Vegan/Vegetarian Thread (discussion, recipes, laughs)

[Linus]

Oh.. so which plantain recipe is the sweeter of the two? I remember my mom making those when I was a kid..

[Passionaria]

Originally Posted by Linus

Oh.. so which plantain recipe is the sweeter of the two? I remember my mom making those when I was a kid..

The fritters would be sweeter. Yellow Plantains are the sweet ones. Green taste like a root vegetable. I love platanos, they have the medicinal quality of being a mild diuretic as well.... Pashi

[violaine]

passionaria, thank you for sharing your recipes, and the wonderful photos. plantains are great, and i like to use them for empanadas. i love and really miss using/tasting cinnamon, but developed an allergy several years ago to vietnamese, as well as the oi. now i just avoid completely

here is the cheese i use for a lot of dishes, and a little history about it:

http://www.fundinguniverse.com/compa...y-History.html

recipe for vegan empanadas:

http://vegweb.com/index.php?topic=17879.0

now, when i make plantain or sweet potato empanadas, i just bake the sweet potato or plantains for bit, then mash, add flour[s], egg replacer [use warm water to mix with the egg replacer powder], and a little earth balance. roll out, and stuff with peppers, cheese, et c.

[Passionaria]

Originally Posted by violaine

passionaria, thank you for sharing your recipes, and the wonderful photos. plantains are great, and i like to use them for empanadas. i love and really miss using/tasting cinnamon, but developed an allergy several years ago to vietnamese, as well as the oi. now i just avoid completely

here is the cheese i use for a lot of dishes, and a little history about it:

http://www.fundinguniverse.com/compa...y-History.html

recipe for vegan empanadas:

http://vegweb.com/index.php?topic=17879.0

now, when i make plantain or sweet potato empanadas, i just bake the sweet potato or plantains for bit, then mash, add flour[s], egg replacer [use warm water to mix with the egg replacer powder], and a little earth balance. roll out, and stuff with peppers, cheese, et c.

MMMM I love Empanadas, thank you for sharing! I had never thought of using Plantains like this. My mouth is watering.

What brand of egg replacer do you use? Any tips? When I have tried them, it was disastrous. On a cooking show someone used date puree?

Pashi

[violaine]

passionaria,

i've used ener-g egg replacer forever. here is a link to the product:

http://www.ener-g.com/store/detail.a...=8&cat=8&id=97

and an article about food allergies:

http://www.ener-g.com/articles/Artic...spx?pageId=373

additional [older but good] misc info :

http://web.mit.edu/vsg/www/vsg/INFO/...Q_rec.food.veg

[Linus]

Wow. Been quiet on this thread. BTW, I did find this recipe today: http://www.noveleats.com/drinks/raw-...de-almond-milk

And the site itself is full of some awesome recipes: http://www.noveleats.com/

Given how much almond milk we drink (I use it on cereal and prefer it to soy milk) this seems like an easy alternative to buying milk in the store. Plus I get to control how sweet it is with this.

[Passionaria]

Originally Posted by violaine

passionaria,

i've used ener-g egg replacer forever. here is a link to the product:

http://www.ener-g.com/store/detail.a...=8&cat=8&id=97

and an article about food allergies:

http://www.ener-g.com/articles/Artic...spx?pageId=373

additional [older but good] misc info :

http://web.mit.edu/vsg/www/vsg/INFO/...Q_rec.food.veg

Thank you Sweetness for the Articles!! I will try the egg replacer. I have seen it in the HFS.

Originally Posted by Linus

Wow. Been quiet on this thread. BTW, I did find this recipe today: http://www.noveleats.com/drinks/raw-...de-almond-milk

And the site itself is full of some awesome recipes: http://www.noveleats.com/

Given how much almond milk we drink (I use it on cereal and prefer it to soy milk) this seems like an easy alternative to buying milk in the store. Plus I get to control how sweet it is with this.

Thanks Linus,
I really liked the Almond Milk recipe. I am going to make it soon. I also thought the Almond paste dip looked good. What do others do with the pulp? I used to make sesame milk, but toast the sesame seeds first instead of soaking, same process, with a touch of Cinnamon and honey. I drink Soy milk mostly, but am picky about the brand. I like rice and Almond milk but I like it thick, so many store bought brands don't excite me too much. Thanks for getting me inspired!



Many moons ago I used to make soy milk and tofu. Yeah, those days have come and gone......I still prefer tofu curdled with Nigari though, I like the taste.

[chanale]

I recently spent a week at a conference in Santa Cruz and was surprised the UC campus wasn't more vegan-friendly. I ended up making several trips to Whole Foods, which wasn't exactly nearby, just to I could get something besides the salad or spaghetti that the dining hall offered.

[WolfyOne]

With the weather changing, people will begin using their ovens more, so I thought I'd share this recipe now.
I saw it on a Jewish website I belong to that is filled with wonderful recipes like this one.

Sweet Potato Kugel
This deliciously healthy twist on traditional potato kugel has all of the "Jewish soul-food" street cred
as the standard recipe, without all the heavy baggage.

Adapted from Aviva Allen's The Organic Kosher Cookbook

Kugel Base:
6 small sweet potatoes, grated
3 apples, peeled, cored, and grated
1 cup whole wheat flour
1 cup raisins
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt (sea salt is best)
1 and 1/2 cups water

Topping:
1 and 1/2 cups pecan halves, chopped
2 tablespoons maple syrup
2 tablespoons butter
Pinch of salt
Pinch of ground cinnamon
Pinch of ground ginger

Directions:

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large bowl, mix all ingredients together (except for the topping), then press into a large glass baking dish.

In a small bowl, mix together topping ingredients and set aside.

Place baking dish in oven and bake for 35 minutes. Remove and cover with topping mixture. Return to oven for another 20-25 minutes.

Remove from oven and let stand for about 15 minutes. Cut into 12 squares and serve.

[squeak]

For those of you in the SoCal region:

The bloggess, Quarrygirl, has been an unbelievably valuable resource in solving that age-old question, "Where do you wanna go for dinner?"

This question is typically the most vexing for vegans who want to have a night out on the town but don't wanna pay a ridiculous amount to cobble together a pitiful dinner of dry house salad, steamed broccoli and maybe, just maybe, chips and salsa. (Yes, this is my staple dinner back in Florida.)

http://www.quarrygirl.com/

Not only is QG a witty writer, but she also lets y'all know about upcoming specials, store openings and closings, venues that have questionable vegan menus, and what you NEED to try at least once. (Like Tony's Darts Away - the vegan beer brats and the chips, dear God, the chips!)

xo!
squeak

[violaine]

http://www.beautiful-vegan.com/

[kittygrrl]

this is exceptional..



Spicy Raw Tomato Soup



7 Italian Tomatoes
1 (small) Cucumber (skin & seeds removed)
1 Celery stalk
1/2 Red Bell Pepper
3 cloves Garlic (crushed)
3 tbsp Olive Oil (Extra Virgin, Cold Pressed)
1 tsp Celtic Sea Salt
1/8 tsp Cayenne Pepper (for kick)

-Place all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth.
--Chill in refrigerator before serving. Serve with a dollop of sour cream and some snipped chives

[AtLast]

Originally Posted by chanale

I recently spent a week at a conference in Santa Cruz and was surprised the UC campus wasn't more vegan-friendly. I ended up making several trips to Whole Foods, which wasn't exactly nearby, just to I could get something besides the salad or spaghetti that the dining hall offered.

I think vegan gets put into the vegetarian pile a lot!

[violaine]

i have made strudel for people- fruit filled as well as savoury. has anyone had success with vegan strudel, please? i'm wondering if a vegan pie crust might work?

i would use wheat-free/gluten free flours: rice flour, sorghum flour, ener-g egg product, potato starch, brown sugar, ginger [allergic to and miss to death, cinnamon!], earth balance, apple cider, and ice cold water.

good night ! coconut milk unsweetened, trader joe's tumaco cocoa powder, and silk vanilla coffee creamer is the best, and i always have fantastic dreams.

[squeak]

Originally Posted by violaine

i have made strudel for people- fruit filled as well as savoury. has anyone had success with vegan strudel, please? i'm wondering if a vegan pie crust might work?

i would use wheat-free/gluten free flours: rice flour, sorghum flour, ener-g egg product, potato starch, brown sugar, ginger [allergic to and miss to death, cinnamon!], earth balance, apple cider, and ice cold water.

good night ! coconut milk unsweetened, trader joe's tumaco cocoa powder, and silk vanilla coffee creamer is the best, and i always have fantastic dreams.

I've never made strudel (sounds so refined!), but I do bake a lot - how does this recipe sound?

[nomedia="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eaUpIAsL6SA"]YouTube - VegNews TV: Mother's Day Strudel[/nomedia]

I've taken a class with those sisters at Spork foods here in LA and they can really turn out some amazing baked goods. Plus, look at that stunning gene pool!

They use whole week and unbleached AP flour here, but if you are trying to avoid gluten and are using rice flour you might want to go for brown rice flour if you can find it. It will have more "grip" and a deeper flavor. In this recipe they also use lots of commerical vegan alternatives for sour cream, cream cheese, etc and no other binders or oil besides the Earth Balance margarine. I think Ener-g can come through crusts with a kind of bitter or chemical aftertaste sometimes. I've only had success with it in one cornbread recipe.

Happy baking!

xosqueak

[violaine]

yes, for a thicker, more rustic strudel. i find the brown rice flour has some grit, and while it does not bother me such much, i wanted to make it without so someone else [who dislikes the texture gritty- even rice bran was out, and it could have added moisture] could also enjoy. i agree on the 'refined' but did not list all the flours i typically bake with- to balance the carbs/ proteins= fava bean, chickpea, sorghum, and teff is excellent in place of wheat [but $$$].

the pastry dough turned out good; additional moisture was added with almond meal [easy to grind up yourself instead of buying- or else use cashews, et c]. i do not notice the bitter flavour with ener-g, and i've used it tons with banana nut breads/cakes, belgian waffles w/oat flour, buckwheat, teff, and cornbread ----> corn muffins [coconut, pineapple, maple, corn= everything!].

i like a thinner strudel, and did not follow exactly their recipe; i will use several as guides. a flexible dinner place mat can be used just as easily as a pastry board. i want to work on the recipe a little more, and get the amounts down [i don't measure often], then fill with blueberries, strawberries, pineapple after i've turned dough out of mini tart tins. working with these tins, i've found the spray non-stick works really good, and being sure to poke holes with a fork in the dough so it doesn't puff up. also, cooking it through - giving enough time so the outside is not done, while the layer between uncooked. earth balance helps with the process of dough evening out, and pulling in, when enough oven time is given to the pastry dough.

[Licious]

MMM.. I was a lacto ovo veggie for 10 years, vegan for a few as well. Though I seem to want to eat chicken from time to time, veggies and fruits and soy products have my heart. I can just about break down in tears when I see really fresh organic produce piled up... Subscribing... Will toss in any tried and true recipes if I can find them, lost a bunch on the last move. Meh.

[Greco]

Welcome Licious, and Good morning YB, Kat, nyc,

Looking forward Licious to your recipes. I have a recipe that sounds
good and its with yogurt (YB) so I'll post it as soon as I get home.

So, this weekend is my first "test run" at bar b queing

honorable nephew will do his thing with the meat and

I'll grill the veggies, thinking of grilling portobellos as well

at least one of the kids doesn't touch meat so I have
company.

Run this am was beautiful, Sun, birds, the road, and a sensitive
veggie boy with me I'm so glad I came up here I'm proud of
my nephew, and my grand-nephews

So this morning after fun run we juiced:

kale

red leaf lettuce (grand nephew's pick)

celery

apple

drank this diluted with H2O on the deck

I'm going to miss them all

later, for our green smoothie

we saved some of the juiced greens
to blend with

strawberries

raspberries

soy milk

walnuts

should be delicious

Kat, I do lots of greens and keep the sweet stuff minimal
and juicing is different from blending in that you don't
have the fiber of the greens or fruit.

When I'm home I save the fiber after I juice and put it
into my salads, saute it with other veggies, add it to
soups(this is always delicious)...

So, veggies folks have a great weekend!

Greco

Originally Posted by Licious

MMM.. I was a lacto ovo veggie for 10 years, vegan for a few as well. Though I seem to want to eat chicken from time to time, veggies and fruits and soy products have my heart. I can just about break down in tears when I see really fresh organic produce piled up... Subscribing... Will toss in any tried and true recipes if I can find them, lost a bunch on the last move. Meh.

[Greco]

Victoria Boutenko, author of Green for life, demonstrates how to make a delicious green smoothie.

Good to see a generously built veggie woman

I enjoy posting videos from time to time
and share information with you all

This am green smoothie made by grand-nephew:

avocado (ripe)

walnuts

red leaf lettuce

green chard

spinach

H2O

delicious I found it amazing that we didn't use any bananas
and it was good...the creaminess came from the avocado

living and learning, Greco, have a great Sunday

[Dominique]

Originally Posted by greco

Good to see a generously built veggie woman


living and learning, Greco, have a great Sunday

YES! Thats such a stigma, that we are all sickly anorexic

I'm certainly not.

PS. that smoothie sounded great, very mediterrian! (sp)