New for the Thanksgiving menu this year....

 I found this roasted cabbage at Eat Something Vegan blog and instantly added it to the list.

Ingredients

• 2 small cabbage heads
• 3 tbsp. olive oil
• ½ tsp. salt or to taste
• 2 tsp. paprika
• 1 tbsp. garlic powder

Instructions

• Cut the stems off the cabbage heads and then cut each one in half, then in half again. You should have four flat discs of cabbage that are about ¾ to 1 inch thick from each head. Place the cabbage steaks on a baking sheet that is lined with parchment paper, allowing some space between each one to even cooking.
• Brush the cabbage with the olive oil, coating them thoroughly. Then generously sprinkle the salt, garlic powder, and paprika on the cabbage steaks. Flip the cabbage over and repeat, brushing them with oil and sprinkling the seasonings. Then add a pinch of red pepper flakes to each one, if desired.
• Bake the cabbage steaks at 400°F for about 25 minutes, until the leaves are browned and the center is tender. Serve hot out of the oven.

Almost time for Tofurky....

 

DJ Zalad with baked falafel...

I know, funny name for a salad.  

I was making a salad a while back when I realized that DJ Khaled liked one of my posts and from that point on, all of our salads are DJ Zalads.  Makes sense to me.

We never get sick of salads, especially when it is 90+ degrees outside.  This one is loaded with all kinds of goodness and so filling.

You can make your own falafel (which is so easy) or pickup a premade variety, no judgement.

Good & Gather has premade frozen falafel with tahini sauce for $4 at Target, and they are delicious!

Homemade vegan Tzatziki sauce.  I love this sauce so much, I can eat it for breakfast.  So easy to make.  The trick is to make sure to get as much water out of the cucumbers as possible.  

Whatcha need/whatcha do:  One cucumber, grate the cucumber on a flour sack cloth or paper towels and press out the water. ~You can also cube the cucumbers in really small pieces.  Add the cucumber to a bowl then add 1-1/2 cups of Silk plain almond milk yogurt.  Toss in 2 Tsp garlic, 2 Tsp lemon juice, 1/4 cup (or more) dill, 1 Tsp of olive oil, salt and pepper to taste.  You can also add chopped red (purple) onion.  Mix it up and refrigerate.  Please do not use plastic wrap, it is literal crap! 

Vegan feta cheese by Violife is 100% fire!

We love to roast chickpeas. 

Whatcha need/whatcha do:  If you are using dry chickpeas, soak them overnight.  For canned chickpeas, go with 2 cans, rinse, and drain extra water.  Put the chickpeas in a baking pan, drizzle with olive oil, pink Himalayan salt, pepper, garlic, onion, a pinch of cayenne pepper, and a splash of lemon.  Roast for about 20 minutes.

What now:  Fill up a bowl or plate with any kind of lettuce or mixed greens you prefer and start adding your toppings.  The DJ Zalad pictured has mixed green, iceberg, falafel, feta, roasted chickpeas, red (purple) onions, cherry tomatoes, and a lot of Tzatziki sauce with a few mini-GF Greek pitas. Fini!

MANGEONS!!

Vegan for a reason....

 Because it is so good!! 
This is basically a masterpiece on a plate.  

Garlic and olive oil couscous
Roasted chickpeas with fire roasted tomatoes
Hummus 
Homemade vegan tzatziki sauce (so easy to make)
Organic mixed green salad
Organic cherry tomatoes
Greek bread

Insanely delicious, easy to make vegan potato soup...

Forgive the blurry pictures but this soup is amazing!  

Grab an onion a few carrots and Idaho and red potatoes, organic if possible. Wash the veggies, especially the red potatoes if you leave the skin on like I do. You can also add celery or even drop dumplings (so good)! In the meantime, put some vegan butter and olive oil along with the spices into a large pot and start chopping the veggies. 

~Tip: Keep all the peels from your veggies, put them in a pot, cover them with water and add salt, pepper, garlic, bay leaves, turmeric, and any fresh herbs like parsley if you have any. Simmer for about 45 minutes, strain out the veggies, and store in glass containers. In the refrigerator, this will last a week or freeze and use later.

~Another tip: If you do not have time to make the veggie broth, just throw everything into a freezer storage container and make it later.

The basics and you can also add garlic or anything you like.

I like to use this Vidalia Chop Wizard to chop the veggies to the perfect shape. Add the veggies and seasonings to the pot and cover them with veggie broth and simmer.  About 30 minutes.

~Side note: My punks do not like onions but onions make everything taste so much better. I left the onion I used whole to get the flavor.

Once the veggies are tender, add about 1-1/2 cups of milk (even cow milk, if you must, gag). Almond and coconut work the best or you can add in a can of condensed coconut milk if you prefer and then bring all of that awesomeness almost to a boil and turn it off.

If you like your soup a little thicker, pull out some of the broth, potatoes, and about a tablespoon of flour and put them in a blender or food processor and blend. I love this Mini-Magic Bullet. Add the blended mixture back to the pot. 

That is it! You can top this anyway you like, vegan cheese, vegan sour cream, and veggie bacon are the toppings of choice for us. I really also love chives but guess who forgot to get chives? 

This will stay in the refrigerator for up to 5 days and easy to freeze, just add a little broth, water, or milk when you heat it back up. Enjoy!

Recipes to try...

 

The hot temps we just had put me in pasta salad mode....

I found this vegan pasta salad recipe at She Likes Food and have to give it a try.

INGREDIENTS

• 1 (8 ounce) box Chickpea Pasta, whichever kind you like
• 1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
• 1 medium yellow bell pepper, diced
• 1 1/2 cups cherry tomatoes, cut in half
• 1 1/2 cups diced cucumber
• 1 cup crumbled feta cheese, I use this homemade vegan tofu feta
• 3/4 cup chopped kalamata olives
• 1/2 cup diced red onion
• 1 small handful chopped fresh parsley

Dressing:

• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
• 1 small clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard
• 1/2 teaspoon pure maple syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
• Salt and black pepper, to taste

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INSTRUCTIONS

1. Prepare all vegetables and place them in a large bowl with the feta, chickpeas and parsley.
2. Cook chickapea pasta according to package directions.  Drain and add to the bowl.
3. Add all dressing ingredients to a small bowl, or jar, and whisk until combined.  Pour dressing over pasta salad and mix all ingredients together until it’s combined.
4. Pasta salad can be served immediately or refrigerated up to 3 days.

Today's public service announcement.....

Try to buy local, always buy organic! 

So beautiful!

Hurry up Thanksgiving.....

Also on the menu, roasted veggies.

Basically, I just make this up as I go.

This is red potatoes, zucchini, and Brussels sprouts.

Wash and chop the veggies, season with olive oil, soy sauce, salt, pepper, and garlic.

Toss veggies and seasoning until coated.

Put into a baking pan, cook for 30 to 45 minutes at 400 and done.

New Thanksgiving ideas......

I found this roasted vegetable pasta salad recipe at Rabbit and Wolves Vegan Comfort Foods, and it looks so delicious!

Ingredients

• 1 Cup Brussels sprouts, halved or quartered
• 1 Leek, sliced
• 1 Cup Sweet potatoes, chopped(about 1 small one)
• 1 Cup Mushrooms, halved or quartered
• 4 Cloves Garlic, chopped
• 2 Tablespoons Olive oil
• 1 Teaspoon Salt
• 16 oz. Pasta

Vegan Creamy Poppy Seed Dressing

• 1/4 Cup Vegan Mayo
• 3 Tablespoons Olive oil
• 2 Tablespoons Apple cider vinegar
• 2 Tablespoons Agave
• 1 Teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 Tablespoon Poppy seeds
• 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
• 1/2 Teaspoon Onion powder

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. 
2. Cut all the vegetables and garlic and put them on a sheet pan. Then pour the olive oil on top and sprinkle the salt on top and toss the veggies to coat them all in oil and salt. 
3. Now, roast the veggies at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes or until the sweet potatoes are cooked through and the veggies are getting a bit brown. I like to toss the veggies around after about 10 minutes. 
4. While the vegetables are cooking, boil the pasta. Cook according to package directions. Drain and let cool. 
5. Next, make the poppy seed dressing. Add all of the dressing ingredients to a small mixing bowl. Whisk together until fully combined. Taste and adjust seasonings if needed. 
6. Then, when the veggies are done roasting, remove them from the oven and let them cool for a few minutes. 
7. Now, add the pasta to a large mixing bowl, then add in the veggies and then pour the poppy seed dressing on top. Toss to coat everything in the dressing. Serve immediately, or chill and serve later! 

Greek pasta salad..........

We are making this along with veggie cutlets.  You really cannot mess up pasta salad.  We usually do not like cold pasta but it would be almost impossible not to like this.

Just cook the pasta, rinse, and cool.  Then add anything you like.  We add feta (I usually leave feta out of mine but it is seriously delicious if you do not think about where it comes from), green olives, black olives, organic tomatoes (anything other than organic is offensive), cucumber, carrots, and organic chickpeas.  You can also add onion if you like raw onions.

Then add vinaigrette dressing either store bought or make your own.  All you need is olive oil, red wine vinegar, salt, pepper, garlic, and oregano.  Mix it all up in a jar and pour it own.  If you go for premade, we like Annie's Organic Green Goddess.  It will be the best $2 you will ever spend.

So mix it all up, chill it, and throw you chopped, grill pan-heated veggie cutlets on top.  Seriously delicious, fast, and good for you.

Going to give Jared Leto's Vegan pancakes a try......

Whatcha need:  
2/3 cup of Arrowhead Mills buckwheat pancake and waffle mix
1 egg substitute
2 tsp olive oil
3/4 cup of soy or almond milk

What to do:
Combine all the ingredients, mix just until the lumps are gone.  
Cook on a lightly oiled griddle.
Flip with you see bubbling.
Top with vegan butter and real maple syrup.

Now if I could only figure out how to get Jared here to make them.

~

Must try this......

I found this on She Likes Food and must give it a try.

• 1 (12 ounce) block extra firm tofu
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/4 teaspoon granulated garlic
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 1(15 ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
• 6-8 buns, gluten free if necessary
• Coleslaw for topping, if desired (about 1/4 cup for each sandwich)

BBQ SAUCE:

• 1 teaspoon olive oil
• 1 small shallot, diced (about ¼ cup)
• 2 small cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup tomato sauce
• 1 tablespoon ketchup
• 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
• 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 teaspoon tamari
• ¾ teaspoon smoked paprika
• ½ teaspoon mustard powder
• 1 teaspoon chili powder
• ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ⅛ teaspoon black pepper

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INSTRUCTIONS

1. Heat a large pan over medium heat and add olive oil. Pat the tofu dry and cut block in half. Cut one half into small cubes and crumble the other half with you hands. Add tofu to the pan along with the spices. Cook tofu until golden brown, 7-10 minutes.
2. Remove tofu from the pan and add 1 teaspoon olive oil, diced shallot and garlic. Cook until shallot is tender, about 3 minutes.
3. Add the remaining BBQ sauce ingredients to the pan, stir until combined, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the cooked tofu and the chickpeas back into the sauce, stir and cook until everything is heated through, 3-5 minutes.
4. Spoon BBQ mixture onto bun and top with coleslaw, if desired.

Making this Sunday......

I love French Toast (but not the kind made with eggs), bananas, and oatmeal so when I found this at Running With Spoons, I can'twait to give it a try. 

• 1/2 medium-sized ripe banana, mashed (50 g or 1/4 cup)
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) unsweetened almond milk
• 1 Tbsp (16 g) nut butter (optional, but recommended)
• 1 tsp (5 ml) maple syrup (or other liquid sweetener)
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 slice of hearty bread, cubed
• 1/4 cup (20 g) quick oats
• 
  

1. Preheat oven to 375F (190C) and lightly grease an individually-sized oven-safe dish. Set aside.
2. Combine banana, almond milk, nut butter, maple syrup, cinnamon, and vanilla extract in a large shallow bowl, mixing until fully combined. Pour bread cubes into the mixture and use a fork to lightly press down so that they absorb most of the liquid. Add oats and gently stir until everything is evenly incorporated. If the mix seems too dry, add a splash of extra milk.
3. Transfer mixture to your prepared dish, adding a few slices of banana on top if desired. Bake for 20 minutes, until the bake has set and the top has turned golden brown.  

Hurry up Sunday!

A birthday filled with food......

Homemade pancakes with maple syrup for breakfast.

Homemade flatbread pizzas for dinner.

Sauteed cherry tomatoes.

Organic spinach.

Baby bellas and green peppers.

MorningStar veggie strips.

Feta cheese, mozzarella, and vegan cheddar.

My masterpiece!  It was way too much but YOLO!  

And the birthday cake finale.  Yes, I am 29 again!  My kids are so funny, like me.

Thanks to my girls for making today such a great birthday!  And friends and family for lunch Friday and Saturday.  Cannot wait!!!

New Year's Day dinner.........

Homemade cornbread, over-night black-eyed peas, sauteed green beans, spinach, and MorningStar Spicy Buffalo veggie nuggets.  I probably should have had more greens.

So we got in to a car wreck today and then had this awesome dinner.........

Soba noodle bowls make everything better.  The poor kid that hit us was completely distraught.  I felt so sorry for him.  Crying and calling his mom (he was like 30).  I will have to check on him in a little bit.  Maybe bring him a noodle bowl.

I am so glad I am not serving my family this..............

Thanksgiving meal #2 for me and the girls............

I did not eat breakfast today which explains why my plate is so full.  So what is all this?  An Artisan French roll, a slice of Field Roast, one Gardein Turk'y cutlet with gravy, homemade cauliflower mash (I will add the recipe later but so good!), corn pudding, hash brown casserole, and unstuffing-i.e. all kinds of veggies roasted together in olive oil and seasonings.  C18 kept pointing out that this is not unstuffing, its just vegetables but unstuffing sounds better.

 And Oh My Gawd Peach Cobbler with Steve's nondairy Burnt Sugar Vanilla frozen dessert made with organic coconut cream.  This was heavenly.

One more Thanksgiving meal to go.  We are just about on the brink of explosion but food and family is what the holidays are all about.  Speaking of family, the girls have been asking nonstop since they got a very generous invitation to Cali yesterday to stay with our cousin as long as we like all paid with use of his car, whoo hoo....Plus since he works as an actor he may be able to open a few doors for the girls, at least show them around the best places.  I guess we better slow down on the food and get in shape before we head out.