When I was in the Chicagoland-area last weekend, I made a trip to Whole Foods with my "wegan" friend, Kate. As she put it, my cart looked like one of those from Oprah's Vegan Challenge. (I swear, if I had access to Whole Foods and Trader Joe's where I lived, I could easily be completely vegan.) Among many other things, I picked up two frozen packages of meatless products from Gardein for the first time.
One of those was Gardein's Seven Grain Crispy Tenders, which is a vegan version of a chicken strip. It is made from a combination of soy protein, whole grains, and vegetables. I tried them for the first time today, and they were really good! I followed the instructions for cooking them in the oven and I felt as though they were a bit overcooked, so next time I will reduce the temperature to 350 or 375 degrees and cook for 20 minutes or so (instead of for 20 to 25 minutes at 430 degrees). The package also indicates you can microwave them for 45 seconds first to reduce the time in the oven if you are in a hurry.
I will definitely be buying this product again as it is a good option for a quick vegan meal or snack. Although I enjoyed them simply dipped in organic ketchup (from Trader Joe's, of course), there are many other ways this product could be used: on a salad, in a wrap, with marinara sauce and noodles, etc.
You can print a $1.00 off coupon from their website at http://www.gardein.com/ecoupon.php.
Nutrition Information:
2 tenders (1.8 oz.)
Calories 90
Total Fat 2 g
Saturated 0 g
Polyunsaturated 0 g
Monounsaturated 0 g
Trans 0 g
Cholesterol 0 g
Sodium 260 mg
Potassium 200 mg
Total Carbs 9 g
Dietary Fiber 1 g
Sugars 0 g
Protein 9 g
Vitamin A 0%
Vitamin C 0%
Calcium 4%
Iron 15%
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Thursday, February 10, 2011
"Whatever-Can-Be-Found" Stuffed Peppers
I've only ever made stuffed peppers twice (that I can remember), and the first time was better than the most recent. The first time I was actually trying to make them taste good, and this time I was just throwing whatever I could find in to make a meal that would fill our bellies. Unfortunately, I didn't find much but three green bell peppers that desperately needed to be used, whole-grain rice (not the instant kind - what a pain in the butt!), canned tomato sauce, black beans, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning. Oh, and Italian-style meatballs for the non-wegan's portion. I also had some hamburger buns that needed to be used so I made those into makeshift garlic bread! So, if you ever have some bell peppers you need to use and not much else in the house, think of this recipe!
Monday Night's "Whatever-Can-Be-Found" Stuffed Peppers
Ingredients:
3-1/2 bell peppers
2-1/4 to 2-1/2 c. cooked rice
3/4 c. black beans
1 can tomato sauce
1 Tbsp. oil
garlic powder
Italian seasoning
Directions:
1) Cook rice as indicated on package.
2) Cut the tops of the peppers off and remove inside core and seeds. I used my hands to get some of it out and also ran each pepper under water to remove all seeds.
3) Chop the remaining 1/2 pepper and saute it in a pan on the stove top with 1 Tbsp. oil, garlic powder and Italian seasoning to your taste. (I used generous amounts of garlic, probably close to 1 Tbsp.) You can use an onion instead of green pepper if you have one.
Once it is tender, remove from heat and add black beans and tomato sauce. Stir until well-mixed.
4) Spoon rice mixture into peppers evenly. Place stuffed peppers into baking dish. Cover.
5) Bake at 450 degrees until peppers are tender. Serve with your favorite side dish.
For "Makeshift" Garlic Bread: Separate 2 hamburger buns into 4 halves on foil. Spread butter generously on top and sprinkle generously with garlic powder. Place in the oven on high broil for two minutes or until lightly toasted.
And there you have it. Making nothing into something. It wasn't the greatest meal ever, but it did what it was suppose to do ... it put nutrition into our bellies and filled us up! However, the next time I make stuffed peppers, I'm going back to how I made them the last time ... if I can remember!
Monday Night's "Whatever-Can-Be-Found" Stuffed Peppers
3-1/2 bell peppers
2-1/4 to 2-1/2 c. cooked rice
3/4 c. black beans
1 can tomato sauce
1 Tbsp. oil
garlic powder
Italian seasoning
Directions:
1) Cook rice as indicated on package.
2) Cut the tops of the peppers off and remove inside core and seeds. I used my hands to get some of it out and also ran each pepper under water to remove all seeds.3) Chop the remaining 1/2 pepper and saute it in a pan on the stove top with 1 Tbsp. oil, garlic powder and Italian seasoning to your taste. (I used generous amounts of garlic, probably close to 1 Tbsp.) You can use an onion instead of green pepper if you have one.
Once it is tender, remove from heat and add black beans and tomato sauce. Stir until well-mixed.4) Spoon rice mixture into peppers evenly. Place stuffed peppers into baking dish. Cover.
5) Bake at 450 degrees until peppers are tender. Serve with your favorite side dish.
For "Makeshift" Garlic Bread: Separate 2 hamburger buns into 4 halves on foil. Spread butter generously on top and sprinkle generously with garlic powder. Place in the oven on high broil for two minutes or until lightly toasted.And there you have it. Making nothing into something. It wasn't the greatest meal ever, but it did what it was suppose to do ... it put nutrition into our bellies and filled us up! However, the next time I make stuffed peppers, I'm going back to how I made them the last time ... if I can remember!
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| This is what they looked like last time I made them with corn on the cob and mashed potatoes (another good recipe I'll have to post on here soon!) |
Saturday, February 5, 2011
Delicious Fruit Pancakes!
Growing up, my mom always made pancakes from "scratch," and they were so delicious! Now that I have learned how to cook and bake more nutritionally, I have altered the recipe just a little. Yes, "Mom's Favorite Pancakes" are now vegan! But non-vegans, don't fret; my husband, who is very critical of my vegan recipes, loves these pancakes, too!!!
Delicious Fruit Pancakes
Ingredients:
1 1/3 c. whole wheat or spelt flour
3 tsp. baking powder
3 tsp. turbinado cane sugar
1 1/2 c. soy, rice, or almond milk
1/3 c. unsweetened applesauce
2 tbls. refined coconut oil (optional)
1 c. fresh fruit of choice
Note: I've used whole blueberries, halved blackberries, and apples with 1/2 tsp. cinnamon so far, and they have been excellent each time! You don't have to use the oil; I've made them with and without it, and I can't tell a difference.
Instructions:
Combine flour, baking powder and sugar in a small bowl.
Pour milk into medium-sized bowl and combine flour mixture, applesauce, and oil (if using) and stir just until mixed well.
Fold in fruit.
Drop batter in desired amounts, usually about 1/4 c. increments, onto hot griddle (375 to 400 degrees F).
Flip pancakes when bubbles form on top and spatula can easily be inserted under each pancake (see picture on left).
Makes 10 4-inch round pancakes. Serve with margarine (I use Earth Balance Organic Whipped) and maple/agave syrup (check "picture outtakes" at the end of blog to see products).
Variations:
If you insist on being non-nutritional, then you can substitute white flour and sugar, cow's milk, and any oil you like. Replace the applesauce with 2 eggs and leave the fruit out... it's still a good pancake recipe. Eat it with the syrup you have in your pantry that most likely contains high fructose corn syrup for all I care. But it won't be as good or as good for you!
This Morning's Picture Outtakes From Making Apple-Cinnamon Delicious Pancakes:
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| Apple-Cinnamon Delicious Pancakes |
Ingredients:
1 1/3 c. whole wheat or spelt flour
3 tsp. baking powder
3 tsp. turbinado cane sugar
1 1/2 c. soy, rice, or almond milk
1/3 c. unsweetened applesauce
2 tbls. refined coconut oil (optional)
1 c. fresh fruit of choice
Note: I've used whole blueberries, halved blackberries, and apples with 1/2 tsp. cinnamon so far, and they have been excellent each time! You don't have to use the oil; I've made them with and without it, and I can't tell a difference.
Instructions:Combine flour, baking powder and sugar in a small bowl.
Pour milk into medium-sized bowl and combine flour mixture, applesauce, and oil (if using) and stir just until mixed well.
Fold in fruit.
Flip pancakes when bubbles form on top and spatula can easily be inserted under each pancake (see picture on left).
Makes 10 4-inch round pancakes. Serve with margarine (I use Earth Balance Organic Whipped) and maple/agave syrup (check "picture outtakes" at the end of blog to see products).
Variations:
If you insist on being non-nutritional, then you can substitute white flour and sugar, cow's milk, and any oil you like. Replace the applesauce with 2 eggs and leave the fruit out... it's still a good pancake recipe. Eat it with the syrup you have in your pantry that most likely contains high fructose corn syrup for all I care. But it won't be as good or as good for you!
This Morning's Picture Outtakes From Making Apple-Cinnamon Delicious Pancakes:
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| The flour, baking powder, and sugar mixture |
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| I cut a Gala apple into fourths and removed the core part from each. |
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| I used a hand chopper to chop 3/4 apple into small pieces, while I sliced the last 1/4 for garnish. |
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| As much as I've made pancakes in my life, I'm still a terrible flipper. |
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| Yummy!!! |
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| Agave and Maple Syrups |
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
"Ice Cream"
On a day when all of Central Illinois is getting pounded with record-breaking snowfall, what is it that I want to snack on? Why, my favorite food on the planet--ice cream! No, not snow ice cream--that's gross--but VEGAN ice cream!
I've researched vegan ice cream recipes pretty thoroughly, and I've actually followed through and made some of them, too! (You know I have a pretty intense desire for ice cream when I actually get off my butt and make my very own homemade vegan ice cream.)
The easiest recipe I've found is just a traditional vanilla. I'm not going to lie to you non-vegans and tell you this tastes as good as ice cream made with fatty cow's milk (so bad for you but so good!), but it does the trick when you're actually wanting to abide by the "vegan code."
You'll need an ice cream maker to make this recipe. I use the Cuisinart Automatic Frozen Yogurt-Ice Cream & Sorbet Maker (ICE-20 Series) that one of my great friends, who appreciates ice cream as much as I do, bought me for a wedding shower gift! She might have been skeptical at how much I'd actually use it, so I'll take this time to say: I've actually used it between 5 and 10 times now!
Vanilla Ice Cream (vegan)
Ingredients:
1 c. soy milk creamer
1 c. soy milk*
1/2 c. sugar**
2 tsp. vanilla extract
pinch of salt***
*You can also use rice milk, almond milk, or coconut milk.
**I recommend using evaporated cane juice; it's sugar that's less refined than white, granulated sugar, and it therefore retains more of its natural nutrients.
***I like sea salt.
Directions:
Mix all ingredients in a blender until sugar is dissolved, 1 to 2 minutes.
Turn on ice cream maker and pour mixture in.
Allow ice cream maker to freeze and turn mixture until it is frozen to your likeness, usually 30 minutes or more.
Serve immediately and/or store leftovers in a plastic container in the freezer.
My husband, who is not vegan, thinks this ice cream is "really good" with the cinnamon and agave. Try it!! And try to stay warm!!
I've researched vegan ice cream recipes pretty thoroughly, and I've actually followed through and made some of them, too! (You know I have a pretty intense desire for ice cream when I actually get off my butt and make my very own homemade vegan ice cream.)
The easiest recipe I've found is just a traditional vanilla. I'm not going to lie to you non-vegans and tell you this tastes as good as ice cream made with fatty cow's milk (so bad for you but so good!), but it does the trick when you're actually wanting to abide by the "vegan code."
You'll need an ice cream maker to make this recipe. I use the Cuisinart Automatic Frozen Yogurt-Ice Cream & Sorbet Maker (ICE-20 Series) that one of my great friends, who appreciates ice cream as much as I do, bought me for a wedding shower gift! She might have been skeptical at how much I'd actually use it, so I'll take this time to say: I've actually used it between 5 and 10 times now!
Ingredients:
1 c. soy milk creamer
1 c. soy milk*
1/2 c. sugar**
2 tsp. vanilla extract
pinch of salt***
*You can also use rice milk, almond milk, or coconut milk.
**I recommend using evaporated cane juice; it's sugar that's less refined than white, granulated sugar, and it therefore retains more of its natural nutrients.
***I like sea salt.
Directions:
Mix all ingredients in a blender until sugar is dissolved, 1 to 2 minutes.
Turn on ice cream maker and pour mixture in.
Allow ice cream maker to freeze and turn mixture until it is frozen to your likeness, usually 30 minutes or more.
Serve immediately and/or store leftovers in a plastic container in the freezer.
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| It'll look like this when you first pour it in ... |
 | ||
| ... it'll look like this when it's done ... |
 |
| ... and it'll look like this when you serve it sprinkled with ground cinnamon and agave nectar! Yum!!! |
My husband, who is not vegan, thinks this ice cream is "really good" with the cinnamon and agave. Try it!! And try to stay warm!!
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