Vegan MOFO Day 5- Buddhist Delight

Today my little sister and I went shopping all day and my husband is working really late so I haven't really cooked or made anything interesting. For lunch my sister and I went to a Chinese restaurant. I have been craving Chinese all week. Actually I was craving Buddhist Delight all week.  They make the best tofu w/ broccoli, zucchini, mushrooms, carrots, etc. I wish I would match the tofu I get there.  I ate so much I thought I was going to burst. Which is really sad but it was so fresh and perfectly cooked. They also have all the normals like Lo Mein noodles. They also make a fried bread that is rolled in sugar that I have for dessert. So good! The picture isn't the greatest but I must have pictures when I blog or I feel incomplete.

My yummy plate of food. It was so yummy.
 I wish I had some right now!!!!!
If I could just figure out how to make the tofu just
like this I would be a happy happy person
 :)

We had a good day even though it rained from before I woke up and for most of the day.

These are the rain clouds right before we got to the mall
and it started pouring the rain. I think I was stalking us.

But on the way home there was a really nice rainbow.
 This picture doesn't give it justice.

But after the rainbow went away the rain clouds took
over and it rained the whole way back to town.

4th July Baking on July 2nd

This year I spent the 2nd of July grocery shopping and baking. Our town held our 4th of July celebration on the 3rd because the 4th was on a Sunday. Other towns around us held theirs on the 4th but our town has always held early if it fell on Sunday. So Shopping and baking were the days events.

My list for the day was....

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie
Rhubarb Bread
Apple Bread
Chocolate cupcakes w/ strawberry icing and chocolate covered strawberries
Chocolate cupcakes w/ peanut butter icing, drizzled in chocolate w/ a blueberry
Chocolate Chip cookies
Mocha Cookies
Donuts
Hot dog Sauce
.. I think that was all...


Vegan Pie Crust<~~~ Click Started by making some quick pie crust to stick in the fridge and get cold. It only has 4 ingredients and turns out really nice and flaky. It came from the Vegfamily website. It would be great on sweet or savory pies. It calls for Margarine, salt, flour, and water. But for sweet pies you could add a small amount of sugar. But I thought it was perfect the way it was. I am going to make a veggie pot pie later this week and I am going to us this pie crust for a third time.

Vegan Cupcakes<~~~click, scroll down to find recipe Next we went with my favorite chocolate cake recipe from The Joy of Vegan baking. I went ahead and used it for cupcakes.It said it made like 8 cupcakes but I got 12 out of each batter. I could have probably made 18 cupcakes that just reached the top of the cupcake papers. Which I wish I would have thought of when I was putting it in the papers. The end product would have looked nicer. But all of the cupcakes turned out very pretty. I was pleased with them.

Peanut Butter Icing & Strawberry Icing

I had so many things to do that day I am sad to admit I used store bought icing. I took two containers of white vegan store bought icing and added natural peanut butter to it. I only needed one can but I add to much peanut butter to it and it was to thick to squeeze out through the icing tip. So I had to take it back out and add a whole can of icing to thin it out. It is very simple to make just dont add to much peanut butter. :) add and mix till it has a nice powder sugar peanut butter taste. You can use homemade icing too. I would have much preferred this. But like I said I had to much going on. After I icinged the cupcakes I drizzled melted chocolate on them and then plopped a nice pretty Blueberry right in the middle. Nice and pretty.

The strawberry icing was also a store bought vegan icing. They turned out pretty and the kids loved them. But the icing was definitely artificially flavored. I would have much rather made my own and added real strawberry. Next time I will not buy this stuff. I plopped chocolate covered strawberries right on top which made them look gorgeous.

Chocolate Chip <~~ recipe and Mocha Stripes <~~book page
The chocolate chip cookies and Mocha stripes were the two favorites of the day. One of my friends even said the chocolate chip cookies were better than her mothers non vegan cookies. She also loved the mocha stripes and said she wanted the recipe. She is in the list of people now who have asked for vegan cookie recipes after trying these awesome cookies. The Joy of Vegan baking is always my choice for chocolate chip cookies. They always turn out great and I have never had a problem with cooking them. I also really like Isa's recipe on post punk kitchen and I made it for a long time. But then they started not turning out right. I am not sure why. But they would just get totally runny. So I now use the Joy of vegan baking.

The mocha stripes everyone seems to love.... Except my mother... They are from The 100 best vegan baking recipes. They are so yummy! try them.

Strawberry Rhubarb Pie<~~~ click for recipe Strawberry Rhubarb Pie again. I just made one of these a couple weeks ago. But they are so yummy I thought why not... But what I didn't know was people either love rhubarb of hate it... I'm not sure why and I didn't know that till the 3rd when every one was staying away from all things rhubarb... that is so sad. So I guess next year I am skipping anything with rhubarb.

Rhubarb resistance!
I have noticed the more I cook for people and its normally baking... People do not like to try new things... They are like totally against it. I do have my mother who really doesn't like trying new foods but she will normally suck it up and try whatever it is I make. I think she is afraid of hurting my feelings... Or maybe its because I fallow her around like... Mom, mom, mom, try it,. Its good, mom , mom, mom, please... so.. who knows. but I am glad she almost always tries what I fix. I normally don't have her try things I know she wont like though. But people grow up and try something new. the next time I hear someone gripping at their child because they won't try something and I have offered them something that they wouldn't try...it is on.... ! :) No matter what recipe I use the pie as always turned out great.

Rhubarb Bread<~~~click for recipe The one new thing I have fixed this week was Rhubarb Bread. I had decided if we have so much rhubarb that I need to find something more than pie to make with it. I had been looking fir a recipe so in comes the rhubarb bread recipe I saw in the new Animal Times magazine. I was having an issue that I didn't have any silken tofu though. So I went online to find a recipe and printed out Aunt Yvonne's Rhubarb Bread on vegcooking.com. Also needing tofu... So I just used a firm silken tofu and it seemed to work just fine. But what I didn't realize was it was the same exact recipe... So find either or they both work out great. I didn't use pecans though. I used what I had and that was walnuts and they worked out great. My mother, my neighbor, my husband and I are the only people who really tried it. John was the only one who knows it had tofu in it. I choice to leave that part out. But our neighbors daughters who I grew up with didn't like it. Their mother said I should have just given it to them and not told them what it was and they would have liked it. lol. They said they don't like rhubarb... I noticed none of our guests tried it either.... scardy cats!!!! It reminds me of a zucchini bread recipe. Just with rhubarb and nuts. It was sweet and moist. The rhubarb gave it a slight tang and then the nutty flavor of the walnuts added to the altogether yummy experience. I am glad I didn't skip the nuts like I normally do. Thought I took a picture. But I guess I didn't so here is a picture of it back in the back upper left corner.

Donuts
These were the bane of my existence. I tried two recipes and not one turned out tasting like a donut. But I did like the one recipe as a sweet bread... so I guess it wasn't all a failure.

Ifood.tv vegan donuts that you fry. They reminded me a little of funnel cake because of the sweetness. But they were really oil soaked and I just didn't like them.

Next was Veganverve's Baked donuts the revised edition. This recipe worked great as a sweet dinner role. But I didn't like it as a donut. My dad really like these and said they would work as donuts and really wanted me to try everything possible to get them to work. but at the end I decided to mix some Cinnamon and smart balance light and use them as roles. I will use this recipe again as a role. I might even try them with melted chocolate to see if they can pull through to a donut... But I doubt it.

Next time I will be trying Vegan yum yums Mini baked donut which I didn't get to that night.

Hot dog sauce or Sloppy Joes <~~~ recipe to come soon I make hot dog sauce one time a year normally. I don't know why. I just don't normally make it. I didn't even start eating hot dog sauce till after I became a vegetarian many years ago. I almost always use the same recipe from one of my mothers cookbooks. It always turns out great even with substitutions. I even use it as a sloppy joe recipe and it is so yummy. Reminds me kinda of Manwhich. I made this really quick on the 3rd of July morning right before going to my moms. It quick to through together and than it just cooks till your ready for it.

And I never got around to making the Apple bread. I lost the recipe and ran out of time... oops. must not have been meant to be...

Breakfast for Dinner- Potato hash & scramble & Almond milk gravy

Tonight John and I buckled down and got the kitchen cleaned up. So I decided to make a big dinner of breakfast. It took about 30minutes to make and was so good.. But John and I both over ate and fell into a food comma and about an hour and a half later.... fell to sleep...

This recipe is enough for 4 to 6 people at one setting. Or 2 to 4 people for dinner and breakfast the next morning :).

Potato Hash & Tofu Scramble

3 Potatoes, Cut into small cubes (Leave a potato out if you want to cut the recipe down)
1 to 2 Sweet Peppers, Chopped ( I used some organic frozen peppers that I froze a while ago.)
1 onion, Chopped
1 Light Life Veggie Sausage pack
1 pack fridge tofu in water (Drain well)
1 or 2 tsp Paprika
1/2 tsp Turmeric, for color
Olive oil
Vegan Butter of choice
Salt
Pepper


Chop up all the veggies and set aside. Heat large skillet w/ Olive oil. Add onions & peppers. If peppers are frozen let the water cook off of them before you add the potatoes. When onions are translucent & peppers are getting soft add the some butter, potatoes & paprika. After you add the Potatoes add a Lid for 7 minutes. Until half ways cooked through. You can add the sausage straight to the pan to break apart & brown at that point. If your skillet doesn't have enough surface space get a big pot and brown the light life sausage then add to the potatoes and peppers. Start letting the potatoes brown. You can either use your favorite tofu scramble recipe or just use the ingredients in the recipe and through the drained tofu in with the potatoes and peppers to cook. Or you can cook it separately and then add it back to the mix. Then heat everything together for a few minutes. Thats what I did. So that it gets cooked and not mushy & doesn't break apart. Chuck your tofu like an egg would look. Add salt & pepper to taste.

• You could also wilt some greens into this. If I would have had fresh spinach I would have.

• Could also add mushrooms

• Tons of different options for something like this :)

I also made Biscuits from Garden of vegan. Which is just a simple regular biscuit recipe. I even left out the vinegar. And we also had Almond milk gravy. which is quick and simple.

Almond Milk Gravy

4 Tbsp Flour
4 Tbsp Butter or/ and oil
2 to 2 1/2 cups Plain Almond milk
Salt
Pepper

Put Oil & butter in pan to heat. Add the flour and whisk together. Cook a minute or so then add a little milk at a time. I normally add about half a cup and whisk till it gets thick. This way you won't have chunks or flour/butter floating in the gravy. I add the pepper and salt. After the first half cup of almond milk. This is basically a pepper gravy so add a good amount of pepper. But it would also make a great sausage gravy if you started out with the lightlife veggie sausage. Add the half a cups of milk till if is the consistency that you want. Don't let boil. It may separate or spoil. I always leave it right under boiling.

Lima beans & Corn, Sweet Potato Pasta, Oven Zucchini, and Grilling out

Lima bean & Corn - Makes 5 cups

I had these at the dinner after my Grandfather's funeral. They were really good. Although I am really hoping they did not have chicken broth in them...! I am really kinda wondering now if they did. I had never had lima beans before and this has quickly become a go to side dish me me. Or if I am home alone I boil up some beans add some frozen corn and eat it as a meal... I like to boil the limas in advance and freeze them. that way it doesn't take an hour and a half to cook them first or a $2 can of beans.

3 cups g Cooked Lima beans
2 cups g Frozen corn
Enough Veg broth to cover all the beans and corn
1 tbsp Vegan Butter of choice
1 tbsp Flour
1/2 to 1 tsp pepper
Salt to taste

Bring veg Lima beans, Corn , Veg broth, & Pepper to a boil. Melt Better add the flour to it and add to boiling pot. Make sure not to let it clump. When it thickens which should be fast it its done. Maybe about 10minutes all together if the beans where cooked in advance.


Sweet Potato Pasta

This was an accidental find. I was going to have some buttered noodle and beans for diner but accidentally opened the wrong can. But I love it. I really like to have it as a side to the Morningstar Farms vegan BBQ riblets. Or I just like it plain. It is a nice replacement for Mac & Cheese. I don't really like the nutritional yeast mac & cheese. But this turns out creamy and yummy... and sweet... :)


Box of whole wheat Pasta
1/2 cup Sweet Potato Puree
1/4cup soy milk
2 tbsp Smart Balance light
Salt to taste

Cook pasta as normal. Put the sweet potato puree in a pot with the soy milk and smart balance light. Let come together. Stir a little. Then add it to your pasta. If you don't want to make it on the stove top you don't have to. Just put it in a boil and stir together. If you put it in the microwave make sure you don't spoil the soy milk.


Oven Baked Zucchini

I love oven baked zucchini and though it is probably easy for everyone but me... I still make it. I have a horrible track record. I seem to either always forget about it and it turns into burnt zucchini chips or I get impatient and take it off early and eat it...

Zucchini - 1 whole for each person
Onion
olive Oil
salt

Preheat oven to 400. Slice onion and chunck up zucchini into bite sized pieces, or slices. Or you could just leave them cut long ways in to two or four pieces. the bigger the pieces the longer they take to cook. Put a little oil on the veggies and mix. lay on baking pan add salt. Then bake for 30 minutes or till desired doneness.


Tofu Nuggets- Pictured above with Zucchini

This recipe has been converted from the Deceptivley Delicious Cook Book.

1 Cup Bread crumbs
1 Tbsp Flaxmeal
1 tbsp Vegan Parm like galaxy- optional- or try nutritional yeast
A pureed veggie of your choice. Dependeing on what you make it with.
1 tsp paprika
Egg replacer mixed with water- enough for all tofu
1 Pack extra firm tofu- this may work with tempeh
1/2 salt
oil

Mix all dry ingredents. Mix egg replacer with veggie puree in another bowl.
Slic tofu into bight sized chucks. Heat the oil. I like using unthawed tofu. But tofu that had been frozen to give it more texture. Then dip into bread crumbs. Then put in pan with just a Tablespoon of oil. Do not use to much oil. They will fall apart or just be totally soked with oil. Then enjoy with your fave dip.

Grilling Out....
This is the first time we have cooked on our charcoal grill in 4 years... Because it just takes they thing to long to get hot.. Then I can't seem to keep it hot. Maybe I need Charcoal Grills for dummies or something. Maybe next year I will just invest in a gas grill. Although propane tanks are a little scary. lol... I use my parents and they turn it on and off for me.. Anyways I decided while we were out working onthe coop we might as well cook out. Chey was all excited. And I quess in all honesty John and I were a little bit too... since it had been so long... Well everything started out bad... We didn't have any fluid so John decides to put a ton of zipo lighter fluid on it. He won't listen to me of course. I went to go up town to buy some actually grill starter and when I come back all I can small is zipo fluid.... after I told him to stop... I mean come on.... So we had a big blow up about that. Like I want to eat zipo fluid!!! .. So then I decided I didn't even want to grill out and I went in the house. But later I cooled off and then decided to cook out. He had started the grill with the starter fluid ater I had went in the house and it had a ton of time.. like an hour to get hot so... We made corn, veggie hot dogs, zucchini, asparagus, potatoes, and Helens Tofu steaks... didn't like the asparagus or the helens tofu steaks... But loved the zucchini, hot dogs, & potatos.. on the other hand smoky corn was ok too. But I also managed to catch the corn on fire..lol... yes corn is flammable.. or atleast their husks are. I was planning on taking a pretty picture of the corn with grill marks and the husks pulled back but instead they went up in flames and I freaked out. john came over and saved me back slamming the lid closed.... Maybe its not such a good idea for me to use a charcoal grill....

Tofu: Trial & Error: Fried

Fried Tofu on bread with some salt.
This tofu was dipped in Soy sauce, then flour, then soy, and then flour again. The crust on it was good. Reminded me of fried green tomatoes. But the inside of the tofu was the same old white spongy stuff. Texture is the enemy in the tofu case. I like jerky style tofu. And next time I make it I will leave a picture. And its not bad in pies. But when it has the whole tofu right out of the container thing going on it just won't go down my throat. Gag reflex seems to right on top of things.. :(... But again I tried. I guess it is one of those mind over matter things. Other foods I have gotten over but I don't know about the fried tofu... The flavor wasn't bad though.