tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-210524882024-10-04T21:56:16.942-04:00A veg*n cooking blog with photos, recipes, hints, secrets, and street cred. Get with it, sucka.Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11682997996932493252noreply@blogger.comBlogger41125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21052488.post-43840797311174192612007-01-15T16:45:00.000-05:002008-12-09T23:52:59.065-05:00

A long day of doing crossword puzzles and watching "Kids in the Hall" led me to believe it was time to set aside some much needed time for myself (har). Winter is a real downer for me. Like it or lump it, I suppose. After running down the street and back for 45 minutes, I got hungry.My mom gave me a paella pan and some special rice for Christmas and I hadn't had a chance to use it until now. San

Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11682997996932493252noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21052488.post-1157498655553915352006-09-05T19:18:00.000-04:002006-09-07T20:41:25.873-04:00

I borrowed most of this recipe from "Let's Get Baked" a podcast by some guys from Halifax, Canada. Their show is pretty righteous. They come up with good ideas for recipes and the musicians they invite to help are typically very entertaining. There's all sorts of good things to like about it, not the least of which is that I can listen to just about one whole episode during the time it takes me

Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11682997996932493252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21052488.post-1157498281791795272006-09-05T19:09:00.001-04:002006-09-06T15:55:03.523-04:00

Milkshakes are easy to make and you can hide a bunch of good stuff in them. My favorite is strawberry banana for the potassium alone. Above and beyond that, it's always a good idea to have molasses (blackstrap) on hand for some extra iron and a little sweetness, flaxseeds or ground flaxseed meal for omega 3s, and possibly even benefiber, soy protein, or a green food product for a healthy additive

Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11682997996932493252noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21052488.post-1157497787038109572006-09-05T19:09:00.000-04:002006-09-06T13:08:11.316-04:00

Gazpacho is a soup. Gazpacho is a salad. Gazpacho is blended, diced, spicy, refreshing, and countless other descriptives. There are many ways to make this traditional Spanish soup/salad, one of my favorite being to chop up a bunch of vegetables, mix them with some spice and let soak in its own juices.This soup is most popular during warmer months. It's typically eaten cold and the amount of

Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11682997996932493252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21052488.post-1157497738013672492006-09-05T19:08:00.000-04:002006-09-07T10:09:49.170-04:00

If you could make one thing for the rest of your life, only one thing, what would it be? For me, this one thing would be chili. Over the last year-and-a-half, since I've obtained a slow cooker, I've probably made enough chili to feed every kid whose ever been on Double Dare, their parents, and Marc Summers. Speaking of which, did you know Marc Summers has an intense case of OCD? He freaks out

Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11682997996932493252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21052488.post-1157497682210665542006-09-05T19:07:00.000-04:002006-09-06T13:13:11.963-04:00

Using mashed beans in bread might seem unusual but I have found it to work quite well as a way to get protein into a food that's already high in iron and fiber. This is quite a benefit. Adding bran takes out some of the heft, while adding even more fiber. What started out a a simple recipe using beans, yeast, flour and milk has grown to accomodate a number of extra ingredients. This recipe is my

Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11682997996932493252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21052488.post-1147036948332824512006-05-07T16:57:00.000-04:002006-09-06T15:54:47.400-04:00

I'm not going to lie to you. Tamales are a pain in the a**. My grandmother makes them once a year, and now I understand why. Of course, it's best to make a lot when you do. Tamales are not something you would just make one or two of for lunch. I made 40 because our Cinco de Mayo party (Brandon's birthday) was the day after.Tamales are basically a Mexican handheld version of what Americans call a

Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11682997996932493252noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21052488.post-1146449085779314232006-04-30T21:50:00.000-04:002006-05-01T16:46:50.270-04:00

It's amazing I haven't posted something in this category yet -- one of the most important things in American gastronomy. It's the first question I ask myself every day, before I ask myself if I really want to get out of bed in the first place. What's for breakfast? Saturday, breakfast was French toast. "But French toast has eggs!" you spout."Well, this kind doesn't," I retort, sly as a fox.It's

Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11682997996932493252noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21052488.post-1145592899943028612006-04-21T00:09:00.000-04:002006-04-21T18:07:53.650-04:00

When I made these, I had a potluck at work to go to the next day, to which most people brought leftovers from their church potluck. Mind you, the next day was Friday. Who knows how old that food was. Anyway, it was chock full of cheese and mayo, so I kept to my cookies.Pear goes good with cardamom. If you're bringing some to your elderly grandmother, you might want to try adding a bit of lavender

Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11682997996932493252noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21052488.post-1145591918642328692006-04-20T23:49:00.000-04:002006-04-21T00:08:55.966-04:00

This is one of my favorite hot chocolate recipes. I usually make some before doing some late night work. Then, I usually end up not doing any work because I want to make more. I guess hot chocolate that makes you not want to get anything done is not the greatest selling point, but hot chocolate that takes precedent over getting stuff done might be. Ingredients:1 1/2 tablespoons cocoa (or carob)

Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11682997996932493252noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21052488.post-1144753433941897732006-04-11T06:58:00.000-04:002006-04-11T19:12:26.146-04:00

I like potato chips and french fries just as much as the next joe. Actually, no, that's a lie. I don't really like potato chips, and I especially dislike french fries, because they're all greasy and covered in salt. And Joe is probably an overweight geek with halitosis who clips his toenails in the living room, which leads me to spurn his diet even more. However, spuds aren't hard to come by nor

Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11682997996932493252noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21052488.post-1144753108144034392006-04-11T06:55:00.000-04:002006-04-21T00:16:18.133-04:00

Chutney, originally, was made to be eaten fresh and not kept lying around a refrigerator or jam cellar. It's traditionally a combination of sweet and spicy ingredients. Many of the chutneys sold at the supermarket contain preservatives and ingredients most people wouldn't find in their own home, not to mention they are expensive. That rubs me the wrong way. It really chokes my goat.I never really

Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11682997996932493252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21052488.post-1144061797272795522006-04-03T06:46:00.000-04:002006-04-05T19:35:28.263-04:00

On Saturday, I rode my bike a whole lot. I went to Harvest Health, I went to work (because Friday deadlines are now, apparently, optional), I got a flat tire so I went to the bike shop, and then I went to my landlady's place to drop off a rent check. All that bike riding made me hungry and the zucchini in the fridge wasn't getting any fresher. I googled zucchini and didn't come up with anything

Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11682997996932493252noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21052488.post-1143948664333020572006-04-01T22:23:00.000-05:002006-04-06T08:49:33.273-04:00

Pumpkin pie is good. Chocolate is good. Raisins are kind of good. All together, they should make some sort of dessert item worthy of superlative praise, right? Um...sure.All kidding aside, sometimes it's fun to make somebody something just out of the kindness of your heart. These pumpkin bars aren't too hard to make, and can be used for such an occasion. It's also a good idea to make something

Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11682997996932493252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21052488.post-1143948197707936392006-04-01T22:14:00.000-05:002006-04-06T08:53:19.863-04:00

I like making lasagne because the leftovers are easy to save, and you can stuff a lot of different ingredients in it. Traditional lasagne uses ricotta cheese, and a lot of it at that. If you haven't already noticed, I'm not about to use cheese. Luckily, someone a while back sent us a great idea for lasagne using a tofu/veggie mix instead of cheese. Let's run with that for now.Ingredients:Lasagne

Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11682997996932493252noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21052488.post-1143123955449097722006-03-23T09:11:00.000-05:002006-03-23T11:25:28.246-05:00

It's hard to keep from tearing apart that asceptic carboard cube and devouring all the soybeany goodness tofu has to offer...but you must be patient my child. Before you chop up your tofu and throw it in a pan, you are going to want to drain it first. This not only makes the tofu easier to work with, but once drained, tofu will soak up the flavor of the ingredients you cook it with. You win both

Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11682997996932493252noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21052488.post-1143121132601096722006-03-23T08:21:00.000-05:002006-03-23T08:41:16.670-05:00

Avocadoes were on sale three for $5 one day, so I bought three, not thinking I could have just as easily gotten the sale price on two, or one. I used the first two within a few weeks but the last one seemed to hang around a bit longer. I was just sick of avocado by then, I guess.This is a good way to use up that last avocado in something that's just as versatile as it is tasty and nutritious.

Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11682997996932493252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21052488.post-1142947732125915272006-03-21T08:12:00.000-05:002006-03-21T11:50:25.846-05:00

Lettuce is sick of all the Tofu bashin'...so it decided to show it some love.Ingredients:1/2 brick Firm TofuShitake MushroomsMatchsitck CarrotsBean SproutsBoston Lettuce3 tablespoons crushed peanuts3 tablespoons lime juice1 tablespoons sesame oil1 teaspoons crushed red pepperPeanut Sauce (I'm waiting for Matt to perfect the recipe for homemade sauce, til then I buy the pre-made from House of

Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11682997996932493252noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21052488.post-1142810972095691742006-03-19T18:19:00.000-05:002006-03-23T08:47:07.156-05:00

It's St. Patrick's Day weekend and I just got home from the annual Clare Bed Race in Clare, MI. We got third place! We were celebrated by all! We were almost run out of town! I'd say it was a pretty successful weekend.What better way to celebrate than by making a pizza with a lot of green stuff? Hooray for pizza day!Ingredients:Cornmeal pizza dough2 cups pizza sauce3/4 cup avocado spread (or just

Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11682997996932493252noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21052488.post-1142810352589385752006-03-19T18:15:00.000-05:002006-03-20T09:59:37.576-05:00

This is a very easy, very quick way to make a no-rise pizza crust. There are only a few ingredients and, unlike recipes that require a long leavening time, this only takes about 20 minutes.Ingredients:1 cup flour (separated into 1/2 cups)1/2 cup cornmeal1 package yeast1/2 teaspoon sugar3/4 cup very hot waterPut 1/2 cup of flour, cornmeal, sugar, and yeast in a medium sized mixing bowl.Add 1/2 cup

Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11682997996932493252noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21052488.post-1142431722979293982006-03-15T09:05:00.000-05:002006-03-15T16:30:58.393-05:00

I got a little fondue pot as a gift and was very excited to try it out. Why not break it in with a few friends and a bottle of wine? Fondue can be made so many different ways. Basically, anything that you can heat and dip things in = fondue.My choice? Chocolate. I got a bag of semi-sweet chips and melted them in the microwave to begin with and then transfered it to the pot; there's a tea

Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11682997996932493252noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21052488.post-1142431279110087002006-03-15T08:55:00.000-05:002006-03-15T13:16:37.236-05:00

Ingredients: 1 bunch of asparagus2 tablespoons of minced ginger 3 tablespoons of soy sauce olive oil Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut the bottoms of the asparagus off 1 to 2 inches -- this part is tough when cooked if you don't cut it off. Drizzle a bit of olive oil in the bottom of a roasting pan. Put Asparagus in the pan with the ginger and soy sauce. Roll the stalks around so they

Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11682997996932493252noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21052488.post-1142200027156254522006-03-12T16:36:00.000-05:002006-03-12T22:28:23.190-05:00

I used to have trouble doing what needed to be done. I shirked responsibility, only to face the cold, hard consequences later on. I'd procrastinate. I'd excuse myself. I'd do anything I could to put off what was expected of me. And then I made these muffins. These muffins are delicious, they are expeditious, and they give meek persons extrordinary bravado. In short, these muffins have

Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11682997996932493252noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21052488.post-1141620511715813572006-03-05T23:47:00.000-05:002006-03-12T16:48:17.326-05:00

Not gonna lie, this is a bit of a pain in the a**, however the reward of delicious spaghetti squash is well worth it.1. Buy spaghetti squash -- don't be tricked by imitators such as the butternut squash.2. Cut squash in half lengthwise, this is my least favorite part for one of two reasons: 1. I don't think I have a good enough knife to be cutting through the squash, one of those pumpkin carving

Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11682997996932493252noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-21052488.post-1141620298700972022006-03-05T23:33:00.000-05:002006-03-12T13:24:44.003-05:00

There are many meat substitutes on the market today. Meatballs, deli slices, "chicken" strips, and many other items are readily available at a store right down the street from me. Of course, in buying one of these, I am inadvertantly supporting corporate giants, genetically modified organisms, factory farming, and other less than illustrious institutions. Strangely enough, some of these meat

Matthewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11682997996932493252noreply@blogger.com0