'twas a good day for LOVE

Today is that special day, where lovers everywhere spend a bunch of money on roses, chocolates, and lingerie, and the singles complain that they are alone and hate the stupid cupid. 
Not this girl.
I told my husband, who managed to get my present only yesterday, "No flowers, no chocolates." He just stared at me and said, "Then what??" Ha ha. After 6 years, he should know the drill, "Surprise me." I said.
This morning I woke up to some badass patent leather red heels. Yes..that's perfect!

Since my husband decided he is also now eating only a plant-based diet (AWESOME), I decided that our V-day plans would be to go to lunch at the local vegan restaurant, Pura Vida. I love Chef Mayra's fun personality. She has some videos (here) you can watch and see for yourself! I also am completely in love with her incredible Latin inspired food. I knew my hubby would, too. So we went for lunch, filled out bellies with delicious food, and talked about what to do for dinner.

I had planned to make portobello piccata, but I found a "tasting menu" on another site yesterday, and wanted to try that fun combination of different foods. I am a sucker for food, obviously, and if I have the option to have MORE of it, I definitely take it. So, I made some of the recipes I found on the V-day tasting menu from The Family Kitchen, here.
We had:  
- 5-Minute Spicy GlazedVegan Meatballs, with less spice in half to be more kid-friendly.
- Cheesy Pumpkin Chickpea Croquettes, hubby's favorite of the night
- Lemon Sunflower Pesto Pasta, we used rotini and the kids loved it

- Salt and Pepper Tofu Triangles, which were my brother's favorite. The maple adds a slight sweetness that I also enjoyed a lot   

Also, from my own arsenal of ideas:
-Portobello Piccata, with mashed potatoes. I used slices of big caps that cooked down and caramelized perfectly. I will make a recipe for this someday. I just eyeballed it.
-Chocolate covered strawberries, which were dipped in melted grain-sweetened chocolate chips. These are my favorite, and they have this fun stickiness to them when your mouth melts them. I love them!

And, my dear friend, the Red Velvet Cupcake.
No, no, this wasn't a big dinner. It was actually a nice, somewhat romantic one with my husband and toddlers, and my brother sneaking in (and out) to grab his servings when it was all done. 
I told you, I love food. 

I got the red velvet cupcake recipe here. The cupcakes were moist and dense, exactly what I was going for, in the texture dept. But the flavor...It was not even close. These cupcakes were definitely lemony beet cupcakes. They were tangy, and...beet flavored. Not bad, really, it fits perfectly for that gorgeous red hue and the 6 tbsp of lemon juice it called for. I even amped up the cocoa powder and added water to balance it out. But that was not the slightly cocoa flavored red velvet I was looking for. Chef KC said, "You know what would be good, if you filled them with that chocolate avocado mousse." I know he was just teasing me about the veggie-ful odd recipes I make, but I am going to call his bluff and actually do it tomorrow. Who knows, maybe it will be an awesome combo.

Oatmeal Cookies with Chocolate Peanut Butter Ganache filling

 Oatmeal Cookies with Chocolate Peanut Butter Ganache filling

1 cup oatmeal
1 cup whole wheat flour
⅓ cup sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
¼ tsp salt
⅓ cup maple syrup
⅓ cup canola oil
1 tbsp soy milk (any vegan milk will work)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Ganache filling:
1/3 cup peanut butter
1 tbsp coconut oil
1 tbsp margarine
2 tbsp maple syrup
1/2 cup grain sweetened chocolate chips, or vegan chocolate chips/chunks/baking pieces


 First, prepare the ganache. It will need to set up a bit, so give yourself some time, about an hour before you plan to make the cookies, to let it firm up in the fridge. If you're like me, and need(want) the cookies ASAP, you can put it in the freezer and shorten the wait.
Heat a small saucepan over medium low heat. Add all ingredients, and stir well until thoroughly melted. Pour into a shallow glass dish and put it in fridge/freezer to set.

Ganache ball

Now for the cookie dough.
Preheat the oven to 350.
Combine oatmeal, flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the syrup, oil, milk and vanilla. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, and stir to combine.
Bring the ganache back out and spoon out a piece a little bigger than a marble. let it rest on top of the cold ganache, and get some dough. Grab a ping pong size ball of the oatmeal dough and smush it into the palm of your hand, so you have enough to wrap around the ball of ganache. Wrap the ganache in it...it might be ahrd to get it all covered, but a little bit of cracks will be fine.
Place the balls onto the prepared baking sheet and press down slightly on the balls to flatten the tops. Bake for 8 minutes or until lightly browned. Eat while warm, so they're gooey and melty!
This will make about 15 cookies, if you do them like I did. Your sizes may vary, but don't worry, they'll be delicious any way!

A little but of ganache melting out

The ooey gooey inside

Mushroom Stroganoff

 

This recipe is so quick! It is much faster than the version I used to make, uses much less ingredients, and tastes amazing. Be sure to use rotini or fettucini noodles, because the wide twirly noodles all have eggs in them, unless you get lucky enough to find some. I didn't today, but I may in the future. On to the recipe...

Mushroom Stroganoff

serves 4-6

2 tsp oil
1 large onion, diced
2 pkgs mushrooms, any kind you like, about 16 oz
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup soy milk (you can use any vegan milk kind you like)
1/4 cup water
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
1 tsp vegan worchestershire sauce (Annie's makes a good kind, or you can use use soy sauce)
2 tbsp nutritional yeast
1/8 tsp thyme
1 pkg (12-16 oz) rotini or fettucini pasta, cooked

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil, and cook noodles as directed on package.
Meanwhile, Saute the onion in the oil over medium high heat for 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and garlic, and cook for 4 minutes covered, then 4 minutes uncovered, until the juices are released. Stir in the flour, coating the mushrooms, and cook for 1 minute. Pour in the milk, water, vinegar, worchestershire/soy sauce, and stir well. Cook for 3 minutes, until it bubbles and thickens. Sprinkle on the nutritional yeast ans thyme, let cook 1 more minute to combine flavors. Serve over noodles.

If you try it, let me know what you think!

Veggie Fajitas, vegan style

Veggie Fajitas

I really think I should have been born South of the border! I love Mexican food, latin food, anything with beans, rice, cilantro, lime, cumin, avocado...
This time, I used steak style strips, something I never do. I thought it would be fun to introduce them to Chef KC and see what he thought of them.

Veggie Fajitas

2 tbsp oil
1 onion, sliced
1 bell pepper, sliced into strips
3 cloves garlic, minced
1-2 cups mushrooms, sliced
1 carrot, peeled and sliced into thin circles
1-2 cups cauliflower florets, cut into small pieces
1-2 cups broccoli florets, cut into small pieces

1 small summer squash or zucchini, sliced into thin circles
1 1/2 tsp cumin
1 tsp lime juice
1 tbsp Bragg's liquid aminos or soy sauce
1 pkg steak style strips (optional)
Corn tortillas
Condiments or choice. We used pico de gallo, avocado-cumin sauce, and cheeze. You could also use sour cream and guacamole. Whatever you want!

Use the amount of vegetables you're comfortable with. When it says 1-2 cups, it just depends on what you're vegetables amount to, it's hard to actually measure these odd-shaped goodies, just use the amount you want.

Cooking veggies

Heat the oil in a large skillet on high heat. Add the onion and let it cook for a minute. Add the bell pepper, garlic, mushrooms and carrot, and let them cook for 3 minutes. Add the cauliflower, broccoli and squash. Combine the soy, lime juice and cumin, and pour it into the pan. Stir, cover, and let them steam for 3 minutes. Remove the lid and stir again, and let them cook until the moisture had evaporated. This can take a while, but be sure your pan is on high heat. If you're using the steak style strips, this is the time to add them.
The key to that fajita flavor is letting your food cook and caramelize a little. Stir it a few times to make sure you get cook crisp flavor on a lot of your veggies. Once you're happy with the color, they're done!
warm up your tortillas, adorn them with your veggies and other yummy toppings, and enjoy.

All dressed up

The "meat"

 
Tonight Chef KC was in the kitchen with me for a bit as I prepped. He thinks it's hilarious, the way I cut my veggies. I asked him to show me how to do it the "right" way. I have a video for this, even, showing you his technique. I originally took the video to show how fast he cuts the onions, but he thought it was about technique and not speed. Some day I will get that speed!
This was his (and my) first time trying the steak style strips. He used Lightlife brand. He said, "Wow. tastes like meat!" I thought they were a little sweet and salty, but not really like meat. He felt they were just like meat, with the same chewiness and texture. He knows better than I do, I haven't had meat in nearly 2 years!

Chef KC demonstrates chopping

Stir Fry with Teriyaki Tofu

 

Stir Fri With Teriyaki Tofu

This dish is a great meal with bright colored vegetables, sweet teriyaki tofu, and your choice of noodles or rice.
Be sure to notice the prep time for the tofu. You need to prep the tofu in advance, it does take some time to get it ready to add to the stir fry. Have the tofu completely cooked or nearly done before you start the stir fry, because the stir fry cooks fast.
The two types of tofu preparation I use are in the previous blog post. I think the frozen type is best for this recipe.


Teriyaki Tofu
Serves 4

2 blocks of tofu, each in 6 slices (frozen pressed tofu works best, instructions are in previous post)
3 tbsp Bragg's liquid aminos (or soy sauce)
1 tbsp sesame oil
1/2 cup pineapple juice(You can get a can of pineapple chunks and use the juice, and freeze the chunks for smoothies)
3 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp agave
2 cloves garlic minced
1 tsp ginger juice
Whisk all ingredients together. submerge slices of tofu in the marinade, and marinate for 1 hour, flipping mid-way through marinade time.
Place tofu on baking sheet and spoon a little bit of marinade onto each slice. Bake the tofu at 300 degrees for 1 hour, flipping mid-way through baking time. It should be dry to the touch.

Stir Fry

1 tbsp oil

1 onion, sliced
1 red bell pepper, sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced

1 cup mushrooms, sliced
1 carrot, sliced into thin coins
1-2 cups broccoli florets
1 zucchini, sliced
2 cups snow peas
Marinade from tofu
1 tbsp corn starch

Heat the oil in a wok or large skillet. Add the onions, saute for two minutes. Add the garlic, bell pepper, mushrooms and carrots, and saute 2 more minutes. Add the broccoli and zucchini, and stir. Cover with a lid, and let it steam for a few minutes.
Mix the corn starch with two tablespoons of water, then stir it into the leftover marinade. remove lid and pour onto the vegetables, mix well, then add the snow peas. Cover and let steam for 3 minutes, remove the lid, stir, and let it cook for 2 more minutes.

I used maifun rice noodles, but I know this would be good with brown rice, soba noodles, ramen noodles, wide rice noodles...okay, any noodle or rice. Even quinoa.
Place the rice/noodles on the plate, add your veggies, and top with chopped tofu.

Pressing tofu, and a simple kid friendly tofu recipe

There are two basic methods I use to press tofu, and the method I used depends on the recipe I am using.

For either method, start with a 14-ounce block of firm or extra firm tofu, the kind you get in the refrigerated section in the tubs. Drain the liquid, then hold it in your hands and squeeze a little to get water out, while keeping the shape of the tofu. To get equally sized slabs, I slice the whole thing in half, then each half is sliced in half, and finally each quarter is sliced in half.

Regular Pressed Tofu

  Fold a clean dish towel in half and place the tofu on one end, then fold the other half of the towel over it. Place a large plate or a large pan on top of the tofu, and use something heavy like a few cans of food to weigh it down.
  Leave it there for about 20 minutes, and you have pressed tofu, ready for recipes.

Frozen Pressed Tofu

  This method produces a firm, chewy texture that accepts liquids and crisps up well.
24 hours before you plan to cook the tofu, put the whole package in the freezer. It works best if you leave it in overnight and take it out in the morning. If it is allowed to sit out all day, it should defrost. If it is still a little frozen in the middle, it’s okay.
  Once it is thawed, open it up and drain the liquid. Squeeze the block of tofu to get most of the liquid out. Continue as with regular pressed tofu method.





Kid-Friendly Tofu


Kids love this tofu. It is so easy and simple, the hardest part is waiting until it is done pressing!

1 block tofu, pressed and diced
2 tsp oil
2 tsp Bragg's liquid aminos or soy sauce
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp water

Heat oil in a small frying pan. When oil is hot, add the diced tofu and let it cook for 1-2 minutes, until it starts to crisp. Stir, being careful not to break up the pieces, and let it cook again. Repeat this until all sides are starting to crisp. Combine the soy, vinegar and water, then pour into the pan. Let the tofu cook, stirring often, until the liquid is absorbed.

Happy 2012!

As the new year has started, I keep reading articles and finding new information online about vegan people, ideas, recipes and more. I am finding so much great information, and feeling so inspired that it makes me teary sometimes. I am a very emotional person, so even just reading a headline about someone changing their health can make my throat burn with rising emotion. Silly girl!



I have resolutions, as most of us do, to be healthier and better with my life. I am finding that I eat way too much sugar, and that is affecting my whole self: mood, weight, other habits, and my health. I started cutting it out majorly, I used to drink a lot of soda and eat cookies, a donut, or a small piece of cake nearly every day. How crazy is that?? I am trying to convince myself only to enjoy these things in small amounts, on special occasions. I know that completely cutting my favorite foods out of my life will only make me unhappy and gorge on them in secrecy, so I am going to set goals to reach and treat myself to a small special treat. If enough time goes by, I may not even want them anymore. I used to drink Red Bull a lot, then I just stopped, "cold turkey." I knew that if I had one once in a while, it would make me just want them more and more, so after saying, "I quit!" I didn't have one again, until I let myself taste one about 2 months after quitting. One sip, and I wasn't interested in any more. Good thing it wasn't mine, or I would have wasted money!

I think I can follow this plan this time, too. I am going to treat myself well, and keep myself happy and positive this year. A lot of changes have happened through my family in the past 2 months, and I know that there is something positive coming soon. I just have to keep working hard, keeping my eyes set on some good goals, and staying strong to reach them.

My first goal is to not eat any sugary treats until my birthday, then to allow myself some strawberry rhubarb pie. I made some for Thanksgiving and loved it, so that is my special treat. I may allow myself some soda or something, but I am waiting to see how I feel. If I have rid my body of the cravings for it, then I will just let it go.

I have been struggling with myself a lot lately, feeling like I am not at my optimum, not where I want to be. I have a main goal for the year, --To do everything 100%-- I don't want to set a goal, only to give up on myself. That seems like a waste of breath, telling myself I want something then not really trying to get it. I only feel let down when I am not able to accomplish the goals I set for myself, so they will be attainable goals with meaning. I will be able to accomplish what I want, and to feel GREAT about it, so it will keep me moving along. I am excited to start living life to the fullest!

Happy New Year, my friends! I look forward to sharing more with you this year, and helping you reach your goals, any way I can. Whether it's through healthy recipes, positive goals, affirmations, or support, I will be here, just ask.