So, of course I never actually got into the habbit of writing in the blog. But YES I'M STILL EXPERIEMENTING WITH VEGAN RECIPES! I've been experiementing with recipes in general... NOT just vegan. I have found what I believe is a healthy balance on the carnivorous and herbivorous spectrum.
I am thinking of perhaps opening this blog up to fill a broader range of foods. On that note, I made a delcious Spiced Apple Vodka this past weekend. MMM so easy, so good.
I Haven't had too much time to get creative with recipes and new foods this week. I did make a large purchase at Whole Foods on Sunday and have been quite content on legumes, beans, and quinoa these past few days. I have discovered that quinoa is WONDERFUL with warm maple syrup on top for breakfast. Yummy!
I am currently in the middle of the Kind Diet by Alicia Silverstone (I can't get enough of it) and I have two more exciting vegan lifestyle/cookbooks on the way from Amazon. I have successfully avoided meat and dairy for the past 8 days. My next transition is to move away from my normal 4-6 cups of coffee every day and towards more organic teas and natural energy foods.
Had these for dinner last night with my fiance. He also made one for himself with real chicken because he's not a fan of Lightlife's Chick'n strips texture. I'm determined to find chick'n that he DOES like. We are both picky about soy cheez, they're definitely not ALL good. Galaxy makes very yummy pepper jack soy cheese - it's good melted or right off the block. Tonight's meal is going to be made by someone else since J and I will be having dinner at a new vegetarian restaurant to celebrate my birthday.
Chick'n Veggie Quesadillas
Chick'n strips (I use Lighlife)
1 C shredded pepper jack cheez
4 whole wheat flour tortillas (small)
red & green peppers
onions
mushrooms
seasonings (cayenne pepper, chili powder, cilantro)
1. Sautee onions, peppers, mushrooms in water or light oil
2. Add chick'n and seasonings; cook until warm
3. Add even amounts to one side of one tortilla in a skillet and then top with cheese; fold over
4. Cook one side until slighlty crispy and golden brown; flip and cook other side
Serves 4
*Next time I'll be sure to buy some vegan sour cream to go with them. Yum!
These chocolatey (not) things were one of the first vegan recipes I tried out because I need a very convincing alternative to living without Reese's PB Cups. I used Alecia Silvertsone's recipe which I first read in the November 2009 issue of Women's Health magazine. It seems to be everywhere now; in her new book, "The Kind Diet", on The View and various other websites.
I used Smart Balance instead of Earth Balance; they are both Vegan friendly, but Smart Balance has less fat, calories, and sodium... and it's generally less expensive. I also didn't add the nuts on top for 2 reasons a) I didn't have any b) I don't like raw nuts much - but my cups probably would've looked more visually appealing if I had added nuts on top.
Alicia's Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups
1/2 c Earth Balance natural spread (dairy-free butter)
3/4 c crunchy peanut butter (preferably natural, unsweetened, and unsalted)
3/4 c graham cracker crumbs or 10 graham cracker squares, crushed
1/4 c maple sugar or other granulated sweetener
1 c grain-sweetened nondairy chocolate or carob chips
1/4 c soy, rice, or nut milk
1/4 c chopped pecans, almonds, or peanuts
1. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners. (Find out where to buy unbleached liners at ifyoucare.com.) Set the tin aside.
2. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the peanut butter, graham cracker crumbs, and maple sugar; mix well. Remove the mixture from the heat. Divide mixture evenly (about 2 tablespoons per cup) among the muffin cups.
3. Combine the chocolate and milk in another pan. Stir over medium heat until the chocolate has melted. Spoon the chocolate evenly over the peanut butter mixture. Top with chopped nuts. Place in the refrigerator to set for at least 2 hours before serving.
Makes 12.
The Kind Diet: A Simple Guide To Feeling Great, Losing Weight, and Saving The Planet, by Alicia Silverstone, Rodale, 2009. Available wherever books are sold.
Welcome to my Vegan blog. I will intermingle rants about my new vegan experiments with yummy homemade recipes. Have a look around and come back often- I'm just getting started. Please leave comments or suggestions! Enjoy.
I'm in my mid twenties. New to blogging and Veganism - hooray for challenges! Looking to share my desire for natural health with others, as well as yummy recipes. My favorite food is peanut butter. In my free time I like to read, write, listen to music, and eat!
