Water....sacred water

Thought I would repost these delicious recipes for naturally flavoured waters that I posted last July. What with the sweltering hot days and my decision to give up Diet Coke, I have been drinking a lot of water. And though I have always loved fresh filtered water, I can get bored with the bland taste sometimes. So here's to getting that fresh water and having it tasty too.



Spa Water

1 gallon cold water
5 slices fresh lemon
5 slices fresh cucumber

Place all ingredients in a pitcher and serve. For a stronger flavor let the pitcher stand in the refrigerator for an hour or more.



Mint Infused Water

1 gallon cold water
1/2 bunch of fresh mint

Cut and remove stems from fresh mint. Wash mint. Add mint to pitcher, fill with cold water. For a stronger flavor, break mint leaves to release flavor.


Pineapple~Orange Water

1 gallon cold water
1 cup fresh pineapple, cut into cubes
5 slices fresh orange

Place pineapple and orange into pitcher. Lightly mash with a spoon to releases juices. Add cold water. refrigerate for one hour and serve.














(Enjoy and stay away from those artificially sweetened waters. Nature's way is much better for you. These recipes were lovingly lifted from
the Laptop Lunch Times Newsletter.)

Favorite Vegan Desserts

Ok I know this post has been slow in coming but life happens. I promised to share my favorite vegan dessert recipes with you and here they are, in no particular order. As a side note, my weight is now down another five pounds. Without my doing anything besides yoga, walking the dog, and eating a healthy vegan diet. I realized last night that I can see my ribs without sucking in my stomach, I haven't seen my ribs in 20 years! Also I am only 10 pounds away from what I weighed twenty years ago. I really had not realized how great a change had occurred, it sort of crept up on me. David is actually the one who noticed and pointed it out to me. I am feeling very good physically and usually have a great deal of energy to accomplish all I need to. Ok, enough about that on with the recipes.

If you read this blog regularly, you will know that I am a dessert lover and a chocolate lover especially. There is no way I wanted to give up my desserts to eat vegan so I went in search of the yummiest creations out there, and there are a lot of them. I also like simple things that are fairly quick and easy to prepare so this dessert list reflects that. If you want to spend some time and effort on preparation, then the sky is the limit when it comes to deliciousness.

This first one couldn't be more simple or more delicious.

Chocolate Dream

1/4 cup melted vegan margarine
1 cup vegan graham cracker crumbs or prepared crust
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 1/4 cup chocolate or carob chips
2 1/4 cups silken tofu
2 tablespoons maple syrup

Preheat oven to 375*F. In a medium bowl mix margarine, crumbs and maple syrup. Press into a 9-inch pie pan and bake for 5 minutes or until golden brown. Place pie crust in refrigerator to chill.
Melt chips in a medium sized pot; stir for smooth consistency. Set aside when melted, in a blender, combine tofu and maple syrup and blend until smooth. Add melted chocolate chips
and blend until smooth. Pour into pie crust. Refrigerate at least 45 minutes. Yum!

This one is a huge hit with the whole family.

Chocolate Pudding
1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/3 cup sugar
Pinch of salt
2 cups plain soy milk or rice milk
2 Tbsp vegan chocolate chips, optional
1/2 tsp vanilla

Sift cocoa and cornstarch together in a pot. Whisk in sugar and salt. Gradually whisk in about half of the milk, whisking constantly to prevent lumps from forming. Pour in remaining milk, whisking well.
Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, whisking constantly. As soon as pudding reaches a boil, remove from heat and whisk, adding chocolate chips, if using, and vanilla, until chips are melted and blended. Transfer to four pudding cups or bowls and refrigerate for 1 hour or until thoroughly chilled and set. (I always top mine with fresh berries!)


No one in my family knew that these were vegan cookies. They are so delicious.

Peanut Butter Cookies

Preheat oven to 350*F.

3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
1 cup smooth natural peanut butter, stirred well before measuring
1 cup packed light brown sugar
3 tbsp pureed silken tofu
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp water

In a small bowl, combine flour, soda, and salt.
In a separate bowl, mix peanut butter with sugar until well blended. Stirin tofu, vanilla, and water. Add flour mixture and mix until well blended. Using floured hands, knead mixture for about 1 minute to form smooth dough.
Shape dough into 1-inch balls. Place about 2 inches apart on cookie sheet. Dip the tines of a fork in flour and press the dough flat, making a criss cross pattern on top. Bake in a preheated oven for 12-14 minutes or until dark brown around the edges. Let cool on pan on a rack for 8 to 10 minutes or until firm. Serve warm or transfer to rack to cool completely.
(You can also add vegan chocolate chips or butterscotch chips to this
recipe, though the butterscotch has a small amount of milk.)

Life just wouldn't be the same without brownies

Brownies

Preheat oven to 350*F.

1 1/2 cups vegan chocolate chips, divided
3/4 cup soy margarine
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 tsp baking powder
9 oz. silken tofu
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/2 cup corn syrup (dark or light)

In a small heavy pot, combine 1 cup chocolate chips with margarine. Melt over low heat, stirring until smooth. Remove from heat and set aside.
In a bowl, sift together flour, cocoa, and baking powder. Set aside.
Holding the tofu over a bowl or sink, gently squeeze to release excess liquid. Transfer to a blender. Add sugar and vanilla and blend until smooth.
In a large bowl, combine melted chocolate with corn syrup. Add tofu mixture and mix well. Fold in flour mixture just until moistened. Add remaining 1/2 cup chocolate chips and fold until evenly distributed through batter.
Spread batter in prepared pan, smoothing the top and pushing batter into the corners. Bake in preheated oven for 25-35 minutes or until center is firm. Let cool completely in pan on a wire rack. Cut into squares.

Well, that is it for now. Those are my go to often favorites. I hope you enjoy giving them a try.

Countdown to School

Sophie has only three weeks left of summer vacation,(she attends on a year-round schedule) so naturally I am already thinking about her Laptop Lunches. While we had a blast using her lunch box system last year, I want to spice it up a little this year by getting her a couple of new items for it. The first being a few extra containers in bright colors. She loves rainbows so I think she'd like containers in different colors in her lunchbox. Then I'd eventually like to get her a Klean Kanteen, they are quite expensive though, so it will have to wait.

Last year I added a thermos container for hot foods, it went over very well and I am sure we will use it even more as her tastes mature and she tries more foods. I am getting excited about her first grade Laptop Lunches this year. Looking forward to continuing her on the road of good nutrition.

Vegan Journey Anniversary!

My regular readers might recall that on June 1st last year I decided to try a vegan diet for a month. It went easier and better than I expected and at the beginning of July I decided to continue eating vegan indefinitely. Well, today marks the one year anniversary of my giving up dairy and egg products and I want to celebrate by sharing a few insights, books, and health benefits that I have reaped, as well as, some of my favorite recipes.
First and foremost, I adopted a vegan diet for the health benefits. I a a huge animal lover and definitely champion animal rights. But the bad press of dairy and eggs was my motivating factor. However, in doing research on veganism I learned more than I ever wanted to about the atrocities that occur on factory farms . Though I learned of these conditions fifteen years ago when I first became a vegetarian, I guess I chose to look the other way when it came to eggs and dairy. Now I know that one type of animal use feeds the other. So now, no eggs or dairy for me. This is a personal decision and I do not try to convert other people, especially my family. My six year old, Sophie is a self made vegetarian, even though she was offered meat as a toddler. She does eat cheese and eggs and of course, ice cream. So I try to at least get the healthiest of these, I am happy that she prefers soy milk and doesn't care for cow's milk unless it's chocolate. I worry a lot about the hormones that are in dairy, so I try to buy organic for my family when I can. My boys and David are omnivores, they eat meat and the boys eat dairy, though David is lactose intolerant and also uses soy products. Since learning more about the way animals are treated on these factory farms I have made a concerted effort to be more conscious of the products I buy, and how they are produced, while still living within my means.
Here are some of the books and websites that I have used as a guide on this vegan journey. Some are better than others of course.

Being Vegan

This Crazy Vegan Life

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA)

125 Vegan Recipes

The Voluptuous Vegan

Vegan Recipes (from the UK)

That's Why We Don't Eat Animals ( a great kid's book)

Babycakes (vegan baking from the same named NYC bakery)

Party Vegan

Vegan Lunchbox

As far as the health benefits go, there have been a number of them. Weight loss of course, a total of eight pounds without adding any sort of exercise and even slacking off on the yoga. My cholesterol is "fabulous" to quote my doctor. I have more energy from my food than I used to and the arthritis that is in my hands has improved a lot since getting rid of inflammation causing dairy products. On a couple of occasions when we wanted to get a quick bite over the winter, I tried a take out cheese pizza, and paid dearly the next day in the form of gas, bloating, and constipation. Not a lesson that I needed to have again. For the most part I have not felt deprived as a vegan. I never ate eggs very often so I have not missed them. I gave up cow's milk when I met David and he drank soy milk. I never went back. Cheese was an issue at first because I love cheese pizza and cheese is such a big part of a lacto-vegetarian's diet. However, once I discovered Bragg's Nutritional Yeast Flakes I no longer muss cheese. It's not stringy or melty, but that was never the draw of cheese for me anyway. Over the course of this year of vegan eating I have developed a much more varied diet and learned about foods that I would never have imagined being a dietary staple while growing up in East Tennessee. Things like; seitan, millet, agave nectar, quinoa, and arrowroot, along with vegetables I had never heard of. Eating for me used to be about getting it over with, a chore three times a day. Now I enjoy planning, shopping for and preparing my meals. But most of all, I enjoy eating the highly nutritious, ethical and delicious foods that I make for myself and my family.

Here are some of my favorite recipes that I have discovered over this year and keep going back to on a regular basis.

I promise you will not miss the eggs in this recipe. Fabulous! Even my hubby says they are better than traditional french toast.

Vegan French Toast
2 bananas
1/2 soy milk
1 tablespoon orange juice
1 tablespoon maple syrup
3/4 tsp vanilla
1 Tbsp flour
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp nutmeg
Oil or vegan margarine for frying
8 thick slices of bread
Using a blender or mixer, mix together the bananas, soy milk, orange juice, maple syrup, and vanilla until smooth and creamy. Whisk in the flour,cinnamon, and nutmeg and pour into a pie plate or shallow tin.Heat 1-2 tablespoons vegan margarine or oil in a large skillet.Dip or spoon mixture over each bread slice on both sides, fry in oil until lightly golden on both sides about 2-3 minutes.

This is a wonderful alternative for those who love their egg salad sandwiches for lunch. Again,, you will not miss the eggs.

Eggless Egg Salad

1 block firm tofu
1 block silken tofu
1/2 cup vegan mayonnaise
1/3 cup sweet relish
3/4 tsp apple cider vinegar
1/2 stalk of celery, diced
2 tbsp minced onion
1 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
2 tbsp chopped chives, opt.
2 tbsp vegan bacon bits, opt.
1 tsp paprika

In a medium bow, use a fork to mash the tofu together with the rest of the ingredients except the bacon bits and paprika. Chill for at least 15 minutes before serving to allow flavors to mingle. Garnish with vegetarian bacon bits and paprika just before serving.

This recipe is usually reserved for those occasions when I want something special, such as a holiday gathering. However, it makes an absolutely delicious meal anytime. I always make it with the spinach!


Phyllo Triangles

1 (1/2 lb) package frozen phyllo dough, thawed several hours in the frig.
1/2 lb firm tofu
1 1/2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
1 shallot, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
1/8 cup finely minced fresh dill
2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
3/4 tsp sea salt (or to taste)
Freshly ground black pepper
A pinch of nutmeg
Extra virgin olive oil for brushing phyllo

To press tofu, drain it, wrap it in a clean kitchen towel, and set something heavy on top of the tofu. Press for 10 minutes. Remove towel from tofu and crumble it into small pieces with your fingers.
Heat 1 1/2 tsp olive oil in a nonstick skillet. Saute the shallot for 1 minutes, then add the garlic, crumbled tofu and dill. Cook stirring frequently, for another 5 minutes until tofu is cooked all the way through. Remove from heat and add lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste.
To make the triangles, line two baking sheets with parchment paper and spray or brush with olive oil. Have ready a large pastry board or cutting board, a pizza wheel for cutting, a damp kitchen towel, plastic wrap, and a cooking oil spray or brush.
Unwrap the thawed phyllo dough, then unroll just far enough to expose 3 inches of dough. Use the pizza wheel to cut a 2 1/2 inch wide strip of dough, cutting through all the layers. Roll the rest of the dough up in plastic wrap and cover with a damp cloth.
Working quickly so the dough does not dry out, lay out a single strip of phyllo. Spray or brush with olive oil, then top with another layer of phyllo, spray again, and add one more layer.
Place 2 teaspoons of filling on the bottom corner of the phyllo strip. Fold the filling up in the dough as if you were folding a flag, touching the bottom corner to the opposite side then folding up, then folding the other corner to the opposite side, and repeating all the way to the top to form a small triangle bundle. Place the triangles on the prepared baking sheet, seam side down, and brush or spray with more olive oil. Keep the bundles covered up so they do not dry out.
Repeat with all the remaining phyllo dough and filling . Preheat oven to 375*F. Bake for 20 minutes, or until golden and crisp. Cool on a wire rack.

Variation: Spinach triangles: steam 1 ounce package of baby spinach until tender. Drain thoroughly in a sieve or colander, pressing excess moisture out. Place cooked spinach on a chopping block and chop fine. Fold the spinach into the prepared tofu mixture and proceed, as above.


This one is just plain fabulous, I can't even describe it, just try it for yourself.
Seitan and Polenta Skillet with Fresh Greens

one 18 ounce tube polenta
1 1/2 tbsp olive oil
cooking oil spray, opt
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 pound seitan, cut into bite size strips
4 large or 6 medium stalks bok choy, with leaves sliced crosswise
5 to 6 ounces baby spinach
4 scallions, sliced
1 tbsp balsamic vinegar, or more to taste
1/4 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, opt
Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Cut the puckered ends off the polenta, then slice 1/2 thick. Cut each slice into 4 little wedges.
heat a wide non-stick skillet. Add a drop of olive oil and spread it around with a paper towel to create a very light coat or use cooking spray. Add the polenta wedges; cook until very lightly browned, about 5 minutes on each side.
Transfer the polenta to a plate. Heat the oil and soy sauce slowly in the skillet, before they get too hot, add the seitan and stir well. raise the heat to medium-high, stirring frequently for 5 minutes. Stir in bok choy, spianch, and scallions, then cover and cook until just wilted about 1-2 minutes.
sprinkle in vinegar to taste. Gently fold in polenta wedges and sun-dried tomatoes, if using. Season with salt and pepper and serve at once.

This last recipe has got to be the most simple and delicious way to fix tofu. Even my hubby thinks these are good.
Tofu Dunkers

1 (1 lb) pkg. extra firm tofu
Olive oil cooking spray
1/2 tsp coarse sea salt

Preheat oven to 400*F. Spray a 12 x 18 inch baking sheet with cooking spray. Drain and dry block of tofu. and cut into 1-inch cubes. Arrange in a single layer on baking sheet. Lightly spray tops of tofu with cooking spray, and sprinkle with salt evenly.Bake for 10 minutes on each side. Remove tofu from the baking sheet onto a paper towel lined plate and blot to remove excess oil and salt. Wait 5 minutes for interior to cool before serving. These are wonderful to use with your favorite dipping sauce, or as an accompaniment to any veggie dish. Yum!

A few fave vegan desserts coming in the next post. Happy Vegan eating!

Blogland Catch Up

It's been a while since I posted so I
thought I would just play a little catch
up today.


First up is an interesting pentagram shaped tomato. It was the best tasting one that I got out of my garden...umm, I wonder why that is.


These are some of the bracelets that I made out of recycled belts from the thrift store. They are so boho and fun. I am putting some of them up for sale. Let me know if you are interested. The two on the left top I made for me though.

As the wheel turns.....this is the sunset on my sun wheel that I made from honeysuckle vine last year, what a lovely sight this was.

This morning I was greeted by my two sweeties enjoying some alone time together, while they let me sleep in. A great two-fer that was, Sophie and her dad got to catch up and enjoy each other's company and I got to sleep in for the first time this week!

Last but not least, I started on fall classes this past Monday. A full class load; art appreciation, algebra, world literature, Spanish and world history. So far it looks like all the classes are going to be very interesting with interesting and entertaining professors.

What a Waste!

Once again a local grocery store has furnished my family with a good supply of fresh produce. As with the post I did a couple of weeks ago, this produce, which happens to be Organic green grapes, was just tossed out, still ice cold, in the unopened crates that it was shipped in. Sitting near the dumpster. Ridiculous! Wasteful, so wasteful when we have several soup kitchens and homeless shelters and food pantries that could use this stuff. Why don't they donate it? Money of course. It makes me sick. However, I am happy to take it and share it with friends and family. Though some of these have individual grapes that were turning brown, the majority of them are perfect. Organic grapes no less!!! Geez!

Yummy Vegan Eating

Last night I made these delicious Phyllo Triangles from the Laptop Lunches cookbook. I have made these in the past with tofu, spinach, ricotta or cottage cheese,sour cream and eggs. This recipe was of course vegan and so simple that the flavors were very clear. I did not miss the cheese, sour cream and eggs at all.

Phyllo Triangles

1 (1/2 pound package frozen phyllo dough, thawed several hours

1/2 pound firm tofu

1 1/2 teaspoons extra virgin olive oil

1 shallot, diced

1 garlic clove, minced

1/8 cup finely minced fresh dill

2 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice

3/4 teaspoon sea salt (or to taste)

Freshly ground black pepper

A pinch of nutmeg

Extra virgin olive oil for brushing phyllo

To press the tofu, drain it, wrap it in a clean kitchen towel, and set it on a plate or cutting board. Put something heavy on top of the tofu. Press for 10 minutes. Remove tofu from the kitchen towel and crumble it into small pieces with your fingers.

Heat oil in a non-stick skillet. Saute shallot for 1 minute, add the garlic, crumbled tofu, and dill. Cook, stirring frequently, for another 5 minutes, until the shallot is soft and the tofu is cooked through. Remove from heat and add the lemon juice, salt, and pepper to taste. Taste for salt and lemon and add more if you wish (it should be slightly salty and tangy).

To make the triangles,line two baking sheets with parchment paper and spray or brush with olive oil. Have ready a large pastry board or cutting board, a pizza wheel for cutting, a damp kitchen towel, plastic wrap, and a cooking oil spray pump filled with olive oil or in a small bowl with a pastry brush.

Unwrap the thawed phyllo dough, then unroll just enough to expose about three inches of dough. Use the pizza wheel to cut a 2 1/2 inch wide strip of dough, cutting through all the layers. Roll the rest of the dough back up in the plastic wrap and cover with the damp cloth.

Working quickly so the dough does not dry out, lay out a single strip of phyllo. Spray or brush lightly with oil, then top with another layer of phyllo, then top with another layer, spray again, and add one more layer of phyllo. Spray with oil.

Place 2 teaspoons of filling on the bottom corner of the phyllo strip. Fold the filling up in the dough as if folding a flag, touching the bottom corner to the opposite side, then folding up, then folding the other corner to the opposite side, repeating all the way tot the top to form a small bundle. Place the triangles on the prepared baking sheet, seam side down, and brush or spray with olive oil. Keep the prepared triangles covered with plastic wrap so they do not dry out.

Repeat with all the remaining phyllo dough and filling. When finished, double wrap the two baking sheets with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator overnight or until needed.

When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375*F. Take the baking sheets from the refrigerator and remove the plastic wrap. Bake for 20 minutes, or until golden and crisp. Cool on a wire rack.

Variation: (my favorite) steam 1 ounce package of baby spinach until tender. Drain thoroughly in a sieve or colander. pressing excess moisture out. Place cooked spinach into the prepared tofu mixture and proceed with the recipe.

Doing Better Dinner

A hot day, a big patch of basil, and some home grown tomatoes-all came together to make a delicious light, but filling dinner. I added couscous on the side. Yum!

Mediterranean Tofu

4 servings

Two 16- ounce tubs firm tofu

2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 cups finely diced tomatoes

1/4 cup oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes, cut into strips with a little of their oil

2 Tablespoons lemon juice, or to taste

Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

Fresh basil leaves, cut into strips

Cut each block of tofu into 6 equal slabs. Blot well between layers of clean tea towels or paper towels.

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a griddle or extra-wide skillet. Arrange the slabs of tofu in a single layer and cook over medium-high heat until golden on both sides, 5 to 7 minutes per side.

Meanwhile, heat the remaining tablespoon of oil in a smaller skillet. Add the garlic and saute over low heat until golden. Add the fresh and dried tomatoes and lemon juice. Cook over medium heat until the fresh tomato has just softened and is heated through, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

To serve, fan out 3 slices of tofu on each plate and spoon some of the tomato-garlic sauce over them. Top each serving with a few strips of basil, then serve at once.

Vegan Cheating

Well, I have to admit I have been cheating on my vegan eating. Not too much mind, but enough for me to notice the difference in how I feel. I have eaten a few baked goods that had milk and/or egg in them. I also shared David's birthday carrot cake, which Sophie made all by herself for him. It is a small thing to do, have something with a negligible amount of animal product in it. I do not feel guilty or bad for doing it, especially since my veganism was not instigated for animal rights reasons, but for health reasons. But when I eat something with more than a negligible amount of animal product I can tell. I feel heavy and almost sick. Normally, eating vegan, I feel light and energetic. It's a great feeling. I am going to rethink my lackadaisical attitude toward vegan cheating and try harder to maintain the vegan diet.

Freeganism feeds family of 5...and then some

OK, correct me if I am wrong....when I go to the Farmer's Market, or stop at one of the road side stands where the farmer has his pick up loaded with fresh corn on the cob, unhusked...this is what I would expect it to look like. Am I right? Do you all agree?


Then tell me why.....why.....why....the dumpster behind a local grocery store chain was loaded down with this particular corn. I mean enough to stock a big city soup kitchen on Thanksgiving day! This is disgusting...particularly so, because I know that this particular chain of stores buys locally grown produce from farmers right here in Tennessee! How would those farmers feel if they could see that all they labored for all summer was tossed into the trash? I wonder......


This is beautiful corn, sweet and fresh. It was a wonderful addition to our Lammas harvest feast on Monday that included beets and cucumber from our own garden and homemade harvest bread. Delicious!

I wish there was a way for us to share these windfalls of idiocy with more than just our friends. It seems to me that this grocery store and others could donate this stuff to said soup kitchens, homeless shelters, and food pantries. How often d those folks get fresh produce?

In any case, I am sure there will be much more waste in the next few weeks with the end of a season as well as a fiscal year. Next we can expect to have school supplies to donate to those in need, it is amazing what is tossed out and for what small reasons. Well, that is it for my soap box....today.

Lammas Harvest

Sophie and I harvested some things from the garden today. We got a couple of beautiful sunflowers, some huge cucumbers, several lovely beets, three mini pumpkins, and three finger sized carrots that Sophie is just thrilled about.
We decided to make Demeter's Harvest Bread, we improvise the recipe from Laurel's Kitchen cookbook for basic whole grain bread. Ours was half wheat, half corn flour in honor of the Lammas corn/grain harvests. Sophie worked very hard on kneading the bread dough and we enjoyed watching it rise and smelling the delicious fresh bread smell as it baked.

We made out loaves round in reverence to the Great Earth Mother who is generous with Her bounty at this blessed time of Lammas.

Sophie's Laptop Lunch

I am having so much fun preparing Sophie's school lunches in the Laptop Lunchbox that we ordered her. She loves it and it's easy to use and fun. David laughed at me this morning for taking photos of her lunch. :) But I am enjoying it and it has given me a new way to get her to eat a more varied diet, we have talked together about what to put in it, we have talked about good nutrition and why its important, and how as you get older your tastes change and you might like something one day that you didn't use to like. So she has agreed to at least try everything that is in her lunch, and I make it a point to put one new thing in it each day.Making certain that she has enough of things that I know she will eat.
Yesterday's lunch at the top consisted of a star-shaped cheese sandwich, unsweetened applesauce, baby carrots, and Annie's Organic Bunny Grahams, plus a Pocky in the napkin.


Today's lunch is peas/corn, gold fish crackers, apple slices with caramel dip, and cheese cubes. (The cheese cubes are the new thing, Sophie is an American slices cheese eater, so these are Colby/Jack.) Oh and a Pocky in the napkin again. So fun!

Sure, it takes a 'little' extra work, but I plan what to pack the night before, and it only takes about 10-15 minutes to pack it up in the morning. And after reading this blog, I am determined that Sophie eat food from home, school lunches leave a lot to be desired, not to mention, her being vegetarian, there is not a lot she could eat at the school. The school will give her PB&J, but who wants to eat that every day? I am sure there will be more of these kind of posts, it's just so fun. Bon Appetite!

Couscous Salad

Couscous Salad

2 1/2 cups small broccoli florets

2 zucchini, sliced

2 carrots, sliced

3/4 cup halved green beans (I like snow or sugar snap peas)

1 cup frozen corn kernels, thawed

1 3/4 cups couscous

2 cups boiling vegetable stock (canned works well)

2 tablespoons vegan margarine

1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley

1.4 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 tbsp lemon juice

2 tbsp chopped lemon rind

Microwave, steam, or boil vegetables until tender. Set aside.

Put the couscous in a large bowl and add the hot stock. Cover for 3-4 minutes. Mix in the margarine using a fork. Mix in the vegetables and parsley.

Place the remaining ingredients in a screw-top jar with some salt and pepper. Shake well, then pour over the salad. Toss the salad well and serve.

Tofu with Key West BBQ Sauce

This is an old recipe from Vegetarian Times Complete Cookbook, I've actually had it for years, but haven't made it in awhile.

Tofu with Key West Barbecue Sauce

Tofu

1 pound extra firm tofu

2 tbsp unbleached white flour

2 tbsp cornmeal

1 1/2 tsp poultry seasoning

2 tsp nutritional yeast

1/2 tsp salt (optional)

1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper

2 tbsp prepared yellow mustard or spicy brown mustard

4 tbsp canola or peanut oil (I actually prefer olive oil)

Sauce

1/2 cup ketchup

1/3 to 1/2 cup sugar or honey

2 tbsp fresh lime juice

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 small onion, minced

4 tbsp vegetarian Worcestershire sauce

1 tsp hot pepper sauce

Tofu: Cut the tofu on the short end into 1/4 in slices. Drain on a dishcloth for 30 minutes. On a plate, mix together the flour, cornmeal, poultry seasoning, nutritional east, salt and pepper. Brush the drained tofu on both sides with mustard, then roll in the cornmeal mixture. Set aside.

Heat 1 tbsp oil in a heavy skillet over medium heat. Carefully place four slices of tofu in the skillet, without crowding, and cook, stirring until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Keep warm in a slow oven while you cook the remaining tofu in the remaining oil.

Sauce: In a heavy, medium saucepan, combine all the ingredients. Bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer 20-30 minutes. To serve, pour the sauce over the tofu.

Scrumptious Dinner Tonight!

Tonight's dinner consisted of Tofu with Key West Barbecue Sauce and Couscous Salad. And for dessert, Chocolate Dream Pie. Check back tomorrow for the recipes.

Hot Chocolate Baguette

Oooh, the decadence, oh the desire, oh the delicious,melty chocolate and hot french bread. This is wonderful, as a late night snack and as a mid morning brunchy kind of thing.

1 fresh French Baguette,at least 16 inches long

2/3 cup vegan chocolate chips

Slice the french baguette lengthwise with a sharp knife, cutting only halfway through the bread. Sprinkle the chips into the crevice, wrap in a large piece of aluminum foil and bake at 375 degree for about 20-25 minutes o until the scent of hot chocolate and warm bread fills the kitchen. Delicious! Like something from a French bakery.

(I didn't think to snap a pic, until after half was eaten. Enough said.)

Yummy Vegan Skillet Dinner

Seitan and Polenta Skillet with fresh Greens

One 18 ounce tube polenta

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 Tbsp reduced sodium soy sauce

1 pound seitan, cut into bite-size pieces or strips

4 large or 6 medium stalks of bok choy, with leaves sliced crosswise

5 to 6 ounces fresh baby spinach

4 scallions, green and white parts, sliced

1 Tbsp balsamic vinegar, or more to taste

1/4 cup sliced oil-cured sun-dried tomatoes

Optional salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Cut the puckered ends off the polenta, then slice 1/2 inch thick. Cut each slice into 4 wedges.

Heat a large non-stick skillet. Add a drop of the oil and spread it around with a paper to create a very light coat, or use cooking oil spray. Add the polenta wedges; cook in a single layer over medium heat, about 5 minutes on each side.

Remove the polenta to a plate. Heat the oil and soy sauce slowly in the same skillet. Before they get too hot, add the seitan and stir well. Raise the heat to medium-high and saute stirring frequently, for 5 minutes. Stir in the bok choy, spinach,and scallions, then continue to cook until just wilted, 1 to 2 minutes.

Sprinkle in the vinegar to taste. Gently fold in the polenta wedges and dried tomatoes.

Season with salt and pepper and serve at once. (4-6 servings; this recipe is from Vegan Express.)

This is so tasty, it is even good cold!

Vegan Chocolate Pudding?......Yes!

Did you think you would have to give up pudding to go vegan? No way. This is delicious. I promise you cannot tell it is vegan.


Vegan Chocolate Pudding

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 1/2 tbsp cornstarch or 3 tbsp arrowroot powder
1/3 cup granulated natural cane sugar or other dry sweetener
Pinch of salt
2 cups plain rice or soy milk
2 tbsp vegan chocolate chips, optional
1/2 tsp vanilla

Sift cocoa and cornstarch together into a pot. Whisk in sugar and salt.
Gradually whisk in about half of the milk, whisking constantly to prevent lumps from forming. Pour in remaining milk, whisking well.
Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, whisking constantly. As soon as pudding reaches a boil, remove from heat and whisk, adding chocolate chops, if using,and vanilla, until chips are melted and blended.
Transfer to four pudding cups or bowls and refrigerate for 1 hour or until thoroughly chilled and set.
Garnish with fresh fruit, such as berries, slices of ripe pear or banana.


Tips: Constant whisking while cooking ensures that the pudding thickens evenly without lumps and doesn't scorch.
This recipe can easily be doubled with excellent results.

International Vegan

My daughter's fiance, who is from Palestine, brought this delightful Middle Eastern dish to me this evening. It is called Fattoush, a bread and vegetable salad,and though he has not given me the recipe I did find one online, that sounds pretty close. It was so delicious, a cold salad that uses the summer veggies that are ripening right now. Yum! This is definitely going to show up at future gatherings at my house. Find a recipe here. I don't think the one I have had green onion or green pepper.

Cool Summer Lunch

This was today's vegan lunch. A whole wheat pita pocket with hummus, baby spinach, sunflower kernels, and dried cranberries in it. Planters Nut-trition Omega 3 nut and fruit mix, and watermelon on the side. Delicious! Cool and refreshing in these dog days of summer.

The Planters mix has walnuts, dried cranberries and dark chocolate covered soy nuts. Yum.