Blue Goose Pie!

So, I'm not sure if you guys know this, but I'm a little country. I grew up in a small town and had family I spent time with in even smaller towns. My grandpa was a farmer and my grandma bestowed upon me the love of plants I have to this day. I'd like to be mostly self-sufficient one day, and I daydream about the earth-sheltered home and farm I'm gonna own (did I also mention the goats? 'Cause there will be goats). So anyway, what I'm saying here is that I'm no stranger to going out into the wild and venturing forth with tasty forest produce. It's in my roots!

A couple of weeks ago, my boyfriend and I went out to his parent's house to go hunt some gooseberries. I promised him a gooseberry pie (since boys seem to like pie) and in order for that to happen I had to get ahold of some berries. The wild gooseberry (F: Grossulariaceae) is one of the most common shrubs in forests here in my part of Missouri. It is a notoriously sour berry, but once made into a pie it has a sort of sour apple-grape flavor (in a good way, especially with some rice-cream!). The berries are plump, round, and green, with effing thorns all over the branches and at the end of the berry. There are cultivated varieties of gooseberries, but pfft, who needs that? The wild ones are just as tasty! Besides, I think they still have thorns, lol. And, you still have to pull both ends (the dried flower and the stem) off the berry. This is the part that I wish I had an army of eight-year-olds for, since it can take awhile (8 was about the age I got conned into doing this...):

Anywho, gooseberry pie is well-known to older Midwestern people, but most people my age haven't tried it... unless they have a grandparent with a bush out back. Gooseberries are ripe in the woods right now, (**disclaimer alert**) but I do not advocate eating anything in the woods unless you know EXACTLY what you are eating. I also don't claim any responsibility if you hunt and eat the wrong thing (just gotta be cautious here).

I had originally intended on baking a regular old gooseberry pie, but the other night an older guy at work (who's quite and awesome baker himself), mentioned how he had a Blueberry-Gooseberry Pie and it was a million times more amazing than the plain ones. Since organic blueberries are everywhere right now for a good price, I knew that that was the pie I was going to make!

 "Those things look like peas and they keep messing with my head!"

This pie turned out awesome! My boyfriend had two slices as soon as he saw it! I also used a different pie crust recipe and it was way better than that sorry one I was using before. This one makes a little more crust so it's easier to cover everything. It is absolutely my favorite crust recipe from now on, and it can be used to make things sweet or savory (mmm... empanadas...). Also, when I say "a pinch", I guess I mean about 1/8 of a teaspoon. You can make the crust, wrap it up real tight in plastic wrap and store it in the fridge for up to three days or place it in an airtight container in the freezer for up to a week.

Blue Goose Pie:
Recipe for a double pie crust (recipe follows)
Filling:
2 1/2 c. fresh or thawed gooseberries
2 c. fresh blueberries
Juice from 1/2 a lemon
1 c. turbinado sugar
1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. fresh lemon peel
pinch of salt
pinch of nutmeg
pinch of cinnamon
1 Tb. Earth Balance

Flaky Pie Crust:
2 c. unbleached, all-purpose flour
1/2 c. whole wheat pastry flour
a pinch of salt
1 c. cold Earth Balance, cut into cubes
1/3 c. ICE water, plus a couple of tablespoons.

To make the crust:
In bowl, whisk flour with salt. With pastry blender or 2 knives, cut in butter until in coarse crumbs with a few larger pieces. Stirring briskly with fork, drizzle 1/3 cup of the ice water over flour mixture until pastry holds together, if necessary sprinkling dry spots with more water, 1 tbsp at a time, until pastry holds together.

Divide the pie crusts in half (as evenly as possible). On a lightly floured surface, roll out one of the halves to about a 1/4" thickness and place it into a 9-inch pie pan. Trim the edges and place the pan in the fridge to chill. Roll out the second half to about 1/4" thickness and place it on a rimless baking sheet and place it into the fridge to chill as well. Pie crusts take practice, so just keep on making them pies if it doesn't turn out. I kid you not, this is the first time that both my bottom crust completely covered my pan and the top crust covered my filling!

I was so stoked it covered the bottom that I danced. Seriously.

Now, move on to making the filling!

To make the filling:
1. In large bowl, toss together the gooseberries, blueberries, and lemon juice.
2.In small bowl, stir together the turbinado sugar, flour, lemon rind, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon; sprinkle over berries and toss to coat.
3. Scrape into chilled pie shell. Dot with Earth Balance.

It is at this point I would like to show you all the ridiculous mess that I was in the process of making:

I get a little ridiculous...

4. Brush pastry on rim of pie shell with water, fit pastry top over filling. Trim, seal and flute edge (MAKE YUMMY PIE CRUSTIES!). Cover edge of pie with aluminum foil.
5. Cut a few slits in the top shell so steam can escape. Bake in bottom third of 425°F oven for 15 minutes. Reduce heat to 350°F and bake 25 minutes. Remove the aluminum foil edging and bake another 15 minutes or until the crust is golden and the filling is bubbly. Let cool on rack. The pie will be oozy until it has completely cooled, then it should hold up nicely to slicing.

Everybody likes pi!

Serve with your favorite vegan ice cream or whipped "cream" because you really got to have it in order to balance the flavors of this particular pie, lol. And there you have it, the gooseberry pie I promised that's been a long time coming! Have a great afternoon!

A CCK Intervention!

As you might have noticed from my blog roll on the right side of the page, I'm a big fan of Chocolate-Covered Katie. I love her simple, healthy, tasty recipes and her cheerful blogging personality. I definitely think that she is one of those bloggers that make vegan food approachable. As such, I've definitely been munching down on some of her recipes lately!

Since I'm still in a physics-time suck, I'll just briefly post about some of the deliciousness I've been making a la Katie:

First off, I'll give you a hint. Before:

After:

Blueberry Muffin Voluminous Oats!

I love oatmeal. In fact, my roommates often joke about my oatmeal eating habits since I not only eat a bowl for breakfast but for a late-night snack (hey, I gotta refuel if I'm gonna keep kicking their butts in Mortal Kombat studying). The point of this oatmeal is to make it a few hours before eating so that it has time to fluff up and expand. Since I make mine up the night before, it's ready to go as soon as I get up. I pretty much make mine just like hers, except I use 1 cup water plus 1/2 cup almond milk instead of all water (calcium!), and I add 1/2 cup of frozen blueberries to the last minute or two of cooking. Oh, and I add a touch of almond extract along with the vanilla because I love the blueberry-almond flavor combo. This is such a great breakfast!

I also tried out her Voluminous Vanilla Ice Cream:

To make mine, I just swirled the frozen almond milk with a bunch of frozen blackberries and about a tablespoon of vanilla protein powder in my food processor. Talk about quick and easy! 15 seconds and it was DONE! Mine looks really soft, and it was, but that was because I was too impatient to let it freeze completely. Lol. But next time, I'll wait it out! I really loved this, and I'm definitely going to play around with a bunch of different flavors. I also got some Silk Almond to try it with since it's thicker than Almond Breeze. I think that'll help make it more ice cream-like.

So, that's what I've been munching on (other than tofu scrambles and bean burritos!). I got a bunch of garden produce starting to come in: cabbage, potatoes, onions, broccoli, banana peppers... I also have this idea for some grilled veggie wraps with roasted red pepper hummus, which I'll probably get around to making soon. My gooseberries have been safely tucked away in the freezer for now, but I will definitely make a pie eventually, lol. Have a great day!

Easy Mexican Brunch

You get two recipes for the price of one today! Lol. I guess I feel a little bad for slacking on my blogging...

But anywho, today I woke up kind of late and decided to have myself some brunch. Normally, my "brunches" usually consist of awesome pancakes and orange juice or vegan breakfast burritos, but I decided to step out of the box and make something a little different.

I've really been wanting to eat chilequiles for a long time because I'm in love with Mexican food and have an unsatiable appetite for all things carb-y and covered in salsa. So, this morning while I was browsing recipes I found a glorious authentic one made with homemade salsas... however, I tucked that one aside for later and just modified the method in order to make it quick and easy for everyone. I didn't really have a pound of tomatillos on hand, but I did have a jar of Pace!

I served these chilequiles alongside tofu rancheros and a glass of grapefruit juice, since I'm giving up coffee for the weekend (hey, I gotta start small!). It made for an easy Mexican brunch! These recipes will make two average or four small portions.

Easy Chilequiles:
8 (6 in.) corn tortillas, cut into eighths
2 Tb. olive oil
1/2 (a 16? oz.) jar of medium salsa (you want about a cup)
Sea salt to taste

1. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium high heat.
2. Once the oil is hot, add the cut tortillas. Stir the pieces around until covered with oil and then cook until all the pieces are golden brown and crispy (about 10 minutes). You will need to flip and separate the pieces occasionally.
3. Once browned, place the pieces on a paper towel to drain and sprinkle with salt.
4. Wipe out the pan, if necessary, and add the salsa. Cook for about a minute until hot and bubbly and then add the tortilla pieces. Toss the pieces so that they are all completely covered with salsa. Serve with tofu rancheros.

Tofu Rancheros:
1/2 a red bell pepper, diced
1/2 a yellow onion, diced
1 large tomato, diced
1/2 a jalapeno, minced (optional)
1-2 cloves garlic, minced
1 Tb. olive oil
6 oz. tofu (about a third of a package), drained and pressed*
2 tsp. nutritional yeast
1 tsp. Bragg's liquid aminos
1/2 tsp. Mexican oregano (can use regular, but Mexican is *awesome*)
1/4 tsp. smoked paprika
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. onion powder
1/8 tsp. turmeric

1. After draining and pressing the tofu, mash with a fork and add the nooch, Bragg's, Mexican oregano, paprika, garlic and onion powder, and turmeric. Stir well until everything is all mixed up.
2. In a skillet over medium high heat, heat the olive oil and add the diced bell pepper, onion, and jalapeno. Saute for about five minutes or until softened.
3. Add the tofu mixture, tomato, and garlic, and saute another 5-8 minutes or until tofu is golden and the tomatoes are softened (I like my tofu to be a little browned, but that's just personal preference). Enjoy!

*BONUS: Tofu that has been previously frozen and then thawed overnight makes the most awesome tofu scramble ever (heh, I needed the emphasis). It's easy to squeeze every last drop of water out and it creates the perfect "fluffy" egg texture. It also soaks ups spices and flavors real well. I highly recommend prefrozen tofu for this recipe and every scramble recipe!

This brunch was real easy to pull together. I first fried the tortilla strips and set them aside, then I made the tofu scramble and placed that in a serving bowl, then I finished off the chilequiles. By waiting until the very end to finish the chilequiles (coat them with salsa), you can make your tofu rancheros without getting them all salsa-y or having to use another pan.

And there you have it! An easy, peasy, Mexican-inspired brunch (also, it's quick. Did I mention it's quick?). Enjoy!

AfR... How I Love You!

So, I apologize for the lack of blog posts. I've been taking physics as a summer lab course and it has seriously been draining all of my free time. Luckily, it's half over, so in four short weeks I'll be able to enjoy the last of my summer before it all starts again, lol.

Anywho, lately I've been doing a lot of cooking from Appetite for Reduction, which is Isa Chandra Moskowitz's latest cookbook. I seriously love it! Everything in there is pretty quick, made from ingredients you probably have on hand, and good-for-you!

The first dish I made was the Sushi Roll Edamame Salad:

I'm not gonna lie though, I totally left off the nori. I just don't like that stuff. So this was a fishy-less tasting sushi roll salad, but I loved it! I've already made it like, five times. The green onion-miso dressing is awesome too. In fact, I used some of the little bit I had leftover to dip some vegan gyoza in. The only thing I did differently was reduce the amount of toasted sesame seed oil with walnut oil, just since it can be a little strong. Oh, and I always added the optional avocado, since I lurve it so much. 

I also made the Pad Thai Salad:

 

If I launched this salad at 11.89 km/s, how long before it reaches the moon?

This was pretty good. Though I loved the veggie combination (I added a little cucumber and red bell pepper, and like, tripled the red onion...), the dressing was just alright. However, I think that's just a personal preference right now. You know how you go on "kicks" and only eat a bunch of a certain kind of food (hopefully I'm not the only one who does this, lol...), well right now I'm having a food aversion to soy sauce, so the thought of it is kind of grossing me out. I discovered that after making this salad...

Another dish I made was the Black Bean, Zucchini, and Olive Tacos:

These tacos were made from a mixture of black beans, olives, zucchini, and my favorite Mexican salsa and although they may sound a little odd, they were great! But you totally have to put the Lemon-Yogurt Sauce on them. It's what brings them all together. I added some additional chopped romaine and green onion and served them with some leftover brown rice to round it out. 

I also made the Smoky Tempeh and Greens Stew (which was not very photogenic), and although it had great flavor, I just CANNOT get past the texture and odd taste of tempeh. I even steamed it and cut it into very small cubes... they're was just no disguising it. So folks, I have given tempeh THREE tries and it strikes out!! No more for me. I'll just stick to my beloved tofu.

And last but not least, I shall send you off with some dessert. I made Katie's awesome Fudge Daddies and they did not disappoint! I used silken tofu, agave, and applesauce with one tablespoon of coconut oil, as suggested. I also added some 65% cacao dark chocolate chips for extra chocolate-y-ness (is that word even possible?!). My boyfriend and his friends (as well as me!) loved these. It's definitely a keeper recipe and one that I'll play around with to make even more decadent in the future. However, since you can get them down to about a 100 calories per serving, I'd say they'd make an awesome snack for just about anytime (like breakfast...).

Not pictured: the melted coconut butter goodness I slathered on top.

So that's all I've got for you now. I cannot wait for my class to be over because I've got a serious bread-making itch that just will not go away. Also, I've got a special post coming up about an old-fashioned Midwest special: the infamous gooseberry pie. Have a great evening!

VCIYCJ: I Made Cookies!

Like practically every other vegan out there, I love Isa Chandra Moscowitz and Terry Hope Romero's cookbooks. I own "Vegan with a Vengenance" and I've currently been scoping another one I'd like to lay down some cash for (I'll give you a hint... it's Latin and delicious and cruelty-free all over it). We recently had a Border's go out of business (the only bookstore in the entire city), and Mom surprised me with a cookbook:

Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar!

I was shocked! I had just been in there the day before and had somehow missed this baby on sale for $5. Luckily, I have a Mom who supports my cookbook habit, so she picked it up for me. Since I've been on a ridiculous ginger kick lately (seriously... ginger green tea, ginger kombucha, ginger chews, ginger beer, ginger stir-fry...) I immediately turned to the Macadamia Ginger Crunch Drops. These cookies are just full of macadamia nuts and crystallized ginger with just a hint of nutmeg (that's what really brought them together). They were glorious!! Isa and Terry have yet to fail me! I won't post the recipe here, because it doesn't belong to me, but I will tell you how my cookie making went down.

There were two things I did different. First thing I did was use a chia seed "egg" instead of a flax seed "egg". I love these because they are just like an egg! They also don't have a taste so you can put them in just about anything. Also, when you use chia seed powder, you don't really get any whole seeds or specks in the cookies (meaning, that even though the seeds are black, you can really see them in the baked cookies).

Chia Seed "Egg":
1 1/2 tsp. chia seeds
about 3-4 Tb. warm water

1. Place the chia seeds in a coffee grinder and grind for a couple of seconds, until powdered.
2. Add the warm water, mix with a fork, and allow to sit until nice and thick (about 10 minutes). Whisk with a fork again before using.

If it doesn't thicken up enough, you can add more chia powder. This will make ONE "egg". You can also grind up chia seeds ahead of time so that you have the powder on hand. They're not like flax seeds, they won't go rancid. However, after my baking fiasco a couple days ago, I wouldn't recommend using more than one chia egg at a time. The gelatinous moisture they contain causes your batter to go all wonky (it can displace any fats or oils your have put in your batter!).

The second thing I did differently was use a split mix of half coconut oil and half vegetable oil. The recipe called for 2/3 cup oil (I almost died!), but I went ahead and used the full amount anyway. HOWEVER, I will definitely reduce the oil next time because they left little grease spots wherever they sat. I'm thinking like, a 1/2-ish cup would be good time. I honestly don't think it will compromise the recipe that much. But seriously, these cookies were awesome. I'll definitely make them again!

I also made the Cherry Almond Cookies:

I kept this recipe the exact same as in the book, except I used 1/2 c. chopped almonds instead of 3/4 c. slivers. I just didn't have those. But man, these cookies were pretty much awesome. I LOVED these! So did my mom. She was like, "these are good.... very good.... very, very good... I think they're better than chocolate chip... and that's saying something!".

I left the majority of the batch at my boyfriends house for two hours, and I when I came back, they were all gone! Success! Everybody that ate them liked them better than the Macadamia-Ginger Crunch Drops, but I think that's just because you have to really like crystallized ginger to enjoy that cookie. Which is a given. It's pretty distinct. Lol.

The third cookie I tried was the Chocolate Agave Trailmixers:

Instead of 2/3 c. oil I used 1/2 cup. This made the cookie a little drier, but it stayed together without many crumbs). I also used only whole wheat pastry flour because I was out of all-purpose. Then, for the nut/fruit/chocolate combo I used chopped, dried cherries with chopped walnuts, and 65% cacao dark chocolate chips. I did reduce the amount of dark chocolate chips, but only because some of the people I bake for don't appreciate it as much as I do... These were awesome as well. I've never made cookies with agave and they really do create a cake-like texture, just like Isa said. These remind me of those cake-mix cookies from days past... only 1000x better!

So anyway, I highly recommend this cookbook! I love, love, love it! Not only that, these cookies are seriously liked by everyone, vegans and non-vegans alike! I'm pretty sure that I'm going to make every single cookie recipe in there by year's end. And I'll let you all know how each one turns out. Have a great day!

Regal Ramen

So, I walked into my local Big Lots (I lurve that place), so big greeted by the most awesome site ever:

Yes! Your eyes do not deceive you! That is an entire selection of Bob's Red Mill products, and about half of them are the gluten-free ones! Some of them are still about the same price (quinoa, $7), but the huge bag of GF rolled oats was only $3. I'll be stocking up with some of these products in the very near future! I also found recycled Reynolds aluminum foil for $1 and three new flavors of Clif Bars (at the usual $0.70). I love how that store is constantly changing. Anywho, this is not an post about what I've been buying, rather, it is a post about what I've been eating. And by eating, I mean hurriedly tossing in my face between school, work, and working out.

So what's quick? RAMEN. But not just any ramen will do!

I love Koyo brand vegan ramen. It's pretty much my favorite ramen ever. I always have to stock up on it when I go to Whole Foods though, because they don't sell it where I live. I think I've tried every flavor except for Seaweed, just because I'm not ready for that, lol. I think my favorite is a toss-up between Lemongrass Ginger and Tofu and Miso. I'm kind of picky about lemongrass. Since it's so aromatic, it can make the food you're eating taste extremely... floral? But when you get the right amount, it just adds the perfect flavor. Koyo gets the lemongrass perfect! My least favorite flavor is the Garlic Pepper one, but "least" is on a scale of liking, which means I will still buy it and eat it, but only after I've ate all the other flavors I like better first. Haha. You know, like eating all the chocolate chip cookies first and the oatmeal ones last. It's good. We all do it! Lol.

Of course, with packaged food I can never leave good enough alone. In order to balance out my ramen into a more wholesome lunch I alway have to soup it up (literally...). Frozen edamame is a perfect addition because not only does it increase the nutritional value of the ramen, but it cooks in the same amount of time! My perfect bowl of ramen (as an example):

1 pkg. Koyo Lemongrass and Ginger ramen
1/2 c. frozen, shelled edamame
2 lime wedges
1 green onion, sliced
1 tsp. sesame seeds
Sriracha

Make the ramen according to package directions, but increase the water to 1 1/2 cup. Place the edamame in with the water and allow them to come to a boil together, before you add the noodles. After cooking the noodles (don't drain!), stir in the seasoning packet and garnish with the green onion and sesame seeds. Douse with fresh lime juice and sriracha before serving. Tasty! I've also been know to add leftover tofu, tiny broccoli florets, snow peas, frozen peas, grated carrots, chopped fresh asparagus spears, chopped leafy greens (bok choy, napa cabbage, cabbage, spinach), and/or diced onion. The more veggies, the better! For most veggies, you can just toss them in at the two minute (left) mark, and you wind up with the perfect tender-crisp texture.

This makes a satisfying light lunch or lazy dinner for sure!

Garden Update and What I've Been Eating!

The garden has been growing splendidly! I made sure that I took a lot of pictures so you all could see the progress. Here's a pan of the garden. It is going to be a jungle by fall! A tasty, tasty jungle...

The corn is about up to my knees. We planted it in early April and it's just growing up great. I am sooo going to roast that stuff.

We also have quite a few pepper plants: poblanos, sweet bananas, bell peppers, and long cayennes. I am most excited about the poblanos because I'm going to make a bunch roasted chili-corn salsa with it and some rajas. My boyfriend's grandpa (the one who is showing us the way to garden) has never eaten a roasted poblano. I'm excited for him to try them. The only plants that have peppers on them are the sweet bananas and they are literally as large as the plant itself. Not sure what's going on with them. Lol.

Here's my babies: the little zucchinis I planted from organic seed. That's my foot for comparison! Some already have little zucchinis going on them. I'm curious to try squash blossoms, but you only eat the male blossoms and all my female ones are currently growing squashes!

Here's a good shot of the potatoes (background). To be honest, I can't remember what the two rows in front of them are. I guess I'll find out when they start sprouting things.

Our tomatoes are doing great. His grandpa put cages on them and covered their bottoms with hay. I also put cages on the tomatoes that I have at home (heirloom cherokee purples!), but I haven't gotten any hay yet. The hay helps keep pests off them and the cages give them support. They become really heavy when the tomatoes start growing in size and they help keep the fruit off the ground.

So that's the garden. I've been learning a lot!

So anyway. Here's some of the foods I've been munching on.

Coconut yogurt with raspberries and chia seeds:

Okay... story about the berries. I was at the store awhile back and I saw some glorious looking strawberries. Though I usually buy organic berries, these were just so cheap and I was a little hungry so I impulse bought them on the way out the store. I ate a couple. They were fine. The next day I went to eat some more. One of them had a little bad spot on it, but I was like, whatever. I don't care that much. I'll eat it anyway. As soon as I put it in my mouth, I got the overwhelming taste of chemical. I gagged and spit it out and I tossed the rest of the carton. I seriously tested pesticide on those berries and if one was contaminated, they all had to be. This wasn't a guilt reaction from buying non-organic berries. I know chemicals. I'm a chemist at a plant that makes pesticides and herbicides... I've ran tests on some of the same chemicals that routinely get used on strawberries (same active, though not necessarily the same product). My thinking is that these berries might have been sprayed before harvest (which is illegal) or that it was harboring chemicals in its bad spot. All around bad.

A couple days ago I bought some non-organic raspberries and used them in the above photo. I ate them and they were tasty. They next day, the tasted so strongly of chemical (the same one), that I got rid of them. I was absolutely horrified! What really takes the cake though, is that they were the SAME brand, grown in relatively the SAME area, and bought within a week of one another. I can't dismiss that there wasn't contamination. I almost always buy organic berries, but had a lapse in judgement on those two occasions. I will NEVER buy a non-organic berry again. EVER.

So yeah. That was my story!

I also made up a batch of sun-dried tomato pesto. It was AWESOME. My boyfriend loved it. We had it for lunch with flatbreads, grilled veggies, and roasted garlic hummus. It was good stuff. I basically just tossed together:

1/4 cup packed basil
1/2 cup sun-dried tomatoes in oil (drained)
a few tablespoons of toasted walnuts
some walnut oil (you could use olive)
a couple cloves of garlic

I like to keep things nice and chunky, for texture, but you could always add up to 1/4 cup oil and blend until smooth. It doesn't need any salt either. I want to make Isa's Pizza (from VWAV) and put some on there.


I've also been eating a lot of grilled vegetables. I've been using my boyfriend's George Foreman grill to cook them up in no time. It's small so I basically cook one veggie at a time (respray with some nonstick between veggies) and then put it on a plate until I finish cooking them all. Even though it sounds a little tedious, it's still quicker than any other method (except maybe stir-fry...). If you have a George Foreman, you should totally try this out. Basically it's:

• Mushroom caps: 5 minutes
• Onions, 1/2" slices: 5 minutes
• Bell peppers, cut into 1/2" pieces, 5 minutes
• Asparagus spears: 6-8 minutes, 6 for the thin ones and 8 for the thicker ones.
• Eggplant, 1/2" thick slices: 8 minutes
• Tomato slices (1/4" inch thick), cherry or grape tomatoes: 3 minutes
• Zucchini or yellow squash, cut into 1/4" in slices: about 6 minutes

While these were grilling, I put on a few halved baby potatoes to boil, and voila! Grilled veggies! These would be awesome with some flatbreads. I usually ate them with balsamic vinegar and salt, but with the mushroom caps I'd fill each cap with a little sun-dried tomato pesto and then place one of the grape tomatoes in the center. It was like a little fancy appetizer, lol. For the meal pictured above, I ate them with some avocado slices. The good fats in avocado helped me to absorb all the Vitamin A and K I was ingesting. Plus, salted avocado goes really good with potatoes!

Although I hate the heat that comes with summer, I sure love the produce! I'm going to try my best to keep up with blogging, but I am taking a summer class that is sucking up all my fun. Bleh. Anywho, have a great evening!

Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta Salad...

... for all your vegan cookout needs!

But first, I'd just like to make a quick announcement. The winner of my Third Friday Giveaway of a copy of Ani's Raw Food Essentials by Ani Phyo is:

Whitney of Vegan Sunshine!

Congrats, Whitney! I'll mail you your book and some snickety-snacks soon! And for everyone else, I still have one more book to give away, so stay tuned!

Okay, so I finally broke down and got myself a $30 food processor. My last one died this past Christmas while pulverizing some oreos. Since its untimely passing, I lamented all the homemade hummus, sauces, marinades, dips, and falafel that I could no longer make (unless I wanted to do it the long way with a bunch of effort). Needless to say, it took me a whole day to make something with it after it arrived in the mail!

Since I had a cookout yesterday, I decided I wanted to make some pasta salad. Good ol'-you-can't-tell-it's-vegan-because-it's-awesome pasta salad. Since I've had an insatiable desire for fresh basil and oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, I knew that those two ingredients would be important components in my recipe. A quick search revealed an easily-veganizable recipe from the Barefoot Contessa (whom I adore...). Overall, I cut down a lot of the salt and fat in her recipe, just because that's how I roll... Well, it was also because the commenters mentioned there was way too much salt. The original recipe called for sundried tomatoes, capers, kalamata olives, kosher salt, mozzarella, and Parmesan so you can imagine that it would be thirst-inducing (as well as cruelty-inducing). Also, I don't have much money and so I can't really afford to buy ingredients that I'm pretty sure I won't like (capers). AND, I had a coupon for the olives. Bwahaha!! My mom's getting into that extreme couponing and I think it's rubbing off on me... just a little...

Anywho, this pasta salad tastes bright and fresh, with just the right amount of salt and oil and a great depth of flavor from the tomatoes, olives, and sun-dried tomatoes. It makes the perfect side dish to any cookout. My boyfriend's parents even took leftovers before we went home and my boyfriend finished off what was left that night. So none made it past the first day. I will definitely make this recipe again and again!

Pasta Salad with Sun-Dried Tomatoes and Olives:
Salad:
9 oz. spiral pasta (3/4 a 12 oz. bag. I used the veggie spirals with the different colors)
1 lb. cherry tomatoes, preferably a mix of red and yellow, halved
1/2 c. chopped kalamata olives
1/2 Tb. olive oil

Dressing:
8 sun-dried tomatoes packed in oil, drained
1 c. fresh basil, firmly packed
2 Tb. red wine vinegar
2 Tb. olive oil
1 Tb. walnut oil (can sub olive)
1 Tb. minced garlic (2 cloves or so)
A few whole kalamata olives
1/8 tsp. black pepper

1. To make the pasta salad, cook the noodles according to package directions until tender. Drain, rinse with hot water (to keep them from sticking), drain again, then toss with the 1/2 Tb. of olive oil. Set aside to allow to cool, though occasionally give it a stir to keep it from sticking together.

2. To make the dressing, combine the oil-packed tomatoes, basil, red wine vinegar, olive and walnut oil, garlic, olives, and black pepper in a food processor. Process until pureed, scraping down the sides of the processor occasionally, to make sure everything gets combined.

3. Once the pasta has cooled, add the halved tomatoes and chopped olives and toss. Stir in the dressing and toss to coat. Cover and chill a couple of hours before serving. Makes a nice, big ol' bowl full with plenty to go around!

I hope you all enjoy your weekends!

Fruit-Full Honeydew Agua Fresca

Just a quick post today, I'm right in the middle of moving and I still have some more stuff to pack plus a full workout to squeeze in somehow. 

I mostly wanted to mention that the glorious honeydew is in season. When it is at its peak, it is perfectly sweet and juicy and makes a wonderful snack! I was able to find these melons for less than a buck apiece and I'm gonna keep eating them until they fall out of season and are replaced with cantaloupes and watermelons. I used to hate melon, but I've seriously grown to LOVE it. 

Since it has been kind of warm here, I decided to make a nice melon agua fresca ("water refreshments") to cool down with. Agua fresca are usually made with a combination of fruits, water, sugar, and/or ice, but because the melon is so naturally sweet on its own, I left out any added sugar. When paired with a touch of lime and kiwi, the result is a deliciously sweet and refreshing drink that would cool down any warm afternoon! Although my drinks usually are only enough for one person, this recipe makes enough for two large or four small servings.
 

Honeydew Agua Fresca:

2 cups diced honeydew melon

Juice of one lime
About 1/4 tsp. fresh lime zest 

1 kiwi*

1 c. water
Ice

1. In a blender, combine the honeydew, lime juice, lime zest, kiwi, and water. Blend thoroughly until smooth.

2. Add enough ice to make it slushy and enjoy!

*I leave my kiwis unpeeled for their nutrition and fiber, but unless you have a high speed blender, I would recommend peeling your kiwi. Getting a chunk of kiwi peel in your drink is a little off-putting!

So, this glorious RAW drink is a perfect allude to the RAW cookbook giveaway I have going on! The giveaway doesn't end until midnight tonight, so leave a comment here in order to win your very own copy of Ani's Raw Food Essentials by Ani Phyo!

A Winner! An Annoucement! And Tu-No Salad!

The winner of my Second Friday Giveaway is:

Amber of Almost Vegan

Using a random number generator, the number 8 popped up and Ms. Amber just happened to be the third person to leave a comment. She wins a copy of Veganize This! by Jenn Shagrin as well as a few vegan goodies. Congrats, Amber!

But you still have another chance to win! My Third Friday Giveaway is the book Ani's Raw Food Essentials by Ani Phyo. According to Amazon, "Chef Ani Phyo is back with Ani’s Raw Food Essentials, full of everything you need to know to master the art of live food. Phyo shows you how to whip up simple, fresh recipes using what you’ve already got in your kitchen while also offering tips on dehyrating and more sophisticated techniques. Looking for innovative meals that are healthy and delicious? Phyo offers everything from classic comfort foods like nachos and burgers to Reuben sandwiches and bacon, along with more gourmet dishes like risotto, angel hair pasta, and her “you-won’t-believe-they’re-raw” desserts.
Ani’s Raw Food Essentials once again proves that you don’t have to sacrifice taste to reap the benefits of raw foods, all while living a greener lifestyle. Recipes include: Broccoli and Cheeze Quiche, Kalamata Olive Crostini, Cashew “Tofu” in Miso Broth, Grilled Cheeze and Tomato Sandwiches, Cheeze Enchilada with Ranchero and Mole Sauce, Pad Thai, Pesto Pizza, and many more."

This book couldn't come at a better time, what with all the farmer's markets and home gardens starting to produce fantastic fruits and veggies. The temperature is also getter warmer, which I know holds some people back when you live in colder climates. The time is ripe for some raw food!

So if you would like to win this book, all you have to do is leave a comment to get one entry. To gain up to three additional entries you can facebook it, twitter it, and/or make a post about the giveaway on your blog with a link back to mine. The contest ends at midnight on Wednesday, May 25 and is open to everyone! So happy entering!

Now time for a little garden update! The lettuce we planted back in April is finally ready! This buttercrunch lettuce is tender with a mild crunch and flavor. It would be real good mixed in a salad or eaten on a sandwich.

I however, decided to use it as a bed for my Tu-No salad (mock tuna salad), along with some whole wheat pita. I've made this recipe many times before, but it was just recently that I noticed that I've never actually written a post about it. So how about that? This recipe tastes very similar to tuna salad, due to the ingredients, but without the fishy aftertaste or the overharvesting of the ocean being involved!

Tu-No Salad:

1 can of chickpeas, rinsed and drained
2 Tb. veganaise
1 rib of celery, finely chopped
1/4 yellow onion, finely chopped
2 Tb. dill pickle relish
1 1/2 Tb. horseradish mustard (or regular brown)
1 tsp. nooch (nutritional yeast)
1/8 tsp. celery salt
Salt and pepper to taste

1. Rinse and drain the chickpeas. Make sure you get all the excess water out so that your salad won't be runny.

2. Stir in the veganaise, celery, onion, relish, mustard, nooch, celery salt, and salt and pepper.

3. Once everything is nice and mixed together, use a fork to mash up some of the chickpeas. You could also pulse it in a food processor for a little bit. This makes about three servings with around 190 calories a piece.

Then enjoy in all the ways you use to enjoy tuna salad: on crackers, in tu-no melts, on a salad, in a pita, and in your lunchbox at work or school!

As a variation you can also add about 1/2 tsp. or so of curry powder and omit the celery salt to get a nice curried tu-no salad. It's quite tasty as well.

So to enter my cookbook giveaway, just leave a comment. Do you guys have any plans for Memorial Day? Or any thoughts on tuna salads or summer vacations? On cabbages and kings? Or why the sea is boiling hot, and whether pigs have wings?

Whew. I just woke up. The mind tenders to wander at such an hour. Anywho, have a great day!