Country Fried Seitan Sandwich with Coconut Cheddar Cheese & Organic Baked Fries

I started a new job about two weeks ago.  It is a very interesting and fun job!  I am working at a food truck downtown and having a great time with it.  It is something I have really missed about NY - working for a place that doesn't have a ton of structure and allows me to do what I need to do, but without a ton of supervision and demands.  It's a pretty cool gig.  I am still working part time as a vegan pastry chef, which is good, but doesn't include a lot of hours.  This past week I definitely made my hours, which was great.  

The place is called Ez Cheesy, which is basically a gourmet grilled cheese sandwich truck.  Pretty cool and different menu.  Obviously it is not all vegan, but all but one of the sandwiches are vegetarian and the rest can be made vegan with the inclusion of daiya.  I love that!  This is part of the menu this year:

Tampopo: Ramen Noodles mixed with Kimchee, topped with Brussel Sprouts and Cheddar/Daiya

Old Mission Torta: Smashed Beans, Avocado, Queso/Daiya, Pickled Jalapeno Peppers, Shaved Radish, Spicy Mayo

City Middle: Local Made Donut with Goat Cheese and Fig Jam (would be great with vegan cream cheese)

Sweet Caroline: Shaved Carrot, Goat Cheese, Walnuts & Honey

There are more items on the menu, but I thought I would put a couple so you could see how different and cool this place is!

Making sandwiches all week, you would think I would get tired of them, but it actually inspired me to work more on the menu for our upcoming cafe and make a couple different sandwiches at home.  I made this tasty one as well as a couple veggie paninis.  Yum!  I found a really interesting recipe for vegan cheddar cheese, using coconut milk as the base.  It's very meltable and cheesy in texture, but I really didn't care for the flavor.  I definitely think it is something that warrants more testing and playing around with.  How cool would it be if it were actually that easy to make a meltable vegan cheese?!

This was Hubby's plate.  So Good!

To make the Sandwich:

- Country Fried Seitan

 - Fresh Baguette, sliced into portions and cut in half, toasted

 - Veganaise or other topping

 - Sliced Veggies: tomato, green pepper, red onion

 - Coconut Milk Cheddar Cheese or other vegan cheese

 - Baked Fries or side of choice


1.  Toast baguette.  Slather veganaise on both sides of the bread.  Place veggies on the bottom, followed by the seitan.  Layer the cheese in there somewhere.  (I should have put it next to the seitan so it could have melted slightly.)
2.  Add fries or other side and eat!

You can barely see the vegan cheddar peeking out from underneath the veggies!

Enjoy!

Koko

Vegan Spicy Cheesy Potato Patties

On Sunday I made lasagna for lunch and also a full dinner, including mashed potatoes.  Hubbs always takes the leftovers from dinner with him to work for his lunch the next day.  But since he had two choices, he of course chose lasagna (who wouldn't?).  I convinced myself that I would eat the potatoes over the next couple days, but there they have continued to sit.  We have a rule that we don't eat any cooked food 7 days after being prepared and even though it has been only 4, I knew if I didn't do something with those potatoes soon, they would get thrown out.  Hubbs and I both hate wasting food, so I decided to use them to make something tasty, if a little unusual, for breakfast this morning.  How about potato patties?  I made some when we were in Brooklyn, but with sweet potatoes.  They were amazing!  Of course "regular" potatoes would be just as delicious, so that's what I did.  And they were crazy delicious!  Super simple too since the main component was already prepared.  This came together in like 10 minutes, and was on the table within half an hour - good for the hubby since he had to be to work early.  I think this would be a nice accompaniment to a dinner also.  Super quick and tasty!

 

 

 



Crispy on the outside, creamy on the inside.  Yum!

 

 

 

Spicy Cheesy Potato Patties:

 

2 cups of leftover mashed potatoes

1/4 cup minced red onion

1 jalapeno, minced

1 roma tomato, seeded and minced

handful cilantro leaves, chopped

1 tablespoon ground golden flax seed

2 tablespoons superfine ground rice flour

sea salt and black pepper

unsweetened almond milk, as needed

1/2 cup shredded daiya cheese

 

 

Canola or refined coconut oil to fry

 

To Serve:

Vegan Sour Cream

Sriracha

 

 

1.  Place the potatoes and the remaining ingredients into a large mixing bowl: red onion, jalapeno, tomato, chopped cilantro, flax, brown rice flour, sea salt and black pepper.  Mix well until all the ingredients are combined.  Add enough almond milk so that the mixture is easily moldable, but not too thin.  Season to taste and add the shredded daiya.

2.  Place a layer of refined coconut oil or canola oil in the bottom of a saute pan over medium heat.  Allow the oil to become hot.

3.  In the meantime, portion the the potato mixture into small patties, setting on a clean plate until ready to begin frying.

4.  Once the oil is hot, place 3-4 of the patties carefully into the pan.  Cook for several minutes, or until crispy and browned.  Carefully flip and cook the other side for several more minutes.

5.  Remove the cooked patties from the pan and place on a paper towel lined plate. 

6.  To serve, place a spoonful of vegan sour cream on top and drizzle with sriracha. 

7.  Continue with remaining patties. 

 

 

Enjoy!

 

Koko

Breaded Seitan, Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Sauteed Onions and Mushrooms, Green Beans

I try to cook everyday.  For at least 1-2 meals.  Sometimes I feel more excited about cooking and sometimes I feel like throwing something together.  For this meal I felt like throwing something together, but had several ingredients to use up before another grocery shopping trip with the hubby.  The meal ended up taking a while to make, but was so worth it.  So tasty and comforting!

 

 

 

Such a pretty and tasty meal!

 

Roasted Garlic Mashed Potatoes:

2 1/2 lb. russet potatoes, peeled and large cubed

 

4 tablespoons earth balance

sea salt and black pepper to taste

unsweetened almond milk or soymilk

 

1 head garlic, top cut off

olive oil

 sea salt and black pepper

 

Sauteed Onions and Mushrooms:

1 large red onion, sliced thinly

4 oz. crimini mushrooms, sliced

1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil

sea salt and black pepper

1/4 cup filtered water

 

1.  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Place the head of garlic in a small piece of aluminum foil.  Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with sea salt and black pepper.  Close the foil tightly.  Roast for about 30 minutes, Place potatoes in a pot and cover with cold water.  Cook for about 30 minutes, or until the garlic has softened and darkened in color.  Set aside until cool enough to handle.

2.  Place the potatoes in a pot covered with cold water.  Cook until just tender. 

3.  Prepare the sauteed onion and mushrooms: place the olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat.  Add the onion and mushrooms and cook for several minutes.  Add the sea salt and black pepper and cook until the mushrooms begin to release their juices.  Lower the heat and add the filtered water.  Cook until most of the water has evaporated and the mixture is very flavorful.

4.  Finish the potatoes: add the earth balance, sea salt, black pepper and prepared roasted garlic.  Mash very well.  Add the almond milk or soymilk until the desired consistency is achieved. 

5.  Serve with a veggie protein and a side. 

 

 

 

 



So delicious!

 

 

Enjoy!

 

 

Koko

Potatoes and Broccoli in a Creamy Sauce

This is a recipe I made using up the last of the ingredients I had in the fridge to tide us over until we were able to schedule a time to go shopping.  I just took what I had and came up with a simple, hearty, comforting dish and it came out really tasty.  Reminds me of the peas and potatoes my mom used to make for us when we were kids, that her mother used to make for her children as a way to make an inexpensive meal stretch out to feed many.  It always makes me happy to be eating meals similar to those my grandmother served her children during those difficult times.  Shopping sometime soon and then more creative and fun meals coming up!

 

Hearty and Comforting

 

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 yellow onion, small diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons superfine brown rice flour 

4 cups unsweetened almond milk

4 large potatoes, peeled and diced

1 head broccoli, cut into small florets, stems peeled and diced

1 red bell pepper, medium diced. or other vegetable

 

1.  Place the potatoes in a medium pot and cover with cold water.  Cook until the potatoes are just tender.  Add the broccoli and red bell pepper into the same pot and cook for about a minute, or until tender-crisp.

2.  Meanwhile, in a large pot over medium heat add the olive oil.  Allow it to become hot.  Add the onion and garlic.  Saute for about 5 minutes, until lightly browned.  Add the brown rice flour.  Continue cooking for several minutes.

3.  Lower the heat to medium.  Add the almond milk, stirring immediately so it does not clump.   Stir until the mixture has thickened.  Season with sea salt and black pepper.
4.  Add the cooked potatoes, broccoli and red peppers.  Season to taste.

I always top this with lots of sriracha.  Yum!


Enjoy!

Koko

Mashed Potatoes & Gravy, Steamed Peas, Baked Glazed Tofu

Do you ever have those days when you really need to go to the grocery store, but for whatever reason, you can't?  I'm having one of those weeks!  Since moving back to Michigan, Hubbs and I have had to buy a car to get around, which has definitely been an investment (but such a freeing one!), so we have only been able to afford one for the time being.  It has worked very well for us, especially since both of my parents and my younger brother work within a couple miles of each other downtown, so it's easy to get a ride.  For one reason or another this week, it has not worked out that I am able to take the car and go shopping.  Hubbs has never liked grocery shopping, so I always go.  Which is totally fine since I always have fun shopping.  Needless to say, since we haven't been shopping in a couple weeks (just getting a couple random ingredients from the coop here and there), we just have a couple fresh ingredients, though lots of pantry and frozen items.  That is how this meal came about.  I baked a package of firm tofu, boiled some potatoes, made a nutritional yeast gravy, tossed the baked tofu in some spicy bbq sauce and served it with some steamed frozen peas.  It was simple and tasty.  Now we basically just have a half of a head of green and red cabbage and a couple other random fresh ingredients.  I think I'll make a tasty stir-fry with edamame (frozen) and some black sesame seeds.  Yum!

 

 

 

Simple tasty dinner!

 

 

Enjoy!

 

 

Koko

Vegetable Shepherd's Pie with Spicy Vegan Chorizo and Mesclen Greens Salad

For the last two weeks I have been trying to follow the idea of writing down all of the dinners I am going to prepare for the week on a white board I have on my refrigerator.  So far I have followed 4 out of the 5 items for the two weeks I have done it.  The other three days of the week I either didn't make a big "meal" for the Hubbs and I or I ate leftovers, and one of the days we ate out (Valentine's!).  I think it is definitely a good idea and something I can manage to stick to if I don't get too crazy and rigid about it.  This was not one of the meal ideas for the week, but after looking through my fridge, I realized I had tons of miscellaneous items that needed using up (half used onions and bell peppers - thanks to the Hubby for doing that) as well as some spicy vegan chorizo I made for breakfast, but didn't finish up.  So was thinking of making a pot pie, but was feeling too lazy to make a crust.  I have been testing tons of recipes the last couple days, and the last thing I feel like doing is following another recipe to make the crust.  I decided on a Shepherd's Pie - easy and very tasty to make.  I was able to clean up the fridge and make room for preparing the rest of the dishes on the white board.

 

 

 

Delicious Shepherd's Pie with Spicy Vegan Chorizo

Shepherd's Pie:

Potato Topping:
4-6 medium red skinned potatoes, washed well and diced
3 tablespoons earth balance
unsweetened soy or almond milk
sea salt and black pepper to taste
granulated garlic or a couple cloves of roasted garlic

Filling:
1 cup veggie protein - I used spicy vegan chorizo, but could use seasoned tofu, seitan, etc.
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 carrot, diced
1 onion, diced
2 stalks celery, small diced
1/2 bell pepper - or whatever vegetables you need to use in the fridge
2 cloves garlic, minced
Nutritional Yeast Gravy
handful organic frozen corn or peas
sea salt and black pepper to taste

1.  Cover the potatoes with cold water and bring to a boil.  Cook till just tender.  Drain.  Put back in pot - add earth balance, desired amount of nondairy milk, sea salt, black pepper and granulated garlic or roasted garlic.  Mash till desired consistency.  Season to taste.
2.  Prepare the filling: have the gravy ready and set aside.
3.  In a large saute pan over medium-high heat, add the olive oil and allow to become hot.  Add the veggies: the carrot, onion, celery and bell pepper.  Cook for several minutes until the veggies begin to brown.  Add the garlic and cook for a couple minutes. 
4.  Place the veggies in a large bowl.  Add the veggie protein and enough gravy to cover the mixture.  Stir in frozen peas or corn if desired.  Season with sea salt and black pepper.
5.  Oil a glass pie plate or baking dish.  Place the veggie-gravy mix into dish and smooth out with a spatula.  Top with the mashed potatoes and bake in a 375 degree oven for about 35 minutes, or until the potatoes are golden and the filling is bubbly.


Enjoy!

Koko

 

Mashed Potatoes with Corn Gravy, Mustard Sage Seitan, Steamed Broccoli, Simple Salad

I made this meal after browsing through the seemingly millions of cookbooks I have, and landing on Horizon Cafe's cookbook.  I looked through everything in the book and went with this recipe because I had the majority of the ingredients on hand and it seemed easy enough to make.  I was really curious about the corn gravy, thinking that there was no way I would really like it, but what the heck, as I keep telling myself, it is my impossible goal to make almost all of the recipes in the cookbooks I have, so another recipe down!  While I was making it, I was looking suspiciously at the corn simmering in the liquid and trying to imagine it as a gravy, but couldn't.  Same thing with the seitan.  I tried the marinade before it was cooked and was a little turned off - it was pretty strong.  But, I have learned that whenever you have a marinade that you whisk together and pour over a protein, and it includes an oil that has to be emulsified, the sauce will become nice and thick, which in and of itself makes a damn good sauce! 

When I placed the plate of food before both the Hubby and I, I was debating about telling him the names of the foods.  I was thinking I should just say, here's some baked seitan and potatoes and gravy and get on with it.  He wouldn't ask any questions and would dig right in, saying his usual "It's delicious honey, thank you".  But, of course I never learn to do that, so I told him I made Mustard Sage Baked Seitan and Mashed Potatoes with a Corn Gravy.  After looking at me a little strangely, then looking at the plate strangely, and giving everything a not-so-delicate sniff, he started eating.  After taking a bite of each the seitan and the gravy, he looked at me, surprised.  Then, after quickly skimming off and eating all the gravy from his potatoes, he holds up his plate and asks for more gravy.  He has never done that before with gravy.  Never!  So I knew it had to be ridiculously tasty, and was it!   Yum!  He ended up getting another serving of the potatoes and dousing it with the gravy.  Good choice of recipes to test!  I will definitely make both of these again!  So tasty!

 

 

Mashed Potatoes with Corn Gravy, Mustard Sage Seitan, Steamed Broccoli:

Serves 4

Corn Gravy:

1 medium onion, chopped, about 1 cup

3 garlic cloves, chopped

2 tablespoons olive oil

3 cups corn, thawed if frozen

4 ounces white wine

1 1/2 cups water

1 tablespoon vegetable boullion powder

1 teaspoon dried sage

1 teaspoon dried thyme, crushed with your fingers

1 teaspoon paprika

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

Steamed Broccoli:

1 head broccoli, cut into florets, thick part of stem removed, peeled and diced

1 tablespoon olive oil

Sea salt and black pepper to taste

pinch garlic powder

 

 

1.  While the seitan was cooking, I prepared the corn gravy.  In a large pot, add the olive oil over medium heat and allow it to become hot.  Once it is hot, add the onion and saute for about 5 minutes, or until golden and softened.  Add the garlic and saute for 1-2 minutes, or until fragrant.  Add the corn and saute for an additional 5 minutes, or until the corn has browned.  Add the wine to deglaze the pan and allow it to reduce by half.  Add the water, boullion powder, sage, thyme, paprika and black pepper.  Allow this mixture to simmer for about 5 minutes.

2. Working in two batches, blend the mixture for several minutes, or until completely smooth.  Pour the gravy back into the pan with a mesh strainer on top, stirring until all of the gravy goes through.  The fiber from the corn is all that will be left in the strainer.  Discard and repeat with the remaining gravy.  Season to taste (it should taste amazing!) Cover the pot with a lid and keep warm.

3.  Prepare the broccoli.  Place a steamer basket in a medium sized pot over high heat, filling the bottom with water. Cover the pot and allow the water to come to a boil.  Once the water is boiling, add the prepared broccoli, covering the pot again.  Allow the broccoli to steam for a minute or so, checking its doneness by poking with a fork.  Cook to desired tender-crispness.  Place in a serving bowl and toss to coat with the olive oil, sea salt, black pepper and pinch of garlic powder.  Season to taste.

4.  To serve, place a portion of the mashed potatoes on the plate, creating a well in the center where the gravy will go.  Place a portion of the  gravy on the mashed potatoes (believe me, you will be back for more!).  Arrange a portion of the seitan, steamed broccoli and simple salad on the plate as well.

Enjoy!

Koko

Monday, Not Sunday Brunch

It's Brunch Time!  This was from the Brunch I made for Hubbs and I on Monday - the only day I don't have to be to work at 5 am. 

I mentioned in the last post that I still want to keep this blog going even though I have not had a ton of time to work on it lately.  What I had intended when I first started it was to take pictures of everything I cook and bake, write and post the corresponding recipe.  Most of the time I do take all of the pictures and write all of the recipes down.  Sometimes, somehow, I do not write down the recipe due to timing issues, or Hubbs inadvertently throwing it away, or some other mishap, but I still have all the pictures that I would like to share.  It makes me sad going through the thousands of food pictures I have taken over the last couple years and think of not being able to share them, simply because it would not follow the initial purpose I had of creating this blog, by not also posting a recipe.  So perhaps from now on, I may be posting some/more blog posts without recipes, but with more pictures.  Besides, food pictures are always fun to look at right?  So, here are all the lovely pics of the brunch we had, which was delicious!  I could barely get the pictures taken because the Hubbs was standing over my shoulder with his fork, declaring how "starving" he was.  So they were taken pretty quickly.

Monday Brunch!





The plate all loaded with delicious food: homemade vegan
sausage, diner potatoes, tofu scramble, pancakes.




Tofu Scramble.


 

Pancakes!





Diner-Style Potatoes.

 

The whole spread before it was dished up.  Beautiful!

Enjoy!



Koko

Comfort Food: Peas & Potatoes in a Creamy White Sauce

This is one of those things I grew up eating as a kid that is strictly all about comfort.  There is absolutely nothing beautiful about this dish, nor really anything healthy at all, but it brings back a lot of memories and sometimes you really just need something nice and homey.  This is something my mom would make for us when we were kids, because it is something her mom would make for her and her siblings.  Growing up, my Grandma Allen was a single mother to 8 children, yes 8!  She would make all kinds of interesting dishes that we migh not appreciate as my mom, aunts and uncles appreciated then.  She would make this toast (homemade in my Grandma's case) served with gravy made from chicken drippings.  Needless to say, she really had to make things stretch out to feed everyone and make use of all ingredients - wasting nothing.  I can certainly appreciate that way of thinking and try to do the same in my daily food preparations.  I keep all my vegetable scraps in the freezer in a gallon Ziploc bag, and once the bag is full, I make a giant batch of vegetable stock.  Then I can make tons of soups, sauces, etc.  I also try to use all components of other ingredients, like kale and collards.  I cook with the leafy greens (or make smoothies), then juice the stalks.  The whole bunch of kale is used.  And at almost $4 a bunch for organic kale, I'd better be using all of it!

With yesterday being Easter, a special time for family, I was feeling pretty lonely and a bit sad.  It is the first holiday without my Grandma Allen.  And even though I have not been to Easter or really any family holiday since moving to NY in the past 6 years, I really felt the loss this year, and the regret from not getting to make it home for those holidays.  Every Easter and Thanksgiving we would all (imagine her 8 children with children of their own and some even with grandchildren of their own - a nice, full home!) go to Grandma's house and spend time with family.  I remember being a kid and having such a blast.  It's sad to think that that is never going to happen again.  So, with all of these sad feelings, no wonder I was gravitating toward eating something very homey that my Grandmother taught her kids, who in turn taught their kids (us).  It was a very tasty dish too, so it hit the spot.  Make it when you are missing your family or when you want something simple and tasty.

Peas and Potatoes in a Creamy White Sauce:



Sigh.  Reminds me of childhood.



Serves: 2

2 large potatoes, peeled and medium diced

1/2 cup frozen green peas

1/2 small yellow onion, small diced

1 tablespoons olive oil

2 heaping tablespoons unbleached flour

2 cups unsweetened almond milk, or more as desired

sea salt and black pepper to taste

1.  Place the potatoes in a medium pot and cover with cold water.  Place pot over medium heat and bring to a simmer.  Periodically check the doneness of the potatoes by poking them with a fork.

2.  When they are just able to be pierced, add the peas. 

3.  Drain the peas and potatoes into a colander.

4.  Prepare the white sauce: in a medium sauce pan over medium heat, add the olive oil and allow to become hot.  Once the oil is hot, add the onion and cook till softened, but do not allow it to color. 

5.  Add the flour and cook for a couple minutes, stirring frequently.

6.  Add the almond milk, whisking immediately so the sauce doesn't clump.  Add sea salt and black pepper to taste.

7.  Bring the sauce up to a simmer, allowing it to thicken.  Once it reaches the desired thickness, add in the cooked potatoes and peas.  Stir to coat in the sauce and season. 

8.  My choice is to eat with sriracha, but Grandma would serve it as is, using dairy milk and butter instead of almond milk and olive oil of course!

Enjoy!

Koko

Mashed Potaotes & Gravy, Fried Squash, Pepper Steak, Steamed Broccoli & Salad

Ever feel like you have rotating meals?  I certainly do and I feel like this is one variation that I find myself making frequently.  It is just so easy and simple.  It allows you to use every burner on your stove at the same time, but not feel overwhelmed and get it done quickly.  I love mashed potatoes and gravy and Hubby loves the potatoes, but not so much the gravy.  He has this weird things about "creamy" things, although he really likes gravy when it's in things like pot pies, etc.  And since the pepper steak is already made, all you have to do is thaw it out and saute it.  Easy and done.  I love that I don't eat meat.  Seriously.  Sometimes it is so damn easy!  But then again, sometimes it is super labor intensive.  But I love that too! 

Mashed Potatoes & Gravy, Fried Squash, Pepper Steak, Steamed Broccoli & Kale, Salad:





So Tasty and Simple!

Serves 4

Vegan Nutritional Yeast Gravy:
1/4 cup canola oil
1/2 medium onion, finely chopped, about 1/2 cup
1/4 cup unbleached flour
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
2 tablespoons tamari
3 cups filtered water, or as needed
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 teaspoon sea salt, or as needed

1.  Place a medium pot over medium heat.  Add the olive oil and allow it to become hot. Once it is hot, add the onions.  Cook, stirring frequently, until softened, about 5 minutes. 
2.  Add the unbleached flour and nutritional yeast and whisk together.  It will be a very very thick mixture.  Keep whisking periodically, until the flour loses its raw smell and turns a nice golden color. 
3.  At this point, you are going to add the liquids.  When making a gravy, it is important to whisk the mixture as soon as you add the liquids, or the gravy will be lumpy.  So, add the tamari and 3 cups of water and immediately whisk the mixture together.  It will feel like it's going to seize as soon as you add the liquids, but keep whisking until the gravy is smooth.  Add the sea salt and black pepper.
4.  Now let the gravy come to a simmer, whisking frequently and being sure that it does not stick to the bottom or sides.  Once the gravy thickens, you can determine whether or not you will need more water.  If the gravy is too thick, add water a little at a time until your desired consistency is achieved.  Season to taste with sea salt and black pepper.
5.  Serve over rice, potatoes, biscuits, or whatever makes you happy!



Enjoy!

-Koko

Brunch: Roasted Potatoes, Black Bean Tofu Scramble, Fried Squash

 I must admit my mind is elsewhere right now.  My grandmother on my mom's side is in the hospital and has been all last week.  Her health is declining and although everyone is trying to be positive, I think we have to be realistic too.  She has been in poor health for a while now, with diabetes, open heart surgery back when I was in college and now dementia.  She is unfortunately in congestive heart failure and is so upset to be in the hospital.  She hates being away from home and is worried because she had a bird at home that she is never away from.  I really do appreciate and am thankful for being in New York, but at times like this it really makes me want to drop everything and move back home to be with my family.  All of my 8 aunts and uncles (my mom is included in that number) are at the hospital now talking to the doctor to see what he feels.  My mom left me a voicemail as I was leaving work saying that my Grandma is terminal.  Please keep her any my family in your thoughts.  As of last night Grandma wasn't eating or drinking anything, talking about how she had a great life and wanted to be cremated and buried.  As soon as I hear back from my mom, I'm going to decide what to do.  I have to see my Grandma again.  This is making me get teary-eyed now just typing this up.  It also brings me back to the death of my sister-in-law Kenia not even a year ago - in May from cancer.  It makes me really reevaluate my life, what I am doing, where I am and what my goals are. 

This is just a heads up that I may not be blogging for a while, depending upon how things go.  In the meantime, enjoy what my Hubby and I had for brunch yesterday, our day off together.  I had some leftover cooked black beans in the fridge that needed using up, as well as a package of tofu, so I thought of doing a Spanish-style scramble, with some roasted potatoes (I am always getting organic potatoes for free from work.  Today I got some really cool organic purple potatoes and I am debating making mashed potatoes with them just because I think it is going to look so crazy on our dinner plate!) and fried up some squash I got from work.  It was tasty and came together pretty quickly, which was great - I was able to spend more time with my Hubby!

Roasted Potatoes, Black Bean Tofu Scramble, Fried Squash:



So delicious!  Wish there was some left!

Tofu Scramble:
1 lb. extra firm tofu, drained well and pressed
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 yellow onion, diced
1/2 green bell pepper, diced
1/2 red bell pepper, diced
1 jalapeno, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 roma tomato, diced
2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon turmeric
3/4 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
pinch red pepper flakes
1/2-2/3 cup cooked black beans
tamari, as desired

1.  In the base of a large wok or saute pan, add the oil over medium-high heat.  Allow to become hot.
2.  Once the oil is hot, add the onions, green, red and jalapeno peppers and garlic.  Saute for a couple minutes, or until beginning to soften. 
3.  Crumble the tofu to desired size directly into the pot.  Keep stirring the mixture.  Add the spices: nutritional yeast, turmeric, cumin, sea salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes.  Stir very well into the vegetables and tofu mixture until tofu is completely yellow in color. 
4.  The amount of time you cook the scramble from here is up to you.  I like the tofu to be pretty firm with a more "dry" texture, otherwise it reminds me of undercooked eggs.  Gag.
5.  Add the diced tomato, black beans and tamari to taste.  Stir and cook until all ingredients are heated through. 
6.  Serve with the remaining components.

Enjoy!

Koko

Loaded Baked Potato Soup

This cold and wintry weather we have been having here on the East Coast has really made me crave soups.  I'm the strange kind of person that could always eat soup, even when it's well into the 90's in the heat of the summer.  Not sure why, but I love them.  Usually the brothier the soup the better.  Sometimes though, I find myself craving a thick, hearty soup.  That's usually the kind of soup my Husband loves to eat.  I had the idea for this soup from seeing it at the coop here in Brooklyn, although it was not vegan at all, not even vegetarian.  Definitely full of cream, butter, milk and of course bacon.  I have a great tempeh bacon recipe myself, so I could easily see this soup come together.  And who doesn't love potatoes, bacon (vegan that is) and smoky deliciousness?  So I wrote down everything I think would make this into a delicious thick and hearty soup and went from there.  And it turned out deliciously, with Hubbs eating two full bowls of it!  

Note that this makes quite a bit of soup (3 quarts), so you can either halve the recipe, invite friends over for a soup and salad party or freeze whatever you don't use for a quick dinner later.

Loaded Baked Potato Soup:



So creamy & delicious with those amazing toppings!


Makes 3 Quarts

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2.5 pounds russet potatoes, peeled and chopped
2 quarts vegetable stock
4 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
1 1/2 teaspoons smoked paprika
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoons chipotle pepper powder
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups unsweetened soymilk
1/2 cup vegan sour cream
2 tablespoons earth balance

Toppings:
1scallion, chopped
2 tablespoons shredded vegan cheese
2 pieces homemade cooked & chopped tempeh bacon

1.  In a large pot over medium heat add the olive oil and allow it to become hot. 
2.  Once it is hot, add the onions and garlic and cook for several minutes until translucent.
3.  Add the potatoes and all the spices: the salt, smoked paprika, onion and garlic powder, chipotle pepper powder and black pepper.  Toss to coat the potatoes and onions in the spices and allow mixture to cook for a couple minutes. 
4.  Add the vegetable stock and bring to a boil.  Once the ingredients begin to boil, reduce heat to a simmer and cook until the potatoes are cooked all the way through.
5.  Add the earth balance and sour cream to the pot and allow to melt.  Stir to combine.  Add the unsweetened soymilk and stir. 
6.  In batches, transfer the hot soup to a blender of food processor (be very careful!!).  Place a dry towel over the lid of the machine and blend until completely smooth, but not too long or the potatoes will become gluey.
7.  Return the pureed soup back to a clean pot and bring back up to a simmer.  Season to taste.
8.  To serve, top with the vegan cheese, scallions and tempeh bacon. 
9.  Serve.  That's it!

Enjoy!

Koko

Mashed Potatoes & Gravy, Roasted Portabella Mushroom, Pepper Steak & Garlic Kale

I'm loving mushrooms right now, even the funky white ones.  Well, ok, I'm loving all of them except for straw  mushrooms.  Those have always and probably always will freak me out.  I've never eaten them and never intend to.  Ugh!  I just really think they look like mini people and that is creepy.  My sister-in-law Debbie used to always get Moo Goo Gai Pan whenever we went to get Chinese back home and loved those things.  Every time she popped one in her mouth, I cringed, thinking she was eating people.  Strange I know, but they really look like people to me!  Besides those, I love the mushrooms that I have tried thus far.  Especially morels!  Seriously delicious! 

I was just talking to my Mum the other day, who lives in Michigan and she was telling me that hopefully this coming spring will be a good time to go hunting for mushrooms in the woods.  The last few years have not been great and she has not found a ton of morels, but even finding one is so worth it!  She usually dries them at home and then will send them to me because they're too fragile to be shipped all the way from Michigan to New York fresh.  But damn, I remember them being the most amazing thing in the world when they were fresh picked from the woods behind our house.  I remember seeing small containers of dried morel mushrooms at Whole Foods Bowery for over $200 per pound.  Yes that is $200 / lb!  No thanks!  And where the heck where they picked?  I'll stick to my Mum's home picked morels, thanks!  Unfortunately, since it is still a little early for morels, I had to settle on portabellas, even though that is not really settling because portos are super tasty too.  Waiting (not so) patiently for those morels! 

Mashed Potatoes & Gravy, Roasted Portabella Mushroom, Kale & Pepper Steak:





Sauteed Kale, Roasted Portabella, Pepper Steak & Mashed Pots



Mashed Potatoes & Gravy, prepared

Sauteed Kale, prepared

Pepper Steak, prepared

Roasted Portabella Mushroom:

2 portabella mushrooms, large stem removed

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Sea Salt

Black Pepper

2 cloves garlic, minced

2 pinches onion powder

2 pinches garlic powder

1.  Preheat oven to 400 degrees. 

2.  In the meantime, prepare the mushrooms.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil.  Get your spices and fresh garlic ready.  Drizzle the mushrooms on one side with the oil and immediately sprinkle with the sea salt, black pepper, fresh minced garlic, and garlic and onion powder.  Flip the mushroom over and do the same to the other side.  Place the seasoned mushrooms in the oven and roast for about 10 minutes on each side, flipping the mushrooms over half-way through the baking.

3.  The mushrooms are finished when the edges are browned and crispy and the very center is soft and juicy.

4.  Allow the mushroom to cool for at least 5 minutes for the juices to distribute.  If you try to cut the mushrooms right away, all the juice will immediately come out and the flavor will not be as good.  It's worth the wait. 

4.  To serve, place a portion of the potatoes and gravy, pepper steak, sauteed kale and sliced portabella mushrooms on the plate.

Enjoy!

-Koko

Hubby's Invention: Noodle Vegetable Soup

This is something the Hubby made for me several days ago when I was working late.  Until we get a couple more people in the department I am working in, I have been and will continue working crazy shifts that span all hours of the day.  Some days I do not finish work until 8 or 9 pm and will not have eaten all day, so my loevely Hubbs will make a nice dinner for me.  What a sweetie!  This time was a variation of a soup that he makes pretty often.  I love that he put slices of the corn on the cob in the soup - that was really fun to eat (and messy!)

Noodle Vegetable Soup

Serves 4

1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

1/2 small onion, chopped

1 celery stalk, sliced in half down the middle and chopped

4 sprigs cilantro, chopped

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 corn on the cob, sliced into 4 circles

1 potato, peeled and chunked

filtered water to cover

unchicken boullion

3/4 cup thin pasta, broken into pieces

black pepper to taste

1.  In a medium pot over medium-high heat, add the olive oil and allow to become hot.  Once the oil is hot, add the onion, celery, cilantro and garlic.  Cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant. 

2.  Add the corn on the cob and potato and stir.  Add enough filtered water to cover all of the ingredients, plus 2-3".  Add the unchicken boullion and bring contents to a boil.  Once the contents are boiling, lower heat, and allow to simmer for about 15 minutes, or until the potatoes and corn are tender. 

3.  Add the pasta and stir into the simmering soup.  Cook for about 8 or so more minutes, or until the pasta is cooked through.  Serve.

Enjoy!

-Koko

Vegan Russian Salad

I love this salad.  I really do.  From the first time I tried it when I worked at Lifethyme Natural Market in the Village when one of the cooks made it and put it on the salad bar, I  was intrigued.  He is from Peru and thus called it Peruvian Salad of course, but it is really a Russian Salad.  Once I told the Hubby about it, he was excited because it is actually one of this favorite salads ever.  His mom used to make it for him when he was a kid growing up in the Dominican Republic (I'd really like to know how that came about- Russian Salad in DR!?), and once he knew I knew what it was, he started asking for it.  I'm not sure why, but once I figured out how to make it, I just never really wanted to make it when he asked for it.  It's not that it's a difficult thing to make at all, but I always feel kind of like, ugh, I guess I can make it.  I think it's the beets.  I love beets, I'm sure you know that by now, but they always take forever! to cook, and when I make them, I like to make a healthy amount so I can have them for several days. 

This time, thankfully, I had cooked the beets the night before, so when he asked for the Russian salad, his request wasn't met with my usual "ugh, I guess", but more, "ok, sounds good".  He was very excited and was actually hanging out with me in the kitchen while I made it.  Usually I make it the same every time, but this time he wanted me to add some really finely chopped carrots for a nice change of texture.  He loves onions probably as much as I do, but after making this salad with onions in it a couple times, I realized that the onions become very overpowering and kind of ruin it when you have leftovers and go to eat some the next day.  If you want to add the onions though, you could separate a little bit of the salad and add them to that section.  Either way, this salad is so tasty, especially when chilled.

Russian Salad:



Delicious Creamy, Crunchy Salad.  Tasty!


Yields 6 Servings

4 medium potatoes, peeled and medium diced, about 3 cups
1 cup frozen green peas
2 small carrots, peeled and small diced, about 1 cup
1 cup cooked beets, medium diced
1/2 cup vegan mayonnaise
1/2 teaspoon sea salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup blanched & small diced extra firm tofu (mimicing diced egg whites)

1.  Fill a medium pot 2/3 of the way with warm water and place the peeled, diced potatoes inside.  Turn the heat to medium and cook just until potatoes are barely fork tender.  They will continue to cook even after you drain them, so it is best to remove them from the water even a little crisp.  Drain and set aside in a large bowl to cool.
2.  Using the same pot filled 1/4 of the way with hot water, place the pot over high heat and bring to a boil.  Once the water comes to a boil, add the frozen peas and cook until the peas are just tender.  Drain and add to the bowl with the potatoes. 
3.  Allow both the potatoes and peas to cool  until they are no longer warm at all.  Once cool, add the remaining ingredients: the finely chopped carrots, cooked beets, mayonnaise, sea salt, black pepper and blanched, diced tofu (which we are using to mimic the texture of boiled egg whites, which are usually added to this salad).  Stir thoroughly until all ingredients are well combined and the salad becomes a nice pale pink color.  Season to taste, adding more sea salt or black pepper as needed.  Refrigerate until ready to use - this salad is best when it is served very cold. 

Enjoy!

-Koko

Rice Beet Salad with Sauteed Veggies, Mashed Potatoes & Gravy

Hubby and I were both very hungry tonight and wanted dinner as fast as possible.  I love those dinners where you have some leftovers that you can incorporate into making a tasty, quick dinner.  For this dinner, I had already had the cooked mashed potatoes, gravy and cooked beets.  I had also already chopped, washed and dried the lettuce the night before, so there wasn't a lot to do for this dinner, and I would say it was on the dinner within half an hour.  30 Minute Meals for vegans!  The main thing I had to do for this was cook some rice, which took like 15-20 minutes, so in the meantime, I just started reheating everything and sauteing some veggies.

When Hubby saw the rice beet salad, he was very suspicious.  He is a rice-aholic you must know.  Loves eating it everyday and would if he could .  But, he is also a purist when it comes to rice - he likes the Spanish Yellow rice (colored with annatto), Moro Rice (like a Spanish Rice Pilaf) and Rice con Gandules ( Rice with Pigeon Peas).  Beyond that, especially in salad form, it freaks him out.  I told him I got the idea from my previous coworker M, who made it for us for family meal one day when everyone was so busy and didn't have time to make anything.  She just threw together some rice, beets, garlic and spices.  I wanted to simplify it a little bit, so just added the rice, beets, garlic, oil & vinegar, then salt & pepper.  It was a delicious success and once the Hubby actually tried it, he really liked it and had two servings. 

Rice Beet Salad:



Salad, Beet & Rice Salad, Sauteed Veggies,
Mashed Potatoes & Gravy

Beet & Rice Salad:
1 cup cooked chopped beets
1 1/2 cups cooked white rice, warm
2 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 teaspoons sea salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon sherry vinegar
Splash agave

Veggie Saute:
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 green bell pepper, sliced, about 3/4 cup
1 medium orange belle pepper, sliced, about 1 cup
1 small onion, sliced, about 1 cup
1 jalapeno pepper, minced
1 carrot, sliced on the diagonal, about 1 cup
1/2 zucchini, 1/4'd and sliced on the diagonal
3/4 cup snap peas, tough ends removed
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 teaspoon cajun seasoning
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Couple pinches sea salt

1.  Prepare the Rice Beet salad first.  In a medium bowl, combine all the ingredients and stir well to combine.  You want the rice to turn a gorgeous pink color, so keep stirring until the rice turns that nice color.  Taste - it should have a nice spicy flavor from the raw garlic, but should not be overpowering.  If it is too tart from the vinegar, give another splash of agave.  Set aside to allow the flavors to marinate while preparing the veggies. 
2.  Prepare the sauteed veggies: in a large wok over high heat, add the olive oil and allow it to become hot.  Once it is hot, add all the veggies except the garlic.  Cook the veggies until crisp tender, stirring all the while.  If the veggies begin to stick, deglaze the pan with a few tablespoons of water.  Add the garlic and saute till fragrant.  Add the cajun seasoning, black pepper and sea salt, seasoning to taste.

Enjoy!

-Koko

Pot Pie with Homemade Buttery Crust, Artichoke & Roasted Pepper Salad, Sauteed Kale

This was definitely a labor of love.  I usually make pot pit into a Shepherd's pie because it is easier and you just slap some mashed potatoes on top.   It looks pretty and tastes amazing.  And I usually use a ready-made spelt pie crust, but when I decided to make this tonight (to use up the tons of leftover gravy I somehow had), I didn't have any crust.  So I decided to make the crust.  Now don't get me wrong, I have made pie crust tons of times and it really is not difficult to make at all, it's just a little time consuming and can be a little frustrating if you do not flour your work surface enough, causing the dough to stick and tear.  I usually just cop out and buy the ready-made spelt crust (which comes in its own pie pan) or the stuff that comes in a tube in the refrigerated section.  Just because it's easier. 

But, I actually had an abundance of earth balance today, which never happens - I am always running out!  And I also had a little bit of extra time, so I made the crust from scratch.  And it came out amazingly!  Seriously delicious - I think the best I have ever made.  Could have been the gravy helping out on that one though!  When I served it to the Hubby, he was very excited, saying that it looked so beautiful!  Then he took a bite and actually moaned.  Moaned!  I have never heard him do that before.  And when I asked him how it was, he said "amazing!"  He usually doesn't get that excited about things, so it made me really happy.  He had three giant pieces.  I was only able to eat one, because it is pretty filling, plus we had the artichoke salad and the sauteed kale.  But he definitely had 3!  And he had several more the following day - the thing was literally gone in 2 days!  The entire pie!  It was that good!

Pot Pie with Artichoke & Roasted Pepper Salad, Sauteed Kale:



Buttery Crusted Pot Pie, Artichoke Pepper Pasta, Sauteed Kale

 Yields: 8 Slices

Crust:
3 cups unbleached flour
1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt
1 cup chilled Earth Balance
6 tablespoons ice water

Filling:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 medium green pepper, small diced, about 1 cup
1/2 medium orange pepper, small diced, about 1/3 cup
1 medium onion, small diced, about 1 cup
2/3 cup frozen mixed vegetables
1 large potato, peeled and small diced, about 1 cup
1 cup frozen chopped spinach
1 homemade sausage, fried on all sides, chopped, or other meat replacer
3 cups prepared gravy (I used a leftover nutritional yeast gravy)
Sea salt, black pepper, cayenne to taste


1.  Make the crust first.  Place the flour and sea salt in a medium mixing bowl.  Whisk together.  Place the earth balance in the middle of the flour.  Using your hands or a pastry cutter, cut the flour in until it is evenly distributed throughout the flour.  Add just enough cold water until a dough forms - you do not want it to be wet at all.  Roll into a ball, cover with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 20 minutes. 
2.  Begin making the filling: place a wok over medium heat, add the oil and allow it to become hot.  Once the oil it hot, add the green and orange peppers and the onion.  Cook until vegetables are just tender.
3.  In the meantime, bring a medium sized pot of water to a boil.  Add the chopped potato and the frozen mixed vegetables.  Cook until potato is just tender and veggies are cooked.  Drain. 
5.  You can take the dough from the refrigerator now.  Allow it to warm up just a bit.
4.  To the sauteing vegetables, add the frozen spinach and cook just until it becomes hot.  Add in the drained cooked potato and mixed vegetables, the cooked and chopped sausage and the gravy.  Stir to coat.  Allow mixture to simmer and season with sea salt, black pepper and cayenne pepper, if desired. 
5.  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Divide the dough in two pieces.  Roll out the first ball of dough and place into an oiled pie plate.  Prick all over with a fork.  Place on a sheet tray in the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes, or until cooked through. 
6.  Roll out the second piece of dough.  Now you can pour the filling ingredients into the cooked bottom pie crust.  Top with the second pie crust, crimping the edges to seal everything in there.  If there are any tears, just add an additional section of dough.  (See below.)
7.  Place the filled pie back onto the baking tray and place in the oven.  Bake for about 25-30 minutes, or until the top layer is baked through and the filling is bubbling.
8.  Allow it to cool for at least 10 minutes before cutting and serving.


The Whole Pot Pie.  It was gone in 2 days.  Seriously!




Close-Up of the Delicious Pie!

Enjoy!

-Koko

Tempeh Bacon & Sauteed Potatoes

Breakfast is seriously one of my favorite meals.  I cannot get enough of it and sometimes even want breakfast for dinner, although surely the Hubby would not be too happy.  He is always telling me that he wants something "strong" for dinner, which translates to something hearty and filling.  Now that summer is almost over (sad!!), I think I should start heading back into the kitchen a little more, even though it is still hot hot hot and all I want to do is make and eat veggies (too hot to turn on the stove and oven!)  Unfortunately, I have a hubby to think about and I know that would not fill him up.  Did I mention that he is a very sporty kind of guy that stands at 6'3?  Yeah, I know - feeding him is like feeding two people, seriously!

Back to breakfast - for a while I had been preparing brunch for us every Saturday.  Since I love breakfast, it makes sense that I also love brunch, but because it's been so hot, I've not been making it as frequently.  After making this super simple but super delicious breakfast, I decided I need to get back into my weekend brunch plans.  We'll see how well it goes, but I am definitely going to try!


Potatoes with Peppers & Onions, Tempeh Bacon

Serves 2

Sauteed Potatoes:
2 tablespoons olive oil
3 medium potatoes, peeled and diced - keep them uniform
1/2 green bell pepper, small diced, about 1/2 cup
1 small onion, small diced, about 3/4 cup
1 jalapeno pepper, minced, about 1 1/2 tablespoons
2 generous pinches chipotle pepper powder
3/4 teaspoon sea salt, or as desired
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Marinated Tempeh Bacon, about 8 slices for 2 people:

1.  To make this breakfast a quick affair, I cooked the potatoes first before sauteing them.  Fill a medium pot with lukewarm water: not warm and not cold.  Place the peeled and chopped potatoes inside.  Place the pot over medium heat and cook until just tender.  If they still have a slight bite, that is fine, because they will continue cooking as they saute. 
2.  As the potatoes are cooking, start preparing, then sauteing the veggies.  Place a large saute pan over medium-high heat.  Add the olive oil and allow it to become hot.  Once it is hot, add the green and jalapeno peppers and the onion. Cook, stirring frequently until nicely browned and cooked. 
3.  The potatoes should be cooked by now.  Drain them over a large colander in the sink and allow all of the excess water to drain.  Add to the saute pan and stir.  To give the potatoes that nice crispy outside, the trick is to keep the heat up and not to stir the potatoes too much.  The more you stir them, the more they break up and the less time they have to create that nice crispy edge.  Once they have been cooking for about 5 minutes, add the salt, pepper and chipotle.  Stir to coat.  Season to taste with additional sea salt, as necessary.
4.  To cook the tempeh bacon, place a tablespoon of olive oil in a medium saute pan over medium heat and allow to become hot.  Once hot, add the sliced of marinated bacon to the pan, being careful to shake off the excess liquid  from the slices, or they will cause the oil to splatter on you.  Cook for a couple minutes on each side until nice and crispy, and drain on paper towels. 
5.  Serve the potatoes on one side and the bacon on the other.  The hubby slathered it in ketchup and was happy.  I sometimes like to put bbq sauce on the side and dip the potatoes in it.  I have also topped the potatoes with shredded daiya as soon as they come out of the pan - the heat of he potatoes melts the cheese and it is so delicious!  Now that I think about it, I should have done that!  Oh well, next time!

Enjoy!

-K