tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-44976556868375654902024-03-13T02:13:47.195-04:00the jb show.lazy vegetarians are everywhere. this is a collection of easy recipes and tips for dining out for vegetarians with little time or effort.jbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12860835857264902062noreply@blogger.comBlogger108125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4497655686837565490.post-54735698224123398212012-12-10T12:35:00.000-05:002012-12-10T12:35:10.689-05:00Don't call it a comeback.In a seminar about blogging today, so it is as good a time as any to get back to this damned blog.<br />
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Just found out that <a href="http://www.beyondmeat.com/stores/" target="_blank">Beyond Meat</a> is now available in Connecticut! (and if anyone reads this blog regularly, <a href="http://www.middletownpress.com/" target="_blank">I moved to</a> <a href="http://www.registercitizen.com/" target="_blank">CT for a new job</a> in the same company, so still with DFM, parent company of <a href="http://www.timesherald.com/" target="_blank">The Times Herald</a>)<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcfh4S8dCre733aS6Qa-dZQb9U69C6FmIVvesSX7gg0410_Lna0whKVQxhnqc_TqOELW492ftwO9ZgGX0sI0aQX1lyaYfXSuLRsoWnw5KdgmBlYjO6Pn1KVrQJ-8eG5_4uQvBEAQfSGALa/s1600/Screen+Shot+2012-12-10+at+12.26.51+PM.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="243" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcfh4S8dCre733aS6Qa-dZQb9U69C6FmIVvesSX7gg0410_Lna0whKVQxhnqc_TqOELW492ftwO9ZgGX0sI0aQX1lyaYfXSuLRsoWnw5KdgmBlYjO6Pn1KVrQJ-8eG5_4uQvBEAQfSGALa/s640/Screen+Shot+2012-12-10+at+12.26.51+PM.png" width="640" /></a></div>
So some time soon I'll be rolling in to a Whole Foods to try these bad boys out. <br />
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Will also be talking about finding the best vegetarian/vegan meals in northwest CT. If anyone has some suggestions, please let me know.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11481731412538110554noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4497655686837565490.post-83997000995510355672012-06-04T15:31:00.001-04:002012-06-04T15:31:12.746-04:00More camping fun<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSXyXioKjucn9Qrx83gDrhsnaliQUtxIu3A2IFjxYiSJ9JCyYQm_vowM8YRYxRjv9dnNuIv3bAVtkR6-RY9zd50trsEehpC7EOS2xMV9A_B2E8QmNw_UGxGoIVtTyhEEaATRgjqGcYL16c/s1600/IMG_7077.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSXyXioKjucn9Qrx83gDrhsnaliQUtxIu3A2IFjxYiSJ9JCyYQm_vowM8YRYxRjv9dnNuIv3bAVtkR6-RY9zd50trsEehpC7EOS2xMV9A_B2E8QmNw_UGxGoIVtTyhEEaATRgjqGcYL16c/s400/IMG_7077.JPG" width="400" /></a>The Lazy Herbivore has been silent for a while, but i guess it's about time to say hi again. <br />
Recently I went camping with some vegan friends. Easy campfire cooking is one of the best parts of camping. That smell of burning wood mixing in with your fresh veggie-dogs from the fire... delicious. <br />
A while back, I bought a <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Romes-1705-Square-Steel-Handles/dp/B000FNLXWG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1338836871&sr=8-1">pie iron from a company that makes campfire-cooking devices</a>. This has worked very well for camping excursions, you throw any bread in there, any filling that would be good hot and melty (peanut butter and banana turns out amazingly well), throw it into the hot coals of your campfire, let it sit for a few minutes, and you're set.<br />
With one of my camping co-horts realizing he has a gluten allergy, we've had to make some tweaks on our camping menu. We brought some corn tortillas, stuffed them with Daiya vegan cheese, some veggie pepperoni, and closed up the pie iron. What came out really tasted like nachos and was enhanced by a little Sriracha. Because the pie iron is smaller than the tortillas, the edges of the tortilla caught fire and burned away as the sandwich inside melted into all it's unhealthy vegan glory.<br />
Some nicely seared edges, including still glowing embers on some parts, meant let it cool a bit before devouring, but once it was cool enough to eat, this sandwich was fantastic.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kayli, one of the cows living at the Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary.</td></tr>
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This camping excursion was for a visit to<a href="http://woodstocksanctuary.org/"> Woodstock Farm Animal Sanctuary</a>, which I thoroughly recommend to anyone who loves animals and wants to interact with them directly. You'll have a chance to get close to all manor of farm animals, including hugging a pig, hand feeding a cow, petting some turkeys, and getting kicked by one impatient sheep while you feed others. Okay, that last one might just be me.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11481731412538110554noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4497655686837565490.post-15059338498003580472012-04-23T01:15:00.003-04:002012-04-23T01:15:49.068-04:00HipCityVegBeing a vegetarian and going out to eat gets easier all the time.<div>
Vegan and vegetarian options are way more abundant now than they used to be.</div>
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Restaurants that are entirely veg are also way more common.</div>
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A new one that has recently popped up in the Philadelphia vegetarian scene is Hip City Veg.</div>
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With it's lineage stemming from arguably one of the best vegan joints in Philly area history, Horizons, the expectations were high.</div>
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This place sadly falls short in some respects, but hits the mark in others.</div>
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The positive side:</div>
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Fast-food options are few and far between for vegans, so this place fills that void nicely. You get typical burger-slinging fare in an environmentally friendly establishment, and all vegan.</div>
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Good variety on the menu and the chick'n ranch sandwich was really tasty.</div>
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Also, a friendly staff that gets your food to you quickly.</div>
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The negative side:</div>
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The veggie burger tasted like a Boca patty, while that's fine from your neighborhood diner, I expect way better from an all vegetarian eatery.</div>
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Not much seating. I get that it is geared to be mostly a take-out restaurant, but with hours from 10-10, it seems like they'd want a more welcoming place to sit down and eat.</div>
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Overall, for a quick and convenient meal, it's a good place to stop. The food is a bit disappointing and kind of over-priced.</div>
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I'm stoked that there is another all-veg eatery in the city, but I'll probably be sticking to the old favorites for now.</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11481731412538110554noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4497655686837565490.post-11348144817336609512012-04-13T12:12:00.000-04:002012-04-23T01:16:45.888-04:00Getting protein<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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That myth of how vegetarians can't get protein is nicely addressed <a href="http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-4491/My-Top-7-Sources-of-PlantBased-Protein.html">here in a post</a> from <a href="http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-4491/My-Top-7-Sources-of-PlantBased-Protein.html">Mind Body Green</a> and ultra-marathoner and vegan, <a href="http://www.richroll.com/">Rich Roll</a>.<br />
Quinoa, tempeh, seitan, beans, and lentils are some of my favorite foods, but Roll's post makes me want to get in on that spirulina game.<br />
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I'll never be anywhere near the shape that this dude is in, but i do try to eat as health-consciously as i can (in between trips to gorge myself on sandwiches from <a href="http://www.blackbirdpizzeria.com/">Blackbird Pizzeria</a>, which have a nice amount of protein-rich seitan).<br />
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My experience with non-vegetarians questioning my health always cracks me up, but the most frequent questions are about protein for some reason.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11481731412538110554noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4497655686837565490.post-62629321859994213542012-03-22T16:47:00.001-04:002012-03-22T16:47:18.462-04:00Vegan Cookie Bars<br />
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The best thing about making cookies is that there is really no wrong combination of ingredients.</div>
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You think of a few things that might taste good together, chances are they probably will in cookie form.</div>
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Cookie bars have that same advantage.</div>
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These particular cookie bars are simple and turn out great with very little effort.</div>
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Start by putting the dry ingredients in a large bowl and sifting them together.</div>
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Add the margarine, apple sauce and peanut butter. While mixing these in, add the vanilla extract and molasses.</div>
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The applesauce is the egg substitute and will give moisture to the dough, adding a little extra apple sauce will make them softer.</div>
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Mix all of these ingredients together until they are a soft dough and the ingredients are fully blended.</div>
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Stir in the granola, chocolate chips and dried cranberries.</div>
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You can use rolled oats instead of the granola.</div>
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To make this vegan, simply choose a brand of semi-sweet chocolate that has no milk.</div>
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Press the dough into a lightly greased 13 X 9 baking pan. Spread all the way to the edges of the pan and bake at 350 for 18 minutes.</div>
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If the edges are brown and the inside is still slightly soft, they are done. The inside will solidify as they cool.</div>
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Let them cool some before cutting so that they don’t crumble as easily.</div>
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Ingredients:<br />1 1/4 cups white whole wheat flour</div>
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1 cup brown sugar<br />1/2 tsp baking soda</div>
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1/2 tsp salt<br />1/2 cup peanut butter</div>
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1/2 cup Earth Balance, softened</div>
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1 tsp molasses<br />1 tsp vanilla extract</div>
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1/4 cup applesauce<br />1 cup granola (or rolled oats)</div>
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1/2 cup chocolate chips<br />1/3 cup dried cranberries</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11481731412538110554noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4497655686837565490.post-20396738540486971412012-02-21T13:49:00.007-05:002012-02-21T13:49:59.691-05:00Making jelly becomes a hobby<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikjRZbhSdR2np-aSHEigUWLxWbmDgGwdr5_IQOsNPz8HkwwkV3-U7DtIMwkiGhKJFWcfoFrrxpRrU3ysCNkXWqZtrMWMvnC5VDsBcUyGjyl2icKGACO_8U3v7zVVi7X-h9P-a9CENLTKjx/s1600/lhjelly.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikjRZbhSdR2np-aSHEigUWLxWbmDgGwdr5_IQOsNPz8HkwwkV3-U7DtIMwkiGhKJFWcfoFrrxpRrU3ysCNkXWqZtrMWMvnC5VDsBcUyGjyl2icKGACO_8U3v7zVVi7X-h9P-a9CENLTKjx/s320/lhjelly.jpg" width="320" /></a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, 'helvetica neue', helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px; text-align: left;">So my obsession with jelly and jam making is becoming more and more, well, obsessive.</span></div>
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I’m starting this journey now and will be experimenting throughout the winter so that I will actually be good at the art of preserves by the time the fruit seasons are in their prime.</div>
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If anyone knows of good places for picking fresh fruit, send me an email and I’ll file that knowledge away for when it’s time.</div>
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A few weeks ago I tried an apple jelly that I was quite pleased with, so this past weekend I spent too much money and time on fruits and jars and got to work.</div>
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My grand experiment was to try a handful of different recipes from a website I found from the Nation Center for Home Food Preparation, http://nchfp.uga.edu/, that has dozens of recipes and instructions for home canning and preserving. I can’t confirm or deny the notion that I’ve spent inordinate amounts of time on that site lately.</div>
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Part of my experiment was to substitute coconut sugar for regular sugar in one of the jams to see how much of a difference that makes.</div>
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Not the best idea I’ve had.<br />Pineapple jam calls for:</div>
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1 20 oz. can of crushed pineapple</div>
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3 tbsps. lemon juice<br />3 1/4 cups sugar</div>
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1 pouch of liquid pectin.<br />Combine the pineapple, lemon juice and sugar in a large pot and stir well. Bring to a boil over high heat and stir constantly. Once it reaches a boil, let it boil hard for one minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the pectin.</div>
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I made this with the coconut sugar first. The sugar tastes good, would probably be great in baked goods or coffee, but turned my pineapple jam a rough looking dark brown color.</div>
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Not the most appetizing color for jam.</div>
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Also smelled a little like it was burnt, so I’m calling that an all around failure.</div>
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Same recipe made with regular sugar turned out great.</div>
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Their grape jelly recipe was really simple as well.</div>
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6 1/2 cups sugar<br />2 1/2 cups water</div>
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2 pouches liquid pectin<br />18 oz. frozen grape juice concentrate.</div>
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Combine the sugar and water stirring constantly over high heat. Bring this mixture to a rolling boil, then allow to boil for one minute.</div>
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Remove from the heat and stir in the liquid pectin. Once that’s stirred in fully, add the thawed grape juice concentrate and stir.</div>
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By far, my favorite was a strawberry-kiwi jam. The only one of these to call for fresh fruits and the most complicated as well, but definitely tastes great.</div>
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For this one you’ll need:<br />3 cups crushed strawberries</div>
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3 kiwi, peeled and diced</div>
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1 tbsp lemon juice<br />1 tbsp minced crystallized ginger</div>
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1 package powdered pectin</div>
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5 cups sugar<br /></div>
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I just cut the stems off of the strawberries and tossed them in the food processor. Diced the kiwi the same way, but not for as long in the food processor to allow them to be a slightly larger size.</div>
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Toss both of those in a large pot with the lemon juice, pectin and ginger and bring that to a boil, stirring constantly. Add the sugar and stir well.</div>
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Once boiling again, let it roll for about a minute, continuing to stir.</div>
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With all of the jams and jellies, skim any foam from the top and ladle into jars.</div>
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You can get detailed instructions on the jarring process online and in many books, but the basics are, clean the rims, place the sterilized lids on the jars, submerge in boiling water for 5-10 minutes. The next day, if the center of the lids are popped up, open, clean, put new lids on and boil again.</div>
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One really helpful tip I got before starting to make jams was to put a tablespoon of butter into the pot with the fruit to reduce the foam that needs to be skimmed. Using Earth Balance margarine does the trick, but keeps the jams vegan.</div>
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11481731412538110554noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4497655686837565490.post-27775971307969389882012-02-21T13:46:00.000-05:002012-02-21T13:46:25.615-05:00Crusted Tofu<br />
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Tofu is a staple in every vegetarian diet and is often the dealbreaker when cooking for onmivores.</div>
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If you’re cooking a vegetarian meal for a mixed crowd, as soon as meat eaters hear the word tofu, they are done.</div>
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Preparing the tofu right can help make it tolerable for them, because we know you’ll never win over the tofu haters completely.</div>
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Pan fried with a cornmeal crust is one way to do that.</div>
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I always press the water out of the tofu with paper towels and a couple of plates. Pressing tofu and getting excess water out of it helps with the texture.</div>
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There are devices out there that do this task for you, but the cheaper way is to put a layer of paper towels above and below a brick of tofu on a plate. Put another plate on top and put a few pounds of weight on top of the plates. It should be enough pressure to slowly squeeze out the water, but not enough to crush the tofu.</div>
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Next create the liquid mixture, mix the soymilk with cornstarch to make it thicker, totally disolving the corn starch.</div>
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In another bowl, mix the dry ingredients well.</div>
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After about 20 minutes of pressing the tofu, slice the tofu and then cut into triangles.</div>
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Dip in the liquid, then coat with the cornmeal mixture.</div>
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Fry in about 1/4 inch of vegetable oil, allowing each side to brown, then drain before serving.</div>
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Ingredients:<br />1 pound of tofu</div>
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1 cup soymilk<br />2 tbsps. cornstarch</div>
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1 tsp. liquid smoke<br />1 cup cornmeal</div>
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1/2 cup panko bread crumbs<br />2 tbsps. cajun seasoning</div>
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1 tsp. cumin<br />Oil for frying</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11481731412538110554noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4497655686837565490.post-32073849139755480742012-02-21T13:42:00.003-05:002012-02-21T13:42:59.029-05:00Carrot and white bean soup tastes better than it sounds<br />
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Recently I got a box of veggies and fruits to sample from Suburban Organics, a local company that delivers produce from organic farms to the doorstep of their customers. I was sent a box to review and the company left a good first impression — check it out at http://suburbanorganics.com/.</div>
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The idea of this service is pretty awesome since there is nothing lazier than waiting at your house for your groceries to be brought to your front door.</div>
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We’ll go with the bad side first since it is actually the lesser part of my opinion of the company.</div>
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The only thing I didn’t like is the lack of control over what comes in that box. You can order just veggies, just fruit or a fruit and veggie mix, but you get an assortment from what they have on hand that is fresh and seasonal. I have no idea what to do with beets.</div>
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That said, the quality of the produce is fantastic. All organic, some local, and a pretty broad variety of fruits and veggies. They offer a variety of sizes for the boxes as well. The box I received was a small, but was more produce than a single person can really use, so the “Little” box would probably be the one for me, but a variety of sizes and delivery schedules are offered.</div>
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So I chose to make a carrot soup with some of the goodies in the box.</div>
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Start by sauteing the onion in a large pot with the olive oil. Add the garlic after a couple of minutes and allow to saute until the onions are soft.</div>
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Add the rest of the ingredients except for the beans.</div>
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Allow to cook over medium-low until the carrots get soft.</div>
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Put it all in a blender or food processor and puree. Make sure to not overfill so you don’t have hot soup spraying out the sides. Yes, I learned that lesson the hard and painful way once upon a time.</div>
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Put the pureed soup back in the pot and add the drained and rinsed beans and allow to heat for a few more minutes so the beans can cook.</div>
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It tastes great with some fresh avocado chunks on top.</div>
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Ingredients<br />6-8 carrots, chopped roughly</div>
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1 red onion, diced<br />3 cups vegetable broth</div>
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1 can navy or great northern beans</div>
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2 cloves minced garlic<br />3 tbsps. olive oil</div>
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1 fresh avocado for garnish</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11481731412538110554noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4497655686837565490.post-89121121127325330832012-02-21T13:36:00.002-05:002012-02-21T13:36:50.610-05:00Vegan cookie bars<br />
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The best thing about making cookies is that there is really no wrong combination of ingredients.</div>
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You think of a few things that might taste good together, chances are they probably will in cookie form.</div>
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Cookie bars have that same advantage.</div>
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These particular cookie bars are simple and turn out great with very little effort.</div>
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Start by putting the dry ingredients in a large bowl and sifting them together.</div>
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Add the margarine, apple sauce and peanut butter. While mixing these in, add the vanilla extract and molasses.</div>
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The applesauce is the egg substitute and will give moisture to the dough, adding a little extra apple sauce will make them softer.</div>
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Mix all of these ingredients together until they are a soft dough and the ingredients are fully blended.</div>
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Stir in the granola, chocolate chips and dried cranberries.</div>
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You can use rolled oats instead of the granola.</div>
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To make this vegan, simply choose a brand of semi-sweet chocolate that has no milk.</div>
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Press the dough into a lightly greased 13 X 9 baking pan. Spread all the way to the edges of the pan and bake at 350 for 18 minutes.</div>
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If the edges are brown and the inside is still slightly soft, they are done. The inside will solidify as they cool.</div>
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Let them cool some before cutting so that they don’t crumble as easily.</div>
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Ingredients:<br />1 1/4 cups white whole wheat flour</div>
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1 cup brown sugar<br />1/2 tsp baking soda</div>
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1/2 tsp salt<br />1/2 cup peanut butter</div>
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1/2 cup Earth Balance, softened</div>
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1 tsp molasses<br />1 tsp vanilla extract</div>
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1/4 cup applesauce<br />1 cup granola (or rolled oats)</div>
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1/2 cup chocolate chips<br />1/3 cup dried cranberries</div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11481731412538110554noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4497655686837565490.post-67942801320442384712011-09-15T13:30:00.000-04:002011-09-12T16:53:32.957-04:00Vegan Chicken Salad<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, 'helvetica neue', helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">Chicken salad is one of the things I occasionally miss from my youth as an omnivore.<br /><br />Possibly because my mom’s recipe was so good and so simple that it was a near constant presence in the house in the summer time.<br /><br />The idea of chicken salad always brings be back to hot summer nights and trying to scarf down a sandwich or two so we can get back outside on our bikes to make use of every last drop of daylight until that dreaded end of August.<br /><br />This recipe is a little more complex than hers was, but that is a hard one to replicate.<br /><br />Start out by boiling water. Dissolve the cube bouillon into the water, then combine with the nutritional yeast and Braggs or soy sauce.<br /><br />Mix this until everything is fully incorporated.<br /><br />Pour this hot mixture into a bowl with the dried textured vegetable protein (TVP) and mix to make sure all of the TVP is wet.<br /><br />Allow this to sit for an hour so that the TVP gets rehydrated and takes in the flavors.<br /><br />While that’s soaking, shred the carrots, slice the celery and chop the pepper and onion.<br /><br />After the hour is up, pour the TVP mixture into a fine strainer and press out any excess liquid.<br /><br />The texture is kind of spongey, so it will be possible to squeeze out liquid for a long time, so don’t go overboard, but get a good amount of it out so that the salad isn’t too runny.<br /><br />In a large bowl, mix together the chopped veggies and the TVP.<br /><br />Add the salt, pepper, mustard and apple cider vinegar, then stir very well.<br /><br />This is the turning point for this recipe to go vegetarian or vegan, and it’s an obvious move to go either way.<br /><br />For vegan “chicken” salad, just use vegan mayo, for the ova-lacto vegetarians out there, use regular mayo.<br /><br />Add whichever mayo you choose one spoonful at a time and mix in until you are satisfied with the flavor.<br /><br />This will require sampling, so get your wheat thins ready.<br /><br />Cover and refrigerate for a little while, since the TVP might still be a little warm. Letting it sit in the fridge will also allow the flavors to come together as well, so if you make this the night before you serve it, you’ll be even happier with the result.<br /><br /><b>Ingredients:</b><br />1 1/2 cup textured vegetable protein<br /><br />(TVP)<br /><br />1 1/2 cup boiling water<br /><br />2 tbsps. nutritional yeast<br /><br />1 cube vegetable bouillon (can sub<br /><br />fake chicken flavor)<br /><br />1 tbsp. Braggs liquid aminos (or<br /><br />soy sauce)<br /><br />5 to 7 baby carrots, shredded<br /><br />2 celery stalks, sliced<br /><br />1/2 bell pepper, chopped fine<br /><br />1/2 red onion, chopped fine<br /><br />1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar<br /><br />(optional)<br /><br />1 tsp. salt<br /><br />1 tsp. pepper<br /><br />1 tbsp. mustard<br /><br />4-6 heaping spoonfuls mayo, according to taste</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11481731412538110554noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4497655686837565490.post-69433590503471869482011-09-14T16:51:00.000-04:002011-09-14T16:51:00.654-04:00Corn Salad<span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white; font-family: arial, 'helvetica neue', helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">Summer time brings us lots of fresh corn for super cheap thanks to farmers markets and sales at the local grocery store.<br /><br />While nothing beats it on the cob with butter and salt, sometimes we need to switch things up a bit.<br /><br />This fresh corn salad is great as a side at your omnivore barbecue, but it completely vegan for those of us who don’t eat meat.<br /><br />Start by cooking the corn in your preferred method. Easiest is just husking, cleaning and boiling for 10-15 minutes. You can also soak in some salted water with the husks still on, then grill them or bake them.<br /><br />This does give you a better flavor on the cob, but when you’re cutting it off for the purpose of this salad, easier is probably the best bet. Set it aside to cool for a bit so you can handle touching it.<br /><br />While the corn cooks and cools, dice the rest of the veggies and get them ready.<br /><br />In a small bowl, mix the oil, lime juice, sugar and spices (and the optional hot sauce if you want more of a southwestern flavor to the dish) until everything is incorporated.<br /><br />After the corn cools off a bit, use a sharp knife and cut the kernels from the cob into a large bowl.<br /><br />Mix in the other diced veggies, then pour the dressing over and toss gently.<br /><br />Cover and allow to sit in the refrigerator for at least an hour before serving.<br /><br />Toss again before serving because the dressing will settle to the bottom.<br /><br /><b>Ingredients:</b><br />5 to 6 ears of fresh corn<br /><br />2 to 3 ripe tomatoes, diced<br /><br />1/2 red onion, diced<br /><br />1 bell pepper, diced<br /><br />1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped fine<br /><br />1/2 cup olive oil<br /><br />1 to 2 limes, juiced<br /><br />1 tsp. sugar<br /><br />1 tsp. salt<br /><br />1/2 tsp. pepper<br /><br />Hot sauce to taste (optional)<br /><br />1 minced jalapeno pepper (optional)</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11481731412538110554noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4497655686837565490.post-78323227603719511712011-07-01T16:49:00.000-04:002011-07-01T16:49:28.526-04:00Vegan Frittata<a href="http://www.timesherald.com/content/articles/2011/06/08/life/doc4dee68bc4f8e5547070307.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.timesherald.com/content/articles/2011/06/08/life/doc4dee68bc4f8e5547070307.jpg" width="211" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, 'helvetica neue', helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">A frittata is supposed to be one of the easiest things to make, since it’s just a little sautéing and a little baking and you’re done.<br />
<br />
Obviously, with all that egg, it is not a vegan friendly dish.<br />
<br />
If you’re vegetarian, you can do this with about six eggs and scramble them instead of the tofu mixture.<br />
<br />
Serving this to vegans, the tofu mixture works well. It might not look pretty, but it tastes good, and that’s really all I care about.<br />
<br />
Start by sautéing the onions, garlic and peppers for a few minutes until the onions start to get translucent.<br />
<br />
Add the sliced potatoes and continue to sauté for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.<br />
<br />
In a blender, break up the tofu, add the nutritional yeast, Braggs and chili powder. Blend until it is smooth and everything is evenly mixed.<br />
<br />
Spray the sides and bottom of a casserole dish with some non-stick spray, then mix the sautéed veggies and the tofu mixture (or the six eggs, scrambled) together and pour into the casserole dish.<br />
<br />
Bake at 350 for about an hour.<br />
<br />
Allow to sit for a few minutes before cutting.<br />
<br />
<b>Ingredients:</b><br />
2 potatoes, sliced<br />
<br />
1 bell pepper, diced<br />
<br />
1 red onion, diced<br />
<br />
2 cloves garlic, minced<br />
<br />
1 package (12 oz) firm tofu<br />
<br />
4 tbsps. nutritional yeast<br />
<br />
2 tbsps. Braggs liquid aminos<br />
<br />
or soy sauce<br />
<br />
1 tsp. chili powder<br />
<br />
Oil for sautéing</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11481731412538110554noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4497655686837565490.post-44713061713541884502011-06-13T14:20:00.000-04:002011-06-13T14:20:46.444-04:00Vegetarian tourism.<a href="http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/253400_1923499260154_1622293203_1933728_3780747_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://a7.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/253400_1923499260154_1622293203_1933728_3780747_n.jpg" width="320" /></a>Hanging out in Berkley for a <a href="http://multimedia.journalism.berkeley.edu/workshops/web20/">conference on online journalism</a>, I have already found this town to be extremely vegetarian friendly. Started with a great dinner at <a href="http://www.herbivorerestaurant.com/index.html">Herbivore - The Earthly Grill</a> for some obvious reasons.<br />
They have an all vegan menu with tons of fruit juices and smoothies and an extensive list of entrees and sandwiches that rivals any omnivorous restaurants, but way better because I can eat everything on the menu. This makes it hard to decide, since most places the vegetarian options consist of a small handful of choices and sometimes just a veggie burger that they thawed out just for me.<br />
I got the taco appetizer which was great, then the potato-soy pie with mushroom gravy which was one of the best things I've eaten in a long, long time.<br />
Also had the carrot-apple-ginger juice because fellow JRCer and <a href="http://newsfromthefield.com/">award-winning blogger Kelly Metz</a> had it and I couldn't resist.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/252578_1923603902770_1622293203_1933913_7906653_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="http://a8.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/252578_1923603902770_1622293203_1933913_7906653_n.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>Pretty amazing restaurant. Super-friendly staff. Cool looking building. <br />
Now if only the<a href="http://www.cinnaholic-berkeley.com/"> vegan cinnamon bun place</a> was open on Mondays....Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11481731412538110554noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4497655686837565490.post-60654205679341875612011-06-13T13:59:00.000-04:002011-06-13T13:59:11.613-04:00Vegan bean salad<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://timesherald.com/content/articles/2011/06/01/life/doc4de5200546b8a366678558.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://timesherald.com/content/articles/2011/06/01/life/doc4de5200546b8a366678558.jpg" width="255" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, 'helvetica neue', helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">The season for cookouts and other outdoor gatherings is upon us.<br />
<br />
For many vegetarians, it means having to explain repeatedly why we don’t want that veggie burger cooked on the grill with the beef and that popping it in the microwave will be just fine, thank you.<br />
<br />
It also means it is time for the abundance of side dishes and salads that often make those cookouts even more enjoyable than whatever does or doesn’t come from the grill.<br />
<br />
This is one of those standards that every party should have because it is so simple and yet a light, healthy alternative to the heavier, mayo-based salads.<br />
<br />
Start by dicing the veggies and setting them aside.<br />
<br />
Clean the seeds and stuff out from the middle of the tomato before you dice it. All of that just makes the salad too watery.<br />
<br />
Rinse and drain all of the beans well making sure to get as much excess water out of the mix from there as well.<br />
<br />
Mix the beans and diced veggies in a large bowl.<br />
<br />
In a separate bowl, mix the vinegar, oil, sugar and spices and whisk together to fully incorporate them.<br />
<br />
Pour this mixture into the large bowl and stir well, but gently to make sure the dressing gets on all of the salad.<br />
<br />
Cover and put in the fridge for a few hours to allow all of the flavors to mingle properly.<br />
<br />
Toss again before serving.<br />
<br />
<b>Ingredients:</b><br />
2 cans garbanzo beans (15 oz.)<br />
<br />
1 can black beans (15 oz.)<br />
<br />
1 can kidney beans (15 oz.)<br />
<br />
1 tomato, diced<br />
<br />
1 red onion, diced<br />
<br />
3 stalks of celery, diced<br />
<br />
1 tsp. basil<br />
<br />
1 tsp. garlic powder<br />
<br />
2 tsps. salt<br />
<br />
1/2 cup apple cider vinegar<br />
<br />
1/2 cup sugar<br />
<br />
1/3 cup olive oil</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11481731412538110554noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4497655686837565490.post-30865857803482867492011-06-01T12:48:00.000-04:002011-06-01T12:48:18.444-04:00Raw salad wraps!<a href="http://www.peta.org/living/vegetarian-living/Corn-Salad-Picnic-Wraps.aspx?c=pfs">Peta posted this recipe</a> for raw wraps with corn and avocado that I will have to try pretty soon.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.peta.org/cfs-filesystemfile.ashx/__key/CommunityServer-Components-SiteFiles/Peta-Images-Main-Sections-Living/cornsaladwraps.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://www.peta.org/cfs-filesystemfile.ashx/__key/CommunityServer-Components-SiteFiles/Peta-Images-Main-Sections-Living/cornsaladwraps.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>I'm not big on the raw food movement, i understand how it's good for you and the benefits, blah blah blah. But raw food can taste good too, and I'm all about good food.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11481731412538110554noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4497655686837565490.post-44713053087466280972011-05-24T14:19:00.000-04:002011-05-24T14:19:00.270-04:00Baked Asparagus<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, 'helvetica neue', helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">This recipe is one of the simplest recipes of all time, but it is one of my favorites.<br />
<br />
There are a million variations, none of them wrong.<br />
<br />
Alter the spices, the measurements, the temperatures, the cooking time, whatever, but it still comes out as baked asparagus.<br />
<br />
Less time will make it more crisp, more time will make it more tender.<br />
<br />
Obviously, more spices will up the flavor, less with give you more of the natural asparagus flavor.<br />
<br />
Sometimes I like to just drizzle some plain olive oil on the asparagus and just bake it with no seasoning.<br />
<br />
This batch, I tried the white asparagus mixed in with the green asparagus that we all love so much.<br />
<br />
It is prepared the same way, but the flavor is very different. White asparagus is milder and not as good, but it is a nice change when mixed with the green.<br />
<br />
Start by mixing the seasonings into the olive oil in a small bowl. Let it sit for a while to soak the flavors into the oil.<br />
<br />
Next, trim the bottoms off of the stalks.<br />
<br />
Preheat the oven to 425.<br />
<br />
Brush the olive oil on to the asparagus on a baking sheet.<br />
<br />
Bake for 10-12 minutes, turning them over once during the baking.<br />
<br />
Serve hot.<br />
<br />
That’s seriously how easy this dish is.<br />
<br />
A couple of variations to try are replacing the basil with red pepper flakes or chili powder, or drop the salt for a slightly healthier version.<br />
<br />
<strong>Ingredients</strong><br />
<br />
1 pound of fresh asparagus<br />
<br />
1 tsp. garlic powder<br />
<br />
1 tsp. basil<br />
<br />
3 tbsps. olive oil<br />
<br />
Salt and pepper to taste</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11481731412538110554noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4497655686837565490.post-23516110730973661752011-05-23T14:35:00.001-04:002011-05-23T14:35:24.527-04:00Baked Mashed Potatoes<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, 'helvetica neue', helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">This is another simple, but rewarding recipe, a basic baked side with mashed potatoes, onion, garlic and cheese.<br />
<br />
The best results will come if you use a cast-iron pan to bake, but a regular casserole dish could do the trick as well.<br />
<br />
Start by peeling and washing the potatoes, then quartering them.<br />
<br />
Boil them until they are cooked all the way through.<br />
<br />
While they are boiling, preheat the oven to 450 then dice the onion and saute in a couple of tablespoons of olive oil with the garlic.<br />
<br />
The onion and garlic should be nice and browned and set aside by the time the potatoes are done.<br />
<br />
After the potatoes are good and soft, drain them and return to the pot you boiled them in.<br />
<br />
Drop in the margarine and mash with a potato masher. Mix in the onions and garlic, then add salt, pepper and spices.<br />
<br />
Lightly oil the cast iron pan with some olive oil.<br />
<br />
Scoop all of the potatoes into the pan.<br />
<br />
Top with the shredded cheese.<br />
<br />
Bake until the cheese is lightly browned, about 15-20 minutes should do it.<br />
<br />
This is easy to make into a vegan dish by just using Daiya to top it and Earth Balance for the margarine.<br />
<br />
<b>Ingredients:</b><br />
3 to 4 pounds of potatoes<br />
<br />
1 small onion<br />
<br />
2 tsps. minced garlic<br />
<br />
3 to 4 tbsps. olive oil<br />
<br />
1/2 stick margarine or butter<br />
<br />
1/2 to 3/4 cup shredded cheese<br />
<br />
Salt and pepper to taste<br />
<br />
1 tsp. chili powder (optional)<br />
<br />
1 tsp. cumin (optional)</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11481731412538110554noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4497655686837565490.post-29502646736951782512011-05-23T14:17:00.002-04:002011-05-23T14:17:26.801-04:00Pineapple Fried Rice<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, 'helvetica neue', helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">Fried rice is usually vegetarian until they put the meat in it, so this is an easy dish to make into something vegetarian.<br />
<br />
The ingredient list makes it look kind of complicated, but once the items are all collected it is a simple to create this meal.<br />
<br />
Cook the rice first and set aside. It should be able to cool off a little while you mix everything else together.<br />
<br />
Cut all of the veggies, then heat up a few tablespoons of vegetable oil in a wok or large frying pan over medium-high heat.<br />
<br />
Once the oil is hot, add the ginger and garlic and fry for a minute or so, stirring the whole time.<br />
<br />
Start frying the onion for a couple of minutes.<br />
<br />
Add the pepper and carrot, heat for another two minutes or so.<br />
<br />
Stir in the sesame oil while these heat up.<br />
<br />
Add in the silken tofu and stir well.<br />
<br />
Next, toss in the broccoli and heat briefly.<br />
<br />
Add the rice and pineapple and stir well.<br />
<br />
The sauce will be mixed into the wok as you continue to stir the mixture.<br />
<br />
Pour in the soy sauce or Bragg’s liquid aminos, then add the curry powder and sugar all while stirring.<br />
<br />
Heat thoroughly, but don’t overcook or the broccoli will get limp and no one likes that.<br />
<br />
About 2 to 3 minutes should be enough time.<br />
<br />
Serve soon and enjoy.<br />
<br />
<b>INGREDIENTS:</b><br />
3 cups cooked rice<br />
<br />
1 cup pineapple chunks<br />
<br />
1 pepper, diced<br />
<br />
1 onion, diced<br />
<br />
1 carrot, shredded<br />
<br />
1 stalk of broccoli, chopped<br />
<br />
1 to 2 cups of silken tofu<br />
<br />
1 tsp. minced garlic<br />
<br />
1 tsp. minced ginger<br />
<br />
2 to 3 tbsps. soy sauce or Bragg’s<br />
<br />
1 tbsp curry powder<br />
<br />
1 to 2 tsp sugar<br />
<br />
1 tbsp. sesame oil<br />
<br />
Vegetable oil for pan frying</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11481731412538110554noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4497655686837565490.post-49925604983440032502011-04-27T16:03:00.003-04:002011-04-27T16:04:39.672-04:00Pierogi made vegan<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtBAgiDKakElRvuJfd_tSTUGCu00T0H7Zmjv0ZGS9yTtflxw8jhxmQsN9StImALN_7IGXpEXdlKh3RF4KAUUb1t97lJjeW6nSjWRkN591YXhOf2nH4YAfncLZrx-qaAa85WD9iIs5kA1rk/s1600/LHpierogiWap2411.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtBAgiDKakElRvuJfd_tSTUGCu00T0H7Zmjv0ZGS9yTtflxw8jhxmQsN9StImALN_7IGXpEXdlKh3RF4KAUUb1t97lJjeW6nSjWRkN591YXhOf2nH4YAfncLZrx-qaAa85WD9iIs5kA1rk/s320/LHpierogiWap2411.jpg" width="211" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, 'helvetica neue', helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">Pierogi are actually really easy to turn vegan, but are almost always vegetarian to begin with.<br />
<br />
Peel and boil the potatoes and boil them until soft. Mash them well and set aside.<br />
<br />
Start heating the olive oil in a large pan. Shred the onion and saute for a few minutes.<br />
<br />
Stir in the soy milk, salt pepper and sour cream and heat until the ingredients are fully incorporated.<br />
<br />
Blend the mixture into the mashed potatoes and set the filling aside.<br />
<br />
Mix the dough ingredients together to form the dough.<br />
<br />
Knead it for a few minutes, then roll out on a well floured surface to about ¼ inch thickness.<br />
<br />
Cut circles with either a biscuit cutter or pint glass.<br />
<br />
Make sure the dough circles are well floured so that they don’t stick together while you finish cutting and filling the pierogi.<br />
<br />
Boil water in a large pot while you fill and close the pierogi.<br />
<br />
Take each dough circle and put a small spoonful of the filling in the middle, then wet the edge a little bit and fold in half.<br />
<br />
Pinch the edge shut starting at one end and methodically closing the whole side to make sure that there are not any holes.<br />
<br />
Once they are sealed, boil them a few at a time until they begin to float in the water.<br />
<br />
Some people will just melt butter or margarine on them and eat this way.<br />
<br />
I like to pan fry them in just a little bit of oil. The other option is deep frying them, but just be careful to drain them well and not put wet pierogi into the deep fryer.<br />
<br />
These can be filled with just about any filling, so get creative and have fun.<br />
<br />
<strong>Ingredients:</strong><br />
<br />
<strong>Dough:</strong><br />
<br />
2 cups flour<br />
<br />
1/2 cup water<br />
<br />
1/4 cup oil<br />
<br />
1 tsp. salt<br />
<br />
<strong>Filling:</strong><br />
<br />
3 to 4 potatoes, boiled and mashed<br />
<br />
1/2 onion<br />
<br />
2 tbsp olive oil<br />
<br />
1/2 cup soy milk<br />
<br />
1 tub of tofuti sour cream<br />
<br />
Salt and pepper to taste</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11481731412538110554noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4497655686837565490.post-73182349793210747992011-04-26T10:54:00.000-04:002011-04-26T10:54:32.911-04:00Sweet potatoes and almond syrup!<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">This is a simple recipe from <a href="http://www.girlcooksworld.com/2011/04/sweet-potatoes-with-almond-syrup.html">Girl Cooks World</a> that I need to try some time soon.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">* 3 medium sized sweet potatoes, peeled<br />
* 1/4 cup light brown sugar<br />
* 1/4 cup water<br />
* 2 almonds, crushed<br />
* vegetable oil for deep frying<br />
* approximately 1 Tablespoon black sesame seeds<br />
* salt to taste<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #222222; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">For the full recipe check out <a href="http://www.girlcooksworld.com/2011/04/sweet-potatoes-with-almond-syrup.html">Girl Cooks World</a></span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11481731412538110554noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4497655686837565490.post-86490775023396666442011-04-23T12:21:00.003-04:002011-04-23T12:21:00.144-04:00Faux-chicken tetrazzini<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3kXOzQ6bCNAGLD0G-QSWwjH95ZkM4UFqov36KO86EZh8JtWixMukythls7xlrHCzOY9Me34_vpKNTXsJnVOvaDFKYdJlAbkl-vpS2-xpXXb5GsVRwMxyu6-MIcHSaQUR6dCAnReeFu-fu/s1600/fauxtetrazzini.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="212" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3kXOzQ6bCNAGLD0G-QSWwjH95ZkM4UFqov36KO86EZh8JtWixMukythls7xlrHCzOY9Me34_vpKNTXsJnVOvaDFKYdJlAbkl-vpS2-xpXXb5GsVRwMxyu6-MIcHSaQUR6dCAnReeFu-fu/s320/fauxtetrazzini.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, 'helvetica neue', helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">One of my favorite tasks in the kitchen is to make vegetarian versions of the dishes my family ate when I was a kid.<br />
<br />
Often, they are just approximations, sometimes I hit dead on and on occasion I improve upon the original.<br />
<br />
One of those dishes that I always loved as a kid was chicken (or turkey) tetrazzini.<br />
<br />
I’ve taken an old recipe and subbed in some veg alternatives and come out with something pretty good. Might not be better than my mom’s, but it is a satisfying and hearty meal.<br />
<br />
This is pretty simple.<br />
<br />
Prepare the spaghetti as directed on the box.<br />
<br />
As the pasta is boiling, finely chop the mushrooms. I like to use baby bellas, but pretty much any mushroom will work.<br />
<br />
Sauté the diced mushrooms in a couple of tablespoons of margarine until cooked through and lightly browned.<br />
<br />
Prepare the frozen faux-chicken as directed on the package. You can use Quorn brand’s Chk’n Tenders for vegetarian or Morning Star Farms’ Meal Starter strips for a vegan dish. You can also heat and dice Boca’s Chik’N patties or nuggets for a different vegan version.<br />
<br />
While the mushrooms and chick’n cook, heat a saucepan on med-low heat and melt 4-6 tablespoons of margarine.<br />
<br />
Thicken with the flour and blend well.<br />
<br />
Add the broth, milk and wine and mix thoroughly.<br />
<br />
After both mushrooms and Chik’n are done cooking, stir into the sauce.<br />
<br />
Prepare a casserole dish by lightly greasing the sides with margarine or non-stick spray.<br />
<br />
Pour in both the drained pasta and the sauce. Mix together and sprinkle parmesan cheese on top. For a vegan version, you can use vegan parmesan or nutritional yeast and some margarine to add some flavor to the top.<br />
<br />
Bake at 425 until the top is slightly browned, or about 20 minutes<br />
<br />
<b>Ingredients</b>:<br />
<br />
1 box of spaghetti (16 oz)<br />
<br />
1 package frozen faux chicken<br />
<br />
1 pack (8 oz) fresh mushrooms, diced<br />
<br />
6 to 8 tbsps. margarine<br />
<br />
2 1/2 cups veggie broth<br />
<br />
1/4 cup cooking wine<br />
<br />
1/4 cup flour<br />
<br />
1 cup unsweetened soy or almond milk<br />
<br />
1/2 cup grated parmesan or vegan alternative</span>jbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12860835857264902062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4497655686837565490.post-82312910903863296382011-04-23T09:15:00.000-04:002011-04-23T09:15:00.225-04:00Green stuff and pasta<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, 'helvetica neue', helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">This pasta dish is really just my way of combining my favorite green veggies.<br />
<br />
Mixing asparagus, spinach and broccoli might not sound too appealing to some, but since we’re all grown ups, we’ll probably be alright.<br />
<br />
Start by boiling the pasta however you normally cook your pasta, then drain and put back into the pot while veggies cook.<br />
<br />
While that is boiling, dice one onion and sauté in olive oil.<br />
<br />
Once the onions are beginning to brown, add the veggie broth and allow it to simmer over medium heat.<br />
<br />
Add the broccoli and asparagus and cover, allowing this to heat in the broth.<br />
<br />
Once the veggies are heated, but still a little crisp, pour this whole mixture into the pot with the drained pasta.<br />
<br />
Add the baby spinach, frozen veggie crumbles and about 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese.<br />
<br />
Mix thoroughly and return to low or medium heat for about 5 to 10 minutes.<br />
<br />
Once the spinach is cooked, serve sprinkled with the rest of the Parmesan cheese.<br />
<br />
To make this vegan, just use a brand of veggie crumbles, like Boca, that don’t use egg or dairy to make them. Also, substitute the Parmesan cheese with a vegan Parmesan or combine 1/2 cup of nutritional yeast with a couple tablespoons of melted margarine.<br />
<br />
<b>Ingredients</b>:<br />
<br />
1 box (16 oz) of penne or other pasta<br />
<br />
1 bag frozen veggie crumbles<br />
<br />
1 onion, diced<br />
<br />
1 bunch asparagus cut in 1-inch pieces<br />
<br />
1 to 2 crowns broccoli, chopped roughly<br />
<br />
2 cups baby spinach<br />
<br />
2 cups vegetable broth<br />
<br />
1/2 to 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese<br />
or vegan alternative</span>jbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12860835857264902062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4497655686837565490.post-36190179190200615242011-04-22T11:20:00.000-04:002011-04-22T11:20:00.459-04:00Baked Brussel Sprouts<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, 'helvetica neue', helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">This week’s recipe strikes right to the core of the Lazy Herbivore ethos. It is super-easy, takes little time and is totally vegan.<br />
<br />
Brussel sprouts have been demonized by children and adults alike forever. They are not the most appealing veggie through normal preparation.<br />
<br />
Boiling them and putting a little butter and salt often makes for a solid punishment for children.<br />
<br />
But baking them gives you a light, crunchy veggie that is just as good as a side dish as it is for a snack.<br />
<br />
And as far as simple recipes go, this is about as simple as they come.<br />
<br />
Slice them in half (or quarters if you want to double your cutting efforts) and arrange them on a baking sheet.<br />
<br />
Brush lightly with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and garlic powder.<br />
<br />
Bake at about 400 degrees for 6-8 minutes, flip them and bake for another 6-8 minutes.<br />
<br />
You can also add some fresh chopped or minced garlic to replace the garlic powder, or spice it up with some cayenne pepper or Cajun seasoning.<br />
<br />
These baked sprouts won me over to brussel sprouts after a long time of remembering the torture that I always remember them being as a kid.<br />
<br />
It helps that they are fresh sprouts instead of the frozen kind, and anything baked with garlic and salt can be amazing.<br />
<br />
<b>Ingredients</b>:<br />
<br />
Brussel sprouts (fresh)<br />
<br />
Olive oil<br />
<br />
Salt<br />
<br />
Pepper<br />
<br />
Garlic</span>jbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12860835857264902062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4497655686837565490.post-26779577416777321932011-04-22T09:29:00.000-04:002011-04-22T09:29:13.893-04:00Vegan cinnamon buns<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, 'helvetica neue', helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">I have often professed my inefficiency at vegan baking.<br />
<br />
Cooking vegan I can do, but baking vegan has always ended in flat, doughy breads and cakes that were not worth sharing.<br />
<br />
So, being stubborn, I decided to try again, this time with cinnamon buns.<br />
<br />
For this endeavor, I wanted help and found a recipe from <a href="http://veganyumyum.com/2009/05/perfect-cinnamon-buns/" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(223, 224, 220); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 1px; color: black; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">VeganYumYum.com</a> that I decided to adapt a little bit.<br />
<br />
The recipe was pretty easy, but time consuming.<br />
<br />
The result was nothing short of spectacular.<br />
<br />
So this week’s recipe is not mine, but rather the story of my first successful foray into vegan baking (besides cookies, but that doesn’t count, anyone can make cookies).<br />
<br />
<a href="http://veganyumyum.com/2009/05/perfect-cinnamon-buns/" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(223, 224, 220); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 1px; color: black; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">VeganYumYum.com</a> recommends <a href="http://www.earthbalancenatural.com/" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(223, 224, 220); border-bottom-style: dotted; border-bottom-width: 1px; color: black; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">Earth Balance</a> brand margarine, and I went with that because it is a great product that always works well.<br />
<br />
They also called for Ener-G egg replacer, but I chose to use 1 banana and a mixture of 2 tablespoons water, 2 tablespoons oil and 1 teaspoon of baking powder. Each of these is a suggested vegan egg replacement in a lot of recipes, but I tried using the two and found that it worked out.<br />
<br />
Start by proofing the yeast as directed on the yeast packets, warm water, tsp sugar and yeast, set aside.<br />
<br />
Next, melt the margarine on the stove.<br />
<br />
Mix in the soy milk, sugar, salt and egg replacers from the dough ingredients. Mix until the concoction is smooth and everything is combined.<br />
<br />
Remove from the heat and allow to cool below 110 degrees because it is time to add in the yeast mixture, and if it is too hot, the yeast becomes pointless.<br />
<br />
Add the wet mixture to about 4 cups of the flour and mix thoroughly until it becomes a smooth batter.<br />
<br />
Add the other two cups of flour and mix until it becomes a more solid, messy dough.<br />
<br />
Knead the dough on a floured surface for about eight minutes.<br />
<br />
Place the dough in an oiled bowl and cover. Allow the dough to rise for 90 minutes somewhere warm.<br />
<br />
After it has risen, roll it out in a rectangle about 15x20 inches.<br />
<br />
Pour the ½ cup melted margarine evenly onto the dough surface, brushing to spread it out.<br />
<br />
Drizzle the molasses around, then sprinkle the sugars and cinnamon from the filling ingredients to cover the whole top of the dough.<br />
<br />
Roll up the dough, gently, and then slice the roll into the individual rolls. This should make 9-12 rolls depending on how thick you slice them.<br />
<br />
Pour the melted margarine into a long, flat casserole dish or lasagna pan and coat all surfaces.<br />
<br />
Sprinkle with the 1/3 cup of sugar.<br />
<br />
Place the rolls in the pan and allow them to rise for about 45 minutes.<br />
<br />
Bake at 350 for about 30 minutes.<br />
<br />
The icing is simple, combine the ingredients and stir well until it resembles icing and has no lumps.<br />
<br />
Spread icing and enjoy.<br />
<br />
These were so good that I’ve now begun thinking about baking more often.<br />
<br />
<strong>Ingredients:</strong><br />
<br />
<strong>For the dough:</strong><br />
<br />
4 tsp active yeast<br />
<br />
1 tsp sugar<br />
<br />
1 cup warm water<br />
<br />
1 cup soymilk<br />
<br />
2/3 cup sugar<br />
<br />
2/3 cup margarine<br />
<br />
2 tsp salt<br />
<br />
2 eggs worth of egg replacer<br />
<br />
6 cups all-purpose flour<br />
<br />
<strong>Filling:</strong><br />
<br />
½ cup margarine, melted<br />
<br />
2/3 cup sugar<br />
<br />
1/3 cup brown sugar<br />
<br />
3 tbsp cinnamon<br />
<br />
2-3 tbsp molasses<br />
<br />
<strong>For the pan:</strong><br />
<br />
½ cup margarine, melted<br />
<br />
1/3 cup sugar<br />
<br />
<strong>For the frosting:</strong><br />
<br />
¼ cup margarine<br />
<br />
1/3 cup Tofutti cream cheese<br />
<br />
1 cup powdered sugar<br />
<br />
1 tsp vanilla extract</span>jbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12860835857264902062noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4497655686837565490.post-52471175258337809162011-04-22T09:26:00.002-04:002011-04-22T09:26:46.557-04:00Easy veg egg rolls<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: arial, 'helvetica neue', helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 18px;">Chinese food (or the Americanized version we eat in this country, anyway) is often an easy vegetarian choice, since most restaurants offer a tofu dish or vegetable stir-fry.<br />
<br />
Most however don’t have egg rolls that are meat-free.<br />
<br />
Making the deep-fried classic is easy, once you gather the right ingredients.<br />
<br />
To make it really easy, I use a frozen veggie assortment that are made for stir-fry and usually are an appropriate assortment. You can also just use fresh veggies, but the effort and cost put in seems pointless since you’re going to shred everything and then deep fry it in a wrapper. So I go for the easiest route, frozen.<br />
<br />
Start by defrosting the veggie assortment or chopping fresh veggies very small.<br />
<br />
Next shred the carrot and cabbage with a food processor, do just chopping very fine with a knife.<br />
<br />
Mix together all of the vegetables.<br />
<br />
Heat a frying pan with the sesame oil, then fry the vegetable mixture, stirring frequently.<br />
<br />
As the cabbage shreds become limp, add the soy sauce, sriracha and spices. Stir well, then set aside.<br />
<br />
Either heat up your deep fryer to 350 or put about 3 inches of oil in a pot and heat to about 350 on the stove.<br />
<br />
Lay the egg roll wrappers on a plate positioned like a diamond. Brush a little water around the edges to that they will stick once wrapped.<br />
<br />
Put about two tablespoons (more or less depending on the size of the wrapper) of the filling in a line at the middle of the wrapper.<br />
<br />
Fold the bottom corner up and over the filling. Fold in the two sides, then roll up the top corner. Place with the seam side down on a plate so until you’re ready to fry.<br />
<br />
Once you have a few ready, drop them into the oil for 2-3 minutes, then flip them over and cook for a couple more minutes.<br />
<br />
After they are nice and brown on all sides, place them on some paper towels to drain excess oil.<br />
<br />
<strong>Ingredients:</strong><br />
<br />
1 package or egg roll wrappers<br />
<br />
1/2 head of cabbage<br />
<br />
1 carrot<br />
<br />
1 bag (8 oz) of frozen mixed veggies, stir fry assortment<br />
<br />
1 tbsp. soy sauce<br />
<br />
1 tsp. sriracha or other hot sauce (optional)<br />
<br />
1/2 tsp. ground ginger<br />
<br />
1 tsp. garlic powder<br />
<br />
2 tbsps. sesame oil<br />
<br />
Oil for frying</span>jbhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12860835857264902062noreply@blogger.com0