Our Veggie Kitchen

Veganmofo is winding down, and I'm reflecting a little on the last month. I went into this year with a little more foresight. My kitchen was still a flurry of activity, but I felt more in control. I had a couple of unifying themes and a couple of surprises. More importantly, I was able to make, eat and share some delicious food. So here's a review of this year's Veganmofo.

Chicken Seitan:

This was completely planned. I'd been working on this recipe for a while and, just before the month started, I made 24 seitan cutlets. I made 20 and used every bit to its fullest:

Chick'n Stir Fry:
Arroz Con Pollo:



BBQ Chick'n Sandwich:
Baked Chick'n Nuggets:



The second planned theme was Thai food. I had been working on a green curry that I was able to unveil this month as well. I posted the paste (so much better when its fresh) along with some of its uses. I didn't, however, post my Thai/Trailer Park fusion delight, Green Curry Paste & Vegenaise. I'm certain that I'd lick this off of hot pavement. It was especially good on the Thai Burger patties.

Thai Green Curry Paste:
Thai Tempeh Burger:



Brussels Sprouts Curry:
Thai Chowder:



And, speaking of burgers . . . through the magic the internets, a good many people found their way to some of my burger posts. This was somewhat unexpected and I have stumble upon, a food porn site, and some click happy readers to thank. So I will. Thank You.

BBQ Tempeh Burgers:
Chickpea Burgers:



And, finally, the biggest surprise was a high fat, but highly delicious appetizer that I made, somewhat, on a whim. I was participating in an iron chef challenge for garlic and decided to make these poppers. It was the confluence of delicious food and an amazing pic (thanks kfad) and, in less than a week, it has breached my top 5 most popular posts.

Garlic Stuffed Jalapeno Poppers:



It was an amazing run, with some amazing fun. So, until next year, farewell Veganmofo.

This soup is an explosion of flavor. It's got a mild heat from the curry paste and jalapenos, the tang of lemon grass and lime juice and the delicious aroma of kaffir lime leaves. It's coconut creamy with the contrasting textures of celery, mushrooms and potatoes. It is truly an experience to savor.

You may want to consider a couple ingredient alterations. First, increasing coconut milk and decreasing broth will make a creamier soup, but at the expense of (many) more calories. Fat is so tasty. Second, adjust green curry paste according to your taste. Two tablespoons make a mild soup. My preference is three. You may want even more. It can be stirred in at the end.

This is one of my favorite special occasion soups.



Thai Chowder
1 Tbs vegetable oil
1 onion, chopped
3 stalks celery, chopped
2 red jalapeno peppers, seeded & chopped
1 lb mushrooms, thickly sliced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tbs glanagal, grated
2-3 Tbs green curry paste
4 cups chicken flavored broth
11 oz coconut milk (2 small cans)
2 stalks lemon grass
4 kaffir lime leaves
2 lbs red potatoes, unpeeled & cubed
2 cups frozen corn
2 limes, juiced

Heat the oil in a large sauce pan over medium-high heat. Add the onions, jalapeno peppers and celery and saute until the onion has softened. Add the mushrooms and stir until the mushrooms begin to release their moisture. Add the galangal, curry paste, and garlic and stir until aromatic.

Pour in the broth and coconut milk. Bruise the lemon grass stalks by pressing firmly with the side of a knife or giving them a light whack with a rolling pin. Tie together with string and to the soup. Rip each kaffir lime leaf in several places. It's easiest to make tears up to the central vein, so the leaves are left in tact. Add to the soup. Add the diced potatoes and frozen corn. Bring to a boil and simmer until the potatoes are cooked through.

Add the limes, one half at a time, testing the flavor after each lime. Two limes will make it quite tangy, which contrasts the other flavors nicely. You may want a little less, though. Remove the lemon grass and lime leaves and serve.

6 Servings: 446 cal (17g fat, 68g carbs, 13g protein)

I very rarely deep fry. And even when I do, I usually don't have the patience to make enough nuggets to feed a family of five, especially when everyone wants a couple helpings each. These nuggets are baked. They aren't necessarily more healthy than deep fried nuggets, but they're easier and the breading is absolutely delicious. If you wish, you could also deep fry the nuggets as I did with these Jalapeno Poppers. Just do a milk/flour layer, then a milk/breading layer with this breading.



Baked Chick'n Nuggets
1/2 recipe Seitan Chicken Cutlets
1/2 cup (1 cube) Earth Balance Margarine
Breading:
1 cup bread crumbs
1/2 cup almonds, ground
1 tbs dried basil
1 tsp paprika
1 tsp salt
1 tsp lemon pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine the breading ingredients. Mix thoroughly and spread on a plate. Pat each seitan cutlet with a dry cloth. Cut or rip cutlets into nugget sized pieces. Melt margarine in a bowl. Coat each nugget in the melted butter, then roll in the breading mixture. Set on a greased cookie sheet. Bake for 25 minutes, turning after 15 minutes.

6 Servings: 415 cal (24g fat, 28g carbs, 24g protein)

These poppers were inspired by an Iron Chef Challenge for Garlic. I go though a couple bulbs of garlic each week, but rarely is it a dominant flavor. It's really brought to the forefront with this treat. Chop the garlic in chunks so your treated with bursts of garlic flavor as you bite through. If you remove all the seeds, the poppers are relatively mild. Mix the seeds back in with the cheddar sauce and garlic for added heat.



Garlic Stuffed Jalapeno Poppers
15 good sized jalapeno peppers, with stems, if possible.
1 recipe Chedda Cheeze Sauce
10 cloves garlic,very roughly chopped
1 cup soy milk
1 cup flour
1 cup panko bread crumbs

Prepare jalapeno peppers. Cut a slit down the length of each pepper. With a paring knife, cut the seed pod at the top, beneath the stem, inside the pepper. Scoop out the seeds. Reserve some or all of the seeds for a hotter popper. Mix the garlic and seeds with the cheeze sauce. Spoon into the peppers. It's easier to be messy, then wipe each pepper with a paper towel than to be tidy. Place on a wire rack.

Bread poppers. Working individually, dip each popper into soy milk, then toss in flour. Set back on the wire rack. Allow the poppers to set for 10 minutes, or so. The flour will have hardened somewhat. Dip each popper back into the soy milk, then into the bread crumbs and set back on the wire rack. Again, allow to set for 10 minutes.

Deep fry poppers. Heat the oil until a bit of cracker immediately sizzles when dropped in. This is medium high on my stove. Working in 3-4 batches, gently drop the poppers into the oil. Stemmed peppers make this step much easier. Cook for 4-5 minutes, until the breading is golden brown. Set on a wire rack and allow to cool. These are especially good dipped in ranch dressing.

Makes 15 poppers. I chose not analyze the nutrition because it depends greatly upon how much cheeze & bread crumbs are used and how much oil is absorbed. Also, I don't want to know.

Yesterday, I posted a plate of nachos that I made with Daiya Cheddar cheese. Today, I made pizza using the Daiya Italian Style (Mozzarella) Cheese. LIke the cheddar, it looks and feels much much more like a block of cheese than other analogs. It's not soft and mushy nor hard and plastic-y. I also thought it had better flavor, maybe sweeter but still with a mild, mozzy taste.

On pizza, it is amazing. I had a container of green olives brined with hot peppers. I added some chopped onions and the Yves pepperoni leftover from the girls' pizza. I put cheese beneath the toppings and sprinkled some on top. At first I was disappointed because the cheese on top didn't appear to melt. I was so wrong. It appears to have a thin, hard film, but beneath that is melty cheesy goodness. It behaved a lot like real cheese. In fact, at one point, I was watching an olive, clinging to a strand of cheese as the cheese stretched to hold the olive. It was brilliant. Seriously, I wept.

So, if you can find some Daiya cheese. I would definitely give it a try. For pizza, keep it beneath the toppings and, whatever you do, expect a thin crust and a gooey cheezy center. For the first time in years, it's got me wanting a pan of 'chicken' parmesan and, ohh, the pizza.

Review Part I: Nachos & Cheddar

And speaking of seitan, I've got one package of Chicken Seitan left. I think I'll make some nuggets.

Last night, I left with my boy to meet up with his grandpa. We live 8 hours apart so, when the kids visit, we try to meet half way. We were to meet in The Dalles (just east of West The Dalles), in the Columbia River Gorge. I had been reading a lot about Daiya cheese and was excited to try some. I intended to stop in Portland, but wasn't excited about being downtown during rush hour. I did, however stumble upon a small vegan market in Hood River, a tiny town east of Portland and just west of The Dalles. This was perfect.

I got a little lost getting there. Google Maps completely failed me. I had to call for directions. I finally arrived shortly before closing. It was a wonderful experience. I has a delightful conversation with the owner (I presume), a long time vegan. She caught wind of Daiya through her friendship with Turtle Island Foods, the makers of Tofurkey, also in Hood River. She uses it on their pizza and nachos. Her review included the statement "all I eat is nachos now." She broke away to print up some cheese recipes for me, including a feta that I'm excited about. With cheese and recipes in hand, we talked a little more and I left. . . without paying. I stole the cheese. So, I've got to call this morning and 'fess up.

I wandered the store a bit, and it's a perfect stop off spot. They were closing up, but she did mention pizza and internet reviews suggested the best smoothies and banana ice cream. They also had salads and lots of dressing, an intriguing hazelnut spread, some organic produce, etc. And most of what I saw looked home made. I will be marking this spot for future trips through the gorge.

So, if you're driving down I-84, this is a great place to stop for road munchies. It's just off exit 64. Call for directions, though. Google doesn't know where it is. And bring your walled. She doesn't need anyone else ripping her off.

Mother's Market
106 Highway 35, Hood River Oregon 97031
541-387-2202

And on to the cheese . . .



I bought some cheddar and some italian blend. The first thing I noticed was that it feels and grates like real cheese. It's not soft and mushy like FYH and it doesn't grate into a near liquid pulp, but into a pile of grated cheese. I microwaved it on some nacho chips and it melted. Fast! In about 20 seconds it was done and it looked like more time would have scorched it. Then I tasted it. It's chewy and stringy, like cheese. It felt a little processed, but definitely better than Teese or Follow Your Heart. The taste wasn't bad either, not the best, but good.

Overall, I'm glad I bought it and wish I'd bought more. OK, 'bought' may be a bit strong, but you get the picutre. I'm looking forward to pizza tonight.

Review Part II: Pizza

I talk a lot in my blog about the textures of foods. In talking to others, I've come to believe that I put a greater emphasis on texture, in part, because I have a limited sense of smell (and presumably taste). I bring this tidbit up because I deemed this sauce complete only when the texture suited me. It has a great Marsala flavor, but the sauce is creamy and buttery and feels delicious on the tongue.



Fettuccine in a Creamy Marsala Sauce

1 lb fettuccine, linguine or similar pasta
1 oz dried porcini mushrooms
1 cup water
-----
1 tbs vegetable oil
1/2 cup shallots, chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 cup tomato paste
1 tbs fresh sage, chopped
1 tsp black pepper corns
1/2 cup parsley
1 tsp sugar
1/2 tsp salt
2 cups dry Marsala wine
-----
1 cup water
1/2 cup soy creamer
3 tbs Earth Balance Margarine

Add the dried mushrooms to 1 cup water. Microwave for a minute and let sit until needed. Meanwhile, saute the shallots and garlic, stirring frequently, just until the shallots are softened. Be sure not to burn the garlic. Add the tomato paste and stir until the paste darkens a bit, just a couple minutes. Add the wine, mushrooms in water and the sage, parsley, peppercorns, and sugar. Bring to a rolling boil and cook until the sauce reduces by half, about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the pasta in boiling water until it becomes soft and pliable, but not fully cooked. Strain, and set aside.

Pour the sauce through a strainer. Then pour another cup of water through the strainer to capture any sauce clinging to the mushrooms/shallots etc. Bring back to a boil. Add the soy creamer and margarine. Bring back to a rolling boil. Add the undercooked pasta and cook in the boiling sauce until the pasta is cooked and the sauce has thickened, about 5 more minutes.

4 Servings: 702 cal (16g fat, 101g carbs, 17g protein)

While I was experimenting with green curry paste, I had about three cups to use up. I was pairing curry paste with everything and this is a curry that turned out really really good. Brussels sprouts aren't synonymous with Thai cooking, but they should be. The go together surprisingly well. I've made this a couple of times since I took the picture and, the best combination is with Brussels sprouts, tempeh and mushrooms. Thai basil is good to.



Brussels Sprout Curry
2 lbs Brussels Sprouts
1 lb small button mushrooms, whole or halved
12 oz tempeh, cubed
14 oz coconut milk
3 tbs Green Curry Paste
1/2 cup vegetable broth
1/2 lime, juiced
1/4 cup Thai Basil, chopped (optional)

Cut the bottom off of each Brussels sprout and either cut in half (if large) or score the bottoms and leave whole (if small). Cut the mushrooms in half or leave whole. Combine with the tempeh in a sauce pan. Stir the curry paste into the coconut milk and add to the pan, along with the vegetable broth. Bring to a boil, cover an simmer until the Brussels sprouts are tender, about 15 minutes. Stir in the Thai basil and the lime juice. All the Thai basil to wilt a bit, then remove from heat. Serve with Jasmine or brown rice.

For vegetable broth, I've always added veggie scraps to bags in the freezer until I had a couple gallons, then simmered the scraps with some celery, carrots, onions and herbs. This makes a broth that never tastes the same, but is always superior to store bought. But, since I started composting this summer, I haven't been putting scraps into the freezer.

I came up with an actual recipe because I wanted a broth that could be a decent substitute for chicken broth. The two chicken broths that I've used are Better than Bouillon No-Chicken concentrate or Imagine No-Chicken boxes. The Better than Bouillon is the better option, but I consider it to be more of a 'neon' chicken flavor. It's got good flavor, but it is very intense; good for sauces, but not soup.

So I went about gathering flavors that I thought might work. I bought 20 small, disposable loaf pans and simmered something different in each. I ended up with a dish of carrot broth, celery broth, sage broth, etc. Then I combined the different broths in increments until I ended up with a flavor I liked. Then, the next day, I used the combination to make a full batch.

This broth isn't chicken broth, but the flavor is complementary and the color is good. It's closer in flavor than Imagine and less 'neon' than Better than Bouillon. It should make a killer batch of chickpea noodle soup.



Chicken Flavored Broth
2 cups dry chickpeas, soaked overnight (not canned)
6 cups celery, chopped
3 cups carrots, chopped
2 cups onions, chopped
4 cups winter squash, chopped
1 cup potato, chopped
2 cups red delicious apple, chopped
1 oz dried shiitake mushrooms
1/2 cup garlic, chopped
1 tsp fresh turmeric, chopped (or 1/4 tsp ground)
5 bay leaves
1 1/4 cup parsley, chopped
2 1/2 Tbs fresh thyme, chopped
2 Tbs fresh sage, chopped
4 1/2 Tbs fresh rosemary, chopped
1 Tbs peppercorns
1/2 tsp salt
5 quarts water

In a large stock pot, combine all ingredients with the water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover and simmer for about an hour. Then pour the broth through a colander into a large pot or bowl. Scoop a couple cups at a time into the colander and push to squeeze more liquid, then discard the solids. Wash out the stock pot. Pour the broth through a strainer several times to extract as much solid matter as possible. Then, one last time, pour through a strainer layered with cheesecloth. Replace the cheesecloth as needed.

This straining method will yield a clear broth. Using fresh herbs will produce clearer broth because it is very difficult to strain out dried herbs or powders.

Produces about 4 quarts broth.

First off, these weren't actually barbecued. This time of year, you can't get the rain to stop long enough to light a match. But next summer I will be grilling these every chance I get. I had been anticipating them for a week and they were worth every thought. And the mashed potatoes were the perfect fall accompaniment. The gravy, posted by Tofu Mom, was the best gravy I've tried in a very long time. A poultry version will definitely be on my Thanksgiving table next month.



BBQ Seitan Sandwich
4 Chicken Flavored Seitan Cutlets
1/4 cup flour
3 Tbs vegetable oil
1/2 cup barbecue sauce
1 sweet onion, sliced
1/4 cup vegenaise (1 tbs per sandwich)
4 hoagie rolls

Heat oil in a large saute pan set to medium high. Lightly dust each cutlet with flour and pan fry until each cutlet has a browned and slightly crispy crust. Remove from heat and brush each cutlet, both sides with barbecue sauce. Broil (or grill) until the top side has dried. Brush with barbecue sauce and turn. Broil again. Brush the top again and put in the oven just long enough to heat the last brushing of sauce. Remove from heat.

Broil the buns (buttered if you like) until they have sufficiently browned. Spread with vegenaise, add onions and top with the seitan. Eat with a bib.

4 Servings: 598 cal (24g fat, 60g carbs, 33g protein)

This is based on a corn salsa recipe that my sister likes to make. I added pasta and black beans to make a perfect potluck dish or a light meal. Its great in the summer, but also a fast, nutritious after work dinner. Experiment with the vinegar amount. Using more or less are both delicious, yet completely different.



Confetti Pasta Salad
4 cups small pasta shells
2 tbs olive oil
15 oz can black beans
15 oz can corn, 1/4 cup juice reserved
4.25 oz can black olives
1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
4 tomatoes, chopped
2 oz pimentos, drained
1/4 cup white wine vinegar

Taco Seasoning (or 2 tbs commercial):
1 tbs chili powder
1/2 tbs ground cumin
1/2 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

Cook the pasta unitl al dente, then drain and plunge into cold water. Drain again. While pasta is cooking, combine the seasoning mix with the vinegar and corn juice. Combine the beans, corn, olives, tomatoes, cilantro, and pimentos in a serving bowl. Add the pasta and drizzle with the olive oil. Stir to combine, then add the vinegar/spice mixture. Stir again and serve, or refrigerate for later. Best served at room temperature.

5 Servings: 484 cal (10g fat, 83g carbs, 17g protein)

I've been playing with this recipe to get a good combination of hot and spicy, sweet and savory. And this recipe is well worth the effort. And, with tons of test batches, I've started putting it on everything: mixed into vegenaise (heaven!), schmered on a Thai Burger, or mixed into soup and even a coconut curry or two. This curry paste is delicious and only takes about half an hour to make. And, make it yourself and be assured that there is absolutely no fish sauce or shrimp paste.



Green Curry Paste
1 tbs coriander seed
1 tsp cumin seed
1 tsp black pepper
1/4 cup shallots, chopped
6 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tbs galangal, chopped
2 stalks lemon grass, chopped
6 kaffir lime leaves, chopped
1 lime, juiced & zested
1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
1/2 tsp salt
10-15 Thai chillies, chopped with seeds (depending on size)

Dry fry the coriander and cumin seeds over medium heat until the cumin begins to toast. Remove from heat and set aside until cool. Grind in a spice grinder and combine with the remaining ingredients. Blend in a blender or a spice grinder (in batches). I run the mixture through my spice grinder twice in two batches each. I don't think a blender would work well unless yours is better than mine (which is highly likely). Makes about 1 cup.

16 servings: 25 cal (0g fat, 6g carbs, 1g protein)

I grew up in a small agricultural town in Eastern Washington. It's the same town where, during my summer vacation, I couldn't find soy yogurt and had to beg the Thai restaurant for some Kaffir lime leaves. But what the town lacks in variety it makes up in quality. And the available Mexican cuisine was a definite strength. There were at least half a dozen distinctly different, and amazingly delicious restaurants scattered throughout town.

My favorite dish was a particular arroz con pollo that was so good, that, to this day, I can close my eyes, lean back, and still taste the sauce. It was chicken and mushrooms, simmered in a sofrito and poured over Spanish rice. It was heaven.

This was close. I posted the Chicken Seitan and the Sofrito last week and the Spanish Rice, a couple weeks prior. And I brought them together for this dish. I dusted the seitan with flour and pan fried it and when I added the sauce it turned into more of a gravy. Next time, I'll nix the flour. But still, this was a delicious and nostalgic treat.



Arroz con Pollo
1/2 recipe Spanish Rice
1 recipe sofrito
2 tbs vegetable oil
4 chicken flavored seitan cutlets
1 lb small mushrooms, halved
15 small corn tortillas

Make the soffrito and set aside. Make the Spanish Rice.

While the rice is cooking, Heat oil in a large saute pan set to medium-high. Pat the seitan cutlets dry and slice them into strips. Add them to the saute pan and fry, stirring occasionally until the strips begin to crisp in places. Remove and set aside.

Add the mushrooms and sofrito. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until the mushrooms have softened. Add back the seitan strips and continue to simmer until the rice is finished cooking. Add a little water if necessary to thin the sauce.

To assemble, add a little rice and seitan/mushroom/sauce to each tortilla. Top with sour cream or guacamole if you wish. Eat over a plate with plenty of napkins. You'll need them.

5 Servings: 650 cal (17g fat, 90g carbs, 32g protein)

This survey has been going around, so I thought I'd join the fun.

1. Favorite non-dairy milk?

Unsweetened Soymilk. I didn't drink milk and I don't drink soy. But I use the unsweetened stuff a lot. The regular stuff just adds too much sweetness.

2. What are the top 3 dishes/recipes you are planning to cook?

Thai Tempeh Burgers & Green Curry - I'm making tempeh burgers tomorrow along with a batch of green curry paste. I love green curry paste in way too many things. I even mix it with vegenaise as a dip with tater tots.

Stuffed Pumpkins - Twice, every year, when the chantrelle mushrooms come down in price, I make a batch of wild mushroom stuffing and bake it inside several small pie pumpkins. I'll make the fist batch in a couple weeks. The second batch is my replacement for Thanksgiving turkey.

Spring Rolls - I'm not sure when we get to it, but my girls and I have been wanting to make a giant batch of spring rolls. We keep putting it off because weekends have been crazy, but I'm really looking forward to the time with my girls.

3. Topping of choice for popcorn?

Curry Infused Oil - This is a no brainer. I made the infused oil a while back and, on a whim, drizzled it on popcorn. OMG, it's unbelievably good. Seriously, delicious.

4. Most disastrous recipe/meal failure?

I had spent a lot of time researching Kefetedes, which are Greek meatballs made with lamb. I started off really underequipped because I don't know much about Greek cuisine. Further, I'd eaten lamb only once in my life and that was long ago. I had little idea what flavor I was going for and it showed. It tasted horrible and the seitan was even doughy.

I made fresh flat bread and a batch of tzaziki and no filling. And I was planning to take a batch to a staff meeting the next day. I ended up chopping up frozen chickpea patties and the meal and meeting were both good. But I had sunk tremendous effort into something that I may never approach again. It was that bad.

5. Favorite pickled item?

Either jalapeno peppers or plain ole pickles

6. How do you organize your recipes?

I use software called Diet Pro.

7. Compost, trash, or garbage disposal?

My mom finally talked me into composting this summer. There's a strange sense of satisfaction you get in watching your garbage rot.

8. If you were stranded on an island and could only bring 3 foods...what would they be (don't worry about how you'll cook them)?

chickpeas, tomatoes and mushrooms.

9. Fondest food memory from your childhood?

I'm drawing a blank. Sorry.

10. Favorite vegan ice cream?

I ate a sample at a grocery store once. That's it.

11. Most loved kitchen appliance?

Blender. No contest.

12. Spice/herb you would die without?

This is unfairly hard. I have three spice racks and grow a dozen or so fresh herbs. I love cumin, but I'd probably go with a fresh herb, maybe thyme. I'm on a mini rosemary kick right now.

13. Cookbook you have owned for the longest time?

My very first cookbook was a Sunset Italian cookbook. I bought it in high school and used it to death. I bought another one and trashed it again, still keeping most of the lose pages. I found a copy recently at a thrift store and bought it again, for old time sake.

14. Favorite flavor of jam/jelly?

There's a guy that makes Jalapeno jelly that's pretty good. Aside from that I don't like jam.

I've got this thing with sticky. Anything sticky like syrup or jelly lets off an aerosol mist that coats everything, in roughly a one room radius, to become permanently sticky. My boy was 5 years before I would allow syrup into my home.

15. Favorite vegan recipe to serve to an omni friend?

About once a month, I bring in snacks for our staff meeting. I usually try to make something that either showcases a vegan staple or I make something that would not normally be associated with veganism. On the other hand, I will jump at any opportunity to make anyone Indian food.

16. Seitan, tofu, or tempeh?

Yes! Right now I'm in a tempeh phase, but it goes in cycles.

17. Favorite meal to cook (or time of day to cook)?

Dinner. I don't do breakfast, ever.

18. What is sitting on top of your refrigerator?

playing cards, a container of dice, an oven temperature gauge and dust.

19. Name 3 items in your freezer without looking.

Burgers, frozen corn and peas, kaffir lime leaves.

20. What's on your grocery list?

I plan the week's meals on Thursday, keeping notes on future ideas as I go. I keep a spreadsheet organized by store and aisle. I shop on Friday night, usually hitting an ethnic or supplemental store on my lunch hour. That's probably more telling than what's actually on my list.

21. Favorite grocery store?

Market of Choice

22. Name a recipe you'd love to veganize, but haven't yet.

Corned Beef - I've made several attempts at making something reminiscent of corned beef. I've tried brining tofu, using a spice mop and a couple shots at seitan. Eventually, I'll get something that lives up my, admittedly, high standards.

23. Food blog you read the most (besides Isa's because I know you check it everyday). Or maybe the top 3?

TofuMom - I found this blog a couple of years ago and I still read it. I love her food and her stories.
Yeah That Vegan Shit - She's really slowed down her posts, but her blog is the only one that's made me spew coffee at work. Very funny.
The Vegan Mouse - I just started following this regularly. She's got great ideas and beautiful pictures.

24. Favorite vegan candy/chocolate?

I don't really eat candy.

25. Most extravagant food item purchased lately?

On a whim, I bought saffron. Still haven't used it.

26. Make up your own question to put here (and answer it). How long did it take to write up these answers?

With interruptions? Over an hour. I'm beat.

I got a call the other day from a caterer who was providing food for a retreat. He was unfamiliar with what foods he should avoid and what he could serve. I talked him though some options and offered some suggestions and pitfalls. In the end, the guest was pleased and appreciative.

But, during our conversation, he asked the classic question. What does a vegan eat anyway? The question just happened to coincide with a stretch of meals in my house that spanned five cuisines in five days. Beginning on October 1, I had made Black Eyed Peas, Fried Rice, Arroz con Pollo, Spaghetti, Curried Cauliflower Soup and, finally Muffuletta Sandwiches. So the answer to his question is simple: Everything not animal. And everything else is a pretty big list.

Anyway, this sandwich was amazingly delicious. Muffuletta is a New Orleans classic with layers of meat, cheese and pickled olive salad mix. I made two loafs of fococcia and layered a package of Yves deli salami, thin slices of vegan Mozzarella and a thick layer of olive mix. Then I wrapped them in foil and baked them for 10 minutes, just to heat the bread. Finally, I sliced the loaves up and ate way too much.



Muffuletta Olive Salad Mix
1 1/2 pitted green olives, quartered
1/2 cup kalamata olives, finely chopped
1 cup Giardiniera (pickled cauliflower, carrots & peppers)
2 oz pimentos
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbs chopped shallots
1 stalk celery, thinly sliced
2 tsp red wine vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
1 tbs fresh parsley, chopped
1 tbs fresh oregano, chopped
1 tsp red pepper flakes

Combine all ingredients and refrigerate for at least 24 hours.

My garden is finally giving it up. But, thanks to a late burst of summer, I was harvesting basil and tomatoes all they way though September this year. Finally, I decided it was time and clipped all the leaves from my basil. It was a sunny day. I was in the kitchen chopping away. My girls were playing and my boy was in the garden, experimenting with the remaining ripe tomatoes. It was one of those days that is so good and so simple, that it burns itself into your brain as a happy memory.



I ended up packing my freezer with three kinds of pesto:

Basic Pesto - Simple, pure and made creamy with olive oil and cashews. This is great for spaghetti, and makes delicious pesto butter. For years, I made this simple pesto with Parmesan cheese. I don't need to anymore.

Creamy Pesto - this is a newer creation, and purely decadent. An almond/basil pesto is combined with a cashew cream sauce that looks and tastes wonderful.

Cilantro Pesto - Cilantro, Parsley and Basil are combined with almonds and tangy lime juice. It's my all time favorite with beans & rice and makes for a tasty summer pasta salad.



And this was my son's creation. He picked and sliced some fresh tomatoes and topped them with freshly picked mint and a squeeze of lime juice. He nailed the concept of simple and fresh, and it was an inspiring mid-day treat.

This is a basic split pea soup with a couple of changes. First, I like to cook the split peas until they crumble, forming a thick pea broth. Then, the chunks of veggies form the a hearty soup, engulfed in a delicious broth. The addition of thick cut mushroom chunks add a wonderful texture. I used dried herbs because its fall. In the spring and summer, I'd have used fresh sprigs tied together.



Chunky Split Pea Soup
1 lb dried split peas
2 quarts water (or broth)
3 carrots, chopped
2 stalks celery, chopped
1 onion, chopped
2 medium potatoes, peeled & chopped
1 lb mushrooms, thickly sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp dried oregano
1/4 tsp rubbed sage
1/4 tsp dried rosemary, crumbled
1/4 tsp dried thyme
1/2 tsp black pepper
1 tsp salt (less if using broth)

Combine all ingredients. Bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to simmer and cook until the split peas have disintegrated into the broth. Remove the bay leaves and refrigerate or serve. This soup is best the next day.

Note: This will make a fairly thick soup, especially the next day. Feel free to add some water if you like thinner soup.
8 Servings: 278 cal (1g fat, 53g carbs, 18g protein)

As I said once before, I made 24 chicken-y seitan cutlets for Veganmofo this year. One of those meals was this stir fry. There is nothing terribly special about a stir fry. Use your favorite vegetables (or the ones you need to use up), combined with some tofu, tempeh or seitan. But the sauce really makes this weeknight workhorse shine. I love adding sherry and ginger to stir fries and I love lots of sauce. And this really hits the spot.

I Usually dust tofu or seitan in flour and pan fry it ahead of the veggies. When you add them back to the stir fried veggies and pour in the sauce, the flour turns the sauce into somewhat of a gravy. And I'd eat barbed wire if it's drizzled with gravy.



Stir Fry Sauce
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbs ginger, grated
1 tsp sesame oil

2 tbs cornstarch
1 1/2 cup vegetable broth
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup sherry
1 tbs white sugar

When the stir fry is finished cooking, push the veggies & tofu/seitan/tempeh aside. Add the garlic & ginger to the center of the pan. Pour the sesame oil over the top and stir around the center of the pan. Then stir into the veggies. Mix together the remaining ingredients and pour into the pan. Bring to a boil and remove from heat. Stir and serve.

4 Servings: 123 cal (1g fat, 20g carbs, 3g protein)

I grew up in a small town with a good sized Hispanic population. With that, came an amazing variety of delicious Mexican food. At one point, I worked next door to my favorite restaurant in town. And, while I added a healthy sum of padding around my belly, I spent my lunches in culinary bliss. My favorite dish was arroz con pollo, chicken, rice and mushrooms and a mild red sauce that would make all your worries fade with just a bite.

This sauce pays homage to that vivid memory. It's a mild sauce that starts with with annato seed and built upon tomatoes, peppers and cilantro. This sauce wasn't as good as it's inspiration (you can't best perfection), but it was very good. And it made for a winning plate of Tofu Enchiladas.



Sofrito - Tomato & Red Pepper Sauce
1 tsp annatto seed
2 tbs olive oil
2 onions, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
6 cloves garlic, chopped
3 tomatoes, chopped
1 bunch cilantro, chopped
12 oz beer
1/2 cup white wine
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 lime, juiced

Heat the oil in a saute pan over medium heat. Add the annatto seeds and saute until the oil turns orange. Add the onions, and peppers and saute until the onion is soft. Add the garlic and saute until fragrant, then cook the tomato and cilantro until the tomato softens. Add the beer and wine. Boil rapidly for about 15 minutes, until the sauce has reduced by about a cup. Add the lime juice and salt. Blend thoroughly the push the contents through a strainer. Makes about a quart.

5 Servings: 145 cal (6g fat, 15g carbs, 2g protein)

As soon as school rolls around, I start making soup. Something about fall just makes soup the right choice and I eat it at lunch more days than I don't. I started the season working on my tomato crop with Roasted Tomato Soup and Curried Tomato and Spinach Soup. Last weekend, I added Provencal Pumpkin Soup. I also made a Green Curry Stew, but didn't take any pics, but it was definitely good enough to make again.

Then I made this Golden Cauliflower Soup from last fall, with some updating to the recipe. I played around with the fat content, adding a bunch more cashews and cut back on the margarine. This made it deliciously creamy. I also tried to make a huge batch of soup that went very quickly, so I didn't peel the carrots or potatoes. This not only kept a healthy aspect of the veggies in the soup, but it added flecks of color.

Again, this made a huge batch of soup. Feel free to cut it in half, or freeze the leftovers.



2 quarts water
1 head cauliflower, chopped
2 medium potatoes, cleaned & chopped
6 stalks celery, chopped
1 lb carrots (about 6), cleaned & chopped
2 medium onions, chopped
1 cup cashews
4 cloves garlic, chopped
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1 tbs miso
1 small lemon, juiced
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
4 tbs Earth Balance Margarine
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups unsweetened soy milk

Combine water with the cauliflower, potatoes, celery, carrots, onions, garlic, and cashews. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 15 minutes, until the vegetables are soft. Meanwhile, melt the butter over medium heat. Stir in the flour and continue cooking for about 5 minutes. Whisk in the soy milk and the nutritional yeast, miso, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Reduce to low and simmer.

In batches, blend the vegetables and add to the milk mixture. Stir thoroughly to combine. Test and adjust with salt and pepper, if necessary. Makes about 5 quarts.

10 servings: 260 cal (13g fat, 28g carbs, 11g protein)

It's Veganmofo time again. This year I'm better prepared with a couple posts saved up and the evenings blocked out for blogging. My goal is to post five times a week for the coming month. To accomplish this, I've made a double batch of my chicken flavored seitan. And I'll post it in several different forms. I've got addicting baked chicken nuggets already done, along with a tangy mustard sauce and a wonderful picture of a seitan packed stir fry, so stay tuned and these posts will be revealed.

These seitan cutlets are most delicious when dusted in flour and lightly pan fried.



Chicken-y Seitan Cutlets

Dry Ingredients:
2 1/4 cups vital wheat gluten
1/2 cup chickpea flour
1/2 cup nutritional yeast
2 tsp onion powder
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp rubbed sage
1 tsp dried rosemary leaves
1 tsp thyme
1 bay leaf

Wet Ingredients:
12 oz silken tofu
1 1/4 cup water
1/4 cup soy sauce

Cooking Broth:
6 cups chicken flavored broth

For the dry mix, crumble the rosemary and bay leaves, along with the sage, thyme and other spices into a spice grinder. Grind into a powder. Combine the spices with the other dry ingredients. Blend the wet ingredients and pour into the dry ingredients. Stir to combine into a dough. Knead for about 5 minutes, until the dough becomes somewhat elastic. Cover with a damp cloth Set aside for 30-60 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees. Bring the chicken flavored broth to a boil and keep at a simmer. Place a pyrex 9x13 casserole in the oven while it preheats. Kneed the dough for another 5 minutes. Separate into 12 balls. Using the ball of your hand, pound each ball into a cutlet shape and set aside. When all the cutlets are shaped, combine the boiling liquid ingredients (make sure the water is boiling hot) in the preheated pot. Add the seitan cutlets. the cutlets will overlap and this is OK. Just fit them in and make sure they're covered with liquid. Bake, covered in the oven for about 1 1/2 hours. Remove from the oven and remove the seitan from the liquid.

They can be kept in the refrigerator, with the cooking liquid for at least a week (that's about as long as I'll go). They also freeze, with the liquid, very well. Makes 12 cutlets.

12 servings: 141 cal (2g fat, 9g carbs, 23g protein)