Vegan In The Van

Portabella Mushroom Burger- Island Style

2012-12-27T12:53:00.003-08:00

This Portabella Mushroom Burger will bite you back with these awesome flavors that make for one tasty meal. The recipe is super simple and fairly cheap as well. So if you're looking for a good no meat burger, try this meal on for size.

- 1 Portabella Mushroom
- 1 slice of red onion
- 1 ring of pineapple
- 1 slice of tomato
- Romaine lettuce
- Bun of choice
- Teriyaki sauce
- Salt
- Pepper
- Oil (I use olive oil, but sesame seed oil is awesome too if you have it or can afford it)

Take the portabella mushroom with the rest of the veggies/fruit and make sure it's all washed. Take the stem off the portabella and set it aside or scarf that tasty mushroom stem right there with a touch of teriyaki sauce sense you have it sitting out. After enjoying the stem, take the mushroom and flip it bottom up, sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste (I like to over do this step lol). Rub some of it into the spores of the mushroom so it's not lost in the frying process.
Coat your skillet with the oil and set on a medium/high heat. When the oil is ready, place in your portabella mushroom and fry it until it is soft to your liking, don't expect it to actually brown.
While the portabella mushroom patty is cooking, take your bun out and toast it to a golden brown.
Once your bun and patty are ready to go, you're almost finished. Place your red onion slice on the bottom portion of the bun, then place your portabella mushroom patty on top the onion. Next, place your pineapple slice, tomato, and lettuce on top of your mushroom. Once all that is done, I know it was hard not to eat it prematurely, take your teriyaki sauce and drizzle it over the burger and it's toppings. Place the top bun on it's rightful position and you're done. Now, go to town and devour that tasty creation!

Hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I have. Let us all know what you thought after trying it out. Until then: Love, peace, and candy grease!

Creamy Cashew Cheese

2012-06-02T22:23:00.001-07:00

Cashew cheese is great stuff! You can use it on anything you would want melted cheese on. It holds consistency well and is a great substitute for cheese. Plus, it’s loaded with protein and healthy fats. Below is a recipe that I like to use when making Italian themed food like pizza or I also use it to make some awesome quesadillas.
You will need:
2 cups Raw Cashews
4 tbsp. Olive Oil
3 Medium Cloves of Garlic
1/3 cup Onion (chopped)
1/2 tbsp. Onion Powder
1/2 tsp. Salt
Prep: Soak your raw cashews in water over night.
Strain your raw cashews and pull out the blender. Combine all ingredients in blender and blend until smooth… you may have to help the blender stir as it goes along… should be very thick. After you’re done blending you’re ready to enjoy!
Drizzle it over veggies, top a pizza, or get creative and let me know what you enjoy eating it with.

Eggplant Mini Pizzas

2012-06-02T12:45:00.001-07:00

One of my favorite recipes is:

Eggplant Mini Pizzas

You Need:

Eggplant

Marinara Sauce of choice

Chopped Pizza Toppings of Choice

Cashew Cheese

Dehydrator

I like to take the marinara sauce and just mix it with all my toppings until it's a nice thick, chunky consistency. Spread the marinara mix onto your eggplant which has been sliced into 1/4in. thick rounds. On top of that, spread a generous amount of your favorite cashew cheese. Finally, and the hardest part, put your mini pizzas in the dehydrator and play the waiting game until your pizzas are the texture you want... I dehydrate for about 4 hours before I start taking them out to eat.

They turn out great! The cheese is thick and creamy and the eggplant turns crispy like thin dough if given enough time to dehydrate. Hope you enjoy! Love, Peace, and Candy Grease!

Extra Awesome Apple Sauce

2012-06-02T07:47:00.000-07:00

This recipe is great for picky children. It's fun, yummy, and more nutritious than ordinary apple sauce!

You will need:
4 Apples
1cup Mixed Berries (Frozen is good)
1 Whole Carrot (chopped)
Cinnamon

Take your 4 Apples, 1 cup Mixed Berries, and carrot and put them in a food processor or blender. Blend until it is the texure you like. Add cinnamon to taste. Enjoy!

2-4 servings
Best when served chilled

Soy Soy Soy

2012-06-01T08:57:00.000-07:00

Many people that start a vegan or vegetarian diet start eating soy like it's going out of style. While soy beans are healthy in moderation and soy protein is easily absorbed, too much soy can do harm to your health. Concentrated soy bean products like tofu or soy lecithin are the least healthy of soy products, especially soy lecithin. One problem is that soy in America is highly genetically modified, which can decrease pancreatic function when consumed. Other problems arise with the thyroid gland in people that use soy as a staple... basically, it becomes hard for your body to regulate it's weight. Eating soy in moderation will keep any side effects at bay. So when looking for a protein boost, why not try spinach or kale which are both healthy and delicious....and can be grown most anywhere by anyone. So cut back on that soy consumption (ie.: tofu, soy milk, energy bars, etc.:) and help win the battle over GMO at the same time. Love, Peace, and Candy Grease.

Take Your B Vitamins

2012-05-31T15:35:00.001-07:00

As a vegan or vegetarian it is very hard to supply yourself with enough B vitamins without taking a supplement or eating fortified foods, especially B12. This is the reason going 100% Vegan can become unhealthy. If you are taking a supplement and think you are 100% Vegan, you may want to make sure. While some companies are producing B12 in labs, they cannot say whether or not it is bio-available to us as humans. A lot of B12 supplements are derived from animal products. Despite this sad fact, making sure you have the B vitamins you need will allow your body to absorb all the other vitamins and minerals that are in your food. Without your B vitamins your body stops many necessary processes. Basically, without B vitamins your body has a very hard time doing anything and eventually a deficiency will lead to permanent disorders or diseases. So if you are planning to go vegan or vegetarian, please make sure you take your Vitamins! Love, Peace, and Candy Grease!

Check out this Wikipedia page on B vitamins...makes for interesting reading.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B_vitamins

Tofu Nugget Recipe

2012-04-13T09:40:00.000-07:00

   I apologize to those who were waiting for the Tofu Nugget recipe. Here it is! A little later than promised, but that's because the first recipe I tried was terrible and I had to revise it. So, I hope you enjoy my Tofu Nugget recipe (revised)

You will need:
Extra Firm Tofu (pressed to expel excess water and cut into nugget sized pieces...about 1"x 2")
Flour
Baking Powder
Garlic Powder
Cider Vinegar
Apple Juice
Water

   Take your apple juice and cider vinegar and mix about 2 parts juice to one part vinegar in a dish large enough to marinate all of your tofu. Put you pressed/cut tofu in the dish and leave it covered for a few hours.
   When the tofu is finished marinating take them out and dab dry your nugget's outside so the batter will stick to them better. Now make the batter. Take about a cup of flour, 2 tsp. baking powder and your garlic powder, mix them together. Add enough water to make a thick batter, thick enough to cling to the nuggets, but thin enough not to turn into a cake when we fry it. Throw your tofu nuggets into the batter and then deep fry them until golden brown. Make your favorite dipping sauce and enjoy!


**The tempura styled batter turns out much better than the dry battered recipe I tried first...MUCH BETTER! And don't forget to press your tofu, it helps give it a tougher consistency which is what you want when trying to make tofu imitate meat.

Hope you enjoy this recipe, let me know how you liked it and how I could make them better.

Also, help me keep bringing you tasty recipes by showing a little support... moral support is more than appreciated too. Until later. Love, Peace, and Candy Grease.

Tofu Nuggets

2012-04-11T13:40:00.003-07:00

I came across an idea for tofu nuggets online. It looked simple enough, but have not tried it yet. I'm going to see if I can make them for dinner to see if it is all it is talked up to be. If they turn out pretty tasty I will put the recipe I use in my next post, let you know how they turned out, and hopefully some tips on how to improve on it. Tofu Nuggets, here I come...wish me luck! Love, Peace, and Candy Grease!

If you have any suggestions for recipes you would like to see, drop me a line. You can visit my

Jack Rabbit Freedom site, contact me at Facebook, or just leave a comment. Stay Awesome!

Mushroom Burrito Fit For A King

2012-04-09T14:31:00.000-07:00

So I was looking for something to eat for lunch today and decided to go to the leftovers. I had some tomato basil hummus, a handful of baby porta. mushrooms, a bag of salad, and some tortillas that needed to be ate before they spoiled. This is one of the tastiest little lunches I have had in a while. Here's what I did:

You need:
Tomato basil hummus
Portabella mushrooms (chopped)
Greens of your choice (I used basic Iceberg salad from the bag)
Tortillas
Garlic (freshly chopped or minced...fresh is always better)
Olive oil
Liquid Smoke
Garlic Powder

First take your skillet and drizzle about a tsp. of olive oil to coat the pan. Throw your chopped mushrooms in the pan with the garlic, a few drops of liquid smoke, and garlic powder to taste. Let it fry until the mushrooms are starting to get soft and the garlic is browning. When that is done or while it is frying, depending on your kitchen skills, take your tortillas out and smear them with your tomato basil hummus. Put the mushroom mix on top of the hummus and slap your greens on top of that. Now roll it closed and here comes the best part. Take your skillet, clean it up, and put the heat back on. Now take that tired, soft tortilla and more crunch by dry roasting both sides until they are golden brown (pressing down with a spatula while roasting helps make a good looking burrito). There you go, a mushroom burrito that tastes great and is fit for a king!... a Vegan King!

Let me know what you think by commenting.

Top Vegan Candies

2012-04-05T08:46:00.000-07:00

Need to get your sugar fix and sooth your sweet tooth? Many people think they are left in the dark by the candy companies when it comes to being Vegan. Thank goodness that is not the case because life is so much more fun when there's candy in it!

Here is a list of vegan candies that have been approved by PETA.**

Airheads taffy
Blow Pops
Brach's Cinnamon Hard Candy
Brach's Root Beer Barrels
Brach's Star Brites
Chocolove Dark Chocolate bar
Chocolove Cherries and Almonds Dark Chocolate Bar
Chocolove Crystallized Ginger Dark Chocolate Bar
Chocolove Orange Peel Dark Chocolate Bar
Chocolove Raspberry Dark Chocolate bar
Chick-o-Sticks
Cry Babies
Dots
Dum-Dums
Fruit By the Foot
Hubba Bubba bubblegum
Jolly Ranchers (lollipops and hard candy)
Jujubees
Jujyfruits
Laffy Taffy
Lemonheads
Mambas
Mary Janes (regular and peanut butter kisses)
Panda Licorice
Smarties (U.S. Brand)
Sour Patch Kids
Super Bubble
Swedish Fish
Sweet Tarts
Zotz

**Items listed may contain trace amounts of animal-derived ingredients. While PETA supports a strict adherence to vegan practices, they put the task of vigorously reducing animal suffering ahead of personal purity. Boycotting products that are 99.9 percent vegan sends manufacturers the message that there is no market for that particular food, which ends up hurting more animals. Want a more detailed explanation of PETA’s position? Visit: http://www.caringconsumer.com/labels.asp.

Top 5 Easy Vegan Snacks

2012-04-04T15:17:00.001-07:00

1) Celery and peanut butter is a good traditional snack food. You can also liven it up a little by adding raisins and other dried fruit, or by using different butter...maybe almond, cashew or macadamia butter?

2) Popcorn is another easy vegan snack. Plain or with salt is a favorite for many, but if you are looking for a little more fun or substance try experimenting with different things. One of my favorite ways to prepare popcorn is to drizzle it with a little warm coconut oil and sprinkle it with garlic and onion powder...mm mm.

3) Having prepared "Veggie Sticks" is always a convenient way to snack healthy. I like to keep a plate of carrots, celery, cucumber, broccoli, apples, oranges and assorted berries in my fridge that I can eat from whenever I get hungry. Plus, you don't have to cook and when you don't cook your food, it's not just easier, it digests better and gives you more nutrition for your dollar.

4) Juice and smoothies makes a great snack. Perhaps the smoothie from breakfast...did someone say leftovers?

5) Last but certainly not least, every one's favorite, drum roll please..... THE SALAD. Make a salad or as I like to call it, Raw Vegan Stew! Whatever you like, put it in a dish and drizzle it with something else that you like. A tasty salad I eat is made with diced apples, shredded carrots and raisins with cashew butter and agave nectar. But anything works!

Give these snacks a try, do some experimenting and let us know how you liked it by commenting below. Or for more ideas check out my website!

"I Can't Believe It's Not Beef" Tofu Jerky

2012-04-01T08:13:00.000-07:00

I just made my first batch of Tofu Jerky....and it was so much better than expected. Most of the time when I think about tofu, I think bland. Tofu Jerky was anything but bland; in fact, it was really tasty! I took:
Soy Sauce,
Water,
Minced Garlic,
Garlic Powder,
Onion Powder,
Cheyenne Pepper,
Liquid Smoke,
Dark Brown Sugar,
Salt,
and a Dehydrator...
...mix ingredients to taste in a 3in. deep dish and then cut my Tofu Jerky strips. When cutting your pieces of Tofu Jerky make sure that you slice them about 1/8in. thick. Put your Tofu Jerky strips in your marinade and let it sit for a few hours to soak up the flavor.... you can also press your tofu before you get started to get rid of any excess water and to allow your jerky strips to soak up more marinade. After your Tofu Jerky is done marinating put them in your dehydrator until jerky-like and brown. I used the vegetable/fruit setting and let it sit through the night, about 8 hours, and it was almost perfect. I should also state that if you cut your Tofu Jerky too thick or do not marinate them enough you run the risk of eating Tofu Jerky that tastes like a plain rice noodle and that's not the flavor we are looking for. So get in your kitchen and start experimenting with this new favorite, Tofu Jerky! Enjoy!

Vegan Movie Snack

2012-03-26T09:27:00.005-07:00

A Snack the Family Will Love!

This snack is really easy to make and is nutritious. Plus, everyone needs a good snack while they are watching their favorite movie. So here we go:

-Popcorn
-Raisins
-Pretzels/Crackers
-Coconut Oil
-Sea Salt

Take the (popped) popcorn, raisins, and pretzels and mix them in your bowl. Get a small amount of coconut oil in a dish and melt it.... for those that don't know, coconut oil is solid at room temp. and expands considerably when melted, so be careful with how much you use. After you have melted your coconut oil you can drizzle it over your movie mix. Add some salt to taste (if you consume salt) and enjoy. Experiment with different mixes and enjoy your movies!

Raw Vegan Breakfast

2012-03-14T09:10:00.000-07:00

   When trying the raw vegan diet it is important, as with all diets, to eat a healthy breakfast. Loading your body with fresh, raw fruits and a few raw veggies is the best thing you can do in the morning. Most raw vegans drink smoothies in the a.m. because they are quick, tastey, and above all, nutritious.
   Instead of just eating all your raw fruits and veggies in a one after another fashion, smoothies allow you to be creative and mesh things together. It lets you find flavors you enjoy and then exploit them by hiding more nutrients behind it. For example, if you fill a blender with berries and orange juice then added a little spinach, wheat grass, and a carrot your smoothie is still going to taste like the berries and orange juice, but you have added a load more vitamins and minerals to your breakfast with the added extras.
   So when you're not sure of what to eat while on a raw vegan diet, or even just looking for a healthy meal replacement, pull out the blender and have a smoothie! JUST BLEND IT, BLEND IT GOOD!

Thank you for reading. I hope you will subscribe to my blog for great tips, recipes, and inspiration for being Vegan.

Raw Vegan Diet

2012-03-13T21:10:00.001-07:00

  The raw vegan diet is a great diet if you are looking to regain your health or even just naturally boost your energy levels. Keeping in mind that any diet change should be discussed with your physician first, the raw vegan diet has many positive benefits.
   If you can manage to eat a wide enough variety of fruits, veggies, seeds and nuts your body will bless you for it. But that's the key, eating a variety. You are trying to get healthier, giving yourself an eating disorder is not stepping in the right direction. Along with variety, you should always maintain your minerals and a plant based multivitamin so your body gets any nutrients that you may not be giving it in the form of actual food.
   Does a raw vegan diet sound right for you? I say go for it! All you have to lose is that weight and bad complexion while gaining masses of energy that will seem to flow endlessly at times. Plus, you will discover flavors you never knew existed while trying to find recipes that suit you and your tastes. Don't be afraid to try new things. Maybe blue-green algae? Algae makes a great multivitamin and can easily be added to smoothies.Yummmmm Smoothies!
   When starting to eat a raw vegan diet smoothies are one of the best things you can have. I usually drink one for breakfast, but smoothies are great all day. Grabbing a hand full of fruit and maybe a carrot and some greens and putting it in a blender with some distilled water or juice is really easy for those on the go. Not only does it save time, but that smoothie will give you lasting energy....unlike other products out there that claim to do the same.
   Another good way of still allowing the creativity of "cooking" to continue happening in the kitchen is to purchase a food dehydrator. This will let you and whoever else is joining you on your vegan adventure to keep constructing recipes in more of a "cooking" fashion. On the other hand, "cooking" with a dehydrator takes hours and lots of times entire days to make what some might consider really basic recipes. But, a good blender, and a good dehydrator is all you will ever need for kitchen appliances....next to your fridge or course.
   Layers of flavor are really important to include in your raw vegan diet, so as to not get bored with your food. If you can remember: sweet, sour, bitter, tart, and spicy; and implement them into your food, you shouldn't lose any interest in what you are eating. For those that aren't so creative or good with preparing food, there are a few vegan restaurants out there (some that cater to the 'tastes' of meat eaters) that I'm sure would love your business when you're craving something a little different. Maybe a vegan pizza? Yum!
   I hope that you found this informative and inspiring. Now get out there and start eating those raw foods!