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).  

Animal Rights Conference & Homemade Vegan Dog Food

Animal Rights Conference 2014 - Wrap Up

Craig and I are exhausted!  The three day Animal Rights Conference with X-Marks the Spot was fantastic.  It was a great opportunity to meet some dedicated animal rights activists and vegan foodies.  There was some yummy vegan chow from Southern Fried Vegan, Donut Friend, and Ishan’s Falafel. 

Thanks to everyone for stopping by the X-Marks the Spot booth and having some vegan street tacos (aka  tacos al carbon with mojo sauce).  We appreciate the positive feedback and love.  Sorry we didn’t get the vegan nachos out.  Shoot me an e-mail and I’ll send you the low-down on upcoming events as they’re scheduled.  Thanks to Jen Riley from FARM for making it all happen for us.  And thanks to all the activists for standing up for those who have no voice. We love you!

Homemade Vegan Dog Food

I’ve been feeding our pups, Toby and Suzie, homemade vegan dog food.  Wait!  Rewind… vegan dog food???  Aren’t dogs supposed to be carnivores?  You know you're going to kill your dogs!  After the current dog food recall from Proctor and Gamble ( Iams and Eukanuba), how can I feed my babies anything else? 

The first thing I had to was to research nutritional needs of dogs before I began.  So, I read “Vegetarian Cats and Dogs” by James Pedin.  (They’ve been doing this since the 80’s, so it’s no new fad.)  The book maps it out really thoroughly including recipes. And cats can go veg too.  

Toby especially loves the homemade vegan kibble.  He gives it two paws up!  Toby and Suzie’s coats are soft and shiny.  They have tons of energy.  And look happy and healthy.  No coincidence when I feed them food made from scratch. 

I use Pedin’s recipe with VegeDog & VegeYeast (Don't skimp on these, they're both necessary for nutritional value.).  Then I add my own enhancements – pumpkin and peanut butter.  Pumpkin for digestive health and peanut butter for flavor. 

Voile! There you have it.  Well, I do have to admit, it’s not that easy.  It does take some time to cut and bake.  I use a pizza cutter to cut.  If you have any better ideas, let me know.  Please… I’m dying for a faster procedure.  If you find it’s too time consuming, try mixing half store bought vegan kibble with homemade.  Overall, if you love your pups it’s worth it.  Food made with love, what could be better?  

X-Marks the Spot at the Animal Rights Conference

X-Marks the Spot will be serving up vegan street tacos (aka tacos al carbon with mojo sauce) and nachos at the Los Angeles Animal Rights Conference at the Westin Hotel.  Don't miss the opportunity to eat some yummy vegan food and hear fabulous speakers like Gene Baur of Farm Sanctuary, Ingrid Newkirk of PETA, Chris DeRose of Last Chance for Animals, David Carter - NFL tackle for the Oakland Raiders, Nathan Runkle of Mercy for Animals, and the list goes on and on.  Besides these fantastic speakers, you can view screenings of "I Am An Animal", "Speciesism: The Movie", and "Cowspiracy the Sustainability Secret" with Q&A from some of the filmmakers. There's also a chance to participate in morning workouts sessions, networking receptions, awards banquet and reception, and exhibits.  This exciting event will be held from July 10th to July 13th.  Hope to see you there.


“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.”
― Mahatma Gandhi

Vegan Carnitas Tacos from Helen's Kitchen

I have been on a vegan taco binge, so I decided to try a new product,  Helen's Kitchen Organic Veggie Carnitas.  I found the package at Whole Foods Market.

The "carnitas" are pre-seasoned, pretty heavily with a strong cumin overtone and a bit of citrus .  I like cumin and citrus, so it's not particularly bad.  I heated the "carnitas" in an oiled skillet and added a squeeze of lime.  Like I said, "I like citrus."  Well, to my surprise, it was pretty tasty.  You know, I'm usually not a big fan of using a product straight out of the package, but this one works

Helen's Kitchen Vegan Carnitas

I put the "carnitas" on a white corn tortilla and topped them with shredded cabbage, cilantro, tomato, onion, and a drizzle of vegan sour cream and sriracha (for a little heat).  Wow!  This is a winner with very little effort.  Very flavorful and a decent texture.  Craig was hesitant to try them (sometimes he has new food phobia), but when he did he absolutely loved 'em... even asking for more.  This is an easy go-to if you want to do a little fast & easy bachelor-style cooking.  Straight out of the package.  What could be better?  Helen has other varieties that I'd like to try ... vegan Italian sausage anyone?  I'll let you know the score when I do.

Fourth of July Polar Explosions – Frozen Fruit Drink

Happy 4^th!  Now that you have your main dish and sides down, what do you serve as a beverage?  Something cold and refreshing, of course… maybe even healthy.  How about a frozen fruit drink made with real fruit and fruit juice?  Well, that’s settled.  So, If you have a good blender, you’re almost there.  My favorite blender is the Blendtec.  The drawback is that it comes with a heavy price tag.  For everyone else, the Magic Bullet works great too. 

Polar Explosions

Fourth of July Polar Explosions – Frozen Fruit Drink Recipe

Frozen fruit cut in chunks

Fruit juice or non-dairy milk

Ice

Cut fruit into smaller chunks and freeze it.  Put frozen fruit chunks in the blender.  Add fruit juice and blend or you can try adding some non-dairy milk for added creaminess.  Add ice and blend again.  Serve.

I find that melons make a great base. You do need to add a little a juice or non-dairy milk to help blend the fruit.  I use vanilla almond milk or vanilla soy milk as my non-dairy milk.  Another version is to freeze juice in ice cube trays.  Then place fresh fruit in the blender and use a little juice or non-dairy milk to blend.  Add the frozen juice cubes and blend again.

Here are some suggestions on flavor combinations:

Watermelon in Cream – straight up frozen watermelon with non-dairy milk

Honeydew, Mango, Pineapple – frozen honeydew and mango with pineapple juice

Cantaloupe in Cream – straight up frozen cantaloupe with non-dairy milk

Honeydew, Strawberry, Banana in Cream – frozen honeydew, strawberries, and bananas with non-dairy milk

Honeydew Peach – frozen honeydew in peach juice or frozen peaches with juice of your choice

Honeydew, White Grape, Raspberry – frozen honeydew and raspberries with white grape juice

Jackfruit Freeze– freeze a can of jackfruit in syrup (not brine).  I usually get it from my oriental market.  After frozen, let thaw a little so you can hear it squish around (It won’t come out of the can and it’ll be too solid to blend if you don’t thaw.).  Put contents of the can into blender and blend.  If it’s too sweet, add a little water.  In the end you’ll get a creamy, frozen drink.

The possibilities are endless.  Try creating your own unique combinations.  You’re almost guaranteed to succeed.  Craig’s favorite way is to top his drink with a shot of non-dairy whipped cream (Soyatoo makes an incredible whipped cream.).  You can even throw a little rum or vodka into the drink.  But remember to drink responsibly.  Cool off and enjoy the fireworks. 

Thanks to my sis, Gail, for the Polar Explosions bear.