Sunday, July 07, 2013

Bean Bread

Here - go make this now! Eggy Breakfast Bread


Gluten free! and packed with protein!  I thought it was a little on the sweet side so next time I would only use 1 Tbsp of sugar.  I am going to put blueberries in it next time and use the vanilla too, which I omitted this time.  I baked mine in the toaster oven - and it took 15 minutes....but it was one easy peasey recipe.

Love her website too - I made Goods the "Healthy Chocolate Pecan Pie"  and it was delish. I used the 2 Tbsp of molasses which was a tad strong when we ate it the first day, but by the next day it was toned done, but I think I would cut it to 1 Tbsp next time.  Again, easy peasey recipe to make!  I like easy!

Oh- and I did take a photo of it!  Please note the appropriate drinking beverage in the photo at the top left corner....vodka goes GREAT with this pie!



Enjoy!

Sunday, June 02, 2013

Easy Saucey Vegan...

Want to get snazzy with your baked tofu? 
Make this easy mustard dill sauce for it!  See how delicious it looks???


Easy Mustard Dill Sauce:

  • 3 Tbs of Vegenaise   (I use reduce fat)
  • 2 Tbs. Fresh Lemon Juice (don't you dare use the stuff out of the plastic lemon)
  • 1 Tbs. Dijon Mustard (I used 2 and I think it was too much, but Goods like it with 2)
  • 1.5 tsp Dried Dill  (I didn't have fresh, but if you do, use that - use 1 Tbs fresh)
  • Fresh Cracked Pepper
          Whisk it up and use.

So how easy was that? And it was delicious.  Oh, I doubled the recipe, had extra left over and I thinned it with water and used it as salad dressing....yummy.  Goods really like it on his dead salmon.  I loved it on my tofu, that was never alive and did not have to die....just sayin'.

My baked tofu is always different. I just press it for a couple of hours. Spray it with veggie oil spray then I season the hell out of it - garlic, onion powder, paprika, basil...etc. What every I feel like at the time. But what do I ALWAYS put on it- vegan crack- Nooch, nutritional yeast.  Then I bake at 350 degrees for 20-25 minutes, until it turns a pretty golden brown.

Does anyone have a favorite way to their baked tofu??? Share please!


Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Farro my new Favorite

Ha - told you I would be back! 

Where do you get your protein???? OMG isn't that one of the MOST HATED questions one gets being a vegan? That and the statement - well you are killing and hurting plants when you eat them. Really???
 As my reply goes "If I must explain to you that plants do not have a spine, a central nervous system, they do not feel pain. But I suppose I can understand why you say such a thing since you have a brain but obviously do not use it" - okay I just say that last part in my head, but I would love to say it out loud some day....so tempting.

So one way we get our protein - GRAINS - glorious grains....because we have a brain!
Eat your grains and grow your brain!
So, as I mentioned briefly, previously I finished my degree in Restaurant Management. My last class our Chef- "Chef K" said we would make FARRO- I never heard of it, and was very curious. We unfortunately never made it....so that put me on a mission....Experiment Farro.
What is Farro? It is a chewy, nutty grain. It is in the wheat family but doesn't have a high gluten content- but it has gluten in it if you have celiac, stay far far away from it. But for me, who is just sensitive to too much gluten - I was good to go! 

I bought my Farro from Trader Joes- It was - like instant farro since it cooked in a mear 10 minutes...and this is what I came up with as a recipe:

Carrot-Cumin Farro
(2 plus servings - more on the 3-4 small size servings)
Ingredients & directions:
Make according to package using the following as the liquid:
   1 cup veggie broth
   1 cup carrot juice
and use:
   1 cup farror
In medium saute pan heat:
   1-2 tablespoons olive oil


   5-6 carrots - grated
   1/2 medium onion chopped
   5 garlic cloves finely chopped
   Juice of one lemon
Saute for 8-ish minutes, until carrots are soft. During this time add:
   2 Tablespoons of Earth Balance Margarine 
      (is there any other brand??? I think not)
Add water when necessary (do not allow to brown)
Add:



   Cooked farro
   1/2+ cup of nutritional yeast
   1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
   Salt and Pepper to taste
Fold together (fancy pants way to say combine)
Upon serving add finely chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Here is a photo montage:
Sauteing with Olive oil, carrots, garlic & onions:
 

Now let us add the delicious Earth Balance:

Adding the cooked farro and cumin:

Now adding the yummy nutritional yeast....who is addicted to this natural crack as I am???

Tah-Dah....done served with BBQ tofu and sauteed black kale.

Sorry about the sloppy plate, but it was a last second photo opt and I pushed all the food into a pretty presentation yet I forgot to clean the plate...I'm going to blame it on the vodka.

BUT....the farro looks like a glob of mush- but it isn't - it is so delicious (Even Goods, my husband, dug it!).   Next time I will use my newly purchased food molds to make it all pretty for you....but for now - just go make some farro for yourself!!

What I would do differently now that I am not a farro virgin???  At least for this dish, I would add some sauteed peppers - a variety of them...red, green, a jalapeno for a little kick. But how I truly see my next farro experiment - cheesy broccoli farro - and of course the cheesiness would come from the natural crack - nutritional yeast.

And it's time for me to say....farro-well!  (that is farewell in grain talk)




Sunday, May 12, 2013

I'm back.....

I know, you're welcome for the warning.

I know it's been a very long time, and when I was here, I was sporadic.
I have been busy.   I'll give you the run down...

  • Full time job - I've been no longer unemployed for 2 years now.  I know I got my "new" job 2 years ago shouldn't be an excuse for my absence...but since it's my blog, it's my excuse.
  • School - just received my Associates degree in restaurant management - Now I have a Engineering degree and the Restaurant Mngmt degree -- and now with that I am going to engineer a....VEGAN FOOD TRUCK!  I rock.
  • ...And then we have a new addition to the family as of February of this year....this ball of cuteness


  • The striped on is the new one...Sir Snickers is his name.  His middle name is Bad, No Manners and No Boundaries....oh and he thinks his sister Ginger (orange one) is sexy.  Snicky needs a little operation....soon very soon, but not soon enough for Gingee.  
  • Quick note on Snickers- he had a rough start, but as you can see now....he is making up for it. He is so loved not only by us, but a whole community of Snickers' warriors.  There are good people world!  You can read his story here: Snickers' Story 
  • Lastly...I've been busy drinking vodka.  
But now that I am done with school (more on that in the future) I want to start blogging again - LUCKY YOU!  

Now that you have had a recap of my goings ons...here comes some food....

I made from the Vegetarian Times Magazine I just received the Broccoli Salad with Mustard Dressing.
It was very yummy, but Goods and I voted that it needed to marinate over night.  Loved the lentils in it....add some texture perfection.  Of course I used the agave instead of the honey in the recipe.  Where is the recipe you ask? In the magazine....sorry.  

Okay, now that I gave you the food, time for my vodka....see you soon!

Sunday, January 08, 2012

Vegan Detroit - Zoo with a side of Kona

 It was a beautiful day here in the Detroit area so Goods and I headed off to the Zoo....who doesn't love a little snow monkey once in a while....
Detroit Zoo is ever improving...and they don't Monkey around when they make an improvement-  concessions added a STARBUCKS!  Can you say Soy Latte Please??? 
See I included a photo to show that I am not lion....I mean lying.  But speaking of lions, Detroit Zoo renovated the Lion Exhibit- it is now HUGE...now they have loads of room to roam around....but as any cat tends to do, they prefer to just lounge around anyway...
 They remind you of Ginger, don't they?
Goods bought a souvenir for Ginger since she was not allowed to venture with us to the zoo...just a little treat for her with a side of catnip
 And now a treat for me at Kona Grill....sans the catnip
Rock Coconut Mojito
Seriously - it was the BEST cocktail ever...and as a garnish they used a Rock Sugar Candy Swizzle Stick...pretty & yummy!!  It was a mojito made with coconut rum and pineapple- it was most delicious. Pineapple, coconut, mint and booze - perfection in a glass.

This was my first time visiting Kona Grill, Goods has been there before.  As always before visiting a new establishment I do my research - being a good vegan as I am.  So I go exploring on their website....and what do I find... A VEGAN MENU - just for little ol' me!!!

So we started off with edename - no photo needed for that snack.  May I add they were salted to perfection.

 Since it was happy hour and apps were 1/2 off - Goods & I shared a veggie roll, which was most excellent too....see.
Then after a bit...it was time to order MORE FOOD - my entree. Pan-Asian Noodles....totally delightful.

I substituted rice noodles for the udon noodles then it was mixed with fried tofu and mixed vegetables, in spicy black bean garlic sauce.  The portion was huge, so I got to enjoy it the next day too.

So some of you may be appalled the I, the vodka soaked vegan, go to zoos.  I love zoos.  It isn't like the they take animals out of their environment from running free to being on display.   Zoos allow animals to live who would normally not survive in the wild.
How about these lions? How about these bears? How about these polar bears?  I see a theme here...people are stupid....okay maybe not you and I.

So....Ginger and I would like to wish everyone a happy and prosperous new year!

Saturday, December 24, 2011

Meowy Christmas

Merry Christmas....Meet Ginger our new kitty!  She says HOHOHO!
I will be back!  Holy cow it's been a while...but I am making a New Year's resolution not to ignore you!
Enjoy!

Friday, July 29, 2011

A Birdie told me about this Canary Melon

So, now that I am employed, I have spending a teeny tiny bit more of money on food....new food that is.  I'm on a mission to try new stuff that I haven't had before...as long as it is still in a reasonable price range.
So with that....I present you with a Canary Melon...okay I presented it to myself.

It really doesn't look like a cantelope....it's just because the photographer sucks....










It looks more on the lines of a honeydew....but yet again the sucky photographer sucks with the flash....
Really I was trying to hurry the photographer was trying to hurray because of the fruit fly infestation in the house.  Anyone else have this problem and how do you solve this...being vegan and all??? Share please.

Anyway...back to melon review.  OMG it is so sweet.  Almost too sweet for my tastes. Reminds me of honeydew on sugar steroids.  Yes it is tasty...but just too sweet for me, because you see, I am so sweet to begin with- adding that much extra sugar is a bit much.
That is my review and I'm sticking to it.


Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Stuffed Apricots

It's been hot- did you notice?  So we were invited to a picnic and I wanted to bring something light, cool and DIFFERENT.  I searched and came up with these puppies - Pistachio Stuffed Apricots.  They were easy peasey and to boot -- I got to use one of my 3 cool deviled egg plates that have been in the cabinet for over 5 years! 
A closer look.....
Even closer look....

They were delicious!  Perfect seasonal appetizer...which I will most generously share my version with you!

Stuffed Apricots - Vegan of course
9 - Apricots - cut in half and dee-pitted
(mine came out very easily and clean too!)

4 oz of Tofutti Cream Cheese (1/2 container)

approx 1/2.c chopped pistachios

Vanilla to taste (approx 1/2 tsp for me)

Mix a 1/4 c. of pistachios & vanilla  into the room temp cream cheese.
Scoop a scoop of mixture into each apricot half.
Top the top with some extra chopped pistachios.

Done - see how easy peasey! 
Enjoy!...and I will be back....

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

I flew the nest and so did the birdies

I know...you thought I flew the nest....but I'm back...

Now to finish the baby birdie saga....they still slept

They still squawked...
They still wanted fed....
A tight fit...wouldn't you say.
And then they departed....and left a messy nest that I can't use on our Christmas tree this year.
Can they please use birdie diapers???  Goods and I still see the little rascals in our yard...because we grow big worms in our yard! 

Thursday, May 26, 2011

Day 7 - Babies didn't drown...

but they don't fit anymore....and Dee is kissing Anne's birdie butt, but isn't that normal..
Seriously they are going to bust the sides of the nest out - and that nest was pegged to go into our Christmas tree this year!

I love my birdies...huge birdies.

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Day 6...then we built an ark

Seriously...the rain won't stop..WAIT lucky for you it stopped for a nano second that I could take a canoe through our yard to take a photo of the babies with our waterproof camera...Seriously.
Rain obviously makes babie robins grow.....

But lookie...the babies grew lips and feathers in the rain!!! And holy cow....EYES!!  Lookie how beadie they are!

 This is what I had to go thru to get to the birdies to take a picture for you guys...WELCOME!
 Our pond it to the left....see Skully the orange koi?  then the little tree that the nest is in is to the right....here a better view

Yeah- really 3 feet off the ground in the little pine tree!
Here is another view of our swampiness...
More rain tomorrow...along with, hopefully Day 6 of babie birds.....
Ahoy matie!

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

Day 5

Bigger and still BLUE, wonder if they are smurf birdies.
The Birdie, we will call her Anne, with it's mouth open (Anne) has a big chuck of worm in it, which she is having trouble eating, but yet she can sleep like that.  Anne what talent you have.

Monday, May 23, 2011

Day 4

I am thinking they are blue birds instead of babie Robins....but Momma says no.
Glad to see that Anne is finally behaving.

Sunday, May 22, 2011

Day 1, 2 & 3 in the life of babie birdies.

So here are days 1-3 of the babie birds lives....if you squirrel thru them really fast, they will look like a video...go ahead a try!
Day 1
I named the one face down...DEE..I named the one next to her...ANNE because, if you can see, Anne
pushed DEE down...Just saying....and I think it's appropriate to name the birdie with it's mouth wide open- on the right, begging for a beer  for wormies - Lynn.


Day 2
Are they not adorable...one little fuzzy wuzzy bunch.
 Day 3 - Today.
Look how much they grew!! And Lynn is still begging for beer wormies! And Anne is smothering Dee, not sure what Dee ever did to Anne...I think Anne just is jealous of Dee's prettiness. Anne you are just as pretty!   Remember that!
Time to fly!! Enjoy!

location location location...

This is where the robin nest is...about 3 FEET OFF THE GROUND!! What was momma & dadda thinking?


Well they were thinking that , 3 feet off the ground in the garden area would be an excellent location for Dee to keep a photo journal of their babies' beginnings!  They are so cool like that.  Gotta go hand till the garden now since we can't use a rota-tiller because it would disturb the babies.


Thursday, May 05, 2011

In honor of the eagle web cam...

Sorry about the suckiness of the photos it was getting dusk...promise new ones soon because I am starting.....ROBIN WEB CAM VIA PHOTOS!!!  and Mommy Robin not so happy about it.....


But this WEB CAM PHOTO EXTRAVANZA is in honor of the eagle web came my homies are addicted too....linky here.

Blue is beautiful isnt' it???  reminds me of my dear friend SKYY.  

Update soon...so busy with WORK, yes you read right, and school and well a teeny tiny bit of sleepy.

Cheers.  And get your list ready for names for the blue egg babies!!

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Vegan Beef Burgundy

My Culinary Class at school had been really focusing on sauces.....so I ran with it.  I made, and I have no idea why....a vegan version of Beef Burgundy - and I'm glad I did!
It looked like a mess...but it didn't taste messy...

Even when I tried to make it look plate pretty.....it looked messy.

  

I ate it with tofu noodles, Goods ate his with regular pasta noodles.  It was yummy but really saucey - even Goods thought it was too saucey and he is like a "Sauce King"....I'm a plain Jane myself, I don't like to cover my food up with sauce....serve mine naked please. 

Here is my Beef Burgundy recipe I conjured up....
 - What you need - 
1 package of Fake Beef Tips
3 Tbs. of Flour
1 C. sliced Onion (I 1/2 mooned shaped mine)
1 C. or more sliced Red & Green Pepper
6 cloves of garlic - sliced/minced
2 C. Red Wine
2 Tbs. Balsamic Vinegar
1 Tbs. Soy Sauce
2 Tbs. Tomato Paste
1 C. "Beef" Stock
1/2 tsp dried Marjoram
1/2 tsp dried Thyme
1/2 tsp  Hungarian Paprika
Black Pepper (to taste)
Salt (to taste)

- First - 
I browned up some Fake Cow and coated the fake cow with 3 Tbs. of flour.
Remove from pan & set aside.
(feel free to just set the pan aside if you don't mind washing a bunch of pans afterwards)

- Next -
Saute the garlic, onions & peppers until desired tenderness

- Then -
Add the wine, vinegar, soy sauce, tomato paste & bring to a nice bubble.
Then add the "beef" stock (I used faux beef bullion cube mixed with water)
Bring to a bubble again.  All this is pretty much done over medium heat.

- And Finally -
Reintroduce the "beef" tips coated with flour. 
(ie put them back into the pan)
Stir the mixture until it thickens, at this point though you might want to turn the heat down a bit.

Tah-Dah - You are done.
Serve with noodles.

And what else did I serve with this....a simple but delicious - vodka on the rocks with a lemon twist....


I know, I'm getting all fancy dancy on you....A TWIST!!   I am gaining even more knowledge about booze in my beverage class.  I will share with you how to easily peel a whole lemon in one fell swoop.  The secret is....before you try and peel the lemon, you let it sit in hot water for 15-20 minutes before the peeling begins.  After the soaking, cut off both ends and then slit it from one end to the other.  Then you can just easily peel the rind off in one piece.  It's like magic.

And like magic - I'm disappearing...byes for now.

Monday, March 07, 2011

Gluten Free Pancakes by Joe...

.....and that would be Trader Joe's!


I already love their gluten free vegan waffles so I just had to have a box of these babies.
And what did I think????
I give them a 8.5 out of 10!  Why only 8.5 out of 10???? so glad you asked...

  1. They are not Bob's Red Mill gluten free pancakes which are 10 out of 10 for me!--- but then again, Trader Joe's are conveniently pre-made, frozen and all you have to do is pop these babies into the toaster.
  2. One pancake had an accident in the toaster and fell to the bottom....might be better off doing them in the toaster oven.
  3. They are a teeny tiny bit gooey in the middle, but the outside is a little crispy which I dig....the gooey, not so much. Especially since I do not eat them with syrup nor a fork....it's like pancake toast for me :-)
  4. They took 3 times toasting on the frozen cycle in the toaster. Not a big deal unless you were starving like I was.
But the real test will be Goods - sometimes he can be finicky.  But for me, I would buy them again!

Oh and by the way...they are only $2.99 a box - a very decent price for a gluten free product - GO JOE! Or do I mean this Joe.....

 If you look closely you will see smileyman riding on Joe's finger....but Smileyman is a whole blog all by his self.....

Thursday, March 03, 2011

Vegan Cookbooks I can't live without.....

I Love to cook....I know like that is a shocker....dah...look at the blog....never the less the fact that I will be graduating with a degree in food next semester.
ANYWAY.....sometimes I create recipes as I cook....just ask Goods that one!  But other times I go to my cookbook library  for inspiration or a recipe or 2.                                           

And today I would like to share with you my favs.....

My first MUST HAVE is Vegan Vittles!  MUST MUST MUST....I must it so much that I have 2 editions of it....the newer edition had a few new recipes in it and I just couldn't live with myself if I didn't have it!


Why??? you ask - why I think it's a must?  It has recipes for staples that you need, especially if you are a vegan newbie.  It has mock meats, mock cheese, and recipes that show you how to substitute foods.  It rocks.  I have a few of her other books too, but this is my #1 used cookbook....the older version too.  I know, I needed the new shiny one, and I always use my old tattered  & stained one....and I love ugly puppies too.

On to the next.......

The 30 Minute Vegan...super easy, super good recipes - I just heart it....
                                                              
This is just one book of YUM!  The recipes are not too tasking. I love the layout- grouping recipes that go together as a meal.  YUM YUM YUM

                                                     

And by BFF Isa.... All her books Rock......
I have a special place in my hear for Vegan with a Vengeance because this was my first Vegan cookbook I bought.
Fun recipes and a great read too.....
                                                                                                              

Then you must have her VEGANOMIC....it's like an encyclopedia of vegan recipes.  Tons & tons of recipes presented in her humorous way.....

  
                                                          








So my last "cookbook" is not exactly vegan....nor does my copy look all fancy dancy like this because of the abuse it takes...but the old Blue Ball Book  Ball Blue Book.

                                                  
I love Jammin' , Cannin' and Freezin'........so this "cookbook" is a must for me.  I'll be jammin' some strawberries this weekend.   Homemade jam is so much better the store stuff....and A LOT cheaper.  One of my classes is "cost control" this semester so I think I'll do a little recipe cost comparison with homemade vs store bought....sounds like a blast to me!  I'll share the results at a later date....

So there you have it.....My favs - - -  what are your favs?????