Zesty Quinoa

 

Dudes! This dish started out as a recipe from Eat Vegan, Get Healthy by Neal Barnard, and I changed it up a bit and it ROCKED. It is so stinking healthy, I could die....of awesome. Paired up with a quarter of an avocado, it became my very favorite quinoa dish ever. I've always "kind-of" liked quinoa, but never loved it. This dish may have changed all that. I cut the recipe in half, so it made 2 servings. It was so incredibly filling, and here I am hours later still feeling pleasantly full. That's some badassery right there.

So, here's the recipe with my changes. The original was meant to be served cold, but I prefer hot. Do what you want, dudes.

Serves 2 as a main dish.

What I used:

• 1/2 cup quinoa
• 1/3 cup diced red bell pepper
• 1/2 cup diced onion
• 2 TB dried mint
• 1 cup frozen shelled edamame
• 1 1/4 cup water
• 3 TB fresh-squeezed lime juice
• 1 TB agave nectar
• 2 TB dijon mustard
• herbamare seasoning and pepper to your tastes
• chopped cilantro to garnish
• avocado to garnish

What I did:

1. Put the water in a small pot over high heat and put the lid on. Once boiling, stir in the quinoa and mint, and cover. Lower heat to medium or medium-low and cook about 10 minutes. 
2. Add the onion, bell pepper, edamame, herbamare and pepper. Stir, and replace the lid. Cook another 5 minutes. 
3. In a small bowl, mix together the lime juice, agave and dijon mustard. Pour it into the quinoa and mix well. Leave the lid off, and cook another 5 minutes or so. 
4. Serve in bowls and garnish with the cilantro and avocado. Boom! You're done. Pig out time.

Veggie Fajitas

Life. It gets pretty busy, sometimes. Mine certainly hasn't been immune. I just celebrated my one-year anniversary at my wonderful job. I just took in a stray puppy. And I decided to re-dedicate myself to sharing my passion for food. I let myself get burnt-out on blogging, but after my two-month hiatus, I have decided to blog when I feel like it...and not force myself. I'm sure you can understand-- sometimes, when we force ourselves to do something, we lose our passion for it. So, I'm going to just blog occasionally, and see how it goes.

So, three days a week, I work until 8pm. That's totally cool with me since I hate waking up early. But, by the time I get home, it's nearly 8:30 and I'm ready for dinner. I never feel like slaving away for an hour making dinner after I've worked all day, so I've been making a TON of fajitas and wraps lately. This was one such meal.

Veggie fajitas are hella easy, dudes. And quick as can be. Have 10 minutes? Then you have time to make fajitas for dinner.

What I used:

• 1 medium green bell pepper, sliced
• 1 medium onion, sliced
• 5-6 mushrooms, sliced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 TB taco seasoning (I make my own blend)
• 1 1/2 tsp coconut oil
• salt and pepper
• juice of 1/2 lime (FRESH! Not bottled)
• fresh cilantro (optional, but very highly recommended)
• homemade guacamole (avocado, tomato, onion, cumin, splash of lime juice)
• 2 large tortillas

What I did:

1. Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.
2. Once hot, add bell pepper and onion. Cook, stirring occasionally for 5 minutes. Then add the mushroom, garlic, spices, salt and pepper. Cook until the veggies are all cooked through - about 4 minutes. 
3. Pour the lime juice over the veggies and give it a good stir. Cook about 1 minute more.Your veggies should be cooked through and everything is ready.
4. Top a tortilla with about half of the veggies, some cilantro, and some guacamole and you're ready to roll. 

 Well, dudes, maybe I'll see you again soon. :)

Rice Salad - VeganMoFo #4

Rice Salad. Never had it before. So, I invented it. It was pretty good, too. I am known for my pasta salad among my social circle, and I wanted to try something new. I pretty much just made my pasta salad with rice instead of pasta. Don't ask me why because I really don't know.

It all started with some leftover white rice and some raw veggies in the fridge. Add in some spices and some vinaigrette and kapow! You have rice salad. Don't eat it cold out of the fridge or else the rice will be hard. I used cold rice, then let it warm to room temperature. PS- mine turned pink from the purple carrots I microplaned.

What I used:

• 2 cups leftover white rice
• 1/3 cup minced red onion
• 1/3 cup minced bell pepper
• 1 medium purple carrot (or orange), microplaned or grated
• vinaigrette of your choosing, I usually wing it and make my own on the fly
• salt and pepper
• pinch of coriander powder
• garlic powder or very finely minced garlic clove

What you do:

1. Mix everything together in a bowl and adjust your seasonings as needed. 
2. Cover with lid or plastic wrap and let sit out at room temp for 1 hour. If you are making it ahead, cover and put in the fridge. Then let set out 1 hour before serving. You want room-temperature rice.

Vegan Sausage Hashbrowns

If you come here often, you probably already know that I love hashbrowns. Who doesn't? Well, I decided the other day that I really needed hashbrowns, but I really wanted a little extra kick to it. What better way to make breakfast than to make it all in one dish? Dudes. Adding sausage to the hash was a stellar idea. I'm totally hooked on LightLife Gimme Lean Sausage, and find excuses to use it whenever possible (it just made an appearance on some pizza recently,too).

This is just a 1-person serving. You can do the math to double or triple the recipe. I'm feeling too lazy to do it for you. Come on, cut a chickpea some slack. I'm a hard-working librarian again.

What I used:

• 1 1/2 cups frozen hashbrowns (I use frozen to save me some time. Feel free to use fresh)
• 1/4 tube of Lightlife Gimme Lean sausage, broken into bite-sized pieces
• 2 TB diced bell pepper
• 3 TB diced onion
• pinch fennel seed, crushed
• pinch red pepper flake
• pinch sage
• pinch garlic powder
• salt and pepper
• 2 tsp oil 

What I did:

1.  Heat oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add all the ingredients and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion and peppers are soft, the sausage is browned, and the hashbrowns are golden. NOM NOM NOM

Cheesy Vegan Southwestern Hashbrowns

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

Makes enough for 2 as a main.

What I used:

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

What I did:

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

Tempeh Joes

I will warn you up front, I don't love sloppy joes. Never have and likely never will. But, my fella made a request for sloppy joes made with tempeh. Since he almost never makes such requests, I was happy to oblige. I cheaped out and used a can of sauce because I was in a rush, but I did make some little changes. And, I made some homemade buns, which were super yummy. Here's the link to the recipe I use (skipping the "wash" and instead brushing on some melted vegan butter after baking to keep the tops soft). As much as I don't generally enjoy joes, I do plan to try some lentil joes because I'm determined to find some kind of joes that I might possibly enjoy. The fella LOVED these tempeh joes a LOT...and he considers himself to be a Joe Aficionado of sorts. 

I used 1 1/2 blocks of tempeh. I cute it into cubes and steamed it about 8 minutes to take a little of the bitterness out of the tempeh. Then, I ran it through my food processor to cut it into little pieces. I minced 2 cloves garlic, diced 1/2 cup onion and 1/3 cup green bell pepper. I added those veggies into a skillet with a little oil and sauteed until the onions were transparent. After that, I added the tempeh to the skillet along with the can of sauce. Then I mixed in some garlic powder, onion powder, a pinch of cumin, some chili powder and a bit of sugar to mellow the tang of the sauce. Mix it all up and simmer for at least 5 minutes to get the flavors all mixed together. Serve with some mustard and tuck in. This should make about 6 large sandwiches.

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!

Veggie Black Bean Burgers of Awesomeness

Dudes, it has been ages since I've made burgers! I've been super seriously craving them bad. A quick scan of my cupboard revealed a can of black beans and, thus, it was decided. I've had a bit of a sketchy history with making the illustrious black bean burger. I crave bean burgers, and *gasp* sometimes I just buy the frozen ones. Come on! You know you do it, too. My biggest difficulty has been making the burgers hold together, especially enough to flip them while baking. Well, my dearest darlings, I finally accomplished this feat of awesomeness. Part of the trick is making sliders (little burgers) and the other is the use of vital wheat gluten and breadcrumbs. The small size of the sliders fit easily on the spatula and they seem to cook throughout without the edges drying out very much.

An a-side: I love flavored mayos. Garlic mayo, cajun mayo, chipotle mayo, etc., so I made some spicy mayo for these burgers and it was mega rad! I mixed my Vegenaise (best vegan mayo by leaps and bounds) with some chili powder, cajun seasoning and smoked paprika. Let it sit aside for at least 5 minutes so the flavors can develop more. You won't be sorry.

I also made my own slider buns! I used someone else's recipe for those, so I can't take any credit. But here is the link to the recipe. The only real changes I made were to skip the "wash" and the sesame seeds. While I love sesame seeds, I do not enjoy them on buns. Then, I just made them into a bunch of smaller buns instead of full-size burger buns. When they were done, I brushed some melted Earth Balance butter on top to keep them soft while the burgers were cooking. Here's the progression:

Just rolled following the first rise in the bowl.

This is after the second rise. Ready for the oven.

Hot buns!! Just need a little brush of butter and they're good to go.

Now, on to the burgers! It made 7 small burgers or about 4 large ones.

What I used:

• 1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/2 cup finely chopped onion
• 1/4-1/3 cup finely chopped green pepper
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh mushroom (about 4 average white mushrooms)
• 1 large carrot, grated
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1-2 tsp oil of your choice for cooking veggies - I used coconut oil
• 1-2 tsp steak sauce
• 2-3 TB bbq sauce
• about 1/2 cup plain bread crumbs
• about 1/4 cup or a bit more vital wheat gluten (also called vital wheat gluten flour)
• 2 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1/4 tsp cayenne
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp onion powder

What I did:

1. Preheat oven to 420 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone mat. Even though I used silicone, I still spritzed it with some cooking spray just to be sure the burgers didn't stick.
2. Heat oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, green pepper and onion. Stir a few times and cook until the onions are nearly translucent. Add in the garlic, carrots and mushrooms and cook another few minutes. Remove from heat and set aside. 
3. Add your beans and cooked veggies to a food processor and pulse about 10 times, or until you don't see any whole blackbeans left, but don't totally puree the mix. Now, empty the food processor into a large mixing bowl.
4. Mix in the spices, and sauces. Then fold in the bread crumbs and gluten. Let it sit a few minutes to activate the gluten. Now, here's the tricky part. You want to pull off a little bit of the burger mix and roll it into a ball in your hand. Then smoosh it down a bit. If the patty seems to be holding its shape and not instantly turning to mush, you're probably in the clear. Otherwise, add more bread crumbs until it reaches a stable consistency. It won't be super firm or anything, but it should stay together when gently handled. 

5. Okay, well, now make a bunch (or a few patties) about 1/2 inch thick and carefully transfer to the prepped baking sheet. 

6. Bake for about 12 minutes. Spritz the tops with some cooking spray and then gently use a spatula to flip the patties over and cook about 6 more minutes. The edges should be just a bit crispy. 

Do you all have any favorite burger recipes? I'm pretty sure these are my new favorites. They were so awesome. I ate 3. Oink, oink!!

Lasagna - Finally!

Resistance is futile.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Before...

And after :)

Lentil Loaf Heaven

I have been obsessed with using lentils these last few days. I made the lentil tacos, lentil nachos and the lentil shepherd's pie. I'm digging the lentils hardcore, dudes. They taste rad, especially when cooked with vegetable broth with some spices. Well, I've been looking for a lentil loaf recipe for about a week because when I re-organized my cupboards, I found 2 bags of lentils I had forgotten all about. Why lentil loaf? Why the hell not? I always hated meatloaf as a kid, so I have no idea why I became obsessed with making a vegan version.

Whatever, though. This stuff was fucking perfect. I will admit, though, that I was completely skeptical as I don't really love tofu. There, I said it. I don't love tofu. I like it in scrambles, and that's about it. But, I'm certain that I will never make lentil loaf again without it. It keeps it moist and helps it hold it's loafy shape.

Here's the original inspiration recipe. I did make kind of a lot of changes. But, without this recipe, I would have ended up with a dry, crumbly mess. So, I do recommend it. I just needed more spices and sauce.

So, here are the changes I made to the recipe.

• Instead of making that tomato sauce, I used ketchup and bbq sauce topped with some salt and pepper.
• I used just green bell pepper, not red.
• Instead of the 1 TB tomato mixture, I added about 2 TB ketchup and 2 TB bbq sauce into the loaf.
• I left out the balsamic vinegar, sugar, thyme (I don't like thyme) and corn meal.
• Used 1 TB coconut oil to cook the veggies in, then 2 tsp olive oil in the loaf.
• Cooked my lentils in veggie broth with some cumin and all-purpose seasoning.
• Used Braggs aminos instead of soy sauce.
• Upped the spices to:
• 1/2-3/4 tsp cumin
• 1 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp dried mustard
• 1 TB dried parsley
• 1/4-1/2 tsp garlic salt
• Added these spices:
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/3 tsp Simply Organic all-purpose seasoning
• Kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp coriander
• 1/4 tsp rubbed sage
• pepper
• I followed the directions as-is, except that I ran my drained tofu through my processor instead of mashing it by hand. 
• I didn't measure the bbq sauce and ketchup that I brushed on the outside. I'm guessing 2 TB bbq, and 3-4 TB ketchup.

Here are the photos of the progress:

Freshly formed loaf. About 2 inches high and 4 wide.

Loafy McLoaf smothered in bbq and ketchup before being baked.

Fresh from the oven. Much loafy love.

So perfect with some butter mashed Yukons and a little ketchup for dipping. 

You should totally make this! Don't let my alterations dissuade you. It's soooo easy and the baking time is only 30 minutes. Just do it!!

Vegan Chicken Tacos - Vegan MoFo #27

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

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

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

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

Tasty-Ass Hashbrowns - Vegan MoFo #7

Mmm. Yup. Hashbrowns. Don't ask me why I never made them before. I honestly don't know. I always just went to a diner and got them whenever I had a craving. But, the diner version has never been as tasty as these turned out to be. Maybe it's because these were made with love? Or maybe it was the coconut oil. That's probably more likely the case. Whatever, they are super easy and super tasty. In part of the batch, I mixed in some Daiya cheddar shreds and it was lovely. You need these potatoes. Like, now. Enough chatter. On to the recipe!
Serves 3-4 as a side or 2 as a main dish.

What you need:

• 1/2 bag frozen shredded potatoes (you could probably use fresh, but I don't know)
• 1/2 cup diced red onion
• 1/4 cup diced green bell pepper
• 4 cremini/baby bella mushrooms, sliced and chopped
• 2 TB coconut oil
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• salt & pepper
• vegan cheese (optional)

What you do:

1. Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the coconut oil and let it melt.
2. Add the onion and bell pepper and let cook about 3 minutes. 
3. Add the shredded potatoes and mix around to get the oil on the potatoes. Add in the spices and stir again. 
4. I cooked mine about 8 minutes, added mushrooms and stirred it up. Cook another 6-8 minutes. The potatoes were just a little browned. If you want them crunchier, cook them longer. Add cheese in the last few minutes of cooking so it will melt, but not burn. 

See how easy that was?

Meg's First Time...Making Salsa, That Is

I've always loved salsa (I can eat it by the gallon), and I decided that since I suddenly have a shitload of Romas from my garden, I'd give it a shot. It was my first time, so I was a little nervous. Dudes, it was insanely easy. I still like jarred salsa to put into my recipes, but for a dip, I'm going to stick with homemade. This salsa goes spectacularly well with my super rad Spicy Vegan Queso Dip on some tortilla chips...or pita chips. I tried both. I couldn't resist. Give me a break. I love my chips. Don't even pretend like you don't!

You can eat your salsa right away, if you want. I let my fresh salsa sit for about 2 hours on my counter while I went out and played putt-putt golf. I lost, if you happened to be wondering. I have madd kitchen skillz, but zero sports skills. It's cool, though. I think the time away let the salsa marinate and get even more flavorful. But, do whatever you want. It's your salsa.

Makes a couple cups. Serves 2.
Ingredients:

• 1-2 tsp fresh lime juice
• 1 cup cooked and cooled black beans
• 5 roma tomatoes, chopped small. I hate the squishy insides, so I scooped mine out.
• 1/4 cup slightly heaped diced onion, I used red, though you can't tell it.
• 1 small jalapeno, minced. Seeding it if you want, I didn't.
• 1 large clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 of a large green pepper, diced
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• Dash of chili powder
• salt to your tastes

Method: (is this necessary?)

1. Mix all the ingredients together. Taste and adjust to your liking. You can eat it right away or let it marinate for a bit. Either way, it's crazy yummy.

The Snarkiest Stuffed Peppers

Until a few days ago, I had never ever eaten a stuffed pepper. So, what, you ask, inspired me to make them? A sale on the colored bell peppers. They were a buck apiece instead of the ridiculous $2.00-3.00 each that they typically are here. I snagged 4 in the desperate hope that I'd find something to do with them. If all else failed, I'd be doing a lot of dipping in hummus. Alas, I got creative and made a very kickass stuffed pepper. I amaze myself sometimes. No, really, I do.

You eat quinoa, right? You better, because it is ridiculously healthy AND tastes really good, especially when paired with toasted almonds as it has a nutty flavor on its own. It has complete protein, fiber and nutrients. Dig it. It has other perks, too, like that fact that you can cook it up faster than brown rice, it's healthier than rice, and you can use it to replace rice in just about any dish. Oh, and did I mention it's really tasty? Don't believe me about quinoa's awesomeness? Read all about it here: Quinoa: An In-Depth Guide, WHFoods: Quinoa, and Livestrong. Or do your own search. You'll find that quinoa has a cult following for good reason: it's awesome. Moving on...

For this dish, I chose not to use green peppers because, although I do like green pepper, I can only handle them in small quantities. Gotta problem? I thought not. I used one red, one orange, and one yellow pepper, all quite large. They were heaping with delicious goodness. And, they helped me get rid of about a cup of cooked beans I had in my fridge. I've been trying extra hard to not waste any foods at all because I paid for it. And I hate wasting money. You should too, because in the US, the largest portion of materials heading to landfills is, get this, FOOD WASTE. Read all about it here: US EPA. Plus, you paid for that food, fucking use it. End rant. It's recipe time.

My recipe makes enough for 3 rather large peppers or 4 smaller ones, all packed to the brim.

Ingredients:

• 3 large bell peppers, or 4 smaller ones, tops sliced off, and ribs/seeds removed. Lightly slice the very bottoms so they will stand upright without falling, but be careful, otherwise you'll cut too far up and lose your bottom entirely. You want it to still be able to hold the filling!
• 1/2 cup (slightly heaped) dry quinoa
• 1 1/2 cups warm water
• 1 cup raw almonds, chopped to your liking
• heaping 1/2 cup red onion, chopped
• 1 cup cooked beans (mine was 2/3 black-eyed peas, 1/3 chickpeas)
• 4 oz, about half a package of fresh mushrooms
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp olive oil
• 1 large carrot, grated
• 1 big handful baby spinach, shredded
• a few shakes of coriander
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• salt and pepper

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Get a baking dish and lightly spray the bottom with cooking oil. Set aside.
2. Bring the water to boil in a small pot with a sprinkle of salt. Once boiling, mix in the quinoa, turn the heat to medium-low and cover with a lid. Cook until the water is pretty much all absorbed. This will take about 15-20 minutes depending on how old your quinoa is. It'll probably take longer if its older. You will see the little tails from the seed and the texture will be a little chewy, like brown rice. Meanwhile, get started on the rest of the steps.
3. Throw your beans and mushrooms into a the food processor and whir until you don't see any whole beans or large mushroom chunks. Put into a large mixing bowl and set aside.
4. In a small skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Once hot, add the onion, almonds, garlic and carrot. Cook until the onion is partially translucent. Then add in the spinach to wilt. Should take another 3-5 minutes. Be sure to stir regularly so nothing sticks to the pan. By the time this is done, your quinoa should be ready.
5. Add the quinoa and the veggies to the mixing bowl with the beans. Mix it all really well and add your spices. Adjust as necessary. 
6. Use a large spoon to fill the peppers, gently packing it down as you go. Pack those buggers. Then set the peppers right side up in the baking dish. Pour about 1/2 cup water in the bottom of the dish, enough to cover the whole bottom of the dish. Spritz the tops with some cooking spray (keeps foil from sticking to the filling) then cover with foil. Bake about 30-35 minutes, until the peppers are slightly soft to the touch. You need to let them cool some before digging in, duh. I liked mine a little closer to room temperature, but whatever. Enjoy.

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Spicy Tofu Scramble

I've been told I'm a rare breed of veg...I don't especially love tofu, in general. But, I'm making an attempt to try more ways of cooking and eating it. Thus, the spicy tofu scramble. I ate mine with some hot salsa and flour tortillas like a breakfast taco/burrito. They were incredibly tasty. I've only made tofu a couple of times, so I am always surprised when I have success with it. Lame, I know. I can't help it. I just have texture issues, but a very thorough pressing does help with that. I simply cannot enjoy juicy tofu. Blarg. Moving on....

I love food with a kick, and that's what I was really craving today. I used a little bit of everything in this scramble as I had lots of odds and ends in my fridge that needed to be used up. Really, you could probably use any veggies you want. I don't have an exact recipe for this one. Fly by the seat of your pants, live a little. Be creative. Make it yours.

This pseudo recipe make enough for 4 little tacos or 2 big burritos. I only say pseudo because I'm not certain of the measurements. I just kind of threw things together without much thought.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 block tofu, pressed, then crumbled with your fingers or a fork
• 1/4 cup chopped red onion
• 3 TB green pepper, diced
• 4 cremini mushrooms, chopped
• 1/2 roma tomato, chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tsp my taco seasoning (or your favorite brand)
• 1/2 tsp coriander
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/4 tsp turmeric
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1/8 tsp red pepper flake
• salt & pepper
• 1 tsp olive oil

Method:

1. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the oil and heat for 2-3 minutes. Add in the onion, green pepper, garlic and tofu along with all of the spices. Stir well to coat the tofu in spices and oil. Cook about 5 minutes.
2. Add the mushrooms and cook until they are softened, which took me about 4minutes. Don't forget to stir regularly though so that everything cooks evenly.
3. When it is pretty much done, add in the chopped tomato and cook until heated through. Maybe 3-4 minutes. Any longer and it will pretty much disintegrate the tomatoes. Serve on tortillas and top with some warmed salsa. I just put mine in a tiny ramekin and heat in the microwave for about 15 seconds. Mmm mmm. So tasty and spicy.

Spectacular Vegan Spaghetti with TVP

I have finally, and fully, accepted that I love TVP. I have seen the light. It can really take on some great flavors. And, it works excellently as a replacement for ground meats, especially ground beef or turkey. The texture is similar, and easily fools unsuspecting folks...not that I'd know... ahem.

So, I've really been wanting some spaghetti lately, and with my recent fascination with TVP, it seemed only natural to add it to my sauce and veggies and see how it worked out. Oh, baby. It was so so so terrific. My tastebuds were in love from the second it touched my tongue. Add a little garlic bread and you are in business. Holy hell, I can't wait for leftovers tomorrow.

Makes enough for 4 servings as main course...or if you are a glutton, maybe just 2 servings. I dunno. 

Ingredients:

• 1/2 lb spaghetti or other noodles
• 1 cup TVP/TSP
• 3/4 cup plus 3 TB vegetable broth
• 1 TB Braggs liquid aminos or soy sauce
• 1/4 tsp liquid smoke
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/3 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
• 1 jar of your favorite sauce (or homemade. I used Bertolli Tomato Basil sauce today to save time)
• 1-2 TB olive oil
• 1 small zucchini, cubed
• 1 small yellow squash, cubed
• 1/3 cup red onion, diced
• 1/2 cup bell pepper, diced (I had orange as it was on sale)
• 5 cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 pinch sugar (optional)
• salt and pepper as needed

Method:

1.  Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook spaghetti to the package's directions. While the pasta is cooking, get started on step 2 and 3.
2. Combine vegetable broth, Braggs, liquid smoke, onion powder, garlic powder, and cracked black pepper in a small pot with a lid. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, remove from heat and stir in the TVP until no dry spots remain. Set pot aside while the TVP re-hydrates.
3. In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium heat. Once hot, add the onion, bell pepper, zucchini, squash. Saute about 5 minutes, then add the mushroom, garlic, and rehydrated TVP. Cook about 5 minutes.
4. Add in the sauce. Let it all simmer together over a medium-low heat for about 8 minutes, so the flavors meld. Adjust your seasonings and add the sugar (if you're so inclined). 
5. Serve the sauce over your noodles, duh. I always make some garlic bread with pasta, and you should, too. Really. If you don't, you're wasting a perfectly good combo of sauce and bread.

TVP Tacos - Vegan & Fabulous

TVP (textured vegetable protein, though there is also TSP, which is soy protein) is something I've been sort of wary of. Call me crazy, but it looked like pebbles. Why would I want to eat pebbles? Alright, so I used it twice before: Shepherd's Pie and Winter Stew, both of which were excellent. I had actually forgotten that the TVP was in my cupboard, hidden behind some dried beans and pasta. I am a forgetful chickpea sometimes. Now where was I? Oh, yes, I have hardly used TVP before. I'm seriously skeptical of meat replacements, in general because I never really liked meat too much. But, I am coming around a bit.

If you've been here before you may notice that I have a fascination (also read: addiction) with tacos. They're one of the best foods ever created, hands-down. Name a better food? You can't, can you? Ha. I win! So, anyway, when I was deciding what I wanted for dinner, I found the TVP along with some crunchy taco shells and half a jar of salsa. Thus, my TVP taco recipe was born.

And for those of you following the VegNews meat photo debacle, these photos are mine and they are 100% vegan!!

Anywhooo, here's my recipe. It makes kind of a lot...more than I anticipated, actually. I'd say it makes about 10-12 tacos depending on the size of them.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup TVP/TSP
• 3/4 cup plus 3 TB veg broth
• 1 TB Braggs aminos
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp onion powder
• 1 cup chunky salsa of your choice (I maybe used a bit more)
• 1/2 cup red onion, diced
• 1/2 cup bell pepper, diced (I used an orange one since it was on sale)
• 1 1/2 TB Meg's Taco Seasoning or your favorite spice blend
• 1 TB olive oil
• salt and pepper

Method:

1. In a small pot, bring the broth, Braggs, garlic powder and onion powder to a boil with the lid on. Once boiling, remove from the heat and stir in the TVP until you don't see any dry spots. Let set aside for about 8 minutes while the TVP re-hydrates. 
2. Meanwhile, heat the oil in a skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the onion and bell pepper. When the onion is translucent (5-6 minutes), add the taco seasoning, salsa, and re-hydrated TVP. Mix well.
3. Heat through, about 7-8 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed. It should look like this:

No matter how you assemble your taco, you have me to thank! Hahahaha. I'm kidding. Sort of. Mwaahaaahaaaaaa!

Split Pea Burgers & My Eco Craft

About a month ago, I bought some dried split peas and had no idea what to do with them, but I wanted to try them out. Well, I threw them in the cupboard and forgot about them until earlier today when I stumbled upon Alton Brown's recipe for split pea burgers, so I knew I had to make an attempt at them. As always, I have a serious inability to follow recipes. I always have to give them my own spin and make changes based on my tastes as I am a picky chickpea with particular tastes. And, I have to say, I rocked this recipe out. It was a serious hit at my house. As you can see in the photo, I made some baked tater tots. What you can't see is the amazing queso dip I made to dip the tater tots into. WHOA. Seriously yum.

Makes 4 average-sized burgers

Ingredients:

• 1/3 cup diced onion
• 1/4 cup orange bell pepper, diced
• 1 TB olive oil
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2-3 ounces sliced mushrooms
• kosher salt to your tastes
• 1 1/2 cups vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup dried split peas
• 1/4 cup raw brown rice
• 3/4 tsp coriander
• 3/4 tsp cumin
• black pepper
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 cup bread crumbs plus 2-3 TB for coating the burger before cooking
• 2 TB vital wheat gluten

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. When hot, add the onion, bell pepper and some salt. Let them cook about 4 minutes. Then add in the mushrooms and garlic and cook another 4 minutes. 
2. Then add the peas, rice, broth, and spices and stir well. Turn heat to medium-high until the mix starts to boil. Then turn to medium-low and simmer about 40-50 minutes, or until the rice and peas are softened. Be sure to stir ever 5-10 minutes to make sure nothing sticks to the pan. There should be no liquid left when it is done.
3. Remove from the heat and carefully pour the mixture into a food processor. Whir a few times, until the mix is chopped, but NOT pureed. I think I whirred it about 7-8 times total. 
4. Pour the mix into a large bowl. Use a large wooden spoon to stir the 1/2 cup breadcrumbs and the gluten into the bowl. It should start solidifying almost instantly. Just mix until you can't see any dry breadcrumbs. Then put the bowl in the fridge for about 10 minutes.
5. Pour the rest of the bread crumbs onto a small plate. Then remove the peas from the fridge and cut into 4 equal-sized pieces. Shape the pieces into round patties. Then, carefully set the first patty on the bread crumbs. Flip to coat the other side, too. Once they are all coated, you'll want to heat a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Spray the skillet with a little cooking spray.
6. Cook the patties for about 4 minutes on each side, or until the breadcrumbs are browned and the patties are cooked through.

I liked mine with some Vegenaise, raw onion and mustard, but you should dress the split pea burgers however you like. Though, my way is far superior. Hahaha.

And now, for my Eco-Craft:

A couple years ago, I made someone a scarf with this outrageously pink yarn, and had half a skein left over. I threw it in the closet and totally forgot about it until last night when I went looking for something else. I thought, "Hey, I should make something with this." So, I decided that instead of tossing out the obnoxious-colored yarn, I will make a dog/cat blanket. And, I am thinking that I'll donate it to the local animal shelter. They are always in desperate need of blankets and towels to line the cages and give the animals a little comfort. I don't know if the yarn I have will run out before I'm done, so it may end up being several different colors. But, who cares if it helps the animals!?!
What I am getting at though, is that instead of tossing out your old yarn, or other leftover crafting supplies, put it all together and make something else with it! Reduce your waste. So, here is what the blanket is looking like so far:

Have a kickass day!

Tempeh Tacos & A Tip

Tempeh Tacos! Quite possibly my new most favorite taco. Yes. Definitely my most favorite taco. And as a taco junky, I do know what I'm talking about. I am becoming a quite connoisseur, if you will. Ah, whatever. You don't care. You're just thinking, "Damn, Chickpea, get to the recipe already." And I will. I will. But, I feel like a little chitchat first! Deal with it.

I really wasn't sure how I should even approach a tempeh taco. I've never eaten them, and I didn't feel much like copying someone else's recipe, so I made this up. And, now, I'm basking in my genius. I don't know about all the brands of tempeh out there, so I can't vouch for how the rest would turn out, but I do know that I LOVE the Organic 3-Grain Tempeh from Trader Joe's.

It has excellent taste (I actually munched some raw) and is cheaper than the LightLife original. So, whenever I trek down to TJ's, I always buy 4-5 packages. For this recipe, I first cubed the tempeh then roughly chopped it down with my santoku knife. There were some small chunks and some single grains. Here's the photo of what it looked like before I started cooking:

So, I think I'll get to the recipe now.

UPDATE 7.1.11:

I made a very tasty discovery. I've been cubing my tempeh and steaming it before adding it to my sauteeing veggies. It calms the bitterness of the other brands of tempeh. I'm totally hooked on the LightLife original tempeh lately since I started steaming it. We love it so much this way. Anyway, after steaming, break up the chunks somewhat before adding it to the veggies. Then mix everything else together.

This makes enough for 6-8 tacos.

Ingredients:

• 1 8oz package of tempeh of your choice, chopped or crumbled
• 1/2 cup onion, diced
• 1/4 cup orange bell pepper, diced
• 1 to 1 1/4 cups chunky salsa, medium heat
• 3 large cloves garlic, minced
• 1 1/4 TB Meg's taco seasoning or your preferred brand
• scant 1/4 cup water
• salt and pepper to your tastes
• cooking spray

Method:

1. Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Spray with cooking spray. Once the pan is nice and hot, add the tempeh and cook about 3 minutes. 
2. Then add in the pepper, onion, garlic, and spice mix. You may need to spray a little more oil to very lightly coat everything. Stir around and cook7-8 minutes, until the onions are transparent-ish.
3. Now add the water and salsa and mix well. Let the whole mix cook another 4-5 minutes. 

4. Taste and adjust spices...then dig in. 

I have been really digging the cheeseless taco lately. I decided to sub homemade guacamole in place of the cheese, and it works especially well with these tempeh tacos. Soooooo good. Don't get me wrong, I emphatically love Daiya cheddar, but it is more of a splurge item for me.Well, I hope you dig my most magnificent taco creation.

My REUSE Suggestions for Plastic Bags:

If you don't happen to have a bunch of reusable tote bags, you have probably accumulated a massive number of plastic bags from grocery stores and retailers. Sure, you could put them in the recycling bin, but why not find other ways to use them? 

• Donate them to your local public library. A lot of people forget to bring bags with them when they pick up some books. This will save the library money because they won't have to order more, and it helps your fellow community members who maybe forgot their bags.
• Reuse them on your next shopping trip.
• Use them in boxes you're packing to mail. This saves you from buying bubble wrap and it really does work to protect your package.
• Pop one in your pocket when you're heading out to walk the dog. You never know when you may need it. Trust me on this one!
• Carry one on nature walks and pick up any garbage you see along the way. There will, inevitably, be some...sadly.
• Fill them with your spring cleaning donations to Goodwill/Salvation Army. They can even re-use those bags for their customers' purchases.

Black Bean Tacos (my latest addiction)

You may or may not realize that I am a complete and total taco junky. I could pretty much eat tacos everyday and never tire of them. You can make them so many ways with different spices, toppings and fillings that the combinations are virtually endless. Wow. I sound like a commercial. But, really, you can make them however you want, made with whatever you want. And that always makes me a happy chickpea because I am so ridiculously picky about my food. Yes, I am quite demanding, too. I like things to be my way or the highway, as the saying goes.

If you insist, I suppose you could use canned beans to make these yummy concoctions, but I do suggest soaking/cooking them yourself. They just seem to have so much more flavor and texture than the canned beans. But, by all means, do what you want. I can't make you do it my way...though I do know that my methods are far superior. Ha. While I'm thinking of it, you could use a powdered taco spice mix packet from the grocery store if you don't have the spices onhand. See! I am so helpful! Though, I will caution you that not all of those packets are vegan, so read the ingredient list well. If you're unsure about some of the ingredients, @VeganMachine prints tiny guides and mails them for free. They fit perfectly in your wallet or pocket for easy reference. I use mine all the time at the grocery store.

Depending on how full you fill your shells, this recipe easily yields 8-12 tacos. And it re-heats nicely in a covered bowl the next day.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups cooked black beans, semi-mashed (you can leave them whole, but they'll fall out of the shells)
• 1 1/2 tsp olive oil
• 1/2 jalapeno, seeded and minced
• 1 cup diced onion
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1-2 TB lemon juice
• 1 TB Braggs or soy sauce
• 2 TB medium taco sauce
• 1 TB cumin
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes (I maybe added more....)
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 to 1 1/2 tsp coriander
• 1/4 tsp oregano
• 1/4 tsp onion powder
• 1/8 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/8 tsp sage
• salt and pepper to your tastes

Method:

1. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the red pepper flakes, onion and jalapeno. Saute about 4 minutes, then add the garlic. Stir and cook another 2-3 minutes. Then lower heat just a smidge.
2. Add all of the other ingredients and stir regularly, cooking about 10-15 minutes. Taste occasionally and adjust spices as needed. Make sure it's heated through and serve up on warmed taco shells.

Done. Easy as can be. Add whatever toppings you want and you're all set. You're welcome. Hahaha