Shortbread Cookies with Strawberry-Coconut Frosting

Look! Cookies!

It has been a long time...

I haven't written since last year. I don't really know why. My mind and body kind of went off the rails and I am trying to find my way back.

I figure I’ll start back up with something that everyone likes…COOKIES.

Spicy Roasted Acorn Squash Soup

It’s been a while…but I have a headache and I can’t focus on anything…So I am going to scratch down a recipe.

2 Acorn Squash (Or other sweet/tasty squash)

1 can Coconut milk (other milks are fine too, but straight up coconut adds a layer of flavor)

Brussels Sprouts

Tossed and Covered

My mom is always saying, “I found a new Brussels Sprouts recipe.” My first question is always, “Oh yeah, how many ingredients?” I like most of my vegetables pretty simple…just how they come, with some salt and pepper…I eat sprouts 3-4 times per week regularly. They are just so freaking good, and easy. Here is what I do…

Berry Cobbler

I made this the other day. It was a treat. I did not regret eating it, even though I know I shouldn't have.

Protein Pudding

I love protein shakes...BUT in an effort to get creative with my snacks I looked up different protein puddings and such. Many call for nut butters (teehee <--Not mature enough) and other ingredients...Too much fat, too many calories, and too much effort!!!!

Cajun Crusted Soy Curls

Soy Curls are amazing. If you have never had them, I highly recommend ordering some. (Unless you live in the Portland area you can pick them up at tons of places.)

Creamy Lentil and Broccoli Soup

I just made this up...It was delicious.




Makes 2 large servings, each worth:

186 Calories
31g Carbs
3g Fat
12g Protein

The SLAW Formula

Standard Slaw Fixin's

I have this thing for slaw. I think of something to make for dinner, and then have to decide what will accompany it, many times it is shredded vegetables in some sort of dressing. I love slaw. It is so simple and sweet, tangy and tasty. I mix up tons of different things and call it slaw…but here is my basic formula:

Mushroom, Asparagus, and Spinach Bowl with Homemade Seitan

Super quick and easy weeknight recipe. If you don't make your seitan at home, it is just as easy to pick up a container at the store, or add some other form of protein. Or just drink a shake on the side. It takes more than 5 minutes, but I like to call it 5 minute food--Just because it is so simple.

Prepare --> Succeed

Planning:

For years I have heard my mother say, “Prior planning prevents piss poor performance.” Usually in regard to doing homework, some sports related, or forgetting to bring a coat in the middle of winter. It is true; she was right and I use this as a mantra. I lead a relatively busy life, so planning, organization, and preparation are keys to my success.

The Best Oatmeal EVARRRR!!!

I have been eating this oatmeal recipe for the past 2 weeks. I can't usually just eat the same thing over and over and over; but this is different. It is so good, and there are so many dynamic flavors...I simply can't get enough.

Chickpea Salad

Extremely simple. Ingredients are easy to swap, and you can adjust the flavors as needed.

Mexican-ish Stuffed Peppers

I have been cooking for one a lot lately…which makes me sad. No one wants to eat my food anymore. I love cooking for people. I don’t really have time to host folks, and my siblings I live with are lame and don’t wanna.

Enchilada Sauce in a Pinch

Once in a while I need some enchilada sauce, but not much. Not enough to warrant opening a whole can of anything (except whoop-ass, but I have a lifetime supply of that!)

 

So here is my quick fix:

 

¼ Cup Ketchup

1 Tsp Chili Powder

Sprinkle of Cumin

MIX ‘em together!

BAM! Sauce.

Stroganoff

As a kid I remember my mom making stroganoff. Coming home and smelling the simmering food…thinking how amazing it smelled, and wondering what she was making…then an hour later sitting at the table and seeing and smelling the final result, and being wholly disappointed. As a teen I changed my mind and wrote off my childhood ignorance.

I haven’t had stroganoff for years. I love it. I need it. I have a new challenge…I am trying to be soy free. It’s fucking hard. Soy is good.

Squashed Cauliflower

One head of Cauliflower

Water

¼ Cup Nutritional Yeast

Garlic Powder

Salt

Pepper

Cut and clean cauliflower

Add to a pot with cold water

Boil until tender…

Drain

Smash

Add Nutritional Yeast and spices to taste

Boom, Squashed Cauliflower.

 

Cashew Sour Cream

Really simple, incredibly quick.

 

2 Handfuls Raw Cashews

¼ Boiling Water

Tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar

Splash Non-Dairy Milk (Unsweetened)

If you have soaked cashews, good job…Use those. It will create a creamier consistency. I just made this for the first time the other day…So I did it in a flash.

Add cashews to a food chopper, processor, or high powered blender. Grind/puree as much as possible.

Add water, mix until creamy

Add cider vinegar and milk

Mix until creamy

Boom, Cashew Sour Cream.

Seitan

 

I stole the regular recipe from Yeah That Vegan Sh*t…then in my true style I changed it…Here is what I did. No pictures for a couple reasons: you just put stuff in a bowl and then smash it together, and no matter what you do it always looks like a giant turd. So yeah…

I like Seitan. It is made of Gluten and has an enormously high protein content. It is kind of spongy, and my brother and sister both think it is weird. But they eat dead animals...

Spicy Seitan

1.5 Cups Vital Wheat Gluten

¼ Cup Nutritional Yeast

2 tsps Paprika

¼ tsp Cinnamon

¼ tsp Cumin

1 tsp Black Pepper (usually do a heaping tsp)

1/8 tsp Cayenne powder (or Sriracha)

½ tsp Garlic Powder (or some fresh finely minced is good)

½ can tomato sauce

¼ cup COLD water

1 Tbsp Ketchup

2 Tbsp Oil (olive, vegetable, canola, what have you…)

2 Tbsp Worcestershire (Make sure its vegan! Annie’s makes one and I have seen one “Wizard” Brand)

Preheat oven to 350 (my oven cooks retardedly hot, so I usually do 300)

Combine dry ingredients in a large-ish bowl, combine wet in a smaller bowl. Whisk both separately.

Create a well in the middle of the dry ingredients, pour in wet. Mix with a fork until it becomes ridiculous.

Complete the combining process with your freshly washed hands. Knead the dough for 5-8 minutes…or however long you have patience for.

Form into a log…6-8 inches in length. It will look terrible…

Roll in foil as tightly as possible. Pinch the ends (so it looks like a giant hard candy)

Bake for 90 minutes on the rack. NO BAKING SHEET! It will burn!

Let cool completely, store in the fridge…I usually keep it in something plastic so it doesn’t dry out.

 

This is just a little more mild flavor…Better as an ingredient as compared to the above…which I like on its own. Slightly different ingredients, same directions.

Chicken Style Seitan

1.5 Cups Vital Wheat Gluten

¼ Cup Nutritional Yeast

½ tsp Poultry Seasoning (Sage, Thyme, Marjoram, Rosemary, Nutmeg, Black Pepper)

¼ tsp Cumin

1 tsp Black Pepper

½ tsp Garlic Powder (or some fresh finely minced is good)

½ can tomato sauce

¼ cup COLD water

1 Tbsp Ketchup

2 Tbsp Oil (olive, vegetable, canola, what have you…)

1 Tbsp Molasses

 

 

 

Baklava

This is a pretty simple dessert to make. Takes a little time, but it is easy to keep all of the ingredients on hand. (Phyllo  in the freezer) I didn't take many progress photos...Sorry folks!

Pastry:

Grease a 9X13 pan; using a paper towel apply some butter substitute.

1 Package (one roll) Vegan Phyllo Pastry

1 Cup Butter Substitute, melted. I always melt butter slowly on the stove...I hate microwaves, and butter always explodes.

1.5 Cup Chopped Nuts (I did a combination of pistachios, cashews, walnuts, macadamias, almonds, and pecans all raw.) I pretty much always have these on hand…unless I ate them all.

2 Tablespoons ground cinnamon

SAUCE:

1 Cup Water

1 Cup Sugar (I used evaporated cane juice; same, same.)

1.25 Teaspoons Vanilla

2 Tablespoons Agave

Grind the nuts in a small food chopper or food processor…if you only have a knife…chop a lot…

Mix the nuts and cinnamon in a bowl.

Unroll the phyllo, cover with a damp towel, if you work fast enough this shouldn’t really be necessary…but I don’t want to be blamed for you having crusty unworkable phyllo.

Remove and lay four sheets in the bottom of your greased pan. If the sheets are too big for the pan just let it kind of work up the sides, or scrunch them down a bit…Using a basting brush spread melted butter substitute on every friggin’ inch of that dough J

Sprinkle the nut/cinnamon mixture over the top.

Layer 2 more sheets of phyllo, brush with butter, top with nuts…repeat his until you have 8 sheets of phyllo left…If you run out of the nut mixture, just make some more…until you have enough. I always have a stockpile of raw nuts. (Bahahaha)

When you have layered the top 6-8 sheets of the phyllo brush the top with the remaining butter substitute.

Using a SHARP knife cut into your desired serving size. I chose to do 2x4 and then cut each of those into triangles.

Bake for 50 minutes to an hour at 175. If your oven will not go this low, bake at 200 and until the top is crisp and golden brown. Because the temperature is so low it may seem like it will NEVER be done…but it will and it will be AMAZING.

When the pastry has been cooking for about 20 minutes, start making the sauce.

 Boil the sugar and water and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Add the Vanilla and agave and simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. This should create a sort of syrup, runnier than maple, but thicker than say…Gatorade.

By the time you are done with the sauce the Pastry should be ready to come out of the oven.

Spoon the syrup over the baklava immediately. Make sure to drip some between the cut edges and down the sides of the pan.

 And let it cool. It may seem like you are going to make it soggy and floppy…but you aren’t. I assure you, you are making it more and more delicious with every spoonful.

When the pastry cools each piece will be a crunchy, slightly chewy, sugar coated, cinnamon filled treat that no person can resist. (Unless they have no taste at all; or just suck generally)

I used a thin metal spatula (my tofu spatula) to remove the baklava from the pan and set out on plates. Do not do this until the dessert is completely cooled.

OK, now you can eat it…and if you “accidentally” destroy the first piece you should probably destroy the evidence…

Yeah…so, you’re welcome.

Lasagna - Spinach, Mushroom, Sausage.

OK! I am finally taking a minute to write down a recipe from Christmas. I don’t really have time to do it…and I am feeling guilty for all of the other things I should be doing, but I feel the same way about not posting here. This recipe has many components…it is definitely one I plan ahead for and make pieces, in advance.

This also makes a HUGE lasagna…so bear that in mind. I suggest making a few reasonably sized lasagnas…and freezing or sharing…I love sharing.

For many people Lasagna is an indulgence, this recipe is nearly guilt free…A bit on the carbs, with the noodles, but you know what…? Just make it with zucchini noodles or something. I can’t tell you how many times I ate this for breakfast. To any non-vegan folks who are reading this…it is a great way to get the same flavor without all of the crazy fat that dairy cheese and animal proteins add. Let me make you a lot healthier…GO VEGAN.

Part One:

Make a batch of my MARINARA

Part Two:

Cashew Ricotta

I stole the basis for this out of VEGANOMICON, but in my true fashion I changed it, because that is what I do.

1 Cup Raw Cashews

½ Cup Lemon Juice

¼ Olive Oil

6 Cloves Roasted Garlic (About half a head squished out into the processor)

1 Block ‘o’ Tofu (Crumbled)

3 Teaspoons Basil (Dried)

2/3 Cup Nutritional Yeast

Salt

Blend everything but tofu and spices in a food processor (SANTA BROUGHT ME ONE!!!! So I can say this now.)

 

Add tofu and spices. Blend…Mixture should be thick and mostly smooth. You do want some texture from the cashews!

Part Three:

Building

One Recipe Marinara

One Recipe Cashew Ricotta

1.5 boxes boiled lasagna noodles (Or however many you need to fit your pan with 3 or 4 layers) Lay flat when finished; dry, flat, cooked noodles make a better lasagna

8-10 Larger Mushrooms Cut, not too small though!

4-5 Cups Spinach

1 Package  Tofurky Italian Sausage (cut into chunks)

1-2 Medium Sized Tomatoes sliced (Not ‘necessary’, but I love the way it looks)

Cover the bottom of your pan with a thin layer of sauce, and layer noodles

Cover noodles with sauce. Layer ½ of the mushrooms, ½ of the sausages, and ½ of the spinach over the saucy noodles. Spoon in 1/3 of the remaining sauce, and 1/3 of the cashew ricotta.

WOAH! That is blurry...Sorry Folks.

Layer with noodles again, repeat step above.

Layer final noodles. Evenly spread remaining sauce over the final layer of noodles. Add even dollops of remaining cashew ricotta and top with tomato slices. A sprinkle of something green would probably go a long way here. (My family is averse to green things generally…so I saved a small headache and skipped it)

Pre-Oven

 

Bake at covered at 375 for a 45 minutes. You want the sauce to be bubbling and the edge noodles to be crisp! Remove the foil and bake uncovered for 10-15 minutes.

Resting before consumption. See the crisp edges, and the cashew ricotta gets a little brown...Mmm...

VERY IMPORTANT: Take it out of the oven and let it sit for 15 minutes. (Less if your lasagna is smaller) This will give it time to cool and tighten up. Then you won’t have sloppy, disassembled lasagna…and you can take pictures of it and post it to IG. Also, less chance you will burn your mouth. Use this time to make a salad or set the table.

This is one of the few times I have ever made lasagna in my life. It is so easy, but time consuming. I have to say, this is one of the best tasting things I have ever made. The mushrooms are key. It is very important to not “over sausage” (hehe) the lasagna…let the vegetables do the work.

Ok.  Go forth and make White Girl Italian Food.