I don't really eat anymore, because I've got the dreaded Crohn's Disease.
Smoothies are my new best friend. This one in particular:
1 cup Vanilla Soy Milk
1 frozen banana cut into 1" pieces
1 Tbl sunflower seed butter (or peanut butter or whatever)
little bit of honey
Blend it up. Drink it up. Yum.
Friday, February 4, 2011
Saturday, November 27, 2010
Chai Infused Rolled Oats with Apples
This is kind of a long post, but, honestly, this is a *quick* breakfast. Once you've got it down, you can make it in less than ten minutes flat.
You know that whole thing about necessity being the Mother of Invention and all? Yeah, that IS how it works.
So, I'm up in Northern California, at my friend's cabin in the woods. The grocery store is literally 45 minutes away from the house, so it's not like I can pop over to the store for a bit of cinnamon and nutmeg. Plus, my friend is not a cook, so the options in her pantry are not very option-y. *And* there's an electric 2-burner hotplate and a toaster oven. It's not quite camping, because, you know, I'm in a house, but it's probably as close to camping as one can be in a house.
And I'm sick of plain oatmeal with bananas... What's a girl to do? Well, this girl came up with this hearty, tasty, warming Chai Infused Oatmeal with Apples.
Did I already mention that there are no measuring cups in this "I'm almost camping" scenario? Yeah... No measuring cups, so I use a little glass ramekin which is a little more than cupcake sized. You know those cute little pyrex things? They hold about 3/4 of a cup.
Ingredients:
An Apple
Water
Chai Tea
Salt
Sweetener of choice
Rolled Oats
Earth Balance, if you'd like
So... The ratio for oatmeal is 2 parts water to one part oatmeal, but you're going to be cooking the apples first and some evaporation is going to occur while you're cooking them. You're going to want to start with 3 parts liquid (We're working with a single, albeit large, serving. If you're going to go all crazy and make this oatmeal for your entire neighborhood or whatever, you may need to change the water ratio a bit. That's on you. I would suggest making it for yourself, first, to see how things go.).
Okay, in a pot in the stove, put 2 parts water and 1 part chai.
Add your sweetener (Oh, come on, you know how sweet you like your oatmeal! Put that amount in! I like to use brown sugar, but Agave is tasty, too. If your chai is sweetened, take that into consideration).
Now, put your heat up high and get your liquid to boiling.
While your liquid is headed towards a boil, peel, core and chop up your apple. I like mine fairly small. Larger than a pea, but not by much. Smaller than a grape. Maybe the size of half a grape?
Whenever you're done chopping up your apple, add it to your liquid and boil it until your apple is soft. (This is when most of your evaporation is occurring.) I like to use a fork to poke at my apple pieces until they're exactly the way that I like them. I'm a little impatient. The whole poking it with a fork thing makes it go faster, kind of like hitting the elevator button a lot. If you appreciate a more al dente apple, you should note that you may not need as much liquid... In that case, use 2.5 parts of liquid and try to make about a third of that chai.
Stir your apple while it's cooking so that nothing sticks to the bottom of the pot---remember, you've got some kind of sweetener in there and sweetener *likes* to make things stick. If you stir it with a fork, you can randomly poke the apples at the same time, making everything cook faster. (Seriously, if you push the buttons on the elevator a lot, it makes the elevator go faster.)
When your apple is soft, which kind of takes a while, add a liberal pinch of salt.. The salt helps make your oatmeal better. The starches of your oatmeal won't release as much if there's salt in there and it won't be some horrible version of some glutenous porridge from your Oliver Twist nightmares.
Now it's time to add your oats. Do not use the quick oats. They're not as good for you and they don't taste right. I can't eat Steal Cut oats, so I don't know what they'd taste like, and I'm not sure of the ratio of liquid, but, hey, what's the fun in cooking if you can't experiment a bit, right?
Now, you have two options.
You can either turn down the heat to really, really low, if you have a gas range, and go do something else--like take a shower or check your email or whatever you like to do in the morning. When you come back, your oatmeal will be done and you can put it into a bowl, add some Earth Balance and eat it up.
Or, if you have an electric stove or are as impatient as I am, you can keep things at a serious boil and stir the heck out of that oatmeal to make sure that it doesn't stick for about 5 minutes. Then put it into a bowl, add some Earth Balance and eat it up.
Then say, "Yum!" because it's totally tasty!
You can also eat this with bananas, which is really good, if you haven't been eating oatmeal with bananas for breakfast for two straight weeks. Just change the liquid ration to 2:1, don't do the apple part and while your oats are cooking, take a few breaks from the stirring to cut up a banaba into your bowl. I know. I know. I thought the same thing! Bananas and oatmeal? That's not a good mix, but it is. It really, really is. Then, add your cooked oatmeal to the bowl with your chopped bananas, add some Earth Balance, eat it up and say, "Yum!
You know that whole thing about necessity being the Mother of Invention and all? Yeah, that IS how it works.
So, I'm up in Northern California, at my friend's cabin in the woods. The grocery store is literally 45 minutes away from the house, so it's not like I can pop over to the store for a bit of cinnamon and nutmeg. Plus, my friend is not a cook, so the options in her pantry are not very option-y. *And* there's an electric 2-burner hotplate and a toaster oven. It's not quite camping, because, you know, I'm in a house, but it's probably as close to camping as one can be in a house.
And I'm sick of plain oatmeal with bananas... What's a girl to do? Well, this girl came up with this hearty, tasty, warming Chai Infused Oatmeal with Apples.
Did I already mention that there are no measuring cups in this "I'm almost camping" scenario? Yeah... No measuring cups, so I use a little glass ramekin which is a little more than cupcake sized. You know those cute little pyrex things? They hold about 3/4 of a cup.
Ingredients:
An Apple
Water
Chai Tea
Salt
Sweetener of choice
Rolled Oats
Earth Balance, if you'd like
So... The ratio for oatmeal is 2 parts water to one part oatmeal, but you're going to be cooking the apples first and some evaporation is going to occur while you're cooking them. You're going to want to start with 3 parts liquid (We're working with a single, albeit large, serving. If you're going to go all crazy and make this oatmeal for your entire neighborhood or whatever, you may need to change the water ratio a bit. That's on you. I would suggest making it for yourself, first, to see how things go.).
Okay, in a pot in the stove, put 2 parts water and 1 part chai.
Add your sweetener (Oh, come on, you know how sweet you like your oatmeal! Put that amount in! I like to use brown sugar, but Agave is tasty, too. If your chai is sweetened, take that into consideration).
Now, put your heat up high and get your liquid to boiling.
While your liquid is headed towards a boil, peel, core and chop up your apple. I like mine fairly small. Larger than a pea, but not by much. Smaller than a grape. Maybe the size of half a grape?
Whenever you're done chopping up your apple, add it to your liquid and boil it until your apple is soft. (This is when most of your evaporation is occurring.) I like to use a fork to poke at my apple pieces until they're exactly the way that I like them. I'm a little impatient. The whole poking it with a fork thing makes it go faster, kind of like hitting the elevator button a lot. If you appreciate a more al dente apple, you should note that you may not need as much liquid... In that case, use 2.5 parts of liquid and try to make about a third of that chai.
Stir your apple while it's cooking so that nothing sticks to the bottom of the pot---remember, you've got some kind of sweetener in there and sweetener *likes* to make things stick. If you stir it with a fork, you can randomly poke the apples at the same time, making everything cook faster. (Seriously, if you push the buttons on the elevator a lot, it makes the elevator go faster.)
When your apple is soft, which kind of takes a while, add a liberal pinch of salt.. The salt helps make your oatmeal better. The starches of your oatmeal won't release as much if there's salt in there and it won't be some horrible version of some glutenous porridge from your Oliver Twist nightmares.
Now it's time to add your oats. Do not use the quick oats. They're not as good for you and they don't taste right. I can't eat Steal Cut oats, so I don't know what they'd taste like, and I'm not sure of the ratio of liquid, but, hey, what's the fun in cooking if you can't experiment a bit, right?
Now, you have two options.
You can either turn down the heat to really, really low, if you have a gas range, and go do something else--like take a shower or check your email or whatever you like to do in the morning. When you come back, your oatmeal will be done and you can put it into a bowl, add some Earth Balance and eat it up.
Or, if you have an electric stove or are as impatient as I am, you can keep things at a serious boil and stir the heck out of that oatmeal to make sure that it doesn't stick for about 5 minutes. Then put it into a bowl, add some Earth Balance and eat it up.
Then say, "Yum!" because it's totally tasty!
You can also eat this with bananas, which is really good, if you haven't been eating oatmeal with bananas for breakfast for two straight weeks. Just change the liquid ration to 2:1, don't do the apple part and while your oats are cooking, take a few breaks from the stirring to cut up a banaba into your bowl. I know. I know. I thought the same thing! Bananas and oatmeal? That's not a good mix, but it is. It really, really is. Then, add your cooked oatmeal to the bowl with your chopped bananas, add some Earth Balance, eat it up and say, "Yum!
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Coffee Cupcakes with Whiskey Frosting!
This is pretty much the same as the Lemon-blah-blah-blah cupcakes... A few differences.
First, pre-heat your oven to 350. Then set up your cupcake tin with the foil cupcake liners. For some reason, the paper ones really, really, really stick. Don't waste your cupcakes on paper liners.
1/2 cup Tofutti Better Than Sour Cream,
2/3 cup vanilla soy milk
1/3 cup canola oil
3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp granulated sugar
Then sift these things together and put into the wet mixture.
1 cup plus 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
2 tbsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
Mix it all up and add some Instant Coffee. I like about 3 Tablespoons. You may not. I don't know. Just add until it tastes right. There are no dangerous raw ingredients, like eggs, so just taste it.
Fill your cupcake liners just about 2/3 of the way and bake your cupcakes 20 to 22 minutes and then, transfer 'em to a cooling rack to let cool.
For the frosting, I mix up like 1/4 cup of vegan shortening, a 1/4 cup of vegan cream cheese, and a bit of Earth Balance with a ton of powdered sugar---really all the powdered sugar I can fit into the yummy fats. Then add about a Tablespoon of Jack Daniels. Then add a bit more powdered sugar. Beat the heck out of it.
I cool the cupcakes and the frosting overnight in the fridge, but you may not be able to wait that long. You'll have to let the cupcakes cool a bit, otherwise your frosting will melt and you don't want that.
Yum.
Eat 'em up.
Next time I make them, I'm going to shave some tasty vegan carob and pretend that it's tabacco sprinkles.
First, pre-heat your oven to 350. Then set up your cupcake tin with the foil cupcake liners. For some reason, the paper ones really, really, really stick. Don't waste your cupcakes on paper liners.
1/2 cup Tofutti Better Than Sour Cream,
2/3 cup vanilla soy milk
1/3 cup canola oil
3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp granulated sugar
Then sift these things together and put into the wet mixture.
1 cup plus 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
2 tbsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
Mix it all up and add some Instant Coffee. I like about 3 Tablespoons. You may not. I don't know. Just add until it tastes right. There are no dangerous raw ingredients, like eggs, so just taste it.
Fill your cupcake liners just about 2/3 of the way and bake your cupcakes 20 to 22 minutes and then, transfer 'em to a cooling rack to let cool.
For the frosting, I mix up like 1/4 cup of vegan shortening, a 1/4 cup of vegan cream cheese, and a bit of Earth Balance with a ton of powdered sugar---really all the powdered sugar I can fit into the yummy fats. Then add about a Tablespoon of Jack Daniels. Then add a bit more powdered sugar. Beat the heck out of it.
I cool the cupcakes and the frosting overnight in the fridge, but you may not be able to wait that long. You'll have to let the cupcakes cool a bit, otherwise your frosting will melt and you don't want that.
Yum.
Eat 'em up.
Next time I make them, I'm going to shave some tasty vegan carob and pretend that it's tabacco sprinkles.
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Vegan Creamy Cheesy Ham & Peas Pasta
I made something like this years and years ago with prosciutto and actual cream... I can't remember what the recipe was called and my google-fu is failing me, so... Well... Yeah... There's that, then... (Nice intro, right?)
This morning, I was remembering how it tasted and thought I could probably make up a vegan version with the fake ham (http://www.yvesveggie.com/products/detail.php/meatless-ham-slices) that I had left over from my Vegan McMuffins that I made earlier this week (Yum!).
So, I put some pasta on to cook and started prepping my ingredients. I used the same pot to cook up my sauce while my pasta drained in the sink.
I took some finely chopped green onions out of the freezer, then finely minced a clove of garlic and thinly sliced a few slices of that faux ham and sautéed those three things in a mess of Earth Balance butter.
When they were heated through and yummy (really, heat it through so that any sharpness from your garlic is gone), I added some soymilk (I buy those lunch soy milks to cook with, since I do not like drinking the plain kind.), the nutritional yeast, and two slices of fake cheddar cheese (also leftover from the Tasty Vegan McMuffins).
Truth be told, I had to keep adding soymilk to keep the sauce from really firming up... I used about a box and a half total, but started with just the one box.
Then, I tossed in a bag of frozen petite peas. I was going to just use half the bag, but those peas looked so darn tasty that I threw caution to the wind and put 'em all in.
When the peas were done, I put the pasta back in the pot and just stirred it all up.
I served that tastiness up with some ground pepper. White pepper would have been nice. As would have freshly ground pepper, but a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do.
I froze several servings in single serve Ziploc plastic bags to take to RockIt, because she just had a baby and needs food for her freezer!
Ingredients:
1 box of sulfite-free orecchiette pasta
1/4 cup fake butter
1/2 cup green onions, (about 1/2 cup)
1 small bag of frozen petite peas
4 slices fake ham, cut into thin strips
1 1/2 - 2 lunch sized boxes of plain soymilk
3/4 cup Nutritional Yeast
2 slices of vegan cheddar/American cheese
pepper to taste (really, you're not going to need *any* salt here)
This morning, I was remembering how it tasted and thought I could probably make up a vegan version with the fake ham (http://www.yvesveggie.com/products/detail.php/meatless-ham-slices) that I had left over from my Vegan McMuffins that I made earlier this week (Yum!).
So, I put some pasta on to cook and started prepping my ingredients. I used the same pot to cook up my sauce while my pasta drained in the sink.
I took some finely chopped green onions out of the freezer, then finely minced a clove of garlic and thinly sliced a few slices of that faux ham and sautéed those three things in a mess of Earth Balance butter.
When they were heated through and yummy (really, heat it through so that any sharpness from your garlic is gone), I added some soymilk (I buy those lunch soy milks to cook with, since I do not like drinking the plain kind.), the nutritional yeast, and two slices of fake cheddar cheese (also leftover from the Tasty Vegan McMuffins).
Truth be told, I had to keep adding soymilk to keep the sauce from really firming up... I used about a box and a half total, but started with just the one box.
Then, I tossed in a bag of frozen petite peas. I was going to just use half the bag, but those peas looked so darn tasty that I threw caution to the wind and put 'em all in.
When the peas were done, I put the pasta back in the pot and just stirred it all up.
I served that tastiness up with some ground pepper. White pepper would have been nice. As would have freshly ground pepper, but a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do.
I froze several servings in single serve Ziploc plastic bags to take to RockIt, because she just had a baby and needs food for her freezer!
Ingredients:
1 box of sulfite-free orecchiette pasta
1/4 cup fake butter
1/2 cup green onions, (about 1/2 cup)
1 small bag of frozen petite peas
4 slices fake ham, cut into thin strips
1 1/2 - 2 lunch sized boxes of plain soymilk
3/4 cup Nutritional Yeast
2 slices of vegan cheddar/American cheese
pepper to taste (really, you're not going to need *any* salt here)
Friday, January 22, 2010
Spaghetti Made of Awesome and TVP
I love the food processor. So very much. And I don't think that I could attempt this sauce without it. Or, if I did, the carrots would show and then my Mom wouldn't eat it. Tee hee hee...
Throw an onion in the food processor. Chop it up. Put it in a big pot on the stove with some olive oil and brown the onion. This is a crucial step, as it will provide the sauce with a flavor of heartiness.
Throw a bag of baby carrots into the food processor. Grind them up fine. When your onion is browned, add the carrots.
Throw a big ol' bunch of basil and 4-6 cloves of garlic into the food processor. Chop this up finely, as well. Add to the pot on the stove.
Add some oregano and a few bay leaves. I like to buy my spices as I need them in bulk, because it's less expensive and the dried herbs are more potent when they haven't been sitting in my cupboard for ten zillion years.
Open up 3 big cans of tomato sauce and one can of tomato paste. Empty them into the pot.
Cut up several (3 large) zucchini and add them to the pot. I like to cut them in quarters lengthwise and then chop 'em into little bits. The food processor does not do this one well. Use your knife skills.
Add a lot of fresh spinach and cook until the zucchini and the spinach are done.
Pour in about a cup or so of TVP.
You can also add some nutritional yeast. This makes for a cheesy-tomato sauce, which I enjoy, but you may not. You might. Go for it.
I like this over shells or orichette or fusilli or something like that, instead of spaghetti noodles, but, hey, make your own choices…
Throw an onion in the food processor. Chop it up. Put it in a big pot on the stove with some olive oil and brown the onion. This is a crucial step, as it will provide the sauce with a flavor of heartiness.
Throw a bag of baby carrots into the food processor. Grind them up fine. When your onion is browned, add the carrots.
Throw a big ol' bunch of basil and 4-6 cloves of garlic into the food processor. Chop this up finely, as well. Add to the pot on the stove.
Add some oregano and a few bay leaves. I like to buy my spices as I need them in bulk, because it's less expensive and the dried herbs are more potent when they haven't been sitting in my cupboard for ten zillion years.
Open up 3 big cans of tomato sauce and one can of tomato paste. Empty them into the pot.
Cut up several (3 large) zucchini and add them to the pot. I like to cut them in quarters lengthwise and then chop 'em into little bits. The food processor does not do this one well. Use your knife skills.
Add a lot of fresh spinach and cook until the zucchini and the spinach are done.
Pour in about a cup or so of TVP.
You can also add some nutritional yeast. This makes for a cheesy-tomato sauce, which I enjoy, but you may not. You might. Go for it.
I like this over shells or orichette or fusilli or something like that, instead of spaghetti noodles, but, hey, make your own choices…
Thursday, January 21, 2010
Myer Lemon Poppyseed Cupcakes
So tasty. So very tasty...
First, pre-heat your oven to 350. Then set up your cupcake tin with the foil cupcake liners. For some reason, the paper ones really, really, really stick. Don't waste your cupcakes on paper liners.
1/2 cup Tofutti Better Than Sour Cream,
2/3 cup vanilla soy milk
1/3 cup canola oil
3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp granulated sugar
the zest from one myer lemon
the juice from one myer lemon
Then sift these things together and put into the wet mixture.
1 cup plus 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
2 tbsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
Mix it all up and add some poppyseeds. I like a lot of poppyseeds. You may not. I don't know. Just add until it looks right.
Fill your cupcake liners just about halfway. If you put too much batter in, then when it's time to glaze your cupcakes, you'll spill the glaze all over the counter... Wasting precious tasty glaze...
Bake your cupcakes 20 to 22 minutes and then, transfer 'em to a cooling rack to let cool.
While they are cooling, juice another Myer Lemon. Then add powdered sugar to the juice until it's all glaze-like.
Now, POKE your cupcakes with a stick!!! Okay, a toothpick. Poke 'em a lot. Not so much that they are reduced to crumbles, but enough that they get glaze through and through when you pour a little more than a teaspoon on top of each cupcake.
Yum.
Eat 'em up.
Oh! They are tasty when cold.
First, pre-heat your oven to 350. Then set up your cupcake tin with the foil cupcake liners. For some reason, the paper ones really, really, really stick. Don't waste your cupcakes on paper liners.
1/2 cup Tofutti Better Than Sour Cream,
2/3 cup vanilla soy milk
1/3 cup canola oil
3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp granulated sugar
the zest from one myer lemon
the juice from one myer lemon
Then sift these things together and put into the wet mixture.
1 cup plus 2 tbsp all-purpose flour
2 tbsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
Mix it all up and add some poppyseeds. I like a lot of poppyseeds. You may not. I don't know. Just add until it looks right.
Fill your cupcake liners just about halfway. If you put too much batter in, then when it's time to glaze your cupcakes, you'll spill the glaze all over the counter... Wasting precious tasty glaze...
Bake your cupcakes 20 to 22 minutes and then, transfer 'em to a cooling rack to let cool.
While they are cooling, juice another Myer Lemon. Then add powdered sugar to the juice until it's all glaze-like.
Now, POKE your cupcakes with a stick!!! Okay, a toothpick. Poke 'em a lot. Not so much that they are reduced to crumbles, but enough that they get glaze through and through when you pour a little more than a teaspoon on top of each cupcake.
Yum.
Eat 'em up.
Oh! They are tasty when cold.
Friday, October 16, 2009
Vegan Carob Brownies Tonight!
Okay... So you try finding a Vegan Carob Brownie recipe that I can eat... Yeah... Not happening.
Vegan Chocolate Brownie? Sure. Vegan Carob with Deadly Whole Grains? Sure. Vegan Carob with Deadly Nuts? Vegan Carob with Applesauce? Yup. None of these work for me.
I found this recipe, but it, of course, called for chocolate. I've spent some time in the kitchen and think I know how to make substitutions that make Carob things better and I'm going to test that out tonight. Here's my proposed recipe:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix dry ingredients:
2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup carob powder
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
Mix wet ingredients
1/2 cup coconut milk
1/2 cold coffee
1/2 cup vegetable shortening, melted
1/2 cup mashed banana
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
Mix up the dry ingredients and the wet ingredients together. If I have any vegan carob chips left over, I'll throw those into the mix, too.
Grease a 9x13 baking pan with Earth Balance and dust with Carob Powder.
Install Vegan Carob Brownie mix into baking pan and bake for 23 minutes.
Okay, I'm totally guessing on the time. I think somewhere between 20 and 35 minutes will do perfectly, but I have no idea. I'll have to wait and see... Just like you!)
----------
edits:
As I am wont to do, I even read my instructions wrong! Goodness... No worries, though. Secret Vegan Carob Brownies now have 1/2 the sugar!
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
Also, my banana wasn't a 1/2 cups worth! So, I added some coconut milk solids to make 1/2 cup.
Additionally, I couldn't find the vegan shortening, but I did find an extra tub of Earth Balance hidden in the back of the fridge, so I used that and melting it seemed kind of ridiculous, at the time. I don't know why... Perhaps because I would have had to measure it in the copper measuring cup-thing and then put it in glass and then put it in the microwave and then push buttons... Or, I could just put it in with the liquids. I chose the second option! :-)
Moreover, I couldn't be bothered to find the 1/2 teaspoon measuring spoon, so the vanilla was nearly a full 2 teaspoons...
Gosh! Secret Vegan!!!! If you can't follow a recipe, do you really expect others to?
In the oven baking now! How exciting!!!
----------
update:
Yummy and cake-y. :-) Needs more sugar. More brown sugar. Coconut milk works. No banana next time. Also, needs chopped up Vegan Carob Chips mixed into the batter. Additionally, needs Carob Powder to be mixed with something hot and melted, before adding to mixture. Then, should be made of Awesome.
Vegan Chocolate Brownie? Sure. Vegan Carob with Deadly Whole Grains? Sure. Vegan Carob with Deadly Nuts? Vegan Carob with Applesauce? Yup. None of these work for me.
I found this recipe, but it, of course, called for chocolate. I've spent some time in the kitchen and think I know how to make substitutions that make Carob things better and I'm going to test that out tonight. Here's my proposed recipe:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix dry ingredients:
2 cups flour
1 cup sugar
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup carob powder
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
Mix wet ingredients
1/2 cup coconut milk
1/2 cold coffee
1/2 cup vegetable shortening, melted
1/2 cup mashed banana
1 1/2 tsp vanilla
Mix up the dry ingredients and the wet ingredients together. If I have any vegan carob chips left over, I'll throw those into the mix, too.
Grease a 9x13 baking pan with Earth Balance and dust with Carob Powder.
Install Vegan Carob Brownie mix into baking pan and bake for 23 minutes.
Okay, I'm totally guessing on the time. I think somewhere between 20 and 35 minutes will do perfectly, but I have no idea. I'll have to wait and see... Just like you!)
----------
edits:
As I am wont to do, I even read my instructions wrong! Goodness... No worries, though. Secret Vegan Carob Brownies now have 1/2 the sugar!
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
Also, my banana wasn't a 1/2 cups worth! So, I added some coconut milk solids to make 1/2 cup.
Additionally, I couldn't find the vegan shortening, but I did find an extra tub of Earth Balance hidden in the back of the fridge, so I used that and melting it seemed kind of ridiculous, at the time. I don't know why... Perhaps because I would have had to measure it in the copper measuring cup-thing and then put it in glass and then put it in the microwave and then push buttons... Or, I could just put it in with the liquids. I chose the second option! :-)
Moreover, I couldn't be bothered to find the 1/2 teaspoon measuring spoon, so the vanilla was nearly a full 2 teaspoons...
Gosh! Secret Vegan!!!! If you can't follow a recipe, do you really expect others to?
In the oven baking now! How exciting!!!
----------
update:
Yummy and cake-y. :-) Needs more sugar. More brown sugar. Coconut milk works. No banana next time. Also, needs chopped up Vegan Carob Chips mixed into the batter. Additionally, needs Carob Powder to be mixed with something hot and melted, before adding to mixture. Then, should be made of Awesome.
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
The Best Popcorn In The World...
When it comes to popcorn, I am a master. I make stove top popcorn with oil. It is not low-fat. It tastes really, really good.
You will need:
Popcorn (the kind that comes in a bag or a bottle),
Canola Oil
Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper
A large pot with a handle
A nice fitting lid
A stove
A Paper Bag, preferable with Handles
A nice big Popcorn Bowl
Paper towels
Go ahead and set everything up on the counters, so that it is all within reach. This process goes really fast and you will not have time to open a cupboard.
You shouldn't measure anything with official measuring devices. That is crazy and you will never learn to just throw stuff into the pot and make popcorn in 3 minutes or less on the stove.
So, put the pot on the stove. Turn the stove on high. I always use the gas range. I do not know how an electric range works. If you have an electric range, you should know how it works and make the appropriate changes.
Immediately, pour the Canola Oil in the bottom of the pot. Coat the bottom of the pot.
Shake in the popcorn kernals. Enough that there is nearly a full SINGLE layer of popcorn kernals on the bottom of the pan, but not super-crowded together. Do not crowd your kernals... You don't like to be crowded, right? It's the same for your kernals.
Make sure by shaking things around that the oil is coating your popcorn. You may need to add a little bit of oil. Don't drown your kernals. You don't like to drown, right? It's the same for your kernals. ;-)
Cover with the lid and stand there and wait patiently for the kernals to pop open and miracolousy, without the aid of a microwave, become popcorn.
Shake up your popcorn. The goal of the shaking is to make the kernals go to the bottom of the pot and leave the first popped kernals at the top. You do not have to shake constantly, but you can, if it makes you feel more in control.
Listen.
Listen to your popcorn. It will tell you when it is done, by stopping to pop.
Immediately dump your entire pot of popcorn into a brown paper bag. Drizzle some olive oil on it---not too much---then shake the bag. Add some salt. Shake the bag. Add some freshly ground pepper----not a lot, it just makes the olive oil taste better.
Taste your popcorn. If it needs more oil/salt/pepper, add that. Then taste it again. Perfect? Good. Now, dump it into a big bowl or several bowls---whichever you prefer and eat it up. Yum. Serve with paper towels.
You will need:
Popcorn (the kind that comes in a bag or a bottle),
Canola Oil
Olive Oil
Salt & Pepper
A large pot with a handle
A nice fitting lid
A stove
A Paper Bag, preferable with Handles
A nice big Popcorn Bowl
Paper towels
Go ahead and set everything up on the counters, so that it is all within reach. This process goes really fast and you will not have time to open a cupboard.
You shouldn't measure anything with official measuring devices. That is crazy and you will never learn to just throw stuff into the pot and make popcorn in 3 minutes or less on the stove.
So, put the pot on the stove. Turn the stove on high. I always use the gas range. I do not know how an electric range works. If you have an electric range, you should know how it works and make the appropriate changes.
Immediately, pour the Canola Oil in the bottom of the pot. Coat the bottom of the pot.
Shake in the popcorn kernals. Enough that there is nearly a full SINGLE layer of popcorn kernals on the bottom of the pan, but not super-crowded together. Do not crowd your kernals... You don't like to be crowded, right? It's the same for your kernals.
Make sure by shaking things around that the oil is coating your popcorn. You may need to add a little bit of oil. Don't drown your kernals. You don't like to drown, right? It's the same for your kernals. ;-)
Cover with the lid and stand there and wait patiently for the kernals to pop open and miracolousy, without the aid of a microwave, become popcorn.
Shake up your popcorn. The goal of the shaking is to make the kernals go to the bottom of the pot and leave the first popped kernals at the top. You do not have to shake constantly, but you can, if it makes you feel more in control.
Listen.
Listen to your popcorn. It will tell you when it is done, by stopping to pop.
Immediately dump your entire pot of popcorn into a brown paper bag. Drizzle some olive oil on it---not too much---then shake the bag. Add some salt. Shake the bag. Add some freshly ground pepper----not a lot, it just makes the olive oil taste better.
Taste your popcorn. If it needs more oil/salt/pepper, add that. Then taste it again. Perfect? Good. Now, dump it into a big bowl or several bowls---whichever you prefer and eat it up. Yum. Serve with paper towels.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Vegan, Nut-free, Chocolate-Free "Nutella" aka NOTella(!)
What? Is this some kind of joke? No. No, it's not... It just sounds silly. Like egg-less egg salad or pleather.
I'm allergic to chocolate and, usually, about once a month, this is the most terrible thing that has ever happened to me! Today was especially bad, because:
But my google-fu was strong and I found an easy recipe!
The Goodbaker says
I'm allergic to chocolate and, usually, about once a month, this is the most terrible thing that has ever happened to me! Today was especially bad, because:
- it's my "moon time"
- I feel like a bloated bloaty bloat bag
- I had to go shopping
- for a bridesmaid dress
- I needed to bring my mom to help me
- who made me try on caftans and house tents and everything else she could find that would make me feel unattractive
- and who demanded See's candy as a reward
- I had to go into said See's candy, which has nothing in it that I could even pretend that I might be able to eat and
- someone mentioned Nutella, which not only has dairy, but also has nuts and chocolate, each of which would create an allergic reaction in me alone and
- had me obsessing for hours about how I could possibly eat it without hurting myself
But my google-fu was strong and I found an easy recipe!
The Goodbaker says
Ingredients:
- Smooth nut butter of choice *
- good-quality dark chocolate chipsPreparation:
1) In a double-boiler or microwave-safe bowl, combine 2 parts chocolate chips and 3 parts nut butter.
2) Heat gently and stir until smooth. That’s it!
However, I can't eat nuts or chocolate *and* I read the recipe wrong!
So, I mixed 2 parts Sunbutter with 3 parts Vegan Carob Chips, which is the absolute opposite of what the Goodbaker said to do, but that's what happens when you read a recipe once and feel like you've got it down pat, because it's only two ingredients and how could you mess that up???
I heated the combo up in the microwave for 20 seconds, stirred it a bit, but it was still a little chunky, so I heated it up for another 15 seconds and that allowed me to stir it until it was smooth and...
Voila! Vegan, Nut-free, Chocolate-Free "Nutella"! aka one of the most ridiculous things that I have ever made.
I toasted up a vegan sourdough english muffin and I spread that NOTella(!) over the toasty tops and it was tasty.
I'm not thinking it would fool someone who's had nuts or chocolate any time recently, but it worked for me. Plus, it was super-easy!
Yum!
Sunday, August 2, 2009
Happy Vegan Ice Cream Days Ahead!
A dear friend bought me a Cuisinart ICE-20 Automatic 1-1/2-Quart Ice-Cream Maker from Amazon this morning. It should arrive in 2 days! I'll freeze the bowl for a day and we're looking at Carob Carob-Chip Coconut Ice Cream within 72 hours!!! Woo hoo!!!
This became a necessity, as I went to Scoops in Los Angeles, near City College, the other day and all of their vegan ice cream was full of chocolate and nuts. Sad Face. I had some good sorbet, but... Come on... What we all scream for is Ice Cream!!!
However, the really good part of that journey was walking across the street to have a beer at the restaurant that another patron of Scoops was talking up. I didn't want a beer, but a snack sounded good to me and, voila---Pure Luck!!! Vegan, vegan, vegan!!! I had a soup that was soooo good that I wanted to pour it all over my body and rub it in! I didn't, of course. I gobbled it up and put in a to-go order, so that I could take some home. Seriously, I could not say good-bye to this soup.
This became a necessity, as I went to Scoops in Los Angeles, near City College, the other day and all of their vegan ice cream was full of chocolate and nuts. Sad Face. I had some good sorbet, but... Come on... What we all scream for is Ice Cream!!!
However, the really good part of that journey was walking across the street to have a beer at the restaurant that another patron of Scoops was talking up. I didn't want a beer, but a snack sounded good to me and, voila---Pure Luck!!! Vegan, vegan, vegan!!! I had a soup that was soooo good that I wanted to pour it all over my body and rub it in! I didn't, of course. I gobbled it up and put in a to-go order, so that I could take some home. Seriously, I could not say good-bye to this soup.
Friday, July 31, 2009
Tasty Salads
I make salads. I make good salads. I make tasty salads. Back in the old days, I made salads with poached eggs or cottage cheese or other things that would just about kill me now. Now, I make tasty vegan salads when I need a good meal on a hot day. There's usually a lot of chopping involved, because I like a lot of stuff in my salad, so it's not always quick, but I usually chop more than I need for *this* salad, so that I can have another one with less work tomorrow.
I don't actually have a recipe--it's more like a list.
Lettuce:
Butter, Herb, Romaine, Whatever. I usually used the packaged stuff. I get two salads out of one bag. I like a lot of lettuce. Lately, butter lettuce has been a favorite.
Tomato:
The tastier the better. It's especially nice when the neighbor drops off tomatoes from her garden. I nearly always put chopped tomatoes in my salad.
Avocado:
I nearly always put avocado in my salad, because I love avocado so bad!
Seeds:
Lately, it's been sunflower seeds. I like 'em for the crunch and the salt. If you can eat nuts (I can't), you could choose a nut instead of a seed.
Fruit:
I almost always chop up an apple for my salad. It's good crunch. I will usually add another fruit, too. Nectarines and blueberries are current favorites. Chopped pineapple does great, as does mango. A special bonus with mango and pineapple or other juicy fruits is that you'll use less dressing.
Onions:
I use scissors to cut up green onions for the salad or I'll chop up some red onions really finely.
Herbs:
Again with the scissors. I love to add fresh herbs to my salad. Especially cilantro. Cilantro is sooo good. Basil or dill or whatever you like would be great, too.
Vegies:
I like to add bell peppers. Grated Carrots rock. Of course, use anything you like. Some people like cucumbers, but not me. I do not like cucumbers.
Salad dressing:
I've not been making my own lately. I used to back when I could eat balsamic vinegar, but that's out... So, I've found a couple of vegan bottled choices. Goddess dressing is goodness dressing. I buy it for about $2 a bottle at Trader Joes. There's a poppy seed one that I like and can usually get at Safeway. I've printed out some recipes for vegan thousand island and vegan ranch, but I've not made them, yet.
Croutons:
A lot of people like croutons. Not me. I think that they generally taste like wood. A whole bunch of calories in exchange for eating wood? No, thanks!
I will usually serve this with some tasty baguette slices, but not always. My non-vegan Mom gets some fake crab or low-salt chopped deli turkey or chicken added to hers.
I don't actually have a recipe--it's more like a list.
Lettuce:
Butter, Herb, Romaine, Whatever. I usually used the packaged stuff. I get two salads out of one bag. I like a lot of lettuce. Lately, butter lettuce has been a favorite.
Tomato:
The tastier the better. It's especially nice when the neighbor drops off tomatoes from her garden. I nearly always put chopped tomatoes in my salad.
Avocado:
I nearly always put avocado in my salad, because I love avocado so bad!
Seeds:
Lately, it's been sunflower seeds. I like 'em for the crunch and the salt. If you can eat nuts (I can't), you could choose a nut instead of a seed.
Fruit:
I almost always chop up an apple for my salad. It's good crunch. I will usually add another fruit, too. Nectarines and blueberries are current favorites. Chopped pineapple does great, as does mango. A special bonus with mango and pineapple or other juicy fruits is that you'll use less dressing.
Onions:
I use scissors to cut up green onions for the salad or I'll chop up some red onions really finely.
Herbs:
Again with the scissors. I love to add fresh herbs to my salad. Especially cilantro. Cilantro is sooo good. Basil or dill or whatever you like would be great, too.
Vegies:
I like to add bell peppers. Grated Carrots rock. Of course, use anything you like. Some people like cucumbers, but not me. I do not like cucumbers.
Salad dressing:
I've not been making my own lately. I used to back when I could eat balsamic vinegar, but that's out... So, I've found a couple of vegan bottled choices. Goddess dressing is goodness dressing. I buy it for about $2 a bottle at Trader Joes. There's a poppy seed one that I like and can usually get at Safeway. I've printed out some recipes for vegan thousand island and vegan ranch, but I've not made them, yet.
Croutons:
A lot of people like croutons. Not me. I think that they generally taste like wood. A whole bunch of calories in exchange for eating wood? No, thanks!
I will usually serve this with some tasty baguette slices, but not always. My non-vegan Mom gets some fake crab or low-salt chopped deli turkey or chicken added to hers.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
A sad day for vegan ice cream in my house...
My freezer pog/thing broke. The top broke off, spewing icky gray gritty stuff all over my kitchen and making the making of ice cream a thing of the past...
Sad.
Sad.
Sad.
Hopefully, craigslist will help me out, again! It's so worth the sale price of an ice cream maker to never pay $6 a pint again!
Sad.
Sad.
Sad.
Hopefully, craigslist will help me out, again! It's so worth the sale price of an ice cream maker to never pay $6 a pint again!
Yummy Green Curry
This is my absolute favorite recipe. I picked it up from reading a whole bunch of green curry recipes and then fixing this and that until I liked it just fine. It's my go-to recipe when I have people over for dinner and it freezes great. Just freeze the rice separately.
Make some rice or, if you don't want rice, put on some water for some rice noodles (I do not know how rice noodles freeze as I never have any leftover!)
Ingredients:
Rice or Rice Noodles
basil
cilantro
garlic
ginger
green onions
shredded carrots
zucchini
spinach
lite soy sauce
sesame oil
siracha (surely spelled wrong)
coconut milk (if you're cooking for me, use the kind with no sulfites, please!)
Into a food processor goes:
2 bunches of basil with most of the stems removed
1 bunch of cilantro (I try to take out the big stems, but the little stems go in)
a couple of cloves of garlic
4 green onions (chop 'em into 4 inch pieces or something, just so the food processor will like them)
about a tablespoon or so of lite-salt soy sauce
a big ol' piece of tasty ginger, peeled and chopped large
some sesame oil
a small amount of siracha or, you know, however much you like
Blend it up and put it in a pan with just a little bit of olive oil.
Heat it up a bit and then add a can of tasty, sulfite-free coconut milk. You can use the low fat kind, but it tastes better when there's fat!
Then add the equivalent of a bag of baby carrots, shredded, and then cook that down, so that they are all tasty and soft. They should be disappearing into the sauce by the time you're done cooking.
Add as much spinach as you'll be able to stand. I love spinach. I usually add a whole bag.
Add in 4 sliced zucchini's. I cut them into 4 length-wise and then chop 'em up.
Serve over rice or rice noodles with wedges of lime---this is really important, even though it seems like, "How much of a difference could a squeeze of lime make?" Yeah... Lots. :-)
Oh! If you're looking for some tofu, this is great with some fried tofu in little cubes. At it at the end, nearly like a garnish, otherwise it gets soggy!
Make some rice or, if you don't want rice, put on some water for some rice noodles (I do not know how rice noodles freeze as I never have any leftover!)
Ingredients:
Rice or Rice Noodles
basil
cilantro
garlic
ginger
green onions
shredded carrots
zucchini
spinach
lite soy sauce
sesame oil
siracha (surely spelled wrong)
coconut milk (if you're cooking for me, use the kind with no sulfites, please!)
Into a food processor goes:
2 bunches of basil with most of the stems removed
1 bunch of cilantro (I try to take out the big stems, but the little stems go in)
a couple of cloves of garlic
4 green onions (chop 'em into 4 inch pieces or something, just so the food processor will like them)
about a tablespoon or so of lite-salt soy sauce
a big ol' piece of tasty ginger, peeled and chopped large
some sesame oil
a small amount of siracha or, you know, however much you like
Blend it up and put it in a pan with just a little bit of olive oil.
Heat it up a bit and then add a can of tasty, sulfite-free coconut milk. You can use the low fat kind, but it tastes better when there's fat!
Then add the equivalent of a bag of baby carrots, shredded, and then cook that down, so that they are all tasty and soft. They should be disappearing into the sauce by the time you're done cooking.
Add as much spinach as you'll be able to stand. I love spinach. I usually add a whole bag.
Add in 4 sliced zucchini's. I cut them into 4 length-wise and then chop 'em up.
Serve over rice or rice noodles with wedges of lime---this is really important, even though it seems like, "How much of a difference could a squeeze of lime make?" Yeah... Lots. :-)
Oh! If you're looking for some tofu, this is great with some fried tofu in little cubes. At it at the end, nearly like a garnish, otherwise it gets soggy!
Monday, July 6, 2009
Pseudo-Mexican Vegan Casserole
I'm not a big one for packaged, prepared foods, but it's hard to cook from scratch every day of the week. :-) This is easy and tasty.
This is a whole lot of opening cans and layering stuff all up. It's a flurry of activity, followed by 45 minutes to an hour of whatever you'd like---having a glass of something, making a salad, completely ignoring the kitchen or, what I usually do, the dishes. LOL!
Prepare a tofu/Soyrizo mixture by squishing up the tofu, crumbling it, and mixing it up with the soyrizo (remove the casing!)---you can skip this step if you like to eat things that are spicier than I would like to eat. You can mix it up in a pan or in a bowl or whatever you'd like. I usually heat up the mixture, but I'm not so sure it's necessary!
Put the rice in the bottom of the casserole pan.
Put tofu/soyrizo mixture on top of that
Put 1/2 can of enchila sauce on top of that
Put nearly all of the faux-cheese on top of that
Put the tomatoes on top of that
Put the chiles on top of that
Put the corn on top of that
Put the olives on top of that
Put the rest of the enchilada sauce on top of that
Put the rest of the faux-cheese on top of that
Put it in the oven for 45 minutes to an hour. You'll know it's done when it smells good and is all bubbling and tempting you to eat it right now. Don't do it. Wait about 15 minutes for things to set up and cool down. Then serve with some diced avocados and Toffutti sour cream or, you know, whatever you'd like. A simple salad is usually good with this and gives you some freshness that this casserole isn't going to give you.
I freeze individual portions in sandwich bags for meals that I'm just not into preparing! They last a long time. Longer if I would do the whole two layers of plastic wrap and 2 layers of tinfoil, but I'm just too lazy to do that and I know I'll eat it up soon enough!
If you, unlike me, don't live with someone that is allergic to beans, some canned beans would probably be a tasty addition.
Sometimes, when I feel like I'd like some more crunchy, I will also put thin ribbons of flour tortillas on top before the cheese, but that's not necessary.
- some leftover cooked rice--maybe 2 cups or so?
- 1 28-oz can red enchilada sauce (i use mild)
- 1 12-oz can corn, drained
- 1-2 4 oz cans diced green chiles (not drained)
- 1 can diced tomatoes (mostly kind of drained)
- 1 can sliced black olives (drained)
- 1/2 package firm tofu
- 1 package Soy-rizo
- 1 package vegan shredded faux-cheese
- 1 diced avocado
- Tofutti sour cream
- Rectangular Glass Casserole Dish.
This is a whole lot of opening cans and layering stuff all up. It's a flurry of activity, followed by 45 minutes to an hour of whatever you'd like---having a glass of something, making a salad, completely ignoring the kitchen or, what I usually do, the dishes. LOL!
Prepare a tofu/Soyrizo mixture by squishing up the tofu, crumbling it, and mixing it up with the soyrizo (remove the casing!)---you can skip this step if you like to eat things that are spicier than I would like to eat. You can mix it up in a pan or in a bowl or whatever you'd like. I usually heat up the mixture, but I'm not so sure it's necessary!
Put the rice in the bottom of the casserole pan.
Put tofu/soyrizo mixture on top of that
Put 1/2 can of enchila sauce on top of that
Put nearly all of the faux-cheese on top of that
Put the tomatoes on top of that
Put the chiles on top of that
Put the corn on top of that
Put the olives on top of that
Put the rest of the enchilada sauce on top of that
Put the rest of the faux-cheese on top of that
Put it in the oven for 45 minutes to an hour. You'll know it's done when it smells good and is all bubbling and tempting you to eat it right now. Don't do it. Wait about 15 minutes for things to set up and cool down. Then serve with some diced avocados and Toffutti sour cream or, you know, whatever you'd like. A simple salad is usually good with this and gives you some freshness that this casserole isn't going to give you.
I freeze individual portions in sandwich bags for meals that I'm just not into preparing! They last a long time. Longer if I would do the whole two layers of plastic wrap and 2 layers of tinfoil, but I'm just too lazy to do that and I know I'll eat it up soon enough!
If you, unlike me, don't live with someone that is allergic to beans, some canned beans would probably be a tasty addition.
Sometimes, when I feel like I'd like some more crunchy, I will also put thin ribbons of flour tortillas on top before the cheese, but that's not necessary.
Saturday, June 27, 2009
The ice cream rocked!
I should say, the Carob Carob-Chip Coconut Milk Ice Cream rocked.
The Cherry Cheesecake Soy Ice Cream isn't too great... It's not completely inedible. It's just not awesome like the Carob one.
First, my cherries were bad by the time I got around to using them---darn the early in the week stomach ache, because I wanted to eat those cherries so bad. However, combining a stomach ache with cherries is not a good idea. So, I used frozen strawberries. Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream sounds pretty good, right? No, it has a slightly chemical like taste.
The soy milk does not, so I'm not sure what's up with that. Could it be the arrow root powder? It's kind of hard to do tests because each batch takes a while to make. Not the actual churning---that only takes 30 minutes---but it does taste better when it's spent some time in the freezer getting more solid. Both of them did that. I mean tasted better when they were more frozen.
Also, refrigerating the ice cream mixture before churning it seems to be key as well.
In other words, I ate too much seaweed tonight. I did what I'm not ever supposed to do and bought one of those plastic containers full of seaweed snack strips. It's taking all of my will power to not eat them all up right now. It would not be a good idea. Too much seaweed can cause problems for me... And I'm a crazy seaweed addict. Really. I should never buy it. It should never be in my house. I'm just going to have one more piece and then go to bed... LOL!
The next thing that I'm going to make is a Rice Pudding Ice Cream.
I'm also going to post some of my daily recipes and the ones that I usually make a lot of and store in the freezer. That's what's on the agenda!
The Cherry Cheesecake Soy Ice Cream isn't too great... It's not completely inedible. It's just not awesome like the Carob one.
First, my cherries were bad by the time I got around to using them---darn the early in the week stomach ache, because I wanted to eat those cherries so bad. However, combining a stomach ache with cherries is not a good idea. So, I used frozen strawberries. Strawberry Cheesecake Ice Cream sounds pretty good, right? No, it has a slightly chemical like taste.
The soy milk does not, so I'm not sure what's up with that. Could it be the arrow root powder? It's kind of hard to do tests because each batch takes a while to make. Not the actual churning---that only takes 30 minutes---but it does taste better when it's spent some time in the freezer getting more solid. Both of them did that. I mean tasted better when they were more frozen.
Also, refrigerating the ice cream mixture before churning it seems to be key as well.
In other words, I ate too much seaweed tonight. I did what I'm not ever supposed to do and bought one of those plastic containers full of seaweed snack strips. It's taking all of my will power to not eat them all up right now. It would not be a good idea. Too much seaweed can cause problems for me... And I'm a crazy seaweed addict. Really. I should never buy it. It should never be in my house. I'm just going to have one more piece and then go to bed... LOL!
The next thing that I'm going to make is a Rice Pudding Ice Cream.
I'm also going to post some of my daily recipes and the ones that I usually make a lot of and store in the freezer. That's what's on the agenda!
Strawberry Cheesecake Soy Ice Cream
I'm really looking forward to finishing this ice cream. I used one of the recipes I found on the web and just made a few changes to make it my own.
I'd like to get some of the vegan graham cracker crust that I've heard of, crush it up, and add it into the ice cream, too.
I used arrowroot for my first time in this recipe and that was pretty exciting.
Oh! The Carob, Carob-Chip Cocont Ice Cream seriously rocks. So tasty. So very tasty. Plus, it totally satisfied my miserable chocolate craving!
In other meals, I had vegan cereal with vanilla soy milk for breakfast and I made faux-sushi from scratch tonight for dinner.
Things are looking up.
I'm not quite 100% vegan yet, but I've totally cut out dairy, eggs, and most meat, of course. I'm not sure that I'm going to completely phase out fish.
I'd like to get some of the vegan graham cracker crust that I've heard of, crush it up, and add it into the ice cream, too.
I used arrowroot for my first time in this recipe and that was pretty exciting.
Oh! The Carob, Carob-Chip Cocont Ice Cream seriously rocks. So tasty. So very tasty. Plus, it totally satisfied my miserable chocolate craving!
In other meals, I had vegan cereal with vanilla soy milk for breakfast and I made faux-sushi from scratch tonight for dinner.
Things are looking up.
I'm not quite 100% vegan yet, but I've totally cut out dairy, eggs, and most meat, of course. I'm not sure that I'm going to completely phase out fish.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Vegan Coconut Milk Carob Carob Chip Ice Cream
Today, I started to make a wonderful ice cream. I thought that I would finish it tonight. I did not. I was foiled by my own impatience...
I didn't freeze the freezer thing long enough and I didn't chill the ice cream mixture long enough. So, it didn't turn into ice cream. That was sad, but I just put the ice cream back in the fridge and the freezer thing back in the freezer and I will try again tomorrow.
I couldn't find a recipe for vegan carob ice cream, so I looked up enough recipes until I thought I had a handle on what was going on and made up my own.
2 cans Coconut Milk
1/3 cup Carob Powder
1 cup sugar
heat until sugar is melted. then add
2 tsp vanilla extract
put into ice cream maker and run for 25 minutes. At this point, mixture should have a soft serve consistency. (It did not and I will have to repeat this step tomorrow)
Add to ice cream mixture
2 tsp straight booze
1/4 cup chopped vegan carob chips
When incorporated, remove from ice cream maker. Place into air tight container and freeze. Or, you know, gobble it up.
I didn't freeze the freezer thing long enough and I didn't chill the ice cream mixture long enough. So, it didn't turn into ice cream. That was sad, but I just put the ice cream back in the fridge and the freezer thing back in the freezer and I will try again tomorrow.
I couldn't find a recipe for vegan carob ice cream, so I looked up enough recipes until I thought I had a handle on what was going on and made up my own.
2 cans Coconut Milk
1/3 cup Carob Powder
1 cup sugar
heat until sugar is melted. then add
2 tsp vanilla extract
put into ice cream maker and run for 25 minutes. At this point, mixture should have a soft serve consistency. (It did not and I will have to repeat this step tomorrow)
Add to ice cream mixture
2 tsp straight booze
1/4 cup chopped vegan carob chips
When incorporated, remove from ice cream maker. Place into air tight container and freeze. Or, you know, gobble it up.
Thursday, May 10, 2007
I found a great South Indian Vegetarian restaurant today through the Bay Area Veg Finder (http://www.bayareaveg.org/finder.htm). It's really close to my house, which is, of course, nice!
I had Chana Bhatura, which is vegetarian, if not vegan and has always been one of my favorite dishes, even when I was a raging omnivore. :-( There might be ghee, but I'm fine with that at this point in time.
I was so super-hungry that I gobbled it up when I got home. I had cereal for breakfast and leftovers for lunch, so I'm was a little surprised at how hungry I was, but... There you have it.
I had Chana Bhatura, which is vegetarian, if not vegan and has always been one of my favorite dishes, even when I was a raging omnivore. :-( There might be ghee, but I'm fine with that at this point in time.
I was so super-hungry that I gobbled it up when I got home. I had cereal for breakfast and leftovers for lunch, so I'm was a little surprised at how hungry I was, but... There you have it.
Monday, May 7, 2007
Grocery Shopping. One day.
I went grocery shopping yesterday. With the intent of making a couple of vegan meals/recipes.
Spring Rolls
Tofu and Zucchini Stir Fry
Vegan Biscuits and Gravy
Tempura Green Beans
Tasty Yam Fries
Obviously, I'm not really worrying about the fat content right now... I'll worry about that later when the idea of eating vegan again isn't so daunting. I'm focusing on Asian foods, because I can't eat that genre of food when I go out, due to the use of mushrooms and shellfish--- I am deadly allergic to both.
I made the Tofu and Zucchini Stir Fry for lunch for myself and a friend who came over for an afternoon meeting. It was amazingly delicious *and* filling. I served it on Rice Noodles, because, well... I've always wanted to make them and I used to let myself think that I couldn't make the genre of food that rice noodles were in. I'm done with that thinking now. (Thank goodness...)
I made myself spring rolls for dinner. Some with lettuce and carrots and green onions and avocado and some with leftovers from lunch. Both were super-tasty.
I'm feeling like I'd like some carbs, so I'm going to either make some oven-baked sweet potato fries or just whipped up a nice bowl of popcorn...
Or perhaps, I'll just go to sleep--This not taking my medication is really hard and makes each day last about 6-9 hours, before I have to go to sleep.
I definitely am feeling good about eating vegan for a day and will do it again tomorrow!
Spring Rolls
Tofu and Zucchini Stir Fry
Vegan Biscuits and Gravy
Tempura Green Beans
Tasty Yam Fries
Obviously, I'm not really worrying about the fat content right now... I'll worry about that later when the idea of eating vegan again isn't so daunting. I'm focusing on Asian foods, because I can't eat that genre of food when I go out, due to the use of mushrooms and shellfish--- I am deadly allergic to both.
I made the Tofu and Zucchini Stir Fry for lunch for myself and a friend who came over for an afternoon meeting. It was amazingly delicious *and* filling. I served it on Rice Noodles, because, well... I've always wanted to make them and I used to let myself think that I couldn't make the genre of food that rice noodles were in. I'm done with that thinking now. (Thank goodness...)
I made myself spring rolls for dinner. Some with lettuce and carrots and green onions and avocado and some with leftovers from lunch. Both were super-tasty.
I'm feeling like I'd like some carbs, so I'm going to either make some oven-baked sweet potato fries or just whipped up a nice bowl of popcorn...
Or perhaps, I'll just go to sleep--This not taking my medication is really hard and makes each day last about 6-9 hours, before I have to go to sleep.
I definitely am feeling good about eating vegan for a day and will do it again tomorrow!
Sunday, April 22, 2007
So, I've actually told two people about my new path towards my new approach to eating. They've both been told that it's secret... and they're supportive.
I am feeling a little wary about packaging and processed foods. Last time I was vegan, I depended on boxed and packaged foods a lot. Like, for falafel and for tofu-scramble and frozen things and stuff like that.
However, just like I'm starting on this path towards this eating approach, I'm going to start on a path towards no packaging and processing...
I'm going to eat packaged and processed things, if they are vegan, and, at the same time, begin teaching myself how to make my own versions from scratch.
I am feeling a little wary about packaging and processed foods. Last time I was vegan, I depended on boxed and packaged foods a lot. Like, for falafel and for tofu-scramble and frozen things and stuff like that.
However, just like I'm starting on this path towards this eating approach, I'm going to start on a path towards no packaging and processing...
I'm going to eat packaged and processed things, if they are vegan, and, at the same time, begin teaching myself how to make my own versions from scratch.
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