Week 1 Vegan MOFO Treat! (Psst-- they're cookies) #7

After a week of healthy eating, I needed a little treat.  A sweet, slighty not-good-for-you treat.  Dammit, I needed some cookies.  While not good for your body, cookies are definitely good for your soul!  This recipe was adapted slightly from Robin Robertson's Maple-Walnut Oatmeal Cookies (pg 430 of 1000 Vegan Recipes).  These don't have any raisins, but I think they would be pretty tasty.  Actually, you could probably add some dried cherries or cranberries instead of raisins, if you wanted.  Enough talk, on to the cookies!

This recipe makes 1 dozen cookies.  Just double or triple if you want more.

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup old-fashion oats (also called rolled oats)
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 3/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1/8 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (I toasted mine slightly in a skillet before adding to the cookies-gives lots of extra flavor)
• 1/4 cup plus 1 TB cup Earth Balance or other vegan butter
• 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
• 2 TB sugar (I used 1 TB brown, 1 TB white)
• 1 tsp plus a few extra drops vanilla extract

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
2. Line a cookie sheet with parchment or a silicone mat.
3. In a large mixing bowl, mix together flower, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, oats and walnuts.
4. Melt your butter, then stir in the syrup, sugar, vanilla.  Mix well.  I melted my butter in a microwave-safe bowl for 30 seconds.  Then added the other ingredients into that bowl.
5. Add the wet ingredients to the dry, stirring gently until there are no dry spots.  If you wanted to add in some raisins or other dried fruit, now would be a good time to fold them in.
6. Using a small scoop or tablespoon, drop the cookies onto your cookie sheet.  Cook on the middle rack for approximately 12 minutes.  You want to pull them out when the bottom edges are lightly browned.  Let cool 5 minutes on a rack.  Enjoy :)

I Made It! Week 1 of Vegan MOFO (#6)

In celebration of making it through my first week of Vegan MOFO 2010, I decided I'd skip posting a new recipe and go out to breakfast with my momma instead.  We love the Flint Farmer's Market so so so much, and they have a fabulous  little family-owned diner upstairs called Steady Eddy's.  Well, Steady Eddy's is one of the very few restaurants in this area that offers not only vegetarian, but vegan dishes, although they are not strictly a vegetarian diner.  And hallelujah for a not having to explain what veganism is!  They're only open when the Farmer's Market is open, and the wait is sometimes kind of long, but I swear to you, it is absolutely worth the wait.  In the summer, they have their patio open, so you can eat outside and look down on the Market shoppers.  It's lovely, especially when all of the vendors are selling flowers during the summer months.

Anywhooo... I decided to order the tofu scramble, which is seasoned tofu mixed with brown rice with a side of toast and a bit of fresh fruit (orange, pear, banana, pineapple, and some grapes).  It was divine.  No joke.  I already posted the before shot above, and here's the after:

So, tomorrow I'll maybe try a new cookie recipe or some such sweet treat since I've only blogged about relatively healthy vegan dishes.  It's time to indulge in a bit of vegan dessert.  Any ideas what I should try?

Tortilla Lime Soup -- Vegan MOFO #5

Tortilla Lime Soup after adding Rice, Avocado and Tortillas

Terrible photo, I know. But, it was Girl's Night In at my place and I didn't have time to get all arty with the soup pics.  I'll try to get a better pic tomorrow with the tiny bit of leftovers.  This was my first time trying this exact recipe and it was a HUGE success among my non-vegan friends. No one even mentioned that the chicken was "missing." I really like my soup with a kick, so I added cayenne pepper and chili powder to the pot. This soup is absolutely fabulous and almost completely fat-free (at least it is if you don't add the avocado chunks).  There is something really perfect about dicing an avocado small and dropping them into your soup when you're about to tuck in.  They're creamy and perfectly balance the acidity of the soup.  I definitely recommend trying it for yourself.  Another of my favorite things is to add some cooked brown rice to my bowl of soup when I'm serving it.  I seem to always have cooked brown rice in my fridge, so I popped it in the microwave when the soup was almost done cooking.  It gives the soup a really nice texture. 

Which brings me to the next part.  I emphatically LOVE making my own tortilla chips for this soup.  They taste better than the greasy ones from the store.  It's super duper easy.  Cut the tortillas (corn or flour--I like the flour best) into strips or wedges.  Lay in a single layer on a cookie sheet. Spray tops lightly with some cooking spray, and sprinkle sea salt on them.  Pop them in a 350 degree F oven for about 10 minutes, or until they are crispy and lightly browned.  I make them when the soup is almost done and serve them hot.  

Ingredients:  Serves 5-6

• 5 cups vegetable broth
• 1 14-oz can diced tomatoes, drained
• 1 medium-size red onion, diced
• 2 heaping TB finely-chopped cilantro (or more if you like it a lot)
• 3 TB fresh lime juice
• 1-2 fresh serrano chiles, seeded and minced
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 TB olive oil
• 1/4 cup salsa verde (or a 4-oz can of diced green chiles)
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 to 3/4 tsp cayenne
• 1/4 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp sea salt
• 1/2 to 3/4 tsp fresh cracked black pepper
• 1 avocado, diced (optional, but highly recommended)
• 4-5 flour or corn tortillas cut into strips (optional) Or store-bought tortilla chips

Method:

1. Start by getting your soup pot on the stove and turning to medium heat.  Add in your oil and warm for at least 2 minutes.  
2. Add in the onion and cook about 4-5 minutes.  Then, add in the garlic and chilies.  Stir well and cook about 3 minutes.  
3. Add the broth, tomatoes and salsa verde and mix.  Then add your spices, cilantro and lime juice, adding the cayenne just a bit at a time if you're conservative with the spiciness.  
4. Turn up the heat and bring to a boil.  Once it starts boiling, turn the heat down to medium-low and cover.  Let simmer about 20 minutes.  Adjust your spices.  I added a dash of garlic salt to mine.
5. After your soup has been simmering away for 10 minutes, cook your tortilla strips.  
6.  Serve up your soup with the rice and some avocado cubes.  I like to use the cooked tortilla strips like crackers, adding a bit of crunch to my soup.  I hope you enjoy :)

 Tortilla Lime Soup pre-Rice, Avocado & Tortilla

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 :)

Cornbread Biscuits - Vegan MOFO #3

It is quite chilly here today, so I was craving something warm and snuggly.  Well, not snuggly, per se, but like a warm hug for my hungry belly.  I spent about 2 hours flipping endlessly through my vegan cookbook collection trying to find the perfect thing to make.  Then, I stumbled upon Isa Chandra Moskowitz's recipe for Cornbread Biscuits and I couldn't say no.  I needed them. A Huge THANK YOU to Isa Chandra because these babies are stellar.  The recipe, can be found in her cookbook, Vegan Brunch.

The recipe makes a lot more than I thought it would.  I made ours into 12 huge drop-style biscuits (think Bisquick drop biscuits).  They're very filling, soft and moist inside with a slightly crisp outside.  YUM!  Perfect with a hint of sweetness, without being sugary.  I am a raving loon for these biscuits, so I will shut up and share the perfect recipe now....

Ms. Moskowitz's Recipe: (Makes 12 huge biscuits or a ton of smaller ones)
Ingredients:

• 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 2 TB baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 1 cup almond milk (or milk of your choice)
• 2 tsp apple cider vinegar

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Combine all dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl and stir well.
3. Gently mix in the wet ingredients until just combined with few/no dry spots.  The dough will be pretty thick and heavy.
4. Using a large spoon to scoop out the dough onto a baking sheet.  Like I said before, mine were huge, but make them whatever size you want.  Because of the size of mine, they cooked for about 18 minutes.  Smaller biscuits will bake much more quickly, about 12-14 minutes.  These biscuits don't really brown when they cook, so just feel the tops -- when they're firm, your biscuits are done.  Slather with some Earth Balance and tuck in.  Oh, they also go well with anything spicy, like chili.