Cook Book Challenge Week #11

Vegan Brunch

Tonight's Menu:  Peanut Butter Waffles and Revamped Tempeh Bacon

First of all, yum!  I've been looking forward to "Vegan Brunch," because what's not to love about brunch?!  We started the week out with two pretty simple recipes.  The Peanut Butter Waffles were delicious and super filling.  They weren't as peanut buttery as I expected, but I can't really complain.  We topped them with sliced bananas, maple syrup, powdered sugar and a few extra peanuts.  I was full after the first one, but managed to eat a second!  Next time, I think I will use crunchy peanut butter, because Isa suggests it will give the waffles more peanut flavor.  In other waffle-related news, I finally figured out how to make the perfect waffles with my 5-year old waffle iron.  I usually have it set to the highest setting and my waffles split in half, but tonight I remembered to turn in down to medium-high and, like magic, all the waffles came out perfectly!

We've made the Tempeh Bacon from "Vegan with a Vengeance" before and it was pretty good... but the Revamped Tempeh Bacon is unbelievably better.  It tastes just like, if not better than, the Fakin' Bacon we buy at the store and is way cheaper to make.  I loved the flavor combo and although I thought that one tablespoon of liquid smoke might be overpowering, it was perfect.  I added all of the marinade to the pan after the pieces "fried" for a little bit and let it simmer down.  They came out with a nice little crunchy, crispy bite.  I have a feeling we might make this often now, especially since we just stocked up on tempeh from Trader Joe's!

So, that was dinner tonight!  I don't even think I have room for dessert while I watch "Biggest Loser."  Maybe that's a good thing... 

Bye, Bye Wisdom Teeth; Hello Blender!

I had an exciting start to my spring break yesterday-- a visit to the oral surgeon to have my wisdom teeth removed.  This is something I've been putting off for at least the last 10 years, since my orthodontist first told me it would be a good idea.  When we moved to Illinois, my new dentist was the third person to tell me it was a "good idea."  Since my spring break is a week earlier than Chad's this year, I figured now was as good a time as any and finally made the appointment.

I don't know if the doctor gave me a few extra doses of Novocaine or what, but I couldn't tell the difference between my tongue and my bottom lip for a good six hours!  Chad enjoyed making fun of me, since I could barely swallow enough water to take my antibiotics and pain meds.  I finally tried to eat some jello in the early afternoon, which was not as easy as you might expect.  I couldn't move my jaw enough to chew, so I basically slurped it by the spoonful and swallowed the chunks.  I decided if I was going to go through the effort of "eating," I needed to try something a little more worthwhile... which is where the blender comes into play.  We had some leftover Mexican Bean and Rice Bake and broth from last weekend, so Chad threw that in the blender and the resulting drink was much more satisfying than globs of jello.  The other two quick, yet nutritious and delicious "cup-friendly" meals I had are listed below.  The soup was so good, that I might make it again with a big loaf of homemade bread when I can actually chew again!

10-Minute Cheezee Cauliflower Soup

1/2 head cauliflower, washed and broken into large pieces

1 medium carrot, cleaned and cut into thick coins

1/2 c veggie broth

1/4 c cheezee sauce (I used extra from AVK)

Prepare steamer on stove top and add veggies.  Steam until soft, about 10 minutes.  Combine veggies, broth and sauce in a blender.  Blend on high until smooth.  Add more broth or water to achieve desired thickness.  Serves 2.

Banana Milk

Blend 1 ripe banana with 2 cups milk (I used unsweetened almond) on high until no chunks remain.  Pour into glass and top with a sprinkle of cinnamon.

I have a feeling I'll continue using the blender a lot more often than usual in the next week...

Cook Book Challenge Week #7

500 Vegan Recipes

I sat out of the challenge this week.. bummer!  I sent Chad to the bookstore to pick up a copy and he came home with "1000 Vegan Recipes."  I went back to the bookstore to exchange it and they were out of "500 Vegan Recipes."  Ugh!  

This picture is so sunny, I had to share.  I made these last weekend  while visiting my mom.  She had some super ripe bananas that were just about garbage, so I turned them into breakfast!  The recipe is "Banana-Walnut Breakfast Muffins" from "1000 Vegan Recipes."  I used half all-purpose flour and half whole wheat pastry flour and doubled the walnuts.  If I make them again, I would probably add a few more walnuts, because I love the crunchy texture. 

I have the cookbook for next week, so all I need is a shopping list and I'm ready to go...