So, I was looking through my fridge and cupboard, trying to figure out what the heck I could make. I only had to go out and buy the balsamic vinegar (which was only $3). It fed me for a good few meal. It gets better the next day because it's had time to sit. It is not as sweet as the "traditional" kind, but I prefer the flavour of the balsamic over generic sweetness anyday.
Bean Salad
1 can garbanzo beans (chickpeas)
1 can red kidney beans
2 tomatoes
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup Balsamic vinegar
Juice of 1 lemon
Garlic (2 cloves)
1/2 Red onion
Parsley (as much as you want - at least 1/3 of a bunch, I'd put in 1/2 a bunch, though)
Salt & pepper
A pinch brown sugar (optional)
Drain and rinse the beans. Put the beans in a bowl and add the olive oil, lemon juice and vinegar (and sugar if desired). Chop up the tomatoes and add them. Dice the onion and garlic very fine and add them as well. Chop up the parsley coarsely and throw that in, too. Add salt & pepper as per your taste. Mix it well, cover and let it sit in the fridge for at least an hour (longer is better).
Note: You could probably add another can of beans (black or white navy or anything you like!) and it would be fine, just adjust the levels of oil and vinegar if you have to. This was just all I had in the cupboard!
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Monday, November 9, 2009
The Easiest Vegan Casserole Ever
So easy it could almost make itself...
Lazy Stovetop Casserole
1 package Yves veggie ground chicken or other fake ground chicken
Tofutti Sour Supreme or other fake sour cream
1 1/2 cups Frozen mixed veggies
2 1/2 cups dry pasta of your choice
Vegan margarine
Salt & pepper
Boil 2 1/2 cups pasta for 8 - 12 minutes (depending on how chewy you like it). Add the frozen veggies for the last 6 minutes. When everything is sufficiently boiled, drain it and set it aside. While that's boiling, fry the fake chicken in margarine until it gets a little brown. Put the pasta/veggies back in the (now empty) pot you boiled them in. Add the chicken to the mix, as well as 2 - 3 heaping tbsp of the fake sour cream. Add margarine, salt & pepper as desired (I like lots of pepper). You can add more sour cream, too, depending on how creamy you like it. Stir until it's well mixed. And it's ready, don't even have to put it in the oven!
P.S. As you can tell, you really don't have to measure out the ingredients exactly. It's down to your taste or how much you have.
Lazy Stovetop Casserole
1 package Yves veggie ground chicken or other fake ground chicken
Tofutti Sour Supreme or other fake sour cream
1 1/2 cups Frozen mixed veggies
2 1/2 cups dry pasta of your choice
Vegan margarine
Salt & pepper
Boil 2 1/2 cups pasta for 8 - 12 minutes (depending on how chewy you like it). Add the frozen veggies for the last 6 minutes. When everything is sufficiently boiled, drain it and set it aside. While that's boiling, fry the fake chicken in margarine until it gets a little brown. Put the pasta/veggies back in the (now empty) pot you boiled them in. Add the chicken to the mix, as well as 2 - 3 heaping tbsp of the fake sour cream. Add margarine, salt & pepper as desired (I like lots of pepper). You can add more sour cream, too, depending on how creamy you like it. Stir until it's well mixed. And it's ready, don't even have to put it in the oven!
P.S. As you can tell, you really don't have to measure out the ingredients exactly. It's down to your taste or how much you have.
Vietnamese Salad Rolls
I've been making these once a week or so, and I'm getting pretty good now! I've been experimenting with fillings and trying to figure out the most delicious combos. It is a lot of work, set aside at least an hour to make them, eat them and clean up, but use your time to make as many as possible, so you have them for lunch and dinner the next day! Trust me, it's worth the work! And it's super cheap for the amount of food you get. Don't be discouraged if you have trouble making them at first, just have fun and remember they'll be tasty no matter what they look like!
Tasty Salad Rolls
1 package rice paper rolls
1 package rice vermicelli (the thinner the better)
1/2 - 1 package extra firm tofu
Curry/masala/Indian spice powder
Chopped/roasted peanuts (optional)
Oil (olive or grapeseed)
A dipping sauce (sweet chili, peanut, vegetarian hoisin - just check the ingredients!)
Vegetables (for my version, get creative with your favourites!):
1 - 2 carrots, grated
Asparagus, steamed (1 stalk per roll)
1 cucumber, sliced
you can also try:
fresh cilantro & basil (very popular)
green onion (1 stalk per roll)
red pepper, thinly sliced
avocado, thinly sliced
mushrooms, thinly sliced
lettuce or spinach
Boil the vermicelli (2 - 3 minutes is usually plenty), drain and set aside so it has time to dry. Dice the tofu into very small cubes and fry with the curry powder and oil for about 5 - 8 minutes on medium low heat. Set it aside.
Boil a kettle or pot of water and pour it into a large salad bowl (I find it make the softening of the rice paper easier). Let it cool a little or add a bit of cold water to it so you don't burn yourself.
Prepare your other vegetables - slice cucumber, grate carrot, steam asparagus (3 - 5 minutes max, you want it to retain a bit of its crunch). Wash your green onions well if you're using them. Set them aside.
Now the fun part! Get out your rice paper sheets and soak them in the warm water for about 10 seconds, just to soften them. Make sure you hold on by the edge and not the middle. I tend to do two at a time, one right on top of the other, to prevent tearing, and they are so thin it doesn't affect the taste to have the wrap a bit sturdier, in fact it helps to keep it from falling apart!
Lay the softened rice paper flat on a plate and put your ingredients in - flat-sliced vegetables and lettuce are best on the bottom, with a little bit of vermicelli on top, then add a bit of the tofu, peanuts, grated carrots and a stalk of asparagus or green onion. Wrapping it up can be a bit tricky, but if you make your filling pile off to one side and leave so room around the outer edge, so you an fold it over on three sides and then roll it up. Make sense? Good luck! Like I said, it gets better with practice! Dip it in the dipping sauce and enjoy. Your tastebuds will thank me!
The problem I have with taking photos is that I'm usually so hungry I eat it before I remember to take pictures. I'm not the best photographer either, but you get the idea.
P.S. For the tofu, you don't have to use curry powder. If you find a nice vegan teriyaki or black bean sauce, I'm sure those would be tasty, too.
P.P.S. Leftover vermicelli and vegetables with sauce make for a delicious cold and refreshing salad! And hey, it's salvageable if the rice-paper doesn't cooperate.
Tasty Salad Rolls
1 package rice paper rolls
1 package rice vermicelli (the thinner the better)
1/2 - 1 package extra firm tofu
Curry/masala/Indian spice powder
Chopped/roasted peanuts (optional)
Oil (olive or grapeseed)
A dipping sauce (sweet chili, peanut, vegetarian hoisin - just check the ingredients!)
Vegetables (for my version, get creative with your favourites!):
1 - 2 carrots, grated
Asparagus, steamed (1 stalk per roll)
1 cucumber, sliced
you can also try:
fresh cilantro & basil (very popular)
green onion (1 stalk per roll)
red pepper, thinly sliced
avocado, thinly sliced
mushrooms, thinly sliced
lettuce or spinach
Boil the vermicelli (2 - 3 minutes is usually plenty), drain and set aside so it has time to dry. Dice the tofu into very small cubes and fry with the curry powder and oil for about 5 - 8 minutes on medium low heat. Set it aside.
Boil a kettle or pot of water and pour it into a large salad bowl (I find it make the softening of the rice paper easier). Let it cool a little or add a bit of cold water to it so you don't burn yourself.
Prepare your other vegetables - slice cucumber, grate carrot, steam asparagus (3 - 5 minutes max, you want it to retain a bit of its crunch). Wash your green onions well if you're using them. Set them aside.
Now the fun part! Get out your rice paper sheets and soak them in the warm water for about 10 seconds, just to soften them. Make sure you hold on by the edge and not the middle. I tend to do two at a time, one right on top of the other, to prevent tearing, and they are so thin it doesn't affect the taste to have the wrap a bit sturdier, in fact it helps to keep it from falling apart!
Lay the softened rice paper flat on a plate and put your ingredients in - flat-sliced vegetables and lettuce are best on the bottom, with a little bit of vermicelli on top, then add a bit of the tofu, peanuts, grated carrots and a stalk of asparagus or green onion. Wrapping it up can be a bit tricky, but if you make your filling pile off to one side and leave so room around the outer edge, so you an fold it over on three sides and then roll it up. Make sense? Good luck! Like I said, it gets better with practice! Dip it in the dipping sauce and enjoy. Your tastebuds will thank me!
The problem I have with taking photos is that I'm usually so hungry I eat it before I remember to take pictures. I'm not the best photographer either, but you get the idea.
P.S. For the tofu, you don't have to use curry powder. If you find a nice vegan teriyaki or black bean sauce, I'm sure those would be tasty, too.
P.P.S. Leftover vermicelli and vegetables with sauce make for a delicious cold and refreshing salad! And hey, it's salvageable if the rice-paper doesn't cooperate.
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Chili Magnifico
Aw, heck, since it's World Vegan Day and all, I'll give you my super-cheap, super-easy, lasts for a week (or you can freeze it) chili recipe. I figure those of you who don't live in the Southern Hemisphere are heading into winter and will need something to warm you up.
Chili Magnifico
1 can black beans*
1 can red kidney beans*
1 can white navy beans*
1 can corn niblets
1 onion, chopped
1 can diced tomatoes, or 2 fresh diced ones
1 can (or jar) tomato sauce (cheap pasta sauce works well, like Hunt's, if you don't mind the sugar and sodium)
1 carrot, diced
1 package Yves Ground Round (optional) or other fake ground beef
Olive or grapeseed oil (or whatever oil you have on hand)
1 tsp raw sugar
1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped
Chili powder
Salt & pepper
1 big pot
Coat the bottom of the pot with oil. Put it on low heat and chop up the onions. Simmer the onions until they get see-through. Then dump in everything else. How much chili powder you add is up to you - I love chipotle, personally, it has a great smoky flavour. You don't have to add the jalapeno, but it will make it nice and hot. You should keep stirring it every so often so the bottom doesn't burn, but other than that it's pretty low maintenance. The longer you cook it the tastier it will be - I usually give it at least an hour. Keep tasting it for saltiness/hotness and adjust to your liking. If it gets too thick, add water (or 1/2 a beer, if there's any in the fridge). It makes a huge amount and should really cost under $10 ($15 if you get the ground beef substitute - which make it super hearty and delicious, don't get me wrong, but it's not essential). And it'll feed you for a week. And keep you very warm. And regular.
*Again, you can get the beans dried and soak up for 8 - 10 hours before you cook them, but it's up to you!
Chili Magnifico
1 can black beans*
1 can red kidney beans*
1 can white navy beans*
1 can corn niblets
1 onion, chopped
1 can diced tomatoes, or 2 fresh diced ones
1 can (or jar) tomato sauce (cheap pasta sauce works well, like Hunt's, if you don't mind the sugar and sodium)
1 carrot, diced
1 package Yves Ground Round (optional) or other fake ground beef
Olive or grapeseed oil (or whatever oil you have on hand)
1 tsp raw sugar
1 jalapeno pepper, finely chopped
Chili powder
Salt & pepper
1 big pot
Coat the bottom of the pot with oil. Put it on low heat and chop up the onions. Simmer the onions until they get see-through. Then dump in everything else. How much chili powder you add is up to you - I love chipotle, personally, it has a great smoky flavour. You don't have to add the jalapeno, but it will make it nice and hot. You should keep stirring it every so often so the bottom doesn't burn, but other than that it's pretty low maintenance. The longer you cook it the tastier it will be - I usually give it at least an hour. Keep tasting it for saltiness/hotness and adjust to your liking. If it gets too thick, add water (or 1/2 a beer, if there's any in the fridge). It makes a huge amount and should really cost under $10 ($15 if you get the ground beef substitute - which make it super hearty and delicious, don't get me wrong, but it's not essential). And it'll feed you for a week. And keep you very warm. And regular.
*Again, you can get the beans dried and soak up for 8 - 10 hours before you cook them, but it's up to you!
Happy World Vegan Day!
Hope everyone's having a lovely day, eating lots of food and spending it with other vegans! I went to a picnic and made some new friends - I even bought a nice new cookbook.
Fruit and veggies are nice and plentiful here, so I set about re-creating my favourite Thai dish - the green papaya salad! Unfortunately I can't find green papayas anywhere (except my backyard, and they're a little TOO green right now). So I am substituting mango for today. But if you can find a green papaya, more power (and authentic Thai deliciousness) to you!
Thai Mango Salad
Dressing:
3 limes - juiced, with a 1/2 tsp of zest
1/4 cup sugar water*
1 -2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 red chili, chopped fine (you can have 2 depending how spicy you like it)
5 - 10 Fresh basil leaves, chopped
Salt (1/2 tsp or more depending on your taste)
Salad:
1 mango (or green papaya), julienned
1/2 cucumber, sliced
1 tomato, sliced - or, 5 cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup roasted peanuts
1 carrot, grated
Lettuce
Combine the ingredients to make the dressing and set aside. Combine all the salad ingredients except for the lettuce, and then pour the dressing on. Arrange on a bed of lettuce. If you have any leftovers, it's even better the next day!
*and by sugar water I mean 1 - 2 tbsp of raw sugar, dissolved in 1/4 cup of water on a low heat (takes maybe 5 minutes in a small pot or frying pan). It's not quite as sweet as syrup, but it does the trick.
Fruit and veggies are nice and plentiful here, so I set about re-creating my favourite Thai dish - the green papaya salad! Unfortunately I can't find green papayas anywhere (except my backyard, and they're a little TOO green right now). So I am substituting mango for today. But if you can find a green papaya, more power (and authentic Thai deliciousness) to you!
Thai Mango Salad
Dressing:
3 limes - juiced, with a 1/2 tsp of zest
1/4 cup sugar water*
1 -2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 red chili, chopped fine (you can have 2 depending how spicy you like it)
5 - 10 Fresh basil leaves, chopped
Salt (1/2 tsp or more depending on your taste)
Salad:
1 mango (or green papaya), julienned
1/2 cucumber, sliced
1 tomato, sliced - or, 5 cherry tomatoes, halved
1/4 cup roasted peanuts
1 carrot, grated
Lettuce
Combine the ingredients to make the dressing and set aside. Combine all the salad ingredients except for the lettuce, and then pour the dressing on. Arrange on a bed of lettuce. If you have any leftovers, it's even better the next day!
*and by sugar water I mean 1 - 2 tbsp of raw sugar, dissolved in 1/4 cup of water on a low heat (takes maybe 5 minutes in a small pot or frying pan). It's not quite as sweet as syrup, but it does the trick.
Saturday, October 24, 2009
Hummus
...or houmous, humous, hummous, houmus... anything but humus (which is something else entirely). Any way you spell it, it's delicious. I swear, I could live on hummus, and have been close to doing so on many occasions. It goes with everything - bread (any kind), crackers (any kind), chips, vegetables, on sandwiches or falafels. I even tried a samosa dipped in tamarind chutney and hummus - heavenly!
Hummus is always better (and cheaper) if you make it yourself. It lasts about a week in the fridge.
Hummus
1 can chickpeas*
3 cloves garlic
3 heaping tbsp tahini**
juice of 2 lemons***
1/3 cup olive oil
salt & pepper
paprika (optional)
You can use a a regular blender or a hand blender for this - I prefer the hand blender, honestly, but use whatever you have. Put the lemon juice, olive oil and garlic in a large bowl or blender and blend until the garlic is fine. Drain/rinse the chickpeas and add them, along with the tahini and salt & pepper. Continue blending until it has reached a desired consistency. You can add more tahini, garlic, lemon juice or olive oil to suit your taste. I like to sprinkle a little paprika on top when I serve it. Simple as that!
Hummusian Variations
If you've got a few extra ingredients lying around, you can make delicious variants of hummus. For example;
Roasted Red Pepper Hummus: add 1 or 2 roasted red peppers, either from a jar or from your own oven****. Blend into the basic hummus recipe.
Olive & Sundried Tomato Hummus: add 15 - 20 black kalamata olives and 6 - 10 sundried tomato halves. Blend into the basic hummus recipe.
Dill & Lemon Hummus: add a tbsp of lemon zest (grated rind from one of the lemons) as well as the juice of an extra lemon (making 3 in total), and 2 tbsp (or more) or dill, fresh or dried. Blend into the basic hummus recipe.
Spicy Pepper Hummus: add a few drops of hot sauce (depending on how strong it is), throw in an extra clove of garlic and 3 - 4 pepperoncini peppers (cut the stems off first!) and/or 1 - 2 hot banana peppers. Blend into basic hummus recipe. Don't kiss anyone for a week!
Spinach & Basil Hummus: add some fresh or dried basil (6 - 8 leaves if fresh) and 2 handfuls of raw spinach. Blend well into basic hummus recipe.
~
*buying dried beans is always cheaper than the can, but you'd have to soak them for 8 - 10 hours and then boil them for 1 hour, so it depends on how much time you have.
**tahini is really worth buying. I promise to have more tahini recipes. It can be a bit pricey, but I assure you it's worth it, just find the best deal you can. If not, the hummus will be okay, just add more lemon juice and olive oil.
***you can use the lemon juice from a bottle/plastic lemon, but real lemons taste better. If you don't have a citrus juice squeezer, just squeeze the juice through your fingers so the seeds don't get through (make sure you've washed your hands, though!)
****roasting red peppers is easy! Just half them (stem to bottom), brush with oil and put them in the toaster oven (or regular oven) for 10 minutes on 400 degrees. Or just buy them in the jar if you like (sometimes they are cheaper like that, depending where you live).
Hummus is always better (and cheaper) if you make it yourself. It lasts about a week in the fridge.
Hummus
1 can chickpeas*
3 cloves garlic
3 heaping tbsp tahini**
juice of 2 lemons***
1/3 cup olive oil
salt & pepper
paprika (optional)
You can use a a regular blender or a hand blender for this - I prefer the hand blender, honestly, but use whatever you have. Put the lemon juice, olive oil and garlic in a large bowl or blender and blend until the garlic is fine. Drain/rinse the chickpeas and add them, along with the tahini and salt & pepper. Continue blending until it has reached a desired consistency. You can add more tahini, garlic, lemon juice or olive oil to suit your taste. I like to sprinkle a little paprika on top when I serve it. Simple as that!
Hummusian Variations
If you've got a few extra ingredients lying around, you can make delicious variants of hummus. For example;
Roasted Red Pepper Hummus: add 1 or 2 roasted red peppers, either from a jar or from your own oven****. Blend into the basic hummus recipe.
Olive & Sundried Tomato Hummus: add 15 - 20 black kalamata olives and 6 - 10 sundried tomato halves. Blend into the basic hummus recipe.
Dill & Lemon Hummus: add a tbsp of lemon zest (grated rind from one of the lemons) as well as the juice of an extra lemon (making 3 in total), and 2 tbsp (or more) or dill, fresh or dried. Blend into the basic hummus recipe.
Spicy Pepper Hummus: add a few drops of hot sauce (depending on how strong it is), throw in an extra clove of garlic and 3 - 4 pepperoncini peppers (cut the stems off first!) and/or 1 - 2 hot banana peppers. Blend into basic hummus recipe. Don't kiss anyone for a week!
Spinach & Basil Hummus: add some fresh or dried basil (6 - 8 leaves if fresh) and 2 handfuls of raw spinach. Blend well into basic hummus recipe.
~
*buying dried beans is always cheaper than the can, but you'd have to soak them for 8 - 10 hours and then boil them for 1 hour, so it depends on how much time you have.
**tahini is really worth buying. I promise to have more tahini recipes. It can be a bit pricey, but I assure you it's worth it, just find the best deal you can. If not, the hummus will be okay, just add more lemon juice and olive oil.
***you can use the lemon juice from a bottle/plastic lemon, but real lemons taste better. If you don't have a citrus juice squeezer, just squeeze the juice through your fingers so the seeds don't get through (make sure you've washed your hands, though!)
****roasting red peppers is easy! Just half them (stem to bottom), brush with oil and put them in the toaster oven (or regular oven) for 10 minutes on 400 degrees. Or just buy them in the jar if you like (sometimes they are cheaper like that, depending where you live).
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
A Little Introduction
I've been vegan for about 13 years. I learned how to cook for myself and since I also went to college during that time, I learned how to do it cheaply and deliciously. So, I am here to show you how it's possible, no matter what your budget or time constraint, to be a dedicated and healthy vegan.
We're lucky to live in this day and age - for all intents and purposes, it's WAY easier to be a vegan that it was 10 - 15 years ago. We're still a "fringe" group, sure, but we're heavily catered to, especially in countries like Canada and the USA. We have fake/substitute/analog everything, which exist in varying degrees of deliciousness. I like fake things, I like to support the companies that make them. I didn't become a vegan because I dislike the taste of meat; it was always about the animals. Still, occasionally a fake meat will come along that is just "too" good and it creeps me out. However, you shouldn't rely on them, because a lot of them are heavily modified/processed. I still eat them regularly, but they are not a daily, 3-meals-a-day thing anymore. But I digress.
I really encourage you to go out and find local ingredients! Hopefully they are cheap if they are local, I know it can be frustrating when they are not. Sometimes the local mega-supermarket will have cheaper versions, but I can almost guarantee you it will not be as fresh. Seek out Farmer's Markets, or the little produce store around the corner. Even if it's a longer walk, walking is good for you! As a vegan, fresh fruits and veggies are a necessary staple. Do what you gotta do.
The bulk section in your local supermarket (I'm not against supermarkets, really, I just always find I have to go to 3 or 4 of them to get everything I need!) you will find all sorts of grains. If you're lucky, maybe even dried legumes! My favourite is quinoa. Oh, my goodness, I promise there will be MANY recipes here involving quinoa. It's just about the best gift nature gave us vegans. It's always good to have a bunch of spare mason jars lying around (so eat a lot of pasta sauce!) for filling with grains and things, but tupperware/ziploc storage containers work, too. That way you have something you have a base that you can just add a few little inexpensive fresh veggies too when you are feeling the wallet crunch.
My inspiration for recipes is not very original. I'll basically see something delicious that I can't eat for whatever reason and think to myself - "I wonder if I can veganize that?". Often I can. Sometimes I fail miserably (case in point - gulab jamun. *sigh* I'll tell that story later). So here you will find delicious vegan versions of my (and hopefully your) favourite meals, and the best ones won't be too pricey (and they pricey ones will last you a week, trust me!)
Okay, time for dinner! Bye for now!
We're lucky to live in this day and age - for all intents and purposes, it's WAY easier to be a vegan that it was 10 - 15 years ago. We're still a "fringe" group, sure, but we're heavily catered to, especially in countries like Canada and the USA. We have fake/substitute/analog everything, which exist in varying degrees of deliciousness. I like fake things, I like to support the companies that make them. I didn't become a vegan because I dislike the taste of meat; it was always about the animals. Still, occasionally a fake meat will come along that is just "too" good and it creeps me out. However, you shouldn't rely on them, because a lot of them are heavily modified/processed. I still eat them regularly, but they are not a daily, 3-meals-a-day thing anymore. But I digress.
I really encourage you to go out and find local ingredients! Hopefully they are cheap if they are local, I know it can be frustrating when they are not. Sometimes the local mega-supermarket will have cheaper versions, but I can almost guarantee you it will not be as fresh. Seek out Farmer's Markets, or the little produce store around the corner. Even if it's a longer walk, walking is good for you! As a vegan, fresh fruits and veggies are a necessary staple. Do what you gotta do.
The bulk section in your local supermarket (I'm not against supermarkets, really, I just always find I have to go to 3 or 4 of them to get everything I need!) you will find all sorts of grains. If you're lucky, maybe even dried legumes! My favourite is quinoa. Oh, my goodness, I promise there will be MANY recipes here involving quinoa. It's just about the best gift nature gave us vegans. It's always good to have a bunch of spare mason jars lying around (so eat a lot of pasta sauce!) for filling with grains and things, but tupperware/ziploc storage containers work, too. That way you have something you have a base that you can just add a few little inexpensive fresh veggies too when you are feeling the wallet crunch.
My inspiration for recipes is not very original. I'll basically see something delicious that I can't eat for whatever reason and think to myself - "I wonder if I can veganize that?". Often I can. Sometimes I fail miserably (case in point - gulab jamun. *sigh* I'll tell that story later). So here you will find delicious vegan versions of my (and hopefully your) favourite meals, and the best ones won't be too pricey (and they pricey ones will last you a week, trust me!)
Okay, time for dinner! Bye for now!
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