Thanksgiving

This year's Thanksgiving recipes all came from Oh She Glows. I was super busy this year and couldn't make up anything fun on my own, but these recipes are guaranteed amazing.

Pumpkin Pie Brownie Cupcakes

detox salad

green bean casserole

Shepard's pie

Butternut Squash Mac n Cheese

High Protein Garlic Mashed Potatoes

We also had fruit and So Delicious ice cream for dessert.

Bonus- the next day I fried leftover stuffing into cakes and had them with vegan sour cream and tofu scramble. Soooo good.

Red Curry Ramen

Ramen is great in a lot of ways. It's cheap, easy to find, easy to make, and tasty. It also sucks in a lot of ways, it's super salty, a bit boring, and not that healthy. My solution is to always add something to my basic ramen. This version is spicy and sweet and super easy to make.

Red Curry Ramen Recipe-

1 pack oriental ramen

1 large bell pepper, chopped

1 can coconut milk

1/2 large onion, diced

1/2 cup mushrooms, sliced

2 tablespoons red curry paste

Mix half the can of coconut milk with 1 cup water and 1 tbsp curry paste, and the seasoning packet and bring it to a boil. While it is cooking take the onion, mushrooms and half the bell pepper and cook them until the onion is nice and clear. Then add them to the broth. Once the mix is at a full boil, add the noodles from the ramen pack. Cover and reduce to a simmer for 2 min, then pour into you bowls.

Take the remaining coconut milk, bell pepper and curry pasta and pulse in a food processor. Take the sauce and divide it between your bowls. 

Convention Snacks

I spent all weekend at a con in Jersey, and the husband and I hit up a local Asian market so we could pack out the hotel room with vegan snacks. Mochi, noodle bowls, sesame snacks and tea! We didn't eat anything from the hotel but these were great for times we were too busy to go out and find a restaurant.

Loaded Pumpkin Mini Muffins

I am no great shakes at baking, but as it gets colder I find myself with more time to spend indoors working on my skills. The fact I have a huge stockpile of pumpkin puree didn't hurt either. 

These tiny little nuggets of awesome are loaded full of good things. Dark brown sugar, vanilla, chopped walnuts, tiny chocolate bits and tasty spices like cinnamon and cloves.

Loaded Pumpkin Muffins-

1 1/2 cups of whole wheat flour

1 cup soy or almond milk (I like to use the vanilla kind for this)

1/2 cup pumpkin puree (NOT PIE FILLING)

1/2 cup dark brown sugar

1/2 cup vegan chocolate chips

1/3 cup chopped walnuts

2 Tbsp vegetable oil

1 Tbsp vanilla

1 Tbsp cinnamon

1 Tbsp ground cloves

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

1 flax egg (grind 1 Tbsp of flax seeds and mix with 2.5 Tbsp water and let sit in the fridge for 10 minutes, it will take the place of egg in the recipe!)

Preheat your oven to 375 and oil your muffin tin. I prefer coconut oil for this, simply rub the whole tray down using a paper towel. 

Then mix the dry and wet ingredients separately and then slowly combine, stirring as you go. You can use an electric mixer, but this is easy enough to stir by hand. Mix until all the dry ingredients have absorbed the liquids, make sure to get the sides!

Use a small spoon to fill the muffin tin, keeping the mix to just below the edge. Bake for 10 min or until fluffy and golden brown. Allow to cool for at least 10 min before removing the muffins from the tin.

Pumpkin Harvest Stew

Pumpkins, apples, cinnamon, potatoes, this stew has everything I want to eat when it's cold. Lately I have been getting home after dark form classes, and coming home to a warm meal is the best. Stew is good because I can cook it ahead of time and keep it warm in a crockpot while I'm gone. bonus- it makes the whole apartment smell awesome.

Vegan Pumpkin Harvest Stew
1 large can pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling!)
4 cups vegetable stock
1 can coconut milk
4 yukon potatoes, chopped
2 medium carrots, chopped small
2 cups sliced white mushrooms
1 large yellow onion, diced
1 large granny smith apple, peeled and chopped
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tablespoons salt
2 tablespoons black pepper
2 tablespoons thyme
2 tablespoons rosemary
1 tablespoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons olive oil or coconut oil

Chop carrots, onions, mushrooms, potatoes and apples and cook them on medium high for 15 minutes with the garlic in oil in a large soup pot. Then add the pumpkin puree, stock, coconut milk and spices. bring the mixture to a simmer and allow to cook for at least 30 minutes.
Pairs well with cider, pumpkin beer, stout beer and Halloween cartoon specials.

Vegan Apple Cinnamon Beer Bread

I am loving all the cold weather and rainy nights in my area right now. It lends itself well to some of my favorite activities, like watching horror movies. Last weekend I had a friend over, and my boyfriend, who makes bread all the time, helped me craft a really tasty snack for us to eat while watched. 

Beer bread is something I like making because it's easy and tasty, and I made this version more seasonal with the addition of apples and cinnamon. It's sweet and tastes great ith a cup of hot cider or spiced tea.

Apple Cinnamon Beer Bread-

3 cups whole wheat flour

2 granny smith apples, peeled and chopped

1 cup earth balance

1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

12 ounces of beer (stout works well in this recipe)

1/2 cup sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla

1 tablespoon cinnamon

1 tablespoon allspice

3 teaspoons baking soda

2 teaspoons lemon juice

Preheat oven to 375 F. Combine flour, 1/4 cup of sugar, 1/2 cup of earth balance (melted), baking soda and beer in a large mixing bowl. Mix dough well and allow to sit. 

Then, in a saucepan, combine apples, lemon juice, the remaining sugar and butter, and spices. Cook on medium heat until the apples are tender. Remove from heat and mash with a potato masher or pulse a few times in the food processor until it has the consistency of chunky applesauce. Place in the fridge for 10 minutes. 

Mix walnuts and apple mixture into the dough. Grease your bread pan using a small amount of earth balance and a paper towel.  Then pour dough into the bread pan and place in the oven for 1 hour. Allow to cool for 15 minutes before cutting. 

Wedding Pic

Pasta With Chickpea Sauce

Pasta is a great staple food to have around. Its easy to make, reheats well, and is super versatile. I make pasta at least once a week, so coming up with different ways t serve it is important.

Bear isnt as big of a fan of marinara as I am, so I decided to make him a bix container of pasta with a homemade sauce to bring to work. I wanted the meal to be nice and hearty so I decided to go with a chickpea base.

Chickpea Sauce-

1 can chickpeas

1 cup sun-dried tomatoes

1 cup black olives (no pits!)

2 tablespoons nutritional yeast

1 tablespoon garlic salt

1 tablespoon oregano

1 tablespoon ground black pepper

Simply add all ingredients to a food processor and then blend till smooth and creamy. Pairs well with normal spaghetti or penne, and can easily be frozen and put aside for later use.

Pumpkin Curry

Fall is here and so is pumpkin flavored everything. I can't get PSLs at Starbucks (dairy in the syrup), but I still like to get my fix of big orange squash. Curry is one of my favorite ways to serve pumpkin. The spices really set of the flavor in a nice way.

Pumpkin Curry-

1 large can pumpkin puree (NOT PUMPKIN PIE FILLING)

1 can chickpeas

1 large onion, diced

1 large can diced tomatoes

1 bell pepper, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons coconut oil

1 tablespoon salt

1 tablespoon chili powder

1 tablespoon curry powder

1 tablespoon turmeric

1 tablespoon fennel seeds

In a large pot, add the diced onion, garlic and coconut oil and cook on meidum hgih until they become translucent and fragrant. Then add the chickpeas, bell pepper and tomatoes. Add spices and allow to simmer on medium low for at least 30 min. 

Best served over rice.

ACHIEVEMENT UNLOCKED- GOT MARRIED

The wedding was yesterday. Sadly don't have all the pics and stuff together for a full post but I do have some stuff from my photographers instagram. You can find him at tattooedbridephotoguy or at Allebach Photography.

My wedding boots and adorable Misfits travel mug which was a bit of a life saver.

The rescue kit made by my super cool maid of honor. Includes everything we could need from aspirin to hand sanitizer to tiiiny bottles of booze. Very handy.

One of the buffet signs. Food was soooo good and the signs were pretty fun.

Me being a bad-ass in my dress and jacket.

Beer and Taco Challenge!

So the beer an taco challenge is a response to the ALS ice bucket challenge that seeks to raise money for abortion funds. The basic idea- beer is good, tacos are good, people need money to help exercise their reproductive rights.
This seemed like the perfect challenge for Bear and I since we are both childfree. We are able to make this choice because we have access to birth control and live in a place where there is access to abortions if needed. I have never had an abortion, but I know I would get one if I were to ever become pregnant. So this really stuck a chord with me. Also, on a much lighter note, I really like tacos and beer.
So tonight I made black bean tacos, corn and tomato salsa, spinach and seasoned rice. Easy, healthy and so good!

Salsa-

• 2 tomatoes, diced
• 1 can corn
• 1 small can diced green chiles
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 tbsp salt
• 2 tsp black pepper

Black Beans-

• 1 can black beans
• 1/2 onion, diced
• 1 tsp adobe seasoning

Rice-

• 2 cups brown rice
• 4 cups water
• 2.5 tbsp adobe seasoning

Learn more about the challenge HERE. 

Bring Your Own Lunch!

veggie rice with kimchi, tofu, salad and spinach!

Packing a luch is something everyone who is away from home during unch should try doing more often. I know, some people associate packed lunches with boring wonder bread sandwiches and sort of limp salads, but packed lunches are actually the greatest ting ever. 

For most people money is a concern. Eating lunch out can add up to a lot of money if you do it all the time. And as a vegan, it can be annoying trying to find varied options during the day when I only have around 30 minutes to get my food and eat it between classes. On my campus the fully vegan meals often cost a little bit more than the regular meat and cheese filled sandwiches and salads and wraps. In fact, the amount of vegan options on campus just went up this semester, last year it was even harder to get a good meal there.

So I started making my own lunch. I did start with salads and sandwiches, and those are still good, but then I moved on to bentos. I have shown a few bentos on here before but never really talked about the. Bentos are amazing. They are easy to make, can be filled up with any tasty things I want, and help me save money.

Bonus- Bentos can be super cute!

chickpea salad, tomatos with olives and vegan sausage

Vegan Protein Packed Pasta

This recipe is tasty and super fast to make, plus it packs a huge protein punch into one meal because the sauce is basically all beans. Bonus- this recipe is nut and soy free for those that have allergies!

Protein Packed Pasta-
1 can cannelloni beans
2 handfuls of spinach
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp oregano
2 tsp salt
2 tsp pepper
2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 tsp tahini (pretty optional)

Just toss it all in the food processor and blend until it's nice and creamy. Ad a few spoonfuls to the pasta of your choice (I am partial to brown rice fussili pasta). It's healthy, and has a nice creamy taste. You will likely have some of the bean mix left over, and it freezes well, which is a huge bonus. You can put it aside and defrost it when you need a super fast meal.
This also pairs really well with garlic bread! The spread is soooo tasty on toasted italian bread we actually used up all the left overs snacking.

Real Life Update- August 20 2014

Bear and i have been really busy this week! We went and saw a punk show (more on that soon), did some cleaning around the apartment (so I can do a photo tour), and have been working on wedding planning (much, much more on this soon!). But we did have some time to make some yummy food and take some cute pics. 

Lentil Pate and fruit!

New book magnets

Noodles with veggies and cucumber slices with sesame dressing

French toast with coconut and blueberries 

A lazy bun!

Actually eating a kale muffin

Pumpkin soy latte in August

Vegan Breakfast- Fried Tomatoes, Cheese Grits and Toast

I don't normally like making a big breakfast, but this morning I was in the mood for something a bit more involved. I just got a bunch of tomatoes the other day, so frying them seemed like a perfect idea.

Fried Tomatoes-
2 medium tomatoes
1 cup cornmeal
2 tsp garlic powder
2 tsp chili powder
2 tsp salt
2 tsp onion powder

Simply slice the tomatoes, dredge them in the cornmeal, and fry them until they are golden brown. Super easy!

Grits-
2 cups water
1/2 cup grits
1 tbsp salt
1 handful Daiya

Just boil the water, add the grits and salt, simmer for 5 min, stir in the cheese and you're done.

Toast was just served with Earth Balance spread.

I love this because it's a really easy meal, but the multiple components and fresh tomatoes make it more exciting than just having cereal or a bagel.

Veggie Pad Thai with Korean Melon

Pad Thai is a great dish to make when guests come over because it is just so easy to make in big batches. Bear and I had a friend over last night for dinner and movies and drinks, so I made a huge bowl of pad thai for us all. Bonus- this version is free of not only eggs, meat and shellfish, but also tofu and other mock meats, so it's a very easy sell to omnivores. 

To make this dish special I made a few changes from normal pad thai. First off, I used brown rice noodles, because they seemed a bit healthier. I also added some korean melon to this dish. Korean melon is really tasty and the sweetness and crunch add a much needed light note to a dish like this, which makes it extra perfect for late Summer evenings.

Pad Thai with Melon-

• 1 package brown rice noodles
• 1 medium sized korean melon
• 3 baby bell peppers (or two normal ones)
• 4 stalks green onion, chopped fine
• 1 can water chesnuts
• 1 large handful beansprouts (canned will work fine)
• 1 large carrot, sliced thin
• 6 mushrooms, sliced thin
• 3 tbsp crunchy peanut butter
• 1 lime's worth of juice
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp tamarind paste
• 1 tbsp chili sauce
• 1 tbsp fresh grated ginger 

First off, boil a pot of water. Once the water reached a rolling boil toss in your rice noodles, wait a few minutes, and when they seem cooked through, drain them and set them aside in a large mixing bowl.

Next, take the soy sauce, tamarind paste, ginger, lime juice, chili sauce and peanut butter and toss them in a large pot or pan (I use a huge non stick frying pan for everything) and heat them on medium, stirring thoroughly. Then add a quarter cup of water and the carrots, mushrooms and green onion. Let that cook on medium for five minutes, then add the other veggies, and allow it to cook for 10 minutes with the cover on.

During that time, slice up the melon. First step, cut the melon in half length wise and scoop out the seeds. Then simply cut it into slim matchstick like slices and put it aside. When the veggies are done toss them in the bowl with the noodles and add the melon. Toss well and serve in bowl.

Vegan In Upstate NY! New Paltz, Woodstock and a Lake George Wedding

I spent the past weekend with Bear travelling all over New York. A cousin was having a wedding in Lake George at Fort William Henry, so we decided to make a big adventure out of it.

The first stop we made was in New Paltz, where Bear went to school for a semester, way back in the day. I was amazed at what a cute town it was. The first stop we made, Lagusta's Luscious of course! The vegan chocolate shop is a must visit if you're in the area. The cute little shop is packed full of candy that is tasty and cruelty free. Our favorite? The Pig Out chocolate bar, which is the shop's take on the chocolate with bacon trend, only with smoked mushrooms and yuba. It's smokey and salty and sweet.

We then went on the Karma Road, a New Paltz cafe with a ton of vegan soups, sandwiches and smoothies to choose from. I got a vegan "blt" on multigrain bread, which came with a scoop or kale coleslaw. My sandwich was great but the shop was a bit crowded and chaotic.

Then it was on to Lake George! The town was a bit crazy and full of tourists this time of year, so we headed up to Glen Falls for lunch. We went to Raul's Mexican grill, where we had some great mushroom burritos with a spicy mole sauce. Also, the meal came with a massive serving of home made guacamole and chips for free.

The wedding was gorgeous, and as a bonus, the bride and groom made sure bear and I had plenty of tasty vegan food, even though the regular menu was more surf n turf. We got risotto, hummus, salad and a gorgeous veggie entree. And plenty of good drinks. The specialty cocktail of the evening was a blueberry mojito, pretty and tasty.

This cocktail was a amazing, fresh berries and mint make for great mojitos, which is just right for a Summer wedding. The toast was really warm and crunchy and all the toppings were fresh and good. 

They had a risotto bar! The chef was able to make two vegan risottos with veggie stock, roasted garlic, spinach and peppers. It was really good, the roasted garlic gave it a ton of flavor.

Our special entree was a phyllo dough pastry filled with spinach and mushrooms, served over rice with a tomato sauce. Really great effort on the part of the chef.

I also got a really interesting surprise at our table. I'm getting married soon, so this was my place card!

After the wedding it was time to head back home. This time we made a pit stop in Woodstock! We took a tour of the Woodstock Animal Sanctuary, which was really nice. As a vegan it was really nice to see all these heathy and happy animals that have been saved form the animal agriculture industry. We got to hang out with goats and sheep and cows and chickens and turkeys and ducks and cats and goats and rabbits and pigs. I had a lot of fun petting all the animals.

Bear had to scold some chickens who weren't sharing their food like good birds.

Then it was a late lunch at the Garden Cafe, which came recommended by the sanctuary. There was an honest to god drum circle going on outside the cafe, with a bunch of aging hippies dancing around. Dinner and a show? I got a baked tofu dish with a cashew cream sauce, and a peach crisp with soy ice cream for dessert. I love a good vegan desert.

The whole trip was amazing, and what made it even more fun was listening to some great podcasts on the drive. We caught up on Nightvale pretty early on in the trip and then started listening to a vegan podcast, Our Hen House. It's a fun show, and the hosts talk about a lot of interesting current events that relate to veganism and animal rights.

Overall it was a great trip and I was amazed at how much good food we got. I know people often say being vegan sounds hard, but this trip proved you can find a lot of great options if you look.

What I Want- Vegan Cookbook Wishlist

I have a number of vegan cookbooks. "Isa Does It", "The Veganomicon", "The Vegan Stoner", all of these books are handy to have around. I like having a lot of different cookbooks because it gives me a lot of different types of recipes to work from, from authors with varied tastes and backgrounds. But I can always use more books! So here's a few vegan cookbooks I would like to have.

13.32 on Amazon

"Bake and Destroy" is a super cute cookbook full of super cute food that I really want to eat. I never used to bake much, but lately I find myself wanting to try my hand at making more desserts.

17.90 on Amazon

"The Oh She Glows Cookbook" by Angela Liddon is a New York Times Best Seller for a reason. I use the website a lot already, and I feel like the cookbook would be even better. Liddon has never steered me wrong before, so this book is high on my "to buy" list.

$16.35 on Amazon

"Thug Kitchen" isn't even out yet, but I really, really want it. The Thug Kitchen website is amazing. It's funny, the food looks amazing, and it's fun in a way a lot of cookbook aren't. I am counting the days till this book comes out.