Grapefruit ACV Sparkling Water

This is a super refreshing drink I make at least once a day. I take a splash of fresh grapefruit juice, 1-2 Tbs of Bragg's ACV (apple cider vinegar) and fill with sparkling water (we always get lemon). If you like sweeter drinks you could add molasses. Also, if you wait and add the molasses last, it will probably do something really cool, like dance! Okay, I think I am all caught up now! See you tomorrow!

Weenie Wednesday?!

I know that isn't an official theme for MoFo Wednesdays but it sounds good and I am running with it. We normally buy Lightlife smart dogs because that is the only veggie dog they sell at my local store but this time we scored some Tofurky brand dogs. I like both brands just fine but I would probably pick Tofurky if it wasn't an out of the way trip. Today I made one Chicago style and the other has chili and cheeze.

Chicago on the left, Chili-cheeze on the right

The cheeze is  Dragon's Bulk, Dry Uncheese mix from Vegweb. I mix it with water and a little bit of pickle juice to add a little tangy flavor. The chili is made from seasoned crumbled tempeh.
I am not a fan of boiled things so I cook the dogs a bit different than a lot of folks. I put them in a skillet with a quarter to half cup of water over med high heat so they get warmed through and then let the water evaporate. At this point I add a touch of oil to the skillet and let them get a bit crispy on the outside. Now just toast some buns and add your toppings!
We don't really eat this way very often but sometimes the convenience of ready made food really hits the spot. Have y'all heard of carrot dogs? I think these might hold up better on the grill than veggie dogs, might need to try these out soon.

Stir Fried Green Beans and Veggie Balls

I am going to make this post short since I am playing catch up. This is a stir fry I made recently featuring the veggie balls I made out of juice pulp. I didn't really use a recipe I just kind of mashed up about a cup or so of juice pulp (squeeze out excess liquid) some extra firm tofu, about a Tbls. of peanut butter, fresh garlic and ginger, dash of tamari, and green onions. If you want to use this idea for italian dishes then replace the ginger with oregano and basil. After incorporating ingredients, shape into balls about 1-2"s in diameter and bake at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes or until firm.

One thing I should mention about the pulp, you obviously don't want fruit pulp for this dish. When I know I will be using the pulp for savory recipes I will juice my veggies first and collect the pulp and finish up my juice with the fruit later. On that note, if you wanted to save you fruit pulp you could make muffins or cakes with it. We aren't really sweets people, I might use vegan MoFo as an opportunity to make a carrot or pineapple cake. What are your favorite juice pulp recipes?

Vegan MoFo

I am a couple of days late to MoFo but I will try and make up for it with some extra posts here and there. I am going to try and keep up but I am starting a new job soon and it might get hectic.
I didn't really want to stick with a theme for MoFo but it seems like a lot of my food lately has revolved around my new juicer and how I have gone juice and pulp crazy! Here is a shot from a recent grocery trip.

Ready for Juicing!

I have used to pulp for veggie balls and veggie burgers and they were great! I don't have a dehydrator or I would be making crackers out the wazoo. I don't like wasting the pulp but I have been juicing at least once a day and sadly most of it ends up in the compost bin. Also, I don't know if you can tell from the picture but those carrots are ginormous! Here is a reference shot.

Monster carrot!

Is it bad that we reference most things with beer or other adult beverages? Don't answer that. Ok, I will try and play catch-up later today!

~B

Vegan Mofongo with Arroz de Gandules!

So last year K and I were invited to a wedding celebration in Puerto Rico, the beach, the fruity drinks, lazy days, how could we say no! Well we didn't! We hopped right on that plane and scooted our way to the festivities. And by that I mean it was basically a non-stop party. Sun up to sun down and beyond. I might be getting too old for this shit....
As a vegan in a strange place, I just stuck to obviously vegan food like fresh veggies and fruits (tons of coconuts everywhere yipee!) The nearby grocery had some vegan burger options I was surprised and pleased to have found. There is also the usual fast food options, subway, T-bell, etc. But I didn't have to go that route as the pop up stands along the road have more than I needed to get by.
A very popular food in P.R. is a dish called Mofongo, traditionally fried green plantains mashed with garlic and pork. I did get to try a vegan version at the airport on the way home and made a mental note to try my hand at this dish when I got back. In this homemade version I leave out the pork (duh!) and stuff them with a spicy veggie TVP mixture similar to picadillo. This very unhealthy dinner was delish, of course. Also served with arroz de gandules or pigeon peas and rice.

Inside Shot

Banh Mi! (no banh)

No Banh Banh Mi

I have put on a few ellbees recently and in order to get back on track I am trying to eat more whole foods hence the banh mi on red rice instead of on a roll. I think I prefer it this way. K had his the old fashioned way on a baguette and we both agreed that it was going in the regular rotation. In fact, we made this twice in one week! I rehydrated soy curls in veg broth for about 30 minutes and drained then squeezed out as much liquid as I could. Next I marinated them for a bit, stir fried it and boom!

Soy Curl Marinade
2 Tbs. tamari or soy sauce
1 Tbs. sesame oil (I used toasted)
1 Tbs. rice vinegar
1 tsp. grated ginger
a squirt of agave
red pepper flakes
tad of salt

Himalayan red rice is new in our house and we love it! Much more substantial than white rice and more flavorful than brown. K doesn't like brown rice, which I find insane. The dressing drizzled on top of the veggies is veganaise and sriracha mixed together.
So cook up some rice, chop up some veggies, stir fry some protein and dig in!

All the Cheese

Veggie Pizza

These are the results of the cheeses I made from the Artisan Vegan Cheese cookbook! Of course I made pizza! I used the meltable mozzarella and meltable cheddar on this pizza. I have to say it took a lot of planning to get to this point, there are very many steps to make these cheeses. Are they worth it? Yes and no.
I used to eat the heck out of some cheese and I still miss it a lot sometimes but I haven't given into temptation, yet. I had been vegetarian since I was 15, but I never liked eggs or milk type things, oh but cheese was a different story. I have been vegan for a couple of years (with a cheese relapse for a bit in there) and I have been on a quest (as a lot of us are) for a good cheese sub.
I think with more experimenting with these recipes I could get it close. All that said I have not remade any cheese since the first batch. Do what you will with that info.
My omni partner really enjoyed the mozzarella and made a caprese salad with it. He said it tasted like fresh mozz, so there is that. I think if you are willing to experiment with it and you have shit-ton of patience, give it a shot! I also made the quick parmesean recipe and added it to pasta and salads and I absolutely loved it.

Caprese Salad

Red grape and Parmesean Salad