My husband and I were married in Las Vegas on April 17, 2012. As we get close to our one year anniversary we wanted to share our wedding with my fans and fellow bloggers. We have had our wedding features twice online and most recently on a vegan wedding site. Get inspired and enjoy!
Rose Pedals Vegan Weddings:
http://www.rosepedalsveganweddings.com/las-vegas-wedding-vegan/
Massachusetts Wedding Guide:
http://www.maweddingguide.com/features/real-weddings/photogallery.htm?gid=135
Being Vegan at Easter is a strange situation. Easter is about honoring a man who died for our sins and the celebrations of compassion, faith, rebirth and yet we kill animals to celebrate. Does that mean the ham is supposed to be Jesus and we are just reenacting this whole mess, like at church how we eat the bread and call it the body of Christ? Kinda odd how us humans do things isn’t it? At least the Eucharist is vegan. I think.
Last year we skipped the normal brunch with my family because of some internal issues with the family and my wedding was about to happen. It was a crazy time. This year we are doing a dinner at the parents house. My husband lives for these events because he can feast on meat and cheese (even though he is lactose intolerant) until he passes out in a food coma. I however know that at these events it is a time to cook the night before or analyze menus of possible “brunch” spots for weeks so that I can call and preorder my veganized entrée. I preorder now in most cases because certain parts of my family get very irritated with my vegan ordering and the fact I always end up explaining “why” I am vegan. I don’t mind telling the story (because it was a health issue and not some factory farm scary story) but I have learned that it makes a very sensitive issue (food) a more sensitive issue to those that may already be hyper aware of poor eating habits and their own choices that they are silently sensitive of.
So this year is good because I am bringing my own food to my parents and that is the easiest way to guarantee I eat well on a holiday. Although I must note my mother has become quite the vegan friendly chef and is constantly finding new vegan foods and recipes for me. Once I got the green light, I then fell into a confused panic. What do I substitute for the traditional Ham dinner? I could’ve made a killer brunch but a ham dinner? That is hard.
So I inventoried several traditional Easter Dinner “Menus” and picked items that were the most common:
When I took a look at this menu I thought this is easy to veganize except for the ham (and I am not much for Asparagus but whatever), and the ham is always a staple. Which was my original debacle. Some serve Lamb instead but I was hard pressed to find a faux lamb roast on a few days notice either. So I decided I will recreate every item on this menu with a vegan option recipe and I will have to figure out something for that rich sweet and salty ham. I could be simple and just throw in a roast of any sort. A field roast from the refrigerated section or a Gardein Holiday Roast but no, no, no… I am going to master this with an option that will be just as filling and tasty and will harmonize with this spring Easter theme without being too Hippie/Crunchy/Healthy since it is an indulgent feast we are having, no?
Let us start with our cooked veggies.
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Maple Glazed Carrots
Ingredients:
1 package Peeled Baby Carrots
3 tbsp olive oil or an olive oil sprayer
1/4 cup maple syrup whisked with 2-3tbs of water
Kosher Salt
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Preheat Oven at 425degrees. Spray carrots with olive oil or toss in olive oil and place in a roasting pan or in a cake pan if you don’t have one. Sprinkle with salt and then use a basting blush to baste carrots with syrup/water mixture. Once all are basted drizzle any excess over the whole pan of carrots. Roast until brown and soft.
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Braised Asparagus
Ingredients:
1 bunch fresh asparagus
3 tbsp olive oil or olive oil sprayer
kosher salt
ground black pepper
1/8 cup dehydrated minced onions
1/8 cup water
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Preheat oven to 425degrees.
In a pan bring brown onions by heating water and oil and a pinch of salt together on medium low. Once the onions are lightly browned toss in asparagus salt and some ground pepper to taste. Once the asparagus is lightly seared on one side transfer to the oven in an oven safe dish until tender.
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Chopped Tomato Basil Salad
Ingredients:
1/4 Bunch of Fresh Basil
2 tbsp Dehydrated Minced Onions
4 Tomatoes (freshly diced)
1/4 cup Balsamic Vinegar
1/2 cup Olive Oil
1tbsp Kosher Salt
1-2 tbsp Granulated Garlic or Minced Frozen Garlic
2 tbsp Agave Nectar
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Toss shredded basil, diced tomatoes, and onions in a medium mixing bowl. In a separate small bowl whisk together all other contents until combined. Then drizzle over the tomatoes until covered and toss. I rebalance the vinegar oil combo each time I make this so please feel free to play with it or just by a simple balsamic dressing and add garlic and agave after! After everything is combined place in fridge to marinate for at least 30minutes. Serve cold.
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Scalloped Potatoes
Ingredients:
1 small bag of white, red, or purple potatoes (about 2 lbs)
1/2 Earth Balance Buttery Stick
1 cup Soy or Almond Milk
1 block Daiya Havarti Cheese
1 bag Daiya Mozzarella Cheese
Kosher Salt
Ground Pepper
Thyme
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Preheat the oven to 350degrees.
Gather a casserole or Pyrex dish that is decorative enough that you would serve this in. I use a circular Pyrex dish that looks similar to a pie plate. So you can see the layers.
Next you need a large mixing bowl, potato peeler, knife, chopping board/mat, and mandoline.
First grease the casserole ban using the earth balance and take the rest and place it in a microwave safe container with the milk. This will be microwaved until the butter is melted and then whisked until combined right before you place the contents in the oven.
I half peel the potatoes so then have some skin. You can fully peel if this is your preference. I then slice them on the mandoline at a varied size between paper-thin and the 2nd thinnest setting. Placing the discs of potato in a mixing bowl and sprinkling them with salt from time to time.
Next, begin layering the potato discs into the casserole. I overlap them on the edges and work around the edge and in a circular motion spiraling to the center. When I get to the center I sprinkle the layer very lightly with salt, pepper, and mozzarella cheese and then do another layer spiraling outward with potatoes again. The next payer I alternate the sprinkling to simple the havarti cheese which I pinch small amounts of and sprinkle on and do a layer of thyme. No salt or pepper this time. Then another layer and we alternate back to the salt, pepper, and mozzarella. This goes on until you reach the top layer which gets a little of each sprinkle topping and then the warm milk mixture is poured on top.
Place in the oven for 40-50 minutes. Let sit 2minutes. Serve hot.
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Parker House Rolls
So I rarely suggest a recipe I have not tried or invented myself but my mother seems to be able to buy Parker House Rolls in Charlestown so I never make them (oh and Charlestown is a Boston Neighborhood known for bank robbers where my family lives but they don’t rob banks, see the movie “The Town” with Ben Affleck, it is not the same as Charleston in South Carolina; different accent, different tea). So I looked through the web and found one recipe I found trusty and delicious and that looked like what my mother so successfully procures for the holidays.
Here is Veganize Everything’s blog recipe on Parker House Rolls: http://veganizeeverything.blogspot.com/2012/01/vegan-parker-house-rolls.html
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Now for the ham. This has literally taken days for me to figure out. I am not going to lie, I probably should’ve given out some silly note to just go buy a Field Roast. I also found a Vegan Ham Roll along my journeys so those that love ham feel free to find it online or at your local Natural Foods store. I however was continuing my journey until I stumbled upon this site: http://kblog.lunchboxbunch.com/2009/11/definitive-vegan-stuffing-post-recipe.html . It made me realize that I could do a lot with a vegan dish I just learned to make: Seitan! Or as my husband likes to joke “that Satan stuff”.
I buy the West Soy Seitan Cubes to make Seitan Marsala. So why not make a smoky, sweet ham version? I think we will. You will need the Seitan cubes, maple syrup, pineapple, and maybe some liquid smoke I imagine. So I looked through some recipes and this is my version of Easter Dinner’s Main course.
Smoky, Sweet Easter Seitan Dinner
Ingredients:
Olive Oil
Kosher Salt
Ground Black Pepper
1 Package West Soy Seitan Cubes
1 can crushed pineapple (optional)
1 tbsp Maple Syrup
1tsp liquid smoke
In a deeper frying pan place olive oil to cover the bottom of the pan. Toss in Seitan Cubes once the skillet is warm. Next sprinkle the seitan with salt and pepper to taste. Toss the seitan in oil with a spatula until lightly browned avoiding splashing the oil, then add liquid smoke and maple syrup. Allow to reduce slightly and carmelize, stirring constantly to avoid sticking. Then toss in crushed pineapple right before serving for a ham and pineapple vibe if you feel so inclined.
Enjoy!
So I recently started using my VeganXpress app on my iPhone more to go out to dinner. I found that at Uno’s I could eat many things but at Applebee’s I could eat pretty much nothing (they have both meat and dairy in almost everything even their veggie sides and salads). Last year Uno’s had a Farro Salad I loved on their small bites/apps menu. They have since changed it and added dairy and a bunch of other stuff that overcomplicates it but you can get the original one as a side order and double it. I was in love with it and decided to start making it at home and serving it with tortilla chips. My husband actually loves it and I bring it to family events where it is an absolute hit. So I decided to share it with you folks since it is now omnivore approved!
The farro can be hard to find but if you bug your local Whole Foods on twitter like I did, when they run out they will hold some for you when it comes back in :). Thanks to Whole Foods in Bedford, MA for that! They will also offer to help you with your vegan skills and show you around. Which I am going to take them up on shortly! I love the Whole Foods people!
So you take the farro and cook it. I use a steamer/rice cooker because I have two of them. I am obsessed with this tool and you should invest the $15-25 for one too. It is my favorite kitchen appliance and takes care of veggies and grains without any assistance. Best thing ever!
After the farro comes out put it in a mixing bowl and cover it and into the fridge it goes. I have these awesome Royal Prestige mixing bowls that are stainless steel with snap on covers. I would encourage everyone to get something similar.
When it is cold, you add the vinaigrette and veggies. I toss the tomatoes into the farro but I place the cucumbers on top so they don’t soak in the dressing. I have tried using celery in the past but it is too peppery in flavor for this dish, so keep it light with the cucumbers. Also don’t overcomplicate it and add too much, it will lose its flavor and nuttiness.
I then place it back in the fridge and let it marinate overnight or at least a few hours to settle. Then I bring it with me everywhere, keeping it cool, and serve with tortilla chips!
SALAD RECIPE
1 package Farro (cereal grain)
Water
Salt
(2) Cucumbers
(2) Vine Tomatoes (juicy and deep red)
Add Farro, Water, and a pinch or two of salt to the steamer/rice maker and cook on brown rice setting. Check about 15minutes before it is scheduled to be finished as it may stick if overcooked. Place in a mixing bowl, cover, and place in refrigerator until cold.
While farro is cooling, chop tomatoes and place in a small bowl. Set aside.
Half peel cucumbers so that some green is still remaining, chop, place in a separate bowl. Set aside.
When farro is cooled. Mix in dressing (*recipe below). Then mix in tomatoes.
Place cucumbers on top but do not mix in until you are ready to serve. This will keep them from absorbing too much dressing.
Place back in the fridge and cover. Let sit overnight or for at least 2 hours to combine and settle in the marinade.
Serve cold with tortilla chips.
*DRESSING RECIPE
(You can be lazy and buy a balsamic vinaigrette or you can make this. Up to you!)
Apple Cider Vinegar
Balsamic Vinegar
Olive Oil
Agave
Salt
Pepper
Dried Basil
Granulated Garlic
The directions for this recipe are tricky and not exact. I start out with equal parts oil and vinegar and then go from there. Whisk Whisk Whisk!
I find I add more vinegar in the end and I season to taste with the rest of the ingredients. I love garlic so I am generous with it. I add basil for aromatics and color but add it last and maybe about a tablespoon. The agave I whisk in to even out the vinegar.
I start with half ACV and half Balsamic but it is a balsamic vinaigrette in the end so you want that flavor to come through. I tend to add a few spoons of water to thin it out and will even toss in dehydrated onions if it’s a mostly adult group. Mess around with it and see what happens.
NOTE: Just be careful not to add too much to the salad I put it in and mix it at about 1/3 of a cup at a time until it is saturated well but not swimming. You don’t want any on the bottom that hasn’t absorbed. You can always bring more dressing with you if needed. It should be a fresh not soppy salad!
ENJOY!
OPTIONS: Add dehydrated onions to the dressing or top your salad with sliced avocado if serving in single servings!
XOXOX, The Hippie Gypsy
So Monday will be my birthday. This weekend I will be removing wallpaper from my new house. As you can see I am a party animal. I cannot wait to make a birthday cake for myself however. Cakes are very important in my family. A few reasons have dictated this importance. 1.) My mother never got birthday cakes as a child due to a mixture of it being an extravagance to a single mom with six kids and also the fact that my mom was born on the second anniversary of her sister’s death. 2.) My birthday is the same week as 4 other family members. My cousin was born the 22nd, my grandmother the 24th, I on the 25th, my aunt on the 26th, and my great-grandfather on the 27th. So that week was pretty party ridden. 3.) My birthday tends to fall during blizzards. So we always had to prepare in advance for the cake in case we could not leave the house for ingredients. In High School once, I discovered that I loved cooking when caught in a blizzard on my birthday. I not only figured out how to get myself Chinese food but I also made myself an apple caramel drizzle cake out of things in the pantry and a very weathered version of the Joy of Cooking and a church cookbook were analyzed and ingredients were questioned like “is baking soda and powder different and is there a substitute for canola oil?”
So this year I am going to give you my favorite low ingredient birthday cake recipe that my husband adores despite it being vegan. I will also post links to some of the most delicious looking cakes out there and tell you where I would buy my cake if I wasn’t going to make it this year.
Enjoy my birthday cake extravaganza!
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My Favorite Birthday Cake Recipe:
Mexican Hot Chocolate Cake with Guava Filling
CAKE:
1 Box of Dark Chocolate Cake Mix (most mixes are vegan just look)
3/4 bag of vegan chocolate chips
1 can of pumpkin
Cinnamon
Earth Balance to butter the cake pans
Parchment to line the bottom of the cake pans
Filling:
1/4 bag of vegan chocolate chips
1 thin large can of guava paste (I like Goya)
Cinnamon
Vanilla Sugar (I like Penzey’s)
Topping:
Chocolate Frosting (You can make it or buy it, I like to make a ganache style frosting)
Vanilla Sugar
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Take all cake ingredients place in a large mixing bowl. Mix until combined. Add Cinnamon to taste. I always add 1-3 tbsp so that I can taste the cinnamon over the chocolate flavor. I test as I add it. Place in two round cake pans evenly lining the bottoms with parchment and buttering them with Earth Balance Buttery Sticks.
Bake according to the box directions. Take out when you can remove a toothpick cleanly.
Next in a medium mixing bowl warm your guava paste so you can spread it in between the cake layers. On top of the cake you will sprinkle cinnamon, spread the guava paste, and then sprinkle chocolate chips and vanilla sugar. Top with warm second cake layer.
Next, warm the frosting so you can drizzle it over the top of the cake. Wait until the cake is cooled. THen drizzle the frosting over the top. Sprinkle liberally with vanilla sugar.
Serve with homemade ice cream.
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LINKS TO DELICIOUS LOOKING CAKE RECIPES FOR BIRTHDAYS!
Banana Split Cake: This looks and sounds amazing.
Lemon Birthday Cake: THis sounds so light and delicious. I would even use this cake as a base for my July 4th Trifle!
Chocolate Chip Banana Cake: Chef Chloe is always a no brainer when it comes to cooking. Her cookbook also has a birthday cake recipe that looks divine! I had a banana cake layer at my wedding by Red Velvet Cafe in Las Vegas, NV and I am a convert!
Strawberry Vanilla Cake: This recipe has quite a few ingredients but I have all of them in my home so I figure so will most vegans. This looks and sounds fresh and delicious and looks amazing like a giant strawberry shortcake. Yum!
Raw Chocolate Hazelnut Cheesecake: Something more decadent and raw for my raw fans! This looks so sinful I can feel a toothache coming on and the drool pooling on the side of my mouth!
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Top Places to buy a Vegan Cake in New England:
1. Veggie Planet in Cambridge, MA: I cannot say enough about the restaurant or the all vegan bakery. It is amazing. Get the cheesecake with strawberries or the Coconut Lemon Passionfruit Layer Cake. I live for these two cakes and served the Coconut at my Bridal Shower last February.
2. Cafe Indigo in Concord, NH and MA Whole Foods: You can get their cakes onsite or at local Whole Foods throughout Massachusetts. The Carrot Cake changes lives. You will never want another carrot cake ever again. I served that cake at my engagement party and I buy slices of it at Whole Foods more than I probably should. My omni husband does as well and sometimes eats mine.
3. Moo-Cluck Corp. : You can buy these at various whole foods and natural foods stores in the cold section. I have bought all of their items at some point but truly love the vanilla strawberry cake when I need to buy something to run to a party in a pinch. It is yummy and the strawberries are fresh and not just some syrup.
Inspired by a recent post I read on “The Kind Life” blog regarding Alicia’s top 20 ingredients (http://thekindlife.com/blog/post/alicia-silverstone-20-vegan-essential-kitchen-ingredients) I decided to place my top 25 grocery/pantry needs:
I shop at my local grocery store for most items but the hard to find things like Daiya and Nutritional Yeast I go to two places: Whole Foods or VeganEssentials.com. Vegan Essentials delivers but requires you to cold ship perishables so check their shipping schedule (right now it is Tuesdays) and the extra cost for the cold packs!
Happy Shopping and Happier Munching!
I am a sucker for stuffed mushrooms. Over the holidays I was on crutches after a nasty fall down a flight of stairs days after Thanksgiving. I had torn 3 ligaments and had multiple contusions and was just a big lumpy mess. I couldn’t walk even on crutches for about a week and then it was only as needed for weeks. When Christmas rolled around I was on crutches but I had to sit in order to cook. Stuffed mushrooms were something I could sit on a stool at the counter and make without too much moving around. So I decided to make the most wonderful indulgent ones I could for the Family Christmas party. I also planned on torturing my husband with recipes of it in the meantime. After multiple, and sometimes dry or bland, attempts at these. I found that this sauce I prepared, makes everything about the stuffed mushroom a million times more delicious. So don’t skimp and not add the sauce you will need it!
I brought them to the Christmas Party along with Chef Chloe’s Pumpkin Tiramisu for dessert. They were both a hit. The mushrooms were so well-loved that I overheard my cousin’s wife telling him he had to try the mushrooms they were ridiculous. (Which is good). He at them and was like these are awesome, who made them. Then I had to fess up that I made them and they were vegan and he said “Then I probably don’t want to know what is in them”. His wife said she did and to email her the recipe. The recipe was mailed out to several people and everyone went home happy!
RECIPE
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Sundried Tomato Bechamel Sauce: Preparation
1/3-1/2 of a small jar of sundried tomatoes in olive oil
Olive Oil
2 tbsp dehydrated Onions (or you can use onion powder or fresh if you choose)
1 tbsp Salt (to taste)
1 tsp Basil
1 8oz tub of Tofutti Better than Cream Cheese
1/2 block of Daiya Garlic Havarti Cheese (or Daiya Cheddar and add garlic to taste)
1/3 cup Tofutti Sour Supreme Sour Cream
Place saucepan on medium low. Add Sundried Tomatoes with oil, onions, and salt to a sauce pan until onions brown lightly (add extra olive oil if needed to cover bottom of pan thinly). Then add all other ingredients slowly (sour cream first the block cheese will splatter) and whisk until combined and melted. Chopping cheese will aid this process.
Stuffed Mushrooms: Preparation
9 large Portobello caps
1 package of Pepperidge Farms Herb Stuffing
2 cups hot water
2 tsp Thyme
2 tbsp salt ( I use Kosher)
Olive Oil Spray or Cooking Spray
Optional: Galaxy Foods Vegan Parmesan and Pecans/Walnuts
Spray a large lasagna pan with oil spray. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Take a spoon and scrape the black insides of 6 mushrooms into a large mixing bowl. Also use the stems and dice them and toss into bowl. Scrape the other 3 but you can toss out the insides so they don’t overwhelm the stuffing.
Place the mushrooms in the lasagna pan sprinkle with a pinch kosher salt and then spray with oil. Place in oven to soften them. It will take about 10 minutes or well they start to sweat into the bottom of the pan and create juice. Take out, drain, set aside.
Next add stuffing to the mushroom insides in mixing bowl. Add 1-2 tbsp salt and 1 tsp thyme. Add 2 cups of hot water.Toss until combined and all stuffing is wet and soft. You can add nuts here if you would like them for crunch.
Use a 1/2 cup scoop and add stuffing to the mushrooms. It will take between 1/2 and 1 cup to fill each.
Place in oven until crispy on top about 15-20 minutes. (Make sauce while they are in the oven to save time)
Take out, add sauce, sprinkle with thyme and parmesan, and serve.
XOXOX, The Hippie Gypsy
So I spent the weekend doing two things:
1. Testing delcious recipes for Thanksgiving, and
2. Going to PumpkinFest in Keene, NH with my beautifully carved pumpkin that says “Vegan”. Because pumpkins are vegan and I am vegan and pumpkinfest should be too! (And yes I wore shorts in 40-50 degree weather, I am from New England)
So with that cool Autumn Air for inspiration and the smell of fried dough I can’t eat in the air (and a line a mile long that made me grateful I couldn’t) I will give you three of my recipe testing reviews. I made biscuits, butternut squash macaroni, and pumpkin chocolate chip bars. I would also like to note that I had to order some of the stuff online that I needed for these masterpieces (and more that I plan on making) from various sources which is partially why I have been offline. RESTOCKING! My favorite is always www.veganessentials.com because they have almost everything.
BISCUITS!
Let’s start with Mom’s Vegan Kitchen All Purpose Bisquits (http://store.veganessentials.com/vegan-all-purpose-biscuit-mix-by-moms-vegan-kitchen-p3330.aspx).
This is an investment of time. You will need to roll these out twice folding in between and cut that cold soy butter (earth balance) quickly and into small pieces keeping in mind the whole bag is not the serving size directed on the back of the bag for isntructions. They do it based on 2 cups and there are five in the bag.
Next issue, you need to make them as high as possible as they do not rise much. I would also advise adding extra plain soymilk. After they get cool they dry out a little.
Last issue, my husband said they were too salty once you add butter and applied marmalade instead to contract with sweetness. They were delcious but had to stay warm or they got dry and a little hard. I added homemade hash browns for him (diced russet potatoes, earth balance, bell peppers, onions, and salt/pepper) and he was happy.
What about you folks? Too salty? Better way to make them moist? How about a different brand? Should I try the Joy of Vegan Baking recipe next time?
NEXT….
Butternut Squash Macaroni
Recipe from Whole Foods: http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/2349?utm_source=email&utm_medium=Grocery&utm_term=Vegan&utm_content=Recipe&utm_campaign=2012_10_03_Recipes
I got this recipe in my inbox and the picture looked amazing so I was in! This makes your whole house smell like thanksgiving and is relatively simple to make. I call it a dump and go. You dump most of the ingredients into your cooking pots and pans and heat. There is chopping of the squash involved but I am sure there is a way to buy it pre-chopped. However, I happened to have a whole squash from a friend’s CSA that she got too many of. Score for me!
My suggestions: Use any nut you want. I used pecans because that is what I had in the house. Nest, don’t use panko breadcrumbs. Go for a hearty breadcrumb or even a stuffing on top. It needs the saltyness. Mine was way undersalted despite salting everything individually. I swear coconut milk eats up salt magically!
Overall: This came out delicious. If I weren’t vegan I would still eat it. You can make it into a casserole and add faux chicken and other veggies and top it with stuffing and make it the yummiest Thanksgiving side dish ever. I love this recipe with my whole heart!
TELL ME HOW YOU MAKE OUT WITH A DIFFERENT BREADCRUMB!
NEXT…..
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars
Recipe: www.onehundreddollarsamonth.com
First if you haven’t heard of Mavis and her goal to only spend $100 a month on groceries while growing the rest in her 1 acre yard in the great Northwest, well you need to! I look forward to her blog and its insights, hilarity, coupons, and guidance each night. She posts recipes for all types omnis to vegans. She has her own chickens, gardens, bartering neighbors, and nicknames for all. I love to read about how her life is and what it is like to be an urban farmer in essence while being green and thrifty. But I love it most when she shares her vegan recipes from her garden of goodies!
This week was pumpkin chocolate chip bars.
The good: They are sweet and yummy and you can portion them out in muffin tins.
The bad: My husband ate almost all the chocolate chips (365 vegan semi-sweet) so I had to sub 2/3 of them for pecans.
The ugly: I am on Weight Watchers and I can’t eat them all! However the hubby has eaten three (3) in less than 12 hours and we were sleeping for most of that.
Tricks? If you don’t ave pumpkin pie spice, use the canned pumpkin pie mix instead of pure pumpkin because it is literally the pure pumpkin with the spice. Time saver!
TOO SWEET? TOO PUMPKIN-Y? RECIPES CHANGES YOU SUGGEST?
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So… I will be back at the end of this week with some more recipes for your holiday needs. I keep promising to post my spinach artichoke recipe and I WILL! I finally found where I wrote it our for a friend so it will go up on here as well. I also made a fabulous everyday sundried tomato cream sauce last night and I may have to post that as well. It was super quick to make and I loved it. My husband however just broke the news to me last night that he prefers marinara so I won’t have an omnivore take on this one! He does love my apple caramel pies though so I will place that up with it.
Happy Herbivore Eating Everyone! Keep it hip and take it with you!
XOXOX, The Hippie Gypsy
So I spent the weekend doing two things:
1. Testing delcious recipes for Thanksgiving, and
2. Going to PumpkinFest in Keene, NH with my beautifully carved pumpkin that says “Vegan”. Because pumpkins are vegan and I am vegan and pumpkinfest should be too! (And yes I wore shorts in 40-50 degree weather, I am from New England)
So with that cool Autumn Air for inspiration and the smell of fried dough I can’t eat in the air (and a line a mile long that made me grateful I couldn’t) I will give you three of my recipe testing reviews. I made biscuits, butternut squash macaroni, and pumpkin chocolate chip bars. I would also like to note that I had to order some of the stuff online that I needed for these masterpieces (and more that I plan on making) from various sources which is partially why I have been offline. RESTOCKING! My favorite is always www.veganessentials.com because they have almost everything.
BISCUITS!
Let’s start with Mom’s Vegan Kitchen All Purpose Bisquits (http://store.veganessentials.com/vegan-all-purpose-biscuit-mix-by-moms-vegan-kitchen-p3330.aspx).
This is an investment of time. You will need to roll these out twice folding in between and cut that cold soy butter (earth balance) quickly and into small pieces keeping in mind the whole bag is not the serving size directed on the back of the bag for isntructions. They do it based on 2 cups and there are five in the bag.
Next issue, you need to make them as high as possible as they do not rise much. I would also advise adding extra plain soymilk. After they get cool they dry out a little.
Last issue, my husband said they were too salty once you add butter and applied marmalade instead to contract with sweetness. They were delcious but had to stay warm or they got dry and a little hard. I added homemade hash browns for him (diced russet potatoes, earth balance, bell peppers, onions, and salt/pepper) and he was happy.
What about you folks? Too salty? Better way to make them moist? How about a different brand? Should I try the Joy of Vegan Baking recipe next time?
NEXT….
Butternut Squash Macaroni
Recipe from Whole Foods: http://www.wholefoodsmarket.com/recipes/2349?utm_source=email&utm_medium=Grocery&utm_term=Vegan&utm_content=Recipe&utm_campaign=2012_10_03_Recipes
I got this recipe in my inbox and the picture looked amazing so I was in! This makes your whole house smell like thanksgiving and is relatively simple to make. I call it a dump and go. You dump most of the ingredients into your cooking pots and pans and heat. There is chopping of the squash involved but I am sure there is a way to buy it pre-chopped. However, I happened to have a whole squash from a friend’s CSA that she got too many of. Score for me!
My suggestions: Use any nut you want. I used pecans because that is what I had in the house. Nest, don’t use panko breadcrumbs. Go for a hearty breadcrumb or even a stuffing on top. It needs the saltyness. Mine was way undersalted despite salting everything individually. I swear coconut milk eats up salt magically!
Overall: This came out delicious. If I weren’t vegan I would still eat it. You can make it into a casserole and add faux chicken and other veggies and top it with stuffing and make it the yummiest Thanksgiving side dish ever. I love this recipe with my whole heart!
TELL ME HOW YOU MAKE OUT WITH A DIFFERENT BREADCRUMB!
NEXT…..
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars
Recipe: www.onehundreddollarsamonth.com
First if you haven’t heard of Mavis and her goal to only spend $100 a month on groceries while growing the rest in her 1 acre yard in the great Northwest, well you need to! I look forward to her blog and its insights, hilarity, coupons, and guidance each night. She posts recipes for all types omnis to vegans. She has her own chickens, gardens, bartering neighbors, and nicknames for all. I love to read about how her life is and what it is like to be an urban farmer in essence while being green and thrifty. But I love it most when she shares her vegan recipes from her garden of goodies!
This week was pumpkin chocolate chip bars.
The good: They are sweet and yummy and you can portion them out in muffin tins.
The bad: My husband ate almost all the chocolate chips (365 vegan semi-sweet) so I had to sub 2/3 of them for pecans.
The ugly: I am on Weight Watchers and I can’t eat them all! However the hubby has eaten three (3) in less than 12 hours and we were sleeping for most of that.
Tricks? If you don’t ave pumpkin pie spice, use the canned pumpkin pie mix instead of pure pumpkin because it is literally the pure pumpkin with the spice. Time saver!
TOO SWEET? TOO PUMPKIN-Y? RECIPES CHANGES YOU SUGGEST?
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So… I will be back at the end of this week with some more recipes for your holiday needs. I keep promising to post my spinach artichoke recipe and I WILL! I finally found where I wrote it our for a friend so it will go up on here as well. I also made a fabulous everyday sundried tomato cream sauce last night and I may have to post that as well. It was super quick to make and I loved it. My husband however just broke the news to me last night that he prefers marinara so I won’t have an omnivore take on this one! He does love my apple caramel pies though so I will place that up with it.
Happy Herbivore Eating Everyone! Keep it hip and take it with you!
XOXOX, The Hippie Gypsy
I have been MIA for probably close to a month it feels like. I am not sure, I probably should’ve check my last post date. Either way. I have had a lot on my mind, changed jobs, and then had a huge fight in my family. Part of it had to do with my being vegan. Now if you have just started reading today, I am not vegan by choice. That is why I blog, so other beginner vegans can get through the hard part I didn’t know how to get through. The part where you want a cheeseburger and you don’t care about the damn animals. Well as you get deeper into being vegan a little part of you starts to care about the animals and then perhaps a big part of you (me) will eventually.
I got sick. I had an organ removed. So I am forever vegan. Period. My brother and his wife do not embrace this lifestyle and that is totally fine and up to them. No matter what the animal rights people say I will not push my lifestyle on them. But I would like a little compassion.
When I go out to eat, I have to be detailed and explain my dietary boundaries as a diabetic or gluten allergy person would. Explain what I can’t eat, what I can eat, and why so they understand I am not just being a pain for some new skinny diet. I really cannot eat that stuff and if I do there are major consequences. That being said, I do not go out a lot. I hate it, It’s hard, and stressful. Unfortunately, I have to (sometimes) for family events. During a recent family meeting my brother and his wife brought up how this makes them feel. To a very extreme degree. They deemed me annoying and impossible and that my discussion with the waiters was needless and ridiculous and too detailed. They do not seem to understand what happens when I get sick. Last year an ORGAN was removed. That is a pretty good reason in my book to take the time to explain in detail what I can’t ingest. However they do not agree and asked me to not do this and basically just order and hope for the best so they do not have to hear about it. My sister in law also went so far as to scream at me and repeat the comment that my food choices are “GROSS”. Well my darlings, this is where I must become less than pleasant.
When you go out to order your food, remember…. it is not gross, your order is not annoying, and your reasons (whatever they are big or small) are valid. If your order takes twenty minutes and they need to bring out a short hand court reporter. Let them. You should not have any food forced on you. This leads to food issues. Either overeating, undereating, or resentment. Be happy, be healthy, and tell those folks to go away. I hate food nazis. I don’t want to be told to be vegan, be vegetarian, or be omnivore unless it is by a doctor who has a reason.
Moving on.
So here are my other eating out and ordering tips:
So I love muffins and chocolate and bananas and my “Joy of Vegan Baking” Cookbook so when I saw a recipe for Banana Walnut Chocolate Chip Muffins I passed out in a heavenly rush on my kitchen floor! All jokes aside the recipe was easy and yummy and hit the spot. I could make a ton of them for a work related early morning meeting or just to snack away at throughout the week for the whole family. I even brought some to my neighbor’s house last night for the kids and they became the “best muffin I ever ate” by the 8year old omnivore at the house. So that being said, I knew I had to throw the adapted recipe up. The “Joy of Vegan Baking” calls for more chocolate chips which I am usually game for but in this case they were crumbling apart from the chips so I cut them in half and it was perfect. I also added a little more vanilla and some flaxseed powder. The muffins keep well and are pretty good ingredient wise with nuts, seeds, and 4 bananas. Can’t beat a semi-healthy muffin! Enjoy!
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INGREDIENTS:
2cups All Purpose Flour (I use unbleached from Trader Joe’s)
1 1/2 teaspoons Baking Soda
Pinch of Kosher Salt
1 Cup Vegan Sugar (Whole Foods has a good one)
1/3cup Canola Oil (Vegetable will work but Canola is better)
4 Bananas ripe or brown (deep yellow work best although brown are a little sweeter)
1/4 cup water
1 tbsp Mexican Vanilla Extract
1/2 cup Vegan Semisweet Chocolate Chips (green package at whole foods)
1/2 cup chopped raw walnuts
OPTIONAL: Add 2 tbsp powdered flaxseed for a little extra goodness, it won’t effect the flavor or texture!
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LET’S BAKE!
Place paper in muffin tins. You can use folded parchment or just any good old cupcake paper wrapper. I have tons of old Christmas ones so red and green it is!
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Get two bowls to mix in. One for wet ingredients one for dry. The larger one for the wet ingredients as you will add the dry to this mixture later.
Flour, Baking Soda, and Salt in on bowl (optional flaxseed powder). Lightly whisk to combine everything well.
Next, in the larger bowl or the “wet” bowl mix the oil and sugar until it looks like a yellow slushy.
Mash in the bananas to the “slushy” mix. Then add water and vanilla. Combine well.
Now sift the dry mix into the wet mix slowly. I would add about 1/8 at a time then stir in completely and sift in the next bunch to avoid those bubbles of lumpy dry mixture.
Once all is combined well stir in chocolate chips and walnuts.
I did not add walnuts to one batch at the request of my neighbors kids the other day and the muffins were still deemed the “best muffin she has ever had”. 8 year old approval is a good thing especially an 8 year old omnivore! So nuts or no nuts they are A-OK. Moving on…
Scoop mixture into cupcake pan/cups. I use a 1/4 cup measuring cup if my Ice cream scoop is unavailable.
Back for 25minutes in a gas oven it may take closer to 30 in an electric oven.
Take out, cool, and eat.
The Hippie Gypsy 