Vegan MoFo, Day 22: Tasty Drinks--Week Four!

Holy cow, week FOUR! How did this happen? This month has absolutely flown by, dontcha think?

It's Monday, so that means tasty drinks from Meatless Meals. Here's what's in store for this week that you must try.

Tomato Sauerkraut Cocktail
adapted from Meatless Meals, page 34
serves 2--supplies protective vitamins

1 cup tomato juice
4 Tbsp sauerkraut juice
black pepper

Mix together tomato and sauerkraut juices. Serve in chilled glasses or on ice. Sprinkle with black pepper.

 The verdict: Interesting taste. The two juices worked well together, though I wouldn't drink this every day. Might take some more getting used to. Also, I'm not a big fan of Bloody Mary drinks (I know, what?!?).

Next up!

Hot Spiced Cider
adapted from Meatless Meals, page 2N
serves 4--supplies mineral salts and sugar

3 packets apple cider drink mix
6 cups water
1/8 tsp ginger powder
1/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 tsp whole cloves
1 stick cinnamon
1/8 tsp salt
1/4 tsp grated nutmeg
1 slice lemon peel
1 slice orange peel

Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan and cook until heated and fragrant. Serve hot.

{peels added!}

The verdict: YUM. Yum, yum, yum.

{my mother-in-law made a Depression-era spice cake from a recipe by my husband's grandmother.
DELICIOUS!!! I just ate another slice!}

Jes

VMF 2011 Day 22: Curried Corn Soup
VMF 2010 Day 22: Roasted Garlic Grilled Cheese Sandys

Vegan MoFo, Day 21: Yearly MoFo Survey

Today was a wonderful day spent out with family. We saw sights, shared giggles, and celebrated a birthday!

Somehow, I managed to make a loaf of bread but not get something made from the cookbook, so I'll have to settle for a survey today. Looking back on my 2010 survey, here's how my responses have changed in two years!

What is one food you thought you’d miss when you went vegan, but don’t?

Whipped cream, but there are several other options out there!

What is a food or dish you wouldn’t touch as a child, but enjoy now?

Still thinking beets is the best answer for this one. I loooove me some beets now, though.

What vegan dish or food you feel like you “should” like, but don’t?

Hmmm...I'm not sure about this one. I've grown to love a lot of vegan foods. It's amazing how tastes change over time if you just try.

What beverage do you consume the most of on any given day?

Water. All day long.

What dish are you “famous” for making or bringing to gatherings?

I haven't yet found a dish that I bring to gatherings a lot, besides a simple pasta salad.

Do you have any self-imposed food rules (like no food touching on the plate or no nuts in sweets)?

I've grown out of my "eating one food at a time" rule. Plus, I'm also really, really into spicy foods now.

What’s one food or dish you tend to eat too much of when you have it in your home?

Chocolate. Yum!!

What ingredient or food do you prefer to make yourself despite it being widely available prepackaged?

I've come to like my own bread. It's not just satisfying to eat but is fun to make!

What ingredient or food is worth spending the extra money to get “the good stuff”?

Maple syrup, the real stuff. Beats the crummy fake stuff by miles.

Are you much of a snacker? What are your favorite snacks?

Oh heck yes. Way more than I should. Ice cream, pretzels, chocolate. Cravings!

What are your favorite vegan pizza toppings?

Daiya, mushrooms, and black olives. Classic.

What is your favorite vegetable? Fruit?

Asparagus and bananas. Could eat these every day!

What is the best salad dressing?

Lemon juice and salt. Or a quick vinaigrette made from lemon juice, olive oil, salt, pepper, and mustard.

What is your favorite thing to put on toasted bread?

Fruit jam! Well, except crappy grape. Bleh.

What kind of soup do you most often turn to on a chilly day or when you aren’t feeling your best?

I've really grown to love blended-up vegetable soups, like butternut squash soup. My favorite is still brothy veggie soup made from whatever I have on hand.

What is your favorite cupcake flavor? Frosting flavor?

CHOCOLATE! AND CHOCOLATE!

What is your favorite kind of cookie?

Still a fan of chocolate chip cookies.

What is your most-loved “weeknight meal”?

Baked potatoes and corn-on-the-cob on Wednesdays! It's become our weekly ritual around here. Everyone at me husband's workplace wishes him "happy baked potatoes and corn" when he leaves Wednesday afternoons!

What is one dish or food you enjoy, but can’t get anyone else in your household to eat?

Sauerkraut. My husband isn't having any of that...ever.

How long, in total, do you spend in the kitchen on an average day?

Maybe like an hour now. I've become way more efficient with my time compared with before.

Hope you all enjoyed your weekend. Here's to the work week...bleh.

Jes

VMF 2011 Day 21: Kitchen Sink Taboulleh and Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
VMF 2010 Day 21: Peasant Supper Sundays: Beans, Beans the Magical Fruit...

Vegan MoFo, Day 20: Coconut Cream Jumbles

Happy Saturday, everyone! Today, we're going to an evening wedding three hours away, so I'm ecstatic that I succeeded in sleeping last night. Hooray! I was so happy that I woke up and made cookies.

{cookies!!!}

These are originally called Coconut Cream Jumbles, though they used heavy cream. I subbed this out with lite coconut milk (canned). See how that makes more sense now?

Coconut Cream Jumbles
adapted from Meatless Meals, page 79
makes 24 cookies--supplies carbohydrates and some fat

2 cups AP flour
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 cup granulated sugar
2 Ener-G "eggs"
1 cup coconut milk (canned)
3/4 cup shredded unsweetened coconut

Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a bowl. In a stand mixer, make your "eggs" (I just whipped them up with the whisk attachment, and it worked beautifully!). Add the sugar to the "eggs" and mix together. Alternate adding the flour mixture and coconut milk to the mixer, ending with flour. Add the shredded coconut. Chill mixture. Spoon dough into cookie shapes onto parchment paper-covered baking sheets and sprinkle sugar on them. Bake at 400 degrees F for about 15 minutes.

{chewy and coconutty}

The verdict: meh. It made for a kind of wet dough, though I love the color. They aren't the best cookies I've made so far from this cookbook but could make for some EXCELLENT pancakes. Hmmm, must try this soon.

Enjoy your Saturday!

Jes

VMF 2011 Day 20: Blah Tofu Satay
VMF 2010 Day 20: Spaghetti and a Promising Sunday

Vegan MoFo, Day 19: Macaroni and Tomato Sauce

You know how sometimes you have a really long day, and all you want to do is have a quick dinner and then pass the hell out? That was me yesterday. Haven't been sleeping very well lately. But this recipe was very quick (probably 15-20 minutes), cheap, and very comforting. It put me into a pasta-coma :)

Macaroni and Tomato Sauce
adapted from Meatless Meals, page 30N
serves 8--supplies protein, calories, Vitamins A, B-1, and C

1 box whole wheat macaroni
1 quart boiling water
1/2 cup frozen peas
1/4 cup green onions, sliced
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 onion, diced
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
3 Tbsp flour
1 can tomato paste
3/4 cup hot water
1/2 cup nutritional yeast (optional)

Cook the macaroni in boiling water. When close to done, add the frozen peas and green onions to the water.  In a skillet, saute the onions in the olive oil until translucent. Add the seasonings and flour, which will coat the onions. Add the tomato paste and hot water and mix together completely. Drain pasta, and add the tomato sauce to the pasta. Stir to coat. At the table, add nooch, if desired.

{Jean Prescott Adams has her version of this dish on her "Always Welcome Menu." good for friends!}

 {savory and smoky}

 {self-admitted nooch fiend. yes'sir.}

It's going to be a long weekend if I don't get some sufficient sleep.

Jes

VMF 2011 Day 19: Sauerkraut, or Learning to Love the Stuff I HATE
VMF 2010 Day 19: Salad, with a Side of the Blahs

Vegan MoFo, Day 18: Peppers Stuffed with Sauerkraut and Rice with Grilled Tomatoes

This meal could become my new go-to comfort food dinner. No joke! It's not something my husband would ever eat (he complained again when I told him I was baking peppers filled with sauerkraut, haha!), but this is definitely something I found really yummy. All I had to purchase for this meal was the 2 peppers. I got to use some lovely organic tomatoes from my friend, Paul, that had started out green and finally turned into beautiful reds.

Rice and Grilled Tomatoes

adapted from Meatless Meals, page 111 (she calls them "grilled" but that's not true)

serves 4--supplies starch, fat, and some mineral matter

1 cup rice, rinsed

2 cups water

1/4 tsp salt

1 tsp curry powder

1 Tbsp vegan butter

2-3 tomatoes sliced

2 Tbsp vegan butter

salt and black pepper

Cook rice per usual instructions. Once cooked, plate rice, sprinkle with curry powder, and dot with vegan butter. In a non-stick pan, cook sliced tomatoes in vegan butter until tender. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, and flip gently. Serve with rice.

{stuffed peppers!}

{savory tomatoes}

Peppers Stuffed with Sauerkraut
adapted from Meatless Meals, page 176
serves 4--supplies necessary mineral elements and some starch

2 large red peppers
1 cup sauerkraut
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1/2 small onion, thinly sliced
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/8 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp oregano
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
4 Tbsp wheat germ

Wash peppers, then slice in half and remove seeds and veins. In a medium or large saucepan, boil the peppers for 5 minutes and then remove and cool until you are able to handle them. Mix sauerkraut, bread crumbs, nooch, and seasonings in a bowl. Stuff peppers with mixture and sprinkle with wheat germ. Place peppers into a greased baking dish, fill baking dish with 1/2" water, and bake at 350 degrees F for about 30 minutes.

{didn't have good expectations for these but was totally impressed}

{I had white rice on hand, but you could certainly use brown or wild rice, just cooked longer}

Day 18 already! I'm looking forward to this weekend and making some more fun and easy recipes to share with you :)

Jes

VMF 2011 Day 18: Hot Chocolate Makes Me Happy!
VMF 2010 Day 18: Arty Chicks

Vegan MoFo, Day 17: Bean Roast

Granted, this dish isn't chocolate-covered cake, but it's still tasty and cheap! I present a recipe from Meatless Meals that doesn't look pretty and needs an accompanying sauce.

Bean Roast
adapted from Meatless Meals, page 1N (she called it Soybean Roast, but I modified a lot)
serves 4-6

2-15 oz. cans cannellini beans (white beans), drained and rinsed
1/4 cup bread crumbs
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1/2 cup soymilk
1/2 small onion, grated
2 Tbsp vegan butter
1 Tbsp celery salt
1 Tbsp grated orange peel
1/4 tsp ancho chili powder
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

Mash the beans in a mixing bowl. Add the bread crumbs, nooch, soymilk, grated onion, butter, grated orange peel, and seasonings and mix until incorporated. Add mixture to a greased loaf pan and pat down. Bake at 350 degrees F for 35 minutes. Serve hot with sauce (1/4 cup ketchup, 1 tsp vegan Worcestershire sauce, and 1 tsp hot sauce mixed together).

{hot sauciness!!}

{my bean loaf is bleeding!}

Jes


VMF 2011 Day 17: Spicy Vegan Juicy Lucy
VMF 2010 Day 17: Seitan Said to...

Vegan MoFo, Day 16: One "Egg" Cake with Chocolate Frosting

Psssst...want some cake??

Step right this way!



One "Egg" Cake
adapted from Meatless Meals, page 57
serves 4-6--supplies carbohydrates, or heat and energy materials, and some protein

1 1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
2 1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 cup vegan butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 Ener-G "egg"
3 Tbsp coconut milk (from a can)
1/3 cup water
1/2 tsp vanilla

Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together in a mixing bowl. In a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar together. Add the "egg" to the creamed butter/sugar. In a cup, mix together the water and coconut milk. Starting with the flour and finishing with flour, alternate adding the flour and milk mixture to the mixer and mix well after each addition. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Pour cake batter into two small, greased baking pans and bake for about 25 minutes. Let cakes cool.

Chocolate Ganache

adapted from Meatless Meals, page 81 (she called it Chocolate Frosting, but it's more of a ganache)

makes a ton, at least two cakes

1 cup granulated sugar

4 Tbsp AP flour

1 1/4 cups soymilk

4 squares bitter chocolate

2 Tbsp vegan butter

1 tsp vanilla

In a double-boiler, melt the chocolate and add milk, mix. Sift the flour and sugar, then add some of the chocolate mixture to the bowl and stir until combined, then add that mixture to the double-boiler and cook until thickened. Add butter and vanilla and let cool. Spread onto cake. Top with vegan sprinkles.

Good lawd.

Jes


VMF 2011 Day 16: Victory Shake!
VMF 2010 Day 16: Bollocks!