Nenna's Veggie Kitchen

Cheers To New Beginnings!

2012-03-11T23:47:00.001-07:00

Hi y'all! I'm sorry I haven't been updating my posts but it's been a very eventful time for me. I'm starting a position with a new organization and had to frantically train a new employee to take over old position before I left. I have also been traveling to New York and Seattle so I haven't had a chance to update the blog but I promise to post my adventures soon!

My first taste of the frozen hot chocolate from the original Serendipity located in Midtown East, New York.

Eggplant Parm Sammies

2012-02-23T22:27:00.000-08:00

Hot sandwiches beat cold sandwiches any day. I thought I would switch up Jase's lunch this week with eggplant parmesan sammies. The filling was made the same way I baked my Eggplant Lasagna With Ricotta Cheese. I just spooned out a slice or two of eggplant to fill a whole wheat pita. Some spinach was added to the pita but you can add fresh basil leaves instead. It's best if you can consume these yummy eggplant parm sammies hot out of the oven but you can always make them ahead of time and pop them in the microwave for 30 to 45 seconds to heat them up.

Chick'n Scallopini With Lemon Caper Sauce On Spaghetti Squash

2012-02-21T23:04:00.000-08:00

It's been a busy busy busy past few weeks. I've had back to back meetings and I am exhausted but yoga has helped roll out the kink in my back! I enjoy cooking dinners for hubs each day I can but we've both been working so much that my time is limited. Thank goodness for Gardein products. They have made my life so much easier. I prepared the Chick'n Scallopini as directed on the package and made an awesome lemon caper sauce to top over the spaghetti squash I cooked in the microwave in 10 minutes. This dish was easy and fast! I melted 2 tablespoons of Earth Balance Butter on a heated skillet, added 1 tablespoon of garlic, 2 tablespoons of capers, 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, pinch of Himalayan salt, pinch of pepper, a teaspoon of agave syrup and some chopped scallions. I stirred the mixture for about 2 minutes and poured over my chick'n scallopini and spaghetti squash.

The First of Many Trips to Vinh Loi Tofu

2012-02-17T22:30:00.000-08:00

hOLy CaNnOLi! No... I don't really type like this but this place knocked my socks off! I had a few business meetings in the valley and since I was there, I asked Alyssa to meet me in Reseda to try Vinh Loi Tofu restaurant. I have been wanting to try this place for months now and I am already marking my calendar for future trips.

As an appetizer, we ordered the fried lemongrass tofu. So yummy! It was super crisp on the outside and soft and moist in the middle. Lightly salted and the hint of lemongrass flavor was not too overpowering. They make their own tofu and soy milk so you can definitely taste the freshness opposed to store bought versions.

We also tried their vegan bun thit nuong. Fresh vermicelli noodles, bean sprouts, seitan, tofu, pickled carrots, pickled radishes and mint leaves tossed in nuoc mam chay sauce. Soooo good!

My fave out of all the dishes we ordered was their house special soup. This noodle soup is similar to the teo chow noodle my mom makes. The chewy rice noodles were cooked to perfection and the savory spicy broth is addicting! I even ordered one to go for my hubby because I knew he would love it since it's a similar to the staple dish my mom makes but this one was vegan! Absolutely delicious!

Suffice to say, this is my favorite restaurant for Vietnamese cuisine! You have to try it! I also bought a banh mi for my hubs but he never got a chance to taste it after he got home from work. Oooops! =)

Happy V Day From The Boxers!

2012-02-14T22:19:00.000-08:00

These are pics of us at the only decent Chinese restaurant in town. As you can see, my husband is very proud of his beautiful nostrils. We didn't dare ask the server to take a photo for us because he hung out at our table half the time we were dining. Yup. That's right. The server walked over to our table with a big bucket of sugar packets and stood at our table replacing sugar packets for a while. As we were seated and stuffing chow fun into our mouths, we were at eye level of crotch view. I guess this only happens at a Chinese restaurant. I didn't dare ask him to take a photo of us since he joined us at the table for most of the evening.

I am having the best Valentine's day although I have been glued to my computer working most of the day. The hubs took me to get my fix of chow fun which made me so stinking happy! Plus they gave us some yummy dessert of coconut milk, tapioca and mung beans!

XOXO! Hope you all are having a romantic day snuggling up with your loved ones.

Elephant Seals Part II

2012-02-12T22:54:00.000-08:00

Here are some more photos of these beautiful creatures from our last trip on the San Simeon coast. Happy viewing!

Trader Joe's Marinated Beet Salad

2012-02-12T22:35:00.000-08:00

This past weekend was one of the most relaxing weekends I've had in a long time. I listened to my body and didn't check my emails, practiced yoga for at least 30 minutes each day and slept in until noon. My back is feeling much better but not completely healed. I've noticed that yoga has helped relax my muscles tremendously and I will continue to also get therapeutic massages throughout the week.

It was a nice quiet weekend with just hubby and I and I picked up some marinated beet salad from Trader Joes. If anyone loves a good beet salad more than Dwight Schrute then it would definitely be me! For dinner, hubs and I tossed in some miso sesame salad dressing, a few handfuls of kale, thinly sliced onions and some of the marinated beet we bought from Trader Joes and it was so yummy! The pickled jewels were seasoned to perfection and would be a tasty addition to any salads.

Friday Lunch Date at the Veggie Grill

2012-02-10T13:59:00.000-08:00

I was so glad when the hubs decided that he wanted Veggie Grill for lunch instead of The Hummus Factory. I have never been a big fan of hummus. Odd right? I actually mentioned something I don't like. I have never been to the Veggie Grill during lunch time but I never imagined that the line would be so long. Jase almost wanted to leave to get Mexican food but I convinced him to stay. Almost always, I will order the VG Cheeseburger El Dorado style but I wanted to try something different this time and I was disappointed with the flavors of my Sante Fe Crispy Chickin' Sandwich.

There wasn't much flavor in the chickin' sammie but it was a large portion and it definitely fills you up. The sammie was pretty bland but the patty was crisp and thank goodness there was some guacamole to give it some flavor. I probably won't ever order the chickin' sandwich again but I love love love their sweet potato fries and pomegranate green iced tea!

The hubs ordered my fave! The El Dorado style VG Cheeseburger is packed with flavor. The burger is topped with grilled onions and jalapenos. He also ordered a side of steamin' kale and the ginger-miso dressing on the kale is to die for! Yum!

Massage Therapists, Chiropractors and Accupuncturists... Oh My!

2012-02-10T00:30:00.000-08:00

Last Tuesday, I stopped by my mother's home for a quick lunch and I told her how much I sympathize with her now since I've been having chronic back pain. Throughout the year, I've had a pinched nerve that chiropractors, masseuse and acupuncturists helped relieve but the pain keeps returning.

This week, I threw out my lower back and found that the pain was so unbearable that it was hard for me to just get in and out of my car. I spent most of the morning curled up on my couch because I was in so much pain. I think I'm going to listen to my body and take a break and reschedule my upcoming meetings.

I went to see a masseuse today and I'm still in pain. I'm going to see a chiropractor tomorrow and another masseuse with my hubby this weekend. I hope to be back to my good self by valentines day and promise to return to my yoga routine. I noticed I have been a little short with my hubs since this pain is putting me in the worse mood. I stopped practicing about two years ago and need start as a holistic repair to mend my body, mind and spirit.

I will let you all know how my treatments go but I have to go yell at my hubs for not putting the dishes away for now. Night!

Elephant Seals

2012-02-06T23:56:00.000-08:00

I will be commuting throughout Southern California for business trips all week. Hopefully, I will get a chance to try a new vegan restaurant and update my posts. My business meetings started in Central California this past Saturday and my loving husband was my driver and made sure I traveled safely. In between meetings, he surprised me by taking me to San Simeon to watch thousands of elephant seals swim to shore to give birth and mate. It was a breath taking experience. Although it was a bit of a freak show, I thought it was romantic for my husband to surprise me with this experience since I love animals. These elephant seals are much like humans. They mate for a few minutes and then immediately take naps afterwards. I will post photos later on this week when I return from my meetings.

Avocado Shake - Vegan

2012-02-03T21:43:00.000-08:00

When I was a kid, my mum used to work late evenings and my father never cooked much. Some days he would give me the option of snacking on avocados or a trip to McD's. And yes, I would sometimes oddly choose the avocados. Dad would slice a cold avocado in half, remove the pit, sprinkle the halves with sugar, hand me a spoon and I would dig into this creamy treat. It would be just enough to satiate my appetite for dinner. When my father was in a mood to put a little effort into our dinners, he would make a creamy avocado milk shake with lots of sweetened condensed milk. This evening, I decided to make a non-dairy version of this avocado shake and used silken tofu. Jase said that he didn't even notice that there wasn't any dairy in the shake. The avocado shake will be thick like pudding but Jase and I were able to sip it with a straw. You can also add a half cup of crushed ice to the blender if you want it to be ice cold.

Avocado Shake - Vegan

Serves 1

Ingredients

1 avocado (refrigerated)
1/2 cup silken soft tofu (I use Mori-Nu)
1/4 coconut milk (you can use soy, hemp, almond or rice milk)
1 frozen banana
1 tablespoon agave syrup

Add all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Serve with a straw and enjoy!

Baked Tofu and Bean Sprout Salad With Sesame Dressing

2012-02-02T23:00:00.000-08:00

Last weekend, I went to Din Tai Fung with the girls and I ordered the usual appetizer of baked tofu and bean sprout salad. It's my favorite dish at the restaurant even though they are known for their world famous dumplings. Not one person I have introduced the baked tofu salad to has ever disliked it. I was having another craving for it this evening so I decided to make some for dinner. I tried my best not to finish the whole bowl and save some for hubby when he gets home, but it's game night with him and Jolly this evening. I guess if I finish it, he'll never know it was missing.

Baked Tofu and Bean Sprout Salad with Sesame Dressing

Serves 4 as entrees or 8 appetizers

Ingredients

10 ounces baked tofu (thin julienned slices)
2 handfuls of steamed bean sprouts (you can microwave for two minutes or boil them in water for one minute)
4 stalks of julienned two inch slices of green onions/scallions
2 tablespoons turbinado sugar
3 tablespoons shoyu
1 tablespoon vinegar
1 tablespoon sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon chili paste (optional)
1/2 teaspoon vegetable bouillon powder or chickn' bouillon powder
1 teaspoon of grated ginger or 1/4 teaspoon of ginger powder
1 teaspoon of toasted sesame seeds

In a small bowl, add turbinado sugar, shoyu, vinegar, sesame oil, chili paste, vegetable bouillon powder and ginger. Heat the sesame dressing in the microwave for 30 seconds to melt the turbinado sugar, stir ingredients and set aside.
In a large bowl, add baked tofu, bean sprouts, green onion, sesame dressing and toss.
Sprinkle sesame seed. Serve immediately but for best results, let the baked tofu marinate in the fridge for about one hour to serving.

My Lemons!

2012-02-01T23:39:00.000-08:00

My darling Aunt June has a lemon tree in her front yard and gave me about 10 pounds of it. There are so uses for these lemons. The only environment friendly household cleaning products I use are baking soda and lemons. I haven't had a chance to give my stove and oven a good scrub as I am waiting for my finger to heal. Now I'm starting to think that I should have gotten stitches because I'm going into day three and it's still bleeding. It doesn't look infected so I'll hold out for a few more days.

I didn't want all of these lemons to go to waste so I looked up several recipes for lemon bars and lemon bread. Out of the many lemon bar recipes I researched, I chose the recipe listed on The Savvy Vegetarian's website. The Savvy Vegetarian recommended a recipe from The Joy of Baking by Colleen Goudrault. Did it pass the hubby test? Yes! We didn't get a chance to wait for the bars to set thoroughly because hubs just got back from his basketball game and he was hungry. The bars are not overly sweet, it has just the right amount of tartness, no bitter taste from the lemon zest and the shortbread crust was plain but paired well with the lemon custard. The recipe lists that we should bake the custard in the oven for 30 minutes at 350 degrees but I think mine was a little overcooked. If I were to bake these lemon bars again, I would cut the time down to maybe 20 to 25 minutes instead. I guess it depends on the type of oven you have too. Nonetheless, we enjoyed the chewiness of the lemon custard. It was a nice change from our recent chocolate desserts. I also made some lemon chia bread but I haven't quite perfected the recipe.

I will post the recipe if I ever get back around to it since I'm not quite the baker. Savory dishes are more of my thing. My mum makes the best baos and I am craving for some. Maybe I'll make a vegan version of it soon. Stay tuned.

Lush - Big Shampoo

2012-01-31T22:52:00.000-08:00

Last weekend, I went to Old Town Pasadena with Kim and Sherri just to make a stop at LUSH!

I absolutely love all of their products. What's even better is that they have a line of vegan products! Yup! I bought a few vegan beauty products and will be writing my reviews on each product as I try them.

Talk about employee recognition! Lush applies a sticker with a cartoon picture and name of the employee who hand makes that particular product. They even list the date the product was made and the expiry date.

Their employees are incredibly friendly. Maybe too friendly? So friendly that I walked out of the store going over the budget I originally had in mind, but I was happy with my purchases! Why? Because Lush is an ethically responsible company who are against animal testing and utilize biodegradable or recycled packaging.

Big Shampoo was the first product I tried before I almost severed off the tip of my fingers. The sales associate recommended for me to use Big Shampoo since the roots of my hair tends to get greasy if I don't wash it within 24 hours. Yes... I am one of the unfortunate ones that can't do without washing my hair for a couple of days. The shampoo comes in a small tub and you have to scoop out about a tablespoon of the mixture and lather it in your palms before applying it on your hair. There are large grainy pieces of sea salt in the mixture that helps exfoliate my scalp. I stayed an extra five minutes in the shower just to massage the scalp of my head. The scent of the shampoo is amazing. If I were able to stick my nose and sniff the clouds, I would imagine that this is how it smells. Well... my ideal world would always have rainbows and unicorns but you catch my drift.

I didn't see a drastic difference with the volume in my hair but it did keep my roots from being greasy 24 hours after use and my hair still smelled like fresh clouds the day after. :)

Eggplant Lasagna With Ricotta Cheese - Vegan

2012-01-30T20:54:00.000-08:00

I had some lovely eggplant in my fridge and wanted to make an eggplant lasagna casserole. I wanted to slice the eggplant lengthwise as thinly as possible with my mandolin slicer. Then the worst thing happens. I accidentally put the tip of my finger through the mandolin slicer. The laceration was about a half inch deep horizontally and I debated whether or not to go to Urgent Care on a Sunday evening but the thought of a tetanus shot was lingering in my head. Did I want to take the risk of not going? Did I want to wake up with lockjaw the next day? No. So I decided to go and take advantage of the health insurance my husband was paying for.

Then I had another freak out. I sliced the finger on my right hand and I couldn't right my insurance information on the paperwork so I needed my Jase to take me to Urgent Care but he wasn't home! He was playing in a basketball league and although he wasn't playing a game for another hour I needed his help to get me dressed. I asked my friend Kim if she could forward me the number to Jase's friend who played in a similar league on Sunday evenings. Kim found out that his friend wasn't playing that evening and she offered to take me to Urgent Care. I felt so bad because she was having a dinner date with her boyfriend, Cesar but they were so kind to pick me up and take me. By the time Kim and Cesar picked me up, Jase finally called back and told us he would meet us at Urgent Care. Then I felt even worse because Kim and Cesar left their date to pick me up. I'm so sorry and thank you, guys! I really appreciate your help.

When we arrived at Urgent Care, they told us that they were closed and I could try going to the ER at the hospital next door. Urgh! Nightmare. I felt horrible and told Kim and Cesar that Jase would take me to the ER since I knew the wait there would be long. There were no available seats in the ER waiting room and there must have been 50 people waiting in that room. When we asked the receptionist how long the wait would be, she sighed and said she couldn't give us an answer. By this time, Jase searched for a 24 hour Urgent Care a little further from our home and when we got there, there were only 5 people in the waiting room. Whew! Three hours later, I was able to see someone and by that time, the blood had clotted and my wound had stopped bleeding and closed. I saw a physician and she told me that I didn't have to get a tetanus shot since I received a Tdap vaccine a few years ago. My old doctor wanted me to get a Tdap a few years ago for pertussis but I didn't realize that a Tdap vaccine also covered tetanus as well so I was in the clear. Now I just have to put up with Jase for the whole week about how he missed his basketball game to get a very expensive band aid.

Yesterday, I started out with two eggplants and today, I just had one left. I put away my Le Creuset baking dish and pulled out my lovely ramequins and decided to make 3 individual servings since I had to halve the measurements in my recipe. You can double the measurements in this recipe and it should be good to be placed into a 9x12" baking dish.

Eggplant Lasagna With Ricotta Cheese - Vegan

Serves 3 - Use with three ramequins 4" diameter

Ingredients

1 large eggplant cut horizontally into 1/2 inch thick pieces
2 cups of marinara sauce (see recipe below)
1/2 cup ricotta cheese (I use Tofutti brand)
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese ( I used Follow Your Heart)

Place the sliced eggplant onto a baking sheet and brush lightly with olive oil. Cover the eggplant with foil and roast at 400 degrees for 15 minutes.
Spoon a layer of marinara sauce into the ramequin.
Place 2 slices of eggplant on top of the marinara sauce.
Add about two tablespoons of ricotta cheese.
Spoon a layer of marinara sauce over the ricotta cheese
Add 2 more slices of eggplant. Layer with ricotta cheese, a layer of marinara sauce and top with shredded mozzarella.
Place the filled ramequins onto a baking sheet. Bake in oven for 20 minutes at 375 degrees. Let the the eggplant lasagna sit for at least 5 minutes before serving. The cheese and sauce should stop bubbling by then.

Ingredients for the Marinara Sauce

1 teaspoon of olive oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
6 chopped roma tomatoes
1 teaspoon vegetarian bouillon power or chickn' bouillon seasoning
1/8 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon dried thyme
2 tablespoon nutritional yeast flakes
1 teaspoon agave syrup
20 chopped basil leaves
1 cup chopped crimini mushrooms

In a heated skillet, add olive oil and minced garlic. Stir until fragrant.
Add tomatoes, bouillon powder, oregano, thyme, nutritional yeast, agave syrup, basil leaves and crimini mushrooms to the skillet.
Let it simmer for about five minutes. You can spoon the marinara sauce out of the skillet into the ramequins.

Vegetarian Tuna Steaks With Spicy Garlic Sauce

2012-01-29T16:05:00.000-08:00

Happy New Year! I decided to splurge on yummy seitan for our dinners during the past week and I bought some vegetarian tuna steaks. It's seasoned seitan wrapped in seaweed and it does have a hint of fishy flavor. There are about 2 dozen tuna steaks in the package I found in the freezer section of the grocery store. This amount should serve at least 8 folks. If you are not cooking for a large party, you can separate the tuna steaks into smaller portions and place them in ziploc bags in the freezer.

I thawed the seitan in the fridge for a day and seperated the pre-cut pieces just to make sure I was able to throw them on my skillet all at once.

I added about 1 tablespoon of oil onto a hot skillet or pan and sear each side of the tuna steak until golden brown.

Set aside while you make your garlic sauce.

I had to make two different batches of the garlic sauce because the first batch would be too spicy for our guests. In the second batch, I added less chili sauce and threw in some chopped tomatoes for some acidity. The garlic sauce can be served over fried tofu as well.

Spicy Garlic Sauce

Serves 4 (for one dozen tuna steaks or 8 ounces of fried tofu)

Ingredients

1 teaspoon oil
3 tablespoons of minced garlic
1 tablespoon vegetarian mushroom oyster sauce
2 teaspoons tamari
1 teaspoons of vegetarian bouillon powder or chickn' bouillon powder
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 tablespoon garlic chili sauce
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons of water
3 chopped roma tomatoes
2 stalks of chopped green onions/scallions
1 teaspoon sesame oil

Heat oil on a skillet or a pan and add garlic. Stir until fragrant and add vegetarian mushroom oyster sauce, tamari, vegetarian bouillon powder, maple syrup, chili sauce, vinegar and cornstarch + water mix.
Bring to a boil until sauce has thickened.
Add tomatoes and scallions. Stir for about 2 minutes for tomatoes to soften.
Turn heat of the stove and add sesame oil to the sauce. Stir sesame oil into the sauce and pour over fried tuna steaks or tofu with brown rice. You can also serve the sauce on the side.

Freebirds

2012-01-25T21:39:00.000-08:00

Yep! That's right. Jase is done with his juice fast and guess what he wanted as his first meal? A burrito. A new chain popped up in Redondo called Freebirds World Burrito and was it vegetarian friendly? Yep! I was a little worried about eating out because I could have made my own veggie burrito at home which would be seasoned to perfection because I have to have food with a lot of flavor; hence, the reason why I add a ton of garlic and onions in most of my savory recipes.

Upon stepping into the establishment, I could hear the sounds of classic rock. We were immediately greeted by some very friendly servers waiting behind a counter of stocked veggies, proteins and cheese. Jase was craving meat and he ordered a Monster sized beef burrito. It must have weighed about 5 pounds and I was amazed watching the server roll up the burrito while keeping all the filling neatly tucked within the tortilla.

I ordered the Freebird sized veggie burrito which is the second largest size they had out of four. I had no idea this burrito was going to be about a foot tall.

It was filled with black beans, cilantro rice, roasted peppers, onions, corn salsa, pico de gallo, guacamole and iceberg lettuce wrapped in a wheat tortilla. The rice, beans and roasted peppers were perfectly seasoned. Fresh. The flavors were so fresh and I was able to taste the cilantro and lime seasoning from the rice. Their tortilla chips are devine. Light, airy and crisp.

There are even instructions along the wall on how to consume this ginormous burrito. And don't worry, it's even idiot proof with large illustrations on how to stand your burrito upright and peel away just the top portion of the foil wrapper.

Would I return? Yes. Would I crave for a Freebird? Probably not but I think Jase might since he loves burritos. Did they provide excellent service? You bet!

Easy Cream of Broccoli Soup - Vegan

2012-01-25T19:11:00.000-08:00

Jase and I were incredibly bored hanging out at my mum's one day and watched the documentary, Sick, Fat and Nearly Dead by Joe Cross. Jase was then suddenly inspired to go on a juice fast that lasted a couple of days and he made me promise that I wouldn't cook for the duration of his fast. Thank goodness it's over because I can eat hot meals instead of whipping a quick salad for lunch. Well, I shouldn't complain because I went out to a fantabulous dinner at Lawry's with Angie and Kimmie last night. Lawry's has the most scrumptious raspberry cake and I am kicking myself for not bringing the leftovers home because it was just that darn good!

In addition to the kale and spinach Jase was juicing, he also added broccoli and I was NOT going to let all the pulp go to waste. I was very supportive of my husband each time he turned on the juicer. I stood beside him each time he pushed the vegetables through the juicer and waited for him to fill up my tupperware with nutritious green pulp that inspired me to make cream of broccoli soup. This time, I used pureed garbanzo beans instead of using brown rice flower or ground flax seeds to thicken my soup. I also added a yellow bell pepper to give the soup some flavor and color. This recipe is incredibly easy and can be made pretty quickly if you have a food processor to chop the vegetables. Prep and cook time should take no longer than 30 minutes.

Easy Cream of Broccoli Soup

Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients

2 tablespoon Earth Balance Butter
2 teaspoons of minced garlic
1 large chopped brown onion
1 chopped yellow bell pepper
1 1/2 cups canned garbanzo beans (drained and loosely packed)
1 cup nutritional yeast flakes
3 cubes of vegan vegetable bouillon (I used Rapunzel with Sea Salt & Herbs)
4 cups rice milk
6 cups of chopped broccoli florets (about two medium heads of broccoli)

On a heated skillet, melt butter. Add garlic, onion and yellow bell pepper. Stir until onion is translucent and turn off the stove.
Pour garlic, onion and yellow bell pepper into a large blender. Add garbanzo beans, nutritional yeast flakes, vegetable bouillon and rice milk. Blend until all ingredients are smooth.
Pour the mixture into a large pot and bring it to a boil.
Add chopped broccoli florets, stir and simmer for about 5 minutes. Serve and enjoy!

Veggie Dumplings - Xiao Long Bao

2012-01-23T13:05:00.000-08:00

I have been experimenting different recipes for a vegetarian version of xiao long bao. The hubs hates waiting in long lines at various dumpling establishments throughout the San Gabriel Valley so I figured I would make some at home. Jase certainly did not have to wait in long lines but had to help me with clean up and the dishes. He kept to his word and helped me clean up last night for our Chinese New Years Eve dinner!

The tricky part of making the filling for these dumplings were to keep it moist enough just to mimic the taste of juicy soup within the dumplings upon biting into them. My first attempt of creating the soup was to add agar agar powder to vegetable stock and let it cool and set into a jelly substance. I hoped that the jelly substance melt and create a soup like effect after the dumplings were steamed but upon biting into them, but they were dry because the dumpling wrapper seemed to absorb the moisture mixed with agar agar. In my second and third attempts without the agar agar mix, I opted to add more cabbage and mushrooms to ensure that it would add more moisture to the filling and the fourth attempt was perfect! I created the illusion of biting into a juicy dumpling with flavors that implode in your mouth.

I also experimented with different types of seitan for the dumpling fillings and the mock duck version tasted the best. Mock duck? I know, it sounds strange right but we purchased the mock duck in a can from the Asian grocery store. The seitan is stewed in a light brown sauce. I know it looks strange but I placed the seitan in a food processor and chopped them into small pieces. It looked just like ground seitan and no longer duck after placing it through the processor. Flavor wise, this combination of mock duck with leeks was the winner out of my experiments.

The dumpling wrappers were purchased from the Asian grocery store as well. I will attempt to perfect the dumpling wrappers in the future but the long hours at the office makes my cooking time at home limited. I purchased a 9" bamboo steamer at the grocery store for $8. You will also need a large wok to steam the dumplings in.

Vegetarian Dumplings - Xiao Long Bao

Makes 4 dozen

Ingredients

1 can mock duck (drain seitan from can and ground seitan in a food processor)
1 minced leek
3/4 cup chopped oyster mushrooms
1/4 cup strips of dried wood ear fungus (soak the mushrooms for at least 2 hours in water then drain)
3/4 chopped cabbage
2 tablespoons of ground rolled oats (ground into powder in a processor)
1 tablespoon vegetarian mushroom oyster sauce
2 teaspoons tamari
1 teaspoon maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon 5 spice powder
2 teaspooon vegetarian bouillion powder
2 tablespoons of hoisin sauce
2 teaspoons of sesame oil
1/4 cup vegetable stock
Napa cabbage leaves to align the bottom of bamboo tray
1 package of 3" diameter dumpling wrappers (mine came in a set of 50 wrappers)
Dumpling sauce (julienne some ginger, black vinegar, soy sauce, sesame oil and chili paste)

In a large bowl, add mock duck, leek, oyster mushrooms, dried wood ear fungus, cabbage, rolled oats, vegetarian mushroom oyster sauce, tamari, maple syrup, 5 spice power, vegetarian bouillon, hoisin sauce, sesame oil and vegetable stock. Stir until all ingredients are mixed in and set aside.
Align the bottom of the bamboo trays with napa leaves as shown on the picture below.
Place about 1 teaspoon of filling into the dumpling wrappers. Grab all ends of the dumpling wrapper together, pull upwards, pinch and the twist ends. Place the dumplings over the napa cabbage that align the bamboo trays. Try not to place them so close together as I did because the dumplings will inflate and stick to the surrounding dumplings.
Add about one inch of water to the bottom of the wok. Bring to a boil. Place bamboo tray onto the wok and the water should not be touching the bamboo steamer. Cover the bamboo tray with a lid and steam for about 10 minutes. Serve immediately and dip the dumplings in dumpling sauce before consuming.

Art Imitates Life?

2012-01-21T23:45:00.000-08:00

Jase and I after a long weekend of partying.

This afternoon, I came home to grab a pen from my corner office and noticed that the box figures from our wedding were knocked down just as you see it now. These box figures were the cake topping for our wedding and our friend who is an amazing artist, Kenneth Clark created them. Jase and I never moved the box figures but I guess a few CD cases fell on top of Jase's head and from this angle, it looks as though I am dragging him. I thought that this random pose was pretty funny and just wanted to share it with you.

Not Yo Mama's Minnesota Hot Dish

2012-01-20T20:50:00.000-08:00

I know I'm a little late with my posts. I have just been incredibly busy at the office, leaving me with just a small window of time for friends. Last night, I got a chance to see my lovely friend, Angie and it's therapeutic to catch up with her and talk about a whole lot of nothing. Well nothing is what we tell our boys. :)

Some of the dishes I make are inspired by my two mums. That's Jase's mama, Flo on the left and my mama, Lynn on the right. And the thing they have in common other than being our mothers is that they both have really big toes. Thanks for the hereditary genes mums. Now our babies will have big toes too but it's okay. We still love you!

Our mama's are the heart of the kitchen. The first thing we want when we stop by their home is a nice hot dish by Mama Flo and Mama Lynn. This week, Jase reminded me of how much he missed his mama's Minnesota Hot Dish. So naturally, I tried to tweak the dish with vegetarian ingredients. Mama Flo usually makes the MN Hot Dish with ground beef, cream of mushroom soup and tater tots. My version includes ground seitan or ground tofu, some kale, hash brown potatoes and a frozen pie crust. Mama Flo doesn't serve her hot dish with a pie crust but my version is slightly salty and the flaky pie crust balances out the flavors nicely.

Not Yo Mama's Minnesota Hot Dish

Serves 6 to 8

Ingredients

2 tablespoons Earth Balance Butter
2 tablespoons minced garlic
1/2 cup chopped brown onion
1 cup ground firm tofu (I prefer the tofu version) or ground seitan (I use TJ's Beefless ground beef)
1 tablespoon vegetarian mushroom oyster sauce
1 tablespoon tamari
1/3 cup nutritional yeast flakes
1/2 teaspoon of vegetarian bouillon powder
1 kale leaf thinly sliced
1 cup chopped crimini or white button mushrooms
1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper
1/2 cup frozen peas and carrots
1 cup cream of mushroom soup (see my non-dairy version here)
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1 pinch of cayenne pepper or ground black pepper (Mama Flo does not like it spicy so I use black pepper for her dish)
3 cups of frozen shredded hash browns (I use Trader Joe's Shredded Hash Browns found in the frozen section)
1 frozen pie crust (whole wheat crust is yummy too)
1/2 cup grated or shredded non-dairy cheese (I use Follow Your Heart Vegan Cheddar or Mozzarella Cheese)
1/4 dried parsley flakes (optional)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
On a heated skillet, add butter, minced garlic and onion. Stir until onions are translucent.
Add tofu/seitan, vegetarian mushroom oyster sauce, tamari, nutritional yeast, vegetarian bouillon powder to the skillet and stir for about 3 minutes.
Add mushrooms, kale, bell pepper, peas, carrots and stir until the kale is slightly wilted (about 2 minutes)
Turn off stove. Fold in cream of mushroom soup, paprika and cayenne/black pepper to the mixture.
Pour the mixture into a frozen pie crust and sprinkle the frozen shredded hash browns over the mixture. Cover the mixture completely with shredded hash browns. You want to pack the shredded hash brown into a mound over the top because the potatoes will shrink after it bakes.
Cover the entire pie with foil to keep the crust from browning and to slightly steam the potatoes on top of the pie.
Place the pie in the oven and bake for 35 minutes at 375 degrees. After 35 minutes, take the foil off of the pie.
Top with some grated/shredded non-dairy cheese, sprinkle with dried parsley flakes and broil uncovered pie for 20 minutes at 375 degrees.
Cut into wedges and serve! The tofu mixture falls apart easily so I use a large spoon to serve.

Steaming hot ground seitan, kale, and mushroom mixture in frozen pie crust.

Mound of shredded hash brown and sprinkled with nutritional yeast flakes instead of cheese.

MN hot dish with shredded cheddar cheese.

MN hot dish with shredded mozarella and dried parsely flakes.

Go Clippers!

2012-01-19T01:18:00.000-08:00

I didn't get a chance to post a recipe last evening because the hubs and I went to a Clippers game at the Staples Center with his brother, Allen and lovely sister-in-law, Lety. Boy was it an intense game! Clippers were down by one point with less than 5 seconds on the clock and Chauncy made a 3 point shot with just a second left on the clock! Sweet victory for our Clippers!

I didn't have time to make any dinner since I was busy working all day so we dined at the Staples Center. I researched a bit before going to the game and found that the Corner Grill served veggie burgers! The patty was moist and it tasted like a mixture of rice and beans. It was super yummy served with the whole wheat bun. I would highly recommend this burger for my fellow vegetarians. It's a large burger that can be split between two people.

The camera on my phone isn't the best but here are some photos from last evening.

Veggie Burger from the Corner Grill at the Staples Center

Hubs and I just horsing around during half-time.

We love you, Clippers!

Spicy Garlic Eggplant and Tofu

2012-01-17T22:58:00.000-08:00

Happy Happy Birthday to my friends, Duong and Cees! I hope you both had a wonderful day whether you were working or lounging around the house. I would have baked you guys a cake but I doubt you would be interested in a vegan cake. :)

It was another busy day of work so I hardly had time to cook a nice dinner for hubby. I figured I would whip up a quick stir fry to serve with some brown rice. This dish is tangy, sweet and spicy! You can omit the chili peppers if it's too much spice for you to handle. I think that one pepper has just enough spice. I absolutely love eggplants! I don't think hubby has ever had eggplant before he met me and I'm so glad he is easy to please. I think my mum has mentioned that it would be easy to cook for him too.

Spicy Garlic Eggplant and Tofu

Serves 3 to 4

Ingredients

1 teaspoon of oil
2 teaspoons of minced garlic
1 large eggplant sliced into one inch pieces
8 ounces of fried tofu cut into one inch pieces
1/2 cup of chopped red bell peppers
10 basil leaves
1 thai red chili pepper minced
1 tablespoon vegetarian mushroom oyster sauce
3 teaspoons tamari
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons agave syrup

Fry tofu until golden brown and set aside
Mix together vegetarian mushroom oyster sauce, tamari, apple cider vinegar, agave syrup in a bowl and place aside
In a heated wok, add oil and stir in garlic until fragrant
Add eggplant and stir fry for about 5 minutes so that it is lightly softened
Add tofu, bell peppers, basil leaves, thai chili pepper and sauce mixture from step two
Stir fry for about 3 minutes until sauce is coated over all ingredients
Serve with brown rice and enjoy

Non-Dairy Cream of Mushroom Soup

2012-01-16T23:35:00.000-08:00

I woke up with a horrendous fever and my loving husband made sure I was equipped with anything I needed before he left for the day. Even though I was awfully sick, I forced myself to get up and take care of clients before resting up. Out of all the days to be sick, this day was the busiest. The emails and correspondence started to calm after 6pm and before I knew it, the hubs and I went to have dinner with our friends to celebrate a birthday. I mustered the strength to step out to dinner for some hot soup and winter melon tea. It was delicious! I was eyeing Jen's milk tea so badly but nope. I couldn't have any dairy.

During our drive home from dinner, hubs asked me to make one of his special dishes this week but in order to do that, I had to cook the base. The base of the next dish is non-dairy cream of mushroom soup. There are three different types of mushrooms in this dish but you can use the type of mushrooms you like best. I just happened to have maitake, oyster and white button mushrooms in the fridge. I also thicken up the soup to make gravy too. Stay tuned for one of hubs favorite dishes later on this week.

Types of mushrooms. Clockwise starting from top left corner. Maitake, white button and oyster mushrooms.

Non-Dairy Cream of Mushroom Soup

Serves 4 to 6

Ingredients

1 tablespoon Earth Balance Butter
2 tsp minced garlic
1 chopped brown onion
1 cup chopped white button mushrooms
1 cup chopped oyster mushrooms
1 cup chopped maitake mushrooms
3 tablespoons of nutritional yeast flakes
1 1/2 teaspoons of vegetarian bouillon powder
1 tablespoon ground flaxseed
3 cups rice milk

In a pot melt butter and add garlic and onions. Stir until onions are translucent.
Add white button, oyster and maitake mushrooms into the pot and stir for about 3 minutes.
Add nutritional yeast, vegetarian bouillon powder, flax seed and rice milk. Bring to a boil and simmer for 15 minutes.
Serve and enjoy. You can also freeze the left overs.

Breakfast Tofu Scramble Served Over Sliced French Baguettes

2012-01-15T11:00:00.000-08:00

The most favorite thing I like doing on Sunday mornings is sleeping in. And guess what? I didn't get to sleep in because my husband likes to walk around the room and make a lot of noise so that I can be awake and keep him company. The next favorite thing I like doing on Sunday mornings is taking my time getting up. I was laying in bed having a grand ole' time just watching Meet The Fockers with hubby until I him say, "Babe. I'm hungry." Aha! I knew this was the reason why he was deliberately making such loud noises to wake me up. Lucky for him I was in a semi-good mood. I'm never much of a morning person but I got in a few laughs when Jack Byrnes asked Greg Focker if he could milk him too.

I wanted to make something savory but filling so again I tried utilizing all of the produce I have in my fridge. A couple nights ago, I went to Porto's with my friend Kim to buy her boyfriend a chocolate mousse cake and they were all sold out by the time we got there. I didn't waste any time in my opportunity to buy a french baguette. So this morning, I decided to make a scramble to top over slices of french baguette.

Breakfast Tofu Scramble Served Over Sliced French Baguettes

Serves 2

Ingredients

Sliced french baguette (slice into 1 inch thick pieces and lightly toasted)
1 tablespoon of Earth Balance Butter
2 teaspoons of minced garlic (2 cloves)
8 ounces of crumbled firm tofu
2 teaspoons of nutritional yeast
Pinch of salt and pepper
Pinch of turmeric power to add yellow color to tofu (you can omit if you like)
3 sliced white button mushrooms
1 handful of spinach
1 chopped tomato
5 basil leaves sliced thinly (just chiffonade)
1 stalk of chopped green onion

On a heated skillet, melt butter and stir in garlic until fragrant
Add tofu, nutritional yeast flakes, salt, pepper, turmeric and stir for 2 minutes
Add mushrooms, spinach, tomato, basil, green onions and stir fry for 3 minutes
Serve with lightly toasted sliced baguettes