Banana Pancakes

I decided to give the waffle iron a rest today and found this easy and delicious recipe for banana pancakes! I also added pecans to the batter. We topped the pancakes with vegan butter and agave syrup.

Burgers, Potato Salad, and Veggies

We bought a grill last weekend and last night was supposed to be our first night grilling! Unfortuanately, we didn't have charcoal or lighter fluid. Two trips to the store and we still couldn't get the grill going! So, we ended up cooking the food on the stove and in the oven. Definitely not the same appeal, but  we are more prepared for next time now.

On the menu:
Grillable Black Bean Burgers (I used red beans. They fell apart when cooked on the stove. I would not trust them on a grill.)

Sweet Potato Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing (I used agave, not honey. Next time, I will double the sauce. I like a lot of flavor.)

Marinated Veggies (They were going to be Kabobs but instead were roasted in the oven.)

The Vegan Bucket List

I subscribe to the VegNews magazine. Since I do not live in the U.S. anymore (and because I love the idea of less trees dying so that I can enjoy the magazine) I receive the electronic version. It took me a long time to get used to it, but now I like it even more. Before, I would fold corners, leave in post-it notes, and more often than not, forget what I wanted to make from the magazine as it got lost in the shuffle. Now, I take screen shots of things I am interested in, want to make and/or buy, and read on the fly. It works out really well for me.

Anyway, I happened to visit the VegNews website today and found this list: The Vegan Bucket List. I think it is fantastic and I want to do everything on it...eventually!

The things I have already accomplished include:

Ask your (non-vegan) family or friends to try a vegan meal, day, or week. It's the perfect birthday gift!

Visit Portland, Ore.’s vegan mini-mall. Leave with a tattoo, cookie, message t-shirt, and a few snacks for the road. (okay, I seriously did consider a tattoo here...even met with one of the artists! But, didn't actually go through with it :-(
Meet your vegan superhero. Whether it’s Gene Baur, John Salley, Kathy Freston, Wayne Pacelle, or Tal Ronnen, go to one of your favorite star’s public events and thank them for their work. (Isa Chandra Moskowitz and Heather Mills)
Be vegan until 6pm, and then stay vegan until the following day. Repeat. (I have been repeating for over 2 years!)
Dine at Candle 79 in New York and Millennium in San Francisco, not on the same night. Go with people whom you truly adore, and feast on appetizers, salads, entrees, drinks, and desserts (multiples of each). Share everything so you get to taste it all! (I am half way here...My dad and I ate at Millennium.)Inspire at least one person to become vegan. (My adorable mom)
Help the environment by opting for a bicycle or running shoes over a car. (I bike to work daily.)
Cook an entirely vegan holiday dinner for your friends and family. (3 Thanksgivings in a row now!)

Start a balcony herb garden.

Become a vegan hostess extraordinaire by throwing holiday parties, brunches, bonfires, barbecues, fondue nights, and so on. (And, we just bought a grill!!!)

Spend a week at The Gentle Gourmet B&B in Paris. (2 meals...Love this place!)

Visit the Chicago Diner and feast on The Radical Reuben, mashed potatoes, and cookie dough peanut butter milkshake.

Find a vegan restaurant in every city you visit, no matter how remote! (Or at least something vegan on the menu!)

Attend (or, even better yet, have!) a vegan wedding. (Not 100% - I grew up in the mid-west! But, we did have a vegan main course option and all dessert was vegan!)

Veggie Potpie Stew

From Appetite for Reduction, John made this for dinner and said it took exactly one hour to prepare, as the recipe states. It was really good; it tasted exactly like what I would expect a potpie to taste like! But, I have to be honest, I did miss the crust. We had bread on the side, but it just wasn't quite the same! Here is the recipe.

Pumpkin Soup, Salad, Veggies and Cobbler

Pumpkin Soup
Even though fall is over and spring is finally here, I can't stop buying the little organic pumpkins that I keep finding in little shops around town.  I made a few alterations to this recipe including: carrot instead of apple/pear and oat milk instead of soy/almond. We sprinkled spicy paprika and cilantro on top. The soup went really well with these Bread Sticks. They are quick, versatile, and have a great texture.

From the Vegan Italiano cookbook,  I also made Asparagus with Tomato Vinaigrette. It sat in the fridge overnight and was very marinated by the time we ate it. It was served at room temp.

I am really in love with this recipe for Roasted Eggplant. It is so fast and tastes really good!

I have made this salad before. In my opinion, it is the perfect combo of flavors: pasta, white beans, sundried tomatoes, fennel, olives, and more. Trattoria Pasta Salad with White Beans.

And, for dessert. Pear Berry Cobbler. This recipe is officially in my permanent mix now! 

Special Delivery: Liquid Smoke

My mother in law mailed me two bottles of liquid smoke! I was never able to find it here in Denmark, so this supply should last for a very long time!

Thanks Mom and Neil! We love you guys. 


First recipes I will try now that I have the stuff:
Eggplant Bacon
Chipotle Lentil Burgers

Two dinners from my cast iron skillet

Last week, I made dinner two nights in my cast iron skillet and both turned out quick and delicious.

First, Sicilian Skillet Pasta Pie from Vegan Italiano. Here is the recipe. I did make a few adjustments. Because I was out of olives, I made a batch of seitan chorizo crumbles. Also, I did not have spaghetti noodles so instead I used elbow macaroni. The pieces, obviously, did not 'slice' as the recipe says they should. We spooned portions out and devoured them!

We also shredded a bit of Mozzarella Sheese on top of the monster portions.

Second, Tempeh Helper from Appetite for Reduction. Because I have never eaten real Hamburger Helper, I can't really say whether it is comparable or not. But, it was really good.  I do think I added a bit too much seasoning to my cheezy sauce because it was quite salty and a little overpowering. Here is the recipe.