Vegan Mofo: Spooky Style

October is Vegan MoFo month, and what a great months for vegans it is. For those not in the know, Vegan MoFo stands for Vegan Month of Food and it's a month of amazing posts on vegan blogs. The Vegan MoFo goal for bloggers who sign up is to make a post a day on their blog for the entire month of October. The posts often have a theme chosen by the author, which can lead to a lot of creative and entertaining content. It is a vegan dream.

My favorite example of themed posts this year is Don't Eat Off The Sidewalk http://donteatoffthesidewalk.com.
The author of the blog is a fan of horror films and her theme for MoFo is giving fun reviews of her favorite spooky/horror films and coming up with menus inspired by the movies, complete with links to the recipes. The best part is that she not only includes films for horror geeks, but also kid-friendly favorites like Hocus Pocus. I'm sold.

Eating Vegan At The Fair

Yesterday I took a little trip to the Tulsa State Fair and while fried and unhealthy foods were plentiful and in the majority, I also found a pleasing amount of vegan-friendly fair, including a pineapple whip ($3) which was delicious and worth the brain freeze.

I also found: A spinach & black bean burrito sans cheese and ranch sauce-$7.50, a soft pretzel with no butter-$3 (just ask them to glance at the box), a hummus plate-$5, a veggie sub, and sorbetto $5.

There were probably other options I missed as I didn't walk by every stand. It's great to know that vendors are becoming more aware of and accomodating to vegan customers. If you serve it, we will come. And spend our money. It's a win-win situation.

La Costena Salsa Verde

My latest not-so-guilty pleasure. Cheap, spicy, and healthy. I could probably eat this stuff daily (and nearly do). I buy the little cans but it also comes in jars.

4/5

Bulgar Salad

Last night I had a bag of bulgar and the desire to experiment, and what I came up with was delicious. This bulgar salad is tabouli-esque, but had slightly different flavors.

Ingredients:
Water
2 cups of bulgar (I used Bob's Red Mill)
1/3rd red onion, finely diced
1 large tomato, diced
1/2 a seedless cucumber, diced
3 shredded baby carrots
3/4 tbsp dried parsley
1/4 tsp cumin
1/4 tsp pepper
1/8 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp salt
3 tbsp lemon juice

Directions:
1. Take the bulgar and soak it in 2 cups of water for an hour.
2. After the bulgar has been sitting for an hour, take the bulgar, vegetables, and spices and combine them in a glass or ceramic bowl.
3. Top with the lemon juice and stir well. Cover and r

Roasted Pepper and Olive Tapenade

Tapenade is a provencial dish, typically containing finely chopped olives, capers, and olive oil. It is popular in the South of France, spread on breads as an appetizer.

Ingredients:
1 tbsp olive oil
2 large red bell peppers, halved
2 large yellow bell peppers, halved
1/3rd cup roughly chopped black olives
1 tbsp capers, drained
Pepper

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350. Toss the peppers with enough oil to coat and bake for 35 minutes. Peel the skins off the peppers and chop them.
2. Put the peppers, olives, capers, and pepper in a food processor and pulse until smooth. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. Let the tapenade come to room temp before serving with crostini.

Corn-Quinoa Salad

Packed with complete protein and healthy carbs, this tasty salad is a great light-yet-filling side option. Tip: try leftovers in lettuce wraps for a quick lunch.

Ingredients:
1 cup quinoa, rinsed and drained
1/2 tsp salt
1.5 cups fresh or frozen corn kernels (equal to 2 ears)
1.5 cups halved cherry tomatoes
1 cup finely chopped red cabbage
1 cup diced cucumber

Dressing
1/2 cup olive oil
1/4 cup lemon
juice
3tbs maple syrup
1tbs dijon mustard 1tsp salt

Directions:
1. Bring quinoa, salt, and 1.5 cups of water to a boil in a saucepan. Reduce heat to med-low, cover, and simmer 20 minutes. Set aside, covered, for 10 minutes
2. Rinse and drain corn and stir together corn, tomatoes, cabbage, cucumber, and quinoa in a bowl.
To make the dressing just blend all dressing indredients until smooth and stir into the salad. Serve chilled or at room temperature.

Perfect Pancakes

This recipe for Perfect Pancakes comes from the Vegan Brunch cookbook.

Ingredients:
1 and 3/4 cups of all-purpose flour
2 tsps baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tbsps canola oil
1/3rd cup water
1 cup of plain soymilk
2 tbsp of maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:
1. Heat a skillet over medium heat
2. Mix the ingredients
3. Cook for 3 minutes on each side until bubbles form. Serve hot and top with syrup or fresh fruit.

Apple-Cinnamon Granola

The subtle spices in this granola bring to mind old-fashioned apple pie, making it a great snack for the transitioning weather.

Ingredients

1/4 cup plus 2 cups rolled oats
1 cup pecans
1/2 cup dried apples, chopped
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/4 cup Apple Syrup*
Dash of cinnamon
Dash of nutmeg

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350. 1. Place 1/4 cup of oats in a food processor and pulse once. Mix dry ingredients in a medium bowl. 2. Combine liquid ingredients in a small bowl and then add to the dry ingredients. 3. Stir well and spread the mixture onto a lined baking sheet. Bake 25 minutes, mixing occasionally. Remove and let cool.

*Apple Syrup: In a heavy bottomed saucepan, bring 2 cups of apple juice to a simmer and then reduce to medium-low heat. Add 1 cinnamon stick, halved. Cook for 15 minutes and remove stick. Cook for 15 more minutes and let cool.

Easy Raw Lemon-Lime Sport Gel

Every strenuous workout needs fuel, and for long distance runners, triathletes and cyclists, energy gels are a quick and concentrated way to refuel without having to fumble with a bar or bottle. This recipe is from Thrive, by vegan pro-athlete Brendan Brazier.

Ingredients:
4 dates
1/2 cup raw agave nectar
2tsp lemon zest
1/2 tsp dulse (will work without it)
Sea salt to taste

Directions:
Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until desired consistency is reached. Put into a plastic zip-lock bag or gel flask. To eat just tear off a corner of the bag or gel flask and squeeze.

Quinoa and Red Beans

Last night I made a dinner so simple, quick, easy and tasty that I just had to share. There's nothing fancy here, just 4 basic ingredients that make for a great, filling lunch or dinner.

Ingredients:
1 cup of quinoa.
1.5 cups of water or vegetable broth.
1 vegetarian vegetable boullion cube, if using water.
1 can of kidney beans, drained and well rinsed.
1 tsp pepper.

Directions:
1. Bring the vegetable broth or water and cube to a boil.
2. Add quinoa and reduce heat to simmer. Simmer for 10 mins.
3. After 10 mins, add drained and rinsed kidney beans. Cook 5 more mins, until beans are heated.
4. Stir in pepper and eat!
Serves 4.

Banana Rabanada

The recipe for this Banana Rabanada (aka Brazilian French Toast) comes from the book Vegan Brunch by Isa Chandra Moskowitz.

Ingredients:
2 very ripe bananas
1.5 cups of almond milk
2 tbsps cornstarch
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp cocoa powder
1 tsp cinnamon
cooking spray
1 stale baguette, sliced
strawberries for garnish

Directions:
1. Blend bananas, milk, cornstarch and vanilla until smooth. Spread baguette slices on a baking pan. Pour mixture on bread and flip slices to coat, letting sit 10 mins each side to soak in.
2. Preheat a large skillet over med heat. Cook 5-7 mins on one side and 3 on the other, until golden brown. Keep warm on a plate covered with foil until both batches are done. Top with strawberries and syrup.

Vegan Brunch Cookbook

Vegan Brunch by Isa Chandra Moskowitz is an excellent cookbook of delicious recipes including veganized versions of basic staples such as pancakes and biscuits and gravy, as well as recipes for less traditional dishes that will quickly become favorites (banana rabanada, anybody?). In addition to having amazing recipes, Vegan Brunch also contains plenty of beautiful pictures, as well as tips on adjusting the recipes to include your favorite flavors.

Vegan Brunch is an excellent vegan cookbook, and I recommend it for any vegan, long-time or new to the awesomeness of vegan food, and any person who loves brunch. Rating: 5/5!

Pansy Maiden: Vegan Bags

Pansy Maiden is a line of cruelty free, entirely vegan, beautiful hand made bags lovingly crafted in Boston. These bags are adorable, and according to every view I've read they are also sturdy and beautifully detailed inside and out.
My current favorite is the sold out microsuede Shake Sugaree.

Fellow ladies: which do you like best?

Vegan Ricans

A few days ago a friend of mine posted a picture of a frittata with mofongo on facebook. Having no idea what mofongo was except a hint that it was possibly cuban, my curiosity was piqued and I had to look it up. Mofongo is a dish made with plantains and typically has meat or seafood in the center. Being an ever-curious eater and vegan, I immediately sought out a meat free version and the first result was a blog called Vegan Ricans. This blog is amazing! They take traditional Puerto Rican dishes and veganize them, posting the recipes, accompanied by beautiful pictures. I can hardly wait to try the mofongo and chickpea patties. You can find the recipes mentioned above and many more at http://veganricans.blogspot.com.

Vegan Indian Tacos

The Fry Bread

Ingredients:
2 cups all purpose flour
1tsp salt
3 tsp baking powder
1 cup of water

Directions:

Let dough sit 10-15 mins
Break off dough into golf ball sized balls and pat to 1/4 inch thickness
Fry individually in oil to a light golden brown
Drain on paper towels in covered bowl

Topping

2 cans of well rinsed pinto beans
1tsp minced garlic
dash of cumin
1/3rd lg onion, chopped
1/8 cup of water

Directions:
Sautee onion and garlic in saucepan. Add beans, water, and cumin. Cook 5-7 mins on med heat.

Top fry bread with bean mixture and lettuce, tomato and onion.

Pineapple-Coconut Vegan Gelato

Ingredients:

-1.5 cups sugar
-1.5 cups water
-1 15-ounce can of pineapple in juice
-2/3 cup coconut milk

Directions:

-Combine sugar and water in a large saucepan; bring to a boil, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Remove from heat and cool completely.
-Combine the pineapple and coconut milk in a large bowl and stir in the sugar syrup.
-Pour mixture into the freezer can of an ice cream maker and freeze according to the maker's instructions. Spoon gelato into a plastic container and freeze until firm. If you don't have an ice cream maker you can also freeze this mixture in a plastic tub for a few hours, scraping every so often until you achieve the gelato texture.

Makes 4 cups.

My latest (not so) guilty pleasure.

Although I am not a big candy eater I have always enjoyed the occasional indulgence in nearly any kind of gummy sweet available. Unfortunately most gummy candies contain gelatin, so when I went vegetarian, and later, vegan I had to ignore the cravings when I had them. That is where Buddy Fruits come in. Made of 100% fruit with no gelatin or artificial ingredients, these treats hit the spot without the guilt. So far I have only tried the pomegranate and raspberry flavors, but I trust that the other flavors are delicious as well. You can buy Buddy Fruits at most grocery stores, and if you by chance stop by Walmart you can find them for 88 cents.

Rating: 4/5.

Japanese Cat House

Easter Treats

Easter is near, and brightly-colored sugary treats line store shelves, waiting to be taken home. Dandies Tweets by Chicago Soydairy are just one of the newest options for vegans to enjoy. There are also new vegan jellybeans and even a version of a Cadbury Egg! Being an ethical eater doesnt have to mean missing out.
Check out this great post on Laziest Vegans for a few reviews of the latest and greatest Easter options.

Fresh Pasta Salad

This recipe comes from the June 2005 issue of Vegetarian Times.

Summer Pasta Salad with Grilled Vegetables

8 oz. rotini
3 tbs olive oil
2 tbs red wine vinegar
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste
1 cup cherry tomatoes
2 med zucchini cut lengthwise into quarters
1 red bell pepper, quartered
1 cup black olives
2 tbs each of chopped basil and oregano

1. Prepare medium hot charcoal or gas grill
2. Cook pasta, and drain. Toss with 1 tbs olive oil.
3. Whisk together remaining oil and spices. Toss vegetables in the oil mixture to coat.
4. Transfer zucchini and pepper to grill, and cook 3 minutes. Add tomatoes and cook until soft.
5. Chop zucchini and pepper coursely and add to pasta. Add tomatoes and remaining marinade and toss well. Serves 8.

Candle Cafe Cookbook

Candle Cafe is a restaurant in NYC serving critically acclaimed vegan fare to foodies of all diets since 1994. For those of us who live elsewhere, the Candle Cafe has an excellent cookbook with a wide variety of flavor-packed recipes inspired by a variety of cuisines. This is one of my favorites.

Nori Rolls

Ingredients:
5 sheets toasted nori
2.5 cups cooked brown rice
2.5 tbsps wasabi paste
1 avocado, cubed
1 cucumber, peeled and julienned
3 carrots, peeled and julienned
5 scallions, julienned

Instructions:
Place sushi mat on table. Place the nori shiny shide down on mat. Wet hands with water and spread 3/4 cup of rice over the nori, leaving a bare strip at the top. Spread 1/2 tsp wasabi horizontally about 1/3rd of the way up. Place a part of each vegetable on top of the wasabi. Roll. Repeat with each sheet of nori. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate until serving.

Raw Strawberry Tart

Raw Strawberry Tart

Topping:
1 cup of shredded raw coconut
1.5 cups of walnuts
1/2 tsp of salt
1/3rd a cup of pitted dates

.

Filling:
3 cups of fresh or frozen strawberries, sliced, and thawed and drained if frozen.
1/2 cup of pitted dates
2 tsps lemon juice
1/8 tsp of cinnamon.

Instructions:
1. Mix topping ingredients except dates in a food processor. Slowly add the dates one by one to form the crumbles
2. Combine 1 cup of the strawberries with the remaining dates, lemon juice, and cinnamon. Blend into a chunky paste. Mix in remaining berries to complete the filling
3. Spread mixture in a small glass baking dish and top with crumble mixture. Chill until ready to eat.

I started this year's garden yesterday. So far I've planted early jalapenos, giant noble spinach, and a mesclun salad mix, but I will also be planting a few varieties of tomatoes, swiss chard, sugar baby watermelon, and several herbs soon. Yum!

Are you growing an edible garden this year? If so, what are you planting?

Vegan Queso!

As you will see from upcoming recipe posts, about 1/3rd of what I eat is Mexican and Tex-Mex cuisine. And while it's pretty easy to use vegan substitutes in most popular Tex-Mex dishes, queso is one area often best left to the professionals.

Enter Food for Lovers Vegan Queso, made in Austin, where they know their Tex-Mex (I speak from experience). All of the reviews I read have been glowing. And it's only 4.99 for a 12oz jar! I can't wait to try this stuff with my favorite tortilla chips and drizzled onto tacos. It's a relatively new-ish product, but chances are you can find it at your local Whole Foods or vegan-friendly market. Yum!

Spinach Artichoke Hummus.

I love hummus. I mean I really love hummus. I'll put it on nearly anything, and I could probably eat it every day. So when I saw Sabra's Spinach and Artichoke flavor on sale yesterday, I had to pick some up, and I think I may have a new favorite.

The flavors of the sauteed spinach and roasted artichokes really stand out in this hummus, as opposed to a couple of other brands I have tried where any artichoke flavor takes a back seat to the chickpeas. Last night I ate it with a few tortilla chips, but this would be great paired with just about anything.
Appearance: A
Convenience: A
Flavor: A+!
Cost: A

I love my 1970's yellow Schwinn Breeze, I really do. But when Spring rolls around I find myself wanting a lighter, sleeker, Electra Amsterdam. And someday, I will own one. Isn't it cute?

Raw Chocolate Mousse

This recipe comes from the March 2010 issue of Vegetarian Times, and it is a winner. What makes it so, you wonder? Two words. Chocolate. Avocado.

Live Chocolate Mousse
3 Haas avocados
1/4 cup plus 2 tbs raw agave nectar
1/4 cup plus 2 tbsp raw cocoa powder
3 tbsp raw almond butter
1 tsp lemon juice
Pinch cinnamon
Pinch nutmeg
1/2 tsp of almond or vanilla extract, optional
Puree ingredients in food processor until smooth and creamy. Transfer to bowls, and serve immediately.

Serves 4.

Spring Brews.

Spring is officially here, and for many the warmer days bring to mind images of enjoying a couple of cold beers al fresco. Unfortunately, not all beer is vegan-friendly. Many breweries sneak in animal derived ingredients such as isinglass, which is made from the swim bladders of fish. But! Fortunately, Barnivore has vegan drinkers and others who prefer their alchohol fish-free, covered.
Barnivore.com is an extensive site that lists hundreds of breweries, distilleries, and wineries, and lists which products are and are not vegan products from each. Cheers to barnivore!

In keeping with the welcoming of spring, here are 4 of my favorite warm weather drinks.

-Fat Tire: A delicious classic
-Blue Moon: Add a slice of orange for an even better flavor
-Ace Pear Cider: Slightly sweet, always refreshing.
- Abita Strawberry: Seasonal strawberry lager.

Brats!

During a recent search for vegan breakfast links I stumbled across these Tofurky Vegan Beer Brats and was immediately smitten. Can you believe it? And they are actually made with Full Sail Amber Ale and not just puny malt flavoring. I haven't purchased and tried them yet, but they look promising. I'll write a review as soon as I do. If I don't eat too many and go into a bratwurst coma, that is.

Cookies and Cupcakes and Quickbreads, Oh My!

April 24th-May 1st marks the 3rd annual Worldwide Vegan Bake Sale Week. Worldwide Vegan Bake Sale is an international event where vegans and vegan-friendly folks make tasty treats and sell them to raise funds for the charity of their choice. After doing research on the event, I have decided to organize, with the help of fellow vegans, Tulsa's first Vegan Bake Sale! Right now planning is still in the early stages as we recruit bakers and secure a location, but I am confident that everything will come together. Tulsa is known as a charitable city, even during recessions, and who doesn't enjoy tasty baked goods?

I'll post more info as it becomes available. If you are interested in volunteering as a baker or in any other way, please comment. Thanks!

Tofurky Vegan Pepperoni Pizza. B+

Tofurky Vegan Pepperoni Pizza.

Despite being vegan for 9 months, my exposure to vegan convenience foods beyond a veggie burger or vegan hot dog has been self limited. That all changed when I saw this pepperoni pizza in an Atkin's ad for under $7.

The pizza looks like a typical frozen pizza. Out of the box there is a delicious garlic smell. The pepperoni bakes up crisp but not too crunchy, and the taste and the spice echoes that of real pepperoni. The daiya cheese was a light layer with a surprisingly cheese-like texture and no aftertaste. The thin layer of sauce is slightly gooey and a little garlicky, complimenting the daiya & pepperoni well. The crust is thin and crisps up after 14 minutes. Overall I would recommend this to any vegan. Even my 2 omni taste testers approved of this pie.

Appearance: B

Ease: A

Taste: B+

Cost: B-

Let me see your fancy footwear.

The coming of Spring has lead me to hunting for cute new shoes. I knew that both Payless and Target carry a decent selection of vegan friendly footwear, but I wanted to broaden my options. I perused vegan specific websites like Moo Shoes, and departments suckh as Zappos' vegan area, but I couldn't find what I wanted. So I ended up at Urban Outfitter's site, where I found these sweet heels and a few other stylish options for relatively affordable prices. You have to wade through leather items to find them, but it's worth a look to find trends you can feel good about.

Kale Chips.

Kale is a wonderful green. It's delicious, easy to prepare, high in Calcium and other nutrients, and perfect if you have a mild spinach allergy like I do. Another reason to love this delicious bunch is that there are many ways to enjoy it. Here is one of my favorites.
Crispy Kale Chips

1-12 oz bunch of curly kale, center stems removed and torn into bite-sized pieces
2 tbs olive oil
1 tbs lemon juice
1/2 tsp sea salt
3 tbs nutritional yeast

Instructions 1. Place kale in a bowl. Rub oil, juice, and salt into leaves. Add nooch and toss.
2. Spread kale evenly onto dehydrator trays. Dehydrate 3 hours, until crispy. Cool completely before eating.

Garden

This Spring-like weather has me looking forward to planting this year's garden.

The above photo is a cell shot of one of 2 beautiful green bell pepper plants. Unfortunately, due to the extreme heat (even for OK), none of the other vegetables fared as well. Despite frequent watering and shade on the hottest days the salad greens wilted before picking time, the Japanese eggplant shriveled, the 6 tomato plants yeilded few fruits, and on and on. But still I shop for seeds and anticipate this year's crop. Because to me, there isn't anything much cooler or more rewarding than growing your own food.
Are you planning on having a garden this year?

Welcome to my blog! I'm still getting settled in, but soon this space will contain vegan recipes and food talk, bike/climbing/hiking stuff, cute animals, music, and misc. tales of fun.