Vegan Tomato Rosemary Scones

These are the Tomato Rosemary Scones from Vegan Brunch p.184.
These are so easy to make and super delicious!

Ingredients:
3 cups all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons baking powder
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/3 cup olive oil
1 14oz can tomato sauce
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh chopped rosemary

Method:
Preheat oven to 400F. Lighty grease a baking sheet or spray with cooking spray.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, and pepper.
Measure olive oil into a large measuring cup and whisk in the rosemary, vinegar, and tomato sauce.
Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the tomato mixture.
Gently mix using a wooden spoon until batter is loosely holding together.
Flour a surface and turn batter onto surface. Knead until a soft dough forms.
At this point, I took a spoon and scooped the dough in 12 parts onto the cookie sheet.
Bake for 14-16 mins. Makes 12 scones.

Vegan Creamy Avocado Potato Salad

This is the Creamy Avocado Potato Salad from Vegan Brunch p.123.
This is, quite possibly, my favorite cookbook ever! Seriously. Buy this book!

*This is how I made the recipe that is in the cookbook. (i.e. My ingredients/measurements are slightly different.)

Ingredients:
2 pounds potatoes, chopped into small cubes
2 avocados
2 tablespoons lime juice, from a lime or two
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 fresh tomato, chopped
1 small red onion, chopped
Green onions, chopped small for garnish

Method:
Cook the potatoes however you like to do it (boil 'em, steam 'em, etc.)
Prepare the dressing by scooping avocado flesh into your food processor, add lime juice, salt, and cayenne pepper and puree until very, very smooth.
Add chopped tomato and onion and pulse just to incorporate them.
Throw cooked (and cooled) potatoes and the avocado sauce into a bowl and mix.
Garnish with green onions.
Delish!

***I served this with my Crunchy Lentil Salad. Yum!
Recipe here:
http://sundaegirl108.blogspot.com/2009/02/avocado-hummus-and-crunchy-lentil-salad.html

Vegan Chorizo Sausages and Swiss Chard Frittata

I made vegan sausage! ... and it was actually pretty easy! yay!

The recipe for each of these can be found in Vegan Brunch. You must buy this book. It is amazing.

Brunch is my favorite meal of the week. This meal was definitely my favorite of the week.

Yummy in my tummy. That is all.

Vegan Pumpkin Pie

So, the first recipe I decided to make from Urban Vegan is the Punka' Pie (p.160). Yum!


Ingredients:
1 pie crust (I used a 9 inch graham cracker pie crust and I had a lot of filling leftover)

One 14-16oz can of pumpkin puree (unsweetened)
Two 12.3oz boxes Mori-Nu firm tofu
3/4 cup sugar
1/8 teaspoon salt (I omitted)
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
1/4 teaspoon cloves
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
egg replacer for one egg(I used Ener-G brand egg replacer)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425F.
Mix all batter ingredients in a food processor until smooth.
Pour into crust. Bake for 15 mins, then lower heat to 350F and bake an additional 35 mins. Top will be golden and perhaps a bit cracked when done.

Note: If I use a premade 9 inch graham cracker crust again, I'll just use one box of Mori-Nu. That would increase the pumpkin to tofu ratio and I might not have so much leftover. :)

New arrival!

My copy of Urban Vegan arrived today!
Oooh ... What will I make first?! I'm so excited!



Order here at Amazon!

New Vegan Product Discovery!

Huzzah! I must admit that I am a big fan of the Kraft Mac & Cheese in a box ... you know ... the flourescent stuff ... yeah. I friggin' love it. So sue me.

Well, while I was perusing the health food store on Saturday, I came across this! YES!

You can also buy online at these sites:
http://edwardandsons.com/pastas.itml
http://www.amazon.com
http://www.veganessentials.com

I had the Cheddar Style Shells & Chreese and it was delicious! I also picked up the Alfredo Style Mac & Chreese, but I haven't tried that yet. I'll post a review when I do. Mmmm.

It can be easy being vegan ...

A lot of people have been asking me about veganism recently and it seems like people just think it's too hard to do. I think it's only hard because we've learned to eat a certain way and you sort of have to rethink that way of eating.

So ... to those people who think "what will I eat?" ... Here are some examples!

Vegan Breakfasts:
♥ Peanut butter and banana on toast
♥ Vegan cereal and a non-dairy milk (like hemp milk, oat milk, rice milk, or almond milk) note: loads of cereals are accidentally vegan - just read the label
♥ Soy yogurt and some granola
♥ Fruit
♥ Oatmeal with maple syrup swirled in
♥ Tofu scramble
♥ Vegan Muffins (I usually make a bunch on Sunday and eat them all week!)
♥ Link to vegan brunch ideas


Vegan Lunches:
♥ Hummus with a pita for dipping and some raw veggies
♥ Salads with no cheese or meat (I love to throw some beans in mine)
♥ Amy's Brand frozen non-dairy meals (great to keep in the freezer at work so it's just there when you need it)
♥ Veggie wrap sandwiches (let your imagination go wild)
♥ Veggie Chinese food (most Chinese food that is vegetarian is also vegan)
♥ Veggie sushi
♥ A veggie burger
♥ Thai food ... Middle Eastern (falafel, baba ganoush, etc) ... Indian ... the list goes on ...

Vegan Dinners, cocktails, and desserts ... See this blog!

Some of my favorite vegan cookbooks are:
Vegan Brunch by Isa Chandra Moskowitz
Veganomicon by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero
Vegan Fire & Spice by Robin Robertson
Vegan with a Vengeance by Isa Chandra Moskowitz
La Dolce Vegan! by Sarah Kramer
The Garden of Vegan by Sarah Kramer
... and my subscription to Vegetarian Times is always a wonderful source of recipes.

Please comment with your vegan lunch and breakfast ideas!
I'm always looking for new ideas. :)

Why I'm eating vegan 80% of the time now ... aka Books that changed my life ... (I still indulge every once in a while ... I hope to cut that out eventually.)
The China Study by T.Colin Campbell
Diet for a New America by John Robbins
The Food Revolution by John Robbins
Total Health Makeover by Marilu Henner
Thrive: The Vegan Nutrition Guide to Optimal Performance in Sports and Life by Brendan Brazier

Muhammara (Middle Eastern Vegan Roasted Red Pepper Dip)

This recipe is loosely based on the one on p.99 of the cookbook Vegan Fire & Spice.

Ingredients:
16oz jar of roasted red peppers (in water)
15.5oz can red kidney beans (Beans are not usually in Muhammara, but I just threw these in. It's really tasty! Omit if you want.)
3/4 cup walnuts
2 garlic cloves, halved
3 tablespoons olive oil
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 small bunch of italian flat leaf parsley

Directions:
Throw all the above ingredients into a food processor and process until smooth.
Enjoy with pita. Mmmm.

Cranberry Orange Nut Muffins (vegan)

Recipe from Vegan Brunch p.162 (These just might be the best muffins I've ever tasted, let alone baked myself!!!)

Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup fresh orange juice
1/2 cup canola oil
2 tablespoons orange zest
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon pure almond extract

1 1/2 cups fresh cranberries, roughly chopped or pulsed in a food processor
1 cup pecans or walnuts, roughly chopped (i used walnuts)

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 375F. Line muffin tin with paper muffin cups.
In a large mixing bowl, mix together flour, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Make a well in the center and add orange juice, oil, zest, and extracts.
Mix until all dry ingredients are moistened. Add nuts and cranberries about half way through mixing.
Fill the muffin cups 3/4 of the way full and bake for 23 to 27 minutes, until muffins are lightly browned on top and a toothpick comes out clean.
When cool enough to handle, transfer the muffins to a baking rack to cool completely.
Enjoy warm with some vegan butter. Mmm.

MAKES 12 MUFFINS.

Key Lime Pie (Easy Lowfat Recipe - No eggs!)

Image from: http://www.myrecipes.com/recipes/gallery/0,28548,1728688_1738994_1586296,00.html
(Mine looks exactly like this but I'm a bad photographer! haha.)

1 9-inch graham cracker crust pie shell
1/3 cup cold water
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
4-5 regular limes (or 20-22 key limes)
1 can (14oz.) fat free sweetened condensed milk
1 ½ cups plain fat free yogurt

1. Add water and gelatin to pot, let stand 2 min to soften, cook on low to dissolve, stirring. Remove from heat.
2. Grate 2 tsps zest of lime and squeeze ½ cup juice. Whisk lime zest, juice, condensed milk, and yogurt together in a bowl. Whisk in gelatin mixture.
3. Spoon filling into crust. Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours.

4. Garnish with whipped cream, if desired, before enjoying. Yum!

Nutrition:
235 calories, 7g protein, 42g carbs, 5g fat (1g saturated), 0g fiber, 6mg cholesterol, 185mg sodium

NOTE: I think next time, I'm going to cut this in individual pieces, put a popsicle stick in each one, dip each slice in chocolate, and freeze 'em. MU HA HA Frozen key lime pie, dipped in chocolate, on a stick! Hells yes!

Vegan Product Review

Rice Whip!
I was pretty excited to see a non-soy vegan version of whipped cream in the can. How fabulous! I try not to overdo the amount of soy in my diet, so I try to buy other vegan milks when I can. Overall, it's a winner!

Pros:
♥ Delicious, fluffy, and thick!
♥ Vegan and non-soy alternative!
♥ All natural and no gross stuff!

Cons:
♥ It cost $5. meh. (I was obviously very excited about it to have spent so much on it!)
♥ You have to plan to eat it 10-15 mins before you actually do, so no random squirts of whipped cream when you open the fridge for something else. heh. You have to take it out and let it warm up for a bit, then shake the can so that the cream falls down toward the nozzle, then after your wait ... you finally do get fantastic whipped cream.

ZenSoy
I've eaten this pudding for years. I actually think it tastes better than dairy pudding. It's all-natural and heavenly!

Stuffed Peppers and Indian Spiced Kale (vegan)

The recipe for Indian Spiced Kale is here:
http://sundaegirl108.blogspot.com/2008/10/indian-spiced-kale-and-chickpeas.html

Mmm. Stuffed peppers are so yummy!

STUFFED PEPPERS RECIPE
Ingredients:
4 green bell peppers
1 cup basmati rice
1 1/2 cups water
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can tomato sauce
Minced garlic (to your taste, I minced about 4 cloves)
1 onion, diced
fresh parsley, chopped
1 bag frozen BOCA brand soy crumbles
Olive oil
Your fave Italian spices (I used crushed red pepper flakes, oregano, black pepper)

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375°F.
2. Heat some olive oil in a saucepan and throw in the onion. Sauté until translucent. Add the minced garlic and sauté for about a minute.
3. Add dry basmati rice and stir for a minute.
4. Add water and bring to a boil.
5. Lower heat to low, cover, and leave it alone for 15 minutes.
6. Rice should be done after 15 minutes. Add (to the same pot) some frozen BOCA crumbles, the can of diced tomatoes, the chopped parsley, and the Italian spices.
7. Cut tops off the peppers and scoop out the insides. Fill peppers with rice mixture and top with a bit of the tomato sauce to keep it from drying out while baking.
8. I spray a muffin pan with olive oil cooking spray and set the peppers in that. Bake at 375°F for about 30 mins or until the peppers look wrinkly/roasted.

Roasted stuffed pepper and tomato ... (Yeah, you can also scoop out tomatoes and do this ... divine!)


Enjoy with kale! Yum!

Vegan Pizza!

Huzzah! I made pizza from scratch!

Vegan Pizza, that is, with Basil Tofu Ricotta, Artichoke Hearts, Black Olives, Fresh Tomatoes, and Carmelized Onions ... Mmm. (Yes, I felt the need to capitalize all that 'cause it was so, so yummy! heh.)

This is the pizza from Isa Chandra Moskowitz's Vegan with a Vengeance.

Pages 128-129 tell you how to make the crust. It's really a great description and I managed to use yeast and put something in the oven ... and it actually resembled what I intended it to! (I am, historically, not good with dough ~ at all.)
I suggest you pick up this book to tell you how to make the crust. :) I threw some rosemary into mine which was super yum.

Once I had the dough stretched, I topped each pizza with tomato sauce, artichokes, olives, fresh tomato slices from our garden, carmelized onions, and the VwaV basil tofu ricotta. Heaven! (Then I baked the pizza at 475°F for 12 minutes.)

The Basil Tofu Ricotta appears on page 133 of VwaV.

Ingredients for Basil Tofu Ricotta:
1 pound firm tofu
2 teaspoons lemon juice
1 clove garlic
1/4 teaspoon salt
Dash of fresh ground black pepper
Handful of fresh basil leaves
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/4 cup nutritional yeast

I just threw all of this in my food processor and blended until creamy. Mmm mmm good.

Food Inc.

I'm going to see Food Inc. tonight at Film Forum! yay!
Update: Food, Inc. was a little tame for my taste. ;) Entertaining, but tame.

I might even be able to rope Lucas into a meal at Red Bamboo or Vegetarian's Paradise beforehand. heh.
Update: We went to Vegetarian's Paradise 2. We had the Avocado Faux-Crab Tartare (yum!) for an appetizer, Lucas had the seaweed soup (yum!), I had the Texas Fried-Faux-Chicken (yum!), and Lucas had a curry. The Texas Fried "Chicken" was pretty good. It was definitely the most unhealthy high-fat meal I've had in a long time, but it was pretty tasty. It's only fault (other than fat!) was that it almost tasted too much like the real thing which made it slightly off-putting for me!

Vegan Brunch

Image source: http://superspark.wordpress.com

When winter was coming to a close, I stocked up on a few cans of pumpkin purée. (I love pumpkin.) So ... I made the pumpkin bran muffins from Vegan Brunch on Monday. They are so yummy! Mmmmmmmm.

This is after a failed attempt to make the pumpkin pancakes from Vegan Brunch. The pancakes just remained a pile of mush no matter how long I cooked them. meh. I followed the directions to a T ... I dunno what happened.

So, go for the muffins. They are super yum. :)

Vegan Mac & Cheeze

This is the first time I've made vegan mac & cheeze although it's been on my list for a while. I will definitely give this the thumbs up. Lucas, my beloved omnivore, also gave it the thumbs up. ;)

Next time, I am going to try Fat Free Vegan's recipe though (as that one is a little less fattening).

I went with Vegan Dad's recipe.
Click here for original recipe on Vegan Dad's food blog:
http://vegandad.blogspot.com/2008/06/creamy-mac-and-cheeze.html

INGREDIENTS
Makes a lot - enough for 4 or 5 people.

- 1/2 cup raw cashews
- 2 tbsp sunflower seeds
- 2 tbsp pine nuts
- 2 cups soy milk
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
- 1 1/2 cups firm tofu (does not have to be silken) NOTE: I used 12oz firm silken tofu.
- 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
- 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 2 tbsp miso (something mellow)
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 3 cups uncooked macaroni

METHOD

1. Cook macaroni, as per directions, until al dente.

2. While macaroni is cooking, place all other ingredients in a blender and blend for 5 minutes, until very smooth. Make sure all nuts and seeds have been blended.
NOTE: I blended the nuts on their own first in my food processor with a bit of the soymilk and then added the rest of the ingredients and blended until very smooth. I feel like that blends the nuts better that way.

3. Drain macaroni and return to pot over medium heat. Add sauce and bring to bubbling. Cook, stirring constantly, until sauce thickens and reduces a bit (about 5 mins)

I served it up with veggie burgers and a salad. Yum!

Okra Potato Coconut Curry (vegan)

This was probably one of my favorite curries I've ever made. Super yum!

Ingredients:

1lb 8oz potatoes, peeled and diced into 1-inch cubes (I steam these for a few minutes to soften them up before throwing them in)

enough okra to compete with the potatoes (heh) ... cut off tops and then cut in half.

2 tablespoons oil (I used canola)
1 onion (thinly sliced)
2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
2 teaspoons crushed garlic
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
20 curry leaves**
2 tablespoons curry powder (I use a Madras medium-hot blend)
1 tablespoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 can lite (i.e. lowfat) coconut milk
3/4 cup veggie broth
2/3 cup fresh coconut**
6 tablespoons chopped cilantro

Heat the oil in a large skillet with sides. Add onion and stir-fry over medium heat until onion is translucent and soft. Stir in the ginger, garlic, cinnamon, curry leaves, curry powder, ground coriander, turmeric, and chili powder. Throw in the okra and the potatoes. Cook on medium-low heat until the potatoes and okra are cooked through. Once it's done, top with the coconut and cilantro.

Serve over basmati rice. Mmmm.

**I bought my curry leaves at Patel Brothers in Jackson Heights, Queens. Unfortunately, I'm yet to find another place in New York City that has fresh curry leaves! What gives??? I'm sure they exist somewhere closer to my home in Brooklyn. Please let me know if you know a place ... sheesh.
Curry leaves look like this and they make things taste divine. :)


I get my unsweetened coconut from Indian grocers. It's what I'd call a "powdered" coconut because it is fine like a powder. Any coconut you'd find in a regular supermarket will not be a good substitute.
This is the coconut I purchased at my favorite Indian grocer on 1st Avenue and 6th Street in Manhattan ... just to give you an idea of what you're looking for. It's only about $2.50.


NOTE: This recipe is a veganized version of the "Coconut Lamb Curry" recipe found on page 112 in the book 200 Curries by Sunil Vijayakar. (This book is inexpensive and it has some great, authentic, curries in it!)

More reasons to eat more plants and less animals...

Vegan Buddhist Nuns Have Same Bone Density As Non-vegetarians

Grape Seed Extract Kills Cancer Cells In Lab

I've taken grape seed extract in order to prevent blood clots. Unfortunately, my family is prone to bad circulation stuff like that and studies have shown grape seed extract to have preventative effects. It might be good for something else too! ;)

Pizza dough efforts and other musings...

Exams are over and I've been doing some cooking. Unfortunately, I haven't been doing much picture-taking. heh.

I tried my hand at making the pizza dough recipe from Vegan with a Vengeance (even though I usually destroy anything that requires something resembling dough). It went OK - certainly better than I thought it would. I think, next time, I'm going to make four small pizzas which will be easier to stretch out - rather than two twelve-inch pizzas. :)

I topped them with some tomato sauce, fresh tomato slices, black olives, fresh basil, and the tofu-basil ricotta from Veganomicon. It was edible, but I am going to keep trying to make the perfect crust over and over. :) At least it's a cheap experiment - only requiring yeast, flour, and water.

Other than that, I made the muhammara and baba ghanouj recipes from Vegan Fire & Spice. Both are somewhat insanely delicious and habit-forming, but that version of baba ghanouj is definitely the best I've ever made! It is fluffy and delightful - just like you get at Middle Eastern restaurants. I am proud, very proud. :) haha.

My parents are coming over for their Mother's Day visit on Saturday. I think I will make the baba ghanouj for that. Hmm. What else to make?

I signed up for a 4-week intro to yoga series. I am very excited. I had taken an intro class at a wonderful yoga studio in Manhattan two years ago and loved it. However, that just proved to be too inconvenient of a location to get to in order to continue on a regular basis. Hopefully now I will pick up where I left off and make this a more regular part of my life. :)

Artichoke-Olive Crostini (vegan)

I also made the Artichoke-Olive Crostini from Smitten Kitchen.
It is yum! Click above to go to the recipe on her site.

Pic from Smitten Kitchen to entice you...

Vegan "Brookyn Deli Macaroni Salad"

This was simple, but a yummy vegan (and lowfat!) alternative to the traditional.

Brooklyn Deli Macaroni Salad
Source: Veganomicon p. 91

Dressing:
3/4 cup Veganaise (I used Nasoya Fat Free)
1/4 cup white vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
3/4 tsp salt
ground black pepper to taste

Salad:
1 pound macaroni, cooked, drained, and run under cold water
I just threw in one diced green bell pepper (I was being lazy)
(Veganomicon's version calls for 1/2 cup frozen peas, thawed ... 2 radishes, grated ... and 2 carrots, grated)

I blended all dressing ingredients in a small blender and then added them to the salad ingredients in a large bowl. It was yum. Very yum.

Lucas liked it. :)

VEGAN Almond Feta Cheeze with Herb Oil

I made vegan cheeze! This was FANTASTIC!



Lucas scoffed at the idea of "vegan cheeze" but, as soon as he tasted this, he agreed - it is totally delicious. :)

Fattening, yes. Healthy though? Yes! Nuts are so good for you and so yummy. :)

Recipe from Vegetarian Times - April 2009 Issue - p.49

Ingredients:
1 cup whole blanched almonds (I only had blanched slivered almonds, and it worked out fine.)
1/4 cup lemon juice
3 tablespoons plus 1/4 cup olive oil, divided
1 clove garlic, peeled
1 1/4 tsp. salt
1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
1 tsp. fresh rosemary leaves

1. Place almonds in medium bowl, and cover with 3 inches cold water. Let soak for 24 hours. Drain soaking liquid, rinse almonds under cold water, and drain again.
2. Puree almonds, lemon juice, 3 tablespoons olive oil, garlic, salt, and 1/2 cup cold water in a food processor 6 minutes, or until very smooth and creamy.
3. Place large strainer over bowl and cover with three layers of cheesecloth. Spoon almond mixture into cheesecloth. Bring corners and sides of cloth together, and twist around cheese, forming into orange-size ball and squeezing to help extract moisture. Secure with rubber band or kitchen twine. Chill 12 hours or overnight. Discard excess liquid.
4. Preheat oven to 200 degrees fahrenheit. Place unwrapped ball of cheese on a non-stick cookie sheet and bake for about 40 mins or until top is slightly firm. Cool, then chill.
5. Combine remaining 1/4 cup olive oil, thyme, and rosemary in a small saucepan. Warm until very hot but not simmering. Cool to room temperature. Drizzle herb oil over cheese just before serving.

The China Study

Whoa. It looks like you can read this whole book online - FOR FREE!
Awesome.

The China Study: The Most Comprehensive Study of Nutrition Ever Conducted and the Startling Implications for Diet, Weight Loss and Long-Term Health

This makes me pretty happy that I've given up cheese this month ... and that I'm using soymilk for my cereal. :)

Edit: You can't read the whole book, but you can get a good start. I think I'm gonna order it.

---

Not so healthy, but ... Easy Vegetarian Shepherd's Pie

Recipe Source: PETA's "Vegetarian Starter Kit" Pamphlet p.20
Available online here: http://www.petaliterature.com/VEG297.pdf

Thanks to whatever girl handed my boyfriend this packet one day on the street. haha.
This was kind of delicious! :)

4 medium potatoes
2 tablespoons margarine
1/2 cup soy milk
Salt and Pepper to taste
12 oz bag of Boca veggie crumbles
1 can vegetarian mushroom gravy (I used Campbells brand)
1 can peas
3-4 carrots, chopped into small rounds
Garlic Powder and Cayenne Pepper to taste

♥ Preheat oven to 350°F
♥ Boil the potatoes for 20 mins or until tender. Drain and mash with the margarine and soy milk. Add salt and pepper.
♥ (I lightly steamed my chopped carrots until just a bit tender.)
♥ In a medium bowl, mix the crumbles, mushroom gravy, peas, carrots, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper. Pour into a rectangular pan. Top with potatoes, spreading them to the edges of the pan. Bake for 30-40 mins or until the potatoes are browned a bit.
♥ Makes 4 servings.

Dijon Mustard Brussels Sprouts

Recipe Source: La Dolce Vegan p.185
Buy this book! It is awesome!

These were SO good!!!!!!

1 lb (approx 24 brussels sprouts)
2 tsp mustard seeds
2 tablespoons vegan margarine or oil
1/2 cup shallots, chopped
1 tsp Dijon Mustard
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

♥ Steam sprouts for 6-8 mins or until you can prick easily with a fork.
♥ Dry toast mustard seeds on high heat in a frying pan until they pop.
♥ Lower heat and add shallots, margarine, mustard and sauté until shallots are translucent.
♥ Add sprouts, salt, pepper; toss until well coated and reheated.
♥ Enjoy. :)

Rustic Quinoa and Yam Salad

Recipe Source: The Garden of Vegan p.95 (Buy this book! It's great!)

1 cup quinoa
2 cups water
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic
2 yams, chopped
2 tblspns olive oil
1 medium bell pepper
1 tsp cumin
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
2 tblspns lemon juice
1 tblspn maple syrup
1 tblspn Braggs

♥ Put water and quinoa in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low, cover, and cook for about 15 mins.
♥ Meanwhile, steam (or boil) the chopped yams until just soft enough for your liking. Set aside.
♥ Put onion, olive oil, garlic, cumin, and pepper in a large frying pan and sauté until the onion is translucent. Add the yams and sauté until they pick up the flavors of the onion mixture.
♥ After quinoa is done, drain any excess water and combine quinoa, onion mixture, yams, lemon juice, cilantro, maple syrup, and Braggs in a large bowl. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Lowfat Vegan Creamy Dill Dressing

Recipe Source: The Garden of Vegan p.97

3/4 cup silken tofu (I had a 12oz pkg of firm silken tofu and I actually used the whole thing plus some water to thin it out.)
3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
2 tablespoons fresh dill
(or 2 teaspoons dried dill)
1 teaspoon salt
pinch black pepper
1 teaspoon maple syrup (I added a bit more)

Blend all ingredients in a blender or food processor. Enjoy.

Rise n Shine Cocktail

I got creative last night with whatever booze we had in the house. ;)
I used a shot glass to measure this ... which is about 1 oz each shot.

2 shots of orange juice
1 shot of simple syrup
1 shot of tequila
1/2 shot of amaretto
1 shot of vodka (optional)

1. Pour all ingredients into a cocktail shaker with ice.
2. Shake and strain into a rocks glass over ice.
3. Enjoy. ;)

No-Bake Mango Cheesecake

Definitely not your traditional cheesecake, but oh so yummy.
This would make a delightful summer dessert. It's very refreshing.
Lucas still isn't sure that I actually made this. heh. I don't bake sweets, but anything sweet with mangoes is my catnip.

MANGO CHEESECAKE

1 envelope unflavored gelatin
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup boiling water
2 (8oz) packages lowfat cream cheese, softened
1 (16oz) can mangoes (I used GOYA brand)
1 (9-inch) graham cracker pre-made pie crust

1. Mix gelatin and sugar in small bowl. Add boiling water and stir until gelatin completely dissolves.
2. Process softened cream cheese and mangoes in a food processor until smooth; slowly beat in gelatin mixture. Pour into crust.
3. Refrigerate until firm; at least 3 hours.

Amaretto Sour and Matter Tofu

Made these last night to have while we watched the Grammy Awards. :)



MATTER TOFU
(vegan ... if you use vegan sour cream or just omit it)

INGREDIENTS
1 large onion, quartered
1 1/2 Tbs. vegetable oil
1/2 tsp. whole brown mustard seeds
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1 bay leaf
1 clove garlic, minced (about 1 tsp.)
1 15-oz. can tomato sauce
2 tsp. ground coriander
1 tsp. garam masala
1/2 tsp. ground turmeric
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. paprika
1 10-oz. pkg. frozen peas, thawed
3 Tbs. reduced-fat sour cream
1/4 tsp. sugar
1 pkg. firm or extra firm tofu, drained and cut into 1-inch cubes

DIRECTIONS
1. Purée onion in food processor.
2. Heat oil in pot over medium heat. Add mustard seeds, cumin, and bay leaf.
Cook 1 minute, or until fragrant.
3. Add onion and garlic, and sauté 5 to 7 minutes, or until browned. Stir in tomato
sauce, coriander, garam masala, turmeric, salt, and paprika. Simmer 10 minutes,
or until sauce thickens, stirring occasionally. Add up to 1/2 cup water if sauce is
too thick.
4. Stir in peas, tofu, sour cream, and sugar. Simmer 5 minutes, or until peas and tofu are heated through.
5. Remove bay leaf, and serve hot with
basmati rice or naan bread.

---

AMARETTO SOUR

INGREDIENTS
1 1/2 oz Amaretto
1 oz simple syrup
3/4 oz fresh lemon juice

DIRECTIONS
1. To make simple syrup: boil 1 cup water with one cup sugar just until sugar dissolves. Chill.
2. Squeeze fresh lemons to get the lemon juice. It does make a difference.
3. Combine ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice. Shake.
4. Pour into rocks glass over ice. Garnish with cherry and/or an orange slice.

Tempeh Piccata

I finally treated myself to a subscription of Vegetarian Times magazine and I got a nifty cookbook with my subscription! I'd never cooked tempeh before, but I used to love chicken piccata when I wasn't veggie, so I thought I'd give it a try.
Lucas was not so in love with tempeh, but he said that the flavor was delicious. I would agree. :)



TEMPEH PICCATA (vegan)

Piccata Sauce
2 tsps minced garlic
1/2 cup fresh lemon juice
2 cups dry white wine
1 tablespoon capers
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tablespoon cornstarch dissolved in 3 tablespoons water

Tempeh Triangles
1/2 cup soymilk
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 cup cornmeal
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon dried sage
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 8oz. packages of tempeh
2 tablespoons olive oil
Lemon slices for garnish

1. To make piccata sauce: roast garlic in skillet with some olive oil over medium heat for about 20 seconds. Add lemon juice, capers, wine, salt, and pepper; cook for 10 minutes. Stir in cornstarch; cook another 3 to 5 mins. Remove from heat and set aside.

2. To make Tempeh Triangles: Whisk together soymilk and mustard in a bowl. Combine cornmeal, flour, sage, salt, and pepper in another bowl.

3. Cut tempeh into 3 squares and cut each square into 2 triangles. Dip triangles in soymilk mixture and then dredge in cornmeal mixture and set aside.

4. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook half tempeh triangles about 3 minutes per side. Add some more oil and repeat.

5. Arrange tempeh triangles on serving plates and top with Piccata sauce. Garnish with lemon wedges.

I served these with some mashed new potatoes and grilled asparagus. Mmmm.

Source: Vegetarian Times Magazine (free cookbook with subscription!)

Avocado Hummus and Crunchy Lentil Salad

AVOCADO HUMMUS (veganize by using soy yogurt)

This is definitely one of my favorite things to make. It is SO delicious.

2 (15oz) cans of chickpeas
3 ripe avocados (flesh only; no skin or seeds)
1 tablespoon of tahini
juice of one lemon
5 tablespoons plain yogurt
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste
freshly chopped garlic to garnish

Place whole garlic cloves in food processor and process until chopped finely. Place chickpeas, tahini, lemon juice, yogurt, olive oil, avocado flesh in the food processor and process until smooth. (I like to leave it a bit lumpy. You will have to scrape down the sides halfway through.)
Season to taste with salt and pepper. Put in a serving bowl and garnish with parsley.

Serve with chips. Makes enough for a party. Yummy yum yum.

Recipe Source: Linda McCartney on Tour: Over 200 Meat-Free Dishes from Around the World by Linda McCartney (This is one of my fave cookbooks!)



CRUNCHY LENTIL SALAD (vegan)

This is SO good too! yummy yum yum.

1 cup dry yellow lentils
5 cups water
1 bay leaf
a few carrots, chopped up into small pieces
1/2 finely chopped red onion
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup fruity olive oil
2 tablespoons (or more) fresh parsley, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp ground cumin
salt to taste
pepper to taste

Combine lentils, water, and bay leaf in medium saucepan and bring to a boil. Once it boils, cook it uncovered for 15 mins. Throw the chopped carrots in with the lentils about half way through cooking. Drain carrots and lentils and remove the bay leaf. Rinse carrots and lentils in a colander under cold water. Place lentils and carrots in a serving bowl and toss with the rest of the ingredients. Serve cold or room temperature.

Recipe Source: Quick Vegetarian Pleasures by Jeanne Lemlin

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

I made the lemon poppy seed muffins from Vegan with a Vengeance this morning for brunch. Yummy yum yum.


Photo source: http://www.eatmedelicious.com/

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/3 cup canola oil
3/4 cup rice or soy milk
6 ounce container of soy yogurt, plain or vanilla (I used plain)
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tablespoons finely grated lemon zest (zest from 2 lemons)
1 tablespoon poppy seeds

Preheat oven to 400 degrees fahrenheit.
In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the oil, rice or soy milk, yogurt, and vanilla. Add the lemon zest to the wet ingredients. Fold the wet ingredients into the dry; halfway through mixing fold in the poppy seeds.
Spray a 12 muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray. Fill each cup 2/3 of the way full. Bake for 20-25 mins, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Serve warm.

Vegan cooking shows available online.

Free and fabulous! :)

The original ...
http://www.theppk.com/shows/

Just discovered ...
http://vimeo.com/2317414

Cauliflower and Leek Kugel

Yesterday, I made the cauliflower leek kugel out of my new cookbook - Vegan with a Vengeance. yay! This is written by the same author as Veganomicon. If I had to choose between Veganomicon or VwaV, I would choose Veganomicon but both are really good.

I really liked the kugel, but Lucas said it was a little bland. He likes everything spicy. I like most meals spicy, but I don't mind switching it up. It was creamy and dreamy and totally vegan. yummy!



P.S. The author gives fun facts and hints throughout the book. For those of you who don't know (like I didn't) kugel simply means casserole. :)

Cranberry Glazed Vegetarian Meatballs, Spaghetti Squash, and Mashed Sweet Potatoes

I'm not a big fan of imitating meat, but I do love vegetarian meatballs. I couldn't find the ones I usually get at Trader Joes, so I made my own. This actually turned out to be absolutely delicious!

Cranberry Glaze Cooking...


16oz can jellied cranberry sauce
12oz bottle of chili sauce (I used the 10oz one from Trader Joes and it was fine)
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp cayenne pepper

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and warm over medium heat, stirring occasionally.


Mashed Sweet Potatoes


4 sweet potatoes, peeled, and cut into cubes
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup orange juice
3 tablespoons butter, cubed
1 cup mini marshmellows* (yes, these contain gelatin so omit if you're a strict vegetarian)

Set oven to 425°F
Boil sweet potatoes until tender, drain, return to pot
Toss in all other ingredients and mash
Put mashed mixture into oven safe dish and top with mini marshmellows
Bake for about 10 mins ... or just until top is slightly brown


Spaghetti Squash


Since I had to use the oven for the veggie meatballs and the sweet potatoes, I baked this in the microwave. It worked just fine ...

1 medium sized spaghetti squash, cut in half and deseeded
grated parmesan cheese* (some parmesan contains rennet so omit if you're a strict vegetarian)
olive oil
freshly ground pepper

Put squash in bowl with about 1/4 inch water, cut side down
Microwave for about 15 minutes
Squash pulp should break up easy with a fork when done.
Scrape squash pulp out of skin and throw into a casserole dish
Toss with a little olive oil, pepper, and parmesan cheese


Vegetarian Meatballs


2 packages 12oz prebrowned veggie crumbles (I used Boca brand)
4 eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 cup italian style bread crumbs
4 cloves minced garlic
grated parmesan cheese* (I eyeballed it)(*some parmesan contains rennet so omit if you're a strict vegetarian)
1 tsp each of your fave italian herbs (I used dried parsley, dried basil, and dried oregano)
1 tsp (or so) of fennel seeds

Preheat oven to 350°F
Thoroughly defrost veggie crumbles in a skillet over medium heat.
Remove from heat and combine all ingredients in a large bowl.
Form mixture into about 24 balls. (My mixture made 24 small balls and 4 medium balls)
Bake in baking pan or on cookie sheet at 350°F for about 15 mins or until firm
(I baked mine in a mini muffin pan.)

Salad with Chevre and Fettuccine Margherita

Yes, I've been in the mood for pasta. Mmm.

Fettuccine Margherita

1 lb fettuccine
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
28 oz can plum tomatoes chopped (I used one 28oz can crushed tomatoes)
1/4 cup white wine
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese

cook fettuccine until al dente
heat olive oil in pan ... add garlic and red pepper flakes ... cook 2 mins
add tomatoes and wine and boil 2 mins
add cream and salt and boil 1 min
drain fettuccine and pour sauce over it ... sprinkle on the parmesan cheese
toss quickly and serve

Mmm mmm good.

Source for fettuccine recipe: Quick Vegetarian Pleasures by Jeanne Lemlin.

The Chevre Salad is simple ... I just thought I'd include it 'cause it was yummy.
Spring mix of greens tossed with a little fresh baby spinach
Red Onion
Cherry tomatoes, halved
Some sliced beets

Fettuccine with Asparagus in Lemon Cream Sauce

This was quite yum, but I think I'll add some onion and red pepper flakes for hotness next time. My personal preference is just for spicier sauces.

Ingredients:
3/4 lb fettuccine (I used spinach)
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
3/4 lb asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup milk
zest of 1 lemon
1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
freshly ground black pepper to taste
1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese

Cook the fettuccine until al dente in a large pot of boiling water.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the garlic and asparagus and saute, tossing constantly, for 2 mins. Pour in 2 tablespoons of water, cover, and cook for 5 mins. Combine the milk, cream, lemon zest, nutmeg, salt, and pepper. Pour over the asparagus and bring to a boil. Drain the fettuccine and return to pot with the cream sauce. Stir in the parmesan cheese. Serve immediately.

I served this with a salad. Mmm mmm mmm. Lucas was too sick to really taste it, but I liked it so I'll definitely be making this again. :)
Source: Quick Vegetarian Pleasures by Jeanne Lemlin.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

So many new recipes ... so many forgotten photos. *le sigh* I can't seem to remember to take photos of anything lately. Ah well. Perhaps I will remember to take a pic of the fettucine with asparagus that I'm making tomorrow. (Well, later today seeing as how it's now 12:24am.) I'm wide awake thanks to getting up at 2pm today. haha. I had a fun New Year's Eve and a very relaxing New Year's Day today. I got up, made brunch for Lucas and I ... took a shower ... changed into my lounging/yoga pants ... and watched movies all day. Ahhh ... I love Jan 1st.

I'll probably be up all night and then exhausted at work tomorrow, but whatever ... :p

I got a new cookbook for Christmas (yay!) and I've already made several recipes and forgot to take pictures of all of it. LOL
The cookbook is Quick Vegetarian Pleasures by Jeanne Lemlin. I made pumpkin muffins, veggie cream cheese, crunchy lentil salad, tomatoes stuffed with couscous, polenta with spicy eggplant sauce, and tomorrow I'm making the fettucine with asparagus in lemon cream sauce. yum!

I substituted my own ingredients for veggie cream cheese. I softened some low fat cream cheese in the microwave and mixed in some minced garlic and chopped basil. Why I've never done this before is beyond me! I think fat free cream cheese tastes kind of crappy but I hypothesize that it will taste delightful using these ingredients added to it. I went to two stores, but couldn't find fat free, so I had to settle for low fat. Thus, my hypothesis remains untested. heh. I'll work on that next week.

All of these recipes were delicious, so I would highly recommend this book! It is heavy on recipes that use cheese, but I just used less cheese than called for and substituted lower fat ingredients whenever possible. :)