Rhymes With Vegan

hearty morning muffins

as the weather gets colder it's a lot harder to wake up to a cold bowl of cereal, or a typical slice of toast.  i think these muffins are the perfect solution.

full of grains and fiber to fill you up

packed with flavors of cinnamon, banana and vanilla to kick the tastebuds into gear

oh, and did i mention that they're good for you?

you've just found a new way to start your day.

hearty morning muffins

makes 12

 

1 large banana

1/3-cup soy flour

1/3-cup cornmeal

1/3-cup whole wheat

1/3 –cup earth balance

1/4- cup wheat germ

1/3-cup brown sugar

1 ¼ cup soy cream

squeeze of ½ lemon

1 tsp salt

1tsp baking soda

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp vanilla

1 tbsp cinnamon

handful of craisins

canola oil spray

 

preheat your oven to 400 degrees.

mix the cornmeal, whole wheat and wheat germ with the soy cream and squeeze of lemon (this will make for a sort of buttermilk).  let sit for 10-15 minutes, or until the grains have softened.

in another bowl, cream together your vanilla, sugar, butter and banana.  be sure to get it as soft as possible, with few lumps.

add the other dry ingredients and milk mixture to the creamed ingredients.

stir together until mixed.

grease your muffin pan to avoid sticking.

spoon into pan and bake for 12 minutes, remove and add the craisins on top.  put back into the oven for 3-5 minutes, or until golden brown.  be sure to use a toothpick to see if your muffins have been cooked thoroughly.

 remove and let cool.

serve with a warm cup of josephine and a little bit of earth balance.

 

enjoy!

contagious art and crepes 3 ways

last night i attended an art exhibit that included one of my oldest friend's artwork.  it was a fantastic evening full of good friends, good wine, great conversation, and kick ass art.  three women with three very different styles, coming together to showcase their talents.

inevitably i woke up this morning feeling inspired by their creations and felt the urge to get into my studio to honor their hard work.

so, ladies of the canyon, these crepes are for you.

  

crepes 3-ways

serves 4-6 

for the sweet butter cream

2 tbsp earth balance

1 clove garlic – minced

1 tbsp chives - chopped

1 -2 tbsp flour (keep extra on hand should you need more to thicken)

1 onion boullion - crumbled

1-cup non-dairy creamer

in a small saucepan melt the earth balance, add your garlic, chives and then the flour to create your roux.  you can now add your non-dairy creamer and onion bouillon; bring to a boil and then simmer until thickened.  set aside. 

for the roasted zucchinis

4-5 small yellow and green zucchinis – sliced lengthwise

olive oil

1 tsp fresh thyme

1 tsp fresh chives – chopped

salt and pepper to taste  

heat your oven to 400.  on a baking sheet toss your zucchini’s with enough olive oil to cover them.  sprinkle on your herbs and a pinch of salt and pepper.  put into the oven for 15-20 minutes or until nicely roasted and tender to the touch.  turn the oven down and keep them warm until serving.

 

for the red pepper sauce

4-5 roasted red peppers – sliced (1 extra for garnish)

½ yellow onion – chopped

2 cloves garlic – chopped

1 tbsp olive oil

1 cup broth (you can use a no-chicken or veggie)

salt and pepper to taste

in a medium sauce pan heat your oil and add your onions and garlic.  cook until tender.  add your roasted red peppers and cook for approximately 6-8 minutes.  remove from heat and let cool.  

once they are cool, throw them into your blender, food processor or whatever you got and blend until smooth.    add this mixture back into the pan and bring to a medium heat.  add your broth and salt and pepper to taste.  bring this mixture to a boil and let reduce a bit.  simmer for 6-8 minutes.

 

for the crepes

1 cup barley flour

1 1/2 cups non-dairy milk

3 tsp egg replacer (follow instructions on box)

2 tbsp vegetable or canola oil

1 tsp garlic powder

salt and pepper to taste

in a large bowl combine flour , egg replacer liquid and non dairy milk. whisk to remove any lumps.   In a medium skillet, coat the bottom and sides well.  bring your pan to a medium low heat, but be sure it is heated quite well.

put a ½ cup of batter into pan and let it cook for approximately 2-3 minutes (depending upon your stove), flip it over and cook for another 2-3 minutes.  remove.  

to build the crepes, I simply put a little sweet chive cream sauce, then added the zucchinis.  Roll it up, drizzle with the red pepper sauce and garnish with thyme, chives, roasted red peppers and salt and pepper….or, make your own art and build it any way you envision.  

serve with an ice cold mimosa.  

enjoy!  

out of pocket

i'm heading to a cabin with my good friends for the next 5 days so i'll be unable to do any posts (we will be completely isolated...no cell phones, no nothing).  so, until we meet again (on monday) here's a little peek into what we'll be eating while we're relaxing with a nice cold one.

have a great week!

 

 

tofu scramble with browned potatoes and "holiday" sauce

minneapolis has this quaint little breakfast cafe, just a few short blocks from my house, that hasn't changed since the 1960s. the food is local and organic and the people who serve it up are just as organic as the grub. :) anyway, they have this one "earthy" breakfast that i decided i needed to recreate in my own kitchen. now, absolutely no disrespect to this great little neighborhood joint and its "earth" breakfast, but i think the one i made would give it a serious run for the money!

                         tofu scramble with browned potatoes and  'holiday' sauce

                        (a little play on hollandaise since it was valentine's day)

4 large russet potatoes - peeled and julienned (large)

1 package of wildwood super firm tofu

1 red pepper - diced

1 large shallot - minced

2 cloves garlic - minced

2 tbsp tamari

2 tsp turmeric

2 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes

1 cup earth balance

1 lemon

2 tsp flour

2 tsp red wine vinegar

1 onion boullion cube - crushed

1 tbsp fresh dill - chopped

fresh parsley

olive oil

salt and pepper

heat a large skillet to 350, add 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp earth balance, julienned potatoes, red pepper flakes and garlic. cook until potatoes begin to brown, then flip. brown the other side to your liking and then set aside in the oven to stay warm.

to the same skillet add 1 tbsp oil, your tofu (crumbled into large pieces), red pepper, shallots, tamari, turmeric, onion powder and salt and pepper. fry up until it forms a nice golden "scramble".

in a small saucepan on medium heat, add the remaining earth balance and begin to whisk. add your red wine vinegar, squeeze of 1/2 lemon, dill, onion boullion and slat and pepper. whisk it all together for about 3-5 minutes. gently add your flour and continue whisking until it become creamy and smooth. 

serve on the side or over your tofu scramble and browned potatoes...garnish with fresh parsley.

enjoy!

the best damn 1 skillet breakfast burrito

last saturday i woke up absolutely starving! i debated about going out for breakfast, but then i thought, why do that when i could make something so much better at home. i was craving something warm and wonderful, something bursting with flavor, but also with a kick. the result was the best damn breakfast burrito i have ever had... hands down. it'll rock your world.

"best damn one skillet breakfast burrito "

1 tube gimme lean sausage
4 white potatoes, peeled and julienned (larger julienne, if possible)
1 package super firm tofu (preferably Wild Wood)
1 red pepper, diced
1/2 red onion, diced
2 tbsp tamari
1 tbsp turmeric
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tsp red pepper flakes
2 cloves garlic, minced
hot sauce (of your choice)
dairy free sour cream
olive oil
earth balance
fresh cilantro

start by heating a skillet and adding your 1 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp earth balance, potatoes and garlic.  sprinkle a little salt and pepper and let brown on each side at 350 degrees.  set in oven to keep warm in a separate pan.

in the same skillet, add 1 tbsp olive oil, 1/2 of the gimme lean sausage package.  fry up until golden brown.  add the red pepper flakes.  set aside in same pan as the potatoes...be sure to keep i a warm oven.

again in the same skillet, add 1 tbsp olive oil, red pepper, onions.  toss that around for about 5 minutes, then add your tofu (be sure to have broken into medium size pieces), garlic powder, turmeric and tamari.  fry up until a golden color erupts.  salt and pepper to taste.

in a damp towel, wrap a few flour tortillas and pop into either the oven for 5 minutes or into the microwave for 1 minute.

start building your burrito by layers...potatoes, then tofu scramble, then the mock sausage.  throw on a little hot sauce, a dollop of the dairy free sour cream, fresh cilantro and WOW...you'll be one happy camper.  (I packed mine so high, i could barely close it)  of course, you can layer it however you see fit.

serve with a bloody mary...(coffee optional)

enjoy!

"morning after" breakfast

I had some friends over last night to ring in the new year. Admittedly, I think we were all a bit over served. Ha!! To help cure the pain of our hangovers, I whipped up this "morning after" breakfast. Watching all my peeps clink together their bloody beers, lift their forks, and dig into these amazing flavors piled high on a giant platter was a pretty amazing way to start off 2009. Cheers everyone! And happy, happy new year!!!

 

 

 

 "morning after" breakfast

1 TUBE GIMME LEAN SAUSAGE STYLE
5 RED POTATOES – SLICED (1/2 IN THICK)
½ YELLOW ONION – CHOPPED
3 CLOVES GARLIC – MINCED
2 CANS NAVY BEANS
1 LARGE CAN STEWED TOMATOES
2 CUPS TOMATO JUICE
1 TSP HOT SAUCE
LARGE HANDFUL OF CILANTRO – ROUGH CHOPPED
1 TBSP CHIVES – CHOPPED
2 TBSP FRESH PARSLEY – CHOPPED
6 TORTILLAS – WARMED
½ TSP RED PEPPER FLAKES
OLIVE OIL – GARLIC INFUSED
SALT AND PEPPER TO TASTE

GARNISH

DAIRY-FREE SOUR CREAM
FRESH CILANTRO
FRESH PARSLEY


PREHEAT OVEN TO 375.

IN AN OILED SKILLET, ADD YOUR POTATOES, ONIONS AND GARLIC.  CONTINUE TO COOK UNTIL SLIGHTLY SOFT.  PUT POTATOES ONTO A COOKIE SHEET AND BAKE FOR 20 MINUTES, OR UNTIL SOFT AND GOLDEN BROWN. 

WHILE THE POTATOES ARE IN THE OVEN, MAKE SMALL 1 IN. “MEAT”BALLS AND ADD TO 375 SKILLET. BE SURE THERE IS STILL ENOUGH OIL TO KEEP THE BALLS FROM STICKING.  ONCE THEY BEGIN TO GET BROWN, ADD YOUR TOMATOES, BEANS, HOT SAUCE, CILANTRO, PARSLEY AND CHIVES.  ADD SALT AND PEPPER AND CONTINUES TO COOK UNTIL THE BEANS HAVE SOFTENED AND THE FLAVORS HAVE MELDED TOGETHER.

TAKE A LARGE CLOTH, MOISTEN WITH WATER, WRAP YOUR TORTILLAS AND HEAT IN THE OVEN OR MICROWAVE UNTIL STEAMING.

PILE EACH TORTILLA WITH LAYERS OF THE BALLS, BEANS, POTATOES, FRESH CILANTRO, DAIRY-FREE SOUR CREAM and HOT SAUCE.

Enjoy!