Ever eat chickpea sandwiches? They're a staple in my world. I love taking them for lunch at the library because they don't make your bread soggy (I absolutely cannot deal with soggy bread) and the flavor seems to get better as it sits. As for the bread, I never much took any interest in foccacia, but the fella came home with a giant, flat loaf from the store today. I wondered what the hell I was going to with it. Alas, I made a sandwich. And it was great. The foccacia was soft inside and chewy outside. Better yet, it was vegan!

This little recipe started with a recipe I found on Happy Herbivore's blog a couple years ago, and has constantly evolved ever since. This makes 1 sandwich, but I'll leave it up to you to double/triple/whatever.

What I used:

• 1/2 can drained chickpeas (About 2/3- 3/4 cup)
• 3 TB diced onion
• 2 TB sunflower seeds for a little crunch
• 1 TB Vegenaise vegan mayo
• 1 1/2 TB dill relish
• 1 tsp dijon mustard
• 2 TB nooch
• pinch of salt and pepper
• 1/8 tsp dried dill

What I did:

1. Put everything in your food processor and pulse a few times, until the mix holds together. If it's too dry, add a little more mayo or dijon mustard and pulse a few more times. Spoon the mix out onto some bread, top with some baby spinach (or lettuce) and a slice of tomato. Dig it.

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!

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.

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.

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?

Spicy Chickpea Pasta -what you make when you don't know what to make

You think I don't know that's a stupid name for a recipe? Really, I'm not dumb. I just sometimes can't think of creative titles. However, I can come up with some kickass recipes, so that makes up for my poor naming skills. I say it, thus it must be true. This is my blog. I make the rules.

Confession: I used to HATE (really fucking HATE) whole wheat pasta. I suddenly love it. Why? Because I'm a fickle chickpea and I do what I want. I frequently try new things that I used to dislike...maybe you should try it sometime; it's called being mature. Or whatever. I don't know. Just do it.

Now, this recipe is so easy, you'd have to be a complete fool to muck it up. And, really, add whatever you want. It'll be good. Maybe. Though, I bet mine is better because I created it.

This is enough for 4-5 large servings. Or, maybe if you are a giant, it's only 2 servings. I don't know you. I can't judge.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb whole wheat penne or the pasta of your choosing
• 15oz can of crushed tomatoes (I had a 28oz can, and used just over 1/2 of it)
• 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas
• 2 huge handfuls of baby spinach, roughly chopped (next time, I'd use more)
• 8oz cremini mushrooms, stems removed, caps cut into quarters
• 1/2 yellow onion, diced
• 5 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 medium carrot, garted very small (again, I'd use more next time)
• 1 1/2 TB Braggs aminos
• 2-3 TB nutritional yeast
• lots of black pepper
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1/2 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp basil
• 1/2 tsp coriander
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp onion powder
• a shake or two of thyme
• 1/8 tsp rosemary
• 1 TB olive oil
• 2 TB vegetable broth
• 1 TB sugar

Method:

1. In a large skillet, heat oil over medium heat. Then add the onions and the spices (except the sugar). Stir around a bit. After about 5 minutes, add the garlic. You'll really smell it in about 2 minutes. Now, add in the broth and the mushrooms, carrot and chickpeas. You know the drill; stir well.
2. After the mushrooms are cooked, which will be about 5-6 minutes, add the crushed tomatoes and the Braggs.Stir it up really well. Then leave uncovered to let the liquids cook down (reduce) some. This'll take about 15 minutes on medium heat. Stir every few minutes to make sure nothing is sticking to the bottom of your skillet. Meanwhile, get step 3 started.
3. About 5 minutes into step 2, you'll want to put your pasta on to boil in salted water. Think ocean water. Cook according to the package. My penne took about 12-13 minutes. Drain and set aside.
4. Gently fold the spinach into the sauce. It will take a few minutes to wilt down. Add the sugar and mix it in. Take a little taste and adjust your seasonings. I added more pepper and red pepper.
5. Toss in the pasta.

 I only added this photo because I love the reflected placemat on the bowl. I'm that awesome.

Crazy Tasty Chickpea Gravy

It sure isn't pretty, is it? But, you know what? I don't give a shit and you shouldn't either because it tastes stellar. And I think that says a lot because I'm not much of a gravy sort of girl on the best of days. I usually just eat my mashed taters with some Earth Balance and salt and pepper. This gravy was even tasty with some roasted veg. Weird, I know. Or, well, maybe it isn't. Some of you folks may think I'm the weird one for not being a gravy addict. Who knows! Who cares?! I sure as hell don't. I was just making conversation.

Anyway, I was bored today, so I started flipping through my cookbooks to find inspiration. The inspiration started from a recipe called Punkrock Chickpea Gravy (pg 111) in Vegan With A Vengeance by Ms. Moskowitz. Well, you know me; I can never resist chickpeas as they are the most kick-ass legume around, but gravy? Meh. I was skeptical, but I've been in a serious cooking rut this last week and needed to step out of my comfort zone and try something entirely different. I'm ashamed to admit that in this rut, I had forgotten to soak and cook some chickpeas. *forehead smack* I rummaged through my cupboards and found the one (and only) can of chickpeas that managed to survive my dried bean love fest. Canned beans just don't hold the appeal they once did. I've been converted. It's like some weird dried bean cult or something. Whatever.

This recipe makes a LOT of gravy. Far more than I would have thought. Probably 2-3 cups. I dunno. A lot. So, make a lot of potatoes, or whatever it is you gravy-loving folk put it on.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2- 2 cups cooked chickpeas (or 1 can, drained and rinsed)
• 1/4 cup plus 1 TB all-purpose flour
• 2 cups water (you may need a little more at the end of cooking if your gravy gets too thick for you)
• 1 1/2  TB olive oil
• 1/2 to 3/4 of a medium onion, diced small
• 5 large cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp mustard powder (ground mustard seed)
• 1/2 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
• 1 dash celery seed
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 to 1/2 tsp oregano
• 1/2 tsp ground coriander
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 3 shakes red pepper flakes
• 1/8 tsp crushed rosemary
• 2 dashes ground thyme
• 3 TB Braggs liquid aminos (or soy sauce)
• 1 TB lemon juice
• 2 TB nutritional yeast

Method:

1. Use either a potato masher or your food processor to get your chickpeas semi-mashed. I could have maybe processed mine a bit further, but I don't think you'd really want them pureed. Let's just say that you should keep them slightly chunky.
2. Whisk together the flour and water in a bowl and set aside for now.
3. Get a skillet out...a large nonstick one if possible. Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Then add in the onions. After cooking for about 6-7 minutes, add in the garlic. Cook 2 more minutes, until the onion is transparent and the garlic very fragrant. 
4. Add in the chickpeas and heat about 4 minutes. 
5. Now, stir in all of your spices, the Braggs, and lemon juice. Stir very well and cook another minute or three.
6. Add in the flour/water mixture and mix very well. Keep scraping the bottom of the pan so no gravy sticks. As soon as the gravy starts to thicken, I added the nooch and turned my burner down to low and just kept stirring and folding the gravy for about 4-6 minutes. I like it kind of thick, but you can add more water if it is too thick for you. 
7. I added a bit more pepper and a few sprinkles of salt to mine here. So, taste test your seasonings and serve it up on whatever it is you weirdos put gravy on.

My First Tofu Scramble -- Vegan MOFO #4

I am going to be completely honest here.  I never, ever liked tofu.  Until today.
How did I make it through the last few months of veganism without making a tofu scramble?  No one ever told me that they are astounding.  See, here's the thing: I used to love scrambled eggs, but I got sick whenever I ate them.  Maybe I was allergic.  Whatever.  The point is, this tofu tasted just like my old scrambled eggs without the cruelty, cholesterol or the upset tummy.  Okay, and since I'm being honest, I bought the wondrous Tofu XPress in August, and due to my tofu fear, hadn't used it until today.  It worked amazingly well!

I bought the Indian black salt (Kala Namak) that all the vegans seem to rave about when making eggy-type things.  Totally worth the $2.00 I paid for the ounce of black salt (fine ground) at the farmer's market from my spice guy.  He really thought I was crazy for buying it...even made me smell it.  Yup, smells sulphurous like cooked eggs.  I told him that I was buying it to flavor my tofu and he was skeptical, to say the least.  So, I'll be heading back on Saturday to let him know what a tremendous success it turned out to be.  I served mine up with some toast slathered in Earth Balance spread, but I would think the scramble would be good with any breakfast-y type food.

I apologize for the crummy scramble photo.  I just couldn't seem to get the right light, regardless of how many lights I turned on.  Now, on to the recipe!!

Ingredients:

• 1 lb tofu, pressed and drained
• 1 heaping cup red onion, diced
• 1/3 cup bell pepper, diced
• 4 white mushrooms, sliced
• 2 TB olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp turmeric (for color)
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1 tsp garlic salt
• 1/2 to 3/4 tsp black salt (I started with 1/2 tsp, but added a bit more because it wasn't egg-y enough yet)
• 2 TB water
• 1/2 tsp cracked black pepper
• 2 heaping TB nutritional yeast

Method:

1. Mix the spices in a tiny bowl.  Stir in the water and set aside.
2. Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat.   
3. While the oil is heating up, crumble the tofu into bite-sized pieces. 
4. Saute your onions and bell pepper about 4-5 minutes.  Then add the garlic and cook another minute.
5. Add the tofu to the skillet and stir well.  Cook about 3-4 minutes, then add in the mushrooms. 

6. Next add the spices (in the water).  Pour over the tofu and stir well.  I added my nutritional yeast here, too.  Cook about 5-7 minutes more, stirring occasionally.  If there is liquid in the bottom of the pan, raise heat slightly and let it evaporate.  Adjust your spices and serve nice and hot.  Maybe next time I'll add a bit of sriracha :)

Caesar Salad and Sweet Tater Fries - Vegan MOFO #2

Vegan MOFO Day 2!

I'm a thrifty sort of gal.  I don't really do actual meal-planning, but I do try my damnedest to use up my food before anything goes south.  That is precisely what motivated me to make this dinner tonight.  I had 2 small heads of Romaine lettuce that were starting to go soft, along with 2 large sweet potatoes I bought a couple of weeks ago and a few Gardein Crispy Tenders rolling around in my freezer.

One dressing that I've missed so badly since going vegan was Caesar dressing.  So, today when I was skimming through Alicia Simpson's cookbook, Quick and Easy Vegan Comfort Food, I came across her Caesar dressing recipe and squealed with delight!  Literally, I squealed.  I couldn't contain my overwhelming joy.  I knew immediately that I had to make it.  And, it was a delicious addition to my day :)  It turned out fabulously and will have a permanent place in my salad repertoire!

Tonight's Dinner:
Baked Gardein Crispy Tenders with a sprinkle of garlic salt.
Baked sweet potato fries with a garlic mayo (Vegenaise, of course)
Caesar salad with homemade dressing

In case you don't have Quick and Easy Vegan Comfort Food (pg 98), here is the dressing recipe with my adjustments, so it is slightly different from Ms. Simpson's.
 Ingredients:

• 3 1/2 TB fresh lemon juice
• 1 1/4 TB Dijon mustard
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped
• 3 TB nutritional yeast
• 1 TB capers 
• 1/4 tsp vegan Worcestershire sauce
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp fresh black pepper
• 1/2 cup Vegenaise (or your preferred vegan mayo)
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

Method:

1. Place all ingredients in the blender except the oil.  Blend until creamy.
2. Put the blender on the lowest setting and slowly drizzle in the oil.  Blend until well-combined.  You could add some vegan parm cheese if the mood strikes.  Instead, I added a bit extra nooch to my salad after I had served it. 

If you're interested, the sweet potato fries are insanely easy.  Preheat your oven to 430 degrees F. First, I peel mine, then chop unto wedges.  Then, I spray a cookie sheet with some olive oil cooking spray.   I lay out the wedges on the cookie sheet in a single layer.  I bake them for 20 minutes.  Then, take out and flip the wedges over, lightly spray the tops with the oil and sprinkle a bit of salt on them.  Put them back in the oven and cook another 15-ish minutes, or until they are done to your liking.  We like ours a bit crispy on the edges.  I know this is bad for you, but we like to mince garlic and mix it with some Vegenaise to make a garlicky dip for our sweet tater fries.  Yum.

Tu-Not Sammies

YUMMM!! I never, ever thought a chickpea sandwich could taste like an old meaty comfort food from my distajnt past (tuna fish)...only better.  I was shocked to find a simple, delicious vegan recipe to take its place.  This is my very favorite sandwich of all time, and I make it at least once a week.

I got the basis for this recipe here (HappyHerbivore-- one of my new favorite vegan blogs), but changed a few things to fit my own personal tastes. I definitely recommend using the nutritional yeast if you have some. If you're new to nutritional yeast, it is not the same stuff you use to bake bread with. This yeast has a cheesy-ish flavor and (to be frank) looks like fish food flakes. I buy the Braggs brand at my health food store, which has added B-vitamins. Do some research about B-12 if you're unsure of the nutritional needs of vegans and vegetarians. On to the recipe!!

Here's My Version: Makes 2 Sandwiches

Ingredients:

• 2/3 cup soaked/cooked chickpeas, or use half of a can after you rinse and drain them
• 2-3 TB diced onion
• 1 tsp spicy brown mustard
• 1-2 TB dill relish
• 1 heaping TB nutritional yeast
• 1 TB Vegenaise Mayo --You could use other brands, but Vegenaise is my favorite
• 1-2 TB unsalted sunflower seeds
• 1/2 tsp Braggs 
• pepper to taste

Method:

1. Put everything in a food processor and pulse a few times to chop and combine the ingredients. I left mine kind of chunky, which was delicious! You can also use a fork and mash the chickpea by hand should the mood strike you. It never strikes me, so good luck with that.
2. Taste and adjust. Feel free to add any other ingredients or seasonings. You're the one eating it, after all. I serve mine on toasted bread because it's awesome. Sometimes, though, I eat it straight out of a bowl with some crackers instead of on bread. Too much tastiness.

Spicy Mac and Cheez

Creamy, tasty, hint of spice. You just can't lose with this killer pasta. I really never ever thought that nutritional yeast could make such a creamy, tasty pasta sauce! I was kind of scared to try making a lot of the recipes I found online because they had soy milk (which I really am not too fond of taste-wise). So, I combined a few different recipes and took a risk by using water instead a milk-replacement. And, it paid off...big time. I can't get over how delicious this is. I will warn you that it doesn't taste like the classic old blue box mac and cheese that we all grew up on. It has a more complex taste and the sauce is very thick and creamy. How yeast becomes so creamy, I have no idea. I used farfalle pasta (bowties), but I'm sure this would be good with pretty much any pasta. I'm thinking that next time I'll saute some onions for some extra yummy-ness.

This pasta is actually really good for you. The nutritional yeast is packed with, well, nutrition! Check these sites for more info about the yeast:
Buzzle- Nutritional Yeast Benefits
Bragg-- Nutritional Yeast Information  (this is my preferred brand)

Now, on to the Recipe!!

Here's My Recipe: Serves 2 as Main Dish, 3-4 as a Side

Ingredients:

• 1/4 to 1/3 lb pasta of your choice
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
• 1/4 cup unbleached flour
• 1 1/4 TB vegan margarine (I use Earth Balance)
• 1 cup water
• 1 tsp garlic salt
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp mustard powder
• 1/8 tsp turmeric (primarily to give it a more yellow color)
• 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper (optional, but it adds a tasty kick that I think makes this dish)
• dash cumin
• 1/8 tsp fresh cracked black pepper (I probably added a bit more)

Method:

1. Before you start the cheez sauce, start boiling some water for your pasta. Add some salt and put the pasta in. Follow the directions on the pasta package. Mine took 11 minutes. Start your sauce when your pasta has 6-7 minutes left to cook.
2. Mix your dry ingredients in a bowl until it well combined.
3. Slowly whisk the water into the dry ingredients trying to eliminate most chunks.
4. Melt the margarine in a small saucepan over medium heat.
5. Pour your cheez mixture into the saucepan and whisk well. Continue whisking the sauce almost constantly until it becomes thick and creamy to your liking. I had to add about a tsp more water to mine to loosen the sauce a smidge. Adjust your spices as necessary. Then remove pan from the heat. To be honest, I did think the sauce smelled a little weird at first, but when combined with the pasta, it tastes AWESOME!!
6. Drain your pasta gently fold into the cheez sauce and serve up immediately. It would probably be extra good with a little homemade garlic bread :)