Hot Chocolate

I've played around with a few ways to make a GREAT cup of hot chocolate - without the dairy. You're thinking... the dairy makes it good right? In my opinion, this is better. And guiltless ;)



Westsoy has a Chocolate Peppermint Stick soy beverage that you can drink chilled or warm. All I did was slowly heat it in a saucepan and top with the yummiest dairy-free whipped cream.



It's smooth, sweet, rich and chocolatey. And the peppermint is a nice touch ;) Perfect on a cold night in!

Bringing "Cheesy" Back, Part 2: White Pizza

When I first started eating vegan, I was sure I would never enjoy white sauce pizza again. So I was thrilled to find this recipe on veganpandamonium.blogspot.com!!

The "chicken" is actually "crispy tenders" by Gardein. It passes for chicken in my house - very yummy.



Here's the recipe:

http://veganpandamonium.blogspot.com/2010/09/white-pizza.html

This non-dairy/meat-free meal is officially added to our list of favorites ;)

Bringing "Cheesy" Back, Part 1: Macaroni 'n Cheese

Remember the post in May about vegan mac n' cheese? It's better that you dont. If you do, wipe it from your brain because I just found a recipe for the BEST, CLOSEST TO THE REAL THING Dairy-Free mac and cheese!! It's cheesy, moist, oozy and TASTY!!! And something my daughter (who didn't grow up the past 3 years on mac n'cheese) absolutely enjoyed.

Have you heard of daiya cheese? It's the most revolutionary vegan cheese out there. It's the best non-dairy cheese I've tasted so far. It melts, stretches and it's awesome. (I catch Steve and Caydence eating it by handfuls out of the bag in the fridge -ahem!!)



Vegan Mac and Cheese
1 - 8oz pkg macaroni noodles
4 tbsp vegan butter (Earth Balance)
4 tbsp whole wheat pastry flour
Sea salt
Cracked black pepper
2 cups unsweetened soymilk
1 cup shredded vegan cheddar cheese (daiya cheese)
Bread crumbs

Cook pasta in salted water until mostly done. Drain well.
While pasta cooks, melt Earth Balance in saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk flour into melted spread and cook, stirring until smooth and bubbly. Stir in a generous pinch of salt and pepper. Slowly, whisk in soymilk and cook, whisking, until thickened, 3-4 minutes. Stir in daiya cheese and continue to cook until melted.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and lightly oil an 8x10 baking dish. Alternate layers of cheese sauce, and cooked macaroni in prepared baking dish, ending with sauce on top. Sprinkle with bread crumbs and bake 20-25 minutes, until hot and bubbly.

- "Cooking the Whole Foods Way" by Christina Pirello

See how easy this is to make?? It's made the list of regular meals in our house ;)


ENJOY!!!!!! :) :) :)

Butternut Squash Lasagna and Apple Crisp

I LOVE Fall. This is the time of year that the most tasty and comforting foods come into season. Pumpkins, squashes, apples, pears, etc. are among my favorites. The meal I made recently was Butternut Squash Lasagna. Before you think "no thanks", I have to warn you. If you make this meal at home, make extra. I cannot keep this stuff around! The squash has a slight sweetness to it. Mix it with the cheese and pasta, and you have a mild and delightful take on traditional lasagna. Steve made the garlic bread. And it was dripping with garlic deliciousness. Not quite sure of his method, but I know there was olive oil, garlic and earth balance involved.

Butternut Squash Lasagna

1 pkg lasagna noodles (cooked according to directions)
2 cups of cubed butternut squash, roasted with olive oil and salt
2 cups regular soy milk
1 sprig of fresh rosemary
vegan mozzarella

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Roast cubed butternut squash for about 25 min. Place in food processor. Heat soy milk in saucepan. After it's warm, add sprig of rosemary for about 20-30 seconds. Remove and set aside. Add soy milk by ladel fulls to the squash and process until smooth and creamy (not too runny). Spread some squash mixture on bottom of casserole dish. Place layer of lasagna noodles on top. Add more sauce and top with slices of vegan mozzarella. Add noodles, sauce and cheese again - ending with cheese. Bake for about 35-40 minutes. Cut into squares and serve with diced tomato and parsley.

For dessert I made Apple Crisp, following my dad's recipe.

Grease casserole dish. Place 5-6 peeled and sliced apples in dish. Sprinkle sugar on top. Set aside. In mixing bowl, mix 2 cups brown sugar, 1 cup of oats, and 1 cup of flour. Add 1/2 cup melted butter (earth balance). Pour mixture evenly over apples in dish and bake for 45 minutes at 325 degrees. Serve with scoop of vanilla soy ice cream. MMMMmmmmmmmm!!!!

An awesome autumn meal!!!!!!! With no compromise ;)

Millet and Veggie Burgers

This dish is a play on traditional "Burger and Fries". Except MUCH healthier - and tastes DELICIOUS. You cant really compare this to the taste of a burger. More like, a very tasty sandwich. My husband really enjoyed this meal (and he can be skeptical toward vegan food). Not only did he finish it within...oh...less than 3 minutes, but he packed himself one for work as well. ;)

I usually make homemade fries with a "burger" meal but I stepped out of the box for a more healthy option. I sauteed cauliflower and zucchini pieces with olive oil, salt and minced garlic. Soooooo yummy. Especially with a little bit of daiya cheese sprinkled on top.


Here's the recipe

Millet and Veggie Burgers

1-2 tsp avacado oil, plus additional for pan-frying
3-4 slices fresh ginger, cut into thin matchsticks
Sea salt
1 cup millet, rinsed
3 cups boiling water
1/2 cup each diced onion, carrot and celery
1/4 cup minced fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal, plus addtional for dredging

Heat oil in a pot over medium heat. Add ginger and a pinch of salt and cook 2-3 minutes. Remove ginger from oil. Add millet and cook stirring, until millet is coated with oil and gives off a nutty fragrance. Carefully add boiling water, season lightly with salt to taste and reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer 35 minutes. Add onion, carrot, and celery, re-cover and simmer about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in parsley and cornmeal. Allow mixture to stand 10-15 minutes before forming into burgers. Shape millet mixture into thick patties. Dredge in cornmeal to coat. Heat about 1/8 inch avacado oil in a skillet over medium heat. Fry patties until golden, about 3 minutes on each side. Remove from skillet and drain on paper towels to absorb any excess oil. Serve as you would any conventional burger. (with a side of sauteed cauliflower and zucchini).

From the book, "Cooking the Whole Foods Way" by Christina Pirello

Enjoy ;)

This recipe was so delicious and the whole family really enjoyed it. It's my version of a fried soba noodle dish Christina Pirello makes. This dish is great for making your blood strong and the bitter greens help detox your liver. So how did I make it?



Cook soba noodles according to the package and set aside. Marinate tofu slices in teriaki sauce. Meanwhile, saute onion, garlic and belgian endive in skillet on medium heat. Add a little white cooking wine. Raise heat and add chopped red cabbage (or radicchio). Add a pinch of salt and a little bit of red wine vinegar. Saute all together for a few minutes. In another skillet, fry tofu slices in some olive oil until brown and crispy on both sides. Plate it up and sprinkle shelled hemp seeds on the top for a boost of omega 3. Serve!

My little ones really enjoyed this meal. And even my skeptical husband who ended up taking leftovers to work ;)

What I Eat at Noodles

Recently, I got to enjoy a free bowl of noodles at Noodles & Company with a birthday e-coupon. I've loved Noodles & Company for years, and nothing beats thier Wisconsin Mac & Cheese. Mmmmm. However, I do think a little differently now. NOW my favorite is Penne Rosa made without cream and cheese.

It's a blend of flavorful spices, tomato sauce, baby spinach, mushrooms and penne pasta. It has a little bit of spice, so if you are a "woos", this is not the dish for you. But pretty much the entire Asian section of their menu can be made vegan (without meat or eggs).
The American section is pretty much all meat and dairy. I stay away from that ;)
Thank you Noodles & Company for healthy vegan choices!!!