tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-74069057384142354382024-03-14T05:31:45.113-04:00.Vegan Zombiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08995270385443785157noreply@blogger.comBlogger47125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406905738414235438.post-47669378698339143862011-04-09T11:42:00.000-04:002011-04-09T11:42:14.376-04:00Upcoming interview from Basil Magazine & Radio!<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yBA9cTEpo5w/TaB9UvxOq3I/AAAAAAAAAlI/5hAhpAJwR7w/s1600/basil.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yBA9cTEpo5w/TaB9UvxOq3I/AAAAAAAAAlI/5hAhpAJwR7w/s320/basil.jpg" width="263" /></a></div>Be sure to check out the interview for my book, <em>The Part-Time Vegan</em>, on <em>Basil Magazine</em>'s Online Radio! I will also be featured in May's monthly issue of <em>Basil</em> :)<br />
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<a href="http://tiny.cc/g7b6h">http://tiny.cc/g7b6h</a> Follow this link to the radio station!<br />
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<strong>Tune in on</strong> <strong>April 25th at 6:05PM EST</strong> to hear me discuss the book, veganism, and good food!<br />
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I'm looking into some great new spring recipes... really happy bright flavors and colors. I love the spring! I love warm weather. Can't wait to post them up here :)Vegan Zombiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08995270385443785157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406905738414235438.post-29691553622232285002011-03-30T13:44:00.000-04:002011-03-30T13:44:55.262-04:00The Part-Time Vegan Interview!<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yofZk23s7ao/TZNr2a0gyuI/AAAAAAAAAlA/w6Gij7q_hpA/s1600/bookcover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-yofZk23s7ao/TZNr2a0gyuI/AAAAAAAAAlA/w6Gij7q_hpA/s320/bookcover.jpg" width="245" /></a></div>Jill, the wonderful webmistress of <strong>vegcookin.com</strong> has posted an interview with me about my book, <em>The Part-Time Vegan</em>! Take a hop, skip, jump (or, you know... just click if you haven't had your coffee yet), on over and take a peek!<br />
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<a href="http://www.vegcookin.com/a/cherise-grifoni/">http://www.vegcookin.com/a/cherise-grifoni/</a><br />
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My two recipes for <strong>Vegan Paçoca</strong> and <strong>Brazilian Orange & Blackberry Cheesecake</strong> can also be found in the "recipes" section of the site. Thank you, Jill!<br />
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Happy cooking, all!Vegan Zombiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08995270385443785157noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406905738414235438.post-28024235340349986552011-03-29T17:23:00.001-04:002011-03-29T17:28:43.985-04:00Vegan Paçoca<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Paçoca is SO good. It is a Brazilian candy made of raw peanuts, sugar, condensed milk, and salt. What's cool about it is that if you replace the condensed milk (I used agave which has a similar sticky consistency and can hold the treat together), it is a naturally raw vegan dessert! Woot, woot!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">It's so intensely peanut-buttery & salty-sweet. The consistency is really crumbly, which makes it fun to eat and make. Usually paçoca<strong> </strong>is<strong> </strong>served as little squares or as a crumble over other desserts. In fact, it would make a great pie "crust" to a raw vegan peanut butter-chocolate cheesecake.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Yay!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Oh, it's also widely eaten around Easter time which makes it perfect for this time of year. If you travel down to Brazil you might also find a new variety of Hershey's that you haven't seen before:</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cool, huh?</td></tr>
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</div>Of course, Hershey's candies aren't vegan. But hey, one can dream. If you dipped the completed product of this recipe in some melted chocolate (1 4oz bar unsweetened dark chocolate melted w/ 4 tbsp vegan margarine over low heat) you could make your own vegan Hershey's paçoca!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3aEp3tDx5lI/TZJMgtKiVBI/AAAAAAAAAk0/qKl82T4tnPI/s1600/pacoca+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" r6="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3aEp3tDx5lI/TZJMgtKiVBI/AAAAAAAAAk0/qKl82T4tnPI/s320/pacoca+%25282%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><strong>Vegan Paçoca</strong><br />
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(pronounced like pa-SSO-ca)<br />
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1 1/2 cup roasted/salted peanuts<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">3/4 cup tapioca or manoic flour</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">1 cup vegan brown sugar</div>1/4 cup agave nectar (don't have it? use maple syrup)<br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong>1.</strong> Process all dry ingredients. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Manoic/tapioca flours come from the cassava plant which is known as the "bread of the tropics." Many South American and African desserts/dishes are made with the starchy tubers of the cassava plant. Another cool fact about it is that, when not cooked or processed properly cassava is poisonous. Both varities, sweet and bitter, naturally contain c<span class="mw-headline" id="Cyanogenic_glycosides">yanogenic glycosides</span>. That is... a cyanide group contained within the glycosides (sugars bonded with non-carb molecules) of the plant. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">No need to fear, though! The flours that you can buy (Bob's Red Mill is a good brand) are completely safe to consume, and so is properly prepared cassava! Usually boiling, soaking, or baking the plant does the trick. In fact, I've had cassava several times before in various West African dishes and it is delicious.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The mixture will be crumbly before you add the agave. <br />
I don't know why my hand looks like Quasimodo's hand here.</td></tr>
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong>2.</strong> Add agave and process again. Try to squish the mixture with your hands. If it stays together, you're A-OK. If it doesn't, add a little more agave & process again.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong>3.</strong> Simply take a palm full of the mixture in your hands and press into small squares. Some people like to pat the entire mix down into the bottom of a pan and cut square shapes out, but I think doing it with your hands is easier.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Eat, eat, eat! Happy spring!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3aEp3tDx5lI/TZJMgtKiVBI/AAAAAAAAAk0/qKl82T4tnPI/s1600/pacoca+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-3aEp3tDx5lI/TZJMgtKiVBI/AAAAAAAAAk0/qKl82T4tnPI/s1600/pacoca+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a></div>Vegan Zombiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08995270385443785157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406905738414235438.post-8696094864849665092011-03-28T20:57:00.004-04:002011-03-28T21:07:23.117-04:00Dinner Partay! 3 Easy Recipes<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LZrAUEd_ZBM/TZEpYH0lmHI/AAAAAAAAAkM/VqJcY5VRNLk/s1600/dinnerpartay+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" r6="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LZrAUEd_ZBM/TZEpYH0lmHI/AAAAAAAAAkM/VqJcY5VRNLk/s320/dinnerpartay+%25282%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a>On Saturday I had a dinner party with some of my friends and we had an awesome purely vegan feast! It just-so-happened that way, as 3/4 people eating were not vegans (win for me!). </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">My friend lives in a beautiful apartment down by the river on the Lower East Side. I never remember the code to his building though, and I have to call him every time and ask like an idiot. Hahah, I've only been there about 17 million times in my life. That is an actual scientific measurement, if you were wondering. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">You'd think my brain would retain the info, but. This is my brain we are talking about! It is too preoccupied with food. Unless I can eat that door code, I am not interested. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The long trek to his place from mine feels like a journey across several countries and perhaps a small continent. There is even wildlife to behold (rats and the occasional <em>Hips. ter sapien</em>)! After braving the frigid March weather and wild beasts like Indiana Jones, we all got to eat a cornucopia of wonderful dishes. I used the word cornucopia! </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Luckily, I also had another friend to accompany me on the long walk. We always have earth-shattering, revelatory conversations when we travel to the Dinner Party Apartment, as if Abraham Lincoln and George Washington were strolling the cherry blossom-lined paths of Washington together discussing the epic problems of our modern era! (Not really). We usually talk about boys. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">So, food!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">My contribution to the evening (I say evening because it sounds Classy) was Pineapple Coconut Rice with black beans, white onions, and yellow peppers. I also made broiled mango- so delicious!- and fried bananas. Eating them separately is great, but I especially liked to mixed the fried bananas into the rice. Mmmmm.</div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Everything else at the party was amazing as well... we had some great tabouleh (cashews, lemon-olive oil dressing, peas, quinoa in lieu of bulgur wheat, and asparagas), delicious hummus and babaganoush, roasted red peppers, and of course wine!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PIJYYj7U2iY/TZEtPhzmz_I/AAAAAAAAAkU/4_zr9AuKobQ/s1600/rice+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-PIJYYj7U2iY/TZEtPhzmz_I/AAAAAAAAAkU/4_zr9AuKobQ/s320/rice+%25282%2529.jpg" width="239" /></a></div><strong>Pineapple Coconut Rice</strong><br />
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2 cups wild rice<br />
1-1 1/2 tablespoon coconut oil<br />
1 tbsp citrus (I used kumquats, but lime and lemon work too!)<br />
1 yellow pepper<br />
1-2 cans black beans<br />
1-1 1/2 yellow onion<br />
2 tbsp soy sauce<br />
1 cup pineapple juice<br />
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The picture of this dish is much less appealing than what it looks like in Real Life with its popping yellows and blacks. I promise it's incredibly tropically tasty and filling.<br />
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<strong>1.</strong> I used a rice cooker and 1 cup water, 1 cup pineapple juice to cook my 2 cups wild rice.<br />
<strong>2.</strong> While that was happening, I stir-fried the yellow pepper and onion in the coconut oil on med-high until the onions are translucent.<br />
<strong>3.</strong> Add the black beans to the rice when its finished cooking, stirring so everything is even. <br />
<strong>4.</strong> Add soysauce into the rice mixture, stir well. Put rice into stovetop pan with the vegetables to heat everything today on low heat for 8 minutes.<br />
<strong>5.</strong> Top with citrus and stir, add additional pineapple juice if you wish!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Qqm6mhmS8_M/TZEtWQcUAII/AAAAAAAAAkY/raenMwIpDY4/s1600/mango1+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="239" r6="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Qqm6mhmS8_M/TZEtWQcUAII/AAAAAAAAAkY/raenMwIpDY4/s320/mango1+%25282%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">All packed up for travel.</td></tr>
</tbody></table><strong>Roasted Mango</strong><br />
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1-2 mango<br />
lime juice<br />
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This is delicious because the sugars in the mango carmelize and give amazing depth to this already refreshing, tangy fruit.<br />
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*** Preheat oven to 400 degrees<br />
<strong>1.</strong> Cut & skin mango. The easiest way to do this is by cutting off both ends, and then carefully moving your knife down the ripe mango to remove the skin. Avoid the inner seed and slice off mango meat from around it.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zBQdtcoxBWs/TZEtgtxjLqI/AAAAAAAAAkc/RwUIgrhp_FU/s1600/mango2+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" r6="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zBQdtcoxBWs/TZEtgtxjLqI/AAAAAAAAAkc/RwUIgrhp_FU/s320/mango2+%25282%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<strong>2.</strong> Place on a broiler pan and roast mango for about 10 minutes. Check and see if any broil marks show up, if they do, turn the mango over and cook for another few minutes.<br />
<strong>3.</strong> Remove mango from pan and place on serving dish, cover in lime juice. AMAZING, I PROMISE. Seriously, it's one of the best ways I've ever eaten fruit in my life.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SZP04pTDzZE/TZEt0f13_-I/AAAAAAAAAkg/Q7OimS2GIA0/s1600/banana2+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" r6="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-SZP04pTDzZE/TZEt0f13_-I/AAAAAAAAAkg/Q7OimS2GIA0/s320/banana2+%25282%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><strong>Fried Bananas</strong><br />
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4 semi-ripe bananas<br />
1/4 cup garbanzo bean flour (or any flour)<br />
1 tsp cinnamon<br />
1/4 tsp nutmeg (optional)<br />
2 tbsp vegan margarine<br />
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I used garbanzo bean flour because one of my friends is Celiac. No whole wheat flour for her! Same reason we used quinoa in the tabouleh. What a downer. hahaha Just kidding.<br />
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<strong>1.</strong> Peel and cut the bananas in half. Then, slice them down the center from top to bottom. <br />
<strong>2.</strong> Mix the flour and spices in a small dish.<br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong>3.</strong> Heat up a frying pan and melt the vegan margarine. I used med heat.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong>4.</strong> Cover each banana with the flour mixture and fry them until both sides are brown. Around 3 minutes on each side. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LZrAUEd_ZBM/TZEpYH0lmHI/AAAAAAAAAkM/VqJcY5VRNLk/s1600/dinnerpartay+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a></div>Vegan Zombiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08995270385443785157noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406905738414235438.post-23062773276788885942011-03-24T17:37:00.000-04:002011-03-24T17:37:46.038-04:00Vegan BrigadeirosWell, after 4 1/2 fretful hours, full of not bi, but trilingual curses, I FINALLY managed to invent the recipe for vegan brigadeiros!! It was so difficult because traditional brigadeiros, a Brazilian bon-bon like candy staple, are made with only a few ingredients, chocolate, butter, and condensed milk.<br />
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It took me AGES to condense my own vegan soymilk, but I did it! Booyeah! I must say the end product is just as tasty & complex (if not more so..) than the good-old fashioned favorites!<br />
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So, for all you brave souls who wish to create condensed vegan milk on your own... make sure you have several hours at hand. Otherwise, I found a cool-looking substitute that I have yet to try: <a href="http://vivagranolaveganstore.com/catalog/product_info.php?cPath=48&products_id=661">Olvebra brand condensed soyamilk</a><br />
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However, there's something about accomplishing a time-consuming task like this recipe on your own. It makes you feel like you've created life! It's like they're my little delicious children! Granted, that is bordering on weird. But you couldn't pull the smile off my face for an hour, amigos!<br />
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I think next time I will try making the condensed soymilk in a slow-cooker and see how it turns out. Anyways, I used to looooove these treats before I became a vegan and I am so happy & proud to share the recipe with all of you!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-0gj3v4LgnpY/TYu2tdIw6DI/AAAAAAAAAjI/uQ0ycxwXpwo/s1600/briga2+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" r6="true" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-0gj3v4LgnpY/TYu2tdIw6DI/AAAAAAAAAjI/uQ0ycxwXpwo/s320/briga2+%25282%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><strong>Vegan Brigadeiros</strong><br />
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3 1/2 cups unsweetened soy milk<br />
6 tablespoons of vegan margarine<br />
1/2 cup of vegan sugar<br />
3 tablespoons of unsweetened cocoa<br />
pinch salt<br />
walnuts (traditionally they use chocolate sprinkles!)<br />
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1. Melt the margarine in a pan, adding the sugar. Stir consistently until the sugar is liquified.<br />
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2. Bring the soil milk to a boil and combine the margarine/sugar mixture with the soy milk. Add the pinch of salt.<br />
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3. Simmer mixture for <em>several hours</em> making sure to stir frequently so the bottom of the mixture does not burn. Use a wooden spoon. You want the boil to be a very, very gentle one. Keep the temperature low! This step may take up to 3-3 1/2 hours. I promise the results are well-worth the labor!<br />
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*Note: you will continually need to lower the temperature bit by bit as the soy milk condenses into a lesser and lesser volume.<br />
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**You will also see a "milk film" start to develop on top of the soy milk after a little while. This is a good sign, and also a sign that you should stay patient and keep simmering! (Patience seriously sucks, I know).<br />
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4. Eventually, depending on your cookware and the heat you are using, the mixture will condense to a definite thick pudding-like consistency (one that won't completely lose it's shape when you pick it up in your hands). Add the cocoa powder and whisk until the mixture is uniform. After you have achieve this pudding-like consistency, simmer very gently for approximately 15 more minutes and then let the mixture <em>completely cool</em>.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-K_-iM8bBfyY/TYu3CpeUyKI/AAAAAAAAAjU/hblHlXGqRQQ/s1600/briga5+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" r6="true" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-K_-iM8bBfyY/TYu3CpeUyKI/AAAAAAAAAjU/hblHlXGqRQQ/s320/briga5+%25282%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
5. Take the completely cool mixture and heat it to high-heat on your stove very quickly. Stir constantly. Cook for 10 minutes. Scrape the bottom of the pan with your wooden spoon to keep it from burning. The mixture will look like it's starting to come apart, the oil bleeding out onto the pan. This is a good sign. Just keep mixing!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-hoyFnaoxE4U/TYu3LmOF6yI/AAAAAAAAAjY/ft9MoX7dvIU/s1600/briga4+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-hoyFnaoxE4U/TYu3LmOF6yI/AAAAAAAAAjY/ft9MoX7dvIU/s320/briga4+%25282%2529.jpg" width="239" /></a></div>6. After you have done this, you should have an easy-to-mold blob of delicious condensed vegan milk and chocolate brigadeiro! Take it apart tiny bite-sized piece by tiny bite-sized piece, and pat them on a paper towel to remove excess margarine grease. Roll them through sprinkles to get the traditional effect (all I had were walnuts!). I find the walnuts add an appealing crunch to the smooth bon-bon texture.<br />
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7. They should be eaten right away or stored in the fridge to chill and enjoyed any time!<br />
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Sucesso!!<br />
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Once I get my hands on some of that cool Olvebra brand condensed soy milk, I will try out this recipe the easy-peasier way.Vegan Zombiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08995270385443785157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406905738414235438.post-63402797823362821842011-03-22T00:09:00.003-04:002011-03-22T00:20:02.372-04:00Vegan Pão de QueijoAn absolutely delicious Brazilian street food,<span style="font-family: inherit;"> pão de queijo is a Brazilian cheese puff/bread. They are, of course, made with cheese (usually parmesean). I tried to replicate the flavor as best I could! Traditionally, they are cooked with tapioca flour which makes for a very light texture. I didn't have any of this on hand, so I used a heavier garbanzo bean flour... it made for moist, cheesy, dense cookies. I think they'd be perfect with raspberry preseves.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Ps. pão de queijo is pronounced like (poh-jeh-kay-zjho). The more ya know!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">Since the oven in my apartment gets to about 8,000 degrees, I YET AGAIN nearly burnt my fingers off despite buying new and adorable parrot-themed potholders. Damn you, oven, damn you.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-lsK3pwPHmN8/TYggKLNGdPI/AAAAAAAAAiw/GRZxopFIs7c/s1600/pao5+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" r6="true" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-lsK3pwPHmN8/TYggKLNGdPI/AAAAAAAAAiw/GRZxopFIs7c/s320/pao5+%25282%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span style="font-family: inherit;"><strong>Pão de Queijo</strong> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">(literally "bread of cheese" or Brazilian Cheese Bread)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1/2 cup olive oil</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1/3 cup water</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1/3 cup unsweetened almond milk</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1 tsp salt</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">2 cups garbanzo bean flour (or tapioca flour)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">2/3 cup nutritional yeast</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">2/3 cup vegan cheese (Daiya, or any other brand!)</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">dash cracked black pepper</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">1 tsp garlic powder</span><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">egg replacer for 2 eggs</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">**Preheat oven to 375 degrees.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">1. Boil the olive oil, salt, water, and almond milk over the stove. Remove it immediately and add it to the flour mixture.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-vPKFyfbULWk/TYggWEmEZdI/AAAAAAAAAi0/J9jMGUS4Ns8/s1600/pao1+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-vPKFyfbULWk/TYggWEmEZdI/AAAAAAAAAi0/J9jMGUS4Ns8/s320/pao1+%25282%2529.jpg" width="239" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">2. Stir in the garlic power, egg replacer, and cracker black pepper.</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-3RV3xPtHuxw/TYggcY2DMoI/AAAAAAAAAi4/R1lq_4730bg/s1600/pao2+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-3RV3xPtHuxw/TYggcY2DMoI/AAAAAAAAAi4/R1lq_4730bg/s320/pao2+%25282%2529.jpg" width="239" /></a></div><br />
<span style="font-family: inherit;">3. Add the nutrional yeast.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">4. Fold in the vegan cheese.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">5. Make small 1-inch circles and place onto an ungreased baking sheet. Cook for 15 minutes, or until the tops are lightly browned. My oven was being whacky so I had to cook each side separately for about 8 minutes to get it browned without burning it. Sigh, my oven.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">(My conscience is saying, AT LEAST YOU HAVE AN OVEN. So right.)</span><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-8Eo9fyk57vE/TYggrUmRuRI/AAAAAAAAAjA/C0Kn9UFORW8/s1600/pao4+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" r6="true" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-8Eo9fyk57vE/TYggrUmRuRI/AAAAAAAAAjA/C0Kn9UFORW8/s320/pao4+%25282%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Vegan Zombiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08995270385443785157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406905738414235438.post-62629180021910859032011-03-20T20:27:00.000-04:002011-03-20T20:27:08.326-04:00Torticas de MorónI finally got to make my torticas!!<br />
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Torticas de Morón are a Cuban speciality and are very popular in Cuban bakeries. Cuban cooking is a fusion of African, Carribean and Spanish cuisines, and so has a variety of immensely flavorful elements to draw from!<br />
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The predominant flavors of these cookies are lime, rum, and cinnamon. The non-vegan recipe calls for eggs and butter/lard, which I replaced with vegan-margarine and applesauce (to keep the cookies moist). They came out light and fluffy and aromatic... the perfect compliment to a bright sunny day and the red chilie & tomatillo tacos I made. Mmmmm...<br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-HvGPRwv7OFU/TYaZe6TMZII/AAAAAAAAAiU/ZIat_7jY9F8/s1600/titlestoricas2+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" r6="true" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-HvGPRwv7OFU/TYaZe6TMZII/AAAAAAAAAiU/ZIat_7jY9F8/s320/titlestoricas2+%25282%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a><strong>Torticas de Morón</strong> </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">(small cakes from Morón)</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">3 cups flour</div>pinch salt<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">1 1/2 tsp baking powder</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">1 tsp cinnamon</div>2/3 cups vegan sugar<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">1 4oz package of unsweetened applesauce</div>1 cup vegan margarine<br />
3 tbsp lime zest<br />
3 tsp rum extract (or regular rum if you have it around)<br />
guava paste (a common Latin ingredient, it can usually be found in the Goya aisle)<br />
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1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, line two baking sheets with parchment paper.<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">2. Mix the flour, salt, baking power, and cinnamon together. Add the sugar, lime zest, lime juice, rum extract, softened butter, applesauce. Mix by hand once the dough starts to form.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-9Z-vsrCuUo4/TYaZqiCnj_I/AAAAAAAAAiY/O7dD1ZoG9Kc/s1600/mixpic+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" r6="true" src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-9Z-vsrCuUo4/TYaZqiCnj_I/AAAAAAAAAiY/O7dD1ZoG9Kc/s320/mixpic+%25282%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
3. Separate the dough into 3 sections, refridgerating the ones you aren't using.<br />
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4. Roll the dough out onto a floured surface. Cut into 2 1/2-inch rounds (they should be about 1/3 of an inch thick). Line them up on parchment paper over the baking sheet. Parchment paper is AWESOME and requires little-to-no clean up. (Which is obviously why I use it).<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-K5DdRCvKktk/TYaZ6PhDXLI/AAAAAAAAAic/RyepjVo3BSY/s1600/cookiecut+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" r6="true" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-K5DdRCvKktk/TYaZ6PhDXLI/AAAAAAAAAic/RyepjVo3BSY/s320/cookiecut+%25282%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">5. Cut the guava paste into small pieces and press them into the tops of the cookies. Bake for 14 minutes until the bottoms are lightly browned.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-gf-EpiiIC2g/TYaaQ4FUvMI/AAAAAAAAAig/ILpIfq5tAPA/s1600/guavapaste+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" r6="true" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-gf-EpiiIC2g/TYaaQ4FUvMI/AAAAAAAAAig/ILpIfq5tAPA/s320/guavapaste+%25282%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">6. Lastly, let cool for about 5 minutes and enjoy! I topped mine with powered sugar because Cuban desserts are supposed to be muyyyyy muyyyyyyyy dulce!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Q1aGa-AzSbA/TYabOjduEnI/AAAAAAAAAio/JS-LMCM6V98/s1600/titletorticas+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="239" r6="true" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Q1aGa-AzSbA/TYabOjduEnI/AAAAAAAAAio/JS-LMCM6V98/s320/titletorticas+%25282%2529.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div>Vegan Zombiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08995270385443785157noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406905738414235438.post-46233613658286265882011-03-20T20:03:00.000-04:002011-03-20T20:03:42.936-04:00An important messageI would like to point out a comment made on my blog: <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-2OnxHZO1yF8/TYaST4pVqtI/AAAAAAAAAiM/4WFy0T5xcVQ/s1600/comments.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="183" r6="true" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-2OnxHZO1yF8/TYaST4pVqtI/AAAAAAAAAiM/4WFy0T5xcVQ/s320/comments.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This is precisely the kind of attitude about veganism I am always trying to shirk off with my book & blog. For some, you can never be "vegan enough." I have no ill-will against this poster, but I'm using the comment as an important example. <strong>It is perfectly fine, if you have an interest in veganism or alternative cooking, that you do what you can <em>when </em>you can and not feel bad about not being able to conform to the impossible standards of the so-called "pure tier", the criterion of which is inevitably determined by unforgiving adherents to a certain dogma.</strong> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">These people usually have the extraordinary means of supporting their lifestyle that many may not have the privilege of enjoying. It is perfectly fine to be fundamentalist about your beliefs (eating or otherwise!), so long as one does not assume all people have the same ability/financial means/goals as oneself. Not only is this criticism unfair to those trying do what they can, but it is also petty and does nothing to serve anyone's purpose- it alienates. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So, please! Keep the message of healthy eating alive and well. Be vegan because you WANT to be, and encorporate what elements of the lifestyle you can into your own life with positivity.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Peace,</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Vegan Zombie :)</div>Vegan Zombiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08995270385443785157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406905738414235438.post-32766581628139353232011-03-17T18:23:00.000-04:002011-03-17T18:23:15.045-04:00Super Easy Banana Smoothie & Black Bean PureeI had leftover cilantro salsa from yesterday's tacos, so I threw it in the frying pan with 1/2 can of black beans and veggies.<br />
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To accompany the tacos, I turned the other 1/2 can of black beans into a puree by processing them with 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1/2 tsp paprika, dash cayenne, dash cracked black pepper, dash garlic powder, dash cumin.<br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-bT3n_lKh8S0/TYKJnDcQS0I/AAAAAAAAAiA/0nWSFUk99o8/s1600/smoothie2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-bT3n_lKh8S0/TYKJnDcQS0I/AAAAAAAAAiA/0nWSFUk99o8/s320/smoothie2.jpg" width="284" /></a>Then, I made the easiest and creamiest banana smoothie ever. I remember when I was younger and my friends and I would go to this smoothie place on the outskirts of town and the servers would look at me like I was insane when I requested "just bananas". They fools, homie.</div><br />
<strong>Easy Banana Smoothie</strong><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">1 large banana</div>1 1/2 cup of ice<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">1 cup unsweetened Almond Milk (mine is only 35 calories per cup)</div>1/2 cup orange juice<br />
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</div>Extras: <br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">You could toss in a couple of tablespoons of peanut butter (for protein), some strawberries, or 6 oz of soy yogurt. I find that the simple combo of almond milk and bananas makes for the best smoothie/milkshake. The unsweetened milk is the best because it has a simple smooth flavor, much like mellow bananas themselves.</div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Okay, now off to dinner to try a new restaurant & some Jameson. </div><br />
Happy St. Patrick's Day!!Vegan Zombiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08995270385443785157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406905738414235438.post-457552454632472202011-03-16T21:38:00.001-04:002011-03-16T21:41:08.431-04:00Cilantro-Lime Tofu Tacos! (quick dinners)<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I just got back from my latin dance class... and of course I had to come home immediately after and have tacos and beer! This is a quick dish you can cook up in less than twenty minutes.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-7-EEYTgUctU/TYFlbkbHn1I/AAAAAAAAAh0/bmHoB-o1cTs/s1600/TAC2s.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-7-EEYTgUctU/TYFlbkbHn1I/AAAAAAAAAh0/bmHoB-o1cTs/s320/TAC2s.JPG" width="240" /></a><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-Qism4Vef-6Q/TYFlj66M3XI/AAAAAAAAAh4/E2OnWIm8h2M/s1600/tACS.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" r6="true" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-Qism4Vef-6Q/TYFlj66M3XI/AAAAAAAAAh4/E2OnWIm8h2M/s320/tACS.JPG" width="239" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong>Cilantro-Lime Tofu Tacos</strong></div><br />
Taco filling:<br />
<strong>(1)</strong> I used pre-cut supermarket veggies (onions and peppers), sauteed them in an 1 tbsp of sesame oil (sesame oil doesn't change its molecular structure when heated to high temperatures, thus it stays safe for your heart!). Sautee for about 7 minutes or until the onions are translucent.<br />
<strong>(2)</strong> Add one 12oz package of firm cubed tofu into the pan, smash with a fork<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong>(3)</strong> Top with 8 oz of cilantro-lime salsa. I used Frontera brand, they're great. It's got roasted tomatillo & green pepper. This flavoring will give the tofu a more "chickeny" taste, there's also a great cumin & tomato variety that will give the tofu the "ground beef" flavor we all love in tacos!</div><strong>(4)</strong> Cook for 7 minutes, remove from heat.<br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Guacamole: </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">I also whipped up a quick guacamole with an avocado, 1/2 white onion, 1/2 tsp garlic, pinch salt, pinch cracked black pepper, 1 tbsp lemon juice. Throw in the food processor and you're done.</div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Other toppings:</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">store-bought fresh salsa</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">1/2 can of corn, seasoned with a bit of cracked pepper and lime juice</div><br />
Tortillas:<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">2 low-carb whole wheat tortillas, burnt over the grill (you could just use your stove too!)<br />
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<em>PS. Bud and Bud-Light are vegan-friendly beers!</em></div>Vegan Zombiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08995270385443785157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406905738414235438.post-21939340688940781832011-03-13T22:11:00.000-04:002011-03-13T22:11:57.744-04:00Brazilian Orange & Blackberry Cheesecake<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Yay, the cheesecake returns! I just finished a massive piece of this and eff, if I do say so myself, it's effing good. The awesomeness makes my brain hurt and also makes me want to samba. But I promise, there's no "goodnight Cinderella" inside of this cake. If you don't know what that is, consider yourself lucky. (Also be careful in Rio).</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong>Brazilian Orange & Blackberry Cheesecake</strong></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Crust:</div>2 cups of Brazil nuts<br />
juice of 1/2 an orange<br />
rind of 2 oranges<br />
2 tbsp honey<br />
1 tsp vanilla<br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Filling:</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">3 1/2 cups cashews (soaked for 1-4 hours)</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">juice of 1 1/2 orange</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">1/2 cup lemon juice</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">1 cup coconut oil</div>2 tsp vanilla<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">1/2 cup honey</div><br />
Topping: <br />
1 1/2 pint blackberries, mashed with fork<br />
<br />
1) Simple food process all of the ingredients for the crust and then press them into a 9-inch pie plate.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-IENIrVyUsBo/TX138T3mEOI/AAAAAAAAAhg/wPPm4RfUvVE/s1600/ORANGEE.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" q6="true" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-IENIrVyUsBo/TX138T3mEOI/AAAAAAAAAhg/wPPm4RfUvVE/s320/ORANGEE.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">pretty grated orange rind!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div align="left">2) Next food process all filling ingredients. Make sure to melt down the coconut oil in a small bag (it's easy to do this in a bowl of hot water) to liquify it. Pour the filling mixture over the crust. Let this sit in the freezer for 4 hours, yo.</div><div align="left"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-QBsD3EC2I2Q/TX1455Q51PI/AAAAAAAAAho/08PXish4GQ0/s1600/palmZ.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" q6="true" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-QBsD3EC2I2Q/TX1455Q51PI/AAAAAAAAAho/08PXish4GQ0/s320/palmZ.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">It was so sunny and wonderful today!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div align="left">3. Take cake out of the freezer. Mash up the 1 1/2 pint of blackberries with a fork in a small bowl and spread over the top of the cheesecake. Serve! </div><div align="left"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">You can store this in the fridge for up to 5 days. Or until the blackberries start to get moldy. Yeeeah.</div><div align="left"></div>Vegan Zombiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08995270385443785157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406905738414235438.post-46080130997284752702011-03-13T21:52:00.002-04:002011-03-14T17:28:28.562-04:00Vegan Vatapá<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Your Vegan Zombie is going Brazilian. I've been soooo intensely interested in South American cuisine lately, especially since almost every dish consists some type of meat or lard. My goal is to rework these fabulous and colorful plates so we vegans can enjoy them too! Blasphemy, you say? Hopefully Our Lady of Guadalupe can forgive us, mi amor.</div><br />
BRAZIL is the best place on the planet. <br />
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They have incredible food, art, music, history, people, the Christ the Redeemer Statue (just beautiful, though!), cities, an up and coming economy, sun, the World Cup in 2014 (I am totally going to GO MAN) ...and uh, did I mention food?<br />
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Brazilian cuisine has a wide array of influences including African, Portuguese, and Italian. The food utilizes the country's rich and abundant tropical fruits, the bounty of the gorgeous coastline, and native nuts.<br />
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This dish, called vatapá, is typically made as a "seafood stew" and has West African influences. Of course, we couldn't include shrimp like the locals do (or sometimes white fish), so I veganized this puppy with a grain that has a similar rubbery quality to it--- barley. If left a little al dente, you can get the same feeling. For added "seafood" flavor I could have added a little nori, but no one in my family would have eaten it that way... and I'm a slave to feedback and compliments, what can I say?<br />
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The brilliant yellow coloring comes from the Brazilian dendê oil, a palm oil frequently used in Brazilian cooking. The texture of this dish is extremely unique... too thick to be a stew. I don't know. It owns.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-L6tut3zLJ0s/TX10EcdK2vI/AAAAAAAAAhM/3y2Xcp-6Ufc/s1600/vatapa.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="242" q6="true" src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-L6tut3zLJ0s/TX10EcdK2vI/AAAAAAAAAhM/3y2Xcp-6Ufc/s320/vatapa.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><strong>Vegan Vatapá</strong><br />
<br />
2 chopped onions<br />
3 cloves of garlic, chopped<br />
4 malagueta or jalapeño chile peppers, chopped (use 1 or a gentler pepper if you aren't into spicy!)<br />
2 tbsp olive oil<br />
1 1/2 cup vegetable stock<br />
1/2 cup organic peanut butter<br />
1 cup whole wheat bread crumbs (or just put two slices of whole wheat bread in a food processor)<br />
salt and pepper to taste<br />
1 1/2 cup barley, cooked and drained<br />
2 cups coconut milk<br />
1/4 cup Dendê oil<br />
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<br />
1) Chop up the onions, peppers, and garlic. Toss it into the food processor. <br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">2) Add this mixture along with 1/2 cup of your cooked barley onto the stovetop. Cook in 2 tbsps of olive oil for about 7 minutes to meld flavors.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-NTuDxrrEdnE/TX1yQ5hd0jI/AAAAAAAAAg8/9ZDUZAtoUX0/s1600/BARLAAY.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" q6="true" src="https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-NTuDxrrEdnE/TX1yQ5hd0jI/AAAAAAAAAg8/9ZDUZAtoUX0/s320/BARLAAY.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">3) Next, add the vegetable stock and peanut butter. Whisk until everything is smooth. Add breadcrumbs, salt, and pepper. Let the mixture boil, then lower the temp to a simmer for another 8 minutes.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">4) Add the coconut milk and cook for another 5 minutes on a low temperature.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">5) Lastly, stir in the dende oil, remaining barley, and serve! I topped the dish with tomatoes and paprika.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ZlljMSbt4Fo/TX10wGNBs5I/AAAAAAAAAhQ/9J3p3inQCiI/s1600/christ.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" q6="true" src="https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ZlljMSbt4Fo/TX10wGNBs5I/AAAAAAAAAhQ/9J3p3inQCiI/s320/christ.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>Vegan Zombiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08995270385443785157noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406905738414235438.post-49205249066111773312011-02-17T21:25:00.002-05:002011-02-17T21:45:09.396-05:00The Part-Time Vegan!Dear Readers,<br />
<br />
I give you... <em>The Part-Time Vegan: 201 Yummy Recipes That Put the Fun in Flexitarian</em><br />
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It's my precious baby! It's all grown up and savin' China! (to quote Mushu from <em>Mulan</em>, which was frankly, an excellent movie).<br />
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I've been hard at work on this book for the past seven months, striving to bring you the tastiest, most-satsifying, and easy-to-make vegan dishes known to Wo/Man. I can finally take a break, and I'm looking forward to blogging more steadily!<br />
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My new cookbook provides delicious recipes aimed at helping you flexitarians, er, flex your vegan muscles! Getting cooking with:<br />
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Purely Vegan Chocolate Hazelnut Spread<br />
Lean, Mean, Black Bean Guacamole<br />
Vegan Potato Pesto Salad<br />
Spicy Roasted Tomato Soup<br />
Roasted-Garlic Mashed Taters<br />
Spinach Artichoke and Zucchini Paella<br />
Barley Pilaf with Edemame and Roasted Red Pepper<br />
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What's not to love? I'm serious! As with the blog, I promise you the book is guilt-free, fun, and fearless. A perfect fit for all my lovely readers :)<br />
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Regardless of why you want to try veganism,--- whether it's for health, the planet, or some other worthy reason (maybe you're just damn hungry!), <em>The Part-Time Vegan</em> will be good to you. 'Cross my heart. Check it out in Barnes and Noble, Borders, Amazon, and any other bookstore!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bTT6DDQPBQo/TV3YOp_MVWI/AAAAAAAAAgs/1VYAesnl094/s1600/highfive.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="234" j6="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-bTT6DDQPBQo/TV3YOp_MVWI/AAAAAAAAAgs/1VYAesnl094/s320/highfive.jpg" width="320" /></a>high-five!</div>Vegan Zombiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08995270385443785157noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406905738414235438.post-90407327888769890902010-12-27T14:00:00.001-05:002010-12-27T14:01:44.306-05:00Pureed Cauliflower<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">A very healthy, low-calorie, vitamin-packed alternative to mashed potatoes. Pureed cauliflower is incredibly easy to make and requires just a few ingredients. The winter vegetable cauliflower is commonly found in stores during the chilly months which makes this dish the perfect stand-in to butter-laden, cream-heavy mash-po. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The taste is smooth, creamy (without the cream), and delicious. There isn't a pungent cauliflower flavor at all. 'Cross my heart.</div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_6t5ChRrnBCg/TRjh7JP7_ZI/AAAAAAAAAgY/Q4ob6os34QQ/s1600/cauli.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" n4="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_6t5ChRrnBCg/TRjh7JP7_ZI/AAAAAAAAAgY/Q4ob6os34QQ/s320/cauli.JPG" width="241" /></a>Really, your scale will thank you. You know you need it after those three (we know it wasn't just two) cookies and that candy-cane shot, and the Grinch mixed drink, and the snowstorm kahlua, and the pumpkin pie...</div><br />
<strong>Pureed Cauliflower</strong><br />
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1 head o' cauliflower<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">1 box/can vegetable broth</div>1/4 cup cashews<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">1 tsp white vinegar</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">1 tsp lemon juice</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">salt and pepper to taste</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">1 tbsp vegan margarine</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">Before cooking: Soak cashews 1 hour in water.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div>1. Cut all of the stems off of the cauliflower and roughly chop the heads. <br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">2. Place them in a medium pot with the vegetable broth. You're going to want to cover the cauliflower with the broth, but just use that amount. It's alright if you have some broth unused.</div><br />
3. Let the broth boil and them bring it down to a simmer. Cook the cauliflower for about 15 minutes or until tender. Drain the broth, reserving 2 tbsp of the cooking liquid.<br />
<br />
4.Take the tender cauliflower, 2 tbsp cooking liquid, drained cashews, 1 tsp lemon juice, 1 tsp vinegar, and 1 tbsp vegan margarine and puree all ingredients in a food processor until the mixture is smooth.<br />
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5. Season with salt and pepper and garnich with a little pat of vegan margarine. Voila... you have completed your destiny.Vegan Zombiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08995270385443785157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406905738414235438.post-89584218346783383892010-12-27T13:30:00.000-05:002010-12-27T13:30:47.467-05:00Back from the Dead!!!Hello ladies & gents! A little status message... I have some good news and some good news. I will do this in a LIST since I love lists, and no one can take that away from me.<br />
<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_6t5ChRrnBCg/TRjagno6lUI/AAAAAAAAAgM/387WiWKanj8/s1600/bfd.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" n4="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_6t5ChRrnBCg/TRjagno6lUI/AAAAAAAAAgM/387WiWKanj8/s320/bfd.jpg" width="216" /></a>1. First of all, my apologies for being, for lack of better word, dead, for the past several months. It almost seems it's been ages since I posted on here at all! Boo hoo, right? :( I am crying tears of salty sadness. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> a.HOWEVER. They are not tears of salty sadness borne of neglect! I have been very, very blessed to have been (since September) in the process of writing a vegan cookbook that will be in stores in March 2011!</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div> b.Holy shit, right???<br />
<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"> c. The book, aimed at all you lovely flexitarians out there is titled <em>The Part-Time Vegan</em> and will have simple, easy-to-follow, easy-to-find-ingredients-for recipes that will (hopefully) be acompanied by clever and amusing introductions by moi, your humble servant.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">2. I may be getting my own domain sometime soon! I am looking to create my own .com which will be prettier and full of more superheroes than you could ever possibly imagine! When this happens, there will be a message and link on my blog redirecting lovely readers.</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">3. Until then, I will be updating the blog with new recipes, because the work of writing, editing, searching through galleys, emailing editors, going crazy, losing my mind also, making too much food for my own good-- is all, done done done!!</div><br />
4. A very Merry Sithmas, Happy Holidays, and a Happy New Year to everyone who reads this here missive!<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_6t5ChRrnBCg/TRjbOnEYKQI/AAAAAAAAAgQ/ceYkq8youkM/s1600/sithmas.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" n4="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_6t5ChRrnBCg/TRjbOnEYKQI/AAAAAAAAAgQ/ceYkq8youkM/s320/sithmas.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Vegan Zombiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08995270385443785157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406905738414235438.post-7726188898186024612010-09-14T08:43:00.000-04:002010-09-14T08:43:19.576-04:00Vegan Spaghetti SquashSo, I have been incredibly busy for the past few weeks (leaving little time to think up new recipes)! Something very exciting has been happening...<br />
<br />
But that is neither here nor there, and has nothing to do with the easy, low calorie recipe that I've got here for you. Tired? Exhausted? Welcome to the fucking club, we've got a DJ on Fridays. That's why the recipe is easy peasy.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_6t5ChRrnBCg/TI9tbHe43mI/AAAAAAAAAfs/vbtU7wZwbjU/s1600/spaghettiq+004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" qx="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_6t5ChRrnBCg/TI9tbHe43mI/AAAAAAAAAfs/vbtU7wZwbjU/s320/spaghettiq+004.JPG" /></a></div><strong>Quick Spaghetti Squash Dinner</strong><br />
1 spaghetti squash<br />
1 yellow tomato<br />
2 tbsp olive oil<br />
salt to taste<br />
cracker black pepper to taste<br />
garlic to taste<br />
your favorite store-bought tomato sauce<br />
¼ cup balsamic vinegar<br />
1/4 cup red wine<br />
2 tbsp nutritional yeast<br />
<br />
1. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Cut a spaghetti squash in half (be careful, butterfingers). 'Squash' is kind of a cute word, but if I had never eaten it before I would assume it tastes like a foot. I promise you it doesn't. Believe me or not! This is your own destiny.<br />
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2.Seed the squash, brush w/ olive oil, and season with salt, pepper and garlic. Let bake face down in the oven for about 45 minutes.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_6t5ChRrnBCg/TI9tj-h6AvI/AAAAAAAAAf0/mSmCoK2nY1c/s1600/spaghettiq+002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" qx="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_6t5ChRrnBCg/TI9tj-h6AvI/AAAAAAAAAf0/mSmCoK2nY1c/s320/spaghettiq+002.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_6t5ChRrnBCg/TI9tvDpIfZI/AAAAAAAAAf8/K5WasRkQTvE/s1600/spaghettiq+003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" qx="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_6t5ChRrnBCg/TI9tvDpIfZI/AAAAAAAAAf8/K5WasRkQTvE/s320/spaghettiq+003.JPG" /></a></div><br />
3.Chop up your tomato, and let it marinade in the red wine/balsamic mixture.<br />
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4. When the spaghettic squash is done and cooled (about 5 mins), gut it into a glass bowl, adding all other ingredients and your favorite store-bought tomato sauce. Top with nutritional yeast if it suits your fancy fancy tastes.Vegan Zombiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08995270385443785157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406905738414235438.post-19253915853565246522010-08-20T23:08:00.001-04:002010-08-20T23:09:42.398-04:00Hummus is YummusMy favorite thing on earth to eat is chickpeas. I like chickpeas on pancakes, I like chickpeas on pizza. I like chickpeas in my toothpaste and if they invented it, I would buy chickpea flavored lube. Well, no probably not. But I <em>would</em> consider it.<br />
<br />
So, here is a quick, easy, no-brain-dead-idiot-could-mess-this-up version of the best thing since before the Beatles: Hummus.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_6t5ChRrnBCg/TG9Cgtkt7zI/AAAAAAAAAfY/bM9dh0nMn9s/s1600/hummus+is+yummus+003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_6t5ChRrnBCg/TG9Cgtkt7zI/AAAAAAAAAfY/bM9dh0nMn9s/s320/hummus+is+yummus+003.JPG" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><strong>Quick Easy Hummus </strong></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">1 can chickpeas + water in can</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">2 tbsp tahini paste</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">2 tbsp olive oil</div>3/4 tsp salt<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">2 tsp lemon juice</div>2 tsp minced garlic<br />
<br />
-This is a recipe even your dog couldn't mess up, even my dog, who is probably a reincarnated rock. <br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">-Hummus has tons of PROTEIN, so it's awesome! Or, it'll give you really bad indigestion. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">-Just blend all of this in the food processor and you're good to go! If you eat bread and aren't gluten-adverse, make sure your bread doesn't have <strong>lactylate </strong>as an ingredient b/c this can come from animals. However, it can also come from plants, or be synthetically created! (yay scary labs!) So check yourself, before you wreck yourself.<br />
<br />
-Lastly, if you want to be all posh and fancy and better than me, sprinkle paprika over the top of your godly creation. It will look professional and like you have more skillz than you do! (Lying is the best way to impress people!)</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">-Ummmm, that's it. I'll put up something more interesting when I get more interesting. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">(don't hold your breath)</div><br />
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</div>Vegan Zombiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08995270385443785157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406905738414235438.post-8542387883919358872010-08-18T21:41:00.001-04:002010-08-18T21:43:41.110-04:00Classic Carob-Chip CookiesOr, pseudo-chocolate chip cookies.<br />
<br />
Or, awesomeness with awesome sauce.<br />
<br />
Okay, I'll be honest, I have nothing funny or clever today. On all accounts, I've been quite boring. My normal, antisocial, semi-sociopathic personality has come out to lounge on the lilo and here, I have this offering for you, promising I'll come around. <br />
<br />
I actually like the way carob chips taste even better than chocolate chips, but, we never did say I was normal, did we.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_6t5ChRrnBCg/TGyJ8H0vxWI/AAAAAAAAAfE/nosvFHeVfc0/s1600/cookies+carob.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" ox="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_6t5ChRrnBCg/TGyJ8H0vxWI/AAAAAAAAAfE/nosvFHeVfc0/s320/cookies+carob.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><strong>Classic Carob-Chip Cookies</strong><br />
1/2 cup canola oil<br />
1 tsp vanilla<br />
1 heaping tbsp cornstarch<br />
2 cups whole wheat flour<br />
1/2 tsp salt<br />
2 tsp baking soda<br />
1/2 cup water<br />
carob chips to taste<br />
1 cup vegan sugar <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
-Just mix all bits and lay out on a greased cookie sheet.<br />
-These came out tasting exactly like your mom's chocolate chip cookies - they're really gooey to begin with, but they harden up. Cook on 350 for about 10 mins.<br />
-I just sort of threw mine onto the pan and didn't roll them up into balls. I would advise rolling them up so they don't resemble invertebrates.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_6t5ChRrnBCg/TGyLeK0d98I/AAAAAAAAAfQ/uM4IwedXUN4/s1600/conchWeb.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="268" ox="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_6t5ChRrnBCg/TGyLeK0d98I/AAAAAAAAAfQ/uM4IwedXUN4/s320/conchWeb.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">-Ummmmmmmmm, nothing.</div>Vegan Zombiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08995270385443785157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406905738414235438.post-60053682516304539252010-08-17T23:22:00.001-04:002010-08-17T23:25:19.943-04:00Vegan Blueberry Breakfast BarsWow. Wow. Wow. These are really good. Not very sweet, aside from the blueberry flavor, which is awesome. Just how I like it. Somehow, they manage to stay so light and airy and chewy it's almost offensive. Almost.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_6t5ChRrnBCg/TGtOYlFb3UI/AAAAAAAAAes/dP6lA4zxzik/s1600/blueberry+bars+and+polenta+026.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" ox="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_6t5ChRrnBCg/TGtOYlFb3UI/AAAAAAAAAes/dP6lA4zxzik/s320/blueberry+bars+and+polenta+026.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><strong>Blueberry Breakfast Bars</strong><br />
fantastic original recipe <a href="http://vegweb.com/index.php?topic=6271.0">here</a><br />
<br />
1 1/3 cup whole wheat flour<br />
3/4 cup oats<br />
1/3 cup vegan brown sugar or maple syrup<br />
2 tsp baking soda<br />
3/4 cup almond milk<br />
1/4 cup applesauce<br />
2 tbsp cornstarch<br />
1 1/2 cup blueberries<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
-Basically, mix everything together except the blueberries, and then fold the blueberries in so they don't get crushed and mushy.<br />
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<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_6t5ChRrnBCg/TGtORHhEfeI/AAAAAAAAAeU/1n1snlsKhd0/s1600/blueberry+bars+and+polenta+009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" ox="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_6t5ChRrnBCg/TGtORHhEfeI/AAAAAAAAAeU/1n1snlsKhd0/s320/blueberry+bars+and+polenta+009.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">-Put mixture into a greased pan (I used parchment paper instead, in my opinion, so much better) in an 8x8 pan or equal size. Oven on 400 and leave em' in for about 25 mins and you're so good.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_6t5ChRrnBCg/TGtOSYvDy0I/AAAAAAAAAeY/11K5FrYBNZs/s1600/blueberry+bars+and+polenta+012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" ox="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_6t5ChRrnBCg/TGtOSYvDy0I/AAAAAAAAAeY/11K5FrYBNZs/s320/blueberry+bars+and+polenta+012.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">-Taz wanted some :( I gave him some blueberries. Good little boy.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_6t5ChRrnBCg/TGtOP7SXPBI/AAAAAAAAAeQ/eT3C0UUhw98/s1600/blueberry+bars+and+polenta+008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" ox="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_6t5ChRrnBCg/TGtOP7SXPBI/AAAAAAAAAeQ/eT3C0UUhw98/s320/blueberry+bars+and+polenta+008.JPG" width="240" /></a></div>Vegan Zombiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08995270385443785157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406905738414235438.post-33503655209202284332010-08-17T23:13:00.000-04:002010-08-17T23:13:45.009-04:00Vegan Grilled PolentaI have raw alfredo and raw pesto sitting in the fridge, and became suddenly possessed by the idea of cooking polenta the other day when I saw it at the store. Or really, when I saw the pricetag of it in the store (2.50).<br />
<br />
So I invented this recipe which is really, superbly great tasting. If I don't say so myself, and I am saying so myself *gentlemanly wink* It makes a great summer appetizer.<br />
<br />
I'm a lazy f*** so I bought the pre-cooked Polenta. Really, who wants to sit and stir polenta for 45 mins in a (specifically) copper pot? I might have on another day, just because I think it is hilarious all the recipes say a "copper" pot.<br />
<br />
What would happen if I cooked it in a steel pot?? The world may never know.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_6t5ChRrnBCg/TGtOdijYFfI/AAAAAAAAAe4/g8sJyfmwESs/s1600/blueberry+bars+and+polenta+032.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" ox="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_6t5ChRrnBCg/TGtOdijYFfI/AAAAAAAAAe4/g8sJyfmwESs/s320/blueberry+bars+and+polenta+032.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><strong>Vegan Grilled Polenta</strong><br />
1/4 cup walnuts<br />
1 package pre-cooked polenta<br />
canola oil<br />
vegan pesto<br />
vegan alfredo<br />
3/4 cup julienne sundried tomatoes<br />
1/2 cup red wine<br />
salt<br />
cracked ground pepper<br />
4 gloves minced garlic<br />
parsley to taste<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
-First, soak the sundried tomatoes in the red wine. Leave it for later.<br />
<br />
-Next, sautee garlic, salt and pepper in canola oil. I used an electric frying pan to do this.<br />
<br />
-Chop polenta into thick pieces. The thin ones don't do too well during grilling. Throw them into the frying pan to singe them - this will not take very long.<br />
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<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_6t5ChRrnBCg/TGtOUoy_MJI/AAAAAAAAAeg/ydS4j_Ize5U/s1600/blueberry+bars+and+polenta+018.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" ox="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_6t5ChRrnBCg/TGtOUoy_MJI/AAAAAAAAAeg/ydS4j_Ize5U/s320/blueberry+bars+and+polenta+018.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">-Next, lay the polenta onto a cookie sheet and cover with dash salt/pepper, parsley, pesto, walnuts, and sundried tomatoes. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_6t5ChRrnBCg/TGtOZ4d_MnI/AAAAAAAAAew/W3oUEyDY-ZQ/s1600/blueberry+bars+and+polenta+028.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" ox="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_6t5ChRrnBCg/TGtOZ4d_MnI/AAAAAAAAAew/W3oUEyDY-ZQ/s320/blueberry+bars+and+polenta+028.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>-Put these homies in the oven on 350 for 10 minutes.<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">-Cover with vegan alfredo and serve warm! nom nom nom</div>Vegan Zombiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08995270385443785157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406905738414235438.post-82640062493066185222010-08-16T20:30:00.002-04:002010-08-16T20:37:14.005-04:00Raw Vegan Pesto w/Tofu NoodlesSo, today I went to the market with the express purpose of making pot stickers, because my life is oh so interesting (it's ok, judge me) and for some inexplicable reason I look FORWARD to making pot stickers. That reason is actually, if you could not guess, me having no life.<br />
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I was very sad to find out that the wonton wraps I was going to use had egg in them. So, picking myself up from my deflated moment of blatant self-pity and potential wrath (damn you, eggs, damn you all) I saw something else cool. <br />
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I love spending way too much time in grocery stores and unearthing random food products and today I found <a href="http://www.house-foods.com/Tofu/tofu_shirataki.aspx">Tofu Shirataki</a>, a noodle made by blending tofu and the Konnyaku plant. What the fuck is that, do you say? It is sometimes referred to as a yam, and looks like this:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_6t5ChRrnBCg/TGnWvccJSUI/AAAAAAAAAdk/N2Uq0q1Bpck/s1600/konnyaku.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_6t5ChRrnBCg/TGnWvccJSUI/AAAAAAAAAdk/N2Uq0q1Bpck/s320/konnyaku.jpg" /></a></div><br />
It has a gelatin-like property, and is used to make jellies. It's popular in Asia!<br />
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Thank you, Asia!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_6t5ChRrnBCg/TGnW94keQvI/AAAAAAAAAds/URFXKhE6ugA/s1600/asia.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_6t5ChRrnBCg/TGnW94keQvI/AAAAAAAAAds/URFXKhE6ugA/s320/asia.jpg" /></a></div><br />
So anywho, it's vegan, gluten-free, and comes in a bunch of different pasta "styles." The kicker really was it being only 20 calories per serving! Well, I declare! That means you can load it up with delicious home-made pesto.<br />
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If you buy this, make sure that you rinse the noodles thoroughly and then microwave it for about a minute. It'll get rid of the 'fishy' smell it has - and it really does have this bizarre smell until you zap it. That's what he said. Holy shit, I just realized this looks like a vagina AND smells fishy, seriously that is gross, but at the same time, too much of a coincidence to ignore.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_6t5ChRrnBCg/TGnXkna3m1I/AAAAAAAAAeE/CO_w4NiifWE/s1600/pesto+008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_6t5ChRrnBCg/TGnXkna3m1I/AAAAAAAAAeE/CO_w4NiifWE/s320/pesto+008.JPG" /></a></div><strong>Raw Vegan Pesto</strong><br />
1 cup walnuts<br />
1 cup olive oil<br />
1 tsp salt<br />
6 gloves garlic, minced<br />
2-3 cups packed basil<br />
1 tsp ground black pepper<br />
1/4 cup lemon juice<br />
1 tbsp nutritional yeast (optional)<br />
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-I used walnuts in my pesto because pine nuts are too much effing money. You can also use almonds, they work really well.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_6t5ChRrnBCg/TGnXVeCuj6I/AAAAAAAAAd0/W5_jaYK4geM/s1600/pesto+002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_6t5ChRrnBCg/TGnXVeCuj6I/AAAAAAAAAd0/W5_jaYK4geM/s320/pesto+002.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">-Just process all ingredients and top your fav pasta, or store in refridgerator.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_6t5ChRrnBCg/TGnXdy6mQUI/AAAAAAAAAd8/ENuWG_wYXds/s1600/pesto+004.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_6t5ChRrnBCg/TGnXdy6mQUI/AAAAAAAAAd8/ENuWG_wYXds/s320/pesto+004.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Word.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><em>Edit. Note:</em> I just noticed on the Tofu Shirataki website it calls the fishy smell of the noodles before microwaving the "authentic aroma" bwhahaha. Riiiight.</div>Vegan Zombiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08995270385443785157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406905738414235438.post-79913816840451385342010-08-15T18:34:00.000-04:002010-08-15T18:34:50.165-04:00Raw Vegan Zucchini 'Alfredo'This is the most amazing recipe, so quick and easy and absolutely delicious. There's only 1 semi unavailable ingredient in this, and it's the Nutritional Yeast (most disgusting name of anything ever), and you should go out for it (usually only 5$ at places like Whole Foods) because it really makes this dish.<br />
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The awesome thing about recipe is that it's veritable proof you can take something that is normally nine trillion calories and horrible for your body and abusive to your poor digestive system and turn it into something 101% good for you.<br />
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In less relevant news:<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_6t5ChRrnBCg/TGhmZOvZOQI/AAAAAAAAAc0/f6dE6fBnVrY/s1600/indy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_6t5ChRrnBCg/TGhmZOvZOQI/AAAAAAAAAc0/f6dE6fBnVrY/s320/indy.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Indiana Pwns! He also must eat a ton of zucchini (wink wink) to get a physique like that (nudge nudge)</div><br />
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(frantic shake)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_6t5ChRrnBCg/TGhq2HlBWlI/AAAAAAAAAdQ/k2z-Tb8c-mI/s1600/alfredo+012.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_6t5ChRrnBCg/TGhq2HlBWlI/AAAAAAAAAdQ/k2z-Tb8c-mI/s320/alfredo+012.JPG" /></a></div><strong>Raw Vegan Zucchini 'Alfredo'</strong> <br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">3/4 cup water</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">3/4 cup nutritional yeast</div>2 tsp white pepper<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">dash black ground pepper</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">dash nutmeg</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">1/2 cup olive oil</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">splash almond milk</div>1 tbsp lemon juice<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">1/2 cup cashews</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">2 cloves garlic</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">3 medium-sized zucchinis, peeled (for 'spaghetti')</div><br />
-if your sauce comes out a little heavy on the olive oil taste, add more lemon juice and a splash more almond milk. Add all ingredients (except zucchinis) into the food processor and voila<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_6t5ChRrnBCg/TGhqy0NVrZI/AAAAAAAAAdI/boGPdoY7gFk/s1600/alfredo+009.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_6t5ChRrnBCg/TGhqy0NVrZI/AAAAAAAAAdI/boGPdoY7gFk/s320/alfredo+009.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">-Next, use the "grate" tool to grate 3 peeled zucchinis, in order to make the "pasta." Zucchinis make really good 'pasta' because they have a very neutral taste.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Mix the two together, and there ya go, partner.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_6t5ChRrnBCg/TGhq5mdxYMI/AAAAAAAAAdY/-p39mnbsuso/s1600/alfredo+013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_6t5ChRrnBCg/TGhq5mdxYMI/AAAAAAAAAdY/-p39mnbsuso/s320/alfredo+013.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Vegan Zombiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08995270385443785157noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406905738414235438.post-16067161450209156642010-08-13T23:49:00.003-04:002010-08-13T23:54:32.399-04:00Raw Vegan Chocolate-Coconut Ice CreamUmmmmmmmmmmmm, yeah I made ice cream. The cool thing about vegan food is that all you have to do is substitute the dairy/meat fat for some other type of vegan fat and normally you get just-as-good (or better, ahem) dishes than non-vegan plates!<br />
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Also, I just used like three different words for "food," trying to be all savvy and writer-ly and cool, and you know what, I just ended up sounding mentally deficient ("non-vegan plates!"). That's a lesson for you: if you try to sound like you know what you're doing, you're probably going to fail, unless you're pretty. In that case, Please, come in, can you start on Monday? <br />
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Anywho, here's a nice recipe for y'all bemoaning the lack of ice cream in your life, the same way I'm bemoaning the lack of Wolverine in mine. <br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_6t5ChRrnBCg/TGYQy_Nq2aI/AAAAAAAAAcU/z661ISoTQyM/s1600/icecream+003.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_6t5ChRrnBCg/TGYQy_Nq2aI/AAAAAAAAAcU/z661ISoTQyM/s320/icecream+003.JPG" /></a><strong>Raw Vegan Chocolate Coconut Ice Cream</strong></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">1 cup cashews (bless you)</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">1 cup pecans</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">3/4 cup fresh, shredded coconut</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">1 3/4 cups water</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">1 cup maple syrup</div>2 1/2 tsp vanilla flavor<br />
<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">1/4 cup dark cocoa powder</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">1/4 tsp ground coffee</div><br />
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</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">- Blend everything in the food processor until smooth and if you don't have an ice cream machine (who the fuck has an ice cream machine? people who suck that's who), just put it in the freezer overnight and enjoy!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_6t5ChRrnBCg/TGYQ61J_haI/AAAAAAAAAcc/92hWXDyF8R4/s1600/icecream+008.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_6t5ChRrnBCg/TGYQ61J_haI/AAAAAAAAAcc/92hWXDyF8R4/s320/icecream+008.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Taz reallyyyyyyyyy wanted to lick up the droplets of chocolate ice cream, but I narrowly avoided disaster and saved the day!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_6t5ChRrnBCg/TGYSCu5zDrI/AAAAAAAAAco/S0QnVnxlsRM/s1600/wolvno.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_6t5ChRrnBCg/TGYSCu5zDrI/AAAAAAAAAco/S0QnVnxlsRM/s320/wolvno.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Fine, fine. Pushy, pushy.</div>Vegan Zombiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08995270385443785157noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406905738414235438.post-54741456262274490752010-08-12T22:26:00.000-04:002010-08-12T22:26:35.683-04:00Raw Vegan Blueberry 'Cheese'cakeYet another raw cheesecake! These are by far my favorite desserts to make, and they're so simple, and so delicious, I really implore you to try it out if you haven't yet. They taste exactly like real cheesecake but are about 8 billion times better for you (that is the actual scientific measurement).<br />
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I tried a plain and a Death By Chocolate <a href="http://yourveganzombie.blogspot.com/search/label/cheesecake">cheesecake</a> so I thought that this time around I would try something fruity. I took inspiration, drawing heavily from from Carmella's <a href="http://thesunnyrawkitchen.blogspot.com/2008/01/recipe-of-week-bliss-full-blueberry.html">recipe</a>, but I changed a few things. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_6t5ChRrnBCg/TGSs4DlLMXI/AAAAAAAAAb4/xgEigcsgaIU/s1600/blueberry+cheesecake+026.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_6t5ChRrnBCg/TGSs4DlLMXI/AAAAAAAAAb4/xgEigcsgaIU/s320/blueberry+cheesecake+026.JPG" /></a></div><strong>Raw Vegan Blueberry 'Cheese'cake</strong><br />
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Crust:<br />
3/4 cups almonds<br />
1/2 cup fresh shredded coconut<br />
3 tbsp carob chips<br />
1 tsp vanilla<br />
1 tsp raw honey<br />
pinch salt<br />
2 dates<br />
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Filling:<br />
2 cups fresh blueberries <br />
1 handful red grapes<br />
1 1/2 cup cashews (unsoaked)<br />
7 tbsp coconut oil<br />
1 tsp dark cocoa powder<br />
1/2-2/3 cup honey<br />
1 tbsp lemon juice<br />
pinch salt<br />
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Topping:<br />
1 tbsp honey<br />
1 heaping tbsp dark cocoa powder<br />
1/2 handful blueberries<br />
(add more blueberries for more watery consistency)<br />
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-The recipe is so effing simple. Just grind all of the topping ingredients in the food processor and press the mixture into the pan for the crust. I grated fresh coconut with the food processor first instead of using packaged coconut which is sweetened. If you have a food processor - try this, it looks really cool. Or...just as well don't, Your Highness.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_6t5ChRrnBCg/TGSq4eEKgxI/AAAAAAAAAbM/zZn4IFKmdOY/s1600/blueberry+cheesecake+005.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_6t5ChRrnBCg/TGSq4eEKgxI/AAAAAAAAAbM/zZn4IFKmdOY/s320/blueberry+cheesecake+005.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">-Blah, blah, blah. Self-indulgent comment.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_6t5ChRrnBCg/TGSrdTHi5BI/AAAAAAAAAbU/hJpspRwY1o8/s1600/blueberry+cheesecake+007.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_6t5ChRrnBCg/TGSrdTHi5BI/AAAAAAAAAbU/hJpspRwY1o8/s320/blueberry+cheesecake+007.JPG" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">-Next, process the entire filling. Add more honey if it's not sweet enough for you. I doubled the amount of honey from the original recipe. </div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_6t5ChRrnBCg/TGSrr4-ljpI/AAAAAAAAAbc/9duVgFf-bFM/s1600/blueberry+cheesecake+014.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_6t5ChRrnBCg/TGSrr4-ljpI/AAAAAAAAAbc/9duVgFf-bFM/s320/blueberry+cheesecake+014.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">-Just spoon the filling onto the crust and make the topping, decorating/just throwing it on there to look fancy.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_6t5ChRrnBCg/TGSr5EQ8rjI/AAAAAAAAAbk/M4tUL4jvzB8/s1600/blueberry+cheesecake+028.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_6t5ChRrnBCg/TGSr5EQ8rjI/AAAAAAAAAbk/M4tUL4jvzB8/s320/blueberry+cheesecake+028.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">-I am going to eat this on the roof of my house at 2 AM while I watch the Perseids meteor shower, sitting by my 10$ Wal-Mart brand 'outdoor' lantern. Yay, space!!!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><em>Ex astris, Scientia!</em></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><em></em><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_6t5ChRrnBCg/TGSsuTrT3GI/AAAAAAAAAbw/XoGZZY0xPuU/s1600/logo_sfacademy.gif" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_6t5ChRrnBCg/TGSsuTrT3GI/AAAAAAAAAbw/XoGZZY0xPuU/s320/logo_sfacademy.gif" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><em>going where no raw cheesecake has gone before</em></div>Vegan Zombiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08995270385443785157noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7406905738414235438.post-46608844003883780582010-08-11T22:27:00.001-04:002010-08-11T22:45:59.653-04:00Raw Vegan Tacos, Guacamole, "Sour Cream," and "Refried Beans"Today I felt like I was in the zone, and finally got to try a recipe from my Raw Vegan idol <a href="http://thesunnyrawkitchen.blogspot.com/">The Sunny Raw Kitchen</a>. The woman who runs it, Carmella, is so inspiring to me. She is so innovative with her raw foods and one day I hope I can be if not as talented, at least as dedicated as she is! ALSO she is from CANADA. Home of Wolverine. <br />
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So, I have a gushing crush. I know you still have N'SYNC in your iTunes. I'd say we're about even. Let's get to this stupendous 4-part recipe.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_6t5ChRrnBCg/TGNagBwffeI/AAAAAAAAAa0/ONc6oNWycN0/s1600/tacos+038.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_6t5ChRrnBCg/TGNagBwffeI/AAAAAAAAAa0/ONc6oNWycN0/s320/tacos+038.JPG" /></a></div><strong>Raw Vegan Tacos, "Sour Cream," "Refried Beans," and Guacamole</strong><br />
original recipe<strong> </strong><a href="http://thesunnyrawkitchen.blogspot.com/2007/01/fiery-raw-foods-to-help-ward-off-cold.html"><strong>here</strong></a><br />
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<u>Taco "Meat"</u><br />
4 cups carrot, grated (a 1lb bag)<br />
1 cup sundried tomatoes, soaked<br />
1/2 red onion, minced<br />
2 cloves garlic, crushed<br />
1 tbsp chili powder<br />
2 tsp cumin<br />
1/4 tsp cayenne<br />
1 tsp salt<br />
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<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_6t5ChRrnBCg/TGNaniDiLHI/AAAAAAAAAa8/Cdu-hkKzz48/s1600/tacos+013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_6t5ChRrnBCg/TGNaniDiLHI/AAAAAAAAAa8/Cdu-hkKzz48/s320/tacos+013.JPG" /></a></div><u>"Sour Cream"</u><br />
1 1/2 cup cashews (soaked)<br />
1/2 cup water<br />
1/2 tsp salt<br />
1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice<br />
3-4 tsp apple cider vinegar<br />
<br />
<u>"Refried Beans"</u><br />
2 1/2 cups sunflower seeds (soaked)<br />
1/2 yellow onion<br />
2 tsp chili powder<br />
2 1/2 cumin<br />
1 tsp salt<br />
2 tsp cashew butter<br />
3/4 cup water<br />
<br />
<u>Guacamole!</u><br />
2 avocados<br />
1 cup diced tomatoes<br />
2 tbsp lime juice<br />
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro<br />
1/2 cup chopped red onion<br />
1 clove garlic, minced<br />
1 tsp cumin<br />
1/4 tsp cayenne<br />
1/2 tsp salt<br />
<br />
<br />
-This whole recipe is RAW so that's why you can't put beans in the "refried beans." Hey, no one pays you to ask questions. This recipe yields a LOT of healthy food, definitely enough for a week for me. I cheated a little and used 100% pure white corn tortillas instead of raw dehydrated tortillas. So this raw vegan until the tortillas.<br />
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-First things first: make the 'meat.' I grated all my carrots in the food processor, set them aside. Then I processed all the other ingredients together, including the soaked sundried tomatoes. Mix the carrots and sundried tomato mixture together by hand. This tastes EXACTLY like ground beef taco meat- really cool.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_6t5ChRrnBCg/TGNW1rZSjUI/AAAAAAAAAZ4/PYcUKou6k_4/s1600/tacos+027.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_6t5ChRrnBCg/TGNW1rZSjUI/AAAAAAAAAZ4/PYcUKou6k_4/s320/tacos+027.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">-Let that sit and absorb flavor for at least an hour. Carmella's <a href="http://thesunnyrawkitchen.blogspot.com/2007/01/fiery-raw-foods-to-help-ward-off-cold.html">recipe</a> says to stick this in the dehydrator for about a half hour after you let it sit, - but I didn't find that completely necessary.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">-Next, make the "Sour Cream" - simply combine all the ingredients in the processor and then let it sit in the refridgerator until serving time. Tastes effing exactly like sour cream. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_6t5ChRrnBCg/TGNXsAa3iyI/AAAAAAAAAaA/r1XPoyuZnDQ/s1600/tacos+036.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_6t5ChRrnBCg/TGNXsAa3iyI/AAAAAAAAAaA/r1XPoyuZnDQ/s320/tacos+036.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">-Next, make the "Refried beans." Drain the sunflower seeds, and combine all ingredients in the processor. You're going to want to leave this mixture not completely "creamy" like with the Sour Cream, leave it piecey. I let this sit in the dehydrator for a half hour before I ate and it gave it a cool texture. But it's not necessary - especially for the lazy among us (usually me).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_6t5ChRrnBCg/TGNaWYhc2OI/AAAAAAAAAas/oQjnA084CpY/s1600/tacos+034.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_6t5ChRrnBCg/TGNaWYhc2OI/AAAAAAAAAas/oQjnA084CpY/s320/tacos+034.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">-Next, make the guac! It's a totaly bitch cutting up everything- but it really makes you (me) happy to see the bright colors of the carrots, the green avocado, the tomato, the bright olive of the cumin, the fragrant cilantro. Man, it could only get better if Wolverine were here to help me cook.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">-Luckily, I had someone even better than Wolverine to be my cooking assisant - my amazing sister, who deals with my constant whining and one-track mind, and takes awesome pictures. Thanks, Knoxville.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> <a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_6t5ChRrnBCg/TGNZowKzJWI/AAAAAAAAAaM/FgjvcB8skH8/s1600/bffs.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_6t5ChRrnBCg/TGNZowKzJWI/AAAAAAAAAaM/FgjvcB8skH8/s320/bffs.jpg" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">-Okay so mix the gauc with a potato masher or your fist or someone you hate's fucking face. It doesn't really matter, it'll probably always come out the same, unless you use the last version in which case you might also have tears and blood inside your mix.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_6t5ChRrnBCg/TGNZ_Tcw2cI/AAAAAAAAAaU/XUlrs-UeizE/s1600/tacos+017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_6t5ChRrnBCg/TGNZ_Tcw2cI/AAAAAAAAAaU/XUlrs-UeizE/s320/tacos+017.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">-Let that sit in the fridge until you're ready to eat.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_6t5ChRrnBCg/TGNaLFcSISI/AAAAAAAAAac/sNmInVrUOpw/s1600/tacos+046.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" ox="true" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_6t5ChRrnBCg/TGNaLFcSISI/AAAAAAAAAac/sNmInVrUOpw/s320/tacos+046.JPG" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">- I really felt accomplished and like an 1800s pioneer woman after making all of this from scratch. Oregon Trail, represent. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">You have just died of dysentery.</div>Vegan Zombiehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08995270385443785157noreply@blogger.com1