tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-68406161881590243942024-03-04T22:59:15.393-08:00A Blog Half EatenMichellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955804466993259776noreply@blogger.comBlogger23125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6840616188159024394.post-1296455745893528122013-01-30T18:32:00.002-08:002013-01-30T18:33:00.217-08:00Poor (wo)man's dinner (and dessert!)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
How to make a delicious dinner (and dessert!) when you have no money (or groceries):</div>
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Step 1: Open your fridge and realize you have no food, sigh heavily and close fridge.</div>
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Step 2: Open your fridge again and pull out all the food you actually have (don't be dramatic, you must have something in there!)</div>
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Step 3: Decide to make something that doesn't taste gross if you add a bunch of random crap to it, for example, stir fry, soup, or pasta...I chose soup</div>
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Step 4: Realize half-way through cooking that some of your ingredients are spoiled.</div>
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Step 5: Add other random things you find in the fridge to replace spoiled ingredients.</div>
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I followed this 5 step process and ended up with miso soup with udon noodles (linguine), daikon radish (that was bad, so I used a carrot I found at the back of the drawer), shitaake mushrooms (dried), wakame, and scallions (which are miraculously not spoiled!). For dessert I ended up with bread pudding, how cool is that?! The bread pudding rocked so here is the recipe:<br />
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Ingredients:</div>
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One really stale baguette that your sister was about to throw out, seriously, stale is good!</div>
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2 3/4 cups almond milk (that never expires, right?)</div>
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1 Tbsp. butter or margarine</div>
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4 eggs (I used 2 eggs and 2 egg whites so I could eat two slices of bread pudding)</div>
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1/3-ish cup brown rice syrup </div>
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3/4-ish cup sugar</div>
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1/3 c. raisins (or realize you only have a quarter cup and throw in some currants, mmmm)</div>
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random spices! (Okay, maybe not random, I used vanilla extract, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, and allspice)</div>
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Directions:</div>
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Using a bread knife, cut bread into one inch cubes. Drizzle with melted margarine. Toss with raisins and currants. In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, brown rice syrup, sugar, and spices. Pour over bread and let soak until very squishy! Pour into a greased 9 X 13 inch pan and bake at 350 degrees F for 45-55 minutes or until lightly browned and top springs back when touched. </div>
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Eat a slice drizzled with honey or caramel sauce if it's not sweet enough, go back for second slice and pat yourself on the back for your resourcefulness! </div>
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Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955804466993259776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6840616188159024394.post-89481110228600121082013-01-07T15:59:00.001-08:002013-01-07T17:42:26.310-08:00Quinoastrone!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Quinoastrone! </span>(Must be said with an Italian accent to get full effect)</div>
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Serves 4-6</div>
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This isn't really a recipe so much as most of the contents of my fridge, freezer, and pantry in a pot, but it turned out delicious so I figured I would share. On a side note, I really need to go grocery shopping...after a several day illness I was craving soup so I created this delicious take on minestrone but instead of pasta I used drum roll please...quinoa! What?!? It's healtherrific! (healthy + terrific) and vegan too! Enjoy! If your not convinced, take a look at some of the extreme closeup shots I took of it below!</div>
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Ingredients:</div>
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1 quart "no-chicken" broth (or your favorite broth, or water if you hate flavor)</div>
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14oz can tomato sauce</div>
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2 cups water (I just refilled the tomato sauce can, yay less dishes!)</div>
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3/4 c. quinoa</div>
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1 can cannellini beans, drained and rinsed</div>
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1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil (optional)</div>
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1/2 large onion, diced</div>
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1 large carrot, diced</div>
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3/4 c. frozen chopped broccoli</div>
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3/4 c. frozen corn</div>
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3/4 c. frozen peas (or like me, realize they are freezer burned, then throw away, booooo)</div>
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pinch thyme</div>
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pinch oregano</div>
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handful chopped fresh parsley</div>
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salt and pepper to taste</div>
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Whatever other random crap you need to use up in the house...green beans, potatoes, celery, pasta, rice, other beans, apples (ok, not the last one, that sounds gross)</div>
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Directions:</div>
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Saute onion in oil in a heavy bottomed pot until tender, add carrots, saute for a few minutes. Stir in broth, tomato sauce, water, herbs, and quinoa. Bring to a boil, cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Add beans and frozen veggies, cover and cook for about 5 more minutes, stir in fresh parsley. That was easy, right? And if you are keeping track of that sort of thing, 1/4 of the recipe comes out to around 360 calories, 6 grams fat, 11 grams fiber, and 15 grams healthy protein!</div>
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<!--1g-->Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955804466993259776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6840616188159024394.post-51816203591983775112012-11-12T18:20:00.001-08:002012-11-12T19:00:13.118-08:00Holy chili! It's really vegan?<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="color: purple; font-size: large;"><b>Vegan Chili</b></span></div>
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<span style="color: purple;">It has been quite a while since I last posted, mostly because I can't wait to eat long enough to take a picture of any of my food. This meal came to be because I had an avocado that needed to be used up...also, today seemed like a perfect chili day :) I love chili because of how versatile it is, you can basically put anything you want in it and it's actually quite easy to adapt to any diet! This recipe is based on a vegan chili that I used to get at a vegan restaurant where I went to grad school, the restaurant mostly sucked but their chili was pretty good. Lucky for those of you actually reading this blog, my chili is better and you too can have some! Enjoy</span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit;">Ingredients:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit;">1 Tablespoon canola oil<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit;">1 medium-large yellow onion, chopped<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit;">2 cloves garlic, minced<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit;">1 bell pepper, chopped<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit;">1 package soy veggie crumbles (I used Smart Ground
Original Lightlife)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit;">3 Tablespoons chili powder<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit;">2 teaspoons ground coriander<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit;">1 Tbsp ground cumin<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit;">1 tsp sea salt</span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit;">1 Tbsp lemon or lime juice<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit;">1/4 tsp cayenne (optional)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit;">28oz can diced tomatoes<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit;">1 c. frozen corn</span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit;">2 - 15oz cans beans (I used black and kidney), drained<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit;">2 cups low sodium vegetable broth, or water<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit;">Desired toppings<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit;">Directions: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: purple; font-family: inherit;">Heat oil in a large
dutch oven or pot over medium-high heat. Add chopped onions, bell pepper, and
garlic. Saute about 5 minutes. Add all spices through lime juice and veggie
crumbles. Cook another five minutes breaking up veggie crumbles with a wooden
spoon. Add tomatoes with juice, beans, and broth. Bring to a boil. Cover,
reduce heat and simmer for about 30 minutes. Uncover and boil off extra liquid
until to desired consistency. Serve with favorite vegan toppings: vegan
cheese/sour cream, tortilla chips, sliced avocado, scallions, etc.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Extreme chili close-up! </span></span></div>
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<span style="color: purple;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Warning, do not attempt to insert a spoon into your monitor...</span></span></div>
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Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955804466993259776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6840616188159024394.post-91421280951022776102012-03-10T09:13:00.004-08:002012-03-10T09:40:22.141-08:00A True Shamrock Shake!<div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; ">Ok, this post isn't really about St. Patrick's Day or about that sinfully delicious milkshake that many consume to celebrate it (the McDonald's one, not beer). In all honesty, I am not a huge fan of St. Patrick's Day (the U.S. version), I think it's kind of insane that people can justify destroying their bodies with that much alcohol. If you are with me, perhaps you will enjoy my shaped-up shamrock shake made with kale and frozen bananas. Frozen bananas take on a strikingly similar texture and mouthfeel (love that word!) to ice cream when blended. Kale is a true superfood! I have been feeling pretty run down lately so I picked up a box of pre-washed, pre-cut organic kale leaves at Whole Foods and have been making good use of it all week! This morning I made this delicious kale "shake" with raw kale and a veggie frittata with some cooked kale tossed in there too! <span style="font-size: 100%; ">The 2 cups of kale in the smoothie alone contain a powerhouse (another great word!) of vitamins and nutrients, including 200% of your DV of Vitamin A, over 250% of your DV of Vitamin C, 22% of your DV of Calcium, 15% of your DV of Iron, and over 1500% of your DV of Vitamin K! Not to mention being a good source of B6 and Magnesium and a bunch of other <a href="http://nutritiondata.self.com/facts/vegetables-and-vegetable-products/2461/2">stuff</a>… woohoo! I’m on a vitamin high! Maybe it's just the kale talking, but lately I've been thinking kale would be a great name for my first born child! Ok...I'm gonna go lie down now, I hope you enjoy these recipes as much as I did today. Sorry for the lack of pictures, I was too busy getting creative in the kitchen :)</span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-size: 100%; "><br /></span></div><div style="font-style: normal; "><span style="font-size: 100%; "><b>Kale Shamrock Shake</b><br />Serves 1</span></div><div style="font-style: normal; "><span style="font-size: 100%; "><br /></span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-size: 100%; ">Ingredients</span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-size: 100%; ">2 cups chopped, washed kale</span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-size: 100%; ">1 frozen banana</span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-size: 100%; ">1 Tbsp ground flax seed</span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-size: 100%; ">2/3 cup unsweetened coconut milk beverage</span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-size: 100%; ">3-4 drops liquid stevia (or any other liquid sweetener), if desired</span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-size: 100%; "><br /></span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-size: 100%; ">Directions</span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-size: 100%; ">Add all ingredients to a blender and blend on high until smooth, stopping the blender periodically to stir if necessary. Add sweetener to taste.</span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-size: 100%; "><br /></span></div><div style="font-style: normal; "><span style="font-size: 100%; "><b>Kale and Veggie Frittata</b></span></div><div style="font-style: normal; "><span style="font-size: 100%; ">Serves 4</span></div><div><br /></div><div>Ingredients</div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-size: 100%; ">4 whole eggs</span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-size: 100%; ">3 egg whites</span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-size: 100%; ">1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk beverage</span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-size: 100%; ">2 Tbsp nutritional yeast</span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-size: 100%; ">1 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil</span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-size: 100%; ">1 tsp Canola Oil</span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-size: 100%; ">Salt and pepper</span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-size: 100%; ">2 cups chopped kale</span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-size: 100%; ">2 cups chopped veggies (I used 8 crimini mushrooms, 1/2 red bell pepper, and a few florets of broccoli)</span></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; ">1/2 small onion, diced</div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; ">1 shallot, diced</div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; ">1 clove garlic, minced</div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; ">Handful chopped herbs (I used basil, parsley, and cilantro)</div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><br /></div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; ">Directions:</div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; ">Preheat oven to 225 degrees F. Heat oil in a cast iron skillet over Medium-Low heat. Add onion and shallots and saute until tender. Add mushrooms, saute a few minutes, then add rest of veggies and kale. Saute a few minutes until tender, then add garlic. Meanwhile, whisk together eggs, coconut milk, nutritional yeast, chopped herbs, and salt and pepper to taste (Don't actually taste it, that would be dumb on account of the raw eggs :P, as an alternative you may try using 12 oz silken tofu instead of the eggs, I think that would be delish in here too!). Remove iron skillet from heat and stir in egg mixture. Put entire pan in oven and cook for 35-40 minutes until frittata has set. Cut into four wedges and enjoy!</div><div style="font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; "><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPsNri2sQXAYKNbrX4oFJiXXckTWXZgaCqdgsPIbj7rQfPmOLUB0G63GI3ZBrXMb40iRjMD47Js7KDV0_c6WSbyCmDU2Ox5-651VTJaLzCvqAua86rZz14jYH_JJYRrWlXhHDCOu-A_e0/" /></div>Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955804466993259776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6840616188159024394.post-78862319707987996292012-02-24T18:56:00.007-08:002012-02-25T08:27:21.121-08:00Vegan double chocolate cherry donuts. Half the calories, double the fun!<div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; ">Okay, so I don't know if these donuts really have half the calories, but it sure makes for a catchy title. They may not be health food, but they are made with quality ingredients, healthy fats, and no cholesterol! After picking up a box of Paczki's the other day I was so excited to take that first bite only to find that it tasted like just a fried ball of chemicals, darn you elitist taste buds! Anywho, I saw this <a href="http://www.theppk.com/2012/02/cherry-chocolate-chunk-mini-loaves/">recipe</a> on post punk kitchen the other day for chocolate cherry mini loaves and realizing I have no mini loaf pan, decided to turn it into some delish donuts! I <span style="font-size: 100%; ">adapted this chocolate donut <a href="http://cracktheplates.com/tag/vegan-chocolate-glazed-cake-donuts/">recipe</a> to make these deliciously natural treats. Here is the recipe!</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-size: 100%; "><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; "><span style="font-size: 100%; "><b>Vegan Double Chocolate Cherry Donuts</b></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-size: 100%; "> </span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-size: 100%; ">Ingredients:</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-size: 100%; ">Donuts - </span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-size: 100%; ">1 cup unbleached all purpose flour</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-size: 100%; ">1/3 cup cocoa powder</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; ">1 1/2 tsp baking powder</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; ">1/4 tsp fine sea salt</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; ">1/2 cup sugar</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; ">3/4 cup coconut milk</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; ">1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; ">1/4 cup coconut oil</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; ">1 1/2 tsp egg replacer mixed with 5 tsp of reserved cherry juice (see below)</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; ">1/2 cup frozen cherries, chopped into quarters</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; ">2 Tbsp dairy free mini chocolate chips (I used Enjoy Life brand)</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; "><br /></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; ">Glaze - </div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; ">1 teaspoon reserved cherry juice</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; ">2 Tbsp coconut oil</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; ">1 Tbsp coconut milk</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; ">1/2 tsp vanilla or almond extract</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; ">2 Tbsp dairy free mini chocolate chips</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; ">1/2 cup powdered sugar</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-size: 100%; "><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-size: 100%; ">Directions:</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-size: 100%; ">Heat oven to 375 degrees F, grease a donut pan with coconut oil and dust with flour, shaking out the excess. </span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-size: 100%; "><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-size: 100%; ">In a small saucepan, heat chopped cherries with a few pinches of sugar and a teaspoon water until thawed and juices release, pour out cherry juice to use in dough and glaze. Whisk 5 tsp of the cherry juice into the egg replacer. Mix coconut milk with apple cider vinegar and set aside. Heat 1/4 cup coconut oil by placing in a cup in a bowl of warm water until melted.</span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-size: 100%; "><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-size: 100%; ">Sift together flour, cocoa powder, baking powder and salt. Whisk in sugar. Stir milk mixture into bowl, then stir in melted coconut oil and egg replacer mixed with cherry juice. Fold in chopped cherries (drained) and chocolate chips. Spoon batter into donut pans until they are 3/4 full, it should make 8 donuts total. Bake at 375 degrees F for 16 minutes, rotating halfway through cooking time. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 20 minutes, then cool completely on a wire rack. </span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-size: 100%; "><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; ">To make the glaze:</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; ">I modified Alton Brown's chocolate donut glaze <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/chocolate-doughnut-glaze-recipe/index.html">recipe</a> (love him!). Combine coconut oil, milk, teaspoon reserved cherry juice, and extract in a saucepan until oil is melted. Reduce heat, whisk in chocolate chips until melted, then add powdered sugar. Remove from heat and dip donuts in the glaze so that the tops are covered (you may have to roll them around a bit). Place glaze side up on parchment paper to cool. Enjoy with a nice cold glass of coconut or almond milk, now this is what a donut should taste like!</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-size: 100%; "><br /></span></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhchy1cXRkW4wAbTXmKKXG1sskZQNZ53r68NP5MY_KkRpe7uV9b5sZ6MIDa5VVLGQJOF1JeThpxEkit4VEAlkHEfMXUzQ_ko-SLbcbf4Dg_7VzZSj2j4pJBWuZaveDn8vnENEb75ZTO3ic/" /></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; "><br /></div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; ">I didn't take too many pictures of these, I was way too excited to inhale them!</div><div style="font-family: Georgia, serif; font-size: 100%; font-weight: normal; "><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmfzOUwpwc7q3jNzrWU2PX8B4JRDXPsmM1fdfrEKuBJSkEAJ5UESYRgauo_pYACyZvbJdyMHp1hzfLMX6ccQFwgTZPX52DCT7OB-Tlcj3pFL2m2qaRrmonhEVL4n27XWCvDp_Uzc4LNoc/" /></div>Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955804466993259776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6840616188159024394.post-80837819412698300642012-02-23T20:13:00.004-08:002012-02-25T08:32:08.972-08:00Vegan sweet potato gnocchi!<div style="font-weight: normal; ">When I saw sweet potato gnocchi on the menu of a local vegan joint I couldn't have been more excited! Sweet potatoes and pasta are two of my favorite foods (though, to be honest there are many). Unfortunately, the ones from the otherwise delicious vegan restaurant left something to be desired and ever since then I have been dying to make my own. My first try at gnocchi was a few years ago and I was so scarred by those water-logged heavy clumps that I haven't attempted since. I looked around online and found a blog that had a very basic recipe on it which inspired mine: <a href="http://vegansoulpower.blogspot.com/2010/11/step-by-step-sweet-potato-gnocchi.html">http://vegansoulpower.blogspot.com/2010/11/step-by-step-sweet-potato-gnocchi.html</a> </div><div style="font-weight: normal; "><br /></div><div style="font-weight: normal; ">I overcame my gnocchi failure and the sweet potato gnocchi were a great success!! Here is the recipe:</div><div style="font-weight: normal; "><br /></div><div><b>Vegan Sweet Potato Gnocchi in buttery sauce:</b></div><div style="font-weight: normal; "><br />Ingredients:</div><div style="font-weight: normal; ">One large sweet potato (mine was probably a pound or two)</div><div style="font-weight: normal; ">1 1/2 - 2 cups unbleached all purpose flour</div><div style="font-weight: normal; ">Two pinches good quality sea salt</div><div style="font-weight: normal; ">1/4 teaspoon dried sage </div><div style="font-weight: normal; ">pinch nutmeg</div><div style="font-weight: normal; ">pinch cinnamon (I used Vietnamese cinnamon, mmm)</div><div style="font-weight: normal; ">2 Tbsp Earth Balance</div><div style="font-weight: normal; ">1 small shallot, thinly sliced</div><div style="font-weight: normal; ">1/2 teaspoon dried sage (or fresh, I just ran out)</div><div style="font-weight: normal; ">1 Tbsp freshly chopped parsley</div><div style="font-weight: normal; ">Salt and Pepper to taste</div><div style="font-weight: normal; "><br /></div><div style="font-weight: normal; ">Directions:</div><div style="font-weight: normal; ">Wash sweet potato, prick with fork and bake on a cookie sheet for about 45 minutes at 350 degrees F. Peel off skin and run through a potato ricer (hopefully yours isn't rusted from 3 years of banishment) or mash. Add salt, 1/4 tsp sage, nutmeg, and cinnamon. Pile about a cup of flour on a board and top with potato mixture, work the two together with a fork. Once mixed, begin working and kneading the mixture with your hands, adding flour a little at a time just until your hands no longer stick to the dough. </div><div style="font-weight: normal; "><br /></div><div style="font-weight: normal; "><span style="font-size: 100%; ">Divide dough into 6 parts and roll each part into a log about 3/4 inch in diameter. Cut rectangles (1/2 inch by 3/4 inch) off the log, and if desired, dip your fork in flour and gently roll it across the rectangles to create the ridges (Do it, pasta tastes better with ridges!). </span></div><div style="font-weight: normal; "><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixCz2PEYMtW92Eb-EIVAorNZYC2qvXmtyAya-NAzKKnMk63bzsQiGlvhtlzhkkd_7Pa6ZJb9dUnxRiwcrvcGsR7xGq0rkPOJBZ9afecAgpIG7v-SAtXFgceQ_63_DcdYLagfh0Gbr01bQ/" /><br /><br />At this point, I froze half of the gnocchi on a cookie sheet with parchment paper, then dropped then into a freezer bag for a quick meal later, yum! To make the gnocchi from fresh or frozen, simply bring water to a boil in a large pot and reduce heat to medium-high, add salt then gently add gnocchi. Boil for about five minutes just until the float to the surface. Drain and set aside.<br /><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhKcpkyEmfCDGqxHkppZz0kAMfVymzlzz_QxRgGp1SUYYRIkO4fRMVnLdqmxTko84-4Nyl9KUSNyYd_A_o-1CvhkLuilGIeHvXLnESSyk2Kmxk3yOort1bQbJB3NsXd95UdOzvk6h4_qfM/" /><br /><br />To make the sauce, heat a saucepan over medium-low with earth balance, add shallots, 1/2 tsp sage, salt, and pepper and saute for about five minutes just until the start to brown.<br /><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSWRh3RlH17CdtabNMpfCz03Qk2J9b26XQZQWSvHtZlwsp6_NepXiKw7bUJalr31u4D0-rInrnImDrtzHHJg_pg0g1aqKKdp31VpA2TmQWzhrCq8n6r13MKb6uA8aNZI25huibubvZfDQ/" /></div><br /><div style="font-weight: normal; "> Add drained gnocchi to the pan and toss for a couple minutes. Add chopped parsley and serve. </div><div style="font-weight: normal; "><br /></div><div style="font-weight: normal; "><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtVbjzcKI3nV17A2lW3zjGO_h8K7EXDoEFI6coB8hMFpaC7atICqUZj4w0HBYphiWrwECLrkQD_qOnS95MAknIbZeuUyKknaBOxsleJPPKj64FjsJF7w7Slm-ci_4lTwChWRF8cNQuFIM/" style="font-size: 100%; " /></div><br />That wasn't so hard now was it? And no soggy clumps here, phew!<br /><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjugwOEah-CBh1lupzyegwDGUF6Svt0JRzmTVCXyMwCZKtMNlEsOwFY2KG962BxBG3V-ofuCwIx2gpze8owIb6V_EOYW6tTtTVO85toU1RV5Qkl_qz2HfwWtPdH5JuvoLbqLLtFszYdyyc/" /><div style="font-weight: normal; "><br /></div><div style="font-weight: normal; ">Buon Apetito!</div>Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955804466993259776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6840616188159024394.post-11396735295993768542012-02-04T12:42:00.000-08:002012-02-04T20:43:27.304-08:00Lower impact kugelI am a strong believer in the power of food to heal. Lately, I have been in need of some emotional healing, and for this tough job what better healing foods are there than comfort foods? When I was younger my comfort foods were mashed potatoes, macaroni and cheese, fried chicken, fried potato latkes, cheesecake...mmmm, pretty much anything that was bad for me and the environment, but oh so good for my soul :) I believe that comfort foods don't have to be bad for you and the earth, they just have to transport you back to a place where you felt safe and loved. Now when I feel down or tired or...even slightly uncomfortable I make tasty lower calorie vegetarian or vegan versions of my favorite classics. Growing up, my mother always made us traditional Jewish treats like potato pancakes (latkes), noodle pudding (kugel), and chicken noodle soup. Kugel is still one of my favorite things to eat and every once in a while I sneak a slice and as I lay in pain from the dairy backlash later I think "it was worth it"...<div><br /></div><div>So last night after two days of having a horrible cold, I decided I needed some kugel. I made a plan to morph one of my favorite kugel recipes into a dairy-free, egg-free masterpiece and set out to our local health food store. I was able to find all but the egg-free noodles (I am certain the salesperson later recounted the tale of the red-nosed girl who asked for egg noodles without eggs and then proceeded to stand in front of the selections for 15 minutes before sighing heavily and placing the egg noodles in her cart). So I decided that this batch will be close to egg free and when I locate some eggless noodles of sufficient breadth to take on my custard I will try again!! </div><div><br /></div><div>Anyways, the recipe I am remaking is <a href="http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/emerils-kugel-recipe/index.html">Emeril Lagasse's classic kugel recipe</a>: <div>Emeril's recipe is absolutely delish but unfortunately here are the nutrition stats per serving:<br />446 calories<br />28g fat<br />16g saturated fat<br />150mg cholesterol<br />2g fiber<br />29g sugar<br />12g protein<div><br /></div><div>And...here are the nutrition stats after making my modifications:</div><div>260 calories</div><div>12g fat</div><div>5g saturated fat</div><div>40mg cholesterol</div><div>3g fiber</div><div>19g sugar</div><div>6g protein</div><div><br /></div><div>Still not a health food, but my version definitely has less impact on you and the environment...AND most of the fats are from plant products, yay! Ok, enough kugel-pushing ;) here is the recipe:</div><div><br /></div><div><b>A Slimmed-Down Emeril's Kugel:</b></div><div><br /></div><div>Makes 12 servings</div><div><br /></div><div><h2 class="kv-ingred" style="outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 7px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', sans-serif; color: rgb(61, 61, 61); text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Ingredients </h2><ul class="kv-ingred-list1" style="outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 14px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; color: rgb(61, 61, 61); font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><li class="ingredient" style="outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; list-style-type: none; list-style-position: initial; list-style-image: initial; line-height: 23px; ">1 pound wide egg noodles (or egg-free noodles!!)</li><li class="ingredient" style="outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; list-style-type: none; list-style-position: initial; list-style-image: initial; line-height: 23px; ">2 Tablespoons Earth Balance soy-free buttery spread</li><li class="ingredient" style="outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; list-style-type: none; list-style-position: initial; list-style-image: initial; line-height: 23px; ">12 oz mori-nu firm silken tofu</li><li class="ingredient" style="outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; list-style-type: none; list-style-position: initial; list-style-image: initial; line-height: 23px; ">12 oz greek-style plain coconut-milk yogurt (you can use regular coconut milk yogurt, but the greek style has more fiber!)</li><li class="ingredient" style="outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; list-style-type: none; list-style-position: initial; list-style-image: initial; line-height: 23px; ">1/2 cup brown rice syrup (or sugar, or your preferred sweetener)</li><li class="ingredient" style="outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; list-style-type: none; list-style-position: initial; list-style-image: initial; line-height: 23px; ">1 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut milk beverage (or your favorite milk substitute, preferably with some fat in it)</li><li class="ingredient" style="outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; list-style-type: none; list-style-position: initial; list-style-image: initial; line-height: 23px; ">2 eggs (see note below)</li><li class="ingredient" style="outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; list-style-type: none; list-style-position: initial; list-style-image: initial; line-height: 23px; ">2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract</li><li class="ingredient" style="outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; list-style-type: none; list-style-position: initial; list-style-image: initial; line-height: 23px; ">1/4 cup light brown sugar</li><li class="ingredient" style="outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; list-style-type: none; list-style-position: initial; list-style-image: initial; line-height: 23px; ">1 cup pecan pieces</li><li class="ingredient" style="outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; list-style-type: none; list-style-position: initial; list-style-image: initial; line-height: 23px; ">1 teaspoon cinnamon</li><li class="ingredient" style="outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; list-style-type: none; list-style-position: initial; list-style-image: initial; line-height: 23px; ">1/2 cup golden raisins</li></ul><h2 style="outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 7px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; font-size: 18px; font-family: 'trebuchet ms', sans-serif; color: rgb(61, 61, 61); text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); ">Directions</h2><div class="instructions" style="outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; color: rgb(61, 61, 61); font-family: arial, helvetica, clean, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 15px; text-align: -webkit-auto; background-color: rgb(255, 255, 255); "><p class="instruction" style="outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 9px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 23px; ">Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.</p><p style="outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 9px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 23px; "></p><p style="outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 9px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 23px; ">Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the noodles and cook until tender, about 6 to 8 minutes. Remove and drain. Toss the noodles with the buttery spread. Mash the tofu with a potato masher, take 1/2 cup of mash and mix in 2 Tbsp of cornstarch, whisking well, then whisk in the two eggs. In a large mixing bowl, mix the mashed tofu, tofu/constarch egg mixture, yogurt, coconut milk, and vanilla. Mix well. Fold in the noodles and raisins. Mix well. Pour the mixture into a buttered 9 by 13 - inch pan. In a small mixing bowl, mix the brown sugar, pecan pieces and cinnamon, together. Mix well. Sprinkle the mixture on top of the egg mixture, evenly. Bake for about 1 hour or until the pudding is set. Remove from the oven and cool before serving.</p><p style="outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 9px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 23px; "><br /></p><p style="outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 9px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 23px; ">There you have it, now just cut and serve to your friends and family without telling them it has tofu ;)</p><p style="outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; outline-color: initial; margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 9px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; line-height: 23px; ">Note: To make this totally vegan which I will try next, just use egg-free noodles, and instead of adding the two eggs, just whisk another 4 tsp of cornstarch into another 1/3 cup of the mashed tofu. I'm sure it will come out great! Or if you prefer more eggs, just use all 5 eggs, and just add the tofu to the recipe mashed (without adding any cornstarch).</p></div></div><div><br /></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJgX7qzUC73_Guyy3kVYAgHCtk_Zwd9PRKl1khbi3pnkdCPMIVr5IvkXZ9WV2nevkn1jjJfSdWcNmNLcH1j6Ro951formnMGo4EE3hSTIT39dTJHtoxDBmK30-ALg_UvV9wttL7dE_k4E/s1600/IMAG1547+%25282%2529.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 191px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJgX7qzUC73_Guyy3kVYAgHCtk_Zwd9PRKl1khbi3pnkdCPMIVr5IvkXZ9WV2nevkn1jjJfSdWcNmNLcH1j6Ro951formnMGo4EE3hSTIT39dTJHtoxDBmK30-ALg_UvV9wttL7dE_k4E/s320/IMAG1547+%25282%2529.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5705384111417225970" /></a><br /></div></div></div>Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955804466993259776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6840616188159024394.post-82502098230956034722011-11-26T18:17:00.001-08:002011-11-26T19:07:57.730-08:00A pie half eaten<div>A better title for this entry may be "A pie half eaten...then fully eaten". Once again, I forgot to take any photos until the pie was halfway to my belly. I don't have much to compare this pie to, since pumpkin pie always disgusted me as a child (thank goodness your taste buds change every 7 years!) but I would have to say that this vegan pumpkin pie was just as good if not better than the original! I got the basic idea for it from vegetarian times (<a href="http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/9598">VT vegan pumpkin pie</a>) but then really made the recipe my own. Thanksgiving has come and gone and my boyfriend's mother was so sweet as to make vegan versions of several of the dishes, love her! I brought along this pie and I swear no one even realized it was vegan! Until I told them of course...gotta spread the word :) Anyways, here is the recipe, this recipe makes a perfect 10 inch deep dish pie, reduce by 1/4 for a 9 inch regular pie:</div><div><br /><br /></div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhvRN0mgR6wdMKqZk_EE_esrxeSB3oOoVqf3wkzz9on_IoBsEengDow_K5Tc74Ym54p-8Uy1bpL2FdOFfVSNV9TYYsE4MN1KUepJ4S-GtOwb4GqJlHGQGBZSHf1hzQPKuHX8Cu193rj5hs/" /></div><br /><br /><div>Decadent vegan pumpkin pie:</div><div>Ingredients:</div><div>Crust - </div><div>1 1/2 sticks earth balance margarine, chilled then cut into cubes</div><div>1 tsp salt</div><div>1/2 cup cold water</div><div>1 1/2 c. white pastry flour</div><div>1/2 c. wheat pastry flour</div><div>3 Tbsp sugar</div><div><br /></div><div>Filling - </div><div>3 c. pumpkin puree</div><div>3/4 c. regular coconut milk (reserve the rest of the can)</div><div>1/2 c. vegan cane sugar</div><div>1/4 c. maple syrup</div><div>2 Tbsp molasses</div><div>1 tsp vanilla extract</div><div>1 tsp ground cinnamon</div><div>1/4 tsp ground nutmeg</div><div>1/4 tsp ground allspice</div><div>1/4 tsp ground cloves</div><div>3 Tbsp arrowroot</div><div><br /></div><div>Directions:</div><div>For crust, pulse together flour and salt in a food processor, add earth balance and pulse until just combined. Add sugar, and water and mix until a smooth dough forms. Remove from processor to a board and knead it with flour until the dough no longer sticks to your hands. Wrap in plastic and freeze for one hour. Remove from freezer and roll out to about 1/8 inch thickness then put into your pie shell and crimp the edges, that I cannot tell you how to do but here is a tutorial, see step 7: <a href="http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/cooking-tips-techniques/baking/how-to-make-your-own-piecrust-00000000022711/index.html">Real Simple Guide to Pie Crust</a></div><div><br /></div><div>For filling, whisk together all ingredients until well combined. Pour into crust and bake at 425 degrees F for 10 minutes. Reduce heat to 350 degrees F and bake until pie is set, about 45 minutes. Cool, then refrigerate over-night. Whip the remaining coconut milk in a mixer with the whisk attachment, then fold in 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract and a few Tablespoons of powdered sugar and you have the perfect whipped topping for your pie!</div>Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955804466993259776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6840616188159024394.post-62135162033101663362011-11-16T19:47:00.001-08:002011-11-16T20:15:07.689-08:00Vegan cooking for the soul<div>Yesterday was yet another beautiful fall day in the Midwest and one of the first times I have relaxed in months. My cooking revelation occurred when I had a little faith in my taste buds and allowed them to dictate what was on the menu. Man, those taste buds are smart because this meal rocked! I visited the farmer's market over the weekend and ended up with several root veggies (sweet potato, turnip, beets) and some Mizuna, a subtly spicy green (the guy at the booth basically told me this green would change my life, how could I say no?). Several days later the meal just came together in my mind after hours of involuntary starvation and I stopped at the store to pick up the rest of the ingredients. Here is a delicious vegan fall meal that will fill you up and leave your conscience clear! I bring you polenta with herbed mushrooms and mizuna served with orange-herb roasted root vegetables.</div><div><br /></div><div>Polenta with herbed mushrooms and mizuna:</div><div>Ingredients -</div><div>1 cup medium-grind cornmeal</div><div>4 cups water</div><div>1/2 tsp salt</div><div>black pepper</div><div>Extra virgin olive oil</div><div>Earth balance margarine</div><div>1 small package fresh "poultry" herbs (sage, rosemary, thyme)</div><div>4 medium portabella caps, sliced into small pieces</div><div>2 garlic cloves, sliced</div><div>1 large handful mizuna, stalks trimmed off, leaves chopped (if you can't find mizuna, arugula works fine)</div><div><br /></div><div>Directions - </div><div>Finely chop herb leaves and set aside, each part of the recipe calls for some. Bring water to a boil in a large saucepot, add salt, reduce heat to medium. Very slowly shake in cornmeal, stirring with a whisk. Simmer while whisking for a couple minutes. Reduce heat to very low, simmer covered, stirring every ten minutes or so with a wooden spoon until polenta has a mild flavor (35-40 minutes). Stir in a couple teaspoons earth balance and a couple teaspoons oil. Add about a Tbsp of the chopped herbs and season to taste with salt and pepper. </div><div><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFYY4ffx-cfPlqoHR5-YFClxyai-oYc2oXp2wD1qmj1INRbCxBUCB3NG5RdHZ7qZZUyOEVs1gZO85qZRomTLsh1WBNSzS4HRSeyeWlg2M2R-Wl0-48WF_pz6n2_eq9GC9gQILx4uJ5wPQ/" /><br /><br /></div><div>For the mushrooms, heat some olive oil in a pan over medium to medium-high heat. Add sliced garlic and saute one minute. Add mushroom pieces and another Tbsp of the herbs and cook until browned and juices release, salt to taste.<br /><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjmZqZRunScersDeOhi9TQGIohueqO2gm9DdriTVik6n8jFWBYfXCqBfWjGNZf-DgWzdgZCYMkMmcQkFVw2sTSGcTEnt9QbcJm-moHXLaYJKBjjWHJnmYi1hmRLomt06QKH5YkDfAqKE6k/" /></div><br />Serve polenta topped with mushrooms and a handful of mizuna. The mizuna will wilt beautifully into the polenta, mmm...<div><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7kKEtiS3p9Tt6g7C-ml1rTDBfSYC-P0dRNwYvhvt2cGbB_wDHiyJoJ-_kyKjoGeA-aeRwwQUijAFxBQSFqE00cXhwhs4Xib1HWd_D1Leka1YXbEx_detgtyA2oIOsUrHMfDvT0_4uULg/" /><br /><br />Orange-herb roasted root vegetables:<div>Ingredients - </div><div>5-6 small beets</div><div>1 medium sweet potato</div><div>1 medium turnip</div><div>1 large parsnip</div><div>1 Tbsp honey or maple syrup</div><div>zest of 1/2 orange</div><div>salt to taste (I used about 1/2 tsp)</div><div>1-2 Tbsp chopped herbs (sage, rosemary, thyme)</div><div>2-3 Tbsp olive oil</div><div><br /></div><div>Directions - </div><div>Heat oven to 415 degrees F. Peel the root vegetables and cut into 3/4-1 inch pieces.Toss with remaining ingredients. Spread on a baking sheet (I used nonstick foil) and roast for about 30 minutes. Stir and roast for 10-15 minutes more.</div><div><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-anHt14y5jzgE6mkCCYC0BERNj5XcEKmK3LqT0j2JvnFbqG-E2jUYd9iHO6hWBj-m4RoQYlOo2CLmpLTq3ISdFJUv62xLevPvhm_AzofL57YTZsi-vhOpWCmL7SZyjfwu95FJEALMYKI/" /><br />Serve these two together for an exciting comfort food experience that could very well heal your soul!<br /><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5EJTtSql_L33e6xqHSE-C9EBPLXBdCW2xm-SvC9hT92nDgfc-7X2NKalvqrmUjSiXJ8Df_EmllxJQqPtnnJHumpHeMVf9Kiasoqsh_XSBByraSy9Sfq673ETdh_t1QfMb9bwvVCzlals/" /><br /><br /><br /></div></div>Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955804466993259776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6840616188159024394.post-57901803661466698952011-06-16T10:45:00.001-07:002011-06-16T11:26:12.530-07:00Summer Harvest Panini<div>The farmers finally have produce! I'm leaving town for the weekend so I tried not to go too crazy at the market this week, but I picked up some small red potatoes and some baby zucchini from one of the stands. I really can't help myself around tiny things, these were just too cute to pass up!!! Anywho, I had no idea what to do with my veggies so I made some hummus last night figuring that the hummus would be my muse. Of course, I accidentally added too much tahini and oil and not enough liquid to the hummus which left me with a kind of paste (ew) so I went to the store and got some more chickpeas and somehow salvaged my creation into some very tasty hummus! Cue the inspiration (only tasty hummus can act as a muse :P), I decided to grill up my baby zucchini and then add some fresh mint and basil from the garden and make some delicious panini with the free french baguette I got from Panera yesterday (yes free!). Also see below the panini recipe for a recipe for some really tasty dippers for the leftover hummus, yummmmm...</div><div><br /></div><div>"Summer Harvest Panini"</div><div>Serves 4</div><div><br /></div><div>Ingredients:</div><div>Hummus - </div><div>2 15-oz cans chickpeas, drain reserving 1/2 cup of liquid then rinse</div><div>1 garlic clove</div><div>3 Tbsp olive oil</div><div>3 Tbsp Tahini</div><div>1/4 cup lemon juice</div><div>1/4 to 1/2 cup reserved chickpea liquid (to desired thickness)</div><div>salt to taste</div><div><br /></div><div>Panini - </div><div>1 cup hummus</div><div>French baguette (About 16 oz)</div><div>Garlic</div><div>~1lb baby zucchini, stems trimmed but left intact!</div><div>1 tsp EVOO</div><div>salt and pepper to taste</div><div>Large tomato, thinly sliced</div><div>1/2 cup balsamic vinegar</div><div>16 basil leaves, kept whole</div><div>A dozen or so mint leaves, sliced</div><div><br /></div><div>Directions:</div><div>To make hummus, process drained and rinsed chickpeas with garlic clove until finely minced, add remaining ingredients and process until smooth.</div><div><br /></div><div>To make panini:</div><div>Heat balsamic vinegar in a small saute pan until boiling, then reduce heat and simmer about 10 minutes until it has thickened to a syrup consistency (don't do it for too long because it thickens upon standing!) Slice baguette in 4 pieces then cut in half lengthwise to make sandwiches. Rub both sides of baguette with a cut garlic clove and toast for 5 minutes in a 350 degree oven. Preheat grill and toss whole baby zucchini (cut any large ones in half lengthwise) with olive oil and salt and pepper. Grill, turning until brown and tender. Remove and toss with mint leaves. Assemble baguettes by spreading 3-4 Tbsp of hummus on both sides of each sandwich, layer a few tomato slices, 4 basil leaves, and the baby zucchini. Drizzle with the reduced balsamic vinegar and enjoy your sandwich! Try not to get too messy with this one :)</div><div><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2iXRtuTehPKhV8HlE1UyKhZDKTKsA2150Sg4wo1pKrn18h1-MWpNLnP4lqBdui46ERbZMvUUrbBGsHeTwm_FhYxxUGyc9W98xmoHshRZRVccvBrAkJvf12eXdINiREq1zRf9J9QkGy8k/" /></div><div><br /></div><div>"Crispy potato slices" For dipping in hummus!!!</div><div><br /></div><div>Ingredients:</div><div>6 small red potatoes, thinly sliced</div><div>~1 Tbsp EVOO</div><div>salt and pepper</div><div>1 sprig fresh rosemary chopped</div><div><br /></div><div>Directions:</div><div>Preheat oven to 415 degrees. Toss potato slices with the olive oil, chopped rosemary, salt and pepper. Bake for about 15 minutes, turning occasionally until browned and crispy on the edges. Drain on paper towels and dip in hummus, it may sound weird but it tastes amazing!</div><div><br /></div>Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955804466993259776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6840616188159024394.post-33136522368511137782011-06-13T19:37:00.001-07:002011-06-13T20:33:30.604-07:00Master Chef here I come!<div>So after feeling pretty defeated the other day about my ability to make vegetarian food taste good without dairy, I was rejuvenated by a trip to Whole Foods. Something about the rows and rows of delicious treats and friendly ladies in aprons handing out samples of sweets (vegan ones!) made me feel like maybe I am not doomed to a life of tasteless meals. I picked up some Follow your heart vegan cheese (more on this later), So Delicious coconut milk yogurt, and a ton of bulk stuff for really good prices (~1 1/2 lbs of arborio rice for $5!). So I've been craving some good comfort food lately and what better than a meal my father used to cook for me all the time when I was little! He always called these little fried rice balls "suppli" and until now I thought he just made up that word because I've only ever seen risotto balls called "arancini," but it turns out that suppli or "suppli al telefono" is just the roman version and the telefono part is because the cheese looks like sagging telephone wires when you pull apart the risotto cake. When I was little my dad would take any leftover white rice and mix it with some simple spaghetti sauce, stir in some egg, then add some cubes of mozzarella to the middle, roll the suckers in some bread crumbs and fry em up! He would let me help put them together and I would often sneak in an extra cube or two of mozzarella when he wasn't looking. Nowadays cheese doesn't agree with me and often isn't too friendly to cows either :( but that definitely doesn't mean that I don't still crave it or just wither a little when I see someone else biting into a slice of cheesy pizza. Now imagine my surprise when I order some lactose free cheese on my pizza at a restaurant and my pizza arrives and is virtually indistinguishable from the cheese-laden one next to me in both appearance and taste! In walks Follow Your Heart vegan cheese, a deliciously melty gift from above. So if you have followed all of my many tangential stories, I decided to make some suppli that would be delicious and not make me feel awful afterwards! :) </div><div><br /></div><div>"Nearly vegan suppli al telefono"</div><div>Makes about 20 croquettes (isn't that a fancy word?) or ~5 servings</div><div><br /></div><div>Ingredients:</div><div>2 Tbsp Extra virgin olive oil</div><div>2 large shallots, diced</div><div>2 cloves garlic, minced</div><div>1.5 cups arborio rice</div><div>1 cup dry white wine</div><div>1 28oz-can whole tomatoes with juice, tomatoes chopped</div><div>No-chicken stock (3-4 cups)</div><div>Handful basil leaves, chopped</div><div>salt and pepper to taste</div><div>Olive oil to fill a skillet about 1/2 to 1 inch</div><div>2 eggs, lightly beaten</div><div>3 oz Follow Your Heart Vegan Mozzarella, cut into 1/4 inch cubes</div><div>1 cups breadcrumbs</div><div><br /></div><div>Directions:</div><div>Add 2 Tbsp olive oil to a large soup pot or dutch oven, heat over Medium. Add shallots and saute for about 5 minutes, then add garlic and cook another minute. Add rice and cook for a few minutes until fragrant. Add wine and cook over medium until it is absorbed. Add a cup or two of tomatoes with juice, cook until absorbed, then repeat until all tomatoes are added. Start adding liquid a cup at a time and cook until absorbed. Do this until almost all the liquid is gone and rice is tender. Stir in basil and salt and pepper to taste, then remove from heat and let cook about 15 minutes. Stir in 1-2 of the beaten eggs until mixture is moistened. Heat oil over medium-high until shimmering. Place about 2 Tbsp of mixture in your hand and put 6-8 small cubes in the center then top with another Tbsp of mixture and shape into croquettes. Roll in bread crumbs.</div><div>Add to oil and cook a few minutes per side until browned. Allow to cool for a few minutes to avoid burning your mouth (believe me, they are worth the wait!) and then enjoy!!!</div><div><br /></div><div><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj14aZNx-9LAzuYrxBVmD7zzSBwqWBuSePnO0VlnOw_lAV8BgSTXToJKwYV9XmRSMxJ3jF7DWokmfCji2pzPitNTT16IMfnhXlFsKT_8A9Lfdm5N2k_p7gCKdVNv7b2ukBprU8j6OwFGTY/" /><br /><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz7OPVsCDqr7g95zPeGzu1JmqG-RkorPcZizx1rCBnkHRkL4YbtQCchot4pH-vCj15su11ahZaC28cbegVercidXYJuueTUe8hNI940wdwsG_44r694ArioyoBxSdpTqCk4g7KdRVpBaI/" /></div><br /><br /><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPG7VGjQ_dR8Q2zuOinhadkGIbBpf_aIG-T2uzUYNLVz1BS6irq753UrlwSwz1m6TbOERf7oKAwXB6S5uWMjEeKmKzNxW-DRcWHa1KSTnTpF9QxJZwafZf4lWsmYZLejvpCLjqNYruX4M/" /><div><br /></div><div>These suppli filled up my tummy void and my cheese void all at once, so happy!!! I did use eggs in this recipe, but honestly don't know if they are needed as the rice sticks together pretty well on its own, so if you are going totally egg free, try them with no egg and let me know how it turns out!</div>Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955804466993259776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6840616188159024394.post-40667158501497913822011-06-09T20:00:00.001-07:002011-06-09T20:15:53.754-07:00Hungry for more...<div>Do you ever have one of those days where no matter what you eat you just never feel full or satisfied? I know there's not really anyone listening, but seriously, don't those days suck? Anywho, today I was called into work (yay $!) and quickly threw together some egg salad to take with crackers. I had a big breakfast so this lasted me pretty much to dinner. When I got home I had some leftover pasta, good but not really exciting, I was looking for more of a punch in the mouth from my food, the kind of taste that makes a day full of chasing young children just melt away. So I whipped up some vegan queso from my new cookbook, the queso was not bad tasting by any means, but left a deep cheese void in my nacho-shaped heart, sigh. So I moved on from this (yes, I was still hungry!) and used some of the leftover avocado, some tomato, vegan sour cream, olives, and chili peppers to make a layer dip with some stale tortilla chips on the bottom (chilaquiles, anyone?) which was actually quite good but disappeared quickly and then that massive tummy void was back. Tapeworm? So, I've had big plans to veganize (and make healthier) my famous zucchini bread recipe. After all was said and done the loaf came out looking fantastic with a crispy outside and amazing smell!!!</div><div><br /></div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMFd8PCCP9wtBO4VMZCqmRny3IPyTml23aX39Id6dzozDUGg6FFJODwTUTggTt-ao7kS-SKyemhbDX5BqSwvlHJb0zPBz8oCf2EdLwWviwyCW1bXngpavzVFO9gOb5AjwAc3FBp-iHJIk/" /></div><div><br /></div><div>and then I cut into it, dense mushy zucchini bread. Too much liquid? Too much baking powder and soda? Not enough baking powder and soda? Too low of heat? Oh, why didn't I heed your warnings Alton Brown! So my dense zucchini bread came to fruition during a viewing of the most recent episode of Master Chef where the 3 chefs auditioned amateur cooks for the reality show. I had a brief fantasy of myself standing before these 3 chef idols, with Gordon Ramsey just swearing loudly, Joe Bastianich choking and spitting zucchini bread onto the floor, while I sob and Graham Elliot pats my shoulder and smiles while he chokes it down. Thankfully this fantasy is not reality and I am the only one who had to spit zucchini bread on the floor, we all have bad cooking days right? What's the worst thing you've ever cooked?</div>Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955804466993259776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6840616188159024394.post-61589841303322482672011-06-05T21:49:00.001-07:002011-06-05T22:18:06.947-07:00"Panera, eat your heart out creamy vegan tomato soup"<div>After a long day of walking around in the sweltering heat, I was really in the mood to come home and enjoy some nice hot soup, wait...what? Yea, you heard me, HOT soup. Thankfully, this recipe didn't require too much cranking of the AC. I stopped at the bookstore on the way home from a lovely art festival and happened upon a very non-vegan magazine that provided a basic recipe for soup. I love soups but I often find myself following any recipe I use to the tee without any room for creativity, but this formula is perfect for just that! All you do is sautee about 1.25 cups of aromatics (onions, garlic, celery, etc) in some oil, add some salt and spice, then add about 1.5 lbs of veggies and 5 cups liquid and simmer until cooked and flavors are melded. Puree the soup then add some final touches like cream, lemon juice, or herbs and you are done! The magazine suggested pairing tomatoes with fennel seed so I went with that combo as the basis for this recipe...I added some really neat touches though which I think turned out great! I popped into Kroger on the way home and picked up everything I needed for the recipe which came to a grand total of $11, not too bad considering I still have some ingredients leftover to use later. This soup would be fantastic for dipping in a panini, which I did a half-a$% version of with some leftover baguette and daiya cheese, yummmmy!</div><div><br /></div><div>Here is the recipe:</div><div><br /></div><div>"Creamy" vegan tomato soup and herb croutons</div><div>Serves 6</div><div><br /></div><div>Ingredients:</div><div>2 Tbsp Extra virgin olive oil, plus extra for croutons</div><div>1 cup sliced leeks, washed well to remove grit</div><div>1 minced shallot</div><div>2-3 cloves minced garlic</div><div>3/4 tsp salt</div><div>1/2 tsp crushed fennel seeds, I used a mortar and pestle, how fun!</div><div>1 orange, zest and juice</div><div>1 sprig rosemary, chopped</div><div>2 - 28 oz cans crushed tomatoes</div><div>~ 2 cups low sodium vegetable broth</div><div>1/4 cup so delicious coconut milk creamer</div><div>1 tsp balsamic vinegar</div><div>2 Tbsp. chopped basil</div><div>Multigrain baguette</div><div><br /></div><div>Directions:</div><div>Slice multigrain baguette in half then cut half lengthwise like you are making a panini. Rub each side with a cut garlic clove, then cut into slices and cut these in half to make croutons. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Toss with a drizzle of olive oil, pinch of salt, half sprig chopped rosemary, and about 1/4 of the orange's zest. Bake for about 10 minutes, tossing once, until toasted.</div><div><br /></div><div><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7W0NbxlMLQ7loguBzDiay2w5fzz4ndztHEDJJS9lJpZiGWAf99hNT8UPF7EBrSaSr0-c39kPS_o1QfPNG-rVQnL8HdHOtulcDzhFKyw2R8P33qQWzKJKOTM4GeRM6sh5eb_77rWLAKDs/" /><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>While croutons are baking, heat olive oil over medium-low heat, add leeks, shallot and garlic and saute on low heat for about 10 minutes. Add salt, fennel seeds, half of the rosemary sprig and the zest from 1/2 of the orange. Add crushed tomatoes and broth, then squeeze in the juice of half the orange (squeeze the rest into your mouth :)). Bring to a simmer and boil for about 15 minutes until flavors come together. Remove from heat, let cool for a few minutes then puree in batches in the blender (make sure to leave the lid vented to avoid a hot tomato volcano!), then pour the pureed soup into another pot. Once all of the soup is pureed, stir in the creamer, vinegar, and basil. Serve with croutons.</div><div><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuRoTE0mzGhIwFfFuG4VUIxLef3jVRI0pTnpkVopQ0gaCTos-9lJjim9JgoRlGhUQvJXMYtYHKfKkiTizXBXVCIA-S2A0GK9YOlQU7IdOOtwqcizgfb3H7-SncXgrBSMRbI7OIOH0YFMo/" /></div>Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955804466993259776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6840616188159024394.post-9475021981882105842011-05-26T23:41:00.001-07:002011-05-28T19:19:51.113-07:00Where have all the farmers gone?<div>The farmer's market started here in town last week, and I showed up with reusable bags in hand just itching to get my hands on some fresh produce, but found only plants and freshly baked breads. I had high hopes for this week, perhaps all of the fresh fruits and veggies were just days away from being ready to harvest. Unfortunately, the farmer's market in town was rained out yesterday, or should I say "sirened" out, gotta love spring in Ohio. So today, I made the trek up north to the neighboring town's market, driving straight into black rain clouds against my better judgement! And it paid off, I beat the rain and picked up some asparagus from a lovely gentleman with very few teeth who promised me that his plants were never graced with the presence of pesticides or chemical additives, what can I say, I trust these country folk. The asparagus and some bunches of lettuce were about all that was to be had, so I picked up a baguette and some hummus from the Mediterranean place downtown (which specializes in healthy organic food!) and headed off to Kroger to round out the meal with some tomatoes and avocado, yum! Unfortunately, the rain was coming down in sheets and by this point the grocery parking lot was flooding so I watched my avocado, tomato, and asparagus dreams float by as I headed straight home. Fortunately, my currently impoverished state has taught me how to be resourceful, so I plucked some fresh basil from the garden (got a little drenched but so worth it!) and grabbed a few other ingredients from the fridge, and voila, a delicious summer meal for just $2.25 a serving, am I winning or what?!?! Sorry about that, got a bit carried away, moral of the story, the sandwich was delish so here is the recipe:</div><div><br /></div><div>"Vegan Recession Panini"</div><div>Makes 4 servings</div><div><br />Ingredients:</div><div>1 bunch asparagus</div><div>Olive oil and salt for grilling</div><div>1 french baguette</div><div>1/2+ cup hummus</div><div>16 fresh basil leaves</div><div>8 sun-dried tomato halves (not in oil), thinly sliced</div><div>16 kalamata olives, halved</div><div>2 thin slices red onion</div><div><br /></div><div>Directions:</div><div>Heat up grill pan to medium-high, brush with oil. Trim asparagus ends and place on grill, brush with a little oil and sprinkle with salt. Cook, turning until tender and has grill marks. Heat up oven to 400 degrees F and bake baguette for 5 minutes. Cut into four sections and cut these open lengthwise. Spread each side of the sections with a generous Tablespoon of hummus, add</div><div>4 basil leaves, 2 sliced tomato halves, 4 halved olives and a few slivers of red onion, as well as 1/4 of the asparagus spears. There you have it, delicious local fare on a budget!</div><div><span><span></span></span><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixn-6OxIbrXwZeaZu_ga2V3Xf6_lfKmoRIknLMYJ_pAk3oixwbtRty3mwg1_YINaiPwEOI3niWK2h72E5_7IIQKTubzI5DlbX7Zj7VgBWErY0rXrvL9MQqHKVhmK8-e3B82HZfmVePGh0/" /></div>Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955804466993259776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6840616188159024394.post-70060116376191975052011-05-13T10:05:00.001-07:002011-05-13T10:16:11.904-07:00Vegan Drumsticks!<div><p>No, I don't mean the chicken kind, though I sometimes miss those too. I'm taking about my childhood obsession, those crunchy cones filled with chocolate, then ice cream,then dipped in chocolate, could there be anything more worthy of chasing the ice cream man down the street for? I have been craving one of these ever since I found out that dairy and I are not friends. SO Delicious brand makes pretty much the best ice cream treats imaginable, but no drumstick knockoffs yet! I chose their Turtle Trails ice cream pint to go into this cone, but you can pick any flavor or brand you like!</p><p>Ingredients:</p><p>One pint SO Delicious Coconut Milk Ice Cream</p><p>4 organic sugar cones</p><p>1 cup dairy free chocolate chips (I used Sunspire's Semi-sweet variety)</p><p>3-4 teaspoons coconut oil</p><p>Directions: First melt about 1/4 cup of the chocolate chips with a teaspoon of coconut oil, I microwaved the two in a bowl at 3o second increments, stirring regularly until mostly melted, then stirred the rest of the way. Scoop a tablespoon or so of mixture into each cone and using the back of spoon spread the chocolate up the sides of the cone. (This is the messy part!) Thaw ice cream for 10 minutes or so then fill each cone with about 1/2 cup, refreeze until solid. Then melt the remaining chocolate chips and coconut oil the same way. Use a spoon to quickly spread chocolate onto each cone, it will harden quickly! Lay on parchment or wax paper and freeze until solid. Enjoy! </p>Here is what the finished product looks like: (Yes I am using my leg as a backdrop for this photo)<br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg507PSvZhurOa7toyzJAxWat5-5K7v8DqZg7vNrmeREEdw22ITSK4KZu_IHw38TOqYDxBOL1XAIov1kuNQGsa2vGGLluckLkVWptoV0Mo0EVKyF7WpgieHrF4OwRUZkQ68CJRVAWYtMC8/" /></div><div><br /></div>Here is what it looks like when I rotate the finished product, I just couldn't wait to dig in!!!<br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifkIkO3xpd4VJkRj2HffEZHsMDvTPeqH3NEmMj9IdAOSUsGZNapT-WdpFHsRYj917qHrts_K110R6SY4s2HeLeWYSbendPYPnmRQTFaBKKjqxg7TzdQdQRqLjH0S4JBKyEmlen1UKKUWs/" />Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955804466993259776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6840616188159024394.post-41710951263581101502011-04-30T13:17:00.001-07:002011-05-28T19:12:49.317-07:00A blog half vegan?<div><p>It has been a couple months since my last post and I have an explanation for that...or an excuse, is there really a difference? I was doing very well with maintaining the vegan lifestyle until the middle of March when I hit a major slump and started craving all of my favorite foods again, or as I jokingly called it my "mac and cheese night sweats." I also began to feel somewhat marginalized in my community and even in my group of friends. A friend of mine when speaking about another vegan stated, "they are imposing their extremist lifestyle on those around them." I had no intention to impose on others when I began this journey, and in fact have not done this intentionally. However, it became apparent that others were placing impositions on themselves that I had not put there, like my boyfriend lamenting that we could no longer go to certain restaurants (where there were vegan options for me), or friends apologizing profusely for putting cheese on the salad they had brought to a potluck (when there was plenty of other food for me to eat), or my father throwing out suggestions for any food that I could eat or make myself when I went home for the weekend (when I had already eaten and was not even hungry). </p><p>I also noticed that something about using the word "vegan" demands perfection unlike other self-identifiers that allow a little room for...say, humanity? If you say you are on the Atkin's diet, no one jumps down your throat for enjoying a bagel every once in a while. If you say you are trying to stop drinking caffeine, no one gasps when you have a sip of a friend's latte. So why is it that people feel the need to scream "aha!" every time I dip the corner of my finger in a cheese sauce to try it or take a bite of a scone that may have been made with eggs? I am still not sure why this is the case, perhaps it has something to do with the area I call home or perhaps there is something about the nature of veganism that breeds a certain hostility in others? I do know that at this time, I no longer want to call myself a vegan...</p><p> What types of changes has this meant for me since I came to this realization? Honestly, not many, except feeling free to eat whatever I want makes me feel like every time I choose a vegan meal over a non-vegan one that I am making a choice that is better for me, animals and the environment. I am still eating at least 80% vegan, but now I will occasionally eat something with eggs in it or enjoy some tuna or salmon rolls at my favorite sushi restaurant. Yes, I understand that I could do better at this whole vegan thing, but I also know that by eating such a small amount of animal products I am doing a hell of a lot better at reducing my eco-footprint and reducing animal suffering than most people out there, including those pesky "aha!" people. So I have changed the name of my blog to reflect my new direction (and to reflect the fact that I cannot seem to take a picture of anything without devouring at least some of it first :P) and I hope that you continue to tune in! Here are a few vegan recipes from this week, enjoy!</p><p>Ooey Gooey mac and cheese:</p><p>Serves 4</p><p><img src="https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&ik=9e4fb613c7&view=att&th=12fa82b059d5ea0a&attid=0.1&disp=thd&realattid=1367548935428636672-1&zw" alt="IMAG0601.jpg" /></p><p>Ingredients:</p><p>8oz whole wheat penne pasta</p><p>2 1/2 Tbsp Earth Balance margarine, divided</p><p>2 Tbsp flour</p><p>1 Tbsp nutritional yeast</p><p>2 cups rice milk</p><p>1 package Daiya Cheddar Style Shreds (About 2 cups)</p><p>2 cups chopped broccoli</p><p>1/4 cup whole wheat bread crumbs</p><p></p><p><br />Directions:</p><p>Salt pasta water and bring to a boil, Add penne. During last few minutes while pasta is cooking, add broccoli to cooking water. Drain and set aside.</p><p>Melt 2 Tbsp of the butter in a large saucepot over medium heat, stir in flour and cook for a couple minutes. Add nutritional yeast, then very slowly whisk in rice milk. Bring to a boil and stir a few minutes until thickened. Reduce heat and add daiya, stirring until melted and thickened. Add pasta and broccoli to cheese sauce, stir and pour into casserole. Top with 1/4 cup bread crumbs mixed with remaining 1/2 Tbsp butter (melted) and sprinkle over top.</p><p>Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes until browned and bubbling.</p><p></p><p>Nutritional Information</p>Calories = 311, Fat = 14g, Carbohydrates = 40g, Fiber =5g, Sugars = 5g</div><div><br /><p>Healthy cherry pocket pies:</p><p>Makes about 10 servings (1 pie)</p><p>Ok, maybe these pocket pies aren't exactly healthy but they are definitely a step up from the mcdonald's apple pie...</p><p><img src="https://mail.google.com/mail/?ui=2&ik=9e4fb613c7&view=att&th=12fa82b059d5ea0a&attid=0.2&disp=thd&realattid=1367548935428636672-2&zw" alt="IMAG0604.jpg" /></p><p>I used my awesome mold that my boyfriend's mom got me from Williams-Sonoma to cut them into these fun shapes and although they are shaped like apples they are filled with cherry pie filling, yummmmm! Also, the crust is borrowed from the wonderful book Babycakes by Erin McKenna.</p><p>Ingredients:</p><p>Crust - </p><p>3 cups spelt flour</p><p>7 Tbsp organic coconut oil</p><p>2 tsp pure vanilla extract</p><p>1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp agave nectar</p><p>Filling - </p><p>1 1/2 cups frozen sweet dark cherries</p><p>3 Tbsp. agave nectar</p><p>1 Heaping Tbsp cornstarch</p><p>Directions:</p><p>To make filling: Mix 3 Tbsp of agave nectar with the cornstarch in a sauce pot, add frozen cherries and a splash of vanilla extract. Cook over medium-high heat for about 10 minutes until thickened. Set aside to cool. </p><p>To make crust: In a large bowl, stir flour with coconut oil (melted on low in microwave), vanilla and agave nectar until well incorporated. Add 2-3 Tbsp cold water slowly until dough is moist. Shape dough into ball and wrap in floured plastic wrap, refrigerate for about 20 minutes. Roll out to 1/16th to 1/8th inch thickness on a floured board and cut out the two halves of pocket pie using your cutter. Place bottom of pie (without hole) on cutter and top with 2 Tbsp of filling. Place top of pie (with hole) on cutter and sandwich the two pieces together (the cutter flutes the edge). Freeze pies for about 20 minutes, then brush with rice milk and dust with large crystals of sugar. </p><p>Bake at 375 degrees for about 15 minutes until golden brown. Allow to cool on wire rack.</p><p>Nutritional Information:<br /></p><p>Calories = 315, Fat = 11g, Carbohydrates = 50g, Fiber = 6.5g, Sugars = 23g</p><p><br /></p></div>Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955804466993259776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6840616188159024394.post-45182947310911543782011-02-15T09:34:00.001-08:002011-02-15T10:39:28.243-08:00Veganetarian Valentine's Day<div> So I had a wonderful (almost) Vegan Valentine's Day with my sweetheart. We drove up to Ann Arbor for the day and made a stop at our favorite sandwich shop Zingerman's. Seriously, I could write a love song to this place, it's that good! When you first walk in to your left is a smorgasbord of organic and local cheeses, meats, and smoked fish and to your right hang freshly baked breads and stacks of pastries, yum! Straight ahead is a wide array of house-made salads and traditional jewish treats like potato latkes and blintzes, mmmm...If you can make it that far without falling to your knees, the sandwich board has nearly a hundred sandwiches along with salads and sides. I chose the #5 Rodger's Big Picnic with oven-roasted asparagus, grilled portabello mushrooms, cheddar cheese (I got avocado spread instead!) and Dijon Vinagrette on grilled farm bread, it tasted amazing and was totally vegan!!! Plus, when I told the guy I was trying not to eat dairy, he asked me about any food allergies and went back to the chef to make sure the dijon vinagrette was vegan, have I mentioned that I love this place! Notice in the picture that the sandwich is half gone...I should have named this blog "half-eaten blog" because I can't seem to take a picture before taking a bite, it's like my brain shuts off and the primal instincts kick in, "rrr...food...arrr."<br /></div><div><br /></div><div><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbQ4Rm89S-_V9PEiEO_XGnRHlv7fqeP_kSP269xRLlh_XSx5-61xCPKT6rQBy2k5mz-IqSGzh9GaGqvpv5F2IUQpguUzKFOxFL2FvEf5WL61Xbqc-4fVzCkO3P8MlnUQJxG_ebK0YQkS0/" /><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6ByjjYU6a4ahPoVoAvi24w-9YvU_C6jG5FVeC6O2mWkFbSUKTfvLZHvjFKxP7Te0RTfaauftKo5scPHB0gtz4pygEnEJM0_6Wek2Kp-KbQ53NyXM6clenxfHDaYPrdvresIJHsoNYTPw/" /><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>After that, I bought some gourmet chocolates from their cafe and sweet shop, which we feasted on later in the car. One of those was a vegan ginger pear truffle and there was also an aztec heart flavored with chiles and coriander, mmmm. We walked around town and my valentine picked me out a fair trade bracelet made in Ecuador from the Tagua nut, a renewable resource often called "the vegetable ivory!" I couldn't have asked for better Valentine's Day jewelry! </div><div><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKGi4eNxtoVBRWSW29e76aQj21dlELQo_oykxqKU7_0NXMbMbhnmcdwU6LqrZ-tFvBiIyQtaelIXGPJnfgGIrG51bFubjLWiSkeG6O_oU4ySPVWsqE2y83m_TUgi1Hn4VPoq62ZXP6iWE/" /><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>We walked around some more and then made a stop at Whole Foods Market to pick up a few last things to cook dinner (and as always, I "needed" to buy a bunch of extra stuff). When we got home, I whipped up some Kale Lasagna Diavalo (this is where the vegetarian part comes in!) from Vegetarian Times Magazine and some Creamy Broccoli White Bean Soup (totally vegan if you sub veg broth for the chicken and leave off the parmesan shavings) from Whole Living Magazine. We threw in some premade vegan garlic bread which I picked up from whole foods, just their french bread topped with oils, herbs and garlic, and some wine (he had red, I had white as usual). Finally, the meal was topped off with some lemon bars from Veganomicon which turned out amazing! They were so rich I needed a glass of almond milk to wash them down. See recipes for the soup and lemon bars below (I will leave the lasagna out to keep this a vegan blog ;)). If it makes you kind-lifers feel any better, the cheese in the lasagna totally ravaged my sinuses afterwards, guess there is something to this vegan diet!</div><div><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg38qGnXbP_ALH8APL5sqZQwAyj1zzuIZKqLLPnzMqxkstF0Yi9fbR7on44di2gTsEGIMGqDJrH7dEygSj64MLw_-5aIz8buzlOA9mmi7ScDH8nsLf5-xQuru-gRKETfp4ozkHnY71hWjk/" /><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDfVA8TQbeYRBlT3Myx_KCT7fZHhp8BwZPawnTK75z28v2q3oV7GYJwpKhkkQCGuGsUEpJPj63vOfMnEfXTBdGoZnjGUc17OzDirkTdsGU_1D1F_DpQ-SOh39VF9sSeIpJd9AQVrAOjkA/" /><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuqF-5g63DZyCGYQQO_SbJf0gNArsDhynvmhdjFlyoF7qnYlGAo5zgtWFE8SIPhoZtFV_7w2vTQEsfG2gEmpxCJzjiP7DMoidTTE1qPo2d-vjAfwOlSeXKY2A-IM4cprUDu-n74Qfp9Qs/" /><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKrzVovo9Z8ZNbp1U_SMy3FrckerLGnP9h9mRW5O4LioQTDPtfgIIVVDzzNP48I-ENPAj78SykwlfitThKTC8W3-hTwvxXNSQOnz0QAbg9pJTdviuBgLXy95kAg6S8mRnWDKT53DFQZ60/" /><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizCRupEPFFG5VgYbrCznYsQ4STNH5XPMdOpfaW-SBVpAtepTlDb-YW_EDpRoFRawe1B_g9t8lHxSyRz6MTCp3xBbxqCxwnjVwVceIw5pc15qmZXMxDEOGhMzTY4ZjbpxmsVoGu7XNHWaw/" /><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8mLP7davyc81YYaHImjQOn_rbwZxKp0MWoVfA79TPBuVFA9usI_e6KcxqO7ABS0gbQHdoqWMzpLwhpPoLI9Jqd-WrAwCvUPuN-CnPQpVZddHxSXpJzV7VrIt5i5BB_A_6UMCh8pDIXFk/" /></div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><b>Creamy Broccoli Whi<span class="Apple-style-span">te Bean Soup (Veganized) From Whole Living Magazine</span></b></span></div><div><br /></div><div>Ingredients:</div><div>1 head broccoli (1 lb), cut into florets, stems thinly sliced</div><div>2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil</div><div>1 yellow onion, diced</div><div>2 garlic cloves, minced</div><div>15-oz can cannellini beans, drained</div><div>2 1/2 cups low-sodium vegetable stock</div><div>Sea salt and freshly ground pepper </div><div>1 Tbsp toasted pine nuts</div><div>Vegan parmesan, for topping if desired</div><div><br />Directions:</div><div>Steam broccoli florets and stems until tender and bright green, about 3 minutes. Let cool slightly, reserve 1/2 cup florets to garnish. Heat oil in a soup pot over medium heat, saute onion and garlic until translucent, about 6 minues. Add beans and stock and bring to a simmer. Remove from heat, add broccoli and puree in a blender in batches until smooth (or use an immersion blender, I want one of these!!!). Season with sea salt and pepper. Garnish each bowl with broccoli florets, toasted pine nuts, and parmesan. </div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span"><b>Veganomicon Lemon Bars</b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span">Recipe reprinted here: </span><a href="http://www.nomeatathlete.com/vegan-lemon-bars/">http://www.nomeatathlete.com/vegan-lemon-bars/</a></div><div><br /><br /></div>Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955804466993259776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6840616188159024394.post-39591562546350670692011-02-13T09:32:00.001-08:002011-02-13T09:32:47.920-08:00I'm a souperhero!<div><p>If I could choose one food category to eat for the rest of my life it would probably be soups! I'm not kidding, there is something so wonderful and nostalgic that happens when you take that first spoonful of a soup. A good soup has an array of flavors and textures and nourishes you, both body and soul. You can eat soup when you are old, young, sick, healthy, and yes, even Vegan! Thankfully, most of my favorite soups don't require meat or cheese, not that I haven't enjoyed my fair share of chicken noodle and wonton, but I can still have miso and mushroom barley and broccoli and chili and white bean and minestrone and tortilla and even vegetable wonton! I love soup!!! Ok, now that you understand that, there is nothing like not having to chew your food when you are sick, I mean who has the energy for that anyways? I went to Qdoba yesterday for lunch and had a bowl of their Mexican gumbo (totally Vegan!) with rice, pinto beans, pico de gallo, guacamole, and tortilla strips. The soft rice, guacamole and beans, with the spicy broth and crunch of the tortillas was a fantastic combination! I also made a more nourishing soup yesterday that could fit in with anyone's souperhero, ahem, I mean superhero diet. Here it is:</p>
<p>Ingredients:<br>
4-5 cups water<br>
1 small onion, diced<br>
1 tsp minced garlic, optional<br>
1 tsp minced ginger<br>
2 good pinches wakame flakes<br>
1-2 cups chopped bok choy (or cabbage or spinach or whatever sounds good!)<br>
8 sliced shitake mushrooms<br>
1 Tbsp brown miso<br>
1Tbsp white miso<br>
3 sliced scallions<br>
3 oz udon noodles, optional</p>
<p>Directions:<br>
Cook udon noodles according to package directions, set aside. Bring water to a boil in large soup pot. Add wakame, onion, garlic, and ginger. Reduce heat and simmer for a few minutes, add bok choy, then mushrooms, stir. Simmer for about 5 minutes. Remove about a cup of soup broth to a large measuring cup, add miso and stir with a fork until dissolved. Add mixture back into pot, and heat through making sure it doesn't boil. Stir in scallions and noodles, if desired.</p>
<p>This soup can heal you! I'm serious, my cold from hell came on just Thursday night and when I woke up today I actually felt way better! It just HAS to be the soup...and the rest, hydrating, zinc, and vitamin c :) Seriously people, don't mess around when you are sick! Or when you aren't sick too for that matter."Take care of your body. It's the only place you have to live" -Jim Rohn (and now me)</p>
<br/><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAflHX2DjBHxLnnhIEG_3HxVarL3eCtyZOutb02r2xa9ROBAwT6ixkaCRQk0KkEg_IRIJluV_P5OA8ICFWS3R1O8J9eqJyLfS_13wIFaiy1v-6D0FXE_-dwSJXvjYXzMD3SkvruvP0dis/' /><br/><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpd3ZPi0KNU6bJLgxptb5rBJy2luZuBoE9dta4XLclkVGu3qrbppCaX15bqbv0pKT66MYJF33tpfurNsfkUbTufbgrALJY6yBojZsko1QhouT6YGRhJwYtFjsR15tO2xgoOvJG8Lnn6Lo/' /><br/><img src='https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6qYjwr9s3maD4rQLs8O7bfhP-rxqYIqWc19Iy-5mMRnVnp4_JgsLjLY9lZ2czyPj8PTH5KpADwj0_JyENkUsq52khNxlgh-XtL7somDYsoCebVXpQ1GiQiNJ1ATvqW9hGCU2rCNGb3xM/' /></div>Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955804466993259776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6840616188159024394.post-47924725429057853382011-02-11T11:21:00.000-08:002011-02-11T11:38:56.844-08:00No vegan diet! No vegan powers!<div>So a few days of being a junk food vegan finally caught up with me, I have been overtaken by the cold from hell. It feels exactly like the flu, yet I don't have a fever. Honestly, I don't have a clue where I got sick from, all I can think of is that I went to a new yoga class the other night where we did a self-lymphatic massage to "release toxins." Perhaps I am just too "toxic" at the moment and my body couldn't handle it, damn you Qigong! Cooking a meal for myself last night was the last possible thing I wanted to do so my boyfriend and I went to eat at the restaurant where he works. I was feeling a bit like I was fading into nothingness so I ordered a piece of grilled salmon, sorry Nemo! I half expected the vegan police to come and haul me away right then and there:</div><div><br /></div><div><br /><iframe title="YouTube video player" width="640" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/pe5oIAxl9js" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe><br /></div><div><br /></div><div>Milk and eggs, bitch! Anywho, after a trip to Kroger last night I am all stocked up for the recovery process. Made some quick vegetable noodle soup (w/ kroger egg-free soup noodles!) for lunch and plan to throw together some Miso tonight, yum! If anyone reads this and has more ideas for healing vegan recipes, please let me know!</div>Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955804466993259776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6840616188159024394.post-16315849981525717122011-02-10T23:19:00.001-08:002011-05-08T19:40:51.926-07:00Wrap on the run!<div><p>Ive been feeling like a bit of a junk food Vegan for the past few days, eating a lot of processed foods and way too much dessert! Today I got called in to work, but woke up way too late to make myself a decent meal. Thankfully, I thought of a really quick healthy meal to make mid-shampoo. Here is the recipe! </p><p>Ingredients:<br />15oz can white beans (I used great northern)<br />1/2 cup broccoli florets<br />1 portobella mushroom, sliced<br />2 tsp extra virgin olive oil<br />1 tsp balsamic vinegar<br />1/4 tsp sea salt<br />Fresh black pepper<br />Some torn fresh basil</p><p>Directions:<br />Steam broccoli and mushroom together until softened, 5-8 min. Rinse and drain beans, toss with veggies, oil, salt, pepper, and some chopped fresh basil. I heated a sprouted wheat tortillas and wrapped up half the filling for lunch! It was so good, I wrapped the rest in a couple of sheets of nori later, yum!</p><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwbQoY28hiqA7REYl9V-wg_iJY4r2hMu33bhRv2ST-IiU7eKp729ZI3-mGoZs0SqS0-v-ASUbtcHxCXNRjZ0hoZ39VqEUReEwf39ysiXPImV9uYYNje0omYs3TgEGbXLPRMJwyvnZqF30/" /></div><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKRQje3fmd3FeFZlknQnjMdIF0RfNwH6dWYuoQyJC7MEujZapLwTnewMu22MnzsXyaghhWm-rnRWmFP00NoklWdWzTFVKMsvDXQfEhswjK5-8SGzrurf08S0em5ZN6mp1sbLBqFVGKULg/" /><br /><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJnCsbH5EkK9brpo1_1lclSh67UxhBc6rm5xmxiM3E-Ijx2RIlOlJOzZAaWLX0hQYELOLZaOOFH6XzG0EofhiX_H_2qQzNd6hg7N8EaMwyTPnxCtZS74gHPgbS4aczJTV7ErxB-9f8ZGk/" />Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955804466993259776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6840616188159024394.post-75966974325086108032011-02-09T18:59:00.001-08:002011-02-09T18:59:53.184-08:00The lazier thin mushroom pizza<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUcSbwgOSmB5v9HQQisZ7gYxnph-os5FBGzdV0VbDMEWgXo_cJxu9clYefaU4x5UwsyxM7_AmcQ9HEU5-Fyq9noLP2S9N1_rqAv9swFi3lW2AnioTMHTAZvHekKfbXpaZJ5Q5BUpRR-70/s1600/IMAG0228-793185.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUcSbwgOSmB5v9HQQisZ7gYxnph-os5FBGzdV0VbDMEWgXo_cJxu9clYefaU4x5UwsyxM7_AmcQ9HEU5-Fyq9noLP2S9N1_rqAv9swFi3lW2AnioTMHTAZvHekKfbXpaZJ5Q5BUpRR-70/s320/IMAG0228-793185.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5571890248856106210" /></a></p><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghIuoK3M6sam43Zk9kFWPavyNLLc-mDiDfHAoqY3hQ9eTUsdHYbk_NoA0yiNfqW3AB_uMozkhGMXfjfXg0W0wfLjDiP4Y5VMBTE7698CtNGdaf2ItS1k2jbglgOdtcwitl30PmE9KekOM/s1600/IMAG0229-794381.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEghIuoK3M6sam43Zk9kFWPavyNLLc-mDiDfHAoqY3hQ9eTUsdHYbk_NoA0yiNfqW3AB_uMozkhGMXfjfXg0W0wfLjDiP4Y5VMBTE7698CtNGdaf2ItS1k2jbglgOdtcwitl30PmE9KekOM/s320/IMAG0229-794381.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5571890255172581762" /></a></p><p>So the pineapple cashew quinoa stirfry and hot and sour soup didn't go over as well as I hoped last night. I loved the stirfry but the hot and sour soup was well, hot and sour...not sure what I was expecting there. The taste of the soup kind of overpowered the stirfry last night so I didn't really get to enjoy it much! Thankfully, I ate some leftover pineapple cashew quinoa stir fry for dinner tonight which tasted much yummier! However, 2 hours of studying later, it was as if I hadn't eaten. I still had the ingredients for the Vegan Pandemonium's lazy version of the Kind Diet mushroom pizza (<a href="http://veganpandamonium.blogspot.com/2010/03/thin-mushroom-pizza.html">VP's Thin Mushroom Pizza</a>). That pizza was SO good, but after eating it two days in a row I was looking for something a bit different. The variation I made tonight is the same basic idea, I sauteed one sliced portabella in just a little olive oil, seasoned with some sea salt and threw in a Tablespoon of chopped sundried tomato at the end. I loaded it into a sprouted wheat tortilla with just a tablespoon or the tofutti cream cheese and some chopped scallions and basil and browned it up on the griddle. Tasted really good, but next time I might use two mushrooms and it would be perfect! Had a Kind Diet Chocolate Peanut Butter Cup after dinner part 1 but now that I had dinner part 2 I am craving dessert part 2...s'mores perhaps?</p> Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955804466993259776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6840616188159024394.post-60872634351445284132011-02-09T14:10:00.000-08:002011-02-09T14:12:40.240-08:00Vegan S'mores!<p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNZDKRnkY3aL-kPjTEAWsaU7A4BAJdOyxkTK3r3IsLESVkyDTZ72sUk7l6SLKhroDYEUtm1PaKWalixoKjTNrH_OtAgAkkVa4aAZEU-ZDk-HySLVsE8YNxK7c9YcB3AFpGSx2K2-YaZVo/s1600/IMAG0226-760241.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhNZDKRnkY3aL-kPjTEAWsaU7A4BAJdOyxkTK3r3IsLESVkyDTZ72sUk7l6SLKhroDYEUtm1PaKWalixoKjTNrH_OtAgAkkVa4aAZEU-ZDk-HySLVsE8YNxK7c9YcB3AFpGSx2K2-YaZVo/s320/IMAG0226-760241.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5571816233790792258" /></a></p><p class="mobile-photo"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheUnn7e68AoyT5Cd6O7ZJnsKDFMrSscWbMiptsPkshfUL0t9dgAYU_PqUDWpzMR0oizdRHB-kELy0smW9Pp9AQBvZ24RbHqkco3LoRfqkOtse9wJX0-zfGjsftAjp_yzsmmLNZgOzGmQM/s1600/IMAG0227-761539.jpg"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheUnn7e68AoyT5Cd6O7ZJnsKDFMrSscWbMiptsPkshfUL0t9dgAYU_PqUDWpzMR0oizdRHB-kELy0smW9Pp9AQBvZ24RbHqkco3LoRfqkOtse9wJX0-zfGjsftAjp_yzsmmLNZgOzGmQM/s320/IMAG0227-761539.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5571816237978231410" /></a></p><p>This isn't exactly a recipe, but I made some FANTASTIC Vegan s'mores last night. I just put one square of endangered species dark chocolate on a graham (use grahams without honey if you are abstaining), then I roasted two Dandies Vegan marshmallows over the gas stove. It tasted so close to the real thing I had to double check my ingredients to make sure I wasn't doing anything wrong! </p> Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955804466993259776noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6840616188159024394.post-29726606364654505782011-02-08T10:39:00.001-08:002011-02-08T12:46:16.999-08:00<p>Going to try my hand at this blogging thing again now that I finally figured out how to post pictures. So I'm officially moving into week 6 of being vegan, well at least trying to be vegan, or as Alicia Silverstone of The Kind Diet would call it "flirting" with the vegan diet. I would say I'm doing pretty well so far, given that my diet is now about 98% vegan. I've noticed some positive changes like more energy, clearer thinking, and as Alicia says, "smoother elimination." However, I've been somewhat moodier and I'm a lot hungrier! Also, in spite of the smoothness of the aforementioned eliminations, there have been some other gastrointestinal consequences that make my boyfriend want to get a separate bedroom...all a part of the detox process though right. Now assuming that my boyfriend is still here after the air has cleared (haha), I think he will turn out to be at least somewhat supportive of my new diet. I was vegetarian when we started dating so its not a huge change, and other than sneaking giant turkey legs into the house and screaming "You expect me to eat this? What am I, a rabbit!?" he appears to be adjusting just fine. My friends from back home have no idea how to react except to brand me as "crazy" and ask me repeatedly "but, where are you getting your protein?" to which I reply "food... usually" and wink... My mom is actually the most supportive thus far, telling her friends "oh, Michelle is 'Vay-gen' now," love it! I've made some super yummy recipes so far from Alicia's book and from others like Veganomicon! Tonight is pineapple cashew quinoa stirfry with hot and sour soup, will let you know how that goes!</p>Michellehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12955804466993259776noreply@blogger.com0