Get Ready for... The Post-A-Thon... Massive Unload Part 1

I haven't posted since freakin July, what a shame, I haven't eaten since July either, I weigh fifty pounds now... 

Kidding!!! So as I kick back this "Lovely"... Bizarrely cold, hail ambushed, rain filled, thundery... Saturday afternoon, tucked away in my cozy apartment with the pups, sipping a vodka, OJ, frozen banana concoction, I decided I need to unload... Food Porn that is, the "Stuff" I have been consuming... 

I've been low on funds lately, which has been a blessing in disguise as I get creative with what I have and even start making my own ALMOND MILK! Gasp... Enough talkin, well typing, cause I honestly can't stand to read blogs with tons of words... Just get to the point: VEGAN FOOD PEOPLESSSS...

Massive Unload Part 1: Viva Vegan

On July 3rd 2011 (Ya, I know, 2 months ago!), I spent the ENTIRE DAY making tamales out of Viva Vegan... The total count came to something like 116 tamales, I think I made 5 or 6 batches and I just finished eating them a week ago!!! I made the Farmers Market Tamales and Black Bean Sweet Potato Tamales. Pictured above are the Farmers Market Tamales paired with Terry's suggestion of Green Tomatillo Sauce. These tamales were very tasty and very easy to make because the veggies were mixed into the masa dough instead of filled inside. I love this green sauce even though I always skip the extra step of adding the sauce back to the pot to simmer at the end. 

The Black Bean Sweet Potato Tamales were excellent as well! I paired these with Terry's suggestion of Red Chile Sauce, if you can't see above, this is what happens when you burn the chiles, your sauce looks purple/ black... Blech... I thought it was gross... I added some agave nectar to mask the "Smokey" taste and people actually liked it. One friend even look horrified when I told her I dumped it cause I thought it was gross. I wish she would have told me that before I dumped it! 

I've made the Red Chile Sauce before though and it is very good! Just don't go all crazy over-toasting your dried chiles, maybe I passed out from the intense pepper fumes without noticing?! Oh ya, note to self, toast dried peppers with all the windows open and the fan on full blast, make sure you do this by your lonesome unless your friends and family don't mind gasping for air for the next 30 minutes :)

Next up, Empanadas! I've showed you these on my blog before and they are worth every minute of effort, seriously... Viva Vegan's Sweet and Spicy Seitan Potato Empanadas (Bolivian Saltenas), paired with Terry's recommendation of So Good, So Green Dipping Sauce (Green Aji Sauce).

I make this in batches: Filling make 2 days before, Dipping Sauce and Dough make 1 day before, day of make the EMPANADAS!!! Otherwise, do this on the weekend, as you would Tamales (Unless you are a vampire or zombie that doesn't need any sleep). Make sure you put anything made in advance in the fridge, I know vegan food typically spoils very slowly, but I made the mistake of leaving the filling out for like a day and a half on the stove and it went bad... I was sad :( wasting yummy food upsets me...

The Empanadas are orgasmic and the Dipping Sauce is known to have addictive qualities... Anybody that has ever had the privilege of trying this green sauce has begged for the recipe, no joke... I can almost read their mind as they come to my cubicle, eyes wide open... I say, "The Green Sauce?"... They say, "Yessssss OMG! I need to make it what is in it?!"... I hand them a photocopy of the recipe immediately, (My recipe tweaks jotted down) to avoid bodily harm... Problem solved, vegan victory :)

I've also made my favorite recipe out of Viva Vegan, Peruvian Seitan and Potato Skewers (Seitan Anticuchos). I typically leave out the potato and just do the Red Seitan, bell pepper, and onion... Pictured is the kabobs removed from the stick. I always broil mine for about five minutes on each side since I don't have a barbecue though, even if I had one, I would probably continue to do it this way.

Red Seitan is always an easy go-to when I want to make some "Beef" like fajitas! Which are pictured above, and below, along with some homemade jalapeno flavored refried beans and Viva Vegan's Yellow Garlic Rice (I make this rice dish almost weekly).

 

Lastly, is Viva Vegan's Cubano Vegano Sandwich made with Mojo Oven Roasted Seitan, I love this seitan recipe and the sammie is alright, a little too "Meat and cheese" centered for my tastes, but not bad... I prefer this Mojo Seitan recipe as is, paired with rice and veggies :)

Peace, Love, Vegan <3