I Can't Believe It's Not Dead!

Spinach Gnocchi

2011-01-27T08:27:00.009-07:00

My, oh my. This girl's last post was in OCTOBER. Unacceptable.

I do have some valid excuses, friends. I swear.

A lot of change has happened. But everything is getting better and I'm still cooking! I have two jobs now and not a day off, so the cooking doesn't happen as much as I'd like. But it's happening. And there's something else brewing in the world of I Can't Believe It's Not Dead! That'll have to wait, though. :)

Onto food!!!

Potatoes are a staple in my apartment. Whether it's whipping up potato cakes, a mean baked potato, or potato and leek soup, I love these lil' buggers. This weekend, I decided to have my first try at gnocchi.

Gnocchi is basically a potato-based, airy, pasta-like dumpling. I have honestly never made them before, so I was a little worried! Folks, I'm pretty sure these were the easiest thing I've made. Seriously. You have to try them.

Spinach Gnocchi
Prep time: 1 hour
Cook time: 3-5 minutes

2 pounds medium potatoes, washed and scrubbed clean
1 tsp salt
2 tbsp olive oil
1 1/2 - 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 package frozen chopped spinach, defrosted

1. Preheat oven to 400° F. Using a fork, carefully poke holes all over the potatoes. Bake them for 45 minutes to an hour. Let these guys cool completely before handling them.

2. You should be able to easily remove the skins from the potatoes. Place the potato in a large mixing bowl (I used my trusty KitchenAid. Thanks, Dei.). Add the olive oil and salt and mash really well. Add the flour by the 1/2 cup and incorporate it into the potatoes. Keep adding flour and lightly knead the dough until you get a smooth, unsticky but not dry dough. Add the spinach and mix thoroughly. (You still want an unsticky dough, so if after adding the spinach your dough is too sticky, add more flour by the handful.)

3. Dividing the dough, roll portions into a 1/2-inch thick rope. Use a pizza wheel or pastry cutter to cut the ropes into 3/4-inch long pieces. Roll each piece along the concave side of a fork. You should have your thumbprint on one side and cool looking lines on the other.

4. If you're cooking right away, bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Gently drop gnocchi in the water, but don't over-crowd them! After 2 minutes, gnocchi should rise to the surface. Cook a minute longer than gently remove from water.

These came out pretty good! My friend, Jersey (a sassy Italian from New Jersey), told me to try a potato ricer the next time I make them. Apparently it makes the gnocchi really light and airy. Has anyone worked with a potato ricer before?

I smothered these tasty gems with a garlicky tomato sauce that I'm definitely going to have to post. Speaking of posts, my next post is going to be an AH-MAZING giveaway. Hint: Red or green?

Just a little glimpse of what's been going on...

New jobs...

(while still working my wonderful old job!)

New friends...

(while still keeping my amazing old friends!)

Smooching on movie stars...

...and playing a LOT of Scrabble...

(How sweet is this picture???)

It's been a hard, crazy, busy, life-changing, interesting 6 months. I'm surviving and I'm picking myself up. I can't thank my family and my friends, both old and new, enough for putting up with me and helping me through the last year. I'm a pretty lucky girl after all. And I have to thank my taste-tester for the last 5 years. Without you, I wouldn't be who I am. This food wouldn't have been made and I wouldn't have the motivation to keep it up. <3

Stay tuned, folks. 2011 is going to have some delectable delights. Cheers!

Mexican Cold Soup

2010-10-19T08:33:00.006-06:00

COLD SOUP.
For some reason, that statement has always seemed wrong to me. I think of soup and I think steamy, hearty, belly-warming soup. "Cold soup" means you didn't heat it up in the microwave long enough!

Boy, was I wrong! A friend of mine made some Mexican Cold Soup this weekend and it looked and smelled AH-MAZING. I knew that I had to make some. This soup is 1. Perfect for summer (and it's still warm in New Mexico!) 2. Easy easy easy to make! 3. Doesn't require any cooking whatsoever. Anyone can make this soup!

Mexican Cold Soup
Prep time: 5 minutes

2 10-1/4 oz cans tomato soup, plus 2 10-1/4 oz cans water (like you're making tomato soup!)
1/2 cup lime juice
1/2 - 1 1/2 tbsp cayenne pepper (I used 1 1/2 tbsp and it's spiiiiicy!)
1 1/2 tbsp cumin
1 cucumber, peeled and diced (I cut around the seeds as well, but that's optional)
1 avocado, diced
24 oz corn
3-5 tbsp fresh cilantro, chopped, plus more for garnish

1. In a large bowl, mix the tomato soup with water, lime juice, and spices. Add the vegetables and cilantro. Let soup get chilled in the fridge for at least an hour. Stir and serve!

*I know the sodium is through the roof here. Don't add any extra salt! There are also plenty of tomato soups that are low sodium now. I didn't have any in my pantry, so I just used regular soup. There are ways to lower that number! All in all, this soup is great for you. And the cayenne pepper? That's belly-warming. :)

This soup is hearty, filling, spicy, and yes...cold. So easy to make, so easy to eat. Enjoy!

Potato Cakes

2010-10-16T09:25:00.004-06:00

'Ello, blogosphere!
What has it been now...a month since my last post? For those of you who I'm close to in real life, not just the wonderful world wide web, you know about all the craziness that has gone down the last few months. Everyone else, just know that I'm back. I'm cooking again, I'm baking again, and I'm sharing again!

My best best BEST friend, Marissa (teacup tattoo!), has a wonderful man in her life who happens to be from England. The three of us chat quite a bit (thank you, Blackberry...) and Mr. England talks about British food all the time. I don't know if it's because he's aware I'm a fat kid at heart or if he wants to show off all the tasty treats England has to offer. Either way, you won't hear me complaining!

Last week, I was home in New Hampshire when he mentioned Potato Cakes with Mushy Peas. I'm not going to lie: if I read that on a menu somewhere, I wouldn't order it. Maybe just the Mushy Peas part of it. I do love a good Latke, though, so after he went on about Potato Cakes, I decided I was going to whip up a batch for my mother and I.

THEY CAME OUT SO GOOD!!!!!!!!

Even the Mushy Peas! So good, in fact, I brought some to my sister and she wanted the recipe. Then I brought one into work this week and forks were coming in from all angles. My boss started expanding on the idea: Sweet Potato Cakes, anyone? Adding scallions? Sour cream?

The possibilities are endless. And inexpensive. My kinda dish!

Potato Cakes with Mushy Peas
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 15-20 minutes

3 large potatoes, peeled, diced, and boiled
2 tbsp Earth Balance soy butter, plus 2 tbsp for frying
2 tbsp - 1/4 cup unsweetened, full-fat soy milk
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 - 1 tbsp parsley
salt and pepper, to taste
1/4 - 1/2 cup unbleached flour

*I know the measurements aren't really exact. Since potatoes come in different sizes and starch levels, each batch might use a different measurement.

1. After you boil the potatoes, mash together the soy butter, milk, garlic, parsley, salt and pepper. You're basically making mashed potatoes here! Add the flour, starting with 1/4 cup. You're looking for a doughy consistency. It shouldn't stick to your hands but it shouldn't be too dense.

2. In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, melt the remaining soy butter. Form pancakes with 1/2 cup of the dough. You want them to be about 1/4-inch thick. Fry till a dark, golden, crispy brown and flip. When the other side is crispy, remove from heat and serve immediately.

Mushy Peas
Prep time: 2 minutes

2 cups frozen peas
2 tbsp soy butter
2 tbsp unsweetened soy milk
salt and pepper, to taste

1. Duh! Mush everything together! :) Serve with the freshly made Potato Cakes. I like my Mushy Peas right on top so each bite gets an equal amount of deliciousness.

Please promise me you'll try to make these! I'm a girl on a budget now and these are inexpensive, delicious, and you can make the dough and stick it in the fridge! You can eat them just like this, or maybe make them for breakfast like a hashbrown, or even a late night snack! Enjoy, ladies and gents!

Boston Cream Cupcakes

2010-09-14T08:22:00.004-06:00

At a time like this, ladies and gents, a girl needs cupcakes. Chocolate and vanilla and cream filling...OH MY!!!
It's been a crazy summer. Not awesome, not exciting, just crazy. Things are very different and everything is upside down, but I'm still baking and I'm still vegan, so here we are!

These cupcakes are fancy! They take a bit more work than regular cook-and-frost cupcakes, but they're worth it. I promise. They're in three parts: the cupcake, the filling, and the ganache. It's work, but you'll love them!

Boston Cream Cupcakes
Prep time: 20-30 minutes, plus cooling time
Cook time: 20 minutes

Golden Vanilla Cupcake

1 cup plain soy milk
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 1/4 cups unbleached flour
2 tbsp cornstarch
3/4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1/3 cup canola oil
3/4 cup granulated sugar
2 1/4 tsp vanilla extract

1. Preheat oven to 350° F and line muffin pan with cupcake liners.

2. Whisk the soy milk and vinegar in a measuring cup and set aside a few minutes to get good and curdled.

3. Beat together the soy milk mixture, oil, sugar, and vanilla in a large bowl. Sift in the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and mix until no large lumps remain.

4. Fill cupcake liners two-thirds of the way (I use a 1/4 cup measuring cup to make sure they're all even) and bake for 20 to 22 minutes till done. Transfer to a cooling rack.

(Just so you guys know what Agar Agar looks like...here's a picture of the kind I use. It's in the Asian section and is a must for any vegan kitchen!

Vanilla Vegan Pastry Creme

1/2 cup soy milk
1/2 tsp agar powder or 1 1/2 tsp agar flakes
4 tsp arrowroot
6 oz soft silken tofu (half of a Mori-Nu package)
1/3 cup superfine or castor sugar (I just blended regular sugar until it was the right consistency)
Pinch salt
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1. Pour 1/3 cup soy milk into a small saucepan; keep the remaining soy milk in the measuring cup. Sprinkle agar powder over the soy milk in the saucepan and cook mixture over medium heat, stirring constantly. Bring mixture to a boil, reduce heat, and continue to cook for about 4 minutes. The agar will be dissolved when the soy milk appears smooth, and a spoon dipped into the mixture does not have any undissolved agar flakes or powder flecks sticking to the spoon.

2. Whisk the powdered arrowroot into the remaining soy milk in the measuring cup. Pour the arrowroot mixture into the agar mixture in a steady stream, stirring the whole time. The mixture will cook and get very thick in 1 to 2 minutes, and when done it will resemble a very thick pudding. Remove from heat and set aside. Place it in the refrigerator and allow it to set for at least an hour.

3. Crumble tofu into a blender, add the sugar, salt, and cooked arrowroot mixture. Blend till creamy. Add vanilla extract and blend again. Scrape mixture into a container, cover, and put in refrigerator to chill and firm up, at least an hour.

Rich Chocolate Ganache Topping

1/4 cup soy milk
4 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped
2 tbsp pure maple syrup

1. Bring the soy milk to a gentle boil in a small sauce pan. Immediately remove from heat and add the chocolate and maple syrup. Use a rubber spatula to mix the chocolate until it is fully melted and smooth. Set aside at room temperature till ready to use.

TO ASSEMBLE:

1. Make a hole in the center of each cupcake by poking with your CLEAN finger (just sayin'.). Very gently press the sides and bottom of the hole to make it a little larger. You'll want the space to be able to fill in with lots of custard.

2. Fit a pastry bag with a large round or star-tipped nozzle, then fill bag with firmed pastry creme. Fill only halfway to make handling the bag easier.

3. Fill each cupcake with pastry creme, trying to get as much filling as possible into the cupcakes. Cupcakes should feel noticeably heavier. Remove any excess creme on top by wiping with a knife or finger. Spread tops of cupcakes with ganache. Chill until ready to serve.

There you have it! A little bit of Boston, no matter where you are.

Is there anything you want to see used in a recipe? Some crazy ingredient or a dish that you really want to try vegan?

PS: Stay tuned for a long-overdue giveaway!!!

Beer-Battered Onion Rings

2010-07-20T07:47:00.005-06:00

When most people hear or think the word VEGAN, their brow furrows and they think, "What do you eat??". It isn't all tofu and fake meat, my curious little friends. I don't like food that tastes like twigs. I don't gather leaves outside and boil them in a broth of Burt's Bees and Whole Foods leftovers.

I LOVE FOOD.
Great tasting food.
This girl can eat, I promise. Maybe it's not rotting carcass and maybe it's full of ingredients that confuse people even more than the phrase, "I LOVE TOFU!", but I love me some tasty grub.

Most days, I eat really well. I try to stick to 1200 calories or less, give or take depending on how hard I work out (or how hard I sit on the couch). Some days, however, I need comfort food.

Whether it's a fat day:

...or a bad hair day:

...or just a plain, ol' broken heart:

...comfort food really hits the spot. Maybe you'll feel a little guilty the next day, but nothing makes this girl feel better than something greasy or chocolatey or not-good-for-you. Hopefully these days don't last long, so I say SPLURGE!!!

That's why I love these onion rings.
1. They're beer-battered. I heart beer.
2. They're fried. I don't eat fried food often, but it's yummy.
3. They're onion-y. No one wants to be around someone who's eaten straight-up onions, unless they're eating them with you, so dig in.

Beer-Battered Onion Rings
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: However long it takes to get them greasy-brown

1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup beer (Bud Light for a bad hair day, IPA for the heart)
4 tablespoons Earth Balance, melted
salt to taste
1-2 large onions, sliced into rings
1 quart oil for frying

1. In a HUGE pan (or deep fryer, if you have one, which is crazy!), heat the oil to 375° F. If you don't have a thermometer, here's a trick: splash a drop of water in the oil and if it "freaks out", you're good to go.

2. Dip the onions in the batter. Try not to let a lot of it drip off; immediately and carefully drop the onion into the oil. Repeat! Make sure you don't overcrowd them. You can flip them over if you want, just to check the color. When they're golden brown, carefully take them out with a pair of tongs and place them on a plate covered in paper towels to absorb the greasy deliciousness. Do this until all your onions are cooked up. Sprinkle with salt to taste.

Serve this with leftover beer, then a full one. I dipped mine in a mixture of ketchup, vegan mayonnaise, and hot sauce. They were heavenly.

That's it, my dears. Remember: when all else fails, food is there for you. Spoken like a true fat kid. :)

I hope this Tuesday finds you with good hair, skinny jeans, and a happy heart!

"Chicken" Salad

2010-07-08T08:02:00.010-06:00

Goodness gracious!!!
Can you tell it's been a busy summer??? I just looked and saw that I only posted FIVE TIMES last month. I promise, it's with good reason. After visiting with my mom:

...going to Wisconsin to see some of our darling friends get married (and meeting some of the nicest people in the world!!! I love Wisconsin!!!):

...and having a visit from my best friend (she's Canadian, it's been 7 years, and it was the best trip EVER!):

(We got matching tattoos! We're avid tea drinkers. Tea has been there for us when jobs and boys and catty girls and the party scene haven't.)

...I'm a little tired and looking forward to some down time. Not before I share this amazing recipe with you, though!

I was at the grocery store the day that my MerMer left. My other favorite friend in the world (yeah, I have a few of those!), Missy, had sent me a text about the "chicken" salad she had just made. I asked for the ingredients, bought them, and within 20 minutes, was eating it. She laughed a bit at me because I had made it so fast, but it sounded so good!

(Quick background on Missy: we've known each other for years. For some reason, when we lived on the island of Okinawa together, we weren't vegan or even vegetarian. Now that we're no longer almost-neighbors, she decided to jump on the vegan bandwagon with me and we're both so aware of what we eat and how are bodies handle it.)

Missy & I 4 years ago:

Missy & I last month:

Going vegan has done a body good!

Anyway, I digress. This is a food blog, after all. :)

"Chicken" Salad
Prep time: 5 minutes

1 15-oz can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup Vegenaise
1-2 celery stalks, diced
1/4 cup green onion, thinly sliced
Black pepper, to taste (I used TONS)

1. Mash the chickpeas with a potato masher until there's just a few big pieces left. Add the other ingredients, mix, and enjoy thoroughly. Which you will. :)

Here's your nutritional value for REAL chicken salad (as seen here):

...and here's the value for THIS "chicken" salad:

Look at that protein and fiber! AND IT'S DELICIOUS, PEOPLE!!!
Cody gobbled this stuff up.

I don't know why you're still reading this. You should be at the store or going through your fridge, figuring out if you can make this. :)

Lentil Loaf with Basil Mashed Potatoes

2010-06-22T07:48:00.009-06:00

June has been a faboosh month! I like to think that it's because of my Rob Pattinson calendar. My thoughtful & loving husband gave me a Rob calendar for Christmas and every month on the first, when I turn the page over to see a new picture of Robby, I pretty much know what kind of month it's going to be. This picture brought an insanely awesome June:

I've been able to spend time with family, reconnect with old friends, attend the final PDub, saw Iron Maiden and Dream Theatre, went camping. I'm going to see a whooooooole slew of old friends in three days when we go to watch two of our friends get married (I get to sing at their wedding and spend it with my husband in a tuxedo. :)), then the rest of the month is spent planning and shopping and cleaning and FREAKING OUT for my Marissa's arrival on July 1. It's been seven years since I've seen her beautiful face and I couldn't be more excited to spend a few days with her!!! And heck...with July starting off like that, it has to be a good month, right? We'll see, Edward. We'll see.

Other good things that have happened this month? The food.
I can't lie, it's been amazing! I've got some pretty awesome recipes to put up...from foreign desserts to camping food. Another reason July should be great. :)

This next recipe is pretty awesome! It kinda made me feel like the wife I was 4 years ago: making full-course, full-fat, meaty, cheesy, standard American meals. I might sound like I hated this, but I didn't. I didn't know any better then, and cooking was how I really started showing my husband how much I loved him. I wanted to make all the delicious foods my mom made us, too. As I got better with cooking, I did it more. I think that has a lot to do with why I stayed so heavy for so long. Anyway, I digress. This meal is such a healthy alternative to the traditional meatloaf dinner. We had to use some basil from the garden (yesssss......), so I decided to try a basil butter to put in the mashed potatoes. Huge success. :)

Lentil Loaf
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes

Tomato Topping

1 6-oz can tomato paste
1 tbsp sugar
1/2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp onion flakes (or 1/2 tsp onion powder)
1 tsp garlic salt

Lentil Loaf

Lentil Loaf

1 cup old fashioned oats
1/2 block extra firm tofu
1 cup onion, chopped
1/2 cup green pepper, chopped
1/2 cup red pepper, chopped
1 tbsp Tomato Topping (recipe above)
3 tbsp yellow cornmeal
3/4 cup lentils, cooked and drained (I used black lentils!)
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
2 tbsp olive oil
1/4 tsp thyme
1/4 tsp cumin
1 tsp chili powder
1 tsp dried parsley
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp ground mustard

1. Preheat oven to 375° F. Mix the tomato topping together first because you're going to need a tablespoon to mix into the lentil loaf. The rest will be set aside to coat the loaf when its assembled.

2. Add 1 tablespoon of the olive oil to a skillet on medium heat. Add chopped onions and the peppers. Let cook until onions are transparent, about 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Cool.

3. In a food processor, chop oats for 5 quick pulses. Set aside.

4. Drain tofu well and press with hands until all excess water comes out. In a mixing bowl, mash tofu with a fork or use grater to coarsely grate. In the same mixing bowl combine cooked onions and peppers, 1 tablespoon of tomato mixture, oats, corn meal, lentils, balsamic vinegar, soy sauce, 1 tablespoon olive oil, thyme, cumin, chili powder, parsley, salt, sugar, garlic salt, onion powder, ground mustard and mix until well combined.

5. Spray a large sheet of foil with cooking spray to form loaf on, place on cookie sheet. On top and in the middle of tin foil form loaf mixture into loaf that is 2 1/2 inches high and 4 1/2 inches square. Coat top and sides with tomato mixture. Cook loaf for 20 minutes, then cover with tin foil and cook for another 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for 10 minutes before cutting.

I have to admit, I didn't LOVE meatloaf growing up. In fact, I think it was in the bottom 10 meals. Not that it wasn't good, I was just convinced that I didn't like onions or peppers. You can only lie to yourself for so long!

As far as the mashed potatoes go...I just put 1/4 cup of Earth Balance with a pinch of garlic salt and about 1/3 cup of fresh, packed basil leaves in my little food processor. I blended it until smooth and used that instead of regular butter along with soy milk to mash my potatoes.

Now a few questions for you!

It's officially summer. How do you plan on spending it?

Picnics?

Camping?

Running off to Mexico?

Some other fabulous way you can't wait to tell me about?

Berry Pie

2010-06-17T08:17:00.003-06:00

Of all the holidays on our calendar, the ones that really make me happy are Thanksgiving and the Fourth of July. Both of them have no presents. Thanksgiving is about being thankful, seeing family, friends, and eating amazing food allllll day. July Fourth celebrates our wonderful country. Pretty much everyone looks forward to these holidays. It's hard to be disappointed...unless your Tofurkey is a little dry. :)

Memorial Day is another great holiday. Most everyone gets a long weekend, there are nonstop BBQs, beer drinking, maybe some fireworks, and lots of great tributes to the men and women who have served our nation. This year, Codester and I went to the family's house for some BBQ. We had a great batch of roasted asparagus (which means to us that it really is summer), amazing potato salad ala Dei, a white bean chili, recipe coming shortly, and some amazing desserts. D.E.I. made blueberry crisp that had some of the biggest blueberries I've ever seen. I made a strawberry & blueberry pie that I topped with some coconut whipped cream. Look how great this is!

Yes, I know my crust isn't all that pretty. I still haven't mastered fluting. It tastes delicious, however, and I think it makes is look kinda rustic. Ha!

Berry Pie
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes

1 9-inch pie crust, cooked
3 cups strawberries, hulled and sliced
1 cup blueberries
1 cup sugar
3 tbsp corn starch
1 tbsp fresh squeezed lemon juice

1. In a large bowl, mash 2 cups strawberries with a potato masher. You want these to get really mashed up, so don't go easy on them. Add the sugar, corn starch, and lemon juice.

2. Pour the strawberry mixture into a medium-sized sauce pan and warm over medium heat, stirring constantly. Bring to a small boil, continuing to stir, and reduce heat to low. Cook until it resembles a jelly. Remove from heat.

3. Gently fold in blueberries. Pour into prepared crust, smoothing out as much as possible. Arrange the remaining sliced strawberries and blueberries on top of the pie. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour.

Coconut Whipped Cream
Prep time: 5 minutes

(This is how it's done, ladies & gents. I haven't made whipped cream because the thought of using tofu scares ME. This is light and fluffy and has the sweet hint of coconut.

1 15-oz can full-fat coconut milk, refrigerated
1/3 cup confectioners' sugar
1/4 cup powdered soy milk
1/4 tsp vanilla, if desired

1. Make sure you refrigerate the can of soy milk for at least 4 hours. This will really help it separate. Open the can and scoop out only the hardened parts. Leave the milk for something later, like curry.

2. Beat the coconut milk on high until light and fluffy. This could take up to 8 minutes, so if you have a stand-up mixer, rock it. Sift in the confectioners' sugar and powdered soy milk. Continue to beat for 2 minutes. Add vanilla, if using.

You can put this stuff in a decorating bag. You can dollop it with a spoon. You can use your (washed) finger to taste it right outta the bowl. It's so good. Seriously.

I hope you try this pie for summer...maybe even for Independence Day!!!

Soft Corn Tacos

2010-06-14T08:19:00.003-06:00

I love Mexican food. Mexi-Cali, Tex-Mex, and especially New Mexican. I've been saving up pictures of some amazing vegan dishes, all from the restaurant I work for, La Salita. If someone were to ask me what the difference is between Mexican and New Mexican food, I'd quickly reply, "THE CHILE!!!" No one does chile, like New Mexico...and no one does red chile like La Salita.

Sometimes when I'm standing up at the window at work, waiting for food orders, certain smells will catch me off guard and I'll crave whatever it is that smells so good. Lately it's been corn tortillas. More specific: soft corn tacos. Here's my tasty soft corn taco recipe that even includes a little La Salita Red Chile, which you can order HERE.

Soft Corn Tacos
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes

4 corn tortillas
1 cup Textured Vegetable Protein
1 cup boiling water, plus 1/4 cup water, divided
1 tbsp olive oil
Shredded lettuce
(Tomato, if you want it.)
Vegan Cheese
Red or green chile

Taco Seasoning
This is a little something I always have in my cabinet, ready to go. It's so much better for you than that pre-made, high-sodium, store-bought seasoning!!!

1 tbsp chili powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp dried oregano
1/2 tsp paprika
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp black pepper

1. In a large bowl, mix TVP with boiling water and let sit for 10 minutes.

2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add hydrated TVP, Taco Seasoning, and 2 tbsp of water. Mix to combine. Cook for about 5 minutes; if more water is needed, add by the tablespoon until you get a nice taco "meat" texture.

3. To heat your corn tortillas, place tortillas on a plate, cover with an inverted plate, and heat for 30 seconds in the microwave. Assemble tacos with some chile, taco meat, veggies, cheese, and whatever else your little heart desires.

That's it, my dearies! Not much to it! We love these tacos, and I'm sure you will, too. Just know they're a tad bit messier because they're soft corn! And if you don't steam the corn tortillas, chances are, they're going to break on you. Just sayin'!

Does anyone happen to know what the difference between Mexi-Cali and Tex-Mex is?

Seitan Piccata with White Wine and Capers

2010-06-09T09:21:00.008-06:00

There are three things I love more than anything else in the world:

My husband:

My family:

My friends:

This blog is about all three. :)

Let's start with the why.

The reason I made this dinner is because I was showing a lil' love to C-Dog. My wonderful mom was here visiting for about a week...and then I was going to California to visit with my sister, her amazing girls, and my aunt and cousins...so I hadn't really been able to make him a nice meal. This was to make up for that. :)

That takes care of husband and family...2/3 of my list....now on to friends:

One of the sweetest and most darling friends that I have, Erin, is a constant reminder that there are good people in the world. She's so thoughtful, it gives me the thoughtfulness bug and makes me want to be kind to other people as well. I love her for that. When we first became friends, she sent me an autographed copy of The Kind Diet by Alicia Silverstone. It's such an amazing read and has a plethora of amazing recipes. This recipe is from the book, given to me by a good friend. There's the last third. Bring on the recipe!

Seitan Piccata with White Wine and Capers
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes

Seitan Cutlets

1 cup vital wheat gluten
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp basil
3/4 cup vegetable broth
2 tbsp tahini

1. Prepare some aluminum foil by tearing off 4 10-inch pieces. Get a steamer ready and start heating water.

2. In a mixer or large bowll, combine the vital wheat gluten,nutritional yeast, onion powder, salt, and basil. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the broth and tahini. Stir the wet mixture into the dry until well blended. Knead gently 10 times. Quickly divide dough into 4 equal pieces.

3. Take a piece of dough and shape and flatten it into a thin oval-shaped cutlet. Place it on a sheet of foil, a little higher than center. Fold the bottom of the foil over to meet the top, and then fold the two edges over about 1/2 inch to form a seam. Continue folding the foil by half inches until it reaches just above the cutlet. Flatten the cutlet down a little more, and then fold the left and right edges in the same way until the packet is snug around the cutlet. Repeat with all pieces of dough.

4. Place the packets flat into the steamer and cover. Steam for 25 minutes. Keep packets sealed until you’re ready to use them.

White Wine and Capers Sauce

Whole wheat flour for dredging
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 cup diced shallots (I used scallions because it's what I had on hand)
1/2 cup diced onions
1 tsp chopped garlic
1/4 cup drained capers
1 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 cup vegetable broth, preferably homemade
2 tablespoons unbleached flour
4 tablespoons soy margarine
1 cup chopped fresh parsley
1/2-3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated black pepper

Dredge the seitan in the whole wheat flour, shaking off any excess. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over high heat in a large skillet. Add the seitan pieces, and saute until crisp and golden brown, about 30 seconds per side. Transfer the seitan to a serving platter or individual plates.

Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons oil in the same skillet. Add the shallots, onions, garlic, and capers and saute, stirring frequently, until softened, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the wine, and cook, stirring frequently, until reduced by half. Whisk in the lemon juice, and cook until the sauce has reduced a bit more, 1 to 2 minutes longer.

Whisk in the broth and the unbleached flour, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, and simmer for 1 minute to thicken. Whisk in the margarine, parsley, salt, and pepper. Pour over the seitan, and serve immediately.

I paired this with some wilted baby spinach and mushroom couscous. It was quite tasty, I can't lie. Especially since I drank a glass of the delicious Pinot Gris I used to cook with. ;)

This blog really brings me to a new level of hippie-ness and really makes me realize how intertwined we all are. You can't take anyone out of the equation. On that note, I need to go hug a tree and tie-dye some shirts.

WINNER ANNOUNCED!

2010-06-07T20:29:00.004-06:00

Hello, bloggies! I'm so sorry I didn't get to announcing the winner of my Endangered Species Chocolate Giveaway. I ended up going to LA this weekend...and San Diego...and Lake Forest...and had the most amazing time. I visited with my sister & her girls (along with our family friend, Melissa) who surprised my cousins out in California. I was able to see our Marine Corps friends that I haven't seen in 2 years and it was the most long overdue visit in the history of visits. I took part in the final PDub. My Marine Corps friend, Missy, who is also Vegan, came up with her beautiful family and we spent the day in the pool then ate at an entirely Vegan restaurant, The Wheel of Life. If you're ever in SoCal, you seriously need to try this place. Here's us with our first taste of Vegan shrimp!

Such an amazing weekend. There was very little sleep but the smiles and laughs were overflowing.

ON TO THE WINNER!

Stephanie @ The Grant's Giveaways is going to be getting a gift basket from Endangered Species. Send me an email with your address, Stephanie! :)

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend!

Vacations and Giveaways!

2010-05-27T07:49:00.004-06:00

Hey, everyone! I've really been slacking this month on my blogging, but I promise, it's with good reason! My beautiful mother was here, visiting from New Hampshire. We were just busybusybusy. It was seriously nonstop! We had some amazing adventures and it still makes me sad to think she's already gone. I feel like time goes by faster when you want it to slow down. Here are some pictures from our trip:

We went hiking to hot springs, cheered at an Isotopes game, took the train to Santa Fe, and ate some delicious food along the way. She was here to help me celebrate my birthday and made it one of the most memorable days of my 28 years. I love you mom! <3

Since I've been so busy, I haven't been cooking up new stuff, so I'm going to do a giveaway. Have you tried Endangered Species Chocolate yet? This stuff is sooooo good. They're awesome enough to have sent me some samples and they're going to put together a gift basket for the winner of this giveaway!

Here are the rules!

1. Leave a comment telling me what your all-time favorite kind of chocolate is.
2. Go to the Endangered Species Chocolate webpage and tell me a something you learned!

Extra entries:

3. TWEET ME! Go post a link to this giveaway on Twitter and leave me a comment and link letting me know you did.
4. Link back on Facebook and, you guessed it, leave me a comment letting me know you shamelessly plugged my giveaway.
5. Have a blog? If you link back to this giveaway on your blog, you get FIVE EXTRA CHANCES to win so leave one comment with the link to your blog and 4 extra comments for being so awesome.

I'll announce the giveaway next Friday, June 4th. Which will be an awesome day in its own right. :)

I hope you've all had a wonderful week so far! Any big plans for Memorial Day?

Coconut Lime Cupcakes

2010-05-19T06:21:00.004-06:00

It's 6:23 in the morning and I've been up for nearly 3 hours.
MY MOM FLIES IN TODAY!!!

Those of you who don't know, my entire family is in New Hampshire. It's where I was born and raised and it's my favorite state in the world! Live Free or Die! Anyway, last May, Sgt Husband & I drove (yes, DROVE) to my beautiful home state and visited with the family for a week. It was such an amazing time! I also went back in September for the Jacob Memorial Walk to remember my amazing nephew.

Seriously, how handsome! Love you & miss you, Jacob!

Anyway...due to flight changes and having to go back to work (where I got laid off the day I got back...awesome...), I was only able to spend 17 hours in New Hampshire. I don't really constitute that a visit. It was more of a tease! But here we are, one year later, and my mom is on her way here! I'm so nervous and excited and anxious...hence the no sleeping. Considering she's one of my biggest mentors for cooking, there will probably be some fancy stuff headed your way next week.

ON TO FOOD!!!

I made these cupcakes for Cinco de Mayo. The lime and coconut mix was absolutely perfect. They were light and refreshing, yet super moist and perfect.

Coconut Lime Cupcakes
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes

1/3 cup coconut oil
3/4 cup sugar
1 cup coconut milk
1/4 cup soy milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tsp coconut extract
1 tbsp lightly packed, finely grated lime zest
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup unsweetened coconut

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a cupcake pan with liners.

2. Melt the coconut oil in a small saucepan over very low heat. Once melted, turn the heat off but leave it in the pan on the stove so that it stays warm and does not solidify.

3. In a medium bowl, mix together the melted coconut oil and sugar. Add the coconut milk, soy milk, vanilla, coconut extract, and lime zest. Mix to combine.

4. Add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix until smooth. Add the coconut and mix to incorporate.

5. Bake for 23 to 25 minutes, until the cupcake top springs back when touched and a toothpick inserted through the center comes out clean.

6. Cool completely before icing.

Lime Buttercream Frosting

1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1/2 cup vegan margarine (Earth Balance)
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
3 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 tsp finely grated lime zest

1. Beat the shortening and margarine together until combined well and fluffy. Add the sugar and beat for about 3 more minutes. Add the vanilla and lime juice, beat for another 5 to 7 minutes or so until fluffy. Add the zest and mix to distribute. Chill until ready to use.

Assemble

Heap the frosting onto the cupcakes. Place the flaked coconut on a pie plate. Gently roll the cupcakes, sides first, in the coconut. Place decorative lime slices on top. Keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

I promise, if you like lime and you like coconut, you'll lurve these tasty little gems. They were a huge hit!

Alright, my dears. Off for some last minute cleaning (not that my house needs it after the week I've spent preparing), more coffee, and more Saved By the Bell. xo

Jerky Winner!

2010-05-16T10:11:00.003-06:00

Random.org picked comment #31 this morning....which means that Leslie @ Better Together won some Primal Spirit Jerky!!! Jerky made of soy and mushrooms and seitan. I wonder what her husband will think of this?

I've got a few tasty recipes up my sleeve, lovelies. I just need to find the time! I'm trying to get my house immaculate for my mom. Don't get me wrong; my house is mostly spotless all the time. Alphabetized, color coded, you name it. My mom has just never been to a house that Cody & I lived in together because our only house prior to this was in Japan! Wish me luck on the cleaning!

If only I looked this good while doing said cleaning........wish me luck on that, too?

Eggs Benny

2010-05-14T09:54:00.003-06:00

Happy Friday, bloggies! I hope you all have something wonderful and exciting planned this weekend, even if it's doing nothing. I'm going to be a tad bit busy and super jealous of all the people who get to run the Kirtland Armed Forces Day Half-Marathon. I have a bib, but sadly, I have a pulled hamstring. Just when I think it's getting better and I do a few squats to test it out, I'm reminded within minutes that it's not healed. Boooooo. Oh well. I still have my mommy coming in 5 DAYS to cheer me up.

My beautiful mom making a tasty drink.

Something else that cheers me up? Amazing food. Even more so: AMAZING BREAKFAST. I don't know what it is about breakfast, but I could eat it all day, every day. Pancakes, tofu scramble, french toast, and now my new favorite, Eggs Benny. This recipe is mostly from Isa Chandra Moskowitz' book, Vegan Brunch. A vegan cookbook dedicated to brunch?? Yee haw! Eggs Benny obviously starts with the English muffin. Which were homemade. And easy. I will never buy English muffins again. Then there's the egg, made with tofu. I didn't make the Hollandaise sauce from the book as I didn't have some of the ingredients. I also decided to add some Smart Bacon for the "ham" and some spinach because I love spinach and it gave the Benny a little florentine kick.

Eggs Benny
Prep time: English muffins should be do-aheads, as well as marinading the tofu. So start this the day before you want to make it.
Cook time: 15 minutes

English Muffins
1 tsp active dry yeast
1 tbsp sugar
1 cup lukewarm water

2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 tsp salt

3 tbsp margarine (I use Earth Balance)

A few tablespoons cornmeal
Nonhydrogenated margarine for skillet

1. In a small bowl, combine the yeast, sugar, and water; set aside until the yeast has dissolved, about 5 minutes. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour and salt; make a well in the center and add the yeast mixture and margarine. Mix until a dough forms, then turn out onto a floured surface; knead until smooth and springy, 6 to 10 minutes. Return the dough to the bowl and cover with plastic wrap or a damp tea towel; set in a warm place and let rise until just about doubled, about an hour.

2. Preheat a cookie sheet in the oven to 350° F. Punch dough down and knead for a minute, then roll out on a floured surface until 1/2 inch thick. Cut into 3-inch rounds using a cookie cutter and pat both sides into cornmeal. Preheat a large skillet, preferably cast iron, over medium heat; melt about 1 tablespoon margarine in it (the pan should not be hot enough to burn the margarine). Cook the muffins in the pan in small batches so as not to crowd the pan, flipping once, about 1 minute a side or until it looks lightly browned like an English muffin. Put each batch straight from the skillet into the oven; bake for 6 to 10 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for half an hour before serving.

Tofu Eggs
2 pounds firm tofu
1 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp ground mustard
1 cup vegetable broth
1/4 tsp arrowroot (I used cornstarch)
1 tsp black salt (I've referred to this a million times...I hope you've gotten some by now! :))
2 tbsp white wine vinegar
2 tbsp olive oil, plus more for cooking (I used some margarine to cook the tofu, so I didn't need more than 2 tbsp.)

1. Combine all the marinade ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Gently press some of the water out of the tofu. Lay the tofu on its narrow side and slice into three pieces lengthwise. So basically you will have three slices that are large, flat rectangles. Use a 3-inch cookie cutter to cut circles out of each tofu slice. Repeat with the next block of tofu. Reserve the rest of the tofu for another use, it will be about a pound of leftover.

2. Marinate the tofu circles for about an hour, but it's great to do overnight, too.

3. To time this right, you should start cooking the tofu when you're letting the Hollandaise sauce cool. It's really simple, just preheat a cast-iron pan over medium heat, add a thin layer of olive oil (or margarine) and cook on each side till nicely browned, about 15 minutes.

Hollandaise Sauce (NOT from this book.)
1/2 cup Earth Balance
1 cup vegan sour cream (I use Tofutti)
1/4 cup vegan mayonnaise (I use Vegenaise)
3 tsp nutritional yeast
1/4 tsp black salt (there it is again!)
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 tbsp lemon juice

1. In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium-low heat. Whisk all the other ingredients in, making sure to keep it smooth. You don't want this to bubble, so keep on low for about 3 minutes, constantly stirring, then remove from heat.

At this point, cook your tempeh bacon, if using.

ASSEMBLY

1. Either toast your English muffin or just slice and lay cut side up.
2. Add some baby spinach on top of the muffin.
3. Lay a few slices of bacon on the spinach.
4. Put your tofu on top of the bacon.
5. Smother with Hollandaise sauce.
6. Shovel into your mouth.

I hope you get the chance to at least make these English muffins. Cody & I both wolfed a couple down fresh out of the oven. They were seriously some of the best I've ever had. If you're not lucky enough to be vegan (toot toot), you can just replace the vegan margarine with regular margarine and make them just the same.

I hope you all have wonderful weekends! Last night, we were able to spend some time with some amazing married-friends. The dinner was great (and vegan! Thank you, my dear!), there was a lot of laughing, a lot of conversation, and even some tea at the end named Lady Londonderry (L-Town represent!). I hope you can find yourselves around friends like this at some point this weekend. It really lifted my spirits and reminded me of how absolutely lucky Cody & I are. XO

PS: My luck only comes in the form of good friends lately; I managed to pull my hamstring pretty bad at the Run for the Zoo a few weekends ago. Like, pulled-so-badly-it's-black-and-blue-all-along-my-thigh pretty bad. Maybe I need a pair of fancy compression socks like the AMAZING Skinny Runner is giving away on her fabulous, must-read blog.

Tabouli

2010-05-12T07:58:00.003-06:00

A few weeks ago, I made the BEST new dinner ever: Falafel with Tzatziki Sauce. Naturally, I paired it with some Kale Chips because we always have kale in the fridge, but I also had a box (yes, a box) of tabouli mix and I thought it would go perfect with our mostly-Mediterranean meal. I was a little disappointed! The tabouli from a box is far too minty and really just wasn't so good. Cody didn't really love it, but the sister-in-law thought it was good because she had never had tabouli before. Nothing to compare it to!

Well, brother-in-law Chuckles B. Hornsworth is home from a work trip and needed his turn with delicious falafel. This time, though, I decided to make homemade tabouli. I'm pretty sure it was cheaper, and more fresh, and more delicious. So you simply can't lose! Unless, of course, you're like me and hate tomatoes so much that cutting them makes you gag a little. Baby steps.

Tabouli
Prep time: 30 minutes

1 cup boiling water
1 cup Bulgar Wheat
1 cup minced fresh parsley leaves
1/2 cup minced fresh mint leaves
1/2 cup finely chopped yellow onion
1-3 tomatoes, diced (I only used one. I hate tomatoes. But you could probably add more!)
2 cucumbers, seeded and diced
3 tbsp olive oil
3 tbsp lemon juice
1 teaspoons sea salt

1. In a large mixing bowl, pour the boiling water over the bulgar wheat and cover; let stand about 20 minutes until wheat is tender and water is absorbed. Add the chopped herbs and vegetables and toss with the mix. Drizzle the oil, lemon juice, and sprinkle the salt over the wheat mixture and mix well. Chill. Serve with warm pita chips or crackers.

I served it with the warm pita chips, but I also dished out some greek hummus because I think it's easier to put a lil' hummus on the pita and then try to get some tabouli on it. Food engineering, my friends. Both Cody & Deidra liked this tabouli better, especially Cody, who didn't really eat much of the boxed kind. It's the type of food that's better the next day, too; let those fresh spices sit and get friendly. It's amazing.

You know what else is amazing??? The jerky that I'm giving away!!! I'll announce the winner on Friday! So if you haven't entered yet, what are you waiting for??? :)

Corn Chowder

2010-05-10T08:02:00.004-06:00

...or "chowdah" if you're from New England.

I've been on this frugal kick lately; my mom is coming to visit NEXT WEEK and I'm saving all my grocery shopping and cooking for her. This is going to be such a fun vacation for both of us. I seriously can't wait. It's been over a year since I got to spend time with my mom, so I'm sincerely looking forward to every last minute with her.

I digress! Me being frugal means going through my cabinets and trying to make something out of all the stuff I already have. This Vegan Paella was one of those meals. We've had a few blustery days here in good ol' New Mexico, so soup has still been on the menu. I decided to throw together some Corn Chowder because a. I LOVE CORN CHOWDER and b. I didn't have to go to the store for anything. Look how easy this soup is!

Corn Chowder
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 30-60 minutes

2 tbsp olive oil
2 small onions, chopped
2 tbsp Earth Balance
1/4 cup flour
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1/4 tsp ground turmeric
6 cups vegetable broth
3 large potatoes, peeled and diced
5 cups frozen corn
1 cup unsweetened, full-fat soy milk
1/4 cup vegan cheddar cheese (optional...unless you've tried DaiYa Cheese. It's unreal!)
2 tbsp bacon bits (YES! They're vegan!)

1. In a large stockpot over medium heat, get your olive oil and butter warmed up. Add the onions and and cook for 10 minutes, until the onions are translucent.

2. Stir in the flour, salt, pepper, and turmeric and cook for 3 minutes. Add the vegetable broth and potatoes, bring to a boil, and simmer uncovered for 15 minutes, until the potatoes are tender. Add the corn to the soup, then add the soy milk and cheese (if using). Cook for 5 more minutes, until the cheese is melted. Season, to taste, with salt and pepper. Serve hot with bacon bits as garnish.

This is a super-easy soup and is actually really good for you. It doesn't require skillz in the kitchen, either. You can kinda just throw it all together. So long as you know how to chop veggies, you can make this. Plus, it's better after a few days! Gotta love soup...

If you haven't gone over to my Primal Spirit Foods Jerky Giveaway yet, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR??? I think I might let this one go a little bit longer and let my MOM pick the winner on Random.org. Hope everyone has a wonderful week!

Primal Spirit Foods Jerky

2010-05-05T07:55:00.006-06:00

Happy Hump Day, blogosphere! I hope you're all finding yourself in good spirits and good weather. And Happy Cinco de Mayo! As someone who served and a wife of someone who served, I think it's so great that our country and most of its people are able to enjoy such an eclectic array of holidays. We're pretty lucky!

One of the things I find myself missing most, aside from cheese, is jerky. Cody's aunt makes some preeeeety tasty homemade jerky and she sends it out by the box. From teriyaki to pepper, she makes some great flavors. Unfortunately, the whole thought of actually consuming real, dried, animal flesh makes me a little nauseous. Ugh. Lucky for us, there's Primal Spirit Foods!!! The fabulous people from Primal Spirit sent me a bunch of their jerky: some for me to try and some for me to giveaway!!!!!

Cody & I both took a turn tasting these perfectly packaged treats. Here's what we thought!

Thai Peanut: We were kind of hoping for more heat. When I think Thai, I think spicy. It was super moist, so not quite jerky, but the texture was neat. I did like the peanut taste, but I wouldn't call it "Thai".

Hickory Smoked: GREAT FLAVOR!!! The texture was right on, too. This one is soy, which I think helps the texture and its chewiness. This one rocked!

Teriyaki: This one also rocked the flavor. It kind of fell apart, though. More like fillet mignon than jerky.

Hot & Spicy: This WAS, in fact, hot and spicy. It's also shitake mushroom, so it was good and chewy.

Texas BBQ: This one kinda fell apart on us. I do love a good BBQ, though! Maybe they should make this one a tad bit bigger than the rest since apparently everything is bigger in Texas?

Mesquite Lime: WOW!!! This one got your sucker puckered! It's definitely lime, that's for sure. By far the best texture, too!

Do you want to try these protein-packed snacks? I'm giving away one of each, so if you're intrigued, enter the giveaway! Here are the rules:

1. Leave a comment telling me why you want to try Primal Spirit Foods Jerky. (REQUIRED)

EXTRA CHANCES:

2. Leave a separate comment telling me which flavor you want to try!

3. Go to Primal Spirit Foods and leave a separate comment telling me something you learned...or something you already knew.

4. Tweet about it! Leave a link via comment telling me you did so!

5. Got Facebook? MySpace? Leave another comment telling me that you shamelessly plugged me.

6. Got a blog? Link back...and leave THREE comments linking back, including the link!

Get on it, folks! This is some tasty, unique shtuff. Happy Wednesday!

PS: Looking for some fun, safe, playtime stuff for the kiddos? Check out my friend's blog, Reaping What I Sow. She's giving away gluten free clay from AromaPlay. You don't want to miss out on this!!!

Vegan Paella

2010-05-03T08:40:00.006-06:00

Paella (Spanish pronunciation: [paˈeʎa]) is a Valencian rice dish that originated in its modern form in the mid-19th century near lake Albufera, a lagoon in Valencia, on the east coast of Spain.

I can't say I know much about Paella. What I do know, I likey. I know the first time I had it, I went back for seconds. It was full of shrimp and muscles, had a mild taste but was definitely Spanish. I know that my beautiful, Cuban best friend loves Paella and her parents make it the best. I also know that it's rice made with saffron (which sounds so exotic when said best friend says it) and loads of veggies. To me, Paella is kind of like goulash: if you have something to put in it, PUT IT IN!!!

I had some veggies and lots of rice and grains, so this is the Paella I came up with:

Vegan Paella
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 20-30 minutes

1/2 cup quinoa* (pronounced /ˈkiːnoʊ.ə/ or /kwɨˈnoʊ.ə/ or keen-wah)
1 cup brown rice
2 3/4 - 3 cup vegetable broth
splash of beer, whatever you have on hand and are drinking while you cook, per order of Cuban BFFL
1 yellow onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp olive oil
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
2 cups artichoke hearts, quartered
14 oz diced tomatoes, lightly drained
15 oz kidney beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 tsp saffron, crushed
1/2 tsp cumin
2 tsp Spanish paprika
dash cayenne pepper
salt & pepper, to taste
1 cup frozen or fresh peas
black olives (I used oil cured black olives)
fresh parsley, coarsely chopped, for garnish

*I know quinoa isn't a traditional grain in Paella, but I had it on hand so I HAD to use it. Plus, it's so much fun to say! If you don't have any quinoa, just use an additional 1/2 cup of rice.

1. In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cook until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook a little longer. Stir in the quinoa and/or the rice with the saffron; stir and cook for 2 minutes. Add the vegetable broth, peppers, artichokes, tomatoes, beans, cumin, paprika, cayenne pepper, and salt & pepper (if using). Bring to a boil and reduce heat to very low. Cover; cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. After 15 minutes, check on the grain. If it's a little dry, add 1/4 cup broth. If it's still hasn't absorbed all the liquid, keep cooking on low. I cooked for about 25 minutes after adding the extra 1/4 cup broth. Add the peas, stir, and cook until heated through. Garnish with black olives and fresh parsley.

I ate this with a sweet potato smothered in La Salita Red Chile for my pre-race meal. If you check out the carbs, you'll see I was on the right track! The serving size in the nutritional value if you're making it a MEAL. This is such a good side dish, though, so don't be turned off by it's high caloric and carb numbers! Bring it to a potluck or a BBQ. Make it and eat it as leftovers...trust me, it's better as leftovers! Whatever you do, however you serve it, just don't miss out on this amazing dish!

PS: Keep your eyes peeled for a giveaway, lovelies!

Spinach Soup

2010-04-29T08:27:00.008-06:00

I am the lover of all things spinach. Maybe it's from watching too much Popeye as a kid, but I love it! And I know how good it is for me!

I have this amazing friend who I have known for years. I haven't seen her in almost 7, which makes my heart break a little! We talk a lot, though, which is awesome since we went almost 4 without. I'm so glad she's back in my life, I'm actually going to post a horrible picture of us from 7 years ago. This was my 21st birthday:

This was the bar I worked at...she was always there (to visit me, not necessarily drink!) and she was always cheering me on when I sang...

And us being crazy. Something we were awfully good at!

Life with Rissa was always fun. Laughing, reading, tea time, snuggling...I'm a pretty lucky girl to have such a wonderful friend in my life! Exciting news, too: MARISSA HAS DECIDED TO GO VEGETARIAN!!! Yes, it may mean no more eggy cheesy bacon bagels, but I'm still working on how to veganise that one! :) She sent me an email this week with a Spinach Soup recipe from Kitchen Parade. I saw it yesterday and made it immediately. I trust her taste in food and I had the ingredients to make it, so here it is! The veganized version of Spinach Soup:

Spinach Soup
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes

1 tbsp Earth Balance Soy Margarine
1 small onion, chopped
2 tbsp unbleached all-purpose flour
10 ounces frozen or fresh spinach (If you're using fresh, which you should, it's about 5 cups)
3 cups vegetable broth
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1 cup unsweetened soy milk
Salt & pepper taste

1. In a large saucepan, melt Earth Balance on medium high til shimmery. Add onion, stir to coat, let cook until beginning to soften.

2. IF FROZEN SPINACH While the onion cooks, thaw the spinach in the microwave. Add to the onion mixture and cook for about 5 minutes. IF FRESH SPINACH) While the onion cooks, wash the fresh spinach very well by soaking and swishing in cold water. (It needn’t be trimmed but must be grit-free; to test, eat a piece of the raw spinach.) Stir into the onion mixture by the handful and cook until cooked but still bright green. Transfer the mixture to a blender (I used my food processor) and blend until smooth, adding some broth or stock if needed. Return the mixture to the saucepan. (Don’t waste the spinach left in the blender, just use the rest of the broth or stock to rinse it out into the saucepan when called for.)

3. Sprinkle the spinach mixture with the flour and stir in. Add the broth or stock, a tablespoon at a time at first, incorporating each addition before adding more. Stir in nutmeg and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium. Add milk and bring just to a boil but do not allow to boil. Season to taste. Spoon soup into bowls.

This soup was SOOOO good. I had two bowls, and when Cody got home, he took one bite and said, "Wow, babe. This is good." I don't know why he doubted me, but ha HA! Veggies 1, Carnivores, 0.

Thanks, Marissa! I love you!!! xo

PS: Want to win some awesome Muscle Soak from an awesome SkinnyRunner??? Go check it out!

Drumroll please......

2010-04-26T17:32:00.003-06:00

..........................The winner is, RACHEL over at Reaping What I Sow and Life with the Bugs!!! Rachel is someone I met in boot camp.

We looked a little less like this...

And a little more like this...

Regardless, we became Marines together! She has a beautiful family and has started cutting meat out of their diet. Maybe not the husband's...yet...but I know she'll keep pushing! I've seen it firsthand. Congratulations, my dear! Send me an email with your address and I will get these delicious cookies out to you asap!

Falafel with Tzatziki Sauce

2010-04-24T09:34:00.006-06:00

If nothing in this blog title makes sense to you, keep reading and expand your horizon (and your tastebuds).

falafel |fəˈläfəl| (also felafel)
noun
a Middle Eastern dish of spiced mashed chickpeas or other pulses formed into balls or fritters and deep-fried, usually eaten with or in pita bread.
ORIGIN from colloquial Egyptian Arabic falāfil, plural of Arabic fulful, filfil ‘pepper.’

tzatziki |tsäˈtsēkē| (also tzatziki sauce)
noun
a sauce of Greek origin, made from yogurt, garlic, and cucumbers.
ORIGIN mid 20th cent.: modern Greek, from Turkish cacık.

Prior to last week, I had never eaten a falafel before. Thanks to the goalie in THIS movie:

...I had heard of them, but never experienced them. So I did a little research, checked out a few different recipes, and decided to throw my own together.

Before we go any further, I would just like to let you know that this is our new favorite. Not just C-Dizzle and mine, but also Dei, the not-so-picky-anymore one. We ate every last morsel and I've already made them again.

*Note: If you're going to be eating these, be prepared for garlic & onion breath for a full 24 hours. Make sure everyone you surround yourself with is also going to be eating falafel. Otherwise, you might seem toxic.

Falafel
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes

15-oz can garbanzo beans (chickpeas), drained and rinsed
1 small onion, minced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
3 tbsp FRESH parsley, chopped
1 tbsp FRESH cilantro, chopped
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 tbsp tahini
1 tsp olive oil, plus 2 tbsp
1 tsp coriander
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/8-1/4 tsp crushed red pepper
2-4 tbsp unbleached all-purpose flour
Salt & pepper, to taste

1. In a large bowl, mash the garbanzo beans with a potato masher or a fork. Getting these as mashed as possible is key! Set aside. In a food processor, mince the onion and garlic cloves till finely minced (for the onion hater in your life!). Add to the mashed garbanzo beans. Add the parsley, cilantro, lemon juice, tahini, olive oil, coriander, turmeric, and crushed red pepper. Start out with 2 tbsp of flour. If you need more, add it 1 tbsp at a time. Add the salt & pepper, if using.

2. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, get 2 tbsp of olive oil nice and hot. Form the falafel mix into golf ball size balls, slightly flatten, and add to the pan carefully. Cook until a little darker than golden brown; flip and cook on the other side.

Tzatziki Sauce
Prep time: 5 minutes

2 6-oz containers PLAIN soy yogurt (meaning unsweetened!)
1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded, and diced
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 tbsp FRESH dill, chopped
3 cloves of garlic, peeled
Salt & pepper, to taste

1. Combine all the ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth.

Assembly

There is no science here! Take a warm flat bread or pita, spread a layer of tzatziki sauce, add lettuce, tomato (the picture is Dei's falafel. We do not consume tomato. Bleck!), whatever else your heart desires, and a little more tzatziki. I served this with tabouli, warm pita slices, and Kale Chips.

Here is the nutritional value for the falafel:

Look at all that protein! These would be great for carbo-loading, too.

And here is the tzatziki sauce:

The serving size here is a bit bigger than what you actually use, so don't be frightened by the calories!

This meal was so light, believe it or not, and very fresh. It's perfect for the upcoming summer weather and I have a feeling I'll be making it a lot! You should, too!

PS: There are still a few days left to enter my Alternative Baking Company Cookie Giveaway! The rules are easy: you just leave comments!

PPS: My mom is going to be here in 24 days! Woo hoo!

Reuben

2010-04-22T07:23:00.007-06:00

Who doesn't like a good Reuben sandwich? (I guess if you don't like sauerkraut, pastrami, Thousand Island dressing, or rye bread, you probably don't. Meh.) I love them. They're a little sweet, a little salty, and rye bread is deLISH. C-Dog and I were grocery shopping the other day and I came across a jar of sauerkraut. I put it in our basket and he was like, "We're never going to eat all that sauerkraut. You're crazy. Woh woh woh woh woh woh woh woh." I got it anyway, mostly because I wanted sauerkraut all over my Smart Dog.

(We're halfway through the huge jar. FTW.)

I love Smart Dogs, but I can't eat them everyday. I knew I had to come up with another way to utilize the sauerkraut, mostly just to prove the hubster wrong. That's when I remembered Reubens. When was the last time I had a Reuben??? It had probably been years, considering how long it's been since I've eaten meat. Well, our Reuben-less days are over, my friends!

Thousand Island Dressing
Prep tim: 5 minutes

1/4 cup Vegenaise
1/2 pickle, chopped, or 1/4 cup relish
2 tbsp to 1/4 cup red pepper relish
1/4 tsp garlic powder

(This is the red pepper relish I used; thanks to my amazing sister for sending it to me from home!)

Reuben Sandwich
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 5 minutes

Seitan slices, or your favorite vegan sandwich meat
Rye bread
Earth Balance
Thousand Island Dressing, recipe above
Sauerkraut

1. I use a panini press for this, so if you have one, plug it in! If you don't, you can toast your bread in the toaster OR cook the sandwich in a large skillet. Butter one side of rye bread slices. Place buttered side down on the panini (or skillet), spread about a tablespoon to two tablespoons on the bread. Throw down a few slices of seitan or vegan sandwich meat, smother with sauerkraut, and top with the other buttered piece of rye bread. Press for 5 minutes or until golden brown. If you're using a skillet, cook on one side till golden brown, flip, and cook some more. If you're using a toaster, DON'T BUTTER YOUR BREAD FIRST, just toast and assemble.

We've had Reubens THREE TIMES since the sauerkraut debate. I pretty much love anything that comes out of my panini press (thanks, C & D!), plus I made a whole seitan love AND we've got all this sauerkraut. Works in my favor!

PS: If you haven't entered my ABC Cookie Giveaway, get on it! I'm giving away some of the best cookies in the world that happen to be vegan.

PPS: HAPPY EARTH DAY! Get out there today and go for a walk, pick up some trash, recycle, plant something, JUST GET OUTSIDE!!!

...Easy as 1, 2, 3!

2010-04-19T07:33:00.005-06:00

Who doesn't love cookies?? Let's be honest here, cookies are like gold. They can be brought to special occasions. Made for dessert. Enjoyed for breakfast, if you're really daring. You can add more goodies to them or make them plain. Dunk 'em in (soy)milk. Make them huge for birthday cakes. And if you have a cookie monster husband like me, use them to get what you want. Mwahahaha!

The amazing folks at Alternative Baking Company sent me a few cookies to giveaway. Obviously I split one with Cody, though. He charges a cookie tax to everything AND I couldn't give a cookie away if I hadn't tried it! What if it wasn't good?

They're good, I promise. So good, I almost didn't want to do this giveaway.

Here are your rules!

1. Go to the ABC site and tell me which kind of cookie makes your mouth water.

2. Leave a comment telling me what your favorite cookie is and your favorite time to eat them.

3. Leave a separate comment (more than one comment means more than one chance to win!) letting me know if you're a carnivore, veggie, vegan, raw...whatever you are! :)

4. Am I on your blogroll? Leave another comment!

5. Leave a comment telling me you linked back to this blog on YOUR blog! Make sure to leave a link, too! Shameless plugging is ok! :)

6. Let me know if you share this with your peeps on Facebook. Yes, I just said "peeps".

7. Got Twitter?? Tweet! Let me know (you guessed it, with another comment) that you did.

I'm going to give this one a few days...so let's say on April 25th, I'll go to Random.org and pick the winner. Good luck!

PS: Don't forget to check out my guest blog on Living and Loving in L.A.! Konbanwa, my little fashionista!

Fresh Asparagus Alfredo

2010-04-19T07:19:00.003-06:00

I think I might be one of the few crazies out there who doesn't really mind Mondays. I don't work till Tuesday, so I always get a 3-day weekend. Monday's are nice; I can run without worrying about how long I'm taking. The husband is at school, so I have a few hours of me time. I can also run whatever errands I didn't get done over the weekend. Mondays aren't that bad for me!

Speaking of Mondays, have you heard of Meatless Monday? I had never heard of it until my beautiful friend, Erin from Living and Loving in L.A., started posting meatless recipes every Monday. What a great concept, right? The whole thing is to commit to cutting out meat (at least) once a week. Might as well make it Monday since "Meatless Monday" has a great ring to it. "Wingless Wednesday" just doesn't sound the same.

If you don't follow this runner, cook, fashion designer, and great person, you should. Reading her blog is something I do every morning with my cup of coffee. She's that good. Unfortunately, she'll be in Tokyo and Shanghai this week for work (unfortunate for us, not for her), so I stepped up and wrote a Meatless Monday blog for her.

Happy Monday!

This is what I made...and I promise you, it's worth making. It's inexpensive, relatively simple, quick, and can be made gluten free!!! What more could you want?

Stay tuned for my take on the Reuben...

The BEST Chocolate Cake You'll Ever Eat!

2010-04-13T08:15:00.005-06:00

I know this blog title is a little cocky, but I'll challenge you to a cake-off. This cake is super-chocolatey, not too sweet, MOIST, and fluffy. What more could you want??

My inspiration for this cake is a girl named Paige. I met Paige 5 years ago in Small Town, Oregon. I was on leave visiting my future husband. Cody & Paige have known each other for what I would assume is forever. She ended up marrying her long-time boyfriend and another small-town friend of his, who is now in the Navy. She randomly emailed Cody last week and let him know that she found my blog via VegWeb and that she, too, is vegan. Small world, even smaller internet! We've been kinda chatting back and forth and she asked about a cake recipe. You guys know me and my cupcakes. I gave her those links, but now it's time for an actual cake. Ask and ye shall receive!

Chocolate Cake
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes

*I know this cake calls for a lot of sugar. I don't want comments about how to make it healthier...it's dessert. Sometimes it's ok to go a little crazy. It's still vegan!

1 1/4 cup unbleached flour
1 cup sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa (DARK cocoa if you have it!)
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup water
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp apple cider vinegar

1. Preheat oven to 350° F. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda, and salt. Mix well. Add the water, vanilla, oil, and vinegar; make sure to combine until it's no longer lumpy!

2. Lightly spray an 8x8 baking pan. Add your cake batter, put in the oven, and wait for your house to smell delicious. This will take 30 minutes. :) Cool for at least an hour before frosting.

Speaking of frosting....

Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
Prep time: 5 minutes

1/4 cup Earth Balance
1/4 cup shortening
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa (again...dark if you have it!)
2 1/2 cups powdered sugar
3 tbsp soy milk
1 1/2 tsp vanilla

1. In a medium bowl, beat together the Earth Balance and shortening. Sift in the cocoa and powdered sugar; add the milk and vanilla and beat for 5 minutes, scraping down the sides as you go.

This is my favorite frosting. It tastes so much like Dunkin Donuts Chocolate Kreme Donut, it excites me.

This cake really doesn't take long at all, plus it's marvelous, so get your cake on! Go!

Sweet Winner Announced and a Lovely Award!

2010-04-12T21:49:00.005-06:00

Random.org must really this girl because she was one of five lucky winners in my last giveaway, too. Before you think I'm being biased, remember, I do use a random generator and if you look at the comments, she left the most. So congratulations, Erin @ Living and Loving in L.A.!!!

Don't fret, my loves...I have another giveaway coming VERY soon. You will love this one, too!

On to the next thing...

My wonderful friend, Rachel, over at Reaping What I Sow, awarded me this sweet little nugget of love.

Rachel and I have known each other for 6 years, although thanks to the wonder that is Facebook, we finally got back in touch after a few years. We did this crazy thing once; we went through Marine Corps boot camp together. Ever heard of 'em?

Anyway, what I'm supposed to do is list 10 honest things about myself. I hope you're prepared. I've lived a crazy life and I'm brutally honest sometimes. :)

1. I was a United States Marine. I stood where very few have and I am forever proud of this accomplishment. It's how I met my wonderful husband, who was also a Marine, and some of the greatest friends I've ever known. It was hard, it was trying, but it was worth (almost) every minute of it.

2. I was kicked out of Canada. Twice. Yes, deported. The first time, I was living and working there just because and apparently word got out and officials came to escort me over the bridge. All my stuff was still there, my best friends, my boyfriend, so I went back. Shame on me for going back, but shame on them for letting me back in! No worries, though. Because of super-secret #1, I'm allowed back in.

3. I love feeding people. That may not sound like a secret, but I really love feeding people. I fed Marines for years. Sometimes 12 at a time. I love making people full and happy. I love when people remember gatherings and the great food they had there. Maybe that's why I also love waitressing. I get to serve good food and get paid for it. It's not my first choice in careers, but it's fun, I'm good at it, and it helps pay for school.

4. I have to count my calories down to the last piece of hard candy. It's kind of an obsession. I work out a lot, and I love food, so I like to see how they balance out. It's great, too, because I can pretty much eat whatever I want, so long as it's in my budget. I don't believe in fad diets or pills; caloric intake is science and it just plain works.

5. Just like above, routine is another obsession. I have a coffee cup for every day of the week, so I get up, greet my Keurig, make my coffee, grab my Mac, and turn on Today. Even on workout days, it's the same. I check my email, my Facebook, my favorite blogs, then Perez Hilton. It very rarely changes.

6. I'm a Christian. Sometimes I get slack from people I surround myself with, but it doesn't change the fact that I have a relationship with God and I wouldn't have it any other way. My dear friend just gave me a study Bible and I couldn't be more excited about it. I don't push my beliefs on people, but I am more than willing to share my experience and my love for Jesus if anyone cares to ask.

7. I've been vegan for just over a year. I was a vegetarian for a while...more specific, I was a pescetarian, meaning I still ate fish. It wasn't until we moved home from Japan that I decided to give veganism a try. Needless to say, I fell in love with all it had to offer and I haven't even dreamed of looking back.

8. I reallyreallyreallyreally want to end up back in New Hampshire. I'm not sure it's going to happen, but that's where I truly feel at home. Not just because my family is there, but because all of my memories are there. I know New Hampshire and I love it. I know Cody would, too, if he just gave it a chance. :)

9. As I get older (when did 28 happen???), I understand that dealing with drama isn't necessary. There is an out, and it's just ignoring it. I used to think I needed to be friends with everyone, but it just isn't the case. Especially people who don't bring any positivity into my life. Sometimes it stinks because I would like to think I can be friends with everyone, but recently Cody and I both have cut some people out of our lives and we're just better off for it.

10. People give me crap because Cody looks young, and he's 3 1/2 years younger than me. Here's the deal. I always dated older men. Seriously. And it obviously never worked out. Then I met Cody and within months, I knew he was the one. He's responsible, so smart it makes my head spin, talented like there's no tomorrow, and LOVING. Not a day goes by where he doesn't do something that shows me how much he loves me. And not a day goes by where I don't love him even more. So do 3 1/2 years matter to me? Absolutely not. Aside from me being ready to have babies and him not-so-much, I hardly even notice.

That's it! Now I get to name 10 people! :)

1. Averie @ Love Veggies and Yoga
2. Tasha @ The Voracious Vegan
3. Leslie @ Better Together
4. Erin @ Living and Loving in L.A.
5. Sarah @ Skinny Runner
6. Jaclyn @ Vegan Yumminess
7. Dawn @ Out of Africa
8. My favorite beer geek @ Albuquerque Beer Scene
9. Lindsey @ Happy Herbivore
10. Mandee @ Cupcake Kitteh

That's it! Enjoy, folks! And congratulations to you, my dear Erin. xo

Stuffed Zucchini

2010-04-12T07:56:00.005-06:00

Have you NOT entered my GIVEAWAY yet??? What on earth is wrong with you?? All this amazing sweet stuff from Suzanne's Specialties and you still haven't entered? Phhh!

Anyway, time for a new recipe.

I LURVE zucchini. Which is crazy, because I used to hate it growing up. I remember my mom used to boil zucchini and summer squash and it was mushy and gross and used to make me gag. It's giving me the heebies just thinking about it. I know my mother is my inspiration for most things, but this is NOT one of those times. I know she now steams her veggies...plus, I believe taste buds change...so we can be squash friends again.

Zucchini was on sale at the market so I had to buy some. I was going to make some Zucchini Weenies ala my beautiful New Hampshire-born friend, Jaclyn, but I wanted something more meal-oriented, so I went with Stuffed Zucchini. I've never made Stuffed Zucchini before, so the wheels were turning, but they were pretty tasty and really got me excited for summer!

HEY!!!

Stuffed Zucchini
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 40-45 minutes

4 medium zucchini (6-8 inches long)
2/3 cup TVP
1 cup water, boiling
1/2 cup bread crumbs
1 1/2 tsp Ener-G Egg Replacer OR 1 tbsp ground flax seed
2 tbsp water OR 3 tbsp water, if using flaxseed
1 8-oz can tomato sauce
1 tsp Italian spice
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
Vegan Parmesan cheese or nutritional yeast for topping (optional)

1. Bring 4-6 cups of water to a boil in a large sauce pan. Cut about 1/2-inch off each end of the zucchini. Carefully place in the boiling water and boil for 10 minutes. Let cool. Meanwhile, pour a cup of the zucchini water over your TVP and let it hydrate.

2. Preheat oven to 350° F. When the zucchini are cooled, slice in half lengthwise and scoop out the seeds. Put the seedy parts scooped in a large mixing bowl and set the skin aside. Add your hydrated TVP, bread crumbs, egg replacer, and tomato sauce. Mix well. Taste a little bit and see what the salt level is like before you add additional salt. Add your spices.

3. Spoon the tomato mixture back into your zucchini skins. It's ok if it's overflowing! Sprinkle nutritional yeast or vegan Parmesan over the top, place on a lightly greased baking sheet, and bake in the oven for 40-45 minutes.

That's it! It's a little more work than someone should commit to on a nice summer-y day, but it's worth it. You could even prepare these ahead of time and just stick them in the oven when you're ready to make them. I love food like that!

Do you have a favorite summer food that you simply can't WAIT to whip up?

Strawberry Tart

2010-04-09T08:57:00.003-06:00

I love Sunflower Market. It is my all-time favorite grocery store and sometimes I think I'd rather go shopping there than, let's say, the mall. Their produce is so fresh and inexpensive, their bulk section has almost everything I need for my crazy vegan recipes, and the have an amazing beer and wine selection. What more do you need??

When I went a few days ago to pick up some odds and ends, I noticed that they had pints of strawberries for $.97!!! Big, red, juicy strawberries for under a dollar. Obviously I bought some! First thing that came to mind was Strawberry Shortcake. Who doesn't LOVE Strawberry Shortcake?? I almost picked up a package of silken tofu so I could try to create some kind of whipped topping, but I didn't. I changed my mind. I wanted a chocolate strawberry cake or some kind of strawberry pie.

This is what I came up with:

Strawberry Tart
Prep time: 10 minutes, plus chill time
Cook time: 45 minutes

Scant 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
Pinch of salt
4 tbsp Earth Balance, chilled
3 tbsp cold water
2 cups strawberries, sliced
1/4 cup sugar
2 tsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp corn starch
(Another) Pinch of salt
1 tbsp soy milk

For the crust:

1. Lightly spoon 1 cup flour into a measuring cup; level with a knife. In a medium bowl, combine the flour with the salt; cut in 3 tablespoons Earth Balance with a pastry cutter or a fork until mixture resembles coarse meal. Add 3 tablespoons ice water; stir just until moist. Turn dough out onto a heavily floured surface; knead lightly for 30 seconds. Divide dough into 2 equal balls. Place each dough portion between 2 sheets of plastic wrap; roll each dough portion, still covered, into an 8-inch circle. Chill 20 to 30 minutes.

For the filling:

1. In a medium bowl, combine the strawberries, sugar, lemon juice, corn starch and salt. Stir to combine.

2. Preheat oven to 350° F. Uncover dough; place dough circles on a baking sheet. Arrange half of the strawberries in a pinwheel pattern in one of the dough circles, starting in the middle and forming circles of strawberries, leaving a 2-inch border. Repeat with the second dough circle and remaining strawberries.

3. Fold up the edges of the dough circles over the berries, crimping to seal. Lightly brush the pastry with the soy milk.

4. Bake for 45 minutes or until golden brown.

I decided to top mine with some Chocolate Brown Rice Syrup from Suzanne's Specialties. When I opened the jar, I immediately smelled the intense chocolate aroma and knew I was in love. It was thick, just like the kind of chocolate you get on your ice cream at Mack's Apples (which happens to also be where I got married!). It melted on the warm tart and I sifted a touch of powdered sugar over it. I love this dessert and I will DEFINITELY be making it again soon! I hope you'll give it a try!

PS: If you're looking for some tasty sweet stuff of your own, DON'T FORGET TO ENTER MY GIVEAWAY!!! You can win a whole bunch of Suzanne's Specialties goodies for yourself!

PPS: I mentioned my love for chocolate AND that I got married at Mack's Apples, so it's only fair that I mention the love I have for my husband. Cody, you are the most supportive, wonderful, sweet, talented, smart, understanding man I have ever known and I'm so lucky to have you as my best friend. Here's to a lifetime of love!

Veggie Burger

2010-04-07T07:42:00.004-06:00

Every now & then, I can convince Cody to go out to eat. It's not that he doesn't like going out to eat, he's cheap. It doesn't bother me all that much. When he was still in the Marine Corps and I was working full time, we went out to eat a lot more because we could. Things have changed so we're a bit more thrifty, and I'm officially a picky eater due to my awesome vegan lifestyle, so we eat at home. I'm ok with it. I know what goes in my food and I know it's (almost) always going to be awesome.

Last week was one of my lucky weeks. We went to a new restaurant that came highly recommended from our friends (and boss'), Five Star Burgers. The ambiance was nice, although a little cold. You could definitely tell it was new and that some of the servers have never waited before. Totally ok in my book. I'm a good experience for them..."Is there eggs in this?", "Do you butter that?", "No aioli, please..."

Cody ended up getting a green chili cheeseburger of sorts. It came with green chili mayonnaise, onions, and pickles. No lettuce or tomato, which I thought was a little odd. I chose the veggie burger and I was not disappointed. The burger was hanging over the buns, the flavor was out of control, and I honestly couldn't even finish it. We split a side of sweet potato fries. For the money, I was thinking we'd get a little more, but since I had so much burger, it was fine. Of course, you know me: all I could think about was how to recreate this burger. So here it is. :)

Veggie Burgers
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes

2/3 cup TVP (textured vegetable protein)
1 1/4 cup vegetable broth
1 1/2 tsp Ener-G Egg Replacer
2 tbsp water
1 1/2 cups unbleached flour (you could easily use whole wheat or even brown rice flour here. Hooray for gluten-free substitutes!)
1/4 cup scallions, thinly sliced, green parts only
1/2 cup mushrooms, minced
1/4 cup roasted red peppers (I had a jar in the fridge!)
1-2 green chillies, diced (optional, but not in this household)
1 handful fresh baby spinach
1 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tbsp tahini (optional)
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
dash salt and pepper, to taste
oil for frying

1. Get your vegetable broth boiling in the microwave or on the stove top. Meanwhile, put the TVP in a medium-sized bowl. Once your broth is boiling, add to TVP and let it hydrate for about 15 minutes. Add flour, egg replacer, vegetables, nutritional yeast, tahini, and spices. Mix well. If it's too sticky, add a few extra tablespoons of flour. If it seems too dry, add a few tablespoons of water.

2. Heat a large skillet over medium high heat. Add oil or cooking spray. Shape about 1/2 cup of burger mixture into a patty, place carefully in pan, and cook until golden to dark brown. Flip; cook on the other side.

Voila! I served mine on sourdough bread because...well...that's what I had. I threw some fresh spinach on top because I didn't have lettuce and I lurve spinach. I also took some of my Vegenaise and mixed it with one chopped up green chile so we could enjoy tasty green chile "mayo"naise. So tasty.

PS: Don't forget about my sweet, sweet GIVEAWAY!!! Get on it!

PPS: Now I leave you with something to brighten your day. As if this recipe isn't enough! Yes, I toot my own horn.

Candied Sweet Potatoes...and a Sweet Giveaway!

2010-04-05T08:50:00.011-06:00

Hello, everyone! I hope you're all having a fabulous Monday. I'm still waiting for my first cup of coffee to kick in so I can go running. I had a 5-day weekend so obviously I'm tired. Not that I did much. :) Thursday was Every Time I Die with my favorite drummer. Friday, Cody, Dei, and I went to Stone Face Tavern for dinner & beer. Saturday was mostly preparing for Sunday's meal. Cody was in the back gardening nearly all day while I was cookin'. Sunday morning was one of the most beautiful Easter services I've ever been to at Desert Springs Church with an even more beautiful couple. Afterwards, Dei came over for dinner (Chuck is off saving the world!) and we relaxed and ate way too much.

Dinner consisted of Honey Glazed Tempeh, Mashed Potatoes, Roasted Carrots, Candied Sweet Potatoes, Cranberry Sauce, and Pillsbury Crescent Rolls(or Butter Horns, as Cody likes to call them). The tempeh came out just ok; the flavor was there, but something wasn't quite right. I think for a real ham-like experience, I'll use seitan next time. The mashed potatoes and carrots were awesome, but I really want to share the sweet potatoes with you.

I'm a huge fan of sweet potatoes. They're a fast snack in the microwave, a great side dish for dinner, and so high in potassium. I've been craving them a lot, so I've been eating them a lot. Here's my recipe for a traditional holiday sweet potato dish:

Candied Sweet Potatoes
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes

2-3 large sweet potatoes
1/4 cup unsweetened, full-fat soy milk
2 tbsp soy margarine (I use Earth Balance!)
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tbsp maple syrup
1/2 cup Suzanne's Specialties Ricemellow Creme

1. Pierce the sweet potatoes all over with a fork. Don't stab yourself. Cook them in the microwave on your BAKED POTATO setting, or for about 9 minutes. Check them and make sure the skin has slightly pulled away from the flesh. Cut in half and let cool a lil' bit.

2. Preheat oven to 400° F. In a casserole dish or large pie plate, scoop out all the sweet potato, making sure to not get any of the skin! Mash in the soy milk, margarine, cinnamon, nutmeg, syrup, and brown sugar. Make sure it's nice and smooth, making sure to smooth the top with a rubber spatula. Cook in the oven for about 25 minutes.

3. When your 25 minutes is up, take it out of the oven and spoon some tasty Ricemellow Creme on top. There you have it!

Wait.....you haven't heard of Suzanne's Specialties??? If you have, you know how AH-MAZING the all-natural, gluten free, vegan, and organic sweeteners and toppings are. If you haven't, you're missing out. Either way, keep reading to find out how YOU can win some tasty sweet stuff for yourself!

The generous folks over at Suzanne's Specialties sent me loads of tasty stuff to give away. See for yourself:

One lucky reader is going to get to soothe their sweet tooth for themselves! I'll be announcing the winner on April 12. Before you start leaving comments, just remember: you can leave more than one! Each comment gives you an extra chance at winning. Here are the rules:

1. Leave a comment telling me what your favorite, guilty sweet is. (Mine is Cody, just in case you're all wondering. Ha!)
2. Go to Suzanne's Specialties and tell me which product you would love to try.
3. Leave a SEPARATE comment letting me know I'm on your blogroll.
4. BECOME A FOLLOWER OF MY BLOG! The area looks like this:

So what are you waiting for???
5. Follow me on Twitter.
6. Link this on your own blog, if you have one. IF YOU LINK BACK... leave TWO comments telling me you did. Yeah, that's right. You get two comments for this one. ;)
7. Let me know you posted this on your FACEBOOK OR TWITTER. If you did both, leave two SEPARATE comments.

I know the list gets longer and longer, but that means your chances get higher and higher. Booyah!

PS: If you're like me and you LOVE giveaways, check out this AWESOME giveaway over at Love Veggies and Yoga. Because everyone should have one of these.

Asian Orange Tempeh

2010-03-31T07:32:00.004-06:00

Happy Hump Day, bloggers! This week has been a little crazy and is only going to get crazier: a friend of mine from years ago is going to be in town tomorrow with a little band called Every Time I Die. I get to see Ryan every year or so when his band travels through town; I saw him a few years ago at Warped Tour and in 2008 with Dead and Divine. It's always so great to see him and I'm really looking forward to him getting into town! Do you have any fun plans for April Fool's Day?

This weekend, I had to pull a dig-through-the-cabinets meal. I didn't feel like going to the store and I had some stuff in the fridge I had to use up. Mandarin oranges, asparagus, tempeh, and couscous make up this amazing meal. I think you might just need to try this tempeh!

Asian Orange Tempeh
Prep time: 10 minutes, plus marinading time
Cook time: 15 minutes

8 oz package tempeh (I use Westsoy)
2 8-oz cans Mandarin oranges in juice, mashed
2 tbsp Bragg's Liquid Aminos (soy sauce or tamari will work, too)
1 tbsp freshly grated ginger
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/4-1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tbsp coconut oil

1. Cut your tempeh into small triangles. The way I cut it, I get 16 pieces. Put into a large bowl with all the other ingredients and let marinade for at least 30 minutes (mine was hanging out for 6 hours!)

2. Heat coconut oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Carefully place tempeh in the pan with enough room to flip. The key here is to get dark brown bits all over the tempeh. I promise, they don't taste burnt. They're amazing. Let the tempeh cook for at least 5 minutes before checking. Once they're dark brown, flip, and continue to brown. Ta da!

I paired my tempeh with some roasted pine nut couscous (so yummy!) and some steamed asparagus. Quick tip on the asparagus: I love roasting asparagus, but steaming it till al dente is also fantastic. To steam mine, I put about an inch of water in my pan along with on stalk of fresh rosemary and 3 cloves of smashed garlic. Put the steamer basket in, bring to a boil, and steam for 5-7 minutes. The flavored water adds just a hint of extra delicious to the asparagus.

Hope you all have a wonderful downhill to your week!

Spinach & Mushroom Florentine Crepes

2010-03-28T10:15:00.003-06:00

I always make huge breakfasts on the weekend. Maybe not huge in the serving size, but huge in flavor, effort, and presentation. The husband & I only get 2 days a week for the gloriousness that is breaking the fast, so I make it count. Last weekend, I took my first stab at crepes. Apparently being french really helps because I am a crepe master.

Saturday was banana crepes with a blueberry rice syrup topping (sent to me by the wonderful people at Suzanne's Specialties...I have SO many samples, keep your eyes peeled for another giveaway!!!). I had leftover crepes, so Sunday I threw together this amazing breakfast that I personally believe topped all other breakfasts prior.

(Yes, there is already a bite taken. I was hungry...and I'm not a photographer.)

Spinach & Mushroom Florentine Crepes
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes

Crepes

1 1/2 cups almond milk (or your favorite nondairy milk)
1/4 cup water
2 tbsp agave nectar or pure maple syrup
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup chickpea flour
1 tbsp tapioca flour (cornstarch or arrowroot is okay, too)
1/2 tsp salt

1. Put all the ingredients into a food processor or blender. Blend for about 30 seconds, scraping the sides of the blender once, until everything is smooth. The batter will be very thin. Refrigerate batter for about an hour (I didn't do this and they came out fine!)

2. Preheat a crepe pan or large, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. The pan is ready when a few drops of water flicked onto it sizzle. Lightly spray the pan with oil.

3. Ladle about 1/3 to 1/2 cup batter (use the bigger amount for a bigger pan) in the center of the pan. Lift the pan off the burner and tilt in a circular motion so that the batter spreads in a thin layer across the bottom.

4. Cook until the top of the crepe is dry, the center is bubbling, and the edges are lightly browned and crinkly and are pulling away from the sides of the pan, usually about 1 to 1 1/2 minutes. Gently run the spatula under the crepe to loosen, then carefully flip and cook on the other side for 30 seconds. Slide the crepe onto a dinner plate. Repeat with the remaining crepes.

(Credit for this recipe is given to the amazing Isa Chandra Moskowitz)

Spinach & Mushroom Florentine

1 cup thinly sliced mushrooms (I used baby bella)
2 cups fresh baby spinach
1 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup veganaise

1. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and rosemary; cook until mushrooms have released their juice and are nice and brown. Add the spinach and wilt. (If you feel the need to add more spinach, please, do so.)

2. Add the black pepper and veganaise, making sure to coat the mushroom mixture. Put a few spoonfuls inside your prepared crepes, fold over, and add a little bit of the sauce on top.

This was such a simple yet AH-MAZING breakfast. I'm looking forward to my mom coming out so I can make it for her. :)

PS: If you lovelovelove coffee & tea as much as I do, head over to Love Veggies and Yoga for her TAZO Tea Gift Set and French Press giveaway!!!

Earth Hour

2010-03-26T09:16:00.003-06:00

March 27th, 2010, 8:30 PM

I'm thinking bonfire. Are you going to be doing anything?

Sugah Cookies

2010-03-25T07:36:00.004-06:00

Somehow I didn't realize that my last post marked the 100th POST of this blog. I can't believe it! A big thanks to everyone who keeps me motivated to get creative in my kitchen. How exciting is that?? Cody even said, "I can't believe we've eaten 100 different things!" We haven't really; some of the posts are info and giveaways, but still! I love it!

I was going through my blog folder trying to figure out what recipe I was going to put up today and I realized I still haven't done my sugar cookies yet. Oi! These are the most perfect, tasty cookies...I don't know what's wrong with me! They're crispy, but chewy, but buttery, and sweet on top. Perfect for any occasion, so long as you have the appropriate cookie cutter! :)

Sugah Cookies (You have to say it like a true New Englander or they don't taste the same!)
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 14 minutes

1 cup Earth Balance
3 3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1 cup white sugar
2 tsp baking powder
3 tsp Ener-G Egg Replacer
4 tbsp water
1/4 cup Tofutti Cream Cheese
1 tsp vanilla extract

1. In a large bowl, cream together the Earth Balance and sugar. Stir in the egg replacements and vanilla. Slowly add the flour, baking powder and Tofutti cream cheese. Form the dough into a long loaf and wrap in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for a couple hours.

2. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Grease the cookie sheets or use parchment paper.

3. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to 1/4 inch thickness. Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters. Place about 1 inch apart cookie on prepared cookie sheets.

4. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes in the preheated oven, until bottoms and edges just start to get light brown. Remove from baking sheet and cool on wire racks.

What would sugar cookies be without icing???

Sugah Cookie Icing

2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
1/2 tsp almond extract
6-8 tsp soy milk
4 tsp light corn syrup
Assorted food coloring

1. In medium bowl, stir together confectioners' sugar and soy milk until smooth. Beat in corn syrup and almond extract until icing is smooth and glossy. If icing is too thick, add more corn syrup.

2. Add food coloring to desired intensity. Dip cookies and allow to dry overnight.

I individually wrapped these cookies in little bags with Valentine's on each one for my coworkers. They're literally perfect. Not too sweet, not too hard, not too vegan....wait. Is there such a thing??

PS: If you were one of my Ener-G Egg Replacer winners, please email me your address so I can get your box out to you!

....the envelope, please...

2010-03-23T07:37:00.003-06:00

Here are the lucky winners of my Ener-G Giveaway!!!!

Erin @ Living and Loving in L.A., who happens to be doing a giveaway herself, so go check it out!
Leslie @ Better Together
Eco Diva @ Sprouting Dreams
Christina, a new vegan friend who I think should start her own blog... :)
And Katie, who I'm thoroughly excited about winning because she's actually allergic to eggs!

Congratulations, lovely ladies! Send me an email with your mailing information and I'll get your box of Ener-G out to you this week!

Focaccia Bread

2010-03-20T10:04:00.004-06:00

I'm a huge fan of bread. It's almost as if no matter how full I am, there's always room for one more piece of bread or one more biscuit or one last roll. Especially if it's fresh-out-of-the-ove-homemade-delicious-bread.

I've been making this focaccia bread for years. It used to get topped with both mozzarella and parmesan cheese. I pair it with pasta, make panini with it, and it's so easy, even Cody has made it before! That should tell you something. If you're looking for something to go with dinner tonight, why not whip this up? You'll thank me later.

Focaccia Bread
Prep time: 5 minute, plus 20 minutes rise time
Cook time: 15-20 minutes

2 3/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon sugar
1 tablespoon active dry yeast
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
1 pinch ground black pepper
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
1 cup warm water
2 tablespoons olive oil

1. In a large bowl or electric mixer fitted with a dough hook, stir together the flour, salt, sugar, yeast, garlic powder, oregano, thyme, basil and black pepper. Mix in the vegetable oil and warm water.

2. Continue kneading in the electric mixture until it becomes elasticy and smooth. If mixing by hand, turn onto a lightly floured surface and knead until elasticy and smooth. Lightly oil a large bowl (I just use the bowl I mixed it in!), place the dough in the bowl, and turn to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth, and let rise in a warm place for 20 minutes.

3. Preheat oven to 450° F. Punch dough down; place on greased baking sheet. Pat into a 1/2 inch thick circle. Brush top with olive oil. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve warm.

That's it! That's all there is to it. If you don't make this bread, you're silly. That is all.

Banana Nut Muffins

2010-03-18T08:20:00.003-06:00

This blog goes hand-in-hand with my recent Ener-G Egg Replacer Giveaway. It's a regular recipe made vegan with the help of this amazing product. They're extremely moist and full of flavor. I'm all about buying bananas just so I can bake with them. Keep this recipe in your back pocket if you happen to be one of the FIVE lucky winners of the giveaway.

2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
4 overripe bananas
1 cup brown sugar
3/4 cup Earth Balance
3 tsp Ener-G Egg Replacer
4 tbsp water
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 375° F. Lightly grease 2 muffin tins.

2. In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside. Mash 2 of the bananas with a fork in a small bowl so they still have a bit of texture. With an electric mixer fitted with a wire whisk (like my beautiful KitchenAid), whip the remaining bananas and sugar together for a good 3 minutes. Add the melted butter, Ener-G, water, and vanilla and beat well, scraping down the sides of the bowl once or twice. Mix in the dry ingredients just until incorporated. Fold in the nuts and the mashed bananas with a rubber spatula. Spoon the batter into the muffin tins to fill them about halfway. Give them a rap on the counter to get any air bubbles out.

3. Bake until a toothpick stuck in the muffins comes out clean, 18 to 20 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes before turning the muffins out. Try not to eat them all at once.

That's it! Easy, delicious, and vegan. :)

Ener-G! Ener-G!

2010-03-16T08:01:00.007-06:00

It's another giveaway, folks!

The wonderful people at Ener-G sent me an entire box full of their amazing egg replacer product to giveaway.

This stuff is absolutely AH-MAZING!!! I use it in pancakes, banana bread, pudding...it's a really great product for people like me who have a crap-ton of regular recipe books. You can literally just use this stuff in place of the eggs! Do you have an egg allergy? Are you vegan? Are you trying to lower your cholesterol? Or are you maybe just trying to lead a healthier lifestyle? I have FIVE boxes to give away...yes, FIVE...to five different lucky readers.

Here are the rules:

You can leave up to five separate comments on the blog, which gives you that many more chances to win.

1. Leave a comment telling me why you want to try this product.
2. Leave a separate comment telling me that you linked back to this product on your blog.
3. Leave another separate comment telling me that you tweeted about this blog.
4. Leave one more separate comment telling me that I'm on your blogroll.
5. And one more to let me know that you put it on facebook or myspace or whatever social network you use.

Hurry up! What are you waiting for???

*I'll be drawing the winner from Random.org on March 22!

Spaghetti & Neatballs

2010-03-15T10:12:00.006-06:00

On top of old smooooooookey, all covered with...nutritional yeast.....
Come to think of it, that song is pretty gross altogether, so let's move on.

I had a 5K race yesterday: the Shamrock Shuffle. I've been sick for the last week, haven't been running, the weather was freezing and windy, and the course was hilly and not-so-fun. I made the best of it, though, despite my obvious whining, and came in 6th in the 20-30 age group (which is a rather large age group, no?). Since this blog is less about running (and whining) and more about food, let me tell you how I loaded up on carbs the night before.

I've never been a huge pasta lover. Maybe it was the whole "tomato sauce" thing, or maybe pasta always filled me up to fast...whatever the reason, I just never really cared for it. My love for Eggplant Parmesan has changed all of that, though. I was going to make this meaty dish for my pre-race meal, but I wanted something different. I opted for meatballs.

This recipe is not only vegan, it's gluten free! Bellies rejoice! It is extremely tasty and full of flavor, and surprisingly soy free. It's even better as leftovers!

"Neat"balls
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes

1/2 cup cooked lentils (I used French Green Lentils, because I am franÇais. Oui oui.)
1 cup cooked brown rice
1/4 cup old fashioned oats
1/4 cup + 2 tbsp almond flour
2 tbsp Braggs Liquid Amino Acids (Soy sauce will work fine)
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tsp lemon juice
1/4 cup brown rice flour
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp balsamic vinegar
1/8 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp chipotle chili powder (I think it's really important to have this, so if you don't, get some!)
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp onion powder
2 tsp molasses
2 tsp dry mustard

1. It is extremely important that both lentils and rice are cooked well. No al dente here; slightly mushy is what we're going for. Check out how to cook lentils here and how to cook brown rice here. Once both are prepared and perfectly cooked, head on to step number two!

2. Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl. Preheat oven to 300° F. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Using about 2 tbsp of mixture, roll into balls and place 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheet. Place in the oven using top rack positions. Cook for 15 minutes, then flip and cook for 15 minutes more. Voila! Neatballs!

This recipe doubles easily, so it's great for having people over. I paired it with angel hair pasta, roasted garlic tomato sauce, and some homemade focaccia bread (<----recipe to come!). My brown rice wasn't cooked as much as it could have been, which is why step 1 contains the disclaimer. Some of the pieces were a little chewy. Still tasty, but chewy. As leftovers heated in the microwave, though, it softened them out. Go to your local market now and get some lentils and brown rice out of the bulk section and get started! You won't be disappointed...I promise!

Tofu & Sausage Scramble

2010-03-12T09:28:00.006-07:00

I just realized that I haven't put up a recipe for tofu scramble yet. What is wrong with me??? Tofu scramble is an absolute staple in our house and I'm a little embarrassed that I haven't shared mine. I must be crazy.

Cody actually asks for tofu scramble by name. Not scrambled eggs, tofu. I've made it for so many people and it's amazing. (I think I made it for my sister once and I only had firm tofu, so it wasn't quite as good.) Sometimes I'll add some diced potatoes, black beans, veggies, green chile, or I'll wrap it in a tortilla. It holds well as leftovers and is actually quite good for you.

This recipe is a combination of about 100 I've tried over the last year. It comes out a smidge different every time because I'm just like my mother: "a little bit o' this and a little bit o' that..." I can't help it. It's genetic.

Tofu & Sausage Scramble
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes

Tofu "Eggs"

14 oz extra-firm tofu, crumbled*
1/4 tsp garlic powder
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tbsp Braggs (soy sauce will work!)
1/2 tsp turmeric
salt & pepper to taste (I use BLACK SALT for every "egg" recipe I make. I found it at a world market. I don't think it's necessary to make this, but it has such a sulfur-y smell, you'll understand why it's such a good find.)
1 tbsp olive oil

1. In a large bowl, combine the crumbled tofu, garlic powder, nutritional yeast, Braggs (or soy sauce), turmeric, salt, and pepper; set aside.

2. In a large nonstick skillet over medium heat, get your olive oil nice and hot. Add the tofu mixture and cook 3 to 4 minutes. The liquid should be gone and it should start to brown, just like eggs. You can either stop here and eat as is or start adding more yumminess to it! (In the picture above, I threw some spinach in because I had tons left in my fridge!)

If you want to add the sausage crumbles to this, here's the recipe! To add: when the tofu has cooked for 2 minutes or so, add the sausage and cook a few minutes longer.

Sausage crumbles

2 tbsp Braggs (or soy sauce)
1 tsp sage
1/8 teaspoon liquid smoke
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 teaspoon fennel seed, crushed
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
black pepper, to taste
1 cup boiling water
1 cup textured vegetable protein (TVP: Try finding this in Bob's Red Mill packages or in the bulk section of your grocery store. If worse comes to worse, just ask someone who works there!)

1. In a bowl, mix together all of your spices and seasonings. Bring water to a boil and pour over mixture.

2. Pour in the TVP, mix with a fork, and let stand for 10 minutes. Fluff with a fork. Taste to see if more seasonings need to be added.

*Tofu Tip o'the Day: I freeze my tofu and let it thaw out before I use it. Mind you, I only do this with firm or extra-firm tofu. It gives it a meatier texture. Try it! You'll be amazed!

Look at all the protein!!! And Calcium!!! And Iron!!! This is a low calorie, low carb, super tasty breakfast dish that you could even eat for lunch and dinner. My nutritional value analyzer doesn't have Braggs listed, so this is with soy sauce. With Braggs, the sodium count is a lot lower. I was so impressed when I plugged in all the ingredients and saw the nutritional value, I decided to see what a non-veggie scramble would be. Check this out:

I replaced the tofu with 8 eggs (4 servings in the tofu scramble, so 2 eggs each for the non-veggie) and took out my sausage and replaced it with 8 oz of regular ground sausage. Look at this...

Calories = +119
Fat = +16.1g (yes, an extra 16.1g of fat.)
Saturated Fat = +6.8g
Cholesterol = 413mg (<---gross)
Dietary Fiber = -2.8g
PROTEIN = -1.3 g (YES! There is less protein in the egg & meat scramble. I know. And carnivores ask where WE get our protein. Mwahahaha!!!)

If you're a seasoned vegetarian/vegan, or you're just curious, I DARE you to try this scramble. You will be shocked at how amazing it is. You might just fall in love with me. Just sayin'.

African Peanut Soup

2010-03-10T06:50:00.005-07:00

It's amazing how you meet people who don't stick around long (which is probably a good thing!) but make a huge impact on your life. Ok, it's not always a huge impact, but they make an impact nonetheless. When I think back to why I became a vegetarian, I think back to the summer of 2008. I sat there at a bar with a friend, eating a chicken ceasar salad, deciding it was the last time I was going to eat meat. I just wanted to see if I could do it. We decided to try it together. I'm not sure if he stuck with it, but a big THANKS for helping me with that decision. One of the best things I've ever done.

Speaking of firsts, this soup is one of the first vegetarian dishes I ever made. It was ssooooo good, we even sold it at my sister's restaurant a few times. I couldn't believe how delicious it was!

*Please don't mind the sloppiness of the bowl. I had already eaten a bit when I remembered I had to take a picture. It's a heck of a lot prettier than the amount of soup that was all over my face because it's just that good.

African Peanut Soup
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 60 minutes

*This soup makes A LOT. If you're not cooking for more than two and you don't like a lot of leftovers, I highly recommend cutting this recipe in half!

2 red bell peppers, seeded and diced
1 large onion, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tbsp olive oil
28 oz can crushed tomatoes
8 cups vegetable broth
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp chipotle chile powder (regular will work fine, too)
1/4-1/2 tsp habanero powder or red pepper flakes (you're adding this for heat, so start small!)
2/3 cup chunky peanut butter
1/2 cup uncooked brown rice

1. Heat oil in a (very) large saucepan over medium heat. Saute peppers and onion until tender and they start to brown, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and saute a little longer. Stir in the crushed tomatoes, vegetable broth, and spices. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes.

2. Stir in rice and simmer for another 15 minutes, or until rice is tender. Stir in peanut butter until well blended, simmer for another 5 minutes, and serve.

After plugging all the ingredients into Calorie Count and bringing up the nutritional value, I thought the calories were a little on the high side until I realized one serving is almost 3 cups. That's a lot of soup! This is a pretty hearty soup, too, so it sustains and warms the soul. If you're a seasoned vegan or vegetarian OR you're just trying to cut out meat (Do it! Do it!), this is a soup for you!

PS: If you're NOT thinking about cutting out meat, or you're just looking for a good read, check out this article. Thanks Missy!

Strawberry CheezeCupCakes

2010-03-09T07:44:00.004-07:00

We had another birthday at work on Friday! My wonderful boss, Rory, celebrated another year. I've heard her talk about these cupcakes that Flying Star make: a vanilla cupcake stuffed with strawberry frosting called Strawberry Blonde. I decided to finagle a similar cupcake for her birthday. Only, you know me, I can't help but throw in 'a little bit a' this and a little bit a' that'.

I made some fabulous vanilla cupcakes thanks to the fabulous ladies who made Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World. I had some Pillsbury Frosting that is accidentally vegan, plus some Tofutti: Better Than Cream Cheese, and strawberry preserves. I combined all of them. :)

And here is Cody's artistic picutre...

Golden Vanilla Cupcakes
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 20-22 minutes

1 cup soy milk
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1¼ cups all-purpose flour
2 tbsp cornstarch
¾ tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp salt (increase salt to ½ teaspoon if you’re using oil instead of margarine)
½ cup non-hydrogenated margarine, softened (I use Earth Balance), or ⅓ cup canola oil
¾ cup sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp almond extract, caramel extract, or more vanilla extract (I always use almond!)

1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Line muffin pan with cupcake liners.

2. Whisk the soy milk and vinegar in a measuring cup and set aside for a few minutes to get good and curdled. If using margarine: Sift the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt into a large bowl and mix. In a separate large bowl, use a handheld mixer at medium speed to cream the margarine and sugar for about 2 minutes until light and fluffy. (Don’t beat past 2 minutes). Beat in the vanilla and other extract, if using, then alternate beating in the soy milk mixture and dry ingredients, stopping to scrape the sides of the bowl a few times. If using oil: Beat together the soy milk mixture, oil, sugar, vanilla, and other extracts, if using, in a large bowl. Sift in the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, and mix until no large lumps remain.

3. Fill cupcake liners two-thirds of the way and bake for 20 to 22 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack, and let cool completely before frosting.

Cream Cheese Frosting
Prep time: 5 minutes

1/4 cup non-hydrogenated margarine, softened (Again, try Earth Balance)
1/4 cup vegan cream cheese, softened (I like Tofutti)
2 cups confectioners' sugar, sifted
1 tsp vanilla extract

1. Cream together margarine and cream cheese until just combined. Use a handheld mixer to whip while adding the confectioners' sugar in 1/2 cup batches. Mix until smooth and creamy, then mix in the vanilla. Keep tightly covered and refigerated until ready to use.

Ok, so now we prepare.

1. With a clean, washed hand, I used my pinkie to make a whole in each cool cupcake. Now, don't just stick it in, you have to move it around to make room. That's what she said. If you don't have a frosting piping bag, you can fill a ziplock bag and cut a small hole out of the tip. You need to stick the bag into the hole and fill it with as much strawberry frosting as possible.

2. Next I spread about 1 tsp of strawberry preserves on top of each filled cupcake. Nothing tricky or fancy here.

3. This next part is also easier if you have a piping bag, but if you don't, you can just spread the frosting. Use the cream cheese frosting to top the preserves, then put a small dollop of preserves on top of the cream cheese frosting.

That's it! I have to admit, the Pillsbury frosting was a little too sweet for me, but it's what I had on hand so it worked. They were still extremely yummy! A big thanks to my husband for being creative and comparing my beautiful cupcakes to my beautiful orchids. <3

Pasta Day!

2010-03-08T08:00:00.006-07:00

I've been finding myself in a crazy state of homesick lately. Not so much for New Hampshire; I always miss my family. No, no...of all places, I'm homesick for Okinawa. Next week it'll be one year since I've been on the tropical island I learned to love and hate all at the same time. I can hardly believe it.

Of course, in all of these pictures, you can't see the humidity. The awful drivers. The certain building on Camp Foster that contained some of the worlds worst leaders that shall remain nameless and made lives hell. Regardless, it still had so much beauty and culture and I miss it.

When I first moved to Japan with Cody, there was a restaurant next door to his work that we used to go to every Wednesday. That had this awesome buffet and what we like to call Pasta Day. You would go and put all of your fixings in a bowl (I used garlic, onions, peppers, red pepper flakes, ham, pepperoni, and black olives). A cook would saute it for you, ask what kind of sauce you wanted (between marinara, shrimp sauce, and pesto, I always chose pesto), then what kind of pasta (I got ziti!). Mix it all together, and voila! You have Pasta Day pasta.

Sometimes I go through my fridge and try to piece every item that needs to be used up and think of what I might be able to make. Pasta Day is a perfect meal for this! Leftover veggies? Saute them and mix 'em with pasta!

Pasta Day!
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes

2 cups uncooked wheat penne, or pasta of your choice
4 cups water
2 tbsp olive oil
1 green bell pepper, sliced
1 red bell pepper, sliced
1/2 onion, diced
5-6 baby bella mushrooms
1/4 cup kalamata olives, diced
1 tsp red pepper flakes (or however much you can handle!)
salt & pepper
1/4 tsp oregano
1/4-1/2 cup Pesto (either use a vegan store-bought pesto or try THIS recipe!)

1. Bring water to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook pasta according to package or to taste! Drain.

2. Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add both peppers, onion, and mushrooms. Saute until mushrooms are nice and brown but other veggies still have some crispiness. Add the olives and spices.

3. When your veggies are done cooking, add the pesto to the skillet and reduce heat to low. Add the pasta, mix it all up, and serve!

If you're like me and sometimes you're not sure what to make for dinner or how to use up shtuff in your fridge and/or pantry, this is one of those great recipes that'll help you out. Add or remove whatever you want, use marinara instead of pesto, cook up whatever pasta you have...there you go. Pasta Day!

And the cook book goes to.........

2010-03-05T08:25:00.002-07:00

MELISSA!!!

Melissa (aka Missy) is a Staff Sargeant of Marines and relatively new to the vegan life. It might seem like I played favorites on this one because I'm also training for the San Diego Rock & Roll Marathon with her, but I used Random.org to get my number and it came up 12! A HUGE congrats to Missy! She deserves this cook book and I know she'll put it to good use!

Everyone please stay tuned, though: I have another giveaway coming next week and there will be 5...yes, 5...winners! Thanks for entering! Have a wonderful weekend!!!

Sausage Patties

2010-03-04T07:27:00.007-07:00

What is it about breakfast that is so amazing? It's a treat when you can get in a good breakfast, whether it's in the morning, afternoon, or even at dinner time! From pancakes to french toast to tofu scramble, breakfast might just be my favorite meal....and not just because it's the meal of champions.

(Photo credit)

I've put together some tasty vegan breakfasts over the last year, but this one tops the charts. It was like a Sausage McMuffin, only not so...evil.

(Photo credit)

Here's MY Sausage Patty. You can find the biscuit recipe HERE (Just make the biscuits larger!)

Sausage Patties
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes

1/2 cup tvp
1/2 cup boiling water
1/2 cup whole wheat flour (the second time I made these, I only had barley flour on hand. Worked just as well!)
1/4 cup almond meal
1 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp crushed sage
1/2 tsp fennel seeds (Cody's job is to grind these in his mortar & pestle. He loves it.)
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp salt
1/8 teaspoon cayenne
1 tbsp ground flax seeds
1/4 cup water
1/2 tsp liquid smoke
3 tbsp Bragg's Liquid Aminos (Soy sauce will work just fine)
1 tsp maple syrup
1/4 tsp black strap molasses
Oil for frying

1. Stir together tvp and boiling water and set aside to soak for 5 minutes.

2. Add flour, almond meal, and dry spices; stir to incorporate. In a glass measuring cup, measure out water; add liquid smoke, Bragg's (or soy sauce), maple syrup, and molasses directly to the cup and stir. Add water mixture to dry; mix well. With your hands, form mixture into 2″ balls and flatten slightly into patties.

3. Fry in oil in an uncovered frying pan on medium heat, about 4 minutes per side, or until brown.

Here is the nutritional value in mine:

And here is the nutritional value in McDonald's:

Sure, the calorie count isn't that different. Take a look at the fat, though. And saturated fat. And cholesterol. And how is it that the vegan patties have more protein and iron? That part makes me laugh because people always ask me where I get my protein from. Maybe I should start asking them where they get their protein from!!! Ok, I'm off my high horse. Make these! Do it!

And don't forget about my Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar giveaway!

Curried Butternut Squash Soup

2010-03-02T09:41:00.006-07:00

Sometimes I just want soup. In a bowl, in a mug, whatever the case may be, soup is as soothing to me as a glass of wine in hand while taking a bubble bath. Ok, not that soothing, but soothing nonetheless.

I'm also a huge fan of butternut squash. Mashed up like potatoes, cubed and roasted, or in ravioli, I have a soft spot for this yummy fruit-veggie. Combine my love of soup and butternut squash and you have one happy vegan. This soup was fairly simple to make, plus, all I had to go out and get was the squash!

Curried Butternut Squash Soup
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 60 minutes, plus 10 minutes

1 butternut squash, halved and seeded
1 large onion, peeled and quartered
1 medium head garlic
6 cups vegetable broth
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon mild curry powder
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup plain soy yogurt

1. Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil.

2. Place squash halves and onion onto the prepared baking sheet. Wrap garlic in foil and set with other vegetables. Roast in the center of the oven for 45 to 60 minutes, until the squash is tender. Remove from oven and set aside until cool enough to handle.

3. Squeeze garlic cloves out of their skin like paste into a food processor. Scrape the flesh from the squash and place into the food processor along with the roasted onion. Puree until smooth. Add vegetable broth if necessary. Transfer the pureed mixture to a stockpot and stir in vegetable broth. Season with the bay leaf, brown sugar, curry powder, oregano, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil and simmer gently for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in soy yogurt. Remove bay leaf and serve hot.

*I double checked this recipe and its analysis. It is correct. 111 calories. It's a little high in sodium, but if you use low sodium vegetable broth, that'll knock some of it outta there for you!

This soup had the sweetness of the butternut squash and brown sugar with the pungent flavor of the curry topped with the smoothness of the yogurt. It was even better the second day. Pair it with a samich or some homemade bread and you've got yourself a meal. Enjoy!

Sweet Cardamom Bread

2010-02-28T10:12:00.004-07:00

Cody & I went grocery shopping a few weeks ago. If you know anything about me, you'll know this is one of my favorite things. I make my list, organized by store (because we go to three different stores), grab my adorable reusable bags, and venture out to buy ingredients for tasty treats. I love shopping and I love cooking, so this works out really well for me. One of the items on my list was cardamom, a spice I needed to make Chai Tea Cupcakes. Cody was NOT impressed with the price; for a regular spice-sized bottle it's about $12. I needed it, though, so we got it.

The next day at work I was telling my amazing boss about his reaction to the price. She was telling me how she doesn't really like cardamom, nor does she really like chai tea. She did, however, tell me about this bread that the original owners of the restaurant used to make: Sweet Cardamom Bread. She loved it. (What's that you say? A challenge? Oh, how you know me.) Obviously I had to make this bread.

I searched around on the wonderful world-wide web and found a few recipes that I sort of combined and the end result was, well, beyond perfection.

Sweet Cardamom Bread
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 30 minutes

1 1/2 tbsp instant yeast
4 cups unbleached flour
1 tsp ground cardamom
1 1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp full-fat, unsweetened soy milk
3/4 cup melted butter (Earth Balance)
3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp raw sugar
1 tsp salt

1. Mix flour, yeast, and cardamom in your mixing bowl.

2. Heat soy milk and stir in sugar until dissolved. Add the milk and sugar to the flour mixture. Add 1/2 cup melted butter, too. Mix on low until a nice sticky dough forms.

4. Change out the mixer blade and use a dough hook. Knead for a few minutes and then stop. Let the dough rest for about 20 minutes with a light cover over it. When the twenty minutes is up, begin kneading again and knead in the salt.

5. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and divide it into three equal parts. Let them rise for about 30-45 minutes. Roll the dough balls into ropes and braid them on a greased baking pan. Tuck the ends of the braid under. (You're literally going to braid this like you braid your hair.)

7. Preheat oven 350° F. Brush the braided loaf with remaining soy milk and sprinkle it with remaining sugar. Bake until golden brown, about 30 minutes. Enjoy with a cup of coffee, toasted with butter, a glass of chai tea, or whatever your heart desires.

Now, I'm not one to toot my own horn (I do honk at other drivers, though. I'm a New Englander at heart.), but this bread is probably the best bread ever. Ok, maybe not ever, but it's the best I've ever made. It was gobbled up at work and my boss was even told she now has competition. I don't know about that since she runs one of the most successful restaurants in Albuquerque, but I'll take it as a complement and roll with it. Then braid. Then repeat.

Vegan Cookies Invade YOUR Cookie Jar!

2010-02-27T08:57:00.006-07:00

I can't say enough about the people I work for. They're sweet, thoughtful, hard-working, and they've been doing this for a while! They feed us at the end of every shift, so I feel it necessary to feed them right back. (Sometimes I think it's just because I'm like the old lady in The Wedding Singer and I like watching people enjoy the first bite. And the second and third.) Friday night, I even brought cookies in for our super old yet super amazing customer, Buzz (aka Bird Man). I made vegan Samoas (yes, like the Girl Scout cookies!) and they were AH-MAZING.

Now, I would post the recipe for these cookies. I would love to share it with all of you. However, since it doesn't just step on Girl Scout toes (and they're children! I wouldn't dare!), I'm going to do something I've never done before.

A GIVEAWAY!!!

That's right, I'm going to giveaway a copy of Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar.

One lucky reader will be announced next Friday, March 5! Here are the rules:

1. Leave a comment on this blog telling me what your favorite cookie is!
2. If I'm not on your blogroll, add me and leave a separate comment telling me that we're friends!
3. Tweet back to this link, telling me you did so in a separate comment.
4. If you have a blog, blog about this awesome giveaway and leave another separate comment telling me you've done so.
5. Have another way to link back to this blog? Facebook, MySpace, MyFace, BookSpace? Let me know you've done so! You guessed it...in a separate comment!!!

So you see, that's FIVE DIFFERENT COMMENTS. I know it sounds like a lot, but I'm going to use Random.org to pick the winner so leaving five comments gives you a better chance of winning! Trust me: you want to win this book!

What are ya waiting for?

5 questions, 5 answers!

2010-02-26T12:55:00.003-07:00

My beautiful, talented, marathon-running, inspiring friend, Erin (you should hear me when I'm sucking up! ;)), tagged me in her latest blog entry! Since she inspires me to blog more often, run more, and eat better (I sill can't thank you enough for my signed book, love!), PLUS I love answering questions, I'm going to roll with it! :)

Question 1: Where were you five years ago?

1. In the Marine Corps.
2. Dating my wonderful husband, learning what it meant to really be in love.
3. Working at Greenfield's Restaurant, my all-time favorite!
4. Babysitting my amazing niece & nephew. Miss you, Jacob. <3
5. Almost married. :)

Question 2: What is (was) on your to-do list today?

1. NOT RUNNING! I'm a little injured after yesterday's bosque run, so I'm taking it easy. Plus my feet have put up with almost 45 miles this week.
2. Grocery store...one of my favorite things!
3. Attend a basketball game for my friend's beautiful daughter.
4. Clean house and make dinner.
5. Have wonderful friends over for some Chickpea Cutlets and other tasty treats.

Question 3: What five snacks do you enjoy?

1. Anything chocolate.
2. Chips, pita, or veggies with hummus.
3. Chips & salsa, but only at La Salita!
4. Cuties. Oh, how I love Cuties!
5. Veggie Stix!

Question 4: What five places have you lived?

1. I grew up in New Hampshire...
2. Roamed around Canada for a bit with my bestie...
3. Spent time in the Marine Corps down south (SC, NC, VA)
4. Then off to Okinawa, JP to be with the husband...
5. And now I live in New Mexico!

Question 5: What five things would you do if you were a billionaire?

1. Immediately buy a home...one in NH, for sure.
2. Invest!!!
3. Help my mom and my family with whatever they need.
4. Shop till I can't even walk anymore!
5. Help anyone I know and love who might need it. (That I copied from Erin, who copied it from Miss Melissa. I'd do the exactly the same!)

I love questions. I also love giveaways, so keep your eyes peeled for my next post. ;)

Now for the fun part: getting to tag 5 of my friends! Here goes:

Leslie @ Better Together
The newly Mrs. Kanmuri @ Turning Iwatean
Dawn & Out of Africa
Jaclyn @ Jaclyn's Vegan Yumminess
ABQ Beer Geek @ Albuquerque Beer Scene

Have fun! Happy Saturday!!!

KALE CHIPS!!!

2010-02-26T08:06:00.006-07:00

FINALLY!!!

These are long overdue, and if it weren't for my darling friend, Lori, I might have completely forgotten about them (forgotten to blog them, not make them. They're a staple in our house now.) When I try to explain these chips to people, I get the crazy eye. To put in perspective how delicious these are, though, check this: Cody has bought seeds to plant kale in our garden so we can have Kale Chips whenever we want. Bring it! (<---Do people still say that? Really?)

Buffalo Wings & Kale Chips

Hummus Wrap & Kale Chips

Black Bean Burgers & Kale Chips

As you can see, we love these chips. So without further ado...

Kale Chips
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 10-15 minutes

1 bunch of kale
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
salt

1. Preheat oven to 350° F. I don't even use a baking sheet for this; I just use aluminum foil. Break the kale into large chip-size pieces.

2. Combine the oil and vinegar. Sprinkle over the kale, then season with salt, to taste. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until crispy.

THAT IS IS!!!
You will be absolutely amazed and delighted with the crispy, delicious flavor of these chips. Plus, check THIS out:

Now, as you will when you bake these, you aren't eating all of the oil that remains left on the foil (which is still such a trace amount, you don't have to feel guilty), so there are even less calories than what's above. So go ahead! Eat up!

Chocolate Avocado Cupcakes

2010-02-25T07:19:00.006-07:00

I simply cannot believe I haven't blogged about these cupcakes yet. They are the very first vegan item I made...we were still out in Japan and I decided to give them a try. Once I made them and realized how amazing they were, I realized living a vegan lifestyle and still eating delicious food can go together!

These cupcakes are not too sweet, super moist, dense, and topped with a crazy icing. You're probably going to make a face at the list of ingredients, but I promise you, these might just be some of the best cupcakes you've ever had. *I know I say that about all the cupcakes I make, but it's true. Trust me.

Chocolate Avocado Cupcakes
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 25 minutes

Cupcake:
1½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour
¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (I use Special Dark cocoa powder. Yum.)
1 tsp baking powder
¾ tsp baking soda
¾ tsp salt
1 avocado, pitted and peeled
1 cup pure maple syrup
¾ cup plain soymilk
¹⁄3 cup canola oil
2 tsp vanilla extract

Glaze:
¼-14 ounce block soft silken tofu, drained and patted dry
3 tbsp pure maple syrup
½ tsp vanilla extract
¹⁄8 tsp salt
4 ounces semisweet vegan chocolate, melted

1. To make Cupcakes: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners. Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in bowl. Purée avocado in food processor until smooth. Add maple syrup, soymilk, oil, and vanilla, and blend until creamy. Whisk avocado mixture into flour mixture.

2. Spoon batter into prepared cupcake cups. Bake 25 minutes, or until toothpick inserted into center comes out with some crumbs attached. Cool.

3. To make Glaze: Blend tofu, maple syrup, vanilla, and salt in food processor until smooth. Add chocolate to tofu mixture and blend until smooth. Transfer to bowl. Dip tops of cupcakes into glaze, pulling straight up from glaze to form peaks.

So I usually don't put up the nutritional value for desserts because they're desserts! It's an indulgence! I'm just going to show you a little somethin-somethin: Here is the same recipe, only using eggs, milk, and frosting made with powdered sugar:

Note the difference here:

Calories +111
Fat +1.9
Saturated Fat +2.4
Cholesterol +42
Sodium +28
Carbohydrates +23.7
Dietary Fiber -1.2
Sugars +27.4

So you can see that almost everything goes up when you add your eggs and milk and sugar...except for your dietary fiber, which isn't a good thing, and although there is more vitamin A in your traditional cupcakes, there is more Calcium, vitamin C, and Iron in the vegan cupcakes. Just thought I would point those things out and give you a little something to ponder.

If you have any ripe avocados around and you're not sure what to do with them, I double-dog dare you to give these cupcakes a try. You will be amazed. Happy Thursday!

Best. Seitan. Ever.

2010-02-23T07:41:00.006-07:00

I just recently took my first dabble in seitan. If you don't know what seitan is, here is a fabulous definition from wikipedia.

"Wheat gluten, also called seitan (pronounced /ˈseɪtæn/), wheat meat, Mock Duck, gluten meat, or simply gluten, is a food made from the gluten of wheat. It is made by washing wheat flour dough with water until all the starch dissolves, leaving insoluble gluten as an elastic mass which is then cooked before being eaten."

My first stab at it can be found HERE. Don't get me wrong, that is still a really good recipe for seitan. It's moist, flavorful, and fairly simple. However, this recipe has more flavor, is easier, and has a much meatier texture. I came across it accidentally browsing Yeah, That "Vegan" Shit. She's super funny, so I highly recommend sneaking a peak at her page! Anyway, without further ado, here is the best seitan recipe in history:

Best Seitan Ever
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 90 minutes

1 1/2 cup vital wheat gluten (Find this at Whole Foods or your local grocery store in the bulk section!)
1/4 cup nutritional yeast (Again, find this in the bulk section!
1 tsp salt
2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cumin
1-2 tsp pepper (I used the full 2 because I like it zippy!)
1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp allspice (I skipped this!)
3/4 cup cold water
4 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp ketchup (Yes, ketchup.)
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp vegetarian Worcestershire sauce (I used Braggs, but you could easily use soy sauce, too.)
1-3 cloves garlic, crushed well (I just put in 1/4 tsp garlic powder. I didn't want garlic chunks in my wheat meat!)

1. Preheat oven to 325° F. In a large mixing bowl, mix dry ingredients. In a smaller bowl, mix wet ingredients, whisking until well combined.

2. Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients. Mix well, then knead for several minutes. (I'm so lucky I can just throw all of this in my KitchenAid, turn it on, and start washing dishes!)

3. Form into a log (6-8" long), wrap tightly in foil, twisting ends (It should look like a massive piece of candy!). Bake for 90 minutes. When done baking, unwrap and leave out to cool all the way. Then wrap it foil or plastic and refrigerate. Slice to use as desired.

So, I have to admit. I enjoyed a martini whilst making this tasty mock meat (What??? Tuesday is a no-run day. I deserve a martini.). When it came out of the oven, I didn't have the patience to let it cool. I started picking at it immediately. Then I share with Cody. Then half of it was gone. :) Luckily, this is so easy and I always have the ingredients on hand, I'm not worried about it.

If you have contemplated going vegetarian or vegan but hate the price of mock meats, this is for you. If you like to cook and have a few daring bones in your body, this is for you. If you have a gluten allergy, I'm sorry, this is not for you. Please enjoy responsibly. And now I leave you with something a little classy:

Peanut Crusted Tofu

2010-02-22T07:45:00.004-07:00

A few weeks ago, Cody & I drove up to Colorado with our "married friends" to see Manchester Orchestra (If you haven't checked them out yet, you really need to get a move on! We JUST found out they're coming to Albuquerque May 9. Yesssss.....). I posted a recipe for some delicious Seitan Buffalo Wings that I recreated from our trip, now I'm going to post another Colorado favorite.

Before the concert, we went to this brewery in downtown Colorado Springs and I can't remember the name of it for the life of me. Cody & I split a salad (yes, we split a salad) and drank a couple of tasty beers. The salad had this amazing ginger sesame dressing, soba noodles, shredded carrot, bean sprouts, a massive fried wonton, and peanut crusted tofu. The tofu was amazing! Since I almost always have tofu in my fridge, I decided to try my hand at this dish.

*The plate looks kinda boring and lacks color. I should've thrown some kale on there or something. How unattractive!

Peanut Crusted Tofu
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes

1 (14 ounce) package extra firm tofu, drained
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup unsweetened soy milk
1 tsp lemon juice
1/4 cup unbleached flour
1/3 cup dry-roasted peanuts
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 teaspoons peanut oil
Cooking spray

1. Cut tofu crosswise into 8 equal pieces. Cut each piece into two triangles. Arrange tofu in a single layer on several layers of heavy-duty paper towels. Cover tofu with additional paper towels. Place a cutting board on top of tofu. Place a few heavy cans of whateveryouhaveinyourcabinet on cutting board. Let stand 20 minutes. Pat tofu dry with paper towels.

2. Combine soy milk and lemon juice in a shallow dish. Let curdle. Place flour in a separate shallow dish (add a little salt and pepper if you're feeling zesty!). Place peanuts in a food processor; process until finely ground. Combine ground peanuts, garlic powder, ginger, red pepper, and salt in a shallow dish.

3. Dredge each side of the tofu triangle in flour. Dip in the soy milk mixture, then dredge in peanut mixture. Heat 1 teaspoon oil in a large nonstick skillet coated with cooking spray over medium heat. Add half of tofu; cook 2 minutes on each side or until browned. (Watch closely to prevent burning.) Repeat procedure with remaining 1 teaspoon oil and tofu.

I paired the tofu with some homemade gyoza. I took the "meat" recipe from HERE and carefully filled some homemade vegan wonton wrappers. I have some gyoza dipping sauce (HOT) in my fridge, so we dipped both the gyoza and the tofu in there. It was a pretty good meal! I'll definitely make it again.

Hope you have a fabulous Monday!

Chocolate Banana Cream Pie

2010-02-21T10:50:00.005-07:00

I honestly don't even know how many recipes I have on here that I attribute to my amazing mother. Here's a list of a my favorites:

Shepherd's Pie
Hamburg Gravy
Mushroom Marsala

There are plenty more...some that bring back fond memories of my Gram, my Nana & Grampa, and even my beautiful sister. For me, good food was part of growing up. I feel like food is a luxury; when it's good, it's real good and it should hit all of your senses. This recipe is one really close to my heart. It's one that I hope MY children will want to make and will get excited for every year around the holidays. Or whenever I'm in the mood to make it. :)

Thanksgiving and Christmas were huge holidays...literally...for my family. I'm one of five, not including my father's kids, and I have more cousins than I can even count. Every Turkey Day, we knew we were going to get Chocolate Cream Pie and Banana Cream Pie. We'd even sometimes get them on Christmas. I can still see my mom constantly stirring the chocolate pudding over the stove. That's why when I thought of making a pie, I had to combine the two and see how it came out.

It came out phenomenally.

This crust is identical to my mom's. It's flaky, buttery, salty, and perfectly gold. It's so easy to make, I'm not sure I'll every buy store-bought crust again.

Pie Crust
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 15-20 minutes

2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tsp sugar
1 tsp salt
1 cup Earth Balance
1/4 cup plus 4 tbsp ice water

1. (I don't have a pastry cutter and my food processor isn't large enough to fit all the ingredients, so I start this off in a large bowl.) Preheat oven to 350° F. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, salt, and Earth Balance. I use a fork to start cutting the ingredients together until it starts to resemble small peas. It should be coarse looking.

2. Add 1/4 of ice water. Continue cutting until the dough is crumbly but holds together when squeezed. If you need more water, add 1 tbsp at a time until you get the right consistency. Turn out onto floured surface and knead once or twice, until the dough comes together. Do not over-mix! You won't get the flaky dough you're looking for if you do. Shape into two equal-sized disks, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least an hour.

3. (You don't need both disks, so you can either make two pies or save one disk of dough for later on. It'll last in the fridge up to three days or you can stick in the freezer.) On a floured surface, roll out your dough to a 14-inch circle. Carefully fold in half and unfold in your pie plate. Cut around the edges so you have an inch overhang. Fold the inch of dough under itself so it's flush with pie rim. Crimp the edge either with a fork or with your knuckle. Pierce bottom and sides with a fork to prevent puffing up while baking.

4. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool before filling.

OK, now for the best part. The pudding
Before I made the pudding, I sliced about a banana and a half into 1/4-inch coins and lined the bottom of the pie shell.

Chocolate Cream
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes

3/4 cup white sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups full-fat, unsweetened soy milk
6 tbsp cocoa (I use the dark cocoa...)
2 tbsp vegetable oil
4 1/2 tsp Ener-G
3 tbsp water
2 tbsp Earth Balance
1 tsp vanilla extract

1. Combine sugar, flour, soy milk, cocoa, and oil in 2 quart saucepan. Stirring constantly, cook over medium heat until mixture begins to bubble. Continue stirring for 2 minutes.

2. In a small bowl, combine the Ener-G and water. Mix until completely combined. Stir the Ener-G mixture in the sauce pan and cook for an additional 90 seconds. Remove from heat, and stir in Earth Balance and vanilla.

3. Pour filling into pie shell, and chill until set. Thoroughly enjoy, as I know you will.

Cody kept commenting on how good the crust was. I couldn't get over the hint of delicious banana and how amazingly smooth and dark the chocolate cream was. I brought a piece in for my boss...she always has the best reactions to my baked goods! It definitely went over well. I have a pie shell already cooked in the kitchen waiting for more of this delicious filling. I know there are a lot of steps involved, but it's really rather simple!

So what about you? Are there any foods that trigger childhood memories or always make you think of someone you love?

Spinach Tempeh Pie

2010-02-19T08:02:00.005-07:00

I just have to vent for a minute: There are two parallel roads that lead from a main street near my house to down town, hitting the college along the way. The speed limit is 30, which sounds slow, except the lights are timed so if you go 30, you never hit a light! It's a great concept, especially for someone like me who drives a standard. I don't understand the people who feel the need to go 40, then immediately hit the brakes to stop for the light.

This morning, after I dropped Cody off at school, this woman behind me was on my tail so bad I couldn't even see her headlights. That's close. Too close. So I tapped on my breaks. It's a 2-lane road. She could've gone around. Instead, she stayed right on my rear end. I dropped to 25. She doesn't need to be following me that close; I was hoping she'd get the hint and just pass me. Or get off my butt. Well, I got what I wanted...she moved over, then cut in front of me when there wasn't enough room and I almost hit her. All the while, her middle finger is out the window.

What is wrong with people?

Ugh. That's my rant. Now on to food.

Like tofu, I almost always have tempeh in my fridge. It sounds weird, I know. If you're not sure of what this magical soy product is, check it out HERE. I really like the Westsoy brand. It's easy to use and takes on the flavor of anything you mix it with.

A few months back, our landlady gave us loads and loads of different flours. I know: best landlady ever. One of them was spelt flour, which I wasn't sure how to use, until I stumbled across a recipe for spelt flour crust. Here is a tasty little creation that you really really really need to try.

Spinach Tempeh Pie
Prep time: 10 minutes, plus marinading
Cook time: 30 minutes

Filling:
2 tsp orange zest, about 2 oranges
1/2 cup fresh orange juice, about 2 oranges (If you don't get enough, just add a little bit of water to make up the rest)
2 tbsp orange marmalade
2 tbsp sesame oil
2 tbsp Bragg's Liquid Aminos* (Thanks, Katie!)
3 cloves garlic, grated
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
2 tsp ground ginger
8 ounces tempeh, crumbled
4 cups baby spinach, chopped

*You can use soy sauce if you don't have or can't find Bragg's!

Crust:
3 tbsp tahini
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 1/4 cups spelt flour
1/4 cup plus 1 tbsp soy milk (sweet or unsweetened; whatever you have on hand will work!)

1. In a medium bowl, whisk zest, juice, marmalade, sesame oil, soy sauce, garlic, red pepper flakes, and ginger.
Stir in crumbled tempeh. Marinate in the fridge for 30 minutes, stirring once halfway through.

2. Preheat oven to 375° F. Lightly spray nonstick spray on a baking sheet. Heat oil in a large saucepan. Cook marinated tempeh, along with marinade, on medium heat until it browns up, for about 8 minutes. Add spinach and cook until heated through and wilted, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

3. In your stand mixer or food processor (Like my beautiful KitchenAid), combine tahini, salt, and flour. Add soy milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until dough forms. (I had to scrape down the sides a few times)

4. Shape into a disk. Roll out dough to approximately 11 x 10 inches, a little over 1/8-inch thick. Transfer onto prepared baking sheet. Place filling on top of the prepared crust, leaving about 1 inch from the edges. Level the filling, fold the edges of the pie crust up and over so that the filling is visible. It's not going to be your traditional pie crust, but that's the point!

5. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the top of the crust is golden brown. Let stand for 10 minutes before slicing and serving.

This was really good! I didn't love the crust, but the filling was marvelous! It was sweet...but spicy...but meaty...but full of spinach. That hint of orange went really well with the tempeh and the heat from the red pepper behind it tantalized the taste buds. I highly recommend this little pie!

PS: I hope you all find yourselves driving with consideration. I'm still shaken up. That's the scariest thing: it's not about how good of a driver you are. There are too many bad drivers on the road. Oh well. Happy Friday!!!

PPS: Something that cheers me up...one of my girlfriends sent me a picture text last night with my Shepherd's Pie in the picture...she made it for dinner and it was a hit! That's an awesome feeling! Thanks, lady!

Southwest Bean & Corn Salad

2010-02-17T07:15:00.005-07:00

Another post for lunch! I swore I would try my hardest not to post salads on my vegan blog because that's what we're thought to only eat. However, this is not your traditional salad. There's not lettuce! There's no spinach! There's no "greens" to form your base. This salad is composed of beans, which leaves you fuller and more satisfied. WARNING: If you're going on a date or plan on being around people, eat this with caution. The amount of fiber in it is going to gas you up!

As I was mixing it together last night, Cody asked, "Why don't I get fancy lunches?". I let him pack himself a meat sandwich every day. He doesn't rate my delicious beans. :) He did, however, help me with the flavor on this one, so I'll let him pack some if he so chooses.

Southwest Bean & Corn Salad
Prep time: 10 minutes

1 15-oz can black beans
1 15-oz can garbanzo beans
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1/2 red onion, diced
1/3 cup green olives, thinly sliced
1 1/2 cups corn (I had frozen on hand, so I just added a bit of water in a bowl and heated in the microwave)
Juice of 2 limes
1-2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp hot pepper
3 tbsp olive oil
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp Mrs. Dash Southwest Chipotle Seasoning (Per Cody's suggestion, if you have it!)
Salt & pepper, to taste

1. Heat your corn in the microwave if it's frozen. Drain and rinse both beans. Combine all three in a large bowl.

2. Chop the peppers, onions and dice the olives. Mix with the corn and beans. Juice the 2 limes directly over the bowl. Drizzle with olive oil.

3. Add in all of your spices. Mix well. Taste; decide whether or not it needs anything else! Remember: it's going to get even more flavorful the longer it sits. I can't wait to taste it after a night of swimming in delicious marinade!

Cody just pointed out that there is 10 grams of fat. It's good fat, people! This is low sodium! Super high in both protein AND fiber! I swear, I get more protein now than I did when I consumed animal flesh. This salad is just delicious. Great for packing in a tub and bringing to lunch. Or pairing with a light dinner. Or putting in a pita and calling it a sandwich. Triple Score!!!

It's a Wrap!

2010-02-17T06:56:00.006-07:00

A friend of mine asked me this week if I would get some posts up that are easy, healthy lunch options so he can get rid of fast food. I'm up for a challenge, especially one that is beneficial to people I care about! It always makes me happy to see people make positive changes in their lives, whether they're giving up sugar or boycotting processed foods. The next few posts are going to be lunch-friendly, heating not necessary, carry in a brown paper bag lunches!

Veggie Wrap
Prep time: 5 minutes

1 large wrap, I prefer Mission Garden Spinach Wraps
2-4 tbsp hummus, any kind will do!
1/4-1/2 cup baby spinach
1 carrot, shredded
1/4 cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced
A few olives, chopped (I'm obsessed with kalamata!)
Whatever else tickles your fancy! (Cody had jalapenos. You could add tomatoes, bean sprouts, lettuce, peppers, whatever is in your fridge!)

1. Lay your wrap on a large plate or clean work surface. Smother the center with a thick layer of hummus. Top with all of your vegetables and roll the side once. Folding in the two perpendicular sides, carefully and tightly roll the longer side the rest of the way. I really hope that made sense. If it didn't, swing by your local Mexican restaurant and ask if you can watch them roll a burrito. :)

*NOTE: If you're packing this to work and you're not going to eat it for a few hours, I would wait to put the hummus in. It's going to make your wrap soggy. Consider using it to dip, or just spread on each bite.

Tune in the rest of the week when I post a delicious bean salad that Cody & I worked on together. I suppose I'll also put up my recipe for kale chips. I've been showing them off so much. It just doesn't seem fair not to.

Snap, Crackle, Pop!

2010-02-16T08:16:00.004-07:00

A few months ago, I bought a box of Rice Krispies so I could make THESE Peanut Butter Chocolate Bars. *If you're craving chocolatey, peanut butter goodness, I highly recommend these!

Anyway, I'm not a huge fan of Rice Krispies as a cereal. I'm not a sweet cereal fan, either, I just feel like RK doesn't fill me up the way some other cereals can...so the box has been hanging out in my cereal cabinet. The husband got me Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar for Christmas, and there's a recipe for Rice Krispie Treats in there! I hope you're all aware that marshmallows are not vegan. In fact, they're quite gross. Skin and bone extract??? YUCK!!! Here is your animal friendly, super tasty, vegan version thanks to the wonderful ladies at The Post Punk Kitchen.

Big Fat Crispy Rice Squares
Prep time: 10 minutes
No cook time! Just chill time.

1/3 cup maple syrup
2/3 cup brown rice syrup
1/4 cup nonhydrogenated margarine, cut into chunks (I use Earth Balance)
2 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/4 tsp almond, maple, or coconut extract (I had almond on hand.)
A pinch of salt
9 cups crispy brown rice cereal (one 10-ounce box of cereal)

1. Line an 8 x 8 x 3-inch square metal brownie pan with enough aluminum foil so that it folds over the sides of the pan by about an inch. Spray the bottom and sides of the covered pan with nonstick cooking spray.

2. In a large saucepan, combine the maple syrup and brown rice syrup; make sure to use a large pan with sides at least 4 inches tall, as the mixture will foam quite a bit when it boils. Stir over medium heat and cook until the mixture comes to a full, rapid, foaming boil. Cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, add the margarine, and stir until it's melted and mostly incorporated into syrup. Stir in the vanilla and almond extracts and salt.

3. Pour the cereal into a very large mixing bowl. Pour the cooked syrup mixture over the cereal, then use a large rubber spatula to stir and coat the cereal with the syrup mixture. Stir and fold for about 2 minutes, taking care to completely coat all of the cereal with syrup; the mixture should be very sticky. Use the spatula to scoop the coated cereal into the foil-lined pan, pushing the mixture around so that it's evenly distributed throughout the pan. It should heap somewhat over the top of the pan.

4. Tear a piece of waxed paper or parchment paper slightly larger than the size of the pan. Place the paper on top of the cereal mixture, then with your hands, firmly press down and mash the cereal so that it's now level with the edges of the pan. Evenly press all of the cereal down; this step is very important as it will help the crispy rice stick together, so make sure to keep pressing down firmly and evenly on the rice, even crushing it a little if necessary. When the cereal seems as level and firm as it's going to get, place the pan in the freezer and freeze for at least 2 hours or until very solid.

5. To slice, remove the pan from the freezer and slice immediately. The easiest way to do so is grab the edges of the foil, lift the entire contents out of pan, and flip it, wax paper side down, onto a cutting board. Peel off the foil from the top. Use a very sharp and heavy knife to slice the mixture into nine large squares or twelve smaller ones. For sturdier treats, loosely cover the squares and store in a cool place for 8 hours before serving. Frozen crispy rice squares can also be served right after slicing but may become slightly crumbly as they warm to room temperature.

These were absolutely ah-mazing. They were buttery, and that hint of almond really worked the lack of marshmallow to the max. You definitely have to keep them cold, otherwise they start to fall apart, but even when they crumble, they're delicious. Thanks, PPK, for bringing these wonderful childhood treats back into my life!

Eggplant Parmesan

2010-02-15T08:57:00.005-07:00

For a large part of my cooking career, I have had an undeniable attraction to Rachel Ray. She's perky, heallllthy (and I don't mean her food), and just kinda wings her food together. For the most part, her food can be made healthy and everything is fairly simple to make. What's not to love?

Cody loves Rachel's cooking, too....hence the reason I have six of her cook books. :) Of course, I received five of them before becoming a vegetarian, so now I'm made to go through them and make her recipes vegan. When we were still in Japan and I was just a vegetarian (not "just" as in "only"...vegetarians rock, too!), I took my first stab at her Eggplant Parmesan from her Vegetarian Cook Book. All we had out there were the Japanese eggplants, duh, so the pieces were small but cute. Oh, and delicious! Cody & I couldn't get over how much we loved eggplant! Now it's a staple in our house. I've tried eggplant roasted, sauteed, and grilled, but I love my eggplant coated with bread crumbs and served with pasta (or in a panini ala Eggplant Panini).

At first, I made Rachel's eggplant with eggs. Obviously a no go these days. My first few attempts at making vegan eggplant parm weren't all that great. I have since mastered the art of eggplant, though. At least, Cody & I think so. :)

Eggplant Parmesan
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 10-15 minutes

1 large eggplant
1-2 cups fresh bread crumbs (I take a few slices of bread and dry them out in the oven at 350° F, then grind in my food processor)
Salt & pepper, to taste
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp rosemary
1/2 tsp Vegan Topping
1 cup unsweetened soy milk
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 cup flour
2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp Earth Balance

1. Slice your eggplant about 1/2-inch thick. Sprinkle each side with salt, place in a colander, and let the bitter juices drain out for about 10 minutes. Pat dry and set aside.

2. In a shallow bowl, combine bread crumbs, salt & pepper, oregano, rosemary, and Vegan Topping. Set aside.

3. In another shallow bowl, combine soy milk and lemon juice. Mix and let curdle.

4. In a shallow dish, mix flour and a little extra salt & pepper.

5. Heat olive oil and butter in a large frying pan over medium heat. At the same time, heat your oven to 350° F. Working in batches, take one piece of eggplant and dredge in flour. After dredging, coat with the "buttermilk" mixture. Then coat with bread crumbs and place carefully in the pan. Cook until golden brown, flip, and cook the other side.

6. When one pan of eggplant is good and golden, place on a cookie sheet and put in the preheated oven for 5 minutes or until you see some juice under each slice. Remove; serve on a sandwich or with pasta and sauce.

This is what we had for Valentine's Day dinner. Followed by some tasty Chocolate Banana Cream Pie...recipe to follow. Trust me: you'll want to tune in for that one!

Margarita Cupcakes

2010-02-12T08:10:00.003-07:00

Ay ay ay!
If there's anything I love more than a filthy martini, it's a well-made margarita. They're sweet. They're sour. They're refreshing. And I live in New Mexico, so my cup runneth over. That's why when I came across this delectable combination of margaritas and cupcakes, I knew I would fall in love.

Since I am so fond of margaritas (only on occasion....don't get the wrong idea!), I almost always have my friend, Jose Quervo, in the beer fridge freezer. So I stopped by the market, picked up some limes, and made these happy hour cupcakes.

Margarita Cupcakes
Prep time: 15 minutes
Bake time: 20-22 minutes

Cupcakes

1/4 cup lime juice, freshly squeezed
1 1/2 teaspoons lime zest, freshly grated
1 cup soymilk (I always try to use full-fat for baking.)
1/4 cup canola oil
2 tablespoons tequila
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt

Icing

1/4 cup Earth Balance
1 tablespoon soymilk
3 tablespoons lime juice, freshly squeezed
1 tablespoon tequila
tiny drop green food coloring...as tiny as you can manage!
2-2 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
1 pinch kosher salt or coarse salt
1/2 cup large crystal decorator sugar (for the rim of the cupcake!)

1. Preheat oven to 350° F and line muffin pan with cupcake liners.

2. Beat together lime juice, zest, soy milk, oil, tequila, vanilla and sugar.

3. Combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Combine into the wet ingredients and mix until smooth.

4. Fill liners about 3/4 fill. I use a 1/4 cup measuring cup to get the job done. Bake 20-22 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

5. Transfer cupcakes to a cooling ratck and cook completely before frosting.

6. Blend margarine until soft and fluffy; stir in soy milk, lime juice, tequila and food coloring. Use only the tiniest bit of food coloring.

7. Sift in 2 cups confectioners sugar and blend until smooth and creamy. Add additional confectioner sugar if the icing appears too liquidy. Refrigerate until ready to use.

8. Spread icing on the cupckaes spreading all the way to the edges.

9. Roll the outer edge of the cupcakes in the sugar crystals. Serve after your favorite Mexican / New Mexican dish!

I sincerely hope you get the chance to make these cupcakes. The fresh lime juice makes all the difference in the world. You don't really notice the tequila, just like in a real margarita. It's just there for fun. :)

Buffalo Wings

2010-02-10T07:19:00.006-07:00

Two weeks ago, Cody & I drove up to Colorado Springs with our good friends, Erik & Stephanie. Erik is from Colorado and he & Stephanie lived there for 8 years. We drove up to see Manchester Orchestra (if you haven't listened to them, get on it!). We got to meet some of their good friends, their family, and ate loads of good food! My favorite place, by far, was Trinity Brewery. They had great beer AND great food. Their menu was dedicated to vegetarians and vegans. Stephanie got the tempeh sliders and I got the Buffalo Wings with mustard beer dipping sauce and a side of sweet potato fries. Mmmmmmmm.

You know me: recreator extraordinaire! I literally couldn't stop thinking about going home and making buffalo wings. It was all I could talk about. I didn't want my little wings to be gone! We made it safely back to Albuquerque on Monday and I made them for dinner that night. :)

You can find the recipe for the seitan HERE...it's the first recipe. Once it has cooled and is ready to use, head on to this post and get your buffalo on!

Buffalo Wings
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes

Make sure you start your SEITAN ahead of time!

1/4 cup flour
1 tsp garlic powder
salt & pepper to taste
4 tbsp vegetable oil
1/2 cup Frank's Hot Sauce, or hot sauce of choice
4 tbsp butter, melted

1. Break the seitan into wing-size pieces. In a large pan, heat oil over medium heat.

2. In a shallow bowl, combine the flour, garlic, salt, and pepper. Dredge the seitan pieces in flour, making sure to cover all of it. Carefully drop each piece in the oil. Let the seitan cook for 5 minutes, or until browned. Flip on all sides and brown.

3. While the seitan is cooking, heat the hot sauce and better in the microwave or small saucepan over low heat. Mix until well incorporated.

4. Remove the seitan from the pan. Pour the hot sauce mixture over your seitan, making sure to coat each piece. I then put mine on a skewer and served!

(Yes, kale chips....so good...)

The next night, I had extra seitan, so I made more buffalo wings and made a calzone. I filled it with spinach and kalamata olives....mmmmm......

The seitan has a nutritional value to drool over. I'm pretty impressed with it.

Add the buffalo sauce to it, it's still not so bad.

So go ahead. Indulge!

CoCo Ichibanya

2010-02-09T07:12:00.010-07:00

Have you ever found a food that you knew you would never again be able to live without? The kind of food that you (or your wife) would crave whilst pregnant? A food so delicious, you ate it at least once a week, even after three years of eating it? Those of us "lucky" enough to be stationed on Okinawa, Japan have found that food. It comes in the form of curry.

You could bet your bottom dollar that if you passed by a CoCo's, there would be more Americans than Japanese there. Chicken cutlet with cheese? Level mild through 10? Side of Na an? Absolutely. Cody was a chicken cutlet boy, like most Americans. We only got the half order because it was the perfect amount of sticky rice. Plus it came with a drink. We also worked the level 10 curry like it was our job. I switched from the popular chicken to shrimp....then to vegetable. The had these spicy potato croquettes that were a great little appetizer. Mango and milk desserts...ice cream at the front...toys for the kiddos. This place was pure belly-burnin' heaven. I obviously needed to make it my life-long goal to recreate this dish.

Let's start with the cutlets.

I made homemade seitan last week to recreate a different dish (to be posted later. This is far more important.) Seitan is actually easy. It's cheaper than buying pre-made fake meat, plus it's more versatile. I had a mound left, so I thinly sliced it into culet-esque shapes, dredged them in flour, buttermilk, then panko bread crumbs. The gluten seitan itself takes a bit of time to prepare, so make sure you plan accordingly. Here's the seitan recipe:

Seitan
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour

1 1/2 cups vital wheat gluten flour (You can easily find this in the bulk section of Whole Foods!)
1/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes (Again...Whole Foods)
1 cup very cold water
1/2 cup soy sauce (I used about 1/3
1 tablespoon tomato paste
2 cloves garlic, pressed or grated on a microplane grater
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest

Simmering Broth
10 cups water or vegetable broth
1/2 cup soy sauce (I would use either the broth or the soy sauce. Not both.)

1. In a large bowl, mix together Vital Wheat Gluten Flour and nutritional yeast flakes.

2. In a seperate bowl, mix together reamining ingredients: water, soy sauce. tomato paste, garlic, lemon zest.

3. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and combine with a firm spatula, knead dough for about 3 minutes until a spongy, elastic dough is formed. Let dough rest for a couple of minutes and prepare your broth, but don't start boiling it.

4. Now roll your dough into a log shape about 8 inches long and cut into 3 equal sized pieces. Place the pieces in the broth. It is important that the water/broth be very cold when you add the dough, it helps with the texture and ensures that it doesn't fall apart. Partially cover the pot (leave a little space for steam to escape) and bring to a boil.

5. When the water has come to a boil set the heat to low and gently simmer for an hour, turning the pieces every now and again.

6. Now you've got gluten. Let it cool in the simmering broth for at least a half an hour. It is best if it cools completely.

7. What you do next depends on the recipe you are using. If it calls for gluten use it as is. If you want to store some of it for later use put it in a sealable container covered in the simmering broth.

8. If your recipe calls for seitan cut your pieces up as desired.

There's more to the seitan recipe, but I'm going to get you started on the rice next. Good sticky rice is so important. I think I've finally mastered it. I made too much last night, but it's ok, because dessert was rice pudding. Here's the sticky rice recipe:

Sticky Rice
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes

3 cups medium grain white rice
3 cups water
3 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp sugar

1. In a colander with a large bowl underneath, place rice under running water. Press and move rice until water gets cloudy. Remove the colander, dump the water bowl, and repeat until the water is no longer cloudy. This is extremely important! I wouldn't skip this step. The result isn't pretty.

2. In a rice steamer or large pot over medium heat, add the rinsed rice and the 3 cups of water. Steam until steamer is done. If using a pot, check often to make sure rice isn't burning or sticking. Rice is done when the water is gone.

3. In a small bowl, microwave the rice vinegar and sugar until the sugar is dissolved. Add to the rice, fluff, and there you have it! Sticky rice!

Now we have to prepare our cutlets.

Seitan Cutlets
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 10-15 minutes

1 seitan log (as made above)
1/2 cup unbleached flour
1/2 cup unsweetened soy milk
1 tsp lemon juice
1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
salt & pepper, to taste
2-4 tbsp vegetable oil

1. Slice your seitan log to make 4 1/2-inch thick cutlets. In separate shallow bowls, set aside one with flour (and salt & pepper, if using), one with soy milk and lemon juice (stir and let curdle), and one with panko bread crumbs.

These bread crumbs are important for the whole experience. I found mine at a regular grocery store in the Asian isle. You shouldn't have a problem coming across them!

2. Heat the oil in a large pan over medium heat. Take one cutlet and completely coat in flour. Get in the nooks & crannies! After floured, coat in soy milk mixture. Then get it covered with panko bread crumbs, pressing to make sure it's coated well. Carefully place in the pan. Repeat till all the cutlets are in the pan.

3. After a few minutes, check the cutlets to make sure they're a golden to dark golden brown color. Flip to brown on both sides.

While the cutlets are cooking...

This is another little nugget I found in the Asian isle of Smith's. If for some reason your grocery store doesn't carry it, check at Whole Foods or even better, a world market, if you have one.

Curry
Prep time: Hardly any!
Cook time: 5-10 minutes

1 box S&B Curry
1 2/3 cups water
Habanero powder, to taste
CoCo Curry powder, if you're lucky enough to still have some

1. In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, add 1 2/3 cups of water. Place your broken up curry pieces into the pot and stir well. Add spice to taste. If you're like us, you'll run out of habanero powder.

2. Assemble plate: the sticky rice goes in a half moon shape on one side of the plate. The other side of the plate is for the cutlet. The curry is put on top of the rice...then I mix it all together, close my eyes, and enjoy. Here's what my plate looked like:

Naturally, as I was making dinner, I had to send a mass text out letting all of our now-stateside friends what I was making. Just as naturally, I got a few "jealous!", "send me some", and "make sure you blog about it!". So here it is, my dear friends. CoCo's Curry.

Crazy times calls for crazy foods!

2010-02-04T18:53:00.004-07:00

WOW!
We have had a really busy couple of weeks. Between trying to get 100 miles ran in the month of January (only getting 93...sad...), school starting back up, the loss of a very dear friend, and traveling to Colorado, we have been a little out of sorts. I feel awful I've been neglecting my blog.

I just put six different food pictures on my desktop so every time I get on my computer, I'll be reminded that I have a blog to write! This one is going to be pretty short and sweet.

Have you watched Man v. Food yet? We get it on our instant stream and I have to admit, I love watching this show. 1. It reminds me why I've chosen a vegan lifestyle. 2. It makes me laugh when I realize how many places in America are all about how much food you can shove down your gullet. 3. It sometimes makes me want to recreate the food. Sometimes. Plus, I think Adam is adorable in a Fred Savage sort of way.

Anyway. Adam went to Detroit to taste some Coney Dogs (which I've always called a Chili Dog, but tomato, tomaaato.) and it made me really really really want one. Lucky for me, Cody is always in the mood for my CHILI, so I made a batch, knowing there would be leftovers. I went to my favorite Sunflower Market the next day, picked up some Smart Dogs and buns, and created my own Coney Dog.

Cody pointed out that the Smart Dogs aren't all that great. If you are fond of the taste of meat bi-products, you might not like these mock dogs. I, however, think they're swell. I fried them up in a pan over medium heat, put them in a toasted bun, then smothered them with hot chili and yellow mustard. The chili and the mustard is enough to cover the slightly-bland taste of the Smart Dogs and the amount of protein and potassium you get is outrageous. Plus, when you read the label to your Smart Dogs, you know and are familiar with every. last. ingredient. Amazing, right?

I'm Elizabeth Bond, and today, in the battle of Woman v. Recreating Food, Woman definitely won.

Black Bean Burgers

2010-01-25T08:03:00.005-07:00

I have some of the greatest friends in the world. Seriously. And they're spread out around the world. America, Canada, Japan, Puerto Rico...this blog is for my beautiful Tina in Puerto Rico.

I met Tina in Japan. We worked together and instantly became likethis. One of the things I loved about her was that she knew all these crazy places to go off base. She had the best little shopping spots and knew all the best eats! One of my favorites that she brought me to was Seaside Jet City Burgers. It was literally on the beach, in a hut, playing nothing but Jack Johnson. :) Yeah, I know. Perfect.

Anyway, my favorite burger (yes, hamburger) was one covered in grilled pineapple and avocado. I couldn't get anything else when we went because this combination was just amazing. Here are a few pictures of my adventures with Tina:

Eating tantan noodles....our favorite!

At the seawall after an amazing day of laying in the sun!

Chula-U...a pool spa she introduced me to. I don't know if we went enough!!!

After a night of Y50 beer. Boy...vegan did my body good!

We have been through so much together, Tina & I, and I love her more than she could ever know. It's been almost a year since we spent time together in Florida and I really hope I get to see her face soon.

On to the food!

I mentioned my favorite SSJCB burger and I decided to recreate it. Duh. That's what I do. :) Here is my black bean burger, which I topped with grilled pineapple and avocado.

Yes, those are kale chips. I was skeptical at first, but kale was on sale at Whole Foods and I made them. Holy crap, so good. Even Cody loved them!

Black Bean Burgers
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes

1/2 cup rolled oats
1/2 medium onion, chopped
1/2 cup black beans, drained & rinsed
1/2 cup frozen corn, thawed
1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup vital wheat gluten
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp chili powder
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne
1 tsp seasoned salt
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar

1. Preheat oven to 400° F degrees.

2. Pulse all the oats in food processor until coarsely chopped. Place in mixing bowl.

3. Place medium chopped onion, 1/4 cup of the black beans and 1/4 cup of the corn and pulse until coarsely chopped. Add to the oats.

4. Add remaining black beans, corn and remaining ingredients to the oats and mixed beans. Mix together well.

5. Form into 4 patties. Place on oiled cookie sheet and cover with foil. Place in oven for 5 minutes, flip and cook 5 more minutes.

So easy, so delicious, so good for you! I toasted some buns, put a little veganiase on the bottom, iceburg lettuce, avocado slices, then I grilled up some pineapple that I put on top. Honestly, the spice of the black bean burger is cooled by the avocado then sweetened by the pineapple. It might just be this summer's perfect dish. And the kale chips....stay tuned for the kale chips!!!

Tina, if you read this, I hope you know how much I love you & miss you & how grateful I am to have such a wonderful woman in my life to call my friend! I LOVE YOU!!!

Got Chocolate?

2010-01-20T07:39:00.004-07:00

This is not a fancy post, nor is this a post that needs any explanation. I'm a girl who loves chocolate. Dark chocolate, to be exact. I guess that's a good thing, too, since I can't really eat milk chocolate. :)

At the beginning of the month (not the year, because it wasn't a resolution), I started cutting back calories. I see so many people cut out carbs or start taking pills or eat nothing but bananas and grapefruit for a month. Really?? Losing weight is hard no matter which way you cut it. But when you're cutting it from weird places, it's going to be even harder to keep it off. Cutting calories not only works, it's logical and doesn't need to be FDA approved!

Picture this: 3500 calories = 1 pound of fat. If you burn 3500 calories from your normal intake a week, you'll lose a pound. If you have an extra 3500 calories floating around, you're going to gain a pound. My daily intake looks something like this:

1 cup of coffee with raw sugar & Mocha Mix = 42 cal
1 cup of Chex Mix with 1/2 cup of Light Soy Milk = 140 cal
Smart Deli sandwich on wheat bread, Vegan cheese, lettuce, Dijon mustard = 232 cal
Carrot strips = 20 cal
Cutie (or some other piece of fruit...but right now, these are my favorites!) = 35 cal
Something fabulous for dinner as seen on this blog :) = 200-500 cal
A cookie, some So Delicious Ice Cream, or hot chocolate = 100-200 cal

Add this all up and include the 400-700 calories I burn on a given day (depending on whether I run or just run my butt off at work!), I manage to eat under 1100 calories a day. If you were to tally up all of your calories for one day, what do you think they'd amount to?

I love hot chocolate.
Not the powdery stuff in the bag, good, warm, homemade hot chocolate. It warms up the hands and belly on cold days but also hits the spot when it comes to chocolate cravings without adding too many calories to your day! This is my favorite recipe for hot chocolate...

Dark Hot Chocolate
Prep time: 3 minutes
Cook time 2-3 minutes

1 heaping tsp Hershey's Dark Chocolate Cocoa
2 tsp raw sugar
Pinch salt
1 - 1 1/2 cups light soy milk

1. In a large mug, whisk together the cocoa, sugar, salt, and a few tablespoons of the soy milk. Whisk until it is smooth and no longer powdery or lumpy. This is very important!!!

2. Add the rest of the milk to the mug, stir, and cook in a microwave for 1 minute. Take out and stir, then cook for another minute or two. Voila!

I hope you try this delicious hot chocolate, especially if you're somewhere cold like me!

Pad Thai & Lettuce Wraps

2010-01-18T09:32:00.006-07:00

My husband has been gone for the entire weekend, so I've been doing nothing but cleaning and cooking. When he's gone, I barely know what to do with myself! So I do what I do best. Cook & clean. :) I made some delicious gluten free AND vegan mac & cheese ala Erin...tasty gluten free chocolate chip cookies (yes, they were tasty...)...and yesterday I made some Pad Thai & Lettuce Wraps. Now, the lettuce wraps weren't really wrapped, I just needed a name. I made this gyoza "meat" but couldn't find vegan wrappers, so I just placed the "meat" in a piece of lettuce. Worked perfectly!

**My pictures usually aren't great. This one is even worse because I had to take it with my phone as the husband has our camera. Oh well.

Pad Thai
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes
From Skinny Bitch in the Kitch

6 oz rice stick noodles
1/4 cup agave nectar
1/4 cup mirin (Japanese rice wine)
3 tbsp ketchup (yes, ketchup!)
3 tbsp tamari or soy sauce
1 1/2 tbsp lime juice
1 tbsp sriracha or other chili sauce
2 tbsp refined coconut oil
14 to 16 oz extra-firm tofu, cubed
1/2 red onion, cut into 1/4-inch slices (I love onion so I used the whole thing!)
2 cloves garlic, minced
3 scallions, halved lengthwise and cut into 2-inch pieces
2 cups bean sprouts
1 carrot, shredded
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, mint, or a combination
1/4 cup chopped roasted peanuts
4 to 8 lime wedges

1. Cook the noodles according to package directions. Drain and set aside.

2. Meanwhile, in a small bowl, whisk together the agave, mirin, ketchup, tamari or soy sauce, lime juice, and sriracha; set aside.

3. Heat the coconut oil in a 12-inch wok or skillet over high. Add the tofu and stir-fry for 4 minutes. Add the red onion and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Add the garlic and stir-fry for 30 seconds. Add the noodles and agave nectar mixture and stir-fry until the noodles are softened and evenly coated with sauce. Add the scallions, bean sprouts, and carrot and stir-fry until all the ingredients are well combined and heated through.

4. Transfer the pad thai to plates or platter, garnish with cilantro or mint, peanuts and lime wedges, and serve.

It was really good! I love the spice and the sweet and the citrus. I will definitely be making more of this! Now for the Lettuce Wraps. I am so fond of these because they're so easy & I was able to do my own thang!

Lettuce Wraps
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 10 minutes

8 large pieces of lettuce, preferably the outside pieces that are stiff and curved
1 cup dry TVP (Textured Vegetable Protein granules! You can buy these in a bag or in the bulk section.)
2 cups boiling water
2 tbsp sesame oil
1 cup mushrooms, minced
1 small onion, minced
1 carrot, finely grated
3-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and minced
3 tbsp soy sauce
1-2 tbsp rice wine vinegar

1. Place the TVP in a bowl and pour the boiling water over it. Stir, and let sit for a few minutes until softened.

2. In a skillet, heat the sesame oil and add the vegetables, sautéing until the onions are translucent. Add the softened TVP, soy sauce and vinegar, and cook several minutes on high heat until all the liquid has boiled off. Stir frequently during this, to keep the mixture from burning or sticking to the pan.

3. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.

4. Spoon about 1/2 cup into each piece of lettuce. Serve as is or add a touch of chili sauce for garnish and added heat.

These two items on one plate was choice! It was such a light dish, and as you can tell, pretty low in calories! I've been calorie counting since the new year (it wasn't a New Year's Resolution, it was just a change!) and I am so glad this meal is tasty and low-cal. I hope you get the chance to try it!

Eh, what's up, doc?

2010-01-17T21:17:00.002-07:00

I don't have many followers. Do not feel sorry for me; I'm fine with it. For the moment. :) My main goal is to be able to use this blogspot as a reference when I get questions like, "What do you eat?" and "I could never NOT eat meat..." or the classic "Tofu is disgusting!". They can see firsthand that healthy, homemade, nothing-over-the-top type meals can be made...and can be made vegan.

I do have some followers, though, and the ones I have are amazing. One of my favorites being Living and Loving In L.A.. She has put up some great recipes (and DIY creative projects) that make me love her even more! She introduced me to Chia Seeds when I won a giveaway she posted. Well, it's time for another, and I'm shameless!

Living and Loving in L.A. is having another giveaway! She was able to convince 18 Rabbits to give two lucky readers a chance to win all 18 flavors of their tasty bars. Just go HERE to read more about it! You should be following her anyways, so there ya have it.

BBQ Chicken Pizza!

2010-01-15T09:08:00.005-07:00

Ever since my beautiful friend, Living and Loving In L.A., posted a recipe for BBQ Chicken Pizza, I've had a craving for it. I would shamelessly plug her recipe here like I'm known to do, but this is more or less a recipe for the BBQ Sauce itself. :)

To start this pizza off right, I highly recommend THIS pizza dough recipe. It works even better in my new KitchenAid mixer. Woo hoo! For the chicken patties, I highly recommend Cluckphrey Chick-A-Roos. Cluckphrey is a great vegan chicken product. If you haven't tried it yet, what are you waiting for?

Anyway, the key part of any BBQ Chicken Pizza is the BBQ Sauce! I always have SOME kind of BBQ sauce lying around in my fridge, so I decided to jazz it up and make it my own.

Honey Habanero BBQ Sauce
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 20 minutes

6 Habanero Peppers
5 garlic cloves
6-7 scallions
1 tbsp vegetable oil
1 cup honey
1 tbsp vegan Worcestershire sauce
1 tbsp soy sauce
2 tsp liquid smoke
1-2 tbsp yellow mustard
1 to 2 cups plain BBQ sauce
Any other spices you think might be tasty!

1. HEY! If you don't know this, make sure you read carefully. WEAR GLOVES WHEN CUTTING HABANERO PEPPERS!!! I'm not even kidding you. These suckers are HOT and will burn your life. But they're not so hot you won't be able to eat the sauce.

2. Trim the peppers of stem & seeds. Add the peppers, trimmed garlic, and scallions in a food processor and blend until finely, finely chopped. In a medium-sized saucepan, heat the oil over medium heat and add the chopped vegetables. Cook until they start to brown.

3. Add the honey, sauces, mustard, liquid smoke, BBQ sauce, and whatever else your heart desires! Stir to incorporate. Reduce heat to low and simmer, stirring often, for 20 minutes or until the sauce thickens up.

That's it, folks! After making the tasty dough, I spread it out onto a pan, brushed the crust with some olive oil, ladled on some BBQ sauce, added the Chick-A-Roos (that I heated a minute or two in the microwave to dice up easy) and then topped it with some thinly sliced red onion. It cooked for about 15 minutes and was pure heaven. The spice of the habanero was followed by a deliciously sweet honey flavor. Yes, I eat honey. I'm deathly allergic to bees, so I've never really seen them as anything else but death machines & honey makers. I don't feel that makes me any less vegan.

This recipe makes quite a bit of sauce, so you will have leftovers. After snacking on the pizza for 2 days, I made some Southern Fried Tofu to dip. And we still have leftovers. Hooray!

Indian Samosa Casserole

2010-01-07T08:20:00.004-07:00

Ever since I stopped eating meat I've had a love for Vegetarian Times. The first vegan recipe I ever tried was from this wonderful magazine. When I worked at the library in Okinawa, I was able to take 2 years of back copies, plus the doubles of new ones, and then my best friend, Beth (yes, I have a best friend with the same name as me...and she's equally as awesome), would send me copies with packages of goodies and whatnot. Cody was able to find a free subscription on Cheap, Stingy Bargains and I received my first one in the mail this year.

Needless to say, my love is even stronger for VT. They list all their recipes as either vegetarian, vegan and/or gluten free. I have friends who are gluten free people so I really like to read all of those recipes, too. Then I read the vegetarian recipes and try to see how I can make it vegan. So fun! The month of January has some of the greatest recipes I've seen in a long time and I tested the waters last night with Indian Samosa Casserole. I love Indian food and there was nothing too out-of-the-ordinary in this recipe, so it was perfect.

Indian Samosa Casserole
Vegetarian Times
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 40 minutes

Crust:
1/2 cup (unbleached) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole-wheat pastry flour
1/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp vegetable oil

Filling:
1 tbsp black or yellow mustard seed (I used yellow)
1 tsp curry powder
1 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp ground cumin
1/8 tsp red pepper flakes, optional (NOT optional in this house!)
5 medium potatoes, peeled and quartered (1 1/2 lbs)
1 1/2 tsp vegetable oil
1 medium onion, diced (1 cup)
1 medium carrot, diced (1/2 cup)
3 cloves garlic, minced (1 tbsp)
1 cup frozen peas
1 cup low-sodium vegetable broth (I'm obsessed with Better Than Bouillon)
2 tsp agave nectar or sugar
2 tbsp soymilk

1. To make crust: Preheat oven to 375°F. (I wish I had read #3 before I started this...getting the potatoes on the oven is important, so take a look before you go any further!) Whisk together flours and salt in a bowl. Stir in oil until clumps form. Add 6 to 10 tbsp cold water, 1 tbsp at a time, until dough holds together. Shape into ball, cover with damp towel, and set aside.

2. To make filling: Stir together mustard seeds, curry, ginger, cumin, and red pepper flakes in a bowl; set aside.

3. Cook potatoes in boiling salted water 15 minutes or until tender. Drain, return to pot, and mash, leaving small chunks.

4. Heat oil in skillet over mdium heat. Add onion, carrot, and garlic and saute 5 minutes, or until carrot is tender. Move onion mixture to side of pan and add mustard seed mixture in center. Toast 30 seconds. Stir in peas and broth. Fold onion mixture into potato mixture; stir in agave nectar. Season with salt and pepper, if desired. Spread filling in 9-inch pie pan. Set aside.

5. Roll out crust dough to 11-inch circle on floured work surface. Cover filling with dough, pressing down to make sure no air pockets remain. Trim away excess dough, and crimp edges with fingers. Cut X in center to vent steam; brush with soymilk just before baking. Place pie on baking sheet (it might bubble over! Listen to them!), and bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until crust is golden. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

6. Frozen cooking instructions: Preheat oven to 375°F. Place casserole on baking sheet, and bake 75 to 90 minutes, or until filling bubbles and crust is golden. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.

Ah-mazing! Seriously, I was so impressed with how this dish came out. So was the husband; he had 2 pieces! I have a sneaky suspision it's only going to get better, too, as do most leftovers with tons of flavor. The vegetables were tender and it totally woke my mouth up. The crust was slightly flaky, but didn't fall apart. The only downfall, for me, is that my house smells like a curry house. It was the first thing I noticed last night as I came home, and again this morning when I woke up. It doesn't smell bad, it just smells like an Indian restaurant. Oh well. I guess that's the price that must be paid!

Church Lady Banana Bread

2010-01-06T08:18:00.005-07:00

You'll almost always find my banana hook with bananas hanging off of it. They're full of potassium, so they're great for running. They're sweet and easy to eat, so they're a great snack on the go. For me, though, bananas have about a 2-day eating range. I can't eat them if there's a touch of green still on them because the texture kinda makes me gag, but once they have too much brown, I know they're getting too ripe. I'm ok with this, folks. Really, I am.

Ripe bananas go good in so many different things. Make pancakes! French toast! Use a banana as an egg substitute! My all-time favorite, though, is banana bread. Even most people who don't like bananas will eat banana bread. The smell of it cooking and the thought of eating it piping hot out of the oven are enough to keep me buying these delicious peel-away fruits.

My favorite banana bread recipe is from my church cook book, hence the name. The recipe was entered by Ms. Chikako Miller. This particular recipe makes two loaves which is perfect for so many reasons. 1. I can make one with nuts and one without to pacify my nut-hating husband. Haha. 2. I can share! I'm really big on treating people to baked goods whenever possible, so two loaves allows me to do that without hearing the ol' ball & chain complain. 3. We have two loaves of banana bread! Awesome!

Banana Bread
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 50 minutes to 1 hour

Addapted from the Keystone Church of the Nazarene Cook Book

4 tbsp ground flaxseed
12 tbsp water
4-5 bananas (Thank you, Laurie, for pointing out that I forgot to put how many bananas! Sheesh!)
3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 cups sugar
1 1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tbsp vanilla
1 tbsp ground cinnamon
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 - 1 cup chopped walnuts (use 1 cup for both loaves and 1/2 cup for one loaf)

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Generously grease the bottoms only of 2 loaf pans (9x5x3 inches).

2. In a food processor, combine the flaxseed and water. Blend until viscous & eggy. This is your egg substitute! Blend all of the ingredients on low speed for 1 minute, scraping the bowl constantly (Hello, new KitchenAid mixer. You'll never know how much I love you). Beat on medium speed for 1 minute. Pour evenly into both pans.

3. Bake until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean, 50 minutes to 1 hour. Cool for 10 minutes then remove from pans. It says to "cool completely", but let's be honest: Banana bread is much better enjoyed warm from the oven!

Not only is this recipe easy, it's de-licious! I know the oil content is really high, so that's why I would like you all to know that you can replace half of the oil with equal parts apple sauce. The sugar content is really high, too, but I used raw sugar so I don't feel as bad about it. This banana bread is so rich and delicious. I promise, you'll love it!

One last note...if you find yourself with bananas that are too ripe and you're not going to be able to use them for a while because you are just ON THE GO, stick them in the freezer! Seriously, this will halt the ripening process but they'll still be good to use! Just let them thaw out a bit whenever you're ready. Enjoy!

Taco Rice

2009-12-30T17:09:00.004-07:00

For those of you who don't know, Cody & I spent the last 3 years (and some change) in Okinawa, Japan. It was such a fun experience; we made some of the best friends in the world, traveled, got certified in SCUBA diving, drove on the wrong side of the road, and always had food adventures. There were lots of crazy Japanese food that we would try and some that we absolutely would not. (Pig snout anyone?)

Our dear friend, Keith, lived by this tiny little stop called King Taco. They sold the greatest taco rice in history. I love sticky rice as it is, so top it with taco-seasoned meat, lettuce, cheese, and loads of delicious hot sauce, you've got one happy Elizabeth. I serve the best New Mexican food in the history of life on a daily basis, and yesterday, it made me crave taco rice. Here is my vegan version!

Taco Rice
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes

3 cups medium grain white rice (or sushi rice)
3 cups water
3 tbsp Sushi Vinegar
1 tbsp sugar
1 1/2 tsp salt
1 package Boca Crumbles

Seasoning:
1 tbsp chili powder
2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp each ground cumin, garlic powder, paprika, oregano and sugar
1/2 tsp salt

Note: Use 3 tbsp of mixture for 1 package of Boca Crumbles. Keep in an airtight container as this will keep forever AND it has far less sodium than your commercial seasoning mix!

Toppings:
Lettuce
Veggie Cheese
Hot Sauce
Toffuti Sour Cream
Tomatoes (not in THIS household!)
Whatever else your heart desires!

1. To prep your rice, place all of it in a colander with a larger bowl underneath that fits. You're going to fill up with water so the rice in the colander is covered. Press the rice, swish it around, you'll notice the water becomes cloudy. You want to rid the rice of the starch for optimal stickiness! Remove the bowl underneath, drain, and repeat this process until your water is clear.

2. Cook in a rice cooker or in a medium pan over medium heat. You want to steam the rice until there is no water left.

3. While the rice is cooking, add your Boca Crumbles to a large pan over medium heat. Add a tablespoon or two of water to make sure it doesn't stick to the bottom. When the crumbles are heated through, sprinkle with 3 tablespoons of the seasoning. Stir to incorporate well. Add more water by the tablespoon if it appears too thick.

4. When your rice is out of water, remove from heat. In a small bowl, combine the sushi vinegar, sugar, and salt. Mix until well combined. Add to the rice one tablespoon at a time.

5. Arrange your rice on a plate, top with meat, then all your toppings. Enjoy with chopsticks or forks for those of you who aren't quite there yet. :)

This really came out so good. I wanted a second bowl, but I had some delicious dessert waiting for me thanks to me chia seeds from Living and Loving in L.A. and a great recipe for Chocolate Chia Seed Pudding from Love Veggies and Yoga.

I can't believe 2010 is tomorrow. I'm not quite sure where 2009 went, let alone this entire decade! I have so many things to look forward to next year: my high school reunion...my baby sister & best friend's wedding (two totally separate weddings...)...Manchester Orchestra...more school...and hopefully a marathon with the sister-in-law. I won't be running by her side because she's so darn fast, but I'm hoping we can run one together because I need the motivation and she's got it!

I hope you all have a wonderful end to 2009 and an even better beginning to 2010.

The Doctor is in!!!

2009-12-30T14:59:00.002-07:00

For those of you who haven't been to visit Living and Loving in L.A., you need to check yourself. She is honest, amazing, insightful, motivational, funny, giving, and a great cook! No, I'm not sucking up because I want to win her latest giveaway. I mean, I do want to win, but most importantly, I want the world to know how wonderful this girl is! Go! Check her out!

<3

2009-12-28T13:16:00.002-07:00

Today marks the 4th anniversary of my marriage to the most amazing man alive. Through good times, bad times, and the crazy ones in between, we've managed to come out even stronger. Thanks for loving me so much and being such a patient taste-tester.

I love you, Cody!