Superbowl Munchies

Is Super Bowl coming and you don't know what to serve your vegan foodies? Do not pass Go, do not collect 200 dollars. Go immediately to The "V" Word blog and you will find the most incredible recipes for appetizers. The recipes deliver in taste and texture and the instructions are concise and easy! 

Jalapeno Poppers

The poppers are a dream come true and not really difficult at all. The most tedious part is cleaning out your peppers. Please wear gloves and do not touch your face until you are finished preparing them, have removed your gloves, and have washed your hands thoroughly. They can be baked or fried. I don't eat fried foods very often so I fried mine. A food thermometer is helpful in keeping the oil at the right temp so they have a chance to brown before the cheese explodes out of them. I found that anywhere between 320 and 350 degrees works quite well.

Seitan Spicy BBQ Ribs

 This was my first try at making seitan and I was fearful, having heard horror stories about the end result being too dry or too gummy. You will LOVE these ribs. The depth of flavor is derived from three layers:  the spice rub, the barbecue sauce made from scratch ( I will never use store bought again) and the spices in the seitan itself. Initially, I had undercooked the seitan because I was afraid it would dry out and ended up with a soft meat loaf texture. All textures aside, the taste was phenomenal: sweet, spicy and smoky. After slicing the ribs, and smothering them in the BBQ sauce; I covered them and baked them again for about 30 minutes in a 325 degree oven. They firmed up nicely. If you follow the directions to the T, you will get them right the first time. I can't wait to try the Mozzarella sticks!

Cauliflower Smash with Leeks

After a cold and rainy day here, I wanted to make some warm comfort food. Mashed potatoes came to mind but I am really trying to limit my fat & starches. The obvious second choice was mashed cauliflower. Well, maybe not so obvious to me but I knew I had a head of cauliflower in the fridge just waiting to be cooked.

For this easy and tasty recipe you will need:

One head of cauliflower,
2 leeks, sliced
Olive oil
Salt & Pepper
Vegetable stock

Remove the cauliflower florets from the core, place in a steamer, and steam until just soft. Set aside.

Slice your leeks and place in a colander. Place the colander in a large pot and fill with water until the leeks float in the colander. Raise the colander out of the pot and rinse the leeks in the colander. Dump out the water in the pot and repeat the process again to remove all of the sand. The sand should sink to the bottom of the pot each time. Having sand in my food freaks me out and reminds me of my childhood summers spent at Jones Beach, where invariably sand ended up on all of my food.

Now that your leeks are squeaky clean, let's cook them. Heat a large stock pot and add a couple tablespoons of olive oil. Cook your leeks on medium heat until they cook down. Add a little salt & pepper. If the leeks become too dry and start to stick add a small amount of vegetable stock to the pot.

When the leeks have cooked down, add the steamed cauliflower and mash the mixture with a potato masher. Add vegetable broth until the required consistency is obtained. If a creamier mash is desired, add soy, rice or coconut milk. Sample your mash and adjust the seasonings. Top with freshly cracked black pepper.

Arroz Con Gandules

Growing up in New York City, I was fortunate to savor the most amazing food from all different ethnicities. Arroz con gandules or rice with pigeon peas is known as the national dish of Puerto Rico. This recipe which can be used as a main dish or a side dish, was given to me by a friend and coworker many years ago. About 20 years ago, as a matter of fact.

My friend taught me not only how to make this rice delicacy but also how to make the sofrito, which is the flavor base for this dish.

Goya offers a commercially made version of sofrito but last time I checked the ingredients included MSG. I would rather make my own. I do however, use goya brand pigeon peas













Start out by making your sofrito by placing one white onion, 5 cloves of garlic and a large handful of fresh cilantro in a powerful blender or food processor. Process until  a paste is formed.

Heat up 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large stock pot on medium heat. Once the oil is warm add your sofrito and cook for a few minutes. 

Next add 3 cups of vegetable stock to your pot. Drain and rinse one can of goya pigeon peas and add to pot. Bring to a boil. If your stock is unsalted add approximately one teaspoon of salt. A tsp of paprika can be added for extra color if desired.

Once your stock comes to a rolling boil, add 1 and 1/2 cups of Carolina white rice and stir once.  Do not stir again until the rice is done or you will have a sticky mess. Bring back to a low boil and cook uncovered until the fluid starts to evaporate slightly and rice and beans start to peak out at you! Lower the heat to the lowest setting possible and cover the pot. Cook for approximately ten more minutes or until all the liquid is absorbed. Stick a fork gently into the pot and push the grains of rice away until you can see the bottom of your pot. If all the liquid is gone, your rice is done. Now you can give it a quick stir to mix in the green stuff from the cilantro. 

Isa's Puffy Pillow Pancakes

These fluffy light pancakes are the bomb! The recipe comes from my absolute vegan chef and cookbook author, Isa Chandra Moskowitz. Check out her website: Post Punk Kitchen for this and many other fantastic recipes.

Drink all your vegetables!

Juicing vegetables is a quick way to get a lot of nutrients into your system without a huge amount calories.      Choose good quality organic produce and wash it well.

Using this link, Calorie Count, I estimated that the entire batch of juice, which is two servings, came to about 200 calories. Give or take a few calories. Don't fault me for my poor math skills and remember I am not a nutritionist, nor did I sleep at a Holiday Inn Express last night.

Veggie Juice

3 stalks of celery, washed and the ends cut off
2 large carrots, brushed not peeled and the ends cut off
3 small tomatoes cut in half
1 small beet sliced in half, washed and peeled. I used a yellow beet which is much milder in taste than red beets. The beet greens can also be utilized!

A handful of parsley, washed
A couple of lime slices (lemon will do as well)
One clove of garlic, peeled

When juicing the parsley, bunch it up and follow it with your celery or carrots. Not your fingers!

 According to this article, "#1 Anti-Cancer Vegetable," garlic is the number one vegetable in halting the growth of several types of cancer tumors. No better way to get raw garlic in your diet and it's cancer halting properties, than to juice it. Mixed in with all the other veggies all you will taste is a little tangy element. The lime or lemon will disguise it a bit. Just drink it!

Veggie Pizza

Yes, vegans eat pizza too! Making it yourself takes a little longer than buying a frozen one at Whole Foods, but your efforts will be rewarded with the fresh taste of all of your ingredients.

Ingredients
Dough (see link below to make your own)
Olive oil
1 small can of tomato sauce (you will only use a small amount. Freeze the rest)
Vegan cheese such as Daiya (totally optional)
Fresh veggies such as tomatoes & onions (sliced thin)
Peppers & olives (chopped)
Dried italian seasoning or fresh basil
Arugula leaves marinated in olive  oil & balsamic vinegar

Start out with your pizza dough which can be store made, whole wheat, gluten free, homemade, or any combination there of. I choose to make my own dough from this link for Perfect Vegan Pizza Crust. I cheated on the rising time and in fact, I only let it rise once but still ended up with a good quality airy crust.


Take your dough of choice and stretch it to conform to your pan. I used a 14 inch round pizza pan and could have easily gotten two thin crust pizzas out of this dough recipe instead of one thick one. Trial and error is what cooking is all about in my kitchen. Coat your dough with a light brushing of olive oil and then brush on a thin layer of tomato sauce. Plain old tomato sauce does the trick. The veggies will be the stars of this meal, no need to buy special sauce for this. Sprinkle lightly with the cheese. Top with thin slices of tomatoes and sprinkle with chopped onions, bell peppers, and olives. Sprinkle with dried Italian seasoning or fresh chopped basil. Pizza is what you make of it;  select good quality toppings and choose the veggies that you enjoy.

Bake in a 425 degree oven for about 20 minutes or until the crust is golden brown. Carefully slide onto a cutting board and let cool for a few minutes before slicing. Now comes my favorite part: top with fresh arugula that has been tossed in a little olive oil and balsamic vinegar. The contrast of the cooked vegetables and fresh marinated arugula is simply delightful. Well, it really it is. Try it and see. In fact I loved the veggies so much, my next pizza will be without cheese all together. I don't miss cheese at all, but it's nice to have the soy options around.

"Chicken" Portobello Stroganoff

With grey and gloomy weather outside, I longed for rich comfort food. Tonight's dinner consists of stroganoff made with chicken flavored seitan (say-tan) and portobello mushrooms on a bed of tri-color veggie fettucini. This is yet, another phenomenal recipe from Isa Chandra Moskowitz and can be found on her blog: Post Punk Kitchen.

I was short on time so I bought chicken flavored seitan made by WestSoy at Back to Basics, a natural foods grocery store. Seitan is a product that is made from wheat gluten flour. It can be flavored to taste like anything and has a  texture you can sink your teeth into.

Vegan Mix Cupcakes

It's snowing outside and the roads are horrible, which only means that I am confined to this house and must therefore bake.

These chocolatey yummies actually come from a box mix and I have to say I am very impressed with their flavor and texture. The cakes are nice and light in texture and are not too sweet. The frosting is delicious and fluffy and works well in a pastry bag.  Espresso flavored sugar crystals add the finishing touch.

The best part is that these dairy, egg, and nut free mixes from Cherrybrook Kitchen are available in most supermarkets. They are great to have in the pantry when you need to whip up some emergency storm cupcakes.

Frickin' Good Vegan Chili

Watch out boys and girls, this vegan chili will truly knock your socks off! This crock pot  recipe belongs to Paula Zsiray, the winner of Women's Day Best Vegetarian Chili Contest. The thick, spicy, chili features wheat berries (found near the rice and other grains in the market) which add taste and texture.

Berry-li-cious

Berries are high in vitamin C, the immune boosting vitamin. They are so yummy all by themselves, with out any additional ingredients or sweeteners. I'm finding that the less sweets that I consume, the more I can appreciate the delicate flavors of fresh fruits and vegetables. I am not ready for a totally raw diet, but I can see why some people only eat raw food. Something for me to ponder in the coming months. 

Spuds &Salsa

What do you replace butter and sour cream with on your baked potato?

Salsa, of course! My fresh salsa is actually what Colombians call Aji  (AH-Hee) and can be used on just about anything.

Aji

2 large tomatoes, diced
2 bunches of scallions, chopped
1/2 a large white or red onion, chopped
A bunch of fresh cilantro, chopped
2-3 tablespoons vegetable oil
2-3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
The juice of one lime
Salt & pepper to taste
Tabasco sauce or Cholula sauce to taste

If the salsa is too acidic, add a teaspoon of sugar or ketchup.

Kale Tomato Soup

A great way to incorporate more greens into your diet is to add them to soups. Kale is high in vitamins A and C and also in calcium and iron.  Research has shown that the calcium from kale is absorbed into your body better than the calcium from dairy foods. 


Kale Soup


2-3 tablespoons of olive oil
2 leeks thoroughly washed and chopped
2 carrots, chopped
2 stalks of celery, chopped
2-3 cloves of chopped garlic
Salt & pepper


32 ounces of vegetable broth
28 ounce can of diced tomatoes


1 can of cannellini beans, washed & drained
1 large bunch of kale roughly chopped




Saute your vegetables on low heat in olive oil until softened. Don't skip this step. Salt & pepper to taste. Add the tomatoes and broth. Raise the heat to medium and bring to a simmer. Add your beans and Kale and only cook until the kale begins to wilt. Try not to over cook the kale.

Eat More Fruit!

It is winter in New England and the temperatures are in the single digits and many of my coworkers are sick.  I'll just strengthen my immune system by eating more organic fruits and veggies, and getting plenty of sleep and exercise. This has worked for me for the past 48 years.

Time for the disclaimer: I am not a doctor. I do not play one on TV. I did not stay in a Holiday Inn Express last night. The great thing about living in this country is the freedom and ability to do our own research and make our own choices regarding health and nutrition.

Chickpeas on Arugula

This is a beautiful salad, if I do say so myself. This IS a beautiful salad!

Marinate chickpeas, elephant garlic, and fresh basil with a little EVOO and lemon juice. A little sea salt, fresh grated pepper, and nutritional yeast rounds out the flavor. Serve on a bed of arugula (High in vitamin C & vitamin A) with plum tomatoes. The peppery taste of the arugula marries with the fresh basil and garlic. YUM!

BTW, nutritional yeast is not the same thing as the yeast that you would use to leaven bread. It is used by vegans as a flavoring because of it's rich cheesy flavor and high content of B vitamins, especially B12.

Fruit Smoothie

 Feeling the winter blahs? Me too! Time to make a fruit smoothie with cut up pineapple, orange, grapefruit and strawberries. Plenty of vitamin C there for a little immune system boost. 

Chocolate Chip Cookies

Resolution? What resolution?

My vegan version of these cookies originates from Mattie's Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies. I modified the recipe by adding 1/4 cup corn oil, and changing from all white sugar to one cup white and half a cup of brown. Crispy, chocolate, nirvana!

Lentil Loaf & Soup

Lentil soup is very hearty and filling, probably owing to the fact that lentils are high in protein and fiber. Unlike other dried beans, lentils cook up rather quickly.

Lentil Soup

1 package dried lentils, rinsed
32 ounces of vegetable stock
2 small carrots, diced
1/2 onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 medium potato, diced
1 small bunch of cilantro, chopped
Spices & salt

Spices can include a teaspoon of some or all of: cumin, coriander, turmeric, cayenne pepper, salt

Soak the lentils in water for about half an hour. Drain, rinse and place lentils in a large pot with the vegetable stock and bring heat up to medium. Add all your vegetables and spices and simmer for about 35 minutes until veggies and lentils are soft.

Lentil loaf is the perfect alternative to meatloaf. It not only looks good plated up, it tastes great and holds up well enough to put in a sandwich the next day.

Lentil Loaf

3 cups of lentil soup with most of the liquid drained
1 cup cooked brown rice
1/2 cup ketchup or 1/4 cup sriracha hot sauce
2-3 teaspoons vegan worchestire sauce

Mash lentils with a fork. Add rest of ingredients and mix well until all ingredients are incorporated. Cover loaf pan with parchment paper and press lentil mixture into loaf pan. Brush top with ketchup. Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes. Cool slightly before slicing.

Ultimate Vegan Brownies

 I know, it's the new year.  I know I have resolutions. I also know that giving up chocolate is very unrealistic and perhaps unnecessary for me. Once in a while I think a treat would be all right. So for all the other chocolate foodies in the house I bring to you another brownie recipe. This one is a tad easier and I have to confess, even more delicious. "Holy Chocolate Brownies, Batman", these are phenomenal!

Click on the link for the best brownies ever: Ultimate Brownies

Roasted Veggies & Tofu

Roasting veggies in the oven is easy and the end result is a crispy, colorful and flavorful side dish.

Cut up into large chunks one red bell pepper, two small zucchini squash, a small package of baby bella mushrooms (10-12), and a large red onion. Or cut up whatever vegetable mix you like. Toss in a balsamic dressing or oil and vinegar. Season with salt & pepper and Italian seasonings. Bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes or until the vegetables are cooked to your preferred doneness.

Press your tofu before preparing the vegetables. Wrap your extra firm tofu in a clean towel and place a small pan or heavy dish on top of the wrapped package. This will get rid of the excess moisture. Sprinkle both sides  with salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper. Slice your tofu into half inch slices and fry (YES, FRY!) in corn oil, flipping once carefully, to brown both sides. Remove and drain on paper towels and immediately sprinkle lightly again with your spices. Crispy and yummy! To minimize the fat content, the tofu can be dredged in the spices and baked on parchment paper in a 350 degree oven for about 20 minutes turning mid way.

Veggie "Chicken" Fajitas

I like to avoid the processed imitation meat and chicken products, but sometimes in the interest of saving time and in the attempt to eat something that has the appearance of what the rest of the family is eating, I will use some of those products. Gardein offers many varieties and all are made without preservatives,  artificial flavors or colors. My favorite is the mandarin orange crispy chick'n.

Saute half a white onion with a sliced red pepper in a few tablespoons of olive oil flavored with a few drops of mongolian fire oil.  Add in a bunch of chopped fresh cilantro and season with cayenne pepper and salt. Place veggies on a whole wheat  tortilla and top with your "chicken." Garnish with salsa and gaucamole. Roll up and enjoy!

Broccolette

I love finding new things at Whole Foods and this is one of them. Broccolette is a cross between broccoli & chinese broccoli (kai-lan) and has smaller florets and thinner, longer stems.

Cover the bottom of a non-stick pan with vegetable stock and bring to boil. Chop the dry ends off your Broccolette and roughly chop the rest. Lower heat to medium,  add chopped broccolette to pan and cover.  Allow to cook for about ten minutes until stock has almost dried. Add more stock or a teeny tiny bit of EVOO and add some chopped garlic to the pan. Add a few shakes of crushed red pepper if desired. Salt to taste. Cook a few minutes until garlic is cooked and your stems are soft.

Chopping Broccoli always brings to mind, my mind anyway, Dana Carvey's "choppin' broccoli." Enjoy the link: Dana Carvvey

Resolution #3 : Drink More Veggie Juice

"I could have had a V8"....Um, no! Nothing compares to the taste of freshly made veggie juice.  Juicers have come down significantly in price and are easy to use. Definitely worth the investment. 

My favorite juice consists of carrots, celery, tomatoes, parsley, garlic and a wedge of lemon!