African Groundnut Stew

Recipe from What Would Cathy Eat, and pictures have been taken from there.

Many moons ago, I learned that for me "soul food" needed to be redefined. Even as an omnivore child, there was something about overcooked veggies, greasy and/or overly sweet carbs, and deep fried and smothered meat that did not move my soul in such a way that it felt fed. If anything, it made my soul need a nap, and souls shouldn't nap. That just seems like a bad idea. If anything, soul food should be something that warms and comforts your inner most being, while providing it the fuel to accomplish the things that are most vital to its existence.

Enter this dish. It has quickly become one of my favorite dishes of all time. If I had a week of last meals, this would be one. It has many of the traditional elements of soul food such as sweet potatoes, collard greens, and black eye peas, but the flavors come together in such a unique way. Side bar: I actually have a relative dislike for collard green and black eyed peas when they are cooked alone, but when added together in this dish they are just the perfect blend. The peanut butter might come as a surprise to some who haven't experience some African foods, but if you try it, you will not be disappointed or overwhelmed by it. Be adventurous!

To alter this dish, I have done nothing more than upped a few of the major flavor players. I also served it over the brown rice instead of adjacent to it. I would even recommend a brown jasmine for this. It just adds another layer. I have also found that instead of regular diced tomatoes, diced tomatoes with roasted garlic. The brand I use is an HEB store brand. Go with your favorite diced tomatoes here.

Shopping List by Department


Produce:

• 1 large onion
• 1 bulb of garlic
• 2 serrano peppers
• 1 jalepeno pepper
• fresh ginger root
• 2 medium to large sweet potatoes
• 1 bunch of collard greens
• cilantro
• lime

Dry/Canned/Boxed Foods:

• 28 oz. canned diced tomatoes
• vegetable broth
• natural peanut butter
• 15 oz. canned black eyed peas
• dry roasted peanuts

Spices/Oils

• canola oil
• cumin
• cayenne pepper
• salt

Recipe:

• 2 Tbsp canola oil
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 2-3 serrano or jalapeno peppers, minced
• 2-3 Tbsp minced fresh ginger
• ½ tsp cumin
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 28-ounce canned diced tomatoes in juice (reserve the juice)
• 1 c. vegetable broth 
• 2 medium to large sweet potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 1 bunch collard greens, stems removed, leaves well chopped
• ½ c natural peanut butter
• 1 15-ounce can black eyed peas, drained and rinsed
• 1/3 c. chopped cilantro
• Salt to taste
• ½ c. chopped dry roasted peanuts 
• 1 lime, cut into wedges

1. Heat the oil in a large heavy pot. Saute the onion, garlic, peppers and ginger over medium heat for 7-8 minutes. 
2. Add the cumin and cayenne, and cook one minute more. 
3. Add the tomatoes and their juice, broth, sweet potatoes and greens. 
4. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce heat and simmer 35 minutes.
5. Add peanut butter and black eyed peas and gently simmer 10 minutes longer, uncovered. 
6. Add the cilantro and season to taste. 
7. Garnish with peanuts and a squeeze of lime.

Flax Egg

(photo credit: veganbaking.net)

Flax eggs are my go to egg replacer because they are super cheap and easy to do. I always say to buy the flax seeds whole and grind them yourself to ensure that the oils that are released to not have time to go rancid. This is simple to do either in a coffee grounder or a high power blender. I use the smaller cup blending attachment for my Ninja, and the powder comes out super fine. I do them in batches of about a half a cup at a time, and then place them in a snack size ziplock bag and store them in the freezer.

There are multiple ways of doing this. I will go over 3 of my favorite methods. They all use the same ratio of 1 Tbsp. of ground flax seed to 3 Tbsp. of water for one flax egg. Multiply to fit your recipe. There's no need to separate them out, so make all that you need at once.

The Fast Sure Fire:

• Bring the water to a boil in a small sauce pan.
• Add ground flax, and stir until mixture thickens. This should take 1-2 minutes.

The Long Fool Proof:

• Whisk together the water and the ground flax. Let sit in the refrigerator until the egg settles. 15 minutes minimum, but it will sit better at an hour.

The Tricky Quicky:

• Use warm water and combine it with the ground flax. Let sit for five minutes. This works for things that are quick cooking, such as anything you throw in the microwave. 

The result of the first two are an extremely goopy substance, akin to that of egg whites. The third one produces at thicker sort of liquid. I hope this helps. Happy baking!

Bean and Cornbread Casserole

This recipe comes from That Was Vegan, and all pictures have been taken from there.

Ok guys, this is recipe comes to you straight from the crock pot. I literally still have some on warm right now. This is now one of our new favorite comfort foods. It's warm and spicy and is like a flavor circus! I cannot say enough good things about this recipe. And the crazy part is the simplicity of the recipe. You have to try this one.

If you don't own a crock pot (come take one of mine that I rarely use), I'm pretty sure that you can make this in a large pot on top of the stove, just use low heat. The major thing that I changed in this recipe was that I removed the pinto beans and replaced them with another can of black beans. I don't really have a good reason for this aside from the fact that I really dislike pinto beans. Add them back if they don't bother you. I also kicked up the spice factor by adding a 1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper, and I replaced one of the teaspoons of chili powder with chipotle chili powder which ups the spice and the flavor. I have included the chipotle chili powder in the recipe below, but not the cayenne. Do that at your own risk.

One other thing. In the original recipe it states that the cook time after putting the cornbread mixture on top is  1.5 hours with a possible 30 minutes extra. After I cooked it on high for the 2 hours, only the edges were done. I would say a more complete time for my slow cooker was 2.5 hours. Just be aware of that when you're cooking.

Shopping List by Department


Produce

• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 green bell pepper
• 1 sweet yellow onion
• 1 bulb of garlic

Dry

• 1 14.75 can of cream style corn
• 2 15 oz. cans of black beans (substitute one of these for the pinto if you'd like)
• 1 15 oz. can of kidney beans
• 1 8-10 oz. can of tomato sauce
• 1 14.5 oz. can of diced tomatoes with green chilies 
• hot sauce
• yellow corn meal
• all purpose flour
• baking powder
• sugar (I use turbinado)
• canola oil
• flax seed or meal (as an egg replacer)

Spices

• salt
• pepper
• chili powder
• chipotle chili powder

"Dairy"

• non dairy milk

Recipe

Bean Base

• 1 green pepper
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 large sweet onion
• 3-5 cloves garlic
• 1 15 oz. can red kidney beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 15 oz. cans black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 8-10 oz tomato sauce
• 14.5 oz diced tomatoes with chilies
• 1/2 can cream corn
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• 1 tsp. chipotle chili powder
• 1 t pepper
• 2 t salt
• 1 t hot sauce

Cornbread Topping

• 1/2 cup yellow corn meal
• 1/2 cup AP flour
• 1 1/4 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• 2 1/2 Tbsp. sugar
• 3/4 cups non-dairy milk
• 1 egg replacer mix of choice (I use the flax egg)
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. canola oil
• 1/2 can cream corn

1. Spray inside of slow-cooker with non-stick spray. 
2. Chop onions and bell peppers, and mince garlic cloves.
3. Sautee onions, peppers and garlic in a pan until tender, then add to the slow-cooker.
4. Add beans, tomatoes, tomato sauce, 1/2 can of corn, spices and hot sauce.
5. Cover, and cook on high for about 1 hour.
6. In a separate bowl, combine cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt and sugar, then stir in the milk, egg replacement, oil and the rest of the corn.
7. Ladle over the bean mixture in the slow-cooker, making it nice and smooth.
8. Cover again, and cook for about another 1.5 hours. As noted above, it might take longer for your slow cooker. I advise that add the 30 minutes, and then do 20 minute increments until the cornbread is done.

Vegan Taco Pizza

This recipe comes from Cadry's Kitchen and all pictures have been taken from there.

I LOVE PIZZA!!! What kind, you ask? All pizza...well meatless pizza. This has been by far the hardest thing to forgo since giving up my beloved cheese. There's something about the warm crust and gooey cheese with all the delicious toppings that calls my name: "Whitney, eat me. Gain pounds. Pounds of joy."

Let me tell you that I was tickled pink to find this vegan taco pizza. The flavor is amazing, and it is beyond easy to throw together. I knew this was definitely a recipe I wanted to share with you all. Cadry's brilliance must be enjoyed by all! I make two pizzas at one time so the hubby and I can have left overs. Most pizzas come two to a pack, so that is totally a viable option for anyone. Once while making this I ran out of tomato sauce, so I blended together a can of tomatoes with green chilies, and it came out pretty wonderful and had a bit of extra zest. One can was enough for about 4 pizzas, and is a bit more cost effective if that is a concern of yours. While the pizza is mostly build to your own taste, there are just a few basics things that I recommend you do to have a wonderful pizza experience, so I have included them in the recipe.

Shopping List by Department


Produce (choose these based on what you do and don't like. I used them all. Yum!)

• 1 tomato 
• 1 onion 
• 1 bunch of cilantro
• 1 avocado
• 1 red bell pepper
• 1 green bell pepper
• baby bella or cremini mushrooms (They're not particularly Mexican, but I can't envision life or a pizza without them.)
• 1 lime

Dry Foods 

• black beans
• can/jar of olives (black or green is up to you. I prefer black)
• marinara (or the tomatoes with chilies blended as discussed above)
• Vicolo cornmeal crust, or any vegan pizza crust or dough you get your hands on.
• Garden of Eatin Pico de Gallo or Nacho chips (this is a great brand!)

Spices

• garlic powder
• chili powder
• ground cumin
• cayenne

Recipe

• 1/2 can black beans, rinse and drained
• 1 Vicolo cornmeal crust
• A few spoonfuls of marinara 
• Garden of Eatin chips, crumbled (About 4 or 5 chips will do)
• 1 medium tomato, chopped
• 1/2 c. onion, chopped
• 1/4 c. cilantro, chopped (I love cilantro, so I use much more)
• 1 avocado, chopped
• 1/4 c. red bell pepper, chopped
• 1/4 c. green bell pepper chopped
• 1/2 c. sliced baby bella or cremini mushrooms
• 1/4 c. sliced olives
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. chili powder
• 1 tsp. ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp. cayenne (add more if you like it hot)
• juice of 1 lime

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Top the cornmeal crust with marinara and black beans.
3. Sprinkle the spices over the black beans.
4. Add chopped onions, bell peppers, mushrooms, and olives. Bake for 15 minutes.
5. Remove the pizza from oven and add cilantro, tomato, and avocado.
6. Squeeze lime juice over pizza making sure to hit the chunks of avocado (this helps preserve the color)
7. Add chip crumbs, and enjoy. If you like add your favorite Mexican hot sauce to top it off. I always add a few splashes of Valentina.

Tip:  If you're going to be saving leftovers, only add the avocado and the chips to what you will be eating right away. The avocado may turn brown and the chips will get soggy if left overnight. 

Avocado Mango Magic

Todays recipe comes from http://www.floridacoastalcooking.com/2011/04/avocado-mango-and-caribbean-black-bean.html. All pictures have been taken from there.

Do you ever have those days where you're just not feeling up to cooking. Those days are more common for me than I'd like to admit, but being mostly vegan the options are typically to cook or spend way too much eating out. Not to mention you can't control what restaurants put in your food, even at the best ones.

This recipe is one of my personal solutions to that problem. It's quick, very simple to make, but packs a lot of flavor. It also has beautiful coloring. The upside to this dish is that if you're trying to avoid breads you can leave out the pita, and eat it over a bed of mixed greens. One thing that any traditional vegan might find troubling is my use of honey in this recipe, but that can easily be substituted for agave nectar.

Shopping List by Department:


Produce

• 1 avocado
• 1 large mango or 2 champagne mangoes
• 1 sweet onion
• 1 jalapeno
• 1 lime
• bunch of cilantro
• fresh mint (I used spearmint)
• spring mix lettuce (I used an herb mix variety)

Dry/Packaged

• 15 oz. can of Eden Organic Caribbean Black Beans or 15 oz. can of black beans with added spices*
• extra virgin olive oil
• honey or agave
• whole wheat pita bread

*Spices (Use in place of the Caribbean black beans)

• onion powder
• garlic powder
• smoked paprika
• cumin
• cayenne
• cinnamon

Recipe

• 1 ripe but firm avocados, halved, peeled and cubed 
• 2 ripe champagne mangoes, peeled and cubed 
• 1/2 cup sweet onion, chopped
• 1 15oz can Eden Organic Caribbean Black Beans, or regular black beans*
• 1 small jalapeño, stemmed, seeded and finely chopped (leave off if you prefer less spice)
• 1 lime zested and juiced
• 3 Tbsp cilantro, chopped 
• 1 Tbsp chopped fresh mint
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt (add more to taste)
• 1 Tbsp extra virgin olive oil
• 1 Tbsp agave or honey
• 3 cups spring mix lettuce, chopped or torn
• 3 small whole wheat pitas, split open, sprayed with olive oil and seasoned with salt (opt. leave pita in its original form and fold ingredients inside.)
• *Spices for can of regular black beans (adjust to your preferred taste)
• 1/2 tsp. onion powder
• 1/2 tsp. garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp. smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp. cumin
• 1/2 tsp. cayenne pepper
• 1/4 tsp. cinnamon

(*optional 1). If using regular black beans, place your rinsed and drained beans in a medium bowl, and add your spices.
1. Add mango, avocado,onion, jalapeno, cilantro, and mint to the bowl.
2. In a small bowl, whisk together honey, olive oil, lime juice, lime zest. Add to mixture.
3. Salt to taste.

4. Toast whole wheat pitas until just browned and crisp.
5. Top each half with 1/4 cup chopped lettuce and 1/4 cup mango mixture.

Transitioning to Meatless: My Story and Helpful Tips

A friend recently asked me about transitioning to a meatless diet, and to be honest, I hadn't ever really thought about the process enough to put it into words. I knew I had experienced different stages, but it never came together enough for me to give step by step until she asked. After answering her, I knew I had to make it a blog post because there are probably others out there who would like some help as well.

My personal journey may be different than some of yours. I grew up in Houston, TX where meat reigns supreme. Not only meat, but butter, sugar, and more or less everything that creates disease in your body. I still struggle with some of these foods today. (Yeah sugar and bread, you're going down!) This is the only way that I learned to eat. As a child, I was able to make small stands like saying no to pork chops, but I didn't know to say no to so many things. I was always sick as a kid. I never won a perfect attendance award because I was always at the doctor with either my allergies or my stomach. I was also severely anemic, but short of taking pills (which I have never been a proponent of) we did nothing to adjust my iron intake.

Then the diseases began to roll into my family. Everything from diabetes to hypertension. The thing that began my awakening was my very near and dear grandmother passing of cancer in 2002. I began searching for answers. I was always lead back to her meat and bread based diet. Not that meat and bread is a guarantee for cancer, but once you have it, that diet gives your body no ammunition to heal itself. As a result of that and then moving to Austin (which is the health beacon of Texas) for school, I began to adopt  a "do not die by your own hand" mentality, and that meant making some lifestyle changes.

Going vegetarian not immediate, and of course I sabotaged myself so many times. The only jobs I have had as an adult have required me to travel, and that can be detriment to making healthy eating decisions. Once I decided to give up meat, I went for one last hoorah: a burger from my grandmother's favorite fast food place. (I told you I was a nostalgic eater.) What I received in addition to my burger is what sealed the deal: food poisoning. Not fun. At all. That was in 2009, and I haven't eaten any meat since.

Initially, I was what I call a carbitarian. I ate bread, pasta, and more bread. That in combination with my cheese addiction (I'm in recovery. We need Cheeseholics Anonymous. CA.) lead to me being a pretty unhealthy vegetarian. I honestly wasn't sure what I should be eating. Once I finally did some research, I found recipes that included more veggies and had more flavor than anything I had ever eaten. As of now, I am still on my health journey, but I did want to share with you what I have learned so far.

Tips for Transitioning


1. Start Slowly. Meatless Mondays is a trend for a reason. It starts you with one day of not eating meat, and use that to build and add on more days. If you take it slow, you will have time to build a strong meatless foundation. Don't get stuck on Monday. Choose a day that is most convenient for you to go meatless.

2. Be patient with yourself. You are human, and that means you are imperfectly perfect. Sometimes you will give into temptation. Be kind to yourself, and pick up where you left off. Don't let the little hiccups in your plan detour you, and don't beat yourself up.

3. Go into the battle armed. Whenever entering battle, you always have ammunition. In this case that is your recipes. Use the meatless days of your transition to build up an arsenal of delicious recipes you know you like. Also, pay attention to the ingredients you use as they will help you decide which new recipes to try.

4. Find a source of encouragement or inspiration. It is always easier to something when you feel supported. Many times it's hard to find that in your actual community, but online vegetarian and vegan communities can serve as an amazing proxy. I have learned almost everything I know from online communities and in exploration with my best friend. Know that I am always here for you. Feel free to contact me using the contact page, which is linked at the top, or leave a comment on posts. I'm super friendly! I promise.

5. Have an open mind. Try new foods. You will be surprised at the things you like. If you don't like something the first time, try cooking it differently the next time. Don't give up so quickly on a food because it looks or tastes weird. Some things you just don't like (for me, eggplant), but some things you will learn to love (peas). Also be open to trying different food combinations. Certain foods set each other off just right and create a symphony in your mouth.

6. Expect change to happen. When your eating habits change, your taste buds will too. You will find yourself craving things you didn't before. Be open to this. This is good.

7. Remember it is a process. A transition is moving from one thing to the other. Don't neglect your time in the middle. Use it to learn as much as you can about food, and about yourself.

I hope all of this helps.

Sweet Vegan Cornbread

Today's recipe can be found in its original form at: http://www.kosherblog.net/2005/03/09/blue_ribbon_vegan_cornbread/. (Please excuse the picture. I'm not by any stretch a photographer. I only had my phone on me and I took it at night. Enough excuses; on to the food!)

I promised you guys that I would share a vegan cornbread recipe that I found with you guys, and today is the day that I do just that. Now anyone who has ever eaten cornbread can tell you that there are so many different kinds, and some people only swear by their favorite type. I am of the thought that great cornbread is great cornbread, no matter its sweetness or region of origin.

This particular recipe makes a delicious light, fluffy, and sweet cornbread. It actually pretty hard to tell that it is vegan. The trick to this recipe is the boiling of the ground flaxseed until it thickens. This, along with the baking powder, ensure that it rises properly.

I prefer a sweeter cornbread, so I used a half a cup of turbinado sugar instead of a quarter cup of granulated sugar. It turned out with the perfect amount of sweetness. I ground up the turbinado sugar (right after I ground up my flax seeds) in my Ninja just to take away that grainy quality that it can sometimes have. Also, instead of soy milk that is used in the original recipe, I swapped it out for hemp milk. You can use whatever non-dairy milk you have on hand. Take into account whether your milk is sweetened or unsweetened when adjusting your sugar. My hemp milk was lightly sweetened, and my adjustment worked well for us.

Due to the fact that most of the ingredients you probably already have in your house, and most of them are found on the same aisle, I won't include the shopping list by department.

Recipe

• 2 Tbsp. ground flax seed
• 6 Tbsp. water
• 1 c. all-purpose flour
• 1 c. cornmeal
• 1/2 c. sugar, granulated or turbinado
• 4 tsp. baking powder
• 3/4 tsp. table salt
• 1 c. non dairy milk
• 1/4 c. canola oil

1. Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 425 degrees. Spray baking dish with nonstick cooking spray. I used a 7"x11" brownie pan, but you could use an 8"x8" square pan.
2. Bring the water to a boil in a small saucepan. Add the ground flax seed, reduce the heat to medium-low, and simmer the ground flax seed in the water for 3 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally. Set aside.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt until well-combined.
4. Add the ground flax seed mixture, non dairy milk, and canola oil to the flour mixture. Beat just until smooth (do not overbeat.) *Because I added an extra 1/4 of sugar, I had to add another splash of milk to make the mixture smooth. If you find yourself in a similar situation, just add the milk a teaspoon at a time until the texture is just right.
5. Turn into prepared baking pan. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
6. Cool on wire rack 10 minutes; invert cornbread onto wire rack, then turn right side up and continue to cool until warm, about 10 minutes longer. Cut into pieces and serve.

I hope you guys enjoy this as much as we did. I am contemplating doing a southern cast iron skillet version. I'll let you know how it turns out.

Dill Pickle Popcorn

(picture credited to southernwhimsicality.blogspot.com)

Oddly enough, today I was having an "All Grown Up" (the "Rugrats" all grown up) marathon, and after about an hour and a half of watching the quirky antics of Dil Pickles, I started craving dill pickle popcorn.  Go figure. Nothing makes me more impressionable than nostalgia. (Seriously, I eat things just because my grandmother liked them.)

Popcorn and I have a very torrid love affair. My typical solution would be to head down to my local gourmet popcorn store and buy a snack size bag for $3.25 including tax. Not bad, but when I get there, they always have these specialty popcorns that cost more and I just have to have them. Next thing I know, I'm walking out of there $13 lighter. The same feelings that come up when I step in a sandwich shop have starting creeping in, and I decided, "Hey, I'm smart. I have a kitchen. I can figure this out." I did, and IT WAS FABULOUS! So here is my dill popcorn recipe. I had all of this stuff in my kitchen, so once again, I'll spare you the shopping list.


Recipe

• 2 quarts popped popcorn (I followed the directions on my bag of kernals. It filled my medium saucepan that hold 2 quarts.)
• 2 tbsp. of vegan butter, melted
• 1 1/2 tbsp. of dill pickle juice
• 2 tbsp. of dried dill
• 1 tbsp of garlic powder
• salt and pepper

1. Whisk together the butter, pickle juice, dill*, and garlic powder in a large bowl.

2. Stir the popcorn into the mixture and ensure that all kernels are coated.

3. Season with salt and pepper

4. Enjoy!

*To bring the some of the flavor out of the dried dill, rub it between your (washed) palms and then put it in the bowl. This is a general rule when you're using any dried herb. It brings it back to life just a bit.

I hope you guys try this. If you let me know you like it, I might share the coveted birthday cake popcorn recipe I found.

The Best Thing Since...

Here's another great recipe from This Can't Be Vegan. The original link is http://www.thiscantbevegan.com/2012/04/sweet-beer-bread.html, and all pictures have been taken from there.

Let me share a secret with you guys. I absolutely hate baking. With a passion. There are just too many ingredients for this science that is just a tad too precise for my liking, and it yields minimal results. While fresh baked goods are so tempting and delicious, the fact of the matter is I can't afford to eat enough of any particular baked good to get full, so I feel like I have wasted all of my budgeted food preparation time and energy. I love to cook, and my mom really likes baking, so holidays balance out very well for us.

With all that said, it might seem strange that I am posting a recipe for a loaf of bread, but this bread could not be easier to make unless it was self assembling. It only has 4 ingredients, one of which is beer, and it took me about 5 minutes to pull it all together and hurl it in the oven. Now, I am not a fan of beer. I can drink most ciders, but beer is a taste I have yet to acquire despite a few attempts. I could tell that there was beer in it, but the bread did not taste beer-y at all. Well, until day 2. Then the beer flavor came out a little more, but the bread was still pretty good. So to all my non beer drinkers, you still must try this bread. (Maybe with the "Un"tuna salad from this post: http://veganrecipesrevamped.blogspot.com/2012/05/lazy-week.html. Hint hint. Wink wink.)

You can use any kind of beer you see fit. I tried it out with a dark hand brewed variety, but I am looking forward to testing out all different kinds. Different varieties of beer will add different flavors to the bread. Just get experimental!

This tastes ridiculously good when it's hot and fresh out of the oven, and gets a little more doughy on day 2. If you're like me, you might not have a problem doughy.

The main thing that I changed in this recipe was using turbinado sugar instead of the regular granulated. Trying to get just a bit more natural everyday. It turned out magnificently! Tomorrow, I'm thinking of adding cocoa powder to make a cocoa bread. I'll let you know how that turns out.

Since there are only 4 ingredients, I will forgo the shopping list, and hop right to it.

Recipe

• 3 c. self rising flour
• 1/2 c. sugar (or turbinado sugar)
• 12 oz. bottle of beer
• 1/4 c. non dairy butter, melted (such as Earth Balance)

1. Preheat oven to 350.
2. In a large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, and beer until well combined.
3. Pour into a lightly greased 9x5-inch loaf pan.
4. Bake at 350° for 45 minutes.
5. Remove from the oven, and pour melted butter over top. Bake an additional 10 minutes.
Serves 8-10.

Lazy Week

Clearly I have been a little hit and miss this week, but my husband was off of work and we spent some great quality time together. Let's just say a park and a Frisbee were involved. Anywho, I feel really guilty neglecting my blog, so I will make it up to you by (hopefully) posting 3 recipes in the next 24 hours. I forgot to take pictures for one of my own recipes that I wanted to share with you, but I will share it anyway and take pictures and post them later. So here's your first recipe, and it comes to us from Veggie Grettie, and can be found here:
http://veggiegrettie.com/2012/04/20/vegan-tuna-chicken-salad-sandwich-recipe/ All pictures have been taken from there.

There have always been a handful of dishes that I have been perfectly capable of making, but it just seems to taste better when my mom makes it. Tuna salad is one of those dishes. I used to eat it religiously all throughout college, but it was never the same as when my mother did it. I used the very same process, spices, and ingredients, but I was missing something. Love, maybe? Either way, this recipe allows me to branch out and do something completely different to make it my own, but then add some of my mother's special touches. This recipe is pretty impressive all on its own, but I have added just a few spices to liven it up. You can add the same spices to your regular tuna to give it a little tune up as well.

I ate this with an easy sweet bread that I made, that I will be sharing with you guys a bit later.

Shopping List by Department:


Produce

• celery
• onion

Dry Foods (Canned/Boxed)

• dijon mustard
• 2-15 oz. cans of chickpeas
• jar of dill pickles
• small jar of sweet gherkins

Spices

• ground red pepper
• dried parsley
• garlic powder
• onion powder
• salt

Other

• Vegenaise (if you're not going vegan, feel free to use Miracle Whip or Mayonnaise) 

Recipe

• 2-15 oz cans chickpeas (Eden Organics Low Sodium BPA free)
• 1/3 c. dill pickle juice
• 3 Tbs. Vegenaise
• 1/2 an onion, finely diced
• 1 stalk of celery, finely diced
• 1/4 c. sweet gherkin pickles, finely diced
• 1/4 c. dill pickles, finely diced
• 2 tbsp. Dijon mustard
• 1 tsp. dried parsley
• 1 tsp. garlic poweder
• 1 tsp. onion powder
• 1/2 tsp. ground red pepper (or more to taste)
• salt to taste

1. Drain and rinse chickpeas.

2. Place 1 cup of the chickpeas in the food processor with the pickle juice and Vegenaise. Blend until very smooth (you may need to stop and scrape down the sides a few times). Pour the chickpea/pickle/mayo mixture into a bowl.

3. Place the remaining chickpeas in the food processor (no need to clean it) and pulse until it reaches the texture you desire.

4. Combine the chickpea/pickle/mayo mixture, texturized chickpeas, chopped onions, celery, pickles, and spices in a bowl and fold together gently. (Instead of chopping everything, I threw the onions and pickles in my Ninja and let 'er rip. I was hungry...and impatient.)

NOTE - The mixture will firm-up a bit once it has been refrigerated.
Also, there is a trick my mom showed me a few years ago regarding celery. If you take a vegetable peeler and lightly shave off the outer layer, it will make those pesky little strings visable and you can just pull them out. If you're not sure which strings I am referring to, cut the bottom end off of your stalk, and you should see several dark green dots. Those are the ends of the strings.

Serve over toasted bread, crackers, on top of salad, etc.

Hello Guilty Pleasure

This recipe comes from a guy who is one of my best friends in my head, even though we never met. I just LOVE his food blog, and everything that I have ever made from him. The original link for this recipe is http://www.vegan-heartland.com/2011/12/5-minute-vanilla-cake.html. Please be sure to pay this blogger a visit.

I love this simple mug cake because *CONFESSION* I have a bit of a sugar addiction. While I have significantly reduced my sugar intake, sometimes I need a little fix. This recipe beats making an entire cake and then having a staring contest with it for 4 days afterward. I seriously could have made this without changing a single thing, but I didn't because I was all out of applesauce, so I just used a flax egg (1 Tbsp ground flax to 3 tbsp of water, stirred and allowed to sit for 5 minutes). Also, all the ingredients are pretty much pantry staples, so I will spare you the shopping list.

There is only one thing that I would take into consideration. My cake stuck to the sides of my mug, and maybe that was due to a lack of apple sauce, but next time I will be putting a little oil around the side of my mug. Please enjoy this recipe!

Recipe

6 tbsp all purpose flour
4 tbsp sugar
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp cinnamon
2 tbsp apple sauce (This is where I replaced with 1 flax egg)
1/4 tsp apple cider vinegar
3 tbsp non-dairy milk (I used So Delicious Unsweetened Coconut Milk)
2 tbsp melted Earth Balance Spread (or your favorite margarine)
1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1. Mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and cinnamon directly in your mug. 

2. Add in the applesauce, vinegar, non-dairy milk, Earth Balance, and vanilla. Stir until the dry and wet well combined.
3. Microwave on HIGH for 3 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes before eating.

Goodness Gracious, Great Balls of...Meat?

No, not quite meat, but this is the best recipe for faux meatballs that I have ever tried. It comes to us from Sunday Morning Banana Pancakes, and the original post can be found at http://sundaymorningbananapancakes.blogspot.com/2012/04/walnut-bella-meatball-subs.html. All photos have been taken from there.

"So that's five miso soups, four seaweed salads, three soy burger dinners, two tofu dog platters, and one pasta with meatless balls."


"Ew."


"It tastes the same."


"If you close your eyes."


Not only is the above quote an amazing line from one of my favorite songs from one of my favorite musicals (La Vie Boheme, from Rent. And yes, I'm a musical theatre nerd.), and a familiar sounding order when eating with a group of vegans, BUT it shares my sentiment when it comes to meatless meatballs.

Up until I became an adult, the only thing that I had ever eaten at a sandwich shop was a meatball marinara sub. There's nothing that gives me that "I could have done this at home" feeling more than buying a regular sandwich with cold cuts or chicken breast. And back when I was coming up, there was no such thing as a toasted sub, so meatball marinara was the closest thing I got to a hot sandwich. Needless to say, this is a comfort food that I have had to forgo in its traditional form.

I have tried quite a few meatless meatballs, and honestly have felt like they have come up short. There's just something about mashed up beans and other items rolled in panko crumbs that doesn't translate into deliciousness in my kitchen. UNTIL I found this recipe. Consider my world absolutely changed! The base of the "meatballs" are walnuts and baby bella mushrooms. Doesn't that just sound brilliant? And on top of that, this recipe is actually super easy to make.

I changed the ratio of ingredients in the actual balls, and I could not help but add a marinara sauce. The sandwich was just way too dry for me otherwise.

For those of you who aren't fond of balsamic vinegar, don't worry, it reduces to a glaze that leaves more of the flavor and very little of the vinegary-ness.

This recipe can easily become gluten free by using gluten free sub rolls or whatever type of bread you wish.

Shopping List by Department:


Produce

• 8 oz. baby bella mushrooms
• 4 sprigs of fresh parsley
• 1 orange bell pepper
• 1 1/4 c or 1 container of grape tomatoes
• 1 large shallot
• spring mix salad

Dry Foods (Canned/Boxed)

• olive oil
• balsamic vinegar
• marinara sauce
• 4 sub rolls (gluten free if needed)
• ground or whole flax*

Bulk Items (some things are cheaper when you can measure them out yourself. These are they.)

• 1 heaping cup of walnuts 
• 7 medjool dates

Spices

• all purpose savory seasoning (I used onion powder, garlic powder, thyme, a pinch of sage and a bit of cayenne in addition to my all purpose seasoning, which is Badia Complete.)

Recipe

For the walnut bella "meatballs"
1 heaping cup walnuts
8 oz baby bella mushrooms - cut in half
2 tbsp all purpose savory seasoning (more to taste)
4 sprigs fresh parsley
7 medjool dates- pitted
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp olive oil
1 cup fresh bread crumbs (about 1-2 sliced of bread)
1 flax egg (1 tbsp ground flax & 3tbsp warm water, mixed and set aside for 5 minutes)
*A note about flax. Whole flax seeds last longer than ground flax seeds. I recommend buying them whole, and throwing the amount you need in a food processor or blender to ground them. If you have leftover ground flax or bought them already ground, placing them  in the freezer can prolong their shelf life.

For the veggie filling
1 orange bell pepper sliced into strips
1 cup grape tomatoes cut in half
1 large shallot sliced
1 tsp olive oil
pinch of salt
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
spring mix salad

2 sub rolls toasted
marinara sauce
parsley for garnish


Assembly
1. Preheat oven to 400*
2. Finely grind the slice of bread into crumbs in a food processor - transfer crumbs to a small bowl & set aside.
3. In the food processor, finely ground 1 cup walnuts, half of the mushrooms, seasoning & parsley until well mixed. The mixture should be a bit moist from the walnuts. Transfer mixture to a medium mixing bowl.
4. Add dates and remaining mushrooms to the processor until well ground. With a rubber spatula transfer date/mushroom mixture to the bowl with the walnut mixture.
5. Add bread crumbs, olive oil, salt and flax egg - mix well.
6. Use a heaping tablespoon at a time to form a ball with the mixture - place on a parchment lined baking sheet. Continue until all the mixture has been formed into balls. It was about 16 times for me.

7. Bake for 15-20 minutes until brown.
8. While the "meatballs" are baking - prep your veggies. In a medium saute pan over medium/high heat - add oil. Once oil is heated add veggies and saute. Caramelized bits are good.
9. Towards the last 2-3 minutes of cooking, add the balsamic to glaze the pan. Continue to cook until balsamic is reduced to 1/2 - you are looking to create a glaze of balsamic on the veggies. Remove from heat and set aside.
10. Heat up 1 1/2-2 cups of marinara sauce.
11. When you have about 2-3 minutes of cooking time left on the "meatballs" place 4 sub rolls cut side down on the upper rack of the oven.
12. Once the "meatballs" are done cooking, remove from the oven along with the sub rolls. Allow the "meatballs" to cool for about 3 minutes.
13. Assemble the subs by placing the veggie mixture into the roll, top with walnut bella "meatballs", add sauce, and a spring mix of lettuce.

Leftover "meatballs" can be stored in an airtight container for up to week and reheated as needed or frozen on a cookie sheet and stored in a freezer bag for later use.

Southwest Quinoa Salad

Today's recipe is brought to you by Spoon With Me and can be found in it's original form at http://spoonwithme.com/2010/07/17/southwest-quinoa-salad-with-chile-lime-vinaigrette/ All pictures have been taken from there.

This is one of my favorite quinoa salads. It's light and airy, yet very filling. It's perfect for those warm summer nights (which in my region lasts from March to November) because the only heat that is required is to cook the quinoa. On top of all of that, it's so colorful that you literally get to taste the rainbow.

I like a fair amount of spice in my food, so that's where most of my adjustments come in. Don't worry, I won't set your mouths on fire, but I will kick the flavor up a notch. Don't let the amount of peppers scare you off. If you are a bit leery about the habaneros, add as you go. Be sure to cut them up small for even heat distribution, and please use some sort of protection on those hands. I don't want to have to detail the Jalapeno in Eye Fiasco of 2011.

Shopping List by Department:


Produce

• 1-2 avocados depending on size
• 1-2 fresh corn on the cob (or exchange for frozen corn)
• 1 jalapeno pepper
• 2 habanero peppers
• 2 mildly spiced peppers (I usually use 1 poblano and 1 anaheim) 
• 2 tomatoes
• 1 red onion
• 1 bunch of cilantro
• 3-4 limes
• garlic

Dry Foods (Canned/Boxed)

• quinoa (I prefer tri-colored, but any color will work)
• 14.5 oz can of black beans
• grapeseed or canola oil
• apple cider vinegar (white vinegar will work)
• vegetable broth

Spices

• ground cayenne pepper
• ground cumin

Recipe

Salad Ingredients:
1 cup (uncooked) quinoa, cooked and cooled
1 or 2 avocados, peeled, pit removed, diced
1 can black beans, rinsed and drained
kernels from 1 cob corn, or 1 cup thawed frozen corn
2 diced mildly spicy peppers
1 jalapeno
2 small habaneros, minced (or less to taste)
2 tomatoes, diced
1 small red onion, diced
1 bunch cilantro, chopped


Chile Lime Vinaigrette:
1/3 cup grapeseed oil or canola oil
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
the zest of 1 limes
2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
1 tsp ground cayenne
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp salt (add to taste)
1 tsp apple cider vinegar


For the Quinoa:
Click on this link to view my post on making quinoa without overcooking it.

For the Vinaigrette:

Place all vinaigrette ingredients in a jar and shake until combined, or whisk in a small bowl.

For the Salad:
Put all of the salad ingredients into a large bowl. Drizzle with the vinaigrette, and gently toss to combine.


To refresh the leftovers, just squeeze a bit of lime juice and add some salt, and you're ready to go!

Cooking Quinoa

This ancient seed that poses as a grain has had much acclaim in recent years, and justifiably so. With an average of 16.2% protein per serving, it's no wonder this nutrient packed food has forged its way into our kitchens. Quinoa can easily substitute for rice or couscous in many of our recipes, and with its heartiness and nutty undertones it adds another layer of flavor for your palette to enjoy. So how exactly do we cook this food? Glad you asked.

Start off by measuring one cup of dry quinoa, and put it in a strainer. Rinse it throughly until the water no longer runs cloudy. Then dump the rinsed quinoa into a sauce pan.

For the liquid, I almost always use vegetable broth. As I have mentiond before, my favorite store bought brand is Central Market's. You can also use water, and you may want to add a dash of salt. I use a ratio of 1 part quinoa to 1 1/2-1 3/4 liquid. For example: If you have a cup of quinoa, use 1 1/2 cup liquid. I place the range there because, quite simply, I get carried away with cooking and forget to look at measurement lines, and I have found that an extra 1/4 cup of liquid means cook for another 3 minutes. It doesn't really ruin the quinoa.

Tip: If you are you going to be using a portion of your quinoa for a breakfast dish or something on the sweeter side, definitely reach for the water instead of the veggie broth.

I know a lot of packages say to use a 1 to 2 ratio of quinoa to water, but I find that it comes out way overcooked and mushy.

After placing all of that in the pot, bring to a boil. Once its boiling, reduce to a simmer and cover tightly. Allow to cook for 20-25 minutes, depending on how much liquid you use. When done, remove from heat and fluff with a fork. Your quinoa is then ready to enjoy!

Red Beans and Rice

Today's recipes comes from This Can't Be Vegan, and can be found in its original form at http://www.thiscantbevegan.com/2012/03/spicy-sausage-and-red-beans-with-rice.html.
All pictures have been taken from there.


This recipe is crazy good! It's so good that I want to eat it in back to back weeks, and that is super rare. It actually didn't require much tweaking, but I increased some of the ingredients to add heartiness. I also live with a meat eating man-man who eats a lot, and I wanted to eat this over and over again, so I decided that the next time I would absolutely double the recipe. My version of this recipe below is doubled, and I used a 12" cast iron skillet to prepare the meal. (If you half the recipe, it is still a little different from the original, so be mindful of that.)

This recipe can easily be made gluten free by using actual gluten free sausage instead of the Field Roast variety, but if you don't have gluten sensitivity, I highly recommend using the Mexican Chipotle variety of the Field Roast grain sausage. It is delicious and vegan and spiced just right for this dish. If you can't find it, try another variety of vegan sausage. Maybe SoyRizo would work. If you try that, let me know how it turns out.

Let me know how this works for you. I recommend eating this with good old southern cornbread. I found a vegan version that I have yet to try, but when I do, I'll post it.


Shopping List by Department (Let me know if the shopping list is helpful. This is how I organize my grocery list.):

Produce:

• 1 large red bell pepper
• 1 large onion
• 1 bunch of parsley
• 1 bulb of garlic

Dry (Canned/Box):

• brown rice (I used brown jasmine, but any kind works)
• Cajun seasoning (I recommend Tony Chachere's Original Creole Seasoning. My favorite!)
• dried thyme
• hot sauce or Tabasco sauce
• 2-15 oz. cans of dark kidney beans
• at least 20 oz. or 2 1/2 cups of vegetable broth (if you're going store bought, my favorite brand is Central Market. It comes in a 32 oz. resealable box.)

Other:

• Field Roast Grain Sausage, Mexican Chipotle variety (or whatever other sausage you choose to use.)

Recipe

2 cups brown rice
4 vegan sausage links, diced (such as Field Roast Mexican Chipotle)
1 1/2 cup chopped red bell pepper (about 1 large)
1 1/2 cup chopped onion (about 1 large)
2 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon hot sauce
2-15-ounce can dark kidney beans, rinsed and drained
2 1/2 cups vegetable broth
1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley
1 teaspoon salt

1. Cook brown rice according to the package directions. Set aside and keep warm.
2. Heat a large nonstick pan coated with cooking spray over medium-high heat. Add sausage; cook about 5 minutes or until lightly browned. Transfer sausage to a bowl, and set aside.
3. To the same pan, add bell pepper, onion, garlic, Cajun seasoning, thyme, and hot sauce; sauté 3 minutes or until onions are softened.
4. Add 1 can of beans and using a potato masher (or fork), mash the beans.
5. Add second can of beans and vegetable broth. Cook about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6. Add sausage, parsley, and salt; cook 1 minute or until thoroughly heated, stirring occasionally. Serve over cooked rice. Serves 4 heartily.

Opening Day

Hello All!

Welcome to my brand new blog! Get ready to have your palette electrified with meals so great that your grandmother will want the recipe. Maybe that's a bit ambitious, but a girl can dream, right?

Now, don't run off thinking, "OMG, I just found another amazing vegan chef to add to my personal blogosphere." That's not what's happening here. This is just a platform that I use to solve a problem that I frequently have. It always starts one of two ways: 1) "This is so good! You have to send me the recipe" or 2) "Me: I just made XYZ, and it was so delicious. Friend: Oh, send me the recipe." And my response is always the same, "Ok, but you'll have to add, adjust, substitute...." you get the picture. So my best friend (who is almost always the "friend" in situation #2) suggested that I make a blog and credit all of the wonderful creators of the recipes that I find, but with my own tweaks. 

That's exactly what this blog is. I create a meal plan for my husband and me for about 4 or 5 meals per week, and after making them, I plan on posting the good ones with any adjustments I've made. A few things to note:

1) I'm a vegetarian who cooks only vegan. (I eat mostly vegan, but when traveling it can be hard to maintain that, so I allow room for some dairy. I guess I'm about 90% vegan.)

2) While I wouldn't say that I'm allergic to soy, my body is highly averse to it, so you won't find a lot of it in my arsenal of recipes. I do use tamari or soy sauce, but avoid things like tempeh and tofu. Feel free to make substitutions where they work for you, after all, that's what this blog is all about.

3) While I am vegan-ish, I will do my best to make suggestions and adjustments for you omnivores. (No, I'm not the meat eater hater.) I want you to feel just as welcome here as anyone without meat in their diet. The whole idea is for us to eat better as a community regardless of your personal choices.

4) Anyone who knows me knows that I am a detail freak. I cannot live without them, and I hope let that shine through in everything from the recipes to the organization of this blog. If I get feedback that something isn't working then I'll fix it to the best of my ability.

5) This is probably one of the biggies: I am an advocate of going with the natural flow of things, and giving the people what they want, so even though I've laid out my ideas here, I'm counting on your feedback to improve this blog. Tell me what you want to see/eat, or if you really enjoyed something that was posted. Ask questions, and PLEASE LEAVE COMMENTS.

Ok, so I hope all of that has you anticipating the first recipe. I will try and get it up as soon as possible. Oh, and to be clear, I love the bloggers whose recipes I modify, and this is no way, shape, or form meant to take away from all of their hard work and talent. I have chosen their recipes because they appealed to me in their initial state and sound absolutely yummy to begin with, so please also go by those bloggers pages and show them love as well.