Vegan MOFO Has started! First up Banana Bread & Step By step Risotto

I have been waiting for this month all year. I always end up missing vegan mofo or start really late so this year I have been thinking about what I am going to make far in advance and I am excited to even get on the list of Mofo Bloggers this year! Awesome. I am hoping my back will hang in there for the entire month of cooking. Fingers crossed.

So on we go!!!!

Banana Bread

I almost always use the same recipe for banana bread when my bananas are on there last days. Isa's recipe on PPK is awesome. The bread turns out so moist and yummy. Its great hot and really good cold. My husband loves to take it to work. Its just all around yummy. Click the link above and it will take you straight to her recipe. But I did take a bunch of pictures for eye candy.. yum yum..

So much for eye candy right... These poor bananas have been laying around for a long time.
They must have really wanted to be made into bread because they decided not to mold...
and I had them forever... I like to think I don't waste anything.. But  I think I was
 putting off making banana bread because I was being really lazy. Alot of the time
 I do just throw them out.. but these just wouldn't mold...
What was I to do but make banana bread out of them?

Creamed the butter, two types of sugar, and now adding the bananas.
 They really didn't look that bad for very very old banana.

The dry. Flour, spices,etc.

This may look like it is separating but it actually does turn out in the end. I promise.
I did make one change. I used unsweetened almond milk instead of the soy.
Turned out just the same. I just don't purchase soy unless I am baking alot.

See the batter looks great after adding the dry ingredients.

See it in the bread pan in the back ground...
The batter is so good I couldn't help but to eat what was left on the beaters.

One hour later and a uper yummy smelling bread got brought from my oven.
I wanted to gobble it all up but I had to wait on John to get home from work.
and he was running really late. So next I decided to make.....

 Sweet Potato Risotto

This is my first try with risotto. I actually really didn't know how long 30 minutes would take till I started stirring. lol. But I am glad I did. It turned out really creamy and just the right texture. I have been watching the make it on tv for so long I just kinda guessed and jumped in with both feet.

1 tbsp olive oil
1 whole onion, Chopped
2 cloves garlic, Grated or Chopped
1 pd Sweet Potato or Yam, Peeled & Chopped
1 1/2 cup Arborio rice
4 to 7 Cups Veg stock
0 to 3 Cups White Wine
1 tbsp Smart Balance or vegan butter of your choice
Salt and Pepper to taste

1. Heat oil on medium in a deep pan. Put your broth in a separate pot and bring to a boil. This will need to stay at a boil the entire time. You will not be adding anything to th broth.
2. Add onions and garlic to your oiled pan and let the onions sweat out, about 5 minutes. While the onions are cooking chop up your sweet potato into small chunks. These need to be a small size so they will cook up quickly.
3. Add the potatoes to the pan and cook covered for 5 to 10 minutes just till the potatoes get tender.
4. Add the rice to the pan. Let  it get covered in the oil and cook a couple minutes then start adding the broth ladle or cup by cup. The temp needs to be around med/ med high depending on how hot your stove is. You want the rice to have enough time to cook all the way. If you have the stove to hot it will not give the rice time to cook. Add the first cup, stir and stir. After this step you will have to continue to stir till it is ready to serve.  Always make sure the broth is totally gone and the rice has stiffened up before you add the next cup. If you are using wine add a cup of wine, let the Rice stiffen, then add the stock, back and fourth till you have used 7 cups of liquid. Taste test to make sure your rice is cooked to the proper texture. If not add another cup and by this time the rice should be done. Add the butter right at the end. Do not over cook the rice. It will get sticky. It is really easy after you start. Just a bit time consuming. But the creamy texture and the depth of flavor are worth it.

Chopped one onion and got some garlic ready.

Sweat the onions down till they turn translucent.

Starting the sweet potato. I cut it like this first You can do it

I used two boxes of stock because I didn't have any wine.
But the wine should give it an even better depth of flavor.

 

This is a really good size that will to cook and get done.

I use a grater to put the garlic in. I really don't like to find chunks of garlic when I am eating so this is the perfect thing to use.
I have tried many cheap versions of graters and they haven't worked well till I ran into this one.
It is made by Joe and I found it at Marshels for$ 2.99. Now I have 2 and I love them both.

Even after these potatoes are fork tender they will still hold up to
cooking the risotto with out getting mushy.

About half ways through the stock and it is already looking creamy and yummy.
 But the rice still had a ways to go.

Picture isn't that great. But it was super creamy and the rice was done but not over cooked.
 My husband took this cold in his lunch the next day and said it was still really good.

You could also put in some spices like nutmeg, cinnamon, or curry. They would all work well with the sweat potato.
The possibilities are endless with risotto. It really reminds me on the creamy texture and taste of a pot pie. Next time I am going to make it with all the pot pie ingredients.
Or the same recipe with Black eyed peas in the potatoes place. so easy just to change it up!