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!

Vegan Raspberry Whisper Bundt Cake

I modified another recipe to come up with this tasty moist cake...Dessert for tonight, but the kiddos and I tried a sliver to make sure it is up to standards ;)
It's not overly sweet and I topped it with powdered sugar...My Bundt pan reminds me of a castle.

Raspberry Whisper Bundt Cake-

3 tsp EnerG egg replacer
2 c plain rice milk
1 c raspberry syrup (in breakfast aisle)
1/2 c oil (I used a mild olive)
4 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 c. flour (I used 2 c white and 1 c whole wheat pastry flour)
4 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda

Preheat oven to 350
Grease and flour your bundt pan. In one bowl, mix EnerG egg replacer powder with all of the liquid ingredients. In a second bowl, sift all of the rest of the dry ingredients together. Add dry mix to wet. Mix together until combined, do not over-mix.

Pour into prepared pan and bake for 35-40 minutes, checking that a knife pulls out clean. :)
Let cake cool, then pop it out of the pan and sift powdered sugar on top.

EAT!