I'm a Veganimal!

Fried Eggplant

2009-01-27T20:33:00.000-08:00

Are you a fan of down-home cooking? Do you love greasy food on occasion? All the time? Then you'll love this easy fried dish.

The alien-looking purple fruit goes by many names: Eggplant, Aubergine, Brinjal, etc. But it's always the same... fulfilling and oh so satisfyin'. The eggplant has a flavor all its own. It's a little creamy, a little sweet, and definitely mild-flavored.

Slice that mofo up, dredge it in soy milk then breadcrumbs, and then fry in about a ton of oil. It's pretty easy. Drain browned slices on paper towels and serve with rice, on a sandwich, or with pasta sauce. YUM.

Paul and Linda McCartney Split Pea Soup

2009-01-27T20:14:00.000-08:00

The unassuming little green orb we call the pea has been grown and cultivated as far back as 500 or 400 BCE. At that time, ancient Greeks were selling hot pea soup from their street-side vendors. I know...who knew, right? Ever since then, there have been variations on this soup from Nordic to Anglo to Teutonic cultures (basically, hella white people).

Yeah, white people love pea soup and I'm no exception. It's hearty, flavorful, and comforting. The pea, like other legumes, impart a meaty flavor and feeling in the stomach. Unfortunately, the awesome pea soup reputation has been damaged by ingredients like ham and bacon. Why would someone ruin such a good soup with the tears of a pig? I dunno, but I'm out to change that. If you want a smoky flavor, don't cut up an innocent pig, just add a couple drops of liquid smoke (found in the condiment aisle at grocery stores).

Paul and Linda McCartney were fans of peace. As an extension to their mission of peace, they were also vegans who loved a good pea soup. At least I think so. This recipe was inspired by one that was dedicated to them.

1/2 lb split peas
1/4 lb orange lentils
1 1/2 large onions, quartered
4 stalks celery, including leaves, rinsed & chopped
2 tomatoes, peeled
2 leeks, white part only, cut into 1-inch chunks
5 cups water (about)
soy margarine to taste
crushed black peppercorns
sea salt

Directions
Place split peas, lentils, onions, celery, tomatoes and leeks in large pot and cover with water.
Bring to boil, lower heat and simmer about 1-1/2 hours, until split peas and lentils are soft.
Add margarine and stir until melted.
Add peppercorns and sea salt to taste.
Serves 8

You Must Try This Lentil Curry

2009-01-12T21:42:00.000-08:00

I've been trying to save money by eating more simply and I was looking for a hearty meal with not too many ingredients. I love lentils and I have a whole kitchen drawer devoted to only lentils and grains. I came across a recipe on recipezaar.com that really came to the rescue. I went shopping to get some veggies for the dish and the total for the whole recipe is probably less than $10. I served the curry on top of the Saffron-Garlic Rice from Veganomicon (I didn't have saffron and it's super expensive, so I simply used some turmeric). This curry is sooooo good, easy, and healthy, you just have to try it for yourself.

1 cup lentils (red, green, or brown work fine)
4 cups vegetable stock
1 medium onion (chopped)
3 garlic cloves (chopped or minced)
2 medium carrots, roughly diced
2 celery ribs, roughly diced
1/2 small head cabbage, sliced in 1/2" strips
1 (15 ounce) can diced tomatoes
3 teaspoons curry powder
2 teaspoons garam masala
3 tablespoons fresh cilantro
salt and pepper

Rinse lentils in strainer and sort through, removing debris. Heat 1 TBS broth in medium soup pot. Saute onion in broth over medium heat for 5 minutes stirring frequently, until translucent. Add garlic, carrots, celery, and cabbage. Continue to sauté for another couple of minutes. Add curry powder and mix to bring out its flavor. Add rinsed and drained lentils, broth and tomatoes. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium low, and simmer uncovered until lentils and vegetables are tender, about 30 minutes. Add cilantro and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve with rice, naan, or other carbohydrate side.

Fresh and Fast Breakfast

2009-01-12T21:38:00.000-08:00

I'm definitely a fan of simple foods. The easier the meal the better although sometimes the easier foods are those which are overly processed and packaged. So after visiting the farmer's market and getting some local apples and walnuts, I made this breakfast of:

-Two fuji apples (cored and chopped)
-1/2 cup walnuts, roughly chopped
-1 or 2 tsp. cinnamon

I was surprised at how filling it was and it gave me a great kick for the rest of the day.

Food Après the Holidays

2009-01-03T19:23:00.000-08:00

The holidays are now over and I'm kind of glad. This time of year can be really stressful. You're always thinking "what if they don't like my gifts?" or "do I bring champagne to the New Year's party or will they already have some?" Anyway that's all behind me and I've been getting in the kitchen quite a bit lately.

I go through periods of lazy cooking where I just have vegan sausages and salad, bean burritos, or just a bowl of tater tots. I'm sort of in the middle of one of these lazy periods right now but I've found some time to make a meal that takes longer in the kitchen.

Just an hour after midnight on New Year's I left my friend's house to go back home. The streets were completely deserted until.....I arrive at my tiny street with 5 buildings on it and there are 8 police cars and a fire truck. There were so many that I couldn't get my car through to park in my driveway. Of fucking course, right? At least the building wasn't on fire though. Probably just some harmless murder or something.

Some things I've made recently worth blogging about:

Lunch at work one day (english muffins, cilantro hummus, tomatoes, and cucumbers)

Tofu Scramble with Vegan Italian Sausage

Spicy Black Bean Patties with Salsa and Roasted Brussel Sprouts

Tofu and Broccoli with Hoisin Sauce (recipe from Vegan Fire and Spice by Robin Robertson)

The space between Xmas and New Year's

2008-12-27T19:58:00.000-08:00

It's now the weekend after Christmas and I am really happy because it's such a long weekend off work. But then again, I've never been more bored in my life. I've been talking to the most amazing man in the world over the internet, but he's out of town to visit his family, so I really have nothing to do other than watch movies, read, cry, clean, and eat. God, I'm pathetic. Help me now.

Anyway, in all this boredom and misery I still got out of the house today and went to the farmer's market and got a few great things. I bought some Indian samosas with cilantro chutney, fruits and veg, and a loaf of sourdough baguette that I devoured in like 5 hours. Help me now.

I got around to make a Chickpea Salad that I've been spying in "Vegan A Go Go" by Sarah Kramer. It's super simple, and as I've been extremely lazy with cooking lately, it was an easy choice.

Chickpea Salad from "Vegan A Go Go", steamed green beans, and sourdough baguette:

I'm A Garlic Whore

2008-12-10T11:18:00.000-08:00

Your result for What Spice Are You Test...

You are Garlic!

0% Habanero, 30% Sage, 0% Thyme, 0% Ginger, 40% Garlic, 10% Curry, 10% Cinnamon and 10% Oregano!

You can be both mellow and sweet.

You are very loved and tend to get along well with people. People remember you! You love to help people and want to feel useful.

You may sometimes have a tendancy to talk a bit too much, but you also don't mind listening to other people either. You hate it when you become engrossed in your own problems, and you can often feel guilty.

You don't have a desire to lead, normally, and you don't mind taking directions and lending a hand. You have a generous spirit and a kind heart.

You are more than likely very attractive, but you would never stop to admit it. You do notice the positive qualities in other people, though.

Take What Spice Are You Test at HelloQuizzy

Miraculous Tofu Loaf

2008-12-09T20:01:00.000-08:00

I know I know. Tofu sounds gross. And the word loaf sounds pretty nasty too. But let me assure you that when you put these too words together they can make a beautiful team. I made the Tip-top tofu loaf recipe from "Vegan A Go Go" by the lovely Sarah Kramer. It's soooo good although the texture comes out a big soft and crumbly. The taste is amazing though. Savory, tangy, exciting! I also made the Cumin Fried Potates from Vegan A Go Go. Seriously, you have to get this book! It's awesome. The food is good, the recipes are easy, and the ingredients are pretty easy to find.

Tip Top Tofu Loaf and Cumin Fried Potatoes:

Gosh it's been a while

2008-12-09T19:47:00.000-08:00

WOW! It's been soooo long since I last posted. People have asked me if I stopped being vegan and that's why I haven't posted. That is ridiculous. Vegan for life, baby!! I'm planning on starting to post again, though probably not as frequently as before (every two days or so).

Let me give you a rundown of a couple things I've eaten or made since I last posted:

Vietnamese Crepe:

I got this savory crepe from a local Vietnamese Vegetarian restaurant. I usually go there about once a week when I forget to make something for lunch at work. This crepe was filled with so many plants! But mostly bean sprouts which was a little odd. It came in plastic, not styrofoam, so I was able to recycle it. Can I get a "hell yeah" for the Earth?!

Cucumber Radish Salad:

Damn, I made this awhile ago but it's basically a Japanese cucumber-radish salad. I marinated the veggies with tamari, ginger, garlic, and a bit of sesame oil, then topped with sesame seeds. Pretty good but I was burping radish flavor for a few hours afterward.

Seitan Tikka Masala:

When I was a meat eater one of my fave dishes was chicken tikka masala. I was eager to find something similar that I could make with vegan ingredients when I came upon a recipe for this sweet deal. It's not exactly the same as the old tikka but it's become one of my favorite dishes now. Did I mention I love seitan?

Hello Seitan!!

2008-06-25T22:22:00.000-07:00

Seitan, where have you been all my life? Did you think about me even though I was unaware of your existence? I swear tofu and tempeh will be my second best next to you.

I am a new convert to seitanism.

Seitan being "wheat meat" or wheat gluten that's made to resemble a "meaty" product. I have eaten it before in the form of Tofurky sausages but I didn't expect that I could make a similar product at home at half the price.

There's a recipe online that has been spreading like wildfire through vegan blogs and websites. Finally, I caught on!! And I'm so glad that I did.

This is the precooked product:

Wrap that sucker in foil and twist the ends:

After baking and sliced:

Seitan cubed and served in pasta with Ajvar (courtesy of "Vegan Fire and Spice" by Robin Robertson):

Thanks Robin, for the book if you're reading. I love the recipes. I have made the Smooth and Sassy Guacamole and the Ajvar so far. I've been kind of busy lately so I've only made the easy spreads/dips so far but every recipe looks amazing!!

Seitan O'Greatness:

Dry ingredients:
1-1/2 cups vital wheat gluten
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1 tsp salt
2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp cumin
1-2 tsp pepper (I use 2 tsp)
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper (you can use 1/8 tsp if you like it less spicy)
1/8 tsp allspice (optional)
2 tsp garlic powder

Wet ingredients:
3/4 cups water
4 tbsp tomato paste
1 tbsp tamari
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 tbsp vegetarian Worcestershire sauce

Preheat oven to 325°.

In a large mixing bowl mix dry ingredients. Mix the rest of the ingredients (liquid ingredients) in a smaller mixing bowl. Whisk well until mixed.

Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients. Mix well, then knead for a minute or two.. it doesn't need long.

Form into a log (6-8" long), wrap tightly in foil, twisting ends. Bake for 90 minutes. When done baking, unwrap and leave out to cool all the way. Then wrap it foil or plastic and refrigerate. Slice to use as desired.

This seitan recipe is great because it's so flippin' easy. Most call for mixing, forming, refrigerating, then boiling in broth. But for this one I only had to mix, form, and bake. Simple! I think next time I'll make two or three logs and freeze them for later use.

Some other foods I've made since last post:

Potato skins:

Cilantro Lentil soup with homemade breadsticks:

Interspecies Love

2008-06-18T21:17:00.000-07:00

Now tell me again, why can't we all get along?

This pic was sent to me via email from an online friend across the great Pacific. It got me thinking.

Mock Foods

2008-06-17T19:58:00.000-07:00

I haven't posted in a couple weeks! Blah! Well we all needed a good rest, huh? Of course, but that didn't stop me from making new foods. I was hellbent on making "mock" products apparently during my time-off. I didn't notice this until right now but I have been cooking up quite a few foods that are vegan, but act like, taste and look like they aren't.

Mock "Chicken" Salad

I made this with Tempeh, the wonder soy product that I really don't buy often enough. I explained to my mother that tempeh is fermented soybean cake she said something like, "EW! That sounds horrible!" But when I thought about it, it's really not that bad. After all, many things that she eats are fermented...perhaps even longer than Tempeh. Cheese is "aged" for months as well as some of her meat products so I don't see why tempeh is all that bad, as it's only fermented for about 48 hours.

Individual "Beef", Onion, and Bell Pepper Empanadas:

I bought some raw wheat pizza dough and formed it into small little discs, then topped them with a mixture of Morningstar "beef" crumbles, taco seasoning, onions, peppers, and an "uncheese" that I made (see below). I folded the dough over and placed the individual pockets on a baking sheet in a 400 deg F oven for about 10 minutes and VOILA!

Gee Whiz "cheese spread" from the "Uncheese Cookbook" by Joanne Stepaniak

This "cheese" was a mix of white beans (I used Great Northern Beans), roasted red bell pepper, nutritional yeast, onion and garlic powder, salt, and some other things. It tasted a lot like nacho cheese or something similar which was interesting. Obviously though, it is much more healthy than processed cheese. Thank Goodness for Gee Whiz!

"Chicken Fried Steak" and Carrot-Tahini Slaw

Robin Robertson, author of "The Vegetarian Meat and Potatoes Cookbook" as well as countless others, has proved herself once again with a recipe mimicking "Chicken Fried Steak." But this fried patty recipe doesn't use chicken gravy or steak; it's all about TOFU! I have to admit that in my meat-eating days I never had a Chicken Fried Steak, but this vegan alternative was darn good, and I just ate it plain...not with gravy or anything!
I accompanied the patties with Carrot-Tahini Slaw that I made from a book called "You Won't Believe It's Vegan." It's a mix of grated carrots, celery, red onion, tahini, lemon juice, salt, SPIKE seasoning, pepper, and dill. It was awesome.

Portabello-Onion Fajitas

2008-06-05T19:24:00.000-07:00

My mother used to make fajitas all the time. She would saute onions, peppers, and chicken in a little bit of oil. Then she would add beer to give it a magical flavor all its own. When I was young I always loved fajitas because (A) they were good and (B) because I thought that I would get an alcohol buzz from the beer, although this was never the case.

No more chicken for me though.

I came across a recipe from, once again, from "The Vegetarian Meat and Potatoes Cookbook" by Robin Robertson that was all about Portabello Mushroom slices, Red Onion slices, and a new American craze...chipotle peppers in adobo sauce. I have seen the chipotle peppers in adobo featured in quite a few recipes but I never saw them in the store; or maybe I never really looked hard enough. Anyway I found some and bought a can for this recipe.

Now let me tell you... these fajitas kicked my ass two ways from Sunday. I love spicy foods but DAMN this was hot stuff. I never gave in though. The pain was just part of the experience of this awesome dish.

Mushrooms and Onions waitin' to be sauteed:

And the Grand Debut:

Comment for recipe.

Cafe Dining at Home

2008-06-02T21:08:00.000-07:00

Since I live in the suburban environs of Silicon Valley I often long for the city. Thoughts of the city bring about dreams of easy-going cafe visits and alcoholic drinks in the early afternoon. There's something very European about it. I wish to visit Paris again with it's low-key outdoor dining experience. That brief 3 days that I was in France was memorable because it was a time of leisure; coffee, tea, or warm soda; and light meals.

Today I tried to replicate that feeling of cafe-dining but inside my apartment because the cafes around here are small and filled with immature high-schoolers who have nothing better to do than judge every aspect of a person who comes in their midst.

I made a cafe-inspired meal of Quiche and Spiced, Roasted Potatoes.

Quiche and Tell (recipe from "The Vegetarian Meat and Potatoes Cookbook" by Robin Robertson):

Crust:
1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/8 tsp. salt
1/4 cup vegetable oil, chilled in the refrigerator
2 Tbs. cold water

Filling:
1 Tbs. grapeseed OR olive oil
1/2 cup yellow onion, minced (about 1/2 small onion)
One 10 oz. pkg. frozen spinach, cooked according to pkg. directions, drained
1 lb. firm tofu, drained and crumbled
1 cup plain soymilk
1 Tbs. dijon mustard
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/8 tsp. ground nutmeg
1 cup vegan mozzarella cheese, grated

For the crust: In a food processor, combine the flour and salt, pulsing to blend. Add the oil and process until the mix is crumbly. Slowly add the water with the machine running, and process until the mix forms a ball. Turn the dough out and flatten into a disk. Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, to make the filling: Preheat the oven to 375 deg F. Heat the oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, cover and cook until softened, stirring a few times, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and add the drained spinach, stirring to combine. Set aside.
On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out into a 12-inch round. Fit it into a 9-inch quiche pan or pie plate. Set aside.
In the food processor, blend the tofu, soymilk, mustard, salt, cayenne, and nutmeg until well-mixed. Spoon the onion-spinach mixture onto the crust and sprinkle the vegan cheese over it. Pour the tofu mixture over the spinach-cheese mix, making sure it's evenly distributed.
Bake until the filling is firm and lightly browned on top, 50 minutes to one hour. Let the quiche cool before slicing and serving.

Oven Roasted Potatoes:

1 large russet potato, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
garlic powder
onion powder
fresh-ground pepper
cumin
salt
cayenne pepper
dried rosemary
grapeseed or olive oil

Place cut potatoes into a bowl and drizzle oil over top. Add spices and stir until potatoes are evenly coated with oil and spices. Preheat oven to 400 deg F. Place potatoes on aluminum foil and fold the foil over the potatoes to make a closed pocket. Place foiled potatoes on baking sheet and place in the oven for about 40-50 minutes. Let cool for a few minutes and serve.

Last weekend, my friends and I went camping. I ate simple foods like: peanut butter-banana sandwiches, chips and crackers, apples, Shelle's green bean salad, corn, beer and vodka. hehe.

Just thought I'd add a couple pics from the trip:

Me and Mini:

Shelle:
There was a perfectly lovely picture here but Shelle demanded I take it down. 0_o

Jay and Mini:

Kai:

Mexican Enchilada Bake

2008-06-02T20:50:00.000-07:00

Mexican food always brings great memories to me. Being American, international cuisines have always appealed to me because we have no defining, quintessential food that describes us. Sure there are hamburgers, hot dogs, and macaroni and cheese; but what fool would dare eat those when there are so many wonderful dishes that were inspired by Latin, Asian, African, Indian, and Middle Eastern cooking.

America is in fact a "melting pot" of culture, cuisine, and language. Unfortunately, it mostly gets lost in the greed of people pursuing high-paying jobs and fancy houses. But one thing holds true to me...that's the flavors of other countries that I try to assemble in my humble "galley-style" kitchen.

I have tried and failed, in the past, to make an Enchilada Casserole. But now I have discovered a great recipe which I know will conquer any Cinco De Mayo north of Tijuana.

I found this recipe on vegcooking.com and it's absolutely amazing.

Enchilada Bake:

12 oz. vegetarian burger crumbles (try Morningstar or Boca brand)
1 packet taco seasoning (make sure it contains no milk products)
2 15.5-oz. cans enchilada sauce
18 corn tortillas
2 15.5-oz. cans pinto beans, drained
2 green onions, chopped
2 cups vegan cheddar cheese, shredded
1 4.5-oz. can diced green chilies
2 cups Fritos corn chips, finely crushed

• Preheat the oven to 375°F.
• In a small bowl, combine the burger crumbles and taco seasoning and set aside.
• Spray a 9-inch by 13-inch pan with oil.
• In layers, spread a generous amount of enchilada sauce, 6 corn tortillas, 2 cans of pinto beans, a handful of green onion, a third of the shredded “cheese,” half the can of green chilies, lots more enchilada sauce, 6 more tortillas, all the seasoned burger crumbles, another third of the “cheese,” the remaining green chilies, more enchilada sauce, then the final 6 tortillas, more enchilada sauce, and the rest of the “cheese.” Cover in foil and bake for 30 minutes.
• Remove the foil, top the entire casserole with the Fritos, and bake for another 15 to 30 minutes or until bubbly and browned.

This recipe serves 6 large portions or 12 small entrees if served with side dishes such as rice or chips and guacamole. Since I live alone I ate this for lunch and dinner for 3 days straight, and I never got sick of it!! It's that good.

Oprah the Vegan

2008-05-23T16:30:00.000-07:00

If you haven't heard already....Oprah recently read "Quantum Wellness" by Kathy Freston who is a "conscious living" advisor (whatever that means). Anyway, the material in the book must have really gotten to the OPster because now she has GONE VEGAN...well, at least for a 21 day "cleanse." I'm thinking she may keep up with it for longer than that though. Her "cleanse" also omits gluten, alcohol, and caffeine. So I guess I'm basically cleansing too (except for the gluten, alcohol, and caffeine). I'm not a Buddhist monk or anything, geez!

So, being that Oprah is basically God to millions of women nationally and internationally, I'm thinking that a lot of people may follow her new regimen of conscious consumerism. In the least for 21 days, but undoubtedly, there are some who may become vegans for life.

Hopefully she will see extremely positive results, maybe a little weight loss sprinkled with a little dash of boosted energy. Let's hope the Oprah will show the world a new way of living.

Food Update, Animals, a Barbecue, and a Costume

2008-05-21T19:36:00.000-07:00

Unamas! is a local Fresh Mex kinda place and they have some wonderful food. It's not a veggie restaurant but they have some things that are easily made vegan. Taco Salad anyone? No cheese, no sour cream, extra extra guacamole. :D

In keeping with a lowered sodium menu (I haven't been very good lately) I made a pinto bean salad/spread thing. It tasted exactly like the hummus they have at a sandwich shop near me. Weird. Slap some on a wheat pita bread and top it with some spring mix salad and you got this sucker:

Pinto Bean Spread (low-sodium):

4 cups (approx. 2-1/2 15 oz. cans) cooked pinto beans
2 T dried minced onion
3 T pickle relish (not the sweet relish!)
2 tsp. prepared mustard
1/4 tsp. paprika
1/4 tsp. cumin or more to taste
Pepper to taste

Drain and rinse pintos. Using a food processor, blender, or potato masher, combine all ingredients until smooth. Serve.

Shelle's Father's birthday happened to end up on a beautiful day with warm weather. So what else to do during nice weather? BBQ!! I fixed my plate with grilled zucchini, yellow squash, salad, rice, cauliflower and corn (where is the corn in the pic...oh well). It was a great day. I happened to catch Minnie sunbathing nude on the cement and a pic of Minnie and Marley socializing.

I came across a recipe for Sun-dried Tomato Alfredo (low-sodium) which I easily veganized although the result was just okay; nothing special

Sun-dried Tomato "Alfredo":

8 oz. pasta of choice (I used organic whole wheat linguine)
2 cups regular soymilk
2 T cornstarch
1/2 cup nutritional yeast
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes, finely chopped
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. oregano

Cook pasta according to package directions. While pasta is cooking, shake soymilk and cornstarch together in a jar. Place in saucepan over medium heat and cook and stir until thickened and beginning to boil. Add nutr. yeast, tomatoes, garlic powder, and oregano, and stir until heated through. Serve sauce over drained pasta.

Last but surely not least, I was invited to a "masquerade party" for Eduard's birthday. So I was naturally thinking that it was sort of a costume party with masks and such. I went out to a costume shop called Debbie Lyn's Closet and rented a cape (yes a cape) and a pirate shirt...just a frilly shirt with funny doily edges. Seinfeld fans will probably be thinking "puffy shirt" right now. Well I felt like I stuck out like a sore thumb because I had this weird get-up and most people just came with nice clothes and masks. I didn't feel too bad though when Andrea, the Italian stud, showed up dressed in an afro. Haha.

Here's Jay and I...notice Jay is not wearing any costume whatsoever:

Low-Sodium Vegan Food

2008-05-12T21:54:00.000-07:00

I started to log my sodium intake recently and I was horrified to see that I was consuming double what I should be. High Blood Pressure runs in my family and I have borderline High Blood Pressure so I am starting to eat more low-sodium foods.

I went to a website for low-sodium vegan diets and it gave me a few recipes. One was for STUFFED PEPPERS so that's what I made today. It was an easy recipe and quite good.

I ate one stuffed pepper with carrot and celery sticks and a green salad with Pomegranate Vinaigrette.

Low-Sodium Stuffed Peppers (serves 6):

6 large green bell peppers, tops and seeds removed
2 tsp. olive or grapeseed oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 12- or 14-oz. package vegan ground "meat" such as Morningstar Vegan Crumbles or Gimme Lean "Sausage" or equivalent
3 medium ripe tomatoes
2 cups cooked barley
Cumin to taste
Chili Powder to taste

Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Gently place peppers in the water and boil for 10 minutes. Carefully remove peppers and drain; set aside.

In a large frying pan, heat oil and saute onions and vegan "meat", breaking up the "meat" completely, until onions are softened. Add tomatoes, barley, cumin, and chili powder and stir mixture one minute longer or until heated through. Stuff boiled and drained peppers with the mixture and serve.

Falafel Friday and Some Animal Friends

2008-05-12T20:54:00.000-07:00

Last Friday I had two Middle Eastern Meals. For lunch I decided to go out to one of my favorite Mediterranean spots for a Veggie Combo plate. Then after I got back to work I got an email inviting me to a friend's birthday dinner at yet another Mediterranean restaurant in downtown Sunnyvale. There I also got another Veggie Combo plate. I think I'm becoming Middle Eastern! :D

House of Falafel...Clockwise from top-left corner: Hummus, Dolmas (stuffed grape leaves), Tabbouleh Salad, Baba Ganoush, Falafel patties, and Salad. This all came with pita bread. YUM

Taverna Mediterranean...Clockwise from top-left corner: Rice, Falafel patties, Greek Cucumber Salad, a rather liquid Hummus, and in the middle, Eggplant Salad. YUM

I want to show everyone a picture or two of some of my favorite animals.

Fred the cat...Fred lives at the work office and he's always coming around for some attention. I don't like cats very much but I have to admit, he's a beautiful pussy.

Buddy the dog is my father's dog. I don't get to see him very often because he lives an hour and a half away but I always enjoy my time with him (even though he gets dog hair and slobber all over me.)

Michelle, if you're reading this I love all your animals too but I don't have pics of them.

This post is the first with my new digital camera. YAY.

Healthy, Environmentally-Sustainable Oil?

2008-05-07T17:58:00.000-07:00

Recently I made the switch from using olive oil to mostly using Grapeseed oil. I was curious about the flavor, but the flavor is great...kind of earthy and nutty, but light. It's very pleasant. Many cooks prefer it because it has a high smoke point, meaning you can cook at higher temperatures without the oil smoking too much.

Grapeseed Oil requires no new farmland, water, or other natural resources because it uses the grape seeds from the wine-making process. This means that it's environmentally sound and sustainable.

Also, grapeseed oil is 75% Omega 6 fatty acid and contains the most heart-healthy mono and poly-unsaturated fats among all the vegetable oils. It has half of the saturated fat of olive oil, as well.

Oils are often quite expensive but I bought a bottle of grapeseed oil the size of a wine bottle for only US$7.00 at Whole Foods. That's less than most olive oils.

Garlicky Kale with Tahini Dressing

2008-05-07T17:44:00.001-07:00

I have to admit that I don't eat enough leafy green vegetables. I should though because cruciferous veggies such as kale, spinach, etc. contain cancer-fighting properties as well as tons of Vitamin A, C, K, calcium, omega 3, protein, fiber, iron, etc.

I got my kale fix recently though with Garlicky Kale with Tahini Dressing that is a recipe in Vegan with a Vengeance. It's yummy, but what really surprises me is that a huge bunch of kale wilts down to almost nothing when cooked. : (

Spicy Cilantro Split-Pea Soup, Mashed Potato Cakes, and Canada

2008-05-06T21:38:00.000-07:00

There's something super-satisfying to me about split pea soup. It's hearty, full of flavor, and packed with fiber and protein. I made a not-so-standard soup with split peas, onion, carrot, celery, jalapeno, veggie stock, potato, zucchini, bay leaf, salt, pepper, liquid smoke, fresh cilantro, and I topped it all off with "Baco-s" Bacon Bits (Yes, they're vegan!!). I love french bread so I sliced some up for dipping.

I couldn't eat all the soup that I made so I froze the leftovers. It should be good in the freezer for a month or two.

From the "Vegetarian Meat and Potatoes Cookbook" I made the Garlic Smashed Potatoes. Then I chilled them in the fridge and shaped the potatoes into patties. I mixed some flour, salt, and pepper, then dredged the patties in the flour mixture. Next, I heated some oil in a pan and fried the patties until they were golden brown.

They are really good with homemade brown gravy or tahini sauce.

My grandfather passed away recently after a long battle with cancer so my family and I travelled to Canada to hold a memorial service for the extended family there. I used to spend two months every summer in Nanaimo, BC, Canada so I hold it dear to my heart. It's like my second home. I got some pictures from the plane and also some from Nanaimo itself.

Seattle from the plane:

City of Nanaimo on Vancouver Island (taken from Protection Island):

Beach Access trail on Beautiful Protection Island:

I'm so fond of crabs. On Protection Island you can literally go to the beach, pick up a rock, and see the baby crabs crawl out from under the rock. They're too small to pinch me so I picked one up. Here's a pic of me giving some love to a crab.:

Empanada-type Thing

2008-05-06T19:38:00.000-07:00

I have fallen in love with the raw pizza dough that I buy at a local grocery store (Trader Joe's). Maybe I love it too much, I've put on a couple pounds since I've discovered it :D

Sure you can make a standard pizza with it because it's just uncooked dough, but sometimes it's fun to get creative. I think a few posts ago I showed a picture of a Curry Calzone. This is along the same lines but since I stuffed it with Fake beef, it seems to be more like an Argentinian Empanada.

I didn't follow a recipe for this so just test and taste as you go.

What I did:

Ingredients

Uncooked pizza dough, enough to make a 12" round
12 oz. package vegan "beef" crumbles ( I used the Morningstar brand)
1 envelope taco seasoning (make sure it has no dairy)
1 large green bell pepper, chopped
hot sauce to taste
olive oil or other cooking oil for brushing on dough

Prep

Take the pizza dough and roll out or stretch to a 12" round; set aside.

Preheat oven to 450 F. Put frozen "beef" crumbles in a pan and warm over medium heat. When warm add taco seasoning, bell pepper, and 1/2 cup water (or whatever amount the taco seasoning packet says to use), simmer for about ten minutes stirring occasionally. Place "beef" filling on one half of the stretched pizza dough and fold the other half over so that it forms a pocket. Moisten edges of dough and press together to make a seal. Lightly grease a baking sheet with olive oil and place empanada onto it. Rub or brush some olive oil on the top; make small slits on the top so the empanada filling can steam and place in the oven. Bake for about 10 minutes or until the dough is golden brown. Let cool for a bit, slice, and serve.

Vegetarian Meat and Potatoes Cookbook

2008-04-24T17:17:00.000-07:00

I bought a new cookbook that is filled with vegan comfort foods that are meant to satisfy vegans, vegetarians, and omnivores alike. It's called the Vegetarian Meat and Potatoes Cookbook by Robin Robertson.

I made one recipe so far and it was heaven on earth. What I ended up making was Shiitake-Stuffed Tofu Steaks with Hoisin Glaze. Is your mouth watering yet? I was suppose to cut the tofu into four pieces and then put a knife through the side in order to form a pocket with which to be stuffed. But, unfortunately, the tofu didn't want to make it easy for me so I scrapped the idea of stuffing them and instead I put the filling on the top.

YUM.

Ingredients

2 TBS olive oil
4 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and chopped
3 green onions, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and minced
Salt and pepper
1 pound extra-firm tofu, cut into 4 equal slices
1/2 cup hoisin sauce (found in the Asian/International aisle of the supermarket)
1-2 TBS minced cilantro

Directions

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the shrooms, green onion, cilantro, garlic, and ginger and cook, stirring, about 3 minutes. Take off heat and set aside.
Heat remaining oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add the tofu and cook until golden brown on the first side. Turn and cook for 1 minute longer. Add the hoisin to the pan, spooning it over the tofu to coat. Flip tofu and make sure both sides are covered with hoisin sauce.
Serve and eat.

Serves 4 as an entree or 2 if your really damn hungry.

If this recipe is any indicator of how good the other ones are, I'm excited.

Greek Lentil Salad

2008-04-23T22:07:00.000-07:00

Greek Lentil Salad (recipe below):

This "salad" is magnifique!! It's refreshing, hearty, and flavorful. The olive oil, lemon juice, and dill combine to create a complex creamy-yet-tart taste. I got this recipe from the May 2008 issue of Vegetarian Times.

Salad:

1 cup green or brown lentils, picked over and rinsed
1-1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, sliced in half
1 cup diced cucumber
1 cup chopped green onions
1 Tbs. dried dill OR 1/3 cup fresh chopped dill

Dressing:

1-2 garlic cloves
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/4 tsp. ground black pepper

Here's how you throw it together:

-Place lentils in saucepan and cover with water. Bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to med.-low and cook, partially covered, 25-30 minutes or until lentils are tender. Drain excess liquid, if needed.
-To make dressing: place garlic cloves on cutting board. Sprinkle with salt and mash with the side of a knife into a paste. Transfer to a bowl and whisk in olive oil, lemon juice, and pepper.
-To make salad: Toss lentils in dressing. Cool to room temperature, then stir in tomatoes, cucumber, green onions, and dill.
-Add more salt and pepper, if desired.

Earth Day!

2008-04-22T17:02:00.000-07:00

Today is Earth Day. A couple years ago I didn't take the event seriously but now I am doing things to change my ways. In the past year I went vegan; bought biodegradable, plant-based cleaners and household products; use reusable bags when going to the store; recycle paper, aluminum, plastic; turn off lights in rooms that I'm not in; bought less bottled water (I mostly use one bottle per week, then just refill it with tap water). Unfortunately, I still have a long way to go.

Some things that I hope to do in the future:
-stop smoking
-start using my bicycle more instead of the car
-unplugging electronics when not in use
-line-drying clothes instead of using a dryer

Yes, there is still quite a bit to do. But those things will come in time.

Tuesday is not a good day to have Earth Day because most people are commuting to work, using computers and office lights, etc. Some friends and I got together last Saturday to observe the holiday/event.

Kai and I went to Lake Merritt in Oakland and picked up some trash. We also cooked up a dinner and ate by candlelight. We didn't use any electricity for about 5 hours. It was pretty cool. There was a question that was brought up by a friend which was, "Since electricity and energy go into the candle-making process is it really better for the environment?" I don't have an answer for that but our candlelight dinner was more symbolic than anything.

We (mostly Kai) made a Lentil Curry Stew, Brown Basmati Rice, and some Foccacia bread. It was an amazing, mostly vegan dinner.

Flour handprints:

Curry Stew:

Dough by Candlelight:

Calzone stuffed with Curry Stew and Rice:

HAPPY EARTH DAY!! LET'S KEEP OUR WORLD THE GEM THAT IT TRULY IS.

Food Update!!

2008-04-21T18:47:00.000-07:00

It's been awhile since I last posted. Partly because I have been busy with my Birthday (I'M 24!) and partly because I've just been plain too lazy to post. But now, I have a quick run-through of what I've been making in the past 2 weeks or so. If you would like any recipes feel free to email me at kylethomas2@gmail.com

Tofurky Italian "sausage", Green Pepper, Onion Sandwich:

Vegan Pasta Primavera:

Vegan Parmesan Cheese:

Indian Tofu and Stir-fried Veggies

Hash in a Flash (potatoes, bell peppers, onions, "sausage", red pepper flakes, salt & pepper):

Mirepoix mix (celery, onion, carrot) used for a brown rice dish with some bell pepper added:

My friends, family, and I celebrated my birthday during the weekend of April 11th. On Friday (April 11) my mother and I went to Santa Cruz for a beautiful day by the beach.

Santa Cruz:

At "The Mystery Spot" in Santa Cruz. In this picture I am actually hanging vertically but the building is at a slant so it looks like I'm hanging at a weird angle:

Here's another picture at "The Mystery Spot" where you can see the building is definitely leaning:

On Saturday April 12 it was hot so we had a little pool party. This is a picture of me looking at a deer's backside. Notice the deer's eyes!!:

Asparagus Olive Frittata

2008-04-06T15:24:00.000-07:00

A frittata is a type of Italian Omelette similar to a French Quiche that is usually made using eggs.

Since I don't eat eggs I made the frittata out of tofu, added veggies, and herbs and spices.

I got this recipe from Vegan with a Vengeance but I used my own combination of vegetables.

Asparagus-Black Olive Frittata:

Falafel and a Springtime Day Hike

2008-04-06T14:50:00.000-07:00

Falafel is a fried ball or patty made from spiced fava beans and/or chickpeas. It is a popular form of fast food in the Middle East, where it is also served as a mezze (snack or tapas). It is usually served in pita bread with vegetables, tahini sauce, and hot chili sauce. Also, it can be served on top of salads, or as an appetizer with hummus.

I love falafel. I could eat it most days but I don't. I bought a box of falafel mix and simply added water. I let the mixutre sit for 20 minutes to develop and then I made patties. Then I fried them in olive oil over medium-high heat until they were browned. Then I served them in pita pockets with romaine lettuce and tahini sauce.

Before frying:

After frying and built:

Tahini Sauce for Falafel:

NGREDIENTS:
1/2 cup tahini (sesame seed paste)
3 gloves garlic, crushed
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 teaspoon parsley, finely chopped (optional)

PREPARATION:
In a food processor or blender, combine garlic and tahini. Add salt.

Remove from food processor and add olive oil and lemon juice, stir until combined. Add 1/4-1/2 cup of water and stir. Mix in parsley if using. Refrigerate or serve immediately.

In the Bay Area of California I have access to some of the most beautiful scenery I have set my eyes on. Only minutes from San Francisco and San Jose lies forest, beach, hills and valleys. I decided to take advantage of the sunny Spring day and take a hike in the Santa Cruz Mountains with my friends. It was even more beautiful than I had remembered. It was actually a little cold, but we warmed up as soon as we were trekking up the hillsides.

Foodie BlogRoll

2008-04-02T10:07:00.000-07:00

I have joined the Foodie BlogRoll which is a network of food blogs from all over the world, spanning many types of cuisines. I am excited to be part of it. If you have a food blog, you should come join too! There is a link in the left-hand margin that will take you promptly to the website. Enjoy!!

Chocolate Chip Bars and Broccoli Cole Slaw

2008-03-30T19:33:00.000-07:00

Desserts are not my speciality so I don't make them very often but these Choc-chip Bars came out pretty good, except I baked them a little too long and they were a little harder than I would have liked. Thank goodness for vegan chocolate chips.

Broccoli Cole Slaw is a cinch to make and makes for an awesome side or light meal. I bought a package of pre-washed, pre-shredded broccoli and carrots and mixed in some Vegenaise, Mustard, Minced Garlic, and cracked black pepper.

Please Sign This Petition!!

2008-03-30T19:18:00.000-07:00

This is a new charity that I have started donating to monthly. I only make a small donation but everything helps, right?

You don't have to donate to them unless you want to but what I would really love is for you to SIGN THIS PETITION!

Just Click on the Picture:

Thank you Friends
(\__/)
(+'.'+)
('')_('')

OREOS!!

2008-03-28T19:02:00.000-07:00

Healthy: no

Vegan: Hell Yeah!!

How come no one told me oreos were vegan? Oh god, I can imagine myself now slumped over my couch gorging on a whole package of yummy vegan junk food.

Here are the ingredients for the American Oreos: SUGAR, ENRICHED FLOUR (WHEAT FLOUR, NIACIN, REDUCED IRON, THIAMINE MONONITRATE [VITAMIN B1], RIBOFLAVIN [VITAMIN B2], FOLIC ACID), HIGH OLEIC CANOLA OIL AND/OR PALM OIL AND/OR CANOLA OIL, COCOA (PROCESSED WITH ALKALI), HIGH FRUCTOSE CORN SYRUP, BAKING SODA, CORNSTARCH, SALT, SOY LECITHIN (EMULSIFIER), VANILLIN-AN ARTIFICIAL FLAVOR, CHOCOLATE.

I hear that Canadian and European Oreos still contain whey (milk product). Sad for them! Great for me!!

Veggie-Tofu Bacon Burritos

2008-03-28T18:56:00.001-07:00

I have successfully made a batch of homemade tofu bacon!! I used the Curried Tofu marinade recipe from Veganomicon, sliced the tofu as thin as I could and baked it in the oven until it was burnt, or near-burnt rather.

For the veggies, I sauteed some onions, bell pepper, and garlic in oil and added lots of hot sauce.

Then I put the whole thing together. Brown rice, veggies, and tofu bacon, with extra lashings of hot sauce. Simple and satisfying.

Liquid Crack

2008-03-25T21:05:00.001-07:00

I've never smoked crack but I'm sure the feeling would be similar to what I got tonight from the CURRY SPLIT PEA SOUP I just ate. I feel high and euphoric. And I'm totally addicted. I want more...but I have to save some for lunch tomorrow, damn!!

I got the recipe from ppk.com (PostPunkKitchen).

Since I got the recipe for free I have no problem posting the recipe for you here (after the pic of course).

Ingredients
16 oz dried split peas
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 medium white onion, diced small
2 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced
3 cloves garlic, minced
8 cups water
1 carrot to grate in at the end (optional)

Spice blend
2 teaspoons curry powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
2 teaspoons salt
generous pinch cinnamon

Directions
Saute the onions in the olive oil at medium heat for about 5 minutes. Add garlic, ginger and spices. Saute 2 more minutes.

Add the water and stir well. Add the splitpeas. Cover and bring to a boil.

Bring heat back down to medium, let soup simmer for about an hour, until peas are tender. Grate in the carrot and serve. You can garnish with fresh cilantro if you have it on hand.

Jebus!! This is good!

Spring Is Here

2008-03-21T18:51:00.000-07:00

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Spring is here and this means that it begins a new year of fresh American produce. When I don't buy my produce from the farmer's market I get it from the grocery store and most produce during the winter there is from South America. Imagine all the fuel it cost to ship all those fruits and veggies. I feel bad.

I made an Indian Curry Rice and Lentil dish the other day. I had a slight accident and dumped a ton of black pepper in so it was only slightly edible. Oh well, live and learn right?

Happy Spring and Easter everyone!

Artichoke Pesto Pasta

2008-03-18T21:04:00.001-07:00

When I first became vegan I ate pasta a lot. I think that was partly because I didn't know what else to eat and also because when I was a meat-eater I would make pasta every other day.

Well, nowadays, I rarely eat pasta but I occasionally like to make it again.

It's a chore to find ready-made vegan pasta sauces unless they are Marinara-based, but I hate tomato sauce, so this caused a problem for me. I was a big Fettucine Alfredo "heart attack on a plate" type guy. I eventually found a pesto powder that was vegan and it's really good; just add olive oil and water and heat.

So tonight I made pasta and I used some of the last of the massive jar of artichoke hearts that I had left from about 6 months ago.

And then I topped off the Artichoke Pesto Pasta with a nice helping of vegan parmesan cheese and nutritional yeast. DELIGHTFULLY DELICIOUS!!

Garlic Bread and the California Coast

2008-03-17T22:15:00.000-07:00

Wow! Today was just beautiful. The sun was big in the sky and no clouds could be seen. In a couple days it will officially be Spring and today I could definitely see that Spring was in the air.

For work I had to travel 2 hours by car (one way) to Pebble Beach (Monterey area). It was the perfect day for a field trip out of the office. Once I left San Jose and reached the sweet smell of pines in the Santa Cruz Mountains I realized that this was a time to treasure. I don't know if I'll ever have another work day like this in the next few years so I really soaked it up.

I left my camera at home but here are some sights I saw on my day out.

Lexington Reservoir:

Watsonville Artichokes:

Sand City:

Monterey:

Pebble Beach:

Garlic is my favorite vegetable/herb/spice thing. So I only thought it natural to make some Ranch Garlic Bread. I threw together some Vegan Ranch Dressing, then mixed in about 6 cloves of minced garlic and then spread it all over the inside of a mini baguette. I wrapped it in foil and baked for about 20 minutes then unwrapped it and broiled for a few more minutes. It went especially well with a mixed green and purple salad.

TOFU TOFU

2008-03-16T21:28:00.000-07:00

Tofu "Egg" Salad is a staple in my diet. I make it about once a week or two weeks. It just is so amazing. There are a lot of different recipes out there but my favorite is the one in "How It All Vegan!" by Sarah Kramer and Tanya Barnard.

I posted this recipe before but it deserves special mention because I love it so much. I eat it just out of the bowl or as a sandwich or stuffed in pita or tortillas.

If more people knew about this salad mix, I think that regular egg salad would be abandoned for this more healthful alternative.

Tofu "Egg" Salad:

1 14oz. or 16 oz. firm or extra firm tofu, drained and pressed
1/2 cup soy mayonnaise (I use Vegenaise. It's truly amazing.)
4 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
or
2 tbsp. dried parsley
1 pickle, minced
1-1/2 tbsp. prepared mustard i.e. the squeeze bottle kind
1-2 stalks green onion (spring onion), chopped (optional)
1 large stalk celery, diced
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. turmeric

Crumble or mash tofu into a medium mixing bowl and add remaining ingredients. Mix together well and chill before serving.

Mexican Pita Pizza

2008-03-14T23:52:00.000-07:00

I LLLOOOOVVVEEE avocados and have been eating them a lot lately. But they are a touchy fruit. You never know exactly when they are just ripe enough. Sometimes I cut one open and it's all brown on the inside and then other times they are squishy on the outside but when I cut them open they are so firm that it's hard to mash them up. It's alright though, I take it all in stride. The only thing I don't like is how expensive they are. I really only buy them when they're on sale or if I get them cheap at the farmer's market.

Mexican Pita Pizza:

-Get a whole wheat pita bread
-Mash an avocado and chop up a little tomato and cucumber; mix together with 1/2 tsp. lemon juice, 1/2 tsp. hot sauce, 1/8 tsp. salt, and 1/8 tsp. garlic powder.
-Mix some vegetarian refried beans with taco or burrito seasoning
-Spread beans on pita and put in oven at 350 deg for a few minutes
-Take out the pita and let cool for a few minutes
-Spread on guacamole mixture and then top with more chopped tomatoes, olives, and anything else you like
-Eat and enjoy

Another Egyptian Dish and Pygmy Marmosets

2008-03-12T20:10:00.000-07:00

Well, it looks like I'm running with a theme here. Another Egyptian-inspired recipe for dinner tonight. Call me Tutenkhamen! I'll get to the recipe and picture in a little bit.

I am a new regular on Yahoo Answers where people ask a question and all the people online can answer their question. It's fun but it's really addicting. I spend quite a bit of time in the Vegetarian/Vegan section and there's a lot of crazy stuff going on there. It's like a war-zone sometimes because someone will ask a legitimate question and then a "troll" comes in and says some crazy comment like "EAT MEAT" or "OH MAN, A NICE JUICY STEAK SOUNDS GOOD RIGHT NOW." It's kinda funny.

Anyway, I was on there today and someone asked "What is your favorite animal?" I have never really had a favorite animal but today I thought about it a while and I think my favorite is the pygmy marmoset.

Here's a pygmy marmoset:

Aren't they cute? I remember seeing some in Victoria, Canada at the Crystal Garden which no longer exists. But I have a great memory of those little creatures.

So back to the food!!

Warm Spinach-Dill Brown Rice:

Ingredients:

1 medium onion, diced
1 T. (15 ml) olive oil
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
small handful fresh dill, chopped
1 15 oz. (445 ml) can tomato sauce
1 10 oz. (295 ml) frozen spinach, thawed
1/2 cup (120 ml) water
salt and pepper to taste
1 t. (5 ml) ground cumin (optional)
1 t. (5 ml) ground ginger (optional)
1 t. (5 ml) ground coriander (optional)

Preparation:

-Saute onions in oil until softened
-Add garlic and dill and saute an additional 2 minutes
-Mix in cumin, ginger, and coriander, if using
-Add tomato sauce and salt and pepper and bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low
-Simmer for 10 minutes on low heat
-Add spinach and water, bring to a boil again
-Cover and simmer on low heat for 15 minutes
-Serve with warm brown rice

Nile River Red Lentil Soup

2008-03-11T21:06:00.000-07:00

Have you ever made African-inspired food? I have never made it before and I haven't even eaten Ethiopian food yet. But, I was jealous of all those people who have eaten it and fell in love.

I have made only three soups before and the first (Creamy Potato Asparagus soup) was a throw away recipe. The second was a Creamy Garlic, Potato, Celery soup which was really great. But even that can't compare with the soup I made for dinner.

I got this recipe from www.ivu.org (International Vegetarian Union). It is called Nile River Red Lentil Soup (recipe follows pictures)

This is while it was simmering. Looks interesting, huh?

And after it's all done and blended in the food processor it looked like this:

Nile River Red Lentil Soup:

Ingredients:

1 T. olive oil
1 onion, finely chopped
2-3 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup red lentils, rinsed
2 t. ground ginger
2 t. ground cumin
2 t. ground coriander
4 cups vegetable stock or water
2 slices lemon, about 1/4 inch thick each
1 medium tomato, chopped
1/2 t. cayenne pepper
salt and pepper to taste
small handful cilantro

Preparation:

-Heat oil in medium stockpot on medium high heat
-Saute onion and garlic until softened
-Stir in lentils, ginger, cumin and coriander and mix well with onion-garlic
-Add lemon slices, veggie stock, tomatoes, cayenne, salt and pepper
-Bring to a boil, reduce heat to low, cover pot and simmer for 35-45 minutes
-Take the pot off heat, discard lemon slices, and let cool for a while
-Puree soup in blender or food processor with cilantro, reserving some cilantro for garnish
-Serve in bowls with extra cilantro and extra cayenne or paprika, if desired

I didn't have injera so I ate this soup with pita bread instead.

Please, MAKE THIS MAKE THIS MAKE THIS!! It's so good!!

It's My 1st Veganniversary!

2008-03-03T18:02:00.000-08:00

Celebrate! Celebrate! I have now been vegan for a year and it's been a lovely journey. At first, I was miserable in a cloud of despair because I couldn't stop thinking about the creatures whose lives are filled with terror and disease. And while it obviously still saddens me to think of these poor souls, I try to focus on the fact that none of my money has directly gone to support such a cruel industry. In the process, I have become more aware of my health and the environment because the three issues go hand-in-hand.

All of my friends and family have been pretty supportive and I'm very thankful for that. For anyone who doubted my switch in lifestyle, I hope you can take note now that I am doing very well, thank you very much.

And I'm going full speed ahead.

Benefits:
-In the first few months of veganism I lost 30 pounds and ever since I have maintained a steady weight without even thinking about what I'm eating or drinking.
-I have not found any scary bits in my food, like bones, gristle, tumors or lumps, etc. because those problems certainly don't exist in plant foods.
-I feel I am thinking more clearly than I have in past.
-I have learned to cook up a storm in the kitchen with new and exciting ingredients. No one helped me to learn to cook but I got all my tips from cookbooks, online recipes, a lot of experimentation, etc.

Negatives:
Just one!
-It's difficult to find foods in restaurants that are vegan-friendly, although not impossible. It's better for my health and my wallet, anyway.

So here's to the first year gone, there's lots to come.

Bread Garden

2008-02-29T21:58:00.000-08:00

Wow! I love my new pita bread. I have really found a winner. You can stuff and stuff and it doesn't bust out the bottom.

I made a super-simple, filling, nutritious dinner. It was so easy to make that it will become one of my lazy day staples. I just whipped up some guacamole, and stuffed it in pita with cucumber and tomato slices.

Green Garden Pitas:

With all the spare time I had after making such an easy dinner I was really bored so I decided to make some bread. I love me some foccacia and I haven't made it since I first became vegan. It's been a while and I'm happy I made it.

Check this pretty cut loaf:

Yuck, I'm Sick

2008-02-26T20:13:00.000-08:00

I have never had the flu but I think I just got it. When I woke up, I felt like I just worked out. My muscles are aching, I have a slight fever, and I'm really tired. Hopefully it will only last a little bit and I can still go to work. To be honest I don't want to go to work but the last time I called in sick was probably about a year-and-a-half ago so I'll see how it goes, and if I'm too under-the-weather, I'll just go back home. I'm not a big tea drinker but I really wish I had some right about now.

Tomorrow on the Oprah Show they are having a special about Freegans. I always found the concept interesting but I don't have the desire or courage to become Freegan. It seems a little too harsh for me. Although I love to read about how people made the switch and what their motives are. If after tomorrow I find a link to the show, I'll try to link this post up to it.

I had an extra box of tempeh in the fridge so I went cruising the recipe websites and I came upon the Tofurky/Turtle Island Company which actually made this particular tempeh. You know how I love those picnic-type salads!! So I made a great Mock "Chicken" Salad. It didn't taste at all like chicken salad but it was sublime. I made this a few days ago.

MOCK CHICKEN SALAD (from tofurky.com)

Great as a sandwich or served on a bed of lettuce, garnished with tomatoes and sprouts.

8 oz. Turtle Island Soy or Five Grain Tempeh
2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup celery, chopped fine
1/4 cup minced onion
1/2 cup fresh parsley, chopped
1 tsp. dill weed
1/4 cup vegenaise (or homemade vegan mayo)
1 1/2 tsp. mustard (wet) prepared
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1/2 tsp. garlic powder
2 Tbsp. toasted sesame seeds
Grate Tempeh and marinate in 1 quart of water with salt for 20 minutes.
Drain and place in a bowl with chopped onion, celery, parsley and dill weed.
Mix remaining ingredients together and add to Tempeh and vegetable mixture.
Mix well, serve in salads or on sandwiches.

Actually I went into work last Friday and a client came into our office and peaked over my cubicle wall as I was eating lunch and he exclaimed in a horrible Texas accent, "WHAT THE HELL ARE YA EATIN', SON!!" I told him I was eating Quinoa and a Tempeh Salad. He was so lost. I don't think he knew I was speaking English. And I'm sure, being from Texas, that he only knows what burgers and fries look like. Granted, quinoa kinda looks like tan caviar, but it was embarrassing to have to explain my foods to him.

Being sick I just prepared a quick meal of Curried Tofu (V-Con), Barbecue Black Beans, and a sad piece of wilted celery with chili pepper hummus. The Curried Tofu was really interesting and some of the burnt edges tasted like bacon, which was a suprise. Maybe if I slice the tofu thin enough next time I can make my own soy bacon.

I almost forgot...my favorite stand at the Farmer's Market in Oakland is opening a Vegan Soul Food restaurant. YAY! Apparently the demand was so high that they got enough money to open. I can't make it to the Grand Opening but I'll be there soon enough. :0)

Come back again real soon ya hear!!

Love,
Ryan Seacrest and his lover, Ryan Seacrest

Black History Month with a V*gan Twist

2008-02-18T20:30:00.000-08:00

Sorry...this is a long post but it's necessary to show my admiration for the people below.

February in America is Black History Month so I want to honor those who struggled in the past to build this country and in the present day to bring hope and kindness and culture to US society.

I want to honor a couple people in particular for the talent and celebrity that they have brought to the forefront of present-day modern America.

These men and women have fought adversity to shine through and show their creativity to all of us in profound ways. Although I should be honoring all African-Americans, this is a vegan blog so I am going to honor just a select few Black Vegans.

Russell Simmons (vegan):

Russell Simmons (born October 4, 1957 in Queens, New York), is an American entrepreneur and activist. Simmons was the co-founder of the pioneering hip-hop label Def Jam, a founder of Russell Simmons Music Group, and the creator of the clothing fashion line Phat Farm and the fragrance label Atman.

Erykah Badu (vegan):

Erykah Badu (born Erica Abi Wright, February 26, 1971) is a Grammy Award winning, American R&B, soul, and hip hop singer and songwriter, whose work encompasses elements of jazz. She is best known for her role in the rise of the neo soul sub-genre, and for her eccentric, cerebral musical stylings and sense of fashion. Early in her career she was recognizable for wearing very large and colorful headwraps. For her musical sensibilities, she has often been compared to jazz great Billie Holiday.[1] She was a core member of the Soulquarians, and is also an actress having appeared in a number of films playing a diverse range of supporting roles.

Reverend Al Sharpton (vegan):

Alfred Charles "Al" Sharpton Jr. (born October 3, 1954) is an American Baptist minister, political and civil rights/social justice activist, and radio talk show host.[1][2] In 2004, Sharpton was a candidate for the Democratic nomination for the U.S. presidential election. Sharpton has many critics who believe he is doing more harm than good. Sharpton sees much of the criticism as a sign of his effectiveness. "In many ways, what they consider criticism is complimenting my job," said Sharpton. "An activist’s job is to make public civil rights issues until there can be a climate for change. So when people get angry at me for raising these issues and making them public, well, that’s my job! That’s what I’m supposed to do. If I could not get the public’s attention on an issue, then I’m not a good activist."

He is an activist for equal rights for Blacks, Gays, and Animals. He would definitely be a great president for this flawed country.

Andre 3000 (vegan):

André 3000 (born André Lauren Benjamin on May 27, 1975 in Atlanta, Georgia) is an American musician, singer, songwriter, rapper, hip hop producer and actor. He is half of the successful hip hop duo OutKast and is also the creator of Cartoon Network's Emmy-winning show Class of 3000. André is also a vegan. In 2004, alongside Alicia Silverstone, André was voted by PETA to be the 'World's Sexiest Vegetarian Celebrity.' He is a force in the music industry and joins hip hop, rap, pop, soul, funk, and doo-wop to become a creation all his own.

Coretta Scott King (vegan) (R.I.P.):

Coretta Scott King (April 27, 1927 – January 30, 2006) was the wife of the civil rights activist Martin Luther King, Jr., and a noted civil rights leader, author, singer, and founder and former president of the King Center in Atlanta, Georgia. She is a recipient of the Congressional Gold Medal and the Gandhi Peace Prize.

A long-time advocate for world peace, in 1957, King was one of the founders of The Committee for a Sane Nuclear Policy.
King called her adoption of a vegan diet in 1995 a blessing. Her son, Dexter, had been vegan since 1988, saying that an appreciation for animal rights is the "logical extension" of his father's philosophy of non-violence.
King was vocal in her opposition to capital punishment and the 2003 invasion of Iraq, thus drawing criticism from conservative groups. She was also an advocate of feminism, lesbian and gay rights and HIV/AIDS prevention.

And in honor of these innovative, creative souls I made a dish just for them.

I made Blackened Cajun Tofu:

I also made a side of Waldorf Salad (which doesn't have anything to do with Black History Month but was a great side dish):

Blackened Cajun Tofu:

1 lb. extra-firm tofu, drained, pressed, and sliced into four thin slices, then each piece sliced from left top corner to bottom right corner forming 8 long triangles
2 TBSP nutritional yeast
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
2 TBSP olive oil

Mix yeast, salt, pepper, chili powder, and cayenne pepper on a plate, set aside.
Preheat a pan over medium-high heat, add 1 TBSP oil and let heat for about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Take a slice of cut tofu and dredge in yeast-pepper mixture. Place 4 dredged tofu triangles in pan and brown on both sides, approximately 3-5 minutes on each side. Take blackened tofu off of pan and lay on paper towels to absorb excess oil. Add last 1 TBSP oil to pan and heat for 30 seconds-1 minute. Dredge the other 4 tofu triangles in yeast-pepper mixture and add to pan. Brown both sides and place on paper towels when done.

Simple Waldorf Salad (I know the ingredients seem odd but trust me, it's awesome):

1-1/2 apples, cubed
1 TBSP lemon juice
2 medium stalks celery, sliced in 1/4" pieces
1 cup red seedless grapes, each grape sliced in half
1/2 cup vegan mayonnaise
1/2 cup walnuts, chopped.

Chop apples and place in large mixing bowl, sprinkle with lemon juice. Add celery, grapes, walnuts, and mayo. Stir until well combined and chill in refrigerator for an hour or so.

It sounds weird but it's really good.

Parts of the biopics on modern Black Vegans were quoted from their respective Wikipedia pages. To get more info on each person, simply go to wikipedia.com and type in a name.

Beef Recall!

2008-02-17T22:00:00.000-08:00

There is a massive beef recall in the United States, actually the largest recall in history. 143 million pounds of beef is being recalled.

This latest undercover investigation by the Humane Society of America is not anything new. Investigations by PETA have been going undercover for years but since the news corporations and government deny PETA credibility because of ties to the ALO (Animal Liberation Organization) they don't show all of the other companies' practices that have gone on to sell sick and diseased meat and dairy to unwitting consumers.

These practices happen way too often and more than half of the meat supply in the USA is contaminated by harmful bacteria (that's why you must cook your food to kill harmful bacteria.)

Need I say more.

Link (copy and paste in URL): http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080218/ap_on_bi_ge/slaughterhouse_abuse;_ylt=AumqQeYioIQDYJ8enAd.30ys0NUE

Barbecue In the Kitchen

2008-02-16T22:17:00.000-08:00

Okay I didn't really barbecue in the kitchen because I would probably die from carbon monoxide poisoning from the smoke, however I have made a few really great smoky BBQ flavored dishes lately. There's nothing like some Liquid Smoke to lend it's hickory flavor to any number of recipes and meals. I remember looking for it forever in supermarkets and I could never find it until one day I did and I almost crapped my pants. I was so excited that I didn't mind shelling out the $4.50 for a small bottle. And it's been a great investment. It's great for marinating things, used when sauteeing vegetables, and much much more.

Here is a view of some of the things I've made since the last post:

Beans and Rice (I made the Messy Rice recipe from V-con, and then warmed up some black beans and added some jalapeno slices, capers, salt, pepper, and Liquid Smoke):

Smoky Pan-Fried Tempeh with Sauteed Collard Greens:

Vegan Jalapeno Ranch Burger with a side of Tofu Egg Salad:

Inspired by the Apples and Twigs blog from Steffi, I decided to buy a bento box and it seemed big enough from the description online, but when I got it in the mail it was so small...only about the size of two apples so I doubt I'll be using it often because I eat a lot of food. However the box is super-cute:

VEGANOMICON

2008-02-11T19:26:00.000-08:00

YAY! So I have finally joined the ranks of vegans from around the world who own a copy of VEGANOMICON: The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook (V-con). It is truly an amazing book, and quite thorough too. It includes everything from over 250 recipes, how to cook certain veggies, beans, and grains, stocking items in the vegan pantry, and how to have fun while cooking. I love it! This book is authored by Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Terry Hope Romero who also wrote Vegan with a Vengeance, but this book is way way better. Since the first book was an extension of the Post Punk Kitchen Show, does that make this book the Post-post-punk vegan book?

I made the Brooklyn Deli Macaroni Salad from V-con. I'm in love. It tastes as good or better than it looks. This will be a must for any BBQ or picnic in my opinion.

Brooklyn Deli Macaroni Salad:

Oh by the way, this was the first day I have ever used radishes in a dish. Radishes remind me of my grandmother for some reason. I think it's because she always used them in green salads. The last time I had a radish, in fact, was probably about 10-15 years ago when I spent my summers in Canada with my grandparents. Good memories. I miss you Grandma!

My Computer Literacy Rate is 5%

2008-02-10T21:37:00.000-08:00

I have been writing this blog for the past few months and always had a problem with my pictures. They would always be cut off and when you scroll over the picture you can't click and open the picture in a new window. I consulted my friend who's good with computers and he showed me what I was doing wrong (apparently, there is a button on the top of the "new post" screen where it says "add image"). Goddamn I am such a ditz. It was right there in front of me the whole time. So anyway, from now on my pics should appear in normal blogger fashion; not the way I was posting them before.

I've seen many recipes for things like Rice Salad, Bulgar Salad, and Quinoa Salad and they all sound gross. Why would I want a salad that the base ingredient is a grain or grain-like? After all a salad to me should be fresh tasting and make you feel all healthy. And grains are more comforting to me; not so fresh. I was thinking this until I came across some website (can't remember which one) where there was a Toasted Quinoa Salad where the ingredients sounded really good. So I went with it, and soon enough I made it. It's actually very good and super easy to make. It takes only about 20-25 minutes (not including waiting times) so it's great for when you are having a lazy Sunday like I am today. This salad mix is tangy and spicy and fresh tasting above all.

Toasted Quinoa Salad:

Ingredients:

3/4 cup uncooked quinoa
1-1/2 cups vegetable broth or water
1 carrot, peeled and diced
1 red bell pepper (capsicum), diced
1/4 cup minced parsley or cilantro (cilantro works best, in my opinion)
2 sliced green onions (scallions)
Juice of 1 small lemon
Juice of 1 small lime
2 Tbsp. soy sauce, tamari, or Bragg's Liquid Aminos
2 cloves garlic, minced finely
2 tsp. Asian garlic chili sauce or hot sauce of choice

Preparation:

Rinse Quinoa and drain. Put in a pot and toast over medium heat until a few grains begin to pop. Add broth or water and bring to a boil. Turn down heat, cover and simmer for about 15 minutes or until liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat and let quinoa cool, covered, for 10-15 minutes.

Mix carrot, red bell pepper, cilantro or parsley, and green onion in a large bowl. Add cooled quinoa and toss to combine. Whisk together lemon and lime juices, soy sauce, garlic and hot sauce. Pour over salad and mix well.

Chill until serving.

You can add some fresh raw vegetables to this like peas, green beans, corn, etc. I added some sugar snap peas (as you can see from the picture).

Pretty? Ugly? Pretty Ugly?

2008-02-06T21:27:00.000-08:00

As I said I'm sticking to making a veggie dish and some grains...most of the time. I was dying to make some peanut sauce again because I'm a dirty slut for peanut butter lately. It was super, lemme tell you. Some Blanched Broccoli always goes well with Peanut Sauce so I made some of that with some Tofu sauteed in Sesame Oil.

The Broccoli and Tofu over Brown Rice looked very pretty without the sauce so here it is:

With the Peanut Sauce, however, it looked just plain ugly:

I haven't baked in a long time but with my crazy (almost pregnant) cravings for Peanut Butter lately I made Peanut Butter Banana Muffins.

I just discovered this great new market that I drive by everyday. But, today I stopped in and I'm in love! They have a lot of great Israeli, Greek, and other Middle Eastern things as well as some hard to find health food items. I can't believe I missed it before! Today I bought 3 bananas, 1 lemon, 1 lime, some sugar snap peas, and a bottle of capers for only $5.00. I can't wait until I run out of food and go shopping there again!

Hello, Green Bean

2008-02-04T21:27:00.000-08:00

I have been eating really bad lately. That's probably why I haven't been posting so much lately. I have just been eating packaged foods and veggie burgers and things that I can make quickly. But now I'm sick of it and I went out shopping and I want to start eating better again. My plan is to make a great tasting veggie dish with grains or rice. So that's the plan but we'll see what happens. I've been so lazy lately.

Tonight, however, I sauteed some green beans with garlic, sesame oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and red pepper flakes. I also made some spicy quinoa. Quinoa with some Asian garlic chile sauce mixed in.

Wow! From the look of this, it could be a great thing to serve at Halloween time. It kinda looks like a melted witch face with snakes for hair.

Anyway, I feel better already. I love veggies and grains, and I love love love spices and sauces and condiments and herbs. And I love you!!

Keepin' It Simple

2008-01-31T21:36:00.000-08:00

This may seem like a simple meal but it actually took a bit of time to prepare. I made Broccoli with Garlic and Soy Sauce served on a bed of brown rice. I guess it is a pretty easy dish to make. But, the flavors are so robust your mouth will scream with joy.

Broccoli with Garlic and Soy Sauce:

I always make my rice with vegetable broth instead of water which gives it a great flavor.

I used the recipe from Ina Garten's page (the Barefoot Contessa) at the Food Network website. I will make this again and again. It's really good for just a little broccoli dish.

Recipe at:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,1977,FOOD_9936_28477,00.html

This is the last post of January. We're one month into 2008 already. It's incredible...literally IN-CREDIBLE!

Meet Pablo Porky Pine

2008-01-30T13:23:00.000-08:00

Click to visit my Haikoo^SM Zoo pet, Pablo Porcupine, on Facebook!

Asian Flair!

2008-01-29T21:00:00.000-08:00

A good noodle dish is always satisfying and one with some asian spice can really get me going.

I got a cookbook a few years ago as a gift called, "Rachael Ray: 30 Minute Meals." I was just looking through it recently and decided that I should give it away because almost every dish centers around meat and dairy. Although, if creative, I could recreate some recipes to be meat and dairy free, sometimes I just don't want to have to think or have an imagination after I get home from work. However, I have found a couple meals that were vegan right out of the book. And I took a chance and made something from it this chilly day.

Sesame is a pungent, strong flavor that I truly love. It's so full-bodied, so vibrant, yet so mysterious at times. It makes for a great flavor for a cold noodle dish.

Sesame Noodles (recipe follows pic):

Ingredients:

1/4 cup soy sauce
2 T tahini
2 T sesame oil
1/4 tsp or 2 pinches cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp or 2 pinches ground ginger or 1" piece ginger root, grated
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound cappellini (angel hair pasta)
3 green onions, sliced thin, ends trimmed
1 large carrot, peeled and grated
sesame seeds and crushed red pepper flakes for garnish

In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce, tahini, sesame oil, cayenne, ginger, and minced garlic until smooth, set aside. Cook pasta according to package directions and then drain in a colander and rinse in cold water to stop the cooking process. Give the noodles a few good strong shakes to get the water out. Pour noodles into a large bowl and toss with soy sesame sauce until well-coated. Stir in carrots and green onions. Serve sesame noodles with some sesame seeds and red pepper flakes and enjoy.

Down Home Comfort Foods

2008-01-28T21:21:00.000-08:00

As almost everyone knows, I love a good hearty, savory meal. I often frequent the Vegan Soul Food stall at a local farmer's market and I am really excited about the new prospects for their business. They are going to open a restaurant at some point and I have the feeling that I will be there pretty often during my weekends spent in Oakland. I posted about the food that I get from the stall awhile ago and I think they deserve another appreciation from me.

I love salty food, food that just fills you up and makes the palate smile on a ray of sunshine, the kind of food that you could eat and indulge on and love and eat all day and night. Luckily, making vegan foods that are hearty and tasty are quite healthy and helps maintain my weight and energy and craving for "junk"-type foods.

Potato Salad:

There are a few different types of potato salad that are popular in Europe and North America. The most common being either a creamy salad or an oil-based salad. I recently read that America and Northern Germany both favor the creamy version and Italy, France, Southern Germany, etc. favor the oily potato salad. I can definitely see that this is true because when you see a potato salad in the US it's almost always one made with Mayonnaise (or in this case, Vegenaise.)

I still have to perfect a great version of the Potato Salad as the one I made had a little too much onion for my personal taste.

Italian Vegan Sausage, Pepper, Onion, and Rice Bake:

I love using herbs and spices. You can change the character, flavor, color, and even texture of a dish just by adding a few pinches here and there. I also enjoy a good baked dish. I brought together a few of some of my favorite ingredients to make a super-savory dish that can be enjoyed by all: omnivore, herbivore, or frugivore.

Super Simple Party Dip

2008-01-16T21:43:00.000-08:00

Ahhh dip. People always gather around a good dip at a party and chat amongst themselves without a care in the world. I didn't have a party but I enjoyed making a dip for myself anyway. It has only a couple layers and is very easy to make.

The bottom layer is a bean layer:

1 16oz. (448g) can Vegetarian refried beans
1 small can Diced green chiles
1 envelope taco seasoning (make sure it doesn't contain milk or cheese)

Mix all ingredients together and spread onto a medium or large serving dish

The next layer is the Guacamole:

2 ripe avocados
1 TBSP. lemon juice
hot sauce (to taste)
salt (to taste)

-Mash avocado in a bowl with a fork and mix in the rest of the ingredients.
-Spread on top of bean mixture

And last but not least:

1/2 large tomato, diced
1 small can sliced black olives, drained

Sprinkle over top of Guacamole and serve with your favorite tortilla or potato chips.

Garlicky Cream of Celery & Potato Soup

2008-01-14T21:57:00.000-08:00

I always buy vegetables from the store whenever it's called for in a new recipe. I always buy celery but I usually only use two or three stalks before the whole head goes limp so today I decided to make my wilted celery a star-attraction dish. I made some soup out of the celery. And, let me tell you, it was the most amazing cream soup I have made so far. It's not an overwhelming celery taste but it has enough flavor to proclaim it Celery Soup. I recently bought a little bottle of Spike, which is a great herb-spice mix that went well into the soup. I'm sorry, but I'm so lazy I don't wanna put up the recipe right now. If you want to taste this awesome soup just send me a comment. Wow, this soup is great...and for the first time, I didn't waste a single part of the head of celery. I'm so proud.

Tofu McMuffin

2008-01-14T21:50:00.000-08:00

I truly do miss Egg McMuffins from McDonalds, but that's okay because there are always vegan alternatives. In this case, almost the whole recipe consists of vegan alternatives to fast food breakfast standards. Instead of egg I used tofu. Instead of bacon or sausage I used veggie Canadian Bacon. And, instead of american cheese, I used some Soy Mozzarella Cheese. Unfortunately the "cheese" didn't want to cooperate and melt but it tasted great anyway.

Fuck You McDonalds.

Creamy Artichoke Salad

2008-01-14T21:44:00.000-08:00

I love creamy salads and this one is no exception. I have made pasta salad, potato salad, faux egg salad, etc. This recipe is the almost the same as the Faux Egg Salad that I posted earlier but without added salt and instead of tofu I used artichoke hearts. This is great for picnics and potlucks or just when you crave a quick and easy meal that's light and lovely.

Enchilada Casserole

2008-01-14T21:40:00.000-08:00

I guess I haven't posted in a while. Anyway, one day last week I was really craving some enchilada sauce flavor but I wasn't sure what I should make. I was thinking about just making some vegan enchiladas, then I thought enchilada soup sounded good. Then I saw a recipe for an Enchilada Casserole from the Fat Free Vegan Kitchen blog which looked awesome. I made the dish and it was great. I love Enchilada Sauce...I could eat it from the can!

Squashy Squash Bread (Zucchini Bread[or is it zookini])

2008-01-09T21:32:00.000-08:00

I love the snow!! Unfortunately, it hardly ever snows down in the Silicon Valley but we do get a few dustings of snow on the hilltops during winter. We recently had a few cold storms and it rained a lot in San Jose but the hills got a little bit of snow. Too bad I didn't have extra time to go up the road and play in it. In the picture below you can barely see the snow. It's at the very tops of the hills. I wish it would snow down here in the valley though.

Michelle made a wonderful Zucchini bread for New Year's Eve and I was really craving to make some of my own. She gave me her awesome recipe but I decided to use a different one because I didn't have all the ingredients on hand, but I found a recipe where I did have everything. It was easy to make and it's the first "quick bread" that I have made. I have made Focaccia and Pizza Dough before, but never anything like this.

The bread turned out pretty shallow because I used too big of a bread loaf pan.

I can't wait until the next holiday season. It would be great to get some mini loaf pans and wrap the loaves in some decorative paper with a ribbon and give as gifts.

The bread looks so shallow that the picture below looks as if it could be biscotti. Oh, by the way Michelle, my Zucchini Bread held together really well. The next time I go to Whole Foods I will try to remember to buy you some Ener-G Egg Replacer powder. It works wonders.

Aaaahhhh! I'm dreaming about my breakfast tomorrow: Warm Zucchini Bread with margarine. :)

Indulge

2008-01-03T21:18:00.000-08:00

My favorite new ice cream:

Tonight I made an easy pizza that was plain but really tasty. Pizza Con Le Patate! (Potato Herb Pizza)

I just made a basic Pizza Dough then topped with thinly-sliced potatoes, rosemary, dill, salt, pepper, and olive oil. I sliced it up and ate it with a vegan Ranch Dip. It takes a bit of time for the dough to rise but the actual preparation in all took about 20 minutes. But waiting for the dough to rise, the pizza assembly, and the baking altogether took about 2 hours. So worth it!!

Pan-Asian Fusion and Nouveau Comida Mexicana

2007-12-30T19:01:00.000-08:00

As promised a couple posts ago, I made the Pad Thai Wraps and Avocado Boats. It was some fun food to make with little preparation or time in the kitchen. I especially love how the Avocado Boats turned out. I think they'd be great for serving people as an appetizer or just a side dish like I used it as tonight.

The term "Nouveau Comida Mexicana" is just a term I came up with when thinking about what type of cuisine the "boats" could be classified under. Obviously, "Pan-Asian Fusion" is already an established phrase that I thought fit nicely with the wraps.

Pad Thai Wraps:

Avocado Boat:

If we truly are what we eat, I think I might be the Jolly Green Giant or maybe his cute little imp "Sprout."

Intelligence Quiz

2007-12-29T20:04:00.000-08:00

Haha!! Apparently I'm not a logical person!

Your IQ Is 115

Your Logical Intelligence is Below Average

Your Verbal Intelligence is Exceptional

Your Mathematical Intelligence is Exceptional

Your General Knowledge is Exceptional

A Quick and Dirty IQ Test

V*gan "Pigs in Blankets"

2007-12-29T18:59:00.000-08:00

I was feeling so lazy this dreary Saturday evening so I whipped up the easiest dinner I could. I made some veg. "pigs in blankets" by just rolling veggie dogs in Pillsbury Crescent dough and baking for about 15 minutes.

I've never had a vegan version of ranch dressing, so I looked around online and made some tonight. It was super easy. I can't figure out the link thing but I got the recipe at: http://vegetarian.about.com/od/saladdressings/r/veganranch.htm

Fridays Are For Lovers

2007-12-28T21:54:00.000-08:00

Or maybe "self-lovers"? I don't know, I'm just happy it's the weekend so I can have a little time to rest and not think about work or the holidays or whatever. I was planning on making Pad Thai Wraps and Avocado Boats for dinner but I decided that I should try that another time...maybe tomorrow, maybe next weekend. But look out for it because it'll be soon. I was looking forward to using my new food processor and I found a recipe online for a Tofu Frittata which looked abso-toot-a-lutely amazing so that's what I made tonight. And I got use out of some of my Christmas gifts. Especially my new knife set, my new food processor, and my new kitchen utensils. I wanted the frittata to come out of the oven solid and together, but, unfortunately, it fell apart while I was lifting it out of the pan to my plate. I know for next time that I will cut the frittata into pieces like a quiche or pie before I transfer it to my plate. It didn't retain it's shape but it tasted amazing and here is the big unveil:

2007-12-26T20:46:00.000-08:00

I went to the family's place for the holidays and everything went smoothly. I had a great Christmas. Hope YOU did as well!

Anyway, I made delicious Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups

We had a pretty great Xmas. I had a nice time and now I'm looking forward to New Year's and getting totally shitty drunk and passing out naked on the highway.

Until then, I'm just gonna work and go home day in and day out. I ate falafel for Boxing Day (December 26).

Almost Made From Scratch

2007-12-22T22:07:00.000-08:00

Between the Christmas shopping and the Christmas movies on TV I made myself a special dinner. One that required a bit of time to prepare.

A neighborhood child came to me one day a couple months ago selling magazine subscriptions for a school fundraiser. Usually I would just say "no thanks" but she is the daughter of neighbor-friend of mine so I decided to peruse her list of magazines. She insisted on me getting "Sports Illustrated" but I turned down that idea because most sports featured in that publication are utterly boring to me. I saw that there was a subscription to "Vegetarian Times" so I ordered that instead. I have gotten a couple issues already and I have been eager to make something from them.

I bought a book recently titled "The Complete Book of Raw Food" because I have heard the amazing health benefits of eating raw. I am not gonna become a raw foodie but I thought once in a while it would be nice to eat "living foods."

So, cue the drum-roll, for this beautiful winter's evening, I made Soy Sesame Tofu with Peanut Sauce and a Mesclun Salad with Creamy Cumin Dressing.

Recipes follow pictures

Soy Sesame Tofu:

1 block of water-packed extra-firm tofu, drained, cut into 1 inch cubes, and marinated

For marinade I used:

Low-sodium Soy Sauce
Toasted Sesame Oil
Ground Ginger
Garlic Powder

The amounts of each ingredient are up to you and your taste

Spray or lightly coat a pan with olive oil over medium-high heat and brown tofu, flipping or stirring occasionally.

Peanut Sauce (recipe taken from Vegetarian Times magazine):

1 cup smooth peanut butter
10-15 sprigs cilantro, chopped
3 Tbsp. sugar or sweetener
2 Tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce or tamari
2 tsp. apple cider vinegar
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
Cayenne pepper to taste

Whisk peanut butter with 1 cup of hot water in a large bowl. Stir in remaining ingredients until combined.

This sauce is not just great with tofu but is perfect for a vegetable dip or atop noodles.

Raw Creamy Cumin Salad Dressing (recipe taken from The Complete Book of Raw Food):

1 cup raw sunflower seeds
2 cloves garlic, peeled
20 sprigs cilantro
1 tsp. sea salt
3 Tbsp. lemon juice
1/8 cup flax, hemp, or olive oil
1/2 tsp. cumin powder

In a blender, thoroughly mix all ingredients with 1 cup of water until smooth. Dressing may thicken upon refrigeration, so add a little water when using later. It will keep in the fridge for about 2 weeks.

Really good dinner. And it's enough for 2-3 meals for one person. I'm looking forward to eating more for lunch tomorrow.

I have to go wrap gifts and watch a couple Xmas movies. Enjoy. If you make anything from this post, make the peanut sauce. It's so delicious and easy, honest.

Cappellini Alfreda

2007-12-20T20:24:00.000-08:00

I absolutely love pasta. I love Italian food. I love making new things. I love trying new meals and enjoy making dishes that contain ingredients which I already have at home.

I am, however, always looking at recipes online for inspiration. Today I really wanted to cook some pasta that's been sitting on the shelf for a while looking all sad and wanting to be boiled. When I usually make pasta I use a vegan pesto powder that I boil with olive oil and water. I didn't feel like pesto tonight so I decided to do some research.

I was looking for a vegan alfredo sauce recipe that I can use, but, unfortunately, most of them contain tofu, which is fine, but tofu sauces require a sturdy food processor in order to get them right. Right now, I just have a little cheap blender that overheats easily so a tofu sauce recipe is out of the question. I did, however, find a recipe in VwaV (Vegan with a Vengeance, for those of you not in the secret vegan circle). It called for Fettucine but I had Cappellini on-hand and it worked well.

I have a new love affair with Cilantro. Actually we go back pretty far, but, now I am addicted. I want cilantro, I need cilantro, I love cilantro, I want to give a hug and kiss to my cilantro. Oh, how do I love thee, monsieur cilantro?

Yum for Cappellini Alfreda. It's like sex on a plate! But, unlike sex, it doesn't disappoint!

Observation

2007-12-20T17:51:00.000-08:00

Looking over my posts I realized something...I always make something brown and something green. Just a random thought. Go over my earlier posts and see for yourself.

No Protein tonight!!

2007-12-19T23:36:00.000-08:00

I made some food that doesn't really have too much protein. Don't worry, I'll make up for it tomorrow. Bitches, get ahold of some INDIAN CURRIED RICE AND LEMON GARLIC BROCCOLI!

You better watch out. You better not cry. My Indian Curried Rice is hot. I'm telling you why! Kyle is coming to town.

What Mixed Drink Are You?

2007-12-18T21:11:00.001-08:00

You Are a Bloody Mary

You're a fairly serious drinker, who's experimented a lot with different drinks.
You're a drunk, but a stable drunk. You don't ever let your drinking get out of control.

What Mixed Drink Are You?

Southwest Black Bean Patties

2007-12-18T19:29:00.000-08:00

I threw together some canned veggies and some Southwestern patties for dinner.

Ingredients:

1 can (15-19oz.) black beans, drained and rinsed
2 Tbsp. vegan mayo (vegenaise, nayonnaise, homemade, etc.)
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1/4 cup Panko or other breadcrumbs
1 tsp. hot sauce
1/2 tsp. cumin
salt and pepper to taste

-In a large bowl mash beans and mayo with a fork or masher until smooth
-Mix in the rest of the ingredients and stir until combined
-Heat some oil in a skillet on medium-high heat
-With lightly-floured hands, make mixture into 4 patties
-Brown patties in skillet for about 3-4 minutes on each side

Serve with salsa and jalapenos, etc.

Full Plate

2007-12-18T17:03:00.000-08:00

Last weekend I got to the Farmer's Market just in time to get some Soul Food. I usually get enough for just one meal but when I ordered it "to go" I got a huge portion. Definitely enough for two meals, but for the same price. I'm not quite sure how that all worked out but I was happy. I picked Sweet Potatoes, Barbecue Tofu, and Mustard greens over rice from their selection. The barbecue tofu was so good I tried to make it myself at home a couple days later.

As I said I tried to replicate the tofu that I got at the market and it was quite good but not quite as good. I should have marinated it longer. I chose to make a couple side dishes with it: roasted potatoes and sesame roasted asparagus. It was all really amazing. Especially the asparagus!

Sesame Roasted Asparagus:

Ingredients

1 lb. or 1 bunch asparagus, washed and hard ends trimmed
2 tsp. sesame oil
1/2 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. sesame seeds

-Preheat oven to 475 F
-Toss ingredients in a large bowl and then lay them on a baking sheet
-Put them in the oven for 10-12 minutes

Roasted Potatoes

Ingredients

4 medium potatoes, washed and cut into bite-size cubes
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
1/2 tsp. basil
1/2 tsp. rosemary
1/2 tsp. thyme
1/2 tsp. dill
1/2 tsp. parsley
1/2 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. garlic powder

-Preheat oven to 475 F
-Toss all ingredients in a large bowl and lay mixture, in a single layer, on a lightly greased baking sheet
-Bake for 20-30 minutes until brown and crispy, stirring or flipping ever so often

Some people just prefer to use potatoes, oil, salt, and pepper, which it great too if you don't have all the spices.

BBQ Tofu:

Ingredients

1 block tofu, drained of liquid, or if using frozen tofu, thawed and drained, cut into cubes
1/2 cup BBQ sauce
1 Tbsp. oil

-Mix tofu cubes with barbecue sauce in a bowl until well-coated
-Heat oil in a medium skillet and add tofu
-Brown over medium heat until crispy
-If needed, add extra bbq sauce after the tofu is done

That same day I was still hungry a couple hours later so I made myself a quesadilla with vegan cheese and hot sauce before bed.

I'm thinking about making some black bean patties tonight. But, I'm not quite sure how to do it and I don't have a food processor so I'm just gonna wing it and use a fork or masher. Wish me luck!

Get Out Your Spanish Flare!

2007-12-12T20:29:00.000-08:00

I felt like buying some Soyrizo (veg. chorizo) today and I found a recipe that used chorizo online which I easily veganized.

This meal is called, simply, Potatoes with Peppers and Soyrizo. It makes me think of something they might make as a comfort food in Spain.

Ingredients:

5 medium potatoes (russet, idaho, etc.), cut in 1 inch pieces
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp. salt
2 fresh jalapeno chiles
1 large onion, halved and then cut in 1/4 inch strips
2 large green bell peppers
1 package of "soyrizo" (found in most grocery stores [at least in my area])
3/4 cup white wine

Preparation:

-Heat oil on medium high heat in medium or large skillet until oil is hot
-carefully add potatoes and salt and saute for 20 minutes or until browned and cooked through, stirring occasionally.
-when potatoes are done, use a slotted spoon and place them on several paper towels to soak up excess oil, reserve oil in the skillet for other ingredients
-cut a 2 inch slit in the sides of the jalapenos, add to skillet along with onions, peppers, and soyrizo and reduce heat to medium
-cook, uncovered, stirring frequently, until vegetable are cooked and softened...about 6-10 minutes
-add wine and boil until the mixture thickens...about 5 minutes.
-discard jalapenos, and mix the onion-pepper mix with potatoes in a large mixing bowl
-add salt and pepper to taste

So damn good! Those Spaniards sure know how to cook. And now, so do I.

Peekaboo!!

A Little Eastern, A Little Western

2007-12-11T19:10:00.000-08:00

I bought a bunch of asparagus on sale last week and I needed to use it up before it went bad. That's why the speared member of the lily family is making an appearance in this and the last post. I was thinking about what to do with the asparagus and I thought, "maybe I can fry them like potatoes."

I have had some falafel patties in the freezer for about 6 months and I figured I would try to deep fry them. I don't have a deep-frier so I just used oil in a medium saute pan and that worked beautifully.

I started making dinner by frying the falafel patties:

Then, I dipped the asparagus (by the way, is the plural form asparagi?) in soy sauce and breaded them in a flour mix. I fried them in oil and, unfortunately, most of the breading came off in the process. I was hoping they would come out crispy like french fries (chips) but they were pretty wilted. That's okay though, they tasted great.

Lastly, I made a "cheesy" sauce from nutritional yeast, flour, oil, soy sauce, salt, dijon mustard, and water. I drizzled it all over the falafel and asparagus. I absolutely love how it turned out. Unfortunately, I didn't make enough for lunch tomorrow. :(

King Dong

2007-12-10T19:28:00.000-08:00

I went to eat at a restaurant called "Herbivore" in downtown Berkeley and I ended up parking right in front of a Chinese place that had a funny name...King Dong. That gives me quite the mental image, haha.

Kai, Jay, and Ronnie had their housewarming party and we all made a great set-up. The apartment was completely transformed just in time before people arrived. They got these great set of lights that I just thought were amazing. I gotta get myself some of those lights.

Tonight I made a Creamy Potato Asparagus Soup. I was hoping that it would turn out to be a new favorite but it ended up just average. I won't display the recipe here because I don't think it's good enough yet. I'll have to change it up a bit next time, and then maybe I'll show you how to make it. It wasn't too bad though. I ended up adding a lot of salt, pepper, and dried dill last minute to make the flavor come out a little more. However, it looked great!!

Chocolate chips

2007-12-05T22:34:00.000-08:00

I just spotted a recipe for chocolate chip muffins and I was interested. In fact, many chocolate chips are already vegan. The most common chocolate chip brand in the USA is Tollhouse/Nestle and they contain milkfat...therefore not vegan. But I had no problem finding some that taste the same as the Tollhouse/Nestle kind. Besides, doesn't milkfat sound disgusting. The chocolate chips I recently bought are 365 brand.

I'm not sure if you can see the ingredients on that last picture, but they are:

Sugar, chocolate liquor, cocoa butter, soya lecithin (added as an emulsifier), and vanilla extract.

Don't be surprised if I show up at your house wielding desserts this holiday season!!

One of the Easiest Things You Can Do with Tofu!!

2007-12-05T18:25:00.000-08:00

Fried "Egg" Sandwiches:

2 slices tofu (large enough to fit on bread)
2 slices whole grain bread, lightly toasted
1-2 Tbs. nutritional yeast
1/8 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1/2 Tbs. oil
miscellaneous sandwich fixings (I just used soy mayo and spinach)

Directions:

-squeeze liquid out of tofu with multiple towels (cloth or paper)
-on a plate, mix nutr. yeast, salt and pepper
-dredge tofu slices in yeast mix
-heat oil on medium high
-slap tofu slices on the pan and brown
-make toast and sandwich fixings
-lay tofu on top and serve open faced or put them together to make a "big mouth" sandwich

This took me about ten minutes tops.

The Unincredible, Inedible Egg can't stand up to this lovely sammy!

Tempeh Cutlets and Spinach Salad

2007-12-03T18:44:00.000-08:00

I set out to make Faux Beef today by using gluten made from scratch, but, the gluten wouldn't solidify and form together well so I scrapped that. I made worcestershire sauce for the "beef" anyway and now it's sittin in my fridge. I thought about making the "beef" using a box of tempeh I had, but I wasn't quite sure how much I should use with the broth that it's suppose to simmer in. Anyway, I looked at the back of the tempeh and checked out their recipe; it was for tempeh cutlets. I changed the recipe a bit as I've been experimenting a little bit more with cooking. It came out tasting a little cheesy which was a nice surprise because I didn't use any vegan cheese or nutritional yeast.

Year of the Dog

2007-12-02T03:11:00.000-08:00

Okay, once again, thank you Kai for the tip. I remember seeing the previews for Year of the Dog but I kept it on the back-burner until you told me that it was totally me. I immediately put it at the top of my rental video list and I just finished watching it. It was amazing! Stylish, depressing, funny, subtle, and thought-provoking. I didn't realize from the movie description what it was really about. But now I know. Thanks Kai for the movie pick. And I hope all you readers will go out and rent this poignant film. By the way, Mom, if you're reading this post, this movie is pieces of ME and YOU.

Molly Shannon is brilliant and so is the director, Mike White!!

Scary Horse and Tri-Color Napoli Casserole

2007-12-01T22:30:00.000-08:00

Michelle and I went to Target to get some Christmas things and we came across this scary animatronic horse. We couldn't figure out how to work it except for when you stick the carrot in it's mouth it chomps down on it. Weird!

I saw a recipe online for a casserole that they called "Exploded (Unstuffed) Peppers." After I tweaked the recipe and cooked it I changed the name because I didn't think the taste or look of the casserole was representative of the original name. I changed the name to Tri-color Napoli Casserole. Tricolor because of the green, red, and white (the colors of the Italian flag) and Napoli for the Italian form of Naples.

Tri-Color Napoli Casserole:

Ingredients

1 14oz. package Tofurky Italian Sausages, sliced in 1/2" pieces
1 green bell pepper, diced
1 red bell pepper, diced
1 cup Non-instant brown rice, uncooked
2 cups vegetable broth
4 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 medium sized white or yellow onion, diced
1/3 cup pasta sauce or tomato sauce with some oregano and basil added
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cups mozzarella flavored soy-cheese, shredded

-Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
-Warm oil in large skillet over medium high heat
-Add "sausage" and lightly brown
-Add peppers, onions, garlic, and rice; saute until veggie become soft and rice browns slightly
-Add vegetable broth and pasta sauce; bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes

Pour contents into a 2 or 2-1/2 quart casserole dish. I know it looks soupy now but during baking the rice will absorb a lot of the liquid.

Top with "cheese"

Bake covered 40 minutes; uncover and bake an additional 10 minutes.

This dish is seriously yummy. It's one of the best casseroles I have come across so far.

Just Add One

2007-11-29T17:36:00.000-08:00

I got a package today in the mail and on one of the inside flaps I noticed printed was "B11". It reminded me to take my multivitamins. If you add 1 to B11 you get B12, the only vitamin I can't get from plant-based foods. My multivitamin is geared towards vegans and so it has lots of B12 (actually it has 100 micrograms [that's 1332% of the recommended daily value]). No aenemia here!! It has lots of other B vitamins as well. If you're omni, veggie, or vegantastic you should take your B vitamins because they are the happy vitamins. If you take them long enough you will feel less depressed and maybe even have a more optimistic outlook.

This is me before taking my B vitamins. So so sad.

and this is me after my "B"s:

Messy Messy Wrap Day

2007-11-27T19:49:00.000-08:00

For lunch I made a Spinach-stuffed Bolani Bread with Basil Pesto and Lentil Curry. I've never really had Afghani food before but after today I'm definitely gonna eat it more often. The flavors were so varied but it all came together so well.

I drove by a road sign today that I thought was kind of funny. I made it my motto for the day!!

For dinner I felt like making another wrap-type thing. It came out really messy, but, that's okay. I made a Burrito with Spanish Brown Rice, Black Beans, Green Chiles, Hot Sauce, "Tofutti Better Than Sour Cream," and Avocado. BTW, to make it extra special I grilled the tortilla directly on the stove burner. Thanks, Kai, for that tip.

Well I should be going. A Charlie Brown Christmas is coming on TV. Check ya later.

Same Day Different Post

2007-11-26T20:04:00.000-08:00

Tonight I made Brussel Sprouts, Onions, and Garlic in a Balsamic Glaze with Cajun-Spiced French Fries. It was so good and I ate it so fast I have to go unbutton my pants now. Bye bye.

Long Weekend

2007-11-26T19:50:00.000-08:00

Last Thursday was Thanksgiving and I decided to make myself something to take to my Father's house because I knew I wouldn't be able to eat anything but salsa and chips. I finally made the Stuffed Peppers.

My Dad's place is quite a drive from me and I was bored so I thought I would show you a picture. Can you spot the windmills on the hill?

Kai and I walked down to The Burrito Shop and I took this beautiful pic. Mine's the green one. Looks kind of like a shrunken watermelon, no? It was a roasted veggie burrito with rice and beans.

Later that same day, Friday, I got a cheeseless pizza. Too much take-out food last weekend!!

My friend Blake and I went to San Francisco on Saturday and I got this beautiful shot of the city.

Black Bean Quinoa Stuffed Mug

2007-11-19T18:59:00.000-08:00

My intentions tonight were to make stuffed bell peppers. I ended up making the filling but didn't stuff it in the peppers because A) I was lazy and didn't want to have to bake it for an additional 15 minutes and B) I cut into the pepper and saw that the seeds where brown or black, so I think it was spoiled. My inspiration came from The Urban Housewife blogger when she made the dish from a recipe in VwaV (Vegan with a Vengeance.) It was super, let me tell you. Stick a fork in me; I'm done!!

Weekend Fun

2007-11-18T22:45:00.000-08:00

This is a weekend update:

Michelle and Vladi got married in SF, yay! We ate dinner at the Tonga Room in the Fairmont Hotel and I got the Sesame Crusted Tofu with Veggies in a Garlic Sauce. The sauce almost seemed like it was butter-based but I'm really hoping it wasn't. We got these crazy big drinks. We got a couple Scorpion Bowls for four people.

View from 23rd Floor hotel room ^^^

Kai and I made some pan-seared tofu cutlets with vietnamese hot garlic chili sauce for sandwiches.

I was so happy on Saturday because Kai, Jay, and Ronnie just moved within 5 minutes walking to the Oakland Farmer's Market. They have an awesome Vegan Soul Food stand there. I got there late so they were out of mustard greens and lentils but I got the Breaded Tofu Burger and Potato Salad. So damn delish!!

View from Kai, Jay, and Ronnie's apartment. Go Freeway Overpass Activism!!

Lastly, we went to IKEA where they have this awesome huge chair sculpture thingamabob. I'm the Incredible Shrinking Kyle.

Faux Egg Salad

2007-11-15T19:46:00.000-08:00

This is one of my favorite recipes that I've discovered so far. It's Faux Egg Salad. I make it at least once every week or two. I love it on toast or just plain. Be careful though, and carry a pack of gum on you if you go out because this dish contains garlic. Knock them vampires dead!!

First, I started with drained and crumbled tofu. If you don't know how to sufficiently drain tofu, take the block out of water package and squeeze excess liquid out. Then, place tofu on top of either a cloth towel or a few sheets of paper towel. Add another towel or paper towels on top of the tofu block and apply weight. I use a medium pot with a couple heavy cans inside (this is to press the water out of the bean curd product.) Set for 45 minutes to an hour. Afterward, crumble or mash tofu into a medium mixing bowl and set aside.

This is the plain crumbled tofu drained and ready to use:

This dish comes from a book called "How It All Vegan!" by Tanya Barnard & Sarah Kramer.

Recipe:

1 14oz. or 16 oz. firm or extra firm tofu
1/2 cup soy mayonnaise (I use Vegenaise. It's truly amazing.)
4 tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
or
2 tbsp. dried parsley leaf
1 pickle, minced
1-1/2 tbsp. prepared mustard i.e. the squeeze bottle kind
1-2 stalks green onion (spring onion), chopped
1 large stalk celery, diced
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. turmeric

Crumble or mash tofu into a medium mixing bowl and add remaining ingredients. Mix together well and chill before serving.

As all vegan dishes, this contains no cholesterol and is fairly low in calories per serving (this is not a low-sodium dish.)

And mine turns out looking like this, after some garnishment, of course:

This is a wonderful alternative to high-cholesterol, high-fat egg salad, but it tastes exactly like the original or better. So get out there and make your heart happy! You can really fool non-vegans with this recipe if that's your schtick.

Serve on crackers, bread, or just use your dirty fingers and dig in!

I Have A Dream!

2007-11-15T13:28:00.000-08:00

I think I finally know what I want to be when I grow up. Oh too late. I'm already all grown up. No, but seriously, I think I want to cook for a living, except maybe without those ridiculous white chef's hats.

I was looking around at schools that have Vegetarian or Vegan programs and they all seemed far away or out of my price range, etc. except for one. I discovered the website for the Professional Culinary Institute. It's located only ten miles from where I live and it stated online that they have a vegetarian program. They must be really desperate for students because they called me just two hours after I requested info from them on their website.

The representative asked me if I wanted to schedule a time to tour the campus and the kitchens and be interviewed. I thought they would send me information in the mail, I didn't wanna schedule interviews and stuff if I don't know what the school is all about, right? right! So I asked the guy about the Vegetarian Program and if they require a lot of cooking with eggs and dairy. His response was this: "There are many different programs you will take at the PCI. You're gonna have to cook bacon and eggs sometimes, but you don't have to eat it." That's not even vegetarian, what-the-hell!! I guess I was mistaken and confused by their website. Bastards.

Anyway, I was reading another vegan blog and this really talented young woman who created the blog was accepted into Natural Gourmet Institute in NYC (known for their vegan/vegetarian programs.)

I'm a:

I thought this post could use the requisite picture for all you ADHDers out there.

Interesting Omnivore-Veg Study Conclusion

2007-11-14T14:19:00.000-08:00

I was skimming an article at work today (shhhh!!) and I came across the findings of a study conducted in 2000 which tried to see if there were different personality traits between Vegs/Vegans and Omnis. The results were kinda interesting to me:

To further distinguish between vegetarians and non-vegetarians, Allen, Wilson, Ng, and Dunne (2000) compared values and beliefs of omnivores and vegetarians as a means of exploring social values of meat. In the first of two studies, 158 participants completed a right-wing authoritarianism scale, social dominance orientation scale, and a vegan-omnivore scale. Results showed that omnivores showed greater right-wing authoritarianism. Right-wing authoritarianism is characterized by the ‘submission to recognize authority and dominance and aggression to persons of lower status.’ However, because the sample of the study consisted predominantly of omnivores, a second study attempted to further validate differences between meat-eaters and vegetarians with a larger vegetarian population. Of 324 omnivores and 54 vegetarians, omnivores valued self-control, responsibility, logic and equity, and social power. Vegans and vegetarians stressed the importance of intellectualism and excitement, love and growth, happiness, and peace, equality, and social justice. In terms of consuming food, omnivores tended to value reputation and practicality, while vegans and vegetarians tended to value expressiveness and affectivity.

Quote taken from http://www.vrg.org/journal/vj2006issue1/vj2006issue1beliefs.htm

I can see that this definitely doesn't speak for everyone. But I can see the truth in it.

Salad Night Tuesday

2007-11-13T20:44:00.000-08:00

Today is Tuesday and I just received a new book called "La Dolce Vegan!" by the lovely Sarah Kramer.

I saw at least two recipes that I wanted to mix together and I thought it would be great in a salad.

I ended up making a Spinach Salad with Avocado Tomato Salsa and Homemade seasoned croutons.

This was by far the most-involved salad I have ever made but it was, oh so, satisfying...and really fresh too; perfect for that hot summer day or just a day where you crave all your vegetable servings in one meal.

I started out making the croutons. I used organic sprouted grain bread but you can use white or wheat bread too. (Recipe follows picture)

Frying Pan Croutons:

1-1/2 cups stale bread or lightly toasted bread, cubed
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. no-salt shaker (recipe below)
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
1-1/2 Tbsp. olive oil

Mix all ingredients in a medium mixing bowl and then brown over medium-high heat until browned.

No Salt Shaker:

1-1/2 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. onion powder
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. ground black pepper
1 tsp. dry mustard (ground)
1/2 tsp. celery seed

In a bowl, combine all ingredients. Store in an air-tight container. Makes approx. 1/8 cup.

Then I made the Avocado Tomato Salsa:

1 medium tomato, chopped
1 avocado, cubed
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, minced
1 stalk green onion, minced
1 Tbsp. oil (e.g. flax, hemp, olive)
2 tsp. lime juice

In a medium mixing bowl, stir together all ingredients.

Then, all i did was make a bed of spinach for the Avocado mix and Croutons to leisurely lay on.

To save time, just used store bought croutons and some pico de gallo (add avocado to pico de gallo.) And top on some spinach. But it's always fun to make things entirely from scratch.

If you like more dressing, simply add more oil and lime juice, or citrus dressing of choice.

For raw vegans, just omit the croutons...the rest is completely raw! :)

Elaine Benes, eat your heart out. I made a "big salad" to envy!

Vegan Victoria

2007-11-11T18:39:00.000-08:00

Victoria, WE ALL MISS YOU AND WISH YOU GOOD LUCK IN L.A.!

From left to right: Kyle, Kai, Victoria, Jay, and Michelle

We will see you soon Ms. Victoria.

Cheers!

TGIF (Thank Goodness It's Friday)!!

2007-11-09T17:28:00.000-08:00

I was sitting at work and thinking of what I wanted for lunch as I only made a light dinner last night (I didn't have leftovers for lunch.) I was thinking and thinking and I remembered that I got a menu from the new veggie restaurant down the street. Let me tell you, it was tough to figure out what I wanted becuase everything sounded so damn nummy! I decided to go with the Spicy Mongolian Delight. I had no idea what it was but it sounded fun.

When I got back to work and opened the food box, I was amazed, I still didn't really know what it was. My best guess is that it was veggies and either seitan or tempeh in a fabu sauce. It was amazing. I might just become a regular there.

There is a McDonalds just across the way and their parking lot was full. :( I wish more people knew how good veg food is. I think most are just scared.

Everyone, I Have An Announcement.

2007-11-08T19:21:00.001-08:00

I'M IN LOVE

That's right...IM IN LOVE WITH...

SEASONED PETITE BRUSSEL SPROUTS

Creamy Chickpea Tahini Casserole

2007-11-07T21:04:00.000-08:00

Okay so I have been dying to make more hearty casseroles that I can scarf down all week long. I did some checking up online and I found a recipe for a Chickpea Tahini Casserole. It sounded really really good so I went out grocery shopping to buy the items I didn't have already.

It took about an hour and a half to make and when it came out of the oven it looked like this:

And plated it looked like this:

It smelled and tasted kinda like pizza... I guess because of the tomatoes, oregano, and basil. But to me it was a little too tomatoey. When I dug in I added some vegan sour cream to the mix because it didn't turn out as creamy as I would have liked by itself.

I can't wait to see how it tastes tomorrow because I hear that casseroles always taste better the next day. woohoo!

Per Ronnie In Washington's request I will display the recipe I used.

Ingredients:

2 (15oz.)cans chickpeas(garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed
3 cups cooked brown rice
1 (28oz.) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 medium white or yellow onion, chopped
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried basil
1 tsp. dried parsley
3 Tbsp. sesame tahini (you can probably find this in the international aisle or jewish section)
3 Tbsp. water
small amount olive oil
1 tsp. or more salt
1 Tbsp. sesame seeds, toasted (optional)

1. Preheat oven to 375 deg. F.

2. Mix Tahini and Water until well-mixed (it should get kind of "fluffy"), set aside

3. Spray or lightly rub 9x13 baking dish with olive oil

4. Dump all ingredients into baking dish (except for tahini mix and sesame seeds)

5. Add pepper and salt to taste

6. Mix well

7. Add tahini mixture, stir well until combined

8. Bake at 375 for approximately 40 minutes or until top starts to brown

9. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and bake another 5 minutes

10. Serve

Although this is an okay dish as is, the next time I make it I am going to add double the tahini mixture (6 Tbsp. tahini, 6 Tbsp. water), maybe a tsp. lemon juice, and a little more salt. This dish is highly versatile so you could add other spices or vegetables, if you so desire.

Brown and Yellow Food

2007-11-06T19:29:00.000-08:00

Today I was dreaming about smoothies but I don't usually give myself enough time to make one for breakfast. So, today I had some simple savory snacking. For my morning snack I had some Triscuits and Spicy hummus.

And then, I had some BANANA FUN. Yay, banana binoculars for everyone!!

I was thinking that I would make a beautiful salad with all the colors of the rainbow for dinner. But, I ended up making this...

It was an Artichoke Garlic Scrambled Tofu with Cilantro.

So so good. I really gotta eat more vegetables tomorrow though.

Universal Nirvana Casserole

2007-11-05T19:11:00.000-08:00

This recipe was first made yesterday Sunday November 4, 2007 by my friend Victoria. The name was made up either by Victoria or Kai when we were all becoming Goddesses by drinking "Synergy Kombucha" (an organic, raw juice.)

Ommm, hehehe. I decided that I wanted to try to make it myself tonight for dinner and for tomorrow's lunch at work.

Looks like comfort food, eh? It was pretty good but mine didn't turn out as well as her's. But I can't wait to improve upon this recipe.

What's in it:

--chunks of TVP (textured vegetable protein)
--green beans
--hashbrown potatoes
--vegan cheese (Vegan Gourmet Monterey Jack)
--Veganaise (Grapeseed oil kind)
--onions
--garlic
--dill
--broccoli

Welcome To My Vegan Blog!

2007-11-05T18:48:00.000-08:00

Hey there! My name is Kyle and I decided to make a blog about the food I make and occassional rants about veganism. I am definitely no chef and I have no classical-training; so a lot of my pictures will probably lack the presentation of a chic restaurant. Please just take it as it is. I am hoping this site can be used as a space for me share with you an important part of my life.

Enjoy