Tuesday, December 23, 2014

TVP Taco Meat Mix

I had some TVP I needed to use and found this easy to make Taco Meat Mix in Vegan Food Gifts


You just combine TVP granules with some chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, sugar, cumin, paprika, cayenne, and salt. I have bought packaged taco meat mixes before with a lot of added preservatives in it; now I have an easy, cheaper, healthier version to keep in my pantry.  

Monday, December 22, 2014

Chickpea Veggie Soup

Another great recipe from OATrageous Oatmeals.

This is definitely a pantry-friendly easy to make soup along with some carrots, sweet potato and kale. I like the addition of steel-cut oats to give the soup some texture and thickness. I've never added oats to a soup before. I used to use barley quite a bit but found out it really bothered my stomach. So now I can use steel-cut oats! 

~ Chickpea Veggie Soup ~
This recipe made 8 servings so we enjoyed it the first night and then I froze the rest for a quick supper later. 

Sunday, December 21, 2014

Aloo-Yoop Curry Potato Wrap

 Found this great curry flavored recipe in Vegan A Go Go

 Lots of yummy flavors-potatoes, sweet potatoes, chickpeas, coconut milk, peas. 

~ Aloo-Yoop Curry Potato (Wrap) ~
This was too soupy to eat in a tortilla so we ate it in a bowl and used the rolled-up tortilla to use as a scoop. I garnished the bowl with some chopped cilantro and sriracha sauce. This works much better as a wrap filling the next day after it has a chance to thicken up. 

Saturday, December 20, 2014

Tofu Scramble Tacos

I always love a good tofu scramble and this recipe from Thug Kitchen makes a huge skillet full. 

Lots of ingredients for the scramble-broccoli, red pepper, onion, carrot, spices. 

 Sauteing the onion, broccoli and red bell pepper. 

Everything 'scrambled' together. 

Toppings for my tacos-cilantro, chopped tomato, picante sauce and some chipotle tabasco sauce rolled up in a sprouted grain tortilla. 

~ Tofu Scramble Tacos ~
The mixture ended up being a little dry for my taste. It needs some more seasoning and moisture. 

Wednesday, December 17, 2014

Pasta with Vegan Alfredo Sauce

Whoo! Hoo! Day 3 of posting catch-up and I made it to Pilates today; I got the endorphins going! 
I was craving something creamy and delicious and this recipe did the trick. I found this on Nava Atlas's site VegKitchen - Vegan Alfredo Sauce 


 It's so easy to make the sauce in the food processor. You can use either silken tofu or cannellini beans. I chose to use the tofu and it made it really creamy. I had some spinach-basil pasta I wanted to use and so I tossed that with the Alfredo Sauce. Then I topped the pasta with some steamed broccoli and Gardein Chik'n Scallopini. Yum!!

~ Pasta with Vegan Alfredo Sauce ~ 

Tuesday, December 16, 2014

The Ultimate Corn Chowder Experience

Day 2 of catching up on my posts! I managed to get to the gym yesterday for Pilates after 2 and a half months of doing nothing and finally got my hair cut and highlighted after 3 months. I usually get my hair cut every 6 weeks; it was the longest it's been in a long time. I'm starting to slowly feel like my old self again. 
This soup recipe comes from Betty Goes Vegan and I think they are a little ambitious in the naming of the recipe. I wouldn't say that this is the "ultimate" in corn chowder experiences. heehee It does have the 'ultimate' use of ingredients: potatoes, creamed corn, corn, peas, green beans, chickpeas, hash browns, plus about a dozen assorted seasonings and spices! I do have to say that it was rather good and the hubby liked it. 

~ The Ultimate Corn Chowder Experience ~ 


Look at the state of my Betty Goes Vegan cookbook! I'm so irritated; the whole section of colored photos started slowly falling apart. I've been using clear strapping tape to hold each page in. Ugh! Now more and more pages are falling out. I bought a 1 1/2 " three ring binder and I'm just about ready to rip the cookbook apart and use my 3 hole punch to put it in the binder. Has anyone else's done this?!

Monday, December 15, 2014

Maple-Oat Banana Bread

It's been a long time since I've posted anything! These past few months have been rough since my sinus surgery in October. It takes a loooong time to heal from that and then I got sick on top of it all. This time of year is usually pretty bad anyway; I tend to hop on the bipolar rollercoaster for a few months and then everything evens off after the new year (fingers crossed!) I'm going to try and get the few new recipes I've tried posted in the next few days. 

Still trying to use up all the frozen bananas I have in the freezer. Another banana bread recipe from Thug Kitchen this time. 

This recipe used 2 cups oat flour along with a cup of whole wheat pastry flour and 1/3 cup maple syrup; hence the name of the recipe. I did have to add 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts so I guess I can add "nut" to that title!

~Maple-Oat (Nut) Banana Bread ~
Very tasty and didn't last long in our house! 

Wednesday, November 19, 2014

Kheer (Indian Pudding) Oatmeal

A new recipe from a new cookbook! OATrageous Oatmeals by Kathy Hester. 
I love steel-cut oats and I bought these organic Bob's Red Mill oats at Sprout's. 




The oats are cooked in unsweetened non-dairy milk along with raisins and cardamom (which I love!)

 It suggests topping the oats with assorted chopped nuts. I used some almonds and walnuts and sweetened it with some Bee Free Honee. 

~ Kheer (Indian Pudding) Oatmeal ~
This is so yummy and warming for a cool fall day. It made enough for left-overs. 

Tuesday, November 18, 2014

Scrumptious Banana-Nut Bread & Ninja Turtle Power Smoothie

One of the few recipes from La Dolce Vegan I hadn't tried yet. I have a plastic bag full of frozen overripe bananas so it was convenient to thaw one out for this yummy bread. The recipe also calls for 1/2 cup silken tofu. I opened up the aseptic package took out 1/2 cup and then used the rest in my smoothie for the morning. We were babysitting the grandsons all day and knew they loved banana bread. All of the liquid ingredients are blended up in the food processor and then added to the dry. This bread was gone in two days! Time to make some more. 


~ Scrumptious Banana-Nut Bread ~


My smoothie~Vega One powder, maca powder, coconut water, kale, frozen fruit, silken tofu, mint leaves, and powdered wheatgrass. The grandsons love smoothies and I tried to convince them this was a ninja turtle power smoothie but they wanted nothing to do with it! hehheh 

Monday, November 17, 2014

Green & Red Lentil Enchiladas

I have had the ingredients to make these enchiladas for awhile now and I finally felt well enough to try it out. The recipe is from Peas and Thank You and is fairly simple to put together. I have made many enchilada casseroles in my day and that is what I chose to do with this one. Rolling the lentil filling into each individual corn tortilla is time-consuming, messy and not necessary. I just tore the  corn tortillas in pieces and made three layers with the lentil filling and cheese and then topped it with more cheese, the green enchilada sauce and black olives. Sooo much easier and still just as delicious! 



~ Green and Red Lentil Enchilada Casserole ~
I topped the enchiladas with shredded romaine, chopped tomatoes, cilantro, green onions, and some picante sauce. This makes great left-overs; it's a keeper and the hubby agrees. 

Two quick and easy meals when I don't feel like cooking:

Bean Burritos! 

Marc's Magnificent Noodles
from The Garden of Vegan
Lots of yummy soba noodles along with spinach, garlic, miso, flax oil and green onions.

Tuesday, November 4, 2014

Three Quick & Easy Meals

Whew! I finally had my sinus surgery after dealing with this for seven months this time. My last surgery was 15 years ago so hopefully this will last for another 15! Recovery is not a breeze but it will be worth it in the long run. Cooking is the last thing I want to do but I'm slowly getting back into it. In the meantime, I just keep ordering cookbooks! heehee. I got Vegan Casseroles by Julie Hasson; OATrageous Oatmeals by Kathy Hester; Super Seeds by Kim Lutz; Thug Kitchen(!) and The Mystic Cookbook-the secret alchemy of food by Denise & Meadow Linn. The last has a few recipes (not all vegan) but more of our spiritual connection to food. It's dangerous when you're lying around recuperating with an ipad in your hands!  I'm still browsing through them making lists of what I want to cook first. Here are three fairly simple and quick meals to fill the belly without resorting to crappy fast food. 

~ Fast & Fresh Tomato Sauce ~
La Dolce Vegan
Such an easy pasta sauce using fresh tomatoes and a few spices. 


I love Beyond Meat Chicken-Free Strips. I found this recipe for Chicken-Free Salad Sandwiches in Everyday Vegan Eats.  It tastes just like I remember chicken salad should taste. 


~Chicken-Free Salad on Pita Bread ~
The hubby really liked this chicken-free salad. 

Ok, now I'm almost embarrassed to add this one. When I found out about earth balance mac & cheese I ordered some from Vegan Essentials; I got the regular and the white cheddar. This is an old standby from when my kids were little using the traditional nitrite hot dogs and kraft mac & cheese . But this version is guilt-free! And so simple it's ridiculous. Make your mac & cheese per box instructions; heat up 3 or 4 veggie hot dogs in microwave and cut in coins; mix all together and eat! 

~Guilt-Free Mac & Cheese with Veggie Dogs ~

I served my "gourmet" mac & cheese with some Dry-Sauteed Green Beans. I love these things! They taste just like the ones at P.F. Chang's. Here is the link to the recipe. 



Thursday, October 16, 2014

Hungry Jill Casserole

I really wanted to try this recipe from Cookin' Crunk because I loved the "Hungry Jack" version growing up. If you don't know what that is - ground beef, pork n' beans, cheese, and canned biscuits! There are a few steps before you can actually put this casserole in the oven. 

 Recipe for Ground TSP Beef. (I call it TVP-texturized vegetable protein) 
This makes a savory beef substitute rehydrating the TVP with water, soy sauce (Bragg's), vegan Worcestershire, and onion powder. I might make some and keep in the freezer. 


 I then made her recipe for Memphis-Style Barbecue Sauce. 
A tasty tangy, sweet flavor. 


 The next step is to make the biscuits for the topping and then combine the TVP, Great Northern beans, BBQ sauce and some other seasonings and top it with the cut biscuits and some Daiya cheddar. Finally, it cooks for 30 minutes! I made the barbeque sauce and Ground TSP Beef in the morning so it didn't take too long to put together for supper. 


~ Hungry Jill Casserole ~
A hearty casserole which the hubby loved. 
I still miss the original "hungry jack" version though. :(

Monday, October 13, 2014

Crafting and (Not) Cooking

Oh, how easy it is to get out of the habit of cooking. Especially when you're focused on lots of other things. I had a successful day at a local craft show Saturday even though it was scorching hot (is this really October?) I've been fighting the symptoms of severe sinus issues for months now; I have surgery in a week and a half to solve that problem. Yay! And we're finally getting back to our cabin in Sedona this week; aahh, cooler weather and some autumn colors. 

I found this easy pantry friendly one dish recipe in Supermarket Vegan by Donna Klein.


You combine a 28 oz can of vegetarian baked beans, some cooked pasta and green onions. Then top it with some French-fried onions. So easy, yet so tasty. I wanted some more seasoning so I added a little chipotle hot sauce and a sprinkle of season salt. I also topped the casserole with some Daiya cheddar shreds. The hubby loved this. 

 ~ Baked Beans & Macaroni Casserole with Crunchy Fried Onions ~
served with steamed broccoli and garlic bread 


 Ingredients for Cousin Natasha's Everything But the Kitchen Sink Vegetable Curry 
from La Dolce Vegan.
This is one of my favorite recipes from LDV. My daughter actually reminded me how yummy it is when she said she was going to make it. So I had to go shopping for a few ingredients to put this together. Lots of veggies, chickpeas and some sweet raisins. 

 Simmering all the veggies.

I served the veggie curry over some tri-color quinoa. Yum! 

Last night, I needed to use up all my veggies in the fridge so I made Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Toasted Garlic from Vegan With a Vengeance and Roasted Holiday Vegetables from La Dolce Vegan. I had some baby eggplants from a neighbor's garden that I added to the roasting veggies which was delish. I served the roasted vegetables with some MorningStar Farms BBQ Riblets. 

Tuesday, September 23, 2014

September Craziness!

 ~ Happy Autumn Equinox! ~ 


We don't see too many leaves this color around here and the temps are still in the 100 degrees but things really get hopping this time of year. As you can see I didn't have too much success with Vegan MoFo! We spent a wonderful week in Iowa visiting my hubby's family; I have been busy making teas, incense and other goodies for a local craft show next month; babysitting grandkids and celebrating our oldest grandson's 4th birthday! The cooking I did do used a lot of convenience foods and whatever food I had left in the fridge and freezer after our Iowa trip. So, here's a rundown on the last two weeks! I did try four new recipes with mixed results.

 I found these StarLite cuisine frozen meals at Sprouts. They have a whole line of taquitos and enchiladas. I like to keep my freezer stocked when I don't have time to cook. Very tasty!

 ~ Sauteed Collards ~
I love collard greens! I'm always looking in my cookbooks for different ways to cook them. I found this recipe in Veganomican. Yum! I served the collards with some baked potatoes and Gardein Crispy Tenders.


~ Basic Guacamole ~
I had an avocado ready to expire! and this recipe is another one from Veganomican. Yes, it's really basic; lime (too much), onion, salt and pepper. But it was a quick, easy way to use up that overly ripe avocado. She does give optional ingredients to add like cilantro, jalapeno and garlic which I didn't have which would have spiced it up.


~ Spinach, Peppers and  Cherry Tomatoes with Penne Rigate ~
I was browsing recipes online and found this at vegetariantimes. I had some roasted red peppers I had frozen, so this was a quick meal to put together. Everything gets cooked in a skillet and then tossed with cooked pasta. I sprinkled some red pepper flakes on top for a little spice.

 ~ Hot Tamale Pie ~
I love a good tamale pie and sadly this one didn't turn out. The recipe is from Cookin' Crunk and sounded really good. I think I must have used cornmeal that was too fine because the cornmeal really never thickened up to the right consistency. The filling had pinto beans and lots of spice and was really delicious. I poured the cornmeal mixture over the bean mix and went ahead and cooked it. Not a success. It was like eating cornmeal mush mixed with chili. The flavors were good so that's the way I ate it. I would like to try this again with a different kind of cornmeal.

I was so excited to see these frozen tamales at Sprouts!

Easy to steam in the microwave.


 I served the tamales with some homemade Spanish rice and Smoky Collard Greens with Vegan Bacon from Betty Goes Vegan. Another convenience foods success!

Meatless Hot Dog

I made some Chili Dogs one night using Yves vegan hot dogs and a can of Sprouts spicy vegan chili. I had some hot dog buns in the freezer! and used those. I topped the chili dogs with some chopped onion and Daiya cheddar shreds and served them with some sweet potato fries!


My new favorite frozen "chicken". I used the Southwest Style to make some Chicken-Free Fajitas.

I sauteed a little red and yellow bell pepper in some olive oil along with the chicken-free strips. I would have used more peppers but that was all I had.


~ Chicken-Free Fajitas ~
I layered the sauteed chicken-free strips and bell peppers in a warmed flour tortilla then topped them with Daiya cheddar shreds, cilantro, green onions, chopped tomatoes and romaine lettuce and a few dashes of Tabasco sauce for some hotness! YUM!!!

Here's to a new week (hopefully with more fresh ingredients incorporated-hehe). Well, I did do some green juicing so that counts!