Vegan Mutts

This is it.

2011-07-21T14:36:00.004-05:00

It's been over a year since I've last posted anything on Vegan Mutts. Baker and I have been doing a lot of traveling, transitioning and exploring. We've finally settled down and are rooted for the time being. However, everything's temporary. We might be up for some more adventure soon! Costa Rica? :)

I've had a blast blogging, cooking and creating but have made the decision to stop. Life is amazing and so beautiful. It's about time I really get up in it. I hope you do the same!

Be well and stay compassionate!

I'm not Martha Stewart, deal with it.

2010-05-17T20:05:00.002-05:00

My Grandma is a huge fan of Martha Stewart. She will talk about her as if they are best friends. It is pretty dang adorable. I admit it, I am a fan of Martha, too.

For my birthday, she gave me a subscription to Martha's Everyday Food. Let me tell ya -- it's a great publication. Fast, cheap and easy recipes. All of them I've made have been really easy to veganize or get ideas to inspire my own creations. What I really like about it is that there is not a lot of advertisements in it. There are some, don't get me wrong, but not a crazy amount. Maybe it is because the magazine isn't typical magazine size, it's really small!

Tex-Mex Feast!

Anyway, the June edition had a sweet spread of Mexican food. It is rare that I do this, but I actually made something out of a magazine! I followed the steps annddd most of the ingredients. Some friends came to enjoy the tex-mex goodness with us. Good friends and fresh salsa.. Mmm. Next time, I'm making the jalapeno poppers hotter, they needed a lil' more zing.

If Martha Stewart came, she probably would have been impressed with my vegan feast, but sad I didn't decorate enough or make knit sunbreros for my guests. I do love Martha, but I think our personalities would clash a bit. Maybe we'd be friends over some margaritas.

Cookies and Commencement

2010-05-15T19:10:00.004-05:00

I wish I was graduating. Two of my spectacular friends graduated today. I was lucky enough to stop by and spend some time with them and their families. They are just so grown up graduating and starting a life in the arts! It is just too great. I love seeing what they are both currently doing and what they will continue to do. Way to go, Kellen and Sabrin!

One of my friends is a vegetarian/vegan. He's a doll. I made him a batch of Dreena's cookies which were soo delicious. I was bummed that it only made about 8 cookies, but dang, it was so worth it! I also loved that they did not require Earth Balance. It is nice to make cookies that don't call for certain 'vegan' ingredients. Of course I ate more than I should since I did make them as a gift... I had to explain that I accidently ate three of them... Make them, seriously. You will be impressed. Good ingredients, good consisetncey, good taste. Yum.

After teaching this morning, I met up with an ol' friend that I hadn't seen in months. It was so great to catch up with her. Since then, I've run around from party to party visitng. I am completly cashed. Finals, teaching my butt off, parties, birthdays, etc. I've been pretty busy. After the last party I went to tonight, I stopped off to get a bottle of wine and am now relaxing. Finally!

I'll be continuing my evening drinking some fabulous vino and nibbling on some nuts listening to gypsy jazz. Mmm. Hope you are enjoying your Saturday! Love to you all.

A Paw Print!

2010-05-11T11:07:00.002-05:00

I know I have been skimping on recipes and posts about food lately. May is just so busy! School is wrapping up and I am getting ready to go and volunteer for three weeks on a farm in Northwestern Wisconsin. It is going to be such an amazing experience! I'm pumped.

This spring I took a printmaking class. It was awful. Okay, I'm being a little harsh and dramatic. But, I did struggle with it a lot at first and definitely couldn't stand the attitude of the professor. Maybe she struggled a little with my awesomness. My first prints were collographs that had multiple plates and I had to precisely align them with one another. I did an awful job at that... Most of my prints were off in their registration. It is hard for me to be very precise in a lot of things! It did get easier and I started to enjoy it towards the end. I really liked the last print I did of B's. The girls at my table thought I was crazy carving my dog into some linoleum. Once they saw it printed, they were jealous. Yeah, I'm amazing.

Off to write an artist statement about it and wrap up my semester! Tomorrow is my last day! It is going to feel so frickin' good to be done! Well, until summer school... Expect some goodies soon!

Viva Mexico!

2010-05-05T11:19:00.003-05:00

First of all, Happy Cinco de Mayo! I am excited to see all the Mexican flags flying around town today. I love Mexican culture - the art, music, celebrations and food. Mmm... Mexican food. Don't even get me started on luchadores! We're fans, we have lil' figurines of luchadores throughout the house. We get plenty of questions, 'Uh, what is... That?' I'm planning on making enchiladas later tonight for dinner and relaxing with a cool Modelo. How will you be celebrating Mexico today?

This next recipe is Mexican, too! Well, it could be Cuban or Brazilian or anything, really. It's my own take on a black bean soup. When I got home from teaching last night I was completely famished. Thankfully, this soup is a breeze to toss together.

Easy Breezy Black Bean Soup
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion
1 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 1/2 tablespoon chili powder
1 teaspoon cumin
pepper to taste
2 celery stalks - sliced n' diced
2 carrots - thinly sliced
2 cans black beans - rinsed and drained
1 can salsa- I adore Mrs. Renfro's, delish!
3 cups water
fresh cilantro and lime to garnish

Saute the onion and add the celery and carrots. Let saute together for a bit before adding the black beans, salsa, water and spices. Once everything is all in the same pot, let simmer until your house starts to smell delicious. Pour yourself a bowl and garnish with some goodies! I cut up some left over tortillas and placed them in the oven at 350 on the pizza stone to crisp. They make a fun garnish. Ooh! Don't forget to put some avocado on top, too! Enjoy!

Oh, peanuts

2010-05-02T18:47:00.003-05:00

I love peanut butter. In a weak moment, I'll eat it out of the jar with a spoon. Although that habit has gotten better, I still love it and would do it if I didn't end up feeling like a pudgy elephant afterward.

Today was absolutely beautiful. The sky was blue, the sun was out and buds are beginning to bloom on the trees. It even smells sweet. I love this time of year. Usually, in Wisconsin, we jump from winter to summer in a blink. The 'in between' time is usually lost. This spring we've been really fortunate with pleasant weather and I am completely in love with it.

I spent the morning studying and working on weeding the garden. Bakie's ol' man and I are going to make some raised beds to put in our garden this year. I came in to make a snack mid-morning to find a refrigerator with a container of hummus, celery and and cilantro that has been in the vegetable drawer for over a month now... Pickins' were slim. Not too slim or slimming 'cause I tossed together a batch of Your Vegan Mom's PB rice crispies. Hot dang were these delicious! Between the two of us, we noshed on the whole pan 'till the afternoon. I hit my high and crashed. I took a good solid hour nap only to wake up and crave some more. Darn peanut butter haunting me in my dreams!

Over the past two days, I just can't get enough peanut butter or peanuts! Something about it is just calling me. I'm blaming PMS or maybe the end of the semester... I don't know, but I've got to tame this recent crazy obsession otherwise I'll be flopping my way through summer on my belly. Reallly bad visual...

To another nut! Cashews!

Penne in Garlicy Cashew Sauce

I've read a ton about pureeing cashews to make them into a cheesy sauce. I finally experimented with it a bit this weekend and am completely excited to try it out again! My sauce was a little on the dry side. I either didn't make enough, baked it for too long or didn't give it enough liquid to begin with. I don't know. I'll post the recipe when I feel completely at peace with it. Besides being a tad dry, it had great flavor. Mmm! :)

One more week of school before finals! I can so do this... Hey-- Have you seen my peanutbutter? :)

Wisconsin- a true gem

2010-04-20T14:51:00.010-05:00

Life is always crazy and busy. Especially right now being the end of the semester. Deadlines for papers, projects, exams and presentations fill up my day. Between all that mumbo-jumbo and teaching, Baker's Pop and I rarely get to see each other.

He planned a darlin' getaway to Bayfield, Wisconsin for the weekend. We stayed at the most darling B&B that had adorable rooms with a sweet bathtub! Never underestimate taking a bath. I haven't taken one in eons and it was so delightful to sit in a tub and soak. Oh, not to mention, they had great breakfast and were accommodating to various diets.

It was such a relaxing weekend, we were even able to find a yoga class on Saturday morning! We had great weather for hiking and taking in the sights along Lake Superior. We hiked along the Sea Cave Trail. It was so perfect, not too muddy, buggy or hot. Wisconsin is so diverse. Multiple breath taking sights, pure air, sweet people and a wholleee lotta cows...cheese and beer. I admit it, I'm a Wisconsin character and proud of it!

Enjoy the pictures! I highly, highly recommend you visit Wisconsin if you haven't and if you're from Wisconsin, enjoy it for all it's worth!

Back to the grind!

In the Defense of Potato Chips!

2010-04-18T19:31:00.001-05:00

It is hard to tell what encouraged me to make potato chips. My original plan was to make thin crispy slices of potatoes. It was not until after I ate my first batch when I realized 'Hey, these are potato chips!' Sometimes, I'm a little slow.
My first batched I sliced thin in nonuniform shapes pretty much slicing n' dicing wherever on the spud. They looked less chip like and more uh, I don't know, amoeba- like? It was easier keeping them in the same circular shape.
I don't even like potato chips. Well, I do like kettle chips - Theee Kettle Chips. Potato chip fans know what I'm talkin' about! A year ago I was in Ottawa visiting a friend who is a feen for kettle chips. I ate more than my fair share when I was visiting. I'm afraid to buy a bag, I might turn into a kettle monster!
Eventhough these chips I made were far from Backyard BBQ Kettle Chips, it felt so good to have made some junk food from scratch. Yeah, yeah, that sounds disgusting. But really - olive oil, salt, pepper and potatoes in the oven can't be that bad- it's not kale, but it's also not some packaged hydrogenated crap. While I snacked on them, I felt good. I made something most people wouldn't and like Michael Pollen said, "make your own junk food."

I made that! How crazy!

Above are the more uniformed chips. I dusted some salt, pepper, cayenne and garlic on them. Delish!
Baker even liked them!

Finally, some falafel!

2010-04-11T07:37:00.004-05:00

Is there a better way to end a busy week than taking a yoga class with a good friend and going home to make a delicious falafel salad - I can't think of a better way to begin a weekend. Well, maybe, someone making me falafel? I'm not that picky I guess...

I can almost remember the last time I had falafel. It's been too long. In Minneapolis, falafel was at my fingertips. There were tons of shops and restaurants that had it to purchase, especially on the fly. Falafel King and Holy Land were two of my favorite places. I haven't had a dank falafel sandwich since my move back to Green Bay. Sad, yes I know.

Baker's daddy is not a huge fan of falafel. Granted, after the falafel wrap I made him with my leftovers may have changed his mind. I knew he was going to be working late on Friday so I gave into my falafel craving and whipped up a batch of beany-bean falafely balls! They were perfect. I placed them with some spinach, chopped red onion, carrots and tomatoes. To give it a lil' more oomph, I tossed together a thaini dressing. I tried to keep it as simple as I could. About a tablespoon of tahini, lemon juice to thin, garlic powder, pepper and some water to thin it into more of a dressing. For being really simple, it was so flavorful! Yum.

I love the simple things. It felt so good spend some alone time and make dinner, chill in my sweats with Bakes and be in bed by 10:15. It was like being single again!

April Showers?

2010-04-08T13:11:00.004-05:00

I admit it it, I thought we were free of cold and snowy weather. I guess I was a bit over confident when I put away my winter warmables. We got a bunch of snow last night and this morning. When I woke up, I was amazed to see snow on the ground. It was absolutely beautiful!

When I finished teaching my classes this morning I ventured out with Chubs for a walk. It was so strange to see snow covering the trees and bushes budding!

It has been pretty dreary all week with colder rainy weather. Perfect for baking! All I've wanted to do this week is make delicious cookies or bars but have been to busy to do so. I did make a batch of smokey black bean soup. I modified it a bit from Suzane's at Fat Free Vegan. I added a few more vegetables and some collards. I am really into collard greens right now. Delicious and so healthy. Between me and Baker's daddy, the soup went pretty quick. We both love spicy-mexicanlike food.

Enjoy the rest of your Thursday!

It's 'Chick' to have Balls

2010-03-30T20:21:00.007-05:00

I used to think that meatballs were such a childish dish. That's weird, because growing up, we never had them. It wasn't until my later years that I started to get into balls. That sounded a little off. In my early 20's I became a fan of spaghetti and meatballs or a meatball sub. Once, we went to well known Italian restaurant in De Pere, Pasquale's and I ate a whole frickin' meatball sub. Yes, that is embarrassing on multiple levels...

As a vegan, I love making 'balls'. I don't care for any pre-packaged fake meat of any kind. There are way too many chemicals, extra packaging and aren't that nutritious. If I have a craving for a bean burger or whatever, I'll make it from scratch. The only thing that I'm not sold on is wheat gluten. Most home made recipes call for a little or a lot of it. I can't tell if the strings of wheat gluten make me feel light headed when I'm mixing it or if I get light headed from eating it. Sometimes I feel like I'm totally buzzed after having just a bit of seitan. It's hard for me to tell if I like it or not...

Anyway, I bought some chick peas to make falafel this weekend. I didn't get around to it and after thinking about it, falafel is a lot similar to an Italian meat ball. Just with chickpeas, right? Right! And I made it work!

We had a bunch of leftover vegetables that I wanted to use up in a pasta dish and rolled out some 'chickie' balls. These gluten free and soy free balls will only make you smile. They're easy to make, easy to clean up and pack a bunch of flavor. The sunflower seeds add a nice ground meat-like texture that's really filling, and not too heavy.

Chickie Balls

1 cup chic peas

1/4 cup ground sunflower seeds

1/4 cup water

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

4 tablespoons chic pea flower

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon dried oregano and basil

1 1/2 dried parsley

salt n' pep

In a food processor process the sunflowers until a few chunks remain. Remove from the processor and set aside in a bowl. Next, process the chic peas with about 1/4 cup of water until smooth. It's okay if there are some bigger pieces, it helps to add a nice texture. Scoop the chic peas out of the processor and mix with the sunflower seeds and balsamic vinegar. Stir in the spices and chic pea flower. Add enough flower so when you form the balls they stay together and are not too crumbly. Place on a greased cookie sheet and bake at 350 until crisp.

These would be pretty tasty in a sandwich, too. Enjoy!

Lazy Sunday madness

2010-03-28T14:50:00.004-05:00

When it comes to sports, poor Bakie's can't catch a break. His Pop is known to be a little vocal when watching any sporting event. Throughout the football season lil' Bakes will hide behind me or find a comfortable shelter away from all the action. I defiantly don't blame him. Listening to grown men clap, jump, yell and hug watching a game is bad enough, when I have to listen and watch it, it makes me want to hide, too. He stayed strong through the Olympics and is now being a good sport watching NCAA Championship. I'm going to get him some earmuffs for the World Cup this summer, they'll be much needed.

I would have opted to finish watching Twin Peaks this afternoon, but basketball won... That's more than fine 'cause I made a huge batch a popcorn to accompany our lazy Sunday afternoon.

My mom was about to toss her old air popper, the PopCorn Pumper a few years ago. I immediately claimed it and have been giving it plenty of corn to pop. Air poppers are great! They're perfect for any popcorn lover that enjoys healthier options. I usually melt a lil' Earth Balance in it's little melting area and toss whatever seasoning I want on top - Garlic and Cayenne, Salt n' Sugar, Cajun spice and nutritional yeast or just plain ol' butta' n' salt. However you like to season your air popped corn, I guarantee it's healthier for you and for the environment.

If you don't have an air popper and are interested in popping your own, start by popping some over the stove. Not only is it fun - it is! But, it's fast and easy! Microwave popcorn is a thing of the past! Once you taste how good stove popped or air popped corn tastes, you'll never go back to some crummy disposable bag of blah.

How do you like to pop your corn?

Raise your glass and let's Roast!

2010-03-27T17:42:00.006-05:00

Boy o' boy am I in love with roasted vegetables. I've always loved the taste of them, but recently fell back in love with them this week. I've certainly done my fair share of roasting vegetables - intentionally and unintentionally. But, right now, I'm really into intentionally roasting up some goodness in the kitchen!

I went to visit my sister in Madison, Wisconsin and picked up a beautiful medley of baby potatoes at their indoor farmers' market. I need to say it, I'm ecstatic for spring and the farmers market in Green Bay to start! It was great to get some good local snacks and the potatoes I ended up roasting were just delicious.

One of my girlfriends came over for din-din and I roasted pretty much everything we ate. Once you've established a relationship with your oven and how long to cook things, roasting is a super easy technique to use when entertaining. I staged everything out and put things in at the right time. It gave me and my BFF plenty of time to catch up and giggle over some brews.

If you're looking to entertain with minimal involvement, roast! Roast your veggies and you'll have more than enough time to clean up your kitchen and enjoy good conversation with your guests. I promise the picture above of my messy kitchen was a breeze to clean up!

Spring's on the way!

2010-03-22T09:29:00.004-05:00

Spring break is over. I'm heading back to school later this afternoon. I've got my game face on for the rest of the semester. Believe me, it's scary.

Minus my concerns about school, I am absolutely in love with life right now. Spring is coming! It's finally beginning to warm up and things are beginning to sprout. I am so excited to start planting the garden and for warmer weather. It feels so good to get outside again. Another and obvious reason why I love spring so much is knowing that grill season is starting. I guess grilling knows no season. But, when the weather is warm and friends can gather in the backyard and have some cocktails, that's grill season. Right? What do I know, I'm usually the person having a cocktail, I leave the grilling to Baker's daddy.

Last night we got together with some family for a birthday gathering. The spread definatly felt like summer - spinach salad, potato salad, asparagus, grillables, etc. So good. Everyone brought something that was pretty dang tasty. I'd never made a potato salad until last night and the one I made was actually good! That's why I'm blogging about it. :)

Potato Salad to make Your Mom proud

4 potatoes - boiled

2 celery stalks

1/2 cup or more raisins

1 avocado

1/2 cup chic peas

3 tablespoons tahini

1 1/2 - 2 tablespoon spicy brown mustard

1 tablespoon maple syrup

juice of lemon

salt n' pepper

Boil the potatoes. Drain and dice when cooked. chop up the celery, avocado and toss into a bowl. In another smaller bowl, whisk the tahini dressing. Add more lemon or water to make it to meet a dressing-like consistency. Coat the potatoes evenly and serve with a huge smile.

Luck o' the Irish

2010-03-17T19:26:00.002-05:00

Happy St. Patrick's Day! This year, I'm trading in my traditional Harp larger for a cup of tea and a relaxing evening in. Sure, this might sound lame for an Irish gal - but wait - I got season one, disc 2 of Twin Peaks from Netflix today. No way am I going out to cause a ruckus when I can watch Twin Peaks! People, come on!

For din-din I thought of making a shepherds pie but the weather has just been too nice to make anything heavy. I opted for some roasted asparagus, lima bean pesto pasta with sun dried tomatoes and peas. I tried to make the meal as green as I could!

Be safe and have an excellent night celebrating!

When in Rome

2010-03-14T08:01:00.003-05:00

I've been recovering from vacation... We went to the Dominican for a friends wedding, which was beautiful. Beyond the wedding, it was quite the experience. We had interesting and delicious meals, met interesting people from all over and got bit by mosquitos. Well, I did. I came home with more mosquito bites than a tan, it rained 85% of the time! Boy, did those bites itch! I'm pretty sure I don't have malaria... Without any more details, it was an adventure and I'm grateful to be home with my lil' Bakies and cooking again.

Power lines in Santa Domingo

mangroves

the beach in Las Galaras

Socksnatchers... you don't say!

2010-02-24T08:36:00.006-06:00

I've been on a roll! Since Sunday night I've been making super nutritious dinners. After a weekend of eating birthday cake and PB cups I needed some hardcore nutrition. I've been really mindful in my sugar intake and feel amazing! It's astounding how sugar reacts in my body and how good nutritious whole foods feel. The sweetness of a fresh grapefruit is just perfect!

Sunday I made some beanie tacos, Monday I tossed together a crazy delicious and spicy stir fry and last night made up this vegetable mash. It's loosely based off of Chris and Carolyn Caldicott's book, World Food Cafe. I was at the library on Sunday afternoon and brought back a ton of cookbooks and one of my favorite children's book, The Socksnachers by Lorna Balian. I loved her picture books as a kid and she's from Wisconsin! Anyway, why on earth did a check out a children's book when Baker can't read... Well, in our house, we have a sock problem. Mates go missing and there is a growing pile of mismatched socks. What causes this? I don't know. Growing up, we always had a mismatched basket of socks. I figured this was the norm, but Baker's Daddy doesn't think so. I know other homes have this problem, too! When we were doing laundry on Sunday, I told him the Socksnatchers took our socks. He of course, had no idea what I was talking about. This drove me to the Brown County library to pick up a copy of it. The cookbooks were just a cover. :) Even though he read it, He's not convinced there is a family of socksnatchers in the basement...

Back to the food! This dish is amazing. The hot sauce which takes seconds to whip up offers such heat and complements the sweetness of the cardamom and sweet potato so well. I am pretty much in love with this dish.

Vegetable Mash

1 sweet potato

1 can garbanzo beans

1 package of chopped frozen spinach- thawed

1 1/2 cup lima beans

1 onion - sliced

1 teaspoon cardamom

salt n' pep to taste

Boil sweet potatoes as you prep the other vegetables. Use whatever vegetables you have on hand, it's pretty versatile. Mix spinach, lima beans and 'bonzos together over medium heat until incorporated and warmed through. Remove from heat. Add a little oil to the pan to heat, add the onion and saute. While the onions are sauteing, mash the sweet potato adding the other vegetables with it. When the onion becomes translucent, add the rest of the vegetables and spices. Stir together and get ready to chow!

Peppa' sauce

3-4 garlic cloves

3 serrano chilies

4 tomatoes- deseeded and chopped

1 onion

1 red pepper

parsley

lemon to blend

dash of salt n' pep

Chop up everything and place into a blender or food processor. You'll love the spice of this! We had plenty of leftovers which will be nice to accompany other dishes this week.

Together, the sweetness of the cardamom and the spiciness of the peppers makes this a delicious treat. Healthy and so darn flavorful! I made up some quiona to serve with it as a dish. It can easily be eaten alone, it's so filling!

For the love of Peanut Butter!

2010-02-23T20:51:00.005-06:00

Like I need any more fat, but frickin' A, these were amazing!

I was looking to find a rice crispy PB bar with chocolate on top- Scotcheroos I think they're called? I did find a recipe for them, but stumbled on a much betta' looking recipe and hoooole-e-cow! I might not need a boyfriend anymore!

You'll be far from Clueless if you whip these up in the kitchen. They are Alicia Sliverstone's peanut butter cup recipe. If you haven't made these yet, do yourself a huge favor and make them! Savor them and maybe even share them-- You will not be disappointed. Check out the recipe here.

Chocolate and PB lovers of all walks of life will fall madly in love with you if you make these for them. They are amazing. :)

Happy Birthday, Chubby!

2010-02-22T08:21:00.006-06:00

Baker's Birthday came and went. I am so happy that he's 11, healthy and still full of personality. I see quite a few birthdays in his future! Not a day goes by where I don't think I'm the luckiest for having him. He's the best companion and not to mention the cutest mutt around!

For his party, I made up a carrot cake and a spicy pretzel mix for our guests to nibble on. We gave Baker a piece of cake which he housed in three bites- a true chow hound!

Happy Birthday, Chunk!

Pretty sure he hated that birthday hat...

Pretzels and almonds... Yummm

Spicy Pretzel Mix

1 cup raw almonds or any nut

2-3 cups pretzels

1 teaspoon cayenne

2 teaspoons brown sugar

2 tablespoons canola oil

Mix everything together in a bowl and spread onto some parchment paper. Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes, stirring every 10. It will be a hit!

The cake went too delicious and went fast to take a picture of it finished and individually sliced! It was that good!

Carrot cake sliced in half, ready to be frosted!

Batch of cream cheese frosting- delicious and very unhealthy!

Prepping the cream cheese frosting

Frosting in process!

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend!

Getting it right.

2010-02-20T06:35:00.004-06:00

It feels like I've been playing around trying to find the perfect granola bar recipe for years. However, this week I had a breakthrough. I made delicious bars that turn out pretty well! As good as they were, I think they need a bit of tweaking, they were a lil' too soft and gooey. I'll be modifying the recipe in the upcoming weeks to get it right to post it!

Barley malt syrup bound everything together and made it a bit sticky. I'm thinking about adding less next time, another grain or maybe even some flour. If anyone has a spectacular, to die for recipe, let me know! Or if you have any other tips on how to make granola bars stick, with out being too hard or soft without being too gooey.

On another geeky note, we're having a birthday party for Bakie's today! He'll be 11! Whaaat a sweetie. :)

Isn't he handsome?

I take my spinach blended

2010-02-18T07:17:00.006-06:00

Since I had my Monday bug, I've been trying to be more healthy. Most people I tell that to say, 'you're already healthy, you just eat vegetables'. Yes, this is true, but anyone can always do better. I'm not talking crazy amounts of change, just little things that I think will help my health in the long run. All week, I stayed away from any refined sugar, alcohol and anything that came in a package. So far, I feel amazing and it was such a little adjustment.

I know my personality and know that I won't be able to completely avoid these things, I just need to listen to my body. One glass of wine is better than the bottle, sometimes... Whatever, I'm feeling better, getting more exercise and feeeeeelin' fine! Healthy vegans unite!

Yesterday for lunch I was feeling too rushed and indecisive to make anything for lunch before heading to school. My body was craving nutritious and health things so I decided to toss what I had into a blender. Absolute deliciousness! I hardly ever make smoothies and outdid myself. They're more than easy to make, nutritious and so adaptable. Three things I love in a recipe! This smoothie fueled me all afternoon. I liked it so much I made it again for breakfast today!

Can you see spinach in that? Didn't think so, you were too busy looking at my Lambeau glass.

Baker's daddy took one look at me making this smoothie this morning and asked, "spinach? In a smoothie? Really?' Heck yeah! For those of you who already incorporate greens and other vegetables into fruit smoothies know how good it is. The spinach helps add iron, calcium and lutein and is pretty much undetectable in taste and texture. Do something good for you body that tastes great! I promise you won't be let down.

Blended Goodness

1 1/2 bananas

1/2 cup or more frozen blueberries

1 handful of spinach

splash of almond milk or water

a few ice cubes

Toss everything into the blender and blend. If you don't have any almond milk, water will do the trick, too. The almond milk just makes it a tad creamier.

Bread making and the student

2010-02-17T06:12:00.008-06:00

Success in making homemade bread, again! I don't want to jinx myself, so I won't get too high n' mighty. I know those of you who have had unsuccessful loafs of bread know the feeling; carefully mixing a yeast mixture, waiting with anticipation as your yeast rises only to find that no reaction what so ever has happened. Yeah, that was my familiar experience with bread, too.

I'm blaming some of my success on my new KitchenAid mixer. The dough hook is ammmaaazing! When I read through a bread recipe and it says 'knead for X amount of time', I just let the hook do the work! How easy is that?

Kneading dough in the KitchenAid

I followed a whole wheat recipe and added flax seeds to it. The loaf came out light, fluffy and quite nutritious. I was just so tickled to see my loaf rise and actually become bread! Eventually, I want to play around with gluten-free loafs.

Dough after kneading and resting

Dough punched down and ready to be rolled to place into the pan

Dough rolled and placed into the pan - my first attempt was a lil' sloppy...

Bread making is perfect for the student. Since there is an hour or so of rising time, it is a great opportunity to hit the books. When the timer goes off, work on the bread, toss it into the oven, get back to the books, etc. In the end, school work is underway and there is a beautiful loaf of bread waiting to feed a hungry brain! How smart is that?

Bread cooling out of the oven

So, if you're like me and need to take breaks when you study and enjoy baking- try to make a loaf! It will help keep your brain and belly in check when you are studying hard!

Bread sliced and ready to be snacked!

wasabi + the flu = nasal discomfort.

2010-02-15T10:55:00.006-06:00

I pride myself in my health, it is rare that I get sick. Sure enough, I have some bug. I don't know if it was something I ate or what, but I can't keep anything down. It's not the achiness all over my body, or the uncertainty that I'm going to poop my pants or throw up before reaching the bathroom that bothers me. No, none of those things are causing disease into my day. What gets me the most is that I made a really spicy wasabi-teriyaki stir fry last night and now my nose is paying for it after I heaved most of it up. Wasabi and the flu do not go together.

After class this morning, I came home and crashed. I think Baker is diggin' me as a napping companion. As you all know, he is a semi-pro napper and one of the biggest joys in my life. I'm moving a little too slow and feel too weak to go mix ink for m print making class. I hate missing class, especially when I am sick. I think I'm doing the right thing. Last fall, I saw so many students come to class ill and it would drive me crazy. Sometimes it's hard for me to take my own advice and rest.

Rule #1 to a good nap:

Take up the wholeee couch. Learning from the best!

Nothing sounds good to me. Eating, drinking water, moving - tell it all to wait 'cause I'm not doing any of it! I am forcing myself to sip water, but kind of wish I had an IV to hook myself up to. Baker's Daddy told me he'd pick me up some popsicles on his way home from work. What a sweetie, eh?

I wish I had a new recipe to post or food to talk about rather than my fever and chills. Well, I'll leave you with a lil' recipe. A recipe to cure any ailment- compassion and a lil' love. Take care and enjoy your day!

Bean there and loved it!

2010-02-12T18:08:00.004-06:00

I've been a lot of places. Mexico, Ireland, Italy, Montreal, scary basements at 3 am... Okay, my blog title today is a little more than lame.

Really, I've had the coolest experience baking with some lil' black beans. I am sooo in love! I followed Lindsay's recipe at Happy Herbivore for her Black Bean Brownies and wow-e these puppies are a dream! The limited ingredients make it healthy and so easy to make! It's basically just bananas, black beans, cinnamon and some maple syrup or agave with cocoa powder. They turned out so lovely. They are fudgy, sweet enough with out the added buzz and as far as brownies go, so friggin' healthy!

I brought them to the fabulous artist I am interning for this afternoon and she loved them, too. If you make these, you could definitely turn any omnivore or health nut on to them no problem. Goodness, I'd pair them up with some rice ice cream as a lil' brownie sundae... It might not make the brownie as healthy then, but still delicious! If you want to keep it healthy, pour yourself a cupa tea and sip as you nibble these glorious guys!

Enjoy your weekend and even though I'm not that into it, have an awesome Valentine's Day! Love is for everyone, not just couples! Spread your love thick and far. We all know we need more of it in the world, not just on Valentine's Day-- Every day! Smoooch!

Thawin' all Yous out!

2010-02-10T11:21:00.006-06:00

Whether you're stuck in snow on the east coast, freezing in the midwest or dodging the rain out west, this soup is for you! I call it an all-area code soup. The nutritional benefits will have you feeling fantastic and its spiciness will help warm up even the coldest bodies!

Besides the fact that it's freezing, snowing and dark out, this soup frickin' rocks. It's simple, spicy and so healthy.

Spicy Collard Vegetable Soup

2 carrots - chopped

3 celery stalks - chopped and diced

3/4 bunch collard greens - any kind will do

1 package baby 'bellas

1 can white beans

1 bunch whole wheat pasta- broken into smaller pieces - optional

2 scallions - thinly sliced

5-6 cups vegetable broth or water - I used a lil' of both

1 teaspoon oregano and thyme

1/2 teaspoon chipotle powder

3 whole red chili peppers crushed - about 1 1/2 teaspoon crushed will do, too.

salt n' pepper

Gently saute the celery and carrots. Add the beans and the 'bellas. When the 'bellas start to turn to a darker color, add the water, collards, broken pasta, scallions and seasonings. Let simmer until the pasta is cooked.

Serve with some crusty bread or rolls. If you're really down because your car is stuck in the snow or just really sick of winter, pour yourself a glass of wine. Remember-- it's only temporary!

Get up Granola!

2010-02-09T07:12:00.007-06:00

We are under a winter storm warning... whatever that means. I guess that means were in for some snow. Well, whatever storm chasers, it's beautiful outside!

In the winter months, it can get very hard to drag my lil' butt outta bed. It's dark, cold and usually there is a cute boy next to me. Who would voluntarily pop out of bed in that situation? Since school started and I've started interning, I've been pooped. It doesn't help knowing I have loads of work to do! To help this scenario I found one thing to help me get up and get movin'. Granola! I'll get up and out of bed for a delicious breakfast anytime. This super healthy cereal is easy and lightning fast to toss together.

Get Up Granola

1 1/2 cup rolled oats

3 cups puffed millet

1 cup rolled rye flakes

1/2 cup wheat bran

1/2 cup raw sun flower seeds

1/2 to 3/4 cup dried fruit

1 tablespoon cinnimon

1teaspoon ginger

3/4 cup applesauce

1/4 cup flax seeds -- added after heated

While you mix the dry ingredients together, preheat the oven to 350. Add the applesauce until the mixture is moist. Spread on a cookie sheet and bake for 30 minutes, checking to stir it every 10 minutes so it doesn't get stuck.

This lighter version of an ol' favorite will have your rollin' out of bed and get your lil' belly sining with delight at any hour in the morning!

A Super Bowl

2010-02-08T12:11:00.004-06:00

Baker is probably more excited than anyone what football is now over. He puts up with grown men 'hootin' n' hollering' at the TV on Sunday and Monday for a good 5 months. The loud obnoxious clapping and cheering usually drives him to hide behind me. Especially when our team scores. It's boarder line pathetic. But we love him!

I like the cultural aspect of football. But besides that, I really have no interest in it. I love any excuse to get friends together to snack and chat. Who wouldn't?

For the game, I made a true Super Bowl of dip. I should have used a bigger pan to present it in, but I knew we'd be transporting it to a friends' house. I went with a deeper dish which I knew had a lid. But really, since it is so delicious, people won't care what you serve it in!

Super Bowl Dip

1 can refried beans

1/2 red onion - finely diced

1 tub toufutti cream cheese- the yellow tub

garlic, chili and cayenne

2 avocados

a dash of lime juice

black beans

1 good sized tomato

1 jalapeno pepper sliced thin

pepper to taste

I guarantee it's fast to toss together. Spread a layer of refried beans at the bottom of the pan. Chop and place the onion on top of the beans. In a microwaveable bowl, transfer the tofutti and warm until it is more pliable. Then, mix in as much garlic powder, chili powder and cayenne as you wish to the cream cheese. Place the cream cheese on top of the onions. Mash the avocados with some lime and spread over the cream cheese. Toss the remaining ingrdients over the avocados. Dust a lil' pepper and dried cilantro before serving.

This is fine served cold, or heated up. Do what you like! Serve with some beautiful tortilla chips and a cool beverage. Enjoy!

Stickin' it to the Man.

2010-02-07T11:00:00.003-06:00

Oh, boy. Oh, boy. I've been fooled.

Natural Ovens claims to be a natural whole grain bakery. They are stationed out of Manitowoc in Wisconsin. I used to loveee their products and please let me emphasize, loved their products.

Last night, I was making up some black bean burgers. Earlier in the day I attempted to make some whole wheat buns. They kind of flopped and were more dense like a biscuit than a bun. I'm planning on making some chili to accompany them so we can still use 'em up. Anyway-- I needed some buns! I sent Baker's Daddy to the store to get some. He acted on behalf of me, saw Natural Ovens, knowing they are a respected local company and purchased some whole wheat buns. When he returned home, I checked over the ingredients and was appalled to find high fructose corn syrup in a product that claims to be "100% WHOLE WHEAT"! What the fuck, I do apologize for my language, but really?! I am just astounded. I still am!

I wrote them a letter and posted a note on their Facebook page which probably has since been deleted. But really? Most people don't know what they're buying. Most people don't care to even look. But with health so closely tied to what we put in our bodies, companies should never claim something they are not to sell a product.

This has only made me want to make more of my own food and rely less on companies that use false advertising to sell their crap.

Natural Ovens, we are so over.

He's Famous!

2010-02-06T21:07:00.002-06:00

Our local newspaper asked readers to submit pictures of their pets. Of course, I jumped on it right away! Baker is practically famous! Not really, but I'm sure proud of him! Check him out here! He's number 53. :) Peace.

Behold da Powa'!

2010-02-02T13:14:00.003-06:00

Beans! These lil' legumes have more power than you know! Well, some of you might know and I'm not talking about their reputation of making people toot excessively. Let me help you understand why these babies are so great.

They are cheap! Lately, I've been buying a majority of my beans in bulk, soaking and cooking them. Doing this takes a little more time and planning, but it's so worth it. Some organic beans cost $1.45 - 2.00! Buy a big ol' bag of dried beans and you'll save more than you know!

Lentils, kidneys, fava beans, etc. all are loaded with protein, fiber, calcium and plenty of vitamins and minerals. They're great to satisfy a hungry belly for hours, I guarantee these lil' buggers stay with you longer than a bowl of oatmeal. They're delicious and quite nutritious!

Beans are so versatile, too. Use them in a salad, soup, mash them together to make a burger or use them just as a side. Whatever, try something new- Make spaghetti and bean balls!

I had leftovers from making enchiladas earlier this week and thought to put them all together in a black bean soup. I wouldn't necessarily categorize this a 'garbage soup', which has anything and everything from your refrigerator in it, but pretty it's close. You could make this with plenty of variations.

Leftover Black Bean soup

1 1/2 cup black beans

1 onion- chopped

1 tablespoon oil

1 can chopped or diced tomatoes

1 cup corn

1 jalapeno- chopped with it's seeds

Crushed red pepper to taste

1 1/2 teaspoon cumin

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

salt n' pepper

a little juice from a lime

Saute the onion with the oil. I added a bit of garlic powder in this phase, too. When the onions are translucent, toss in the beans, tomatoes, pepper and all the spices. Simmer for a bit and before serving add the cilantro.

Garnish with fresh cilantro, avocado and a lime wedge. I was just so happy that I made another whole meal from the leftovers of another- and it was far from being sloppy seconds!

HiberNol!

2010-02-01T20:14:00.007-06:00

Winter is remarkable. It can be cold, beautiful and a bit dangerous. More than dangerous, especially for my waist line. It's easy to follow suit and stay inside, drink cocoa with peppermint schnapps and live a pretty sedentary life. I received a North Face coat filled with PrimaLoft and I'm no longer afraid of staying outside-- I'm so warm! I sweat when I go snowshoeing! Warm clothes make all the difference in the world. It's gotten better, but there are days when I wish I could take a dose of HiberNol with Chris Farley and call it quits 'till spring. If you get the winter blues, laugh a lil' and know you're not alone!

Now, to the food! Casseroles, stuffed pastas and traditional comfort foods are great to help the winter blahs. They're warm, full of nostalgia and calories. Growing up, I loved stuffed shells and any kind of pasta. When I was 9 and learned that some runners "carbo-load" before a race, I remember asking my mom if I could run in one. Oh, I was a silly, silly kid.

Since I am concerned with the nutritional value in pretty much everything I eat, I made sure to make this "oldie" a new and healthy favorite. We had some leftover frozen squash in the freezer from the fall that I wanted to make some kind of ravioli with. Stuffed shells are kind of like ravioli, but the shells seemed easier at the time. Manicotti could easily be used in place of the shells.

Acorn Squash Ricotta

1 lb firm tofu- pressed

1 1/2 acorn squash - that's just what we had, You could get away with just one or use two.

1/4 cup nutritional yeast

1/2 of a lemon- squeezed

1 teaspoon basil

1 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 1/2 teaspoon onion powder

dash of salt and pepper

a few dashes of nutmeg

In a large bowl, mash the squash together. Crumble to tofu into the bowl with the squash. Squeeze lemon over 'ricotta' mixture and add in the dry spices. While you are mixing the Acorn mixture, boil the water and cook the shells. When the shells are to that al dente point, strain and shock them with some cold water to prevent them from cooking more.

Then, stuff the shells! Place them into a pan that has a bit of marinara on the bottom of it to reduce any sticking. Cover with marinara and a little nutritional yeast and put them into a pre-heated oven at 370 for about 45-60 minutes.

I guarantee, people will think this is ricotta.

"To prove that I am not a fool-- Back to school!"

2010-01-30T09:07:00.003-06:00

It has been the loooonnngeeessttt week. Ever.

School started on Monday and I have had quite the time getting into a routine. My schedule is already goofy as a yoga teacher; running from studio to studio at various times to teach. I love teaching. I'm passionate about the practice and love sharing it with my students. Plus, it works out fabulously with my schedule at the University.

This week got bitter cold. Baker's lil' legs move so fast when we're on our walks. Thank goodness. If he were stopping to lift his leg every snowbank I'd freeze in place.

The cold does remarkable things and it has driven me to drink... cocoa! I am obsessed. What wonders a warm chocolate drink can make in my day! I've had quite a hard time making hot cocoa from scratch. Some days it's perfect and the next is a bitter cup of blah. I thought I'd try the Silk's chocolate soy milk and warm it up. I got their Light Chocolate soy milk, warmed it up and fell in love. I don't know if they got a new recipe or what, but it is so smooth, chocolately, and oh my! I sat down to do some reading yesterday afternoon and probably drank about half the carton! Oh, Suga', what a delight!

Hot cocoa accompanying some homework-- A delightful combination!

Give me vegetables, or give me death!

2010-01-27T19:36:00.002-06:00

It always amazes me how intelligent our bodies are and how dumb our minds can be- the flippin' ego! Goodness! Most of us know that pre-packaged snack cakes are unhealthy, but eat them anyway. We can put a whole hell of a lot of crap into our bodies and they keep running. Put water into a gas tank of a car and it stops-- put frozen dinners and Twinkies into your body and they keep running. Well, until you get heart disease or diabetes...

I've always been a healthy eater, but since converting to veganism, my body has become a lot more sensitive to what I put into it. It is used to whole foods, grains, nuts, and the occasional wine and chocolate. When I overdose on wine, chocolate, beer or whatever unhealthy gorge I endeavor, my body takes it pretty hard. It starts to scream, "VEGETABLES! NUTRITION! NOW! YOU STUPID BITCH!" That's exactally what my belly yelled at me Monday morning after an afternoon and evening of watching football, eating too many chips and consuming way to many brews for my frame. Yikes.

To balance my body, I always drink a lot of water and eat a shit-ton of healthy fruits and vegetables. Usually, I keep the spices pretty plain to help restore my bod back to neutral. Craving some goodness, I made up a fresh spinach salad with roasted portabellas, green beans, and some cherry tomatoes we froze from the garden last summer. Has anyone froze tomatoes before? They weren't the greatest, but I felt better about eating some thawed out local guys instead of something from California. Anyway, it was flippin' delicious and made me feel a lil' better.

Portabella glaze

Balsamic vinegar

a few dashes of olive oil

Garlic- minced or powdered

salt or soy sauce

pepper

Eyeball all the ingredients to make enough to cover your 'bellas. I put enough balsamic vinegar and a about 1 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil at the bottom of a rectangular bowl. Place as many lil' 'bellas that I could in the bowl. I dusted some powdered garlic over them and then drizzled with a dash of soy sauce. Salt would also do the trick there, too. Toss a little pepper on them, making sure they are coated with the balsamic marinade. While marinating, heat oven to 400 degrees. Place the 'shrooms on a baking sheet and drape with some foil. Place in the oven to roast. Depending on the size and how many you are roasting, vary the time. I left mine in the oven for about 20 minutes.

Place these suckers on a salad, eat over some rice or even in a sandwich. They're delicious. You might even make your dog jealous!

Going....

Gone!

Thai it-- I did!

2010-01-26T15:44:00.007-06:00

I stepped out of my comfort zone and followed a recipe... to a T. It's rare that I ever do that. I'm always modifying an original, even if I haven't made it before! Usually, I don't have one or two of the ingredients, skimp on oil, add too much oil, etc.

I had never had Pad Thai before, even in my pre-vegan days. I thought it would be something new to try and to cook. I made Isa's Brooklyn Pad Thai from VWAV. Leme tell ya, there is a butt-load of comfort in a recipe, especially hers. I've tried a bunch of her recipes and have loved pretty much all of them. If it's good enough to be published, there is a somewhat guarantee that it's going to be good. No improvisation, just directions and good intentions!

For those of you who don't know me, I am more than a bit geeky. Knowing that I never had the dish before, I wanted to learn about how the dish is originally prepared before making it. To learn, one must investigate. Soooo, I researched it! It's so interesting to do, especially if I have never experienced the dish or flavor. I usually find cool cultural facts, history and variations on the dish. Then, when I finally sit down to a new meal, I know more than just what is in it. Plus, it gives an idea on how the dish is supposed to turn out!

Above: ingredients to make the sauce for the Pad Thai

After the tofu crisped in the pan, I transfered it to an old paper bag to rest. The paper bag helps leach out any extra oil. I do that with cookies sometimes, too. I don't know if it really cuts back on calories and fat, but it's reassuring to see all the oil remaining on the paper!

Above: Tofu crisping in the pan. Below: Tofu resting on a paper bag

The recipe made a lot of food, it fed 4 hungry bellies, with some leftover. It was defiantly sweet and a bit spicy. I especially loved all the fresh cilantro, yum. As a whole, it was good, but something I don't think I'll make again, unless requested.

I'm glad I 'Thai'ed something new!

I've been Bitten.

2010-01-23T11:29:00.004-06:00

No, not the Twilight Saga. Mark Bittman. I am in love.

I've always appreciated his columns in the New York Times and love his How to Cook Everything and How to Cook Everything Vegetarian. Both are beautiful and thorough cook books. I also love that he is aware and has written about the over production and consumption of meat and its effects on the environment and consumers health. It's an issue that I'm passionate about, so when I see someone with celebrity-like status speaking out and helping to educate the population, it only makes me smile.

After reading through his article on Jim Lahey's 'No-Knead' bread recipe, I pumped myself up to give it a shot. I tried once before to make bread and ended up with a flat loaf of flour. No one in the house ate it...

I followed his directions to a T and ended up with a beautiful loaf that made me glow with delight for the next 24 hours. I used half whole wheat flour and half regular, next time I think I'll try reducing the whole wheat by a half cup to see if it will be fluffier. Not saying that it wasn't, but after I had my success, I started reading more about how to make bread. One site suggested that if you add a half cup less of whole wheat flour, it's fluffier. We'll see. I'll report back! Either way, it really was soft on the inside and had a delicious crunch on the outside.

Above: Dough being prepped to rest and be baked

It's a real inactive recipe. The dough rests for about a day. A day! Actually, it just sits over night. This bread is really beautiful. It requires no kneading and really is no hassle. Next time, I might try making little balls out of the dough to make mini loafs to use as bread bowls. How cute would that be? Perfect for soup season!

It's all about Tortillas.

2010-01-22T07:51:00.012-06:00

We're always buying tortillas. Enchiladas are a household favorite, vegetable wraps are a must for lunch and tacos are so quick on a weekday night. Let's just say, we use a lot of them.

I'm not a food snob, but prefer not having HFCS, hydrogenated oils and other goofy preservatives in what I eat. Baker and his Pop could care less, but I do. I like to fuel my body with healthy foods so I can feel fantastic all the time- minus the occasional cookie over load. I'm still working on that.

The other thing I prefer is making my food from scratch. I try to make as much as I can by myself so I can be sure it's healthy and fresh. Not to mention it helps to reduce waste. Bread, cereal, even apples come in plastic bags. Buying flours, nuts, granola, etc. in bulk help to keep costs low and reduce waste. Making things from scratch might sound like a huge hassle and yeah, sometimes it is. But, looking at the bigger picture and learning about the current impacts on how we get our foods leaves me with a responsibility. Because I have an understanding on where foods come from, the fuel it takes, and some of the poor agricultural practices occurring only leaves me with a choice. That choice is to become more responsible consumer. I have a choice in where I purchase my foods. As I've learned more about the fuel costs, waste of packaging and farming, I started to look at what I really buy that travels long distances and comes in excessive packaging. Tortillas, bread, cereal, tea, bananas, avocados etc. It's a frightening exercise to do; realizing that your tomato on your sandwich came from California or your apple traveled from New Zealand. Some of my favorite foods; avocados, bananas, grapefruits all travel long, long distances to my home. Not to mention coffee and tea, they come quite a ways, too. This year I'm trying to buy less packaging and trying my hardest to only buy seasonal foods. Yes, it's tricky in Northern Wisconsin, but I'm not about to give up on it and try my best. I ate a banana this morning, but maybe I won't buy bananas or boxed cereal for a month. Every little bit really does count. Consider it. If not for your health, your children's or the environment.

Now, back to tortillas!

Stage 1 of tortilla production: Rolling out the dough

It's easy, just take a little ball off of your big blob of dough and begin to roll out. They don't have to be perfect circles, that's for sure! I even made one that looked like a triangle!

When my parnter and I would go to the grocery store to get ingredients to make enchiladas and he'd see the price of healthy tortillas v. unhealthy ones. Oh, boy. The conversations we'd have. In no time, we'd be discussing marketing tactics. To avoid that, funky preservatives and the price I opted to made my own. They are way simpler than I thought they would be. If you have a free hour, you can roll these babies out no problem. They are so healthy and fun to make! I'd never made anything like it before. It was a new and fun culinary experience.

Tortilla dough all set to be heated up.

I got my recipe over at Novel Eats. Healthy and simple! It used walnuts as the base fat. How brilliant is that? Healthy omega fats and protein, all in a tortilla!

Tortilla warming in the pan. Gettin' bubbly!

Stack of finished tortillas.

If you are into cooking healthy foods for you and your family or want to simply cut back on the packaging your foods come in, check out the recipe. Depending on how you make them, they can make a lot. Whip up a batch for a weekend of Mexican food. We have so many tortillas right now it looks like Tortilla-Navidad! So many tortillas waiting to be stuffed with deliciousness. Go on, impress yourself! Make them!

Finally finished! Accompany your taco or enchiladas with a cool Modelo. Enjoy!

Green and Gallllicky

2010-01-21T09:49:00.001-06:00

Hummus. A favorite for many herbivores and omnivores. I am in love with it and am trying to find my perfect recipe. When ever I make home made hummus, it's always too garlicky, too thick, too tahini-y, or too runny. I have yet to find my balance for such a simple and adaptable dip.

My last batch turned out a little green and too garlicky. I put in fresh chopped parsley and some scallions into the blender that made it turn a tad bit green. Delicious, yes, but I even scared poor little B's away with my garlic breath. What am I feeling bad about- he scares me with his breath every day, and not just in the morning.

There were some leftover tortillas in the fridge that needed a purpose and we needed something as a hummus transporter. I sliced the tortillas into little pieces using a pizza cutter, drizzled a little olive oil on them and tossed them with some chili powder, cayenne and salt. I've done that before with pitas, too. I love re-inventing ingredients that are just hanging out in the refrigerator. Plus, it can be a way to impress a crowd when you tell them that you 'made' the tortilla or pita chips. Keep it in mind for your Super Bowl parties!

Green and garlicky it was, but we were hungry after a day of snowshoeing and didn't mind too much. If you have hummus ideas, recipes you adore, or any tips, let me know! I'll continue my hummus journey and be posting some experiments in the upcoming weeks.

Epic Fail

2010-01-20T09:05:00.000-06:00

Growing up, I looooved Belgian waffles. My Mom, bless her, would round me and my sisters up for a weekend get-away to Appleton, Wisconsin to stay at the Paper Valley Hotel. Looking back, I can only imagine how stressful it was for my Mom. We'd arrive, swim, eat pizza, watch a movie go to bed and repeat the next Saturday. On Sunday, before we'd leave, we'd have brunch with my grandparents who live in the Fox River Valley. One thing I'll always remember the Paper Valley Hotel for is their amazing Belgian waffles. I'd get them with a heaping pile of whipped cream and strawberries. I loved it. Now, it's rare that I ever eat waffles.

This year for a Christmas gift, I got a waffle maker. Having some time this Saturday, I attempted and please, let me emphasize attempted to make waffles. It was an epic, epic fail in my book of culinary genius. The batter stuck to the iron, the insides were doughy and resembled nothing like a waffle. I think Baker was the only happy camper on Saturday because he ate all the scraps.

Baker eating scraps of waffle

I'm not about to give up on waffles. This childhood favorite will love on forever in my repertoire, therefore, I must persist. If you have any waffle tips, tricks or advice, let me know! I'm blaming my experience to my new iron and that I need to develop a better relationship with it; making sure it's heated enough before placing the batter in it, letting it sit long enough before removing from the heat, etc.

Waffle suck to new iron...

Heading into round 3 of my waffle attempt on Saturday morning, I was annoyed and hungry. I tossed the waffle towel in and said 'F-this, I'm making pancakes!' I really wasn't that annoyed, I try to find humor in everything, even dry walling... Ha! That's funny enough, me-- dry walling?! Ha!

The pancakes turned out lovely, and all of our bellies were happy. Moral of story-- So, when life gives you an unseasoned waffle iron, make some bloody pancakes and get over it.

More Bakies!

2010-01-14T20:33:00.000-06:00

My blog is called Vegan Mutts. A blog dedicated to vegan cooking and my mutt, Baker. One of my readers commented that Baker doesn't make enough blog appearances. It is true, I rarely post about my lil' chunker. I should, too, he is a huge reason on why I became a vegan. I suppose I could give him a little more recognition than just being 'king of the couch'. For all of you Baker lovers out there, I will be more conscious about this and post more about our adventures in and out of the kitchen!

Baker: Overseeing oatmeal cookie production and proper use of my new Kitchen Aid mixer.

"Hon! Got the groceries!"

2010-01-13T08:32:00.000-06:00

Fargo is one of my all-time favorite movies. It's embarrassing to admit, but probably at least once a day, I quote lines from it. Especially in the winter, it's just so fitting! I took a break yesterday from unpacking to run to the grocery store to pick up some staples and food for din-din. I had a bag full of groceries just like Jerry Lundegaard and yelled in the movie,"Hon! Got the groceries!" to an empty house. It put a smile on my face! Unless you're a huge Coen Brothers fan, you probably have no idea what I'm talking about. If this is the case-- go put Fargo on your Netflix queue today!

William H. Macy as Jerry Lundegaard in Fargo, the best Co-Bro's movie.

I had quite the responsibility yesterday unpacking pots, pans, appliances, etc. and finding their perfect spots. Finding their perfect spots made me clean everything, even the oven! A confession-- I've never cleaned an oven. It just has never been a part of my repertoire, until yesterday. I even purchased oven cleaner. It's rare that I ever buy 'cleaner' for anything, so this is quite the event! Granted, it was a bitch to clean, it looks like new!

After cleaning, unpacking and cleaning, I was in need of some major comfort food. Comfort food to me is usually a hot dish with loads of vegetables. Not to be confused with a Minnesotan 'Hot-Dish', which usually has some creamy processed soup and frozen vegetables and meat. It's basically a casserole, called a 'hot dish', a pot-luck staple. Anyway, I needed something fast, hot and full of vegetables. What's got all that? Curry! Curry is not a casserole, or hot dish, but still pretty dang tasty in my book. Absolutely perfect to end a busy day of moving and unpacking.

Chili? Me? Never!

2010-01-07T11:23:00.000-06:00

WARNING: ALWAYS WASH YOUR HANDS AFTER DEALING WITH HOT CHILI PEPPERS!

I crushed up a whole dried chili pepper to top my chili for lunch this afternoon. I made the mistake of not washing my hands afterward and then touching my nose. Not just my nose, but kind of in it, my septum. Ooohh dang, it burns! It kind of makes me want to crush up chili peppers and put them all over my skin so I can stay extra toasty when I face the cold and snow! That, probably would be uncomfortable, but it crossed my mind.

Next week, I gear up for my first move this year! Especially after all the moving I did last year, I hope this will be my only one. If not, that's okay, too. So, I'm rummaging through my belongings, which are already sparse and deciding if they're worth taking along or giving away. I like to keep what I own to a minimum. I'm young and will be following where my heart takes me after the next year when I'm done with school. I don't want to lug a couch across the country, my massage table is enough!

Along with cleaning out my bathroom cabinets, I started to clear out the refrigerator and freezer. How amazing is this - It's cold out side, and I had some frozen chili from earlier this fall in my freezer! Sometimes, I forget how brilliant I can be! A fresh batch would have been just as tasty, but this was pretty dank. I can't provide a recipe because I don't even know when I made it... The bacteriologists in my family are probably shaking their heads. But it's frozen! It's okay!

Pretty sure that is a grill under all of that snow...

So, if you're living in the cold, or in North Dakota where it's supposed to be -54 today, put some chili peppers up your nose. Just joshin', make a big batch of chili. It will make your house smell so good, the neighbors will smell it through the snowbank and come over like chili zombies begging for some.

Yeast, schmeast!

2010-01-06T18:24:00.000-06:00

No yeast! No problem!

85% of the time when I make home made pizza I always forget yeast at the store. Craving some comforting home made pizza and not wanting to run out in the cold to go get some, I risked it and tried it without. It works! Never again fear being without yeast! I am relieved knowing I can make a beautiful crust without yeast at any time! Just lovely!

This indiviual crust recipe is soft and rolls out smoothly. Mix the dry ingredients and spices together. Add the oil and water mixing into a ball. Put some corn meal or flour on the pizza pan and spread out into your desired thinness. While you're making the crust, heat the oven to 375. Bake the crust so it gets a lil' crunchy, making sure it doesn't stick to the pan. Take out from the oven and dress with sauce, vegetables and any other of your favorite toppings.

Individual yeast-free 'za crust

1 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 tsp baking powder

a pinch of salt

2 tbs olive oil

1/4 cup water

A pinch of dried rosemary, thyme, oregano and garlic

I only wish my partner in culinary crime, Baker, was at my feet to eat my crusts! He's really not my partner in culinary crime, more like my cute criminal in eating my plate of food when I'm not looking. The lil' bugger. Either way, I like to share my crusts with him.

Get cozy, roll out some dough, make a pizza and relax on this brisk January night.

Cold Minnesotan Nightss

2010-01-04T14:19:00.000-06:00

I spent the last week in Mexico enjoying the sun, too many Modelo's and good company. When I finally arrived home last night I was in shock at how frickin' cold it was. Ice all over the roads, nose hairs freezing and icicles forming on eye lashes. Alright, I am over exaggerating about the last two. There really was ice all over the roads.

Like many in the midwest in winter, I've found ways to embrace the cold - with a whole lotta whisky. Uhhh, I mean, spicy foods... Really, when in doubt, it does the trick! Spicy foods, that is. A hot snappy curry, peppery spaghetti sauce, chili with a kick or even a hot chocolate with some cayenne. Adding the right spices to a dish not only make it flavorful, it can warm a belly in negative degree weather.

There is an adorable artisan pasta shop by my house where I got some red pepper pasta. Sooo delish. I boiled that, sautéed some vegetables and a had some home made pasta sauce on hand. I tossed it all together and placed it all over some baby spinach. The heat from the pasta and vegetables helps to wilt the spinach so it is more manageable when eating. I can't stand spinach in cooked meals when it's wilted to shit. If you do, add it in the saute pan and get it rockin' with the rest of the vegetables.

This dish will work with any pasta, sauce and vegetables. A guarantee quick dinner. So if you're in the frigid temperatures, bust out some spice and tantalize your taste buds!

Vegan Mutts One Year Anniversary!

2010-01-02T12:36:00.000-06:00

It's rare that I pay attention to anniversaries or any dates for that matter. I am that girl that never knows how long she's been dating someone, or how long she's been in college, it certainly seems like an eternity! It can go on and on. It's not that I am unaware of time, I just don't think much of it. Does it really matter? I think my best friend and I have been friends for eternity or that I've been out of high school for 15 years when it has only been about 7... or 6. Like I said, time, dates and ages mess me up. I don't pay attention to them. But I do remember when I started blogging because I blog on a regular basis, and well, it's been a year!

Blogging has been fun and quite the culinary adventure. Thanks for following me and Baker over the last year. If you have any requests or things you'd like to see in the new year, let me know!

Happy New Year! We'll be posting some healthy goodies once we return from Mexico! Adios!

Following up

2009-12-14T12:01:00.000-06:00

So, I mentioned earlier last week on how I can sometimes abuse sugar. After day three of eliminating sugar from my diet, I felt less puffy and dehydrated. Drinking enough water and eating healthy foods will always help my body find it's natural balance. Our bodies are very intelligent machines. Although, sometimes my mind isn't intelligent enough to put down my 15th cookie.

Most likely, I will never give up sugar completely. On a daily basis, I don't eat it that much and am aware of what I eat that does contain it. I love to bake and share what I make with my family and friends. Baking is a big part of who I am. Heck, it passed from my Mom, She's a pastry chef! I will, however become more educated on using other sugars and experiment baking with them. If you have any tips or recommendations on different sugars; agave, barley malt syrup, maple syrup, etc. and how the work baking, feel free to leave me a lil' note!

Love your body. Love what it does for you and treat it well.

Day Two

2009-12-11T09:13:00.000-06:00

The first three days of anything are always miserable. Giving up alcohol, quitting smoking, starting a new work out routine or in my case, shutting out sugar. I've given up multiple things in my life, temporarily and premaritally. Well, nothing is really permanent, but eventually it becomes a lifestyle. I don't smoke any more, and would never ever dream of putting a cigarette in my mouth - ever. I am a vegan and will never go back. Transitioning to new and healthier lifestyles take time can be tricky. I was a vegetarian for years on and off. After watching a PETA documentary, I knew I could never eat meat again. It was so disturbing. Paul McCartney said, "If slaughterhouses had glass walls, everyone would be a vegetarian." It is so true, too. After my initial wake up call, I did some more reading and started researching recipes. It will be three years in January that I have lived a vegan lifestyle. I feel as if once you become educated on any topic, in this case, vegetarianism/veganism, responsibility is involved. I know the effects of factory farming, on our environment, drinking water, the poor conditions animals live in for our consumption. How, after seeing suffering animals, envionrments trashed, natural water ways polluted could one agree to eat meat. A lot has to happen and be damaged for meat that is delivered to your market. How can one think that the meat they eat is healthy? How can you, as a consumer, know that the animal wasn't diseased, injected with antibiotics or hormones? Were you at the farm? Most people I know throw a whole loaf of bread away when they see a little bit of mold on the heel. If you fall into that category, ask yourself,"how can I eat meat from a chicken that had disease in its life?" I guess, since most people don't see where their meat comes from, or even have a clue how far it travels, it doesn't bother them. To round up my rant, I feel as if being educated on vegetarianism, is a responsibility. I am a world citizen and see the bigger picture. Knowing this, it is my duty to leave this world a better place; for me and my sisters children to live happy and healthy lives.

I've never felt healthier eating a vegan diet. I limit processed foods and eat a balanced whole-foods diet. When I do put crap in my body, I can tell immediately. Sugar, hydrogenated oils, HFCS, alcohol, etc. I do try to limit these things are much as possible, but some days it's impossible. Even after I over indulge in homemade chocolate-chocolate chip cookies, I look at tomorrow as a new day to try again. Every day is a gift and a new day to try and do better. Not just eating; being a better listener, being a conscious driver, being a better student, or being less of something or nothing! Don't get too down on yourself if you slip up!

One thing that I've learned in life is to be gentle, especially on yourself. Speaking of gentle and delicious, I made up a healthy and easy miso soup yesterday to help ground my belly after my sugar binge. Miso is great for your immune system. It's fermented and has plenty of B vitamins, vitamin E and helps to maintain nutritional balance through its active enzymes and bacteria. Something I defiantly needed!

Miso is easy to soo easy to prepare. I followed the directions on my paste package, added some vegetables and *poof!* healthy soup! It is ready in seconds! Don't boil miso, the heat kills any fermented goodness. Just a tip!

Sugar, We're so over.

2009-12-10T10:37:00.001-06:00

Dear Sugar,

Oh, Sweetie our time is up. You've seduce me for years. Your multiple personalities, refined, brown, in the raw, natural... We've had quite the run. Our initial interaction is beautiful, there is excitement and hope. Hope that you wont leave me wanting more and more of you. After one taste, sure enough, I only want more. After you're usually gone. I then raid the pantry, scrape under my fingernails and bark at people until I get more of you. It's embarrassing. You don't make me a good person. Each time is the same. We get together, party hard and you leave me with heart ache. Not to mention a nasty stomach and head ache from hell. We've been on and off for over 3 years and I've had enough. I love you, to the point where it begins to hurt me. The last two days we've been on a crazy binge of each other. This morning, I woke up with a head ache, puffy eyes and with a monster stomach ache that would come only from you. You hurt me sugar. You will always spike my blood sugar and leave me to crash, alone. I'll remember our good times, Sugar. But, I have to do what I have to do, and I'm moving on.

Best Wishes,

Do not end up like this! Tell your friends, family, children and dogs to beware of the awful effects of sugar! Don't let sugar happen to good people!!

Sex, drugs and chocolate?

2009-12-08T14:36:00.000-06:00

Hell yes.

It's my party and I'm going to eat the whole slice. I'll be drooling chocolate in my sleep tonight.

Blame it on finals, blame it on hormones, blame it on my birthday. Whatever. No shame here!

Presto Pesto!

2009-12-06T19:32:00.000-06:00

On Sunday, Minnesota's liquor stores are closed. I usually don't even think twice about it. But, tonight I could have really gone for a nice glass of red to accompany my edamame pesto. A glass of Syrah would have been just lovely to accent the spice of the pesto. Oh, I miss Wisconsin!

I was inspired by the PPK's recipe. Mine has less ingredients, but was still flippin' delicious and not to mention very healthy.

Edamame Pesto

3/4 cup edamame thawed

a generous bunch of fresh basil

2-3 garlic cloves

splash of balsamic vinegar

water

salt & pep to taste

1 chili pepper - crushed or sliced with a scissors or knife

Toss edamame, pesto and garlic into your food processor. Process until a thick paste. With the processor running, splash in the balsamic vinegar and about 1/2 cup water to thin. Finally, add the chili pepper and salt n' pep. If you're not a huge fan of spice, you can completely omit the pepper. Buttt... for those of you living in the midwest and are beginning to settle into winter, I highly recommend it!

I sautéed some spinach, mushrooms and peas to plate with the pasta. But really, you can serve this speedy sauce up with any thing that tickles your lil' belly. Try to get a glass of wine rockin' with this dish, you'll fall in love, again.

a post for Therman

2009-12-03T12:13:00.000-06:00

'It's the eye of the tiger, it's the thrill of the fight, rising up to the spirit of our rival, and the last known survivors stalks his prey in the night, and it all comes down to survival.'

Rarrrrww!!

Yeah, yeah, go on-- Call me cliché citing "Eye of the Tiger" two weeks before finals. If only Sylvester Stallone would carry my back back home for me. Pretty sure it weighs a ton! The seatbelt light in my car blinks non stop when it sits passenger side. I want to buckle it in just to make that annoying light stop!

I have not posted in a while since I've been knitting... uh, I mean, studying for finals. For the first time in my crazy and longwinded college career, I'm enjoying being a student! It's hard to imagine and explain. I'm not fearing finals, any speech I have to give or papers I have to write before the end of the semester. Catch my bluff and I will make you some chocolate cake. :) It's all going to be over soon enough. In no time I'll be curling up by the fireplace in Oshkosh with a book of my choice, and a nice mug of cocoa. Mmm.

I've been eating this sandwich pretty much all week. So delicious and healthy. Toasted whole wheat bread, hummus, avocado, tomato and spinach. Simple and fuels the brain! Go make some sandwiches. And, as Therman Merman would say, "How 'bout some samwiches?"

Bah! Humbug!

2009-11-18T08:06:00.000-06:00

Every year, as I get older, I begin to dislike the holidays more and more. Don't be mistaken, I love seeing my family, especially the ones I never get to visit with, cooking rich foods that I'm thankful to eat only once a year and relaxing with some cider. Besides that, I can't stand it. Christmas might as well be called Consumer-mas. The material consumption of Christmas drives me completely batty. It gets earlier and earlier each year, too. I'm not a scrooge by any means. I'd rather give my time and love instead of some cheap thoughtless gift. Why buy something for someone on a certain day just because it has become an advertised tradition? I don't buy into it. No pun intended.

I'm jumping off my soap box, it is only about 8 am... When I used to go shopping for the holidays, I'd allow myself to stop at a coffee shop when I'd finish. It's hard dodging unhappy families and pushy sales clerks at the mall. Plus, trying to tune out James Taylor singing Christmas covers makes anyone exhausted! Anyway, more coffee shops have seasonal drinks and snacks; pumpkin, eggnog and peppermint drinks with a tasty pumpkin or chocolate peppermint cookie are quite common. Since I usually can't indulge in baked goods at coffee shops I've become a vegan baking fool at home. And one thing I do get excited about during the holidays is baking and pumpkin creations. I love pumpkin. Pumpkin muffins, scones, brownies, pies, curries, soups, the list could go on and on! It's a versatile fall food that I adore.

This scone recipe will resemble a scone or muffin you once had at a Starbucks or local coffee joint in your past. I recommend taking your time to sit down with a warm beverage and enjoy each and every bite of this pumpkiny, rasiny, cinnimony goodness. So, get to it!

Pumpkin Raisin Scones

1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup flour

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1 teaspoon baking pow

1/4 baking soda

1/2 salt

3/4 cup apple sauce

1 can pumpkin

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg

1/2 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 450 as you mix the ingredients together. Whisk the dry stuff together and the wet ingredients together. Add all together in one big bowl, stirring in the raisins. Form into triangles, blobs, animals, whatever and place into the oven on a cookie sheet. Bake for about 25 minutes.

Cinnamon Glaze

1/2 cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoons cinnamon or more- eyeball it

2 tablespoons soy milk

Stir the cinnamon and sugar together. Slowly add the milk and whisk into a thin paste-like consistency. Drizzle over lightly cooled scones.

So if you don't warm up to the consumer-driven holiday like I do, don't worry! There is nothing wrong with you-- maybe with the rest of our culture... But really, making these scones and sharing them with people you love over a cup of coffee or tea will warm your lil' heart and have you smiling.

Lil' Pahs Full o' Veggies

2009-11-17T11:25:00.000-06:00

In mid-November when the weather stays crisp and all the leaves have fallen from the trees, I want one thing; Pie. I'm not talkin' about some ordinary pie with an ordinary filling. I'm talkin' about a veggie pot pie full of savory and saucy goodness. Why would you want anything else?

As a kid growing up, we'd occasionally have frozen pot-pies that were filled with hydrogenated oils and other indigestible ingredients. True comfort food, right? When I started to become aware of 'things that made you fat' as a teenager, I would refuse to eat them. Even though, I secretly wanted Marie Callander's pot pie recipe so I could make them anytime I damn well pleased. Marie and I never became friends and don't think that we ever will. It wasn't until a few years ago that I started to warm back up to the forever-blacklisted pot pie. Really, it is simple to take a not-so-healthy childhood favorite and make it into a delicious fall meal.

Instead of making a huge pot pie, we made individuals. Just like the frozen ones! But better, of course. Since I've rekindled my relationship with pot pies, I've played around with various ways to prepare them. I've tried them with just phyllo dough on the top, prepared a curry pot pie filling, made them in cute ramekin dishes, etc. The variations are endless and a ton of fun. This time, I only put dough at the bottom, omitted the sides and placed dough on the top. It still kept them filling without a ton of extra calories.

Any pot pie crust recipe or frozen crust thawed and rolled out will work.

Pot Pie Mixture

1 onion- diced

2 garlic cloves - minced

2 tablespoons olive oil

2-3 stalks of celery - diced

2-3 carrots- chopped

1 can garbonzo beans

1 cup frozen peas

2 cups plain soy milk or any other milk alternative

2-3 tablespoons flour - whole wheat or regular

1 teaspoon dried parsley

1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary and thyme

1/4 teaspoon oregano

a pinch of sage

salt and pepper to taste

Saute onion and garlic in pan with olive oil until translucent. Add the rest of the vegetables and continue to saute for about 5 minutes. Once the vegetables have brightened in color, add the milk, flour and spices. Let thicken, stirring occasionally. When you're ready, spoon mixture into individual pots.

Make the dough and prepare the pans while the pot pie mixture is simmering. Place the dough at the bottom of each pan. Spoon the pot pie mixture into the individual pans and lay a thinly rolled out piece of dough over the mixture creating a completed pie.

I promise this pie will satisfy your crew and have them begging for more. They'd be perfect to freeze in individual pans to make any busy night cozy and relaxed.

Chocolaty Motivation

2009-11-11T15:42:00.000-06:00

Blugghhhaaaa... I've been studyin' my lil' buns off as the end of the semester approaches. I probably should be studying now or editing some papers, but, I need a break. For me, breaks usually include some of the following- tea, chocolate, screaming, maybe crying or maybe even some dancing. The joys of being a student.

When I'm up burnin' the midnight oil I usually start to crave something oh-so sweet and decadent. Something warm, chocolaty, rich and completely delightful to keep my very short attention span attentive. Hot cocoa usually does the trick, but once in a while, I need a flippin' brownie. Ohh yeah, a brownie.

Back in the day I wouldn't have a problem making a pan of brownies and sharing it with others in my house. Now, living alone, that's something I'd only do when I'm up late at night with a bottle of wine feeling sorry for myself as I watch Bridgett Jone's Diary. I have not had a night like that in a loooonnnggg time, but it would be an example of when I might mow through a whole pan of brownies; only to pass out with brownie crumbs and drool all over my face. What a scene...

I used some leftover tofutti and mixed it with some powdered sugar, vanilla and lemon to make a cream cheese topping. Oh my.

To help me stay on top of studying and not eat a whole pan of brownies I found the perfect medium. A brownie baked for one! When I need that extra whatev' to keep me focused and studying I rely on Happy Herbivore's single-serving brownie recipe. It's amazing and kinda healthy as brownies go! The recipe makes the perfect amount of brownie and gives a perfect amount of time to put the books down to take a break and enjoy some chocolate!

Wether you're living alone and don't want to over indulge in some chocolate, need a break from school, work or whatever, make this recipe! It will put a smile on your face. You might even giggle a bit when you take your first bite!

six foot four and full o' muscles

2009-11-07T18:24:00.001-06:00

I never really appreciated brussel sprouts until this year and I really like them! Every time I chop them up I always sing the Men at Work song, "Down Under". Why aren't there more Australian bands that sing about Vegimite?

My sister and her husband came to visit with their new and adorable dog, Mazie. They adpoted her from a shelter in Madison, Wisconsin. She's come a long way from being a stray to living in a home full of love and squeaky toys. They don't know for sure how old she is, but she still has a lot of 'puppy' energy. Knowing this, I prepared a home cooked meal full of love for all of us to enjoy. I made up some black bean burgers and roasted brussel sprouts from the farmers market. I'm bummed I won't be getting my weekly fix of fresh brussels until next year. Waiting always makes seasonal goods taste so much better and special.

Grab some tasty brews or a nice glass of wine to wash down the meal. I recommend a wine that complements a lil' spice in food. I was told that the burgers have a kick- you be the judge on how spicy you want to make them! I didn't think that they were that spicy. But, I like it hot...

Vino and brussels waiting to be chopped

Black Bean Burgs'

1 cup brown rice

1 cup black beans

1/2 green pepper

1/2 red onion

1-2 grated carrot

1 teaspoon dried cilantro

2 teaspoon cayenne

1 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pep

salt n' pepper to taste

Mix 3/4ths of the black beans and brown rice together and place in the food processor. Blend until smooth. Remove from processor and add in remaining beans, rice and other ingredients. When all ingredients are incorporated, form patties. Place on a lightly greased baking sheet into a preheated oven at 350 degrees and bake for 20-30 minutes flipping once.

This is Mazie-- I couldn't resist. She is pretty darn cute!

Wedgie!

2009-11-04T14:31:00.000-06:00

Potato wedges + Baker + Baker's Daddy = Hansen's Deli in Green Bay.

I really have no business going to Hansen's anymore, but will participate in a walk there. It's only a couple blocks away from my home in GeeB's (Green Bay). Baker is a known around the 'hood and especially at Hansen's. It's probably one of his favorite places to go to and depending on who is working, he's allowed inside. He and his Pop have gotten into the habit of sharing ice cream and potato wedges on their walk home. I'm not particularly in favor of this - it's unhealthy and they form this alliance against me. It makes my treats unappealing to young Baker, "Not another carrot, Muma. Pleeeassee?" Actually, Baker frickin' loves carrots. I once came home to a bag half full of carrots. Some how the lil' guy, without thumbs, opened up a bag of mini-carrots and ate them.

Anyway, to make a healthier option for the whole family to enjoy, I made some dickity-dank wedges that everyone can agree on. I promise your family will love these and not miss the greasy-fatty taste of any alternative.

Pick out any potato that bakes well- yams or sweet potatoes work, too. I used Purple Peruvian Potatoes that I bought at the farmer's market. I had never used them before. They make for a fun and colorful side dish, for sure! They're not too starchy and baked well as wedges!

purple potato inkblot... what do you see?

Chop potatoes (I used 5) into wedges while the oven preheats to 450 degrees. Place potatoes into a ziplock bag. Drizzle 3-4 tablespoons of oil into the bag to coat the potatoes. Add 3 tablespoons cornstarch and any spices you'd like. We like things pretty spicy so I used 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper, 1 large teaspoon of garlic powder, 1 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper and salt n' pep to taste. Coat the potatoes with spice mixture evenly and place onto a baking sheet. Bake for about 30-40 minutes. Enjoy!

Magical Pumpkin Pots!

2009-11-02T18:44:00.000-06:00

In all seriousness, there is something magical about Pumpkin Pie; not just a lame title for my post. It was always a childhood favorite and I still enjoy baking and cooking with pumpkin. I even incorporate it into curries, potpies and other favorite fall dishes. But, my favorite will always be pie. A true classic.

Who could resist the texture, the spices, the warm-fuzzy feeling after eating the first bite. Awhh, yes! Pumpkin Pie, you are so magical!

individual pumpkin pots baking

These individual pumpkin pots might not look as "magical" as I hyped them up to be, but their taste is superb and I guarantee a warm fuzzy feeling upon ingesting.

Last year for Thanksgiving I used Susan V's recipe from Fat Free Vegan Kitchen for her Pumpkin Cheesecake. It was sooo good that I got excited to make it once the leaves started to fall off the trees. I highly recommend this recipe if you are planning on attending a meal with omnivores, they will be so impressed. That is, if you share...

I had leftover cream cheese filling since I placed the pumpkin/cheesecake mixture into individual ramekins. So when life gives you extra cheesecake mixture, make ghosts! I tried to make ghosts on top of the pumpkin. Some turned out great and some look just like blobs. It was fun and my guests thought it was a cute idea! I'll try to get a turkey outline down by the 26th!

Happy Halloween!

2009-10-31T18:15:00.000-05:00

Happy Halloween from "Batdog" Baker and L2!

Perfect Oatmeal Cookies

2009-10-27T11:35:00.000-05:00

I have a tendency to get excited about very little things, a good cup of coffee, tea or glass of wine, making dinner, going for a walk with my 'boys', etc. Baking cookies is no exception, I love it. When I stumble upon a new cookie recipe, by the end of the week I've most likely made it.

The newest cookie that I have tried is from Isa's book, Veganomicon. Veganomicon is sucha helpful cook book for chefs, cooks and bakers of all levels. Not only does it have amazing recipes for different events but has tips n' tricks to make meals even tastier. I lent my copy to my Mom, who's been to culinary school. After reading and cooking some recipes she told me she bought her own copy! That says a lot! Like I said, it can appeal to anyone at any point in their culinary adventure.

I made the oatmeal cookies from Veganomicon, they are to pretty frickin' awesome. Most of the time you'll hear me "ooh-ing and ahhh-ing" over chocolate, peanut butter, ice cream; things that are not-so-healthy. So, it seems odd that I'm reviewing and raving about oatmeal cookies. I admit, they have grown on me over the years.

I highly recommend using a little scoop to measure out the dough. It makes the perfect sized, uniformed cookies!

Perfect oatmeal raisin cookies!

When it comes to sweets and baked goods, my usual mentality is "If you're going to go, go all out." This is slowly shifting as I become more aware of my body and experiment with healthier options that will still satisfy my sweet tooth. This recipe will cure your cookie craving and not let you feel that guilty about it. Bake these puppies off and accompany them with a glass of soy milk! Yumm.

In case you flop...

2009-10-25T13:19:00.000-05:00

I am trying to master a peanut brittle recipe before the winter holidays. My first attempt this week was a miserable flop. I think what I need to make it work is a lil' bit o' patience and and candy thermometer. I have a tendency to prematurely take things out when the should still bake, cook or boil... It has gotten out of hand. But, I'm getting better!

Anyway, my first batch of peanut brittle left me with a whole cookie sheet of peanut butter sugary goo. I don't think I let the PB, sugar and agave congeal in the heat long enough. Either way, it flopped and was too good to through away, right? So, I made cupcakes and used the peanut butter goo as a filling! I had so much of it, I even made a pan of brownies to bring into the girls at work. One girl stopped me and said "You made those brownies? They're good. You bitch." I took it as a complement! I am defiantly a cookin' bitch, watch out!

There isn't a real recipe, but maybe a recipe for shy or new bakers... When things flop, embrace it and make... Cupcakes! Or whatever you want... I've made so many things that taste disgusting, look gosh-darn awful and somethings that never leave the pan - probably because it was burnt into it... Not only do they make for funny stories (later, of course) to tell family and friends but it helps build culinary character! Things cannot always be perfect, change is the only constant! Be rigid and get mad, or giggle and learn that your boyfriends oven might say 350 degrees when it really is 400. Learn and bake accordingly!

Some of the PB exploded out of the cupcakes... but delicious!

So, back to the brownies and cupcakes. They tasted awesome. For the cupcakes, I used Isa's chocolate cupcake recipe from VCTOTW and just scooped some PB goo in between the batter. Same thing for the brownie recipe. It made my flop a tad bit sweeter. Expect some blogs about real PB brittle soon!

Apples and a Crisp

2009-10-20T22:11:00.000-05:00

Apples and pumpkins are two of my favorite things about fall. I adore heading out to an orchard and picking my own. It is so much fun to head home, mull cider and make pie! I have yet to make a pie this season, but I did throw together an amazing apple crisp over the weekend.

We went to a different apple orchard this year and scored on some delicious Honey Gold, Macintosh and Cortland apples. It was such a beautiful fall day when we went, too. We take Baker every year. He has no interest in apples, but likes to sniff around at everything. Fun family time!

This traditional crisp will make your house smell amazing, like fall! I highly recommend sharing the crisp, otherwise, you'll eat it...all. You've been warned!

Apple Crisp

4 apples- sliced very thin

2 1/2 tablespoons cinnamon

2 tablespoons maple syrup

1 1/2 cup oats

3/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup canola oil

1/2 cup apple sauce

a pinch of nutmeg

1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Core and slice the apples. Place apples in a bowl, dust cinnamon and maple syrup over it and mix. In another bowl, mix the dry ingredients together, and add the oil and applesauce, mix into a crumbly mixture. I have tried using just apple sauce instead of oil and it has turned out just fine. Put apples into a pie pan and dust the crumble topping over it. Put into the oven at 350 degrees for 30 minutes until the topping browns. Enjoy with some soy ice cream!

Temphe Rubies

2009-10-14T11:28:00.000-05:00

I've always associated ruben sandwiches with business men and office workers. Until recently, I'd immediately think of the Stein Lounge in downtown Green Bay. It was a local gathering spot for business men, alcoholics and people who loved to house some greasy rubens. A great place to hold a meeting with a client, of course! They were known around town and especially among the 9-5ers downtown to have pretty dank ruben sandwich. Even when I was an omni, that I had ever had one, but now, I'm addicted.

Earlier this fall I went with one of my girlfriends to the French Meadow Bakery in Uptown, Minneapolis for lunch. They have a temphe ruben on their menu that is to die for. I have since then been dreaming of it. My dreaming has ceased! Being the talented vegan chef I am, I made one up at home that's even better! Okay, I'm going a little far... But it is still flippin' delicious! Now when someone mentions ruben sandwiches, I think 'Heck yeah!'

This is waayyyy healthier than any original ruben. It might not be a raw vegetable wrap, but when it's 12:30 on a Wednesday and you need a lil' salty motivation to get you through the rest of the day, it's your best bet!

Temphe Rubies

Temphe or tofu

sauarkraut

chipotle mayo

tomato

two slices of bread

Temphe Marinde

1/2 c lite soy sauce

1/4 c water

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp cumin

1 tbsp ketchup

1 1/2 tsp spicy brown mustard

dashes of pepper

Slice temphe to your liking. Whisk everything together in a pan and place temphe strips in the pan to marinade, 'bout an hour or so. While they are marinading, preheat the oven to 375. Place in the oven for about 30-40 minutes, until liquid has evaporated.

Chipotle Mayo

This is so easy, I shouldn't even write it down! Enough for one sandwich.

1 to 1 ratio

1 tbsp vegan mayo

1 tsp chipotle powder

For a lil' more of a kick, I added a couple dashes of cayenne, too.

Take sauerkraut into a fry pan and warm up. Once it's to the temperature that you like, remove from heat. Assemble sandwich and toast in the pan. Be sure to add a lil' Earth Balance on either side of the bread so it doesn't burn!

If you're a busy business lady or not, eat this! It's flippin' delicious and satisfying. Plus, if you're freaking about about H1N1, sauerkraut is known for its powerful fermented photychemicals that help boost the immune system. One super tasty-superfood that can help fight off the flu and colds!

The Verdict...

2009-10-13T13:49:00.000-05:00

My last post talked a little bit about Teese Vegan Cheese. Since then I've had some time to cook with it an experience it in a couple dishes. On Sunday night to aid in my procrastination, I made pizza.

Observing how sugar effects my body, I've started to experiment with more gluten-free option. I opted to make a wheat- free crust with brown rice and oat flowers. It was a little crumbly, but tasted just fine. If anyone has any gluten-free tips, let me know!

Now back to my pizza with Teese! I thought it was just okay... Nothing I'll go out of my way to buy again. I think that my palate has changed so much in the past two years and have really grown accustom to not eating it. The Teese on my pizza just tasted like a salty filler... Maybe I need a different flavor, I don't know. I do know that after this culinary adventure, I can say I don't really miss cheese... I was born and raised in Wisconsin, and no I don't miss eating cheese. It is so much easier to fill up on whole foods and not miss cheese in certain dishes. I'll continue taking my pizzas without cheese, loading them with delicious vegetables and herbs instead.

Try it and like it or don't like it. As long as you like what you like, it's fine by me!

Flashback to a 'Toastier' Time

2009-10-11T11:17:00.000-05:00

So this Saturday morning in Minneapolis, there was snow on the ground! What's up with that mutha' nature? I love seasons changing and could never live in a climate that is warm all year, but I like to be a little prepared... I don't even have a winter coat yet. It is on my list of things to buy before it gets too cold, along with some saran wrap for the windows!

Our house is poorly insulated. This morning when I woke up, I made sure to exhale through my mouth to see if I could see my breath. No luck, yet... We're waiting until we can't stand it to turn the heat on. I'm tuffin' up-- the long johns are coming out with other warmables. I don't care if I look like the Michelin man, I am determined to be warm! Layer upon layer, I know another reliable way to warm up - get your heads outta' the gutter! C'mon this is a food blog. I'm talking about turning on the stove or oven! The first frost or snowfall puts me in the mood to bake cookies, bread and make soup. This will last until spring... So get ready for a lot of soup, comfort foods, baked goodies an probably some bitching about my waistline. You can expect that in January, for sure.

I've been hankering a hearty soup and sandwich all week and finally this afternoon, I got it! I whipped up some tortilla soup and made a 'toastie'. My dad would always call grilled cheese, toasted cheese sandwiches. My oldest sister and I still giggle together wondering why the heck he calls grilled cheese, toasted cheese. So gourmet of him! Now, any warm sandwich I call a "toastie".

Up close of my Toastie

I'm not one for fake cheeses. When I first changed my diet I played around with multiple different soy and rice based cheeses not finding anything that tasted worth its dollar, so I gave up! I love a lil' nutritional yeast on my pizza or mixed in with some pasta but I never go out of my way to purchase fake cheese...

Multiple people have recommended Teese to me, but I had never purchased it until today. On sale, I thought, "Heck, you've been craving a toasted cheese sandwich, try it!" It was pretty good, as good as a soy cheese can be. I'm looking forward to trying it out a little more, maybe I'll make some pizza tonight. Anyway, it made for a lovely tomato basil "Toastie" that accompinied my tortilla soup.

Warm up and put your... oven mitts on!

A Rainy Saturday Treat!

2009-10-05T17:23:00.000-05:00

I absolutely adore Lindsay's blog, Happy Herbivore. Her recipes are simple and healthy, two things I really appreciate! Her blog is informative, fun and sometimes she'll even post pictures of her adorable pugs. I love that! I highly recommend her blog for healthy vegan recipes and tips.

Cinnamon roll with Raisins

Over the weekend, which was cold and rainy I opted to warm up the house with a batch of her whole-wheat cinnamon rolls. This recipe defiantly satisfied the hungry bellies of non-vegans! I felt good making, eating and sharing them, especially knowing how healthy they were - compared to the alternative, of course! They are cinnamon rolls, not kale & broccoli rolls!

cinnamon rolls before icing

with icing - yumm.

Look no further for a Cinnabon in the airport or mall and make these lil' guys! They're delicious and delightful to eat with a great cup o' joe on a rainy Saturday morning.

Roasted Goodness.

2009-09-30T20:23:00.000-05:00

Tomatoes are in their bounty! I have so many tomatoes, I almost don't know what to do with myself. I'll take tomatoes and make a sauce, soup, salad or chop them into a sandwich - I love them! To warm my lil' bod up since it turned to fall so quickly, I made yet another soup! This is easy and smells amazing. Enjoy!

Cherry Tomatoes - washed ready to be chopped

Roasted Tomato Soup

tomatoes- duh.

garlic

onion - chopped

olive oil to lightly coat everything

basil

rosemary

crushed red pepper

salt n' pep

I eyeballed all of my ingredients, so use your best judgement if you plan on recreating this... It's hard to measure things precisely when you live alone and the only one eating it!

Chop tomatoes, garlic and onion. Coat with olive oil and dust with dried herbs. If you have fresh ones, go for it! Toss the vegetable mixture onto a baking sheet and place into a preheated oven of 375 for about 45-60 minutes. Your house will smell like an Italian Stallion is roastin' more than tomatoes in your kitchen! He he he.

Chopped Cherry Tomatoes

CT's coated in olive oil and herbs

Once the tomatoes are soft, remove from the oven and crush a little more. Feel free to strain the skins, otherwise, leave them in! Easy and so healthy - a true one-pot wonder!

Calling all Carrot Haters!

2009-09-28T16:08:00.000-05:00

How could anyone hate carrots? I love carrots, I'm surprised I have not turned orange. I'm glad I'm not orange... Carrots are packed with antioxidants and beta-carotene. It might be an old wives tale, but they're supposed to be great for your eyes and studies have shown that their antioxidant compounds help reduce heart disease and cancer.

This soup, like all the soups I've been posting lately, is easy to prepare. The yam balances the carrots to create a delicious, smooth curried soup. Perfect for the fall weather we're having!

Curried Carrot Yam Soup

1 yam- diced

4 large carrots- peeled and chopped

1/2 onion

3 garlic cloves

1 1/2 cup soy milk

3 cups water - or apple cider

1 teaspoon curry powder

1/2 teaspoon cumin

chopped fresh cilantro or a couple shakes of the dried stuff - optional

a few dashes of crushed red pepper

salt and pepper to taste

To make everything easy, chop everything up right away.

Add a little bit of olive oil to the bottom of a stock pot, add onion and garlic. Saute until the onion turns translucent and your eyes stopped watering. Toss in the yam and carrots. Stir together and then add the liquids and spices. Let the pot boil for a bit and bring it down to a simmer. When the carrots finally start to feel soft remove from heat. Place either in the food processor or blender and work it 'till you have the consistency that you will enjoy. Garnish with fresh cilantro and serve with some beautiful crusty bread! Yummm.

Carrot hater beware, you will love this! Your lil' ticker and vision will thank you!

So, go! Go make some soup!

Happy Fall!

2009-09-25T11:28:00.000-05:00

Cooler weather, pumpkins, squash, apples and cider - I love you Fall! I'd take a beautiful Fall day, any day. I love the smells, colors and temperatures. It's just a fantastic time of year! I have this odd instinct to bake and make soup whenever the weather gets a little cooler. I don't know if it's learned or what, but it's all I want to do this time of year!

Zucchini Chowder

I've been making soups every Sunday for my busy weeks. This week I tossed together an easy Zucchini Chowder. 6 easy ingredients for a fast and healthy meal.

Zucchini Chowda'

2-3 zucchinis - chopped

1/2 red onion

3-4 garlic cloves -minced

enough rice milk or water to just cover the vegetables in the pot

2 tbs nutritional yeast

1/2 cup chopped fresh basil

Sauté onion and garlic in some olive oil in a large stock pot. Add zucchini for about 3-4 minutes and then add milk or water-- enough to cover. Add in nutritional yeast and basil. Simmer until soft and then using an immersion blender, blend away! If you don't have an immersion blender toss everything into a blender or food processor until you reach your ideal consistency.

I garnished mine with some lime juice instead of salt and some raw chopped zucchini for a little crunch... Later in the week I brought some to my sister who is studying for the LSAT on Saturday. She told me it didn't have enough flavor and needed salt... So if your palate is used to MSG or a lot of studying, add some salt!

Go on, heat up your house with homemade love!

Well... What do you eat?

2009-09-20T14:03:00.000-05:00

As long as we're vegans, there will always be the inquiries. "What do you eat? Where do you get your protein? Can you eat garlic? Are you apart of a cult?" I anticipate interacting with hecklers, haters and people who have never heard of veganism. I promise to embrace them, educate and excite; even if they are just making fun of me. One of my co-workers approached me while I was eating lunch in the break room on Friday and said "I would have never guessed you're a vegan, you're so cool." I hope to change that outlook. Everyones cool, no matter what ones likes or dislikes are. I'm no elitist.

Knowing someone was a recovered alcoholic, I'd never insist that they have a drink or pressure someone on a diet to eat chocolate cake or ask why they're not eating something. That's rude, right? They know what's best for them and good for them for knowing it! Offer up an ear, listen and let be. Sure, I wasn't always like this, but quickly learned to be compassionate of others opinions or lifestyle, whether I thought they were good or bad. If it's good for them, it's good for me.

If I have to be the butt of everyones jokes, fine. I'm okay with it, because I know that how I choose to live my life, is the best for me. I make delicious and healthy meals- and I mean really healthy meals, that taste good! (Try a recipe!) I find it reassuring knowing that what I put in my body as well as what I offer to others is not only made with love, but will nourish and aid in a healthier life. I don't ever see myself having a heart attack... Ever. If I do, I'll blog about it!

I am a vegan and very active. I'm a yogeni, avid runner and swimmer. Fueled off of compassion! So, if you want to ask me what on earth I eat, get ready for an earful. I'll probably drag you go to the grocery store and then make you a meal. Keep an open mind and you might even learn a thing or two!

Fit for a Rockstar

2009-09-17T13:35:00.000-05:00

One of my talented friends, Tasha and her husband Justin, are together better known as Ellery. The duo from Cincinnati was on the road to promote their new album and made a stop in Minneapolis. Not only did I get to see them perform; which was absolutely amazing - but they crashed at my house! It was so great to catch up, even for a short time.

Both of them are amazing performers and gifted song writers. Tasha sings and plays piano, while Justin plays guitar and sings a little, too. They were great to see live. Onstage, between numbers, they have this cute playful banter between the two of them. Really, it's entertaining! If you go to a show, you'll smile for sure. It's obvious that they're very much in love and very happy. I love seeing people in love, anywhere!

It's so exciting to have friends do what they love and be so happy -- they're truly inspiring people. Check out their webpage, Ellery Music for any information, music and tour dates.

During their stay, I of course stuffed their bellies with delicious vegan treats! Before they left, I woke up earlier to make some awesome Banana-Coconut Flax Muffins. So worth it, especially knowing that I provided my rock-star friends with loads of tasty nutrition. These puppies are so healthy and flavorful, you'll forget they're good for you!

A perfect way to start off any morning - on the road or not!

Banana-Coconut Flax Muffins

1/2 cup brown rice syrup or brown sugar

2 mashed bananas

1 cup almond milk

1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar

1 cup flax meal

1/4 cup applesauce

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 1/4 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 cup brown rice flour

1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

pinch of salt

1 cup coconut

400 degrees about 18-20 minutes

Whisk together the almond milk and apple cider vinager- let sit while you mix the dry ingredients together and mash the bananas. Mix the dry ingredients together and add the wet into the dry. Mix in coconut last. Pour batter into a greased muffin tin and bake for about 18-20 minutes. Enjoy with a cup of tea or deacaf coffee! Lil' T loves decaf! :)

Soooo good!

Gluten Free Goodness

2009-09-08T15:05:00.001-05:00

One of the girls I work with was nice enough to switch up their Saturday schedules with me so I could take off for Labor Day. I was so excited she was able to cover for me - allowing a long lazy weekend with my boys.

To show my appreciation and love for anyone, in any situation, I make food. Being so pleased that Alyse could cover my shift, I made up some cookies! These weren't just any cookies - they were wheat-free vegan cookies! My lil' darlin' is allergic to wheat and I was more than happy to accommodate and try out some new flours in the kitchen!

I made up a batch of Peanut Butter cookies and Chocolate Chip, of course.

The Peanut Butter batch was a little crumbly, but absolutely delicious. A simple recipe with only 4 ingredients will have any taste buds dancing in seconds.

Wheat-Free Vegan PB Cookies

1 c sugar + some to roll the dough in

1 c peanut butter - I used chunky, feel free to use whatever

1 egg or 1 egg replacer - I used Ener-G egg replacer

a dash of salt

Try a splash of vanilla!

Roll into balls and then into a shallow bowl of sugar, coating evenly. Place on an un-greased cookie sheet. With the back of a fork, press down gently making cris-cross marks. Just like you did with Ma' when you were a youngster!

Bake at 350 for about 15 minutes. Let your appetite and the cookies cool before taking off of the pan, they'll be a little soft. You will want to eat them right off of the pan...

These cookies are absolutely blissful. Sure, they might not be the most healthy thing in the world, but they're just lovely. I'm definitely making them again! Make up a batch and share them with some one you love!

Miso Hungry!

2009-09-01T19:35:00.000-05:00

Growing up, my mom would call the weekly visit to the grocery store 'big grocery', meaning she'd be stocking up for the week. We'd then call quick trips to the store, 'little grocery'. Kinda cute, right? I guess it's stuck with me into my adult years because now on Sundays, I head to the store for my 'big grocery'. It's helpful, especially when I know I have a busy week ahead of me.

I pick out what looks good to me on that day. It might not be ideal later that week, but forces me to incorporate and experiment with new recipes. This way, I'm always trying something new! Some nights I'll come home and think, "Dang, I only have this, that and some of that thing. How is this going to be good?" Sure, not everything can be fantastic because I make plenty of bland and boring dishes. My amazing successes bring you, blog posts! Ta-da!

Taking note of the vegetables I had on hand along with some tofu, I opted to saute some veggies and make up a miso glaze for the tofu. I bedded the vegetable mixture on top of some soba noodles. A perfect meal for the first of September!

Miso Glazed Tofu and Vegetables over Soba Noodles

Like a majority of my recipes, they're flexiable. Feel free to sub in any other vegetable on hand.

Miso Glaze
2 tsps miso
1 1/2 tbs rice vinegar and soy sauce
2 garlic cloves - chopped
ginger- chopped to your liking.
a couple shakes of crushed red pepper
1/4 cup cilantro- chopped. Save some for a garnish

tofu marinating

Whisk together until miso has dissapeared. Place tofu into the dish, coating evenly. Let it marinade as you prep the vegetables and bring water for the noodles to a boil.

I chopped up the following or use whatcha have on hand.

radishes
red pepper
peas
garbanzo beans

vegetables and tofu sauteing

Heat olive oil in a pan and let tofu sit about 4 minutes on each side. After you've flipped the tofu, toss in the vegeteables. Saute them together until the vegetables are done. Drizzle the remaining marinade over them before tossing with the noodles. Strain the noodles and fold everything together. Dust with some fresh cilantro!

Vegetable Cilantro Salad

2009-09-01T11:24:00.000-05:00

I've been pretty blessed this summer to do some fun traveling. Last week, I was in New York City visiting my cousin who is more like an older brother. We had a great time together; good laughs and great food. He was pretty amused at my excitement when we stopped in at Babycakes NYC. It was one of my favorite parts of the trip! We ordered a couple cupcakes and split a doughnut. A doughnut! I never thought I'd have one ever again! I smile thinking about how adorable their bakery is! Oh, and across the street from where I stayed, there was a bagel joint: Lots-o-Bagel which even offered tofu cream cheese!

After indulging in fabulous meals and having more than enough drinks I was happy to get home to cook some healthy meals.

This vegetable salad is so delicious and easy. I tossed it together on Sunday night to have for lunch throughout the week. Enjoy it plain, over pasta or plate it up with some leafy greens.

Cilantro Vegetable Salad

3-4 carrots

5-6 radishes

1/2 zucchini

1/2 c or so garbanzo beans

1/2 c or so peas

1/4 c or more chopped cilantro

I eyeballed all the ingredients- if you want more of one thing, add more! Chop up everything and toss together with a little olive oil, salt and pepper.

Vegan Bakers Anonymous

2009-08-30T21:14:00.000-05:00

Alright, this might be my last post about zucchini... It's in it's bounty right now and so good for you! It's a vegetable, duh.

Mixing sugar, flour and some oil send my heart flying in more ways than just one. First, I get flippin' excited, it's borderline embarrassing - think little puppy wagging it's tail anticipating a treat. Yes, I did just compare myself to a puppy. But a cute one none the less! Second, I eat whatever goodness that is baked. Then, I crash. Depending on what it is and what's in it, I can crash pretty hard - Toddler throwing a tantrum in the cereal isle begging for more. Lastly, like the bakery junkie I am, I crawl back to the pan, twitching for my next fix. After the pan of brownies, muffins or cake is gone, shame and an awful bloated feeling usually set in. If only I'd listen to myself!

Eliminating brownies, cookies, cupcakes and other treats is pretty much impossible in my book. So, in order to avoid an awful sugar hangover and 'chubby-girl' syndrome, I've paid close attention to what sets my blood sugar raging. Just like anyone; refined flour, sugar and fat rock my bod, just a little to hard.

This zucchini bread recipe is gluten-free and pretty close to being fat-free. I replaced the oil with applesauce. The applesauce helps to add a nice fluffier texture to the bread, delicious without a ton of guilt!

Note: I tried to stretch the batter and make two loafs, this will only make one happy loaf. As you can see in my pictures, my loaf looks a little short. So, if you do want to make two loafs, double up the batter.

Healthy Zucchini Bread

1 1/2 cup brown rice flour

1 1/2 cup garbanzo flour

1 cup brown sugar - feel free to use Sucant

1/3 cup flax meal

1/2 cup shredded cocoanut

1 1/2 tsps cinnamon

1 tea spoon ginger

2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp soda

1 cup apple sauce

1 banana

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

3/4 cup rice milk- add more if batter is still dry

Preheat the oven to 350 as you mix the dry ingredients together. Mash the banana, grate the zucchini and whisk the wet ingredients together in a separate bowl. Once mixed, add the wet into the dry. Grease the loaf pan and pour batter into the pan. Top with extra coconut shreds.

Bake for 45 minutes and enjoy with some Earth Balance and a cup of tea! You'll enjoy this knowing you won't feel like you're coming down from an awful sugar high in a matter of minutes.

Bitter and Tough

2009-08-25T18:21:00.000-05:00

Bitter, tough and a second away from ordering takeout had always been my association with eggplants. They intimidated my culinary abilities. Don't get me wrong, I love baba ganoush, ratatouille and a good moussaka. It's all great, unless I try to make it. I've never been successful preparing anything with eggplant that tastes good. It's almost become an embarrassment. Reviewing my eggplant failures, I realized I knew nothing about the fruit. Yes, eggplant is a fruit! A little bit of education can go a long way and lead to one dang tasty dinner.

This even got the thumbs up on this dish by some hungry Packer fans.

Eggplant Steaks with Chic Pea Cilantro Salsa

Slice eggplant lengthwise and coat in marinade. I just used some olive oil, lime juice, salt and pepper. Place the 'steaks' on the grill, wait about 3 minutes before flipping. When they are brown and tender remove from the grill and plate them with any dressing or salsa.

Eggplants fresh off the grill

Chic Pea Salsa

3 tomatoes - a can of diced tomatoes would work fine here, too.

1/2 cup cilantro - chopped

1 can chic peas

1/2 of a lime- squeezed

salt n' pepper to taste

Finally, a successful eggplant experience!

Zucchini-licious!

2009-08-16T21:42:00.000-05:00

Thank goodness for spell check, because I always misspell zucchini. After this post, I'm pretty confidant that I won't anymore. Incorrectly or correctly spelt, zucchini is one of my favorite vegetables. It's great in stir-fries, pastas, baked goods and even on pizza. It would be very hard for me to get sick of it. I hope I don't, because I have a ton of them!

Shredded zucchini waiting to be added to the chocolate batter. Yummm

Because it's been so warm, I've laid off of baking and cooking. The raw foodist in me has blossomed in the past weeks as I've boycotted the stove and oven. It cooled down a little tonight and I went ahead and made up some delicious chocolate zucchini muffins. I wouldn't really call these "Muffins", they're so rich and chocolately, they resemble more of a brownie or cupcake. How ever you want to name them, they're flippin' delicious.

Chocolate Zucchini Muffins

1 1/2 cup flours - I mixed brown rice flour and whole wheat

1/4 c cocoa

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 1/4 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

dash of salt

3/4 cup apple sauce unsweetened

1 mashed banana

1/3 cup rice milk

1 whole zucchini shredded

chocolate chips - to your liking

Preheat the oven to 350. Mix the dry ingredients together and then add the wet. Spoon into a greased muffin tin and bake for 20 minutes. They are fantastic! Enjoy with some soy milk!

Get on it and make these bad boys! You won't regret it!

Go on, Sweat! It's Summer!

2009-08-14T09:10:00.000-05:00

Some of the Italians near and dear to me might ask where the pasta and parmesan is in this dish; but I guarantee they will still think it's delicious. Especially on a hot summer evening. This week heated up quite a bit and has been fostering many raw dishes. This raw zucchini pasta recipe is so simple, light and flavorful, it could easily be served at a fancy dinner party to wow guests. Never underestimate simplicity!

Raw Zucchini Pasta

What you will need:

zucchinis - Green or yellow, or both!

vegetable peeler

salt n' pepper - optional

Hold zucchini on an angle and without a ton of pressure begin to peel the skin away. That's basically it! Feel free to dust with salt and pepper before tossing a sauce on. I used a simple marinara sauce; but pesto would be just fabulous! A definite summer keeper!

Zucchini ribbons before adding the sauce

Grab a cool beverage and get peelin'! Your friends and family will love this! P.S.- It twirls lovely, just like spaghetti! I'm sure you could fool the kiddos saying that it's cold spaghetti! You'll be surprised when they finish their plates! You'll know that they just ate a whole raw zucchini and I guarantee a proud "mom-moment" will take over!

Fruit Frappe

2009-08-11T13:44:00.000-05:00

Since I've moved to Minneapolis, I've had a chance to eat at brilliant restaurants with excellent vegan options and shop at fantastic co-ops and grocery stores. It was overwhelming, the variety of vegan ice creams, snacks and baked goodies to try! I can say... I tried a lot of them; and they were all soo tasty! Don't even get me thinking about Purely Decadent soy ice cream. Great, now I'm thinking about it - and I want it! This leads me to my little problem. Once I start a pint of soy ice cream, I can't stop. Within a half an hour I have an empty pint and a terrible belly ache. To make me feel even worse, the next morning I wake up with a head ache as if I had been drinking heavily instead of eating soy ice cream. Don't I sound hard core? he he he. Oh, how sugar effects my body.

Knowing I had to do something about this problem of inhaling delicious soy ice creams, I made a commitment and a healthy switch. Sure, it might not be Chocolate Tofutti, but it's pretty refreshing and healthy. I've started blending up a mixture of frozen and fresh fruits and placing the mixture into the freezer for about two hours before eating. The finish product ends up as a whole fruit sorbet. Sometimes when I'm feeling spry, I'll even add some cocoa powder!

I usually blend one banana, and any mixed berries - freeze for about two hours and enjoy! It's been perfect for these hot and humid nights we've been having in Minnesota this past week.

So, my overeating of soy ice cream is at bay and is being curbed with my lovely new 'Fruit Frappe'. Be creative and add any other goodies; coconut flakes, chocolate chips, cookie chunks? Like I said, be creative and have fun!

Summmah Time!

2009-08-06T14:26:00.001-05:00

Sure, I don't eat meat, but I still love a good backyard BBQ. How could one not love a gathering of good friends, family, food, cool beverages and lovely summer weather? Hmmm...

We grilled out tofu and zucchini kebabs with a cilantro pesto that my sister made up, it was delicious! For a side, we had fresh sweet corn from the farmers market. It was heavenly! Instead of using Earth Balance to top my corn, I used olive oil infused with jalapino peppers. Such a great kick, I love spicy stuff. There is a local store in Green Bay that sells it; Savore. They have a variety of different oils, vinegars, bulk pastas and teas. If you're ever in the NE Wisconsin area, definitely check it out! It's a great place.

My Mom put on the best BBQ followed by a brownie throw down. "Throw what?" you might ask, let me explain... When I went vegan, I told my Mom that I could make anything vegan and make it taste good. To prove this to her, I proposed that we 'throw down', like Bobby Flay on the Food Network. So with in a week or so, we had it all organized: Cookie Throw Down 2008. What happens is just like the television show - but cooler, of course. I challenged my Mom, I made a batch of my best vegan cookies, and she made a batch of her best cookies. We had our family and friends taste test both of them and critique them on taste, presentation, texture, etc.

I was so flippin' nervous having my family taste my cookies and then my Mom's. She has always been an awesome cook, plus she's been to pastry school. Need I say more... I was sweatin' in my oven mitt. Sure enough, when the scores came in, I won! Wow-e was I tickled! So, I was awarded an apron that has since traveled around from challenger to challenger.

My two sisters challenged each other over the weekend. I was so pumped because both of them made vegan brownies! AND they were both phenomenal! It was definitely hard judging them. I had seconds of both, which ended up in an awful sugar head ache... Sigh...

Chef Amy putting her final garnishes on her brownie, a beautiful caramel glaze and chopped walnuts.

Reining Chef Emily puts her final touches onto her Peanut Butter Brownies.

Amy took the apron this time with her cake-like brownie and caramel glaze. Her vegan glaze really tied the brownies together, the walnuts added a nice salty crunch which the glaze balanced. Em's brownies were pretty darn tasty, too. I love PB and chocolate. I might have mentioned once before that they're my two favorite things together. They were tough brownies to judge!

Throw Downs pretty much rock. It's helped me bring quality vegan goodies to the table; showing my family that it's not all just sprouts and lettuce. If you have an unsupportive family (I'm blessed that mine doesn't think I'm too crazy...) that doesn't understand your lifestyle, opt for a Throw Down! Show them that vegan baking and cooking is delicious and easy!

Romancing the Stone

2009-08-05T07:34:00.001-05:00

Over the weekend I had a couple opportunities to bake on a pizza stone. I've attempted baking on a stone before and never had the best of luck. But, that all changed and now, and I'm in love! The scones I made came out beautifully. The bottoms weren't burnt, the outside was nice and crisp and the inside was soft and completely baked through. Baking stones help to evenly distribute heat to whatever is being baked. It only enhanced a good recipe! I made a batch of these twice, and both days they were gobbled...

Blueberry Scones on the baking stone

A beautiful way to start a Saturday morning

"Burp... Can I have another one?"

Blueberry Scones with a Crumble

11/2 cup whole wheat flour

1/2 c white flour

1 cup cup oats

1/2 cup brown sugar

2 tsp baking powder

pinch of cinn.

pinch of salt

1/4 cup canola oil

3/4 cup water or rice milk

A squeeze of a lemon

Cup of blueberries

Mix the dry ingredients together. In another bowl, mix the wet ingredients and add them to the dry. Gently fold the bluberries into the batter and form into triangles, hearts, circles or any other shape. Place on to a preheated pizza stone and generously sprinkle brown sugar and a few oats on top of them.

Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes. Enjoy warm!

How could we not make some pizza on the stone? It was soo soo good! The crust came out soo much better than if we were to use our regular pizza pan. Crispy on the outside and fluffier on the inside. Beautiful!

Garden pizza with a whole wheat crust

I'm so glad I had such success baking on the stone. I'll be recommending it to everyone I know for the rest of the week!

We've been lazy.

2009-08-03T22:00:00.001-05:00

We were out of town for a fantastic long weekend. I'll have some goodies posted later this week!

Semi-Pro Napper and Lazy Bum: Baker

Art and the Non-Smoothie

2009-07-26T21:47:00.000-05:00

Pretty much every morning I start my day off with a bowl of oatmeal. It usually consists dried fruit; cranberries or raisins, a banana, some nuts, flax meal and a dash of cinnamon. Since I've moved, I have not been as hungry as I used to. A lot of adjusting n' such. So, I've modified my breakfast a tad bit. It's still ultra nourishing and packed with goodness to start my day off feeling healthy and satisfied. Almost equivalent to a smoothie, just not blended...

Take any fresh fruit, I've been lucky to have some local blueberries and raspberries from the backyard in the morning. It's hard to beat that! Anyway, mix up any fruit you'd like, nuts and either some cinnamon, agave or maple syrup to top. I usually toss some flax meal onto my bowl, too. Don't make the mistake of accidently shaking some cumin on your fruit instead of cinnimon. I of course I did that the other morning... The kick definitely woke me up! Yee-haw!

On an art note - I've posted a blue print for a new painting I'm working on. Baker has been staying at his 'Daddy's" while I settle into my new place and get situated with work and school. So, I've been missing my lil' babe big, BIG time. What better thing to paint than my dear furry bud! Below is the starting of his portrait.

There is art to be done and new recipes to create!

Better late than never.

2009-07-23T12:59:00.000-05:00

On a whim this past weekend, I got ambitious and planted a garden. Yes, yes, I know it's late; but not too late! There was an extra plot next to the neighbor's that wasn't being used and I knew that if I planted some vegetables I'd feel more at home. I planted some fall goodies; spinach, lettuce, celery, cabbage and broccoli. There were some tomato plants that I salvaged (I hope they make it!) and some eggplants that the man at the garden store gave to me for free. I'll give them plenty of 'mutt' love and water - they'll grow just fine. It will be a bountiful fall harvest!

Below are before and after pictures. I even tossed together a compost, I feel so much better knowing that my food scraps which are 95% organic material will be composted back into the earth rather than rotting in a landfill.

My plot before I weeded and planted. There is a corner of onions and chives that I kept... I had to cut the chives back a smidge, they were a bit overgrown.

After- weeded and ready to plant!

After - Planted and watered. Now, all I have to do is sing some lullaby's and wait...

MIA

2009-07-20T19:33:00.000-05:00

It's been forever. Right after I moved I went to a yoga teacher training with Shiva Rea and didn't have an opportunity to cook - but was fed well. The training was at Kripalu Center for Yoga in Lenox, Massachusetts. If there are any yoga nuts that are blog followers, go there! First of all, it's absolutely beautiful, tucked away in the Berkshires right next to Tanglewood. I kept my fingers crossed hoping I'd run into Yo-Yo Ma, no such luck. Secondly, the food is amazing! The meals are prepared with organic and local seasonal ingredients; vegans and omnivores will be pleased with any thing that they put on their plates. I ate very well, yum! Check out Kripalu's web page to see their workshop schedule, there are even some programs just for cooking!

Anyway, it's going on my second week home from my training and am kind of starting to feel a little more comfortable in my new diggs. Tonight, I got home from work early and was ravishing. The thought of picking up veggie sushi or a burrito clouded my hungry mind on my drive home, but sure enough, I talked myself out of it. I still find it a little challenging to cook as I slowly realize I don't have some staples I need to make up some favorite dishes. Thankfully, my Mom came out to visit this weekend and was nice enough to run to the grocery store with me and buy some food for me. Thanks Mom!

Tonight's meal consisted of diced green beans, zucchini and carrots in a spicy chipotle tomato sauce over red quinoa. I garnished with some home grown sprouts. Speedy and deeelish!

I'm excited to get back into the kitchen and whip up some new creations! Check back for more 'ahem' exciting culinary adventures!

I miss my gas stove...

2009-06-24T14:25:00.000-05:00

I'm in the middle of moving to Minneapolis. It's not the most fun or easy thing, especially for my sister whose nice enough to let me crash on her couch. I really appreciate her letting me squat at her place while I move stuff to the Cities from Green Bay.

On my way home from a yoga class this afternoon, I stopped in at The Wedge Co-op on Lyndale for a snack. They have beautiful produce, an amazing deli, a bountiful bulk selection and any other healthy or unhealthy snack you'd want. Having a hard time choosing what to buy at the deil, I opted for the Udon Noodle Salad with Tofu. Hot dang, it was so good! Definately healthy and flavorful. Ginger, lime and a little crushed red pepper carried a nice tone throughout the dish. My taste buds are still dancing and my belly is very content.

If you do a lot of traveling or are planning a move- hit up some local grocery stores or co-ops to find healthier, cheaper much more tasty options for lunches and dinners. Yumm.

Better than Reese's?

2009-06-17T19:14:00.000-05:00

Really, I'm not one to brag... But my PB cups are way better than any store bought cup. Who doesn't love chocolate and peanut butter? The combination is a lot like Romeo's Juliet, Bonnie's Clyde, Harold's Maude, Thelma's Louise, etc. Peanut butter and Chocolate are just meant to be.

When I went vegan, Reese's PB cups were the only things I missed, until I found how to make them! These puppies are soo easy to make. My dog, who doesn't have thumbs could make them. Below are step-by-step instructions on how to make your own and cure your sweet tooth.

About a year ago, I used to make these suckers pretty much every weekend for a close friend; also a PB fanatic. He'd do his part and help eat them- Alright, I'm not giving enough credit, he helped whip up the PB and powdered sugar. Together, we were a true PB cup makin' team. Even though we don't make these together anymore, whenever I make them, I think of him and wish he were with me. All I can do is remember our belly-aches together after eating them.

WARNING: THESE PB CUPS WILL BE THE MOST BRILLIANT THING YOUR MOUTH HAS EVER TASTED AND YOU'LL PROBABLY GET A STOMACH ACH BECAUSE THEY'RE THAT FRICKIN' FANTASTIC! EATER BEWARE... WILLPOWER IS OPTIONAL...

What 'cha'll need:

Chocolate

PB- Natural stuff without any nasty hydrogenated oils, please...

Powdered sugar

Muffin/Cupcake liners

What to do:

First, melt the chocolate, the microwave works perfect, or in a double boiler. Whatever you want to do.

Spoon a thin layer of chocolate on the bottom of the muffin liner and draw up around the edges. Once the first layer of chocolate is spooned in, place in the freezer to set.

While the chocolate is setting, whip up the PB. I usually use about a cup of PB and 1 1/2 to 2 cups of powdered sugar. Whip together until there isn't any remaining sugar clumps.

B's loves PB just as much as I do!

Peanut butter whipped with Powdered Sugar

Form the PB into little balls and press into the bottom of the chocolate that is already set and then place another thin layer of chocolate over the PB.

Peanut butter being pressed on the first layer of chocolate

Chocolate being spooned over Peanut butter layer

Place the finished product into the freezer or refrigerator. If you're jonesin' hard core, I recommend the freezer.

Be mindful eating these lil' dudes-- Otherwise the sugar will hit you hard. They're really good! Enjoy each bite!

"Chickie" Noodle

2009-06-14T19:21:00.000-05:00

I've been a little blue lately and the crummy weather this afternoon definitely didn't help me smile. At the end of the month I'm moving to Minneapolis, and boy, I'm really excited about it! But, like any move, I feel sad leaving some of my close friends behind. I know we'll still stay in touch. Even though, right now, I'm pretty down about it. I love all of my sweet friends in Green Bay, you will all be with me when I move!

Anyway, to satisfy my mopey belly, I made a batch of 'Chicken' Noodle Soup. It was so delicious, I had two huge servings and I do admit, it made me feel better! Until I got hungry again, duh.

"Chickie" Noodle Soup

1 yellow onion

2 garlic cloves

3-4 carrots chopped

enough oil for sauteing

1 carton white mushrooms

1 cup frozen peas

1 can garbanzo beans

4 cups of water

1 veggie bouillon cube

1 tbs parsley and basil

1/2 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp crushed thyme

1/2 tsp crumbled rosemary

1/2 tsp dried sage

a few shakes of celery seeds

dash of white or black pepper

a handful of any pasta-- I broke up some some soba noodles, but your favorite noodle will do, or even rice!

Chop up the vegetables and add them to a large stock pot. Add the water and bouillon cube. Mix in the seasonings and finally, add the pasta. Let simmer until the pastas done and you're hungry.

This soup will most likely turn your day around and put a big fat smile back on your face. Laugh and enjoy this healthy chic-lovin' soup!

One Proud Mumma

2009-06-12T18:10:00.000-05:00

Oh, I am so proud of my lil' babe. Somedays, I look at him and just gush. Embarrassing, I know. This week, when I got to the end of my peanut butter jar, I couldn't resist and gave it to him to lick. It kept him busy for about 45 minutes! If you have a pup that needs a little distraction, I recommend this method. Plus, you can feel good about not letting the remaining peanut butter go to waste that the knife couldn't get out. Everyone in the family will be happy!

If he only had thumbs, it would be so much easier! :) Ohhh, he's a cutie!

Eek! It's a Wrapanilla!

2009-06-11T13:15:00.000-05:00

Sooo, if something isn't really a wrap, panini or quesadilla, what is it? How about a Wra-pan-illa; a true creation! Kind of a silly name, but never fear- it's delicious!

I always fumble when I try to make wraps, the filling always falls out before it's even plated and then the presentation 96.9% of the time looks like my dog tried to make it... or eat it... My wrapin' technique is something I have not mastered, yet.

It's easy, any vegetable and bean spread on hand could be used in this recipe. I loaded up refried beans on one side of the tortilla; topped that with avocado, cherry tomatoes, spinach and sprouts. I folded the other side over the goods and placed a toothpick in it to secure my nutritious goodness. Once assembled, heat up in the oven until the wrap is a little soft or even crisp. The stove and a skillet could also be used, but I know with my clumsiness, it would have been all over the pan rather than in my Wrapanilla!

Enjoy!

Sushi Salad

2009-06-05T10:14:00.001-05:00

I feel like I post about sushi all the time. I don't have a problem, really... The other night some friends came over to roll some maki and of course, I ended up with loads of leftover vegetables and rice. Perfect opportunity for a new creation! The next day for lunch, I whipped up this simple salad -- Light and delicious!

There are probably plenty of variations on this; get creative!

Sushi Salad

sushi rice-- brown rice is a healthier option, but use what chu' got

a couple splashes of rice vinegar

carrots- juillened

cucumber- diced into little pieces or chunks

edamame

avocado- diced

wasabi paste or powder - I just mixed the powder right into the rice bowl for a zing

a few dashes of soy sauce

sesame seeds to garnish

Chop up all ingredients and toss them with the rice- Easy as pie!

Be the judge on how much you'd like to put into the mix. If I were to make it again, I'd put even more vegetables in it and leave some avocado out to mix in last so they don't get squashed and disappear. Serve on a plate of greens or mix up some miso soup to accompany this fresh salad!

Get It while you can!

2009-06-03T15:41:00.000-05:00

Asparagus! Right now, I can't think of anything that would beat fresh and local asparagus. It's completely different than the asparagus shipped from Peru, California or wherever. Fresh, fresh stuff is so tender, sometimes I just eat it raw. I'll take asparagus just about anyway, except being overcooked... What a waste of a tasty vegetable!

The soup I tossed together is delicious; it will satisfy your hunger and any asparagus needs. It's rich, velvety and plain ol' delicious, not to mention soy free! Garnish with some sun-dried tomatoes. I even mixed some spinach leaves into the bowl before serving for some extra iron and calcium. Your friends and family will be requesting this healthy and elegant bowl again, for sure.

Creamy Asparagus Soup

2 tbs olive oil

1 onion

2 garlic cloves - minced

1 lb asparagus

3-4 carrots - chopped

4 1/2 c water

1 vegetable bouillon cube

2 tsp basil

1 1/2 tsp parsley

4 tbs nutritional yeast

1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes

1 tsp salt

juice of lemon- a lil' less than 1/4 of a cup

dash of pepper

dash or more... of crushed red pepper

Saute onion, garlic and oil. Add asparagus and carrots until their colors become bright- al dante. While the vegis are doin' their thing, bring the water to a boil with the bouillon cube. Once it's dissolved, add in vegetables and spices, turning down the heat. Use an immersion blender to puree after mixing everything in. If you don't have an immersion blender, grab a regular blender and blend away! Blend until smooth or if you prefer to leave some chunks, leave some chunks! Enjoy the deliciousness!

Raw Truffles

2009-05-29T15:48:00.000-05:00

Boy o' boy, these were delicious and so frickin' easy to make! I stumbled on this recipe on Have Cake, Will Travel's blog. I followed her advice and made 'balls', instead of pressing them into bars. To make them look pretty, I rolled some in powdered sugar, cocoa powder and chopped walnuts.

I had a leftover chocolate box that I used to place them in and give as a gift. My friend couldn't tell that they were, raw or vegan. I love when people find out that treats I make are vegan and healthy! It definitely brightens my day! She thought she was indulging in some super sinful goodness. Granted, they are a full serving or rich (but healthy) goodness!

My Current Heros

2009-05-27T15:31:00.000-05:00

Over Memorial Day weekend I went to Madison to visit my sister, Emily and her husband Eric. E & E, as they're know in my family. They're probably the cutest couple that has roamed the planet since dinosaurs. I'm guessing at one point there was an adorable Brontosaurus couple... Ok, enough dino-talk.

Anyway, they ran the Madison half marathon. It was a ton of fun to see them as they prepared over the last months and have the opportunity to see them run. My Mom and other sister, Amy were in town too, to watch them run. The three of us had a blast running from mile marker to mile marker to root them on. We were boarder line embarrassing with all of our hoop n' hollering and encouraging comments, "Dogs are chasing you, move it!" They finished under their goal time and even looked as if they were having fun while running. Pretty cool!

My current heros: E & E

The night before the race we grilled some portobello caps, roasted some fresh local asparagus and had some brown rice with a tomato sauce. Healthy nutrition for a pre-marathonin' meal!

Either way, I'm so proud of them. They have both inspired me to start training for a 1/2 in August. Thanks for being such an inspiration, I love you guys!

Carrot Cake Cupcakes

2009-05-26T07:33:00.000-05:00

Who doesn't love carrot cake? Carrot cake is great anyway you have it; served in spring or fall, at birthday parties or baby showers, with nuts or without-- It's one versatile cake! My oldest sister loves carrot cake, she even served it at her wedding. When I found out she was coming into town a week after her birthday I was knew I had an opportunity to make some sort of baked goodie. Carrot Cake Cupcakes!

I just bought a new micro plane to grate vegetables with and while grating carrots to make the cupcakes, I sliced my thumb -- If you tend to sing and do little jigs in the kitchen like I do, beware when using a sharp new micro plane! No blood or sweat really went into the batter, just love! Sorry if that was a bit of over-sharing on my part...

Anyway, they turned out and everyone in my family that tried them liked them. The cupcakes were moist and the glaze added a light creaminess into each bite. Yum... As far ask cakes and baked goods go, I'd consider them to be fairly healthy. As healthy as cupcakes can be...

Carrot Cake Cupcakes

1 cup whole wheat flour

1 cup all purpose flour

2 tbs cinnamon

1 1/4 tsp allspice

1 tsp ground ginger-- Crystallized ginger might be a tasty mix in too!

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

1/2 cup brown sugar

1 1/2 cup applesauce -- add more if the batter is a little crumbly

2 Ener-G egg replacers or 1/2 a mashed banana

1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

2 1/4 cup shredded carrot

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Makes about 15 cupcakes.

Add the dry ingredients together and mix well. Mix the applesauce, egg replacer and vanilla in another bowl and slowly add into the dry ingredients. Once mixed, add the carrots. Feel free to add any raisins, walnuts or any other mix-in you'd like. Spoon into cupcake liners or right into the muffin tin.

Bake for 15-20 minutes until done. Test with tooth pick before letting them cool. After they have cooled, frost and enjoy!

Cream Cheese Glaze

1 tub of Tofutti 'Better than Cream Cheese' -- Try to find the one in the yellow container, this one does not contain hydrogenated oils.

3-4 cups powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

With an electric mixer, mix the 'cream cheese' and vanilla. Add cup by cup of powdered sugar until you've reached the right consistency you'd like to work with. I lost count on how may cups I added, I'm pretty sure I used 3 and maybe 1/4 cup more? Be your own judge and taste the glaze mixture until you've found a consistency you like.

It's finally here!

2009-05-18T13:33:00.000-05:00

Summer! Warm weather, pretty flowers, green grass and sweet smells are all here! Finally! We got so much snow this winter I though I'd never see grass.

Tulips in the front lawn- Beautiful!

Finals were last week and now a thing of the past. I'm deffinately in for some major relaxing. B's and I started our summer off right by spending some time on the porch drinking tea this morning. It was so peaceful; a great opportunity to just be still. We'll have many more mornings, afternoons and evenings doing this I'm sure!

Doo, doo, doo, lookin' out my backdoor!

Delicious dishes on Mother's Day

2009-05-12T12:14:00.000-05:00

I went to visit my Mom and Grandparents for Mother's Day this year. It's always a delight to catch up with them. My Mom and I prepared a jicama salad with black beans, corn and peppers-in a mustard cilantro vinaigrette. It was so fresh and flavorful! I had the leftovers finished before I even got home! She won't give me the recipe because she makes it at the Bakery she cooks and bakes at. She is pretty good at keeping secrets! We finished lunch off with the No-Bake Strawberry pie from The Joy of Vegan Baking. Soo so good!

The recipe in Colleen Patrick Goudreau's book, The Joy of Vegan Baking advises shaved chocolate to top off the pie- follow the recipe! I drizzled chocolate over it which made it difficult to slice into pieces. Either way, it was healthy and so tasty.

Go on! Thank your Ma' and Grandma for changin' your diapers and bringin' ya up right!

A Spaghetti Squash Challenge?

2009-05-07T19:39:00.001-05:00

The other night I had a request to make spaghetti squash. Who gets a lone request for spaghetti squash? Instantly, it became an opportunity to create something spectacular and fun. What a treat it was! This recipe is simple and inexpensive- not to mention, it can 'wow' any crowd. Granted, I made it for only one person, I think they enjoyed it?... I can't stand polite people when it comes to my cooking... Good grief! (I promise it's good!)

This dish is healthy, loaded with vegetables and holds some pretty dank flavor.

Spaghetti Squash with Sun-dried Tomato White Bean Pesto

Make the pesto while the squash finishes baking. Let the pesto simmer on a low heat to keep warm while you shred the spaghetti squash. Garnish and serve with a whole lotta' love!

White Bean Pesto

1 can Great northern beans-- Any Navy bean will do

a bunch of fresh Basil

2-3 garlic cloves- Depending on how much gaaa-lic you can handle!

a splash of lemon

handful of sun dried tomatoes (reconstituted in warm water)

water to thin while simmering

Blend everything together in a processor or blender. Feel free to add some reconstituted sun dried tomatoes to the bean mixture and then add some whole ones to the sauce before serving. Thin the sauce with some water while it simmers on low. I added some peas to the sauce before serving- a signature touch!

Serve up over noodles, rice or enchiladas-- Whatever! Have fun!

Sloppy Maki with Quinoa!

2009-04-30T20:17:00.000-05:00

About every Thursday I start to run low on produce purchased earlier in the week. Today, it seemed as if I was running low on just about everything. Apparently, I had enough to inspire quinoa maki rolls! I was out of rice and had quinoa, thinking it would be a healthy alternative I gave it a whirl.

It was all a great idea until after I made the quinoa and chopped up leftover vegetables that I realized I only had one sheet of nori. Why would this happen? Whatever, I went through with it and made my one and only roll... I don't even know if my pictures are blog-worthy 'cause the roll was a tad loose and resulted in quite a messy lil' guy... Why did I have to run out of nori??

Pretty messy, healthy and delicious Maki!

I made these just like any other maki roll. The quinoa stuck well to the nori, I just failed to roll the roll tight enough. So if you do make these with quiona, roll the suckers tight!

Each creation can't be perfect-- So, get in your kitchen, get cookin' and have some fun! Duh. :)

Powa' Granola

2009-04-29T17:58:00.000-05:00

I let my Mom borrow Hannah Kaminsky's book, My Sweet Vegan a few weeks ago. Sure enough, the sweet lil' lady gave the book back to me along with a bag of home made granola from Hannah's book. I was soo excited! I'd never tried the 'Power Hungry Granola' recipe in the book, but always wanted to. It was my motivation to get up in the morning for about two days... Why'd I pour such big bowls? Well, I was hungry and it gave me powa' for the day! Really, I couldn't help it-- it was so delicious and healthy!

If you haven't picked up a copy of Hannah's book, do it! There are a variety of sweet recipes every vegan is dying to eat!

Powa' Hungry Granola with Banana-- Yummm