Cauliflower and Mushroom "Potpie" (without the crust)

I was feeling under the weather, so my awesome husband made our new vegan dish for the week since we'd already got all the ingredients for it.  I'd been so tempted by the heavenly-sounding Cauliflower and Mushroom Potpie with Black Olive Crust in Veganomicon by Moskowitz & Romero but knew I wouldn't have the time to put the while recipe together and wasn't sure if my husband would like the black olive crust.  So, I intended to make just the "filling" for the Vegaloca Weekly Vegan Cooking Challenge and, ohmygosh, is it delicious!!!

As they say in the book, "Fresh cauliflower teams up with succulent mushroom in a velvety leek and herb gravy."  Mmm, mmm,  mmm!  The result is a sweetly savory side dish (or main meal if you're like us and can't help eating two bowls full at one sitting!)  with a consistency rather like a risotto.  

We will definitely make this again!  My husband said it was relatively easy to prepare and the hardest part was just stirring together the margarine and flour for five or six minutes into the gravy paste.  It really has a hearty, comforting consistency and warmth and the spices remind me a bit of the savory stuffings at Thanksgiving.  I think we've just found our vegan side dish to take to the family "turkey day."   Hooray!

Embarrassingly Easy "Rice Pudding"

It's been a crazy week with a car in the shop, subbing extra ballet classes, etc. so had little time to hunt for new recipes or go grocery shopping.  Thus, last night, when I was craving something sweet and comforting (too close to bed-time to crank up the oven), I had to get creative.  My result is a lightning-fast and super easy "rice pudding" that I actually loved (full disclosure: hubby was only so-so on it, though).  It is so simple, it should hardly count for this week's entry in the Vegaloca Weekly Vegan Cooking Challenge but I doubt I'll have time to come up with anything else given it's Halloween tomorrow, so without further excuses, here it is (this is for two servings):

Embarrassingly Easy Rice Pudding

1 cup cooked rice

5 TBSP* almond milk (unsweetened) 

3 tsp agave nectar

Stir and microwave appx. 2 minutes or until hot

Sprinkle with cinnamon 

*Or more, to taste, if you like a little more liquidity

That's it!!!  It's certainly not the most gourmet dish, but it's fast, easy and satisfying.  I love the sweetness and comfort-food warmth. 

Vegan Pumpkin Soup

For today's entry in the Vegaloca Vegan Cooking Challenge, I was inspired to make pumpkin soup after reading Helen Cooper's charming picture book Pumpkin Soup (its sequel, Delicious, is pictured below since I had to return PS to the library).  I set out to find a vegan recipe since the one in the book called for dairy.  After perusing several recipes online, I modeled my own version after one that appeared on dairy-free cooking at about.com.  Here it is:

Vegan Pumpkin Soup

1 TBSP margarin

1 medium onion, chopped

15 oz can pumpkin puree

1 cup vegetable broth

2 cups almond milk

1/2 tsp nutmeg

1 tsp sugar

salt and pepper to taste

In a soup pot, saute onions in margarine until clear, then add other ingredients and simmer 15 minutes.

Easy-peasy!

Overall, I was pleased with the results.  Most recipes I found online called for soy or rice milk, but I prefer almond milk and thought the nutty flavor would go well with the sweetly-savory ingredients and it did.  I would like a little more sweetness, or a little more "kick" next time; there are lots of other recipes that add spices for more of a peppery or curry flavor and some very sweet ones with coconut milk and I am really curious to try those.

Overall, this is not my favorite soup ever but it's tasty enough.  My husband liked it okay, too--just, like me, felt it could use a bit more flavor.  If I can't find a better recipe I would definitely make it again though since it's so easy to make, cooks up quick and is nice for blustery, rainy days like today. 

To gently look a gift horse in the mouth...

So, I'm all about kindness--to people, to animals, and to the planet.  So, as I face my first holiday season since embarking on my vegan journey, I'm curious about navigating the holidays vegan-style.  I thought this would be reserved for Thanksgiving and Christmas, but already well-meaning office friends drop little Halloween chocolates in my box so it's got me thinking--what is the best way to deal with such situations?

I certainly want to be respectful and appreciative of my friends' kindness, but as the holidays approach (a key time for giving food as gifts!)  I don't want them spending their money on something I am not going to use/enjoy (and, in the process, supporting an industry I am trying not to support!)  But at the same time it's not very easy to slip my new vegan journey into everyday conversation.  As of now, simply passing along the goodies to my non-vegan family members seems like the kindest and least awkward/embarrassing way to go...

What about holiday parties--especially dinner parties?  Do I simply mention, with the RSVP, that I do not eat any animal products so no need to factor me in for turkey portions, buttery mashed potatoes, etc.  And offer to bring along a vegan side-dish to share with everyone?  

Bottom line:  I'm not going to freak-out if I happen to eat a potato chip at a party, only to find it is a sour-cream flavored one!  I've eaten animal products all these years years, if I inadvertently eat something with butter or milk in it I don't feel like I'm ruining my body or going against my principles so long as I'm trying to be mindful and choose vegan foods.  The main thing is that I want to avoid awkward situations (and wasted food and money) especially at formal dinners as opposed to buffets.  

If any of you wish to share your strategies, I'd be most grateful!

Wheat-Free Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies

These were one of the many highlights of my (mostly) vegan birthday party.  My sister Ann made these for me from a recipe I forwarded to her but since I was totally pampered all weekend and didn't have to do any cooking/baking myself, I thought I would go ahead and post so I don't get too behind on these recipes.  These are super yummy!!!  I really love that they feel very "light" and aren't overly sweet and the fact the oats are in a flour means you get the delicious oat taste without the heaviness.  The best part is that we manged to make something sweet that my gluten-intolerant mom and my vegan-minded self could both enjoy!

Wheat-Free Vegan Chocolate Chip Cookies 

from Veganomicon 

by Isa Chandra Moskowitz & Terry Hope Romero

1 3/4 C Oat Flour

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/4 tsp salt

1/4 C brown sugar

1/2 C granulated sugar

1/3 C canola oil

1 TBSP ground flaxseeds

1/4 C soy milk (I would use almond milk)

1 tsp vanilla

3/4 C chocolate chips (these should be milk-free, though)

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Sift together oat flour, baking soda and salt

Separately, whisk together flaxseeds and soy mil.  Ass sugars and stir, add oil and vanilla, and whisk vigorously until all ingredients are emulsified (about 1 minute)

Mix the wet ingredients into the try; fold in the chocolate chips.

Drop batter by the tablespoon on an ungreased baking sheet leaving 1 1/2 inches of pace between the cookies.  Bake for 10-12 minutes. 

Remove from oven and let cool 5  minutes on cookie sheet, then transfer to a cooling rack.

The lone vegan at the BBQ

I'm still here!!!  Not giving up, just busy! 

We had company for the past week or so and thus stayed with tried-and-true recipes rather than foisting our vegan recipe experiments on our guests' plates (I managed to stay vegan the whole time, though, which was goo).  I also survived my first BBQ with my husband's family (brother-in-law is BIG into BBQs and is quite good at them, actually) with my little Sunshine Burger while everyone else was eating chicken breasts or ribs.  Fortunately, I have absolutely zero craving for meat and watching the nieces and nephews eat the ribs kind of grossed me out, so I was very happy putting some BBQ sauce on my meatless burger and chowing down!  

I'm hoping to be back with a new recipe soon.  But, it's my birthday on Friday so I'll be pampered with others preparing food for me on the weekend, lucky me! ;-)   I'm a major traditionalist with birthday/holiday stuff, so  it's been an interesting challenge trying to adapt favorite family recipes my vegan guidelines.  We'll see how successful it is, but I'm excited to be starting on a "kind diet" path for my big 3-0!

That reminds me, if any of you have a great recipe for mushrooms, let me know!  On special occasions usually do baked mushroom caps with lemon and butter in the caps--they were my grandpa's favorite!--and I would really love to find something vegan to do with mushrooms either baked or sauteed.  Thanks!

  

My New Mascot

Meet my new mascot, Teaggy (he's a distant relation to Mrs. Tiggy-Winkle)! 
There really is a hedgehog in the kitchen ;-)