Indian Food

Got inspired by some coworkers to make some Indian food without a recipe. I cooked some Naan bread with a cumin/coriander topping; potatoes, peas and carrots with a kick; chard with mustard seed and garam masala; yellow split peas with various Indian spices. Everything turned out good, and even my coworkers were impressed!

Asian Night

Glass noodles with tofu, sauteed snow pea leaves, and steamed buns with a yummy filling. The steamed buns taste like the kind you get at Dim Sum places. They usually have a pork filling, so I haven't had them in quite awhile. A vegan restaurant that I go to makes similar buns, but they're pretty expensive. I'm glad that I can make these for myself now...sooo good!

More Pancakes!

Coconut pancakes with pineapple sauce from VWAV!

Seitanic Jambalaya

Jambalaya from Vcon with cornbread and collards.

Gandhi Bowl

This dish is served at Southern California vegan restaurant chain called Native Foods. They have a cookbook, and this recipe is from the book. It's blackened tempeh with mushrooms, broccoli, and asparagus in a creamy Thai/Indian flavored sauce over millet and quinoa. I added cumin and mustard seeds to make it more Indian tasting, and it turned out pretty good.

Carrot Cake

I made this Coconut Ginger Walnut Carrot Cake with Vegan Cream Cheese Icing from VWAV. I brought some into work and it was a hit!


Yum!

Aphids Be Gone!!!

So I've been growing a basil plant in a pot on my patio. I just recently potted this guy, when I noticed that some of the leaves were curling and yellowing. I took a closer look, and what did I see? Aphids! I will not use any pesticides, but my plant was fading fast. I remember reading that ladybugs are the aphid's natural predator, but I didn't have any of those handy. Luckily, I spotted quite a few while taking a walk one day. There is seriously a huge supply of ladybugs near my apartment. I grabbed a few and walked them back to my plant. Hopefully they will be able to get rid of the pests until my plant gets a little stronger and able to defend itself. Here's to hoping that these ladies (I know, not necessarily ladies. Actually, I'm pretty sure one of them is male because they appeared to be copulating at one point...ha!) stick around until the job's done!

Another Pizza Night

Friday night means pizza night!!! Topped with the usual suspects...

Caribbean Food

This meal took forever to make. Jerk Seitan from VWAV. Jamaican black beans with butternut squash and red and yellow peppers. Mustard greens. Coconut rice.

The meal came out full of flavor, and was a hit with everyone that I shared it with. Unfortunately, I'm not a huge fan of Caribbean food. I thought I would try something new and make this, but it didn't work out for me this time. Oh well, it made a few other people very happy! If you like this kind of food, give it a try!

Red Lentil Dahl

I tried a different recipe for Dahl. I think this one comes from Isa, but I don't remember where I printed it out from...possibly ppk.com? I used fresh tomatoes, cilantro, and freshly ground spices. A great dish, but I'm still on the hunt for the perfect dahl!

Sweet Potato Crepes

This recipe also comes from VWAV. I got to use some of the spices I picked up at the Indian market. These tasted great. The first bite was very intense. The sweetness in the potatoes and the flavorful spices combined quite interestingly with the cilantro sauce on top. A bit too sweet for me to have as a meal (maybe dessert?), but good nonetheless.

Vanilla Cake with Coconut Icing

The cake recipe came from the Vegan Lunchbox blog. I read all of the comments for any tips, and it was repeatedly stated that this batter could make cupcakes only. If you tried to make it into a cake, the center would not cook all the way and the edges would turn crispy. I beat the system by making my own Magi-Cake baking strips. I sprayed paper towels with water, and wrapped them in foil. I placed the foil/paper around the edges of the cake pans. The theory is that the foil strips will keep the edges of the cake cooler, allowing the cake to cook all the way through. Baking time increased by maybe 10 minutes, but the cake turned out perfectly!

The coconut icing recipe came from VWAV.


The cake was a bit too light textured to support the heavy frosting, but it tasted so good.

Spinach and Chickpea Curry

Just what it sounds like; from Vcon. I used fresh-ground seeds and spices that I picked up at an Indian market. It really makes a difference in the flavor.