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.

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. 

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

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.

Bear Box #4! Asian Barbecue Veggies with Steamed buns

Top Tier- mushrooms and carrots in asian barbecue sauce and steamed buns with barbecue sauce and ginger

Bottom tier- steamed brown rice with edamame 

Vegan Eggplant Curry with Roasted Chickpeas and Ginger Fruit Tea

Indian flavors are some of my favorite to cook with. I love chutneys and curries and lots of spice. So today i decided to make something spicy and something sweet to drink to accompany it.

Iced tea is a Summer staple, and the perfect thing to go with a spicy dish. The best iced tea is made with a lot flavor, and real fruit juice is the best way to get it. For my iced tea I used Yogi Ginger tea, but any ginger tea base would work fine.

Ginger Fruit Tea-

• 2 bags ginger tea
• juice form 1 large grapefruit
• juice from 2 kiwis
• juice from 1 lime
• (optional) 1/4 cup simple syrup or other sweetener

I brewed my tea for a few hours before simply juicing the fruit in my juicer and mixing it all in a pitcher and adding some sweetener. It's a really nice refreshing drink.

Roasted Chickpeas-

• 2 cans of chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp garlic powder
• 2 tbsp paprika
• 2 tsp chili powder

Preheat oven to 250. Drain and rinse chickpeas and then toss with the seasoning and olive oil. Then set aside until the oven is ready. When it is, spread the chickpeas on a baking sheet and cook for 45 minutes. 

Eggplant Curry

• 1/2 a large eggplant, diced
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 2 bell peppers, diced
• 1 can diced tomato
• 1 can tomato sauce
• 2 cups water
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp curry powder
• 2 tbsp salt
• 2 tbsp black pepper
• 1 tbsp fennel seeds

This is the easiest recipe. Chop the veggies, measure the spices, open the cans, and toss it all in a nice big soup pot and simmer on medium for an hour. Best served over jasmine rice.

Vegan Anywhere- Zen Palate, Midtown Manhattan

Bear and I had a weekend in the city with some friends and decided we had to make the most of the trip by going to a great vegan restaurant. Since we were in Times Square for the Marvel Agents of SHIELD STATION exhibit, we decided to go to Zen Palate which is nearby. 

We started the meal with veggie spring rolls with fresh basil, which were really fresh and tasty. I adore spring rolls, they're really cute and I loved the fresh herbs inside.

Then, dumplings! The veggies dumplings come steamed or pan friend, like we chose. They were just the right amount of crispy on the outside and the inside was warm and flavorful, you barely needed any sauce to dip them in.

For my main course, I went with the shepard's pie croquettes. It came with veggies, and some more spring rolls. The croquettes were stuffed with diced vegetables and faux ham, which was really tasty. They came with a thicker, somewhat sweet, dipping sauce which offset the saltiness of the fake pork really well. They were also perfectly cooked which can be a big problem with croquettes.

Bear went with the Moo Shu Fantasia, with green cabbage, soy ham and shredded vegetables. The portions were pretty big and he said the sauce was delicious. I tried a bite of his dish and loved how much flavor they had gotten into the vegetable filling.

Dessert was tofu cheesecake with a blueberry topping. It was amazing, creamy and rich and the crust was flavorful and the sauce was perfect. I love cheesecake so whenever I see a vegan version of it I have to order it. Bear and I shared this piece because the rest of the meal had already been so filling.

Final Scores-
Food- 5/5
Cost- 4.5/5
Service- 4.5/5

Bonus City Shots- 

Peach bubble tea from Vivi!

Wandering around Chinatown, drinking all the fruity beverages.

Bear and I are very romantic and stuff

What I Want- Under $50

Complete Kitchen Knife Set $39.00

My current knife set is made of mismatched pieces and some hand me down items. I know a good knife is a cook's best friend, and this cute set looks perfect. I also like that it comes with a pair of kitchen scissors because they're really handy. 

Cassette Tape Cookie Cutter $14.00

I don't make cookies that often but these cute cookie cutters might be the motivation I need. I remember having a killer cassette collection as a kid and these just bring back the fun memories.

Essential Utensil Set $49.00

Non metal utensils are essential if you're like me and like to use non stick pans. Right now all I have is a random collection of old wooden spoons to use. These seem like a good step up.

Obsessive Chef Cutting Board $24.00

I have two cutting boards already but they're both long and sort of thin, which can leade to bits of chopped veggies falling off and making a mess. A nice big work surface liek this with a fun pattern is just what I need. 

Bear Box #3! Sweet Potato and Quinoa Croquettes, Sauteed Veggies and Pasta with Sweet Potato and Tomato Puree!

Top level- Rice pasta with a puree of sweet potato and tomato with garlic.

Bottom level- On the right, asparagus and mushroom sauteed with garlic and oregano and topped with crushed roasted nuts. On the left are croquettes made form sweet potato, quinoa, onion, garlic and gluten free breadcrumbs on a bed of baby spinach.

Croquettes are a great lunch box staple, they're easy to make in batches and travel pretty well. This box is loaded with veggies and healthy crabs to keep Bear full of energy all day long. 

Vegan Quesadillas with Salsa Fresca and Taco Sauce

Quesadillas were one of my fave foods as a kid. It's cheesy and gooey and you can eat it with your hands. I had figured they wouldn't be a part of my life after going vegan. But with the power of Daiya and some creative cooking, I made the best quesadillas I have ever had, all without the icky animal cruelty. 

These were shockingly easy, and when served with some fresh avocado and salsa, makes for a healthy meal. I made two types of quesadillas- bean and bell pepper, and mushroom and onion, both were easy and delicious!

Mushroom and Onion filling-

1 cup sliced mushrooms

1/2 diced onion

1 tsp minced garlic

1 tsp ground black pepper

1/2 tsp chili powder

Then add half a package of pepperjack daiya.

Bean and Bell Pepper filling

1/2 can beans (I used kidney)

1 bell pepper, diced

1 tbsp adobo seasoning (or 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp onion powder)

 1 tsp smoked paprika

Then add the rest of the daiya

For the salsa-

1/2 large cucumber, diced

1 large tomato, diced

Juice from 1 lime

1 medium bell pepper, diced

1/2 onion, diced

2 tsp salt

2 tsp pepper

2 tsp hot sauce

fresh cilantro

Taco Sauce-

1 cup soaked cashews

1 small can tomato sauce

1 tbsp cumin

2 tsp salt

2 tsp chili powder

simply toss it all in a food processor until smooth and creamy.

Vegan Curry Fried Rice

Have a lot of left over cooked rice? not sure what to do with it? Sick of normal friend rice? How about curry? No one gets sick of curry. At least, I never do.

Curry Fried Rice

• 2 cups of cooked rice
• 1 medium onion, diced
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 1 medium carrot, chopped
• 1 can peas/chickpeas/1 cup cooked lentils (this will help with leftover legumes too!)
• 1 large tomato, diced
• 1 cup mushroom slices
• 2 tbsp coconut oil
• 2 tbsp curry powder
• 2 tbsp garlic, minced
• 2 tbsp turmeric
• 2 tsp chili powder
• 1 tbsp salt

Optional

• Frozen broccoli or cauliflower
• Green beans
• Bean Sprouts
• Cubed tofu
• Hot Sauce
• Plain coconut yogurt

Add coconut oil to a large frying pan on low heat, once it melts add the veggies and cook on medium heat for 10-15 min until the carrots are tender. Then add leftover rice and spices and stir constantly until rice begins to brown in places.

The best ting about this meal is that you can use any veggies you want, even just a frozen mix will work fine. That mean's it's a great option when you need a quick bite to eat but don't just want a frozen burrito or a bowl of cereal.