This Poor Vegan

Three Years Later...

2010-12-29T18:46:00.000-07:00

I just checked back into this blog and discovered that there have been 2,000 page hits since my last post.

Holy crap, people.

Is the world so hard up for vegan food that I've got folks lurking long after I've given up?

*Sigh*

I am no longer vegan. However, I still feel for vegans. I am living in Chicago, cooking, eating, making merriment. I'm starting a new blog, which was going to be devoted to books, music, and movies, but I can feel your hunger from wherever you are. I think I'm going to have to help you, poor vegans. I will help you as much as you can be helped. I will post recipes that are either vegan or can be modified to suit your highly specific dietary standards. I will do this while feeling that desperate need to eat something you actually have to chew, remembering my meltdown at the Food Conspiracy Co-Op when they ran out of my favorite seitan and tried to tell me that the mushy crap was just as good.

It wasn't.

I'll post a link to my new blog as soon as I decide what it is.

Black Bean Soup

2007-10-20T06:57:00.000-07:00

It's been pretty cold and rainy here lately, which would usually inspire me to go on a baking frenzy. However, I spend eight to ten hours a day at work...baking. This has led to a soup making frenzy, but I'm usually pretty tired by the end of the day so it's more like a soup making need because I can just put everything in a pot and forget about it for thirty minutes or so. If that sounds like your kind of soup making experience, you've come to the right blog. This soup is ridiculously easy to make and pretty tasty, if I may say so myself.

You will need:
*2 tbsp olive oil, or some other vegetable oil
*3 bunches green onions, chopped
*1 can diced green chiles, drained
*1 can diced tomatoes, drained
*1 red bell pepper, diced
*3 cans black beans, drained
*4 cups veggie broth/stock
*1 cup frozen corn
*2 tbsp chile powder
*1 tbsp ground cumin
*2 tbsp granulated garlic
*1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro
*salt and pepper to taste

1. In a medium sized pot, saute the green onions, green chiles, tomatoes, and bell pepper in the oil until fragrant.
2. Add the black beans and stir.
3. Add the veggie broth (or stock).
4. Add the corn.
5. Add the chile powder, ground cumin, granulated garlic, cilantro, salt, and pepper.
6. Simmer, covered, for about thirty minutes.

I had this with a dollop of Sour Supreme on top and some crusty bread...and some cat hair because Valhalla couldn't keep her big puffy face away from my bowl. At least I know it's cat-approved.

Daughterly Guilt Meme's

2007-10-13T06:18:00.000-07:00

My mom has meme'd me twice, which is her way of kicking me in the ass to update this blog. Here you go, Mom. Two meme's for the price of one.

The Book Meme

Total number of books owned:
Not nearly as many as I'd like. Since I'm usually broke, I don't get to buy books very often so I probably own about eighty. I'm hoping that my big girl job will soon supply me with enough expendable cash to buy all the books I've been gazing at longingly in the aisles of the bookstore.

Last book bought:
The God Of Small Things by Arundhati Roy

Last book read:
A Tree Grows In Brooklyn by Betty Smith. I read this book about five times a year. It never gets boring.

Five Books that Mean a Lot to You:
A Tree Grows In Brooklyn by Betty Smith
Cunt by Inga Muscio
The Velvet Room by Zilpha Keatly Snyder
The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides

Best Five Books You Read in the Last Year:
Jesus Land: A Memoir by Julia Scheeres
Stranger Than Fiction: True Stories by Chuck Palahniuk
The God Of Small Things by Arundhati Roy
Dry: A Memoir by Augusten Burroughs
Extremely Loud And Incredibly Close by Jonathon Safran Foer

Seven Random Things You Might Not Know About Me

1. I am a chronic school drop-out. I am completely and totally unable to spend any extended period of time sitting in a stifling classroom listening to someone drone on about a bunch of shit I couldn't possibly care less about. I can't force myself to go every day, and I can't force myself to stay once I'm there. I genuinely enjoy learning new things, but I really truly hate school.

2. If you tell me to do something, chances are I won't do it. It could be something I really don't mind doing at all, but as soon as you say "Go do this," I can guarantee you it's not going to happen. I could be walking toward the sink to wash the dishes, but if I hear you say "Wash the dishes," I will turn around and walk away and let those dishes pile up for a year, fuck you very much.

3. I feel stupid about 99% of the time.

4. I used to be straight edge, but I'm not anymore.

5. I hate being wet, but I love swimming.

6. I love crossword puzzles, knitting, cats and Scrabble, and as such I believe the transition to old age will be pretty smooth.

7. I hate the saying "The road to Hell is paved with good intentions." I spend much more time than I'd like to admit thinking about how much I hate this saying.

There you have it. I've meme'd. One of these days I might even post a recipe or two.

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

2007-07-24T08:45:00.000-07:00

This is one of the recipes going on my super fancy vegetarian tapas plate at work. You can use canned roasted red peppers if you want to cut a corner or two, but if you want to roast your own there are two methods.

Gas Stovetop Method!

1. Lightly coat a red bell pepper in olive oil, or another vegetable cooking oil.
2. Turn your burner (this only works with a gas burner!) on medium-high heat.
3. Using heat-resistant tongs, hold the pepper directly over the flame (in fact, it should kind of be in the flame) until one side chars. Rotate to the next side, char it, repeat til done.
4. While the pepper is still hot, wrap it in plastic wrap or in a ziploc baggie and let sit for about five minutes.
5. Peel the plastic off. You should now be able to peel the skin off the pepper with relative ease.

Oven Method!

1. Preheat your oven to about 400 degrees F.
2. Lightly coat a red bell pepper in olive oil, or another vegetable cooking oil.
3. Place the pepper on a baking sheet, put in the oven, and bake until the pepper's skin looks shriveled, and the pepper is soft. Remove from the oven.
4. While the pepper is still hot, wrap it in plastic wrap or in a ziplog baggie and let sit for about five minutes.
5. Peel the plastic off. You should now be able to peel the skin off the pepper with relative ease.

Hummus is one of those easy-to-make recipes that people really love to screw up. This recipe is simple, delicious, creamy, and fool-proof. Not that I feel any of my readers are fools.

*2 medium cloves of garlic
*2 tbsp olive oil
*2 cups chickpeas
*1/2 cup to 3/4 cup roasted red pepper, depending on your preferences
*3 tbsp lemon juice
*1/3 cup tahini
*1 tsp salt
*1 cup water

1. Put it all in a blender or food processor, and puree until very smooth. The consistency should be thick and creamy, not dry and blobby.
2. Refrigerate an hour or two, to let the chickpeas soak up all the goodness.

This is yummy with warm pita bread, rice crackers, veggies, dolmades, sandwiches, and pretty much anything else you can think of.

Vegan Pizza

2007-07-18T11:20:00.000-07:00

Since yesterday's recipe was a little labor-intensive, I'm giving myself an easy one today. There aren't any places in Southern Illinois willing to accomodate my need for vegan pizza, so I've decided to suck it up and make my own Supremely Excellent Holy Mother Of Vegan Pizza. I think that has a nice ring to it, don't you?

This will make one 16" pizza.

Oven 500

The Crust!
*1 cup warm water
*2 tbsp active dry yeast
*2 cups flour
*1 tbsp salt
*1 tbsp olive oil

The Sauce!
*1 (15 ounce) can tomato sauce
*1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
*1 1/2 tsp dried oregano
*2 tsp garlic powder
*1 tsp ground paprika
*1 tbsp dried basil

The Toppings!
You can really use whatever you want here. My favorites are:
*fresh spinach
*portobello mushrooms
*black olives
*roasted red peppers
*super thinly sliced white onion

1. Soften the yeast in the warm water. Set aside, and let soak for five minutes.
2. Combine the flour, salt, and olive oil.
3. Add the yeast and water to the flour mix, and combine until a dough forms.
4. On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough for 8 to 10 minutes until smooth and elastic.
5. Put the dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover with a towel or plastic wrap and let rise for 1 1/2 hours.
6. In a medium mixing bowl, mix all the sauce ingredients together.
7. Chop the vegetable toppings.
8. When the dough is finished rising, punch it down and turn it out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead it about four times, and roll it out until it's about 1 inch thick.
9. Place your rolled dough on a lightly greased surface, spread the sauce over it leaving about an inch around the edges, and cover it with toppings.
10. Put the whole shebang into a preheated 500 degree oven and bake 7 to 10 minutes.
11. Eat it!

If you can find a parmesan cheese substitute that doesn't taste like feet that have been soaking in a Port-A-Potty for 40 days and 40 nights, feel free to sprinkle that over the whole pizza before or after baking.

Have fun!

Cinnamon Rolls

2007-07-17T06:54:00.000-07:00

My new job is at a coffee shop/wine bar/cafe, and although I was hired as a barista it seems that I'm going to be working in the kitchen late at night, baking. For those who don't know me, this is my dream job. I will be working alone, allowed to wear whatever I want, allowed to listen to all my obnoxious music as much as I want, and baking. This is what I do at home, and now I'm just getting paid to do it in a much bigger, more well-equipped kitchen than my own. Needless to say, I'm swooning. So here's my new recipe for Cinnamon Rolls, and they probably taste better if you're listening to Pissed Jeans while you make them.

Dough!
*1 cup warm water
*1.5 tbsp active dry yeast
*1/2 cup margarine
*1/2 cup sugar
*1/4 tsp salt
*equivalent of two eggs (I would definitely use Egg Replacer for this)
*3 cups flour

Filling!
*1 cup sugar
*2 tbsp ground cinnamon
*1/4 cup melted margarine

Icing!
*2 cups powdered sugar
*1/4 cup-ish vanilla soymilk

1. Stir the yeast into the water and set aside.
2. Combine the margarine, sugar, and salt and mix until well combined, but not whipped light.
3. Mix the egg replacer in gradually, stopping when combined.
4. Add the flour and the yeast/water mixture and mix to a smooth dough.
5. Knead the dough for about two minutes.
6. Set the dough aside to rise in a warm place in a lightly greased bowl, covered with a towel or some slightly loose plastic wrap, for about 1 1/2 hours.
7. Mix the sugar and the ground cinnamon together in a small bowl.
8. Punch down dough to release gases and set on a lightly floured work surface.
9. Divide the dough into two equal halves. Roll each half out into a 20x10in rectangle. You can trim the edges if you'd like a neater roll.
10. Brush the melted margarine over the entire exposed surface of the dough.
11. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar evenly over the dough. Leave a narrow band of dough uncovered along the top edge.
12. Roll the dough up tightly from the bottom edge into a cylinder (make sure your cylinder is 20 inches long, not 10).
13. Using a serrated knife, each roll into eight 2 1/2in thick slices.
14. Place on a lightly greased baking sheet and tuck the loose edge of the roll underneath. Using the palm of your hand, flatten each roll to about 1in thick.
15. Allow to sit in a warm place for 25 minutes.
16. Bake at 350 degrees for about 15 minutes. Glaze when cool.

To prepare the icing:
Put the powdered sugar in a small bowl. Very slowly add soymilk to the sugar while mixing continuously. Stop adding soymilk when you've reached a creamy (but not thick) consistency.

I promise they aren't nearly as difficult to make as they look!

Midwestern Vegan

2007-06-07T10:35:00.000-07:00

After neglecting this blog for many months, I'm back. I've moved to Southern Illinois, and despite my initial fear that I would be forced to survive on nuts and berries alone things are going well. There's an amazing food co-op in a nearby town, and they carry a lot of interesting vegan foods that I can't wait to start cooking with. Expect recipes for Rocky Road Brownies, Spinach-Feta Puff Pastry, and Roasted Red Pepper Hummus with Fresh Baked Pita Bread.

My stomach is growling just thinking about food. New recipes soon!!!

Tofu Quiche

2007-02-17T21:05:00.000-07:00

This is a pretty simple recipe that can be easily adapted to personal tastes.

OVEN 375°

The Crust!
*1/2 cup all-purpose flour
*1/2 cup whole wheat flour
*1/4 cup cold margarine, cut up
*2 to 5 tbsp cold water

1. In a food processor, combine the flour and margarine until coarse and crumbly.
2. Add the cold water, one tablespoon at a time, until the dough becomes soft but not sticky.
3. Roll out on a floured surface and then press into a 9-inch pie pan. Set aside.

The Filling!
*8 oz firm tofu
*1/2 cup unsweetened soymilk
*1/4 cup flour
*2 tsp prepared mustard
*1 tbsp garlic granules
*2 tsp paprika
*1 tsp salt
*1 tsp black pepper
*3ish cups chopped vegetables of your choice (I'm fond of broccoli, mushrooms, spinach, green onion, and red bell pepper)

1. In a food processor, combine the tofu, soymilk, flour, mustard, and spices until very smooth. Pour into a mixing bowl.
2. Add the chopped veggies to the tofu mixture and stir until well-combined.
3. Spoon the filling into the crust and spread until smooth and even on top.
4. Put in preheated oven and bake about 45 minutes, or until browned on top.

Tyler and I followed this up with some homemade chocolate chip cookies. Yaaaay!

Baked Tofu Tutorial

2007-02-11T08:45:00.000-07:00

Sorry, everyone. I got a new job last week, and it's pretty much consumed all my mental energies.
However, it's the weekend now and I'm beginning to feel almost well-rested, so you may find yourselves with another new recipe on your hands later today. We'll see... In the meantime, I'm posting this excellent tutorial for baking tofu, mostly for my baby sister who works at Pizza Hut and doesn't know nothin bout no healthy faggot food...but she wants to. Katie, remember baked tofu can go in ANYTHING--salads, stir fries, sandwiches, or you can marinate it and eat it by itself as a snack. It's mighty tasty.

OVEN 375°
1. Wrap the block of tofu in a clean, lint-free towel, place it in a colander, and place the colander in the sink.
2. Place a plate over the towel-covered tofu, then a heavy can or other weight on top, and leave to press for 30 minutes.
3. Remove the tofu from the towel and cut into 1/2-inch thick slices. I like to cut it into triangles because it makes the corners nice and crispy.
4. Lightly oil (or spray with oil) a 9 x 13-inch baking pan, place the tofu slices in a single layer in the baking pan.
5. Put that shit in the oven, and bake it about 30 minutes, or until crispy and golden brown on the outside. Remember to flip the tofu over after about the first 15 minutes, so it bakes evenly on both sides.

This tutorial comes courtesy of VeganChef.com, by the way. Unfortunately, I am unable to invent a clever new way to bake tofu, and this one pretty much covers the bases.

Tofu can be marinated the same as meat, but you never need to let it sit more than an hour. Really, a half hour is more than sufficient. Tofu is a mighty absorbent food. Also, it's always yummy to just sprinkle some dry spices over the tofu before popping it in the oven. Easy, done. Good luck!

Cinnamon-ey Brownies? Yes, please!

2007-02-01T18:10:00.000-07:00

I've been a little stressed out lately.

Okay, I've been waaaaay stressed out lately.

As a result, I've been making a lot of brownies. And eating a lot of brownies. Which, naturally, compelled me to try to figure out a way to make brownies less unhealthy and more delicious.
Here's the end result:

OVEN 350°
*1/4 cup margarine
*1/4 cup soymilk
*2 1/2 tbsp cocoa powder
*2 tsp ground cinnamon
*1 cup sugar
*substitute for 1 egg
*3/4 cup flour
*1 tsp baking powder
*1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

1. Preheat your oven, and lightly grease an 8x8inch baking pan. Set aside.
2. Melt the margarine, and add the cocoa powder, cinnamon, soymilk, and sugar. Stir until well-combined.
3. Add the "egg," stir until just combined.
4. Stir in the flour, baking powder, and optional walnuts, until the batter is relatively smooth.
5. Spread the batter in the prepared pan. Bake 30 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

These come with the Craig and Ursula Seal of Approval, which means they are excellent. Ursula likes them with milk and caramel pudding. Blasphemer.

The Not-So-Poor Vegan?

2007-01-28T17:01:00.001-07:00

Tyler and I have decided to move to Southern Illinois, in order to enjoy such perks of small town life as peace, quiet, and financial stability.
This, of course, means I will be living in a place where vegetables actually grow, and get to experiment with all kinds of fun new ingredients. I've already checked out the vegan-friendly shopping situation there, and it looks like the region has clawed it's way out of the dark ages after all.
Needless to say, I am very, very excited about this move. We're planning on leaving Tucson at the end of May, just in time to enjoy the sweltering heat and humidity of the lower Midwest. Never again will I have to hear the words "Yeah, but it's a dry heat!" 110 degrees is fucking blazing, dry or not.

Anywho, expect a new recipe sometime in the next couple days!

What the crap.

2007-01-21T18:58:00.000-07:00

It is snowing.
In Tucson.

I felt the need to document this.

Spicy Peanut Stir Fry and Cookbook Meltdowns

2007-01-21T11:42:00.000-07:00

I'm really tired of opening vegan cookbooks and seeing nothing but labor-intensive, weird, gross, hippie food. I am not a person who wants to live on quinoa and flaxseed. I'm a meat-and-potatoes vegan, I guess, and it's becoming increasingly frustrating to find delicious, relatively simple, realistic recipes. I work full time and I don't want to come home and cook a fucking four-course, soak-your-own-black-beans, go-to-the-market-across-town-and-find-this-totally-obscure-ingredient-and-it-will-still-probably-be-disgusting meal. I like to eat healthy, but I also like to eat simply. Don't get me wrong - there are absolutely times when I love to spend an afternoon cooking a ridiculously elaborate vegan meal, but on a day to day basis I'd really prefer to be eating no more than forty-five minutes after I've started cooking.

In the spirit of this cooking breakdown, I would like to post a very, very simple recipe for Spicy Peanut Chik'n Stir Fry.

The Chik'n!
I use Smart Strips, but if you want Seitan, use Seitan. If you want tofu, use tofu. Two cups should do it, or one whole package of the Smart Strips.

The Vegetables!
anything you want, chopped. I like:
*sugar snap peas
*water chestnuts
*broccoli
*carrots
*onions
*mushrooms
*bell peppers
OR
*a bag of frozen veggies!
Chop as much or as little as you want. Three cups usually does it for me...enough for leftovers.

The Sauce!
*1/2 cup peanut butter (room temperature)
*2 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
*1 tbsp white vinegar or rice wine vinegar
*1/2 to 1 tsp cayenne pepper (decide how spicy you'd like it. If you like it really spicy, I'd add a teaspoon or so of hot chili oil.)
*2 tsp garlic powder
*2 tbsp vegetable oil
*2 tbsp water

The Rice!
*some cooked rice

1. Whisk all the sauce ingredients together. Set aside.
2. In a preheated, non-stick skillet, saute the chik'n in a little oil until browning.
3. Add the veggies, continue sauteing until they're pretty well cooked.
4. Add as much or as little of the sauce as you'd like. Whatever you don't use, put in a sealed container and save for another day.
5. As soon as the sauce is heated through, turn off your skillet, and serve over rice.

This is one of those super easy, fairly healthy (maybe a little fatty, but if you make it the one fatty thing you eat that day it's not bad), really satisfying meals that I so cherish. The leftovers are also great for lunch the next day.

Zucchini Bread

2007-01-19T13:08:00.000-07:00

It's cold and rainy here, so I finally managed to get it together and make the much-anticipated zucchini bread. I even took a picure of it, but Photobucket is being a pud, so it may be a while before I actually get that posted. Anyway, I'm going to try to post pictures of (most of) my recipes from now on.

OVEN 325°
*equivalent of 3 eggs
*1/2 cup vegetable oil
*1/2 cup soymilk
*2 cups sugar
*2 cups very finely grated zucchini
*3/4 cup chopped walnuts
*1 tbsp baking powder
*3 cups flour
*2 tbsp ground cinnamon

1. Preheat the oven, and lightly grease two 8x4 inch loaf pans.
2. In a large mixing bowl, mix together the "eggs", vegetable oil, soymilk, and sugar.
3. Add the zucchini, and stir until well-combined.
4. In a separate bowl, combine the walnuts, baking powder, flour, and ground cinnamon.
5. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ones, and fold in until just combined (like you would with muffins).
6. Divide the batter into the two loaf pans, and bake about one hour, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of each loaf comes out clean.

This bread is really good with a little margarine, and with tea or coffee. Yum.

To shower or to blog?

2007-01-14T11:09:00.000-07:00

I should be showering right now, I really should. I have to be at work in less than an hour, but here I am, on the computer, feeling guilty about (once again) not posting a new entry in a very timely fashion. Oh well. I honestly haven't been cooking anything too blog-worthy lately. Last night I ate garden ribs, steamed green beans, and half a baked potato, and that's pretty much been the standard meal set-up this week. Tonight I can't promise anything better, but I'll post a zucchini bread recipe because I have been promising Ursula a loaf of the stuff for at least a week now. What can I say? Procrastinator is just one of my incredibly charming personality traits.

By the way, those garden ribs (from Gardenburger, in case that wasn't obvious) are really tasty. I'd almost forgotten about them until a pilgrimage to Wild Oats found me in the freezer section going "Ooooh...I won't have to spend more than a half hour cooking for at least a week!" Hahaha, everyone needs a break now and then.

Triumphant Return (Vegan Stroganoff!)

2007-01-05T23:12:00.000-07:00

Sorry to the whopping three people that read my blog, but Robbie took the computer to California and left me deprived and blog-less for a week or so.
Fortunately, he's back and I can post this recipe for vegan stroganoff that is both tasty and easy. A very winning combination, if I may say so myself.

*1 tbsp vegetable oil
*1/2 medium onion
*1 package (12 oz) faux ground beef
*1 1/2 cups sliced mushrooms (Criminis or Portobellos are best)
*2 tbsp garlic powder
*1 1/2 cups veggie broth
*1 container (12 oz) vegan sour cream
*cooked rice or pasta, to serve sauce over

1. In a nonstick pan, saute the onion in the vegetable oil until translucent. Add the faux ground beef and cook until slightly browned.
2. Add the mushrooms and the garlic powder, saute until the mushrooms begin to absorb moisture.
3. Pour the veggie broth in the pan, and simmer about fifteen minutes.
4. Add the sour cream, and cook another five minutes.
5. Pour over rice or pasta, and eat!

This takes about half an hour to make, and serves four to six people.

Tyler gets home from tour tomorrow afternoon!!! Finally!!!

A Deep Sigh of Relief.

2006-12-26T10:27:00.002-07:00

Well, Christmas is over, and it was actually a success. Tyler and I spent the morning at home with Katie and Robbie, opening presents and eating eggnog french toast. Erin (Tyler's sister) picked us up in the afternoon and we spent the rest of the day with his family, which was pretty okay. There were a few rough patches, but we managed to make a swift exit from his grandparents' house, and a sort-of swift exit from his sister's (his mom wasn't ready to end the holiday at 7:00, but we really needed to come home and clean up and decompress).
Tomorrow Tyler leaves for tour, and he'll be gone ten days. I'm really sad, but I'm trying to remind myself that he'll be doing something he loves, and that it's not that long, and that when he comes back he'll be really excited to see me...and that'll be extra-nice. Two days after Tyler leaves, Robbie is taking off to California for a week, and then three days after that, Katie is going back home and I will be here alone for four days. Ugh. I guess I plan to do a lot of reading, healthy cooking, and movie watching. Oh, and I will be spending exorbitant amounts of time talking to/playing with my kitties, and harrassing Tyler on the phone. Hehehe. Luckily, everyone got me lots of books and movies and comforting things for Christmas this year, so time should pass fairly quickly.

Some gift highlights:
fancy coconut wood plugs (for the 3/4" holes in my ears)
lots of books (Running With Scissors, The Satanic Verses, Grimus, Extremely Loud And Incredibly Close...)
movies (Chasing Amy, the Botch DVD, Beijing Bicycle)
lots of music (too much to list!)
lots of smelly things (candles and soap and sprays, oh my!)
a Zen Garden (with a little tealight and rakes)
a big picture of Jesus (for those of you who don't know, I love tacky religious art)

All in all, it was really nice and fun, and I'm really glad it's over and I don't have to think about it for another eleven months. I'm beginning to have hope for being able to do things like pay my bills and get more tattoos...maybe in February. We'll see.

I hope everyone had a great holiday!

Pancakes (or Waffles)

2006-12-16T12:29:00.000-07:00

This is the first thing I learned to make vegan. I don't even like pancakes very much, but Tyler is a fiend for them, and apparently he's not alone. This is probably my most-requested recipe...

*2 cups flour
*2 cups soymilk
*1/4 cup sugar
*2 tbsp baking powder
*1 tbsp canola (or other vegetable) oil
*fruit, cinnamon, chocolate chips, whatever

1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk everything together (unless you're adding fruit or chocolate or something--fold those in once the batter is thoroughly mixed) until there are no lumps in the batter. You can add soymilk for thinner pancakes, or flour for thicker ones.
2. Pour 1/3 cup of batter at a time on a nonstick griddle or pan (over medium heat), cook until the edges are bubbly and firm, and then flip. Pancakes always turn out better if you only flip them once.

If you add another tablespoon of oil, these pancakes can become waffles (with a waffle iron, of course).

An afterthought.

2006-12-11T20:35:00.000-07:00

This is my first Christmas without my whole family, and I'm a little bit bummed. I'm trying to carry on my mom's traditions (Christmas Eve jammies, anyone?), but it's definitely not going to be the same. Christmas has always been special in our house. My mom always somehow managed to get us presents, cook us a big dinner, and not kill me when I went to drag her out of bed at six in the morning...even the years that we definitely did not have any money, she still gave us a great holiday. I'm trying to do that for my household now, and it's only in the light of my own struggle with this that I am beginning to really appreciate how hard she's always worked to make every Christmas even better than the last. So, thanks for everything, Mom.

Cream of Broccoli Soup (and more!)

2006-12-11T20:14:00.000-07:00

First things first. I promised my mom I'd post festive holiday pictures.

Here's our slutty Christmas tree.

And here's Princess Sophia enjoying the shade of the slutty Christmas tree.

And here's Melvin being pompous in the company of the slutty Christmas tree.

And here's a recipe for Cream of Broccoli soup.

*1 quart veggie broth (I like to add an extra boullion cube or two, since it'll be diluted later)
*1/2 onion, diced
*1 tbsp olive oil
*6 cups very finely chopped broccoli
*1 quart unsweetened soymilk
*2 tbsp cornstarch plus 1 tbsp cold water
*1 tbsp garlic powder
*salt and pepper to taste

1. In a large pot, saute the onion in the olive oil until translucent.
2. Add the veggie broth and broccoli, and simmer until the broccoli is bright green and tender.
3. Add the unsweetened soymilk and garlic powder.
4. Mix together the cornstarch and cold water, and gradually add to the soup while stirring. Simmer until the soup is satisfyingly creamy.
5. Add the salt and pepper, and serve!

It's simple, and tasty, and doesn't contain anything weird and unnessecary (I'm talking to you, potatoes-in-Cream-of-Broccoli-Soup-people), and is as close as I can get to my mom's recipe. Enjoy!

Oops!

2006-12-10T12:53:00.000-07:00

I've been a bad blogger. Work's been crazy, street fair was this weekend, the sun was in my eyes, I tripped over a rock...
Tomorrow is my first day off in a week. I'll post a recipe, and some apologies.
Sorry!

Mac-N-Cheese

2006-11-28T12:53:00.000-07:00

Okay.
This mac-n-cheese is the best vegan mac-n-cheese ever.
Even my very non-vegan brother ate it, while exclaiming "What did you put in this?! What is this?! There's not cheese in this?!" through giant mouthfuls of creamy, pasta goodness.
Be warned that it isn't health food, but all long-term vegans will know that sometimes you have to give health food the finger and eat something really fucking delicious before your head explodes.

OVEN 350°
*3/4 cup unsweetened soymilk
*2 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
*3/4 cup nutritional yeast flakes
*1/2 tbsp paprika
*1/2 tbsp garlic powder
*1/2 tbsp salt
*3 oz firm tofu
*1/2 cup margarine (melted)
*12 oz (uncooked) macaroni

1. Boil macaroni until not-quite-done, but really close.
2. In a food processor or blender, mix together all the ingredients except the macaroni until mixture is very smooth.
3. Put the pasta and the sauce in a medium-sized casserole or 8x8 baking pan and stir until all the pasta is coated.
4. Bake 20 to 25 minutes, or until the top becomes a little browned and crispy, but the inside is still creamy and gooey.

This is another one of those recipes that tastes better if you're wearing sweatpants and watching TV.

It's so true!

2006-11-27T20:58:00.000-07:00

C	Creepy
A	Astounding
R	Radiant
R	Rounded
I	Inspirational
E	Energetic

R	Responsible
U	Unforgettable
B	Brutal
I	Important
N	Natural
A	Ambitious
S	Strong

Creepy, Rounded, and Brutal ALL AT THE SAME TIME!!!

Avert your eyes!

2006-11-27T13:55:00.000-07:00

Tonight, I am going to attempt the unthinkable.
The horrifying.
The astounding.

I am going to try to make vegan macaroni and cheese.
Be prepared,
and maybe a little afraid.

Baked Spinach Dip

2006-11-24T11:09:00.000-07:00

I made this yesterday when a solid hour of googling yielded no results for a spinach dip that could be converted to a vegan recipe. Tyler loved it so much I was worried I would have to drag him away by his beard so that everyone else could have some. I served it with Triscuit crackers, but it would also be good with veggies, bread, chips, whatever. So, here it is:

OVEN 350°
*1 container Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese
*1/4 cup unsweetened soymilk
*1 tbsp lemon juice
*1/4 to 1/3 cup flour
*1/2 tsp salt
*1/2 tsp white pepper
*1 tbsp dill weed
*1 tbsp granulated garlic
*2 bunches green onion, small diced
*1 medium red bell pepper, small diced
*3/4 cup frozen, chopped spinach

1. In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the cream cheese, soymilk, lemon juice, and flour until there are no lumps. The consistency should be like a really creamy, thick batter.
2. Add the spices and the veggies and stir until well mixed. Pour into a small casserole or loaf pan.
3. Bake 15 to 20 minutes, or until light golden brown on top. Serve warm.

Enjoy!

Thanksgiving!

2006-11-23T21:44:00.000-07:00

Thanksgiving is...amazing. I keep trying to think of ways to express how much I love it, but my tummy is full of tofurkey and it's making me feel a little fuzzy-headed. It was just me, Tyler, Robbie (my brother), and Erin (Tyler's sister) this year, which was kind of nice because it kept things low-pressure. I missed the rest of my family, but humored myself imagining what they would say about my little tofurkey lump.
I actually roasted a real turkey this year, for the benefit of my loved ones, and from what I hear it came out great. Also on the menu were yams, mashed potatoes, green beans, cranberry sauce, stuffing, rolls, apple pie, and pumpkin pie, all of which were ho-made (or, as my mom would say, "made by real ho's!"). I made this really tasty baked spinach dip for pre-dinner snacking, and I promise to post the recipe for it tomorrow or the next day.
Ursula posted a picture of my roasting turkey on her blog (Twice The Price), so everyone should mosey over there to check it out. I think it's important to have photographic evidence of my Vegan Treason. Hahaha.
Alright, well, I'm off to watch American Psycho with Tyler and maybe digest enough to sneak in another slice of pie before bed.
Happy Thanksgiving!

Chili and Cornbread

2006-11-16T10:03:00.000-07:00

Obviously I'm a fan of big, one-pot meals. There's one splurge item in this recipe, fake beef, which really isn't that bad anyway.

*2 cups onion, small diced
*1 1/2 cups green pepper, small diced
*2 tbsp garlic powder
*2 tbsp vegetable oil
*2 packages of Yves Ground Round (or about 25oz of something else)
*1 big can stewed tomatoes (NOT roasted!!!)
*5 oz tomato paste
*2 1/2 cups vegetable broth
*2 cans kidney beans
*3 tbsp chili powder
*salt and pepper to taste

1. In a large saucepan, saute the onion and pepper until tender but not browned.
2. Add the faux meat and start to brown over medium-high heat. Drain any extra oil from the pan.
3. Add the remaining ingredients and simmer (uncovered) for 45 minutes to an hour, or until the chili has reached it's desired thickness. Stir occasionally during simmering.

This makes about three quarts of chili.

Now for cornbread!

OVEN 400°
*1 1/4 cup flour
*1 1/4 cup cornmeal
*1/4 cup sugar
*2 tbsp baking powder
*1 tsp salt
*substitute for two eggs
*2 cups water
*3/4 cup margarine, melted

1. In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
2. In a separate bowl, combine the egg subs, water, and margarine.
3. Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Do not overmix!
4. Pour into an 8x8 pan and bake 25 to 30 minutes.

Good luck!

Pumpkin Pie

2006-11-16T09:48:00.000-07:00

I spent a week neglecting this thing, but now I'm back and posting two recipes as penance.

You can (and should!) use the same crust as the apple pear pie, but divide it in half. For the health-conscious people of the world, the margarine can be decreased and the cold water increased to make a lower-fat (but also less flaky) crust.

OVEN 425°
*1 15 oz can pumpkin
*1 1/4 tsp cinnamon
*1/2 tsp nutmeg
*pinch of ground ginger
*pinch of ground cloves
*1/2 tsp sea salt
*1 3/4 cups soymilk (very vanilla makes this extra special)
*substitute for 2 eggs (I use Ener-G Egg Replacer because it has no flavor)
*1 deep pie crust

1. Mix pumpkin and spices together.
2. Add remaining ingredients and mix slowly until thoroughly combined.
3. Bake at 425° for 15 minutes, then reduce temperature to 350° and bake another 35 to 40 minutes. Cool completely before serving.

By the way, the pie filling is fat free. Yaaaay!!!

Lo Mein

2006-11-08T11:37:00.000-07:00

Well, it's Wednesday, which means I am officially tired. Too tired to cook anything that takes more than thirty minutes, and too tired to care what my boyfriend and my little brother want to eat. Thus, we have Lo Mein - easy, healthy, delicious. I like to serve this with veggie dumplings...the frozen kind...not the fancy, do-it-yourself kind.

*1 onion, diced
*2 cloves garlic, minced or pressed
*1 tsp ground ginger
*3 carrots, sliced thin
*2 zucchini, sliced
*1 baby bok choy (or napa cabbage), shredded
*1 small can sliced water chestnuts
*1 tablespoon veggie oil (sesame is best if you have it, but not nessecary)
*3 to 4 tablespoons soy sauce
*lo mein noodles, cooked

1. In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce and veggie oil. Pour half of the mixture into a skillet and saute the onion and garlic with the ground ginger until the onion is soft.
2. Add the carrots, cook for about four minutes before adding the zucchini, bok choy, and water chestnuts. Cook until the vegetables are tender.
3. Add the noodles and the remaining soy sauce mixture and toss until the liquid is absorbed.

This makes about six servings, depending on how many boys come over to sponge off you.

PS♥This tastes even better when eaten on the couch, in front of the TV, watching DVDs of TV shows. Sweatpants make it near-orgasmic.

Apple Pear Pie

2006-11-05T11:06:00.000-07:00

The making up was a success.
In the spirit of celebration, I've decided to make pie. Not just any pie, though...oh, no...this, my friends, is Apple Pear Pie. The King of Pies.

OVEN 425°
Crust!
*2 cups flour
*1/2 cup sugar
*1/2 cup cold margarine
*some cold water

1. Put the flour, sugar, and margarine in a food processor and mix until it's all crumbly. Add the cold water, 1 tbsp at a time, until the dough is soft but not sticky.
2. Divide the dough into halves, and roll each half out to make a top and a bottom that will fit your chosen pie pan.
3. Line your pie pan with the first half of dough, and set aside the second half to put on top after the shell has been filled.

If you don't have a food processor, you're going to have to either cut the margarine into the flour with a fork and then mix by hand, or you'll need to use one of those fancy pastry-dough-cutter-mixer things.

Filling!
*4 apples (Gala are wonderful), peeled and sliced
*2 pears (red ones are best), peeled and sliced
*2 tbsp margarine
*1/3 cup sugar
*1/4 cup cold water
*2 tbsp cornstarch
*another 1/3 cup sugar
*pinch salt
*1 tbsp cinnamon
*pinch nutmeg
*2 tsp lemon juice
*another tsp margarine

1. Lightly saute the apples and pears in the first amount of margarine until they are slightly soft. Add the first 1/3 cup of sugar, which will draw the juices out of the fruit so they can simmer.
2. Mix together the water and cornstarch until there are no chunks, add to the fruit mixture, and boil until the liquid is thick and clear-ish.
3. Remove from heat and add the rest of the ingredients. Stir gently until the sugar is dissolved and the butter is melted.
4. Cool to room temperature,
5. Fill your pie shell and top with the dough that was set aside earlier.

Bake about 30 to 40 minutes, until crust is golden.

Also, I added a link to my mom's blog in my link section, but here's another just for giggles.
Nowhere, IL

Comfort Casserole

2006-11-04T13:36:00.000-07:00

Tyler (my boyfriend) and I pretty much have trouble agreeing on anything. We've been together for most of the last four and half years, and we've been arguing on a near-daily basis since about the second week of dating. We've broken up, seen other people, gotten back together, broken up again, etc etc etc, and now we're wading through the wreckage of our most recent breakup. I think we're both making a conscious effort to regain the faith we've lost in one another, but sometimes it's hard for me not to be crazy. He's home with me every night, and he's been completely honest about the things that got us where we are now, and for some reason I'm having a lot of trouble letting the past go (this is in spite of my own post-breakup indiscretions, also). I know he's trustworthy. The smart, rational, sane half of my brain is screaming "Stop nagging him, you idiot! He hasn't done anything!" However, the damaged, paranoid, and anxious half of my brain is saying "Well, what about this? And what about that? Huh? Whatchoo got to say for that?"

Needless to say, the two halves are waging war on my sense of well-being.

I yelled at him before he left for work today, and now I get to spend the next six hours telling myself what an idiot I am. And so this brings us to today's recipe. It's one of the things Tyler and I agree on, and it really does live up to it's name. God knows we're going to need to the comfort when I'm babbling on to him in an effort to redeem this morning's bad behavior.

OVEN 375°
*2 cups cooked orzo pasta (not quite all the way cooked, that is)
*1 12oz container of vegan sour cream (Sour Supreme works best, I think)
*1 bunch green onions, chopped
*1 to 2 cups mushrooms, sliced
*1 red bell pepper, diced
*1 zucchini, cut into half-moon slices
*1 to 2 cups broccoli, chopped
*some barely steamed chopped spinach (or some frozen spinach)
*2 tbsp granulated garlic
*1 tbsp dried parsley
*1 tbsp dried basil
*salt and pepper to taste

1. Mix everything together, and bake in a 9 x 13" pan for about thirty minutes, or until heated through.
Also, if you're not concerned about fat content, you can put some slivers of margarine on the top before baking to make it all golden brown and wonderful.

Enjoy♥

Perfect Lentil Soup

2006-11-01T21:30:00.000-07:00

Yeah, I know. Lentil soup, boring way to kick things off, but the weather is just right and this soup is freaking delicious, so I have to do it anyway. Plus, it's incredibly easy to make, and totally good for you, so you really can't ask for anything more than that.

*2 to 3 quarts vegetable broth
*2 1/2 cups uncooked green lentils, rinsed
*2 stalks celery, chopped
*1/2 medium onion, diced
*2 carrots, sliced to desired thickness
*1 large potato (or 2 small to medium ones), diced, but peeling is optional
*some fresh spinach, sliced
*3 tbsp garlic powder
*2 tbsp dried basil (fresh is hard to get this time o' year)
*salt and pepper to taste

1. In a large pot, bring the vegetable broth to a boil. Add the rinsed lentils, which will need to be simmered in the broth for a total of one hour.
2. 15 minutes after adding the lentils, add the celery, onion, and spices.
3. 15 minutes after adding the celery and onion, add the potato and carrots. Continue simmering.
4. When a full hour has passed since the lentils began cooking, add the spinach and cook until wilted.
5. Season to taste and serve with bread or whatever.

This serves about eight and takes maybe an hour and fifteen minutes to make, start to finish.

Happy cooking!

The Mission

2006-11-01T12:23:00.000-07:00

As a vegan who lives paycheck to paycheck, I'm painfully aware of how incredibly expensive food costs can be...and how disgusting the food often is. So, rather than having to constantly write down recipes for my friends and coworkers, I've decided to just post my adventures in culinary exploration on this here blog and let people explore at their (and my) leisure.
I'll try to post every couple days, but I'm usually pretty terrible at remembering to keep these things going, so bear with me.

Also, be sure to check out the blog of my friend/next door neighbor Ursula. She's the crafty bitch that made me think this was a good idea, so all hate mail should be directed at her for ever showing me her blog in the first place.
Twice The Price