Playing Catch-Up: Christmas Food!

WOW. I just realized I haven't posted in two whole months! That's slightly embarrassing, and just a bummer because I love blogging! I've been super busy with the holidays, traveling, and working, but my resolution for the new year is to blog regularly again! And that means taking pictures of my food again, too! I finally got my camera working, so that will be easier than just using my phone! Now I've just got to get back into the discipline of blogging. I'm making lots of good food....I'll just have to prove it now!

To get things rolling, I'll show you my Christmas dinner...it was super traditional, which is how I usually like my holiday meals, and it was fantastic!!

The usual suspects (at least in the vegan world!): Tofurkey Roast, with roasted veggies, mashed potatoes and mushroom gravy, garlic-roasted Brussels sprouts, citrus cranberry sauce, and olive bread. Duh. And for dessert, Christmas cookies out the wazoo!

Clockwise from the left: Almond Crescents (adapted from Martha Stewart's recipe), Rocky Road Cookies (from Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar) with the modification of subtracting white chocolate chips and adding Dandies vegan marshmallows!!, Vegan Caramel Delight Cookies--made with shredded sweet potatoes, my recipe here, and Chai Chocolate Chip Shortbread from VCIYCJ. I loved them all so much, I think I ate a dozen cookies on Christmas day. It had to be done!! If I had to pick a favorite....well, I just can't! Hope all your holidays were wonderful, too! Now it's back to normal life--and back to blogging for me!

Off The Kids Menu...

A few weeks ago...yeah, I forget to post sometimes....I served what I called a "kindergarten throwback" meal at my vegan supper club. It was glorious! All the fixings for a kiddie meal ala school cafeterias, but with a healthy, vegan twist!!

I made Tofu Nuggets, out of local Central Soyfoods tofu, with Homemade Vegan Ranch and Homemade Ketchup for dipping (I'll post those recipes soon)! For the sides, I served Organic Roasted Peas and Carrots, and Vegan Mac'n'Cheeze!! I think I might have made the best vegan mac ever, so I'll give the recipe out...let me know what you think!!
Super Tasty Vegan Mac and Cheeze (serves 8-10)
1 lb whole wheat elbow macaroni
1 cup unsweetened soymilk
1/4 cup nutritional yeast, or more to taste!
1/4 tsp turmeric
1/2 tsp mustard powder
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp sea salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp white pepper
1 cup vegan cheese, shredded (I used Follow Your Heart's Vegan Cheddar)
2 Tbs vegan margarine

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the macaroni noodles and cook for 8-10 minutes until al dente. Drain--do not rinse--and return to pan.
In a large sauce pan, whisk together the soymilk, nutritional yeast, and spices. Bring to a boil and allow to simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in the shredded cheeze. Lower heat and stir continuously until the cheeze is completely melted and sauce is smooth.
Add margarine to noodles and toss to coat. Pour the cheesy sauce over the buttered noodles, and then gently fold in the sauce to coat the noodles. Add extra salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot.


For dessert, I made the Big Fat Rice Krispie Treats from Isa and Terry's Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar!! These are seriously, seriously awesome!! They were so reminiscent of the childhood favorite, I couldn't believe it! And, since I used puffed brown rice cereal, they were quite a bit healthier! Bonus!! If you don't have that book yet, get it! If you have it and haven't made these treats, make them!

All The Glory That Is Seitan Piccata...

If you've never had anything "piccata" style, I feel almost certain you have not fully lived. The bold and savory flavors that are created from the combination of capers, lemons, white wine, onions, garlic, shallots, and parsley are absolutely stunning to the mouth. I am not exaggerating here, either! Then to bless breaded and pan-fried homemade seitan with this deliciousness is just so good it should be illegal. But it's not, which is why I served it at my supper club last weekend!! Yay! I used the Seitan Piccata with Lemon-Caper Sauce recipe in the Candle Cafe Cookbook, which really turns out perfectly every time. And it's so gooooooooood!!!

I served the seitan on a pile of Creamed Local Spinach (made with Earth Balance, soy creamer, salt, and pepper. simple and yum.) and Herbed Potato Cakes. I have been really into things in cake or patty or fritter form lately, so I kind of just went with it to create a nice starch for this meal. And they are wonderful!! The recipe below will feed a lot of people, like 24, so feel free to half or quarter it if you aren't running an underground restaurant out of your house! :)Herbed Potato Cakes (serves 24, makes approx. 48 patties)
5 lbs yukon gold or russet potatoes, diced
1 medium onion, small diced
5 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup celery, small diced
1/4 cup vegan margarine
2 cups soymilk
6 cups whole wheat flour
3 Tbs baking powder
1 Tbs sea salt
1/2 Tbs white pepper
1/2 Tbs black pepper
1 tsp paprika
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper (if you like a little heat)
1 Tbs dried thyme
1/2 Tbs dried dill
1/2 cup fresh sage, chopped and tightly packed
2 Tbs agave nectar
Zest and juice of 1 lemon
Oil for frying

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add the diced potatoes. Boil for approximately 20 minutes, until fork-tender. Drain and set aside to cool.
When the potatoes have cooled, add the margarine and soymilk, and mash until the potatoes are smooth and creamy in texture. Add in the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Let rest for 10-15 minutes. While the dough rests, preheat oven to 375 F.
Heat a large skillet or griddle over medium-high heat. Coat pan with oil and allow to heat.
When oil is ready, drop prepared dough by 1/2 cup scoops onto heated pan. Let cook for about 3 minutes, until beginning to get golden brown. Flip the patty over and cook 3-4 more minutes, again looking for a golden crust. Transfer patty to a sheet pan, which will go into the oven. Repeat process until all of the dough has been used up; this should produce roughly 48 cakes. Bake the fried potato cakes in preheated oven for 15 minutes, to get the inside fully cooked and create a fluffy interior. Serve immediately over creamed spinach and top with seitan piccata and lemon-caper sauce.


Even with that delectable meal, there was OF COURSE room for dessert!! I looooove frosted brownies and the combo of pb and chocolate, so I made these two loves combine in this Peanut Butter-Cocoa Brownie! The brownie is the Deluxe Cocoa Brownie from Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar...another winner from that beautiful book! The frosting is a Peanut Buttercream, based on the recipe in Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World. Dusted with fair trade cocoa powder, too!! Man, these vegan baked goods are so proactive! They were definitely satisfying my sweet tooth that day! Decadent, rich, delicious, and seriously induce need of a post-meal nap! Though next time, I would make them "bomb" style and drench the top in chocolate ganache....there will be a next time soon I can tell!

Hearty and Wholesome Winter Eats

When it is winter time and snowy and such, all I really want to do is snuggle up inside and make some rib-sticking, delicious food!! So that is pretty much all I have been doing lately...and I love every minute of it!!

Some stuff I have made recently...warm, tasty, filling, and healthy, too...mmmmm.....

Chili-Rubbed Seitan Sandwiches on Homemade Sweet Potato Buns with Raspberry Chipotle Mayo. Sweet Maple Slaw. Mexican Hot Chocolate Snickerdoodles, from Isa and Terry's Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar! These are sooooo goood! I made some chocolate cinnamon buttercream, and turned them into cookie sandwiches! Forgot to picture it though....too much eating to do!

Two Potato Chowder with local sweet and yukon gold potatoes! Garnished with local tempeh and scallions. Side of Jalapeno-Molasses Cornbread.

Nutty Fig Bars, with local pecans. Seitan Reubens--Homemade rye bread topped with homemade corned "beef" seitan, organic sauerkraut, caramelized onions, and homemade 1000 island dressing. Ah, the open-faced sandwich, how I love thee. Side of local Sweet Potato Salad.Salted Caramel Pecan Bars from Isa and Terry's VCIYCJ. These are my favorite thing I have made from that cookbook so far!! Salty and sweet and crunchy and chewy all at the same time!! I served them with some vanilla soy ice cream, and it was a perfect combination! Pecan-Crusted Seitan with Smoky Smothered Greens and Mashed Local Potatoes and Gravy.

Maple Cupcakes with Maple Buttercream and Candied Walnuts from Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World!!! These are seriously amazing!! They taste like maple doughnuts, which I looooved in my omni days! People went crazy for these! Perfection when eaten with a hot cup of coffee and shared with lovely friends.

Vegan Cookies Have Invaded My Cookie Jar: Chocolate Chip Cookies!!

Vegan cookies have officially invaded my cookie jar. Well, they would if I actually had a cookie jar!! My current life goal is to make all the recipes in VCIYCJ by Isa and Terry. Last week I made the Spiced Sweet Potato Blondies, this week, it's the simple and perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies. Mmmmmm....

Is there really anything more beautiful than warm, homemade chocolate cookies...straight out of the oven and dying to be devoured with a tall glass of cold soymilk...and then to share them while snuggling under a cozy blanket? I think not! Go make these. Now! If you don't have the book, you can find the recipe at theppk.com. Seriously, go!

Sunday Funday!

This past Sunday was filled with snow flurries, tasty food, and beautiful friends. In case you haven't read some of my past posts about Kansas City's Sustainability Sundays. Basically, every Sunday my friend, Dane, and I serve up vegan, locally-grown food from our houses--underground restaurant style--and talk about sustainability. It. is. awesome. We have great people come out to eat and support the cause! I serve lunch and Dane serves up dinner, so we each get a break from cooking for one meal. It's a good thing.

There was even a special guest at my lunch this week: Miss V from the blog Miss V's Vegan Cookbook! She is another KC vegan blogger, but you've probably already checked out her blog. If not, then you should!!! I was so glad to have her join in the food and festivities! Yay Miss V!

Lunch this week was one of my favorite meals: Arepas! These plump little tortilla-like cakes are stuffed with black beans, fried plantains, and Latina Shredded Seitan (actually a tester for Terry Hope Romero's Vegan Latina cookbook!). I served them with Garlic-Lime Braised Local Greens and avocado. So, so flavorful and goooooood.Dessert was suuuuper exciting....because it was the first recipe I have made from Isa and Terry's Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar!!!!!! I was so excited to get this cookbook and I was NOT disappointed! At all! I made the Spiced Sweet Potato Blondies and let me just tell you that these are perfect. There's really no other way to say it. I even got to use local sweet potatoes in them! yeah! Everyone was sooo in love with these! I used walnuts and vegan butterscotch chips in mine, and served them with a lil' scoop of So Delicious vanilla ice cream! omg.omg.omg.For dinner, Dane served up Peanut Noodles with Broccoli, and some fresh cucumber. Sweet, salty, spicy, and awesome! Dessert wasn't photographed, aka I forgot, was also fresh and tasty...chocolate-peanut butter dipped pineapple! What a treat!On another note, I just have to rave about a sandwich I put together last week, what I am deeming The Thanksgivingwich!!! This fantastic monster of a sandwich was full of all my Thanksgiving leftovers: sliced Seitan Faux Turkey, Cranberry Sauce, Creamy Onion Gravy, and Sauteed Greens, all between locally-made Farm to Market Bread! Heaven in a sandwich for suuuure. Now if I had only saved some stuffing to pile on it....nah, too much. :)