lo mein

i've never really been a fan of take-out lo mein.  it always looks so oily and super soy saucy (which means way too salty for me).  i have no idea why, but i had a serious craving for it a couple of weeks ago.  have you ever had that - where you absolutely must have something and you can't think about anything else until you get it?  it was that kind of  lo mein craving.  so i promptly bought some noodles and set out to make some miss v lo mein.

• 10 oz. lo mein noodles
• 5 button mushrooms, sliced
• 1/2 cup shredded carrots
• 1/2 bell pepper, julienned
• 1 cup chopped napa cabbage, or bok choy
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 3/4 cup veggie broth
• 2 tablespoons nama shoyu or lite soy sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil

bring water to boil in a large pot and cook noodles for 3 minutes (or according to package directions). drain and rinse with cool water.  heat wok to 375°f  and sauté the garlic in the sesame oil.  once garlic is browned, add in sliced cabbage, veggie broth and nama shoyu.  stir fry the cabbage for 2-3 minutes, keeping the lid on the majority of the time.  next, add in red pepper flakes, red bell pepper, carrots and mushrooms.  continue to stir fry for 3-4 minutes. once veggies are tender, but still a little crisp, add lo mein noodles to the wok and toss with veggies for about 1 minute.  sprinkle a little extra low sodium soy and a dash of sesame oil at the very end.

makes approximately three generous servings.

vegan mofo: quinoa and purple cauliflower casserole

i got over-hyped about the purple cauliflower.  c'mon... it happens to the best of us.

status: somewhat fail.

why i'm including it: it really wasn't terrible, but it was my first time cooking with purple cauliflower AND with quinoa (this is an old pic).   it was sort of a melty cheese casserole thing that i still have the recipe for.  it was like a C+ meal...  but i really just wanted to post a picture of purple cauliflower.


would i make it again:  it was the first and only time i've seen purple cauliflower.

vegan mofo: millet loaf

i was inspired by many fellow bloggers to work on some more gluten-free recipes, so i opted for a main base of millet.


status: good eating!

why i'm including it: the millet is an awesome grain for veggie loaf.  and it's gluten free!  for whatever reason, i totally forgot to write anything down.

would i make it again:  an enthusiastic yes.  recipe forthcoming in 2011.

ps - see previous vegan mofo post about those spicy green beans in the background.

vegan mofo: grandma's eggplant parmesan

my lovely italian grandma surprised me with this dish of something wonderful earlier this fall.


status: foodgasmic!

why i'm including it: i visited my grandma for her birthday earlier this year...  she's an amazing woman who has inspired me more than she knows.  and she's made some of the best italian food  i've ever tasted (and still trying to emulate).  she taught me about black pepper on pizza!   anyways, she embraced my veganism and made this eggplant parm for us to share, complete with vegan mozzarella.

would i make it again:  if only i could do her cooking justice.

 

ps - happy thanksgiving!

vegan mofo: cheeseburger casserole

it's amazing what sounds good after a LOT of beer.


status: drunk food.

why i'm including it: i have no idea what spawned this idea, but i think it was another fourth meal concoction.  we whipped up some sort of red bean burger crumbles, topped with some nooch sauce, french fries and bacon bits on a big hoagie bun. 


would i make it again:  my arteries hurt just remembering it. 

vegan mofo: grilled kohlrabi

this was my first year trying kohlrabi, and i was totally impressed.


status: needs enhancement.


why i'm including it: this was actually really tasty - we put in on the grill in a foil pouch with some grilling spices and green peppers. it was okay, but lacked something by itself. my plan is to make it again and serve it as a condiment on something - like vegan brats.


would i make it again: as soon as the spring time rolls around, it'll be on my blog.

vegan mofo: chili infused vodka

simple, but awesome.  we just popped some chili peppers in a decanter of high quality vodka... and two weeks later, we had some kick-ass bloody marys.


status: good drinkin'! 

why i'm including it: again, i wasn't sure if this was real recipe, or just more of fun experiment.

would i make it again: we're still working through the first decanter.  (we also made black pepper vodka - so good)!

vegan mofo: ambercup mash

i was given an ambercup squash and had no idea what to do with it.

status: epic fail!


why i'm including it: it seems every vegan and their mother loves some sort of squash mash or hash. i guess it's just not for me. it was too sweet.


would i make it again: nope, i'm sticking with the spicy chili squash soup (which i've now also made with butternut and love)!

vegan mofo: broccoli & brown rice casserole

really simple recipe that actually tastes good, but is it too simple for vegan blog recipe post?


status: good eating?

why i'm including it: i made this like 2 years ago.  simple, tasty, easy.  i have the recipe, but it just seemed so simple.  maybe i'll glamorize it a bit and re-post.  it might taste okay, but really has no personality.

would i make it again: i do, for easy dinner nights. it needs something more to be blog-worthy.

vegan mofo: fourth meal

i love my man v. food. it's horribly hedonistic and terribly unhealthy, but still, i love the glee adam has for each new foodie encounter.   

status: foodgasmic!

why i'm including it: i reserve wednesday nights for fourth meal - typically made right after watching man v. food. this was some sort of concoction involving a sammie of french fries, vegan queso, chili beans, tomatoes, tapatio sauce, and jalapenos.   it was drunk food, but it tasted sooo good.

would i make it again:  not the healthiest or calorie-friendly, but i probably would for a rare indulgence.

 

ps - once i remake this, i'll post a recipe for all my non-calorie-countin' vegan friends.

vegan mofo: homemade polenta

i have some italian heritage and feel that all italian foods should just come naturally to me.  not so easily, i learned.


status: somewhat fail.

why i'm including it:  i love the tubes of polenta you can buy, and thought there was no better was to use up some cornmeal than to cook up an authentic version.  unfortunately, i don't believe i ever saw my grandparents make homemade polenta (although i've heard stories).  a LOT of effort and time later, the results were just 'meh'.  (i added in some bell peppers to make it tastier)

would i make it again:  not sure. is buying it all that unauthentic?  i've seen one of the tubes in my grandma's fridge, after all.  :)

vegan mofo: asparagus miso soup

remember when my brother brought me 28 pounds of asparagus?  that gave me a ton of leeway to create recipes...  and this was one of them.

status: somewhat fail.

why i'm including it: it really wasn't bad, but felt it could have been better?  i don't know - maybe it was the miso?

would i make it again:  i might try to swap out the miso, or change the recipe some.  the next time i have 28 pounds of asparagus lying around, i'll let you know.

vegan mofo: baby bok choy in oyster sauce

i like baby bok choy and i like (vegan) oyster sauce.  where did this go wrong?

status: somewhat fail.

why i'm including it: i saw a great recipe about baby bok choy in oyster sauce.  sounded awesome.  turned out...  just meh.   i'm not sure what could be done to improve it other than making it into a different dish.

would i make it again:  i might try some changes, but i'm not enthusiastic.

vegan mofo: mom's first vegan meal

my mom is pretty chill about my vegan diet.  my pops was whipping up chicken enchiladas for the family and my mom went out of her way to make vegan ones for me.  this was a couple years ago, but i kept the picture because it was awesome and it was made with some serious love.

status: heart warming.

why i'm including it:  don't get a lot of vegan meals cooked for me, and this was just a act of foodie love by my mom.  plus she introduced me to a vegan cheddar that actually melts!

would i make it again:  i would, but i'm waiting on mom to make it again.  hint hint, mama.

vegan mofo: tofu scramble

most vegans love their tofu scramble, as do i.  however, after reading about the amazing egg flavour you can get from black salt over at bianca's vegan crunk blog, i went a little overboard.  do you ever do that?  seriously, this was soooo salty that i didn't even finish it.


status: epic fail!

why i'm including it: although this was a one-time tofu scramble fail, it still stands out as one of my worst meals in the past year.

would i make it again:  i do, but i keep that black salt in check.

vegan mofo: purple cabbage & jicama slaw

a mix up on cabbage slaw that didn't light my fire.

status: epic fail!

why i'm including it: although it wasn't quite an epic fail, this particular recipe definitely need some improvement.  the cabbage, jicama and pistachios definitely rocked.  the dressing, however, is a bit tricky with those ingredients.

would i make it again:  parts - yes.  look for an improved recipe in 2011.

vegan mofo: homemade taco bowls

i rarely have a meal cooked for me - especially one with such effort!

status: foodgasmic!

why i'm including it: i do 99% of the cooking in my household, but sometimes i just want to come home to a home-cooked meal.  despite the marinated tofu and home made taco shell, i never posted it because i don't really know how he made it. but i will say it was delicious!

would i make it again:  never have made it, but would love to have it made for me again (hint, hint)! 

vegan mofo: apple butter and salsa

a couple of years ago for christmas, i canned some organic homemade apple butter and salsa.  supplied were limited, so only my near and dear friends got a jar. 

status: good eating! (i hope!)

why i'm including it: i took pictures with the intent of posting the recipes.  however, i never got around to it.  plus i don't have any pictures of the 'making' of it - just the dolled up christmas jars.

would i make it again:  i'm thinking about making the apple butter again this year.  i'll be checking my list if you've been naughty or nice.

vegan mofo: brussels sprouts, two ways

i love roasted brussels sprouts and make them a variety of ways.  

status: good eating!

why i'm including it: i have pics of both roasted bbq brussles and spicy cheesy ones, but this is only a couple of ways i dress them.  however, the pictures are less than glamorous.  

would i make it again:  definitely and with different sauces every time.

vegan mofo: spicy green beans

spicy green beans are one my faves!  

status: good eating!

why i'm including it: i decided not to make this a normal post since it's really just french style green beans with hot sauce.  sometimes i use a mexian (like tapatio) or sometimes i used frank's.  in the background, you can see the chickpea cutlets from veganomicon with jessy and dan's white bean gravy and then a some roasted garlic mashed potatoes

would i make it again:  i do. all the time!

vegan mofo: seaweed and soba

next up: seaweed with soba noodles, with shittake and some sort of sauce (don't recall!)


status:  epic fail

why i'm including it: a few reasons.  i like seaweed, but not that much of it.  it became like eating seaweed.  the second reason is that what ever combination of sauce i created wasn't that great...  so it was just 'edible'.  plus, the pic wasn't great.

would i make it again:  nope. see the seaweed details above.

vegan mofo: epic fails and then some

vegan mofo is one month where vegan bloggers post a new recipe or do some sort of blogging about veganism or the vegan community every day (or as much as possible). this year throughout the month of november.
this year i thought i would really try to post once a day, and for a theme, i thought would do vegan mofo: epic fails (and then some).
each day for the month of november i will post a picture of an epic fail: something i made that either didn't stand up taste-wise or was just a badly framed photo. and for the 'and then some': i'll post some foodie pics that actually tasted good, but for whatever reason didn't make it to my blog.  there will be no recipes, but a dedication to vegan food nonetheless.

after november, i will go back to my regular two or three posts a month.  so i apologize in advance for the atrocities that you are about to experience.

first up: polenta with tomatoes and toast. 

why i'm including it:  i actually like polenta slices and garden tomatoes (and toast), but the picture was just sort of random.   this was back in 2008 before i knew how to take a half-way worthy blog pic.  plus, was it really a recipe?

would i make it again: sure, although i don't eat a lot of breakfast meals.

banana & pb2 smoothie

i eat a lot of  bananas.  i'm prone to a lot of foot cramps and bananas are one of the only things that help temper them.  luckily, the are one of my favouite fruits and make amazingly creamy smoothies.  i whipped this one up after a visit to the gym and got to use my new glass straw!  lauren over at ginger is the new pink features these a lot and i've wanted one for a while.  i finally picked one up at a festival a couple weeks ago.  it makes drinking so awesome and it's eco-friendly!

• 2 bananas
• 5 ice cubes
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 tablespoon of pb2

pb2 is a peanut butter powder with a lot of the fatty oils removed.  essentially you add water to create a peanut butter paste.  i like to use it in smoothies, cupcakes, icings, etc. to get the flavour without all the fat.

for this recipe, just toss everything in blender and blend until smoothie.  drink with a glass straw if you have one!

balsamic green bean salad

i made this a couple months ago almost exclusively using produce from greeley gardens.  i've blogged on a couple other csa-inspired dishes, but i really made a lot more than made it to this blog.  i was able to can a lot of the veggies so i can continue to enjoy them all winter long. what i love most about my weekly bag of produce is that i'm almost immediately inspired to create a new recipe.  you can check out the weekly pics of all my csa goodies here.

• 1 cup mixed yellow and green beans
• 5-6 baby potatoes, diced
• 5-6 cherry tomatoes, halved
• 8 button mushrooms, sliced
• 2 tablespoons veggie broth
• 1 tablespoon vegan butter

for the miso balsamic dressing:

• 1¼ yellow miso
• 3/4 teaspoon garlic
• 3/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
• 3 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
• 3/4 teaspoons rosemary
• pinch of black pepper

chop beans into 1-inch bite sized pieces. steam the diced potatoes and green beans for approximately 10-12 minutes. meanwhile, lightly sauté the mushroom slices in the butter and veggie broth for about 5 minutes and then set all the veggies aside to cool

mix the dressing ingredients in a magic bullet or blender.  put the cooked veggies in a dish and pour the dressing over top.  add in the cherry tomatoes and toss gently.

this can be served cool or warm.

dolmas & baba ganoush

i've been way too busy to really devote time to typing out recipes (shame on me!), but there has been no lack of cooking or eating in my house.  i thought i'd come back with two recipes from a mediterranean platter that i've made a couple of times with dolmas (stuffed grape leaves), baba ganoush, pita, falafel, olives and crackers.  it's a nice little twist on the traditional sunday football snack plates.

for the stuffed grape leaves:

• 1/2 cup basmati rice
• 2 cups water, divided
• 1/3 cup pine nuts
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/2 tablespoon bragg liquid aminos
• 1/3 tablespoon olive oil
• pinch of garlic powder
• 6 grape leaves

bring rice and one cup water to a boil, then let simmer for 20 minutes. blend pine nuts, lemon juice, braggs, garlic powder and olive oil in a food processor.  mix the creamy pine nut paste with the rice.  if you have leaves in jar, pull out 6 or so larger leaves, open it up and rinse well.  lay the leave flat with the stem side up and place about a tablespoon of the rice mixture in the center.  fold the stem side up over the mixture, and then fold in the two sides of the leaf.  then just roll it up.  if you've never done this before, it will take a couple tries and maybe a couple torn leaves.  but once you get it down, it's a snap.

tightly pack the leaves seam-side down in a small non-stick skillet or small saucepan.  you want them pushed up against each other so the leave don't open while they cook.  pour about a cup of water in the pan and cover.  let them steam for about 20 minutes, then cool slightly and sprinkle with a little lemon juice before serving.

for an alternate recipe, sub out the pine nuts and olive oil, and use about 6 oz tomato sauce instead.  the lemon juice and tomato sauce are an awesome combo.  
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for the baba ganoush:

• 1 medium eggplant
• 1-2 cloves garlic
• 2 1/2 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 tablespoon tahini paste
• 1 teaspoon olive oil

i like the eggplant with extra roasted flavor.  traditionally you might bake with skin on and then peel it off afterward (it slides right off).  however, i cube mine and put it on a foil lined cookie sheet (spray with non-stick oil).  roast on 400°f  for about 25-30 minutes.  then i have to peel each cube, but it's pretty easy because you can just peel the skin off.  it's worth the extra effort if you like the roasty flavour.  i've tried peeling before i cube it, but i tend to loose too much eggplant.

after the eggplant has cooked, pulse all ingredients in a food processor.  it is imperative you let it sit for at least 4 hours to attain baba ganoush flavor.

i like to use the leftovers as a dressing for my overstuffed falafel pitas.  yum!

purple potato & brussels sprout salad

the best thing about having a csa this year is that i have found so much new produce to cook with (hello, kohlrabi rocks!).  i only blog about one tenth of the things i make.  seriously, if you are in kansas city and are looking for a quality produce csa, i urge you to check out greeley gardens.  every saturday i jaunt down to the city market for pick up and rush home to start plotting and scheming what to make with all the goodies in my bag.  purple potatoes have been in my crop a few times, and i whipped up this tasty little salad a couple weeks ago.

• 6-8 small purple potatoes
• 1 cup brussels sprouts
• 1/2 tablespoon olive oil

caper dressing:

• 1½ tablespoons earth balance, softened
• 1/2 cup cashews
• 1½ tablespoons jarred capers
• 1½ tablespoons vegan mayo
• 1¾ tablespoons lemon juice
• 1/2 tablespoon caper brine
• 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
• 3/4 teaspoons dijon mustard
• 1 small clove garlic, minced

cut up the potatoes and steam for approximately 15-20 minutes.  while they are steaming, slice brussels sprouts into halves and toss with 1/2 tablespoon olive oil. arrange them on a foil-lined cookie sheet and broil on low for 5-7 minutes on each side.

while potatoes and brussels are cooling, mix caper dressing ingredients into a food processor and blend well.  toss brussels sprouts and potatoes with caper dressing until well coated and sprinkle with vegan parmesan.  serve slightly warm.

purple potatoes!

kimchi

if you follow my blog at all, you probably know i'm a cabbage junkie.  i eat the stuff by the bowlful.  last year i bought a airlock fermenter so i can make my own gallon jars of homemade kraut.  the best part - lots of extra cabbage (i always overestimate). so i put my overstock to good use, and decided to make up a batch of vegan kimchi (most recipes have some sort of fish sauce). let me preface this by saying i don't know how authentically korean this recipe is, but it makes the kimchi flavor i like, so i'm sticking with it.  the one thing i don't add is sugar, which a lot of recipes call for. but again, if you read my blog, you know that sugar and i are like oil and water - we just weren't meant to go together.  i've included pics at the bottom that document the process of making this deliciousness.

• 1 head of napa cabbage
• 2 baby bok choy
• 1 carrot, shredded
• other veggies: green peppers, daikon, scallions
• 1¼ tablespoons kosher salt
• 3 cups water

for the kimchi paste:

• 1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon korean chili powder
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 cloves ginger, minced
• 3 tablespoons water

start by prepping the cabbage.  cut a small v into the thick part of the stem and remove.  then cut it crosswise (see picture below).  put cabbage in sterile bowl, and toss with about 1¼ tablespoons of kosher salt.  next, cut up the bok choy, and mix in with the cabbage. add the water and let sit at room temperature for about a hour or two. in the meantime, mince and slice the other veggies. after cabbage has tenderized in the brine, drain and rinse the cabbage off several times and taste a small piece.  if it's too salty, submerge cabbage in water without salt and let sit for 15 or 20 minutes to desalt and then drain.  it's sort of a balance that you will figure out after a couple times making it.

in a separate bowl, mix up all the paste ingredients except for the sesame seeds.  put all the veggies in the bowl with the cabbage and mix in paste.  you can do it by hand by using gloves, or i just use a large sterile plastic mixing spoon.  make sure all the cabbage is coated, and then toss in the sesame seeds and mix them in.  in a sterile quart jar, start packing the kimchi in, making sure to press down and push out any air.  once the kimchi is packed in, pour in the remaining kimchi brine that was generated by mixing the paste. make sure the cabbage completely covered with slurry.


at this point, you can eat it, pop it in the fridge or let it ferment (more traditional).  to ferment, make sure all cabbage is covered with slurry (but not completely to the top), cap it, and put in a cool dark place (slightly below room temperature) for a few days before moving to fridge.  if needed, you can fill a ziploc bag with water and set it on top to submerge the veggies before you cap it.  i've done both, but fermented foods certainly have some benefits.  eat with noodles, rice, dumplings, in soups, in nori rolls, as a side, etc.

get your ingredients together

prep your cabbage

mix with kimchi paste

tightly pack in a jar for consumption

red mulberry green smoothie

i love where i live.  we moved from a really cool 1930s house to this one about four years ago, and i love that we live a little off the beaten path.  we have land - which means we see deer, turkey and beavers and lots of toads, snakes, and field mice all the time. in addition to our plentiful garden, we also have wild strawberries, morels and mulberries out the wazoo.  when the mulberries ripen, i take my colander outside and just fill it up, over and over again.  don't worry - there are plenty left for the birds, i only pick the ones that i can reach, and i still have to freeze them because there is no way i could eat them all before they'd go bad.

• 3/4 cup red mulberries
• 1 banana
• 1/2 cup baby spinach
• 1/4 cup water
• ice (optional)

put everything in a regular blender and go for it.  green smoothie tip - don't put the spinach in first.  :)   also, my mulberries were frozen ones from the late spring harvest, but if you are using fresh ones, i'd throw in a couple ice cubes.

ps - if you know anything about glassware, i bought these glasses in an antique store about 5 years ago.  it's a set of 6 tumblers.  i don't know anything about them, if they are vintage or not, but whatever wisdom you might have, i'd love to know.

wild rice kale wrap

i've been a terrible blogger lately - summer is just so crazy busy.  the good news is that i'm still cranking out lots of recipes, i'm just not getting them posted as quickly as i'd like.  like a lot of vegans, finding a wrap or tortilla that doesn't contain l-cysteine has presented its challenges to me.  luckily our local store started carrying joseph's flax, oat bran & whole wheat tortillas, and i snatched them up in a hurry.  they were pretty decent, although they did start to dry out a little after a few days. you can see a few tears in the wrap, but that could also be because i overstuffed them.  at any rate, i was just happy to have a wrap to stuff all these yummy ingredients in.

• 1/2 cup wild rice
• 6 oz of tofu (marinated)
• 1/3 avocado, sliced
• 1/2 carrot shredded
• 1 kale leaf, shredded
• 1/2 cup salsa
• 1 joseph's flax wrap

tofu marinade:

• 1/2 cup wheat free tamari
• 1/4 cup water
• 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
• 1/2 tablespoon of pure maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder

mix the tofu marinade ingredients in a bowl.  crumble the tofu and mix with marinade for a least 2 hours.

cook wild rice according to directions.  about 15 minutes before rice is done, heat a large non-stick skillet and pour both the tofu and the remaining marinade in and sauté on medium-high until liquid dissipates. turn the heat down to medium-low and continue to fry the tofu, using a spatula to flip over occasionally.  this creates a nice crispy outside on the tofu.  after it reaches your level of crispiness, turn off heat and let cool.  the rice should be done as well, and should cool for about 5 minutes before placing in the wrap.

you will want to use a small dash of olive oil to massage your kale - this will remove the cardboard stiffness that raw kale can have.   layer the rice, avocado, tofu, carrot, and kale.  add salsa to your liking and wrap like a burrito.

the delicious kale was part of week 3 csa bounty!

spicy adobo vegan burgers

i thought i made the ultimate spicy burgers back with these puppies.  but the second i was in the store and spotted the can of chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, i knew i had met my match.  we've only grilled them up a few times, but if you are looking for some serious heat, bookmark the recipe below. i found the can of peppers in the regular market, but i've also seen it in ethnic grocers as well.  these burgers are spicy - no lie - so be sure to use lots of condiments to help temper the heat.  and if you are heat lover like me, i promise you'll appreciate the extra kick (and yes, i did add extra jalapenos).  happy independence day!

• 1 cup cooked millet
• 1/3 cup cashews
• 1 can black beans (2 cups)
• 3/4 teaspoon liquid smoke
• 1/2 fresh jalapeno, minced
• 3/4 teaspoon cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/3 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 can (3.5oz) chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
• 2 tablespoons ground flax
• 2 tablespoons nutritional yeast
• 3/4 cup bread crumbs

simmer 1/3 cup dry millet in about 1 cup of water for about 25 minutes (stirring occasionally and adding water as needed).  after the millet is done, put it in the fridge to let it cool for at least an hour. it really enhances the stickiness of the grain. if i plan ahead, i usually cook it the day before i make these burgers and just leave it in the fridge overnight.

once millet has cooled, combine all ingredients in the food processor.  check your peppers for stems first, and be sure to add about half of the adobo sauce as well.  if your millet is still slightly warm, you may have to add a little more flax or bread crumbs.  after pulsing for 10-15 second, use the mixture to make about 6 normal sized burger patties. then prepare your favourite way - i like grilling mine for about 15 minutes on low-medium heat so the outsides get all crispy. yum!  be sure and spay or rub a little oil on the grill first to prevent them from sticking.

cashew tamari dressing

 have long been a fan of homemade salad dressings, and rarely purchase the commercial variety.  however, there are a few bottled versions that i love, and i recently added another one to the list when i visited austin this past spring and my fabulous aunt took me to wheatsville co-op.  aside from the great selection of groceries and a myriad of vegan options at the deli, they also have a seriously awesome cashew tamari dressing. faced with the idea of funding a trip to austin every couple weeks to pick up a bottle, i hauled some back to kansas city and used it sparingly for several weeks as i tried to make a clone.  the result was... pretty darn close.  and cheaper than flying to austin once a month.

• 1/2 cup raw cashews
• 2¾ tablespoons water
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1¾ tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1¼ tablespoon tamari
• 1/4 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

combine all ingredients in a magic bullet or blender, and let soak for about an hour.  after soaking, puree the heck out of it until the cashews have been effectively pulverized. add a little water along the way if needed or if you like thinner dressings.  makes enough for 2 or 3 salads and will keep in the fridge (sealed) for a couple of days.

served here over a yummy kale salad, courtesy of my awesome csa, greeley gardens.

chard and turnip gratin

finally the stars aligned, and i found a kansas city csa that i could afford and had a nearby pickup area.   granted, i have my own organic garden every year, but i think a csa is perfect for supplementing my own veggies, and hey - it totally inspires my inner chef by providing me with ingredients i'm less familiar with.  this was our first week, and i received an awesome canvas bag with radishes, turnips, swiss chard, red & green lettuce and a kohlrabi.  the first thing i set out to tackle was the turnips...  and threw in some chard.  this gratin was the result, and it was super savory and totally veggie packed.  yum!  thanks greeley gardens!

• 1 package mori nu firm tofu
• 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons soy milk
• 1½ teaspoons apple cider vinegar
• 3/4 cup button mushrooms, sliced
• 1/2 cup small turnips, sliced
• 4 swiss chard leaves, diced
• 1/3 cup uncooked wild rice
• 3/4 cup veggie broth
• 2 tablespoons earth balance
• 1/4 teaspoon dijon mustard
• 1 teaspoon onion powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/8 teaspoon sea salt
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
• 2 tablespoons tahini
• 1 tablespoons tamari
• 2 tablespoons water
• 1/4 cup breadcrumbs (optional)

first bring veggie broth to a boil and add wild rice. bring it back to a boil, stir, cover, then simmer for 35 minutes or until veggie broth has evaporated.  in a separate container, pour apple cider vinegar into the soy milk and let sit to thicken.  in the meantime, slice turnips into thin medallions.  also slice mushrooms and chop your swiss chard.

set chopped veggies aside and preheat oven to 375°f.  in a blender, combine the tofu and rest of ingredients (except breadcrumbs) and puree into a thick gratin sauce.  add the earth balance to a large skillet on medium high, and add turnips.  sautée for about 4 minutes, then add mushrooms and sautée for another 2 minutes.  finally add the chard to the mix, cover, and steam/sautée for another 2 minutes.

combine wild rice, veggies and blended gratin sauce in a bowl and mix.  pour into a greased 1.5 quart round casserole dish.  sprinkle the top with bread crumbs if so desired, and bake for 40-45 minutes.  let cool for 5 minutes before serving.  then liberally douse with your favorite hot sauce.  :)

my awesome csa haul:

small bites: artichoke & sun dried tomato bruschetta

this is the last post of my small bites series, and probably the most simple of 'recipes'.  it's actually just two ingredients, but the end result is super yummy.  i love artichoke hearts on... everything.  i want to create twist on the standard tomato bruschetta, and thought artichoke hearts would make a great ingredient to swap in.  and to give it a just another little zing, i used sun dried tomatoes, although i'm sure regular ones would make a nice flavour combo as well. the picture here is half a bowl of simple tomato bruschetta (left) and the artichoke and sun dried tomato on the right.  i didn't want to dirty up all of kim's dishes just for a pic!

• 6 oz. small jar of marinate artichoke hears
• 7-8 sun dried tomatoes, not oil packed

i buy sun dried tomatoes in bulk and just rehydrate them when i need.  in this case, i soaked them in a warm bowl of water for about 25 minutes, and then sliced each one into matchstick size pieces. next, drain the artichoke hearts. if you aren't using the marinated ones in a jar, i would suggest making a marinade of olive oil and some spices and letting them sit for a while.  the pre-marinated ones make this so much easier, though.

and that's it.  combine and let sit for a few hours.  no need to add garlic or other spices, cause the artichoke hearts take care of it for you!   

small bites: zesty olive tapenade

as i recently posted about, my friend kim and i had a delicious feast of italian tapenades and bruschetta for dinner one night.  kim used her new ninja to make this olive tapenade.  i love my magic bullet, but the ninja looked like it could hold a little bit more - i might have to consider getting one.  this tapenade was sooo good - it tasted a little zingy at first, but it was totally balanced out by the flat breads and crackers.

• 3/4 cup black olives
• 1/2 cup green olives (w/ pimentos)
• 2 tablespoons capers
• 2 cloves garlic
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 fresh lemon, juiced
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

 this is one of those simple throw together recipes - just toss everything in a ninja or food processor, and pulse several times.  you don't want a puree, but rather a finely minced tapenade.  it makes a good cup and  half - quite a bit of tapendade.  it's definitely an easy go to recipe, especially if you keep olives on hand.  thanks for the recipe, kim!