First day of Spring { asparagus quiche }

It official the first day of spring has arrived, with a snow storm! Boo. That didn't stop me from baking up this delicioso 'vegan asparagus quiche'. Even with the snow, I can feel spring is going to pounce upon us with sunshine, buds on the trees, birds singing but until it comes I will be opening my front door to rubber boots filled with snow!

But inside the house we are drooling over this 'egg-less quiche'. Yes, that is right there are no eggs in this, but how you ask? TOFU! I once read that you should treat tofu like flour, if its not seasoned or done something with it will just be flour. Well same goes for tofu. Lots of good things went inside this quiche... sautéed onions, Daiya cheese, nutritional yeast, apple cider vinegar, and asparagus!

Vegan 'Sfeeha'

As I sit here and write this post I am eating yummy 'vegan sfeeha' other wise known as 'meat' pies. I put my own twist on this traditional recipe by veganizing it!!

This little delicacy comes from  Lebanon. I recently joined 'the secret recipe club', where you get sent a blog that you may have never discovered otherwise, and have to pick recipe from their collection, and make it. Lucky me I to get chef in disguise, this lady rocks! Orthodontist by day/chef at night. And she has great recipes that I am looking forward to veganizing more of.

After scrolling through her delicious looking photos, I settled on the 'sfeeha'. Little pastries filled with savoury goodness. I thought it would be a good first attempt, and I was right! These taste like awesomeness.  I didn't have some of the ingredients that Sawsan used but I thought I could manage to make it tasty with what I had on hand....I kept the recipe for her dough, which is amazing.

'Sfeeha'- Veganized 
makes 12 

Dough:

3/4 cup warm water
1/2 tsp sugar
1 tsp yeast
2 cups flour
1/2 tsp salt
3 tbsp olive oil

Filling:

3 tbsp olive oil
1 onion
2 stalks celery-minced
1 clove garlic
1/2 package of Yves veggie ground round
1 tsp sage
1/4 tsp allspice
1 tsp chilli powder
1/2 cup rolled oats
2 tsp molasses
1 tbsp tahini
3-4 tbsp of water
freshly ground pepper
sea salt to taste

For the dough sprinkle the sugar into the water in a small bowl, add yeast. Let sit for about 10 minutes and foam. In a medium sized bowl combine flour and salt, pour the water into the flour and mix with a spoon until forms a ball. Flour surface and knead dough for 7-8 minutes, unitl smooth. Pour olive oil into a bowl, place dough in and give it a spin, to coat. Cover with a towel and let rise until double its size. ( appox 2 hours).

Once dough has risen, roll into golf ball sized portions and set on a tray. Allow to sit for 10 minutes.

For the filling. Heat pan and add oil. Saute onion, garlic and celery until soft. Add veggie ground round and stir until well combined. Add the rest of the ingredients and contiune to cook until soft and hot. 6-8 minutes.

Roll out the balls of dough, to form small circles. Place a scoop of filling in the middle, with water pinch the sides of the dough to form and X. Brush pastry with olive oil

Place on greased cookie sheet at 400 for 20 minutes.

Teriyaki noodles with Chinese broccoli

I feel like I have not been in my kitchen in for-EVER! I mean I make toast and things like that, but I have not been cooking like I usually do. My upcoming plan is in full swing, with hopes that everything goes as it should...I will release the news soon!

Tonight was a good night to be inside cooking its pretty chilly outside and I really do find my qi when I am in the kitchen. This was a quick week night meal that turned out pretty tasty.

I find Chinese broccoli at my local grocery store, and I like that its leafier than regular old broccoli, but if you can't find it, the normal stuff with do just fine.

Teriyaki noodles with Chinese broccoli

cooked noodles- udon, soba, rice or whatever you prefer

1 tbsp sunflower oil
1/2 block tofu cubed
1 garlic clove-minced
1 tbsp fresh ginger-minced
6-8 mushrooms-sliced
8-10 stalks of Chinese broccoli
black onion seeds- optional

sauce:

3 Tbsp tamari
2 Tbsp palm sugar
1 Tbsp corn starch
2 Tbsp water
1/4 tsp sesame oil

mix together and set aside

In a cast iron pan or non-stick heat oil add tofu. let brown.
Add garlic, ginger and mushrooms. Allow to sauté for a few minutes
Throw in broccoli, just allow to green up a bit
Pour sauce over and allow to thicken a bit
Serve over noodles.

Autumn meals { vegan style }

Hey everyone I have not been the best at participating in Vegan MOFO this year.  I was SO excited about it  too, had all my recipe plans and then I didn't really do much. I guess life got in the way.

My mom is in town, and I had other family visiting earlier, along with my two wee ones birthdays. Just settling into how things will be for me for me on my own too. It has been a busy month...

Anyhow I have been sharing a few of my meals that I have made on my facebook page! If you have not yet 'liked', you should! And if you have a facebook page. Leave me a comment and I will like it too!

I have made some yummy Autumn harvest meals the last couple of weeks...I hope you had a excellent weekend!

Roasted curry cauliflower soup

pan seared garlicy tofu with roasted autumn veggies and onion gravy

Eggless salad sandwiches with home-made pickles

tofurky polish sausage breakfast bun! 

confetti cake!

Tom Yum { veganized }

Fresh with a hint of sweet and sour, this veganized version of Tom Yum soup is so easy to make! I usually have some Tom Yum stock on hand so this cooks up pretty quick, I also like to add some coconut milk to the pot. It makes for a flavourful base.

I marinate some cubed tofu with some sunflower oil, tamari, and hot sauce. Bake it in the oven at 400 for about 10 minutes or until golden. Soak rice noodles in a bowl of boiled water for 3-4 minutes. Drain and set aside. Once the broth is up to a boil, add some sliced carrots. Allow them to become tender. Place bok choy in the broth and cook for 30 seconds. Assemble the noodles in a bowl, add tofu. Place the bok choy and carrots around the noodles. Arrange the raw veggies on top ( bean sprouts, red pepper, fresh cilantro).
And there you have a souper meal!

Harvest dinner { stuffed squash rings }

Lately, I have not been cooking as much as I should and want to. I suppose it could be that my heart is not in it, but today I am feeling it. I went to the grocery store with no particular menu in mind. Here's what I grabbed:

• dates
• squash
• sweet potato
• brussel spouts
• cremini mushrooms
• apples
• parsley
• almonds

The rest was pretty much just a process of elimination. I had a few things kick'n around that needed to get used. What is the the essence of an autumn dinner?

Squash and brussel sprouts, of course.

I don't actually have a stuffed squash rings recipe, but in my mind I could already see it. I combined  basmati rice and lentils with some sautéed onion and celery, dried cranberries, sage, and balsamic vinegar. A sprinkle of salt and pepper, and a swirl of maple syrup and that pretty much sums up the filling of the squash rings. I peeled the squash, stuffed and cooked it on a baking sheet with a little water and covered them with foil.

Toss in some roasted veggies, mashed up potatoes, and a "very" cremini mushroomy gravy and voila, one home-cooked-super-comfy-harvest thanksgiving dinner. I am very happy with my process in creating this meal and even more impressed with the results. Yum! I would definitely serve up this vegan delight in my restaurant (some day)!

Eggplant Bruschetta

I think I have the worst luck with cameras...broken, again. I have been using my kids iPod, its fun. I enjoy the smallness of it. Anyhow, I made this tonight for dinner. It was really good. I usually don't get eggplant all that much. It's a weird vegetable, but a friend brought one over the other day. She thought it would be fun to see what I would cook for lunch with it. ( lunch was good too!)


I still had half of it my fridge so I thought I would use it up. This is super easy to make, and would make great sandwich filling mix. We ate this with a bowl of beet soup, I love summer!!

Eggplant Bruschetta

4 tbsp olive oil- more if it looks dry
1/2 large eggplant- peeled, small diced
2 cloves garlic-minced
1 small red onion- small diced
1/2 tsp sea salt
balsamic vinegar-splash
1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley

In a sauté pan ( I like to use my cast-iron) heat oil, add eggplant.
The eggplant is going to suck up the oil like sponge..so add more as needed.
Once is is soft add garlic and onion. Sauté for 7-10 minutes on low/medium heat.
season with salt, and a splash of balsamic. Remove from heat. Stir in parsley.

Summer sugar peas with lemon tofu ricotta pasta

Every year there is a house down the road that has this little red vegetable stand. On the honour system, and cheap for just-pulled-from-the-dirt veggies. I usually stop and see what they have if I am driving by, and around this time it has some really great things. I got a big bag of sugar snap peas the other day, for two dollars!! ( and some onions)

I usually work with frozen peas, but these looked really fresh and tasty so I thought I would try and figure out something yummy to do with them.  Martha gave me the inspiration for this dish, I just had to veganize it. It turned out really nice, and the delicate flavour of the lemon worked well with the sweet peas.

Summer sugar peas with lemon tofu ricotta pasta
serves 4
20 minutes to prep

1/2 box of cooked bow tie pasta ( or whatever you have)
2 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic-minced
1 cup shelled sugar snap peas
1 lemon- zested and juiced
1/4 red onion- minced
1/2 bunch of chives - chopped finely
sea salt and fresh pepper
tofu ricotta- omit nutmeg

Heat olive oil in pan, add garlic and peas, cook for 4-5 minutes until just done.
Add to cooked and drained pasta.
Stir in everything else. Season with salt and pepper

Simple Udon Noodles

I needed my noodle fix this week, I bought some rice noodles and fresh udon. This recipe is super yummy and really, really simple. I add lots of fresh greens and a little toasted sesame seeds to finish it off.


Simple Udon Noodles


1-2 tbsp sunflower oil
1/2 onion- thinly sliced
1 clove garlic-minced
1/2 cup tofu- cubed
1/2 cup green beans- sliced in half
2 pkgs fresh udon noodles
2 baby bok choy- chopped
3 tbsp tamari
1 tsp mirin
1 tbsp sesame seeds- lightly toasted

In a pan heat oil, add onion and garlic. Sauté for 2 minutes or so.
Add tofu. cook until seared. 2-3 minutes.
Stir in 1 tbsp of the tamari.
Add beans continue cooking for another minute.
Break apart the noodles, add them to the pan. Heat for another 2 minutes.
Toss in the bok choy. Drizzle the remainder of tamari and mirin over top.
Sprinkle the sesame seeds when serving.

Veggie 'turkey' burger : thanksgiving styles

I am one of those people who love thanksgiving! I think about stuffing sandwiches 364 days out of the year...mmmmm. This is a great way to get your holiday food fix in the summer, burger style.

Veggie 'turkey' burger : thanksgiving styles

1 1/2 cups gluten flour

1 cup rolled oats

1/4 cup chickpea flour

1 small onion- minced

1 stalk celery-minced

2 tsp onion powder

2 tsp garlic powder

2 tbsp poultry seasoning

3 tbsp tamari or bragg 

1 tsp sea salt

1 cup water

1/4 cup olive oil

yummy garnishes: vegan cheese, sautéed mushrooms, avocado, cranberry sauce.

Mix everything into a bowl. Knead for a few minutes. Shape into burger patties. Heat pan and add a little oil. Fry on both sides until golden in colour (2 minutes). Place on a cookie sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes at 400.

Asparagus strudel

It is that time of year again, when spring has arrived and so have the asparagus! I love these guys ( no pun intended..hehe). I had 3 boxes of phyllo in my freezer, all opened with a few sheets left in each. I wanted to use them up so I  thought I would make a savory strudel. This is a much healthier version of a flaky pastry, because it uses olive oil. With a tofu ricotta cream and caramelized onions...SPRING IS IN THE AIR!

Asparagus strudel

7 sheets of phyllo dough
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 block of medium firm tofu
1/4 cup nutritional yeast
1 tsp sea salt
1 tbsp onion powder
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 juice of lemon
2 tbsp sunflower oil
2 onions sliced
splash of balsamic vinegar
1/2 pound asparagus- blanched.
fresh parsley chopped (garnish)

Preheat oven to 400

lay the first piece of phyllo on a cookie sheet and brush with olive oil.
Repeat until all layers are on top of one another.
Place in oven and bake for 8-10 minutes until golden.
Remove and allow to cool slightly.

In a small bowl mash tofu and mix with nutritional yeast, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, and lemon juice. Mash this up until resembles a ricotta mixture.

In a saute pan heat sunflower oil on low heat add onions and allow to carmalize. 10-12 minutes.
Pour a splash of balsamic, when almost done.

Blanch asparagus in boiling water for about 2-3 minutes, until bright green.
Run under cold water.

To assemble:

Carefully spread tofu mixture over cooked phyllo dough
Spread the onions on evenly.
Place asapargus on top of onions.
Bake for 5 more minutes.
Sprinkle fresh parsley over.
YUM!

Broccoli & tofu casserole

I love broccoli, it is by far my most favorite green food. This is a super yummy and quick weeknight meal to make. I used the left over rice in the fridge from the night before. You could totally cook a fresh pot though. I made my own white sauce out of celery,onion and garlic. Pour that on top with some fresh bread crumbs drizzled with butter....you can't go wrong. Serve it with a big salad and dinner is made!

Broccoli & Tofu casserole


1 cup of rice-cooked (optional )
1 tbsp sunflower oil
1/2 block of tofu-cubed
1/4 tsp curry powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp sea salt
1 head of broccoli 

2 tbsp earth balance + 1 tbsp
1 celery stalk- minced
1/4 onion-minced
1 garlic clove minced
1/4 cup flour
1 1/2 cups soy milk
1 tbsp tamari


Preheat oven to 375
Spread rice on bottom of a round cake pan


Heat oil in saute pan, add tofu and season with curry, garlic and salt.
Fry until golden. Spread on top of rice.
In the same pan, add broccoli and 1/2 cup water. Cook just until broccoli turns bright green.


In a small pot melt butter. Add celery, onion and garlic. Saute until soft.
Add flour. Stir until absorbed. Slowly add milk and stir on medium heat until thickens.
Season with tamari.


Pour white sauce over top of broccoli and tofu.
Melt remaining butter and pour over bread crumbs.
Mix up, and sprinkle on top of casserole.


Bake for 25 minutes

Smokey white bean & swiss chard empanada

Making these was fun, I really enjoy working with dough and experimenting with different ratios of water and shortening to make a pastry dough that is flaky. The most important part of pastry making is not to over knead it, otherwise it ends up tough hard to roll.

I did not want a white dough so I used a sprinkle of turmeric in the flour mixture, almost Jamaican patty-ish. Like most of my inspiration, I find by Googling. I came across a dough recipe....and changed it a bit to what I had on hand.

Pastry dough
makes 8

2 1/2 cups flour
1/2 cup vegetable shortening
1/2 tsp sea salt
pinch of turmeric
1 egg replacement
1/3 cup cold water + a little more if needed to combine dough
1 tsp apple cider vinegar

Using a pastry cutter cut the shortening into the flour until crumbly.
Add wet ingredients. And stir with a fork trying to incorporate it all together.
Pour onto floured surface and knead together into a ball.
Place in bowl and cover. Refrigerate for 1 hour.

I know that the health world is going nuts over kale, but I am not super into it. I prefer to use spinach or in the case swiss chard. The filling is fairly simple...

Filling

In a large saute pan with lid add 1 cubed butternut squash ( medium in size), pour in 1 cup of water of veggie stock. Allow to simmer with lid on for 10 minutes or until it is soft. Add chopped chard and cook for another 5 minutes or so, until the greens are wilted. I added some chipotle for spice, about 3 or 4 tablespoons worth. Season with a bit of sea salt and a little sugar. Pour into a bowl and allow to cool.


White bean mixture


2 cups white beans- cooked or canned
1/2 tsp liquid smoke
2 tbsp sunflower oil
sea salt

Place in food processor and blend until creamy.

Cut the dough into 8 equal pieces. Roll out onto floured surface. Scoop a small amount of filling in the middle, and close. Using a fork or a finger technique close the empanada. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes.

Pad thai

vegan pad thai

One day I would like to go to Thailand....and eat pad thai, but for now I am in my kitchen making my own version. I went to Tian Phat Asian Grocery store this afternoon and picked up some stuff. One of those things, Tamarind.

 It is an essential ingredient tamarind, a fruit that grows in tropical Africa and is used all over the world in cooking. It has a sour flavor but when you add brown sugar and garlic you get a beautiful sauce for pad thai,

tamarind

The structure of pad thai is fairly simple, with few ingredients. The process is mostly having everything in place before you start up the wok. Cooking the rice noodles is the first thing I do, because they can be rinsed and set aside.  As those are cooking I also cut off a chuck of the tamarind and soak it in boiled water, making a paste or juice.

pad thai ingredients

Once you have everything chopped, pureed and browned (tofu). It is only a matter of minutes before you have a plate of steaming hot noodles topped with fresh cilantro and peanuts.

Mise en place

Vegan Pad Thai


1/2 package of rice noodles-cooked according to package

small chunk of tamarind (about 1/4) cup soaked in 1 /4 cup boiled water
3 cloves garlic
1 tbsp fresh ginger- minced
1/2 lime-juiced
2 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp tamari
1 thai chili-seeded
1/2 tsp sea salt

Vegetables of your liking, I used.....
Broccoli, red pepper, onion, shredded carrot, green beans, cabbage

1/2 block of tofu-
cubed and sprinkled with garlic powder and sea salt

fresh cilantro
peanuts-roughly chopped

-----------------------------------------------
Cook noodles, drain and rinse.
Set aside

Place everything in a food processor and blend.
Set aside

Chop veggies to mouth bite sizes
Set aside.

Brown tofu in saute pan with a little oil.
Set aside.

In a wok heat 2 tbsp sunflower oil and a few drops of sesame oil.
Add veggies, saute until they change color (bright)
Add noodles, if they are stuck together, add a little water to loosen.
Pour sauce over top and heat up for a few minutes.
Serve with tofu, cilantro and chopped peanuts.

I would highly recommend getting some restaurant tongs. Good ones! 

Baked macaroni & cheeze

It has been a long time since I ate Kraft dinner. Not to say it wasn't good, because that florescent orange cheese powder was good, until I realized what was in it. 


I have changed my ways, since I was 14. After school going over to friends houses, and munching a bowl topped with ketchup. This is a much better healthier option and might I add tastier! It still needs ketchup....

Baked Macaroni & cheeze


4 cups macaroni noodles-cooked
2 tbsp earth balance butter


2 cups soy milk
1 cup nutritional yeast
1 tsp prepared mustard (the yellow kind)
1 tsp garlic powder
1 1/2 tsp sea salt
2 tbsp cornstarch
1 tsp apple cider vinegar
3 slices of bread-cubed
1 tbsp earth balance-melted


Cook macaroni according to package.
While pasta is cooking,  in a blender combine all seven ingredients.
Drain macaroni and mix in butter. Pour the blender ingredients into pasta.
On medium high heat, stir until thickens ( usually a minute or so).
Pour into greased 8x8 cake pan. 
In a small bowl combine bread cubes and melted butter. Stir until coated.
Spread over top of macaroni. Bake at 375 for 10 minutes or just until bread cubes are toasted.

Red lentil curry

Curry is my go-to comfort food, I love the warm inviting smell of all the spices simmering together in harmony. This particular curry I used a spice blend that I picked up at the Halifax farmers market (in the old building). I really like this one because it is not super spicy. The key to good curry is toasting the spices before you grind them. So don't forget to do that when you make this. I added tofu for a paneer like cheese but you don't need to, its good with or without it.

I am still in the market for a new camera, the last few posts I have been using my boyfriends iphone. I think it takes decent photos, but I still want to get a new camera for myself.  I would love to know some recommendations. I really enjoy taking photos but I am a newbie. I wish my old camera still worked, I liked it. I feel like I a missing lots of special moments without one.




Red lentil curry


1 cup dried red lentils
2 tbsp sunflower oil
1 onion
2 tbsp fresh ginger-minced
3 cloves garlic-minced
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp sea salt
1 tsp turmeric
1 tsp chili powder
2 tbsp curry spice blend-toasted and ground
2 tbsp tomato paste
1 cup cubed tofu (optional)


Rinse the lentils several times until water runs clear. In a medium pot cover with water and bring to a boil. Simmer for 20 minutes until soft and most of the water is absorbed.


Heat oil in pan add onion, saute for 4-5 minutes on medium low heat.
While onion is cooking, combine spices in a small bowl.
Mix into onion and let spices cook for a minute or so.
Add the tomato paste and ladle in the cooked lentils.
Stir and serve with rice or your choice.

Sushi deconstructed

Recently I have been making these yummy bowls for dinner. My sushi roll making skills are very limited, so I came up with this because I love the taste of all the sushi ingredients. This is WAY easier then traditional sushi... at least for me. The toasted sesame seeds are must.


What you need to make a sushi bowl


Sushi Rice-cooked according to package, then 1 tbsp rice vinegar mixed with 1 tbsp water, 1 tsp sugar poured over top, fluffed with a fork.


Sweet Potato- peeled, sliced and roasted in the oven for 20 minutes (tossed with a little sunflower oil and sea salt)


Tofu- cut into strips,marinated and baked with the sweet potato. I like to use the coconut bacon marinade.
Nori sheets-toasted and cut into strips
Avocado
Gomazio or toasted sesame seeds
Pickled ginger
Tamari

Coconut crusted tofu with mango salsa and green rice

Take you taste buds on a tropical taste adventure!

Coconut Crusted Tofu

1 block of tofu-sliced into 1/2 inch pieces
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/4 cup coconut flour
1/4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp sea salt
pinch cayenne

Mix the breading in a bowl.
Heat oil in cast iron pan.
Dip the tofu ( both sides) in the flour. Place in hot pan. Allow to golden.
Drain on paper towels on a plate.

Green Rice


1 tbsp sunflower oil
1 cup rice (of your choice)
1/2 bunch of cilantro stems- minced
1 small onion-minced
1 3/4 cup water
pinch of salt

In a small pot with a tight fitted lid, heat pot add oil.
Cook onion and stems together for a few minutes
Add rice and saute for a few more minutes.
Add water bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer.
Cover and let cook for 20 minutes. Turn heat off and let stand for 5 minutes.
Fluff with a fork.

Moroccan Vegetable Tagine with couscous

I have had these tagine pots pushed to the back of my cupboard for a year! When I was making a meal plan for the week, I found a website that featured a tasty looking tagine recipe.So today was the day!

I was thinking that the process would be a lot of work, which explains the year that the pots sat collecting dust. I was surprised to find that making this dish only requires chopping of the vegetables and letting the cute little pots and oven do the rest.

Note: Simmering vegetables with spices in the oven makes the house smell good!

Moroccan Vegetable Tagine

3-4 small potatoes-peeled and diced
1 onion-sliced
2 tbsp fresh ginger-minced
2 cloves garlic-slice
1 cinnamon stick-broken in half
1/3 cup raisins
1 can diced tomatoes
2 cups chickpeas
1 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp turmeric
1 cup vegetable stock

Couscous-cooked according to package
fresh cilantro- garnish

Preheat oven to 350
In a bowl combine ingredients, stir it up to coat the vegetables with the spices.
Scoop into tagine and bake for 1 1/2 hours.
Serve with couscous.