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!!!

Ginger Cookies with Lemon Icing

This recipe is "ginger cookies with lemon icing" that I got off one of the blogs I read, www.veganpandamonium.blogspot.com. And what can I say, they are amazing. I'm a sucker for ginger snaps anyway, but these have the homemade goodness. The only thing I would do different? NOT make them RIGHT before dinner. ;)

veganpandamium has the recipe on her site. check it out!

www.veganpandamonium.blogspot.com

Traditional English Breakfast

This is by far one of my FAVORITE meals. I got this recipe from The Kind Diet and even though it's technically breakfast, I usually end up making it for lunch or dinner. The mixture of all these foods together on one plate is so tasty and satisfying.

Here's what I did...

Baked Potato - poked a few times with a fork and rubbed with olive oil, bake without foil for 45 minutes at 450 degrees.

Mushrooms - sliced in half and sauteed in Earth Balance butter

Kale - chopped and sauteed in Earth Balance butter

Tomatoes - slice in half, sprinkle with salt, pepper and put of a little Earth Balance on top. Broil for about 4 minutes.

Bread - Slice a piece of a baguette in half and broil 1 minute, flip over broil 1 more minute. Spread with Earth Balance butter.

Beans - Heat in a saucepan, Bush's Vegetarian Baked Beans (or other vegetarian baked beans)

And don't forget the tea!!!

I've also added other things like vegan bacon or sausage to the plate.

It's pretty quick and easy to make. You have to be good at multi-tasking to get it all done together and stay warm! Enjoy!! :)

Fried Bananas with Caramel Sauce

I'm back!! Vacation was a blast and now I'm back to cooking vegan and trying out new recipes. This recipe I saw from Christina Pirello (can you tell I love her show?) and it's not only "kid" friendly but "guy" friendly as well. This recipe is great for a quick dessert. AND noooo dairy :D How'd you guess.

Fried Bananas with Caramel Sauce

Ingredients:

brown rice syrup
vanilla soymilk

whole wheat pastry flour
cinnamon
nutmeg
sparkling water
bananas

Start by bringing some brown rice syrup to a simmer with vanilla soymilk. (I played around with the consistency). After about half an hour remove from heat and you'll find it's thick liquid sauce.
Meanwhile, in a large bowl mix about a cup or 2 of whole wheat pastry flour with a pinch of cinnamon and nutmeg to taste. While whisking, add sparkling water until batter is a bit thinner than pancake batter. Slice bananas diagnally in slices. Dip slices into batter and fry in oil (I used canola) on med-high heat until brown and crispy.
Serve immediatley with caramel sauce.

Yummy and sticky!!! Enjoy ;)

Boca Sloppy Joes

I based this recipe from my grandma's homemade sloppy joes that I LOVE. The only thing different is I used Boca beef instead of regular ground beef.
Here's what I did...

Boca Sloppy Joes

Ingredients:

1 pkg Boca crumbles
1 cup of water
1 bottle of chili sauce
1 tsp of mustard
buns

Cook the Boca crumbles in a skillet over med-high heat in the cup of water (this keeps the "meat" soft instead of crispy). When heated through, add the chili sauce and mustard. Stir together and let cook another few minutes. Serve on a bun.

What's the scoop on health? Boca crumbles have ZERO cholesterol and 0.5grams of fat per serving compared to 10grams of fat per serving in regular ground beef. Also, it's packed full of protein. YAY for Boca! And just as tasty too ;)

Fettuccine with Vegan White Sauce

This is another recipe from the show Christina Cooks by Christina Pirello. I thought I would never enjoy "white" sauce again but I was wrong. This dish is thick and rich and perfect for satisfying the need for a hearty italian meal. Again, with no recipe out there, I had to put this together from watching her show.

Fettuccine with White Sauce

Ingredients:
3 TBS olive oil
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 cups of plain soymilk
1 TBS of white miso
1 tsp of arrowroot powder
lemon zest
salt
pepper
shredded vegan mozzarella
chopped tomato
parsley
1/2 - 1 box fettuccine (or other thick pasta)

First cook your pasta. While that is cooking heat olive oil in a skillet over med-high heat. Add garlic and saute for 1-2 min. Add soymilk, lemon, salt and pepper. Add miso and stir until completely dissolved. (the miso will simulate the taste of cheese). While whisking, add the arrowroot. Let cook a few minutes until a little thickened but not too much. Stir frequently. Add the cooked fettuccine to the skillet and stir into the sauce. Serve garnished with shredded mozzarella, diced tomato and parsley.

YUM!

Homemade Caramel Popcorn

When it comes to sweets, toffee or caramel is my weakness. Especially toffee popcorn or crackerjacks. YUM! One problemo. Dairy. So I made my own vegan caramel popcorn with Earth Balance margarine instead of real butter and ouala!
This recipe is so easy too.

Homemade Caramel Popcorn

Ingredients:

3/4 cup light brown sugar
3 TBS water
1 TBS Earth Balance
1/4 tsp vanilla
1 bag of popcorn

Bring brown sugar, water, and vegan margarine to a boil. Cover and simmer on med-low to low for 2-3 minutes. Meanwhile pop the bag of popcorn and pour into a large bowl. Remove sugar mixture from heat and add vanilla. Let cool for a minute or 2 while stirring. Pour over popcorn and mix well. Lay out on wax paper and let cool.

This cools pretty quickly and it turns out nice and crunchy - not sticky. ENJOY!

Stuffed Zucchini

I got this recipe from watching Christina Cooks on PBS and it turned out great. Even my kids loved it. I didnt have an actual recipe, I just followed what she did. But here's what the recipe looks like...

Stuff Zucchini

2 large zucchini, cut lengthwise
1 large onion, diced
2 cloves of garlic, chopped
about a cup of bread crumbs
vegan mozzerella cheese
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
salt
pepper
olive oil
2 cups of marinara sauce

Saute the onion and garlic in a couple of tablespoons of olive oil. Scoop the insides of the zucchini and chop the filling. Saute the chopped filling with salt and pepper in some olive oil. Add the bread crumbs and onion mixture. Add the white wine vinegar and stir until mixed well. Shred some vegan mozzerella in the skillet and stir until melted. Place the zucchini boats in a greased baking dish and fill boats with generous amounts of filling. Drizzle with olive oil and bake at 350 for about 15-20 minutes. Pour marinara sauce on top and serve.

Thanks Christina!

Quick Mini Cinnabuns

I made these cinnabuns this morning for Father's Day. WOW. So much better than anything I've ever bought from a store. These things are good. I mean, melt in your mouth good. Besides being vegan, the other best part is they are very quick and easy to make. I think I would make these even if I weren't vegan just because they are really just that fantastic.

I tried this recipe from veganpandamonium.blogspot.com
Here's what you need...

Quick Mini Cinnabuns

Ingredients:

1 cup white flour
1 cup whole wheat flour
4 TBS vegan margarine (Earth Balance)
1 tsp salt
1 TBS baking powder
3/4 cup vanilla almond milk (I used regular and added a drop or 2 of vanilla)
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 TBS cinnamon
2 tsp melted margarine

Icing:
I played around with powdered sugar, a little melted margarine, a couple drops of vanilla, and a TBS or so of almond milk. I kept adding and mixing powdered sugar and milk until I got the right consistency of white icing.

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
In a large bowl combine the flours, baking powder and salt. Cut the margarine in with your fingers into the dry ingredients until it resembles wet sand. Pour in the milk and mix until it forms a soft dough. Ball the dough and lay out on a floured surface. Roll out the dough into a long rectangular shape. Brush the top with melted margarine and sprinkle the brown sugar and cinnamon on top. From the long side, tightly roll it up and slice into 1 inch rolls (makes around 15 buns). Place rolls into a greased baking dish. Bake 12-13 minutes until puffy and golden. Meanwhile, start your icing (see ingredients at the top).

Enjoy!


Thanks VeganPandamonium!

Chocolate-Glazed Donuts

Let me tell you...these yummy little vegan donuts really hit the spot when you're looking for a sweet treat. And the best part... NO DAIRY. Caydence has finally been able to enjoy chocolate covered donuts for the FIRST TIME. And really...I have witnesses...dont taste like you've been deprived of anything. No eggs, no dairy, no cholesterol - guiltless!

Here's the recipe from vegandad.blogspot.com

Chocolate-Glazed Donuts

INGREDIENTS

Makes at least 24 small donuts
- 3/4 cups soy milk
- 1 1/4 oz vegetable shortening
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 3 tbsp warm water
- 1 tbsp ground flax seed
- 2 1/4 tsp instant yeast
- 11.5 oz all purpose flour
- canola oil for frying


METHOD


1. Heat soy milk, shortening, salt, and sugar in the microwave, or on the stove, stirring regularly until shortening melts. Set aside.

2. Whisk flax into water. Let sit a few minutes, then whisk again until thick. Set aside.


3. In a large bowl, mix together yeast and flour. Add soy milk mixture (making sure it is between 95 and 105 degrees F) and flax mixture. Mix together into a rough dough, then knead for about 5 mins until smooth, adding more flour or more water as needed to make a nice soft and tender dough.


4. Transfer dough to a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let rise for 60-90 mins, until doubled in size.

5. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spray with oil.

6. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface to 3/8" thick. Cut out 2" circles with a biscuit cutter, then cut out a 5/8" centre (or use a donut cutter. I cut the end off a kid's medicine syringe. It was the perfect size and I use the plunger to push out the dough). Dough scraps (and holes) can be re-rolled and cut. Place on prepared baking sheet, spray with oil, and cover. Let rise for 1/2 hour.

7. Heat oil to 350 degrees. Fry donuts in batches (30-60 seconds per side) until golden, drain on paper towel or paper bags, then let cool on wire rack. Let fully cool before glazing.

For the glaze, I kinda played around with it. I used non-dairy chocolate chips, a little bit of maple syrup, Earth Balance margerine, powdered sugar...and melted it all together in a saucepan.

The donuts (glaze and all) freeze and thaw very well. Place on a sheet pan to freeze. Once frozen, they can be placed in a bag and they won't stick together.

Thanks Vegandad!

Eggless Benedict

Well...I took a leap of faith on this dish tonight and was pleasantly surprised. It's from the blog VeganPandamonium.blogspot.com and it wasn't very hard to make at all. Here's the recipe...

Eggless Benedict

Ingredients:
asparagus
olive oil
salt & pepper to taste
Tofurky's Ham Deli Slices
toast or english muffin (whatever is available or preferred)
extra firm tofu

Hollandaise sauce:
3/4 cup of soft tofu
2 tsp mustard
4 TBL nutritional yeast
1 1/2 tsp lemon juice
1/2 cup soymilk
1 TBL olive oil
2 tsp soy sauce
pinch paprika
pinch turmeric
salt & pepper to taste

Tofu marinade:
1/4 cup olive oil
2 1/2 TBL vinegar (I used white wine vinegar)
2 TBL soy sauce

Start by mixing the marinade for the tofu in a bowl. Slice as much extra firm tofu as desired and marinate for about 15-20 minutes. While marinading, cover asparagus with olive oil and salt and pepper. Bake in the oven at 425 degrees until bright green and crispy (will take about 15-20 minutes). While waiting for the tofu and asparagus, you can blend all the ingredients for the hollandaise sauce in a blender and set aside. Toast your bread of choice and grill a couple of slices of ham on a grill pan over medium heat. After that, you can set the ham aside and grill the tofu slices until nice and browned and crispy. At this point, all you need to do is assemble your egg-less benedict and sprinkle the top with a bit of pepper and paprika.

Worth the try and a great substiture for eggs benedict.

Thumbprint Raspberry Jam Cookies

I made these cookies from The Kind Diet, and they turned out really well. Here's the recipe...

Ingredients
1 cup rolled oats (I used 1/2 - 3/4 cup oat flour)
1 cup almonds (I used 1/2- 3/4 cup ground almonds)
1 cup spelt flour
1/2 cup corn or safflower oil
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup brown rice syrup
1 cup jam, of your choice

Directions
1. Combine the rolled oats and almonds in a blender or food processor and process until this is the consistency of flour. (I made it easier on myself and used oat flour and ground almonds)
2. Pour into a large bowl and add the spelt flour.
3. Combine the oil with the maple syrup and brown rice syrup. Mix well.
4. Combine the wet and dry ingredients and mix well.
5. Make 1-inch sized balls with your hands [you can use some oil on your palms, if needed] and press flat onto a lightly oiled cookie sheet. Add a little more oat flour if the dough seems too wet.
6. Make an indentation with your thumb into the center of each cookie.
7. Fill each cookie with a teaspoonful of jam.
8. Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.

Besides having no animal protein, they also have NO WHITE SUGAR. The maple syrup and brown rice syrup do a wonderful job sweetening these cookies up.
Final note: PERFECT with a cup of tea ;)

Stir-fry Veggies and "Chicken"

So I have to brag about my hubby. Tonight he came home and decided to cook up a few items from the freezer and WOW he did a great job! All he used was Birdseye Stir-fry vegetables with Morningstar chicken strips (meatless but oh so good). First, he browned the "chicken" in a skillet while the veggies were cooking in a different skillet. There was a package of sauce that came with the stir-fry veggies that he added after they cooked a little bit. Then he added the chicken. I think he was cooking a total of 20 minutes. The flavors in this dish are amazing. You can eat this alone (like we did) or over brown rice. GOOD JOB STEVE!!

A Success Story

I found this story on thekindlife.com and I thought it was amazing. I know several people right now who deal with alot of the medical problems this girl used to experience. Please read!


“I bought the Kind Diet and became a vegan on February 1, 2010 because of multiple health issues. I'll try to make the story as brief as possible but my struggle has been going on since 2004. In graduate school, I began to have migraines that would not abate and I was struggling to get to classes and concentrate. When the doctor prescribed two medications, I took them and hoped they would help. 



Well, they stopped the migraines but had horrible side effects (mouth sores, fatigue, rapid heart beat etc) and I took myself off them about 3 months after starting them (they were pulled from the market by the FDA one week after I stopped taking them). I also ended up w/ microscopic colitis (frequent, loose stools). My gastroenterologists recommended several diets; no lactose, no gluten, no rice, no raw vegetables (good one, huh) but nothing worked and her final recommendation was take up to 8 immodium a day. Believe it or not I actually did take the immodium but even 8 didn't give me much relief. 



Finally, I gave up and decided to just live with it. Last year; however, I began to have unbearable pain with menstruation and was missing work at the beginning and then was taking prescription pain meds just to survive for the first two-three days. I had an ultrasound that showed nothing abnormal and my OB/GYN said it was most likely endometriosis (I declined the laproscopic procedure for a definitive diagnosis). Of course, she recommended going back on the pill or chemical menopause (pill induced). I really felt like I just couldn't take any more medications because of the colitis I am well aware that sometimes the side effects are worse than the problem being treated.

This is when I stumbled across The Kind Diet. I bought the book, read it and went strict vegan as well as no sugar, no caffeine and no processed foods (anything out of a bag/box etc). I was on the diet five days when my colitis seemed to just disappear. I couldn't believe it!! I had been living for 6 years in my own personal toileting hell and in five days it was over. As if that weren't enough, 38 days after starting the Kind Diet I had my first menstruation and although I still felt crampy and crappy, I didn't have any pain and didn't have to take any pain medication.

Alicia gave me back my life, made me a happier, more balanced individual and has made me a huge advocate for The Kind Life. By the way, PTATC stand for Physical Therapist and Certified Athletic Trainer so many people look to me for advice on healthy living and now I feel as though I can give them honest advice and they can see how this way of living and eating makes me radiate on a daily basis. :)”

Let's Talk Boca...

Boca vegan meatless patties are, so far, the best meatless burger I've tasted. Actually, their chicken patties and nuggets are pretty darn good too. Steve (my meat and cheese man) has always been a HUGE hamburger fan and will make these yummy meatless burgers for himself to eat.
Besides their deliciousness, the best part of these burgers is ZERO cholesterol, less fat, and a ton of protein.

Did you know Red Robin will substitute a Boca patty for ANY of their hamburgers? I just found this out not long ago! So will Rosie's Diner. Chili's doesn't offer Boca patties, but they will subsitute with a black bean patty on any of their hamburgers - which was pretty good.



Now, Boca chicken is pretty yummy... but meatless chicken by Gardein is BY FAR better tasting and could pass for real chicken. Again... no life threatening fat and cholesterol. I made Gardein chicken tonight as BBQ chicken sandwhiches. DELICIOUS.
More updates to come on my quest to find the best tasting meatless meat. ;)

Memorial Day Meal

Today I made Mac n Cheese with Franks, Beans and Greens. SUPER - Steve had 2 plates so it had to be good - yummy food.

First, the Mac n Cheese...(thekindlife.com)

INGREDIENTS
3 cups Elbow pasta
1 cup soymilk
1/4 cup tamari
1 cup nutritional yeast
1 tsp paprika
1 glove garlic
1 tsp dijon mustard
2/3 cup canola oil
salt & pepper

STEPS
Cook the pasta al dente.
In a blender/food processor combine the garlic, nutritional yeast, mustard and paprika, blend to chop garlic.
While the machine is running add the tamari, soymilk and canola oil and blend until creamy.
Heat sauce and mix with cooked noodles.
You can also do it as a baked Mac n’ Cheese by adding about 1/2 cup of water to the sauce and undercooking the noodles a little.
Top with breadcrumbs and bake in a casserole dish in a 350 oven until bubbly and breadcrumbs are browned.

For the Franks, Beans and Greens...

1 large can Vegetarian baked beans (Bush's is a good brand)
1 can of turnip greens (southern style)
1 pkg Yves vegan hotdogs

Slice the hotdogs and combine all ingredients together in a saucepan. Heat until warm.

This is one of my favorite meals and tastes so good. Definitely didnt miss any good food today ;)

Pan Fried Burritos

Tonight for dinner I tried a recipe from Christina Pirello. She's a vegan chef who I greatly admire. All her food is YUM.

However, I did a few of my own touches on them. For example, I threw in some potatoes and a little less tomato (for Steve's sake). Plus add a little vegan cheddar Mmmmm Mmmmm Mmmmmm!



Here's how you make them...


Pan Fried Burritos
What You'll Need
salsa:
2 ripe tomatoes, fine dice
1/2 red onion, fine dice
1 red bell pepper, roasted over an open flame, peeled, seeded, diced
2 cloves fresh garlic, finely minced
1 serrano chile, finely minced, including seeds
Sea salt
Extra virgin olive oil

burritos:
extra virgin olive oil
3 cloves fresh garlic, thinly sliced
1 red onion, small dice
Sea salt
1 carrot, small dice
2 stalks celery, small dice
Pinch ground cumin
Generous pinch crushed red pepper flakes
1 cup cooked black turtle beans
1 cup cooked red azuki beans
4, 10-inch whole wheat tortillas
5-6 ounces vegan Monterey jack soy cheese, grated
1/2 cup avocado oil

Instructions
Make the salsa, by simply combining the first 5 ingredients in a mixing bowl. Season to taste with salt and drizzle lightly with olive oil. Mix well, cover tightly and set aside so flavors can develop.

Make the burrito filling. Place a small amount of oil, the garlic and onion in a deep skillet over medium heat. When the onions begin to sizzle, add a pinch of salt and sauté for 1-2 minutes. Stir in carrot and celery, a pinch of salt and sauté for 1-2 minutes. Stir in cumin and crushed red pepper flakes, season lightly with salt and sauté for 1 minute more. Stir in cooked beans, season to taste with salt and cook, stirring constantly, until beans are warmed through, about 3 minutes.

Lay a tortilla on a dry work surface. Spoon _ of the filling onto tortilla and spread it evenly over the tortilla, leaving a 1-inch border all around. Sprinkle with _ of the cheese. From the side nearest you, roll, jelly-roll style to create the burrito. Set aside, seam side down. Repeat with remaining tortillas, cheese and beans.

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Lay 2 burritos in hot oil, seam side down and fry until golden on the undersides, 1-2 minutes. Turn the burritos carefully and brown on the other side. Drain on paper and repeat with remaining 2 burritos.

To serve, arrange burritos on a platter and spoon salsa over top.

Makes 4 servings.


The flavors are amazing in this dish. We all enjoyed it AND they're very healthy ;)

What to drink at Starbucks...

How do I stay Vegan at Starbucks?? EASY. First of all, you can substitute soy milk for regular milk in any of their drinks. But until recently, you couldnt get a non-dairy frappuccino because it was a premade mix.

ANGELS SING. They are promoting their *new* SOY frappuccinos!! This is so exciting because not only can I stay vegan and enjoy frappuccinos, but I can get a soy strawberry frappuccino for Caydence.

I actually tried the Soy Strawberry Frappuccino for the first time tonight. I ordered it with no whipped cream because it has dairy in it. But I wasn't missing a thing! It's DELICIOUS!

So far, I've discovered very yummy vegan drinks to enjoy at Starbucks....

1. Soy Hot Chocolate
2. Soy Latte (flavored with peppermint or cherry)
3. Hot soy Chai tea
4. Soy Strawberry Frappuccinos (no whip)

Let me just add...

Tall Strawberries and Cream Frappuccino with Whipped Cream...
Calories: 370
Fat: 15g


Tall SOY Strawberries and Cream (no whip)...
Calories: 250
Fat: 2g


LOVE IT!!!!!

My Favorite Cookies

These are the most amazing cookies. They have no butter, milk, or eggs so they are "Caydence friendly".

I cant stop eating these!!

Oatmeal, Walnut and Dried Plum Cookies
Ingredients:
1 cup quick-cooking rolled oats
3/4 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/3 cup maple sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. fine sea salt
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup safflower oil
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1/2 tsp. molasses
1/4 cup chopped dried plums or other dried fruit
1/4 cup finely chopped walnuts
Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Combine the oats, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the syrup, oil, vanilla extract, and molasses. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients, and stir to combine. Fold in the dried plums and nuts.

Using your hands, roll tablespoon-size scoops of dough into balls. Place the balls onto the prepared baking sheet and press down slightly on the balls to flatten the tops. Bake for 8 to 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Transfer cookies to a baking rack to cool completely.

For variety, replace the all-purpose flour with whole wheat pastry flour, barley flour, spelt flour, or a gluten-free baking mix (choose one that does not include baking soda and baking powder). You can also substitute chocolate chips for the dried fruit and any kind of nuts for the walnuts.

The Kind Diet by Alicia Silverstone. Published by Rodale Books. © 2009

My Story

So I've created this blog to let some people in on my recent decision to eat vegan (no animal products - meat, dairy, eggs, etc). I know, I have some close friends/family who think I've just lost it, but let's start from the beginning...

I grew up eating everything. Never had to worry about food or what was in food. However, in 2007 my daughter was born and we found out she was severely allergic to milk proteins (whey and casein).
My husband also battled allergies to milk, tomato, peanut, etc..

OK. So my whole life changed when I had to start reading labels on food. My list of the usual meals for dinner? SCRATCH THEM. Actually I tried going without dairy for a whole week and whined like a baby the whole time.

Later, we found out my daughter had also developed an allergy to wheat. Our diet then turned to rice, vegetables/fruit, beans and meat. Very healthy I might add. But I still had to have my cheese; and I couldnt do without milk in my tea or cream in my coffee.

Thank God, my daughter outgrew her wheat allergy in 2009 but is currently still allergic to dairy. At that time, I decided to give up dairy for the most part for my daughter's sake. Also, my second daugher was born in 2009 and has NO allergies.

So here we are. Now I have to tell you Ive never been a HUGE meat person. I like meat pretty good... and theres nothing like a nice well-done steak or a piece of deli ham. But I have to be honest, most of the time I ate meat was because I thought I needed the protein and I didnt want people to think I was...weird.

Quite honestly the word "vegan" to me was foreign and my impression of "vegans" were silly tree-hugging wierdos who had about 20 pets and just wanted to be different. Not saying there are people like that out there, but my overall impression was completely wrong. My first REAL explanation of the vegan lifestyle was found in Alicia Silverstone's book "The Kind Diet". THIS BOOK HAS CHANGED MY LIFE.

For those of you who know me well, you know me and animals don't mix. Now, I dont believe in animal abuse or anything, but my motives for eating vegan are clearly not for the animals. For me, eating vegan is all about health and I'm not judgmental of anyone who chooses to eat meat. So lets get that out there right now.

Just in the past few months I've been eating vegan, my body has changed so much. I've lost 2 clothes sizes, my acne is clearing up, I sleep better, and I have ENERGY.
I feel like my skin glows and my stress levels have dropped. For you gals, lets say that horrible visit once a month from "aunt eve" is a piece of cake. No more eating a meal and passing out; or feeling bloated and gassy. The biggest thing I've learned is getting rid of meat and dairy has only helped me discover other foods I didnt know I liked. I eat BETTER and more DELICIOUS food now than ever before.

Going Vegan doesnt necessarily happen overnight. I already had to substitute for dairy for my daughter, so I had a head start. So this blog is for anyone who wants to follow this journey with me and understand where Im coming from when I say I eat vegan.