Happy Bow-Wow-Ween!

First off, Happy Birthday to my little Tokki Pokie!  It's a year today that your adoption was finalized and I'm so happy you are part of our family!

Mookie and Tokki in their matching skeleton costumes!

And they're glow-in-the-dark too!

To celebrate Tokki's birthday and Halloween, we had a little pumpkin carving party with all the classic sweets (VegNews Bucket List #20).

For the caramelized popcorn balls, I used a recipe from Planetgreen.  What's great about it is that you don't need a candy thermometer.  Instead of sugar and corn syrup as the main ingredient, this recipe uses barley malt syrup and maple syrup.  It has a deeper, almost molasses-y taste (vs. more caramel-y), so it may take some getting used to.  But they worked great and when you wrapped them in the wax paper and twisted the ends, it ends of looking a little like a ghost.  Perfect for the spooky season!

To simplify the process, I used 6 oz. of ready-made popcorn and increased the maple syrup and barley malt syrup to 2/3 cup each.  It made about 16 popcorn balls.

Next I made caramel apples using another recipe from Planetgreen.  I was amazed at what the arrowroot powder could do.  It thickened the sugary sauce into a rich, creamy caramel sauce, the consistency a lot like gravy.  It never hardens so unfortunately you can't do caramel coated apples (I tried and then had to scrape the sauce off), but it made for a great dipping sauce.

Next came the pumpkin-carving.  My friend and I have been carving pumpkins now for 2 years, so we pretty much have it down to a science now.  I realize that I had absolutely no technique when I was younger, which was probably why my pumpkins turned out crappy and I hated the whole experience.  But, if you prep your pumpkin well enough, the carving is easy and you can make some great designs!  And never fear, I used a template (although I did free-carve the monster and it looks pretty great, if I do say so myself!)

Last, I cleaned and dried out the pumpkin seeds and roasted them with a little canola oil and sea salt.  400 degrees, about 15 minutes, and you got yourself a great snack!

Have a Happy Howl-O-Ween!

A Note of Thanks!

It's hard for me to accept compliments. Partly because I sometimes don't see myself the way others do, but also because I want to appear humble and modest (doesn't everybody?)  But earlier this month, when Blogher.com food section editor, Genie Gratto, selected my caramelized onion dip recipe as a feature member post in their "Celebrating Vegetarian Month" series, I was stunned.  The sight of her name in my email inbox caused the whole lot of butterflies to take off in my stomach.  And when she featured my S'mores recipe this past Tuesday, I felt this was the ultimate compliment of compliments.

My blogging was accidental (if you can believe that) because I never considered myself a writer.  My sister was the English major, the lawyer, the one my parents rely on to write letters and documents.  I was the biochemistry major, the pharmacist, the one that gets asked about flu shots and Medicare.  But as the researching, experimenting and baking began, I found I wanted to document my creations and Vegan Off the Leash was unleashed.  Pun intended. :)

I had no notions of being the next "Julie/Julia", after all, it was entirely possible that I would be the only one reading my blog (or perhaps I could coerce a few friends.)  But seeing my recipes featured on Blogher.com, having over 1300 reads for my onion dip recipe, having followers that aren't just my friends, I realized that I was making an impact!  My message that veganism doesn't equal deprivation, that veganism can mean indulgence, that veganism can mean ooey, gooey, carb-busting, waistline-expanding goodness was getting out there!  It warms my heart to introduce my favorite restaurants to newbies and hear them say, "Wow!  I would've never guessed!" (The fakin' bacon Oklahoma cheeseburger from Native Foods does it every time!)  I feel a great sense of pride when my friend Crystal proclaimed she wanted to try Meatless Mondays and asked for help finding vegan snack foods.  I feel honored to impart what I have learned from all the vegans before me as well as some new tricks up my sleeve. 

So while my Asian modesty wants to say, "Oh, the dip was probably too salty," my Vegan pride is shouting, "THANK YOU SO MUCH!"

P.S. Thank you to all my guinea pigs (aka friends and co-workers) for taste-testing week after week.  I don't want you to think it's a thankless job.

Pumpkin streusel muffins

Nothing signals fall like the smell of pumpkin wafting through the house.  And there's something so warm and comforting when you bite into a freshly baked muffin.  I usually like mine with a sweet glaze melting down the sides.  But this time, I opted for a crumbly streusel topping, which makes for a nice contrast to the subtle spiciness of the bread.

"Wet" ingredients
1 cup evaporated cane juice
1 stick (1/4 cup) Earth Balance butter
2 tsp EnerG egg replacer
15 oz. canned pumpkin
3/4 cup almond milk
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
1 tsp vanilla

"Dry" ingredients
2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1 tsp baking soda

Topping:
1/2 cup walnuts
1 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tsp evaporated cane juice

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

In large cup, combine milk and apple cider vinegar.  Set aside for 5 minutes to curdle.  In large mixing bowl, cream evaporated cane juice and butter together.  Add egg replacer and pumpkin.  Blend together.  Add milk mixture and vanilla and continue to beat together.

In separate bowl, combine dry ingredients together.  Add to wet ingredients in 3 separate additions.  Pour into large muffin tins (greased), about 1/2-1/3 of the way.

In food processor, combine walnuts, cinnamon and evaporated cane juice.  Pulse until powdery with some small chunks.  Sprinkle onto muffin batter.

Bake for 25 minutes, middle rack, rotating halfway through.  Makes 18 muffins (I baked the 12 and 6 separately rather than putting both tins in at the same time.)

Serve with cream cheese or pat of butter.  Vegan, of course. :)

Spooktacular Sweets

Halloween now has special meaning because it marks the anniversary of Tokki's adoption.  It will be our first year together!  And so, I've already begun the preparations for the celebration!

First on the list: Stocking the candy bowl and preparing goodie bags for my co-workers.  This year, the candy bowl looks slightly different.  It used to be filled with a variety of chocolate bars (Twix, Kit Kat, Snickers, etc.), but instead, I'm doling out vegan-friendly candies. The following is a list of approved Halloween Candy*:

Airheads

Brachs Fruit Slices

Charms Blow-Pops

Chick-o-Sticks

Cracker Jack

Dots

Dum-Dums

Jolly Ranchers (My favorite is apple and watermelon and cherry. Oh, who am I kidding? I love them all!)

Jujubees
Jujufruits
Mambas

Mary Janes

Nerds

Now & Later (I have been eating these since grade school. I can remember my friends and I trying to bite through these and then finally wearing it down so that we could chew and swallow it. I find that the ones they make these days are too chewy and not like they used to be.)

Pez (Who doesn't love a good Pez dispenser?!?)

Smarties

Sour Patch Kids (I LOVE sour candy. It is by far my favorite type of candy.)

Swedish Fish

Sweet Tarts

Twizzlers

Wonka Gobstoppers, Runts, Bottle Caps, Laffy Taffy

Zotz (A friend introduced these to me for the first time yesterday! It was fantastic! Like I said, I LOVE sour candy and this was definitely IT!)

I love that so many of these candies are ones that I grew up on.  Each one of them, at one time or another, found its way into my tummy.   I've given up some of them (more for my dentist's sake because the jujubees and jujyfruits are quite sticky), but overall, it's nice to know I didn't have to give up all of my childhood favorites.

Stay tuned next week for candy apples and pumpkin bread!

(* The list was compiled by VegNews and PETA)

Buckwheat: Not just a Little Rascal

Noodles are such an easy dish to prepare.  Just boil, toss a little sauce, and you got yourself a quick meal in a pinch.  This recent heat wave in Southern California had me longing for something cool and refreshing and I had just the thing!

I love soba noodles.  Made of buckwheat, they pack a lot of punch.  Just one cup contains only 113 calories, 24.4 grams of carbs and 5.8 grams of protein.  Compare that to regular spaghetti noodles with 220 calories, 42.8 grams and 8.1 grams of protein, soba noodles are really the way to go.  They are mostly eaten cold with a ponzu or soy sauce-based broth on the side.  You just dip a chopstick-ful of noodles into the broth and eat.  So simple!

I decided to dress mine up a bit and give it some color.  The result?  A light, refreshing dish to offset the soaring temperatures.  But don't be fooled- the vegetables and tofu gave it some heartiness to fill you up.

2 oz. soba noodles
1 tbsp sesame oil
2 1/2 to 3 oz. soft tofu (not silken), cubed
3/4 to 1 cup mixed vegetables (i.e. cabbage, broccoli, carrots, celery, radish, bean sprouts, edamame)
2 tbsp shoyu
1 1/2 tbsp rice vinegar
1/2 tsp chili garlic sauce
Dash of pepper
Green onion and/or black sesame seeds (optional)

Boil water in pot.  Add noodles and cook according to package directions.

Heat oil in pan.  Add cubed tofu.  I like to cut the tofu into tiny cubes because then they are more distributed throughout the dish rather than one chunk here and there.  Once cooked (golden color), remove from heat and cool down.  Another option here if you're trying to save on calories is to use firm tofu and you can skip the cooking step because the tofu won't crumble during the tossing process.

Cut up vegetables into small pieces, approximately the same size as the tofu.  I cheated a little bit here and bought a package a mixed vegetables so that I could skip this step.  But if you there are certain vegetables that you like over others, then by all means, use them.  Just a note, I find that "hard" veggies are better here than "soft" ones.  Things like broccoli and carrots hold up much better than tomatoes and avocados, for instance.

In separate bowl, mix shoyu, rice vinegar, chili garlic sauce and black pepper.

Add noodles, tofu and vegetables to mixing bowl.  Pour shoyu mixture over noodle mixture.  Toss everything together.  Serves 1.

This is also a great dish because it makes the perfect single serving or it can be multiplied to serve a crowd.  When serving to a group, garnish with slivered green onions or black sesame seeds for a beautiful presentation. 

Ter-RUFF-ic Snackables

Everyone loves a good snack, whether it's a salty potato chip or a rich, chocolate brownie.  And my dogs are no exception.  I consider Mookie the ultimate omnivore because he will eat anything and everything that is not tied down.  Literally.  Tokki, on the other hand, seems to have a more refined palate and doesn't take to new foods easily.  Some treats are harder for her to accept than others.  So, anything new must always pass the "Tokki Test" if it's going to become a regular item in the treat jar.  Here are some of my favorites:

1) Crumps Naturals Sweet Potato Chips:  These are simply what they say: sweet potatoes.  According to the package, they are high in fiber, packed with beta carotene (for healthy peepers), hypoallergenic (for dogs allergic to wheat and corn) and ha!  They don't stain the carpets!  This is actually important because the pups tend to run to their special area on the rug when they get their treats.

2) Bite O' Blue: These are just the cutest things ever.  The adorable packaging alone makes me feel like I just went out and picked fresh blueberries from the field.  The blueberries are grown in Dedham, Maine at the Peaked Mountain Farm and are naturally sustainable.  They have two varieties.  Tokki prefers the chewy recipe (like a gummy bear) and Mookie, well, he likes both, but he gets the crunchy variety, so they don't have to share.  The label even says that you can grow a blueberry plant with a Bo'B treat.  I totally have to try that...

3) Garden Bites: Tokki really has a vegetarian streak in her.  One sniff and she gobbled up these cute little flower chews.  Each chew contains carrots, alfalfa, beets, kelp, peas, spinach, apple, broccoli and zucchini.  It's a mini salad in every bite!

4) Before I knew better, I would give Flossies (beef tendon) and bully sticks (I think most people know what these are so I'll forgo the definition) to Mookie for this "keep-him-occupied-while-I-leave-for-a-few-hours" treat.  But thankfully my doggie daycare suggested deer antlers by Buckarooz.  Deer antlers are actually humane products because they naturally die off and regenerate annually so there is no harm to the animal.  The marrow of the antler is chock-ful of vitamins and calcium and lasts longer than bully sticks that it is cost-efficient.  Plus, it's not all slimy and gross when you pick it up.  The Buckarooz brand also comes with a Happy Deer Guarantee: No deer were harmed, bullied or even teased during the making of this treat!!

I heart edamame!

Edamame has a lot of benefits.  It's versatile and can be eaten fresh or roasted.  It makes a great snack-on-the-go.  And it's heart-healthy!

So I decided to make a dip with these cute little pods.  My friend Laura makes a great edamame hummus which I adore.  I omitted some of the ingredients because I like simple recipes.  To boost the nutritional value of this dip, I also added almonds.  I wanted to use an avocado too to make it creamy, but it didn't work.  Turns out, you can't add everything just because it goes with the color scheme!

Without further ado... Edamame Hummus!  Here's to lower cholesterol, glowing skin, radiant hair and happy little brain cells!

 

1 cup shelled organic edamame, cooked and cooled

1/2 cup almonds

1 1/2 cup fresh spinach, stems removed
2 tsp garlic
3 tbsp sesame oil
1/2 cup tahini
1 tbsp chili garlic sauce (you can use more or less, depending on your taste buds)
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Place almonds in food processor and blend until fine powder.  Add remaining ingredients and puree until it becomes a paste.

Serve with chips or veggie sticks!

Just to add a little education and positive message, I buy organic edamame because soybeans are considered an "at risk ingredient" for genetic modification.  Genetically modified organisms (or GMOs) are made by combining genes of one species into another.  Now, we're not talking about harvesting plums and apricots to make pluots (which, on a side note, was ingenious in my opinion).  It's when they take genes or bacteria/viruses, for instance, and put them into a food crop.  The result can be that the crop produces its own pesticide (and then the farmer doesn't have to spray it themselves) or that the crop becomes tolerant to the herbicide (so that when the farmer does spray the weed-killer on the crop, it won't kill it.)  It doesn't sound too appealing.

Sure, it's a good idea to buy organic all the time, but I realize that it's not always economically feasible for some.  So, here are some of the top "at-risk ingredients" that contain GMOs: corn, soybeans, canola, cottonseed, sugar beets, some zucchini and yellow squash.  In terms of sugar, I use evaporated cane juice or vegan sugar in my recipes.  Not only have these not been processed via bone charcoal (and therefore are animal-friendly), but in general, sugar is usually a combination of sugar cane and genetically modified sugar beets.

Breakfast of Champions!

Tofu scrambles are a HUGE part of a vegan lifestyle.  Almost very vegan cookbook will contain some form of the recipe.  And why not?  It's quick.  It's easily substituted for scrambled eggs.  And it doesn't give you all that unwanted fat and cholesterol, so there's also a health benefit.  No wonder it is considered a mainstay of vegan cooking.

But I admit, in 10 months, I haven't made one.  Mostly because I'm not a big fan of eggs in the first place and would happily pick a bowl of oatmeal over an omelet.  But this week, as I'm trying to squeeze in my protein, I thought I would give it a try and you know?  It was surprisingly good.  With 21 grams of protein per serving, it also kept me quite full until lunch (so I didn't even have to snack!)

Another great thing about scrambles is that you can add anything that you want (and you know I'm a fan of versatility!)  You can mix and match with different "meats" and veggies, even creating a version of a Denver scramble if you wanted to, the options are endless!  And no need to make a special grocery trip for ingredients; I actually just used leftover ingredients from my stuffed peppers on Monday to make this scramble (tomatoes, spinach and mushrooms)!  Add a slice of cheese on top (or scramble it into the tofu), couple slices of bacon on the side, and you got yourself one satisfying breakfast

Atkins meets Veganism

"How do you get your protein?"

If the vegans of the world got a nickel every time they were asked this, we would be billionaires!  I exaggerate, but in a way, it's true.  This is usually the third question out of everyone's mouth when we say we're vegan (It's preceded by the other common question "Really?" then "Why?")

So, I have set out on an experiment this week to pack in the protein.  And how do I do this, you say?  By combining the epitome of protein intake with veganism.  Everyone knows the Atkins Diet.  At just the mere mention of the name, images of steak, bacon, cheese, and eggs pop into your head.  But is it possible to do it vegan style?  This week, I'll find out!


And we start it off with a delicious "Beef-less Stuffed Peppers" recipe.  All the ingredients can be picked up easily from your neighborhood Trader Joe's.  In less than 10 minutes, you can have a meal ready to go!  Each 1/2 pepper contains 134 calories, 6 grams of fat, 9.9 grams of carbohydrates (with 3.4 of those being fiber) and a whopping 12 grams of protein.

Ingredients:
4 bell peppers (I like green, but you can get a variety to make it colorful, especially when serving to a group)
2 tbsp. canola oil
1 12-oz. package Trader Joe's Beef-less Ground Beef
1 cup mushrooms, chopped
1/4 cup onions, chopped
1/2 cup Trader Joe's Organic Tomatoes, Diced & Fire Roasted, with Organic Green Chilis (You can use any type of canned tomatoes, but just make sure it's not tomato sauce.)
4 oz. Soy-sation Shredded 3-Cheese Blend


Cut the bell peppers in half and cook under a broiler, about 5 minutes on each side.


In a saute pan, heat oil.  Add ground beef, mushrooms, onions and tomatoes and heat through.  Once peppers are cooked, stuff with pepper with beef mixture.  Top with cheese and place under broiler again for 2-3 minutes, being careful not to burn the cheese.

Makes 4 servings.