Gonna Go Walk the Dogs

Day 30: Kitchen Tour

And so it goes. The last post for Veganmofo 2018. Where did the time go? Thank you all for visiting - I have enjoyed reading about so much vegan food this year - everyone is awesome!

Last year we forfeited vacation in order to get a kitchen makeover - new appliances and changing out an oven for a range. Our contractors were horrendously rude, inept and expensive. Three weeks into the project our kitchen was flooded. And then there was mold. It was a nightmare. We finally got the work done and had our kitchen back this past January. I am never doing another remodel again. It was insane!

As I took these photos, I am happy to say that I love my kitchen again. And I love creating lots of good vegan food. You can catch me on IG, TumblR, FlickR and FB. I will be watching you too.

In closing-- eat well, live vegan. Be true to yourselves.

See you next year. 

BrunchFest

I love doing brunch. Wake up a little late, read the news and check social media and then causally get into the kitchen and make an early lunch- late breakfast. Breakfast around here generally consists of a little fruit and dash out the door. Lunch is a salad or sandwich, so brunch- making traditional breakfast foods is a nice change. Like having breakfast for dinner. 

Usually I will do waffles or pancakes with a tofu scramble. Or an ohmlette with hash browns. I love One Green Planet's Tofu Benedict with my own spin.

I cut the tofu in a slab and marinade it. I layer it for service -  muffin, tofu, mushroom, tomato and spinach. Then the sauce. That sauce is killer good. Don't know what to serve for brunch? Try this one.

 

Picnic Basket

Time to pack for a picnic....what would you take? For us, picnics have always been about family time and making memories. My Dad was a struggling photographer back in the 50s-60s. Often we would all jump in the car for a day out while he was shooting a job. We didn't stop at a drive through for lunch or dinner, we just snacked on what was in our packed Coca Cola Cooler. Dad always kept this worn out comforter in the trunk for us to sit on or as a tablecloth.

We usually ate bologna or liverwurst sandwiches wrapped in wax paper (yuck!), with potato chips, fruit, and cookies. Mom always had a stash of cookies in the freezer ready to take on a drive.

Those were the days! These days we usually pack fresh fruit with some granola on the side for snacking. That is kind of our to go - fruit...watermelon especially. Or apples, plums, strawberries and raspberries. It's all good. Just remember to create memories. 

 

Getting Cozy

There is nothing better than being tucked on the couch on a chilly evening, beside a roaring fire and in front of the TV... of course, with the one you love.

Or with the food you love.

One of the first meals I ever prepared (it was for the girl scouts cooking badge) was chili. My mother put ground hamburger in it. Not too hot, but just enough spice to keep you warm. And green too. Loaded with bell peppers, onion, tomatoes...when I veganized the dish I renamed it California Chili. Lots of pinto, chili and kidney beans. With veggie crumbles. 

Ready to kick back and veg out? Don't forget the crackers.

Recipe:
1 tbsp. olive oil
1 cup veggie crumbles
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
1/2 green bell pepper, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 tbsp. chili powder
1 tsp. cumin and 1 tsp paprika
1 can (16 oz.) whole peeled tomatoes
1 cup kidney beans, 1 cup chili beans, 1 cup pinto beans
2 tbsp. tomato paste
Salt

Saute the crumbles and onion with the olive oil and garlic. Add rest of ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 20 minutes. Feeds 4+.

Favorite Holiday

I love Springtime. My favorite holiday is Easter. Right around my birthday, the weather is getting warmer (although it is never really cold in Southern California) and my Spring garden is growing. Time for fresh fruits and veggies! That calls for a yummy salad with a vegan protein!

A celebratory romaine salad over rice with chopped vegan "ham", pecans and dried cherries. Yummy. Chipotle Ranch dressing. It just screams Spring!

Chipotle Ranch:

1/2 cup Tofutti sour cream or make your own

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1/4 teaspoon onion powder

1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice 

1/2 teaspoon dried dill

1/4 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste

3/4 teaspoon chipotle chili powder

2 tablespoons water to thin dressing

Place in a jar and shake well. Keeps up to a week.

 

You can put that on lots of stuff. Especially veggies. Enjoy.

Birthday Bash

My all time favorite birthday "cake" is my veganized Lemon Icebox Cake recipe. Every year my mom would make it for my birthday - in fact, she made it about once a month. She used the same aluminum pan that had this slide lid on top. I would see that pan and start salivating.

Who doesn't like lemon? Sweet and tart, just like I love it! This recipe you can make plain or dress it up. It is as light as air - I could eat the whole pan!

1 recipe vegan sweetened condensed milk 
1/2 cup lemon juice
1 tbsp agar agar
2 cups coconut whipped cream
vegan vanilla wafer cookies - 24....crushed
Favorite fruit for topping

Mix together "milk", lemon juice, agar, and then fold in cream.

Sprinkle crushed cookies on bottom of a pan - you can add a little vegetable margarine and raw sugar to form a crust but why bother?

Pour the cream mixture over the cookies and allow to set up in the frig.

Top with your fruit of choice.

For this years "cake" I used a jello mold. Hmmmm!

Potluck Favorite

I have the favorite potluck recipe. I mean- it is not my favorite one, it is the one everybody asks for when there is a potluck. I might even have blogged about this before, it is that good. I use my Nesco. I make this recipe at the potluck!

Garlic Roasted Potatoes. Yesssssss.

5 # Red potatoes

2 head garlic cloves, minced

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 bunch minced Italian parsley 

Juice from 2 lemons

Mix everything together and place in the Nesco on Roast. You'll know that it is done when you can smell it. 

Take this to your next potluck! I won't guarantee it but be wary - people might just try to follow you home.

Sunday Dinner Traditions

Week Four: Special Occasions Week

I can't believe that we are into the fourth and final week! 

Today is about Sunday Dinner Traditions. The first thing that popped into  my mind was Pot Roast. Then Pepper Steak. Then Shepherd's Pie. These were the things that were traditions while I was growing up.

These days, we make vegan versions. Roasted Veggies, without the Pot Roast. So flavorful!

Pepper Steak - Made with seitan. Pretty darn good. It is all about the sauce. 

13/4 cup vegetable broth

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1/4teaspoon garlic powder or 1 clove garlic, minced

1 tablespoon pepper

Salt to taste

1 tablespoon cornstarch to thicken

Marinade and then simmer the seitan with that sauce kiddo!

Then Shepherd's Pie. That I think is the one that we now make most often. 

Here I used Garden Beef Tips, Onion Flakes, Peas and Corn. Most delicious. And who doesn't like mashed potatoes on top?

What's your Sunday tradition?

Impressive!

You don't have to spend a lot to make a statement. I make this dish for parties, quick apps when people just so happen to pop in - I often serve it along side a "cheese" and fruit plate...you name it. I always get raves because it looks fancy. But it is super easy and cheap to put together!

Belgian Endive. A member of the chicory family (includes radicchio, escarole, frisee and curly endive). The leaves have a crisp texture and a sweet, nutty flavor with a pleasantly mild bitterness , and it can be served cooked or raw. The best part is that you can pull apart the leaves and you are left with little crunchy cups that you can stuff with almost anything - salad, cheese, whatever. I typically make a faux crab salad.

2 cups minced faux crab (May Way or other vegan variety)

3 tsp minced nori

1/2 cup minced celery

1/4 cup minced red onion

1/4 cup minced parsley

1/2 cup vegan mayo

Salt and Pepper to taste

Mix and stuff. The key is to mince everything well. 

Get ready to hear the compliments!

Here I used dill weed. Yum!

 

Bumped and Bruised

I always check out the clearance isle at the supermarket. I can find a lot of good deals like 50% off almost any item. Especially seasonal stuff. Day old bread is also a great one. Fruit and veggies...those are great too. Who doesn't like bananas? The husband has been on a fruit kick lately and eats a banana every day. Our local market, Cream of the Crop, had a lot of reduced bananas and he bought two bunches...as they were already ripe, he said with a smile..."can you make muffins or shall I put these in the freezer for nice cream or smoothies?" Yes, I have him trained well.

I made him banana bread.

Recipe:

1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup raw sugar
Egg replacer for 2 eggs or 1/2 cup applesauce
2 cups flour
1 tsp baking soda
3 ripe bananas
1/2 cup almonds
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 tsp salt

 

Mix it up and pour into oiled loaf pan.
Bake 375 degrees for 40 minutes.

Enjoy. You can add 1/2 cup chopped nuts, chocolate chips, coconut, etc. for variety if you like. Whatever you do, be sure to add love and check out your clearance section.