Consolation Prize

Vegan Mac & Cashew Cheese.

theslugkitchen:

I’m about to unleash a dragon.

A rich, creamy dragon.

Ok, that actually does not sound appealing whatsoever

But this recipe is delicious and YOU WILL LIKE IT. 

I first tried an interpretation of this recipe a few years ago. I am sorry to say that I’ve never been to the OB People’s Food Co-Op in San Diego, but I definitely plan on visiting at some point because this recipe is so ridiculously original and deceiving. Cashew cheese is not necessarily a new vegan phenomenon, but this one makes for a perfect bowl of virtually guilt-free mac ‘n cheese. The addition of red bell pepper is surprisingly crucial—it doesn’t just add color, but also another dimension of flavor. 

And aside from it being much healthier than regular mac ‘n cheese, another incentive is that it’s a cinch to make! You literally just throw 99% of the ingredients in the blender, cook the macaroni, and then mix it all together. You may or may not require a bowl—it all depends on your dignity (I have none).

People’s Vegan Mac & Cashew Cheese
[barely adapted from People’s Organic Food Market]

Ingredients:

• 1 large red bell pepper, chopped
• 2 cups of raw unsalted cashews
• 2 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 3/4 tsp onion powder
• 3/4 tsp turmeric
• 3/4 tsp garlic powder
• 3 cups uncooked elbow macaroni

1. Puree all sauce ingredients in blender (this means everything but the pasta).

[Note: After making this a few times, I’ve figured out that it’s best to combine the sauce ingredients in a separate bowl, mix them well, and then add the mixture by thirds to the blender, allowing it to have some room. Adding the whole thing gets messy, and your blender won’t like it.]

2. Cook the pasta according to package instructions.

3. Mix everything together. You can choose to bake the mac and cheese for 20 minutes on 350, but I usually like it the way it is.

4. You’re done!

Ladies and gents, the vegan mac recipe is up!

Roasted Carrot Ginger Soup.

theslugkitchen:

My friend and I were both complaining a couple days ago about how butternut squash is no longer in season, now that spring is here. That beautiful, rusted orange squash is probably nature’s best answer to a creamy, delicious soup. Probably.

But carrots don’t really get the credit they deserve. I mean, natural orange foods  all provide significant amounts of vitamin A through beta-carotene, which has been proven to aid in improved vision, skin health, glowing skin, lessened cancer and heart disease risk, and much more. And no, unfortunately, that doesn’t mean you can eat as much mac ‘n cheese as you’d like.

This recipe is for a beautiful, hearty soup that can be served as a small side or as a main dish (a healthy portion is really filling). Roasting the carrots gives them that slight caramelized flavor, and the addition of ginger adds another dimension of spice and depth to the mix.

Roasted Carrot Ginger Soup

[recipe adapted from Food52]

Ingredients:

• 6 to 8 large carrots
  
• 1/4 cup olive oil
  
• salt to taste
  
• a sprig (or a few heavy dashes) of thyme (I use ground)
  
• 4-6 cups of vegetable or chicken stock
  
• 1 1/2-inch long piece of ginger, peeled
  
• 1/2 large sweet onion, chopped
  
• 2 large garlic cloves, chopped
  
• black pepper to taste
  

1. Peel and chop carrots into roughly 1/2-inch rounds.

2. On a baking sheet lined with oil or parchment paper, toss the carrots with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, and sprinkle generously with salt.

3. Broil carrots until they brown and soften (roughly 20 minutes)—you’ll notice that some of them may caramelize, which is *AWESOME*. Be sure to turn them over with a spatula about every 5 minutes so none of them burn.

4. Bring your veggie or chicken stock to a boil, add the ginger and thyme, and simmer for about 15 minutes.

5. Chop the onion and place in a medium stock pot with the remaining olive oil. Saute the onion over medium heat, stirring frequently, until onion is translucent and beginning to brown.

6. Add the minced garlic and carrots to the onions.

7. Add 4 cups of however much stock you have (ginger and thyme included—our diversion from the old recipe) to the pot with the onions and carrots. Bring the mixture to a boil and simmer for about 5 to 10 minutes, or until carrots are soft enough to puree.

8. Use a blender to puree the mixture until smooth (we did it in 2 batches as to not overload the blender). If your soup seems too thick, add more stock or water.

9. Add salt and pepper to taste, if needed.

Nom!

New recipe up at The Slug Kitchen!

Dark Chocolate Energy Bites.

theslugkitchen:

Yup.

They’re a-maze-balls.

It’s no secret that Matt and I both have the stubbornest sweet teeth. It’s all we can do to go a single day without snacking on chocolate chips, baking cookies, or running into the cashier at the small grocery near our apartment, who now greets us with a smile and says, “The ice cream’s over here!”

During the past several months, we’ve made an effort to lessen the amount of sweets we make at home (let’s be real: we are physically incapable of being dessert-free) and to eat more fruits instead. This recipe is a great example of something that is sweet, healthy and enjoyable to eat—all of the ingredients have healthy benefits: antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, strengthened muscles/teeth enamel, lowered cholesterol, and more!

Dark Chocolate Energy Bites
[adapted from Oh She Glows]

Ingredients:

• 1 cup whole raw almonds
  
• about 8 Medjool dates, pitted
  
• 1/2 cup dried cherries (we used unsweetened, but if you prefer a sweeter taste, grab some sweetened ones)
  
• 4-5 tbsp (or more) semisweet chocolate chips (we swear by Guittard, Dagoba, or Ghirardelli)
  
• 1/4 cup raw pecans
  

Note: The original recipe calls for salt, but we omitted it and didn’t really miss it.

1. In a food processor, process the raw almonds until finely chopped into small pieces—don’t let them get powdery.

2. Remove 1/3 cup of the almonds and set aside.

3. Add the pitted dates into the processor and blend until the date-almond mixture forms a sticky dough. Then add cherries and process again—you will probably need to break up the mixture and process repeatedly as it will be very sticky at this point.

4. Add in the chocolate chips and pecans and process just until they are finely chopped.

5. Pulse in the remaining 1/3 cup almonds for a nice, nutty texture, and add salt to taste if you wish.

6. Roll the mixture into tablespoon-sized balls, and stick in the fridge to let them firm up.

6. You’re done!

Finally have a new recipe up at The Slug Kitchen! 

Vegan Hot & Sour Soup.

theslugkitchen:

Hot and sour soup is one of my all-time favorite comfort dishes. My dad and I used to go to this one place called Golden Hunan practically once a week when I was growing up in the San Fernando Valley, and we always got this soup, without fail. It’s a very fond memory of mine. There’s something about the tanginess and the spice that just keeps you coming back for more. Not to mention, it’s just as good as (if not better than) any average Chicken Noodle crap.

Omnivores: This soup doesn’t have to be vegan, or vegetarian, for the record. Feel free to cook up and shred some pork or chicken in place of the silken tofu, or use beef or chicken broth. But chances are, you won’t need to switch around anything here. The tofu and mushrooms give the soup a lot of body, and it’s unexpectedly hearty.

Vegan Hot & Sour Soup
[adapted from Jolinda Hackett]

6 cups veggie broth
2 cups shiitake mushrooms [two of the packages you find at the grocery store should be plenty]
12 oz (3/4 package) silken tofu (or fried tofu/seitan)
1 small can bamboo shoots
1 small can sliced water chestnuts
2 tbsp soy sauce
1/2 tsp pepper (I think I used a bit more than this. Just start with this amount and work up from there)
1 tsp hot sauce (I used Cholula, which has a nice roasty flavor)
2 tbsp white vinegar
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup scallions, sliced
2 tbsp chili oil (I didn’t use this since I have a spicy-phobic boyfriend. But I didn’t think it was necessary)

Here’s the deal. Just dump it all in the pot—except for the scallions and the tofu—once you’ve brought the broth to a boil. Then, let it simmer for about 15-20 mins. Add in the scallions and tofu, which I sliced into 1/2” pieces.

Then, add more vinegar, pepper, and/or hot sauce to your liking. I felt that 2 tbsp of soy sauce was the perfect amount, but you may want to vary the amount, depending on how salty you like your broth.

Seriously easy, and so delicious.

Hey guise, check out my new cooking blog.

RE: Vegetarians, today is the day you go vegan!

vegansaurus:

Lots of vegans were vegetarians before they went vegan. I was. I was vegetarian because I was pretty ignorant, I didn’t even know about (or at least, think about) factory farms, I just didn’t like the thought of eating animals. It’s gross, right? We all know one or two animals who we love or at least recognize as sentient beings. The thought of putting dead animals into your body kinda skeeves you out, and so you don’t do it.

Veganism, however, seems a bit extreme, and a little difficult. It’s for obnoxious activists and people who hate food, you’re not about to bomb a lab or eat a twig casserole! But here’s the thing: that’s not what veganism is about! It’s for you! It’s totally for you! You already love animals so that’s the first step, now it’s time to access that place of compassion and go vegan.

The thing is, when you buy cow’s milk or cheese, or chicken’s eggs, you are directly contributing to the slaughterhouse, and even worse, the constant suffering of billions of animals. Just because you’re not eating the actual carcass doesn’t mean that you didn’t directly contribute to that death. Female dairy cows live an unnatural life of horrendous pain to create milk and cheese—their babies are taken away to either be fated to the same life or sold for veal. Purchasing dairy is basically like buying veal. It’s true. Even those organic, natural, happy dairy farms sell their male calves for veal, we’ve checked. And what happens to dairy cows when they can’t produce any longer? It’s straight to the slaughterhouse, and that’s true of ALL cows, no matter where they’re from. 

Egg laying hens have it probably worst of all, their lives are nightmares and then bam, it’s to the slaughterhouse when they can’t produce any more. That’s true for those organic, free-range hens, too. And male chicks? Most likely destroyed in the easiest way possible. The only exception is maybe backyard hens but those come with a whole other set of issues, and I wonder how many people are well equipped to keep them safely for their entire lives. 

Vegetarians should think about why they’re vegetarian, and today should be that day. You know, just ‘cause sometimes you need a push! I know I did! If it’s for ethical reasons, you should go vegan right now. Or at least start working towards it, maybe with an end date in sight. You’ll most likely find that it’s so much easier than you imagine, especially if you live in an area where vegetarianism is possible. I know that’s not everywhere but I bet it’s the majority of the people reading this. Go vegan, be vegan! Check out our handy list of 11 tips for new vegans! Have a question? Ask a Vegansaur!

But really, go vegan. Make a real stand for animals by withholding your hard earned ca$hola from ALL of the evil industries that abuse animals because, in the words of Megan Rascal, “Basically: being vegetarian isn’t very vegetarian.” From one former vegetarian to some others, today is the motherflipping day you go LEGIT. See you on the other side, friends! I’ve got a batch of vegan cookies in the oven for you, let’s EAT.

[You all saw the Time cover story, right? It was basically the front page of the internet yesterday. Um, I don’t think my terrible Google Drawing fully demonstrates what I’m trying to say here but it’s basically: COWS! They love their babies, too! SOMETIMES A LITTLE TOO MUCH.]

Wow. Not a fan of this.

I genuinely enjoy reading some of Vegansaurus’ posts, but lately some of them have really irritated me. I don’t think making vegetarians feel guilty and “ignorant” about their diet is an effective technique that’s going to sway them into veganism. Yes, this is a pro-vegan blog, I understand that. But this post feels very PETA to me. And, for the most part, PETA is comprised of a bunch of crazies.

Whether you’re a fruitarian, a vegetarian, or even if you’re a carnivore who simply participates in Meatless Mondays, I think you should be allowed to feel good about any level of contribution you make to an alternative way of eating—no matter how large or small. Stop demonizing anyone that isn’t as ______ as you. Seriously.

I’m not saying it’s okay to be ignorant about the food you eat—by all means, question everything, and be conscious of where your money goes. But what this person clearly doesn’t understand is that not EVERYONE is meant to adhere to this extreme diet. Some people need stronger sources of protein than others, and some people can’t afford the lifestyle. Gain some perspective before writing such a divisive article.

Vegan Pad-Thai

foodinstagramed:

This is the scenario that usually plays out when Craig and I crave Thai food on a weekend: complain about being hungry, quick phone call to Tiny Thai, wait 10 minutes, drive to Winooski and pick up delicious, piping hot take-out, return home and devour. Things wasted: time, money, packaging and gas. So last night, we said, “HELL NO” and decided to make our own version of Pad Thai.

First hit on Google for vegan Pad Thai was a vegetarian recipe calling for 6 eggs. 6 eggs?! When are 6 eggs EVER necessary? Ugh, next hit. Ah…much better, not a sign of eggs anywhere. We didn’t let the noodles soak for quite enough time and should have probably just followed the directions on the package…but we really wanted Pad Thai.

So here you have it: Vegan Pad Thai (with some minor tweaks) from the 431 kitchen!

Saturday, March 24, 2012 Dinner

Recipe originates on Andrea’s Easy Vegan Cooking, with some adjustments.

1 lime, cut into wedges or half moons

1 tsp. tamarind concentrate in 1/4 cup warm water mixed with the juice of one lime

6 cloves garlic, minced

1 tsp. ground dried chiles (more to taste)

2 shallots, minced

1/3 cup honey or agave syrup (we used honey)

3 tbsp tamari (gluten-free soy sauce)

1 package Thai rice noodles (1/4”-wide flat noodles)

2 tbsp canola oil

8 scallions, cut into 1/2” pieces

2 2/3 cups bean sprouts (half will be cooked and half used for garnish)

1 large carrot, cut bite-size pieces

2 cups broccoli, cut small (we used one whole small head of broccoli)

8 ounces firm tofu, small cubes (optional)

1/3 cup chopped roasted peanuts

1. Soak the rice noodles covered with warm water in a large bowl until they are limp and white, about 30 minutes.

2. Heat the oil in a wok or large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and cook until golden, about 1 minute. Add the carrots, broccoli and tofu (if using) and stir-fry about 4 minutes.

3. Drain the noodles and add to the wok. Add bean sprouts, green onions, shallots, tamari, tamarind, honey (or agave) and chili powder. Toss until the noodles are heated through and the veggies are cooked.

4. Sprinkle with peanuts, bean sprouts and raw scallions and serve immediately with a slice of lime and a squirt of Sriracha sauce!

Okay, this is so happening this week.