Most of the recipes from my blog are listed here, with the most recent at the top. Scroll back through time and find something good to eat. Enjoy!
Easy Vegan Minestrone
Zucchini with Chickpeas
Black Bean Soup
No-Fuss Lunch
I have a shelf full of vegan cookbooks. I love them. I'll keep buying them. I'll keep writing them. And... confession of a real-life hungry girl here... I hardly ever use them. While I technically have the time to make all the fancy food I want, my choice is usually to do other things, like write and make things and share whatever wants to be shared on any given day.
What to Eat When There's Nothing to Eat
I'd been away for a week and supplies were depleted. I woke up hungry on my first day back home, opened the fridge and harrumphed, Nothing to eat...
Overnight (Oatmeal) Success
I know I'm not the first person to discover or share this ridiculously simple breakfast "recipe." But if it's new to me, it might be new to you too. So here it is. I like to share the things that are working for me, and Overnight Oatmeal is one of them.
Easy Mu Shu Veggie Wraps
I love, love, love Mu Shu Veggies with Hoisin Sauce and those amazing little Mandarin Pancakes. Did I say love? I meant LOVE. But even so, I don't make them very often because the pancakes are a little more work than I want to put into a casual dinner. I'm not lazy, but I do look for shortcuts where I can find them.
Bok Choy with Brown Rice and Orange Sauce
This is a good thing to make when you want something beautiful, but aren't particularly inspired by the kitchen gods. I picked up a big bunch of gorgeous bok choy at the farmers market, without a clear plan for it. A couple of days later I had to use it or lose it, so this is what happened. It's as easy as it gets, and goes to show that with a few staples in the house, you can come up with some pretty awesome meals without a lot of fuss.
Green Quinoa Pizza
I ran across this recipe for Spinach and Artichoke Quinoa Pizza Crust from SimplyQuinoa, and I had to try it as right away as possible. I didn't have everything I needed, and it was raining, and I didn't want to slog out to the store. Once in the grip of pizza lust, there's nothing to do but surrender though, right?
Panchiladas with Red Chile Sauce
Now that my sauce book is completed, I'm having fun coming up with new ways to use the sauces. Sometimes I get weird food ideas in my sleep. Sometimes they work. Quesadillas are delicious enough already, but this slightly fancier version is amazing. It's kind of like an enchilada you cook in a frying pan. Panchiladas! We had them two nights in a row, and then made them for friends over the weekend. Rave reviews. Do try this at home.
Maple-Mustard Baked Tofu
If you like my Smoky Baked Tofu, you'll love this one! It's as simple as it gets. Press, marinate, bake, eat! And the flavor is a wonderful combination of sweet and tangy, just like old school honey-mustard dipping sauce!
Thai Peanut Rolls
Rick and I hosted a little party at our place on Christmas night. It was supposed to be simple, but of course I kept expanding the menu, and as always, ended up making way too much food. We made a huge pot of green coconut curry with vegetables and sticky brown rice, guacamole, spicy adobo chile-laced queso, garlic truffle popcorn, mini rum balls, and threw in some good spreads and bread from Trader Joe's.
Easiest Morning Miso Yet
Happy Meatless Monday! I usually share a dinner recipe here, but after my long weekend of late nights covering the vegan side of Portland Fashion Week (see previous posts), I'm really feeling the need for a green miso re-charge. Maybe you are too after a long weekend of your own!
PDX Red Chile Sauce
Remember my recipe for red chile, Taos style? It's a sauce, not a bean-pot, for those of you who are not southwest savvy. I learned some tricks from some great Taos cooks in my years there, and the original recipe (Red Chile) is a forever favorite in my house. Moving to a new part of the country always inspires changes in old favorites, and the most recent is the Portland rendition of New Mexican red chile.
Vegan Cinco de Mayo Queso
Happy Cinco de Mayo! I just discovered a new startup company called Aloha. They really strive for health and happiness in all aspects of life! If you like the following recipe, you are going to love some of the other healthy recipes they're posting! Bueno!
Pizza Bruschetta
I'm all about simple edible delights these days. A kitchen as small as mine can feel limiting, and I'll admit to wistfully reminiscing about my big, funky Taos kitchen from time to time. But I would't go back, and I'm excited about my new "project," which is to show you what wonders can come from a tiny kitchen and a few simple tools.
Better Gluten Free Bread
This one has been a Recipe Box exclusive for a long time, but I'm sharing it with all of you now! I have only made this bread in Taos, at that crazy 7,000 ft. elevation. It worked great as written, but I don't know how it will do at sea level, or anywhere in between. You might have to experiment a bit, and I will too, once the weather cools down some and I can face the oven again. Enjoy!
This one has been a Recipe Box exclusive for a long time, but I'm sharing it with all of you now! I have only made this bread in Taos, at that crazy 7,000 ft. elevation. It worked great as written, but I don't know how it will do at sea level, or anywhere in between. You might have to experiment a bit, and I will too, once the weather cools down some and I can face the oven again. Enjoy!
Salad Bar Week
Rick is out of town for the week, so I decided to keep my food super simple while I'm here hanging out with the dogs. Like a lot of people, I don't really like to go to much trouble cooking for just myself. I do, however, like to eat good food that's good for me. Every day. It's been hot in Portland, so turning on the stove or oven aren't appealing. Going out is easy, but not much fun on my own. Smoothies are great for my everyday breakfast, so I don't try to complicate that. I needed a solution to lunch and dinner, and I decided to create my own salad bar.
Coconut Bacon Love
You've heard of if, right? Coconut Bacon? It's been around for a while, but I'm usually late to the party, so it only just came into my awareness recently. I immediately went in search of a recipe, and there are many. I also found ready-made coconut bacons which of course are easier, but a lot more expensive than making your own. It's simple enough to make, but I wanted it even simpler than what I found out there, and I didn't want to buy liquid smoke, because I think the name is creepy. Sometimes that's how I decide.
Vegan Reuben Bowl
Reuben sandwiches are popular these days, right? Or is it just a Portland thing? I wanted to make something that was sort of a reuben, with a twist, in a bowl. And, I wanted a thousand island dressing for it that didn't contain mayo, even the vegan kind. Here's what I came up with. There was a lot of "num-numming" at the table that night.
Lemon-Blueberry Babycakes
Blueberries are all over the farmers markets right now, so I have to share this recipe with you. If you can't get fresh berries, frozen ones work just as well. These little bites of sweet-tart delight are a dense, moist cross between lemon bars and cupcakes. They're vegan of course, and gluten free too. Skip the frosting for less of a sugar jolt. They're terrific either way. The original recipe calls for a new product called the Vegg. I really like the way it works in this recipe, but if you can't find it you can substitute flax meal, as I've done here. The result will not be as yellow in color, but the taste is almost exactly the same. I've made a few changes to suit our personal tastes, but the original recipe for Lemon Bars comes from Lindsay Ray in the Vegg Cookbook. The Vegg/Cookbook Combo Pack is available on VeganCuts.com.
Hot and Sour Soup with Tofu and Quinoa
I'm having trouble loving my new kitchen. It's small, with chopped-up bits of counter space and a glass-top stove that I really don't like, not even a little bit. However... a crummy kitchen is not an excuse not to cook. In some ways it might even help me be a better blogger. Most people don't have fancy professional kitchens with infinite counter space and all the Barbie Dream Appliances. Using what I have, I'm choosing to call this a Great Opportunity to show you what terrific meals you can make for yourself in minimal space, with basic gadgets.
Sunday Scramble
We've been eating out a lot. We're making up for lost meals in New Mexico, and the few extra pounds I've put on are only annoying me a little bit. I'm sure we'll get back into a more regular cooking routine eventually, after the next few weeks of continued settling into our new place, exploring Portland, visiting family in California, and my upcoming trip to Washington DC. (I'm super excited about that, but I'll tell you more later!)
Basil Pesto
I used to make pesto by the bucketful back in our Honeymoon Pizza days, and I still love having a table piled high with beautiful fresh basil (and a few other treats too). As farmer's market season kicks into gear, it's great to have an easy vegan pesto recipe waiting for you to just bring home the basil!
the Road Trip Smoothie
Traveling makes eating well a challenge for anyone, and even more so for vegans. Sure, Fritos and Oreos are vegan, but we don't really want to live on them... right? We always take a cooler filled with good things to munch on along the way, and the most important component is our morning smoothie. It's the easiest way to be sure we get a nice hit of greens and other fresh goodness without having to do a lot of prep. The Road Trip Smoothie has only 6 ingredients at the most, and is easily whipped up in a Nutribullet or other small travel blender.
Veggie Benny Scramble with Herbed Hollandaise
I made this special-but-easy scramble for our Easter breakfast (and for Christmas before that). It's beautiful and festive, but don't limit it to holidays! It's great for a friendly brunch any time. When feeding a crown, add a side of fruit, toasted English muffins, and mimosas of course!
Lemon Basil Hummus
This is kind of a cross between hummus, pesto, and tapenade. It's wonderful as a dip, in wraps and sandwiches, or as a stir-in with pasta. Buzz it up at a moment's notice, and get snackin'.
Life is Just a Bowl of Cherry Cobbler
My mom used to make the best peach cobbler. The best. I've tried and tried to veganize it in a way that still came out with that fluffy, cakey crust that crisped on top and soaked up juices from the fruit underneath. I never quite nailed it until I got a sample of the new Vegg Baking Mix to test drive. This is different from the original Vegg Vegan Egg Yolk, which I sampled a while back.
Pineapple Upside Down Cupcakes
These amazing little treats are vegan, gluten free, and totally scrumptious. They disappear around here as fast as I can make them, which is pretty fast. Read the recipe through and follow the steps as I've laid them out, and you'll have no problem making these perfectly every time. I recommend a very slick non-stick cupcake pan here. Might be time to buy a new one and delegate the old one to something sturdier, like Tempeh Meatloaves.
Brown Rice Scrambowl with Cashew Yogurt Sauce
This recipe was inspired by a beautiful California Barley Bowl over at 101 Cookbooks. I wanted a vegan, gluten free version, so here's what I came up with. We had it for breakfast the other day, and love, love, loved it! Cooked like a scramble, served like a bowl - it's a scrambowl.
Using What's There - Polenta and Broccoli
Revisiting the "using what's there" theme, this is a simple little dish that makes a terrific lunch or dinner. Make it even quicker by skipping the baking of the polenta, which isn't necessary for the cooking, but adds a nice crunchy texture.
Wine and Herb Cheese Spread
This is another take on my favorite cashew cheese. While I love some of the fancy vegan cheese recipes people are coming up with, I usually don't want to spend days making them. This simple version goes together almost instantly, and tastes great on everything from crackers to pizza.
Say Queso!
Who says my favorite dip (alongside guacamole and salsa), queso, has to be made from a weird orange block of highly processed "cheese food?" It doesn't! Serve this at your next get-together with friends, or hoard it all for yourself. It's that good. Make it a little extra special by gently warming organic tortilla chips in the oven before serving.
Using What's There - Green Tofu Scram
Green Eggs and Ham... or... Green Tofu Scram... get it? One of my favorite kitchen games is making something out of "nothing", this un-recipe came about on a Sunday morning when we didn't have what we needed for Rick's favorite pancakes, but did have tofu and some gorgeous greens from friends' gardens. The pancakes could wait, and we had a wonderful breakfast.
Warm Kale-Noodle Salad
Salad is my idea of a perfect lunch, but in this frozen part of the year, cold food isn't as as appealing to me as it is in the summer months. I love my greens though, so this comforting "warm salad" is my new favorite lunch. It's easy to make, and is also good cold the next day if you make too much.
Cranberry Walnut Chickpea Salad
This is not my recipe, and I honestly can't think of a single thing I'd change. It's that good. I didn't have cranberries as called for, but I did have some dried cherries, which worked just fine. Better than fine. And if you have time, sprout some chickpeas and cook them yourself. They're far superior to canned beans, both in flavor and nutrition. Rather than making sandwiches, as in the original recipe, I made simple lettuce wraps filled with this tasty goodness, and snarfed them down for lunch. Make a big batch! You're going to love this! Get the recipe for this delightful Cranberry Walnut Chickpea Salad over at The Simple Veganista.
Magic Sprinkles
If you like store bought vegan "parmesan" sprinkles, you'll love Magic Sprinkles! These are super on everything from popcorn to steamed veggies to avocado toast. It's always cheaper to make your own, plus you can vary the seasonings from batch to batch. It's like Gomasio with a punch! Get sprinkling!
Green Chile Chickpea Dip
A while back I veganized one of my mom's 70's recipes for "Sour Chili Chicken," turning it into an updated, but still rich, creamy, comforting casserole. Now I've taken it in a slightly different direction. This version is every bit as good, but now it's dip-able, making it perfect for cozy get-togethers, or watching football or the Olympics on TV. I've taken it to two parties so far, and it disappears before it can cool off.
Lucy's Favorite Peanut Butter Dog Cookies
Lucy is almost 12 years old. She's kind of lazy, claims to have sore hips, and basically lives for food. As you can see, when there's food in nose-shot, she's a peppy as a puppy.
Black eyed peas are a traditional dish for good luck in many cultures, especially at the New Year. In traditional dishes from the southern United States, the peas, which swell when cooked, symbolize prosperity and abundance. Similarly, accompanying greens symbolize money.
Soup's On! Mideast Chickpea Soup... and Another Book Giveaway!!!
One of my favorite vegan chefs, Mark Reinfeld, has another book out! This one is called
The 30-Minute Vegan: Soup's On!: More than 100 Quick and Easy Recipes for Every Season, and it's another winner for Mark. We're big on soup around here, especially in the colder months, and this book will really give me a lot of new flavors to play with through the winter and beyond.
The 30-Minute Vegan: Soup's On!: More than 100 Quick and Easy Recipes for Every Season, and it's another winner for Mark. We're big on soup around here, especially in the colder months, and this book will really give me a lot of new flavors to play with through the winter and beyond.
It's Nog-Tini Time
In my family, Thanksgiving always marked the start of Egg Nog Season. Every year we had a big sugary carton of the store-bought stuff to go with our gooey breakfast cinnamon rolls, in front of the TV, watching the Macy's Parade. From there we'd bounce off the walls until a big ole turkey dinner would knock us comatose. How crazy is that entire scenario, on so many levels? Of course it's a happy childhood memory, but only two things from it stick with me now - the parade and the nog, although now it's made from cashews instead of eggs. This is a really easy recipe to make in your blender, and because it's sweetened with dates (and contains no raw eggs) it's much healthier than traditional store bought or homemade nogs. Drink it straight up, in your coffee or tea, or mixed up into a decadent Nog-Tini (recipe below).
Cranberries
I'm making our newly traditional Shepherd's Pie for Thanksgiving this year. We decided last year that it was a keeper. It's got all the comforting components of a our childhood turkey dinners, and it's wonderful with a side of fresh homemade cranberries. To be honest, if it was just for me, and I'm glad it isn't, I'd be happy with mashed potatoes, mushroom gravy, and lots and lots of cranberries. To me they're a side dish, not a condiment.
One-Dish Vegan and a Book Giveaway!
When I was recently asked to review the new book, One-Dish Vegan: More than 150 Soul-Satisfying Recipes for Easy and Delicious One-Bowl and One-Plate Dinners
, I jumped right out of my chair and said, Yes please!!! One dish is my kind of cooking, and perusing this book, it's almost like it was written for me. So many recipes I'm eager to try, like Caribbean Greens and Beans Soup, Antipasto Potato Salad, Indian-Spiced Risotto, Tequila Sundown Chili, Tunisian Chickpeas with Sweet Potatoes and Greens, Fettuccine with Creamy Cannellini Tomato Sauce, Chickpea Pot Pie... and on and on. These are all savory recipes, intended to be made for dinner. Make too much though, because leftovers are oh so good for lunch.
, I jumped right out of my chair and said, Yes please!!! One dish is my kind of cooking, and perusing this book, it's almost like it was written for me. So many recipes I'm eager to try, like Caribbean Greens and Beans Soup, Antipasto Potato Salad, Indian-Spiced Risotto, Tequila Sundown Chili, Tunisian Chickpeas with Sweet Potatoes and Greens, Fettuccine with Creamy Cannellini Tomato Sauce, Chickpea Pot Pie... and on and on. These are all savory recipes, intended to be made for dinner. Make too much though, because leftovers are oh so good for lunch.
Flourless Grainless Chocolate-Chocolate Cherry Cookies
I've been playing with grain free recipes lately, which oddly enough leads me to a lot of Paleo websites. Except for the Paleo insistence that meat has some magical ingredient that's good for you, we actually have a lot in common. We all love chocolate! Yay! The following recipe originates over at Against All Grain. I've made some changes and simplified things a bit so the food processor does most of the work, but do check out the original recipe. It's really quite wonderful.
Cabbage Steaks
I ran across this recipe on Facebook, and tracked it down to someone I can actually link back to. This is a very simple dish to make, and we like it so much, we've had it twice in three days. It's served here with garlic-broccoli mashed potatoes and my own favorite recipe for cheese sauce. Get the Cabbage Steak details straight from the source. (Actually, I think she got it from Martha Stewart, but Martha gets enough hits on her own.) If you don't want to go to the trouble of rubbing your cabbage with garlic, a sprinkle of garlic powder will do. We like our Cabbage Steaks with a little Dijon mustard on the side.
Cilantro-Lime Salad Dressing
Always looking for ways to use less fat and add more nutrient value to our food, I decided to try using beans instead of cashews in this salad dressing. The result is creamy and delicious, and packed with protein and fiber. It's not just dressing, it's food!
Using What's There - Lentil Soup
Do you ever stand in your kitchen and say, There's nothing to eat...? I know I do. But if I take a look through the fridge and cabinets, there's always a lot of food there. Not to sound like parents at the dinner table, but there are people all over the world, in this country even, who would love the kind of "nothing" to eat that most of us have. I've started a little challenge with myself, to use what I already have, get creative, and rather than going to the store for more, see what I can come up with on those "nothing to eat" days.
Dragon Fruit
Until last week I had never heard of dragon fruit. Maybe I'm just a slow learner, but also maybe you've never heard of it either, so here's an intro. I couldn't resist picking one up when I saw it at our local market the other day. It's such a beautiful thing. I bought it on looks alone, without asking the price ($7.00!!!), and took it home, hoping it wouldn't be a cousin of the awful, stinky durian.
Spanakopita Triangles
Spanakopita Triangles are a great place to start if you've never worked with phyllo. The lovely, flaky pastry dough can be a little intimidating, but really, you can do it! Find phyllo (pronounced FEE-low) frozen in most markets. In some places you can even find whole wheat or spelt varieties, but most often it's made from white flour. I prefer whole grains, but in this case I make an exception because these are such a great treat, and everyone seems to love them. I made some for a family gathering last year, and my teenage niece, who is a very picky eater said, "I don't know what's in these, and I don't want to know, but I love them." I think I blushed with pride.
Black and White Bean Hummus
As you know, hummus is traditionally made with garbanzo beans (also known as chickpeas). I absolutely love the stuff, and it's a staple in most vegan diets, so imagine my surprise when I started to run across people who do not care for garbanzos. Maybe it's a texture thing for them. Granted, garbanzo beans can be sort of mealy, so hopefully this version will solve the problem and get the anti-chickpea set back in the hummus saddle. It's delicious, packet with protein from the beans, and also with calcium from the sesame seeds, which also eliminate the need to buy expensive jars of tahini. Try it eve if you like garbanzo beans! It's a nice change of pace.
Magic Sprinkles
If you're new to vegan cooking and eating, you might not have noticed yet what a big role nutritional yeast plays in rounding out dishes with that cheesy richness so many of us crave. "Nooch," as it's commonly referred to in our little world, is sprinkled on everything from popcorn to steamed veggies to pizza and soup and salad - similar to the way you might use grated parmesan.
Flourless Whole Grain Banana Raisin Cookies
I'm writing this recipe on the August Full Moon, which just happens to be the Grain Moon. I didn't plan it, but sometimes perfection just happens. These cookies are flour free, sugar free, oil free, and gluten free if you so choose. We love them, and I love making them for my 2-year-old grandson, so he can have a treat without getting all sugar-crazy. I'm that kind of grandmother.
Chickpea Tuna Salad
This is a nice little mock-tuna salad that's just perfect in a sandwich, or topping a bowl of green salad. Mom always used to put apples in her tuna salad, and it's stuck with me over the years. The sweet next to the salty is a good balance. See what you think.
Sushi Spring Rolls Video
It's Video Wednesday at PVTV! Today I have a tasty little video that shows you how to make my latest version of spring rolls. These are kind of a hybrid between sushi and spring rolls, and easier to make than either of them could ever hope to be. Come see! Sushi Spring Rolls on PVTV. And please do leave a glowing comment and subscribe to my channel while you're there. I need the ratings! xoxo
Polenta Tamale Pie
I adored tamale pie when I was a kid. All that corn, and those big fat whole olives. Mmmm. So good. This version is easier, fresher, and brighter than any I've ever made. Topped with cashew sour cream and toasted pine nuts, it's everything I hoped it would be.
Cashew Sour Cream
I use this all the time, on all sorts of dishes. Make it thick or thin for dolloping or drizzling, or add seasonings to magically turn it into dips and salad dressings. This stuff is delicious and versatile, and deserves it's own little place here on the blog.
Better Than Rice Cakes
I wish I had a better name for these, because they're so superior to those awful styrofoam rice cakes found in the market. These are moist and dense and chewy. They're made from whole grains and not much else, not even flour. Depending on the grains you choose, they can be gluten free, and if you really want to get crazy, you can sprout your grains before cooking them. I usually do, but it's not necessary. Rick and I like to have these for breakfast, warmed in the toaster oven, and topped with avocado slices, tomato, and gomasio. Seasoned differently they'd be great with peanut butter and jam. Consider topping them with Hummus or Cashew Cheese, or generally using them in any way you might use bread.
Herb-Nut Paté
As I compile my new Recipe Box to replace the PDF version of PV Recipes, I'm finding it preferable to update a few of the older recipes. This one started out as Sage-Nut Paté, and while it was a good recipe, it was a terrible mess to read, which I very much apologize for! Over time I think I've gotten better at organizing and presenting a recipe. This one is now easier and tastier than ever!
Rum Raisin Cupcakes
I don't like rum, but I love these little cakes. They're not too rummy. Just enough to go with the raisins and spice. Don't be put off by the beans. You can't taste them, and they do a great job of adding moisture as well as protein. These treats are actually pretty good for you, as cupcakes go.
Lemon-Blueberry Scones
Every since our honeymoon in Victoria, BC - more than 20 years ago... wow - I've been smitten with scones. I love to whip up a batch on a Sunday morning and share them with Rick over a hot mugs of tea. Much more romantic than biscuits or toast, scones are really easy to make. Here's a version we really like.
Tortillas + Pizza = Tortizza
Vegan pizza is an important thing to get right, and to eat often! I've shared these here before, but the method has changed some so it's time for an update. My friend Anne came up with the name. Before that I just called them Tortilla Pizzas. Ho hum... Everything tastes better with a snappy name, right? This is super easy to throw together on a busy week night or for lunch, and makes a great do-it-yourself party food.
Spring Roll Update
I've made a lot of spring rolls in the past year, ever since I learned the secrets of the spring roll universe from Mark Reinfeld in his fantastic Vegan Fusion 10 Day Immersion. Since then I've been fine-tuning and streamlining the process to suit my simplistic sensibilities, and to make it easier to demystify the technique for others. The way I make them now is so easy I really think anyone can do it. And you should! Spring rolls are a fun way to eat lots of fresh veggies. They're great for parties too because they look so fancy and are the perfect finger food. Some people call them Summer Rolls, and that seems like the perfect name for them now, since summer just happens to be in full bloom. I made these the other night for friends, as a pre-birthday celebration for myself! They're a slightly different twist on the average Spring Roll, and we all really, really liked them.
Smoky Baked Tofu (and Kim's Happy Birthday Sandwich)
Happy July! It's my Birth Month, and I celebrate all month long, which of course calls for special food! This is my own personal Birthday Sandwich, and of course it comes with a story. When I was born, the first thing my Mom asked for after the delivery was a turkey sandwich. For years and years it was my tradition to have a turkey sandwich on my birthday in her honor. That kind of fell by the wayside for a while, for obvious reasons, but this year I have this new version of my old favorite, and it tastes amazingly like the turkey sandwiches of my earlier years, only way better.
Piña Colada Quinoa Bowl
Still waiting for my new computer, so I can write new posts and get back to work. The iPad is great for some things, but limiting for a blogger. Fortunately, I have a few pre-written posts stashed for emergencies! This is a new version of a favorite breakfast bowl. Use any kind of grain you like. For super protein, we like quinoa. If you cook quinoa or rice the night before you plan to have this, make too much and you'll get a good jump on breakfast.
Greek Salad with Creamy Dressing
My daughter says that a Greek Salad should have at least as much "stuff" as lettuce. I agree. I made this one for a little Mother's Day dinner, and it was a huge hit.
Power Bites
This is not a post about the evils of too much power... It's about food, of course!
Sweet Potato Stew
This easy dish was inspired by a big, lonely sweet potato, a busy day with no time to cook, and a neglected slow-cooker. It's perfect for a busy Meatless Monday! To cook it on the stove, I think I'd steam the sweet potato chunks first, and then throw it all together.
Easy, Healthy Banana Oatmeal Cookies
Now, to get you going on a new healthy habit right this minute, here's a terrific little recipe for super healthy cookies that will satisfy your sweet tooth without sabotaging your fitness goals. It's adapted from one I saw on Facebook, but can't seem to locate now that I want to give credit for it. I will gladly post a link if somebody knows where it is.
Now, to get you going on a new healthy habit right this minute, here's a terrific little recipe for super healthy cookies that will satisfy your sweet tooth without sabotaging your fitness goals. It's adapted from one I saw on Facebook, but can't seem to locate now that I want to give credit for it. I will gladly post a link if somebody knows where it is.
¡Calabacitas!
Calabacitas are a particular type of squash, similar to zucchini. A favorite restaurant here serves up a mix of zucchini, yellow squash, onions, and other goo things, and calls it "calabacitas." I usually order it because I like saying the name. And because they're delicious! These tacos are easy to throw together on a week night, and fun for a weekend gathering. Use sprouted organic cord tortillas if you can find them. They're amazing.
Dog Cookies for my Furry Friends
I'm still traveling, and still functioning without a computer, and with only an iPhone. The See Jane Run 1/2 Marathon is this Saturday in Alameda. I'm ready! I've been fueling up on fabulous plant-foods in Seattle, and also got some good practice runs in there. Now I'm in San Jose, taking two days to visit family, super hydrate, and rest up for race day. Fortunately, I wrote a few extra draft posts before leaving Taos. Here's one of them to keep you busy while I run a race. Enjoy!!!
Mom's Sour Chili Chick'n Gets Veganized
I took another stroll down Recipe Lane, flipping through my ancient recipe box, and pulling out an old favorite I've been thinking about for a while now. Mom used to make Sour Chili Chicken for the family back in the 70's. It's one of those good old meat-and-dairy-bombs we used to think of as "healthy." Clearly there was no health whatsoever in recipes like these, for the humans who ate them, or the animals involved in creating the ingredients. Isn't it just so nice that we now have much healthier choices for all of us, and the intelligence and compassion to use them? I think so!
Gluten Free Blueberry-Lemon Pancakes
My pancake-lovin' sweetie fell hard for these, and didn't even think to ask if they were gluten free until he'd polished off a huge stack of them and gone back for seconds. You could serve these to anyone, whether they care about them being vegan or gluten free or not. Everyone at the table will be happy.
Lentils and Onions Revisited
Lentils. Yum. They're one of my favorites. One of my favorite recipes comes from Chris Maher, and a wonderful Middle Eastern cooking class I took with him last year. The original recipe is drowning in oil, so I took it upon myself to health it up, and simplify it while I was at it. The result was nothing short of clean-your-plate goodness. This is not only vegan, gluten free, and oil free, it's a delicious, comforting protein bomb!
There's No Such Thing as Too Many Cheese Sauce Recipes
It's Meatless Monday, and our gluten free month of March has come to a close. It was a good experiment for Rick and me, and we've decided to stick to eating mostly gluten free - particularly wheat free - here at home, saving our gluten for special times out on the town. Since when did gluten become a "special" sort of food? Well, there we are. And here we are in April.
Let's Do Brunch - Grilled Eggplant Roulades
I know some of you are planning a nice Easter Brunch for this weekend. Here's a dish you might want to consider adding to your menu. Eggplant fills in quite nicely in place of meat in this elegant rolled-up dish. It's perfect for brunch with hollandaise sauce, and would be just as nice for dinner with a marinara or vegan alfredo sauce. I served it up this time with oven roasted potatoes... mostly so we'd have another vehicle for the hollandaise.
Easy Vegan Gluten Free Bread
One of the first things that comes up in a conversation about gluten free (GF) eating is the lack of really good bread. I've been pretty unimpressed with commercial GF breads, and many of them are not vegan. So the obvious solution - other than giving up on bread completely - is to make my own.
Zucchini Linguini and Glam Sauce
Yes, I said Glam, not Clam, because this is a very glamorous sauce, and because it is not made with clams. For this recipe, use any kind of fancy mushrooms you like, or just plain old white ones if that's all you can get. I particularly like the addition of the oyster mushrooms, because they have a nice firm texture that's a little bit, well... clam-ish. And if you'd rather not make zucchini noodles, go ahead and boil up some brown rice linguini instead. Enjoy!
Revenge of the Veggie Benny
We've been on a hollandaise binge around here lately. After trying it on asparagus and rice, the next logical step was a Veggie Benny. We used to order this at a favorite breakfast spot in Seattle, but it was only vegetarian, not vegan, and had regular hollandaise on it. Once I went vegan, I thought I'd never enjoy my beloved Veggie Benny again. Happily I was wrong, wrong, wrong. I was so excited to make this, I forgot to make potatoes to go with. We never missed them. But next time I'll bake up a batch of spuds just so we have something else to dunk in the sauce.
Mu Shu Veggies with Perfect Little Pancakes and Hoisin Sauce
I can't believe how good this is. No really. Like I just want to eat this same meal over and over, every day. I actually did make it two nights in a row, just to be sure I wasn't mouth-halucinating when we ate it the first time, and no, I wasn't. This is officially one of my favorite things to eat, ever.
Easy Rice Ravioli
The secret to this simple recipe is the rice wrappers, which I use rather than pasta. These are the thin, dry wrappers you can usually find in the Asian section of your market. Different from egg roll wrappers, which need to be refrigerated, rice wrappers need to be soaked before using them, and can be eaten raw or cooked once they're stuffed. And because they're made from rice, they're gluten free.
Super Simple Oil-Free Kung Pao Veggies
I've already done two versions of Kung Pao on this blog (Kung Powerful Tempeh, and Everyday Kung Pao), but I wanted one that was super fast and easy to make, and that had no oil in it. I had this on the table in no time the other night, because I already had some cooked rice to throw in. You could substitute quinoa if you don't want to take the time to cook rice, or make the dish without the grain. The veggies and sauce alone are really satisfying.
I'm Bananas Over All-Fruit Ice Cream
Did you know you can make ice cream out of frozen bananas? I knew it could be done, but for some silly reason I though I needed a Vitamix to make the magic happen. I'm still waiting patiently for my Vitamix to appear, but maybe it's a good thing I don't have one yet, so I can show you that you don't need to spend $500 on a blender just so you can make the world's easiest, and dare I say, most delightful ice cream.
Heavenly Vegan Hollandaise
Rick and I ate buckets of hollandaise last week, all in the name of research and good recipe development. Not exactly a terrible thing to have to do, and a whole lot healthier than if I were making the stuff out of butter and eggs. The recipe is ready to share, so in preparation for our Gluten Free March, here's a lovely sauce that can dress up darn near anything you choose to drown in it... I mean, serve it with. Test this recipe, and make any changes that suit you, so you'll have it ready to roll forevermore. Maybe a little more turmeric or lemon, or less salt, or even extra cashews in place of the tofu, for those who are anti-soy. (If you're not sure why you're anti-soy, re-visit my post from October of last year, What About Soy?) Every day's a holiday with hollandaise! Watch for my upcoming recipe for the fabulous Veggie Benny!
Guest Chef in My Kitchen (Curried Black Eyed Peas)
Rick used to do all the cooking around here, back when I was a beadmaker with my nose to the torch day in and day out. He still likes to cook, but I rarely let him into "my" kitchen anymore. That's just mean, right? So when he said he wanted to make his famous Curried Black Eyed Peas last night, I untied my apron and stepped to the other side of the counter, camera and notebook in hand. I think I'll let him cook more often.
Naked Cupcakes for Breakfast
I made cupcakes for my sweetie for Valentine's Day, and updated my old favorite recipe for Chocolate Black Bean Cupcakes to come up with this new version, which I think is even better. Like the original recipe, these have some rather odd ingredients, but don't be afraid. They're totally delicious, and incidentally, full of healthy goodness. I replaced the oil with apple sauce, so they're now much lower in fat. And I replaced the expensive maple syrup with organic cane sugar, making them much more economical to throw together. I also added a little bit of raspberry jam to the middle of each cake for an extra something special. The frosting is a sweet, rich "buttercream," made with cashews instead of the traditional (vegan) butter. These are excellent even without frosting too. Maybe good for a special post-Valentine's breakfast, hmm?
Everyday Dressing
It was a busy weekend, so all I have for you today is a salad dressing. But maybe you need a little nudge to eat more greens, hmm? Even though the weather is still cold, Rick and I have a big salad for lunch almost every day. Eat salad, be happy!
Cashew Oyster Burgers
Don't panic, vegan friends - I'm talking about oyster mushrooms here! Burger week at my house has turned up two real winners - the Walnut Burgers from Monday, and these fabulously fishy (but not too fishy) patties. These were great on grainy buns with the usual trimmings, but I also think they'd make lovely little appetizer-sized oyster cakes or sliders.
Recipe Box Revival - and Walnut Burgers
Another Meatless Monday! Let's get this week started with some fun inspiration and something good to eat...
Another Meatless Monday! Let's get this week started with some fun inspiration and something good to eat...
Peanut Butter Banana Cookies
A cupful of dried banana chips that my grandson wouldn't eat were the inspiration for this recipe. I bet he'll go for the cookies!
Spinach-Mushroom Enchiladas
These are my favorite enchiladas yet, and can be made simple or extravagant, depending on how many of the ingredients you choose to make yourself. I'll give it to you both ways!
Green Chile
When asked the Official New Mexico Question, Red or Green?, meaning what kind of chile sauce do you want on your food, you can pick your favorite, or choose "Christmas" and sample both. I was a Green girl for years, but then switched over to Red for some reason. I got my Red Chile recipe down to the way we like it at our house, but somehow never got around to making a Green version. Well, I'm happy to report that I've taken care of that oversight, and have a nice, easy Green to share with you now.
When asked the Official New Mexico Question, Red or Green?, meaning what kind of chile sauce do you want on your food, you can pick your favorite, or choose "Christmas" and sample both. I was a Green girl for years, but then switched over to Red for some reason. I got my Red Chile recipe down to the way we like it at our house, but somehow never got around to making a Green version. Well, I'm happy to report that I've taken care of that oversight, and have a nice, easy Green to share with you now.
Subversive Veganism
I have a friend who keeps McDonald's gift certificates in her car, to give to people who ask her for money "for food." I like the idea, but obviously can't support a burger chain, so I've taken to carrying a peanut butter sandwich along with me when I go into town, just in case I run across someone who's hungry. All questions aside about whether the guy in the hardware store parking lot really wants food, or prefers cash for something less life affirming. I just want to be ready, without pause for judgement, when a fellow human asks me for help. I can offer food. And when I supply a simple meatless meal like a humble but wonderful PB and J, I'm doing two good things in one. First, I feed someone, which is one of the main things I think I'm here for, and then, by giving them plant based food, I also eliminate a potential meaty meal they might have eaten otherwise.
Salsa
There's really no reason to buy expensive tubs of salsa from the store when you can so easily make it yourself, fresh and wonderful, and spiced just the way you like it. Also known as pico de gallo ("rooster's beak" - hmmm), or salsa fresca, this is something I like to keep on hand most of the time. It's great as a dip, sure, but I also like it on salads, nachos, pizzas, and even as a zippy bruschetta topping.
Tomato Bruschetta
Bruschetta is one of those things that doesn't really need a recipe, but if you've never made it, it helps to have a little nudge in the right direction. You can use all sorts of things for toppings, like tomatoes, mushrooms, beans, or any other veggies you might have on hand. I made this garlicky tomato version last night, and when a friend walked in the door, she sniffed the air and said, Mmmmmm, smells like a pizza place in here. That's always a good thing.
Cream of Mushroom Soup
This is an elegant soup, perfect for a first course when you want to show off without working too hard. Or go for a great big bowl full and call it dinner, because a little taste just might not be enough.
Cream of Broccoli Soup
We go through a lot of broccoli around here, but usually the pretty little tops are what get used in stir-frys and such, leaving the stalks feeling unloved. My dogs come begging for them, but there's really only so much broccoli you should feed a dog... if you know what I mean. My solution is to save up three or four bunches worth of stalks, and make soup out of them. I love how nothing goes to waste, and we get a beautiful, creamy, slightly cheesy soup out of the deal. Don't worry - Lucy and Heidi get plenty of snacks.
This is a very mildly flavored soup, so it's perfect to serve to someone who doesn't really care for broccoli. If you have whole broccoli, florets and all, by all means use it. You'll get more brocco-flavor, and a greener color too.
This is a very mildly flavored soup, so it's perfect to serve to someone who doesn't really care for broccoli. If you have whole broccoli, florets and all, by all means use it. You'll get more brocco-flavor, and a greener color too.
Spicy Cashew Cheese Spread
I decided to jazz up my Basic Nut Cheese recipe for New Year's Eve, and this is what resulted - a super smooth, cheesy spread that tastes a lot like a slightly spicy, smoky cheddar. Spread it on crackers, layer it in a sandwich, or thin is down with nut milk to make a cheese sauce for pasta. The use of soaked cashews instead of the original almond pulp is what gives this version its wonderful creaminess.
Banana Blueberry Muffins
Happy New Year! Let's start the year with something nice for breakfast.
Mini Meatloaves
We have family coming for Christmas, and of course I want to make a feast they'll remember - in a good way. These fine folks are all omnis on their own time, and they know they'll be fed vegan-style here. I don't know if they're dreading it in any way. I hope not. But my plan is to absolutely wow them with everything I cook. I decided to test two recipes last night, for sort of a preview feast. I actually considered making both of these for our Christmas dinner, but quickly realized I'd better narrow it down to one. The question was, which one? These are both beautiful, and both delicious, but the real deciding factor had to be, Which one would meat eaters prefer? Two bites into our sampler plates, Rick and I looked up at the same time and said, Meatloaf! You know it's not meat-meatloaf, right? Duh. This one is a crowd pleaser.
Jam Filled Thumbprint Cookies
I mentioned this recipe last holiday season, but gave you sort of a wonky rendition, with a link to the original. When I went back to make these the other day, I found it a pretty unworkable recipe mish-mash, so I decided to nail it down to what really works, and share it with you again. I love an easy to follow recipe, don't you? These little jammy nuggets are just delightful, during the holidays, or any old time of year. (Here's my original post, which includes the recipe I adapted to get to this version.)
Baked Hummus
Here's a quick and easy appetizer you can toss together on short notice. If you're like me, you almost always have a vat of hummus in the fridge. If not, you can whip some up in no time. It's well worth the effort to make your own. In a real pinch, buy some hummus at the store. Nobody will judge you. I made this on a whim the other night, just to see if it would be any good. We finished every bit of it, and we ended up calling it dinner. The hot hummus has a cheesy richness that's oh so satisfying. Mmmmm...
Pumpkin Muffins
I had several small pumpkins from the farmers market that I had been using as decoration for Thanksgiving. They were starting to get a little soft, so it was time to bake them and use them... for something. I found a promising looking recipe on Hell Yeah It's Vegan for pumpkin bread, and thought I'd see what I could do with it. I made one batch exactly by the recipe, and baked it as a loaf. Good. Hell Yeah. But you know how I feel about oil, so I started mixing again, this time leaving out the oil and simply subbing extra pumpkin for the oil. I baked this batch as muffins, and then called in my taste testers, who are always so wonderfully willing to help me out. The muffins were a little bit more dense than the loaf, but they tasted almost exactly the same, except for the rather oily undertone I noticed in the loaf. I know it's largely my palate that picks up (and doesn't love) oil in foods. I'm so used to not having it, it no longer makes my mouth happy. But I think some people might prefer the more traditional mouth feel of a bit of oil in their muffins. For the original recipe, click here. For my version, read on.
Green of Mushroom Soup
I know it's a weird sounding name, but it's exactly what it is, green, and mushroomy - and really, really good. I don't know about you, but around here, if I make a pot of amazing soup, and offer salad to go with it, nobody ever wants the salad. I'm determined to get those wonderful dark, leafy greens into us somehow, so adding them to the soup makes sense.
Ethiopian Soda Bread
I have lots of recipes for Irish Soda Bread, which is usually made with wheat flour. This recipe is my own round-up of the best bits of several recipes, with the unexpected switch to gluten free teff and rice flours, and a nice delicate crunch from the toasted millet. I don't think there's anything at all traditionally Ethiopian about this bread, but because it's made with teff flour, the key ingredient in the wonderful Ethiopian flat bread called injera, this loaf seems more Ethiopian than Irish to me. It's dense and hearty, and great with soups and stews, and best of all, it's quick and easy to make.
Cauliflower Pizza Crust
How is it I wonder, that I am the very last person on the planet to hear about cauliflower pizza crust? Well okay, maybe not the very last, but still. When my friend Eleanore asked me if I'd tried it yet, I went straight to Google and checked it out, only to find a bazillion recipes for the stuff, and even better, no two recipes quite alike. And as luck would have it, I just happened to have a lonely little cauliflower in the fridge at that very moment, which I was planning to use for dinner, but had no idea what to do with. Wee Ha! Another excuse for a Random Pizza Night!
Thanksgiving Critique
I cooked all day yesterday. Wouldn't have it any other way. So here, as promised, is the full menu, along with recipes... and opinions. It was sort of an informal Thanksgiving for us, so that left room to experiment, with some success, and some not-so-much-success.
Lentil Stew
Sometimes it's fun to skip a trip to the store, and just go through the fridge to see what wants to be made into dinner. This warming pot-full of goodness was inspired by a bag of regular old green lentils and a few stray vegetables that needed to be used. As with most stews, feel free to use whatever you have on hand. The ingredients and quantities here are only suggestions, and while the surprising Secret Ingredient in this is sesame tahini, if you don't happen to have any, don't make a special trip to the market. Your stew will still be good without it.
Oil-Free Hummus
How is it, that after over a year here with this blog, I have not posted a recipe for hummus? Maybe it's such a vegan staple I assumed everyone already knew how to make it. Not so, right? Some people look at me like I'm loco when I suggest that hummus doesn't only come from little plastic containers in the store. Yes, we certainly can make our own, and it's so much better and cheaper and healthier.
Roasted Red Pepper Bisque
A "bisque" is traditionally a creamy seafood soup, but these days you'll see the term used for any creamy soup, whether or not it contains crustaceans. This lovely-hot-creamy-soupy-bisquey delight came to me in sort of a waking dream, and demanded that I make it right away. I obeyed, and all present were well rewarded.
Frito Pie
I have to admit, Frito Pie is a pretty brilliant idea. Corn chips and chili, with assorted toppings just make for a friendly little meal in my book. Besides, it's a great way to use up the last of that giant vat of 3 Bean Chili you made last week. I know Frito Pie is a popular dish in the south and southwestern parts of this country, but I'd never heard of it until we moved to Taos. Most of the Frito Pies we see around here are awful little things, made from canned chili, and served in styrofoam bowls for $1 at church bazaars and car washes. I've even heard of the "walking taco," which is actually made inside a mini bag of Fritos. Oh, Dear Holy Mother of Good Things to Eat, save us from these culinary atrocities. Amen. Here is the answer to my prayer...
Good Morning Miso
When it's cold and stormy outside, sometimes a frozen fruit smoothie just isn't appealing. I find that my tastes change with the seasons, and in winter, I like a nice hot breakfast. This mean, green, hot "smoothie" is really more of a soup because it's heated after blending. It's full of good greens and soothing miso, and it's equally tasty from a mug or a bowl on a frosty morning.
3 Bean Chili
Unlike my Red Chile recipe, which is a sauce, this is the kind of chile-with-an-i that pretty much came out of a can when I was a kid. Rich, thick, and beany, and totally non-carne, it's well worth the bit of extra effort it takes to make it yourself. While chili is not exactly a soup, it's kind of in the soup family, like a cousin maybe, and it's another big bowl of comfort that's easy to throw together on a chilly night... pun intended. I've been tweaking this recipe for years, and I'm really happy with it now. My two special secrets for this are to roast the spices in the beginning, and to add the beer instead of water or more broth. Both lend a lot of depth to the flavor of the finished chili.
Smoky Bean Soup
A week with no blogging events feels a little empty after October's crazy-busy activity, but at least we have Meatless Monday. I'm going to be leaning more heavily into soups for a while. As the weather gets colder, and the days get shorter (or at least feel that way), there's nothing better than a comforting bowl of soup by the fire, is there?
Apple Pie Pancakes
Happy Halloween! It's also the last day of Vegan MoFo, which was a ton of fun for me, and really got me into a regular writing habit. I'll probably go to three days a week from here on, with some more videos sprinkled in for fun. Tomorrow is the Virtual Vegan Potluck. I'm really excited about this because I'll be joining over 100 other bloggers in a long chain of posts that will take us from appetizers to dessert. I'm bringing Spring Rolls, and I've also done a little video on how to roll perfect spring rolls every time. You'll be making these with your eyes closed before long!
Happy Halloween! It's also the last day of Vegan MoFo, which was a ton of fun for me, and really got me into a regular writing habit. I'll probably go to three days a week from here on, with some more videos sprinkled in for fun. Tomorrow is the Virtual Vegan Potluck. I'm really excited about this because I'll be joining over 100 other bloggers in a long chain of posts that will take us from appetizers to dessert. I'm bringing Spring Rolls, and I've also done a little video on how to roll perfect spring rolls every time. You'll be making these with your eyes closed before long!
Dog Treats
We're almost done with Vegan MoFo, and wow, it's gone by quickly! In preparation for my next little adventure, the Virtual Vegan Potluck, I've done a short video - on how to make vegan dog treats. It's almost Halloween, and no doubt you'll have plenty of treats of your own, so how about whipping up a little something for your favorite pup? If you don't have a dog, make some for your friend's dogs, or take some to the shelter, or have them ready for trick-or-treating canines that wander the streets with their pet children.
Red Chile
The official state question here in New Mexico is, "Red or Green?" You'll most likely hear it in a restaurant, and they'll be asking whether you want red or green chile on your food. If you can't decide, ask for "Christmas," and have some of both. Chile is not the same as chili. It's a sauce, and doesn't have beans in it. Sometimes it has meat (boo!), but ask your server, just to be sure, or make your own. There are as many recipes for red chile (and green) as there are cooks who make it. Here's mine.
Cheesy Basil Salad Dressing
This dressing is Rick's favorite. It's rich and thick, and I like it mixed with Kim's Favorite Salad Dressing. It keeps in the fridge for a week or more.
Kim's Favorite Salad Dressing
We have a big salad for lunch almost every day, and of course I make my own salad dressings. Rick prefers the creamy-nutty-cheesy dressings, but I like to keep it a little lighter, so I keep this one on hand all the time. Use a good Dijon mustard, like Annie's organic, which is my favorite. In my opinion, Dijon mustard is God's gift to salad dressing. This dressing is really pretty, and extra delicious, if you add a handful of fresh basil to the blend. Wish I had some for this batch.
Roasted Root Vegetables
This can be made with any root veggies you like. This week there was an abundance of beets, carrots, and potatoes at the farmer's market, so that's what I used, along with herbs from my own little garden.
Gomasio
Gomasio (go-ma-shio) is a wonderful Japanese condiment, made simply from sea salt and sesame seeds. I add seaweed to mine for added nutrients and flavor. It's good on just about anything, including salads, stir-fries, popcorn, and our favorite, Avocado-Tomato English Muffins. It’s tastier and less salty than salt alone, and has the added bonus of calcium-loaded sesame seeds.
Almond Creamer
This recipe is very similar to the Basic Nut Milk recipe, except it has less water, making a thicker, richer, creamier milk that tastes just heavenly in tea or coffee. I started making this when I bought a NutriBullet, which has a much smaller volume than a regular blender. You can still make this in your blender though. No need to buy a new kitchen appliance.
Pasta Alfredo Primavera
I have a funny story about alfredo sauce... Years ago, I used to make it with butter, cheese, and heavy whipping cream. It was lethal, but of course everybody loved it. I gave the recipe to a fellow cocktail waitress at Harrah's Tahoe, and she was all excited to make it for a party. She came back to work the next day looking sort of perplexed. She said it tasted... weird... Expanding on her story, she went step by step through how she had made the recipe, and then said, "It was all fine until I added the Cool Whip..."
Chocolate Raspberry Chia Seed Pudding
Chocolate and raspberries... oh yes please. Make this with fresh or frozen raspberries for a really special treat. This is a versatile pudding that can be changed in endless ways. Take a look at the variations below, and feel free to come up with some of your own. You really can't go wrong.
Green Chile Stew
It's chile season in New Mexico, the perfect time to make a nice big batch of Green Chile Stew. Of course it's extra good in the colder winter months, so I always stock up on chiles for the freezer. If you can't get fresh roasted green chiles where you are, don't despair. You can often find them in the freezer section of large markets, and even the canned ones will make a very fine stew.
Portobello Margherita Pizzas
It's Meatless Monday again. Wonderful! This tasty dinner features big, "meaty" portobello mushrooms, so it's a good one for those who are hesitant to give up animal meat. My cousin sent me a picture of this dish, asking if I'd ever made these pretty little pizzas. I hadn't, but I made them for dinner that very night, and they were a huge hit. Find the original recipe at the Barefoot Baker.
Millet Cornbread
Is there anything more wonderful than cornbread? I don't know. Maybe. But I sure do love the stuff. This recipe is adapted from the one found in Vegan World Fusion, by Mark Reinfeld and Bo Rinaldi. I've made some ingredient changes, and rounded off the measurements, because I just can't be bothered with things like half-tablespoons. It works great. This is a moist, slightly sweet cornbread, with a nice little crunch added by the toasted millet. My version has no oil, no soy, and no gluten, but you'd never know it by tasting it. This bread disappears as fast as I make it.
Winner's Gumbo
I heard a song the other day called, Loser's Gumbo. A twisted little tune about cock fighting, and how the loser always goes into the gumbo at the establishment in the song. Yeah, kind of icky. But it gave me the name for my own version of the terrific veggie gumbo I had at Disneyland after finishing my first half marathon last month. I felt like a winner for sure, and this was the perfect celebration meal.
Not My Mom's Apple Pie
Happy Meatless Monday! I'm so excited to start Vegan MoFo today, which means Vegan Month of Food. As a participant, I've agreed to write at least 20 blog posts during the month of October. I'm ready for the challenge, and actually have a pocket full of posts already written. Most of them are recipes, while a few are Deep Vegan Thoughts or Helpful Vegan Tips. This project is really inspiring to me, and I hope that having easy access to not only my blog, but so many other vegan blogs in one place will inspire you too. Check out the Vegan MoFo site for more details and a complete list of bloggers, and come back here every day to see what new wonderfulness I have for you. Now let's start this off with some dessert! xoxo Kim
Happy Meatless Monday! I'm so excited to start Vegan MoFo today, which means Vegan Month of Food. As a participant, I've agreed to write at least 20 blog posts during the month of October. I'm ready for the challenge, and actually have a pocket full of posts already written. Most of them are recipes, while a few are Deep Vegan Thoughts or Helpful Vegan Tips. This project is really inspiring to me, and I hope that having easy access to not only my blog, but so many other vegan blogs in one place will inspire you too. Check out the Vegan MoFo site for more details and a complete list of bloggers, and come back here every day to see what new wonderfulness I have for you. Now let's start this off with some dessert! xoxo Kim
Peachy Pancakes
I picked up some peaches at the farmers market the other day. Since they're possibly the last of the season, I felt I needed to do something a little more special with them than just stuff them in my face. Sunday morning pancakes seemed like a good way to go, and I was right. These cakes were face-stuffing good.
Apple Tarts
My dear friend just had a birthday, and I had the pleasure of making dinner for her party. It was a little tricky, because she's been on a yeast-free diet for a couple of weeks, and that leaves out a lot of foods. I was up for the challenge though, and it was really a lot of fun for me. Dinner itself was fairly simple. We had bean tacos, with sprouted corn tortillas, refried beans, calabacitas (squash), avocado, lettuce, tomato, and salsa. We all loved how such an uncomplicated dish could be so complex in favors, and so satisfying, plus it was easy for everyone to customize their own plate. I'll make them again soon and show you how good they are. We ate it all up before I thought to take a picture.
Veganizing Katie Couric's Lemon Bars
A friend recently gave me a recipe for Katie Couric's Lemon Bars, which look really beautiful, but are filled with eggs, butter, white flour, and regular sugar - all things I won't eat. But I love lemon bars, and I wanted to make some so I decided to see if I could veganize Katie's recipe. They came out great, and are ever so much healthier for all concerned than the originals. This really encourages me to take on a project I've been thinking of for a while - veganizing Julia Child! I think that would be really fun.
the Gear (and GoGo Bites!)
I closed up my bead business yesterday. After almost 16 years, I was done. That's it. There are longer explanations, but what's important here is now I have time to do what I consider to be my real work - making beautiful vegan food, and helping other people learn how to eat better and get healthier. If you're curious about the job I've just quit, you can visit my bead website at KimMiles.com. I know some people think I'll go back to beadmaking as a career. I hope they aren't holding their breath or betting large sums of money on that. I don't believe in going back. Only in going forward.
Those Beautiful Spring Rolls
I'm getting a lot of requests for the recipe, and while I want to oblige, I can only give you part of it. I don't mean to be all weird and mysterious, but I kind of have to. I learned this really wonderful technique for making the spring rolls from Mark Reinfeld of Vegan Fusion. He specifically asked that we not share the technique online, and I have to respect that. But assuming that many of you already have your own way of making spring rolls, I can tell you what's inside of these. If you don't know how to roll up a spring roll, there are lots of YouTube videos on how to do it. I've watched a lot of them, and I really do know a better way, which I hope I'll get permission to share with you at some point. For now, here's all you get!
I'm getting a lot of requests for the recipe, and while I want to oblige, I can only give you part of it. I don't mean to be all weird and mysterious, but I kind of have to. I learned this really wonderful technique for making the spring rolls from Mark Reinfeld of Vegan Fusion. He specifically asked that we not share the technique online, and I have to respect that. But assuming that many of you already have your own way of making spring rolls, I can tell you what's inside of these. If you don't know how to roll up a spring roll, there are lots of YouTube videos on how to do it. I've watched a lot of them, and I really do know a better way, which I hope I'll get permission to share with you at some point. For now, here's all you get!
Taos Caesar Salad
We had a salad similar to this at the Grand Canyon several years ago, and it's become a staple in our house. We've changed it quite a bit along the way, making it even healthier and more delicious, so now I call it a Taos Caesar, because it's very much at home here.
Carrot Cake Breakfast Pudding
Happy Meatless Monday! Want One Good Reason to go vegan today, even if it's just for today? It's my birthday, and I'd be ever so happy if you'd spend even one meatless day with me! Breakfast is always a good place to start, and what's a better birthday breakfast than cake? This Carrot Cake Breakfast Pudding is sort of a cross between the pancakes I made last week, and a hot rice cereal I had once on the Oregon coast. It's fast and easy to make, especially if you have some leftover rice in the fridge, and it's packed with get-you-going goodness. Serve this like any hot cereal, with non-dairy milk, and maybe some extra maple syrup. There's no added fat in the recipe, so maybe you'll want to add a little bit of Earth Balance "butter," although I don't think you'll need it.
Carrot Pancakes
Most of the time we have simple, quick breakfasts, but on Sundays I try to do something more special. I just got the book, Everyday Happy Herbivore, by Lindsay S. Nixon, and I have to say, it's my favorite of the moment. It's beautiful for starters, with lots and lots of color pictures. The recipes are quick and simple to make, and everything is fat-free or low-fat, so I don't have to figure out how to remove fats and oils from the recipes. Oh, happy day! Lindsay's original recipe for Carrot Cake Pancakes is in the book. Buy it for all the goodness you'll find packed inside.
Eggless Salad
I thought I posted this recipe some time back, but I can't find it. Oh well! It's good enough to make over and over again, and it changes a little bit every time I make it. This time it was for our little Father's Day picnic by the Rio Grande. Rick, the resident dad/grandpa around here, requested eggless salad sandwiches, and since I'm cooking with so little oil and fat these days, I didn't mind going for a touch of mayo on a special day. Little man Jacob liked the "sammies" too.
One Good Reason (Chocolate Mousse Tarts)
Want One Good Reason to go vegan? How about dessert? Because vegan treats are made without butter or other animal products, they contain zero cholesterol, much more nutrition, and far less guilt. These Chocolate Mousse Tarts are a combination of two recipes. The shells are adapted from a recipe in Where Women Cookmagazine (March April May 2012), for Raspberry Lemon Creme Tarts, and the filling is from a Chocolate Ganache Pie recipe in The 30-Minute Vegan. They're great to make in hot weather, because there's no baking! This is a super healthy, semi-raw dessert that's really easy to make, but looks fancy enough to impress your favorite people.
Tofu Feta - It's Greek to Me
When you kick dairy out of your diet, most people say the hardest thing to give up is cheese. It sure was for me, but I can say in all honesty that the only time I really miss it is when I'm under a lot of stress. It makes sense, doesn't it, that I'd crave the soothing opiates found in cheese, in times of turmoil? Fortunately, turmoil is a pretty rare thing in my life, and I don't give in to the cheese urge even then, because I know how crappy it would really make me feel.
Buddha Bowl
Up until recently, stir-fries were one of our easy go-to dinners. It's good to have a few of those, for nights you don't want to read recipes or figure out something new. But now I'm not using much oil in my cooking (like none at all in the last week), and I'm not sure how to manage a dry stir-fry in a cast iron pan. The solution is actually pretty simple. Steam some vegetables instead of stirring them, put them over rice or quinoa, and add a killer sauce. The result is a favorite I've had in restaurants lots of times - a Buddha Bowl. It's delicious, simple, and comforting, and really versatile too. Make different sauces, add tofu or tempeh, use all sorts of different veggies, and any kind of grain you like. This is my new "stir-fry."
Happy Pig Chocolate Chip Cookies
I don't bake often, but I've been on kind of a cookie kick lately. Rick is very happy about this. I was shopping online for a cookie jar the other day, because I thought it was just wrong to not have one, and I fell in love with a sweet vintage pig cookie jar on eBay. I don't really want a vintage pig cookie jar, because things tend to get broken around here, and just about anything vintage is simply too much responsibility... and too expensive, as it turns out, in the case of piggy cookie jars. I did a little scouting, and came up with a website offering replicas of all sorts of vintage kitchen things, and that's where I found my pig. I think she's just beautiful, and I can't wait for her to arrive. Get yours at Storybook Ceramics.
I don't bake often, but I've been on kind of a cookie kick lately. Rick is very happy about this. I was shopping online for a cookie jar the other day, because I thought it was just wrong to not have one, and I fell in love with a sweet vintage pig cookie jar on eBay. I don't really want a vintage pig cookie jar, because things tend to get broken around here, and just about anything vintage is simply too much responsibility... and too expensive, as it turns out, in the case of piggy cookie jars. I did a little scouting, and came up with a website offering replicas of all sorts of vintage kitchen things, and that's where I found my pig. I think she's just beautiful, and I can't wait for her to arrive. Get yours at Storybook Ceramics.
Avocado-Orange Salad Dressing
It's been coming at me from all directions for some time now, the idea that oils - even the "good" oils like olive and coconut - are not actually all that good for us. I've felt that as vegans, we leave enough out of our food already - all that yucky animal fat and cholesterol - that cooking with olive oil couldn't be a bad thing. I think perhaps I've been fooling myself, because adding fat to food, is, well, fattening. Want some convincing? Watch this short video from Jeff Novick. It'll make you think.
Eating With Friends - Beanloaf and Gravy
I've been thinking about putting together a class called something like, "A Vegan is Coming to Dinner. Help! What Do I Feed It?" I think there are lots of people out there who have new vegans in their lives, whether it's friends, or co-workers, or kids coming home from college. It can be confusing, I know. And I think a simple one or two day class could do a lot to fill in some of the blanks for people who are used to centering a meal around a piece of meat.
Mediterranean Beans and Greens
I'm leaving for Seattle tomorrow, and starting the Vegan Fusion Cooking Immersion and Teacher Training on Monday. I'm so excited! I signed up for this months ago, and thought April would never get here. I'm also thrilled and honored to have received the Healthy Recipe Award from VegOnline.org (see it to the right). This came in today, just as I'm heading off to cooking school, so I take it as a real sign of Cosmic Encouragement! Here's one more recipe before I hit the road. I'll be blogging from Seattle, so keep checking in, or subscribe by email. Enjoy!
I'm leaving for Seattle tomorrow, and starting the Vegan Fusion Cooking Immersion and Teacher Training on Monday. I'm so excited! I signed up for this months ago, and thought April would never get here. I'm also thrilled and honored to have received the Healthy Recipe Award from VegOnline.org (see it to the right). This came in today, just as I'm heading off to cooking school, so I take it as a real sign of Cosmic Encouragement! Here's one more recipe before I hit the road. I'll be blogging from Seattle, so keep checking in, or subscribe by email. Enjoy!
Cashew Caesar Salad Dressing
The weather is warming, the birds are nesting, the daffodils are blooming, and it feels like a good time to start eating more salads. Actually, we eat salad almost every day for lunch. It keeps things simple, and gives us lots of raw fresh veggie goodness without much effort. The trick is to keep the Daily Salad interesting, and that means changing up the ingredients, as well as the dressing. I've come up with a terrific Cashew Caesar Salad Dressing that can easily be varied with some simple additions. The cashews give it a nice thick creamy richness, plus they're good for your heart, and also help to overcome depression. Not bad for a humble nut.
Red Curry Lentil Soup
Happy Spring! Dang, it's cold outside! Here in the high desert/southern Rockies of Taos, NM, it looks and feels like winter all over again, with snow and wind and cold, cold air. But the prairie dogs have surfaced, and although they look a little perplexed by the snow, they're still a sure sign that warmer weather will be here soon. Meanwhile, we still need good warming, comforting meals to take the chill off. This Red Lentil Curry Soup is thick and rich and beautiful to look at. My recipe calls for red lentils and red curry paste, but you can also make it with those cute little greenish French lentils and green curry paste.
Tofu Chilaquiles
Most mornings around here, it's all about the smoothie, but Sunday is the perfect day for a special breakfast. I had some Easy Mexican Mole Sauce in the fridge from the other day, as well as a few corn tortillas, a block of tofu, and some bits of vegetables that needed to be used up. The obvious thing to make? Tofu Chilaquiles, of course.
Easy Mexican Mole Sauce
I've been eating a lot of salads lately. It's part of my "training" for the half marathon I'm signed up to run in September. I used to be a big grain eater, but I've shifted over to mostly vegetables, with some fruit, some "pseudo grains", like quinoa and wild rice, and very little actual grain at all. I sort of miss my rice english muffins in the mornings, but I can live without them. It's very early in the training, but I'm acting "as if" until I actually look and feel and move more like an athlete.
Crispy Kale Snacks
I've been seeing recipes for Crispy Kale, or Kale Chips, all over the internet, and in several of my cookbooks. I thought they might be a good substitute for my favorite vegan junk food, those wonderful-awful sea salt and black pepper potato chips. I call them "crack chips." Needless to say, I try to stay away from them.
Hummaganoush
I love hummus, and I also love babaganoush. The last time I made them, when there was just a little bit of each left at the end of the evening, I mixed them together, and hey! - I liked the blend of the two even better than either one on its own. I decided on the spot that this was something worth doing regularly, but what to call it? I came up with two names - Hummaganoush, and Babaganummus. I use them both, but if pressed to make a choice, I'd go with Hummaganoush, because how often do you get to say "ganoush" in this life? Not often enough, says me, and saying it just makes me happy.
Burrito Night
It seems like I'm busier than ever these days. Aren't we all? I used to have more time to invent and experiment in the kitchen every day, but now... well not so much. But rather than beat myself up over coming up with something new for dinner every night, I've let it be okay to have a few favorites that we go back to often. The Big Three, I call them, and we always have the makings for one or more of them in the house. I can change them up with different vegetables, spices, or sauces, and they're all quick to make.
Everyday Kung Pao
Whenever I start chopping vegetables for a stir-fry, which is often, Rick looks at me hopefully, and asks, Kung Pao??? He's so sweet, I hate to say no, but the truth is, my recipe for Kung Powerful Tempeh is a bit labor intensive for a work night. What Rick is really asking for is the flavor of the spicy sauce, and the crunch of peanuts. By swapping out the tempeh for tofu, and skipping the marinating step, this can be a much simpler, faster dish to make. Just mix up the sauce ingredients, chop whatever veggies you have on hand, and make a batch of rice, or stir-fry some leftover rice in with the veggies. A quicker alternative to making rice is to throw on a pot of quinoa. Not only is it a complete protein, it cooks in about 15-20 minutes and tastes great wherever rice is normally used.
Orange and Green Smoothie
My smoothie kick continues. If you're new to smoothies, and wonder why they might be better than juices, my personal opinion is, you get the whole food, including all that lovely fiber, from smoothies. Juicing is tedious to me, and takes so much fruit or veggies to squeeze out just a smidge of juice, and then you're left with all that discarded pulp to deal with. I know there are wonderful health benefits in drinking the concentrated nutrients found in fresh juices, but when I want food, as in for breakfast, when I'm hungry and need fuel, I'll take a nice thick smoothie over juice any day.
Easy Green Smoothie
Did you know that when you drink your greens raw, you get way more of the nutrients than if you cook them and chew them up? It makes sense, but somehow you have to make it taste good if you're going to get it down. There's a lot of, uh, "buzz" out there about green smoothies. In fact there are entire books devoted to them. I'll look into that, but it seems kind of excessive to me. Around here, we like to keep things simple, you know. So in addition to our favorite English Muffin & Avocado breakfast, we've been making morning smoothies with some simple, basic ingredients that are easy to keep around. They're filled with truly super foods that will make your body grin from within, and keep you going all morning. And while you'll get a good dose of green goodness, what you'll taste is the fruit.
Paul's Corn Pudding
We had a few friends over for New Year's Eve, and decided on a Taco Bar, so everyone could put their food together the way they wanted it. We had spicy black beans, rice, guacamole, lettuce, tomato, Daiya cheese, and a couple of salsas, with organic corn tortillas. As a side dish, I made Paul Graham's Vegan Corn Pudding, which he recently posted on his blog, Eating Vegan in Vegas. The tacos were good. Really good. But the corn pudding stole the show.
Tortilla Pizzas
There aren't very many of you here yet, but I want to thank you for reading, and for encouraging this new little blog project of mine. Some of you have told me that I'm inspiring you to add some healthy vegan meals to you diet, even if you aren't totally vegan (yet!). This makes my heart sing! In the coming year, I plan to bring you lots more great food, and plenty of good reasons to go vegan, one meal at a time. The more you do it, the better you'll feel, and the better off our beloved planet will be. It's all baby steps, and I'm especially proud of those of you who are bravely exploring something so new to you, even though your families might think you're crazy. Keep going! You're doing great!
Middle Eastern Feast
Christmas dinner at our house was unusual this year. I decided to go with a Middle Eastern Feast, since I just took a terrific Middle Eastern cooking class, and given the location of the first Christmas, it seemed fitting. I kept it "simple," because there were only four of us for dinner that night, but it still took me all day to prepare everything. I lose a lot of my kitchen efficiency when there are friends around to distract me, which is just the way I like it, as long as nobody is in a hurry to be fed. I made three "sauces" - Tahina, Baba Gannouj, and Hoummos, a beautiful layered lentil dish called Megadara Koshari, and Arab Salad. And for dessert, my first-ever go at Baklava. It was all...wonderful.
Date Balls
This is a recipe my mom got from Aunt Camy back in the 50's, and made every year at Christmas. It's still a family favorite, and if I don't make these in December, I'm in big trouble. It was easy to veganize this recipe, and honestly, nobody can tell the difference.
Sagey-Nut Paté
This one came to me in my sleep, and it must be good because when I had Rick and a friend sample it last night, they both got this dreamy little look on their faces. My original thought was to stuff ravioli with this, but I don't have the equipment (or patience) for that, so I stuffed some mushrooms instead. What a great little appie for your holiday get-togethers. I can also see it schmeared on bread and popped under the broiler, or used in a sandwich with grilled veggies or even faux lunch meat and some crisp lettuce. You might thin it with some nut milk and make a lovely, rich sauce for pasta, or serve it as a dip with a plate of raw vegetables. It's especially good with celery. There are loads of possibilities for this stuff, but let's start with the paté itself, and stuff a few baby portobellos.
Vegetable Fried Rice with Tofu
This is one of the first things I learned to cook back in my earliest vegan days. I wanted restaurant-tasting fried rice, but I also wanted it to have some serious veggies in it. The measurements are approximate. The idea is to have at least as much "stuff" as rice, which is kind of backwards from how restaurants tend to make fried rice. This is fast and simple to fix, and because it's easy to change it up, we still eat it at least a couple of times a week.
Thumbprint Cookies
It's cookie baking season, and I have a simple, fabulous recipe for you. A friend sent it to me from another website, so I'm just going to pop you over the kitchn for some festive little Life-Changing Vegan Thumbprints.
I'll add a few notes to the original recipe: I had some nut pulp in the fridge from my last batch of Nut Milk, so used it instead of chopping more almonds.
I'll add a few notes to the original recipe: I had some nut pulp in the fridge from my last batch of Nut Milk, so used it instead of chopping more almonds.
My friend Paul Graham posted a picture of something like this on his blog, Eating Vegan in Vegas, and since I can't dash off to Las Vegas to try all the restaurants he reviews, I decided to make my own version at home. I'll give you two different ways to make this amazing dish. Try which ever you like, given your time, and willingness to make a mess. Either way, it's just so good - rich and spicy with bits of sweetness... Heaven in a bowl.
the Feast - Part III
After a fabulous feast, you have to wait a while for dessert (sometimes I wait until the next day), but now it's time for something sweet! As I've said before, I'm not really much of a baker, and I find pies especially intimidating. Cobbler makes way more sense to me, so that's what I made for our Thanksgiving dessert. This is a combination of several recipes, including a favorite my Mom used to make.
the Feast - Part II
I'm back, with more recipes from my terrific Thanksgiving Feast. Today we have Mashed Cauliflower, Chipotle-Orange Cranberries, Sweet Potato Biscuits, and Spinach Salad. Let's go!
the Feast - Part I
This Thanksgiving was my first attempt at a major vegan spread. I spent three days shopping and cooking, so I took my time and prepped everything I could the day before the big meal. I had a fridge full of ziplock bags stuffed with chopped vegetables, and even went as far as to measure and bag the dry ingredients for the biscuits and cobbler. I knew I'd be distracted with family and friends in the kitchen, and wanted to be sure I could keep my place. I also have a big spiral notebook I write all my "working" recipes in. It's full of scribbles, notes, and changes. Without it, I'd never remember what I made last night, let alone a month ago. I wrote out the entire menu, and then gave each recipe a page of its own. It worked beautifully, and it never occurred to me as I planned all this that I might be taking on more than my kitchen could handle. I probably was, and even though I had a very good assistant, for a few minutes there I wondered how it was all going to come together. Then, in the last few minutes, the Kitchen Angels arrived, aprons on and hands washed, and miraculously, everything was ready to serve, all at the same time. I'm still kind of amazed.
More Power to You - Power Balls
I have my Vegan Thanksgiving Feast all planned, and will start the prep work today. I'm sure you've got your meal all figured out by now too, so I'll share my recipes after the holiday, and maybe you can use some of them later in the season. Meanwhile, we can all use some extra energy this time of year - quick bites of pure fuel that can keep us afloat on the busy days ahead. Store bought energy bars can be okay, but many of them are loaded with processed sugars, which are totally bad for us, and besides, they're ridiculously expensive. I got a version of the following recipe from my friends Kat & Kathleen, and proceeded to mess with it until it was super simple, and extra good. I call them Power Balls because they pack a real nutritional wallop, but best of all, they're a tasty treat.
I have my Vegan Thanksgiving Feast all planned, and will start the prep work today. I'm sure you've got your meal all figured out by now too, so I'll share my recipes after the holiday, and maybe you can use some of them later in the season. Meanwhile, we can all use some extra energy this time of year - quick bites of pure fuel that can keep us afloat on the busy days ahead. Store bought energy bars can be okay, but many of them are loaded with processed sugars, which are totally bad for us, and besides, they're ridiculously expensive. I got a version of the following recipe from my friends Kat & Kathleen, and proceeded to mess with it until it was super simple, and extra good. I call them Power Balls because they pack a real nutritional wallop, but best of all, they're a tasty treat.
Sweet Potato Biscuits
I have big plans for Thanksgiving this year. Some of the recipes can be trusted to improvisation on the big day, but there's one in particular I don't want to leave to chance. I'm not really a baker, and I want the Sweet Potato Biscuits to be perfect, so I decided to take them for a test drive. As it turns out, there was no need to worry. This is a simple, traditional biscuit recipe that takes no real "skill." If you can Measure Stuff and Stir Stuff, you can make these! They came out perfect the first time. So perfect, in fact, I made a second batch because my taste testers ate them all up and wanted more.
Portobello Mushroom Steaks
Pondering dinner options one night, Rick said, How about portobello burgers and sweet potato fries? Since my husband is still "vegan between parties," and we haven't been to any parties lately, I took this to mean he was in the mood for something on the "meaty side" of vegan. I agreed that sounded pretty good, and it would have been good, except that once I got going, I changed it all around to where it was more like a steak dinner, worthy of a good cabernet, than a mere burger bite with a beer.
Mac n' Cheese
We've talked about cheese before. It's the heroin of the dairy world, full of lovely, soothing opiates, and truly an addictive substance. Going vegan is easy in a lot of ways, but for lots of us, the most challenging when it comes to cheese. In my case, I mourned the loss of my beloved mac n' cheese, and then I started looking around for good vegan versions of this ultimate comfort food. There are hundreds of different riffs on vegan mac n' cheese out there. Everybody has their own idea of how to make it, and what it should taste like. I've seen endless recipes using either tofu or nuts. Almost all of them include nutritional yeast, which is the Secret Key to the Vegan Cheese Universe. It has that rich, smooth, nutty-cheesy flavor we crave, plus it's good for us.
Creamy Bean Soup
I make this soup all winter long, using various types of beans. It's rich and comforting, and simple to make, which is exactly what I want on a cold November night. I used black-eyed peas this time, but black beans, adzuki beans, or white beans are all good in this soup. If you use canned beans, it's quick to put together. If you cook your own beans, it takes longer, but tastes that much better.
I make this soup all winter long, using various types of beans. It's rich and comforting, and simple to make, which is exactly what I want on a cold November night. I used black-eyed peas this time, but black beans, adzuki beans, or white beans are all good in this soup. If you use canned beans, it's quick to put together. If you cook your own beans, it takes longer, but tastes that much better.
Sushi Made Simple
We had a few friends over last night, and I made Miso Happy Soup, which is always a hit. I wanted something fun and compatible to start with as a little appetizer, and my usual work-night nut-cheese & crackers or chips & guac from the local really good Mexican place just didn't seem right. I decided it was time to try making sushi, which was a little scary, but I'd helped a friend make some years and years ago, and figured I could work it out. I was right. It turned out beautiful and delicious! Everybody loved it, which always makes me so happy.
We had a few friends over last night, and I made Miso Happy Soup, which is always a hit. I wanted something fun and compatible to start with as a little appetizer, and my usual work-night nut-cheese & crackers or chips & guac from the local really good Mexican place just didn't seem right. I decided it was time to try making sushi, which was a little scary, but I'd helped a friend make some years and years ago, and figured I could work it out. I was right. It turned out beautiful and delicious! Everybody loved it, which always makes me so happy.
Eat Some Greens on Halloween
Happy Halloween! If you're just beginning your vegan journey, be sure to check the labels of your favorite treats. They can be tricky! My own favorite, candy corn, contains gelatin. So sad. And milk chocolate, of course, contains milk. We know from my recent post on TakingTheLongWayHome that there's some really good vegan chocolate out there, and I just found a recipe for vegan candy corn on The Urban Housewife. Wow! It's still loaded with sugary junk I don't normally eat, but it would be fun to make it for a special occasion, like today!
Sweet Black Beans with Fried Pineapple Kale Rice
This blog is becoming a collection of my favorite things to cook and eat. I've thought about writing a cookbook, but that was too overwhelming and mysterious a project. Essentially, I'm giving you a cookbook here, but you have to be patient and wait for the recipes to appear one at a time. Who knows - maybe one day it will magically find itself in a printed version. Until then, here's my next offering. I posted this recipe on my other blog a while back, but it belongs here too. Enjoy some Sweet Black Beans, which I think are especially good with Fried Pineapple Kale Rice.
Let's Go Grocery Shopping
I used to hate grocery shopping, but these days I see it all through different eyes. I love the food and the people I make it for, so it follows that I've also learned to love the process of shopping for it and preparing it. To me it's a creative outlet I'd been ignoring for years. So now when I head out to the market, I think of it as going out to buy Art Supplies.
Kung Powerful Tempeh
I'm a big fan simple one-bowl meals. They're often the easiest to make, and there's something so comforting about a beautiful bowl of everything-I-need resting in my hand. When I'm cooking for a party, I'll usually spend most of the day making several dishes, so everyone can mix and match the way they like. But for regular evenings at home, more often than not we'll go with easier one-bowl choices, which also happen to be our favorites.
I'm a big fan simple one-bowl meals. They're often the easiest to make, and there's something so comforting about a beautiful bowl of everything-I-need resting in my hand. When I'm cooking for a party, I'll usually spend most of the day making several dishes, so everyone can mix and match the way they like. But for regular evenings at home, more often than not we'll go with easier one-bowl choices, which also happen to be our favorites.
Shepherd's Pie
I've been pondering recipes for some hearty, "man-pleasing" dishes, because I know some of you are cooking for family members who would really rather be eating meat, but are humoring your vegan dabbling in hopes that you'll be over it soon. I want to help you win them over to the healthier, more compassionate Veg Side, so last night I made my first Shepherd's Pie. It was good, but not perfect, and it took a lot longer to make than I thought it would. I wasn't going to say anything about it at all, except that Rick really went kind of crazy for it (being vegan between parties), so I thought maybe you could modify it a bit and wow the omnivores in your life.
My Favorite Breakfast - Avocado English Muffin
Recipes don't always have to be recipes, and good, healthy, satisfying food doesn't have to be complicated. Today I'm sharing my favorite breakfast with you, and it's about as easy as it gets. In Rick's family, Avocado Toast is a tradition that goes back to his childhood in southern California, where avocado trees grew in everyone's backyard. There's something so simple and soothing about a friendly piece of whole grain toast, lightly buttered, and layered with sliced avocado and a little salt. Mmmm, you can keep the bacon and eggs. This is heaven to me.
UnStuffed Bell Peppers with Cheesy Wine Sauce
This is sort of a convoluted "recipe," but I'm presenting it this way so you can see how an idea sometimes evolves from dream-state to plate. I thought I was going to get to cook for a small group of vegans who are visiting the hotel Rick works for, and stuffed bell peppers were mentioned as something they wanted. I never really liked stuffed peppers as a kid, so haven't done much with them as an adult. It seemed like something worth trying, so I decided to sleep on it. A lot of times good ideas come to me in my sleep, and that's what happened here.
Kitchen Sink Enchiladas
Sometimes I plan ahead, and shop for a specific meal, and sometimes I just look in the fridge and make use of what I already have. That's my favorite way to cook. It's so... Tasajara...
Say Cheese! - Basic Nut Cheese
We saved the nut pulp from yesterday's Basic Almond Milk, and today we're going to make CHEESE out of it! I love the no-waste aspect of all this. The reward for being so green and handy in the kitchen is a really easy, super-delicious cheese spread that's as addictive as "real" cheese, but in a good way.
Milkless Monday - Basic Nut Milk
Maybe you're already meatless, but still include dairy in your diet. It's all baby steps, and I applaud every little step you take in making yourself, and the world, better. Remember, it took me years to get myself off dairy. And that is because cheese is truly addictive. The casein in milk contains honest-to-goodness opiates, which are concentrated in cheese. No wonder we love it so much. Hello, my name is Kim, and I am a recovering cheese-a-holic.
Chocolate Black Bean Cupcakes. Really.
I've been playing with this recipe for over a year, posting it once or twice along the way on my other blog. If you have those versions and love them, keep on using them. But I really think this version is perfection in a little paper baking cup, and I'll stop messing with it now.
Sweet Potato Dog Treats
It was suggested that I carry out the beginnings of a theme this week, and proclaim today Witchy Wednesday, since it's October and all. What would I make? SandWitches, of course! I love the idea, but I'm not prepared for that today. Maybe next week. Today I have a treat for your dogs that's not at all tricky to make.
Tasty Tofu Tuesday - Baked Marinated Tofu
Meatless Monday is so much fun, why not extend it to Tofu Tuesday? I've been wanting to try some baked marinated tofu for a while now, and today is the day.
Miso Happy Soup
I posted this recipe a while back on my other blog, Taking the Long Way Home, and it was even featured on BlogHer, where I also post now and then. I want it here too, because it's such a favorite in our house, and because it's so easy to make, and so adaptable. We've just wrapped up a long, busy weekend, with visiting family and friends. It was a whirlwind of fun and food, but today I'm tired, and hubby-dear has a nasty cold. It's a perfect day for an easy (and worthy) re-post, and to make a nice pot of this lovely, comforting soup.
Zucchini Noodles with Peanut Sauce
In my house, if I put peanut sauce on just about anything, my family will eat it. One of our daughters was staying with us for a while, and recently moved to her own place in town. Her parting words were, Let me know when you make that peanut sauce. I'll be over for dinner!
Eat Dessert First
Figs and Cashew Cream
Here's another bumper sticker that probably won't get me into trouble - Life is short - eat dessert first. I think an easy, wonderful dessert is a great place for us to start here, so here we go!
