Recipe - Zesty Chickpea Salad

You know the old saying, "Opinions are like a**holes; everybody's got one"? Well, chickpea salad recipes are to vegans like opinions: everyone has their favorite way to make it. I decided this week to come up with my own and I've gotta say... I kinda killed it!

In my pre-gan days I loved tuna salad from a certain deli in Tucson. One of my friends who worked there said that the secret to really good tuna salad is fresh dill. Since then I've been using fresh dill in everything I can sneak it into, I adore it! It is one herb that doesn't get enough love, so I knew it would definitely make it into my chickpea salad. I also like a lot of crunch in recipes like this, so I used celery, green onion, and (the dark horse ingredient) diced red pepper. I love the way the peppers burst in your mouth with each bite, they really add an unexpected flavor here. Finish it up with some fresh lemon, vegan mayo, salt and pepper and layer it on toasted multigrain bread with tomato and lettuce. SO GOOD.

I'll let Johnny's words speak for themselves: "Next time you make this, don't change ANYTHING." "You have to blog about this." "This is one of the best sandwiches I've ever had!" Oh, and we ate this for dinner two nights in a row. Unprecedented in our household! I served it the first night with a simple vegetable soup and the second night with roasted sweet potatoes. I had a ton of leftover cilantro in the fridge, so I made a cilantro pesto to go with the potatoes. Stayed tuned for that recipe in my next post! 

Zesty Chickpea Salad

Serves 6-8

2 cans organic chickpeas, drained and rinsed

2 stalks celery, thinly sliced

2 green onions, thinly sliced

1 red pepper, seeded and diced

2 tbsp fresh dill, minced

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

2 tbsp fresh lemon juice

5 tbsp vegan mayo

In a large bowl, mash the chickpeas until they are nearly all broken up, leaving a few whole. Add in all other ingredients and stir to combine. It's as simple as that!

Tofu Scramble Two Ways

Okay, I really don't know why it took me so long to make a tofu scramble at home. I love eating them out at restaurants (Blue Willow in Tucson makes my fave), but for some reason I was really hesitant to make my own. I guess I thought it would be difficult, but nothing could be further from the truth!

I had some extra firm tofu, spinach and mushrooms in the fridge one night and I was trying to figure out what to make for dinner. I decided to go for it and tackle the tofu scramble once and for all. After consulting a few recipes on the netz, I headed into the kitchen determined to defeat my opponent. And I succeeded! So much so that I made another one just a few days later. These are definitely going into the rotation.

Not only do these scrambles come together quickly, they are really versatile. Like I said, the first time I used mushroom and spinach - a classic combo - and kept the seasonings to what would compliment those flavors. The second time, I planned to add it to a breakfast burrito, so wanted to punch it up a bit. I added lots of diced red pepper, onions, more cumin than the first time. They both came out great! In the future, I think I'll try adding some Mediterranean flavors (kalmata olives, roasted red peppers) and serve alongside hummus, pita, and Greek salad. OR you could mix in Soyrizo, potatoes, and diced tomatoes and serve it with flour tortillas and avocado. If it's good enough for scrambled eggs, it's good enough for scrambled tofu. And don't be fooled into thinking tofu scrambles are only for breakfast. They're full of protein, but they're not too heavy, so it's the perfect fit for dinner. Besides, breakfast for dinner has always been one of my favorite things.

One tip: the drier your tofu, the more it will brown in the skillet. Once you remove the tofu from the package and drain it, be sure to press it for at least 20 minutes to get the water out. I do this by wrapping the block of tofu in a few paper towels and setting it on a plate. Then I place another plate on top and add some heavy objects - canned goods, a jar of pasta sauce - on top of that plate.

Johnny ate both of these right up! I had to coax him into eating the breakfast burrito - he doesn't like tater tots if you can believe it. But even he couldn't deny that the crispy potatoes, tofu scramble, and cool, creamy guacamole inside a warm tortilla was a little piece of heaven...



The makings of a damn fine breakfast burrito. YUM.



Mexican Style Tofu Scramble

(Makes 8 breakfast burritos)

1 tbsp olive oil

1 small onion, diced

1 red pepper, stem and seeds removed and diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 block extra firm tofu, drained and pressed

1/2 tsp turmeric

1 1/2 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp coriander

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

Heat your olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and red pepper and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and cook for a minute more. Cut the tofu into large chunks and add to the skillet. Break it up with a spatula so that it resembles scrambled eggs. Add your spices and toss to ensure they are evenly distributed. Continue cooking for about 10 minutes, allowing the tofu to get browned a bit. (A metal spatula works best for keeping the browned parts intact.) If you aren't seeing any browning, increase the heat a bit and continue cooking for a few minutes.

Serve with warm tortillas, tater tots, and guacamole!

Crappy cell phone pic! This is what happens when you are too hungry to take a proper picture.

Spinach and Mushroom Tofu Scramble

Serves 6

1 tbsp olive oil

1 small onion, diced

½ pint of mushrooms, sliced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 block extra firm tofu, drained and pressed

1/2 tsp turmeric

1 tsp ground cumin

1 tsp dried thyme

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp black pepper

2 cups fresh spinach

Heat your olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion and mushrooms and cook for about 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the garlic and cook for a minute more. Cut the tofu into large chunks and add to the skillet. Break it up with a spatula so that it resembles scrambled eggs. Add your spices and toss to ensure they are evenly distributed. Continue cooking for about 10 minutes, allowing the tofu to get browned a bit. (A metal spatula works best for keeping the browned parts intact.) If you aren't seeing any browning, increase the heat a bit and continue cooking for a few minutes. Turn off the heat and add in the spinach. Stir in and allow to wilt for a few minutes.

I served mine with roasted sweet potatoes and a toasted Food for Life Brown Rice English muffin spread with Earth Balance. Those muffins are really good, BTW!

Our "Superbowl Sunday" Eats

I put "Superbowl Sunday" in quotes because our household isn't really sports oriented. I  used to be a die-hard hockey and basketball fan, but over the years the appeal of sports has dwindled for me. I guess I just don't really get it... a bunch of dudes earn millions of dollars for running up and down a field with a ball. Fans get all excited when the team who happens to practice and play in the city/ state where they live wins. But really none of it matters because next year a new season will start and every team will have a chance to win the big trophy again. I'm being a little flippant and nihilistic I suppose, but it seems like there are so many people more deserving of money and accolades than athletes. Teachers for example. Where are their six figure contracts and merchandising deals?  

Needless to say, the only parts of the Superbowl we watched were the halftime show (my curiosity always gets the best of me) and a few commercials here and there. Otherwise, we devoted our time to Puppy Bowl VIII on Animal Planet and I whined and moaned about how we don't have a canine companion in our lives. Those dogs are just so freaking cute! I kept hoping one would come through the screen and bound into my arms. (sigh) Someday we will adopt a dog, I promise you this!

I did end up spending most of the day in the kitchen, but I didn't exactly cook Superbowl fare. I made some completely mind-blowing breakfast burritos in the morning (more on that recipe in the next few days) that made my tummy very happy. For dinner, our appetizer was already planned. Johnny's mom sent us a gigantic assortment from Alfonso Gourmet Olive Oil and Balsamics in Tucson and we had been patiently waiting to crack into it until Sunday night. 

I broke up a fresh baguette and we got to work mixing and matching flavors to our hearts' content. My absolute favorite thing in the whole world right now is the Peach White Balsamic Vinegar. DUUUUUDE. I mixed it with a bit of their Manzanillo Extra Virgin Olive Oil and almost had a stroke it was so good. I am absolutely going to be ordering a full bottle of that stuff once the sampler runs out. I'm dreaming up vinaigrette recipes already. It will be perfection on summer salads! Our other favorites include the Espresso Balsamic Vinegar, the sweet and thick Traditional Balsamic Vinegar (I really want to try this on ice cream!), and the Tuscan Herb Infused Olive Oil. But honestly, all of it was delicious. Thanks, Mama Mo! Such an awesome gift!

While we could have easily made dinner out of nothing but bread, vinegar and oil, I thought we should try to get something a bit healthier into our panzas, too. I'd heard wonderful things about the Mango BBQ Beans recipe from Appetite for Reduction, one of my favorite cookbooks. I felt a little guilty buying a mango in the middle of winter, but whatever. Sometimes you just need some out-of-season, far-from-local fruit! I served it over some quinoa and I sauteed a big bunch of kale and drizzled that with some of the Tuscan Herb Infused Olive Oil.  

I loved this dinner! It felt like a very modern, elevated take on rice and beans. The flavors in the bean dish run the gamut from sweet to spicy and hit on everything in between. The quinoa came out really fluffy and delicious - it's quickly replacing brown rice as my favorite accompaniment to most meals.

Johnny had his usual reaction to a plate that contained cooked greens: he screwed up his face and stuck out his tongue in disgust. It's a knee-jerk thing and I have to talk him into eating that first bite every time! He ended up liking the kale, but not being a huge fan of the beans. I'm not sure why, I thought he'd really like the bold flavors, but he just thought something didn't taste right. He's not a lover of mango, so I knew it was a risk going in. Oh well, more for me to take for lunch this week!

Recipe - Stuffed Butternut Squash

Okay, I finally have to admit it: winter is here. We East Coasters totally lucked out and managed to get away with unseasonably warm weather all through December, but it's catching up with us now. Johnny and I have been piling on the blankets at night, I ordered a few pairs of comfy over-the-knee socks from Sock Dreams for an added layer of warmth, and the hats/scarves/gloves have come out of hiding and taken their rightful positions on our bodies. No snow yet, but I'm sure that's next. I remember sort of secretly wishing for snow a few weeks ago, but I'm beginning to think that was a mistake...

It's no surprise that I've been craving warm food from morning till night with weather like this. I've traded breakfast cereal for oatmeal, salads for soups, and I have a hot mug of tea in my hand every night (our kettle is getting quite the workout!). And while I'm sure I'll be complaining about a lack of produce come March, right now I'm digging on winter vegetables. Butternut squash has got to be at the top of that list. So easy to prepare, so filling and satisfying... it's deep orange color even makes it look warm. Perfect seasonal food.

I remember first having butternut squash as a kid when my parents would make their famous Stuffed Squash. Their version uses bread cubes and sausage and my siblings and I absolutely adored it. Of course, we'd pretty much eat the stuffing and leave the squash behind. Nowadays I'm more like to scarf the squash up first! So how do you replace sausage in a favorite childhood recipe and still get a tasty result? Lots and lots of flavor.

I was drawn to this recipe because it called for an unusual combination of ingredients. Dried fruit and sundried tomatoes? Intriguing. I made some substitutions based on personal taste and what I had on hand and I really loved the result. The sweet and savory flavors blend into a perfect bite and the combination of toasted bread and silky, buttery squash is delicious. I used croutons, but next time I will use crusty bread and cut it into smaller cubes for a more stuffing-like consistency. I really can't wait to make this again!

For his part, Johnny claims his tastebuds were a bit off as he was recovering from a cold the night we ate this. So he didn't like it at first, but he warmed up to it slowly, eventually eating most of his half. He's such a fan of his own stuffing, his mind isn't really open to new interpretations. :-)

Stuffed Butternut Squash

Serves 2

(Based on this recipe by Food.com)

1 butternut squash

2 tbsp olive oil

1 small onion, chopped

1 garlic clove, chopped

1 celery stalk, chopped

1 medium carrot, chopped

1/2 cup mushrooms, diced small

1/8 cup cooking alcohol (I used Mirin)

2 cups bread cubes or croutons

1/2 cup dried fruit (I used cherries, but cranberries or raisins would also be nice)

1/2 cup nuts (I used chopped walnuts)

1/4 cup sundried tomatoes, chopped

1 tsp dried sage

1/2 tsp salt 

1/4 tsp pepper

1/2 cup vegetable stock

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cut your squash into equal halves and remove the seeds (I use a small ice cream scoop for this and it works great!). Rub the cut side of the squash with a bit of olive oil and place cut-side down on a baking sheet. Cook for 30 minutes or until tender.

Meanwhile, in a large skillet heat the olive oil over medium heat. Cook the onions, celery and carrot for about 5 minutes, then add the mushrooms and garlic and continue cooking until soft. Add your cooking alcohol to deglaze the pan, making sure the heat of the pan is high enough that the liquid bubbles up and begins to evaporate.

After a few minutes, add the bread cubes, dried fruit, nuts and sundried tomatoes. Stir well and add your spices, then stir in the vegetable broth to soften the bread. Remove from heat.

Allow the stuffing mixture to cool a bit, then spoon it into the cooked butternut squash. Bake on your baking sheet for another 20 minutes. Allow to cool for a few minutes, then serve with some lightly dressed mixed greens.

Recipe - Vibrant Vegan Lasagna and Holiday Round-up

Well, hello there! Did everyone enjoy the holidays? Johnny and I actually stayed in New York for Christmas and it was our first Christmas away from family. We certainly missed our loved ones, but we ended up having a great time! We took our annual pilgrimage to the Rockefeller Center tree, we saw a few movies, had brunch and a few drinks out on Christmas Eve, and had lots of cuddly nights at home. On Christmas day, we started with some "Fronch Toast" with an apple cinnamon topping I whipped up that was to die for. Then our lovely friends had us over to their place in Brooklyn for Christmas dinner. It was a Polish feast! Stuffed cabbage, pierogies, homemade sauerkraut... all so delicious. I was in a food coma for about a week!

We also bought our first Christmas tree and put up some fun decorations. Ornaments can be so expensive, so we decided to make our own. I got the idea from Cold and Sleepy's blog to make a simple flour/salt dough, then we used cookie cutters to make shapes and baked them. After they cooled, we decorated them with marker and it worked out beautifully! Here are a few of our creations:

Bells and Trees

Snow People - Pimp, Hula Lady, and Standard Snowman

Miss Piggy and Kermit, Charlie Brown and his gimpy tree, and Gingerbread Man

Now that the excitement of Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's has died down, I'm striving to get back to basics. For me that means cutting way down on sugar and processed foods, increasing my fruit and veggie intake, and getting back to walking and exercising. All those holiday foods taste so good, but it's amazing how much they affect me on every level! I get moody, tired, anxious, my blood sugar fluctuates like crazy and random aches and pains increase. It's fun to indulge, but it's also really nice to get back to cleaner eating.

To that end, I made a really great lasagna last night that was just about as healthy as a lasagna can be without being boring. It was a bit labor intensive, but we've been eating out so much that I didn't mind spending a little extra time in the kitchen. I wanted to steer clear of any fake, processed "meat" and "cheese" products and use ingredients that were there for a health purpose, not just for flavor. I call it "Vibrant Vegan Lasagna" because the colors in it really are pretty and because it will make you feel truly vibrant - not weighed down like most lasagnas.

I knew I wanted to use a "cashew cheese" for the protein, healthy fat, and B12 courtesy of nutritional yeast. I based it on a recipe from Oh She Glows! but had to make some modifications as fresh basil is not in season. The sauce was inspired by Olivia Wilde's "Bomb-Diggity Bolognese" (she's so cute) which I've cooked many times over the past year. We just watched her in "Cowboys and Aliens" this weekend - I thought it was really good BTW - so that be why I had her on the brain. She uses tempeh and mushrooms as a meat-like base and chops them up in the food processor to get that Bolognese-like consistency. This sauce is so flexible - you can add just about any veggie to it you have on hand and it will come out tasting great. The tempeh adds even more protein and it is a fermented food, which is great for digestion. I then added some chopped collards (really working on boosting my daily intake of greens!) as they are high in vitamin C and soluble fiber. You can substitute spinach or kale and I'm sure the result would be just as good.

So how did it turn out? Let's just say that I devoured my first piece and was back for seconds before Johnny had even finished pouring himself a drink in the kitchen! I was a bit worried that the unconventional ingredients would not suit Johnny's tastebuds, but he really loved this lasagna and even had seconds himself. And now we have some leftovers for lunches and a bunch more to freeze! I love when new creations turn out so well!

Vibrant Vegan Lasagna

(Makes 12 servings)

For the tomato sauce:

2 tbsp olive oil

2 cloves garlic

1 small yellow or white onion

1 block of tempeh (I used Lightlife Organic 3-Grain tempeh)

1 pint baby portabella mushrooms, rinsed

1/4 cup dry red wine

1/4 tsp red pepper flakes

1 tsp dried basil

1 tsp dried oregano

1 28 oz jar pasta sauce (I used Newman's Own Tomato and Basil sauce)

1 15 oz can chopped tomatoes

For the cashew cheese:

1 clove garlic

1 1/4 cups raw, unsalted cashews (soaked for at least 30 minutes or overnight)

Juice from 1/2 lemon

1 tbsp Dijon mustard (I know it sounds weird, but trust me!)

1/2 cup nutritional yeast

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 cup water or vegetable broth

For the crumb topping:

2 cups breadcrumbs (I made my own from a stale baguette which I pulsed in the food processor)

2 tbsp Earth Balance or olive oil

1/2 tsp oregano

salt and pepper to taste

9 lasagna noodles

1 bag frozen, chopped collard greens, thawed (be sure to squeeze out the liquid so they are as dry as possible)

First, put a large pot of water on to boil. Then make your tomato sauce so it can simmer while you prep the rest of the ingredients. Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Chop the peeled garlic cloves in the food processor and add to the skillet. Pulse the peeled onion in the food processor and add to the skillet. Cook for 5 minutes or until softened. Add the tempeh to the food processor and pulse until it breaks into small crumbs. Transfer to the skillet. Pulse the mushrooms in the food processor until chopped into small pieces. Transfer to the skillet. Add the wine and spices and cook over medium heat for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. The mushrooms will begin to give off their liquid and cook down, and the tempeh will brown a bit. Stir in the jar of pasta sauce and the chopped tomatoes and reduce heat to low. Allow to simmer while you prepare the rest of the lasagna, stirring every now and then.

Your water should be boiling at this point, so add your lasagna noodles. Be careful not to overcook them, 9 minutes should be plenty. Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

Next, wipe out your food processor so you can make the cashew cheese. Drain and rinse the cashews. Chop the peeled garlic clove in the processor, then add the cashews, lemon juice, mustard, nutritional yeast, and salt and begin to process. Drizzle in the water as the processor is running until you achieve a smooth consistency. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. You made need to add more or less than 1/4 cup water, but you want it to form a paste.

Drain the lasagna noodles and immediately rinse with cold water. In a 9"x12" glass pan, put some of the tomato sauce in the bottom so your noodles won't stick. Lay down three of the noodles, then spread 1/3 of the cashew cheese mixture over them. Sprinkle 1/2 of the collard greens on top, then spread 1/3 of the tomato sauce on top of that. Layer on three more noodles, then 1/3 cheese, the remaining collard greens, and 1/3 tomato sauce. Add another layer of noodles, then the rest of the cheese and the tomato sauce.

Cover with foil and bake for 30 minutes. Before the 30 minutes is up, prepare your breadcrumb topping. In a medium skillet, melt the Earth Balance or heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the breadcrumbs and spices and cook for 3 minutes, or until everything is well incorporated. Once the lasagna has been cooking for 30 minutes, remove the foil and sprinkle the breadcrumb mixture over the top. Cook uncovered for another 7-10 minutes or until the breadcrumbs are browned.

Remove from the oven and allow to cool for at least 10 minutes before cutting and serving.

Recipe - Ani Phyo's Raw Sweet Corn and Cashew Chowder

Oh my goodness, it's been too long people! The good news is that my back feels MUCH better. I still have no real answers as to what happened or why I was in so much pain, but I am very thankful to be able to move again and breathe without wincing. 


The last few weeks have been busy with social activities, working out with my new personal trainer (oh, my aching muscles) and flying home last week for my sister's wedding! She awesomely included lots of vegan options on her Lebanese-themed wedding menu like spinach afthiad (olive oil pastry stuffed with spinach and onions), garbanzo bean stuffed cabbage rolls, and hummus/ babaganoush with pita chips. My mom, dad, aunt and brother helped her cook the gigantic feast and every bit of it was so delicious! You could really taste the love. 

Early morning cactus. So pretty. 

Back in Tucson, I had so many people come up to me and tell me that they read and enjoy my blog. What a huge surprise! I often forget that what I write gets sent out into the universe for others to read and getting so much positive encouragement motivated me to get back to posting. I have lots of yummy foodstuffs to share with you. I'd like to kick things off with a simply scrumptious soup I made a few weekends ago. I followed this recipe by Ani Phyo who is a rockstar in the vegan/raw world. I'd never tried anything by her before, but I must say, this soup made me a fan! 

I'm not much into raw foods as my body simply seems to respond better to gently cooked foods. But I do like to add in some raw recipes and meals every now and then. The benefit is that so many of the vitamins and nutrients that would typically be lost in the cooking process stay intact with raw foods. I was a bit afraid that a soup with a base of raw corn would be way too starchy, but it wasn't at all. It was crisp, refreshing and nourishing. It's probably more suited for a hot summer day, but it did make for a perfect light lunch on an unseasonably warm autumn afternoon. The markets around here seem to be selling off the last of the summer corn for cheap, so it's cost effective, too!

I made a few changes to the recipe to cut down on the fat (reflected below) and added in some delicious fresh tomatoes. If you try out this recipe, be sure to use a blender and not a food processor if possible. I don't have a blender and my food processor ended up leaking out 90% of the water I put in. I just processed what stayed in and then added in water once it was in a bowl. You could also try using an immersion blender. 

Ani Phyo's Raw Sweet Corn and Cashew Chowder

Based on this recipe

Serves 4

3 ears of yellow corn, kernels removed

1/2 cup raw, unsalted cashews

3 tbsp extra virgin olive oil

1 small garlic clove

1 tsp sea salt

1 cup water

fresh cilantro, chopped

1 tomato, diced

freshly ground black pepper

In a blender, combine 3/4 of the corn kernels, cashews, olive oil, garlic, salt and water and process until smooth. Divide the soup into four bowls and garnish with the reserved corn kernels, cilantro, chopped tomatoes, and pepper. Serve cold. (Can be chilled overnight.) 

Vegan MoFo Day 11 - Campfire Chili!

It seems like every good little vegan has their own recipe for vegan chili, but I made up a batch the other night that I thought was worth mentioning. The Red Merlot beans I'd purchased at Smorgasburg were burning a hole in my cupboard and I thought chili would be a great way to showcase them. I soaked them and some pinto beans for a few hours, tossed in the veggies and spices I thought would get along best with the beans, and also added some Texturized Soy Protein (TSP). 

If you're not familiar with TSP, it's made from de-fatted soy flour, it has as much protein as meat, and it's fat-free. Bazinga! TSP is dehydrated, so you have to let it sit in some water and re-hydrate before using. After that, you can pretty much toss it into anything and, much like tofu, it absorbs the flavors of whatever you're cooking it with. It comes in smaller granules and larger chunks - I used the granules here. It's super easy to use and was basically undetectable in this chili. I didn't mention to Johnny that I'd used TSP (he sometimes gets skeeved out by unknown ingredients before he even tastes them) and he certainly didn't notice anything awry. In fact, he ate two bowls of this chili and loved every bite!

I call this "Campfire Chili" because the rich, smoky, tomato-ey sauce and the slight spiciness would be perfect on a camping trip, but it's just as good snuggled under a blanket on the couch at home.


Oh, and a little note about the beans - I used dried beans because they're crazy cheap and it feels more hands on to cook my own beans that getting them out of a can. If you do use dried beans, make sure to soak them first and try cooking them with some dried kombu. Kombu is a type of seaweed and it makes the beans easier to digest. You won't be able to taste the kombu in the beans and you'll toot a whole lot less than you would otherwise!

Campfire Chili

Serves 8

1 1/2 cups dried beans of your choice (I used Red Merlot and pinto)

1-2" kombu (optional)

2 tbsp olive oil

1/2 large yellow onion, diced

1 yellow bell pepper, seeded and diced

1 clove garlic, minced

1 pint mushrooms, chopped

1 carrot, cut into coins

2 tbsp chili powder (I used Ancho chili powder)

1 tsp cumin

1/4 tsp cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp oregano

1/2 tsp liquid smoke

4 cups water

2 tsps "Better Than Bouillon" No Chicken Base

3 tbsp tomato paste

1 avocado (optional)

Pick through your dried beans and soak them in water in a large bowl  for at least 6 hours. The beans will double in volume, so make sure your bowl is big enough and you add enough water. After they've soaked and softened, drain the soaking liquid and place the beans in a large pot. Add enough water to cover and a few pieces of kombu - this is optional, but the kombu will make the beans easier to digest. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cover. Simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour.  The beans should still be a bit firm, but not crunchy.

Drain the beans and set them aside. In the same large pot, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion, pepper and garlic and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the carrots and mushrooms and continue cooking for another 5 minutes. When everything has softened, add the spices and liquid smoke, stirring to coat everything. In a separate container (I use a large glass measuring cup) whisk together the 4 cups water, bouillon and tomato paste until combined. Add the beans back into the pot and pour in the broth mixture.

Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cover. Allow to simmer for about 30 minutes or just until the beans have cooked through and the flavors have married. Serve with avocado sliced or diced on top.

Recipe - Sesame Soba Noodles with Daikon and Veggies

After the sugar rush and inevitable crash that were my Brown Sugar Peach Muffins last weekend (delicious but dangerous!), I went into the week wanting nothing but healthy, happy foods. I had a strange mixture of veggies from an earlier grocery store excursion that I wanted to use up and the idea of a simple noodle bowl came to mind. I have been loving soba/udon noodles lately! They cook so quickly and take on the taste of whatever you toss in with them. I'm still trying to avoid any aggressive flavors (spicy, onions, garlic, etc) due to el acido refluxo, so sesame seemed like a natural fit. I kept seasoning each component until I put them all together and voila! A yummy and super nutritious dinner was born! I always know I really like a meal I've made when I can eat the leftovers for lunch two days in a row and still be excited about it.

I was introduced to the magic root veggie known as "daikon" a couple months ago when I made the recipe for Braised Daikon from "The Kind Diet". I had never eaten it before and I was totally blown away! Daikon looks like a giant white carrot and when it's raw it tastes like radish. But when you cook it, it becomes sweet and almost tangy. It's totally delicious on it's own or incorporated into a meal. Daikon is also well-known for its detoxifying properties. It can help clear up colds, aid in digestion, and is even a hangover remedy.

Johnny really seemed to like this dinner even though it contained the dreaded cooked greens! He actually confessed to me last night that he's starting to like them. Hahaha I win again!

Sesame Soba Noodles with Daikon and Veggies

Serves 4

1 kabocha or butternut squash, peeled and diced into 1" cubes

1/2 bag of peeled baby carrots (organic!)

2 tbsps toasted sesame seed oil

1 tbsp shoyu (or soy sauce or tamari)

1 tbsp sesame seeds or gomasio

1 large daikon, skinned and cut into 1/2" thick rounds

water to cover

1/4 cup mirin

1 tsp shoyu (or soy sauce or tamari)

1 large bunch collard greens, ribs removed and sliced into ribbons

4 dried shiitake mushrooms

1 tsp (or soy sauce or tamari)

1 package buckwheat soba noodles or noodle of your choice

Begin by placing shiitake mushrooms in a bowl and covering with very warm water. Set aside and let soak for at least 30 minutes.

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. In a large glass baking dish, toss the squash and carrots with the sesame seed oil, shoyu, and sesame seeds. Cover loosely with foil and cook for 40-45 minutes or until very tender. You can remove the foil during the last 10 minutes of cooking to brown the veggies a bit.

Placed your daikon rounds into a large skillet and cover almost completely with water. Add the mirin and shoyu and stir. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer and cover. Continue simmering for about 30 minutes, turning once or twice, until all the liquid is absorbed. If the liquid is taking too long to absorb, remove the lid and allow it to evaporate.

In a large soup pot, toss your collard greens with a bit of water and shoyu. Cook covered over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the greens are just about tender (about 10 minutes). Take the soaked shiitake mushrooms and remove the hard stems and discard. Cut the mushrooms into smaller pieces then toss in with the greens. Continuing cooking for another five minutes. Remove from pot and set aside.

Rinse out the soup pot and fill with water. Bring to a boil and add the soba noodles. Cook according to package instructions (4-6 minutes is the norm). Drain and return to the pot. Drizzle a bit of toasted sesame seed oil and some shoyu over the top and sprinkle in some sesame seeds. Toss together.

Divide the noodles between four bowls then top with all the veggies. (I cut my daikon rounds into fourths when they were done cooking.) 

Recipe - Between Seasons Pasta

I don't mean to brag here, but I've been feeling the first tinges of Autumn in the New York City air these past few days. We survived a hurricane so maybe the payoff is an early Fall? It's been positively brisk on my morning walks to the subway and we've been able to turn off our A/C a few times and not immediately dissolve into sweat puddles. Huzzah! Being from Arizona, I'm not used to really experiencing Fall - 80 degree weather can stretch clear into Christmas there - so having access to this season is one of my favorite things about living on the East Coast.

When Tucson did manage to produce a Fall season, it was always my very favorite time of year. Sweaters, scarves, boots, hot tea, baked goods, Halloween movies, blankets, stepping on crunchy leaves ... what's not to love? (Not to mention the Pumpkin Spice Lattes at Starbucks that my cousin Kelly lives for and the Thanksgiving sandwiches at Cosi that Johnny could eat by the fistful.) But we're not there quite yet, so I decided to devise a meal that features some of Summer and Fall's best produce. Between Seasons Pasta was born!

I started with some quinoa pasta given to me by my nutritionist. It's made of quinoa flour and corn flour and I wasn't too sure I'd be a fan, but it was worth a shot. I'd bought a few nice looking organic summer zucchini at the store and thought they'd be a nice addition. I then roasted up some cubed sweet potatoes to kick start those familiar autumnal flavors and added some rosemary to further the coziness. I planned on caramelizing an onion for an added punch of flavor, but I didn't have any onions! (I always have onions, WTH?) I could have gone to the store, but wait... what's that hiding in the corner of the crisper drawer? A leek! Can you caramelize a leek? I think I saw someone on Top Chef do it once, though I'm pretty sure they added it to panna cotta or something weird.

Anyway, as you can see this was truly an off-the-cuff dinner and the results could have gone either way, but MAN ALIVE did it turn out good! The quinoa pasta is quite good (though it stays a bit al dente for my tastes) and the zucchini and sweet potatoes had their own little romance going on. The caramelized leek turned out to be a great addition and provided so much flavor that hardly any other seasoning was needed. And the whole house smelled like a chilly October evening, just the way I like it!

Can I just say that I think someone is slipping something in Johnny's water? He has positively devoured everything I've put in front of him lately! I haven't faced one of those awkward "It's good..." moments as he swallows one bite and leaves the rest of his meal untouched since... I don't even know when! Between Seasons Pasta was no exception, he actually went back for seconds. I nearly fainted.

A quick note about substitutions: any pasta will work just fine, though something hearty like penne or rigatoni would be my suggestion. Roaster butternut squash would be a great sub for sweet potatoes. And if you have an onion and not a leek, feel free to caramelize that instead. "What the funk is nutritional yeast?" you may be asking. It is deactivated yeast which you can buy powdered or in flakes (usually in the bulk section of your healthier stores). It has a mildy cheesy flavor so it's popular with vegans. The best part is that it is a great source of B-complex vitamins and is fortified with B12, which is hard to find in non-animal products. I highly recommend you give it a try, but if you vegetarians and omnivores just aren't feeling it, feel free to use parmesan instead.

Between Seasons Pasta

Serves 6

1 box quinoa pasta shells

2 tbsp olive oil (divided)

2 tsp Earth Balance (divided)

1 leek

2 large zucchinis

2 large sweet potatoes

2 tbsp nutritional yeast flakes

1 tsp dried rosemary (or 2 tsp fresh rosemary, chopped)

Heat your oven to 425 degrees. Peel and cube the sweet potatoes and place them in a glass baking dish with 1 tbsp olive oil. Toss until evenly coated, then cover with aluminum foil. Bake for 45 minutes, stirring occasionally and removing the foil during the last 10 minutes of cooking.

As the sweet potatoes cook, heat the other 1 tbsp of olive oil and 1 tsp Earth Balance over low heat in a large skillet. Remove the dark green top of the leek and slice the remaining white and light green parts into 2" long strips. Add them to the skillet and stir until coated with the oil/margarine. Cover with a glass lid and leave a crack for steam to escape. Cook the leeks on low heat for 15-20 minutes or until they've developed a deep brown color. Stir a few times to ensure they don't burn. As they caramelize, start boiling a large pot of water for your pasta. Then cube your 2 zucchinis into large chunks. Once the leeks are browned, add the zucchini to the pan as well as the rosemary. Continue cooking for 10 minutes or so, until the zucchini is translucent and browned.  

Once the water has come to a boil, add your pasta and cook according to the package (mine took 9 minutes). Drain and return to the pot. Add the remaining 1 tsp of Earth Balance and the nutritional yeast to the pasta and stir well. Then add the leeks, zucchini, and sweet potatoes to the pot and toss gently. Serve hot with extra nutritional yeast sprinkled on top if desired.

Recipe - Gnocchi in Pesto Cream Sauce

Dude. Life is stressful! We are on the hunt for a new apartment and it is backbreaking, soul-crushing work. I've spent more time on the subway the past few weeks than is prudent and our dinners have been suffering as a result. (Hello, Seamless Web!) However, I made up this lovely little dinner last week, back when life was still normal, and I wanted to share it with all my friends who I know are busy, too.

Johnny has been a bit obsessed with gnocchi these days (and I'm always obsessed with gnocchi) so I wanted to create the perfect sauce to go with those tiny little dumplings of joy. As a vegan, I really miss creamy sauces at times, and this fulfilled all my creamy fantasies (man does that sound wrong). I started by preparing my own pesto, intentionally making more than I would need in this recipe. Extra pesto kicks butt on sandwiches, roasted veggies, or on pizza. I also used packaged gnocchi to speed things up, but if you'd like to try your hand at making it from scratch there's a recipe for it here on Vegan Yum Yum.

One note: please use unsweetened non-dairy milk! I used plain Silk soy milk and my sauce was a touch sweet. I thought Johnny wouldn't like it, but he didn't seem to notice and happily cleared his plate. Just when I think I have him figured out...

I think fresh corn is the perfect side dish to any meal. Corn with a side of corn anyone?

Gnocchi in Pesto Cream Sauce

Serves 4

1 tbsp olive oil

1 small red onion, diced

1 package mushrooms (cremini or button work best), sliced

1/3 cup sun-dried tomatoes, diced

3 tbsp vegan pesto (recipe follows)

1/2 cup unsweetened non-dairy milk (soy milk is preferable)

1 package prepared gnocchi

Get your gnocchi water heating in a large pot over high heat. In a large skillet, warm the olive oil over medium-low heat, then add the onions. Cook for a few minutes, stirring occasionally. Once the onions are softened but not browned, add the mushrooms and sundried tomatoes. Cook until the mushrooms start to give off their liquid, about 8-10 minutes. Add the pesto and soy milk and stir until well combined. Allow to simmer and reduce for about 6 minutes, stirring frequently.

When the sauce is about done, add your gnocchi to the pot of boiling water. They cook very quickly (2-3 minutes) and are done when they rise to the top of the water. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the gnocchi to the skillet with the pesto sauce and toss together. Serve with some basil and a sprinkle of vegan parmesan or nutritional yeast.

Vegan Pesto

Makes about 1 cup

1 clove garlic

1 large bunch of basil, stems removed

1/2 cup raw, unsalted cashews

2 tbsp nutritional yeast

1/4 tsp salt

Dash of black pepper

1/4 olive oil

In a food processor, chop the garlic into tiny pieces. Add the basil, cashews, nutritional yeast, salt and pepper and put the lid back on. Pulse until everything is combined, then drizzle in the olive oil as you continually process everything together. This makes a pretty thick pesto, you can thin it out with a few more tbsps of olive oil, a bit of veggie broth, or even water. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Recipe - Quick and Easy Summer Meals and Snacks

I have a confession to make... I love to cook. That is such a weird thing for me to write! Growing up I had absolutely no desire to try my hand in the kitchen (though my sister and brother both always loved to cook and are both fabulous at it). When I moved out on my own, I existed on Trader Joe's prepared foods and dinners out with friends. Cooking a full-on meal just for myself always seemed like such a hassle: the grocery shopping, the dishes, the leftovers that inevitably grew mold and got thrown away. Not to mention there was no one there to tell me if my meal was great or sucked - like the whole "if a tree falls in the forest" scenario, ya know? But when Johnny and I moved in together, some dormant June Cleaver-ish part of me awakened and I found myself wanting to cook more. WEIRD.

In the beginning, I relied heavily on recipes. I had a cookbook called "How to Boil Water" and I pretty much needed that level of instruction! There were definitely some failed meals in those early days (most involving undercooked meat which I no longer have to worry about!), but over time I became SO much more confident in the kitchen. Through trial and error, I figured out how to cook a great batch of rice on the stovetop and how to substitute spices if I ran out of something seemingly crucial. Our bank account thanked me for easing off of expensive take-out meals and it's always made me feel accomplished to cook a great meal and actually look forward to eating the leftovers the next day!   

That said, there are more nights than I can count where I go into the kitchen thinking I'll have dinner prepared in an hour, and by 9:00pm I'm still not done. This does not make me happy and Johnny wisely asks once if he can help and then scurries away when I bellow "NO." So I'm going to start making more of an effort to plan one or two easy meals each week that can be ready to go in 60 minutes or less. I have come to terms with the fact that this means I may need to rely on prepared foods sometimes. I love cooking everything from scratch, but honestly we all have days where we've pushed ourselves to the limit in the 10+ hours preceding dinner prep. Routinely adding an extra 2-3 hours to that just so you can feed your pie-hole is no fun.

Here are some ideas for quick meals and snacks that I've been loving for the past few weeks:


Beverages


Johnny is in the early stages of giving up diet soda (yay!) so we tried out an alternative last night. We mixed up some chopped mint, some peeled and diced ginger, a sliced up lemon, and a few packets of stevia with sparkling water and ice in a big pitcher. He was so in love! So much healthier than diet soda and super refreshing for a summer day. 

Snacks

Brown Rice Cakes and Nut Butter

I'm the type that gets home from work and has to have a snack before I start dinner prep. Quite often, I'll turn to chips or crackers and get carried away and before I know it I'm not even hungry for dinner anymore. My nutritionist made a great suggestion: brown rice cakes with nut butter. The portion is controlled and just one is super filling and satisfying. It has that salty/sweet taste that I love and is so easy to throw together. I am a big fan of Lundberg's Organic Lightly Salted Brown Rice Cakes and Brad's Organic Crunchy Peanut Butter (I love everything by both of these companies, actually!). You can jazz it up by topping with jam, bananas or other fruits, raisins... you get the idea.

Hummus and Crudites

Hummus is an institution in my family. For realz. We take that shiz seriously! My mom's hummus is widely regarded as the best in the world, so I'm always trying to recreate hers. It is so easy to whip up a big batch of hummus and snack on it all week or use as a spread on sandwiches and wraps. It's way cheaper than buying the not-as-tasty pre-made stuff from the store, too.

Here's the quick recipe: in a food processor, chop 2 cloves of garlic into tiny pieces (use 3 if you really like garlic!). Add two cans of drained and rinsed chickpeas, the juice of 2 lemons, 4 tbsp tahini, 1/4 cup olive oil and 1 tsp salt. Begin blending and pulsing and get things as mixed as you can. Continue blending and start adding water a few tsps at a time. Don't overdo it, but add as much water as necessary until the hummus is creamy and very well blended - about 1/2 cup. Taste and adjust as needed. You can eat it right away, but hummus is best when it's been chilled overnight and the flavors have really had a chance to mingle. Top with a drizzle of olive oil and some dried mint and serve with fresh veggies, crackers, or whole wheat pita bread. Variations on this recipe are endless - add in some kalmata olives, roasted red peppers, roasted garlic, pickled jalapenos, mushrooms, etc. Just decrease the oil and water a bit if you add any of these.

Meals

Crispy Chick'n Salad with Creamy Dijon Dressing

I came up with this super easy and simple salad one night when I really didn't feel like cooking, but I also didn't want to order take-out. I didn't want dinner to be a big production, so I sent Johnny to the store for some veggies and I broke out a pack of Gardein Seven Grain Crispy Tenders from the freezer. 20 minutes later I had an awesome vegan salad that I loved! Pretty sweet. 

To make this, prepare the Gardein tenders according to package instructions. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes, then cut into bite-sized pieces. Chop up some lettuce, tomatoes and cucumbers and divide between two bowls. Top with the Gardein strips. In a small bowl, mix together 2 tbsp Vegenaise and 1 tbsp dijon mustard with a small whisk or spoon until combined. Drizzle over your salad and enjoy!

Disclaimer: Johnny was not a fan of the dressing because he's got an aversion to Vegenaise. He's on the fence about mayo to begin with and lots of people are even more suspect of mayo made without animal products. For the record, the ingredients in Vegenaise couldn't be more normal: Non-GMO Expeller-Pressed Canola Oil, Filtered Water, Brown Rice Syrup, Apple Cider Vinegar, Non-GMO Soy Protein, Sea Salt, Mustard Flour, Lemon Juice Concentrate. I can guarantee those ingredients are WAY more appealing than what's in regular mayo! Anyway, if you're cooking this for a non-vegan who isn't into Vegenaise, just sub in some of their favorite dressing.


Soft Tacos

These crazy kids just can't stand still for a picture!

One of my friends is trying to be gluten-free, vegan and sugar-free and I'm also trying to cut down in the gluten in my life. We all got together for dinner and I put my thinkin' cap on. We had a medley of foodstuffs including a watermelon and cucumber salad and some fresh and delicious corn my friends got from a farm that morning (summer!!!). The main course was  soft tacos and they came together in a flash. 


I started with some pintos using the quick method of soaking: boil 4 cups of water, add 1/2 lb of dried pintos, cook for two minutes, then remove from heat and allow to soak for 1 hour. I then drained and rinsed the beans and added enough water to cover, then brought it all back to a boil and simmered for about 1 more hour. (That sounds like a long time, but it's mostly inactive and you can be doing other things while they cook.) I tossed those with some salt, pepper and chopped green chiles. I then cooked up some Yves Meatless Ground with a tbsp of olive oil, 1/2 chopped onion, 2 cloves chopped garlic, 1 tsp chile powder, and 1/2 tsp ground cumin until hot. This all got wrapped up in Ezekiel Sprouted Corn Tortillas, homemade guacamole, salsa and hot sauce. Nom nom nom!


What are your favorite quick and easy summer treats?