Monday, March 30, 2009

Burger, fries, and a shake!

It was one of those days. A burger and fries sounded good, so I decided to make it. Check out this loaded Boca Burger. It has sauteed mushrooms and onions in addition to the usual burger fix in's. Served with shoestring fries; this meal really hit the spot!


Newman O's shake with vanilla soy ice cream:

Sunday, March 29, 2009

I feel like a kid again!

I had seen a recipe for "fish" sticks on the Vegan Lunchbox blog, and had always wanted to try it. It uses kelp granules to give the dish a fishy flavor, and I picked up those at an Asian market. I have to say that it really reminded me of fish sticks. I used frozen and thawed tofu, and while I enjoyed the texture, it wasn't flaky the way fish is. I'd say that's the only major difference between this recipe and the real thing. I wonder if there's a way to make tofu flaky.

Another big part of the meal is the vegan mac and cheese from Vegan Dad's blog. I've tried some other "cheesy" recipes, but was never quite satisfied. When I came across this blog and saw that it was kid-approved, I figured that it must taste pretty good. It's not like the kind from the blue box, but still enjoyable.

Other stuff on my plate: broccoli (steamed in a bit of veggie broth) with lemon juice, and a slaw recipe from Vegan Planet (where the beets mentioned in my previous post went!).

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Pasta

This dish was a combination of two different recipes: Fettuccine Alfreda from VWAV, and another Fettuccine Alfredo dish (vegetarian) from from Cooking by the Seasons. I basically followed the VWAV recipe, but added mushrooms, asparagus, lemon juice, and capers to the dish (as called for in the other book). The sauce and veggies topped a great sprouted grain pasta, and the results were quite good. On the side are cooked beet greens. I bought beets for a future recipe, and when you buy them at the FM they still have the greens on top! I've never cooked them before, but they had an interesting taste. Even though I washed the crap out of them, I had trouble removing all of the grit, so it's definitely something to keep in mind for the next time I make these!

Sunday, March 22, 2009

Chocolate Pancakes!

I was in the mood for pancakes for breakfast, so I whipped up a simple batch using the following ingredients:

-2 1/2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
-3 cups soymilk and almond milk (I used a 2-1 ratio, but that was just to use up what I had on hand)
-3 tablespoons baking powder
-2 tablespoons agave nectar
-4 tablespoons canola oil
-2 teaspoons vanilla extract
-1/2 cup cocoa powder
-sliced almonds (about 1/2 a cup)
-a pinch of salt

I topped it with some Earth Balance, fresh FM strawberries, and agave nectar instead of syrup. Really hit the spot! I doubled the batch so I could freeze some to eat during the week. The above recipe makes about 16 pancakes. No refined sugar in it!

Saturday, March 21, 2009

Home Made Ice Cream

This is a Rocky Road Ice cream from the Vegan Ice Cream blog. I used an ice cream maker that had been out of service for quite some time. When we loaded all of the ingredients and pushed the "on" button, we came to find out that the machine no longer worked. No matter! I am always one to step up to the challenge and improvise! I turned the automatic ice cream maker into a manual one by spinning the paddles by hand. For about 25 minutes. It was alot of work, but so worth it. I can definitely say that I earned this dessert!

Thursday, March 19, 2009

Spaghetti and Beanballs with Roasted Asparagus and a Raw Dessert

The Spaghetti and Beanballs recipe is another from Veganomicon. I topped it with ground pine nuts for that Parmesan cheese effect. Alongside is some FM asparagus that was roasted with rosemary, lemon juice, olive oil, and S&P. Quite tasty.


For dessert, a slice of raw "apple pie" from my local health food store, made from apples, raisins, dates and walnuts.

Wednesday, March 18, 2009

Leek and Bean Cassoulet

This Veganomicon recipe reminds me of the southern "chicken and dumplings" (minus the chicken of course) dish. It's a classic comfort food, and would probably be a great thing to come home to in the wintertime. The hearty stew made from fresh FM vegetables with their biscuity topping was a nice meal, even though it's not really winter anymore (is it ever really winter in California?).



Sunday, March 15, 2009

Seitan Stroganoff

This recipe is from Vegan with a Vengeance. Every recipe from Isa turns out amazing, and this on is no exception. What else is that on my plate you ask? Kale of course. I need this stuff at least once a week. Once again, I've mixed the traditional curly kale with the wonderful dino kale, some veggie stock, and a bit of lemon juice.

Saturday, March 14, 2009

Chocolate Covered Clusters

I am trying to cut back on refined sugar, so this is an experiment that turned out pretty good. I melted some dark, unsweetened vegan chocolate and added vanilla extract and a bit of agave nectar. I coated lightly roasted almonds and pecans with the chocolate, sprinkled on toasted coconut, and let it harden in the fridge. The result was a success, and they are so good that I only need to eat one or two pieces to satisfy my sweet tooth.

Friday, March 13, 2009

Chicago Style Pizza

A yummy, Chicago Style pizza with a cornmeal crust and a variation of my usual toppings:
-tomatoes
-fresh basil and oregano
-vegan mozzarella cheese
-atichoke hearts
-olives
-mizuna (a tasty green I bought at the FM...kind of similar to arugula but milder)
-mushrooms sauteed in basil infused olive oil
-pine nuts
-roasted garlic

I could possibly live on pizza.

Thursday, March 12, 2009

Asian Feast

This made a great meal and was easy to throw together. Going clockwise: Chinese Broccoli topped with vegean oyster sauce, silken tofu with soy sauce paste and fresh green onions (so simple and good; best served at room temperature), snow pea leaves and bok choy tips stir-fried with garlic, and vegetarian dumplings. I got all of the wonderful greens from the FM, and this meal is likely to become a staple in my kitchen.


I packed up some of the leftovers for lunch the next day:

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

Three Bean Dahl

With home made garlic naan bread!

Monday, March 9, 2009

Chickpea and Eggplant Kibbeh with Rainbow Chard

This is a Lebanese dish that's usually made with lamb. This vegan version comes from Vegan Planet. I drizzled the bulgar wheat mixture with tahini paste. The chard comes from my local FM (as did the eggplant in the kibbeh). Beautiful and tasty!

Sunday, March 8, 2009

Breakfast for Dinner

Tonight was a veggie frittata from Vegan Planet. Instead of using the recommended tomato/zucchini/basil combination, I opted to go with fresh asparagus from the farmers market, mushrooms, tomatoes, and thyme. It's basically a blended tofu mixture poured over sauteed vegetables that gets baked. While I was making it I had the feeling that I should add extra spice to the tofu mixture, but I followed the recipe. My hunch was right because it turned out a bit bland, but some hot sauce saved the day!

I also cooked up some Fakin' Bacon (tempeh), and roasted some red potatoes that turned out so good. I quartered them and tossed with olive oil, minced garlic, lemon juice, salt, pepper, and some rosemary. I baked these alongside the frittata. Definitely my favorite part of the meal.

I didn't get any pictures of my plate, but here are some smaller portions packed up and ready to go for breakfast this week!

Saturday, March 7, 2009

Mexican Fiesta

Tonight I made Hot Tamale Vegetable Pie from Vegan Planet. The recipe called for frozen corn, but I'm not a big fan of corn (unless it's on the cob!), so I substituted pinto beans. It turned out to be a good choice, because it turned out pretty good. Please excuse the pictures, I didn't realize that my flash was turned off.




After consuming some fresh fruit margaritas at one of my favorite local vegan places, I was inspired to create my own. Here's my recipe for 2 amazing margaritas:
-1.5 pints of frozen strawberries
-Juice from 2 large oranges
-Juice from 2 limes
-Agave nectar (I put in maybe a Tablespoon?)
-Tequila
I blended everything together. I didn't have any ice because I don't use it, but the frozen strawberries made it work well. If you'd like to add more ice, feel free. Just add stuff in to taste...you can't go wrong with fresh fruit!

I will never use a Margarita mix again.

Monday, March 2, 2009

Asian Inspired Hodgepodge

Tonight was a bit crazy. The idea was to make lettuce wraps and dumplings. The lettuce wrap filling recipe was from Vegan Planet, but I changed it around a bit and ended up adding half of a pack of tofu and cooking the stuff. The flavors were quite good, and the red leaf lettuce worked perfectly for the wraps.

When I attempted to make the dumplings, I realized that the wonton wrappers had egg in them. I didn't have time to make them from scratch, so I improvised. I combined a leek (I love leeks!), garlic, ginger, soy sauce, sesame oil, and the other half of the tofu. I blended it enough to make it chunky but not pureed. The mixture was soft, so I added some wheat flour to try and hold it together. I made little patties and pan-fried them in a little bit of peanut oil. Served with a soy sauce and rice wine vinegar mixture, these things tasted good. I like cooking on the fly, it really tests your skills in the kitchen!


For dessert: a raspberry chocolate layer cake from Veganomicon. This cake is so freaking good.

Sunday, March 1, 2009

Comfort Food

You may have noticed the trend of comfort foods appearing in my blog. Tonight I decided to make the Chile and Cornmeal Crusted Tofu from Veganomicon. I like making this using frozen and thawed tofu. It really gives it a nice texture. On the side...a tasty blend of dino kale and standard curly kale (this stuff seems to be turning into a staple in my house) cooked with some vegetable bullion and water. I also made some mashed potatoes with plain soymilk, Earth Balance, and S&P. Simple but a great way to have potatoes.