Day of Snow

Baby's 1st Snow Day!

Also known as... SNOW DAY!  My favorite part of snow days, aside from the obvious staying home, is breakfast.  In my opinion, there's no better way to celebrate than with a big, keeps-you-full-all-day, made-from-scratch breakfast.  Today was a big surprise snow day.  We were predicted to get 2-10" of snow from yesterday evening until early morning.  I thought, no way, especially if we were closer to the 2" side.  Well, surprise, surprise. I checked TMJ4 just before hopping in the shower and here we are... the hum of snowblowers, the smell of breakfast, a lazy day at home.
 

Tofu Scramble and Cinnamon Rolls

Another favorite breakfast addition of ours is tempeh bacon.  Chad just posted about it on his blog, I Run and I Eat.  Check it out!

Adventures in AFR

A few weeks ago, I finally bought Appetite for Reduction and have been loving it!  We have made two or three things each week and already have a few favorites-- including Baked Falafel.  So... here are some recent pictures and thoughts on some delicious meals!

The first thing we made was Baked Falafel, which we have made probably half a dozen times now.  Last night, Chad was even successful making them solo.  The first time we made them, we just ate them plain for a snack.  Since then, we usually make a big salad with cucumber, tomato, red onion (for me) and tahini dressing.  The recipe is so easy, just throw the chickpeas and some other ingredients in the food processor, blend until smooth, mix in a few other seasonings, form and bake.  They can be ready in right around 30 minutes, so it's a surprisingly easy weeknight meal.

The second thing we tried was another salad-- Pad Thai Salad with Peanut-Lime Dragon Dressing.  We doubled the veggies and added some pan-fried tofu triangles to make it a meal.  Since I've been in love with anything Thai and peanutty lately, I thought this salad was amazing... lots of fresh veggies and flavor.  I also liked making the dressing from scratch.  There are a bunch of recipes for dressing in this cookbook that I'm planning to make.  I like that you can adjust the seasoning, oils and such and know exactly what you're eating.  Plus, you can always taste freshness!

The remaining recipes in random order:

Herb-Roasted Cauliflower and Bread Crumbs

This was a simple side, but was SO flavorful.  The bread crumbs and herbs make the cauliflower taste rich and buttery.

Mac & Trees with Easy Breezy Cheezy Sauce

Another vegan mac and cheeze recipe to add to my arsenal!  This had a good flavor, not too rich.  The big stalks of broccoli (or trees) bulked it up and added more flavor.  I think I used a whole box of whole wheat pasta and still had enough sauce to go around.

Lasagna with Roasted Cauliflower Ricotta & Spinach

This recipe used a combo of cauliflower and tofu to make a ricotta-like filling and black olives on top in place of cheese.  It was really filling and made enough for dinner and lunch for me and Chad.  I can see this becoming a fall and winter favorite.

Curried Chickpeas & Greens

Another really quick and delicious meal.  This was the first time that I used mustard seeds, garam masala and I also finally bought fresh ginger.  I LOVED this recipe.  It was so flavorful from all of the seasonings (I think there is something like 10 different spices), tomatoes and kale.  I'm already looking forward to making this again!  (This picture is from my phone.  Somehow my camera battery was dead for over a week!)

Arabian Lentil & Rice Soup
I don't know how I missed taking a picture of this one.  Chad will probably say it's because he made it, which he did, but that's not why there is no picture.  This was made with creamy red lentils and jasmine rice, with its own share of veggies.  It was also a good way to use up some of our homemade veggie broth (it's taking over the freezer!).  I think we had enough of this for a few left-over lunches, so that was a little bonus.

I think that's it... so far.  I'm loving this book and there is so much that I still need to try!  I love that, like Isa's other books, there is such a variety of recipes.  There are safe favorites (like Mac & Trees  and Classic Black Bean & Veggie Chili) mixed in with other recipes that I wouldn't normally seek out (like Curried Chickpeas & Greens and Curry Laksa). I'll let you know what else I try soon...

Cook Book Challenge Week #11

Vegan Brunch

Tonight's Menu:  Beer Battered Tofu

We've been busy in the kitchen with this cookbook all week, but I HAD to post this today.  One thing I've really missed lately is going out to a Friday night fish fry.  Well, after tonight's dinner I have nothing to miss!  Beer Battered Tofu more than exceeded my expectation.  It was really easy to prepare and absolutely delicious.  We used sunflower oil to fry and Sam Adams Boston Lager for the batter.  Each piece was super crispy and the beer was very flavorful.  We served it with loaded baked potatoes (with Coconut "Bacon" Bits from AVK) and a big spinach salad to feel a little healthier!  I was looking forward to this dinner all week and it did not disappoint!

Pi Day... Why Not?!

I was more excited that today's date, 3/14, is one month until my birthday, that I almost forgot it's also Pi Day.  Luckily, this email reminded me that I should be eating PIE!  So, here is how I celebrated Pi(e) Day:

I sort of winged the recipe, but it turned out as good as I had hoped.  It's a peanut pastry crust with a (thinner than planned) chocolate layer and a peanut butter layer topped with chocolate ganache.  It was just sweet enough, without being too rich.  Here's an idea of what I did...

Peanut Butter Chocolate Pi Day Pie

Crust: (Adapted from "The Best 50 Dessert Tarts")

1/2 c margarine

1-3/4 c whole wheat pastry flour

1/4 c peanut flour

1/3 c finely chopped peanuts

Mix all ingredients and press into pan.  Bake 10 minutes at 400.  Allow to cool while preparing the filling.

Filling: (this is where I winged it)

1 13 oz carton silken tofu, divided

a few tbsp creamy peanut butter

a few tbsp baker's chocolate 

a few tsp sugar or agave 

a splash of vanilla

Place chocolate and sugar or agave in a small saucepan and melt over low heat, stirring occasionally.  While the chocolate is melting, place half the tofu, peanut butter and vanilla in a food processor.  Process until smooth and creamy.  (Check on chocolate)  Scrape into a small bowl and set aside.  Once chocolate is melted, add the remaining half of tofu, chocolate and a sprinkle of sugar into the food processor.  Process until smooth and creamy.  Scrape into the pie crust and spread evenly.  Carefully spread the peanut butter layer on top.  Refrigerate until almost ready to serve, at least 1 hour.  Before you are ready to serve, prepare chocolate ganache (I used the Quick Melty Ganache from VCTOTW) and drizzle over entire pie.

I don't think you can really mess this up, it's pretty basic.  I'm off to enjoy another piece while watching the finale of "The Bachelor."  Happy Pi Day to all :)

Cook Book Challenge Week #9

Vegan on the Cheap

Last Night's Menu:  Curried Tofu Wraps and Curry Coconut Rice
Dessert (and Breakfast!):  Great Northern Apple Cake

This week's cookbook over at the PPK is "Yellow Rose Recipes", but I am subbing "Vegan on the Cheap."  This was the second vegan cookbook that I purchased and it's fairly well-used.  We have a few favorites including Wheatballs, Spinach Pie and Chocolate Oatmeal-Peanut Butter Cookies.  I'm looking forward to checking off more recipes from our "To Try" list.

We started on Sunday with dessert-- Great Northern Apple Cake, which actually ended up being dinner due to a late lunch and a leaky sink.  The recipes includes two apples (organic Granny Smith apples were on sale, yay!) and almost a full can of great northern beans, so I didn't feel TOO bad about eating it for dinner (and again today for breakfast!).  The prep was pretty easy and I followed the recipe pretty closely, only doubling the walnuts and halving the brown sugar.  It turned out SO moist and delicious.  The walnuts were amazing, because they mixed with the apples and spices as the cake baked.  When I dished up the first piece, Chad said it looked like it belonged in a restaurant.  I'll admit, I thought it looked pretty professional, too!

Last night, we made the Curried Tofu Wraps with Cheapskate Chutney and Curried Coconut Rice on the side.  It was a really quick meal that was on the table within 45 minutes-- Chad was in charge of the wraps, while I made the rice and chutney.  The kitchen was all cleaned up by 6:00, which is usually when we are getting ready to sit down to eat!  It was a really fresh and filling meal.  I've never made chutney before; I always thought it was really difficult and fancy, but it was super quick and easy.  I used a mango in place of the pineapple, otherwise I followed the recipe pretty closely.  The sweetness and soft texture was perfect with the curried tofu and crunchy veggies.  The curried coconut rice was a good variation from my regular "use coconut milk instead of water" coconut rice.  I liked the veggies mixed in for a little more flavor and texture as well.  This was a perfect weeknight meal, it was quick to prepare, filling and packed with veggies and flavor!


For dessert, we finished off the last of the apple cake.  Next dessert?  I'm thinking brownies...

Cook Book Challenge Week #8

American Vegan Kitchen

Last Night's Menu:  Peanutty Tofu Kale Pockets & Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

cucumber and carrots are hiding under the peanut sauce!

Chad made dinner last night and I must say, he did a great job!  This was the first recipe he picked earlier in the week,  but we needed to get a few things for it.  It was worth the wait!   He started marinating the tofu and had everything else set out and ready to go when I got home.  While the tofu was baking, we chopped and made the peanut sauce and by the time that was done, everything was ready to assemble.  Pita, peanut sauce, sauteed kale, chopped veggies and a few chunks of tofu... yum!  I guess I never realized, but Chad and I really like peanut sauce!  We had a recipe that we made a few times last fall, and since this challenge started, we've made Brooklyn Pad Thai, Thai Chick-Un Pizza and now Peanutty Tofu Kale Pockets.  I just love the combo of the peanut sauce with cucumbers and other fresh veggies and herbs.

For dessert, I made the Oatmeal Raisin Cookies, with a few changes.  I used whole wheat flour and, since I was really craving chocolate, subbed chocolate chips for the raisins.  The cinnamon was a really great complement to the chocolate.  I made one regular batch and, for something different, made the rest in a mini muffin tin.  They turned out like little brownie bite cookies.  It was a fun variation, and they would've been delicious topped with a small scoop of ice cream! 

Cook Book Challenge Week #4

Vegan with a Vengeance
Wednesday's Breakfast: Tofu Scramble and Tempeh Bacon
Thursday's Dinner: Falafel and Tahini Dressing

On Wednesday, we couldn't leave the house due to all of the snow!  We managed to shovel out the driveway and patio, but beyond that.. things weren't looking too promising.  We even had to help a neighbor who was stuck on our street.  Since Chad spent most of his morning shoveling the driveway, I made a delicious, hot breakfast.

sunshiny yellow

We used the Tofu Scramble recipe and added tomatoes and spinach.  I think I added a little too much turmeric, because the tofu was a super bright, sunny yellow!  Chad was excited to use some extra nutritional yeast, too.  I also decided to try making Tempeh Bacon.  We buy Fakin' Bacon once in a while, but it's so much more expensive than plain tempeh.  I was missing a bunch of ingredients (and since I couldn't just make a quick trip to the grocery store) I had to make a few substitutions.  I was surprised with the homemade version, and it will definitely save us some money!  If you're curious about tempeh bacon, it doesn't really taste like or replace bacon, but it's really good on sandwiches (like BLT) or as a side (for breakfast), plus it's packed with protein and is extra healthy because it's a fermented food. 

We also planned to make Falafel on Wednesday.  We had everything we needed (chickpeas, pita, etc.), but didn't have any of the fresh produce (cucumber, tomatoes, parsley) to accompany it.  AND since our street still wasn't plowed by dinner time, we waited until Thursday.  I was looking forward to making the falafel, because Chad and I both really like it.  The only time I actually made it, I cheating by using a mix and wrote about it here.  We've had it several times, including from Doener stands in Germany, at  Reza's in Chicago and from the buffet at Holy Land Diner.  I read some suggestions from others over at PPK, so I decided beforehand that I would bake, instead of fry the falafel.  I followed the recipe almost word for word, only omitting the onions.  I thought it looked pretty dry and crumbly, so I was unsure how it would stick together.  After some time in the refrigerator, it was surprisingly easy to mold.   Also, while that was "chilling," I whipped up the Tahini Dressing, which was not only easy and tasty, but was also a good way to use up some more of the parsley.  

pitas, loaded and ready to go

We baked the falafel using a little leftover garlic oil from the dressing for 20 minutes at 375.  Then, to make them a little crispier, I pan fried each for about two minutes on each side.  We stuffed them into the pitas with red onion (on mine), cucumbers, tomatoes, romaine, baby greens and a generous slather of the dressing.  They were scrumptious... even better than I expected after baking them.  They didn't have quite the crunch they normally have from frying, but they definitely had a great taste from the parsley and seasonings.  They really weren't as much work as I thought, and besides refrigeration, were fairly quick to make.  I can add this to the "make again soon" list at our house!

Thoughts after week four of the challenge?  I think that "Vegan with a Vengeance" is still my favorite vegan cookbook.  There is such a variety of recipes, and they're all pretty quick and simple... even, as I learned this week, ones that I thought would were daunting or difficult.  We have a Post-in stuck inside the front cover scribbled full of things we still want to make, so this cookbook will be well-loved well into the future!

Cook Book Challenge Week #4

Vegan with a Vengeance
Today's Breakfast: Coconut Pancakes with Pineapple Sauce
Today's Dinner: Brooklyn Pad Thai Noodles

No school today called for a "real" breakfast and special dinner.  I'll admit I was a little unsure about the Brooklyn Pad Thai Noodles for a few reasons-- I haven't used some of the ingredients in the recipe, I've never actually "prepared" tofu, the ingredient list and preparation were a little lengthy and I wasn't sure that I'd like the end product.  I have to say... I was wasting my time worrying!

not your everyday pancake, here!

I'll start with breakfast first.  Like I've said before, I LOVE pancakes.  They're a quick and delicious breakfast, but they feel a little special.  The recipe was simple and I followed it pretty much as written, only subbing agave for maple syrup because I was out, and whole wheat pastry flour for the all purpose flour.  I read in the "perfect pancake" section that it helps to let the batter rest for a while, so I started the sauce, which was easy work, before finishing the pancakes.  I greased the griddle with coconut oil (the smell still amazes me) and made giant pancakes.  They came out a perfect, golden brown.  We topped them with the pineapple sauce and a few extra coconut flakes.  These pancakes were AMAZING!  The coconut in the batter gave them a little crunch, the nutmeg was just right and the warm pineapple sauce was just sweet enough.  Even Chad, who thinks we eat pancakes too often, was really impressed.  This is definitely something we'll have again and a simple, tasty recipe to share!

you should make some, too!

As I alluded to earlier, I was nervous about tonight's recipe... BUT now I can't wait to make it again!  It was one of those meals that you're almost sad to eat the last bite because it's so delicious.  It tasted and looked like something you would order at a restaurant (which according to the recipe blurb, is common in NY).  The tofu was a little chewy, a little crunchy and it really absorbed flavor from the peanut oil and sauce.  The scallions and cilantro gave the dish a ton of fresh flavor and the bean sprouts added some more crunch and texture.  Chad and I couldn't stop raving about every forkful as we gobbled up the noodles.  Preparation was easier and quicker than I expected, and the final product was more amazing that I could have hoped!  This is definitely something I'm looking forward to making again... soon!

School has already been canceled for tomorrow, so we have another extra day to play!  And eat!

Football Food

The Packers and Bears are just about to take the field for the NFC Championship game.  Chad and I are staying home to watch the game and snacking on game day food.  Here's one of our favorites that's super easy to make:

Better Than Taco Dip

1 15 oz can refried beans

1 ripe avocado, mashed

13 oz silken tofu

1 c cooked vegan chorizo

1tbsp southwest or taco seasoning

dash of chipotle or chili seasoning

1 c shredded lettuce

handful grape tomatoes, quartered

handful black olives, sliced
tortilla chips

1.  Mix tofu in a small bowl or blend in blender until smooth.  Mix in seasoning.  Set aside.

2.  Spread beans to evenly cover the bottom of a pie dish.

3.  Cover beans evenly with avocado.

4.  Cover avocado with tofu mixture.

5.  Sprinkle chorizo over the tofu.

6.  Sprinkle lettuce, tomatoes and black olives to cover dip.

7.  Refrigerate until ready to serve!

8.  Serve with tortilla chips and cold beer!

(Variation:  Omit chorizo and seasoning.  Add 1 can Ro-tel tomatoes to blended tofu.  Prepare as normal.)

GO Pack GO!