Vegan MoFo, Day 27: Internal MoFo Shout Outs!

Every MoFo'er has people on their side who help them out or cheer them on, not just during Vegan MoFo but also in life. Here are my two biggest supporters--

To my mom--thank you for "oooh-ing" and "aaah-ing" over my recipes. You are my biggest supporter, and I love you dearly! I'll make you a batch of the Thing-a-ma-jigs ASAP!

To my husband, Philip--thank you for putting up with my cooking and such, even if this year held FAR LESS drama than previous MoFo years! I'll make you cake anyday!

{took us 10 years to sit for photos together!}

Past Vegan MoFo posts on this day:

VMF 2012 Day 27: Anatomy of Leftovers

VMF 2011 Day 27: Ode to Butternut Squash

VMF 2010 Day 27: Ah, Friday, I Miss You Already...

Vegan MoFo, Day 26: MoFo Shout Outs!

Fulfilling the requirements of Vegan MoFo takes a lot of dedication, time, and energy. I wanted to have a chance to recognize some fellow MoFo'ers who have produced some delectable foods and developed some truly awesome themes. Lights, please!

*I think the best Vegan Mofo theme definitely goes to Cadry's Kitchen. We all define moments in our lives by food (admit it), and she too that thought and combined it with the awesomeness that is Back to the Future. Superb!

*Joey's vegan full English breakfast looks downright AMAZING. Check out the rest of the awesome foods at Flicking the Vs! OMG, and the Coronation Chickpeas! I've wanted to try a veganized version of Coronation Chicken for a while now. This will def be making an appearance at my dinner table in the near future.

*What? Vegan Pizza all the time? Jonesin' because of fuck yeah vegan pizza.

*I am SO jelly of Jojo's trip to Las Vegas!! Must plan a trip again sometime soon. Check it out on vegan.in.brighton.

*I'm a huge lover of sauerkraut and will eat it out of the jar. But sauerkraut with avocado? BRILLIANT! Check out Jen over at Wholly Vegan, and make this sandwich now!

*Dude, I almost fell out when I saw Jackie's Grilled Mac 'n' Cheese BLT come across my Instagram! I've done mac 'n' cheese in a grilled cheese before, but adding a BLT aspect to it! FREAKING NOMS.

*WTF?!? There are Halloween-themed Jones Sodas?!?!? John, I think you've made my week! Despite your review, I really, REALLY want to try these :D



What Vegan MoFo'ers have you been loving lately? Anything blowing your mind or making you have cravings you didn't previously know existed? I've certainly had a great time this month and have a couple more recipes up my sleeve.


Past Vegan MoFo posts on this day:

VMF 2012 Day 26: Spaghetti Rarebit
VMF 2011 Day 26: Bibimbap bap bap
VMF 2010 Day 26: *GASP* I missed a day!

Vegan MoFo, Day 25: Molten Chocolate Cake

This recipe is originally called "Easy Chocolate Cake" in Gems from the Wheat State, but since the center turned out more uncooked, it kind of seemed like a Molten Chocolate Cake to me. It probably had to do with the pans I used--Wilton 6" x 2" round pans--but I like the contrast of textures! And boosting the flavor with cinnamon and different extracts and powders made it pretty tasty, too!

Easy Chocolate Cake (aka Molten Chocolate Cake)
adapted from Gems from the Wheat State, pg. E11, contributor Letitia Wegley
makes 2-6" x 2" cakes, 5-6 slices each

3 cups unbleached AP flour
2 cups sugar
7 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tbsp dark cocoa powder
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp chocolate extract
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp salt
2 tsp baking soda
2/3 cup vegetable oil
2 cups water

Mix all ingredients together until smooth. Pour into well-greased cake pans and bake at 350 degrees F for 40 minutes. Let cool in pans for 20-30 minutes, then remove cakes and let cool on a wire rack for another 20-30 minutes.

As with other MoFo desserts I've made this month, the cakes went into my freezer (one as a whole cake and the other in slices). My husband, Philip, ate some of the frozen sliced cake and said it tastes just like the Amy's brand Chocolate Cake :)

Past Vegan MoFo posts on this day:

VMF 2012 Day 25: History of the Author
VMF 2011 Day 25: Kielbasa Sausage, Your Butt Cheeks Is Warm...
VMF 2010 Day 25: NONE

Vegan MoFo, Day 24: Apple Goody

Have you had enough of apples yet? Me neither! I decided to break some out for another apple recipe from Gems from the Wheat State. This one's a keeper.

Apple Goody
adapted from Gems from the Wheat State, pg. E136, contributor Mary Lou Hiebert
serves 6-10, depending on portion size

2 cups apples, diced (I used Braeburn)
3/4 cup sugar
1 tbsp white whole-wheat flour
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup quick cook oats
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white whole-wheat flour
1/4 cup vegan margarine, softened
1/8 tsp baking soda
1/8 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp cinnamon

Mix sugar, 1 tbsp flour, salt, cinnamon, and apples together until apples are coated. Pour mixture into a well-greased baking dish. In a new mixing bowl, add oats, brown sugar, 1/2 cup flour, vegan margarine, baking soda, baking powder, vanilla, and cinnamon and stir together until incorporated. Add crumbly mixture over apple mixture and bake at 375 degrees F for 35 minutes. Serve hot or cold.

I love how the sugar made a caramel in which the apple pieces became suspended. Delicious! Cannot get enough apples--I've been eating at least one every day :)


Past Vegan MoFo posts on this day:

VMF 2012 Day 24: Lemon Olive Butter Sandwiches
VMF 2011 Day 24: Blogs of Note
VMF 2010 Day 24: Mushroom Spread

Vegan MoFo, Day 23: Thing-a-ma-jigs

You guys, my mom makes the BEST no bake cookies. I grew up on these things. They're just so easy and quick to make. And since I went vegan almost four years ago, Mom has been veganizing the cookies for family functions. She even prefers the veganized version (ha!). The recipe Mom uses from Gems from the Wheat State calls them "Thing-a-ma-jigs," which I find very novel. Since I love my mom's version so much, I wanted to make it, too. The original recipe calls for peanut butter, but when I searched Target for the right PB last night, I found Biscoff Spread (right????? I got some from Vegan Essentials a month ago and FELL. IN. LOVE. I couldn't believe I found it at Target, too!). It's pretty much the coolest thing since sliced bread. And that's when I knew I had to use it in this recipe instead of the PB. Thus, I give you--

Thing-a-ma-jigs (No Bake Cookies)

adapted from Gems from the Wheat State, pg. E63, contributors Sylvia Thrush, Irene Brandt, Christine Anderson, and Jodi Smith

makes 20-25 cookies, depending on size

2 cups sugar

1/2 cup cocoa

1 tbsp dark cocoa

1/2 cup soymilk

1/2 cup vegan margarine, softened

sprinkle of salt

1/2 cup Lotus Biscoff Creamy European Cookie Spread

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1/2 tsp chocolate extract

3 cups quick cooking oats

In a large soup pot, cook sugar, cocoa powders, soymilk, vegan margarine, and salt until boiling. Boil 1 minute, then remove from heat. Stir in Biscoff Spread and mix thoroughly. Add extracts and then oats. Combine thoroughly. **Get your pans ready before beginning recipe because once the oats are added, it starts to set quickly** On parchment or waxed paper, drop mixture by tablespoon into cookie shapes. This mixture will dry very quickly, so work fast and DON'T double or triple the batches unless there are several people to do this last step! Let cool for 15 minutes. Can be frozen once in cookie form. 

Oh bajeez, these are SO freaking tasty. The Biscoff Spread takes them to a place previously unknown by my taste buds...cookie spread used in cookies. Ha! I only let myself eat one but have the rest of the batch freezing for some time later. It's going to take all my will-power not to break into them...


Past Vegan MoFo posts on this day:

VMF 2012 Day 23: Corn Chowder
VMF 2011 Day 23: Roadtrip!
VMF 2010 Day 23: Vegan MoFo, I Think I Love You (my tribute)

Vegan MoFo, Day 22: Lavender Limeade

Gems from the Wheat State has a basic blueprint recipe for lemonade or limeade. The recipe contributor wasn't too specific and left the recipe wide-open for interpretation. I took it a bit further by cutting half the sugar and adding lavender buds. The lavender simple syrup adds so much to the basic concept of a limeade. It's floral and mellow against the contrast of the vibrant lime flavor. Love :)

Lavender Limeade
adapted from Gems from the Wheat State, pg. F14, contributor Cindy Hess
serves 8-12

1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup water
1 tbsp lavender buds
1 cup lime juice
4 cups cold water

In a small saucepan, bring sugar, lavender, and 1/2 cup water to a boil. Measure out 1 cup lime juice. Strain lavender simple syrup into lime juice. Add to large pitcher and add 4 cups chilled water. Serve over ice.

It really is a beautiful drink, and I'm going to really enjoy it over the rest of this week.


Past Vegan MoFo posts on this day:

VMF 2012 Day 22: Tasty Drinks--Week Four!
VMF 2011 Day 22: Curried Corn Soup
VMF 2010 Day 22: Roasted Garlic Grilled Cheese Sandys

Vegan MoFo, Day 21: Fruit Cobbler

Here's a recipe that is pretty adaptable in that you can use different berries or fruits--I used some frozen homegrown blackberries my MIL gave to me. Had forgotten I had them in the freezer and figured this was the best place to use them! Make this recipe in the dead of winter when you're eyeing the berries you took the trouble to freeze during warmer temperature days and when you're longing for their flavor when everything outside is bleak and blah.

Fruit Cobbler
adapted from Gems from the Wheat State, pg. E124, contributor Doris Ball
serves 4-8

1/4 cup vegan margarine, melted into casserole dish
1 cup soymilk
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup almond flour/meal
1/2 cup white-whole wheat flour
3 tsp baking powder
1 qt of fruit of your choice

Melt your vegan margarine into a casserole dish and set aside. In a mixing bowl, make your batter from the other ingredients (thin batter) and pour into the casserole dish. Add 1 qt of fruit of your choice (blackberries in mine!), including the juice. Be sure to space them out fairly evenly. DO NOT STIR. Bake at 350 degrees F for 45-50 minutes. Can be served hot or cooled.

Mega-yum! And I can tell you that it freezes well and just needs heated up to eat later. So good!!


Past Vegan MoFo posts on this day:

VMF 2012 Day 21: Yearly MoFo Survey
VMF 2011 Day 21: Kitchen Sink Taboulleh and Roasted Red Pepper Hummus
VMF 2010 Day 21: Peasant Supper Sundays: Beans, Beans the Magical Fruit...