happyveganface

vegan MoFo day thirty one: the ultimate chocolate chip cookie 'n "oreo" fudge brownie bar

2011-10-31T04:08:00.000-04:00

vegan MoFo day 31: the ultimate chocolate chip cookie 'n "oreo" fudge brownie bar.

a few weeks back i saw these on Joanna's always awesome Food for Thought Friday.
i couldn't stop thinking about them, so of course we deglutened 'n veganized and they became a reality.

this is some seriously sweet shiz, guysers. but let me tell you, totally worth rotting your teeth out over. :) using our favorite gluten-free chocolate chip recipe, vanilla sandwhich cookies and Celine's gluten free fudge brownies the ultimate chocolate chip cookie 'n "oreo" fudge brownie bars were created and demolished faster than the speed of light.

truly ultimate, indeed!

i must admit, while this vegan MoFo's been a little stressful with work & going back to school, i'm a little sadfaced it's coming to an end. everyone kicked so much MoFo booty this year - invading the world with so much vegan awesomeness! MEGAyay!

happy halloween, everyone!!!

veganMoFo day thirty: Allysia's Vegan Mac And Cheese

2011-10-30T08:52:00.002-04:00

vegan MoFo day 30: Allysia's Vegan Mac and Cheese.

Allysia of The Real Meal posted her vegan mac and cheese just a few days ago. i love trying out new mac 'n cheeze recipes and wanted to give it a whirl. i can tell you this - it's one delicious way to start a sunday, that's fo 'sho! our food processor isn't the best, so the onion & garlic never achieved the status of smooth, but it didn't stop this cheezy sauce from being a truly scrumptious one. we used chickpea flour and soy-free earth balance and were uber pleased with the delicious results. like Allysia, i too enjoy greens with my mac, especially kale sauteed in olive oil and topped with a little red chili flakes. of course i had to add on a little Franks 'cause that's how i roll. thanks for a crazy delicious bowl of vegan mac and cheese, Allysia!

vegan MoFo day twenty nine: Hannah's buckwheat pancakes

2011-10-29T09:02:00.000-04:00

vegan MoFo day 29: Hannah's buckwheat pancakes.

today's starting off with rain, and i believe it's going to be this way all day. i don't mind rain one bit - it slows things down and makes me feel more present. i like it! so to celebrate a cold 'n rainy day i thought i'd start it off right with Hannah's buckwheat pancakes and some ketchup graced hashbrowns. these buckwheat pancakes are gloriously good - hearty, filling, perfect. in every way. brown foods are the best, just ask Panda!

vegan MoFo day twenty-eight: K's Lentil Soup Inspired Salad

2011-10-28T09:01:00.001-04:00

vegan MoFo day 28: K's lentil soup inspired salad.

today's absolutely awesome eats are brought to ya by K of In the Mood for Noodles. this easy peasy lentil soup inspired salad is crazy delicious! since we've got a ton of lentils hang'n around this dish was perfect in depleting our supply a good bit.

parsley was subbed in for mint, we didn't have any cheeze on hand, and a little raw kale & minced red onion was added. oh yeah, and we did add in vegenaise for extra mmmmm factor. thanks for the tasty suggestion, K. we've got leftovers for days and it makes me so very happyfaced just thinking about it. this salad is one creamy, tangy combination of yum, indeed!

vegan MoFo day twenty seven: all i've got is this bowl of quinoa and beans

2011-10-27T08:03:00.000-04:00

vegan MoFo day 27: burned out quinoa and beans.

i know we're all busy bees and kick'n booty with the MoFo posts, but i've gotta admit, i'm burned out today. but 'cha know, there's only 4 more days and i'm thinking i'm gonna make 31 posts again this year.huzzah! so today i'm taking a break 'cause my brain hurts. here's what i've got going on - easy peasy quinoa and beans bowl. i'll have something more exciting looking tomorrow. promise thomas. ;)

here's how the quinoa bean bowls go (don't let the simplicity of this dish fool ya, it's crazy tasty just like it is - although i will admit if you drizzle on a little lemony-tahini sauce it'll take you places you've never been to before. fo 'sho.):

- bring 1 cup of water + 1 cup of well-rinsed quinoa to a boil in a small pot. once boiling - cover with a lid, reduce the heat to low & cook for 20 minutes.
- saute 1/2 a minced, yellow onion on medium heat.
- add in 2 cups of beans (user's choice - i chose black & white beans this go around) once the onion has softened.
- while your beans are cooking mince 2 big fat cloves of garlic.
- make a well in the middle of the beans 'n onions - add minced garlic and a glub of olive oil.
- stir it all up once garlic is fragrant.
- season bean mix with sea salt & black pepper. turn off the heat and let the beans, onions and garlic hang out for a bit.
- chop kale & massage with olive oil & a squeeze of fresh lemon juice.
- at this point your quinoa should be ready to go - remove from heat when finished, flush with fork and add everything together (raw, massaged kale + beans & onions + quinoa) in a large bowl.
- another glub of olive oil, another shake of sea salt 'n pepper.

what are some of your favorite easy peasy/i'm too tired/feeling kinda "meh"/don't have time meals to make?

vegan MoFo day twenty six: T's Potato Carrot Latkes

2011-10-26T08:53:00.000-04:00

vegan MoFo day 26: T's potato carrot latkes.

these are (by far!) the best latkes i've had. last december we attempted some when visiting my mom 'n dad for christmas - we used a binder (flax egg) and they just didn't crisp up right, but T's cornstarch 'n flour method (we used brown rice flour) worked perfectly (we should have used her recipe last year!)!

i told T last year i couldn't wait to try out her potato carrot latkes and it's about time i got off my ass and made these deliciousnesses. i'm so superhappyfaced we finally did - 'cause these are some seriously scrumptious (and easy to make!) latkes and i absolutely adore love the addition of carrots. they give them great color, awesome flavor, and makes latkes that much more fantastical! thanks for the yummiest latkes, T!

p.s. - we don't have a potato ricer, so we used a clean kitchen towel to wrap up the taters 'n carrots & gave the towel a good wringing over the sink. worked great, too!

vegan MoFo day twenty five: Celine's gluten free fudge brownies

2011-10-25T06:15:00.000-04:00

vegan MoFo day 25: Celine's gluten free fudge brownies.

(made with homemade, local sweet potato puree and additional chocolate chips were added to the batter)

five words: you've gotta make these happen!

vegan MoFo day twenty four: inspired by Sarah - bbq soy curled quesadillas!

2011-10-24T05:29:00.000-04:00

vegan MoFo day 24: bbq soy curled quesadillas breakfast inspired by Sarah.

if you haven't visited of Sarah's blog, I'm Vegan, and no I'm not starving, then you totally be checking it out right now! she makes crazy deeeelicious vegan eats and has the cutest little lady, Livi! you should check out her blog, fo 'sho! a bit ago she posted these ridiculously delicious look'n quesadillas stuffed with bbq soy curls and since then i've been craving them. yesterday they were created (using brown rice tortillas and cheddar daiya) and oh. my. science. were these quesadillas enjoyed to the fullest extent. mmmmmmmmmm! i'm pretty sure the remainder of the bbq soy curls will only be gobbled up inside warm quesadillas oozing with cheeze, 'cause it's simply the best! thanks, Sarah!

i also wanted to share our bourbon-maple bbq sauce recipe with you all - here ya go!

(makes enough to thoroughly cover a 1/2 bag 'o soy curls)

ingredients:
1 shot of your favorite bourbon (we use Old Crow or Jack)
1/4 large red onion, minced
1/2 cup ketchup
5 cloves o' garlic, minced
3 packed tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp maple syrup
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp blackstrap molasses
2 tsp olive oil
big pinch of sea salt
big pinch of garlic powder
big pinch of onion powder
olive oil cooking spray

what 'cha gotta do:spritz a cast iron skillet with the olive oil cooking spray. heat the pan to medium & saute the red onion with a pinch of sea salt until the onion just starts to brown. make a well in the middle of the onions and place the 2 tsp of olive oil + minced garlic in the well & once the garlic is fragrant give it a good mix'n. turn the heat to to medium-high and add add in the bourbon. let this cook down for 2 minutes then add in the apple cider vinegar. stir well & let this cook down for another 2 minutes. lower the heat to low and add in the remaining ingredients. stir well & simmer for 5 minutes.
(the soy curls we reconstituted in water + 1/2 not-chicken bouillon cube. after 10 minutes we strained the soy curls and used a coffee mug to squish all the moisture we could out of them while they were sitting in the strainer. then we tossed them in the pan with the bbq sauce and let them hang out with the heat off (but the cast iron still over the burner) for 5 minutes. that's it!))

vegan MoFo day twenty three: breakfast inspired by Jojo!

2011-10-23T05:27:00.000-04:00

vegan MoFo day 23: breakfast inspired by Jojo.

you guys know Jojo, right?! she's awesome (ridiculously awesome) and her blog vegan.in.brighton is just as fantastical as she is! for real. every post has me inspired (or jealousfaced 'cause her eats look so damn delicious) and wanting to move to brighton. :) we could be neighbors, it would be the best. and the food......oh, the food! so when i saw Jojo's breakfasting post a few days ago i just had to have something similar. it looked too good not to try and recreate in my own way. so i did.

yesterday i had clinicals and decided a proper "english breakfast" was to be had in order to fuel me up before massaging volunteers. beans 'n gluten-free toast, some sauteed mushies 'n broccoli (with a spinkle of cheddar daiya), a big thick slice 'o roasted tomato 'n asparagus to boot. i'm just gonna say this - every morning should start this way. i'd never complain. i was full for almost 8 hours and just thinking back on this breakfast makes me most happyfaced. thanks so much for the inspiration, Jojo!!! (and you can bet your boots dan and i will be incorporating dessert plates into our lives super soon!)

vegan MoFo day twenty two: friends are the best!

2011-10-22T06:56:00.000-04:00

vegan MoFo day 22: emily's black bean burgers.

my friend emily and i finally had a chance to catch up. she offered to cook dinner and i brought wine (and an unphotographed gluten-free chocolate pumpkin bread pudding), and julie, to meet her pup Lulu. she whipped up these gloriously good black bean burgers (peppers, onions, all purpose gluten-free flour, lots of tasty spices, rolled in cornmeal & sauteed in olive oil) & served them atop spinach salad with cherry tomatoes, avocado, artichokes, sriracha, a spritz of bragg's and a side of roasted (homegrown) peppers stuffed with wild rice. MEGAyum!

emily rocked out one fantastical meal (and sent me home with leftovers to share with dan. superw00t!) to fill our bellies while julie and Lulu got to know each other. lots of vegan wine was had, great conversation, and dessert was pretty darn delicious, too. don't 'cha just love vegan-friendly friends?!?! they're the best! <3

vegan MoFo day twenty one: more yummies from Jes - "cheese" enchiladas with chili con tvp

2011-10-21T06:19:00.000-04:00

vegan MoFo day 21: Jes' "cheese" enchiladas with chili con tvp.

Jes posted her "cheese" enchiladas with chili con tvp just last week and i knew this was something we had to make immediately. i mean, we had everything on hand (keeping half-empty bags of corn tortillas in the freezer) - it was meant to be! so these cheezy enchiladas were thoroughly enjoyed and let us tell you, friends - they did not disappoint. they were amazing - i love using dried peppers in mexi-eats and the "meaty" enchilada sauce is my new fav!

we did make a few adjustments and here's what we did: omitted cinnamon, added smoked paprika & chipotle powder, and subbed green & red bell peppers for the corn. next time we make these deliciousnesses i'm thinking some chopped portobello mushrooms might work really well in place of the tvp for a tasty soy-free option. so awesome!

vegan MoFo day twenty: make'n awesome with leftovers

2011-10-20T05:09:00.000-04:00

vegan MoFo day 20: make'n awesome with leftovers - scrambled grits.

the other morning i enjoyed Stephanie's nice ass greens alongside buttery grits. having some grits leftover i put my thinking cap on and decided to give them a whirl using them as the base to a scramble. and so it was - scrambled grits with black-eyed peas, tomatoes, onion, & pepper jack daiya. wowzers. so yum!

i simply sauteed the onion and tomatoes until the onion softened - then added the black-eyed peas along with a little sea salt 'n pepper. gave that a minute to get good 'n tasty then i added in about 1 tsp of olive oil & about a 1/2 cup of cold grits i had smashed up with a fork. sauteed for another few minutes to get some of the grits a little browned, then tossed in a few pinches of pepper jack daiya, cooked until melty, and that was it. this was so super delicious and the combinations you could play around with are endless. next time i'm going to make a spciy mushroom-jalapeno-onion scramble. it's gonna be glorious!

vegan MoFo day nineteen: Dawn's Gluten Free Chickpea Cutlets

2011-10-19T06:54:00.000-04:00

vegan MoFo day 19: Dawn over at Veg-am, maker of all things tasty 'n gluten-free-soy-free, posted her recipe for gluten free chickpea cutlets last summer. now i'm kicking myself in the booty for not making them sooner 'cause we could have had a whole year more to enjoy them!

xanthan gum and i aren't the bestest of friends, so i subbed in 2 tbsp mochiko flour + 2 tbsp tapioca starch + 2 flax "eggs" instead. the results worked splendidly & we took Dawn's suggestion of making them into nuggets. i was thinking something a little extra might be yummers, so the nuggets were rolled in a brown rice flour-organic corn flakes-gluten-free bread crumb mixture before baking. these little guys were super stellar and great dipped in spicy ketchup, agave nectar, and ranch dressing.

i was so excitedfaced to be enjoying them, not having had nuggets since go'n gluten-free. squeeeeeeeeeeeee! we'll be enjoying leftovers this week with some agave-mustard dressing, too. mmmm! now get in your kitchen and make Dawn's gluten free chickpea cutlets happen 'cause they're gloriously good!

vegan MoFo day eighteen: Stephanie's super scrumptious Nice Ass Greens

2011-10-18T04:27:00.000-04:00

vegan MoFo day 18: Stephanie's nice ass greens.

if you haven't bought your copy of the Sunny Days in Texas cooking zine then you need to get on it like fondant. it's filled with all kinds of ridiculously awesome recipes and 100% of the profits go to supporting Sunny Day Farms. what are you waiting for?!

when i saw Stephanie's grits 'n greens breakfast i wanted to created my own. dan's not the biggest fan of cooked greens or buttery grits which meant more for me. ;) we didn't have raisins and i topped these nice ass greens with a few shakes of Frank's hot sauce. Stephanie's greens are truly nice ass greens. i'd never think to use nooch when cooking greens and i'm so glad she did. they're so super scrumptious! so go get your greens on, guysers - they're fantastical and one delicious way to start your morning, fo 'sho!

p.s. - if you already have the Sunny Days in Texas cooking zine and/or would like to help out a little more, Team Sunny Day will be running the San Antonio Rock 'n' Roll Marathon & Half Marathon. just click here to help them out with a donation to support Sunny Day Farms!

vegan MoFo day seventeen: Jes' Fried Rice

2011-10-17T08:09:00.000-04:00

vegan MoFo day 17: Jes' fried rice.

back in the day Jes posted a crazy tasty look'n fried rice recipe. so when i saw awesome. vegan. rad.'s chinese night i remembered Jes' recipe and we had our own chinese night. sooo yum! our fried rice had mushies, broccoli, peas, carrots, onions, garlic, scallions 'n grated tofu (with a squirt 'o sriracha, of course!). it was ridiculously good and we thought the technique of drying the rice out was really cool. we'll be making this again and again!

give it a whirl, guysers - it's perfect 'n tasty in every way!

vegan MoFo day sixteen: Desdemona's truly Best Mushroom Gravy

2011-10-16T10:07:00.000-04:00

vegan MoFo day 16: Desdemona's (of The Elizavegan Page) Best Mushroom Gravy.

last MoFo Desdemona posted her Best Mushroom Gravy recipe and i made a note to make it happen. about a year later (i know, i know) we finally did. and i'm happy to report that it really, truly is the best mushroom gravy. both dan & i agree.
dan made his roasted garlic smashed potatoes and i whipped up some good 'ol crispy baked tofu. we decided broccoli was to be had 'cause, ya know, we needed something green to balance out our plates. :) i will admit to sneaking back into the kitchen to eat more gravy by the spoonful. it's just that damn good! p.s. - i almost forgot, we used chickpea flour for our flour & kept a few sliced mushies to add in at the end - it worked wonderfully.

vegan MoFo day fifteen: The Snarky Chickpea brings us chickpea ballz

2011-10-15T07:52:00.000-04:00

vegan MoFo day 15: The Snarky Chickpea's chickpea ballz.

when i saw these chickpea ballz i knew we had to have them. they sounded super easy to make and looked most excellent. subbing in tapioca starch for the wheat gluten and gluten-free bread crumbs, the ballz still held together. enjoyed on top of brown rice pasta 'n marinara they made for a crazy delicious dinner! the next day these were super tasty cold 'n dipped Amey's white bean & basil spread (and i know they'd be fantastical for chickpea ball subs)! give them a whirl, we promise you won't be disappointed!

vegan MoFo day fourteen: it's time for an xgfx Vegan Mofo survey!

2011-10-14T04:00:00.000-04:00

vegan MoFo day 14: i'm relaxing today and taking a gluten-free Vegan MoFo survey. :) "meme"s can be kinda fun - play along if you like!

1. What's your favorite gluten-free flour?
mochiko flour - because it's the most fun and i love its sticky-ness.

2. What have you always wanted to deglutenize, but haven't yet?
my grandmother's date stuffed sugar cookies.

3. What's one of your favorite xgfx meals to make?
tunaless casserole. just like my mom used to make. it makes my heart go squeeeeeeeeee just think'n about it.

4. Your biggest gluten-free success that makes ya most proud?
it's got to be pierogies. i'm still beaming!

5. Most "epic xgfx fail"?
the first time i made biscuits. inedible rocks. we tossed them out for the squirrels and even they wanted nothing to do with them.

6. What product do you wish was xgfx that isn't?
sweet & sara's original smores.

7. If you could pass along one gluten-free tip to a gluten-free newbie, what would it be?
be patient, it'll be okay. your baking world is going to be turned upside down, but it will get better and don't cry over failed xgfx baked good attempts - i wasted too many tears. ha!

8. What's your favorite xgfx product?
my local natural foods store offers this insane xgfx ranch dressing on their salad bar. i think i'm addicted. not really a product, but it's definitely my new favorite.

9. Is there anything you miss being gluten-free?
lots of stuff! i could go on and on with this one, but what i miss most of all is being able to choose anything out of a restaurant's vegan options. sometimes i stike out a lot be'n xgfx.

10. Any xgfx techniques you've learned that have been most helpful?
i'm starting to use flax eggs and a little extra oil instead of xanthan gum in a lot of recipes - so far it's been a success.

11. Have you found a favorite gluten-free pizza dough recipe that makes your heart sing?
not yet, but i'm getting there. i've probably tested my own pizza dough 20+ times and i'm still tweaking it.

12. Xanthan gum. Do you or don't you? Love it or leave it?
98% of the time i don't - 'cause i just don't like the stuff.

13. Favorite gluten free prepackaged bread.
Sami's millet & flax bread. hands down. but it's not certified because it runs on the same belt as the wheatsies. although, so far i have yet to react to it.

14. What's your favorite way to nosh on quinoa?
i love combining it with fresh corn, scallions, a little olive oil, sea salt 'n black pepper. simple & deeeelicious.

15. Name five of your most coveted pantry staples.
raw agave nectar, liquid smoke, pinto beans, brown rice pasta, tomato paste.

16. If you could only buy three gluten free flours to last you for three months, what would they be?
chickpea flour, sorghum flour, and tapioca starch.

17. Any xgfx ingredients you are intimidated about trying?
agar-agar. i've really wanted to try it out in some xgfx goods, but i haven't the ballz to do it yet.

18. Favorite place to buy foods?
our local natural foods store.

19. Favorite meal when dining out?
tofu pad thai. no egg. no fish sauce.

20. Freebee - insert your own question and have fun with it!
Do you think gluten-free seitan will ever happen? yes! i really, truly do - and i cannot wait!

vegan MoFo day thirteen: getting our pumpkin on with Manifest Vegan's cinnamon swirl pumpkin bread

2011-10-13T08:08:00.005-04:00

vegan MoFo day 13: Manifest Vegan's cinnamon swirl pumpkin bread.

when Allyson posted about her scrumdilliumptious look'n cinnamon swirl pumpkin bread last week for Vegan MoFo i knew i had get my pumpkin on. :)

being pretty well stocked in the gluten-free flours the only thing we needed was canned pumpkin. i snagged some over the weekend and made it happen. our home smelled amazing while the bread baked and the texture and flavor (look at that cinnamon swirl all up in there!) was downright magical! and as Allyson suggests, it's fantastical with a schmear of cream cheeze. heaven.

even if you're not xgfx, make this bread. you will love it. promise thomas. not only was her cinnamon swirl pumpkin bread thoroughly enjoyed by dan and i, but our neighbor and friends found it just as tasty. as i like to say, awesome all around!

vegan MoFo day twelve: tofu "fish" sticks a la Tofo Mom

2011-10-12T06:26:00.001-04:00

vegan MoFo day 12: Tofu Mom's tofu "fish" sticks.

when i was wee i ate my fair share of fish sticks. i looooved fish sticks - looooooved them. when we became vegan i never thought to try and recreate them because i didn't think it would be the same. well, i was wrong. thank you for proving me wrong, Tofu Mom - your tofu "fish" sticks rocked my world and brought back many fine 'n tasty childhood memories!

to make these gluten-free i used a little tapioca starch & brown rice flour & omitted the wheat germ. i added some minced dill pickles 'n a shake of old bay into the sauce. these "tofish" sticks are magical, my friends. magical. i envision a multitude of them in our future and i'm ridiculously happyfaced about it, fo 'sho!

p.s. - those are Ian's gluten-free onion rings in the background there. i read about them on The Laziest Vegans in the World and did a happydance in the aisle at Whole Foods when i found them. they are so yum. MEGAyay!

vegan MoFo day eleven: Jae's Chard and White Bean Saute

2011-10-11T06:17:00.000-04:00

vegan MoFo day 11: Jae's (of Domestic Affair) Chard and White Bean Saute.

i'm so glad my tastebuds have finally come around and decided swiss chard is most tasty. it's quickly becoming one of my favorite greens. so yum! i won't lie, i'm not the world's biggest fennel fan - so maybe i left out the fennel and tossed in some potatoes. oh yeah, and i thought we had pine nuts; we didn't. sadface. pepitas and sunflower seeds did the trick though.

such an easy to make, delicious, belly-fill'n bowl of yum! get to love swiss chard even more and make Jae's Chard and White Bean Saute because trust me, it's crazy delicious!

vegan MoFo day ten: Amey's White Bean & Basil Spread

2011-10-10T08:33:00.000-04:00

vegan MoFo day 10: Amey's white bean & basil spread.

Amey's blog Vegan Eats & Treats is one of my favorites. she shares her worldly adventures, delicious eats along the way (and yummy ones at home, too) and her cartoons make me most happyfaced! i saw her white bean & basil spread last MoFo and just hadn't gotten around to making it yet. we finally did and the results were most scrumptious! creamy, basily goodness - it was crazy tasty atop gluten-free bagels (show here with a side of fried green heirloom tomatoes) & dinner rolls, crackers, and it's great for dipping veggies in. it's easy to make, versatile, and awesome all around! superw00t!!!

vegan MoFo day nine: kitteebee's potato starched oven fries

2011-10-09T02:04:00.001-04:00

vegan MoFo day 9: kitteebee's pillowly 'n crunchy potato starched oven fries.

kittbee's potato starching eats left and right, my friends! get on it like fondant and give it a whirl! the texture is the bee's knees and you can spice your oven fries up however you please.

truth be told, regular 'ol oven fries have become extinct in our home ever since potato starched oven fries came along. there's no need to go back. so yum!

vegan MoFo day eight: Vegan Al Pastor Tacos brought to you all by Lazy Smurf

2011-10-08T06:43:00.000-04:00

vegan MoFo day 8: Lazy Smurf's Vegan Al Pastor Tacos.

life. is. good. it's even better when you make Stephanie's Vegan Al Pastor Tacos. we had seconds and fought over leftovers. mmmmmmmmmm! since i'm gluten-free we used soy curls and reconstituted them in the spices called for in the seitan. saved the spiced liquid and tossed it back into the pan after we sauteed and seared the soy curls with the peppers 'n onions; let the liquid cook off then added in the cola. these tacos are mind-blowing. seriously. we topped ours with an on-the-fly easy 'n spicy cucumber-pineapple-jalapeno-red onion-agave salsa. Stephanie, we can't thank you enough for sharing this recipe - it's absolutely amazing. thank you!

vegan MoFo day seven: Erin's All-In-One Scramble

2011-10-07T08:57:00.003-04:00

vegan MoFo day 7: Erin's All-In-One Scamble and toast (Sami's Millet 'n Flax bread). superw00t!

if you're looking for one helluva hearty breakfast that will keep you full for hours and also rock your socks off - Erin's All-In-One Scamble is it! this scramble started my morning off right and made my whole day that much more delicious! a tasty combination of excellence, fo 'sho!

p.s. - i didn't have any mushies on hand so i added tomatoes and topped it off with a spinkle of green onions. so versatile & soooooo yummy!

vegan MoFo day six: walnut-cranberry-tofu salad à la The Vega Mouse

2011-10-06T05:53:00.004-04:00

vegan MoFo day 6: walnut-cranberry-tofu salad.

ever since kmouse posted her new favorite salad on The Vegan Mouse i've made it about 10+ times. she kindly shared her recipe on the ppk forums here. you can revel in and enjoy all the awesomeness, too. subbing tamari for the soy sauce and using sriracha for the hotsauce, the tofu (and dressing) is absolutely magical. if i don't have walnuts i'll used toasted sunflower seeds (as seen above), and i like to add in cucumbers and tomatoes. seriously delicious in every way. i didn't know i could love salad so much. yay!

vegan MoFo day five: Mo Betta Vegan's The Hero of Canton's Half Baked Tater Salad

2011-10-05T06:02:00.005-04:00

vegan MoFo day 5: The Hero of Canton's Half Baked Tater Salad.

you all know Mo and her blog, Mo Betta Vegan: Texan. Vegan. Lover of Food (if you don't, please make a point to do so!). Mo's the best. not only is the the queen of budgeting and thiftiness, but she rocks out crazy fun vlogs, she was a guest speaker at Vida Vegan Con, and we both share a love for all things Serenity and Firefly. awesome all around!

i bookmarked Mo's potato salad last vegan MoFo and it's taken me just about a year to make it, but i finally made Mo's The Hero of Canton's Half Baked Tater Salad. never would i have though to put "bacon" bits and cheeze into potato salad, or green onions. genius and crazy tasty, Mo! we'll be making this again and again and again. it's ridiculously delicious and goes so well with a gigantical plate of grilled veggies and bbq sauced grilled tempeh. mmmmmmmmm!

vegan MoFo day four: Joni's garlic and mustard roasted brussel sprouts

2011-10-04T09:58:00.002-04:00

vegan MoFo day 4: garlic and mustard roasted brussel sprouts from Joni's blog, Just The Food.

when dan and i became vegan the first book i purchased was Cozy Inside (Joni, your potato cheeze soup had me at hello!). being vegan noobs i figured we'd have to do with out a lot of comfort foods, but fear not - Joni's recipes assured us we could still enjoy all the awesomenesses of before, just in new, tastier ways. it was magical. also, magical - brussel sprouts. so when i picked some up the other day i let out a little squeeeeee and vowed to do them justice. garlic and mustard roasted brussel sprouts were made and i don't know if there's a need for me to make my standard roasted brussels again, these are just so damn gooooooood there's no going back! thank you, Joni!

vegan MoFo day three: kale chips cheezy style - Dreamin' It Vegan's

2011-10-03T07:48:00.005-04:00

vegan MoFo day 3: these beautiful 'n bright kale chips cheezy style are brought to you by my friend JoLynn of Dreamin' It Vegan.

her recipes are always the yummiest and her cheezy kale chips were the best we've had! i'm really dig'n using blended cashews in kale chips, and with the tasty addition of red bell pepper and tomato - they're mighty tasty and make stomachs most happyfaced!

vegan MoFo day two: Melisser's jackfruit carnitas tacos

2011-10-02T11:09:00.009-04:00

vegan MoFo day 2: jackfruit carnitas tacos brought to you by the ever-so lovely Melisser of The Urban Housewife.

you should be kicking yourself in the bootyus maximus if you have yet to make Melisser's jackfruit carnitas tacos. we're kicking ourselves, fo 'sho. why it has taken us this damn long to make these magical, spicy, glorious carnitas tacos is beyond my comprehension. i get a little sadfaced thinking about all the years i've missed out. so do yourselves a favor and make them if you haven't already (and make them again if you have)!

sweet silvester, they're oh-sooooooooo delicious in every way!

vegan MoFo day one: broccoli rice casserole - It Ain't Meat, Babe's style

2011-10-01T10:35:00.016-04:00

this vegan MoFo we'll be bringing you all other people's delicious recipes. we have countless recipes saved that need to be made & enjoyed. we've got 31 days of yum come'n your way! here we go...............

vegan MoFo day 1: broccoli rice casserole courtesy of Jennifer from
It Ain't Meat, Babe.

verdict: absolutely awesome!

we had a little cheddar daiya leftover so i sprinkled just a bit on top of the broccoli for extra cheezy goodness. Jennifer's broccoli rice casserole rocked our world and was just as tasty as Kiersten's cheesy broccoli rice casserole we cooked up last year.

easy 'n awesome comfort food. it doesn't get much better than this!

p.s. - it's still crazy busy around here with full time work + school + clinicals, so the MoFo posts are gonna be pretty short (sorry!), but we wanted to share all the awesomenesses other fellow vegan bloggers are making. i just didn't want to miss out on MoFo this year - it's our fourth year participating. squeeeeee!

bring on other people's awesomenesses!

2011-07-22T10:17:00.015-04:00

well hellllllllllo and hiya, everyone! thought i'd say howdy and give you all an update. one is in order, fo 'sho! but first i'm bringing on the eats!

i'm gonna start off with cookies. 'cause you know, almost everyone likes cookies. these beauties are Allyson's chewy chocolate chip cookies. we replace the dates with toasted walnuts (dan's fav)and they're hands down our favorite cookie. added bonus: everyone we feed 'em too hasn't a clue they're gluten-free and loves them just as much. huzzah!

while i'm talking about Allyson i'm gonna show off some of the tester recipes we've been trying out (when we can find the time) for her upcoming cookbook. mac 'n cabbage polenaise. this is only mac 'n cheeze we don't put hot sauce on - it's already that perfect. 'nuff said. :)

now we're moving on to stuffed cabbages. and here i thought my recipe for stuffed cabbages was the bee's knees.... turns out Allyson's is even better and her recipe is incredibly simple and oh-so wonderful in every way!

back in may i reviewed Ricki's ebook Good Morning! Breakfasts Without Gluten, Sugar, Eggs or Dairy over on xgfx. here's just one of the many goodies we cooked up from her glorious ebook - her Frittata with Zucchini and Chard. we took Ricki's suggestion to play around with the veggies, as dan isn't the biggest fan of zucchini or chard, and ended up with a scrumptious mushroom-bell pepper-spinach-asparagus-cherry tomato frittata. wow is all we had to say. just wow! and every recipe we made we said the same thing. you all can check out the rest of the review here on xgfx if you wanna. might i suggest you also get your hands on Ricki's ebook. you won't regret it - it's the best!

now it's update time: dan graduated from fire fighter recruit school back in june and he's now a career fire fighter with Chesterfield County. i am beaming and oh-so proud of him! a while back he decided to follow his heart and leave his job as a network engineer - and i really started listening to mine and tried to figure out what would make it sing. in listening to my heart and honoring myself i knew i needed to be helping people on their paths to wellness. i enrolled in massage therapy school and since the 2nd of may that's what i've been doing - going back to school to become a certified massage therapist. i'm so excited!!!!! it's a little crazy at the moment with my full time (+ overtime) job and school (+ clinicals), but life is good, my friends. it really, truly is! i'm trying to get my brain all spongy and awesome again to soak up all the anatomy we're learning and it's been amazing getting to massage people in our clinicals and classes. absolutely amazing. while we've got nuttyboo schedules and hecticness going on, it's all awesome and i can't complain. needless to say i've been behind in reading everyone's rock'n posts (i hope to catch up in the upcoming weeks. i cannot wait!) and we're not creating anything new in the kitchen right, but i wanted to stop in and share some tester recipes and other people's uber delicious eats with you guysers. i miss you all so much and i hope everything is awesome with you all, too!

pizza, bowls, 'n beans

2011-04-20T07:53:00.000-04:00

hiya, everyone!

just wanted to share some simple eats from the past few days. xgfx.org has launched i've had more free time, which is awesome for blogging and catching up on everyone's tasty posts. superw00t!

this past sunday was pizza day. i'm getting closer and closer to my perfected xgfx pizza crust, but i'm not quite there just yet. (i know, i know...) almost there though, and of course i'll be sharing the recipe when i get it exactly where i want it.
i can be pretty fussy about my pizza crust and i think that's why it's taking me such a long time to get it juuuuust right. i've been experimenting with all kinds of flour and starch combinations and i know it'll be postable soon. :) this pizza was topped with slow roasted tomatoes, baby portobello mushies, and lots of fresh garlic 'n crushed red pepper. muy delicioso!

my sister and i make it a point to get together every monday for dinner. we switch off who cooks each week and this monday it was my turn. janine's never tried our beans 'n rice before and i took dan's suggestion to try brown rice this time around. 'twas the most delicious switch-up and we thought the flavors worked better with the brown rice. guess we'll be sticking with brown rice for our beans 'n rice from now on. so yum!

yesterday i needed a quick meal before my hoop dance class so i made a Lauren-inspired bowl. Lauren's always making these delicious bowls of food loaded with tons of veggies and topped with a crumbled sunshine burger and either pickles or sauerkraut.
i followed her lead and made my own: a crumbled sunshine burger atop a bowl of lightly steamed collards & roasted broccoli. i added a bit of raw sauerkraut, some raw pumpkin seeds, and drizzled it all with a delicious tahini dressing (tahini, lemon juice, chipotle powder, smoked paprika, nooch, and rice vinegar). i have to say it's the best buddha style bowl i've had to date. thanks so much for the inspiration, Lauren. you're the best!

i hope everyone is having an amazing week so far! i'm going to leave you all with a cute picture of our foster cat, Miranda.
she wasn't doing so well over at Richmond Animal League (she wasn't very happy and getting pretty darn depressed about things) so dan and i figured we'd care for her in our home until she finds her forever family. she's such a sweet girl & super sassy look'n, too. i love it!

yipeeeeeeeeee!

2011-04-17T02:57:00.004-04:00

xgfx is here! kittee, Allyson, and i have been working on xgfx for more than half a year and it's finally here. wahooooooooooo!

gluten-free goodies all around!

2011-04-13T04:17:00.003-04:00

i've been one busy bee with all things xgfx (we're launching the full site this sunday, april 17th!), but i'm taking a little break today to share some gluten-free vegan (xgfx) love that's been going around. :)

you guysers ready?!?!?! let's go!

earlier last month K organized a fantastical gluten-free swap over on the ppk boards. my swap partner was Lisa from vegan culinary crusade, and let me tell you, she rocks the most socks! check it out:
i received the yummiest cashew cookies of all time, xgfx granola bars (blueberry & ginger. so yum!), raw curry pumpkin nori crackers (amazing with hummus & also on their own.), a nanaimo bar (zomg, i've never had one before and i swear, they might be life changing.), & a salted chocolate pecan caramel bar (it's the best chocolate bar i've had to date. well, it ties with the nanaimo bar. i loved it so much i didn't want to share it with dan, but he twisted my arm.). everything was soooo super awesome and i'd never had any of the goodies before. all new to me and all so awesome. thanks a bahbillion, Lisa - you are amazing and too super sweet!

dan and i have been enjoying old favorites lately because we're pressed for time and haven't had the energy to create many new dishes (he's still in recruit school to become a professional fire fighter, i've been working on xgfx awesomeness, and also started hooping while keeping up with my yoga practice & volunteering with Richmond Animal League
R.A.L.), but i have mucho delicious foods to share having returned from ny. my sister and i drove up last week, met ryan in the city for fun times there, and then drove out to sag harbor (long island) where he now lives to spend a few days with him.

babycakes. then we drove over to see our aunt susie in Brooklyn. she's a curator at the Brooklyn Museum and her Tipi exhibit is showing so we checked it out. she gave us the tour herself (because she's the best) - it was just as glorious as we thought it would be. after museum awesomeness we split up for a bit so i could meet Barbara of Gone Pie Bakery. i had mentioned i was coming up to nyc and she said she wanted to bake up some xgfx goodies for me to try & take our on our trip to long island. MEGAyay! boy did she hook it up..... those are her macaroons, sesame-peanut cookies, chocolate chip cookies, frosted triple nut coconut brownies, and a mango crystallized ginger coffee cake - all gluten-free and all rocked our world! i've gotta say, Barbara is one bad ass vegan baker and she really knows her stuff. we chatted about all things xgfx for a while and i was smiling ear to ear - it was wonderful to meet her and talk with her. superw00ts all around!

after chatting with Barabara i met back up with janine and ryan at Caravan of Dreams - our cousin and her friend joined us - we ate like kings. ryan's maple smoked tempeh with fingerling potatoes and ramps was pretty darn delicious despite the fact that the smoked flavor was a bit on the heave side and totally overpowered the maple. janine ordered the wild rice and cremini risotto croquettes and found them to be most excellent - she almost licked her plate clean. i decided to take advantage of Caravan's live foods and ordered a live pizzetta which consisted of a kefir cashew cheeze, olives, marinara, avocado, mixed lettuces and mushies all atop a pumpkin seed crust. everything wowed us all!

after lots of catching up, sharing stories and laughter we parted ways with my cuz and her friend and had ourselves a short little walk over to Lula's to get our dessert on. i had a scoop of mint chip on a gluten-free cone & it was most excellent, as Lula's always is. huzzah! after ice cream we drove out to long island, drank wine at the farmhouse ryan has been watching for a while, and headed off to bed. it was a long day filled with lots of driving, but a fun & tasty day nonetheless.

friday we headed over to Provisions to see the organic & natural store ryan works for, grab some lunch, and ingredients for our dinner party. we have some family on long island and invited them over along with a friend of ryan's for dinner at the farmhouse. after meeting and greeting ryan's super friendly coworkers, enjoying lunch, and shopping for more foods we headed out to the Elizabeth A. Morton Wildlife Refuge to walk on the trails,
feed the birds (that's me with a black capped chickadee), and walk out on the beach. our aunt susie has her summer home in sag harbor and she lives right down the road from this refuge. when we were little we'd always head out to feed the birds (mostly the tufted titmouse and the black capped chickadees would take seed from our hands) there and hunt for tiny little shells on the beach. it's such a calm and peaceful place for lovely walk and lots of catching up, and that's just what we did.

friday night's dinner party was a success. ryan, janine and i cooked up a ton of marinara and used it in our portobello-roasted eggplant lasagna (we made thin polenta noodles, too). (the lasagna was topped with white bean-pine nut-cashew cheeze to top it off and everyone including those skeptical dislikers of mushrooms) raved about our dish. a success, indeed!

saturday was a a trip to Montauk, but not before we hit up Provisions for picnic foods to take along for our lunch of didi's mac 'n cheeze, a handful of brad's indian flavored raw chips & organic cucumber slices and cherry tomatoes for hummus dipping. after fueling ourselves with delicious eats we headed down to the beach near the lighthouse out on Montauk. the waves were making the neatest sounds on the rounded stones on the beach - we sat out on the rocks for a while in the sun and warmed ourselves. i even fell asleep listening to the ocean - i think i was truly relaxed. yay! after cat napping on the rocks we wandered around a bit more, headed back towards sag harbor to catch a movie, and enjoyed vegan sushis at Sen with ryan's friend. it was such a perfect day.

sunday janine and i packed our bags and drove on back to rva, we were sad to leave, but so happyfaced we had such an excellent time visiting with ryan, enjoying tasty eats, catching up with everyone, and getting to spend lots of time together.

i'm leaving you all with a cute picture of a little chickadee on ryan's hand from our walk at the wildlife refuge.
thanks for reading along, everyone. we'll catch you all later!

more indian deliciousness! oh yes, and Pemmington the foster dog!

2011-03-08T07:10:00.015-05:00

this past sunday we enjoyed another array of indian deliciousnesses. while these dishes didn't require as much time as last week's extravaganza, they were just as gloriously good! dan absolutely adores potatoes and so the hara bhara kababs (potato-spinach-pea patties) were made with him in mind. there's some frozen okra in the freezer that's been there for a while, hence the bhindi sabji (spicy okra & tomatoes), and the chickpea-red bean rajma (bean curry) was created out of our mutual love for red beans & chickpeas. mmmmmmmmmmmmm! all together on one plate, topped off with a little green chutney, and served over turmeric basmati rice for the ultimate in awesomeness. perhaps every sunday should be reserved for cooking & enjoying indian eats, i'm think'n. ;)

ingredients for the hara bhara kabab (potato-spinach-pea patties):
4 medium sized potatoes, cubed & boiled until done
2 cups fresh spinach
½ onion, chopped
½ cup peas (thawed, if frozen)
3 green onions, thinly sliced & chopped
3 cloves ‘o garlic, crushed & minced
½” fresh ginger, peeled & grated
small handful of cilantro
1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
2 tsp safflower oil
2 tsp cumin seeds, toasted & ground
1 tsp ground roasted coriander
¼ - ½ tsp sea salt
a few pinches of black pepper

what you’ll need:
- food processor
- large mixing bowl
- potato smasher
- large skillet
- lightly oiled baking sheet

what’cha gotta do for the hara bhara kabab:
(traditionally these little patties are fried, but when you live with a fire fighter and are a bit of a noodle bowl (goof) in the kitchen it’s better to bake them. if you’d like to fry ‘em please do so – but they’re ever-so lovely baked. )

heat 2 tsp oil in the skillet on medium heat. sauté the onions, garlic and ginger until the onion beings to soften. add in the spices, stir well, and cook for another minute. toss the spinach into the skillet and cook until wilted completely (about 3 minutes). transfer the awesome onion-spinach concoction into the food processor - add cilantro and whiz into a paste. smash the potatoes in the large mixing bowl, toss in the pureed onion-spinach-cilantro mixture along with the green onions, peas, and lemon juice. combine well & adjust seasonings to taste. refrigerate mixture for at least an hour (i made ours in the morning so it chilled for about 8 hours). form patties with your hands and place them on a lightly oiled baking sheet. bake on 350 for 40 minutes, gently turning them over halfway through the cooking time. that's it. drizzle on a little chutney & gobble up!

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ingredients for the green chutney:
1/3 cup raw cashews
1/3 cup plain unsweetened almond milk (any plain plant milk should work well) + a few tbsp (to achieve the consistency you love the most)
1 green onion
1 small clove of garlic
1 tsp agave nectar (we used raw agave)
large handful of fresh cilantro
1 tsp red chili flakes
1 tsp white vinegar
a few pinches of sea salt

what you’ll need:
- blender

what’cha gotta do to make the green chutney:
puree everything together in your blender until well combined. adjust seasonings to taste and get your drizzle on!

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ingredients for the chickpea-red bean rajma (bean curry):
2 cups cooked chickpeas
2 cups cooked kidney beans
1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
½ bell pepper, finely chopped
1 cup veggie broth
1 cup tomato sauce (we used an 8 ounce can)
6 cloves o’ garlic, minced
1 jalapeno, de-seeded & minced
2 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp roasted ground coriander
½ tsp garam masala
pinch of turmeric
1 tbsp safflower oil
small handful of cilantro, chopped
juice from ½ a lime
a few pinches of sea salt

what you’ll need:
- blender (optional, you can always use a potato smasher instead)
- large pot + lid

what’cha gotta do to make the chickpea-red bean rajma:
heat oil in the large pot on medium heat. add the cumin seeds and sauté (stirring constantly) until very fragrant. add onion, bell pepper, jalapeno, and garlic and sauté until the onion & peppers begins to soften (don’t let them brown). stir in the tomato sauce, coriander and garam masala and cook for another 2 minutes, stirring frequently. add the beans & cook for another minute. stir in veggie broth, bring everything to a boil, then cover & reduce to a simmer, cooking the stew for 20-30 minutes. transfer about 2 cups worth of the stew to your blender and puree. add the puree back to the pot, stir in the lime juice, fresh cilantro, and a few pinches of sea salt. adjust seasonings to taste & you’re g-t-g (good-to-go). serve over basmati rice or rosti potatoes.

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ingredients for the bhindi sabji (spicy okra & tomatoes):
4 large tomatoes, diced
3 cups chopped okra (thawed, if using frozen)
½ yellow onion, finely diced
½ bell pepper, finely diced
1 jalapeno pepper, de-seeded & minced
2 cloves of garlic, crushed & minced
1 tsp red chili flakes
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp coriander power
2 tsp safflower oil
1 tbsp fresh lime

what you’ll need:
- large skillet & lid

what’cha gotta do to make the bhindi sabji:
heat oil in the skillet. sauté garlic, peppers (bell & jalapeno), and onions until everything begins to soften. add the tomatoes and cook until they being to break down (about 5 minutes). add all the spices and the okra. combine & cover with lid. let the bhindi sabji simmer for about 30 minutes then stir in lime juice. give it a taste, adjust seasonings if needed, & enjoy!

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and last, but never least, we wanted you all to "meet" our foster dog, Pemmington! we’ve started foster caring for Richmond Animal League last week and i’m so excited to be foster caring again. a few years back i worked for the Richmond SPCA as a medical technician – over the course of 3 years we fostered about 100+ animals in that time. after leaving the SPCA we took a break, but missed it since and i’m glad we're helping out again. julie’s doing great with Pemmington and he’s adjusting well in his temporary home with us. he’s awesome with other dogs, LOVES to play fetch with his ball, he’s all about his squeaky toys, long walks, and cuddling up on the couch. he’s not the best with cats or small children (he doesn’t have the best manners when it comes to them), but he’s such a fantastical little dude. i'll be taking him to the Metro Richmond Pet Saver Adopt-a-thon this saturday to show him off and (hopefully) find him his forever home! fingers crossed!

indian eats extravaganza!

2011-03-01T07:06:00.003-05:00

knowing this week was going to be another crazy one we spent a couple 'o hours in the kitchen this past sunday cooking up a ridiculous amount of indian eats for one crazy delicious dinner and enough leftovers to carry us well through wednesday. (run on sentence, anyone?!) on the menu: malia kofta, kittee’s saag (another ever-so-make-you-go-mmmmmmmm gloriously awesome tester recipe!), red lentil dahl, cilantro-corn fritters, spicy turmeric basmati rice, pickled red onions, and a mint-chile sauce. whew - and yay, yay, YAY!

it took us a bit in the kitchen to crank everything out (we also made gluten-free naan for moi and glutenous naan for dan. not photographed because we ate it all before i could think about it), but the flavors, textures.....the goodness of it all was oh-so worth the time. indian eats are pretty darn cheap ‘n easy (insert “your mom” joke) to create, and this smorgasbord of deliciousnesses was just that - cheap 'n easy to create. all the awesome we enjoyed (and are still enjoying) was well worth the epic cook-off. are you ready for a few of the recipes?!?! okay.....let’s go!

ingredients for the malia kofta balls:
3 small russet potatoes, boiled until cooked through
½ yellow onion, diced
3 cloves o’ garlic, crushed & minced
¼“ ginger, peeled & chopped
3 green onions, very finely chopped (white & green parts!)
big ‘ol handful of fresh cilantro, chopped
2 slices ‘o gluten-free bread
¼ cup raw cashew pieces
2 tsp safflower oil
½ tsp black pepper
½ tsp cumin seeds
½ tsp paprika
½ tsp sea salt
¼ tsp garam masala
pinch of cayenne pepper

ingredients for the malia kofta gravy:
2 large tomatoes, finely diced
6 mushrooms, finely diced
3 big cloves o’ garlic, crushed & minced
½ yellow onion, finely diced
½ bell pepper, finely diced
½ cup veggie broth
¼ cup coconut milk (or any non-diary milk)
2 tbsp chickpea flour
2 tsp safflower oil
1 tsp toasted ground coriander
½ tsp cumin
½ tsp black pepper
¼ tsp turmeric
¼ tsp sea salt
juice from ½ a lime
handful of fresh cilantro, chopped
handful of fresh parsley, chopped

what you’ll need:
- food processor
- large mixing bowl
- medium pot + lid
- 2 skillets/saucepans (small & medium-sized)
- baking sheet
- cooking spray

what’cha gotta do to make it all happen:
start with the potato balls: in one skillet toast up those cumin seeds & cashews on medium heat. set aside. place the 2 tsp of oil in the other skillet and heat to medium and sauté the onions and ginger until the onions become clear. add the garlic to the onions and sauté for another minute. add the remaining spices for the malia kofta balls and let it cook for another minute. remove the spiced onion mix from the stove & transfer to the food processor. add to the food processor those toasted cashew pieces & cumin seeds, slices of gluten-free bread, and cilantro. whiz it up until it’s pretty well combined then transfer the whole mess o’ yum to the large mixing bowl (which you could use to smash up those potatoes) & add the smashed potatoes & green onions. combine well & adjust seasonings to taste. form a bunch ‘o walnut sized balls and place them on the baking sheet that’s been spritzed with a little cooking spray. bake the malia kofta balls on 350 (no need to preheat) for 20 minutes. turn them over & bake another 10. while your balls are baking get your gravy on!

in the medium pot, on medium heat, sauté the onions, bell pepper, mushrooms & garlic until the onions become soft (don’t let them brown). add in the spices & sauté for another minute. toss in the chopped tomatoes & veggie broth. bring everything to a boil, cover, and reduce the heat – simmer for 10 minutes. uncover, add the coconut milk, and whisk in the chickpea flour. toss in the cilantro, parsley and lime juice, adjust seasonings to taste, and set aside.

to serve: ladle gravy over malia kofta balls & enjoy!

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ingredients for the red lentil dahl:
1½ cups red lentils, rinsed until the water runs clear
1 big carrot, finely diced
½ yellow onion
½ cup veggie broth
1 tbsp olive oil
1” ginger, peeled & grated
3 cloves o’ garlic, crushed & minced
½ tsp ground cumin
½ tsp ground coriander
¼ tsp smoked paprika
¼ tsp turmeric
just from ½ a small lemon
sea salt & black pepper to taste

what you’ll need:
- large skillet
- medium pot

what’cha gotta do:
place rinsed red lentils & enough water to cover them + 2” in the medium pot. bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer until soft (about 10 minutes). drain and set aside.

sauté the onions, ginger, and carrots on medium heat in 2 tsp of oil until the carrots are almost tender. stir often as to not let those onions get all brown on ya. toss in all the spices and garlic – sauté for another 2 minutes. add the cooked lentils and veggie broth – cooking everything on low for another 5-10 minutes. stir in the lemon juice, adjust seasonings to taste, and gobble it up!

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ingredients for the cilantro-corn fritters:
2 cups o’ frozen corn, boiled for 2-3 minutes & drained
3 green onions, finely sliced (white & green parts)
3 cloves o’ garlic, crushed & minced
2 shallots, minced
very large handful of fresh cilantro, chopped
a few pinches of cayenne pepper
2 tsp safflower oil
¼ cup chickpea flour
½ tsp sea salt
½ tsp black pepper

what you’ll need:
- food processor
- large skillet
- large bowl
- baking sheet
- canola oil cooking spray

what’cha gotta do:
in the large skillet heat 2 tsp oil on medium heat. sauté shallots and garlic for 2-3 minutes then add the cooked corn & a few pinches of cayenne pepper. sauté for about 3 minutes and transfer to the food processor. add cilantro, sea salt, and pepper – whiz it up until no whole corn pieces remain and the mixture is smooth-ish (we say “ish” because it is rather lumpy, just not chunky – if that makes any sense). toss the whizzed up corn ‘n garlic mixture into the large bowl and add chickpea flour & green onions. mix well. cover the bowl & refrigerate for at least an hour.

once your fritter mix is good 'n cold clean up the large skillet, spritz with a generous amount of canola oil cooking spray, and heat to medium-high. in batches, drop generous spoonfuls of fritter batter into the skillet & cook for a minute to two (or until the bottoms are well browned). flip them over and cook for another minute or two. transfer the fritters to the oil-spritzed baking sheet & bake the fritters on 350 for 10 minutes. flip & bake for another 5-10. remove from heat & squeeeeeee! these are awesome with a little chutney or chile-mint sauce (mint + red chili flakes + lime juice + water + sugar/agave nectar).

almost forgot about those pickled onions! combine 1 cup white vinegar + ¼ cup sugar + 1 tsp red chili flakes + ½ tsp mustard & cumin seeds in a jar along with 1 thinly sliced red onion. refrigerate for about 8 hours and your g-t-g (good to go)!

other people's awesomenesses!

2011-02-24T07:32:00.009-05:00

i'm starting to feel kinda bad because we're always talking about how darn busy things are around here, but we really are two very busy bees. dan's knee-deep in his fire fighter recruit school and i'm working hard to make life easy for him while he's getting his booty kicked every weekday. i'm making sure to sit every day for meditation and practice tons of yoga to keep my head on straight, and i've been having super fun adventure times with julie (which makes both of us most happyfaced!), too. so while we're not blogging as much or creating any new recipes worth sharing right now, we're still here and do'n well and kick'n booty as best we can!

now on to other people's awesomenesses!

first up we've got a big 'ol plate of Lazy Smurf's gallo pinto, tequila-lime-agave 'fu & arepas. yes, indeedy! waaaaay back in december i read about her pinto gallo obsession and knew i had to try it. if someone's singing the praises of their favorite dish i wanna be on it like fondant. dan and i are all about some rice 'n beans these days and i can tell you that Lazy Smurf's gallo pinto is the best darn rice 'n beans dish we've both had! at first i was thinking of skipping out on getting some dried ancho chile peppers because you know, sometimes a girl just wants to be all lazy boned 'n stuff, but i'm glad i got off my bum and grabbed some - they're ridiculously good. plus, toasted and grinding your own spices is some serious badassery. wow, wow, WOW to this pinto gallo on one bahbillion levels. puuuulease do yourselves a favor and make this. it's even yummy with pinto beans instead of black beans (if you're a noodle bowl like me and realized you didn't have any black beans on hand). go get your gallo pinto on, folks!!!

while we're talk'n about noodle bowls....check out this scrumptrulescent bowlful of kittee's pho. yeah, that's right - pho! complete with some saucy baked tempeh triangles, kittee's xgfx sausage ballz, and lots of other crazy delicious ingredients. kittee's cook'n up a fantastical xgfx zine and we're so lucky to be testers! her pho recipe is on her site, but you're gonna have to wait for the xgfx zine to get the sausage ball recipe, my friends. trust us though - it's worth the wait. dan's never had pho and it's been ages since my last bowl. all we can say is that kittee's pho blows all other pho outta the water. while we were slurp'n our pho we didn't say a word - only mmmmmmmmms, ohhhhs, and yays! if you wanna see more tester teasers you can check out more absolutely excellent goodies in Allyson's rock'n & rad post. awesome all around!

'cause we don't have any fun recipes of our own to share with you all today, here's a fun picture of julie-beans on the river rocks this past friday afternoon. she & i had a momma bear-baby bear (sometimes i call her my baby bear - i know, it's cheezy as hell. poor julie has a bahbillion nicknames: puff, stinky, bean, ju, jujubee, silly bear, noodle, fuzz-butt, chick-a-dee, jelly bean.....just to name a few.) day together. i ended up taking a half day and we had quite the adventure on the foot trails and on the rocks down at the james river. an excellent time - we wore ourselves out.

until next time, my friends. toooodles!

black bean stew over coconutty cilantro-lime rice & xgfx awesomeness!

2011-02-08T15:15:00.013-05:00

last week we needed a super fast meal – it was getting late and our tummies were rumbling. i can’t remember what we originally had on the menu, but it wasn’t happening. what did happen was the best damn beans ‘n rice kinda meal we’ve had in a looooooong, looooong time. after dinner dan and i both confessed to already looking forward to devouring our leftovers for lunch the next day. this is that good. sure, the photo isn't the most appetizing (it was late at night and it is a dark stew), but it's damn delicious and comes together crazy fast – 30 minutes, if that. yay!

ingredients:
1 cup uncooked white rice (we used basmati)
1 cup water
1 cup light coconut milk (you can use full-fat if you like, we had the light on hand)
1/2 red bell pepper, finely diced
1/2 green pepper, finely diced
1/2 red onion, finely diced
2 cups cooked black beans
2 cups veggie broth (or 2 cups water + 1/2 veggie bouillon cube)
2 shallots, minced
4 cloves o' garlic, crushed & minced
1 habanero pepper, de-seeded & minced (use a jalapeno for less heat)
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp coriander
1 bay leaf
lots of chopped fresh cilantro & parsley
1 tbsp cornstarch
tons of chopped green onions
juice from 1 lime, divided
sea salt & lots o’ fresh cracked pepper

what you’ll need:
- strainer
- medium pot
- olive oil cooking spray
- medium pot + lid
- potato smasher
- small bowl

what'cha gotta do:
pour 1 cup of water & 1 cup of coconut milk into one of your medium sized pots. pour your rice in the strainer and give it a good rinse. add the rice to the pot with the water & coconut milk. bring it all to a boil, give it one good stir, cover & turn to low – let this cook for 20 minutes then sit covered off of the head for another 5 minutes.

while your rice is making itself awesome get a pan heated up with a little olive oil cooking spray spritzed all up in there. saute the peppers, onion, garlic, shallots, and habanero on medium heat until the onion softens. add in the black beans & all the spices - saute for another 3-5 minutes. toss in the veggie stock & bay leaf, bring it to a boil, cover with lid then reduce to a simmer. cook for about 10 minutes. remove lid and smash up the beans a good bit. a few whole black beans is cool, but you’re look’n to smash most of them up. place cornstarch in the little bowl and mix it with a little cooking liquid from the stew until it's well combined - then add it to the black beans & stir everything until it thickens up a bit more. remove from heat & find that bay leaf – get it outta there. squeeze in juice from 1/2 of your lime & toss in 1/2 the parsley & cilantro you chopped up. go ahead and add in 1/2 of those green onions, too. adjust seasonings to taste & let it veg out for a few minutes while you finish the rice. once rice is done add the juice from the other ½ of the lime + the remaining parsley & cilantro - add in a little sea salt 'n lots of fresh cracked pepper. get a bowl big enough to fit your appetite, add in some coconutty rice & smother it all with the beans – top with some more cilantro and green onions. oh yeah, it’s even more glorious with sliced avocado on top. enjoy!

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some of you guysers may have seen this adorable and fun badge floating around on the interwebs. if you click on it you’ll be swooshed over to a magical place full of other xgfx peeps (xgfx = gluten-free vegan)- it's the xgfx web community.
MEGAsuperw00t! kittee of cake maker to the stars, Allyson of Manifest Vegan, & i have banded together to bring you all some fantastical xgfx awesomeness. this is all part of mucho bigger project that we’re working on - so put your patience pants on & keep check’n back!

gumbo(ish)!

2011-02-02T07:08:00.003-05:00

this is an “ish”-dish because we’ve never had traditional gumbo before so we winged this one after searching around online for traditional gumbo recipes. not too sure how authentic our gumbo is, but it was really fun taking bits and pieces from recipes & adding in our twists to make one fantastically tasty dish! we had half a bag o’ soy curls leftover in the freezer and 2 portobellos that wanted to be eaten – so gumbo it was! i don’t think traditional gumbo has mushies in it, but they add a nice meaty texture and a darn good flavor to the gumbo. we used a whole habanero pepper, so if you’re looking for something with less fire go easy on the habanero or sub in a jalapeno or two. we absolutely looooooved this gumbo - i think the yumminess comes from the glorious roux. the gumbo wasn’t difficult to make, it just took some time, but we had plenty of that sunday afternoon and made it happen.

gumbooooo(ish)

ingredients:
½ bag o’ soy curls, crushed (or 1 cup of tvp) - you can always omit to make it soy-free!
2 portobello mushies, diced small
3 large tomatoes, chopped
1 medium white onion, finely diced
1 green pepper, finely diced
2 stalks ‘o celery, finely diced
2-3 cups okra (we used frozen)
3 cups water
1 veggie bouillon cube (or 3 cups of veggie broth instead of the water)
handful of parsley, roughly chopped
handful of cilantro, roughly chopped
juice from ½ a lime
3 cloves of galic, crushed & minced
1 habanero pepper, very finely minced (we kept the seeds ribs in for extra heat)
2 tbsp chickpea flour
1 tbsp brown rice flour
¼ cup safflower oil (or any other high-heat oil)
2 tbsp g-f & vegan worcestershire sauce
2 bay leaves
1 tbsp chili powder
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp black pepper (or 20ish turns of your fresh pepper mill)
½ tsp sea salt
¼ tsp coriander
¼ tsp onion powder
¼ tsp garlic powder

what you’ll need:
- olive oil cooking spray
- small saucepan
- whisk
- baking sheet
- large pot + lid
- small pot + lid
- strainer
- large mixing bowl
- small mixing bowl

what’cha gotta do:
spray the baking sheet with lots of olive oil cooking spray & place the chopped tomatoes on there. roast the tomatoes on 300 degrees for about an hour to an hour & a half. set aside.

once your tomatoes are finishing up with the roasting, add the veggie bouillon cube + 3 cups of water to your small pot & bring it all to a boil. once boiling, add in the soy curls, cover & remove from heat. let this chill out for 10 minutes while you spray the large pot with olive oil cooking spray & heat to medium.

add the garlic, celery, onion, green pepper, and habanero pepper to the large pot. sauté, stirring often, until the onions becomes clear. in the small mixing bowl combine all of your spices – then add JUST HALF of them to the sautéed veggie mix (reserving the other half of the spices for those soy curls & mushies later on). stir half of the spices into the veggies and let it cook for another 3ish minutes. now get back to those soy curls! :)

place the strainer over the large bowl & dump it all into the strainer so the excess water is caught in the large mixing bowl (waste not, my friends!). press the soy curls (i like to use a coffee mug for this) to remove a lot more water then set the curls aside for a few minutes.

get back to your spicy veggie mix & add in the roasted tomatoes, okra, and reserved veggie broth (leftover from the soy curls). bring everything to a boil, then reduce the heat, add in 2 bay leaves & worcestershire sauce, and cover. let this simmer for about a half an hour.

spray the small saucepan with a generous amount of olive oil cooking spray and sauté the soy curls for 3-5 minutes. add in the portobello mushies and the remaining ½ of the spices. sauté until all the moisture from the mushies is cooked off and set aside. now on to the roux!

clean out the small pot you used for the soy curls & add in the safflower oil. heat the oil on high heat and once hot add in the flours. whisk like a crazy person and keep on whisking for a few minutes – continually so the flours do not burn. they’ll turn a beige color (like peanut butter), then to a darker beige, and finally to a dark brown. once the roux is a dark brown color remove it from the heat and add it to the pot ‘o gumbo. stir & cover the gumbo once again. (if you want to have your gumbo over rice get a move on and make that now!)

uncover the gumbo after 30 minutes of simmering and add in the mushies and soy curls. stir in the lime juice, cilantro, & parsley and let this all kinda hang out off of the heat & uncovered for about 10 minutes. adjust seasonings to taste, top with some green onions, more cilantro, and fresh cracked pepper (if you like) & enjoy!

it's gonna be one helluva megapost.....

2011-01-27T07:06:00.004-05:00

i guess i needed more of a break after Vegan MoFo than predicted. i sure missed you guys and i’m mucho excxited to have some time coming up to start catching up on everyone’s crazy delicious posts! we’ve had a lot going on these past two months and i’m finally feeling a little more grounded.

i’m gonna begin this gigantical megapost with a sadfaced note guysers, so if you’re not feeling it just skip on down to the eats we’ve enjoyed.

a few weeks earlier we had to let Jasmine go.
my parents were kind enough to let her stay with us as of August as she and Julie really seemed to enjoy each other’s company. our family had cared for Jasmine ever since i began high school and she lived with my parents once we all left the house – she loved living in the country with them, but as she grew older she needed a little more assistance that dan and i were able to provide her as i come home on my lunch breaks and am up very early in the mornings. dan had built her a little bridge (complete with little railings) off of our back porch so she wouldn’t have to take the steps any longer to get into the back yard on our way out to the field for long walks with Julie. it was super cute to see a little more pep in Jasmine’s step as she walked with Julie and it warmed by heart to see Julie being ever-so patient with Jasmine – waiting for her when she would be walking more slowly, letting her go through doors first, and checking on her throughout the day. they quickly became good pals and learned a lot from each other in such a short time. one day a few weeks ago, what we thought was simply an upset tummy turned out to be a very large mass that was blocking Jasmine’s stomach and preventing her from being able to get her food to her stomach. surgery wasn’t an option due to her age of 17 years and because food wasn’t making it to her stomach she would eventually starve if we didn’t do anything. we decided to let Jasmine go – it was one of the hardest things i’ve ever had to do. after 17 years of being in my life she’s not around anymore. there’s a really big hole in my heart right now. waking up and not seeing her is tough – my lunch break walks with Julie are rough because she’s not there, Julie misses her and mopes around a little and is by our side a lot more, and coming home in the evenings is really hard, too. i know things will become less sad, but right now i really miss one of my best friends.

on a much more happyfaced note, dan left his desk job as a network engineer last week to pursue a career as a professional firefighter. he’s been volunteering as a firefighter for the past year, and in September he competed with 1,400 applicants for one of 20 (or so) spots as a firefighter for chesterfield fire & EMS. after weeks of extensive mental and physical tests, reference & background checks, and multiple interviews and lots and lots of waiting to hear if we was accepted – he finally got the word. he made it!!!!!!!! this past week he started recruit school and for the next four months he’ll be going through even more rigorous & intense training to get him where he needs to be for fighting fires as a career. if he successfully finishes recruit school (which is very physically and mentally intense – and i know he’ll finish!) he’ll be fighting fires professionally this coming may! i’m so proud of him for working so hard to get to this point and i am ridiculously excited that not only does he know in his heart what he wants to do with his life, but that he’s also able to do just that. :)

two weeks ago i traveled to buckingham viriginia for a weekend workshop on the “basics of meditation” in yogaville
with my friend, emily. it was an absolutely amazing adventure and i learned soooooo much & so much about myself and had lots of time for much reflection. i’m working on figuring out where i am and where i want to be, slowing down and becoming more mindful – and since the workshop i’ve been meditating every single morning (and i can honestly say i look forward to it each morning!). it’s been surreal. i took a lot with me from my visit to yogaville and i know i’ll be returning soon. the energy there is amazing, the people are so open-minded and warm-hearted, i felt so at peace, the food was simply delicious (it’s vegan!), and the land is breathtaking. makes me smile and relax just thinking back to it all.

okay dokey…..now that i’ve got’cha all caught up let’s get on to the grub! my lovely sister gave us Viva Vegan! for christmas and we’ve been cooking up a few deeeeelicious dishes from Terry’s cookbook of awesomeness. not photographed was the most delicious stew ever – the portobello feijoada. we used crushed up soy curls in our feijoada as we didn’t have any chunky tvp/tsp and it worked great. a thick ‘n hearty stew that was ridiculously good and also ridiculously easy to make. yeah, we’re lacking the photograph, but you’ve gotta trust is – it’s amazing! we also really enjoyed Terry’s quick red bean posole & it ‘twas was outta-this-world! i’ve never had hominy before and i have to say i’m a little sad that i had gone soooo many years without it. it’s my new favorite, fo ‘sho. here’s the glorious spicy tortilla casserole with roasted poblanos. just look at that pine nut crema & all the fun ‘n tasty pumpkin seeds! her casserole packed so much flavor and heat and we had fun roasting the poblanos and went crazy for the combination of potatoes and spicy tomato sauce (we added a habanero to it). oh yes, and then there’s the corn-crusted tempeh pot pie - hellllllloooooooo there, love of my life! wows all around, my friends.

meals as of late have been fast ‘n easy – snobby joes ‘n cheezy potatoes, tofu scramble
, spicy tofu bowls...
and cake. mmmmmmmmm!

well, not that cake is a quick thing to make, but it sure was easy to whip up. last weekend we celebrated my dad & sister’s birthdays and i made a gluten-free carrot cake for everyone to enjoy. no one believed me when i told them it was gluten-free, and my dad called me a few days later to say he was a little sadfaced because he had just finished off the last piece. seeing as this is a megapost i’m gonna leave you all the gluten-free carrot cake recipe (and next time we make it i'll be sure to snap a better picture of it. we were so damn excited to devour it!). it’s a tweaked version of the ginger-macadamia-coconut-carrot cake from Vegan With A Vengeance. i figured it would kosh to post the recipe as it’s adapted and tweaked a ton.

gluten-free (and of course, vegan) carrot cake

ingredients:
2 cups of your fav gluten free flour mix (we used a chickpea-potato starch-tapioca blend of 5:3:2)
2/3 cup warm almond milk (we used plain un-sweetened)
3/4 cup canola oil
3/4 cup evaporated cane sugar
2/3 cup lightly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup crushed pineapple
1/3 cup pineapple juice (we simply strained our can ‘o crushed pineapple for this)
1/4 cup ground flax seeds
2 cups grated carrots (packed)
1 cup coconut
1/2 cup macadamia nuts or toasted walnut pieces
2 teaspoons baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons cinnamon
½ teaspoon sea salt
½ teaspoon xanthan gum

what you’ll need:
- large mixing bowl
- medium mixing bowl
- your favorite frosting (you can whip this up while the cakes are cooling)
- (2) 8” round cake pans
- shortening for greasing the pans + a little flour for dusting them
- cooling rack(s)

what’cha gotta do:
preheat oven to 350 degrees. lightly grease (with shortening) and dust (with gluten-free flour – we used a little bit of our g-f mix) two 8-inch round cake pans (make sure to dump the excess flour once the pans are lightly coated).

combine the ground flax seeds with the warm almond milk & continue combining until you get an “eggy” consistency. set aside.

combine gluten-free flour mix, baking soda & powder, cinnamon, xanthan gum, & sea salt in a medium-sized mixing bowl & set aside.

in a large bowl combine the canola oil, both sugars, crushed pineapple & its juice, ground flax seeds and almond milk “egg” mixture. combine well for at least a minute.
slowly add in the dry flour mix ingredients and mix only until blended and smooth. gently blend in carrots, nuts, and coconut.

pour & divide the batter into your prepared cake pans and bake for about 35 to 40 minutes (ours took 37 minutes) or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
remove the cakes from the oven & cool them for at least 10 minutes in their pans on a cooling rack. use a knife to go around the edges of the pan if the cake it sticking a bit to them & remove the cake from pans to finish cooling on the racks (we ever-so gently flipped our pans over the cooling racks – but be careful not to flip 'em too far away from the racks or else they make drop too fast & potentially break or crack.

make up whatever icing you love the most (we used the VWAV coconut icing recipe, but i bet a cream cheese icing or a “butter”cream would be just as lovely) and wait for those cakes to be completely cool. once cooled, add a thick layer o’ frosting to the top of your base cake layer & stack your second layer on top and finish icing the cake. eat it up!!!

vegan mofo day thirty: saying goodbye to another scrumptious Vegan MoFo...

2010-11-30T07:00:00.002-05:00

Vegan MoFo ends today and while i'm happyfaced to take a little break (i was able to post every day again this year - i'm worn out!), i'm definitely a bit sadfaced 'cause it's been so much fun knowing that we were all working our booties off for the month of november to bring all the awesomeness of vegan eats, cooking, and goodies to the world. :) you guys rock the most socks - i can't wait for next year! (and i hope to have a better plan for MoFo then, too. i'd like to take on more themed eats and try my hand at some step-by-step recipes with photos 'n such.) i've tried so many great recipes that you guysers have posted, made many new friends, discovered a bahbillion fantastical new blogs, and felt a warm 'n fuzzy sense of camaraderie with you all. cheers to all the greatness Vegan MoFo brings!

i know i talked about having my gluten-free pizza crust all ready and the recipe set to be shared by the end of MoFo, but i'm afraid it isn't quite there yet. i've been working on it throughout the month and while it's darn delicious and the texture is great, it's still not 100%. here's my latest attempt, made yesterday afternoon and enjoyed for a late lunch. i went mediterranean - using hummus as my "sauce", topped it with olives (not that green pimento olives are all that traditional, but i said mediterraneanish so it's cool. ah ha ha.), sweet peppers, sun dried tomatoes & artichokes and added on a little cilantro at the end for mucho deliciousness. i want to share the best possible recipe with you all, so when it's there i promise to post it. it should be sooner than later 'cause i'm getting crazy close and i want everyone to enjoy more gluten-free pizza!

vegan mofo day twenty nine: JoLynn's tofu marsala

2010-11-29T15:00:00.007-05:00

foreeeeeeeever ago i saw JoLynn's crazy delicious tofu marsala and printed out the recipe to enjoy some day.
finally i got off my bum and made her tofu marsala last night and i'm kinda sadfaced that i didn't make it sooner! i've had months and months without the awesomeness that is this dish. no worries though, this means i'll be making it often just to make up for the fact that i've been missing out for so long. ;)

the tofu marsala was super easy to make, came together and was cooked in less than 30 minutes, and rocked. hard. zomg, sooooo gooooood! the mushies, the breaded 'fu (used brown rice flour to keep it gluten-free), the wine sauce.....it all came together perfectly and i devoured it in no time. couldn't help myself. it was that goooooood.

thanks so much for another great recipe, JoLynn - and you guysers get your 'fu marsala on pronto. it's amazing and will make your tummies happyfaced!

vegan mofo day twenty eight: a sunday to mahself

2010-11-28T18:10:00.001-05:00

dan's out all day at the redskins vs. vikings game with his dude friends so i've had today to hang out by mahself with the dogs 'n kittehs and get a few things checked off this list i've had go'n forever. after helping dan get all packed up early this morning for the game i painted for a few hours. the walls in our hallway and our "reading" room are no longer this icky yellow color. yay! they're now "navajo desert" and "natural wicker". the names of the colors always crack me up!

between painting the hallway and the room i took a break to make a tasty savory breakfast. used up the last of the salsa and lettuce from last night's nacho fest and made a tasty salad with some quick 'n easy refried beans, sauteed zucchini 'n squash - and some radishes & sprouts. so yum! it fueled me through another few hours of painting until i was huuuuungry again.

Sarah made some eggyless salad last week - i thought it perfect to make for dan's football adventure and there was enough leftover for a tasty lunch for moi. ;)
it had been too long since i've made a chickpea salad and was superhappyfaced with such deliciousness for lunch. since dan's going to be out for dinner as well i think i'm gonna take the opportunity to make something i'm not too sure he'd enjoy as he's not the biggest fan of wine sauces (although perhaps he will so i'll save him some leftover) - tofu marsala. JoLynn had adapted a tasty look'n recipe and since i don't remember ever having a marsala dish of any type before it shall be tonight's dinner. i've been meaning to make her dish for months and months and i'm excited i'm going to be enjoying it tonight. w00t!

i'll post about the marsala tomorrow - gotta go cook some eats and have a cuddle puddle with the pups while we eat popcorn and watch a movie (i rented Splice. i hope it's not too scary. eep!). i hope you all have enjoyed the long weekend!

vegan mofo day twenty seven: time for nachos & a MoFo survey

2010-11-27T22:00:00.000-05:00

i'm blaming Kristin, Liz, Jessica, B.A.D., and Jen for the nacho craving. ;) tonight we used our leftover crockpot chili for just that.....topped with dan's spicy salsa, guac, and cheeze sauce. ooooh, yeah!

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i'm still working on getting back my mofo mojo (it's actually more like laziness on my part) so i'm gonna survey it tonight. 'twas a fun survey, fo 'sho!

what's your favorite spice or spice blend? chipotle powder. it makes my heart go squeeeeee!

you have $20 to spend on fresh groceries and produce for the whole week (with a fairly well stocked pantry of dry goods, legumes, grains, and spices). what do you buy? it depends on the season, but right now i'd by brussels, a few chestnuts, kale, collards, local tempeh, butternut squash, broccoli, radishes, and peanut butter.

what's your favorite way to make tofu? mel's sweet 'n sour tofu.

vegan guilty pleasure? does espolon tequila count? if not, then this.

if you could make anyone vegan, who would it be? dan's dad.

if you could only read one other vegan blog, what would it be? i don't think i could choose. i truly love them all!

were you always interested in cooking, or did veganism change the way you saw and interacted with food? i never had much of an interest in food, but since becoming vegan it's opened up a whole new world. cooking is my passion now.

excluding analogues, what new things have you tried that you probably wouldn't have as an omni? nooch and miso.

what is the one vegan staple that everyone seems to love, but you can't get behind? cheddar daiya. it does not make me happyfaced.

what was your first "wow, I'm such a stereotypical vegan" moment? i think it was when i found myself checking a label on some margarine and then not eating the dish that was "made vegan" for me because i wasn't sure of the source of lactic acid was cool or not. i felt like an asshole, but i was glad i stuck to mah guns.

first recipe you veganized? butter bean burgers.

what would you like to veganize, but haven't yet? my momma's spanish rice.

favorite kitchen utensil/appliance? my shun chef's knife. i've very attached & yes, i travel with it.

most disastrous kitchen failure? an attempt at a gluten-free sandwich bread. i cried a lot.

first vegan cookbook? Vegan With A Vengeance.

what question about being vegan do you HATE answering? the it-makes-you-want-to-insert-a-pencil-in-your-eye protein question. jeez. my latest response (which works every time!), "where does a horse get its protein from?"

if you could tell the world one thing about vegans, what would it be? we don't need your "i'm sorry i'm going to eat this chicken, cheese, hamburger, ice cream, etc." you don't have to be sorry (and i have a feeling you're really not), just go vegan.

funniest vegetable? peas. they're all roly-poly 'n stuff. ;)

what is a family recipe you have veganized? tunaNOT casserole.

weirdest food combination? roasted broccoli dipped in spicy brown mustard. i eat this for breakfast some days. don't judge.

is there something you wish you could veganize, but can't/couldn't? not that i can think of at the moment, but i'll get back at 'cha guys.

favorite ways to prepare tofu, seitan, tempeh, any other vegan proteins?
Katie's tempeh wingz, Kiersten's spicy asian tempeh, oven-baked tofu.

are your pets vegan? if so, what do you feed them? they are not. we have two dogs and three cats - and the dogs ended up developing a grain intolerance when we tried vegan dog foods. julie also doesn't do well with corn, wheat, quinoa, or soy.

favorite non-dairy milk? almond breeze unsweetened plain.

what’s one “vegan myth” you’d like to squash? the one i hear the most is about veganism being expensive. any diet can be, it's just what you choose to purchase and create. i think we actually save money be'n vegan!

vegan mofo day twenty six: cooked out.

2010-11-26T22:05:00.007-05:00

i promise there's a tater underneath...we're all cooked out. and when you're feeling cooked out you can always rely on your crockpot to do the cook'n for ya. tonight we made crockpot chili, baked taters, and smothered it all in cheezy sauce. this is all we've got today, guysers. sorry! i'm running out of MoFo steam, but i promise to find my mojo by tomorrow. ;) happy friday to you all - and may your weekends be filled with mucho awesomeness!

vegan mofo day twenty five: happy thanksgiving!

2010-11-25T16:34:00.003-05:00

happy thanksgiving to you all!

dan and i are bumming around in our pajamas with the dogs & kittehs today, so it's gonna be another short post. ;)

our thanksgiving eats. roasted stuffed onions based on the smitten kitchen recipe. made with sami's millet-flax bread for the stuffing, sauteed onions & celery in earth balance with a little poultry seasoning, mixed it all together with sea salt, pepper, 'n fresh parsely then stuffed the onions & roasted. soooo yummy - especially along side some cornmeal crusted tempeh (we used 1/2 brown rice flour and 1/2 buckwheat flour this time around) and dan's garlicky smashed potatoes (his specialty - roasted garlic and all!) which were smothered with peppered white gravy. roasted asparagus and a little sweet potato casserole was also enjoyed.

we made a pumpkin pie with a vanilla cookie crust (gluten-free) topped with a little coconut whipped cream, but i didn't get a picture. trust us though, it was ooooh-sooooo yummy.

so far today's been a glorious and tasty one - and we hope everyone's thanksgiving is filled with lots of hugs, love, laughter, fun, and delicious foods. there's so much to be thankful for, enjoy today!

csa: sweet potatoes, potatoes, celery
local: tempeh

vegan mofo day twenty four: Kiersten's spicy asian tempeh & sweet potatoes

2010-11-24T07:03:00.006-05:00

tempeh stroganoff has been on our menu for the past 3 weeks and every night it's scheduled something comes up (we either need a meal that comes together more quickly, we're out of tofutti sour cream, we used all our gluten-free pasta for mac 'n cheeze drinkyfaced eatz, etc.). last night was to be stroganoff and as it's been it didn't happen. i did remember going nuttyboos over Kiersten's post about the spicy asian tempeh & sweet potatoes she whipped up for Ricki's S.O.S. Kitchen Challenge (november is sweet potatoes.) so i knew what dinner was going to be. as the sweet potatoes baked we steamed & browned the tempeh, got the green beans snipped & cooking, then sauced it all & sat down to plates of deliciousness. spicy, sweet 'n savory, garlicky....just perfect! absolutely scrumptious, as all of Kiersten's recipes are (and we've tried many)! the combination of sweet potatoes with a spicy asian style sauce rocks socks and the tempeh was infused with so much spicy flavor. huzzah! we also got to use some of our new-to-us thrift score plates, too. we loved this dish so much it's going to fo 'sho be a part of our regular rotation. you all have got to give these spicy asian tempeh & sweet potatoes a whirl!

(the only adjustments to the recipe we made were coconut aminos instead of soy sauce, we left out the ginger because it wasn't on hand, and sprinkled everything with a few toasted sesame seeds 'cause we love 'em the most.)

csa: sweet potatoes
local: tempeh

are you guysers ready for the awesome of tomorrow?! we've got lots of local csa goodies in the fridge and i grabbed a few more items from da sto' monday night. i cannot wait to see what everyone's cook'n up! superw00t!

vegan mofo day twenty three: thrift store scores!

2010-11-23T17:08:00.003-05:00

one of the many activities this past weekend was thift store shopp'n. ryan was looking for a shirt and a jacket, janine loves to peruse all the neato antiquesque glass jars and vases, and i was look'n for some plates 'n bowls to show off vegan eats. we're all about reducing & reusing (and recycling, too) so it just makes sense to look in local thrift shops for dishware.

here are the thrift scores:

a few cuppies for sauces, soups, 'n such.

and lots of plates and a few bowls for all kinds of awesome eats.

all "new-to-me" and all super fun. now we've gotta make some yummies & plate them up.

tonight we're leaving you guysers sans eats 'cause we're veg'n out and having a cuddle puddle with the pups. (and i'm feeling a little MoFo burnout, to be honest. homestretch though - just a few more days! where has november gone?!) until tomorrow.... :D

vegan mofo day twenty two: ever-so easy maple-agave balsamic reduction

2010-11-22T13:26:00.004-05:00

this past saturday evening my sister hosted dinner at her place and made the yummiest shepherd's pie which we all thoroughly enjoyed. 'twas superb. i brought some csa goodies that ryan and i grabbed earlier that morning from the farmer's market over to her place to create a salad to go along with her dish. thus a roasted veggie salad with a maple-agave balsamic reduction was created. the veggies roasted were turnips, delicata squash, red onion, and a large sweet potato. the veggies were drizzled with about a tablespoon of sunflower seed oil & seasoned with fresh cracked pepper and sea salt. they were roasted until tender and placed atop a bed of spinach & the salad was topped with micro greens, pumpkin, sunflower, and pomegranate seeds. everyone enjoyed it just as much as the shepherd's pie - and i wanted to share the super easy recipe because it's soooooo simple and yet sooooo delicious. the reduction totally brought the salad together, and i am having fun imagining all the other yummies it would also pair well with. totally gonna make some again to drizzle on roasted veggies for thanksgiving, methinks. mmmmmm!

maple-agave balsamic reduction

ingredients:
1/3 cup balsamic vinegar (we used trader joe's brand)
2 tbsp pure maple syrup (we used grade b)
1 tbsp agave nectar (ours was "raw" agave nectar)

what' you'll need:
- silpat scraper/spoon/spatula thingie
- small saucepan

what'cha gotta do:
pour the balsamic vinegar into the saucepan and cook on medium. cook the vinegar for about 5 minutes, stirring every minute or so (making sure to scrape the bottom of the saucepan so it doesn't burn). once it's reduced just a tiny bit add in the maple syrup and agave nectar. continue to cook the reduction for another 5 minutes until it's reduced & fairly thick. remove from stove & get your drizzle on. told ya it was easy. ;)

now i'm off to catch up on all the MoFo posts. yay!

vegan mofo day twenty one: weekend eats of yum.

2010-11-21T19:27:00.009-05:00

just one more quick MoFo post while my bro's visiting. tomorrow night i'm gonna be back with a delicious fall recipe. ;)

friday afternoon hot bar eats from our local natural foods store. their potato & lentil salad rocks the most socks.

goi chay from friday night's vietnamese eats (fuel before the duck pin bowling adventure fun times!).

after our trip to the farmer's market saturday morning we made fried green tomatoes (i think i'm obsessed), hash browns, and black-eyed peas with a few radishes. local yummies enjoyed: tomatoes, potatoes, radishes. w00t!

my sister makes the world's greatest shepherd's pie. absolutely incredible!

panda veg! they have an all-vegan buffet on the weekends and we all went this evening and enjoyed everything they had to offer. we absolutely love us some panda veg. it's so nice not to have to alter dishes or wonder whether or not they're vegan. peace of mind = happyface.

vegan mofo day twenty: bake off

2010-11-20T07:29:00.011-05:00

another quick post while ryan's in town visiting for the weekend.

baked some goodies...

butter cream stuffed gluten-free chocolate cuppins cakes.

pre-frosted.

all frosted up.

vegan yumyum's crumb cake. i didn't think ahead in enough time to make this gluten-free, but i will be converting it soon and sharing the recipe, fo 'sho. for now it's gonna be gobbled up by dan and ryan. ;)

one of the many reasons ryan rocks - he brought us
babycakes donuts. oh my science.

hoooooooray!

alrighty- we're off to play. headed to the farmer's market then on to more awesomeness.

more fun filled weekend eatz tomorrow! enjoy the weekend, guysers!

vegan mofo day nineteen: a triple dose of gluten-free pierogies

2010-11-19T15:00:00.002-05:00

there are about a bahbillion exclamation points in this post. ;)

if i had to pick my favorite meal it would be pierogies. hands down. my grandmother taught me how to make pierogies - and i've never known her to be one to share family recipes much. when dan & i became vegan we were most happyfaced that her recipe for pierogi dough was so easily veganizable, and while my grandmother stuffs her pierogies with farmer's cheese, we decided that smashed potatoes and caramelized onions would be the new filling for these tasty stuffed doughy yumminesses - and one that satisfied both my irish and polishness. when i first became gluten-free i didn't think about my beloved pierogies for a while - it was summertime and all things were tomatoes and watermelon and flip-flops, but then the fall came and my pierogi craving hit. i started researching gluten-free recipes online, but much to my dismay the recipes seemed fairly extensive, labor intensive, and i didn't think myself experienced enough as i was a gluten-free n00b. i was one supersadfaced girl and tucked my thoughts of gluten-free pierogies far, far away.

fast forward a year.....last week my pierogi craving returned with a force so strong i needed to satisfy it. i still found myself discouraged in my gluten-free pierogi research, but along came two gluten-free vegan friends with lots of encouragement, cheers, & helpful tips to get my confidence soaring. i'm pretty sure you all are well acquainted with kittee of Cake Maker to the Stars & Allyson of Manifest Vegan, but i'm gonna take a moment here to gush about them! :) they're both amazing xgfx ladies - kicking gluten's booty, making all kinds of awesomenesses without it, and creating the yummiest xgfx creations i've seen. cinnamon donut cake, pumpkin bagels, double chocolate chip cookies and candy coated stuffed cupcakes are just a few examples of how glorious their eatz are. quadruplew00t!!! and so, with my new found gluten-free self-confidence (thank you, kittee & Allyson!) i sucked it up & bucked up, put those fears of failure aside, and into the kitchen i went with my head held high. i started the dough, it was going well and i was happyfaced, but still hesitant....rolling the dough out worked like a dream.....the pierogies stayed sealed as they boiled...they fried up beautifully in the pan.....everything was going along soooooo smoothly - and before i knew it i was sitting down with my plate o' pierogies....i took a bite. i could have cried - happy tears, my friends! gluten-free pierogi success!!!!! i squeeeeeeeeed out loud and didn't stop smiling for hours!!! i have pierogies back!!!! it might seem kinda silly to be so attached to a certain food, but pierogies mean so much to me and all the ties i have to them are near and dear to my heart. don't be scared or intimidated like i was - get your booties into the kitchen and make gluten-free pierogi happiness! BUT before you do get on over to kittee's & Allyson's sites because we're hitting you from all sides with a triple dose gluten-free pierogi MoFo post! they've posted their xgfx pieogies for everyone to enjoy!!! wahooooooooooooooooooooo!

gluten-free pierogies (this recipe makes for 4 big pierogies to fill your belly)

ingredients:
1/4 cup tapioca starch
2 tbsp sweet rice flour + a few pinches for dusting your countertop
2 tbsp potato flour (not potato starch)
2 tbsp brown rice flour
2 tsp ground flax seeds + 3 tsp warm water
just a pinch of sea salt
1/3 cup water
1 tbsp margarine (i used earth balance)
about 1/2 a cup of smashed potatoes (you can fill your pierogies with whatever you love the most - i did smashed potatoes because we had tons of potatoes hang'n around)

what you'll need:
- small bowl
- large mixing bowl
- large pot + water
- large skillet
- damp kitchen towel
- whisk
- rolling pin
- large strainer

what'cha gotta do:
combine the warm water and ground flax seed in the small bowl until they become "eggy" and set aside. whisk the flours & sea salt together in the large bowl. pour in the water & flax "egg" with the flours & combine until a dough forms. if you find the dough too dry, add a tbsp of water at a time until you get a nice ball 'o dough (hee. i said ball.) that's not too sticky, but not dry either - you want the dough to be kinda tacky, but manageable. once the dough forms keep mixing it for about 30 seconds longer (it won't really mix up much more, it'll just kinda move around the bowl). dust a clean countertop with a little sweet rice flour, turn the dough out onto the counter, and knead it for about a minute (you may need to flour or oil your hands a bit to keep it from sticking). once kneaded, cover the dough with a damp kitchen towel and let it rest for about 20 minutes. you can make smashed potatoes now if you wanna, or create another equally filling of your choice.

after the dough has rested dust your countertop with more sweet rice flour. divide the dough into 4 even pieces. roll each piece of dough in a ball. you're going to want to sprinkle a little more sweet rice flour on top of the dough while rolling it out - and after each roll pick the dough up and flip it over so it's less likely to stick to your countertop (i used a few pinches of flour for each dough ball.). roll out each ball of dough to the size of a cd/dvd. place a spoonful of filling in the center on one half of each dough circle. wet your fingers with a water and run them around the edge of the dough on the same side the filling sits. fold the other half of the dough over the filling and press down firmly enough to seal the pocket, but not too hard 'cause ya don't wanna smear/squish the dough.

bring the water in your large pot to a boil and once boiling ever-so carefully slide the pierogies into the boiling water - having a spoon ready should you need to give them a gentle little nudge if they try and stick to the bottom of the pot. reduce the boil just a smidge (so it's not quite as rapid as before) and cook the pierogies until they surface - then cook them for just 1 minute more. carefully remove the pierogies from the water & place them in a large strainer to let a little more water drain off. place 1 tbsp margarine in the large skillet and heat to medium-high. once heated, gently add in the pierogies to the skillet. immediately reduce the heat to medium and cook until golden brown on both sides. serve with a little sour cream (i ate mine with a little toffuti), if you like, and you're g-t-g (good to go). enjoy!

vegan mofo day eighteen: katie's tempeh wingz

2010-11-18T12:47:00.002-05:00

it's thursday and it's gonna be a crazy kinda day. :)

i'm super mucho excitedfaced - my brother ryan is flying down from
ny for a visit (supermegayay!). i've got a bunch to do (bake!) before his arrival so i'm gonna leave you guysers with katie's tempeh wingz.
we were going to make tempeh stroganoff last night, but it never happened. no sadfaces here though, katie's wingz are as good as it gets! if you haven't made them before - you're missing out. for real. word on the street is that they're equally yummy made with 'fu. we enjoyed our with roasted broccoli 'n pine nuts & roasted green beans with gravy. the green on that plate was local - and so was the tempeh. yay!

i promise tomorrow will be a better MoFo post!

vegan mofo day seventeen: tostadas time

2010-11-17T01:43:00.001-05:00

one of the yummiest meals we've made using leftover items in our fridge. oh yes, it's true!
1. corn tortillas from taco soup times (tortillas that i forgot about at the time and never actually enjoyed with the soup. doh!).
2. two 2 csa hierloom tomatoes that didn't make the cut for Jeni's moussaka were made into spicy salsa.
3. 1/2 a block of tofu that was never made into 'fu scramble was sauteed with mexi-ish spices (chipotle chili powder, cumin, paprika, garlic & onion powder, and oregano).
4. lettuce from a salad that never happened.
5. and (finally) refried beans (although nothing like Lazy Smurf's frijoles refritos (because we didn't have all the ingredients on hand, but we will next time! for serious - her beans look amazing!!!)) were from a half empty can 'o pinto beans i opened up earlier this week to eat along with the 'fu scramble that happened with the first 1/2 of the tofu block.

whew! is that it?!

yeah, that's it.

hooooooray for one scrumptious mexi-meal o' leftovers & i'm throwing in another hooray for Vegan MoFo. it's kicking my booty, but i quite like it. w00t!

vegan mofo day sixteen: Vegan Homemade's creamy cauliflower & chickpea soup with parsley coulis

2010-11-16T07:06:00.003-05:00

sounds super fancy, right?! ooooooooh, that's because it is! put on your fancy pants and read on, my friends....

a lot of fancy sounding recipes often call for a bunch of crazy ingredients (sometimes crazy expensives ones, too) and mucho time in the kitchen, but Erin's recipe for creamy cauliflower and chickpea soup with parsley coulis is filled with simple & inexpensive ingredients that can be whipped up in no time at all. superw00t!

Erin of the fantabulous Vegan Homemade is one rock'n lady. she's always creating the most delicious dishes, whipping up other blogger's recipes, hosting tasty & fun parties, and cooking up all kinds of yum for potlucks. (Oktoberfest party anyone - or perhaps a few potlucks to make you wish you were there?!) yuppers, this girl does it all! i'm always drooling over her food porn and printing out her recipes - and seeing as how monday nights are becoming cold weather soup nights i dug around for a cauliflower soup recipe i knew i had printed off forever ago. creamy cauliflower and chickpea soup with parsley coulis was made, thoroughly enjoyed, and word on the street is that someone was caugh licking their bowl. ;) i've never had cauliflower in a soup (or much at all for that matter. it's not that i don't like cauliflower, i just keep forgetting about it.) and having picked up a few little heads of it over the weekend from our csa Erin's soup was to be made. le'mme tell ya - this is one scrumptious soup on all levels! the spices are a perfect match for the cauliflower and chickpeas, the creaminess is incredibly comforting, and the parsley coulis brings it all together. it's all around amazing - keep those fancy pants on and go make Erin's soup so your belly can also be filled with yumminess!

(the only change made to Erin's recipe was with the cauliflower. since i had the oven crank'n on saturday to roast the tomatoes for Jeni's moussaka, i roasted up the cauliflower as well.)

vegan mofo day fifteen: it's Heathen Vegan moussaka time

2010-11-15T07:59:00.004-05:00

well helloooooooooooooo & happy monday to you all!

when Jeni, of the crazy fun and very fantastical Heathen Vegan, wrote about her scrumptious and lovely look'n moussaka i knew we had to make it. i’d never attempted a moussaka before - being unsure if i’d enjoy the béchamel-marinara combination and knowing that moussakas can require some time, but Jeni’s moussaka looked so amazing i threw my doubts and laziness aside and gave it a whirl. it’s a good thing i did because ooooh my goodness, the wonderful tastiness that is moussaka = superhappyface and awesome all around! i didn’t find the dish too terribly time consuming either - roasted most of the csa tomatoes (instead of using canned tomatoes) while the eggplant and zucchini were roasting, whizzed up gluten-free bread for crumbs, then made the béchamel and marinara at the same time. everything was layered up & sauced, baked & ready to eat before we knew it. huzzah! so if you've been putting off making moussaka - don't! it's easier than ya think and well worth it, too. promise thomas. ;) thanks so very much for sharing your moussaka recipe with us all, Jeni. it was a true delight and a dish we will be making & enjoying again and again!

p.s. - the only changes made to Jeni’s recipe was using roasted tomatoes as opposed to canned, omitted nutmeg because it makes me sadfaced, and used almond milk instead of soy.

vegan mofo day fourteen: fried green tomato sammie

2010-11-14T12:08:00.000-05:00

today's another quick post 'cause i'm one busy chickadee this weekend. i promise to bring more awesome later this week. promise thomas. :)

csa score from the farmer's market: eggplant, cauliflower, green tomatoes, red & heirloom tomatoes, potatoes, broccoli, sweet potatoes, dinosaur & tuscan kale, green beans, zucchini. so many yumminess will be made with these gems of deliciousness.

i super puffy heart making fried green tomatoes. i did it again today. only this time
i made mahself a fried green tomato sammie (gluten-free, of course) with a schmear of tofutti cream cheeze & a big 'ol dollop of hot pepper jelly that my mom & dad made.

life. is. good.

vegan mofo day thirteen: hot sauce

2010-11-13T13:36:00.009-05:00

it's saturday. it's a fun day. i made something to burn our mouths. hot sauce. yeah!

#1. take a bunch o' peppers & cut 'em up.

#2. crush 3 big garlic cloves and chop a 1/4th of an onion.

#3. saute on medium with a smidge of oil (maybe 1/2 a tsp), a few pinches of sea salt, and a good crack or two of black pepper.

#4. when the onion softens add in about a 1/2 cup 'o white vinegar and reduce the heat to medium-low.
#5. cook until the peppers have absorbed all the vinegar (i doubt they absorb it all, as most of might cook off, but still).
#6. transfer to your blender & add in another couple tablespoons of white vinegar and a few tablespoons of water.
#7. puree the hell outta it. ;)
#8. pour into a container to hold the sauce of fire.

#9. bring on the heat. you've got hot sauce!

vegan mofo day twelve: pinto bean corn cake fritter things

2010-11-12T05:45:00.001-05:00

these little dudes were yummy, oh-so yummy! better than expected. i mean, not that we thought they'd taste awful, but we didn't know they'd be as deeeeelicious as they were - and topped with a spicy salsa - it took them to the next level. did we mention they were easy? suuuuuuper easy. it's friday. i'm adding lots of extra nouns to words. w00t!

pinto bean corn cake fritter things and spicy, spicy salsa

for da' corn cake fritter things

ingredients
1 & 1/2 cups of cooked pinto beans (you can used canned if you choose to do so, and any type o' bean would probably work)
1/3 cup cornmeal (just make sure it's gluten-free if you need it to be)
2 tbsp brown rice flour (chickpea flour might be just as delicious here)
enough unsweetened plain non-dairy milk to make it happen (i completely forgot to measure, so please forgive me and just kinda wing it)
2 tbsp finely minced red onion
a small handful of cilantro and parsley, chopped
1 small garlic clove, minced
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp garlic salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
just realized we forgot to add chipotle powder to these guys. you might wanna in order to bring on even more yum.

what you'll need:
- medium sized mixing bowl
- large skillet (we used our cast iron)
- olive oil cooking spray

what'cha gotta do:
generously coat the skillet with olive oil cooking spray & heat to medium.
combine the cornmeal, brown rice flour, baking soda, and all of the spices in the mixing bowl. add enough non-dairy milk to make a thick batter, then stir in the remaining ingredients. once the skillet is hot spoon big gobs of the beanie fritter batter into the skillet. let them cook for about 3 minutes then give them a flip. cook for another 3 minutes. depending upon their size they may need more time to cook, but use your best judgement. remove from heat, top with salsa (and sour cream if you like), and enjoy.

for the salsa

ingredients:
2 large tomatoes
2 tbsp minced red onion
1 tiny garlic clove, very finely minced
1 hot peppa of your choice. we've got tabasco peppers coming out of our ears so we used one.
1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon (or lime) juice
a dash of sea salt & black pepper
1/2 tsp white vinegar
a handful of cilantro & parsley, chopped

what you'll need:
- strainer for those tomatoes
- mixing bowl

what'cha gotta do:
dice the tomatoes and transfer them to the strainer to allow some of the juice to drain. while that's happening combine the rest of the ingredients in the mixing bowl. get back to your diced 'maters and give them a gentle press to release a bit more juice. transfer the tomatoes to the mixing bowl & combine. put salsa on everything & enjoy!

p.s. - we gobbled up our corn cake fritter things with oven fries (from local potatoes) & roasted local green beans.

may you all enjoy all the greatness of the weekend!!!

vegan mofo day eleven: mac 'n trees

2010-11-11T01:20:00.001-05:00

dan & i had ourselves a movie date last night - complete with a quick meal whilst watching an episode of The Walking Dead before we headed out for the show. while the water was getting to a boil we got the broccoli roasting, when we added the pasta to the water we made the cheeze sauce, and in less than thirty minutes we were grubb'n and watching zombies (pre super fun movie times). w00t! oh yeah, and there were 2 tofu pups in the fridge leftover from the weekend so we tossed them in, too. wouldn't want them to feel left out of anything. ;) so i guess it mac 'n nickels with trees. yay!)

cheezy sauce

1 & 1/2 cups un-sweetened non-dairy milk
2 tbsp nooch
2 tbsp raw cashews
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp tahini
1 tbsp lemon juice
1/2 tsp coconut aminos (Braggs or tamari will also work)
1/2 tsp rice vinegar
a good dash of sea salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, chipotle powder (we're obsessed with it lately), onion powder and garlic powder. and a squirt 'o sriracha if you wanna add some heat.

blend everything together in your blender & transfer to a small pot. heat to medium and stir it a bunch. once it begins to thicken reduce the heat to low and stir it a smidge more. remove from heat & pour it on whatever you like.
it's pretty yummy on broccoli, too. :)

vegan mofo day ten: bok choy salad

2010-11-10T07:20:00.001-05:00

hiya & happy hump day! vegan MoFo is chugging along and i'm so excited it's going strong! it's so awesome, isn't it?! :) today's post is a quick one, but nevertheless, a tasty one.

JoLynn of the ever-so fantastical and always fun Dreamin' It Vegan had me craving bok choy like a crazy person last week with her post about Ginnifer's recipe - "Gramma's Bok Choy Salad" from the 21-Day Vegan Kickstart Challenge. JoLynn's salad looked amazing and seeing as there was bok choy aplenty at our csa this past weekend i grabbed a bunch (literally. ah ha ha!). we didn't have any gluten-free asian type noodles, i totally forgot to buy green onions (doh!), and i can't eat those glutenous Gardein thingies (although they look so yummy!) - so i did what i could to come up with something very similar that was crunchy, both tart 'n sweet, and absolutely delicious. the salad was a success!

i used just a 2 tbsp of agave nectar with 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar + 1 tsp safflower oil + 1 tbsp water + 2 tbsp minced red onion then whisked this about in a small bowl. chopped up 1/4 head o' green cabbage, a small handful of cilantro, raw almonds (which i then toasted), a pretty big bunch of bok choy, and shredded a carrot into a large mixing bowl & tossed it all in the dressing + 2 tbsp sesame seeds + small can 'o mandarin oranges (drained). super yum! i think it's my new favorite salad! thanks, JoLynn!

vegan mofo day nine: roasted squash & black bean soup

2010-11-09T07:15:00.004-05:00

monday nights i've got yogas go'n on, and when i come home i like to keep with the whole "i-feel-super-relaxed" vibe and soup is easy enough to help me stay with that vibe. in looking around the kitchen this yesterday i noticed a squash & a sweet potato that have been hanging around for a bit, we also had black beans cooked up from the weekend, and a bunch of curly kale from the farmer's market - everything i looooove. i was thinking a similar flavor combination like Jes' sweet potato and black bean burger would be awesome, and figured the squash could befriend the sweet potato and seeing as how kale rocks with pretty much anything it was to be so. they all became best buddies in the pot (along with one of my new favorite spices - chipotle chili powder) for one fantastical fall flavored soup! i think this soup even helped me relax a little more. :)

roasted squash and black bean soup

ingredients:
any small squash - roasted, peeled, and chopped into small cubes
1 small sweet potato, diced into small cubes
2 cups 'o cooked black beans
1 small onion, chopped
1 small bunch o' kale
1/2 cup uncooked quinoa
1 tbsp olive oil
water (feel free to use veggie broth if you like)
2 tsp chili powder
1 tsp chipotle powder
1/4 tsp of both onion & garlic powder
1/2 tsp cumin
juice from 1/2 a lime or lemon
sea salt & black pepper
a bit 'o fresh cilantro, chopped

what you'll need:
- a big 'ol pot + lid

what'cha gotta do:
heat the oil in the large pot on medium heat. add onions and saute until they begin to soften. add black beans & all the spices - saute for another few minutes. add about 6-8 cups of water, the roasted squash and sweet potato to the pot. bring to a boil, cover, and reduce to a simmer. cook for 15ish minutes. remove half of the soup & blend. set aside. place the uncooked quinoa & kale in the pot. cover & cook for 15-20 minutes (or until the quinoa is cooked). add back the blended portion of the soup, stir in lemon juice, season with sea salt & black pepper, garlish with cilantro & enjoy!

vegan mofo day eight: speedy greekish green beans & crispy 'fu

2010-11-08T17:12:00.001-05:00

what do you do with the little smidge of tofu you have left, some almost past their prime green beans, a few mushrooms you'd totally forgotten about, and a tomato that's seen better days? make greekish green beans & crispy 'fu, i say! i found myself one day last week without any leftovers to take with me to work for lunch so i whipped this up in the morning, served it over a little leftover basmati rice, and it rocked! took me about 25 minutes total to make, too. w00t!

greekish green beans & 'fu

ingredients:
1/3 block 'o tofu, drained & pressed
1 tbsp cornstarch
5 or so mushrooms, sliced thin
a big handful of fresh green beans
1 large tomato
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp olive oil
sea salt & fresh cracked black pepper

what you'll need:
- 2 skillets + 1 lid
- mixing bowl
- olive oil cooking spray

what'cha gotta do:
coat 1 skillet generously with olive oil cooking spray and heat it to medium. combine the tofu and cornstarch in the mixing bowl and toss the 'fu around so all the pieces are evenly coated. when you're skillet's warm - add the tofu. flip the pieces every few minutes until they start to brown. while you're working the 'fu you can get your green beans on....heat 1 tsp olive oil in the other skillet on medium-high heat. saute the mushrooms and green beans until the beans turn bright green and begin to soften just a smidge. reduce the heat to low and add in the chopped tomato and a little bit of sea salt & fresh cracked black pepper. cover & let this cook for a good 10ish minutes, stirring every few minutes or so. uncover and mix in the tomato paste. cook uncovered for a just a minute or two longer to let a bit more of the tomato juices cook off. remove from heat, serve over rice if you like, and top with the crispy tofu. enjoy!

vegan mofo day seven: bobby's goulash

2010-11-07T20:20:00.001-05:00

last sunday we veganized paula deen's potato casserole with such crazy delicious success we decided to choose another recipe of hers for tonight's sunday dinner. bobby's goulash caught my eye (tomatoes + italian spices + pasta = the yum!) and since the farmer's market had some of the season's last tomatoes this dish just was screaming to be made. the results = a comforting, warm you up & fill you up goulash that rocked socks - and made enough leftovers for many workday lunches. awesome all around! while the goulash was cooking i baked a loaf of Amy's fantasical dangerously seedy potato bread for dan (which he raved about & luuuuurved. thank you, Amy!) & some cute 'n delicious gluten-free garlic knots for mahself. w00t! another scrumptious sunday night dinner to end the weekend made us both most happyfaced.

here's what we did....

ingredients:
1 block of tempeh steamed & crumbled
6 large tomatoes, diced (or (2) 15oz cans o' diced tomatoes)
1 (15oz) can tomato sauce (we used muir glenn's organic tomato sauce because i was too lazy to make my own)
3 + 1/3 cups water, divided
3 large cloves garlic, chopped
1 large onion, chopped
2 bay leaves
1 tbsp dried parsley
1 tbsp dried basil
2 tsp oregano
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 + 1/4 tsp garlic powder, divided
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/2 not-beef bouillon cube
sea salt 'n black pepper
1 bag/box of gluten-free elbow macaroni, uncooked

what you'll need:
- large cookie sheet
- olive oil cooking spray
- large pot + lid
- large skillet
- quite the appetite :)

what'cha gotta do: (we roasted the tomatoes & cooked the tempeh crumbles ahead of time to make this goulash come together even faster)
spray the baking sheet with some olive oil cooking spray. place diced tomatoes on the sheet & roast them for 60 minutes on 350 degrees (no need to preheat the oven), mixing them around every 20 minutes or so (for more even roasting). in a small bowl combine 1/3 cup hot water with 1/2 not-beef cube, 1/4 tsp onion powder, and 1/4 tsp garlic powder. spray your skillet with a little olive oil cooking spray and heat to medium-high. saute the tempeh crumbles until browned then pour the not-beefy broth mixture over the crumbles and continue to saute until all the liquid is dissolved. set aside. in the large pot heat the olive oil on medium heat and saute the onions and garlic until the onion softens. add your diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, water, and the rest of the spices. bring to a boil, cover with lid, and reduce to a simmer for 20 minutes. add the noodles, cover again, and simmer for another 20-30 minutes, stirring every few minutes until the noodles are tender. remove the bay leaves, stir in the tempeh crumbles and let it hang out (off of the heat) for another few minutes. season with a little sea salt 'n black pepper and top with nooch and fresh parsley if you like. enjoy!

vegan mofo day six: lazy saturday eats

2010-11-06T17:12:00.004-04:00

sometimes you've gotta have a lazy saturday. with nothing planned besides heading to the farmer's market for csa veggies (radishes, dinosaur and tuscan kale, white sweet potatoes, tomatoes, green beans, bok choy, apples, potatoes, collards and broccoli) so far today we've been couch'n it and occasionally getting off our bums to make a few tasty lazy day eats.

i was most excitedfaced to find late season tomatoes at the market this morning as we'll be veganizing another paula deen dish tomorrow that requires a few, and do you see that green tomato? i fried it up for breakfast and enjoyed it along with some lentil-basmati-spinach-potato cakes (topped with a spicy tahini sauce) created from almost past their time veggies and leftover rice. two thumbs up for reducing food waste. yay! and while on the topic of two thumbs up - we took the dinosaur kale from the market and made kittee's tastiest ever cheezy spicy kale chips! (it's about darn time we id!) words cannot describe how magical (and deliciously addictive) kittee's kale chips are. may we suggest that if you haven't made them already, you need to get a move on 'cause you're really missing out on all the awesomeness!!!

after watching several episodes of Sons of Anarchy we found ourselves with rumbling tummies - so dan whipped up a spicy and glorious black beans 'n rice dish (using up more leftover basmati rice). he sauteed onion with a yellow bell pepper, added in the beans 'n rice, a little not-beef broth, spices (including a fish pepper, chipotle, and jalapenos) lemon juice, and lots of cilantro, parsley, and scallions. super yum! today's been one delicious day and we hope it's been for you all as well! now i'm gonna get a move on and check out all the fantastical weekend MoFo posts - i've gotta get caught up!

vegan mofo day five: thai food break

2010-11-05T09:39:00.010-04:00

happy friday, everyone! i'm gonna sit back and relax a little today - thought i'd share one of my favorite recipes for fun times: grab a buddy (in this case it was my lovely sister. w00t!), get your hello kitty chopsticks ready, and dig into some tasty thai foods! easy enough, yeah?! good company + delicious eats = the best! spring rolls. fried tofu triangles. tofu pad thai. pineappled veggies with jasmine rice. yay!

may you all enjoy the weekend and keep those amazing MoFo posts coming!!!

vegan mofo day four: let's talk gluten-free (and gluten-free chocolate chip cookies)

2010-11-04T12:00:00.008-04:00

it’s about time i wrote my gluten-free post - listing gluten-free blogs (most are vegan and some of veggie (with recipes that are easy enough to veganize)), a few products i really enjoy, a tip or two, a few links, and i'm gonna share my story (for those of you who aren't familiar with it). ready?! set?! gluten-freeeeeeee!!

i don’t have celiac disease, but i do have a gluten intolerance that for a majority of my life was causing me to suffer from IBS. ever since i could remember i’d had IBS, it wasn’t fun having to use the restroom 10+ times a day (sorry if this is getting a little too personal for some of ya – you can totally skip this part.). in the summer of 2009 i decided to try a cleanse because i was feeling really crappy, eating a lot of not-so-good-for-me eats (hence feeling crappy), and was going bonkers with sugar consumption (we’re talking full on binges with sweets). i started the Adventure Cleanse Tune-Up (ACT) that june (no animal products (already had that part down), no sugar, no gluten, no coffee, no alcohol, etc. and it focused on consuming lots of veggies and raw eats) and within 3 days my IBS completely disappeared. i wasn’t sure if it was the sugar or gluten – or maybe all the awesome veggies and mostly raw meals that were helping, but when the cleanse ended i introduced everything back in (obviously staying vegan) except for the gluten, ‘cause i had a sneaking suspicion it was the culprit. sure enough it was. i’ve never visited a physician to have any tests done, but a few months after the cleanse i did a little experiment and ate a few slices ‘o wheat bread and ooooooh, boy – hello my not-so-good friend IBS. that confirmed gluten was causing my IBS and i decided to cut it out of my life for good.

honestly, some days being gluten-free is pretty tough – and i've gotta hand it to kittee 'cause she said it best, “it can be emotionally challenging to be gluten-free as a vegan.” fo ‘sho. i used to strike out a lot being vegan (and i am sure you all do as well sometimes. while i am thankful that rva has some pretty swell vegan options, we’re no pdx or nyc) and going out to eat with friends, well - now it’s even tougher. did i mention my baking world has been turned upside-down and given a good shake? potlucks and holidays are even more challenging, and there are definitely days when i just want to be able to head to a bakery and pick something out that i can enjoy or have an entree instead of another croutonless salad at a restaurant. i can’t even imagine how much more frustrating and limiting it is for people with celiac disease, those gluten-free soy-free vegans, corn-free gluten-free soy-free peeps, and everyone else in between. it’s gotta be tough sometimes. but all is not sadfaced (i promise) though and i’m slowly learning my way around baked goods (while my list of epic fails still outweighs my successes – i am hopeful and continue to try and try again and not cry about feeding my failures to the squirrels) and there are more and more gluten-free options popping up everywhere. it’s getting to be soooooo much easier - and i've gotta keep in mind that while food is tied to a lot of tradition, emotions, and memories for me - it's just food - and there's a lot more i can enjoy outta life. :)

check it out……

- gluten-free on the post punk kitchen forums: PPK Gluten Free Boards!

- great gluten-free blogs & blogs with many gluten-free recipes (and if i’m missing any, PLEASE let me know and i’ll totally add them to the list):

* affairs of living
* bitt of raw
* book of yum
* cake maker to the stars
* cupcake kitteh
* diet dessert ‘n dogs
* gluten free goddess
* gluten free soy free vegan
* gluten free vegan munchies
* i am gluten free
* in the mood for noodles
* in my box
* manifest vegan
* mitten matchen
* veg-am
* wheatless and meatless

- a few gluten-free yummies we enjoy (dan’s the best & eats all the gluten-free foods i make & loves these products as well.):

* tinkyada brown rice pastas
* mary’s gone crackers & other yummies
* enjoy life's gluten, soy & nut-free chocolate chips
* envirokidz cereals (i believe most, if not all of them, are vegan.)
* bob’s red mill gluten-free flours & gluten-free oats, and TSP
* dr.lucy’s cookies
* liz lovely’s gluten-free cookies (the fudgy chocolate & chocolate chip ones are my fav!)
* coconut aminos (for a soy-free gluten-free soy sauce option)

- great gluten-free cookbooks:

* ani’s raw food desserts
* babycakes
* flying apron cookbook
* sweet freedom (wheat-free, but all the recipes can be made with gluten-free flours)
* the gluten-free vegan

- i’m also working on perfecting my recipe for a super delicious gluten-free vegan pizza crust & (sidenote: if you have one in your area, pizza fusion offers a gluten-free vegan crust that kicks booty. dan and i have tried it out and he says he likes it better than their regular wheatsie crust.) the latest pizza crust this past weekend was almost to where i want it (we’re talk’n a dough that you can roll out sans parchment paper & without it sticking to everything or falling apart), and i’m going to be working on this some more next week to get it just where i’d like it and share it before MoFo is over – so keep an eye out.

- a few little tips (please, please, please share your tips & let us know what gluten-free goodies you love the most!):

* you can bring a little jar of tamari (or coconut aminos) with you for veggie sushi restaurants. i’ve been known to carry a gluten-free bun or a few slices of gluten-free bread along when i know i’m gonna be stuck eating somewhere with limited options, as some sammie fix’ins (eggless salad, baked tempeh for reubens, bbq tofu, etc.) can be gluten-free (just be sure to ask!). just order for the sammie sans bread and use your own when it gets to the table. :)

* there’s a great guide called gluten free flours and baking tips that is helpful in explaining the different flours. keep in mind that not all gluten free flours are equal in weight. brown rice flour heavier than potato flour, so you can’t always just switch out one flour for another – this is why a kitchen scale is most helpful and can ensure better results with your baked goods.

* ethiopian restaurants can be your friend. teff flour is gluten-free and while not all injera is gluten-free (be sure to ask that the restaurant knows for a fact their injera is gluten-free, often times it's supplied by an outside company which creates their injera from a sourdough that contains wheat) it’s definitely worth asking about. here in rva the nile is entirely gluten-free!

* i also try and keep in mind (and sometimes it’s really difficult) when dining out that even if i’m stuck eating another booooring salad i can always go home and make myself super delicious to enjoy. sometimes it’s more about being in good company & sitting down to take time with friends and family.

don't go thinking i'd leave you without a recipe, my friends. here's one crazy delightful gluten-free chocolate chip cookie that's truly amazing. dan didn't know these were gluten-free until i told him, and i have tested them with many people and they've received many mmmmmmmmmmmms and much praise!

gluten-free chocolate chip cookies (adapted from Shauna's gluten-free take on David Leites's famous 36-hour chocolate chip cookies)

ingredients:
1/2 cup sorghum flour
1/2 cup tapioca starch
1/2 cup potato starch
1/2 cup millet flour
1/2 + 1/4 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 + 1/4 sticks earth balance margarine, softened (or 10 tbsps)
1/2 cup + 2 tbsp brown sugar, lightly packed
1/2 cup + 1 tbsp granulated sugar
1 flax egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup o' gluten-free chocolate chippers of your choosing

what you'll need:
- 1 medium sized mixing bowl
- 1 large mixing bowl
- cookie sheets
- a little patience ;)
- fork for mix'n

what'cha gotta do:combine the the dry ingredients in the medium sized mixing bowl - make sure you mix them together really well. set aside. in the large bowl mix the sugars & softened margarine together until creamed. add in the flax egg & combine until it's incorporated, then add in the vanilla and give it a little mix. dump the dry ingredients into the wet ones and mix 'em up. once combined, add the chocolate chippers and give it just a wee little mix. now here's where i always have to put my patient pants on: cover the dough with plastic wrap and stick it in your fridge until it gets nice 'n cold (a few hours & you can leave it for 36 hours if you realllllly wanna). if you want to dig in sooner - i'll tell you that i have put the covered dough in the freezer for about 1/2 an hour and it worked well - your call. :) once the dough o' delicious is chilled, remove from fridge, take off that plastic wrap, and preheat your oven to 350°. take a spoonful o' dough and gently roll it in your hands until it's nice 'n round - then give it a little press to flatten it out just a tiny smidge. these cookies will spread a bit, so give them some elbow room. bake for 15-17 minutes. remove from oven and let them cool for JUST A MINUTE (otherwise i find they stick to my cookie sheet (but i bet parchment paper or a non-stick baking mat would prevent this) then gently transfer them to a cooling rack to chill out for a smidge more. gobble up and enjoy!

vegan mofo day three: suuuuper easy (& peasy) baked veggied rice

2010-11-03T01:49:00.009-04:00

a loooooong time ago we made Shellyfish's wonderfully delicious & oh-so easy smashing grain casserole. we really loved the combination of flavors and the fact that you pretty much mix everything together and let it bake. who doesn't love dinner that makes itself?! as the chilly weather is rolling in i'm in a casserole-state-of-mind and thought we'd try our hand at a similar dish. similar in the whole "just mix & bake" genre 'n all. while this recipe isn't just mixing and baking, (there's an additional step of bringing water to a boil) it is still very easy 'n peasy (pun totally intended.) and scrumptious smothered in gravy (as most things are. can ya tell we're on a gravy kick lately?!). we now present to you this suuuuper easy baked veggied rice......

baked veggied rice

ingredients:
1-1/2 cups brown rice
2-1/2 cups water
1/2-1 cup peas (we used up our frozen ones that were hang'n around)
2 carrots, sliced thin & chopped
1 package o' mushrooms, sliced
1 tbsp margarine or olive oil (we used earth balance)
1/2 tsp sherry (optional) or a little squeeze of lemon to "brighten it up"
sea salt & black pepper (garlic salt & onion powder are other tasty additions)
(you can pretty much toss in whatever veggies make your heart sing!)

what you'll need:
- 8x8 baking dish (lightly oiled with olive oil) + aluminum foil to cover
- saucepan + lid

what'cha gotta do:
get your water just to a boil in a covered saucepan & go ahead and get the oven preheated to 375 degrees. while the water is working towards a boil, combine the veggies & rice in the lightly oiled baking pan. once the water is boiling, stir in margarine and remove from heat. pour the water over the veggies 'n rice & combine well. cover the baking dish tightly with aluminum foil. bake on the middle rack for 1 hour. remove from oven, uncover, and stir in the sherry & season with sea salt 'n black pepper (feel free to add other seasonings if you so desire). fluff with fork, serve it up, & smother in gravy. enjoy!

peppered white gravy

ingredients:
1-1/2 cups plain, unsweetened non-dairy milk (we use almond milk)
3 heaping tbsp of chickpea flour
1-2 tbsp margarine or olive oil
1 shallot, minced (optional)
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp sea salt
1/8 tsp garlic salt
1/8 tsp onion powder
1/2-1 tsp sherry

what you'll need:
- whisk
- medium sized saucepan

what'cha gotta do:
heat oil or margarine in the saucepan on medium-high heat. once heated, saute the shallots for a minute and then whisk in the chickpea flour and whisk as if your life depended on it! keep whisking for about 2-3 minutes then add in the non-dairy milk. reduce the heat to medium-low and continue to whisk until the gravy begins to thicken. season with the spices, taste, and adjust seasonings. stir in the sherry and remove from heat. you may find that you want to add more flour or more almond milk to reach your desired gravy consistency. smother everything. :)

vegan mofo day two: unbelievably awesome taco soup

2010-11-02T00:34:00.006-04:00

it's day two of Vegan MoFo(superw00t!) and i can't explain how over-the-moon i am about this taco soup. i believe it's one of the best soup's we've made - ooooooh, boy - it's yummers! really, realllllly gooooood! and the best thing about taco soup is that you can toss in whatever beans make you most happyfaced and add in lots of extras that make you say mmmmmmm, too. plus, it's soup - pretty cheap to make and you'll have enough to fill your belly for days. the craving all started with Jessica's (of the rock'n and super stellar veggie cookie) post about her super easy taco soup. i got all inspired 'n stuff (thanks, Jessica!) and we created our own version..........

unbelievably awesome taco soup (this recipe makes enough to feed a small army - so be prepared for leftover of yumminess!)

ingredients:
2 cups cooked pinto beans
2 cups cooked black beans
2 cups cooked red kidney beans
1 large yellow onion, chopped
1 large green pepper, chopped
1 package 'o tempeh, steamed & crumbled (we use a local local tempeh)
1 small can o' diced green chilis
5 biiiiiiig 'ol tomatoes, diced (you can used canned tomatoes if you like, but home roasted tomatoes are gonna be the tastiest!)
1/2 not-beef bouillon cube + 3-4 tbsp hot water
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp chili powder, divided
1 tsp cumin, divided
1 tsp mexican oregano
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp chipotle powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
a few slices of jarred jalapenos, minced (we used about 10 slices. fresh jalapenos are also awesome)
lots of sea salt 'n black pepper
juice from one lime
chopped scallions, cilantro, and parsley (about a cup's worth all total)

what you'll need:
- large cookie sheet
- olive oil cooking spray
- large pot + lid
- water

what'cha gotta do: (you can also roast the tomatoes & cook the tempeh crumbles ahead of time to make this soup come together faster)
spray the baking sheet with some olive oil cooking spray. place diced tomatoes on the sheet & roast them for 60 minutes on 350 degrees (no need to preheat the oven), mixing them around every 20 minutes or so (for more even roasting). while your tomatoes are roasting you can totally start on the other awesome...heat 1 tbsp of olive oil in the large pot on medium heat & once the oil is heated, saute the crumbled tempeh (stirring often) until it starts to brown (about 8-12 minutes). add in 1-2 tsp chili powder, 1/2 tsp cumin, and all the onion, galic 'n chipotle powder. dissolve the not-beef cube in a few tablespoons of hot water then add this to the mix. combine well & cook for another 3 minutes. remove the tempeh from the pot & set aside. get your large pot back on the burner and spray it with a little olive oil cooking spray. saute the chopped onion, minced jalapenos, & green pepper until the onion becomes clear (about 6 minutes or so). add in all the diced chilis, beans, and the remainder of the spices and saute for another 3 minutes. add roasted tomatoes and as much water for your preferred consistency (keeping in mind that you'll add the tempeh in at the end). bring to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover with lid, and let it ever-so gently boil/just above a simmer for about 20 minutes. uncover, add in the sauteed tempeh crumbles along with a few generous pinches of the scallions, cilantro, and parsley. cover & cook for just 10 more minutes. remove from heat, stir in all that delicious lime juice and season with lots sea salt & black pepper (and adjust seasonings to your taste). ladle into bowls and top with whatever you love the most (i enjoyed my bowl 'o taco soup with a dollop of tofutti sour cream & sliced green olives) & lots of parsley, cilantro, and scallions! enjoy!

vegan mofo day one: paula deen's potato casserole

2010-11-01T06:46:00.006-04:00

happy Vegan MoFo, everyone! we're ridiculously excited about a month filled with all kinds of awesome vegan eats and thought kicking off Vegan MoFo by veganizing Paula Deen's potato casserole would be fun & tasty. combining potatoes + tempeh bacon + onions + cheeze = awesome - and amazingly deeelicious this casserole was (an easy peasy recipe as well, and absolutely perfect for using up leftover mashed potatoes (we fully intend on making extra smashed potatoes for thanksgiving and making potato casserole again))! parenthesis inside parenthesis. w00t! we served the casserole along side white gravy smothered chickpea-brown rice patties (recipe to come) and roasted local green beans for one super comforting southern-style meal! so here's our veganized version of paula deen's potato casserole, sans an entire stick of butter.

ingredients:
2 small baked potates, sliced thin
3-4 cups smashed potatoes
1/3 cup vegan cheeze (we used a little daiya and some leftover homemade cheezy sauce)
1/3 cup vegan sour cream (we used tofutti 'cause i was too lazy to make it)
1/4 cup crumbled tempeh bacon or "bac-un"bits
1/2 medium sized white onion, sliced thin
2 tbsp margarine (we use earth balance)
sea salt & black pepper (garlic salt is also awesome!)
sliced scallions, chopped chives chopped parsley (optional toppings)

what'cha need:
- 8x8 baking dish lightly spritzed with a little olive oil cooking spray
- medium sized pan

what'cha do:
saute the thinly sliced onions in your pan over medium heat in 2 tbsp of margarine until they become clear, set aside. evenly distribute the smashed potatoes along the bottom of the lightly oiled baking dish. top the potatoes with sour cream, then top the layer o' sour cream with the sauteed onions. distribute the sliced cooked potatoes over the onions, season with sea salt 'n black pepper, and top it all off with cheeze. bake at 400 degrees (no need to preheat) for 20 minutes. remove from oven, top with tempeh bacon crumbles, and bake for another 10 minutes. remove from oven & let it all hang out for about 10 minutes so it sets a bit. top with sliced scallions, chives, and parsley if you like. easy enough, yeah? now ennnnnnjoy! :)

foods in bowls.

2010-10-25T19:44:00.001-04:00

i really super love foods in bowls - they're pretty fun and you don't have to chase any of your eats around on a plate (which can be less messy too). this past week we enjoyed some bowled yumminesses that rocked socks & wanted to share with you all. w00t!

first up is an absolutely delicious fall flavored soup which we adapted from T's curried sweet potato lentil soup recipe. i used a butternut squash that's been hanging around for a good bit now, and some leftover pumpkin from all the pumpkin pie smoothies we've been sucking down lately. this soup is fo 'sho my new favorite - inexpensive, easy, full of fall flavors, and filling. yay!

butternut red lentil soup (adapted from T's curried sweet potato lentil soup recipe.) (makes 6 medium sized servings)

ingredients:
1 medium sized butternut squash, peeled, de-seeded, and cut into cubes
1 large yellow onion, diced
1 cup pumpkin puree (optional)
1-1/2 cups dried red lentils, rinsed well
1/4 cup raw cashews
1/2 veggie bouillon cube
2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp yellow curry powder
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp sea salt (less if you like)
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp smoked paprika
1/4 tsp dried mustard
1/4 tsp turmeric
5 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
juice from 1/2 a lime
enough water to cover the onions & squash + 2 inches
red chili flakes, diced scallions, and pepitas (optional for toppings)

what you'll need:
- blender
- large pot + lid

what'cha gotta do:
heat olive oil over medium heat in the large pot. once heated add in the onions and squash. saute for 4-7 minutes, stirring every now and again. add garlic and all the spices and saute for another 2 minutes. add enough water to cover everything + 2 inches. add the veggie bouillon cube and combine well. bring it all to a boil, then cover & simmer for 10 minutes. uncover & add red lentils. cover again and let this cook until the lentils (and squash) are tender (about 10 minutes for us). transfer the soup in batches to the blender & puree with the raw cashews and pumpkin puree. return to pot & stir in lime juice, adjust seasonings to taste. top with scallions, crushed red pepper, and pepitas if you so desire. enjoy!

now on to chickpea tahini bowls - a simple spin off of Alice's black-eyed pea bowls. we cooked up lots of brown rice and sauteed a big bunch 'o chopped kale. cooked up some chickers and sauteed them in a little olive oil & seasoned 'em with sea salt, pepper, dried mustard, cumin, a little lime juice, and lots of paprika (smoked and hungarian) & garlic powder. place a little brown rice (or grain of your choosing) in a bowl, add in sauteed kale (or any greens you love the most) & seasoned chickers - then drizzle on the tahini awesomeness. here's what dan did for the tahini dressing...

tahini dressing

ingredients:
1/4 cup tahini
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
juice from 1 lemon
1/8-1/4 tsp cumin
1/8-1/4 tsp paprika
sea salt, pepper, and garlic powder
a little water for thinning if you like

what'cha need:
- small mixing bowl & a fork

what'cha gotta do:
combine everything but the water in the small bowl. combine until smooth, add water as you see fit, and adjust seasonings to taste. drizzle on everything. :)

Lazy Smurf's mexican lime noodle soup & lots o' fun!

2010-10-18T19:00:00.002-04:00

oooooooh, yay! this weekend was full of so much awesome and so much yumminess! saturday morning i was up early to walk the ladies and get my booty on down to the farmer's market to pick up some csa goodnesses (kale, radishes, sweet potatoes, butternut squash, bell peppers, green beans, collards, cucumbers, and the last of summer's tomatoes were snagged). after the market was my saturday morning yoga class (which always kicks my ass. w00t!) followed by an absolutely amazing therapeutic massage. i haven't had a massage in forever and was ever-so grateful for it! after dan returned from the station we had ourselves a glorious date night complete with pizza at pizza fusion (we split a large "very vegan" on a their gluten-free crust as it's now vegan!), drinks, and a comedy show (i hadn't laughed that hard in a long time!)! :)

sunday was spent mostly in pajamas and on the couch, and we made Lazy Smurf's scrumdilliumptious mexican lime noodle soup for dinner.
(we used tinkyada's "little dreams" brown rice pasta (fun shaped pasta!) and those are some gluten-free chive-onion corn crackers from trader joe's in there.) Lazy Smurf's recipe couldn't have been any easier and couldn't have been more fantastical!!! i think dan said it best when he stopped mid spoonful and stated, "this soup is incredible!" thank you, Lazy Smurf! now go get your soup on 'cause your bellies need this soup!

here's my new fun food obsession - collard wraps. both Lauren and Bianca inspired me to start making these little bundles of yumminess. while they're not entirely raw, the are most excellent - and a great way to enjoy a bunch of veggies.
i just mix up 1 tbsp tofutti sour cream with 1 tbsp tofutti cream cheeze and a little shallot salt, peppa, and chopped chives - spread it on some collard leaves and top with cucumbers, bell peppers, carrots, scallions, and sprouts! i'm thinking next i need to make one of Gena's delicious spreads to enjoy in these wraps! mmmmmm!

it's tunaNOT casserole time again!

2010-10-14T20:22:00.009-04:00

last week was a busy one and this week's been as well. we've enjoyed thai foodz, picked up chipotle, and fended for ourselves (dan loves 'cause he eats lots of ramen and road's end mac 'n chreese and i'm not around to fuss about the lack of veggies he's not eating. ah ha ha!) as we've both been tied up most evenings. last week dan had lots of band practice to get ready for the dragonship show (the heavy metal band he's a part of) this past friday, we built a little bridge for jasmine (my family dog who's staying with us for a while, she's not a fan of stairs at the age of 17. who can blame her?!), squeezing in some time on the couch to watch a football game, running, yoga, and a super relaxing walk in the park along the river with julie. we did manage to sit down together and enjoy one of my all time favorite childhood dishes (veganized, of course) this past sunday night (before dan headed out for his hockey game) - tunaNOT casserole! we've posted the recipe many times before, but have tweaked it even further to make it even more awesome. here's what we did this time around....

tunaNOT casserole

ingredients:
1 package uncooked brown rice pasta (we love spirals the mostest 'cause they hold the most yum!)

3/4 cup tsp (textured soy protein – or tvp will work as well – just make sure it’s gluten-free if you are)
1/4 sheet nori, toasted & minced
1/2 veggie bouillon cube (or use a not-chicken cube or water)
3/4 cup water

2 slices 'o gluten-free bread
2 shallots, finely minced (or 1/2 a yellow onion)
1 green pepper, finely diced
3 stalks of celery, finely diced
1/4 cup diced pimentos (go ahead and add in 1/3 cup if you super love pimentos!)
1/3 cup vegenaise
1-1/2 cups unsweetened plain almond milk (any unsweetened plain plant milk will do)
1/4 cup chickpea flour (plus an additional tbsp or 2 if needed to help the gravy thicken more)
½ tsp black pepper
¼ tsp sea salt (more if you like)
1/2 tsp white vinegar

what you'll need:
- large pot (for 'da pasta)
- medium saucepan/pot (make'n gravy)
- small pot + lid (for tsp times)
- whisk
- 8x8 pyrex dish or a medium-large sized casserole dish

what'cha gotta do:
take 2 slices of your favorite gluten-free bread and whiz 'em about in a food processor to make breadcrumbs. set aside.

combie the 3/4 cup of water with the minced nori & bouillon cube (or veggie broth) and bring it all to a boil. once boiling, remove from heat, stir in the tsp, cover with a lid & set aside.

get some more water boiling and cook the brown rice pasta for just 7 minutes. drain & rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process.

in a medium saucepan sprayed with cooking oil, saute the shallots until they begin to soften on medium heat, then add in the green pepper 'n celery and cook for another 3 minutes. add in the chickpea flour, sea salt, and black pepper. saute for another minute then stir in the almond milk. whisk until it thickens & gets to be a nice gravy; stir in the white vinegar, remove from heat and set aside.

toss the undercooked pasta, tsp, and gravy in the large pot you used to cook the pasta. add in the vegenaise & pimentos. stir to combine, transfer to your baking dish and top with breadcrumbs.

bake on 400 degrees (no need to preheat) for 20-25 minutes or until the top is golden brown. allow the casserole to cool for 10 minutes then enjoy!

monday night after practicing yoga i baked up some salt 'n peppa 'fu with a side o' peas 'n mushies and smashed delicata squash (my favorite!). no real recipe - just baked 'fu with a smidge of olive oil and lots of salt 'n peppa. simple and yummy! this coming week is going to be just as busy, but i think this sunday we're gonna make Lazy Smurf's mexican lime noodle soup, which i am most excitedfaced to try out!

here are some silly pups pictures - ms. julie crossing over the little bridge we built, and a slurp from jasmine!:) happy almost-friday to you all and enjoy the weekend!

comforting soups.

2010-10-04T19:13:00.025-04:00

the past couple of days have been cool, rainy, and the perfect time for warm comforting soups to return. my soup craving all started last week with Lauren's souptacular post. Lauren's always creating the most comforting soups and i found myself wanting some, too. last thursday it was raining like crazy - dan was a super sweetie pea and cooked up a new version of his butter bean potato soup while i was practicing yoga - coming home to a delicious bowl of warm soup was the absolute best! here's what he did.....

creamy butter bean-potato-kale soup

ingredients:
3 small russet potatoes, diced into cubes
1 small white onion, chopped
2 cups of cooked butter beans
a big 'o handful (or 2) of kale, destemmed & chopped
1 tsp yellow miso
1 tbsp olive oil + 1 tsp divided (or a good "glug")
2 big cloves of garlic, minced
1 tbsp earth balance margarine
enough water to cover the taters 'n such (not too much more, maybe an additional inch)
a cup or so of plain, unsweetened almond milk
2 tsp white vinegar
sea salt 'n peppa

what you'll need:
- one large pot + lid

what'cha gotta do:
heat 1 tsp of olive oil in the large pot and saute the kale on medium heat until it begins to wilt a smidge & turn bright green. season the kale with sea salt, remove it from the pot and set aside.

using the same pot, saute the onion on medium heat in 1 tbsp olive oil until it begins to soften (don't let them brown!). add in some sea salt 'n peppa. make a some space in the middle of the onions; add in 1 tbsp earth balance (or a good spoonful of it) to the well & place the minced garlic into the well. let the garlic cook until it becomes fragrant (about 30 seconds - 1 minute, just don't let the garlic brown), and give it a good stir. add in the potatoes & enough water to cover them + an inch or so. increase the heat to high until everything begins to boil, then turn the heat down to a simmer and partially cover the pot with the lid. simmer the soup for about 15 minutes then check the taters for doneness. once done, stir in the butter beans & miso and let it all cook for another 5 minutes.

blend up the soup (or half if you like it kinda chunky), return the blended soup to the pot, and add the almond milk & sauteed kale. season with lots of sea salt 'n pepper, stir in 2 tsp of white vinegar and enjoy!

today was another wet and cold day and having seen orangette's post about her
red lentil soup with lemon i decided to make some this evening. this is indeed a "quiet soup", but one that is gloriously delicious on many a level. it's unbelievable easy & inexpensive to make and i'm gonna suggest everyone gives it a whirl. your tummies will thank you. i promise!

oh yes, other yummy times - baking! i made Celine's oreo-cookie cookies for dan to take to the firehouse tonight to share, and a few weeks ago i sent him there is with vegan chef's marble cake (topped with her vanilla buttercream frosting). mmmmmmmmmmmmm!

well hello there! agave lime tofu wth jalapeno-peach salsa

2010-10-01T11:00:00.004-04:00

ooooooh, it's been a while. a looooong while. sorry guysers. i would start to go on and on with the list of excuses i had for being away for months, but it really all boiled down to just being burned out. these past few months have been delicious ones, but we hadn't been creating many new recipes were just sticking to old 'n easy peasy favorites. but i'm coming around again, finding my awesome, and getting back to my happyfaced self (and practicing lots of yoga to help stay balanced). i'm sorry for abandoning happyveganface while i worked on some things - i missed you all sooooooo very much and it sure does feel gooooood to be back!! oh yeah, and it's october - and that is also very, very glorious. as i like to say, superw00t!

now it's recipe time.... squeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

agave lime tofu with jalapeno-peach salsa (this isn't exactly a fall dish, but we wanted to share the recipe. this was enjoyed few weeks ago it was one helluva fresh 'n fantastical dish.)

ingredients:
for the 'fu:
1 big 'ol block of firm tofu (we used some local 'fu)
2 tbsp cup agave nectar (you can always add more if you like it sweeter)
2 tbsp water
2 limes, juiced
1 heaping tbsp cornstarch

for the salsa:
2 peaches, finely diced (no need to peel 'em)
10-15 (depending on how hot ya like it) slices of jarred jalapenos (i bet fresh would work as well)
a handful of cilantro, well chopped
1 lime, juiced
1/2 a cucumber, finely diced

what you'll need:
- small bowl + a cover (we used a lid to a pot)
- a dish for marinating 'fu (we used an 8x8 baking pan)
- large skillet (we used a 10" cast-iron skillet)

what'cha gotta do:
combine all the ingredients for the salsa in a small bowl, cover and set it aside in the fridge so it has a little time to let the flavors shake hands. while you're salsa is veg'n out get the tofu marinade go'n. combine the juice from 2 limes, agave, and water in your marinating dish. slice the 'fu anyway you like it and let it sit in the marinade, refrigerated, for at least an hour (we let ours hang out while we were at work). heat a large skillet on medium heat get your tofu ready for action. genlty shake some of the liquid from the slices of tofu as your move them from the marinade (save the marinade!) to the skillet and place each slice of 'fu in the skillet, letting the marinade drip off each slice before so that it's all lying flat in one layer. (we're "dry-frying" the tofu.) after about two minutes grab your spatula and gently press down on the tofu. the liquid will start seeping out and after a few presses flip all the tofu over & repeat this method of "dry-frying" until all the tofu is browned up to your liking. stir the heaping tbsp of cornstarch into the marinade and once the tofu is all browned up, turn off the heat and pour in the cornstarched marinade, moving the 'fu around in the pan as the sauce thickens. you can place your tofu atop of whatever you love the most (for us it was brown rice), or just eat it as is (this might also be yummers on a sammie with caramelized onions, a slice o' grilled pineapple, & spinach). just be sure to top your 'fu with lots and lots of jalapeno-peach salsa. enjoy!

cold summer chili, lemon coconut 'fu, & lazy jamaican peas

2010-07-06T19:19:00.005-04:00

everyone's always posting the most delicious recipes and these past few days we cooked up a few recipes we've been meaning to try. we loooove drooling over all the awesome food porn, daydreaming about how yummy the dishes are, and cooking away so we can enjoy the hell outta 'em, too. superw00t! now we're gonna rave about 3 new rock'n vegan recipes we tried - they're all absolutely awesome in every way and we highly recommend you give them a whirl when you have the chance! :)

first up is the perfect-for-those-"stupid-hot"(as dan calls them)-days cold summer chili from The Life. cilantro, beans, garlic, pine nuts = one glorious combination! we didn't have any adzuki beans on hand so we stuck with the white beans, tossed it atop polenta squares, topped our chili with guacamole and served it all up with a side of homemade salsa using some of the season's first tomatoes from our csa. oooooooooh, hooray! this cold summer chili is ridiculously good, easy to make, and it'll cool you off and have you digging in for seconds & fighting over leftovers (if you have any), indeed. :)

next up we've got another super scrummy 'n summery recipe from Lauren of Clean Eats in the Dirty South. her lemon coconut tofu "had me at hello" and i just knew anything with coconut was going to be the absolute best. sure enough it was! we used local 'fu, served Lauren's 'fu over a little brown rice & sauteed csa peppers 'n onions, and paird the 'fu with sauteed green beans for one uber awesome meal! another recipe that screams summer and all the deliciousness that comes along with it. yay!

moving on to another coconutty dish is Stephanie's (from the ever-so fabulous Lazy Smurf's Guide to Life) lazy jamaican peas. her post caught my eye a while ago and never having jamaican eatz i knew we had to make her dish super soon. we didn't have a scotch bonnet pepper so we subbed a jalapeno & added in some chopped carmen peppers with the onions. this dish was freak'n amazing, coconutty, easy peasy, and simply stellar served atop some brown rice with a side 'o sauteed swiss chard. soooooo goooooood - you've gotta make these peas!

alrighty, everyone - stay cool & your week!

local: garlic, tofu
csa: swiss chard, carmen peppers, green pepper, parsley, cilantro, tomatoes, red & yellow onions, green beans

herbed 'fu cacciatore

2010-07-01T19:35:00.000-04:00

hooray for summer time! while i'm not the biggest fan of the heat, i am most happyfaced that the farmer's market is bursting with lots of awesomenesses. this past saturday i grabbed a ton of tomatoes from our csa & decided to whip up an herbed 'fu cacciatore for myself (dan was at the fire station) using local tofu we had in the freezer and lots of csa veggies - it was definitely a local meal. superw00t! i remember chicken cacciatore being another one of my childhood favorites, and even though i didn’t have any mushrooms on hand (as i remember my mother putting many in her recipe), this herbed tofu cacciatore rocked some serious socks! i enjoyed it over a bed of brown rice and sprinkled with lots of toasted pine nuts. dan enjoyed the leftovers for lunch and loved it – which i didn’t think he’d care for having olives in it and all. ah ha ha! then again, i didn’t tell him they were in there. muahahahaa! things dan used to dislike and now enjoys: eggplant, mushrooms, and zucchini. now if i can just get him to love sauerkraut and mustard....anywhoooooo.... it's recipe time. :)

herbed 'fu cacciatore (makes 4 decent-sized servings)

ingredients:
1 block o herbed ‘fu (plain ‘fu should work just as well), drained, pressed, & diced into smallish cubes (i’d say our cubes were ½” or so)
1/2 large green zucchini, diced into small pieces
6-7 medium sized tomatoes (i used a mix of heirloom, hanover, and roma)
1 small yellow onion, finely diced
10 kalamata olives, pitted & minced (green olives or some capers might be just as yum)
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 green pepper, sliced thin
5 big ass cloves o’ garlic, minced
2 tbsp pine nuts, toasted (optional)
1 tbsp olive oil
olive oil cooking spray
¼ cup fresh parsley, finely chopped
15-20 fresh basil leaves, finely chopped
1 tsp dried oregano (use fresh if you've got it)
¼ tsp onion powder
sea salt
black pepper
(go ahead and add in some mushies if you’ve got ‘em!)

what you’ll need:
- 2 large skillets (i used a cast iron for the sauce and a stainless one for the ‘fu)

what’cha gotta do:
spray both skillets with a good bit ‘o olive oil cooking spray. saute the peppers, zucchini, and onions in one skillet on medium heat until the onions begin to soften. add in some sea salt & pepper to taste, then make a little well in the middle of your pan and drizzle in the tbsp of olive oil. place the minced garlic in the little oiled well & let that hang out for about 30 seconds (or until it becomes fragrant) then mix the garlic all about. add in the tomatoes and increase the heat to medium high. now get started on your ‘fu……..saute the ‘fu in the other skillet on medium to medium-high heat until browned on both sides. once the tomatoes in the first skillet have broken down a good bit, add in the tomato paste, dried oregano, onion powder, and combine. reduce the heat to a simmer, let it simmer for a few minutes (i'd say about 5-8) then add in the browned ‘fu & fresh herbs. season with a little more sea salt & pepper, and stir in the olives and onion powder. simmer some more until the sauce is thickened to your liking, remove from heat, top with toasted pine nuts, server over some rice if you like, and enjoy!

may the long weekend for all be filled with lots of friends, fun, fantastical foods, and happyfaces! wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!

gluten-free agave sweetened blueberry muffins

2010-06-17T19:21:00.006-04:00

this past weekend i picked a bunch of blueberries with my mom from the bushes in their front yard. w00t! some were made into blueberry buckle for the firefighters, many have been enjoyed alongside soy yogurt topped local strawberry jam, a bunch eaten as-is, and the rest we used for gluten-free blueberry muffins.

our recipe is adapted from the babycakes recipe and Shauna's. these gluten-free agave sweetened blueberry muffins were absolutely excellent & oh-so easy to whip up. dan's not a fan of blueberries and upon trying one mini muffin he immediately went back for another. we've been enjoying these little buggers for a few days now - they're oh-so yum. if you'd like to use canola oil instead of coconut oil and/or leave out the applesauce and just use oil feel free. we were trying to make them a little healthier because we knew they'd be gobbled up in just a few days, as i lack self control with baked yumminesses. ;)

this recipe makes for about 30 mini muffins, 24 mini muffins + 4 standard sized ones, or i'd imagine about 14 standard sized muffins. the standard muffins need to bake for about 18 minutes.

ingredients:
2/3 cup sweet rice flour
2/3 cup sorghum flour
2/3 cup tapioca starch
2/3 cup unsweetened plain almond milk
1 cup fresh blueberries
1/2 cup agave nectar (we used "raw" agave)
1/4 cup applesauce
1/4 cup coconut oil
2 tsp baking powder
2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp sea salt

what you'll need:
- mini muffin/cupcake tin (or a standard sized tin_
- muffin liners (optional. or simply use a little oil cooking spray)
- large mixing bowl
- small mixing bowl

what'cha gotta do:
combine the flours, tapioca starch, baking soda, baking powder & sea salt in a small bowl. in a large bowl combine the agave nectar, applesauce, coconut oil, and almond milk. stir the dry ingredients into the large bowl with the wet guys & combine. fold in your blueberries (blackberries, raspberries, cherries, or anything other yummies you'd love the most). line the mini muffin/cupcake tin with cupcake liners if you like (or spray the tin with oil cooking spray) and fill to 3/4 full. bake for just 13-15 minutes (toothpick test 'em). remove from the oven, allow to cool for 3-5 minutes, then remove them gently from the muffin tin and allow to cool on a rack. enjoy!

gluten-free tunaNOT casserole and fun weekend times

2010-06-14T19:52:00.002-04:00

it’s pretty warm in rva right now. actually, it’s pretty damn hot, and because i’m a bit of a nuttyboo yesterday it was decided that baking and also making a casserole would be a fun idea. ah ha ha! this weekend i visited my parents and got to picking a bunch of blueberries and black raspberries. you can see some of those black raspberries buddying up to Jes' gluten-free banana bourbon pecan waffles. oh yeah, and Jes' bourbony pecan & banana infused waffles are every bit as good as they look. here's another shot with with drizzled in pure maple syrup. sweet jeebus, these were soooooooo ridiculously awesome!

the black raspberries went into some failed gluten-free tarts (disappointedface, but i'm not giving up and am determined to have gluten-free success!), and the blueberries i made into a blueberry buckle for dan to take to the fire station for the him to share with the guys, and i made some gluten-free blueberry muffins (recipe to come super soon. we promise!).

whilst the oven was crank’n we thought that my mom’s tunaNOT casserole would make for a delicious meal.
it’s my absolute favorite dish from my childhood and about 2 years ago we veganized it. w00t! for some crazy reason we only make this dish about once a year, although we should make it once a week, and this year we deglutenized the recipe and tweaked it a bit more. here’s the gluten-free version, and this time the recipe makes a little less than the original. it made enough for 2 big servings for dinner and 2 medium sized ones for lunches today. so if you feel like turning on the oven when the heat is on, go ahead and give it a whirl – this casserole rocks the most socks!

tunaNOT casserole

ingredients:
3 cups uncooked brown rice pasta

½ cup tsp (textured soy protein – or tvp will work as well – just make sure it’s gluten-free if you are)
¼ sheet nori, minced
½ not-chicken bouillon cube (or use veggie broth instead of water)
½ cup water

½ small yellow onion, minced
½ green pepper, finely diced
1 stalk of celery, finely diced
¼ cup pimentos
¼ cup vegenaise
1 cup unsweetened plain almond milk (any unsweetened plain plant milk will do)
3 heaping tbsp chickpea flour
½ tsp black pepper
¼ tsp sea salt (more if you like)

what you'll need:
- large pot (for cook'n pasta)
- small saucepan/pot (for the gravy)
- small pot + lid (for the tvp)
- whisk

what'cha gotta do:
2 slices of your favorite gluten-free bread whizzed about in a food processor to make breadcrumbs.

begin by combining the ½ cup of water with the minced nori & bouillon cube (or veggie broth) and bringing it all to a boil. once boiling, remove from heat, stir in the tsp, cover with a lid & set aside.

get some more water boiling and cook the brown rice pasta for just 6 minutes. drain & rinse with cold water to stop the cooking process.

in a small saucepan sprayed with cooking oil, saute the onion until it begins to soften. add in the chickpea flour, sea salt, and black pepper. saute for another minute then stir in the almond milk. whisk until it thickens & gets to be a nice gravy; remove from heat.

toss the undercooked pasta, tsp, and gravy in the large pot you used to cook the pasta. add in the vegenaise, finely diced celery & green pepper, and pimentos. stir to combine, transfer to a small casserole dish and top with breadcrumbs.

bake on 350 degrees (no need to preheat) for 35 minutes or until the top is golden brown. allow the casserole to cool for 10 minutes then enjoy!

oh yeah - gluten-free fried green tomatoes were also enjoyed this weekend, after Bianca started a craving for them. mmmmmmm!

also, here's a picture of ms. julie-beans being a happy lady - she makes my heart squeeeee. :)

easy 'n yummy eatz for two busy bees.

2010-06-10T15:30:00.001-04:00

lately we've been all about some meals that are oh-so delicious and super easy to make. we're still pretty darn busy as dan's started up some EMT courses (they're required as a firefighter) and i've been picking up some additional training to kick my ass so i can become more fit. :) throw in a little family time, cookouts, socializing with friends, gardening, and things around the home and we've got some full plates. it's all good though and we're thinking things will slow down a smidge in july. yay! i'm dreaming of our beach vacation in august already....

to start with, here's our csa score from last saturday: red & green cabbage, kale, spinach, peach-basil jam (it's my favorite!), zucchinis, cucumbers, potatoes (yay!), swiss chard, lettuce heads, golden beets and cauliflower. we've been making yummies from the loot ever since!

nothing says easy and awesome like french toast. i'm a huge fan of brunch, but dining out for brunch in rva (while there are a few vegan options) as a gluten-free vegan doesn't always leave ya with a plethora of options. it's a-okay with me, because brunch with the one you love the most + episodes of It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia + time on the couch in your pajamas = megahappyface. :D we can't remember the exact measurements for the french toast, but i know we used almond milk, about a tbsp of chickpea flour, about a tbsp of ground flax seeds, 1-2 tsp of vanilla extract, a pinch of salt & sugar, 1/2 an over-ripe smashed banana, and a whole lotta cinnamon. dip the bread of your choosing (gluten-free for saso & i) into the batter, cook in a cast iron skillet then smother in real maple syrup, serve with hash browns 'n Jes' tube sausages and enjoy the helloutta some goodnesses. oh yeah!

more easy & awesome, chickpea "chipotle" bowls! cooked chickers sauteed with red onion, bell peppers, chili 'n chipotle powder, cumin, and garlic that are tossed over some cilantro-lime rice & topped with tomatoes, csa spinach, and tofutti sour cream. so easy, so delicious, and it makes many happyfaces & bellies.

while on the mexinesses..... NACHOS! another "we haven't had 'em in forever meal". i cooked up a decent sized batch o' kidney & white bean chili (using up the last of the dried beans we had on hand) this past sunday for nacho dinners and chili 'n cheeze potato lunches. i've gotta say that nachos are probably one of my favorite snickety snack dinners, fo 'sho.

moving on to italian style eatz. eggplant parmesan smothered in homemade marinara (that we had almost forgotten about tucked away in the freezer), earth balanced brown rice pasta, & roasted asparagus with toasted pine nuts. yums!

we won't be able to make it to our csa this saturday so i'm going to be stopping by a local farm stand instead. looking forward to lots of fresh 'n tasty produce to work with this coming week. all the fresh veggies have got me craving more high raw breakfasts (green smoothies, green juices, and buckwheat groat cereals topped with fruit) & lunches (zoodles with raw marinara, huge csa salads, and brown rice veggie burgers wrapped in swiss chard leaves with cucumbers & carrots) lately so i've been feeling extra peppy and oh-so gooooood!

csa: spinach, cucumbers (stuffing in wraps & green juices), cauliflower (for csa salads), zucchini (zoodles), lettuce (more csa salads), kale (green juices), and cabbage (coleslaw to top our bbq-sauced soy curls i made for dan & i for my company picnic).

caaaaaabbage = one happyfaced belly

2010-05-25T20:32:00.003-04:00

sweet deliciosity! i lurve me some cabbage goodnesses & i don't think i've loved a cabbage dish as much as the one i nommed on this evening. my blogging friend Cyn introduced me to Molly's blog, Orangette, a while ago and in searching Molly's blog for ideas i came across her braised green cabbage recipe. since i had a head 'o organic cabbage in the fridge that needed to be used up i decided to tweak the recipe and veganize it - using not-chicken broth & omitting the egg (and i only used 1 tbsp of olive oil). wow, wow, WOW! dan wasn't home to give it a whirl (although he's not the biggest fan of cabbage....and he calls himself irish. ah ha ha!), but this is fo 'sho the best cabbage i've had. ever. thank you, Molly!

in other deliciousnesses......dan and i made some of Isa's absolutely amazing omg baked onion rings a week or two ago and they were sooooooo gloriously good! (subbing in brown rice flour & cornmeal to make 'em gluten-free.)

also yum - a quick 'n easy falafel night last week. yay!

we apologize for the lack of new recipes lately. we're back to being uber busy and kinda taking a break in the kitchen. within the next few weeks we plan to start getting creative with some of our csa goodies and can't wait to share what we'll be cooking up! for now we're just taking it easy when we can and drooling over all the delicious eatz you all are cook'n up. w00t!

we hope everyone is fantastically awesome, enjoying the hell outta spring, and many hugs (& even more happyfaces) to you all!

p.s. - here's a picture of ms. jasmine. she's been a part of my family since i started high school waaaaaay back in the day. this picture just makes me smile. she's the best! my ma & pa went out of town for a while last week and love having her in our home while they're gone. julie gets along so well with her, too - although ms. jasmine kinda scares our kittehs. :) it's all good though, a 16 year old pup can do whatever she likes. :)

farmer's market fun!

2010-05-16T20:55:00.001-04:00

i was in nyc when our farmer's market we visit had their opening day, but i was up bright and early these past saturdays for market fun times. i love geting to the market as soon as it opens so i can get the best selection possible; you'd be surprised how quickly asparagus & strawberries sell out. :) last year we joined the Victory Farms' csa after being on the waitlist for over a year - we were so excitedfaced to join & take advantage of the local & organic produce. there isn't much that beats fresh, organic, local awesomeness. all the veggies offered taste absolutely amazing so we bought a full share again this year having been so spoiled by all the deliciousness last season. this week we
wanted to show ya the market so i took some pictures to share. :)

the farmer's market
is just 10-15 minutes away from our home and it's held in a local park's parking lot. this year there are many more vendors - and many of them are offering even more organic yummies. yay! there are crafts you can buy, fruits, veggies, coffees, pies, cakes, plants, flowers, breads, grub to nom on - you name it.....here's the Victory Farm's lot & what they had to offer this past week: baby squash, broccoli, scallions, beets, flowers, carrots, salad mix, arugula, spinach, lettuce heads, broccoli raab, kale (3 types), swiss chard, bok choy, radishes, turnips, chives, mint, cilantro, & parsley. huzzah! this week i brought back broccoli, carrots, spinach, & kale. grabbed from other local vendors: organic asparagus & tons of shitake mushrooms. awesomesauce!

oh yes, and yumminesses enjoyed lately.....

our breakfast from 2 sundays ago.... Dreena's cornmeal pankcakes (sans raspberries & almond extract) and & Jes' tempeh tube sausages. both were ridiculously easy to make and equally ridiculously scrumptrulescent! if you haven't tried Dreena's pannycakes or Jes' tempeh sausages you should super soon! you just don't know all the awesome you're missing out on! :)

last friday i went in to have my hair colored & trimmed and brought along some gluten-free chocolate banana bread mini muffins to share with peeps. these we're some of the yummiest muffins we've tasted and everyone at the salon had happyfaces and happy tummies! not only were they a delicious success, but one helluva gluten-free success. w00t! using Isa's banana bread recipe i simply subbed in 1 cup of gluten-free oat flour, 1 cup of sweet rice flour, and added in ~1 cup of chocolate chunks. baked the mini muffins for just 15 minutes and that was it! easy peasy + awesome = yay!

my birthday was last week and we were craving bbq so we made it happen! mmmmmmmmmm! here's our homemade bbq sauced soy curlz dinner - my sammie was on gluten-free bread with slaw, and we served it all up with baked potatoes 'n green beans. oooooooh-sooooo yummers!

happy sunday to you all and may your week be super stellar!

peanut sauced ‘fu, red beans ‘n rice, and a sorta-kinda enchilada casserole.

2010-05-09T18:59:00.013-04:00

after get'n back from nyc i wanted to create some enchilada awesomenesses for dan & i to grub on. portobello-kale-‘n-potato enchiladas were being created (we made veganomicon’s potato kale enchiladas forever ago and i was thinking something similar but with salsa verde this time around & a few tweaks), but the darn corn tortillas just wouldn’t cooperate. sadface. also sadface, the grocery store didn’t have any tomatillos so we used a jarred verde sauce, which was actually pretty scrummy, i just love making my own when i can. anywhooooo….so the tortillas were misbehaving and it was decided to hack them up into bits and make a portobello-kale-‘n-potato casserole of sorts. onions were sauteed with loads of minced garlic and then mushrooms were added to the mix. a little cumin, a smidge of chili powder, some chipotle & smoked paprika, and a little white pepper ‘n sea salt were added. toss in some cooked & diced taters with the well kale and that was the mix. we tossed it all in a big baking pan, stirred up the hacked corn tortillas with the potatoey goodness mix, dumped on the verde and baked until browned. easy peasy and no more sadfaces. :) we enjoyed our enchilada awesomeness with cheezy homemade refried pinto beans, spanish-style brown rice, and homemade salsa. it wasn't the prettiest looking meal, but it got w00ts all around!

i can’t actually remember when we made the red beans ‘n rice dish, but it was most excellent. i added in lots of fresh parsley and toasted the spices - next time i’ll write down what we do to make ‘em and report back. :)

and now onto dan’s favorite... the peanut sauced ‘fu. we cooked the ‘fu up “cornstarch style”, stir-fried our favorite veggies (bell peppers, broccoli florets & stems, mushies, carrots, & onions – and added in some slivered cucumbers & scallions) and coated it all in a gloriously good peanut sauce. i loved this peanut sauce so much and dan extra loved it. ah ha ha! had we some coconut milk in our pantry i would have used a smidge in this recipe, but it stands awesome as is.

ingredients:
1/2 yellow onion, very finely diced
1 large clove ‘o garlic, very finely minced
1 tsp peanut oil
½ cup unsweetened plain almond milk
¼ cup smooth or chunky natural peanut butter (ours was creamy with no salt or sugar added)
1 tbsp rice vinegar (you can add more if you like – adjust to taste!)
2 tsp sucanat (brown sugar works just as well)
½ tsp liquid braggs (tamari, shoyu, or soy sauce works equally well)
½ tsp red pepper flakes
a pinch of sea salt
½ tsp sriracha (optional if you’d like a little more heat)

what you’ll need:
- small skillet

what’cha gotta do:
heat the peanut oil to medium then add in your onions. stirring often, saute until they begin to brown then decrease the heat to low and toss in your red pepper flakes and garlic. when the garlic starts to become fragrant (about 30 seconds to 1 minute) add in the peanut butter and once it starts getting a little melty add the almond milk and stir to combine. stir in remaining ingredients, adjust seasonings to taste and let it cook for another 2-3 minutes (you can add in more peanut butter to make it thicker or more almond milk to thin it out to get your sauce to your favorite consistency.). smother anything you love the most with the peanut sauce goodness & enjoy. yay!