Cookout Fare

This summer, Tybrus and I hosted a cookout. We're not much for dinner hosting mostly because iwe don't own a kitchen table.Plus, we have a really hyper puppy with the force of a truck.  It was a new experience, and it inspired me to hunker down and buy a table. Eventually. We served traditional cookout foods: seitan ribz, potato salad, spinach dip and my friend Jess even made her famous pasta salad. It's official title is "that pasta salad that starts fights." Sure, this happened in July and not during Vegan MoFo, but it's not too late to get outside and fire up that grill one last time before we get to frigid temperatures. 

Chocolate Cupcakes with Thick-Ass Peanut Butter Frosting

I recently got contracted to make cupcakes! Well, I have been before, but this was the first time I got paid for it! Thus, my culinary career begins! (Not.) Two of my friends recently celebrated their three-year anniversary. Or maybe, it was four. Well, obviously we're not that close of friends. But, if you ask me to bake for you, I don't care how well we know each other- I'll do it. And, it will be delicious. The cake and frosting recipe were both from VCTOW. Why would I use another? I started out ambitious with the frosting by piping it, but that shit is exhausting.

Vegan Mofo: Breakfast Taters

First off, I'd like to apologize for all of the super awful pictures I've been sharing with you lately. There seems to be something wrong with my Canon Rebel XS. Every time I attach my flash to it, the flash doesn't go off. Has this happened to anyone else?

Terrible and unappealing images aside, these potatoes were  fantastic! I did standard potato spices: garlic, paprika, crushed red pepper and some nooch. The city I live in is partaking in the Occupy movement that began on Wall Street. Saturday was my morning to make breakfast for everyone! I served this and someone brought instant grits to serve with it. This made for some full and happy protesters.

Also: A friend and I made cat signs. Here are some of our catchy slogans.

1. Anar-kitty: Smash Catipalism!
2. We ain't kitten around!
3. Wall Street Fat Cats
4. We are the 99 purr-cent!

Vegan MoFo Day 8: Uninspired Mac 'n Cheez

This mac 'n cheez was uninspired because I've made it a thousand times before. I used the recipe from Vcon, but added a heaping tablespoon of tahini to make it richer. Mac 'n cheezes are great for dinner after a long day at work when you don't feel like being on your feet for another hour to make dinner. Steam some veggies to go with it, or if you're real patient, bake it with bread crumbs atop.

Vegan MoFo Day 3: Mock Beef Lettuce Wraps

I have become completely obsessed with lettuce wraps after trying the delicious Hoisin Mustard Tofu Lettuce Wrap recipe from Appetite for Reduction. They're light, but oh, so filling, and they have the most wonderful texture. Crunchy lettuce, rich fillings. Nom! Lettuce wraps are best, in my opinion, when flavored with Asian spices.

Mock Beef Lettuce Wraps
1 tbs canola oil
1 small white or yellow onion, diced
1 red or green bell pepper, diced
2 cloves of garlic, minced
1 tbs minced ginger
2 tbs rice wine vinegar
2 tsp soy sauce
1/4 tsp cracked red pepper
1 cup TVP
1 tsp Not Beef Better Than Bouillon paste
6-8 piece of iceberg lettuce

In a large skillet, saute onions in oil until they become translucent. Add bell pepper and cook for another 3-4 minutes. Add garlic and saute for another 2 minutes. Add spices and cook and additional 2 minutes. Add TVP and stir to coat in spices and veggies. Add bouillon and water, and cover. Cook until TVP has absorbed all of the broth. Fill lettuce pieces and roll up. Serve with peanut dipping sauce. I used San-J's Spicy Peanut Marinade. Yum!

Vegan MoFo Day 2: Curried Corn Chowder

One of the best things about Fall is being able to eat soup again. Soups are versatile, and I've been trying to create more of my own recipes for them. Curry and corn go surprisingly well together because of how sweet the corn is. I used soy milk to make my soup creamy, but I recommend using coconut milk if you've got it. 

Curried Corn Soup

1 tbs oil

2 stalks celery, diced

1 carrot, peeled and diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp garam masala

1 tsp turmeric

1 tsp coriander

1/2 tsp cumin

2 small potatoes, scrubbed and cubed

3 cups frozen corn kernels

3 cups vegetable broth

1/2 cup soy milk or coconut milk, or more depending on how creamy you want it

salt and pepper to taste

In a large pot, saute the celery in oil for about 2 minutes. Add the carrot and garlic and saute for another 3 minutes. Add spices and coat the celery, carrot and garlic with them. Add potatoes, carrots and brother and bring to a simmer. Let simmer for about 20 minutes, or until you can pierce the potatoes with a fork. When the potatoes are done, remove pot from heat. Add soy milk and blend with an immersion blender. You don't to blend too much, just enough to make it slightly creamy. Stir and return pot to heat for about 2 minutes. 

Vegan MoFo Day 1: Orzo in a Butternut Sauce

Hello all! Let us embrace the awesome that is October. Fall is here, leaves will soon be red, pumpkins are at their peak and VEGAN FRIGGIN' MOFO. There are countless other reason why October is near and dear to me, but for now, let's focus on the good eats. I've been trying to hit up the farmer's markets in my town as much as possible before they disappear until Spring again. Last week, they finally started selling squash! I opted for some butternut instead of pumpkin because my bag wasn't big enough to carry one. It resulted in a tasty orzo recipe with a rich butternut sauce! I certainly prefer standard pastas to orzo, but this was a nice way to force me out of culinary snobbery.

Butternut Squash Sauce
1 small butternut squash
3 tbs olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 box of orzo
2 tbs tomato paste
2 tbs Earth Balance
1 tsp dried sage
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/2 cup soy milk
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Peel, seed and dice your butternut squash. Put in a 9x9 casserole dish and combine with olive oil and garlic. Salt and pepper it, and roast it for about 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook your orzo according to the package. When the squash is finished, add it and the remaining oil in the casserole dish to a food processor. Add the remaining ingredients to the food processor, minus the soy milk. Blend while adding the soy milk in a steady stream. You can add more or less soy milk depending on who thick you want your sauce.