Scraps and Snippets ~ Maple Mustard Tempeh Mornay

Maple Mustard Tempeh Mornay

We had a Tempeh Mornay at a local restaurant last week. Rob loved it and wanted me to attempt it at home.

So, based on what I had on hand and my skills, this is what I came up with. The sauce at the restaurant had wine in it and I didn't have artichokes.... but this is tasty on it's own rights.

Sauce to taste, if you want sweeter or spicier adjust to the higher amounts:

1 and 1/2 to 2 TBSP mustard
1 and 1/2 to 2 TBSP maple syrup
3 - 4 TBSP flavored vinegar. I used orange champagne, but I think balsamic or red wine would be tasty, too.
1 TBSP flavored oil (I used sesame, but a nut, avocado or olive oil would be good.)
sesame seeds


2 Cups prepared quinoa
1 package tempeh cut into small cubes (I used three grain)
1/2 TBSP oil (I used sesame)
1 small or 1/2 medium onion diced
2 Cups chopped mushrooms
1 to 2 Cups chopped veggies of choice. I used Brussels sprouts. The restaurant used artichoke hearts.

Blend sauce together and set aside. Prepare quinoa as directed.

Saute onion and tempeh (and if using a vegetable that takes a bit to cook, add this now) in oil until onions are translucent and tempeh is golden.

Add the mushrooms and lightweight veggies and let them soften. Add quinoa and sauce. Stir well.

Scribbles and Scrambles ~ Cheesy, Cheesy, Cheesy...

I know the transition between QuitCHIR and recipes/Vegan talk was a little...well...non-existent.

But...clearly, the focus is now food.  But remember...attitude is within your realm of control and that may be the only thing you can.

Way back in November I mentioned the Artisan Vegan cheese project. 

& and Lindsey found recipes in Veg News magazine and took some trial runs to a Vegan meet up. I acted as chief bottle washer and spreader provider. 

The cheese was amazing. Brie, Chevre, Buffalo Mozzarella, cream cheeses and a Cheddar Cheese ball.

Since then, we've purchased a few cheesemaking books. And the girls have tried many, many different versions of recipes.

So far this is what they've learned. Each batch of cheese is going to be different. Any tweaking of the recipe will change the end result. Temperature, time, manufacturer of ingredients and...well, just about anything can make a huge difference. A quick cheese is inferior. Lemon juice and cashews, though nice to toss together and get a cheese-like result, is not Artisan cheese. The real deal has to age, and requires a fizzy, nasty, sour medium to do that. Rejuvalec is that medium. Grain rinsed and set out to begin sprouting. Once that happens, the grain is immersed in water until the water smells a bit like sweat socks. The other ingredients are added, and then the magic begins. 

Grains don't always begin to sprout when soaked so the all important rejuvalec can ferment. Not all miso is the same. Even the same manufacturer. Like I said, just about anything can go wrong.

The little cheese elves provided cheeses for family holidays, friends, several Vegan gatherings and have Facebook fans who have begun to order.

No two cheeses are the same...even the same recipe. I guess there is a reason there aren't hundreds of Vegan Artisan cheesemakers out there. 

The goal for this week. To get several pounds of cheese aged, packaged and delivered to new customers. Then on to tweak, tweak, tweak their cheeses into the ones that make those customers beg for more.

Scraps and Snippets ~ Fudge Fondue ~

Fudge Fondue

1/3 cup coconut oil

1 cup chocolate chips

2 TBSP flour

1/2 cup brown rice syrup

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

2 TBSP non-dairy milk

Place ingredients in a small warmer crockpot or low setting on a fondue pot, stir until combined and all chocolate is melted. Spoon fondue over the dippers. Dipping the items into the pot will leave residue so drizzling over their dippers is recommended.

Dipper ideas: strawberries, graham crackers/cookies, vanilla or mini chocolate chip cookies, mini oreos, strawberries, fresh pineapple chunks, grapes, pretzels, mango slices, dried fruit, marshmallows, banana chunks, apple or pear slices.  You can also use this as hot fudge for ice cream.

Scraps and Snippets ~ Buffalo Dip or Sandwich Spread ~

This dip was a hit at a potluck. Even with the most meat-loving, anti-Vegan men in the group. Got two thumbs up. And there wasn't much left.

Buffalo Dip or Sandwich Spread

Makes approx 4 cups.

2/3 cup unflavored, unsweetened soy yogurt 
2/3 cup Frank's Red Hot sauce or your favorite buffalo or hot sauce.
1/4 teaspoon ground celery seed
3/4 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
1/4 teaspoon dried dill
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon dried basil
1/8 teaspoon (heaping) ground black pepper
2 TBSP chopped fresh cilantro (or additional 2 TBSP finely diced onions)
2 Cans rinsed and drained garbanzo beans (approx 3 1/3 cups)
1 cup finely diced celery
1 TBSP finely diced onion or 1/2 TBSP dehydrated onions


Pita rounds, cocktail, Italian or French bread, tortilla chips or celery for dipping or sandwich making.

Directions:

Put drained garbanzo beans in bowl and crush with a fork. Mix in all additional ingredients. Serve with celery sticks, chips, tortillas, pretzels, bread of choice.

QuitCHIR # Open the Door...

I snapped this picture when touring a local, historic jail.

And it occurs to me that our lives are a lot like this wall in the jail cell.

We write our version of our story on top of the circumstances that have placed the walls in the first place.

And then many of us continue to be imprisoned by the story, the walls, and the bars.

But, the jail I visited was open to come and go. It would have been a little crazy for me to close the door, sit down on the metal bunk and claim my place in that cell. 

Because the words written on that wall aren't my life, my story to tell. Nor are the words that I've written on my own walls complete truth. We are not stuck in the cell, and with that story, those words, unless we don't do anything about it. 

Choose to live. All aspects of living. Reclaim, Rewrite. Live. 


So. I wrote new words. 

QuitCHIR # 24 Through and Through

True? 

Through shows what was hiding behind the scary obstacle. 

Through shows us landscape we've never encountered.

Through shows us what we are made of.

Through teaches.

Through shows us who's really with us on our journey through life. 

Through changes us, grows us, and challenges us. 

Yes.

QuitCHIR #23 I Will Tomorrow...

 The quote is buried in the trees, as in can't see the forest for the trees. 

So here it is because it's a thought provoking one. 

Isn't it?

" Courage doesn't always roar.
Sometimes courage is the quiet voice
at the end of the day saying, 
'I will try again tomorrow.'"

Sometimes, it takes courage to just get out of bed and stand to face the day.

Sometimes, courage is opening that door and going back into that place that shreds your bravery, tests your boundaries and causes you to break out in a sweat.

Sometimes, courage is ending the battle you've been waging when the battle costs too much to continue. 

Many times, it is falling to your knees and giving the control of your life to God, and accepting His love and guidance. 

Courage has many faces and they all come with a price tag.

God tells His people to take courage and fear not many times throughout His Word. Is that because He knows how prone we are to losing hope? 

One of the most valuable discoveries I made about courage was during a Bible study. If God tells us to have courage, hang on, fear not...and He tells us to ENcourage each other (building up courage), then what is the opposite of encouragement? Discouragement. Which is the taking away of courage. And who's goal is to steal, (take away) kill and destroy? 

Is there a quiet courage whispering that the time to do the very scary thing right in front of you is now?