Saturday, October 22, 2011
End of Summer Give Away Winner
I am finally not puking... Just in time to have a sore throat and fever. Ugh! I thought this was the perfect opportunity to do my "End of Summer Give Away." To my own credit, where I am at it's just now starting to feel like summer has ended. And the winner is..... Audrey! Audrey, I have contacted you via email to discuss the details of getting you a copy of Appetite for Reduction. Congratulations!
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Forgive me for my absence
Forgive me for my absence on here, but food hasn't exactly been this girl's favorite thing for the last 5 or 6 weeks. I'm pregnant! Cooking is out probably for the next few weeks, but I promise to get going again once I can stomach it. In the mean time, I am looking forward to entering a whole new world of mothering a vegan child. Advice and resources are always welcome.
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Beans with Every Meal
For some reason when I explain to people I'm a vegan, they typically respond one of two ways: 1) "I've almost completely eliminated meat from my diet, but I could never go without cheese!" or 2) "I tried cutting out meat, but I was lacking protein and had to start consuming it again." Firstly, I don't need for people to try to justify their diets. I'm comfortable explaining mine, but I'm not judging others' diets/lifestyles while doing so. Secondly, I totally get response #1 but am baffled by response #2. I guess because I like beans SO much, I have never felt my diet to be lacking in the protein department... especially when combined with some protein-rich veggies like kale and spinach. As you view the meals I've been fixing, I ask you to pay attention to the amount of beans I eat - not because I want you to make fun of the amount of gas I might have - but to realize that I am not lacking in the protein department.
First we have Eggplant Kibbeh (pg 82), Masala Baked Tofu (146), and Shabby Sheik Hummus (138). Because I know I have some non-vegan readers and because I'm not sure that we've discussed it, let's look at what tofu really is. Tofu is made of soybeans. Yep, that's right, whenever you have heard people say, "Oooo I'm not tasting that! It's disgusting!" they are complaining over harmless beans. Poor things! Hummus, on the other hand, is outstandingly popular, and it is also made of beans - chickpeas/garbanzo beans. This further makes me feel sorry for tofu.
Next is Sanctuary Chef Salad with Sanctuary Dressing (pg 28 & 29). This picture doesn't do this salad justice. I think it's because I needed to thin the dressing a little before drizzling it on, but I preferred it thick so you'll have to live with it. This salad had EVERYTHING! It even incorporated 3 recipes I had already tried: Herb-Roasted Cauliflower, Eggplant Bacon, and Basic Baked Tofu. Plus, what a great name!
Then I thought I would attempt Sauteed Escarole (pg 107) with my tofu. Unfortunately, I couldn't find Escarole around my town, so I replaced it with Kale. It turned out fine, but I was still disappointed as I love trying new greens.
Warning: I'm about to complain about olives again. In all my braveness, I decided to make Red Wine & Kalamata Tempeh (pg 157). The marinade had processed kalamata olives in it (in case the name didn't make that obvious.) When the tempeh was ready, I sampled one and decided I would NOT be adding extra sauce to my plate. It was bursting with olive flavor, which meant the hubby LOVED it! Luckily, I had some quinoa and steamed veggies to eliminate whatever was going on in my mouth from the olives. As a side note/reminder, tempeh is also make of soybeans.
Last night I went a little crazy. First, I got the Mango BBQ Beans (pg 133) going, and they ended up being AMAZING! They had the right proportions of sweet & smoky. Steven said he wouldn't like it because the mango would make it too sweet, but I disagree. He "forgot" to have some with dinner last night, but I'm going to make him have some of the left overs today.
While that was going, I prepped the OMG Oven-Baked Onion Rings (pg. 59). This was my second try. I had an easier time getting these onions into rings, and I did make them bigger. However, I still didn't have luck getting the breading to stick to the rings. I took a look at the picture in the book, and it appeared like hers were bigger yet. If I attempt them a 3rd time, I will try even bigger rings I suppose.
Next, I made the Chipotle Lentil Burgers (pg 123). I didn't think I would be able to try this recipe because of its mandatory use of canned lentils which apparently is difficult to find. Fortunately, we stopped at Food Fight on vacation and picked some up. These were easy to put together but hard to keep together as I fried them. However, they stayed together fine on the bun, and that's what counts! My other worry with these was that they would be way too spicy. I sampled a little before putting the patties in the pan and instantly had to grab the almond milk to distinguish the fire in my mouth. They were extremely spicy alone, but the bun and condiments wiped out some of the bite. Either that or I ate it too fast to notice.
Finally, I put together the Quinoa Salad with Black Beans & Toasted Cumin Seeds (pg 31), which was simple since I already had some cooked quinoa on hand. This was nicely used to cool down my digestive tract after those chipotles!
That's all I have this time. Lots of protein, right? Those of you still concerned with the beans=gas issue will be happy to know that that's a topic Isa addresses in the book. Until then, toot away!
First we have Eggplant Kibbeh (pg 82), Masala Baked Tofu (146), and Shabby Sheik Hummus (138). Because I know I have some non-vegan readers and because I'm not sure that we've discussed it, let's look at what tofu really is. Tofu is made of soybeans. Yep, that's right, whenever you have heard people say, "Oooo I'm not tasting that! It's disgusting!" they are complaining over harmless beans. Poor things! Hummus, on the other hand, is outstandingly popular, and it is also made of beans - chickpeas/garbanzo beans. This further makes me feel sorry for tofu.
Next is Sanctuary Chef Salad with Sanctuary Dressing (pg 28 & 29). This picture doesn't do this salad justice. I think it's because I needed to thin the dressing a little before drizzling it on, but I preferred it thick so you'll have to live with it. This salad had EVERYTHING! It even incorporated 3 recipes I had already tried: Herb-Roasted Cauliflower, Eggplant Bacon, and Basic Baked Tofu. Plus, what a great name!
Then I thought I would attempt Sauteed Escarole (pg 107) with my tofu. Unfortunately, I couldn't find Escarole around my town, so I replaced it with Kale. It turned out fine, but I was still disappointed as I love trying new greens.
Warning: I'm about to complain about olives again. In all my braveness, I decided to make Red Wine & Kalamata Tempeh (pg 157). The marinade had processed kalamata olives in it (in case the name didn't make that obvious.) When the tempeh was ready, I sampled one and decided I would NOT be adding extra sauce to my plate. It was bursting with olive flavor, which meant the hubby LOVED it! Luckily, I had some quinoa and steamed veggies to eliminate whatever was going on in my mouth from the olives. As a side note/reminder, tempeh is also make of soybeans.
Last night I went a little crazy. First, I got the Mango BBQ Beans (pg 133) going, and they ended up being AMAZING! They had the right proportions of sweet & smoky. Steven said he wouldn't like it because the mango would make it too sweet, but I disagree. He "forgot" to have some with dinner last night, but I'm going to make him have some of the left overs today.
While that was going, I prepped the OMG Oven-Baked Onion Rings (pg. 59). This was my second try. I had an easier time getting these onions into rings, and I did make them bigger. However, I still didn't have luck getting the breading to stick to the rings. I took a look at the picture in the book, and it appeared like hers were bigger yet. If I attempt them a 3rd time, I will try even bigger rings I suppose.
Next, I made the Chipotle Lentil Burgers (pg 123). I didn't think I would be able to try this recipe because of its mandatory use of canned lentils which apparently is difficult to find. Fortunately, we stopped at Food Fight on vacation and picked some up. These were easy to put together but hard to keep together as I fried them. However, they stayed together fine on the bun, and that's what counts! My other worry with these was that they would be way too spicy. I sampled a little before putting the patties in the pan and instantly had to grab the almond milk to distinguish the fire in my mouth. They were extremely spicy alone, but the bun and condiments wiped out some of the bite. Either that or I ate it too fast to notice.
Finally, I put together the Quinoa Salad with Black Beans & Toasted Cumin Seeds (pg 31), which was simple since I already had some cooked quinoa on hand. This was nicely used to cool down my digestive tract after those chipotles!
That's all I have this time. Lots of protein, right? Those of you still concerned with the beans=gas issue will be happy to know that that's a topic Isa addresses in the book. Until then, toot away!
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
Hey Good Lookin'! Here's What I've been Cookin'!
Cheesy title aside, here's what's been going on in my kitchen since getting home from vacation.
This one is Ye'abesha Gomen (pg 109), Mushroom Tibs (pg 95), and Ethiopian Millet (pg 78). Would you believe this serving of collards (greens) has the same amount of calcium as a serving of cow's milk? I was really pleased that I was able to stop by the store and pick up some fresh ginger for all three dishes. It's so much better fresh! Does anyone else sort of like to eat ginger by itself? I was at a restaurant the other day and had vegan sushi, and in the middle of the platter there was fresh ginger in long strings. (Does anyone know how to get that look? It was so pretty!) I kept eating the ginger plain, so some of my family members decided to follow my lead. They made some pretty strange faces leading me to believe that I am abnormal.
This next one is Summer Lovin' Curried Corn & Veggie Chowder (pg 217). Coconut milk is my best friend. Especially with curry. I'm pleased with how the combination of those two plus corn fresh off the cob tasted together. Since I add crackers to soup, I reduced the amount of salt called for in the recipe. Thank goodness Isa gave me an excuse to have soup in the summer. (As if I needed one!)
This one is Ye'abesha Gomen (pg 109), Mushroom Tibs (pg 95), and Ethiopian Millet (pg 78). Would you believe this serving of collards (greens) has the same amount of calcium as a serving of cow's milk? I was really pleased that I was able to stop by the store and pick up some fresh ginger for all three dishes. It's so much better fresh! Does anyone else sort of like to eat ginger by itself? I was at a restaurant the other day and had vegan sushi, and in the middle of the platter there was fresh ginger in long strings. (Does anyone know how to get that look? It was so pretty!) I kept eating the ginger plain, so some of my family members decided to follow my lead. They made some pretty strange faces leading me to believe that I am abnormal.
This next one is Summer Lovin' Curried Corn & Veggie Chowder (pg 217). Coconut milk is my best friend. Especially with curry. I'm pleased with how the combination of those two plus corn fresh off the cob tasted together. Since I add crackers to soup, I reduced the amount of salt called for in the recipe. Thank goodness Isa gave me an excuse to have soup in the summer. (As if I needed one!)
Saturday, July 30, 2011
End of Summer Give Away!
Ok.... Here's the "big" announcement. At the end of the summer I'm going to do a drawing where you have the opportunity to win your own copy of Appetite for Reduction. To be entered into the drawing you can either 1) become a follower of the blog by clicking the link to the right, or 2) leave a comment on any of my posts. If you have already done one of those two tasks, you are all set to be entered. Already have a copy of the cookbook? Don't want a copy of the cookbook? (How rude!) Arrangements can be made to get something else from the Post Punk Kitchen Shop or maybe a different vegan store. The drawing will take place Labor Day weekend. Good luck!
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
So here are 6 more recipes I recently tried...
First we have Creamy Mushroom Fettuccine (pg 188). The word "creamy" is in the name, so you know I loved this recipe. The only thing I found to be missing was nutritional yeast. Dust the finished product with a little, and the dish will be perfect.
This next one is spaghetti with Mom's Marinara (pg 193) with Herb-Roasted Cauliflower & Bread Crumbs (pg 108). The sauce was actually pretty close to how I usually make spaghetti sauce. My struggle with the cauliflower was I couldn't get the crumbs to stick. I made sure the pieces were damp, but there was just no stickin' happenin'. I ended up just sprinkling most of it on once the cauliflower was on the pan. Even though I struggled, I ended up eating nearly the entire batch by myself in one sitting because it was so yummy!
Here we have a Boca Burger alongside Pasta Salad with White Beans (pg 49) and Strawberry Spinach Salad (pg 51). It was like dealing with a preschooler trying to get Steven to eat the Strawberry Salad. He tells me over and over again how much he hates sweet/fruity salad. I was thankful that he had one serving and happily ate the leftovers alone. We both enjoyed the pasta salad. The fennel really gave it an extra kick, and the walnuts added to the texture.
Last is Caesar Salad with Eggplant Bacon (pg 42). Although the eggplant didn't look anything like bacon nor did it taste much like bacon, This is one of my new favorite salads. I finally found liquid smoke at the grocery store sitting with all the barbeque sauces. (Thanks for the tip, Mom!) Liquid smoke made the eggplant taste exactly how the name would make you assume - as if it had cooked right on the grill. The Caesar Chavez Dressing (pg 43) was a little strong for me. I'm not sure if it was the capers or the shallots, but I will use a little less next time. Don't you just love its name though?! I also think I will add to this salad next time. Maybe some vegan croutons perhaps?
By the way, be watching for a big announcement in the next couple days.
First we have Creamy Mushroom Fettuccine (pg 188). The word "creamy" is in the name, so you know I loved this recipe. The only thing I found to be missing was nutritional yeast. Dust the finished product with a little, and the dish will be perfect.
This next one is spaghetti with Mom's Marinara (pg 193) with Herb-Roasted Cauliflower & Bread Crumbs (pg 108). The sauce was actually pretty close to how I usually make spaghetti sauce. My struggle with the cauliflower was I couldn't get the crumbs to stick. I made sure the pieces were damp, but there was just no stickin' happenin'. I ended up just sprinkling most of it on once the cauliflower was on the pan. Even though I struggled, I ended up eating nearly the entire batch by myself in one sitting because it was so yummy!
Here we have a Boca Burger alongside Pasta Salad with White Beans (pg 49) and Strawberry Spinach Salad (pg 51). It was like dealing with a preschooler trying to get Steven to eat the Strawberry Salad. He tells me over and over again how much he hates sweet/fruity salad. I was thankful that he had one serving and happily ate the leftovers alone. We both enjoyed the pasta salad. The fennel really gave it an extra kick, and the walnuts added to the texture.
Last is Caesar Salad with Eggplant Bacon (pg 42). Although the eggplant didn't look anything like bacon nor did it taste much like bacon, This is one of my new favorite salads. I finally found liquid smoke at the grocery store sitting with all the barbeque sauces. (Thanks for the tip, Mom!) Liquid smoke made the eggplant taste exactly how the name would make you assume - as if it had cooked right on the grill. The Caesar Chavez Dressing (pg 43) was a little strong for me. I'm not sure if it was the capers or the shallots, but I will use a little less next time. Don't you just love its name though?! I also think I will add to this salad next time. Maybe some vegan croutons perhaps?
By the way, be watching for a big announcement in the next couple days.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Rewind
Here are some recipes I tried prior to my visit with my family...
First we have Eggplant Curry (pg 230) and Cranberry-Cashew Biryani (pg 67). For some reason I always dread having eggplant. Maybe I sampled it in a not-so-tasty dish at one point? I always expect it to taste soggy in dishes, but this proved to be nice and chewy. Both recipes called for garam masala... As you might recall, I'm in love with this spice, so A+ on this number.
Next, I will show you Ginger Bok Choy & Soba (pg 176) with tofu which I fried in a little cooking spray & soy sauce. One major lesson I have learned from Isa is switching up my greens more frequently to use in meals. Before I only thought of greens as being used in salads. Spinach was the only leafy green I really fried up like this. Maybe I'm a nerd, or maybe it's just because I have more time being on summer break, but I thoroughly enjoy chopping up bok choy! On a nutritional note for those of you who worry about protein intake, this provided me with 21 grams which is half of my daily requirement.
Here we have Catalan Couscous Salad with Pears (pg 47). This salad sold me simply from its texture. The crunch of the spinach & almonds plus the mush of the couscous & pears had me begging for more.
I saved the best for last - Butternut Coconut Rice (80), Pineapple Collards (pg 93), and Broiled Blackened Tofu (pg 147). I'm sure I have said this before, but what I miss most as a vegan is really creamy dishes. I've had to learn to love crunch, but my true desire (texture-wise) is for soft foods. This rice did it for me! I know it's unhealthy to have comfort foods... but screw that! I foresee myself NEEDING this dish on a regular basis.
Soon I will show you what I've been up to since getting home... but for now, did you notice the new design?
First we have Eggplant Curry (pg 230) and Cranberry-Cashew Biryani (pg 67). For some reason I always dread having eggplant. Maybe I sampled it in a not-so-tasty dish at one point? I always expect it to taste soggy in dishes, but this proved to be nice and chewy. Both recipes called for garam masala... As you might recall, I'm in love with this spice, so A+ on this number.
Next, I will show you Ginger Bok Choy & Soba (pg 176) with tofu which I fried in a little cooking spray & soy sauce. One major lesson I have learned from Isa is switching up my greens more frequently to use in meals. Before I only thought of greens as being used in salads. Spinach was the only leafy green I really fried up like this. Maybe I'm a nerd, or maybe it's just because I have more time being on summer break, but I thoroughly enjoy chopping up bok choy! On a nutritional note for those of you who worry about protein intake, this provided me with 21 grams which is half of my daily requirement.
Here we have Catalan Couscous Salad with Pears (pg 47). This salad sold me simply from its texture. The crunch of the spinach & almonds plus the mush of the couscous & pears had me begging for more.
I saved the best for last - Butternut Coconut Rice (80), Pineapple Collards (pg 93), and Broiled Blackened Tofu (pg 147). I'm sure I have said this before, but what I miss most as a vegan is really creamy dishes. I've had to learn to love crunch, but my true desire (texture-wise) is for soft foods. This rice did it for me! I know it's unhealthy to have comfort foods... but screw that! I foresee myself NEEDING this dish on a regular basis.
Soon I will show you what I've been up to since getting home... but for now, did you notice the new design?
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)