Spicy Peanut Veggies & Noodles

I have been itching to make something spicy and peanutty for a while now. So, get this, I did it. Amazing, I know. Shower me with praise. Or not. I just know that this turned out awesomely and I will absolutely be making it again. For the noodles, I used a thinnish spaghetti noodle as that's what I had onhand. You can use whatever you want, but I like long, floppy noodles. Hahaha. I used to love lo mein noodles, but they have eggs in them, which is oh so sad. I haven't tried the rice noodles yet...they kind of freak me out for some reason. Perhaps I shall soon. Who knows. Crazier things have happened. In the meantime, I highly suggest you make this ridiculously yummy dish. I know you'll like it.

This makes 3 rather large servings or about 5 as a side.

What I used:

• 1/2 head cauliflower, cut into florets
• 1/2 bunch broccoli, cut into florets
• 3 carrots, grated
• 1/2 red onion, cut into thick strips
• 1 cup pea pods, ends removed and cut in half
• 5 button mushrooms, cut into chunks
• noodles
• 1/4 cup (or a bit more) smooth peanut butter
• 1/2 cup soy sauce
• 2 tsp sesame oil
• 2-3 tsp rice vinegar
• 1 TB (or more) sriracha sauce
• a couple TB water
• 2 tsp coconut oil 
• dry roasted peanuts for a tasty garnish

What I did:

1. I steamed the broccoli and cauli for about 5-6 minutes until they were just tender enough to spear with a fork (the broccoli will be a vibrant greeen). Then, I heated the coconut oil (you can use any oil) in a skillet over medium heat. I sauteed the onions until they started to lose their color. Then added in the carrot and mushroom along with the steamed broccoli and cauli. While the veg is cooking, start cooking your pasta.
2. While the pasta and veg are still cooking, whisk together the peanut butter, soy sauce, sesame oil, rice vinegar, sriracha and water. It seems like it will never mix together, but keep on whisking. Taste it when it looks homogenous and add any more spices as necessary. Set aside. 
3. By now, your veggies and pasta are ready. I added the pea pods in the last minute of cooking the veg because I love them nice and crispy. You can do whatever you want. Now, add the sauce to the pasta and then gently fold in your veggies. I let mine sit a few minutes to meld together and this is what it looked like:
   
   
   

OMG Hashbrowns

I woke up with an angry belly demanding food...NOW! Well, dudes, I just cleaned out my freezer last night (it was long overdue) and discovered that I still had half a bag of hashbrowns hiding in there. Does anyone else put stuff in the freezer intending to use it, and forget about it for months? I'm trying hard to knock that off because I hate wasting food. But, we shall see. Oh, yeah, so I found the hashbrowns. I am one of those people that loves potatoes...always have always will...and you can't make me change. So there.

Well, as I already mentioned, I woke up super hungry, so I took matters into my little paws and made a very tasty little (okay, okay, the pile of hashbrowns was quite sizeable) breakfast.  You can probably add any veggies you want, but had some broccoli left over from making Chickpea Broccoli Casserole yesterday, so I used some broccoli. Along with that, I added some fresh mushrooms and red onion I had in the fridge.

I'm not sure if you have ever been to Waffle House, but they are kind of famous for their hashbrowns. There, you can add all sorts of stuff to them, including meats (blech) and chili, along with several veggies, fungi and cheese. Having always been a fan of customizable hashbrowns, I took a page from their book. So, my kitchen became a vegan Waffle House this morning. And it was good. Very good. I think the only thing that could have made it better would be if someone else had cooked it for me. But, such is life.

These hashbrowns are ridiculously easy to make. And they take very little time. My version below makes 1 giant serving or 2 average size ones. Don't judge- I ate it all by my lonesome and I am stuffed.

What I used:

• 2 cups frozen hashbrowns
• 1/4 cup diced red onion
• 1/4 cup broccoli cut into tiny florets so they cook faster
• 3 white mushrooms, chopped small
• 1 1/2 TB coconut oil (or other oil)
• salt and lots of pepper

What I did:

1. Heat oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Once melted and hot, add the broccoli and onion. Cook about 4 minutes. Then add the mushrooms. Cook another 3 minutes. 
2. Add the frozen hashbrowns, stir well to coat with the little bit of oil that remains. Cook about 3 minutes, then stir in the salt and pepper. Taste and adjust as needed. Then, flatten the hashbrowns down into the pan and let cook until browned to your liking. You can add more oil, if you need to. 

See! Too easy. And dogs love it too. Check out Daisy waiting patiently for them to get done (she likes potato, but not veggies....silly girl).

Here's what I made this day last year: Vegan Pierogies!! <--Click Me!

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!

Veggie Fried Rice - Vegan MoFo #14

OMG! I am seriously in food-love with making my own fried rice now. It's completely crazy how easy it is. My pal, Lidia, of Air Eater taught me that you need to cook your veggies and your rice separately. How I didn't know this is a shame!

You can't necessarily make this on-the-fly unless you already have cooked rice just hanging out in your fridge, so it does take a little planning. I threw the rice into the rice cooker this morning and then popped it into the fridge before heading out to get stuff done. When I got home, I grabbed my coconut oil and got to work.

I had (and still have) some fresh veggies leftover in my fridge from the veggie platter I made for my pal's bridal shower. As I hate wasting good food, I decided last night that I needed to make some sort of veggie dish. Then, this morning I saw Lidia's post about making fried rice and I knew it was the answer. You could probably make this out of just about any veggies, but I had carrots, cauliflower, broccoli, onion and some frozen peas. Just make sure you cut them all small, and about the same size, so they cook evenly.

Makes enough to serve at least 4 bowls, depending on the size of your bowl.

What I used:

• 2 1/2 cups cooked brown basmati rice
• 4 TB coconut oil, separated in half between the rice and the veggies
• 1 1/2 - 2 tsp sesame oil
• soy sauce or tamari or Braggs aminos to your tastes
• 1 1/2 - 2 cups diced carrot (I didn't exactly measure)
• 1/2 cup broccoli florets (it was all I had left)
• 1 cup cauliflower florets
• 1/3 cup chopped red onion
• 2/3 cup frozen peas

What I did:

1. Heat 2 TB coconut oil in a deep skillet (that has a lid) over medium heat. Add in the carrot and cauliflower, stirring. Let cook about 3 minutes. Then add in the broccoli and onion. Stir occasionally, and cook about 3 minutes. Add the peas, then turn heat to medium-low and put the lid on. Meanwhile, start the next step.
2. Heat the other 2 TB coconut oil in another skillet over medium heat. I used nonstick. Add in the rice and use a wooden spoon to break up any chunks. Stir frequently so all the rice is lightly coated in oil and then add in the sesame oil. Stir again. I think I cooked mine about 5 minutes. I stirred it often so that no chunks formed and the rice was all cooked through. 
3. By now, the veggies should be fork-tender, so go ahead and gently fold them into the rice. Add a little soy sauce and stir well. Taste and add any other salts or spices you'd like.

See?! You can totally make this. And you should stop by Lidia's blog or her twitter (@lidialf) and thank her for sharing her knowledge with me! I truly have such amazing vegan internet pals!

Spicy Garlic Veggie Stirfry with Cashews - VeganMOFO #3

After a lion of a day at work today, I decided I needed large quantities of veggies. Like, a whole hell of a lot. They always have a way of making me feel super satisfied and cheerful. And, believe me, dudes, I ate a ton of this stirfry over some killer brown rice.

I know, I know, every veg*n starts with stirfry because they're easy. And, while that might be true, I still love me some stirfry. Especially with homemade sauce. Especially especially with lotsa garlic. Especially especially especially with some cashews. Especially especially....well, you get the point. Stirfry has infinite possibilities as far as sauces and veggie combos. I used a boatload of produce, but you can use whatever you have onhand. I planned to add some tempeh to this batch, but I forgot to take it out of the freezer before I went to work. Oops. That's why I added cashews. You caught me. I hereby proclaim that I am not perfect and I do, on occasion, make mistakes.

I have a secret... sometimes, when I'm in a rush, I steam the broccoli and carrots for a few minutes before adding it to the wok, or in my recent life, a large skillet. Sadly, my kitchen cabinets just aren't roomy enough for a full-size wok. Insert frowny face here. So, anyway, I cheat a little bit. But, what I lack in patience for cooking broccoli and carrots, I make up for in the yummy homemade sauce. It's super easy to make and tastes lovely. I add about 2/3 of the sauce to the skillet with the veggies, and add some to the served dishes for some extra spice.

Makes enough for 4-5 as a main dish if served over brown rice.

Sauce: 

• 1/4 cup soy sauce
• 2 TB Braggs Aminos
• 1 TB rice vinegar
• 3 TB sesame oil
• 2 TB brown sugar
• 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 1/2 TB sriracha sauce
• 5 cloves minced garlic

Mix all the ingredients together and let set while you cook the meal. 

Stirfry:

• 2 large carrots, sliced 1/8-1/4 inch thick
• 2 cups fresh broccoli florets
• 2 baby bok choy, chopped
• 1 small can of sliced water chestnuts, drained
• 1 slightly heaped cup of frozen edamame
• 1/4 of a large red onion, sliced thick
• 2 large handfuls of snow peas, ends trimmed
• 2 large handfuls of roasted cashews
• 4-5 large cremini mushrooms, sliced thick

Heat a wok or skillet over medium heat. Add the veggies and cook for a couple minutes. Then add some sauce. Cook until the veggies are softened to your preference. Serve over some brown rice and add a smidge more sauce to your plate. Chow down.

Green Day...the food, not the band + Dog Blankie

I completely forgot to do my St. Patrick's Day post last month of all the green food I ate that day! I was emptying out the SD card for my camera this morning and stumbled upon my green food photos. So, Better late than never...or whatever. If you don't like it, well, too bad because here they are.

Breakfast: Green Smoothie
Ingredients:

• 1 cup baby spinach
• 1/2 banana
• 1/4 cup fresh pineapple
• 1 clementine orange
• 1 small apple
• 1 medium carrot
• 1/4 cup cranberry juice
• 2 TB flax meal
• ice, if you want some

Method:
Put everything in the blender (I so LOVE my Vita-Mix for smoothies) and blend until well combined.

Lunch: Chickpea Salad SandwichIngredients:

• 1/2 cup (slightly heaping) cooked chickpeas
• 1 TB + 1 tsp Vegenaise mayo
• 2 tsp mustard (yellow, spicy brown or dijon are all tasty here)
• 2-3 TB raw onion
• 1 heaping TB nooch
• 1 TB dill relish
• 1 TB unsalted sunflower seeds
• 1/2 tsp Braggs Aminos
• Green food coloring

Method:
Put all ingredients in a food processor and whir a few times, until combined. I like mine chunky, but you can puree if you want. It's your sandwich, after all.

Dinner: Green Mashed Potatoes, Steamed Broccoli and Chickpea Patties
The chickpea patties are just the chickpea cutlet recipe from Veganomicon, made into thicker patties instead of cutlets. I always add more garlic and some steak sauce to this recipe. The Mashed potatoes are easy:  green food coloring, Earth Balance, almond milk and salt. And, well, if I have to describe how to steam veggies, you may be a hopeless case.

So, there you go. My St. Patrick's Day green meals. Late, but oh well.

As for my Eco-Craft I started a last week, I am almost done! Check it out :)

Veggie Pasta...Again

If you've visited my blog in the past...distant past, you would have seen my veggie pasta recipe. But, I guess that it really isn't a recipe as I don't ever make it exactly the same way.  It's one of those dishes where I just use whatever I have in my fridge.  This last time it had broccoli, cremini mushrooms, carrots, yellow squash, zucchini, red onion, baby spinach and a ton of fresh basil and garlic.  Yes, I freaking LOVE garlic.  I even bought a stellar xmas tree ornament that is a bulb of garlic.  Don't believe me?  Check this out:

Awesome, huh?

Anyway, back to the veggie pasta.  It really is one of my most favorite things to make.  It's crazy easy, and it seems like everyone who tries it loves it.  Or, well, at least that's what they tell me.  Although, there's almost never any leftovers, so that has to mean something, right?

As for the pasta itself, you can use any shape or kind you want, but I love me some penne.  In a pinch, I've used some rotini, but it just isn't the same.  I'm sure it's all in my head, but I'd like to think that maybe the penne is just more tasty.  The only thing I wouldn't do is use whole wheat pasta as it seems to get dried out too easily.  Plus, if I'm totally honest, I don't really like it.  Enough about my pasta OCD.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb pasta of your choice
• 1 cup broccoli florets
• 1 large carrot, peeled and thinly sliced
• 3/4 of a small red onion, thick-sliced or diced large
• 1 small zucchini, sliced
• 1 yellow squash, sliced
• 4-5 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 cremini mushrooms, de-stemmed and cut into wedges
• 1/2 cup fresh baby spinach
• handful fresh basil, shredded
• 3 TB olive oil
• s&p to your tastes
• a few shakes of garlic salt 

Method:

1. Put 2 TB of the oil into a skillet.  Heat over medium heat.
2. Once hot, add the carrots and the broccoli.  Cook, stirring, for about 5 minutes.
3. Now, add your pasta to some salted, boiling water.  Cook according to package directions.
4. Add the zucchini, squash and onions to your skillet.  Saute, stirring occasionally for about 4 minutes. 
5. Then add in the garlic and mushrooms.  Lower heat to medium-low and cook 3 minutes.  The veggies should be tender.
6. Add the spinach to the pan and wilt a bit.  This should only take a couple of minutes at most.
7. Drain your pasta and mix it in to your veggies.  I leave the heat on low and drizzle another TB of olive oil into the pan. Add in your salt and pepper, fresh basil and any other spices you want.  I sometimes add a bit of onion powder and garlic powder.  
8. Serve up with some fresh garlic bread.  It'll blow your mind :)  Enjoy!

Comfort Food -- Vegan MOFO #9

Isn't that a gorgeous head of yellow cauliflower?  I think the farmer called it cheddar cauliflower.  To me, it tastes just a smidge more sweet than plain white cauliflower.  While this tasted fabulous raw and oven-roasted, I think I still like the white kind better.  

Everyone needs comfort food sometimes; foods that make them feel all warm and snuggly inside.  That was me today, which was perfect because I had some broccoli and cauliflower that were starting to head south, and I hate wasting food.  I also had some Idaho potatoes in my fridge that I kept forgetting about, so I made a few of them into a super yummy, salty and buttery mash.  I don't have any real recipes for this dinner, though.
What we had for dinner:

• Oven-roasted yellow cauliflower
• Steamed veggies--broccoli, yellow cauliflower, carrots
• Super yummy mashed potatoes
• Gardein Crispy Tenders with a dash of garlic salt

For the cauliflower, I chop mine into florets and spread them out on a cookie sheet.  I lightly spray them with an olive oil cooking spray and sprinkle with some sea salt.  I bake them in 425 degree oven for 40 minutes, turning halfway  through.  I like them with a little bit of char, but if that's not your thing, then take it out earlier.

For the mashed potatoes, I peeled 3 medium sized Idaho potatoes, then cut them into 1/2 inch cubes.  I boiled a pot of salted water, then added the potatoes.  Cook about 8-10 minutes, or until the potato cubes are fork-tender.  Then drain and put in a deep bowl.  Add a bit of your milk of choice,  maybe 2 TB.  Add about 4 TB Earth Balance and 1 1/2 tsps of salt.  I blend mine by hand mixer, then add more salt or butter as necessary.