June 30, 2004
Trader Joe's
Oh, to go to Trader Joe's again. Woe, woe is me...I used to live in Los Angeles before I moved back to the Midwest, but that is another story that has very little to do with food. I miss Trader Joe's. I did most of my food shopping there and at that time I was not vegan, almost or otherwise.
Now, when I really need a Trader Joe's within 5 minutes of me because I am almost vegan, the closest one is about a 3 hour drive away. Rats.
I got the bug for Trader Joe's again from a comment I received from a very interesting blogger. She posted with the name Akemi and her website is http://www.cosmiconion.com. It is relatively new, like my own and she has some pretty funny bits going about eHarmony dating. She recommends Trader Joe's vegan cookies, they come very Trader Joe's appropriate in a paper bag, and she has tried the chocolate chip and oatmeal chocolate chip.
I looked at Trader Joe's website through my new vegan eyes and drooled. They have some good stuff and I love them because they are always really cheap. The stores in CA have more vegan stuff, of course. I was able to download their list of soy products (they don't have a list of vegan products) and it looked like they had some things I can't get anywhere else and would love to try like Trader Joe's Vegan Pad Thai with Tofu and Trader Joe's eggless egg salad, to name a couple. Here's the PDF's of both the East/Midwest and the West Coast Trader Joe's soy offerings.
East West
Or just go to the Trader Joe's website yourself and look around. I love their Monty Python-like images and sense of humor. You'll be able to find a store near you (hopefully) on their site.
Trader Joe's also has the best dried fruit section I have ever seen in my life, and priced so you can buy some of it. Great nuts. If you want some wine, this is the place to go. I used to get good Merlot for under $5 and French Cabernet for less than that. I'd also pick up the Trader Joe's Midsummer's Night Moisturizer for around $3 (its actually Nature's Gate which I have to pay $6 for).
That tears it! I'm going to the airport right now and hop a plane to my old Trader Joe's in Los Feliz, CA. Think of all the money I'll save!
Posted by Denise at 11:43 AM | Comments (2)
June 29, 2004
Fruit Pie
Pie is a great thing. It can be made vegan so easily I wonder why anyone ever makes a non-vegan fruit pie, but that's just me. It is much cheaper to make a vegan pie crust than a non-vegan pie crust, just as easy and just as good. It may sound like a lot of work to make a pie from scratch, but it is so worth it, there is nothing better than a homemade pie. Nothing!
As I write this, I have my first fruit pie of the summer baking in the oven. I happened upon some tart cherries at a fruit stand not far from my house. I live in what they call the "fruit belt" in Southwestern Michigan, not far from the lake so we get plenty of rain and snow. Many of my neighbors are farmers, but I am not.
Now I must admit I don't normally make cherry pie, in fact this is my very first one. I usually don't find tart cherries, but I saw them at the fruit stand and it is still a little early in the season for anything but strawberries, which I don't bake, so I got them. I usually make blueberry, peach, apple. I make a lot of blueberry pies because I live surrounded by blueberry farms. I actually can walk a very short distance and be in a farmer's field picking enough blueberries for a pie or two and walk home before he even realized I was there. Now I don't do this, mostly because once when I was young I was in his field on my mini-bike and he shot at me with what I think was buckshot. He missed.
Now I go to his farm and buy them. I get 5 pounds of blueberries for $6.00. I have never mentioned the time he shot at me. I wonder if he remembers, I don't think he was close enough to know it was me, but who knows.
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Vegan Pie Crust
2 1/4 Cups All-Purpose Flour
1 Teaspoon Salt
3/4 Cup Cup Vegetable Shortening
4-6 Tablespoons Ice Water
1.) In large bowl mix flour and salt. With pastry blender or 2 knives used scissor-fashioned, cut in shortening until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
2.) Sprinkle in ice water, 1 Tablespoon at a time, mixing lightly with fork after each addition, until dough is just moist enough to hold together. (the less water you use, the flakier the crust)
3.) Shape dough into 2 disks with your hands, one slightly larger than the other. Wrap each in plastic wrap and refrigerate 30 minutes.
4.) On lightly floured surface, with floured rolling pin, roll larger disk as round as you can and wide enough to fill the bottom of your pie dish with some overlap to crimp around the edge. (about 12-inches round) Now the tricky part is scraping the dough off the floured surface you rolled it on. I roll mine on a large board and I use a dough scraper to get the pie dough up off the board and gently curl it over the rolling pin. This makes it easy to carry it to the pie dish without breaking it. (I find this impossible to do with my bare hands) Ease the dough into the pie dish and fix any breaks in it.
5.) Fill the piecrust. Place 1 tablespoon soy margarine, cut up, around on top.
6.) Roll remaining disk so it will fit over the top of the pie dish and then some. Ease it onto the pie. Take the dough scraper and trim the dough hanging over the sides of the dish, but leave an inch or so overhang. Fold the overhand toward the dish and mush together to join, crimp between thumb and forefinger making a decorative edge around the pie as you seal the pie crust together.
7.) Cut 1-inch slits in the top to allow steam to escape during baking -- make a nice circular pattern. Put a slight amount of water in your hand and drizzle over the pie, then sprinkle sugar on the wet spots.
Cherry Pie Filling
Pit 6 Cups of Fresh Tart Cherries
1 (or a bit more) Cup of Sugar
1/4 cup of Corn Starch
Pinch Salt
1 Tablespoon Soy Margarine, Cut Up
1.) Preheat oven to 425? F. In large bowl, stir together sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Add cherries and mix with spatula or spoon.
2.) Create pie. (see above)
3.) Place pie on cookie sheet to catch any overflow during baking. Bake 20 minutes. Turn oven down to 375? F, bake 1 hour to 1 hour and 10 minutes, until filling bubbles in center. If necessary, cover edges loosely with foil to prevent over-browning during baking. Cool on wire rack at least 1 hour to serve warm, but the longer you cool it the less it will run.
Try not to eat it all right away.
Posted by Denise at 08:46 PM | Comments (0)
June 25, 2004
Chic-Chic Pasta Sauce
Oh my. I was in Chicago, on the North Shore actually, and I ran across this Dean & Deluca Marinara Sauce. Well if you have a bit too much money and want a really, really good pasta sauce, try this.
Yeow, I couldn't believe it was so good, but I think it cost like $10.00 a jar. I can't be sure because they didn't have a price on it and I didn't pay for it. If I'd had to I'm sure I wouldn't have gone for it, but rich friends were doing the shopping.
If you are in a very upscale grocery store with some very rich friends and happen upon this stuff, try it.
Or I have the Dean & Deluca website to click on. On their site it's only $24 for all three different kinds of sauce, Marinara, Arrabiata, Puttanesca. I don't know if anything but the Marinara is actually vegan, and I don't know if they would substitute three of one kind instead of one of all three kinds. You can send them an email and ask, for $24 they should do a little dance for you too, but this sauce is actually so incredibly good, they don't have to.
Posted by Denise at 09:35 PM | Comments (0)
June 23, 2004
Cookie Tip
Danielle, a very nice but perfect stranger, left a comment on my 'Best Cookie In the Galaxy' post that I thought I'd share.
Danielle says she thought, before reading about the Alternative Baking Company cookies, that Liz Lovely made the best vegan cookies.
Cowboy Cookies
The Cowboy Cookie is the pick of the herd. Hearty oatmeal, chocolate chip cookies just loaded with chocolate chips and walnuts chunks coated generously on the bottom and decorated on top with rich, dark chocolate.
Well, I had to check the source of her post and found a really funny and insightful blog called joeparadox.com.
A really cool school teacher's view of the world.
Posted by Denise at 11:25 PM | Comments (1)
June 16, 2004
Vegan Twists
I found these French Twists by Barry's Bakery today at Wal-Mart and thought I'd try them. They have no dairy, no butter, no eggs - vegan. Hey, I hope you'll give me a break for shopping at Wal-Mart, I know they're evil and all, but I live out in the middle of nowhere and it is the only store around that has anything. Anyway, these Twists come in a number of flavors. I got the California Almond, which I scanned in for the picture to the left because they are gone already. Not too bad, a little almond extracty tasting, but if you like that, great. I have started on the next bag I got which is Maple French Toast. I like those a lot.
There are also Chocolate Chip, Cafe Mocha, both of which they didn't have at Wal-Mart or I would have gotten them, Wild Raspberry and Original - cinnamon flavor, which they had but I passed on, and key lime which they also didn't have, but I wonder if I would have bought those.
They are crunchy fried layers of puff pastry and I suppose that is why they are gone already. Not as good as cuties, but good enough to munch on.
Posted by Denise at 08:54 PM | Comments (0)
June 14, 2004
Vegan Yogurt
Yogurt??? Well not exactly, but close enough to always make me happy. WholeSoy is thicker and creamier than Silk, and it doesn't get watery if you leave it in the fridge a few days. Best of all its completely vegan.
11 flavors, my fave is blueberry and raspberry is great too. Also peach, plain, strawberry, cherry, lemon, apricot mango, strawberry banana, mixed berry.
Plain WholeSoy Creamy Cultured Soy is available in 24oz size. Great for baking, recipes, smoothies.
They also make drinkable Cultured Soy. I like this too, I don't drink it too much and it is a little thick. I usually would rather make my own smoothies.
If you have never had soy yogurt, or you have not tried WholeSoy and are stuck on another brand, give it a try and let me know what you think.
Posted by Denise at 06:47 PM | Comments (2)
June 12, 2004
Stewed Tomato Pasta
I sometimes wonder if I am the only one who loves stewed tomatoes as much as I do, because I don't know anyone else who feels quite the same about them. I think they must have a bad rap, because they are in fact really great. I use them often in recipes like sautes, chili, soups.
This recipe is actually a number of different recipes. Instead of the steak strips use vegetables like broccoli, beans, cauliflower, asparagus, zucchini, and yellow squash. One or any combination is great. The trick is to saute some veggies or in this version those Lightlife Smart Menu Steak Strips and vegetables, then when they are properly singed toss in the stewed tomatoes and spoon over pasta. The stewed tomatoes supply a nice thin sauce that is extremely tasty. Give it a try, it only takes a few minutes to make.
You can make this recipe completely vegan by using Vegan Parmesan Alternative. This parmesan cheese does have a soy-ee taste to it, I won't lie to you. If you haven't tried it before you probably will notice it and for me, it took some getting used to.
Although my cat Scout loves it, and she is not vegan.
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Stewed Tomato Pasta
1 pkg. Smart Menu Steak Style Strips
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
2 large cloves of garlic, chopped fine
6-8oz mushrooms
Handful of fresh Italian parsley, chopped (optional)
2 cans Italian stewed tomatoes (I like Del Monte)
Olive oil
1 pkg. angel hair pasta (cappellini)
Vegan parmesan cheese
1.) Put a pot of water on to boil, turn heat on high.
2.) Saute steak strips and vegetables in a good amount of olive oil (2-3 Tbs.)
3.) When strips and veggies are brown around the edges toss in the garlic and parsley and saute 1-2 minutes.
4.) Add the stewed tomatoes and turn down the heat to a simmer. (I cut up the stewed tomatoes a bit, usually just slice them in half with a knife right in the pan after turning down the heat. Do it while the pasta's cooking)
5.) Place angel hair pasta in boiling water. Follow package directions, it should cook in about 3 min.
6.) When pasta is done, place it on plates and spoon stewed tomato, steak strip, veggie sauce over it. (If the stewed tomato mixture thickens up too much while you are cooking the pasta, you can add just a touch of water to it, but it doesn't make a thick pasta sauce. It creates a very thin sauce that is filled with the other stuff)
7.) Sprinkle with vegan parmesan cheese.
Makes 4 small servings or 2 large ones. Serve with a salad and garlic bread if you want to get fancy.
Posted by Denise at 02:20 AM | Comments (0)
June 10, 2004
Completely Vegan Oatmeal-Raisin Cookies
Yes, you can bake vegan. How? Use Ener-G Egg Replacer instead of eggs and soy margarine instead of butter. You can't taste the difference in this recipe.
Ener-G Website - Purchase Online
I use this egg replacer all the time, in carrot cake, chocolate cake, and cookies. I take regular recipes and then "veganize" them. Not always 100% successfully, Ener-G even says on the box to try it and see. It will work in some recipes and you may have to vary the amounts and ingredients in others. Like my carrot cake, I add a little corn, un-called for, starch to hold it all together. The first one I made fell apart, but I got it now. (carrot cake recipe to come) These oatmeal-raisin cookies will get you started and only replacing one egg is pretty safe. It's the recipes that call for 4-5 eggs that are scary.
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Completely Vegan Oatmeal-Raisin Cookies
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
1 stick soy margarine (check earlier blog entry)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
1 large egg = Ener-G Egg Replacer
2 Tbs. warm water
2 tsp. vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups old-fashioned or quick-cooking oats, uncooked
3/4 cup dark seedless raisins
1.) Preheat oven to 350? F. In medium bowl or on a sheet of waxed paper (easier to pour), combine flour, baking soda, and salt.
2.) In large bowl, with mixer at medium speed, beat margarine and granulated and brown sugars until creamy.
3.) In a very small bowl mix 1-1/2 teaspoons Ener-G Egg Replacer with 2 tablespoons warm water. Mix thoroughly.
4.) Add egg replacer and vanilla to the margarine and sugar mixture, beat with mixer on medium speed until smooth. Reduce speed to low; beat in flour mixture. With spoon, stir in oats and raisins.
4.) Drop dough by heaping tablespoons, 2 inches apart, on large ungreased cookie sheets. Bake 15 minutes or until golden. With a spatula, transfer cookies to wire racks to cool completely.
Makes about 2 dozen vegan cookies. Chow.
Posted by Denise at 11:21 PM | Comments (3)
June 09, 2004
Bagels & Cream Cheese
Bagels are vegan legal, well most of them anyway. Yum, I love them, but I love bagels with cream cheese and that's the way I have 'em.
This Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese is just that, better. I think it is as close to the real thing as you can get, closer than imaginable. I am always surprised at just how good it is. Maybe real cream cheese is just a tad bit more sour, just a bit, but that is as much criticism as I can give this stuff.
If you have not tried Tofutti Better Than Cream Cheese, you absolutely must. The plain is great and it comes in flavors.
Available in most health food stores.
Posted by Denise at 08:48 PM | Comments (0)
June 08, 2004
Vegan Steak & Gravy w/Mashed Potatoes
Having a hankering for some steak? I have not always been a vegan and I watched a number of family members chow some really thick steaks Memorial Day Weekend. Now I was strong then, but it started to get to me after a while so I made this recipe with Lightlife Steak-Style Strips.
It's not real porterhouse or anything, but I do love these steak strips in all sorts of recipes. They have a nice seasoning on them and chew like steak. Uncanny really. They are also packed with protein, just like the real thing.
I get the steak strips at my Wal-Mart superstore, but the gravy I used for this particular recipe should be available in most good health food stores.
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Vegan Steak & Gravy w/Mashed Potatoes
6 med. red potatoes, peeled
3 large carrots, sliced
8oz. mushrooms, coarsely chopped
1 pkg. Smart Menu Steak-Style Strips, Lightlife
1-2 Tbsp. Oil
2 Tbsp. soy margarine
Plain soy milk (I like Sun Soy or Westsoy)
1 pkg. vegan gravy mix
1.) Boil the potatoes
2.) Toss the steak strips, mushrooms, and carrots into a fry pan with the oil (I always use mild olive oil) and fry on med-high heat. Stir very often, I use a wooden spoon.
3.) Make gravy while everything else cooks. Follow package directions.
4.) When potatoes are soft, remove from heat, drain. Add margarine, a splash of soy milk and mash.
5.) Pour gravy into pan with steak strips, mushrooms, carrots. Turn down heat and stir well.
6.) Place a mound of potatoes on a plate and spoon steak strip-vegetable-gravy mixture over it.
Makes enough for 4 small appetites, plenty for 2. Serve with a nice salad.
A very hearty, but easy to make vegan recipe.
Posted by Denise at 09:32 PM | Comments (5)
June 07, 2004
Vegan Margarine
If you don't already know it, there is a totally vegan margarine and there is absolutely no reason to eat anything else.
This margarine has no funny aftertaste, no aftertaste at all. It does not taste like soy, it just tastes good. I use it on toast, on potatoes, on anything you want "buttered." I also bake with it all the time. It creams as good as anything else.
If you have never tried it, please do. It is great.
Posted by Denise at 06:43 PM | Comments (28)
June 05, 2004
Sob,
My Cuties are gone
Posted by Denise at 11:37 PM | Comments (0)
June 04, 2004
Tofutti Cuties - Vegan Ice Cream Sandwiches
I just bought a box of these cuties. I got the coffee break flavor. They have vanilla, chocolate, etc. but the coffee flavor are my very favorites. I'll be lucky if they make it through the night.
Tofutti, as a company, is very low key. Visit their website --> Tofutti.com and you'll see what I mean. Very old school vegan/vegetarian as opposed to Alternative Baking Company, which strikes me as new wave vegan.
Anyway, these cuties are good, yum! So is the rest of the stuff Tofutti makes. You'll see... I will be writing about their stuff over and over because I am always using it in recipes.
As for now, go get some cuties.
Posted by Denise at 11:20 PM | Comments (1)
June 02, 2004
Soyrizo Potato Vegetable Saute
The single most delicious Vegan "meat" I've found. Have you ever heard of Chorizo, the spicy Mexican sausage usually served at breakfast? Well, Soyrizo is the Vegan equivalent. Visit Frieda's website.
It is really tasty and as the package says -- "Try it with cubed potatoes, onions and peppers." -- and that's what this recipe is all about and a bit more. Check out one of my fave, quick to prepare meals that will knock you out.
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Soyrizo Potato Vegetable Saute
4 medium red potatoes, cut into bite-size pieces
1 med-large onion, coarsely chopped
1 green pepper, coarsely chopped
8oz. package mushrooms, coarsely chopped
4-6 carrots, cut into small pieces
1 package Soyrizo
Olive oil
1.) Microwave potatoes 5 minutes, or just about soft enough to eat.
2.) Saute vegetables on high heat in 6 Tbls. or so of olive oil in a large pan. (I use a lot of olive oil to help simulate the greasy Chorizo, but use however much you prefer.)
3.) Toss the microwaved potatoes in the pan when the vegetables are 3/4 of the way done - Done is variable, I saute on very high heat and brown the edges of the veggies - however you like your vegetables. Stir potatoes in with vegetables and lightly brown the potatoes around the edges.
4.) When the vegetables and potatoes are almost done, squeeze half of the package of Soyrizo into the pan, mash it up, stir to distribute and saute for a few minutes. It will brown quickly so stir constantly and watch it carefully.
5.) Spoon onto plates, salt and pepper to taste.
You can add any vegetables you like to this recipe. I have used broccoli, cauliflower, green beans, mostly anything you have on hand or anything that is fresh is great.
Serves 4 small appetites or 2 big ones. You can always double it and use the entire package of Soyrizo. Just get a really big pan.
Posted by Denise at 10:26 PM | Comments (3)
June 01, 2004
The Best Cookie in the Galaxy
If you want to feel like you are not a vegan, eat this cookie. There isn't a cookie that is better than these on this planet. I love the espresso chocolate chip. They are huge, delicious, and loaded with calories.
Get some right now. Online ordering --> Alternative Baking Company, Inc.
Posted by Denise at 09:07 PM | Comments (1)
