Raw Blueberry Cobbler

Usually when I see samples at the market, I pass them by assuming that it's probably not vegan.  Not so at Sevananda Natural Foods Market!  Chef Joi was sampling her raw, vegan blueberry cobbler recipe and it was absolutely delicious.  Another reason why I enjoy shopping at my co-op.  

I decided to bring it to a potluck and it was a huge hit, and even better when paired with some vegan ice cream.  Chef Joi, you are a genious!  Oh, and it only takes like 15 minutes tops. 

Crust topping ingredients:
3 cups dry pecans
3/4 tsp sea salt
1 tbsp vanilla extract
1 tsp cinnamon
3/4 cup pitted dates

Place pecans and salt in the food processor and process until flour-like.  Then add the rest of the ingredients and process until dough-like.  (It can still be crumbly).  Place half in the bottom of your dish, then place the rest in a bowl for later.

Syrup Ingredients:
3/4 cup of pitted dates
1/2 cup blueberries (fresh of frozen-- I used a combo)
1/2 tbsp vanilla extract
1/3 cup water (or less)

No need to clean out the food processor, just add these syrup ingredients and process until smooth.  Should still be thick.

Filling:
1 1/2 Cups blueberries

Put the berries in a large mixing bowl and toss with the syrup, making sure to cover completely.  Then pour on top of crust, and cover with the rest of the crust.  No baking involved-- just enjoy!

Twice Baked Potato

Here's all you need to make a killer vegan twice-baked potato:  Earth Balance butter, Tofutti sour cream (I actually had some leftover french onion dip from a potluck last night..), Daiya cheddar shreds, unsweet almond milk, and some salt and pepper.   Gets me excited for holiday food!

QUESOOOOO

I just about passed out in the chip isle of WFM when I saw this vegan queso made by Food for Lovers!  yummmmmmm I'm in heaven.  Healthy, delicious and vegan!  It's like being reunited with an old friend :)

Vegan Sausage, part I

I am on a quest for the perfect vegan sausage.  I just started working at a (non-veg) restaurant that specializes in hot dogs and sausages, so it's only fitting that I develop my own tasty sausage recipe. In my very first attempt at home-made sausage, I modified a recipe that I saw on two of my favorite vegan food blogs, Vegan Dad and Post Punk Kitchen. The awesome thing about this recipe is that you can make tons of texture variations and flavor combos. So here's my first attempt:  

Ingredients:
1/2 Cup pinto beans (drained and rinsed)
1 Cup cold vegetable broth
1 Tbl spoon olive oil
1 Tbl spoon soy sauce
1 Tbl spoon vegan worcestershire sauce
2 Cloves garlic grated with a microplane
1 Cup vital wheat gluten
1/2 Cup soy flour
Spices: nutritional yeast, smoked paprika, cumin, red pepper flakes, ground pepper, salt

First, prepare the steamer and get water boiling.  Also prepare 6 sheets of tin foil before getting started with the dough.

Mash the pinto beans in a large bowl until no whole beans are left.  Then add each ingredient as it's listed above and mix with a fork.  When everything is mixed, separate the dough into six equal parts.  Shape it onto the foil, and then just roll it up like a tootsie roll. Then twist both ends.  It's really easy!  Place foil dogs in the steamer and steam for 40 minutes.

When they are done, you can eat immediately, grill them, saute them, refrigerate, or freeze for later.  I am very pleased at the results!  Now I'm still on a mission to try all the variations I can and perfect my recipe.  Next time I might use a different type of bean and change up the spices.  I'm also brainstorming on the best toppings and bun.  To be continued....

Vegan Noodle Casserole

I found some eggless dumpling noodles at the Candler Park Market (If you live in Atlanta they have awesome vegan sandwiches!  mmmmm their dill seitan mock-chicken salad on ciabatta with vegenaise spinach and tomato is my fave..)  Anyway we decided to use the noodles to make a "can't believe it's vegan" style casserole. 

Ingredients:
Onion
Garlic
Mushrooms
Vegan sausage (we used Light Life brand Smoked Style)
Extra firm tofu
Daiya cheddar style vegan cheese
Bread Crumbs
Almond Milk
Flour
Vegan butter
Nutritional yeast
Beer
Seasonings

First, cook the dumpling noodles according to package directions.  In a saute pan, head some oil and add the onions, garlic, then the sausage (wait to add the mushrooms until the end).  Then you're going to make a cheezey sauce.  Start a roux with some butter and flour, then add almond milk, vegan cheese, and nutritional yeast.  Next I crumbled some tofu in there, and even poured in some beer (feelin crazy!) and seasoned it. When the sauce had the consistency I wanted, I added the sausage and mixed it all together.  Sorry I didn't include measurements, but with a little trial and error you'll get it! 

Before:

 After:

 Lightly grease a casserole dish, and add the noodles.  Pour the sauce over top, sprinkle more Daiya, and put a layer of bread crumbs over it all.  Cover in aluminum foil and bake for about 45 minutes on 350.  Uncover and bake for 15 more minutes to get the bread crumbs nice and brown on top. 

Drop Biscuits 'N Gravy

I am finally getting over my weird intimidation with baking and cracking open this amazing cookbook: "The Joy of Vegan Baking" by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau.  She has perfected countless vegan recipes for breads, cookies, cakes, and everything in between.

I almost didn't believe it when the biscuit recipe said prep time: 5 minutes.  Could it be this easy to make tasty biscuits?  Yep!  Here's how:

Biscuit Ingredients:
1 2/3 Cups unbleached all-purpose flour
1 tblsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt 
2/3 cup almond milk
1/3 cup melted Earth Balance (or you can just use canola oil)

Preheat oven to 475, and lightly grease a baking sheet.  Combine the dry ingredients first, then add the milk and oil and stir with a fork.  The batter should be thick.  Use two spoons to put little scoops of batter on the cookie sheet.  (We also made traditional-sized biscuits with this recipe and they turned out fine.  The mini ones were PERFECT for the biscuits n gravy, though).  Bake for about 8 minutes.

Gravy ingredients:
Earth Balance vegan butter
almond milk
flour
diced onion
vegan sausage (We used Light Life brand)
seasonings

For the vegan gravy, we made a roux with the butter and flour, then added the almond milk.  Simmer for a few minutes and you can add a little more flour/milk to get the consistency you want. Stir and simmer.  In a separate pan, we sauteed the onion and sausage, then added it to he gravy. 

Baja Birthday Dinner

For my 27th birthday dinner, my mom prepared a Mexican feast including vegan tamales, "fish" tacos with fresh pico de gallo, and refried beans.

 Let's start with the tamales!  I was excited to help with the process because I had never made tamales from scratch.  I'd say they were quite tasty!  For the masa we used a recipe from the Bon Appetit Cookbook and just substituted non-vegan ingredients for vegan ones (Earth Balance instead of butter, and cut out the cheese).  I took a picture of the recipe.
 


Then for the filling we sauted up some soy veggie crumbles, onion, and peppers and mixed in some Daiya pepper jack shreds.   First, lay down some masa dough and flatten it with your hands, then put the filling on top.  Layer more masa and squish it all together, sealing the mixture inside.  Then wrap it up in a corn husk just as if you a Chipotle employee wrapping up a burrito.  We used strips of the husk to tie it all in a nice little package.  Here are some pictures of the process.

 

 

 
While making the tamales, we pressed extra-firm tofu to prepare for the vegan fish tacos.  After the water has been pressed out, slice the tofu.  Coat in flour.  Then dip in vegan plain yogurt, and then coat in panko (bread crumbs).  Fry the tofu cutlets in oil until the coating is golden-brown.

 

Topped with pico de gallo and lime, these baja tacos were super fresh!  Feliz cumpleaños a mi!!  Thanks, mom!

Vegan Cheezeburger?!!

This one's gonna be quick:  but I just want to say that if you're looking for a vegan hamburger alternative that is just like real thing (only better), it's gotta be Gardein.  We all know that I'm a faux-meat aficionado and in my opinion these make the best "can't believe it's vegan" burgers.  Topped with Daiya vegan cheddar-style shreds, Gardein burger patties, spinach, home-grown tomato, vegenaise, dijon, pickle, and a whole wheat bun! 

Ken's Vegan Reuben

I will admit that this isn't a "true" Reuben since I used sourdough instead of rye bread.. but it was still yummy!  To make a vegan thousand island dressing, I mixed Vegenaise, ketchup, and diced pickle. Three of my favorite condiments together as one.  Tofurkey brand deli slices are my favorite of store-bought sandwich slices because they are sliced really thin.  For my Reuben I used the roast beef style deli slices and Bubbie's sauerkraut (squeeze out the water first.)  Finally, spread Earth Balance on the outside of the bread and grill it up!  Not the healthiest sandwich I've ever made, but definitely some tasty comfort food.     

Chicken Fried Tofu dinner

Here's what you see on this plate:  Red quinoa, steamed broccoli and carrots, skillet potatoes, braised kale, and fried tofu. 

For the tofu, we kind of cheated and started with a pre-baked savory tofu made by WildWood organics.  I Love the firm texture of the baked tofu and this brand has just enough savory flavor-- but not too much. 

I prepared one shallow bowl with a mixture of almond milk and arrowroot starch, and another bowl with flour, panko, and seasoned salt.  We sliced the tofu in thin triangles and heated oil in a skillet.  Fry each side for a couple minutes until brown, then set on a paper towel before plating. 

My plate: (as you can see, I'm a kale addict)

 Chris' plate: 

As for everything else, I used my rice cooker for the quinoa, the potatoes have onions, garlic, and red peppers, and you can look at this post to see how I like to cook my greens. 

Things to make with chickpeas

I made a big batch of chickpeas using my pressure cooker, so I had to find some different uses for them.

I first made a kale and sundried tomato hummus that was inspired by a recipe on VeganYumYum.  I processed the beans first with salt/pepper and olive oil, then added the kale (steam it, and press all the water out) and tomatos and processed a bit more.  A healthy twist on hummus!



I also made "Roasted Chichers," which turn the beans into a tasty snack.  I saw this recipe in my Vegan Planet cookbook and they were so quick and easy I had to try it!  Just put the chickpeas in a shallow baking dish, drizzle some olive oil and sprinkle salt and pepper.  Heat the oven to 400 and cook for about 20-30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

We added some of those chichers to a southwest-style tofu scramble (yum!), and the next day I put the leftovers in a melty, grilled breakfast sandwich featuring Daiya vegan cheddar!  Yes!

Fresh Pesto Gnocchi

The basil in my garden is flourishing!  Time to make pesto! 

For the pesto:
Fresh basil (about 1 1/2 cups loosely packed)
2 cloves garlic
1/3 cup pine nuts
Olive oil

Start with the pine nuts and garlic in the food processor.  When they are chopped, add the basil and process.  Then lastly add the olive oil until it looks the consistency you want. 

In a pan, saute some chopped onion and sun-dried tomatoes.  When the gnocchi is cooked, add it to the saute and mix the basil in.  A quick, flavorful dinner.
  

Stuffed Crust Pizza!

We LOVE pizza.  And lucky for me, Chris takes care of the tricky part (tossing the dough, building the pizza) while I chop veggies and get the toppings ready.  This time, we used a frozen whole wheat crust from Whole Foods.  Since the pizza pan was a bit too small for the crust, Chris decided to put a thin layer of Daiya vegan cheese around the edge and then folded the crust over top.  Experimenting is fun! 

Before going in the oven

Toppings included Daiya vegan mozzarella, red and green peppers, onion, mushrooms, and Yves vegan pepperoni. 

Orange Chik'n over Noodles

If you have read my blog before, then you know that I am a huge fan of the different "faux meat" products that are on the market. Some of the best I have tasted are by Gardein-- both the texture and taste is spot-on!

When we didn't really feel like cooking the other night, I was glad that I had some Gardein Mandarin Orange Crispy Chick'n in the freezer, and some black bean noodles in the pantry. Easy. Yummy. (Next time I won't be so lazy and we'll add some veggies...)

Southwest Tofu Scramble

Today we made a Southwest Tofu Scramble for Easter brunch.  It was also the perfect dish to sample Daiya's newest flavor of vegan cheese: pepperjack!  Thanks, Daiya, you've done it again! 



Ingredients:
1 Block extra firm tofu
1/2 yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, diced
1 green pepper, diced
sliced baby bella mushrooms
shredded Daiya vegan pepperjack cheese
Spices: smoked paprika (good for giving some color too), cayenne, cumin, salt/pepper

Start by sauteing the onion in a little oil, then the garlic, then the green pepper.  Drain the tofu, crumble, and add to the pan.  Add spices and mushrooms.  Saute a little longer, then when it's almost done sprinkle on the vegan cheese and put a lid on it to melt the cheese.  Of course I love it with a side of wheat toast and Earth Balance vegan margarine.

Steamed Artichoke

There are few veggies I love more than the artichoke!  Great on pizzas, in salad, in a dip, or just steamed and eaten leaf by leaf.  The other night I was cooking for one so I splurged (3.99 each.. dang!).

I chopped a clove of garlic, drizzled some olive oil and sprinkled sea salt over the artichoke. I also poured some beer on top (Brooklyn EIPA) before steaming for about 45 minutes. 


When the leaves come off easily, you know it's ready to eat.  I just love the process of scraping the "meat" off the leaves, and then the heart is like a little prize at the end :)

Melty Lasagna (again)

Lasagna is an absolute FAVE of mine. I love its melty, gooey, cheezey taste and each batch we make is better than the last. I have posted lasagna before but it deserves another.



Prepare a sauce by sauteing onions and garlic, (I like to add Boca crumbles to give it a traditional meaty-ness, but you can add other veggies instead like zuccini) then adding your favorite marinara sauce. I always add the sliced mushrooms last.

For a tofu ricotta, just crumble a block of extra-firm tofu + salt + italian spices + olive oil and process in the food processor until smooth.

I prefer the DeBoles rice noodles. They don't need to be pre-cooked which is convenient.

In a casserole dish, layer the sauce, noodles, tofu-ricotta, daiya mozarrella vegan cheese, repeat.

Cover with tin foil and bake for 45 mins on like 375 i think? (read the directions on the noodle box) then remove foil and bake for 15 more minutes.
Let cool before you eat! So yummy. (p.s. don't over-do it on the daiya.)

Cheezey Chik'N wrap

These wraps are fool-proof and they please omnivores just as well as vegans. I take a Boca Spicy Chik'N patty and fry it in a little oil, then put shredded Daiya and cover to let it melt. Warm up a tortilla, spread some Vegenaise, and add the chik'n and veggies (kept it simple with spinach and cherry tomatoes). This is a five-minute meal that will have you wondering if it's truly vegan. mmmmmm melty.

Stuffed Mushrooms

For the Superbowl, I made stuffed mushrooms from a recipe in my "Vegan Planet" cookbook by Robin Robertson.  This was my first attempt at stuffed mushrooms, and it was pretty easy (also note that I adapted the recipe a bit to my taste because I suck at following recipes). 

Ingredients:

Baby bella mushrooms
Bread crumbs
Diced garlic
Chopped Italian parsely
Diced onion
Diced jalapeno
Oil
Splash of veggie stock
Spices (salt, pepper, Italian spices)

First, take off the mushroom stems and chop them, set aside.  Make breadcrumbs by pulsing a few pieces of bread in the food processor.

Next, heat a little oil in the pan and sautee the mushroom caps for a minute to soften them.  Remove from pan and place on a baking sheet.

Saute the onion, garlic, and jalapeno until translucent, and add the parsely, breadcrumbs, mushrooms and a little veggie stock to moisten the mixture.  Mix ingredients.

 
Scoop a spoonful of the mixture and spread over each mushroom cap.  Bake on 400 for about 10-15 minutes, until the mixture gets crispy on top.   

Sweet potato quesadillas

These vegan quesadillas were inspired by a recipe from the cookbook "Veganomicon" by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero.  It is a fantastic cookbook with healthy, veggie-filled recipes for all occasions.  In their recipe, they recommended using yuca in the filling, but unfortunately couldn't find it so I improvised with a sweet potato and fingerlings I had on hand. 

I used a large sweet potato, a few small fingerling potatoes cut in pieces and boiled for 20 minutes. 

Then I sauteed diced onion, garlic, and diced red pepper in a little oil and added spices such as cumin, salt, pepper, and a dash of cayenne.  

Mash the potatoes with a little Earth Balance vegan margarine, then add the cooked veggies.  I also had some red chard already cooked, so I added it to the mix as well.  (See my post about braised greens.)

Next, I lightly buttered the inside of a tortilla and spread the mashed-potato mix on one half. Fold the tortilla and butter the outside as well.  Place in a heated skillet and grill until brown on each side. 

Bagels in my belly

If you are lucky enough to live in the ATL, I urge you to try the bagels at Belly General Store. They are the best bagels I've ever eaten in my life-- and I have always been a bagel fan. My favorite kind is the "everything" bagel, because it's loaded up with garlic, rosemary, poppy and sesame seeds, sea salt, and black pepper. Don't be surprised if you find a huge chunk of garlic in there. Yum! To save money, I like to buy a couple bags of the day-old bagels and slice them before I put them in the freezer to keep. When I'm ready for a sandwich I just pop it in the toaster oven. Today I topped my sandwich with hummus, spinach, cherry tomato, and red onion. Thank you, Belly! (Maybe one day you'll start to make vegan cupcakes, too.. A girl can only dream!)

Vegan pizza at Mellow Mushroom

I was thrilled when I saw that my local Mellow Mushroom now serves Daiya vegan cheese. Artichokes, mushrooms, onions, light daiya. MM is definitely one of the highlights of living in the south. :)