Lazy Non-Chicken Parm

I took vegetarian chicken patties, microwaved them for half of the time prescribed on the package, then added storebought chunky tomato sauce and Daiya shreds and finished microwaving them.  Took less than 5 minutes.

Here they are, served up with creamy chive mashed cauliflower.

What convenience veggie foods do you enjoy?


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Baby Taro

I love boiled baby taro. They are tender mini versions of the large root vegetable. They're quick, easy, and so filling and satisfying. Just boil the taros until fork tender (like a potato), peel, and enjoy with a little salt. So good!

Here they are in the pot:

Here they are peeled and ready to eat:

How do you like your taro cooked? Do you prefer to mash them, or make chips, or something else?


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Corn Chowder

I adapted the corn chowder recipe from the Fannie Farmer Cookbook (by Marion Cunningham) to make it vegan.

Corn Chowder

• two onions, diced (or one jumbo onion)
• 3-4 minced cloves of garlic, optional
• 8 potatoes, peeled and diced
• 2 vegetable bouillon cubes (the extra large ones that each make 2 cups of broth)
• 4 cups unsweetened milk (I have used Almond Breeze or soy milk)
• 4 cups corn, either frozen or fresh
• 4 Tablespoons butter, optional (I used Earth Balance, which made the soup rich and yummy)
• salt and pepper to taste

Sautee the onions and garlic in a few tablespoons of oil (or water, if you're watching the fat) until transluscent and fragrant. Add the potatoes, bouillon, and 6 cups of water, bring to a boil and simmer until the potatoes are tender. Add the milk, corn, butter, salt (it's important to taste the soup before adding any salt, because it may already be salty enough between the bouillon and the butter) and pepper and simmer for 5 more minutes or so. Then, if you like a thicker soup (like I do), pull out 2 to 4 cups of the soup and blend it until smooth, then add back into the pot with the rest of the soup and stir until thoroughly combined. The soup is hearty and yummy (and omni-approved!) and is the soup equivalent of wrapping yourself in a blanket. It's even better served with bread, crackers, or croutons.

What food(s) do you make when you seek warmth or comfort?


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Candy Cane Chocolate-Dipped Pretzels

I put parchment paper on a baking sheet. Then I put candy canes in a sandwich bag and crushed them with the bottom of a pint glass (classy!) and put them in a wide, shallow container. Then I melted some chocolate chips in a bowl in the microwave. I coated each pretzel with chocolate, shook off the excess or wiped any drips with a spatula, then held it over the candy cane container where I liberally sprinkled the candy cane crumbs on, then laid it on the baking sheet. When the sheet was full, I put it in the fridge until the chocolate solidified, about 15 minutes. I repeated until I reached the desired amount of pretzels. One bag of chocolate chips was juuust enough to coat half a pound of pretzels (I was scraping the bowl of chocolate with a silicone spatula), and 9 crushed candy canes was enough to stick to the chocolate.

These might look really candy-caney, but they were not overly minty at all. The saltiness, sweetness and minty-ness were perfectly balanced.

What sweet treats do you enjoy this time of year?


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Bean Sprout and Tofu Stir-Fry

In a hot pan with some oil, I stir-fried bean sprouts, sliced garlic, and fried tofu cubes (you can buy packages of them at Asian markets). About halfway through I added sesame oil and soy sauce. At the end I added chopped cilantro.

Do you prefer your bean sprouts cooked or raw? What dishes do you like them in?


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Creamy Chive Mashed Cauliflower

A few years ago I made the non-vegan version of this dish and someone who hates cauliflower really liked it. It tastes like a sour cream and chive baked potato. The vegan version is omni-approved too.

Steam a head of cauliflower until tender, and mash with cream cheese (I used Tofutti "Better Than Cream Cheese") to desired richness (I used about 6 ounces for my taste), then add chives (I used 3 tablespoons of dried chives), garlic powder (I used about a teaspoon of it, just to add a little sumthin sumthin), salt and pepper to taste. I know it sounds weird that you only add cream cheese, but trust me, you've got to fight the urge to add Earth Balance or almond milk because they will not get absorbed and will just make your cauliflower watery and gross. Cream cheese only. I promise it works.

How do you like to make cauliflower?


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Grilled Cheese Sandwich

On multigrain bread I put spicy mustard, a dash of garlic powder, the tiniest sprinkle of nutmeg, and a handful of cheese (part Daiya pepper jack and part Daiya mozzarella). I toasted the sandwich in a hot pan with olive oil, adding more oil to the pan when I flipped the sandwich to toast the other side (if you don't add more oil, the second side won't brown as well).

The texture of melted Daiya is awesome. You can see one small string in the back, but this picture doesn't do justice to the ooey-gooey stretchy melty goodness.

How do you like your grilled cheese sandwiches? What is your favorite cheese to use?


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Indian Spiced Rice Pudding (Kheer)

Kheer is an Indian dessert. It's a creamy, soupy rice pudding and is supposed to be soupy, not thick like an American rice pudding. This recipe comes out soupy when served immediately, but when refrigerated it sets up like an American rice pudding. To keep it soupy even when chilled, you should omit the cornstarch and use only 1/2 cup of rice. This recipe makes more than 6 cups of cooked pudding and serves 6-8.

Ingredients

• 8 cups almond milk (I used Almond Breeze vanilla almond milk. Yes, it's the entire half-gallon carton. No, it's not too much milk for the amount of rice. I promise.)
• 1 cup long grain white rice (basmati rice would be more authentic)
• 6 green cardamom pods, ground
• 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
• Sweetener to taste: about 3/4 cup sugar, 1/4-1/2 cup agave nectar, or artificial sweetener. I wouldn't use maple syrup or honey, as they have strong flavors and it would affect the flavor of the dessert.
• 3 Tablespoons raisins
• 6 Tablespoons almonds and/or pistachios, sliced or chopped (I only had almonds on hand)

Method

• In a large pot stir together the almond milk, rice and cardamom and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer gently until the rice is cooked and the liquid has thickened and reduced almost to half (about 40 minutes to an hour). Stir frequently to avoid burning on the bottom of the pan and reduce "skin" formation of the milk (but don't worry, a little skin won't foil the recipe).
• Spoon a ladle full of the reduced milk into a separate bowl and add the cornstarch. Stir well until smooth and thoroughly combined (no lumps!). Return this mixture to the pot and simmer a few more minutes.
• Add the sweetener to taste, raisins, and nuts and cook a few more minutes.

You can serve the kheer warm or chilled. Here's what it looked like when warm and soupy:

What warm desserts do you like?


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Chewy Fruit and Nut Chocolate Chip Bar

The result of my craving for something chewy and candy-bar-like that I could take on the go:

Chewy Fruit and Nut Chocolate Chip Bars (makes 2 bars)

• 6 large dates (I used Medjool dates but if you're using smaller dates such as Deglet you would double the number)
• 1/4 cup almonds
• 3 Tablespoons shredded coconut
• pinch of cinnamon and tiny dash of nutmeg, optional
• 3 Tablespoons chocolate chips, mini ones are better if you can get them

In a food processor, chop the dates to fine pieces, at which point it'll be sticking together in lumps or on the sides of the bowl. (I don't have a food processor and was able to use my Magic Bullet for this but it took a lot of patience and shaking the contents around or scraping down the cup. I used the cross-blades.)

Add the almonds and process until combined and to desired consistency, then add coconut (and spices, if desired) and process for a couple of seconds until the coconut is chopped and not in large shreds anymore. Put the mixture in a bowl and add the chocolate chips, mixing with a spoon. Using your hands, or an oiled container, press the mixture firmly into bars or roll shapes. If using your hands, work quickly or the chocolate chips will melt.

Not the prettiest thing, but yummy just the same.

What on-the-go treats do you like?


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Farm Sanctuary: New York City, Walk For Farm Animals

I went to the Walk For Farm Animals at Central Park last weekend. Since going Vegan, I haven't been to any veggie or animal rights events. Not only was this my first event as a Vegan, I was going alone, so I was really nervous. When I got to the event and tried to check in, I was told my name wasn't on the list. I thought, "This is a sign I'm not supposed to be here! I should just go home." But I was already there, and wanted to show my support. I wanted to be one more body in the crowd, one more person that a passerby would see walking for the lives of farm animals.

I really enjoyed the event. It was really motivating and empowering to be surrounded by so many like-minded people, all walking together for the same reason. Not everyone was vegan. Not everyone was even vegetarian. But there we all were, raising awareness for the same cause.

Are there any veggie or animal rights events are held in your area?


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Roasted Brussels Sprouts

My cooking gas is back on!!!! For the last several weeks, I have been fantasizing about all the things I would do when my gas came back. Make cakes and cookies, roast lots of broccoli, make big pots of soup, kale chips... But today, for the first time since last winter, I saw brussels sprouts for a reasonable price, and I knew what I had to do. Roasted brussels sprouts!

Brussels sprouts are one of my favorite veggies to roast. They make my apartment smell like farts, but it's so worth it! They come out of the oven crispy on the outside, tender to the bite, brown and salty, and roasting brings out a nutty flavor and slight sweetness. There are a lot of recipes that combine roasted brussels sprouts with nuts (for example, hazelnuts or chestnuts) and it's no wonder that the two go so well together. Here is a basic recipe to roast brussels sprouts all by themselves. These are best served immediately. They're good as leftovers, but not quite the same because the crispiness gets lost.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts

• Preheat oven to 450F.
• Trim all the sprouts (remove brown ends of stems, and yellow leaves) and cut them in half lengthwise (so that each half has the stem intact).
• In a bowl or a zipper bag, coat the sprouts with olive oil, salt and pepper, and spread evenly on a single layer on a pan. (Or, if you're lazy like me, you could just spread them on a pan, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.)
• Bake for about 30-35 minutes until well browned and tender to taste, turning them with a spatula at least every 10 minutes or so, so they brown evenly on both sides and don't stick to the pan.

What is your favorite way to cook brussels sprouts?

Do you like to dress up your brussels sprouts or just eat them as is?

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French Onion Dip

This weekend I was craving chips and french onion dip. Luckily for me, Tofutti's "Better Than Sour Cream" was on sale (2 for $4!) so I got to try vegan sour cream for the first time. Of course the first thing I had to do was taste it by itself, right out of the tub. It wasn't bad! I don't know if it could pass for dairy sour cream on an omni's palate, but I will definitely buy it again for myself should the mood strike to use it on a baked potato or something.

I used the whole container with a packet of Lipton's onion soup/dip mix. The mix calls for 16 ounces of sour cream but the Tofutti container is 12 ounces. I used the whole envelope anyway, figuring that the extra seasoning would cover any trace of "fakeness" of the sour cream. I let the dip chill for about half an hour before trying it.

The dip came out SO good. It was flavorful, creamy, and very thick. An omni was absolutely shocked and said that it would, and I quote, "definitely" pass for standard onion dip and that if I ever serve it at a party I should keep quiet and then shock everyone after they taste it. The only thing is that it came out slightly salty, so next time I will only use 3/4 of the onion packet, or use the whole packet add the extra 4 ounces of sour cream from a second tub of sour cream. I guess I should have been more confident about the Tofutti!

What is your favorite brand of vegan sour cream?
What kinds of chips and dips do you like?


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Almond Milk Taste Test

All the almond milks I tasted were unsweetened plain almond milk, except for Trader Joe's which was unsweetened vanilla (they didn't carry plain). Trader Joe's milk is not pictured because I tried it before starting this blog and never bought it again.

Trader Joe's Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk

I found Trader Joe's brand of almond milk in their refrigerated section in a half gallon carton that was cheaper than the brand names, so I got it. The flavor was okay. The texture was much thicker than I have ever had with any nondairy milk, but not creamy - it tasted artificially thick, almost slimy. I couldn't believe that a nut milk would produce such a weird texture, and upon checking the ingredients I was worried to see a lot of ingredients that I didn't recognize and looked like they came out of a chemistry book. The milk was white and somewhat transluscent like murky water, but I don't remember seeing any particles floating around.

Pacific Natural Foods Unsweetened Plain Almond Milk, organic

The milk came in a quart size asceptic box. The flavor was okay, but it tasted a little watered down. The texture was less slimy than the Trader Joe's, but still watery and not really much like a milk. It wasn't creamy and rich. If you look at the individual picture below, you can actually see particles suspended in the liquid. The milk was beige, with obvious particles, and slightly translucent, like murky water.

365 Whole Foods brand Unsweetened Plain Almond Milk, organic

I picked up the quart size asceptic box but the milk is also available in half-gallon refrigerated cartons. The flavor was similar to Pacific Natural Foods, that slightly watered-down almond flavor. The texture was a slight improvement over Pacific Natural Foods, but again if you look at the close-up picture you see particles suspended in the liquid. The milk was off-white/slightly beige, with small visible particles, and slightly translucent, like murky water.

Blue Diamond Almond Breeze Unsweetened Plain Almond Milk

Like the 365 Whole Foods brand, this milk also comes in asceptic boxes and refrigerated cartons. I have tried both and they taste exactly the same, the only difference is that the refrigerated half-gallon carton is a better deal. The almond flavor is comparable to the other three brands above, but the texture is on a whole other level. The milk is smooth, creamy, and rich, like I expect a milk to be. The texture brings the almond flavor to a height beyond that of the other brands I tried. The smoothness and creaminess of the milk helps deliver the flavor nicely in your mouth. The milk was white and opaque with no particles.

Clockwise from top: 365 Whole Foods brand organic (top, center), Pacific Natural Foods organic (bottom right), Blue Diamond Almond Breeze (bottom left). Compare the colors:

Blue Diamond Almond Breeze:

365 Whole Foods (notice the suspended flecks):

Pacific Natural Foods (notice the greater amount of suspended particles):

My favorite out of all the brands is Almond Breeze. I have also tried their other flavors such as sweetened plain, sweetened and unsweetened vanilla, and sweetened and unsweetened chocolate, and they are all delicious.

What is your favorite almond milk or other plant-based milk? What are important elements of a milk to you?

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Figs in Almond Milk

Figs were on sale so I jumped on it. I haven't had figs in a year, so this was a real treat.

I cut the figs into bite-size pieces (fourths or sixths, depending on the size of the fig) and poured Almond Breeze plain almond milk over them. It was so yummy and satisfying. The almond milk brought out the flavor and sweetness in the figs.

What fruits do you love?

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Cold Green Soup

Spawned off of Dara Dubinet's "one true thing" soup:

Into my Magic Bullet blender, I pushed a couple handfuls of spinach, one peeled lime, several sprigs of fresh dill, several sprigs of cilantro, garlic powder, salt, and just enough water to get the blender going (I also had to shake it a bit to get it started). When blended, the cup had a lot more space because the spinach leaves had decreased in volume due to being blended, so I opened the cup and added more spinach. I kept doing this until, when blended, the mixture was thick and almost filled the cup (by the end I was able to put in several handfuls of spinach, it's amazing how small it all gets when blended!). At the end I added half an avocado and blended one more time until thick and creamy. I topped the soup with nutritional yeast and homemade lentil sprouts. It was delicious, thick, creamy, and filling.

Do you enjoy soup in the summer? What types do you like?


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Beets and Beans Salad

(Still no cooking gas!!)

Easy salad, comes together in 10 minutes or less. The hardest part is grating the carrots and beetroot, which took me all of 5 minutes. Just combine the following ingredients in a big bowl:

Ingredients

• 2 carrots, shredded
• one beet root, shredded (tip: if you got the beets with their greens attached, leave a couple inches of stem on the root when you cut away the greens, so you have something to hold on to when you grate the root)
• 2 cups beans (I used white great northern beans)
• small handful of cilantro, chopped
• juice of half a lemon
• 2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 2 Tablespoons maple syrup or agave nectar, or you can use white or brown sugar but you'd probably have to let the salad rest before serving
• salt to taste

Beet root with stems attached as a handle for grating:

Final product:

What are some of your favorite cold salads?


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Vegan Bacon, Goodness Gracious!

I always see Lightlife's Smart Bacon at Whole Foods but have refrained from buying it.

(Picture from LightLife.com)

I don't know why I've been putting it off. Maybe it was the price, or maybe it was the fear of being sorely let down. In the meantime, since becoming vegan I have made tempeh bacon a couple of times. It came out good enough to hit the smoky-salty spot, but was no contender for the "real" thing, especially in terms of texture.

Last weekend, I finally gave in and tried the packaged stuff (encouraged, of course, by a $1 coupon on the Lightlife website). When I first opened the package, I was disappointed. The bacon looked, smelled, and felt really fake. The instructions say to lightly spray a pan with oil/cooking spray and fry the strips for only a few minutes, flipping halfway through. But I am a maaajor crunchophile. My bacon always needed to be crunchy, and by that I mean that it had to crumble to pieces when crushed in my hand. Some people would have called that "burned" but I called it "perfect." So with these Lightlife strips, I fried the crap out of them, in a few tablespoons of olive oil. I fried them for about 10 minutes, at least. After a couple of minutes, they curl up all crazy and you think they're going to stay like that, but when you flip them and they start to warm up on the other side and you coax them a little with the spatula, they flatten right back out again. This is what they looked like when they were almost finished cooking:

By the time I took them out of the pan, they had shrunk (like real bacon) and when I picked them up on the spatula, the half of the strip that extended over the edge did not flop and hang, it stayed straight and solid, nice and crunchy looking. And then I tasted it.

Oh. Em. Gee.

It was so good that I actually started laughing when I tried it. It tastes just like the bacon I remember, smoky and salty. The texture was slightly tougher than animal bacon because it is leaner. I think the texture is very similar to a turkey bacon.

This bacon is also omni-approved. The response was something like, "I can tell it's not the real thing, but it's really close."

I made a BLT, putting it on whole grain bread with Vegenaise, tomato, and lettuce. It was absolutely sinful. And then I enjoyed the rest of the strips all by themselves. Yeah, I'm a beast.

With these veggie bacon strips available, I am sure that I will never miss animal bacon ever again. The Lightlife bacon strips are WELL worth the splurge.

Do you ever treat yourself to veggie meats? What is your favorite?


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Quick Gazpacho

I filled my Magic Bullet blender to the top with heirloom grape tomatoes, added a few sprigs of cilantro, juice of one lemon, a dash of salt, and just enough water to get the blending going. I poured the cold soup into a bowl and topped with nutritional yeast.

It doesn't look red like a gazpacho should, because half of the tomatoes were yellow.

Do you like any chilled soups? What kinds?


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Kale and White Beans

This dish is protein packed, nutritious, and tastes sooo good! The broth reminded me of white clam sauce. This dish would be even better if garnished with fresh parsley.

If you can, try to cook the beans from scratch. A pound of great northern beans cost me $1.59 and made me about 5 cans' worth of cooked beans.

Kale and White Beans

Ingredients:

• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 8 large cloves garlic, sliced
• 2 bunches kale, leaves only, chopped into bite-size pieces
• 1/2 cup dry white wine (I used vermouth)
• 1 bouillon cube dissolved in 1 cup warm water (I used a large Knorr vegetable bouillon cube), or 1 cup broth
• 3 cups cooked white beans
• 4 Tablespoons butter (I used Earth Balance)
• 1/2 teaspoon dried basil or dried parsley
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• salt and pepper to taste (I didn't end up having to add salt because the bouillon was salty enough)
• juice of half a lemon

Method:

• In a large pot on medium heat, heat the oil and sauté the onion and garlic for just a minute or two until fragrant and the onion is just beginning to get translucent.
• Add the chopped kale, wine, and broth. Cover the pot and cook until the kale becomes tender, about 10-15 minutes. Stir about halfway through.
• Add the beans, butter, basil/parsley, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper. Stir, cover again and cook until the beans are warmed through, a few minutes.
• Turn off the heat, add lemon juice, stir thoroughly, and serve.

What's your favorite combination of beans and greens?

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Iron, and Spinach Salad

I have an appointment to donate blood platelets this weekend. I've donated blood numerous times but one time I tried to donate platelets and my iron wasn't high enough, so I had to give regular blood instead. The NY Blood Center sent me an e-mail last week offering a $25 gift certificate for a platelet donation, so I want to make sure my iron is good and high this time so I can give the platelets and treat myself to something nice. In order to increase my blood iron, I've been putting a lot of effort into eating more beans and leafy greens.

Here is a spinach salad with heirloom grape tomatoes, avocado, dill, cilantro, fresh lemon juice and olive oil. Vitamin C (which is in the tomatoes and lemon juice) are supposed to help the iron get absorbed.

I hope all of this works. But if not, at least I've found some tasty ways to eat healthier!

Have you ever had to increase your blood iron? What works for you?


Vegan on a Shoestring