July 12, 2007 13:32 - Vegan Fillo-Wrapped Cabbage
I've been meaning to make some vegan baklava, so I've had my fillo dough in the fridge defrosting for a couple days now. But last night, I decided to make use of the fillo by making Vegan Fillo-Wrapped Cabbage. I've never made this before -- it was just a little experiment. It's always so nice when your foodie experiments produce delectable results, and this was one of those times.
How did this fun experiment come to be? When I peeked into my fridge, I could see that I had a big ol' head of red cabbage that I wanted to use in our meal. And stir-fried cabbage sounded yummy. Upon eyeing the 1/2 onion in my fridge I decided to use it too. But when I spotted the fillo, a lightbulb went off and figured I'd use it to elevate this dish from a delicious vegan cabbage side dish to a delicious vegan cabbage main entree.
After chopping the onion, I sauteed it in a little Extra-Virgin Olive Oil until transluscent. Next, I added shredded red cabbage to the pan and sauteed for a few minutes until tender. Then, topped it all off with a big handful of bean sprouts. I lowered the temperature on the burner to its lowest setting and tried to decide on some flavorings...
Keeping the 4 of the "5 Flavors" in mind, the 5th flavor being Umami, which is a taste resembling mushrooms, these are the ingredients I chose and what I felt they'd bring to the dish:
Sweet = Agave Nectar (if I was out of this, I would have used some pure maple syrup)
Sour = Sauerkraut juice
Salty = Salt
Bitter/Pungent = Black pepper
I was very happily surprised to find that these 4 ingredients flavored the cabbage to perfection. Proving once again that you really don't need a lot of ingredients to make the natural flavors of a veggie sing.
With my past experience making Spanikopita, I knew some general rules about fillo:
- Begin working with the fillo when you have all the rest of the ingredients ready;
- Have a bowl with Extra-Virgin Olive Oil or melted non-hydrogenated margarine ready (I like Earth Balance), along with a basting brush;
- After removing the amount of fillo you need from the bag, replace unused portion immediately back into the bag it was packaged in, taping up the ends;
- Work fast, covering the fillo you're not using with a damp cloth until ready to use. This will prevent it from drying up before you can get it into the oven.
- Keep your sense of humor intact -- you might need it since fillo has a reputation for being somewhat of a
bee-atch!!!
So, since the stir-fry was all ready to go, it was time to pull out the fillo. Since it's been so hot here in Reno, Nevada, I opted for the toaster oven instead of the big oven, and set temp. for 400 degrees.
I sprayed the bottom of the toaster oven tray with a little olive oil, and lined the tray with 2 sheets of fillo, cut to size. Working quickly, I "basted" one side of each of the fillo sheets with my melted Earth Balance, continuing this until I had used 1/2 the sheets. Next, I spooned the stir-fried cabbage over the whole thing, and proceeded to once again baste the unused fillo sheets, mostly one at a time but sometimes 2-3 at a time due to the fact I'm a bit of a spaz and just wanted to get it into the oven -- HUNGER WAS TAKING OVER!! ;o)
I set the temperature at 400 degrees, set my timer for 15 minutes, and let it bake.
Lightly steamed yellow beans shared the plate, along with some delectably flavored beans & rice. (This week, Jeff made a black bean/pinto bean combo, and a brown rice/wild rice/barley/lentil combo.)
When the experiment was done, and we were happily gobbling up our meal, I was surprised to discover that I had created a dish that tastes like good-old deep fried egg rolls -- only without the deep frying or the egg. ;o)
Isn't it pretty?
Vegan Fillo-Wrapped Cabbage
Happy cooking!
Sassy
July 13, 2007 10:12 - Cheddar Vegan Cheese Sauce
If you're on the lookout for vegan cheese recipes, allow me to introduce you to a delectable Cheddar Vegan Cheese Sauce. It takes about 2 minutes to whip up, and all you need is a blender.
As with all vegan cheese recipes, don't expect it to taste like dairy cheese. It's very difficult to capture that greasy, salty and fatty taste! But I think you'll find it hits the mark in terms of straight ahead comfort food.
I've always turned to Joanne Stepaniak's fabulous Uncheese Cookbook for my vegan cheese needs. The recipes are created using whole foods and the results can be amazing.
This particular recipe is my adaptation of one of Joanne's lovely cheesy creations. It uses white beans for a base, which turns this vegan cheese sauce into a great source of protein. And this is one of the few times I will use canned beans -- it's just too easy. (But if you have some white beans all cooked and ready to go, by all means use them.)
Don't skip the nutritional yeast -- it's what pushes this sauce into cheesy-tasting territory. As always, be sure to use nutritional yeast which contains the essential vitamin B12 we Vegans need, such as Red Star's.
Vegan Cheddar Cheese
Yield 2 cups
1 1/2 cups white beans (like Great Northern), rinsed* and well drained
1/2 cup pimiento pieces, drained
1/4 - 1/2 cup nutritional yeast
3 Tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 Tablespoons roasted tahini
1 Tablespoon miso
1 teaspoon onion granules
1/2 teaspoon prepared yellow mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
Blend all ingredients until completely smooth. Refrigerate unused sauce.
This is the basic recipe. You will likely have to tweak the amounts to suit your tastes -- don't be afraid to play with your food! ;o)
Now, how will you use this yummy vegan cheese sauce?
Although most people like to focus on vegan macaroni and cheese, a healthier option is to pour your cheese sauce over rice & beans. Why? Because rice and beans are whole foods. Whenever you have the option, always choose whole foods over more processed foods, such as macaroni.
Which is exactly what I did when I created dinner last night. Served with a side of veggies and a crisp green salad, it was delicious, healthy and comforting.
Vegan Cheesy Rice & Beans
Happy cooking!
* Why rinse your canned beans? Not only does it wash away much of the sodium which has been added to the beans, but it helps to cut down on, shall we say, intestinal discomfort.
July 14, 2007 21:39 - Vegan Caramel Apple Snack
Do you LOVE the taste of caramel apples but haven't been able to enjoy them since going Vegan?
Then you just might be happy to hear about an extremely simple Vegan Caramel Apple Snack that tastes just like caramel apples. This snack is so easy to make that you can whip it up in about 1 minute.
Simply mix into a small bowl creamy or chunky peanut butter (organic is always preferred) and Agave Nectar, until it's reached the taste and consistency you prefer. Cut your apple into sections, and dip to your heart's content.
It might be a little messy, but eating it is half the fun!
And this is a snack you can feel really good about eating. Why? Because the peanut butter is a wonderful source of protein, the Agave Nectar is a gentle sweetener that's low on the glycemic index (meaning it won't give you a "sugar high" and is perfect for those with blood sugar challenges), and the apple -- well, what can you say about an apple? It's one of our Earth's most perfect foods, with a list of nutrients that is literally 4 pages long!
Make some next time you need a rich and decadent-tasting treat. It's a healthy vegan snack any time of day -- for both the young AND young at heart. ;o)
Vegan Caramel Apple Snack
Enjoy!
July 18, 2007 16:08 - Warm Quinoa and Beet Salad
Isn't it funny how you can spend hours and hours over the years cranking yummy food out of your kitchen, and then BAM you stumble upon an interesting combination you hadn't considered before? That's what happened when I discovered Warm Beet and Quinoa Salad. It was soooo good that we promptly scarfed it down, and couldn't wait to eat the leftovers the next night.
This dish is packed with not only flavor, but some fabulous nutrients too.
Quinoa is a protein powerhouse - 12-18%!! Not only that, but it's a complete protein. It always amazes me how much nutrition is packed into this teeny tiny little grain.
And beets are filled with so many good things, including folate which helps your body to build new cells! (You can read more about this in an article I've written entitled Byte of Beets.)
Begin by making 4 cups of cooked quinoa (see the Quinoa main page for directions). While the quinoa is still warm, add in about 1 cup of grated raw beets. To flavor, I added a little parsley, some chopped scallions, a few drops of extra-virgin olive oil, and about 1/3 cup of fresh lemon juice. A little spinkle of salt and my dish was flavored to perfection.
As you can see from this photo, I served this delectable salad over a crisp Romaine lettuce leaf.
I simply cannot wait to make this pretty salad again. Give it a try and see what you think.
Warm Quinoa and Beet Salad
Happy cooking!
Today's spotlight was on Quinoa. By using the information found within the pages of the Vegan Coach website, you too can create quick and easy vegan meals without recipes! Ideas for flavorings in this meal were inspired by the "Vegan Flavor Matches" -- they make cooking a breeze!
July 20, 2007 20:51 - Tasty Vegan Beet Cubes
In my last blog I showed you how to make a Warm Quinoa and Beet Salad. Yummy. But I didn't use all the beets in my fridge until tonight. There are many ways to cut your beets, including slicing and grating. But next time consider making some Tasty Vegan Beet Cubes, which add not only a fun texture to your meal, but create a beautiful presentation.
Here's how easy it is...
Cut your beets into equal sized cubes -- your cubes need to be very close in size so they'll all cook evenly and finish at the same time. I chose to steam my beets because I feel it's the healthiest cooking technique, but choose the method you like best.
Place beets in a steamer of your choice and steam until tender, which will vary depending on how large or small you've cubed your beets. Figure on anywhere from 10-20 minutes. When they're fork tender, they're ready to be decorated with your favorite vegan toppings.
A quick look at the "Vegan Flavor Matches" on the VeganCoach.com Beets main page shows the following flavors can be used with success when flavoring your beets:
Vegan Flavor Matches
Allspice
Apples
Butter, non-dairy (I like Earth Balance)
Cheese, non-dairy
Chives
Cloves
Cream, non-dairy
Cucumber
Curry
Dill
Fennel
Ginger
Horseradish
Lemon
Mustard
Nutmeg
Onions
Oranges
Paprika
Parsley
Potatoes
Salt
Shallots
Sour Cream, non-dairy
Sucanat (or Brown Sugar)
Tarragon
Vinaigrette
Vinegar (especially balsamic, sherry and white wine)
Walnuts
Walnut Oil
Watercress
Now, just because these flavors match beets, doesn't necessarily mean they'll match each other. So you'll want to try to grasp which flavors will go well together (such as cucumber and dill) and which should be avoided (such as potatoes and oranges -- although some of the strangest mixtures have been known to create a winning dish never seen before!).
Here's what I chose for flavoring my beets -- this dish was definitely a winner.
Butter, non-dairy (I like Earth Balance)
Chives
Dill
Vinegar, balsamic
I served it with a side of quinoa for a nice protein boost, 1/2 an avocado for some delectable healthy fats, and a dill pickle just for fun!
Tasty Vegan Beet Cubes
Happy cooking!
Today's spotlight was on Beets. By using the information found within the pages of the Vegan Coach website, you too can create quick and easy vegan meals without recipes! Ideas for flavorings in this meal were inspired by the "Vegan Flavor Matches" -- they make cooking a breeze!
July 24, 2007 11:18 - Vegan Healthy Weight Loss
Lately, I've been asked by several people about weight loss.
HEALTHY weight loss.
And more specifically, VEGAN healthy weight loss.
I have always found eating a vegan diet to be one of the best kept secrets for weight loss. There's no counting calories. And it's pretty straightforward -- no "points" to deal with or measuring out your food. A vegan diet is probably one of the simplest and most natural "diets" on the planet, and it might very well be the healthiest too...
...if you take the time to learn how to do it right.
So I'd like to share with you what I feel are the 2 most important factors to weight loss, and why a vegan diet works.
Reason #1. The main reason most people are overweight is due to toxins which have become trapped in your body. Your intestines are chock full of these toxins -- they are very lazy and pretty content just hanging around inside your body doing nothing but making you sick and overweight.
So what is going to knock those toxins out of there?
FIBER.
Many people have heard of fiber, but one thing you may not know is that there is ZERO FIBER IN ANIMAL PRODUCTS. And if the food you eat doesn't contain fiber, it's not moving along nicely through your system. So these foods which are devoid of fiber become trapped with all those other lazy toxins that are hanging around inside of you. And when those toxins build up, look out. Because they're the start to all sorts of illnesses and diseases.
What you need to do is PUSH those toxins out of there. But how? Some people take fiber in the form of pills or fiber-rich water drinks. And this can help. But if you're just going to continue shoveling all the fiber-devoid food in again, what's the point?
You need a plan that works. A plan that will get all that food moving out of your intestines-- that's when you're going to see some noticeable results.
Did you know that ALL plant foods contain fiber? So when the majority of your diet is made up of plant foods, such as veggies and fruits, beans and grains, and whole organic soy foods*. you're ingesting a lot of NATURAL FIBER that is going to act like an intestinal broom and push all those unhealthy fats and toxins out of your body.
Reason #2. It's important to understand that 3 meals a day just doesn't usually cut it for most people. You'll likely find yourself reaching for something midway through the morning or afternoon, or craving a snack before bedtime. So let's just face the reality and call it 6 small meals a day.
Now, imagine for a moment that you're sitting in front of a table that has 6 plates on it. Those plates represent all the meals and snacks you'll enjoy on a daily basis -- and are PRIME real estate. Do any of your plates contain:
- foods containing sugar and flour?
- chips, pretzels and other snacky type foods?
- cake, candy and other sweets?
- pre-packaged and processed vegan substitutes, such as soy cheese, soy bacon, soy deli meats?
These foods represent unnatural and mostly unhealthy and empty calories. And if you want to lose weight, you simply cannot use up ANY of your valuable "table real estate" on empty calories.
You have 6 chances each and every day to eat the foods that will keep you feeling and looking your healthy best -- that doesn't leave a lot of wiggle room because you can only eat so much food in a day! So if even ONE of those plates contain any of the above foods, then you have just squeezed out a chance to eat the foods that will bring you good health and, as a result, the weight loss you seek.
It's just SO important to grasp this concept. Because that little tiny snack of chips around 3 pm or that cookie around 9 pm is exactly what's holding you back from successful weight loss.
Instead, focus every "meal" on WHOLE FOODS. How will you know if it's a whole food? Just keep in mind, the furthest away from the LOOK of a whole food, the more likely it is that the nutrients have been processed right out of it -- and the more likely it is to contain the empty calories that you should be trying desperately to avoid.
Everyone is different, of course, and if you have a very large amount of weight to lose its best to work with a doctor or nutritionist. But if you're one of those people who just have a moderate amount of weight to lose in order to fit into your "skinny jeans", then reach for whole foods to provide the vegan healthy weight loss you crave.
But above all remember this: The MOST IMPORTANT thing is to focus on being the healthiest person you can be. Weight loss just happens to be a positive side effect. ;O)
My website VeganCoach.com has been created to show you how to prepare vegan whole foods (like veggies, fruits, beans and grains) in the easiest way possible so you can stick to your guns and remain a vegan success story. Please visit Sassy's Top 10 Vegan Nutrition Tips to get yourself started on the right foot in choosing the foods that will help you to lose weight and keep it off for life!
* (Whole organic soy foods include foods such as edamames and tempeh, which are less processed than the soy meat and cheese substitutes that line your grocery shelves).
July 29, 2007 10:10 - Vegan Mushroom Miso Gravy
When you're in the mood for a little comfort food, you can't go wrong with Vegan Mushroom Miso Gravy. If you've never used miso before, this is a great time to try it because you'll gain an understanding of what flavor miso imparts to a dish -- slightly salty and slightly sharp with just a tiniest hint of a tang. It brings this gravy to new heights.
Miso is soooo good for you since it's high in protein and chock full of vitamins and minerals. However, it's important to remember to NEVER BOIL MISO as this destroys many of the delicate nutrients. You will simply add miso at the tail end of your completed dish.
But what exactly is miso? Miso is a thick paste made of fermented rice, barley or soybeans (USUALLY soy) -- and if you're going to eat soy, fermented is the way to go. It comes in different "colors" and flavors, but the most popular is white miso and red miso. Give them both a taste test.
Miso requires refrigeration, and usually a small amount is all you need to flavor your dish to perfection.
Miso is very delicate and must be shielded from air as much as possible for storing in your fridge. That's why you'll notice when you purchase your miso and remove the lid that there is a small sheet of plastic covering the miso. After using the amount you need, return that plastic to the miso and press down slightly to ensure a good seal. If you ever accidentally throw that plastic away (ahem -- guilty!!), then simply use a small piece of cling wrap instead.
VEGAN MUSHROOM MISO GRAVY
1/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
1/3 cup nutritional yeast
1/4 cup white miso
1/2 cup hot water
1 Tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 cup thinly sliced mushrooms
2 cups water
Put the flour in a small dry frying pan over medium heat and toast, stirring often until it has darkened evenly to a light brown. Transfer the flour to a medium bowl.
In a small bowl, stir the nutritional yeast, miso and hot water together. Set aside.
In a medium saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring until softened, about 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring until lightly browned, about 5 minutes.
Meanwhile, add the 2 cups water to the browned flour and whisk until combined.
Whisk the flour mixture into the mushrooms, and simmer, whisking often, until the mixture is thickened, 1 to 2 minutes. Stir in the nutritional yeast and miso mixture. Bring just to a simmer, and remove from the heat. Remember, NEVER BOIL MISO.
Serve hot.
I served my Vegan Mushroom Miso Gravy over a delectable little Millet and Potato Dish I whipped up in minutes. Follow the instructions for boiled millet or pressure cooker millet using veggie stock, and add unpeeled and cubed potatoes right to the pot before your millet starts to cook. Flavor to your exact tastes using the "Vegan Flavor Matches" on the Millet main page.
Happy cooking!
July 31, 2007 12:27 - Vegan Brunch! Millet and Potato Patties
In my last blog I shared a delectable Vegan Mushroom Miso Gravy with you, and I served it over a delicious Vegan Millet and Potato dish which can be whipped up in minutes.
Wondering what to do with the leftovers?
Make them into adorable Vegan Millet and Potato Patties!
But it's important to mix this concoction with something that will help them to stick together.
The answer? Flax eggs. You can learn how to make flax eggs here. Flax eggs are made with flax seeds and water -- that's it! And they add a nice little bump in nutrition for your patties.
Mix enough flax eggs with your millet and potatoes (or any other leftover grain dish you have!) until you can form patties that stick together.
Then fry them in a little bit of Extra-Virgin Olive Oil until browned. Carefully flip and brown the other side.
I served my patties with leftover Mushroom Miso Gravy which I heated in a small saucepan while I browned my patties.
The results were fun, and made for a yummy and healthy vegan brunch. Serve with toast, spread with some PB&J.
Oh, and don't forget the organic coffee. ;o)
Vegan Millet Potato Patties
Happy cooking!
Today's spotlight was on Millet. By using the information found within the pages of the Vegan Coach website, you too can create quick and easy vegan meals without recipes! Ideas for flavorings in this meal were inspired by the "Vegan Flavor Matches" -- they make cooking a breeze!
