Santa’s Favorite Christmas Snowball Cookies (Vegan Style)

I have many fond memories making Christmas cookies with my family.  My mom would choose the standard ones we’d make every year and the kids got to choose a new recipe or two.  My mom actually was a good decision maker, since the ones she chose were our top-notch favorites.  

Meltaway Snowball Cookies for Santa

We’d make snowballs, sugar cookies, chocolate dipped peanut butter logs, almond crescents, kolachkies, etc.  They were so yummy, I couldn’t wait to eat them.  My mom would tell us we could eat the ones that didn’t look so nice.  The best looking ones were always saved and passed out to neighbors.  No broken or cracked ones for them. 

My very favorite of them all were the snowball cookies.  These are sometimes call Mexican Wedding cookies.  They are a delicate, lightly crisp, buttery-flavored cookie with chopped nuts and a dusting of powdered sugar that melt in your mouth.  They’re perfect for Christmas because they look so wintery. 

Of course, when we made our Christmas cookies, they weren’t vegan.  I didn’t grow up in a vegan household.  I made a small change to the recipe and ho-ho-ho they are now vegan.  So make a plate for family, friends, neighbors, and Santa. 

Meltaway Snowball Cookies

Makes 2 ½ dozen

Ingredients

1 c. Earth Balance or any vegan margarine

½ c. sifted powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla

2 ¼ c. flour

¼ tsp. salt

¾ c. chopped pecans (walnuts can work too)

Directions

In a medium bowl, cream margarine, powdered sugar, and vanilla together until very soft & fluffy.  Set aside. 

In another bowl, sift flour and salt together.  Gradually stir flour mixture into the margarine mixture.  Next, stir in chopped pecans.  Use a tablespoon to scoop out mixture and form into balls.  Place on ungreased cookie sheet. 

Bake at 450 degrees for about 7 minutes or until the peaks are very lightly browned.  Watch so they don’t burn on the bottom.  Take them out of the oven and let them cool.

Set the cookies on wax or parchment paper & using a small sifter, lightly sprinkle powdered sugar on top to resemble a light dusting of snow.  

Another Serving of Those Thanksgiving Sides (Vegan)

What Thanksgiving celebration would be complete without mashed potatoes with gravy, stuffing, green bean casserole, sweet potatoes, cranberries… you know, all the good stuff.  Well, all these holiday favorites can easily be veganized with a few minor substitutions.  How?  Substitute the dairy milk with soy, almond, coconut milk, etc. (Just make sure it’s unsweetened for savory dishes.).  Non-dairy margarine for the butter (Earth Balance will do the trick).  Cornstarch, arrowroot powder, soy flour & water, or one of the many other substitutes for the eggs. (For egg substitutes see About Food for some ideas)  No Chicken Broth, Not Chick'n Bouillon Cubes, etc. in gravy.

Thanksgiving Feast  (vegan)  from top clockwise.
Tofurkey with Cranberry & Pecan Stuffing, Mashed Potatoes with Homestyle Gravy,
Sweet Corn,  Mashed Sweet Potatoes, Pineapple & Apple Cranberries,
Green Bean Casserole, Mac & Cheeze

You can use your favorite ole’ family recipes and give’ em the vegan ingredient upgrades.  Or if you want, try one of these recipes. 

Vegan Green Bean Casserole Recipe

* I sauted chopped mushrooms and cooked the in unsweetened soy milk instead of the vegetable broth. This gives it a creamy mushroom vibe. 

The Best Vegan Stuffing Recipe
* I cut the recipe in half and still made lots.  I added cranberries & pecans to the mix.

Cranberry Relish Recipe

* I omitted the lemon juice & brandy and added a small amount of sugar just to take away the tartness. Use unrefined sugar – refined white sugar is not vegan.

Homestyle Vegan Gravy Recipe

Roasted Garlic Mashed Potato Recipe

Mashed Sweet Potato Recipe

And for the sweet potatoes… I pressure cook them (but you can boil them).  Then drain and peel the sweet potatoes.  Place sweet potatoes in a bowl and mash with a fork.  Add Earth Balance (non-dairy margarine), brown sugar and / or maple syrup. Easy as pie. 

One more thing… it’s not Thanksgiving without one of my old time favorites, “A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving”.  Now, you can sit back and enjoy.  Happy Thanksgiving!  

Thanksgiving Vegan Style

Thanksgiving is almost here.  Time for mashed potatoes & gravy, green bean casserole, sweet potatoes, stuffing, cranberries, and pumpkin pie… or how about corn bread, succotash, butternut squash soup, pecan pie… the list just goes on and on.   So many choices and all can be vegan.  

Wait, what about the main dish?  You could try a mushroom wellington, “meatloaf” with gravy, veggie pot pie, or the standard Tofurkey.  To be honest with you, my favorites have always been the sides.

 

Over the years, I’ve collected some really great holiday recipes.  Check out my Pinterest board for some yummy ideas.  I made a few tweeks to some of the recipes, but overall I stay pretty true to them.  Why mess with a winner?

I'll also be shooting you a few of my own recipes within the next few days.  Stay tuned!

Decadent Pralines & Cream French Toast & Butterscotch Sauce (Vegan)

So, what can you make when you have leftover silken tofu?  Well, my go-to is French toast.  We can go extreme with this one and serve French toast with vanilla soy ice cream, topped with butterscotch sauce & pecans... make it pralines & cream French toast.  

Decadent Pralines & Cream French Toast

Usually French toast is made with eggs & milk.  Make it vegan… easy.  Substitute the eggs for tofu and milk for soy milk. 

Sheepherder's Bread, Silken Tofu, & Soy Milk

I used my leftover silken tofu and puree it in a food processor.  Then added non-dairy milk to the tofu puree and thinned it out a little.  Add a little salt to the mixture. 

Pureed Silken Tofu with Soy Milk

Slice bread, day old works best.  I used sheepherder’s bread and cut the thick.  

Dip Bread into Tofu Mixture

Dip the bread into tofu-mixture, flip the bread, and dip the other side.

Flip dipped bread over to coat opposite side

Place well-oiled skillet over medium heat.  I used extra-virgin coconut oil.  It’s super healthy and I’m okay with the flavor.  If you’re not into the flavor, stick with a more traditional oil (sunflower should work well). 

Place mixture soaked bread into heated skillet.  Turn over when browned.  Cook other side.  Remove from heat when finished. 

French Toast

I turned my French toast into a praline topped goodness with pecans and a butterscotch sauce I made the day before.   

Pralines topped French Toast

If you want to get really decadent, add a scoop of vanilla soy ice cream and the praline topping.  Completely epicurean pralines & cream French toast. 

Butterscotch Sauce for Pralines & Cream

I remember indulging in pralines and cream ice cream when I was a kid.  It was one of my favorites.  You can use this recipe and top some vanilla soy ice cream with it.  Don’t forget to top with chopped pecans.  Craig had his without the pecans and thought it reminded him of McDonald’s butterscotch sundae.

Butterscotch Sauce Recipe

2 Tbsp.  Earth Balance or any other non-dairy margarine

¼ c  non-dairy creamer (I used Silk vanilla)

¼ c  brown sugar

¼ tsp. salt

Place Earth Balance  in a small saucepan and heat on medium.  Add creamer, brown sugar, and salt to the melted Earth Balance.  Cook until mixture is thoroughly blended together.  It should thicken a little and should only take a few minutes to cook.

Pour over a scoop of soy ice cream and top with pecans for pralines & cream ice cream.  

Try using the leftover sauce for banana splits, flavored waffles, cake or cookie glaze, etc... whatever your heart desires.

Superfood Breakfast… Quinoa to the Rescue

My mom and her two sisters took a summer trip to Peru, home of the Incan superfood… quinoa.  I know.  I know.  Superfood?  Sounds healthy.  Where’s the junk food?  Well, I’m going to take a small break and give you a healthy breakfast, then back to the trash.  I promise.

Breakfast Quinoa with Sliced Strawberries & Soy Milk

So what is quinoa?  It’s a grain that is high in protein.  Actually, it’s a complete protein.  You may be asking, “What is a complete protein?”.  It’s a protein that has all nine of the essential amino acids in correct proportions.  Not bad for a little grain.  

Uncooked Quinoa

The United Nations General Assembly even declared 2013 the International Year of Quinoa.

You can find quinoa in the bulk food section in your favorite health food store or boxed in stores like Trader Joe’s. 

 To cook, put 1 cup of quinoa into a saucepan with 2 cups water.  This will make about 3 servings.  (If you want to make more or less, the ratio of quinoa to water is 1 part quinoa to 2 parts water.)

Cooked Quinoa

Cook on medium heat, until the water starts to boil.  Lower the heat and cover.  Cook for about 10 to 15 minutes, until the water is absorbed.  Turn off heat and leave covered for 5 minutes.  Uncover and fluff with a fork.

Quinoa with Sliced Strawberries

Now, here’s the fun part.  You get to choose whatever ingredients your little heart desires to add to the quinoa.  I used fresh cut strawberries and a little chia seed (to make it even healthier).  I’ve tried cinnamon, cocoa powder and peanut butter, and sliced bananas. 

Quinoa with Sliced Strawberries & Topped with Chia Seeds

Top with a little non-dairy milk, almond milk or soy milk should do just fine.  I used the vanilla flavored soy milk from Trader Joe’s for this batch.  Try it.  See, that wasn’t so bad.  

Ener-G Egg Replacer - Product Review

Eggs.  Eggs. Eggs.  So, how do you replace those cholesterol laden, artery clogging nasties?  Ener-G Egg Replacer to the rescue.  It’s economical and works great for baking and as a binder.  You can get the equivalent of 113 eggs per package, with only 15 calories per serving and at 0 grams of cholesterol ...  How can you go wrong?  I get them from Vitacost at about $4.75 per box.

 

Ener-G Egg Replacer

I use Ener-G egg replacer mainly for baking.  I love using them in the pancake recipe from the Candle 79 cookbook.  The pancakes come out perfect with great taste and texture.  

When I substituted Ener-G in boxed cake mixes that require eggs, I found the only difference was that the cake comes out moister and lighter.  Not bad, but watch out if you're substituting for boxed brownies.  You should probably cut back on the oil, I find they come out with an oily film on top if you follow the directions on the box.

You can use them in place of a binder (non-vegan eggs are used that way).  Just substitute each egg with the equivalent of the Ener-G egg replacer.  I use them in my savory dishes, like for the coating on my Buffalo Chick’n Tenders.  As for dishes like scrambled eggs, stick with the good ole tofu based substitute.  You can try the tofu substitute in my Good Morning Vegan Eggster Pita.  

I keep a box on hand and the beauty is ... they don’t rot like eggs.  

Vegan Buffalo Chick’n Tenders

Fall weather and football season are here.  Whether you’re a Chargers, 49ers, or Raiders fan, you probably love Buffalo chicken wings or tenders.  Craig gave me a tailgater challenge to create some good ole Buffalo chicken tenders.  Well, of course I’d have to come up with a satisfying vegan version that would meet his approval. 

Vegan Buffalo Chick'n Tenders served with Ranch

To tell you the truth, unlike Craig, I’ve never had Buffalo chicken tenders, so I didn’t really know what they should taste like.  I knew they were supposed to be hot and served with ranch or bleu cheese dressing.  I did a little research and found some meat based recipes.  I asked Craig a few questions and decided to veganize one of the highly rated recipes I found. 

I served them up two ways... as an appetizer and as a sandwich.  Craig flipped for them both.  He was amazed at how close I got to the real deal (especially on a first try).  He loved them so much, he had them the next day too.  I have to admit, they're not the healthiest, but they do taste great.

 

So, here’s my version of Craig’s new favorite Buffalo Chick’n Tenders.

Vegan Buffalo Chick’n Tenders Recipe

1 c flour 2 tsps salt 1/2 tsp pepper 1/2 tsp cayenne powder 1/4 tsp garlic powder 1/2 tsp paprika

3/4 tsp Ener-G Egg Replacer 1 Tbsp warm water 1/2 c unsweetened non-dairy milk 1 pkg vegan “chicken” 1/2 c Frank’s Red Hot sauce 2 Tbsps Earth Balance (margarine)

I used VeriSoy “chicken” strips to get the look and feel of the tenders.  Fortunately, I live close enough to Vege USA in Monrovia, California and can get the food service packages of VeriSoy “chicken” strips.  If you don’t live in the Los Angeles area, try Beyond Meat, Gardein, or any other vegan “chicken”.  .  In an oiled skillet, cook the “chicken” pieces until slightly golden. (I gave a splash of apple cider vinegar to make sure the soy taste was gone. )  Set aside. In a medium bowl, add flour, salt, pepper, cayenne powder, garlic powder, and paprika.  Stir together.  In small bowl, stir together Ener-G Egg Replacer and warm water.  Add in non-dairy milk and continue stirring.  Flour Mixture Coated "Chicken" Pieces Take “chicken” pieces and dip in Ener-G mixture.  Then, dip the pieces into the flour mixture.  Repeat until all pieces have double coating.  Place coated pieces in refrigerator for 20 minutes. Pan Frying "Chicken" Pieces Heat skillet with about 2” of oil.  You can tell if oil is ready when you place the end of a wooden spoon in the pan and it bubbles around the stick.  Coated & Pan Fried "Chicken" Pieces Place coated pieces of “chicken” in skillet.  Pan fry until the coating is slightly browned, then turn over and repeat.  Drain and set aside. In a small pan, add Red Hot sauce and Earth Balance.  Heat and stir until Earth Balance is melted.  Red Hot Sauce coated Fried "Chicken" Pieces Place fried “chicken” pieces on a cookie sheet.  Pour hot sauce mixture on top of each piece.  Place in oven (I used my toaster oven.) and broil for a few minutes until sauce cooks in.  Remove from oven and serve with side of vegan ranch or vegan “bleu cheese” dressing (I served with my Coyote Mountain Ranch.)  Craig wanted to have the Buffalo chick’n tenders on a sandwich.  I lightly toasted a hamburger bun and topped it with the Buffalo chick’n tenders, shredded cabbage, slivered onion, and sliced tomatoes.  Smother with vegan ranch or vegan “bleu cheese” dressing.  Touch down!

Buffalo Chick'n Tender Sandwich served with Ranch

Taco Island - Will Be Rockin' Out at the SCV Music Festival

Craig was listening to KLOS, Jack FM, and the Sound last night and heard the promos for the SCV Music Festival .  This year Blue Oyster Cult & Aaron Tippin will be the headlining acts.  

Good News!  You can add Taco Island to that bill. We'll be there serving our signature vegan "chicken" street tacos with mojo sauce (aka Tacos Al Carbon with High Octane Mojo Sauce), vegan nachos, and Polar Explosions frozen drinks.  

SCV Music Festival 2014

The fest will be held next weekend, Friday, September 26th and Saturday, September 27th, in Valencia, CA.  http://www.scvmusicfest.com/ 

Craig & I will be looking forward to seeing you there!  Stop by and say hi.  Remember to grab a Beyond Meat $1.00 off coupon too.

Chocolates! Chocolates! Chocolates! Easy, Mouthwatering Vegan Chocolates!

Hot!  Hot!  Hot!  Will this heat wave ever end?  It’s been in the hundreds since last week (feels like forever).    

Today’s High 106°F

We are all lethargic and cranky.  What could put us in a good mood?  Chocolate!  Decadent.  Smooth.  Mood enhancing.  Sweet goodness.

Vegan Chocolates with Koala Crisp Cereal & Cashew Butter

Let’s turn on the stove and get melting.  No!  No! No!  It already feels like Hades.  We don’t need any more heat.  I’m not really big on using a microwave, so that’s out of the question.  Hmmm.  I could harness the sun’s energy and use it to melt the chocolate.  How environmental.  I’ll use my car “oven”. 

Well, this goes against the proper culinary technique.  So, if you’re a stickler for doing things the right way, try Michael Chu's science of tempering chocolate or you can use Guittard's tempering method.  But, if you’re like me and want to roll the dice … we’ll do it the easy, bachelor-style way.  It's so easy, anyone can make 'em.  

Guittard's Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips

I like using semi-sweet chocolate chips… another faux pas.  You’re really supposed to use high quality chocolate.  Since I’m on a low budget, I’ll stick with the chocolate chips.  Now, we’re talkin’ vegan, so here are some options:  Trader Joe’s semi-sweet, Guittard’s semi-sweet, or Sunspire semi-sweet (a little more pricey) .   

Vegan Chocolate Chips in my Car "Oven"

After sampling a few out of the bag, pour the rest of those yummy chips in a glass bowl.  Put them in your car “oven”.  Don’t forget about ‘em.  Times will vary according to the temperature.  I usually look for the point where the chips start melting and are soft, but you can still see the individual pieces. 

Stir Melted Chocolate Chips

After the chips are melted, use a pot holder and take them inside and stir them. 

Cashew Butter

Enviro Kids Koala Crisp Cereal

Now it’s time to add the goodies.  I stirred in Enviro Kids Koala Crisp cereal and cashew butter.  Using a spoon, scoop your mixture onto parchment paper and let sit until hardened.  This may take a while if the temperature is scorching hot outside.  I let them sit overnight to temper.  According to the science guy, Michael Chu, temper dark chocolate at 88-90°F (31-32°C).  If chocolate is tempered properly, it’ll have a nice sheen and a texture that has a snap. If not, you could end up with dull, matte chocolate with a soft texture.

The next morning, my chocolates were still a little soft.   I got impatient, so I broke the rules again and put them in the frig.  Voile!  My chocolates didn’t suffer… they had a glossy sheen and when I tried ‘em, they had a snap.  Lucky me.  Now, onto my willing test subject, Craig… success, when he tried them, he flipped out and gave his seal of approval. 

Craig is waiting for the next batch, I might add toasted coconut and sea salt.  Have fun with it… add various nuts, peanut butter, almond butter, flavored non-dairy creamer, crushed corn flakes, granola, cranberries, mint extract, cayenne,… you name it.  Remember to eat 'em before they melt.  

Taco Island at the Rhythm & Joy Festival

I'd like to invite all you locals to the Rhythm & Joy Festival on Saturday, August 30th from 11:00 am to 8:30 pm at the Warner Center Park, 5800 Topanga Canyon Blvd, Woodland Hills. Don't miss out, admission is free. 

Taco Island will be serving vegan street tacos & nachos at the fest.  Don’t forget to leave room for dessert.  We'll have yummy vegan baked goodies from Pastry Chef Kristi Descher. 

The Rhythm & Joy Festival is a celebration of music and transformation.  This all day event will have “Do-It-Yourself green presentations, eco-friendly educational activities and inspirational presentations that will address the need for sustainable living and promote the importance of protecting the environment. In addition, attendees are invited to participate in a full day of yoga classes offered free and explore the amazing properties of alternative healing modalities at the Wellness Healing Oasis including Reiki, Prana healing, cranial sacral therapy, acupressure, reflexology, Sweedish and shiatsu massage and much more.”

Fun, fun, fun!!!

Craig & I would love to meet you all.  Stop by and say hi.

Mario’s Fast & Easy Pomodoro Pasta Sauce (vegan)

My garden has started to reward me with some beautiful tomatoes.  I have some heirlooms, romas, and sweet cherry tomatoes.  Now, what to do with them?  Pomodoro sauce… a simple pasta sauce made with garden fresh tomatoes, garlic, olive oil, and herbs.

Romas, Sweet Cherries, & Heirloom Tomatoes 

My friend, Dennis, shared an almost foolproof recipe for making homemade pasta sauce with these same ingredients, courtesy of his dad, Mario, who is a retired Italian chef.  So, I made a batch the other day.  I forgot how fresh and flavorful this sauce is.  I enjoyed it so much, I got a few more tomatoes from my garden and made some more.  Now, I’m hooked.  I can’t wait ‘til my babies are ready to be picked again.

Reduce Pomodoro Sauce

I love the freshness of this sauce and the best part is that it's ready in minutes.  If you have some garden tomatoes ready to go, give this recipe a whirl. 

Vegan Fresh Pomodoro Sauce over Angel Hair Pasta

Mario’s Fast & Easy Pomodoro Sauce Recipe

Chopped garden fresh tomatoes (I used my heirlooms and romas)

Chopped garlic

Olive oil

Fresh chopped herbs (I used basil from my garden)

Salt and pepper to taste

Heat olive oil in a skillet.  Add chopped garlic and a little salt.  Cook about 1 minute (not too long – burnt garlic isn’t tasty).  Add chopped tomatoes and cook until tomatoes soften and thickened  (Reduce sauce down to about 1/3).  Add chopped herbs.  Serve over cooked pasta.  Craig likes to top it with vegan parmesan (he likes Go Veggie! brand)

Dreamy, Creamy Vegan "Cheese" Quesadillas

Vegan creamy, cheesy quesadillas… do they exist or is it just a dream?  Flashback… pre- 2009 I wasn’t so sure.  Years ago, I used to love the “cheese” quesadillas at Green Leaves in Los Feliz.  My friend, Sheri, and I used to go there and I’d die over them.  At that time, I didn’t know about any vegan “cheeses” that would make the grade.  People were even questioning whether or not the “cheese” Greenleaves was using was truly non-dairy “cheese”. 

Since 2009, things changed.  Daiya came up with vegan “cheese” shreds that melt and taste pretty darn good.  Vegans were ecstatic!  Finally a product that resembles cheese.  Wait a minute… can things get better?  For sure, for sure, for sure.  Daiya now has a “cheddar” wedge with magic for turning into a saucy consistency.  I melt it with a few choice ingredients and there you have it… the foundation for vegan quesadillas. 

Vegan Cheese Quesadillas 

Dreamy, Creamy Vegan “Cheese” Quesadillas Recipe

Daiya block cheddar-style

Jarred or homemade red salsa or Ro*tel’s

Unsweetened non-dairy milk (I use soy or almond)

Flour tortillas

Oil

Cut Daiya block into smaller chunks.  (I purchase mega blocks of Daiya especially made for food service, so I don’t know exactly how much to use.  I’d try a good portion of the 8 oz. package to start.)  Put chunks in a small saucepan with some of non-dairy milk.  I use the milk to help the Daiya melt without burning and for creating a spreadable consistency.  You can also try using a double boiler to melt the “cheese”, but I’d still add a little “milk”.  After the “cheese” melts, add the salsa or Ro*tel’s to the saucepan and stir.  Remove from heat.

Spread the “cheese” mixture on one side of the flour tortilla and cover with another tortilla.  Heat a large oil-coated skillet.  (I use a good amount of extra-virgin coconut oil.)    Place the tortilla in the skillet and cook until slightly golden brown.  I cooked mine until they become golden and have a delicate, slightly crisp texture.  Turn and repeat on the other side.  Remove from heat.

Cut into 8 wedges.  Serve with vegan “sour cream”, salsa, guacamole, cilantro, green onions, or anything else your mind comes up with. 

*You can add other yummy ingredients to make your quesadilla unique.  Try some jalapenos for pop, seasoned vegan “chicken” or “ground beef”, soy “chorizo”, thinly sliced grilled bell peppers, onions, etc.

Congrats to the VeganTemptress - The First Time a Vegan Chef Wins Cutthroat Kitchen

Cutthroat Kitchen is Craig and my favorite show on Food Network. It is one of our Sunday night staples.  Last night was the first time a vegan chef won on Food Network's show Cutthroat Kitchen.  In fact, it's the first time we ever saw a vegan chef on the show.

Cutthroat Kitchen is different from most Food Network cooking competition shows, where 4 contestants cook their version of a chosen dish and are judged by celebrity judges. The twist in this competition is that sabotaging your opponent isn't only encouraged, but is for sale.  Contestants can purchase sabotages to hinder and at times destroy their competition.  Love it!

On last night's show, Chef Kristina, the Vegan Temptress, showed her vegan cooking chops with plant-based versions of corn chowder, gyros, and ginger snap cookies.  I thought she was done when she had to use pickled sushi ginger as her only form of ginger in her cookies (one of the many sabotages doled out her).  She came through like a champ and used her cunning culinary knowledge by pouring coconut milk over the ginger to soak up the pickled flavor and concealing the overbearing taste. Great job!

Congrats to the Vegan Temptress and thank you for making a good name for vegan food.
Good luck - hope to hear of your vegan restaurant opening soon.

Fresh Vegan Spring Rolls (Gỏi cuốn) with Peanut Sauce

I fell in love with spring rolls after trying them at Au Lac in Fountain Valley.  These babies are not fried, but made with fresh ingredients.  I know, not really junk food… but what the hell, they taste great anyways.  I was so hooked on them, I had to give them a try in my own kitchen.  I found out they’re really easy to make and great for summer. 

A little history, the spring rolls I make are from Vietnam.  They’re referred to as Gỏi cuốn and are traditionally made with pork, prawn, vegetables, bún (rice vermicelli), and other ingredients wrapped in Vietnamese bánh tráng (commonly known as rice paper).  Gỏi cuốn comes in at a whopping 30 on the World's 50 most delicious foods by CNN Go 2011.  So, why not give’em a try?

Vegan Fresh Spring Rolls

Vegan Fresh Spring Rolls (Gỏi cuốn) Recipe

Ingredients

Rice paper (you can get these at oriental food markets)

Rice vermicelli

Carrots – cut in thin slices

Bean sprouts

Romaine lettuce

Mint leaves

Cilantro stems

Fresh basil leaves

Vegan “shrimp” – I found these at Vege USA* – but I don’t usually use them for this recipe.

Cook rice vermicelli according to directions on the package and drain.  Set aside.  Fill a shallow bowl with warm water.    To assemble – dunk the rice paper in the shallow bowl, it will soften pretty quickly, then pull out.  Be careful, the rice paper could rip.  Place flattened rice paper on cutting board or large plate.  Place 1 piece of lettuce about 2/3 down from top of rice paper.  Carefully place all ingredients near or in the lettuce.  Fold sides over and roll from the bottom up.  (I’ll get you a video link soon.)  Set rolls aside.

Rice Noodles & Rice Paper

Vegan Peanut Sauce Recipe

Peanut butter

Vinegar

Brown sugar or non-refined sugar

Shoyu (soy sauce)

I don’t really measure my ingredients and for this recipe, it goes a lot with your own personal taste.  Try starting with ½ c peanut butter and add 1 Tbsp of brown sugar, 1 tsp of shoyu, and 1 tsp of vinegar.  Combine all ingredients and mix with a little water.  Adjust to your taste.  I like mine a little sweet and simple.  Try making it your own by adding other ingredients:  lime juice, canned coconut milk, or for a little zap add chili oil. 

There you go… restaurant style spring rolls with peanut dipping sauce.  Yum-mee.  Ngon!

Fast, Fresh, & Easy Pico de Gallo, Salsa, & Guacamole

It’s going to be getting pretty hot here, the forecast says we’re going into the triple digits later this week.  Taking that into consideration, my garden is going into full bloom.  Hint: for the gardeners out there, never plant buttercup squash, crooked neck zucchini, or cucumbers too close together.  I did and they took over my garden.  My buttercup squash became a monster.

My Out of Control Garden

Well now, I’m going to have mega amounts of tomatoes soon.  So, what to do with them?  How about pico de gallo, garden fresh salsa, and guacamole?  Three easy go to garden fresh ideas and to top it off – they’re traditionally all vegan. 

Pico de Gallo Recipe

Tomatoes - chopped

Onions - chopped

Cilantro - chopped

Lime

Salt

Combine chopped tomatoes, onions, and cilantro in a bowl.  Squeeze the lime and add the juice into the bowl.  Add salt to taste. Yes, that’s it!  Super easy and fresh.

Fresh Garden Salsa Recipe

3 large tomatoes

1 small onion - chopped

1 jalapeno - chopped – add more to taste (if you don’t like it hot, cut out the seeds and deveined)

1 clove garlic - chopped

Cilantro – handful -chopped

Lime - juiced

Salt

Place tomatoes on a baking sheet and roast in the oven until soft.  Take out of oven and let cool.  Place all ingredients in a food processor or blender.  Add salt to taste.  Ready to eat with chips.  Easy and garden fresh. 

Guacamole Recipe

Avocados

Tomatoes - chopped

Onions - chopped

Cilantro - chopped

Lime – juiced – to taste

Salt to taste

Cut avocados in half and take out pit.  You can use your knife and hit the blade into the pit, then pull out.  The pit should come out easily with the knife blade.  Spoon out the insides of the avocado into a bowl.  Mash avocados.  If you made pico de gallo, add some to the bowl of avocados.  If you didn’t, add the rest of the ingredients and mix together.  Add salt and lime juice to taste.  Serve with tortilla chips.  

Take-Out Cantonese-style Vegan “Chicken” Chow Mein

Craig is originally from the east coast and I’m from Chicago.  We both found that LA’s Chinese food is different from what we had as kids.  I’ve been missing the Cantonese-style Chow Mein my family had always ordered from China Chef restaurant.  I remember the pan-fried egg noodles topped with veggies in a light, garlic, white sauce.  Yummy!  Craig recalls the same kind of dish on the east coast. 

I recently went to the 99 Ranch Market in the San Fernando Valley and saw packages of refrigerated Cantonese egg noodles.  Now, egg noodles aren’t vegan.  I checked the ingredient list of the packages and found a pancit noodle without egg.   I guess that would have to do.  Pancit is a thicker noodle than the traditional Cantonese egg noodle.  Pancit noodles originate in the Philippines.  I bought a package with a very plain label.  I think it's made by a local company.

Vegan Pancit Fresh Noodles

So, if you’ve never had Cantonese-style noodles, they’re not the hard Chun King noodles from a can (that some people call chow mein noodles).  Imagine pan-fried noodles that are soft and chewy in some places and a little crunchy in others.  They’re so good, they’re addictive.  But, I have to admit, they’re not totally healthy.

Pan Fried Pancit Noodles

This recipes pretty much hits the nail on the head.  It takes me back to the take-out Chinese food my family used to get. It takes a little cooking chops, but well worth it.  Sorry, no bachelor style this time.  Give it a try anyway.

Take-Out Cantonese-style Vegan “Chicken” Chow Mein Recipe

1 package of vegan Cantonese style egg noodles (or pancit noodles)

Chopped green onions

Peanut oil

Vegan “chicken” sliced (I use Beyond Meat “chicken” strips, but Gardein or Veggie USA’s will do too.)

Diced garlic

Diced ginger

Sliced celery

Sliced shiitake mushrooms

1 can water chestnuts sliced and drained (my mom used to call them ka-ding, ka-ding)

1 can bamboo shoots sliced and drained

Bean sprouts

Pea pods

Chopped tomatoes (this isn’t really authentic, but it tastes great)

2-3 tsp  molasses

2/3 c   veggie broth (or veg bouillon cube)

5 Tbsp  corn starch

2 ½ tsp  sesame oil

2 ½ tsp  vegan “oyster” sauce

Salt & pepper to taste

I know, the ingredient list is kind of long.  Fry up the noodles in a large wok or skillet coated with peanut oil.  Let sit and brown a little, then turn.  Do this a few times.  Add the green onions when done.  Put in oven to keep warm. 

In the same wok or skillet, coat pan with oil and fry the sliced “chicken” strips until slightly golden brown.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Put in oven to keep warm. 

In the same wok or skillet, coat pan with oil and stir fry the garlic and ginger.  Add the sliced celery, sliced shiitake mushrooms, sliced water chestnuts, sliced bamboo shoots, and bean sprouts.  Continue to cook until veggies are softened, but not mushy.  Add the cooked “chicken strips”.  Add the broth or heat 2/3 c water and melt the bouillon cube in it and add it to your skillet.  Then add the tomatoes and pea pods.  Mix corn starch with a little warm water and molasses.  Pour over veggies.  Cook again until tomatoes have softened.  Pea pods should have a slight crisp to them.  Take off stove and add sesame oil and vegan “oyster” sauce and stir.  Add salt and pepper to taste.  Place veggies over noodles and top with fresh, sliced, green onions. 

食飯  Sihk Faahn – Eat!

* Vegan “oyster” sauce is made with mushrooms, instead of oysters.  You can find it in Oriental food markets.  If you can’t find it, try substituting shoyu (soy sauce).