Why Buy What You Can Make Yourself... Seitan Pepperoni.

I really wanted some pepperoni pizza but didn't want to buy the sodium filled store bought vegan pepperoni slices. I had a recipe laying around that I made when I first became vegan and thought I'd give it another try. I've had a lot more practice making seitan since than and it turned out great. I'll post the pizza I made in another post sometime. Keep the MOFO going. 

Seitan Pepperoni

1 1/4 cup vital wheat gluten
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
3/4 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
3/4 teaspoon mustard seeds
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
2 Tablespoons cashew butter
2/3 cup water
4 Tablespoons ketchup
1 teaspoon Liquid smoke
1/4 teaspoon agave nectar
few drops of red food coloring

Preheat oven to 325 F. Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl. Put the cashew butter in a smaller bowl, and slowly mix in the water. Add the remaining wet ingredients to the small bowl and blend well. Pour wet mixture into the dry, stirring well. Remove from the bowl and knead for a few minutes, making sure the ingredients are distributed well. Add the food coloring and knead for a red tint. Roll into log, about 7 inches long. Place the log on foil and roll it up twisting the ends to seal. Bake for one hour and 15 minutes, turning over after 45 minutes. Slice as needed.

She Made It Vegan For Me... Breakfast Fruit Pizza.

Every time I go food shopping I keep seeing these new Eggo breakfast pizzas. Of course thier not vegan but that doesn't keep me from staring at them as I walk down the aisle. Well after weeks of watching me eye them my amazing girlfriend made me a delicious vegan version. I know that her recipe tastes a million times better than Eggo could ever do so I had to share it here.

Real

 

Vegan

 

Breakfast Fruit Pizza

one Napoli style vegan pizza crust

1/2 cup vegan strawberry yogurt

4 large strawberries

one banana

1 cup blueberries

1 cup golden raisins

2 kiwis

1/4 cup of granola

First, following the instructions on the crust pre-bake it till done. Then spread the yogurt over the crust. Then cut the fruit into small enough pieces to vary each bite of the pizza. Next arrange the fruit on the cooked crust, using more yogurt for paste if needed. Sprinkle on granola.

It's Really Cold This Time... 3 Bean Pumpkin Chili.

It's finally cold outside here and this chili recipe is one I've been wanting to make for awhile. It sounds a little strange but it turned out even better than I thought it would. This is a short post today, my refrigerator broke last night and I'm dealing with that now. Good times. 

3 Bean Pumpkin Chili

1 onion, diced
3 cloves of garlic, minced
4 cups cooked beans (Black beans, red kidney beans, white beans)
1 cup frozen corn
1 1/2 cups rolled oats
2 cups fresh pumpkin puree
2-15 oz cans of fire-roasted diced tomatoes, with liquid
1 cup vegetable broth
1-1/2 tbsp smoked paprika
3 tsp chili powder
1-1/2 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp rubbed sage
1/4 tsp cayenne

Heat 1/4 cup water in a large stock pot and add onion. Saute unti translucent. Add garlic and saute until fragrant. Add spices and stir to coat the onions, saute for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly. Pour in vegetable broth and allow to simmer for about 2 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Lower heat and cover, simmer for 45 minutes stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and serve.

Let's Try This Again... Deviled Eggs.

I'm still alive, healthy and it's still the MOFO so all is right with the world. If you think way back one of my first recipes I shared on here was potato deviled eggs. They were really good but a few days ago I was looking around online and found an amazing looking recipe for them made of tofu. It's super easy and taste just like the real thing, it's almost creepy. You have to use black salt though or they are not the same. You can find it online and it's definitely worth it.

Tofu Deviled Eggs 

1 pound extra firm tofu
Half 12.3-ounce package of firm silk tofu
1 cup cooked white beans, drained and rinsed
2 Tablespoon vegan mayonnaise 
1 Tablespoon yellow mustard
1 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon. black salt (plus 1 Tablespoon for spreading on tofu egg whites)
1 Tablespoon dill pickle relish
1/2 Tablespoon red onion, very finely minced
Black pepper, to taste
Paprika, for garnish

Drain water from the extra firm tofu. Cut it in half. Then cut each half into four quadrants. Slide a knife on the side of each quadrant to cut three squares from each. Set aside. Place the silk tofu, beans, mayonnaise, mustard, turmeric, and one teaspoon black salt into a food processor. Process for about a minute or until smooth. Transfer to a mixing bowl and stir in relish, onion, and black pepper. Set aside. Pour the other tablespoon of black salt into a small bowl. Using your fingertip, rub a touch of black salt on each white firm tofu square. Top each square with a one teaspoon of the yellow silk tofu mixture. Sprinkle with paprika and top with chives

Just Like Grandma Use To Make... Apple Cheddar Cheese Pie.

I've been wanting to make a pie for awhile and I had some great apples laying around so, here is my old school apple cheddar pie. My grandmother would make this recipe right around this time of year when I was a kid. It's something I always looked forward too, cheese and apple go great together too, so don't be scared. This is as close as I could get to her recipe, it was almost as good but it's hard to replace your grandmothers food.

Apple Cheddar Cheese Pie

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup wheat flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup earth balance, chilled
1/2 pound  rice cheddar cheese
1/4 cup ice water
1/4 cup white vinegar
7 large fuji apples - peeled, cored and sliced
3 tablespoons lemon juice
1 1/2 cups white sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 tablespoon orange sugar

In a large bowl, combine flour and salt. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in cheese. Combine water and vinegar, and gradually stir in until mixture forms a ball. Divide dough in half and shape into balls. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate for 4 hours. Pre-heat oven to 450 F. Roll out bottom crust with rolling pin and place in pie pan. Roll out top crust and set aside. Toss sliced applies in lemon juice and pour off excess juice. Stir in sugar and cinnamon. Arrange rows of overlapping apple slices, working from outer rim in. Dot with butter. Cover with top pie crust. Seal and crimp edges with fork then trim excess dough. Cut a few slashes in top crust to allow steam to escape (I used a leaf cookie cutter to put a hole in the center of my top crust). Place in pre-heated oven for 15 minutes. Turn down oven to 350 and continue baking for about 30 minutes, or until golden brown. Remove from oven, brush lightly with melted earth balance, and sprinkle liberally with orange sugar. Bake 5 to 10 minutes more until sugar forms a crisp glaze.

Quick Lunch Before Work... Spinach and Potato Curry.

I had to work today and I was starving before I had to go in. This is a great curry that I made real fast before I had to leave. It made a great lunch and would be perfect anytime. It's a little spicy so now I'm wide awake before work. Get the word out about how easy and great it is to be vegan.

Spinach and Potato Curry 

1 1/2 lbs  potatoes
1 lb fresh spinach, chopped
1 medium onion
1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger root
4 garlic cloves
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
2 teaspoon cumin seeds
1 teaspoon red chili powder
1/2 teaspoon curry powder 
2 medium tomatoes
1/2 cup coconut milk

Scrub potatoes and boil them in their skins until almost, done. Leave to cool, then cut into small cubes.  Meanwhile, if using fresh spinach or kale, remove the coarse stalks then rinse and cook gently for 10 minutes, in just the water clinging to the leaves in a covered pan. Cool and chop. Chop the onion finely, crush or finely chop the garlic and finely chop the tomatoes. Measure the spices out into a little bowl.  Now brown the onion in a little vegetable stock until golden brown.  Add the ginger and garlic to the pan and stir for a moment. Add the spices, and a little more vegetable broth with the coconut milk. Cook for a few minutes, then add the tomato. Cook gently 3-5 minutes. Add the potatoes and spinach, mix well then cover and simmer gently until ready, stirring once or twice to prevent sticking.

Day 7... Brussel Sprouts With Wild Mushrooms.

Sunday is my weekly day off so I finally found time to get in the kitchen and try some recipes. I'm in love with Brussel sprouts and have been wanting some for weeks. This is a great, quick, and simple recipe that anyone can whip up. Today (Day 7) of the vegan MOFO went by so fast but this dish made me slow down and really enjoy tonight. It's the simple things in life that make life better. Be yourself and get the word out.

Brussel Sprouts with Wild Mushrooms

1 Tablespoon olive oil
3 shallots, chopped
15 Brussel sprouts, sliced in half
6 or 7 mushrooms, sliced
2 sprigs fresh thyme, leaves removed
Splash of vegetable broth
Salt and pepper to taste

In a small pan heat olive oil and add shallots, cooking until translucent. Add Brussels sprouts and cook until browned and just tender. Remove shallots and sprouts to a bowl and set aside. Add more oil to the pan if necessary and add mushrooms and thyme leaves, cooking until tender. Add a splash of vegetable broth and salt and pepper to taste. Return shallots and sprouts to the pan and cook afew more minutes.

Something Different... Pumpkin Whoopie Pie Cake.

I keep seeing whoopie pies everywhere and thought I would try to make some. They didn't turn out like I wanted so I made the recipe into a giant whoopie pie cake. It worked out much better than the pies. I'll try again sometime in the future with the pies and post that recipe. Happy vegan MOFO day 4. 

 

Pumpkin Whoopie Pie Cake

Cake Layers:

1/2 cup earth balance, room temperature
1 1/4 cups cane sugar
1 egg re-placer
1 cup almond milk, room temperature1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup wheat flour
3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
Pinch salt

Filling:

4 ounces soy cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 stick earth balance, room temperature
2/3 cup confectioners sugar
1/4 cup canned pumpkin puree
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch salt

Preheat oven to 400 F. Using a stand mixer, add the butter and sugar and beat together until light and fluffy. Add the egg re-placer, then the almond milk and the vanilla. Whisk together the flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. Add the dry ingredients in increments to the wet ingredients. Mix until just combined. Split the batter between to cake pans. Put in the oven and bake for 10-12 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool. Beat together the cream cheese and butter, in a small bowl, until smooth. Slowly add in the confectioners sugar. Once smooth, add the pumpkin puree, the cinnamon and a pinch of salt. Beat until smooth and well mixed. To assemble the cookie, spread the filling to the flat side of each cake  and sandwich with another. Transfer to a serving platter, slice like a cake and serve.

Snack Time... Awesome Granola.

When I was a kid I had never heard of granola but if I had I would of eaten it everyday. It is a great snack and super healthy but sweet enough to fool your body that it's not. There is really no wrong way to make it and you can add almost any of your favorite fruits and nuts. This recipe is a great starting point though.

Awesome Granola

3 cups rolled oats
1 cup almonds
1 cup cashews
1/2 cup peanuts
3/4 cup shredded sweet coconut
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons maple syrup
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 250 F. In a large bowl, combine the oats, nuts, coconut, and brown sugar. In a separate bowl, combine maple syrup, oil, and salt. Combine both mixtures and pour onto 2 sheet pans. Cook for 1 hour and 15 minutes, stirring every 15 minutes to achieve an even color. Remove from oven and transfer into a large bowl. Add raisins and mix until evenly distributed.

Left Over... Candy Corn Bark.

Happy Vegan Month Of Food. 11/01 was world vegan day, sorry I missed it but work has been taking up all my time. I had so much of that awesome candy corn left over that I thought I'd find something to do with it. I've been wanting to make yellow corn brittle for awhile now but just haven't gotten around to it so here is a candy version: candy corn bark. I had a little vegan white chocolate left so this is a recipe of left overs and it's so tasty. 

Candy Corn Bark

3 cups vegan white chocolate chips
1 cup candy corn
orange food coloring

Prepare a cookie sheet by lining it with aluminum foil. In separate bowls, melt the chocolates in the microwave or over a double boiler. Stir 1/2 cup candy corn into the 1/2 of chocolate, and pour the chocolate onto the foiled pan. Using a spatula, smooth the chocolate out in an even layer. It does not have to cover the whole pan. Add a few drops of food coloring to chocolate and use toothpick to swirl color into chocolate. Place the remaining ½ cup candy corn over the wet chocolate, sprinkling randomly and pressing them gently into the chocolate until they adhere. Put the chocolate in the refrigerator for 30 minutes to harden. When the bark is firm, remove it from the foil and break it into pieces.

Happy Halloween, And Last Minute Baking... Orange Cupcakes.

Happy Halloween, this is really my favorite time of year. Today was my day off so I made a few last minute Halloween recipes in between running errands. I'll be posting them over the next few days. Let me start with these great orange cupcakes which didn't turn out as good as I hoped but is still a recipe you should give a try. I made ghost topped orange cupcakes and white chocolate bone orange cupcakes. The ghost top was made with a ghost cupcake pan I had and I used a bone mold for the white chocolate. All around a easy and great way to spook things up.  

 

Orange Cupcakes

1 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup wheat flour
2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup + 1 Tablespoon orange juice
1 Tablespoon orange zest
1/3 cup canola oil
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla


Sift all dry ingredients into a bowl and set aside. In another bowl, beat together wet ingredients until well-mixed. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix with a whisk just until you have a smooth batter. Do not over mix. Divide the batter equally among 12 cupys of a standard-sized cupcake pan (or ghost pan if you have one) lined with cupcake liners. Bake in a preheated 350 F oven about 30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Gray Butter Cream Frosting

1/2 cup nonhydrogenated shortening
1/2 cup Earth Balance
3 1/2 cups powdered sugar, sifted 
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 cup soy milk 
black food coloring

Beat the shortening and butter together until well combined and fluffy. Add the sugar and beat for about 3 more minutes. Add the vanilla and soy milk, and beat for another 5 to 7 minutes until fluffy. Add a few drops of food coloring and mix till gray.

White Chocolate Bones

1/2 cup Vegan white chocolate chips

Melt on stove in double-boiler. Add melted chocolate to bone molds and place in fridge to allow to set.