Monday, May 31, 2010

Cannellini Bean Veggie Burgers



Happy Memorial Day! I hope everyday had an awesome day celebrating with your friends and loved ones. I had a little quiet lunch with my boyfriend and kitty. We just bought a new gazebo yesterday and the weather was just perfect for taking our lunch outside. These burgers were a nice change from the Boca burgers I occasionally buy. They are also loaded in protein, I calculated 18 gram from each patty alone. Serve with the side of your choice.


Yield: 4 veggie burgers

Ingredients:
* 2 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
* 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
* 1/2 cup finely chopped bell pepper
* 1/2 cup finely chopped celery
* 1/2 cup finely chopped carrot
* 1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
* 1 15 oz can of Cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
* 1/2 cup vital wheat gluten
* 1/4 cup water
* 1/2 cup dry unseasoned breadcrumbs
* 1/4 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
* Hamburger buns, for serving
* Sliced tomatoes, onions, lettuce leaves, pickles, avocado, etc., for garnishing, as desired
* Condiments for serving, such as ketchup or salsa, mayonnaise, mustard, as desired


Directions

1. In a nonstick skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the olive oil and saute the onion, bell pepper, celery, carrot, and garlic until soft, 3 to 4 minutes. Set aside to cool.

2. In a medium mixing bowl, mash the beans with the back of a fork. Stir in the cooled vegetables, vital wheat gluten, water, breadcrumbs, salt and pepper and mix well.

3. Proceed to knead with your hands, until the mixture is firm and uniformly mixed ( about a minute ).

4. Divide the burger mixture into four equal pieces. Roll each piece into a firm ball. Use your palm to press the ball down on a clean surface to form a patty that is about 1 1/2 inch thick. Press so that the patty is flat on both sides. Make four patties.

5. Preheat a heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. Pour a thin layer of olive oil into the pan. Cook the patties two or three at a time for 5 minutes on each side, gently but firmly pressing down on them with a spatula. Spray with olive oil before turning over, for uniform browning. Once cooked, the patties should be very firm when you press down on them.

Serve warm, on lightly toasted buns, garnished with desired condiments.

Saturday, May 29, 2010

Spaghetti Salad




With Memorial weekend here, this would be great to serve on the side of some Boca Burgers or Smart Dogs. Just make sure to make this ahead of time, that way there is enough time for it to cool before serving.


Ingredients
1 lb whole wheat spaghetti noodles
1 16 oz Italian salad dressing
1 Tb Soy Parmesan cheese
1 Tb sesame seeds
1 Tb poppy seeds
2 tsp salt
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 cucumber, cut into half moons
1 red onion, diced
2 tomatoes, diced

Directions
1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain and place in a serving bowl.
2. Pour the dressing over the noodles and mix well.
3. Add the remaining ingredients and toss until well combined.
4. Store in the fridge for several hours or over night, until it has had time to cool.

Thursday, May 27, 2010

Chickpea "Tuna" Sandwich



I'm sure everyone knows how to make a mock tuna sandwich but just in case you don't here's the recipe I use. I tend to make this on lazy Sunday afternoons when I don't know what to eat and I want to make something fast. When it comes to taste, I'd say that this has a less fishy taste than how I remembered a tuna sandwich to taste. But to me, this is a plus because I was never a big seafood fan to begin with. Serve this with a bowl of soup or alone for a comforting, filling meal.


Ingredients
1 15 oz can of chickpeas, drained or 1 1/2 cups of cooked chickpeas
3 Tb vegan mayo
1/3 cup chopped celery
1/2 carrot, julienned
2.5 Tb minced dill pickle
1 green onion, chopped
1 avocado, sliced
1 tsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp kelp powder
pepper to taste

Directions
1. In a medium bowl, mash the chickpeas with a fork ( I also found that adding them in little quantities in the blender, also gets them to the right consistency without all the extra work of mashing by hand).
2. Pour out to a medium sized bowl and add remaining ingredients. Mix well and serve on your choice of bread.

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Red Posole





I've only had vegan Posole once before at a little restaurant called Cinnamon Vegetarian. Posole is my mom's favorite soup but because she's suffering from high cholesterol, the doctor told her to limit her intake on meat. She asked me if I could make her something similar to what we had at the restaurant. So I started looking online, combining recipes and substituting ingredients and I came up with this. My boyfriend never had traditional posole but was really blown away by how great this tasted. I can't wait until my mom comes back from vacation so I can make this again for her!


Serves 6

Ingredients - Soup
* 1 or 2 (or more, if you are a chili head) dried chilis de Arbol, ancho, or guajillo chilis to suit your preference
* 1 onion, diced
* 4 garlic cloves, minced
* 6 cups Vegetable or Better than Bullion Vegetarian Chicken Stock
* 1 15 oz can of Fire Roasted, Diced Tomatoes ( If you cannot find fire roasted, a regular can of diced tomatoes will do as well )
* 1 Tb dried oregano
* 1 15 oz can of Pinto Beans or 2 cups of cooked Pinto Beans
* 1 15 oz can of Hominy
* Salt ( Don't add salt if you're using Better than Bullion )
* Juice of 2 limes

Ingredients - Garnishes ( Choose one or more of the following )
* Avocado Slices
* Cilantro
* Lime Wedges
* Tortilla Chips
* Shredded Cabbage or Lettuce
* Diced Onions
* Radishes

Directions
1. Soak the chilis in a bit of boiling water for 20 minutes or so, then puree in a mini food processor. If you need to, add a little water while you puree.
2. In a large soup pot, saute the onion and garlic in the oil for 2 minutes over medium heat.
3. Add the tomatoes, 2 teaspoons of salt, the oregano, and 6 cups of vegetable broth or vegetarian chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Simmer for ten minutes.
4. Add the pinto beans and hominy and bring back to a simmer. Allow to simmer for ten minutes.
5. Add the pureed chilis, lime juice, stir, then add salt and more lime juice or more of the tomatoes as needed to produce a piquant broth. You might like to add the chilis a little at a time and taste to make sure you aren't exceeding your heat preference. You can always serve the remainder of the chili sauce on the side. Allow this to simmer for at least forty minutes.
6. Serve it forth, with a good selection of garnishes.

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Spring Green Risotto




Spring has to be my favorite season. I love seeing the first leaves start to sprout on an empty tree and how my backyard transforms into this sea of green. Spring also brings on cravings for Risotto. There has to be at least fifty different ways to prepare Risotto..so far I've made three versions but this one has stayed my favorite.

I got the idea for this recipe from a Barefoot Contessa episode. Yes, I watch a lot of Food Network and other non-vegan cooking shows. Seeing a recipe that isn't vegan doesn't make me feel like it isn't possible to make. It's very easy to take any recipe and turn it vegan. I did just that with this by changing the butter to Earth Balance, Parmesan to Soy Parmesan and omitting the mascarpone cheese. I hope no one feels limited on what they can eat as a vegan. It is still possible to eat almost everything you ate before you made the change.


Serves 4

Ingredients
* 1 1/2 tablespoons good olive oil
* 1 1/2 tablespoons Earth Balance Butter
* 3 cups chopped leeks, white and light green parts (2 leeks)
* 1 cup chopped fennel
* 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
* 2/3 cup dry white wine ( or veggie stock )
* 4 to 5 cups simmering veggie stock ( or Better than Bouillon Chicken Stock )
* 10 ounces frozen peas, defrosted, or 1 1/2 cups shelled fresh peas
* 1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest (2 lemons)
* Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
* 1/2 cup freshly grated Soy Parmesan, plus extra for serving
* 3 tablespoons minced fresh chives, plus extra for serving


Directions
1. Heat the olive oil and butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add the leeks and fennel and saute for 5 to 7 minutes, until tender. Add the rice and stir for a minute to coat with the vegetables, oil, and butter. Add the white wine and simmer over low heat, stirring constantly, until most of the wine has been absorbed. Add the veggie stock, 2 ladles at a time, stirring almost constantly and waiting for the stock to be absorbed before adding more. This process should take 25 to 30 minutes.

2. When the risotto has been cooking for 15 minutes, add the peas, lemon zest, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper. Continue cooking and adding stock, stirring almost constantly, until the rice is tender but still firm.

3. When the risotto is done, turn off the heat and stir in the lemon juice plus the soy Parmesan cheese and chives. Set aside, off the heat, for a few minutes, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and serve hot with a sprinkling of chives and more soy Parmesan cheese.

Sunday, May 23, 2010

Lime Chik-n with Cilantro-Lime Rice and Refried Beans



Finally perfected my refried beans! I've tried making it several times and it would never come out right. I recently purchased Terry Romero's "Viva Vegan" cookbook hoping that she could help me, and she did! : ]
Been testing out some of her recipes the past few days and I haven't been disappointed yet. If anyone out there is looking for a good Latin food cookbook, this one is it! The recipe for the rice and the beans are both from this book.

Printer Friendly Recipe Here

Cilantro-Lime Rice - Serves 4
Ingredients
* 1 cup uncooked long-grain white rice
* 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth or water
* 1 Tb olive oil
* 2 Tb lime juice
* 2 tsp lime zest
* 1/2 tsp salt ( only if you're using water )
* Freshly ground pepper
* 1/4 cup chopped cilantro, lightly packed
* 1 green onion, green part only, sliced very thinly

Directions
1. In a heavy pot, combine the rice, vegetable stock, olive oil, lime juice and zest, salt ( if using ), and pepper to taste. Bring the mixture to a boil, lower the heat to a simmer, and cover the pot. Cook for 20 minutes, until the liquid is absorbed and the rice grains are tender.
2. Remove from the heat and sprinkle the rice with the cilantro and green onion. Fluff the rice, working in the chopping herbs. Serve immediately.


Home-Style Refried Beans - Makes 4 Cups

Ingredients
* 2 Tb corn, peanut, or olive oil
* 3 cloves garlic, minced
* 1 small onion ( about 1/4 lb ) diced small
* 1 to 2 jalapeno or serrano chilies, seeded and minced
* 1 tsp ground cumin
* 1/2 tsp dried oregano
* 1/2 tsp ground chile powder, such as ancho or a blend
* 2 ( 15 ounce ) cans pinto or black or pink beans, drained and rinsed, or 3 1/2 to * 4 cups of cooked beans
* 1 bay leaf
* 2 cups water
* Salt and fresh pepper

Directions
1. In a large, heavy cast-iron skillet, combine the oil and garlic and cook over medium heat. Allow the garlic to sizzle for 30 seconds, then add the onion and jalapeno. Using a wooden spoon to stir occasionally, fry until the onion turns translucent, about 10 minutes. Sprinkle in the cumin, oregano, and chile powder, and fry for another 30 seconds.
2. Stir in the beans, bay leaf, and water and increase the heat to medium-high. Bring the mixture to a boil, then lower the heat to medium again and allow to simmer for 20 minutes, or until more than half the liquid has been absorbed but about an inch of liquid remains.
3. Remove the bay leaf and discard. Use a potato masher to mash the beans smooth, then stir to form a thick, moist paste, anywhere from 5 to 8 minutes. If refried beans appear to dry out, add a little water a few tablespoons at a time, until your desired consistency is reached. Serve immediately.


Lime Chik-n - Serves 4
Ingredients

* 1 package Morningstar Farms Meal Starters Chik'n Strips ( defrosted )
* Juice of 1 lime
* Dash of pepper

Directions
1. In a medium sized skillet, pour in 1 Tb olive oil and allow to heat for 30 seconds on medium heat.
2. Add the chik'n stripes and cook for 2 minutes.
3. Add the lime juice and the dash of pepper and stir to season all the strips.
4. Cook for 3 more minutes and serve immediately.

Serve with corn or flour tortilla if desired.

Saturday, May 22, 2010

Caesar Salad Dressing



I love making this dressing on special occasions. The capers are used in substitution of anchovies and the nutritional yeast for Parmesan. It does a great job in mimicking an authentic caesar dressing taste. If you don't like a strong garlic taste, I suggest using only 1 or 2 cloves, instead of the recommended 3.
But overall, it's my favorite dressing and everyone who has tried it, always loves it. I would make this more often but because of the high amounts of olive oil and mayonnaise, it is high in fat and calories. For this reason, I like to only serve it only with special meals.


Ingredients
* 3 cloves garlic
* 1 Tb capers, drained
* 1 cup vegan mayonnaise
* 1 Tb white miso paste
* 2 Tb nutritional yeast flakes
* 1/2 Tb light agave nectar
* 1 cup olive oil
* Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
* 2 small heads romaine lettuce, shredded
* 1 cup vegan croutons ( I wasn't able to find so I substituted shredded carrots and celery instead )

Makes 4 Servings

Directions
1. In a small food processor, mince the garlic and capers. Add the mayonnaise, miso paste, nutritional yeast, agave nectar, and 1/2 cup water and pulse to combine. With the motor running, slowly add the oil in a thin stream. Continue to blend until emulsified, about 1 minute. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
2. Place the lettuce and croutons in a large bowl. Drizzle the dressing over the top and toss well to coat.

Friday, May 21, 2010

Grilled Yuca Tortillas





Yuca is a large, tropical root vegetable, also known as cassava. Its loaded with fiber and its taste can be described as nutty with a hint of sweetness. I buy mine at Whole Foods but it can also be found at Asian or Hispanic markets.
The only thing I dislike about preparing yuca is the extra work it takes to peel and remove all the rubbery skin. I've heard that yuca is also sold in the frozen aisle, prepeeled, but I haven't ran across any yet. If you can find this, I would suggest it because it will cut the work in half.


Ingredients - Yuca Filling

* 1 lb yuca, peeled, chopped into 4-inch chunks, and each chunk quartered
* 3 Tb olive oil
* 6 cloves garlic, chopped coarsely
* 1 small yellow bell pepper, seeded and cut into small dice ( about 1 cup )
* 1 jalapeno, roasted or raw, seeded and minced
* 2 tsp lime juice
* 1/2 tsp salt, or to taste
* Pinch of ground white pepper

Optional additional fillings - 1/2 cup of one or more
* Sauteed corn kernels
* Diced roasted red pepper
* Sauteed mushroom
* Sliced black olives
* 4-6 ( 8 inch ) flour/whole wheat or spinach tortillas

Directions
1. Boil 3 quarts of water in a large, lidded pot. Add the yuca and cook for 20-25 minutes, until the yuca is tender and flakes easily when pierced with a fork. Drain and allow to cool.
2. When the yuca is cool enough to touch, remove any thick, rubbery skin from the outside of the roots and/or fibrous corn from the center, if present. Gently mash with your fingers and set aside.
3. Place the oil and garlic in a cold cast-iron skillet. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, for 2 minutes, or until sizzling and fragrant.
4. Add the bell and jalapeno peppers and cook, stirring occasionally, until the peppers are very soft, 6-8 minutes, then pour over the mashed yuca.
5. Stir in the lime juice, salt and white pepper, mashing the mixture even more, until everything is combined ( using your hands is okay ). Taste the mixture and adjust the salt content to taste.

To Assemble -
1. Heat the griddle or cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Brush a tortilla lightly with olive oil and spread with a generous 1/2 cup of filling, covering half the tortilla all the way to the edges.
2. Fold in half, gently pressing the tortilla together, and brush each side with a little olive oil. Place in the heated skillet and grill - flipping once - pressing down on the tortilla with a spatula until the outsides are nicely toasted and filling is piping hot. Remove from the heat, cut in half, and serve with salsa and guacamole.

Thursday, May 20, 2010

Fettuccine Pasta Alfredo



This meal is great for one of those days that you don't really feel like cooking but still want a home cooked meal. It has to be the fastest and easiest pasta that I have made. The taste is exactly the same as traditional alfredo sauce but without all the fat and calories. I added broccoli and peas to this version but I have also added roasted red bell pepper and pine nuts before. Don't be afraid to play around and experiment by adding different vegetables to it.


Makes 4 Servings

Ingredients

* 1 lb fettuccine pasta noodles
* 2 cups of broccoli, steamed
* 1/2 cup peas
* 1 Pkg. low fat silken tofu
* 3 tablespoon vegan butter, melted
* 1/4 cup vegan soy Parmesan cheese
* 2T nutritional yeast
* veggie broth
* salt and pepper to taste

Directions
1. Cook the fettuccine noodles in a large pot of boiling salted water for 8 to 10 minutes until it's al dente. Drain and keep aside.
2. Blend all sauce ingredients, adding enough broth to make a smooth and creamy consistency and heat gently.
3. To serve, divide the noodles between 4 plates. Add enough sauce to each and top with freshly steamed broccoli and peas.

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Fresh Spring Rolls



It's funny how I've always been obsessed with these but never really thought about how easy it would be to make them myself. Made them for the first time on Mother's Day and haven't stopped since! The best part was how inexpensive the ingredients were. I was able to get a package of 48 rice wraps and vermicelli noodles for under $5...can't beat that! : ]

Printer Friendly Recipe Here

Ingredients
* 2 ounces rice vermicelli
* 8 rice wrappers (8.5 inch diameter)
* 2 carrots, shredded
* 1/2 cucumber, julienned
* 1 1/3 tablespoons chopped fresh Thai basil
* 3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves
* 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
* 2 leaves lettuce, chopped
* Peanut Sauce for dipping ( I used San J peanut sauce )

Directions
1. Bring a medium saucepan of water to boil. Boil rice vermicelli 3 to 5 minutes, or until al dente, and drain.
2. Fill a large bowl with warm water. Dip one wrapper into the hot water for a couple second to soften. Lay wrapper flat. In a row across the center, place a handful of vermicelli, carrot, cucumber, basil, mint, cilantro and lettuce, leaving about 2 inches uncovered on each side. Fold uncovered sides inward, then tightly roll the wrapper, beginning at the end with the lettuce. Repeat with remaining ingredients.

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Chile Cornmeal-Crusted Tofu Po' Boy




This recipe is from Isa Chandra Moskowitz & Terry Hope Romero's "Veganomicon." If you're having trouble picking which cookbook you should purchase next, this one should definitely be it! This was my first vegan cookbook and probably still my favorite. I changed up the original recipe a little and omitted the coleslaw and replaced it with guacamole.

Printer Friendly Recipe Here

Ingredients - For Chile Cornmeal-Crusted Tofu
Corn or vegetable oil for frying
* 1 pound extra-firm tofu, drained and pressed
* 1 cup soy or rice milk
* 2 Tb cornstarch
* 1 cup cornmeal
* 2 Tb chili powder
* 1 tsp ground cumin
* 1/4 tsp cayenne
* 1 Tb grated lime zest
* 1 1/2 tsp salt

Directions
1. Slice the tofu width wise into eight slices, then cut each of those slices in half diagonally - from the upper left corner to the lower right corner - so that you have 16 long triangles. Set aside.
2. Combine the soy milk and cornstarch in a wide, shallow bowl. Mix vigorously with a fork until the cornstarch is mostly dissolved.
3. In another shallow bowl, toss together the cornmeal, spices, lime zest and salt.

Frying Directions

1. Heat about 1/4" of oil in a large skillet, preferably cast iron, over medium heat. ( To test if the oil is ready, sprinkle in a pinch of batter. When the batter sizzles and bubbles form rapidly around it, you're good to go. )
2. Dip each individual tofu slice in the soy milk mixture. Drop it into the cornmeal with your dry hand and use your other hand to dredge it in the mixture, so that it's coasted on all sides.
3. Transfer the tofu to the skillet in two batches so as not to crowd the pan. Fry tofu for 3 minutes on one side, use tongs to flip over each piece, and fry for 2 more minutes.
4. Drain the fried tofu on a clean paper bag or paper towels.

Baking Directions
1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Line a baking sheet with baking parchment. Place the coated tofu on the baking sheet in a single layer.
2. Spray with oil until lightly coated. Flip over and spray the other side.
3. Bake for 12 minutes on each side.


Ingredients - Chile Cornmeal-Crusted Tofu Po'Boy
* 1 recipe Chile Cornmeal-Crusted Tofu
* Vegan Mayo ( I use Vegenaise )
* Store bought or homemade guacamole
* 2 slices of vegan mozzarella cheese
* Sandwich pickles
* Lettuce and sliced tomatoes
* 2 ( 12 inch ) loaves of French bread, sliced in half and split open ( I didn't have any French bread, so I went with whole wheat hamburger buns. Just as good! )

Directions - Assembling the Sandwiches
1. Spread mayo on the bottom halves of the bread and place the tofu, guacamole, cheese, pickle, lettuce and tomatoes.
2. Spread some mayo onto the top half of the bread, close the sandwich, slice in half if desired, and serve.

Monday, May 17, 2010

Strawberry Parfait




This recipe was inspired by Harald Walker's post on Flickr. I didn't have raspberries on hand, so I went with strawberries. Any berry would actually work with this parfait, so don't hesitate to switch it up.

Printer Friendly Recipe Here

Serving Size 4

Ingredients
* 1 container (about 1&1/2 cups) plain or vanilla soy yogurt
* 1 cup granola

For The Sauce:
* 1 lb strawberries
* splash lemon juice
* 1/2 cup beet sugar or agave nectar
* 2-3 tablespoons water
* 2 teaspoons cornstarch (if you want a thicker sauce)

Directions - For the Sauce
1. Clean the strawberries, cut off the tops and dice them to 4 equal pieces.
2. Put the strawberries into a saucepan, add the sweetener, splash some lemon juice over and a bit of water.
3. Cook the strawberries until soft and there is liquid.
4. Mash lightly until the mixture is soft and just begins to boil.
5. If you want the sauce to be thicker, mix 2 tsp. cornstarch with 2-3 tablespoons of water and add to the raspberry sauce.
6. Return to the stove and boil, stirring, until the sauce thickens and become clear.
Allow to cool before serving.

Directions - For the Parfaits

1. Put 1 tablespoon of strawberry sauce in the bottom of 4 parfait glasses.
2. Put a layer of soy yogurt on top and then another layer of strawberry sauce. Top with granola and enjoy!

Saturday, May 15, 2010

Taco Salad




I always enjoyed ordering taco salads, feeling like I was making a smart choice by getting a salad. But when you really stop and think about it, taco salads can be high in calories and low in nutrition. For the times I crave taco salads but I don't want to feel guilty, I created this recipe.


Ingredients - For the Salad
* 2 cups of romaine lettuce, chopped
* 2 cups of baby arugula
* 2 cups of baby spinach
* 1 package of Boca Ground Crumbles
* 1 bag of tortilla chips

Ingredients - Taco Seasoning
* 1 tablespoon chili powder
* 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
* 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
* 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
* 1/2 teaspoon paprika
* 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
* 1 teaspoon sea salt
* 1 teaspoon black pepper
( In a small bowl combine all the ingredients )

Ingredients - Pico de Gallo Salsa
* 1 1/2 cups seeded, diced tomatoes
* 1/4 cup diced red onion
* 1 tablespoon diced jalapenos
* 1 tablespoon minced garlic
* Juice of 2 limes
* 2 tablespoons cilantro
* Salt and pepper
( In a bowl combine all the ingredients )

Ingredients - French Dressing
* 2/3 of a cup olive oil
* 1/3 cup ketchup ( preferably organic )
* 2 Tb beet sugar or agave nectar
* 3 Tb vinegar
* 1/2 tsp lemon juice
* 1/2 tsp paprika
* 1/4 tsp salt
( In a small bowl, whisk all the ingredients together )


Directions

1. Add 1 Tb of olive oil to a medium sized pan and allow to heat for 20 seconds.

2. Add the ground crumbles and the taco seasoning. Mix well and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Serve in a medium sized bowl. Combine a equal amounts of romaine, baby arugula and baby spinach. Topped with ground crumbles, pico de gallo salsa, vegan cheddar cheese, and french dressing. Place tortilla chips around the bowl or serve in a separate plate.

Welcome!

I guess I should start out by introducing myself. My name is Jackie and I live in Southern California with my boyfriend, Lasonic and my Siamese cat, Taffy .

I have been vegan for almost a year now. What made me change my diet was an article I read in a local vegetarian restaurant. It spoke about the horrors that animals endure in factory farms and the effect it will also play on your health. The very next day I gave up meat for good.

Now looking back at my decision, it all makes sense to me. I was not really a fan of meat, even though I grew up eating traditional Mexican cooking regularly. I never truly enjoyed being in the kitchen until I went vegan. Cooking and trying my new creations has really become a passion of mine. I try to cook three new recipes each week. Which in return, has really helped me expand my knowledge on perfecting vegan cooking and incorporating new ingredients that had never existed to me as a non-vegan.

So if you will like to join me on my journey, please feel free. I promise to fill my blog with recipes you never thought could be vegan and plenty of food porn pictures.