Adventures in Veganism: Perfect Summer Dinner

It preeeeetty hot here these days. However, not terrible by our standards. I made this yummy fresh dinner tonight and pretended I was having a pretty picnic in a pretty park with a pretty breeze and all my pretty friends.

Here's what I made!

Kale salad, curried potato salad, and corn on the cob. Mmm.

Brief confession: I'm kinda a terrible cook. Not the worst by any means. The thing is, I kinda hate following recipes. Recipes are like a whole buncha rules and I really just wanna break em. You'd think  after screwing up recipes all the time I'd learn my lesson. I'm getting there. These are simple recipes that you can doctor and adjust to your tastes and it'll still be delish! Here's what ya do.

Kale Salad- One of my most favorite salads of all time is the Kale salad from True Food Kitchen. Only problem, it's covered in parmesan cheese.  Here's my cheese-less version. This little mixture is so fresh and light. I love love love kale.

A bunch of kale
1 lemon
1-2 cloves of Garlic
A smidge of olive oil
Pepper to taste

Roughly chop the kale. Using a grater or a microplane (if you don't have one get one. I love my microplane. It's magical) zest the lemon (half the lemon if you'd prefer) and squeeze the juice of half the lemon into a bowl. Add a clove of fresh garlic and a bit of olive oil. Stir in some fresh ground pepper and toss the mixture with the kale. If you'd like, you could add some red pepper flakes for a little kick. That's it! Yum!

Curried Potato Salad- Another thing I love- curry powder. I put it on everything. Here's a yummy vegan twist on boring, traditional potato salad.

A handful of baby potatoes
Onion (as much or as little as you prefer)
1 tbsp Vegenaise
Curry powder (as much or as little as you prefer)
Sprinkling of cinnamon
Splash of jerk seasoning (or red pepper flakes. or neither)
Dash of salt
Fresh parsley

Slice up your potatoes, toss them in a pot, and boil until tender. Mix up Vegenaise, lots of curry powder, a little cinnamon, and a sprinkling of jerk seasoning for some spice. Toss potatoes with the yummy mixture. Throw in some freshly chopped onion and parsley. Salt to taste. Nom!

One of the best parts of summer is corn on the cob!! I love going to my grandpa's farm in upstate New York and filling my belly with lots of corn. Boil yourself (or grill- even better!) up and ear and you've got a yummy dinner.

This for That with Rikki Cupcake: Cheeeeeese

First things first- veganism check in! I'm doin pretty well and honest to God, it's been pretty easy. I don't feel like I'm missing anything at all and I've found that, I don't actually really like cheese (I feel ya Rikki). My friend Kara would be shitting her pants right now but it's true. As a vegetarian, I tended to rely on cheese for like, most meals, not cause I liked it (I've now learned) but because it's convenient. I like having to be thoughtful and creative with my meals.

Anyways, it's time again for some more words of vegan wisdom from the lovely Rikki Cupcake of Seitanic Vegan Heathen. This time she's gonna tell us a little bit about vegan cheese options. Don't forget to check out her first post on vegan milk substitutes here. You'll love it : )

Oh cheese, oh you great wonderfully gooey, sticky, stinky mess of fat. How I miss you sometimes. I miss your greasy puddles on pizza, your comfort and intense aroma...OK who am I kidding, I never really liked you cheese, you made me tummy hurt, you made my butt a little bigger than I would have liked and worst of all you made mediocre foods almost tasty. I can say I am probably one of the few Vegans alive that doesn't crave cheese or desire to have cheese alternatives filling my cupboards, but I will admit there are times when a cheese like substance is absolutely necessary, like cream cheese frosting for my sweet potato cupcakes or ricotta for a delicious lasagna. 

But for those of you out there who are not like me and actually like cheese there are quite a few substitutions out there to satisfy those cravings, but I will warn you, most of them do not taste like cheese, the texture is often "different" and 9 out of 10 of them will not melt. Once you have been Vegan long enough most likely you will have the foggiest idea of what cheese really tastes like and these alternatives will prove to be amazing, but if you have just converted give it a few months before diving into a jar of Vegan nacho cheese or you might find yourself crying somewhere in a corner. I know this sounds extreme but it takes a while for our bodies to adjust to a new diet and it takes our taste buds even longer. If one lives on a salt-free diet their entire lives then tries a Dorito they are most likely going to find it disgusting, and the same goes for switching from a highly salty or fatty diet to a diet of (hopefully) whole foods. After a few months of a cheese-free Vegan diet, I tired the very first Vegan cheese of my life, and it was one made easily at home, tofu ricotta, and this is still easily my favorite cheese. All you need is:



1/2 block tofu

1 T. chopped fresh basil

1 T. lemon juice, fresh squeezed if you can

salt and pepper to taste



Crumble the tofu and toss in the other ingredients and mix with your fingers. I put this on pizza, in lasagna and on top of pasta dishes. It is tangy and tasty and best of all it isn't greasy or fatty. You can add sun dried tomatoes, oregano or red pepper flakes to change the flavor around too. This same cheese is easily made with cashews, almonds and walnuts if you have soy allergies. Just remember to soak the nuts in water for about 8 hours, then strain before putting into a food processor or blender with the other ingredients. If you are not one to make this at home Tofutti is putting a Vegan ricotta on the market in the next few months.


Since we are on the topic of Tofutti, they make a pretty great cream cheese that spreads wonderfully on bagels and as mentioned above I use to make delish cream cheese frostings. 

My only advice is the flavor is a bit odd, so mix in garlic powder or cinnamon to change the taste a bit. Hmmmmm garlic-y bagels. I am making myself hungry as I type this. They have flavored Tofutti but nothing is better than mixing in your own jams, agave, chili pepper or what have you, this way you control the calorie count and flavor profile.


The second cheese I learned to make and to absolutely love was a cheese sauce for mac n cheese, but it also suitable as a nacho cheese. The recipe is from Fat Free Vegan Kitchen and is crazy delicious!


1 1/4 cups water

1 cup plain, fat-free soymilk (may use other non-dairy milk)

3/4 cup nutritional yeast

3 tablespoons cornstarch or potato starch

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1 teaspoon salt (or more to taste)

1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon onion powder

1/2 teaspoon dry mustard

1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika

1/2 teaspoon turmeric

pinch cayenne pepper

2 tablespoons tahini

1 teaspoon mellow white miso (or additional salt)

black pepper to taste



Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until mixed well. Put into a sauce pan and cook on medium heat, stirring occasionally. As it heats the sauce will thicken, when it gets to your desired consistency pull off of the stove immediately. Pour over cooked pasta for easy macaroni and cheese or add jalapenos, tomatoes and chili pepper for a great nacho cheese dip, or simply pour in some of your favorite salsa. The recipe calls for nutritional yeast (nooch) and can be found at Sprouts, Whole Foods and Sunflower Market in their bulk sections. Nooch can be sprinkled by itself on top of salads or pizza to add a hint of cheesy flavor. I add nooch to my morning tofu scrambles and to my homemade chili.

If you are interested in making all homemade cheese there is a great book by Joanne Stepaniak called the Uncheese Cookbook and although it is almost twenty years old it is still relevant today, and was most recently reviewed on Bittersweet blog by Hannah Kaminsky, vegan chef extraordinaire.


Now, if you are not one to spend countless hours in the kitchen there are a ton of cheese-alternatives packaged and ready to eat. In my opinion the best are Daiya, Dr. Cow and Follow Your Heart.

These three companies have excelled at the faux cheese and deserve a great big hug from Vegans worldwide. There are a ton of fake cheese out there on the market, but you will never know which ones you love until you give them all a go, and you will have to taste a few duds to find the few that appeal to you the most. If you are looking to make a pizza Daiya or Follow Your Heart, if you are looking to host a wine and cheese tasting go for DR. Cow, and if you are looking to impress your friends, make the Mac N' Cheese recipe from above. The one thing you will discover as you go along in your Vegan journey is the longer you are away from a cheese-filled diet, the less you will miss it. You will discover so many different herbs and spices that a completely cheese-less pizza will be tantalizing, an alfredo sauce made with soymilk will be outstanding and a quesadilla make with yuca will be exquisite!


 If you have any recipe requests or vegan questions send them my way rikkihale@hotmail.com


Rikki Cupcake


Thanks Rikki!! You're the best.

Adventures in Veganism: Chickpea Salad

I just decided right now to start a new "series"; anytime I write about food stuff it shall be called Adventures in Veganism. Woot! (Which also makes me wanna watch Adventures in Babysitting). 

Yesterday I made a super yummy chickpea salad. It's kinda like a vegan version of tuna or egg salad. I was at first suspect but it turned out super yummy.

Here's whatcha do.

Ingredients
Can of chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
Vegenaise
Mustard (grainy, sweet, spicy- whatever you prefer. I used spicy mixed with a little bit of horseradish, mmm.)
Onion
Cucumber (or celery. I just don't like celery.)
Sandwich toppings (I used lettuce, tomato, sweet pickles (or mix relish in), and a little bit of avocado)
Bread

Pour the chickpeas in a bowl and smash em up real nice. Mix in vegenaise and mustard, diced onion, and cucumber. Load up your bread with your favorite sandwich toppings and plop on a heaping dollop of your chickpea mixture on top. Quick and easy. Nom!

Om nom nom: Vegan Cheese Sauce

I spent the better part of my Sunday being all cute and domestic. I cleaned my house up real nice (a little bit at least), planted some flowers, and cooked a bunch.

For reals.

Afterwards I picked up my momma and sister from the airport- they went to Washington to visit some colleges. I got some amazing vegan pizza at Mellow Mushroom. Seriously, so good (there are two in town if you're local : )

Then I rushed back to see my BFB (best friends brother) who was in town from Utah for the night.

 Kenny = BFB

This kid makes me laugh my makeup off my face. Liquid eyeliner stands no chance. I just love their family.

Donny (BFF-in-law), me, Danielle (BFF), Dasi (Totally adorable BFF2)

So I expiremented with making vegan cheese sauce. I was skeptical but had the ingredients so I thought I'd give it a shot.

I found this recipe online and doctored it a bit. This is how it ended up- suprisingly pretty tasty! Easy and yummy- give it a try!

1/2 cup flour
1 stick of dairy free butter
1 1/2 cups water
spices
soy sauce
1/2 cup nutritional yeast

(I added)
1 can of green chiles
2 cloves of garlic
lotsa hot sauce (I used Cholula cause I had it one hand. Syracha would make this sooooo very yummy!)

Melt one stick of dairy free butter (pop the garlic in there too). Add flour, stirring rapidly. Add soysauce and any spices you like (chile powder, paprika, garlic, tarragon, etc). (This is where I added the can of green chiles).

When it thickens, turn off the flame. Stir in nutritional yeast. (Add a bit of water if it's too thick).

Guess what?
You're done!  Now slather it on pasta, potatoes, broccolli. Make some nachos. Woot!

WW and Stuff Like That

Check in time!

Woot woot! Down 1.6lbs this week. That's 6.5 lbs total!

As you can see there were a few weeks in there where things kinda... well not much happened. But as weight watchers says, it's all part of the journey. So, it's nice to see things moving again. This past week I did pretty well with being active as well as with my eating (I even started learning to TAP DANCE!! Holy crap it's so awesome- I was practicing all last night. It's one of my life dreams : ). I've been more in tune with what I'm eating and why I'm eating it, and way better with tracking. And the best part- I feel so much more comfortable in my body these days (working out and walking helps). I know 1.5 lbs seems like nothin but, it makes me feel good.

On the vegan front, I've be goin strong since the last post. I had a couple little mess ups but nothing intentional. Mostly in the begining just not thinking or being aware of ingredients- you really just have to kinda reframe your brain to be just a little more attentive. Again, I feel really proud of myself. I'm psyched. And now that I feel a little more confortable I want to start experimenting with recipes. I've got some really great cookbooks that I wanna master.

How was your weekend??

Introducing a New Guest Series by Rikki Cupcake

I'm suuuper excited about this fun new series called This For That. As I said the other day, I'm trying my bestest to be vegan these days. So I reached out to the author of one of my favorite food related blogs, Rikki Cupcake of Seitanic Vegan Heathen.

(How cute is this pic??)This girl is chock full of foodie knowledge and has been so helpful to me in my trek. Here she'll be doing a series on vegan replacements. If you've been toying with the idea of becoming a vegetarian or vegan, you've gotta hear from this girl.

Rikki and I were talking the other day about how the typical conversation goes when a person finds out you are vegetarian or vegan. It kind of becomes this scripted interaction where you're sure to run into all the usual questions and comments- "Where do you get your protien?" "I could never give up ___!" and on and on. A lot of folks think you've got to give up so much but the truth is, these days it can be super easy to eat a compassionate diet. Through this series This For That, Rikki's gonna teach us all about the myriad of vegan substitues are out there so all of us can put the smack down on our animal derrived vices (if you so choose, of course : ).

I spoke a little bit about it a while back about my reasons for eating veg. I'd really like to discuss a little more depth my reasoning but I don't wanna bog you down in too much info (especially when y'all could be reading Rikki's amazing content. But no fear- I'm working on a big, fun, informative post that will be coming soon. So without further adieu- Meet Rikki!

So, you are thinking about going Vegan, you have your mind made up, you are determined to save the planet, hug some baby cows and become a vegan superhero, you are ready and then you decide to pour yourself a bowl of fruity-os and then you become completely baffled as what to drown them in. Might as well go back to bed and start over, right? Wrong! Milk replacement is one of the easiest things in the vegan diet, there are handfuls of dairy milk replacements, so much in fact you may feel jipped having had only two options (cow's milk and goat's milk). Now you can jump for joy as you have so many more options then before. There is soy, one of the most popular choices out there, and has reportedly been used by the Chinese before the 12th century. Soy milk is quite thick, very similar to full fat cow's milk, and has nearly the same amount of protein. The taste can seem a bit "off" the first time you try it, the key is to properly refrigerate your soy milk ahead of time and shake the bejeezus out of it before pouring it on your tasty breakfast cereal. Once a box of soy milk is open it has a lifespan of seven to ten days, after that drink at your own risk.  Soy milk is great for making ice creams, puddings and yummy alfredo sauce for pasta. You can even get vanilla flavored or chocolate flavored soy if the plain is, well a little too plain.

Another great and incredibly tasty milk is almond milk. Almond tends to be a little lower in fat than the soy, is a great alternative to those with soy allergies, and is okay to drink during Lent. Almond milk is great for baking, it adds a great flavor profile and because of its thickness it hold up just as well as cow's milk. Almond milk ice cream, smoothies and coffee creamers all have a velvety smooth texture and a simple and sweet taste. These to come in vanilla and chocolate, and the company Almond Breeze makes 40 calorie Almond milk, perfect for those on a diet. 

Another nut milk on the market is hazelnut milk, it tends to be a bit more pricey but is very high in vitamin E. Hazelnut milk can be a bit more difficult to find and is worth the try if you can get your hands on it. Oat milk is the same way, higher in cost, more difficult to locate. It also has a lower protein count but can often times be fortified with calcium and protein. Oat milk is great in cereals and since it doesn't have an overly strong flavor it can be used for sauces in Indian or Italian dishes.  Rice milk (a grain milk just like oat) is very easy to find and has a thinner consistency than most plant milks, it is the equivalent of fat free or 1% milk. Rice milk has a slightly sweet taste and is perfect for adding to just about everything. It makes for light and fluffy desserts, is wonderful in coffee and the best part, is it is great for those with severe allergies. Since rice milk is made from brown rice it doesn't contain many vitamins or nutrients so it is important to purchase a rice milk that has been fortified with vitamins to make sure you are getting your daily intake of calcium, protein and B-12. 

Then there is coconut milk, and not the kind in the can either. There is a wonderful company called So Delicious that makes coconut milk that doesn't taste the least bit like coconut, so much so that I used it in my creamy mashed potatoes last Thanksgiving and no one was the wiser. Coconut milk yogurt is the best yogurt on the market, it tastes so much like the real thing it is incredible!

 The last milk is hemp milk, drink enough of this stuff and you will be wasted! Ha ha, not really. To me personally, hemp milk tastes like old socks, but it is so high in Omega 6 and Omega 9 it seems like one should drink more of it. Here is my compromise, make ice cream with it, once you and a cup of sugar or agave to it the sock flavor disappears. Hemp is really good for your body and the harvesting of it is pretty good for the environment too.

Remember when it comes to soy milk, buy organic, and that is not just the hippie in me saying this. Most soybeans in the United States are GMO (genetically modified organisms), which means you are putting potentially harmful stuff into your body. The good news, Starbucks uses organic soy, so next time you order a soy latte know you are helping a small farmer somewhere in the US keep his or her dignity and their farm.

Now for fun, a recipe!

Basic Vanilla Ice Cream recipe from "The Vegan Scoop" by Wheeler Del Torro

1 cup soy milk, divided

2 tablespoons arrowroot powder (get at Whole Foods or Sunflower)

2 cups soy creamer

3/4 cup sugar (most organic sugar is vegan)

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

For this recipe you can replace the soy milk with almond, hemp or coconut and get the same results, the creamer can also be replaced with a coconut milk creamer...yum!

In a small bowl combine 1/4 cup soy milk with arrowroot powder and set aside.

Mix soy creamer, remaining 3/4 cup soy milk and sugar in a saucepan and cook over low heat. Once mixture begins to boil, remove from heat and immediately add arrowroot mixture, it should thicken slightly, then add vanilla extract.

Refrigerate for 2-3 hours and then freeze according to your ice cream maker. If you don't have an ice cream maker, what is wrong with you? Just kidding, head over to the store and pick up some Coconut Bliss or Tempt hemp milk ice cream. Both are AMAZING!!! 
(I can attest- the Coconut Bliss ice cream is insanely good! I've yet to try the Tempt Hemp milk ice cream but it's on my grocery list).

Rikki Cupcake

Yay! How rad was that?! How rad is Rikki? The coolest part about vegan milk replacements is that grocery stores are gettin hip with it and often times offer many different options. That means you don't have to make a special trip to a natural foods store if it's out of your way. Stay tuned for more helpful veg goodness to come.

Gearing up for Thanksgiving

I mentioned last week how much I love love love Thanksgiving. It's my favorite holiday! It's a nice time to (finally) say goodbye to warm weather (here in Phoenix at least) and spend some time with family and friends focusing on all there is to be thankful for.

Since I am *trying* to be vegan, I have been searching high and low for some yummy recipes to bring to our feast (I'm thinking sweet potato and apple hash and a brussel sprout salad... for now at least : ). Some people can't imagine being vegetarian/vegan on a holiday that seems to revolve so heavily around turkey. But let's be honest- unless you're my protein freak body building cousin, you probably love all the sides way more anyways. 

Check these places for super delicious looking vegan and vegetarian recipes.


Ready Made's Holiday Guide
The recipe finder on VegWeb
Veg Kitchen's Vegan Thanksgiving
Well's Vegetarian Thanksgiving
Healthy Happy Life's Vegan Thanksgiving Series


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What are your favorite Thanksgiving dishes? What will you be making this year?

Counting down the days...

I loooove Thanksgiving. It's my favorite holiday. Why, you ask? Because Pumpkin pie is my most favorite treat in the world and I love the idea of taking time to reflect on all the things there are to be thankful for!

I have recently realized that I've never really talked about my vegetarianism and, with this delicious holiday approaching, I thought it would be a great time. When I was in college I was so fortunate to be able to take one of the most amazing classes called The Sociology of Food. Before that I had never really given much thought to vegetarianism/veganism. The class taught me so much about the way our food is grown, packaged, cooked, developed, engineered, etc. It was more than enough to send me running in the veggie direction.

I was vegetarian for a while in college but kind of gave up on it. My family and boyfriend (at the time) were big meat eaters and it just seemed easier to go with the flow. After my boyfriend and I broke up, I decided I needed to do something for myself- and that something was become vegetarian again. It was the first thing I did for myself after we broke up and it was the best and easiest thing I've ever done.

Don't take this wrong, but, It wasn't the animal treatment that (initially) inspired my change. We've all seen the footage Peta uses to try and shock people (though I do get teary almost every time I see those things). It was finding out about how food was processed and packaged that sent me over the edge. And, with a grandpa who is a farmer, I was concerned for the well being and sustainability of small farms everywhere.

With vegetarianism under my belt, I am looking now towards becoming vegan (because being vegetarian is just too easy : ). I know its hard but it seems to me to be the least I can do to help have a positive influence on my world. Sometimes it can seem from the outside that vegetarianism/veganism is some militant restrictive diet choice but in reality it's not at all.  The whole point is to do your best. Just because you are vegetarianism/vegan doesn't mean you are perfect. Just going meat/dairy free one week in the year, one day in the week, or just one meal makes a profound impact.

So with Thanksgiving fast approaching I really want to post about my dietary choices, my favorite holiday, and coping with a family meal filled with butter   : )

Here's a video I found from Chicos and Beans, a great local vegan blog.


Rhymes With Vegan - SPECIAL Thanksgiving Episode

Vegan Apple Tart

I made a vegan apple tart for craft night tonight! I kind of tweaked this recipe from Hell Yeah It's Vegan (I wasn't sure everyone would be into the cheddar crust).  Everything on that blog makes my mouth water.

Here's what I did.

Ingredients

1 1/2 c flour

1/3 c vegan margarine (I used Earth Balance)

1 tbsp shortening

ice water

3 granny smith apples (peeled and sliced thinly)

3 tbsp agave nectar 

1/4 tsp nutmeg

juice from 1 lemon

cinnamon

Cut butter and shortening into flour. Because I am bad at following directions, I added a tiny sprinkling of cinnamon into my dough mixture as well. Add ice water one tablespoon at a time until the dough can be gathered into a ball. Smoosh the ball into a disk then cover in plastic and put it in the fridge to chill for a good half hour or more. I took a long walk while my dough was chilling. (If your short on time, pop it in the freezer).

Toss the apples in the lemon juice, agave, and nutmeg (I added some cinnamon here too :). Grease a cookie sheet and preheat your over to 400 degrees. While your over heats up, roll your dough out to about 1/4 inch thick (I realized I did not have my rolling pin! So I just pushed out the dough as you would a pizza crust. If the dough splits just pinch the crust back together. The great thing about this is that it's supposed to look rustic so messy crust isn't that big of a deal).

Fill the crust with apples; up to 1/2 inch from the edge. Fold the edges over. Pour excess liquid into the opening and top with pats of vegan margarine. I had some coarse sugar crystals that I patted into the folded over crust- turbinado sugar would work just as well- just to make it fancy! Bake for 40-50 minutes. 

Do you have any good fall recipes? Please share!!