Vegan-In

William and I always buy pitas at the grocery store for sandwiches so I was excited to try this at home.  Imagine how much money you can save.  Plus I always like to know what every ingredient is that I am eating.  Have you ever read the ingredients for store bought pitas?  These easy pitas are great for dipping but they don't really form the pockets needed for sandwiches.  I will post my recipe for those also, but they take longer.  If you need them in a pinch these are perfect.

I had never tried these before and now that I have I am addicted.  These crunchy little treats melt in your mouth.  This is the best guilt-free treat I can think of. Kale is full of vitamins A, C, and K.  It also has calcium, Iron, and protein. So make yourself a big bowl of these instead of popcorn and sit down for a movie.

I dont' know how Grandma Myers would feel about this, but I have adapted her Orange cookie recipe to make it Vegan and Gluten Free.  Orange cookies were always one of our favorite things about a trip to Grandma's house.  She always made so many we got to eat them there and she sent some home with us.  I have also cut her recipe in half because the original made 4 dozen.  Wow!!!

This is one of my favorite things to make.  I have done it several times and changed the recipe until I have achieved perfection.  Bread crumbs can be used instead of cracker crumbs.  I just have a hard time finding any that are Vegan.  William made his famous coleslaw to go with it, served up with some vegetarian baked beans.  This dinner was amazing!




1 (12 oz) package Extra Firm Tofu
1 Cup Crushed Cracker Crumbs
2 tsp Kelp Powder
1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
1/2 tsp Paprika
1/2 tsp Onion Powder
1 tsp Sea Salt
Olive Oil, as needed to coat

Last night we made Vegan "She Crab" soup.  I used to work in a restaurant that served real she crab soup and it always smelled so good to me.  I was excited to try this one.  The soup itself was really easy to make, the problem we had was finding Oyster Mushrooms.  We went to three different stores and could not find any.  So we settled for Shitake Mushrooms thinking they might be similar since they have a woodsy taste.  I don't know how different the oyster mushrooms would have made it taste, but it was so good this way.

This recipe can be found at my new favorite site for recipes HappyHerbivore.com

This is an article my husband shared with me.  Dr. Mark Hyman dissects the recent data about the myths and truths surrounding soy.

Soy: A Blessing or a Curse

My husband and I just got back from our last trip home for the summer.  It was a quick 5 day adventure to where we met in Wilmington, NC.  We spent time with our friends and went to the beach to frolic in the sand and surf.  We also spent lots of time eating.  Here in Lake Charles, LA there is not really any restaurants where I can go eat as a Vegan, but back home in Wilmington, they are everywhere.  We didn't even have time to get to them all, but we did visit a few of our favorites.

This recipe is from The Vegan Table by Colleen Patrick-Goudreau
This was a special treat for my husband who I love so much.  He requested it and I gave it my all.  I can't lie, this was kind of a hard recipe, but it was worth it in the end.  It was rather time consuming taking me about 3 hours to complete, not including a trip to the store for a bundt cake pan.  Before you get started get that pan or a tube pan, it is necessary.

Monkey Bread
















Making the Sweet Dough


1 Cup Warm Water   (Bath water warm, NOT hot)
1 envelope or 2 1/2 tsp Active Dry Yeast
3 Tbsp Granulated Sugar   (I use Sugar in the Raw)
3 1/4 Cups Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
1/2 tsp Sea Salt
2-3 Tbsp Vegan Butter
1 Tbsp Oil

*In a measuring Cup, mix warm water, yeast, and 1 Tbsp sugar.  Stir gently until ingredients dissolve.  Mixture should be beige in color.  Let stand 5 min.  A thin creamy foam should cover top. Set Aside.
*Important**If this does not happen in 5 min, discard mixture and start over. If no bubbles form on top yeast is not active.
*Next mix 3 cups flour with remaining sugar and salt in large mixing bowl.
*Make a well in center and pour in yeast mixture and melted butter.
*Using a wooden spoon, vigorously stir flour into well until flour is incorporated and soft.
*Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface.  Dust hands with flour and knead gently.
*Continue kneading and gradually add in remaining 1/4 Cup Flour.  Until dough is no longer sticky.  This will take about 5 mins.
*Continue to knead 10-15 min longer, until dough feels smooth and springy
*Shape into a ball and place in a well-oiled bowl, turning to coat completely with oil
*Cover bowl tightly with plastic wrap and cover with a towel.  Set aside about 45 minutes to rise. (should double in bulk).
*After, use your fist to punch down dough ball and squeeze out air bubbles.
*Your dough is ready!!!

 Monkey Bread :)


3/4 Cup Granulated Sugar
3/4 Cup packed Light Brown Sugar
2 tsp Ground Cinnamon
1/2 Cup melted Vegan Butter
Sweet Dough from previous recipe

*Heavily grease a 10 inch Bundt cake pan
*Combine sugar, brown sugar and cinnamon in a bowl and set aside.
*Tear off pieces of dough and make balls about 1 1/2 inches in diameter.
*Dip each dough ball into melted butter, then roll in sugar/cinn mixture.
*Coat each ball and place in cake pan about 1/2 inch apart.
*Add layers on top of layers until all dough has been used.
*Cover with a dish towel and let stand in a warm, dark place for about 30 min. to finish rising.
*Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
*Bake about 30-40 minutes until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
*Remove from oven and let cool 5-10 min.
*Place a large plate or serving tray over top of bundt cake pan.  Then flip pan over onto plate and enjoy!!!

Found this recipe in:  Vegan Yum Yum by Lauren Ulm
I made these as a quick easy dinner with a green salad on the side and they were so delicious. As a sauce to accompany them I mixed Vegenaise with a little Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce.  It was a perfect addition.

Corn Fritters

















1/2 Cup All-Purpose Flour
1/2 Cup Cornmeal
3/4 tsp Salt
1/2 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Tony Chacheres or Old Bay Seasoning
1/4 tsp Cumin
1/4 tsp paprika
1/2 Cup Soy or Rice Milk
1/4 Cup Water
1 1/2 - 2 Cups Fresh Corn  ( I used frozen and it worked great)
1 to 2 Tbsp Oil for Frying

*Combine Flour, Cornmeal, Salt, Baking Powder, Tony's, Cumin, and Paprika in a bowl
*Add Soy Milk and Water to dry ingredients and whisk until combined.
*Fold in corn
*Heat a skillet with oil to med-high heat
*When oil is hot, spoon out fritters about 1 Tbsp at a time and flatten with the back of a spoon.
*Cook until golden brown.  (edges will turn brown and bubbles will form on top similar to pancakes)
*Flip and cook again.
*Set on a paper towel to drain before serving.
*Enjoy :)

This recipe came from the book:
             The Vegan Table by: Coleen Patrick-Goudreau p. 29

My husband absolutely loved this recipe.  He ate the leftover "bacon" on sandwiches for the next few days after.  I used it to make BLTs for us for lunch.

Tempeh Bacon 
















1 package (8 oz) Tempeh
1/4 Cup Soy Sauce
2 tsp Liquid Smoke
3 Tbsp Real Maple Syrup
1/4 Cup Water
Canola oil, for frying

*Steam Tempeh for 10 minutes.  ( I used the basket provided in our rice cooker)
*Mix soy, smoke, syrup, water in a large bowl
*Cool Tempeh, then cut into thin bacon-size strips
*Let sit in marinade as long as you like.  Around 20-30 minutes is good.  Shake occasionally to make sure tempeh is coated in marinade
*Heat oil in skillet
*Fry strips over med-high heat until crisp.  Turn fry again other side.  About 5 min per side.  ( May turn brown as maple syrup caramelizes.)
*Remove from heat and set on paper towel to absorb excess oil.


















For a delicious BLT.  Use your favorite Vegan friendly bread.  Slice some roma tomatoes, add lettuce or spring mix, spread as much vegenaise as you like and add your tempeh bacon slices all inside.  Yummy!!

The night before I had to use a couple of tomatoes from a can of organic whole peeled tomatoes that I had previously purchased.  I wanted to make sure I could use up the rest before they went bad.  Couldn't think of anything more perfect or easy to make than Bruschetta.

Fresh Bruschetta
















1 28 oz. Can whole peeled tomatoes, chopped
3 Tbsp Olive Oil
1 Tbsp Balsamic Vinaigrette
1/4 Cup Fresh Basil, chopped
1-2 Cloves garlic, finely chopped
1/4 tsp Sea Salt
Bread

*Combine all ingredients in small bowl
*Serve immediately or allow to marinate, but do not refrigerate (tomatoes will lose flavor)

I found this recipe today via another wonderful blog that I follow at:
The Cooking Lady

I changed up the recipe a little and the end result is amazing!!

Chick'n Nuggets


















1 Can Garbanzo Beans
2 Tbsp Olive Oil (for pan frying)
1/2 Cup Vital Wheat Gluten
1/3 Cup Water
2 Tbsp Bragg's Liquid Aminos
2 Cloves Garlic, grated
1/2 tsp Italian Seasoning
1/2 tsp Paprika
1/2 tsp Dried Sage
1/2 tsp Lemon Zest
1 Package Shake and Bake Breadcrumbs (for chicken)
1/2 Cup Soymilk


*Cook Garbanzo beans until soft
*In food processor or by hand process beans till mashed
*Put mashed beans in mixing bowl and add Bragg's, Garlic, Italian Season, Paprika, Sage, Lemon
*Stir Well
*Add gluten, stir well, and then add water, stir again
*Turn mixture out onto a cutting board.  Knead for 3 minutes (until you can see gluten strings forming)
*Cut ball into 4 sections.  Then cut each of those into 4 sections each.
*Heat thin layer of oil in skillet (med-high heat)
*Shape dough into nugget shapes.
*Dip into milk to coat, and then shake/bake crumbs to cover
*Pan fry for 5-7 minutes
*Preheat oven to 350 degrees
*Bake in oven for 10-12 minutes

This is a list my husband found yesterday put out by PETA.  It is a giant list of foods that are accidentally made vegan.  He was most excited about the Oreo cookies.  Granted, some of these items may contain unpronounceable ingredients, but all the same, it is still exciting to know you can still have some of that bad stuff you enjoyed as a kid.

Accidentally Vegan

I am currently writing a paper for my summer class about the benefits of a vegan diet vs. the traditional western diet.  In my research for that I found the vegan version of that lovely food pyramid we were all forced to memorize in our early childhood years.  Things have changed a bit and as we become more educated people we see that much of what we thought we needed for all those years, we don't in fact need to survive.  I wonder if they still teach the food pyramid and if they do, are they showing the other options for pyramids not only for the benefit of the already vegan and vegetarian children, but all children so they understand there are options.

This is a recipe that I found on the Vegan Peace web site at:
http://www.veganpeace.com/recipe_pages/recipes/HawaiianCheesecakeWithPineappleAndChocolate.htm

I was a little intimidated at first when I saw how many ingredients and how many steps were involved, but as I was making it I realized it was not as scary as I first thought.  I changed the recipe a little bit to accommodate the ingredients and substitutions that I like to use.

Hawaiian Cheesecake with Pineapple and Chocolate














Crust:
1 Cup crushed Graham Crackers (approx. 6 full size crackers)
1/2 Cup Unsweetened Shredded Coconut
2 1/4 Tbsp Agave
2 Tbsp Soy Margarine
1-2 Tbsp Water

Chocolate Layer:
1 Cup Vegan Friendly (Semi-sweet) Chocolate Chips
2 Tbsp Soy Margarine
1/3 Cup Soy Milk
1/2 tsp Vanilla Extract

Filling:
1 lb Firm Tofu (cut in small pieces)
1 Tbsp Applesauce
1/2 tsp Sea Salt
1 Tbsp Cornstarch
8 oz Soy Cream Cheese
1/2 Cup Soy Sour Cream
1/8 Cup Lemon Juice
1/8 Cup Lime Juice
1/2 Cup Agave Syrup
1 tsp Lemon Extract

Topping:
1 1/2 Cups Crushed Pineapple
2 Tbsp Unsweetened Shredded Coconut
Handfull of Choc. Chips to decorate

*Preheat Oven to 350 degrees

*Crust:
--Combine Crackers, coconut, and agave.  Work margarine in by hand.
--Add water to moisten
--Press into bottom and 1/2 inch up sides of 8" spring form pan (oiled)
--Bake 12-15 minutes











*Chocolate Layer:
--In double boiler or sacuepan.  (I like to fill a pot with water and place a metal bowl on top)





















Heat all ingredients until chips melt.  Stir Well.  Do not  overcook.  Turn off heat and leave on top of pot as you begin making filling.

*Filling:
--Blend all ingredients in blender until smooth and creamy
--Pour slightly cooled chocolate mixture onto baked crust.

 I have made this recipe several times with different variations.  The best luck I have had has been with 1/2 and 1/2 whole wheat and unbleached white flours together.  You can make it entirely whole wheat if you like, but will need to add 1 Tbsp Wheat Gluten Flour if you do so.  These are excellent for burritos, or sandwich wraps.

Homemade Tortillas
















2 Cups Whole Wheat Flour
2 Cups Unbleached White Flour
1 tsp Salt
1/4 tsp Baking Powder
1+ Cup Warm Water

*In a large bowl mix Flours, Salt, Baking Powder.  Pour in Water.  Stir
*Mix in additional water at 1 Tbsp increments if needed until dough is soft and pliable.
*Knead briefly on a lightly floured surface.
*Divide into 12-14 medium size balls











*Cover and rest 20 minutes
*Dust cutting board or flat surface with flour
*With a rolling pin, roll each ball flat (This will be a little time consuming.  Flour your rolling surface and rolling pin well.  Roll each ball a couple of times, then flip, and roll, and flip.  Continue until tortilla is very thin.  Continue to flour your surface between flips so it won't stick.)
*Cook in an un-greased skillet.  Medium-High heat.  Cook until little brown flecks appear underneath.  Then Flip and repeat.
*Store any unused cooked tortillas in an airtight container and refrigerate.

This was my first try at making my own spaghetti sauce.  I know there are a million different ways to make it, this was my own adaptation of a simple recipe.  I love the addition of the nutritional yeast and Fresh Basil from our garden.  Dried basil can also be substituted if you do not have access to fresh.  The nutritional yeast is optional but adds to the texture and nutritional value.

Spaghetti Sauce
















1 tsp Olive Oil
1 Red Onion, diced
1 Green Pepper, diced
1 tsp Garlic, minced
1 Can Whole Peeled Tomatoes (1 Lb)
1/2 tsp Salt
1 tsp Black Pepper
2 tsp Fresh Basil
2 Tbsp Nutritional Yeast
1 Tbsp Italian Seasoning

*Over medium-low heat, saute onion, then add green pepper and garlic.
*Puree Tomatoes in blender then add to saute pan
*Add all seasonings
*Simmer 20 minutes

Black Bean Rice Burgers with Cornmeal
















1 15 oz Can Black Beans
1 1/2 Cups Cooked Brown Rice
1/4 Cup Whole Wheat Flour
1/4 Cup Yellow Cornmeal
1/2 Cup Rotel (tomatoes and chiles)
2 tsp Ground Cumin
1 tsp Garlic Salt
1 tsp Onion Powder




(I substituted 2 tsp Tennessee Whisky Steak and Burger Seasoning for Garlic/Salt/Onion.  If you are lucky enough to have access to this seasoning I suggest it.  Otherwise, you can piece it together youself with the other ingredients or a different brand of Burger Seasoning.)

*Cook rice first.  Either in steamer or by directions on package.
*Drain Beans and put in food processor (or blender) process until smooth
*Add Flour, Cornmeal, Rotel (drain liquid first), then add all seasonings.  Combine well
*Scrape mixture into a large bowl and add rice.  Stir.
*Spoon mixture into 6-8 balls on a large plate (will be smooshy).  Refrigerate at least an hour before cooking.  Will harden some.
*Heat a ridged pan and coat lightly with oil
*Flatten Balls into patties
*Cook 4-5 minutes per side.


Mac-N-Cheese
















1 1/2 Cups Plain Soy Milk
1 Cup Water
1/3 Cup Soy Sauce
1 1/2 Cups Nutritional Yeast
1 Tbsp Paprika
1 Tbsp Garlic Powder
1 tsp Salt
1/2  Block Tofu (Firm and drained)
1 Cup Vegetable Oil
1 Tbsp Yellow Mustard
1 1/2 lbs Pasta (we like brown rice pasta)
(optional)--vegan shredded cheese or breadcrumbs

*Pre-heat Oven to 350 degrees
*Boil Water in large pot----Cook pasta al dente
*Mix all other ingredients in a blender
*Drain Pasta
*Pour cooked pasta into a large baking pan
*Pour blended "cheese" mixture in and stir.
*Cover and bake for 10 minutes
*Uncover  (Optional--top with vegan shredded cheese or breadcrumbs)
*Bake another 5-10 minutes uncovered to brown top.

Happy Memorial Day to all and a big thanks to all who have served in our military.

This year our friend Emily hosted a Cookout complete with a Badminton Tournament and later in the night several heated rounds of cards.  (if you were there you know what I am talking about).
For our friends, vegetarian and non, we brought kabobs for the grill.

Veggie Kebabs with Seitan
















Green Pepper
Onion
Baby Portabello Mushrooms
Grape Tomatoes
Zucchini
Seitan (as prepared in previous recipe)

*Be sure if you are using wood or bamboo skewers to soak them in water for at least 20 minutes before putting veggies on them.
*Slice Veggies and Seitan however you choose and place in whatever order you choose on skewers
*As you grill them, baste them in this yummy sauce

1/2 Cup Soy Sauce or Tamari
1 Tbsp Agave Syrup
1 Tbsp Molasses
1 tsp Balsamic Vinegar
1 tsp Vegan Worcestershire (Be sure to read label, look out for anchovies)
1/2 tsp Black Pepper
1/2 tsp Onion Powder
1/2 tsp Kosher Salt