Quinoa Cakes with Herb Baked Lentils, Garlicky Greens and Rosemary Fig Aioli

This past Saturday's supper club was a celebration of yummy spring foods and flavors. I am so thankful for this incredible weather...what better way to celebrate than with an awesome meal?! This is a complete meal all in one beautiful plate, and it's gluten free too!! Go get some greens from your farmers market and get cooking!
Quinoa Cakes with Savory Herb Baked Lentils, Garlicky Greens
and Rosemary Fig Aioli

Savory Herb Baked Lentils (makes about 1 qt)
1 lb uncooked lentils
4 cups cold water
1/4 cup chopped fresh thyme--or 1 Tbs dried
2 Tbs chopped fresh sage-- or 1/2 Tbs dried
2 Tbs chopped fresh basil--or 1/2 Tbs dried
1/2 Tbs dried rosemary leaves
1/2 Tbs paprika
1 tsp black pepper
1 tsp white pepper
1/2 Tbs sea salt
1/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup organic sugar
1 Tbs gf soy sauce or Bragg’s liquid aminos
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup yellow onion, diced

Bring water to a boil and add lentils. Cook for 20 minutes, until lentils begin to become tender. Remove from heat.
Add the rest of the ingredients to the pot and pour mixture into baking pan .Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 45 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare the quinoa cakes.

Quinoa Cakes (serves 6, makes 12 individual squares)
1 cup uncooked quinoa, rinsed
2 cups cold water
1/4 cup garbanzo bean flour
1/4 cup brown rice flour
1/2 tsp sea salt
1/4 tsp white pepper
Juice of 1 lemon
2 Tbs olive oil
2 Tbs tapioca starch
1 cup vegetable broth or water
2 tsp agave nectar

In a large pot , bring water and quinoa to a boil. Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes until all water is absorbed. Fluff with a fork. Let cool for about 15 minutes, to allow some of the starch to release. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350 F.
Add the rest of the ingredients and stir well.
Lightly grease 1 cookie sheet.
Pour quinoa mixture into prepared pans and press firmly to create an even, tight layer. If you are having trouble getting the mixture really packed in, place a piece of plastic wrap over the top of the mixture and roll over the top with a rolling pin, to create a flat surface and a firmly packed layer.
Bake for 20 minutes. Remove and slice into 12 squares, and then return to the oven. Bake for 10 more minutes. Let set and cool for 15-20 more minutes before serving.

Rosemary Fig Aioli
1 block silken tofu
1 cup vegenaise
¼ cup olive oil
Juice of 1 lemon
½ cup all-fruit fig jam
2 Tbs dried rosemary
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp sea salt
1 tsp white pepper

Combine all ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until creamy and smooth. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Garlicky Greens
1 large bunch organic spinach or other greens
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tbs olive oil
1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar or red wine vinegar

In a large saute pan or wok, heat the olive oil and add the garlic. When garlic begins to sizzle, add in the greens and stir. Cover and cook over medium heat for 3 minutes. Add in the vinegar and toss to coat. Remove from heat and serve.

To assemble plate: Place 2 quinoa cakes in the center of a plate. Pour baked lentils over the top, followed by the sauteed greens. Drizzle or add dollop of aioli, and then garnish with fresh chopped scallions. Serve immediately.

Home For the Holidays, Part 1

It can be pretty tough going home for holidays to a non-vegan household. Not only do you have the anxiety of "what will I eat" but you also often have to to deal with the odd looks, comments, questions, etc. from inquisitive (yet loving) relatives. And you thought it was bad answering questions about whom you are dating!! But it doesn't have to be as difficult as it may seem...at least for the food problem! There's a few simple things you can look for in your family's pantry that they already have, which you can throw together and eat!!

For example, we had a family Christmas this weekend, and I was able to make this Holiday Quinoa Salad without getting anything special from the store! Holiday flavors and good nutrition are a combination that's hard to beat! While your parents may not be stocked with quinoa, you could easily substitute rice or any grain for the same tasty creation!This is simply quinoa my mom had, and I added a holiday-spiced teabag to the boiling water to cook with the quinoa. This really added a nice, mild flavor to the quinoa!! When the quinoa cooled, I tossed it with canned mandarin oranges, parsley, toasted almonds, spinach, red onion, and dried cranberries. I made a simple dressing to put on it of dijon mustard, olive oil, maple syrup, apple cider vinegar, and some spices, including chili powder and cinnamon! It was really good and easy, too! I just dug through the cupboards and put random things together that seemed like they would taste good!

There are some easy rules/things to look for when at a family member's house who is non-veg, and you want to whip up some grub to please your tastebuds and possibly even impress your family!
1. Canned fruits and veggies....maybe not your ideal choice at home, but work really well when away! Canned tomatoes are seriously soooo versatile!! Fresh produce is obviously even better, if you can find them, but don't hold your breath :)
2. Dried or canned beans...a staple in kitchens, even of the non-veg variety! Rice and beans, anyone?
3. Dried fruit...essential for snacking, salads, etc. Always at your family member's house who is "trying to eat healthier." When are they just going to go vegan already???!! ha.
4. Nuts or seeds...protein is key for keeping up energy during the stress of the family holiday gatherings! Look for them in peanut butter, too!! Best eaten by the spoonful, of course!
5. Oatmeal....the perfect breakfast in a non-veg house: no cereal labels to stress over, no soy/rice/hemp milk required, easy and quick to make, warm and delish!! Try drizzling with some maple syrup and cinnamon, which pretty much everyone has! mmmm....

See, you too can not starve or stress when you are away from home, in a country bumpkin town, with a bunch of carnivores! hooray!

Here's the whole dinner my veg mom and I made (yes, I am really lucky my mom is veg and goes out of her way to buy me vegan stuff and wants me to cook for her when I come home! she is awesome!!!) The Holiday Quinoa salad from above, Tofurkey roast with stuffing, and Steamed Green Beans with Caramelized Onions. So good!!! God bless Tofurkey, seriously.
I even made a pie for dessert! Pecan Pie (Bryanna's recipe from the Vegan Feast Kitchen). Pecan Pie is the best pie fyi. Best when topped with some Soyatoo whipped topping and a big mug of hot coffee. This is Christmas in a crust.Before I left, my mom requested her favorite breakfast: scrambled tofu! She even went out and bought all the veggies for it! Bonus! This is probably the best scram-fu I've ever made!! It is onion, garlic, red and green bell peppers, mushrooms, spinach, yellow and zucchini squashes, seasoned with Bragg's, hot sauce, turmeric, and salt 'n pepper. Served with whole wheat toast...and black coffee, of course!! I'm glad she requested this, because it was amazing!
For my first night back to my real house in Columbia, I wasn't much in the mood for cooking after having to try and be creative for a few days, so I made an old favorite: Soba Noodles with Veggies, Baked Tofu, and Homemade Peanut Sauce! This dish NEVER fails! perf.

More holiday posts to come!! oh joy! Also, Happy Hanukkah to those celebrating!! :)

Belated MoFos!!

I have been quite the lazy blogger for the past two days! My apologies...after I got back from my long week in Chicago, I was too lazy to cook (and I had no food in my fridge!), I was tired, and I really just wanted to hang out with Steven. Needless to say, I was less than motivated to cook or blog! I am now refreshed and ready to cook, though, starting with last night!
Yesterday was not only Halloween and the last day of Vegan MoFo, it was also me and Steven's nine month anniversary! yay! So, I had to make a really delicious dinner for us, and I wanted it to be something he loved a lot...but not more than me :)
I went with Homemade Bratwursts, inspired by Julie Hasson's recipe for Spicy Italian Sausages, served with Bubbie's Raw Sauerkraut on top, along with Braised Cabbage and Local Apples, and Rosemary-Roasted Sweet Potatoes. This meal was perfect! Warm and satisfying...perfect for a long night of Halloween fun! And there's even orange in the sweet potatoes! So clever.When I was in Chicago, I picked up something locally-made to make for Steven and myself, because I think it's really important to try local items wherever you go to appreciate the culture and tastes of the places you are visiting. When I saw this Upton's Naturals Chorizo-Style Seitan at Whole Foods, I knew that this is the item I had to bring home with me!! It seemed like a lot of the veg-friendly restaurants there in Chi-town had something featuring Seitan Chorizo on their menus, so I wanted to try using this tasty ingredient at home as well!

I wanted to use the chorizo in a Mexican/South American-inspired dish, so I made this:
Seitan Chorizo with onions, garlic, jalapenos, red peppers, hominy, greens, and avocado over quinoa....with lots of citrus, cumin, chipotle, and cayenne, this was really flavorful, and was a great way to celebrate the chorizo! I haven't had hominy in a long time, and I had forgotten how much I love it! yum!!

This precious little skull is made of chocolate (obviously) and was another cool thing I bought in Chicago! This was made by the gourmet chocolatier Vosges, who is famous for creating innovative and wonderful chocolate concoctions. This particular Hot Chile Chocolate Skull, in celebration of The Day of the Dead/Halloween, was made of solid dark chocolate, ancho chiles, chipotle chiles, cinnamon, and black sea salt...this skull was so warm and spicy and sweet and flavorful! This is probably the only time I will rave so much about eating a body part (unless they make more body parts out of chocolate)!

On some side notes:
Happy end of Vegan MoFo...I'm already looking forward to next year!
Happy belated Halloween
Please do whatever you can to support/volunteer for/encourage Barack and Joe over these next three days! We are so close...don't give up now, people!!

Vegan MoFo Day #22: My Meme Survey!

Heeeeey MoFo!

This is the first survey I've ever done, so I am pretty excited! I got this from Jes at Get Sconed!, so you know it's a quality meme! After you read it, you should complete it and blog about it yourself! Then, I guess it would be a youyou :)
1. What was the most recent tea you drank? Yogi Tahitian Vanilla Hazelnut. with agave nectar and a splash silk creamer. zomg.
2. What vegan forms do you post/lurk on? If so, what is your username? Spill! the ppk….my username is peace by pastries
3. You have to have tofu for dinner, and it has to be an Italian dish. What comes to mind first? spaghetti with tofu “meat”balls, and some vegan parm!
4. How many vegan blogs do you read on an average day? too many, 15 to 20, but there are about 10 that I read religiously, sometimes I will even read up to 30. yikes.
5. Besides your own, what is the most recent one you’ve read? yeah, that vegan “shit”
6. If you could hang out with a vegan blogger that you haven’t met, who would it be, and what would you do? I would want to hang out with isa and jess, because they are awesome and both live in Portland, so I could get both at once, and I would go on a bike ride with them then bake lots of goodies
7. If you had to base your dinners for a week around one of the holy trilogy – tofu, seitan or tempeh, which would it be? seitan!
8. If you had to use one in a fight, which would it be? tempeh, especially since it is rock-solid when frozen
9. Name 3 meals you’d realistically make with that tough protein of choice! 1. cornmeal-crusted tempeh from Candle Café Cookbook 2. tempeh reubens 3. tempeh bacon with blueberry pancakes (brinner! yay!)
10. What’s a recipe in vegan blogland that you’ve been eyeing? peanut butter cinnamon rolls from bjorkedoff. I dream about them.
11. Do you own any clothing with vegan messages/brands on them? I have some vegan Macbeth shoes I got at mooshoes in nyc, but they don’t say “vegan” or anything
12. Have you made your pilgrimage to the 'vegan mecca' yet? (Portland, duh) no! but I would give my left nut to go there right now! if I had one.
13. What age did you first go vegan? Did it stick? 19. heck yes!
14.What is the worst vegan meal you’ve had? Who cooked it? I honestly don’t know if I’ve had a “bad” meal, but I did make a curry one time that came out really bitter. but it was still edible.
15. What made you decide to blog? reading other people’s blogs incessantly and wanting to show people that it is possible to be vegan in the Midwest!
16.What are three of your favorite meals to make? 1. bbq seitan with cornbread and greens 2. vegan crab cakes 3. breakfast for dinner, particularly pancakes and “sausage”
17. What dish would you bring to a vegan Thanksgiving-themed potluck? pumpkin pie and rosemary-roasted sweet potatoes
18. Where is your favorite vegan meal at a restaurant? How many times have you ordered it? seitan piccatta from candle 79, but I have only ordered it once.
19. What do you think the best chain to dine as a vegan is? probably p.f. Chang's. I don’t go to chains really, so I am the wrong girl to ask
20. My kitchen needs a……… kitchenaid stand mixer. or just more space!!!!
21. This vegetable is not allowed in my kitchen…..! all vegetables are allowed! my least favorite is cucumbers though. weird.
22. What's for dinner tonight? quinoa with baked tofu, sweet potatoes, kale, and miso- tahini sauce. my perfect meal.

Here's my evidence of #22:

I am convinced that this is THE perfect meal: quinoa, roasted sweet potatoes, sauteed kale, tofu (cooked with bragg's and nooch), drizzled with miso-tahini sauce. I can't imagine anything better!!

Oh, and for lunch, I came up with an awesome way to use the leftover brats I made yesterday: Bratwiches!! I sliced up the brats and put them on toasted rye bread with spicy mustard, dill relish, and all the fixings...genius! I was out of kraut, but I would definitely slap some of that on there next time! yay fermented foods :)

yeah, the picture sucks, but it tasted awesome!!

and, yes, you MUST vote on November 4th! Obama or bust :)

Caribbean Black Beans with Coconut Quinoa

Hey! It's another day at the MoFo...I can't believe it it already day 20! Where has the time gone?? Anyway, I have been thinking about this recipe for a while now, so I finally decided to make it: Caribbean Black Beans with Coconut Quinoa. I have had the idea of what I wanted it to look and taste like, and what would go into it, but I finally stopped being lazy and went for it! This was really spicy, most likely due to the addition of habanero hot sauce my friend Sarah brought me from her trip to the Caribbean a while back....but you could adjust the heat to your liking! Plus, the coconut milk is a nice way to cool off your tongue after all that heat! Caribbean Black Beans with Coconut Quinoa (serves 4)
3 cups cooked (from 1 cup dry) black beans
1 Tbs olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 inch ginger, minced
1 stalk celery, diced
1 medium carrot, diced
1 medium red pepper, diced
1 cup cabbage, shredded
1/4 habanero pepper, or jalapeno if you're not into the hotness
1 mango, diced
1 avocado
1 Tbs allspice
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp cayenne
1 tsp thyme
pinch of salt and pepper
a few dashes of hot sauce, to taste
juice of 1 lemon
1 Tbs tamari

4 cups cooked quinoa (from 1 1/2 c uncooked)
1/2 cup coconut milk
1 tsp curry powder

To make black bean mixture: In a large pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion, celery, carrot, and red pepper, and saute for 5 minutes to soften. Add garlic, ginger, hot pepper of choice, cabbage, and spices, then saute for 2-3 more minutes. When everything has started to brown, add in the beans, tamari and lemon juice and reduce the heat, then simmer for 10 more minutes.
While that is cooking, prepare the quinoa: Add the coconut milk and curry powder to cooked quinoa and keep warm over low heat while finishing the black bean mix.
After simmering black beans, stir in diced mango, salt and pepper, and hot sauce to taste.
To serve: Ladle bean mixture over prepared coconut quinoa, and top with 1/4 sliced avocado per serving, sliced thinly and prettily. Now enjoy...but have plenty of water on hand to cool off your mouth!

And remember: you've now got two weeks to tell everyone you know to vote on November 4th!! Call, email, write, whatever....just get out the word about Obama and the need to get your vote on! thanxxx.

Day One of Vegan MoFo!

Happy Vegan Month of Food, everyone!!! For the first day of Vegan MoFo, I will share with you one of Steve and my favorite dinners, which I made for the second time last night: my Jamaican Feast! This Jamaican-themed meal is made up of Jamaican Jerk Seitan (based off of the Jamaican Jerk Temeph from ivu.org), Coconut-Curry Quinoa, Steamed Greens...obviously with plenty of hot sauce, and Pan-Fried Plantains. I think I have perfected my plantain recipe, so I will give it to you to try! I like this version, because it is slightly healthier, and probably easier, than it's deep-fried counterpart! Plus, who doesn't want something a little sweet with their dinner?? I do, I do!

Pan-Fried Plantains (serves 2)
2 large plantains, ripened to where the skin has started to turn black
2 Tbs canola or peanut oil
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
2 Tbs agave nectar...or more if you're a sweet tooth like me!
pinch of black pepper

Peel the plantains and cut each one in half horizontally. Then, slice each half in half again, this time lengthwise. Sprinkle both sides of the plantains with the salt and cayenne.
In a large skillet over a medium flame, heat up the oil until it gets really hot, but not smoking! Lay the plantain slices cut-side down and let cook for 5 minutes, until they start to get brown and caramelized. Flip the slices over and cook for 5 to 10 more minutes. The outside should be getting crispy and golden, and the inside should soften up a bit. Remove from the pan and lay on a paper towel to sop up extra oil. Drizzle the agave nectar over the plantains and sprinkle with pepper. Serve hot with the rest of the Jamaican Feast and enjoy!

Egg McVegans and Jamaican Food

I have had more time and energy over the past week or two to cook...probably because I have been working less...so I have made some pretty tasty food! It's funny that when school started, I actually wanted to start cooking more! I guess I won't complain!

A few days ago, a few friends and I went to go see our future vice president, Joe Biden, speak here in Columbia. It was really awesome and a great chance to see some history happen...but we had to be there at 6:30 in the morning!! I am a morning person, but this was crazy! It was worth it though, because I made us Egg McVegans to eat while we waited in line in the cold... now I think I would get up early for anything, just to use an excuse to make these! I got the idea for making these from the recipe off of Broke Ass Vegan's blog (http://brokeassvegan.blogspot.com). It's not exactly the same, as I made a few modifications to how I like my breakfast sandwiches, but the idea is basically the same (I guess I should thank McDonald's, too...nah.) Egg McVegans:
1 package Sprouted Wheat English Muffins, toasted
6 Vegan Cheese Slices
1 log Gimme Lean Sausage
1 lb. block Extra Firm Tofu
6 tsp Veganaise

In a large bowl, combine 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar, 2 T olive oil, 1 tsp salt, and 1 tsp pepper. Slice tofu into 6 equal slices and place in bowl. Let this marinate for about 20 minutes. Remove tofu and bake at 35o F for about 20 more minutes, flipping halfway through baking. While tofu bakes, form sausage into 6 patties and place in heated, greased skillet and cook til brown on both sides. To assemble the sandwiches, place vegan cheese slice on one side of split English muffin and a smearing of Vegenaise on the other side. Place in oven to get melty for a few minutes. Remove from oven, then place a slice of the tofu "egg" and a sausage patty on the cheesy side. Top with the mayo side and put in oven for 2 minutes to get everything all nice and happy together. Then enjoy with a big pot of piping hot coffee!! Makes 6.

Egg McVegans

Here we are (Me, Anna, Steve, and Danny) waiting in line to see Joe Biden...happy about coffee, food, friends, change, and love...

I have really been wanting to try some things on the Vegan's 100 list that I had not had before, so this week I decided to make fried plantains! Thank goodness for this list, because these were great! I went with a whole Jamaican theme for the dinner, and it was freaking delicious!!!

Jamaican Jerk Seitan

The Jamaican-inspired dinner consisted of: Jamaican Jerk Seitan, Coconut-Curry Quinoa, Fried Plantains with Agave, and Steamed Greens. Steve and I were both blown away at how good this simple and filling meal was! I made the Jerk Seitan recipe basically like I had before, based off the Jamaican Jerk Tempeh recipe from ivu.org. The greens were simply steamed and I dashed them with some hot sauce and nooch, for good measure. For the quinoa, I just made 1 cup of quinoa per the directions, and about 5 minutes before it was done, added 1/4 cup coconut milk and 1 Tbs curry powder. wow!! I didn't look up a recipe for the fried plantains, so I just made one up and it turned out perfectly! I think you should try it, too! Fried Plantains:I just heated up some canola oil in a skillet and placed the plantains (cut in half then sliced lengthwise) in the pan and sprinkled them with some salt and cayenne. After browning on both sides, I drizzled them with the agave nectar and served them hot. I could have eaten my weight in these things!!

Here's the whole thing all pretty and plated:

It's only halfway over, but this week has been great so far! :)

Burritos, Stew, and Brats...oh my...

I haven't been baking much over the last week, because of busy schedules and such, but I have been doing some good cooking! I really want to hone some of my cooking skills, so I have been focusing on that a bit more lately than the baking side of life! As wonderful as it is, though, my heart will always belong to the wonderful world of baked goods :)
A few nights ago, I made tempeh burritos for me and Steve, with a medley of steamed vegetables on the side. These burritos are one of our favorite things to eat...they are really savory and unique and totally hit the spot!

Tempeh Burritos
(serves 2)

6 to 8 oz of tempeh
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 T Braggs (tamari or shoyu will work, too)
2 whole wheat tortillas
1/2 an avocado
1/2 c cucumber, sliced
1/2 c tomato, diced
6 kalamata olives
1/2 c red onion, diced
1 cup spinach, chopped into bite-sized pieces
2 T tahini

Dice the tempeh into cubes and mix with minced garlic and Bragg's. Place onto a lightly oiled sheet pan and bake at 350 F for 15 to 20 minutes, until nice and browned.
Warm the tortillas in a skillet until soft and pliable. Mash 1/4 of an avocado on each tortilla and spread evenly around. Add the baked tempeh, diced veggies, and spinach. Drizzle 1 T of tahini over the vegetables and wrap the tortilla shut. Place closed tortilla fold side down on a skillet over medium heat to toast, then flip burrito and toast on the other side to golden brown.
Serve warm...goes really well with some steamed broccoli! :)


The next night for dinner, I made one of my favorite recipes. This is the Indonesian Tempeh Stew from the Students' Vegan Cookbook. I am not sure if the sweet and spicy flavors and the awesome use of the sweet potato (one of my favorite foods!) makes this one of my favorite recipes, or the fact that it comes from my first all-vegan cookbook...either way it is awesome and I could eat it every single day! Especially when I serve it all nice and hot over a bed of quinoa...it doesn't get much better!!

Tonight's dinner was similar to something I made a few weeks ago: Tofurky Beer Brats! This time, I had them with braised red cabbage with onions, garlic, apples, and fennel seeds...and tons of saurkraut on top! Fermented foods will save the world. Paired with some oven-roasted potatoes and steamed broccoli, this meal was hearty and satisfying. If you haven't tried the Beer Brats yet, I highly recommend it...not too scary meat-like or anything! Check 'em out!

I am planning on doing some awesome baking this week...
I hope I can remember to post about it !

Taco Swell

Last night, Steve and I had the first of what I hope will be many taco nights!!

We started off with crispy blue corn tortilla shells.... then filled

them with Mexican-spiced tempeh with cilantro and lime....

Then, for the veggies, we had a fuuuuullll spread! We had avocado

that Steve had gotten in Mexico on a rock climbing trip (soooo creamy soooo good!), red onion, tomato, shredded cabbage, and a squeeeeeeeze of fresh lime juice--the limes were also from Mexico! My boyfriend went to Mexico and all he brought me back were these amazing avocados and limes...hmmmm...... :)

And, of course, to top it all off we had some spicy salsa verde and Tofutti Sour Supreme! That stuff is dangerous it is so delicious!!

We had some "Spanish" quinoa for our side dish, loaded with tomatoes, garlic, and spices (cayenne, cumin, coriander, chili powder, paprika, cilantro...). I have a mild obsession with quinoa. no big deal.

I think this taco night thing will have to become a new tradition...

Muy bueno!!! :)