The Vegan Version

Lemon Thyme Asparagus Salad

2013-05-16T12:31:00.000-04:00

I am definitely in summer cooking mode. Lots of cold salads, cooking on the grill and creating meals that are simple, relaxed and flavorful. I love cold salads because you can make a whole bunch and then serve them throughout the week.

I had a lovely bunch of organic asaparagus and decided to try out a cold asparagus salad, something I have
not made or had before. The result is delicious and I have enough leftover for a couple more meals.

The lemon flavor is a great compliment to the asparagus. I think this is a perfect dish to bring to a summer party or barbecue at a friends house. In fact, I have one of those coming up- I just may do that!

Lemon Thyme Asparagus Salad

1 bunch organic asparagus, ends trimmed and chopped in large pieces
Juice of one lemon
Zest of one lemon
1 garlic clove finely minced
1 tbsp fresh thyme, minced
3 tsp agave nectar
2 tsp white balsamic vinegar*
1/2 cup lemon infused olive oil**
Salt and (white) pepper to taste

Bring a pot of water to a rolling boil. Add the asparagus pieces and blanche for a few minutes until they turn a bright green. Remove from the water and immediately place in a bowl of very cold ice water to stop the cooking. Allow asparagus to cool in the ice water bath then remove, cover and refrigerate for at least an hour.

In a medium size bowl combine the rest of the ingredients except the lemon zest and whisk well to form a vinaigrette.

When ready to serve, drizzle some of the vinaigrette on the asparagus, top with the lemon zest and toss to coat.

* If you do not have white balsamic vinegar white wine vinegar would work just fine
** If you do not have a lemon inflused ollive oil extra virgin olive oil would work just fine

Mother's Day Cucumber Mint Salad

2013-05-12T16:25:00.001-04:00

The weather has really warming up here in the Northeastern United States. It is hard te believe that the temperature is supposed to drop around 30 degrees tonight with a frost warning given this beautiful Mother's Day weather.

There is still time to get a quick barbecue in before it starts to cool down and I am lucky enough to have my own Mom coming over to celebrate with us. And, I am really lucky to spend it with my own two awesome kids.

I do all sorts of variations of cucumber salads. It is, I believe, the only vegetable that the entire family can agree on!

I hope all of you Mom's out there are having as good a day as I am. Happy Mother's Day to all the wonderful Mom's out there!

Cucumber Mint Salad

1 1/2 English hothouse cucumbers, sliced thin
2 1/2 tsp sugar
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 small red onion, sliced thin*
4 tbsp champagne vinegar vinaigrette**
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup fresh mint, roughly chopped

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl. Allow to sit approximately an hour before serving.

*You may want to soak the onion in water before using. This will lessen the bite. If you do this be sure to drain them well and dry them before putting in the salad.

**You may use whatever vinaigrette you prefer. I keep it simple by using about 1 part champagne vinegar and 2 parts extra virgin olive oil. I would not recommend using a dark (balsamic) vinegar or red wine vinegar as the cucumbers will become discolored.

Roasted Garlic Twice Baked Potatoes

2013-04-20T17:25:00.002-04:00

Believe it or not I have never made a twice baked potato. In fact, until last night, I am not even sure I have ever eaten one. I am not sure what even made me think about twice baked potatoes but something did and so I decided to try making them.

I am sure a plain 'ol twice baked potato is delicious, but I decided to spruce mine up a little using some roasted garlic, and it was quite good. I will definitely make them again.

Roasted Garlic Twice Baked Potatoes

2 Baking potatoes
4 Cloves roasted garlic
1 Tbsp vegan butter
2 Tbsp non dairy milk (I used So Delicious Unsweetened Coconut)
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

Wash and pierce the potatoes and coat them lightly in olive oil and sprinkle with a little bit of salt. Wrap them in foil and bake in the oven for about 45 minutes or until they are soft.

Remove from the oven, allow to cool until they are easily handled. Remove the foil, cut the potatoes in half and hollow out the middles, leaving you with a potato "bowl". Put the removed potato into a bowl and add the butter, non dairy milk, roasted garlic, salt and pepper. Mash well with a potato masher ensuring the garlic is distributed throughout the mixture.

Place the filling back into the potato shells and return to the oven for another 25 minutes at 400 degrees.

Serve immediately.

Couscous Beet and Fennel Salad

2013-04-08T19:27:00.000-04:00

What a busy day today. Up and out the door by 7:15, a crazy commute on the train due to equipment problems followed by back to back meetings. I truly ran non stop today.

Toward the end of the day I got a message from Mr. Meat and Potatoes saying that he would feed the kids. Their choice tonight- couscous. He told me he would make it with olive oil so I could eat some when I got home. Very thoughtful and nice.

Then I got a second message asking "What is that stuff on the counter next to the stove?" I replied "Champagne vinegar" to which he replied "well there may be some vinegar in your couscous." I said that was OK just to leave it, I would figure it out when I got home.

I started thinking about a cold couscous salad dressed with champagne vinaigrette. Sounded pretty good. So when I walked through the door at 7 PM I rummaged through the fridge and got the beets that I had roasted, cooled and peeled on Sunday. I found a bulb of fennel and some mint and thought, "yep, this is going to work out just fine."

I put the salad together in no time, and it was delicious and filling- exactly what I needed after a long, jampacked day.

Couscous Beet and Fennel Salad

1 cup cooked cooled couscous
2 roasted beets, cooled peeled and chopped
1/4 cup thinly sliced fennel
2 tbsp chopped fresh mint
2 tbsp Champagne vinegar (adjust to taste)
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil (adjust to taste)
Salt and pepper to taste

To assemble, mix the couscous, mint champagne vinegar, olive oil and salt and pepper in a bowl. Top with the beets and fennel. Garnish with some extra mint or fronds from the fennel.

Coconut Waffles with Banana and Chocolate Maple Syrup and Ginger Lime Fruit Salad

2013-04-07T12:36:00.000-04:00

Bobby Flay, I owe you an apology. I thought I did not like your food. I thought you were a touch arrogant and leaned to heavily on spicy ingredients. I thought your cooking was a bit too "one note" for me. I am the first to admit when I am wrong and I was wrong.

I recently watched Brunch with Bobby which featured an Island themed meal. The coconut waffles and ginger lime fruit salad looked so good! Good enough that it got the wheels turning on a vegan version of the waffles.

I adjusted the recipe to substitute the milk and eggs, substituted Earth Balance for butter and used avocado oil instead of canola. They turned out perfectly. In fact, I served them to the whole family, and everyone liked them. And, having just returned from Aruba the tropical flavors were very much welcomed! Too bad every morning cannot start like this.

This made enough to feed four of us, and I had a few waffles left over to freeze for another morning. Bonus!

With my newfound respect Bobby and his food I am now off to peruse some of his other recipes. Thanks Bobby for the inspiration for this awesome meal!

For the waffles:
1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
2 tbsp organic cane sugar
1 tbsp light brown sugar
1 tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp fine sea salt
1 1/4 cup non dairy milk (I used So Delicious Unsweetened Coconut)
1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk
2 tbsp melted vegan butter, slightly cooled
3 tbsp avocado oil (or other vegetable oil)
3/4 cup apple sauce
1/3 cup toasted sweetened coconut flakes plus extra for garnish
2 large bananas sliced

For the syrup:
1 cup maple syrup
3 oz vegan semisweet chocolate
Pinch sea salt

For the fruit salad
1/4 cup organic cane sugar
1/4 cup water
1 3" piece ginger, sliced
Zest of one lime
2 kiwis, peeled and sliced
1 mango, peeled and sliced
2 oranges, peeled and sectioned
1 small pineapple peeled and cut into chunks
1 pint strawberries, hulled and sliced
Fresh mint, rough chopped

Make the waffles:
Mix the flour, sugars, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. In a separate bowl mix the non dairy milk, coconut milk, melted butter, avocado oil and apple sauce. Fold in the toasted coconut flakes.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry. Stir until a thick batter is formed. Cover and refrigerate for 1/2 hour.

Heat a waffle iron according to the manufacturers directions. Lightly spray the iron with cooking oil spray and pour about 1/3 cup of the batter onto the waffle iron and cook until golden brown.

Make the syrup:
While the waffles are being made make the syrup by heating the maple syrup over a simmer until warm. Add the chocolate and sea salt and stir until smooth.

Serve the waffles with the slice bananas and top with the chocolate maple syrup and garnish with toasted coconut.

To make the fruit salad (can be made a day ahead):
Heat the sugar, water, ginger and lime zest until they come to a boil and cook until sugar is dissolved. Remove from the heat and place in the refrigerator until cold (about an hour).

Combine all fruit into a bowl. Strain syrup and pour over fruit. Toss to coat. Cover and put in the refrigerator for at least one hour.

Serve with chopped mint.

Coconut Bacon Waffles

2013-03-17T11:02:00.001-04:00

Looks like a regular waffle, right? Well it's not. It is a special waffle. Inside of this lovely waffle is Phoney Baloney's Coconut Bacon. I added it right into the batter and the result was great.

I don't know what it is but all of the sudden I am into waffles. I am not usually much of a breakfast eater and almost always choose a savory over sweet when I do have breakfast but the last few weekends I have made waffles and enjoyed them.

I think I really liked these as the coconut bacon adds just the right touch of savoy to this sweet breakfast.

If you don't have the wherewithal to make coconut bacon you can order Phoney Baloney's here. I am absolutely loving the stuff; it is cruelty free deliciousness!

Coconut Bacon Waffles

1 cup all purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup applesauce
1/4 cup coconut bacon
1 cup non dairy milk (I used So Delicious Unsweetened Coconut)
Coconut bacon for garnish (optional)
Confectioners sugar for sprinkling (optional)
Maple Syrup

Mix all ingredients in a bowl (excluding the extra coconut bacon and confectioners sugar).

Heat and use a waffle iron according to your particular iron's directions.

Garnish with the extra coconut bacon and confectioners sugar if using. Drizzle maple syrup over the waffles and enjoy!

Tandoori Chick'n Kabobs

2013-03-08T19:38:00.000-05:00

My daughter got me a cookbook for Christmas. It was one of the favorite gifts I received this year. Though it is not a vegan cookbook (it is published by Kraft and features Philadelphia Cream Cheese) I love it because she bought it with her own money at the school book fair and she took great care to keep it a secret from me until Christmas morning. It warms my heart every time I think about it.

The other day she and I were looking through the book and the recipe for Tandoori Chicken Kabobs caught her eye. The recipe was very simple and looked good to both of us. She looked at me and said "Mom, I am sure you can make a vegan version of this." I love her confidence in me!

She was right, a vegan version was very easy to do and the end result was a delicious kabob. We both enjoyed them and I will make them again.

Tandoori Chick'n Kabobs

4 faux chicken breasts, thawed (I used Gardein Scallopini)
8 oz vegan cream cheese, softened (I used Tofutti)
8 tbsp tandoori paste

Cut the faux chicken into chunks.

Place the cream cheese and tandoori paste in a bowl and mix until well incorporated and smooth. Put the faux chicken chunks into the mixture, toss gently to coat. Cover and place in the refrigerator to marinate for 30 minutes.

Preheat the oven to broil.

Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray. Place the faux chicken chunks on skewers and place on the baking sheet (if usine wooden skewers soak them in water for at least thirty minutes to ensure they do not burn in the oven). Be very gently with the faux chicken as it is prone to fall apart if handled too roughly.

Place the skewers in the oven six inches from the heat source and broil for about six to eight minutes turning halfway through. They should turn golden brown before removing from the oven.

Simple Waffles

2013-03-02T08:53:00.002-05:00

As I write this the whole house is asleep. I have been up for a couple of hours enjoying some coffee, peace and quiet. I started feeling a little bit hungry, didn't want to fuss too much in the kitchen over breakfast and decided to try a super simple waffle. End result? Success.

I suspect I will be making another batch once everyone wakes up. Until then, I am going to continue to enjoy the peace and quiet!

Simple Waffles

1 cup all purpose flour

2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

1 cup non dairy milk (I used So Delicious Unsweetened Coconut)

1/2 cup applesauce

1 tsp vanilla extract

Mix all ingredients in a bowl until relatively smooth.

Pour batter onto a heated, lightly greased waffle iron. Cook according to the directions for your particular iron.

Serve topped with a topping of your choice (berries, chocolate chips, etc), maple syrup and a little confectioners sugar if desired.

Note: I used this basic waffle recipe with a few changes.

Phoney Baloney Coconut Bacon BLT

2013-02-26T13:28:00.002-05:00

I recently got some Phoney Baloney's coconut bacon. I have made coconut bacon in the past and I will tell you, while worth the work to crack, peel and slice the coconut it is time consuming.

When I was contacted by Kyle about the launch of this coconut bacon I jumped at the chance to try it.

After a long week of travel I arrived home to find three bags of the coconut bacon had been delivered to my door. And, if one has coconut bacon one MUST make a BLT, right?

Photo by Phoney Baloney's

That is exactly what I did and it was wonderful.

If you have tried coconut bacon and like it but would prefer the convenience of not having to crack, peel and slice up a coconut this product is for you. If you miss bacon or the classic BLT sandwich, this product is for you. If you have never heard of or tried coconut bacon, this product is for you too!

I am not going to write up the recipe for this sandwich- you all know how to make one. Some (toasted) bread, vegenaise, Coconut Bacon, lettuce and tomato.

I am excited to try this stuff in some other recipes, too and I will share them as created.

Thanks Kyle for a great product. I wish you much success in this endeavor. I know I will order again!

To get your coconut bacon simply go to Phoney Baloney's and click the order link on the right side of the page.

Chick'n Satay and Spicy Peanut Sauce with Cilantro Lime Rice

2013-02-18T10:50:00.000-05:00

I am part of a fun online cooking group called Vegan Cooking from Around the World. There are about 200 members and the site focuses strictly on international vegan recipes. The people are nice, we get some good dialogue going and there are LOTS of interesting vegan recipes.

Recently the groups founder asked about doing a different theme each month, one where we would commit to focusing on a particular country or type of cuisine. I immediately responded that I loved the idea! February is Thai! month. I committed to making at least one Thai dish in February and I am happy to say I have met that commitment.

While this is not wildly creative and has probably been done a million times in a million variations it was all I could muster. You see, I have been traveling more or less non stop for quite a while now and this was literally my only day in February to cook at all. As the song goes- "Chicago, New York, Detroit, it's all the same street"..... I am travel weary to say the least.

But, as of the time of writing this I am heading back to Denver after a two day stint at home. This time is a little different though; Mr. Meat and Potatoes is meeting me out there on Thursday and we are going to spend the three nights of the weekend checking out some great music! Can't wait!

Chick'n Satay

For the Satay:
1 lb faux chicken (I used Wegman's Don't Be Chicken, Gardein Scallopini would also work well)
1 small red onion, chopped
4 cloves garlic
3/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1 2" piece fresh ginger, peeled
1/2 tsp turmeric
2 tbsp ground coriander
2 tsp ground cumin
5 tbsp tamari sauce
6 tbsp brown sugar
3 tbsp vegetable oil
Juice of one lime
Wooden skewers, soaked in water for at least ten minutes

For the dipping sauce:
1/3 cup peanut butter
1/3 cup water
2 cloves garlic
3 tbsp tamari sauce
2 tbsp brown sugar
Juice of one lime
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1.3 cup coconut milk

For the Cilantro Lime Rice
1 cup long grain rice
2 cups water
1 pat vegan butter
Zest of one lime
Juice of one lime
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
Salt to taste

To prepare the satays:
Mix all ingredients except the faux chicken in a blender until very smooth.

Cut the faux chicken into strips, place in a bowl and pour the marinade over them. Cover and refrigerate for four hours.

When ready to cook preheat the oven to broil.

Remove from the refrigerator, skewer each chicken strip and place on a lightly greased baking sheet. Be careful with the faux chicken strips, they will break apart easily so be gentle with them.

Place in the oven for about five minutes then turn the satay's and allow to cook for another few minutes.

To prepare the peanut dipping sauce:
To make the peanut sauce, place all ingredients in a blender or food processor. Serve with the Satays.

To prepare the Cilantro Lime Rice:
Bring two cups of water to a boil. Add the butter and rice. Reduce heat to a simmer and cover. Cook until rice is done, about 20 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in the lime zest, juice and cilantro. Season with salt to taste.

Note: I found some inspiration from this vegan satay recipe and this peanut sauce recipe.

Cornbread

2013-02-04T16:31:00.001-05:00

It is official. I don't like cornbread. For some reason, I keep making it as the idea of cornbread is appealing to me. I created this one and as far as cornbread goes, I think it is pretty good. However, I have come to terms with the fact that its just not my favorite food. I am not sure what it is about it but... meh.... I could take it or leave it- mostly leave it.

I decided to publish the recipe since I know there are a lot of people out there that do like cornbread, and this one is super simple. I used canned corn and Daiya cheese in this version, however, you could experiment with all sorts of mix-ins. I think jalapeño peppers would be a good choice.

If you try it, I hope you like it and will give me your honest feedback on the recipe. Seems like something that would go well with a hearty stew like a chili.

Cornbread

1 1/2 cups cornmeal
1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
3 tbsp brown sugar
1 tsp salt
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tsp baking soda
2 1/2 cups non dairy milk (I used So Delicious Unsweetened Coconut)
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 can organic corn, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup vegan cheddar cheese shreds (I used Daiya)
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Mix all ingredients in a a large bowl and then turn into a cast iron skillet. Bake in the oven at 400 degrees for 30 minutes.

Allow to cool about ten minutes before slicing.

Buffalo Chickpea Dip

2013-02-02T13:46:00.001-05:00

It's almost Superbowl Sunday and as such I felt inspired to make something that would be a good football snack.

This is a take on a Buffalo Chicken Dip- instead of chicken it uses chickpeas and it is quite tasty. And I have to admit, ever since I made Buffalo Cauliflower Bites I have been somewhat obsessed with Frank's Red Hot Sauce. Kind of like the saying goes: "I put that sh** on everything!"

In all seriousness, this is kind of like a buffalo hummus, really tasty with chips, crackers or veggies. And, given the combination of nuts and beans this packs quite a protein punch too. Good stuff! Hopefully it will not all be gone before the big game tomorrow!

Buffalo Chickpea Dip

1/2 cup raw cashews
1 1/2 cup cannellini beans (if using canned rinse and drain well)
2 1/2 cups chickpeas (if using canned rinse and drain well)
1 cup Frank's Red Hot Sauce
2 tsp lemon juice
1 tbsp nutritional yeast
1 tsp chopped olives
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp freshly chopped parsley
1 cup shredded vegan cheddar cheese (I used Daiya)
1 cup non dairy milk (I used So Delicious Unsweetened Coconut)
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tbsp Breadcrumbs (optional)
1 tsp Paprika (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place all ingredients in a food processor with the exception of one cup of chickpeas and the vegan cheddar. Blend until very smooth.

Transfer to an oven safe bowl or baking dish and stir in the one cup of whole chickpeas and vegan cheddar.

Cover tightly in foil and bake at 350 for 30 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with bread crumb and paprika if desired and bake for another 5 minutes or so until the breadcrumb starts to brown.

Serve with chips, crackers or veggies.

Potatoes Au Gratin

2013-01-25T08:40:00.000-05:00

Potatoes Au Gratin- the ultimate comfort food. I used to eat them all the time. Mostly the kind out of the box. I loved them. And recently I have made them from scratch for the family. Yes, the kind with cheese and milk. They love them.

They looked so good I figured I needed to figure out how to make them vegan so I could once again enjoy them, too. And ironically, a fellow blogger friend was looking for some guest posters to submit comfort food recipes. Though not a vegan blog, she decided to post this vegan recipe! I love when vegan recipes make it into the "mainstream"! Thanks Caroline for sharing the vegan love. Please check out her post on The PerkiomenValleyPatch!

Just a couple of really simple substitutions and you will have a healthier version of this classic dish. I served them to the family and they all loved them- Mr. Meat and Potatoes included. They taste just like the "real" thing to me- slightly burnt cheesy edges and all!

I am not a huge fan of "fake" cheese but the Daiya in this recipe creates a velvety smooth cheesy sauce that is not discernable from the "real" deal!

Potatoes Au Gratin

4 Russet potatoes, skin on, sliced thin
3 Tbsp vegan butter such as Earth Balance
3 tbsp all purpose flour
2 cups non dairy milk (I used So Delicious Unsweetened Coconut)
1 cup Daiya cheddar style shreds
1/2 cup Daiya mozzarella style shreds
1 tsp onion powder
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

In a sauce pan over medium heat add the vegan butter. Once melted stir in the flour whisking constantly for one minute.

Add the non dairy milk, onion powder and cheeses. Continue to stir until cheese is melted and the sauce is very smooth. Season with salt and pepper.

In a lightly greased baking dish layer the potatoes. Pour the sauce over top. Place in the oven and bake for 1 1/2 hours until bubbly and nicely browned.

Chocolate Walnut Banana Bread

2013-01-17T14:03:00.001-05:00

Recently a friend posted a recipe on one of my social media pages. It looked pretty good so I decided to try it. Turns out it was pretty good- nah, it was really good! If you like a deep, rich chocolate flavor without the guilt you will love this.

Given that this recipe contains no fat from the base ingredients (yes the chocolate chips and walnuts add some fat) and given the fact that it is made entirely of whole grains and only a cup of sugar for the entire loaf (much of the sweetness comes from the bananas) this is not terribly unhealthy, which is a bonus.

Easy to make and even easier to eat- I suggest giving this a try!

Chocolate Walnut Banana Bread

4 overly ripe bananas, mashed
1 cup turbinado (raw) sugar
1/4 cup water
1 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 cup cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 cup vegan chocolate chips (I used Ghiradelli Semi Sweet)
1/4 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350.

Add turbinado sugar and vanilla to mashed bananas. Mix with a hand mixer gradually adding water to the mixture. Mix until smooth.

In another bowl add the whole wheat flour, cinnamon, cocoa powder, baking soda and baking powder. Stir to incorporate. Add the dry mixture to the wet and stir until a batter is formed. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts.

Place into a lightly greased loaf pan and bake for about 60 minutes or until a cake tester comes out clean and the top is starting to split.

Allow to cool for at least 15 minutes before slicing.

French Onion Style Thirteen Bean Soup and a Giveaway

2013-01-13T11:18:00.000-05:00

Call me a purist. Or maybe old fashioned. Or maybe too lazy to learn a new way of cooking? Whatever it is, I just cannot get excited about the pressure cooker I bought not too long ago. I tried, I really did! I see lots of folks using them and lots of folks that love them. Heck, no one loves her pressure cooker more than my friend JL of JL Goes Vegan! Even my own Mom used to use one.

Though I really thought I needed one, for whatever reason, I just cannot get into it. I guess for me, cooking is something I do to relax; I suppose I am not concerned about reducing cooking time. I like to slowly create as I go- I think it is more about the process than the actual end result. Well, maybe not more but as much.

As such, I have decided that I am going to part with my pressure cooker and thought it would be great to give it away to one of the folks that read this blog! All you need to do is leave me a comment about why you would like a pressure cooker and I will randomly select a winner and gladly ship you my pressure cooker. Please be sure to include your email address so I can get in touch with you if you win.

I do want to make you aware that the 6 quart Presto Pressure Cooker I am giving away is barely used but does not have a box or instruction manual. I am also going to need to look around for the rack that came with it (that I never used). I would guess you can get the instruction manual online and order a rack if you think you need one.

And for those of you that are interested in what a pressure cooker can do check out JL's version of my soup- cooking time start to finish- about 90 minutes. Including soaking he beans it took me about two days start to finish so if you are cooking for a family, super busy at work or if time spent cooking is important to you a pressure cooker may be just what you need!

I will choose a winner on 01/20/2013. Good luck!

Update! We have a winner and I am thrilled to be sending a pressure cooker to someone whose pressure cooker just gave up on them1 I hope it is enjoyed for years to come!

French Onion Style Thirteen Bean Soup

1 cup Bob's Red Mill 13 Bean Soup Mix beans, soaked for 6-8 hours
6 cups low or no sodium vegetable stock (I use home made and do not add salt)
2 bay leaves
1 large white onion sliced thin
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste
1/2 tsp red pepper flake (or more depending on taste)
~ 6 rounds toasted baguette bread
~6 slices daiya havarti style wedge slices cut into thin strips

Drain the soaked beans and add to a pot. Cover with five cups of vegetable stock and add the bay leaves. Bring to a boil over high heat, cover and reduce the heat to a simmer. Allow to cook for two hours or until the beans are soft.

Once the beans are soft, in a large skillet add olive oil and heat over medium. Add the onions, salt and pepper to taste and saute until soft but not browned- about 10 minutes. Add the garlic and red pepper flake and cook for a few more minutes.

Add the onions and the other cup of vegetable stock to the soup mixture and continue to cook for another half hour.

While the soup continues to cook preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

When soup is finished remove the bay leaves and add soup to a crock.

Beans and onions!

Top each with a bread round and add the daiya havarti.

Ready for the oven.

Place in the oven for about 5 minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly. Depending on your oven and how browned you want the top this may take more or less time so check it frequently.

Serve immediately.

Ready to eat!

Note: Due to shipping costs the giveaway is open to residents of the USA only.

Roasted Red Pepper Pesto Twirls

2013-01-11T17:45:00.005-05:00

I will be the first to admit I have a bit of obsession with puff pastry and/or crescent roll dough. You know, the "accidentally" vegan kind made my Pillsbury. I know, I know, not particularly healthy but good Lord it is particularly good!

I ususally have a box or tube of the stuff on hand as my family, particularly my son, like it. Plus, you know it is almost impossible for anything to taste bad wrapped in a flaky dough. Admit it, you agree!!

These were an impromptu lunch and they were quite good.

Roasted Red Pepper Pesto Twirls

1 tube Pillsbury Crescent Rounds individually unrolled or one sheet puff pastry dough, thawed
1/2 cup pine nuts
1 bunch basil (about a cups worth of leaves)
1 roasted red pepper, peeled, seeded and chopped
Juice of one lemon
2 cloves garlic
1 tbsp nutritional yeast
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Add the pine nuts, basil, lemon juice, nutritional yeast, garlic, salt and pepper to the bowl of a food processor or powerful blender. Pulse until a thick paste forms. Slowly add the olive oil and pulse until incorporated.

Spread the pesto onto the puff pastry sheet or individually on the unrolled Crescent Rounds. I did the latter, because that is had in the house but the puff pastry sheet would definitely be easier. Sprinkle with the chopped roasted red pepper and roll either the individual Crescent rounds or the puff pastry sheet. If using the puff pastry sheet slice into eight equal portions.

Place on a baking sheet and bake at 375 degrees for about 14 minutes or until golden brown.

Buffalo Cauliflower Bites

2013-01-06T13:28:00.000-05:00

It is football Sunday and football Sunday calls for snacks, right? I used to like Buffalo wings. Actually, it was never the actual wings as much as the sauce... I just love that spicy, tangy sauce. Messy eating at its best. I have not had anything in that sort of sauce in years, it's time!

I stumbled across this recipe a while ago and it has been on my list of things to try. Given I had a head of cauliflower in the fridge that really needed to be used and its a football Sunday I figured I would give it a shot.

Wow! Served with some home made vegan ranch and celery sticks this is some good stuff!

Buffalo Cauliflower Bites

For the bites:
1 head cauliflower cut into bite size chunks
1 cup non dairy milk (I used So Delicious Unsweetened Coconut)
1 cup all purpose flour
2 tsp garlic powder
3/4 cup Frank's Red Hot Sauce
1/4 cup Tabasco Sauce
1 tbsp melted vegan butter

Ranch Dressing:
1/2 cup vegan mayo
2 tbsp non dairy milk (I used So Delicious Unsweetened Coconut)
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp dried dill
Salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

Put the non dairy milk, flour and garlic powder in a bowl and whisk together until a thick batter forms. Place the cauliflower pieces in a bowl and toss to coat well. Place coated cauliflower on a baking sheet and bake for 18 minutes.

While cauliflower is in the oven mix the Franks Red Hot sauce, Tabasco sauce and melted butter. Stir.

Once the cauliflower has cooked for 18 minutes pour sauce on top, toss gently to coat and place back in the oven for about 5 minutes.

To make the ranch dressing simply mix all ingredients together in a bowl and whisk until smooth.

Chinese Noodle Cookies

2013-01-05T10:43:00.000-05:00

This may be the easiest cookie recipe ever. Three ingredients, no baking required? Delicious? Sign me up!

Actually, these cookies are quite nostalgic to me. My Mother made them often when we were
growing up. Of course, she used milk chocolate and non-vegan marshmallows to make them (and she still does). Obviously, I have not eaten one since going vegan. This Christmas they looked so good on the cookie tray I decided to make a vegan version.

I used Ghiradelli semi sweet chocolate chips and Dandies vegan marshmallows quartered to be "mini" sized. The La Choy Chinese noodles just so happen to be vegan anyway- score!

They taste just like the original- nostalgia and all.

Chinese Noodle Cookies

1 5 oz can store bough Chow Mein Noodles (I used La Choy)
1 12 oz package vegan chocolate chips (I used Ghiradelli Semi Sweet)
5 oz vegan marshmallows, cut into "mini" size (I used Dandies)

In a double boiler heat the chocolate until melted and smooth. Place the Chow Mein noodles and marshmallows in a bowl. Pour the melted chocolate over and mix gently until well coated.

Working quickly with an medium cookie scoop, 1/4 cup ice cream scoop or a large spoon place spoonfuls onto a baking sheet lined with wax paper. Put into the refrigerator to set. Serve either cold or at room temperature.

Store in an airtight container lined with wax paper.

Makes about 36 cookies.

Horseradish Mashed Potato Stuffed Mushrooms

2013-01-03T20:20:00.000-05:00

I had a bunch of potatoes I needed to use up. When the family left for a week long vacation the day after Christmas I left a bowl full of potatoes in a bowl on the kitchen table. When we got home they really needed to be used- you know, starting to sprout, growing eyes, etc.

I had purchased some mushrooms when I went the grocery store upon returning home and figured the two made a nice combination. I am a big fan of horseradish mashed potatoes and thus the idea for these stuffed mushrooms were born.

I used four potatoes to make my mashed potatoes and had a bunch leftover. I have altered the recipe to slightly reduce the amount of mashed potatoes since the amount I made would have filled enough mushrooms to feed a small country. Adjust the mashed potato ingredients to suit your taste; or just use whatever mashed potato recipe you usually use. Just make sure they are smooth enough to pipe out of an icing bag.

Horseradish Mashed Potato Stuffed Mushrooms

~20 cremini mushrooms stems removed
3 Russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
2 tbsp vegan butter
1/4 cup non dairy milk (I used So Delicious Unsweetened Coconut)
2 (or more) tbsp prepared horseradish
Salt to taste
Smoked paprika for garnish (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

On the stove top over high heat add potatoes to salted water (enough to cover the potatoes completely). Bring to a boil and until potatoes are fork tender (about 15 to 20 minutes). Drain potatoes and put in a bowl with the vegan butter, non dairy milk and salt. Beat with a hand mixer until very smooth.

Place mushrooms on a baking sheet. Place potatoes in a piping bag with a fairly large tip (I used a star tip with a large opening but you can use whatever you have). Pipe the potatoes into the mushrooms and sprinkle with smoked paprika if desired.

Bake at 350 for about 25-30 minutes until the mushrooms are soft and the potatoes slightly browned on top.

Falafel

2012-12-30T15:52:00.002-05:00

Don't ask me why, but I have never made falafel from scratch before. Considering that this was something we ate often at home; a "staple", you would think it would not take me 47 years to finally try to make this on my own.

They were really good, far better (and really just as easy) as anything that comes out of a box. I used canned chickpeas for convenience as the family is traveling on vacation week but when I do this again (and will) I will cook the chickpeas myself (and probably incorporate fava beans as well). If you have not made falafel from scratch before what are you waiting for?

I served them in multi grain pita bread with chopped onion, tomato and cucumber, shredded lettuce and tahini sauce with a side of tabbouleh salad.

Falafel

3 15 oz cans chickpeas rinsed and drained

1 large onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, rough chopped

3/4 cup fresh parsley, rough chopped

3 tsp ground coriander

3 tsp cumin

4 tbsp flour

Salt and pepper to taste

Oil for frying (I used grape seed)

Tahini Sauce

1/2 cup tahini (sesame seed paste)

1/4 cup lemon juice (or more)

4 tbsp olive oil

3 cloves garlic

Salt to taste

Place all ingredients in a food processor. Pulse until the mixture turns into a thick paste.

Place about 2" of oil in a sauce pan and heat to 350 degrees. Form the chickpea paste into balls and deep fry for about 5-7 minutes until golden brown on all sides. Remove from oil with a spider or slotted spoon and place on paper towels to drain.

To make the tahini sauce mix all ingredients in a food processor. The quantities above are approximate, add lemon juice to the desired taste and consistency for the sauce.

Serve in pita bread with your choice of topping and tahini sauce if desired.

Makes about 12-18 falafel depending on how large or small you make them.

Linzer Cookies

2012-12-18T06:17:00.000-05:00

I have never had a Linzer cookie before. Baked goods with jelly or jam in them are not usually my favorite. I don't usually go for fruit filled pastries or jelly doughnuts. Just not my thing, I guess.

I recently wanted to make some cookies to take to a friends holiday party. Not being much of a baker I tried to find a recipe that would be easy to veganize. I came across Ina Garten's recipe for Mini Linzer Cookies and decided to try it mostly because it seemed pretty easy. It was.

The cookies were good, and pretty.

You can see mine were not minis, you might call them maxis...no one complained but you can make them any size you want. The amount of jam in the recipe assumes a smaller cookie.

One tip: make sure the butter is softened to room temperature before you start. If the butter is cold this will not work. Trust me, I learned the hard way.

Linzer Cookies

3/4 pound (3 sticks) vegan butter, softened
1 cup organic unbleached sugar
1 tsp organic vanilla extract
3 1/2 cups unbleached organic all purpose flour
3/4 cup raspberry jam
Confectioners sugar for dusting

In a stand mixer add the butter and sugar. Beat until just incorporated. Add the vanilla and beat to combine. If you do not have a stand mixer you could use a hand mixer.

In a large bowl sift the flour. Turn the mixer on low speed and slowly add to the butter and sugar mixture. Continue to mix on low until the dough starts to come together. Remove the dough from the mixing bowl and place on a sheet of plastic wrap. Form it into a disc with your hands, wrap it in plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to chill for thirty minutes.

Remove dough from the refrigerator and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Roll the dough gently on a flat, floured surface unti about 1/4" thick. Cut cookies using a cookie cutter. With half of the cookies use a smaller cookie cutter to cut out the center. This will serve as the top half and allow the jam to show through.

Place cookies on an ungreased baking sheet and bake for about 12 minutes or until the edges start to brown.

Remove from the oven and allow to fully cool . Once cooled spread some jam on the solid cookie half. Place a cut out cookie half in some confectioners sugar and then place the flat sice on top of the solid cookie to form a sandwich.

The Dragon Keeper- A Book Review

2012-12-16T14:57:00.000-05:00

I don't like zoos. Even as a kid I realized that it was wrong to deprive animals of their natural habitat. Seeing a cheetah with little to no ability to run, or a polar bear living in climates where temperatures can get up to 100 degrees just always felt inherently wrong. Trapping wild animals and holding them captive for entertainment purposes seems not fair or justified.

And, while I don't like zoos, I do believe that most zookeepers love their animals and do everything they can to keep them happy, healthy and content. Meg Yancy, the central character in The Dragon Keeper, is no exception. In fact, she just may be too attached to Jata, the Komodo Dragon she tends to at the fictional Zoo of America.

When Jata gives birth to three hatchlings, a seemingly impossible event given Jata has never mated with a male, Yancy becomes obsessed with the care of Jata and her hatchlings. Though romance and drama sometimes divert Yancy's attention she remains foremost committed to the dragon and her hatchlings. Through her relationships with her boyfriend, her Father, her coworkers, the zoo's veterinarian who cares more for his own career than the animals and briefly, the media, we see that Yancy is far more skilled in relating to animals than to other human beings.

Through her experience of caring for Jata and her hatchlings, Yancy learns that in life, as with wild animals, not all things can be controlled. This is a skillfully, well researched story that will keep your attention from the very first page. The book will entertain you, but more importantly make you question the ethics of keeping animals in captivity.

"Every captive life is a deprived life."

A stunning first novel by Mindy Mejia, this is well worth the read and would make for some interesting book club discussion.

Arancini (Rice Balls) and The Vegg

2012-12-13T16:23:00.000-05:00

Arancini, or Rice Balls are a family tradition. We grew up eating them, and it seems that have resurfaced within the family as some of my cousins have been making them again.

Our families recipe consists of ground beef and pea stuffed arancini- clearly not vegan. And of course the egg used to bind them? Not vegan, either.

For some reason I became inspired to try a vegan version of this family tradition. Substituting the ground beef is easy, as is the Parmesan cheese but the egg yolks called for to bind the rice? Not as simple. The Vegg to the rescue!

I was recently offered the opportunity to try The Vegg- a vegan egg substitute developed by Rocky Shepheard of State College, PA. The timing of the offer to sample this product was near perfect- it really simplified my dilemma in terms of how to make an entirely vegan rice ball!

Not only does The Vegg behave like egg yolks, it looks and even smells like egg yolks! Thanks, Rocky for the chance to sample this great product- I cannot wait to try Hollandaise sauce!

Anyway, back to the Rice Balls. I will tell you this recipe should come with a warning-- it is aof a pain to make but it does taste delicious. It took me a lot of trial and error to be able to cook these so they did not fall apart. I tried to pan fry them as opposed to deep frying them and let me tell you- it does not work (as evidenced by the huge pile of rice and filling I had to retrive out of the pan (it did make a nice rice casserole, though that is for another post).

So, if you are afraid of deep frying, don't bother! If you are OK with a little decadence once in a while, especially if Arancini is a tradition in your family, give it a whirl!

Oh, and one more really cool thing about The Vegg? The proceeds go to Compassion Over Killing. Sweet!

Arancini (Rice Balls)
1 lb cooked white rice, cooled to room temperature0
2 tbsp olive oil
1 lb meatless ground crumbles (such as Boca)
2-3 tbsp plain tomato sauce
15 oz frozen peas, thawed
Equivalent of 4-5 egg yolks, using The Vegg's preparation directions
1/2 cup vegan parmesan cheese (my recipe below)
1/2 cup chopped parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup olive oil
2 tbsp non dairy milk (I used So Delicious Unsweetened Coconut)
1 cup (or more) plain bread crumbs
Vegetable oil for frying

Vegan Parmesan Cheese*
Mix the following in a food processor:
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1 cup raw cashews
Salt to taste

Heat the 2 tbsp olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the crumbles, season with salt and peper and cook until heated through. Add the peas and 1 tbsp tomato sauce, stir and set aside.

Place rice in a large bowl add the egg yolk equivalents, vegan Parmesan cheese, the other tbsp of vegan Parmesan and parsley. Season with salt and pepper. Mix well.

To assemble the rice balls use an ice cream scoop. Pack the scoop with the rice, make an indent with your thumb and then push the rice out of the scoop. Place on a platter with the indent side up and fill with the ground crumble mixture. Scoop some more rice into the ice cream scoop and pack well. Push out of the scoop place on top of the filled portion on the platter to form a ball.

I found that the the more firmly you pack the ice cream scoop with rice the better the balls will stay together when frying. It will also help to pick up the ball and ensure the rice is firmly packed by using your hands to press it together gently. Repeat until both the rice and filling mixtures are gone.

Mix the 1/4 cup olive oil and 2 tbs non dairy milk together and whisk. Using a brush or your hands coat each ball with the mixture and then roll in the bread crumbs.

Fill a pot with enough oil and heat over medium high heat. Be sure you use enough oil that the rice balls will be completely submerged. When the oil is hot gently drop the rice balls into the oil using a spider. Allow to fry a few minutes until golden brown all over. Remove from the oil using a spider- be gentle- they are rather delicate! Place on paper towels to drain.

Allow to cool slightly and serve.

*Note: this makes more than the recipe calls for. Save the rest n the refrigerator for use in other recipes. The recipe I used for the vegan Parmesan cheese can be found here.

Christmas Peppermint Patties

2012-12-09T19:59:00.000-05:00

I am finally getting into the holiday spirit. I am well on my way to completing my shopping and am starting to feel relaxed enough to spend a little time in the kitchen preparing some holiday goodies. My most recent adventure is vegan peppermint patties- but with a twist. These are all dressed up for the holidays.

I used to keep the mini York Peppermint Patties in my freezer- they are great as a frozen treat. Since going vegan I have stopped keeping them in the house and have occasionally lamented their frozen minty goodness. That is until today.

I recently saw this recipe online for rainbow peppermint patties. I figured it would easy enough just to use green, red and white to make them a perfect Christmas treat. I was right. And guess what? They are just as good frozen as the original York Peppermint Patties were!

Christmas Peppermint Patties

5 cups confectioners sugar
3 tbsp light corn syrup
3 tbsp water
3 tbsp vegetable shortening
1 1/2 tsp peppermint extract
Red and green gel food coloring (I used Wilton which according to the company are vegan)
16 oz vegan chocolate chips, such as Ghiradelli Bitter Sweet

In the bowl of a stand mixer (if you do not have a stand mixer you could use a hand mixer) add 4 1/2 cups of the sugar, the corn syrup, water, vegetable shortening and peppermint extract. Beat until just combined.

Remove the dough and turn onto a board that is sprinkled with the balance of the sugar. Knead the dough until it becomes a smooth ball. Divide the dough into three equal pieces and add red food coloring to one and green to the other. Knead the balls to incorporate the color. Divide each ball in half again. You should end up with two of each: white, red and green.

Roll each ball into a snake shape. Place each between two sheets of parchment paper and roll them out into about 1/4 inch thick rectangular shapes with a rolling pin. You will end up with six sheets of dough. Be sure to make them wide enough to roll lengthwise (this link provides a nice tutorial with visual representation of the process). While still in the parchment paper place the sheets in the refrigerator for about fifteen minutes to cool.

Once cooled remove the dough from the refrigerator. Gently remove each sheet from the parchment paper and stack them on top of one another so that the colors alternate. You should have six layers in all: white, red, green, white, red green. Trim one end of the stack lengthwise in order to get a clean edge. Gently roll the dough lengthwise and wrap in plastic wrap. Place in the freezer for one hour.

When the dough is frozen remove it from the freezer, unwrap it and cut into 1/4 inch slices. Turn the roll slightly with each cut so the round shape is maintained.

In a double boiler melt the chocolate. Using a dipping fork (if you do not have one a meat fork works well) to dip the dough into the chocolate. Shake off the excess gently and place on a wax paper lined baking sheet. Once all are dipped place the baking sheet in the freezer for the candies to set.

Enjoy frozen, refrigerated or at room temperature.

To store, separate the candies between sheets of wax paper in order to ensure they do not stick.

Curried Red Lentil Soup

2012-12-02T11:45:00.000-05:00

Quite some time ago my daughter and I took a heart healthy macrobiotic cooking class with Christina Pirello of Christina Cooks. During the class she made a curried red lentil soup that my daughter absolutely loved.

Since today was a bit of a foggy, gloomy morning soup sounded like a good idea. Given what I had on hand in both the fridge and pantry this soup seemed like a good idea. I did not follow the recipe exactly (when do I ever?). I did not have canned diced tomatoes so I opted for a little more liquid and tomato paste.

I also try not to cook with water for savory recipes. Whenever it seems appropriate I use vegetable stock- I find you get a better depth of flavor and a little extra nutritional kick. Just adjust the amount of salt you use based on your veggie stock- some can be pretty salty (which is why I make my own).

This came out great and warmed our bellies on this gloomy fall day.

Curried Red Lentil Soup

1 cup red lentils, rinsed well
1 tsp avocado oil
1/2 red onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tsp curry powder
1 stalk celery, chopped
1 carrot, peeled and chopped
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 bay leaf
4 1/2 cups vegetable stock
Salt and pepper to taste
Cilantro for garnish (optional)

Heat oil in a medium sauce pan and add the onion and garlic. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Saute until softened- a few minutes. Add the curry powder and stir. Add the celery and carrot and continue to cook a few minutes longer, stirring occasionally. Add the tomato paste and give a quick stir to incorporate, and the add the lentils, bay leaf and vegetable stock. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cover. Simmer for about 35 minutes until lentils are tender and creamy.

Serve garnished with cilantro if desired.