Lunch Wrap + Blueberry Muffins

Double whammy today! 
A) I'm proud of myself for starting to be braver about eating raw foods - like onion.  I used to be so scared to eat raw foods like onion and cabbage, because I thought it would mess up my stomach (don't ask).  However, my courage is slowly returning.  Thus, I put raw onion in my lunch wraps, and am loving it!
B) Have been searching for frozen blueberries for a llllllooooong time, and finally found them!  I don't like fresh blueberries (I know, don't hate), but decided to try frozen.  Voila, I like 'em!

And with all of that...

Muffins are from HHL, changes are whole wheat flour, baking blend stevia in place of sugar, omitted orange juice and oil, gingerbread cookie tea, and no almonds.  24 mini muffins at 35 calories per muffin.
The wrap is adapted loosely from VegBurgers.  It consists of:

• avocado
• raw red onion slivers
• silken tofu blended with lemon and cilantro,
• iceburg lettuce
• smoky cashew-pesto cheese, using this pesto recipe (omitting the oil, using water instead, and omitting the miso), and adding sun dried tomatoes to it
• tofu, pressed, cooked on the panini press after being smothered in bbq sauce (omitting the oil, omitting the bourbon and adding vegan worchestire sauce and rum extract)

And I suppose that I should go ahead and add in here that I made a pizza with the bbq sauce:
Pizza crust topped with bbq sauce, paninied mushrooms and red bell pepper, arugula, and the cheese from above.

Chilli with Sour Cream

 

More soup, catching up still...

 

As far as I remember, this was pretty tasty!

 

 

Side note on my life:  Homecoming is tomorrow.  I, obviously, don't have a date, and am not going (will probably be fast asleep when the dance starts at 9).  Is it weird that I'm proud to scoff at people who waste time/money on that stuff?  ;)  I literaly told someone "Why would you spend $100 on homecoming?  Do you know how much tofu that would buy?"  That totally got so many laughs from my friends... :D

 

Anyhoo...

 

Chili, adapted from Vouge Vegetarian

 

Veggies:

• Onion
• Garlic
• Carrots
• Canned, diced tomatoes

 

Seasonings:

• Vegan worchestire sauce (annie's is vegan)
• Cilantro
• No chicken broth powder
• Chili powder
• Cumin

 

Other:

• Setian of choice
• sour cream, to serve (use stevia, add the nooch - deeeelish!)
• Pinto beans
• Corn starch slurry

Sweet Potato Balls and Spaghetti

So, I've got some pasta for you guys tonight!

 

 

Although I made this ages ago, I seem to remember that is was super yummy, sooo..

Quite a good first 'meat'ball recipe for me!  They stuck together, which was really nice.

 

Sweet Potato Balls from Fat Free Vegan

Sauce from Ambitious Kitchen

 

For the sauce: blend until smooth, and heat:

• 1 roasted hatch chili pepper
• 28 oz can salt-free tomatoes
• 3/4 cup chopped onion, sauteed
• 5 cloves garlic, chopped, sauteed
• 2 cups water
• Chick'n bouillon for 2 cups of broth
• Cumin to taste
• ~1/4 cup cilantro

For the 'meat'balls, mix together, shape into balls, and bake at 350 for 30 minutes:

• 3/4 cup chopped mushrooms, sauteed
• 1 small sweet potato, peeled, boiled, mashed
• 1/2 cup cooked quinoa
• 1/2 onion, chopped, cooked
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped, sauteed
• 1 cup chickpeas
• 1 tbsp flax meal
• 1 tbsp nooch
• oregano, paprika, fennel, sage, liquid smoke to flavour

Serve sauce over pasta, topped with 'meat'balls

 

Zesty Sweet Potato Burgers

I honestly think that these are some of the best burgers I have ever made. 

 

 

Bursting with flavour...

 

And full of veggies!

Adapted from Sunday Morning Banana Pancakes

Blend until smooth:

• 1 small sweet potato, peeled, cubed, and boiled until tender
• 1 cup crimini mushrooms (~5), sauteed
• 2 dates
• 1 lime, peeled
• 1 tbsp cilantro
• Chipotle powder
• 1/2 cup oat flour
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• Cumin

Mix with 1/4 cup millet, cooked, and a handful of pepitas. Shape into patties, and bake at 350 for 20 minutes or so, until firm. Serve on buns with ketchup and pickles.

Falafel

I haven't made falafel in AGES!

 

 

Whaaat?  That shouldn't be legal...

 

But, I shall avoid those darn falafel police! ;)

Yummmmmy baked, herbed falafel... you know, I actually was going to throw some parsley in these,but totally forgot...

Adapted from Cookie and Kate

Blend:
1 cup cooked chickpeas
1/4 cup cilantro
1 sauteed shallot
1 sauteed clove garlic
a bit of cumin
a bit of cinnamon
a few tbsp water

shape into patties, bake at 375 for 25 minutes, and serve over lettuce, with grapes, and dressing...

Dressing (adapted from Healthy Vegan Recipes), blend:
2 peaches/nectarines (no need to peel, just pit them... I actually had some that got a little bad spot on them, and I froze them to use in situations like this!)
1 cup water
2 cloves garlic
1 cup fresh basil
1 tsp paprika
2 tbsp sesame seeds

Quinoa + Tofu + Brussels

Brussels Sprouts!

Dear sprouts,
You are such an underrated veggie.

Please, tell the world how GOOD you taste on the panini press.

Love,

Basil

Adapted from That's So Vegan

Cook up some quinoa, and mix with maple syrup, paprika, cumin, and thyme.

Slice one slab of tofu per serving, and grill on the panini press (drizzleing with maple syrup before), along with some trimmed brussels sprouts.

Serve, sprinkled with cilantro and cashews.  Drizzle with more syrup, if desired.  (Mine was a bit too dry for my tastes.)

Quinoa Salad

I finally had potatoes tonight.  How UTTERLY exciting!  I have been wanting them for a while, but have never really gotten around to making anything with potatoes.  So, here goes!

Adapted from WTHDAVEA

Saute 1 finely chopped red onion and a chopped clove of garlic.  Add 1/2 cup quinoa and 3/4 cup water.  Simmer for 25 minutes.
Grill chopped onion and bell pepper on a panini press.
Mix together finished quinoa, black beans, cubed/boiled yukon golds, smoked paprika, nooch, oregano, fresh cilantro, and the grilled veggies.  Serve topped with avocado and tofu mayo (partially cooked silken tofu + lemon juice)

Spicy Tomato and Black Bean Pasta

Erm.  I'm really not feeling that hot today, so this was a nice quick dish to throw together without much effort.  I was super surprised, however, at how much it made - lots of leftovers!  But it gets a golden star from me and M, so it's all good...

Adapted from An Opera Singer in the Kitchen

Roughly slice and saute 4 cloves garlic.  Blend with 1/2 cup cilantro, 1 cup tofu mayo, 1/2 cup soy milk, 1/3 cup nooch, 14.5 oz can tomato sauce, cumin, paprika, and chili powder.  Add in 1.5 cups black beans, 4 oz can green chilis, and 1/4 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes.  Allow to heat through and serve over pasta.

Tofu Quinoa Tortilla

Totally a happy accident that I made this on Cinco de Mayo...
Who cares, really, if the food matches the holiday.  I just want it to taste good.  Don't you agree?

Adapted from HHL

So, first cook ~ 1/2 cup quinoa.  Mix that with wilted spinach, chopped parsley and cilantro, chipotle chili powder, nooch, lime juice, agave, and liquid smoke.
On a tortilla, lay a bit of the quinoa mixture.  Top with salsa, avocado, and tofu bacon.  Wrap and eat.. with a napkin...

Black Bean Soup

Another busy night, another quick post...

Adapted from Kalyn's Kitchen.

Veggies were onion, garlic and carrots.  Added diced tomatoes, tomato sauce, black beans, brown rice, Cowboy seasoning mix (could also use taco seasoning), veggie chicken bouillon, vegetable bouillon, chili powder, dried ginger, fresh oregano, fresh cilantro.  Thickened with corn starch, and served with fake meat.

Tofu, Mandarin, Grilled Veggie, and Mixed Lettuce Salad

All I have to say: wow.  I've never had fresh arugula before (it's homegrown, actually).  Wow.

Adapted from HHL.

The base was iceburg lettuce, then came arugula, torn cilantro, shredded carrots, canned mardarin oranges, grilled onion/mushrooms, and leftover tofu.
Dressing was tofu mayo (partially cooked silken tofu mixed with lemon juice) and the juice from the mandarines.

Wow.

Coconut Soba Stir Fry

As usual, this one is super easy to throw together - not to mention that I haven't had coconut milk in ages, so that was really nice. Adapted from HHL.

Veggies were broccoli, carrots, grated ginger, and onion, plus deep fried tofu.
Sauce was 1/4 cup peanut sauce (this peanut flavoured stuff I get from the Asian market), rice vinegar, 1/2 cup coconut milk, and cilantro, thickened with corn starch.
Served over soba noodles, topped with cashews.

Warm Quinoa, Red Kidney Bean, and Veggie Salad

You know, quinoa and avacados are amazing.
You know, I have lots of orange juice to use up - I bought some for recipes, and I don't drink just juice.  So I'm putting it in everything...
Mmm...

Adapted from Oh She Glows.

The salad was 1 cup dried quinoa cooked with 1 1/2 cups water, cooked red kidney beans, and red bell pepper, carrots, and onion cooked on the panini press.  The dressing was a bit of lime juice, lots of orange juice, 3/4 cup each cilantro and parsley, cumin, garlic powder, mirin, and cooking sherry.  All of this was mixed together and served lukewarm, topped with chopped avacado.

A Massive Cooking Session Today.

And only one thing that I actually ate... so I can only post one thing!  I made soup, spaghetti salad for M's lunch, and mac n cheeze. Here's the mac recipe, adapted from here, which I thought was really REALLY good.  Nice and creamy, and it tastes quite like cheese.

Blend together until creamy: 1 cup tofu, 3/4 cup almond milk, 1 medium-small sweet potato (peeled, cubed, and boiled), 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar, garlic powder, 1/2 cup nooch.  Mix with about 5 cups cooked ww spiral pasta in a casserole dish.  Top with sauteed broccoli mixed with cilantro, 2 vegan hot dogs (coined), and a bit of caramelized onion (no oil, just cooking spray).  Cover with foil and bake until hot.

Serve with a dab of salsa.

 :)

Green Bean and Carrot Saute

Ok, so I have to say that this dish was not all that great... but that's most likely because I really overcooked the veggies.  I know, shame on me.. slap my wrist with a ruler.  Yeah, yeah, yeah.  But the picture turned out good, so I think that means I have to post!  Adapted  from here.

Saute a ratio of 2:1 green beans to carrot sticks with a few cloves garlic.  Add a couple tbsp water and cover the pan (if it doesn't have a lid, a cookie sheet works well) for about 7 minutes, until the green beans are tender.  Add in a sauce of blended: PILES of cilantro and parsley, lemon juice, liquid smoke, paprika, cumin, corn starch, and a good amount of mirin.  Let the sauce thicken for a few seconds and then serve over rice.

UPDATE: Tonight I dumped a bit of tomato sauce on the leftovers and it was a lot better.. more sauce, more flavour, more creamy!  :)

Honey "Chicken" Stir Fry

I haven't really made an official stir fry in such a long time, and I figured that last Friday was the perfect night to make the stir fry that had been waiting on my list for so long.  By the way- the list of recipes that I want to cook is probably about 3 weeks worth of food.  I am never going to catch up, even if I eat five thousand calories a day... sigh.  Anyway, so I went with this quickie dish that night, and it surpassed my expectations by quite a bit.  There was that lovely hint of honey (alliteration!), along with the usual soy sauce.  I wouldn't say that the flavour was very complex or involved by any means- in fact, it was a rather simple recipe as far as stir frys go.  But there was certainly enough flavour to make it taste really really really good.  And I mean really good.  I still hold my firm belief that corn starch is one of the most amazing substances that I have ever used in the kitchen, because of the amount of intensity it can add to a dish.  Amazing stuff!  You should try it some time...

All in all, I would certainly make this dish again (if I every get a chance to make something again), and I was very satisfied with this filling and colourful stir fry.

Honey "Chicken" Stir Fry

Adapted from Tigers and Strawberries

Serves 2

2 tbsp honey

2 tbsp mirin
2 tbsp soy sauce plus extra

Juice of 1 lemon

1 tbsp corn starch

2 large carrots, cut on the diagonal

1 clove garlic, minced

1 tbsp grated fresh ginger

1 medium head broccoli, cut into florets

1 small red bell pepper, chopped

1/3 lb snap peas, trimmed

4 green onions, chopped

2 cups vegetarian chicken

1/4 cup cilantro leaves, chopped

Cooked rice, to serve

Mix together the honey though corn starch in a small bowl.  Set aside.

Heat a wok coated with nonstick spray over medium high heat.  Add a bit of water with the carrots.  After a minute add the broccoli, garlic, and ginger, and stir fry for another 2 minutes.  Add the bell pepper and snap peas, and stir fry for another 2 minutes.  Add in the remaining ingredients except rice and heat through for another minute or so.  Serve over cooked rice with extra soy sauce.

Delish Pasta Salad

This is a fun little pasta salad that I thought stood out from the monotonous crowd of pasta salads.  Yes, it does indeed have mayo.  Yes, it has carrots and bell pepper and pasta (I should hope a pasta salad has pasta).  And, yes, it's really really good.  But, the common things stop there.  Cranberries lend bursts of sweetness, and the broccoli adds a different bit of texture when you get a piece.  I always jump at the chance to use sunflowerseeds in cooking, and here was my chance, so I jumped... And so, I ended up with a very flavourful and colourful pasta salad, that also traveled very well in my lunches.  I killed two... pieces of tofu with one stone!

Snazzy Pasta Salad

Adapted from Melomeals

Serves 6-8

1 cup whole wheat elbow pasta, cooked until al dente

1 cup shredded carrots
½ cup diced bell pepper
1 cup broccoli florets
½ cup dried cranberries

½ cup sunflower seeds

1 cup cilantro, chopped

 

½ cup fat free mayo

4 leaves or so stevia, chopped (sub any sweet thing like sugar, honey, or agave)
¼ cup apple cider vinegar
1 tbsp dijon mustard
¼ cup soy sauce
¼ tsp cardamom
1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/4 tsp cinnamon

2 tbsp curry Powder

1 tsp garlic powder

A few dashes ginger

Parmesan cheese, to top (opt)

Mix together the pasta through cilantro in a large bowl.

In a small bowl, mix together the mayo through ginger, and whisk well. Pour over the pasta mixture, and then chill until ready to serve. Top with parmesan cheese, if desired. 

Easy Hummus Wraps plus Falafel- Chickpea Madness!

I am so excited about this falafel. I had had falafel in a restaurant for the first time a bit over a year ago, and ever since it’s been on my list. So I finally decided to make it this week, and it turned out really amazingly fabulous. I was quite surprised at how good it tasted. And they are fun to eat, too. I like them plain, or I suppose any sort of sauce would go well with them. Plus they pack well in a lunch, hot or cold. I was also pleased to have a use for my immersion blender…

These wraps put made good use of my immersion blender, too.  I love hummus so much, but never really have an excuse to make it.  So, when I stumbled on this recipe it seemed to fit the bill perfectly.  They are so easy to make, very portable, and filling.  Not to mention they taste absolutely fabulous.

Baked Falafel

Makes about 25

1 cup dried chickpeas, cooked

About ¼ cup water

1 small onion, roughly chopped
5 cloves garlic, pressed
½ cup cilantro, chopped
½ cup parsley, chopped
1 tsp baking powder
6 tbsp flour
Salt and pepper, to taste
2 tsp ground cumin
Chili sauce, to taste

In a bowl, blend the chickpeas with an immersion blender until they form a rough paste, adding water as needed. Add in the remaining ingredients, and then continue to blend until everything is well blended and smooth. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours.

Preheat the oven to 450. Shape the dough into small balls, using just under 2 tbsp dough per ball. Put on a baking sheet, and flatten slightly to form a cake. Bake for 25 minutes, until the outside is lightly browned and crispy, but the inside is still moist.  Serve hot or cold, perhaps with a dipping sauce.

Easy Hummus Wraps

Adapted from Happy Healthy Life

For each wrap:
Wraps

Hummus (I blend about 3/4 dried chickpeas, 1 tbsp olive oil, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, rosemary, and water until they are smooth)

Carrot sticks
Alfalfa sprouts, spinach, or other poofy veggie

Opt: Vanilla yogurt

To assemble the wraps, spread a line of hummus down the middle of the wrap. 

Then put a line of carrots down the middle, followed by a pile of alfalfa or whatever.  Finally, add a line of yogurt, if using.  Wrap it up, and serve. 

Spring Rolls

I have not made spring rolls in ages, but here they are on the menu again.  And they are better than ever!  I spotted an interesting recipe in my cookbook, and though that it looked like a good way to use up some rice noodles that M and I got for a prize a while back when we spent $20 at the Asian Market.  Odd, I think, to win free noodles, but there you have it.  Anyway, I loved these spirng rolls, and they came in handy for my lunch and dinner.  The egg on the outside really gave them a nice coat, and baking them really created a nice cruncy outside.  The really amazing thing, though, was that they are about 35 calories each.  That's what I call low calorie, especially if you think about all the oil that goes into other spring rolls.

Thai Spring Rolls

Makes about 20

Adapted from Low-Fat No-Fat Thai

About 2 oz cellophane noodles

2 cloves garlic, pressed

1 carrot, shredded

1 small bell pepper, cut into 1/2 inch strips

1 1/2 cups cabbage, shredded

2 green onions, finely chopped

1 small can bamboo shoots, drained

4 oz frozen tofu, thawed and chopped

2 tbsp vegetarian oyster flavoured soy sauce

2 tsp agave nectar

2 tbsp chopped cilantro

20 spring roll wrappers

2 tbsp flour mixed with water to form a thick paste

1 egg white

Bring a pot of water to a boil and add the noodles.  Remove from heat, and let sit for 20 minutes.  Drain, and roughly chop.

Meanwhile, for the filling, heat a wok over medium high heat.  Add a bit of water, and then the garlic.  Stir for a couple seconds, and toss in the bell pepper and cabbage.  After those are tender, about 3 minutes, add the carrot, green onions, bamboo, and tofu.  Heat through, and remove from heat.  Add in the cooked noodles, soy sauce, agave, and cilantro, and mix through.

Heat the oven to 425. 

To make the wraps:  Place about 2 tbsp of the filling in a line in the middle of a wrapper, horizontal to you.  Fold the edge farthest away from you over the filling to cover it, and then fold in the two sides.  With your finger, add a bit of the flour paste to the edge closest to you.  Roll the edge closest to you up to create a roll (it should seal with the flour paste).  Brush with the egg white, and place on a baking sheet coated with nonstick spray.  Repeat with remaining filling.

Bake for 10 minutes, until heated through.  Serve with a dipping sauce.

Zippy Lime and Burger Crumble Soup

Wow, this soup has such a different flavour from anything that I have ever tasted.  The lime is what does that.  It's such a hearty, warming, tangy soup.  Which a person really does not expect when they go to take a bite of soup, but this one quickly rose up among my ranks of favourites.  The boca crumbles were really cool too.  A very nice change of pace.

Tangy “Beef” Soup

Serves 8- 10

Adapted from Kalyn’s Kitchen

1 onion, chopped

4 cloves garlic, pressed

3 yukon gold potatoes, chopped

1 medium head cabbage, chopped

1 T ground cumin
1 tbsp Spike seasoning
2 tbsp oregano
4 cups water plus bullion (vegetarian chicken is what I used)
2 T tomato paste
28 oz can diced tomatoes
1/2 cup sliced green onions
2 tbsp corn starch mixed with 2 tbsp waer
3 cups cooked beans
12 oz vegetarian burger crumbles, defrosted
1/2 cup chopped fresh cilantro (or more)

2 T fresh squeezed lime juice

Heat a large Dutch oven over medium high heat with a bit of water, and sauté the onion and garlic. Add the cabbage after 3 minutes, and sauté until tender, about 5 more minutes. Add through the diced tomatoes, bring to a boil, and simmer for 35 minutes. Add in the remaining ingredients, mix well, and serve with salt and pepper, and parmesan cheese.