Avocado Pie-Sicles and Some Soup

You know when you are looking around in some shops and you're like "man, I wish I could have that chocolate covered cheesecake". Well, that's what I was trying to recreate. Portions are reasonable instead of huge and it's so good!

The avocado pie is being re-worked on veganexplosion. Avocado pie might sound a bit unusual, but it's so good. It has a tart citrus flavor balanced with the creaminess of cream "cheese". You can taste the avocado, but I promise it's great! I had setting issues but her avocado pie made a great frozen pie. so it didn't really matter at all. I decided to cut the pieces and make chocolate covered pops! There aren't enough dunked food on sticks. Vegan, anyway.

Cut pie into pieces and place in pop sticks (I used Wilton brand. You can use wooden sticks or omit altogether. The sticks make it easier to cover, though!) Place back in freezer while you heat the chocolate.


This is a makeshift double broiler. I used about 1/2 bag of chocolate chips and 1 Tbsp. vegan creamer. Melt to a smooth even melted consistency.



Dunk, spoon over, whatever you wish. I like leaving some green!


Place back in freezer until chocolate is totally set


ENJOY!


SOUP!
Like most of my recipes, you use what you have. This is what I had on hand!



1 Package Chik'n Strips (Morningstar Farms)
1 med. onion, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 large or 4 small carrots, chopped
2 pieces yellow squash
2 ears of corn, cut
4 stalks green onion, chopped
8-10 cups vegetable of vegan "chicken" stock
poultry seasoning
handful of pasta
frozen peas.

Saute onion, carrot, and celery until softened and add squash and cook until squash is softened. Season with poultry seasoning and salt.

Meanwhile, prepare your broth and cook your pasta. (I use pasta water in the broth. It makes the soup a tad thicker). Also, saute chik'n strips and chop.

Add broth to cooked vegetables and add pasta. Add corn and green onions right before serving. Add a handful of frozen peas to each bowl and top with fresh ground pepper.

Simple and hearty.

What is a vegetarian?

As a vegan, I know that labels can be very confusing. It seems some people want to define themselves by labels, JUST to "have" the label, and that's a bad thing.
At other times, however, it's a good thing. A label on something can clarify what it is, what it does. (What's in this filing cabinet? What's in this jar? Is this Kosher? Does it have wheat?)

So, today, we will have a little clarification.

There has been a lot of confusion, much of it perpetuated by people who claim they are vegetarian.
Many people seem to think that "vegetarian" means you don't eat cows. Well, this is true, but it means a lot of other things as well.

Vegetarians do not eat any animals, whether they are fish, chickens/turkeys/other birds, pigs, cats, dogs, monkeys, jungle cougars, elephants, lobsters, crabs, shrimp, cows, clams, or any other creature.

When people say they are vegetarian, but then eat animals, it sets a bad example for a few reasons:

1. The person who is not claiming to be a vegetarian is now confused as to what IS or IS NOT acceptable for a vegetarian to eat. The next time they encounter someone who is vegetarian, they may offer them something with meat in it, thinking it's okay. This is especially true at restaurants.

2. People who know what a vegetarian is will now not take that person seriously, and it hurts the movement, if the person is in animal activism.

3. It is simply not a true statement. Red is not blue, and vegetarians do not eat ANY animals, even for "health" reasons.


This clarification is not to bash people on their way to vegetarianism, or even full omnivores who sometimes skip meat for a meal. It's not because I care so much about the label of "vegetarian" as much as the misuse of it.

Every meatless meal counts. Every step to lessen or eliminate animal suffering and the toll meat takes on this planet is effective, and should be recognized.
I know it's not realistic for every person on this planet to be vegetarian or vegan. If everyone just lessened their meat intake, it would have a big effect!

Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie for Mother's Day

This day is for you, mamas! Thank you for being there for us!
Birth moms, adoptive moms, step-moms, moms-in-law, moms-to-be. You are all lovely.





This is a very rich chocolate and peanut butter dessert. (It is also very easy!)
Since my mother would inject chocolate if she could, I made it for her. I think she is to blame for my sweet *teeth*!
The caramel recipe is from Isa Moskowitz over at the PPK

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Pie with Peanut Butter Caramel

1 package silken tofu (like Mori-Nu, in the non-refrigerated pack)
1 Tbsp maple syrup
3-4 Tbsp peanut butter (any kind you like)
1- 12oz bag chocolate chips (check for milk ingredients)
1 pre-made or home-made crumb pie crust (like Oreo, Shortbread, or Graham Cracker)

For the caramel:
1/3 c peanut butter
3 Tbsp maple syrup
2 Tbsp brown rice syrup

To prepare the pie:
Blend tofu, syrup, and peanut butter in a blender until completely smooth.
Melt chocolate chips over a double broiler and add to blender and blend entire mixture again, scraping the sides of the blender if necessary. Pour into prepared crust.

Chill until completely firm then make the caramel:

Stir all the caramel ingredients together in a small sauce pan. Gently heat everything over low heat, stirring constantly with a fork, just until smooth and heated through. It should fall from your fork in ribbons. If it seems stiff, turn the heat off immediately and add a little extra brown rice syrup, until it's fluid again.

Spread caramel over the pie and chill again. Makes a decent amount of serving because it is very rich. If you or your mom like chocolate/peanut butter as a combo, try this sometime!

Brina Update

Hello all.

Thanks for bearing with us.

Brina has completely changed from that ill, sad kitty!
She had her feeding tube removed 3 days ago and has been eating on her own with no tube help for a week and a half, and eating with tube help before that.

She is friendly, the coarse fur on her back has become soft, she's very vocal and happy.

We recently moved and she enjoys hanging out on the stairs, and going on the balcony with her doggy brother.




I will still be accepting donations until her bills are paid off, but I am so happy to announce the news that she appears to be recovered. Thank you for all your love and support. It means a lot to our family.

Brina Is Sick!

Update 12/08-
I cannot express my gratitude for the well-wishes and emotional and monetary gifts from everyone. People have been very kind to us. No amount of fancy wording can describe how thankful I am to everyone.

Brina is doing very well! She's very healthy and we are keeping her bowel disease in order. (We found out she has a bowel disorder after her stomatitis issue was over). She eats fine, believe me! (Even though most of her teeth are gone). She's super friendly and talkative. She's happy here with us and we love and spoil her a lot.
Brina's donation button will be enabled until her medical bills on the Care Credit are paid in full. I will take it down immediately after that. I am hoping to pay it off by the end of 2009. ALL donation money through this button goes directly to that card payment.

~~~~~~~~Earlier this year.....~~~~~~~~
Hi all. I am not usually this shameless but my cat is very, very ill. She has been very expensive so far and I do not make much. I am taking donations in ANY amount, and also highlighting my etsy shop. Thank you in advance for any purchase or donation. Brina thanks you, too!
(See update below)





Etsy

Update

Hello all-

I haven't forgotten about you. This week has been a roller coaster, but she's home finally. I figured since I have requested (and still appreciate) donations, I need to let you know what's going on! It's long and since a lot has happened in 1 week, some things may be a little scrambled, but I felt if I could update everyone, they would know where their donations are going, and get a little feel for what her personality is like.


About Brina-
(Pronounced "bree-nuh")
2 and a half years ago, we took her in after my mother adopted her after the loss of our beloved 18-year old cat, Turbo. My mother was not able to keep her, because the vets thought she had a fatal respiratory disease that is transmittable to cats. Since we had a dog and no cats (and returning her to the shelter was not okay with any of us) we kept her.
She stayed in her room for 2 weeks! She finally came out to drink our dog's water and the fun began. 6 months later, she started to really come around. In the past 6 months, she's gotten even lovlier and friendlier. She jumps on the bed in the mornings and walks on our pillows, and "brushes" my hair. She likes to be close to us, and she likes to watch TV when we eat dinner.
She loves the very late/very early hours, and is vocal about her desire for breakfast. She scratches her post just so we will say "Good Girl, Brina". She LOVES her water fountain and will let us know when it's too low. She has a very sweet personality and has bonded with me and my partner. Brina is his first cat, and she won him over. He wasn't too keen at first but I guess her daily greeting and sneezing into his chocolate soy milk every morning did the trick. I guess to know her more you'd have to meet her.

Recently...
From the time we met her, she has had a respiratory problem and very, very bad teeth. Our vet wasn't comfortable putting her under anesthesia because with the respiratory problem, she is a high-risk patient. She also has hyperthyroidism, which is being controlled with medication. I had been using antibacterial gel and trying to gently brush her teeth, but they hurt her too much. Last Sunday she just stopped eating, cold turkey. After blood work we saw some of her organs weren't working properly and my vet actually suspected pancreatic cancer. It's a lot to take in when you think you are going in to increase the amount of Methimazole and you are told your cat probably has inoperable cancer, a cancer in which she wouldn't be without suffering if she died from.

So, we went to see specialists at the University of Florida Small Animal Hopsital in Gainesville, which is over 2 hours each way by car. After a lot of tests (ultrasound, blood, echocardiograph (sp?), etc) we got to take her home and she was put on some medication to help with her organs, etc. and some rest. I fed her by syringe daily, and had to give subcutaneous (sub-Q) fluids, antiobiotics, etc. This continued through her treatment with more of these tests, x-rays, etc.

3 days ago, she was put under anesthesia for oral surgery. She had mucus in her chest and they had to take her out of anesthesia and wait one day. The next day, she went in for oral surgery again. Brina had to have many of her teeth removed.
From the report:
"Brina had severe stomatitis. Stomatisis is a severe oral disease that affects some cats where the body becomes allergic to the plaque around the teeth. The allergic response appears as marked inflammation at the area where the tooth meets the gumline. Specific cause is not known. It is not related to feline leukemia, feline immunodeficiency virus, sex, spaying and neutering, or diet..."

So from what I gather, her teeth's bacteria/allergic reaction was/is affecting the rest of her body.
Right after she woke up, she was really, really irritated and cranky! We saw her at this time (the first anesthesia). They had to put her in an e-collar because she ripped out her arm IV catheter with her teeth (this was the first anesthesia, she still had her teeth). After the drugs wore off, she was back to her usual self, and wanted attention.
2nd anesthesia and tooth extraction went well. She had more mucus but they were able to take care of it. While under, they inserted an esophogeal feeding tube. I will be feeding her through this until her mouth heals and she can eat on her own. Since she didn't willingly eat for about a week, she's very (grossly) thin...you can feel her backbone..but even now since she's had the tube, you can feel a little more padding.

Finally, we picked her up yesterday. She was on methadone (!) and a bit out of it but she recognized us and wanted me to hold her. She was purring, grooming herself, etc. Today she is still really really tired, but dong well with our first feeding/medication, and is friendly. This morning she jumped on the bed and purred. We take it from here. This week has cost us several thousand dollars but she's in recovery and I love her. I know some people don't understand spending so much on a little cat, but for people like me, she's my family. I can photo the invoices if anyone requests them. I don't know the etiquette of posting numbers or amounts or all that so until then I will leave that alone.
..
Here is a picture I took yesterday right when she got home. That antennae thing is her feeding tube. It comes out of the side of her neck, and is held with medical wrap. It goes past her esophagus and ends right before her stomach, so it bypasses the gag reflex. She looks like she got beat up! Her belly, both front arms, neck, and one back foot are shaved.



Most importantly:
I really cannot express my gratitude adequately for those who have helped me with their concern, well-wishes, and/or financial support. The selflessness and generosity of people who don't even know me honestly made me cry. I try not to get too personal on this site because it's just a food blog, but things happen and I feel I owe an update! I read/hear about animal cruelty and human cruelty and it's easy to become misanthropic and depressed. There's so much sadness in the world, especially for the animals. This has been the complete opposite of that. I am grateful for the compassion I have been shown and appreciate what I continue to be shown. Every bit of love and financial support is being used to help her, so again, THANK YOU!

About the google Ads:
I added them only to generate income to help pay for all this. I am not responsible for their content (couldn't Google keep out the meat ads?!?) and don't even really know how all that stuff works..just so you know. I know they are annoying but I need all the help I can get at this time.

Apple-Sage Sausages with Creamed Spinach

Virginwithamemory over at PPK made these delicious sausages. I wish I could take credit! I did, however, make this creamed spinach recipe. I really enjoyed this dinner!



Creamed Spinach
This creamy spinach side dish doesn’t have quite as much fat as a regular creamed spinach, but it is just as smooth and tasty. It gets its thickness from a quick roux and is pretty easy to pull off.

½ average onion, peeled and cut into thin rings
1 clove garlic, sliced very thin
1 Tbsp. flour
1 pkg. frozen spinach
¾ c soy milk, divided
1 Tbsp. vegan sour cream
Salt and pepper to taste
Margarine and olive oil
2-4 Tbsp. shredded vegan mozzarella (optional, I didn't use any)

Saute onion and garlic on medium heat with about 1 ½ tsp. Each olive oil and margarine. Cook until tender.** Here is where you multitask!
Add about 1 tsp more margarine, and add the flour. Stir well so the flour coats the onions and cooks until slightly golden.
Add ¼ c soymilk and stir well until thickened (this will happen quickly). If using vegan cheese, add here.
Add ¼ c more soy milk and stir in spinach.
Add sour cream and mix very well.
Add salt and pepper and the final ¼ c soy milk. Stir until combined.

**While onions are cooking, defrost spinach completely (I use microwave). Squeeze as much water out of spinach as possible. I mean it. Squeeze really, really hard. You will have a small tight ball. Separate spinach a bit and set aside.


Sausages Peeking from steamer, then exposed!




Apple-Sage Sausage Courtesy of V.W.A.M.! (thanks for letting me share it!)
Recipe:

1 1/2 cups vital wheat gluten
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1/2 tea. salt
1/4 tea. cloves
1/4 tea. allspice
2 1/2 tea. onion powder
1 tea. ginger
3 tea. sage
1/4 tea. cayenne
1/4 tea. black pepper
1/2 cup dried apples, chopped finely

1/2 cup cold mashed yukon gold potatoes
2 tea. marmite
3 Tb. olive oil
1/2 tea. liquid smoke
1 tea. crushed garlic from a jar
1 Tb. maple syrup
2/3 cup water

Combine dry ingredients in a bowl, mix it up.

Combine wet ingredients in a different bowl, mix it up.

Combine wet and dry ingredients and knead for a few minutes. Form into little sausage shapes and wrap them up in tin foil tightly. Steam for 1/2 an hour. Unwrap them, put some oil in a pan and fry them up a little.

Lemon Lentil Soup

This recipe is based on a recipe from A Higher Taste but with a few variations. Garlic and onion is not suitable for Lord Krsna, but they are suitable for me, so I added them.





You will need:
6 c water
1 c rinsed lentils
1 small potato, peeled and cut into 1/2 in. or smaller cubes
1 c chopped celery (about 2 stalks)
1-2 Tb. olive oil
dash hing
about 1/4 c chopped red or white onion
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 Tb. ground coriander
1/2 tsp. cumin
1 lemon {2 Tbsp lemon juice and lemon zest (see below)}
generous amount of salt
few grinds fresh pepper
fresh parsley and cilantro

Bring lentils and water to a boil in a large pot. Simmer for 35 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a separate pan, heat oil and add potato, onion, hing, and pepper. Cook 2-3 minutes.
Add garlic and celery and cook 1-2 min longer. Set aside.

Zest the lemon (I use a microplane for fluffy, pith-free zest) and set zest aside. Juice lemon and reserve 2 Tb. of the juice. Refrigerate the rest for another use.

After the 35 min. is up on the lentils, add the contents of the pan. Cook for 10 more minutes. Add lemon juice, zest, coriander, and cumin and cook for 10 more minutes.
Add cilantro and parsley just before serving.

Note: You can blend 1/2 or all of the soup for a smoother texture. I like to do about 1/2 because I like texture and broth together.

Note on hing: Hing is also called asafoetida and is available at Indian grocery stores. Don't be scared- right out of the container is smells like straight up bad B.O. (sorry! ...and let's be honest, cumin smells, too but it is yummy) but in food it tastes fine. In some types of cooking, it replaces garlic and onion completely.

Mushroom and Olive Orzo Salad

Not sure why it's mushroom and orzo, because there's a lot of stuff in it! I prefer pasta salads like this served cold. Don't be intimidated by the long list of ingredients- these are all pantry and clean-the-fridge items.



1 Tb. olive oil
1 Tb. balsamic vinegar
1 Tb. vegan mayonnaise (I like Vegenaise)
1 Tb. red wine vinegar
1 tsp dijon mustard
2 scallions (green onions), chopped (include white parts)
1/4 c finely chopped red onion
1 deseeded* roma tomato, chopped
Generous pinch salt
Generous grind pepper
Dash garlic powder
1/4 c. finely chopped parsley
5 green olives, chopped (2-3 Tb)
5 black olives, chopped (2-3 Tb)
4-5 large button mushrooms, sautéed then chopped
1/2 c peas, optional
2 c cooked orzo

Start with the liquids in the dressing (oil through dijon). Add all the other ingredients except the orzo, and mix well.

While you are cooking the orzo (about 1-1 1/2 cups dry), prepare the dressing and refrigerate. When orzo is done cooing, drain and refrigerate separately.

When both the pasta and the dressing are relatively cool, combine and chill further. Season with more salt and pepper to taste. You may want to drizzle a little more olive oil.

*To deseed this one tomato, just cut into about 1/4 and scoop the seeds out with clean hands.

If you would like to use a different pasta, I would suggest increasing the amount (3-4 cups cooked) since orzo is a dense little pasta.

Lumber Jill Stew, Supa-Sandwich

This recipe is a variation of the Crosscut Stump Stew from I Like You, Amy Sedaris' book . Serves several hungry-men or hungry-ladies! Stretch that dollar with a salad!






Lumber Jill Stew
Preheat oven to 375 degrees

3 c large-chopped (1-2 in pieces) beef-style seitan
2-3 Tb. olive oil/mix of olive oil and margarine
1 med onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 carrot, cut into chunks
1 c tomato puree (or 1- 1 1/2c diced tomatoes if you don't have puree)
2 tsp. vegan Worcestershire
1 Tb. A-1 steak sauce
1/2 c red wine (sherry worked for me)
2 Tb. wine vinegar (I used red wine vinegar)
1-2 bay leaves
1 cinnamon stick
4 whole cloves*
1/2-1 Tb. sugar
salt and pepper to taste
3/4 lb pearl onions (instructions are for fresh, but use frozen if you can find them- they're already prepped for you)
Optional:
1/2 can diced potato** or 1 chopped cooked potato

Cook seitan until browned in the oil, adding the Worcestershire and A-1 at the last minute, just to coat. Remove and place in a casserole dish. Add onion, garlic, and carrot to the still-hot pot, adding oil if necessary. Cook until onions are tender.

Add tomato puree, wine, and vinegar to onion mixture and combine well. Pour over seitan.
Add the bay leaf, cloves, cinnamon stick, sugar, and salt and pepper.

Bake 45min-1 hour.

While this is baking, cut the top and bottom off the pearl onions and boil for about 2 min. Drain and cool. The skins will slide off. Add to stew after the 1 hour is up. Add potato is using.

Cook for 15-20 more minutes, stirring and adding a little water or tomato puree if too thick.

Serve with rice, potatoes, bread, cornbread, or whatever you'd like.

*I put the cloves in cheesecloth and tied with floss. If you want 4 whole cloves floating around in your hearty meal, be my guest. Cheesecloth is cheap and available at most supermarkets now. You should already have floss in your bathroom. If you don't, we need to talk. Remove the cheesecloth sachet and the cinnamon stick before serving.

**I don't usually suggest canned vegetables like potatoes (since potatoes are cheap to cook yourself). Mostly I stick to canned tomato sauces (cheaper for me than homemade) and canned beans (time-saver), but since this is a stew, sometimes I like the canned potatoes. It reminds me of camping as a kid.

Supa-Sandwich

2 of my animal rights friends made a wicked sandwich that I tried to copy. Let me tell you- it was delicious! Here it is:





Labeled (as layered, pretty much)

Bread
Creole Mustard or Brown spicy mustard
Lots of Tofurkey
Lots of Vegenaise
Lettuce (I do ribbons of romaine)
Tomato
Pepperoncinis (cut into rings)
Black and green olives
Salt and Pepper

Quick Veggie-Udon Stir Fry

No, I'm not ripping off Isa (from a few posts down)! I wanted noodles with a quick stir fry and had all these ingredients in my fridge!



You can use whatever vegetables you want. I like the texture and crunch to my vegetables. You may want to cook longer if you like your vegetables softer, but please try it like this before you cook them longer. You get to taste each vegetable for what it is. I also leave the skin on all the vegetables listed for color and nutrients.

-1 standard carrot, cut in 1/2 length wise, then each of those halves are cut into -1/3 or 1/4 lengthwise (depending on thickness), then once across
-1/2 onion (cut an onion lengthwise then into thin half-moons)
-1/2 zucchini, cut the same size/shape as carrots
-small handful broccoli florets
-4 button (regular) mushrooms cut into 1/6ths (cut in half, then cut into 1/3 the other way)
-4 slabs (8oz) tofu, cooked and cut into strips*
small handful of greens (optional, I used mustard greens)
-3 Tbsp. vegetarian stir fry sauce (I use this one. this guy apparently likes it, too!). You can add more to taste.
-1 Tbsp. soy sauce
-2 tsp. water
-1/4 package soba noodles (they usually come in little bundles. I used one bundle. If you have a large amount..I guess the diameter would be the size of a nickel, if you bunched them up)
-about 5 cashews per serving (optional)
-sprinkle black or white sesame seeds (optional)

Cook soba noodles according to package and set aside to drain.

In a small bowl, mix the vegetarian stir fry sauce, soy sauce, and water. Set aside.

Prep all vegetables as directed. This is essential for a stir-fry, as it is made quickly.

Heat a large pan/wok until hot and add the peanut oil. Swirl around the pan to coat, and add your onion and carrot. Keep it moving.

Cook about 2-3 minutes and add your broccoli. Cook one more minute. Add zucchini and mushrooms. Cook 2 more minutes. Keep it moving.

Add your tofu and heat through. Add all of the sauce mixture, and stir around. Add the noodles, coating with the sauce. Allow the sauce to thicken slightly by continuing to stir, and coat all the vegetables. Garnish with cashews and sesame seeds.

Forgive me if my times are not completely accurate. I didn't have a kitchen timer with me. Basically what you want to do is cook your longest-cooking vegetables first, then the shortest ones last. For example: onions, carrots, potatoes cook longer than zucchini and mushrooms. Since your tofu is already cooked, you are just heating it through. The noodles need no heating, as you just cooked them.


*You can do this! You've seen these before. Cut a standard block of tofu into 8 slabs. Press and cook. You will be using 4 of these cooked slabs. Use the other 4 for sandwiches.

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.

Potato Salad and Friends

This is not your standard potato salad! The key to this yummy dish is roasting everything. There is a good, simple quality about roasting vegetables with just olive oil and salt/pepper- it really brings out the flavors of the vegetables, both sweet and savoury.
This involves some chopping, but is still pretty simple and you can clean everything up and make the dressing while you wait. It's good hot or cold, and the flavor really shines through, and isn't covered up by the dressing (the recipe for that is also below).

Potato Salad and Friends
-Red and/or brown potatoes (you can do sweet, too), unpeeled and cut into roughly 1/2" cubes
-Onions, peeled and thin sliced
-Cauliflower, cut into-bite sized bits
-Garlic, crushed
-Carrots (unpeeled, cut into coins a little smaller than 1/4 in thick)
-Celery, cut into 1" pieces (include the leaves)
-Red and green bell peppers*
-Olive oil
-Salt/pepper to taste

Wash, cut as directed and lay ingredients on a flat baking sheet (or several baking sheets) sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Suggestions for several baking sheets:

Onions/garlic on one
Peppers* on one
Cauliflower/celery on one
Potatoes/carrots on one

Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with the salt/pepper. Bake at 350-400 degrees, checking the done-ness of each item.
They have slightly different cooking times; the onions won't take as long as the potatoes, the celery/cauliflower take a little longer than the onions, and the potatoes/carrots take the longest. Since the potatoes are cut small, this will take under an hour. If you have to put all of the veggies in one large baking dish, that's ok.

You will need to check periodically and stir vegetables to ensure even cooking and no sticking.

*For the red and green bell peppers, you can either chop them and roast them along with other veggies, or you can roast them separately and skin them. I like to make sure the red pepper are roasted and skinned. I can take it or leave it on the green. Here is a Google Search on how to roast a pepper. I will do a tutorial sometime when I have several peppers and a helper.

Once vegetables are done, allow to cool slightly (or completely, if you are eating it cold) and gently mix in a large bowl. Set aside.

Creamy Dijon Parsley Dressing
This is *really* a personalized dressing, as some people like saltier, some people like the dijon taste to shine through.

about 1/8th block firm tofu (don't need to drain)
about 2 Tbsp dijon mustard (the kind with the grainy mustard seeds inside)
splash balsamic vinegar
salt/pepper to taste
olive oil
soy milk to thin
large handful roughly chopped parsley (don't worry about chopping finely)

Blend all ingredients in a or food processor, scraping down sides to ensure even blending. Now is the time I warn you not to scrape *while* the blender is running. Don't say I never did anything for you.

Once you have a sufficient amount of dressing, combine with all the roasted vegetables. Serve hot or cold. Top with a little more parsley if desired.

Curry Udon StirFry/ Seitan Piccata

I used 2 Cookbooks for the last 2 Dinners we had. The Curry Udon StirFry is from Veganomicon (also sometimes called "V-Con"). The Seitan Piccata (with White Wine and Caper Sauce) recipe is from Candle Cafe Cookbook. The twice baked potato pictures with the Piccata is below.

I cut the fat in both: for the Stir Fry, I used 1 Tb.+ 1 tsp. oil for the roux, and 2 tsp. oil for the whole stir fry. For the piccata, I didn't use as much oil to saute the seitan, and I cut the margarine by 1/2. It was still very tasty.

First, the Curry Udon. I knew the items featured in this dish would make a pretty plate set up, plus you are supposed to do your mise en place, anyway. With stir fries and the like, I actually do :)


Spices

Ginger

Oh goodness, all together!


Next, the Seitan Piccata, Twice-Baked Potatoes, and Broccoli




Twice-Baked Potatoes (The amounts of everything are totally up to you!)
Desired # of potatoes
Vegenaise
Earth Balance Margarine
Tofutti Sour Cream
Follow Your Heart Cheese (I did about 1/2 c chopped, for 3 potatoes)
"Bacon" bits
Chopped onion (scallions)
Salt
Pepper

Wash potatoes well, and poke holes into them with a fork. Place in preheated 350-degree oven for about one hour. (Right on the rack is fine, no foil or anything).

Test potato done-ness: if a knife easily slips in and out, it's done. If not, place back in oven in increments of 5-10 minutes. PLEASE BE CAREFUL. Use tongs, for the love of all that is holy.

Carefully cut almost all the way through, open, and allow to cool enough to handle. Scoop out potato insides with a spoon, and place in a bowl. Set skins aside. Mash insides with all filling ingredients until smooth. Season to taste.

Spoon mashed potatoes back into skins. (I used my hands, it was easiest). Place back in oven and bake 10-15 minutes more. If you'd like to be super-fancy, whip potatoes with a mixer and pipe back in with a frosting bag.

Sausage Sage Dumplings and Split Pea Burgers

The Sausage Sage Dumplings were something I made to go with a Leek and Potato soup we had the other night. The Split Pea Burgers are surprisingly from Alton Brown. I watch his show and "Give Peas a Chance" was the theme. His Split Pea Curry Soup recipe could easily be made vegetarian.






Sausage Sage Dumplings

1/2 pkg Gimme Lean Sausage Style, thawed
1/4 head green cabbage, sliced thin
1/2 regular size onion
handful chopped mushrooms
1/2 tsp sage (extra to taste)
Pinch fennel seeds
Sprinkle crushed red pepper
salt and pepper to taste
Vegan dumpling wrappers

Start by sauteeing the Gimme Lean in an oiled pan, breaking up the sausage while cooking. Add the fennel and the red pepper during cooking, stirring often to keep the spices from burning.

When the sausage is mostly browned, add the remaining ingredients (except wrappers) and cook until veggies are tender, and the mushroom liquid is released then cooked out. Stir often.
Transfer to food processor and pulse briefly until there are no large chunks. You want a fairly uniform mixture, but do NOT puree. Cool completely.

Wrap in dumpling wrappers and place in boiling water a few at a time until they float. Gently remove with a spoon and drain. Saute in a pan with 1 Tbsp. peanut oil, until crispy on the outside. Serve with sauce (below)

Dumpling Sauce
2 Tbsp. tamari
1 Tbsp. + 1 tsp. maple syrup
1 tsp. margarine, melted
tiny pinch sage

Combine all ingredients. (Can put all 3 in the microwave for a few seconds)

Valentine's Day Cookies for Haters

Some people really hate Valentine's Day. It depends on the situation, I guess. Lucky You if you've never been through a high school Valentine's Day without a special someone and had to see all the other people get Candy- or Flower-Grams (do they still do that? Am I old??).

These are for the heartbroken, the hateful, the sarcastic, the jaded, the jilted, the bitter, the giver who never gets. For people who want to stab someone in the eyes if they see one more stuffed Teddy bear. These, my friends, are cookies for haters. (I have to admit I am not a total hater and made about 3 "I Love You" cookies.)

These cookies are a more tasty rendition of those awful chalk conversation hearts. I think if you give one of those to someone that you may as well say how you really feel, as opposed to making them eat something that disgusting. I also had to play up the "C U L8R" type phrases, because I am a big hater of those, as well.











Have to give credit where credit is due. This recipe is from VeganCore!

Icings (2)

The spreadable icing was just a small amount of margarine creamed, then sifted powdered sugar and soymilk to a spreadable but thin consistency.

The piping is more margarine, and powdered sugar, with a touch of soymilk. You don't want a buttercream. You want a denser, but workable icing.

I work in a cafe and made these so I had to keep them pg-13, but you could be totally horrible with them. I have included some phrases for your convenience.

I Hate U Lol
4 Get My #
Go Away
U Suck
U Smell
Luv Sux
Table 4 One
Stop Calling
U R Nauseating
So Much Hate
Liar
Next!
You'll Do
Go Away Plz
Don't Txt Me
Better Off Alone
Never
Let's Not
Die <3
Not Ur Boo
Brazen Hussy
You? Wtf
Cry Baby
Get Over It
Hell No
Hater
Don't Miss U

Blackberry-Chocolate-Cheese Crepes

Yipes!







Crepes
The crepes I used were from Vegan With A Vengeance

Cream Cheese Filling
3/4 of 8oz container (so that would be about 1/4 + 2 Tbsp) Tofutti Cream Cheese
1/2 c confectioner's sugar

Place cream cheese into a bowl and sift the sugar over it. Beat well with beaters until well-incorporated, adding a very small amount of almond or vanilla extract, if desired. Set aside and refrigerate

Blackberry (or any other berry) filling/sauce
1 c berries, thawed and juice reserved
2 Tb. sugar

Heat berries in a saucepan over MED heat with sugar, heating until berries break apart, and the juice thickens slightly

Make crepes as usual and add a pat of Earth Balance and a little of the cream cheese filling, fold over. Repeat with a second crepe.

Top with berry sauce and chocolate sauce.

Desserts!

I have 3 desserts here that are lower-fat. The pie is a little indulgent, but just have a smaller piece!

First off, parfaits. I used both chocolate and vanilla Mori Nu pudding mixes, layered with frozen thawed raspberries, complete with chocolate shavings. (you can shave chocolate with a vegetable peeler, grater, or microplane). Very simple but somewhat impressive.



Next, Peaches and Cream. I just blended Ciao Bella coconut gelato with frozen peaches in the Vitamix.



And finally, Cherry Cheese Pie! Recipe below




This is just a veganized version of this recipe.

But what's a vegan to do since we don't have sweetened condensed milk? Make your own, of course. Silk recipes to the rescue! (I know the original recipe says 14oz, but 12 worked fine). I sort of Sandra Lee'd it because I used canned cherry pie filling AND a reduced-fat graham cracker crust...give me a break. I made my own sweetened condensed milk, and you will, too. The rest is a breeze. This pie doesn't really set up like the original, so if you want to experiment with a stabilizer like agar or cornstarch, go for it and let me know!

Cherry Cheese Pie Recipe

*1 pre-made pie crust (I used Reduced Fat Keebler). You can very well make a low-fat crust on your own, or just crush up graham crackers, or skip it altogether and serve in cups
*1 8-oz pkg. Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese (both the hydrogenated and non-hydrogenated have the same fat and calories, but I try to use the non-hydrogenated)
*1/3 cup lemon juice from concentrate
*1 teaspoon vanilla extract
*1 can cherry pie filling (you can use strawberry, raspberry, or blueberry also)

For Condensed Milk:
*4 1/2 cups soy/other non-dairy milk
*3/4 c sugar
*3/4 tsp vanilla
*large pinch salt


Make the condensed milk:
Combine milk and sugar in a saucepan and put over low heat. Stir very frequently until mixture thickens and equals 1 1/2 cups. (This will take a long time, but DO NOT turn the heat up to high or go far from the stove. Sugar burns quickly and you will have to start over). Remove from heat and add vanilla and salt. Cool completely.

After condensed milk is cooled, beat Tofutti cream cheese in a bowl until fluffy. Add homemade condensed soy milk. Beat in lemon juice and vanilla and pour into graham crust. Chill 3-4 hours then top with pie filling.

Note: You can make this in a small square pan for easier serving if preferred. Just remove crust from the pan it's in, crush it with your hands, and put in the bottom of an 8"x8" or 9"x9" sprayed pan and proceed as directed.
Slice pie into 8 or 16 servings. Each 1/8th serving has 10.75g fat/356 cal, each 1/16 serving has 5.38g fat/178 cal, if using the same brand crust as I did.

Trash to Treasure Chocolate Trifle, Jackfruit BBQ Sandwiches

I call this "Trash to Treasure" because it saved a dessert. If you make it, just call it Chocolate-Strawberry Trifle with Balsamic Reduction because that sounds better (and because that is what it is!)





I hate throwing good food away. Hate hate hate. Well, I made the VCON Low-Fat bundt cake, but..I put it in mini-bundt pans and they stuck and came apart. Grease, grease, grease, flour, flour, flour next time, I guess. Or use a bigger bundt pan. Anyway, the cake was delicious but I can't very well serve crumbled cake to guests and tell them to eat it with their hands. I have also read about strawberry and balsamic vinegar pairing well together. Well, it turns out that is true. The sauces are optional, but I say DO IT because everyone will think you are a fancy-pants.

-1 recipe chocolate cake (whatever cake you want. Traditional trifles have spongy cake)
-1 regular recipe pudding (I did the VWAV pudding, but it came out gelatinous, but that's 100% acceptable for this recipe!). You can also use Mori-Nu or a vegan packet pudding. Be careful- some pudding mixes are vegan but don't set with soy milk)
-1 store-bought container (1 lb) sweetened slices strawberries (found in the frozen section), thawed OR 2 handfuls of strawberries, sliced and sugared and allowed to sit and become juicy (this is called maceration.
-Handful of strawberries, cleaned and sliced thinly (for top)
Sauces:
1/4-1/2 c regular balsamic vinegar (make sure it is not savory-flavored with garlic or anything infused in it)

More strawberries, pureed and sugared (same as above, only put in blender til smooth)

Directions:
Layer cake in the bottom of a clear dish OR in separate clear serving dishes. Press down firmly.
Layer sweet strawberries
Layer pudding

Continue with cake, strawberries, pudding. Finish with cake. Press down firmly. Decorate the top with thin strawberries. Just go in a circle and face them all pointing the same way. Pour 1/3-2/3 juice to soften the cake. Wrap in plastic and chill 1-2 hours or overnight.

Sauce Directions:
Simmer the blended strawberries/juice in a pan until boiling. Add a little lemon juice, and allow to cool.

In a separate pan, heat the balsamic vinegar over medium heat and reduce. All this means is that you are taking some of the liquid out). You want to keep the vinegar moving because it will burn. You want to test to see if it's done. It is ready when it takes a secon to slide off of a metal spoon. It will thicken upon cooling. so don't overcook it!

Plate: pour some of the strawberry sauce, and some of the balsamic reduction in whatever design you wish, and then carefully cut a piece of the trifle and set on top. OR, if in glasses, place a little of each sauce on top.

********
Jackfruit/Seitan BBQ Sandwiches!

Several people on PPK havemade jackfruit so I decided to give it a try. You want to get the Young Jack Fruit in water or brine, NOT the cooked in syrup

Out of the can


On sandwich (salad plate)





To make:

Rinse and drain the jackfruit. Saute in a pan in a little oil, then add 1 bottle of your preferred BBQ sauce, a little water, a dash of vegan Worcestershire and liquid smoke. and simmer on very low for 1-2 hours. I added chopped seitan but that's optional. The jackfruit has a shredded texture, but is a little soft to me, so I added the seitan.

Sweet Potato-Kale...Potstickers!

Sweet Potato and Kale seems to be the theme for several recipes I've seen lately. Well, I love Asian tastes and wanted to do something a little different. This recipe is loose and you can use what you want! I will tell you what I used.







1 med. sweet potato (peeled, chopped and cooked to your preference. I boiled)
about 1/4 head cabbage, cut small
1 small bunch Kale, ribs removed and cut small (please wash!)
2 hand-sized pieces seitan, cut small
1/4 block firm tofu, cut into chunks
Vegan Gyoza/Wonton wrappers
dash garlic powder
dash onion powder
2 good (or 3 sad-looking) green onions, chopped (also called scallions)
soy sauce to taste
sesame oil to taste
salt to taste
2/3-1 c vegetable broth

Saute kale and cabbage in large pan/skillet with a small amount of oil until tender (with soy sauce and a little sesame oil). Pulse in food processor until very small but not mushy. Place in bowl.

Pulse sweet potatoes in food processor. Lumps are okay. Add to cabbage/kale in bowl.

Saute seitan/tofu in skillet until done, 5+ minutes (also with a little soy sauce). Again, pulse in food processor until very small. Add to bowl.

Season mixture with onion and garlic powders, scallions, salt, more sesame oil, and soy sauce to taste. Mix very well. This will be a dense filling.

Fill about 1-1.5 tsp. filling into wrappers and place on a plate. Repeat with desired amount of wontons.

Heat a nonstick pan and add 1-2 tsp. peanut oil. Place dumplings in pan and cook until brownish. Add vegetable broth, cook and cover about 6 minutes, until broth is absorbed.

Plated with a splash each of soy sauce, rice vinegar, and sesame oil. Use toothpicks (or your finger) to make a design on the plate. Garnished with thin strips of green onion.

Do not know how to fill a wrapper? Here is a video. Ignore the meaty. Also, don't fill as much. This person makes it a little more difficult than it has to be. (Person I linked to, if you want me to remove this, I will!)