McMaria

Breakfast…so fast…you may think it was “from a drive thru! Only this is no guilt. 

100% whole wheat English muffin, rice cheese, vegan bacon. and spiced tofu.  Simple and delicious. 

Whole Wheat Pasta with Butternut Squash Sauce

Wow.  Thank you Giada.  This recipe was inspired by Giada, but modified to be vegan.  It was already an 8 when it came to nutrition and being relatively low in fat.  Now for me it’s a 10.  Hardly any fat, just lots of flavor. 

The process was so easy.  Peel and dice one medium size butternut squash into 1/2” cubes .  Heat 1-2 tbsp. of oil in pan, once hot, add cubed squash.  Sauté a few minutes.  Add two cloves garlic minced and a few dashes sea salt.  Cook a few minutes until squash begins to caramelize  .Then add 1 cup vegetable stock.  Turn down heat. Simmer until soft (about 15 minutes). Get pasta water ready to boil.  Once the squash has cooked about 10 minutes, add organic whole wheat pasta to boiling water.   When squash is soft, turn off.  Pour all squash into food processor.  After about 10 minutes drain pasta. Blend until smooth. Add back into pan and stir in 1 cup soy milk until blended.  Add drained pasta and mix until coated with sauce.  Stir in some chopped basil and 3 tbsp.  vegan parmesan.  Top with a sprinkle of salt and pepper to taste.  I served this with sweet and spicy Gardien Chik’n chopped over the top and French whole green beans o on the side. 
This dish is full of vitamins and antioxidants.  Try it you will feel good about eating a little pasta. 
 

Tofu quiche with leeks and asparagus

I made this awhile ago and just came across the photos.  My daughter and husband both went crazy over it.  It was very quiche-y.  This was a recipe from Real Food Daily cookbook.  I think I will make this in mini’s for the Superbowl. Can’t wait.

Chocolate Mini Vegan Cupcakes

Nothing beats a baked treat on a zero degree Sunday in mid January. 

These low fat, low sugar, darlings are by all means not a health food.  They do fall into the category of a much healthier alternative for a sugar fix.  Organic flour and organic sugar are still flour and sugar.  However using plain soy yogurt and applesauce instead of oil is helpful.  I modified a recipe from Vegan cupcakes take over the world to make these.  Keeping them mini also helps, if your child, not you of course, eats two, they feel like they have had more that one large cupcake.  I used my daughter’s “baby cakes” mini cupcake iron to make these.  It was a gift from Santa, and it is wonderful.  Cupcakes or healthy muffins in 5 to 7 minutes, without heating up the oven.  Genius!  I don’t have a picture, but I did make her a little bit of frosting from vegan cream cheese and soy protein powder.  Sweet, nutritious and practically no sugar.  Easy too. 

Asian Grilled Tofu with Sweet & Sour Stir-fry

Asian Grilled Tofu is a great dish to keep in the fridge and use with many dishes throughout the week.  I used to go to Wholefoods just to get grilled tofu.  It cost me $8.00 a pound.  Now, I only pay $1.79 lb. for the tofu, and the marinade costs pennies. 

I drain the tofu, press out the water in paper towels, cut in half on the diagonal, then sliced those pieces into three.  I make a marinade of rice vinegar, tamari, agave,and mirin. Place the tofu in the marinade covering one side then flipping over and covering the other.  I like to leave it for about 20 minutes or so.  You can even leave it overnight.  Next, I get the grill pan really hot and add some canola oil once it is hot.  Brush on the oil and place the slices on top of the grill, keep the marinade aside.  I use a cast iron press to help get the tofu charred (no cancer causing agents like in chicken).  Flip once char marks appear.  You can then take these off and place the back in the leftover marinade.  Not like meat, so no salmonella or Ecoli threat here. 

The next part of the meal just calls for boiling some Udon (buckwheat) noodles. Then making a great stir-fry from your favorite veggies.  I used carrots, parsnips, bok choy, savoy cabbage, red onion, bell peppers, broccoli, pineapple, and cashew nuts on top.  I used a basically the same marinade with a bit of spice and some arrowroot to thicken.  Sesame seeds are great with this also. 

This dish has protein, fiber, calcium, and tons of antioxidants.  It is a great Asian treat.  Make it fancy by serving with crispy vegetable eggrolls, some Jasmine tea, and chop sticks.  This is light and satisfying. 

It tastes like tuna to me…

Vegan tuna?  Yes.  Vegan tuna.  What could that possibly be made of?  Well, a food processor does an excellent job of breaking down chick peas and artichoke hearts into a perfect tuna like texture.  Then it’s only a matter of adding in the classic celery, onion and relish. Then blending the right spices together.  I use a touch of vinegar for brine, add a pinch of salt, pepper, and for the bit of fishy flavor, some kelp flakes or ground nori. Lastly, I blend in a little vegan mayo until it’s creamy.
This “tuna”  is full of protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals.  Most importantly, NO MERCURY.  Tuna is one of the worst fish to consume because of the toxic mercury levels found in its flesh.  You can enjoy this poison free sandwich anytime.  To boost the nutrition even more,  I serve this with baby spinach leaves, fresh sprouts, tomato, and onion.  If you want to make it a “club”  just add some vacon (vegetarian bacon).  This is a great sandwich for plant eaters and meat eaters.  Try this one out.

Need some carbs to keep warm…

The dish: Walnut Parsley Fettuccini

The (organic) ingredients: Garlic, Mushrooms, Parsley, Walnuts, Olive Oil, Sea Salt, Pepper, Shallots, No-Chicken Broth, a little Miso, a sprinkle of Vegan Parmesan,  and Whole Wheat Fettuccini.

It only took about 20 minutes from start to finish to make this dish,  but it tastes like you’ve slaved for hours.  Nutritional benefits: Lots of antioxidants in the mushrooms, high fiber in the pasta, essential fatty acids in the walnuts, enzymes in the miso, anti-inflammatory  properties in the garlic, and calcium in the parsley.  Not too bad for a warm comfort dish.  Serve it with a salad first, so you can’t fit the second’s you’ll want.

That’s a wrap…

This is my “steak” and horseradish veggie wrap. The secret to this wrap is evenly layering and lots of flavor.  I put a nice even layer of my horseradish sauce on the wrap first, then slowly layered the finely chopped baby spinach, thin cucumbers, thin radishes, shredded carrots, vegan jack cheese shredded, then the cooked “steak”, caramelized onions and roasted peppers.  Drizzle a little more sauce and then roll and slice.  The is big enough for two people to share with homemade pita chips and hummus on the side.

Vegan Breakfast Sandwich

These truly tasty breakfast sandwiches are not apart of my daily breakfasts, but are reserved mostly for weekends.  Tofu makes an easy job of mimicking eggs, giving you a great source of protein without the cholesterol.  Using turmeric to give it a yellow color also add the benefit of a super anti-inflammatory. Also using Nutritional Yeast as a flavoring amps up your intake of b-vitamins for the day.  Rice cheese melts perfectly and has a good bit of calcium. One more source of protein is a slice of two of vegan ham.  Now this bagel is pure white refined carbs, I rarely  include these in my diet.  I usually only serve a breakfast sandwich on 100% whole wheat English muffin or a sprouted bread.  This sandwich has more flavor than any other breakfast sandwich I have eaten.  This is also a great breakfast for someone with egg or dairy allergies.  This is one of my family’s favorites.

Missing Summer…

Yes, vegans do use the grill.

“Beefless Kabobs” bring on spring!

Vegan Philly Cheesesteaks, really?

 

Yes!  With modern technology and great companies like Gardein,  almost authentic Cheese Steaks are possible.  And, they are quite delicious too.  Load them with veggies and the nutrient content rises and guilt reduces.  I really try to indulge in these once in awhile, but, when I do, it is guilt free.  Most of the time when  I crave these, I  just eliminate the roll and serve it over salad, rice, or quinoa. Give them a try, you will be happy you did.

I can still be surprised...

After reading tons of books, listening to hundreds of podcasts, watching countless documentaries, and going to school for Holistic Nutrition and Health Counseling, I can still be surprised at how much I can still learn.  I was lead to a documentary titled "EATING" through another vegan blog.  I had never heard of it, so of course, being the compulsive vegan I am, I ordered it from Amazon with one day shipping, and watched it upon arrival.


I WAS SO IMPRESSED, UPLIFTED, SADDENED, ANGRY, AND BASICALLY MANY OTHER EMOTIONS SIMULTANEOUSLY.


If everyone watching the Super Bowl watched EATING, we could possibly save the world.  We could also end world hunger, global warming, most cancer, obesity, diabetes and heart disease.  Why is the truth so hidden?  


Please watch this, and then tell everyone you know to watch it. This just could be the 88 minutes that saves your life, or your child's life, or billions of animals lives.  It is critical we educate ourselves on what is really going on in our food system.  I hope if you listen to any advice I would ever give you, it is to watch EATING.  Please.  


After you watch EATING, and then try to tell yourself that it cannot be true,  ask yourself one question,"Who has something to gain from you watching this?".  Vegetables?  Then, ask yourself, "Am I a patient or a customer?"  Who has something to gain by America continuing on it's path to disease and destruction.  


Please take 88 minutes of your life and watch this, I bet you will get them back. 


You can start by just watching this 8 minute clip.

Superb Sunday Dinner

 

This meal is definitely sinful in taste.  Just like grandma used to make, only a bit healthier, and with tofu and beans instead of meat.  The Meatless meatloaf was so similar in texture to the original that even I was impressed.  This loaf is protein powerhouse in disguise.  The sweet and spice bbq ketchup it is topped with make this loaf really stand out.  I do admit, this particular meal did have a lot of ingredients, but it was well worth the effort. 

In addition to the meatless loaf, I made a sweet pea and corn side, mashed potatoes made with three different kinds of potatoes, and mini-corn muffins.  All of witch tasted sinful, but no guilt here.  Don’t you just want a forkful???

Simply Savoy Cabbage

Sometimes, like life, lunch should be simple.  This dish was inspired by Laura Calder, host of French Food at Home on the cooking Channel.  Who would have thought that just roughly chopping mild, delicate, savoy cabbage and tossing into a prepared pan of sizzling earth balance buttery spread, then sprinkling with a pinch of salt and pepper, could turn out satisfying gourmet results.  Besides of the overflowing amount of nutrients, this dish is easy to prepare and  costs almost nothing to make.  A three way winner. 

Intimidation

Why has it taken me so long to try a simple recipe with under 5 ingredients?  I have made many complicated recipes with lots of ingredients.  For weeks, okay, maybe months now I have flipped the cookbook open to the bookmarked page and thought about attempting to make it, but fear of failure would eventually set in.  How could I possible duplicate the texture and flavor that so easily gets poured from a carton.  Could it possibly be as good coming from my humble kitchen?  No way.  So, again weeks passed.  Finally, I was so low on inventory with no time to go to Wholefoods, my recipe nemesis would now be faced.  How could I muster the courage to face the recipe that has been eluding me for so long.  JUST DO IT I TOLD MYSELF.  So I opened Ani’s Raw Food Essentials to her recipe.  Then, without hesitation, I quickly gathered my ingredients before I could lose my courage.  I took out the Vitamix blender and with quick precision followed the few simple instructions… and Viola… THE BEST ALMOND MILK I EVER EVER EVER HAD.  So sweet, creamy, mellow and dreamy.  My new culinary love.  How, how could it be so simple???  I thought this couldn’t be…is it just me?  Well, after passing around the milk for taste tests, our whole house agrees.  THE BEST MILK THEY EVER TASTED… I have to go now… need to go out and pick up more almonds!

After School Snack

My daughter can always use an energy boost after school.  What could be better than quality carbs, protein and fiber all packed into a simple snack.  Homemade red pepper hummus is decorated by carrots, cucumbers and mini 100% whole wheat pitas.  Mya loved coming home and making mini pita sandwiches out of these.  She wiped the bowl clean.

Tofu Eggless Egg Salad

 

I promise this will actually has the same taste and texture as egg salad.  My daughter wants to take this to school for lunch everyday.  She devours it!  I severed it with fresh home baked pita chips on a bed of spinach and sprouts. 

La Vegan Cucina: Vegan Steak Wrap with Horseradish Sauce

 

 

La Vegan Cucina: Vegan Steak Wrap with Horseradish Sauce and Coolin...: "I am absolutely in love with this wrap. In fact, I made it yesterday and loved it so much I made it again today just so I could blog about ..."

Chik’n Dijon

 

A bed of wild rice and brown rice blended and topped with crunchy whole green beans that have been lightly steamed and tossed with a tiny bot of Earth Balance, pinch of sea salt and pepper are the base of this dish.  Then top rice and green beans with crusted vegan chik’n that has been cooked till crunchy.  Lastly a slightly sweet and spice Dijon sauce made from vegan mayo, course grain mustard, Dijon mustard, a hint of agave and apple cider vinegar.  The flavor combination was outstanding.  I felt like we were having lunch out.  I savored every bite…

Caramelized Bananas and Walnuts

 

These are nutritious and delicious…

Sautéed in earth balance, agave and cinnamon, the perfect end to a winter meal.  These were warm, creamy, and so sweet.  The walnuts were crunchy and glazed to perfection.  Bon Appetite!

LiveJournal Tags: vegan,vegetarian,bananas,walnut,caamelized,healthy,dessert,cinnamon

WAX VEGANLY: The Rise of the Power Vegans

WAX VEGANLY: The Rise of the Power Vegans: "via BusinessWeek/by Joel Stein It used to be easy for moguls to flaunt their power. All they had to do was renovate the chalet in St. Mori..."