Holiday fud and drink

Ah, the holidays...Time to overindulge.  I try not to overdo, but rather to savor the pleasure of partaking.  I will only partially cover the holiday offerings, mostly so as not to reveal what a pig I am.

First up, Coconut Chana Saag from Isa Does It:

This dish was magnificent.  So easy and so satisfying.  Plus it made a lot, so there were plenty of hearty, satisfying leftovers.  Mmm, leftovers.  My favorite.

And vegan Irish Cream:

From Vegan Dad.  Recipe here.  This was delish, although I made one critical error in not using decaf coffee in making mine.  This would ordinarily not be a big deal, but when enjoying as a nightcap, it's something to consider.  Between the caffeine and the sugar, I did not get much sleep after imbibing.

Apparently I was too busy eating and drinking to digitally document my adventures.  Ah, well, there's plenty more on the horizon.  That's the great thing about food.

Isa Does It...Again!

Queso Blanco Bowl!

Magnificent!  The kale chips are genius.  This beat the pants off a Chipotle burrito bowl any day.  This is going to become a staple meal, no doubt about it.  And the queso will be standard fare for any number of applications.  I wish it was tomorrow so I could be eating these leftovers right now.

Whatcha got cookin'?

The cold weather, long evenings and upcoming holidays have had me spending time in the kitchen.  My pictures, however, have not gotten any better.

 Curried Peanut Sauce Bowl from Isa Does It.  Wonderful!  The peanut sauce recipe alone is worth buying the book.  Yep, that good.

 Bike Messenger Brownies from Bake and Destroy.  With a moniker like Bike Messenger Brownies, you know I couldn't resist.  Espresso in the brownies + chai glaze = love.  Will definitely make these again.

Pizza Bowl from Isa Does It.  Can ya tell I'm loving the bowls?  I made Big Stick Pepperoni from Vegan on the Cheap to use in this recipe.  For once I didn't go the lazy route by just buying packaged sausages.  Again, the sauce on this made the recipe.  And, yes, that is white rice.  So sue me, I have several bags in the house for some reason and I just need to use them.  I always feel guilty not using brown rice for some reason.

Tonight's dinner is French Fry Tacos.  Bad pics to follow.

Mexican Pizza

Recipe and more appetizing pic here.  All in all, pretty tasty.  I just used regular pizza crust rather than the "pizza bases" called for in the recipe.  I assume the pizza base refers to something like a Boboli, but those have dairy in them so I went with my old standby pizza crust.  The only other mod I'll make in the future is to thin the refried bean mixture, as it was hard to spread on the dough and then it dried and became kind of cakey in the oven.  But, really, how bad could any pizza be?

Spicy Peanut Soup

One Dish Vegan by Robin Robertson is one of the new cookbooks in the house that has been providing inspiration lately.  Robin is one of my fave cookbook authors, and I have more of her books than any others (although Isa is a close second).

I could not pass up a cookbook with a title that includes "one dish," since my motivation level is often low and I just want to make something that's relatively quick and easy that doesn't dirty every pot and pan in the house.  I'm not always successful on that front, but knowing Robin's previous work, I was confident that the one dish portion of the title was mostly accurate.

I've made a recipe or two from the book already, but given the previously noted lack of motivation, that often applies to taking pics of the end product.  Either the kitchen is a mess and I don't want that documented, or I'm too hungry and just want to chow down.  I will try to be more diligent.

So, last night I made Spicy Peanut Soup.  Yes, it was a one dish creation, as soups often are, and it was delicious.  Oh but wait, I did use a cast iron pan to brown the tofu.  I stand corrected.  I did try to find the recipe online but was unable to do so.  The book is still new so I will wait to post until the coast is clear(er) and will then revisit.  Until then, pick up a copy at the library or just buy it if you are a cookbook hoarder like me.

I'll definitely make this one again.  Add a little Sriracha for extra heat.  This recipe makes a lot, so prepare yourself for spicy, peanutty goodness for a few days.  I know you won't mind.

Where have you been all my life?

Long time, no write.  It's not as if I haven't been eating.  Ha, as if.  But, you know, life gets in the way, inspiration wanes, etc.  But there's nothing like a new cookbook to inspire!  And sometimes that doesn't even work.  Now that we're in the throes of the time change and evenings are looooong, I'm getting my comfort food mojo going.

As is my way, I like to investigate new cookbooks via the public library to determine if they are purchase-worthy.  And I've come across a couple that will be finding a new home with me.

First up is Isa Does It by Isa Chandra Moskowitz.

For those of you who don't know, Isa is vegan cooking royalty!  Her books have guided me along the vegan journey.  From Vegan with a Vengeance to Veganomicon to Vegan Brunch to this book and all the others, her books and her website the Post Punk Kitchen have been by my side.  She's creative and inventive and I appreciate that her books aren't just a slight variation or re-hash of previous recipes.

This book is beautiful and the recipes are accessible--and by accessible I mean that they utilize stuff I have in the pantry and that I don't have to buy ingredients that I will use once and that's it.  I am so looking forward to cooking my way through this one.  The copy from the library will be returned with a few splatters on it (oops) and my lovely NEW personal copy will arrive soon.

I did make the Cast-Iron Stir Fry last week, but I was too lazy to take any pictures.  But I did get some pics of the Cheddary Broccoli Soup.

Total comfort food.  I've been hesitant to try any of the vegan broccoli cheese soup variants because my memory and taste buds can't let go of my pre-vegan Velveeta broccoli cheese soup extravaganza.  Knowing full well that were I to try it now, the Velveeta stuff would be too salty and leave that weird Velveeta film/coating on my tongue, I still hesitated to try a vegan version.  But no mas.  This stuff is wonderful.  And it was even better today for lunch.  I look forward to many winter evenings cozied up with this soup.

Since the book is just released, I don't want to get in anyone's cross-hairs by posting the recipe.  Therefore, you'll have to visit your local library or just take the plunge and get your own copy of this book.   I promise you will not be disappointed.

Some yellow food

I grew cauliflower for the first time this year and opted for a yellow variety.  I roasted a head the other night and it was delicious.  Just a little olive oil, salt and pepper.

And September was Vegan MOFO (month of food), so the bloggers were hard at work churning out fun new recipes.  Vegan Yack Attack's theme was mac and cheese, which is a most noble endeavor, in my opinion.  I decided to give the Buffalo Chickpea Mac 'n Cheese a crack.

I found it to be quite delicious.  The recipe called for Teese, which made me wary because in past experience I didn't care for it and found it to have an odd taste.  But I bought the creamy cheddar vegan sauce and found it nearly perfect for this application.  It wasn't difficult at all to make and came together well.  The only other issue I had was with the ranch sauce, which called for plain vegan yogurt.  I can't find a plain unsweetened yogurt, so the ranch sauce had a slightly sweet taste to it which wasn't awful but I'd prefer less sweetness.  Next time, I might sub sour cream for the yogurt.  Or just more Vegenaise.  Can't go wrong there.

Anyway, definitely enjoyed this one and will make it again.  It's amazing that any of the roasted buffalo chickpeas made it into the dish.  Seriously addicting.  Way better pictures and the recipe can be had here.

Vegan Bulgogi

Long time, no write! It's not that I haven't been cooking...but the recent hot spell around here pretty much sucked the culinary inspiration right out of me. My motivation level hasn't allowed me to spend more than 15 minutes prepping dinner, so my posts would have been decidedly uninspired. And if I did make anything interesting, I was too lazy to take a damn picture and post it. How sad is that? It's just an indicator of how much I HATE heat. Hopefully we are done with the 90+ degree days and have moved into more reasonable climate territory. But then again, maybe not, given the floods and wild weather we've had here in Colorado the past few days. While my house, its contents and occupants managed to stay dry, not everyone was so lucky. And this situation is far from over, especially since it rained all day today, which we definitely did not need. This dreary, rainy day did inspire me to post something I made a few times this summer and it has become a favorite. I ran across the link to the recipe here. I gravitate toward Mexican food, which is no surprise to the 3 people who read this blog. But, I do enjoy Asian food and try to incorporate new recipes when I can.

Really, really wonderful. I made sandwiches with it, but also found myself shoveling pieces into my mouth before they even made it into the sandwich. The recipe is here. The recipe calls for vegan cheese but that seemed not quite right to me so I just did Vegenaise on a bun and called it good. Coleslaw is also quite good in this application. I did make 2x the marinade the second time I made this and found it to be perfect. Guess I'm just a saucy gal.

Taco Lasagna

Yet another variant on the Mexican layered casserole thingy that never fails to appeal to me.

Recipe via Veg News, see it here.

Delish and satisfying.  Leftovers, too, always a plus in my book.  It didn't plate very well, but definitely edible.

One note is that the online recipe does not include a baking time.  I baked mine for 40 minutes and that was just about right.  The top layer of tortillas was starting to crisp and and it was hot throughout.

Keeper.

Get Thee Some of This

I stopped at Whole Foods mid-week and had a few samples of this:

Hol-ee cow, it's delish.  I am new to the almond butter game, and this is a delightful intro.  Kind of like candy cigarettes are the gateway to real ones, fruit and flavor-laden almond butter is the gateway to full-on almond butter.  Or something like that.  Lots of flavors to choose from, too.  I have been enjoying this on banana slices, thin on banana, heavy on the almond butter.  This would also be excellent stirred into oatmeal.  Or just eaten by the spoonful, and I can't say I haven't done a fair amount of that, too.

Dessert fail

It's such a bummer when something like this happens. You see a recipe and it looks really good on paper (and in pictures, in this case), so you go to the effort of assembling the ingredients and then preparing it and then...disappointment. For some reason it's worse when it's a dessert.

So I ran across the recipe a week or so ago. Chocolate, peanut butter, pretzel crust, what could go wrong? Not to mention that I was spurred on by my already-professed love of these:

 

But go wrong it did for reasons I haven't been able to specify. They sure looked tasty, though.

Maybe it was too much of  a good thing.  The crust was a little mushy and overall I think it was just too much.  These things filled a regular-size muffin cup, so they were the size of a cupcake.  Even a Justin's pb cup would be too much in that size.  Granted, these were not purported to be a pb cup, they are pb pies.  I couldn't even finish one.  Lori finished hers but later said she did it so she wouldn't hurt my feelings.  Oy.  I mean, it's dessert.  It's optional.  If it's not good, for Pete's sake, don't eat it!

 

I'll be backing off the peanut butter desserts for quite awhile.  I didn't blog about it, but I also made a peanut butter ice cream pie a few weeks ago (with a Nutter Butter crust, no less--again, what could go wrong?  But it did), which you'd think would have taught me a lesson.  But, no.  I shall stick to what I know, and that is Justin's pb cups are the gold standard.  Lesson learned.



Do it

Get thee to Beet Box Cafe and have a turtle brownie.  I would have taken a picture, but the brownie was less than picture perfect by the time I got it home in the bike bag.  However, it did fare better than the peaches I picked up at the farmers market.  Anyway, it was exquisite.

Fajitas!

Fajitas for dinner last night.  I used Beyond Meat Chicken-Free Strips and they were delicious!

I'm excited about another faux meat option, especially since the Beyond Meat products don't have gluten in them.  It's becoming more and more evident that I have gluten issues, so I've been avoiding it as much as possible.  The stuff is spendy, though (although you do get a decent amount), and there's a lot of packaging, but I am willing to overlook these issues in order to eat fajitas.

Some yummy Mexican-style rice on the side.  Recipe here.  And the requisite sour cream and guac to top it all off.

Happy Birthday, 'Merica!

And it's all about the food!

Let us start with the drink.  I ran across this recipe via Civia Bicycles.

Mixed Berry Limoncello Sangria
Serves 4—6

Ingredients:
1 cup fresh raspberries
1 cup halved fresh strawberries
1/2 cup fresh blackberries
1 medium lemon, thinly sliced
1/2 12 oz. can frozen pink lemonade concentrate, thawed (3/4 cup)
1/2 cup (4 ounces) limoncello (lemon-flavor liqueur)
2 750mL bottle Prosecco or sparkling wine, chilled

Directions:

1. In a large pitcher or glass jar combine raspberries, strawberries, blackberries, and lemon slices. Stir in lemonade concentrate and limoncello. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours or up to 24 hours to blend flavors.
2. Just before serving, add Prosecco. Serve in glasses over ice.

Do yourself a favor and make this recipe!  The alcohol-soaked berries are the best part.  And, really, how could you go wrong with this recipe?

Then on to the main course:  Veggie burgers, horseradish potato salad and baked beans.

The potato salad recipe came from Vegan Diner (I think).

2 lbs. small red potatoes, peeled (you'll notice I did not do this)

1/3 c. plain unsweetened soy milk

1/2 c. vegan mayo

2-3 T. prepared horseradish

1/2 t. fine sea salt, or to taste

Freshly ground pepper, to taste

In a large pot of slightly salted boiling water, add potatoes and cook until just tender, about 15-20 mins.  Drain and let sit until cool enough to handle.  Dice into large chunks.

In a large bowl, stir together the soy milk, mayo, horseradish and salt.  Add the diced potatoes to the bowl and toss to coat with the mayo mixture.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  I was short on horseradish so I added some dill from the garden.  Mmm, dill.

Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to serve.  

The baked bean recipe came from The Happy Herbivore.  Recipe here.

'Twas a good day.  Thanks, America.

No-Bake Peanut Butter Bars

From The China Study Cookbook

1 cup low-fat graham crackers, crushed
1/4 cup crushed walnuts
1/2 cup reduced-fat, unsweetened coconut (I used regular full-fat coconut, same deal with the crackers)
1/3 cup natural peanut butter
1/4 cup nondairy milk
1 cup nondairy chocolate chips
5 tablespoons rice or almond milk

1.  Crush graham crackers in food processor.  In a separate bowl, add walnuts, coconut, and peanut butter.  Stir in crushed graham crackers.

2.  Slowly add milk and mix.  If the mixture does not hold together, continue adding additional milk until all ingredients stick together.  However, don't make it too soft, and if necessary use your hands.

3.  Spread mixture evenly into a 9x9 nonstick baking dish.

4.  In a saucepan, melt chocolate chips together with rice or almond milk over medium heat.  Stir until smooth.

5.  Spread chocolate mixture on top of peanut butter mixture.  Refrigerate for 1 hour or until hardened.  Cut into squares and enjoy!

These are quite delicious and a perfect summer dessert!  You could probably melt the chocolate chips in the microwave so that you wouldn't even have to use the stovetop.  This one's a keeper.

Beet Box

Iced Americano and a vegan double chocolate doughnut.  Go there now.

And now they're serving sammiches for lunch.  First up for me will be the Banh Mi but frankly they all look delicious.  'Tis a good time to be a vegan in Denver.

Scrambled tofu

There was a time that those two words would send me scampering for the hills.  Even after going vegan, I was still very wary of tofu.  I think I had a bad experience one time trying to make a BBQ tofu sandwich.  That said, I still can't recall where and when I had my first serving of scrambled tofu, but I quickly became a convert.

In my pre-vegan days, I used to have a hard time eating eggs for breakfast.  Something about the consistency just made my stomach turn.  Oddly, though, I LOVED eggs for lunch or dinner.  Anyway, I'm pleased that I don't have that issue with scrambled tofu.  The only problem I've had is that I can't find a good recipe.  Or, I guess I should say that I haven't been able to make scrambled tofu at home that I like as much as what I can get at City 'O City or Sputnik.

Lo and behold, I found a recipe in My Beef With Meat that piqued my interest.  The Bouldin Creek Spicy Scramble.  Spicy and flavorful.  Jalapeno, Serrano, curry powder, nutritional yeast.  Really delicious.

Spicy scramble served up with a side of refried beans

 

 

The only caveat with this recipe is that you have to press the tofu to get out as much water as possible or the scramble will be gummy.  I haven't perfected this yet but it's even delicious in its gumminess.  It also makes a great filling for burritos.

 

I can't find a version of this recipe online yet and I am too lazy on this summer Sunday morning to type it up, do yourself a favor and get this book from the library, buy it or whatever you need to do so you can try this recipe.  While it won't supplant a trip to my favorite vegan breakfast/brunch haunts, I'm happy to have a decent option at the ready for home consumption. 

Garden is planted

Late as usual.  And it's 95 and windy today, not optimal conditions for newly planted herbs and veggies.

I think I overshot a bit on cauliflower and beets and I'm not sure how that happened, other than I was wandering around City Floral yesterday in a haze for some reason.  Uhhhh, what is it that I like to eat again?  I have some room to add a few more items, basil and more tomatoes are always on the list but I should try something else, maybe onions or carrots.  Or peppers.  And I'm going to try growing cilantro AGAIN.  For whatever reason, I cannot keep that stuff alive.

Looking forward to good eats in a coupla months.

Black bean burgers

It's going to be a busy week, so I made a batch of Happy Herbivore's Quick and Easy Black Bean Burgers. I cooked up some black beans in the crock pot today, so fresh black beans were at the ready.

Ready for the oven:

And out of the oven, nearly the same!  Not to mention that they look like cookies, which made me wish they were cookies.  But when I'm hungry for lunch, I will be glad to have one of these instead of a cookie.  Okay, I'll wish I had one of these AND a cookie.

These babies are cooling their jets in the fridge until later this week.  Knowing they are there makes me happy.  They are a little delicate, so be careful when flipping them over.

Recipe:

Ingredients

• 15 ounces black beans, drained and rinsed
• 2 tbsp ketchup
• 1 tbsp yellow mustard
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• ⅓ cup instant oats

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400F. Grease a cookie sheet or line with parchment paper and set aside. In a mixing bowl, mash black beans with a fork until mostly pureed but still some half beans and bean parts are left. Stir in condiments and spices until well combined. Then mix in oats. Divide into 4 equal portions and shape into thin patties. Bake for 7 minutes, carefully flip over and bake for another 7 minutes, or until crusty on the outside. Slap into a bun with extra condiments and eat!

Pizza night

Big stick pepperoni, mushrooms, black olives, jalapeno and Daiya mozz.

All I can say is...yum.  Pizza #2 for dinner tomorrow night.

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

I know, odd that I would feature some type of Mexican food on this blog.  But, hey, if the occasion calls for it...

I saw what looked like a good recipe online this week and decided to be festive for the holiday.  A real stretch for me, for sure.

So, these are Baked Vegan Gluten-free Chicken Kale Pasilla Pepper Enchiladas from Noshtopia.

I had a little bit of trouble with the tortillas, in that they didn't want to hold together.  Had I warmed them in a cast iron pan with some olive oil, I'm sure they would have been fine, but I wasn't in the mood for the extra effort or the additional oil.  I did open a new bag of tortillas and those held together better.  Needless to say, they didn't plate very well.  But, cover 'em with some vegan sour cream, black olives, and green onions and no one will be the wiser.

I also doubled the recipe to make the full pan of enchilada goodness.  Needless to say, they were delicious.  Recipe here.

Mexican Bean Soup with Chipotle Avocado Cream

This is yet another bean soup, a type of recipe that I seem to be quite attracted to.  What can I say, I like Mexican spices, they are easy to put together, and are hearty and satisfying.  What's not to like? 

This one puts an added twist to the tried-and-true with the addition of Chipotle Avocado Cream.

 

 



Instead of thinking about gazpacho or at least a lighter soup, Mother Nature has had other ideas of late.  This soup was enjoyed last night as yet another late-season snowfall arrived in Denver.  I swear, if I hear someone say "But we need the moisture" one more time, my head may explode.  Yeah, I know, we ALL know, but we're past the need to state the obvious.  Shut up and let me eat my soup.

Recipe here.  The only comments on this or modifications are that if you like ANY spice at all to the soup, definitely add the jalapeno.  I used a whole jalapeno and it wasn't spicy at all.  Next time, I'll leave in the seeds to add extra zip.  And, same goes for the avocado cream--if you want discernible heat, add double the amount or more of chipotle Tabasco (I bought a bottle for this recipe and I'm bummed I have missed out on this stuff for so long!).  That said, the Chipotle Avocado Cream is a keeper, and I can think of any number of tasty applications for its future use.

Tempeh Tacos

This is the second time I've made these, which means they passed the taste test!  Another winner from Betty Goes Vegan.

And topped with quickie guacamole (avocado, a pinch each of onion powder, garlic powder and salt, plus a squeeze of lime) and black olives.

Muy bien!  Recipe here.  And, if you happen to have any leftovers, it makes a great filling for burritos.

Note: I always boil tempeh for 10 mins. or so before using in any recipe.  It softens it, makes it less bitter and seems to help with absorbing sauces and marinades.

Call It Cassoulet

Or, white bean soup.  Ya know, what sounds better, white bean soup or cassoulet?  So call it cassoulet.  Either way, hearty, filling and delicious.  Great for a chilly, windy Sunday evening while watching Nurse Jackie.

Recipe (from my fave cookbook, Vegan on the Cheap):

1 T. olive oil
2 medium carrots, cut into 1/4" slices
1 celery rib, chopped
1 medium yellow onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, crushed
4 c. cooked or 3, 15.5 oz. cans white beans, drained and rinsed
2 c. vegetable stock
1 t. dried savory
1/2 t. dried thyme
1/2 t. dried marjoram
salt and black pepper
1 c. chopped or sliced Big Stick Pepperoni, optional (recipe follows)

1.  In a large pot, heat the oil over medium heat.  Add the carrots, celery, onion and garlic.  Cover and cook until softened, about 7 minutes.

2.  Stir in the tomatoes, beans, stock, savory, thyme, marjoram and salt and pepper to taste.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer, partially covered, until the vegetables are tender and the flavors have developed, adding more stock or water if needed, about 30 minutes.

3.  If desired, just before serving sauté the pepperoni in a medium skillet in a small amount of oil until browned.  Add some of the sautéed pepperoni to each serving.  Serve hot, garnished with croutons.

And here's the soup with the sautéed pepperoni.  I tell you, that pepperoni is so easy to make and it's delicious.  I put it on pizza or in calzones or sandwiches.  Or on crackers.  Or by itself.  Or dipped in some Vegenaise.  You get the idea. 

Do yourself a favor and make a batch.  Now you have no excuse, 'cuz I'm giving you the recipe.  You're welcome.

Big Stick Pepperoni

Ingredients

1 cup wheat gluten flour (vital wheat gluten)
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
3 tablespoons tapioca flour
2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon ground fennel seed
3/4 teaspoon garlic powder
3/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon whole fennel seeds
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 cup water
2 tablespoons ketchup
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon liquid smoke

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium bowl, combine flour, yeast, tapioca flour, and spices. Set aside.

In a small bowl, combine the water, ketchup, oil, soy sauce, and liquid smoke, stirring to blend. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix well.

Knead for a few minutes, then divide in half and roll into 2 logs, about 7 inches long. Wrap the logs in foil, twisting the ends to seal.

Place the logs in a 9-inch baking pan, add about 1/2-inch water to the pan and cover tightly with foil. Bake for 1 hour, turning halfway through. Unwrap and cool for 15 minutes, then refrigerate to firm up, about 1 to 2 hours. Use a serrated knife to cut thin slices. Use as is or pan-fry as needed. If not using right away, wrap tightly and store in the refrigerator, where they will keep for 3 to 4 days, or freeze for 3 to 4 weeks.

White Bean Chili

Today's forecast called for rain and possibly snow, neither of which materialized--but it did get windy, which is as good of a reason as any to make soup!  Or, in this case, chili.

 

I decided years ago (after many attempts) that I don't much care for traditional, tomato-based chili.  But, I am a big fan of white chili.  I had seen this recipe go by as I flipped through the Vegan Cooking for Carnivores cookbook, and I finally made myself stop and take a closer look.  I was confounded because this recipe is in the entrée section of the book rather than in the soup section.  Clearly I am easily distracted.  I actually had to write it down so I'd remember to make it.

 

I've been concerned of late that I'm turning into a "junk food vegan," relying too heavily on fake meat, fake cheese and processed stuff that's no better than conventional junk food.  I'll worry about that later, as this recipe fulfills the junk food criteria I've just established.  And it's not cheap to make.  But tasty and satisfying, it is.

The only modification I'll make when making this again (and I will make it again), is to add less fake meat.  One package of Gardein chicken is plenty for my tastes.  This also makes a lot, so you'll have plenty of hearty leftovers.

Ingredients:
 

• 2 tablespoons safflower or olive oil
• 2 white onions, diced
• 4 garlic cloves
• 2 cans chopped green chiles
• 1 1/2 tablespoons cumin
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
• Four 14-ounce cans Great Northern white beans, rinsed and drained
• 5 cups broth made from Better Than Bouillon No Chicken Base or Better Than Bouillon Vegetable Base
• Two 10-oz packages Gardein Chick’n Scallopini, defrosted and cubed
• 3 cups shredded vegan mozzarella cheese
• Salt and pepper to taste
• 2 bunches green scallions, minced (set aside extra as a garnish)

In a large soup pot, saute the onions, garlic, green chiles, cumin, oregano, cayenne and salt and pepper in the oil until tender.  Then, add in the broth and beans and bring to a boil.  Reduce the heat to a simmer and add in the Chick’n.  Cook for about 10 to 15 minutes, then add in the vegan mozzarella.  Continue cooking until the mozzarella has melted and the chili becomes creamy.  Serve with a little extra minced scallion and mozzarella on top.

Pizza Burgers

Another new recipe, amazingly not Mexican food!

From Betty Goes Vegan.

I probably don't need to tell you that these are not easy to eat.  But they are delicious!  The only modification I made to these was to use orange bell pepper instead of green because that's what I had on hand.  I also made my own pepperoni via the recipe from Vegan on the Cheap.

Pizza Burgers

4 Vegan Veggie Burgers (we went with Boca Vegans, but there are a lot of different types to choose from)

1/2 Red Onion (sliced)

1/2 Small Green Pepper (chopped)

2 Tablespoons of Pizza Sauce per Burger

2 Teaspoons Black Olives per Burger (sliced)

4-5 slices of Vegan Pepperoni per Burger

4 Whole Wheat Sandwich Buns

2-3 Tablespoons of Daiya Mozzarella Cheese per Burger (shredded)

Oregano and Red Pepper Flakes to sprinkle over the top

Serve with some Pepperoncinis for a little something extra

Olive Oil and a Dash of Liquid Smoke for cooking

Preheat oven to 400.

In your cherished little cast iron skillet, heat Olive Oil and a dash of Liquid Smoke at a medium heat. Add the Veggie Burgers. Once they start to brown, add Red Onions. Flip the Burgers a few times until they're brown on both sides. If the Onions are done cooking before the Burgers are done, you can always pile them on top of the Burgers to flavor the Burgers a bit.

While the Burgers and Onions are cooking, put your Sandwich Buns on your trusted pizza stone, open and face-down and in the oven. Remove when they're slightly toasted.

Take the top half of the Buns off the pizza stone and set aside. Flip the bottom half of the Bun over and put the Burger on there. Now, stack the Pizza Toppings on the Burger in this order: Pizza Sauce, Fake Pepperoni, little bit of Daiya Cheese, cooked Red Onion, Green Peppers, Some Daiya Cheese, Black Olives, and some more Daiya Cheese. Put the Pizza Burgers back in the oven to bake.

It should take around 10-20 minutes for the Daiya Cheese to melt. It depends how much you put on. Keep an eye on it, and remove from the oven once the Daiya Cheese is melted.

Sprinkle some Oregano and Red Pepper Flake over the Daiya Cheese and put the top half of the bun on.

Linky to the original.

Taco Casserole

Hmm, taco-ish casserole-ish dishes are quite popular with me!  I love Mexican food + it's easy to make.  And, I love me a good casserole, especially the leftovers they afford.

I was digging through some of my pre-vegan recipes and came across this Vegetarian Taco Casserole recipe, circa 2002.  The page it's printed on is crinkled and splattered, with an unknown phone number written on the back.  I knew I had found an old friend.

Not a great photo, just out of the oven.

And, here it is, dished up with some vegan sour cream (recipe from Yellow Rose Recipes, probably my fave vegan sour cream) and black olives.

We got snow yesterday here in Denver, and that plus the accompanying chill caught me off guard, as I had started to settle in to Spring.  Just the other day, I moved my winter boots to the closet, thinking "I won't need these again."  Yeah, well, I've lived here long enough that I should know better.  I took the opportunity to enjoy another excuse to putter around the kitchen for an afternoon without feeling guilty.  The extra evening light always makes me feel like I shouldn't be cozying up to a hearty meal and then crawling in bed early.  And, the snow on the ground ensures that there's absolutely no way I could be doing yardwork.  I love it when the stars align.  Later, there will be chocolate pudding with whipped coconut cream topping.

But for now, here's the recipe:

2 cups corn chips, broken into bite sized pieces (I use baked Tostitos)

 1 large onion, chopped

 1 large bell pepper, chopped

 1 tablespoon canola oil

 2 cloves garlic, minced

 1 cup frozen hash browns

 1 (4 ounce) can chopped green chilies

 3 cups cooked long grain or brown rice

 1 cup salsa

 3 tablespoons hot chili powder

 2 tablespoons cumin

 1 tablespoon leaf oregano

 1 (15 ounce) can fat free refried black beans

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 11x9" baking pan with nonstick cooking spray. Place crushed tortilla chips in the bottom.

 2. In large non-stick skillet, add onion, bell pepper, oil, garlic and hash browns, cooking until peppers and onions are soft.

 3. In a bowl, combine chilies, rice, salsa, chili powder, cumin, oregano, and black beans. Add this mixture to onions and peppers and cook until warm.

 4. Transfer mixture to baking dish and bake for 20 minutes. Optionally, top with more crushed chips, chopped tomatoes, and vegan cheese for a special treat.

It's what's for dessert...pretty much every night

I love these things.

I am slightly obsessed, buying them by the fistful when they're on sale (and even when they're not).  I keep them in the freezer and let them thaw to just the right consistency before partaking.

Reese's, who needs 'em?  Besides, these are even better, due in large part to the dark chocolate (Reese's dark chocolate pb cups are NOT vegan).

Good for you?  No.  Tasty?  Most definitely yes.

Chicken and wild rice soup

It will take weeks for me to adjust to the time change.  Hate it.  And just when I was enjoying the early morning light, it's gone again for the next month or two.  And more evening light gives me less of an excuse to toil away in the kitchen.  But, the weather still doesn't allow for too many outdoor adventures, so in the meantime I will content myself with my NEW cookbooks.

I made Chicken and Wild Rice Soup tonight from Betty Goes Vegan.

Chicken & Wild Rice Soup

• 2 Cups Vegan Chicken (I used Gardein.)
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 1 Cup Wild Rice (cooked )
• 5 Cups Better Than Bouillon - Vegetable (made per instructions on the package)
• 1 Cup Carrots (sliced into coins)
• 1 Cup Celery (sliced)
• 1 Small Red Onion (chopped)
• 1 Cup Frozen Peas
• 1 Teaspoon Onion Powder
• 1 Teaspoon Oregano (dried)
• 1 Teaspoon Thyme (dried)
• 2 Bay Leaves (dried)
• 1/2 Teaspoon Celery Seed (dried)
• Dash of Black Pepper

Heat oven to 350. In a glass baking dish, toss the defrosted Vegan Chicken and Olive Oil. Bake for 10-15 minutes, flipping once to make sure they cook evenly. Once they are brown and a little crispy, remove from the oven. Then let them cool.

In a large soup pot or Dutch oven, heat the remaining ingredients on a medium heat until they boil. Then reduce the heat to a simmer.

To serve, slice or chop your Vegan Chicken and then divide into 4-6 servings. It depends how much Vegan Chicken you want in each bowl. Fill your soup bowl 3/4 of the way with Soup and then toss on serving of Vegan Chicken in. Stir.

Delicious and comforting!  The only modification I made was leaving out the peas--because I didn't have any on hand and do not love peas in the first place.

We are getting snow this evening, which was not in the forecast.  But, not a surprise, given that the catastrophic snow event that was forecasted for last weekend did not come to pass, so this must be payback.  It was mere coincidence that I made this soup tonight, but I'm really glad I did.

Inspiration arrived on my doorstep today

 

Looking forward to digging in!

 

My name is Tracy and I am a vegan cookbook hoarder.

Taco soup

How could it be bad?

From Happy Herbivore Abroad

1 14 oz. can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 c. vegetable broth
1 15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 c. frozen corn
1/4c. salsa
2 T. nutritional yeast
2 T. minced green chiles
1 T. chili powder
1 1/2 t. ground cumin
1 t. dried oregano or marjoram
1 t. onion powder
1 t. garlic powder
1/2 t. paprika
1/8 t. cayenne

Combine all ingredients together in a medium pot, stirring to combine.  Cover and cook over low heat until thoroughly warm, about 15-20 minutes.  Season to taste with salt and pepper to taste.

I topped mine with avocado and vegan sour cream.  Soups like this are also an excellent use of those torilla chip crumbs at the bottom of the bag!  Good soup--satisfying, tasty and easy.  Pair this with a salad and dinner's a done deal.

Texas Tater Tot Casserole

So I've been perusing "Betty Goes Vegan" the last couple of weeks.  I'm still wavering on whether I want to permanently add it to my stash.  Anyway, the companion blog from the authors has been a favorite of mine for awhile.

I was craving comfort food and what says comfort better than tater tots?  This tater tot casserole isn't that of the ground beef/cream of mushroom soup/tater tot casserole (or hot dish, as they'd say in Minnesota), but it sure is comforting.

A better, more appetizing pic can be found here, along with the recipe.  But since I aim to be a one-stop shop, I'll post the recipe here as well.  Make it, eat it, love it.

Texas Tater Tot Casserole

• 1 Can Black Beans (drained and rinsed)
• 1 Can Kidney Beans (drained and rinsed)
• 2 14oz Cans Diced Tomatoes (Mexican Style, drained)
• 3/4 Cup Frozen Corn
• 1-2 Fresh Jalapenos (sliced - how much you add depends on how hot you want it to be)
• 1/2 Yellow Bell Pepper (diced)
• 1/2 Orange Bell Pepper (diced)
• 1/4 Cup Fresh Cilantro (diced)
• 1/2 Red Onion (diced)
• 2 Cloves Garlic (minced)
• 1 1/2 teaspoon Braggs
• 2 teaspoons Cumin
• 1 teaspoon Oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon Hot Sauce (you can add more if you want more heat)
• 1 Tablespoon Chili Powder
• 2 Pinches of Paprika
• 1 1/2 Cups Daiya Vegan Pepperjack Cheese (shredded)
• 2 Cups Frozen Tater Tots

Heat oven to 375.

In a large bowl, mix all ingredients except Daiya and Tater Tots. Put the Chili mix into a casserole dish. Then sprinkle an even layer of Daiya over that and then an even layer of Tater Tots over that.

Bake uncovered for 30 to 40 minutes or until your Tater Tots are a sweet golden brown.