Asparagus Alfredo Pizza

Yeah, so I'm not good at shredding my own Daiya Jack from the block. Tastes stellar, though!

I absolutely cannot take any claim to coming up with this genius concoction. I stole it from my pal and food soulmate, Veggpanda. She gets the credit all the way. I will, however, take full credit for pestering her until she posted it on her blog. You can thank me anytime.

You might think, "But, Chickpea, I cannot fathom asparagus on a pizza." To which I will reply that I didn't either. What intrigued me even more is the use of lemon on a pizza. But, my fellow vegan piggies, it worked like peanut butter and jelly. I ate the whole damn pizza. Oops! I did make a few small changes from the original recipe. Those changes consist primarily of using more garlic, adding some finely chopped red onion and using my homemade herbed pizza crust. Oh, and then slathering a little garlic butter onto the crust once it came out of the oven. It might not be healthy, but damn it tastes fucking killer. For Veggpanda's original recipe, click here. The homemade pizza crust makes two 8-inch pizza crusts or one rather large one. The sauce recipe below is ample for the 2 smaller-sized pizzas.

I made the alfredo sauce while I was waiting for the pizza dough to rise for about 30 minutes.

Sauce Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup vegan cream (I used MimicCreme I found online at VeganEssentials.com)
• 3TB vegan buttah
• 2 TB nutritional yeast
• 2 1/2 TB all-purpose flour
• 2-4 TB vegan parmesan (I used Parmela, which uses cashews and almonds)
• 2 huge cloves of garlic, minced.
• salt and pepper to your liking

Making the sauce:

1.  Heat a small saucepan over med-low heat. Once hot, add the butter and the garlic. Cook about  5-8 minutes letting the oils from the garlic warm and spread into the butter. 
2. Now turn your heat to medium and add in the cream, whisking to combine the butter and the cream. Let it cook a few minutes this way, then whisk in the flour, nutritional yeast and parmesan until there are no lumps.
3. Whisk regularly making sure to scrape the bottom or else the flour may burn to the bottom of the pan. I cooked mine until it came to a very gentle boil, and then removed it from the heat. It thickened up a bit more after coming off of the heat. Now set it aside while your pizza dough finishes rising. 

Pizza Ingredients:

• dough (homemade is my favorite, but you do your own thing)
• Daiya jack cheese, shredded from the block
• asparagus, which I marinated for 30 minutes in fresh lemon juice and a smidge of olive oil.
• onions 
• alfredo sauce

Pizza, or dough with cheese and sauce and possibly other ingredients

1.  Preheat your oven to about 420 degrees F.
2. Lightly flour your baking sheet (or use parchment paper as my pizza rarely sticks to it)
3. Slather on lots of alfredo sauce.

4. Sprinkle with the cheese and onions. 
5. Top with the asparagus spears. 

6. Squeeze a tiny bit more lemon juice onto the asparagus.
7. Bake until you can't wait any longer. The crusts should be golden and the cheese fully melted. 
8. Top with a little melted butter mixed with some garlic salt. Brush onto the crust.
9. PIG OUT!

Baked Broccoli Mac and Cheese

Forgive the shoddy photo, I was too hungry to spend time caring.

I had a busy day today doing errands and generally just being awesome and completely forgot about dinner until late. I am low on groceries due to complete and utter laziness. Well, not really laziness. I worked the last 7 days in a row, and have been too tired and busy to get more food. What it all boiled down to is that I had broccoli in the fridge that was quickly approaching the end of its life and needed to use it up. As much as I love steamed broccoli on its own, I wanted something a little more hearty and comfy. What's more hearty and comfy than mac and cheese? Nothing, dammit. So, there you have it. Make this shit. You won't regret it.

Makes 4 servings as a side or 2-3 as a main dish.

What I used:

• 1/2 pound small-medium shell pasta
• 1 head broccoli, cut into small florets and steamed to your liking
• 1 cup almond milk
• 2 TB vegan butter
• 1 more TB vegan butter 
• 1 1/4 TB flour
• 1/4 cup finely diced red onion
• 1 tsp ground mustard seed/powder
•  1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• salt and pepper
• 1/2 cup breadcrumbs
• 1/4 cup Daiya mozza
• 1 1/3 cup Daiya cheddar

What I did:

1.  Preheat your oven to 430 degrees F. Then, put a pot of salted water on to boil. Add the pasta and stir. While it is cooking, start the next step.
2. In a large-ish pot (over medium heat) melt the 2 TB butter and add the milk. Then, whisk in the flour, red onion, mustard powder, garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper. When it starts to thicken and boil gently, add in the Daiya and whisk until nice and smooth. 
3. Drain your pasta and add it to the cheese sauce. Fold in the broccoli. taste for seasonings.
4. In a small bowl, melt the other 1 TB of butter and mix in the breadcrumbs with a little salt or garlic salt. 
5. Scoop your mac and cheese into an oven-safe dish (I used 2 smaller rectangle Le Creuset stoneware baking dishes). Sprinkle the breadcrumbs over the tops. 

6. Bake for 12 minutes on the top rack, then turn on the broiler for a minute or two to brown up the breadcrumbs.

Cheesy Vegan Southwestern Hashbrowns

I am, and will always be, a fan of hashbrowns. This dish is no exception. Dudes, it was awesome. A little spicy, and packed with tastiness. Don't like hashbrowns? We can't be friends anymore. Sorry. I just can't comprehend someone disliking potatoes. It goes against everything I stand for! So, suck it up and tuck into a tasty southwestern breffast. Do it.

Makes enough for 2 as a main.

What I used:

• 1 1/2 cups uncooked potato hashbrowns
• 1/2 cup black beans
• 1/2 cup corn
• 1/4 cup red onion
• 1/4 bell pepper
• 2/3 cup chunky salsa
• 1 tsp taco seasoning (I make my own blend)
• 1 clove minced garlic
• 1 TB oil
• 1/4 cup Daiya cheddar (I know the pepperjack would be even better)
• salt and pepper

What I did:

1. Heat a skillet over medium heat. Add the oil. Saute the onion, pepper and garlic for a few minutes. 
2. When your onions are almost translucent, add the potatoes.  You may need to add a little more oil to keep it from sticking to the pan. Cook, stirring regularly for about 8 minutes. Add in the beans, corn, seasoning and salsa. Mix well. Cook another 4-5 minutes, or until the potatoes start browning.
3. Remove from heat and fold in the cheese. Chow down.

Spicy Cheesy Tots

When I got home from work today, I decided that I needed to make my crazy tasty chili cheese tots (recipe HERE). I baked up the tots, and got ready to mix up the chili with some onions and spices when to my surprise, I found that I had no chili. I swear there is a chili thief in my pantry, because every time I open the pantry door, I cannot find the chili. It disappears into an alternate universe or something. What's a chickpea to do? I had to improvise with a quickness.

I decided to whip up a cheese sauce using an altered version of my mega-spectacular-kickass Queso sauce recipe. I added some beans it was seriously a mega-hit at my place. This is what we had for dinner. Probably not the healthiest, but it was SOOOO good, especially as it cooled off a bit. The fella dipped his in a little ketchup, but I loved them as-is. I used Daiya pepperjack, but you can skip that all together or sub in some Daiya cheddar and add more spices. Hey, whatever floats your balloon. Enough talk, time for the recipe.

Makes enough for 2 very large dinner portions or 4-5 as a side.

What I used:

• 1/2 bag tots, cooked according to package directions. I bake mine at 450 for about 20 minutes. 
• 1 cup almond milk
• 1 can light red kidney beans, drained (I was in a rush and didn't rinse them and that was just fine)
• 1/4 - 1/3 cup diced red onion
• 1/4 plus 1 TB nooch
• 1/2 cup Daiya pepperjack
• 2 TB flour (I used unbleached all-purpose)
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 2/3 tsp chili powder
• salt

What I did:

1. Baked my tots. Then turned the oven off and left them inside while I whipped up the sauce. The sauce takes about 5 minutes total.
2. In a sauce pan, add everything except the tots. Put pot over medium heat and whisk everything together. You don't really have to mix much the first two minutes, but after that, whisk almost nonstop so the milk and Daiya don't burn to the bottom of the pot. Keep on whisking until it reaches the thick consistency you want. Think melted velveeta, thick. Then remove from the heat and pour over your cooked tots.

Easy or what?

Spicy Polenta Cakes

Casually browsing my cupboard last night, I stumbled on a bag of polenta that I had forgotten about. I've never cooked, let alone eaten polenta before, but I do love corn. How can anyone not, really? Well, I remembered seeing a few recipes over the last couple years for something called polenta cakes, so I decided to make my own vegan version featuring some Daiya Pepperjack. It was a total experiment...I was skeptical that they would work. But, they did....at least, they did with some toppings. I made some homemade black bean and corn salsa and then cooked up some yummy spicy tvp. They were both mega awesome on the pan-fried polenta cakes. Even better? Putting both toppings on one cake, like this:

The polenta cakes take a little prep time, first cooking the polenta and cheese and then refrigerating for about an hour to firm up, then finally pan-frying the tasty cakes. I suppose you might be able to bake them, but I wanted them cooked up quick and crispy. I used a circle cookie cutter to cut them out, but you could use a glass or cut them in squares with a knife.  

This recipe makes about 12 three-inch circle cakes.

Making the cakes:

• 1 cup dry quick-cooking polenta (if it doesn't say quick, you're in for a long time of whisking)
• 1 1/2 cups veg broth
• 1 1/2 cups water (or you could use more broth)
• heaped 1/2 cup or a bit more Daiya Pepperjack
• 2 TB nooch
• salt and pepper to your liking
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• hot sauce (optional)

1. Heat broth and water in a large pot over high heat until almost boiling. Add paprika, chili powder, a few dashes of hot sauce, and the garlic powder. Then, turn the heat to medium low and whisk in the polenta. 
2. KEEP WHISKING until the polenta is very thick and creamy. You don't want any lumps. It will take about 5 minutes of nonstop whisking if you use the quick cook. I've read that the regular stuff can take up to 20 minutes of whisking. 
3. Now, whisk in the cheese and nooch. Keep on stirring, kiddos, until the cheese is melted. Turn off the heat and remove from the burner. 
4. Quickly line a 9x13 inch sheet pan (or a baking dish) with some plastic wrap and give it a spritz of cooking spray. Now, smear the polenta onto the baking plastic. Try to make it into an even layer, like so.

5. Spritz the top with a little more spray, then cover the polenta with more plastic wrap and refrigerate for 40-60 minutes.The polenta will be quite firm. 
6. Cut the polenta. Now, heat a non-stick skillet over medium high heat. Add some oil (enough to cover the bottom of the pan), and ease a few cakes into the pan. Cook about 3-4 minutes, then very gently flip the cakes. Cook another few minutes, until each side is golden and a bit crisp. Sorry, I was busy...no pictures. Remove the cooked cakes and put them on a plate while you cook up the rest. 
7. Top those bugger with some yummies. We used the spicy tvp and homemade salsa, but you could use bean and veggie chili, more cheese, whatever. Make it yours!

Here's my super simple salsa recipe:

• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1 can corn, drained and rinsed (I prefer fresh, but it is winter here and no corn can be found)
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/2 cup diced red onion
• 1/3 tsp chili powder
• 1/3 cup diced bell pepper
• salt
• juice of half a lime
• 1 cup diced tomato (today was a mix of cherry tomato and roma)

1. Mix everything together and let rest for about 10 minutes.

Spicy TVP recipe:

• 1 cup dry tvp
• about 1 1/4 cups veg broth (I didn't measure, but this seems about right)
• 1/3 cup diced onion
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1 TB taco seasoning powder
• salt and pepper
• 1/2 cup hot salsa
• hot sauce
• scant 1/4 tsp liquid smoke (optional, but recommended)

1. Mix tvp, dry spices, onion and broth in a small pot over medium heat. Stir occasionally, until the liquid is absorbed.
2. Once the liquid is almost entirely absorbed, add the salsa, hot sauce and liquid smoke. Turn heat to low and let everything simmer together for at least 5 minutes, but probably a little longer to let the flavors merge. Done!

Vegan Grilled Cheese...Only Better

I was on twitter a few days ago, and my pal @Whitrae mentioned a sandwich that she made. It sounded bizarre, but being a curious chickpea, I had to make it. It was a Daiya, Tofurky and Tofutti grilled cheese. Odd, yes. Delicious, hell yes. I'm always on the lookout for new ways to make a grilled cheese as it is one of my oldest comfort food indulgences, and this really switched it up...in a good way.

Here's my version of Whitrae's comfort food favorite:
Slather the outsides of your bread with some Earth Balance. On the opposite side of one slice, spread some of the Tofutti cream cheese. Top with some Daiya cheddar and minced onion, then add a few slices of Tofurky (I used the thinly-sliced hickory smoked turky). Top with more cheese then the other slice of buttered bread. Then just make it like a regular grilled cheese in a skillet. Cook about 3 minutes on each side, until the bread is toasted and the cheese is melted.

And don't forget to thank Whitrae for her awesome idea. :)

Lasagna - Finally!

Resistance is futile.

I've been waiting and waiting and waiting to attempt vegan lasagna. Why? Because I'm picky as hell and I was scared that I'd never make one half as good as the old dairy version I used to make. My biggest fears revolved all around the dairy aspects: 1) I used ricotta in the old recipe, so I was scared to try tofu ricotta. 2) As much as I love Daiya, I was scared it just wouldn't be as good as real mozzarella in this dish. I'm pleased to announce that I am really excited with how this lasagna turned out. And, while it wasn't 100% like the original, it was still awesome all the way around. We loved it.

For this one, I did take some shortcuts as I was absolutely starving! I typically take the time to make my own marinara sauce, but this time I used a garden veggie jarred sauce. I also used the no-boil lasagna noodles. I probably won't use them again, as they just weren't the same. But, they were quite convenient. I also made some simple tvp "meat" for texture that resembled the meaty version most of us grew up with - the recipe is below somewhere.

Anyway, I did use tofu, which is something kind of rare in my kitchen. I have a long history of not enjoying tofu as much as your typical veg-head seems to. It's okay on occasion, but not something I can really get behind. I'm coming around, though. I altered this recipe to make the ricotta, and I'm pretty pleased with it overall. Here is my version of the recipe:

• 2/3 of a block of well-drained tofu (extra-firm)
• 1 1/2 TB tahini
• 1 1/2 TB lemon juice
• 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
• 3 TB minced red onion
• 3 TB nooch (nutritional yeast)
• 1 1/2 tsp white miso
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 TB dried parsley
• some salt & pepper to your liking

 Throw everything into a food processor and pulse until well combined. Taste and adjust the seasonings as needed. How easy was that? Set aside until you start assembling the lasagna.

The lasagna was super quick to put together since I didn't have to boil the pasta. I did take a few minutes to make some tvp "meat." I used about a cup of tvp crumbles, put them in a small pot (with a lid), covered with some veggie broth and turned the heat up to medium-high. Add some all-purpose seasoning, a pinch of cumin and 1/4-1/2 tsp liquid smoke. Stir well and cover. Cook about 5 minutes, until the liquid is mostly absorbed. I mixed about 1/2 cup of the pasta sauce into the tvp and cooked a couple minutes over low heat to blend the flavors.

While the tvp was cooking, I sauteed up some diced bell pepper, diced onion and sliced mushrooms. Oh, and a little garlic, too. I meant to add some chopped zucchini, but in the rush, I totally forgot. Once that's done, you're ready to start making the lasagna.

I used a deep casserole to bake it. Since I used the no-bake noodles, I poured some sauce on the bottom of the pot, then added a layer of noodles. On top of that was a thin layer of sauce, then a little veggies and a smidge of the tvp meat. Top with noodles, then sauce, then little blobs of the ricotta I made. More sauce, then noodles, the rest of the meat and some more ricotta, a little more sauce. Noodles, sauce, veggies, topped with lots of Daiya. Something like that. I just made sure to use some sauce on all of the noodles to make them moist. Now, I should have told you that you should carefully press each layer to make sure everything is smooshed down and not airy between the layers. I added some garlic salt and a bit of pepper to the top of the cheese. Cover with foil and bake 35 minutes at 420 degrees. Then uncover and cook another 8-10 minutes so the cheese will melt and brown slightly.

Sorry I don't have an exact recipe, but I was in a rush and starving, so you'll just have to forgive me! This one made 4 MASSIVE servings of 6 normal ones.

Before...

And after :)

Baked Daiya Mac and Cheese

Pardon the crap photo. I was too hungry to try for a better shot.

Mac and Cheese! Who doesn't love it? Clearly, you have no soul if you're in Mac and Cheese haters club. Well, anyway, I needed (yes, I NEEDED) some mac and cheese today. I always loved macaroni and cheese, especially when it's baked. So, I had a go at making a vegan version and it was a mega hit. We absolutely LOVED it! It made enough for 3-4 people, but two of us ate it all. Oink oink!!

I based this version on my previous stovetop version of my Daiya Mac and Cheese with a few little changes. I baked this up in an 8x8 inch baking dish, and it fit perfectly. I might add some sauteed onions into the cheesy goodness next time I make it. I think it'd be pretty rad.

What I used:

• 1/2 pound medium shell pasta
• 1 1/3 cups Daiya cheddar plus a little more to sprinkle on the top before baking
• 1/3 cup Daiya mozzarella
• 3/4 cup plus 2 TB almond milk
• 3 1/2 TB  Earth Balance 
• 1 tsp flour
• 1 tsp mustard powder
• 1/2 -2/3 tsp garlic powder
• 3/4 tsp onion powder
• 2 TB nooch (nutritional yeast)
• 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/4 tsp garlic salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• salt to your liking
• about 1/2 cup plain bread crumbs

What I did:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Spray your baking dish with a light spritz of cooking spray. Set aside. 
2. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook according to the directions on the box. While the pasta is cooking, get another pot and start on the next step.
3. Heat the empty pot over medium heat. Add the milk and Earth Balance. Whisk in the spices and flour. Bring to a light boil, then add the cheese. Turn the heat to medium-low and keep whisking until the cheese is nice and melted and creamy as all hell. 
4. By now, your pasta should be done. So, go ahead and gently mix the drained pasta into the cheese sauce. Remove from the heat. If it's too thick, mix in a little more milk to loosen the sauce up a smidge. 
5. Pour the mac and cheese into the baking dish. Sprinkle a little Daiya cheddar over the top of the mac and cheese. Then sprinkle the bread crumbs on the top.
6. Leave uncovered and bake for 15 minutes, or until the breadcrumbs are lightly browned.

Daiya Grilled Cheese...Um, yum.

Yup. Looks great, eh? It was.

Why the hell have I never made a Daiya cheddar grilled cheese before? I feel like I have to eat 100 of them to make up for the last year of not eating it.

I'm kind of a weirdo when it comes to my grilled cheese sandwiches. I like to add a tiny bit of finely diced onion into them. And, here's the part that people have always teased me about: I love them dipped in ketchup. There, I said it. I'm out of the ketchup closet. The only other time I ever eat ketchup is with fries. Otherwise, I pretty much loathe it. But there is something magical about dipping grilled cheese into it. Do it. If you don't like it, then bugger off. It tastes like my childhood and I don't want it tainted with your poor taste.

Chickpea Broccoli Casserole a la VwaV

There are days when you just need a hot, filling meal...something comforting for your tummy to devour and enjoy. Oh yeah, that was today. I woke up super hungry and I couldn't stop thinking about casserole. WTF? I am sooooo not a casserole kind of girl. But, whatever, I needed comfort food and I didn't know what to make. I saw somewhere online that people seemed to really like the broccoli chickpea casserole in the Vegan with a Vengeance cookbook, so I whipped it out. The book, not "it." Get your damn minds outta the gutter.

Well, I have had my VwaV cookbook for a couple years now, and I have made exactly 1 recipe from it. I think there is something wrong with me. I really don't know why I never think to use it. Whatever. Anyway, I made the casserole on page 97 (you can also find it posted all over the internet), but with some changes, including making it a little bit smaller because I didn't have enough chickpeas. Here are the other changes I made:

• had no chives, so I added 2 cloves minced garlic instead
• more breadcrumbs, with some extra on the top
• added lots of pepper and some extra salt (my broth was low-sodium, so that may be why)
• added 1 cup Daiya cheddar into the mix, and will probably add a little more next time
• added about 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes, but will add more next time
• added in a little garlic powder and onion powder- maybe 1/4 tsp garlic and 1/3 tsp onion
• I ran most of the chickpeas through my food processor instead of mushing with a fork. Saves time.

Hmmm. Seems like I'm forgetting something. Wait, I do have a suggestion: saute your onion before adding it to the casserole mix. Mine were still a little crispy, and I will be cooking them next time. I do, however, have some more ideas for future casseroles now. Perhaps I will be adding some shredded hashbrown potatoes into it, along with some mushrooms. Who knows. I'm crazy that way. This casserole was quite yummy, though. Especially as it cooled down. You should give it a shot, even if you don't think you're a casserole kind of person. 

Here's what my version looked like before I baked it:

Here's what I blogged this day last year: Review of Strawberry Basil Preserves <--Click me!

Vegan Chicken Tacos - Vegan MoFo #27

You know how it is...sometimes you just NEED tacos. Today was that day. I decided to take a chance and try something new. I wanted to make an attempt at chicken tacos, but I was skeptical that they would work out. I'm a pro at making tvp tacos, tempeh tacos, chickpea tacos and even steak tacos, so I thought I needed to enter the final frontier in vegan taco-making. Haha. Tonight, I made the yummiest vegan chicken tacos. They were perfectly spiced using my own taco seasoning blend that I make regularly, and use in all sorts of dishes. No need to buy those little packets from the store anymore...some actually have powdered milk in them and all the ones I've seen have MSG. No, thanks.

The chicken analog I used was the Gardein Scallopini breasts. What I did was put a dab of coconut oil in my nonstick skillet and heat it over medium heat. Once hot, I added the scallopinis and cooked about 2-3 minutes on each side. Then I removed them and chopped them into bite-sized pieces on my cutting board. Next, I added the chicken back to the skillet, along with some chopped red onion and a little red bell pepper. After cooking about 6 mintues, I added 1 TB of my taco seasoning and about 1/4 cup medium salsa. Stir well, and cook another 5-8 minutes, until everything is married. Or blended. Or whatever. See how freaking easy that was? Too easy.

I loaded my tacos with some Daiya cheddar, romaine, red onion, and tomato. The topped it with a little vegan sour cream and some taco sauce. OMFG. So fucking good. You should really make them.

By the way, this should serve 2-4 people. We eat a lot of tacos, and didn't have any sides, so it only served 2 people. Should you add beans and rice, I bet you could serve 4 people.

Cheesy Hashbrown Casserole - Vegan MoFo #16

One of my favorite childhood travel foods was the cheesy hashbrown casserole from Cracker Barrel. See, when I was a kid, I spent a few weeks every summer down in Florida with my grandparents. Along the drive there and back, we would stop at Cracker Barrel restaurants and eat. I was a picky kid, so a lot of times I only ate the hashbrown casserole. It still sticks out in my mind as something comforting and reminiscent of being carefree...and being crammed in the back seat with 2 of my cousins for the long drive from Michigan to Florida. But, I digress...

I did some searching online to get the original recipe for the hashbrown casserole and discovered that a lot of the "cook-alike" recipes contained LARD (yes, lard) and/or chicken stock. Icky. Seriously icky! Who would've thought there would be chicken stock? I sure as hell didn't anticipate that one. So, it seemed I was on my own to create my own vegan version. I took stock of my fridge and decided I could totally make it vegan. It was much easier than I thought, but I do warn you- it isn't healthy. There is kind of a lot of added fat to make it taste so awesome. And it does taste awesome. I ate the whole dish for breakfast. Oink oink.

Makes 1 large serving or 2 small sides.

What I used:

• 1/4 bag frozen hashbrowns
• 1/4 cup diced red onion
• 2 TB coconut oil
• 1 1/2 TB Earth Balance
• 2-3 TB cheddar Daiya (you can use more, but that's all I had left)
• lots of salt and pepper
• a little garlic powder (just a dash or two)

What I did:

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Get a small oven-safe baking dish out and have it ready.
2. In a nonstick skillet or pan with lid (over a medium heat), melt the coconut oil. When hot, add the potatoes and stir well to lightly cover the potatoes with the oil. Cook about 4 minutes like this. 
3. Add the onions and the spices, and mix again. Cover the pot and cook about 4 minutes. 
4. Stir in the cheese. Once it starts to melt, you will remove the pot from the heat. Scoop the potatoes out into the small baking dish. Add the Earth Balance in small dabs over the top of the casserole. Then bake for 15 minutes. It should just be starting to brown a little at the edges. Then turn on the broiler and cook about 3 minutes, or until the top is as crispy as you want. Taste for salt and pepper and add more as needed. Mine needed a lot of salt.

MMMMM! You know you want it!

A year ago today, I posted my recipe for Minestrone Soup! It's perfect for chilly Autumn days :)

Taco Quesadilla, or, Sometimes You Surprise Yourself

I've always loved quesadillas, and was really craving one for lunch today. As I was digging around for some onion to put in my quesadilla, I found the bowl that held some amazing tempeh taco leftovers from two days ago. The lightbulb came on! I had to combine two of my favorite foods into one. And, OMG, it was fucking rad! I was starving otherwise I would have grabbed the real camera and did a photoshoot, but you'll just have to live with the iphone photo for now. I seriously can't believe how wonderful these are. I used Daiya pepperjack and cheddar for my filling, along with some fresh onion and the tempeh taco filling. On top of being insanely yummy, it took all of about 6 minutes to make. So easy and delicious. It's not really a recipe, but whatever. I just wanted to make you jealous with my rad lunch.

For 1 quesadilla, you need:

• 2 small (taco-size) tortillas
• 1/4 cup Daiya pepperjack
• 2 TB Daiya cheddar
• 1 heaping TB diced red onion
• 1/2 cup tempeh taco filling (or taco filling of your choice)
• cooking spray

What you do:

1. Heat a nonstick skillet or nonstick grill pan over medium heat. Spritz the bottom with the cooking spray then add 1 of the tortillas. 
2. Top tortilla with half the cheese, all the onion, and the taco filling. Then top with the rest of the cheese, careful to keep it from the edges so it doesn't melt out and burn in the pan. Put the other tortilla on top of the cheese and press down with your hands. 
3. Cook about 3 minutes. Then, lightly spray the top with cooking spray and, using a spatula, gently flip the quesadilla over. Cook another 3 minutes, or until the tortillas are lightly golden and the cheese is melted. See?! So easy. SOOOOO delicious. Dig it, dudes.

Chili Cheese Tots - OMFG

Chili, cheese, tots. What the hell else could all go better together? Nothing, that's what.

I don't know about you all, but in my pre-veg days, I used to love going to Sonic to get their chili cheese tots. For weeks now, I've been craving those little morsels of heaven. But, they have meat and dairy in them. Icky poo, dudes. So, I decided to take matters into my own little hands and create a simple masterpiece. Fine, it's not like I even made the chili myself, but I do take pride in making it better. I bought a can of Hormel Vegetarian Chili with Beans (it has tvp in it!), and went to town with all 3 Daiya cheeses. And I can't imagine it tasting any better because it was mind-blowing. Seriously. Fucking amazing. And easy. And vegan. Dig it.

Makes 3 big servings.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 bag frozen tater tots
• 1 can vegan/vegetarian chili
• 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/4 heaping tsp onion powder
• salt and pepper to your tastes
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/2 cup vegan cheese (I used all 3 flavors of Daiya, but mostly the cheddar and pepperjack)
• cooking spray

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 450, or whatever temp your tots say. Mine was 450. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly spritz the foil with cooking spray. This keeps the tots from sticking to the foil. Arrange tots in a single layer, not touching, if possible. Spritz the tops lightly and sprinkle with some salt.
2. Cook about 18-20 minutes, turning them halfway so they cook evenly. 
3. In the last 2 minutes of baking the tots, pour the can of chili into a microwave-safe bowl. Mix in the onions and spices. Heat (covered) until very hot, about 2:30. By now, your tots are ready.
4. Carefully place the tots in a baking dish in a single layer if you can. Pour the chili on the tots and spread until it covers all the tots. Now, sprinkle your cheese on the top.

5. Turn on your broiler and put the baking dish on the top shelf of the oven. I cooked mine about 3 minutes, until the cheese melted and started bubbling. Then, carefully remove the dish and serve. 

See, it's insanely easy, but incredibly delicious. You need to make these...NOW. Get moving!

Vegan Cheddar Garlic Biscuits

Cheddar Garlic Biscuits made VEGAN? Hell yes. I may have mentioned this already, but I ordered the giant 5lb bag of Daiya cheddar from Vegan Essentials recently because I loathe driving 80 miles roundtrip to WholeFoods just to buy it. So, as I was digging through my fridge this morning trying to decide what to make for breakfast, I saw a baggie of cheddar calling my name (lightbub over my head). I had been really wanting to try to make a vegan cheddar garlic biscuit, so I did. And I can say this with absolute confidence: I rocked this recipe. The only way you won't like it is if you're a complete hater of Daiya. In which case, we can no longer be friends. Sorry. End of the road.

When it comes to cooking pet peeves, I hate rolling out doughs of any kind, so I made these biscuits "drop biscuits." Sort of amoeba-like, they're free-form, kick-ass yumminess. I suppose you could use some fresh garlic, though I don't really know how that would turn out. Don't blame me if it's shitty...I tried to warn you. Though I highly recommend melting the butter and some garlic salt (not powder) and brushing it over the cooked biscuits. So good. And kind of like the old-school cheddar bay biscuits from Red Lobster, which was the only thing I ever ate there when I was younger. Now you know the story, get to work. Make these biscuits.

Makes 4 large biscuits....and I'm not ashamed to admit that I ate 2.

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup plus 1 TB all-purpose flour (unbleached, of course)
• 1/3 cup almond milk
• 3/4 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 1/2 TB butter flavored shortening
• scant 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup Daiya cheddar
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• Optional ingredients for glazing the tops:
• 1 TB vegan butter
• 1/2 tsp garlic SALT

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 430 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with silicone mat or parchment paper
2. Pour the milk and vinegar into a measuring cup and let sit about 4-5 minutes. Meanwhile, start step 3.
3. In a mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, garlic powder and shortening. Use a fork or pastry cutter to mix until the shortening pieces are no larger than pea-size.
4. Pour the milk into the dry ingredients and stir until just combined and no dry spots remain. Then, gently fold the cheese into the dough. The dough should be kind of sticky, yet firm. It will want to stay in one big piece.
5. Use a fork and scoop out the batter into 4 equal-sized chunks on the baking sheet. 

6. Bake on middle rack for 14-18 minutes. The biscuits will be lightly browned around the edges and bottom. 
7. Then, melt the butter and garlic salt in a tiny bowl in your microwave. Mix well and brush it on the tops of the biscuits, if you feel like it. I highly recommend it.

Well, what are you waiting for? Make them already! Don't make me tell you again *fist shake*

Potato-y Soup for One

My pal, Meagan of Experiments in the Kitchen, posted a potato soup for one recipe on her blog a few days ago, and it sounded really good, so I had to try it...but altered. I can't help it! I can never follow a recipe exactly. It's my own brand of OCD, I suppose. Anyway, I needed some warm, comforting soup and this absolutely fit the bill. It's thick and creamy and downright tasty. Not to mention the fact that it takes only about 15 minutes start to finish.

Ingredients:

• 1 large red-skin potato, peeled and diced 
• 1 medium carrot, peeled and sliced
• 1/2 cup cooked navy beans
• 1/4 cup diced onion
• 1 large clove garlic, minced
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 2/3 cup soy or almond milk
• 1/8-1/4 tsp cayenne
• dash sage
• 1/4 tsp coriander
• dash oregano & thyme
• 1 tsp flour
• 1/4 cup Daiya mozzarella (I would've used the cheddar if I had any)
• salt and pepper

Method:

1. In a small pot, boil the potato and carrot in some salted water. 
2. While the potato and carrot are boiling, heat the oil in a small skillet (medium heat) and saute the onion and garlic until the onion is softened and transparent. I added the spices to the cooking onion. Then set aside. 
3. Drain the potato and carrot, and mash with a potato masher or a fork in the pan you cooked it in. Add half of the beans, and mash a bit more. Then add the onion/garlic to the mashed mix. Add the milk, cheese and flour and mix well. Return the pot to the heat, stirring constantly for about 5 minutes, until the soup is thickened and the cheese melted. Adjust your seasonings and pig out.

Taquitos (That Will Blow Your Mind to Bits)

Back in ye olden days, I used to make a stellar taquito. Yeah, it's probably not "traditional" or anything, but it is absolutely fucking delicious. I didn't know if I could veganize it to my satisfaction, being the picky chickpea that I am. So, as I lay in bed falling asleep last night, I vowed to give it my best shot. Lucky for me, and you, I got it right on the first try. I rock at veganizing my old recipes!

There's this silly notion out there that vegan food is always healthy. I promise you that this is NOT the case. Case in point: these taquitos. They can't possibly be healthy with all that cheese! But, they are so yummy that you will surely thank me. And if you don't, well, forget you. You should be thankful when people offer you such wonderful recipes for free!

 

This recipe easily makes 12-15 taquitos depending on how full you fill the tortillas. I find that I am quite full if I eat 4. So, either have friends or save your leftovers. They are excellent re-heated in your oven the next day for about 15 minutes at 400 degrees F. I haven't frozen them, but I imagine they would hold up and need to be cooked for about 20 minutes in a 400 degree oven (but don't quote me since I've never had to freeze them before). Anyway, I'm not feeling chatty. On to the recipe.

Ingredients:

• 15 flour tortillas (buy the 6-inch size tortillas)
• 6 oz Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese, which is a 3/4 the 8oz package
• 1/2 bag Daiya cheddar
• 1/2 bag Daiya mozzarella
• 2 Gardein scallopinis
• 1/2 large yellow onion, diced
• 3/4 orange bell pepper, diced
• 1 1/2 TB garlic, minced
• 1 TB olive oil, along with a little olive oil cooking spray
• 1/4 - 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/4 cup salsa verde
• 1 TB Braggs
• 1 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/4 tsp cayenne
• 1/4 tsp coriander
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• pepper

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Cover a large, rimmed baking sheet with foil.
2. Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the olive oil. Once hot, add the onion and bell pepper. Saute for about 4-5 minutes, until softened. Add the garlic and scoot the mix to one side of the pan.
3. Spray a bit of cooking oil on the empty side of the pan and put the 2 Gardein scallopinis on to cook for about 4 minutes. Meanwhile, mix the onion, pepper, garlic around.
4. In a mixing bowl, add the cream cheese, cheese, salsa verde, spices. Set aside.
5. Spray the tops of the Gardein scallopinis. Flip and cook another 2 minutes. Scoop the onion mixture out into the mixing bowl with the rest of the ingredients.
6. Remove the Gardein and dice into tiny bits. Then add to the bowl. Use a potato masher to really combine all of the ingredients until it looks something like this:

7. Heat your tortillas on a plate and cover with paper towel. Use the microwave for about 20 seconds. This will keep your tortillas from breaking when you roll them. One by one, you need to scoop some filling onto the tortilla (probably a bit less than 1/4 cup on each one) near one end. 

8. Start rolling the taquito from the filled end. The empty side of the tortilla will need to end up rolled up underneath the filled taquito, if that makes sense. This will hold the taquito shut while cooking. 

9. Lightly spray the tops of the rolled taquitos with the olive oil cooking spray and sprinkle with a large grain salt. I use kosher salt. 
10. Bake for 14-18 minutes, until the edges are lightly browned and the filling is probably coming out the ends :)

They're perfect served alone or with salsa or vegan sour cream. Maybe even guacamole. How should I know what you like?

Pizza: It's not just takeout anymore

Pizza!!! Who doesn't love it? If you don't, then I can't be your friend. Easy as that. A person who dislikes pizza is probably a terrible human being with no sense of taste. That being said, you should know that I am a pizza junky. I could probably eat it every day and never tire of it. Really. Especially since I have come to love Daiya so much. I've tried different brands of vegan cheese and none can compare, at least in my humble (or not so humble) opinion. The trick, for me, is to combine both of the Daiya flavors: cheddar and mozzarella. Together, they make an unbeatable combo. And if you don't think so, then you can suck an egg. This is my blog, so I can say whatever I want. 

I cooked pizza on a piece of parchment on a rectangular baking stone, so my crust was perfectly crispy and chewy, which is how I like it. If you use a baking stone, heat it in the oven for at least 30 minutes prior to putting your pizza on it. That ensures it is heated through and super hot.

Here's the evolution of my dinner in the making:

Homemade sauce and some fresh basil:

Black olives and some onions:

Added the cheeses:

 

Melted cheese -- YUM:

 Perfectly crispy crust:

Cooked and ready to eeeaaatttttt:

Mac & Cheese with Daiya - WOW

Today was one "one of those days." You know the type. The kind of day where you just want to stay in your jammies and watch mindless teevee all day long because it's too damn cold to do anything else? This day was the impetus for making this mac and cheese. I had some Daiya calling my name from the fridge and I couldn't resist; I had to make mac and cheese.

I didn't even bother attempting to find any recipes online. I had a pretty good idea of how I would make it based on my previous experiences as a vegetarian,who happened to have about 20 different mac and cheese recipes. This is why I was a pudge in my previous life.

So, without further ado, here is my spectacular vegan Daiya Mac and Cheese recipe!
Makes 2-3 large bowls of mac, at least if you use fusili, like I did. The best part of all, though, is that it takes only about 10-15 minutes from when you start boiling the pasta to when you're pigging out.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 pound of fusili (or your preferred pasta)
• 1/2 cup plus 1 tsp almond milk
• 2-3 TB Earth Balance
• 1/2 tsp flour
• 2/3 cup Daiya cheddar
• 1/2 cup Daiya mozzarella
• 1 tsp mustard powder
• 1/2 to 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 to 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1 TB nutritional yeast (nooch)
• 1/2 tsp fresh cracked black pepper (I like a lot of pepper, so you may want to taste as you go)
• 1/4 tsp garlic salt
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper

Method:

1. Boil salted water in a medium size pot. Add your pasta and cook according to package directions. Then drain and set aside. 
2. While the pasta is cooking, get another pot. Heat over medium heat. Add 1/2 cup milk and Earth Balance. Whisk in the flour and spices. Bring to a gentle boil, until the sauce starts to thicken. Be sure to stir often, scraping the bottom or else it will burn to your pan.
3. Turn heat to med-low and use a whisk to mix in the cheese. Keep whisking until cheese is almost entirely melted. I had to add that last TB of milk and whisk more to really make the cheese practically velvety smooth. It will get smoother when you add the pasta.
4. Fold in your pasta. I let mine cook on low for another minute, just for good measure. 
5. Adjust any seasonings and serve it up!

Your tastebuds will thank you. Or not. Whatever.