Christmas breakfast, the "Vegal", and the best gifts ever!

Hubby eating his first Vegal

A happy Hubby is one of my favorite things to see!  For this Christmas, among the new tripod and camera bag, my wonderful husband told me he is going vegan in 2012!

To celebrate, I made an attempt to veganize one of his favorite meals - a Sheetz Schmagel.  For those of you who have never been to a Sheetz, a "Schmagel" is basically a bagel and egg sandwich with toppings of your choice.  I dubbed this new creation, "The Vegal".

For the "egg"  modified my favorite Tofu Scramble recipe.





Ingredients
1 vegan bagel of choice (hubby loves the "everything" bagel)
1 block extra firm tofu, drained and pressed
2 Tbsp Earth Balance (although this may have been a little much.  Would like to try it with 1 Tbsp next time.)
1-2 Tbsp Soy Sauce
1 tsp Garlic Powder
1 tsp Onion Powder
½ tsp Tumeric
2 Tbsp Nutritional Yeast

Directions (Makes 4)
1. Drain and press the tofu (I usually squeeze out what I can in the container, rinse, squeeze again, then wrap in a paper towel and squeeze a few more times.  Be careful not to squeeze too hard or you'll crumble the tofu.)
2. Heat up a large frying pan on medium heat with the Earth Balance.
3. Cut tofu into 4 even slices across the length of the tofu.
4. In a small bowl, mix all the dry ingredients together.
5. Place the tofu slices onto a plate and cover the tofu lightly with the half the soy sauce then sprinkle on the spices, saving half for the other side.  Flip the slices over and repeat on the other side.
6. Place the slices in the pan, flipping often.  Cook until desired consistency (about 15-20 minutes). 
7. Toast your bagel in a toaster, add the tofu patty and desired toppings and your Vegal is complete! 
Toppings I recommend: lettuce, spinach, tomato, avocado, green peppers. 


I will be experimenting with this recipe more in the future until I feel it is "just right", but for now Hubby is satisfied and approves.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to all!
Love,
Brit at VeganAmore

 

Dining Out: Bob Marley's

Bob Marley's with some friends from out of town. The "Natty Dread" pictured below with Yucca fries wasn't a bad vegan meal for only $9. Extra good with the Island Groove West Indies Peppa Sauce!

4 of 5 stars.

Super Green Smoothie

If I haven't mentioned it, I got a Magic Bullet for my birthday and it was one of the greatest gifts!  Smoothies galore!

I have made multiple fruit smoothies with a frozen fruit mix and fruit juice or some form of mate tea or green tea and all turned out delish!  This time I decided to try something "green".

Super Green Smoothie
¼ Florida Avocado
1 ripe kiwi
¼ c spinach (approx)
1 banana
1 c Acai Matetini Tea from Teavanna
1 Tbsp chia seeds

Quick Tofurkey Lunch

Looking for something quick and easy so I could get started on my Christmas baking; so I grabbed some Tofurkey I bought the other day (two for $5 on sale) and whipped something up. 

Ingredients used:
Two slices home made bread
Tofurkey Hickory deli slices
Slice of Tomato
Slice of Avocado

Side:
Sliced cantaloupe

Great quick lunch when you're in a hurry and quite filling.  Now - time for Christmas movies and baking.

Gluten Free Vegan Sugar Cookies

Hello, World! 

It has been a while since I have posted to my blog.  Things have been a little hectic with my last job, but I quit there and will get back to cooking once again!  I am working with a knife-sharpener now (Cory - Master of Knives) at different Farmer's Markets in the area and have access to fresh fruits and veggies daily! 

With the Christmas season already here, it's time for Christmas cookies!  A friend and I have been talking about gluten-free baking lately, so I thought I'd have a go at it!  I combined several recipes and tried a few different things, but I think I finally have it!  I am going to attempt to replicate it on my Sunday bake-a-thon to confirm.

Gluten-Free Vegan Sugar Cookies
1 ¾ cups gluten-free all-purpose flour
¾ tapioca flour
¼ cup cornstarch
1 tsp. baking powder
1 stick or ½ cup vegan margarine (I use Earth Balance)
¾ cup light brown sugar
¼ cup vanilla almond milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract

1) Preheat the oven to 350º F.

2) Stir together flours, cornstarch, and baking powder in a bowl.

3) In a separate bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the margarine to soften it. Add the sugar to the margarine and beat to combine well. Add the almond milk and vanilla to the margarine-sugar mixture and beat until combined and smooth.

4) Add the flour mixture to the margarine mixture and kneed until it turns into dough.

5) Place a little flour on wax or parchment paper and a rolling pin and roll out the dough until a quarter-inch thick and cut into shapes.  Place the shapes on the prepared baking sheet covered in parchment paper and bake for 10-13 minutes. Cool cookies on cookie sheets for a minute or two and then transfer them to wire racks. Once completely cooled, decorate as you please!

Icing
3 cups gluten-free powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla or lemon extract
3-4 Tbsp almond milk (use plain if using the lemon, but vanilla works great with the vanilla extract for an extra kick!)
Divide it into several bowls and add some vegan food coloring so you can decorate!  

Gluten Free Vegan Sugar Cookies

Vegan Banana Waffles

Hello out there!  Yes, I am still alive.   My life has gotten so hectic, I have neglected this blog yet again.  I've mostly been strictly cooking out of the McDougall Quick & Easy Cookbook, so I have been unable to post actual recipes here for a while, but I will try to post sporadically whenever I make something off the web or one of my own concoctions. 

Vegan Banana Waffles
(Don't mind the crappy cell phone pic)

I started with this recipe: Vegan Banana Waffles, but modified it slightly.  I used:

    1 3/4 cups nondairy milk
    1/2 cup coconut oil
    2 cups whole wheat flour   
    1 tablespoon brown sugar
    4 teaspoons baking powder
    1/2 teaspoon salt
    1 banana


Directions:

1. Preheat waffle iron according to manufacturer's directions.

2. Mix dry ingredients together in a large mixing bowl.  Add nondairy milk and coconut oil and mix. 

3. Mush ripe banana and add to mixture.  Beat on med-high with hand mixer until banana thoroughly blended.

4. Scoop batter into 2/3-1 measuring cup and pour into Belgium sized waffle iron (use less for regular waffle iron). Let cook for about 6-8 minutes, or according to directions (usually when the steam stops coming out from the edges). 

5. Remove waffles with a fork and let cool on wire rack. Serve with jam, maple syrup, or flavored agave nectar.

Makes 4 Belgium sized waffles
Preparation time: 10 min.
Cooking time: 6-8 min. per waffle

Pretzel Dogs

Pretzel Dogs

Ingredients:
Lightlife Smart Dogs
Vegan Pretzel Dough

Super simple, fast, and tasty!  Make the pretzel dough according to the recipe above, wrap around some refrigerated hot dogs and bake for 13 minutes on 425°.  Add a little salt if you desire and serve with condiments and side of your choice - I like potato wedges and ketchup.

Eating Out: EVOS (Tampa, FL)

I know it's been a while, but I'm back!

This place seemed so promising. We were headed to Chili's and saw this in the parking lot.

This idea here is great: healthy fast food. Vegan and Vegetarian options, green business. I ordered the EVOS Original ChampionBurger - vegan style with airbaked fries and Mango Guava FruitShake for $8.49.

EVOS Original ChampionBurger - vegan style with airbaked fries and Mango Guava FruitShake for $8.49.

First of all, EVERYTHING was cold. Fries were cold, the veggie burger tasted like a microwaved Boca Burger that had sitting out for a while. The shake was very sub par (but nothing will ever compare to my Pulp). The best thing about this place was the ketchup. They had regular, garlic, mesquite, and cayenne firewalker styles and all were very good. If only they were paired with warm food!

Verdict: As is 2/10. With warmer food and cheaper prices, they could've had a 6 or 7.

Edit: Photo added (for some reason Blogger Droid did not post it).  After leaving, I did notice we were in very close to closing time, which may explain the cold/old food, however they could have warmed up what they already had.  I will give them another shot to impress me in the future.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Dream Dessert

Ingredients:
Alternative Baking Company - Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip
So Delicious Chocolate Peanut Butter Ice Cream
Melted Skippy Natural Peanut Butter

Can't beat chocolate peanut butter in my book!

Eating Out: Kelly's (Dunedin, FL)

Vegetarian Sandwich at Kelly's in Dunedin, FL

Dad is back visiting for the weekend, so I thought I'd take him out for lunch.  We went to a place in town called Kelly's and it was my first time going there as well.  Pictured above is the Vegetarian Sandwich minus the cheese and without the coleslaw side.  Yum!

Breakfast Feast

Tofu Scramble, Home Fries, Toast, Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins, Tea, and Orange Juice.

Dad's in town on a surprise visit and I really wanted to make him something special.  We ended up going out for lunch and dinner the last two days so I could show him the town and all our favorite places, so I made him breakfast before work today and went all out!

Breakfast included:

Tofu Scramble w/ Home Fries

Toast (Made with fresh bread using my new bread machine and this recipe - Simple Bread Machine Wheat Bread)

Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins (Made the same except I used vegetable oil instead of Earth Balance)

Hope he liked it! 

Product Review - Jokerz Candy Bar

I took my Dad wandering in town and he and my hubby decided to get ice cream.  With a lack of vegan ice cream in my area, I walked to the near by candy store and grabbed myself one of these bad boys - Jokerz Vegan Candy Bar.  It reminds me of a vegan Snickerz.  Yum!!  

A little pricy here, $3.25 in town, but another store out on Clearwater Beach has them for $2.25.  Hardly comparable to the $.99 you can usually get regular candy bars for.  I say we start a movement for a mainstream vegan candy bar.  Who's with me?

Verdict: 9/10 for taste, 5/10 for price. 

BBQ Sloppy Joes

BBQ Sloppy Joe on Easy Vegan Bread

Chef Assistant Paul and I found this amazing BBQ sauce and I decided to try BBQ Sloppy Joes.

15oz can Black Beans, drained and rinsed
¼c Quick Oats
¼c BBQ Sauce of choice

1 Green Pepper, chopped

½ Onion, chopped

Chop up the onion and pepper and saute on medium in a small amount of water until softened.  While those are cooking, put the black beans in a bowl and mash them.  Add the black beans, oats, and bbq sauce to the pepper and onion mixture and heat until warm.  Serve on bun or bread of choice.  

Tofu Sandwich

I had some tofu in the fridge and saw this recipe in an e-mail from Peta and had to try it.

Recipe: $3 Dish of the Day: Grilled Tofu Sandwhich

I used the recipe for the tofu but added tomato and avocado to the sandwich instead with my fresh made bread!

I don't think I drained the tofu enough before pouring on the soy sauce because it probably only absorbed an 8th of what it called for.  Next time I will press my tofu before adding the sauce.  Also the soy sauce made this dish VERY salty, so maybe lighter on the sauce wouldn't be such a bad thing.

For $3, this meal gets an A!

Easy Vegan Wheat Bread

This was my first attempt making bread (well, mostly made by Chef Assistant Paul) and it turned out pretty good!

Recipe: Easy Vegan Wheat Bread

After finding out the bread I was eating might not be vegan, I just got sick of trying to find breads in stores and decided I was going to make my own.

I hope to buy a bread maker in the future and experiment with many different types of bread!

Sweet or Spicy Roasted Sweet Potatoes and Squash

I have decided I am going to try to create one dish entirely on my own each week and I have been craving some nice roasted veggies and here is what I came up with.

1/2 Butternut Squash, seeded and cubed
3 Medium Sweet Potatoes, peeled and cubed
4 Tbsp olive oil
Cinnamon
Nutmeg
Creole Seasoning

I had so many I had two trays, so I thought I would try them two different ways.

First combine all the potatoes and squash and add olive oil to mix around and a little on each pan. Mix around so it the potatoes and squash are lightly covered in oil.  Disperse evenly between two baking sheets.

The Sweet:
On the sweet pan, lightly sprinkle cinnamon and nutmeg to your liking and mix around.

The Spicy:
For the spicy pan, lightly sprinkle with creole seasoning and mix.

Bake in the oven for 45 minutes, flipping every 15 minutes.  If you like them soft, this worked perfect.  If you like them a little crispy, I'd leave them in another 15 minutes.

Near East Whole Grain Blends Roasted Pecan and Garlic

Near East Whole Grain Blends Roasted Pecan and Garlic

Since I moved to Florida, I have come to love Publix's Buy One Get One sales - hence how I got to try the Near East brand.  This dish would work great as a side or as a small lunch.  Easy to make and took less than a half hour.

Spicy Chik'n Quesadillas

My Nikon's battery was dead, so I had to use the Droid cam.

We had some leftover chik'n from the homemade "Chipotle" and needed to use it before it was gone.  Without having all the "Chipotle" ingredients, I thought I would throw together some quesadillas.

Ingredients:
Wheat Tortillas
Vegan Cheddar (My favorite is Follow Your Heart Vegan Cheddar)
Chipotle style Chik'n
Saintly Black and Gold Salsa from Fat Free Vegan Kitchen
Salsa (I used Great Value Peach Pineapple Salsa)

Both the chik'n and Saintly Black and Gold Salsa were very spicy on their own, but combined in the tortilla, cheese, and salsa it wasn't too hot and turned out very well.  I would definitely make it again.

Verdict: 8/10

Hot Skillet Salad

I've never thought of salad as being a hot meal, but this was rather tasty!

I used this recipe: Hot Skillet Salad from Fat Free Vegan Kitchen

I found I did not have the balsamic vinegar for a dressing, so I made the Dijon dressing from the Good Seasons box and it worked out pretty well.  It was so good, I ate two servings... oops!  

Strawberry Granola Cereal

As I am trying to plan my meals for the week and suddenly hunger hits and I needed something quick before grocery shopping. 

Strawberry Granola Cereal

½c Granola

3/4c Strawberries, chopped

½c Plain Rice Milk

Drizzle some agave over it and mix

Quick snack to hold me over, but wasn't quite what I was craving seeing it's 5PM and no longer breakfast.  But at least I know a great breakfast alternative for the future!  

Rating: 8/10 as a breakfast, but would probably up the portion.  

VeganConsultant.com

I have been featured on a new website, VeganConsultant.com!  Check out my Q&A here: http://www.veganconsultant.com/?p=382

Eating Out: Grass Root Organic Restaurant

Grass Root Organic Restaurant 

Thursday is Eric's & my "date night" and I have been wanting to check out this entirely vegan restaurant since before we moved to Florida.  Lucky for us, we bought the $10 for $20 Half Off Deals so it was a win-win!

Eric & his special "Immune Boost Water" ($1)

Water with added essential oils that smelled of ginger and did not separate from the water very well.  Not a bad price for a drink, but I'd stick with the regular water next time.  5/10

Eric got the "Everybody Loves Ramen" without the "hamm" ($9.50)

Besides the ramen noodles and broth, it was loaded with veggies.  It had a little bit of a spice to it, but did not linger.  Eric loved it and gives it an 8 out of 10 (8/10).  Although tasty, $9 ramen is still just ramen.  

Rating: 6/10.

I ate the special of the day: Tacos ($13)

These aren't your normal "tacos" as they were loaded with black bean hummus, squash, sheez (vegan cheese), lettuce, tomato, rice (and I'm sure there are some other things I am forgetting) all on a corn tortilla.  The tortilla wasn't my favorite, but I loved all the ingredients that made up this spicy meal.  Rating: 8.5/10 

Verdict:  Overall the restaurant was a great place to eat.  I loved the atmosphere of the restaurant and for eating dinner at 5:30pm on a Thursday, we were the only people there.  Menu items are a little pricey compared to your everyday restaurants, but not bad for a local, organic, vegan eatery.  I will definitely be going back.

Rating: 9.5/10

Ridiculously Easy Curried Chickpeas and Quinoa

Recipe: Ridiculously Easy Curried Chickpeas and Quinoa

I ate mine with a slice of kale around it.  The kale made it quite messy, so I'd recommend a wrap next time, or my husband just ate it plain in a bowl.

Verdict:  Great recipe and comes with nutrition information.  Could have used some more curry, or better curry as suggested in the recipe (I used McCormick brand).

Home Made "Chipotle"

Some time ago I came across a website called Chipotle Fan that lists how to make different Chipotle style meals.  My roommate, Cory, has been wanting to try it for some time, so we finally did.

My burrito bowl consisted of rice, black beans, guacamole, and chipotle style chik'n.

Ingredients:
Chipotle's Basmati Rice
Black Beans (warmed up in sauce)
Chipotle Chik'n (minus ancho chilis)
Chipotle Guacamole

I opted to scoop my burrito bowl with chips.

Verdict:  Pretty close to the real thing and quite tasty!  I'll definitely make it again.

Red Beans & Barley

Had a 7 hour work day today, and this crock pot recipe cooks for 7 hours, so I thought it would be a perfect day for it.

Recipe: WW Slow Cooker Red Beans and Barley

The recipe said not to stir until the cooking was done, but at the end some of the edges were burned and sticking to the crock pot.  I might try to stir at the last hour if able.

Verdict:  Good filling meal.  Really liking barley and it's taste and texture.

Pine Nut Avocado Salad

After a vegan dog & and a half, and some grocery shopping, I was hungry again.  I had some salad mix I had to get rid of along with some leftover dressing from my Strawberry Chik'n Salad, so I threw together some other recipe leftovers and made a salad.

Ingredients:
Organic Spring Mix Greens
Handful of Pine Nuts
Avocado Slices
Raspberry Dressing

Eating Out: Lettuce Eat Healthy

Today I tried to join a vegan meet-up near my town to meet fellow vegans.  Being relatively shy, we can say it didn't go so well, but I did get some great vegan eats!

Lettuce Eat Healthy - an all vegan hot dog stand in St. Petersburg!  Yum!  Forgot to take pics of the actual dogs, but my husband and I got 3; 1 each and 2 to share.

Dog 1: Hot Dog, Bun, Ketchup, Spicy Dijon Mustard, Relish
Dog 2: Hot Dog, Bun, Onion, Chili Sauce
Dog 3: Hot Dog, Bun, Ketchup, Spicy Dijon Mustard, Relish, Chili Sauce

Chef Assistant Paul got a plain vegan dog (most of the things he likes are plain).

My non-vegan friend Cory even got a vegan Philly Cheesesteak.  I took a bite and wasn't too bad, but I still prefer my vegan dogs.

I'm sure I will be back there, and next time I'll be sure to take more pictures!

Avocado Salsa Burger

Being out in the sun really works up an appetite, so my husband and I wanted something quick, easy, and filling.

Ingredients:
Boca Burger
Peach Pineapple Salsa
Sliced Avocado
Bun

Less than 5 minutes and you are ready to go!  Enjoy!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Banana Smoothie

Not that I needed anymore chocolate after yesterday's chocolate overload, but after spending the day practicing Melissa Cross' The Zen of Screaming my voice is a little sore and could use some yummy cold goodness.

Peanut Butter Chocolate Banana Smoothie
1c Cup Peanut Butter
2c Vanilla Almond Milk
2 Frozen Bananas
½c Hershey's Chocolate Syrup
<¼c chunked chocolate (left overs from the melted chocolate I used for chocolate covered strawberries last night)
a few ice cubes (we used 6.  Probably could have used more)

I must say.... it is DELICIOUS!  Reminds me of the "Protein Packer" smoothie I used to get at my favorite smoothie place, Pulp, back in Ohio.  We used to get it after work outs at the gym, so off for a walk I go!

P&B's Vegan Lasagna

Howdy readers, this is Paul; Brit's assistance for her vegan meals. I'm not vegan myself, but I do enjoy some vegan meals. This recipe was made by my mother, altered by me, then adapted for Brit's tastes and vegan lifestyle. Here's how ours went:

Ingredients

2 blocks of vegan mozzarella cheese

1 box of lasagna noodles (we used rice this time, my first attempt with rice noodles)

2 cups tofu "ricotta" (We used the recipe from Skinny Bitch in the Kitch)
2 big cans of pasta sauce of your choice. (I make my own, which might be in a future post here, so check back for it folks. Most people who try it say it's their favorite. [/pimping])

Process:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Take your pan (we used a rectangular glass pan) and coat the bottom with sauce. Then put a layer of noodles down, cover that in more sauce, then add a layer of mozzarella cheese. Repeat this process (while mixing in 2 layers of the ricotta in place of the mozzarella) till you reach your desired height. (I like mine deep dish.) The top layer should be mozzarella, enough to cover the top fully. Now cover in foil, and cook for 1 hour. At the 45 minute mark I like to uncover the foil on the dish to let the cheese brown. If it needs more melting and browning just kick it up to broil for 5-10 minutes and that'll get the job done. And that should be all folks. Now go enjoy some tasty lasagna, vegan style!

Chef Assistant Paul gets to blog!

As you've seen on previous blogs, my non vegan roommate, Paul, often assists me with my dinners to get things moving. Today I made him an official editior of the blog so he can share his veganized lasagna recipe with you! Lasagna is in the oven now, so expect a blog from him shortly! Ciao!

Brit

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Bourbon Chik'n

My roommate has been craving bourbon chicken ever since he saw I bought bourbon for my Bourbon Baked Beans, so we decided to make a vegan version to try.

Ingredients:

2 packages Morningstar Meal Starters Chik'n Strips 

1-2 cup Broccoli Flouretts

1-2 cup Pea Pods

Sauce (we used this recipe for the sauce:Bourbon Chicken):

4 ounces soy sauce
½ cup brown sugar
½ teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon ginger
2 tablespoons onion flakes
1/3 cup bourbon

Cook the Morningstar Chik'n to package instructions.  Mix all sauce ingredients together and marinade chik'n overnight in a ziploc bag or container.  Shake container a few times through out the day if you are able.

Bake chik'n and marinade in oven at 325º for 30-45 minutes, stirring or basting frequently.  Meanwhile, cook broccoli and peas in a frying pan with ½ water until softened.

Combine bourbon chik'n and veggies and serve over rice.

Verdict:  According to my roommate, chef assistant Paul, it was nothing like the mall bourbon chicken as the recipe said.  I enjoyed it, but probably wouldn't make it again for myself.  We may be experimenting with other bourbon chik'n recipes in the future.

Baked Ziti

This has to be my favorite thing I've made so far!  Maybe it was just because I was starving when I got home and had to wait an hour for it to be finished, but man was it tasty!

Recipe: Baked Ziti

I added a little more vegan mozzarella than requested, and it could have used a little more sauce.

Banana French Toast

Banana French Toast with Maple Syrup

Actually being home for breakfast for once (well, technically lunch time by the time I woke up), I decided to try another french toast recipe from the The McDougall Quick and Easy Cookbook.

As with the first I tried, these did not cook well.  I used rice milk in place of soymilk, and I used a defrosted banana I froze instead of fresh, so I am not sure if that had anything to do with it or not.  Might suggest toasting the bread beforehand to see if that gives it  makes it any less soggy.

Verdict: As is, not a fan.  Would be willing to try again with some changes to the recipe.

Mediterranean Spinach and Couscous

After a long day of work and meetings, I wanted something fast.  This was super fast and easy and quite yummy!

Recipe: Mediterranean Spinach and Couscous

Great for when you're in a bind (probably took 10 minutes tops for prep and cooking) and need to use up almost two boxes of couscous!  :)

Sweet & Spicy Rice

My roommate and I had a plan to make Bourbon Chik'n tonight, until we realized it had to marinate overnight in the sauce.  We had already started the rice in our rice steamer, and I was starving, so I decided to make something up and fast!

I remembered a spanish rice recipe my friends mom used to make with rice and salsa. and I had just bought an interesting jar of salsa from Walmart that I wanted to try on my burgers.

Sweet & Spicy Rice (makes 1 bowl)
1½-2c White Rice, cooked
¼-½c Peach Pineapple Chipotle Salsa (I used Great Value brand)
Fresh ground pepper to Taste

Cook the rice however you'd like, I used a rice steamer. Mix in the salsa until all the rice is covered and add some fresh ground pepper for an extra kick.

Fruity Smoothie

After dinner, my hubby and my furry children usually go for a nice hour long walk along the gulf.  I had some left over fruits from previous recipes and decided to make us a post-walk smoothie!

(I decided to include my awesome $1.50 garage sale blender in the photo because I had already drank most of my smoothie out of my glass.  lol)

Fruity Smoothie:

¾ can frozen orange juice

1 can of water from the frozen orange juice can

½c frozen blueberries

2 extra ripe bananas

4 strawberries

8 ice cubes

Blend 'em up and let 'er go!  The beauty of smoothies is you can add almost anything to them and they will be wonderful.  

Strawberry Chik'n Salad

After seeing Vega founder Brendan Brazier, I decided I needed more greens in my diet.  I saw an idea for a raspberry salad dressing on the side of a Good Seasons box and it gave me the idea for this salad.

Salad:
Bag of Veggie Lovers salad mix
Morningstar Farms Chik'n Strips, cooked to package
Strawberries, cut
Candied nuts (although I forgot to put them in for this salad!)

Dressing:
¼c Apple Cider Vinegar
3 Tbsp Water
½ Olive Oil
2 Tbsp Raspberry Jam (I like Polmer's brand)
1 pkg Good Seasons

Bourbon Baked Beans

I must admit, I was a little hesitant to make this recipe at first.  I am not a drinker, and having never cooked with alcohol before, I was unsure of the taste.

I found the cheapest and smallest bottle of bourbon I could find ($1.49 at a local wine & liquor store) and decided to give it a shot.

I used the recipe from the Fresh from the Vegetarian Slow Cooker book.

Verdict: Not too bad.  Would make a good side for a vegan cookout!

Vegan On The Go

Not enough left overs in the fridge for today's lunch & only minutes to spare? That is my usual routine when it comes to making a lunch for work so this grab and go lunch works great!

Ingredients:
Wrap of choice (I used Flat Out Spinach Wrap)
Humus (I used Publix Roasted Red Pepper)
Bag of mixed greens

Grab a wrap, spread some hummus, wash a handful of greens and toss them on.

I usually just grab the whole packages of each and a spoon or butter knife and you're good to go!

Banana Muffins & Banana Bread

While searching the vegan sites I came across this recipe.  Seeing how our bananas always ripen too fast, I thought this would be a good recipe to keep on hand!

Peta.org |  Banana Muffins

I used melted Earth Balance margarine instead of oil, and used Ghirardelli Chocolate Chips inside.  Since there wasn't a time listed in the recipe, I wasn't really keeping track, just testing it every so often.  I would guess the muffins were in about 20 minutes, but the bread was in about 50 with aluminum foil on top for the last 10.  All in all both turned out delish! 

Verdict: I give both versions an A. 

Chocolate Chip Cookies

I had a sweet tooth and while looking for vegan chocolates, this recipe came up and I decided to give it a shot.

I used the recipe located here: Happy Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies

We made a few trays, experimenting with times on each.  The first batch we did to the recipe turned out really doughy and uncooked.   I think the best recipe we left in two extra minutes on the bottom rack (6 minutes top rack, turned 180% and cooked 6 minutes, plus 2 additional minutes with an extra cookie sheet underneath it).

My oven seems to cook much faster than most recommend, so in adding more minutes I feel the timing on this recipe was way off.  Next time I will try some parchment paper underneath to stop the bottoms from burning, as a friend recommended. 

Verdict: Overall quite tasty, but need to experiment with cooking times.  Try them for yourself and let me know what works best for you!

Chili Dogs

I was so hungry, I couldn't even wait to take a bite.  Yum!

For these dogs, I used:
1 Arnold Select Wheat Hot Dog Bun
1 Lightlife Smart Dogs
Galaxy Nutritional Foods Vegan Cheddar Soy Cheese, shredded
Chili


You can use any chili recipe you like, but I chose to veganize my mother-in-law's recipe for my husband.  Hopefully she doesn't mind me sharing her recipe with the world! 

Chili
2 cans light red kidney beans
2 cans dark red kidney beans
1 can black beans
1 can diced tomatoes
1 package Boca Crumbles
Dark chili powder, hot pepper seeds, and sugar to taste.

Cook the Boca Crumbles in a frying pan on the stove until "browned" or cooked to taste.  Usually I cook the chili on the stove, but today I decided to use give the crock pot a try.  Dump all of the cans with juices into the crock pot with the Boca Crumbles.  Cook for 3 hours on low.  Add chili powder, hot pepper seeds, and sugar and stir. 


For the chilli dogs simply cook the vegan hot dog of your choice by it's directions, put in a bun, add a few heapings of chili, and shred the cheddar over the dogs and voila - vegan chili dogs!

Black and Yellow Couscous

Today my husband, Eric, decided to take a turn at cooking and made this dish from the McDougall Quick and Easy Cookbook all by himself!

He skipped the tobasco sauce and green onions; and opted for the fresh cilantro instead of parsley, but otherwise followed the recipe. 

Verdict:  Delicious!  I definitely want to add more whole grains to my diet, and couscous is delicious. Good job, hubby!

Vegan Pizza Day

Today is Vegan Pizza Day, so it was only fitting we make some vegan pizza! 

I used this recipe to make the pizza.  Mmmm! Yummy! 

Quesadillas

I have a thing for Mexican food, so naturally when I saw the Skinny Bitch in the Kitch Quesadilla recipe, I had to try it.

The recipe said to cook covered on medium for about 4 minutes, however that completely charred my tortilla.  I switched the next one to medium-low for about 4 minutes, flipped and left it on for another 3-4 minutes until both sides were slightly browned and the cheese was melted.

Verdict: The finished product (the non-charred version) was yummy!  Quick and super easy.  The hardest part was making the guacamole (but not really), also from Skinny Bitch in the Kitch, but it was the best guacamole recipe I have ever made.  I even doubled it for chip dip for my guests I was having over later that night and the guests and I both approved, but next time I think I'll spice up the guacamole a little bit with some onion and garlic powder.