Winnie the Pooh Cake with Natural Colors

I recently went to my first sobriety-celebration party for a relative, a first for me, and it was so fabulous.  It was wonderful cheering someone on who was proudly saying they were alcohol-dependent-free.  Of course, I had to make a cake for my gang, as it was a full-on potluck with desserts.  I've been going through a craze lately (the last few years) of collecting various cake pans, so I thought this was as good a time as any to pull out one of my Winnie the Pooh pans and practice with my homemade colors.  I simply used my  White Cake with White Butter Cream Frosting  recipes for the cake and frosting.  I've been stowing away liquids in the freezer from colorful foods I've been cooking for this purpose, such as artichoke water, asparagus water, beet water, etc.  If it's got vibrant color, I freeze it.

So, this was my first attempt at making these colors, and I've already learned a few things.  In the future I'm going to reduce the liquids in a pot, before freezing, to concentrate and deepen the colors.  I noticed this time that if I added much more, the frosting would have been too thin.  Also, be careful of colorings that already have flavor, like turmeric.  It added a nice color, but too much more, and the flavor of the spice would have dominated the sweetness of the cake.  As it was, it tasted like a spice cake, which was just fine.  You'll also notice that poor Pooh's left eye, eyebrow and his nose are hard to distinguish from each other.  I had planned to outline his shirt, facial features, and his arms in a dark brown, but we were running late and the frosting hadn't dried, so Pooh had to come as he was.  Take this as a starter cake, and build on it.  As I improve my methods, I'll share them with you.

Winnie the Pooh Cake with Natural Colors

Ingredients:

White cake batter- you can use my recipe White Cake   
1/2 cup soy milk
Non-stick spray
All-purpose flour

White butter cream frosting - you can use my recipe White Butter Cream Frosting
2 Tbs. leftover liquid from boiling red and orange beets, divided
1 tsp. chocolate pudding mix or cocoa
1 tsp. turmeric

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Make White Cake as usual, following my directions, but adding in the extra 1/2 cup of soy milk.  Spray your cake pan with non-stick spray and lightly flour, tapping out the extra.  Pour in cake batter, and bake for 40 minutes.  Cool in pan on cooling rack for fifteen minutes.  Invert onto cake platter, then invert back onto cooling rack to finish cooling.

When the cake is completely cool, make frosting according to my directions.  Place two dollops of frosting on cake platter to hold cake in place, and put cake on platter.  Pull out 1/2 cup of frosting and put in a small bowl.  Mix with 1 Tbs. of the beet liquid, until well incorporated.  Using a butter knife or a small paint brush, frost the area that is Pooh's shirt and tongue.  Pull out 1 Tbs. of frosting and put in an even smaller bowl.  Mix well with the pudding mix or cocoa, and paint on the facial features.  Use the rest of the frosting to make Pooh's fur.  Mix with the other half of the beet liquid, along with the turmeric, and frost Pooh's body.  This ends up having a hint of the turmeric flavor, which I thought was tasty.  Feeds five hungry vegans for a couple of days.

Savory Stuffed Peppers and Christmas, 2011

We had another great Christmas this year.  I have some pretty hysterical pictures of five-year-old JK completely ecstatic over the celebration.

As usual, I made a big breakfast buffet for my family and parents and then made some dishes to bring to the family potluck for dinner.  I decided to bring stuffed peppers for dinner, and they were super tasty.  I've got the recipe below, but first we have to cover some highlights.

You'll see in one of the pics below what my buffet looked like.  I made:
Scrambled Tofu with broccoli, mushrooms and spinach
Sausage and Cheese muffins (recipe on a future post)
My mom's fruit plate
Chocolate chip cookies
Oatmeal cookies
Brownies
Lemon Sugar Loaf (recipe on a future post)
Coconut Caramel Happy Birthday, Jesus, Cake

For dinner:
Savory Stuffed Peppers
Tofurky
Dessert:
Pumpkin Bread with Chocolate Glaze (recipe on a future post)

Just a note on the peppers:
I made enough for 22 people, so you can definitely halve the recipe or more for your needs.  Or, you can make the whole batch, and freeze what  you won't eat in the next few days.  I also cut my peppers in half, but you can use fewer peppers and keep them whole.  With all the food at the potluck, I thought having a whole pepper would be too much for some people.  I also used white rice to appeal to more people, but brown could be used, of course.

Savory Stuffed Peppers

Stockings hung with care, even for the dogs and cats

Breakfast Buffet (fruit plate hadn't yet arrived)

Pumpkin Bread with Chocolate Glaze (for potluck dessert)

R.I.P. - Here lies the blank spot where there was a great photo of the kids, but GR was embarrassed and pleaded with me to remove it.  The caption is below.

All the kids enjoying JK's new superhero masks.  They seem to have suddenly taken on the powers themselves!

GR and JK delivering our annual Christmas cookies to the firefighters.

Now, on to more of the recipe photos:

Here are the peppers, washed and waiting for the water to boil.

The stuffing being sauteed.

Blanching the peppers.

Completed peppers, ready to go!

Savory Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients:

11 green bell peppers, tops trimmed, seeds and heavy pith removed, and halved lengthwise
1 cup white rice, uncooked, prepared according to package directions
2 Tbs. canola oil
1/3 cup chopped shallots
6 cloves of garlic, chopped
2 - 12oz. pkgs. Lightlife Smart Ground, original style
1 - 15oz. can of black beans, drained
1 Tbs. dried oregano
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. pepper
3 - 15oz. cans tomato sauce, divided
Non-stick spray

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.  Fill a very large pot about two-thirds full with water, and bring to a boil.  This will take some time, so you can prepare the rest of your dish while waiting.  Cook the rice and set aside.  In a large pan, heat the oil over medium heat.  Add the shallots and garlic and cook for two minutes.  Add the Smart Ground and mash with a fork or potato masher, so there are no big lumps.  Cook for two or three more minutes, stirring often, so it doesn't burn.  Add the beans and spices and cook until heated through, about three or more minutes.  Add the rice and stir well, so it's thoroughly mixed.  Add two cans of the tomato sauce and mix well.  Spray two baking dishes with the non-stick spray.  If the water is boiling now, carefully dump the peppers in it and boil for five minutes.  Drain in a colander in the sink.  Using tongs, place the pepper halves cut side up on the baking dishes.  Spoon the filling into the well of each pepper - use every last drop of it.  Spoon the last can of tomato sauce over each pepper.  Bake uncovered for 30 minutes.  So good.  Feeds five hungry vegans and seventeen close friends and family.

Cheesy Saucy Bread

So sorry for the delay in putting out a post.  There's been a lot of personal stuff going on, so I really haven't been online at all except for financial necessities and homeschooling materials.  I'm hoping to get back to a regular schedule of posting about two times a week again.

Anyhow, on to the recipe: this is a completely indulgent bread, and I use that term loosely.  My family thinks it's simply cheese pizza, but no, I'm calling it Cheesy Saucy Bread, and that way it can be served alongside other dishes to make a complete meal.  It's super easy, too, so I hope you have fun making it!

Cheesy Saucy Bread right out of the oven

A slice of Cheesy Saucy Bread alongside a pasta dish and roasted veggies

Cheesy Saucy Bread

Ingredients:

1 - 15oz. can tomato sauce
1 Tbs. tomato paste
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1 tsp. dried oregano
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper

1 pkg. Follow Your Heart Vegan Gourmet cheese, Monterey Jack style, finely shredded

2 lg. loaves of ciabatta bread, cut into quarters or halves, depending on size.
Directions:

Heat top broiler in oven.  Put all the ingredients for the sauce (tomato sauce through pepper) into a medium pot.  Cook over medium low heat for ten minutes, stirring occasionally, until the tomato paste is well absorbed.  Place the sections of bread on large baking sheets.  Spread the sauce evenly over the bread.  Sprinkle the cheese over the sauce.  Place bread under broiler for four minutes, or until cheese melts.  Serve with pasta and roasted veggies for a complete meal.  Mm-mmm, good.  Feeds five hungry vegans.

Peach Cream Cheese Spread

This is a very easy recipe that is similar to my Strawberry Cream Cheese .  I made it with the last of the summer's ripe peaches a couple of months ago.  It's simple and delicious, perfect for a breakfast bagel.  I'm going to continue to experiment with different kinds of fruits and will post those that are just as delicious.

A close-up of that beautiful Peach Cream Cheese Spread

Now, it's being shy

Peach Cream Cheese Spread

Ingredients:

1 8oz. tub of vegan cream cheese, room temperature
1 ripe peach, diced small
Bagels - plain or sweet style
Directions:

In a small bowl mix together the cream cheese and fruit with a spoon.  Chill for about an hour.  Spread on bagels.  Feeds five hungry vegans.

Chocolate Chunk Cookies and Thanksgiving, 2011

We had another great Thanksgiving this year.  We filled our bellies and finished off the night playing Twister and the Five Little Monkeys board game.  As usual, everyone got to pick a dish that they wanted for the meal - dinner or dessert, their choice.  And, my job is always to fill in the blank (usually the vegetable).  This year, JK picked chocolate chip cookies.  When I went shopping, I saw a stash of chocolate chunks, which I haven't seen for about ten years!  I pointed them out to him, and thankfully, he agreed to the chunk version, yay!  Cookies are usually my sweet downfall, rather than cakes or pies.  They are so easy to pick up, and in a few bites they are gone.  I've got to figure out how to get control of that.  Anyhow, I simply veganized the recipe on the bag by Bakers and reworded the directions to suit my taste.  They were delicioso.  Between all of us, about half made it to the Thanksgiving table.  Serves me right for making them early in the day.

Here's our complete menu:

Tofurky - always picked by G
Gravy - Me
Cranberry sauce, smooth and chunky - SR
Waffle Fries - SR
Steamed Broccoli - Me

Chocolate Pumpkin Spice Cake - made completely by GR, no recipe for the cake or frosting, and she wrote Thanksgiving across the top
Pumpkin Pie - GR, who made this too, and we bought Rice Whip for the top
Roasted Chestnuts - Me
Chocolate Chunk Cookies - JK

Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Our Thanksgiving Spread

My Thanksgiving Plate

Our Dessert Spread

My Dessert Plate

Chocolate Chunk Cookies

Ingredients:

1 and 3/4 cup flour
3/4 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup vegan margarine, softened
1/2 cup vegan or raw sugar
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1/2 Tbs. EnerG Egg Replacer
2 Tbs. water
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 pkg. chocolate chunks

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt.  In a large bowl, cream together the margarine and sugars.  Add the Egg Replacer, water and vanilla extract, and beat on low speed until well mixed.  Add the flour mixture in two halves to the sugar mix, and continue blending until well mixed.  Stir in the chocolate chunks.  Take a heaping tablespoon of the cookie dough - I found I had to mold it into balls in  my hands - and place on an ungreased cookie sheet.  Bake for twelve minutes.  Cool for a couple minutes on cookie sheet on cooling rack, then place cookies directly on cooling rack to finish cooling.  Makes about three dozen.  Feeds five hungry vegans.

Classic Bean Tacos

One of my dad's signature dishes was tacos.  We had taco night about once a month or so, and he was always in charge of it.  This version of the taco was the first one I made when I stopped eating meat, and I use all the traditional toppings that we used at home.  It hits the spot and the heart.

Classic Bean Tacos

Ingredients:

At least one 29oz. can vegetarian refried beans
Canola oil
20 or more corn tortillas
Hot sauce
Ketchup
3 green onions, sliced
Romaine lettuce, chopped
Tomatoes, diced
At least one medium can of sliced black olives
1 pkg. Follow Your Heart Vegan Gourmet cheese, cheddar style, finely shredded

Directions:

Heat the refried beans in a medium pot until warmed through.  Heat one teaspoon of the oil in a medium skillet over medium heat.  When hot, add one tortilla.  When it starts to change shape or bubble (just in ten seconds or so), flip over.  Add a large spoonful of beans down one side of the tortilla.  Fold the other side over the beans.  Place on a paper towel lined cookie sheet.  Follow suit with at least one more tortilla before adding a bit more oil to the pan.  Finish with the remaining tortillas and beans.  Have the toppings ready at the table.  I like to add the hot sauce and ketchup on the beans, so they stay put, instead of falling to the plate.  Have fun, enjoy the food, eat to your heart's content.  Feeds five hungry vegans.

Fried Potatoes with Jalapenos

I love to create spicy dishes, but with my family, I have to usually separate out all the spicy ingredients and add them in at the end for me.  This is one of those dishes - the Blessings are not too keen on onions and jalapenos.  But, lately, JK has been chowing down on pickled garlic, even though he still requires his potatoes to be peeled!  Anyhoo, if everyone in your family likes all the ingredients here, I recommend cooking the toppings with the potatoes, instead of in a separate pan like I did. 

Fried Potatoes with Jalapenos

Ingredients:

2 Tbs. canola oil
6 russet potatoes, peeled and cubed into bite-sized pieces
Salt and pepper to taste
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 large white onion, quartered and sliced
1 head of garlic, peeled and sliced
2 jalapenos, ends trimmed, seeded and quartered lengthwise, and sliced
Black pepper!

Directions:

In a large pan, heat the canola oil over medium heat.  When hot, add the potatoes and cook for at least twenty minutes, until they begin to get fork-tender.  Add the salt and pepper.  At this point, heat the olive oil in a medium pan over medium heat.  When hot, add the remaining ingredients, except for the black pepper.  Cook for about fifteen minutes, until onions are brownish or beginning to caramelize.  The potatoes should be done at this point - you're aiming for a brown crispiness on their edges.  Serve the potatoes and top with the jalapeno mixture.  Add pepper to taste.  So good.  (If you wish, you can add the uncooked onion, garlic and jalapenos to the potato dish, while the potatoes are still cooking, and cook them together.)  Feeds five hungry vegans.

Fried Tofu Sandwiches

When I was a kid, one of the few egg dishes I liked was my father's fried egg sandwiches - just a fried egg between two slices of bread, slathered with mayo.  Several years ago, I wanted to recreate that memory vegan-style, so I made a fried tofu sandwich.  At first it was just as simple as the egg version, but over the years it's become more grandiose with classic condiments and veggies added to it.  Now, I don't even think of my old childhood fave, for my new love is far superior in presentation and taste.  The sandwich pictured is with my Basic White Bread and my mom's homemade pickles - shout out to Mom!

Fried Tofu Sandwiches

Ingredients:

2 Tbs. canola oil
2 pkgs. of extra-firm tofu, drained and sliced in 1/4" to 1/2" slices width wise
10 Slices of bread
Vegenaise
Mustard
Lettuce, torn into sandwich size pieces
2 tomatoes, thickly sliced
Salt and pepper to taste, optional
Pickles, sliced into rounds

Directions:

Heat oil in a large pan over medium-high heat.  When hot add the tofu slices and cook until brown on both sides, about ten to fifteen minutes.  Repeat with rest of tofu, if all of it couldn't fit in pan the first time.  Drain on paper towels.  Spread Vegenaise and mustard on bread, add two or three pieces of tofu, along with the lettuce, tomato and pickles.  I  like to sprinkle salt and pepper on top of the tomato slices.  Serve with a side of roasted veggies, if desired.  Hits the spot.  Feeds five hungry vegans.

Almond Streusel Coffee Cake

This is a very similar coffee cake to my Apple Streusel Coffee Cake.  I veganized this from a mailbox solicitation years ago, making some adjustments in the ingredients and baking time.  Except for a slight change in directions and eliminating apples, there really isn't much difference.  I've really been enjoying using fresh citrus when I need their juice and grated peels in recipes; it is vastly superior to the store bought versions.  I recommend doing this, if you really want to taste the intensity of flavor.  I love to have these for Saturday breakfasts when I can get up early while the family is snoozing and fill the house with the fragrance of baking.  I usually make two and freeze the second sans glaze.  They are easy to reheat; just add the glaze when cool.  They're also great to thaw out and warm up for when guests come over.

Almond Streusel Coffee Cake

A slice of Almond Streusel Coffee Cake

Almond Streusel Coffee Cake

Ingredients:

Non- stick spray 

For the streusel:
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 cup sliced almonds
1/4 cup flour
5 Tbs. vegan margarine, melted
1 tsp. fresh, grated orange peel

For the cake:
1/2 cup  vegan margarine, room temp or softened
1/2 cup  vegan or raw sugar
1 and 1/2 Tbs. EnerG Egg Replacer
6 Tbs. water
1 tsp. fresh, grated orange peel
1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1 cup orange juice (fresh from oranges, above, or store bought)

For the glaze:
1/2 cup powdered sugar
2 and 1/2 tsp. orange juice

Directions:

For the streusel: Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a Bundt-style cake pan with non-stick spray and set aside.  In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar, sliced almonds and flour.  Add the margarine and orange peel and mix well.  Set aside.

For the cake: In a large bowl, cream together the margarine and sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed.  In a mug, whisk together the Egg Replacer and water.  Add this, as well as the orange peel and vanilla to the sugar mixture.  Blend with the electric mixer, until incorporated.  In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and baking soda.  Alternate mixing in the dry ingredients with the orange juice into the sugar mixture.  Start with low speed and work your way up to medium.  Spoon half of the cake batter into the cake pan.  Follow with half of the streusel.  Finish scooping out the rest of the cake batter on top of the streusel, making sure to cover it as best you can.  Top with the remaining streusel.  Bake for 40 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.  Ignore it if some streusel sticks to the pick; you're looking for gooey cake batter.  Cool on a cooling rack completely.  Once completely cooled, invert on a large plate, then invert again onto another plate, making sure the streusel is facing up.

For the glaze: In a small bowl, stir together the sugar and juice well.  Using a small spoon, drizzle in a zig zag fashion back and forth around the cake.  Let set up for at least fifteen minutes, before slicing.  Feeds five hungry vegans.

Tofu Tacos

We love taco night here at our home.  I always think it's going to be more work than it is, but really, it comes together in a half hour or less usually.  I like to make variations of things to keep them fresh and fun, but also hang on to the successful classics.  I started using tofu as one of my taco fillings a few years ago, and found that it worked really well.  Now, it is one of the fillings that I rotate around on taco night.  For the shells, I sometimes use a tad of oil to soften up the tortillas in a pan.  Use only as much as you need, just a couple of drops for two or more tortillas before adding more.  I find that corn tortillas sometimes need a little extra help to soften up, without breaking.  Here are some tasty toppings ideas for you, as well.

Tofu Tacos

Ingredients:

Canola oil, divided
2 pkgs. extra-firm tofu, drained and mashed
1 vegan taco seasoning packet
20 or more corn tortillas (we are feeding five hungry vegans here, with teens!)

Toppings:
1/2 white onion, sliced
1 tomato, diced
Fresh cilantro sprigs
Romaine, sliced in strips
Ketchup
Hot sauce

Directions:

Cover a large baking sheet with paper towels, set aside.  In a large pan, heat two tablespoons of the oil over medium-high heat.  Add the mashed tofu and cook until it starts to brown, about fifteen or so minutes.  While cooking, prepare the toppings.  Add the taco seasoning packet to the tofu and stir well, cooking for another minute or so.  Remove from heat.  Heat a teaspoon of oil either in a large skillet or griddle over medium heat.  When hot, add one tortilla, wait ten or so seconds - bubbles may appear on the tortilla, or it may bend at the edges - flip over and scoop a tablespoon or so of the taco mix onto one side of the tortilla.  Flip the other side of the tortilla over to cover the filling.  Remove from skillet and place on baking sheet with the paper towels.  Repeat with one or two more tortillas, until the pan is dry, and then add a teaspoon more of oil.  Fill with an assortment of the toppings.  Just a small tip: I like to add the ketchup and/or hot sauce directly on the tofu, instead of on the very top of the toppings, so none of it falls onto the plate, if there's a topping avalanche.  Very yummy.  Feeds five hungry vegans, sometimes with some cold, tasty tacos leftover for the next day's lunch.

Joe's Special with Tofu

When I was twelve and fourteen years old, my father took on me long-distance bicycle trips: one was the California coast border to border and the other was Seattle to San Francisco.  He and I did a lot of shorter long trips together, but each of the two long-distance ones took us one month to accomplish.  They were literally the best times I had with my father growing up. We could talk, we saw sights and heard sounds that people in cars whizzing by missed.  We slept mostly in hiker-biker parts of regular campgrounds, but sometimes we found ourselves in a sheep farm, or a hidey-hole up a steep trail, or the rare hotel to wash up.  We met some great people on these trips, and if they were bikers going the same direction as us, we found ourselves meeting up at the next campground 50 to 75 miles away the next evening.  Sometimes we would get to know other travelers over a week.  It was a wonderful time for me.

One of the things that was commonplace was to share our meals with each other and develop a sort of outdoors banquet.  This is when I first had Joe's Special.  It was actually my father's contribution, but I don't recollect him making it other than on these trips.  We usually had it at least once a week on the road, and my belly always welcomed it.  The other campers brought whatever they had to contribute and would gather around the fire that was heating our meal; the smells were an invitation for everyone to join in.  My father made his with ground beef, mushrooms and spinach - we would carry the food and pans right in our panniers, our bicycle packs.  He seasoned it simply with just salt and pepper - the outdoor air and the moon and the crickets fed the rest of the senses.  I've made a vegan version in different ways over the years, and this is my take on it with tofu.  I've added liquid smoke to try and recapture the essence of being in the woods, the campfire lights sparking into the air, but I don't think anything will quite compare to the memories I treasure.  This is as close as I can get it.

Joe's Special with Tofu

Ingredients:

2 Tbs. of canola oil
2 pkgs. of extra-firm tofu, drained of water, cubed into approximate 1/2" squares
8 to 10 mushrooms, sliced thickly or quartered, depending on size
2 cups fresh spinach leaves
1/2 tsp. liquid smoke
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Heat oil in a large skillet over medium high heat.  Add the cubed tofu and cook until it browns, about fifteen to twenty minutes, stirring occasionally.  Add the mushrooms and cook for another five minutes.  Add the spinach and seasoning and cook until the spinach wilts, just a couple of minutes.  Served with baked potatoes, this makes a complete meal.  Feeds five hungry vegans.

Vegetable Salad

When I was a kid, my mom often put me in charge of making the family salad for the dinner table.  Everyone seemed to appreciate how many goodies I added to the iceberg lettuce that was always the base for our salads.  As I grew older, my penchant for goodie-filled salads sustained itself, and I found myself always digging around for the extra yummies I put in.  One day it dawned on me what I was doing, and I thought: why don't I just make a salad from the goodies themselves?  It was so obvious!  So, the Vegetable Salad was born, and it has enjoyed a showing quite often.  Of course you can use any combo of goodies you like; these are just the ones I used for this particular salad.  Free your inner goodie-lover!

Vegetable Salad

Ingredients:

1 can of green beans, drained
6 mushrooms, thickly sliced
2 tomatoes, wedged
1/2 cup parsley, chopped
3 green onions, sliced
1 carrot, grated
1/2 cup sliced roasted red bell peppers (jarred)
2 zucchini, quartered lengthwise and sliced
Your favorite dressing or lemon juice

Directions:

Dump all ingredients, except the dressing, in a large serving bowl and toss well.  Serve with your dressing.  Enjoy the goodies.  Feeds five hungry vegans.

Open-Faced Broiled Tomato and Cheese Sandwich

This was another sandwich born of opportunity, necessity and availability.  Hungry for lunch one day, I poked around, pulled out some simple ingredients and broiled a sandwich that we all appreciated.  Hope you do too, and enjoy it for dinner too sometimes.

Open-Faced Broiled Tomato and Cheese Sandwich

Ingredients:

Several thick slices of bread - I used my Basic White Bread  
Vegenaise or Nayonnaise
2 or 3 fresh, ripe tomatoes, peeled if desired, sliced thickly
Salt and pepper to taste
At least 1 cup of Follow Your Heart Vegan Gourmet cheese, Mozzarella style, finely shredded

Directions:

Place oven rack second from top and heat the top broiler.  On each slice of bread, spread the vegenaise (or nayonnaise) a little more thickly than usual.  Top with three to five slices of tomato.  Salt and pepper the tomatoes to your taste.  Top with a sprinkling of cheese.  Place all the slices on a cookie sheet, and broil for three or four minutes, until the cheese melts.  Serve immediately.  Feeds five hungry vegans.  Perfect for that nagging hunger question.

Fresh Summer Fruit Salad

We make a lot of fruit salads, and the summer seems to offer such a wonderful variety of natural sugary goodness.  This is an example of one of the salads I made a few weeks back, when the fruit was still at its most flavorful.  I added a bit of coconut and raisins for some extra variety.  I served this with some of my homemade rolls .  It makes for a nice lunch or a light dinner. 

Fresh Summer Fruit Salad

Ingredients:

1/4 of a large watermelon, approximately four cups, chopped
1 cantaloupe, seeded, cut away from rind and chopped
2 mangoes, diced   * See tip below on how to prepare a mango
2 bananas, sliced
1 nectarine, chopped
1/2 cup shredded coconut
1 small snack box of raisins, approximately 1/4 cup

Directions:

Put all ingredients in a large bowl.  Gently toss together and serve immediately.  Feeds five hungry vegans.

* There are two ways that I have found the easiest to get at the succulent mango.  One is to peel the ripe fruit with a paring knife.  Once you get the peel going, it is easy to just grasp ahold with your fingers and pull it off the fruit.  Once the fruit is peeled, you can take a larger knife and slice the two wide halves of the mango away from the fibrous pit inside.  Then you can go around the edges and slice away any large chunks of mango still attached to the pit.  Anything left over but too small to cut off, can munched on directly.  Just wash your hands afterwards.  The second way is to leave the peel on and slice away the wide halves like above.  With the fruit still in the detached peel, you take your knife and carve cubes into the mango.  Then, laying the peel flat, carefully slice under the mango cubes, releasing them from the peel.  For the remainder of the mango still attached to the pit, you may do the same or peel and cut away as in the first option.  One of these choices should appeal to you more than the other.  Either way, don't let the fact that you have to work a little harder deter you from getting at a fresh mango.  They are worth it!

Dark Chocolate Mini Cupcakes with Frosting

For this recipe, I simply veganized Hershey's chocolate cake recipe and turned it into scrumptious mini cupcakes.  Yummers!  Here's the easy recipe, along with their veganized frosting.

Dark Chocolate Mini Cupcakes with Frosting

Ingredients:

Cupcakes:
Non-stick spray
A little flour for dusting
2 cups vegan or raw sugar
1 and 3/4 cup flour
3/4 cup dark cocoa
1 and 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 and 1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. salt
1 Tbs. EnerG Egg Replacer
4 Tbs. water
1 cup soy milk
1/2 cup canola oil
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup boiling water

Frosting:
1/2 cup vegan margarine
2/3 cup dark cocoa
3 cups powdered sugar
1/3 cup soy milk
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions:
For the cupcakes: Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Spray the mini cupcake wells with non-stick spray.  Sprinkle a little flour in each well and swoosh around to cover the spray.  Pat out the extra flour into your sink.  In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  In a mug, whisk together the egg replacer and the water.  Pour that mixture and the soy milk, oil, and vanilla extract into the large bowl with the dry ingredients.  Mix with an electric blender on medium speed for two minutes.  Pour in the boiling water and mix on low, until the water is blended in.  Batter will be thinner than you might expect, but it's okay.  Fill each cupcake well about 3/4 full.  Bake for 22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into one of the middle cupcakes comes out clean.  Cool in pan on a cooling rack for ten minutes, then remove cupcakes from pan and put directly on rack to finish cooling.  Repeat with the rest of the batter.  Makes six dozen cupcakes!

For the frosting: Melt the margarine either in the microwave or on the stove top.  Put melted margarine in a medium mixing bowl.  Whisk the cocoa into the margarine.  Alternate adding the powdered sugar and the soy milk into the cocoa mixture, mixing on medium low speed with an electric blender.  Add vanilla and beat for at least two minutes on medium speed, until the frosting has a creamy consistency.  Spoon by dollops onto cooled cupcakes.  Eat and enjoy.  Feeds five hungry vegans for several desserts.

Black Bean Mole' over Coconut Couscous

I cannot take the credit for the creativity of this dish.  I got this out of a newspaper clipping several years ago.  All I've done is veganize the toppings and bring out larger quantities of them, adjust some of the ingredients, give directions on how to toast the coconut, and make the directions in more my style, with slight changes.  But, my family, all of them (gasp!), loves this dish, and it's so fun and different, that I just had to share.

Black Bean Mole' over Coconut Couscous

Ingredients:

Couscous:
1 cup uncooked couscous
1/2 cup coconut
1/2 tsp. cinnamon

Mole':
1 Tbs. olive oil
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 - 15 oz. cans of black beans, drained and rinsed
1 - 16 oz. jar of mild or medium salsa
1 and 1/2 tsp. unsweetened cocoa
1 tsp. chili powder
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

Toppings:
1 pkg. Follow Your Heart Vegan Gourmet cheese, Monterey Jack style, finely shredded
1 container of vegan sour cream
6 green onions, sliced
2 tomatoes, diced - we used a combination of red and yellow tomatoes

Directions:

For the couscous: Prepare the couscous according to package directions.  Set aside in a covered pot.  While the couscous is being prepared, take a small pot and heat it over medium heat.  Add the coconut and cinnamon and stir.  Continue to stir until the coconut begins to brown, or toasts.  It should emit a nice fragrance, not a burned one.  Once toasted, stir into the couscous and recover.

For the mole': Heat oil in a medium pot over medium heat.  Add the garlic and cook for less than a minute, until it releases its wonderful aroma.  Do not over cook - garlic is quick to burn.  Add the rest of the mole' ingredients and stir well.  Lower the heat to medium low and cook for another five minutes, or so, until all is heated through.  
Serve mole' over couscous and load up the toppings.  So, so good! Feeds five hungry vegans.

Liebster Blog Award

A thank you goes out to Farrah at Carrot Top Vegan who bestowed the lovely Liebster award on me.  I'm not really sure who the original Liebster is, but I'm sure they are a very intriguing person.  So, this award needs to passed on to five bloggers who have less than 200 followers and who show their support during MOFO.  So, I thought I had better get on this, instead of procrastinating past October!

The amazing, stupendous bloggers that I have chosen are...(drum roll, please!):

1.  Maud at Food Feud

2.  Carissa at Coffee and Sunshine

3.  Millie at Nuestra Cena-American & Latin Vegan Cuisine

4.  Molly at Vegan Flower

5.  Jessica at Veggie Cookie

Be sure to check out these wonderful blogs, including Farrah's, and if you feel inclined, add yourself as a follower!

Zukes with Anaheim Peppers and Garlic

So, if you read my previous post, you will remember that I had a side dish that I really liked.  Here is basically my lunch the next day, an exact replica of the dinner the night before.  I think you'll really like the zucchini dish that I made to go with my Radical Rice Salad.  I've made it again since the first time I enjoyed it.  What's nice about Anaheim peppers is that they're just slightly hotter than bell peppers, so they can suit taste buds that can't tolerate heat, but for those heat-lovin' people that are in the same family as the former, it gives them a little pepper variety beyond the classic bell.

Zukes with Anaheim Peppers and Garlic

Ingredients:

2 Tbs. olive oil
2 Anaheim peppers, ends trimmed and sliced in rings - you can scoop out the seeds with a spoon and rinse the rest out, or leave a few seeds in for heat, like I do
5 cloves of garlic, peeled and sliced
6 medium or 4 large zucchini, quartered lengthwise and sliced
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Heat oil in a large pan.  Add the garlic and peppers and cook for one minute over medium heat.  Add the zucchini and cook for five to ten minutes longer, until the zucchini is fork-tender.  Season with salt and pepper.  Serve with Radical Rice Salad, above, or another hearty grain dish.  Feeds five hungry vegans.

Radical Rice Salad

I like to jazz up different ways to make salads, so they're not boring.  This is one way to do that, that I make several times a year.  The more goodies tossed in this particular salad, the better, in my opinion!  I threw together a veggie dish on the side that tasted way better than I anticipated, so I will post that easy recipe next.  Enjoy!

Radical Rice Salad

Ingredients:

1 cup of uncooked brown rice, prepared according to package directions
3 cups fresh veggies - we used: broccoli florets, chopped small; carrot, grated; green onions, sliced; tomato, chopped
1 small can sliced black olives, drained
1/2 can quartered artichoke hearts in water
1/2 can garbanzos, drained
1/2 cup of your favorite salad dressing - I used a tangy French dressing
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper

Directions:

Once rice is cooked, add it and all the rest of the ingredients into a large bowl and mix well.  Best served chilled but can be served at room temperature in a pinch.  If chilling, use non-breakable bowl before putting in refrigerator.  Stir before serving.  Serve with a side of sauteed veggies.  Feeds five hungry vegans well. 

Lentils with Tomatoes and Veggies

This is such a simple, rustic dish, perfect for the coming cold days, that I make often.  It's versatile, and you can use up veggies that are dwindling in your produce bins.  Served with a side of pasta, this makes a complete meal.

Lentils with Tomatoes and Veggies

Ingredients:

1 lb. lentils, picked through for grit
Enough water to cover lentils by one inch
3 cups of veggies: we used broccoli stalks and florets and fresh green beans
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 and 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1 large tomato, diced

Directions:

Cook lentils in water in a large pot over medium heat for about 45 minutes, until the lentils are tender.  Add more water, if necessary, to keep the lentils from drying out.  Add the veggies and seasonings and cook another ten minutes.  Limit adding water at this point because you are not trying to make soup, but you don't want it to be bone dry either.  Add the tomato and turn off the heat.  Serve with a side of pasta, and you've got a tasty meal!  Feeds five hungry vegans.

Confetti Tofu with Red Pepper Hummus on Rye

Here is my second entry into the sandwich contest, which also didn't land the grand prize.  But, I was happy with how this turned out.  I really like how the crunch of the vegetables worked with the softness of the tofu.  And, the hummus was a great complement as a spread.  This is definitely going to go on my recurring menu board.  Hope you like it, too.  Again, I've had to adjust my measurements from two sandwiches to five, but I'm pretty sure these are close to accurate.

Confetti Tofu with Red Pepper Hummus on Rye

Ingredients:

Tofu:
1 pkg. extra-firm tofu, drained and mashed
2/3 cup of vegenaise
1 Tbs. of yellow mustard
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
1 and 1/2 cup Italian Mix Giardiniera, chopped, excluding the onions

Hummus:
1 - 15oz. can of garbanzo beans, drained
1 Tbs. sesame tahini
1 and 1/2 Tbs. lemon juice
1 and 1/2 Tbs. olive oil
1/2 cup roasted red bell peppers (jarred)
1 clove of garlic, chopped
1/4 tsp. salt

10 slices of Rye bread

Directions:

For the Tofu: In a medium bowl, mix all of the ingredients together.  Set aside.

For the Hummus:  In a food processor, process all the ingredients, until smooth, at least one minute.  Taste, and adjust seasonings, if necessary.

For the Sandwich:  Spread at least a tablespoon of hummus on one side of each slice of rye bread.  Add two to three tablespoons of the tofu mixture on half of the bread slices.  Top with remaining rye bread.  Messy, so have a napkin or two nearby.  Very unusual and good.  You will have leftovers for more sandwiches the next day for lunch.  Enjoy!  Feeds five hungry vegans.

Teriyaki Tofu Tango Sandwich

Here is the first of two sandwich recipes that I submitted to a contest, that didn't win.  So, even if they're losers to them, our family still thinks they're winners!  I'll post the other one a little later, so as not to deluge you with sandwiches, but here's my first entry.  This was actually quite tasty and very easy to make.  Hopefully, you'll love the tango, too.  I'm adjusting the recipe to feed five - the original recipe was meant to feed two.

Teriyaki Tofu Tango Sandwich

Ingredients:

5 six inch long sandwich rolls
1 pkg. extra-firm tofu, drained, and sliced in ten rectangles, width wise
Your favorite teriyaki sauce, divided
Non-stick spray
5 baby bok choys or 1 regular bok choy, greens only, thinly sliced
1 cup of cilantro, green tops and with just the beginnings of stems
1/4 red onion, sliced thinly
2/3 cup roasted red bell pepper slices (jarred)

Directions:

Marinate the tofu slices in a cup of the teriyaki sauce for at least a half an hour.  Heat the oven to 350 degrees.  Spray a cookie sheet with the non-stick spray and place the tofu slices on it.  Drizzle any extra marinade over the slices.  Bake for fifteen minutes, flip over the tofu, and continue baking for another fifteen minutes.  Remove from oven and let cool while you prepare the rest of the sandwich.  Baste about a teaspoon or so of teriyaki sauce on each of the inside slices of the rolls.  On the bottom half, divide the bok choy greens between the rolls.  Divide the cilantro sprigs on top of the bok choy, and the red onion on top of that.  Nestle two slices of tofu on top of the onion slices.  Top with the red bell peppers.  Fold the top of the roll over on everything.  Fresh and tasty.  Feeds five hungry vegans.

Creamy Pumpkin Curry Soup

I've been trying to continue to come up with creative ways to use up my pumpkin puree, and I've never made a pumpkin soup before, so I thought I'd give it a try with the ingredients I had on hand.  It turned out pretty well, and I will make this again.  I'll keep you posted as I develop more pumpkin recipes - I've been working on some bars.  :-)

Creamy Pumpkin Curry Soup

Ingredients:

1 Tbs. olive oil
1 red onion, chopped
4 cups of pumpkin puree
5 cups of vegetable broth
2 tsp. curry powder
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 cup soy milk
1/4 cup fresh basil, sliced thinly width wise
More basil for garnish, if desired

Directions:

Heat oil in a large pot on medium heat.  Add the red onion, and cook for at least fifteen minutes, until caramelized.  Add the next six ingredients (pumpkin puree through pepper), and cook for a half hour.  Lower the heat to low, and add the soy milk and basil.  Cook for five more minutes.  Ladle into bowls, and add additional basil for garnish.  Simple and elegant.  Feeds five hungry vegans.

Breakfast Links

I first started making my own breakfast links about a year ago.  I was curious to see if I could save money by doing so.  What I found out was that I could make about 75 links for the same amount of money that it cost to pay for one pack of six vegan breakfast links at the store.  That was a no-brainer: no more store-bought breakfast links for us!  I played around with different ingredients until I finally created a recipe that mimics the taste of the store-bought kind pretty darn closely.  My secret ingredient, to get the texture just right, is tofu.  As far as I know, I have never seen tofu used in a seitan recipe before.  So, if I'm right about that, and then you see tofu-seitan recipes popping up all over in money-making cookbooks, tell them to throw ol' BlessedMama a dime or two.  :-)  (I was actually advised to hold on to this recipe, but who am I kidding?  I'll never have a cookbook.  So, I'm sharing!)  Having the gluten flour, tofu and beans makes for a really tender piece of seitan.  You can serve these as an accompaniment to a breakfast meal, or you can make them for my Brothy Beans with Sausages dish.  We love these, and they can freeze well.  Hope you save money and like them too.

Breakfast Links

I make my links about three to four inches in length.

Once rolled out, they get twisted up into their own foil packets.

Here's a big pot of them, getting ready to get steamed.

Breakfast Links

Ingredients:

1 pkg. extra-firm tofu, water-packed, drained
1 cup of slow-cooked pinto beans
2 cups of vegetable broth
2 and 1/2 tsp. dried thyme
1 Tbs. salt
1 tsp. pepper
2 and 3/4 cups gluten flour
Canola oil

Directions:

Put the first six ingredients (tofu through pepper) into a blender, and blend until smooth.  Pour into a large mixing bowl.  Add the gluten flour, and stir until well mixed.  Knead (you can do it right in the bowl) for about three to five minutes, to make sure there are no super wet or super dry spots.  Pull off a small ball of dough, smaller than a golf ball, and roll out to a sausage link size, about three to four inches in length.  Prepare a large pot with a couple inches of water in the bottom and a steamer basket inside.  Once you have several links rolled out, put each one at the end of a small strip of aluminum foil.  Roll the link up, so it makes at least two complete turns, and twist the ends closed.  Start filling up your pot.   Complete this cycle for the rest of the mix, until you have a pot full of foil-wrapped links.  Cover with a lid.  Turn the heat on to medium, and steam for 40 minutes.  Remove from heat.  Heat up about a tablespoon of oil in a large pan.  Unroll several links and put them in the pan.  Fry them for a minute or two, turning them, until they are browned on all sides.  Do this with all the links, adding a bit of oil, as needed.  Can be served alongside pancakes or tofu scramble for breakfast.  Freeze unused portions.  Simply thaw and reheat in microwave or oven.  So tasty.  Feeds five hungry vegans for several meals.

Cheesy Garlic Bread

Cheesy garlic bread - what could be better than that?  I'll try to come up with something, don't worry.  But, in the meantime, here is cheesy garlic bread!  Yum!  So easy to make, so sinfully delicious too.  Makes the kids happy, what a bonus.  Here is my super quick, easy way to make these beauts.

 Cheesy Garlic Bread

 Cheesy Garlic Bread, sliced in serving bowl

Cheesy Garlic Bread

Ingredients:

2 lg. French loaves, cut in half lengthwise
1/2 cup vegan margarine
1 head of garlic, all the cloves sliced
1 pkg. of Follow Your Heart Vegan Gourmet cheese, Monterey Jack style, finely shredded

Directions:

Put the top oven rack in the second position from the top.  Turn on broiler.  Put bread on large cookie or baking sheet.  Spread margarine evenly over all four halves of bread.  Press in sliced garlic into the top of margarined-up bread.  Sprinkle cheese over all the halves - don't forget the very ends and sides!  Broil bread for three minutes, until cheese melts.  Watch for burning!  (If you get a small portion that burned, wait a couple minutes for the bread to cool, and simply scrape off.)  Cool bread for five minutes, then slice.  Eat.  Feeds five hungry vegans.

Simple Avocado Tacos

Like their name says, these are really simple tacos.  But, there is a cute, short story that goes along with this meal, so I have to share it with you.

A few years ago, a good friend of ours (she and her husband are JK's godparents), had my children and I, and another friend and her son over for a play date and lunch.  She is not strictly a plant-eater but very well could be because she always makes some awesome vegan dishes.  Do you know any people like that, who are so health-conscious and would make the transition so easily but just don't?  Anyways, she made these tacos by slightly blackening corn tortillas on one of her burners, spreading refried beans in them and adding sliced avocados.  She put out rooster sauce for everyone to enjoy.  Now, I am a fan, a big fan, of rooster sauce, but my eyes popped out when I saw her slather it on her tacos.  It was like a little kid with a plate of fries and ketchup. And, then she proceeded to delicately munch on each taco.  My mouth would have been pleading for something cool to drink.  Well, the kids were all at another table, so we moms could somewhat hear each other talk.  My SR reached over to grab a pitcher of lemonade to refill her glass when she accidentally spilled it all over the kids' platter of tacos!  All of the children reacted differently, but they were determined to not let those precious tacos go to waste.  My friend's son diligently picked one up from the platter, took a bite, and very emphatically said, "These lemonade tacos stink!"  See, inadvertently SR created a brand new taco: lemonade tacos.  Despite being drenched in lemonade, that platter of tacos was quickly eliminated, and grabby hands made their way towards the moms' sacred stash.

Now, I make these tacos, and, of course, we have to recount the original lemonade tacos every time.  If you are feeling especially brave, you may try your hand at adding fresh lemonade, and let me know if they stink for you, too.  By the way, don't let the simplicity of these tacos fool you: they are amazingly delicious!

Simple Avocado Tacos

Ingredients:

1 - 29oz. can vegetarian refried beans
20 or so yellow corn tortillas
3 - 4 avocados, sliced
 Rooster sauce

Directions:

Pour the beans in a small pot and warm over medium heat.  Heat a stove burner on medium heat.  (My friend has a gas burner, and I have a flat, electric burner, and they both work fine.)  Place a tortilla directly on the burner, until there are a few darkened spots.  With tongs, flip the tortilla over to the other side.  Each side should take 30 seconds or much less, depending on your burner.  Place each tortilla on a cookie sheet, when done, and spread a tablespoon or two of beans on one side.  Place two or three slices of avocado on top of the beans, and fold other half of tortilla over on top.  Serve with rooster sauce.  So good.  Feeds five hungry vegans.

Brown Rice topped with Caramelized Onions, Garlic and Tomatoes

This is such a simple recipe, but the end result feels so gourmet.  It's a nice way to snazz up the home kitchen.

Brown Rice topped with Caramelized Onions, Garlic and Tomatoes

Ingredients:

1 cup of uncooked brown rice, prepared according to package directions
1 Tbs. olive oil
1 red onion, halved and sliced (both halves)
5 garlic cloves, sliced
1 tomato, diced
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

When the rice is nearing its end cooking time, heat the oil in a large skillet on medium heat.  Add the onion when oil is hot, and cook for at least fifteen minutes, until the onion starts to turn color (past the translucent stage).  Add the garlic and cook for two more minutes.  Add the tomato and seasoning, and turn off the heat.  Serve over the brown rice.  A taste bud treat!  Feeds five hungry vegans.

Home Fries

Are you familiar with the home fries that diners serve? The cubed potatoes that are crunchy on the outside but so fluffy on the inside? Well, after realizing that simply frying the taters in oil or water, or even baking them, didn't get me the results I wanted at home,I pulled out the deep fryer, and voila, perfect home fries! I like to make them for breakfast dishes, and they can be served by themselves as a side dish or incorporated into a dish like my Breakfast Potato Skillet. Yes, these do take some oil, but if you make these sparingly, you can leave your guilt outside the dining room.

Home Fries

Home Fries on a breakfast plate with fresh cantaloupe and tofu scramble

Home Fries

Ingredients:

9 russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
Enough canola oil to reach a deep fryer's fill line
Salt to taste

Directions:

Pour the oil into your deep fryer and heat. When hot, carefully add three of the cubed russet potatoes. Cook for 14-15 minutes, until the potatoes are golden. Drain on paper towels and sprinkle with salt. Repeat with the rest of the potatoes in two more batches. Delicious and comforting. Feeds five hungry vegans.

Pasta with Sauteed Veggies

Here is another easy way to use up leftover pasta. It works great, as well, if you make pasta fresh and just want to jazz it up.



Pasta with Sauteed Veggies

Ingredients:

About a pound of leftover or freshly cooked pasta - we used linguine
3 cups of your favorite veggies - we used:
2 carrots, cut on the diagonal
2 zucchini, cut on the diagonal
2 bok choy, cut into thirds and sliced thinly
5 garlic cloves, sliced
2 Tbs. canola oil
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 Tbs. garlic powder blend or plain garlic powder
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Heat oil in a large pot or skillet on medium heat. When hot, add veggies and cook until tender, about five minutes. If using long pasta, cut into thirds or quarters. Add your pasta to the veggies, along with the seasonings. Lower heat to medium low and cook for another five minutes or so, until all is heated through. Simple and good. Feeds five hungry vegans.

Leftover Pasta Delight

This was a meal created by the fact that I was tired of having lots of little containers with bits of leftovers in the fridge. There was not enough on their own to make a complete meal for one person, much less for a whole family. So, I just did my "garbage" trick and dumped them all together in a bowl and had myself an incredibly delicious lunch for one: me. But, this was so good and so satisfying that I'm going to attempt to offer portion sizes that will make a meal for a family, namely one that has five members in it. Enjoy.



Leftover Pasta Delight

Ingredients:

At least 3 cups of leftover pasta - I used bowtie
At least one cup of leftover steamed veggies - I used cauliflower, broccoli and carrots
At least one cup of leftover sauteed kale with red onions and garlic
At least one cup of your favorite salsa
1 pkg. of Follow Your Heart Vegan Gourmet cheese, Mozzarella style, cubed small
Salt and Pepper to taste

Directions:

Mix all ingredients in a large mixing bowl, and pour into a casserole dish. You can either reheat this in a microwave for ten to twelve minutes, stirring every few minutes, or reheat in a 350 degree oven for thirty minutes. So good. Feeds five hungry vegans.