Saturday, May 31, 2008

smoked temeph and portabella with apple salad

you may look at this and think it's boring, but i'm telling you it isn't! also known as the stephanie salad, the smoked flavors and the texture of the tempeh give this salad a unique hearty feel. 



recipe yields 1 serving:
ingredients
mixed spring greens (a couple hand fulls)
1/2 package of tempeh, cubed
1 portabella mushroom, sliced
half of an apple sliced
3 cherry tomatoes
1/2 cucumber sliced
1 carrot chopped
small hand full of slivered almonds
(avocado is also an excellent addition)

marinade for the tempeh and portabella mushrooms:
1/4 cup of tamari or soy sauce
1/4 cup of liquid smoke
1 tbl agave nectar 
1 tsp of ginger
1 splash of water

-combine all marinade ingredients together
-put sliced mushrooms and cubed tempeh in marinade
-let marinade about 20 minutes
-throw the marinade and the mushrooms and tempeh into a frying pan and saute until cooked through
-with a slated spoon remove tempeh and mushrooms and toss with everything else
-add some balsamic vinaigrette and call it a day!

vegan UFC champ

at ecorazzi

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

where have i been?


i have been:
a) driving the epic drive from boston to dc.
b) flying from dc to south carolina
c) spending time at a wedding in south carolina
d) acclimating and moving in to dc
e) starting an internship in dc

i will post new food soon! 

for now, pictures from south carolina: 



Wednesday, May 21, 2008

blueberry muffins


the world's most perfect food!



i've been drooling over an amazing-looking recipe on a ppk forum (you have to scroll down a bit to find it), and decided since i needed to bake for my boyfriend's family anyway, today was the day for blueberry muffins. 

i decided to try to healthify these muffins. i replaced apple sauce for canola oil, used a natural sweetener substitute, and used smart balance light for the small amount of butter in the recipe. 

thank goodness for online vegan communities! 

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

cilantro black-eyed pea quinoa patties

i'm really interested in making burgers. this was my first attempt and i was pleasantly surprised. this patty wasn't as hearty as a traditional soy or black bean burger, but it was definitely delicious. i served mine as a lettuce wrap with bbq sauce. i also cooked up a batch of have cake will travel's tofu fries! 


yields 4 paties
1/4 cup of quinoa
1/2 cup wheat gluten
1/2 cup of cooked black-eyed peas
1/4 cup chopped cilantro
1 tbl blackstrap molasses 
1 tbl liquid smoke
1 tsp of garlic
salt and pepper 
pinch cayenne 

1. cook quinoa according to package directions
2. mash black eyed peas (or put them in a food processor or blender)
3. combine all ingredients, add a little water if too dry. 
4. combine mix into 4 round patties. 
5. bake for 25 minutes at 350 degrees. 

chunky gazpacho

gazpacho is a cold soup from andalusia consisting of tomatoes and other vegetables blended with bread and olive oil. i like a lighter gazpacho so i omit the bread and oil, but add it if you like! gazpacho is best the next day, so plan ahead and make it the night before you plan on serving it. 

24 oz tomato juice
4 cups chopped tomatoes
1 peeled and diced cucumber
1 diced green pepper
1/2 diced yellow onion
2 cloves of garlic, finely minced
1/4 cup of cilantro plus extra for garnish
1 tbl balsamic vinegar
1 tsp rice vinegar
1 tsp sweetener of choice (i used a stevia blend)
optional: a little hot sauce
(you can also add corn, carrots, basil, etc.)

1. combine all ingredients in a bowl
2. blend half of the liquid and half of the chopped vegetables together
3. mix the blended mix with the chunky mix, and let refrigerate.

Monday, May 19, 2008

summer barbecue: a photo essay

before i took my lovely red eye from warm california to still cold boston (how is it still cold?), my dad and i decided to heat up the grill. we seasoned some eggplant and chopped up some bell peppers and onions. my favorite thing to grill is actually fruit. we sliced up a pineapple. the grill brought out the sweetness of the pineapple. lastly, we made seitan ribz. yumyum!









any for me?                                                   


Sunday, May 18, 2008

chilli omelettes



today is my last day visiting with my family in california. my mom wanted more of my pancakes. this time i made them with strawberries.

my dad used to always make me and my brother chili cheese omelettes, which is something i'm sure he got from my texan grandmother. i used the much revered fat-free vegan kitchen's vegan omelette recipe. i LOVE this recipe, you can put whatever you want in it. veggie sausage, potatoes, vegetables. you can make the omelettes mexican, italian, asian, whatever you want!

Saturday, May 17, 2008

cinnamon rolls




the easiest way to make this treat? pizza dough! i got this idea from a friend of a friend who brought cinnamon rolls to a party. although clearly not the healthiest of fare, a yummy and easy treat!

1 package of prepared pizza dough (i used whole wheat from trader joes)
1/4 cup of non dairy butter
lotsa cinnamon

icing: 2 tbl non dairy milk blended with 1/2 cup of powdered sugar

1. take the pizza dough, and roll into a rectangle
2. melt the non dairy butter, and generously brush the dough
3. sprinkle the cinnamon until dough is almost completely covered
4. roll the dough
5. cut into about 8 pieces
6. spray a baking sheet with cooking spray and cook for about 15 minutes at 350 degrees
7. when cool enough to serve, top with icing. serve warm.

Friday, May 16, 2008

jerked seitan


you can use this jamaican marinade on many different things: tempeh, tofu, portabella mushrooms. i, however, always prefer it on seitan. when marinated, the seitan is given a comforting yet exotic flavor. i suggest serving with mashed sweet potato, gazpacho or a corn chowder. enjoy!

jerk marinade:
1 bunch of green onion, chooped
1 cup soy sauce
1 cup apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil mixed with 1/2 cup of water
a couple of chopped gloves of garlic
1 tbl allspice
-combine everything in a blender

1. marinade seitan cutlets (buy seitan or make it yourself) for at least an hour, but the longer the better.
2. grilling the seitan is best, but if that is not an option for you, spray a frying pan with non cook spray put cutlets in the pan and cook until brown on each side.

Thursday, May 15, 2008

flan! ole!

in certain parts of the east bay area yesterday, it was over 100 degrees! i took a break from cooking and my family and i decided to get burritos. upon perusing the menu, i saw a beautiful picture of flan. i just couldn't help myself from whipping up a vegan version of the mexican dessert.

i know the picture is not great. i did not have great lighting, and those yellow plates take away from the golden colors of the flan.

here is an adaption of a recipe from dr. weil:
ingredients
3 tbl water
5 tbl turbinado brown sugar (or some other brown sugar)

2/3 cup firm silken tofu
2 tbl sugar (or natural sugar substitute)
1 tsp vanilla extract
dash of salt

2 1/2 cups lite coconut milk
1 tsp agar agar flakes

recipe
1. boil water and brown sugar until becomes syrup.
2. in blender, combine tofu, 1 tbl of the syrup, sugar, vanilla and salt. blend. set aside
3. pour the remaining syrup in custard containers (i actually used small round tupperware)
4. in sauce pan simmer coconut milk and agar for about 5 minutes
5. add coconut milk mixture into blender with tofu mixture
6. pour mixture into molds
-cover and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.

healthy brownies

i used byranna clark grogan's recipe, but used whole wheat pastry flour and used 1/3 cup of agave nectar instead of cane sugar.

it definitely wasn't a fudgy wudgy, full of fat brownie, but for 130 some odd calories it was pretty good!

obesity contributes to global warming


due to the increase in fuel needed to move obese people around and the cost of the excess food that they eat. read about it here.
of course, it is important to remember that "adult vegans are, on average, 10 to 20 pounds lighter than adult meat-eaters." goveg.com

california ban on same-sex marriage struck down

nothing to do with veganism, but very important and exciting news: here.
read the decision here (pdf).

article on colorodo's ban on gestation and veal crates

hsus.org

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

colorodo bans gestation and veal crates

from the humane society of the united states press release:

(May 14, 2008)—Colorado Governor Bill Ritter signed landmark legislation prohibiting two controversial factory farm confinement methods. Specifically, the new law will phase out gestation crates and veal crates—individual cages that confine breeding sows and veal calves.

Facts:
  • Nearly 150,000 breeding pigs are confined in gestation crates in Colorado. While the state has no current veal industry, its sizable dairy industry could potentially attract veal operations, and the veal crate provision was a preemptive measure.
· Gestation crates are barren, two-foot-wide individual metal cages so small, the animals cannot even turn around. Veal crates are narrow wooden stalls that prevent calves from turning around or lying down comfortably. The calves are typically chained by their necks and suffer immensely.
· Colorado is now the first state in the country to ban the use of gestation crates and veal crates by action of a state legislature.Florida, Arizona and Oregon have prohibited gestation crates. Arizona has prohibited veal crates. And a Californiameasure to prohibit veal crates, gestation crates and battery cages recently qualified for November’s ballot.
  • Smithfield Foods, the largest U.S. pig producer, is phasing out gestation crates, and the American Veal Association voted to urge the entire veal industry to phase out veal crates. Colorado-based chain Chipotle already refuses to buy any pork from producers that use gestation crates. Chains such as Safeway, Burger King, Carl’s Jr. and Hardees have also implemented policies to reduce their reliance on gestation crate pork.

RFD baked macaroni and cashew cheese

delicious macaroni and cashew cheese to please the masses from real food daily. recipe here.

chicago lifts foie gras ban

just devastating. foie gras is the diseased liver (medically know in humans and other animals as "hepatic lipidosis") of a duck. ducks rasied for foie gras are gruesomely force fed and made to live in horrific conditions.

learn about foie gras and watch footage at gourmetcruelty.com

read about the now lifted ban here.



picture taken by GourmetCruelty.com at hudson valley foie gras.

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

INS arrest 300 at kosher slaughter house


AND there was a meth lab inside the slaughterhouse.
read it here.

PETA recently did an investigation on the same plant, agriprocessors, finding that the plant was violating both federal and kosher law. you can read more about it and view footage at goveg.com.

Monday, May 12, 2008

cheesy vegan lasagna



my family has a very italian taste in food. whenever there is a big event, my dad decides lasagna is the way to go. this cheesy vegan lasagna will surely show him that this lasagna (and not one covered in meat and cheese) is the way to go.



INGREDIENTS:
-tofu ricotta
-cheese sauce
-about 15 cooked lasagna noodles (i used whole wheat...othergood choices are jersulem artichoke and brown rice)
-your favorite marinara sauce (at least a jar's worth)
-vegan parmesan or mozzarella to sprinkle on top

tofu ricotta:
18 oz firm tofu
3 tbl nutritional yeast
1 tbl dried basil
1 tbl oregano
1 tbl garlic powder
salt and pepper
-crumble tofu with a fork
-mix in seasoning

cheese sauce
1 cup of water
1/4 cup roasted red peppers
1/4 cup raw almonds
1/4 cup lemon juice
3 tbl tahini
3 tbl whole wheat flour
2 tbl corn starch (or arrowroot)
salt, garlic powder
-blend all ingredients together

PUTTING IT ALL TOGETHER:
-preheat oven to 350 degrees
-spray a 9x13 pan with cooking spray
-spread you marinara sauce
-cover with about 5 noodles, slightly overlapping each other
-cover with ricotta
-pour a thin layer of cheese sauce
-lay 5 more noodles, then ricotta, then cheese sauce
-lay down the last 5 noodles, and pour the remaining sauce
-sprinkle your parmesan or mozzarella over the sauce
-i added some black olives on top
-bake for 40 minutes covered, and 30 minutes uncovered



update:
i asked my family for critique. here is what they said:
brother: more vegan mozzarella, and maybe some soy crumbles or vegan sausage.
dad: fresh garlic and more spices. (i definitely agree, but my mom and brother are not fans of spicy foods)
me: i would have added layers of sliced vegetables like portabella mushrooms or zucchini
mom: make more of the same!

pesto pizza

my favorite sushi place in the bay area, cha ya, is closed on mondays for lunch. i forgot about this after getting excited for a great lunch. my brother suggested we make something. he is crazy for pesto, and came up with this simple dish. we went to whole foods, bought a whole wheat pizza crust, some follow your heart mozzarella, and the ingredients for pesto (posted previously). it wasn't vegan sushi, but it sure was delicious!

Sunday, May 11, 2008

happy mother's day for pigs too

learn about gestation crates on hsus' website.



























french toast and healthiest-ever pancakes

happy mother's day!
i've traveled to california to visit the family and thus i am faced with two challenges: 1. cooking for omnivores and 2. taking pictures without ryan. i think i've fared well so far.

healthiest ever pancakes
yields 4-6 pancakes
1 c whole wheat pastry flour
tbl baking powder
a little salt
1 banana
1 cup non-dairy milk
1 tsp vanilla
half a cup of blueberries (you can add other berries, nuts, cinnanmon, chocolate chips)

-combine the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl
--blend wet ingredients, and then mix with dry ingredients
-ladle on to heated skillet
-when bubbles form, flip. take off griddle when heated through.

french toast
batter: 1 cup non-dairy milk, tbl tahini, tbl nutritional yeast, tsp maple syrup, cinnamon to taste
-choose a thick slightly stale bread (i used whole wheat sourdough, because i'm crazy for sourdough!)
-dip slices in batter so completely covered
-cook french toast on each side until lightly browned

strawberry banana pancake topping
1/4 cup frozen strawberries , sliced
1 banana chopped
1 tbl maple syrup
-combine ingredient in sauce pan
-cook until strawberries have thawed and flavors have mingled.
(you could microwave this if you really wanted to)

Saturday, May 10, 2008

mary kate=fur hag

how 'bout we fold mary kate into her disgusting fur purse, and give them both a proper burial. 

on ecorazzi.  

Friday, May 9, 2008

DMX held on animal cruelty charges, is an asshole.


"The carcasses of three dogs were found partially buried on the property in August, and one of the dogs may have been burned, the sheriff's office said."
here.

orange molasses tempeh with smoked green beans

i'm going crazy for molasses lately! for the vegetables i just steamed some green beans, threw in some chopped oranges and walnuts, and topped with liquid smoke. because liquid smoke makes everything amazing!


orange molasses tempeh
1 package of tempeh
1 tbl orange juice concentrate
1 tbl tamari or soy sauce
1 tbl blackstrap molasses 

-preheat oven to 350 degrees
-cut tempeh in half, then cut each half diagonally into triangles. 
-put tempeh in boiling water for about 3 minutes
-mix orange juice, tamari and molasses to create sauce
-in a baking dish, pour sauce over tempeh
-bake for 30 minutes 

Thursday, May 8, 2008

six activists jump into the bullring

madrid: six activists jumped into las ventas bullring during a bull fighting event that was broadcast live.
watch it here.


Wednesday, May 7, 2008

sun-dried tomato spinach filo pouches



can filo entrees be healthy? they are usually white flour and smothered in butter filled with something cheesy, maybe if you are lucky filo is smothered in olive oil. i think olive oil is a healthy fat in moderation. and don't get me started on cheese! to healthify these pouches i used whole wheat filo and olive spray to keep the fat low. the result is a delicious, healthy treat! 

while i was at it, i used some spare filo and filled some pouches with blueberries and cherries and sprayed with canola oil instead of olive oil. a light summer dessert to match your entree! 

recipe!

3 sheets of whole wheat filo cut into fourths
olive oil spray

sun-dried tomato filling:
6 oz firm tofu, crumbled
about 6 rehyrdrated sun-dried tomatoes , chopped. 
1/4 c frozen spinach 
garlic powder, salt and pepper

-preheat the oven to 350 degrees
-grease baking pan with olive oil spray
-combine the ingredients for the filling
-cut the sheets into 4 squares
-spray one square lightly with the oil spray
-carefully put a small-ish amount of filling in the middle of one square
-carefully combine the edges of the square and pinch together
-repeat for each square! 

i ate my pouches with fatfree vegan's mini crustless quiches.


Tuesday, May 6, 2008

yuba wrapped marinated portabellas with pesto

yubayubayuba!




yuba is "tofu skin." it is made by boiling down soy milk until it creates a thin film. you can make it on your own, but i tried once and i failed
miserably. so you will likely have to take a trip to a well stocked asian market. well worth it.

recipe:
a couple sheets of yuba, cut into squares
two portabella mushrooms
marinade: balsamic vinegar, splash of olive oil, salt and pepper
pesto

-cut portabellas into long strips, wash and marinade for at least 20 minutes
-preheat over to 350
-lie yuba out on a flat surface
-lay down portabellas on edge closest to you, and spoon small amount of pesto over the mushrooms
-roll the yuba and mushrooms like sushi. you want to make sure there are at least a couple of yuba layers.

-place yuba rolls seam side down on a lightly oiled baking dish
-bake for about 15 minutes, until nice and crispy
-let cool, and then cut pieces so that each roll has one mushroom strip.


walnut-basil pesto:
about 20 basil leaves
hand full of walnuts
tbl of olive oil
a little lemon, salt, pepper
-blend ingredients together!

the only person in the world who can sell garbage to raise money for animals?

here.

"abuse on the egg farm"


ABC reported on a major california egg producer's batter facility. this is how the overwhelming majority of eggs  are produced in this country. 
here.





image from goveg.com

Monday, May 5, 2008

cinco de mayo seitan fajitas

-yellow onion sliced

-bell pepper sliced 
-portabella mushroom sliced (or zucchini or whatever veggies you want)
-sliced seitan (make your own, buy it from the store, or make it from a quick mix)
-tortillas (i used ezekiel sprouted grain)
-salsa and avocado 

1. saute the onion and bell pepper until soft. 
2. add the seitan, and portabella mushroom. 
3. add a little salt, pepper,  2 tbl cumin and a dash of red pepper flakes. 
4. serve in tortillas with salsa and avocado

ole!

kiwi adzuki coconut rice

lunch time!
adzuki beans are japanese, and often used in desserts because of their slightly sweet flavor. find them in asian grocery stores. they are also a continuation on my theme of love of purple food. enjoy.

kiwi adzuki coconut rice
1 cup cooked brown basmati rice (1/3 c dry yields 1 cup cooked)
1 cup cooked adzuki beans
1 kiwi chopped
1/4 c chopped cilantro
2.5 tbl unsweetened shredded coconut 

-toss together!

p.s. you may notice that this picture is surprisingly good while many of my other photos are surprisingly bad. this is a result of ryan (boyfriend) kindly suggesting i not take my own pictures anymore. he says it makes my very delicious food look...not so delicious.  we'll see....

reducing global warming: eating local important, eating veg even more important


vegan: you can't get any greener! 


according to new research from carnegie mellon, eating vegan one day a week saves more greenhouse gasses than eating animal products locally every day of the week.  being vegan prevents over eight times the greenhouse gasses that eating animal products locally does.
here

Sunday, May 4, 2008

international respect for chickens day: balsamic blackberry tofu

today is international respect for chickens day! in honor of them enjoy chicken free nuggets, eggless treats, and pop in chicken run. learn more about "broiler" and egg-laying hens







below is a delicious cruelty free tofu dish. the sweet blackberries, full of antioxidants, mix wonderfully with tangy balsamic vinegar. plus, im sucker for purple food. 



balsamic blackberry tofu
-package of tofu
-1 cup of frozen blackberries
-1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
-1/2 cup vegetable broth

1. mix the vinegar, broth and blackberries in a shallow contained. 
2. marinade the tofu for at least 30 minutes. 
3. you can bake the tofu (with juice) at 350 degree for about 20 minutes, or you can throw them in a pan with juice. 
i threw in some walnuts in mine for some healthy omega 3 fatty acids. serve over wild rice! 

eight belles euthanized at kentucky derby

and the jockeys are the ones who get the trophies?

Saturday, May 3, 2008

lemon-lime sunshine bundt cake


a la vegan genius hannah kaminsky.


what does one do with a friend who has a birthday and doesn't like frosting (aside from scoff)? make a beautiful, delicious bundt cake with a light glaze! 




down home cookin': bbq tempeh


i grew up in california and now live in massachusetts...i have no real idea of what down home cookin' entails. and if it includes deep frying a
meat and cheese lasagna , then count me out (paula dean: i think it's cute when you say "yall" and "oh my gracious", but geeeez...)! but if down home cookin' includes the simple pleasures of baked sweet potatoes, stick to your ribs bbq temeph and collards, i'm all for it. 



bbq tempeh:
ingredients:
-1 pacakge of tempeh
-1 onion
-1 bell pepper 
- can of hominy
-your favorite bbq sauce

-preheat over to 350 degrees
-cut tempeh in half long ways and then each half into about four strips. 
-boil water, and boil tempeh for about three minutes. 
-saute onion and bell peppers
-place tempeh, and onion and bell pepper in a baking dish. 
-add hominy
-cover with a tablespoon of soy sauce
-cover and mix in your favorite bbq sauce
-cook for 30-40 minutes 

Friday, May 2, 2008

please stop breeding.

rising food prices. 

molasses tofu and roasted vegetable couscous with harissa


molasses is awesome! delicious and nutritionally dense, it is full of iron and calcium. i really don't use it enough. 

i know vegetable couscous is one of those entrees at a restaurant you were begrudgingly dragged to that is the only vegan option, but i'm pretty successful at managing to avoid those scenarios PLUS this couscous has roasted PURPLE cauliflower in it. yum.


TOFU:
-cut tofu into rectangles
-marinade tofu for at least 30 minutes in 1/4 c tamari or soy sauce and 1 tbl blackstrap molas
ses. 
-make a spice combination of thyme, sage, garlic powder, and a little salt and pepper. 
-roll the marinaded tofu in the spice mixture and put on grill (or in pan or oven, but grill is best)
-cook until heated through

COUSCOUS
-choose vegetables ( i chose eggplant, purple cauliflower, carrots and onions)
-heat oven to 400
-spray pan with oil, put veggies on pan, spray them with oil, and slightly season with salt and pepper. 
-let them cook for about 40 minutes.
-cook couscous
-toss together! 

i got my harissa recipe here

Thursday, May 1, 2008

sigh

eating disorders are bad. 
1