Orange Glazed Tofu & Smlove Pie!

I have a ridiculous number of cookbooks - yet I'm constantly buying more. Although I look at my bookshelf & love seeing how many options I have to choose from, I sometimes feel guilty for how many recipes I have yet to try from all these books... So, I often tell myself that I am not going to buy anymore cookbooks for [insert unrealistic amount of time, like two years]. But you know what? I really don't want to stop buying cookbooks. I like supporting vegan authors in their endeavors, I love experimenting with food, and it's just so damn fun to page through a new cookbook, drooling over the pictures & marking the recipes I most want to try first. Even though I absolutely love to cook, I sometimes think that I love getting new cookbooks (or any book, really) more than I actually like using them! So, instead of banning myself from buying books, I am just committing myself to try new recipes often instead of getting in a rut & eating my same favorite dishes over & over.

In light of this new goal, tonight I decided to make the Orange Glazed Tofu from Eat, Drink & Be Vegan. I have had this fabulous cookbook for over a year, and everything has been great so far (especially the cookies)! But there are still a lot of recipes to try... This dish was incredibly easy & delicious. And it's really healthy, to boot! I was so pleased that I didn't have to fry up the tofu to give it flavor; the orange glaze marinade penetrated the tofu so well that no one would miss the oil that most stirfry-style dishes have!

I sprinkled the tofu with black sesame seeds & served it on a bed of couscous, which is also something I have never made before! (Can you believe that?) I have had a bag in my cupboard for months, but I usually reach for the quinoa or brown rice just because I'm familiar with that. Nick didn't love the couscous, but I really liked it. I think I might not have let it soak in the boiling water long enough because it was a little tough in the middle, but live & learn! Also on the side was steamed kale, red chard, and broccoli sprinkled with white wine vinegar & a tiny pinch of sea salt.

Also, I know pretty much everyone in the vegan world has made the Smlove Pie from Veganomicon by now, but I just finally did for Christmas. It's definitely a special occasion dessert, since it's so rich & decadent, but it was surprisingly easy for the most part! There are a lot of steps, so it was a little time consuming... But well worth the effort & fun to make! I definitely recommend it--but I advise having others to share it with to avoid devouring much of it throughout one day! It is really filling, so one small slice satisfies for awhile... But after a couple hours, I found myself thinking, "Mmmm, I could really go for some more Smlove." It is dangerous stuff & impossible to resist!

The [Domestic] Vegan's Hundred

Back in August, Hannah at BitterSweet posted a list of "The Vegan's Hundred"--her animal-free take on the (*ahem* pretty gross, yet popular) list of The Omnivore's Hundred that has been circulating the blogosphere.

I immediately thought this was a fantastic idea, but hadn't gotten around to completing it for myself until now. It's interesting to see such a long list of so many of the creative, unique, and (mostly) delicious foods right at our fingertips. And some people picture a vegan diet being boring & limited! :)

If you care to do this fun exercise for your own blog, here are the directions...

1) Copy this list into your own blog, including these instructions.
2) Bold all the items you’ve eaten.
3) Cross out any items that you would never consider eating.
4) Post a comment here once you’ve finished and link your post back to this one.
5) Pass it on!

1. Natto
2. Green Smoothie
3. Tofu Scramble
4. Haggis
5. Mangosteen
6. Creme brulee
7. Fondue
8. Marmite/Vegemite
9. Borscht
10. Baba ghanoush
11. Nachos
12. Authentic soba noodles
13. PB&J sandwich
14. Aloo gobi
15. Taco from a street cart
16. Boba Tea
17. Black truffle
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes
19. Gyoza
20. Vanilla ice cream
21. Heirloom tomatoes
22. Fresh wild berries
23. Ceviche
24. Rice and beans
25. Knish
26. Raw scotch bonnet pepper
27. Dulce de leche
28. Caviar
29. Baklava
30. Pate
31. Wasabi peas
32. Chowder in a sourdough bowl
33. Mango lassi
34. Sauerkraut
35. Root beer float
36. Mulled cider
37. Scones with buttery spread and jam
38. Vodka jelly
39. Gumbo
40. Fast food French fries
41. Raw Brownies
42. Fresh Garbanzo Beans
43. Dahl
44. Homemade Soymilk
45. Wine from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more
46. Stroopwafle
47. Samosas
48. Vegetable Sushi
49. Glazed doughnut
50. Seaweed
51. Prickly pear
52. Umeboshi
53. Tofurkey
54. Sheese
55. Cotton candy
56. Gnocchi
57. Piña colada
58. Birch beer
59. Scrapple
60. Carob chips
61. S’mores
62. Soy curls
63. Chickpea cutlets
64. Curry
65. Durian
66. Homemade Sausages
67. Churros, elephant ears, or funnel cake
68. Smoked tofu
69. Fried plantain
70. Mochi
71. Gazpacho
72. Warm chocolate chip cookies
73. Absinthe
74. Corn on the cob
75. Whipped cream, straight from the can
76. Pomegranate
77. Fauxstess Cupcake
78. Mashed potatoes with gravy
79. Jerky
80. Croissants
81. French onion soup
82. Savory crepes
83. Tings
84. A meal at Candle 79
85. Moussaka
86. Sprouted grains or seeds
87. Macaroni and “cheese”
88. Flowers
89. Matzoh ball soup
90. White chocolate
91. Seitan
92. Kimchi
93. Butterscotch chips
94. Yellow watermelon
95. Chili with chocolate
96. Bagel and Tofutti
97. Potato milk
98. Polenta
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee
100. Raw cookie dough

I consider myself to be a pretty adventurous eater; I am always up for trying new dishes, and I do my best to eat a wide variety of foods everyday... Even so, I see that I have a lot of eating to do before I can bold every item on this list! I should also note that I only crossed out 3 items (indicating I would never try them)--but I suppose if someone else made these things, I'd be open to trying them... I just won't ever be making those things for myself. Well, except absinthe. Considering I get looped from two glasses of wine, I think it's best to keep the absinthe away from me...

Breakfast Dinner: Banana Hazelnut Pancakes & Cheesy Tofu Scramble

I just had the best dinner I've had in a long time! Probably because it combined so many of my favorite ingredients: Hazelnuts, bananas, vegan cheesy sauce, tofu, and sauteed vegetables. I have been making a lot of really healthy soups, salads & sandwiches for dinner lately--which I love--but, sometimes you have to switch it up & have a breakfast dinner! For some reason, I love breakfast food at dinnertime. One of life's simple pleasures, I guess.

Tonight it was Banana Pecan Pancakes from Vegan with a Vengeance, but instead of pecans, I subbed in toasted hazelnuts. I also used some coffee-flavored soymilk instead of plain, and added a bit of almond extract & nutmeg. So amazingly delicious! On the side, it was apples with a sprinkle of cinnamon, and a Cheesy Tofu & Veggie Scramble (with hot sauce drizzled on top)... I'd be lying if I said I didn't lick my plate clean.

October is almost over?!

Gah! How have a let yet another month go by without posting? Honest to goodness... It seems that I always have the best intentions, and then I get overtaken with busy-ness! But I promise I have been eating very well, experimenting with new foods, and enjoying autumn. Autumn is by far my favorite season, and Minnesota has had a great one this year! I had to post right now (even though I'm at work... Shhh) because I just couldn't live with myself if I didn't post in October, my favorite (and my birthday) month! I swear on a stack of pumpkin muffins (my true loves right now) that I will be back this weekend to post pictures of real, actual food... If I don't, someone fly to Minneapolis & yell at me. I really do love blogging & connecting with all of you out there in Blogland, so I can't even explain my internet laziness. I'm sure you'll see a lot of me once it snows & I am stuck inside for 5 months!

For now... Here is a video of my dear Mabel acting like her fool self & sneezing. Hopefully you can hear how much she sounds like Daffy Duck when she sneezes! (I have been trying to get this on video for almost 3 years, and I just happened to have my camera on when she did it last week!) Please note how she cannot get her tongue into her mouth afterward... She's amazing.

Recipe: Ooey Gooey Cinnamon Rolls

Back so soon? Why, yes. I told you I'd be sharing my Cinnamon Roll recipe... I don't really know what to say about these little buns of joy. I mean, cinnamon rolls kind of speak for themselves, don't they? They're sweet, they're gooey, they're full of cinnamon (my favorite spice), and they taste best fresh from the oven. Enough jabbering. I am happy to share the recipe with you--and if anyone makes them, please let me know your honest opinion! :) The ingredient list/instructions looks quite long, but I promise these are incredibly easy & quick.

I was inspired to make this recipe after reading a few in my mom's [non-vegan] cookbooks. I took the elements I liked best from each, changed them quite a bit, and modified them to suit my tastes--and my veganism, of course! Also, this recipe only makes 6-8 rolls because I usually make them just for Nick & me, but you can certainly double it with great results!

Ingredients:

Rolls:

• 1/2 c. + 1 Tbsp. soy milk, slightly warmed on the stove/in the microwave (make sure it's not too hot to touch with your finger, or else the heat will kill the yeast!)
• 1 packet (2 1/2 tsp.) yeast
• 3 Tbsp. granulated sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp. Ener-G Egg Replacer mixed with 2 Tbsp. warm water, lightly beaten until frothy
• 3 Tbsp. Earth Balance, room temperature
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
  
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 2 1/4 c. unbleached bread flour

Filling:

• 2-3 Tbsp. Earth Balance, room temperature (not melted, but fairly soft; also, I prefer Earth Balance Whipped--it's organic & spreads better)
• 1/3 c. + 1 Tbsp. brown sugar
• 1 1/2 Tbsp. cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. nutmeg
  
• 1/3 c. walnuts or pecans, chopped
  

Icing:

• 3/4 c. powdered sugar
• 2-3 Tbsp. soy creamer or soy milk
• 1 Tbsp. Earth Balance, melted
  
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/8 tsp. almond extract
• 1/8 tsp. coffee extract (very optional; I like to add this sometimes for an extra unique flavor, but it's certainly not mandatory)
• Tiny pinch of salt
  

Directions:
Preheat oven to 200°F.

I highly recommend using a stand mixer (I love my KitchenAid & its dough hook attachment), but if you don't have one, these will still be great with a bit of kneading by hand! Pour the warmed soy milk into the bowl of your mixer. Add the yeast & 3 Tbsp. sugar, and give it a quick stir. Let it "proof" for a few minutes; if the yeast doesn't foam up slightly, it is probably dead & you should start over to ensure fluffy rolls! After about 5 minutes, mix in the "egg," 3 Tbsp. Earth Balance, vanilla extract, and salt. Add the flour, and mix/knead until well-combined. Be careful not to overmix, as that will make the rolls very tough! At this point, the dough should be slightly tacky, but NOT sticky (none of it should stick to your fingers). If you need to, add an extra tablespoon (or two) of flour to make the dough smoother, and knead a bit more.

Turn off the oven. Put the dough in a clean, lightly greased bowl & cover with a damp towel. Place inside oven for approx. 1 hour, until it has about doubled in size.

Once dough has risen, turn out onto very lightly floured surface. Roll out into a rectangle/oval, about 10"x16". (Note: I am actually not very good with eyeballing inches like this, but roll it out so the dough is about 1/2" thick. I don't think you can really go wrong. You just want the horizontal length to be longer than the vertical, if that makes sense!)

Combine the brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg & nuts together in a small bowl. Generously spread the 2-3 Tbsp. Earth Balance on the dough. Sprinkle the sugar/spice/nut mixture over the butter. Roll up the dough & lightly pinch the seam shut, so it stays sealed & doesn't unroll. Time to divide into rolls. I like to slide floss underneath the dough & pull it tight at each "measuring point" to cut the roll; much easier than using a knife! Each roll should be about 2" thick. In a small, lightly greased pan (I've used an 8"x8" & it was finne, but if you have one slightly smaller, even better!), nestle each bun snugly next to each other. You don't want to smush them into one another, but when they're close together, it keeps all the gooey filling from leaking out into the pan & out of the rolls (and we want as much filling as possible, right?)! If some of the filling fell out during the rolling, now is the time to tuck it back into the rolls.

Cover & let rise again, for about 25-30 minutes. The rolls should puff up & be about doubled in size, so keep that in mind when arranging in the pan. Preheat oven to 375°F. When ready, bake rolls for 16-20 minutes, until they are a light golden brown. While the pan is in the oven, mix together the frosting ingredients. It can be as thick or thin as you like (less liquid for thicker, and more for thinner), but I like it so the icing can be drizzled over the rolls!

Take the rolls out of the oven, and allow to cool for about 5 minutes. When they're still warm, generously drizzle the icing over the batch. Enjoy!

First Daring Bakers Challenge... Lavash

After seeing some decidedly complicated past Daring Bakers challenges (like last month's éclairs, which proved difficult for even the most experienced vegan cooks), I was so pleased to find out that my first challenge needed no modifications to make it vegan! I mean, don't get me wrong--I'm certainly up for a challenge (that's the point, right?), but it was nice to ease into this Daring Bakers thing without having to stress too much about difficult vegan modifications.


I was also excited about this month's challenge because it is a throwback to a Christmas tradition in my family: Flatbread. The Daring Bakers call it Lavash, but my family has always called it Flatbread (tomayto, tomahto), and we used buttermilk instead of water. The point is, it is a thin cracker-type bread of Middle Eastern origin, made of water, flour, yeast, salt, and a tiny bit of sugar (or in the case of the Daring Bakers, agave nectar). It was interesting to learn that this bread originated in the Middle East, because my family is Scandinavian (for the most part), and has always referred to this as a "traditional Swedish flatbread." (Some family member probably made that up along the way, but regardless, I'm glad I grew up with it because it's delicious.)

After mixing the ingredients together & letting the dough properly rise, the lavash is rolled out to a desired thickness (some prefer very thin & crispy; I like the thicker, more doughy pieces) & baked in a large sheet. Once out of the oven, the sheet is broken into pieces. Alternately, the dough can be cut before baking for a more uniform look, but I actually find the "rustic" appearance of the uneven shards quite appealing.

The possibilities for the dip were endless, as long as it followed two rules: 1) It must be vegan, and 2) It must be gluten-free. Growing up, my favorite topping for our lavash/flatbread was just plain old butter (or Earth Balance this time around), but of course I had to be a bit more adventurous for the sake of this challenge. After a bit of thought, I decided on Spinach-Artichoke Dip (vegan, and gluten-free, of course). I wish I would have gotten a picture of the lavash covered with this yummy dip, but we devoured it too quickly, so the separate pictures will have to do! Boring as it may be, my absolute favorite way to eat lavash is actually plain with nothing on it, but I have to say that this rich, creamy dip was the perfect addition to the mild flavor of the crackers.

This was such a fun challenge, and a great way to revisit an old family favorite in a new light. I had been meaning to try my hand at veganizing my family's recipe, and this was every bit as good as I remember it being! I am really looking forward to my second month as a Daring Baker!

I'm back! Exploring, Vitamixing, Yelping, Baking, Eating, etc.

Hello! Hello! Hello! (That's the sound of my voice echoing off my distant & far away last blog posts...) I definitely owe you all (and myself!) a proper update, but I feel like I can't just jump right in without playing a little catch-up on what I've been up to lately (besides my normal, day-to-day activities, of course). Here is a semi-quick crash course of my life since my last post...

1) I'm continuing to explore living in Minneapolis with Nick. As I've mentioned in previous posts, I have lived in the Mpls-area 'burbs my whole life (except for college), but it's such a cool & exciting experience to actually live right in the city. We have so many great restaurants, businesses, boutiques, shops, etc. near us! Take, for instance, Izzy's Ice Cream... This is a solar-powered ice cream shop in St. Paul (right across the river from us) that serves both dairy- and soy-based varieties. I absolutely LOVE the soy flavors (chocolate is the best so far), and their dairy-free sorbets are AMAZING! Somehow, I've managed to only go a few times thus far, but I'm sure if this place was right down the street, I'd be visiting everyday... In which case, I'm quite glad we have to go a little bit out of our way for this delicious treat. :)

2) I bought myself a VitaMix--finally. For years, I have hemmed & hawed over getting one, and I finally just did it after our previous blender shattered on our kitchen floor in the middle of the night (WTF? Ghosts???). The blender was sitting in our drying rack, not teetering on anything, yet when we woke up in the morning... It was in tiny glass pieces all over! It was a sad day... But it gave me the opportunity to buy my blender soulmate. I was a little nervous that it wouldn't live up to all the VitaMix hype, but not to worry. I fell in love in...

One:

Two:

Three:

3) I have been reviewing on Yelp lately, which has been a really fun experience! It's seriously addicting. By some weird stroke of luck, I was recently named a "2008 Yelp Elite" for Minneapolis, which basically just means that someone in charge likes my reviews! We had our first Elite get-together last night at a bowling alley/ restaurant/ theatre called Bryant Lake Bowl, which is a really cool venue. We were provided with free bowling, drinks, appetizers, reusable grocery bags, etc. AND, I got a free Yelp Elite hoodie! :) (I'm always up for receiving free goodies.) It was very cool to meet & mingle with other Yelpers, and I got to bring Nick & our friend, Reid, along with! I'm definitely looking forward to the next meet-up in October.

4) I perfected my vegan Cinnamon Roll recipe! I forgot how freakin' much I love cinnamon rolls, and I was quite pleased to come up with an animal product-free version that is every bit as delicious as what I remember my mom making on Sunday mornings during my childhood. I will share the recipe in the near future, for anyone who might be interested!

5) I joined the Daring Bakers! I can't say anything about my first challenge yet, but the "posting date" for everyone's results is coming up very soon, so I will be sharing my results in just a few days...

6) I was invited by my friend, Mindy, to join a "Vegan Women's Group." It's basically a chance for Minneapolis-area veg women to get together, meet other like-minded gals, chat, eat, laugh, etc. (That kind of sounds like the synopsis of a Lifetime movie, but it's so fun!) I have joined them twice thus far, and am definitely looking forward to our next get-together. It's so refreshing to know that there are such amazing, compassionate women near me, and I feel lucky to be a part of this network of women. (I'm a sap.) Here is a picture of my plate from our latest meetup, which featured a "comfort food" theme. Mac & "cheese," fried seitan nuggets, cucumber salad, "meat"loaf, coleslaw, mashed potatoes, etc. SO GOOD!

7) Now I am eating Ribolitta, which showcases my new favorite food: Kale. I have always loved kale, but I'll be damned if it isn't my recent obsession! Soup, salad, smoothies (lots of "s" foods, apparently), you name it--if I can, I'm putting kale in!

I think that is enough for now! I just wanted to pop in & let everyone know that I am alive & very well, if not ever-present like I used to be... But for the record, I do think about blogging every single day & now that summer has pretty much ended, I fully intend on getting back into the swing of things here! I love blogging & keeping in touch with all of you, and it's definitely a hobby I have been missing.

Wellllll, Mabel is doing her "potty dance"--I must get this on tape someday; it is seriously insanely adorable--so I should get outside with her before she finds a way to leave without me to strut around the neighborhood! I hope you're all well & I will be catching up with commenting on your blogs ASAP. (Very likely from work tomorrow when I should be working... Shhh. Don't tell.) And it will absolutely only be a few days until I am back with another post! (I say that like you're all waiting for me with baited breath; that's not what I mean... I'm just trying to get back into my online life here because I love blogging so very much & exchanging food tales with you all.)

Dinner with friends & family in the new apartment

Nick & I have been doing a lot of cooking since moving in two weeks ago. Well, Nick would correct me to say that I have been cooking, and he has been "sous chefing." He usually helps chop veggies, puts dishes in the sink, stirs when needed, etc. But still! He's the best sous chef around.

We had our friend, Reid, over last Friday to hang out, and we ended up all having dinner together. It was nothing formal, but when Reid got to our place around 7, Nick & I still hadn't eaten. So, I decided to make baked rosemary baby red potatoes, with chicken-fried seitan steaks. The seitan was smothered in Punk Rock Chickpea Gravy from Vegan with a Vengeance. Instead of chickpeas, I like to use Great Northern beans, as I do not usually like chickpeas unless they're in hummus. (I know, I know. I'm a freak for that.) Anyway, this gravy is seriously awesome! I have made it before, so I was no Punk Rock Gravy virgin, but it never fails to amaze me how delicious it is... Reid (who is not vegan) said he wanted to eat it by the bowlful--and he doesn't even like traditional gravy! We also enjoyed some wine that Nick & I picked up after work at our neighborhood wine shop. I was so surprised (and excited!) to find Rhubarb Wine local to Minnesota! Yes, local Minnesotan wine--grown & harvested by Forestedge Winery in Laporte, MN. Who knew?! Surprisingly, this rhubarb wine was light in color (almost a white wine; I would have expected it to be red), with a crisp, slightly sweet, and refreshing taste. I cannot wait to try the other flavors (like Plum, Raspberry, Black Currant, and Cranberry).

While I was ecstatic about our local wine find, I was even more excited to find Organic Wine Works Radical Red wine. I drank this at a cafe in Duluth when I went to college there, loved it, and I have not been able to find it in any liquor store, EVER, ANYWHERE! Even when we were in San Francisco--the general area where this wine is made!--I couldn't find it. And there it was, right around the corner from us... Major score.

I mentioned to Reid that for dessert, we could make some Chocolate Chip Mint Ice Cream--made of cashews. I could tell he was a little curious about the possibility of cashew ice cream being even remotely edible--much less delicious--so I insisted we make it. Everyone enjoyed it, and Reid commented more than once that he couldn't believe it was made with cashews. Mission accomplished. :)

The next night, we had my parents over for dinner. It was mostly a chance for them to see our apartment all put together, as they hadn't been inside since there were boxes everywhere--but of course I had to find a way to fit food into their visit somewhere! Nick & I had a pretty successful haul at the farmers market earlier in the day, so my Portobello & Assorted Veggie Lasagna was packed with local, organic zucchini, mushrooms, carrots, Chinese eggplant, and basil. Also layered inside was spinach tofu "ricotta," homemade marinara sauce & whole wheat noodles. Alongside the lasagna, we served warm Rosemary Bread (of which I forgot to get a picture--argh!) and a fresh salad with Creamy Basil Dressing (from Eat, Drink & Be Vegan).

Pretty sure my dad's favorite part of the night was his reunion with Mabel:
It is not an exaggeration to say that he stood like this for a good 10 minutes. Mabel acts like the hugging is interrupting her glamorous life of sleeping, eating, and barking, but she really loves it.