Vegan MoFo #8: I'll Try Anything Once!

Hi Friends!

   I hope you are all having a wonderful Thursday! It's a little dreary over here by me although it's supposed to be a scorcher today. We'll see about that. For now, I want to share with you something that I recently tried. If you know me personally, and if you've been following my blog for a while, you know how much I dislike mushrooms. And by "dislike" I mean hate. With a passion. I can't stand them. The smell, the taste, the texture. Eeew. You'll also know how much my dislike for mushrooms bugs me.  I mean, what kind of a vegan hates mushrooms?

   Aren't they usually the star ingredient in "meat-based" dishes? It's annoying seeing all of these delicious looking recipes and then realizing that they have tons of mushrooms in them. I automatically turn the page or click on something else if I see a picture of a mushroom. You can't pull one over on me either. I can smell them from a mile away. So unless you've chopped them up into a marinara sauce, I know that they're there. That being said, lately I've been trying to be tolerant towards mushrooms. Before ultimately picking them out of my food, I'll try them first to see if by some miracle my palate has changed.  It hasn't.

   That being said, for some reason I've had this crazy urge to try a portobello burger.  I have no clue why except that I've been seeing them everywhere and I'm super curious.  I had to try them at least once in my life, right?!  So... I convinced my mom (who's still in town, by the way!) to try one with me.  She loves mushrooms but isn't a huge fan of portobello's so this was going to be a first for both of us.  We decided to marinate them in a Thai dressing that my mom makes and is super delish.  My mom whipped up the dressing while I prepped some tomatoes and onions for roasting. 

   We added the leftover dressing on top of the veggies before placing them in the oven.  Since I don't have a grill, we cooked the burgers on the stove.

   When the veggies were done I added some Daiya shreds on our buns and set them under the broiler for a couple of minutes.  I also whipped up a quick guac for the burgers.  I was terrified that the burgers would have an overwhelming mushroom flavor so I was basically trying to mask it with all the other ingredients.

   We assembled the burgers by layering the tomatoes and onions and then the portobellos on top.  Guacamole and sriracha (so obsessed with sriracha) were added to round out the flavor and then it was time to taste it.  I loved the flavors in this burger so much and I actually ate a few bites of the whole thing before removing the mushroom.  I was so proud of myself for that.  And although I will probably never have another portobello burger again, at least I can say that I tried it!

When was the last time you tried something you didn't like?

Love,
Ves xx

WIAW #28 and BIG News!

Hi Friends!

I know I've been MIA lately but I have good reason.  I have some big news to share with you!  Do you remember how earlier in the year I said that 2013 was going to be my year?  I honestly wasn't sure what direction I was going in but I knew that I would be making some big changes.  However, I couldn't focus my career path and I was getting really depressed that I hadn't pinpointed what I wanted to do with my education from IIN yet.  Now I know why.  You should know that I don't make decisions very easily.  I blame it on being a Libra.  We are very indecisive and all about balance and harmony.  Well, what better way to create harmony then to start a vegan baked goods business and call it Sweet Vegan Thing?

Before I get carried away with business talk, let's have a look at my eats. It's been a while since I've done a WIAW post so I am playing catch-up.  These photos are from Sunday.

On to the food...

Breakfast was at my sister's.  I made us a delicious (if I do say so myself) tofu scramble.  She actually loved it too and she's a carnivore, so that says a lot!

After cleaning my house I had a chocolate-strawberry "shake" and read my VegNews from cover to cover.  I love 'me' time!

I enjoyed lunch on my balcony because it was such a lovely day.  Lunch was a big salad with lots of veggies, homemade dressing and hemp seeds.

I was feeling snacky before dinner so I had some cocktail tomatoes and dijon mustard.  I had about two plates of these with some wine.  So good.  I could eat tomatoes all day!

For dinner I was craving sweet potatoes but I was feeling a bit lazy so I made a simple Sweet Potato salad.  It was so good and really hit the spot.

Dessert was homemade Peanut Butter Chocolate Ice Cream.  So easy, so delicious, and actually good for you! Mostly because it doesn't have any dairy or added sugar.


 So, back to my business...
As I was saying, before WIAW rudely interrupted us...  I love baking and I love making things look pretty so I think I was pretty much born to do this.  Ha!  Just kidding.  I know there is more to starting a business than that but, at least it's a start.  I am so excited about this new path in my life.  If you had asked me last month if I wanted to have my own baked goods business I would have shouted "no way!" but recently it has started to make more and more sense to me.  This is EXACTLY what I want to be doing.  I have a lot to learn and a lot of work ahead of me but I'm loving every minute of it and it definitely does not feel like "work".  For example, on Friday my sister-in-law and I are heading over to a cafe downtown to sample their vegan offerings.  And then on Saturday my friend and I are heading over to an all vegan bakery to taste some cupcakes and hopefully learn a thing or two as well.  All in the name of research!  We are also heading to Veggie Fest for the day and I'm looking forward to meeting the vendors and possibly getting my name out there.  Wish me luck!  And if you are in the Hamilton area but are living under a rock haven't heard, VeggieFest is on from 11am - 7pm this Saturday at the Ancaster Fairgrounds.  GO!

And here is just a sample of what Sweet Vegan Thing will be offering:

Death by Chocolate

I made these cupcakes for my sisters birthday party and they were a hit!  I named them Death by Chocolate because they are a chocolate lovers dream!  By the way, no one would guess they're vegan which is the best part.

I am in the process of creating a website but, for now, you can head on over to my facebook page: Sweet Vegan Thing and check it out.  I'll let you know as soon as my website is up and running.

Til next time (I'll try not to be a stranger!)...

Love,
Ves xx

Jambalaya - Vegan Style!

   Hi Friends!

   It's Monday morning - are you ready for the week ahead?  I sure am.  It's been a really strange weekend (er, past week) and I'm looking forward to the "fresh start" that a new week brings.  Plus, it was Daylight Savings this weekend which means winter is on it's way.  Fresh start, new season... I'm liking the way this is going.

   Speaking of winter...  here is a Jambalaya recipe to warm you up on those cold nights.

   Before I got started in the kitchen, I searched for inspiration on the interweb, since I've never made Jambalaya before.  It turns out this is a really popular dish to make on Fat Tuesday.  Who knew?  I really liked how it turned out but I've already made notes about how to make it even better.  I will definitely be making this again in the winter (or perhaps for a Mardi Gras party?) and when I do, I'll share my modifications with you guys.

Vegan Jambalaya
8 servings
Ingredients
1 onion
2 or 3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 peppers (I used one red, one yellow)
1 cup celery
4 vegan sausages (I used Tofurkey Polish style sausage)
1 cup vegan chicken style pieces (I used Blue Menu)
2 cups short grain brown rice, rinse and soaked
1 1/2 cup frozen organic peas
1 1/2 cup organic sweet corn (canned, fresh or frozen)
1-28 oz canned tomatoes, whole or chopped
1 can diced green chiles
1 tbsp smoked paprika
1 tsp chili flakes
1/2 tsp dried thyme
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/2 tsp pure maple syrup or a pinch of sugar
+ 1 cup water
Tabasco sauce (as much as you like)
large handful of freshly chopped flat leaf parsley
coconut oil
salt and pepper

Directions
1.  Rinse and soak your rice (I used the black rice from my pen pal package)

2. Add a small amount of oil to a large skillet and place over medium heat.

A co-worker told me about this so I thought I would give it a try in this dish.

3. Cook the vegan chicken a few minutes per side until cooked through.  Set aside.

It's crazy how much it looks like chicken!

The taste and texture was better than other "chicken" strips that I've tried.

4.  In the same pan add sausages and cook until beginning to brown, about 5 minutes.  Set aside.

5.  In a large soup pot, heat some oil over medium heat and add the onion.  Cook until soft, a few minutes, and then add the minced garlic.  Mix in your seasonings.

6.  Add the chicken and sausages and cook for a few minutes.

7.  Next add the peppers and celery and cook until they soften, about 7 minutes.  Toss in the green chiles.

8.  Stir in the rice and then add the tomatoes with the juice, pure maple syrup, one cup of water, and as many shakes of Tabasco as you'd like.

Check out the soak water from the rice!

9.  Gently simmer for about 45 minutes or until rice is cooked.
10.  Add your peas and corn within the last few minutes of cooking time and cook until warmed through.  Stir in about half of the parsley.
11.  Serve in bowls and garnish with the rest of the parsley.

   I'm really happy with how this dish turned out although, I did notice that because of the black rice everything took on a reddish color.  I enjoyed the flavor of the rice but next time, for presentation purposes, I wouldn't use it in this recipe.

   I hope you all have a great start to your week!

Love,
Ves xx

Ps: I'm not a huge fan of using "mock meats" but once in a while is okay and I had fun using them in this recipe.

Black Bean Chili, Reflections, and My Lil Hammy

   Hello All,

   I hope everyone had a fun-filled Halloween!  I had so much fun with the children at work and then later hanging out with my nephew before he went trick-or-treating.  I love Halloween.  The only downfall this year was not getting any spooky visitors of my own.  Oh the joys of apartment living.  I live in a tiny walk-up so I was really hopeful that I would get some trick-or-treaters, but unfortunately it was not meant to be.  Oh well.
   Yesterday also marked the end of Vegan MoFo and I wanted to share my thoughts on the past month.  I really had a lot of fun participating and I definitely learned a lot.  Here are some highlights:

1. My absolute favorite part of Vegan MoFo was blogging everyday.  I know I missed a couple of days but I definitely did my best to connect on a daily basis.  I love that and I plan to continue.
2. Sharing recipes!  
3. Meeting other vegan bloggers.  I love discovering new (to me) vegan blogs and having them all in one spot was really helpful.  I tried to visit a few new ones each day.  My goal is to visit each blog that participated... its going to take some time.  Ha!
4. Having a theme!  I really liked having some kind of direction for the week and I may do that again just for fun.

   Speaking of themes... I started this week off sharing a couple of soup recipes and just because Vegan MoFo is over doesn't mean the soup has to stop.  Today's soup is actually a chili but you eat it in a bowl with a spoon, so I think it qualifies, don't you?

Vegan Black Bean Chili
Serves 4
Ingredients
2 cups cooked black beans
        or
1 19oz can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 pkg veggie ground round (I used Yves, original)
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 large garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder
1/2 tablespoon ground cumin
+ 2 tablespoons water
1 15-ounce can chopped tomatoes, with juice
1 tablespoon tomato paste dissolved in 1/2 cup water
2 tablespoons green chiles
1 teaspoon dried oregano,
Sea Salt, to taste
1/2 cup chopped cilantro
shredded vegan cheese of your choice, optional

Directions:
1. Make the black beans the day before, if you're using "from scratch".
2. Using a fork, whisk together cumin, chili powder and water.  Set aside.
2. Heat the oil in a medium nonstick skillet over medium heat, and add the onion. Cook, stirring often, until the onion is lightly colored, about 10 minutes. Add the garlic, stir together for about a minute until fragrant, then add the veggie ground round, and seasoning mixture.  Cook, stirring, for three to five minutes, until the mixture begins to stick to the pan. Add the tomatoes and their juice and oregano, and salt to taste. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring often, until the tomatoes have cooked down and the mixture is beginning to stick to the pan, about 10 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste dissolved in water and the chiles, and bring back to a simmer.  Stir often, for 10-15 minutes, until the mixture is thick and fragrant.
3. Stir in the beans, and bring to a simmer.  Simmer, stirring often, for 25 to 30 minutes. Taste and adjust salt.
4. Just before serving, stir in the cilantro. Spoon into bowls, and garnish each bowl with some shredded cheese, if using.  Serve with corn tortillas.

Enjoy!

   Last but certainly not least...

   My sweet little Hamster, "Hammy", passed away today.  He was such a sweetheart and brought joy to everyone who met him.  Hammy started out as my classroom pet about 3 years ago when I took the children on a trip to the local pet store.  He was our pet for about two years and would come home with me during long weekends and Holidays.  Each time that he came home with me, I kept him home longer and longer. 

Hammy the Teddy Bear Hamster xo

   The children would constantly ask where Hammy was and if he would be returning from "vacation".  Don't feel bad - it was a kind of a joke in the classroom.  When I finally moved out Hammy moved in with me and went on permanent vacation from the classroom.  The children understood and would ask for updates about how he was doing.  I also brought Hammy in to visit a couple of times so that the children could see him.

Hammy always came around when I fed Patchie...

Probably the only cat in the world that doesn't care there is a Hamster in the same room!

What a cheeky little guy...

   Hammy was such a personable little guy.  Everyone who met him, loved him.  It was hard not to.  He was kind of like a puppy...  he always came when I called him or anytime I shook his food.  Even if he was fast asleep!  I love that little guy and I miss him so much already.  Rest in peace my sweet little meester!  xoxo 

Love, 

Ves xx

Oh, How Spicy! - Vegan MoFo #22

   Hi Friends!

   Here's another delicious soup recipe to keep you warm during this stormy gray weather.  By the way, Hamilton survived "the worst" of the storm overnight and I hope that other areas were just as lucky.  It looks like our East Coast friends in the States haven't been as lucky and I hope they've seen the worst of it as well.
On with the recipe...

Spicy Tortilla Soup
6-8 Servings

Ingredients
1 pablano pepper
1 15-ounce can tomatoes, preferably no salt added
2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons coconut oil, divided
1 medium white onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
3 cups vegetable broth
3 cups water
1 14-ounce package extra-firm tofu
1 cup fresh corn kernels
1 cup white hominy
2 teaspoons cumin
1 teaspoon chilli powder
sea salt, to taste
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup cilantro leaves
1 ripe large avocado, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
1/2 cup shredded vegan cheddar cheese (I used Daiya)
1/2 - 1 lime, juiced (optional)

Directions

1. Holding the poblano pepper with metal tongs, quickly toast it by turning it an inch or two above an open flame for a few seconds, or place it under the broiler (turning every minute or two) until the skin is slightly charred.
2. When cool enough to handle, peel, stem and seed the poblano pepper, break it into pieces and put it in a blender along with the tomatoes and their juice.
3. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a soup pot over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until golden, 6 to 9 minutes. Transfer the onion and garlic to the blender with the tomato mixture. Process until smooth.
4. Return the pot to medium heat. When quite hot, add the puree and stir almost constantly until thickened to the consistency of tomato paste, about 6 minutes.  Add broth, water, cumin and chilli powder.  Bring to a boil, then adjust heat to maintain a simmer.
5. Drain tofu, rinse and pat dry; cut into 1/2 inch cubes. Heat the remaining 2 teaspoons oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the tofu and cook in a single layer, stirring every 2 to 3 minutes, until beginning to brown, 6 to 8 minutes total. Add the tofu to the soup and simmer for 30 minutes.
6. In the last few minutes, stir in the corn and hominy.  When heated through, stir in cilantro leaves and lime juice and serve.  Garnish with some avocado and tortilla strips.

 Love,
Ves xx

Ps: This was inspired by my mom's Chicken Tortilla Soup.  I used to love that soup and one day I will figure out all of the flavors that went into making that soup so delicious (minus the chicken, of course). ;)

WIAW # 17 - Birthday Eats and Vegan MoFo # 13

   Hi Friends!

Check out my birthday eats for WIAW, and another awesome documentary for this weeks Vegan MoFo...

{Chocolate Shake - Almond Milk, spinach, raw cacao powder, frozen banana, a few frozen strawberries}

For starters, I treated myself to a Chocolate "Ice Cream" Shake for breakfast.  I made one for my step-dad as well except that I didn't add spinach to his.  Initially he said it tasted only "okay", but after a few minutes you could hear him slurping the last bits of Shake.  I think he liked it!

{Coffee and Cake}

With my morning coffee I had some 'cake scraps' that my mom had cut away while making my b-day cake.  Yummy!

{Roasted Veggies}

I wanted homemade pizza as my b-day dinner so we roasted some veggies for toppings.  I nibbled on these throughout the afternoon even though they were supposed to be for dinner.  Ha!

{Pink Pinot Grigio}

Wine in my favorite color and a fancy glass... Yum! 

{Pizza Toppings}

The pizza toppings: roasted yellow squash, sweet potatoes, tomatoes, red onions, red peppers, and mushrooms and fresh homemade pizza sauce.

{My Pizza}

My Pizza: sauce, sweet potatoes, onions, red peppers.

{With Cheese}

With Daiya Mozzarella cheese

{Ready to Eat}

Fresh from the oven... so yummy!

{Me with my Godson}

And let's not forget the birthday cake!

{The Cake!}

It was super delicious.  Thanks mom!

Birthday Fun...

My mom and I painted some pumpkins to have as decorations.  Check it out...

And thanks to Jenn from Peas and Crayons for hosting this fun foodie link-up party!

As for today's documentary...

I highly recommend Fork's Over Knives.  Have you watched this yet?  If not, what are you waiting for?

Check out this clip:

Happy Hump Day everyone!

Love,
Ves xx

Happy Birthday to Me(!) and RAW Pasta - Vegan MoFo # 11

  Hi Friends!

  I have a quickie recipe for you today using this weeks awesome ingredient: ZUCCHINI!  This one is a 'RAW Pasta' type recipe and super summery.   The ingredients are fresh and definitely no-fuss.  I'll also share other ways that you can enjoy zucchini in pasta-type dishes.
Read On...

Summery Zucchini Pasta with Tomatoes

Ingredients

2 zucchini squash, shaved thinly lengthwise with a mandoline or vegetable peeler
2 yellow summer squash, shaved thinly lengthwise with a mandoline or vegetable peeler
1 cup cherry or grape tomatoes, halved
5 sundried tomatoes (packed in oil), drained and thinly sliced
2 spring onions, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon finely chopped basil
1 teaspoon finely chopped oregano

Sea salt and pepper, to taste

The Ingredients

Directions:

In a large bowl, gently toss together all the ingredients. Transfer to a platter and serve immediately. 

More RAW Pasta...

   

   I love that zucchini can be enjoyed this way especially because I love vegetables way more than I love pasta.  Pasta was never a staple at our house growing up, so I don't eat it that often.  But, I love that I get to enjoy fresh tomato based sauces on top of veggies!  And ladies, you'll get to slash the calories and carbs (if you care) without sacrificing flavor!  Bonus!

I'm off to enjoy my birthday festivities!  Have a wonderful weekend.

Love,
Ves xx