The Domestic Vegan

New blog!

2009-09-16T18:46:00.002-05:00

Hi, everyone! Long time, no blog, right? I just wanted to let you all know that I have been taking a break from The Domestic Vegan (duh), and blogging with a friend at Veg Out with Us!

Head on over & check it out! :) I've missed the blogging community & am happy to be back on a new blog, so I hope to reconnect with all of you over there!

Orange Glazed Tofu & Smlove Pie!

2009-01-25T19:38:00.006-06:00

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!

Jess - The Domestic Vegan

2008-01-20T20:15:00.000-06:00

I have been wanting to start a blog for awhile now, but I always ended up talking myself out of it because for some reason, it felt too, oh, I don't know... Self-indulgent? But I finally figured, "Hey, why not?" I love reading the blogs of others--especially vegans--and I don't think other bloggers are self-indulgent. So I have joined the 21st century & here I am with my very own blog! I plan on sharing recipes, food porn, and just my general musings (rants?) about life--right now, life as a 23-year-old recent college grad, who is living at home with my parents until my lovely boyfriend graduates in the Spring so we can move in together, while trying to figure out what I want for a career, while doing my best to live a sustainable lifestyle & educate others about the joys of veganism (without being too pushy), and as wannabe domestic vegan goddess who loves to stir up dust (flour?) in the kitchen.

I became passionate about vegan cooking by way of an interest for vegetarian cooking, which was influenced by the fun, comfort & excitement that I experienced while cooking with my mom during my (omni) childhood. Cooking, for me, is a way to connect with people & not only enjoy delicious food, but also create an opportunity to engage in a discussion about veganism. (I mean, when it comes down to it, I suppose I just love to share my food & make people feel good... But of course, I also like to bring attention to vegan issues while also proving that the food I eat is every bit as delicious as the "typical" food to which most people are accustomed. When others find out that I am vegan, the first response I almost always hear is, "Wow. Hmmm. What do you eat?!")

Well, stay tuned...

Salad?!

2008-01-21T18:04:00.001-06:00

I was out of town in good ol' North Dakota to visit Nick (my boyfriend) from Friday until the wee hours of this morning, when I had to sadly peel myself away to drive 5 hours home & go to work. It was an incredibly cold weekend (think -20 without windchill!), so that presented the perfect opportunity to lay around reading, chatting, and drinking tea like the 85-year-old couple that we are. As fun as it was, we didn't really eat any raw vegetables all weekend, which left me feeling rather blech. I received Ani Phyo's Raw Food Kitchen (un)cookbook for Christmas, and it inspired me to do my best to include one totally (or almost totally) raw meal each day. I've been making a lot of deeeeelicious smoothies for breakfast, which really starts my day off great & gets that raw meal taken care of right away. But this weekend that didn't happen, mostly due to lack of blender. And fruit. And vegetables. Okay--my boyfriend & his roommate use an extra-large bath towel as an oven mitt, so there you go. (Picture the possibilities...)

So, tonight I made my favorite salad ever in my life... I have been pretty much living off of it ever since I found it three months ago. Living Caesar Salad! Incredible! It's from Dreena Burton's Eat, Drink & Be Vegan--and the recipe can be found here.

It's kind of ironic that my first blog about food features a salad... I'm constantly trying to dispel the myth that all vegans eat are salads! We eat cake, cookies, muffins, casseroles, lasagna--the list, of course, goes on & on. But this salad is just too good to resist! I never even really liked Caesar salad back in my omnivore days... This dressing, however, is my food soulmate.

I typically like to use a spring mix of greens, avocado, tomato, broccoli, carrots, raw beets, sprouts, and any other vegetable I might have lying around in the fridge. Then I sprinkle it with hemp seeds, top with my homemade croutons (I know, not raw--but they are yummy!), and slather with this deliciously rich, creamy & healthy dressing!

And now, for your drooling pleasure:

Okay, okay... You caught me! That picture is not from tonight. Mine didn't really come out too "pretty" tonight--though it was delicious (as always). So I cheated & used the picture of the salad from when Nick & I made it on my birthday. I feel the need to point this out because those two glasses of wine aren't just mine... I might love wine, but I'm no double-fister! Well, okay--maybe sometimes I am, but that's not the point. We're talking about salads here, okay?

Cookies & Moussaka (to be eaten in that order)

2008-01-24T11:27:00.001-06:00

So... On Tuesday night I decided to make the Eggplant-Potato Moussaka from Veganomicon. Before I went vegan, I made a very cheesy moussaka from a Mollie Katzen cookbook. Truth be told, I don't really remember whether or not I enjoyed that moussaka because I was also drinking vast quantities of sangria at the time, which sort of ended up impairing my judgment... (Actually, I fell asleep (passed out?) during a movie in the THEATRE later that evening because I was so dfjkhsdfjh from sangria. This makes me sound like a total lush, but really--I am just an alcohol lightweight. I do it so rarely that when I do... I usually end up, well, beyond "a little tipsy.") Anyhoo... Point is, I decided to try this vegan version of moussaka & see how I liked it.

I'm very sorry to say that I didn't like it much... It ended up being very greasy (and I even cut back on the oil), and the itsy-bitsy-tiny amount of cinnamon that I put into the red sauce permeated the entire dish... Upon tasting it, that's the one thing I did remember about my previous experience with moussaka: Cinnamon in a savory dish = BLECH! Now, I know this is just personal preference, and I'm sure some people love it... But when my mom tried a piece, she said that it reminded her of apple crisp. While I love me some apple crisp, that's not really what I'm going for with a savory casserole dish... I would make this again, though, with (a lot) less oil, and no cinnamon. Also, I'll use the Cashew Ricotta recipe instead of the Pine Nut Cream, as the cashew "cheese" is half as expensive to make as the pine nut one, and just plain incredible. I could seriously live off that stuff!

In short: Not my favorite dish, but Isa & Terry are still my heroes, so it's okay. (And, it was much better warmed up for lunch the next day. Somehow the cinnamon had lessened in strength by that time.) Here is a picture, anyway, just because I love to show food porn:

So, after my disappointing dinner, I decided to make some cookies. Like a lot of people, I find that winter really puts me in a baking mood, and thus, I end up doing a lot of it. I usually bring my goodies into work to share, or send them with one of my parents, or up to Nick at school... But these little gems didn't make it anywhere past my own mouth.

From Eat, Drink & Be Vegan, the "Super-Charge Me!" Cookies were really amazing--not to mention pretty darn healthy, as far as cookies go. They contain spelt flour, oats, peanut butter, dried cranberries, chocolate chips, cinnamon, flax, coconut, and a few other delicious ingredients. I remember making a cookie similar to this in the past, and I really did not like it... I sort of felt like, "Make up your mind, cookie! Are you a delightfully spicy oatmeal-raisin-type dessert, or are you a simple chocolatey treasure?" The spices & the chocolate just didn't do it for me that time... But for some reason, like all of Dreena's recipes, these just worked. They're delicious--as evidenced by the fact that the recipe made about 2 dozen, and two days later... There are 2 cookies left. I think I've been the only one eating them, too. Oh, well--storing up for winter, I guess!

Smoothies 'n Stew

2008-01-24T19:09:00.001-06:00

Two posts in one day?! I'm insatiable!

I didn't have time for my raw breakfast smoothie this morning (I had, erm... leftover pizza ::shame::)... So, for lunch, I made one:

I don't really work off of a recipe (though, as I said before, I was inspired by Ani Phyo to make healthful smoothies a part of my routine)... A handful of frozen raspberries, a handful of frozen blueberries, a banana, a carrot, a little bunch of spring mix greens, 1/2 c. soymilk, 1/2 c. water, a splash of vanilla extract, and a sprinkle of hemp protein powder. Blend it allllll up, and voila:

I know it's not completely raw, due to the soymilk and vanilla extract, but I still felt refreshed & healthy after drinking it! I usually add a little bit of raw cashews or almonds for creaminess & protein (instead of the milk), but today I spiced things up... Also, please excuse the bangs in this picture. I do not know WTF was going on.

Everyday for the past week-ish has been unbelievably cold! Today it was -25 with windchill. You'd think I live in the Arctic tundra, but nope--just Minnesota! So, after my refreshing (but cold!) lunch smoothie, I was definitely in the mood for some warm comfort food for dinner. Enter Veggie Stew with Dumplings, courtesy of VegWeb. (The recipe is available here. I cut back on the oil, add more water, and leave out the cornstarch because I find that the potatoes & dumplings give off enough starch to thicken it into a stew. I also pretty much just use whatever good soup veggies I have around. Tonight I used carrots, leeks, onion, and green beans. For the dumplings, I use dried rosemary (fresh parsley until the fall, though, when it's still growing in our pot outside), a few tablespoons of ground flaxseed, freshly cracked black pepper, and half whole wheat flour.)

I've made this soup before, and it's just the best hearty (yet healthy) stew I've ever had. Totally delicious, and my [meat-eating] parents love it, too!

And, to close, I leave you with Mabel (I figured now would be a good time to introduce her; and who doesn't like looking at cute little dogs?!)... She is an [approximately] 8-year-old Pomeranian who I adopted two-and-a-half years ago from a local shelter. She is the sweetest little girl, though she barks A LOT, and she has no teeth, so her tongue hangs out the side of her mouth all the time. She thinks she's a sassy little diva, but really, she always has food in her "beard" and a dried-out tongue hanging out for all to see. How can you not love this lil' bitch?

Do not be surprised if I slip into a sugar-induced coma...

2008-01-25T17:48:00.001-06:00

Yay, Friday! Looooove it! I usually work until (at least) 5 p.m., but today, I blew that popsicle stand at 3! (Sidenote: I wonder what the origin of "Let's blow this popsicle stand" is... I mean, have popsicle stands ever really existed? I can't imagine... Maybe they were the early version of the Ice Cream Man? Hmmm.)

Anyway, I decided to take advantage of my extra time by rushing home to make cupcakes & ice cream. I'm so wild. I have had Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World for almost year now, and that entire time, I've been wanting to make the Cookies 'n Cream Cupcakes. I do not know why I haven't until now, but it matters not because now they're in my life & they're here to stay!

I was going to top them off with half of a Newman O (as suggested in the book), but... I'm a little frugal, and those things ain't cheap! I mean, they're worth every penny (yum!), but I used half the package between the batter & frosting, and I didn't really feel like using 6 more... Plus, I was having a really hard time cutting them in half. (That's the real reason.)

To go along with the cupcakes, I turned to Vice Cream, a truly amazing book. I honestly don't miss anything from my omni days, besides vanilla ice cream. Cheese (which, prior to going vegan, I never thought I could live without), meat, eggs, etc.--nope! Good riddance. But every soy ice cream I've tried just did not cut it. Some are decent, but only if it's like Chocolate Peanut Butter Brownie Batter Caramel Explosion--something with lots of things to cover up the overwhelming soy flavor... And sometimes I just want a simple, classic vanilla or chocolate! That's why this book's author (Jeff Rogers) is brilliant. His vice creams [vegan ice cream] are cashew-based, and totally soy-free! Most (maybe even all) of the recipes call for maple syrup for their sweetener, which I don't really care for too much in ice cream, so I usually use some organic granulated sugar, along with a little agave. I also mix in almonds with the cashews, because almonds are less expensive at my co-op, and they still deliver the same creaminess when ground up!

Here is my recipe for Classic Chocolate Ice Cream, which is based on the recipes in Vice Cream:

1 c. raw cashews
1/2 c. raw slivered almonds
1 1/2 c. water
1/2 c. organic granulated sugar
1/4 c. agave nectar (light or dark)
1 Tbsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. almond extract
1/2 c. unsweetened cocoa powder

Put the cashews, almonds, water, sugar, agave nectar, and extracts in a blender or food processor (I use my Cuisinart food processor because it's more powerful than my blender). Blend on high until really smooth, about 2 minutes. I usually stir the contents around to make sure no big nut chunks are stuck on the bottom, and everything gets blended silky smooth! Add the cocoa powder, and blend thoroughly.

Put the blender/processor in the freezer for about 45 minutes, until well-chilled (but not actually frozen). Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker & freeze according to the instructions. Serve immediately or transfer to freezer-safe containers & store in the freezer until ready to serve (i.e. eat straight from the container in the middle of the night). Makes 1 quart (about 8 [1/2-cup] servings).

Cupcake & ice cream buddies:

The cupcakes & the ice cream (especially together) are absolutely delicious, if I do say so myself! This vice cream is honestly better than any dairy ice cream I ever remember having. It's definitely not low-fat or low-calorie, but all of the fats are plant-based, and it's so creamy & rich, that a few bites will satisfy a creamy craving.

I am dizzy with sugar-induced delight!

Saturday Brunch

2008-01-27T10:05:00.001-06:00

Okay, I lied. When I said the other day that I don't miss anything from my omni days besides simple ice creams, that wasn't exactly accurate. Sometimes, once in a blue moon, I miss eggs. Not in the sense that I'm ever tempted to buy them or order them in a restaurant; to think of actually eating an egg sort of makes me queasy... But when I'm out to brunch with people & see Eggs Benedict on the menu, I begin to long for the creaminess of the egg mixed with the crunchiness of the English muffin (I always ordered it without meat, anyway, so I don't miss the ham), and then have everything smothered in that delicious Hollandaise sauce. Luckily for me, I know there is always a vegan substitute that is likely even more delicious than its non-vegan counterpart.

So I began my search for a yummy breakfast dish, similar to Eggs Benedict. I have never broiled tofu before, but yesterday I tried it, and all I can say is YUM! It subs absolutely perfectly for an egg in a dish like this! I used the Broiled Tofu recipe from Veganomicon, and paired that with sauteed spinach & mushrooms, along with this Melty Cheese Sauce recipe from VegWeb. I assembled all of the ingredients atop of a toasted English muffin. This open-faced sandwich sort of reminded me of a cross between an Egg McMuffin and Eggs Benedict--vegan-style, of course! I was inspired by the Tofu Florentine recipe from 'Nomicon, but switched it up a bit with a different cheesy sauce, and added mushrooms to the sauteed spinach.

The tofu was perfectly flavorful, and soft on the inside, a little crisp on the outside, and just melted in my mouth like an egg! The spinach & mushrooms mixed in great with the tofu, and everything was smothered in the yummy cheesy sauce. I ate this brunch with my dad, and he raved all day about how it was "literally the best breakfast [he's] ever had!" Next time I will serve it alongside some crispy hashbrowns, but yesterday I just wanted a quick breakfast & get to the eating! My dad even called my mom at work to tell her that she's really missing out & she better get home ASAP to eat the leftovers. How cute is that?! I always love when other people enjoy my food as much as I enjoy sharing it. That sounds super-corny, but it's true!

Vegan Cupcakes Really ARE Taking Over My World!

2008-01-27T21:31:00.001-06:00

When I made the Cookies 'n Cream Cupcakes the other night, my parents were so in love with them that my mom asked if I would make 2 dozen cupcakes for her to bring to work tomorrow! So, today I made one batch of the C 'n C, and then I tried out the Chocolate Mint for the first time. I think I still prefer the Cookies 'n Cream, but the Chocolate Mint turned out really delicious, as well. I hope her co-workers enjoy them! (Oh, also--in the Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World! cookbook, it says that "you absolutely cannot eat the mint icing on its own." I seriously beg to differ! I was expecting it to be extremely strong & gross without the chocolate ganache to balance it out, but it was not at all! Perfectly sweet & minty--I kept eating it off my finger (as usual).)

I finally bought some pastry bags & tips today, and I was so excited to practice my techniques! I only got to try it out with the mint icing, as the ganache & the Cookies 'n Cream frosting just needed to be schmeared on (yes--"schmeared" is the technical term, I've decided)... It didn't really work out too well. I think that maybe the icing was too warm? Maybe the star-tip size was too small? When I squeezed the frosting out, I could see the star shape, but almost immediately it ran together & looked like I had just spread it on smoothly without a tip... Not a big deal, but I hope I can get it figured out for next time!

For dinner, I made Brooklyn Pad Thai from Vegan with a Vengeance. Unfortunately, I have not had the best of luck with the savory recipes from this book, so I was a little worried... I honestly think that pretty much every recipe looks (and sounds) delicious, but almost everything I've tried to make that wasn't a baked good just turned out...wrong somehow. I just don't get it! BUT, fantastic news! This Pad Thai was delicious! I didn't really change much, except 1 pound of rice noodles definitely feeds more than 4 people (as the recipe stated), so I cut that part in half & just used about 8 ounces. I was also really excited because a) I have never been able to get my tofu to cut into perfect, firm triangles, and b) I haven't had a lot of success getting it to crisp up to the perfect golden brown on the outside. Well, tonight I conquered both of these problems & the dish turned out perfect! (I am already excited for leftovers for lunch tomorrow!) It was also a lot easier to make than I expected. I was prepared for a lot of prep time, but really--everything was chopped & ready to be cooked up in less than 20 minutes. A perfectly easy, delicious dinner after a long (fun) day of baking!

Hummus = BFF

2008-01-30T17:41:00.001-06:00

I've never really liked hummus... Well, I should say I didn't like hummus until I tried the "homemade" stuff at the Whole Foods buffet on a whim. All those years that I wasted trying that Athenos-brand crap had left me with a false impression of what hummus really is. It isn't grainy, bland paste; it is a creamy, whipped, delicious, subtly-flavored dream! After that chance encounter this summer, I fell in love.

I've made hummus a couple times, but never really with a recipe. A can of chickpeas, a little olive oil, a couple tablespoons of tahini, some lemon juice, a clove of garlic, and a pinch of salt--toss everything into my food processor, blend it up & badabing! Hummus. It's always been delicious, but last night I decided to give the A Hummus Recipe from Veganomicon a try. It was pretty much exactly what I had done in the past, but with the addition of a little water. For some reason, I think the water added a nice touch & made it even creamier than usual. I also really liked the smoked paprika sprinkled on top. I made homemade pita chips, just because I love them & think there is no better accompaniment to hummus!

After I chowed down on hummus & pita chips, I decided to make the "You Got Peanut Butter in My Chocolate!" Cookies from Eat, Drink & Be Vegan. I think it's sort of a corny name, so when I made them a few weeks ago, I just called them "Chocolate & Peanut Butter Swirl Cookies." The author named them after a commercial from the '80s (I think it's a Reese's commercial), which was suggested by a reader on her blog. It's definitely cute (and accurate), but I don't know... I can't bring myself to say it out loud!

Anyway, they're incredible. The swirls of peanut butter match perfectly with the gooey, rich chocolate chips & cocoa powder. I am pretty picky when it comes to cookies, but these are absolutely perfect! Soft, chewy, crispy, and gooey all at the same time! I highly recommend them.

Hail Seitan (and Baked Potatoes)

2008-02-01T20:30:00.000-06:00

Happy February! To celebrate a new month, I decided to try a new recipe. (Not that I needed an excuse, but I'll take it.) I have been reading about this baked Seitan o' Greatness recipe on various blogs for awhile now, and was so excited to make it. I love boiled seitan, but thought I would branch out & experiment. It was so ridiculously easy to make & took much less labor than boiled seitan (even though I think it's worth every second, it's nice to have something easier). It bakes for 90 minutes, so when I finally got to open it after removing it from the oven, I was like a kid on Christmas morning opening presents. I ripped that foil open in one second flat. Usually when I bake something, I have my face pressed against the oven window, watching what happens & drooling. This seitan, though, is rolled in foil, so I couldn't watch the baking action! The suspense was killing me. (And yes, I know I am a total food dork. Or dork in general. You decide.)

While I am glad that I tried it, I don't think I'll make it again... It's highly possible (probable, even) that I am the only person alive to not go nuts over this seitan. It wasn't terrible by any means, but I just didn't really enjoy the flavor or the texture. I think it has something to do with the fact that I don't miss meat. Like, at all. Yes, I liked it once upon a time, but the more time that passes with me not eating it, the more I prefer whole foods & different textures... And this was just too "meaty" for me, if that makes sense. I don't know--I enjoy a great veggie burger or those Gardenburger BBQ Riblets (HEAVEN!) as much as the next person, but I'm also more than content with a delicious veggie kabob or stirfry instead of a brat. Maybe it depends on my mood or the situation? Meh... I'm typing in circles.

Bottom line: Not really a fan of this seitan, but happy to have finally tried it!

In other news, Nick is home to visit this weekend!!! Hoorah! Tonight we made an impromptu dinner of Baked Potatoes loaded up with Broccoli and a [spur-of-the-moment/ make-it-up-as-we-go-along] Cheezy Mushroom & Onion Gravy. It was really easy & delicious. Perfect after a long week! And it's kind of strange because I have never been a fan of gravy for as long as I can remember... Even when I ate turkey, or with my mashed potatoes on Thanksgiving; it always grossed me out. But vegan gravy is so divine & just makes everything so moist & that much more flavorful. I think I understand what those gravy fans are talking about now.
P.S. After I took this picture, I loaded my plate with ketchup because I am trashy like that. I love ketchup with my baked potatoes... Even when there is gravy with them, or if they're spiced up in some way. Pass me the ketchup! Can't help it. Sorry. Trashy 4 Lyfe.

Last thing for tonight: I am getting my hair did next Friday, and (my "hair girl") Rose's birthday is this week. I want to bring her some cupcakes, but am just not sure about which kind. I keep looking through Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World!, and I can't decide! I think I want to try something new, but of course I want to make sure they are delicious, too. Any suggestions as to which kind to make? What's your favorite?

SUPER TUESDAY!!!

2008-02-05T17:22:00.002-06:00

Today is "Super Tuesday" for the following reasons:

It's the day to participate in your local caucus in many states. This is IMPORTANT! I will be attending mine in about an hour (until then, I am blogging of course, because blogging is almost as important as politics). :)
It's one day closer to the weekend than Monday is.
I found this mask at a department store this weekend, and it was the highlight of my life, so it's still trickling into my Tuesday & making it super:

This is a complimentary mask that was in a little dish in the fitting rooms, free for anyone who wanted one (or 3, in my case, so I could give them to friends). In case you can't tell exactly what this is (and thus, how magically stupid), it's a mask for women to put on while trying on clothes to prevent their makeup from smearing.

Here I am modeling it:

Bonus--Men can wear them, too, if they so choose:

I mean, for real... How damn pointless is this mask? I sort of love it because it's so completely unnecessary. When I start to analyze how this invention came about, my brain just can't come to terms with it & comprehend the reasoning. "Necessity is the mother of invention." I actually really love this quote because when you really think about it & try to trace back the origins of different inventions, it makes sense (I used to do this while daydreaming in class)... But who ACTUALLY thought this was necessary? Wouldn't your make-up just smear more because of the mask? That defeats Purpose 1. Purpose 2 seems to be preventing the makeup from smearing onto the clothes a person is trying on... But the mask is all baggy & loose, so it would just slide down from any pullover shirt, possibly causing makeup smudges, anyway. I completely realize that I am overthinking this mask, but wow--don't you just love it?

Anyhoodles, back to food, and reality... I love, love, love, LOVE tea. And I love, love, love, love, LOVE green tea ice cream. Always have, always will. I haven't been able to have it for awhile, though, because as I've mentioned before, I do not typically enjoy soy ice creams--and until recently, I did not know about Vice Cream! So yesterday when my Zen Matcha Green Tea (and whisk to make the tea frothy) came in the mail, I was so excited that I wanted to laugh, cry, scream, faint, dance, and puke all at the same time. (It sounds dramatic, but it's true...)

After I [quite literally] ripped open the box, Nick & I immediately made a mug of it to test it out. Like most green teas, it's a tiny bit "fishy" (which I'm not crazy about), but I think with the right sweetener & whisking action, the real flavor of this matcha will come out. I just have to experiment a little. Plus, the health benefits of real matcha tea are so amazing that I don't mind this slightly strange flavor.

Next, we made Green Tea Vice Cream (there is not a recipe in that book, so we just loosely based it on the recipe for Vanilla, adding 2 Tbsp. of the green tea powder). Nick loves it, but I think it turned out just okay... I am going to experiment because I am determined to have delicious green tea ice cream again! I also plan on making the Green Tea Cupcakes from VCTOTW! this week.

It's getting close to caucus time, so I have to hit the road... But this weekend I had the most delicious sandwich ever of my life, so I will be back very soon to discuss that. If anyone goes clothes shopping soon, don't forget your masks! Or just wear them to work, the bar, or to vote tonight! They are very attractive & serve multiple purposes.

[Veganized] Contessa Soup 'n Sandwich

2008-02-06T19:56:00.001-06:00

I love Ina Garten (a.k.a. "The Barefoot Contessa," of Food Network--and cookbook--fame). Maybe I should be ashamed to say it, but I am not. Afterall, she constantly proclaims her love of roast chicken, makes pork roasts like there's no tomorrow, and adds heavy cream to pretty much everything. As a vegan, what's to like? Well, if you ask me, a lot. I think she seems like a sweetheart, is soft-spoken, and very inventive with food. Plus, I share her love for good, organic food, and supporting small, local markets. While I think her reasoning for doing these things seem more for flavor & affinity for the Parisian lifestyle (as opposed to my desire to support healthy agricultural practices & independent, non-corporate farmers), I appreciate her spreading the word on buying these ingredients. I admit she's kind of a goofball with her Hamptons lifestyle, jetting off in her BMW or her Mercedes to go hobnob & make awkward conversation with her flamboyant friends who own shops in town, but I love her, anyway.

There are quite a few personalities on the Food Network that I don't care to watch, but when Ina's show comes on, I watch it if I can. Her voice is just so soothing, and the camera angles/beauty shots of the food are incredible! Yes, I cringe & only half-pay attention if she's making duck or something that I don't eat, but for the most part, I just love her show. (Also, if you've never read her bio, I suggest you take a quick peek at her Wikipedia entry. It is totally fascinating. She used to work as a budget analyst for the White House in the 1970s, "which entailed writing the nuclear energy budget and policy papers on nuclear centrifuge plants for then-Presidents Gerald Ford and Jimmy Carter." Whoa! So she's smart, too!)

This weekend, I caught an episode of "The Barefoot Contessa," in which she made pea soup & an herbed goat cheese sandwich. Both dishes looked really delicious, so I went online & checked out the recipes, did some tweaking, and came up with this veganized version: Creamy Pea & Leek Soup, with a Roasted Red Pepper & Herbed Cream Cheese Sandwich. Both took very little time to make, and the results were fantastic, if I do say so myself. (It looks sort of long all typed out, but it goes really fast!)

First, the soup:

1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 leeks, chopped (just the white & light green parts)
1 medium-sized yellow (or white) onion, chopped
4 c. stock (I used Imagine-brand No-Chicken Stock)
2 (10-oz.) packages frozen peas
2 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
1/4 c. Sour Supreme
1/2 c. green onions, chopped

Heat the olive oil in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the leeks & onion, and cook for 5-10 minutes, until soft & translucent. Add stock, increase the heat to high, and bring to a boil. Add the peas & cook for 3 minutes, until the peas are tender. Take the pot off the heat and add the "sour cream," salt & pepper. Stir to mix. Now, you can either puree the soup in batches in a food processor or blender, but I prefer to use my handy-dandy immersion blender. (Sidenote: I don't know how I lived without this thing! It's so awesome because I don't have to wait for soup to cool before blending, and I have total control over how much is being pureed, so I can leave a little texture in there if I so choose.) When the soup has reached your desired consistency, ladle into bowls, adjust salt & pepper to taste, and garnish with green onions (and more Sour Supreme, if you like). Enjoy!

Next, the sandwich:

12-oz. jar roasted red peppers, drained & chopped into smaller pieces
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp. kosher salt
1 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp. chopped green olives (I hated green olives until I tried them on this sandwich; now I can't get enough!)

For assembling:

1 loaf ciabatta bread, halved horizontally
Approx. 1/4 c. vegan cream cheese

Put cream cheese in a small bowl, then add 1/4 tsp. each of salt, onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper, and Italian seasoning. Stir to combine.

8 to 10 large basil leaves
3 thin slices red onion

Combine olive oil, vinegar, garlic, salt, black pepper, and green olives. Add red pepper, then set aside for at least 15 minutes so the flavors can meld. Spread a thin layer of the cream cheese mixture on the bread (top & bottom). Add a layer of the red pepper, top with basil leaves, then little rings of red onion. Add a bit of fresh black pepper, then cover with top piece of bread. Slice into sandwich-size pieces, and gobble it up!

Just a note: I was making this for only two people, so I didn't use all of the ingredients at once. But the flavors of each component meld together & become even tastier when sitting in the fridge, so it made for great leftovers. This probably goes without saying, but I wouldn't spread everything out onto the bread if it isn't being eaten immediately!

A Delicious Blackout

2008-02-10T16:55:00.001-06:00

I used to have a roommate (who is still a good friend) who would ask me things like, "Should I wear this pink shirt or this blue shirt tonight?" If I said, "The blue one," she'd say, "I think I'm going to wear the pink one." When she asked, "I can't decide what to have for dinner tonight... Should I make spaghetti or a burrito?"--and I suggested the burrito, she'd make spaghetti. She pretty much always chose the opposite of my answer; so much so that it became a joke between us & I eventually started to say the opposite of what I felt, so she would unknowingly choose what I actually thought she should. (I'm sneaky like that...)

The point of this story is that as much as this whole go-around made me laugh, I ended up doing the same thing to you guys... I asked for suggestions on what birthday treat to make for Rose (the woman who does my hair), and they were all great (thank you again!). But did I choose any of them? No. After much (probably too much) thought, I ended up consulting my cookbooks & decided to make the Raspberry Blackout Cake from Vegan with a Vengeance. I made this once with some friends last summer, and it seriously rocked our worlds... As Isa says in the intro for this recipe, even people who aren't usually crazy about fruit & chocolate (like me) absolutely love this cake! Not only is it literally one of the most delicious desserts my tastebuds have ever met, but it is also relatively easy. It's a bit time-consuming, but most of that time is inactive; waiting for the cakes to bake, waiting for the cakes to cool, waiting for the ganache frosting to harden a bit... Once all the components are ready to go, it barely takes any time at all to assemble!

In the summer, I topped this with fresh raspberries (as the recipe suggests), but right now they are out of season--and thus, waaaaaaaay too expensive! So this time, I dusted the cake with powdered sugar & sprinkled shaved dark chocolate on top. I was a little nervous to give it away since I was unable to taste it first (though I sure was tempted...), but Rose reported back & said that it was "out of this world" and made her kitchen smell like chocolate & raspberries! I also gave her a reusable grocery bag (which I meant to get a picture of, since it was brown & matched the cake/plate combo!! I'm a dork.), along with one of those beautiful clothing-protector masks.

The same night I made this cake, I also made the Focaccia Bread from The Joy of Vegan Baking. This was the first time I made bread (without using my bread machine) that was actually light & fluffy!!! I've always had a bit of difficulty with getting homemade bread to turn out as delicious as a store-bought loaf, and this totally exceeded my expectations! It was soft on the inside, crispy on top, and had amazing flavor! Definitely best hot out of the oven, but my family & I enjoyed it the next day as well.

Then today for lunch, I made Vegetable Fried Quinoa from Fat-Free Vegan. It was pretty good, but not my favorite dish ever. A tiny bit bland, but still enjoyable. I recently tried quinoa for the first time, and I completely fell in love! It is high in calcium, fiber & protein, low in fat, and delicious--what more could you ask for?! Oh, plus it cooks in just 15 minutes! This was a great healthy alternative to traditional fried rice. We are out of hot sauce right now, but after I pick some up tomorrow, I think that will really accent this dish. I served it alongside two Health is Wealth-brand spring rolls, and it was a perfect light Sunday lunch. (P.S. How corny is the brand name "Health is Wealth"?! Very. Oh, well--it's true, and they make delicious frozen vegan food.)

A Frosting Piping Success! (Plus some Valentine's Day musings with a side of Mac & Cheeze...)

2008-02-13T20:59:00.023-06:00

In honor of Valentine's Day tomorrow, my dad requested that I make some cupcakes for him to bring to his co-workers. He really loves the Cookies 'n Cream from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World, but I have already made those three times--and a girl needs a little variety! So in addition to those, I also made the Crimson Velveteen Cupcakes. I've never made (or had, for that matter) Red Velvet Cake, and while I haven't had one of these cupcakes yet, the batter tasted pretty darn good! It has just a subtle hint of cocoa, which I really like. And the best part: I was able to pipe the Fluffy Buttercream Frosting in a semi-pretty manner!!! Last time I attempted to pipe frosting with a star tip, it ended up looking like this. Now, don't get me wrong, I think those look cute and everything turned out in the end, but it made me nervous for piping this time... Not to worry, I think I did a pretty good job. I still need practice, of course, but it was fun & a lot easier than I feared!

I thought they looked cute with the red cakes peeking through the simple white frosting, but I decided to use up some sprinkles from last year, which sort of made them a little gaudy... But I think Valentine's is sort of a gaudy holiday, anyway, so it all works!

(I didn't take any close-ups of the Cookies 'n Cream this time, since I already posted a few last time I made them.)

Hopefully the cakes will be gobbled up & enjoyed on this Holy Hallmark Holiday! (And no, I'm actually not one of those people who only bitterly complains about my disdain for Valentine's Day because I'm single. :) It's just that I feel like I would much rather celebrate the love I share with my boyfriend on a daily basis, or on a day that means something to us personally... Instead of clamoring to get reservations at an expensive restaurant, and having him bring me a $25 bouquet of flowers that normally cost $5.99 during any other time of the year. But I can't lie--a little part of me finds it kind of fun to be sappy on the same day as everyone else. So I did buy Nick a couple little treats, which I will proudly share here after I give them! I just don't want him to read this & find out what his present is!)

Wow, that was a long sidenote!

Anyhoo--back to the food! On Monday night, I made "The Creamiest Vegan Mac & Cheez EVER!" I have made several vegan mac recipes that were pretty underwhelming... Not terrible by any means, but also not really reminiscent of the traditional mac & cheese that I remember. Well, this was VERY different, in an extremely delicious way. I was so absolutely pleased with it that I literally had a dream about it that night! (*Food Dork Alert!*) While it's true that you need three pans going on the stove at once, it was ridiculously easy to make! I only baked it for about 15 minutes because I like the cheeze to be really creamy, and it was perrrrrrrfect! (And not too unhealthy, either. According to my recipe nutritional content calculator, if this serves 8 people--which makes pretty generous portions, by my standards--it has only 347 calories and 9 grams of fat! That's pretty innocent for "comfort food," let alone mac & cheese. Not that 350 calories is necessarily diet food, but it's much better than Velveeta--and honestly just as creamy & delicious.)

Have a great Valentine's, everyone! I suggest that you eat some sweets (or some mac & cheeze!) to celebrate!

Edit: Mabel barks Happy V-Day, as well... I had to put this picture in here because I was somewhat disappointed in the l ast one, when I introduced her. Adorable, yes. Realistic, no. In that last picture her tongue is just hanging out the slightest bit. Normally her tongue hangs out like this:

Mabel thinks she's too cool for the camera, so I had to crawl under the kitchen table to capture her beautiful, dried-out tongue while she tried to hide. Melts my heart.

Coconut Mania!

2008-02-16T16:42:00.010-06:00

I LOVE CURRY! I have had it several times, but never cooked with it. Well, I bought some curry powder the other day & made Curried Coconut Tofu today. I didn't really work off of one recipe; I took a peek at the Green Thai Curry recipe in Vegan with a Vengeance, as well as a couple other coconut curry recipes on the internet--all of which used chicken or fish. So I just kind of did my own thing, combined some of the cooking techniques, and chose my main ingredients (peanut oil, curry powder, firm tofu, coconut milk, and a tomato base), then cooked away! I don't really have a recipe to share, as I just sort of improvised & threw stuff in as I went, but I did pick up one tip through my "curry research": Don't add the curry powder (or paste) after the oil has already gotten hot; it ends up much more flavorful if you add it when the oil is still cold, so the spices infuse the oil. I read this from several sources who seemed to really know their stuff--and while I don't have any homemade curries to compare it to, mine was very flavorful & I was quite pleased with the result! Just the smell of curry makes me drool. It is so delicious, especially served over the Coconut Basmati Rice I whipped up.

Also today, I decided to make Creamy Strawberry Balsamic Sorbet. I've never had sorbet like this, but absolutely love strawberries & balsamic together, so I just made up this very simple recipe! (P.S. Out of curiosity, I just Googled "Strawberry Balsamic Sorbet," and a ton of recipes came up... Man--I thought I was being all clever with inventing some new recipe! However, I will say that mine is "creamy" due to the addition of Light Coconut Milk, and that's a twist I did not come across. Soooo, I don't feel completely defeated.) It's cool & refreshing, slightly sweet, but with a little kick from the balsamic--plus, low-calorie & virtually fat-free. Here is the recipe for my version:

1 10-oz. bag frozen strawberries (I used Cascadian Farms-brand)
1/4 c. Light Coconut Milk
3/4 c. water
4 Tbsp. balsamic vinegar

Add the frozen strawberries to a food processor/blender, along with the coconut milk & water. Blend until completely smooth and creamy (this may take a few minutes if your strawberries are totally frozen; also, I found that if the water is just slightly warm, it helps to smooth out the frozen berries). Add the balsamic, and blend again. The sorbet could probably be eaten at this point, but I threw it in my ice cream maker for about 15 minutes, just for good measure. Store in an airtight container in the freezer, or scoop into small bowls. I topped mine with unsweetened, shredded coconut, and it was just perfect! I really love this--and it's much cheaper than buying organic sorbet at the store, PLUS there's no added sugar. This makes about 6 (1/4-cup) servings. I'm not crazy diligent about counting calories, but I do like to know the nutritional content of what I eat if I can, so if you care about that sort of thing, here is the rundown:

Calories: 40
Fat: 1 g.
Sodium: 9 mg.
Carbs: 8.8 g.

Fiber: 1.5 g.
Sugars: 3.2 g.

Protein: .2 g.

I know 1/4-cup is a pretty small serving size, but I usually find it to be enough after a larger meal (like the curry I gorged myself on) to satisfy that sweet tooth!

I Got It, I Want It, I Made It, I Ate It...

2008-02-18T18:13:00.020-06:00

I Got It: With all my blabbering on about "coconut mania" the other day, I totally spaced out on mentioning that my fantastic boyfriend, Nick sent me the most wonderful Valentine's package! I work only about 5 minutes from where I live, so pretty much everyday I come home for lunch. Well, during my lunch break on Valentine's Day, I walked up to my front door to find a big box sitting on the stoop waiting for me! I recognized Nick's handwriting (and the return address) right away, so I was so excited to rip that box open that I barely even made it inside. The package contained several lovely gifts: SWEDISH FISH (love!), homemade Gooey Hot Fudge Brownies (delicious!), an Elvis card, some pictures of the two of us, and a book from the "Cam Jansen" children's series entitled The Chocolate Fudge Mystery (see how it ties in with the brownies??). It was just the perfect surprise to receive on Valentine's Day, and the next best thing to actually spending it with Nick (as he is in North Dakota for school right now--DONE IN MAY! Yay!). Oh, and the book is a joke because we were both obsessed with that series when we were younger. The two of us are total nerd bookworms, and we bonded over our past love for this fictional kid detective who helps solve crimes with her photographic memory. Plus, the title fit so perfectly with the brownies he sent! I feel like a bit of a jerk for not sending his presents in a fun surprise package, but I will spoil him this upcoming weekend when I visit! Here is the King trying to steal some delicious gooey brownies:

I Want It: I came across this Jessie Steele apron, and I want it baaaaad... Okay, so it's totally not practical (no big pockets, too expensive to splash on...), but it's just so pretty. How awesome to entertain in! (Of course it's out of stock right now... Probably for my own good.) There are several others that I have my eye on, but this one's my current favorite!

I Made It: This past weekend, I finally bought My Sweet Vegan! I love the author's blog, BitterSweet, and this book is just beautiful! Literally every recipe sounds (and looks!) delicious, and I can't wait to keep testing new desserts. Last night, I wanted to try one out, but didn't really want anything around the house for me to devour, so I made it to send with my mom to work. It took me awhile to choose what to make, but I eventually decided on the Mocha Devastation Cake. In the intro to this recipe, the author (Hannah) explained that she entered this cake in a baking competition, and she won! That made it sound too tempting to resist, so Mocha Devastation Cake it was. It was extremely, insanely, unbelievably decadent--but also quite easy to make. Two layers of chocolate cake, coffee buttercream (amazing!!), chopped chocolate-covered espresso beans, and chocolate ganache frosting. I've yet to find vegan chocolate-covered espresso beans, so I just chopped up a dark chocolate bar with espresso beans in it, and it worked great! I cut the tiniest little piece to try (as I was going to cut it into bite-size pieces, anyway), and I am not kidding when I say that my sample filled me up. It was sooooo good, but literally two bites satisfied my chocolate craving. Very, very rich! If I could add one suggestion (and it's a minor one), I would say to add the espresso beans (or chocolate bar) to the buttercream frosting, instead of in a layer on top of it, as directed in the recipe. When the beans are on top of the frosting layer, the second layer of cake does not really stay put all too well, as it's not "sticking" to anything. The ganache icing that envelopes the whole cake would probably solve this problem if you're cutting it into regular-size pieces, but for cutting smaller pieces (like I did), it became a bit of a mess. A delicious mess, yes--but not a pretty one. However, it's no big deal, AND I got rave reviews from my mom & her co-workers. Success!! Oh, yes--here is the cake looking like Pac-Man after I took my sample out:

I Ate It: And for lunch, I ate one of my favorite lazy meals... A veggie hot dog (Yves-brand, thankyouverymuch; the only kind that tastes good to me--and it's very good!) on a whole wheat bun, smothered in ketchup, mustard, and dill pickle relish. Yum! The perfect afternoon pick-me-up.

On Location: Grand Forks, North Dakota

2008-02-24T14:43:00.020-06:00

You know, for someone who doesn't love Valentine's Day, I sure am stretching out the celebration... As I've mentioned before, my boyfriend, Nick is still in North Dakota for school, so we spent the love holiday apart. He sent my awesome presents via mail, so they arrived as a wonderful surprise package on the actual day. I, on the other hand, saved his presents to deliver them in person when I visited this weekend! Guess the gifts:

Also, my mom is really sweet & gives me a Valentine's present every year. Life has been busy in our household lately, so she spaced on giving this year's present until about a week later--which is fine by me because I think late gifts are fun! They're unexpected, and a good excuse to stretch out the celebration of any holiday... This year's gift was especially awesome (see picture on the right). Hell yeah! Not one, but two Le Creuset baking dishes!!! I love, love, love this brand, but most of their items are a bit out of my price range right now... However, my mom is the Bargain Hunting Queen, so I'm sure she found these for about half of what they should cost! She has a true gift. So, yay! I get to add to my collection of nice cookware. Plus, they're amazing quality & last foreverrrrrr. And the major bonus, of course, is that they're beautiful. Nothing makes me drool quite like browsing through a kitchen supply store, and I always find myself fondling the Le Creuset pieces, so I am ultra-happy to be a proud owner. I will be breaking these in ASAP.

Oh, yes--the answer to the "What are Nick's gifts?" question is...

Clockwise starting from left: Organic, Fair-Trade, Vegan Truffles. The documentary Who Killed the Electric Car? David Sedaris: Live from Carnegie Hall. Pumpkin Pecan Pie from My Sweet Vegan.

I am pleased to report that Nick was very surprised by all his gifts, and really excited! The pie is out of this world! (I feel like I can say that because I followed the recipe almost exactly; normally I would be more modest if it was a recipe I created. :) I have to give credit where credit is due, right?) The author writes in her introduction to this recipe that she's always found pumpkin pie too monotonous in taste & texture, and pecan pie much too sweet. She thought that putting the two together into one crust would bring out the best of both pies, and man, is she right... While I've always personally loved both pumpkin & pecan pie, together, they are heavenly. The smooth pumpkin topped with the sticky, crunchy pecans is just the most perfect combination. They go so well together that I can't believe I've never seen this combo before... Now that I've had this pie, it just seems natural to put these flavors together! Nick & I both love it, as does his roommate--which really is the greatest compliment because Ben (the roomie) is the biggest, most die-hard meat-eater ever! I feel like when people who eat the traditional egg- and dairy-laden dish love the vegan version just as much (if not more) & give their enthusiastic approval, that's the ultimate test. The crust was really amazing, too--very easy to make, and didn't overpower the other flavors at all. It was just a nice, crunchy backdrop to the softer texture of the pie.

Oh, and since I am a total [closeted] cornball, I painted a heart with the pumpkin creme in the middle of the pie. Which ended up getting ruined during my drive up to North Dakota when one of my travel bags fell on top of it! The heart was smashed & stuck to the tinfoil covering, but no matter. It still tasted great & I think Nick appreciated the effort just the same. He was too busy eating to mind...

In addition to learning that this pie is amazingly delicious, I also learned that corn syrup is a total bitch to work with! Holy cripe... The corn syrup I have (and had never used prior to making this pie) is organic, and in order to preserve the quality, it is manufactured to be stored in an amber-colored glass bottle. While I appreciate the company's emphasis on quality & creating a longer shelf life, glass means having no way to squeeze the sticky, sticky, sticky syrup out! I spent no less than ten minutes shaking the bottle (and begging & pleading with the syrup to please just come out!)--after which I only had about 1/6 cup! So, I just added extra maple syrup to make up the difference & called it a day. (And the pie still came out perfect.) For future corn syrup endeavors, I am definitely going in search of a squeezable bottle. In my experience, they're just hard to come by in the organic variety without any of that high fructose corn syrup crap. Blech! No, thanks. So... If anyone has any suggestions in the way of corn syrup, please share! :)

And now we are sitting in the cutest little coffee shop in Grand Forks drinking iced coffee & sharing an Alternative Baking Company Mac the Chip Cookie. I've never tried this kind before, and it is quite scrumptious. A chocolate chip cookie with macadamia nuts & coconut? Fine by me! I'm not sure how many people know about this little tip, but if you write to the company, they'll send you free samples! I wrote last summer to tell them how much I love their product, and within a few days, I had 3 different kinds of cookies waiting at my door! I know someone who received about 10 cookies, but I'm not complaining... These cookies are damn expensive (about $2.50/each at most places), so free is free, and I'll take (and eat!) what I can get! I usually prefer to make my own goodies, but sometimes it's nice to have a special treat when out & about--and of course, it's always great to have delicious vegan options so you can indulge when the mood strikes!

A [somewhat random] food summary of the past week...

2008-03-03T19:52:00.016-06:00

I'm a blog slacker... Despite my lack of posts for the past week, I have been doing a fair amount of cooking. A couple soups here, a sandwich there... You know. Nothing too extraordinary on a day-to-day basis, but satisfying nonetheless.

In more exciting news, each year, my aunt, her two daughters (my cousins), my mom & I get together for a "Girls Night" to tell funny stories & make Christmas cookies. This year, however, everyone was really busy doing their own thing during the holiday season, so we put it off until last Friday. Growing up, these two cousins were my favorite because they were my "cool" older cousins... They are also my only cousins that live in Minnesota, so it's really fun now to get together occasionally & chat, etc. My mom & I offered to host this year, which was perfect for me because it gave me the opportunity to make a bunch of food! I decided to make Spicy Chai Tea (seriously amazing--I make it quite often & always get compliments! It puts store-bought chai to absolute shame!), "Cheesy" Bean & Cheeze Enchiladas [I make it casserole-style instead of rolling up individual enchiladas], Cashew Ricotta (from Veganomicon), and a Citrus Pound Cake that I modified from the recipe in 'Nomicon, served with an orange glaze that I just sort of made up as I went along, as well as a warm raspberry sauce with vanilla sugar of the same nature.

I have made all of the recipes before, except the pound cake. Everyone seemed to really enjoy all of the dishes, and I was excited to hear raves about the Cashew Ricotta. My cousin, Lynn compared it more to hummus than ricotta, but said it was delicious just the same--and she asked for the recipe! Personally, my favorite was the pound cake. Oh.Mah.Gawd--it was incredible!! I followed the recipe almost exactly, except I added a TON of orange & lemon zest, used soy lemon yogurt (instead of vanilla), a touch of Clementine juice, and about 1 tsp. lemon extract. Admittedly, I have never had pound cake before (vegan or not), so I can't say anything like, "This tastes exactly like the pound cake I remember," but I can definitely vouch for the fact that it is amaaaaazing. I made it on Thursday night so I would have less to do after work on Friday before everyone arrived, and it was still incredibly moist the next day--especially with the orange glaze added to the top. Also, it made the house smell absolutely divine while baking. It was a really fun night with great company, lots of laughter & a ton of food!

On Saturday, Nick & I went on a day trip with my parents to visit my brother at college. He goes to the same school I went to, so it's nice to visit for the day & see the place I used to live! We had a delicious lunch at one of my favorite restaurants (veg-friendly, of course), and we were home by dinnertime. While we were gone, we asked the 10-year-old twins next door to let the dogs out [great--now I have "Who Let the Dogs Out?" stuck in my head!! I haven't even heard that song for like 10 years...]. Anyway, they were sweet enough to come over & make sure the dogs had a chance to get outside while we were gone, so tonight I made the Whoopie Pies from My Sweet Vegan to show my appreciation. They were surprisingly easy to make, and Nick & my dad gave an enthusiastic "thumbs up" before I delivered the goodies next door.

Also this past week, I made my own variation of the Broccoli & Mushroom Alfredo from VegWeb. I just love this stuff. I lower the fat, bump up the vegetable content, and eat to my heart's content! I was never a fan of the traditional dairy- and fat-laden Alfredo back in my omni days, but I absolutely love creamy sauces now! And this sauce was no different. So good!

And speaking of pasta, Nick & I made pesto tonight, which was very welcome taste of summer. I usually don't use basil unless it's growing on our plants outside, as it can get pretty expensive in the off-season... But I broke down & bought some at my co-op because I just needed a taste of summer! It has been so cold lately that it's nice to have something to remind me that it isn't always like this... Can it be spring, please? Now? Okay, thanks.

And here is Mabel saying hello with her new short haircut & her sassy St. Patrick's Day bandanna...

Wake Up, San Francisco!

2008-03-06T10:28:00.005-06:00

Yes, that is the name of Danny Tanner's morning show on "Full House." That was my favorite show growing up, and I am proud to say that I own every season of "Full House" on DVD... Jealous? No? Okay... I understand.

Anyway, now that that embarrassing tidbit is out of the way, I can share my news: I think Nick & I have decided to move to San Francisco. I am really, extremely excited about the prospect, but also nervous & scared because I have never made such a big move... I have always wanted to venture out & live somewhere other than Minneapolis (even though I love it here), and I think now is as good a time as any... Probably the best time, actually. I can't wait for a change, and I absolutely love California. It seems that you can't beat the culture, the weather, or the people in San Francisco--or the vegan friendliness!!

Imagining life there seems totally amazing, and the perfect change for a young couple looking forward to the future. But, of course, me being the total neurotic worry wort that I am, get stressed out & overwhelmed thinking about all the details that go into moving. I have no idea how the hell to go about moving to another state, over a thousand miles away, with no job or apartment lined up. I'm not nervous about making new friends, or finding my "niche" in a new city... But how the heck does one go about actually moving?! I have been doing a lot of research & reading on the subject, but if anyone has any real-life advice, PLEASE SHARE IT!!! We plan on moving this summer, so in the meantime, we're applying for jobs & hunting for apartments online. We also plan to fly out there sometime in May to look at apartments first-hand & hopefully go on some job interviews. Is that a dumb move? Will people actually interview someone who doesn't live right in the city? Would we be better off continuing to save money for the next couple months, then just moving to THEN find jobs??? I also have a good chunk of money saved up, so I'm not totally worried about not having a job right away... But then some apartments make you show your last pay stub to prove you're actually gainfully employed & will be able to cover rent... How do we do this?!

I know people pick up & start a new life in a different city ALL THE TIME. I am more excited than I could ever describe in words, and I just can't wait for the change. But I am still feeling nervous & overwhelmed about HOW to actually go about it... Help?

Nacho Heaven

2008-03-10T18:13:00.006-05:00

Gawd, I love nachos! Who needs cheese when you have melty vegan queso sauce? Smother chips with this, throw in sweet red, orange & yellow peppers, sliced avocado, black olives, and refried beans... HEAVEN! The perfect lunch for a Monday--especially one where I lost an hour of sleep! (But I don't mind the sleep loss when it means getting more sunlight! Yay, Spring!!!)

Strawberry ShortCupCakes!

2008-03-13T18:48:00.007-05:00

Last night, I had my friend, Sarah over for dinner. I was kind of nervous about it because she is a total meat-and-potatoes girl who specifically requested, "No tofu." While I personally love tofu, I understand that not everyone does & I was eager to make a dinner we could both enjoy. I brainstormed all day, but was nervous to make anything I thought of... Finally, I decided on this Cheesy Potato Casserole. I didn't take a picture of it because it wasn't too pretty, but it was so good! Nick & I made it previously on Christmas morning, and we really enjoyed it then--but last night, I decided to saute some veggies & add them to the mix so it would be more filling & main dish-like. Normally I would be a little nervous about serving any vegan "cheese" dish to an omni, but this stuff is seriously awesome! My mom came home from work & we could hear her moaning in the kitchen while eating some... And Sarah had three helpings (and so did I... Don't judge)! The two of us also shared a Gardenburger Riblet, and she even liked that! I think it was my lucky day...

And for dessert: Strawberry Shortcake Cupcakes from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World. (The book refers to them by Strawberry Tallcakes, but I suppose I'm a traditionalist because I much prefer the name Shortcake.) I haven't had Strawberry Shortcake since going vegan, so truth be told, I was a little weary of using the Fluffy Vanilla Buttercream Frosting to stand in for the Cool Whip I'm used to... I should have had more faith in Isa & Terry because these were amazing! So moist, tender, and sweet. And the frosting really did pair perfectly with the cool, juicy berries--just like Cool Whip would! I think the only thing I changed was to use frozen (thawed) strawberries (as opposed to fresh), and added homemade vanilla sugar to the berries while macerating, instead of the maple syrup called for in the recipe. Oh, yes--and I also halved the frosting recipe like I always do because it makes A TON. This cute little dessert was the perfect ending to our meal, and made me [even more] excited for spring & summer. If that's possible.

Brother-Sister Cooking (and some cookies thrown in, too!)

2008-03-15T10:07:00.020-05:00

My brother, Mike is home from college for Spring Break, and last night, he had a dinner party potluck to attend. I was really excited when he asked for my input on what he should make, and he also wanted my assistance in cooking the dish. Having the major sweet tooth that I do, I immediately started thinking of desserts... But he said a lot of other people were bringing sweet treats, so he'd like to make a main dish. I asked him if he wanted to make a vegan dish, and he said, "Yeah, I think vegan would be cool"--which, of course, made me even more excited because that meant we could share amazing vegan cooking with the dinner party guests & dazzle them with deliciousness (or something like that).

After throwing out a few ideas, we decided to make "The Creamiest Vegan Mac & Cheez EVER!" I'd made it previously & thought it was simply divine (as did my omni family members), so I was confident that it would be a hit with Mike's friends. I had a great time cooking with him, and he said that it was fun learning. Plus, Mike decided to add cayenne pepper to the mix, which I did not during my last experience with this mac, and it was a great addition! It added just a hint of spice, and more depth of flavor. Soooo good. (No, I was not in attendance at the party, but of course I had a sample before Mike took it away...) I still haven't tried it with crushed Ritz crackers on top, but he said it added a lot & they really liked that part. I think I'll be brave & try that next time... Also--I'd like to note that I think this dish serves 6-8 people as a main course. There were 10 people at Mike's party, and he said there was enough to serve everyone as a side dish, which was perfect since there was so much other food. The original recipe for this doesn't say anywhere how much it serves, but I figured from the amount of pasta called for (1 lb.), it's about 8. I panicked a little bit before making it, wondering if it would be enough for everyone... But it was!

While Mike was at his shindig (apparently I talk like an 85-year-old grandpa now...), I was at a friend's house myself. (It's actually the friend of my friend Emily, but she's awesome & isn't it just much easier to say "my friend"?) Anyway, Dee had people over for appetizers, drinks, and card games in the evening after work, and then later on we went to a bar for bit. The game of choice was what we refer to as
"P & A"; others refer to it as Presidents & Assholes, Asshole, President, etc. "P & A" is so much easier, and also less vulgar. :) I am only sharing this tidbit because for as long as I've been playing this game, I am ALWAYS the "Asshole" (i.e. loser). Well, last night I was President (and Vice President) for much of the game! I know this probably doesn't mean much to anyone else, but I was proud of my card-playing skills. Also, I brought the Macadamia White Chocolate Chip Cookies from Eat, Drink & Be Vegan. (However, I didn't have white chocolate on-hand, so I used dark chocolate chips instead.) They were delicious, and were gobbled up fast! I think I ate half of them myself, but oh well... That'll happen. The picture doesn't capture how frickin' awesome these were, but just trust that they were really good! I am quickly working my way through every cookie recipe in that book... I'm a maniac. And tonight we're having a family spaghetti dinner, so now I'm off to decide what dessert to make for that! What a lovely Saturday morning... Blogging in my PJs, drinking coffee, and perusing my cookbooks for delicious desserts. I love weekends.

The totally lazy blogger gets caught up!

2008-03-26T19:34:00.030-05:00

Damn, I am a lazy blogger lately... Don't hate me! I have the best intentions throughout the day, but then you know how it goes; life just gets in the way! I come home from work, exercise (if I'm feeling ambitious; bad luck with that lately, too...), make dinner, hang out with my family or friends, read/watch Food Network, and then before I know it, it's past my bedtime! Of course, this routine deviates pretty regularly, but at any rate, I have been neglecting my blog.

But not to worry--I have been taking plenty of pictures, so instead of really long-windedly summarizing the past week-and-a-half-ish, I will bring you up to speed via photos of food (and life).

Sunny Pineapple Yogurt Cake (Eat, Drink & Be Vegan):

Chickpea Cutlets ('Nomicon--lightly fried) with creamy "Honey" Mustard (ED&BV):
P.S. I baked these cutlets once several months ago, and was SO not impressed. However, lightly fried (in just about 2 tsp. oil for all 4, so hardly fried at all!), this cutlet was seriously one of my favorite dinners ever... Add a side of roasted veggies, tater tots, and creamy "honey" mustard? Forget it--I was in heaven!

Hell yes! Special delivery from Vegan Essentials!!! I have been dying to try Sweet 'n Sara's marshmallows, and while I haven't cracked open the Toasted Coconut variety yet, I can confirm that the Vanilla is absolutely delicious. Slightly chewy, very soft, and full of vanilla flavor! Now I really can't wait for summer to roast one (or 15). Until then, though, I have two pre-made s'more sandwiches to keep me occupied, as well as a peanut butter one!:

It was Nick's birthday this past weekend, and here he is opening his present from my parents:

Mabel being a sassy lil' girl. She's thinking, "Oh, honestly. This present opening is so hideously boooooooring. Can we talk about me again?":

Banana Nut Muffins (my own recipe--to come later!):

Out celebrating Nick's birthday at Pizza Luce, the best restaurant on the face of the PLANET!:

Amazing vegan pizza (topped with marinara, tons of fresh veggies, spicy mock duck, and their homemade "rinotta" cheeze)... Also the most drool-inducing Mock Muffeleta hoagie (ohmigod, my mouth is watering just thinking about it! Nick dreams about this sandwich at night):

Sweet & Simple French Toast (My Sweet Vegan), balsamic fruit salad, and coffee for Nick's birthday breakfast in bed--so good!:

Homemade ravioli (recipe also to come later!--stuffed with a vamped up Cashew Ricotta (Veganomicon), mushrooms, and zucchini & topped with marinara) for our romantic birthday dinner. This was definitely a labor of love because it took a fairly long time, as we had to roll out & assemble all of the ravioli by hand--but it was so worth it!:

Yay! I'm caught up!

Ingredient of the Day: Ginger... Oh, and snow.

2008-03-31T12:41:00.017-05:00

One perk of living in a snowy climate such as Minnesota is that I sometimes get "snow days" from work. Growing up, we'd receive several such days off from school, but I never expected to have a job that will tell people to not come in if the weather is rough enough... (I think most people do not get snow days from their jobs, but my workplace is pretty laid-back & nice in that way.)

This past weekend was snow-free & nearing 50 degrees. For March in Minnesota, that's "warm" weather. It was a fabulous taste of Spring, and made me even happier that the snow was finally gone. Then I woke up this morning, looking forward to the first full week of Spring weather, only to see that the weather forecast included snow. And not one or two inches that will melt when it hits the ground... No no no. We're looking at 6-12 inches. It's not even 1 o'clock yet, and the green (well, okay--brown) grass of yesterday is already covered with a thick blanket of disgusting white snow. *For the record, I love snow around Christmastime. I welcome it with open arms & will gleefully run around in it. But after January... No, thank you. Thanks for the offer, but sky, you can keep it! And now that it is officially Spring... This is just more than I can take. One more reason to move to San Fran, though! I don't think I'm tough enough for these hardcore winters anymore...*

However, on the bright side, my work sent the employees home at lunchtime so we could work safely from home & wouldn't have to worry about driving home in more snow later on. Awesome. Of course, I am working in one open internet window & blogging in the other. This is what I do best!

Bitch session over. Food session starting.

Yesterday was my parents' 24th wedding anniversary. They spent the day together (having brunch & seeing a movie), then came home to have dinner & dessert with me! (I felt bad imposing on their "couple time," but they insisted that we spend the evening together after their date. So I decided to treat them to some good [homemade/vegan] food!)

I made Ginger Chik'n Lettuce Wraps using Butler's Soy Curls (available on Vegan Essentials), served alongside an Oriental Dipping Sauce. Not to toot my own horn, but... TOOT TOOT! These were freakin' amazing. I based the wraps off of a recipe online (made with beef), but I can never leave a recipe alone, so I sort of did my own thing. Perhaps I will post that recipe later, as well...

Sidenote: I cannot even tell you how much EXACTLY like chicken these Soy Curls are. It is insane. I don't necessarily miss chicken, but it is really nice to have a texture change-up when it comes to the protein in a stirfry. I love tofu, don't get me wrong. Love it! But Soy Curls are probably my new obsession. If I ordered these lettuce wraps in a restaurant & hadn't prepared them myself, I would not have believed that they didn't contain chicken. Honestly. I would not have believed the waitress who told me until she took me back to the kitchen to show me how the dish was made! The texture & look was absolutely identical. And they're flavorless to begin with, so they'll take on the flavor of whatever you choose... Much like tofu, except even moreso--plus, it has that chicken texture thing going on. I am willing to bet $100 that if you fed these to an omni, they would NEVER in a million years know it wasn't chicken.

I decided to carry on with my ginger theme, so for dessert, I made a Ginger Peach Berry Pie with Cranberry-Ginger Lemonade to drink. The lemonade was just store-bought Cranberry Lemonade from Bolthouse Farms with a bunch of grated ginger added, but the pie was all mine! Well, I used the pastry crust recipe from Veganomicon, but other than that, it was me. I was quite pleased with myself, as I do not care for peach pies so I didn't have too much experience on which to base my recipe... But my mom & dad requested a peach pie, so I thought I better honor their request, as the dinner celebration was to honor them! I added some mixed berries to the peaches just for good measure, and I think the flavors really complimented each other. Plus, perhaps best of all, it reminded us of Summer... Which I really need right now!