Your Daily Vegan

You’ll need:

• Corn meal
• Extra firm tofu
• 1 can of pinto beans
• 2 cloves garlic (pressed)
• 1 tsp soy sauce mixed with 1 tsp of water
• Pepper to taste
• Hot sauce (of course)

Cut tofu into slabs, toss in soy sauce mix then place into an iron skillet.  Cook on each side until nicely toasted.  Set aside.  In the same skillet, toss in pinto beans.  Add salt/pepper to taste and garlic- cook until nicely toasted.  While the beans are toasting up, cook the corn meal according to the package.  It’s usually something simple like mix with water and bring to a boil.  The key, I find, with creamy polenta is of course to keep whisking it to prevent lumps.  When it’s all done, pile it all on a plate and dump hot sauce all over it.

That’s it.  No really, that’s it. Enjoy.

PS.

This might seem so simple it’s not worth of recipe status.  Not so.  You can dress up this simple plate as much as you want. I’ve added onions and peppers to my beans, piled tomatoes, guacamole, and cilantro to the top with a squeeze of lime.   Then there’s those times I’ve added black-eyed peas (in place of the pintos) and greens.  Mix it up, it’s good stuff.

Hooked on large pots of soup lately. This particular one I found to be very “winter comforting”.

 Ingredients: 

• Barley
• Green lentils
• Colored potatoes
• Celery
• Carrots
• Cabbage
• Onion
• Lime
• Extra virgin olive oil
• Sea salt and pepper
• Red pepper flakes

Instructions: 

1. Add extra virgin olive oil to hot pot and proceed to adding soaked grains.
2. Sauté and fill pot with water; half full.
3. Add one onion and cut celery. Cover and bring up to a boil. Depending on amount of grains that you add, cooking time will vary from 1 1/2 to 2 hours. I usually add around 1 1/2 cups combined. 
4. Let it do it’s thing for about half hour and then add cut veggies. Add cabbage until half hour before it’s done since it cooks pretty fast. 
5. Before serving add salt and pepper to taste.
6. Serve hot and add pepper flakes and lime for a little extra flavor.

Stay Warm!

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I love me a good muffin.  Who doesn’t, really?  Let’s talk about these muffins here:

 Cranberries and pecans are lovingly surrounded by a light orange maple cake.  Flecked throughout the muffin are hints of the coarse ground salt I had used.  And like wine, these bad boys get better with age and are fantastic the next morning with coffee.  To make them, I used a mashup of recipes from Vegan Brunch and the Cranberry-Orange Bread from VegWeb.com- both of which are stellar recipes so you’ll note I didn’t change it too much.  So- if you’ve got 30 minutes, you’ve got muffins.

Cranberry Orange Maple Pecan Muffins

You’ll need:

• 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 1/4 cup vegan granulated sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt (I used coarse salt)
• 1 cup orange juice
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 2 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp almond extract
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 cup cranberries (I used fresh) roughly chopped
• 1 cup pecans roughly chopped

To Prepare:

• Preheat oven to 375°.
• Line muffin tin with cups or lightly grease & flour.
• In large bowl mix: flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
• In glass measuring cup add: orange juice, oil, extracts, and maple syrup- mix until combined.
• In center of bowl, make a well.  Pour in wet ingredients. Mix until just combined. Do not over mix!
• Gently fold in cranberries and nuts.
• Fill cups about three-quarters full and you’ll get 12 muffins.  Fill them to the top for giant muffins, you’ll get 10.
• Bake for 20 – 25 minutes.  When the toothpick comes out clean, they’re done.

And remember: everybody loves muffins.

Ah, tempeh- the “other” soy product.  If you ask me (and you did, right?), tempeh is one of those things that people seem to love or hate with equal ferociousness with little room for indecision.  Personally speaking, I love the bold, strong flavor- that is, as long as it’s prepared properly.  The trick, I’ve learned, is what you do with the tempeh before you actually start using it in your favorite tempeh recipe.  Before slicing, dicing, frying, or crumbling the tempeh- boil it first.  Boiling for 10-minutes will help to reduce the bitterness that can be associated with tempeh.  Trust me when I tell you that it works, I never make tempeh without boiling it first- the difference is like night and day.

Among a host of other things, tempeh can be used to make an excellent mock tuna salad in about fifteen minutes.  Which is perfect for days when you don’t feel like cooking, need a quick and filling sandwich, or just miss the sea-taste of tuna.  Here is a simple recipe for mock tuna to get you started.  Feel free to add other spices at your discretion- minced garlic, fresh oregano, and/or hot sauce make great additions for example.

Fifteen Minute Tempeh Tuna

You’ll need:

• One 8 ounce package of tempeh
• 1 small red or white onion diced small
• 1-2 celery stalks, diced small
• 1/2 cup relish, juice drained
• 1/2 cup vegan mayonnaise (such as Vegenaise)
• 2 tbsp yellow mustard
• 1 tbsp dulse flakes (I use these)
• salt, pepper to taste

To Prepare:

1. Boil tempeh (whole cake) for 10 minutes.  Drain and set aside to cool.
2. Combine: vegan mayonnaise, mustard, dulse flakes, salt, and pepper together and mix well.
3. Add: relish, onion, and celery.  Mix well.
4. Using hands: Crumble tempeh into small pieces.
5. Add tempeh to dressing and combine well.
6. Slap onto a pita, bun, or bread.  Top with alfalfa sprouts and jalapenos or other toppings (if you wish).
7. Enjoy!

Want to know more about tempeh?  Check out:

• Tempeh: The “other” soy product
• Tempeh makes my belly smile

I’m not going to lie, this is the best soup I’ve ever made in my whole life.  And it was completely by accident, a delicious bowl-licking-worthy accident.

So.  I had some pumpkins that I bought for Halloween that I hadn’t carved yet (what? Like you’ve never been behind on something before?) sitting on my deck (free refrigeration).  They were just sitting there (for a month) so I decided to cook them up.  See, I’ve recently stumbled upon an insane new way to make pumpkin – it tastes like pumpkin pie and even has the same consistency (maybe a bit less dense but not by much) which is SO. DELICIOUS.  The best part?  It’s made with 2 ingredients (not counting the spices) and is super healthy.  It’s so incredibly good.

I originally planned to use the pumpkin I cooked up from the ones on the back deck for pumpkin pie pudding (which is what I call the insanely yummy new dish I make) because, well- it’s pudding. Then last night I needed to find something for dinner.  There wasn’t much in the fridge- I had half an onion, some celery, cooked pumpkin, and tempeh.  I thought it might be good to test my hand at making a coconut curry pumpkin soup (since I always have coconut milk on hand, always).  I’ve never made it before but I like curry, I’ve eaten it before so I wanted to give it a whirl.

What happened next was pure magic.  Honestly, I didn’t expect it to turn out so good.  I don’t have exact measurements but here’s loosely what I did:

Ingredients:

• 8 cups of cooked pumpkin
• 1 cup coconut milk (I used canned coconut milk which has more fat than the kind that comes in the carton)
• 1/2 white onion – diced
• 3 celery stalks + leaves + inside “heart” – sliced
• 1 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 cups vegetable broth (I used this bouillon)

Using a food processor, I pureed the pumpkin and coconut milk until creamy.  I had to do multiple batches because I have a crappy food processor- you might be able to do it in one.  Add pureed pumpkin to a large stock pot.

In an iron skillet, cook onions and celery in the olive oil until nice and brown.  Don’t skimp on this, you want them to taste all roasty and toasty.  Once fully cooked, add to food processor with a little bit of the vegetable stock and process until mostly smooth.  Add to soup along with the rest of the broth.  Stir until fully combined.

As far as the spices goes, here’s where it gets dicey- I don’t measure.  I used about a teaspoon of turmeric, a couple of teaspoons of powdered garlic, and about a tablespoon of ground cumin.  I also used fresh cracked pepper and no salt.  The bouillon adds enough salt for me, you may need to salt your batch depending on the stock you use.  Once you have the herbs mixed in, heat the soup on medium low until warm.

I topped my soup with toasted tempeh.  It was the perfect accompaniment to the soup and offered (protein) a bit of substance to make it more of a meal.  I took 8 oz of tempeh and boiled it for 20 minutes.  Once boiled, I drained it and broke it into small crumbles which I tossed in an iron skillet of heated olive oil.  As the tempeh was cooking I added fresh cracked pepper and Liquid Braggs (you could use soy sauce if that is all you have).

Once done, grab yourself a warm bowl of savory goodness and top with the toasted tempeh.  Yum.

And if you have any leftovers [like I did], you can have some for breakfast the next day [like I did today].

Enjoy!

I’m like that date you had a great time with that one night, but failed to return any of your calls thereafter.  I’m sorry I left you like that.  I have reasons, ones I’m sure we’ll discuss, but for now- can we just make up with cookies?

I made these fossil cookies for Halloween (yes, we are going back that far) and they turned out so freaking delicious.  Thanksgiving is right around the corner, that’s kinda old- like fossils, these would make a cute addition to the dessert table.  Or at the breakfast table, I can personally attest that these are AWESOME with hot coffee in the morning.  Basically you could find a reason to throw a couple of these on a plate for snacking, that’s what I’m saying.

Inspiration Gratitude goes to Martha Stewart for her Fossil Cookies listed somewhere on that huge website of hers.  I didn’t use her recipe or technique- simply the idea.  Still, gotta give credit where credit is due.  We’ll talk later about my embarrassment about loving all things Martha.

I used the cookie recipe from my Ye Olde Standard Christmas Cutout Cookie and you should too.  First, one batch makes a ton- hello, timesaver.  Second, this cookie really is the best sugar cookie in the world even without frosting, which you can see I didn’t use.  But, if you are feeling spunky and want a cookie with more flair [then you're my kind of vegan], melt vegan chocolate and splatter the fossils with it.  It’ll look like fossils and mud but taste like a dream.

The directions for this cookie are so easy: Make cookie dough. Tear off small pieces of dough, flatten with your hands to a reasonably flat shape, and press a toy critter into the top to create the fossil shape.  You could use toy bugs like I did, or rocks, coral, or anything else that strikes your fancy.  Treat the cookie dough like play doh and you’ll do fine.  Piece of advice, press your objects into the cookie deep (almost all the way through) so that the impression stays- otherwise they’ll disappear during cooking.

So, are we made up now? :)

Halloween.  Sometimes it seems that it’s all for the kids, doesn’t it?  There is so much fun to be had when you’re little.  Parties, costumes- trick-or-treating.    But Halloween fun shouldn’t be limited to just the kids, us adults should have some mischief as well.  I mean, who doesn’t love a little mischief?

One of the things I hear most from people about hostessing parties is that it’s hard to know what to make if the party is a mix of vegan and non-vegan guests.  No worries!  I’ve tried these recipes out on vegans and omnivores alike with complete success!  In fact, I rarely have left overs.  You can feel confident that your guests won’t even realize your serving up vegan fare, unless you tell them.  They’ll just think it’s delicious food.

First up, the menu.  Choose a simple style buffet of finger foods that you can make in advance.  This will leave you more time to enjoy your guests.

Sample Menu (pictured above): Nate’s Meatless Meatballs, Asparagus Phyllo Wraps, Pirate’s Booty Veggie, Baby Vegan Cheese Balls, and Organic Crackers.

A side note about the cheese balls, I made small mini single-serving cheeseballs- which, in hindsight, was a pain in my butt.  It sounds like a good idea until your on your second batch of rolling sticky nut cheese into itty bitty balls.  That said, it was perfect as far as not having to have silverware out for the party- everything could be picked up with a toothpick.

Get This Look:

• Add a Gothic look by piling layers of old lace tablecloths (curtains work well too) over each other.  You can find these at a local thrift store for pennies.
• Top the table with a few size cauldrons, which can easily be found at any dollar store.  Find a bowl that you own that will fit over top the cauldron without falling in.  If you need to, use an inverted bowl inside the cauldron to add height to set your bowl on.
• Fill old drinking glasses and/or glassware with tea light candles to create a spooky atmosphere.  The more the better.  You can also find these at the local thrift stores for pennies.
• Add skulls, hands, and other unexpected items as decorations.  I used paper mache skulls that I made using tissue paper and watered down glue- it was cheap, easy, and fun.

Desserts:

Choose a monochromatic palette as a theme for your desserts.  In this case, I chose white.  First, because it would be spooky.  Second, because artificial food colors are tested on animals.  Gross.

Dessert Menu (pictured above): Russian Tea Cakes, Sugar Cookies w/royal icing, Simple Agave Cupcakes with Coconut Cream Frosting, and Boo Cakes.

The Russian Tea Cakes are butter cookies rolled in powdered sugar and is a family recipe.  The Simple Agave Cupcakes can be found in Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World.  The Boo Cakes are Sweetly Spiced Cake with Maple Icing made into mini ghost shapes.  Which, I fully admit doesn’t follow the white theme of the party.  In defense, these are some super awesome tasting treats that you’ll wish you made more so you’d have left overs.  That’s right, I’m talking hoarding good.

Get This Look:

• Add height using a cardboard box covered in lace.
• Make mini spooky pumpkins.  Take old black stockings and cover each pumpkin.  It’s a super quick way to decorate pumpkins, plus you get to cook the pumpkins after your party is over.  Simply remove the stockings and bake!
• Unique candle holders.  Find an apple, mini pumpkin or other gourd that sits somewhat level on a surface.  Carve out the top in the shape of a tea light holder (don’t make it deep, just enough to have the top of the candle match the top of the object.  (I used white mini pumpkins in the table setting above)

Who can have a cocktail party without cocktails?!  Here are a few suggestions:

• “Boo Shots” – Coconut milk, pineapple juice, rum
• “Blood Shots” – Beet juice, lime, vodka
• “Sludge Shots” – Green vegetable juice, apple juice, white rum
• Rum Punch – Apple cider, golden rum, brown sugar, spice mix (cinnamon, anise, nutmeg, orange peel- similar to mulling spices)

Get This Look:

• Cover liquor bottles with spooktacular labels easily found at almost any craft stores these days.  Or, make your own buy using mailing labels and markers.

After the jump I show you some more spooky decorating ideas that are super easy and inexpensive but look super creepy!

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Artificial food colors, they’re everywhere.  Pick up virtually any food or drink item at the grocer and you’d probably see, “Blah, Blah, Blah, FD&C Red No. 40, and FD&C Yellow No. 5″- or something like that.  There is one place that I often run into artificial food colorings that catches me off guard- vegan recipes on the web.

Not only are these chemicals toxic, they aren’t vegan.  Artificial food colors are tested on animals.

Shocking, right?  I know.  I wouldn’t have immediately thought of it either, but I looked them all up to get an idea of what they are made of.  Guess what?  They’re achieved through the wonder of chemistry and the industry of oil drilling.  Certainly not something I want on my vegan cupcake, gross.

Artificial colors keep the food sitting in warehouses and on grocery shelves fresh and cheery looking so that we’ll buy it thinking how good and tasty it must be.  Perhaps more insidiously, the bright blues, reds, and oranges of candy lure youngsters with promises of tasty delight- an experience and association that persists into adulthood when it’s time to decorate cakes and cookies for the family or work outing….or, Halloween.

Have you ever noticed that the artificial food colorings at the grocery stores always go on sale around holidays?  We are constantly bombarded with ways to incorporate these chemicals into our diets.  I’ve seen special colorings for drinks, for baked goods, for ice cubes for goodness sake- all in the name of Halloween “fun.”  Food colorings don’t add flavor to our food, they actually taste bad.  So, is our fun really worth the lives of animals?

To determine the safety of these chemicals as they are used as food additives, they are tested on animals.  Of course, these tests do not indicate the substance’s effect on humans, only how much is needed to cause cancer and death in the animals they are administered to.

After the jump I talk about the Seven Deadly Primary Colors and how you can replace them with versions that are 100% all natural, chemical-free, and vegan.  Let’s get our cute fun on with compassion for all!

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How many times have you read , “I love pumpkin season” this Vegan MoFo?  Lots I’m sure.  People love pumpkin man, they just do.  So, sorry you have to hear this again but, I love pumpkin season.  Lots.  I’ve already talked to you about How KISS Can Help You Cook A Perfectly Roasted Pumpkin, which will set you up perfectly to talk about a nutritious “butter” that’s masquerading itself as delicious bowl-licking treat.  I’m of course talking about Pumpkin Apple Butter, and it’s good.

I call this recipe a butter but it isn’t really, it’s more of a puree.  That said, I use it as I would a butter- hence the name.  This creamy puree is made from 4 ingredients so I consider it to be a basic recipe.  There is a lot more you could do with this so by all means add things you think will go good once the “base” is done.  Mix things up!  That’s the beauty of simple food.  You can learn the basic technique of a recipe, then add to it as your culinary skills grow or to suit your own taste buds.

Speaking of taste, did I mention this tastes awesome?  It does.  It’s sweet (from the apples) and creamy (from the pumpkin) and cinnamon-y and perfect to:

1. Stir 1-2 spoonfuls into hot oats to transform them into a warm bowl of goodness
2. Use in place of butter/jam on toast or biscuits
3. Use in place of applesauce in baked goods (I’ve done this w/muffins & it worked great)
4. Use it as baby food.
5. Add to canine food as a supplement/treat
6. Add nuts and goji berries for a tasty snack
7. Eat straight from the pot

Top pancakes or waffles with it, smother pan-fried temeph in it, and so much more.  It’s versatile, nutritious, and yummy.

If you already have your pumpkin roasted (I did) then this recipe comes together in a snap.  If not, it’s still easy but you’ll have more time involved in the pumpkin roasting.

Pumpkin Apple Butter

• Small (2-4 lb) roasted pumpkin (use this for directions)
• 6 small-medium size apples (I used Gala apples, use a sweeter apple for a sweeter butter and a tart apple for a more tart flavor)
• Cinnamon to taste
• Salt to taste

Using a food processor or hand blender, puree roasted pumpkin until smooth.  Set Aside.

Peel and core apples, then dice.  You could skip this step if (the apples are organic) you want but the skins really hinder the quality of the finished product.  I recommend peeling.  Don’t worry about dicing the apples perfectly either, just small enough to cook up quickly- we’re going to puree them anyway so this is just to get them cooked.

Toss apples and cinnamon (I like a lot of cinnamon, maybe you don’t- add what you like) into a large pot with 1/2 cup water and a dash of salt.  Cook on medium until the apples are nice and soft.  Remove and puree until smooth.  Put back into the pot.  Add pumpkin.  Stir until fully combined.  Taste to ensure there’s enough cinnamon and salt, add more if necessary.  Cook until heated through.

Serve up and enjoy!