Scraps and Snippets ~ Goulash Tapenade

I hate not knowing what I'm going to make for dinner. 

It's even worse when I'm hungry while thinking about it.

I had half a jar of organic tomato basil spaghetti sauce, half a package of spiral pasta and various assorted bits and pieces of other items. 

Goulash Tapenade

Finely dice 1 large or 2 small cloves of garlic
Finely dice 1/2 Cup of black, green, gourmet olives you have on hand.
Finely dice 1/2 Cup mushrooms
1 TBSP olive oil
1/2 Jar (standard spaghetti sauce jar - 28 ozish)
1/4 Jar of water swished to get all the tomato sauce out

Saute garlic in olive oil until tender. Add mushrooms. Then olives. Finally add spaghetti sauce and water. Simmer until it thickens. About 20 minutes.

Prepare pasta according to directions.

Drain spaghetti and add sauce in bowl and mix well. 

Scribbles and Scrambles ~ Why Vegan # 1

So I've learned a few things since starting the Vegan journey almost two years ago. 

I've waxed not so eloquently about some of these details but maybe have not covered enough to make my journey clear to my readers. 

The big question I would've and did ask when starting this trip is "How to go Vegan and what have been the best helps along the way?"

And since January is right around the corner, and January is the month when humanity generally decides to make healthier choices, I think the timing is right to share our personal Vegan 101 path. 

Are you considering going meatless? Once a week? Cutting back? Do you want to live a greener life and reduce your carbon footprint? Are you motivated by health? Animal protection? A combination of both?

In this season of overindulgence, while considering your future health and choices, here are some details that may build a map of the route we are on. 

The following information is fluid rather than concrete because I haven’t read all or cooked from all Vegan cookbooks and websites. However, the resources I’m supplying have been helpful to me on my journey. And they have been well worth the cost of trying the recipes and buying the books.

The first three are recipe books that have a decent amount of teaching on the whos, whats, whys and hows of Veganism. If you are concerned about the environment, your health and furry (or not so furry) little (or not so little) critters you would choose well to check out Thrive Foods, The Kind Diet and Skinny Bitch Ultimate Everyday Cookbook. Each of these contain loads of details and help on how and what to do. Each of them also contains some tasty recipes. Some of the ingredients are likely odd for the newbie Vegan or wannabe Vegan, especially in Thrive Foods and The Kind Diet. Thrive Foods really does a great job explaining why to consume the unusual items he suggests. 

Not using/consuming animal products makes a huge difference in our environment. Again, Thrive foods goes into loads of detail about the impact of animal farming. Recycling, walking or riding a bike everywhere, buying local…these things all add up, but avoiding the use of animal products knocks it out of the park. 

If words like Miso (just opened my first bag ever), Tempeh (started dabbling a year ago) and the idea of eating sea vegetables (gag) makes you feel overwhelmed, you can breeze past those ingredients and revisit them as you feel more comfortable. Thrive has smoothie recipes and raw meal ideas. Skinny Bitch has a vegan cookie that will fool anyone. And The Kind Diet has a couple of recipes that have become go-to for me. 

Documentaries are also a great source of information on health and environment. (Food Matters, Food, Inc. Forks over Knives, King Corn, Vegucated, Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead)Do note that if you are sensitive about animal suffering, you may struggle with many details. And documentaries always have a bent.   

Inform yourself to make the decision that is best for you and one you can live with. And no matter what decision you make, you will discover nay-sayers and critics. What you choose to put in your body is a lot like your spiritual beliefs. What I believe spiritually is truth. But that truth, no matter how real it is, feels, is shared with others, documented by ancient writings etc. etc. is a personal decision. I believe and base my life on truth, many others do not. And beliefs can be passionate and polar opposites. Veganism, food, diet and nutrition contains those same camps and sometimes they are light years away from each other.

Another cookbook that is of value for newbies or explorers is Supermarket Vegan, especially if you live in an area without Trader Joes, Whole Foods, co-ops or Farmer’s Markets. Supermarket Vegan is a good resource. Heavy on salads and sides, light on desserts, but lots of recipes where you can find ingredients in your local grocery store.

One of my most valuable basic books is The Complete Guide to Vegan Substitutions. It contains charts and details, recipes for just about every substitution you might need to find. It shows how to veganize your favorite recipes. It’s a basic building block. The handful of recipes I’ve tried will be ones I’ll tweak the next time I make them, though, because they were a bit bland. It offers a basic foundation to build on rather than the perfect book for the recipe you will serve to your next gathering of omnivores (meat and dairy eaters...). Vegan on the Cheap is another good resource. I like (and so does my budget and body) using whole foods to make my own meals. These both help me to do that.

Next Topic: 

Basic Cooking Trials and Tribulations. Transition from Traditional to Vegan. One step at a time.

Scraps and Snippets ~ Gingerbread Nachos ~

Gingerbread Nachos

I've included some easier store bought suggestions to substitute for the homemade version if you aren't a big fan of cooking and mixing. But it's as easy as making Christmas cookies. And of note, the homemade cookies and dips are lower in fat and contain healthier ingredients than standard holiday fare. Win. Win.

This recipe will feed lots of nibblers. (at least a dozen unless they are starved and this is the only thing you are offering them.) :  ) 
Gingerbread Men

(If you want to take a shortcut any vegan ginger or cinnamon cookies will do. In addition each of these dips would taste great on apple slices and pretzels so put those out as well.
These little guys are pretty simple to make.

Prep two to three cookies trays with coconut oil, spray or butter. Preheat oven to 350.

1/2 Cup coconut oil or non-dairy butter
1/2 Cup applesauce
1 Cup brown sugar (if you are a big fan of sweet add an additional 1/4 cup, these are not overly sweet but kids and adults alike liked them with the recipe as written.) (Also, you will use additional brown sugar as you roll out the cookies.)
6 TBSP molasses
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
3 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
1 and 1/2 teaspoons of almond extract (can sub vanilla)
4 Cups flour (I used whole wheat pastry flour).

Combine room temperature oil/non-dairy butter and applesauce, add spices, soda and tartar and mix well. Add sugar and molasses and combine until completely incorporated. Stir in extract and mix. Finally add the flour and mix well. Chill for ten minutes. Grab about a 1/3 of the dough and roll it between two sheets of waxed paper to slightly thicker than pie dough or equivalent to sugar cookie dough. Sprinkle the dough with brown sugar. Cut out shapes with cookie cutters. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and let rest 1 minute. Remove to cooling rack. Reroll cookie dough for another batch. If the dough starts to get sticky refrigerate for another 5 minutes or so. This will make 50-60 cookies depending on size. This batch made about 50 3 x 2 inch gingerbread and 20 1 and 1/2 x 1 inch mini guys.

Nacho Dips (There are five)

The Cran-Orange Dip and the Cinnavanilla Dips are as follows:

You combine the first three ingredients in a food processor and then divide that in half.

1 Can drained white (canelli/navy/white) beans (If you soak and cook your own 1 2/3 cups prepared)

1 Cup brown sugar

1 TBSP vanilla

Whir until smooth.

Place half this mixture (approx ¾ cup) into a serving bowl and stir in a strong ¼ teaspoon cinnamon.

To remaining dip in processor add the following:

Zest of one orange

½ Cup dried cranberries

Combine until cranberries are pulverized. Place in a serving bowl.

Place both of those dips in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

To make easy versions of these:

Cran-Orange Dip

3 TBSP non-dairy cream cheese

1 TBSP orange marmalade (Vegan)

1 TBSP finely chopped dried cranberries or canned cranberry sauce. Mix well. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

CinnaVanilla

3 TBSP Non-dairy cream cheese

1 TBSP brown sugar

½ teaspoon vanilla

1/8 teaspoon cinnamon. Mix well and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Peanut Butter Maple Caramel

¼ Cup brown sugar

1 TBSP coconut oil or non-dairy butter

2 TBSP milk

¼ Cup maple syrup

2 TBSP peanut butter

Combine all in a pan, bring to a rolling boil stirring constantly, boil 1 minute. Remove from heat. Place in refrigerator until ten minutes before you are ready to serve.

“Egg Nog” Dip

1 Can full fat coconut milk chilled for 2 days so the fat separates from the coconut water. (Use Thai Kitchen, Whole Foods 365 brand or Trader Joe's – not Geisha)

2 TBSP maple syrup

¼ Cup powdered sugar

2 sprinkles of cinnamon

¾ to 1 teaspoon nutmeg (start small, you can always add more)

Coconut milk makes great whipped cream. You scrape (some brands are thicker than others. Trader Joe's is the thickest and needs the least amount of time to separate/chill) the thick white layer into a bowl, leaving the watery layer behind (if you are a smoothie or juice drinker or like Thai food, you can save the watery leftovers for one of those). Whip the cream, add the other ingredients and whip until fluffy. It gets firmer in the refrigerator.

Pumpkin Cream Dip:

½ Cup  non-dairy cream cheese

          3 TBSP coconut oil or non-dairy butter

1 TBSP pumpkin puree

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

¼ teaspoon cinnamon

1 Cup powdered sugar

Mix well and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Scribbles and Scrambles ~ Restaurant Review McFoster's...

Happy hummus

Over the weekend we tried a new restaurant in Omaha. Well, not new at all. But new to me and under new management. 

McFoster's Natural Kind Cafe is a vegetarian restaurant with both Vegan options and meat dishes. 

Our Vegan friends got together and shared four different dishes. McFoster's was offering free hummus and sweet potato fries with the purchase of two meals. We ate well. 

Sweet potato fries

The Vegan Reuben was top-notch. Absolutely delicious. A creamy brown rice eggplant mushroom dish which I don't remember the name of was memorably delicious. Brown rice, eggplant, mushroom and creamy...yeah. Who needs the name of the dish. 

Reuben and brussel sprouts

The hummus was good. Not stellar but the presentation was nice. 

vegan ice cream

Sweet potato fries...oh, so bad, good. Fries battered and fried. And served with banana ketchup. Good thing four of us shared one batch. The banana ketchup was devoured by two of the girls who said they might just take a spoon to it if the rest of us would turn our backs. Ha. It was very bananay and Sarah and I were a little harder to convince. But the fries didn't need it. That's for sure. 

Hannah's meal for &

 A Vegan BLT was fabulous. And the portabello panini both fine. Clearly the eggplant dish, Reuben and sweet potato fries were the highlights of my palette. 

Then we all stopped at Ted and Wally's homemade ice cream where we enjoyed a scoop of Vegan peppermint chocolate cookie crunch ice cream.

If you are in Omaha and looking for Vegan both of these places are worth checking out. And on a funny note...& was in the church nursery on Sunday. Hannah dished up a play food meal. Since it was a lovely vegan spread, & snapped a picture. Ha. Ha.

Scribbles and Scrambles ~ Cheez-a-Doodly Night

Brie and spicy jelly cream cheese

Last night was the great Vegan Artisan cheese unveiling at the Vegan Omaha meet up. 

As I mentioned earlier in the week, Lindsey and & have been busy little bees fermenting, curing, blending and shaping various cheeses as featured in Veg News magazine. 

They put together a brie, chevre, buffalo mozzarella, tomato, basil kabobs three cream cheeses and a sharp cheddar. 

The sharp cheddar had some firming issues so it became a cheese ball rolled in chopped pecans...and many people's favorite cheese of the night. 

We met at House of Loom and had sandwiches delivered by Block 16 (YUM). But, I think the cheese may have been the hit of the night. 

cheddar cheese ball and chevre

chevre, brie and fruit platter

I don't want to exaggerate and say that the Vegans fell on the cheese and devoured it....but....Lindsey and & have customer one and two locked in for the next batch. A vegetarian (those who eat cheese thank-you-very-much) said these cheeses were some of the best he's eaten. The brie won raves from two former brie fans. And those who went up to the cheese bar went back twice, thrice or embarrassingly uncountable times. The bowls and plates were literally scraped clean. Not licked, that would have been tacky, but scrapped indeed. The only thing left on the plates were two tiny bits of chevre which was hidden under an apple slice, a tiny smear of mozzarella and fruit. In a group of vegans who know that sometimes fruit is the only safe thing on the plate, to leave it behind makes a statement. 

Success and kudos. Deliciously good time had by all.

Scraps and Snippets ~ Oreo Bars - Plain, Peppermint and Vegan

These suckers are delish.

3 TBSP Earth Balance (room temp)
2 TBSP coconut oil (room temp)
3 TBSP vegan cream cheese
1 Cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 Cup flour (I used whole grain)
1/4 Cup chocolate chips (Veg of course)
12 Crushed oreos, Jo Jo's or Newman Os (set a handful aside for covering the bars)
 For peppermint 1/3 Cup crushed vegan candy cane or peppermints (save a small amount for topping)

Preheat oven to 375 and grease an 8 x 11 or 7 x 11 pan.

Mix Earth Balance, coconut oil and cream cheese together. Add sugar and vanilla and stir well. Pour in flour and mix. Finally add the chocolate chips, oreo bits (save some for topping) and if going peppermint add that and mix together.

Press into pan and add oreo bits and mint chips as topping. Bake 12-14 minutes.

Cool. Cut into bars.

Scribbles and Scrambles ~ Just a Thought...

Life is an onion and one cries while peeling it.  

~French Proverb