Creamy, Cheesy Potato Soup

I've been super mega hesitant to try making a creamy vegan potato soup. I assumed it wouldn't quite compare to the fat-laden dairy version I grew up on and I didn't want to be a disappointed chickpea. Really, who does? I hadn't even thought about potato soup in ages, but I got home from my dream job and was faced with a box of organic produce that was delivered earlier in the day. Because I am ridiculously lazy (on occasion) I never feel like putting all of it away, so I ended up digging through and taking stock of the veg to try and come up with some random dish. The main things I saw were russet taters, yellow onion, celery, and garlic. I knew it was fate. Today was the day I would finally conquer my fear! I WOULD MAKE CREAMY CHEESY VEGAN POTATO SOUP! Yes, capslock was necessary. This is a big fucking deal.

I won't lie and say there is any specific recipe. I was cooking multiple things at once (sauteed zucchini with onion and mushroom), so I wasn't paying very close attention to the exact proportions. However, I do think I'm pretty close. You should just play it by ear and figure out your preferred formula. My version easily serves 4 as a main dish.

What I used (I think):

• 2 large and 1 small russet potatoes, peeled and cut into a small dice
• about 1 cup diced yellow onion
• 1/3 cup celery, diced small
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/2 tsp olive oil 
• 3 TB vegan buttah
• scant 1/4  cup flour 
• 1/4-1/3 cup nutritional yeast
• 1 cup veg broth
• 3-4 cups unsweetened (or very lightly sweetened) almond milk
• 1/4 tsp coriander
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/3-1/2 cup Daiya cheddar
• salt and pepper

What I did:

1. Boil a pot of salted water. Add the potatoes and cook until fork-tender. Drain and set aside. 
2. In a dutch oven or stock pot, heat the olive oil and saute the onion and celery. Once, softened, add the garlic and cook another minute or so. 
3. Add the butter and the flour and turn into a thick paste by stirring it all together.
4. Add the potatoes, the broth, yeast and enough milk to just cover the potatoes. Then add in the spices. Mix it really well and bring up to a light boil.
5. Stir every few minutes as the soup thickens. I actually started using a whisk near the end to keep the milk from burning to the bottom. The soup probably took 25 minutes once in the pot. But, like I said, I was distracted. In the last 10 minutes or so, I used my immersion blender and pureed about 1/3 of the soup to thicken it up a bit.You can also do it by running a bit through your blender or processor...optional, not necessary. 
6. Once the soup is thickened to your liking, lower the heat and add in the Daiya cheese. I used a whisk to keep stirring mine until the cheese was all melted.

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?

KACK Smoothie

Yup, that's one thick smoothie.

On my quest to conquer kale, I have cut another notch in my belt. The KACK smoothie. Yeah, so, KACK sounds like the noise a cat makes when yacking up a hairball...not so appealing. I understand. However, KACK is all green smoothie goodness.

Kale
Apple
Carrot
Kiwi

See? It's all good in the KACK smoothie hood.

Here are the measures:

• 1 cup kale
• 1 small apple (I used an ida red)
• 1 carrot, medium size
• 2 kiwi (I cut the ends and leave the skin on)
• 1/4 cup almond milk

Directions....really? You just blend the hell outta this and then drink it. With a straw. It's thick. Notice in the top photo how my glass straw is standing up on its own...it's that thick.

Kiwi Smoothies are Rad

Smoothies. Who doesn't love 'em? Well, my dears, I have been in kind of a smoothie rut lately. I've been less than creative with my green smoothies, so I decided to shake things up a bit. I found a great deal on kiwis yesterday, so I bought 8 of them for $2.00. I couldn't resist their furry brown goodness. And, to top it off, kiwi are crazy good for you. Don't believe me? Click here for more info. So, yeah, I bought 8 kiwifruits on a whim. A damn tasty whim, if I do say so myself. What's a chickpea to do with 8 kiwi? Make a smoothie...though I didn't use 8, just 2. Forgive me for misleading you. Now make the smoothie already.

Makes 1 smoothie.

• 2 peeled kiwi (mine were partially peeled because I like the skin)
• 1 smallish ripe banana
• 1 small carrot
• 1/4 - 1/3 cup almond milk
• a small scoop of ice

Blend all that tasty shit together and you have a wicked tasty smoothie.

I must say, though, that I was a little disappointed that the smoothie wasn't the mega-vibrant green of the inside of a kiwi. I blame myself for adding carrot and banana. But the taste more than makes up for it.

Yellow Smoothie - Vegan MoFo #13

This is a first for me. I have never, ever made a yellow smoothie. It's surprisingly good. But, weird looking. See, I was attempting to make some almond butter with cinnamon and a bit of agave to sweeten it. For some reason, I just couldn't get it as smooth and creamy as I wanted, so I scrapped it. At the bottom of my blender was the leftover I couldn't reach with my silicone spatula. What's a chickpea to do? Throw in some other stuff and make a smoothie, of course.

There were probably about 2 TB of my almond butter (more like a thick paste...grrr) at the bottom of the blender. I added 2 handfuls of carrot sticks (about 2 carrots), 1 Ida Red apple (quartered), 1/4 cup almond milk, 1/4 cup cranberry juice, a scoop of ice and 3 large strawberries.

I know, sounds an odd assortment, but it was surprisingly good, I promise! I had all sorts of leftover fruit and veg in my fridge as I was in charge of making a fruit and veggie platter for my pal's bridal shower. So, I decided to use up what I could. I'm thinking that I need to make a stirfry or veggie pasta for dinner to use up more of it. I really hate wasting perfectly good produce.

What do you make when you have fruit and veg to use up? I'm always looking for new recipes :)

Tempeh and Roasted Veg Curry

Because I am a farmer's market addict, I went today and got more veggies...and fruit. (Cut me some slack, the fruit season in Michigan is pretty short, so you have to get while the gettin's good.) Then I decided that I really needed to cook something hearty and colorful and spicy for dinner and I had a HUGE craving for tempeh. What's new, right?! What to make, what to make? Curry, of course!

I took a different route with this curry. Normally, I'd pan-cook all the veggies in lots of oil until they were done. This time, I roasted my veggies in the oven first. For me, that meant using a lot less oil than cooking the veg on the stovetop. I also cooked the tempeh separately and then added it all in together near the end of cooking so it would get a little crispy around the edges. The cooking steps look long, but I promise it is really easy to make and well worth the time to make it. This curry goes absolutely perfectly with some brown basmati rice and homemade vegan garlic naan (or pita). Don't be overwhelmed with the ingredient list, half of it consists of spices, so it's not so scary, really.

Rainbow colors in this dish:

Orange: Carrots

Yellow: Summer Squash

Green: Peas, Zucchini

Violet/Purple: Onion

This dish makes enough for 4 as a main dish when served with rice or bread.

Ingredients:

• 1 block tempeh, cubed
• 1/2 small red onion, cut into half-moons
• 1 large zucchini, cut into thick half-moons
• 1 medium summer squash, cut into thick half-moons
• 1 Idaho potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/2 inch cubes
• 3 large carrots cut into thick 1/2 inch slices
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup almond milk
• 2 TB vegan butter (Earth Balance is my preferred brand)
• 2-3 TB garlic chili sauce (I use this brand Taste of Thai)
• 1 scant TB curry powder
• 1/2 tsp turmeric
• 1/8 tsp celery seed (optional)
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp mustard powder
• 1/4 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
• pinch ginger
• 1 TB liquid aminos (or soy sauce)
• salt and pepper
• cooking spray

 Method:

1. Preheat your oven to 440 degrees F. Spray two baking sheets with the cooking spray. On one sheet, spread out the zucchini and squash and on the other spread out the potatoes and carrots. Lightly spritz the tops with the cooking spray and a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Be sure that the veg is in a single layer on each sheet. Bake the potato sheet on the bottom rack and the zucchini sheet up higher. Cook about 15 minutes. Remove both trays from the oven and flip the veggies. Then cook another 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are fork-tender and the zucchini are cooked through. During the second half of the roasting, start step 2.
2. Spray a large skillet with the cooking spray and heat over medium heat. Add the pepper flakes, onion, half of the minced garlic. Then add in the tempeh. Stir often. Add in 1 1/2 tsp of the chili garlic sauce,  the paprika, ginger, some salt and pepper, and celery seed. If the tempeh is sticking to the pan, add a little more cooking spray. I cooked mine about 10 minutes, until the tempeh was crisping around the edges. Remove the pan from the burner until the roasted veggies are ready.
3. Now, add the milk and butter to the skillet that has the tempeh. Turn the burner to medium. Add in all the rest of the ingredients, including the roasted veg. Cook about 10 minutes, until the milk/sauce is thickened and mostly absorbed and the peas are nice and hot.

What an Odd Smoothie...

I decided this morning that I really needed a smoothie. It's actually been a few weeks since I made one, so I thought I'd throw some random stuff together and see how it went. WHOA. Yumm! Dudes, I shocked even myself with this one. It sounds like it would be gross, but it was excellent. And, it was my first time using hemp milk, which my grocery store just started carrying. I think I like it. We'll see though. I haven't tried it in anything else yet. Almond milk is still my favorite, though.

For all the smoothies alone, my Vita-Mix has been amazing. I make other stuff in it, too, like salad dressings and sauces and even made soft-serve style ice cream in it a few times, but it makes the most perfect smoothies. It doesn't have any trouble cutting through pineapple core or carrots or whole apples. You'll never be able to go back to a regular blender. I've heard that Blendtec is super awesome, too. I dunno know, though. I'm a Vita-Mix gal. Well, enough blathering on. Don't freak when you see the ingredients to this smoothie. They sound bizarre together, but they taste so good!

This makes 2 smaller smoothies, or 1 very large one.

Ingredients:

• 1 mango
• 1 cup fresh pineapple
• 1 small carrot
• 1 big handful baby spinach
• 1/3-1/2 cup hemp milk
• 1/2 cup ice (you can add more if you like them super cold. I don't.)

Method:

1. Do I really need to tell you how to make this? Haha.

Vegan Gnocchi & Garlic Mushroom Cream Sauce

Gnocchi. Garlic. Mushrooms. You need this. It really doesn't require any chitchat. It's tasty stuff, man.

My hint:
Start cooking the potatoes before you start the sauce. Everything should come up about the same time that way.

Ingredients for gnocchi:

• 2 large Idaho potatoes
• 1/2 -2/3 cup flour plus a little extra for dusting your counter
• 1 flax egg (1 TB ground flax plus 3 TB warm water, mixed well)
• about half a tsp salt

Ingredients for the sauce:

• 2 cups almond milk
• 3-4 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced, then chopped
• 1 heaped TB of vegan cream cheese
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1/4 cup minced onion
• 1/4 cup plus about 1 tsp flour
• pinch sage
• pinch coriander
• salt and pepper

Method for gnocchi:

1. Bake the potatoes until fork tender. Ha. Kidding. Microwave them (after poking with a fork) for 4 minutes. Flip and cook another 4-5 minutes. When they are done, cut the potatoes in half and use a spoon to scoop out the insides. 
2. Put the potato guts into a mixing bowl along with the flax egg, salt and 1/2 cup flour. Mix with a hand mixer until it forms a soft dough that looks something like this:

3. Form the dough by hand into a big ball that isn't sticky (use more flour if needed), and knead gently for about 1 minute. Cut it into a few balls, then toss some flour on your counter. Carefully roll out into long, skinny dough logs. Then cut with a knife so it looks like this:

4. Bring a pot of water up to a boil and add a TB of salt. Boil the gnocchi in batches until they float to the top. Skim them out, draining off the water, then and add to your cooked sauce.

Method for sauce:

1. Heat the oil in a pot over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic and saute for about 4 minutes. Then add everything except the mushrooms and cream cheese. Whisk well, and bring to a very gentle boil, stirring often and being sure to scrape the bottom of the pan. 
2. After the sauce starts to thicken, add the mushroom and cream cheese and turn heat to medium-low. Whisk until the cream cheese is melted and taste for seasonings. Let thicken to your preference.
3. Add your cooked gnocchi and mix well. Let the flavors come together for a few minutes before serving.

Vegan Fried Pickles!

If I were a world leader, I would declare Fridays to be fried pickle day. No one can resist their magical powers. I would use them to take over the world. Or whatever. Oh, wait. I made them on a Saturday. I guess I haven't really thought through my plan for world domination. Really, though, I first had these a few years ago when I was down south whitewater rafting with some family, and I couldn't get enough. Sadly, when I came back home, I couldn't find them anywhere, and people thought me insane when I asked. They had the insanity part right, but not because of the pickles...

Speaking of pickles, I used the kind you find in the grocery store's refrigerated section. I chose the Kosher Dill Spears. These pickles are extra crunchy and I, literally, can't resist their extra garlicky flavor. I may have sipped some of the juice from the jar when no one was looking. Anyway, because they are so damn crunchy, they were perfect for the frying. They actually stayed crunchy after frying. Mmmmmm.....

You'll definitely want to set up 2 shallow bowls for the dredging and use some tongs if you have them. It gets messy. I started out using my hands to dip and dredge the pickles, but my fingers very quickly resembled clubs. I had to abort that plan and dig out the tongs. Also, don't be me...I used a pan that was a little too shallow, so I got some splatter all over my stove. Icky. Maybe one day I will break down and get a fryer. For now, I will instead berate myself for not using a deep enough pot. Not really. Well, maybe.

Makes a whole jar of dill spears. Don't be surprised when you abandon the rest of your dinner and eat only the pickles. I had made some delicious tempeh BLTs (aka TLT) made, but didn't even bother eating any until all the pickles were gone. OH, I almost forgot to tell you! The pickles are incredible dipped into your favorite vegan ranch. Here is the recipe I usually use---> Scroll down about halfway to find the Rodeo Ranch recipe. I sub almond milk for soy as I don't have much love for soymilk.

Enough chatter, on to the recipe!

Ingredients:

• 1 jar kosher dill spears, or your chosen pickle
• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 2/3 cup almond milk
• 1 1/2 tsp vegan worcestershire sauce
• 1 tsp Braggs liquid aminos
• about 2 tsp sriracha or your chosen hot sauce (Don't worry, the pickles aren't "hot" - it just adds flavor to the batter)
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• dash cayenne
• 2 tsp kosher salt
• 1 1/2 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
• 1 flax egg (1 TB ground flax mixed with 3 TB warm water and set aside until it resembles egg snot)
• Oil for frying - you want at least 1-2 Inches deep in your chosen pot or deep fryer

Method:

1. First of all, you want to put your pickles out on paper towel and gently pat them with another paper towel to get all the excess liquid off of them.

2. In a wide, shallow bowl, whisk together almond milk, worcestershire, Braggs, sriracha, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne and flax egg.
3. In another wide, shallow-ish bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and pepper. Your two bowls should look something like this:

4. Heat your oil to 360 degrees F. I got mine to stabilize temperature while I was still dredging the pickles...but you should start heating the oil as it takes a little while on your stovetop. Moving on.
5. Using your tongs, dip pickle into the wet bowl, then into the flour. Then back into the wet. Then back into the flour. The messier the better! Not even joking. The crazy excess dredge makes for delicious crunchy coating after they are fried. Repeat until they are all coated.
6. Very carefully use your tongs to put a few into the hot oil. I only did 3 at a time because adding more lowered the oil temperature too much. You want it to stay around 350 degrees F while cooking. When they are a lightly browned all over, remove from oil and put on a paper towel-lined plate to soak the excess oil. When you first put them in the oil, do it one at a time, otherwise they try to stick together. Also, when first putting them in, use your tongs to make sure they don't stick to the bottom. It only takes a second. 
7. Once they have cooled a bit, chow down. I highly recommend a dip in some ranch dressing. Enjoy!

Dark Chocolate Mint Cupcakes

It's been ages since I made cupcakes, and I felt the craving come on last night. So, I decided to try something I've been thinking about for a while. I love dark chocolate and I love mint. Thus, the dark chocolate cuppie was born. And, as always, it's all vegan and all delicious.

If you've ever had the mint Oreos (yes, they're vegan), you know what kind of flavor to expect here. This frosting tastes identical to the minty cream filling in the Oreos. I love love love love love my dark chocolate cocoa. It really adds a nice depth of flavor to the cupcakes. I've added it to my fabbo Double Chocolate Pecan Cookies for a deeper flavor a few times as an experiment. Dudes. It was no joke. So, anyway, I don't feel much like chatting as I have a terrible headache this evening. Make the cuppies.

Makes 6 cuppies. I can't make a dozen or else my pants will no longer fit. No joke.

Cupcake Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup +1 TB flour
• 3 1/2 TB dark chocolate cocoa powder
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 + 1/8 tsp baking soda
• scant 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup almond milk
• 1/2 tsp vinegar
• 1/2 tsp mint extract
• 1/2 tsp almond extract (if you don't have any, substitute vanilla extract)
• 1/4 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
• 2 1/2 TB canola oil
• 1/3 cup sugar

Frosting Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 TB vegetable shortening
• 2 TB almond milk
• 1 tsp mint extract
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 to 2 cups powdered sugar (amount varies depending on how stiff you want the frosting)
• A few drops of food coloring (optional)

Cupcake Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a muffin tin with 6 cupcake papers.
2. Combine the almond milk and the vinegar in a big bowl. Set aside for about 4 minutes. Meanwhile, start the next steps.
3. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cocoa, salt, sugar, baking powder and baking soda.
4. Add the extracts and oil to the milk mixture.
5. Add the wet bowl to the dry and beat until no dry spots remain and you don't see any chunks. 
6. Equally distribute in the cupcake papers. They'll be 2/3 to 3/4 full. Then bake on middle shelf for approx. 18 minutes. Let cool on a wire rack. Don't frost them until the cuppies are completely cool. Otherwise your frosting will melt. Don't be that person. 

Frosting Method:

1. Whip the shortening with the extracts. 
2. Add the almond milk and then add the powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time until it reaches the thickness you prefer. Set aside while the cuppies cool.

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*

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 :)

Vegan Queso Dip & Your Footprint

Alright, not the best photo ever. You try photographing queso dip. It just isn't pretty. Anyway, I had an even harder time because I desperately wanted to devour the whole bowl immediately. But, I held my gluttony at bay for your blog-reading pleasure.

All day I had been craving nachos, but it's been ages (read years) since I made queso dip. I used to mix Velveeta and salsa in the olden days, so I basically tried to re-create that here. Sadly, I had no Daiya, otherwise I would've used that to make this dip. But, I did have a stash of nooch in my cupboard, so I took that route. And, to my great surprise, it worked incredibly well. I made a lunch out of this queso with some baked tortilla chips. Okay, so I probably ate a bit more than I needed, but I was hungry and craving nachos something fierce. You can't fault me for having a craving, can you? You can!? Well, forget you. My feelings are so hurt right now that I may never recover. Not really. So, here's the recipe.

Makes about 2 cups, or enough for 2 adults to chow down.
Ingredients:

• 1 cup medium or hot chunky salsa
• 1 cup almond milk
• 1/3 cup plus 1-2 TB nooch (nutritional yeast)
• 3/4 tsp cumin
• 2 1/2 TB flour
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp onion powder/granulated onion
• 2/3 tsp chili powder
• 1/4 tsp cayenne
• 1/2 tsp garlic salt

 Method:

1. Whisk together all the ingredients in a small saucepan. Heat sauce over medium burner. 
2. Bring to a gentle boil, stirring very frequently. Make sure that you scrape the bottom of the pan as you stir so nothing burns to the bottom. Remove from heat when thickened to your preference. I think mine took about 8 minutes or so. It should not be runny at all. I like it thick enough that if I dip a chip, the chip can stand up in the cheese without me touching it.

Earth-Friendly Footprint:
I was wondering today how large or small my ecological footprint is, so I took the interactive quiz on the following link: Footprint Calculator. After you get your result, go to the FAQ's to read more about what the results mean and how to work on changing them.

My result was somewhat surprising to me. I thought I was doing much better than I actually am. Granted, the calculator isn't perfect, but it does highlight ways in which I could try harder, such as in transportation and purchasing locally. Well, in the summer months, nearly every bit of fruit and veg I buy is grown locally, but being in Michigan makes it nearly impossible to have local produce in the winter months. And, this summer, I plan to start biking much more often, but I don't really live in an area that makes it easy to. Nor is there public transport near me. But, there are some other things I will be working harder on, like further reducing the items I purchase that require packaging and making more effort to reuse and upcycle before throwing things in the recycle bin.

If you're unfamiliar with the concept of upcycling, it's bascially taking something old and making it into some new, functional item. For example, you can make some really awesome pillows out of your old concert tees that you haven't worn in ages. Or take your wine corks and hot glue them together into a unique corkboard. I'm going to try making some upcyclables this month, so check back and see what I'm up to.

Have a lovely day. Or not. Whatever.

French Toast ala Happy Herbivore

So, I finally tried it. I made the french toast from The Happy Herbivore Cookboook. And it was quite tasty. I was skeptical, but it turned out to be very good. And, really, rather healthy as far as calories and fat go.  Although, to be honest, I don't care much about counting calories and fat. I eat what I like and I get exercise, so whatever. But, that's just me though. Maybe you are obsessively counting every calorie, in which case, you probably aren't eating carbs so you wouldn't even be looking for a bread recipe. I digress.

I was quite surprised at how much the taste and texture resembled the french toast I used to make years ago. I like mine a little crispy around the edges and a bit mushy in the middle, which is exactly how this turned out. I also served it with a sprinkle of powdered sugar and a tiny bit of maple syrup. Yum yum. I actually did change a couple of things about the recipe, which I should note for you.

1. I didn't use nutmeg because I don't really like it.
2. I added extra cinnamon because I love it.
3. I used almond milk because I don't enjoy soy milk, though I did accidentally purchase it when the grocery store moved it next to my almond milk. Damn them!
4. The recipe doesn't say what temp to cook your toast at, so I used medium and it worked perfectly.
5. I also flipped mine several times to make sure it cooked to my liking.

The recipe isn't mine to share, so if you'd like the recipe, you should definitely snag the cookbook from your local bookseller or (my personal favorite) your local public library. It's definitely worth it!! The recipe for the French Toast is page 24 of The Happy Herbivore Cookbook: Over 175 Delicious Fat-Free & Low-Fat Vegan Recipes.

Also, this is my Marley and she is cuter than yours. hahaha!

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.

Chickpea Noodle Casserole (like tuna...only not)

My pal posted a recipe for a mock tuna casserole yesterday, and I was instantly intrigued. As I read the recipe, I thought, "Chickpeas. Pasta. Peas. How could it possibly be bad?" To tell the truth, it really is quite delicious. I didn't follow the original recipe exactly, but I used it as a starting point because I can never bring myself to exactly follow any recipe...ever. It's a weakness. Or a strength. I'm not really sure which yet! 

I really really liked this casserole! I'm typically not the biggest fan of casseroles as many tend to have no texture whatsoever, but this one did from the chickpeas and even from the peas. Really, it's great. You can add other veggies, but I stuck to peas as my add-in because I LOVE PEAS. And if you don't, well, that's just sad. I found some generic pasta that somewhat resembles the old egg-noodles most of us grew up on. You really could use any pasta you want. 


This makes about 5-6 big servings.


Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb pasta of your choice
• 2 cups cooked chickpeas, pulsed a few times in your food processor, DO NOT PUREE
• 6oz fresh cremini mushrooms, sliced and chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 cup diced onion 
• 1 cup frozen peas
• 3 TB olive oil
• 3 1/2 TB flour
• 2 cups unsweetened almond milk
• 1/2 cup veggie broth
• 1 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 3-4 TB nutritional yeast
• 1 TB garlic salt
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs
• salt and pepper to your tastes
• 1/2 tsp coriander

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Cook your pasta according to package directions. Then drain and set aside. While pasta is cooking, start on step 3 below.
3. Heat 1 TB oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add onions, and saute for 5 minutes, or until softened. Then add the fresh garlic. 
4. Whisk some flour into the garlic onion mixture, and add 1 TB oil. It'll be really thick. Now, whisk in the milk and broth. Keep whisking until the sauce thickens somewhat. 
5. Lower the burner to medium-low heat. Now add in the chickpeas, coriander, nutritional yeast, onion powder, mushrooms, and garlic salt. You will want to keep whisking so nothing burns to the bottom of the pan., but continues to thicken somewhat. Taste for salt and pepper and adjust accordingly.
6. Fold in the peas and the pasta and cook another minute or three.
7. Pour the mixture into a casserole dish. 
8. In a small bowl, combine the last 1 TB of oil with the breadcrumbs. I added some salt and pepper to the bread crumbs because I pretty much always do. Now, mix well and spoon over the casserole, covering the entire surface if you can.
   
   
   
9. Cook on the middle rack for 20-30 minutes, or until the breadcrumbs get toasted and the sauce is bubbling. Mine took exactly 25 minutes. This is what it should look like:
   
   
   

There you have it! Super tasty and really filling. And, the sauce is delicious. Tuck in, dude.

Banana Nut Pancakes

I have really been addicted to making pancakes lately, and really, who the hell doesn't love pancakes? They're so easy and so tasty, and leftovers heat up nicely in the microwave. You can use any fruit you have laying around, I guess, but an overripe banana add sweetness without having to add additional sugar. Plus, I am always looking for recipes to use up the bananas I forget to eat. Additionally, I had a handful of walnuts that were close to their expiration date, too, so I used them up. Thus, Banana Walnut Pancakes were born! I will definitely make these tasty babies again soon. They taste a bit like banana nut bread in pancake form...YUM! You can't resist. Really, you can't. I've embedded this page with hypnotic messages that you can't ignore. Muahaahaaaaaa! My evil plan is coming together nicely.

As always, they are probably tasty drizzled in maple syrup, but I am not much of a sweet breakfast kind of girl. So, I just slather on a little (or maybe a lot) of Earth Balance and chow down. You may do whatever you want. I guess. But, just so you know, if you ask me I will tell you that my way is best. Because it is.

This recipe will make about ten 4-inch pancakes

Ingredients:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 1/2 tsp vegetable or canola oil
• 1/2 tsp (heaping) cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp salt
• a shake or two of nutmeg
• 1 over-ripe banana
• 1/3 cup chopped walnuts (I toasted mine in the oven for about 10 minutes @ 350 degrees F)
• 1 cup almond milk
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
•  Ener-G egg replaceer totaling 1 egg, mixed and ready to be used
• cooking spray or a bit of Earth Balance to grease the pan

Method:

1. Mix your flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg and cinnamon in a large bowl.
2. In another bowl, mix your milk, oil, vanilla, and egg replacer well.
3. Mash your banana very well with a fork and add to your wet bowl. Mix well.
4. Pour your wet ingredients into your dry ingredient bowl. I used a whisk to combine until there were no dry powders visible. Be careful not to overmix or else your pancakes will not poof up when you cook them. Your batter should be kind of lumpy.
5. Fold in your walnuts.
6. Heat a non-stick skillet/frying pan over medium heat for 1-2 minutes before adding batter. Spray with your cooking spray or a drop few small dabs of Earth Balance where you will be pouring your batter.
7. Using a ladle or measuring cup, pour your batter onto the hot pan. Once the batter starts to get medium-sized bubbles in their middles (about 3-4 minutes), gently use your spatula to flip the pancakes over. Cook another 2-3 minutes or until the bottoms are browned to your liking.
8. Serve the pancakes up with some butter and maple syrup (if you must). 

If you use maple syrup, let me know what you think of it. Also, I'd like to know: do you smother with syrup or just drizzle some on top? I'm inexperienced in such syrupy matters.

Shepherd's Pie or Something Like It

I should let you know up front that I have never, nor will I ever eat a "true" shepherd's pie, so this recipe is what I'd like to imagine they are really like...you know, vegan and cruelty-free and junk. And healthy. Okay, okay. You got me. I like to splurge in my mashed potatoes. I love me some Earth Balance in my taters (I blame my mama because she always made buttery mash). Otherwise, this is some healthy shit. And tasty as hell. During this session of honesty, I will tell you that I actually meant to add some lima beans and peas to the stew-filling stuff, but I completely forgot. Maybe next time.

I basically made a smaller and altered version of my recipe for winter stew and topped it with mashed potatoes. Sounds easy, no? It doesnt? Well, forget you. It is easy.

This recipe makes enough to serve 3-4 as a main dish. I cooked mine in two 7-inch Le Creuset baking dishes I got on clearance at TJ Maxx because I am frugal. Or cheap. Or whatever. They were perfect for what I needed them for and they are bright green, which is my favorite color. You can cook them in whatever you want, so long as it's oven-safe.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups already cooked mashed potatoes (I added a handful of Daiya cheddar to mine-YUM)
• 1- 8oz can plain tomato sauce
• 1 carrot, peeled and thinly sliced
• 2 medium idaho potatoes, peeled and diced to 1/4 inch bits
• 1/4 large white onion, diced
• 3/4 cup vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup dried lentils
• 3-4 TB tvp granules
• 1 1/2 TB minced garlic
• 4oz button mushrooms, sliced thickly
• 1 TB olive oil
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp basil
• 1/2 tsp coriander
• 1/8 tsp thyme
• 1/4 tsp sage
• 1/8 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/2 tsp garlic salt
• 1 1/2 TB Braggs liquid aminos
• lots of fresh cracked black pepper

Method:

1. Pre-heat your oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Add oil to a soup pot over a medium heat. Once hot, add your spices and onions. Stir well and cook until onions are softened, 5 minutes. Then add the garlic. Stir and cook 2 minutes. 
3. Turn your heat down a smidge to just under medium heat. Add all of the other ingredients except the mashed potatoes. Stir very, very well. Put the lid on your pot and cook, stirring every 5 minutes for approximately 30 minutes. If for some reason, yours gets too dry, add a bit more broth and stir. 
4. Your stew-type filling should be done by now. You'll need to test by checking the doneness of the potatoes. I like my lentils with some texture, but if you like them mushier, cook it longer with more broth. You should be tasting this anyway to make sure you like the spices and such.

5. Pour your filling into 1 large or multiple smaller baking dishes. Cover with the mashed potatoes. You can try to be artsy, like my lovely pattern that I have been told looks like intestines, or you could just smear the potatoes over the filling. Whatever floats your boat, dooood. 

6. Bake for 30 minutes on the middle rack. Then, I turned on the broiler for 3 minutes. Why? It just seemed like the right thing to do. Get off my lawn. Be prepared to burn your tongue at least once. It smells so good, that you will quite literally be unable to wait for it to cool before tucking in. I ate mine with a bit of garlic bread. Mega yum. And incredibly filling. 

My Veggie Potpie (can kick your potpie's ass)

There are few things I love better than a good potpie (or is that pot pie?). Actually, that was a lie, as I love many more things than potpie. But I refuse to apologize! Why? Because this is my fucking blog and I am a malevolent dictator of said blog. So, potpie, it is magnificent and tasty and probably one of my most favorite comfort foods of all time. And, that, is not a lie.

I like my potpie with flavor, which all frozen potpies lack. Why waste my time eating something that tastes like shit? I absolutely refuse to have a bland dinner. So, I add some curry powder to my filling, which gives it a mildly-spiced, amazing-scented, kick-assedness. Or whatever. It rocks. I suggest using a homemade crust because it turned out SO much better than the pre-made, frozen crusts and puff pastries I used in the past. My friend, Meagan, sent me this recipe for the crust, which I halved because I didn't have enough Earth Balance to make a double crust and I didn't feel like going to the store. I ran 3.2 miles on my dreadmill (ha) today and got lazy afterward. So, cut a chickpea some slack, dude!

If you decide to make your own crust, make it before starting the filling and put it in the fridge until it's time to use it. For a flakier crust, you'll want a cold dough where the butter and shortening haven't melted. I used a pastry cutter to blend the ingredients in a large bowl until pretty well combined. Then I quickly mushed it all together by hand and wrapped it tightly in some plastic wrap. When I was done cooking the potpie filling, I rolled out the crust and put it on top of the pie plate. Don't fuck it up and forget to use lots of flour on the countertop otherwise you will have a hell of a time getting the crust off the counter. Learn from my mistake. Or not. Whatever.

This recipe is for one 9-inch potpie. I used an enameled stoneware pie plate for the potpie. You can use whatever you want. Maybe an 8x8-inch casserole or something? Speaking of using whatever you want, you can use whatever veggies you want in this potpie. I used what I had on-hand. Get creative or something!

On to the recipe. And, yes, it does include chickpeas!

Ingredients:

• At least 1 crust, in the fridge until later
• 2 TB olive oil
• 1/2-2/3 cup diced onion
• 3 large cloves garlic, minced
• 5 button mushrooms, sliced thinly
• 1 large & 1 small potato, peeled, diced into 1/4 inch pieces
• 2 carrots, peeled and diced into 1/4 inch pieces
• 1 cup cooked chickpeas (use canned if you must)
• 1/2 cup frozen peas
• 1/2 cup-slightly heaping- frozen lima beans
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 1 1/2 TB flour
• 1/3 cup almond milk
• 3/4 cup vegetable broth
• 3/4 tsp curry powder, though I added a few shakes more to taste before baking the pie
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp coriander
• salt

 Method: 

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Boil a medium-sized pot of salted water. Add the carrots and potatoes and cook about 10 minutes. Check for them to be softened and then drain. 
3. While the potatoes and carrots are boiling, get a large skillet. I use one with straight sides so I don't spill anything to my glass cooktop, which can be a complete bitch to clean. Anywhoooo...put the skillet on a medium heat. Add half the oil.
4. Now add the onions and saute for 4-5 minutes. Then add in your garlic and mushrooms. Saute for about 3 minutes, until the mushroom is cooked and the garlic very fragrant. 
5. Add the frozen veg. Stir well and cook a minute or three. 
6. While they are cooking, combine the almond milk and veg broth and heat for 1 minute in your microwave. Basically, you want them warm to hot in temp. Use a microwave-safe bowl, of course. I really shouldn't have to tell you that part, but I am anyway.
7. Add the potatoes and carrots, along with the oil, flour and spices. I used a whisk to mix together. Don't worry. It will be very dry for a minute. Chill.
8. Whisk in the milk/broth mixture and keep whisking until the sauce is thickened. It should take about 4 minutes. I like mine kind of thick (ha), so I cook it a minute or two longer. Taste your filling and adjust your spices as needed. Pour the filling into your pie plate.

9. Cover pie plate with the crust. Slice a few gashes into the crust to help with possible overflow/venting. I put foil around the edges of the crust for the first 20 minutes of cooking.

10. Remove foil after 20 minutes and cook another 25-30 minutes. Your crust will be lightly browned and you'll hear your filling boiling.

There you go. Slice into that pie and pig out. You know you want to. And if you don't, well, get lost sucka!

Frosted Pumpkin Cookies -- Vegan MOFO #22

Hear ye! Hear ye!  Frosted Pumpkin Cookies have arrived.

No talk about this one.  I'm getting straight to the recipe because you need to start cooking them ASAP.  Your family and friends will thank you...and then beg you to make more (trust me...I live this).  I should add that I got the basis for the recipe from VeganYumYum's iphone app, but changed it some to fit my tastes.

This makes about 18-24 cookies depending on the size you make them.

Cookie Ingredients:

• 1/4 cup vegetable shortening
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 & 1/4 tsp blackstrap molasses
• 1 tsp plus 3 drops vanilla extract
• 3/4 cup plus 2 TB pumpkin puree (I just buy it canned, but be sure to get plain pumpkin, not the spiced pumpkin)
• 2 & 1/4 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 egg replacment (I nearly always use Ener-G)
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp allspice
• 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 1/2 TB vanilla flavored milk of your choice (I used almond, but I think I'll try coconut next time)

Frosting Ingredients:

• 3 TB Earth Balance Margarine, room temperature-
• 2 oz. vegan cream cheese (1/4 of an 8 oz. package)
• 2 to 2 & 1/2 cups powdered sugar, add more if you like it extra thick and firm
• 1 tsp plus 4 drops vanilla extract 

Cookie Method:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats
2. Cream together shortening and sugar with a regular hand mixer (or stand mixer).
3. Beat in molasses and vanilla until well combined.
4. Blend in the pumpkin puree. The shortening will likely still leave tiny chunks and that is okay.
5. Mix the rest of the ingredients together in a bowl, then slowly add it to the pumpkin mixture. Beat until well combined and quite stiff, sometimes you will need to add a little more flour.  It seems that pureed pumpkin is sometimes more moist than other times. You just want the dough to be very thick.
6. Check the dough for spices and adjust as necessary.  I always always always do this.  Sometimes, you need a little more of something.
7. Scoop out onto cookie sheets at least an inch or so apart. Wet your fingers with a little water, then press the cookies down to about 1/2 inch thickness. This helps keep them from getting too tall as they do puff up a bit..
8. Bake on middle rack about 12 minutes, but possibly longer. Use a toothpick to check the doneness. As soon as you remove them from the oven, slide the cookies onto a cooling rack to stop them from cooking more or getting crunchy on the bottom.  Do not frost until they are cooled completely.

Frosting Method:

1. Blend all ingredients together until nice and smooth. If it isn't thick enough, add more powdered sugar a few TB at a time until you reach a thick, yet smooth consistency.
2. Wait until the cookies are nice and cooled before frosting otherwise the frosting will melt and drip off the cookies. Let frosted cookies sit uncovered for about 30 minutes to help the frosting set.  Most often, I put them in the refrigerator to firm up the frosting. Then cover with plastic wrap to keep the cookies moist.