Quickie Post Follow Up

Here is a great post about building the perfect salad from a blog my mom found today!

http://www.canyoustayfordinner.com/2011/12/14/how-to-make-a-delicious-400-calorie-salad/

Summer Salad Challenge

To some it may sound crazy, but the truth is that with all the new convenience options around at Whole Foods lately, it's totally possible to be a junk food vegan.  Being vegan used to mean you literally didn't have the option to eat enough of anything to get you fat (unless you were on an all pasta diet).  Today there's vegan pizza on my street, nut cheeses in all the best sandwiches at my favorite vegan lunch place, and a seemingly endless array of vegan cupcakes, all in just St. Louis!  I try to steer away from being a junk food vegan, but when weekends get more steeped in Coronas & pool time than running, sometimes I fail.  So I'm starting a "summer salad challenge."  My goal is to eat one meal a day as a salad.  It can literally be any meal, even breakfast.  Sometimes it won't be perfect - if I end up eating a salad WITH a meal, I figure it still counts.  But every study shows that the more salad you eat, the less you eat other bad-for-you stuff.  Also - this doesn't have to be a lettuce based salad...but no mayo based salads would be ideal.

I started today with a salad based off of a recipe from Gwyneth Paltrow's cookbook, which is surprisingly awesome and VERY vegan friendly.  It's one of my favorites, and the dressing makes a lot, so it's great for a veggie dip for the rest of the week.

Tomato, Avocado, and Miso Salad

6-8 cups butter lettuce
1 large avocado, or 2 small, cubed
2 large tomato, chopped or you could also use a cup of halved cherry/grape tomatoes
2 tbsp sesame seeds
1/2 diced cucumber

Dressing

Ingredients:

1/2 mild onion, peeled and roughly diced (I used 1/2 vidalia)

1 small clove of garlic, peeled and roughly chopped

1/4 cup + 1 tbsp white miso

2 tbsp toasted sesame oil

2 tbsp mirin

2 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbsp rice wine vinegar

2 tbsp water

1/4 cup vegetable oil

Blend all ingredients but the veg oil in your blender until smooth, then slowly stream in vegetable oil to emulsify dressing.  It will look creamy when finished blending.

Toss with all salad ingredients to combine, and top with sesame seeds.

Even Omnivores Tofu Nuggets & Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes

This week I thought I'd post one of my fiancé's favorite dinners for me to make.  He is still clinging to the title of "omnivore" even though I'd venture to guess that he eats 80% vegan.  He really tries - I have to give him credit. I have a theory that it's a lot easier to feel satisfied by meat substitutes like tofu & tempeh if you aren't still eating steak & bacon, but seitan, with its meatier texture was working out for him.  Unfortunately, seitan is about $4 for an 8 oz box, and I work too much to have time to make my own every time I cook dinner.  Tofu, however, is only about $1.50.  I love tofu, pretty much any way you cook it but I'm not eating any animals products at all, so I'm pretty easy to please as far as meat substitutes go.  To Darrell though, tofu just seemed like too much of a stretch.  Until I made these, which are awesome.

Crispy Breaded Tofu Strips

Yield: 3 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 package firm or extra firm tofu (I use organic, non-GMO)
• 1/2 cup non-dairy milk
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 1/3 cup cornmeal
• 1/2 cup breadcrumbs 
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp cumin
• 1/2 tsp chili powder
• scant 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp cayenne powder (for a kick of heat)
• 1/4 tsp onion powder

1. Press tofu: Rinse the tofu with water and place a couple kitchen towels on the counter. Wrap the tofu with another towel, place another towel on top, a layer of aluminum foil (so keep the cookbooks dry) and finally several heavy cookbooks on top. Let sit for at least 30 minutes to soak out the water.  

2. Meanwhile, whisk together the milk and cornstarch in a shallow dish.  This works best if you slowly add the milk to the cornstarch WHILE whisking.  In another bowl, mix together the cornmeal, breadcrumbs, salt, and spices. Set aside. Preheat oven to 400F and grease 2 baking sheets with oil. I like to line mine with aluminum foil for no cleanup.  

3. Slice tofu into 16-20 little squares, depending on how thick you want it. With one hand dip the tofu strip into the milk mixture and then into the cornmeal/breadcrumb mixture. Use other hand to sprinkle dry mixture all over the tofu. Coat both sides entirely and then place on baking sheet. Repeat with the rest.

4. Bake tofu on middle rack at 400F. Bake for 20 minutes, then flip the tofu, and then bake for another 15-20 minutes until crispy. Remove tofu and serve with rooster sauce & mashed potatoes!

Cauliflower Mashed Potatoes

yields: 6 servings

1 Head Cauliflower, chopped into florets

2 Yukon Gold Potatoes, cut into 4 chunks

1/2 cup soy milk

4 TBSP Earth Balance margarine

Bring a large pot of water to boil, and submerge the cauliflower & potatoes in for at least 40 minutes.  Drain them, and then pour all the cauliflower, potatoes, soy milk, and earth balance into a food processor.  Salt & pepper to taste.  You may have to do this in two batches depending on the size of your food processor.  Remember to scrap down the sides as you go - you don't want to end up with potato puree on bottom and chunks on top.  DO NOT try to make these "mashed" with a potato masher, as the cauliflower will end up grainy.  You only get that super smooth "mashed potatoes" texture with a food processor.  

Last but NOT least - the best sauce ever - Rooster Sauce

This is inspired by a sauce served with savory crepes at our favorite brunch spot, Rooster in downtown St. Louis.  

After hearing Darrell rave about it, while I couldn't eat it because it had mayonnaise in it, I decided to recreate it at home.  

Ingredients: 

2 TBSP veganaise, or any vegan mayo

2 tsp sriracha

2 tsp yellow mustard

Directions: 

Mix it all together!  Done!  I never make this in advance because it's so easy, I just throw it together for a dipping sauce whenever I need one - it's great on sandwiches too.  If you wanted an even lower calorie dip, try Sriracha ketchup, which they also serve at Rooster.  It's just ketchup with sriracha mixed in, as much as suits you.  

it's been a while...

So I'm going to give this another go, since I've recently been re-inspired by the topic, thanks to a new documentary series on HBO called "Weight of the Nation."

This documentary series is really interesting in that it examines America as a whole, and our habits, not necessarily just those who are already struggling with their weight.  I for one, was surprised to learn how many people just don't  know how to eat better!  I grew up in a house where we were VERY weight conscious...I could probably have told you the amount of calories in anything you'd asked me about by the time I was 14.  But one woman was ingesting 2000 calories daily in just soft drinks and had no idea...can you imagine?  No food at all, just soda!

The most horrifying part is probably the episode about children.

HBO is intending for this documentary to be a sort of public service, so they're making it easily viewable for free.  I requested to watch it early and they even sent me the entire DVD set for free, which I thought was pretty amazing!

Here are all the videos to watch:

Farmer's Market Finds - Sweet Corn Recipe

So this weekend we had amazing weather, and decided to take advantage of it by hitting up a few farmer's markets. I'd had this yummy sounding Corn Chowder recipe from "The Conscious Cook" (available HERE) and had been waiting for some farmer's market sweet corn to make it.



It was definitely one of the best soups I've EVER made, and it was also super quick and easy. I changed up a few ingredients to make it a little cheaper - I don't keep fresh herbs around very often besides basil, because I find that they just go bad after I use a little bit for one recipe, so I switched out fresh thyme for dry. Dried chipotles are a bit hard to find as well, so I was happy to find that the chipotles in adobo sauce gave it plenty of smokiness. As for the stock, the recipe originally calls for faux-chicken stock, but that costs about $5 for one 3-cup box, so I used vegetable stock instead ($1/can) and I can't see how it could have tasted any better.

This is one of those recipes that is so good & hearty (even though it's meat and dairy free) that my boyfriend will sometimes go on a little post dinner rant about how glad he is that I became vegan. This from a man who grew up on a cattle farm - so I consider that a victory!

Corn Chowder from The Conscious Cook by Tal Ronnen
serves:6

4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 cups diced Vidalia onions
2 large carrots, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice
1 celery stalk, cut into 1/4-inch dice
1 red bell pepper, de-ribbed and cut into 1/4-inch dice
2 chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
5 cups vegetable stock.
2 large Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/4-inch dice
1 tsp dried thyme
Kernels from 6 ears of corn
1 1/2 cups thick Cashew Cream (see below for recipe)
Freshly ground black pepper

1. Place a large stockpot over medium heat. Sprinkle the bottom with a pinch of salt and heat for 1 minute. Add the oil and heat for 30 seconds, being careful not to let it smoke. This will create a nonstick effect.
2. Add the onions, carrots, celery, bell pepper, and chipotle pepper. Saute for 10 minutes, stirring often. Add the stock, potatoes, and thyme, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer until the potatoes are tender, 15 to 20 minutes.
3. With the back of a spoon, smash some of the potatoes against the side of the pot and stir to thicken the soup. Add the raw corn and Cashew Cream, season with salt and pepper to taste, and simmer for 15 minutes. Serve!
   

Cashew Cream

2 cups whole raw cashews (not pieces, which are often dry), rinsed very well under cold water.

1. Put the cashews in a bowl and add cold water to cover them. Cover the bowl and refrigerate overnight. (I skipped this step, and it was still perfectly fine.)
   
2. Drain the cashews and rinse under cold water. Place in a blender with enough fresh cold water to just cover them. Blend on high for several minutes until very smooth.

This cashew cream recipe will make you extra, which I definitely recommend, because it freezes VERY well. It can be added to just about anything to make it creamy, and since the cashews have such a mild taste they don't alter it to be more "nutty" at all.

Vegan Yum - Seitan Braised Cabbage

So this recipe, I'm willing to bet, is even more delicious fresh off the stove. Unfortunately, I do not know, at the moment, because my dog decided to spill Kool-Aid all over my brand new white & blue ottoman the minute the timer went off, so I only got to taste it after reheating.

Fortunately, it was still super yummy. I'm pretty nuts about this cookbook - being vegan AND on Weight Watchers sounds a little insane, but "Appetite for Reduction" (by the cooking geniuses behind Veganomican) is amazing, totally revamping traditional vegan recipes normally filled with cashew cream & earth balance and replacing them for littler oil and more broth.


I know cabbage is kind of a love-it-or-hate-it thing, but if you're in the former party you will LOVE this.

I'm going to preface this by saying that this is great over a baked potato, so in advance of serving, toss 4 potatoes - rinsed, rubbed with kosher salt, wrapped in aluminum foil, and poked 6 or 7 times with a fork into a 425 degree oven for an hour or two.

Braised Cabbage with Seitan
adapted from "Appetite for Reduction" available HERE.

1 tbsp olive oil - the recipe originally called for only 1 tsp, but even in my nonstick pan, everything just burned with that little oil. If you can pull it off with less, however, go for it!
8 oz seitan slices
6 cloves garlic
1 tsp dried thyme
1 heaping tsp red pepper flakes
2 cups veg broth
1 head green cabbage
1/2 tsp salt

Preheat a large skillet over medium heat. Saute the seitan in oil until lightly browned, about 5 minutes. Use nonstick cooking spray as needed. Add the garlic, thyme, and red pepper flakes, and saute for a 30 seconds more. Add a splash of the veg broth to deglaze the pan, then add the cabbage and the rest of the broth. Sprinkle with salt. Cover the pan and cook for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally. Taste for salt and serve immediately, over a baked potato.

Vegan Reads - Kathy Freston's "Veganist"

So today I got all into joining "Good Reads", an awesome website where you can review and post what you're reading, as well as find out opinions from other people. It's like a giant internet book club. That got me thinking - I should totally post about all the awesome books I read while trying to decide whether or not to take the vegan plunge.

So the first one I went with was Kathy Freston's Veganist. This is mostly because the reason I became vegan at all was because of the "Oprah & 300 staffers Go Vegan!" episode, which was very controversial amongst actual vegans, but I thought, incredibly informative and approachable.



So Ms. Freston's book does have a misleading cover - seriously, there are no recipes in this thing, it is not at all a cookbook, so I'm not sure why she's holding dinner out like that.

But inside (and to me, more important than recipes) are interviews with a lot of very smart doctors who have done a lot of very successful research on veganism and why it's all around better for everyone to eat a plant based diet.

She also provides awesome resources like shopping lists - never having had to BUY vegan cheese before, or know what to substitute for what in some of my favorite pre-vegan recipes, I REALLY appreciated Kathy recommending the best brands for some of these things (Daiya, Tofutti, Ener-G, Gardein, and Field Roast being a few of her faves.)

Additionally, she talks about what it's like to live with an omnivore and cook for them (hi vegan world...we did not all pick partners based on food choice) and how to be polite about your veganism. I know, sounds strange but people are sometimes downright offended at my choice to not eat animals. This is where I got the idea to always bring my own food to dinner parties and keep a granola bar in my purse for times when the whole group decides on Cracker Barrel, etc.

This book has a very friendly approach, while still being convincing, and is usually the number one book I recommend when people tell me they'd like to know more.

Also helpful are some fantastic answers to questions like:

"Where do you get your protein?"
(Beans, quinoa, tofu, nuts.....we're all so freaked out about it, but the average American actually eats TWICE the daily amount of protein we need.)
"It can't be healthy to eat that way, otherwise, why wouldn't my doctor recommend it?"
(Because he thinks you won't stick with it - vegans are 40% less likely to have heart disease, but most doctors think of it as "extreme" to ask patients to cut out meat and simply prescribe medicine instead. You know what I think is "extreme?" Bypass surgery.)
"Don't you miss (insert cheese, BBQ, mayonnaise, chocolate)?"
(Not really. Vegan cheese is yummy, and after letting real cheese go, I realized I never was that crazy about it anyways. You can still BBQ things that aren't pork, I dare you to tell the difference between Veganaise and mayonnaise, and most of the really good chocolate like Ghirardelli is made with soy lethicin instead of milkfat anyways.)

So if you're thinking about becoming vegan, or are just interested in reading an informative book about diet, I'd give this one a try. You can get it at Amazon HERE.