Time To Bake... Orange Creamsicle Cupcakes.

Today was my day off and my girlfriends birthday so I baked some cupcakes from "Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World". She loves orange, that made me pick the orange creamsicle cupcake as my first choice. They have a orange pudding filling, this being my first time making a cupcake with a filling, I was a bit worried. They turned out better than I could have hoped and my girlfriend loved them too.

 

Orange Creamsicle Cupcakes

Orange pudding:

3/4 cup rice milk1/2 cup fresh squeezed orange juice
3 Tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons cane sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon finely grated orange zest

Whisk together the rice milk, orange juice, cornstarch, sugar, and vanilla in a small heavy bottomed saucepan.  Cook over medium heat for about 2 minutes, until the mixture is warm and steaming, whisking occasionally.
When the mixture is warm, reduce the heat to low, and stir constantly for 5 minutes as the mixture thickens. 
When the mixture is sufficiently thick and pudding-y, turn off the heat and fold in the orange zest, mixing for another minute. Transfer the pudding to a bowl and let cool for 10 minutes until the mixture stops steaming. Cover and refrigerate for at least an hour, it will continue to thicken as it cools.

Orange cupcake:
1/3 cup canola oil
3/4 c granulated sugar
3/4 c plain rice milk
1/2 c freshly squeezed orange juice
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/3 c flour
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 tbsp grated orange zest

Pre-heat oven to 350 F, line muffin pan w/ cupcake liners. Combine oil, sugar, milk, juice and vanilla, plus 1tbsp of flour and mix until combined. In separate bowl sift remaining flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients in three batches, mixing well after each addition, until smooth. Fold in the orange zest and mix to distribute. Fill cupcake liner 2/3 of the way. Bake for 20-22 minutes, tops should spring back when touched. Cool completely before adding frosting.

Orange frosting:
1/4 cup shortening
1/4 cup margarine, softened
2 cups confectioner's sugar
2 Tablespoon fresh orange juice
1 Tablespoon finely grated orange zest (recipe suggests lemon zest)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Cream shortening and margarine until well combined. Add confectioner's sugar in 1/2 cup additions. After each addition of sugar, add a splash of orange juice and beat well w/ handheld mixer on medium speed. Add vanilla and beat for another 3-5 minutes until smooth, creamy and fluffy. Add zest at end and mix in. 

I Hate Work So It's... Taco Night.

Work is really getting to me, I'm getting tired of it and the people. Tonight I was in the mood for Tacos, and I had some TVP laying around so here is my recipe for TVP tacos. I'm not in the talking mood so right to the recipe.

Tacos

12 wheat flour tortillas
2 cups dry TVP
1 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 packet vegan taco seasoning
1 cup rice cheese shredded, to top tacos
1 medium onion, diced
1 green pepper, diced
1 large carrot, chopped

spinach and tomatoes, chopped to top tacos
1 lime, cut into sections

Rehydrate the TVP by mixing with just less than 2 cups of boiling water in a bowl and letting it sit 5-10 minutes until the water is absorbed. Prepare the tortillas however you like. Add the oil, vegetables, rehydrated TVP, soy sauce, taco seasoning, and 1/4 cup of water to a pan over medium heat; stir occasionally until the water is absorbed. Cook till vegetables are soft and TVP is brown. Add cooked mixer to wheat tortillas and top with rice cheese, tomatoes and spinach. Add lime juice and enjoy.

It's A Party... Gnome Sugar Cookies.

My girlfriend loves anything that has to do with gnomes and her birthday is coming up this week. That being said I had to make her something. I decided to make gnome sugar cookies, and they turned out great. This is just a basic sugar cookie recipe and you can make them any shapes you want. Just add food coloring to the icing to make any colors.

Something Good... Vegetable Pot Pie.

I've been craving pot pie but I haven't been craving the thick crust that comes with it. I was thinking of what I could do and it hit me, I could use wheat tortillas. It was just what I had a taste for. It worked so great I'm thinking of making a lasagna the same way. 








Vegetable Pot Pie


1 Tablespoon oil
1/2 cup onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons wheat flour
1/2 cup rice dairy milk
1 1/3 cups vegetable stock
1 large potato, diced
2 stalks celery, chopped
1/2 cup carrot, chopped
1/2 cup peas
1/2 cup brussel sprouts
1/2 cup corn
1/2 cup yellow squash, diced
1/2 Tablespoon chili paste
Salt and pepper, to taste
3 wheat flour tortillas

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Heat oil in a saucepan and saute onions, celery and garlic until soft. Stir in the flour and cook 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly. Slowly whisk in the rice milk, stock and cook until thick and bubbly. Add vegetables, chili paste, and salt & pepper and simmer for a few minutes. Lightly grease pie pan with cooking spray. Place one tortilla in bottom, cut second tortilla into strips and place around side. Pour vegetable mix into the "crust" and top with third tortilla. Bake for 25 minutes or until the "crust" is golden.

Hell yeah got my book "Vegan Cupcakes Take Over The World" today. It looks like it has some great recipes, and I can't wait to make them. Today work was so long that tonight is a cookie night. I've never made these cookies before but they turned out to be the best cookies I've ever made. If I was you I would start making them RIGHT NOW.  

Chocolate-Peanut Butter Sandwich Cookies



1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
1/2 cup plus 1/3 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar, packed
6 tablespoons earth balance butter, room temperature
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon egg replacer
1 1/3 cups chocolate chips

Filling

1/2 cup high-quality chocolate, chopped

1/4 cup creamy peanut butter

2 Tablespoons powdered sugar

1/4 teaspoon coarse kosher salt

6 tablespoons whipping cream

Cookies:
Preheat oven to 350°F. Whisk first 4 ingredients in medium bowl. Using electric mixer, beat powdered sugar, dark brown sugar, and butter in large bowl to blend.

Add peanut butter; beat until creamy. Gradually beat in vegetable oil and vanilla extract, then egg. Add dry ingredients; mix just until blended. Stir in milk chocolate chips.

Drop cookie dough by level tablespoonfuls onto ungreased baking sheets, spacing about 1 1/2 inches apart. Bake cookies until puffed and golden brown, about 12 minutes. Cool slightly, then transfer cookies to rack to cool completely.

Filling:
Place chocolate, peanut butter, powdered sugar, and kosher salt in medium bowl. Bring whipping cream to boil in heavy small saucepan. Pour hot cream over chocolate mixture; stir until mixture is melted and smooth. Chill until filling is thick and spreadable, about 1 hour. Spread about 1 rounded teaspoonful chocolate-peanut butter filling on flat side of 1 cookie. Top with second cookie, forming sandwich. Repeat with remaining filling and cookies. 

Lazy Night... Just Throw Them In The Oven & Enjoy .

I had to work tonight and then went shopping for some supplies to do more baking tomorrow. Baking is something I need to practice. I'm worn out right now and starving so I'll be making some vegan ready made food. These chicken tenders are great, healthy and vegan. I have an addiction to fries too, but to make up for them I added some carrot sticks. Not a bad meal even if it wasn't made from scratch.

 

Chicken Salad?... Oh, you mean Chickpea Salad.

Chicken salad was a favorite food of mine before I became a vegan. You can eat it plain, on crackers, as a sandwich, and just about any other way you can think of. This recipe is quick and easy, and can even easily be made into tuna salad by just adding nori flakes instead of nutritional yeast. Either way this is a great treat and I included the recipe for the mayo I used.  
 

Chickpea Salad
1 15oz can Chickpeas, rinsed well
1 stalk celery, chopped
half of small onion, chopped
1 medium carrot, chopped
1 dill pickle, chopped
3-4 Tbs vegan mayo
2 teaspoon Fresh Lemon Juice
1 teaspoon Mustard
1 Tablespoon Nutritional Yeast
1/2 teaspoon Paprika
1/2 teaspoon Salt
Fresh Craked Black Pepper

Mash all the ingredients to form a chunky spread. Refrigerate or serve immediately. 


Mayo Recipe

3 tablespoons lemon juice
1/2 cup soy milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon paprika
1/4 teaspoon mustard
6 teaspoons vegetable oil

Combine your lemon juice, soy milk, salt, paprika and mustard in a blender. On a medium speed, blend the ingredients together. Next, take your vegetable oil and gradually blend it in. Mix will thicken. Refrigerate.

I Need Some... Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies.

I needed something sweet and cookies sounded great. I just got my copy of "Vegan Cookies Invade your Cookie Jar", it's an awesome book. I'm still waiting on "Vegan Cupcakes Take Over The World" to come in the mail, and I'll be doing plenty of baking from both. For now though this is just a great recipe I've used before. I made these for Thanksgiving last year but their great all the time.

 
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

1/2 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups sugar
1/4 cup soy yogurt (vanilla)
1 cup canned pumpkin
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 cup vegan chocolate chips
 
Preheat oven to 350 F. Grease cookie sheets. In large bowl, cream together the shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the soy yogurt, then stir in the pumpkin and vanilla. In another bowl combine the flour and dry ingredients. Gradually stir into the creamed mixture. Stir in the chocolate chips. Drop dough by teaspoonfuls onto cookie sheets. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until light brown or toothpick comes out clean. 

Down South Cooking... Fish Fillet And Collard Sandwich.

When I was a meat eater I never was a big fish eater but these tofu fillets were pretty good. It was my first time making them and the texture was just right compared to fish. I love sandwiches, and I always turn everything I eat into a sandwich. I was feeling lazy so I just used some whole wheat bagels but biscuits would be ideal for this recipe.

Tofu "Fish" Fillet & Collard Green Sandwich

1/3 cup cornmeal
1/4 cup flour
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
salt and pepper to taste
lemon juice
12 oz. extra firm tofu
1 lb. collard greens, cooked*
4 slices of rice milk cheese
4 whole wheat bagels


Begin preparing your tofu by cutting into about 1/2 thick slices. Press and drain these well, then freeze overnight to improve texture. The next day, prepare your breading by mixing cornmeal, flour, bread crumbs, and your seasonings thoroughly in a bowl. Preheat Oven to 350 F. Salt and pepper tofu, bread your slices completely. Place tofu on a oiled pan and place in oven for 25 minutes or until evenly browned. Drizzle lemon juice over fillets after taking them out of the oven. Toast bagels and top with fillet, 1 slice of cheese, and some of the collard greens.

*Southern Collard Greens

2 bunches of collard greens

6 mushrooms, sliced

1/2 onion, diced

2 teaspoon olive oil

2 teaspoon soy sauce

1 Tablespoon cider vinegar

hot sauce

salt and pepper to taste

Trim greens of stems, discard and slice. Rinse thoroughly. Heat olive oil on medium heat in a large pan until hot. Add mushrooms, onions to oil and sprinkle a pinch of salt. Saute until onions and mushrooms are softened and starting to brown. Deglaze the pan with the soy sauce. Slowly stir in the sliced greens. Once you have added all of the greens, add fresh ground pepper to taste and lower heat to medium-low. Cover the pan and cook the greens covered for 15-20 minutes, stirring occasionally. When tender, but not mushy, stir in the cider vinegar and hot sauce to taste.

Down South Cooking.... Mac and Cheese.

I know to most people vegan mac and cheese sounds crazy but its out there. Some recipes are good, some are not so good. This is one I've been using since I became vegan and it's great. It's not really a cheesy taste but more of a earthy, nutty flavor. It is a great mac and cheese replacement if you need some good down home cooking. It can turn out salty very fast so taste it as you go and adjust salt as needed, sometimes I don't even add any. Also I'm so hooked on that chili paste that I added it to this recipe, and it made it even better.

   
 
Mac and Cheese



4 tablespoons Earth Balance spread
1/4 cup flour
3 cups vegetable broth
1/8 cup soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon paprika 
2 teaspoons mustard
2 teaspoon chili paste
Salt and pepper to taste
1 cup nutritional yeast
1 pound cooked macaroni pasta

For the topping:
2 tablespoons Earth Balance spread
1 cup breadcrumbs

Preheat oven to 350°F. In a medium size dutch oven, over low-medium heat, melt the Earth Balance spread. Add flour and vegetable broth. Whisk into a smooth paste. Stir in soy sauce, garlic powder, paprika, mustard, chili paste, salt and pepper. Add nutritional yeast and mix until the sauce is smooth and creamy. Add cooked macaroni to the sauce and stir until all the pasta is coated evenly. In a small saucepan, melt the Earth Balance spread and toss the breadcrumbs to coat. Top the macaroni with the breadcrumbs. Bake for 30 minutes. Let rest for five minutes.

This Is Great... Root Beer Battered Onion Rings.

I have a special place in my heart for onion rings and I've been craving them. Being from the south everything is deep fried but again I went the healthy route and baked these. Also the recipe calls for beer again but I had some root beer left over from the other day, the rings turned out crunchy, tasty and light. Oh yeah. Onion rings always go great with a dipping sauce too, veganized BK recipe is included for a tasty sauce.  

Root Beer Battered Onion Rings

3 onions sliced in circles

2 Tablespoon flax seed

3 Tablespoon water

1/2 cup root beer

4 Tablespoon wholewheat flour

3 Tablespoon chickpea flour

2 Tablespoon nutritional yeast

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon paprika

3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs

Olive oil spray

First grind your flax seeds as fine as possible. Now place them in a small mixing bowl with the water and leave for 10 minutes or until the water become sticky. When flax is ready combine with root beer and gradually add wheat flour while stirring. In a separate mixing bowl combine breadcrumbs, nutritional yeast, salt and paprika. And in another big mixing bowl place white flour or chickpea flour. Place onion rings in the bowl with the chickpea or white flour and toss to cover them. Now one by one dip onion rings in the beer batter, lift with a fork and toss it in the breadcrumb mix to cover it completely. Oil a baking dish and place onion rings inside one next to the other. Spray with more oil over onion rings. Preheat oven at 375 F and bake for 30 min or until golden brown and crispy.  

 

BK Onion Ring Sauce
 
1/2 cup vegenaise
1 1/2 teaspoons ketchup  
1 1/2 teaspoons horseradish 
1/2 teaspoon cane sugar
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Mix and chill.

It's Not Cold Outside But I Want... Cheddar Corn & Potato Chowder.

It's just one of those days, I need some rich hearty food. So chowder it is. Again this is another great recipe to use all the things you just have laying around. Put anything you have or whatever you like in it, this is what I can up with.

 


Cheddar Corn & Potato Chowder

3 Tablespoons earth balance butter

1 yellow onion, chopped
1 tablespoon flour
32 ounces vegetable broth 

3 cups diced potatoes (about 6 medium)
2 stalks of celery, chopped

10 button mushrooms, chopped

2 carrots, peeled and chopped

1 cup green beans, cut

2 cups yellow corn

2 cloves garlic, minced

2/3 cup rice milk

1 1/2 cups shredded sharp soy cheddar cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

Pinch of cayenne pepper, garnish

In a large saucepan over medium high heat, melt butter and sauté onion, garlic, celery, carrot, and corn until tender. Mix in flour, coating the vegetables. Add broth and bring to a boil, whisking constantly until smooth. Reduce heat, add potatoes, green beans, mushrooms, and simmer until tender. Then stir in milk. Cook another 5 minutes, remove from heat and stir in cheddar cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Garnish with cayenne pepper to taste for a hint of spice.

People Have Been Bugging Me.

People have been giving me a hard time since I became Vegan and it's starting to get old. My new job and this small town of mine is full of closed minded people. I will never be like these people again.

Talking With Non-Vegans About Veganism: Five Principles

Posted by Gary L. Francione
 

Dear Colleagues:
In this Commentary, I address a topic that I have been asked to cover by a number of you: how do we talk with non-vegans about veganism?
I present five general principles:
Principle #1: People are good at heart.
Our default position when we talk with people ought to be that they are good at heart, and interested in, and educable about, moral issues. There is a tendency among at least some advocates to have a very misanthropic view of other humans and to see them as being inherently immoral or uninterested in issues of morality. I disagree with that view.
Principle #2: People are not stupid.
There is a tendency among animal advocates to believe that the general public is not able to understand the arguments in favor of veganism and that we must “go easy” and instead of talking about veganism, we should talk about vegetarianism, “Meat Free Monday,” “happy” meat and animal products, etc. I disagree with this very elitist way of thinking about other people. There is no mystery here; there is nothing complicated. People can understand if we teach effectively.
Principle #3: Do not get defensive; respond, don’t react.
Yes, some people will try to provoke us or will ask questions or make comments that we find insulting or that we take not to be serious. If someone is really not interested in what we are saying, they will, as a general matter, walk away. Treat every comment and question—even the ones you find abrasive, rude, or sarcastic—as an invitation being offered to you by someone who is more provoked (in a positive way) by you and engaged than you might think.
Principle #4: Do not get frustrated. Education is hard work.
You will get the same question many times; you will be asked questions that indicate you must start at the beginning with someone. But if you want to be an effective educator, you have to answer every question as if it is the first time you heard it. If you want others to be enthusiastic about your message, you have to be enthusiastic about it first.
Principle #5: Learn the basics. You have to be a student first before you become a teacher.
Many animal advocates become excited about abolitionist veganism and the next thing that happens is that they set up a website or start a blog that is motivated by the right feelings but not informed by clear ideas. Before you teach others, learn about the basics. Take advantage of abolitionist vegan resources, such as the videos, pamphlets, and other materials available on this site and materials available on other abolitionist sites such asanimalemacipation.com and the Boston Vegan Association.
The sad fact is that the biggest obstacles to vegan education are the large, new welfarist groups that have become partners with institutional animal exploiters to promote the consumption of animal products by giving various forms of “animal rights approval” to animal exploitation.
These new welfarist groups are part of the problem; they are not part of the solution.
I hope you find the Commentary to be useful. As I indicate, I will be pleased to do future Commentaries in which I address further issues related to vegan advocacy depending on the feedback I receive on this Commentary.
Go vegan. It is easy. It is better for your health and for the planet. But most important, it is the morally right and just thing to do.


Gary L. Francione

Top Chef...Fried Banana Fritter with Red Chili Paste.

I love Top Chef and last week Ed made banana fritters that looked so good I had to make them. This is the recipe that called for chili paste, and I used the rest of my bananas on. When I tried the chili paste out last night for the first time, it got me hooked on it. This recipe was so easy and tasted as great as I thought it would. Be careful though the chili paste is super spicy. This recipe also called for beer which I don't drink or use so I replaced it with root beer. Their on a stick too, YES!

Fried Banana Fritter With Red Chili Paste 

3 large bananas, sliced and brushed with red chili paste
12 teaspoons of red chili paste

Cinnamon Sugar Mixture
1 tablespoon cinnamon
1/2 cup of sugar


Fritter Batter
1/2 teaspoon of each toasted black and white sesame seeds
1 1/2 cups flour AP
2 teaspoons of egg replacer
1 can of root beer

3 Tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 Tablespoons of sugar
1 Tablespoon of agave nectar


Peel and cut the bananas into 1/2 inch slices. Brush them with the chili paste, add a stick to each banana slice and place them in the freezer until super chilled. For fritter batter, mix root beer and all dry ingredients. Once the bananas are chilled, dip in the fritter batter and let the excess batter drip off and then fry at 350 degrees until golden brown. When cooked drain on a paper towel and dust with the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Plate and drizzle with agave and serve immediately.

 

Quick Meal... Stir Fry.

The Grudge 3 is on T.V. tonight and it made me want Asian food. I had some veggies in my fridge I've been needing to use, so stir fry came to mind. I bought some Asian chili paste at the store today for a recipe I saw on Top Chef. I'll be doing that recipe tomorrow, but I've never used chili paste before so I used it in this recipe to try out. The chili paste really went great with the tofu. This is another recipe with marinaded tofu. I used a Asian marinade this time and it turned out amazing.

Stir Fry

15 brussel sprouts, cut in half
1/2 package tofu, pressed, cubed and marinaded*
1 carrot, peeled and sliced
1/2 medium onion, sliced
15 button mushrooms, cut in half
1 6oz can of Mexican corn, drained
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 head of broccoli including stock, chopped
2 Tablespoon olive oil
1 Tablespoon hot chili paste
2 Tablespoon soy sauce
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup brown rice, steamed



In pan heat oil. Add carrots, brussel sprouts, onions, garlic, and broccoli. When vegetables are tender, add soy sauce, chili paste and corn. Add tofu and mushrooms, cook till brown, salt and pepper mixer to taste. Plate steamed rice and spoon stir fry over top.


* Spicy Asian Marinade

3 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons rice wine 
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 teaspoon hot chili paste
1 tablespoon olive oil

Mix together all the ingredients in a bowl. Add cubed tofu. Stir till all the pieces are covered. Let tofu sit in fridge for at least 2 hours.

   

Old Bananas, What to do?...Banana Chocolate Cookies.

I had some bananas laying around and I've been trying to think of something to do with them besides banana bread. This cookie recipe is what I came up with. I've never really been a baker, I don't bake cookies that often but with bananas and chocolate chips you can't go wrong. "Me want cookie!", "Me eat cookie!", "Om Nom nom nom". Remember though, "cookies are a sometime snack.". Cookie Monster is the shit.

Banana Chocolate Cookies 
1 cup  brown sugar 
1/4 cup cane sugar  
1/3 cup oil, plus
1 teaspoon oil  
1 banana, mashed 
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract 
1 1/2 cups flour 
1 teaspoon baking soda 
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon 
1/2 teaspoon salt 
2 1/4 cups oats 
3 tablespoons rice milk  
1 cup of dark chocolate chips

 Mix the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt; set aside.  In a separate bowl mix together the brown sugar, sugar, oil, and rice milk.  Add the banana and vanilla. Stir in the flour mixture. mix well. Stir in the oats. Mix in chocolate chips. Preheat oven to 350°F. Drop cookies by the tablespoon onto a greased cookie sheet. Cook for 13 minutes until done.

News Post for Today

Work today wore me out. I'm working on a recipe tonight but it won't be up till tomorrow. Here is a news post to pass the time.

Honest Food Guide Shows What Your Body Really Needs

By Beth Buczynski

We’ve all seen the “Food Pyramid,” but did you know that this so-called healthy eating guide was really dreamed up by food industry goons at the last USDA sleepover? Yup- all this time you’ve been thinking that pasta and grains should be the foundation of your diet, when in fact this is just what the companies growing the grain wanted you to think.
To combat this  diet-washing, the Health Ranger has created the Honest Food Guide, an eating road map that’s designed to benefit you, not Big Business.
The Honest Food Guide is now available for downloading free of charge and is:

• Free from the corruption and influence of various food industries (dairy, beef, junk foods, etc.)
• Built using genuine nutritional information, not watered-down information designed to boost the sale of milk, beef and grains

You are what you eat!
Take responsibility for your health and don’t assume just because the government says so.

More Food On A Stick... Marinaded Tofu Kabob.

Food on a stick is awesome. All food on a stick is awesome. The corn dogs yesterday made me want to make more stick related food. Maybe that will be the theme for a few days, will see what happens. You can make kabobs with anything on them. I had some tofu and stuff laying around, so I marinaded the tofu and baked these up. I never tried baking kabobs before but they turned out great.

Marinaded Tofu Kabob

half of a package of Firm Tofu, cubed
1/2 cup cut broccoli
half of a small onion, roughly chopped
10 button mushrooms, quartered
1 medium tomato, cubed
2 Tablespoon olive oil
salt and pepper to taste
10 kabob skewers
marinade (recipe included)

Tofu Marinade

2/3 cup of sweet and spicy bbq sauce
2 Tablespoon soy sauce
1/4 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Mix ingredients for marinade in bowl. Add cubed tofu and mix, making sure every piece is evenly coated. Let tofu marinade in refrigerator for at least two hours. Spray baking pan with non stick spray. Brush olive oil on vegetables and salt/pepper to taste. Take skewers and make kabobs by alternating tofu and vegetables how you enjoy them. Place kabobs on sprayed baking pan. Bake at 350 F for 30 minutes, rotate and flip kabobs half way through to insure even cooking.     

Comfort Food... Corn Dogs.

When ever I think of corn dogs a great feeling of joy comes over me. I used to beg my Mom to make them for me when I was young. Really any food on a stick is a great idea and corn dogs are one of the greatest. Usually they are deep fried, but with health in mind this is a recipe for baked corn dogs. You can use any vegan hot dogs for the inside that you like. I'll be using some sausages that I made. I will put the recipe for them on here some other time.
 

Corn Dogs

  

6 whole sausage dogs  

2/3 cup cornmeal

1/3 cup whole wheat pastry flour 
1 tsp baking powder 
1/2  teaspoon salt 
1/4 teaspoon paprika 
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard powder
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon onion powder 
1/4 teaspoon black pepper 
1 teaspoon egg replacer 
2/3 cup rice milk 
1 Tablespoon cane sugar


Preheat oven to 450 F. Grease a cookie sheet and set aside. Mix cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt, spices, pepper, ener-g-egg replacer, 1/3 cup rice milk and sugar together in a medium bowl. Slowly add additional rice milk until the mixture is wet and can be worked with. Make sure it's not too soupy or dry and doughy.  Dip each dog into the cornmeal mixture, making sure its evenly coated. Then place on the prepared cookie sheet, moving the coating around as necessary to ensure it's evenly coated. Baked for 10-15 minutes until golden and a little crisp.

A Little Taste Of Italy... Meatball Sub.

I was eating brussel sprouts a few weeks ago and thought "These are the perfect size for meatballs.". That is where this recipe for "meatball" subs was born. It's my first time making them but they turned out great. I have really been in the mood for Italian food and this hit the spot. I made the sauce I cooked the "meatballs" in as well, recipe is at the bottom.

Meatball Sub

1/2 cup onion, chopped
1/2 cup green pepper, chopped
1/2 cup sliced mushroom
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 Tablespoon olive oil
15 brussel sprouts
3 cups pasta sauce
3 vegan sub rolls
soy cheese blend, grated

In a pan heat olive oil. Sautee onions, green peppers, mushrooms and garlic till soft. Add brussel sprouts to sauteed mix and cook for 5 minutes. In sauce pan start to simmer pasta sauce. Add vegetables and "meatballs" to pasta sauce, simmer till brussel sprouts are soft. Cut open sub roll, place "meatballs" and sauce in roll, cover with cheese to taste. Cook in oven on Broil for 5 minutes or until toasted and cheese is melted.

Pasta Sauce

1 teaspoon vegetable oil
1/2 small onion, diced
1 cloves garlic, minced
5 large tomatoes, cubed
1 small green bell pepper, diced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon dried basil leaves
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano 

In a pan, saute onion and garlic in the vegetable oil. Place tomatoes into onion and garlic mixture. Stir in diced bell pepper, salt, pepper, basil and oregano. Let simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. 

Labor Day weekend treats... Sweet Vidalia Onion Barbecue Ribs.

The main dish at a cookout is usually some type of grilled meat. I myself really miss ribs but the vegan version of ribs is just as good as the real thing. This is a rib recipe I've been making for awhile but I thought I'd try a new bbq sauce recipe out. I love sweet onions and they go great with most things, and this faux meat is no different.

Ribs

1 cup vital wheat gluten
2 teaspoons smoked Spanish paprika
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
2 teaspoons onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
3/4 cup water
2 tablespoons tahini or other nut butter
1 teaspoon Liquid Smoke
1 tablespoon soy sauce about
1 1/4 cup of Sweet Vidalia Onion bbq sauce


Preheat the oven to 350 F and lightly spray a baking dish with canola oil. Mix the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Mix the water with the soy butter, Liquid Smoke, soy sauce, 1/4 cup of bbq sauce and add it to the dry ingredients. Stir to mix well and then knead lightly in the bowl for a couple of minutes. Put the dough into the baking dish and flatten it so that it evenly fills the pan. Take a sharp knife and cut it into strips; then turn the pan and cut those strips in half to form pieces. Put it in the oven and bake for 25 minutes. While it's cooking prepare your grill. Remove it from the oven and carefully re-cut each strip. Generously brush the top with bbq sauce. Place ribs sauce-side down on the grill. Brush the top of the seitan with more sauce. Watch it closely to make sure that it doesn't burn. When it's sufficiently brown on one side, turn over and cook the other side.

Sweet Vidalia Onion Bbq Sauce

4 tablespoons Earth balance butter
1/4 cup olive oil
2 vidalia onions, diced
3 garlic cloves, finely minced
1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
2 cups ketchup
3 tablespoons Vegan Worcestershire sauce
1/2 cup agave nectar
4 tablespoons brown sugar
1/8 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon paprika
1 12 ounce bottles chili sauce
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 cup molasses


Heat oil and butter and sautee onions and garlic till tender. Add rest of ingredients bring to boil then simmer for 30 minutes. Using a hand blender puree till onions are very fine.

Labor Day weekend treats... Oven Roasted Corn in Chile Coconut Milk.

One of the greatest side dishes for a cookout is corn on the cob. It's something that can be cooked so many ways. I've really been into coconut milk lately, trying it on everything, and it goes great with the spiciness of this recipe.

Oven Roasted Corn in Chili Coconut Milk

1 14 ounce can coconut milk
1 teaspoon chili powder
Dash of red pepper flakes
1/2 teaspoon sea or kosher salt
1/8 teaspoon fresh black pepper
3 ears of fresh, husked corn

Whisk the coconut milk, chili powder, red pepper, salt and pepper together in a greased casserole pan. Place the corn in it, breaking the cobs in half if necessary to make them fit. If possible do this a few hours ahead of time and allow to marinate in the refrigerator, turning the cobs every few hours to make sure all sides are marinated. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Bake for 30 minutes, rotating the cobs half way through. Carefully remove the cobs from the pan lifting out with tongs. Serve with sauce drizzled over top.

Labor Day weekend treats... Campfire S'mores.

Happy Labor Day weekend everyone. With Labor Day coming up I thought I'd make a few recipes that would be great to share with friends at a cookout or party. We're going to start with dessert because I like doing things backwards. I've never been a s'mores fan, I hate marshmallows, but these are great. You have to start them the day before since the marshmallows take so long but their worth it. Also vegan graham crackers are hard to find since I'm a strict vegan and I don't eat honey. No fear however they are easy to make, I included the recipe.

 

Graham Crackers

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
1/3 cup cane sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon scant
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup oil
2 tablespoons molasses
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1/4 cup rice milk


Preheat oven to 350 F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl mix together flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Pour in oil, molasses and vanilla. Give the liquid ingredients a quick whisk with a fork and then continue mixing until everything is well combined and crumbly. Drizzle in the milk and combine. Use your hands to knead the dough a few times until it holds together. Place the dough on the parchment and work into a rectangle. The dough should be about 1/8 inch thick. Score the dough with a pizza cutter widthwise, then again down the center lengthwise to form the crackers. Use a fork to poke rows of holes in crackers to help with baking. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes. Let crackers cool completely on the baking sheet.

Marshmallows

3 cups cane sugar
1/4 cup corn syrup
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup water
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup confectioners sugar

Coat baking pan with cooking spray. In a saucepan, combine sugar, corn syrup, salt and water. Heat to 240 degrees F, or until a small amount of syrup dropped into cold water forms a soft ball that flattens when removed from the water and placed on a flat surface. Remove from heat and beat with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form, 10 to 12 minutes. Stir in vanilla. Pour into prepared pan. Chill in refrigerator 8 hours or overnight. To cut, loosen edges with a knife. Dust surface with confectioners' sugar, and turn out onto a waxed paper lined surface. Dust with confectioners' sugar again and cut with a knife into cubes.

Campfire S'mores

8 vegan marshmallows
8 square Graham Crackers
8 2"x 2" square dark chocolate pieces

Toast your marshmallows over the fire. Get your crackers and chocolate ready. Place the hot marshmallows on top of the chocolate and smush them between the crackers. The hot marshmallow will help melt the chocolate.

Looks can be deceiving... Meatloaf Cake.

I saw this awhile ago on a website I enjoy doing projects from, and thought it was a fun idea. Instructables I've been wanting to make it the last couple of days as a late birthday cake. Hopefully it will turn out like a cake and not a mess of faux meat. There are so many options around for meat substitutes for vegans, most are good, and some taste like old beans. Just experiment and see what is right for you. This recipe calls for TVP (Textured Vegetables Protein), if you've never had it definitely give it a try.

 Meatloaf "Cake"

1 1/4 cup veggie stock
1 1/2 cup ground TVP or seitan
1 onion, minced
2 1/2 Tablespoon olive oil
1½ cup tomato sauce
3 oz tomato paste
2 teaspoon oregano
2 teaspoon thyme
1/2 pound firm tofu
1 Tablespoon egg replacer
3 cup bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 375. Heat stock to a near boil, add TVP, and simmer for 10 minutes. Meanwhile, heat 2 Tablespoon olive oil and sauté onions until transparent and golden. Add TVP and continue cooking about 3 minutes, until brown. In food processor, purée tomato sauce, tomato paste, oregano, thyme, and tofu. Combine TVP, tomato purée, and remaining ingredients. Lightly oil cake pan spread the "meat" loaf into it, and cover with foil. Bake for 30 minutes, remove foil, and continue baking for 10 more minutes.

Allow the meatloaf to cool and slice in half horizontally to form layers of the "cake". Between the layers as the filling I put ketchup since it's meatloaf. For the frosting I used cheesy mashed potatoes I whipped up. If you're not into ketchup, mashed potatoes can also be used as the filling.


Mashed Potato Frosting

5 Yukon potatoes
1/2 cup soy cheese blend
salt and pepper to taste
1 1/2 Tablespoon earth balance butter

Boil peeled potatoes in lightly salted water till soft. Let cool, mash potatoes, blend in cheese and butter. Add salt and pepper to taste.  

                                                                                                                      

 

Vegan Life.

People ask me about "pets" and being vegan all the time. Here is a little bit on the subject. I personally have two animal companions that I rescued from the street. They are males so it is unhealthy for them to be on an all vegan diet, but they are members of my family. Humans are animals and we share this world with every other animal. We need to understand we are not above any other living creature. We need to learn to end suffering.


Can Vegans Have Pets?

By Eccentric Vegan on November 2nd, 2008.

  Have you heard this one? “Animal rights extremists want to end all animal use. If they succeed, you will not be able to keep a pet.” Or how about this one: “If you’re a vegan, you can’t have a dog.” Some people feel threatened by veganism and try to find loopholes. They look for anything. They’re the same people who point to recycled rubber shoes and say,“You’re not a vegan because you’re wearing leather!” and then walk away before you can explain that it’s NOT leather. They’re ridiculous and wrong. Even vegans who are opposed to pet ownership don’t want to take family pets away from loving homes. Vegans do not want to put animals in bad situations or from loving homes. remove animals from good situations. We just want to save lives and protect remove animals from good situations. We just want to save lives and protect animals And even if some vegans are hypocrites (who say they’re against all animal use, yet buy pets from pet stores) that says nothing about whether or not omnivores should buy pets from pet stores) that says nothing about whether or not omnivores should adopt a plant-based diet. It’s unrelated. It’s better to try to be as vegan as you can be than to eat animals. It’s better to be an mperfect vegan than to be an omnivore who looks for loopholes in veganism. Your imperfect vegan than to be an omnivore who looks for loopholes in veganism.

Your choices are: Do less harm by eating a plant-based diet, or Do more harm by eating meat. It really is just that simple As Matt Ball at Vegan Outreach wrote:

The issue for thoughtful, compassionate people isn’t, “Is this vegan?” Rather, the important question is: “Which choice leads to less suffering?” Our guide shouldn’t be an endless list of ingredients, but rather doing our absolute best to stop cruelty to animals But let’s answer the question, Should vegans have pets? It’s up to each individual, but my opinion is this: If you rescue animals, great. That’s not doing harm, that’s doing good. But if you buy a “pet” from a breeder or pet store not doing harm, that’s doing good. But if you buy a “pet” from a breeder or pet store that’s doing harm. That’s creating a market for breeders, including puppy mills. Moreover, that’s formalizing the animal’s status as property, not as family member or companion. that’s doing harm. That’s creating a market for breeders, including Moreover, that’s formalizing the animal’s status as property, not as family member or companion. Buying animals, dead or alive, is not vegan.

Lazy cooking day... Potato Salad.

I'm feeling sleepy today so I'll be passing on a lazy potato salad recipe. Just like yesterday I was inspired by my trip to Fresh Cafe for this recipe. I have always been a potato salad junkie and here in the south it's a food that is always around. This healthy choice is a fantastic alternative to its fatty counterpart.

Potato Salad with Lemon & Cumin

1 lb baby potatoes
1/4 cup olive oil
1 1/2 Tablespoon cumin seeds
1/2 small red onion, sliced thinly
juice of 1 large lemon
small handful of parsley, chopped
kosher salt & pepper


Scrub and rinse potatoes, cutting any large ones in half or quarters. Boil in salted water until tender, about 20 minutes. Drain and set aside to cool. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, heat olive oil until hot. Add in cumin seeds and red onion over medium-high heat until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Pour oil mixture over drained potatoes, add lemon juice, sprinkle with a good amount of freshly ground pepper and kosher salt, throw in the parsley, and toss gently to coat. Serve warm or cold. I prefer it cold, potato salad is always better the next day.

It's time to party... Oatmeal Bean Chili.

Well today is my birthday, and I'm feeling old so my lovely girlfriend took me out. There is only one really great vegan friendly restaurant in Fayetteville, and it's my favorite. The Fresh Cafe is that place to go. Here's a link to their Facebook page check them out. Fresh Cafe I noticed they just shortened the store hours though and it kinda freaked out. I'm a little worried about the amount of business going there since the market for fresh vegan friendly food isn't that big here. It's has amazing food that I think about for days after eating there. The chili I had made me decide I had to share a chili recipe. Enjoy life.

Oatmeal Bean Chili

2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil
1 large yellow or red onion, chopped
1 large red bell pepper, chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 stalks celery, chopped
1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped, divided
2 tablespoons chili powder
2 teaspoons ground cumin
One 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes with green chilies
One 15 oz can black beans, rinsed
One 15 oz can pinto beans, drained
1 1/2 cup corn
1 1/2 cup oatmeal
2 cups vegetable broth
1 sliced jalapeno
1 chipotle pepper


Sauté the onion, pepper, and celery for 5 minutes, add garlic and cook an additional 2 minutes. Stir in the cilantro, the chili powder and cumin. Add the tomatoes, black beans, pinto beans, corn, and vegetable broth. Add oatmeal, sliced jalapenos, and chipotle. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and gently simmer uncovered for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Adjust salt if needed. If desired, add. fresh black pepper to taste.

Also a picture of the delicious cupcake cake my girlfriend made for me. It already has a few cupcakes missing I couldn't wait. The easiest way to make a cake mix vegan is to just add Sierra Mist in place of everything and bake. Thanks T.C. for the tip.