Be Back Soon!

Thanks for checking in. I'm still cooking and eating--today vegan cupcakes arrived at my doorstep...more on that surprise later! I'm recovering from our house remodel that is finally complete and surveying all that I have neglected. Oh, man. I'll be back soon!

Lettuce Leaf You to Eat

That's right, I'm secure enough in my creativity to use that title.

Yesterday was the first day of the local farmer's market--yea! Not much there, but one farm had a gorgeous display of greens. I bought a beautiful head of butter lettuce, kale, bok choy, and some floppy scallions.
I made myself a nice salad for lunch as soon as we got back home. Toasted pecans, apples, mmm...
For dinner last night I made something special for Cinco de Mayo: sesame tofu! Very authentic. You know I'm joking, right? It is actually a recipe that my friend Marian makes for her family, and I have been meaning to try it. So good! And, I'm actually going to post the recipe...even though I haven't posted pie or muffin recipes yet.

Sesame Tofu with Spinach

1 cake firm tofu (16 oz)
1/4 cup sesame seeds
2 T dark sesame oil
2 T soy sauce
a few drops hot sauce (optional)
2 t vegetable oil or olive oil
3 garlic cloves, chopped
10 oz. fresh baby spinach, rinsed
salt and pepper

Slice tofu into 4 rectangular slabs. Then slice slabs in half to make 8 roughly square pieces. Dredge pieces in sesame seeds. Press seeds into each tofu square to coat completely.

Heat sesame oil on medium heat. Arrange tofu in single layer in skillet for about 5 minutes. Carefully turn them over and cook 5 more minutes on other side. Add soy sauce and hot sauce, turn tofu over, and cook for 1 more minute until most of the liquid is absorbed. Transfer tofu squares to plate.

Add oil and garlic to skillet and saute for 30 seconds until golden. Add still damp rinsed spinach and cook for a minute or two, stirring constantly, until wilted but still bright green. Season w/ salt and pepper.

Transfer to platter and top with tofu. Serve with rice or noodles.

****Angela note: I used probably more toasted sesame oil than called for. I also browned chopped scallions in the pan with the tofu. Instead of spinach I used bok choy from the farmer's market. It was delicious! I served the tofu and greens over fettuccine. Also, the recipe didn't mention pressing the tofu block beforehand, but I did for a few hours to extract the extra moisture. I placed the tofu block on a plate lined with paper towels and then inverted another plate on top of the tofu and placed a full jug of maple syrup on top of the second plate to apply pressure. Thanks, Marian, for the recipe!

Tonight Clayton had a business dinner so I just had another salad with the butter lettuce, scallions, carrots, buffalo chick nuggets, and dilly dressing--you know, my stand by. The kids had the nuggets with green beans, and we all finished with raspberries, strawberries, blueberries, and green grapes. Now, I'm going to soak in the bath with a bowl of coconut milk ice cream. It's just been one of those days.

You?

Juicy Update

As things are settling down for us, Clayton and I have decided vary our juicing routine from our regular carrot juice. Normally I juice a big batch of carrots at once and then seal them to consume over the following days. From what I've read this preserves the good enzymes and other goodies that make juicing fresh produce so beneficial--but I'm not certain. We are going to try to juice almost daily--except weekends--starting with a fruit juice in the morning and a veggie in the afternoon.

Grapefruit, orange, and strawberry--delightfully fresh! (Clayton styled the photo for me with the fruit...don't quit your day job, Honey!)

Beet, carrot, apple, and ginger--gorgeous color and sweet, earthy flavor.

The fruit juices are always a pleasure. The veggie ones are usually gulpers--but hopefully our palates will develop an appreciation. Clayton abhors the carrot juice. I don't mind it. But I love the way it makes me feel.

Our dinners lately:

Lentils
Baked sliced potatoes
Steamed broccoli
Corn-squash patties with red pepper
Fruit

Buffalo chick salad with creamy dilly dressing
Leftover corn-squash patties
Gardenburger's vegan chick patty sandwiches
Green beans
Hashbrown casserole
Fruit

Black bean, sweet potato, and chorizo burritos with salsa verde and raw onions
Spicy brown rice with corn and peas
Fruit

Did you catch that? I made a hashbrown casserole! I made the cheesy sauce recipe minus the tahini and pimientos. I sauteed chopped onion and then added the cheesy sauce to thicken with the onions on the stove. Once thick I poured about half into a bowl of shredded potatoes (I hand grated--next time I'll buy frozen!) and popped into the oven for about an hour. The last ten minutes or so I broiled uncovered to brown the top. It was yummy! But it was even better the next day for breakfast.

I also made Veganomicon's lemon-coconut cake Friday night in anticipation of Saturday afternoon guests. But the baby awoke Saturday morning sick, and I spent the rest of the morning at the doctor's office. We had to cancel. The baby is better now and about a fourth of the cake remains.

Today ended up crazy and we all ate dinner at different times--leftovers, cereal, and pb&j sandwiches. The upside to this is there was all this extra time for playing a few rounds of hide-n-seek. A grand time was had by all. I think this should be a weekly ritual for sure--no cook, all play night!

You?

Have Food, Will Travel

Let's see, I left off in the last post making veggie broth for soup starters. I finished those the next day and made food for the weekend to take to the mountains. We had a lot of work and fun to do so I didn't want to be burdened with cooking or trying to find healthy vegan food for every meal.

I made spelt chocolate chip muffins--a huge hit with the fam. I will share the recipe soon. There is sugar in the chips I used but the batter is sweetened with pureed dates.

We had the muffins for snacks and breakfast with soysage and beautiful fruit.

For dinner I heated up chipotle black-eyed peas with collard greens that I had made at home. We had the peas over rice with salad on the side. Yep, those are crushed Fritos on top--my consolation for the greens.

And the tofu chocolate coconut pie was a winner this time around with the addition of coffee extract and the omission of almond extract and orange juice. We finished off the whole pie in a matter of 30 hours. I had one piece with a dollop of Purely Decadent's vanilla bean ice cream. Can I tell you how happy I am to know that I now have a vanilla ice cream to eat with apple crisp? Ecstatic! I'll post the modified pie recipe soon, too--but now, yeah, I'm too tired and really just a pathetic excuse for a blogger lately.

I also whipped up a huge batch of basil-cilantro pesto to slather on pizza crust for a few pies on Sunday.

Tonight I am still recovering from a stretch of full days. So we just had haystacks--but everyone was happy. Haystacks=Happy around here.

You?

A Wish List

I feel like life might settle down a little for me soon--I'm hoping! With a little bit of serenity comes the desire to jump back into more cookbooks and recipe dive. There is so much more I want to learn and try--especially with summer produce on its way! Here are just a few things on my wish list to try soon:

baking bread by hand
making polenta
perfecting a vegan lasagna
perfecting tamales
more tofu recipes
more juicing recipes
making coconut ice cream in my freezer
trying more salads
trying more vegan baking

I'm sure there is more but I'm tired. Here is our dinner:

Broccoli, carrots, red pepper, onion, collard greens, garlic, mushrooms in Chinese brown sauce over brown rice
Veggie gyozas
Mango, strawberries, and bananas

And I just had some Mocha Almond Fudge by Purely Decadent coconut milk ice cream. MMM!

I also made this chocolate pie tonight. Remember I made one earlier in the year that was a little strange in flavor with the orange-almond-chocolate-coconut going on? Tonight I omitted the orange and almond and added coffee extract/flavoring from Whole Foods. It is setting in the fridge--so I'll let you know later how it tastes. If good, then I'll post the recipe.

There is also veggie broth on the stove I need to strain before bed so I can make a new round of soup starters.

You? What is on your wish list to try?

Junk & More

Last week I made those yummy oat patties that Mindy brought us during Clayton's chemo treatments last year. I left them in the oven a little too long so they were a bit crispy but still good.

Oat patties with onion gravy

Mashed potatoes

Steamed broccoli

And I was industrious and made a fresh mango-pineapple-orange juice in the juicer...probably the reason why I left the patties in the oven too long. There is nothing like fresh fruit juice. A taste of heaven!

The kids and I went to the cottage the next day where we ate sandwiches with the oat patties and lettuce and onion and a schmear of Vegenaise. The rest of the leftover patties went in the freezer where I thawed a few for lunch on Sunday.

We've had tostadas, hotdogs, and burritos the last few days. The kids have been happy.

I forgot to post our first dinner guests at the cottage last week:

Nothing fancy, just delicious haystacks.

Coconut Tempeh Tacos

I made a run to the mountains today; and since the cottage is clean now and the kitchen is up and running, I took my lunch.

L
A big ol' buffalo chick salad with cukes, celery, carrots, spinach, red leaf lettuce, and creamy dilly dressing
IZZE drink, clementine
Two Back to Nature Oreo-esque cookies

And I hate to do two soy products in a day and two Vegenaise dressings, but that is just how it worked today. Dinner was awesome tonight. It was just one of those meals when the kids eat like longshoremen and I hear stuff like, "thank you for making my dinner, Mommy" and "Mom, you should open a restaurant called Angela's Great Vegan Cooking." Seriously, Ashton, you are a gem. He went on to say, "You should put pancakes on the menu for brunch, and I would say, 'I'd like the pancakes, please, with syrup and a side of strawberries.'"

D
Coconut tempeh tacos with cabbage, onions, cilantro, and chipotle-lime dressing
Black beans and rice with onions and cilantro
Pineapple-banana-strawberry-flax smoothie

You've got to try these. The tempeh flakes like fish--so if you like fish tacos, this would be a great sub. And, I'm actually going to give you a recipe this time.

Coconut Tempeh Tacos

1 batch coconut tempeh
corn tortillas
finely shredded cabbage
chopped onion
chopped cilantro
chipotle-lime dressing

Warm dampened tortillas wrapped in foil in a 350 oven for about 10 minutes. When warm, stack two tortillas and layer with hot tempeh and veggies and drizzle with dressing.

Tempeh recipe

1 block tempeh, any flavor, cut into thin strips

Marinade:
2 cups water
2 bay leaves
1 T garlic powder
1 T salt

Batter:
1 cup spelt flour
1/2 t salt
1/2 t baking powder
1/2 t cumin
1/2 cup soy or rice milk
3/4 cup water

2 cups shredded coconut
oil for frying

Combine marinade ingredients in a shallow baking pan. Add tempeh and toss to coat. Marinate in refrigerator at least 2 hours. Discard marinade. In a separate bowl combine the dry ingredient of the batter. Whisk in soy or rice milk and water until combined. Pour batter over tempeh until all pieces are covered. Put shredded coconut on a baking sheet and press tempeh pieces into coconut, coating each side. Put coated tempeh pieces in the refrigerator to set for 30 minutes. Heat oil in a frying pan and cook tempeh on both sides until golden brown. Drain on a paper towel.

Chipotle-Lime Dressing

1/2-1 chipotle pepper in adobo sauce
Vegenaise
lime juice
Soy or rice milk
garlic salt to taste

Combine pepper (start small and add more for more heat) and Vegenaise in chopper. Process until pepper is chopped. Add lime juice until mixture is thinned slightly. Add milk to achieve desired dressing consistency. Add garlic salt to taste.

Yum!

The tempeh recipe is an adaption of a recipe in Refresh, a vegan cookbook by Ruth Tal. The original recipe uses curry instead of cumin in the batter. I have made it that way with pineapple quinoa and salad. It looks like a lot of steps to make, but it goes fast and it so worth it.

You have been cooking?

I Finally Tried It: Vegan Lasagna!

First, I'll say that the tomato has been Miss Popularity around here--mainly because I have been low on groceries. Yesterday's meals were straight from pantry and freezer to table. I let Ashton pick out some pasta at Walmart last week--hence our white pasta, gemelli.

L
Gemelli pasta with marinara sauce
Eggplant cutlets
Peas

And I used the left over sauce, pasta, and peas for dinner:

D
Minestrone soup with kidney, cannellini, garbanzo, and lima beans over gemelli pasta

I made it to the store last night after dinner so now we have fresh yummies!

And, tonight, a first for me:

D
Vegan lasagna with spinach-tofu-cashew ricotta, carrots, and marinara
Spinach and red leaf lettuce with cucumbers, carrots, and balsamic vinaigrette
Mango, strawberries, and red grapes

Drumroll, please: It was good! There are a few things I will do differently next time, but I decided to make it at 4:50pm and there was no time for fancy stuff. And I won't blend in my spinach with the tofu ricotta next time since it turned it green--I will just chop my spinach and fold it in. I'll try it also with a soy meat substitute, but I wanted the first time to be just veggies. And it would be great with more chunky veggies tucked in those layers. I loosely followed a Vegetarian Times recipe and used the Veganomicon's cashew ricotta recipe. So, hurray!

Finally, before I go, the tofu-potato man has been cooking again! We didn't get to partake this time, but Steve's lovely wife captured the breakfast in the making.

It takes intense concentration to make fried potatoes...
...and apparently strong muscles...have you ever tried to lift a sack of potatoes over your head before? They're friggin heavy.
And, they're done! Thanks, Steve, for keeping the ladies happy at Dinner's Ready...and Erin for sharing him.
You?

I Love My Rice Cooker!

I recently bought a rice cooker and finally tried it out yesterday. It made the best batch of brown rice! No more worrying whether my rice on the stove will turn out! Yea! (I'm a simple lady who is easily excited.)

Sunday

B
French toast with maple syrup
Soysages
Strawberries, pineapple, and banana

L
Vegetable masala with brown rice
Salad with mango-lime-cilantro dressing and mango chunks
Warm whole wheat pita bread
Strawberries, mango, and kiwi

D
Leftover deep-dish delivery pizza with mushrooms, green pepper, onion, spinach, and tomatoes--no cheese

The dude taking my pizza order over the phone always comes unnerved with my "no cheese please" request. Breathe deep, it will be okay.

Today

D
Black bean and spicy rice topped with lettuce, cilantro, and onion
Guacamole
Corn tortillas

I heated my leftover rice from yesterday in a pan with veggie broth, jarred salsa, and cumin--easy and quick Mexi rice. Our favorite salsa brands are Frontera and Arriba.

For the mango salad dressing: I blended frozen mango chunks in a food processor with cilantro and lime juice. I then added a little vinegar, grapeseed oil, salt, cayenne pepper, and garlic powder. It was a great blend of sweet and spicy.

You?

Eating Out--Dairy and Meat Free

When we first turned vegan a year ago, we cut out almost all eating out--mainly because Clayton was on a strict diet with no cheating. Now we aren't so strict--him especially--but I still like to adhere to my diet as much as possible. Frankly, I don't want the overt dairy and meat anymore--so it isn't a temptation to me. But I'm not going to sit and fret over the one egg in a batch of cookies--a batch of which I'm eating only one cookie. I'm happiest when we find a restaurant with lots of veggie options or at least more than two options.

Fortunately we have big-city amenities like a wide varieties of restaurants. It is heaven when I can sit in a totally vegan restaurant and order whatever I want. I'm not a freak there. My requests of no cheese, no meat, no whatever are not met with shock and disdain. Also in a big city there are lots of veggie-friendly ethnic restaurants. I just have to be careful of added ingredients like fish sauce, chicken broth, and lard. Mmm...

Yesterday we had brunch at one of our favorite veggie restaurants. Their breakfast burrito is stuffed with black bean chili, corn, and delicious tofu cubes. Potatoes and fluffy whole wheat vegan biscuits are on the side. I usually get the pancake special for the day and Clayton and I call "splitsies" in the middle of our meal and switch. You know, something sweet and something savory. The days I work at our remodel house I usually break at a local Mexican place--just typical Mexican-restaurant-in-the-South restaurant. But, their V1 is fabulous! I've been there enough now that the server justs asks me, "V1 sin queso?" Si, senor! Bring it on! The enchiladas are stuffed with grilled squash, zucchini, tomatoes, and onions and covered in tomatillo sauce with fresh onions and cilantro.

The Laughing Seed is a veggie restaurant in Asheville. We recently feasted there:

vegan corn and shitake mushroom cakes,

I had the breaded seitan sandwich with housemade tartar sauce and french fries with jalapenos and onions,

Clayton had the vegan Cuban sandwich with seitan.

I'm still dreaming about my sandwich--it was out of this world delicious! And those fries--a splurge--were spicy and crispy and wonderful. I topped it all off with their Pooh Bear smoothie: peanut butter, banana, soy milk, and cinnamon. Did I mention I was trying to load up on calories? This was the place to do it.

However, if you can't find a great vegan restaurant, find some great friends who will cook it for you!Here is Steve making us his famous fried potatoes and scrambled tofu. I told him I needed to get a photo of him in the kitchen to boost my readership here!
Tofu, potatoes, and real eggs in the back--so everyone is happy. And Erin made her yummy banana pancakes--talk about hospitable people!

Sometimes it isn't possible to eat at an exclusively veggie place. I try to do my best off the menu. I am happy as a lark with beans, rice, fresh guacamole, and pico de gallo; or a good marinara with pasta or gnocchi; or rice or noodles with tofu and veggies. In nicer places that usually have all meat dishes and appetizers, I scan the menu for what the side offerings are. The kitchen will usually put together a plate for me with whichever sides I choose and usually kindly respect my wishes for no butter or cheese. I pair that with bread and a salad and end up satisfied by the end of the meal. When dining with other people, I try to be discreet in ordering and not make a big deal out of it. I like to order when everyone is involved in conversation and don't even notice what I order or don't.

Do you have any eating out tricks?

Change of Plans

I had a big dinner planned last night for when my in-laws arrived at our house from the airport. But their plane was delayed so it was just me and the kids. I scrapped my plans and pulled a few pecan and rice patties out of the freezer, heated up some frozen peas, and cut a pineapple. I had my patties crumbled upon a salad--it doesn't look great but o-yum!


Later this weekend I'll post how vegans eat heartily and deliciously in restaurants--okay, I'm not talking Outback or anything, but a place with options!

You?

Old Favorites

I had an amazing vegan dinner out to share soon...but I'm tired and so I'll just post our grub today.

L
Buffalo Chik salad with lettuce, carrots, tomato, and creamy dill dressing
Tangelos

D
White bean and roasted garlic soup
Eggplant sandwiches with basil Vegenaise on tomato basil Panera bread
Carrot sticks
Bowl o berries

The soup is from Vegan with a Vengeance. So delish. So garlicky--like I like it. Ashton kept raving about his sandwich, too.

I've been so busy with the other house remodel--and I've been gone. Hopefully things will settle down soon.

You?