Vegan Munch Mix

This is similar to checks mix that my Mom used to make when I was young.  The problem with that mix is that it has Worcestershire sauce in it which as well all know is full of anchovies... yuck! But I found vegan Worcestershire sauce by Annie's.  Problem solved! I am so excited about this mix and its super tasty!

Annie's sauce

Ingredients:

• 9 cups of crispx cereal 

• 1 1/2 cups bite size pretzels 

• 1 cup bagel chips (i use everything bagel chips)

• 3 tbsp vegan worcestershire sauce

• 1 tsp garlic powder

• 1 tsp spike seasoning 

• 1/4 tsp pepper

cereal, pretzels and bagel chips

Preparation:

In a large mixing bowl put the first three ingredients in and mix them well by hand, I use a bowl with a cover because of the next part.

Take the rest of the ingredients and put them on the mix, then try to cover all the mix.  If you put a lid on it you can gently shake the mix around coating it  well.  Place mix with the without the lid in the microwave for two minutes, the stir, place in for another two minutes and stir again, then a final one minute in the microwave.  Place on a baking sheet to cool.  Cool completely and put in an air tight container and much away at your leisure!  

mix cooling

tofu cheat pie

This is the easiest recipe ever!  I call it cheat pie because its so easy but so good, I get rave reviews for it all the time, if only they knew how easy it was to make!  This pie is great for a party but also keeps well in the fridge so don't be afraid of the leftovers, if there is any!  This time I was a total cheater and used a store bought graham cracker crust, you can make you own if you like, but I wanted the total cheater pie experience.

Ingredients:

• 2 bricks tofu (sliken is the best)

• 2 cups of chocolate chips

• 2 tbsp vanilla 

• 1/2 tsp almond extract

• 1 medium banana sliced

Preparation:

Cut tofu into small cubes, about two inches each.  Place in a blender with the vanilla and almond, the stronger the blender the better, its going to have to whip this tofu to a pudding texture.

Tofu blended

Make a double boiler out of two pots, put about 3' of water in the bottom one and the chocolate chips in the top, place the range on low.  The double boiler will prevent the chocolate from burning, and nothing is worse than burnt chocolate!  Stir when the chips start to melt, they will become creamy and there will be no visible sign of the chips.

Before and after melt down

Place tofu and melted chocolate in mixer a hand mixer is usable but a stand alone is easier for sure!  Blend ingredients together until you can not see any white of the tofu any longer.

mixer in action

Place the bananas in the bottom of the crust but leave a few for the top.  I like to place a few on the top for garnish but also as a warning for people who might not like bananas!  You could also easily do this with nothing on the bottom of the shell.  I have also done peanut butter and that tastes great as well!

arranged bananas

Finally let the pie rest for at least four hours.  The tofu will set up and become more firm.  It will be much easier to cut if you can wait and the texture is rich and creamy!  Don't feel to bad about this pie remember its got two bricks of tofu in it packed full of protein... and chocolate!

Vegan Rubin Sandwich

Technically this is probably not like a traditional Rubin but it is a great meal!  Not to mention easy to prep.  This recipe also incorporates one of my favorite sauces of all time! Its great as a sandwich topper, on fries or tots, and thinned down makes a great salad dressing!  The recipe below is for four sandwiches but all ingredients refrigerate  nicely so leftovers are super tasty as well!

Ingredients:

For rubin pieces

• one brick of Tempeh

• 16 oz apple cider

• 1 clove garlic minced

• 16 oz water

• 3 tbsp soy sauce

• 1/2 tsp pepper

For super secret vegan sauce

• 1 small onion finely chopped

• 2 tbsp stone ground mustard

• 3 tbsp ketchup

• 1/3 cup vegan mayo (I use vegenaise)

• salt and peper

• sauerkraut for sandwich topper (fresh is great but if you prefer canned that works too)

Tempeh ready for the oven

Preparation:

Cut tempeh in half (so you have two thin rectangle slices) and then cut each half in quarters, you will end up with eight pieces each sandwich gets two.  Put the pieces in a 8 by 8 baking dish then add the apple cider, water, minced garlic, soy sauce and pepper. Place in the oven at 350 for about 30 minutes, is the pan gets dry add a bit more cider and water.

When that is cooking make the super secret vegan sauce, combine all sauce ingredients and stir well.  Before adding any salt and pepper taste the mixture, then add salt and pepper to taste.  If mixture seems a bit soupy add more mayo if mixture seems a little to thick add more ketchup!  Put in the fridge until you are ready to build the Rubins.  You can also make this sauce in advance as the flavors mingle it gets better and better so feel free to make it earlier in the day!

super secret vegan sauce!

You will want your sauerkraut to cook covered on the stove top for at least 15 minutes, keep in on low heat stirring occasionally. 

When the Tempeh is finished take it out of the oven and let it sit for about ten minutes

Toast bread, and put a generous amount of super secret vegan sauce on one or both sides, I do both but I am seriously in love with this sauce, place sauerkraut on one side of bread and put two tempeh pieces on.  If you want to place vegan cheese on do that as well, it does fine without it but doesn't mind the addition of a bit of cheese!

Enjoy!

open rubin

finished with cheese

cinnamon blueberry muffins

I was super excited about reworking my muffin recipe.  Much to my dismay they didn't rise like I wanted them to.  I feel that I should modify the egg replacer and the baking powder.  That being said they taste awesome but don't expect a huge muffin they are more laid back than that :)

(wet ingredients only)

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup vegan butter

• 1 cup sugar ( have used conventional white but if you want to use brown cut it down by 1/4 cup)

• 3 tsp dry egg replacer with 4 tbsp of warm water added

• 1/2 cup applesauce 

• 1/2 cup of soy milk (vanilla works great)

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 2 cups flower

• 2 tsp baking powder

• 1/4 teaspoon salt

• 3 cups frozen unsweetened blueberries

• 1/2 tsp cinnamon

 

 

 

(dry ingredients added)

Preparation: 

In a large mixing bowl, or mixer (I use my kitchenaid for everything) cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.  Add egg replacer that has been dissolved in water along with the applesauce and soy milk.  Let that mix and then add the vanilla and the cinnamon.  Slowly add the flower about a half cup at a time as well as the baking powder and salt, mix well.  The blueberries should be folded in slowly.

Bake 375 for 25 to 30 minutes cool for at least 10 minutes, yields about 12

(frozen berries added)

"Beef" and Guinness Stew

This stew was made for a St. Patrick's day party we attended.  It was a big hit!  I have never cooked with Guinness, but it gave the stew a great flavor and the seitan really took on the flavors of the veggies.

For the seitan I use "Seitan Quick Mix" by Harvest Direct.  It is a dry 

mix and all you have to do is add water and cook!  It is an amazing time saver.  Maybe at some point I will do a from scratch seitan on the blog.

Ingredients:

• 16 oz of seitan, either prepared from dry mix or store bought

• 3 tbsp olive oil

• 3 tbsp vegan butter

• 2 medium onions chopped

• 3 medium carrots chopped

• 3 medium potatoes in 1' pieces

• 2 medium portobello mushrooms 

• 4 cloves garlic either minced or pressed

• 23 oz Guinness (what I did here was buy two 12 oz and take a sip out of one to make it 23, if 

you prefer you can just put the entire 24 oz in as well)  :)

• 3 cups of ve

getable broth

• 1 tbsp flower

• 1 stalk of fresh rosemary chopped

• salt and pepper to taste

Preparation:

First Sautee seitan in the olive oil and a touch of pepper if desired

In a separate pot (this will be the pot that you cook the stew i

n so make it pretty large) with the butter sauté the onions for about 3 to 4 minutes until tender add garlic, mushrooms, potatoes,carrots and seitan.  Reduce heat and add the 3 cups of vegetable

broth stir well, add the flower and rosemary then slowly add the Guinness.  Keep this on low heat stirring occasionally for 90 to 100 minutes.  You will know its done when the stew thickens.  If it gets to thick feel free to add more veggie broth.

(this is with the seitan just added)

Mission statement

This blog is dedicated to something I am very passionate about; food!  To be more specific cooking mostly vegan but always vegetarian.  It is a way to share recipes I have either invented or modified to be vegan.  I find that many carry misconceptions about vegan or vegetarian food, I am here to break some of those and share some great food with the community!