Cold Days, Hot Eats

On a cold day, there is nothing that warms you up better than hot oatmeal. Since it's been in the low 20s these past couple of weeks, I've really needed it! We're having an early taste of winter, I guess.

Most people say, "Oh, I don't have time for oatmeal," and then go on to say they just have toast. I have to laugh! First, you have to locate and open the bread bag. Toast takes a couple of minutes to toast, then you have to spread your topping, and then cut it and put it on a plate. That's pretty easy, I guess, but take hot oatmeal: Throw a scoop of oats in a bowl. Top with water or vegan milk (your judge how much, but I like it to be just barely covering the oats) and heat for 1 minute and 30 seconds in the microwave. Done. Way less time than cooking it on the stove top, which I never do.

I guess my way is about the same amount of time as toast in the end, but consider the nutrition factor! Oats lower cholesterol (even wheat bread isn't as good!) plus there are ZERO added sugars and shelf stabilizers (check out the list of most breads - it's crazy how many ingredients are in there! - by the way, Wonder bread is NOT vegan, contrary to Veg News' report). I like to cook up my muesli mix from the summer, but even easier is mixing up some cinnamon and wheat germ with it (all in a big container in the fridge, so I don't have to mix it every day). As you can see by the picture above, I like to dress mine with some hemp seeds or ground flax, fresh fruit (or dried fruit - yum! in the microwave!) and a drizzle of iron-healthy blackstrap molasses, which adds a touch of sweetness to it. I don't add extra almond milk on top afterwards, because I find it cools it down too much (plus I like it realllllly thick!). So, good-bye muesli and hello oatmeal! Four stars! **** Oh, and oats are much cheaper and longer lasting than bread!
Speaking of warm weather foods, to welcome my husband back after a trip to the snowy north (early snow even for them!), I made Robin Robertson's Perfect Hominy White Bean Chili, from her slow cooker book. It was a little beany at first, but after a day in the fridge - incredible! The flavors were spot on (even though I subbed extra chili powder for the jalapeno - I forgot to get one) and I just love hominy!! It was pretty and yummy and cozy - perfect indeed! Also, simple and cheap! Maybe 4-5 dollars for the whole pot. (That'll make you reconsider going out to Hard Times for chili, huh?(they have the best vegetarian/vegan chili!). Three stars for sure! ***
Since I'm on a "how much money can I save" kick, I discovered that it's cheaper to buy the larger can of crushed tomatoes for this recipe (it usually is more economical to buy the large containers of food, etc, but not always!). So I just used the 14 ounces I needed and saved the rest in my freezer for a rainy (or snowy!) day.











Be sure to label everything! I reuse my bags a lot, so I had a hard time finding room for the description on this baby!











No, green slime wasn't on sale at the store this week, and really, neither were the avocados. Nor were they local. But Vegan A Go-Go had me craving this Avacado Sunflower Seed Dip, and I had all the other ingredients in my pantry (tahini, vegan milk, sunflower seeds, spices). It was really, really good! And fatty - think of the avocado, seeds and tahini - it really packs a wallop - but a healthy fat one! Great, creamy flavor. Only unfortunate part? The weird color it turned in the days after, as the avocado combined with the oxygen more.... Three stars altogether! *** Only 1 dollar and change for the whole recipe (the avocado was all I had to buy).

Unfortunately, I end this post on a rather blah note....I've been wanting to make these Cranberry Pumpkin Cookies from La Dolce Vegan for years. They sounded so - yum! However, the batter was really soft and the cookies didn't really harden up enough. They smelled amazing, but tasted like cookie batter! Not bad, if you're going to eat them in front of the TV by yourself while watching The O.C. on DVD, but not something you're going to want to serve company...or friends...or co-workers. Two stars ** only because they smell really, really good - and I see potential! Didn't cost me a cent, because I had all the ingredients, but a pretty expensive recipe if you don't have pecans, dried cranberries, canned pumpkin and margarine laying around like I did....

That's it for this week (I laughed when Vegan Dad said he was sorry he would only be able to post 4 times a week now!) but I'm sure I'll nip back on to do a post-Thanksgiving entry! Happy Early Thanksgiving everyone! And, if the thought of all those poor, suffering turkeys gets you down, just remember that when Lincoln first decreed this holiday, it was really about giving thanks to god, not to slaughtering defenseless animals....

Fall Flavors

THIS JUST IN! - 500TH RECIPE AND MY MOTHER WENT VEGAN!!!!!!

Not many photos to post this week, but the few that I do....what doozies they are!! I have for you, two of the most amazing fall recipes I have ever had (or made).

First up, Pumpkin Crumb Cake with Pecan Streusal, from Veganomicon. Similar to her Blueberry Crumb Cake in Vegan with a Vengeance, this was fluffy, sweet but not overly so, moist and delectable! I served this for our monthly Sierra Club meeting. Thankfully, it made quite a bit, so the middle parts (which didn't cook all the way through - not sure why) could be discarded (gasp! Yes, they ended up in the trash - better luck next time!). I think that turning the oven down and bit and letting it cook a bit longer could be the answer next time. Other than that, four stars****!
In keeping with my "Vegan Chef on a Shoestring" budget, this didn't require anything not already in my pantry (I always have a can of pumpkin on hand - don't you?). Keep reading - the best is yet to come!...







I had this butternut squash (in the funniest shape - forgot to take a pic, but I'll just say it would have fit right in, in the Kama Sutra) from our local Farmer's Market a couple of weeks ago, and I was just dying to do something different with it.

The recipe for Caramelized Onion-Butternut Roast with Chestnuts from Veganomicon caught my eye. It looked pretty simple, inexpensive and very fall-ish. Well, the expensive part was immediately shattered when I found out the price of jarred chestnuts - almost $14!!! And that was only for a 7.4 ounce jar. Screw that - I bought fresh ones for $3.99 a pound (and I only needed one pound - yay!) and roasted them myself. This was a first for me (and not even one on my New Year's Resolutions list!), but it was soooo simple! I first had fresh roasted chestnuts about a year ago at my neighbors' house, and remembered how sweet and buttery and delicious they were. Following Veganomicon's directions, I scored the nuts (I made two cuts, like an X, which my neighbor had also done) and roasted them for about 20 minutes in my oven. One of the nuts apparently wasn't scored deep enough and BOOM! it exploded in my oven. No mess, just a loud sound and I laughed, because I knew that that's what it had to be.
When they came out of the oven, I wrapped them in a towel as suggested, and scrunched them around to loosen the skins. Peeling them wasn't that hard, and the few that were no good were easy to tell . Look how beautiful they are! The quintessential roasted yellow-brown of fall nuts.






Along with olive oil roasted onions, the diced butternut squash, a can of white beans, some veggie broth, and quite a few spices, the chestnuts roasted in the oven for a half hour, then were topped with a sprinkling of fresh breadcrumbs, other seasonings and a tad more olive oil. After roasting 15 more minutes, my mouth was watering. Want to know what it tasted like? Only the BEST RECIPE ALL YEAR!!! Five stars for this baby *****. It was sweet and savory and nutty and hearty and I just ummmed and yummed with every mouthful. If you make no other recipe this fall or winter, this should be one that you make. It is soooo easy and well, you know how good it tastes! What a great way to hit my 500th new recipe since I started keeping track, just three years ago. That's 500 different recipes. Isn't it awesome to be vegan?
But in keeping with my new frugality, I fished my Sweet Potato Bisque out of the freezer this week for nearly instant dinners. I made this months ago, and it tasted like I just made it yesterday! Four stars, even as a reheat! **** Creamy and sweet and savory and filling.






Here it is, fresh from the freezer bag.....Looks kind of like a turkey head!












My husband wasn't in the mood to try my butternut squash dish (he's cautious of anything remotely sweet for a dinner meal), but he was already cooking up a storm (literally - there was smoke from the oil in the kitchen!) with this Vegetarian Gumbo, straight from a recent Vegetarian Times issue. I threw the brown rice in the rice cooker for him and there was his meal! He actually didn't like it that much. I tasted some and agreed that there was just something missing! There were no legumes or other meat-like food in the dish, and it was spicy, but lacking flavor, if that is possible. We added more salt, but it still was unremarkable. Oh well -you win some, you lose some! (and he used up some of the okra in the freezer - yay!).

And, as stated at the very beginning of this post, my mother informed me just a couple of days ago that she has decided to go vegan!!! This is amazing and exciting news not just for me, but for all vegans, because she is a doctor and because The China Study, by Colin T. Campbell, and its scientific-strength was what pushed her over the edge.

Here's to one week until Thanksgiving, which we'll be celebrating with both sets of parents and NO real turkey! (Unless you count Serendipity from Farm Sanctuary!).

Vegan Chef on a Shoestring

The other day, I went to the grocery store to get the basics, and really did get the basics, and walked out with a nearly $70 bill. That's for two people for about a week. I was outraged. Not just at the prices, but at myself. "I have a pantry full of food," I said (as the cashier looked at me funny), Why don't I use what I already have at home?"

Well, part of the reason is that I love fresh fruits and vegetables, but honestly, being a D.I.N.K. (double-income no kids), we have been used to buying what we want, when we want, when it comes to food at least. So, I have decided to make the rest of the calendar year (with the exception of Thanksgiving, of course!), "Meals on a Shoestring." This also involves using up items in my pantry, so I can still make more expensive meals, except the money has already been spent. With the economy the way it's going, this'll last into the New Year, I'm sure, but what's so wrong with saving money?

First, we have these cutie-pie mini muffins, made from bananas that were definitely overripe on our kitchen table. I NEVER throw out bananas, and since I had never used my mini muffin tins before, I thought this would also be a great way to finish up my New Year's resolution to try new things in the kitchen. Aren't they adorable?? I used the Delightful Banana Nut Muffin recipe from my new (also mini) cookbook, Vegan A Go-Go, by Sarah Kramer, seen here in my last post. They were sweet and nutty and fluffy and just perfect! One of the best muffins I have ever made. I substituted applesauce for the oil, and whole wheat pastry flour for the regular white kind, so they were even healthier. Regular muffins seem like monsters now, in comparison. I may never go back. Four stars!****

Next up, Pumpkin-Cranberry Soup, from New Vegetarian Basics. This had caught my eye a while back (like, three years) and I figured why not? I had a can of pumpkin in my pantry and a small container of soy yogurt in my fridge, about to expire. The only thing I had to buy was the dried cranberries, and I bought the smaller bag because it cost less (the bigger bags usually are cheaper per ounce, but I'm looking at immediate savings).

The yogurt and dried cranberries on top were a great, tart way to balance out the relative sweetness of the soup (it had apples and cranberries cooked into it) but overall it was too bland. I had to add quite a bit of salt and pepper to give it a savory flavor. Two and a half stars. I won't make this again, probably. I think I like squash soup better. It's just my preference - it wasn't that bad of a soup, really! And isn't it so pretty?


Normally, when a recipe like that soup calls for half a can, the other half sits in a Tupperware container in my fridge (yes, I know I should use glass, but I'm waiting until all my plastic wears out!), until it grows feet and walks away. This time, I used this recipe (minus the whipping cream, powdered sugar and orange - this was lunch, not dessert for goodness sake) to make a Pumpkin Smoothie. It was pretty good! I had to add some molasses and agave nectar to sweeten it up, because I had left out those other hideous ingredients. Great way to use up leftover pumpkin! Three stars ***

Back to the cupboard, I found I hadn't used red lentils in a while (and they are so good for you!), and I was craving something spicy, so Vegan A Go-Go came to my rescue with this super quick and cheap Cauliflower and Red Lentil Soup! It was really more like a stew, but no complaints here! The only thing I had to buy was the cauliflower (which is super cheap at B.J.s, compared to regular grocery stores!). I used canned tomatoes and vegetable broth cubes and I already had all of the spices. Oh yeah, and I had to buy some cilantro but that's wicked cheap.
My husband ate some too, and kept commenting on how good it was! The glare of the flash kind of makes it look freaky, but I agree - it was definitely Four Stars ****










At the last wedding we attended, my husband and I worked up the idea to start a Supper Club. We're not calling it anything like that, but that's essentially what it is. Three other D.I.N.K. (see above) couples are joining us for a monthly potluck at each other's houses. This month, the main food was chili, and our hosts graciously created a beautiful veggie chili that kicked the meat chili's ass. Four stars **** We brought along my first vegan cheesecake! It was the Birthday Cheesecake from Food Snobbery is My Hobbery, and man oh man, did it ROCK!!! It had a pretzel/peanut butter crust, then a layer of melted chocolate, then the peanut butter flavored cheesecake. It didn't have the exact texture of a real cheesecake, but everyone raved about it, and my husband hunted it down in the fridge for more helpings when we got home. Easy, beautiful, creamy, rich - like taking a bite of a peanut butter cup! I was so proud of myself for making this (almost as proud as I was when I unclogged the sink this weekend). I think this counts towards my New Year's resolutions, too. Best of all, I had all the ingredients in my pantry and fridge! (I've had the Tofuti Cream Cheese kicking around for months, but I was too afraid to try a cheesecake). Four Stars! ****

Of course, I never make a new recipe for a gathering without a backup. These Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies from Vegan with a Vengeance have to be the most delicious, chewy, fragrant, sweet cookies on the face of the vegan planet. I kid you not. These are my all-time favs. I make them all the time. They use a whole can of pumpkin, so no leftovers and the recipe makes a ton. Four stars, as usual ****
Well, that's it for this cheap vegan chef! I am PSYCHED beyond belief about the elections, but I don't have the energy now to post about it. I'll just leave you with this:
Pandora left Hope...

Fast and Delicious

After a busy, busy weekend (catching up after our trip the weekend before!) I not only had little time to plan meals, but little time to cook them. So, I thought this would be a great opportunity to try some quick recipes. As you can see from the first photo, I was getting some "fast meal" ideas from Sarah Kramer's adorable little book, Vegan A Go-Go!, which has a lot of older recipes in it but is really perfect for taking with me when I travel to the in-laws with meal ideas!

First off, I reverted back to college days, when all I could afford was beans and rice and this amazing Bayou Magic Cajun Seasoning that I bought while living in Tennessee. I could never find it after I left, but the miracles of the WWW brought me to their site and their seasoning to my pantry! Unfortunately, I forgot over time just how spicy this is! With the cilantro added (next pic) it was much more manageable. Phew! I was sweating. But, cheap and very fast. Just cook the rice (brown, of course!) in your rice cooker, add the beans from a can (the heat of the rice warms them up just fine) and then season to taste! Two and a half stars (way too spicy).














Later in the week, I had a little more time, but still, Tara's Pad Thai from Vegan Fusion World Cuisine was wicked quick. Just press the tofu while you open the mail and feed the cats, then chop up a couple things and start cooking! The rice noodles take no time at all (3 minutes, to be exact) and I added canned baby corn and canned bamboo shoots (on the sale table - only a dollar each, if that!) along with chopped peanuts and cilantro. Great spice to this meal, but a little dry due to too many noodles and not enough sauce. This was a great way to break into my tamarind paste, which I found at a local (but hidden) Asian market! Three stars ***.

Just last night, my husband requested this Kale and Cannellini Stew, from The Vegetarian Meat and Potatoes Cookbook. Another pretty quick meal, with only some peeling and chopping to do. Very few ingredients but great spicy taste! We added extra kale and it could have used fewer beans. Also, I exchanged a sweet potato for one of the regular potatoes, and it added a nice sweet balance (very light!) to the spiciness of the stew. The only problem was that the sweet potato cooked much more quickly so it was a bit over-cooked by the end. Overall, three and a half stars! Almost perfect!
So, here are some other meals from the past that are great ideas for when you have little time and want something good and vegan!

Olive-Oregano Wine-Baked Tofu...
(click for the recipe!)







Any kind of smoothie is almost instant! Great for lunch.












Don't forget that mac and cheese made with nutritional yeast or Chreese!












Tempeh Salad (made with grapes and agave nectar) is a delicious, quick lunch idea, and especially nutritious served over baby spinach!










Cumin-Lime Tofu can marinate while you're at work and then bake while you prepare a grain and veggie!
















And of course, "eggstra" quick Eggless Salad sandwiches made with firm tofu always hit the spot.

Next week, we'll be at a Supper Club, so I'll spend the week picking out my yummiest desserts to make- any suggestions??

Weekend Getaway!

I didn't post last weekend, because we were away, celebrating our wedding anniversary! We got engaged several years ago on Ocracoke Island, which is part of the Outer Banks, North Carolina. It is nice this time of year, because they are shutting down so there are hardly any tourists there at all and it's nice and cool. This is the beautiful lighthouse there, which is the second oldest lighthouse in the U.S. I think it's also the smallest. At any rate, it was a memorable trip. We did many of the same things that we did last time, including walking the beach and biking out to see the wild ponies.

Of course last time I was there, I was vegetarian, not vegan. You might think that this made things more difficult for us, as there are no chain restaurants here and just about all of the eateries feature fresh seafood (fresh, as in just killed... I figure if it was really fresh, it would be alive and swimming far away, very quickly!). To be prepared, I scoured the menus from home first (many are online) and called restaurants ahead when we got there, just to double check. Well, you may not believe it, but I think we ate better this time! Last time, we just picked some random restaurants, which didn't necessarily have the best food nor the best choices.

When we rolled in on the night of our official anniversary, we were too tired to get dressed and go out (and besides, isn't it more fun to stay in sometimes??), so we ordered pizza from the Ocracoke Pizza Company. I got my half without cheese, but with their delish tomato sauce, fresh spinach, mushrooms and black olives. The picture didn't come out that great, but it was AMAZING! The crust was thin, tender, chewy and crunchy all at the same time (even though I usually like thick crusts, this blew me away!). I had to stop myself from eating all four slices. My only complaint was that they went a little thin on the sauce. Awesome flavors and great texture -and free delivery! Three and a half stars! After that and a bottle of wine (and some Twizzlers - vegan!) we were "all set."

The next day, we ventured to the Creekside Cafe, which had this amazingly stuffed hummus wrap (ignore the nasty Styrofoam). The picture is kind of dark, but the hummus was really packed in! Mushrooms and all other kinds of veggies complemented the peppery spread. There was so much, I ate one half the next day! Three and a half stars again! (And no, I didn't eat the chips. I'm sure they were vegan, but I'm not much of a chip person, more for health reasons than anything).

Our second evening meal was at the sort of famous Howard's Pub, which is open year round (unlike just about all the rest, which shut down during the winter). Their menu featured a "vegan" black bean burger, which they had just changed (not homemade) to a regular-style veggie burger. It was actually pretty tasty, with pieces of carrot that you could actually see, but it definitely wasn't homemade and I could tell it had TVP (textured vegetable protein) in it (which isn't too bad, but not my fav meat substitute).

Unfortunately, the bun was not vegan. Fortunately, the waitress had a friend who "used to be vegan" so she knew all those details. Unfortunately, she couldn't substitute rice or potatoes or any other grain side for the bun (which demonstrates that this was more like a chain ... in "real" restaurants, they can do whatever the hell they want, because they don't have a prescribed set of rules for a dish and they usually have a real chef who just wants to make diners happy). Fortunately, I did get a decent side salad and a mixed drink. Unfortunately, the drink was really weak. Two stars for the burger. Maybe two and a half. Two for the drink :P And not worth a photo. The plain burger just looked so sad -and that was once without a face!

I wish I had a photo of the last meal we ate, because it blew the others out of the water! Well, it was at least a definite four stars ****. At the Back Porch Restaurant
we celebrated the last night in the fresh air (a porch, really!) with an outdoor fountain making music for us. I selected probably the only vegan/vegetarian thing on their menu which was (get this!) Chana Masala!! No kidding. A tofu-chickpea-spinach-tomato curry over rice. And it was good!! The presentation was gorgeous - a curly spliced celery piece in the middle (it looked like a mini fountain) and sprinkled red pepper pieces and herbs around the edge. The coconut sauce was creamy and the curry was great, if not a little mild compared to what I'm used to. But it seriously kicked ass. It was completely worth the price. And the huge glass of white wine didn't hurt either. ;)

Coming back down from our rush of eating out (oh yeah, and salt water taffy, which is usually vegan- woohoo!), I made a quick white bean spread (Italian style) with some fresh herbs still surviving in my backyard pots. On a whole wheat tortilla, I added some fresh greens, sun dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, and roasted red peppers (all canned, sorry!). I got some of these delicacies on sale at my local Ukrop's (like, really on sale - one buck a can!), so it was a nice splurge. The spread came from 150 Vegan Favorites, by Jay Solomon. It was wicked easy and was a nice change from garlicky, tahini hummus. A little thin. But filling! Two and a half or Three stars, I guess. ***

Last week, I was finishing up some tempeh that was about to expire (by the way, if the "sell by" date says September, does that mean it's still good for a few months? We ate it anyway, and we survived). I prefer the three grain flavor to the straight soy one. It has less of a "soy" taste and a better texture. I baked it, according to the directions in Vegan World Fusion Cuisine. It really soaked up the marinade!


Next, I whipped up (from the same book) this quick and easy Sweet and Sour Tempeh sauce, and mixed in the tempeh. Served over healthy brown rice (I never eat white, except in sushi now) and with a sprinkle of black sesame seeds (no nutritional difference, I believe, but pretty!). Since I grew up eating sweet and sour chicken every time we got Chinese takeout, I was really looking forward to having it again. Lucky me -it was perfect!! I immediately copied and mailed the recipe to my immediate family members, who I hope will try this very soon! It was sooo good. The sweet and the sour and the tempeh were all perfect! Mmmmm.... Four stars for sure! ****

Our last quick meal of this week was to finally try the Chreese that I had bought at the Animal Rights Conference back in August. Since I'm not much of a pasta person (I love the sauce best!), and since it's only now getting cold enough to really necessitate hot meals, I finally whipped up the sauce and mixed it in with some whole wheat elbows, topped with sesame gomashio. The result? Well, it was melty and creamy and yummy and perfect with some green beans! However, not at all surprising to me, my husband mixed the Chreese with his regular noodles (he doesn't care for whole wheat, or fiber - ha, ha!) and his turned out ten times better! He really is an expert at making this stuff. He makes the packaged Kraft stuff once in a while, and knew to leave a little pasta water in the bottom of the pan to thin out the sauce. At any rate, this photo below is his. Isn't it just the quintessential mac and cheese shot?
Well, I'm off to do some other things before I hit the sack tonight. I hope that everyone has already thought about Thanksgiving and prepared their menu to include a Tofurky and an adopted real turkey! We adopted Serendipity this year, from the Farm Sanctuary. Have a great weekend!

Happy Vegetarian Month!

I've been blog-absent for the past two weeks, but I promise that I have a good excuse! The excuse was celebrating Vegetarian Month with a class at the library where I work. I called it, "Veg 101: Beyond Tofu," and opened it to teens and adults. For a library program, it was surprisingly well-attended! We had about 25 people, with all seats filled and a couple of people standing! Although it was a lot of prep work (gathering materials including a third of our library's 150 vegetarian/vegan cookbook collection, creating handouts and recipe packets, and making 11 different desserts) I completely enjoyed the entire process. I especially loved sharing what I've learned about veganism (and vegetarianism) over the years. I had door prizes (including Rice Dream ice cream, Tofutti Cuties, and seitan!) and they had lots of great questions.


The top five myths we discussed:
1) The lack of protein in a veg diet (most Americans get far too much, and your body can't store it the excess, so it gets excreted (and harms your kidneys)
2) Veggie protein sources aren't good enough (government and medical sources confirm that you no longer need to "combine" veggie protein sources, and they have more nutrients and good fats)
3) Dairy prevents osteoporosis (did you know that meat and animal products are actually so acidic that they cause your body to draw calcium OUT of your bones to neutralize your blood?)

4) Athletes can't be veg (check out this link for a huge list of vegan athletes, including Carl Lewis, Martina Navratilova, and Bill Pearl)
5) Children and pregnant/lactating women can't be veg (our own government and medical communities say it's perfectly fine)

But my favorite myth to dispel is the root of the word, "vegetarian." It actually comes from the Latin word, "vegetus," which means, whole, sound, fresh and lively!

Everyone seemed to find some bit of information to walk away with, even long-time vegans/vegetarians (there was a good mix of all kinds of diets in the audience), many checked out our library's cookbooks, and everyone walked away stuffed with sweets! I made all my long-time favorite ones including: Blueberry Coffee Cake (Vegan with a Vengeance), Cookies and Cream Cupcakes (Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World), Pumpkin Carob-Chip Muffins (Vegan Lunchbox), Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies, Chocolate Chip Cookies and Chocolate Raspberry Blondies (all three from Vw/aV). Some raw treats (not technically raw, but at least healthier and requiring no cooking!) rounded out the sweets. I came away with a whole new idea list of cookbooks to buy! (The library owns some great ones that are older but look awesome!). I came away with the realization that I can touch those 25 people's lives, they can go on and touch a few more, and therefore the message can be spread much further and to a broader audience than this poor blog. :)

Last week, my husband (using the library's copy of Vegetarian Meat and Potatoes, by Robin Robertson) decided he wanted to make her Tofu Pot Pie. It required quite a few steps, including making a gravy, but all in all it wasn't too bad. Here is that bad boy, hot out of the oven! Quite a nice crust - tender and flaky, although barely big enough to reach the sides of the dish.



The inside was full of steaming veggies, tiny cubes of tofu and the gravy. Results? Three stars *** for sure! If we made it again, I'd add some different veggies and double the amount of crust. Hubby loved it! He thought it would be a great dish to serve our non-veg parents.






Meanwhile, I was still trying to use up the phyllo dough I had leftover from the spanikopita (from Vw/aV)and the Moroccan-Infused Vegetable Phyllo Rolls (from ED&BV). Here is the beautiful and incredibly yummy smelling mixture that filled the Walnut, White Bean and Spinach Phyllo Rolls (also from ED&BV). I was in heaven! However, when I drizzled the finished rolls with a balsamic/flax oil sauce, the picture looked kind of funny, so I'm omitting it from this post. Just trust me that it was amazing! Three and a half stars ****! (the filling was a tad dry - the drizzle was necessary!)
My Wild Irish Stew isn't a recipe title that would ever catch my attention, especially since it basically was a root vegetable (ie-starchy) concoction, but after a weekend of making sweets for my Veg 101 presentation, I desperately needed something salty and completely un-sweet! Robin Robertson came to our rescue, as her Vegetarian Meat and Potatoes cookbook helped my husband make this stew without a whole lot of fuss. What tender veggies! What hearty potatoes! What great flavor! Four stars for sure**** and a big surprise for me. My husband graciously allowed me to have the last bowl of leftovers later that week. He has now decided that he wants to buy this book - a first!!!
I ended my two-week cooking splurge with three baked banana goods, to use up the six or seven bananas getting overripe in my kitchen! Yesterday I whipped up my favorites: Dense and Fruit Banana Bread, from Vegan Express (I exchanged wheat germ for the cocoa powder, sunflower seeds for the walnuts, applesauce for the oil), Banana Wheat Germ Muffins, from Veganomicon (again exchanging applesauce for the oil), and Banana Almond Coconut Carob Muffins, from Extraveganza (photo left - holy cow, these are good!!!). But tonight, we venture into our first chili of the season, this time a recipe from Vegan World Fusion Cuisine.