Breakfast Burritos!

My honey has been asking for this for years. Don't know why I never got around to it because these are really good! He used to enjoy the Sonic breakfast burrito. This is an homage to fast food burritos, but without as much fat, and without the animals. The recipe has a couple components, but you can make several burritos, so you get a lot out of your effort.





-Use your favorite tofu scramble that uses one block/1 lb tofu(I used VWAV), adding Follow Your Heart Jack cheese/other vegan cheese if you want.
-Bake some tater tots.
-Saute 1/2 tube Gimme Lean sausage style. I fry up fennel seed first, add the sausage and smash with a spoon. I also add a tiny bit of liquid smoke and about 1-2 tsp. brown sugar
-For a bit of a greasy factor, saute onion and pepper in some Earth Balance.

Put it all together in a burrito:
Microwave or put over the burner the tortilla. It makes it pliable. Fill with tofu scramble, onions/peppers, sausage, and tots and roll up- sides first, then roll up.

I like salsa and vegan sour cream. Don't forget..you can add jalapenos, olives, hot sauce, whatever you want.

German Chocolate Birthday Cake, Delicious Indian!

This is one of the best, if not the best cake I've made to date. It was boss! I used Bryanna Clark Grogan's recipe and once again, thanks to padraigin917 on PPK. Bryanna's a proven hit-maker! One layer was the cake recipe from BCG, the other layer was VCTOTW's chocolate cake but using some dark cocoa. I know it's not traditional but it's great. The birthday boy isn't vegetarian, but he's got milk allergies and enjoys my food. I don't want to be a bragger, but everyone really liked it. I'm proud of this cake. Bryanna's mousse is like most vegan mousse that I enjoy and I think it was a nice touch, lighter than a buttercream. I think it went really well.






Next up is the PPK Dal. The roasting spices really made my mouth water. I am not natural at cooking Indian food. My palate can't tell what needs what, but for some reason it seemed really familiar. It's worth it to find and grind your spices. She says you can use mortar and pestle but go ahead and get a coffee grinder for spices.




Next up is a mesh of 2 recipes. I used Bryanna's Paneer and a mix of her Saag and Veggie Kitchen's. I will be going back to that blog again for sure.
My version: veggie kitchen's method, but no ginger, and only 1 jalapeno. Spice mix is 4 cloves garlic, 1 tsp garam masala and 1 1/2 tsp cumin seeds. I did Bryanna's cream mixture, and used the 4Tb. margarine called for, for the spices. When cooking after adding the spinach, I only cooked a few minutes, to soften. Don't let it get really dry. I blended the cream and the spinach together.



Don't forget the parathas/roti. I didn't make them, got them at the Asian market in the frozen section. So flaky and good!

All together:


Lastly, I had an Orangesicle Spritzer which is really yummy! Just Orange soda and ice cream. Recipe idea from Michael Chiarello.

Hawaiian Pizza w/Whole Wheat Crust

You can use whatever crust you want, but I wanted something slightly healthier/heartier, so I did a crust made with 1/2 whole wheat. I also used the May Wah Ham Tube!.



Hawaiian Pizza!
Make crust (below). While crust is rising, cook the ham and prepare the remaining ingredients.

1-8oz can pineapple tidbits (drain and save juice for drinks)
7-8 thin slices ham tube
peanut oil
few sprinkles liquid smoke
pinch whole fennel seeds
1/4 c (or + 2 Tbsp)spaghetti sauce
1-1 1/2 c finely shredded Follow Your Heart Mozz.

In a large pan, heat a bit of peanut oil over med/med-hi. Add fennel seeds and ham slices. Turn over when very lightly browned and add liquid smoke. Remove from heat.

After crust has had 4 minute bake, spread sauce thinly over entire crust. Add 1/2 the cheese, and arrange ham slices to cover whole pizza. Top with drained pineapple tidbits, spread evenly over entire pizza. Top with remaining 1/2 of the cheese. You can adjust cheese level to your preference.

Bake at 400 degrees for 8-10 more minutes. I like to melt the cheese under the broiler. Today I guess I just discovered my broiler has a LO setting, so that's great.
Crust
I modified this slightly from this recipe to fit a mixer with a dough hook.

1 pkg. dry yeast
1 c. whole wheat flour or Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 to 2/3 c. warm water
1/4 c. warm water
1 c. all-purpose flour
1 tbsp. olive oil (opt)
Vegetable cooking spray

Dissolve yeast in 1/4 cup warm water in small bowl. Let stand 5 minutes, addinng a pinch of sugar if desired.

Combine flours and salt in mixer bowl. Stir in yeast mixture and oil (opt). Add enough warm water to make a moderate stiff dough and mix well with a dough hook. Can be a little dry and piece-y. Cover and let stand 15 minutes (can keep in mixing bowl or new oiled bowl. Cover with damp towel). After the 15 minutes, knead in mixer 3 minutes on low setting.

Divide dough in half. Roll each half in 12 inch circle (or an amoeba, as shown).

Place each on 12 inch pizza pan coated with cooking spray. Bake at 400 degrees for 4 minutes. May freeze extra crust for later use.

Green Stuffed Shells

I made these shells with more veggies in mind. It was actually supposed to be a lasagna but I didn't have lasagna noodles. I made it with Mean Green Spinach sauce, but about 1/2 the recipe was used, so if you are *just* making this, then 1/2 the recipe.



The Mean Green sauce is VERY spinach-y. If you don't like spinach a lot, then I would suggest to pick another sauce or omit.

Green Stuffed Shells w/Mean Green Spinach Sauce

1/2 recipe Mean Green Spinach Sauce (recipe follows)
1 small batch white sauce (recipe follows)
1 recipe tofu ricotta
3-4 med size piece seitan, chopped, cooked and seasoned (maybe 3/4-1 cup)
pasta shells (I used about 12 but used 10oz tofu. Adjust for your ricotta recipe)
spaghetti sauce for pan
hand full (1 c) chopped broccoli

*Make whichever tofu ricotta you like. Chill in refrigerator.
*Cook seitan until crispy and mix with ricotta. Chill while you prepare dish.
*Cook large pasta shells as directed, and rinse with cold water. Set aside. Do not drain water. Throw broccoli in boiling water and cook a few minutes until tender but not mushy. Chop and set aside.
*Make Mean Green Spinach Sauce and white sauce while shells are cooking (or make spinach sauce the day ahead and chill).
*Pour a little spaghetti sauce in a small square nonstick baking pan.
*Fill cooled shells with ricotta mixture. Top with broccoli.
*Place each shell in pan, and top with Mean Green Spinach Sauce, White Sauce, a little more shapgetti sauce, and optional vegan cheese.
*Bake at 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes, until well-heated through. Broil to melt cheese the last couple minutes, if using. Keep an eye on it.



Mean Green Spinach Sauce
1/2 c packed cilantro (or if you are a hater, just double parsley)
1/2 c packed parsley
1/2 frozen block spinach (makes 2-2 1/2 Tbsp spinach when thawed and squeezed). You could probably also just use 2 lare handfuls fresh spinach
1 c vegetable/vegan "chicken" flavor broth
2 Tbsp. soy milk
1 Tbsp. vegan margarine
1/2- 1 tsp. cornstarch

Blend everything very, very well in a blender and place on low heat until thickened and just barely boiling. Makes a crazy bright green sauce. I would suggest to eat it with another sauce. It's strongly flavored, but good in applications like this.

White Sauce
1 Tbsp. vegan margarine
1 Tbsp. flour
1 Tbsp. nutritional yeast
1/2 c soy milk
salt and pepper.

Melt margarine in a saucepan, then whisk flour and nutritional yeast until crumbly and toasted. Do not burn. Add 1/4 c soy milk and break down chunks. Add other 1/4 c soy milk and keep stirring until thickened but not too thick. Set aside.

White Butternut Seitan Lasagna

This smaller-pan lasagna includes butternut squash, chicken-style seitan, mushrooms and creamy ricotta, but don't let that scare you. You can make all the components while the others are cooking, and clean up while it's in the oven.







8 average lasagna noodles
1 c chopped chicken-style seitan
8-9 regular button mushrooms, sliced
1 recipe tofu ricotta*
1 1/2 c mashed butternut squash**
2 c béchamel sauce***
1/3- 1/2 shredded vegan cheese, such as Follow Your Heart

Make the ricotta first- you can use any type you like. My general recipe is
1 lb firm tofu, pressed, then mixed in food processor with olive oil, vegan mayo, Italian seasoning, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder. Chill in refrigerator until ready to use.

Next, make the butternut squash:
Peel and cube, either baking or boiling until tender. Drain very, very well and mash with salt, pepper, and a touch margarine.

While the butternut squash is cooking, saute the seitan and the mushrooms until mushrooms release the liquid and the liquid evaporates. You can season this mixture with a little of the seitan broth. Cool slightly and pulse in food processor. Small chunks are okay.

While squash is draining well, cook lasagna noodles and make bechemel***. I like Bryanna Clark Grogan's. When noodles are done, drain and rinse in cool water, so you can handle the noodles

Layering:

Spray a 9"x9" pan with nonstick cooking spray.
Layer:
Spread 1/3 of the bechemel sauce
3 noodles, cutting off excess and setting the small piece aside.
1/2 of the ricotta
1/2 of the mushroom-seitan mixture
1/2 of the squash,
then 3 noodles again (cutting off excess).

Layer again in the same fashion, and cover with the 2 full noodles, and the noodle remnants. Cover with remaining sauce and sprinkle with the cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees 20-30 min, broiling the last couple minutes to melt the cheese. Allow to cool 5-10 minutes and serve with a vegetable.

Low-Fat "Cheeseburger" Pasta + Make-Your-Own-Crumbles Recipe

This recipe has about 30 grams of fat for the entire batch, which makes 4-6 decent servings. Use whole wheat pasta if available. (I can't find vegan WW ribbons)

"Cheeseburger" Pasta

1 small onion diced
1 c crumbles (see recipe below!)
Handful mushrooms, chopped (if you don't like mushrooms, omit)
1 tsp olive oil
Tony Chachere's brand** or your favourite multi-purpose seasoning

4 c uncooked egg-free pasta ribbons (less if using a denser pasta, like macaroni)

1/4 c nutritional yeast
1/4 c flour (I used whole wheat pastry)
1 cup non-dairy milk
2 Tbsp margarine (earth balance)
1/4 tsp. (wet) mustard
1/4 tsp. dijon mustard
salt to taste
dash garlic powder
few turns fresh ground black pepper


Heat a small pan and add the olive oil. Saute mushrooms and onions until onions are translucent. Add crumbles and seasoning and cook until moisture is gone.

Cook pasta and drain. Set aside.

Put flour and nutritional yeast in a (separate)dry pan, around MED heat. Whisk mixture until "toasted" and not raw-tasting. Be careful! Don't burn!
Slowly whisk in milk. Beat out any lumps.
Add margarine, mustards, garlic powder, and pepper. Mixture will thicken.

Add cooked pasta and onion/crumble/mushroom mixture. Mix well. Serve with a salad!

Make-Your-Own-Crumbles

This recipe is inspired by Boca and other crumbles, which are about $6-$8/lb. This is cheaper, though I have no idea how much it actually costs.

*3 c Textured Vegetable Protein/Textured Soy Protein
*scant 2 1/2 to 3 cups boiling water
*2-3 tsp. Better Than Bouillon Beef OR your favourite vegan beef broth powder/cubes, to taste
*1/4 c. A-1 steak sauce (it's clean, don't worry)
*Kitchen Bouquet browning sauce (optional, just for colour)

Add bouillon to water and whisk until dissolved. Add TSP/TVP and mix well. Add A-1 and a dash Kitchen Bouquet. Set aside for about 10 minutes. Use as directed. Best if sauteed with spices.

**If you click on the link, please ignore the monstrosity that is the TurDuckEn. I apologize that it exists.