Skip to main content

Posts

Showing posts from March, 2013

Refried Beans with Hot Mexi-Slaw

Disclaimer: As you can see there are three separate paragraphs below. None of them compliment each other. It's random ramblings with only one similar thread: there on the same blog post.

Look, it's not the healthiest dish I've ever made, but best believe it could be a whole lot worse. These two guys go together quite nicely in a burrito, a romaine lettuce leaf, a taco shell, or just on a plate. Either way the goodness is undeniable.

I've mentioned on many occasions that it would have to be a special one for me to get down on some frozen, overly processed, vegan substitutes, but I'm sure this would be great with some sour supreme and some daiya cheese. Or maybe even some of those boca crumbles.

I've also mentioned on an occasion or two that BandMan gets what BandMan wants. Tonight he wanted refried beans. I may have never mentioned before that BandMan is baker; so I traded refried beans for some gooey vegan chocolatey goodness tonight. Correction: I traded up.





R…
Post a Comment
Read more

Deconstructed Garden Pie

This is one of this dishes that just happened. I had no direction when I started cooking dinner; just some ingredients and a hungry VegFam. After I finished my full ass plate of this stuff, I realized it kinda reminded me of a shepherd's pie, which is I guess how it got that stupid name. Whatever. It was tasty, and quite decadent. I recommend you make it for someone you're trying to impress, or bang, or both.



1 very small butternut squash, roasted, peeled, and pureed
1 sweet potato, roasted, peeled, and pureed 1/2 tbsp turbinado sugar
1 tbsp tamari cayenne, to taste olive oil 2 garlic cloves, sliced 2 c baby spinach 2 c sliced oyster mushrooms 1 tsp liquid smoke 2 tbsp nutritional yeast 2 tbsp sunflower seeds
Combine your pureed butternut squash, sweet potato, turbinado sugar, and cayenne in a bowl. Set aside. Get some olive oil nice and hot on a very low setting; add in the sliced garlic cloves.In a separate frying pan, heat some more olive oil, and saute the oyster mushrooms. Add in the …
Post a Comment
Read more

Butternut Squash Gnocchi

A month or so ago, my family and I went out to dinner to celebrate my sis-in-law and her wonderful mate's birthday (Yep, same day and all). The restaurant they chose is "vegan friendly" because they offer an egg free noodle dish and a variety of salads (this joint is Italian). I ordered a tasty little veggie pasta concoction, but what I really wanted was what ChefMom ordered. Hello, food envy. 

You might have guessed that ChefMom ordered butternut squash gnocchi (if you didn't already guess that, what are you reading?). That shit looked so delectable. And was obviously not vegan. 

So here's what I did. I served it with cashew cream sauce (of course!) with some spinach blended in with it. MMMMMMmmmmmmmm goooooooood. 

FOOD PORN GO! 




1 butternut squash, peeled, cooked and pureed
3 flax eggs
2 1/4 c flour 
4 tbsp vegan butter
1 tbsp olive oil
salt and cayenne, to taste
Italian seasonings
4 cups water
Throw 2 cups of the pureed squash in a large pot and cook until the pot liquor …
Post a Comment
Read more

Tomato Herb Salad Dressing

....Or you could just call this Pizza Dressing, cause that's what it tastes like. Delicious. What's not to love about a big ass healthy salad that tastes like something awesomely sinful like pizza?! Nothing, that's what. And if you don't agree, then let's agree to disagree (I'm really not a fighter).

Serving suggestion: 1) get a shit ton of dark green leafy lettuce for yo salad, 2) top with this dressing and any other toppings you might like (think pizza), and C) don't forget to toss it.





1 tbsp Italian Seasoning
1 roma tomato, roughly chopped
1 small garlic clove, minced
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tbsp water
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp nutritional yeast
1/4 tsp onion powder
salt and pepper, to taste

Combine all ingredients in your food processor, and do the damn thing. 


Post a Comment
Read more

Purple Cabbage Basil Slaw

Spring has sprung (maybe? ::fingers crossed::). The weather in the City of Trees has the decision making skills of a toddler. I was out and about for work just the other day; the weather: mid 40's, sunny, slight wind. And then BOOM: black skies, freezing, windy-winds that make me whip my hair back and forth, and freakin' hail, dude. And as fast as all that came in, it left even faster and the weather was even warmer than before with extra sun and happy. So just because it's all springy right now doesn't mean it'll stay that way.

But in this Spring moment, let me share some picnic food with you. If you've read any of my posts from previous seasons, you'll notice I'm kind of a picnic whore. As a matter of fact, I'm pretty sure the first time BandMan and I did the whole flirting thing, we were talking about having one.

I love picnics, and picnic foods. If you don't like picnics, you suck.







1 orange, juiced
1 lime, juiced
1 very small onion…
2 comments
Read more

Chickpea Battered Asparagus Fries + Sriracha Ketchup

Veggie Tempura is one of the most addicting foods I've ever experienced; which really kinda pisses me off. I'd much rather have an addiction to something that's going to keep me skinny and healthy, not something fried and dripping in grease (mmmmmm grease).

That's where this amazing healthier sub comes in...

...I am literally sitting at my kitchen table typing this post at this very moment with the last heavenly coated asparagus staring at me; just waiting for me to finish that whole pound of asparagus off. I can't do it though. I am already mourning the last little guy and I haven't even eaten him yet. That's a lie actually; I'm eating him right now, and I find myself wondering, "just how mad is BandMan going to be when he finds out I made these and didn't save any for him?" ...oh well.



1 bunch of asparagus, cleaned and trimmed
1 c dried chickpeas, processed into a fine flour or 1 c chickpea flour
3 tbsp cornstarch
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
sal…
4 comments
Read more

Red Wine Basted Crimini Mushrooms

Chickety-check it: more mushrooms under $8/lb that I don't hate. I've decided that maybe it's not that I don't like "cheap" mushrooms, but rather I don't like the way other people cook them. 

This is exactly what I am going to make for the main dish/protein for my next dinner party. Yeah, it's one of those dishes you can impress meat eaters with, and just in case you were wondering, my plan to make these slightly more decadent for that dinner party is to marinate the mushrooms overnight in a marinade that will probably consist of a few tablespoons of wine, oil, a half-to-full teaspoon of liquid smoke, and some seasonings, and then cook them exactly how I have described it below. That's the only thing I can think of to make these better.








2 tbsp olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 pounds crimini mushrooms
salt and pepper, to taste
1/2 cup dry red wine
2 tsp thyme
2 tbsp Italian seasoning
In a big ass skillet get your oil all hot and bothered and swirl a…
Post a Comment
Read more

Peanut Butter Banana Cookies

No matter what I say you know you're thinking about making these cookies. I mean look at these sexy things; you know you want to plant your face in them.

If you don't have banana peanut butter dip then you clearly haven't been paying attention to my postings.  That was like 3 recipes ago you should have made it then. Just kidding. That wasn't even funny. I apologize.

Like I was typing earlier, if you don't have banana peanut butter dip, make some, or just use an overripe pureed banana as a sub. Also, as you can see from the photos, topped half my cookies with some dark chocolate. I like them better plain, but BandMan and VegKid seemed to like the chocolate topped cookies better. This is evident in the fact that there were leftovers of the plain cookies and not even a crumb of the chocolate topped ones.

To chocolate, or not to chocolate: that is the question.




1/2 c peanut butter
1/2 c flour
1/4 c turbinado sugar
1/4 c banana peanut butter dip
1 tsp vanilla

Preheat the ov…
Post a Comment
Read more

Mandarin Orange Cake

Mandarin Orange Cake, not too original, I know; but what the hell do you expect when you've got 13 mandarin oranges expiring on your countertop? I know what you expect: mandarin orange cake, that's what.

So yeah it's pretty good. Nice and moist with minimal back talk. It's not overly sweet so if you plan on making this some time for dessert, I'd make a rich dark chocolate frosting to smother it with. On the contrary, this cake makes an excellent breakfast, due to its minimal sass.





1 c flour 1/2 tbsp baking powder 1/2 tsp baking soda 1/4 tsp salt 6 mandarin oranges, juiced (about 1 cup) 1/2 c turninado sugar 1/4 c oil 1 tbsp corn starch Preheat to 350Mix the dryMix the wetMix the dry with the wetBake for 30 minutes, or so
Post a Comment
Read more

Banana Peanut Butter Dip

So I want to take credit for these little gem of a snack, but I can't. It was totally BandMan's idea. For dessert last night, I suggested apple cake with peanut butter frosting, and he suggested this. He so smaaaht (and health conscious; just one of the millions of reasons why I love that man).

This dip makes a great snack, breakfast item, or dessert. Especially for the kiddos. So I recommend you do this. Now.




4 very ripe bananas
1/2 c peanut butter
1/4 c almond milk

Get all those ingredients up in yo blender, and process that jazz until its smooth like Barry White. Serve along side some apple wedges, graham crackers, or just use your finger for dipping. 


Post a Comment
Read more

Cashew Carrot Mash-Up

Technically, this isn't my recipe. And it's certainly not supposed to be my posting. I originally asked BandMan to do a guest blog on this great side dish he concocted. It's so great, we made it for dinner two nights in a row. Alas, we've both been extremely busy with the band (Hey look we have a website now), and he's been busy composing a piece for ballerinas from Ballet Idaho to perform; therefore, writing a quip-py little blog post for me is (understandably) low on his priority list.

The only thing I can tell you about this dish is that its delicious, and that it's original name was "Shit I Found in the Fridge and Threw in a Pan." Enjoy!


1 onion, diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
6 carrots, diced
8 mini sweet peppers, roughly chopped
1/2 c raw cashew pieces
2 tbsp tamari
1 tbsp basil
salt and pepper, to taste
olive oil

Get your olive oil nice and hot in the pan. Toss in the onion, garlic, and carrots. Cook until softened and stuff. Add in the rest of the ingred…
Post a Comment
Read more