Veggie Terrain

VeganMoFo: The Best Roasted Cauliflower Ever

noreply@blogger.com (jd) — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 21:43:00 +0000

You know what drives me kinda crazy? When people say call-E-flower, instead of call-i-flower.

Yep, I'm picky like that.

Fortunately, I'm not as picky when it comes to the preparation of my vegetables. In fact, I'm a firm believer that simplicity is the best policy regarding certain veggies (especially broccoli, which I love steamed and unadulterated, and cauliflower, which I prefer roasted). The thing is, when you have food this close to perfection, why mess with it?

In honor of not "messing with it," here's my favorite way to eat cauliflower. It's simple, fairly quick, and oh-so-delicious.

Recipe: The Best Roasted Cauliflower Ever

(printer-friendly recipe)

1 medium head cauliflower
1 1/2 - 2 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 tsp. salt
10 grinds fresh ground black pepper

1.) Preheat oven to 400 degrees F, & line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
2.) Cut cauliflower into florets, rinse well in a colander, & pat dry.
3.) Pour cauliflower into a large bowl, drizzle with olive oil, salt, & pepper, & stir gently to coat.
4.) Spread florets onto parchment-lined baking sheet, keeping separated. Bake for approx 25 mins. total, tossing with tongs after 15 mins. Serve immediately or enjoy leftovers directly out of the fridge!

VeganMoFo: Monday's VeganMoFo Round-Up Volume II

noreply@blogger.com (jd) — Tue, 11 Oct 2011 02:14:00 +0000

Lucky you! It's time for another installment of Monday's VeganMoFo Round-Up, where I try to point out some of the fantastic MoFo posts that you might have missed during the previous week.

Check 'em out!

Galub Jamuns, from Hobby and More
Fresh Young Coconut's Raw Vegan Creamy Tomato Bisque
Vegtastic's Low-Fat Black Bean Brownies
Cheezy Artichoke Crostini via Tasty Planet
Cheesy Quakers from A Bit Addicted to Cookbooks

VeganMoFo: Sweet, Sweet Sunday - People's Pops

noreply@blogger.com (jd) — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 02:46:00 +0000

The Brooklyn Flea

If you've started thinking that Veggie Terrain has taken a sudden - and not too subtle - shift towards focusing on New York City, well, you'd be correct. What I failed to realize, however, is that I never explained why!

Back in July, via my Twitter account (@VeggieTerrain), I shared the exciting news that CH and I were relocating from the Chicago suburbs to NYC. The one problem is, I completely overlooked that many of you who follow my blog don't also follow me on Twitter, and vice versa! Therefore, some of you must be slightly confused (annoyed?) that NYC has become the darling of Veggie Terrain as of late.

For that, I apologize.

The only explanation I have is that I'm absolutely enamored with this city - the diversity, culture, neighborhoods, restaurants, museums, fashion, parks, food carts, buildings, etc., etc. And although that love will probably be shading my posts for a while, please don't think the recipes are gone.

My genuine hope is that these NYC-based posts will help those of you who visit the city and are looking for some kind of vegan guidance (although almost any direction you go will be "safe" in that respect). So, this is my humble request that you bear with me. Much like with any new affair, the shiny-newness of it all will start wearing off soon enough.

Until then...

t-shirts & other hand-made goods at the flea market

Pictured in the shots above are some of the vendors at the Brooklyn Flea, while the shots below are from Smorgasburg (both are in Williamsburg, Brooklyn). The flea market is stuffed with vintage clothing, antiques, hand-made goods, furniture, records, and jewelry, while the Smorgasburg is more food-focused. There, you'll find kitchen items and a variety of gourmet (and not-so-gourmet) food offerings, such as home-made pickles, vegan baked goods, breads, teas and sodas, salsas, jams, fresh produce, aaaaannnnddd... the "sweet, sweet" part of this post: locally-made, fruit-based popsicles from People's Pops!

The absurdly creative pop menu at Smorgasburg when CH and I visited was as follows: Nectarine Basil, Blueberry Apricot, Plum Tarragon, and Blackberry Sour Cherry.

Now, I'll be the first to admit - I'm not the biggest nectarine fan. However, I couldn't easily dismiss the thought of having basil in a sweet treat. Plus, I figured it was probably safe to trust the People's Pop guys' flavor-combining prowess, so I went for the nectarine basil pop.

And, guess what?

Best.

Decision.

Ever.

nectarine + basil popsicle from People's Pops (@ Smorgasburg)

By the way, CH's blackberry sour cherry pop was amazing as well - he just slurped it up too quickly for me to snap a photo!

VeganMoFo: Silent Saturday 2011 (#1)

noreply@blogger.com (jd) — Sat, 08 Oct 2011 10:00:00 +0000

Whole Foods, Lincoln Park - Chicago; AKA: Heaven

VeganMoFo: Restaurant Review Friday - Liquiteria

noreply@blogger.com (jd) — Fri, 07 Oct 2011 19:31:00 +0000

"berry powerful"
blueberries, strawberries, bananas, vanilla soy milk, vegan protein, & flax oil

I'm gonna keep this short and sweet. If you're in the NYC area and feel like drinking the most amazing smoothie you've ever had in your life, get thee to Liquiteria, stat!

The place is kinda loud, and crowded, and the service can be questionable, but what do you expect when you're paying $7+ for a smoothie? I mean, really?

Word to the wise - keep your eyes open for celebrities when you visit. Rumor has it that Jake Gyllenhaal, Russel Simmons (vegan!), and Natalie Portman (veganish!) all like to partake in the deliciousness that is Liquitera.

FYI: Besides smoothies, they also have freshly pressed and squeezed juices, and a tiny food menu, which is kind of irrelevant when their smoothies are this 'effin good...

VeganMoFo: Veggie Burger SmackDown (Good v. Better)

noreply@blogger.com (jd) — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 22:34:00 +0000

GoodBurger (L) v. Better Burger (R)

Start your salivary glands, because it's time for Thursday's edition of Veggie Burger SmackDown!

This week's match-up is between two seemingly fitting foes: "GoodBurger" and "Better Burger," and it's up to this non-boxing fan to determine which one of these restaurants cooks up the superior veggie burger. Now, before we really get rolling, let's get a few rules out of the way:

Each burger must be completely vegan (obviously);
Condiments may be used to influence the overall outcome (after all, who eats just a plain burger?);
Side dishes (ex: french fries) may be analyzed and discussed, but may not be considered in the final tally;
The three main categories of veggie burger review are: (a) Appearance; (b) Texture; and (c) Taste;
Burger participants may earn up to 5 points per category, with a total of 15 points possible.

Now it's time for the stats:

GoodBurger weighs in at a hefty 6 locations around the city of New York, while Better Burger is more appropriately suited for the light-weight class, logging in at just 2 New York locations.
Better Burger offers 2 completely vegan burgers on its menu (the "Homemade Veggie Burger" - which is participating in this SmackDown - and the "Savory Soy Burger"). On the other hand, GoodBurger has just one v-burger on its menu, creatively titled "Veggie Burger."*

***Ding, Ding, Ding***

Round 1!

Appearance:

GoodBurger

GoodBurger - This veggie burger looked like, well, a good burger! It came out on a hearty-looking multi-grain bun, stacked high with condiments. And, it managed to convey both health and tastiness, which is a feat, in and of, itself. As an added bonus, the burger even had a little wooden stick holding it together, which added to its rustic charm. Appearance Points: 5

Better Burger

Better Burger - Er, what can I say? Compared to GoodBurger, this was kind of a let down. However, the veggie patty, itself, looked good - thick, with obvious signs of veggies. Plus, if you're a fan of the "fast food" motif with a health'd up twist, look no further than that classic, sesame seed bun. Appearance Points: 2

Standings After Round 1: GoodBurger 5 v. Better Burger 2

***Ding, Ding, Ding***

Round 2!

Texture:

GoodBurger

GoodBurger - The veggie patty had a slight bit of crunchiness on the outside, but was quite mushy on the inside. Only a few pieces of the burger fell off while I was eating, which can be a big problem for veggie burgers. However, the fact that burger's texture could play against the heartier bun was a plus. Also, I liked being able to identify several different kinds of veggies in the burger. Texture Points: 3

Better Burger

Better Burger - Once again, this patty was a bit crunchy on the outside (more so than with the one at GoodBurger), but was mushy on the inside. It held up a bit better than the challenger, but only marginally. Moreover, the fact that the bun was of the "wimpy wheat" variety didn't do any favors for the overall texture of the burger. Texture Points: 2

Standings After Round 1: GoodBurger 8 v. Better Burger 4

***Ding, Ding, Ding***

Round 3!

Taste:

GoodBurger: I liked the fact that the patty was straight-up veggie (no meat imitation here), and enjoyed being able to distinctly taste the carrots, corn, and peas in the burger. I also liked the use of green leaf lettuce and reasonably fresh tomatoes as condiments. I'm a fan of pickles on my burger, but these were a little sweet, which kind of distracted from the burger. Overall, I'd say that GoodBurger is a fine option, but I'm not sure that I'd actively seek it out. However, my standards might have been elevated a bit too high based upon the burger's stellar appearance. I'm still not completely blown away though. [The fries were good - standard fast-food type fries, but good.] Taste Points: 3

Better Burger: This place might want to rename their veggie burger the "Celery Burger" since celery's all that I could taste while eating it, which was a bit weird. Moreover, the toppings on this burger were lame! The lettuce was iceberg, the pickles were sweet (WTF's with you and the sweet pickles, New York?!), and the onions weren't exactly fresh-tasting. Plus, the wheat bun tasted like it came right out of a Wonder Bread package. While I do have to give Better Burger props for trying to do things right - they have interesting (though icky, in my opinion) condiments like Cajun ketchup, and vegan 1000 island dressing, and use organic ingredients - it's still not enough to win me over. [The fries were terrible, too! Who cares if they're "air-baked" if they taste like mushy potatoes?] Taste Points: 1

Standings After All 3 Rounds: GoodBurger 11 v. Better Burger 5

Looks like it's a K.O. for GoodBurger!

The Winner: GoodBurger, which was, in fact, better than Better Burger

*Full disclosure: GoodBurger also has a "Portobello Burger" available, which I suspect might be vegan. However, I didn't check because, frankly, I just don't swing that way.

Have you tried the veggie burgers at either of these places? If so, what was your opinion? What do you look for in a veggie burger? Are there any deal-breakers (besides animal products, that is)?

VeganMoFo: Farmers' Market Food Porn - Sponsored by Humpday! (Part I)

noreply@blogger.com (jd) — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 00:13:00 +0000

grapes, plums, & peaches

In my initial MoFo post, I threatened to unleash some serous farmers' market food porn on you each Wednesday. Because, honestly, what day of the week is better than "Humpday" for such vulgarity?

This post (and probably at least one more) will feature the cornucopia of delights that can be found at the Union Square Greenmarket. I shop there at least once a week - usually on Wednesdays - and am always overwhelmed by the gorgeous produce that's available.

The market is open on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, from 8am - 6pm (YEAR-ROUND!). And the best part? It's just a few steps off the subway, which means that you can saddle yourself with tons of absurdly heavy reusable bags and not be completely sweaty by the time you get home.

Nice!

And now, without further ado, here are the pictures...

beets & lettuce

eggplants & peppers

salsa perfecto! - tomatillos & tomatoes

cookies & muffins - there are baked goods at this market, too

hot pepper plants - I have one of these growing on my terrace

grapes & several varieties of plums

sandita - which tastes like a tart cucumber (& looks like a baby watermelon!)

super-expensive (but tasty!) micro greens & herbs

food for the elite: organic squash blossoms & edible flowers

lots of colorful flowers

Are you lucky enough to have a farmers' market nearby? If so, what's your favorite thing to get there?

VeganMoFo: Orzo Con Confetti (AKA Orzo Salad)

noreply@blogger.com (jd) — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 06:25:00 +0000

If you're anything like me (and I know I am), you find it almost impossible to watch shows like "The Sopranos" without being overcome by the sudden urge to inhale a huge batch of pasta.

"If we're outta nooch, someone's gettin' whacked."

Somehow, no matter how disgusting Tony Soprano might be, when he eats, my stomach listens.

In fact, this type of thing happens so often that CH was hardly surprised when I recently paused "The Godfather" at an inopportune moment and sprinted into the kitchen to whip up some pasta.

(Never mind that there are no less than 61 scenes in "The Godfather" featuring people eating/drinking. I apparently can't blame Brando for my indiscretions.)

What did surprise CH, however, was when I came back into the living room carrying a colorful, healthy-looking bowl of orzo salad, instead of a heaping plate of Spaghetti Aglio e Olio. You see, this whole routine has kinda become our thing.

Luckily, since orzo is a type of pasta (although I think of it more like rice), no harm, no foul. Also, its short, squatty shape makes orzo super-easy to shovel directly into your mouth while watching, say, Italians eat Italian food.

Can't say the same for spaghetti...

Note: To make your own Orzo Con Confetti, simply cook 1 package of orzo until al dente. Then, rinse it under cool water and allow it to drain thoroughly.

Next, pour the orzo into a large bowl, and toss in some sliced black olives, diced tomatoes, chopped yellow bell peppers, and julianned spinach.

Then, stir in a homemade vinaigrette (I prefer red wine vinegar and extra-virgin olive oil here), and sprinkle liberally with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Finally, add a few generous shakes of your favorite herbs/spices - I love using a rosemary + garlic blend that I found at a specialty store - and dig in.

VeganMoFo: Monday's VeganMoFo Round-Up Volume I

noreply@blogger.com (jd) — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 08:06:00 +0000

So, we're only two/three-ish days into VeganMoFo at this point, which means that there's absolutely nothing worth rounding up. Right?

Oh, so wrong.

There have already been A TON of amazing MoFo posts, which actually means that it's entirely unfair of me to pick just five of my favorites, seeing as there's no way that I could have read them all, and considering the fact that they're all great, simply because they're vegan, and... well, you get the picture.

Regardless, I humbly present to you...

Monday's VeganMoFo Round-Up Volume I:

Since I think we can all agree that vegan pizza montages are pretty much perfect, and that vegan activism - by way of food, especially - is pretty great, I'm gladly sharing Kelly's Vegan Pizza Takes Over the World post, via the Bitch blog.
Honestly, I adore adding "weird" stuff to smoothies, especially since I believe it's a true sign of vegan-ness. As a result, I loved Carrie On Vegan's Anti-Cancer Green Smoothie post. I mean, broccoli in a smoothie? Who would've thought?
Another thing that I adore is sneaking a peek at the contents of other people's refrigerators. And because I can't always be there to do it in person, the occasional bit of virtual voyeurism will have to do. That's why I'm linking to Libra Loves' Stock Up for VeganMoFo post. I dare you not to look.
True, I might be a little biased, but when I discovered that this veggie potpie recipe didn't contain any meat substitutes (eek!) or mushrooms (ick!), the first thing I thought was "best recipe ever!" Brought to you (and me) by Kristin's Kitchen of Vegan Creations.
And last, but certainly not least, I wanted to share this awesome "Life-Hacking Tip/Trick" video post from the Unhealthy Vegan blog. After you check it out, I promise you'll never look at a 30-clove, garlic soup recipe in the same way again!

I hope you enjoyed my VeganMoFo round up for this week! Let me know if there were any posts that you think I should've looked at - especially if they involve illicit refrigerator-contents photos. Oooo...

VeganMoFo: Sweet, Sweet Sunday - PopBar

noreply@blogger.com (jd) — Sun, 02 Oct 2011 16:02:00 +0000

Psst...

Hey you!

Yes, you!

The one sitting there smugly, rolling your eyes, acting like you've already heard about every, single, damn, delicious, vegan treat out there.

You know - the gluten-free cupcakes, coconut ice creams, raw oatmeal cookie sandwiches, vegan pies, strawberry soy milkshakes, blah, blah, blah...

Yea, yea, you've heard it all before.

But guess what? There's one more, very important, very delicious vegan dessert that you're probably leaving off your list: PopBar.*

PopBars come from a fantastic dessert shop - uh, I mean "bar" - that exists in NYC. It's one of those places that I've sullenly walked by a zillion times, peering in through the window, muttering about how unfair it is that vegans can't partake in anything cool.

Luckily, all of that unfounded moping finally brought me in to PopBar one day, simply to confirm my non-vegan suspicions.

Thus, imagine my delight upon discovering that PopBar did not, in fact, want to crush my tiny vegan heart. Not only do they serve "handcrafted gelato on a stick," (vegan = notsomuch) but they also serve 100% fruit-based sorbetto on a stick (thankyouverymuch).

The thing that makes PopBar so awesome is that after you select your pop flavor (blood orange, grapefruit, pineapple, lemon, mandarin orange, peach, strawberry, or orange), your bar gets dipped in chocolate and as many toppings (almonds, hazelnuts, pistachios, shredded coconut, granola, or coffee grains) as you desire.

Plus, vegans don't get screwed out of the fun, because PopBar offers a verified-vegan, dark chocolate dip!

Now that's what I'm talking about, people.

CH's Creation: Pineapple w/ Dark Chocolate & Coconut;
JD's Creation: Strawberry w/ Dark Chocolate & Pistachios

*If you don't live in NYC, I won't hold your lack of PopBar knowledge against you. Otherwise, stop acting like Lula's (*drool*) is the only game in town, and get thee to PopBar ASAP!

VeganMoFo: 2011, Baby!

noreply@blogger.com (jd) — Sat, 01 Oct 2011 05:43:00 +0000

That's how VeganMoFo makes me feel: All warm & fuzzy inside!

Guess what? The much anticipated VeganMoFo (ahem, "Vegan Month of Food") begins today, and that means ol' JD is back!

That's right, my goal is to get Veggie Terrain up and roaring again, using MoFo as my motivation.

To that end, following is my (theoretical) VeganMoFo posting schedule:

Monday: Monday's Vegan MoFo Round-Up

On Mondays I intend to link to some of my favorite MoFo posts from the previous week that you might have missed. Yea, aren't you lucky?

Tuesday: Surprise!

Okay, so maybe not surprisingly, Tuesdays will give me the opportunity to feature anything that catches my little eye. Think: scrumptious sandwiches, heavenly raw food, tasty pastas, satisfying soups, perfect pizza, etc...

Wednesday: Farmers' Market Food Porn, Sponsored by Humpday!

You guessed it! This is the day when I'll share all of that juicy, xxx-rated, food porn that I've been collecting from my farmers' market trips - oh, la, la!

Thursday: Thursday's Veggie Burger Smackdown

Needless to say, these posts will feature the best (and possibly worst!) veggie burgers that I've encountered in both restaurants - and in my own kitchen.

Friday: Friday's Restaurant Reviews

Every Friday I'll attempt to concoct a succinct review of one - or more - of the many vegan/non-vegan dining establishments I've visited.

Saturday: Silent Saturday

I'm resurrecting this little gem from last year's VeganMoFo. This is when I'll take a bit of a break and simply post a few new pictures to keep my little corner of the internet interesting...

Sunday: Sweet, Sweet Sunday

Since Sundays are apparently known as "the day of rest," today is when I plan to kick up my feet, eat something sweet, and tell you all about it. (Minus the rhyming, naturally.)

What about you? Are you gonna participate in VeganMoFo this year? If so, what's your posting schedule/theme gonna be? Do tell, please!

Blizzard-Style Blueberry Lemon Muffins

noreply@blogger.com (jd) — Thu, 03 Feb 2011 01:01:00 +0000

Here, as was the case in much of the Midwest, blizzard conditions have created an almost unprecedented amount of snow, wind, and even thunder and lightning. (Umm... "thunder snow" anyone?)

As a result, nearly every single business, school, courthouse, library, and grocery store is closed.

the view from outside our front door

note the sign on the right side of the garages for snow-depth reference

Unfortunately, I'm a bit too old to take advantage of the "no school" aspect of our city-wide snow day, but that hasn't stopped me from enjoying the fact that we're stuck inside. Because, let's be honest, what's better than sitting around in your PJs, watching the news, and instant messaging your 16-year-old brother all day?

Oh yes: scrumptious vegan muffins.*

*No offense, JW, I always love talking to you more than anything else!

Clearly, there's nothing like a few feet of snow to inspire my inner baker, and I have a sneaking suspicion that many of you feel the same way...

Thus, I finally made the Blueberry Lemon Muffin recipe from "The Joy of Vegan Baking" that I've had bookmarked for eons.

The only down-side was that I realized - a bit too late - that there were far fewer frozen blueberries lurking in my freezer than were necessary, and that it was, obviously, not wise to venture outside. As a result, CH and I ended up dubbing the muffins "blizzard-style."

The end result was a muffin that could've been a bit sweeter (I did go light on the sugar), although they were definitely tasty. And, slathered with a pat of Earth Balance butter, they were close to perfect...

Vegan Pizza Obsession: Classic Slice Pizza, Milwaukee

noreply@blogger.com (jd) — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 10:28:00 +0000

I've said it before, and I'll say it again. Cheese-less pizza is SO MUCH better than pizza with cheese! No really, I'm being serious...

Don't roll your eyes - it is so true, but with one little caveat: the ingredients must be top-notch. This means no wilted spinach, old sprouty onions, tasteless tomatoes, or scraps from the bottom of your fridge. It also means that your sauce must be flavorful and - preferably - home-made.

When it comes to the perfect pizza, I've done several posts on making your own (I'm apparently a bit of an addict), but for some reason I've completely neglected to talk about one of my favorite take-away pizza places.

Fortunately, that mistake is about to be remedied, as I lovingly dedicate the remainder of this post to the hipsters at Classic Slice in Milwaukee.

Somehow their pizza always convinces me that driving 2 hours, out-of-state, just for lunch, makes perfect sense, despite the fact that there are 10 pizza places within a stone's throw of my apartment. Yep, I'm really that pathetic!

Pictured, below, is one of the main reasons that CH and I keep keep going back to Classic Slice: the bread sticks. Not only are they made from the same flawless dough that's used for the pizza, but they're also covered with fresh garlic and herbs, and accompanied by a pot of tasty tomato sauce.

One of CH's favorite vegan picks, the Mediterranean, is in the photo below. The pizza is covered with sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, mushrooms, olive tapanade, and vegan sausage. Notice that (1) it has no cheese, and (2) it is, nevertheless, delicious, even to my cheese-loving boyfriend!

Even though Classic Slice offers 3 vegan options, the control freak side of me leads me to the "create your own" option time and time again. I'm a sucker for black and green olives, garlic, tomatoes, and lots and lots of nutritional yeast (see the pic below). Extra sauce is great, too....

Now that you know my (formerly) secret vegan pizza obsession - what's yours? And don't say it's the pizza that comes from your kitchen - that's definitely cheating!

VeganMoFo: The End + Some Thanks!

noreply@blogger.com (jd) — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 09:45:00 +0000

It's hard to believe, but VeganMoFo is over, which means it's time for a bit of reflection and a few big thank yous!

First and foremost, I gotta say - getting involved as a blogger this year was fantastic. Every other year I've stood on the sidelines, opting not to participate because I knew I'd never be able to publish a post every single day. This year though, I threw caution - and the quest for perfection - to the wind, and I'm so glad that I did. Taking part in Vegan MoFo 2010 not only encouraged me to get back on the bloggin' wagon, but it also reignited my passion for living a truly compassionate life (which was a happy side-effect).

Second, to the friends and family members who asked me about VeganMoFo, and shared positive comments with me about Veggie Terrain, thank you so much. I felt truly proud over the Thanksgiving holiday when I was able to explain that "like 500 of us vegan bloggers" were participating in "this thing called VeganMoFo," which "stands for 'Vegan Month of Food,'" and is an "awesome thing where everyone tries to publish as many vegan-related blog posts as possible for the entire month of November..."

Somehow - probably due to peoples' bizarre respect for anything that occurs "on the internet," and likely because there's strength in numbers - mentioning MoFo and the number of people involved with it really got many of you talking to me about veganism for the first time, which was beyond cool. Thanks for making me feel like you were interested, even if you wouldn't touch nutritional yeast with a 10 foot pole!

Third, and finally (although certainly not last in a figurative sense), to my vegan cohort - thanks for inspiring me each and every day, multiple times a day, with your gorgeous, thought-provoking, hilarious, creative, delicious, inspiring, food-porn-o-licious posts. I spent hour after precious hour of time, drooling over your blogs, shrieking with delight as each Google Reader click led me to yet another fantastic vegan blog that I somehow didn't know existed (like SnarkyVegan, Vegan.In.Brighton, and Panda With Cookie)...

Nothing quite compares to basking in the glow emitted by other like-minded people, and this month, that glow shown very brightly in the blog world.

So, although I wasn't able to post every single day, and surely didn't comment as often as I would have liked, taking part in such a large-scale vegan movement really made me feel like I was part of a family - and a part of something bigger than myself.

The warm, fuzzy feeling that I felt inside was pretty nice, too.

VeganMoFo: Orecchiette Con Broccoli

noreply@blogger.com (jd) — Mon, 22 Nov 2010 01:16:00 +0000

It's official. I am completely in LOVE (or maybe obsessed is a better word) with broccoli! And it's all thanks to rain-covered basil leaves... and a phenomenal recipe by the Urban Vegan.

A few nights ago I was all set to make my famous pesto pasta recipe for dinner. A Bulls game was about to come on TV, CH and I had both suffered through very, very long days, and all I wanted to do was sit down to a quick, easy, reliably-delicious pesto dinner. Instead, what I got was a total recipe upset.

To my complete and utter dismay, the basil that I'd bought at Trader Joe's the night before had gone bad. It was bright green and gorgeous on the outside, but as soon as I opened the package, well... let's just say it wasn't pretty.

Turns out a bunch of rain drops had surreptitiously made their way inside the package as I'd walked to my car on a rainy night, destroying the first lovely bunch of basil that I'd found in months. Ugh!

Attempting to avoid disaster - and benefit from the fact that I already had a pot of water boiling on the stove, and a craving for pasta in my tummy - I grabbed the nearest cookbook and opened it to the first "tabbed" page that I could find.

A recipe for Orecchiette Con Broccoli was staring back at me, so I figured, what the hell? Broccoli, olive oil, garlic: the gang's all here. It might not be pesto, but it'll do.

Well, do did it ever! All I can say is that if you don't already own The Urban Vegan cookbook, you should purchase it for this recipe alone. Seriously. It's that deceptively good. In fact, I'm considering making it once a week from this point forward, so there might be a shortage of "baby trees" on the horizon.

Get your broccoli before it's too late. Don't say I didn't warn you...

VeganMoFo: Silent Saturday 2

noreply@blogger.com (jd) — Sat, 13 Nov 2010 21:00:00 +0000

The Morton Arboretum

VeganMoFo: Creamy Dijon-Dill Pasta Salad

noreply@blogger.com (jd) — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 15:45:00 +0000

Sometimes, nothing quite beats a rich, creamy, vegan-mayo-covered pasta salad. I mean, I'm all for healthier versions of pasta salad (and I usually prefer them) but like I said, sometimes...

For this dish, I basically just subbed in some alphabet pasta for the potatoes in my Creamy Dijon-Dill Potato Salad recipe. It seemed kinda crazy at first - turning a potato salad into a pasta salad - but it's not that weird if you really think about it.

Here, the Dijon and vinegar gave the salad a nice "bite," while the Vegenaise and fresh dill cooled things off a bit. Plus, the addition of tomatoes (and garlic - "minced" with a microplane zester!) made things even more interesting, which is always a good thing.

What's your favorite pasta salad recipe? Do you prefer the traditional (vegan) mayonnaise ones, or something a bit more healthy?

VeganMoFo: DIY Croutons in 5 Easy Steps!

noreply@blogger.com (jd) — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 12:55:00 +0000

Store-bought croutons can be filled with scary ingredients like high-fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated oils, MSG, artificial flavors, and even icky preservatives. Moreover, lots of the croutons sitting around on your grocery store shelves are completely un-vegan-friendly.

In order to remedy this situation - and because almost every salad benefits from a few croutons - I've decided to provide a DIY post dedicated solely to these tasty little morsels.

The exact measurements are much less important than you'd think here. In fact, playing with the spice:oil ratio will ultimately lead you to the best croutons to suit your specific tastes.

First: Gather up your ingredients. You'll need some bread, obviously. Go with something you like, whether it's day-old French bread, a hamburger bun, whole wheat sandwich bread, whatever. Olive oil (or melted vegan butter) and dried spices are also required.

Let your imagination run wild when it comes to spices - I'm addicted to Bragg's Organic Sprinkle, but I always add extra garlic and onion powder, basil, paprika, and red pepper flakes to the mix. A dash of cayenne pepper is quite good, too.

Second: Slice your bread. This is where the manual labor aspect of crouton-making really comes alive, but don't let that scare you! It's quite a bit easier if you use a serrated bread knife and/or fresh bread (instead of the stale stuff).

Third: Dump your bread in a large sealable plastic bag or bowl. Coat the bread lightly with olive oil or melted vegan butter, tossing to cover all sides. Now, add spices to your delight - salt and freshly ground pepper included - and shake/toss everything together so that no naked croutons remain. Add a bit more oil/vegan butter if things don't seem to be sticking.

Fourth: Grab a rimmed-baking sheet (or two!) and line it with parchment paper. Pour your croutons onto the pan and arrange them in an even layer.

Fifth: Cook croutons at 350 degrees F. for approx. 10-15 mins. - under a watchful eye - shaking them around about half-way through. They're done when slightly browned, or when you like how they look. It's that easy!

Store in a sealable bag or covered container, almost indefinitely. Use in salads, soups, or even for snacking...

VeganMoFo: And The Blog Finally Gets Upgraded...

noreply@blogger.com (jd) — Tue, 09 Nov 2010 02:15:00 +0000

We interrupt your regularly scheduled programming for this important announcement:

Veggie Terrain will be temporarily unavailable sometime late tonight/early tomorrow morning, while the blog is being tweaked a bit. My VeganMoFo post is all ready to go for today, but I've decided to wait to put it up until the new (and hopefully improved!) site is ready to be unveiled...

Notices will appear on my Veggie Terrain Twitter page (@veggieterrain) when the blog goes down, as well as when it comes back up again.

So, even though I feel kinda like the little tiger cub in the picture above, I'm not turning my back on you! I just don't want you to see the blog as it undergoes a few tweaks and changes - 'cause it won't be pretty. Thus, I'm shutting it down for a bit...

Feel free to come back by and let me know what you think when it's done!

VeganMoFo: My Fridge (1 Week In)

noreply@blogger.com (jd) — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 05:25:00 +0000

It seems as though the weekends will be filled with "Silent Saturdays" and "My Fridge" postings here at Veggie Terrain.

And although I feel bad for not publishing extravagant weekend posts, I'd feel even worse if I missed out on the opportunity to spend time with family and friends due to excessive posting angst.

As a result, I've decided to keep it simple on the weekends. Saturdays' posts will consist of a single picture that sums up my entire weekend. These will be titled - surprise, surprise - "Silent Saturday."

Sundays' posts will expose the dirty details of my fridge (and will be titled "My Fridge") since, for some reason, I thought it'd be interesting to capture the changes that take place in my refrigerator during VeganMoFo.

Speaking of that, how have your refrigerators changed so far this month? Have you found yourself shopping more or less? Eating more leftovers, or spicing it up a bit with new dishes every day? Or, are you already over-stocked with stuff, but finding yourself so enticed by other bloggers' food posts that you constantly wish you were shopping?

Do tell...

VeganMoFo: Silent Saturday 1

noreply@blogger.com (jd) — Sat, 06 Nov 2010 05:03:00 +0000

VeganMoFo: The Poor Man's Bruschetta

noreply@blogger.com (jd) — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 23:44:00 +0000

When it comes to mid-day snacking, sometimes simple is best. That's why I love nothing more than a couple o' slices of whole grain toast. And although there're several tasty topping options out there (think peanut butter, or vegan butter with nutritional yeast and garlic powder, or just plain old sliced avocado... mmm!), my current favorite is the one pictured here.

Think: two slices of toast, liberally slathered with Earth Balance butter, topped with tomato slices, and sprinkled with a bit of fresh basil and kosher salt for good measure.

It's kinda like the poor man's bruschetta. And I love, love, love it!

VeganMoFo: This is What Love Looks Like

noreply@blogger.com (jd) — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 19:04:00 +0000

You might not know it, but this is what love looks like: churros from Rick Bayless' restaurant, XOCO.

Please, allow me to explain.

Yesterday afternoon I got a call from CH. We discussed how both of our days were going, and of course, what each of us had eaten for lunch.

It went a little something like this:

Me: So, what did you guys end up doing for lunch today?
CH: Oh, you know... (long pause) We went to Frontera.
Me: You went where?!
CH: Frontera Grill.
Me: You mean that place you've been talking about going to for at least 100 years now? You mean you went there? Today? For lunch? Without me?!
CH: I'm sorry.
Me: Why would you do such a thing?! I thought we were gonna go there together. I mean, I know I can't eat anything on the menu, but still... I could have watched you eat.
CH: I'm sorry.
Me: Well, was it at least good?
CH: It was fine. Well, yes, it was good. But I didn't even order the thing that I wanted.
Me: Oh, so that's supposed to make me feel better?
CH: It's just... well, it was right across the street, and...
Me: I get it. It's fine. It's just -
CH: What?
Me: - it's just. Food is our thing! I feel like I'm on the Sopranos and I'm Carmella. And you know how she and Tony have that restaurant that just the two of them go to? And then Tony goes there with another women? Yea, that's how I feel.
CH: (silence)
Me: But I guess it's not really even our restaurant - I mean it was just a place that you've been talking about forever. And I can't even really eat there, but... ugh. I'm just disappointed. I wanted to go there with you for the first time.
CH: I thought it was probably a bad idea. That's why I wanted to tell you in person. So you could kick me in the nuts.
Me: Oh, come on! It's not that big of a deal. It already happened. My feelings are just hurt because we've been talking about going there for so long. But forget about it. Seriously. I'm not even mad.

But I was mad. A least a little. And, yes, I am aware that I completely overreacted.

Fast-forward to 6 hours later, and in walks CH with a couple of bags of delectable, freshly-made, cinnamon and sugar covered churros - which, as we discovered during our time in Spain, is also one of our "things."

Before coming home from work, CH had thoughtfully skipped on over to XOCO (which is owned by the same guy as Frontera Grill, and is yet another restaurant that we were planning to visit), and picked up dessert.

Yep, that way I didn't have to feel completely left out, and we were able to share food from one of the Bayless restaurants that CH has been yapping about for ages!

He even made sure that the churros were vegan - double-checking with the chef about ingredients - and everything.

It's true, CH is a pretty darn sweet guy.

And I'm the one with (vegan) egg (substitute) on my face.

VeganMoFo: Vegan Black Bean Tostadas with Corn Relish

noreply@blogger.com (jd) — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 20:58:00 +0000

It's safe to say that I'm more than a little irked about last night's election results. And while I really don't wanna turn into a self-loathing Democrat, it's pretty tough when my beloved blue state has turned red on most electoral maps.

However, I refuse to wallow in negativity - I did that all night.

It's time to brighten things up a bit, and to help me do just that, I decided to make one of my favorite quick lunch recipes: Vegan Black Bean Tostadas with Corn Relish. They're super-flavorful, eye-rollingly healthy, and unfairly delicious - without a hint of politics!

Recipe: Vegan Black Bean Tostadas with Corn Relish

(printer-friendly recipe)

A slightly modified Martha Stewart recipe

1 (15oz.) can black beans, rinsed & drained

1 pkg (10 oz.) frozen corn kernels

1 avocado, cubed

1 lime, juiced

2 scallions, white + green parts, thinly sliced

1 pint grape tomatoes, halved

1 jalapeño, de-seeded & minced

3 Tbsp. olive oil OR 1 Tbsp. olive oil & olive oil/non-stick spray

ground cumin

1 hand-full fresh cilantro, roughly chopped

4 (6 in.) whole wheat tortillas

Salt & freshly-ground pepper

1.) Pre-heat oven to 475 degrees.

2.) Combine corn, avocado, lime, & scallions in a small bowl, along with 1 Tbsp. of olive oil & a sprinkle of salt & pepper. Stir & set aside.

3.) Combine tomatoes & jalapeños in a small bowl, stir & set aside.

4.) Place tortillas on two baking sheets. Brush or spray both sides with remaining olive oil or non-stick pray.

5.) Sprinkle tortillas with a few shakes of cumin. Add black beans, & top with tomato mixture. Bake until golden & crisp, approx. 8 mins., being careful not to burn.

6.) Remove from oven & generously top with corn relish & a sprinkle of fresh cilantro. Add salt & pepper, to taste.

7.) Serve immediately - enjoy with both hands & plenty of napkins!

VeganMoFo: Whole Food's Favorites

noreply@blogger.com (jd) — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 00:44:00 +0000

I know, I know, pre-made foods are totally not the way to go.

But what if they're vegan, and not really processed, and, well... completely and utterly delicious? I'm talking so delicious that they'll have you slaving away, trying in earnest to replicate their perfection?

You buy them. In bulk. Each and every damn time you're at Whole Foods.

Yea, that's pretty much what you do.

Meet, Exhibit A (pictured above) - the most scrumptiously, addictive, chewy, vegan peanut buttery, chocolate chip cookies you'll every eat from a plastic container. These cookies are packed with yummy chocolate chips and peanuts, and for some reason, they even have a hint of coconut flavor.

Although it's safe to say that they're a very occasional indulgence, when I do choose to enjoy them, it's incredibly hard to eat just one... (Make sure to try the plain chocolate chip flavor too, they're just as fantastic!)

Now, it's on to Exhibit B - Soul Gourmet's Vegan Taco Salad. Let me just say - this is one of my most favorite vegan grocery store meals ever. The "taco meat" is made from bulger, and it has just the right amount of spice and chewiness. And the sour cream(ish) topping is absolutely to-die-for! (In fact, I've been trying to re-create it for months, but I'm not quite there yet.)

Despite the pricey-ness of these two items, I just keep coming back for more. What are some of your favorite vegan ready-made meals/desserts?