Pumpkin Risotto (Soy-Free)

When it comes to things for myself I'm really, really cheap. I've almost always been this way - its both a combination of greed for the few funds I do have and a way to make sure that my other family members have enough money and food. So, as I've mentioned once or twice before, I go on a fiscal fast once in a while to use up everything in the fridge and to ensure that I don't spend anything. Yesterday's meal was using up some fresh brussels sprouts and a huge can of pumpkin puree that I had used for a failed recipe.

About two months ago in one of my cooking classes/internships, a chef from a school in Chicago came and showed us all how to make pumpkin risotto without using butter or cream. He demonstrated nice knife skills of course, and he showed the others how to properly cut onions and even corrected me on a separate task. When it came to finishing the risotto after letting the orzo pasta strands being coated in extra-virgin olive oil, he added in a huge load of chicken stock and then covered the whole thing in parmesan cheese. While I obviously avoided that dish, I couldn't deny that it was visually creamy and it smelled so good.

A week later I had made it and shared it with my mother whom took it for lunch the next day. Today I'm sharing the "recipe" with you, as its really all about feel and what you like. You can even put a little chef's hat on and pretend not to be poor (Okay, maybe that's just me)!

(Pumpkin Risotto Ingredients)

• Boiling Water or Stock
• 1/4-1/2 cup Canned Pumpkin
• 1 Medium Onion, diced
• 2 Cloves of Garlic, finely minced
• Olive Oil for sauteing
• 2 cups Orzo Pasta
• Pinch of Salt Pepper
• Basil, Italian Seasonings and Thyme
• Nutritional Yeast (optional)

(Directions)

• Start by sauteing your onions with the olive oil until softened. Then add in your minced garlic and continually stir.
• Add in more olive oil if necessary, then add in your orzo and coat in the oil for about 1-2 minutes.
• Add in about a cup of boiling liquid and continually stir. Add in your pumpkin and allow it to bubble. Add more liquid as needed and cook until the pasta is tender or al dente.
• Serve immediately and enjoy.

Cookie Monster Birthday Cake

I'm not going to go on about how good this cake is, how white it is or how "unhealthy" it is - because I like it and I could make it for a bunch of birthday occasions. But it's pretty obvious that this isn't my first cake rodeo, I have so many cake recipes up the wazoo on this blog that may hint to deeper, more disturbing things. You see, when I was a chubby little two year old my brother's birthday cake had arrived at the house, which makes sense since it was his birthday (man, I'm like a detective or something - just call me Shinlock!).  It was a white cake with chocolate frosting and all of a sudden I felt something, a primal urge. I was a cavegirl and that cake was just setting off my radar - I had to pounce. I squirmed and squealed in the arms of my sister, only having a few repetitive words in my vocabulary really didn't help me at this time but my intentions were clear. "No! That cake is for your brother!" I imagine my sister said with her french wig and corset and expensive jewelry that was draining the French economy. I'm 100% sure she told us all to eat cake before, but then again I was two -years old.

Unfortunately for them (and later, myself) the matriarch of the family decided to take a nap and that is when I took a chance. I recall seeing a "Cosby Show" episode with Rudy and Cliff stuffing a cake with napkins after eating a slice and thought that I should do the same. Of course...it would have to be taken from the middle because I'm a cake expert and I knew that it would fall. I had just dove into the cake and found that it wasn't worth it. I hated chocolate, yuck! Of course, right underneath the layer of the na-na-na-nasty chocolate there was the delicate and fluffy vanilla cake. That was my prize for being such good girl, besides, being the baby of the family means that I get whatever I want.

As I peered over the cake with about 10 feet of chocolate-covered napkins in my left hand and a chunk full of cake in the middle I heard an "Ooh!" and snapped my head around to see my sister shaking her finger at me...boy was I in trouble. Let's just say that the ending to that story was not a happy one - but I still hate chocolate frosting!

Now, I think we outta get down to this cake recipe. Its just a white cake with white icing with lots of Newman-O's (and a few Ore's as well).

(Cookies N Cream Cake Ingredients)

• 4 C. Cake Flour
• 1 tbl. Baking Powder.
• 1 & 1/2 C. Powdered Sugar
• Pinch of Salt
• 1 C. Soymilk + 1/4 C. Vegetable Oil & 1 tbl. Vanilla Extract
• Smashed Cookies

(Directions)

• Sift your dry ingredients together then stir in your wet.
• Fold in your cookies then tap on a flat surface 15 times before baking at 350 degrees.
• Bake for about 30 minutes or until your toothpick comes out clean from checking it. Take out of pan and allow to cool.
• Decorate with white frosting and many more cookies, slice and enjoy!

You can use any frosting recipe that you like, but I'll be doing a few tutorials pretty soon. ^.~

Winners of The Daiya Cheese Coupon Giveaway

The two winners of the Daiya Cheese coupon giveaway are Sarah and Ashley!


Please contact me at aikovenus@gmail.com with the following info;

Name:
Address:
Email Address:

The last coupon is for wedges.

Daiya Cheese Coupon Giveaway!



Images from daiyafoods.com/

In celebration of my birthday week (and another part of Shinmas going by) I am offering two coupons for Daiya cheese products! One is for their wedges and one is for their delicious, easy-to-melt shreds which means that there are TWO winners possible for this giveaway.

Never experienced Daiya Cheese before? Daiya cheese is a vegan cheese that contains absolutely no soy, gluten, dairy (including lactose and casein) or eggs. It has the ability to melt and stretch and tastes exactly the opposite of what most people know of other vegan cheeses. There are six different flavors (three per each type of cheese) so you have a great variety! Any product you buy from Daiya will be melty, creamy and needs nothing but heat to get it to be so.

Here are some amazing recipes and ideas that utilize Daiya Cheese.

Tofu manicotti smothered with Daiya Cheese (Mozzarella-Style)

From "Wanna Be A Vegan".

http://wannabeavegan.wordpress.com/2009/07/22/12-days-of-daiya/

A sandwiched stuffed to the brim with Daiya Cheese, fresh foccacia, seitan and tomatoes.

From "JL Goes Vegan"
http://jlgoesvegan.com/rosemary-bread-grilled-seitan-daiya-sandwich/

 

 A great seitan philly improved by Daiya Cheese wedges.

from "Busy Vegetarian Mom"

http://www.busyvegetarianmom.com/recipes/vegan-philly-cheese-steak-sammies/

Want to get in on making your own deliciously-creamy creations but don't know where? Have you already fallen in love with Daiya and now all you want is to buy it every day and you want a little break? Here's how to enter!

Store Locator:
http://www.daiyafoods.com/where-to-buy 


Mandatory Entries:
'Like' Shin's Vegan Lovin' and Daiya Cheese on Facebook and leave a comment.
Follow me on Blogger through Google Friend Connect and leave a comment.

Extra Entries:
Tell me whether you would prefer wedges or shreds.
Comment about your ultimate vegan cheese-dish.
Comment to wish me a happy birthday!
Share this giveaway on Twitter, Facebook or Pinterest and comment about it.

Enjoy!

 Giveaway ends on November 18th, 2012 at 12:00 am.

Day 12 of Shinmas

I'm surprised that we haven't had drinks featured before!

Day 11 of Shinmas

We have a bunch of great recipes for this one in the queue! ^^

Day 10 of Shinmas

Today we have a very creative article instead of a blog presentation. I was contacted by a nice man named Allen with this nice vegetarian article that I wish to share. This was the one thing that interested me the most on all of the sites.

http://www.parttimenanny.org/blog/how-to-encourage-healthy-eating-habits-in-kids/

 

It has a list of ways to get kids to eat healthier without completely giving up snacks and sweets - something that I like.  

 

 

 

 

Anything else that is found on this website is not in any way connected to myself, my thoughts or opinions.

 

 

If you want to participate in any of the days - here's the list!

http://shinsveganloving.blogspot.com/2012/11/19-days-of-shinmas-event-sign-up-now.html 

Day 9 of Shinmas

Day 8 of Shinmas

PB & J Brownies with(out) Crackle Crust

I'm trying something a little different with my photographs - you like? This brownie recipe came to me when I got tired of just peanut butter sandwiches (I'm not really a big fan of PB & J anymore) and I had a huge bag of chocolate that just needed to be used. Add in my love for all things that are a little crazy, I also tried a somewhat successful crackle bread crust on top that broke enough to hold onto piece of jelly, but I think it needs to be adjusted before I post it. These brownies are moist, fudgey and super fun to make!

 

 



 

 

(PB & J Brownie Ingredients)

• 1 & 1/2 C. Cake Flour
• 3/4 tsp. Baking Powder
• 3/4 C. Cocoa Powder
• 1/4 C. Vegetable Oil
• 1/4 tsp. Salt
• 1/2 C. Melted Chocolate
• 1 C. Raw Sugar
• 1 tsp. Vanilla Extract
• 1 C. of Non-Dairy Milk
• Peanut butter, powdered sugar and Jelly of your choice

(Directions)

• Combine your liquids and sift your dry ingredients (except the ones at the bottom and the melted chocolate) together.
• Fold them all together, then fold in your melted chocolate.
• Combine the powdered sugar and peanut butter together, then place them on top of the whole thing.
• Swirl in as much jelly as you think is necessary and bake for about 30-45 minutes at 350 degrees.

Enjoy!

Day Seven of Shinmas

Today's first post for Shinmas comes from "Oh She Glows" with a fantastically simple and delicious roasted tomato and basil pesto. Slather it on sandwiches, dress up some slaw or fold into your vegan cheese and bake with some nice pasta for a great meal. The roasted tomnatoes and aromatic basil are sure to make anything delicious.

 

"Oh She Glows" is a fantastic blog filled to the brim with beautiful photography and enticing recipes, it is also filled with a lot of heart. I've been a fan of this blog even before I started blogging myself and this recipe was absolutely perfect for Day 7. In my opinion, its filled with the raw richness and kindness of Angela - the author of "Oh She Glows". Not only are there beautiful recipes and sights - there are few times that you WON'T see something related to a fundraiser or giveaway posted.

In this blog you truly see an ongoing journey and its much more than a recipe blog.

I think that when you step inside and see what I'm talking about, you can experience it for yourself and roam through. Its a fantastic blog from the heart. :)

Oh She Glows Blog Link: http://www.ohsheglows.com/

Roasted Tomato-Basil Pesto Link: http://ohsheglows.com/2011/09/06/roasted-tomato-basil-pesto 

 

 

Something that would be absolutely fantastic to go along with that delicious sauce is my friend Susmitha's Neat balls. A super surprising ingredient in them? Turnips! They're filled with lots of flavorful goodies and the two recipes would be a great, tantilizing meal!

Veganosaurus Blog Link: http://blog.veganosaurus.com/

Neat Balls Recipe Link: http://blog.veganosaurus.com/2012/10/spaghetti-and-neat-balls-vegan-mofo-day.html 

 

 

Merry Shinmas! Start it off here - http://shinsveganloving.blogspot.com/2012/11/19-days-of-shinmas-event-sign-up-now.html 

Day Six of Shinmas

Day six is here! Just thirteen days to go so join now!

Day Five of Shinmas

Today we have a great, simple apple tarte that is both easy and love and easy to make. Its filled with pre-cooked, caramel glazed pears and coated with a bit of sugar, cinnamon and coconut oil (if you like).  If you wish to join in on the second post - feel free to comment here.

Pear Tart Recipe Link: http://shinsveganloving.blogspot.com/2011/04/tarta-tarta-tarta.html 

Shinmas Gifts for You!

Now, what's a holiday without lots of gifts? I understand that a lot of my readers and followers may not have any favorite bands, blogs, or pieces of artwork - but I know a lot of you still want to get in on the action. That's why I've decided to show off my art skills a bit more and offer you guy's free artwork for participating in Shinmas each day. The first will be an image that says "I've participated in Shinmas!" with a link to my blog, as shown above, and the first will be whatever you like (as long as it is appropriate for all ages).

If you have participated in Shinmas for any of the last few days - you're eligible to participate as well!

Example art;

 

 

So just put in your request for the poster and your custom-made artwork and we can get this going! The next post for Day 5 of Shinmas will be up within ten hours!

 

Shinmas Event Days List: http://shinsveganloving.blogspot.com/2012/11/19-days-of-shinmas-event-sign-up-now.html 

 

 

Day 4 of Shinmas

We didn't have anyone sign up for Shinmas today but that doesn't mean that I have nothing to share! I love to make seitan and I would say that there are an abundance of recipes that both I and my non-vegan family love, but there are other dishes with plenty of "umami" as well.

My absolute favorite seitan dish happens to be this nice, thinly sliced and shredded, Italian "beef". It was so juicy and flavorful we sometimes make three pounds of seitan to feed just two or three people, and we found the perfect way to have this was with vegan garlic & chive cream cheese and lots of Pat's Giardineria. Divine and melt-in-your-mouth tender!

Italian Beef Recipe Link: http://shinsveganloving.blogspot.com/2012/08/vegan-italian-beef-w-homemade-hot.html 

Another one of my favorites is a very early recipe from my blog - vegan haemul pa jeon. These are seafood pancakes that are (traditionally) filled with calamari, scallops and shrimp but instead I used the much more vegan-friendly mushrooms and Chinese seaweed. It was salty, chewy, crisp and full of flavor - I still love it today with its umaminess. The shiitake mushrooms really brought it out, I feel, but I think that its best if you guys experience it for yourselves.

Vegan Haemul Pa Jeon Link: http://shinsveganloving.blogspot.com/2011/05/vegan-haemul-pa-jeon.html 

Enjoy!

Day 3 of Shinmas

Today we have a great post from one of my favorite blogs - Scrumptious Gruel. I happened upon the blog about five months ago over the summer and saw a super easy English pudding that didn't need to be baked. I loved the author's pictures and although I used way too much sauce for my own ( which was still delicious and quite healthy), I tried a few other recipes out her vegetarian (with vegan attributes) blog. One thing that really piqued my interest was her hilarious sense of humor. Presenting Ellen of Scrumptious Gruel!

 

In the picture above she has utilized agar-agar to replicate several different versions of American Jello's and puddings. The lovely mulberries are very beautiful in the way they are suspended, and I think I might start making pandan and mochi "puddings" with her recipe. She's imaginative and full of kindness - her blog is most definitely something I could read everyday and I think the rest of you would really enjoy, whether vegetarian, vegan or far from either.

 

 

 

Another thing that interested me as of late (besides her obvious friendliness and love for trying new things) has been this very lovely pumpkin soup. It has been adapted from a different recipe, made vegan and has a bit of spice for those cold nights.

 

Scrumptious Gruel Blog: http://www.scrumptiousgruel.wordpress.com/

 

Scrumptious Gruel Pudding Recipe: http://scrumptiousgruel.wordpress.com/2012/08/01/it-is-a-pudding/

 

 

Scrumptious Gruel Pumpkin Soup Recipe: http://scrumptiousgruel.wordpress.com/2012/04/25/for-one-second-annual-pumpkin-week-in-spring-day-one/ 

 

Enjoy!

 

Day 2 of Shinmas

Today we have another two special treats - my first guest had actually contacted me last month to talk about their products. I really loved the neatness of their website and that they wanted to sell a variety of seeds, but more importantly, they love to advertise. While you may not think of this site having anything to do with anything creamy or saucy - they often lead to delectable recipes for almond butter, sesame sauces and lots of other lavish things to do with nuts and seeds. I still haven't been able to post my ground pumpkin seed risotto for the site, but I would say that this is a great alternative. The company is named "EatSeed" and I would definitely suggest checking them out.

EatSeed has a nice variety of seeds that you can get on their own OR you can get your own special seed blend. In this you could buy one of their own special seed blends or make your own. They sell specialty flours and if you can't find chia, flax or black sesame seeds too often (like I do) this would be a great website to check out. Their prices are quite equal in proportion to the amount you get and you have the option of receiving roasted and toasted seeds if you do not wish to have them raw.

The variety of seeds is very nice - as they even serve hemp along with chia, pumpkin, flax, sesame ect. And one thing that I absolutely cannot forget is their "Superseed Of The Month Club" for less than $90 a year for eight ounce bags for each seed selection. It can get a bit pricey depending on your own market, but to offset that it appears that you also get reward points which you can then use to counter-balance the cons. I was smitten.

EatSeed Website: http://www.eatseed.com/
EatSeed Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/EatSeed/483750051643395?fref=ts 

Speaking of smitten - my next guest has me Susmitten, she has guest posted for my blog before and I her, so she is no stranger! Something that interested me very much on her blog recently was her post about "Vegan Ice cream Basics". In this she shows how to make an extremely simple ice cream base in which you can make anything interesting and, if you feel up to it, quite gourmet. You'll never have to worry about finding an entirely new recipe when you want a big change up from your typical ice cream flavors with this post. Don't forget to check out the rest of her blog for more imaginative recipes such as these.

Veganosaurus Blog Link: http://blog.veganosaurus.com/ 

 

Day 1 of Shinmas

Its already the first day of Shinmas and I've got so many entries! In reality my birthday is in a little over two weeks, but I'm the type of person who wants to have my cake over several days and not feel guilty over it because everyone else is celebrating as well. Today we've got a lovely blog and a heartfelt story from two people who have recently contacted me - feel free to chime in any time!
The first posting spot is from my friend "Ignatz" who has been really into featuring his blog. He's just starting out with his beautiful blog and has a lot of great recipes even though he's quite the busy guy.

Here is one of the most suiting recipes I've found for this post and it also happens to be one of my favorite ways to prepare apples.

If you want to check out this blog and his recipe - here's the link!

http://ignatzziller.blogspot.co.nz/ http://ignatzziller.blogspot.co.nz/

The second person to message me last night had presented to me something that I haven't dealt with a lot on my blog. This has to do with animal welfare - their names are "Lou and Bill" and they are often called the Green Mountain College Oxen and they are from Vermont. After research I see two different sides that are both overtly-complicated and yet simple to explain (nothing is truly easy when lives are hanging in the balance). The debate between the two sides is that they want to slaughter these oxen, aged about 12 years, and serve them to the community instead of living out their old age. They have been battered and injured over time and people believe that the $300 a month needed to take care of them is un-necessary and that instead they should be used as food. On the other hand, these are 12-year old animals that have been living out their lives on the campus and that many people consider as "one of their own". I can see and understand both sides but as I feel it - why not just let the poor animals live out their lives and have fun? These animals were not 'raised' for meat
and I believe that no animal should just be treated as property, and so that's why I decided to sign this petition on www.change.org/.

It has also been stated that a sanctuary has offered to take in both Lou and Bill on their own behalf, but the school refuses to do so and instead wishes to continue the the slaughter.

If you wish to save these animals from slaughter you can click this online petition: http://www.change.org/en-AU/petitions/green-mountain-college-springfield-vermont-stop-the-slaughter-of-bill-and-lou-the-2-oxen-at-green-mountain-college 

If you wish to learn more about Lou and Bill you can any of the links click here:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bruce-friedrich/green-mountain-colleges-f_b_1967361.html

http://www.boston.com/news/education/2012/10/10/oxen-from-college-farm-slaughterhouse/BwDzvpIyREhVloN8tt4RZL/story.html

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jason-schmitt/green-mountain-college-oxen_b_1987920.html

Some of these links conflict each other to show you the different sides so feel free to look at all of them.

Happy (day one of) Shinmas! ^^

 

19 Days of Shinmas Event (Sign-Up Now!)

 

 

 

 

 

This entire event is leading up to my golden birthday on November 18th! Each day I will be posting a selection of blogs, groups, Facebook pages, musicians, artwork and recipes made by vegans for vegans. If you want to join in on the fun feel free to email me whatever you want that's vegan-related and all-around friendly at aikovenus [at] gmail [dot] com, contact me on the "Contact Me" page or post it to my page's Facebook Wall!

All you have to do is follow me here on Blogger and Facebook to join in on the fun.


Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Shins-Vegan-Lovin/125788897505053 

Below are the themes of each day for posting recipes and everything else. Join in on the fun to be further promoted!

Day 1: On the first day of Shinmas my true love gave to me - a pear that's been candied!

 

Day 2: On the second day of Shinmas my true love gave to me two foods to shove (in my face)

 

Day 3: On the third day of Shinmas my true love gave to me three types of pies.

 

Day 4: On the fourth day of Shinmas my lovely fans gave to me four strips of seitan.

 

Day 5: On the fifth day of Shinmas my lovely fans gave to me a sackful of seeds!

 

Day 6: On the sixth day of Shinmas my lovely fans gave to me six beautiful garnishes.

 

Day 7: On the seventh day of Shinmas my lovely fans gave to me seven roasted vegetables

 

Day 8: On the eighth day of Shinmas my lovely fans gave to me eight original recipes.

 

Day 9: On the ninth day of Shinmas my lovely fans gave to me a nine-ingredient food.

 

Day 10: On the tenth day of Shinmas my lovely fans gave to me 10 creative tips.

 

Day 11: On the eleventh day of Shinmas my lovely fans gave to me 11 different posts from their blog tree.

 

Day 12: On the twelfth day of Shinmas my lovely fans gave to me a surprise!

 

Day 13: On the thirteenth day of Shinmas my lovely fans gave to me a spicy food for three.

 

Day 14: On the fourteenth day of Shinmas my lovely fans gave to me Asian Sensation.

 

Day 15: On the fifteenth day of Shinmas my lovely fans gave to me something crunchy.

 

Day 16: On the sixteenth day of Shinmas my lovely fans gave to me Cinnamon spice.

 

Day 17: On the seventeenth day of Shinmas my lovely fans gave to me some spaghetti (any pasta). 

 

Day 18: On the eighteenth day of Shinmas my lovely fans gave to me an amazing birthday "party".

 

Day 19: On the nineteenth day of Shinmas my lovely fans gave to me a bunch of delicious yummies!

Whale of ATime Bento

The bento biz has actually been going on and off for a while with me, although I haven't been posting pictures as of late. I have been recording them but due to work, scholarships and school - I haven't had as much time to make, photograph and/or eat them. But here were are now withthis adorable sea-creature scene that was so simple and still so fun. We had ordered out for American-Chinese takeout and the rice was already shaped like this, all I needed to do was split the tail and add a chocolate chip. Below there's a strip of zucchini from a raw lasagna (yet to be prepared) and a red pepper crab with tofu eyes.

Whale of A Time Bento Ingredients:
White Rice
Basic Spicy Stirfry
Red Pepper
Chocolate Chip
Tofu
Broccoli
Green Bell Pepper
Baby Corn


Hope you enjoy this quick and simple bento!

Fat-Free Vegan Gravy

 

 

 

I have a thing for seitan but sometimes just a fried, steamed or boiled piece isn't enough for me. I need to stretch out and make sure that everyone who eats this also gets a great deal with veggies and that's why I think my fat-free gravy is best. It something that I loved to use on Boca Burgers with lots of jalapenos and steamed rice for Vegan Loco Mocos (I never liked it with tofu for some reason...). You can easily make chik'en seitan, boil some beans or have some tempeh for this or some other type of seitan and smothered in the gravy. I would say it even goes great with some biscuits and a tofu omelette in the morning!

!

(Fat-Free Vegan Ingredients)

• 1/4 C. All-Purpose Flour
• 1/2-1 C. Vegetable Broth
• Salt & Pepper to taste
• Minced Garlic and Onions
• Sliced Mushrooms, Green and Jalapeno Peppers & Steamed Broccoli

(Directions)

• Cook your onions until translucent, then add in your garlic and stir.
• Add in your other vegetables except for the broccoli, sprinkle on your flour and cook until it has browned and the flour has cooked out.
• Slowly dribble in your broth and allow to thicken.
• Fold in your broccoli and serve it over anything you like

Enjoy!

Buffalo Chicken Seitan (Vegan Mofo)

This sandwich is really good and super big - as you can see from the seitan to bread ratio. As with all of my seitans, this is very juicy and filled with spicy flavor. Surrounding the seitan is a crisp and crunchy tempura and panko crust that makes it so good in capturing the spices and seasonings.To top it off it is baked with Sabra Brand garlic hummus, onions, kale and a delicious onion bun. I would suggest baking the sauce completely onto the seitan in an oven like I did with my second slice as it can easily irritate the system. Alright, let's get started! ^^

(Buffalo Chicken Seitan Ingredients)

• 1 C. Vital Wheat Gluten (Bob's Red Mill)
• 1 tbl. Garlic Powder
• 1/2 tsp. Salt
• 1/2 tsp. Paprika
• 1. Tbl Veg. Oil
• 1 C. Cold Water
• 1/2 C. Hot Sauce
• 1/4 C. Sriracha

(Vegan Hamburger Helper Directions)

• Mix your dry ingredients together then knead in your wet ingredients, except for the sauces, for 35 turns.
• Boil for 25 minutes, 10 of which covered with a pot top and the rest uncovered.
• Split the seitan in half then coat in a vegan tempura batter such as this one.
• Coat in crumbs and fry in a pan for 30 seconds on each side, then dip into your mixed hot sauces and bake in the oven until crisp. Add your hummus or vegan cheese, onions, kale and bake for a few more moments before serving it upon a toasted bun.

Enjoy!

Vegan Hamburger Helper (Low-Fat)

 

 

 

I'll be honest, one of my favorite meals as a kid was Hamburger helper - it was quick, easy and cheap to buy. Now that I'm more all around health conscious I don't see the need to go back there again, but with a slightly more healthier (in some way) version I've got it all together. You've got the creamy low-fat cheeze, a bit of zing from mustard and the nice alternating textures between noodles and your preffered "beef". Its a great meal that you can make ahead, freeze and then just pop in an oven or microwave later.

(Vegan Hamburger Helper Ingredients)

• 1 C. of Soy or Rice Milk
• 1 tbl. Garlic Powder
• 1/4 C. Nutritional Yeast (half that if powdery)
• 2 tbl. Corn or Tapioca Starch
• Pinch of Salt, Mustard Powder and Paprika
• 1 tbl. Cold Water
• Veg. Ground Beef and Elbow Macaroni

(Vegan Hamburger Helper Directions)

• Heat your milk and add in your nutritional yeast and garlic powder, whisk together as you make a slurry of your starches and cold water.
• Add your salt and slurry into the boiling mixture and whisk. Turn off heat and then fold in your ground beef as you boil your noodles.
• Fold your noodles into the cheeze and veg. beef and serve warm.
• Enjoy!

Apple Brown Betty Crisps; Second Vegan MoFo Post

Yesterday it was peaches and now its apples, it seems to be a fruity start for my Vegan MoFo posts but this is just the beginning. I want to take something homey and comfortable and just transform them in terms of texture, shape or overall asthetics to make it different. For me, food is about comfort and a way of expression - and this super simple caramel sauce with cooked apples is superb. This requires absolutely no leaveners and just a few minutes of baking time depending on how you like it. Sweet, salty and buttery due to margarine served on both soft and crispy "crackers", I can really appreciate this and I know you will as well.

(Apple Brown Betty Crisps Dough Ingredients)

• 2 and 1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 1/2 cup Raw Sugar
• 1/2 stick Vegan Margarine
• A Generous Pinch of Cinnamon
• Enough Rice Milk to mix

(Directions)

• Cream your margarine and sugar together with a whisk.
• Sift in your salt and flour, then fold until it starts to become crumbly.
• Add enough rice milk to make it a nice, sticky dough and then fold in half of the chopped apples.
• Refrigerate as you work on your apples in caramel sauce.
• Bake for about 25 minutes after adding apple topping or until done. Serve warm.

(Apples in Caramel Sauce Ingredients)

• 1/2 Medium-Sized Chopped Apple
• 1/2 stick of Margarine, Cubed
• 1/2 cup Raw Sugar
• 3 tbl Soy or Rice Milk
• A Generous Pinch of Cinnamon and Salt

(Directions)

• Melt half of your margarine and then toss in your apples, sugar and a bit of salt, slowly add more margarine as you like.
• Wait until the sugar and fat have cooked together, bubbled and darkened to a nice caramel
• Add in your milk and cook for another minute or two, then allow to cool before topping onto your almost-frozen dough and bake.
• Enjoy!

Anytime Peach Cobbler Cake w/ Streusel Topping; First Vegan MOFO Post

Yeah! Its been an exciting week - my first giveaway has been finished and the order is in process while my second week of culinary class has started and my help with some Girl Scout Cookie sorting may work out soon. I feel like I deserve a snack, and one of my favorite things to snack on is a lightly boiled peach with a side of peach tea. There's something that is oh so marvelous about the soft, supple flesh and the bright color as you take a bite and juice lands everywhere.

Sometimes, though, I want that jubilant feeling in the morning and I just don't have the time to boil a peach and eat it for breakfast, no matter how big and how badly I want it. So, for something even quicker, bulkier and quite tasty I've decided to make Anytime Peach Cobbler! You can make this into tiny individual skillet cobblers or you can make a huge one and heat as you like. I've noticed that my single-serving and breakfast recipes can appear to be too microwave-dependant (they can be cooked in any fashion) so I wanted something a little more down home that I can reheat anywhere.

The best thing about this cake is that its so easy to make and it only takes a few tablespoons of oil and vegan sour cream to make it moist and shiny on top. In addition, the crispy streusel topping I've added makes it so great - and the fruits on top make this really gorgeous and taste just like a peach cobbler! I'm just a fan of cakes, so you can separate these or even make a type of pancake batter if you wish. So, here goes my first post for Vegan MoFo!

(Anytime Peach Cobbler Cake Ingredients)

• 3 & 1/2 cups All-Purpose Flour
• 1 tsp Buckwheat Flour
• 1/2 cup Raw Sugar
• 1 tsp. Baking Powder
• A Generous Pinch of Cinnamon
• Pinch of Salt
• Slivered Peaches
• 4 tbl. Vegan Sour Cream
• 1 tsp. ACV
• 1 cup of Rice Milk
• 2 tbl Veg. Oil

(Directions)

• "Cream" your sour cream and sugar together with a whisk
• Add your oil to the sugar mix then add the ACV to your rice milk.
• Sift your dry ingredients into the sugar and sour cream, then fold in your liquids. Top with your favorite streusel topping and peaches.
• Bake for about 45 minutes or until done. Allow to cool and serve.
• Enjoy!

Funbites Giveaway Winner Announced!

Congratulations, Katie Culpepper! You're the winner of SVL's first giveaway and you get to choose between these two lovely food cutters.

Email me at aikovenus@gmail.com with these things;

Name:
Address:
Email Address:
Which Food Cutter You Want (Hearts or Squares):

Please label it "Funbites Giveaway Winner".

Just as soon as I am sent those things you'll be on your way to having a great new lunch. :)



Original Giveaway Post:

http://shinsveganloving.blogspot.com/2012/09/funbites-review-back-to-school-event_20.html