Sunday, November 29, 2009

Vegan Tomato Rosemary Scones

11.22.09 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

11.29.09 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

Sunday, November 15, 2009

Vegan Chorizo Sausages and Swiss Chard Frittata

11.15.09 Vegan Brunch Chorizo and 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!
11.14.09 Vegan Pumpkin Pie

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. :)

Friday, November 13, 2009

New arrival!

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



Order here at Amazon!

Tuesday, November 10, 2009

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.

Monday, November 9, 2009

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