Pasta E Fagioli with Spinach

I made this dish last night, and although it isn’t a recipe of my own, I wanted to make sure you could enjoy it, too! This recipe is from one of my favorite cookbooks, Appetite for Reduction. I HIGHLY recommend that this book become a staple in any vegan, vegetarian, or flexitarian kitchen. The recipes are simple, use ingredients that are easily found in any market, and are very low-cal/diet friendly. This pasta is literally a foodgasm and a half!

Pasta E Fagioli with Spinach:
From “Appetite for Reduction” by Isa Chandra Moskowitz (get it here! http://www.amazon.com/Appetite-Reduction-Filling-Low-Fat-Recipes/dp/1600940498/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1333376773&sr=8-1)

Active Time: 20 Minutes
Total Time: 30 Minutes
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 pounds plum tomatoes, chopped roughly
• 1/4 cup dry white wine or vegetable broth
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• A few pinches of freshly ground black pepper
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 (15-ounce) can navy beans (about 1½ cups), drained and rinsed
• 8 ounces whole wheat small shells or orecchiette
• 1 pound baby spinach leaves, washed well

DIRECTIONS
Bring a pot of water to boil for the pasta and preheat a large skillet over medium heat.

In the pan, saute the garlic in oil for about 1 minute, until the garlic is fragrant. Add the tomatoes, wine, oregano, and salt. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, add the beans and then lower the heat to medium. Cook until the tomatoes are broken down and the sauce is reduced and thickened, about 15 minutes.

In the meantime, add the pasta to boiling water and cook according to the package directions. Once the sauce is thickened, simmer over low heat to keep warm.

Drain the pasta. In a bowl, alternate adding batches of pasta, beans, and spinach to the sauce, stirring with a pasta spoon to incorporate, until the spinach is completely wilted. Mix well and serve.

NUTRITION
Per Serving (1/4 Recipe):
Calories: 440; Calories from fat: 30; Total fat: 3.5 g; Saturated fat: 0.5 g; Trans fat: 0 g; Totalcarb: 85 g; Fiber: 21 g; Sugars: 9 g; Protein: 23 g; Cholesterol: 0 mg; Sodium: 690 mg; Vitamin A: 250%; Vitamin C: 110%; Calcium: 25%; Iron: 45%

Cream Cheese Mexican Pizza!

(Sorry for the crummy photo, had to take it on my crummy phone because my crummy camera didn't feel like turning on :-()

So I was rummaging through Whole Foods the other day, and noticed that they sold vegan pizza dough made in-store! Obviously, being the pizza fiend that I am, I HAD to pick some up! I decided to make a Mexican-style pizza with a cream "cheese" base instead of sauce and it was to...die...for! So, here's what's included:

Cheesy, Creamy Mexicali Pizza
Whole Foods Vegan Pizza Dough
Galaxy Cream Cheese Alternative - 1 Container
Taco Seasoning (many have milk products, so make sure it's vegan!)
Black Beans (I used canned this time, because I found some canned with jalapenos!)
Rotel Diced Tomatoes and Green Chiles - 1 Can
Lightlife Mexican Style Grounds - 1/2 package
Galaxy Rice Vegan Cheddar block
Chipotle-Style Tabasco Sauce

Preheat your oven to 425.
Roll out your pizza dough into whatever shape you can get it (I can't make mine round for some reason, so I mold it into a baking sheet!).
Mix about half the packet of taco seasoning with the container of cream cheese until incorporated. Spread evenly on pizza crust.
Spread the beans, tomatoes and green chiles on the pizza.
Mix the remaining half of the taco seasoning with half a block of the Smart Grounds. Toss onto the pizza.
Shred about half a block of Galaxy Rice Vegan Cheddar and sprinkle on your pizza. Drizzle with some Chipotle-Style Tabasco sauce and toss a few sliced olives on there, if that's your flavor.
Throw in the oven for about 20 minutes, or until the crust is a golden brown.

Throw down some tequila and enjoy!

Easy, Cheesy, Low Cal Caulipots!

Hello Blogosphere! I know it's been a while, but I've taken on a new task in my baking and cooking, and have had to test numerous recipes trying to make them perfect for my readers. My newest task has been to reduce, reduce, reduce! I'm trying to make ALL of my dishes either low/no-fat or low-cal or BOTH! While this may seem easy, because people have an impression that vegans only eat grass and carrots, it's actually been quite a task! But, I made some DELICIOUS Caulipots last night that I am so excited to share with you! At only 142 calories per serving and less than 1 gram of fat, these are the perfect addition to any meal. Hell, you can have them FOR your meal if you choose to! I hope you enjoy as much as I did!

Easy, Cheesy Mashed Caulipots (Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes)

3-4 Medium sized Russet Potatoes, sliced into 3/4 inch slices
1 Medium head of Cauliflower, broken into florets

NEW Low-Cal/Low-Fat Cheese Sauce! (Modified from Happy Herbivore)
1-1/4 cup unsweetened rice milk
1/3 cup Nutritional Yeast
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon turmeric
2 tablespoons corn starch
2 tablespoons yellow miso paste

Place the potatoes in cold water, with about 4 inches of water on top of them in a large pot. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, add the cauliflower florets and bring down to a simmer. Let simmer about 20 minutes, or until veggies are tender. Drain and bring back to the pot to mash with a potato masher.

Cheese Sauce: Whisk together all ingredients over medium heat, until boiling. Reduce to a simmer and stir continuously until sauce thickens. Incorporate into the Caulipot mixture, add some chives and parsley, and enjoy!

Vegan Breakfast - Biscuits and "Sausage" Gravy!

I took a recipe for biscuits and gravy from one of my favorite blogs to read, Vegan Pandamonium and had to try it, because this was seriously my favorite food - period - before going vegan and I've been trying and failing when it comes to making a good substitution. I didn't follow the recipe exact, as I used things I had around the kitchen. I used Pillsbury rolls (vegan!) instead of the Publix ones she used (is that a store???) I used Rice Milk instead of soy, and I used Lightlife Smart Grounds instead of the sausage substitute she used.




I think the photo speaks for itself. Seriously delicious. You MUST try these!

Recipe Here!

Godfather-Approved Easy, Cheesy Broccoli Alfredo

I'm pretty sure that the creamy alfredo sauce I concocted last night in my kitchen laboratory was so good even the Godfather himself would approve! And seriously folks, this is easier than mixing together that chalky mac n cheese powder with cold butter that we all grew up learning to love. Yes, it really is that simple!

Godfather-Approved Easy, Cheesy Broccoli Alfredo

1/4 c. Earth Balance or your favorite vegan butter
1/2 c. Tofutti Vegan Chive Cream Cheese
1-1/2 tsp. Garlic Powder
2/3 c. vegan milk (I use Rice)
1/2 c. Nutritional Yeast

While the noodles of your choice are cooking, melt the butter in a small saucepan on low heat. Once melted, whisk in the cream cheese until it is melted as well. Whisk in the garlic powder and milk and when everything is nicely combined, whisk in the nutritional yeast, whisking until it's combined well and thickening up a bit.

Steam up some of your favorite veggies (I used broccoli), drain your pasta (I use rice fettuccini) and toss it all together for a meal you'll want to write your Italian Grandmother about...even if, like me...you don't even have an Italian grandmother! Simple, delicious, and I promise, this will become a comfort food staple!



While you're here, be sure to stop by my giveaway! There's still time to enter!!!!

Back from the *almost* Dead

Hello? Heellllooo??? HEELLLOOOOO?! Anybody out there?? I know it’s been a while, but I’m going to attempt to get this back up and running. I apologize for bolting like I did, but I had to deal with a series of unfortunate events and needed to really scale back on everything in my life and literally focus on one thing at a time so as not to go completely out of my mind. I hope everyone had a pleasant holiday season (I had some amazing vegan dishes, ate at some great vegan places and had lovely vegan treats…but unfortunately lost all my photos due to a tech glitch…damnit!) and I hope you all have high hopes for this New Year. I’m trying, too.



Anyway, I saw this recipe the other day on the Gardein website, and just knew I had to try it…it looked so simple, so hearty, healthy and just plain delicious. Plus, with all the snow and cold, a good soup is always the way to go. Now, you can use canned beans and tomatoes like it calls for and this soup will literally be done in a flash (I believe it said like, 10 minutes!) or you can go old school like me since I try to avoid canned anything and used dried beans and whole fresh tomatoes. I soaked my beans overnight, then cooked them for about 6 hours on low in the slow cooker while I was at work before draining and adding to the soup. For the tomatoes, I just drizzled the tiniest amount of olive oil on them and threw them under the broiler until they were blackened, mushed them up a bit, and added them to the soup. Delish! Also, I only used half a package of the Scallopini instead of the entire package like it calls for, and it still worked great. Please click here to be directed to Gardein’s recipe for this amazing Gardein Chik’n and White Bean Soup!

Hearty White Bean Stew

(Finally got my camera fixed, so hopefully no more cameraphone pics!)
With the weather getting colder by the day, I am finding my mind and body to be drawn towards warm, hearty meals….soups, chilis, etc. Yesterday, I had about half of our “turkey” loaf left from Thanksgiving, so I decided to make a nice stew with it. Now, if you have ever read anything on this blog, you know that I’m a lazy cook. I like to put things together, but I like for something else to do the hard work for me. Which is why I’m so in love with my crock pot. Seriously. I can throw a bunch of stuff in it before work, pop that sucker on low, and when I come home not only does the house smell amazing, but dinner is already ready! Which, on a night like last night (I had a hysteroscopic resection of two fibroids so needless to say I was sore and a little out of it) it was nice to come home to dinner already made so I could eat and go straight to bed. The only prep on this meal is soaking some beans the night before.

Hearty “Turk’y” Stew

1 cup of dry navy beans
5 cups strong vegetable stock
2 tablespoons basil
1 tablespoon marjoram
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper (or less if you don’t like spicy)
1 onion, diced and caramelized
½ “turk’y” loaf or one package of seitan, chopped into bite-sized pieces


The night before making this, take your one cup of navy beans and soak them overnight.

Rinse the soaked beans, and add them, the stock, basil, marjoram, garlic powder and cayenne to your crock pot. Place on low for about 7 hours or high for about 4 hours.

When you have about 30 minutes of cooking time left, add your caramelized onion and seitan/loaf.

Salt and pepper to your liking (don’t add salt while it’s cooking, as this makes the beans harden and crumble), garnish with some chopped basil, and enjoy on its own or poured over brown rice. Yummy!


Seriously folks, it doesn’t get much easier than that!

Thanksgiving Feast

I hope everyone had a lovely holiday and spent some quality time with all of your friends, family and loved ones. After a rocky start (5.5 hour car ride that ended up being almost 12 hours!), and a broken phone (had no idea how I was going to call all my family that I don’t live around), I was a little stressed for the holidays, but all in all, it turned out to be okay! And aside from a few snarky comments from my anti-vegan, vegetable loathing father, it really wasn’t as terrible as I had imagined it could be. And, once he realized, after telling my man how “disappointed” he was in him for not eating meat three times and receiving no response, he finally gave up and decided to leave him alone. But, enough about big bullies who think they know everything, let’s get to the food!


I must say, our KIND food was absolutely delicious! My dad’s wife had invited her brother and his three kids, and they all tried and loved my super delicious vegan goodies…including my “turkey” roast, which I will be getting to today. The vegan spread included: Vegan Turkey Loaf, Mashed Potatoes and Mushroom gravy, Cranberries, Stuffing, Vegan Green Bean Casserole, “Butter” rolls with Earth Balance, Pumpkin Pie and Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie. A kind feast fit for a king!


I’ll be putting up the recipes as I have time this week, but I’m going to start with the Turkey Loaf, as it was my first time ever making anything like this, and it was absolutely delicious, and fairly simple, too! The recipe is from Ellen Degeneres’ website, and I hope it will be part of many of your celebrations to come!

Ellen Degeneres’ Vegan Turkey Loaf

Ingredients:
4 Cups vital wheat gluten
1 Cup bread crumbs (I make my own by toasting three slices of my favorite bread then throwing them in the food processor with some herbs)
1 Cup nutritional yeast
3 Tablespoon dried thyme
1 large onion small dice and caramelized
1 Tablespoon kosher salt
½ Cup extra virgin olive oil
4 Cups strong Vegetable Stock
1 full sheet of cheesecloth
Butcher's twine
Blackening spices
Earth Balance butter

Instructions:
Caramelize the onions over medium heat until they are golden brown. Add the onions to the dry ingredients and mix.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon until a loose batter forms. Shape the batter into a loaf.

Unroll about 24" of cheesecloth on to a clean dry surface. Unfold the cloth completely and then fold it in half to form a two-ply piece of cloth.

Place the loaf in the middle of cloth and roll it up, leaving enough space to tie off at both ends.
Now tie two more pieces of twine over the center of the roast.


Place the roast into a large pot of boiling water and simmer for at least two hours (My dad’s kitchen is small and I wasn’t allowed to take up space cooking my “weird” food, so I was unable to use the stove for this part. However, I put it in a crock pot on high for the two hours and it worked just fine).

Carefully remove the cheesecloth and place the roast on a small sheet tray and rub the roast with Earth Balance butter and sprinkle with blackening spices. Bake roast at 350 for 20+ minutes or until golden brown (25 seemed to work well for mine). Allow roast to rest a few minutes before slicing.

Restaurant Review - Monty's Blue Plate Diner

This weekend the man’s mother was in town, and we ended up eating out much more than we usually do. HOWEVER, this gives me the chance to write some reviews on the vegetarian and vegan-friendly joints in Madison for those of you who live here or who may visit in the future. Anyway, the restaurant I’m reviewing today is one that we had gone to about a year ago, loved, but for some reason, haven’t been back since. Well, let me tell you, we will NOT be going this long again without paying a visit to Monty’s Blue Plate Diner. With their plethora of vegetarian and vegan fare, it’s really hard to not leave this place super stuffed and satisfied with vegan yumminess.

Now with Monty’s you don’t want to go there super-hungry. Go there when you are sorta-kinda hungry, because whether you go first thing in the morning or in the evening, there is ALWAYS a wait. This place is hugely popular, and if you go hungry, you’ll be absolutely famished by the time you are seated. So be prepared to wait, but be prepared to be more than satisfied with your meal as well. This place is DEFINITELY worth waiting for!

Now, their menu is not all vegetarian and vegan. BUT, it’s almost 100% local food, which is neat. And although this place is also a burger and bacon-lovers’ paradise, it’s also got a HUGE vegan menu and an even bigger vegetarian menu. The servers are also very knowledgeable about what can be veganized as well. I have had a vegan entrée before, but this time, since it was an early lunch, I wanted to try one of their breakfast options, served all day. And let me tell you, this was the BEST tofu scramble I have EVER had. And this is coming from a vegan who really hates tofu! You have to REALLY know what you’re doing with tofu to make me like it, and they have definitely won me over.

So, if you’re in Madison, I HIGHLY recommend this place! Check out Monty’s Blue Plate Diner…maybe I’ll see you there!

Also, here's a link to their vegan menu!


This was my yummy vegetarian hash made with diced potatoes, veggies and smoky tempeh. Can be served with two chicken fetuses (yuck!) or tofu scramble for no extra charge. Also served with a non-vegan biscuit, but you can sub toast (I got the rye toast and it was delicious!).


This was the man's tofu scramble and fried potatoes. He had the biscuit. How awesome do these dishes look?!

Thanksgiving Taters....Oh Yeah, Baby!

With Thanksgiving just around the corner, I’ve started experimenting with different dishes that I want to make on the *big* day. Well, a few weeks ago, I saw a recipe posted by The Veggie-Full Kitchen that I KNEW would be on the list! I love chunky. I love creamy. I love potatoes. And honestly, what Thanksgiving celebration is complete without overloading on the starches?! This recipe was super simple and way easy and not to mention delicious. In the few weeks since this recipe was posted, I have made it twice, and cannot wait to make it again for Tofurky Day. So enjoy!


Chive and Cream Cheese Smashed Red Potatoes by the Veggie-Full Kitchen
Ingredients
2 1/2 pounds red potatoes, washed and cubed
water for boiling
salt to taste
1/4 cup chopped fresh chives
4 ounces Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese (I used their garlic and herb flavored when I made it for an extra oomph)

Directions
1. Boil the potatoes in a pot of water for 10-15 minutes or until they are tender. Check with a fork.
2. Drain the water and mix in the 'cream cheese', and chives and stir with a large spoon, breaking up the potatoes as you mix. You could use a potato masher, but like I said, "I like 'em chunky".
3. Salt to taste.

Seriously simple. Seriously delicious. Try this one now. You won’t regret it!


Really, how can you resist chunky, yummy goodness like this?!

Vegan Cheese Miracle!!!

I can’t even lie or hide the fact that there is absolutely no nutritional value to this post whatsoever. However, I do think that this is one of the best junk food recipes I have perfected, and what better way to celebrate one of the busiest weeks of my life at work then by completely vegging out on junk this weekend! Okay, so I am only allowing myself one junk-food item, and I had it last night, but still! This indulgence was TOTALLY worth it, and I think you’ll be pleasantly surprised.


I don’t know any vegans who didn’t miss cheese more than anything when they moved to a kinder diet. I’m not gonna lie, my tummy still rumbles when someone walks by me with a slice of pizza and I smell the yummy aromas from the cheesy toppings. But then I think about what it took to get that cheese, and all the pus and antibiotics in it, and my craving disappears. But there are those times where even people eating kind want to indulge in the tastes they once enjoyed. Which is why I bring to you:

Better than the Bowling Alley Vegan Mozzarella Sticks!!!

1 block of Galaxy Rice Vegan Cheese, Mozzarella
Breadcrumbs (you can use storebought or panko…I used my super secret homemade ones)
½ c flour
½ c water
1 tbsp cornmeal
1 tbsp cornstarch
salt
garlic powder

Put your breadcrumbs in a shallow bowl. If they aren’t seasoned, feel free to add some Italian herbs like oregano and basil. In another bowl, mix together the flour, water, cornmeal, cornstarch salt and garlic powder to taste. It should have the consistency of a light cake batter almost. Slice your block of vegan mozzarella into long rectangular strips that are about ½ inch wide (imagine taking a stick of string cheese and cutting it in half…that’s about how big your strips should be). Lightly coat the cheese sticks with flour, then dunk them in the batter mix. After you dunk, roll ‘em around in the breadcrumbs until covered. Place these on a piece of parchment paper and pop ‘em in the fridge or freezer for about an hour…or longer…really doesn’t matter at this point. Freezer is better though.

When you’re ready to make them, pop the little devils out of the freezer and toss them into some hot oil (I put about an inch in a small pan. Fry each side for about a minute or so. “Cheese” will start to ooze out slightly and they will be golden brown when done.

Honestly, you can’t go wrong with these guys! Serve them up with your favorite marinara or homemade vegan ranch and you’ll be in food coma heaven, I promise!

Happy Herbivore's Chickpea Noodle Soup...Yes!

Sometimes, no matter how hard you wish for something, it just isn’t possible. Take this week, for example. I have wanted nothing more than to come home from work each night, grab a towel, and lay poolside through the sunset. Well, we’re supposed to get snow today, so like I said, sometimes your wishes just aren’t possible. ANYWAY, the cooler weather, if you haven’t noticed from my last couple recipes, puts me in serious soups, chilis, and desserts-mode. Last night, I was on a super tight schedule, since both the man and I were hungry, and we only had an hour from the time that we both got home until when he had to leave again, and I didn’t want him going to rehearsal on a cold night with nothing but a pb&j in his belly!

So, we looked through the pantry, and I realized that we had all the ingredients for one of my favorite soups by one of my favorite food bloggers, Happy Herbivore!! Not only that, but it’s one of the QUICKEST soups you can possibly put together, it’s super hearty and filling, and it just plain warms the soul! I took the recipe and added a bag of frozen mixed veggies to it since we didn’t have any mushrooms (the frozen mixed veggies were totally our lizard’s food, but he didn’t mind! [and yes, I do realize it’s absurd to feed a lizard organic Trader Joes frozen veggies, but he’s spoiled…don’t judge me!]). The best thing about big pots of soup like this is that you can jar it up and have it for lunches the rest of the week…yummy! Now, on to the recipe!

Chickpea Noodle Soup by Happy Herbivore
1 whole carrot, skinned
2 whole celery stalks, sliced
1 small onion, diced
10 whole cremini (brown) mushrooms (we subbed the frozen mixed veggies)
8 cups vegetable broth
1 tsp yellow miso paste
1 tsp tamari
2 whole bay leaf
4 ounces whole wheat pasta, uncooked
15 ounces chickpeas, drained and rinsed

Instructions:
Line a large soup pot with broth, about 1/4 cup. Add carrots, celery and onion and saute over high heat until onions are translucent, about 3 minutes.

Add mushrooms and more broth if necessary. Continue to cook over high heat until the mushrooms are soft, about 3 minutes. Add remaining broth, bay leaves, miso and tamari. Cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, add pasta and reduce heat to medium. Cook for another 6 minutes, or until pasta is al dente (adjust time accordingly). Stir in chickpeas and taste test. Add more miso or salt if necessary or desired. Allow soup to thorougly heat the chickpeas. Fish out bay leaves and serve.



I didn't get to feel the sun on my face lying poolside, but I did get to enjoy the warmth and goodness of this soup deep in my soul!



Have you checked out Vegan MoFo yet?!

Apple Crisp and Pizza...Sounds Like Perfection to Me!

(This photo isn't mine, but I thought it was beautiful!)

This weekend was packed full of Autumn fun and adventures…from trying new restaurants to carving pumpkins to seeing the beautiful Fall Harvest at the Farmers Market…it was all amazing!

Saturday started with an early morning trip to the Farmers Market, which is my ultimate favorite way to start my Saturdays! Honestly, the fall colors on every table were enough to give me butterflies in my stomach I was so giddy! I got some incredible spaghetti squash and butternut squash. I also got some pie pumpkins and apples that looked like they were Heaven-sent! Obviously, dinner was going to be spaghetti squash, and I just KNEW I had to make an apple-something for dessert!

So, I began perusing The Kind Life forums for a good apple recipe, specifically one that I could make gluten-free, as I’m trying to see if eliminating gluten (or drastically reducing the amount I eat) will help with my thyroid issues, but I digress. I found a really yummy looking recipe posted by Tina Weiss that I had all the ingredients for and just knew I had to try. Needless to say, it was absolutely delicious! So, here is the recipe:

Autumn Harvest Apple Crisp
4 medium apples, peeled, cored, and sliced thin
1/2 cup raisins (optional)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup flour (to make gluten-free, I used rice flour)
3/4 cup oats (I used Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free Oats)
1/3 cup Earth Balance
1/2 cup slivered almonds [(optional) I did not use this as I am allergic, but it was in the original recipe]
3/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg or pumpkin pie spice

Heat oven to 375. Spray 8x8 dish with cooking spray.

Spread apples and raisins (if using) in pan.

In a large bowl, mix all dry ingredients.

Add Earth Balance, and mix with hands, rubbing together until Earth Balance is well incorporated. Sprinkle over apples.

Bake 30 minutes or until apples are tender.

I served this piping hot over Rice Dream Vanilla Ice Cream – Perfecto!


Since Sunday was the beginning of World Go Vegan Week, the man and myself decided to try one of the Madison restaurants participating that we had not yet been to, to scope out the vegan options. We went to Roman Candle Pizzeria, of which they have a couple locations in the Madison area. We went to the one in Middleton, as it’s closest to where we live. I must say, for a pizza place, I was HIGHLY impressed! Our server was fabulous, and when we mentioned the Vegan Week specials ($3 off any size vegan pizza) he recommended the “Animal Lovers” pizza with no cheese. We went for it, and added some green olives (seriously, how can you eat pizza without green olives?!) and continued looking through their menu. Seriously, this place had probably near 20 different vegetables to put on a pizza as options!! Definitely not like any other pizza place I’ve been to!

Anyway, our pizza arrived, and it was beautiful!

The big fresh basil leaves, perfectly sliced thin red peppers, broccoli, and lots of other veggies tossed perfectly on a super flavorful sauce and then lightly drizzled with olive oil. The pizza literally disappeared before our eyes! Our server was also very excited to see us order something vegan, and was asking us a lot of questions. He thought our pizza looked really good, even though it didn’t have any cheese on it (he said he never sees that…of course not in Wisconsin!) and said he may try it for his lunch that day! He was also excited to hear we liked it, so he can tell other people about the vegan specials they have this week…holla veganism!! Hahaha…so yes, if you are in the Madison area, I will highly recommend Roman Candle Pizzeria if you are looking for a vegan pizza fix!

Meat-Lovers Meat-Free Chili

This weekend, I was overcome with the Autumn-Spirit. From exploring apple orchards and pumpkin farms to sipping hot cider and playing in leaves, the spirit really hit…or maybe it’s just the fact that when I was in Los Angeles, we really didn’t have seasonal changes…I mean, have you ever seen a palm tree change colors? Yeah, didn’t think so! The nice, crisp weather has also gotten me in a soup-making mood…thick, hearty chilis and stews. The smell warms your heart and the taste warms the soul…those kinds of soups. So anyway, I threw together a chili this weekend that was better than any “meat” chili I’ve ever had…and since it’s a crock-pot recipe, there’s nothing to it! I threw all of the ingredients in our crock-pot before leaving to explore the pumpkin farms in the morning around 9:00, and when we got home from exploring and the farmers market at around 2:00, we had a late lunch waiting for us!

Meat-Lovers Meat-Free Chili

1 cup dried kidney beans, rinsed and soaked overnight
1 cup dried black beans, rinsed and soaked overnight
1 package Lightlife Grounds (I used the Mexican Spiced Verson)
2 tablespoons garlic, minced
1 can diced tomatoes
½ onion, diced
4 cups of vegetable stock (or 4 cups of water with a veggie bullion)
3 tablespoons Hot Sauce
2 tablespoons of chili powder
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 tablespoon onion powder
(all spice measurements are approximate…use your own taste here and experiment!)


Combine all ingredients in the crock-pot. Set on low and cook 8 hours or high and cook for 4 hours, or until beans are firm but not crunchy. Enjoy!

The dollop in the middle is leftover “cheese” from our burrito meal the day before…it was PERFECT in this chili!!

Eggplant Parmesan, Comfort Food Veganized

Does this look "vegan" to you?! Yeah, I didn't think so!


I have a confession…I have a warped obsession with nightshade plants…tomatoes, peppers, eggplants…I see them and immediately salivate and start imagining all the super yummy things I can do with them. Well, a woman I work with has the opposite…although she loves them, her son has a severe allergy to them. So, when her CSA share was overflowing with nightshades this past week, it was converted to a free-for-all at work, and I was able to sneak out with a couple eggplants, some green heirloom tomatoes, and a handful of jalapenos. Score, right?! Well, the eggplants were very ripe, so I knew I had to use those right away, so what better way than in a yummy, calorie-filled eggplant “parm”!!

I like to keep my recipes on the lower-calorie spectrum of things, but sometimes, you just gotta let loose a bit! So, I busted out my wanna-be Italian accent, and got to work. Now, you can fry your eggplant up any way that suits you, but I prefer a Milanesa-style frying, which is a traditional Central/South American way of bread-frying things…which is actually healthier (not much) than deep frying. But, whatever floats your boat on this one. I also like to make my own breadcrumbs, as opposed to buying storebought. It’s so simple, and you can really give them a flavor that you will love this way.

Milanesa-Style Eggplant Parmesan

1 Eggplant, peeled and cut into ¼ inch thick circles

Dipping “Egg” Replacer (I use finely ground flax seeds [1 tablespoon] in 3 tablespoons of water to replace one egg)

Whole Wheat pasta of choice (I like rotini or penne in dishes like this)

Marinara Sauce (I use my fiance’s secret recipe all the way from Vieste, Italy, but you can use your favorite jar of vegan marinara)

Galaxy Vegan Mozarella Cheese, shredded

Bread Crumbs (see recipe for my homemade crumbs)

Olive Oil for Frying

Cook pasta and strain. Set aside. Heat olive oil in a medium to large skillet. Lightly dip eggplant pieces in your flax “egg” then dip in bread crumbs. Place eggplant pieces in hot oil (make sure oil isn’t so deep that it completely covers the eggplant). After about 3 minutes, flip and continue to let fry. Remove from heat and place on absorbent material to suck out the extra oil.


Like a true Italian boy, my man loves his super breaded...I like mine very lightly breaded, so we do half the dish lightly breaded, and half super breaded...I'm sure you can tell whose eggplant is whose!!

In a baking dish, put a thin layer of your marinara sauce on the bottom. Place a thin layer of your pasta on this, then a layer of the eggplant, then a layer of cheese. Repeat this process so you have two layers of each thing. Pop this in the oven at 400 until the cheese is melty…about 12 minutes or so. Sprinkle with some nutritional yeast, and enjoy!


Bread Crumb Recipe
2 pieces of your favorite whole-grain bread, toasted until crispy, but not burnt
Basil
Marjoram
Sea Salt
Onion Powder
Garlic Powder
Cayenne Pepper
Parsley
Chives

Tear toast into small pieces and put in a blender or food processor. Spice with the following spices according to your personal taste. Blend until you have small, uniform crumbs.



LOL...just because!

Ooey, Gooey, Cheesy Vegan Nachos

Alright, so I’m not gonna lie…my favorite days of the year are Award Show Sundays. Maybe it’s the “Hollywood” in me, but I love every second of it! I spend all day watching the set-up, the pre-show discussions and speculations as to who is going to win what, who is going to look the best, the worst, who is going to bring their mom/mistress/priest, etc. I love it all! So award show days are my veg days when they happen, where I don’t want to do a lot of cooking, and I want junk food! Well, I found a recipe that someone posted on The Kind Life website for a “cheesy queso sauce”…HELLO! I could seriously re-write the entire “Favorite Things” song from The Sound of Music to incorporate all things cheese, and to be honest, I haven’t missed it too much, until it comes to nachos. Nachos have always been a sweet spot for me, and when I saw this recipe heading, it was the first thing that came to my mind. Being able to enjoy a plate of nachos while watching one of my favorite guilty pleasures was the perfect end to the week! Now, this recipe is super easy. It honestly takes about 3-5 minutes…that’s it! So let’s get going!



Sweet-Spot Vegan Nachos
¼ cup Nutritional Yeast
¼ cup flour
1 cup water
2 tblsp. Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Spread
1 tsp. sea salt
1 tsp. garlic powder
1 tsp. cayenne pepper (I added this…it can be omitted it you’re not into spicy)
½ lime’s worth of juice (I added this too for more of a Mexicali flavor…it can also be omitted)
1 can of RoTel Diced Tomatoes and green chiles, drained or ½ cup of your favorite salsa)

Put nutritional yeast, flour, salt, garlic, and pepper in a saucepan. Add in water and stir constantly over medium heat until mixture becomes thick and bubbly. Remove from heat and add vegan butter. Stir until melted. Add tomatoes/salsa and lime juice and return to heat, stirring until tomatoes are warm. Enjoy!!

Insanely Cheesy Summer Squash

Okay, so I’m pretty sure that this next recipe deserves some sort of award?? Why, you ask? Well let me tell you why…this meal literally gives you a big, comforting bear hug with all its super-creaminess and deliciousness, all for under *drumroll* 200 calories per serving!!! Yes!!!!



Yesterday, while at work, I was thinking about what I wanted to make for dinner (a curse for someone who is always hungry!). I knew that I had some squash in the fridge that needed to be used soon, or it would just become compost, and this girl does NOT let squash go to waste! Usually, I don’t like to mess with squash. I like to let it speak for itself…either eating it raw or lightly steamed. But I was in the mood to try something a little different, and this is what I came up with! Now, it’s basically like a casserole, and I used the “cheese” sauce that I make my Mac ‘n Cheese with, adding some crushed saltines for a little crunch, and wow! Amazeballs! Now, I used yellow and green squash, but I know that this would taste delish with any type of squash you have. The best part: This recipe makes about 6 servings, and coming in at only 196 calories a serving, you can afford to have seconds (which you will, I promise!)!!


Ingredients
Danielle’s Super Amazing Comfort Food “Cheese” Sauce (recipe below)
25 Multigrain Saltine Crackers
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1/4 cup finely chopped red onion
1 tablespoon chopped thyme
3 summer squash, such as zucchini or yellow squash, cut into 1/2-inch-thick rounds
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon lime juice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

“Cheese” Sauce Recipe (this recipe has been halved from the original)
1/4 cup Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Spread
1/4 cup flour
1 3/4 cups boiling water
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. Braggs Liquid Aminos or Shoyu
1 tsp. garlic powder
Turmeric to taste
1/8 cup oil of your choosing (for this, I just use regular Canola Oil)
1/2 cup nutritional yeast

In a saucepan, melt Earth Balance over low heat. Mix in the flour. Stir continuously over medium heat until smooth and bubbly. Stir in the boiling water, salt, liquid aminos, garlic powder, and turmeric. Continue whisking until dissolved. Once the sauce thickens and is bubbling, stir in the oil and the nutritional yeast flakes.

Casserole Directions
Preheat oven to 425°F. In a medium bowl, toss together cheese sauce, cracker crumbs, parsley, onion and thyme. In another bowl, toss together zucchini, oil, lime juice, salt and pepper. Arrange squash in a 9- x 13-inch casserole dish. Scatter cheese mixture evenly over the top and bake until melted and golden brown and squash is just tender, about 20 minutes.

Chicago-Style Italian "Beef" Sandwiches...Yummy!

Alright, so I had some seitan in the fridge that was just begging me to be used, and I wanted to try something different with it. I usually will incorporate it into a stir-fry or a tofu scramble, but I wanted to make something where it would be a “meat” stand-in, since my fiancé has now officially been “vegetarian” for 5 weeks now, and he was craving the meat! So, he loves Italian Beef Sandwiches. I know that one of my favorite restaurants makes an awesome Italian Beef sandwich using seitan, so I started scrambling the web to find a good recipe, when I happened along this one on www.vegweb.com. Let me just say, that this sandwich recipe has my personal stamp of approval…because not only was it delicious, but it is SOOOO Simple!!! You just toss everything into a slow-cooker and forget about it!

Chicago-Style Italian "Beef" Sandwiches

1 pound seitan, very thinly sliced
3 cups vegetable stock
2 teaspoons dried oregano
3 cloves garlic, crushed or minced
2 tablespoons Hot Italian Giardiniera (if you can't find it, substitute 1/2 teaspoon red
pepper flakes, for heat)
2 teaspoons fennel seed
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 sliced and seeded green bell peppers
French rolls

Directions:
Combine all ingredients and stir to incorporate. Cook on HIGH for 2 to 4 hours.

If using a stovetop: Place all ingredients in a large pot, stir to combine, and simmer, covered, over medium heat for 1 hour.

Lightly steam French rolls. Spoon seitan and peppers into each roll. Just before serving, spoon a few tablespoons of the "au jus" over each sandwich to somewhat saturate the roll. (In the best Chicago sandwich joints, they simply dunk the whole sandwich!)


(Photo credit to Opal_Moon on www.vegweb.com)

Waistline-Friendly Lentil Burgers

So it’s summer, and sometimes, vegan or not, you just want a nice, summer-y burger to throw on the grill. Well, I’m not a huge fan of buying pre-packaged food, especially veggie burgers (unless they’re Sunshine Burgers, but I digress), so I took a look through the cabinets, and made my own veggie burgers. Now, these things are absolutely amazing! They held together really well, were super filling, and VERY nutritious! Not only that, but you could pretty much add anything to the patty to add your own personal flavor. The recipe makes a lot, so it’s good for when you have friends over, or to store. I like putting the leftovers in individual freezer containers, so I can grab one and pop it in my lunch bag before work, or have something to throw on the grill on those nights you just don’t have time to cook. Sure, they look a little odd…but don’t most veggie burgers?! So anyway, here’s the recipe for my super hearty, filling, and super nutritious…

Waistline-Friendly Lentil Burgers
(Makes 8-12 patties, depending on size you make them)

•1 c. uncooked lentils, rinsed (you can probably get away with any lentils, I used green)
•1 c. uncooked brown rice
•1-1/2 c. uncooked oats
•2 seeded and diced jalapenos*
•1 large carrot, diced*
•1 white onion, diced*
•Whatever spices you like (I used Mrs. Dash onion spices, Garlic Powder, Vegan “Burger” spice by McCormick, Chile Limon powder, and some cayenne for the extra kick)

*Vegetables are optional, or you can use whatever veggies diced that you like to incorporate into the patty.

Put lentils and rice into a pot with 4 cups of water. Bring to a boil. Once boiling, turn heat to low, cover, and let cook for 45 minutes. Let cool.
Once lentil and rice mixture is cool, pour mixture onto a cook board or counter top. Combine all other ingredients with your hands into the rice and lentil mixture. Mix and squish well with your hands, until it feels really sticky. Taste and add more seasoning to your liking. Once the mixture is properly mixed and seasoned, form it into patties. Throw these patties on an oiled skillet or on a hot grill and cook, about 5 to 8 minutes on each side. Any remaining patties can be frozen for a later use.


I put these patties on a toasted whole grain onion bun from Whole Foods with some habanero hummus, leftover Galaxy Cheese from the "Hardcore Jalapeno Tomato Cream Pasta" recipe I posted a few days ago, some pickles, and I was in heaven. THIS is what summertime food is all about!!

Taking Comfort Food to a Whole New Level

I promise, you won't be able to eat just one serving!!!

I’m pretty sure you can all bow down to me as the goddess of ooey, gooey goodness now!! I am pretty certain that I have mastered the art of comfort food by combining two of my favorite non-vegan dishes and veganising it for the most delicious treat you can give yourself! Seriously, to me, there is nothing in this world that is yummier than a super thick and creamy macaroni and cheese or a savory green bean casserole. Well, I wanted both of them the other night (go figure), so I took one of my favorite sauce recipes and made some little tweaks here and there, and came up with a dish that my omni loverboy couldn’t even get enough of! If you’re not so much a fan of the green beans, you can also do this dish as an incredible macaroni and cheese, which honestly, I like this recipe more than any REAL mac and cheese I’ve ever had! All you have to do is use elbow macaroni, remove the green beans, and that’s it! Easy as that!

Southern Comfort Cheesy Green Bean Casserole•3 1/2 cups whole grain penne pasta, cooked and drained
•1/2 cup Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Spread
•1/2 cup flour
•3 1/2 cups boiling water
•2 tsp. salt
•2 Tbsp. Braggs Liquid Aminos or Shoyu
•2 tsp. garlic powder
•Tumeric to taste
•1/4 cup oil of your choosing (for this, I just use regular Canola Oil)
•1 cup nutritional yeast
•2 cups frozen green beans, thawed
•Fried onion straws (optional)

Preheat the oven to 350°F.
In a saucepan, melt Earth Balance over low heat. Mix in the flour. Stir continuously over medium heat until smooth and bubbly. Stir in the boiling water, salt, liquid aminos, garlic powder, and turmeric. Continue whisking until dissolved. Once the sauce thickens and is bubbling, stir in the oil and the nutritional yeast flakes. Mix about 3/4 of the sauce with the noodles and place in a casserole dish. On top of the noodle and sauce mixture, layer the green beans. Cover with the remaining sauce and sprinkle with a layer of fried onions, a la green bean casserole. Bake for 15 minutes, or until heated through.


Now honestly, if this recipe doesn’t take care of your comfort food cravings 100%, then feel free to completely rip me and this blog a new one...but seriously, give this recipe a try. Do it.