I spoke to my Mom this morning to make our Sunday movie date plans & she mentioned she was making a modified version of the “Blueberry Steusel Cake” from the Skinny Bitch Ultimate Everyday Cookbook…

Her modification? Subbing fresh blackberries in place of the blueberries… 

Resulting in this beautiful creation…

Yum! Meanwhile I was rearranging my Pinterest boards & looking for inspiration. When I came across this oatmeal recipe from Vegan Yack Attack, I felt a rumble in my tummy & knew it was time to make breakfast. Using her recipe as my guide, I added my own little twist & came up with this…

“Very Cherry Berry Coconut Multigrain Oatmeal”

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup multigrain hot cereal (I used Country Choice Organic’s blend of rye, barley, oats, & wheat)
• 1/4 cup frozen berries (I used Trader Joe’s Very Cherry Berry Blend)
• 1 Tbsp. ground flaxseed
• 1 Tbsp. unsweetened coconut flakes
• 1/2 Tbsp. agave nectar
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
• pinch of cinnamon
• 1 cup coconut milk (The kind for drinking, not the canned) 

Directions:

1. In a small sauce pan combine coconut milk, fruit, oats & remaining ingredients, bring to a boil, then simmer for 3-5 minutes over medium heat, stirring occasionally. Top with additional coconut flakes if desired & serve. 

Berry-licious Deliciousness. Enjoy!

• Tags
• oatmeal
• vegan
• breakfast
• food
• blackberries
• Skinny Bitch Cookbook
• vegan yack attack

Don’t even get me started on how amazing this little “experiment” turned out & I am so excited to share it…

“Vegan Mac & Cheese with Arugula Pesto”

This oddly fantastic concoction was born out of inspiration from this recipe on How Sweet It Is. I follow a variety of blogs for a number of reasons, & I read this particular blog for it’s beautifully photographed food, not necessarily the food itself. But a few days a go a recipe caught my eye & got my creative juices flowing. I love pesto, I love mac & cheese (who doesn’t?), combining the two for a super super jazzed up version of comforting bliss? I’ll take it.

I’ve been craving mac & cheese, like, forever. I recently stumbled upon the frozen Candle Cafe Mac & Cheese on sale at Whole Foods, so I grabbed it, rushed home, waited rather impatiently as it heated up & was sadly & thoroughly disappointed. Ever since then I’ve had a hankering & wanted to do it homemade. I’ve only made one attempt at a homegrown version on vegan mac. It was ok. I needed better than mediocre, I needed mind blowing. I’ve collected nearly a dozen recipes from around the blog-o-sphere for vegan mac & cheese, & the one recipe that called to me the most was the non vegan recipe. Go figure. As my weeknights are busy, I don’t get to play as much in the kitchen, so I love to have one or two weekend cooking projects lined up so I can bust out my inner domestic goddess. This was my perfect, under the weather, stuck in the house challenge: get to work on how to make a vegan version. 

The pesto part was easy…

I started with the recipe on HSII & left out the cheese, then made some intuitive adjustments from there. I was lucky to have a fresh bunch of local organic arugula from my recent CSA share. Here is my version, in a nutshell…

Arugula Pesto

• 4 cups organic arugula
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup chopped raw almonds
• Juice of 1/2 a lemon
• 2 Tbsps. vegan parmesean
• sea salt to taste

1. In a food processor, combine garlic, arugula, almonds, vegan parm & lemon juice. Pulse until combined. Stream in olive oil a tablespoon at a time until the pesto becomes smooth. Taste & add sea salt if needed.

The biggest challenge was deciding on a “cheese” sauce that would mimic the mild white cheddar part of the recipe. After looking at countless sauces from the most simple to the most complex, I finally settled on the Quick & Easy Vegan Alfredo from Angela at Oh She Glows. 

(photo via Oh She Glows)

This sauce was everything I needed it to be - creamy, mild, yet flavorful. I was a bit worried as Angela said it dried out upon reheating, & my dish called for baking, but as this was an experiment, I kept an open mind. 

For the pasta portion I used Quinoa Harvest shells…

While I am not trying to be gluten-free, I liked the idea of using something healthier than semolina. I’ve used this brand before & really like it as an alternative to whole wheat, which I usually buy. I’ve learned that I prefer this pasta cooked a bit longer than recommended. The package instructions advise not to over-cook, but I’ve found that even after 10 minutes it’s too chewy, so I let it go until 12. Even though I was baking this dish, I decided not to under-cook it. 

Once all components were ready to go, it was time to put it all together. I added the sauce…

Mixed in the pesto…

Sprinkled on a mixture of paprika, panko bread crumbs & chopped fresh Italian parsley & then popped it in the oven. I sat with a wish, prayer, fingers crossed & a growling tummy for 30 minutes while it baked away & then pulled it out of the oven…

Hello crispy, bubbly, aromatic, & absolutely gorgeous vegan mac & cheese! 

Vegan Mac & Cheese with Arugula Pesto

• 1 8oz box of uncooked pasta shells
• 1 heaping cup of vegan alfredo sauce
• 1/3 cup arugula pesto
• 1/3 cup panko bread crumbs
• 1 tbsp. chopped fresh Italian parsley
• Sprinkle of paprika

1. Bring water to a boil & cook pasta according to directions.
2. While pasta is cooking, make the vegan alfredo sauce. 
3. Add pasta to a baking dish & pour alfredo sauce over top. Stir to distribute sauce, then stir in pesto. Top with breadcrumb, parsley & paprika. Bake for 30-minutes, until top is golden & bubbly.

OMG! This turned out better than I ever thought possible. The baking process did dry it out a bit, but left it with a texture reminiscent of my favorite homemade (dairy based) mac & cheese my Mom used to make - & she made the best! This made me nostalgic & satisfied my mac & cheese craving with every bite. Mind blowing? Yes! The pesto is mild, but gave the pasta just an extra bit of “umph” that made the entire dish that much more special & satisfying. I loved it, P-dubb loved it, I think even the Pug would love it. I would also like to attempt a creamier, non-baked version of this, just to see how that turns out! Perhaps next weekend…

Cheers to sweet, or savory in this case, success! Please make & enjoy!

• Tags
• vegan
• food
• vegan mac & cheese
• arugula
• pesto
• oh she glows
• how sweet it is

As I sit here & eat my latest cabbage rich Heidi Swanson inspired creation (“White Beans & Cabbage” mentioned a couple of posts-a-go), I am finally sharing a dish I made almost 2 weeks ago with the cabbage from my last CSA share…

Behold the “Chopped Miso Salad with Savory Baked Tofu.”I made this for lunch on a dreary Monday a few weeks back. While this cool, crisp & savory salad might be better suited for a warm spring day, it certainly was a bright spot in my day amid the gloomy weather outside. Gorgeous ribbons of napa cabbage, tossed with a rich & flavorful miso-sesame dressing, baked tofu, slivered almonds, & a pungent melange of red onion, shallot, & chives.

Heidi’s recipes are typically foolproof, & while this salad was lovely on so many levels, it was a little too salty for my taste. Perhaps it was the miso, as I had to use both mellow white & red miso, as I was running low on the former. Regardless, I would test the dressing before adding the additional salt. I also prefer my salads lightly dressed, but found that there was far too much dressing in proportion to the salad for my liking. It was entirely my error, as I was starving & rushing to get this plated so I could enjoy it, & hastily poured in the entire contents of the dressing. Again, test it out, pour sparingly, as you can always add more, a little at a time until you’ve achieved the balance you desire. I should add that, like Heidi, I too cheated with the tofu & used the pre made savory baked tofu from Trader Joe’s. I aways have it on hand for salads, sandwiches, & such. 

I will certainly make this again, with minor modifications. It was fresh, & full of remarkable flavor, vibrant color & satisfying texture. Enjoy!

• Tags
• cabbage
• heidi swanson
• 101 cookbooks
• tofu
• salad
• vegan
• food

Weeknights are often busy. Between 2 jobs, I work a long day, then come home, tend to my dog,  & squeeze in yoga or exercise, & try make a fresh, nutritious meal. Some meals are healthier that other, & sometimes cheating is involved…

By cheating I mean taking reasonable short cuts. A Gardein Chik’n Breast & steamed or roasted vegetables with rice is a staple, as is spaghetti & veggie meatballs, or a frozen Amy’s roasted veggie or vegan pizza & a salad. Other times, I’ll make a little more effort, but still just cheat a bit, as I did here, by using a pre-made red curry sauce instead of making the real deal. 

A few weeks ago I received a gem of a kabocha squash in my CSA share. Kabaocha is a rare gift in terms of squash & I was determined to do something special with it. That is when I came across this recipe & flagged in on my “Veganize It!” Pinterest board. Veganize & simplify - that was my mission. A Thai restaurant in my neighborhood makes a gorgeous pumpkin curry that I often crave, so why not make a semi homemade version?

But let’s talk a bit more about our star ingredient - kabocha squash. It is a centuries-old variety of Japanese squash that is often referred to as a Japanese pumpkin & is popular in dishes ranging from soup to sushi. Kabocha is a hard winter squash available from late fall to late spring. It has a brilliant yellow-orange flesh & as its rich orange flesh indicates, it is high in the powerful anti-oxidant beta carotene. One 3/4 cup serving of cooked Kabocha squash is only 30 calories yet provides 30% of your daily recommended vitamin C & 70% of vitamin A. It’s also high in dietary fiber, especially if you eat the skin, which turns soft when cooked. Both the texture and flavor of Kabocha squash is reminiscent to a sweet potato: the soft, moist, fluffy flesh is delightfully sweet & slightly nutty. 

Cheater, Cheater Pumpkin Eater Kabocha Squash Curry

• 1 large kabocha squash
• 8 oz firm tofu, cut into bite sized chunks
• 1 large handful green beans, cut in half
• 1 red bell pepper, diced
• 1 tbsp canola oil
• 3/4 jar of vegan Thai Red curry sauce (be sure to check the label for traces of fish sauce, dairy & eggs - I used Fresh & Easy brand)
• cooked jasmine rice for serving (to save even more time I love the frozen rice packages from Trader Joe’s - throw in the micro for 3 minutes!)

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Drizzle olive oil on a foil lined sheet tray. Slice kabocha squash, remove seeds, & place cut-side down on the sheet tray. Roast squash halves for about 30 minutes until tender. Remove & let cool completely.
2. Press tofu for 20-30 minutes & drain excess water. Cut into chunks. 
3. Heat oil in a large pot, add red bell peppers, green bean halves & sauce & simmer for about 15 minutes until vegetables are just cooked but not mushy.
4. Peel kabocha squash, or leave peel on for extra nutrients. Chop into large chunks &  add along with the tofu to the curry sauce. Serve curry over jasmine rice. 

So simple, nutritious & tasty. That is what an easy weeknight meal is all about. Prep the veggies & tofu while the squash is roasting. Then throw everything into a pot & simmer away while enjoying a glass of wine.

• Tags
• Kabocha squash
• suzie's farm
• csa share
• vegan
• food

Baby it’s cold outside…for Southern California, anyway. After a few weeks of warm spring-like weather, I’ve pulled my trench coat, scarves & boots back out. I even wore mittens this morning when walking the dog! Yay! Since I belong to a CSA, I’m blessed with a box of seasonal produce every other week. I love eating seasonally & that means cooking lots of warm & hearty soups & stews in the winter. Like this…

Rainbow Chard & White Bean Stew

I flagged this recipe from Smitten Kitchen & posted it on my “Veganize It” Pinterest Board, knowing it would come in handy. Beans & soy products are my main sources of protein & creamy white beans are my absolute favorite. When I picked up my share last week & saw rainbow chard, carrots, & celery in the box, I knew exactly what I would be making over the rainy, winter’s weekend. Keeping with my goal of trying to use only local produce, I found tomatoes & garlic at another stand at the farmers’ market, making this stew 95% local, as I used canned beans & shallots from Trader Joe’s. 

I took SK’s advice & served the stew over a thick slice of garlic rubbed & toasted whole wheat artisan bread from Trader Joe’s. I didn’t have sherry vinegar on hand, so I drizzled the dish with red wine vinegar, & added some chopped Italian parsley for an extra bit of herbaceous freshness. To “veganize it” I simply omitted the poached egg & cheese, which certainly were not missed. 

I made this on a rainy evening a few nights ago & have had plenty of leftovers to sustain me through the beginning of the week. I love a meal that utilizes multiple ingredients from my CSA, but also feeds me on busy week nights. This is perfectly a cozy, stick to your bones meal & is as lovely over a bead of brown rice as it is over a piece of garlic toast. Make & enjoy!

• Tags
• vegan
• stew
• white beans
• swiss chard
• smitten kitten
• food
• CSA

It seems a little late in the season to be cooking with pumpkin, I know. We often equate pumpkin with Halloween & Thanksgiving then put it out of our minds until next year. In fact, that was exactly my line of thinking until 2 little sugar pumpkins showed up in my first of the new year CSA share…

I was a taken aback at first, but pumpkin is a “winter squash” after all, so I should not be surprised. And, it is “technically” winter, however you’d never know it living in sunny So Cal. It had been in the high 70s until a few days ago & this morning we were finally blessed with a sprinkle of rain. Raining mornings are perfect for baking & that was #1 on my agenda for this holiday Monday. I knew just what to do with my little pumpkins - make The PPK’s Chocolate Pumpkin Loaf, with fresh local pumpkin puree. 

I followed the instructions for homemade pumpkin puree from Sweet Pea’s Kitchen.

I seeded, sliced, roasted, peeled & pureed the pumpkin, omitting the final straining step, as my puree seemed the right consistency for my needs. My little pumpkins yielded the perfect amount of puree for the recipe…

Then it was on to making the loaf! I must say that the iPad makes cooking from blog recipes an absolute breeze! No need to squint at the iPhone screen, fuss with the laptop or waste paper. It’s no wonder it made The PPK’s Top 100. I was lucky enough to inherit a first generation iPad from my Grandpa, who passed it on to my Mom, who passed it to me. It’s awesome…

After measuring, mixing, stirring, & 55 minutes of an amazing aroma filling the kitchen air, this…

became this…

Gorgeous scrumptious ooey gooey chocolate pumpkin loaf! Yummy! I forgot the little trick I picked up on the Food Network about coating the chocolate chips in a bit of flour so they will more evenly distribute, but in a way these heavy huddles of chocolate actually make it even more decadent. The pumpkin flavor is very mild & the chocolate is the star. The subtle hints of ginger, nutmeg, clove, & cinnamon are reminiscent of the holiday season that just passed, but lingers in our thoughts. 

Serve warm as dessert with a dollop of cashew creme fraiche, or dip in morning coffee for a sweet & indulgent way to start the day. This bread will be making appearances next holiday, for sure. As always thank you Isa for your amazing vegan recipes. What a delightful way to spend a rainy Monday…I don’t want to go to work tomorrow, but I look forward to breakfast! 

• Tags
• the ppk
• pumpkin
• chocolate
• bread
• holiday
• vegan
• food
• baking

There is a new veg-friendly eatery open on my side of town & I could not be more excited…

Lotus Cafe & Juice Bar - Hillcrest

I first learned about Lotus Cafe & Juice Bar when my cousin brought me an enormous vegan cupcake from their Encinitas location. One gorgeous afternoon, Anna & I found ourselves there gorging on Veggie Chili Dogs, a guilty pleasure of mine. Encinitas is only 30 minutes or so up the coast but with my busy schedule, even though it is an easy trek, I don’t make it up there that often. So you can imagine my excitement when Anna told me that they opened a second restaurant in Hillcrest, a nearby neighborhood & 5 minute drive. Woot! Their mission: 

“Lotus Cafe is dedicated to serving fresh, natural, healthy food at affordable prices, prepared with one, simplicity, & a joyful heart. Ingredients are sourced with care & are always natural.”

That is a mission I can stand behind! Even better, it is located in the same plaza of the Landmark Theater, which is the best place in town to catch an artsy or independent film (we saw The Descendants - heart breaking, but so well done). A healthy meal & a good movie is one of my favorite ways to spend the afternoon, so that is exactly what I did this weekend, with my sweet Mama as my date. 

This new location is bright & clean with beautiful lotus paintings adorning the walls & subtle flute music filling the air. It’s almost reminiscent of my yoga studio with the peaceful & quiet energy you’d find there, but with a menu of nourishing food, instead of classes. 

There is truly something for everyone at Lotus. The menu is very well organized with icons next to each item indicating whether it’s vegan, vegetarian, or gluten free. They even indicate which menu options can be made vegan & tell you specifically what to omit when ordering. Their extensive menu consists of appetizers, all day breakfast, salads, sandwiches, pastas, side dishes & vegetarian entrees - where you’ll find stir fries, Mexican dishes, & curries. Fish & chicken dishes are offered as well. In addition, there is a juice & smoothie bar, & a dessert case with giant vegan cupcakes & other desserts.

With so many amazing things on the menu, it took me a solid 5 minutes, maybe 10, to decide what to order. A good rule of thumb would be to try to get a feel for what you are in the mood for ahead of time, so it’s easier to narrow down the choices. One decision that came easily however, was ordering a cup of this soup…

Vegan Creamy Artichoke Soup

I saw this on the “specials” board & l knew I would start there. The soup selection changes daily, but there is always 1 vegan & 1 gluten free offering. Saturday’s selections were “Vegan Creamy Artichoke Soup” & “Lentil Soup” both of which sounded wonderful. However, I love artichokes, & put vegan + creamy + artichoke together & I am sold. We both ordered a cup & it was delightful. Savory & creamy, but not too rich, with small bits of artichoke in every spoonful. Something I will certainly have to create at home. 

On to our entrees. My Mom had as tough a time as I did deciding between a healthy salad, a Mexican dish, or the falafel, which she’d had previously at the Encinitas location. In the end she went with her first inclination - the falafel…

Pipe’s Pita - Falafel balls with hummus, tomato, sprouts & shredded carrots with tahini-ginger sauce in a whole wheat pita.***Omit tahini sauce to make this vegan. 

Ever since dining at L’As du Falafel during our 2006 Paris trip, we’ve been trying to find a local falafel that doesn’t pale in comparison. I dare you to find anything better, because we surely haven’t. Yet. The closest I’ve found is at Mama’s, & according to my Mom, the falafel here at Lotus is pretty tasty as well, at least it hits the spot. I’m not quite sure what makes their tahini sauce not vegan, & I suppose I should ask.

After agonizing over the menu, I decided to err on the healthy & order a salad. I eat salad everyday for lunch & could’ve been more adventurous, but after a heavy vegan waffle & tofu scramble breakfast, greens sounded refreshing & the components of this salad sounded wonderful…

Chapati Salad - Baked whole wheat chapati topped with black beans, rice, mixed organic greens, carrots, sprouts, jicama, radish, salsa, & guacamole. ***Comes with sour cream, but can be omitted (which I did) to make vegan. 

This is the alternate view. I wanted you to see all sides of this generous serving. Some salads can be halved, but not this one. It’s substantial & very filling, so come hungry. And what you see is only the top! Beneath the layers of veggies are layers of black beans, brown rice & crispy chapati. I chose the (honey-vegan) Lemon Herb dressing & (vegan) Tahini Dressing on the side. This salad was wonderful - hearty, filling, full of fresh veggies & greens, with the added bonus of beans & rice to make a complete protein, while the salsa & guacamole satisfied my Mexican craving. 

After a quick stroll around the shops before the movie we returned to snatch up a vegan cupcake to smuggle into the movies! :) 

Our choices were chocolate or carrot with cream cheese frosting. We chose chocolate, but I’m including the picture below (taken previously) of the carrot cupcake Anna & I shared. I wanted to give you an idea of the scale of these decadent beauties…

Now that’s a cupcake! They’re good, but we agreed, the ones we make are better. Who knows perhaps there is a vegan cupcake business in our future! 

Nevertheless, when in San Diego or Encinitas, definitely check out Lotus Cafe & Juice Bar. Healthy, reasonably priced, locally owned & operated, & something on the menu for everyone. Can’t beat that! 

• Tags
• lotus cafe and juice bar
• lotus cafe hillcrest
• landmark theater hillcrest
• vegan food
• vegan restaurants
• food
• vegan

San Diego peeps, check this out…a 3 course affordably priced, locally sourced, vegan meal at El Take it Easy…And this is event #2. Where was I when they threw event #1? Well, this next event is certainly not to be missed!

I’ll admit, I’ve been curious, but I haven’t yet checked out El Take it Easy. Let’s just say their typical menu is very “un-vegan,” & in essence, has never appealed to me. However, I appreciate their “farm-to-table” philosophy, & their partnership with my CSA, Suzie’s Farm, & their cocktail menu looks enticing, so I am all in favor of supporting their vegan event, & at a steal of a price to boot! 

The details…

Once a month, the vegetarian fixed-price dinner goes vegan, with a party hosted by one of San Diego’s vegan cultural vanguard. 

On January 11, El Take it Easy welcomes Ensenada native & North Park resident Acamonchi, whose work is known from Mexico City to New York & beyond.

The nite will feature art by Acamonchi, a soundtrack by Ejival of Tijuana’s Static Records, &, of course, a three-course vegan meal featuring Suzie’s Farm produce for $20. It’ll also be a good nite to learn about mezcal, we’ll be around to share some tastings with you.

Be there!

• Tags
• vegan
• vegan event
• san diego vegan event
• el take it easy
• Suzie's Farm