Bacon vs. Tofu

Artichokey Rissooty

2012-01-25T15:53:00.004-05:00

1 large Onion Chopped (or one large leek , bunch shallots)
2 Tb butter
4 big cloves garlic
1 cup Arborio Rice
1 half cup white wine ( I like to use pinot gris)
1 Veggie broth

salt
pepper

1 Jar of Artichoke hearts and stems (trader joes is the best) drained and chopped
1 cup fresh basil leaves
1/2 cup parm

Warm broth in a stock pot..... keep warm but not hot

In a seperate pot fry your onions in butter till soft and glassy
add garlic and cook another 3 to 4 minn
add rice and fry till rice gives off a toasty nutty smell
add wine ( pour yourself some to drink while you are at it)
stir constantly till all liquid is absorbed

set timer for 21 minn

begin adding broth in 1/2 cup amounts

1/2 cup at a time stirring constantly till all liquid is absorbed

(this can kinda boring or cathartic)

keep going until all the broth is gone or the timer dins!

if you run out of broth add more butter and next time lower the heat. you want it right between med high and high

once cooked remove from heat.
toss in chokes! basil! salt and pepper
garnish with parm
and eat!

made this saturday and had a friend snap a pic with his phone, sorry not so fancy!

Tofu Kale Supper Pie

2012-01-22T20:27:00.003-05:00

This recipe was from the cookbook Feeding the Whole Family by Cynthia Lair. I think the word pie makes it seem a bit intimidating but really it only took the two of us a half an hour to throw together. It was really tasty.

Prep time: 55 min (I guess quicker because there was two of us)

Makes 8 slices

Crust:
1 c. whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 tsp sea salt
4 T cold, unsalted butter
2 T coconut oil
2 T ice-cold water

(Or just buy a premade crust and save yourself 20 minutes prep time. We made ours.)

Filling:
2 tsp plus 1 T olive oil
1 onion, chopped
pinch of sea salt
2 carrots, thinly slice into half-moons
1 bunch kale, stems removed and cut into bite sized pieces
1/4 c. water
1 lb. firm tofu
1 T umeboshi vinegar (we substituted red wine vinegar and an extra pinch of salt)
1 T. mustard (we used dijon because that's what we had)
2 tsp tamari
1 1/2 tsp fresh dill or 1/2 tsp dried dill

To make the crust: preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put flour and salt in a large mixing bowl. Cut butter and oil into flour with a pastry cutter or two knives until crumbly. Slowly dribble water into flour, blending with a fork. Alternately, butter and oil and be incorporated into the flour in a food processor, then water added slowly while pulsing to make a dough. Gather dough into a ball: it should be moist and pliable. Roll out into a crust on a floured surface or a piece of wax paper. Transfer to an 8 or 9 inch pie pan. Trim edges. Prebake for 10 minutes in the oven.

To make the filling: heat 2 teaspoons of the oil in a large skillet. Add onion, salt, and carrots; sautee until onion is soft. Add kale, stirring several times until kale begins to wilt. Add water to skillet and cover. Blend the remaining 1 tablespoon of oil, tofu, vinegar, mustard, tamari, and dill in a blender or food processor until smooth. You may need to add a little water. ( we also added some salt, pepper, chili powder and garlic powder because this mixture tasted a bit bland).

To assemble: put the vegetables in the bottom of the pre-baked crust. Pour the tofu mixture over the top, covering the vegetables. Bake 30 minutes, or until the top of the pie begins to turn golden at the edges. Cut and serve!

Creamy Roasted Cauliflower and Broccoli Soup

2012-01-19T13:53:00.002-05:00

This soup was great! Having just gotten over a cold it was perfect, and filling. I added red pepper flakes ( because I like the spice) and I didn't add parsley. ENJOY! Michelle, ps, my photo is the second one:)

Creamy Roasted Cauliflower and Broccoli Soup

1 whole head cauliflower, cut into flourets
2 cups broccoli flourets
1 large garlic head (not clove!)
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 Tbsp unsalted butter
2 stalks celery, diced
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1 large carrot, peeled and diced
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp dried thyme leaves
1 Tbsp flour
1/3 cup dry white wine
1/3 cup water
28 oz low-sodium vegetable broth
1 bay leaf
2 tsp fresh parsley, minced (optional)
1/3 cup half-and-half

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 F.

Combine cauliflower and broccoli flourets in a 9 x 13 baking dish. Toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.

Cut the top off of the head of garlic and wrap in foil. Place wrapped garlic on the baking sheet. Roast the cauliflower, broccoli, and garlic for 20-25 minutes.

Meanwhile, heat the butter in a cast iron dutch oven or medium-large stock pot. Add the onion, celery, and carrot. Saute over medium heat for about 10 minutes. Whisk in the salt, pepper, paprika, thyme, and flour and continue to cook for 2 more minutes.

Add the wine and water, mixing to combine with the flour mixture. Slowly add in the vegetable broth. Add the bay leave. Remove garlic cloves from their skin and add to the pot whole. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes.

Add the cauliflower and broccoli and simmer an additional 5 minutes.

Remove the bay leaf. Working in batches, add the soup to a blender or food processor and blend until pureed and smooth, or puree with an immersion blender in the pot.

Stir in the half and half and parsley. Cook until just heated through. Serve hot. Yield: 4 servings (1 1/3 to 1 1/2 cups each).

Nutrition Information (per serving): 193 calories; 8.5 g. fat; 7 mg. cholesterol; 449 mg. sodium; 21.3 g. carbohydrate; 6.5 g. fiber; 5.2 g. protein

Classic Vegan Chili

2012-01-18T16:06:00.005-05:00

Well, Chili is not classically vegan, but I'm beginning to not miss the meat aspect of chili. This recipe is no big deal and definitely nothing fancy, but I waited an extra day to finish up what was left and it's killer!

Need:

1-2 tbsp olive oil
2 cans kidney beans
1 can black beans
1 cup veggie stock
3 garlic cloves
1 large onion(I used yellow)
1 large bell pepper
1 cup water
1 can diced tomatoes(throw the juice in too)
1 bay leaf(I was surprised this gave the recipe a nice round flavor)
1 teaspoon cayenne(less if you don't like it spicy, I do)
1 heaping teaspoon of sea salt
3 tbsp chili powder
2 tsp oregano
1 tbsp cumin
1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa + 1 tsp sugar(this makes all the difference!)
I squeezed a bit of lime at the end :)

Do It:

Sometimes I sautee the onions and garlic first and then add the remaining veggies, but your call on that one. I just threw in all the veggies together and sauteed for 4-5 min until tender. I added the remaining ingredients and cooked everything on a medium temp(not too high!) for about 40 min. I then let it simmer for about 10 min and let it sit until I couldn't wait any longer! I'm on day three of this dish and it's the best one yet(and spicy!)..be patient dudes!

** I happily sprinkled some cheddar cheese and a nice dollop of sour cream on top.

I suggest making this earlier in the day (I mean, if you can) and letting it sit for as long as possible. Did I say wait? I've said sit and wait many times. Bye all!

Hummus!

2012-01-17T08:50:00.005-05:00

I believe I conquered Hummus! I've been trying to match the traditional hummus I find in Middle Eastern restaurants.. It's been a difficult journey, but here it is, at its best.

**I typically don't measure when I cook so this is my best estimation.

Need:

1 large can of chickpeas
1/4 cup tahini(good tahini from your local middle eastern/asian market, trust me!)
The juice of one large lemon
4-5 cloves garlic
1/4 cup Extra virgin olive oil(plus the amount you drizzle over the top)
1 teaspoon salt
good pinch of cayenne
1 teaspoon parsley

You'll need a food processor or a blender(I used a blender and it worked just fine)

Throw the chickpeas,tahini, lemon and garlic in a food processor or blender and blend for a few minutes. While still blending slowly stream in the olive oil until it's fully incorporated. I like my hummus pretty smooth so I blend for a good 4-5 minutes(again, rough estimation). Throw in the herbs and seasoning(not cayenne) and blend for another 30 seconds or so. After it's done flavor as you desire(more lemon, salt, etc.) Don't forget to drizzle olive oil and cayenne on top(a little chopped fresh parsley if you have it)!

**I like my hummus with a strong tahini taste so that's what you'll get from this recipe. Also, full disclosure, that's not a picture of my hummus.

Eat! Eat!

Chicky Chill Chill

2012-01-16T10:33:00.005-05:00

Here is my recipe for Chickpea Chili
or Chicky Chill Chill (as Tom Haverford would probably say)
it's pure comfort food, and super hearty which is good because it was like 8 degrees in Chicago this past week.

2 teaspoons olive oil
1 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup chopped carrot
1 teaspoon minced garlic
2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 teaspoons paprika
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper
1 1/2 cups water
2 tablespoons no-salt-added tomato paste
2 (15 1/2-ounce) cans chickpeas rinsed and drained
1 (14.5-ounce) can no-salt-added diced tomatoes, undrained
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, carrot, and garlic to pan; sauté 5 minutes. Stir in cumin and next 7 ingredients (through red pepper); cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add 1 1/2 cups water, tomato paste, chickpeas, and tomatoes; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 20 minutes. Stir in cilantro and juice.

Keeeeen Wahhhhh

2012-01-11T13:06:00.003-05:00

it's totally cool to pass off your husbands recipes as your own...right?

2 large zucchini, cut lengthwise into 12 1/4-inch-thick slices
1 tsp. salt
2 cups low-sodium vegetable broth
1 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained
1/2 cup tomato sauce
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Place zucchini slices on bed of paper towels. Sprinkle with salt, cover with paper towels, and let stand to release moisture while preparing quinoa.

2. Bring broth, quinoa, tomato sauce, onion, and oregano to a boil in saucepan. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer 25 minutes, or until all liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat, and stir in basil, and parsley.

3. Layer quinoa tomato sauce, then zucchini slices. Repeat, top with remaining quinoa tomato sauce. Bake lasagna 30 minutes, or until zucchini is tender and top is bubbly.

modified from this recipe

Butternut, Carrot, Ginger

2012-01-10T13:40:00.003-05:00

Happy New Year
and, so Happy to be here!
This is my very first post here on Bacon vs. Tofu
_______________________________
Every year around this time
I panic a bit and make a resolution
to start the new year with a healthy detox cleanse*...
*a break from the coffee, sugar, dairy, and copious amounts of pure garbage that I usually enjoy

When my girl Monica e-mailed this recipe
I thought...
I have a few hours to kill on a Sunday and I'm going to seriously make this soup
since it's all cleansy vegan and what not.

Like actually make it, and not just write it down

It turned out so good

next time I'll make a quadruple batch, and eat it for weeks
and also, next time, I wont try to blend it in the blender while it's still boiling hot.

Warm Butternut and Chickpea Salad with Tahini Dressing

2009-12-12T19:40:00.005-05:00

This recipe is shut-your-face- delicious. Seriously. Ms. Mosely joined C and I for an after-Thanksgiving-Thanksgiving-meal where this dish was the star. We made a last minute executive decision to modify the recipe a bit and carmelize the onions and cook the chickpeas and serve it all hot. That was the right decision! And it made yummy lunch leftovers too! I'm really excited to make this one again, and again, and again...

Warm Butternut and Chickpea Salad with Tahini Dressing
Recommended by the lovely Shannon, Found on Smitten Kitchen, Adapted from Orangette, who adapted it from Casa Moro (whew!)

Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients for salad:

1 medium butternut squash (about 2 to 2 1/2 pounds), peeled, seeded, and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces
2 medium garlic clove, minced or pressed
1/2 teaspoons ground allspice
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt
One 15-ounce can chickpeas, drained and rinsed (1 1/2 cups)
1/2 of a medium red onion, finely chopped
1/4 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro or parsley
black pepper to taste

Ingredients for Tahini Dressing:

1 medium garlic clove, finely minced with a pinch of salt
1/4 cup lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
3 tablespoons well-stirred tahini
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons olive oil, plus more to taste

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425°F.
In a large bowl, combine the butternut squash, garlic, allspice, olive oil, and a few pinches of salt. Toss the squash pieces until evenly coated. Roast them on a baking sheet for 25 minutes, or until soft. Remove from the oven and cool.
Meanwhile, make the tahini dressing: In a small bowl, whisk together the garlic and lemon juice and cayenne pepper. Add the tahini, and whisk to blend. Add the water and olive oil, whisk well, and taste for seasoning. The sauce should have plenty of nutty tahini flavor, but also a little kick of lemon. You might need to add more water to thin it out.
Carmelize the onions in olive oil, then add the chickpeas to the pan to cook.
To assemble the salad, combine the squash, chickpeas, onion, and cilantro or parsley in a mixing bowl. Either add the tahini dressing to taste, and toss carefully, or you could serve the salad with the dressing on the side. Serve immediately.

Note: Molly says this salad, lightly dressed, keeps beautifully in the fridge, that you should hold a little of the dressing on the side and that it can be reheated in the microwave. (I agree! We didn't keep any on the side, just dressed and tossed the whole thing, but it reheated wonderfully in the microwave).

¡Tortilla Soup!

2009-10-27T09:39:00.005-04:00

I think the best Mexican Food in Chicago is actually in the close burb of Lincolnwood — Wholly Frijoles (I know, what kind of a name is that?!) But it's super delicious. And here's the kicker, with every entree you get a bowl of their tortilla soup. It's everything you ever wanted out of a soup and a meal and sometimes your day. Seriously. So, yesterday, Chris and I decided to try to recreate it. After looking at several blogs for their tortilla soup recipes, making a list, then leaving the list at home, and a quick market trip we were ready... The outcome was really close to Wholly Frijoles and also super delicious! (Please note that this was a season as you go recipe, so the amounts are estimates, season to taste...)

Tortilla Soup

Makes about 6-7 bowls

Ingredients

1 large spanish onion
7 cloves of garlic
3 limes
1 jalepeno (they seem to be very spicy right now, so one should bring enough heat)
2 mexican zucchini
1 14.5 oz. can of diced tomatos
3 14.5 oz can of vegetable broth
1 cup of cilantro
2 cups of crushed tortilla chips
1/3 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 tsp. soy sauce
1 tsp. cumin
1/2 tsp. chipotle chili powder
1/2 tsp. oregano
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. black pepper
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. ground corriander
2 bay leaves
2 dried red chilis
olive oil to saute

Directions

Saute onions and 4 cloves of garlic, chopped, in olive oil until soft
Add 1 jalepeno and 2 zucchini, diced. Add 1 tsp. soy sauce. Saute for another minute or two
Add cumin, chili powder, oregano, salt, pepper and ground corriander and the juice of 2 limes. Cook for another few minutes.
Add broth, tomatos, bay leaves, dried chilis, 2 more cloves of garlic, 1/2 cup of cilantro. Bring to a boil. Then turn down to low heat and let cook for an hour. (You could probably cut this time, but we wanted the flavors to blend well.)
Remove the bay leaves and dried chilis. Blend 3/4 of the soup with the tortilla chips, the juice of 1 more lime, 1/2 cup of cilantro and 1 more garlic clove
Return blended mixture to pot, add cheese and cinnamon and cook 10 more minutes on low heat to let flavors blend.
Serve with the toppings of your choice – tortilla chips, cheese, avocado, sour cream, etc...

Bananadoodles

2009-10-19T10:29:00.004-04:00

I make Snickerdoodles probably twice a year (even though Chris wishes I would make them every week). I use the Martha Recipe from her Holiday Cookies 2006 magazine, which is different, for some reason, than the one on her website. Recently, I've started substituting one banana for the 2 eggs called for — And I think they are even better! The banana helps them stay really soft and you can definitely taste the banana flavor in the cookie, it's like it's been rolled in cinnamon and sugar... Yum! For those that don't like banana flavor, I'd stick to the eggs (or another egg substitute).

Bananadoodles (aka Snickerdoodles with Banana)

Makes about 24

Ingredients

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups sugar, plus 2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, plus more if needed
2 large eggs (I substituted 1 large banana finely choopped)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Sift together flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or if you are sans mixer, like me, just use a large bowl, a rubber spatula and your arm muscles), combine butter and 1 1/2 cups sugar. Mix on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Mix in eggs, or banana. Reduce speed to low; gradually mix in flour mixture.
In a small bowl, stir together cinnamon and remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar. Shape dough into balls (about the size of a golf ball); roll in cinnamon sugar. Space 3 inches apart on baking sheet lined with parchment.
Bake cookies, rotating sheets halfway through, until edges are golden and the center begins to crack (they will not brown), about 12 to 15 minutes. Transfer the sheets to a wire rack to coo. Store in an airtight container up to 1 week.

Pacific Rim Pasta Salad

2009-09-29T21:34:00.001-04:00

At my favorite pasta place in the market, they give you a cute recipe with every purchase.

I was intrigued by this recipe but had to make a few changes. I used agave instead of honey, and tofu instead of chicken, and braggs liquid aminos instead of soy. We ate this warm the first day and cold the next, right out of the bowl with the fridge door open.

Pacific Rim Pasta Salad

1/2 LB pasta

1 large block firm tofu cubed

1/4 cup diced green onions

2 large bell peppers, bite size pieces

1 bunch cilantro, chopped

1/2 cup raw peanuts

Sauce

1/4 cup olive oil (plus a little more for frying)

2 tbs white vinegar

1 tbs agave

3 tbs liquid aminos

1 tbs red chili flakes

1 tbs garlic minced

1 tbs ginger root, peeled and finely minced

1. combine sauce ingredients in a bowl, cover and refrigerate for at least 30 minns

2. cook pasta till al dente

3. fry tofu cubes in some oil till toasty brown on all sides

4. in a small pan, roast peanuts until fragrant, chop coarsely

5. in a large serving bowl add cooked/ or cooled pasta , tofu, green onions, peppers and sauce.

6. garnish with cilantro and peanuts

maca who?

2009-09-29T21:15:00.000-04:00

I know that making macaroni salad vegan is a obvious thing, you use veganiase instead of mayo.

Josh recently purchased some macaroni salad from our food co-op and i tried to recreate it. Much to our delight it is very simple in flavor and very yummy.

Macaroni Salad

-2 cups cooked elbow macaroni noodles (whole wheat is betta!)

-1/2 cup shredded carrots

-1/2 cup chopped red onion

-1/2 cup fresh parsley (reg or italian)

-1/2 cup veganaise

-2 tbs white rice vinegar

-1 tbs garlic power

lots of salt and pepper!!!!!!!!!!!

toss together in a big bowl and eat!!!!!!!!!!

for best taste let sit in fridge over night! yum

bibimbap!

2009-09-03T10:20:00.004-04:00

The Ladies had never eaten the protein-packed Korean dish BIBIMBAP, so it was my pleasure to make it. It is a healthy dish , with plenty of left overs!
Enjoy.

1 pound spinach, large stems removed
bunch of broccolli
5 medium carrot, cut into 2-by-1/2-inch strips
1 medium cucumber
4 scallions, cut into thin matchsticks
1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon Asian sesame oil
5 cloves minced garlic
1 cup shredded red-leaf cabbage
4 scallions, cut into thin matchsticks
5 large eggs (optional)
1 large red pepper
1/2 of box extra firm tofu
Steamed Rice - we used basamati
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
Korean Chili Sauce
Salt
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons sugar

Steam the spinach until just wilted, about 2 minutes. Transfer the spinach to a bowl of ice water to stop the cooking. Drain, squeeze dry and chop coarsely.
Put the spinach, carrot, cucumber, cabbage, red peppe and tofu in separate small bowls; toss each vegetable with 1/2 teaspoon of sesame oil and 1/2 teaspoon of minced garlic.
In a small skillet, stir-fry each vegetable separately (except the spinach) over moderate heat; the carrot, red pepper, cucumber, broccolli and tofu. Decoratively arrange the cooked vegetables, lettuce, and scallions in small bowls or in piles on a platter.
In a medium skillet, heat the remaining 1 teaspoon of sesame oil. Crack in the eggs and fry them, sunny side up. Meanwhile, reheat the rice if necessary.
Bring the rice to the table with the vegetables and the fried eggs. Toss the rice with the eggs first, to break them up, then add all of the vegetables and the toasted sesame seeds. Stir in about 2 tablespoons of Korean Chili Sauce and mix lightly but thoroughly. Season with salt and serve at once.

the musical fruit

2009-08-31T02:50:00.000-04:00

here is yet another skinny bitch recipe..... i make it almost every monday and put it in my sweet peas lunch so he stays full and wont eat burger king.

i never follow a recipe exactly because i do not like to waste a whole can of something because a recipe calls for one cup. your never gonna eat the rest of the can of corn in the fridge so put the whole fucking thing in the salad! waste not want not

1-can corn

1-half bag frozen shelled edamame

1-can red kidney beans drained rinsed

1-can chic peas drained rinsed

2- green onions sliced

1- red pepper sliced and diced

2-tbs parsley fresh italian or dried

2-tbs basil

salt

pepper

place all ingredients in a large bowl (with a lid for later)

stir so that everything is well acquainted

in a smaller bowl, start your dressing

3-tbs red wine vinegar

1-big spoon full of dijon mustard

3-tbs olive oil

whisk together and then drizzled over salad.

stir and then let sit in fridge for at least one hour

better the next day!

sleepy cabbage

2009-08-30T22:15:00.004-04:00

Hi friends! Sorry I have been neglecting this blog! Work and school consumed me, not to mention I wasn't doing much cooking. I want to keep this going...which means everyone should post MORE:-) I have made up a few interesting dishes this week, i will post them soon.

I have been a lover of purple cabbage forever but in the past 2 months, I can't get enough of cabbage in general! I swear, I could eat it with every meal. I love it in coleslaw, in soup, in stir-fry! You name it, I'll eat it. I would love to find a good veggie stuffed cabbage recipe.....

For now here is an easy "coleslaw", I didn't follow a recipe, so you should just guess at the measurements!

photo by Esme

Half of a small green cabbage
Half of a small purple cabbage
Half of a red pepper
A few sprigs of fresh dill
A couple dill pickles (if you fancy)
Slice all of these things as thin as possible (which requires a sharp knife that I don't own!)
Then mix together:
half of a lime
some apple cider vinegar
dash of Braggs
Salt
Pepper
A small amount of agave nectar
A teaspoon of veganaise
Curry powder (if you fancy!)

Pour the dressing over the cabbage and mix throughly. I think it tastes better if you let it sit over night and marinate. You can add onions, if you like too! Mmmm, cabbage!

Blueberry Boy Bait

2009-08-25T17:18:00.002-04:00

Okay, so I saw this recipe on another blog, and freaked out because the name was so cool.

I mean, boy bait? Seriously? So I had to make it. It was delicious. Especially with in-season blueberries. Even better if you picked them yourself! I made this using everything vegan, except for the eggs... but I'm gonna wager that it's good any way you make it!

2 cups plus 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon sea salt

16 tablespoons unsalted butter (2 sticks), softened or vegan margarine (I suggest Earth balance)

3/4 cup packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup granulated sugar

3 large eggs (or egg replacer equivalent)

1 cup whole milk or soy milk

1/2 cup blueberries (I really, really suggest fresh- but if you have to use frozen, either drain them once they defrost, or leave them frozen)

Topping

1/2 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen (do not defrost)

1/4 cup granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

For the cake:

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Grease and flour 13 by 9-inch baking pan.
Whisk two cups flour, baking powder, and salt together in medium bowl.

With electric mixer, beat butter and sugars on medium-high speed until fluffy, about two minutes.

Add eggs, one at a time, beating until just incorporated and scraping down bowl.

Reduce speed to medium and beat in one-third of flour mixture until incorporated; beat in half of milk.

Beat in half of remaining flour mixture, then remaining milk, and finally remaining flour mixture. Toss blueberries with remaining one teaspoon flour.

Using rubber spatula, gently fold in blueberries. Spread batter into prepared pan.

For the topping:

Scatter blueberries over top of batter.

Stir sugar and cinnamon together in small bowl and sprinkle over batter.

Bake until toothpick inserted in center of cake comes out clean, 45 to 50 minutes.

Cool in pan 20 minutes, then turn out and place on plate, topping side up.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

Spiced Avocado Sandwich

2009-07-13T13:58:00.006-04:00

I've had this recipe for Spiced Avocado Sandwiches (compliments of Martha) bookmarked for months and finally decided to give it a whirl on Thursday. Result = So Fantastically Delicious! Seriously, it tastes like Summer. Yum. I even made it a second time for myself two days later...

Spiced Avocado Sandwich

Serves 2

Ingredients

1 ripe avocado
1 tablespoon fresh orange juice
1/2 to 1 teaspoon green Tabasco sauce (I substituted 1 tbsp. of green salsa here)
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon coarse salt and pepper
1/2 cup yellow grape tomatoes, halved
1 small cucumber, peeled, halved lengthwise, seeded, and cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 large or 2 small radishes, halved and thinly sliced
2 whole-wheat pitas (6 inches each), cut in half

Directions

Halve and pit avocado. With a spoon, scoop out avocado flesh, cut into chunks, and transfer to a medium bowl. Add orange juice, Tabasco sauce, and coriander; season with salt and pepper. Mix gently to combine.
Add tomatoes, cucumber, and radish. Combine, and divide mixture between 2 pitas. Serve immediately.

vegan masala mashup

2009-07-13T03:53:00.002-04:00

It takes FOREVER to make and i will apologize now if the recipe is hard to follow, and that it has what i feel like is a bizillion ingredients, an i never took a picture of the finished project.

it is really yummy though

you will need...

1 large onion

2 large potatoes ( you can have creative freedom in choosing which kind)

1 package frozen spinach

2 cans tomato puree

1 can chic peas

5 cloves garlic

1 cup frozen peas

2 cups cauliflower

1 tbs veganiase ( i prefer the grape seed kind)

1/2 cup raw cashews

1 package soft tofu cubed (makes a great fake paneer)

* i feel there is no limit to the amount of spice that should be used, and i never measure. Use at your own will

tumeric

cumin

garuam masala

curry

siriachi

paprika

in a very large/ deep frying pan heat the oil of your choice

add chopped onion and garlic and fry till almost soft

add cubed potato (skins and all)

add a few shakes of tumeric , so that it can soak into the potato

cook for 3 minns

add tomato puree and frozen spinach and cashews

cook on med heat covered for 20 minns so that the potatoes and cashews can soften and all the flavors can mesh together.

remove from heat

now would be a good time to get the water going for the rice of your choice. i would suggest a brown basmati

cool the contents of the frying pan enough where is it safe to put in a food processor

blend till smooth, but allow some chunks of the potato and cashew (these are always a nice surprise)

place mixture back into frying pan

mix in veganaise

add spices to your liking

then add, cauliflower, drained chic peas, green peas, and faux paneer

cook one med heat covered until rice in finished.

this dish is great day or but even better the second day after all the flavors are soaked into one another.

2009-06-22T16:18:00.000-04:00

i will always be in search of the perfect cheese. though i thought follow your heart was the best for pizza i decided to try and make my own. i combined a few different recipes that i found from other blogs. the result baked nice on pizza but was a little gritty (my fault, could have processed longer). it was also yummy as is, with chips , smeared on bread, and almost had a hummus meets nacho cheese taste to it. i like both those things just fine!

2/3 cup cashews

2/3 cup water (or more)

1/4 cup red bell pepper

1/4 red onion

1/4 nutritional yeast flakes

2 garlic gloves

3tbs lemon juice

2tbs braggs liquid aminos

1tbs sesame oil

dash of sea salt

combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend until creamy, adding more cashews if it is to watery and more water if it if too thick. for a lighter taste i would recommend heating the garlic, onion, and pepper in a pan first to soften. for pizza spread a little over pizza sauce, a little goes a long way. i ate it old school just cheese and sauce, but i sprinkled sesame seeds and oregano over the top.

Lemon Risotto

2009-05-19T11:44:00.004-04:00

Chris and I have been loving butternut squash risotto all winter long, but we wanted a lighter/springy version for the sunny days lately. This recipe (courtesy of Martha and Whole Living) certainly fit the bill! We had some wine and romano in the fridge, so we added those in for kicks and paired the risotto with a simple green salad (carrot, radish, green pepper and tomato). Super delicious!

Lemon Risotto

Serves 4
Ingredients

1 large leek, white part only, well washed and cut into 1/2-inch dice
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon unsalted butter
1 cup Arborio rice
2 cups Vegetable Stock, or low-sodium canned
1/2 cup white wine (I used TJ's Sauvignon Blanc)
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 tablespoon lemon zest
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons chopped chives
1/3 cup romano cheese

Directions
Sweat the leek in 3 teaspoons of butter over low heat in a tightly covered straight-sided saute pan for 6 minutes, stirring once or twice.
Add the rice and raise the heat to medium, stirring often for 3 minutes. Add 1/2 cup of wine, stir until it's been absorbed. Add 1 cup of stock, season lightly with salt and pepper, and stir until all of the liquid has been absorbed.
Add the remaining broth, 1/2 cup at a time, stirring constantly after each addition. When all of the liquid is absorbed, add the zest and continue to cook for about 10 minutes more, until the rice is al dente.
Stir in the lemon juice. Season well with salt and pepper, add the chives and romano, stir in the remaining 2 teaspoons of butter until it melts, and serve hot.

One more cupcake....

2009-05-14T23:14:00.005-04:00

Here is a photo of Ms. Penelope helping bake the cupcakes, or rather, eying the cupcakes! I decided that I should bake and Esme should take lots of photos, she takes the best photos! This one is, of course, hers!

Adventures in baking

2009-05-14T20:55:00.012-04:00

Lately I have been baking constantly. I have always loved to bake but lately I blame my sister and her new found love for baking, as well as a cookbook Jenny "rented" entitled, 5000 cupcake recipes, or something ridiculous like that! I am still determined to bake them all and make corrections.

Last week, being the lovely Melissa's birthday, I decided to search for some new recipes. I stumbled across a frangelico cupcake recipe, mmmm, frangelico! I also had some Nutella laying around so I combined the cupcake recipe with a Nutella/coffee frosting recipe I found. The frosting was delicious!!!! The only issue was...I could tell there wasn't going to be enough so I just started adding more stuff and the consistency got a little wet.....

The cupcakes themselves were really moist but I thought once you added the egg whites it took away from the rich chocolate flavor. I think I would add more almond extract next time and maybe more coco powder. Also, I substituted some of the sugar for agave nectar but seeing that I didn't measure it out, I figured I should post the recipe as is.

Here is the cupcake recipe I adapted from How to eat a cupcake

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup cocoa powder (I used a generous 1/2 cup of dark coco powder)
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 large eggs, separated, at room temperature
1/2 cup cold water
1/2 cup Frangelico hazelnut liqueur
1 teaspoon almond extract
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Insert liners into a medium cupcake pan.

2. In a large bowl cream together the butter, cocoa, 1 1/2 cups sugar, and vanilla with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and creamy, 3-5 minutes. Add egg yolks and beat for 4 minutes.
3. In a small bowl mix water and Frangelico and almond extract.
4. In another large bowl combine the flour, baking soda, and salt.
5. Add the dry ingredients to the creamed mixture alternating with the Frangelico mixture. Mix on medium speed until ingredients are almost combined.
6. With clean beaters and a large bowl, beat the egg whites on high speed until they form soft peaks. Gradually beat in the remaining 1/4 cup sugar to make a meringue. With a rubber spatula, fold the meringue into the batter.
7. Fill the cupcake liners 1/2 to 3/4 full. Bake for 18-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center of cupcake comes out clean. Cool cupcakes in the pan for 5 minutes. Finish cooling on wire rack.

Nutella Coffee Frosting: adapted from The cupcake review

Ingredients

· 2 tablespoons butter, softened

· 2 1/2 tablespoons Nutella

· 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar

· 1-2 tablespoons half and half or milk

· 1 teaspoon instant coffee

· 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Method

In a small bowl, combine 1 tablespoon cream/milk with 1 teaspoon instant coffee and stir until coffee is dissolved.

In a separate bowl, combine butter, Nutella, sugar, salt, vanilla, and the 1 tablespoon coffee-milk mixture. Mix well with electric mixer, adding more milk as needed to make a fluffy spreadable frosting.

Makes enough to frost 10-12 cupcakes if just spreading it on with a knife.

Soba-Noodle Salad

2009-05-12T14:25:00.003-04:00

First off, thanks MB for getting this started! I'm so excited to attempt and enjoy all these delicious recipes, ladies!!!

So, I've been hooked on soba noodles for the last month or so (this might be due to the large amount of soba noodles that come in a box, but they are yummy). This is a recipe I found on Martha for Soba-Noodle Salad, and I made a few modifications for taste (more spicy) and fish-sauce free, which is the recipe that follows...

Soba-Noodle Salad

Ingredients

1/4 cup rice-wine vinegar
1 tablespoon grated peeled fresh ginger
3 teaspoons tamari or low-sodium soy sauce
2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lime juice
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
4 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper
12 ounces soba noodles (not 100 percent soba)
1 green mango, peeled and julienned
1 large red pepper, stemmed, seeded, cored, and julienned
1 medium carrot, julienned
3 scallions, thinly sliced on the bias
1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh mint
1/4 cup thinly sliced fresh basil
Lime wedges, for serving

Directions

In a small bowl, mix together vinegar, ginger, tamari, lime juice, and cayenne pepper. Slowly whisk in oil until well combined; season with salt and pepper. Set dressing aside.
Fill a medium pot of water and bring to a boil over high heat. Add soba noodles and cook according to the package directions, until al dente, 4 to 6 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water.
Transfer noodles to a large bowl and add mango, red pepper, carrot, scallions, mint, and basil. Season with salt and pepper; toss to combine.
Drizzle with dressing; you may not need to use all the dressing. (I totally used ALL of the dressing) Serve salad with lime wedges.

TUN-YAY!

2009-05-11T22:28:00.001-04:00

-one block tempeh

-1 pickle spear and a little juice if your into it

-1 half small yellow onion

-2 celery ribs

-2 tbs dill

-1 half of a lemon

-1/3 cup veganaise

-2 tbs dijon or reg mustard

-1 tsp soy sauce

-1 tbsp garlic power

-pinch of sea salt

place tempeh brick in a pot and fill with water and a pinch of salt.

bring to boil then turn off and let stand for 15 minns

drain water and let tempeh cool . rub and little sea salt on one side

in a large bowl combine chopped: onion, celery, pickle. stir in dill. then squeeze in the juice from the lemon

in a small bowl combine :veganaise, soy, mustard, and garlic powder. wisk it is you want to get crazy.

once tempeh has cooled. break apart and crumble adding it to celery and onion mixture.

spoon in a little pickle juice. then add mustard mis from small bowl.

let sit in fridge for hour for best taste

TUN-YAY!!!!!!!!!

Let the eating begin...

2009-05-11T11:23:00.004-04:00

This is exciting!

This is an awesome recipe that I have made 3 or 4 times since I found it, just a few weeks ago. The most recent time was last night, when I needed to eat mush because I just had two teeth pulled. It's delicious, and especially yummy when served with fresh bread, olive tapenade, and goat cheese if you like the dairy. And it's easy!

Chickpea and Rosemary Soup

3 tablespoons olive oil , plus additional for drizzling
8 cloves garlic , finely chopped
1 tablespoon fresh rosemary leaves , minced
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
3 cans (15 to 19 ounces each) chickpeas , rinsed and drained
4 cups vegetable broth (or 4 cups water and 2 vegan bouillon cubes)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon sesame oil
Sea salt

In a large saucepan, heat olive oil and sesame oil over medium heat. Add garlic, rosemary and red pepper flakes. Cook, stirring constantly, until garlic starts to brown, about 1 minute. Add chickpeas and cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes; let cool slightly.Transfer 1 cup of soup at a time to a blender (or use an immersion blender-much easier!) ; cover loosely and puree until just smooth. Return to saucepan. Repeat two more times. Stir lemon juice and salt into soup to taste. Drizzle with olive oil and serve.

I found it here.

Yay, food!

lentil walnut burgers for mom

2009-05-09T20:55:00.001-04:00

Last month was my mom's bday, and in proper Nelson/Bealmear tradition I asked my Mom what she wanted me to cook up for her "birthday dinner". Her reply was "oh, whatever you want", this reply is like a death sentence. Whatever I want???!!! The vaguness of her answer left endless pile of recipes at my feet, or more literally, at my fingertips. I searched the web and found this tasty recipe for Lentil Walnut burgers on a blog called Love and Olive Oil. I adapted this recipe from their site.

The burgers did tend to fall apart and they also remained a little raw in the middle. I would suggest making smaller sized patties and/or covering them while they cook. This made approximately 7 burger sized patties. Taste the mixture before frying, I think I added more salt. They tasted fabulous though and I would definitely make them again! The photo does not do them justice!!!!

Lentil Walnut Burgers
Ingredients
3/4 cup toasted walnuts, cooled
1/3 cup plain dried breadcrumbs
3 garlic cloves, coarsely chopped
2 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
2 1/2 teaspoons ground coriander
1/2 teaspoon red-pepper flakes
Coarse salt and ground pepper
3/4 cup dry lentils, cooked, drained, and cooled- I used red lentils
4 tablespoons olive oil
1 large egg

Yogurt-Cilantro Sauce:
3/4 cup plain low-fat yogurt- I used the thick greek kind
Coarse salt and ground pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves 2 teaspoons dried dill A dash or 2 of rice vinegar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice salt and pepper to taste

Directions
In a food processor, combine walnuts, breadcrumbs, garlic, cumin, coriander, pepper flakes, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper; process until finely ground. Add lentils and 1 tablespoon oil; pulse until coarsely chopped (some lentils should remain whole).

In a large bowl, whisk egg. Add lentil mixture; mix well. Divide into 4 equal-size parts; roll into balls, and flatten with the palm of your hand into 3/4-inch-thick patties.

Heat remaining 3 tablespoons oil in a large nonstick skillet. Add burgers; cook over medium-low heat until crisp and browned, turning gently with a thin-edged spatula, 8 to 10 minutes per side. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain.

In a small bowl, whisk together yogurt, cilantro, and lemon; season with salt and pepper.

Assemble burgers and top with yogurt sauce, tomatoes, sliced red onion, tomato, and lettuce.

The Appitizer

2009-05-09T20:33:00.000-04:00

So, I am not really sure what I am doing here. I have never before been a blogger but, a few months ago, while I whisking away in the kitchen, wishing to share my recent scrumptious findings with my friends, near and far, a timer went off and so did a light bulb. Why not create a space for all of us to share recipes that made our day and filled our bellies?? I hope we can all share tasty treats and savory dishes that fill our evenings apart! Post away, my friends!