Dinner tonight...

We had some Glazed Tempeh, Stuffing (Dressing for any Southerners out there), Pureed Squash, and Asparagus w/Italian Seasoned Mustard Garlic Sauce.

The Glazed Tempeh is easy-peasy. You put oil (prob 4 TBP) in your pan, add equal amounts of tamari (or soy sauce) and sweetener (brown rice syrup, maple syrup, agave) and some spices (chili powder or curry powder are my usual). Bolding what I used tonight...mix the liquids, they'll start bubbling up- that's when you add the tempeh (or tofu can be cooked this way). Coat it and let it brown on one side. Flip, let it brown....tonight I had to shove them in a 375* oven whilst I finished cooking the rest of dinner.

The stuffing was Arnolds, the squash was frozen (tsk, tsk!) - I sprinkled some Nutmeg on it, and the Mustard Sauce was a variation on this one, using maple syrup as the sweetener. I subbed Italian Seasoning for the Thyme, added a finely minced (huge) clove of garlic and a dash of lemon juice.

Tonight I need to do meal planning for the week (at least), 'cuz tomorrow is shopping day- alone with all four kids. Dh is working some overtime...while it's good for the budget, sometimes it's not so good for my sanity :p

Curry Addicts Anonymous

...I need to join, lol. I *love* curries...I usually make them with powdered spice, but do buy Patak's sauce sometimes (their lactic acid *is* vegan, so a few of their ready-sauces *are* Vegan). I have found a new sauce that I am now addicted to, and it may as well be crack at $12.50 a bottle. William Sonoma's Pumpkin Curry sauce is divine..and I only had a few Tablespoons of it to use...my friend saved that much for me to try (she's not veg, so she couldn't just save a portion what she made for it). I tasted it and knew I'd make use of the meager amount....I took that bit and added 1/2 cup of veggie broth to simmer some smoked tofu in...

I served it over brown rice with mixed veggies on the side (just leftovers of all the frozen veg in the freezer). I loved it and so did the kiddos (they all love curry, too). I am actually contemplating buying a couple of jars, divvying them into thirds, and freezing it in those proportions. Then I have 6 meals worth of curry :p This stuff is awesome, so if you've got the $$- get a jar :)

Post T-day scavenging :p

We've been low on groceries and with germs and only one car, I've been putting off shopping...So I am cooking out of the cabinet- finding ingredients and then figuring out what I can do with them. It's sometimes a pain, but often I find it fun and I feel awesome for being able to throw random things together and make a yummy meal.

This was lunch on Monday-

Beans and Greens with Pasta
8 oz farfalle pasta, cooked and drained
1 (14.5 oz.) can of canellini beans, drained
8 oz. frozen chopped spinach
4-6 cloves of garlic, minced
1 med. onion, rough chopped
1-2 TBS. capers
2-3 TBS. pine nuts
1/2 c veggie broth
Salt and Pepper, to taste

In large fry pan (I used an eco-non-stick lined one) saute onion and garlic until softened. Add beans and spinach, cook until spinach is warm- stirring a few times. Add broth, stirring to mix , mash some of the beans while doing this. Mix in the pasta, blend until coated and add S&P. Remove from heat, stir in capers and pine nuts. Serve. Makes 4 generous lunch servings.

Dinner was Chickpea Cutlets from Veganomicon(I bake them- brush with oil , 375 for 20 minutes, flip then bake 10 more min.) with a Sweet Thyme Mustard Sauce, Baked Acorn Squash, Fried Cabbage with Onions, and Broccoli with Cheeze Sauce.

Acorn Squash- gut it, stab it with a fork a few times, coat with Earth Balance, drizzle with maple syrup an sprinkle with brown sugar. Bake 375 for 45-60 min. (depending on size)

Fried Cabbage- Steam cabbage until just tender, heat oil in frying pan, chop or slice 1 sweet onion and saute with cabbage, add some earth balance near the end, mixing in, season with salt and pepper.

Cheeze Sauce- melt 1 TBS Earth Balance with 1 TBS flour until smooth and bubbly, whisk in a couple of cups of rice or soymilk, add some vegan cheese (I used FYH "cheddar") , a few sprinkles of salt, some onion powder, and a few tsp nutritional yeast, cook while whisking until it's desired thickness. Pour over veg of choice.

Sweet Thyme Mustard Sauce- Mix 1/2 cup nayonnaise, a few squirts of DijonMustard, a tsp of dried thyme and a TBS or 2 of agave or maple syrup. Adjust ratios to taste. (I usually just throw this together, no real recipe)

VEGAN THANKSGIVING ROCKS!!!

We had friends over and did it potluck- Check out that spread!
There were 3 Tofurkys, 3 Field Roasts, Stuffing, Gravy, regular Mashed Potatoes, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, Corn, Baked Acorn Squash, Sqaush Lentil Spinach Curry, Barley Pine Nut Casserole, a Yummy Rice Dish, Crescent Rolls (yes!- they are vegan), Red Wine-Agave Glazed Brussel Sprouts, and I am sure I am missing stuff!!
And this was after Appetizers- Curry Olive Phylo Cups, Veg Pancakes, Artichoke Crostini, and Lentil Pate.
After dinner, there were a total of 7 (!!) Pies. 3 Pumpkin, 2 Apple w/graham crust, 1 Traditional Apple, and 1 Apple Cranberry! I also made Brown Rice Crisp Bars w/dried cranberries, pumpkin seeds, and chocolate chips.
We had enough leftovers (even after sending a bunch home with our friends) to eat for 2 more days :p

Better than the food was the company! I love having close friends to spend such a day with! One could say it makes me feel *very* thankful.... :)

I am horrible, recipe to make up?!

I know, I know...almost a year again. I guess we know my New Year's Resolution, right?! I underestimated how time-consuming an infant would be to our lifestyle..We've had 3, I figured it'd be more of the same ol', same ol'. I didn't count on one that lives on almost no sleep and also is very momma-clingy (they all went through this phase, but it seemed much shorter- I guess we mis-remember after 5 years, LOL)

To make it up, I have a throw-together recipe to share...no pics on this one, though..

Tasty Winter Bean Soup

I lb. 16 bean mix* or any assorted dry beans, soaked overnight and drained
1 cup mirepoix** veggies, small dice
1 med. crown broccoli, small dice
6 cloves garlic, minced
2 TBS Italian seasonings
2 TBS Spike brand seasoning
9 c. veggie broth
1/2 c tamari
1/2 lb. frozen cut spinach
1/2 box Wegmans orzo pasta, cooked and drained (I think the box is 8 oz., but not sure)

Heat some olive oil in a large pot, add mirepoix, broccoli and garlic, cook until softened (3-5 min)
Add broth, beans, tamari and seasonings. Bring to a boil, then simmer, stirring every once in a while, until beans are tender...I usually give it a few hours :) Add pasta and spinach- cook until heated through, taste broth and adjust seasonings, if necessary. It comes out with a stew-like texture, very hearty and winterish!

I served this with baked sweet potatoes (pierce w/fork, 375 for 45-60 min.) and rolls. Yum!

* I used Goya
**I don't normally buy mirepoix mix, but had some left over from a recipe dd made for Thanksgiving. Dicing your own celery, onions, and carrots small in same proportion (1/3 c of each) should work fine :)

It's Been Forever, or I'm a BAD BAD Blogger

I know, I know.....since April '08. But part of my New Years' Goals is to be more organized, which includes actually being active in all of my commitments (including blogging).

Since then, we found out we are expecting child #4, we lost a furbaby (Princess- one of our sister cats- she had always had some problems and died in my arms, very loved and very missed), and dh is going in for another surgery at the end of this month.

HAPPY VEGANNIVERSARY to us!! The 1st of this month is one year of committing to veganism, and I am so happy about that choice. Staying ignorant to the suffering of others is no excuse to continue a lifestyle that is damaging.

I do cook and bake as much as I did when I started this blog, I just haven't been sharing. I promise to try and post as often as I can with yummy pics and recipes (including many of my oh-crap-what's-left-in-the-kitchen-throw togethers :p )

This weeks highlights (sorry- no pics) included a PB and chocolate chip cake from Vegan Express, Seitan and Shallot Marsala with Homemade Gnocchi from The Vegetarian Meat and Potatoes Cookbook, Vegan Cowboy Tamale Pie, and a freezable Apple Walnut Cake - this one can be made in 2 loaf pans instead, and I subbed 1/2 cup mixed seeds for 1/2 cup walnuts and everyone loved it.

I have been trying to cook to "feed the freezer", in other words- doubling recipes and freezing the extras so that once this baby (a.k.a Peanut) comes, we'll have some stress-free, healthy "real" meals. I used to do OAMCing (Once a Month Cooking) sessions when we only had 2 preschool-aged kids, but find devoting a whole day to just cooking/preparing food/freezing to be too much with running my business, homeschooling/socialization and working out of the home. So, most of what I will be posting will be freezable foods :)

Nice to be back and I hope my 1 reader catches this update LOL!