Blah, starting the week off sick is certainly no fun...

All of my boys have been sick with a horrible cold for more than a week now. I took lots of emergen-c and echinacea, I washed my hands constantly but I still managed to come down with this nasty bug. When I am sick the only thing I want to eat is gingery, garlicky miso soup. It is just so soothing and comforting. Nothing else does the trick.


Miso Soup

1 T oil
1 cup thinly sliced carrots
2 cups shredded or thinly sliced cabbage
1 cup chopped spinach or kale
1 onion diced
4 or 5 cloves of garlic, minced
1 T fresh ginger, minced
2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
1 T apple cider vinegar
1 T tamari
1 T rice syrup (or sweetener of your choice)
1/4 cup miso paste (there are many different types, any will work fine.)
handful of soba noodles (optional)
8 cups of water
salt fresh black pepper to taste

In a large soup pot saute all veggies in oil until they start to wilt. If the veggies begin to stick toward the end add a little water to continue sauteing until wilted. Add water, vinegar, sugar and tamari to the veggies and bring to a boil. Boil for a few minutes until the veggies are tender. Add the soba noodles if using and continue to cook for recommended time on the package, mine were 3 minutes. (if you have longer cooking noodles add them before the veggies are done.) Ladle out some of the broth into a bowl or cup and add the miso and stir well to dissolve. Lower the heat and allow the soup to just barely simmer. Add the miso to the pot and stir to incorporate. Taste and add the pepper and some salt if it needs it. I never add additional salt but some people prefer a more salty taste. You can always add some cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes to it to help decongest a stuffy nose.


Optional things that would be great in this soup;

peas
edamame
broccoli
chunks of tofu
scallions
celery
corn
a drizzle of sesame oil
different kinds of noodles

This recipe is very versatile so be creative and use what you have on hand. I often add frozen corn to cool it down so I can eat it right away, : ) I hope it is as comforting to you as it is to me.

Just a Sweet Potato Kind of a Day.

First thing this morning I decided to make a sweet potato cobbler for the girls at work. Generally when I create a new recipe my family is the first ones to try it, just in case it is a flop. But I decided to take it in to work and risk it. They loved it! Which made me happy of course but I wasn't completely satisfied with the end result. I thought it was a tad soupy, although it did thicken up after cooling I still think I would like it to be a bit thicker, so I will change up the recipe a bit and make it for the family before I post the recipe here.

Tonight when I got home form work I had a head ache and really didn't feel much like cooking so I decided to throw some things in the fridge together and make a casserole of sorts. I don't have a recipe per se but I will tell you what I did. It was so quick and easy that I am sure I will make it again.

I took about three cups of left over seasoned black beans and dumped them into a casserole, added about three cups of left over chick peas, about 1 cup salsa, 1 can of diced tomatoes and a season packet for vegetarian chili and mixed it all together. I then put a layer of frozen corn over that and then topped the whole thing with some mashed sweet potatoes, put it in a 375 oven for about 35 minutes and voila' , dinner is served. : )

I am sure unseasoned black beans would have been fine and instead of a season packet you could just add some chili powder, cumin, garlic powder, onion powder and what ever other spices you like in your chili.

Kale Oh Wonderful Kale

Kale is rich and abundant in calcium, lutein, iron, and Vitamins A, C, and K. Kale has seven times the beta-carotene of broccoli and ten times more lutein. Kale is rich in Vitamin C not to mention the much needed fiber so lacking in the daily diet of processed food eating Americans. The "Icing on the Kale" are the natural occurring all important phytochemicals sulforaphane and indoles which research suggests may protect against cancer. Let's not forget the all important antioxidant Vitamin E. Rest assured kale spares nothing in providing one with much needed nutrients and associated health benefits.

I have to agree with Christy aka The Blissful Chef and her enthusiasm for this wonderful leafy green. I think her recipe sounds absolutely delicious and I can't wait to try it!!

What a great idea for the middle of the day blahs....

If you have to be sitting in front of it, why not use your computer as a form of stress relief? It makes sense to me.

Meditation Rooms

If you like it, why not bookmark the page for those times when you feeling like climbing the walls or worse.

Morning ramblings...

The Mutant Paisano Bread that I made over the holiday weekend.



No recipes in this post...just some idle ramblings.

Yesterday my middle son came home for lunch and proceeded to take a couple of bean burgers out of the freezer to put in the microwave. He came into the kitchen and announced that he really loves them and that they could be packaged and sold in the stores because they are so good! : ) It made me smile. I know they are delicious but his enthusiasm proclaiming their praises was especially good to hear.

Yesterday I was putting together a package for my VegWeb secret gift exchange and baking and sewing up a storm...I won't mentioned what I made just in case my giftee reads this. ; ) But I can't wait until I can post a picture of one of the items because it was adorable!

Today I am working on veganizing my old prevegan Sicilian Pound Cake Recipe for Dh's birthday on Friday. I think I have it. I will posts pictures and recipes if the reviews are great. Otherwise it is back to the drawing board, so to speak. He hasn't told me what he would like for his special dinner but I am thinking he will probably choose Lasagne coi Carciofi with my (mutant) Paisano Bread. If so I will post pictures and recipes afterward.

Sorry for the scatteredness of this post...I guess it is how my brain is working today. Going from one thought to the next. *yikes* I need to go and get something accomplished.

Praise Delicious Seitan Cutlets!

These were seriously the best seitan cutlets I have ever had! I am imagining all the things I can create with them. Dh suggested cutting them into strips and making Chinese type ribs and I was imagining cutting them into strips and sauteing with peppers and onions and making sandwiches with them...or maybe leave it whole and turn it into seitan parmigiana. Oh the possibilities are endless! This recipe is definitely a keeper. Thank you Vegan Epicurean!

Seitan Cutlets

The only thing that I did differently was used 1/4 t garlic powder instead of fresh, 1/4 t onion powder instead of flakes, replaced 1 cup of the water use in the dough with 1 cup no-chicken broth, and didn't bother to put anything in the blender. They were so easy and so good.

Chocolate Banana Bread

Who can resist the combination of chocolate and bananas? Who would want to? Here is a deliciously moist banana bread that brings you the best of both. : )

Chocolate Banana Bread

3 cups flour
1/4 cup cocoa
1 t baking soda
1 t baking powder
1/2 t salt
2 cups sugar
1 cup oil
1/4 cup flax meal
1/2 cup water
2/3 cup almond milk (or milk of your choice)
1 1/2 cups mashed ripe banana
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
1 t vanilla

preheat oven to 350f and oil 2 loaf pans

Mix flax meal and water in a small bowl and set aside. Place first six ingredients in a large bowl...sift to make sure there are no lumps in the cocoa or baking soda/powder. Add all remaining ingredients and mix until well combined. Divide equally between the two pans and bake for 55 to 60 minutes. Remove from pan and let cool on wire rack.

Fun times with the oral surgeon...

Not! I have not made any posts for a few days because I had to have my wisdom teeth pulled. Oh what fun. In actuality, it has not been bad at all, mostly just inconvenient. But now I am ready to get back to cooking and posting. : ) Over the holiday weekend I was a cooking/baking fool and with the exception of a Strawberry "Ricotta" Cake Roll that certainly was not beautiful everything came out very delicious. I love my family for being such willing test subjects, ; )

First recipe, Hot Cross Buns. I cannot take complete credit for these because I basically just veganized an existing recipe that I found online. Preparing the dough in the bread machine is a life saver when you have a million other things to do. They came out delicious and the texture makes me think they would work marvelously turned into bagels. If anyone tries this before I get a chance please let me know your results.

Hot Cross Buns

dough
3/4 c almond milk
1/4 cup canola oil
1 1/2 t ener-g egg sub. mixed with 2 T water (I am going to try it without egg subs as well.)
1 T yeast (scant)
3 1/2 cup flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 t cinnamon
1/2 t nutmeg
pinch of cloves and allspice
1/2 t salt
1/2 cup currants

glaze
2 T sugar
2 T water

icing
1/2 cup powered sugar
2 t water

To prepare dough in a bread machine;

Place all ingredients for the dough, except the currants, in the bread machine pan in the order recommended for your machine. Set on the dough cycle. Add the currants when the machine signals. Remove from machine at the end of the dough cycle and cut into 12 pieces. Let rest for a few minutes. Shape into balls and place on lightly greased baking pan about 3" apart. Cover with a damp tea towel or a piece of plastic wrap sprayed with cooking spray, place in a warm draft free place and let rise for 45 to 60 minutes. Bake in a preheated 375f degree oven for 15 to 18 minutes or until golden brown. Place entire pan on a rack to cool. Mix the sugar and water for glaze and brush on still warm buns. Let cool completely. When buns have cooled mix powered sugar and water for icing, adjusting the water amount if necessary to have a good piping consistency. Pipe or spoon a cross on each bun.

Italian Chocolate Pepper Cookies

Here is a recipe for a slightly different kind of chocolate cookie. It has a very slight bite to it. It is soft and chocolaty and small enough that you don't feel guilty eating a few. Start brewing the espresso ; )






Italian Chocolate Pepper Cookies

1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
2 tablespoon dark cocoa powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon cayenne powder or 1/2 teaspoon black pepper*
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup agave nectar ( or other liquid sweetener, maple syrup would probably work nicely)
1/2 cup soy creamer
1/2 cup canola oil
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/8 cup mini chocolate chips (vegan of course)
1/8 cup finely chopped nuts (optional)
1/8 cup finely chopped raisins (optional)


Preheat oven to 325 f

Mix all dry ingredients (first 5) taking care that there are no clumps in the cocoa.

Add all liquid ingredients and mix until well blended.

Add mini chips, nuts and raisins.

Using cookie scoop or measuring spoon drop tablespoon size scoop of dough onto lightly greased cooking sheet.

Bake for 8 minutes. Remove to wire rack to cool.

Not to sweet, not too spicy, just chocolaty yum : )

* I prefer the cayenne pepper

Serves: makes 2 dozen 2 inch cookies

Someone you know interested in going vegan?

How about a Vegan Starter Guide!

Send them this link. It answers many questions, includes tips and great recipes. It is in pdf form so it is easily printable.

http://friendsofanimals.org/img/Vegan_Starter_Guide.pdf



This starter guide was put together by Friends of Animals in Darien Canada. You can check out their web site at www.friendsofanimals.org

Chick Pea Salad (mock chicken or tuna)

This is one of my family's favorite everyday lunches. Either in a tortilla, on a homemade roll, or some whole grain bread, they love this salad. People may roll their eyes but once they taste it they are convinced...this is good stuff. This recipe makes a big bowl. I am usually feeding 3 or 4 grown men.

Chick Pea Salad aka mock tuna or chicken salad

4 cups cooked chick peas (garbanzo beans)
1/2 med onion, finely diced (the boys like it onion-y so I I use a whole med onion!)
2 sm or 1 lg stalk celery, finely diced
1/4 cup chopped pickle or pickle relish
1 T yellow mustard
1/2 T agave or rice syrup (I use nayonaise. If you use veganaise which is sweeter you may need less or no sweetener)
1/2 cup vegan mayo
1/4 cup raisins (optional)
1/4 cup sliced almonds (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

Place chick peas in a med to lg bowl. With a fork or potato masher mash the chick peas, leaving some whole. (or you can give them a quick whirl in the food processor but be sure it is very quick or you will have the makings for hummus!)

Add the remaining ingredients and stir well to combine.

Peanut Butter Mousse

Here is another example of my fine photography skills. This dessert actually looked very nice and was the color you would expect a peanut butter mousse to be. I should have my youngest son take my pictures from now on because he is actually much better at it than I am! I guess it is just one of those things that I think if I keep practicing I will get better. But, alas, I believe photography is an art...and it is an art whose talents are lost on me!

Changing the subject, the mousse was very nice. Very smooth, thick and mousse-y, peanut buttery, and not too sweet. Of course you could add more sugar if you prefer it sweeter or more cocoa if you prefer it to taste more like a Reese's Cup.

Peanut Butter Mousse

1 14oz package of Extra Firm Tofu (squeezed and drained)
1/3 cup natural peanut butter (if you use regular pb you will probably need less sugar)
2/3 cup sugar
1 T cocoa (more to make it taste more like a Reese's Cup)
1 t vanilla

Process the tofu in a food processor until completely smooth. Add the remaining ingredients and continue processing until smooth, creamy and light. Tiny chocolate chips or chocolate shavings would make an excellent garnish.