tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-855483109670384872024-03-13T07:38:13.469-05:00vegan, today!mikailahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13507026423272196326noreply@blogger.comBlogger52125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85548310967038487.post-18686163717216039362011-09-23T10:52:00.000-05:002011-09-23T10:52:53.520-05:00I've moved!I've begun working on a comic/cookzine and have decided to lay this blog to rest. If your still interested in vegan foodz, I'll be writing at <a href="http://veganfoodstains.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: #cc0000;">Food Stains</span></a>, which will be mostly devoted to that zine. Vegan MoFo is upon us, so lookforward to plenty of foodie action. One word - SANDWICHES.<br />
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Thanks for the support over the last year, you've all made blogging a really positive experience for me. I hope to see you around Food Stains and on your own blogs :)<br />
<br />
-Mikaila<br />
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<a href="http://www.veganfoodstains.blogspot.com/">http://www.veganfoodstains.blogspot.com/</a>mikailahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13507026423272196326noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85548310967038487.post-83455143922074642632011-05-09T18:00:00.007-05:002011-05-09T18:00:03.923-05:00For the Love of Kale: Part I<div style="text-align: justify;">The vegan overstatement of the decade: We Love Kale.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">We love kale so much, <a href="http://www.herbivoreclothing.com/products/Only-Kale-Can-Save-Us-Now-Women%27s-Bamboo-Shirt.html">t-shirts</a> have been created to honor kale's superior live-saving superhero qualities! And everyone knows that if something's printed on a t-shirt, it is the truth.</div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">Kale's easily my favorite leafy green vegetable and is chock full of some of the most beneficial vitamins and nutrients known to humanity: antioxidants, anti-inflammatory agents, beta carotene, vitamins C and K to name a few. Kale's bitter-sweet leaves fare well under an assortment of cooking techniques, making it the ideal addition to just about everything (except for cake, <em>maybe</em>); you can steam, saute, broil, braise, bake and blend it!</div> <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"> Sweet Sesame-Miso Tofu with Sauteed Shiitakes and Kale</td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">Kale doesn't have a regional preference, and works well in a wide range of foreign feasts. Why, just the other day I added Kale to my latest Asian-inspired meal! After sauteeing some juicy shiitake mushrooms, in went the kale with a couple of tablespoons of mushroom broth (or water) and on went the lid. In no time, the kale leaves were wilted without being mushy. They had absorbed a lot of the mushroom broth and juices, resulting in what can only be described as delicious.</div><br />
<u><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Sweet Sesame-Miso Tofu with Sauteed Shiitakes and Kale</span></u><br />
<em><span style="font-size: x-small;">Serves 4</span></em><br />
<br />
1 block extra firm tofu, pressed and sliced into large triangles<br />
2 tablespoons soy sauce or tamari<br />
2 tablespoon toasted sesame oil<br />
2 teaspoons rice wine vinegar<br />
2 teaspoons brown rice syrup<br />
water for thinning, 1 teaspoon at a time<br />
2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil<br />
3 garlic cloves, minced<br />
6 medium shiitake mushrooms, slices<br />
1 medium bunch of kale (I used red Russian variety)<br />
3 tablespoons mushroom broth, or water<br />
cooked white or brown rice, enough for four (1/2 to 1 cup per person)<br />
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<em>For the sauce:</em><br />
1 cup water<br />
3 tablespoons miso paste (I like red, but a mellower version would also work)<br />
1 tablespoon soy sauce or gluten-free tamari<br />
1 teaspoon cornstarch<br />
1 teaspoon sriracha or other hot chili sauce<br />
2 teaspoons brown rice syrup<br />
1 clove garlic, minced<br />
1 teaspoon grated ginger<br />
2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds<br />
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<div style="text-align: justify;">Mix the soy sauce, 2 tablespoons of sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, brown rice syrup and water (if necessary) in a shallow dish. Place tofu slices in marinade and let absorb for atleast half an hour, flipping half way through. Once tofu is marinated, heat a large skillet over medium heat and add tofu. Cook for 7 minutes or until brown and lightly crispy. Flip tofu and cook another five minutes, until brown and crispy. Set aside.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Heat toasted sesame oil in a large non-stick skillet. Remove kale leaves from stems and roughly chop into bit-sized pieces, set aside. Chop kale stems into 1/4 inch pieces and add to hot oil. Sautee for 3 minutes, then add the garlic. Sautee for another minute, careful not to burn the garlic. Add the shiitake mushrooms, stir and allow to cook for about 5 more minutes. Once mushrooms are tender, add the kale and mushroom broth. Cover skillet with fitted lid and allow kale to steam for about 5 minutes.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">In the meantime, add all the sauce ingredients in a small sauce pan over medium-low heat. Whisk constantly until sauce has thickened. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">To plate, scoop rice into a wide bowl and top with vegetables and tofu. Drizzle as much sauce as you like and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds.</div>mikailahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13507026423272196326noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85548310967038487.post-65252814447788776192011-04-19T09:30:00.000-05:002011-04-19T09:17:11.836-05:00VegNews does not deserve our support!<div style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><em>UPDATE: VegNews issued a second statement on Monday, April 18th. You can read it </em><a href="http://vegnews.com/web/articles/page.do?pageId=3180&catId=8"><em>here</em></a><em>. While I am not entirely pleased with their second response (and the fact that it took five days), I believe it is a step in the right direction. I'm pleased to discover their new photo policy will include actual photographs of the recipes they publish, and that all stock images used in the magazine and on the website will be vegan. This is what should have been issued on day one. There will never be any excuse for the unethical practices conducted by this publication, and no amount of 'apologies' will change what they have been doing for (presumably) a decade. However, my acceptance of their apology is accompanied by a great big "finally," rather than a "thank you." </em></span><br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: small;">I cannot stop thinking about<span style="background-color: white;"> </span><u><b style="background-color: white; color: #cc0000;"><a href="http://www.quarrygirl.com/2011/04/13/rant-veg-news-is-putting-the-meat-into-vegan-issues/">THIS</a></b><span style="background-color: white;"> </span></u>atrocity. On Thursday morning, Quarry Girl exposed me to one of the biggest blows veganism has seen: VegNews magazine/website have been passing off photos of MEAT/MURDER as vegan. They've been using stock photography of meat-laden dishes all over their magazine and website. <b><u><span style="color: #cc0000;"><i>They've been </i><i>knowingly publishing photos of MEAT in a VEGAN magazine.</i></span></u></b><b style="color: #990000;"> </b>And<b> </b>they don't feel they've done anything wrong, nor do they plan to change their actions or offer an apology to anyone. There are so many things wrong with this, I'm at a loss for where to begin. I'm saddened, infuriated and disgusted that a team of vegans so determined and committed to making veganism mainstream could even fathom that this would be OK.</span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">Moreover, I'm utterly flabbergasted by <u style="color: #cc0000;"><b><a href="http://vegnews.com/web/articles/page.do?pageId=3165&catId=8">their response</a></b></u><b> </b>to this. VegNews is not the victim here, yet they coyly try to explain otherwise. According to that press release, they've outlived most other independently published magazines by nearly a decade, have won major magazine rewards, are revered alongside Oprah and Martha Stewart AND reach more than one million viewers monthly...but they cannot afford to print/shoot/buy VEGAN food photography?! Excuse me, but </span><span style="font-size: small;">there is no excuse for what they have been doing, and there is no excuse for continuing it. Just like their is no excuse for me to continue to support this organization. They've cheated us, lied to us, and have preyed/profited on our ethics and convictions. Please do yourself a favor and stop supporting an organization that is more concerned with profits, deadlines and "sit[ting] on the newsstand next to titles such as O, The Oprah Magazine and Martha Stewart Living."</span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;">If you care at all about honest journalism, upholding yours and others ethical convictions or veganism please write to <u><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">vegnews@pcspublink.com</span></b></u> or call <u><b><span style="color: #cc0000;">706-291-1546</span></b><span style="color: #cc0000;"></span></u><span style="color: #cc0000;"> </span>(VegNews customer service) to express your disgust with their lies. They deserve to know that they screwed up royally and that their actions and lack of self & customer respect will not be tolerated! Here is a tidbit of what I had to say:</span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><br />
</span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>Dear VegNews,</i></span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i><br />
</i></span></div><div style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: small;"><i>I wanted to inform you that I'm canceling my subscription to your magazine, news letters and recipes immediately. What you have done and your excuses for doing so are unacceptable to say the least, and utterly disgusting and unethical to say the most. Your preoccupation with profit and fame clearly outweigh providing an honest and dignified publication. You've compromised your journalistic integrity and editorial ethics. Almost every single recipe you've ever published has lost its credibility. I wanted to be sympathetic; I tried to give you the benefit of the doubt. I trusted you. But your unapologetic, apathetic attitude and excuse has infuriated me to no end. I’m through with you and will no longer support your magazine or website. </i></span></div>mikailahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13507026423272196326noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85548310967038487.post-50226250916640775542011-04-01T12:05:00.000-05:002011-04-01T12:05:09.842-05:00Cookbook Challenge II - Viva Vegan!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Viva Vegan!</td></tr>
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Growing up in south Florida, I've always had a penchant for Latin American food. Whether it was a crispy pressed <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuban_sandwich">Cubano</a> eaten in a friend's car on the way home from school, a warm pot of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arroz_con_pollo">Arroz con Pollo</a> or a steaming cup of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caf%C3%A9_con_leche">café con leche</a> to get my morning (or evening) started Latin American food permeated my childhood. When I went vegan (and left south Florida), I found it really difficult to find the same flavors, textures and tastes I had grown up loving, as Latin-American cuisine relies heavily on animal products, especially meat. Dinning out provided only slim pickings, as many obvious "vegetarian" dishes actually contained animal products - chicken stock in the rice, lard or pork in the beans, sour cream in the guacamole (now, that one is just an abomination!), etc. I sort of forgot about all the foods of my youth...that is, until Terry Hope Romero, co-author of <i>Veganomicon</i> & more, came out with <i>Viva Vegan!</i></div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div> <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Curdito (Salvadorian Marinated Slaw), Yellow Rice with Garlic, Quick Red Posole with Beans</td></tr>
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I'm a one-pot meal kind of gal, so the fact that I decided to make <i>three</i> separate dishes proves something about how exciting <i>Viva Vegan!</i> is. Earlier in the day I made Terry's <u>Annatto-Infused Oil</u> (aciete de achiote) which went into the <u>Yellow Rice with Garlic</u>. Like most cooking oils, the annatto oil will last forever, so don't worry about using it all right away. The <u>Yellow Rice with Garlic</u> brought back so many memories of the Vigo-brand bags of <a href="http://www.vigo-alessi.com/products/itemView.php?id=432">yellow rice</a> my mom makes, and the oil lent such a bright and beautiful color! I topped the rice with a <u>Quick Red Posole with Beans</u> - which is actually a <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pozole">ritually significant and traditional stew</a> in pre-Columbian Mexico. It mainly consists of stewed tomatoes, beans and <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nixtamal">hominy</a> and was really comforting. I'm not crazy about tomato based things - soups, stews, sauces, etc. - but this was really nice over rice and with a few garnishments. To lighten things up, I made Curdito, a Salvadorian slaw. I loved this! It was super fresh, crisp and light. Dressed merely in vinegar (I used apple cider) and oregano, there is little to mask the sweetness of cabbage and carrots or heat from the jalapeno.</div><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Empanadas!!</td></tr>
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Empanadas are so wonderful! Who wouldn't love a warm, flaky hand pie full of savory goodies? These were ridiculously easy to make, as the dough was brought together using a food processor. After letting the dough rest for several hours, I made Terry's Creamy Corn-Filled Empanadas which were (unsurprisingly) awesome. My filling did appear to sink, or my dough rose too much while baking, hence the large gap in the photo below. When I make these again, I'll be sure to poke a few holes in the dough to allow all that steam an escape route.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Empanadas Humitas (Creamy Corn-Filled Empanadas)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yellow Rice with Garlic, Caraotas (Venezuelan-style Black Beans), Latin Shredded Seitan</td></tr>
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I think I made yellow rice about three times this week. Above it's topped with Caraotas (Venezuelan-style black beans) and Latin Shredded Seitan. The beans were wonderful with the addition of brown sugar - something I've never tried before, but will definitely add on a regular occasion. The Latin Shredded Seitan was made using Terry's Steamed Red Seitan recipe, red bell peppers and spices and completed the meal perfectly. Some of my seitan was a little undercooked to start, but it crisped up nicely in this recipe.</div><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">more Caraotas!</td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: center;">More Caraotas! Matt and I ate the leftover beans with two, yes TWO, green vegetables.</div><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Swiss Chard with Raisins and Capers </td></tr>
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Upfront we've got some Swiss Chard with Raisins and Capers. I wasn't sure whether I was going to love this dish, or hate it. I love raisins, capers and swiss chard, but would they all get along for my sake? They sure did! Sweet, tangy and earthy are a winning combination in my book. This recipe was also some of the prettiest greens I've eaten. In the background is a scoop of Brazilian Braised Collards (subbed in for kale). I liked the bitterness of the collards mixed with onion, garlic and a few splashed of liquid smoke, but next time I'll try this with kale.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">We're coming to the end of the cookbook challenge! This was actually the last week of <i>meals</i>, as all that's left is a dessert cookbook - Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar! I'm not sure if I'll be thoroughly participating, but it's worth a shot! </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div>mikailahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13507026423272196326noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85548310967038487.post-77686567026820783852011-03-14T12:30:00.001-05:002011-03-15T16:17:22.119-05:00Cookbook Challenge 2 - American Vegan Kitchen<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_MgkoCA0tW98/S3XQXRFS9QI/AAAAAAAACRk/P6X9GG8ydqE/s320/book+cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_MgkoCA0tW98/S3XQXRFS9QI/AAAAAAAACRk/P6X9GG8ydqE/s320/book+cover.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">This years Cookbook Challenge has been just that - a challenge. I decided not to participate officially in the last 3 or so weeks due in equal parts to not owning the designated cookbooks (Eat, Drink & be Vegan, 500 Vegan Recipes, Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World - I actually have this one, but didn't have much time or money to make several batches of cupcakes), having too many leftovers from weeks past, traveling and hosting travelers and just good ol' fashioned laziness. The following dishes were actually from the challenge that took place two weeks ago, and I barely participated then. Yikes!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5219/5525138476_e5741eb242.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><br />
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<div style="text-align: justify;">Anyway, <i>last week</i> I cooked from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/American-Vegan-Kitchen-Tamasin-Noyes/dp/0980013119/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1300110769&sr=8-1">American Vegan Kitchen</a> by Tamasin Noyes, founder of <a href="http://www.veganappetite.com/">Vegan Appetite</a>. I highly recommend this cookbook to anyone remotely interested in comfort food (I know what you're thinking - there's food that isn't comforting?). Also interested in classic American foods of diners, delis, cafes or mom's kitchen? Then this is the cookbook for you! AVK is chock-full of rise-and-shine worthy breakfasts, hearty soups, filling salads, thick sandwiches, "meaty" blue plate specials and desserts right out of those classic glass cases seen in diners nationwide. It's a thoroughly enjoyable cookbook, full of nostalgia, colorful photos and promising recipes including donut bites, loaded potato skins, spinach dip, french onion soup, seitan po'boys, burgers, wheat-meat loaf, beer-battered onion rings, pies galore and SO SO SO much more - over 200 recipes! To be honest, I was a little intimated by this book. Everything looked absolutely amazing, and I had no idea where to start! I didn't make much (see aforementioned <i>excuses</i>), but what I did make was superb!</div><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Salisbury-Style Seitan with Mushrooms and Mashed Potatoes with Homestyle Gravy</td></tr>
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I started my week with a batch of Tami's <em>Savory Seitan</em>. It was one of the easiest seitan recipes I've ever attempted and the results couldn't have been better. There isn't anything unique about the recipe that I can pinpoint, but I don't think I've ever had such success with any cutlet-style seitan recipe. For anyone unfamiliar with seitan, it's basically a faux meat similar in taste and texture to chicken or thin steak (if you shape it accordingly) made primarily of <a href="http://www.bobsredmill.com/vital-wheat-gluten.html">vital wheat gluten</a>, broth and various seasonings. This recipe is of the boiled variety and is simmered in a bubbling bath of vegetable broth for about an hour. It was firm yet chewy and oh-so flavorful. I used the majority of the batch to make Tami's <em>Salisbury-Style Seitan</em> - a dish very close to home for me. I grew up eating a boxed frozen variety and loved it with mashed potatoes and corn. Here it is severed with a silky mushroom gravy full of diced onions, thyme and sage. Another winner and a gravy I'll make on a regular basis. I actually liked it better than the gravy that went with the mashed potatoes - yeah, I made two gravies that night. The <em>Mashed Potatoes</em> and <em>Homestyle Gravy</em> were super simple - it's pretty hard to mess up mashed potatoes - and the recipe wasn't anything spectacular. Mashed potatoes have always been one of those dishes for which I've never used a recipe. These were really creamy and the gravy was just OK.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All-American Incrediburgers with Cheezy Mayo</td></tr>
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There was no way I was going to cook from AVK and not make one of Tami's burgers. This is the <em>All-American Incrediburger</em> and it was incre-delicious!! A simple mix of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Textured_vegetable_protein">textured vegetable protein</a> and vital wheat gluten, these burgers definitely captured that crumbliness of that typical type of burger made from ground-up cow flesh, but it doesn't contain any of the harm, death or guilt! I found it a little difficult to get all of the TVP to mix in with the seitan, but the majority of it stuck, resulting in a really hearty burger. After a quick steam, I opted to bake mine (Tami has instructions for baking, grilling and pan-frying) and dressed them with lettuce, tomato, red onion and Tami's <em>Cheezy Mayo</em> all between two whole wheat burger buns - store bought, but Tami does have a burger bun recipe! The <em>Cheezy Mayo</em> was really simple - vegenaise, mustard, nutritional yeast and a spoonful of white miso. When I'm craving burgers but don't want one ladden with chopped veggies or a slew of mashed beans, this will definitely be my go-to burger recipe.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Inside shot - All American Incrediburgers with Cheezy Mayo</td></tr>
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I wanted to make so much more - <em>Deli Reubenettes, Sweet Garlicky Ribz, Sweet and Crunchy French Toast,</em> soft <em>Roasted Garlic Pretzels</em>, for example - and I fully intend to! Just not consecutively. These recipes may be delicious but they are a little to heavy for me to eat on a daily basis and rely primarily of faux meats like seitan. Albeit easy and cheap to make, seitan sometimes gives me ridiculous gas, probably because I eat too much of it! Instead of several more savory dishes, I opted for a decadent dessert that I'm still enjoying a week later.<br />
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Oh, what's that you say? Only one of the greatest pies on earth! That right there is the <em>Crispy Bottom Peanut Butter Pie with Chocolate Fudge Sauce</em>. Want to see it again? Ok!<br />
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Remember those<a href="http://www.bk.com/en/us/menu-nutrition/category8/menu-item32/index.html"> Hershey's Sundae pies</a> that Burger King sold? This recipe reminded me a lot of that dessert (something else that popped up in my childhood pretty regularly), but was actually much healthier (albiet not very healthy in and of itself). Tami's peanut butter pie combines puffed rice cereal in a dark chocolate sauce which is then frozen in a pie pan. Meanwhile, peanut butter and vegan cream cheese are whipped together until thoroughly combined and spiced up with some agave nectar, fresh lemon juice and vanilla extract. It's essentially a less cheesy peanut butter cheesecake filling that is poured on a crispy chocolate crust. A chocolate fudge sauce ties everything together for one mouthwateringly scrumptious dessert that requires no baking - which makes it perfect for the upcoming summer months. Just stick it in the freezer for a few hours and you're ready to serve! I've stored mine in the icebox for over a week and it still tastes great.<br />
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Since we cooked traditional north American favorites last week, it only seems appropriate that we explore the vegan cuisine of our southern neighbors. Next week I'll be cooking from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Viva-Vegan-Authentic-Fabulous-Recipes/dp/0738212733/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1300111428&sr=1-1">Viva Vegan</a>! from best-selling author <a href="http://www.veganlatina.com/">Terry Hope Romero</a>. Anyone at all familiar with vegan cookbooks will recognize her name and adorable face from such works as Veganomicon, Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World and Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar (not to mention The PPK!). I can't wait for a week of empanadas, arepas, rice and beans and maybe even a successful vegan flan!</div>mikailahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13507026423272196326noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85548310967038487.post-34904828987271925212011-02-10T10:29:00.001-06:002011-02-10T11:03:29.605-06:00Cookbook Challenge 2 - Vegan with a Vengeance<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cookbook Challenge II - Vegan with a Vengeance</td></tr>
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">This is the book that started it all! As the humorous and heartfelt introduction points out, Vegan with a Vengeance is Isa Chandra Moskowitz's first cookbook. The tangible product of her <em>veganness</em> and public access cooking show (<i>The Post Punk Kitchen - </i>some episodes are still available <a href="http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2339485853386165626#">here</a>), Vegan with a Vengeance is a compilation of recipes developed over a decade, and it is full of veganized classics - - and utterly unique creations. It's really fun to read (yes, I <i>read </i>cookbooks) and Isa's got a great attitude and perspective that reflects much of what I also value - compassionate cooking, feeding good food to your friends, loving all animals and loud punk music.</div></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">This week, like prior weeks, I sought to test out recipes I'd never made before. I've cooked my way through about half of this book, so the pickins were still plentiful. </div></div><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Baking Powder Biscuits with White Bean Tempeh Sausage Gravy</td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">Last Sunday's breakfast was unexpectedly easy to make, and was made up entirely of pantry staples (if tempeh isn't a "pantry staple" for you, I think you need to reevaluate your life). The <u><b>White Bean and Tempeh Sausage Gravy</b></u> combined crumbled tempeh with warming herbs - dried rubbed sage, crushed fennel seeds, a small sprig of thyme and a dash of oregano - and pureed white beans to create a thick and velveteen gravy akin to what any Southern grandma would serve with homemade biscuits. Oh wait, I did that, too! The <b><u>Baking Powder Biscuits</u></b> are the other half to this harmonious love story of a breakfast. They were flaky and buttery to the point of perfection, and not at all sticky! Biscuits in generally are so easy to make, but often leave you with clumps of dough stuck between your fingers - well, not these babies! They were some of the easiest I've made, ever. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Banana-Pecan Pancakes</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;">Contrary to those breezy biscuits, only once have I ever made a perfect vegan pancake (most of my love&devotion are reserved for waffles, anyway). It was so long ago that I hardly remember the recipe, or from where it originated. Most likely it was my own interpretation of <a href="http://vegweb.com/index.php?board=218.0">one of the many pancake recipes</a> recipes found of <a href="http://vegweb.com/">Vegweb.com</a>. Why are pancakes so difficult, you wonder? I haven't the slightest clue! Mine have always burned to easily, been too runny, or tasted slightly chalky. Ignoring my inner thoughts and warnings, I decided to give the <strong><u>Banana-Pecan Pancakes</u></strong> a shot because I had all of the ingredients on hand, and I was intrigued by the thicker-than-you-average-pancake introduction. Oh, these were thick all right - almost like eating a cake. </div> <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Banana-Pecan Pancakes</td></tr>
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Thick, dense and moist, these pancakes weren't terrible. The flavors were perfect and the texture would have been wonderful...if I didn't have frantic and finicky stove top burners! Canola spray oil should not smoke on medium-low, right? Well my pan was smoking in a matter of minutes - so much that I had to change pans half way through because it was taking too long to cool down. The recipe suggests medium-high heat, but that was clearly not an option. As a result, my p-cakes were nearly burnt on the outside and wet on the inside, but my immaculate photography skills had you thinking otherwise...<em>right</em>? Overall, the recipe will receive a positive review, because I can't pass my poorly executed pancakes off as a recipe problem. Next time, I'll probably just make waffles.</div><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Fettuccine Alfreda</div></td></tr>
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A recipe that has always called out to me is the <u><b>Fettuccine Alfreda</b></u>. I thought this was really tasty, albeit nothing to write home about. In the recipe introduction, Isa warns that this isn't exactly like the alfredo found in Italian restaurants & pizzerias, but more like a spur-of-the-moment creamy pasta dish resulting from the ingredients she possessed on hand - mainly nutritional yeast and pine nuts. There was too much nutritional yeast for my preferences and I couldn't get over the fact that it wasn't vegan fettuccine alfredo in the aforementioned restaurant style. It almost reminded me of macaroni and cheese cheese sauce (kind of American/cheddar-y), but much more mellow, which I did enjoy. It was really thick for me so I thinned it with pasta water. Also, pine nuts are waaaay to expensive to use on a sub par sauce (roughly $30/lb here!), so if I were to make this again, I will most certainly sub cashews for pine nuts, cut back on the nooch and add a little bit of unsweetened almond milk...and probably a dollop of earth balance for good measure.</div><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">White Bean and Roasted Garlic Soup</td></tr>
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</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: justify;">This was fantastic! The <strong><u>White Bean and Roasted Garlic Soup</u></strong> from Vegan with a Vengeance is criminal. The soup was alarmingly easy to make, but the final flavor profile blew me away. Two words: <em>roasted garlic</em>. Two whole bulbs cloaked in olive oil roasted for about 30 minutes at 350 degrees until they were a mellow paste encapsulated in their shell. Just thinking about them has my mouth watering! They were combined with creamy canellini beans (any white bean will do), sauteed onions, earthy spices - fennel, thyme, oregano - and pureed into a thick soup perfect for rain or snow or whenever! I left about one ladle's worth of soup whole, which for me was a good thing; a few chunky beans and garlic cloves here and there are definitely welcome. This was perfect for the recent dip in temperatures (Louisiana had freezing rain!). We dipped the leftover Baking Powder Biscuits in the soup and ate just about the entire pot - yes, there were only two of us...</div> <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brooklyn Pad Thai</td></tr>
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Never having had Pad Thai from Thailand, I'm ok with this version reining from New York. <strong><u>Brooklyn Pad Thai </u></strong>tasted almost like what I've eaten numerous times at Thai/Fusion restaurants, and Matt (a man obsessed with all things Pad Thai) gave it two thumbs up. Rice noodles are so easy to work with, and this recipe really comes together in a sinch. Just make sure to use a large sauteing vessel - preferably a wok with high sides. I didn't, so it was a bit of a mess for me. If you chop all your vegetables beforehand, the meal is ready in less than 20 minutes (10 of which are reserved for cooking the rice noodles!). The sauce was a little spicy for me, so I'll be sure to reduce the amount of chili sauce (I used Sriracha) next time. I also had to omit the bean sprouts because I forgot about them on my grocery run (lemongrass, too!). Considering my minor changes and omissions, this was really good. Full of flavor and easy enough to make on a weeknight, but only if Matt will agree to clean up afterwards!</div>mikailahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13507026423272196326noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85548310967038487.post-18307897713451117402011-01-30T14:00:00.000-06:002011-01-30T14:00:37.746-06:00Cookbook Challenge 2 - Urban Vegan<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61sICQ2eFOL._SS500_.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/61sICQ2eFOL._SS500_.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">This week's challenge feature a cookbook with which I am unaccustomed. Oh, I've previously browsed Dynise Balcavage's blog, <a href="http://urbanvegan.net/">Urban Vegan</a>, but I've never really followed one of her recipes before. I've only had this cookbook in my possession for about a month, and the spine is still stiff. That's not to say I'm uninterested in her recipes, it's quite the opposite actually. I'd dare to say I'm intimated by them! Her recipes are well-traveled and intelligent, mimicking the sophisticated versatility and variety of urban life. And I only ended up making one thing all week.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Due in equal parts to the mound of leftovers in the fridge, my failed attempt at grocery shopping and a general lack-o-time, I barely explored all of the potentially <i>decadent</i> recipes at my disposal. I did, however, LOVE the one meal I made in the middle of the week. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Cashew Curry Casserole</i></td></tr>
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Matt and I love all things curry, and we weren't feeling too experimental this week, so we went with something we knew we'd love. The <u>Cashew Curry Casserole</u> took 15 minutes to prep and 45 minutes to bake. That is my ideal weeknight meal scenario; it's just enough time to play with and feed the puppies, have a beer or two and decide what movie we're going to watch. By 7PM the timer was buzzing and the scent warm aromatic curry filled the air. What could be more comfortable on a rainy weeknight than that?</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"> This casserole consisted of chickpeas, broccoli, and tomatoes all tossed in a cashew butter & almond milk mixture. Red Thai curry paste was dissolved in the liquid, and I upped the spices to include crushed red pepper, cumin and oregano. A dollop of tomato paste was adjusted into the recipe, and I follow Dynise's suggestion to add sliced mushrooms and red bell pepper strips. This casserole was fantastically comforting and contained most of my favorite food items. We served it with some Thai jasmine rice and a sprinkle of cashew pieces. The leftovers tasted great the next day.</div>mikailahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13507026423272196326noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85548310967038487.post-84633585099223668462011-01-22T17:35:00.000-06:002011-01-22T17:35:29.212-06:00Cookbook Challenge 2 - Veganomicon: The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cookbook Challenge II - VEGANOMICON!!!</td></tr>
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">For the second week of CCII, one of the most widely known and well revered vegan cookbooks made its way into my kitchen. <a href="http://www.theppk.com/books/veganomicon-the-ultimate-vegan-cookbook/"><i>Veganomicon: The Ultimate Vegan Cookbook</i></a> is what I like to call the rebellious younger sister to Irma Rombauer's The Joy of Cooking. Moskowitz and Romero of The Post Punk Kitchen have at it in this all-encompassing, over-achieving bookshelf staple. With nearly 50 pages devoted to kitchen gadgets, stocking the vegan pantry and vegetable/grain/bean cooking how-to's, this truly is the ultimate vegan cookbook. Oh, the 250+ vegan recipes might also have something to do with it.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Upon it's publication, I remember hanging out at the local bookstore while I waited for my then-boyfriend to get out of work. I'd pick up a copy of Veganomicon and read it, cover-to-cover, but never had enough money in my pocket to help me bring a copy home (bah, unemployment!). Eventually I saved up enough quarters and it was aaaallll mine. Since then, I've discovered some of my favorite meals and have made them repetitiously. Though to be honest, I've only made a handful of the recipes in this book because the first ones I tried were so amazing, and I never saw the need to try something new! Well, that changed this week. I selected three recipes I've never tried, but were well received within the vegan (and omnivorous) community!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Quinoa Salad with Black Beans and <strike>Mango</strike> Peaches</td></tr>
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I'm a huge fan of grain & bean salads. They're more filling and add a lot of depth and flavor to the monotonous leafy green salad. When I saw the recipe for the <u>Quinoa Salad with Black Beans and Mango</u>, I was hooked. I ended up subbing the mango with defrosted peaches (from this past summer - so sweet and juicy!) and unfortunately had to omit the fresh cilantro as a result of absent-minded grocery shopping. The salad had every sort of sensation your mouth could fathom without being overwhelming. Sweet and savory are a wonderful pairing; here they are harmoniously tied with rice vinegar, grapeseed oil (I used olive) and salt for a hearty combination of soft, crunchy, sweet, and salty.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: justify;">In an effort to juxtapose my gluttonous eating of prior days, I opted for another wholesome salad. The <u>Corn and Edamame-Sesame Salad</u> was ridiculously easy to make and kept me full for hours. Edamame is loaded with protein and is ready to eat in under a minute - buy it shelled and frozen for those nights when you only have time to boil water! The dressing is a nutty and salty combination of sesame oil, rice vinegar and tamari (or soy sauce), all of which are relatively inexpensive (considering how little is used per serving in most recipes), especially at Asian markets. I added diced red onion and shared this with some new friends at a vegan potluck! It keeps well and is great served cold or at room temperature - perfect for traveling, picnics or workday lunches.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">The final recipe that I selected is one of Veganomicon's most famous; <u>Chickpea Cutlets</u> have been popping up all over the vegan blogosphere since the book's release. I have no good excuse for not making them until now, so I won't even waste your time. They were as wonderful as I anticipated.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Chickpea Cutlets, mashed sweet potatoes, steamed green beans</td></tr>
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Now that is my kind of meat-and-potatoes dinner. Not the <strike>traditional</strike> typical American meal, but so much more flavorful than any I've ever had. The chickpea cutlets were very "meaty" due to the vital wheat gluten - a natural protein found in wheat used to improve the texture and elasticity of bread, also the main ingredient in <a href="http://vegetarian.about.com/od/glossary/g/Seitan.htm">seitan</a> - and packed with fiber AND flavor (who knew?!). I opted for the baked method instead of pan-frying to cut out some fat. These were wonderful and my only complaint is that I didn't triple the recipe. The firm yet moist cutlets were perfectly crispy and had a really robust flavor. They were mellow enough to be served in a myriad of ways - my next batch will be devoted to a vegan Po'boy and I'll season it appropriately (Matt said so). I served this batch with steamed green beans and Indian mashed sweet potatoes - made Indian by the leftover dal saag (lentil/spinach dish) from a friend's birthday dinner.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Three more recipes down, and I've barely unearthed the magnificence that is the ultimate vegan cookbook - Veganomicon. Tune in next week for the third installment of CCII - <i>The Urban Vegan: 250 Simple, Sumptuous Recipes, From Street Cart Favorites to Haute Cuisine.</i></div><span id="goog_1275226130"></span><span id="goog_1275226131"></span>mikailahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13507026423272196326noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85548310967038487.post-57700873447949716092011-01-20T17:46:00.000-06:002011-01-20T17:46:52.440-06:00Holiday in South Florida<div style="text-align: justify;">I'm taking a quick detour from my <i>very active</i> participation in this year's Cookbook Challenge. Over the winter holidays I visited friends and family in my Florida hometown, Fort Lauderdale. In addition to sleeping in for an entire week (!!), I wined and dined at one of the finest vegan dining establishments on the east coast. <a href="http://www.sublimerestaurant.com/">Sublime Restaurant and Bar</a> is located in downtown Fort Lauderdale and features an all-vegan fancy-foods menu! The owner, Nanci Alexander, is also the founder of ARFF (Animal Rights Foundation of Florida) and 100% of the restaurant's profits are donated to organizations set on reducing animal cruelty and promoting a vegan lifestyle. It also doesn't hurt that all of their food is absolutely delicious.</div><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Matt and I started with two appetizers (they were having an anniversary special - all appetizers were only $4!). The Crispy Eggplant Rollatini was perfectly proportioned and the vegan ricotta couldn't have been creamier. I'm usually skeptical about ordering dairy analogues at restaurants, especially ones that are house-made, but I'm glad I did in this instance. Below, our second appetizer is one that can't be missed. I've ordered it every time I went to Sublime and it keeps getting better and better. The Frito Misto consists of battered and lightly fried cauliflower florets covered in a sweet chili sauce and topped with black-and-white sesame seeds and a spring onion garnish. M-O-U-T-H-P-A-R-T-Y. Just writing about this dish has me <i>yearning</i> to recreate it. I know what my weekend project will be...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5247/5341077122_664dcaca69.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" s5="true" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5247/5341077122_664dcaca69.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">If you are intrigued at all by the appetizers, you must stay for dinner. The menu at Sublime is really diverse, featuring salads, sushi, brick oven pizza, an array of entrees and mouthwatering desserts. Matt ordered the Mushroom Ravioli for dinner and I was utterly speechless after my first bite. The pasta was made in-house and if that was any indication of fresh pasta, I'm seriously missing out. It was soft, silky, creamy, <strike>sexy</strike> yummy goodness. The filling was excellent as well, but they could have served just me plain noodles and I wouldn't have complained.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5122/5340458965_f01f0cdbb1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" s5="true" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5122/5340458965_f01f0cdbb1.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">My entree was almost as delicious (maybe if it had been wrapped in ravioli noodles...) but still very enjoyable. The Sublime Picatta consisted of Gardein cutlets, mashed potatoes, grilled asparagus and a lemon caper sauce. I've only ever tried the chicken-style Crispy Tenders, but I've heard really good things about <a href="http://www.gardein.com/index.php">Gardein</a> brand meat analogues so I decided to give it a whirl. The taste and texture were pleasurable, but anything covered in lemon caper sauce would taste good to me. I was mostly surprised by how they found such thick asparagus!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Let the verdict show that vegan gourmet is entirely possible, and insanely delicious. If you're ever in south Florida, support this vegan establishment!</div>mikailahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13507026423272196326noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85548310967038487.post-20474966829778910932011-01-15T14:05:00.001-06:002011-01-15T14:10:19.911-06:00Cookbook Challenge 2 - Appetite for Reduction<div style="text-align: justify;">Lately I've been craving the lightly prepared stong aromatic dishes native to Thailand. For my birthday, Matt and I ate at <a href="http://maps.google.com/maps/place?hl=en&um=1&ie=UTF-8&q=rama+baton+rouge&fb=1&gl=us&hq=rama&hnear=Baton+Rouge,+LA&cid=3595270353380734358">Rama Restaurant</a>, a whole-in-the-wall serving up some of the finest Thai food (as far as I know) in Baton Rouge. The slow service was easily overshadowed by the fragrant and spicy meals we ordered. Fried veggies - eggplant, yams, green peppers, green beans, potatoes, onions - with sweet and sour sauce (not exactly authentic, I know) stimulated our tastebuds and appetites for two tasty, albeit oily, Thai entrees.</div><div align="justify"><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">cellphone porn!<br />
left to right: veggie pad thai, panang tofu, fried veggies</td></tr>
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<div style="border: medium none;">Matt ordered the Veggie Pad Thai sans egg as usual. This fish-free variation was so light and fresh, we damn near inhaled the entire plate (by the way, the portion-to-prices ratio at Rama is amazing; two people could easily share one plate..unless you're either one of us)! Any extra room in our mouths and bellies was quickly filled with my entree, Panang Tofu. Green beans and mushrooms were the main contenders in this warm and spicy coconut curry dish, along with copious amounts of fried tofu! So...Thai food...isn't it amazing? Yeah, I know; I know.</div></div><div class="separator" style="border: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div> <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><div align="center"><a href="http://theppk.com/wp-content/themes/ppk/images/books/large/appetite-for-reduction.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" n4="true" src="http://theppk.com/wp-content/themes/ppk/images/books/large/appetite-for-reduction.jpg" width="257" /></a></div></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cookbook Challenge II - Appetite for Reduction</td></tr>
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<div style="border: medium none; text-align: justify;"><div style="border: medium none;">My greatest qualm with dining out, especially at Asian/Indian establishments, is the amount of oil used by the restaurant chefs. I can't consciously dine out often for this reason alone. It's a bittersweet scenario, actually. The openhanded oil applications force me to make my own renditions of these aromatic appetizers, and while they may not be authentic, they are certainly satisfying.</div><div style="border: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border: medium none;">This is where Appetite for Reduction is plugged in. As I flipped through the already slightly tarnished pages (I'm a bit of a messy cook...) I noted several Thai-inspired recipes that I would have to make. The first thing to catch my eye was the Pad Thai salad with Peanut-Lime Dragon Dressing. The dressing was a sweet, spicy and tangy combination of ground peanuts (for which I substituted crunchy peanut butter), sriracha, lime juice and a few other things I'll just call delicious. I added sauteed tempeh cooked with tamari (a great gluten-free alternative to soy sauce) and omitted the red onion because I didn't have one.</div> <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5241/5340431307_f8bb0d7bea.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" n4="true" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5241/5340431307_f8bb0d7bea.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pad Thai Salad and Crispy Tamari Tempeh with Peanut-Lime Dragon Dressing</td></tr>
</tbody></table> </div><div style="border: medium none; text-align: justify;">Did I mention that AFR has an entire chapter devoted to bowls (and sandwiches, but they deserve their own thrown)?! Using the remaining Peanut-Lime Dragon dressing, I made the Peanut-Lime Tempeh Bowl, which consisted of fluffy quinoa, steamed broccoli, more tamari tempeh and the dressing. I jazzes it up with sauteed bean sprouts and alfafa sprouts for an amazingly filling and insanely delicious dinner.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Peanut-Lime Tempeh Bowl</i></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>This next Thai-inspired dish was featured in my post about <a href="http://vegantoday.blogspot.com/2011/01/appetite-for-tofu.html">tofu</a>, but who's going to argue with me? I think it deserves another fifteen minutes of fame. Ladies and gentlemen, Red Thai Tofu...<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Red Thai Tofu and Green Beans with (not) Thai Basil</td></tr>
</tbody></table>No, I didn't use Thai basil, and I thought of adding fennel or dried mint to give it the cool depth I notice in Thai basil, but I didn't want to stray too far from the actual recipe. Crispy tofu, spicy red Thai curry, sriracha, ginger and garlic all go great together. Add some sauteed green beans dusted with red pepper flakes and a squirt of lime and you're in business. I have no negative critique other than I wish I had more, and right now please.<br />
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In fact, I think I need to go pick up some tofu and lock myself in the kitchen. Until next time...</div><div class="separator" style="border: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>mikailahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13507026423272196326noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85548310967038487.post-63812205103336954582011-01-12T13:09:00.001-06:002011-01-13T08:41:32.609-06:00Cookbook Challenge 2 - Appetite for Reduction I<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://theppk.com/wp-content/themes/ppk/images/books/large/appetite-for-reduction.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" n4="true" src="http://theppk.com/wp-content/themes/ppk/images/books/large/appetite-for-reduction.jpg" width="257" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cookbook Challenge II - Appetite for Reduction!</td></tr>
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If you're not already part (or at least aware) of <a href="http://www.theppk.com/">The Post Punk Kitchen</a>, you are seriously missing out. What initially began as a public access vegan cooking show created by cookbook-author extraordinaire and baketivist <a href="http://www.theppk.com/about/">Isa Chandra Moskowitz</a>, has now fully blossomed into one of the most active vegan communities in the world. As a member of the PPK message boards, I can personally vouch for the massive amounts action on that forum. Alongside all the mindless banter and deep conversations revolved around bodily functions (I never said we were a mature bunch..), vegan food is the topic of most conversations. Whether it's an uplifting thread about all of the accidentally-vegan snack foods found in convenience stores - I nearly pooped my pants when I learned that one of the Doritos chips is vegan! - or reviews on the latest vegan cookbook to hit the shelves, food is not far from any of our minds. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The latter topic holds particular significance to this post. <a href="http://forum.theppk.com/viewforum.php?f=18&sid=a79ce0ae37771ce85f5396b5958fc47a">Over in The Kitchen - Food & Cooking</a> forum, the second annual Cookbook Challenge is taking place! For the next 12 weeks, participants will be cooking at least 3 recipes from a randomly selected, albeit predetermined, cookbook and sharing their creations with fellow PPKers. As a participant, I'll be posting photos and reviews of my selected batch of recipes at the forums as well as the here blog. I'm particularly excited about participating because this week's cookbook has quickly become one of my favorites. <a href="http://www.theppk.com/books/appetite-for-reduction/">Appetite for Reduction</a> (AFR) is Isa's newest vegan cookbook, and it focuses on low-fat, whole-foods based cooking for folks with an appetite. I've read the book from cover-to-cover and there isn't a single recipe that I don't want to immediately shovel into my mouth. If the sound of this cookbook strikes your fancy, why not try one or all of the <a href="http://www.theppk.com/books/appetite-for-reduction/">sample recipes</a> at the PPK? I promise you won't be disappointed.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I'll talk about this book more throughout the rest of the week, but I think my first dish is past due. Talking about vegan foodz is nice and all, but <em>I'd rather</em> <em>show you!</em></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>Caesar Chavez Salad with Eggplant Bacon</em></td></tr>
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Ahh, the Caesar Chavez Salad with Eggplant Bacon. Let me start by introducing the salad dressing. One thing I've truly missed since becoming a vegetarian is the creamy tang of caesar dressing. If you weren't already aware, most commercially produced bottles contain anchovies and eggs in addition to a boat load of cream and calories, and are unsuitable for veg*ns. <a href="http://www.anniesnaturals.com/organic_dressings#jump177">Annie's Goddess Dressing</a> is a suitable store-bought replacement and has always satiated my appetite, but at $5-$6 a bottle, I only buy it sporadically. After making the Caesar Chavez Dressing in AFR, I will never buy another bottled salad dressing, of any variety. Isa has done it again! This dressing is perfectly remniscent of caesar dressing - uber creamy, briny and cool. I've been making it in bulk batches and drizzling it on anything I can think of - salad, pasta, pizza, quinoa, my tongue, etc. Seriously, you NEED to make this dressing. For utter ease and generosity, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Appetite-Reduction-Filling-Low-Fat-Recipes/dp/1600940498/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1294838928&sr=8-1#_">the recipe can be found online in Amazon's trusty <em>Look Inside</em> feature.</a> Just click the book's image (log in if you have an Amazon account; you'll be able to see more recipes that way) where it says <em>Look Inside</em> and you'll be able to see the first half of the book for free (then, of course, you should buy it and support that awesome lady).<br />
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As for the Eggplant Bacon, that deserves equal praise. Drenched in a bath of soy sauce (tamari for those with a gluten intolerance) and liquid smoke, eggplant is the perfect medium for such an application. The recipe calls for thin slices of eggplant, to recreate the look of bacon strips, baked at a high temperature for utlimate crispiness. I did find myself baking the eggplant for more time than the recipe called for because my toaster oven sucks. I thought the strips of eggplant were aesthetically awesome, but found myself shoving whole slices into my mouth at a time. Next time I'm going to chop it into very tiny cubes in the hopes that it'll get even crunchier and I'll fool myself into thinking I have more on my plate (eggplant gluttony?!).<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>Caesar Chavez Salad with Eggplant Bacon</em></td></tr>
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All things considered, this recipe gets my highly regarded stamp of approval. It's cheap to make and comes together in less than 30 minutes. With less than 160 calories per serving (recipe serves 4) and a ton of vitamin A, you'll be doing yourself a favor by consuming my new favorite, the Caesar Chavez Salad with Eggplant Bacon from Appetite for Reduction. </div>mikailahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13507026423272196326noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85548310967038487.post-48015739178563674462011-01-09T19:15:00.001-06:002011-01-22T17:36:27.194-06:00appetite for tofu!<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><i>Red Thai Tofu and Green Beans with Thai Basil</i></td></tr>
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One of the most repeated assumptions made of vegetarians and vegans today is that their diet consists primarily of a slimy and flavorless bean slab called tofu (aside from the occasional twig and clump of dirt!). I can't recall how many times my tofu intake has been questioned, usually accompanied by distorted faces and protesting grunts. For a long time, I sided with the average carnivore and detested the white beany block. I'd only ever tasted poorly (if at all) cooked tofu, and it certainly lived up to it's stereotype: mushy, bland and utterly unappetizing. I could never appreciate the praise and preference given to tofu by vegetarians. Well, that all changed shortly after I started reading vegan food blogs and trying some of the recipes calling for that soft wet slab. Through them and my own experience, I've learned many key steps and secrets to turning the initially unappetizing bean curd into a pleasantly palatable protein! Here are several things I've learned about tofu:</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">-Stick with firm or extra firm tofu packaged in water (usually found in the produce section of your grocery store) for "meatier" dishes. Silken tofu will not hold up to being fried, grilled or baked and the texture of aseptic-packed tofu (such as Mori-Nu brand) will never measure up to the aforementioned.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">-Pressing tofu releases much of the absorbed water and helps it firm up. Wrap tofu in several layers of paper towels or tea towels and place between two plates. Top off your sculpture with something heavy, like canned beans or a couple of your thicker cookbooks. Wait at least 30 minutes and gasp in wonder how much water has been squeezed out.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">-Tofu still too mushy for you? Freeze it! Remove the tofu from its packaging, cut into desired shape (rectangular slabs, triangles, cubed, etc.) and layer between paper towels on a shallow plate. Allow the tofu to fully freeze before handling it any further. When ready to use, let the tofu thaw completely and you'll be surprised how much of the water seeps out. This type of tofu works great in marinades and results in a firmer, chewier finale.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">-Marinades are your friend! Let your tofu spend the night with some liquids and herbs and you'll be surprised how happy it is in the morning! Try olive oil, balsamic vinegar, minced garlic and fresh or dried basil for Italian tofu. Crave Asian flavors? Combine peanut oil, soy sauce or tamari, agave nectar, fresh minced ginger and garlic together for a salty and sweet Teriyaki-style of tofu.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">-I think tofu should be crispy, like most things I eat, but I can never deliberately deep fry things in my home. Pan frying works just as well as deep frying without any of the mess or post-consumption bloating. Take your biggest non-stick saute pan, spray with a little bit of cooking oil and get to work! Use tongs or a flat spatula for easy flipping, and to insure each side of the tofu gets crispy.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">-Still can't get behind the meaty slabs? Scramble it! I consume most of my tofu in this fashion solely because it is so forgiving and works with whatever your have on hand. Modeled after scrambled eggs, tofu scramble is much more versatile, flavorful, and no animals are harmed by it's consumption! Try my recipe for <a href="http://vegantoday.blogspot.com/2010/06/recipes-for-tofu-scramble-are-dime.html">Green and Gold Scramble</a>, or check out <a href="http://www.theppk.com/books/vegan-brunch/">Vegan Brunch</a> for several pages of scramble variations.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I guarantee that following these steps will result in a flavorful vegetable-based protein. So banish your reservations and prove your presumptions wrong. Stop shoving your tofu to the wayside and make it the star of your next meal!</div>mikailahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13507026423272196326noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85548310967038487.post-84292164093793805502010-12-06T13:18:00.000-06:002010-12-06T13:18:52.080-06:00A Rescue Story - Welcome Tobi<div style="text-align: center;">This is Tobi, a female puppy I rescued from a ditch on the side of the road.</div><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5004/5237991711_a69f61e35f.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5004/5237991711_a69f61e35f.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tobi, just waking up from nap!</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;">My place of work is situated at the end of five-mile stretch of winding road, surrounded by forest and dotted with a few small farm houses, just off a small highway. Occasionally I’ll see deer frolicking, bunnies, opossums, and a dog or two that may have wandered out of their yards. I’ve been driving up and down that road long enough to familiarize myself with a lot of the domestic and wildlife, and recognize most of the animals’ homes and owners. Last Friday, as I was driving into work, I noticed a small white dog trotting in and around a ditch off the side of the road. I’d never seen her before that morning, and was worried that she may be lost, or worse - abandoned. All throughout the work day, I couldn’t get her out of my mind. Was their a new dog in the neighborhood? Should she be outside, in the cold, and all alone? As the day came to a close, I fully expected her to be gone, probably (and hopefully) tucked snuggly into someone’s lap by a warm fire. She was very tiny as far as I could tell, perhaps even still a puppy, and shouldn’t be outside in near freezing temperatures without any warmth.<br />
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Sure enough, she was exactly where I had seen her in the morning. I pulled over and was out of the car before I even realized what I was doing. Her demeanor was apprehensive, but she briskly trotted up to me and rolled over, exposing her belly. She was absolutely adorable, but covered in fleas and moles (which upon deeper examination, turned out to be ticks). In an instant she was in my car and I was taking her to a vet. A nurse examined her briefly (the vet’s office was closing in five minutes, and the doctor had already left) and gave her some medication to help with the fleas and ticks, and recommended some antibacterial shampoo and told me to come back tomorrow. She got a good bath that night, which she hated (I’ll attribute that mostly to anxiety). After a thorough bathing, feeding, and loving, we put her to bed on a pile of pillows and blankets in our spare room. I named her Tobi.<br />
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Tobi’s visit to the vet on Saturday went well. Parasitic and heartworm screens all came back negative, and 12 ticks were picked off of her (I also removed a few more throughout the day that were missed). She’ll be going back sometime this week for a few vaccinations, which weren’t given on Saturday because she vomited twice since Friday. Yesterday I applied some flea and tick treatment to her back and fed her a pill to prevent heartworm. She isn’t spayed, but that is something that I have planned for this weekend.<br />
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Overall, Tobi seems to be doing very well. The vet estimated her age at one year, and she’s 11.6 pounds. She clearly has dominate Terrier genes, but I also suspect some Daschund (long body & tail, short legs). Her top coat is wiry and thin, but with proper care I believe it’ll regrow. I’m not sure if she is entirely potty-trained, but she hasn’t had a single accident in the house! Her appetite for love is enormous, and she’ll happily sleep away the day on my lap. My partner and I haven’t decided if we will keep her permanently, but neither of us have any problems with fostering for an extended period of time. I want to see her with a healthy coat, no ticks or fleas, and a lot less trepidation before anything else. Our greatest concern is our other dog, Merlin (check him out in my avatar!). He’s an independent tough-guy type, but seems to be adjusting to/ignoring Tobi ok. When my partner and I are at home, we let her roam the house, but she spends nights in a closed room – I’m trying to establish regular sleeping patterns, and I don’t want her and Merlin to butt heads when no one is there to observe.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">I've never raised a young dog before. All of my previous dogs have been adopted after several years of life (3-4+), all have been male, and all were large dogs. If anyone has any advice you think may be helpful to my situation, please feel free to share. I'm completely new to "owning" and raising a young dog, so that type of advice is especially welcome! I just want to do the right thing for Tobi. She's a sweetheart and I want to provide her with the best life I can.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">As soon as I get a few more pictures, I'll show you how fun and lively she is!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><em>(c&p from a thread I created at The PPK)</em></span></div>mikailahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13507026423272196326noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85548310967038487.post-3699568310949198392010-11-30T12:54:00.001-06:002010-11-30T15:11:40.234-06:00Vegan MoFo 2010: THE FINAL DAY<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">20 posts behind me...</td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">November 30th, today, is the final day of Vegan MoFo 2010. While I may have burnt myself out within the first two and half weeks, I'm really excited to continue participating for as long as MoFo lives. Though I only ended up blogging the recommended minimum of 20 posts, I'm glad I participated. This past month was drowning in delicious vegan goodies from bloggers all around the world, and I've bookmarked so many blogs and recipes for future use. There were so many interesting, creative and compassionate people participating this year! Thanks to everyone that read and supported my blogging efforts; you've all inspired me to continue blogging for as long as I possibly can. GO VEGAN MOFO IV!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Matt and I just returned from a long weekend in Tallahassee, FL. We spent the last four days with best friends, cooking, drinking and laughing. Thursday was spent at Meg and Sebastian's house, cooking up an awesome all-vegan thanksgiving spread. Honestly, we made way to much food for four people, but everything was delicious. And because we were just visiting, I didn't have to worry about what to do with all of the leftovers. <em>Still enjoying that cheesecake after four days, Meg?!</em></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sebas and Meg, cooking green beans and sweet potatoes</td></tr>
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I spent the last week and a half planning Thursday's menu and exceptionally pleased with the results. For an appetizer, I made the <a href="http://www.vegetariantimes.com/recipes/10952">Pepper-Crusted Cashew Goat Cheese</a> from <a href="http://www.vegetariantimes.com/">Vegetarian Times</a> magazine. If you've ever planned to make this, which I highly recommend that you do, remember that it requires advanced preparation. You'll need to start making this atleast 36 hours prior to your planned serving time. The cheese was excellent; it was tangy, soft and spreadable, but hard enough so that it kept it's shape. I ended up baking the cheese for about 15-20 minutes longer than the recipe suggested.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4136/5221518874_e317b79268.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4136/5221518874_e317b79268.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><em>Parsley and Pepper-Crusted Cashew Goat Cheese from VT...half-eaten!</em></td></tr>
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In addition to the cashew "goat cheese," I made <a href="http://justthefood.blogspot.com/2009/10/truth-is.html">Seitan en Croute</a>, a recipe originally published in 500 Vegan Recipes that author Joni Marie Newman featured on her blog, <a href="http://justthefood.blogspot.com/">Just the Food</a>. Not only does it look amazing (I'm midly obsessed with braided pastry dough...ok, ok, all things pastry dough!), but it was one of the finer tasting seitans I've ever made or had prepared for me. Matt and I tested the recipe earlier in the week, halving all of the ingredients. The tester was dry, which slightly worried me. Thursday's loaf was much moister, though I think I may have added too much liquid smoke. Regardless, it was tasty!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4141/5221643038_fa95a4ebfc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4141/5221643038_fa95a4ebfc.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Seitan en Croute</td></tr>
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Fine food and finer company, wouldn't you say. Below is a photo of Sebastian, Matt and Meg behind all of the glorious grub. Spread from left to right: green beans and veggie sausage with sweet potato puree, sweet potato casserole with dandies (vegan marshmallows), off-center piece of Seitan en Croute, mini macaroni and cheese pies topped with walnuts and parsley, extra-creamy macaroni and cheese, maple-roasted brussel sprouts with pistachios, and a bottle of beaujoulais nouveau! YUM</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div align="justify" style="text-align: justify;">It was a great weekend away from Baton Rouge and the ol' job. I've missed Tally so much these past few months; that trip was everything I needed and more. I can't believe I'm already back, sitting in my office at my desk. I miss you Tallahassee!</div><div align="justify" style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div>mikailahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13507026423272196326noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85548310967038487.post-56704041248843439892010-11-24T14:20:00.000-06:002010-11-24T14:20:23.751-06:00Vegan MoFo 2010: Day Ninteen<div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ok, I've comed to terms with the fact that I haven't and won't be posting every single day this month (for MoFo). By the end of last week, I was utterly burnt out on kitchen creativity, blogging and my bank account had taken a serious hit from ingredient purchasing. I'll definitely complete the 20 recommended minimum posts for the month, and I should have a lot to write about by Friday. Matt and I are driving to Tallahassee today. We'll be leaving straight after work and getting in around midnight, traffic permitting. I've already planned a holiday feast for an inevitable potluck. Today, however, is devoted to some of my favorite ingredients all piled into one bowl. Chickpeas, eggplant, and a peas took a nice long bath in a creamy tomato sauce and I managed to spill vegan mozzarella all over it!</div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4145/5057926113_83a9c8a258.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4145/5057926113_83a9c8a258.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">That's all, because I'm at work and have nothing more to say on the matter.</div><div style="text-align: center;">Also, I've just spent the last two hours making origami, <em>at work!</em></div>mikailahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13507026423272196326noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85548310967038487.post-46622083763232030772010-11-20T10:46:00.000-06:002010-11-20T10:46:21.119-06:00Vegan MoFo 2010: Day Eighteen<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iymLGdgkCMs/TM2lNE7BO3I/AAAAAAAAAD8/ANxnFnTIg9A/s1600/5092572578_044222c0b0_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iymLGdgkCMs/TM2lNE7BO3I/AAAAAAAAAD8/ANxnFnTIg9A/s1600/5092572578_044222c0b0_o.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Well, it looks like I've finally broken my perfect posting record! I've been working 10-12 hours a day all week, and my evenings have been dark, cold and short. We're implementing a new accounting system at my job, and the training has been tedious. I haven't cooked much in the way of MoFo-worthy fare, but I have managed not to starve myself. The other night I made tempeh marinated in teriyaki sauce (<a href="http://www.browniepointsblog.com/2006/05/13/teriyaki-grilled-tempeh/">recipe here</a>) with lo mein noodles and frozen broccoli-stirfry veggies. It was a really satisfying meal and didn't require anything other than what I had on hand. In an effort to strictly budget my spending for the next week, I have not allowed myself to venture to the grocery store for any reason. While I did falter and purchase a bottle of wine (Thursday was the 2010 release of Beaujolais Nouveau!!), I haven't bought anything else in a while - almost three weeks.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">So in the spirit of saving dough (and staying classy!) I made a white bean picatta! I've had picatta once in my life, and only after going vegan. Sublime Restaurant in Fort Lauderdale makes a seitan picatta served over mashed potaotes (I think) and it was delicious. I whipped up a quick lemony sauce, tossed in some frozen peas and beans I cooked earlier in the week alongside whole wheat penne for a very satisfying dinner.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4111/5191908299_f1fd580209.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4111/5191908299_f1fd580209.jpg" /></a></div><div align="justify" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div>mikailahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13507026423272196326noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85548310967038487.post-22651955535832919062010-11-17T22:14:00.003-06:002010-11-17T22:15:42.547-06:00Vegan MoFo 2010: Day Seventeen<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iymLGdgkCMs/TOSjBLu6hyI/AAAAAAAAAJA/P4xzxFdaV3k/s1600/5092572578_044222c0b0_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iymLGdgkCMs/TOSjBLu6hyI/AAAAAAAAAJA/P4xzxFdaV3k/s1600/5092572578_044222c0b0_o.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Day Seventeen: The Frugal Vegan</td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">Last night's snack left me craving something warm and filling. In a successful attempt to use only foods from my current pantry stock, Matt and I created just that. Half a block's worth of tempeh triangles were marinated in a sweet and salty teryaki sauce, adding dimension to a simple vegetable lo mein. A frozen bag of stir fry vegetables (broccoli, red peppers, mushrooms and carrots) was cooked alongside flat pasta to create this tasty dinner. I'll definitely post the recipe tomorrow! Happy MoFo!<br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4129/5185811053_d28fc0432a.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4129/5185811053_d28fc0432a.jpg" /></a></div></div>mikailahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13507026423272196326noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85548310967038487.post-57253468672718104882010-11-16T20:44:00.000-06:002010-11-16T20:44:41.882-06:00Vegan MoFo 2010: Day Sixteen<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iymLGdgkCMs/TOM_hGCRbrI/AAAAAAAAAI8/oYAPY6ArbZU/s1600/5092572578_044222c0b0_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iymLGdgkCMs/TOM_hGCRbrI/AAAAAAAAAI8/oYAPY6ArbZU/s1600/5092572578_044222c0b0_o.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">What a long, busy day! Work meetings filled up most if my day, even resulting in a few hours of overtime. Rush hour traffic was heinous and it took me twice as long to get home. I'm exhausted, stressed and not hungry in the least. I promise to get back on track tomorrow. I'm thinking about terykai tempeh with broccoli stir fry. Tonight, I'm having tea to settle my nerves and chills (cold front!) and popcorn to accompany The Abyss.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1041/5182963923_ed97e39cc0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1041/5182963923_ed97e39cc0.jpg" /></a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">While I don't normally grab the Earl Grey (I'm more of a chai drinker), Matt was having a cup and it's his preferred. I added almond milk, agave and cinnamon to make it much more comforting. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1271/5182963927_32aa113d19.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1271/5182963927_32aa113d19.jpg" /> </a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">I don't know about you, but I'd rather not eat plain popcorn. I like to dress mine with an assortment of spices, depending on my mood. Tonight, I wanted something warm and a little spicy. I opted for nutritional yeast (as always with popcorn) and a mild curry powder. This popcorn was full of flavor and swiftly disappeared between my roommates and I. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>mikailahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13507026423272196326noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85548310967038487.post-15696208752137326472010-11-15T13:55:00.001-06:002010-11-15T13:59:22.520-06:00Vegan MoFo 2010: Day Fifteen<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iymLGdgkCMs/TOFy-FZ7COI/AAAAAAAAAIE/v297H2k2XFY/s1600/5092572578_044222c0b0_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" px="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iymLGdgkCMs/TOFy-FZ7COI/AAAAAAAAAIE/v297H2k2XFY/s1600/5092572578_044222c0b0_o.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Day Fifteen: I'm broke</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div align="justify">It's week three here in Vegan MoFo land, and I've decided to temporarily abandon my weekly theme: The Five Course Vegan. Before the riot ensues, let me explain myself. With the approaching holidays, traveling expenses are eating up my funds. I'll be flying to south Florida for a good friend's wedding in the middle of Decemeber, and Matt and I have decided to take a road trip to Tallahassee, FL at the end of next week. We'll need to rent a car, pay for gas and food while we're away. In an attempt to save as much money as I can, I'll be featuring some of my favorite recipes that rely strictly on pantry staples. It's been over a week since my list visit to the grocery store and produce market, but I'm determined to make this work. I do plan on going to the produce market for a few vegetables (all I have is a head of garlic, 2 small sweet potatos, and 1 carrot), but I'm not carrying more tha $5 in my wallet. Food and gas are easily my two greatest expenses, and in an effort to reduce my consumption of the latter, I'll be biking to anywhere that isn't work. I drive about 60 miles roundtrip for work, and anything I can do to reduce my car's mileage and my exhaust output is worth my while. </div><div align="justify"><br />
</div><div align="justify">Last night I conducted a kitchen inventory, excluding items like flours, spices, condiments, etc. because they aren't common purchases and don't play a heavy role in my budgeting. I'll use these items to make meals for two (Matt and I) and try my hardest not to purchase anything from the grocery store. Here is a list of items from which I'll need to make lunch and dinner (for two) for the next week or more:<br />
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sweet potatoes (2)</div><div align="justify">carrot (1)<br />
garlic (1 bulb)<br />
lemon (1 - large)<br />
pasta (3 boxes - opened; farfalle, medium shells and spaghetti)</div><div align="justify">chickpeas (1 can)</div><div align="justify">canned tomatoes (1 28 oz. can)</div><div align="justify">dried navy beans (1 medium bag)<br />
coconut milk (1 can)<br />
lentils (1 cup)<br />
quinoa (1 cup)<br />
frozen corn (2 cups)<br />
frozen peas (1 cup)<br />
frozen stirfry vegetables (1 bag)</div><div align="justify">frozen bananas (2)<br />
frozen pie crust (1)<br />
cashews<br />
pepitos<br />
Earth Balance<br />
tomato paste<br />
miso<br />
tempeh (1 block)<br />
ackee (2 cans from grammy!)<br />
calalloo (also from grams)<br />
<br />
With a little planning and creativity, I don't think this will be too difficult. To kick off my budgeted week, I made an ackee and calalloo quiche. For those of you unfamiliar with ackee, it's the national fruit of Jamaica and one of my favorite foods. The consistency is similar to crumbled tofu or scrambled eggs, making it the perfect stand-in for tofu in a breakfast scramble and it has a tangy flavor. You can't find it fresh in the US (it's illegal to grow or ship fresh ackee) because the seeds are seriously poisonous, but canned varieties are available. Just check out your local caribbean market or a well-stocked grocery store.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4151/5178285425_f84349a108.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" px="true" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4151/5178285425_f84349a108.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ackee and Calallo Quiche with Peas</td></tr>
</tbody></table>If you do happen to find a can or two of ackee, why not try this quiche!? It sets nicely and have a really smooth, velvty texture. I seasoned mine with jerk spice (allspice, cloves, cinnamon, scallions, nutmeg, thyme, garlic, salt, and pepper) and baked it in a premade pie crust that has been sitting in my pantry since <a href="http://vegantoday.blogspot.com/2010/10/classic-broccoli-quiche.html">my last quiche.</a><br />
<br />
<strong>Ackee and Calallo Quiche with Peas</strong><br />
<em><span style="font-size: x-small;">makes 1 quiche</span></em><br />
<br />
1-28 oz. can of ackee<br />
1-28 oz. can of calalloo<br />
2 tablespoons jerk seasoning<br />
1/2 frozen peas<br />
1 ready-made pie crust, or your favorite vegan recipe<br />
tomato slices<br />
<br />
Preheat over to 375 degrees Farenheit. Mash ackee in a large bowl until smooth and uniform. Add calalloo and spices, stiring to combine. Add frozen peas, stirring again. Pour filling into pie crust and smooth out with the back of a spoon. Garnish with tomato slices and black pepper. Place pie in oven for 40 minutes, or until filling has firmed up. Remove quiche from oven and allow to cool for atleast 10 minutes. Enjoy!</div>mikailahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13507026423272196326noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85548310967038487.post-5457903733194730252010-11-14T23:00:00.001-06:002010-11-15T09:29:44.479-06:00Vegan MoFo 2010: Day Fourteen<div style="text-align: justify;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Day Fourteen: Brewing Brown Ale</td></tr>
</tbody></table>Matt and I finally comitted to brewing beer this weekend! We've talked about it for ages, and everything came together yesterday afternoon. We went to the brew store as planned and purchased most of what we would need to complete the process. For this batch we'll be brewing a brown ale, similar in style to the Newcastle Brown Ale (which is NOT a vegan beer by the way; ours is!). After sanitizing every inch of our kitchen, the equipment and ourselves, we were ready to begin the process. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" px="true" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1307/5178828702_9ffb3a5569.jpg" /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;">We started with our a bag of barley purchased from the brew store and set it to simmer in a large pot. After all the malty goodness was extracted we removed the barley husks, and munched on a few handfuls. The grains' sugars had been released and it tasted delicious! All that was removed will be composted, while the remaining liquid (wort) was set to a boil.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><img border="0" px="true" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4106/5178903140_7a2b44f6bb.jpg" /></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;">A powdered malt extract was added, creating more sugary food for the yeast to munch on. After some more boiling we tossed in the first set of hops, known as bittering hops. This was done to provide the basic "bitter" flavor component. After about twenty-five minutes we added another dose of hops in two parts. In order to bring a delightful herbaceous aroma back to the wort, we added a second, sweeter batch of hops during the last 7 minutes. This way they aren't in the boil long enough to have their aroma boiled away.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="400" px="true" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4104/5178789290_d22a99f830.jpg" width="223" /> <img border="0" height="400" px="true" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4144/5178896352_35a12a584b.jpg" width="223" /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">We then added the wort to our sanitized carboy along with three and a half gallons of distilled water. Before pitching the yeast, ice was added to the sink around the carboy to help the cool the wort. After about thirty minutes, the yeast was added, and the lid and airlock were in place. The carboy full of soon-to-be beer was set to rest in our back room; it'll be atleast a week before we can bottle. By tomorrow or Tuesday, the yeast should be having a frenzy, which I hear is really cool to watch. I'll try and snag a picture tomorrow.<br />
<br />
And just so this post isn't completely devoid of food, we made baked polenta fries and festival. Festival is a slightly sweet fried bread popular in Jamaica and can be eaten with savory meals or as dessert. Why are they called "festival," you ask? Because eating one is like having a festival in your mouth. They are very similar to hushpuppies, but I don't think they contain as much cornmeal. Though traditionally oblong-shaped and sort of flat; mine were much too round and puffed up quite a big! But oooh were they tasty.<br />
<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jamaican Festival: because eating them is like a having a festival in your mouth!</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div style="text-align: justify;"> <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Baked Polenta Fries</td></tr>
</tbody></table></div>mikailahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13507026423272196326noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85548310967038487.post-46491855374678353262010-11-13T22:43:00.000-06:002010-11-13T22:43:07.837-06:00Vegan MoFo 2010: Day Thirteen<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iymLGdgkCMs/TN9YHqqfN7I/AAAAAAAAAHI/kD1g3Bj54NE/s1600/5092572578_044222c0b0_o.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_iymLGdgkCMs/TN9YHqqfN7I/AAAAAAAAAHI/kD1g3Bj54NE/s1600/5092572578_044222c0b0_o.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: justify;">This day has been tolerably uneventful, with only a few moments worth noting. I slept in and wasn't hungry in the least, so cooking a weekend-worthy breakfast was not on the agenda. Last night, Matt and I went to <a href="http://www.urbanspoon.com/r/66/710225/restaurant/College-Acadian/Chelseas-Cafe-Baton-Rouge">Chelsea's Cafe</a> for what has swiftly become our Friday night ritual. They offer excellent drink specials until 7:00 PM, which is just enough time to order a pitcher of beer and snag a table on their back patio. Dinner ensued as usual: two veggie burgers - hold the mayo! - and a side of french fries. Chelsea's offer several other vegan options, including a plate of grilled veggies over cousous or focaccia. The latter does come with cheese, but a request for the server can easily remedy that. The also serve a creamy hummus dip with toasted pita, chunky tomato slices and a few kalamata olives. The staff is great, as is the atmosphere. I've never been greeted with anything less than a smile and a couple of laughs. The interior is dressed with several large paintings by local artists, and blues and jazz can be heard in the afterhours by local musicians. I can't vouch for the bands that play there (10PM is too late for me to be out on a Friday; I'd be falling asleep in my chair!), but they definitely draw a crowd. I recommend arriving a little early, ensuring you're able to find a table!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;">I ended up polishing off an entire burger and plate of fries (on top of a tall whiskey and coke), so breakfast was out of the question. Instead I made a green smoothie to prevent any late-morning hunger pains from sneaking up on me. Featured below is a green flax-berry smoothie made up of micronutrient-rich <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flax#Flax_seed">flax seed</a>, banana, blueberries, blackberries and strawberries (originally fresh, but frozen during the peak of summer for the upcoming colder months), in addition a handful of kale and spinach. Vegetables in smoothies? Of course! The taste of the fruit is so much more powerful than vegetables, but the latter provide a wealth of <i>hidden</i> nutritional value. I blended this with almond milk to thin it out and drizzled a small amount of maple syrup for sweetness. A+.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4083/5173923504_a42a18aa62.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4083/5173923504_a42a18aa62.jpg" /></a></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Even puppies love green smoothies!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4152/5173318785_8fc35604fb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4152/5173318785_8fc35604fb.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Our afternoon was spent having a mediocre lunch at <a href="http://trulyfreebakery.com/">Truly Free Bakery</a>. I've written on this establishment before, and my opinion hasn't changed much. Some of their vegan menu items, like the Grilled Eggplant and Avocado Panini or one of their many burgers, are delicious and well prepared, while others appear to forgo any forethought or execution. Today I decided to venture out of my comfort zone and try again one of their wraps. Instead of getting a panini, I ordered a cabbage wrap to be filled with tempeh, eggplant, artichoke hearts, red onion, greens and hummus. Not only was there no hummus, but the eggplant and tempeh were not cooked. At all. Neither was even marinaded and everything was just...bland. I've also tried their vegan Rueben wrapped in nori (my first vegan Rueben!), and was pretty disappointed. Oh well, so they can't make wraps! There panini's are grand, Matt loves their garden burgers, they have a vegan thousand island dressing, and a plenthora of gluten-free baked goods that are fairly priced and pretty tasty. Did I mention that everything is gluten-free?! Because it is! Truly Free also makes their bread in house! Sorry, no pictures of lunch because it just wasn't good enough. Maybe next weekend!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Matt and I have decided to brew some beer over the next few weeks. We picked up almost everything we'll need at <a href="http://www.redstickhomebrew.com/">Red Stick Home Brewing Supplies</a>, and we'll begin sanitizing everything in the morning. The brown ale is our brew of choice for this run, and I can't wait to document the process. More on this to come!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">One hour left for Saturday's MoFo...*submit!*</div>mikailahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13507026423272196326noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85548310967038487.post-41271813395960276862010-11-12T14:30:00.001-06:002010-11-12T14:30:00.308-06:00Vegan MoFo 2010: Day Twelve<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iymLGdgkCMs/TN1NLkV00xI/AAAAAAAAAHE/lSstnX9_6X0/s1600/5092572578_044222c0b0_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" px="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iymLGdgkCMs/TN1NLkV00xI/AAAAAAAAAHE/lSstnX9_6X0/s1600/5092572578_044222c0b0_o.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Day Twelve: Free Rein Friday</td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
<div align="justify">Following last week's <a href="http://vegantoday.blogspot.com/2010/11/vegan-mofo-2010-day-five.html">precedent</a>, I'm breaking this week's <a href="http://vegantoday.blogspot.com/2010/11/vegan-mofo-2010-day-eight.html">theme</a> to celebrate the end of the work week. It's Friday!!! Those of you with nine-to-five weekday jobs understand my glee. While I may be spending nearly all of Friday's sunshine in a poorly lit office and infront of a blinding computer screen, my mind and actions revolve around what is to be. Once the computer is put to sleep, the weekend cometh.</div><div align="justify"><br />
</div><div align="justify">What better way is there to kick start the weekend than with a good ol' sammy?! Easily my favorite type of food, sandwiches are a definite staple in my diet. From the moment I discovered my very first Sticky-Crunch as a kid, (toasted bread, peanut butter and potato chips smashed together by pounding fists - handmade panini!?), I knew I'd be a sarnie-lover for life. What I admire about the sandwich is it's inherent freedom, spontaneity and portability. There are virtually no restrictions when construction a one. All you really need is an exterior that will hold it's shape throughout consumption and an interior of harmonious flavor! I'm so overwhelmed by the thought of sandwiches right now. Ah! </div> <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4031/5169744816_417be730ee.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" px="true" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4031/5169744816_417be730ee.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jamaican Jerk TLT(S)</td></tr>
</tbody></table> <br />
<div align="justify">Last night I had the aforementioned craving. I <strong><em>needed </em></strong>to eat a sandwich. My cupboard was bare, but I had just enough to satiate my appetite. Half a block of tempeh, baby romaine, tomato, sprouts and two slices of gluten-free bread was all I would need, and all I thought I had. Lo and behold, a jar of Jamaican jerk marinade mailed from my grandmother in south Florida! The tempeh was put to the marinade, and I whipped up a spicy stone-ground mustard and vegenaise spread, seasoned with some jamaican curry powder (also sent by grandma). What resulted was a sweet and spicy sammy known, from this moment on, as the <strong>Jamaican Jerk TLT </strong>(plus sprouts!). Inspired by the classic BLT, this sandwich awakens the palate with a sweet heat from the pimento (allspice) and scotch bonnet peppers in the marinade. It's crunchy and moist all at once! I'll post a complete recipe over the weekend.<br />
<br />
Happy Friday!</div>mikailahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13507026423272196326noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85548310967038487.post-61843767225176123302010-11-11T13:30:00.001-06:002010-11-11T13:30:00.766-06:00Vegan MoFo 2010: Day Eleven<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iymLGdgkCMs/TNwKtAB8urI/AAAAAAAAAGg/RA_BW3xmi2I/s1600/5092572578_044222c0b0_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" px="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_iymLGdgkCMs/TNwKtAB8urI/AAAAAAAAAGg/RA_BW3xmi2I/s1600/5092572578_044222c0b0_o.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Day Eleven: Bare Minimum Banana Split Cupcakes</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Cupcakes are perfect for young children! As an adult, imagine holding one of the increasingly popular <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Wilton-2105-5038-Giant-Cupcake-Pan/dp/B000UPRAXA">oversized-cupcakes</a> in the palm of your hands. You're feeling giddy, right? That's the same sensation I imagine a kid to feel when given a cupcake; even <em>I</em> feel that way when eating a <em>regular</em> sized cupcake! Now, what if you combined that cupcake with the infamous banana split? I know, it'd be quite the sensation! Well, Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World does just that. I made the Banana Split Cupcakes for Matt's birthday last year and they were scrumptious. Last night I wanted to make them again, but my pantry was pretty bleak. I'm going to call these Bare Minimum Banana Split Cupcakes because it's missing some of the key components of the aforementioned sensation. "Why not just call them regular old 'cupcakes', Mikaila?" Well, inquirer, because I really want them to be Banana Split Cupcakes, and if I wish harder enough, maybe they will transform over night...</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4129/5167025298_7660d8380f.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" px="true" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4129/5167025298_7660d8380f.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">This baby is filled with mashed banana and strawberry, so the 'split is definitely there. So it's missing a <em>real </em>marishino cherry? Pfftt, that candle looks mighty fine to me. Sprinkles? Yeah, what of them? <strong>Hand-whipped </strong>vanilla buttercream frosting and chocolate ganache work for me. ENJOY, KIDDOS!</div>mikailahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13507026423272196326noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85548310967038487.post-50181429473751174862010-11-10T12:00:00.007-06:002010-11-10T12:00:00.463-06:00Vegan MoFo 2010: Day Ten<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iymLGdgkCMs/TM2lNE7BO3I/AAAAAAAAAD8/ANxnFnTIg9A/s1600/5092572578_044222c0b0_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" px="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iymLGdgkCMs/TM2lNE7BO3I/AAAAAAAAAD8/ANxnFnTIg9A/s1600/5092572578_044222c0b0_o.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Day Ten: Spaghetti Dinner</td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><em><span style="color: #cc0000;"><strong>On top of spaghheeettiii, all covered with noooooch...</strong></span></em></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">There is something uniquely youthful about spaghetti dinners! It's an inexpensive, fast and versatile meal solution that few people actually <em>dislike</em>. Even the pickiest children will enjoy pasta, as long as the noodle shape is enticing and the sauce is just right. The possibilities are only limited by your imagination, or kitchen pantry. As a kid I would load up my portion of pasta, usually short and fat rigatoni noodles, with butter and Parmesan cheese, while my sister preferred marinara (or ketchup!). At grandma's house, my siblings and I always ate spaghetti (cut up by grams) in meat sauce mixed with corn kernels! <strong>What was your preferred pasta preparation as a kid?</strong></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: justify;">While there may be exponential amounts of pasta and sauce combinations, nothing compares to good ol' spaghetti and <span style="font-size: xx-small;">(not)</span>meatballs. Normally I would prefer to devour more interesting varieties of pasta, but who has ever heard of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cavatappi">Cavatappi</a> or <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Conchiglie">Conchiglie</a> and <span style="font-size: xx-small;">(not)</span>meatballs?! I may be keeping the noodle, but one "tradition" I'm not sticking to is the meat in meatballs. Beanballs are my topping of choice! Packed with all the protein, taste and texture and none of the blood, cholesterol or cruelty. </div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4151/5164321648_2d009a058b.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" px="true" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4151/5164321648_2d009a058b.jpg" /></a></div></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;"><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Spaghetti and Beanballs from Veganomicon</div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><div style="text-align: justify;">From the infamous Veganomicon, a cookbook every vegan should own, this recipe couldn't have been easier! Would you believe me if I said that boiling the pasta water was the most time consuming step? The beanballs are comprised of pantry staples, and allow generous room for modification. They were moist with a crunchy exterior, perfectly remniscent of my childhood spaghetti dinners. </div><div align="justify" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; text-align: center;">And no spaghetti dinner is complete without..."SPAGHETTI TIME"<br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"> <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" px="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_iymLGdgkCMs/TNq7jUFtp3I/AAAAAAAAAGY/p7QRKH0DK0k/s1600/Wizards5.jpg" /></div></div>mikailahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13507026423272196326noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-85548310967038487.post-582535081822065372010-11-09T12:00:00.013-06:002010-11-09T12:00:01.118-06:00Vegan MoFo 2010: Day Nine<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Day Nine: Broccoli & Pumpkin Cheese Soup (GF)</td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: justify;">Just a quick personal plug: Vegan MoFo Headquarters International featured my <a href="http://vegantoday.blogspot.com/2010/11/vegan-mofo-2010-day-eight.html">post</a> from yesterday on their daily roundup! Here is the link: <a href="http://veganmofo.wordpress.com/2010/11/08/finger-food/"><strong>Vegan MoFo Roundup 8: Finger Food</strong></a>. So exciting!!!! Now, back to the blogging...</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: justify;">As a youngin', my favorite cold-weather treat was a hearty, creamy bowl of soup and a slice of toast. Campbell's Broccoli Cheese Condensed soup was one of my favorites, and I could easily eat the entire can! Nowadays, I skip the nonperishables and opt for soup that I make from scratch. It's a great way to warm your home and your belly. Residual heat and steam from the stovetop is guaranteed to bring everyone into the kitchen, especially if you're offering samples! Here is my recipe for an updated version of many people's childhood favorites: <strong>Broccoli and Pumpkin Cheese Soup</strong>. The addition of pumpkin lends a sweetly savory note and is the perfect addition for the season. It's also free of gluten!</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><strong>Broccoli and Pumpkin Cheese Soup</strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><em><span style="font-size: x-small;">Serves 4</span></em></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">2 teaspoons olive oil</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">1 medium onion, finely chopped</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">1 small carrot, finely chopped</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">2 teaspoons "italian seasoning" (I used a combination of basil, oregano, thyme and parsley)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">1 teaspoon tarragon</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, or to taste</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">3 cups vegetable broth, or water (I used 1 cup of broth and two cups of water)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">1/2 cup pumpkin* (fresh and roasted until soft, or puree from a can)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">1/2 cup of coconut milk, or your favorite nondairy milk</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">1 teaspoon mustard</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">1 cup nutritional yeast, divided</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">1 teaspoon garlic powder</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">1 teaspoon salt, or to taste</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">1 tablespoon of miso (I used red, but I think any variety will do)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">1 tablespoon vegan margarine (I used Earth Balance)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">2 1/2 cups chopped broccoli florets</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><em><span style="font-size: x-small;">* I used leftover roasted pumpkin</span></em></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion and carrot and saute until very soft, about 7 minutes. Add the italian seasoning, tarragon and cayenne, and saute for one more minute. Add broth/water, pumpkin puree, coconut milk, mustard, 1/2 cup of the nutritional yeast, garlic powder and salt and stir/whisk until combined. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium low and simmer, uncovered, for about ten minutes. It should thicken <em>only slightly. </em></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Ladle most of soup mixture into a blender. If all of it doesn't fit, don't worry. Just make sure to try and get most of the vegetables in the blender so the soup is smooth. Add the miso to the blender and blend until smooth, several minutes (If your soup is still hot, remember to allow the steam to escape. If your blender has a portal on its lid, tilt it up. If not, create a gap between the blender and the lid; start the blending process on the lowest setting and gradually increase the speed).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;">Return the blended soup back to your saucepan and bring to a simmer on medium high. Whisk in remaining nutritional yeast (1/2 cup) and vegan margarine until fully incorporated. Add the broccolie florets and simmer, uncovered for 5-10 minutes, stirring occasionally. The soup should be relatively thick by now, but still viscous enough to be called soup. Taste for salt and add a few cracks of fresh black pepper. You're ready to eat!</div>mikailahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13507026423272196326noreply@blogger.com6