Soba Noodles with Tofu and Cucumber in a Soy-Vinegar Dressing

I love soba noodles. If you're not familiar, soba noodles are the size of spaghetti and they are made from buckwheat. I can't believe I have never written a blog about them since I eat them at least twice a week. They're so easy and quick to cook up. I usually just boil them, add something green like broccoli or kale, add some tofu, and flavor with some sesame oil, braggs amino, and sesame seeds. Maybe I'll top with some cilantro and avacado - just depends what I have around the house. They're pretty tasty. 


One of my favorite Soba dishes is called Otsu from the Super Natural Cooking Cookbook by Heidi Swanson. Here is how I make it!

The Dressing:
Fresh ginger, cut into a 1-inch cube, chopped
1 tablespoon agave
3/4 teaspoon cayenne
3/4 teaspoon fine-grain sea salt
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
1/4 cup unseasoned brown-rice vinegar
1/3 cup shoyu sauce or braggs liquid amino
2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil

For the Protein:

1 block extra-firm tofu

Red Pepper Flakes

Sesame Oil

Sea Salt

The Rest:

8-10 ounces dried soba noodles
1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
3 green onions, thinly sliced
1/2 cucumber, cut in half lengthwise, thinly sliced
1 small handful of cilantro sprigs, for garnish
1/4 cup toasted sesame seeds, for garnish


Make the dressing by combining the ginger, agave, cayenne, and salt in a food processor (or use a hand blender) and process until smooth. Add the lemon juice, rice vinegar, and shoyu, and pulse to combine. With the machine running, drizzle in the oils.

Cook the soba in plenty of rapidly boiling salted water just until tender, then drain and rinse under cold running water.

While the pasta is cooking, drain the tofu, pat it dry, and cut it into triangles. Make a rub with the sesame oil, red pepper flakes, and sea salt and coat both sides. Cook the tofu in a dry nonstick (or well-seasoned) skillet over medium-high heat for a few minutes, until the pieces are browned on one side. Flip gently once or twice, then continue cooking for another minute or so, until the tofu is firm, golden, and a bit crispy on both sides.

In a large mixing bowl, combine the soba, the ¼ cup cilantro, the green onions, cucumber, and about ⅔ cup of the dressing. Toss until well combined. Add the tofu and toss again gently. Serve on a platter, garnished with the cilantro sprigs and the toasted sesame seeds.

This is seriously one of my favorite dishes. Some other variations I like to make are adding some or all of the following: sauteed brussel sprouts, lightly cooked broccoli, sauteed kale or spinach, edamame, shiitake mushrooms, or Gardein instead of tofu. I also like to top with avocado whenever I have that available. You really can't go wrong with Soba Noodles. Anything Goes!

Lately I've been listening to a lot of Neko Case. I really enjoy her latest album, Middle Cyclone. It's one of those albums that I like more every time I listen to it. I like to listen to it when I am cooking, but it works anytime. Here is a song from it, perhaps you'll like it as much as I do. 

Do you have a favorite Soba Noodle Dish? Make a comment or Email Me, I'd love to hear about it!

Namate, 

Monica

Check Out My Sweet Beets

Hi Everyone!

Yesterday I did my blog on how to cook beets, which I was quite happy with. But, today I am sure you are wondering what items you can pair beets with to make a full lunch or dinner (or breakfast.. why not?). I know I gave you some ideas at the end of my last blog, but I would like to indulge you with a recipe that I made last night that includes a sauce that you can use with almost anything. This sauce is a staple in my diet, and maybe it will be in yours too! 

Read on to find out kiddos…….

1 package Rising Moon Butternut Squash Ravioli
1 cup roasted beets, sliced or cubed
5 green onions
2 cloves garlic, smashed
1 to 2 cups beet greens (I used greens from three beets… however much that makes)
Some salt and olive oil to use in the boiling in the water for the ravioli.

1/4 cup olive oil
1 tablespoon balsamic
1/2 tablespoon agave

Start by preparing and roasting the beets  - click here for directions on roasting beets. While the beets are roasting, prepare the green onions: cut the white parts into long strips and then cut in half lengthwise. Continue to cut the green parts into smaller slices. Chop up the beet greens and get them ready to sauté. Click here for more detailed instructions on how to prepare the beet greens.

Heat the water for the ravioli and add the salt and olive oil. Bring to a boil and pour in the ravioli. Cook according to directions on the package. Drain the ravioli.

Heat a skillet with 1/4 cup of the olive oil. Once it's heated, put in the smashed garlic. Cook until the garlic starts to get slightly brown. Add the green onions and cook for about 2 minutes. add the beet greens. and cook for about a minute. Add the roasted beets, the ravioli, the agave and balsamic and stir together so that everything is coated and warm.

Put on a plate and you're done!

Yay for colorful food!

How To Make The Garlicky-Agave-Balsamic Sauce Separate:
Mix together the balsamic, garlic, olive oil, and agave in a blender. Now you can use this to pour over already made dishes, salads, or anything that you want to eat with this sauce!

I borrowed this sauce out of Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything Vegetarian Cookbook, which is one of the handiest cookbooks I own. It's a cookbook about how to cook every type of vegetable, noodle, grain, bean, spice, and anything else you can think of (besides meat of course) with many variations to each dish. I recommend that you pick it up!


I was so happy that I was able to use the Butternut Squash Ravioli. It had been in my freezer for months. Every time I cook it up it always tastes so delicious and I have no idea why it took me so long to make it! The whole mixture topped with the sauce made it taste like candy, but in a healthy way.

I always put on music when I cook, so this time I decided to listen to Mates of State. I listened to their last album Re-Arrange us over and over and loved it, but I probably overplayed it. This time I decided to listen to the prior album, Bring it Back. I listened to it a bit when it entered my music collection, but I hadn't really listened to it enough to form an opinion. Now I can't decide if I like Bring It Back more than Re-Arrange Us or the same. I guess that's a good thing, but I still need to pick up their newest album and their first three! If you haven't heard of them, they are an indie rock band made up of two members that are husband and wife. I would describe their music as indie pop, and I would say it is very catchy, but it's not too cute or poppy. When they sing together they harmonize beautifully, and you won't be able to help yourself from singing with them. They also use variety of instruments to bring you through each song to the end of the album. The colorful music was a perfect fit with the dinner.

I hope you enjoy!

Do you have a favorite beet recipe? Make a comment or Email Me, I'd love to hear from you!

Namaste,
Monica

Put This In Your Mouth

Brussel Sprouts: The Most Misunderstood Vegetable

Brussel Sprouts are delicious. They are little bite size cabbages that crunch in your mouth (if cooked right). I am sure that you heard a lot of awful things about them growing up, but don't be fooled by the bad reputation that they have. They are just so bad that they are awesome. They might even be too cool for you.

I once was fooled by the myth that brussel sprouts taste the inside of a trashcan until one day my friend made them for me. I remember thinking... great.... she made me this awesome dinner for my birthday, and I have already decided that I hate brussel sprouts without ever trying them. But, I'm open minded and I was newly vegan, so I was happy to try them. We were all sitting at the table, and I had my plate in front of me, grabbed the veggie with my fork, and I bit into my first brussel sprout. I instantly wanted more and I couldn't get over that it took me this long to give them a chance. She made me this recipe off of 101 cookbooks, and since then I have forever been buying, cooking, and loving brussel sprouts.

Why are brussel sprouts awesome? Well, besides tasting good, they have super healthy for you. They are high in fiber, help protect against cancer, and they are high in vitamin C which helps support immune function. They also help protect against rheumatic arthritis and birth defects. You can read more about it by clicking here.

There are a few ways to cook brussel sprouts, but I think they are best when they are cut into ribbons and pan fried to where they are a little crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. I do not recommend frozen brussel sprouts, they always end up too soft and watery.

How to prepare a brussel sprout for cooking:
Cut off the ends and peel away any loose or discolored leaves. Wash well. They can be cooked whole or halved, but for this recipe they are best sliced.

Here is my basic brussel sprout recipe....

You will need:
20 brussel sprouts, sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
sea salt
1/2 Tbls sesame oil
2 cloves garlic, chopped

*In a bowl, coat the brussel sprouts in 1 Tbls Olive oil and some salt. Mix together
*Heat a large skillet to med heat with 1 Tbls olive oil. You do not want to make it too hot because you don't want the outside to cook too fast, but you do want to get the outside somewhat browned.
*Pour in the brussel sprouts until they are laid out flat on the surface.

*Cook for about 5 minutes, and then they should start to look brown on the bottom.
*Once you see that they have started to brown, add in the garlic, sesame oil, stir together, cover and cook for another minute.
*Pour in a bowl and you are done!

You can eat them just like this, or add them to a pasta, a rice dish, quinoa, couscous, soba noodles, or just add some other delicious veggies to the mix. Tonight I made these and mixed them in with kale, tofu, leeks, and rice noodles.

Roasting brussel sprouts is also a good option. Here is a Barefoot Contessa recipe for that. 
I have also been wanting to try a veganized version recipe from the Momofuku cookbook by David Chang for Roasted Brussel Sprouts

Let me know if you make them and how they turn out! Enjoy!

I love Brussel Sprouts in my mouth!

Namaste.

Mixed Mushroom Soup with Green Lentils

I LOVE mushrooms......and I hope you do too because this is a soup for mushroom lovers! This soup came about because I was cleaning out my fridge and realized I had a box of dried porcini mushrooms that I needed to use. I went to the grocery store and bought some fresh crimini mushrooms and fresh shiitake mushrooms and mixed mushroom soup was born. Something to remember when making this earthy flavored soup is that it only needs to be lightly salted. If you don't salt it enough it will be bland, but adding just a small amount of salt will bring out the mushroom flavor beautifully. 


I also love the New Pornographers, and I have been listening to their newest album, Together, for a few weeks now. I've been listening to it in sections or just repeating certain tracks, but tonight I decided to take the time to listen to the whole thing while making this soup.......


For the broth:
1 oz dried porcini mushrooms
5 crimini mushrooms, sliced
5 shiitake mushrooms, sliced
1 leek, sliced and cut in half
1 cup broccoli
3 cloves garlic
1/4 cup olive oil, plus a little more
2 cups hot water (for the dried mushrooms)
3 cups water (or water used to boil the lentils)
salt to taste
2 bay leaves
1 teaspoon rosemary

For The Lentils:
1/2 LB Green Lentils
5 Cups Water
Some Olive Oil
A few pinches of salt


Putting It All Together:

The first thing to do would be to start cooking the lentils. You will use around 5 cups of water, and add about two tablespoons of olive oil, and 1/2 tablespoon of salt to the water. Once the water starts to boil, add the lentils. Turn down the heat until it is at a slow boil. Usually green lentils take a bout 30-40 minutes to cook, but you can always test them after 30 minutes to see if they are at your desired texture. While the lentils are cooking you can start on the next step.

Soak the dried porcini's in the 2 cups of hot water for 15-20 minutes to soften and soak up the flavor. While they are soaking chop up the leeks, garlic, broccoli, crimini mushrooms, and shiitake's.

In another soup pot, heat about a tablespoon of olive oil and add the garlic and leeks. Cook for about 3 minutes and add the 1/4 cup olive oil and the shiitake and crimini mushrooms. Cook for about 2 minutes and add the porcini mushrooms along with the water they are soaking in.

Add 3 cups of filtered water and flavor it yourself. Start with 1/2 teaspoon of salt, taste, and adjust from there.

**If you want to be creative add some of the water used to cook the lentils. I actually added 2 cups of the lentil water and then a cup of filtered water. Some of the lentils will get into the measuring cup, but that is just fine. You can also use vegetable broth if you would like, but make sure it is low sodium. If you need to add more water to make it more soupy, go ahead!

You'll have a lot of leftover lentils, but just add about 1 cup to the soup. Add the rosemary, the bay leaves, stir everything together, bring to a boil, lower heat to a slow boil, and cook for about 5 minutes.

Add to a bowl.... add more lentils if you desire... and you're done!

Afterthoughts: 

I sat at my table savoring my new concoction while being completely captivated by Dan Bejar and Neko Case singing Daughters of Sorrow in the background and I thought, This is one of the best soups I have ever made! I love it when this happens! It was a perfect moment. Sometimes I throw things together and it's good enough for me, but I can't say it's actually good enough to share it with someone else. This soup is hearty, fragrant, and full of flavor with every bite. I can't wait to use mushroom broth for so many other things..... and I couldn't have done it without the New Pornographers to back me up.....


I have been listening to The New Pornographers for a few years  now. I have every album, and have been spending some time listening to them all thoroughly. The first one I listened to was Challengers, which is their 4th. It takes a totally different turn from their first three, which are more upbeat. That being said, they didn't just go from one extreme to another. Twin Cinema (3rd album) is a transition piece where you can hear hints of their catchy upbeat tunes from the first two albums, but then some songs that are still catchy, but also have some breathing room.

Challengers and Together have a more mellow (but not depressing) mood. I loved Challengers when I first heard it, but it was tough for me to go backwards with The New Pornographers. Although, it didn't take very long for me to fall in love with everything about them. What I love most about them is that they have their own style, but every song is different depending on who is fronting it. At first I couldn't get enough of Neko Case and A.C. Newman.... listening to their voices together just completely mesmerized me (and still does). But lately my interests have taken a turn to preferring the Dan Bejar songs. I just love his voice so much. I remember his style took awhile to grow on me, and when I first listened to Destroyer, I didn't take to it so well. I wanted to like it, but it just wasn't working for me, but now I can't stop listening (that's another blog post). That's what I love about this band..... the more I listen to them, I hear something different. The best way I can describe their songs are that they end in a different place from where they begin, and I never get sick of them.

I can't say that Together is the best album that they have put out, but I can say that I continue to like it more every time I listen. I'm listening to Valkyrie in the Roller Disco as I write this, and it's like a breath of fresh air. It just keeps getting better.

Namaste

Tofu Scramble (Yum)

You might be wondering where I have been since it's been awhile since I last blogged or updated my Facebook or Twitter page, or you might not be wondering at all. Well, I really have no good excuse except that I haven't been making anything interesting, or the things that I have made have been good enough for me, but not good enough to blog about. 

One thing that I have been meaning to make is a tofu scramble. When I went to St. Louis this last February my Aunt made an awesome tofu scramble for me and my vegetarian cousins (it runs in the family). I made one a long time ago and didn't dig it so much, but hers was so awesome that it inspired me to make it again. 

So, here is my recipe for a delicious tofu scramble:

1 block of extra firm tofu drained

1/2 red pepper cut into cubes

1/4 cup red onion chopped into cubes

3 leaves of kale chopped

2 cloves garlic chopped
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Olive Oil

1 teaspoon Turmeric

1/2 teaspoon paprika

2 small handfulls of Chedder Daiya "Cheese" (optional)

red pepper flakes (optional)

sea salt

a splash of water

Optional Garnish:

A handful of cherry tomatos cut into 4ths

1/2 cup chopped avocado

some chopped up fresh basil

Putting it all together:

Pour about two tablespoons of olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat, and wait about two minutes until it starts to get hot. Add the red pepper and onion and cook for about three minutes, stirring occasionally until the onions start to look opaque. Stir in the garlic, turmeric, a pinch of sea salt, the paprika, red pepper flakes, and the lemon juice. Start to crumble in the tofu, but don't smash it because you still want to have some large pieces. Mix everything together and cook for about 15 minutes, stirring frequently. If you notice that pieces start to stick to the pan, then you will want to add a splash of water. After cooking for about 10 minutes, stir in the kale. When the scramble is almost finished add in the Daiya cheese by sprinkling it in while stirring. Once you feel like everything is all mixed together you can turn off the heat, put on a plate, and garnish with the basil, avocado, and tomatoes!

Afterthoughts:

Whenever I cook I always put on an album that I've been meaning to listen to or one that I haven't been able to give my full attention. I decided to listen to Camera Obscura, which I first heard on All Songs Considered. Their newest album, My Maudlin Career was featured as one of the best albums of 2009. I really liked the track they played on that show, so I went ahead and picked up the album..... I thought, why not? I've actually been listening to this album all week and it's really grown on me. I like it because it's a bit poppy, but it also has a 50s sound to it. Tracyanne Campbell also has a fresh and sweet (like watermelon) voice where you can hear a hint of her accent which makes every song so delightful. I can't say that there is one song that I do not like, so it made a nice soundtrack to my morning. Now I just need to pick up some older albums. 

I like to listen to music because I can really concentrate on the flavors and outcome of the food. The worst thing that I can do is make a dish, then sit in front of the tv because the food ends up not being the total focus. Music is a good distraction while I am still able to enjoy my culinary masterpiece (okay... masterpiece might be a bit overboard). I was really happy with how my tofu scramble turned out, especially now that I have access to Daiya cheese (closest flavor and texture to real cheese from what I have found). From what I remember, it comes really close to the taste of a skillet. It would also be good with green onions or sauteed mushrooms, and some breakfast potatoes on the side. 

Enjoy!




Tofu
                

Red Curry & Wild Rice Soup

I have lived in Florida for most of my life and I don't remember it ever being this cold. I recall it snowed flurries when I first moved here with my family, but I still don't remember it being this freezing. I went to my nephews third birthday party this weekend, and it was rainy and chilly out. Luckily it was at an inside venue, but I remember last year it was outside at sunny! 

It was a Sunday, and it had been a freezing week, and all I wanted was some warm comforting soup to end the weekend. I was looking through my fridge and I had some red curry paste, tons of veggies, coconut milk, and I knew that whatever I was making was going to involve red curry. I ended up making a soup with wild rice, a red curry broth, and veggies. It was so soothing and relaxing and is exactly what I needed to put me to sleep before the start of the work week. This recipe was inspired by a recipe I made a few months ago from Super Natural Cooking by Heidi Swanson.

Red Curry Wild Rice Soup

2 tablespoons sesame oil
4 garlic cloves chopped
1/2 large yellow onion chopped
1/2 large red pepper chopped
8 pieces of baby corn - halved lengthwise, then cut in half widthwise
1 and 1/2 teaspoon red curry paste
1/2 cup wild rice
2 cups low sodium vegetable broth
1 heaping cup of baby bella mushrooms, sliced
1 and 1/2 tablespoon braggs liquid amino (or soy sauce)
1 can coconut milk (14oz)
1/2 cup water
1 cup cauliflower
5 green onions, white and green parts, chopped
2 tablespoons cilantro
2 tablespoons basil
Lime Juice
1 teaspoon sugar
Red pepper flakes to taste (optional)
black pepper to taste

Heat 2 tablespoons of sesame oil in a soup pot to medium heat. When it starts to sizzle, add the garlic, yellow onion, red pepper, and baby corn. Add the red curry paste and stir together and saute for about 4 minutes until the onion gets soft. Make sure the curry is evenly distributed.

Next, add the wild rice, the vegetable broth, mushrooms, and bring to a boil, then simmer and cook according to the wild rice package. I cooked mine for about 20 minutes, but you will know when the rice becomes soft when the rice starts to open and split.

When the rice is done, add the cauliflower, the green onions, coconut milk, braggs liquid amino, sugar, a generous squeeze of lime juice, water, and bring to a boil. Simmer for about 3 minutes. Taste and add some black pepper if needed.

Ladle into a bowl and garnish with some basil and cilantro, and red pepper flakes (if you are using them for extra spice) , and you are ready to eat!

Afterthoughts:
I can't express how nice it was to eat this soup on a cold day. One thing that i learned is that you will want to experiment with different curry pastes because some are hotter than others. The one I used said medium spice, but it really was mild. If you prefer to give it a little kick.. add the red pepper flakes, or even some cayenne pepper. I most always use braggs liquid amino instead of soy sauce because it's less in sodium, but feel free to use soy sauce, tamari, or shoyu if that is what you prefer. You can also use whatever grain you have in the cabinets. I used wild rice, but how about quinoa, soba, or orzo? You can even add Gardein, tofu, or edamame. Those would work too. If you are looking for a warm, comforting, and soothing soup... this is the one for you! Please let me know what you think!

Gardein "Chicken" Piccata with Wilted Spinach and Roasted Potatoes and Onions

Okay, so I know this looks like real chicken, but it's actually a protein source called Gardein. Gardein is a play on the words, garden and protein. It contains no animal products and is made from whole grains and plant based proteins, and then it's slow-cooked to give it a meaty bite. It comes in many varieties. You can probably find it at your local grocery store and definitely at whole foods. This product is great for people trying to cut down their meat intake or for more variety in a vegan or vegetarian diet. 

When I used to eat meat, one of my favorite dishes was a Chicken Piccata recipe from Everyday Italian by Giada De Lourentis. The Conscious Cook also has a Chicken Piccata recipe which was contributed by chef Scot Jones specifically using the Gardein Chicken. The recipes were pretty much the same, but I used a little influence from both of them for the one below. I ended up making roasted potatoes and onions, and wilted spinach which turned out to be an excellent addition. I am so excited to share this dish with you since it was one of my favorites from the past. I hope you enjoy!

Note: The Roasted Potatoes and Onions and wilted spinach recipes are below

Ingrediants
3 Gardein Chick'n Scallopini breasts
Sea Salt to taste
Black Pepper to taste
1 to 2 cups of all purpose unbleached flour
6 tablespoons of Earth Balance (or any non-hydrogenated vegan butter)
5 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (about 2 lemons)
1/2 cup vegetable stock
1/2 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup capers, rinsed and drained
1/2 teaspoon minced garlic (or more if you desire)
1/2 teaspoon shallot
1/3 cup chopped fresh parsley

Directions
Take the Gardein breasts out of the packet and season on both sides with some salt and pepper. I just sprinkle a little of each on both sides and kind of pat the Gardein to make sure it sticks.

Next, you want to coat the Gardein with flour, but Instead of dredging the Gardein, I grab some of the flour with my hands and coat on the breasts, and then shake off excess. Then, turn then over and do the same on the other side. That way, I am not wasting a bunch of flour. I really don't go crazy with the flour... I just use enough to coat each side of the Gardein.

In a large saute pan, over medium high heat, melt 3 tablespoons of the earth balance with 3 tablespoons of the oil. When the butter is melted and it starts to sizzle, then add 3 breasts and cook for 3 minutes, until browned on the bottom. Then, flip over and cook for another 3 minutes to brown on the other side. Remove the breasts to a plate.

Reduce the heat to medium low, and add the lemon juice, stock, wine, capers, garlic, and shallot. Bring to a boil, scraping up the browned bits from the bottom of the pan for extra flavor.

Return the breasts to the pan and simmer for 3 to 5 minutes. They should be heated through and the sauce should start to thicken. Plate the breasts, and add the remaining 3 tablespoons of earth balance and 2 tablespoons of oil to the sauce and whisk until smooth. Pour the sauce over the breasts, and the roasted potatoes and spinach (or whatever else you are serving with this)... garnish with parsley... and serve immediately.

Roasted Potatoes and Onions
6 Red Potatoes
1 white onion
Salt and Pepper
Olive Oil

Preheat the oven to 350
Quarter the potatoes, or cut into bite size pieces
Cut the onion into large chunky pieces
Coat in a bowl with olive oil, salt, and pepper
Place potatoes and onions on baking sheet, and spread out so they are not on top of each other, and roast in oven for 35-40 minutes
When finished, put on plate with Gardein and pour some of the piccata sauce over the potatoes and onions.

Wilted Spinach


About 3 cups spinach
Olive Oil
Salt and pepper

Coat the skillet with olive oil, and set to medium heat. When you see the skillet begin to smoke, pour in the spinach. Season with some salt and pepper. Cook with a spoon stirring around the spinach for about 4 minutes until it starts to cook down. Take it off the heat after some leaves are wilted, but some are still full (it will still continue to cook down after taken off the heat). Plate this with the roasted potatoes and onions and Gardein, and pour some piccata sauce over the spinach for extra flavor.



Afterthoughts: 
I first heard about Gardein from my friend Karen. She mentioned she had heard about it in Oprah, and that the taste of this protein didn't taste much different from actual chicken. I hadn't heard about it at the time, but I am happy that I picked up the Conscious Cook and used this opportunity to cook with it because it really did taste just like chicken to me (from what I remember). I actually felt a little naughty eating it. It was that real!

It is great that this product is available because it's always helpful to have another protein source available, and it's wonderful to have a product that meat-eaters can switch to to protect their health and transition their diet to a more plant based one.

I ended up making this with the roasted onions and potatoes and wilted spinach, but this would also be great over angel hair pasta, quinoa, and steamed broccoli, or sauteed peppers. It could really go with anything! I really hope you try this recipe and product. I can't wait to hear about what you made!

Namaste*

Monica

Mint Chocolate Chip Cupcakes

I am not much of a baker......I am more of a what's in the fridge and how I can I make that into a meal kind of girl... it usually turns out to be a stir-fry, noodle dish, or soup. But, since I have lived in my place for about a month now... I wanted to feel like my place is a home, and nothing makes a house a home more than the aroma of freshly baked deserts swirling around your kitchen. Also, you can't go wrong with cupcakes, and they are so convenient! You don't need a knife or a fork.... or even a plate if you're not a messy eater.... or if you are... who cares! They are delicious, put you in a good mood no matter what, and you can take them anywhere.

So, below is how to make a desert that will make you smile:

Things you will need:
-Cupcake liners
-Muffin pan
-Three good sized mixing bowls
-whisk
-mixing spoon or an electric mixer
-Ice Cream Scooper to pour the batter into the muffin pan (a ladle will work too)

A quick note: When you pour the batter into the pan, fill 3 quarters of the way full.
For the Cupcakes (12 servings)
**If you omit the peppermint extract and chocolate chips from the ingrediants below, this is the basic chocolate cupcake, which you can use for anything.

1 cup soymilk
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
3/4 cup granulated sugar (carbon free, if possible)
1/3 cup canola oil
1 teaspoon mint extract
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 cup all purpose flour (unbleached)
1/3 cup cocoa powder (I use green and blacks)
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup mini vegan chocolate chips

For the Icing
1/4 cup non-hydrogenated shortening (I used jungle soft shortening)
3 cups confectioners sugar
1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon soy milk
1 1/2 teaspoons mint extract
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
small drop of green food coloring

Top with mini vegan chocolate chips

Directions:
-Make sure the oven rack is in the middle of the oven... that is where the cupcakes cook the best.
-Preheat the oven to 350
-Place the cupcake liners in the muffin pan

Whisk together the apple cider vinegar and soymilk in a large bowl and set aside for a few minutes to curdle. (I have no idea why..... but it works). Add the sugar, oil, vanilla, mint, and almond extracts, and beat until foamy. In a separate bowl, add the flour, coca powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix the dry ingredients together, and start to pour in the dry ingredients to the wet ones in three batches so that you're not struggling to mix it all together at once. You can do it manually, which I used to do... but since I started using my mix master.... it's become my best friend.... after my cat. Make sure it's mixed until no large lumps remain (a few tiny ones are okay. Pour in the chocolate chips and mix in the batter. I used the small mini ones, but you can use the normal size chocolate chips or even crushed ones. Also, the chocolate chips don't have to say vegan.. just read the ingredients... most semi sweet or dark chocolate is vegan.

Once the batter is ready, pour into liners. I use a ladle to do this... it's not the easiest way, but it works just fine. The best thing to use is an ice cream scooper. You get the same size each time and there is less mess. Make sure to fill them three quarters of the way full since they rise. Bake 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. When the pan has cooled off, take the muffins out and place on a cooling rack or just somewhere where they can cool off.

Directions for the Icing:
While the cupcakes are cooling.... start to make the icing. I also used the mix master for this, but feel free to mix manually. I know you can do it!

Cream the shortening for a few seconds to soften it. It's easiest to do this with a fork. Add 1 cup powdered sugar and a splash of soymilk and mix to incorporate. Continue to add the sugar and milk and mix until everything is incorporated and mixed together and smooth and creamy. Add the mint and vanilla extracts and coloring and mix to incorporate. You have the option here to mix in the chocolate chips in the batter, or leave them out to top them off depending on preference.

To assemble the cupcakes:
Once the cupcakes have cooled.... you can start to put the icing on the cupcakes. You have to really make sure they are cooled or the icing will start to melt on them. So, wait about an hour. I never use a pastry bag... it's not my style.... but maybe one day I will. You can though. the cookbook I am using says to use a bag with a #21 star tip and pipe the icing onto the cupcake in a spiral form outside in. I actually just use a spoon and plopped the icing on the cupcake and then used the spoon to layer and smooth on the top of cupcake. I kinda like the homemade look to them, and they also all end up looking different when you don't use the pastry bag. If you didn't add the chocolate chips to the batter, take about 5 to 7 of them and top off each of the cupcakes.

There you have it.... Mint Chocolate Chip Cupcakes .... eat as many as you want!

Afterthoughts:
I was invited to a Christmas Eve party at my friends house, so I brought these cupcakes to contribute to the party. I used a recipe from a cookbook called Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World by Isa Chandra Moskowitz. I have made other cupcakes from this book for the people I work with, and they are always a huge hit! I know my friend that invited me over loves mint, so I decided to borrow this recipe of the Mint Chocolate Chip cupcakes from this book with two or three minor adjustments.

What's great about making vegan deserts is everyone is so impressed...... and they say things like... what did you do to get them so moist since eggs aren't used? I wish I had some special ingredient to mention.... like chick peas... or parsnips...but I just say.. ummm... flour... oil... soymilk? It just goes to show.... things are just as good or better when they are vegan! Another thing I love is how people tend to feel better about eating it because they assume it is healthy..... and I am okay with that, but the truth is, these are filled with lots of sugar so they are probably not much healthier. Who cares though.... they are amazing... and eat them in moderation and you'll be fine! And, even if you don't eat them in moderation.... you'll still be fine! You can't go wrong!

Vegetable Stock

First off, I apologize that I did not get to this earlier. There is one more night of Chanukkah, and I wanted to have a good vegetable stock posted so you would have enough time to cook and enough soup throughout the holidays. I was feeling a little under the weather, so I slacked off a little. It's alright though, because soup is satisfying anytime.....it's probably my favorite food, and this recipe will give you enough to make now and freeze for later. You can use a good vegetable stock for almost anything! You can make a nice Pho... which is a vietnamese soup... and the vegan version is called Pho Chay (Pho is actually a beef or chicken soup with Pho noodles, but Pho Chay was actually created for the buddhist temple since they do not eat meat). Vegetable stock can used to make any noodle soup, a miso, a curry, a Thai Tom Yum, a mushroom and barely soup, or even to cook couscous or saute vegetables... the options are endless!

Ingredients
You will need: Cheese cloth or a fine mesh strainer, stock pot
20 cups filtered water
3 yellow onions, roughly cut, skin on
6 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
6 carrots (large/med), roughly cut, peeled
3 parsnips, peeled, roughly chopped
3 medium turnips, roughly chopped
5 stalks celery, chopped
1 cup dill - loosely chopped
1 cup parsley - loosely chopped
6-8 springs thyme
a handful of basil leaves
4 bay leaves
garlic powder
onion powder
sea salt
pepper
olive oil

Directions
Chop up all of the vegetables. They can be chopped in large pieces, so there is no need to spend time chopping many pieces or worrying about making them look pretty. In a large stockpot, heat the oil. Saute onions and garlic for about 5 minutes on medium heat. I learned this from Post Punk Kitchen. Cooking the onion and garlic first really does help to bring out the onion flavor, and leaving the skin on the onion gives the soup a fabulous golden color. When you are finished, add all other vegetables and fresh herbs, and bring to a boil. Add the garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper to taste. Reduce heat and let simmer for an hour and a half, uncovered.

Let broth cool until it's an okay temperature to handle. Strain into a large bowl or pot with cheese cloth or a very fine mesh strainer. Press the vegetables with a gentle but firm pressure to get all the moisture out. Using the cheese cloth is easier. Just keep squeezing until you get all of the juices out from the vegetables to get a savory stock. Then discard veggies, and keep enough stock in your fridge that you will use up to 3 days, and freeze the rest.

Some Afterthoughts:

A good vegetable stock is something that can be a a little time consuming to make, but that's why you make so much at once... so you always have it on hand. It's way better than using the store bought ones because then you end up with a broth loaded with sodium, msg, or "flavoring". However, I use store bought stock a lot, and there are some decent ones if you take the time to read the ingredients, but you still don't get away with a preservative free one! You can add other vegetables such as mushrooms, kale, or other seasonings for a deeper flavor. You can really add anything that is in your fridge so that it doesn't go bad and get wasted. Anyways, I ended up making a two-noodle soup with kasha and vegetables for Chanukkah instead of matzoh ball soup. I didn't have the motivation to make homemade matzoh balls this year, but I will eventually! I hope you enjoy!

Orecchiette Onion Pasta with Kale and Garlic Sauce

Hi Everyone! I hope you are having a great week. Last night I went to a yoga studio that I had never been before called Shine on Yoga . I had one of the best yoga classes in a long time. They have a great special right now.... $20 for unlimited yoga for 2 weeks for new students, so I am definitely going to take advantage of that. I love yoga, and trying out new classes and instructors.... you learn something new every time and it's a great way to calm your mind. I really think that if everyone did yoga... then we would have world peace.

Anyways... On the way home, I knew I wanted to make something simple and delicious, and had a great idea for a garlic sauce. I also remembered that I had orecchiette pasta in my pantry and knew that I was going to put these two together. Below is my garlic masterpiece:

Ingredients to Roast:
2 Leeks
1 bunch green onions
about 15 shallot cloves

Ingredients to Boil:
3 leaves of kale
Orecchiette Pasta

Sauce:
3 tbls lemon juice
1/4 cup olive oil
sea salt
red pepper flakes
about 10-15 garlic cloves

Start by preheating the oven to 375

Peel the shallots, and cut the big ones in half, but leave the small ones whole. Slice the leeks in half, then slice each half width-wise. Peel and cut the green onions into about 1 inch pieces. My goal was to make the veggies chunky. Also, peel the garlic cloves... using big and small cloves...whatever you have. Place everything, except the garlic, in a bowl and pour some olive oil and a pinch of salt on the onions and mix to coat. Place on the baking sheet, and use a spatula or spoon to flatten out so it is a single layer. Add the garlic to the oily bowl and coat them as well. Place that on the baking sheet in a separate corner. When the oven is preheated, put the veggies in there for about 20-30 minutes. Check after 15 minutes and flip if needed with a spatula. Any garlic or pieces that are too dark...remove and you will add this to the dish later because you do not want to burn anything. When I did this... I only had to remove a small piece of garlic so it would not burn. keep checking and take out when everything is cooked through and slightly brown. The garlic should be browned and soft so you can mash it.

While the veggies are cooking... start the water for the pasta. I added a small amount of olive oil and salt to the water just for taste. While you are waiting for it to boil, prepare the kale. I used 3 leaves.. devained... and I actually just ripped them into pieces rather than cutting it. Maybe I was lazy, but it worked fine for me! Set the kale aside.

When the water boils... cook the orecchiette according to package. I used a box, and I used a little over 2/3 of the box. The only reason for this is because I thought I would save a little extra for some soup. But, you can make as much as you want... you might just have to adjust the sauce ingredients... which is no problem! The box I used said to cook for 11-13 minutes. I cooked the full 13 minutes. When the orecchiette has about 40 more seconds to cook... add the kale to the pot. Just let it cook down in the water... this takes about 30-60 seconds. Just continue to mix and push down....it will cook down quick and fit into the pot. When it is cooked down... no more than a minute.... drain the pasta and kale.

When the onions and garlic are finished... Pour the pasta, kale, and onions into a big enough bowl. Now, you can start to make the sauce. Get a bowl and mash the garlic. Pour in the olive oil and lemon juice. Mix everything together well. You can probably use a food processor, but I just mashed and mixed. It won't be totally smooth because you will have chunks of the garlic skin and won't mash totally... but that's why it's so good! Pour that over the pasta and onions. Add some salt, red pepper flakes, and then mix together. You might have to taste and add more lemon juice or salt to adjust to your liking. It's better to start small and add to it. When you have adusted the taste to your liking... serve in a bowl... and enjoy!


This was the perfect dish for a late night meal after a yoga class. The sauce is not too involved, but has just enough flavor. It was totally simple, but did take some time since there was chopping and roasting involved... but it is totally worth it. Just pour a glass of wine and play sodoku while you are cooking... that's what I did. I hope you enjoy!

Vegan Vietnamese Pepper and Garlic Noodle Bowl with Spicy Tofu

Who doesn't love Vietnamese food?!? Everything about it has so much flavor and is so refreshing.....especially the noodle bowls. One place that makes one of the best is called Little Saigon in Orlando, FL. I have been ordering and eating their noodle bowls for a few years now, and I think I finally have mastered how to make a good vegan vietnamese noodle bowl. This recipe seems complicated, but it's actually pretty simple. You just have to be good at timing things out when cooking different ingrediants. It does take some time because of the draining of the tofu and chopping of vegetables, but well well worth it! You can always skip the tofu if you are short on time, and have the same wonderful outcome!

Just some quick notes: I used what I had in my fridge... feel free to experiment with whatever vegetables you have available. I happened to have baby bella mushrooms, but this would be great with shiitake, or any other Asian mushroom. But, I was very pleased with how the baby bella mushrooms turned out.

I use Braggs liquid amino just because it is lower in sodium than soy sauce, and I can't tell the difference much in taste, but any type of soy sauce will do. If you use soy sauce... try to use tamari or shoyu vs any type with preservatives.

As far as the vegetable broth goes... use any kind you like. I use Kitchen Basics. There is way less sodium and they don't use MSG. It's totally natural. I used to use Swanson until I realized they used MSG. If you don't have it available, use water, and just adjust the ingrediants to taste.

I don't use a lot of salt ever. As you can see, I didn't mention using any except for flavoring the tofu. The Braggs and vegetable broth have enough sodium so there is no need to ever use salt in this dish. I originally did not cook the tofu with salt, and it was a little bland, so I added it in the recipe. Just use a small amount to taste.

As far as heat goes on the stove.... I use medium to high heat... you want to hear everything sizzle, but you don't want it to be so hot that it smokes and your food starts to burn. So, use your judgment on that.

Good Luck!

Vegan Vietnamese Pepper and Garlic Noodle Bowl with Spicy Tofu

Rice Sticks (1/2 of a bunch) - You can find these at your local Asian grocery store. Buy a lot of them and use them often!

Vegetables:
4 to 6 Baby Bella Mushrooms (or any kind of mushroom you like), sliced
1 bunch of Broccoli
1/2 red pepper (cut into big cubes)
1/2 green pepper (cut into big cubes)
1 bunch green onions (white parts and green), cut into 1/2 inch pieces. Cut the green slices longer since they cook different
1 Yellow Onion (small or half of a big onion, cut into med to large cubes)
4 good size cloves garlic, chopped

Sauce:
2 tablspoons Braggs liquid amino or soy sauce
2 tablespoons vegetable broth (or water)
2 tablespoons sesame oil
black pepper

For the Tofu:
Firm or Extra Firm Tofu (not silken)
minced onion
red pepper flakes
garlic powder
sea salt to taste
sesame oil
olive oil

The Uncooked:
a handful of chopped lettuce
a small handful of chopped cucumber
about a tablespoon of fresh cilantro
about a tablespoon of fresh basil, cut into slices

Directions:
You have to be able to time this dish right so that the veggies stay crisp while you are cooking the tofu and noodles. But, if you have a hard time cooking a lot of things at once, you can always cook the tofu first, then the veggies second, and noodles last. You know how you work best in the kitchen, so use your judgment. It might take some practice, but I know you can do it!

Fist you have to drain the tofu. It's pretty simple. Use about three paper towels folded on a plate. Place the tofu on top of the folded paper towels. Then, use the same amount of paper towels on top of the tofu, and place something heavy on top of that. You might want to use a large freezer bag in between the top paper towel and whatever you are using to drain the tofu. The reason for this is that if you are using a book you like, you want to avoid a water stain on it. I used a phone book, so I could care less. You want to flip the tofu about 10-15 minutes in and change out the paper towels. Continue to drain on the other side. Once drained, cut into med to thin slices length-wise.

While the tofu is draining, start chopping up the vegetables as mentioned above. During that time you might be able to flip the tofu, and start draining the other side. You will eventually cook the veggies and tofu in a separate pan. For the veggies I use a wok, and the tofu I use a big skillet. ....but use what you have.

Don't start cooking the veggies until you get the tofu started. After you have sliced the tofu - it's time to season it. Sprinkle your desired amount of garlic powder, minced onion, red pepper flakes, and sea salt on the tofu. Take your fingers and pat the seasonings in. Then flip the tofu over and do the same on the other side.

Get everything ready on the stove
-a pot ready with water in it for the noodles
-the wok - with the liquid ingrediants in it.
-the skillet

Coat the large skillet with sesame oil and olive oil... not too much... just enough to coat the pan. Heat the pan to med-high heat and when it is hot, place the tofu in carefully. You can cook in two batches if you can't fit it all in the pan. You want to cook about 10-15 minutes on each side, flipping carefully. You might have to go back and forth between cooking the veggies in the wok to flip the tofu. The tofu should be a golden brown, and crispy on the outside when finished. Some pieces, depending how thin and what part of the skillet it's on, take longer, so just be patient.

While that is cooking, heat the liquid ingredients in the wok on medium-high heat, and when it is hot start by putting in the garlic. Cook for about 3 minutes and put in the onions and cook for about 3-5 minutes until cooked through, but crispy. This might be a good time to boil the water in the pot and begin to cook the noodles according to the instructions on the bag. While you are waiting for the water to boil for the noodles, continue to cook the veggies in the wok. Throw in the peppers and until desired doneness (about 2-3 minutes), then the mushrooms, then the green onion, and last the broccoli. Then, top with the black pepper. I used probably about one teaspoon. Mix everything together and continue to stir-fry for a few more minutes. You want everything to be cooked through, but crispy....the broccoli should be bright green and the mushrooms should be sauteed. Even though I say 3 to 5 minutes... you are the judge of when something looks cooked. Don't forget about the tofu!

Drain the noodles when they are finished cooking. When the tofu is done, remove it from the pan and place on cutting board or paper towel or plate... your choice. Turn the wok on low heat at this point, and pour the drained noodles into the wok. There still should be some liquid, so toss everything together until the noodles are coated with the sauce. I like to cut them in half... it makes it easier to toss. Turn off the wok and remove from heat. If you leave it on the heat, then the noodles will start to stick... so remove immediately.

Transfer the noodles and veggies to a bowl. throw in a handful of lettuce and cucumber, a pinch of cilantro, and about two leaves of sliced basil. I cut two pieces of tofu into matchstick slices and placed on top. Mix together

Enjoy!

Afterthoughts:

I love this dish because there is so much flavor involved depending on what you get in each bite whether it is a refreshing piece of cucumber, the spiciness of the red pepper on the tofu, or the freshness of the cilantro and basil. You can't go wrong with this dish, and you will probably have left over tofu for about three more meals... so you don't have to go through all of the work of draining and cooking it again for awhile. Please try it out and let me know what you think. Afterwords... you can do what I did... make some Rooibos tea and sit on your porch and watch the storm while typing up a recipe. It makes for a peaceful and fulfilling night.

Namaste

Roasted Vegetable and Potato Salad

Hi Everyone! Happy Holidays!

Okay... so I know it's been almost a year since I have updated the blog, but I am back and back for good with a new format and everything. One thing that I can't stand is measuring out ingredients! It's too complicated and I make a mess of everything! I'm more of a dash of this.... a handful of that kind of girl... so that's what you can expect from now on. My recipes are pretty simple... that's how I roll... so you should be able to keep up. I'll try to be as exact as possible.

Moving on..... I know that Thanksgiving just ended, but being my second vegan Thanksgiving, I was looking to make some dishes that I can bring to the table every year. I'm not into fake meats... processed food in the shape of a turkey, or friend veggie protein to look like chicken... so you won't find that here. But, you will find some very healthy and delicious meals that can be served for any occasion.

One of my biggest inspirations is Heidi Swanson, of Super Natural Cooking. The recipe that I am posting is based on a potato salad that used off of her website. It turned out pretty awesome and was a big hit with everyone.

Here it is:

1 1/2 pounds red potatoes... quartered
1/2 pound baby carrots, halved
1/2 pound parsnips, cut in half, and chopped into pieces the size of about an inch
6 medium shallots, peeled and cut in half
about 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 big pinches of sea salt
about 10 scallions, greens cut off, and halved

Dressing:
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 shallot, minced
2 teaspoons mustard
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/3 cup of olive oil

2 cups cooked rice mix (I used a red, white, wild rice mix)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375F degrees.
In a large bowl toss the potatoes, carrots, parsnips, and shallots with the olive oil and 2 big pinches of salt. When everything is well coated, lay out on a baking sheet. Make sure that it is spread out pretty good so that it's a single layer. Coat the green onions in the bowl with the left over oil from the other ingredients. Place everything in the oven. The green onions will be finished first, so take them out after about 20 minutes. Continue to roast the veggies for about 30-40 more minutes, but keep checking since other veggies might finish before the others. For example, the carrots might finish and start to turn black... that is what you want to avoid. You want to let the veggies go until they are deeply golden and tender. You might want to flip the veggies once or twice along the way.

While the vegetables are roasting, start the dressing by pouring the red wine vinegar into a small bowl along with the chopped shallot. Then whisk in the mustard and salt, and olive oil. Make sure everything is mixed until smooth.

When they are done roasting, remove the vegetables from the oven. In the bowl that you cooked the rice, pour a splash of the vinaigrette and mix together. Transfer the rice to a serving platter as a bed for the vegetables. Turn everything out onto the platter and serve topped with the remaining roasted scallions. Then, drizzle the rest of the dressing over and throughout the dish.

Afterthoughts:

I can't take total credit for this recipe since it was based off of a Heidi Swanson original, but you can definitely make this your own. All of the recipes I post can be used as roadmaps to create your own personalized version. While I was indulging on the roasted vegetables I realized that I don't cook like that enough. Roasted vegetables are sweet and crispy, and I decided that I was going to roast veggies more often, so you can expect to see more of that. You can really make this dish for any occasion... and you can change up the veggies in this dish.....I think roasted brussel sprouts or sweet potatoes would have been a great addition or substitution! Let me know what you think!

Namaste-
Monica

Tomato Gazpacho

This recipe serves 4 as a meal, and 6 as an appetizer.

Ingrediants
2 cans of 14.5 organic diced tomatoes with juice
1 hothouse cucumber, diced (see below-save about 1/2 cup for garnish)
1/2 jalapeno, seeded and cut in half
2 tablespoons of cilantro, plus a handful for garnish
2 cloves garlic, chopped
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon salt
black pepper
1/2 red bell pepper, diced (see below for garnish)
18 small cherry tomatoes, cut in half
-1 tomato on the vine, cut in half and quartered
-1/2 small yellow onion, chopped

Set aside for Garnish
- a few leaves of cilantro (about 6 per bowl)
-a tablespoon red bell pepper, diced
-diced cucumber (about 1/4 cup per bowl)
-yellow onion
-tomato on the vine


This is a pretty simple recipe. You pretty much just have to chop the veggies, blend, pour in a bowl, and garnish! The first thing you have to do is chop and dice the cucumber, red bell pepper, onion, and garlic. Prepare the jalapeno, cherry tomatoes, and cilantro. Make sure to set aside some of the cucumber, cilantro, and bell pepper for garnish. Chop the vine tomato and set aside with the garnish and onion for later.

The soup is made in two batches. In a blender, add 1 can of the tomatoes with the juice, and add half of each: cucumber, jalapeno, cilantro, garlic, red wine vinegar, olive oil, salt, bell pepper, cherry tomatoes, and some black pepper to taste. Process in the blender on the lowest speed until broken down. Turn the speed up to high and puree until the soup is completely smooth. Repeat with the second half and mix together.

Pour the soup in bowls, and add a handful of the yellow onion, cucumber, a few leaves of cilantro, a few pieces of the chopped vine tomato, and some red bell pepper. You can eat right away, or chill and eat very cold the next day.

Delights and afterthoughts:

I got this awesome cookbook for my birthday called Great Chefs cook Vegan. This recipe is basically a variation from a chef named Suzanne Goin from this cookbook, but with some differences. The recipe originally called for yellow tomatoes, but this one uses canned red diced tomatoes. We also used yellow onion instead of red onion. There is so much that you can do with gazpacho, and I think you can probably make it different every time. I was really happy and amazed with how flavorful this gazpacho turned out, and I think you will be too. The best thing about it is that you get a full serving of vegetables and it's all raw (well, the canned tomatoes may not be raw, but close!) so you are not cooking out any of the enzymes. Also, you can really taste the garlic in this, but feel free to add more since garlic is such a good antioxidant when raw. I also had a thought that if you wanted to substitute one can of fire roasted tomatoes, or add cayenne pepper, then you can can make spicy tomato gazpacho. Or, maybe you like to have chunks in your soup, so don't puree until completely smooth... just blend until desired consistancy. You can really put your own variation on it... like adding some basil and some grated follow-your-heart mozzarella "cheese" to make a tomato caprese gazpacho... that sounds yummy! Or, maybe add some chunks of avocado... that sounds good too. Seriously... try it out and let me know what you think. I'd love to hear about it!

Chocolate Ganache Topped with fruit

Serves 3

1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon of vanilla soy milk (or plain)
1 cup semi sweet chocolate chips
3 tablespoons pure maple syrup

about 1 cup blueberries
1/2 cup dried banana
about 9 strawberries, sliced

In saucepan, heat soy milk. You don't want it to come to a boil, but just medium heat. Once it's reached that point, turn off heat and pour in chocolate chips and maple syrup. I actually heated the milk in the microwave for 4 and a half minutes. Mix well until a smooth creamy consistancy. It should start to thicken as it cools. Once it's smooth, pour into a small bowl or make it pretty in a martini glass, and top with the fruit listed above, or any fruit of choice.

Delights and Afterthoughts:

Last night after I finished my dinner, I had a little bit of a sweet tooth and was looking through my cabinets to see what I could make for dessert. I remembered that I had some semi sweet chocolate chips, and the thought of eating melted chocolate sounded yummy. Then, I remembered that a few months ago I made a Chocolate Ganache topping for some vanilla cupcakes, and I thought I could use that as a base and maybe make it a little more decadent by adding maple syrup and fruit. The fruit even makes it seem like a healthier dessert even though downing about 1/3 cup of chocolate chips a serving doesn't seem that healthy, so save this for special occasions! If you wanted to make it even more decadant you could add powdered sugar and cinamon to top the fruit, but the dessert is rich enough without all of the extras.

It's really easy! Hope you like it!

Pancakes with Fruit Toppings

It's football season, and one of the things that I look forward to all year are the tailgates. One thing that I look forward to the most though is what I like to call "breakfast tailgates." There is just something about getting to the University in the morning, setting up, and eating breakfast with friends outside that is just so comforting. I think it reminds me of when I was younger and used to go camping. This was the first breakfast tailgate of the season for UCF football (Go Knights!) and I thought this was the perfect time to try out some vegan pancakes. This was my first time making pancake batter, so I did borrow a recipe from Vegan with a Vengeance by Isa Moskowitz as a base for my pancakes. Here is is:

Serving size: About 6 pancakes

1 1/4 cup all purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons canola oil (plus oil for pan or griddle)
1/3 cup water
1 cup vanilla soy milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 tablespoons pure maple syrup
Blueberries
Strawberries

Wash blueberries and place in a bowl
Wash and cut strawberries and place in a bowl.
Place in refrigerator or over ice until ready to serve.

I find it easiest to mix the dry ingredients separate from the wet ingrediants and then mix them together. So, first mix together the flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Then in another bowl, mix together the canola oil, water, soy milk, vanilla, and maple syrup.

Then, pour the wet ingrediants into the dry and mix while you are pouring it until combined. Just continue to mix, but do not overmix. You still want some small lumps. If it is too mixed then the pancakes will turn out tough and rubbery.

Preheat skillet or griddle to medium heat. You can test the skillet by pouring a small amount of water on it, and if it the drops bounce, then it is ready. You don't want it too hot either. It shouldn't be smoking.

When ready, apply a thin layer of canola oil, and take a ladle or spoon and pour the batter out in a circular motion so that it's an even pancake. And, make sure to use the same amount of batter every time so they are around the same size. Cook the pancakes until browned at the bottom and bubbles start to form at the top. This should take about 4 minutes. Then, flip pancake and cook until browned on the other side until the pancake is barely firm to the touch.

When finished, choose your pancake and top with blueberries and strawberries.

Delights and Afterthoughts:

I honestly had no idea what to expect from these pancakes since this was my first time making them. I made the batter the night before and cooked one just to make sure I didn't totally screw up! I was very happy at how they turned out, so I went ahead and chilled the batter overnight and felt confident that everyone would be happy with them that showed up to the breakfast tailgate.

When my friend John was finished cooking them on the griddle, I went ahead and set out the fruit and everyone that showed up early grabbed a plate, some pancakes, and some fruit toppings. They turned out to be hit, so I can't wait to make some other variations.

Some variations that I think would be tasty are:
**Chop the strawberries up pretty small and cook them in the pancakes.
**Fold the fresh blueberries in while cooking to make blueberry pancakes.
**It might also be nice to add some almond extract
**For special occasions, like valentines day, fold in some chocolate chips or substitute chocolate soymilk instead of vanilla soymilk.

There are just so many options!

Let me know if you try these out and how you made them!