go vegan meow!

Sour Cream Enchiladas

2011-10-07T12:44:00.000-07:00

Sour cream enchiladas? Have you guys heard of such a thing? Because this is all news to me. I love adding sour cream to all Mexican food but never thought of actually stuffing it inside of an enchilada. I did a little test the day before, thinking maybe because the sour cream and cheese is vegan, they wouldn't bake well together but they did! It created such a creamy cheesy type sauce. This is definitely a must try recipe!

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Ingredients

* 12 corn tortillas

* 1 Tb canola oil

* 1 can ( 20 ounce ) Red Enchilada Sauce

* 1 1/2 cups vegan sour cream

* 1 cup grated vegan cheddar cheese

* 1 tsp cumin

* 1/4 tsp cayenne

* 1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped

* 1 medium yellow onion, diced

* 1 package Gardein Chick'n Tenders

Directions

Preheat oven to 420 F...

1. Warm up corn tortillas by either placing them on a plate, covered with a damp towel them and warming up for 30 seconds in a microwave. Another way would be on the stove top over medium heat, for a couple seconds on each side.

2. Pour enchilada sauce in a medium pan and allow to heat under medium/low heat.

3. By now your oven should be ready. Place the Gardein tenders on a large baking sheet and bake for about 10 minutes on each side. Remove and set aside to cool.

Reduce oven temperature to 350 F...

4. In a small saucepan, add the canola oil and over medium heat, saute the diced onion until tender, about 4 to 5 minutes. Turn off heat and transfer it to a small bowl.

5. When you chick'n is cool enough to handle, chop each tender into bite size pieces and add it to the bowl of sauteed onions.

6. To make the sour cream mixture - In a medium sized bowl, combine the sour cream, chopped cilantro, cumin, cayenne and 1/2 cup cheddar cheese and mix until incorporated.

7. Using tongs, dip one tortilla in the enchilada sauce.

8. Lay it on a plate and spoon about 2 Tb of the sour cream mixture and 1 Tb of the chicken/onion mixture in the middle.

9. Roll tortilla and then place face down in a 9x13 inch casserole dish. Repeat with the remaining tortillas and fillings.

10. Sprinkle the remaining 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese over they rolled enchiladas. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for about 20 minutes.

Serve immediately with a dollop of sour cream and some chopped green onions.

Cajun Chick'n Pasta

2011-10-03T22:12:00.000-07:00

I feel like all that I have been blogging lately is dessert, so I figured I'd switch it up a bit and do a post about this delicious spicy pasta that I just made today. It's a real cinch to make and is loaded with flavor. I try not to cook with a lot of processed food but its so hard for me to stay away from Gardein. It's my favorite mock meat brand because it tastes so much like the real thing. If you would like to omit it and make this meal super healthy, try substituting it with a cup or so of chopped cremini mushrooms. Add it along with the onions and bell peppers and continue with the recipe. But whatever you do, don't skip out on the spice. That's what really brings this dish together.

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Serves 6

Ingredients

* 1 package of Gardein Chick’n Cutlets
* 3 tsp Cajun spice mix
* 1 lb Fettuccine
* 1 Tb extra virgin olive oil
* 2 Tb vegan margarine ( I used Earth Balance )
* 1 green bell pepper, seeded and sliced
* 1 red bell pepper, seeded and sliced
* 1/2 red onion, sliced
* 3 garlic cloves, minced
* 4 Roma tomatoes, diced
* 2 cups vegan chick'n stock ( I used Better than Bouillon brand ) or veggie stock
* 1/2 white wine or veggie stock
* 1 cup original flavor soy creamer
* cayenne pepper, to taste
* freshly ground black pepper, to taste
* chopped fresh parsley, for garnish

Directions
1. Cook pasta according to packaged instructions. Drain and set aside.

2. In a medium saute pan over medium heat, heat 1 Tb oil and 1 Tb margarine. Coat the chick'n cutlets in 1 1/2 tsp cajun spice mix. Cook chicken cutlets for about 2 minutes on each side. Remove and set aside.

3. Add the remaining butter to the pan and add the peppers, onions and garlic. Sprinkle the remaining cajun spice. Cook over high heat for one minute, stirring gently. Add tomatoes and cook for an additional 30 seconds. Remove and set aside.

4. With the pan still on high heat, add the chick'n stock and white wine. Cook on high heat for 3 to 5 minutes, scrapping the bottom of the pan to deglaze. Reduce heat to medium/low and slowly whisk in the creamer. Cook over medium/low heat for a few minutes until the creamer starts to thicken the mixture. Taste and add freshly ground black pepper and cayenne to taste.

5. Re-add the chicken cutlets and veggies to the pan. Stir and cook for two minutes.

6. Add drained fettuccine and toss to combine.

To Serve - Divide into six separate plates and garnish with freshly chopped parsley.

Cinnamon Bread

2011-09-30T17:40:00.001-07:00

Cinnamon bread! Not to be confused with cinnamon buns, this bread is perfect for toasting and serving with a little Earth Balance or go the extra mile and make some French Toast with this stuff. So much better than using plain white or whole wheat bread. This recipe requires very little work but a lot of time, due to it needing to be proofed twice. But trust me, it is definitively worth all that extra time because you cannot even compare how this tastes to that store bought stuff.

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Makes 1 loaf

Ingredients

* 1 cup non-dairy milk

* 6 Tb vegan margarine ( I used Earth Balance )

* 1 packet dry active yeast or 2 1/2 tsp

* 2 Tb grounded flax seeds, dissolved in 6 Tb water

* 1/3 cup sugar

* 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

* 1 tsp salt

* 1/3 cup sugar

* 2 Tb cinnamon

* 1 Tb vegan margarine, for brushing

* about 2 Tb vegan margarine, for greasing the loaf pan

Directions

1. In a small saucepan, melt the margarine with the milk until warm but not boiling. It should be at about 115 F. Sprinkle yeast over the top, gently stir and allow to sit for about 10 minutes.

2. In a small bowl, sift together the flour and salt.

3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, using the paddle attachment, mix together the sugar with the flax seeds until well combined. Pour the milk/margarine/yeast mixture and stir to combine. Add half the flour mixture and beat until combined. Add the rest of the flour and beat to combine.

4. Switch to the dough hook and allow it to knead for about 10 minutes. If the dough is still too sticky, add another 1/4 cup of flour and knead for another 5 minutes.

5. Drizzle a little canola oil in a medium sized mixing bowl, then toss the dough in the oil to coat. Cover the bowl with a damp towel and set in a warm place for at least 2 hours.

6. Turn the dough onto a work surface and roll it out to a rectangle no wider than the loaf pan and about 18 inches long. Smear 2 Tb of melted margarine. Mix the cinnamon and sugar together, then sprinkle evenly over the buttered dough.

7. Starting at one end, roll the dough toward you, keeping it neat and tight. Pinch the seam to seal.

8. Smear your loaf pan with butter. Place dough, seam side down, in the pan. Cover with a damp towel and allow it to rise for another 2 hours in a warm place.

9. Preheat oven to 350F. Brush the top of the loaf with 1 Tb of melted margarine and bake for 40 minutes.

10. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Slice and serve!

Pumpkin Pie with Vegan Condensed Milk

2011-08-22T18:55:00.001-07:00

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I know we still have awhile until Thanksgiving but I just love pumpkin pie and I enjoy baking it year round. I usually make mine with tofu, which comes out okay but doesn't taste exactly like how I remember pumpkin pie to be. I decided to convert a regular dairy pumpkin pie recipe to a vegan one. The only challenge was making a vegan version of sweetened condensed milk. The secret to this is soy milk powder, which I found at Whole Foods. The condensed milk makes a world of difference and now I can't even tell that this pie is vegan!

Ingredients

Sweetened Condensed Milk

* 3/4 cup water

* 3/4 cup dry soy milk powder ( Try Better than Milk brand )

* 6 Tb non-dairy margarine

* 1 1/2 cups vegan sugar

Pumpkin Pie Mix

* 1 ( 15 ounce ) can of pumpkin puree ( not pumpkin pie mix )

* 1 recipe of vegan sweetened condensed milk ( equal to 14 ounces )

* 2 Tb cornstarch

* 1 tsp cinnamon

* 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

* 1/2 tsp ground ginger

* 1/2 tsp salt

* 1 9" unbaked pie crust or 12 mini pie crusts

Directions

First make the condensed milk...

1. In a small saucepan, mix together the water and soy milk powder under medium heat until boiling. Turn off heat and set aside.

2. In another small saucepan, melt the butter under medium heat. Slowly whisk in the sugar until its all incorporated.

3. Add the hot milk and simmer for 5 minutes. Turn off heat and set aside.

Preheat oven to 425 F...

4. Whisk together the pumpkin puree, sweetened condensed milk, cornstarch, spices and salt in a medium bowl until smooth.

5. Pour into crust and bake for 15 minutes. Lower temperature to 350 F and bake for another hour or until a knife inserted one inch from the crust comes out clean. Cool and store in the refrigerator.

Chocolate Doughnuts

2011-07-19T17:36:00.000-07:00

Okay, so just as promised, I made chocolate doughnuts today and I am here to share the recipe with you. This recipe is very similar to the plain doughnut recipe I just posted, except that it includes cocoa powder and I omitted the cinnamon and nutmeg.

Do allow these to cool completely before attempting to remove them from the doughnut molds. They are a bit on the fragile side and because I was in a rush during my first batch, most of the doughnuts broke. Also be gentle when dipping or if you choose, using a spatula to spread chocolate sauce on them will work just as well.

I hope you enjoy these as much as I did : ]

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Makes 12 Doughnuts

Ingredients

* 1/3 cup canola oil

* 1 1/3 cup vegan sugar

* 1 cup all purpose flour

* 1/3 cup garbanzo bean flour

* 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

* 1 1/2 tsp baking powder

* 1/8 tsp baking soda

* 1/2 tsp salt

* 1/2 cup soy or any non-dairy milk + 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar, mix and allowed to sit for 10 minutes

* Egg replacer equivalent of 2 eggs ( try Ener-g Egg Replacer )

* 2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly spray 2 six mold doughnut trays with canola oil and set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, stir together the sifted sugar, flours, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

3. Add the soy milk and vinegar mixture, oil, egg replacer and vanilla. Mix with a rubber spatula just until the ingredients are combined.

4. Using a tablespoon, drop 2 1/2 tablespoons of batter into each doughnut mold. Spread the batter evenly around the mold.

5. Bake for 20 minutes. Let cool on the racks for 10 minutes. Run a knife around the doughnuts in the molds and invert them onto a baking sheet. Coat them with your choice of topping.

6.To decorate, dip half of the doughnut into the chocolate sauce. Allow some to drip off and then dip glaze side down onto the toppings of your choice. I chose to use shredded coconut and chopped peanuts for my toppings.

Chocolate Dipping Sauce

Makes about 1 cup

Ingredients

* 1 cup vegan chocolate chips

* 2 Tb canola oil

* 1/2 tsp salt

Directions

1. Fill the bottom of a double broiler with water, set it over low heat and bring the water to a gentle simmer.

2. Add the chocolate chips and when they start to become shiny, stir until they are completely melted.

3. Remove from the heat, add the oil and salt, and stir until thoroughly combined.

Vegan Doughnuts

2011-07-18T21:56:00.001-07:00

I finally got around to buying a doughnut tray. I've been wanting to bake doughnuts for so long but kept putting off purchasing one. I got the recipe for the doughnuts from The Urban Housewife but I did change it up a bit by adding chickpea flour for that added crispy-ness.

The original recipe calls for 1/2 cup sugar, which is fine if you plan on decorating them with icing or cinnamon sugar, as I did. But if you would like to keep them plain, increase the sugar to 1 cup.

I plan on experimenting with this recipe a little more and making a chocolate doughnut tomorrow. If all goes well, I'll be sharing that recipe with you guys shortly.

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Makes 6 Donuts

Ingredients

* 2/3 cup all-purpose flour

* 1/3 cup garbanzo bean flour ( if you don't have any, adding dry chickpeas to a blender and processing until it becomes a fine powder will work just as well )

* 1/2 cup sugar

* 1 1/2 tsp baking powder

* 1/4 tsp salt

* 1/4 tsp nutmeg

* 1/4 tsp cinnamon

* 1/2 cup soy or any other non-dairy milk + 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar, mixed and allowed to sit for 10 minutes

* 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

* Replacer equivalent of 1 egg ( try Ener-g Egg Replacer )

* 4 Tb vegan butter ( try Earth Balance )

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F

2. In a large bowl, sift in the dry ingredients ( flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon ).

3. Melt the butter in a small bowl for 30 seconds in the microwave.

4. Add wet ingredients to dry and mix until just combined.

5. Scoop out dough into an ungreased nonstick doughnut pan ( if you're using a pan that isn't nonstick, lightly brush them with canola oil before filling with batter). Fill them about 3/4 full. If you over fill it will create a weird top and if you under fill, the doughnut will be thin.

6. Bake them for about 12 minutes or until a tester comes out clean.

7. Allow the donuts to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before inverting them onto a cooling rack. Allow them to cool completely before decorating.

8. To decorate, dip half of the doughnut into the icing. Allow some to drip off and then dip glaze side down onto the toppings of your choice. I chose to use shredded coconut and a mixture of 2 Tb sugar and 2 tsp cinnamon for my doughnuts.

Vanilla Icing

Makes about 2 1/2 cups

Ingredients

* 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk

* 3/4 cup Better than Milk Rice or Soy Powder

* 4 Tb agave nectar

* 1 Tb vanilla extract

* 1 cup melted refined coconut oil

* 1 Tb lemon juice

Directions

1. Combine the coconut milk, rice or soy milk powder, agave nectar, and vanilla in the bowl of a food processor and blend for 1 minute.

2. With the machine running, gradually pour 1/2 cup of the coconut oil and process until thoroughly combined.

3. Add 1/2 Tb of the lemon juice. Process for 1 minute more.

*The icing can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.

** If you chose to change your icing to a different color, add one drop of food coloring of your choice to the icing and mix well. If the color is too light for liking, add another drop of food coloring and mix. Continue doing this until your desired color is reached.

Orzo with Veggie Sausage, Roasted Peppers and Tomatoes

2011-06-22T16:06:00.000-07:00

This recipe is perfect for a nice summer picnic and so quick to prepare. If you want to cut the time needed even further, you can purchase already roasted bell peppers in a jar and use 2 cups worth. Using stock to boil the orzo, helps the pasta to absorb the flavor while cooking and adds a really rich flavor to your dish. You can cook it in plain water if you'd like but it really isn't the same. I didn't add the cooking liquid at the end because my pasta seemed okay but if you must, add a little at a time to help prevent it from becoming too soupy.

On a side note, if anyone has any ideas of recipes you'd like to see veganized please message me. I am always up for suggestions : ]

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Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

* 1 lb orzo pasta

* 1 red bell pepper

* 1 orange bell pepper

* 3 cups faux chicken stock ( try Better than Bouillon ) or veggie stock

* 3 cups water

* 1 Tb salt

* 2 Tb extra virgin olive oil

* 3-4 links of vegan sausage

* 2 cloves of garlic, minced

* 2 plum tomatoes, chopped

* 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, optional

* salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. Using tongs, place the bell peppers over a gas flame, turning occasionally, until all sides are charred, about 5 to 6 minutes. ( Or you can place the peppers on a baking sheet and broil for 5 to 8 minutes, until charred. )

2. Place the charred peppers in a plastic bag and close. Allow them to steam for 20 minutes.

3. Using a paper towel, gently wipe away the charred skin from the peppers.

4. Remove the stem and seeds and cut into 1/4 inch thick slices. Set aside.

5. In a medium saucepan, bring the "chicken"/veggie stock, water and salt to a boil over high heat. Add the pasta and cook until tender, about 8 to 10 minutes.

6. While pasta is cooking, in a large skillet, heat the oil over medium/high heat. Add the sausage and saute for 3 minutes.

7. Add the garlic and red pepper flakes, if using, cook for 1 minute.

8. Add the bell peppers and tomato and cook until heated through, about 2 minutes.

9. Drain the pasta, reserving 1/2 cup of the cooking liquid and transfer to a large serving bowl. Add the sausage mixture and season with salt and pepper to taste. Toss well to combine all ingredients, add the cooking liquid, if needed, to loosen the pasta. Serve.

Chocolate Chip Brownies

2011-05-28T01:57:00.000-07:00

Brownies, who doesn't love them. I thought I'd make these for my boyfriend as a nice surprise, since brownies are his absolute favorite. I added 1/2 cup of chocolate chips for an extra something. This batter is really easy to make and there is hardly any work needed. Eat these alone or with a big scoop of vegan vanilla ice cream as the ultimate dessert.

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Ingredients

* 1 cup semisweet vegan chocolate chips, divided

* 1/4 cup non dairy milk

* 3/4 cup sugar

* 1/2 cup canola oil

* 2 tsp vanilla extract

* 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

* 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

* 1/4 tsp baking powder

* 1/2 tsp baking soda

* 1/4 tsp salt

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 325 F. Lightly grease a 9x13 inch baking pan.

2. Melt 2/3 cup of the chocolate chips, either using a double broiler or by placing them on high in a microwave safe bowl for 30 seconds. Stir the partially melted chocolate chips and microwave again for 30 seconds.

3. In a large mixing bowl, combine the non daily milk, sugar, canola oil and vanilla extract. Mix on high speed for 1 minute.

4. Sift in the flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir until well mixed. Then mix in the melted chocolate chips.

5. Fold in the remaining 1/2 cup of chocolate chips. Spread the batter in the baking pan. Bake for 25 minutes.

6. Remove from the oven and let cool. To serve warm, allow to cool for about 30 minutes. Slice and serve.

Peanut Butter Cups

2011-05-20T01:47:00.001-07:00

This was my third time making these bad boys and by far the easiest. In the past I've followed what others had said and made them using cupcake wrappers as my mold. But today I took a little trip to Michaels ( a large craft store here in the US ) and saw that they sold candy molds for under $2. I found the same molds here, if anyone is interested in purchasing. So much easier and the result was far better than using the cupcake wrappers.

As for the recipe, I've seen some people use confectioners' sugar, shortening and even butter. I like to keep it super simply with only chocolate chips and peanut butter as my ingredients. No need for the extra sugar or fat, these taste just as great. I didn't plan on blogging these but was so impressed by the results of the molds that I just had to. I plan on making more of these very soon, so I promise to post step by step pictures within the next few days.

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Makes about 30 peanut butter cups

Ingredients

* 2 cups semi-sweet vegan chocolate chips

* 1/2 cup softened peanut butter

Directions

1. Melt chocolate chips using a double broiler. If you do not have a double broiler, I like to fill a small saucepan with water, bring it to a boil and then place a glass bowl over the saucepan so that the water barely touches the bottom of the glass bowl. Lower the heat to the lowest setting and slowly stir the chocolate chips until all are melted.

2. Once all the chocolate chips are melted, fill each candy mold about 1/3 of the way full and then using a small paint brush, spread the melted chocolate all the way up the mold's sides. It should be a coating about 1/8 of an inch thick.

3. Place the chocolate covered molds in the freezer until it has hardened, about 5 minutes.

4. Place about 1/2 tsp of peanut butter in each mold. Lastly, cover the peanut butter layer with about 1/2 tsp of melted chocolate. Spread to make sure its covered completely. Freeze until firm, about 10-15 minutes.

5. Carefully flip over and gently press each peanut butter cup out of the candy molds. Store refrigerated.

Southern Beef-Less Stew

2011-05-06T14:44:00.000-07:00

I thought I'd make my favorite stew one last time before summer arrived. I love this stew because it is packed with veggies and is a little different from the stews I normally make. I've been using these Gardein Beef-Less Tips in so many recipes. They are so yummy and work wonderfully in recipes such as this. If you aren't a fan, 1 1/2 cups of chickpeas would be a great substitute.

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Ingredients

* 1 Tb all-purpose flour

* 1 package Gardein Beef-less Tips

* 1 Tb extra virgin olive oil

* 1 medium yellow onion, cut into medium dice

* 2 stalks celery, cut into medium dice

* 1/4 tsp salt

* 1/4 tsp pepper

* 8 ounces button mushrooms, quartered

* 1 Tb minced garlic

* 1 bay leaf

* 1 tsp chopped fresh or dried thyme

* 1 tsp chopped fresh or dried rosemary

* 1 cup dry red wine

* 2 1/2 cups vegan "beef" broth ( try Better than Bouillon brand ) or vegetable broth

* 2 turnips, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes

* 2 parsnips, peeled and cubed

* 2 cups chopped collard greens

* Brown rice, for serving

Directions

1. Add the olive oil to a large pot and heat over medium high. Add the beef-less tips and cook, stirring occasionally for 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

2. Add the onion, celery, mushroom, salt and pepper, stirring, until vegetables are softened, about 3 minutes. Add the flour, stir to well and cook an additional minute.

3. Add the garlic, bay leaf, thyme, rosemary, red wine, "beef" broth. Bring to a slow boil, reduce heat to low and simmer covered for 40 minutes.

4. Add the parsnips, turnips and collard greens, stir well, and cover once again. Simmer an additional 30 minutes or until turnips and parsnips are softened. During the last 10 minutes stir in the beef-less tips.

5. Remove bay leaf and serve over brown rice.

Vegan Mounds

2011-05-01T20:14:00.000-07:00

When I went vegan, I knew not being able to have Mounds or Almond Joys anymore was going to be hard. I don't know why I haven't thought about making them for myself until now. The process was really easy, although you do need a little muscle to scoop out the frozen coconut mixture and form them into rectangles. By the end of the batch my arms were a little tired.

If you do not have coconut oil, I know it can be a little pricey, canola oil will work as well. And if you want to save time on melting the chocolate chips, you can place them in the microwave for 30 seconds on high. Remove and stir well until melted.

To make these into Almond Joys, place one almond on top of each coconut rectangle and press down firmly before placing them in the freezer for the second time.

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Makes 24

Ingredients

* 2 1/2 cups sifted powdered sugar

* 1 Tb plus 1 1/2 tsp light agave nectar

* 2 Tb soy milk

* 1 Tb melted coconut oil

* 1 tsp salt

* 1 tsp vanilla extract

* 1 3/4 cups unsweetened shredded coconut

* 2 cups vegan chocolate chips

Directions

1. Line 2 rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

2. In a large bowl, combine 2 1/4 cups of the powdered sugar, the agave nectar, soy milk, coconut oil, salt and vanilla and stir with a rubber spatula until incorporated.

3. Add the shredded coconut and stir until fully combined.

4. Dust a work surface with the remaining 1/4 cup of powdered sugar. Place the coconut mixture on the sugar and roll it around to coat it.

5. Transfer the mixture to one of the baking sheets and, using the palms of your hands, press down until the mixture is about 1 inch thick. Chill in the freezer for 20 minutes.

6. Using a melon baller, scoop the coconut mixture into your palm one scoop at a time. Form the mixture into a small rectangle and arrange it on the second baking sheet. Repeat until all the coconut mixture is used. Return the coconut squares to the freezer for 20 minutes more.

7. Meanwhile, put the chocolate chips in a double broiler and melt over low heat. Using two forks or chopsticks, roll each coconut rectangle around in the chocolate to coat. Put the mound back on the baking sheet and repeat with the remaining coconut and chocolate. Refrigerate for 30 minutes and serve.

Lace Cookies

2011-04-20T19:23:00.001-07:00

I got an ice cream maker for my birthday a month ago and haven't been able to use it because the weather has been so darn cold. Finally the temperature warmed up this weekend and I was able to make some delicious vanilla cardamom ice cream.

It needed something extra, so I decided to bake some crunchy lace cookies to go with my dessert. This recipe makes a whole lot, so you might want to divide the ingredients by half if you don't plan on sharing them with a large group. Make sure to space the cookie dough out by at least one inch because they will expand considerably while in the oven. I made the mistake of placing them to closely during my first batch and I was left with one giant cookie. Enjoy these cookies alone or with a giant scoop of vegan ice cream.

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* Recipe modified from Babycakes Covers the Classics

Makes about 35 cookies

Ingredients

* 1 3/4 cups all-purpose baking flour

* 1 1/2 cups vegan sugar

* 1/4 cup arrowroot

* 1 tsp baking soda

* 1 tsp salt

* 1 cup canola oil

* 1/2 cup applesauce

* 2 Tb vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, arrowroot, baking soda and salt.

3. Mix in the canola oil, applesauce and vanilla and stir with a rubber spatula until fully incorporated.

4. Drop the dough by the teaspoon onto the prepared baking sheets, about 1 inch apart.

5. Bake for 15 minutes, or until the edges are browned and the center is cooked through.

6. Let stand on the baking sheets for 15 minutes before serving.

Sugar Cookies and Icing

2011-04-12T13:53:00.000-07:00

Aren't these the cutest?! I haven't made sugar cookies in a long time but when given these cute Hello Kitty cookie cutters yesterday, I stayed up and baked for most of the night. To my surprise, most of the cookies were gone by the time I woke up this morning.

The sugar cookie dough is not too sweet, so if you don't plan on icing them, you might want to add another half cup of sugar to the recipe. While making the icing, it did appear to have more of a grey-ish color but when allowed to dry, it did turn white. To get the pink color, I added one drop of red food color to half of the icing recipe.

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Makes about 20 cookies

Ingredients

Sugar Cookies

* 1 cup vegan margarine

* 1 cup sugar

* 1 tsp vanilla extra

* Egg replacer equivalent of 2 eggs, I like using Ener-G Egg Replacer

* 2 tsp baking powder

* 3 cups flour

Icing

* 2 cups confectioners' sugar

* 6-8 tsp soy milk

* 4 tsp light agave nectar

* assorted food coloring, if desired

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 F.

2. In a large bowl, cream margarine and sugar with an electric mixer.

3. Beat in the egg replacer and vanilla.

4. In a separate medium sized bowl, sift together the baking powder and flour. Add one cup at a time, mixing after each addition, to the sugar and margarine mixture.

5. Divide the dough into two balls. On a floured surface, roll each ball into circles, approximately 12 inches in diameter and 1/8 inch thick.

6. Dip your cookie cutters in flour before use. Cut out and place about 1 inch apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.

7. Bake for 6-7 minutes, or until cookies are lightly browned.

To make the icing...

8. In a medium bowl, mix together the confectioners' sugar and soy milk until smooth. Beat in agave nectar until icing is smooth and glossy. If icing is too thick, add more agave.

9. Add food coloring if desired. Dip cookies in icing and allow to dry overnight.

Fried Chick'N

2011-04-05T03:54:00.000-07:00

I've noticed that a few vegan restaurants out here in Los Angeles serve fried chick'n. I was curious on how they were able to imitate the texture, so I started looking up recipes and I came up on one from Art Smith. I love Gardein so I figured I'd give this recipe a try. It was so easy to make the fried chick'n and the end result was really delicious. My only suggestion is to make sure your chick'n cutlets are frozen. I left mine out to long and they defrosted a little. When that happened, they became extra fragile and began to break really easily. Please do try this recipe, you won't be disappointed : ]

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Fried Chick-N

Serves 4

Ingredients

* 1 package Gardein Chick-N Scallopini

* 2 cups soy milk

* 1 Tb tabasco

* 1 cup all-purpose flour

* 1 tsp baking powder

* 1 tsp garlic powder

* 1 tsp old bay seasoning

* 2 tsp cayenne pepper

* 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

* Olive oil or vegetable oil for deep frying

Directions

1. Place the chick-n in a medium bowl and add the soy milk and tabasco. Stir well to coat.

2. In a separate shallow bowl, mix the flour, baking powder, garlic powder, old bay, cayenne and black pepper.

3. Shake the extra marinade off the chick-n and then dredge in flour.

4. Shake off extra flour and then dredge again in the marinade and coat again in flour.

5. Add enough oil in a deep large skillet to create a depth of 1 inch. Heat over medium high heat until oil reaches 350 F.

6. Fry the chicken in batches until golden and cooked through, about 5 minutes per side.

7. Drain on paper towels and serve.

Beef-Less Bourguignon

2011-03-29T03:45:00.001-07:00

Here's is my take on a classic Julia Child recipe. Beef Bourguignon redone using Gardein's Beef-Less Tips and Lightlife's Smart Bacon. This is something that I totally thought I would never be able to veganise so well. I am absolutely loving Gardein's new Beef-Less Tips. It was my second time cooking with them and they really do make dishes like this possible again. Serve this dish alone or with a side of pasta noodles or rice.

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Serves 4

Ingredients

* 2 Tb extra virgin olive oil

* 5 ounces vegan bacon

* 1 package of Gardein Beefless Tips

* 5 carrots, sliced diagonally into 1 inch chunks

* 1 yellow onion, sliced

* 2 garlic cloves, minced

* salt and pepper

* 1 Tb all-purpose flour

* 1/2 cups red wine

* 1 cup "beef" stock, such as Better than Bouillon

* 1 Tb tomato paste

* 18 small white pearl onions

* 4 Tb vegan margarine, try Earth Balance

* 1 tsp fresh thyme or 1/2 tsp dried thyme

* 1 bay leaf

* 2 cups button mushrooms, quartered

Directions

1. In a large pot, saute the "bacon" in 1 Tb extra virgin olive oil for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove from pan and set aside.

2. Add another 1 Tb of olive oil to the pan and the "beef" and cook 4-5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove and set aside.

3. Add the carrots and onions to the pan, add 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp pepper and cook for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onions are lightly browned. Add the garlic and cook for 1 more minute.

4. Return the "bacon" and "beef" back to the pot. Add the red wine and enough "beef" broth.

5. Add the tomato paste, thyme and bay leaf. Bring to a simmer, cover and simmer on low heat for 30 minutes.

6. Combine 2 Tb of margarine and the flour and stir into the stew and add the pearl onions.

7. Saute the mushrooms in 2 tablespoons of margarine for 10 minutes or until lightly browned and then add to the stew.

8. Bring the stew to a boil and the lower the heat and allow to simmer for 15 minutes. Remove bay leaf and season to taste.

Banana Nut Chocolate Chip Muffins

2011-03-24T23:47:00.000-07:00

My favorite type of muffins have always been chocolate chip. I thought I'd make a batch but chocolate chip alone sounded a little boring. So I decided to spice these muffins up with some bananas and walnuts. The result was something that tasted very similar to banana nut bread but had a slightly sweeter taste because of the chocolate chips.

So now that you know my favorite muffin, whats yours? Blueberry? Poppy Seed? Something else? Please share, I'm curious in knowing : ]

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Makes about 10 muffins

Ingredients

* 1 3/4 cup all-purpose flour

* 3/4 cup unprocessed sugar

* 1 tsp baking powder

* 1 tsp baking soda

* 1/2 tsp salt

* 1/2 cup canola oil

* 1/2 cup vegan plain yogurt or vanilla yogurt

* 1 tsp vanilla extract ( if using plain yogurt or 1/2 tsp vanilla extract if using vanilla yogurt )

* 1 cup mashed ripe bananas

* 3/4 cup semi-sweet vegan chocolate chips

* 1/2 chopped walnuts

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

2. In another bowl, combine the canola oil, yogurt and vanilla extract.

3. Stir into dry ingredients, just until moistened.

4. Fold in bananas, chocolate chips and walnuts.

5. Fill greased or paper lined muffin cups 2/3 full. Bake at 350 F for 23 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

6. Cool for 5 minutes before removing from pans to cool completely on a wire rack.

Chik'n and Dumplings

2011-03-15T02:02:00.000-07:00

This was my third time making gnocchi and I swear it only gets easier each time. This is a classic comfort food recipe but it has a slight twist. The twist being that gnocchi is used instead of plain ol' dumplings. This meal is served over a homemade basil pesto that is filled with mushrooms, carrots and celery. Definitely better than any chik'n and dumplings I've had in the past. Did I mention that the gnocchi is also lightly tossed in lemon butter? Yeah, this is a must try for anyone that loves Italian food.

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Serves 4

Ingredients

* 5 Tb extra virgin olive oil, divided

* 1 package of Morningstar Chik'n Strips

* 4 Tb vegan margarine, divided

* 10-12 large button mushrooms, sliced

* 1 cup shredded carrot, about 2 carrots

* 4 ribs celery, thinly sliced

* salt and freshly ground black pepper

* 3 Tb all-purpose flour

* 3 cups vegan "chicken" stock ( try Better than Bouillon ) or vegetable stock

* 1 cup basil leaves, chiffonade

* 1 clove garlic, minced

* 1 handful parsley leaves, chopped

* 1/4 cup vegan Parmesan

* 1 lemon, zested

Gnocchi

* 3 medium sized russet potatoes

* 1 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 425 F. Pierce the potatoes several times with a fork than wrap in foil and bake for 60 minutes or until soft.

While the potatoes cook, start making your sauce

2. Heat a pot with 1 Tb extra virgin olive oil over medium-high heat. Add the chick'n and saute for 3-4 minutes, stirring occasionally. Once done, remove from pan and set aside in a small bowl.

3. Add another tablespoon of olive oil and 2 tablespoons of margarine to the same pan and heat. Add mushrooms, carrots, celery and season with salt and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

4. Sprinkle in the flour, stir to coat all the vegetables and cook for another 2 minutes.

5. While this cooks, your chick'n should have cooled down by down. Roughly chop the strips into bite sized pieces.

6. Whisk in 2 1/2 cups of the stock, slide the chick'n back into the pot and simmer to allow the sauce to thicken.

7. Place the remaining 1/2 cup of stock in a food processor, along with the basil, parsley, garlic, Parmesan, salt and pepper. Turn processor on and drizzle in two tablespoons of olive oil.

8. By now your potatoes should be done baking. Cover and place the pot of sauce on low heat and keep aside.

9. Bring a large pot of salted water to boil.

10. Remove the foil from the potatoes and start peeling away the skin. Do not allow them to cool, you must work with them hot. I suggest using a towel to protect your hands from burning. Using a knife, such as a paring knife, worked best to help me peel away the skin.

11. Place the potatoes in a ricer or food mill and mash. If you do not have one, a fork will work just as well. Spread them out onto a cutting board and allow them to cool for 2 to 5 minutes.

12. Gather the potatoes and sprinkle half a cup of flour over them. Mix by hand until the dough is smooth. Add more flour if the dough feels too sticky.

13. Divide the dough into about 5 pieces. Grab each piece and roll them out into 1/2 inch thick log shapes.

14. Cut the logs into 1 inch pieces and dust with flour. To shape the gnocchi, roll each pillow on the tines of a fork or a gnocchi board. Place all the shaped gnocchi on a lightly floured plate.

15. By now your water should be boiling. Add the gnocchi, a couple at a time, and cook for a minute or two, until they float to the surface. Allow them to stay in 30 seconds longer and then remove using a slotted spoon. Drain well.

16. Melt 2 tablespoons of margarine in a skillet over medium heat with the lemon zest. Toss the gnocchi in the lemon butter and cook until golden brown on edges, about 3 minutes.

17. Turn off heat on the chick'n and stir in the pesto sauce.

Serve the chick'n in shallow bowls and top with gnocchi.

On a side note, I've been playing around with a new Mamiya Polaroid camera and of course the star of the show is my Taffy. Here's a recent one of him...I love how Polaroids make every picture look so vintage.

Tofu "Crab" Cakes with Lemon Aioli Sauce

2011-03-11T01:48:00.001-08:00

This recipe comes from Tal Ronnen's "The Conscious Cook" cookbook. I've been eying this recipe for a little over a year now but never really felt motivated to make it. Wow have I've been missing out! These cakes taste exactly like crab! I was blown away at how similar it mimicked it's taste. I've tried making vegan crab cakes before, by adding kelp powder to tofu but the toasted nori really did do the trick.

I skipped out on the horseradish sauce that the book suggests you make and I substituted it with a fresh lemon aioli sauce. If you would like to keep it simple, traditional tarter sauce would also go well with this. I love this recipe, of course remember to use vegan mayo instead.

If anyone used to be a huge seafood fan, as I used to be, I highly suggest you give this recipe a try!

Ingredients

Lemon Aioli Sauce

* 1/2 cup vegan mayonnaise

* 1 clove garlic, minced

* 1 Tb chives, minced

* 3 Tb lemon juice

* 1/2 tsp lemon zest

* salt and freshly ground black pepper

Tofu Cakes

* 2 Tb canola oil

* 1/2 cup finely diced onion

* 1/2 cup finely diced carrot

* 2 tsp minced garlic

* 1 sheet nori seaweed

* 2 lbs firm tofu, pressed and drained

* 2 1/2 Tb cornstarch

* 1 Tb Old Bay seasoning

* 1/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes

* 1/2 tsp white pepper

* Juice of 1 lime

Apples and Beets

* 1 beet, washed

* 2 Tb balsamic vinegar

* 1 Fuji apple

* 1 Tb extra virgin olive oil

* sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

Pan Roasted Summer Vegetables

* 2 Tb extra virgin olive oil

* 1 shallot, minced

* 2 1/2 cups fresh corn kernels ( or frozen, defrosted )

* 1 cup fresh or thawed frozen peas

* 1 1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved

* 3 large basil leaves, cut into chiffonade

* Freshly ground black pepper

To cook

* 1 cup panko bread crumbs

* 1 1/2 Tb Old Bay seasoning

* sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

* 1 cup plain unsweetened soy milk

* 1/2 cup canola oil, or more if needed

Directions

1. To make the lemon aioli sauce, mix all the ingredients together in a medium bowl.

2. To make the tofu cakes : Place a small saute pan over medium heat. Add the oil and heat for 30 seconds. Add the onion and carrots and saute until soft, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and saute for 1 minute. Set aside to cool completely.

3. Holding the nori sheet with tongs, toast it by fanning it over a low gas flame or electric burner, being careful not to burn it and turning it so that all of it gets toasted. Grind using a spice or coffee grinder. Alternatively, crumble it as finely as you can with your hands.]

4. Place the onion mixture, nori powder, 1 Tb salt, and the remaining tofu cake ingredients in a food processor and pulse until well combined but still chunky. Transfer to a bowl, cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

5. Make the apples and beets : Place the beet in a small saucepan. Fill with water to cover and add the vinegar. Bring to a boil and cook until you can easily insert a toothpick into the center, about 25 minutes.

6. Drain and peel the beet. Finely dice the beet and put it in a small bowl. Finely dice the apple and add it to the bowl. Add the oil and salt and pepper to taste; toss to combine. Set aside.

7. Cook the tofu cakes : In a shallow dish, stir together the bread crumbs, Old Bay, and 1 tsp each of salt and pepper. Pour the soy milk into a separate bowl.

8. Using your hands, form 12 small cakes from the tofu mixture.

9. Dip both sides of the tofu cake in the soy milk, then press into the bread crumbs, coating well. Place the cakes on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Refrigerate for 30 minutes, or until firm.

10. Place a saute pan over medium high heat. Add the oil and heat for 2 minutes. Working in batches, saute the tofu cakes ( make sure that the oil comes about halfway up the sides of the cakes ) until browned on both sides and heated through, 2 to 3 minutes on each side. Remove the cakes to a second baking sheet lined with parchment paper and place in a warm over until you finish all of the cakes.

11. To make the summer vegetables : Place a large cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add the oil and heat for 30 seconds. Add the shallot and saute for 3 minutes.

12. Add the corn and peas and saute for 3 minutes.

13. Add the tomatoes and basil and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook for about 2 minutes, until just heated through. Serve hot.

14. Assemble the dish : Scoop a large spoonful of the summer vegetables onto the center of each 6 serving plates. Place two cakes, side by side, on top of the vegetables. Top the cakes with a spoonful of the apples and beets and drizzle with the lemon aioli sauce.

Lemon Cake with Fresh Strawberry Sauce

2011-03-10T00:46:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday to me! : D

Well actually my birthday was four days ago but I finally got around to posting this very yummy cake recipe. I am sorry I didn't take step by step pictures but I made this cake on the day of and was busy running around, trying to make sure I wasn't late for dinner.

I originally planned to serve this with some homemade whipped cream and fresh fruit but the recipe I tried to veganize did not work out as planned. Anyone have any good suggestions for a heavy cream substitute? Sadly, silken tofu did not do the trick. So as a last resort, I made a strawberry sauce, which worked out perfectly.

I'll be attempting to make a wedding cake this August, so get ready to see lots of cake recipes here as I play around with different flavors to find the perfect one : ]

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Ingredients

Makes 2 Eight Inch Round Layer Cake

* 1 cup vegan margarine, at room temperature

* 3 cups sifted all-purpose or cake flour

* 1 Tb baking powder

* 1 tsp baking soda

* 1/2 tsp salt

* 2 cups sugar

* Egg replacer, equivalent of 4 eggs ( I used Ener-G Egg Replacer )

* 1 1/4 cup vegan buttermilk ( 1 cup soy milk + 1 tsp apple cider vinegar, mixed and set aside for 10 minutes to curdle )

* 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

* Zest of 2 lemon

Lemon Curd

* 1 cup soy milk

* 1/4 cup water

* 2 Tb cornstarch

* 3/4 cup sugar

* 3/4 cup lemon juice

* 2 tsp lemon zest

* 1/2 cup vegan margarine

* pinch of salt

Fresh Strawberry Sauce

* 16 ounces fresh strawberries

* 1/4 cup sugar

* 1/4 cup water

* 1 tsp lemon zest

Directions

First prepare the Lemon Curd

1. In a small saucepan, dissolve the cold soy milk, water and cornstarch.

2. Turn heat to medium high and continuously keep stirring the mixture. Add the butter, lemon juice and sugar and continue to stir until it is brought to a boil and starts to thicken.

3. Reduce to low heat and beat with a hand held beater for 2 minutes.

4. Transfer mixture to a small bowl and keep refrigerated until ready to use. ( Can be made 2 days in advance )

Next make the strawberry sauce

5. Combine the strawberries, sugar, water and lemon zest and cook until the berries are soft and the liquid is thick, about 10 minutes. Mash the strawberries slightly, if desired.

6. Remove from heat and transfer to a small bowl and keep refrigerated until ready to use.

Lastly make your cake

7. Preheat oven to 350 F. If not using a springform pan, butter two 8 by 2 inch round cake pans; line the bottoms with parchment paper. Dust bottoms and sides with flour; tap out excess.

8. In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

9. In a bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream butter on medium speed until softened, about 1 to 2 minutes.

10. Gradually add sugar, beating on medium speed until lightened, about 3-4 minutes; scrape down sides once or twice.

11. Drizzle in egg replacer, one at a time, beating after each addition until batter is no longer slick; stop once or twice to scrape the sides.

12. On low speed, alternatively add flour mixture and buttermilk, a little at a time, beginning and ending with the flour mixture.

13. Beat in vanilla extract and lemon zest.

14. Divide batter evenly between the prepared pans. Bake 25 minutes and then rotate the pans in the oven for even browning. Continue baking until a cake tester inserted in the center of each cake comes out clean, 10 to 20 minutes more. Transfer pans to wire rack to cool, 15 minutes. Turn cakes out, set on racks, tops up, until cooled completely.

15. Remove the parchment paper from each cake. Using a serrated knife, slice each layer in half horizontally. Set aside the pretties layer for the top of the cake.

16. Place another dome layer, dome sized down, on a serving plate. Spread 1 cup lemon curd over surface and 1/2 inch away from edges. Place second cake layer, over the first, and spread another 1 cup lemon curd over top. Repeat with third cake layer and remaining cup of curd. Transfer partially assembled cake to the refrigerator.

17. Just before serving, place reserved dome on top of cake.

To Serve - Slice into 10 servings and top with strawberry sauce.

Chick'n Cacciatore

2011-03-02T01:37:00.000-08:00

This was my first time using Gardein's Chick'n Scallopini. I've always wanted to because I heard that you can do anything to it that you would with real chicken. It was really fun to work with and flour, I can't tell you how long its been since I've done something like that. I cook mine frozen, no need to defrost here, they heat up fairly quickly in the pan.

Here is an up close picture of the packaging and its nutritional information. Click the picture for a larger image if you have trouble viewing.

I served mine over whole wheat spaghetti noodles but it would also be great served alone.

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Serves 4

Ingredients

* 3 Tb olive oil

* 2 packets of Gardein's "Lightly Seasoned Chick'n Scallopini ( 8 cutlets )

* 1/4 cup all-purpose flour

* 1 large red bell pepper, chopped

* 1 yellow onion, chopped

* 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced

* 3 garlic cloves, minced

* 3/4 dry white wine

* 1 ( 28 ounce ) can diced tomatoes with juice

* 3/4 cup vegan "chicken" broth ( try Better than Bouillon ) or vegetable broth

* 3 Tb capers

* 1 1/2 tsp dried oregano

* 1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh basil

Directions

1. Lightly sprinkle the chick’n cutlets with flour.

2. In a large heavy saute pan, heat the oil over a medium high flame. Add the chick’n pieces to the pan and saute until browned, about 2-3 minutes per side. If all of it does not fit in the pan, saute them in small batches.

3. Transfer the chick’n to a plate and set aside.

4. Add the bell pepper, onion, mushrooms, garlic to the same pan and saute over medium heat until the onion and mushrooms are tender, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. (Mushrooms not pictured because I totally forgot about them and had to add them later.)

5. Add the wine and simmer until reduce by half, about 3 minutes.

6. Add the tomatoes with their juice, broth, capers and oregano. Bring the sauce to a simmer and simmer over medium-low heat for 15 minutes.

To Serve - Place two cutlets on a plate and spoon the sauce over. Sprinkle with fresh basil. If you wish, chick’n cacciatore also goes great served over whole wheat spaghetti noodles.

Tofu and Vegetable Dumplings

2011-02-26T21:19:00.000-08:00

Who knew dumplings were so easy to make! I've been searching for vegan dumpling wrappers for awhile now because all the ones I've come across contained egg. I finally discovered that I can purchase ones made with whole wheat and no egg from my local Asian market.

It takes a little while to get the hang of how to properly fold a dumpling. I noticed that when I added too much water to the outside edges of the wrapper, I had trouble sealing them. But after about 20 dumplings in, I started to figure out what I was doing wrong and was able to correct it.

I made them in batches of 10...steaming 10 while folding the next batch. It took me a little over an hour to make all 40 dumplings. My family really loved them and it went well along side the hot and sour soup.

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Makes about 40 Dumplings

Ingredients

* 1/2 pound firm tofu, pressed and drained, cut into 1/4 inch cubes

* 1/2 cup grated carrots

* 1/2 cup shredded Napa cabbage

* 2 Tb finely chopped red pepper

* 2 Tb finely chopped scallions

* 2 Tb finely minced fresh ginger

* 1 Tb chopped cilantro leaves

* 1 Tb soy sauce

* 1 Tb hoisin sauce

* 2 tsp sesame oil

* 1 tsp salt

* 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

* bowl of water, plus additional for steaming

* 35 small vegan pot sticker wrappers

* vegetable spray for steamer

Directions

1. In a large mixing bowl add the tofu, carrots, cabbage, red pepper, scallions, ginger, cilantro, soy sauce, hoisin, sesame oil, salt and pepper. Stir to combine.

To assemble the dumpling...

2. Remove one wrapper from the package, covering the others with a damp cloth. Brush the edges of the wrapper lightly with water.

3. Place 1/2 tsp of the tofu mixture in the center of the wrapper.

4. Fold over and seal, pressing down with your fingertips. You may leave it like this or you can continue to shape it. I watched this video, which really helped me learn how to properly shape them.

5. Set on a sheet pan and cover with a damp cloth. Repeat procedure until all the filling is gone.

6. Using a steaming apparatus of your choice, bring 1/2 inch of water to a simmer over medium heat. Spray the steamers surface lightly with oil to prevent sticking. Place as many dumplings as will fit in the steamer without touching each other. Cover and steam for 10 to 12 minutes over medium heat. Remove and repeat until all dumplings are cooked.

Hot and Sour Soup

2011-02-25T18:31:00.001-08:00

This soup is fairly simple and quick to make. The only problem I encountered was trying to find the wood ear mushrooms and lily buds. My local market did not carry them but thankfully a little Asian market down the street did. I did not find any packages labeled wood ear, so its good to know that it also goes by the name black fungus.

If you cannot handle spicyness well, reduce the amount of chili paste added. I found the one tablespoon to be a little too spicy for me.

I made some dumplings to go along side this. Recipe for that coming soon : ]

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Serves 6

Ingredients

* 8 dried wood ear mushrooms ( also known as black fungus )

* 7 dried shiitake mushrooms

* 14 dried tiger lily buds

* 7 cups vegan "chicken" broth ( try Better than Bouillon ) or vegetable stock

* 2 Tb canola oil

* 1 inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and grated finely

* 1 Tb red chili paste

* 1/2 cup bamboo shoots, diced

* 1/4 cup tamari

* 1/2 tsp sugar

* 1 tsp salt

* 3/4 tsp pepper

* 1/4 cup rice vinegar

* 3 Tb cornstarch

* 1/4 cup water

* 1 ( 14 ounce ) package of firm tofu, pressed and drained, cubed

* 1 1/2 tsp sesame oil

* chopped green onions and cilantro, for garnish

Directions

1. Soak the dried mushrooms and tiger lily buds in warm water for 20 minutes.

2. Trim off any tough stems and slice the mushrooms. With your fingers slice the tiger lily buds.

3. Heat oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Add the ginger, chili paste, mushrooms, lily buds, bamboo shoots and tofu. Cook and stir for 1 minute.

4. In a small bowl, stir together the tamari, sugar, salt, pepper and vinegar. Pour in wok and toss well.

5. Add stock and bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes.

6. Stir in the tamari, sugar, salt, pepper and vinegar.

7. Combine cornstarch with water. Add to the pot and heat until boiling. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until thickened.

8. Turn off heat and stir in sesame oil.

To Serve - Divide into 6 soup bowls and garnish each bowl with scallions.

Focaccia

2011-02-23T19:44:00.000-08:00

I love baking my own bread and especially love the warm cozy aroma it fills my home with. Focaccia is an Italian flat bread and is usually topped with herbs or veggies. This recipes features caramelized onions, rosemary and red pepper flakes.

This can be eaten alone as an appetizer or paired with a main coarse as a side. I think I'll be making this next time I decide to serve pasta. Sorry garlic bread, you have been replaced : ]

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Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients

* 1 Tb sugar

* 1 1/2 cups warm water

* 1 packet active dry yeast

* 6 cups all-purpose flour

* salt

* 1 /3 cup plus 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil

* 1 Tb vegan margarine

* 2 yellow onions, thinly sliced

* 1 tsp dried rosemary

* 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. In a large bowl, combine water, yeast and sugar and stir to combine. Let sit for about 15 minutes or until mixture is foamy.

2. In a separate bowl, mix the flour and 1 Tb salt. Add the flour mixture, about 1 cup at a time and the 1/3 cup oil, a spoonful or two at a time, to the yeast mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon.

3. Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and knead for 10 minutes, or until a firm, smooth dough forms. Place the dough in a oiled bowl, turning over to coat with oil. Cover with a damp cloth and let rise in a warm place for 1 1/2 hours.

4. Meanwhile, place a saute pan over medium heat. Add 1 Tb oil and the margarine and heat for 30 seconds. Add the onions and saute, stirring occasionally, until very soft and browned, 20 to 25 minutes. Set aside.

5. Line a 15 x10 inch baking sheet with parchment paper. Brush or spray the parchment paper with oil. Turn the dough out onto the parchment and pull and stretch it with your hands to fill the pan. The dough should be about 1/2 inch thick. Use your fingertips to make dimples all over the dough, about 1 inch apart. Let rise, covered, for another 20 minutes.

6. Preheat the oven to 400 F. In a small bowl, stir together the remaining 3 Tb oil, the red pepper flakes, rosemary, 2 tsp salt and the black pepper.

7. Brush the top of the dough with the oil mixture. Bake for 7 minutes, then rotate the pan front to back, spread the onions over the top, and bake for another 10 minutes, or until golden and crusty. Remove the dough to a cutting board, let cool for at least 10 minutes, then cut into squares.

* Recipe from Tal Ronnen's "The Conscious Cook." I did made a couple changes and substitutions to his original recipe.

French Toast

2011-02-22T14:23:00.000-08:00

French toast! Something I am sure a lot of you thought you would never have again as a vegan. The trick to this recipe was the chickpea flour, which works well as an egg substitute. If you cannot find chickpea flour, you can make it yourself but grinding up small batches of raw chickpeas in a food processor.

I topped mine with some powdered sugar, strawberries and real maple syrup. A very healthy alternative to the traditional way French toast is made.

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Ingredients

* 1 cup soy milk

* 1/4 cup chickpea flour

* 1/4 tsp cinnamon

* 1/4 tsp nutmeg

* 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

* Canola oil for the pan

* 6 slices of whole wheat bread

Directions

1. In a shallow bowl, whisk together the soy milk and flour. Once the flour is well incorporated, whisk in the cinnamon, nutmeg and vanilla until throughly combined. There will be a little lumps left in the batter. Don't worry about them too much, just make sure the bigger ones are dissolved.

2. Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add enough oil to cover the bottom of the pan. The canola oil will be very important throughout this process. You will learn by trial and error what is too much or too little. Remember that the bread will absorb some of the oil so add a little extra in preparation for that.

3. Dredge each slice of bread in the soymilk mixture and add the hot oil. Cook the French toast until each slice is golden brown, approximate 2-3 minutes per side.

4. Top with vegan powdered sugar, strawberries and pure maple syrup if desired.

Deep Dish Pizza

2011-02-15T01:04:00.000-08:00

Last week I was scrolling across Quarry Girl's blog and I came across her deep dish pizza post. I looked up how to make them and noticed that it isn't that different from making a regular pizza. Only a couple changes needed, such as adding semolina flour to your pizza dough and obviously changing your pan to a deep dish pizza pan.

I don't know how many of you own deep dish pans but I sadly do not. I substituted it with my 9 inch cake pan and the result came out fine. This recipe took me an hour and a half to make, which really isn't that bad, considering that the dough and sauce are all made from scratch.

Feel free to change around the toppings to any veggies of your choice. Now go ahead and impress your friends with your very own Chicago style pizza!

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Ingredients

Pizza Dough

* 3/4 cup warm water ( 110 F )

* 1 ( 1/4 ounce ) package of active dry yeast

* 1/2 tsp sugar

* 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

* 1/4 cup semolina flour

* 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

* 1/2 tsp salt

Pizza Sauce

* 1 Tb extra virgin olive oil

* 1/2 cup onion, chopped

* 1/4 cup celery, chopped

* 1 garlic clove, minced

* 1 ( 8 ounce ) can tomato sauce

* 1 ( 6 ounce ) can tomato paste

* 1 tsp dried basil

* 1 tsp dried oregano

* 1/2 tsp salt

* 1/2 tsp sugar

* 1/4 tsp black pepper

* 1 small bay leaf

Toppings

* 1/2 pound vegan mozzarella cheese, shredded ( I prefer Daiya Italian cheese )

* 4 ounces mushrooms, sliced thinly

* 1/2 green bell pepper, sliced thinly

* 1/2 yellow onion, sliced thinly

* 1/2 pound spicy Italian sausage, crumbled, cooked as directed on package ( I used Field Roast Mexican Chipotle sausages )

Directions

First prepare the dough...

1. In a small bowl, combine water, yeast and sugar and stir to combine. Let sit for about 10 minutes or until the mixture is foamy.

2. In a large bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, semolina flour, oil, salt and yeast mixture. Stir well to combine.

3. Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead for about 5 to 10 minutes, until a smooth dough has formed. Place in a lightly oiled bowl and turn to cover the entire dough with oil.

4. Cover with a damp towel and allow to rise in a warm area until double in size, about 45 minutes.

While the dough rises, start making your sauce...

5. In a medium sized sauce pan, heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add the onion, celery and garlic and saute until soft and the onions are transparent.

6. Add tomato sauce and tomato paste and stir until smooth.

7. Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a slow simmer. Simmer for 30-60 minutes. Remove bay leaf.

Preheat oven to 420 F

8. Oil a 12 inch round deep-dish pizza pan with extra virgin olive oil. Place the dough in the pan, pressing to the edge and stretching about 1 1/2 inches up the sides. Let rest for 5 minutes.

9. Layer half of the mozzarella all over the bottom of the pie.

Top with the sausages and onions

bell peppers

mushrooms

Ladle the sauce evenly over everything.

Sprinkle the rest of the mozzarella evenly over the top of the pie.

10. Bake until the top is golden, cheese is bubbly and the crust is golden brown, about 25 minutes. Remove from oven, slice and serve hot.

On a side note, here a recent shot of my boy..nothing like a good rub down to start off your day!

Creamy Corn Filled Empanadas

2011-02-09T17:05:00.000-08:00

Corn filled empanadas or empanadas humitas, as they would say in Spanish are really delicious. These have a sweet but slightly spicy taste. You can adjust the amount of spicyness with how much cayenne you add.

Since it's not corn season, I used two small bags of frozen corn and it came out just as good. I was always afraid to work with frozen vegetables, feeling like they weren't fresh enough but after hearing time and time again that frozen veggies are just as good, I tried them out and must agree with what I've been told. Some people even say that frozen veggies are better than fresh because they are picked at their peek of ripeness.

I recommend making the dough the night before, since it does have to be chilled for at least 4 hours before they can be handled. I made the mistake of not reading the recipe carefully in advance and lunch was served really late because of the wait time.

I hope you guys have as much fun making them as I did : ]

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Recipe from Viva Vegan
Makes about a dozen 6 inch Empanadas

Ingredients
Empanada Dough

* 3 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 1/2 tsp salt
* 1/4 tsp baking powder
* 6 Tb chilled nonhydrogenated vegan shortening
* 2 Tb chilled nonhydrogenated vegan margarine
* 3/4 cup cold water, or more as needed ( I used 1 cup )

Filling

* 3 Tb nonhydrogenated vegan margarine
* 3 Tb finely chopped chives, garlic scapes, or green onions
* 1 tsp dried basil
* 5 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels ( thawed and drained, if frozen; removed from 6 to 8 ears of corn if fresh )
* 3 cloves of garlic, chopped
* 1/4 cup cornstarch
* 2/3 cup soy creamer or other heavy cream substitute, or any nondairy milk
* 1 Tb lemon juice
1 tsp salt, or more to taste
* a big pinch of cayenne
* Freshly ground black pepper
* 1/3 cup soy creamer or nondairy milk for brushing

Directions
First prepare the dough...
1. In a food processor bowl, pulse together the flour, salt and baking powder for a few seconds. Slice the shortening and margarine into 1/2 inch chunks, add to the food processor and pulse until everything resembles fine, sandlike crumbs. If you prefer, you can also use a large fork or pastry cutter to blend the fats into the flour.

2. Pour the flour mixture into a large bowl and stream in the cold water while mixing the dough with your fingers. Continue adding just enough cold water that you can press the mixture together to form a soft and stretchy dough.

Briefly knead a few times, divide into two balls, flatten each into a round about an inch thick, and wrap tightly with plastic wrap. Handle the dough minimally to keep it from getting tough. Chill it overnight or for at least 4 hours.

3. Tear about ten pieces of waxed paper to about 7 inches square and keep them near your workspace. Lightly dust a large, stable rolling surface and a rolling pin with all-purpose flour. Roll one of the dough rounds about 3/8 inch thick, stretching and pulling the dough a little if necessary. To keep the dough from getting tough, use long rolling motions, occasionally lifting the dough by the edges and turning it a little to ensure an even thickness throughout.

4. Using a 6 inch diameter bowl pressed into the dough as a guide, take a small, sharp paring knife and run it across the edge of the bowl to cut out circles. Or, you a huge round cookie or biscuit cutter. Stack the circles of dough on top of one another, separating them with the waxed paper pieces to keep them from sticking. Chill the dough scraps, while you roll and cut the remaining unworked dough into rounds. Gather up all the remaining dough scraps, reroll them only one more time, and cut out as many circles as possible.

5. Chill the finished dough circles, the entire stack well wrapped in plastic wrap while preparing the filling, or store in the refrigerator for up to a week. Keep the empanada dough chilled until you're ready to fill and bake them.

Now prepare your filling...

6. In a heavy bottomed pot, melt the margarine over medium heat, add the chives and dried basil, and saute for 2 minutes.

7. In a blender jar, pulse the corn kernels, garlic, cornstarch, soy creamer, lemon juice, salt, cayenne and pepper into a thick batter.

8. Pour the corn mixture into the pot containing the chive mixture and cook for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally with a silicone spatula or a wooden spoon, until the filling thickens to the consistency of thick porridge. Remove from the heat, taste, and adjust the seasonings, if desired, with salt, ground pepper, or even a little more lemon juice.

9. When ready to assemble the empanadas, preheat the oven to 400 F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.

10. Take a dough round, gentle stretch it slightly outward by its edges, and brush lightly with soy creamer.

11. Scoop a generous 1/3 cup of corn filling into the center of the round and spread it over half of the round; leave about 1/2 inch of space along the edge of the dough.

12. Fold the unfilled dough over the filling, stretching and pulling it just enough to completely encase everything. ( You will have a semicircle patty. ) With your fingers, firmly press down the edges of the dough, then seal by firmly pressing the tines of a fork into the edges of the empanada.

13. Carefully lift and place the empanada on a prepared baking sheet, and brush with more soy creamer. Repeat with the remaining dough and filling, dividing the filling equally among the dough rounds.

14. Bake the empanadas for 24 to 26 minutes, or until their crust is golden and their edges begin to brown. A little of the filling may bubble out of the edges, but once you get the hang of crimping the edges it won't happen very often. Allow the empanadas to cool for about 5 minutes before serving, as the filling will be extremely hot right out of the oven.

To reheat, either wrap in foil and bake at 350 F for 8 to 10 minutes, or microwave on high for 30 to 35 seconds. Store leftovers chilled in a tightly covered container.

Cinnamon Buns

2011-02-08T14:31:00.000-08:00

I've been wanting to make my own cinnamon buns for awhile but for some reason I thought they were really difficult to make. I came across VeganYumYum's recipe and after watching her video, I felt a little more confident in attempting to make these. There's really not much work required for these, just a lot of waiting..a little over 2 hours of waiting for the dough to proof. But trust me, these babies are well worth the wait!

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Recipe from VeganYumYum

Makes 12 buns

Ingredients

Yeast Mixture

* 4 tsp Active Dry Yeast ( a little less than 2 packets )

* 1 tsp sugar

* 1 cup warm water

Dough

* 1 cup soymilk

* 2/3 cup sugar

* 2/3 cup vegan margarine ( such as Earth Balance )

* 2 tsp salt

* 2 Ener-g Egg Replacer Eggs, prepared

* Yeast mixture, from above

* 6 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for kneading

Dough Filling

1/2 cup vegan margarine, melted

* 1 1/2 cups sugar

* 3 Tb cinnamon

Pan Sauce

* 1/2 cup vegan margarine, melted

* 1/3 cup sugar

Cream Cheese Frosting

* 1/4 cup vegan margarine

* 1/3 cup vegan cream cheese, such as Tofutti Better than Cream Cheese

* 1 tsp vanilla extract

* 1 cup powdered sugar

Directions

1. Combine yeast mixture, stir gently and set aside for about 10 minutes or until nice and foamy.

2. From the dough ingredients, combine the soymilk, sugar, margarine, salt and ener-g eggs in a small saucepan. Heat until margarine is melted and all ingredients are well combined. Do not let the mixture get too hot. You should still be able to touch it without burning yourself.

3. By now the yeast should be ready. Combine it with the warmed liquid in the saucepan. Again, make sure it is not too hot or it will kill your yeast.

4. Place 4 cups of all-purpose flour in a large bowl. Add the warmed wet ingredients.

5. Beat the batter well with a wooden spoon. The dough will be very wet.

6. Add 2 more cups of flour and mix in partially.

7. Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured a large kneading surface. Begin kneading. It should take about 8 minutes to get the dough where it needs to be. Add more flour if the dough begins to get too sticky.

8. Once the dough is ready, place it in a lightly oiled bowl, cover with a damp towel and allow to rise for 90 minutes in a warm spot.

9. When the dough has risen completely, turn the dough out onto a well floured surface and press it down or roll it out onto a 15 x 20 inch rectangle.

10. Pour the 1/2 cup melted margarine onto the dough. Brush it on so the dough is covered completely.

11. Mix together the cinnamon and sugar and sprinkle it evenly over the dough.

12. Prepare a large baking sheet, by pouring the melted margarine from the pan sauce ingredients above.

13. Add the sugar, spreading evenly over the bottom of the pan.

14. Roll the dough up gently, starting from one of the short sides. Let it rest on the seem once its rolled up completely.

15. Cut 12 rolls with sewing thread. Place the rolls in the pan.

16. Cover the buns and let rise for 45 minutes if you will be baking these immediately. If baking the next day, cover and let rise in the refrigerator overnight. Bake in the morning, with no need for extra rising. If making for a date in the future, freeze immediately. The day before you are ready to use them, defrost in the refrigerator overnight. Then let warm up on the counter the next morning for an hour.

17. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until golden brown and bubbly. Let cool for a few minutes.

18. Stir together the frosting ingredients, stir until there are no lumps.

19. Serve the buns warm with frosting.

Spinach and Mushroom Ravioli

2011-02-04T13:12:00.000-08:00

Here is my practice Valentine's Day dinner. What's a better way of saying I love you, then by serving your loved one ravioli that was made entirely by you. Don't let the ravioli making intimidate you. Trust me its very easy, just a little kneading and rolling out needed. This meal does require a little time though, so I suggest making the Tofu Ricotta and marinara sauce the night before.

So now that my entree is planned out, I need to start thinking about what to make for dessert. I can't believe Valentine's Day is ten days away. Anyone got any special plans for that day? I loved to hear : ]

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Makes about 24 Raviolis

Ingredients

Ravioli Noodles

* 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

* 1 1/2 cups semolina flour

* 3/4 cup water

* 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil

Filling

* 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil

* 8 ounces button mushrooms

* 10 ounces of frozen spinach, thawed and squeezed dry

* 1/2 a recipe Tofu Ricotta

* 1/3 cup of vegan Parmesan, plus extra for garnish

* salt and freshly ground black pepper

* 1 recipe Herbed Tomato Sauce or 6 cups of your own marinara

Directions

First prepare your ravioli noodles...

1. Mix all the ingredients together, either in a bread maker or in a large bowl. If doing by hand, knead the dough for about 8 minutes, adding more flour if too sticky or more water if the dough won't hold together well.

2. Once you have kneaded the dough into a smooth ball, cover with plastic wrap in a slightly greased bowl and let rest for 30 minutes.

Start preparing your filling while you wait....

3. In a large saute pan, heat 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil, over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the liquid has evaporated, about 6 minutes.

4. Add spinach and cook for another 2 minutes.

5. Remove from heat and place in a food processor. Pulse until you get a coarse texture.

6. Place in a large bowl and stir in the Parmesan and tofu ricotta. Taste and season with more salt and pepper if desired. Set aside.

7. Once your dough has rested, divide it in half or in quarters for easier rolling. Begin to roll each piece on a well floured surface. Continue rolling until it is about 1/8 inch thick.

Once all the dough is rolled out its time to start assembling them. You can go about this several different ways.

The first way would be to lay out one sheet of pasta and place about 1/2 tsp of filling, two inches apart from each other. Then place another sheet of pasta on top and press down around the outside edges of the dough to seal. Cut out each ravioli using a ravioli cutter or pastry wheel.

The second way would be to cheat and use a ravioli maker ( I used this one ). You basically do the same as the step above but this way helps you to get each ravioli the exact same size.

8. Place one piece of dough and fill each ravioli with mushroom/spinach ricotta.

9. Place the top layer over the bottom layer.

10. Press and seal the outside edges using your fingers. Roll across the top to cut out.

Make sure to keep each ravioli separate from the others because if they touch they will stick like crazy.

11. Bring a large pot bring to a boil 4 quarts of salted and oiled water. Carefully add small batches of ravioli, about 4 to 5 at a time. This will prevent them from crowding in the pot and sticking together. Cook until al dente, about 7 to 9 minutes. Carefully remove using a spider strainer and place on a plate.

To Serve - Place in a large bowl and cover with marinara sauce.

Orange Tofu

2011-02-01T19:11:00.000-08:00

Since the Chinese New Year is only one day away ( February 3rd ), I thought I'd share with you guys one of my favorite fast food inspired recipes. This orange tofu tastes exactly the way I remember orange chicken to taste but of course is about half the calories and much healthier for you.

I also made some kung pao gardein chicken but it did not turn out as planned. I still need to experiment some more before I can share that recipe with you. Don't you just hate when that happens? I get so excited for a dish to only find out that it did not turn out as planned. What did work though was my fried rice. I used this recipe and it will continue to be my favorite fried rice recipe for awhile.

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Serves 4-6

Ingredients

Orange Sauce

* 1 Tb minced fresh ginger

* 1 garlic clove, minced

* 1 Tb canola oil

* 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

* 3 green onions, chopped

* 1 Tb mirin

* 3 Tb soy sauce

* 2 tsp brown sugar

* 1/4 cup rice vinegar

* 1/4 cup orange juice

* 2 Tb cornstarch or arrowroot, dissolved in 3 Tb water

* 1 lb firm tofu, press and drained

* canola oil spray

Directions

First prepare the sauce...

1. In a small sauce pan heat the oil over medium heat. Add the ginger and garlic and saute until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the red pepper flakes, green onion and mirin and cook for another minute.

2. Add the soy sauce, sugar, rice vinegar and orange juice. Bring to a boil and then lower heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

3. Whisk in the cornstarch mixture and cook for another 5 minutes or until the sauce begins to thicken.

To prepare the tofu...

4. Preheat the oven to 450 F.

5. Cut the drained tofu into bite sized pieces.

6. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Add the tofu and spray the top of the tofu with canola oil.

7. Bake for 20 minutes, or until tofu becomes golden brown at edges. Turn over tofu 10 minutes into baking.

8. Toss tofu in orange sauce and serve warm.

Barbecue Baked Tofu

2011-01-27T23:10:00.000-08:00

Sorry I haven't been blogging much lately. I've been so busy and then I got the flu..I stopped cooking for about half a week and now that I began to feel a little better, I chose to make my favorite barbecue sauce from Veganomicon's cookbook.

After trying this sauce a year ago, I have never bought barbecue sauce again. Really cheap to make and a lot tastier than many sauces that I have tried in the past. I hope you guys enjoy this recipe as much as I do.

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Makes 8 cutlets

Ingredients

* 2 pounds firm tofu, drained and pressed, cut widthwise into fourths

* 4 cups store bought barbecue sauce or homemade ( see recipe below )

* 4 Tb peanut oil

* 2 Tb tamari

Barbecue Sauce

* 1 Tb canola oil

* 1 yellow onion, diced finely

* 4 garlic cloves, minced

* 1/4 tsp salt

* 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

* 1 ( 28 ounce ) can crushed or diced tomatoes

* 1/3 cup molasses

* 1/3 cup white vinegar

* 2 Tb brown sugar

* 1 Tb yellow mustard

* 1 tsp liquid smoke

Directions

First prepare the sauce...if using store bought, skip to step 6

1. Over medium heat in a saucepan, heat the oil and place the onions in the pan. Saute until browned, about 7 minutes.

2. Add the garlic and saute for another minute.

3. Add the salt, red pepper flakes, crushed tomatoes, molasses, white vinegar and sugar. Cook for at least 30 minutes or up to 1 hour, uncovered, stirring occasionally.

4. Add the mustard and liquid smoke. Cook for 5 more minutes.

5. Puree using an immersion blender if desired.

6. Preheat the oven to 350 F.

7. In a large baking sheet, dredge the tofu in the peanut oil and tamari to coat on both sides. Bake for 15 minutes, then flip the slices and bake for 15 more minutes.

8. When the tofu is done baking, pour the sauce over it, smothering it all over. Return to the oven and bake for 15 more minutes. Remove from the oven and serve.

I just wanted to share some recent shots of Taffy. He found a new spot in the yard and has been sleeping cuddled up by this tree for the past couple days. Oh and I also created him a facebook, if anyone wants to add him, here's his link : ]

webcam fun!

Chipotle Bean Burgers

2011-01-15T17:52:00.000-08:00

I absolutely love chipotle peppers because of the extra heat it brings to a dish and its unique smokey taste. I had the idea of adding a couple peppers to an already good but a bit simple, bean burger recipe. Its funny how one extra ingredient can totally change the flavor of a meal.

Feel free to play around with the number of peppers added if you want something more mild or spicy. I added two peppers and it wasn't spicy at all. Leave the seeds in if you really like spicy. Anyone else love making their own patties? Boca burgers have nothing on my patties : ]

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Makes 8 patties

Ingredients

* 1 yellow onion, diced finely

* 1 carrot, grated

* 2 garlic cloves, minced or grated

* 1-2 chipotle peppers in adobe, seeded and minced

* 1-2 tsp adobe sauce, optional

* 2 tsp olive oil

* 1 ( 15 ounce ) can of pinto beans

* 1 ( 15 ounce ) can of black beans

* 1/2 tsp salt

* 1/2 tsp dried oregano

* 1/2 tsp cumin

* 1/2 cup vital wheat gluten

* hamburger buns

* lettuce, tomatoes

* vegan mayo and ketchup

Directions

1. Heat a small pan over medium heat and add the olive oil. Add the onion, carrot, garlic, chipotle pepper and adobe sauce and saute until the onion is tender, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.

2. Mash the pinto and black beans in a large bowl. Stir in the onion mixture, salt, oregano and cumin.

3. Sprinkle the wheat gluten a little at a time over the bean mixture and knead. Continue adding the gluten a little at a time and kneading until all is incorporated. You should knead no longer than 5 minutes.

4. Shape mixture into 8 patties and place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Coat each patty with cooking spray or brush oil on each patty.

5. Bake at 400 F for 15 minutes or until browned and heated through.

Slow Cooked Jambalaya

2011-01-04T13:19:00.000-08:00

This is my Jambalaya recipe with a twist. The twist would be the substitution of spelt grains instead of the traditional long grain rice that is used. Spelt is low in calories but very high in protein, at about 11 grams per cup.

I cooked mine for 3 hours on high and then, because it was still a bit watery, I tilted the lid off the slow cooker slightly to allow some of the moisture to evaporate for the last hour. You can even get fancier for this dish and add some vegan shrimp made from Vegetarian Plus. I hope you like this meal as much as I did.

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Serves 6

Ingredients

* 6 cups vegetable stock or vegan "chicken" stock ( try Better than Bouillion )

* 1/4 cup olive oil

* 1 cup finely chopped onion

* 1 green bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1/2 inch dice

* 2 stalks celery, cut into small dice

* 1 zucchini, cut into 1/2 circles

* 1 Tb garlic, minced

* 3 Tb tomato paste

* 1/2 cup vegetable broth or cooking sherry

* 28 ounce can of diced tomatoes

* 1 bay leaf

* 1 Tb fresh thyme leaves

* 2 tsp salt

* 1/2 tsp pepper

* 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper, or to taste

* 1/2 lb cubed vegan sausages or seitan

* 2 cups spelt

* 1/4 cup chopped parsley leaves, for garnish

Directions

1. Preheat a large heavy bottomed pot over medium heat. Saute the sausages in 2 tablespoons of olive oil according to the packaged directions. Or 4 to 5 minutes for the seitan, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned. Remove from pot and set aside.

2. Add the remaining olive oil to the pot and then add the onion, green pepper, celery, zucchini and garlic. Saute for 10 minutes.

3. Stir in the tomato paste and cook, stirring constantly for 4 minutes.

4. Stir in the vegetable broth or sherry to deglaze the vegetables and cook for 30 seconds.

5. Stir in the rice and cook for another 4 minutes.

5. Transfer the vegetable mixture to a slow cooker. Add the sausage, diced tomatoes, bay leaf, all the herbs, salt, pepper and the 6 cups of vegetable or "chicken" broth.

6. Cook for 6 to 8 hours on low or 3 to 4 hours on high.

7. Remove the bay leaf, stir and allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving. Garnish with fresh parsley.

Mexican Chili

2011-01-02T12:10:00.001-08:00

I was given a slow cooker as one of my Christmas gifts, having never owned one before, I just had to test it out with this recipe. This recipe requires very little work..just some roasting of the chilies and cooking the boca crumbles. Then you simply pour all the ingredients in the slow cooker and walk away until its ready. You can also cook this over the stove but the flavors won't be as intense. Everyone should try out this recipe, I promise you won't be disappointed.

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Serves 6

Ingredients

* 1 Tb canola oil

* 1 pound soy ground crumbles or shredded tempeh

* 1 onion, diced

* 2 ( 15 ounce ) cans of pinto beans, drained and rinsed

* 1 ( 15 ounce ) can of kidney beans, drained and rinsed

* 2 cups of corn kernels, fresh or frozen

* 1 ( 14.5 ounce ) can Mexican style stewed tomatoes

* 1 ( 14.5 ounce ) can diced tomatoes

* 1 ( 14.5 ounce ) can tomatoes with chilies

* 4 anaheim chiles, roasted and diced ( directions for roasting here )

* 1 recipe taco seasoning

For Serving

* Tortilla Chips

* Vegan Sour Cream

* Vegan cheddar cheese, shredded

* Green onions, chopped

* Pickled jalapeños

Directions

1. In a medium sized skillet, add the oil and heat over medium high heat. Add the onions and saute for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. Add the soy ground crumbles and the taco seasoning, mix well. Cook an additional 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Transfer the soy ground and onions to a slow cooker or a large stockpot. Add the beans, corn, tomatoes, anaheim chiles. Cook on low in a slow cooker for 6 to 8 hours or simmer over low heat for 1 hour on the stove.

4. To serve, ladle soup into six individual bowls. Top with sour cream, cheese, green onions and jalapeños. Serve with tortilla chips on the side.

Cholent

2010-12-28T14:54:00.000-08:00

This has to be my favorite stew recipe and my favorite recipe from Veganomicon. I did not include the TVP chunks because I try to stay away from processed food as much as possible. I served it over brown rice with some freshly baked French rolls. The perfect meal for a cold winter night...comfort food to the max!

I am assuming most of you own a copy of Veganomicon? If not, I urge you to run out and buy it. Even though it has been out for awhile, I have not come across a cookbook that I enjoy as much as I do this one.

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Time : 45 minutes

Serves 6

Ingredients

* 2 Tb olive oil

* 1 large onion, cut into medium size dice

* 3 cloves garlic, minced

* 1/2 tsp tarragon

* 1 tsp caraway seeds

* 1 tsp salt

* Several pinches of freshly ground black pepper

* 1/2 cup red cooking wine, water, or vegetable broth

* 2 bay leaves

* 1/2 cup French lentils, rinsed

* 1 cup peeled, sliced carrots ( about 1/2 inch thick )

* 4 medium sized potatoes ( about 1 1/4 pound ) peeled, and cut into 3/4 inch chunks

* 1 ( 15 ounce can ) tomato sauce

* 3 cups water

* 1 cup TVP chunks ( I did not include this )

* 1 cup frozen or canned and drained lima beans ( green peas are fine also )

* 1 ( 15 ounce can ) kidney beans, drained and rinsed ( 1 1/2 cups )

Directions

1. Preheat a large soup pot over medium heat. Saute the onions in the oil until translucent, about 5 to 7 minutes.

2. Add the garlic, tarragon, caraway seeds, salt and pepper. Saute until the garlic is fragrant, about a minute more.

3. Deglaze the pot with the red wine.

4. Add the bay leaves, lentil, carrots, potatoes, tomato sauce, water, and TVP chunks. Mix together. Cover and simmer for about 30 minutes, until the potatoes and carrots are tender.

5. Remove the bay leaves. Add the lima and kidney beans and cook until heated through.

Apple Cranberry Pie

2010-12-27T16:51:00.000-08:00

Hey guys! I hope you all had a great Christmas. Please forgive my absence but I've been going through some things at home and it has made it very difficult to blog. I feel so bad because I didn't do my usual step by step pictures for this post. But I promise to go back to my usual blogging starting tomorrow.

I love the idea of this pie because it is a great twist to one of my already favorite desserts, apple pie. I adore the fruit combination of cranberries and oranges, so I knew adding this to apple pie could only make it better. The added toasted oats on top, gives it a nice crunch but please do make sure to keep your eye on it while it bakes. I was running around preparing Christmas' dinner and didn't notice that the top was beginning to burn. I would say, let it bake no longer than 30 minutes and then cover it loosely with foil to prevent that from happening.

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Ingredients
Crust ( From Veganomicon )
* 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
* 1 Tb sugar
* 1/2 tsp salt
* 1/4 tsp baking powder
* 1/3 cup nonhydrogenated vegan shortening
* 1/4 cup cold water, plus 2 Tb if needed
* 2 tsp apple cider vinegar

Filling
* Juice of 1 orange
* Zest of 1 orange
* 5 cups of peeled, sliced apples ( about 5 apples )
* 1/2 cup sugar
* 1/2 cup fresh cranberries, chopped
* 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
* 1 tsp cinnamon

Topping
* 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
* 1/4 cup sugar
* 2 Tb oats
* 2 Tb vegan butter, melted
* 1/2 tsp cinnamon

Directions
1. Prepare the crust by following the directions here.

2. Make the filling by mixing all the ingredients together in a medium bowl.

3. Making the toppings by mixing all the ingredients together in a small bowl.

4. Add filling to cold pie crust and scatter the toppings over the filling.

5. Bake at 400 F until the juice in the center of the pie is bubbling, about 1 hour. ( If the crust or toppings is becoming too dark, cover the pie loosely with foil ).

6. Transfer to a wire rack to cool before serving.

Korean Style Barbecue Tempeh over Noodle Salad

2010-12-19T00:42:00.000-08:00

We all know my dislike for tempeh but this one I can actually do. I don't know if it was baking it in a marinade for an hour and a half or marinating it again in a rich Korean style barbecue sauce that did the trick. The result of doing this was that the usual taste of tempeh disappeared and was replaced with a sesame, slightly spicy flavor.

I also loved the udon noodle salad. I could eat a whole bowl of this alone. But do make sure when purchasing the kimchee that it is vegan. I had to go to two different Asian markets to find a kimchee that did not contain fish. I really need to learn how to make my own though. Maybe that's something I can accomplish in 2011.

This meal did take awhile to make, so my suggestion would be to make some of it ahead of time. I baked my tempeh the night before and that greatly did help to reduce the things I needed to do the day of.

Anyone else a big fan of Korean food?

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Serves 6

Korean Barbecue Sauce

* 2 tsp Spanish paprika

* 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

* 3 Tb white miso

* 2 Tb toasted sesame oil

* 2 tsp sesame seeds

* 5 cloves garlic, minced

* 2 Tb peeled and minced fresh ginger

* 1/2 bunch scallions, white part only, minced

* 1/4 cup tamari

* 2 Tb unrefined sugar

* 1 cup vegetable stock or water

* 2 tsp cornstarch, dissolved in 1/4 cup water

Noodle Salad with Citrus and Kimchee

* 1 ( 16 ounce ) package rice vermicelli, or cooked soba or udon noodles

* 1 1/2 cups peeled and supremed orange, grapefruit, and lime segments

* 1 cup kimchee, drained and julienned

* 1 cup cucumber, peeled, seeded, and julienned

* 1 cup mung bean sprouts

* 1/2 bunch scallions, green part only, thinly sliced

* Juice of 2 limes

* 2 Tb tamari

* 1 tsp toasted sesame oil

Sautéed Baby Bok Choy

* 2 tsp vegetable oil

* 1/2 yellow onion, thinly sliced

* 1 clove garlic, minced

* 1 tsp peeled and minced fresh ginger

* 12 ( 2 to 3 inch long ) baby bok choy leaves, halved lengthwise

* 1/2 tsp salt

* 1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil

* Sesame seeds, toasted

* 1 recipe Baked Marinated Temeph ( see below )

* 2 Tb sesame seeds, toasted, for garnish

* 1/4 cup loosely packed fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish

* 1/2 cup peeled and supremed citrus segments, for garnish

Directions

To make the barbecue sauce

1. Place the paprika and cayenne pepper in a small bowl and mix in the white miso to make a Korean chile paste. ( Store refrigerated indefinitely. )

2. Heat the sesame oil and sesame seeds in a saucepan over medium heat. Toast the sesame seeds in the oil for 1 minute, stirring often.

3. Add four-fifths of the minced garlic, and the ginger and scallions. Saute for 2 minutes, or until starting to brown.

4. Add the Korean chile paste mixture, tamari, sugar, and stock. Simmer for 15 minutes.

5. Add the cornstarch slurry to thicken. Remove from the heat and add the remaining minced garlic. Let cool to room temperature. ( Store refrigerated for up to 2 weeks. )

To make the noodle salad

1. Bring 2 quarts water to a boil in a saucepan. Place the noodles in a large bowl. Cover with the boiling water and let sit for 10 minutes, or until al dente. Drain and let cool under cool water. Drain well.

2. In a large mixing bowl, combine the citrus, kimchee, cucumber, bean sprouts, scallions, cilantro, lime juice, tamari, and sesame oil. Add the rice noodles and toss well. Reserve until needed.

To make the bok choy

1. Place a skillet or wok over high heat. When very hot, add the oil, and then the onions, garlic, and ginger. Saute for 30 seconds, or until lightly browned. Add the bok choy and salt. Saute, tossing the mixture often, for 2 minutes, or until the bok choy just begins to wilt.

2. Add the sesame oil and sesame seeds, and toss. Transfer the bok coy to a platter. Keep warm.

To make the tempeh

1. Preheat the grill or broiler. Place the barbecue sauce in a large baking dish. Add the tempeh and cover with barbecue sauce. Marinate for 20 minutes.

Grill or broil the tempeh for 2 minutes per side, or until the sauce caramelizes on the tempeh.

Remove from the heat. Slice the tempeh diagonally into 1/2 inch wide pieces.

Baked Marinated Tempeh

Serves 6

Ingredients

* 1 cup dry red wine

* 1 quart vegetable stock or water

* 1/2 cup tamari

* 4 cloves garlic, minced

* 1 Tb Dijon mustard

* 1 tsp dried sage

* 2 tsp dried thyme

* 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg

* 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

* 2 tsp pure maple syrup

* 6 ( 4 ounce ) pieces tempeh

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Combine the wine, stock, tamari, garlic, mustard, sage, thyme, nutmeg and pepper flakes together in a bowl.

2. Place the tempeh in a baking pan and pour the marinade over the top.

3. Bake for 1 1/2 hours, or until the tempeh absorbs the marinade.

Tofu Tortas

2010-12-13T15:31:00.000-08:00

This is my last test recipe from Kim Barnouin's new cookbook. I did make some changes though, like cooking the tofu, adding guacamole and using my own refried beans recipe.

I see her tortas as a step up from what we all know tostadas to be. Stacks of baked tortillas, filled with sweet corn, tofu, cheese, guacamole and tomatoes.

This would be great to serve at a party or on a stay at home Friday night. They're also so fun to assemble and would be the perfect opportunity to get your kids involved in the kitchen. I hope you all enjoy this recipe as much as I did!

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Makes 4 Servings

Ingredients

* 1 ( 14 oz ) package silken tofu, drained and crumbled

* 1 cup sweet corn, fresh or frozen

* 1/2 package vegan taco seasoning or to make your with the recipe I used

* Salt and pepper, to taste

* 1/4 onion, diced

* 2 cloves garlic, minced

* 2 cups refried beans, canned or homemade

* 12 corn tortillas

* 1 cup vegan Cheddar cheese, shredded

* Pico de Gallo salsa and guacamole

Directions

1. Combine the tofu and taco seasoning in a medium bowl. Mix well.

2. Heat 1 Tb of canola oil in a medium skillet and heat over medium high heat. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the onion and saute for 5 more minutes, or until slightly translucent.

3. Add the tofu mixture and corn and saute for 5 more minutes, stirring occasionally, until everything is heated through. Remove from pan and set aside.

4. To prepare the tortillas, you can either fry them on the stove or bake them at 400 F for about 4 to 5 minutes per side. Make sure to coat each tortilla with oil before baking.

5. To prepare the tortas, spread the beans on one tortilla and top with another tortilla. Spoon more beans on top of the second tortilla and top with the tofu mixture and guacamole. Place the third tortilla on top and top with pico de gallo salsa and cheddar cheese. Repeat to assemble the remaining tortas.

Serve immediately.

Native Foods Restaurant Review

2010-12-11T12:38:00.001-08:00

I had the opportunity of eating at Native Foods last night for free, thanks to my good friend who wanted to take me out for dinner. I've been wanting to try Native Foods for awhile now and when I saw a video that they opened a new location on VegSource, I knew I just had to rush over and see how good there food was.

Native Foods has seven different locations; Aliso Viejo, Costa Mesa, Culver City, Palm Desert, Palm Springs, Tustin and Westwood.

I ate at the new Culver City location and found their restaurant to have a really warm and welcoming feel. Their prices are a little high, at about $12 a person but trust me they make up for their prices in the quality of food.

I went with four other carnivores and all of them questioned if it was really mock meat. This is definitely the place to take all your meat loving friends, to prove to them that vegan food is just as good, if not better than what they are used to eating.

Here is what we all ordered....

Chicken Run Ranch Burger with a side of salad

Oklahoma Bacon Cheeseburger with a side of fries

Portobello and Sausage Burger with a side of sweet potato fries

Scorpion Burger

Rockin' Moroccan

Just posting these pictures is making me so hungry! Amazing food..everyone in So Cal should definitely go try this place. They've been around for 15 years, I don't know why it took me so long to finally make it over. Oh and if it's your first time there, make sure you let them know and you'll get a free drink!

Curried Chickpea Cakes

2010-12-09T14:18:00.000-08:00

Here's another recipe from Kim Barnouin's "Ultimate Everyday Cookbook." This recipe stood out to me because we all know how popular Veganomicon's chickpea patties are. I wanted to see which I would prefer better.

After making these, I've decided that I love both! Veganomicon's patties are one of my favorites but are best served with mashed potatoes and veggies. Whereas these can go great on a bed of lettuce or served in pita bread. Both very different in taste but equally as good. My favorite part was the basmati rice that got incorporated in the patties..yum!

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Ingredients

* 1 ( 15 ounce ) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
* 1/3 cup sliced green onions, both white and light green parts
* 1/3 cup light coconut milk
* 2 tsp evaporated cane sugar
* 2/3 cup breadcrumbs, plus 1/4 cup for coating
* 1 tsp curry powder
* 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
* 1/2 tsp ground cumin
* 2/3 cup brown rice, cooked
* 1/2 tsp salt
* 1/4 cup grapeseed oil or toasted sesame oil, for pan searing

Directions
1. In a large food processor, combine the chickpeas and green onions. Pulse until combined. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.

2. Add the coconut milk, sugar, 2/3 cup of the breadcrumbs, curry powder, nutmeg and cumin. Stir together with a wooden spoon until well combined.

3. Stir in the brown rice and salt.

4. Mold into 10 mini patties.

5. In a large saute pan, heat the oil over medium heat. Add the chickpea cakes to the pan in batches and saute until there's a nice golden sear on the bottom. Flip and sear on the other side as well. Continue with the remaining cakes. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate to drain.

Nutritional Information Per Serving
Calories : 170
Fat : 7 grams
Saturated Fat : 1 gram
Cholesterol : 0 mg
Carbohydrates : 23 grams
Fiber : 3 grams
Protein : 4 grams

The Veggie Grill Restaurant Review

2010-12-09T00:02:00.000-08:00

This past weekend I went down to a little outdoor shopping center to take my boyfriend's nieces ice skating. I was so surprised to see a vegan restaurant located right in the shopping center and I just had to try it out.

When looking through their menu I noticed that Irvine wasn't the only city there were located in. They are also located in Los Angeles, El Segundo and Santa Monica. The Veggie Grill was recently named one of L.A.'s top 10 new restaurants. Doesn't it make you so happy when you see a vegan restaurant doing so well? I know it does for me : ]

For my lunch I ordered their Santa Fe Crispy Chickin' with a side of sweetheart fries. The sandwich blew me away at how close their mock meat tasted like the real thing. It reminded me a lot of Gardein and is definitely something I'd reorder next time I eat here.

I also ordered a small bowl of Bean Me Up Chili, which came with a side of flax seed chips. The chili was okay but not that great. I think I disliked it so much because it wasn't spicy at all..it was a little on the plain side, but at only $2.50 I really can't complain.

Has anyone else eaten at Veggie Grill? If so, what are your thoughts on their food?

Tofu Saag with Brown Rice

2010-12-06T13:39:00.001-08:00

I recently won a copy of Kim Barnouin's new "Skinny Bitch Ultimate Everyday Cookbook." So for this week I would like to test out some recipes from the book.

I chose to do the tofu saag first because I've never eaten Indian food before. This dish is packed with vitamins and has a really sweet but savory flavor. Although it's mostly made with spinach, feel free to change up the recipe and add mustard greens to it as well.

So far I am liking her new book because I've noticed that all her recipes are simple and quick to make. Next time you're at your local bookstore, stop and take a quick look at this cookbook. I don't think you'll be disappointed : ]

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Makes 6 Servings

Ingredients

* 2 Tb grapeseed or vegetable oil

* 1 yellow onion, chopped

* 1/4 cup vegetable broth

* 1 pound spinach, stems removed

* 1/3 cup light coconut milk

* 2 tsp ground cumin

* 1 tsp ground cinnamon

* 1 ( 8 oz ) package firm tofu, cut into 1/2 inch cubes

* Salt and pepper, to taste

* 2 cups freshly cooked brown rice

Directions

1. Place the oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the onions and saute until translucent, about 6 minutes.

2. Add the broth and spinach, cooking until the spinach begins to wilt.

3. Add the coconut milk, cumin and cinnamon, and simmer 7 minutes.

4. Pour the mixture into a blender or the work bowl of a food processor and process until smooth.

5. Transfer the mixture to a large saucepan and place over medium heat. Gently add the tofu and cook 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Serve over hot brown rice.

Nutritional Information Per Serving

Calories : 190

Fat : 7 g

Saturated Fat : 1g

Cholesterol : 0 mg

Carbohydrates : 25g

Fiber : 6 g

Protein : 7g

Soyrizo Calzone

2010-12-02T17:31:00.000-08:00

Pizza or calzones? I am going to have to say that calzones are my favorite! The place that I like to go to eat calzones is at Whole Foods. Unfortunately whenever I go, they are always sold out. So I figured if I've made pizza before, I should be able to make calzones.

In my opinion, they were really easy to make but do require a little bit of time to make because you have to wait for the dough to proof. If you are not a fan of soyrizo, feel free to add any of your favorite veggies instead. I hope everyone gives this recipe a shot!

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Ingredients

Dough

* 1 package dry active yeast

* 1 cup warm water

* 1 Tb vegan sugar

* 3 cups bread flour ( I used 1 1/2 cups white flour and 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour )

* 1/4 cup olive oil

* 1 tsp salt

* water, for sealing the calzones

* cornmeal, for dusting

Filling

* 1 1/2 cups vegan mozzarella cheese, shredded

* 1 package of Soyrizo, prepared as directed on package

* Pizza sauce ( I used this recipe )

Directions

1. In a medium sized bowl, combine the warm water and yeast. Stir gentle to dissolve and allow to sit for about 5 minutes, until foam appears.

2. Pour the flour in slowly, mixing with a wooden spoon while adding. Add the olive oil, sugar and salt and stir again to combine.

3. Transfer to a lightly floured surface and knead for about 5 to 10 minutes, until a smooth dough has formed. Form dough into a round a place in an oiled bowl, turn to coat the entire ball with oil.

Cover with a damp towel and allow to rise in a warm area until double in size, about 45 minutes.

4. When ready, knead the dough gently and divide it into 4 pieces.

5. Sprinkle each piece with flour, knead, cover and let rest for 15 minutes.

6. To assembly the calzones, preheat oven to 400 F. Roll each piece of dough into 10 inch circles.

7. Spoon a little of the filling into one side of the dough and brush the outer edge with water to help form a seal.

8. Fold dough over to enclose the filling and form a large turnover.

9. Roll the edges with your fingers to close tightly and prevent leaking. Repeat with remaining rounds. Cut a few slashes in the top to allow steam to escape during baking.

10. Sprinkle a pizza peel or a baking pan with cornmeal and carefully transfer each calzone. Bake for about 10-15 minutes or until golden brown. Let the calzones cool for about 10 minutes before serving.

Baked Corn Dogs

2010-11-30T17:07:00.000-08:00

I've been wanting to make corn dogs for awhile now but as some of you may know, I cannot deep fry to save my life. So I started thinking about making them using Pillsbury dough but then I read that their products may contain animal ingredients, so I did not want to take that chance.

So my only other option was to make my own bread dough, which is something I don't mind doing at all. The bread in this recipe tastes exactly like the deep fried batter except it isn't as oily. A much healthier alternative to corn dogs if you ask me : ]

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Ingredients

* 1 cup non-dairy milk, such as soy or rice milk

* 1 package dry active yeast

* 2 Tb extra virgin olive oil, plus more for greasing

* 2 Tb light brown sugar

* 1 cup fine yellow cornmeal

* 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting and kneading

* 1 tsp salt

* 1/4 tsp baking soda

* 1/4 tsp paprika

* 9 vegan hot dogs

Directions

1. Warm the milk to about 110 F in a small saucepan. Pour into a medium sized bowl, add the active yeast and allow to sit for about 5 minutes.

2. Stir in the olive oil, cornmeal and brown sugar. Add the flour, salt, baking soda and paprika and stir to make the dough.

3. Turn the dough out onto a well floured surface and knead, adding more flour if it's too sticky, until smooth, about 5 minutes.

4. Shape the dough into a ball, place in a well oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm area until double in size, about 1 hour.

5. Meanwhile insert a wooden skewer into each of the hot dogs, set aside.

6. Preheat the oven to 450 F and lightly oil a large baking sheet.

7. Place the dough onto a lightly floured surface and divide it into 9 pieces. Roll each piece of dough into a 10 inch length.

8. Wrap each piece around a hot dog, tucking and pressing to seal. Place each wrapped hot dog on the baking sheet.

9. Once done rolling, brush each dough wrapped hot dog with a little soy milk and bake for about 12-15 minutes, or until golden.

Cranberry Orange Bread

2010-11-26T20:35:00.000-08:00

So I had a lot of cranberries left over from Thanksgiving and I didn't really know what to do with them. Then the idea of a yummy pastry bread came to my mind. This bread is perfect to go with your coffee on a cold morning or as a great mid-day snack. It has a slight tartness from the cranberries but is also really sweet because of the orange juice. If any of you have leftover cranberries, as I did, I suggest you try out this recipe. You won't be disappointed! : ]

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Ingredients

* 2 cups all-purpose flour

* 1 1/2 tsp baking powder

* 1/2 tsp baking soda

* 1/2 tsp salt

* 1 Tb orange zest grated

* 1 1/2 cup cranberries

* 1/4 cup margarine, softened

* 1 cup sugar

* egg replacer, equivalent of 1 egg

* 3/4 cup orange juice

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Lightly grease a 9x5 inch loaf pan.

2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir in orange zest and cranberries. Set aside.

3. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter, sugar and egg replacement until light and fluffy. Stir in orange juice.

4. Beat in flour mixture until moistened. Pour into prepared loaf pan.

5. Bake for 1 hour or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let stand for 10 minutes and then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Roasted Fall Vegetables and Cornbread Stuffing

2010-11-22T16:15:00.000-08:00

Oh my goodness, I have been cooking all day! How did this happen? It must be that time of the year again. I can't believe how fast this year is going and that Thanksgiving is just a few days away.

I thought I'd do a little test run of the stuffing I plan to make on Thursday and I also made some yummy veggies to go with it. I made biscuits too but those did not turn out as I expected. I think my problem was I rolled the dough out too thin. But that's okay, today was the day to make mistakes and learn from it. I would hate for this to happen on Thanksgiving day.

Have you guys started grocery shopping yet or do you wait til last minute? I did all my shopping yesterday and I am really excited to start cooking Wednesday night and Thursday morning. Well, I probably won't be back on here until after Thursday, so I am wishing you all the best and I hope that everyone has an amazing and special Thanksgiving!

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Ingredients

* 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

* 3 carrots, cut into 1 inch thick circles

* 1/2 pound brussel sprouts, halved

* 1 medium sweet potato, cut into 1 1/2 inch slices

* 1 pound red potatoes, cut into 1 1/2 inch slices

* 1 Tb dried oregano

* 1 Tb dried rosemary

* 1 tsp dried thyme

* 1 tsp dried basil

* 1/4 tsp salt

* 1 Tb black pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 F.

2. Grease an 11 x 17 inch baking pan with olive oil.

3. Place vegetables in a large bowl and toss with herbs, salt and pepper. Pour the oil over the vegetables and toss well, making sure all the vegetables are coated. Add more oil if they still seem too dry.

4. Spread the vegetables evenly on the baking pan and bake for 35 to 40 minutes.

Cornbread Stuffing

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Ingredients

* 1 large onion, finely chopped

* 3 celery, finely chopped

* salt and pepper

* about 5 cups of corn bread ( I used this recipe )

* 1 tsp sage

* 1 tsp thyme

* 1 cup vegan "chicken" broth, such as Better than Bouillon or vegetable stock

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 F.

2. Add the oil to a large skillet and heat over medium heat. Add the onion and celery and saute until softened, about 8 minutes.

3. Season with sage, thyme and salt and pepper. Stir well and cook another 30 seconds.

4. Add cornbread and pour half a cup of broth over the stuffing, gently toss. If needed, add the other half cup of broth. The stuffing should feel moist but not wet.

5. Stuff into a "turkey" and place remaining stuffing into a casserole dish, cover with aluminum foil and bake for 30 to 60 minutes, or until top is browned and crisp.

Yakitori

2010-11-19T17:21:00.000-08:00

Yakitori comes from Japan and are chicken skewers that are glazed in a sweet soy based sauce. They can be made with protein alone or mixed up with different vegetables. I used Japanese eggplant, red bell pepper and green onions in mine.

I know its the middle of Fall and I am bringing out the barbecue. I forget how cold it is in certain parts of the world right now. If it's too cold to barbecue, add a tablespoon or so of olive oil and stir fry all the ingredients in a large pan over medium high heat, until cooked, about 8 to 10 minutes.

I kept this dish simple and served the skewers with a side of short grain brown rice. YUM!

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Makes about 6 skewers

Ingredients

* 1/3 cup Tamari

* 1/3 cup mirin

* 1/4 cup brown sugar, lightly packed

* 1 Tb rice wine ( I used cooking sake )

* 2 Tb fresh ginger, grated

* 1 pound prepared seitan ( I used this recipe )

* 2 red bell peppers

* 2 Japanese eggplants or any other type of slender eggplant

* 1 bunch green onions

Directions

1. Place the tamari, mirin, brown sugar, rice wine and ginger in a medium sized bowl and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Place half of the sauce aside.

2. Add the seitan to the bowl with the remaining other half of the sauce. Stir well to coat the seitan. Cover with plastic wrap and allow to marinate for 4 hours or up to overnight.

3. Remove seitan from marinade and start assembling your skewers. (If using bamboo skewers, allow to soak in water for about an hour). Thread the seitan, bell pepper, eggplant and green onions onto each skewer.

4. Preheat a barbecue grill, coat each skewer with a little olive oil to help prevent it from sticking to the grill. Also do a light coat on each skewer of the left over marinade. Add the skewers to the barbecue and cook, turning occasionally for 10 minutes or until browned slightly and cooked.

5. Place the remaining sauce in a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 2 minutes or until thickened.

6. To serve, place the skewers on a plate along with the sauce.

Goulash

2010-11-17T18:29:00.000-08:00

Goulash can either be a soup or a stew but in this case more of a stew. It's a traditional Hungarian recipe but there are many other variations that exist in other countries such as Austria, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy, Australia and even here in the US.

This recipe would be the most similar to the Australian version. I used shredded tempeh to substitute the ground beef that is traditionally used. For a soy-free version, substitute the tempeh with 1 to 1/2 cups of lentils. Just increase the water used to 2 cups because the lentils will soak up most of the cooking liquid.

It took less than a hour to cook this. The only real work needed is a little chopping of the onions and shredding of the tempeh. Other than that, this is one of those meals that does all the cooking for you. Enjoy!

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Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

* 1 Tb olive oil

* 1 to 1 1/2 pounds tempeh, shredded ( about 2 to 3 packages )

* 1 yellow onion, diced

* 1 cups water

* 1 ( 15 ounce ) can of tomato sauce

* 1 ( 28 ounce ) can of diced tomatoes

* 2 cloves of garlic, minced

* 2 tsp dried basil

* 2 tsp marjoram

* 2 tsp dried oregano

* 2 tsp dried rosemary

* 2 tsp thyme

* 2 bay leaves

* 2 Tb tamari

* 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

* 1 1/2 cup dried macaroni pasta

( I used a little shredded Daiya mozzarella cheese and minced parsley for garnish but this is not necessary )

Directions

1. In a large pot or Dutch oven, heat oil over medium heat. Saute garlic until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the onions and saute until tender, about 5 minutes.

2. Add the shredded tempeh and saute another 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.

3. Add a little of the water to deglaze the pan and scrap up all the brown bits. Pour the rest of the water, tomato sauce, diced tomatoes, spices, bay leaf, soy sauce and pepper. Stir well, bring to boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 25 minutes.

4. Add the macaroni, stir well, cover and simmer for another 20 minutes.

5. Turn off heat and remove bay leaves. Season to taste with more black pepper and salt, if desired.

The weather has been so cold lately that Taffy has been laying in the sun all day. Really can't blame him : ]

Pupusas, Curtido and Salsa Roja

2010-11-15T17:39:00.000-08:00

For this MoFo post, I will be sharing a recipe from El Salvador. Pupusas are basically handmade tortillas that can be filled with an array of different things. For my filling, I kept it simple and stuck with black beans and cheese. These were actually really easy to make and because they were so good, my entire batch is gone. I'll be making another batch tomorrow..I would say it took me a little less than 5 minutes to shape each pupusa.

For the side dishes, I made a Salvadorian cole slaw and tomato sauce. These are always served along side pupusas and really did help bring the whole dish together. I made the cole slaw the night before, allowing it to marinate long enough so that the flavors got blended well.

I used the recipes from my Viva Vegan cookbook.

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Pupusas Stuffed with Black Beans and Cheese

Ingredients

Filling

* 2 cloves garlic, chopped

* 1 Tb olive oil

* 1 fresh green chile ( mild or hot, your choice ) seeded and diced

* 1 cup cooked black beans ( if using canned, drain and rinse )

* 1/4 cup water

* 1/2 tsp ground cumin

* 1/2 tsp dried oregano

* salt and pepper

* 1 cup shredded mozzarella-style vegan cheese ( try Daiya's Italian cheese )

Masa Dough

* 2 cups instant Mexican-style masa harina

* 1 3/4 cups or more warm water

* 1/4 tsp salt

Directions

1. Prepare the filling first : In a heavy skillet, combine the garlic and olive oil and fry over medium heat until sizzling and fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the chiles, black beans, water, cumin and oregano, and bring to a simmer. Cook for 6 to 8 minutes, or until the water has been absorbed but the beans are still moist.

Turn off the heat, season with salt and pepper, if desired, and let the beans cool enough to be handled.

2. Prepare the masa : In a large bowl, stir together the masa harina, warm water, and salt. The dough should be moist and firm but not too sticky. If too dry, drizzle in a little more warm water; if too wet, sprinkle with a tablespoon or two of additional masa harina.

3. Divide the dough into eight equal portions and roll into balls. Cover with a damp, clean kitchen towel to keep moist while shaping the pupusas.

4. To form a pupusa : Cup a ball of dough in your palm and use the fingers of your other hand to form it into a little bowl, taking care to pat the sides and bottom to more or less the same thickness. You want to create a hole about the size of a walnut.

5. Firmly press 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons of filling into the indentation, plus about a heaping tablespoon of cheese.

6. Fold over the sides of your "bowl" on top of the filling and firmly press down.

7. Now comes the shaping part : Moisten your hands a little. With gentle yet firm patting motions, begin pressing your pupusa down and out. Use your palms to occasionally flatten the entire pupusa a little, then use the pads of your fingers to shape and press outward the edges of your pupusa. The traditional way of forming it is to do a little of this motion all at once, while incrementally turning the pupusa in your palms a little bit at a time to work on the edges.

8. At this point the pupusa masa may crack, or some of the filling may poke out here or there. To remedy this : Moisten up your fingers just a little and smear a bit of dough over the offending crack. Ultimately, you may still have some thin spots and cracks, but as long as your pupusa is holding its shape, no worries.

9. Cover the shaped pupusas with a damp kitchen towel or waxed paper. Lightly oil and heat a cast-iron skillet or heavy-bottomed pan over medium heat. The skillet is ready when a few drops of water sizzle on contact. I like to brush pupusas with a little peanut or olive oil right before cooking, for a crisper crust.

10. Grill a few pupusas at a time, 4 to 6 minutes, flip, and repeat on the other side. Occasionally press down the center and edges gently with your spatula. Cooked pupusas masa should be firm and golden; a few dark spots on the surface is fine, even desirable. If serving all of the pupusas, you may want to keep them warm in the oven, wrapped in foil, while preparing the rest.

Curtido ( Salvadorian Marinated Slaw )

Makes about 6 cups

Time : 45 minutes

Ingredients

* 1 to 1 1/2 pounds of green or red cabbage, shredded very finely (8 to 10 cups of shredded cabbage)

* 1 to 2 picked or raw jalapeños, seeded and finely chopped

* 1 large carrot, shredded

* 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh cilanatro or parsley, or a combination of both

* 1 Tb coarse salt

* 2 tsp dried oregano

* 1/4 cup white vinegar, or more to taste

Directions

1. If you're shredding the cabbage yourself, the best possible tool to use is a mandoline gratter. Second best is a large food processor fitted with a shredding blade, but it's entirely possible to also thinly slice cabbage with a sharp heavy chef's knife and a cutting board.

Slice the cabbage in half, remove and discard the core, slice the cabbage into chunks that can fit on your mandoline or into your food processor, and shred it all up. If you have any remaining odd shaped pieces, chop them into fine shreds with a knife.

2. Combine the shredded cabbage and remaining ingredients in a large bowl and toss well to coat everything with the salt and vinegar.

3. Place the slaw into a very large resealable plastic bag, at least 1 gallon or more. Press out all the air and tightly seal the bag.

4. From here you can either seal it into another bag, place on a shelf in the fridge, and place a heavy object on top. Or place the bag in a large bowl, place a few heavy cans or a big bag of rice on top of the slaw, and transfer to the refrigerator.

Chill for at least 1 hour or overnight; the longer the cabbage chills, the more tender and juicy it will become.

* To serve, life up a handful of slaw and gently shake off any excess juices.

Salsa Roja ( Latin Tomato Sauce )

Makes about 2 1/2 cups sauce

Time : 20 minutes

Ingredients

* 1 Tb olive or vegetable oil

* 3 cloves garlic, minced

* 1/4 pound yellow onion, diced small

* 1 1/2 tsp dried oregano

* 1/2 tsp ground cumin

* 1/4 cup vegetable broth, white wine, or water

* 1 ( 15 ounce ) can tomato sauce, crushed tomatoes, or diced tomatoes

* 1 Tb lime juice

* 1/2 tsp salt

* Freshly ground pepper

Directions

1. In a medium size saucepan, combine the olive oil and garlic and heat over medium heat until the garlic starts to sizzle, about 30 seconds. Add the onion and fry for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion starts to turn golden and transparent.

2. Stir in the oregano and cumin and fry for another 30 seconds. Add the vegetable broth to deglaze the pan; simmer for 1 minute. Add the tomato sauce and simmer for 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, and lime juice and remove from the heat.

3. If desired, puree the sauce with an immersion blender until smooth, or leave as is.