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.