These Pigs are not in a Blanket...

When vegan twinkies were featured at the Vegan Lunch Box, some bloggers started seaching for this Twinkies bake set, and that included me. But it was not available in any local store I called or checked out, nor was I willing to pay half its price in shipping if ordered online.
Now that the Twinkies pan rage is over, guess what I found at the Kitchen Collection store at the outlet mall that we went to yesterday? Yes, a Hostess Twinkies baking set, for $14.99- How cool is that?

The drive home was a different story. I call it the "end of the holiday weekend major freeway traffic." I really don't mind those as long as we aren't late for anything, and as long as Ron is driving and I have books with me. We had to drive side by side with a trailer full of pigs for a few miles. This must be the first time that three year old Zurielle had seen "prison-on-wheels" full of animals. She asked, "Mommy, why are the pigs stuck?"
The conversation went on. But of course, this is the same girl who the other day I had to explain the whole sewage system to, bacause she doesn't stop at one question. She has many why's.
So now, she knows about the bacon, the porkchops and the ham. By the end of the conversation, mommy was teary eyed. I'm telling you, this girl is something else...

I had a $10 coupon for $50 purchase from the store I mentioned above, and since I don't own a waffle iron, I decided to get one. I used Susan's recipe here, and everybody thought the waffles were the best. I had to make 2 batches and couldn't keep up! At least I was able to take a photo of the last one made!
Here I used whole wheat pastry flour, way less salt than called for, and 1 T ground flaxseeds instead of the egg replacer.
Hearts to the waffles!

Recipe Testing and More

This week, we had been testing some recipes for the Food Snob. With the Pumpkin dip, I enlisted the help of Aliyah. I could already see Catherine's cookbook as a hit to parents cooking with children. Aliyah said she could eat this with anything.

I took a photo of the Peanut Butter dip, but it doesn't do justice to it, so I'm not posting that, but it was nevertheless good and Zurielle has been devouring it by itself.

We baked three kinds of muffins in one testing. Yes, three, which translates to 18 muffins. With very few basic ingredients, the result was fantastic and everyone was happy. By the way, there are 11 variations in this recipe. Way to go, Catherine!




At first, I had doubts with the broccoli in this Hoisin Stir-Fry. Until the last minute, it looked so raw, but after removing the pan from the heat and adding the sauce, it ended up so perfect, cooked crunchy as with the rest of the other vegetables in it. This is such a lovely dish. I served it in a bed of udon noodles which is an excellent choice. Again, everyone was happy...





So here's to Catherine and her upcoming cookbook!

Four successful recipes and we are so ready to test more.

Update on Sprouting

Lentils and Green Peas after soaking overnight in jars and rinsing. They double in size after sprouting so that's easier to figure out than alfalfa and other smaller seeds.








4 more rinsing and draining, and 2 days later, they are ready to go in the fridge. I think 36 hours would have been sufficient for these babies.

I found a new use for my Tupperware Stackables. Awesome.





I added both the lentils and peas to a stir-fry of garlic, onion, mushrooms, red bell pepper, carrots, green onion and fresh pineapples, seasoned only with soy sauce and rice vinegar. Ron was peeling and cutting the pineapple while I was doing this so that was an impromptu but really nice addition.

This and quinoa? Num!

Midweek Munchies Challenge

Veg*n Meme I have a challenge for you this week!

This week, I decided to list some things that you would have seen in my Midweek Munchies a few months ago, but now would normally NOT be included in our grocery bills at all. As drastic as switching to a vegan kitchen is, somehow things are still evolving and we still manage to make small changes along the way. Here goes: potato chips cookies regular tortilla chips popcorn boxes cereal individually packaged oatmeal bottled fruit juices coffee (I still treat myself to a soy latte once in a while) canned beans And here is a list of things that we absolutely have to get in BULK: SPICES -how neat is it that you control how much you take home and not have to pay $$ if you ever have to get a few different spices at a time? Plus they're organic! GRAINS, including quinoa, different varieties of rice, barley, etc NUTS & SEEDS, including those for sprouting BEANS - they are truly much better coming from the freezer that the can! OATS, GRANOLA (I make my own, but A. likes a Whole Foods kind) LIQUIDS like maple syrup, brown rice syrup, blackstrap molasses, pure vanilla extract, almond extract, etc. It does make us feel good getting these in bulk and not having to recycle or throw away tons of carton boxes, packagings, jars, cans and bottles. Though some of you are doing these already (buying mostly in bulk), I'd like to throw a challenge to the others: Would you buy something in bulk this week that normally you would buy in a packaged/branded kind? What other items would you add here?

Click here for Harmonia's blog

Put together by a small group of Veg Women, we hope to spread the word about healthy vegetarianism while obtaining idea starters for meals, recipes, learn about new products, and meet other female veg*n bloggers. Visiting and commenting on other participants lists are encouraged but not required. Have fun and Go Veg!

EarthSave Potluck and More

This is the Quinoa Spring Salad from Vive Le Vegan! that I brought to the EarthSave potluck last Sunday. The Lemon-Herb Tofu, also from the same cookbook, that we brought along with the salad, went very fast. There was a guy there who called the quinoa - "couscous". Is that pretty common?

I went with Aliyah and she was really glad to meet another vegan girl there, which she now calls her friend.



We watched the film, "Modern Meat," which my girl found very interesting. I guess this film really sealed it for her that she'd never have a taste of flesh again. Sure hope so...

Same salad, different day. So light and refreshing, I see it being a regular around here.




When I saw the recipe for this Chana Masala from Vegancore, I know I have to try it. This is absolutely a treasure of a formula. Thanks, Vegancore.

And what does this have to do with the EarthSave post? Nothing, except that I'm thinking of making this kick-butt dish for the awesome people at EarthSave come next potluck.

The Animal Rescue Center

I just checked to see what the children were up to. They had a blanket spread out on the floor, pillows on both sides, and cuddlies* lined up on top. They also had a cooler, food toys and a stethoscope. Knowing the question on my mind, Aliyah quickly told me that this is the "Animal Rescue Center."

I'm so proud of these kids...

*The term "cuddlies" seems more appropriate than "stuffed animals."

Twin Cities Buzzing

My husband was telling me of this place in Minneapolis that he had just read about in the online paper yesterday. He was curious to check it out, and so was I when he told me about it.
This is the Midtown Global Market at the old Sears building on Lake and Chicago. Awesome is what they have done to this place! We're talking about an open area with 60 vendors of produce, hot food, grocery, and unique items. They won't have a grand opening until the first week of June, and actually only a part of it is open now, but it is still worth a visit if you are in the Twin Cities.

The Produce Exchange is situated right in the middle of it all. They have all kinds of organic fruits and veggies so Aliyah was thrilled about that. The guy at the counter told me that they are a local produce wholesaler and that this is their first retail store ever. I got a 15% discount on my purchase, but with a 3 year old crying on my shoulder because she couldn't get that $8 bag of candy, I wasn't able to ask what the discount was for.

We got a Vegetarian combo at the Holy Land deli, and for less than $9 we got falafel, salad, dolmas, spinach pie, and lots of rice. They should have lunch buffet on the weekdays too, but this I am not sure if available yet.

The stores are giving away canvas bags for purchases of $10 or more. We got 2. So what are you waiting for? Go check it out!

Also, Trader Joe's is now open in St Louis Park. At long last...

Eggplant, Garbanzo & Green Peas with Coconut and Cilantro

Here's more of tofu and quinoa. Yes, they are that good!
The Indian dish was inspired by a recipe called "Green Peas with Coconut and Cilantro" from World Vegetarian, only I couldn't bear the sight of lonely peas, so here's my humble version:
pinch of asafoetida
1/2 T brown mustard seeds
1 t whole cumin seeds
15-20 fresh curry leaves
1 large eggplant
1 cup cooked chickpeas
1 cup green peas, frozen
1/2 T sugar
turmeric
1 t ground cumin
1 t coriander
1/2 c grated coconut, soaked in 1/4 cup of hot water
4 T cilantro, salt to taste

Heat oil in a skillet, add asafoetida, followed by mustard and cumin seeds. After a few seconds add the curry leaves. Stir and add in eggplant. After 2-4 minutes, add in the chickpeas, green peas, sugar, turmeric, ground cumin and coriander. Add a few tablespoons of water and boil. Cover and simmer gently for 5 minutes. Uncover, turn the heat up to medium-high and add the coconut and cilantro. Salt to taste.

Someday I might even just follow the recipe and make it solely with green peas. But for now, we shall enjoy this medley of good things.

Awesome, wholesome, want some?

These are some dishes I made throughout the week and yet they look like they were cooked for one meal, don't they?

First, this is my own version of mixed vegetable curry. I was still thinking of the food we had at the Indian restaurant the day before and so this was inevitable. Have you ever had a culinary moment where you were so inspired that you just put in whatever spices come to mind and it turns out really good, but afterwards you couldn't recollect everything that went in there? This is one of those.

THE COMEBACK OF THE QUINOA
this time with Asian flavored tofu:
garlic, ginger, soy sauce, brown rice vinegar, rice wine, sesame oil and agave nectar.

Hubby liked it a lot but Aliyah still prefers the Lemon-Herb kind.

When I started cooking quinoa with veggies, I knew I have a keeper. 2 cups of quinoa, a carrot, a red bell pepper, spinach and dried basil were added to 3 cups boiling water and simmered for 15-20 minutes. Awesome, wholesome... want some?

Lunch one day was left-over quinoa and my version of Chana Masala. Again, I didn't take notes, though I remember adding onion, ginger, tomatoes, fresh lemon juice, fresh curry leaves, garam masala, cumin, turmeric and asafoetida. I am working on improving my recording and measuring skills, so that I could have the written recipe, even just for my own good!

Work in progress...

Midweek Munchies

A Veg*n Meme What wonderful foods did you bring home from the grocery store?

Midweek Munchies: What KAIVEGAN is contributing for the week The kids seem to be enjoying their Pina Colada soy smoothies at the co-op's bar. Soy Latte for mom. I have gone to four different stores since Thursday: an Indian grocer, the (Southeast) Asian market, the co-op and twice at Whole Foods. The list could be long so I decided to just include food that are most likely not going to be on your list, those that are not normally on mine, or those that I would like for you to try! The asterisk (*) stands for ORGANIC. Now, let's get started. jackfruits, plantains banana leaves glutinous (or sweet) rice coconut milk grated cassava, frozen fresh curry leaves tapioca pearls garbanzo bean flour *2 pound bag of lemons (don't know how I managed not getting them by bags in the past) asafoetida garlic pita IN BULK: *brown mustard seeds *garam masala (I really have to make my own) *fenugreek seeds *adzuki beans *chai tea *Earth's Best Baby Care lotion All Terrain Hand Sanz (with Aloe & Vitamin E) Nature's Gate Papaya Moisturizing lotion Happy MM'ing everyone. I should be able to post about some of the things we made sometime this week.

Click here for Harmonia's blog

Put together by a small group of Veg Women, we hope to spread the word about healthy vegetarianism while obtaining idea starters for meals, recipes, learn about new products, and meet other female veg*n bloggers. Visiting and commenting on other participants lists are encouraged but not required. Have fun and Go Veg!

Sprouting

Johanna and the Vegancyclist asked about sprouting in a previous post, and so some of these information are repetitive. But after reading Carrie's question in another comment area, I thought it would be best to just whip a sprouting post.
Seeds, beans and grains to sprout require soaking, usually overnight, but some seeds require longer than that, and so it is better to decide what you want to sprout first, and then find out how long to soak and sprout.
The Sprout People is a really good site to frequent to learn about sprouting. Most of their seeds are organic and they also carry this awesome sprouter. I must add though that I got mine from the Sprout House along with a hemp bag and seeds, grains and beans to sprout. It's because I got a better deal there, shipping and product cost-wise. Nevertheless, if you are new to sprouting, the Sprout People website is highly recommended. They could give more info and detailed instructions better than I could. Your local library should have books about sprouting too. Check them out!

What I like about this sprouter is the convenience it offers us. Very kid-friendly, too. The bottom has small holes, so all you have to do when it's rinsing time is put it under running water, drain, and set in the bottom tray to keep draining excess water. It has a cover tray too, which is great because most seeds like it dark.

This is the batch where I put in too much alfalfa seeds. I think I put 5 heaping tablespoons, which I didn't expect would yield this much. Lesson learned. Nonetheless, they were so crunchy and sweet. Have you seen Aliyah's blog with these sprouts?

(I hope this helps. For the rest of you who've been sprouting, feel free to pitch in!)

Lunch Worthy of Dinner

I was still thinking about the Lemon-Herb Tofu from VLV that we had for dinner last night so I made it again today. Aliyah was delighted to find out what's cookin' in the oven. The only difference is that last night's tofu was frozen so the slices were firmer and seemed to absorb the wonderful flavors better. Though A. agreed with me that the tofu needs to be frozen first, she made the comment that this is also very good. Another favorite from the cooking diva!

Anatolian Red Lentil Stew from World Vegetarian. Thanks to Susan for featuring this delightful dish on her blog. The first time I made this I used barley instead of wheat berries like Susan did. But this time I used quinoa as inspired by Leslie's revised Sloppy Lentils. I think I'm having protein overload today!

Johanna's Green Plantain Soup

Johanna from Puerto Rico shared this Sopa de Platano Verde recipe with me. It was a totally new and interesting flavor to us. I used the liquid from making a big batch of chickpeas for broth. After peeling and cutting the green plantain, I chopped it in a small food processor and added it to the liquid. Johanna said to add favorite spices but just the soy sauce, pepper and garlic powder did a wonderful work. I simmered it for about 10 minutes, by then the soup had already thickened. Delicioso! Gracias Johanna. We had this with Lemon-Herb Tofu from Vive Le Vegan and quinoa.

But here's what I had for lunch:
alfalfa sprouts (home-sprouted)
chickpeas from the big batch that I just made
red kale, left-over from Aliyah's awesome sandwich
portabellas, sauteed in the kale's liquid + wine

You should have seen all the beans I made! I'm freezing a few 2-3 c. containers already and still have a huge tupperware of them in the refrigerator! And the sprouts? I think I put too many a spoonful of seeds that I had to move some out of the sprouter after the first day! No problem. I think they will be gone in a few days. They taste much better and sweeter that their store-bought counterpart, even A. and hubby like them. That said, I won't buy sprouts from the store again!

Festival of Nations

The Festival of Nations is definitely our favorite multi- cultural event in the Twin Cities. Over 90 ethnic groups from around the world participate to share with the rest of us their foods, traditions, arts and crafts. My daughter Aliyah volunteered in the Filipino food booth, and mind you, she worked a 3-hour shift! It turned out to be an awesome experience for her that she wants to do it again next year, this time with Mom.

There were so many different kinds of foods to try. I have never been this interested in tasting so many diverse cuisines until I started cooking vegan last year. The obvious winner for me was the Egyptian booth. Their Koshary was awesome and even 3-year old Zurielle got in the act with their Spinach Pie. I was looking at their falafel too, but by that time I already had enough to eat. I must mention we had some Indian food before my husband came across the Egyptian booth.
I was really excited to see an old friend whom I worked with in the bank operations many years ago! He was working at the Turkish booth right next to where Aliyah helped. It's nice to see him after so many years and in his Turkish costume. It turned out his oldest daughter is as old as mine and he's mostly vegetarian. He had me try their dolma, and I would have tried the other food too, except they have cheese and all that stuff.

A little more walking around and perusing the exhibit area and we have room again to try some food which were vegetarian/vegan, but either too greasy or salty, so not worth mentioning here, except for the macaroons which my bunch liked. Do you have a good veganized version of macaroons? Please holler. And when you have a moment, check out the Festival of Nations website, so I could at least share more of this experience with you. For some reasons, this annual event just took on a new and richer meaning for me and our family this year.

"United" Foods

I have taken a few photos in the course of my now neglectful blogging days. I decided to post some just to keep the ball rolling here. The first dish is a veganize version of a Filipino dish called "chop suey". Well okay, it's Chinese, but growing up in the Philippines, I really thought this was indigenous to us.
Basically, just sautee garlic and onion in veggie broth. I used Imagine Foods no-chicken broth. Add big pieces of carrots and celeries, diagonally cut. You should have at least a cup of broth to keep adding as you need it. Now, it's time for the cauliflowers, green beans or other veggies that you have. Cook covered for a few minutes. Use a vegan seasoning cube to flavor. Add red/green bell peppers towards the end, maybe mushrooms. Mix a teaspoon or so of cornstarch with cold water and use to thicken sauce. Enjoy with brown rice.

Normally, you would eat Indian food with... well yeah, Indian food, right? My oldest asked for Samosas (from the freezer) but I wasn't about to look in any cookbook for a quick Indian recipe, so here's what we come up with: Samosas with boiled quinoa, sauteed lemony kale and broccoli slaw.

And here's another one of those " international" meals. We made Mexican rice for an early Cinco de Mayo, and planned to make other things with it, but I was already exhausted and want to get this over with. So come my "emergency stir-fry" - pretty much with canned and frozen ingredients, except for the onion and red bell pepper. The edamame was a really fun addition to this dish. The Mexican rice was very good and the 3 year old commented, "Mommy, this is the best you make (made)!" Cute...

As you can see, no fancy or well-thought-of meals here, but basically, this is how our family eats most of the time anyway. I'm just glad I have computer time tonight and that I'm able to enjoy tea with my legs up in the ottoman!