Wednesday, February 29, 2012

What's for dinner this week?



Okay so the week has started, but I thought I would give you a quick glance at the dinners at our house this week.

Monday - Minestrone soup - basically I just throw every vegetable we have in a pot with some noodles and kidney beans.
Tuesday - Gardein™ Mandarin Orange Crispy Chick'n and some edamame.
Wednesday (aka - tonight) - Spinach Lasagna 
Thursday - Gandhi Bowl from The Happy Herbivore Cookbook
Friday - We are going out to eat, so probably fries and beer. This happens once a week on varying days. This time we are going to The Lamp (next to the Aladdin Theater) before we see Jim Jefferies.
SaturdayRoasted sunchokes and mixed herb salad
Sunday Potato & Leek Soup  - I try to make a soup or casserole on Sundays so Kris can take something with him to work on Monday.



These are pretty much our staples, along with taco salad, bean burritos and Tofurky Frozen Pizza.



Tell us in the comment what you have on a regular basis!!! 



Thursday, February 23, 2012

Peanut Butter Chocolate Pillows

I made Peanut Butter Chocolate Pillows (a gluten-free version) for a friends going away party. Let me tell ya, they were ugly, but I loved them!!


This awesome recipe is one of the many mouth watering ones found in Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar: 100 Dairy-Free Recipes For Everyone's Favorite Treats.




Here is the recipe, but don't forget to check out Post Punk Kitchen's website and if you love cookies you will seriously want to own this book. And this is a really fun one to make with the kiddos.
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Peanut Butter Chocolate Pillows
makes 2 dozen cookies
Chocolate dough:
1/2 cup canola oil
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
3 tablespoons non-dairy milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup unsweetened dutch processed cocoa powder
2 tablespoons black unsweetened cocoa or more dutch processed unsweetened cocoa powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
Filling:
3/4 cup natural salted peanut butter, crunchy or creamy style
2/3 cup confectioner’s sugar
2 to 3 tablespoons soy creamer or non-dairy milk
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
In a large mixing bowl combine oil, sugar, maple syrup, non-dairy milk and vanilla extract and mix until smooth. Sift in flour, cocoa powder, black cocoa if using, baking soda and salt. Mix to form a moist dough.
Make the filling. In another mixing bowl beat together peanut butter, confectioner’s sugar, 2 tablespoons of soy creamer and vanilla extract to form a moist but firm dough. If peanut butter dough is too dry (as different natural peanut butters have different moisture content), stir in remaining tablespoon of non-dairy milk. If dough is too wet knead in a little extra powdered sugar.
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line bakings sheet with parchment paper.
Shape the cookies. Create the centers of the cookies by rolling the peanut butter dough into 24 balls. Scoop a generous tablespoon of chocolate dough, flatten into a disc and place a peanut butter ball in the center. Fold the sides of the chocolate dough up and around the peanut butter center and roll the chocolate ball into an smooth ball between your palms. Place on a sheet of waxed paper and repeat with remaining doughs. If desired gently flatten cookies a little, but this is not necessary.
Making the filling with my favorite helper.
We will pretend her hair doesn't always look so messy.
Place dough balls on lined baking sheets about 2 inches apart and bake for 10 minutes. Remove sheet from oven and let cookies for 5 minutes before moving to a wire rack to complete cooling. Store cookies in tightly covered container. If desired warm cookies in a microwave for 10 to 12 seconds before serving.
 So for laughs I am going to show you my the picture in the book vs mine.

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NAILED IT!!!!
(But seriously they were still really good. They taste like a Peanut Butter Cup cookie.)

Friday, February 17, 2012

In the Hut of Bamboo

Not actual restaurant pictured.


If you are living in Vancouver and craving some Veggie Asian fusion, check out Bamboo Hut. It is located in the same strip mall that Fred Meyer's is on Tenney in Salmon Creek. (I sang the House of Bamboo the whole day both after I went there. Is it stuck in your head yet?)

I went there the other day because I had an insane hankering for Spring Rolls. I headed out there knowing that they had them and some awesome salad rolls that were made with Tofu.  

I received a pleasant surprise - They have vastly expanded their Vegan/Vegetarian menu. They have Vegan Chicken Pho and these ridiculously awesome rolls called Shanghai Rolls filled with Basil and other goodies. And the spring rolls......okay I now I have to have them for lunch.

I complimented the owner on all the vegetarian options. He said "Vegetarian is better. No killing." 

How adorable is that?!?

Check it out the next time you are on the northside of Vancouver, or NoVa. Did I just coin that? I think I did. Yay me.

Monday, February 13, 2012

Hungry Tiger Review

I really want to write a scathing review about something. But this is not that moment. This is another rave!!!

I woke up super hungry on Saturday so Kris and I decided to check out Hungry Tiger (aka Hungry Tiger Too).

When you get in they hand you a menu that has one side for vegans and the opposite for meat-eaters. Right away I hone in on the Biscuits and Gravy, but wah wah, it is made with my 2nd biggest food nemesis, mushrooms. (1st place goes to Blue Cheese - gag!!!) I am still interested but, don't want to risk ordering it and not liking it. So I go with my second choice The Portland Scramble - veggie sausage, peppers, onions, scrambled with tofu and covered in some sort of magic "cheese" sauce.

Kris, ordered the Biscuits with the Mushroom and Fennel Gravy.

Is your mouth watering yet?

Well they serve breakfast all day, so go get some. Oh yeah and they have Vegan Bloody Marys.

We get our absurdly large portions, we dive in and I am pretty sure we begin embarrassing the serving staff with our moaning. Mine was so delicious I almost didn't share a bite with Kris. But I did, for a totally self serving purpose, I wanted some of his. (yeah, I used the "I'll show you mine" kind of trick.) Nervously, I took a bite. It was bleeping fantastic!!! Like I had to keep dipping my toast in it was so good. If it was "mushroomy" I couldn't tell.

And then as if it couldn't get any better, they have these house made hot sauces - red and green. I don't know what they are made out of but I am pretty sure it involves magic.

I only have two complaints - it isn't in Vancouver and my home fries were over done. I still ate everyone of them, but I am not sure if they make them that way or mine were just a black batch.

Okay here are the craptastic pictures I took with my phone - 

The Portland Scramble

The Biscuits and Gravy

The Hot Sauces

One more fantastic thing - Wednesday at Hungry Tiger means 1 dollar Vegan Corn Dog and PBRs. 

Monday, February 6, 2012

Supermarket Vegan

I checked this out at the library and much to my chagrin I had to return it today. I bet one of you has the hold on it that won't let me renew. So thanks to whoever you are, I am now anxiously awaiting my copy from Amazon.


It is called Supermarket Vegan: 225 Meat-Free, Egg-Free, Dairy-Free Recipes for Real People in the Real WorldBuy it here!


It is a GREAT cookbook. And I don't mean because the recipes are super decadent. They aren't really. I mean everything is super tasty. But what the main thing is about this book is that it is easy stuff to make, with crap you can find at Winco vs Whole Foods. I like that. I don't always have the time or the money to go to New Seasons. Sometimes I need to go to Target. Bam!! This book has me covered. Need something to give to your parents, who are scared to cook for you because they don't know what agar-agar is, then this is it. Good chance they know what canned artichoke hearts are.


Check it out. It will be a great addition to your shelf.