Hummus Croutons w/Lemon Vinaigrette (Whole-Wheat, Gluten-Free Option)

Croutons are so easy to make - if you have a crusty or even soft loaf of bread you can make an addicting salad topper. When it comes to "homemade" food, nothing is better than warm, well-seasoned crispy toasts. Combined with tomatoes, greens, Italian herbs and lovingly coated with a nice lemon vinaigrette, this makes an excellent snack.

(Hummus Croutons Ingredients)

• 4 Slices of Whole Wheat or GF Bread
• 5 tbl Olive Hummus
• Minced Garlic Cloves
• Garlic Powder, Italian Seasoning and Salt
• Olive Oil (optional)

(Lemon Vinaigrette Ingredients)

• 1/4 cup Olive Oil
• Juice from 1/2 Lemon
• 1/2 tsp Dijon or Stone-Ground Mustard
• Minced Garlic and Basil
• A pinch of Salt and Pepper

(Directions)

• Cut your bread into thick pieces.
• Coat with the above ingredients and bake at 400 degrees until crispy.
• Meanwhile whisk your vinaigrette ingredients together, making sure that everything has time to meld and that the olive oil is the first thing in the bowl.
• Allow the flavors to meld for about an hour, then combine with your favorite salad greens, croutons and enjoy.

Grim Adventures of Billy & Mandy Bento

This post is about some of my different experiences with this bento, the first being that I did some chocolate paintings (plus a multi-pic post)! I decided to save on the fat, and thus didn't do anything aside from the outline after I hand-drew each character. The only ones who are really missing from this bento are Puddin' and Irwin, but I may have something in store for them later. If you haven't ever heard of this show before, its about two children who trick the Grim Reaper into being their best friend forever and their adventures together. The chocolate painting above is the one with Billy, the lovable idiot who tags along with Mandy, and next to him are veggie dog fingers, dark cherries and a plum. Underneath there are spooky broccoli sprouts and a tofu Reaper.

Heeeeeres' Mandy! I feel like she's saying "Billy, you idiot. Don't you realize this is food?" as she lays atop the olive and hummus sandwich.

The trio huddled together, the summer heat didn't help them unmelt.

And here's the adorable, confusing, Fred Fredburger! Sadly for him, neither nachos nor frozen (soy) yogurt were used in this bento.

GABM Bento Ingredients:
1 Olive, Hummus & Sprout Sandwich
1 Plum
Cherries
Tofu
Chocolate
Veggie Dog Fingers
Green Beans


I hope you've enjoyed this as much as I!

Raw Vegan Brownies (Soy-Free, Grain-Free, Gluten-Free)

Lately I've been trying a lot more raw vegan foods and recipes to get rid of over-processed sugars and take a short vacation from wheat. It has really been working for me and I'm extremely energetic due to it, which just makes me a bucketload of fun. As for these brownies, you could say that they are more than chockful of nuts - the whole base is made out of nuts and pressed into the tops of each brownie is a delicious coconut flavored almond. It took maybe only three or four hours for these to dehydrate, but it depends on how moist or crisp you want these to be. They're lightly chocolatey but full of coconutty-goodness, and a sprinkle of stevia on top can really make them "pop!"

(Ingredients)

• 5 Softened Dates or Prunes
• 1/2 cup of Coconut Flour
• 1/4 cup of Plain Almonds
• 3 tsp Grated Raw Chocolate (sub cocoa if not fully raw)

(Directions)

• After softening your fruit in warm water, you can process it with the rest of the ingredients.
• Press into a dish lined with parchment paper and dehydrate at 180 degrees for 2-5 hours or until it looks well done. I still like to stick a knife in it to test its "gooeyness" and the edges to see if they are plump or crisp. Press it thinner if you like them a bit on the crisp and chewy side.
• Allow to cool slightly, serve and enjoy.

Mandrake Bento (Harry Potter)

This bento I decided to be more or-less artistic with since my shaping of a human face wasn't working out that well. Because of the color of the rice and the fact that the head was pretty close anyway, I decided to make a mandrake bento. Broccoli sprouts make up the hair, meatless ground made up the dirt and a put a few, pearl-like, beans around. You may have heard of a mandrake if you've ever watched Harry Potter (poor Neville) or mayhaps even if you've seen plants with oddly humanoid bodies and hair.

Mandrake Bento Ingredients:
Brown and White Rice
White Beans
Tomatoes
Kale
Broccoli Sprouts
Cucumbers

Enjoy!

Fat-Free Kale Chips (No-Salt, Fat-Free, Sugar-Free)

This is super-simple and incredibly fast, especially if you use the roasting method. They're a great fat-free alternative to potato chips and I really prefer these over them. You can make these sweet or savory, dusting in some stevia and coating these in chocolate or maybe even adding a touch of salt and crushing them into some granola - whatever suits your fancy.

(Ingredients)

• 1/2 bunch of Roughly Chopped Kale
• Garlic Powder
• Salt-Free Chipotle Seasoning

(Directions)

• After removing the stem and chopping the kale, wash it and place onto some parchment paper.
• Season with your preferred spices and bake at 400 degrees for about 7-10 minutes or dehydrate at 150 degrees for a few hours.
• Enjoy!

Jumpy Ghostface Bento (Hero 108)

This bento is based on "Jumpy Ghostface" aka the Rabbit King from Hero 108, a show that I catch multiple times in the morning. I've been wanting to use rice for my bentos and it isn't until recently since I've really started to enjoy them, there's nothing like un-seasoned rice fresh from the steamer basket. To go along with Jumpy I added rice cheese face, nori appendages and eyes, kale, split green beans and of course tonkatsu. Normally Jumpy has a carrot in his mouth (as he is the boss) and a jumprope in hand but this Jumpy is too depressed as he's been made into a bento.

Jumpy Ghostface Bento Ingredients:
Dill Pickles
Watermelon
Seitan Tonkatsu
Raw Kale
Split Green Beans
Brown & White Rice
Rice Cheese
Nori

Vegan Tonkatsu Recipe (Soy-Free)

I would say that just about everyone loves tonkatsu a fried Japanese dish that is quite reminiscent of schnitzel - who can't? It can be smothered in gravy, served with green beans and rice, salad and sliced cabbage. Yesterday I really wanted to have it on a salad with very simple pickled vegetables and it was amazing. Its so simple to make, although it is most definitely only a "once in a while" treat, even if you choose to have it baked.

(Seitan Tonkatsu Ingredients)

• 1 Cup of Vital Wheat Gluten (Bob's Red Mill)
• 1/2 tsp of Salt
• 1 tsp of Garlic Powder
• 1/4 tsp Black Pepper
• 2 tsp Veggie Oil
• Water to Mix

(Directions)

• Mix your dry, then add the oil and pour the water in, you can make this into segments to have more evenly sized tonkatsu steaks.
• Knead about fifty times, ensuring that it is a soft dough (add more if it isn't soft) and then pour out any excess water.
• Place into boiling water with a top and about 15 minutes in, check to see if it has spread out.
• Place the top back on after about a minute and then 12 minutes later you can take it off and allow to cool a bit.
• Slice into thin "steaks" and roll in seasoned flour (garlic powder, salt, pepper), tempura batter, back into the flour and tempura and then roll in the panko.
• Fry on medium heat until the panko soaks up a bit of the olive/veggie oil, flip and then place onto aluminum foil.
• Repeat with the rest of the steaks and bake at 400 degrees for 20 minutes, flip and repeat.
• Serve with (vegan) bulldog sauce, cabbage and rice and enjoy.

Super Simple Buffalo Tofu (No-Added Salt, Low-Fat, Oil-Free, Gluten-Free)

Hey guys! I'm sure you've all been wondering where I've been lately. I've been trying to take everything slowly now because next year will be extremely busy what with my job and getting a new school done. I've also been working on bodybuilding for something that is totally not focused on simply cosplaying as Tanya from "Mortal Kombat" (cough). I've been trying to update every five days and making sure that you guys have plenty of simple things to look at and try.

This tofu only requires about five ingredients, most of which are pretty interchangeable whenever you like. All you need is some good tofu and a nice, nonstick skillet for this smokey, savory and spicy meal component. Here we go!

(Ingredients)

• 1/2 package of Firm Tofu
• 1/4 cup of Louisiana Hot Sauce
• Black Pepper, Chipotle Powder and Garlic Powder
• Water per slice

(Directions)

• First, slice your tofu into rectangles and press until all the liquid is out, then slice into triangles and marinate your slices in the mixture above for however long you feel. If you're pressed for time you can just put these on the stovetop and they'll still be delicious.
• Place into the pan without any oil at medium-high heat, and if anything starts to stick you can put in a few droplets of water which actually helps make it a bit crispier. Flip and repeat.
• Serve with celery and carrots or eat on its own - its a treat that certainly isn't naughty but tastes like it is!

Banana & Vanilla Lofthouse Cookies (Low-Fat, Soy-Free)

Isn't this just the cutest!? I especially love this new chocolate mold that I got from JList - there's a side with rabbits and hearts while the other is bears and stars. The way the milk ends up in the eyes at the bottom of the chocolate straw I've made is really out of this world. I've also use the mold to shape some cute bunny cookies that I've coated with sugar, and with the leftover dough I've made sugar-coated bunny ears and an adorable turtle! These were served with Chinese Hose Tea but still ended up looking quite white.

(B&V Lofthouse Cookies Ingredients)

• 2 cups of Cake Flour
• 1/4 tsp of Baking Powder
• 1 Dry packet of Vanilla Pudding
• 1 Semi-Ripe Banana
• 2 tbl Vegan Margarine
• 1/2 tsp Organic Banana Extract
• 1/4 Cup Almond Milk

(Directions)

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Sift together your flour and baking powder.
• Using an electric mixer mix the vanilla powder, margarine and banana, while pouring in the extract.
• Slowly add a small amount of almond milk about a tablespoon at a time, alternating with the flour mixture until no longer sticky but still slightly wet.
• Pack together by hand and wrap into a log. Refrigerate for about 1-2 hours, slice and either coat with sugar or leave as you like.
• Bake at 350 degrees for about 25 minutes or until lightly browned on the bottoms, then place into a cookie jar or container with a top and place them in while still hot.
• Repeat with the rest of the batch until the whole jar is cooled and frost the un-sugared cookies, sprinkles are best for the "lofthouse" effect.

Tofu Stir-Fry w/Spicy Garlic Sauce (Gluten-Free Option, Sugar-Free Option)

This was incredibly fun to make and I've only made it once before when I tried to figure out one of the sauces for my favorite "treat", stir-fried tofu in garlic sauce. Once a month or so, my family and I will get American-style Chinese takeout and this is my go-to dish aside from dumplings, desserts and steamed veggies. It is quite fattening so I won't eat it often, but it is especially addicting with the conflicting flavors and textures...and probably because I make it extra-spicy. You've probably had it before, and every restaurant has a slightly variating style - so I'm going to put my own little "Shin-Spin" on things. Whatever veggies you have on hand will do, so I'll list what I put in my stir-fry later.

(Spicy Garlic Sauce Ingredients)

• 1 & 1/2 tbl Rice Vinegar
• 2 & 1/2 tbl Rice Wine Vinegar
• 2 tsp Raw Sugar or Stevia (optional)
• 1/4 tsp Good Sesame Oil (retains both taste and smell)
• 1 tbl Veggie Oil
• 2 tbl Good Soy Sauce or Tamari
• 1/2 tsp Sriracha
• 5 Crushed & Minced Garlic Cloves
• 1 pinch of Red Pepper Flakes
• 1 tsp Cornstarch
• 2 tbl Water

(Directions)

• First, mix the water with the cornstarch.
• Saute your minced and crushed garlic in the veggie oil until softened and is lighter in color slightly.
• Add in your vinegars, soy sauce, and oil. Stir and let bubble
• Squirt in your sriracha and sugar, add a bit of pepper flakes and wait about 15 seconds.
• Mix in the slurry of cornstarch and water, then stir it in until it has thickened to your liking.
• Quickly coat your preferred veggies in this addictively spicy sauce and serve over a nice bed of rice.
• Enjoy!

My personal stir-fry contained mung bean sprouts, brocolli sprouts, carrots, baby corn, pan-fried tofu, steamed mushrooms, sweet peas, green bell pepper and broccoli. Since the garlic sauce is so flavorful and has a lot of sodium, I wouldn't suggest adding salt or anything else to the other ingredients so to keep it healthier.

Vegan Cheezecake Pie Pops (Soy-Free, No-Bake, Gluten-Free, 4th of July)

Happy 4th of July for those that celebrate it - due to the summer heat (which makes me summer lazy) and I came up with these due to wanting something cool and cute to eat. My family just made a strawberry, refrigerator cheesecake so you know I had to one-up that and veganize it....or I just needed to try out this new sugar-free pectin! The best part about these is that with each bite you get a different ice cream flavor - the first is cheezecake, then its banana split and then you even get a bite of Choc-O-Chip cookie dough.

How do you like to celebrate your national holidays? Or, how do you prefer to cool down?

(Cheezecake Pie Pops Ingredients)

• 1/4 cup of Blueberries
• 1 Medium-Ripe Banana
• 1 tsp White Vinegar
• 1 tbl Coconut Oil
• 1 cup of Coconut Cream (or 1/2 pk of Thai Cream Powder)
• 1/4 cup Raw Sugar
• 2 tsp No-Sugar Added Pectin
• 2 tsp Water
• 1/2 cup Gluten-Free Graham Cracker Crumbs

(Directions)

• I didn't use a blender for this - but if you want something absolutely smooth and amazing then you can most definitely use a blender. 
• You can use about half a packet of Thai coconut cream powder and half a cup of cold water, then drizzle in oil, vinegar, sugar and blueberries.
• Put that mixture in the microwave on high for 20 seconds and then mash in the banana to "puree" the ingredients.
• Combine pectin and water, press it with fingers until it is no longer lumpy and then microwave for about 15 seconds until it is jellied on its own.
• Whisk in, cover your mixing container with plastic wrap and put in the freezer for about 1-2 hours and it should start to smooth over.
• Then, chop it up and mix in your graham cracker crumbs.
• Let that chill for about one more hour and then you can drizzle in some bitter-sweet chocolate or make cheezecake pops, using graham cracker crumbs and chocolate as a great base.
• Coat your sticks with chocolate, stick in and freeze until almost rock-hard, serve and enjoy!

Cool down with a nice float, too!