It's official.

I know the holidays are here. It's gingerbread latte time.

Pumpkin soup. Mama & Papa.

We had the folks over for a fantastic harvest dinner tonight (complete with matching aprons).
Ten years ago when I first announced I was becoming a vegetarian, I dealt with quite a bit of skepticism...especially around the holidays. So much has changed and I feel so blessed that all these years later not only do they accept my decision, but it is embraced wholeheartedly! And they LOVE the food.

reflection.

This month has been one of indulgence, Fall has a way of bringing heavy rich foods into my life. Lately I've allowed myself to forget that one of the few things in my control is what I put into my body; and how what I consume directly affects the way I feel. A few months back I did a juice fast and really got in touch with how fantastic I felt when I made an effort to consume raw whole foods. So this is my commitment to myself to spend the extra time and effort to juice more often.

Maple Coconut Ice Cream with Coconut Bacon Crumble Topping...

I have a love affair with anything coconut...so this challenge is a little overwhelming.
A few years ago I discovered coconut milk ice cream and my life has not been the same. So, my first thought was "I HAVE TO MAKE COCONUT ICE CREAM!".
More recently, my sister discovered coconut "bacon" and constantly raves about it, so my second thought was "I HAVE TO MAKE COCONUT BACON"...so the only logical thing to do was combine these two desires..."I HAVE TO MAKE COCONUT ICE CREAM AND PUT COCONUT BACON ON TOP AND EAT IT ALLLLL!!!!!"

So here it is folks, a marriage made in heaven:

Maple Coconut Ice Cream:

2 cans coconut cream (14 ounce cans)
1/2 cup maple syrup
1/3 cup agave nectar
1 tsp coconut extract
1 tsp sea salt
2 1/2 tbs arrowroot powder
1 vanilla bean (just the seeds!)

Combine all ingredients in a sauce pan over medium heat and stir often until it begins to thicken. Once the mixture is thick and creamy, put it in the fridge to chill for a few hours.
Put the mixture into an ice cream machine and follow the directions for your particular machine.

Coconut Bacon:

1 cup dried coconut shreds (the thicker the better)
2 tbs soy sauce
1 tbs braggs liquid aminos
1 tbs maple syrup
1 tsp liquid smoke
vegetable oil for pan frying

Combine all ingredients until the coconut is sufficiently coated. Pan fry on high heat until brown and crispy!

Serve the Bacon over the ice cream & enjoy!

Drunken Noodles

I used to LOVE drunken noodles, but I have yet to have a decent vegan version. This comes close, but I still have a little work to do on it.
(I remember drunken noodles tasting a little bbq-y so I added some liquid smoke...interesting.)

Drunken Noodles with Tofu
Serves 4-6

Ingredients:
1 block extra firm tofu
vegetable oil for pan-frying
1 14 ounce bag rice noodles (the FAT ones)
4 cloves garlic- minced
3 thai chilies- diced
1 shallot- diced
1/2 cup chopped thai basil (I used regular sweet basil, it's all I had in the garden)
1 bell pepper-sliced
4 tomatoes- cut into wedges
sauce:
3 tbs soy sauce
2 tbs mushroom sauce (or vegan oyster sauce)
1 tbs sugar
1tsp liquid smoke

Prepare the rice noodles according to the package directions and set aside.
In a small bowl stir together all the sauce ingredients and set aside.
Slice the tofu into medium sized triangles and pan fry.
In a large frying pan saute shallots, once the shallots begin to get transparent add in the minced garlic, sliced bell peppers, basil, tomatoes and saute. Slowly add in cooked rice noodles stir, and cook on medium heat while adding in sauce until the whole mixture is evenly coated. Add tofu. Serve garnished with fresh tomatoes and basil. (Forgive me if I missed a few steps, I'm half asleep).

Oh, and can I just say...I AM SO EXCITED for the iron chef challenge...SOOO excited...coconut?

Home Sweet Home

I just got back home after a fantastic vacation. I'm exhausted, but excited to get back to my routine...and back in the kitchen. Puerto Rico was a beautiful place, however food did prove to be a bit of a challenge. Thank goodness for trail mix and clif bars. I must say the fruit I ate was amazing, and I ate my body weight in plantains...so I never did go hungry.
Our last night in San Juan we stumbled into Cafe Berlin, a veggie friendly place right in the heart of old town, so we drank and ate ourselves silly. Mmmm.
Tomorrow...I'm back in the kitchen.

Mofongo? What?

Puerto Rico is fabulous. Beautiful beaches, quaint buildings, amazing history, lush vegetation, and mofongo? What's Mofongo? Um delicious. It is smashed plantains filled with meat (no thanks), veggies, beans and spices. We arrived in luquillo earlier this afternoon and set up camp in our hotel. The weather took a walk on the wild side so we opted to stay local and venture to a nearby restaurant. Thankfully my lovely traveling companion noticed the "vegetarian menu available upon request" sign. Apparently we wandered into the right place.
I ordered the eggplant mofongo, but they were all out of eggplant!!!!! So I went for the soy beef with veggies. I also got a guava and soy cheese turnover. Mmm completely satisfying.
Next on my list is to figure out how to better upload photos from the blogger app.

A real vacation.

I'm laying by a pool that overlooks the waves lapping up on shore. Ahhh, vacation. Can't say that I've ever had a real one. A lot of traveling, but never the laying by the beach vacation. For the next ten days I will be relaxing, checking out the rainforest, enjoying the beaches and eating plantains. I'm always a little nervous when I travel, asking a million questions about my meals and hoping they understand what I'm trying to explain.
Tonight we walked down to a little restaurant near our hotel. The server and host seemed to understand my requests and the beans had no meat or broth...pretty yummy! I had rice and beans and plantains. I can never eat enough plantains. My mom cooked them all the time when I was growing up and I always complained that they smelled like feet, but what they lack in aroma, they make up for in taste.

Leaving on a jet plane.

...en route to puerto Rico...the goal is to not plow through the two ziploc bags of goodies I shoved in my carry on. I keep sneaking the gum drops when the other people in the terminal aren't looking.

i love potatoes.

A few years ago, newly vegan, I went to Spain and I had a lot of difficulty with my menu options...the choices consisted of mostly things I did not eat: seafood, HAM, cheese, HAM, egg, HAM. So, I ate a lot of potatoes. Delicious delicious potatoes. The following recipe is something I made for my sister's Spanish themed birthday a few weeks ago, and they were a huge success. I made them again tonight, with a vegan aioli...just as delicious as I remember.

Spicy Spanish Potatoes

Ingredients:
6 medium potatoes (I used yukon gold)
3 tablespoons paprika
1 tablespoon cumin
1 tablespoon cayenne
1 teaspoon salt

In a medium bowl mix together paprika, cumin, cayenne and salt, set aside. Slice each potato into 8-12 even wedges. Pan fry the potato wedges until the outsides are brown and crispy. Immediately toss the potatoes together with the seasoning. Serve warm with vegan aioli.



Lemon Garlic Aioli

1/2 cup vegenaise
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3 cloves of garlic
1 teaspoon paprika

Mince garlic and stir into vegenaise. Mix in the rest of ingredients, stir until creamy.

Chili Garlic Edamame

Tonight I felt like something not too labor intensive. I'm exhausted, the house is a disaster, I have to pack, do laundry, take a shower...my "to do" list is a mile and a half long. My boss at work has been RAVING about garlic parmesan edamame for the past few weeks, and I do love garlic...so I thought I would check it out. The original recipe she showed me called for edamame in it's shell, unfortunately mine was freezer burned beyond repair. I had to make do with shelled edamame, which I prefer anyways.


Chili Garlic Edamame
Serves 2

Ingredients
12 ounce bag shelled edamame
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
2 garlic cloves
1 teaspoon chili flakes
2 tablespoons bread crumbs
salt to taste
vegan parmesan (optional)

Preheat oven to 425*. Mince garlic and toss together with edamame, salt, chili flakes and olive oil. Make sure the edamame is thoroughly coated. Top with bread crumbs and vegan parmesan. Bake for 20-25 minutes. yum.

Cookies For A Rainy Day

When the rainy season arrives all I want to do is curl up in my blankies and never leave, unless getting out of bed means I get to eat cookies. These cookies are delicious, and the hint of cinnamon is the perfect flavor for fall.
Chocolate Chip Hazelnut Cookies
Makes approximately 2 dozen cookies

Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 cup softened Earth Balance
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Enger-G egg replacer (equivalent of 2 eggs)
12 ounces vegan semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 coarsely chopped hazelnuts
Preheat the oven to 375*. Combine flour, salt, baking soda and cinnamon is a medium bowl. In a large bowl combine brown sugar, sugar, Earth Balance and vanilla. Beat until sugar and Earth Balance are creamy and fluffy. Add Ener-G egg replacer and beat well. Add dry ingredients and mix. Once all ingredients are well mixed, add chocolate chips and hazelnuts and stir. Spoon teaspoons of the dough onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until golden brown.

Fall has arrived...

Curled up in bed with the cat and my stuffed dinosaur...a cup of tea in my hand, a tickle in my throat, and a belly full of papa's birthday cake. First real rain of the season has arrived and is soon to be lulling me to sleep. I think tomorrow is a baking kind of day...sweet dreams.

Super Kale Salad

I was productive and cleaned out my fridge in preparation for the delicious meal I was going to make, but it was rainy...and I was lazy. So, when my friend called and wanted to go out to dinner or drinks, I said "dinner!". We went to a restaurant down the street from my house. It's a place I always forget exists, but enjoy every time I'm reminded. East West Cafe is a yummy veggie friendly place (vegan dishes are clearly marked!) with a cozy atmosphere. I ordered the BBQ Delite, and now I'm stuck on the couch and can't move. I should have gone for the salad and not the fries.

Now I must drag my ass off the couch and make lunch for tomorrow...I am completely OBSESSED with the "Super Spinach Salad" at Trader Joe's. I was going into TJ's way too often and forking over $3.99 for this delicious melange. I finally decided to make a version myself, and now I can't stop. I make it at least a few times a week and NEVER get sick of it. It's quick, easy and very satisfying.

Katie's Super KALE Salad with Carrot Miso Ginger Dressing
serves two
1/2 cup cooked quinoa
1 medium carrot-julienned
1 bunch kale-stemmed and chopped (or 1 cup spinach)
1/4 cup cooked & shelled edamame
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup raw pumpkin seeds
8-10 cherry tomatoes
Carrot Miso Ginger Dressing (I found an awesome recipe for the Dressing here.)

Place the chilled quinoa on the bottom of a medium bowl. Combine the the rest of the ingredients in the bowl. Coat the salad generously with the Carrot Miso Ginger dressing. Enjoy!
Remember, when using kale, it may be best to let the dressing marinate for a few minutes to soften the leaves.

I have to play with the settings on my camera a little more, the lighting in my house makes everything look yellow.

Chickpea Crepes

I had it in my mind that I was going to make chickpea crepes, and then I opened the cabinet and discovered that I had no chickpea flour. Tragic. I am REFUSING to go to the grocery store until after vacation, so that was not an option. I did manage to find dried chickpeas, so I decided to make my flour from scratch. This process was actually pretty simple: Blend the chickpeas in the food processor, use the coffee grinder for the stubborn ones, and then sift into a bowl! Easy enough, but I must advise you to warn your neighbors and put some ear muffs on the cats because the sound of a blade hitting a chickpea is dangerous.

Chickpea Crepes
makes approx. 12-15 crepes

Ingredients:
1 cup chickpea flour
1 cup unbleached all purpose flour
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 1/4 cups water

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl, making sure there are no lumps remaining. Pour a thin layer of batter on a non stick crepe pan (mine was sticky, so I threw down a little Earth Balance, it made for a yummy crispy outside too!!!). Tip the pan to make sure the batter evenly coats the bottom of the pan. Cook until the crepe begins to turn a golden brown and then flip it with a spatula and cook the other side. TA-DA!!!!It may not look pretty, but it sure tasted pretty. I sauteed up some kale, garlic, onions, mushrooms, and spread some herbed cashew cheese that I made the other night.

Oh....and the best part? Toss a spoonful of sugar in the batter and you have dessert...
Just top it with a little dairy free ice cream & berries, roll it up and shove it in your face.

Vegan MoFo & Some Crackers.

I have decided that this year I will ACTUALLY participate in Vegan MoFo...and not just talk about it and/or think about it. I have the time now and absolutely NO excuses not to.

I'm leaving for Puerto Rico in 10 days and it is my goal to use as much food from the garden (and the fridge) before I leave. Today I decided to burn through some Daiya and some jalapenos from the yard and veganize a recipe in one of the omni cookbooks that has been collecting dust on my shelf.

This following recipe is adapted from "From the Cook's Garden" by Ellen Ecker Ogden.


Cheesy Jalapeno Wafers

Ingredients:

1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
2 tablespoons sesame seeds
1 medium jalapeno- seeded and minced
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
6 tablespoons vegan margarine (I used Earth Balance)
2 cups shredded vegan cheese (I used 1 cup cheddar Daiya & one cup pepperjack Daiya)

Using a food processor, pulse the flour, seeds, jalapeno, baking powder, salt and pepper. With the machine running, slowly add the margarine. Add the vegan cheese and pulse until the mixture is course. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons cold water and pulse until the mixture forms a ball. Gather up the dough and divide into two equal portions.

Using a lightly floured work surface form each portion into a 10 inch roll and wrap with plastic wrap or waxed paper. Refrigerate until well chilled (at least 2 hours).

Preheat the over to 425*. Cut the rolls into 1/4 inch thick rounds and arrange them 1 inch apart on baking sheets. I was feeling fancy, so I sprinkled a few sesame seeds on top before baking

Bake until the wafers are golden brown, about 10 minutes.
Cool, and EAT!




I have used Daiya a million times before, but never in baking, and I was really amazed. I can't stop eating these. ugh (in a good way).

It's a garden....and it's MINE!!!

Last year I started a potted herb garden and was given a "patio tomato" to grow in my tiny backyard. Every last one died. Why?

Firstly, I would like to blame it on the monstrous spider that built her home in my door way, basically blocking me from entering my own backyard. How RUDE!!!

Yup, that's her.
Let's be real...I could easily blame all the world's problems on spiders. Ya...ya...I know they are "important"...ugh...doesn't mean I have to like them.

Secondly, I had much more important things to do: nap, tell Olive how much I love her (for the millionth time), eat cookies, nap, eat cookies, nap, eat cookies WHILE napping. As you can see, I was very busy last year.
In reality I was probably too lazy to fill a watering can, go around the side gate (you couldn't pay me enough to open the back door and disturb my 8 legged enemy...she would have eaten me), water the plants, and maybe even sing them a little lullaby.
Well a year has passed, and I'm a homeowner now. Which of course implies that I am so much more mature and responsible. I don't nap as much and I may or may not eat as many cookies. With my new found maturity I have decided to take on the responsibility of a REAL, LIVE, organic veggie garden! It's been about a month and I'm proud to say that my plants are all alive and happy!

Who knows? If I turn out to be good at this gardening thing, maybe I'll get a baby. It can't be that different...right?