Online Recipe Reviews: Buffalo Tofu Sammies, Melty Cheese, Cauliflower Poppers, and Pad Thai

I love the internet and I love saving trees whenever possible by looking up online recipes and refraining from printing them out to add to my massive "Online Recipe Book/Binder"... I learned how to cook this way and met some awesome vegans in the process! VegWeb.com was where I got started (I don't log in much anymore due to some fucked up viruses that are supposedly not an issue anymore) and learned the skills I needed to be self sufficient :)

The 2 pictures above are of a Buffalo Tofu Sandwich (I had leftover homemade buffalo sauce from Spork Fed that needed to be used up)... Can't even imagine store bought slathered on this but my bestie said these were amazing even with the store bought buffalo sauce!

Melty Cheese from VegWeb is my go to "Nooch" sauce... Love me some vegan nachos... Sinfully delicious always! I almost prefer it to Daiya sometimes as I prefer homemade grub :)

Cauliflower Poppers from VegWeb are also a staple at the pad... You seriously know you are awesome when your drunken munchies consist of cauliflower... LOVE THIS RECIPE... Don't even measure anymore... Something to remember: If there is too much liquid left in the pan when the cauliflower is done cooking dump it out near the end and brown the cauli a little. (I have been pan frying these a lot more recently than roasting because it is quicker)

Lastly, Pad Thai! Love 2 recipes, one of which my future husband, The Vegan Zombie, created and the other HERE (Which I photographed). 

Peace.Love.Vegan,

Amy

I Eat A Lot of Tacos & Stuffed Bell Peppers... Thought You Might Like To Know

Yuppppp, Yuppers, Fo Sho... I eat a shit ton of tacos and stuffed bell peppers and I kinda think you should too... For starters, Vegan With A Vengeance (VWAV for all you trendy as fuck vegans out there) is my go-to for stuffed peppers and holy shit, I just found the recipe with this simple thing called GOOGLING: Black Bean, Mushroom, and Quinoa Stuffed Peppers!!!

So I have made these probably a hundred times and I strongly recommend you make them 100 times too so chop chop, get on that... Sometimes, I swap shit out... For instance, below I subbed Japanese eggplant for the shrooms and pintos for the black beans :)

I also eat a hella lot of tacos... more like veggie fajitas for that matter... portabella, bell pepper, and onion are my favorite and most of that shit you can find at the 99 Cents Only store here in So Cal (SOMETIMES EVEN ORGANIC AND SHIT)... Just slice your veggies, saute in some oil or a little veggie broth (I always use homemade, we will talk homemade broth soon), add some taco seasoning (VEGAN POLICE: WATCH OUT FOR COW SECRETIONS IN STORE BOUGHT TACO MIX) and you have yourself some fajitas. Now heat up some tortillas and top with the fajita veggies and other faves like lettuce, vegan sour cream, homemade guac, etc. (I assume you have made a taco and can figure this out).

Here is my friend Leia's recipe for Homemade Taco Seasoning Mix in case you only have secretion taco mix to choose from :)

6 tsp. Chili Powder
5 tsp. paprika
4 1/2 tsp. cumin
2 1/2 tsp. Garlic Powder
3 tsp. Onion Powder
1/4 tsp. Cayenne Pepper
1/2 tsp. Salt (optional)

Combine all ingredients together, and mix well. 3 tablespoons mix equal one packet of taco seasoning.

 Peace.Love.Vegan

Amy

The Post-A-Thon... 2011 Week 43 and 44

I have been eating and I have been taking pictures amongst all the drama and craziness in my life... Time to get back to normalcy and lay low... Let's get real

Let's start off with polishing off some leftovers... Spicy Eggplant with Tofu and some fried rice... I have really started to dig Japanese eggplant if you can't tell by now.

My last VWAV Stuffed Bell Pepper topped with vegan sour cream and paired with Homemade Refried Beans garnished with fresh tomatoes, cilantro, and green cabbage.

Viva Vegan's Potato and Kale Soup... Never bother with making the vegan chorizo anymore cause it's like an extra hour or so of effort and I like the soup as is.

I love me some brussels and these are the rest of the Maple Brussels I made... I ate them for breakfast cause I'm weird like that... Dipped in barbecue sauce... Don't judge

I love that vegan food doesn't go bad fast! Seriously, leftovers can sit in my fridge for practically 2 weeks for the most part without getting gross... That's awesome!

I made a batch of Crock Pot Seitan a few weekends ago and finally did something with it!

I sliced half the batch of seitan into strips, shook the strips in a ziplock with some cornstarch, fried the coated strips in oil, once they were nice and golden I turned off the heat and added some barbecue sauce and stirred to evenly coat... Served these puppies up with some Japanese eggplant that I fried in oil and coated with sweet chili sauce and some kale salad.

Here is the Kale Salad (Before I slopped some of the end of it onto the dish above) in all it's glory. Recipe HERE (Scroll down halfway to Tess Challis)... Lemme get that Kale Salad!

I found a tube of Soy Chorizo AT THE 99 CENTS STORE! I fried it up with some chopped green bells, onion, and garlic and made my skinny ass some tacos. Here they are topped with Homemade Refried Beans, vegan sour cream, green cabbage, and cilantro.

Here they are again with sliced shrooms, vegan sour cream, green cabbage, and cilantro.

I also made some brown mexican inspired fried rice colored with Viva Vegan's Annatto Infused Oil, cumin, oregano, S&P, onions, garlic, and cilantro... Topped with some chunky homemade guac.

I made VWAV's Hummus again... Legit, though my tahini was kinda whack and I could tell this was much lower in fat and creaminess because of it... I don't mind though since it was for my next creation...

VegWeb's Fresh Folds with Balsamic Reduced Caramelized Onions... Oh my! Delicious <3

Folded in all it's sloppy glory <3

Peace, Love, Vegan <3

The Post-A-Thon... 2011 Week 42 and Korean Potatos Recipe

Hey peeps! As you all know, I batch cook and eat leftovers. It makes being vegan easy on me as I prefer to eat homemade food whenever possible since I know what I am putting in it! I had lots of leftovers to eat all week for lunch and dinner. Lunch is usually a big salad for me everyday or soup and dinner is the meal I like to eat something spectacular. Here are some of the things I consumed this week.

Last weekend I made some bomb nachos using almond pulp from making almond milk and subbing it (I used double the amount) for the cashews in the Melty Cheese recipe (So if you made the whole recipe it would be 1/2 cup alomond pulp). I also added a little white miso to give the nooch sauce a sharp chedddary taste. Very good!

Tofu is such an easy thing to throw together into an easy meal. Two of my current favorite dishes are VW's General Tao's Tofu and SP's Spicy Eggplant with Tofu. I make them almost weekly.

General Tao's Tofu with brown rice fried up with sesame oil, garlic, Braggs, S&P, and kale.

Spicy Eggplant with Tofu topped with Sriracha and paired with brown rice fried up with frozen peas and corn, Braggs, and Sriracha.

Spicy Eggplant with Tofu paired with Maple Glazed Brussles and brown and white rice fried up with frozen peas, Braggs, Sriracha, and kale.

VWAV's Stuffed Bell Peppers were a centerpiece of many meals this week with fried rice of some sort or Homemade Refried Beans for pairing.

 VWAV's Stuffed Bell Peppers paired with white rice fried up with peas, kale, Braggs, avocado, salsa and cilantro. This fried rice remix was my favorite of the entire week. Most days I would take leftover fried rice or just plain rice and rejazz or just jazz it up. Rice is so versatile and easy to make into an awesome side dish in minutes. I just cook it in the morning while I am getting ready for work in my rice cooker and then let it cool down during the day and it's ready to fry up when I get home from work... Simple planning peoples!

VWAV's Stuffed Bell Peppers topped with some chipotle mayo type drizzle, Roasted Rosemary+Sage+MapleSyrup+S&P Carrots, and Homemade Refired Beans.

VWAV's Stuffed Bell Peppers topped with vegan sour cream, Homemade Refried Beans topped with cabbage, cilantro, and hot sauce

Korean Potatoes

Korean Potatoes Recipe

Ingredients:

2.5 pounds baby potatoes (Red, White, or PURPLE), halved

1 large yellow onion, thickly sliced

1/2 bunch green onions, thinly sliced

1 T cornstarch mixed with 2 T water

Sauce:

1 T sesame oil

10 cracks black pepper

1/4 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup garlic, minced

1/2 cup Braggs or Soy Sauce

1/2 cup water

Directions:

Place potatoes in a large pot and spread evenly

Whisk sauce ingredients and add to the potatoes.

Cover the pot and bring to a boil. Once boiling turn the heat to a simmer. 

Cook the potatoes for 15 minutes and mix then top with sliced yellow onions, cover and cook for another   15 minutes and mix again. The potatoes should be done by now, if not cook them covered for a bit longer. 

Add the cornstarch + water slurry and the green onions and mix until the sauce thickens.  

Korean Potatoes with brown rice fried with Braggs, Sriracha, frozen peas and corn, and plain cashews.

Peace, Love, Vegan <3

The Post-A-Thon... Massive Unload Part 11

I have decided I will continue the "Massive Unload" theme... I had a week full of eating bizarrely paired leftovers and a crazy weekend... Here are some slop worthy photos for real foodies haha:

 Slop Style #1: Indian Potato Cauliflower dish, Teriyaki Baked Tofu, Roasted Broccoli, all smothered in Miso Gravy with minced baby bellas added while heating the gravy leftovers (Why did I not think of the shroom addition earlier?!)

Slop Style #2: Roasted Broccoli, Creole Roasted Carrots, Indian Potato Cauliflower dish, Indian Eggplant Potato dish, and remainder of the Miso (And now baby bella) Gravy smothered on top.

I did do a bunch of cooking and food prep yesterday (Saturday) and today (Sunday) to kind of calm my nerves for the remainder of the week. I have food to eat for the entire week in my fridge ready to go so I can relax! I made some Vegan Ranch and prepped a huge container of salad base (Romaine, cabbage, and carrots) and have containers full of prepared add ins: Kidneys, sliced black olives, corn, green onions, cilantro, and cubed teriyaki baked tofu so that lunches will be a breeze! I also made VWAV's Black Bean, Mushroom, and Quinoa Stuffed Peppers, VW's General Tao's Tofu, Brown Rice, Calrose Rice, Life Enchanting Lentil Soup (Recipe received from the Mother unit, I will see if I can find a link), Spicy Eggplant with Tofu, and Maple Glazed Brussels. I do plan on making a batch of Crock Pot Seitan for an easy "Meaty" item to pair easily with items for din din.

Today I made Vegan Nachos, but subbed some almond pulp (Moist from just making plain almond milk) for the cashews. I also used almond milk instead of the usual soy for this recipe and it worked out beautifully! I will be doing this now indefinitely as I have an indefinite supply of almond pulp! These bad boys had the "Cheeze", VW's Sausage Crumbles, homemade refried beans, black olives, homemade guac, tomatoes, vegan sour cream, and green onions as toppings... Score!

I also made a huge pot (12 cups of just liquid homies) of Life Enchanting Lentil Soup. I love soup, maybe it's a vegan thing? I just love how warm and comforting it is and how many healthy ingredients you can jam pack into one serving :) Soup for me all this week... Squeeee <3 I will probably jazz it up with some additional spices and throw in some precut kale.

Lastly, I had a huge 2 pound bag of brussels from Costco that needed to be roasted and slathered in something. I have been reading Leafygreensandme for awhile and this lady is such an amazing cook that it scares the crap out of me quite frankly... I can only aspire to be such an amazing cook and recipe writer! Her recipe for Maple Glazed Brussles Sprouts was right up my alley, read: 4 INGREDIENTS THAT I HAVE ON HAND! I love her technique though with cooking down the maple syrup! My stupid ass would have just tossed the brussels in maple syrup without cooking it down so that it coats the sprouts ever so perfectly! I COULD EAT THESE ALL DAY EVERYDAY!

Go make some!

Peace, Love, and Veganism <3

Cinnamon Vegetarian Restaurant (Los Angeles, CA)

LA has like a million vegan restaurants, it is overwhelming to have so many options, seriously. I chose Cinnamon Vegetarian Restaurant and I wasn't disappointed. I didn't want the typical Asian or American themed vegan food, I wanted something different and this Latin food did not disappoint 4 out of 5 stars! 

We split the Empanadas that were served up with some salsa. The filling was TVP for sure, sinfully fried and delicious!

I had the "Chicken" Mole with Refried Beans and Spanish Rice. The "Chicken" had a texture and taste I wasn't too familiar with and the little pieces were even presented on a fake bone which kind of creeped me out, for realz. It was pretty good, I really liked the Mole sauce and the refried beans and homemade whole grain flour tortillas that came with!

My step mom got the Stew in Green Sauce with Black Beans and Spanish Rice. I liked the texture of the "Beef" or whatever they were trying to mock in the dish, the taste was decent.

I also enjoyed a glass of Horchata which was very yummy! I haven't enjoyed this yummy drink since going vegan almost 3 years ago :)

The reason I went up to LA was to see my "friend" via the internet vegan community, Quintess (Author of Radiant Health Inner Wealth), do a cooking demo and book signing. I love meeting online friends in real life and this chick is so healthy she freakin glows people, no joke! She made some kale salad and lemme tell you... It actually tasted good! I rushed to the store and bought all the ingredients I didn't have on hand so I can make it tomorrow! I tried making kale salad once and it tasted like ass. I knew I did something wrong if so many other people seem to enjoy it. I won't post pictures of me and Qunitess cause I look semi-gooberish :) The kale salad is so easy though it's just kale, lemon juice, crushed garlic, sea salt, agave nectar, olive oil, raisins, and kalamata olives... Like a perfect mix of sweet (raisins), spicy (garlic), and sour (kalamata olives)!

The Post-A-Thon... Massive Unload Part 4

The Vegan Mouse's Mini Wet Burritos:

These Mini Wet Burritos, or rather enchiladas in my opinion, are the bomb, seriously peoples! They even take the cake over VegWeb's Cheesy Bean and Cheese Enchiladas, and believe me, that means a lot! My love for this easy casserole probably comes from the fact that it incorporates quinoa, which I love, and I without a doubt almost always have every ingredient on hand... Go make these asap!

I had enough of the filling mixture leftover to fill some additional corn tortillas and was able to use up some homemade enchilada sauce I has laying around and just made some extra drizzle (The smaller batch with the greenish sauce and corn tortillas). I love how the drizzle turns from light pink to and orange "cheesy" looking color once it bakes in the oven, brilliant!

Peace, Love, Vegan <3

Sorry I've Been MIA...

I have a lot, I mean A LOT of catching up to do... It's Friday night and I have an appointment tomorrow in the AM so I will break my massive amounts of vegan food porn up into a few separate posts to keep you peeps (who are still paying attention to my blog) some stuffs to look at...

Easter (Yes, I know like a month ago) was quite a vegan success... I had a Tofurkey in the freezer and this was the last time I ever planned on making the damn thing again since, I felt it wasn't that "drool worthy"... Well holy crap, my Tofurkey turned out bomb on Easter... I did the soy sauce and herb mixture on the back of the package this time and probably doubled it... Perfection

I also made a vegan cheesecake from my friends blog Vegan Machine and oh my, did this cheesecake taste delicious! I boiled down some frozen berries with sugar for the cheesecake topping, my family scarfed it down!

I have also been doing tons of cooking out of my favorite cookbook, Viva Vegan... Here is some food porn to enjoy... Above is Gallo Pinto served with some vegan sour cream, tostadas, and random garnishes... It is also pictured below with some creamy chipotle sauce made out of vegan mayo blended with soy milk and canned chipotles in adobo (plus more random garnishes), with a side of homemade jalapeno refried beans.

I also made Viva Vegan's Peruvian Seitan Skewers and Yellow Garlic Rice and served them up with some Easy Elotes (canned corn, vegan mayo, and pico de gallo seasoning sprinkled on top).

Here is Viva Vegan's Quick Red Posole with Beans. I wasn't impressed with this dish unfortunately and will not be making this again...

I made 3 batches of seitan as well a few weekends ago: Red, White, and Chorizo Seitan... All turned out magical as usual as Viva Vegan's Seitan recipes never disappoint!

I used the Chorizo Seitan Sausages to make my new favorite soup: Potato-Kale Soup with Sizzling Chorizo!

Finally, I had some Classic Roasted Tomatillo Sauce in the freezer that I thawed and used to whip up some Potato-Chickpea Enchiladas with Green Tomatillo Sauce (Sans the nasty Cashew Crema)

That's all for this post! Stay tuned homies!

Peace, Love, Vegan <3