb. olive oil
1 lg. white onion, chopped
5 ribs celery, sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tart apples, peeled, diced (Granny Smith are good)
1/2 c. roasted pecans, chopped
1/4 c. fresh sage
1 1/2 c. vegetable broth
Salt and pepper to taste.

1. Preheat oven to 325F. Bake bread cubes 10-15 minutes, or until toasted. Once toasted, set aside to cool then place in a large bowl.

2. Spray a skillet with some nonstick and saute the Gimmie Lean until cooked and crumbled, about 5 minutes. Toss with the toasted bread cubes in the bowl.

3. Heat the olive oil, then add the onion, celery, and garlic. Saute 1 minute. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook 7 minutes more. Stir in apples, nuts, and sage. Cover, and cook 5 minutes more or until apples are crisp-tender. Add to bread in the bowl (you can actually make ahead to this point. Once you reach here, just cover the bowl and place in the refrigerator until you're ready to finish the stuffing later. You could easily make this a day ahead).

4. Increase oven to 350F. Coat a 13 x 9 inch baking dish with cooking spray. Toss stuffing with the vegetable broth and season with salt and pepper. Cover with foil. Bake 20 minutes. Remove foil and bake 15 more, or until top is crisp and brown.

The second recipe is for a simple roasted vegetable medley. The rosemary and sage give it lots of "autumn" flavor and the sweetness of the butternut squash pairs well with the potatoes and onions. Since I love garlic, I usually roast an entire head along with the vegetables, but if you're not as hip on garlic as I am, you can reduce it. You could also substitute sweet potatoes for the butternut squash if you have them around. I love both of those vegetables so I often go back and forth between them. Apparently, you can use a vegetable peeler to peel squash (at least that's what the new issue of Vegetarian Times tells me!), so I can't wait to try that out and see if it works. If it does, I bet it's a lot easier than peeling the whole damn thing with a large knife!

Simple Roasted Vegetable Medley:
1 medium-sized butternut squash, peeled and cut into 1" cubes
1 lb. potatoes, cut into 1" cubes
1-2 onions, cut into wedges
1 head garlic, cloves peeled and crushed (I use the back of my knife)
1 Tb. minced garlic (I told you I get crazy with the stuff...)
1 tsp. rubbed sage
1 tsp. rosemary
3 Tb. oil, divided
Kosher salt and black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 450F.

2. Toss the squash, potatoes, onion, garlic cloves, 2 Tb. oil, sage, and rosemary in a large roasting pan (a "turkey pan"). Season with salt and pepper. Roast, covered, for 25 minutes. Toss once. Add the minced garlic, and the remaining oil (if necessary).

3. Roast 25 minutes more, tossing once, until vegetables are browned on the edges and completely tender. Enjoy!

Also, feel free to add carrots and parsnips. I've never ate a parsnip. I just really like the sound of the word. Parsnip... parsnip... parrrrsnip. Anytime anybody says that word I imagine bunnies munching on them in some garden somewhere (thank you, Beatrix Potter). However, we have some parsnips (as well as carrots and turnips) in the garden. I'm kind of excited to try one! The ones you buy at the store are all woody and covered in wax, so I feel homegrown would be the best route to try them, by far!

The Fall Equinox is this Friday, September 23rd! There is still time to plan your own autumn celebration! Enjoy this traditional fall foods with copious amounts of mulled cider and red wine and I can guarantee that good times will be had!

Mabon Recipe One: Chocolate-Nut Tart

2011-09-14T21:40:00.001-05:00

I recently had a comment on my old Mabon post asking about an ingredient in a recipe. As I looked at the comment, and then looked back at the post, I realized I had never actually gotten around to posting any of my Mabon recipes! Not only that, but my Mabon recipes were actually made a couple of years in a row, so they had been tried and tested all around!

(Oh, and Mabon is a harvest celebration festival that is based around the autumn equinox. The actual post explains it in more detail).

I replied back to the comment about the ingredient, but I then promised I would actually POST the recipes in question! And, since I'm not one to go about breaking promises without abandon, here's the first recipe: a vegan chocolate-nut tart. When I made this, I'm not gonna lie, I think I was the only one who really liked it. HOWEVER, it is a sort-of sophisticated dessert. It will absolutely be enjoyed by your foodie friends, but those who tend to live off the Standard American Diet and enjoy cheap snack cakes and McDonald's won't appreciate it as much (that was the crowd I served it to). You can find the original recipe here. Although, I didn't actually change anything!

Another great VT photo!

I personally thought this tart was delicious, and I'd definitely make it again if I thought I had the self-control to not eat the whole thing! The bittersweet chocolate contrasts nicely with the buttery nuts, and the cornmeal adds a great texture to the crust. It is a very rich tart... prefect for any holiday or festival gathering!

Triple Nut Chocolate Tart:
Crust:
1 cup pastry flour
½ cup cornmeal
2 Tbs. sugar
¼ tsp. salt
½ cup Earth Balance (1 stick)
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Filling:
3 cups mixed walnuts, pecans, and almonds (1 cup each), coarsely chopped
¼ cup Earth Balance (½ stick)
5 oz. bittersweet chocolate, chopped or in chips
2 Tbs. pastry flour
¼ tsp. salt
½ cup maple syrup
2 tsp. vanilla extract

1. To make Crust: Combine flour, cornmeal, sugar, and salt in bowl. Rub margarine into flour mixture with fingers until mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle in vanilla, and stir. Add 1 to 2 Tbs. cold water until dough clumps together loosely. Press dough into pie dish or tart pan until sides and bottom are covered (I actually used a cookie sheet!). Chill in freezer 30 minutes.

2. To make Filling: Preheat oven to 375°F. Spread nuts on baking sheet, and bake 10 to 12 minutes, until lightly browned.

3. Melt margarine and chocolate in saucepan over low heat, stirring until smooth. Sprinkle in flour and salt, and stir until smooth. Stir in maple syrup and vanilla. Stir in nuts.

4. Spread nut mixture in piecrust. Bake 25 minutes, or until crust is golden and filling is firm. Cool on wire rack at least 20 minutes before serving.

Now I've got to go back and find my famous pecan and "sausage" stuffing recipe and my signature roasted vegetables. All these recipes have got me longing for the holidays, and I know they'll make a great addition to your Mabon table!

Lazy Chana Masala and Cookies in a Jar??

2011-09-06T19:17:00.001-05:00

Okay, so a waaayyyy long time ago, I saw a mention on Bianca's Vegan Crunk blog about a mysterious vegan spread that was literally made from cookies. It was called "Biscoff Spread" (or "speckuloos spread") and it was a jar of ground up Biscoff cookies made into a spread the consistency of peanut butter. It looked glorious but here in the good ol' Midwest, no such item existed. I daydreamed about it gracing many a bowl of oatmeal, and then promptly forgot about it.

Fast forward. I'm making a usual trip to my favorite store, Big Lots. I walked in and they had a new "international foods" section set up. I immediately noticed the Nutkao stuff, which is an Italian brand that makes their own version of Nutella, but this was something different! It was a product I hadn't seen before: Nutkao brand Fine Dark Chocolate Spread. I read the ingredients expecting there to be some milk or something in there, but it was completely vegan! I was shocked! Into the basket it went.

Om nom nom.

Then, next to the chocolate spread, was the 'effing speckuloos spead. I read the ingredients... completely vegan! The price was a little steep, $5, but I knew that I wouldn't eat more than a serving at a time so it would last me awhile. I also knew that if it was $5 at Big Lots it was probably $7 somewhere else (in fact, the similar Biscoff spread can be bought online, but it is around $6.50 a jar not including shipping). And folks, let me tell ya, it is delicious.

Ground up, spreadable cookies in a jar. One word: Genius.

I love putting these two spreads together, the cinnamon spread and the thick, ganache-like chocolate are amazing. Mostly I've been eating them spread on bananas, but today I did the unthinkable:

It's ghost-toast... you know... cause it's floating in mid-air. Ooohh.

I made some toast.

Finally, tomorrow I'm going to put it to the ultimate test when I stir them up in my bowl of oatmeal. With bananas. Then, later on in the week I'm going to put it to the PMS test when I melt them together and pour them on top of some Almond Dream ice cream... somebody stop me!!!! But seriously. This moment would not have been possible without Big Lots... so a shout out to Big Lots. I love you, man.

Anywho, I'll wrap this post up by sharing with you a recipe for some easy, lazy, chana masala. Authentic chana masala is a North Indian stew consisting mainly of chickpeas, tomatoes, and lots of spices. This is a streamlined version of the same dish using common canned beans and spices, some fresh tomatoes, and lemon for a citrusy-sour background. It's super-quick to make, about 30 minutes total. In fact, I made it with rice and the rice was the part of the meal that took the longest! It's not the most authentic version around, but it's super filling and it satisfied that Indian urge I started to feel coming on. I'm definitely going to put this recipe in my weeknight dinner rotation. It's a small recipe too, the perfect size for two meals or two people. Double it if you would like some leftovers or wish to serve a couple additional people.

Also, since I was out of garam masala, I used my favorite curry powder instead. It was an excellent idea!

Lazy Chana Masala:
1 (15 oz.) can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
1 c. onion, chopped (about 1 medium)
1/2 Tb. fresh ginger, peeled and minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. olive oil
1/4 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. curry powder OR garam masala
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp. salt
2-3 Roma tomatoes, chopped
3/4 c. vegetable broth or water
juice from 1/2 a fresh lemon
Additional salt to taste (optional)

1. In a skillet over medium heat, saute the onion, garlic, and ginger in the olive oil until softened and golden. About 5-7 minutes.

2. Add the cumin, curry powder/garam masala, cayenne pepper, and salt; cook 1 minute or until fragrant.

3. Add the chickpeas, tomato, and water or broth. Stir. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer about 15 minutes, or until all the broth has evaporated. Before serving, taste for salt and squeeze in the fresh lemon juice. Stir. Enjoy!

To make this a complete meal, I served it with some plain brown rice and some swiss chard I sautéed with onion and a little olive oil (it also had a nice squeeze of fresh lemon). Not bad for a Tuesday night dinner... not bad at all!

This recipe makes two servings of chana masala at one cup per serving. It has around 235 calories, 5.2 grams of fat, 12.9 grams of fiber, 15.9 grams of protein, 27.3% of your RDA of Vitamin A, 56.7% of your Vitamin C, 11.1% of your Calcium, and 16.9% of your Iron!

So, next up on my blog: my decadent chocolate-speckuloos oatmeal, Filipino Pancit (a easy weeknight version of a noodle dish), and a beer chili... cause I really like putting (vegan, microbrewed) beer in my chili!

Pasta with White Beans, Spinach, and Lemon (Gluten-Free!)

2011-08-29T10:06:00.000-05:00

Lately I've been looking to the pasta world for some quick and easy one-dish meals. I've also had a mighty craving for cooked greens (especially chard and spinach). As I was looking across some old magazines, I came across the white bean-greens-tomato combo, and in an instant I knew I had to make something to that effect. As I scanned the kitchen for the main component of the dish, I rediscovered the last little bit of gluten-free pasta I had. Suddenly, my gluten-free pasta with white beans, spinach, and tomatoes (with lemon!) was born!

Give me a few days and I'll figure out how to get rid of that date!

Taking a moment to talk pasta here, I used to eat a ton of the stuff back in the day when I was a chubby kid. As I became more aware of how important good food is to a sound body, I gave up refined flours and along with it, pasta. I've tried whole wheat pastas in the past but I didn't care too much for their texture. Also, after not eating it for so long, it really wasn't a go-to ingredient any more. Enter quinoa pasta.

I love quinoa. In my kitchen right now, I have at least a couple quinoa products. Awhile back, my grocery store had some quinoa pasta on sale. I wasn't even thinking about it's gluten-free-ness, I just knew that it was quinoa and I'd like to try it out. It was great! It had a much better texture than whole wheat pasta, and it reminded me a lot of the pasta I had grown up on! It wasn't too heavy, it didn't have a weird texture or flavor, and best of all, its only ingredients were non-GMO organic corn flour and organic quinoa flour (at least with the Ancient Harvest brand). If you have only tried cooked quinoa and didn't care too much for its flavor, I still recommend this pasta. It has a much milder flavor when it is made into pasta (since quinoa can taste a little distinctive!). The only brand I've tried is Ancient Harvest, but I love all their varieties. I haven't bought pasta with gluten in it for a long time.

Photo from Ancient Harvest.

So, anywho. Before work today, I made my pasta dish, and I was surprised at how quickly it came together! It was literally ready to go in about 30 minutes, which is great because I know the majority of us are in a time-crunch. It's also low in fat, high in nutrients, and packs around 18 grams of protein per serving! This is definitely one of those proud moments in my vegan kitchen!

And did I mention it tastes awesome?? The sun-dried tomatoes add a bit of tang to the pasta, while the lemon juice and zest brighten the flavors of the beans and spinach. A garnish of toasted walnuts brings both satisfying crunch and heart healthy fats to the table. This recipe is going in my recipe rotation for sure! It will make two main-dish servings or four side-dish servings. I used roasted garlic because of the flavor it imparts and because I had a bulb ready-to-go in my fridge, but if you don't have the time (or desire, lol) to roast any garlic, feel free to use regular garlic.

Gluten-Free Pasta with White Beans, Spinach, and Lemon:

4 oz. gluten-free quinoa pasta (half a package)
1 tsp. olive oil
1/2 a bulb of roasted garlic (or 3-4 cloves, minced)
12 sun-dried tomato halves, packed without oil, and finely chopped
1 (15-oz) can Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 a (5 oz.) bag of baby spinach (about 3 cups)
1 tsp. dried basil
1/2 Tb. grated lemon rind
juice from 1/2 a lemon
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
3 Tb. chopped walnuts, toasted (optional)

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. Drain. Drizzle cooked pasta with the olive oil and toss to coat. Set aside.

2. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and spray with some nonstick. Add pasta mixture, roasted garlic, tomatoes, and beans; cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly.

3. Stir in baby spinach, basil, lemon zest, juice, and salt. Cook another minute or until the spinach has wilted.

4. Serve each portion with a sprinkling of toasted walnuts, if desired!

When served as a main dish (without walnuts), this dish has 423 calories, 4.3 grams of fat, 21.4 grams of fiber (!), 18.1 grams of protein, 72.7% of your daily Vitamin A, 28.1% of your daily Vitamin C, 15.7% of your daily Calcium, and 50.8% of your daily Iron. Adding 1 Tb. of chopped walnuts will add an additional 50 cals, 5 g. fat, and 2 g. protein.

I would definitely give this quick and easy dish a go!

Pizza Potatoes!

2011-08-27T19:58:00.000-05:00

Have you ever had one of those nights were you had a large amount of a single ingredient left, and you knew you needed to use them up, but couldn't go to the store to buy anything to supplement it, so you just wing it and make do? Then, out of the laboratory that is your kitchen, you make something awesome and wonder why you didn't think it up before? Well, a few nights back was one of those nights.

My hippie friends had stopped through Missouri on their way to Pennsylvania (...though I'm kind of freaking out now because they're Rennies staying at a campground in the midst of Hurricane Irene and I'm praying they're okay!) a couple weeks ago. I had already been to the grocery store a few days prior and I didn't have the cash to make a second trip to buy additional groceries for anything too crazy. I also had a prolific amount of potatoes, thanks to the abundance of the garden. As I was pondering about what I could make, it donned on me: I got pizza sauce, some pizza-esque canned pantry goods, and some produce. Eventually, I got to the idea that I could make a chunky pizza sauce and use it to dress some regular ol' baked potatoes.

And did it work??

Yep.

Well, let's just say I've already made my "pizza potatoes" a few times! My boyfriend is crazy about them ("why hasn't anyone thought of this before??"), my friends scarfed them down, and I really like them too because I can make up a batch using whatever ingredients I might have on hand! As long as I have the basics (potatoes, pizza sauce, and at least an onion) I'm good to go! The beauty of the recipe is that you're not really limitied by ingredients and you can customize them based on what you like. Any veggies, or even vegan "meats" like Gimmie Lean or TVP or soy crumbles, could be tossed on your potato.

The recipe below is for my "standard" potato (these are the things that go in it every time). It will make about 8 fully-topped potatoes if you use average-medium-sized potatoes. If you need to stretch the sauce to fill up more potatoes you can add an additional (8 oz) can of tomato sauce. I've done this as well and it's worked like a charm!

Pizza Potatoes:

8 medium baking potatoes (I used homegrown Yukon Golds, which are a favorite)

Sauce:

1 (16-oz-ish) jar pizza sauce
1 medium zucchini, chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
2 gloves of garlic, chopped
2 Roma tomatoes, chopped
4-6 white mushrooms, sliced
1/2 tsp. Tone's spicy pizza seasoning (optional)

Toppings:
1 small jar artichoke hearts (or 1/2 a can), drained and chopped
1 small can black olives

1. Preheat the oven to 375F. Wash and scrub potatoes. Cut the center with a knife or poke holes all over it and bake in the oven for about 1 hour.

2. Meanwhile, as the potatoes are almost finished baking, saute the zucchini, onion, garlic, and mushrooms in a skillet sprayed with nonstick on medium-high until they are softened and golden, about 5-6 minutes. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook another 2-3 minutes, or until the tomatoes have softened some.

3. Add the pizza sauce and 1/3 cup water and stir. Reduce heat to low and simmer until the potatoes are completely done.

4. Once the potatoes have finished baking, open them up and place them on a baking sheet lined with some parchment paper (or foil or nonstick). Evenly distribute the sauce between each potato. Top with chopped artichokes and olives. Place the potatoes back in the oven for another 8-10 minutes or until everything is heated through.

Then enjoy! You could even serve this up like it's pizza night, with a nice green salad and a shaking of vegan Parmesan, if you so desire!

I think by making my pizza potatoes I have pretty much made my way through the bushel of potatoes in my kitchen! I still have some left, but I'm probably going to toss those in the lentil soup I'm going to make on Monday. Unfortunately, both school and my full-time work schedule starts on Monday. I hope I'll be able to keep posting somewhat regularly, since I do enjoy blogging. I aim to post every Thurdsay, since that's my day off an when I'll have my most free time (cooking and blogging!). I also got a digital camera (in case you noticed a slight difference in the photography starting with my Angel Biscuit post). I'm still learning, but hopefully my photos will provide a much-needed boost to my blog!

But hey, it's my last semester, so come January I'll have quite a bit more free time!

Angel Biscuits

2011-08-26T12:43:00.001-05:00

Like any good carb-loving, Midwestern girl, I have a particular fondness for biscuits. I love 'em. Many years ago, my dad used to make them out of the can for breakfast on the weekends. That was the biscuit as we knew it: little hockey puck-shaped bits of bread full of white flour, hydrogenated oil, and high fructose corn syrup. I loved them though, and they made a tasty diversion from my usual cold cereal.

Although I don't remember all the details too clearly (I think I was in high school and branching out my cooking a little more), I remember noticing a biscuit recipe in my Mom's favorite cookbook. It had only five or six ingredients and didn't have to rise, so I decided to try my hand at baking something bread-like. They were surprisingly easy to make and only baked in 10 minutes. They came out of the oven perfect the first time and they tasted so different from the canned ones... so much BETTER, that I never ate a canned biscuit again. I even got Mom in on the biscuit-making action!

Oh, and I got a camera. Now I can start buying decorative plates!

I've had a baking powder biscuit recipe that I've used for years and any time I've wanted some biscuits in a snap, I just pulled out my recipe card and got to work (my old roommates thought I was crazy baking something from scratch in the early hours of the morning!). However, I've always seen another recipe that had me intrigued. They're always called Angel Biscuits because they're so "light and flaky" and they're just like your standard baking powder recipe, only yeasted, and well, without much baking powder! Baking powder is tricky and if you get too much of it in a recipe (even though it's a vital ingredient), you can taste it... And it doesn't taste good. Since the angel biscuits are yeasted, you don't have to rely on the baking powder to help it rise (although a little is still needed) and you don't have to worry about any lingering taste.

They do have to rise, but it's so easy! You just mix them up and let them hang out in the fridge for an hour before you roll them out. The result was seriously the lightest, flakiest, and tastiest biscuit I've ever made to date. They also have this amazing crispy bottom crust that I haven't had on a biscuit in ages. I now know why this recipe is mentioned in cookbooks and magazines again and again. It's really that much better (especially now that it's vegan)!

Whole-Wheat Angel Biscuits:
1 pkg. active dry yeast (2 1/4 tsp.)
1/2 c. warm water (should feel like a hot bath)
3 c. unbleached, all-purpose flour
2 c. whole wheat pastry flour
1/4 c. raw sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. sea salt
1/2 c. non-hydrogenated vegetable shortening
2 c. original unsweetened almond milk

1. Dissolve the sugar in the warm water in a small bowl and add the yeast. Let stand for 5 minutes or until completely foamy. If it's not foamy and the end of 5 minutes, dump it out and try again.

2. Combine the all-purpose flour, whole wheat pastry flour, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt in a large bowl with a whisk. Cut in the shortening with a pastry blender or 2 knives until the mixture makes coarse crumbs. Add the yeast mixture (make sure you get all the sugar if there's some still left in the bowl) and the almond milk to the flour mixture and stir just until all the flour is mixed and moistened. Cover and chill 1 hour.

3. After one hour, preheat the oven to 450F.

4. Turn the dough out onto a HEAVILY floured surface; knead lightly 5 times. Roll dough to a 1/2-inch thickness; cut with a 2 1/2-inch biscuit cutter (I used a drinking glass that was slightly larger than that). Do not twist when cutting out the dough and if the drinking glass/cutter sticks, dip it into a little flour.

5. Place the biscuits on a baking sheet coated with some nonstick (make sure that the sides of the biscuit don't touch). Bake at 450F for 12 minutes or until golden.

If using a drinking glass slightly larger than 2 1/2-inches, you'll get around 20 biscuits exactly at 161 calories each. If you make more than 20 the calories will be less and if you make less biscuits, the calories will be more.

Serve these anywhere a biscuit or dinner roll is needed!

Decadent Rocky Road Brownies

2011-08-25T12:27:00.000-05:00

For once, I'm actually delivering a recipe to you in the same week that I promised it! Of course, I'm older and wiser now and I know that when you promise a bunch of vegans rocky road brownies you had better see it through! Though, to tell you the truth, the reason I made these so fast was because I had almost munched my way through the entire bag over the last week and a half. It was obvious to me that they were some tasty sweet snackin', but the real marshmallow test involves baking them in something to see if you get that delicious vanilla goo... Or lighting them on fire, but I didn't have any sticks... Or fire...

These brownies are something I just HAD to try. When I bought my Dandies I browsed tons of recipes that included marshmallows and after weeding everything out, I was finally down to two recipes: Mississippi Mud Cake and Rocky Road Brownies. It was a tough decision, but I already have a go-to brownie recipe so I thought I'd start there. I'll make some Mississippi Mud Cake the next time I pick up a bag of marshies. You know... eventually.

I basically just adapted CCK's Fudge Daddies recipe with the ingredients I had on hand. These brownies are decadent and contain everything you love about that rocky road trio: nuts, chocolate, and marshmallows. I used almonds, but you could also use pecans or walnuts. This makes a nice, small batch, which is great if you're only making brownies for one or two people. They were everything I wanted them to be: fudgy, rich, gooey, nutty, and all around liked by everyone who tried them!

And, by dandy, these marshmallows blew up and melted just like a champ. No-one would know a difference! I will DEFINITELY be baking with these during the holidays! I am so stoked to have such an awesome vegan marshmallow available to me. Thank goodness for Chicago Soy Dairy!

Top Side: Melty!

In this recipe, I use silken tofu, the real smooth kind found in aseptic containers (they may or may not be refrigerated). I also bake them for 20 minutes, turn off the oven, and then let them sit in the oven for an additional five minutes. That way they're completely done, but not overbaked. Overbaking them causes them to lose that fudgy texture. I also refrigerate them once they've completely cooled and for some reason that also makes them really fudgy. I highly recommend chilling them OR eating them warm with some vanilla almond dream! Either way, you can't lose!

Rocky Road Brownies:
1/2 c. flour
1/4 c. cocoa powder
1/4 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 pkg. silken tofu
1/4 c. liquid sweetener
1/4 c. raw sugar
1/4 c. no-sugar-added applesauce
1/2 a vanilla bean (or 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract)
2 Tb. unsweetened almond milk
2 Tb. canola oil
2 Tb. chopped almonds, toasted
2 Tb. vegan chocolate chips
9 Dandies marshmallows, halved

Preheat oven to 350F. Spray a 4" x 6" pan with nonstick spray and set aside.

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt until well-combined. Drop in the marshmallow halves and stir to coat them with flour (this separates them and keeps them from clumping together).

2. In a food processor or blender, puree the tofu with the liquid sweetener, raw sugar, applesauce, vanilla bean (or extract), almond milk, and canola oil until completely smooth and well blended.

3. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir well. Add in the chopped almonds and chocolate chips and stir to mix.

4. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake at 350F for about 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool slightly before cutting.

I thought about making a sort of quick frosting out of melted chocolate chips and coconut butter, but they're pretty rich as it is. Instead, I just eat them with a little CB melted on top. You should make these. For serious.

Side side: Also melty!

Also, you could probably double this recipe and make it in the standard 8" x 8" brownie pan, but I haven't tried it yet so I can't vouch for those results. If you do decide to do that I would only use about 1 1/2 times the amount of marshmallows. Things might get a little crazy if you double those!

Oh, and you wanna know something really crazy? An eighth of the pan only nets you about 175 calories, nuts, chocolate chips, marshies and all! That's still less than regular, plain boxed brownies with a slightly less serving size!

Cherry-Ginger Oaties!

2011-08-23T07:38:00.000-05:00

I'm going to start today's post with my recent score at Big Lots:

It's cereal, baby.

I stumbled upon this when I made my weekly stop. It's Mesa Sunrise, an organic, gluten-free cereal from Nature's Path. Don't let the bag fool you, though. It actually contains 26.4 ounces, which is almost double the amount of cereal that you would find in a regular box. The cereal itself is a wheat- and gluten-free blend of Indian corn, amaranth, and flax. Although I'm not necessarily gluten- or wheat-free, I find that I do feel better and less bloat-y if I start my day out the gluten-free way. Having a nice bowl of GF cereal or a GF hot cereal starts my day off right!

MESA SUNRISE INGREDIENTS: Corn meal, yellow corn flour, evaporated cane juice, flax, buckwheat flour, quinoa, amaranth, sea salt, and tocopherols (natural Vitamin E).

I like to eat it with sliced strawberries or bananas and a couple tablespoons of gluten-free granola. I really like this cereal, but I still think that Nature's Path Organic, Gluten-Free Cornflakes are the best. I LOVE those (also a Big Lots find).

So anywho, the cereal is packaged in a new Eco-Pac. Their goal is to reduce waste and resource use by nixing the cardboard box and packaging in #2 recyclable plastic. On their website, some people were griping because they didn't "know what to do with" the cereal once the bag was opened. Uhhhh.... eat it? How about the same thing you always do to store cereal? The floppy opened cardboard box doesn't keep it from going stale. I just wrap a twisty-tie around that sucker and it stays fresh for weeks. You can also use a glass jar and keep the lid on tight. They make glass (or plastic, ick) jars specifically for storing cereal. But I digress... my main victory in buying this cereal from the cereal aisle at Big Lots is this:

I just got a 26.4 ounce (almost double the regular amount) of gluten-free, vegan, organic cereal at Big Lots for $3.50 when it retails at Whole Foods for over $7. I know, because I checked myself! YAY BIG LOTS!

And, speaking of Whole Foods, I also made a huge score there. This past visit was more like a detour since we actually had other things we needed to do while we were in town (I live about 1 1/2 hours away from Whole Foods), but I was able to stock up on a few dry bulk goods, though sadly, nothing refrigerated (next time!!). I got some awesome dried tart cherries while we were there (which I proceeded to make some cookies with!) and these:

For some reason, these children look like the ones who want to play with Log.

Dandies VEGAN MARSHMALLOWS! I've been to the Overland Park Whole Foods a few times, but I've never seen these in the baking aisle. It's possible that I've just missed them, or they've been sold out, but NOT TODAY! I haven't ate a marshmallow in years, but ever since I got these goodies I haven't been able to keep my hands off them! They melted a little in the car ~~while shopping~~ on the way home, but they're still delicious. The texture is a tad different, but they're still soft and spongy. I also think they have a truer vanilla flavor than their pig-hoof containing counterpart.

BE PREPARED FOR THE ROCKY ROAD BROWNIE RECIPE I'M ABOUT TO THROW AT YOUR FACE! I'VE GOT DANDIES AND TOFU AND I KNOW HOW TO USE THEM!

Anywho... that particular recipe will be made sometime this week. I promise to save some marshmallows for it...

Like I previously mentioned, I also got some dried tart cherries from the bulk bin. I love tart fruit and these cherries really are delicious. I'm going to have to buy way more next time so I can make it through the winter with them on my oatmeal, lol. I knew that some had to be baked in a cookie and as I was browsing through my Martha Stewart Living Cookbook, I found a recipe for "Low-Fat Oatmeal Cookies". They peaked my interest because they contained dried cherries and surprisingly, crystallized ginger. They also only called for a single egg yolk so I knew they were going to be a piece of cake to veganize. I wound up changing the recipe somewhat in order to make the cookies a little more healthy and a little more moist, but I didn't change the fat content at all. My only complaint with this recipe is that even if you make them tiny like the recipe wants you too (a dough ball of 3/4"), you still only get about 2 1/2 dozen, quite a few cookies short of the proclaimed four dozen. But they were delicious, so I'll definitely be making them again... only I'll be doubling the recipe and making the cookies BIGGER!! I might even throw in a couple tablespoons of vegan mini chocolate chips because I think that would add some decadence to them (seriously... chocolate + crystallized ginger + cherry = amazing). But yeah, if you're in search of a cookie that's a little out-of-the-ordinary but just as tasty, you found it!

Oh, and this is the small-batch version. If you want more cookies, just double it.

Cherry-Ginger Oatmeal Cookies:
(adapted from, but not really resembling Martha's version)
3/4 c. unbleached, all-purpose flour
2 Tb. whole wheat pastry flour
3/4 c. old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
3 Tb. dried cherries, finely chopped
2 Tb. crystallized ginger, finely chopped
4 Tb. Earth Balance, softened
1/4 c. packed brown sugar
2 Tb. liquid sweetener (agave, maple syrup, etc.)
3 Tb. no-sugar-added applesauce
1 Tb. milled flax seed + 2 Tb. warm water
1/2 a vanilla bean, seeds scraped (can use 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract)

Preheat oven to 375 and prepare two baking sheets with parchment paper. Mix the milled flax seed with warm water, stir a little with a fork, and set aside.

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the unbleached flour, whole wheat pastry flour, rolled oats, baking powder, and kosher salt. Add the dried cherries and chopped ginger, and stir to separate the pieces and coat them with flour. Set aside.

2. In a large bowl, beat together the Earth Balance, brown sugar, liquid sweetener, and vanilla bean seeds until fluffy. Add the "flax egg" (flax seed + water) and applesauce and beat until well combined. Gradually add the dry ingredients, beating well after each addition, until well-combined.

3. Drop by teaspoonful onto the prepared baking sheets. The dough is kind of sticky, so it won't really roll into balls. Bake at 375 for about 8-12 minutes, rotating the sheet halfway during baking so that they brown evenly. Remove from oven when a toothpick (or fork!) comes out clean. Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet another minute or two before placing them on a wire rack to finish cooling. THEN MUNCH! When small, they are like tiny little tea cookies.

Please, sir... may I have some Earl Grey?

NOTE: Placing the dough in the fridge between batches helps the dough to stiffen so that the cookie dough-dropping (???) part goes faster.

Also, since these cookies are low in oil, the parchment paper helps keep them from sticking to the baking sheet. If you don't have parchment paper, you might be able to get away with spraying the sheet with some nonstick cooking spray, but I haven't tried that yet and can't vouch for its cookie-removal-ability.

Well... I made those peach pancakes and they were awesome, but they didn't have quite enough peach flavor for me. I probably should have used regular yellow peaches instead of small white ones because that just made the recipe annoying. I'll get back to them some other time. I also want to make some yeasted potato rolls, but I need to figure out what I want to serve them with. And, lastly, I'd really like to make and freeze some seitan so that I'll have some ready for quick meals when school starts again (only ONE WEEK left! Oh noes!). Can I do it?!

Easy Indian-Inspired Supper

2011-08-21T11:30:00.001-05:00

My mom has started to turn her diet around! Her cousin and her cousin's husband and daughter have started juicing. Between them all, I think they've lost a total of 50 lbs. in one month and their overall health has improved dramatically! I think that they've finally discovered the power of juicing and of healthy foods! This has rubbed off on my mom who has also started juicing. She's lost about nine pounds and even my dad, who has an aversion to most vegetables, has been drinking a daily juice! I believe it's a carrot, celery, ginger, orange combination, but I'm not sure. Mom made some yesterday and I drank a whole glass of it. It was great! As part of this new healthy-eating-for-life plan, Mom and I have decided to get together once a month to make a healthy vegan meal. For this month, we made an Indian-inspired meal with a potato curry, curried vegetables, couscous, and steamed spinach. It was delicious! We had a plateful and were STUFFED by the end of it!

My potato curry also gave me a chance to try out Gardein's beefless tips. I used a recipe for a spicy beef and potato curry I found online and then I veganized it and "healthified" it. I also left out the spicy, because I just wasn't really digging it at the moment. The beefless tips were good. I like them a lot because I liked the texture of them. My mom liked them too and my boyfriend, who's an omni, said they were good, but not at all like beef. That's okay with me though, since I tend to get weirded out by things that are too meat-like. For instance, I LOVE Gardein's not-chicken nuggets, but they remind me so much of real ones that I have to remind myself they're 100% veg! I really liked the tips in the curry, but I normally wouldn't buy them because they're kind of expensive. This was a special occasion, lol. However, a can of chickpeas would be an excellent substitute and I'll probably do that next time (that is, unless I decide to splurge on that tasty Gardein again).

I made the curry first, while mom made the vegetables. Then, when everything was almost done we put on the spinach and couscous since those both take five minutes. If you like, you can serve with a dollop of vegan yogurt or a vegan cucumber raita. I have an amazing cucumber raita that I make but I can't remember the exact recipe. I promise you I will go out and search for the written copy, and then post it here! Lol.

"Beef" and Potato Curry:
1 Tb. oil, divided
1 onion, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 1/4 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. turmeric
3/4 tsp. ground coriander
1 cinnamon stick
6 medium potatoes, peeled, diced into 1" pieces
1 (15 oz.) can regular diced or fire-roasted tomatoes
1 c. coconut milk
1 c. frozen peas
1 pkg. Gardein Beefless Tips

1. In a large pot or dutch oven, saute the onion and garlic in 1/2 Tb. oil over medium-high heat until softened, about five minutes. Add the cumin, turmeric, coriander, cinnamon stick, and saute until fragrant, another 2-3 minutes. Add 1/2 cup water and let simmer another 5 minutes or until the water is mostly gone.

2. Add the diced tomatoes, coconut milk, and potatoes, and another 1 cup water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer about 20 minutes or until the potatoes are pretty much done. Remove the cinnamon stick and stir in the frozen peas; let simmer another 10 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, in a small skillet with the remaining 1/2 Tb. oil, add the beefless tips and saute until browned on the outside, about 4-5 minutes. Stir the tips into the curry and simmer, uncovered (to let it thicken up), another five minutes or until they are completely heated through.
Enjoy!

Next month we're doing Thai food, and I'm super stoked because I happen to have some authentic ingredients on hand (tamarind paste, kaffir lime leaves). Now all I gotta do is find the perfect recipe!

Strawberry Cake and Roasted Garlic Bread!

2011-08-11T21:59:00.001-05:00

My boyfriend's birthday was this past August 8th so as his birthday cake I made him my famous Strawberry Cake with Strawberry Buttercreme Frosting. It's a real simple cake that uses strawberry purée to bind, moisten, and flavor the cake. It's actually the same recipe as my strawberry cupcakes, just adapted into cake form. It's a real hit with everyone and I've been asked for the recipe multiple times! I also make him lasagna every year since it's his favorite food, but that recipe isn't vegan so I won't bother you with the details. I know there's some controversy over vegans dating non-vegans, but eh, I'm not bothered by it. Seriously, I live in the Midwest, so I've met one other vegan and one vegetarian in all my life years here. Besides, he'll eat all the vegan food I make and he loves Boca burgers and Chik'n patties, so I think we're doing alright. One meatless meal is another win in my book! However, with his non-vegan lasagna, I did make a vegan roasted garlic bread to go with it. It turned out to be the perfect accompaniment!

For the strawberry cake, I made the strawberry cupcakes recipe just like it said, except I divided the batter evening into two 9-inch cake pans that had been sprayed with nonstick and lined with parchment paper (for easy, pretty removal). I then baked it at 350 for about 20 minutes. It didn't take very long. Once the cakes were completely cooled, I filled the middle layer with about half the buttercreme, topped it with the second cake, and then just frosted the top. I used the same amount of buttercreme as made in the cupcake recipe. You could also garnish the cake with some fresh sliced strawberries, but only do so right before you serve it, as the juice from the strawberries causes them to slip off the icing.

Also, I have tomatoes everywhere.

It doesn't make a very tall cake, so I'm thinking I could do 1 1/2 times the original amount (3 cups flour instead of 2, 3/4 cup strawberry purée instead of 1/2) in order to get more cake. However, I haven't tried that yet so I can't guarantee the results! Lol.

For the roasted garlic bread, I roasted up a couple bulbs of garlic and mashed them into a stick of softened Earth Balance. I only wound up using half the garlic butter on the bread though, so I had lots of delicious garlicky goodness leftover for baked potatoes. If you're only concerned about having enough for the bread, you could reduce the Earth Balance to one-half a stick, but I wouldn't reduce the roasted garlic. It's what makes it delicious! Most French bread you buy in the bakery section of grocery stores are vegan, but double-check the ingredients to make sure. Also by French bread I don't mean the long, skinny baguette. Go for the wider, softer loafs (also called "Italian bread"). I'm afraid a baguette would get too hard if baked again.

Roasted Garlic - Garlic Bread:
2 bulbs garlic, roasted
1/2 c. Earth Balance (one stick)
1 loaf French bread

To roast the garlic:
Remove extra loose skins on the outside, but make sure the bulb stays intact. Cut the top off the garlic to expose the cloves. Place the bulb at the center of a square of aluminium foil and drizzle it with olive oil. Seal up the bulb by making a foil "packet" and then place it in a 350F oven. Bake for about 30-40 minutes or until completely soft and golden. If the bulbs are completely soft, they won't be easy to mix into the butter and they will have that "hot" raw garlic flavor. Roasting will sweeten and mellow its flavor. Also, I use a separate foil packet for each bulb.

After the garlic is roasted pop the cloves into the softened (room temperature) Earth Balance. Mix well.

Garlicky buttery goodness.

Split the bread in half and place on a cookie sheet with the cut side up. Butter the bread as desired (I used half for the bread) and then broil for about 4 minutes.

If, however, you are like me and your broiler doesn't work, you can also bake it at 350 for about 10 minutes. It won't be browned on top of the butter, but the bread itself will be browned and crunchy and delicious.

Then enjoy!

You can use this bread anywhere a garlic bread is required, with veggie lasagna, spaghetti (or pasta in general) or with a soup/salad/bread night. The butter can be used on anything. It's especially good with baked potatoes. I'm going to try it with some gnocchi as well!

I've also make some crazy awesome "pizza potatoes" for my friend, the Wandering Hen and her husband. They went over real well! It was an easy recipe, so I'll definitely have to put it in my arsenal. I'll make them again soon and take pictures, lol! I'm going to Whole Foods on Saturday, so expect a post about that! Yay!

Chili-Lime Tofu Kebabs

2011-08-03T21:52:00.002-05:00

I'm pretty stoked. School's out, I've been cooking up a storm of tasty food, AND I just visited the library to check me out a couple new cookbooks (try before you buy! Lol). I'm especially excited for The Martha Stewart Living Cookbook. It's one of the newer ones they got in at my library. I love MSL. I will seriously tear up that magazine for the recipes. It's kind of like gourmet cooking, but much more manageable. Anything you cook seems fancy (even the easy recipes), and although the majority of it isn't vegan, I really enjoy making it so. So, yeah... be prepared for an onslaught of Martha, 'cause it's coming your way!

This is my teaser photo.

I actually have a bunch of new recipes I'm trying out. This is some of the only time off I get all year long, so I basically just have fun and experiment in the kitchen. I'm going to make Caramelized Onion Foccacia Bread soon (probably tomorrow), Tuscan White Bean Burgers with Roasted Garlic Aioli (I've mentioned that one a LONG time ago!), Strawberry Layer Cake (next week for my boyfriend's birthday... I'm super stoked about making a cake. Love them!), and definitely a special dinner since my long-time-gone best friend Ally is stopping through on a break from touring the country's Renaissance Fairs. I have no idea what to make, so I'll be getting together with her about that soon! I'm also going to make a Whole Foods trip next week, so I'll be stocking up all the essentials, like chickpea flour, wheat gluten, gluten-free flours, nuts (hazelnuts!!), other organic bulk flours, vegan ramen, kombucha (it's half the price of what is found where I live!), and cooking/baking supplies. I'd really like to prep a couple of batches of seitan because I've been craving some hot sandwiches. I'm going to make my BF some non-veg Italian beef sandwiches and I'm going to need a hot seitan one to eat along with him! I hijacked my mom's crockpot for this adventure... I don't think she's noticed it's missing...

Anywho... today I made some tofu and veggie kebabs. My mom had just given me a bunch of limes and I still had a good amount of garden produce leftover, so I marinated some tofu in a chili-lime sauce for awhile, tossed everything on some sticks and served it over same plain bulgur. Easy and tasty! This only makes about 7 kebabs, so it's perfect for yourself with leftovers or for a couple people. Adding some bell peppers, potatoes (though you'll need to boil the potatoes first until they're almost done, but not so done they don't stay on the skewer), or some fresh pineapple will also help make more kebabs and give it additional flavor, so feel free to add them in if you have them. You could also cook these outside on the grill, but I am not the one who can tell you how to do that! Grilling is not my forte! And last but not least, the initial sauteing of the tofu is a pretty important step. It helps to create a nice "crust" that will help the tofu stay on the skewer. This is especially important if you use firm tofu instead of extra-firm.

Chili-Lime Tofu Kebabs:
Chili-Lime Marinade:
3 Tb. olive oil
1 1/2 Tb. balsamic vinegar
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. paprika
1/2 tsp. lime zest
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
Juice of 1 lime
pinch of black pepper
pinch of cayenne

Kebabs:
1/3 (18-oz) carton of extra-firm tofu, pressed well and drained, cut into 1-inch cubes
about 24 cherry tomatoes, left whole
1 medium zucchini, cut lengthwise into quarters, then in thick 1/2-inch or so slices
1 yellow onion, cut into chunks

Bamboo or metal skewers (if using bamboo, soak for about 30 minutes before using)

1. Prepare the tofu by pressing, draining, and cubing. In a skillet sprayed with some nonstick over medium-high heat, saute the tofu until it is golden brown on all sides.
2. Meanwhile, prepare the marinade by whisking together the oil, vinegar, chili powder, paprika, lime zest, garlic, lime juice, black pepper, and cayenne until well-combined. Once the tofu is done, add the the marinade, toss tofu to coat, cover, and let marinate in the fridge for at least 30 minutes (maybe while the bamboo is soaking, eh?). I let my go a couple hours this time around.
3. Once the tofu is done marinating, thread the skewers, alternating between the zucchini, tomatoes, onions, and tofu.
4. Heat a grill pan or a griddle to medium-high and spray with some nonstick. Add the skewers and brush on the remaining marinade. Grill, turning occasionally, until all the vegetables are mostly soft, about 15 minutes. You want to get some charred grill marks on there if you can.
5. Serve over a cooked grain, and season to taste with some sea salt. Enjoy!

Although I'm starting to look forward to fall produce (apples, root vegetables, winter squash), it's fresh summer recipes like this that help to remind me there's still some summer left to enjoy!

Corn-Quinoa Salad

2011-07-29T10:27:00.001-05:00

Here's another recipe from VT, tried and tested(and slightly modified) by yours truly, lol.

Anywho, I've been a subscriber to Vegetarian Times for many years. I love that magazine. With the exception of one recipe, everything I've cooked from their issues has been delicious, and, the one time time it wasn't, it was completely my fault (I had to substitute for available ingredients and it didn't turn out. Also, I didn't know what tapenade was at the time and I hadn't tried olives yet. Not to go on a tangent here, but I think I should definitely revisit that recipe...). So yeah, VT is awesome. I save all my issues and then go back and revisit the monthly issues so I can pick out a variety of recipes using seasonal foods and similar ingredients.

This time around, I was looking through a June/July 2010 issue and I found a recipe for Corn-Quinoa Salad. Not only did I just get some fresh corn, but I had cherry tomatoes AND quinoa AND red cabbage AND cucumbers. So basically, I was able to get in the kitchen the next day and make it! I changed the recipe a little bit (you can find the original here) but it was mostly to suit the amounts of ingredients I had on hand. It's basically a cold "grain" (quinoa's not a grain, it's a seed) salad with a simple dressing. I was kind of skeptical, but I am so glad I tried it! The salad was awesome! It was cool, refreshing, and makes a great side-dish, especially for a picnic or a BBQ. Everybody who tried it, including my mom and people at work, really dug it. It just has a really great flavor and texture. Next time I make this (and I will make it again), I'll probably add in some chickpeas to make it more of a main dish.

Thanks, VT, for your great photography!

Also, if you're like me and generally cook for only one or two people, you might want to halve it. It makes a lot! I used agave nectar in the dressing, but I normally shun that stuff because I believe it's worse for you than high fructose corn syrup. The original recipe called for maple syrup. I, however, was given a free container of agave and had no maple syrup, so that's what I used. You can also use local honey if that's your thing. This recipe is also gluten-free, just be sure you check the ingredients in your vegetable broth first, and use an all-natural dijon. Both Imagine and Pacific Foods veggie broth are gluten-free.

Corn-Quinoa Salad:
Salad:
3/4 c. quinoa, rinsed and drained
1 c. vegetable broth
1/4 tsp. salt
kernels from 2 ears of corn (or about 1 c. of fresh or frozen corn)
1 c. halved cherry tomatoes
1 c. red cabbage, finely chopped or shredded
1 c. cucumber, diced

Dressing:
1/3 c. olive oil
1/4 c. fresh lemon juice (1-2 lemons, depending on their juiciness)
3 Tb. agave nectar
1 Tb. dijon mustard
1 tsp. salt

1. To make Salad: Bring quinoa, salt, and 1cup broth plus 1/2 cup water to a boil in saucepan. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer 20 minutes, or until water is absorbed. Once done, drain any extra water then set aside, uncovered, 10 minutes.

2. Bring 2 cups water to a boil in separate saucepan. Add corn, and cook 1 minute. Drain, and rinse under cold water. Drain again. Stir together corn, tomatoes, cabbage, cucumber, and quinoa in bowl.

3. To make Dressing: Whisk together the lemon juice, agave, dijon mustard, and salt. Slowly add in the olive oil and whisk until completely blended. Stir into the salad and toss well until everything is coated.

This salad can be served immediately or made ahead of time and chilled.

Also, on a completely random side-note, I've finally decided to bite the bullet and get myself a decent digital camera. I love my blog and I know that better pictures would really help it out. I've been using my phone for a long time, and I'm pretty much tired of it because I can't adjust ANYTHING. So if you stay tuned, I hope to amp up my food photography in the near future! Have a great day!

Roasted Vegetable Pizza with Masa Harina Crust

2011-07-28T11:26:00.001-05:00

I have an abundance of masa harina flour in my kitchen. This is probably due to my fondness of authentic Mexican food. However, I'm always looking for new ways to use it since I love its flavor. I haven't had any pizza in awhile, so now that I have some extra time, I decided to do just that. Of course, when I tried looking for a recipe for a pizza dough using masa harina, I found nothing. Nada. Zilch. Okay... I did find one recipe, but it had a terrible rating and it wasn't even yeasted. I still wanted a pizza crust, not cornbread, know what I mean?

Anywho, after a little pondering and adjusting of the ingredients in my usual pizza dough, I came up with a wonderful pizza crust that perfectly compliments the roasted veggies. It's delicious.

For the roasted vegetables, I used the oil that came in my jar of oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes. It's infused with wonderful flavor and it tastes great on the vegetables.You can also thinly slice some garlic cloves to roast along with the veggies, but I was out at the time and had to sub powder. If you're a garlic lover like me, I probably would have roasted about half a head or so! Also, I roasted the vegetables the night before, just to have it out of the way, but you can also do it while the dough is rising.

Roasted Vegetables:
2 small zucchinis, halved width-wise and sliced into 1/4" thick slices
1 yellow squash, halved width-wise and sliced into 1/4" thick slices
1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
4 (or more!) Roma tomatoes, halved
5-6 white mushrooms, kind of thickly sliced
1 1/2 Tb. oil
1 tsp. garlic powder

Masa Harina Pizza Dough:
2 1/4 tsp. yeast (or 1 package)
1 tsp. sugar
1 1/2 c. very warm water (should feel like the water in a hot tub!)
1 1/2 c. whole wheat pastry flour
1 c. unbleached, all-purpose flour
1/2 c. masa harina
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. Tone's Spicy Pizza Seasoning (optional, but adds awesome)
1 1/2 Tb. oil (I use sun-dried tomato oil here too)

To make the vegetables:
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminium foil. Spray with non-stick. Toss the sliced vegetables with the oil and garlic powder and roast for about 30-40 minutes. You want the vegetables to be softened and browned. Remove from the oven.

To make the dough:
1. In a small bowl, combine the yeast, sugar, and water. Give it a quick stir and let it sit about five minutes, until foamy. If at the end of five minutes, there's no foam, start over. Otherwise, your dough won't rise.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the whole wheat pastry flour, all-purpose flour, masa harina, salt, oregano, and Tone's. If you don't have any Tone's you can add a teaspoon of basil or Italian seasoning instead.

3. Add the foamy yeast and the oil to the bowl and stir with a wooden spoon until well-combined.

4. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and knead about 5 minutes, or until smooth.

5. Shape dough in a log and set aside in a warm place to rise. I used my Excalibur dehydrator set at 95 degrees to raise mine. Let it rise until doubled, about 45 minutes.

6. Once the dough is done rising, divide the log into two equal pieces. Roll them out, stab them with a fork multiple times, and bake them at 450 degrees for about 7 minutes. I have a real good pizza dough tutorial here.

Now that your crust is ready, it's time to top the pizzas! To make these pizzas I used a jarred sauce, then I topped it with some cooked, crumbled Gimmie Lean vegan "sausage", the roasted vegetables, black olives, nooch, and some more Tone's.

7. Once the pizza is topped, bake it one last time at 450 for another 12-15 minutes, or until the crust is nice and browned and the toppings are hot (especially important if you make the veggies the night before!). Then enjoy!

I know I've mentioned a roasted vegetable pizza before, but this time I finally delivered!

Nectarine-Walnut Spiced Quinoa Flakes

2011-07-27T10:00:00.002-05:00

Another glorious breakfast post today! You guys know I love to start my day out right, lol.

However, today I decided to drift away from the usual protein powder-peanut butter affair and experiment with some of summer's delicious produce. Oh man, I seriously look forward to white peaches and nectarines as soon as May rolls around. They only have a short window where they're absolutely excellent (and that time is now, my friends!).

I had originally intended to put some currants in here, but when I was adjusting my pantry (getting rid of empty and near-empty containers and what-not), I would up putting them in a container that had just been storing some garam masala. So, now my currants are steeped in the essence of Indian food and I'll just have to set them aside for some tasty cashew-currant-pea yellow rice. Or something!

Quinoa flakes are kind of expensive so you can substitute oats or any other grain you have on hand. I just bought them because I thought that they were much cheaper than they actually were (wrong tag at store), and I was too embarrassed to put them back! Although, when made with quinoa flakes, this recipe is gluten-free.

I'm not really sure what to call this, so I'll do what gourmet chefs do and just name it after the ingredients:

Nectarine-Walnut Spiced Quinoa Flakes:
1/3 c. quinoa flakes
2/3 c. unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1/3 c. water
dash of salt
1/2 a nectarine, diced
1 Tb. chopped, toasted walnuts
1tsp. sweetener or choice or 3-4 drops liquid stevia
1 tsp. golden flax seeds
1/8 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. vanilla extract
pinch of cardamom

1. In a microwave safe bowl, combine the quinoa flakes, almond milk, water, and dash of salt. Microwave 2 to 2 1/2 minutes. The flakes will become nice and creamy.

2. Stir in the vanilla extract, sweetener, cinnamon, and cardamom.

3. Top with diced nectarine, walnuts, and flax seeds. Enjoy!

And you know what? I think this was better without the currants! I enjoyed breakfast with a serving of Gimmie Lean (I love that stuff!) and some dark coffee with almond milk.

Also, just to keep you guys updated, here's what I got in the works: Roasted Vegetable Pizza with Polenta Crust, Strawberry Cake, Bibimbap, and my speciality: Peach Pancakes with Chai-Spiced Syrup. I will admit here that I am a self-proclaimed vegan pancake master! Lol. Have a great day!

The Missouri Girl's Guide to Corn

2011-07-26T12:05:00.000-05:00

...After all, I am surrounded by it!

So I'm sure a lot of you are like me in some respects. You go out to the garden, the farmer's market, or even the grocery store and you get excited at all the wonderful produce and you buy more than you can eat right away. No big deal. That's the great thing about dehydrating, canning, and freezing. You buy a little too much now when it's plentiful and cheap and you have extra later for when it goes out of season. No waste here, folks!

One particular vegetable that can be cheap and easy to get carried away with is corn. In order to prevent yourself from wasting it by letting it hang out in the fridge for a long time (since it loses flavor kind of quickly once it has been picked), it's best to freeze it as soon as you realize you bought too much. If you can't freeze it right away, make sure you stick it in the fridge instead of leaving it out on the table. The tasty sugars break down much more quickly at room temperature.

So let's freeze some corn!

Step One: Get the corn!
Like I just mentioned, get it fresh! The husks need to be bright green and fresh. If they're super dry more than say, the first leaf or two, I would pass them up. The silk (the soft stuff coming out of the top of the husk) should be soft, dark, and moist, and absolutely not moldy. You should be able to feel individual kernals when you give the husk a gentle squeeze. A good rule with corn is to eat it within a day or two of purchasing (at most) and to avoid buying corn that has sat out in the hot sun for hours. Getting it in the early morning off the plant or at the farmer's market is the best way to go. It'll be much sweeter and tastier this way since the sugars break down over heat (even room temp), time, and being exposed to sunlight.

That's some good corn right there.

However if it has been a couple days and the corn's been hanging out in your fridge(or if you bought it at the grocery store), you can revive it by adding 1 tsp. sugar for each quart of water you use when you boil it. This helps compensate for the sugar loss.

Step Two: Prep!
Get a large (as large as you can) pot and fill it with water. You'll need to bring it to a full, rolling boil and that will take a minute (though not literally... it actually takes many minutes...). You'll also need to fill a large bowl with ice and water.

Step Three: Husk!
Husk the corn! All this basically means if you cut of the end, peel all of the leaves, and remove all the silk. You can use a vegetable brush to help remove some of the silk, but you have to be gentle. You don't want to burst all the kernels. I usually just remove it all by hand. After husking, I give them a good rinse. If you see any bug damage you can remove those kernels, but too be honest, if I find full-on worms in my corn I just toss the whole ear out. I know some people who still eat it... blech. I won't.

I love the silk. It's so nice and soft, lol.

Step Four: Blanch!
Corn needs to be blanched before freezing in order to protect its flavor, color, and texture. To blanch, place the prepped ears of corn into the boiling water you got going. Begin counting the blanching time as soon as the water returns to a full boil. For whole-kernel corn (which is what I'm doing here), it takes about 4-6 minutes. Cover the pot while you boil. You can reuse your blanching water a few times, but after that I would toss it out and start over. Also make sure you add hot water from the faucet if the water level starts getting too low (you should still be able to cover the ears).

If it takes too long for the water to return to a boil, you are probably adding too many ears at once or are using too small of a pot. If you're like me and you have to make due with to small pots, you can cut the ears in half.

Step Five: Cool!
Once the corn is done blanching, immediately put the ears in the ice bath (the prepped bowl with ice water) to cool it. This quick cooling stops the cooking process. Once done cooling, drain. I'd recommend cooling it for as long as you boiled it.

Ice...ice pack... close enough!

Also be sure you add more ice and cold water before starting for next batch (if you have more to blanch).

Step Six: Cut!
Cut the kernels from the cob about 2/3-3/4 the depth of the kernel. I always hold the small end and use a sharp knife to cut down to the base. It will come off in nifty little strips. They separate easily into little individual kernels as you put them in a bag. Don't get any of the cob!

Step Seven: Bag!
If you have a vacuum food sealer, that would be awesome to employ here, just put the corn in a seal. If not, just do what I do and place them in a ziplock freezer storage bag and try and squeeze out as much air as you can. Then, make sure the bag is nice and sealed and label it with a sharpie. Done!

Now by the end of this ordeal you have expert blanching skills, I'm sure of it. Also, if you would rather prep the corn and leave it on the ears for corn-on-the-cob. You can, just skip step six. After draining the corn from the ice bath, pat it dry and then bag it according to step seven. I think it takes up too much room in the freezer, but if you have an abundance of freezer space and like it on the cob, then that would be an excellent route.

I hope this was helpful! Now you have whole kernal corn in your freezer for any time you want to roast some kernals for tacos, make cornbread, or just soup up a soup!

Golden Bowl

2011-07-21T13:23:00.001-05:00

This recipe is basically a recipe from a real old issue of Vegetarian Times (2008-ish, I think), but I've made it over and over again. It's kind of hard to believe that a simple veggie dish with some tofu and nooch could be so tasty, but I really love it! It's got a nice comfort-food flavor and it's perfect for when you got a lot of odds n' ends in the fridge and don't feel like giving the effort to make a stir-fry sauce! Besides, the nooch adds some B-vitamins, protein, and savory flavor to the mix! If you're new to nutritional yeast, this is a great starter recipe for trying it. Much less effort than making a mac n' cheeze! Lol.

Anywho, I've tried this recipe with various different combinations of veggies but this version here is my absolute favorite. I love bell peppers, but I just don't care for them too much in this recipe so I've left them out. You can also add 1/2 cup of grated carrots like the original recipe does, but I'm just not a fan of stir-fried carrots. I've also used purple cabbage instead of green and that makes for a pretty presentation!

Golden Bowl:
1 1/2 Tb. oil, divided
9 oz. tofu (about half a carton), drained and pressed for at least 15 minutes, then cubed
2 tsp. tamari plus more to taste
2 c. steamed broccoli
4 oz. white mushrooms (about half a carton), sliced
1 c. onion, diced
1 c. yellow squash, sliced (about 1 medium-sized one)
1 1/2 c. zucchini, sliced (about 2 smallish-ones)
1/2 c. green cabbage, shredded
2 Tb. nutritional yeast (plus more to taste, if desired)
Hot cooked brown rice or bulgar
1. Heat 1/2 Tbs. oil in large nonstick skillet over high heat. Add pressed/drained tofu, and sauté 10 to 15 minutes, tossing with spatula, until light golden brown all over. Sprinkle with tamari and sauté 2 to 3 minutes more to further brown tofu. Transfer tofu to plate, then wipe out skillet if necessary.
2. Heat remaining 1 Tbs. oil over high heat. Add tofu and all vegetables. Sauté 5 to 7 minutes, or until tofu is browned and vegetables are tender, tossing constantly with spatula. Sprinkle with soy sauce to taste. Sprinkle nutritional yeast over tofu to coat. Sauté a few seconds more. Remove from heat. Serve over brown rice/bulgar.

The recipe calls for the broccoli to be streamed before you add to the skillet. Normally, I would be lazy and just toss it in, but it really works in this recipe! The vegetables taste EXACTLY like those in Amy's Brown Rice and Vegetable bowls, so now all I have to do is get me some Ume Plum vinegar and work on exacting that sauce, lol!

Roasted Vegetable Hummus Wraps

2011-07-18T19:03:00.000-05:00

Quick n' easy post today, folks. I've got a final to study for (finally!!).

I actually made these wraps awhile ago, I've just been a little slow to post. I really adore roasted vegetable sandwiches and wraps, so this combination was a win-win. Also, if you cook up additional veggies, you have a great start on a lasagna, a pasta dish, or more sandwiches... lol. For the hummus part of this recipe I used the roasted garlic and roasted red pepper variations of the hummus in Appetite for Reduction. Although I'm not gonna lie, I added some tahini to the recipe just hummus without tahini is like a burrito without salsa (am I right here??)! Lol. Isa's recipe is great though, I've made it a few times. It's real easy, too. Can't beat that! However, feel free to use store-bought hummus as well, since a food processor is pretty integral in making hummus.

Though speaking of store-bought hummus, my boyfriend and I just discovered a Cucumber-Dill flavor and it was awesome. It would be really good on these wraps! I'd love to make some homemade, but I'm not sure how it would work. Do I just toss the cucumbers in there?? Lol. Anywho...

Roasted Vegetable and Hummus Wraps:
1 yellow squash, sliced about 1/4" thick (doesn't have to be exact)
1 zucchini, sliced about 1/4" thick
1 red onion, sliced about 1/4" thick
1 red bell pepper, sliced about 1/4" thick
About 1/2 c. white mushrooms, sliced
3 cloves garlic, chopped (opt.)
Roasted red pepper hummus
Roasted garlic hummus
Your favorite tortillas (spinach ones are a good choice with these!)

1. Make or buy hummus, lol. I won't put Isa's recipes on here, since they don't belong to me. However, I will tell you that I took her recipe and added 2 Tb. sesame tahini, then I split the batch in half. I used half to make the red pepper hummus and the other half to make the roasted garlic.
2. In a skillet or on a grill pan sprayed with cooking spray, lay down slices of zucchini and yellow squash. Cook about 3-5 minutes per side, or until softened but not mushy. You kind of want them to hold together in the sandwich.
3. Meanwhile, in a skillet sprayed with nonstick, saute the onions, bell pepper, mushrooms and garlic over medium-high heat until softened and golden, about 5-8 minutes. Reduce heat to low and keep warm in the skillet until you are done cooking the squash slices.
4. To assemble the wraps, spread the tortillas with one or both of the hummuses (???). I'd say I use slightly less than 1/4 cup total per wrap. Place a layer of yellow squash and zucchini down, followed by the sauted onion-pepper mixture. Roll up and enjoy!

These really made a fairly quick lunch and the leftovers were great at work. You can eat them cold or hot, it's up to you!

And, since berries are everywhere and you can find organic ones at a decent price (I've only bought organic since my pesticide-berry fiasco), I made some of Amber's raw Vanilla Creme sauce to pour over some strawberries and blueberries.

It had great vanilla flavor, but alas, my blender is just not powerful enough to make it as smooth as hers... maybe someday, lol!

Well, I hope you all are having a great week! Just be sure you stay safe and cool! It's been killer here in the Midwest (unfortuantely literally), so make sure you are checking on your loved ones, you neighbors, and your pets!!

Blue Goose Pie!

2011-07-16T13:32:00.003-05:00

So, I'm not sure if you guys know this, but I'm a little country. I grew up in a small town and had family I spent time with in even smaller towns. My grandpa was a farmer and my grandma bestowed upon me the love of plants I have to this day. I'd like to be mostly self-sufficient one day, and I daydream about the earth-sheltered home and farm I'm gonna own (did I also mention the goats? 'Cause there will be goats). So anyway, what I'm saying here is that I'm no stranger to going out into the wild and venturing forth with tasty forest produce. It's in my roots!

A couple of weeks ago, my boyfriend and I went out to his parent's house to go hunt some gooseberries. I promised him a gooseberry pie (since boys seem to like pie) and in order for that to happen I had to get ahold of some berries. The wild gooseberry (F: Grossulariaceae) is one of the most common shrubs in forests here in my part of Missouri. It is a notoriously sour berry, but once made into a pie it has a sort of sour apple-grape flavor (in a good way, especially with some rice-cream!). The berries are plump, round, and green, with effing thorns all over the branches and at the end of the berry. There are cultivated varieties of gooseberries, but pfft, who needs that? The wild ones are just as tasty! Besides, I think they still have thorns, lol. And, you still have to pull both ends (the dried flower and the stem) off the berry. This is the part that I wish I had an army of eight-year-olds for, since it can take awhile (8 was about the age I got conned into doing this...):

Anywho, gooseberry pie is well-known to older Midwestern people, but most people my age haven't tried it... unless they have a grandparent with a bush out back. Gooseberries are ripe in the woods right now, (**disclaimer alert**) but I do not advocate eating anything in the woods unless you know EXACTLY what you are eating. I also don't claim any responsibility if you hunt and eat the wrong thing (just gotta be cautious here).

I had originally intended on baking a regular old gooseberry pie, but the other night an older guy at work (who's quite and awesome baker himself), mentioned how he had a Blueberry-Gooseberry Pie and it was a million times more amazing than the plain ones. Since organic blueberries are everywhere right now for a good price, I knew that that was the pie I was going to make!

"Those things look like peas and they keep messing with my head!"

This pie turned out awesome! My boyfriend had two slices as soon as he saw it! I also used a different pie crust recipe and it was way better than that sorry one I was using before. This one makes a little more crust so it's easier to cover everything. It is absolutely my favorite crust recipe from now on, and it can be used to make things sweet or savory (mmm... empanadas...). Also, when I say "a pinch", I guess I mean about 1/8 of a teaspoon. You can make the crust, wrap it up real tight in plastic wrap and store it in the fridge for up to three days or place it in an airtight container in the freezer for up to a week.

Blue Goose Pie:
Recipe for a double pie crust (recipe follows)
Filling:
2 1/2 c. fresh or thawed gooseberries
2 c. fresh blueberries
Juice from 1/2 a lemon
1 c. turbinado sugar
1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. fresh lemon peel
pinch of salt
pinch of nutmeg
pinch of cinnamon
1 Tb. Earth Balance

Flaky Pie Crust:
2 c. unbleached, all-purpose flour
1/2 c. whole wheat pastry flour
a pinch of salt
1 c. cold Earth Balance, cut into cubes
1/3 c. ICE water, plus a couple of tablespoons.

To make the crust:
In bowl, whisk flour with salt. With pastry blender or 2 knives, cut in butter until in coarse crumbs with a few larger pieces. Stirring briskly with fork, drizzle 1/3 cup of the ice water over flour mixture until pastry holds together, if necessary sprinkling dry spots with more water, 1 tbsp at a time, until pastry holds together.

Divide the pie crusts in half (as evenly as possible). On a lightly floured surface, roll out one of the halves to about a 1/4" thickness and place it into a 9-inch pie pan. Trim the edges and place the pan in the fridge to chill. Roll out the second half to about 1/4" thickness and place it on a rimless baking sheet and place it into the fridge to chill as well. Pie crusts take practice, so just keep on making them pies if it doesn't turn out. I kid you not, this is the first time that both my bottom crust completely covered my pan and the top crust covered my filling!

I was so stoked it covered the bottom that I danced. Seriously.

Now, move on to making the filling!

To make the filling:
1. In large bowl, toss together the gooseberries, blueberries, and lemon juice.
2.In small bowl, stir together the turbinado sugar, flour, lemon rind, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon; sprinkle over berries and toss to coat.
3. Scrape into chilled pie shell. Dot with Earth Balance.

It is at this point I would like to show you all the ridiculous mess that I was in the process of making:

I get a little ridiculous...

4. Brush pastry on rim of pie shell with water, fit pastry top over filling. Trim, seal and flute edge (MAKE YUMMY PIE CRUSTIES!). Cover edge of pie with aluminum foil.
5. Cut a few slits in the top shell so steam can escape. Bake in bottom third of 425°F oven for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350°F and bake 25 minutes. Remove the aluminum foil edging and bake another 15 minutes or until the crust is golden and the filling is bubbly. Let cool on rack. The pie will be oozy until it has completely cooled, then it should hold up nicely to slicing.

Everybody likes pi!

Serve with your favorite vegan ice cream or whipped "cream" because you really got to have it in order to balance the flavors of this particular pie, lol. And there you have it, the gooseberry pie I promised that's been a long time coming! Have a great afternoon!

A CCK Intervention!

2011-07-05T19:09:00.000-05:00

As you might have noticed from my blog roll on the right side of the page, I'm a big fan of Chocolate-Covered Katie. I love her simple, healthy, tasty recipes and her cheerful blogging personality. I definitely think that she is one of those bloggers that make vegan food approachable. As such, I've definitely been munching down on some of her recipes lately!

Since I'm still in a physics-time suck, I'll just briefly post about some of the deliciousness I've been making a la Katie:

First off, I'll give you a hint. Before:

After:

Blueberry Muffin Voluminous Oats!

I love oatmeal. In fact, my roommates often joke about my oatmeal eating habits since I not only eat a bowl for breakfast but for a late-night snack (hey, I gotta refuel if I'm gonna keep ~~kicking their butts in Mortal Kombat~~ studying). The point of this oatmeal is to make it a few hours before eating so that it has time to fluff up and expand. Since I make mine up the night before, it's ready to go as soon as I get up. I pretty much make mine just like hers, except I use 1 cup water plus 1/2 cup almond milk instead of all water (calcium!), and I add 1/2 cup of frozen blueberries to the last minute or two of cooking. Oh, and I add a touch of almond extract along with the vanilla because I love the blueberry-almond flavor combo. This is such a great breakfast!

I also tried out her Voluminous Vanilla Ice Cream:

To make mine, I just swirled the frozen almond milk with a bunch of frozen blackberries and about a tablespoon of vanilla protein powder in my food processor. Talk about quick and easy! 15 seconds and it was DONE! Mine looks really soft, and it was, but that was because I was too impatient to let it freeze completely. Lol. But next time, I'll wait it out! I really loved this, and I'm definitely going to play around with a bunch of different flavors. I also got some Silk Almond to try it with since it's thicker than Almond Breeze. I think that'll help make it more ice cream-like.

So, that's what I've been munching on (other than tofu scrambles and bean burritos!). I got a bunch of garden produce starting to come in: cabbage, potatoes, onions, broccoli, banana peppers... I also have this idea for some grilled veggie wraps with roasted red pepper hummus, which I'll probably get around to making soon. My gooseberries have been safely tucked away in the freezer for now, but I will definitely make a pie eventually, lol. Have a great day!

Easy Mexican Brunch

2011-06-25T12:58:00.000-05:00

You get two recipes for the price of one today! Lol. I guess I feel a little bad for slacking on my blogging...

But anywho, today I woke up kind of late and decided to have myself some brunch. Normally, my "brunches" usually consist of awesome pancakes and orange juice or vegan breakfast burritos, but I decided to step out of the box and make something a little different.

I've really been wanting to eat chilequiles for a long time because I'm in love with Mexican food and have an unsatiable appetite for all things carb-y and covered in salsa. So, this morning while I was browsing recipes I found a glorious authentic one made with homemade salsas... however, I tucked that one aside for later and just modified the method in order to make it quick and easy for everyone. I didn't really have a pound of tomatillos on hand, but I did have a jar of Pace!

I served these chilequiles alongside tofu rancheros and a glass of grapefruit juice, since I'm giving up coffee for the weekend (hey, I gotta start small!). It made for an easy Mexican brunch! These recipes will make two average or four small portions.

Easy Chilequiles:
8 (6 in.) corn tortillas, cut into eighths
2 Tb. olive oil
1/2 (a 16? oz.) jar of medium salsa (you want about a cup)
Sea salt to taste

1. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat.
2. Once the oil is hot, add the cut tortillas. Stir the pieces around until covered with oil and then cook until all the pieces are golden brown and crispy (about 10 minutes). You will need to flip and separate the pieces occasionally.
3. Once browned, place the pieces on a paper towel to drain and sprinkle with salt.
4. Wipe out the pan, if necessary, and add the salsa. Cook for about a minute until hot and bubbly and then add the tortilla pieces. Toss the pieces so that they are all completely covered with salsa. Serve with tofu rancheros.

Tofu Rancheros:
1/2 a red bell pepper, diced
1/2 a yellow onion, diced
1 large tomato, diced
1/2 a jalapeno, minced (optional)
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tb. olive oil
6 oz. tofu (about a third of a package), drained and pressed*
2 tsp. nutritional yeast
1 tsp. Bragg's liquid aminos
1/2 tsp. Mexican oregano (can use regular, but Mexican is *awesome*)
1/4 tsp. smoked paprika
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1/8 tsp. turmeric

1. After draining and pressing the tofu, mash with a fork and add the nooch, Bragg's, Mexican oregano, paprika, garlic and onion powder, and turmeric. Stir well until everything is all mixed up.
2. In a skillet over medium high heat, heat the olive oil and add the diced bell pepper, onion, and jalapeno. Saute for about five minutes or until softened.
3. Add the tofu mixture, tomato, and garlic, and saute another 5-8 minutes or until tofu is golden and the tomatoes are softened (I like my tofu to be a little browned, but that's just personal preference). Enjoy!

*BONUS: Tofu that has been previously frozen and then thawed overnight makes the most awesome tofu scramble ever (heh, I needed the emphasis). It's easy to squeeze every last drop of water out and it creates the perfect "fluffy" egg texture. It also soaks ups spices and flavors real well. I highly recommend prefrozen tofu for this recipe and every scramble recipe!

This brunch was real easy to pull together. I first fried the tortilla strips and set them aside, then I made the tofu scramble and placed that in a serving bowl, then I finished off the chilequiles. By waiting until the very end to finish the chilequiles (coat them with salsa), you can make your tofu rancheros without getting them all salsa-y or having to use another pan.

And there you have it! An easy, peasy, Mexican-inspired brunch (also, it's quick. Did I mention it's quick?). Enjoy!

AfR... How I Love You!

2011-06-23T19:08:00.001-05:00

So, I apologize for the lack of blog posts. I've been taking physics as a summer lab course and it has seriously been draining all of my free time. Luckily, it's half over, so in four short weeks I'll be able to enjoy the last of my summer before it all starts again, lol.

Anywho, lately I've been doing a lot of cooking from Appetite for Reduction, which is Isa Chandra Moskowitz's latest cookbook. I seriously love it! Everything in there is pretty quick, made from ingredients you probably have on hand, and good-for-you!

The first dish I made was the Sushi Roll Edamame Salad:

I'm not gonna lie though, I totally left off the nori. I just don't like that stuff. So this was a fishy-less tasting sushi roll salad, but I loved it! I've already made it like, five times. The green onion-miso dressing is awesome too. In fact, I used some of the little bit I had leftover to dip some vegan gyoza in. The only thing I did differently was reduce the amount of toasted sesame seed oil with walnut oil, just since it can be a little strong. Oh, and I always added the optional avocado, since I lurve it so much.

I also made the Pad Thai Salad:

If I launched this salad at 11.89 km/s, how long before it reaches the moon?

This was pretty good. Though I loved the veggie combination (I added a little cucumber and red bell pepper, and like, tripled the red onion...), the dressing was just alright. However, I think that's just a personal preference right now. You know how you go on "kicks" and only eat a bunch of a certain kind of food (hopefully I'm not the only one who does this, lol...), well right now I'm having a food aversion to soy sauce, so the thought of it is kind of grossing me out. I discovered that after making this salad...

Another dish I made was the Black Bean, Zucchini, and Olive Tacos:

These tacos were made from a mixture of black beans, olives, zucchini, and my favorite Mexican salsa and although they may sound a little odd, they were great! But you totally have to put the Lemon-Yogurt Sauce on them. It's what brings them all together. I added some additional chopped romaine and green onion and served them with some leftover brown rice to round it out.

I also made the Smoky Tempeh and Greens Stew (which was not very photogenic), and although it had great flavor, I just CANNOT get past the texture and odd taste of tempeh. I even steamed it and cut it into very small cubes... they're was just no disguising it. So folks, I have given tempeh THREE tries and it strikes out!! No more for me. I'll just stick to my beloved tofu.

And last but not least, I shall send you off with some dessert. I made Katie's awesome Fudge Daddies and they did not disappoint! I used silken tofu, agave, and applesauce with one tablespoon of coconut oil, as suggested. I also added some 65% cacao dark chocolate chips for extra chocolate-y-ness (is that word even possible?!). My boyfriend and his friends (as well as me!) loved these. It's definitely a keeper recipe and one that I'll play around with to make even more decadent in the future. However, since you can get them down to about a 100 calories per serving, I'd say they'd make an awesome snack for just about anytime (like breakfast...).

Not pictured: the melted coconut butter goodness I slathered on top.

So that's all I've got for you now. I cannot wait for my class to be over because I've got a serious bread-making itch that just will not go away. Also, I've got a special post coming up about an old-fashioned Midwest special: the infamous gooseberry pie. Have a great evening!

VCIYCJ: I Made Cookies!

2011-06-13T10:00:00.002-05:00

Like practically every other vegan out there, I love Isa Chandra Moscowitz and Terry Hope Romero's cookbooks. I own "Vegan with a Vengenance" and I've currently been scoping another one I'd like to lay down some cash for (I'll give you a hint... it's Latin and delicious and cruelty-free all over it). We recently had a Border's go out of business (the only bookstore in the entire city), and Mom surprised me with a cookbook:

Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar!

I was shocked! I had just been in there the day before and had somehow missed this baby on sale for $5. Luckily, I have a Mom who supports my cookbook habit, so she picked it up for me. Since I've been on a ridiculous ginger kick lately (seriously... ginger green tea, ginger kombucha, ginger chews, ginger beer, ginger stir-fry...) I immediately turned to the Macadamia Ginger Crunch Drops. These cookies are just full of macadamia nuts and crystallized ginger with just a hint of nutmeg (that's what really brought them together). They were glorious!! Isa and Terry have yet to fail me! I won't post the recipe here, because it doesn't belong to me, but I will tell you how my cookie making went down.

There were two things I did different. First thing I did was use a chia seed "egg" instead of a flax seed "egg". I love these because they are just like an egg! They also don't have a taste so you can put them in just about anything. Also, when you use chia seed powder, you don't really get any whole seeds or specks in the cookies (meaning, that even though the seeds are black, you can really see them in the baked cookies).

Chia Seed "Egg":
1 1/2 tsp. chia seeds
about 3-4 Tb. warm water

1. Place the chia seeds in a coffee grinder and grind for a couple of seconds, until powdered.
2. Add the warm water, mix with a fork, and allow to sit until nice and thick (about 10 minutes). Whisk with a fork again before using.

If it doesn't thicken up enough, you can add more chia powder. This will make ONE "egg". You can also grind up chia seeds ahead of time so that you have the powder on hand. They're not like flax seeds, they won't go rancid. However, after my baking fiasco a couple days ago, I wouldn't recommend using more than one chia egg at a time. The gelatinous moisture they contain causes your batter to go all wonky (it can displace any fats or oils your have put in your batter!).

The second thing I did differently was use a split mix of half coconut oil and half vegetable oil. The recipe called for 2/3 cup oil (I almost died!), but I went ahead and used the full amount anyway. HOWEVER, I will definitely reduce the oil next time because they left little grease spots wherever they sat. I'm thinking like, a 1/2-ish cup would be good time. I honestly don't think it will compromise the recipe that much. But seriously, these cookies were awesome. I'll definitely make them again!

I also made the Cherry Almond Cookies:

I kept this recipe the exact same as in the book, except I used 1/2 c. chopped almonds instead of 3/4 c. slivers. I just didn't have those. But man, these cookies were pretty much awesome. I LOVED these! So did my mom. She was like, "these are good.... very good.... very, very good... I think they're better than chocolate chip... and that's saying something!".

I left the majority of the batch at my boyfriends house for two hours, and I when I came back, they were all gone! Success! Everybody that ate them liked them better than the Macadamia-Ginger Crunch Drops, but I think that's just because you have to really like crystallized ginger to enjoy that cookie. Which is a given. It's pretty distinct. Lol.

The third cookie I tried was the Chocolate Agave Trailmixers:

Instead of 2/3 c. oil I used 1/2 cup. This made the cookie a little drier, but it stayed together without many crumbs). I also used only whole wheat pastry flour because I was out of all-purpose. Then, for the nut/fruit/chocolate combo I used chopped, dried cherries with chopped walnuts, and 65% cacao dark chocolate chips. I did reduce the amount of dark chocolate chips, but only because some of the people I bake for don't appreciate it as much as I do... These were awesome as well. I've never made cookies with agave and they really do create a cake-like texture, just like Isa said. These remind me of those cake-mix cookies from days past... only 1000x better!

So anyway, I highly recommend this cookbook! I love, love, love it! Not only that, these cookies are seriously liked by everyone, vegans and non-vegans alike! I'm pretty sure that I'm going to make every single cookie recipe in there by year's end. And I'll let you all know how each one turns out. Have a great day!

Regal Ramen

2011-06-08T10:00:00.001-05:00

So, I walked into my local Big Lots (I lurve that place), so big greeted by the most awesome site ever:

Yes! Your eyes do not deceive you! That is an entire selection of Bob's Red Mill products, and about half of them are the gluten-free ones! Some of them are still about the same price (quinoa, $7), but the huge bag of GF rolled oats was only $3. I'll be stocking up with some of these products in the very near future! I also found recycled Reynolds aluminum foil for $1 and three new flavors of Clif Bars (at the usual $0.70). I love how that store is constantly changing. Anywho, this is not an post about what I've been buying, rather, it is a post about what I've been eating. And by eating, I mean hurriedly tossing in my face between school, work, and working out.

So what's quick? RAMEN. But not just any ramen will do!

I love Koyo brand vegan ramen. It's pretty much my favorite ramen ever. I always have to stock up on it when I go to Whole Foods though, because they don't sell it where I live. I think I've tried every flavor except for Seaweed, just because I'm not ready for that, lol. I think my favorite is a toss-up between Lemongrass Ginger and Tofu and Miso. I'm kind of picky about lemongrass. Since it's so aromatic, it can make the food you're eating taste extremely... floral? But when you get the right amount, it just adds the perfect flavor. Koyo gets the lemongrass perfect! My least favorite flavor is the Garlic Pepper one, but "least" is on a scale of liking, which means I will still buy it and eat it, but only after I've ate all the other flavors I like better first. Haha. You know, like eating all the chocolate chip cookies first and the oatmeal ones last. It's good. We all do it! Lol.

Of course, with packaged food I can never leave good enough alone. In order to balance out my ramen into a more wholesome lunch I alway have to soup it up (literally...). Frozen edamame is a perfect addition because not only does it increase the nutritional value of the ramen, but it cooks in the same amount of time! My perfect bowl of ramen (as an example):

1 pkg. Koyo Lemongrass and Ginger ramen
1/2 c. frozen, shelled edamame
2 lime wedges
1 green onion, sliced
1 tsp. sesame seeds
Sriracha

Make the ramen according to package directions, but increase the water to 1 1/2 cup. Place the edamame in with the water and allow them to come to a boil together, before you add the noodles. After cooking the noodles (don't drain!), stir in the seasoning packet and garnish with the green onion and sesame seeds. Douse with fresh lime juice and sriracha before serving. Tasty! I've also been know to add leftover tofu, tiny broccoli florets, snow peas, frozen peas, grated carrots, chopped fresh asparagus spears, chopped leafy greens (bok choy, napa cabbage, cabbage, spinach), and/or diced onion. The more veggies, the better! For most veggies, you can just toss them in at the two minute (left) mark, and you wind up with the perfect tender-crisp texture.

This makes a satisfying light lunch or lazy dinner for sure!

Garden Update and What I've Been Eating!

2011-06-06T23:26:00.001-05:00

The garden has been growing splendidly! I made sure that I took a lot of pictures so you all could see the progress. Here's a pan of the garden. It is going to be a jungle by fall! A tasty, tasty jungle...

The corn is about up to my knees. We planted it in early April and it's just growing up great. I am sooo going to roast that stuff.

We also have quite a few pepper plants: poblanos, sweet bananas, bell peppers, and long cayennes. I am most excited about the poblanos because I'm going to make a bunch roasted chili-corn salsa with it and some rajas. My boyfriend's grandpa (the one who is showing us the way to garden) has never eaten a roasted poblano. I'm excited for him to try them. The only plants that have peppers on them are the sweet bananas and they are literally as large as the plant itself. Not sure what's going on with them. Lol.

Here's my babies: the little zucchinis I planted from organic seed. That's my foot for comparison! Some already have little zucchinis going on them. I'm curious to try squash blossoms, but you only eat the male blossoms and all my female ones are currently growing squashes!

Here's a good shot of the potatoes (background). To be honest, I can't remember what the two rows in front of them are. I guess I'll find out when they start sprouting things.

Our tomatoes are doing great. His grandpa put cages on them and covered their bottoms with hay. I also put cages on the tomatoes that I have at home (heirloom cherokee purples!), but I haven't gotten any hay yet. The hay helps keep pests off them and the cages give them support. They become really heavy when the tomatoes start growing in size and they help keep the fruit off the ground.

So that's the garden. I've been learning a lot!

So anyway. Here's some of the foods I've been munching on.

Coconut yogurt with raspberries and chia seeds:

Okay... story about the berries. I was at the store awhile back and I saw some glorious looking strawberries. Though I usually buy organic berries, these were just so cheap and I was a little hungry so I impulse bought them on the way out the store. I ate a couple. They were fine. The next day I went to eat some more. One of them had a little bad spot on it, but I was like, whatever. I don't care that much. I'll eat it anyway. As soon as I put it in my mouth, I got the overwhelming taste of chemical. I gagged and spit it out and I tossed the rest of the carton. I seriously tested pesticide on those berries and if one was contaminated, they all had to be. This wasn't a guilt reaction from buying non-organic berries. I know chemicals. I'm a chemist at a plant that makes pesticides and herbicides... I've ran tests on some of the same chemicals that routinely get used on strawberries (same active, though not necessarily the same product). My thinking is that these berries might have been sprayed before harvest (which is illegal) or that it was harboring chemicals in its bad spot. All around bad.

A couple days ago I bought some non-organic raspberries and used them in the above photo. I ate them and they were tasty. They next day, the tasted so strongly of chemical (the same one), that I got rid of them. I was absolutely horrified! What really takes the cake though, is that they were the SAME brand, grown in relatively the SAME area, and bought within a week of one another. I can't dismiss that there wasn't contamination. I almost always buy organic berries, but had a lapse in judgement on those two occasions. I will NEVER buy a non-organic berry again. EVER.

So yeah. That was my story!

I also made up a batch of sun-dried tomato pesto. It was AWESOME. My boyfriend loved it. We had it for lunch with flatbreads, grilled veggies, and roasted garlic hummus. It was good stuff. I basically just tossed together:

1/4 cup packed basil
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil (drained)
a few tablespoons of toasted walnuts
some walnut oil (you could use olive)
a couple cloves of garlic

I like to keep things nice and chunky, for texture, but you could always add up to 1/4 cup oil and blend until smooth. It doesn't need any salt either. I want to make Isa's Pizza (from VWAV) and put some on there.

I've also been eating a lot of grilled vegetables. I've been using my boyfriend's George Foreman grill to cook them up in no time. It's small so I basically cook one veggie at a time (respray with some nonstick between veggies) and then put it on a plate until I finish cooking them all. Even though it sounds a little tedious, it's still quicker than any other method (except maybe stir-fry...). If you have a George Foreman, you should totally try this out. Basically it's:

Mushroom caps: 5 minutes
Onions, 1/2" slices: 5 minutes
Bell peppers, cut into 1/2" pieces, 5 minutes
Asparagus spears: 6-8 minutes, 6 for the thin ones and 8 for the thicker ones.
Eggplant, 1/2" thick slices: 8 minutes
Tomato slices (1/4" inch thick), cherry or grape tomatoes: 3 minutes
Zucchini or yellow squash, cut into 1/4" in slices: about 6 minutes

While these were grilling, I put on a few halved baby potatoes to boil, and voila! Grilled veggies! These would be awesome with some flatbreads. I usually ate them with balsamic vinegar and salt, but with the mushroom caps I'd fill each cap with a little sun-dried tomato pesto and then place one of the grape tomatoes in the center. It was like a little fancy appetizer, lol. For the meal pictured above, I ate them with some avocado slices. The good fats in avocado helped me to absorb all the Vitamin A and K I was ingesting. Plus, salted avocado goes really good with potatoes!

Although I hate the heat that comes with summer, I sure love the produce! I'm going to try my best to keep up with blogging, but I am taking a summer class that is sucking up all my fun. Bleh. Anywho, have a great evening!

Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta Salad...

2011-05-27T12:34:00.001-05:00

... for all your vegan cookout needs!

But first, I'd just like to make a quick announcement. The winner of my Third Friday Giveaway of a copy of Ani's Raw Food Essentials by Ani Phyo is:

Whitney of Vegan Sunshine!

Congrats, Whitney! I'll mail you your book and some snickety-snacks soon! And for everyone else, I still have one more book to give away, so stay tuned!

Okay, so I finally broke down and got myself a $30 food processor. My last one died this past Christmas while pulverizing some oreos. Since its untimely passing, I lamented all the homemade hummus, sauces, marinades, dips, and falafel that I could no longer make (unless I wanted to do it the long way with a bunch of effort). Needless to say, it took me a whole day to make something with it after it arrived in the mail!

Since I had a cookout yesterday, I decided I wanted to make some pasta salad. Good ol'-you-can't-tell-it's-vegan-because-it's-awesome pasta salad. Since I've had an insatiable desire for fresh basil and oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, I knew that those two ingredients would be important components in my recipe. A quick search revealed an easily-veganizable recipe from the Barefoot Contessa (whom I adore...). Overall, I cut down a lot of the salt and fat in her recipe, just because that's how I roll... Well, it was also because the commenters mentioned there was way too much salt. The original recipe called for sundried tomatoes, capers, kalamata olives, kosher salt, mozzarella, and Parmesan so you can imagine that it would be thirst-inducing (as well as cruelty-inducing). Also, I don't have much money and so I can't really afford to buy ingredients that I'm pretty sure I won't like (capers). AND, I had a coupon for the olives. Bwahaha!! My mom's getting into that extreme couponing and I think it's rubbing off on me... just a little...

Anywho, this pasta salad tastes bright and fresh, with just the right amount of salt and oil and a great depth of flavor from the tomatoes, olives, and sun-dried tomatoes. It makes the perfect side dish to any cookout. My boyfriend's parents even took leftovers before we went home and my boyfriend finished off what was left that night. So none made it past the first day. I will definitely make this recipe again and again!

Pasta Salad with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Olives:
Salad:
9 oz. spiral pasta (3/4 a 12 oz. bag. I used the veggie spirals with the different colors)
1 lb. cherry tomatoes, preferably a mix of red and yellow, halved
1/2 c. chopped kalamata olives
1/2 Tb. olive oil

Dressing:
8 sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained
1 c. fresh basil, firmly packed
2 Tb. red wine vinegar
2 Tb. olive oil
1 Tb. walnut oil (can sub olive)
1 Tb. minced garlic (2 cloves or so)
A few whole kalamata olives
1/8 tsp. black pepper

1. To make the pasta salad, cook the noodles according to package directions until tender. Drain, rinse with hot water (to keep them from sticking), drain again, then toss with the 1/2 Tb. of olive oil. Set aside to allow to cool, though occasionally give it a stir to keep it from sticking together.

2. To make the dressing, combine the oil-packed tomatoes, basil, red wine vinegar, olive and walnut oil, garlic, olives, and black pepper in a food processor. Process until pureed, scraping down the sides of the processor occasionally, to make sure everything gets combined.

3. Once the pasta has cooled, add the halved tomatoes and chopped olives and toss. Stir in the dressing and toss to coat. Cover and chill a couple of hours before serving. Makes a nice, big ol' bowl full with plenty to go around!

I hope you all enjoy your weekends!

Fruit-Full Honeydew Agua Fresca

2011-05-25T11:46:00.000-05:00

Just a quick post today, I'm right in the middle of moving and I still have some more stuff to pack plus a full workout to squeeze in somehow.

I mostly wanted to mention that the glorious honeydew is in season. When it is at its peak, it is perfectly sweet and juicy and makes a wonderful snack! I was able to find these melons for less than a buck apiece and I'm gonna keep eating them until they fall out of season and are replaced with cantaloupes and watermelons. I used to hate melon, but I've seriously grown to LOVE it.

Since it has been kind of warm here, I decided to make a nice melon agua fresca ("water refreshments") to cool down with. Agua fresca are usually made with a combination of fruits, water, sugar, and/or ice, but because the melon is so naturally sweet on its own, I left out any added sugar. When paired with a touch of lime and kiwi, the result is a deliciously sweet and refreshing drink that would cool down any warm afternoon! Although my drinks usually are only enough for one person, this recipe makes enough for two large or four small servings.

Honeydew Agua Fresca:

2 cups diced honeydew melon

Juice of one lime
About 1/4 tsp. fresh lime zest

1 kiwi*

1 c. water
Ice

1. In a blender, combine the honeydew, lime juice, lime zest, kiwi, and water. Blend thoroughly until smooth.

2. Add enough ice to make it slushy and enjoy!

*I leave my kiwis unpeeled for their nutrition and fiber, but unless you have a high speed blender, I would recommend peeling your kiwi. Getting a chunk of kiwi peel in your drink is a little off-putting!

So, this glorious RAW drink is a perfect allude to the RAW cookbook giveaway I have going on! The giveaway doesn't end until midnight tonight, so leave a comment here in order to win your very own copy of Ani's Raw Food Essentials by Ani Phyo!

A Winner! An Annoucement! And Tu-No Salad!

2011-05-21T09:49:00.004-05:00

The winner of my Second Friday Giveaway is:

Amber of Almost Vegan

Using a random number generator, the number 8 popped up and Ms. Amber just happened to be the third person to leave a comment. She wins a copy of Veganize This! by Jenn Shagrin as well as a few vegan goodies. Congrats, Amber!

But you still have another chance to win! My Third Friday Giveaway is the book Ani's Raw Food Essentials by Ani Phyo. According to Amazon, "Chef Ani Phyo is back with Ani’s Raw Food Essentials, full of everything you need to know to master the art of live food. Phyo shows you how to whip up simple, fresh recipes using what you’ve already got in your kitchen while also offering tips on dehyrating and more sophisticated techniques. Looking for innovative meals that are healthy and delicious? Phyo offers everything from classic comfort foods like nachos and burgers to Reuben sandwiches and bacon, along with more gourmet dishes like risotto, angel hair pasta, and her “you-won’t-believe-they’re-raw” desserts.
Ani’s Raw Food Essentials once again proves that you don’t have to sacrifice taste to reap the benefits of raw foods, all while living a greener lifestyle. Recipes include: Broccoli and Cheeze Quiche, Kalamata Olive Crostini, Cashew “Tofu” in Miso Broth, Grilled Cheeze and Tomato Sandwiches, Cheeze Enchilada with Ranchero and Mole Sauce, Pad Thai, Pesto Pizza, and many more."

This book couldn't come at a better time, what with all the farmer's markets and home gardens starting to produce fantastic fruits and veggies. The temperature is also getter warmer, which I know holds some people back when you live in colder climates. The time is ripe for some raw food!

So if you would like to win this book, all you have to do is leave a comment to get one entry. To gain up to three additional entries you can facebook it, twitter it, and/or make a post about the giveaway on your blog with a link back to mine. The contest ends at midnight on Wednesday, May 25 and is open to everyone! So happy entering!

Now time for a little garden update! The lettuce we planted back in April is finally ready! This buttercrunch lettuce is tender with a mild crunch and flavor. It would be real good mixed in a salad or eaten on a sandwich.

I however, decided to use it as a bed for my Tu-No salad (mock tuna salad), along with some whole wheat pita. I've made this recipe many times before, but it was just recently that I noticed that I've never actually written a post about it. So how about that? This recipe tastes very similar to tuna salad, due to the ingredients, but without the fishy aftertaste or the overharvesting of the ocean being involved!

Tu-No Salad:

1 can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2 Tb. veganaise
1 rib of celery, finely chopped
1/4 yellow onion, finely chopped
2 Tb. dill pickle relish
1 1/2 Tb. horseradish mustard (or regular brown)
1 tsp. nooch (nutritional yeast)
1/8 tsp. celery salt
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Rinse and drain the chickpeas. Make sure you get all the excess water out so that your salad won't be runny.

2. Stir in the veganaise, celery, onion, relish, mustard, nooch, celery salt, and salt and pepper.

3. Once everything is nice and mixed together, use a fork to mash up some of the chickpeas. You could also pulse it in a food processor for a little bit. This makes about three servings with around 190 calories a piece.

Then enjoy in all the ways you use to enjoy tuna salad: on crackers, in tu-no melts, on a salad, in a pita, and in your lunchbox at work or school!

As a variation you can also add about 1/2 tsp. or so of curry powder and omit the celery salt to get a nice curried tu-no salad. It's quite tasty as well.

So to enter my cookbook giveaway, just leave a comment. Do you guys have any plans for Memorial Day? Or any thoughts on tuna salads or summer vacations? On cabbages and kings? Or why the sea is boiling hot, and whether pigs have wings?

Whew. I just woke up. The mind tenders to wander at such an hour. Anywho, have a great day!

Mocha Protein Shake!

2011-05-17T10:35:00.001-05:00

I know a lot of you out there drink protein shakes/smoothies for breakfast. I do too, when it's warm outside. Lately, I've been doing an actual strength-training rountine in addition to my regular cardio and I've been making a conscious effort to get plenty of clean-burning, efficient, plant protein in my diet. I'm not gonna lie, I've been reading this one magazine that has awesome articles and sample routines, but it really pushes the whey protein (which totally grosses me out). Blech. But anyway, I was browsing protein shake recipes on their website and I saw one for a "java shake". Java... hmmm... The shake itself was inedible (made with cottage cheese!), but the instuctions called on your to make up a batch of coffee and then freeze it in an ice cube tray to add to your shake.

Could this possibly be the most awesome breakfast shake idea EVER?

I immediately brewed a batch of strong coffee, let it cool, then poured it in an ice cube tray to freeze. Meanwhile, I thought about the rest of the ingredients for my shake, and I decided I wanted to make this one a mocha (coffee + chocolate) protein shake. The next morning, I popped all the ingredients in the blender and then danced around the kitchen in success. It was awesome. Awesome and almost 30 grams of protein. It was also just like an iced mocha (haven't had one in years!). Feel free to play with this a little to suit your specific tastes.

Mocha Protein Shake:
1 c. strong brewed coffee
1 (6 oz.) container unsweetened, plain soyogurt
1 scoop chocolate protein powder (I use Lifetime Life's Basics Plant Protein)
1 tsp. cacao nibs (optional, but makes it chocolate chip-y!)
1 tsp. cacao powder
1 capful vanilla extract (about 1/4 tsp.)
1/2 c. unsweetened vanilla almond milk
Sweetener, optional (kind of depends on if your powder powder is sweetened)

1. After brewing the coffee, let it cool, then pour it into an ice cube tray to freeze solid.
2. When ready to make the shake, combine the soyogurt, protein powder, nibs, cacao powder, vanilla extract, almond milk, and sweetener (if using) in the blender and blend.
3. Add previously frozen coffee ice cubes (I used six) and blend until slushy. Enjoy!

Protein breakdown:
Soyogurt - 8 grams
Protein powder - about 19 grams
Cacao nibs and cacao power - about 1 gram total
Almond milk - about .5 grams
For a total of about 28.5 grams of protein, about 285 calories, and around 8.5 grams of fat. That's pretty much better than any vegan protein bar out there! It also costs less than a protein bar and can still be made soy-free if you use something such as rice or coconut yogurt. (Lifetime Life's Basics Plant Protein is soy-free. It's a blend of pea, hemp, rice, and chia... and yet, super tasty!!). I haven't found a single vegan protein bar on the market that is soy-free. Of course, if you use rice or coconut yogurt the protein count will be less, but you can always boost that back up with some tasty hemp seeds (about 5.5 grams per tablespoon).

Ahh. Frosty goodness.

And since it's a "breakfast" shake, you could easy add in such things as a couple tablespoons of oats, or flax, or wheat germ, or a banana to give it a boost. Not to mention... it's already got your coffee blended right in!

Have a great day and don't foget to enter my Second Friday Giveaway! It ends tomorrow at midnight.

Second Friday Giveaway Announcement!

2011-05-11T16:55:00.000-05:00

Good news, everyone! It's now time to announce my second Friday giveaway! This cookbook is Veganize This! by Jenn Shagrin.

According to Amazon, "Veganize This! shows herbivores and carnivores alike how to turn the delicious dishes from their previous butter- and beef-filled lives into tasty vegan creations that go well beyond the sprouts-and-groats fare often still associated with veganism. For the gastronomist, Chef Jenn’s creations include Jumbo Lump Jack- Fruit Crab Cakes with Spanish Garlic Mayonnaise and Quattro Formaggio White Truffle Macaroni and Cheese. Craving something a little more down-home and comforting? Check out the recipes for DIY Vegan “Doritos®” and Chicken Fried Tofu Steak. With tips and tricks throughout—from making your own mock meats to killer dairy substitutes—Veganize This! is also accompanied by a healthy side dish of sass; Shagrin’s comedienne-by-day humor makes this a read that’s satisfying for the funny bone as well as the belly."

So there you have it! Want to win it? All you have to do is post a comment at the end of this post for one entry. A Facebook or Twitter shoutout gets you one additional entry per shoutout, and if you have a blog and you link back to my blog and this giveaway you can also receive an additional entry. This giveaway ends May 18th at midnight and everyone in the continental U.S. is allowed to enter. There is also still time to enter last week's giveaway as well, though it ends at midnight tonight.

I will say one thing though, the right bottom corner is a little bent because I think it got smushed when I placed it in the bag with the other hardback books. It is brand-new though, and I promise to make up the bent corner with some vegan cookies and nut butters. :)

So let the entering begin!

Are there any dishes you would like to veganize, but haven't yet?

I have a killer dessert pizza that I used to make, but I haven't made it since becoming vegan. I'd also like to make some vegan brownies and I think I have the perfect way to do it. My goal is to put all the other vegan brownies out there to shame! Bwahaha!! I'll probably make some this week or next and share the results with y'all.

Chocolate Chip-Walnut-Banana Pancakes

2011-05-09T10:00:00.003-05:00

Oh yeah, I went there!

It was a crazy morning. I woke up at four a.m. for no apparent reason and could not get back to sleep. I laid in bed until 5:15-ish before I finally decided that:

1. I obviously was not going to fall back to sleep

2. I had a very important stats final in about three hours

3. I needed some pancakes if I was going to get through it!

Also, I needed to study... more... Since I had one very ripe banana and a couple tablespoons of vegan chocolate chips leftover from cookie-baking (as well as ~~over two pounds of~~ some walnuts), I knew they needed to be tossed together in one glorious pancake. Along with these pancakes and a couple cups of coffee with almond milk, I was finally ready to take on my final.

Little known fact: Pancakes make you better at math.

Chocolate Chip-Walnut-Banana Pancakes:
1 c. unbleached, all-purpose flour
1/2 c. whole wheat pastry flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/8 tsp. sea salt
1 1/2 c. unsweetened vanilla almond milk
1 very ripe banana, mashed well
1 Tb. packed brown sugar
1/2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
2 Tb. mini vegan chocolate chips
1/6 c. chopped walnuts (about 2 1/2 Tb.)

1. In a small bowl, combine the flours, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Mix with a whisk and set aside.
2. In a medium bowl, combine the almond milk, mashed banana (mash the nanner before adding the milk), brown sugar, and vanilla.
3. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and stir until just combined. Add the chocolate chips and chopped walnuts and stir to mix.
4. In a preheated skillet or griddle sprayed with some nonstick. Cook a couple pancakes at a time. When the pancake is dry around the edges and has bubbles in the middle, flip it once and cook another minute or two until done. Repeat with remaining batter and occasionally respray the skillet with some nonstick. It's best to cook the pancakes over medium heat to prevent them from cooking too fast.

Serve with your choice of stuffs: butter and syrup, nut butter, fresh fruit, powdered sugar, plain, etc. This recipe makes 9-ish pancakes. Per pancake, you get 121 calories, 3.3 g. fat, 3 g. protein, and 8.7% of your calcium RDA.

How did my final go, you ask? Well, about 45 minutes into the final there was a bomb threat. We didn't get an all-clear until the final was almost over (it was a two hour final), so our professor told us we could walk with the grade we had. Luckily for me, this turned out to be a pretty sweet deal. Also, there were no bombs. And I got to go home and sleep. All in all, it was just kind of a weird day!

And don't forget my first Friday Giveaway, only a couple more days to go!

It Was Cinco de Mayo: Gorditas Zacatecanas!

2011-05-08T14:55:00.002-05:00

I know it's a few days past the Fifth of May, but hey, I got a lot of catching up to do! Remember how I once said that I subscribe to a magazine called Saveur? It's a foodie magazine and it is decidely NOT vegan, but I love to veganize recipes. Especially authentic ones. Well, this month's issue featured a spread on authentic Mexican food in honor of Cinco de Mayo, and lucky for me, almost every single one of the recipes was either accidently vegan or super easy to veganize. I had a hard time deciding which recipe to make first (I'm going to make them all!), but since I decided I had an undeniable craving for masa, the Gorditas Zacatencanas (Zacatecas-style Baked Masa Cakes) got made first.

First things first though, I had to make a stop at one of the grocery stores in the area that has a large selection of Hispanic foods. In order to make these, you need a specific kind of corn flour called masa harina. It's real fine, finer than cornmeal. I don't think it's actually that hard to find. Almost every store around here sells it.

Once I had my masa harina, I was ready to make some gorditas! I had made a pot of pinto beans the night before, so all I had to do was pull them out of the fridge. I started with dry beans because they're a million times cheaper! Of course, you can always skip this step, use canned, and go straight to gordita making!

Big Pot o' Pintos:

1 1/2 c. dried pinto beans

2 bay leaves
2 Tb. chopped garlic

2 tsp. cumin

1 1/2 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. onion powder

1 tsp. garlic powder

2 Tb. fresh lime juice

1 tsp. kosher salt (this is an estimate, it is to taste)

1. To begin, I always do a "quick soak". Rinse the pinto beans a couple times and pick through them to find any bad ones or stones. Add enough water to cover them completely, plus an additional one inch of water on top of them. Cover, bring them to a boil, and boil them for three minutes. Turn off the heat, and let them sit, covered, for at least one hour. Sometimes I let it sit all morning.

2. Once beans have soaked, drain off the soak water and fill with fresh water to cover, plus about one-half to one inch above the bean line. Add the bay leaves, garlic, cumin, chili powder, onion powder, and garlic powder. Bring to a boil, then cover, reduce heat, and simmer for about an hour or until beans are done.

3. Once beans are done, you can drain off some off the excess water, then add the lime juice and the salt to taste. ADD THE ACID AND SALT AT THE END!! Otherwise, your beans will never soften. The beans are now ready to use or to put in the fridge.

Now, let's get to gordita making! These were really tasty, and surprisingly simple and quick to make! However, you may need to add slightly more water to the masa dough. I didn't because I had already rolled them into balls and was lazy, so they crumbled a little on me when I was filling them. However, when they baked the crumbles stayed in place, lol. Next time I make these, I will just roll the dough flat, top one side with bean filling and then fold the other half of the dough on top of it. I'm not gonna worry about pinching them together or rolling them up because they bean filling doesn't ooze out of them. I also used only 1/3 c. of shortening, and I don't recommend that. They need the full 1/2 c. to get them all flakey and delicious.

Gorditas Zacatecanas:

For the bean filling:

3/4 tsp. cumin

1/2 tsp. chili powder

1 tsp. garlic

1/3 c. yellow onion, finely chopped

2 c. cooked pinto beans, drained of excess liquid

1/2 c. water

Kosher salt and pepper to taste

For the gorditas:

2 c. masa harina

1 tsp. kosher salt

1/2 c. unhydrogenated vegetable shortening

1 1/4 (ish) c. water

1. Preheat oven to 400F.

2. Make the bean filling: In a skillet sprayed with some nonstick over medium heat, saute the onions for about three minutes or until softened. Add the cumin, chili powder, and garlic and saute until fragrant, another 1-2 minutes. Add the water and pinto beans. Mash with a fork and cook until thickened, but not dry, about 15-20 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Turn off heat and set aside.

3. Make the gorditas: In a large bowl, whisk together masa harina and salt; add shortening and 1 1/4 cups water, and stir until dough forms. Divide into eight 2″ balls and flatten each into a 1/4″-thick disk, and place 1 heaping tbsp. bean filling in center. Wrap disk around filling, pinching edges together to seal, then transfer, seam side down, to a parchment paper–lined baking sheet. Bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes.

To serve these babies, I topped them with some green salsa, avocado cubes, tomato chunks, and chopped yellow onion.

These were everything I expected them to be, and more! They're kind of like a lazy tamale, so if you are looking to fix a tamale hankering (and you don't want to pay $5 for a certain brand's delicious frozen ones...), I highly recommend this recipe! I will be experimenting with this recipe more in the future. I'm also going to try and figure out how to make mine look like the ones at Saveur's website... Oh, and the salsa I recommend is Herdez's canned green salsa (they also make red if you aren't a fan of green). It's made in Mexico and is fairly cheap. It has like, five ingredients: tomatillos, salt, cilantro, serrano peppers, onions; with no preservatives and no artificial colors or flavors. It is authentically tasty! I don't know how easy it is to find elsewhere, but this too is all over the place here.

Mmmm. Canned salsa.

Now, don't forget! There is still a couple more days before my first Friday Cookbook Giveaway ends! The contest ends Wednesday at midnight!

First Friday Giveaway and Life in the Garden

2011-05-04T17:36:00.003-05:00

Ooh. Let's do a garden update! I haven't done one of these in awhile! Lol. It's been a little hectic around here. April wasn't really a good month (it's wasn't that bad, but it wasn't that good, either). There were only a few handfuls of days were the sun even shone, and it was cold, windy, and rainy for almost the entire month. My greens didn't make it, but the tomatoes are still holding on, as well as the bell pepper plants and zucchini. Here's a look at the garden:

As you can see. It's pretty damn big! On the left, those small plants that start at the front are tomatoes (celebrities, juilets), followed by an assortment of peppers in the back (hot bananas, long cayennes, poblanos). Behind my boyfriend is six rows of sweet corn and about four rows of green beans. We also planted some cucumbers in mounds after this shot was taken (small picking cucumbers and tasty eating cucumbers). There is also a row of butter beans on the very left, but they're not above the ground yet. To the left of the tomatoes we're going to plant some Roma tomatoes and eggplant.

On the right, you can see a little plastic container in the front. I have a zucchini plant in there. They're a little tempermental, so they have their own little "greenhouse" for now. I have five zucchini plants total. I have a feeling I'm going to be swimming in zucchini... Also on the right, near the font of the garden you can see potato plants. Most of them are covered in a layer of grass to keep the sun off them. And the back has a row of turnips, kohlrabi (usually a fall plant), radishes, butter lettuce, and a dozen rows of onions; mostly green onions and I think some yellow ones.

We haven't even planted the melons and bell peppers yet!

Once this garden starts producing, I'm going to learn how to can as well. I'm looking forward to that! I'm working on all my homesteading skills, lol.

I was also able to take home my first "harvest" of the season! The turnips needing thinning out, so I was able to take home a whole bag full of baby turnip greens, as well as some green onions.

Beautiful! And since nothing goes better with greens than beans, I made some of that to enjoy for supper that night! I had sauteed greens with garlic and onions and some large butter beans. I'm not gonna lie though, after that picture was taken I doused that plate in hot sauce and more green onions. I'm a fiend for all things onion-y or hot-sauce-like.

Anywho. So that was my garden update! I'm just now starting to get my finals out of the way, so you can except some good ol' fashioned recipe posts soon. I've mostly been eating stir-fries and noodle stuffs because they're quick and easy, although I did make up a batch of my famous Super 'effing Awesome Chocolate Cookies, by request. Oooh! And I discovered the most glorious tofu scramble magic evah! But that's a post in itself! I'm also going to make some Cinco de Mayo deliciousness tomorrow. Since I'm down for all things autentico Mexicano. Luckily, my May issue of Saveur contains some accidently-vegan recipes!

And one last thing before I bounce out:

Now that my giveaway has been posted, it is time to begin our First Friday giveaway!

The first book is The Conscious Cook by Hal Ronnen:

In order to qualify to win this book, all you have to do is leave a comment about anything! It could be about cookbooks, gardening, daily life, winning stuff, etc. Just leave a comment! That will get you one entry. To gain another entry you can post an entry about this giveaway on your blog, and then link back to me. To gain a third and fourth entry, you can facebook and/or twitter about it. Since I don't have a facebook or a twitter, I'll just have to take your word for it! Lol. Anywho, the winner will be picked by a random number generator. The deadline to enter is Wednesday, May 11. I know I said it's a "Friday" giveaway, but by making the Friday the midpoint, you get a whole week to remember to enter. :)

The winner will also get some super-awesome, secret, snickety-snacks in their book box! Good luck! Oh, and anyone can enter. You don't have to be a regular reader to get in on this! Have a great afternoon!

Giveaway Announcement!

2011-04-30T20:19:00.000-05:00

Okay, you got me, here it is. My super-awesome, every-Friday-in-May, giveaway!

First Friday:

The Conscious Cook by Tall Ronnen

Second Friday:

Veganize This by Jenn Shagren (ahem, please excuse the Amazon photo...)

Third Friday:

Ani's Raw Food Essentials by Ani Phyo

And the Final Friday:

Twinkie Chan's Crochet Goodies for Fashion Foodies!

Each book will also come with a few vegan snickety-snacks tucked inside!

Details about the book and the giveaway "rules" (if you want to call them that) will be posted each Friday in that giveaway's blog post.

What a better way to celebrate spring than with some new cookbooks?!

Baklava Oatmeal!

2011-04-22T20:40:00.001-05:00

Sorry, for the slow posting! It's the end of the semester, and I'm running around like crazy trying to get all my projects / speeches / reports / presentations / tests / homework / ~~extra credit~~ out of the way before finals. Blech. I am so stoked about this semester ending. My super exciting giveaway announcement is coming up soon, I swear! I'm going to have a giveaway every Friday in the month of May, so please stay tuned! I need to take some pictures before I announce just what I got up my sleeve!

Anywho, the other night I was trying to study for my math test, but a certain little dog was extremely bored. After lying all over me, then rolling around on my homework, he finally decided he could get some attention by playing tug-of-war with the clothing I was presently wearing (he also has an affinity for the old-man sweaters I wear). He didn't give up until he got tired! After which he sat next to me and had a snickety snack to recharge. Lol. He's a strange one.

But speaking of that math test... I was in need of some good brain food before I ventured out into the world. I had just happened to have the makings of baklava on hand, so I decided that some baklava oatmeal was in order! It really turned out perfect and the wholesome goodness was just what I needed to power through my test. I did have to prep this the night before because a little soaking time was required for the figs, but that actually make my morning breakfast making go much quicker. I'm pretty sure you'll love this (and sorry about the icky photo! I use my cell phone, lol)!

Baklava Oatmeal:1/2 c. rolled or old-fashioned oats

1 c. unsweetened almond milk
2 dried figs, chopped
1/2 Tb. raisins
1/4 tsp. vanilla
1/8 tsp. cinnamon
Pinch cardamom
1/2 Tb. agave or honey
2 Tb. chopped mixed nuts (pistachios, walnuts, and almonds are a great combo)

1. In a bowl, combine the oats, almond milk, figs, and raisins. Cover and let sit overnight.

2. The next morning, add the vanilla, cinnamon, and cardamom. Nuke in the microwave 2-4 minutes (depends on your microwave). Stir in the agave and top with chopped nuts. Enjoy!

Chickpea and Spinach Soup

2011-04-13T17:12:00.000-05:00

Okay, remember how I said I wasn't going to post any more soup recipes for awhile because I was souped out?

Well... I lied.

But this soup was unplanned! I was making a salad the other night, and I reached in the pantry to get a can of what I thought was chickpeas. Turns out it was diced tomatoes. Argh! What am I going to do with an opened can of diced tomatoes?? I just put it in the fridge until I could figure out something to do with it. I also didn't like my salad concoction (it really was a concoction... I won't even tell you what was on it, lol) so I had spare chickpeas and cooked quinoa lying around as well.

Today, with the realization that I'll be out of town for a few days, I was like, "what am I going to do with all these random open ingredients and veggies?!". So, to my chargin, I made soup. Delicious, delicious, soup!

I was able to use up a lot of odds n' ends I had hanging around in a satisfying and nutritious soup. This will definitely be a repeat recipe. It's low in calories, high in vitamin A, and the quinoa helps make it a complete protein. I served it alongside some crusty Italian bread slathered with a little vegan butter. Yummers. Also, it only takes about 20 minutes to cook, and that includes the prep time! This is definitely a quick and easy weeknight meal.

Chickpea and Spinach Soup:
1 (14 oz) can petite diced tomatoes, undrained
1 c. canned chickpeas
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
4 c. baby spinach, washed
1/2 c. cooked quinoa (or 1/4 c. dry)
1 1/2 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
3/4 tsp. coriander
1/2 tsp. turmeric
1/8 tsp. sugar
1/4 c. plain, unsweetened soyogurt
1 c. vegetable broth

1. In a soup pot, saute the onions with a little nonstick over medium-high heat until golden, about 5-7 minutes. Add the cumin, coriander, and turmeric and saute another minute, or until fragrant.
2. Add the vegetable broth, diced tomatoes, quinoa, onion powder, garlic powder, sugar, and an additional one cup of water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, about 15 minutes.

3. Stir in the spinach and soyogurt and allow to simmer until the spinach has wilted. Stir thoroughly to blend in the yogurt. Sea salt to taste.

This recipe makes about 4 large servings (about a cup and a half each). For each serving, you get 160 calories, 1.7 grams of fat, 7.7 grams of fiber (whodathunk?), 8.2 grams of protein, 88.9% of your Vitamin A, 29.6% of your Vitamin C, 9.8% of your Calcium, and 13.6% of your Iron (which is aided in absorption by the Vitamin C, yay!).

Also:

Stay turned for a giveaway annoucement!

Adventures at Big Lots and Cocoa Banana Muffin Deliciousness

2011-04-12T10:07:00.002-05:00

Well, the other day I made a Big Lots stop. I know I've mentioned that place before, but this time I took a few pictures of my adventures. I didn't want to take too many though, I felt a little weird whipping out my phone and taking pictures of boxes in public...

Big Lots contains a wide variety of food. There always seems to be canned organic soups and beans, as well as organic cereals, dry roasted nuts and seeds, and aseptic cartons of veggie broth. You know, some pretty good basics. I've ran into Amy's brand products, Muir Glen brand products, and even all-natural products from Europe like low-sugar black currant jam (yum, by the way). However, we all know that junk food sells, and Big Lots contains their fair share. I randomly picked up a bag of some chocolatey cereal snack mix, flipped it over, and this was what I found:

Could that ingredients list be any longer?! I didn't bother to count, but I can guarentee there is like, three different forms of milk, four different forms of sugar, a medly of partially hydrogenated oils, and no nutrition. Yuck.

The next item I found I almost bought, just because the box is so damn awesome. I get it, they're made from stone-ground wheat, but when you phrase it like this:

They become epic conversation pieces. Haha... Stoner jokes... Anywho, as I'm going through my photos I found that I only took two, so apparently my adventure at Big Lots was a little less adventure and a little more of a... something that isn't quite as big as an adventure. I shall now leave you with a recipe for some super moist and tasty cocoa-banana muffins. Chocolate and banana just belong together, and the little bits of walnuts and chocolate chips make this a decadent muffin.

Cocoa-Banana Muffins:

3 medium, very ripe bananas, mashed
3/4 c. almond milk + 1/2 Tb. lemon juice
3 Tb. neutral-tasting oil (like good ol' vegetable or canola)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/3 c. unbleached all-purpose flour
1/3 c. whole wheat pastry flour
1/3 c. cocoa powder
3/4 c. brown sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/2 tsp. baking soda
Scant 1/4 tsp. sea salt
1/4 c. unsweetened, plain soyogurt
1/4 c. walnuts, chopped
1/8 c. mini vegan chocolate chips (I love Enjoy Life brand)

1. Preheat the oven to 350F and prepare a muffin tin for use. I used liners this time because I found some in my cabinet!

2. In a medium bowl, mash the bananas well, until they're mostly pureed. Add the almond milk and lemon juice, stir, then set aside. No use dirtying up a cup, eh?

3. In a large bowl, combine the unbleached AP flour, the whole wheat pastry flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Mix with a whisk until well-combined.

4. To the bowl with the bananas and almond milk, add the brown sugar, vanilla extract, soyogurt, and oil. Whisk together until combined and then pour the wet ingredients into the dry.

5. Stir the muffin batter until just combined (about 50 strokes), then mix in the chopped walnuts and chocolate chips. If I remember right, this batter is a little thick, so no worries. Fill each muffin cup about 2/3 full and bake and 350F for 20-25 minutes, or until a fork/toothpick comes out clean. Let cool in the tins for a minute or two, and then remove to a wire rack to finish cooling. Or, you could just do what I do and pop them out and let them sit in the tin on their sides. Ye-ah!

This makes 24 regular-sized or 12 large muffins. Also, if you use paper cups and want to eat them hot, they'll stick to the paper. Once they're completely cooled, they won't stick. Now here comes the magic, if you make 24 of these babies, their chocolately, walnutty, banana-y goodness comes out to 104 calories per muffin. As for everything else: 3.4 grams fat, 1.7 grams protein, and not much else! Makes for a tasty snack though!

This One Night, I Got Fancy... And Made Rice

2011-04-10T20:31:00.001-05:00

Yep. I got fancy and I made myself a regular meal with two sides! Normally, I'm pretty busy, so this definitely took a little bit of planning. I made myself some mushroom orzo-rice pilaf, steamed asparagus with vegan butter and lemon juice, and some orange-glazed tofu. However, there were definitely some winners and losers with this dinner.

After all the hard work I put into it, the recipe for the orange-glazed tofu was simply... meh. It had a five star rating (it was previously a chicken recipe), but I think that because it was a glaze and not a marniade, it didn't lend much flavor to the tofu (except on the yummy edges of course, lol). I won't make this particular recipe again, but hey, at least it was a good reminder that I should marniate my tofu for maximum deliciousness.

With the leftovers, I simply sliced them a rolled them up into a wrap with a various assortment of vegetables (including leftover asparagus). They were just meh, too. BBQ sauce helped!

However, the mushroom orzo-rice pilaf was killer. I loved it. This actually wasn't the first time I've made this recipe though. I've made it for my boyfriend before and he likes it as well. It has a great, savory flavor that goes well with a wide variety of dishes. The orzo itself is a small, rice-like pasta that adds a nice texure to dishes. You can usually find it in a small box in the rice and pasta aisle. It can be used for soups, cold grain salads, and hot side dishes, so if you buy a box I promise you find uses for it! Lol.

And, since I've officially made the recipe more than once, I can now put it on my blog (must test and re-test!). So for your side dish enjoyment, I present you with:

Mushroom Orzo-Rice Pilaf:

2 Tb. vegan butter

1/2 c. orzo pasta (check for vegan-ness)
1/2 c. brown rice
1/2 Tb. minced garlic
1 1/2 c. mixed white button and crimini (baby bella) mushrooms, finely chopped
1 c. onion, finely chopped
2 c. veggie broth/water

Sliced, toasted almonds

1. Melt 1 Tb. butter in a skillet over medium-low heat. Cook and stir the brown rice until until golden brown. Stir in onion and mushrooms and cook until onion becomes translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute more.

2. Add the mushroom-onion-rice mixture to a saucepan and combine with the vegetable broth and/or water. Increase heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for about 40 minutes (or until brown rice is with 10 minutes of being fully cooked).

3. Once the rice is pretty much done, melt the rest of the butter in the same skillet. Add the orzo pasta and saute until golden brown over medium low heat. Add the orzo to the saucepan with the rice, and allow it to simmer until both the rice and pasta are completely done, about 15 minutes. You may need to add a little more water in order to cook the pasta.

4. Drain off any excess broth (if there is any), then allow it to stand for 5 minutes. Before serving, fluff with a fork and serve with a few sprinkles of toasted almond slices on top.

*OR you could just use white rice and cook the orzo pasta and rice together, in about 20-25 minutes. The only rice I keep in my pantry is brown (love the texture!), so I usually have to modify recipes that call for white.

I'm still gonna keep working on these kind of baked tofu recipes though. They go great with old-fashioned sides like mashed potatoes and gravy and green beans, and I miss that kind of comfort food sometimes.

What type of comfort food to you all enjoy? Like I said, I'm a veggies and potatoes kind of girl. :)

Have a great evening!

Of Gardens and Magic Patties...

2011-03-29T20:37:00.001-05:00

Garden Update!

I know I mentioned to you all that I was growing my first ever garden, so today, exactly one week from my first planting, I have seedlings! I'm actually really surprised that they're growing so fast because it's been cloudy and cold. Literally almost no sun has been seen since I planted them!

On the left I have my basil, kale, tomato, and bell pepper seedlings, and on the right I have my spinach, zucchini, and marigold ones. Those zucchinis are almost five inches tall!

I'm going to be planting some of them very soon. Kale, for example, likes a good frost, and we have frost possibilities through April. I warn you though, I know nothing about gardening! I'm just starting to learn, but I'm being shown the ropes so hopefully I can have a decent harvest. This garden is absolutely 100% organic and my seeds are a mix of non-GMO, organic, and heirloom. I anticipate weeding it every single morning before I go to physics (summer class). Seriously though, when I look at these seedlings, I can't help but think to myself in a creepy voice, "I'm gonna EAT yooouuuu...".

But anyway, now for the foodz. I guess you could say I'm on a veggie burger kick. When I discover a new technique I just gotta keep reusing in every form possible. Hence, my magic red lentil burgers! These all stay together thanks to the magic ingredient: vital wheat gluten.

These lentil patties have a nice Indian twist to them, and they are perfect when wrapped up with veggies and my spicy yogurt sauce. I had two and I'm still full (it's been a couple hours, lol)! This recipe makes eight patties so you can toss the extras in your lunchbox.

Magic Red Lentil Wraps:
For the lentil patties:
2 cups water
3/4 c. red/orange lentils
1 c. finely chopped onions
2 c. finely chopped mixed white button and baby bella (crimini) mushrooms
1 Tb. minced garlic
1/2 tsp. garam masala
1/2 tsp. sea salt
1/2 c. vegan bread crumbs
3 Tb. vital wheat gluten
1/2 Tb. nutritional yeast ("nooch")

For the yogurt sauce:
1 (6 oz.) container plain, unsweetened vegan yogurt
2 tsp. dried parsley
2 tsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. cumin
1/4 tsp. coriander
1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper
Pinch of salt

Green leaf lettuce
Tomatoes
Purple onion, thinly sliced
Cucumbers, thinly sliced
Tortilla shells

To make the patties:
1. In a medium saucepan, combine the lentils and water. Bring to a boil, then cover, reduce heat, and simmer for 25 minutes or until done (done = mushy!).
2. Meanwhile, saute the onion, mushrooms, and garlic in a skillet with some nonstick for about 5-8 minutes or until nice and golden. Add the salt and garam masala and saute until fragrant, about one minute. Remove from heat and add to a medium bowl.
3. Once the lentils are done, drain them (if necessary), and add them to the sauteed onion mixture. Add the bread crumbs, wheat gluten, and nooch and mix until thoroughly combined.
4. In a medium skillet sprayed with nonstick, cook the patties over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Flip and cook another five minutes or until heated through and crisp on the outside. This recipe makes eight patties so I had to do two batches.

To make the yogurt sauce:
1. If there is any water on top of the yogurt, drain it off, then give it a good stir. Add in the parsley, lemon juice, cumin, coriander, cayenne pepper, and salt. Stir everything up until nice and mixed.

Yes. I do enjoy my food slightly burnt. I got no shame.

To assemble:
Warm tortillas, then layer on lettuce, cucumber slices, tomato slices, onion slices, a split lentil patty, and the yogurt sauce. Roll and go!

Hehe... I'm a little short on produce... I need to do something about that! Anyway, for one patty with about one tablespoon of yogurt sauce (not including the tortilla or lettuce), you're going to get: 130 calories, slightly less than one gram of fat, and 9.5 grams of protein. Add some veggies, some low-carb/high protein tortillas (I recommend La Tortilla Factory Low Carb Tortillas), and you got one awesomeingly satisfying meal. And yes. I did make that word up. Have a great afternoon!

Killer Blueberry-Macadamia Nut Muffins

2011-03-28T23:32:00.000-05:00

OMG. I'm on a serious muffin kick right now. I found a hoard of muffin recipes and I just had to kick out the first batch. I LOVE blueberries and macadamia nuts and when you put on a sweet, little crumbly topping, I'm in muffin heaven.

Here are a few things I've noticed about baking vegan muffins. If you want to make goods ones, you gotta keep these things in mind:

1. Eggs add moisture. Instead of using flax seed or powdered egg replacer, I would recommend using 1/4 c. vegan yogurt or 1/4 c. pureed fruit. This adds both moisture and binding powers.

2. If you do use vegan yogurt to replace eggs, add 1/4 tsp. baking soda to the recipe if it doesn't call for any. Baking soda and yogurt work together in some sort of food science way to help the muffins rise. If the recipe already calls for baking soda, you don't need to add any additional. The recipe amount will do.

3. With vegan baking, it is essential that you get the muffins in the oven as fast as you put them in the pan. They will flatten out as the batter sits, and nobody likes sad, pancake muffins.

And uhh... I think that's it. Any nonvegan muffin can be veganized, it just takes a good recipe! This was veganized from an Eating Well magazine recipe.

This muffin recipe has not only been veganized, but lowered in calories and fat without any sacrifice in flavor. These got the boyfriend seal-of-approval as well, and as he munched them down he was like, "I freakin' love your muffins" and I was like, "yeah, my muffins brings all the boys to the yard...". But I digress... In this recipe I used all-purpose unbleached flour only because I was out of my whole wheat pastry flour. Feel free to use some WWPF if you'd like. I would normally.

Killer Blueberry-Macadamia Nut Muffins:
1 3/4 c. + 2 Tb. unbleached, all-purposed flour
1/2 c. + 2 Tb. brown sugar, packed
1/4 c. unsweetened, shredded coconut, pulsed in a coffee grinder until fine (or at least chopped up a little)
5 Tb. chopped macadamia nuts, divided
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/8 tsp. salt
1 1/2 Tb. melted coconut oil
1 1/2 Tb. melted Earth Balance
1/4 c. plain or vanilla soyogurt
3/4 c. almond milk + 1/2 Tb. lemon juice
2 inch piece of vanilla bean, split and seeds removed (OR 1 tsp. vanilla extract)
1 1/3 c. frozen or fresh blueberries (if they are frozen, don't thaw them before adding them to the batter)

1. Preheat oven to 400F. Spray a muffin tin with nonstick, or lightly oil, or use papers.
2. Combine the almond milk and the lemon juice in a medium bowl, set aside.
3. In a small bowl, combine the 2 Tb. flour, 2 Tb. brown sugar, coconut, and 2 Tb. macadamia nuts. Drizzle with 1 Tb. of melted coconut oil, then mix until everything is nice and crumbly. Set aside.
4. In a large bowl, combine the 1 3/4 c. flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix with a whisk until nice and combined. Set aside.
5. In the medium bowl with the almond milk, add the brown sugar, soyogurt, melted Earth Balance, the rest of the melted coconut oil, and the vanilla bean/extract. Stir with a whisk until everything is completely combined.
6. Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until just combined (about 50 strokes). Stir in the blueberries and the rest of the chopped macadamia nuts, until just combined. THE BATTER WILL BE THICK.
7. Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin tins and evenly divide the crumbly topping between all the muffins. Gently press it into the surface of the muffin so it sticks.
8. Bake at 400F for about 20 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for a couple minutes, then remove and allow to cool on a wire rack.

THEN, enjoy with a big ol' glass of almond milk! This recipe makes 16 regular-sized or 12 large muffins. For 16 regular-sized muffins, each one has 137 calories, 5.3 grams of fat, and 2 grams of protein.

The next ones I want to make are like a raspberry-streusel muffin. So beware...

And finally, I'm going to being eating everything out of my pantry, so that I can have an epic Whole Foods bulk bin adventure in April (ahhh.... to have goals...). Prepare for a random assortment of recipes: lentils here, veggie burgers there, pasta somewhere... Just no soup. I'm completely souped out. Besides, that's a winter food and it's spring now! But yeah, as I was saying, I'm taking my Mom there so we both can stock up, she's never been. Also, I want to show her the glory that is the Whole Foods hot bar. Oooh, yeah. They also put in a Trader Joe's down the street since the last time I went there, so I might even have my first-ever Trader Joe's adventure. We'll see... April is gonna be a crazy month! Have a great day!

Magic White Bean Burgers!

2011-03-23T20:06:00.003-05:00

I can't remember the last time I ate a real hamburger.

But you know what? That's okay. Up my sleeves are some tasty bean burger recipes that are way more flavorful and healthy for me than any cow patty. Case in point, my magic white bean burgers!

Why are they magic, you ask? Let's take a look:

The spicy sweet potato fries made it into the belly before the burger...

They're magic because they absolutely, 100%, stick together when you cook them, no freezing or chilling required (cue the choir)!

That's right, I've found the secret to bean burgers is vital wheat gluten! Adding just a couple of tablespoons not only keeps them from falling apart, but adds a nice bump of protein as well! I wasn't feeling the black beans tonight, so I went with my other good ol' pantry staple, Great Northerns. This is the un-Italian version of my Tuscan Bean Burgers, but I haven't posted that recipe just yet (in due time!). Actually, I have quite a few bean burger recipes that I've neglected to put up (okay, only two and a revised black bean one...). I need to get on that. The world needs more bean burgers!

Magic White Bean Burgers:
1 can Great Northern beans, rinsed and drained
1/2 c. minced onion
1/3 c. plain bread crumbs (check to make sure they're vegan, some aren't)
2 Tb. vital wheat gluten
1 tsp. nutritional yeast
1 tsp. dried parsley
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. white pepper

1. Mash beans in a bowl with a fork.
2. Add the onion, bread crumbs, wheat gluten, nooch, parsley, salt, and pepper. Mash and mix thoroughly until everything is completely combined.
3. Shape the burgers into four patties and cook for 10-15 minutes over medium-high heat in a skillet sprayed with some nonstick (eff you, rules on sentence structure!!). Flip the patties once during cooking to brown them on both sides. I also cover my pan to help the centers cook.
4. Serve on toasted whole wheat buns with all the fixins'.

This time around I decided to top my burger with some of my favorite BBQ sauce. It's called Brewster's BBQ and it's made locally. It also doesn't contain any HFCS (almost every single commercial brand does). It's got that perfect balance of sweet and spicy and goes well with the tame flavor of this burger. Unfortunately, unless you're up here in northern Missouri, you won't find any. I googled "Brewster" and all I got was pics of Soleil Moon Frye...

Not in my BBQ sauce.

I think I just dated myself... Anywho. The nutritional stats of this burger (patty only, doesn't include the bun): 137 calories, 0.6 grams of fat, 6.1 grams of fiber, 9.7 grams of protein, and 10.8% of your daily Iron. It's also got a tad bit of Vitamin C and Calcium, but not a whole lot. I am a calorie counter, so I'll probably keep posting the nutritional stats. I mean, I calculate them for everything I make, so why not?

So yeah. School will be out in a month or so, so I hope to have plenty of more regular posts. I've made some awesome foods, I just need to remake them and take pictures this time around. I baked up some AWESOME blueberry corn muffins a la VWAV, as well as some other veganized muffins, kickass pancakes, and tasty tofu dishes. I've also got a ~~chocolate duck~~ birthday cake for a three-year-old to make, as well as some Easter-themed food. Stay tuned!

Quick Post: Tropical Green Smoothie

2011-03-22T16:12:00.000-05:00

Hello, everyone out there! This is just going to be a quick post because I have mondo amounts of things to do today. I just wanted to let you all know that I started leaving my green smoothies green. I also upped the spinach to one full packed cup. The result?

Pure awesome.

I wish I had started drinking green smoothies earlier because I truly love them! Even my three-year old niece enjoys her share of them (read: every time I make one I have to share!).

In yo' face!

This particular smoothie is tropical flavored... it probably has to do with the fact that it's in the 70s (finally!) and all the windows are open that made me decide I wanted to try this. Also. I was out of peaches.

I've added cinnamon to it, because I've been adding cinnamon to everything lately. I hear it's good for your blood sugar so I've started adding more to my food. I also like to bulk it up with fruit loaded in Vitamin C so that I get the most out of my spinach. This smoothie may sound kind of weird, but I promise it's tasty!

Also, it may also seem a little heavy on the calories, but I use this as one of my super power after-workout smoothies. Besides, it's good for you. Drink up!

Tropical Green Smoothie:

1 c. baby spinach, packed

1/2 a banana, frozen

1/3 c. frozen unsweetened mango chunks

1/3 c. frozen unsweetened pineapple chunks

1 Tb. shelled hemp seeds

1 scoop vanilla protein powder
1 c. unsweetened vanilla almond milk (CALCIUM!!)

1/8 tsp. cinnamon

A capful of pure vanilla extract (about 1/8 tsp)

A capful of coconut extract (about 1/8 tsp)

An additional 1/2 water to thin it out, if necessary

Ice, if desired (but that's why I keep muh fruit frozen)

1. In a blender, put the spinach on the bottom, then layer everything else on top of it.

2. Blend until completely smooth, with no chunks of spinach or fruit remaining.

3. Enjoy, because you're filling your body with goodness!

Mmm. Green and frosty.

In know some of you are curious, so when made with my protein powder this smoothie has 378 calories with 9.3 grams of fat (with 0.4 of it saturated from somewhere). It also contains:

28.3 grams of protein,

8.8 grams of fiber,

100.7% of your daily Vitamin A,

98.9% of your daily Vitamin C,

36.5% of your daily Calcium,

21% of your daily Iron

Note: All my smoothies are like mini-meals so I tend to load them up. I also aim to make them as nutritionally sound as possible. My protein powder doesn't contain any added vitamins or minerals, so these stats represent whole food goodness!

Japchae!

2011-03-16T21:10:00.003-05:00

So, Korean food is probably one of my favorite ethnic types of food (along with all my other favorite types of ethnic food, that is). I love how it's spicy, full of vegetables, and not afraid of the tofu. I think I've even mentioned on this blog before that I'm having a secret affair with kimchi (shh! the hot sauce doesn't know!).

I love the practice of Korean food. They'll have a main dish, then usually some steamed short-grain rice, and then numerous banchan (side dishes) that accompany the meal. Banchan include such foods as pickled vegetables, savory pancakes, boiled dumplings, grilled mushrooms, etc. Kimchi is a condiment that is served with every meal. Luckily, Walmart has a spicy jarred kimchi (that's actually fermented and not pickled) in the produce section that is 100% whole foods ingredients and completely fish/shellfish free.

Know what else is awesome about kimchi? It tingles your tongue.

Common ingredients in Korean recipes include sesame oil, sesame seeds, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, chili flakes, and gochujang. Gochujang is a fermented red chili paste that I can't find around here so I usually sub out for sriracha. Of course, I'm pretty much convinced that I would love the flavor of the gochujang since I seem to have a penchant for all that is fermented and/or spicy.

As for this recipe, it's super easy to make, you probably have almost all the ingredients on hand, and it's quick. Also, my boyfriend liked it and that's always a bonus (he hadn't ate spinach in years!). This recipe is traditionally made using dangmyeon, which is a lot like those mung bean cellophane noodles (or glass noodles). I opted for thin maifun noodles instead which are made of rice flour. I don't really care for the texture of cellophane noodles, but you can use what ever kind you like best. I used fresh shiitake mushrooms, but you can use rehydrated mushrooms if you have those on hand.

This recipe has been adapted and veganized from Maangchi.

Japchae:
2 servings rice noodles
1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
2 carrots, cut into matchsticks
6-7 green onions, chopped, the white and (a couple inches of the) green parts
1 c. shiitake mushrooms, sliced
2 c. crimini mushrooms, sliced
8 oz. baked Asian tofu, store-bought or leftover homemade, cut into cubes
3 cups baby spinach, packed
3 Tb. tamari, divided
1 Tb. minced garlic, divided
1 Tb. raw sugar
1/2 Tb. sesame oil (NOT toasted)
Toasted sesame seeds
Kimchi

You'll also need a large bowl.

1. Boil a pot of water. Once the water is boiling, add the spinach, and allow it to cook for one minute. Remove it from the pot, rinse it in cold water a few times, squeeze it gently to get out any excess water, then add it to the large bowl. You can use this water for the noodles or you can boil yourself some new. Up to you.

2. Spray a large skillet with nonstick. Over medium-high heat, cook the carrot strips for 30 seconds. Add them to the bowl and respray the skillet with some nonstick.

3. Saute the yellow onion untill softened, about 3-5 minutes, then add it to the bowl and respray the skillet with nonstick.

4. Add the green onions and saute them for 1 minute, then add them to the bowl. You should start boiling the noodles now, since they take three minutes. Respray the skillet with some nonstick.

5. Add the sliced mushrooms and tofu and saute them until they're softened. Add 1 Tb. soy sauce, the sugar, and the garlic. Cook until nice and fragrant, another minute or so.

6. Drain the noodles and add them to the bowl. Add the tofu-mushroom mixture to the bowl as well, then add the remaining soy sauce and the sesame oil. Toss everything together until completely mixed.

Behold! My lap of noodles.

Serve with kimchi, sriracha, and a hefty dose of toasted sesame seeds!

Oh, and I was totally going to geek out for a minute and put up a graphic of a fermentation pathway, but I got distracted by a crazy ass website.

Now, I think I'm going to wind down for the night by making one of Katie's Healthy Cake Batter Milkshakes...

Banana Nut Bread Oatmeal

2011-03-14T11:46:00.001-05:00

Oatmeal... how do I love thee!

I'm sure that you will find my blog is not short on the oatmeal recipes. I love having a steaming bowl of delicious oats for breakfast. They're so filling and good for you, as well as quick to make and cheaper than buying boxed cereal, that I just never get tired of them. Since us vegans seem to lurve our oatmeal, I'm sure that there's isn't a shortage of oatmeal combo recipes in the vegan blogosphere, but sometimes it's a good idea to see a few new combinations to get you out of your oatmeal rut (if there is such a thing!).

Also, I'm trying really hard to quit refined sugar and junk food (day two... this is hard!), so sometimes I put stevia extract in my oatmeal. This particular recipe doesn't really need any sweetener, but feel free to add some if you would like. Brown sugar or a touch of pure maple syrup would be good. I was also tempted to open up a can of coconut milk so I could have some cream on my oatmeal, but I decided to let that go for now. If you haven't ever put coconut cream (from the separated cream in a can of full-fat, unsweetened coconut milk) on your oatmeal, you should try it. It's glorious! I just need to have something to do with the rest of the milk before I open one.

Note: I don't use the whole cup of almond milk because it tends to get a little foamier in the microwave and I don't have a big enough bowl to keep it from going all over the place. Also, my microwave is older than I am (literally) and yours could probably cook this oatmeal in half the time, so adjust the cooking time to your liking.

Banana Nut Bread Oatmeal:
1/2 c. old-fashioned rolled oats
3/4 c. unsweetened almond milk
1/4 c. water
1 Tb. sultanas (raisins)
3 small dates (mine are like baby dates, so you can probably use one big one), chopped
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract
a pinch of salt
1/2 a banana, sliced
1/8 c. walnuts, chopped and toasted
1 Tb. coconut cream, optional

In a microwave-safe bowl, combine the oats, almond milk, water, raisins, dates, cinnamon, vanilla extract, and salt. Stir to combine. Then microwave 4 minutes or until the oats are done. It thickens after cooling, so if it seems a tad liquidy, it should be alright. Top the cooked oatmeal with the sliced banana, walnuts, and coconut cream. Enjoy!

This oatmeal has 415 calories, but I tell you what, I am insanely full! This is health food at it's finest! Next time I think I'll reduce the oatmeal to 1/3 cup, cause when you got all that stuff on it, it fills you up fast!

Also, I'M FINALLY ON SPRING BREAK!! Of course, I'll be working double-time, but that still leaves me with more time to cook (and sleep in, and be with my boyfriend, and watch Netflix...). Stay tuned. Oh, and I have a question for you guys...

How do you all like to enjoy your morning (or dinner!) oatmeal?

Vegan Compassion Extends to ALL Life

2011-03-13T20:26:00.000-05:00

I'm sure by now that all of you have heard about the disaster in Japan. After dealing with an 8.9 magnitude earthquake and a tsunami that traveled more than three miles inland, the Japanese people are now dealing with the threat of a nuclear meltdown and a volcanic eruption.

These people are going without food, water, electricity, or shelter. Mobile phone service is gone and most landline service has also been disconnected. Many are left outside where the temperatures have been freezing at night and an estimated 10,000 people are dead.

While people struggle to cope with this disaster, they are mourning the loss of their friends and family and for a return to normalcy that may take many years to return to.

As vegans, our compassion for others should extend beyond animals and to our fellow man. ALL life is worthwhile, and it is our duty to extend a helping hand. I encourage you to donate what you can to help with the relief efforts in Japan.

Japan Earthquake and Tsunami: How to Help

Please make sure you take the time to research the organization you are donating to, and make sure that they are a reputable agency. The above link will take you to a list of reliable organizations who have already began the relief effort in Japan.

This won't go away tomorrow, and this won't go away a month from now. Japan needs our help as they begin the long process of renewal and recovery. Don't forget Japan.

Plant Protein Review!

2011-03-04T16:59:00.000-06:00

As you all know from my various posts about workout smoothies, I'm quite into the protein thing. Since I come from a smallish town that doesn't really carry a variety of vegan protein powders, I usually buy them off of Amazon. My old standby powder was running out and I was in the mood to try something new, but I'm kind of limited. I don't mind eating soy products, but I tend to avoid them because they give me killer migraines. Therefore, it's important that my protein powder is both vegan AND soy-free.

One day I stumbled across a new kind:

Lifetime Life's Basics Plant Protein made with Pea, Hemp, Rice, and Chia Seed, Vanilla Flavor. It sounds kind of odd, what with the pea protein and all, but I'm telling y'all, this stuff is AWESOME. I usually buy rice protein but this is soooo much better than plain rice protein. It's not bitter at all. It's also made with hemp too, but it's not too hemp-y. I love it! The vanilla flavor is pretty obvious too, which I like a lot. This brand will be the brand of protein I buy from now on! In fact, I'm going to get the Chocolate kind, like, next week!

The only downside of this is that the scoop is huge. I use a smaller scoop from an older powder and then adjust the protein/calories accordingly. It's really not that much of a difference, but it keeps me from running out so fast, and it's still plenty high in protein, even with the smaller scoop.

Another downside: it's a little sweet. I'm going to get the unsweetened vanilla next time, and then just add sweetener to my tastes (which means bananas, lol).

For the regular vanilla, one heaping scoop has 129 calories, 1 gram fat, and 22 grams protein. The only ingredients are: pea protein isolate, hemp protein powder, rice protein concentrate, natural vanilla flavor, fructose, xylitol, stevia, and salt. It has 2.67 grams of sugar per serving. It does not contain any yeast, soy, corn, wheat, milk, soy, gluten, egg, whey, or any artificial ingredients or preservatives. It is also non-GMO. The label says "no hydrolysis used" but that doesn't really mean anything, lol.

Oh, and it doesn't mix very well without a blender or a shaker cup. I tried it with just a spoon and it was no bueno... but I drank it anyway, because I liked it...

If you're looking for a vegan, soy-free protein powder, this is it!

A few ideas to get you started:
Protein-Packed After-Workout Sunshine Smoothie
A Not-Green Green Smoothie
Blackberry Lemon Power Smoothie

Quick Black Bean Soup

2011-03-02T10:00:00.001-06:00

Okay, so, originally I was going to make this soup with fried plantains and avocado cream, but things happened:

1. Turns out plantains are only alright. I need to practice cooking them a little more before I post about them.

Eff you, plantain.

2. I've been eating too much soy so the migraines came back. This means no soyogurt for my avocado cream.

Also, I really wanted to make this soup with dried black beans so it's nice and brothy, but all I had were canned ones. Thus, a speedier version of what I originally planned on making was born! I also cheated a little, using one can of seasoned black beans with one can of regular black beans. This will probably influence how your final soup comes out (if you don't use the seasoned kind), so you may need to add some more spice.

I was also craving potatoes like a madwoman (why...?) so I roasted a bunch of baby Yukons up and served them on the side. Talk about an awesome match! Filling too!

I mean, I am disappointed that I couldn't make my recipe fancy like I originally wanted too, but I'll definitely be making this later. And this soup was good as well, so I'm not complaining!

Quick Black Bean Soup:
1 (15 oz.) can seasoned black beans (labels say they're seasoned), drained a little
1 (15 oz.) can black beans, drained
1 small red bell pepper, finely diced
1 small green pepper, finely diced
1 yellow onion, finely chopped
1 Tb. minced garlic (2-3 cloves)
1 Tb. dried cilantro
1 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. oregano
1 c. vegetable broth
Avocado, cubed

1. In a soup pot sprayed with some nonstick over medium-high heat, saute the chopped bell peppers and onions until softened, about five minutes.
2. Add the garlic, cumin, and oregano and saute until fragrant, about 2-3 minutes.
3. Add the seasoned beans, regular beans, cilantro, and vegetable broth and bring the pot to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer about 30 minutes to meld all the ingredients together.
4. Before serving, mash some of the beans up with a fork to help thicken the soup a little, then serve with avocado cubes!

Obviously, the focus is on the potatoes here.

To make my roasted potatoes, I preheated an oven to 425F. I washed about 2 lbs. of baby Yukon potatoes (I just use them cause they're my favorite...), then cut them into smaller chunks. In a bowl, I tossed together the chunks with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, 1/2 tsp. of kosher salt, and 1/2 tsp. of garlic powder (I lurve garlic), until everything was all nice and coated. I then baked them for about 45 minutes, or until the potatoes were completely cooked and golden brown and crunchy on the edges. It was the perfect way to satisfy my potato craving!

Stylish Blogger Award and a Side of Smoky Greens!

2011-03-01T17:26:00.002-06:00

Whoo-hoo! I've just been awarded the Stylish Blogger Award by Vegan Fueled Athletic Mom! I've always been secretly jealous of them award winners, and now I have one of my own!

The rules for this award are:

1. Make a post & link back to the person who awarded you this award.

2. Share 7 things about yourself.

3. Award a few recently discovered great bloggers.

4. Contact these bloggers and tell them they’ve won!

Here are my random 7 things:
1. My favorite snack right now is sourdough Wasa crackers with all-natural fig preserves and Tofutti cream cheese. They're ridiculously awesome and they have a familiar taste that I can't quite put my finger on...
2. I want to live in an underground house. It's been a dream of mine since I was like, seven.
3. I just bought an Excalibur dehydrator and I plan on doing some serious uncooking here soon!
4. I'm obsessed with cult movies and bad horror films. I'm getting Netflix here in a week or two so that I can finally watch The Day of the Triffids, which is like my two favorite things rolled in to one: cult "horror" and plants. Score.
5. I have ambitious plans. Some include going to go to the Amazonian rainforest on an eco-tour as well as on a hiking glacier tour in New Zealand. Life's short and there's a lot in this world I want to see.
6. I listen to metal, but I've got a serious soft spot for reggae, old reggae.
7. I haven't ever left the Midwest (though not by choice). I went to Iowa once, Illinois once, Arkansas once (just barely crawled into), and Kansas a handful of times. I GOTTA GET OUT MORE!

And here's my bloggers (I tried to do ten, but a lot of the ones are read already have hundreds of readers):
1. The Teenie Foodie
2. Vegan Sunshine
3. JL Goes Vegan: Food and Fitness with a Side of Kale
4. The Vegan Stoner

Now check those guys out!

Anywho, now greens... I love greens! I love how each of the different varieties have differences in taste and texture. I love how they add a punch of color to soups and dinner plates, and even more importantly, I love the nutritional punch they add to my diet!

Here's a little bit of a run down on some American greens that are pretty common in grocery stores, mustards, collards, turnip greens, beet greens, kale, and spinach. All these greens are low in fat, low in calories, high in fiber, have a small amount of protein (between 2-5 grams a cup, depending on the green), and are also a very good source of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin K, Riboflavin, Calcium, Iron, Vitamin B6, Folate, Magnesium, Potassium, Copper and Manganese.

Surprisingly though, beet greens are high in sodium, 14% of your RDA in one cup. If you follow a balanced diet and don't eat much processed food or add much salt to food, this doesn't matter much, but if you must watch your salt intake you should probably adjust the amount of beet greens you eat. Spinach contains about 5% of your RDA of sodium and should be taken into consideration as well.

Are you ready to eat some greens now?? Simmering them lightly in broth adds lots of flavor and cooking them at least 30 minutes gets out any bitterness. The only greens I quick-cook are kale and spinach. Everything else gets simmered!

Smoky Garlic Mixed Greens:
3 lbs. of mixed greens (about 3 bunches)
1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 1/2 Tb. minced garlic (about 5 cloves)
1 tsp. liquid smoke
about 1 cup of vegetable broth

1. Wash your greens throughly, then chop. Turnip greens usually have sand in them, and sometimes little bugs like to hide in the folds.
2. In a large pot, simmer the onions and garlic in a little bit of vegetable broth until soft.
3. Add the greens, the liquid smoke, and about another cup of broth.
4. Cover and simmer on medium-low for about 45-60 minutes, check occasionally to make sure that there is still broth on the bottom of the pan. Stir occasionally. If the pan starts to go dry, add a little more broth and continue to simmer them lightly until they reach at least the 45 minute mark.
5. Serve with lots and lots of Cholula hot sauce (my favorite brand)!

This is officially my go-to greens recipe from now on! I love it!