Hodge-podge meals this week...

I have been in a slump so cooking has been very simple recently. John and I pooled our energy one night to make roasted veggies, tofu, and sauteed cabbage.

The veggies were coated in a mixutre of white wine, dijon mustard, oregano, and pepper and then (over)roasted. The green beans shriveled up a bit too much!

The tofu was cooked on the stove with olive oil and a sprinkle of nutritional yeast, salt and pepper.

The cabbage was cut into shreds and cooked on the stove with an onion, garlic, oregano, red pepper flakes, salt and pepper.

This is quinoa salad with sundried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, and olives. The dressing is a little olive oil, salt and pepper, and lemon juice. 

And we had this for breakfast one morning. A tofu scramble consisting of red peppers, broccoli, spinach, garlic and a splash of soy. The potatoes are diced sweet potatoes roasted with olive oil, salt and pepper.

Chipotle Chili with Sweet Potatoes and Brussels Sprouts

When I was in the U.S. recently, I bought two cans of Chipotle Peppers in Adobo sauce because they are awesome, so many recipes I have call for them, and they are nowhere to be found in Denmark.

This was the first recipe, from Appetite for Reduction, that I cracked a can for and it was fantastic! It recomfirmed my love for the peppers and the sauce. Smokey, spicey, and stores well in the freezer because you will never use the entire can in one recipe.

I must say, I continue to love each recipe that I make from this cookbook but I am ready to acknowledge that the time estimates are not reasonable for me. This chili said that it should take 20 minutes to prepare but it took me significantly longer. Washing and/or chopping, dicing, or slicing  an onion, 4 garlic cloves, chipotle peppers, sweet potatoes, and brussel sprouts was well over the 20 minute mark for me! And that didn't include the measuring and adding of the other ingredients. With that said, I am not bothered by the extra time, it is just worth noting to others that might expect something this delicious in an overly impressive amount of time!

Baked Falafel and Black Bean Hummus

John had a "guys night in" and I was recruited to make snacks. I kept it simple with chips, salsa, and homemade guacamole. Then I added a bit of complexity by making Baked Falafel from Appetite for Reduction, Black Bean Hummus from this recipe, and Whole Wheat pita bread from this recipe.

The falafel (gluten- and soy-free) had a nice flavor but due to the lack of oil, it was a little dry. I also started with dried chickpeas, soaked and boiled them. I feel like this is a cost-effective technique for salads and things that use the chickpeas whole. But, for a recipe requiring the chickpeas to be creamy, canned seems to work better for me. For a low fat version, I give it a thumbs up. If you are expecting greasy, crisp falafel, find a different recipe!

The Black Bean Hummus was a little bland. I am not sure what it needed, but I will find a different recipe next time.

I have only positive things to say about the pita! I can't imagine ever buying pita again knowing how easy it is to make.

Sushi Roll Edamame Salad

I can't say enough about how much I enjoyed this salad! Both John and I want to reduce our portion sizes this year and eat more salads. And, this is going to be easy and delicious now that we own Appetite for Reduction! There is an entire section dedicated to salads that are complete meals on their own, or could have tofu or a side veggie added, if you are really hungry or serving it to guests.  

My favorite part of this salad is the sliced pieces of a Nori sheet. Combined with rice, edamame, veggies, and a homemade Green Onion-Miso Vinaigrette, it is like eating an open faced sushi roll and getting salad greens at the same time!

The salad is also completely gluten-free.

Bhutanese Pineapple Rice with Red Thai Tofu

Both recipes are from Appetite for Reduction and both are delish! When I make each of them again it won't be together. They both use basically the same spices and flavors: garlic, ginger, red curry paste, etc. The green beans are simply roasted with salt and pepper and a light spray of olive oil.

I have been cooking many recipes from this cookbook and none have failed me so far. I have noticed a significant difference in the amount of oil that remains in the bottle since I brought the book home. One of my goals for this year with cooking was to reduce our use of oil...check!

Christmas Presents for the Vegans in Your Life

For Christmas, my adorable sister-in-law, Terra and my brother, Craig bought us the cookbook Appetite for Reduction by Isa Chandra Moskowitz. We LOVE it! So far, I have made three recipes but can't wait to try them all. The ingredients lists are short and simple, but packed with flavor. Nutritional information is included with each recipe. And, a majority are soy and gluten free, or give alterations to make them such.

Everyday Chickpea-Quinoa Salad ( because you could eat this EVERYDAY and never get tired of it!!!)

 Shaved Brussels Sprouts

Lotsa Veggie Lentil Soup

 

And, they also bought us a milk frother! So, John made Oat Milk Lattes today.

 

 

Welcome 2011!

John, me, Sarah, Thea, Morten

We celebrated New Year's Eve with our neighbors, Thea and Morten. Thea made the BEST vegan meal! Her and Morten are not vegan so it was incredibly thoughtful and considerate that she made everything vegan! Not to mention, delicious! 

 For dessert, vegan Cream Cheese brownies and Baked Apples. Happy New Year!!!

Vegan Travel Highlights: Florida

I lived in Florida for 3 years but was not a vegan during that time. So, we did a lot of planning before we left. We started in Orlando and attending the wedding of one of my absolute favorite friends, Debbie. Her and her family are not vegan or vegetarian but are very open to the fact that I am and they do not take my dietary choices personally. So, I had fruit and oatmeal for breakfast, lots of salad, and roasted veggies and tofu for dinner.

We then drove down to the Florida Keys and stayed on Key West for four nights. For breakfast, we ate at a cute place called Help Yourself. They had great wraps, including a tempeh breakfast wrap and vegan french toast along with salads and curries.


They also had a section of ingredients available for purchase. And, these little raw, chocolate coconut bites! We managed to get through two containers in our 5 days there!

 Our favorite dinner spot is called The Cafe. We ate there three nights in a row! Here was our meal one night: Stuffed Peppers and Seitan Sandwich with bean salad. 

 

We left the Keys and drove to Central Florida where John's mom and step father live just in time for Christmas. They are over 90% vegan so we had an amazing vegan Christmas dinner together.  The menu included Nut Loaf with Mushroom Gravy, Steamed Asparagus, Eggplant Tart, Sweet Potatoes, and Pumpkin Pie. I will link to the recipes when I get them from John's mom!

Vegan Travel Highlights: London

I am finally home in Denmark after a month of traveling. London, Portland, Key West, and Central Florida were my destinations and ALL had yum vegan food to offer. Here are a few of the highlights!

London Restaurants:

Beatroot:  Great lunch spot. You select a small or large box and they fill it completely full with delicious vegan salads, sides, and entrees. Cheap and very filling.

 

Rootmaster: Gourmet vegan food served on a street car. FUN!  A bit on the pricey side but the service was excellent and the atmosphere was priceless! 

 

Mildreds: Small restaurant but cozy and a huge menu with simple, comfort food or gourmet-feeling choices. Busy and slow service but awesome food.

    

Zilli Green: I think this place is owned by the same guy as Mildreds. We ate so much delicious vegan food while in London but I particularly remember this meal. Sure, it could be the cheesecake! But everything was just so good.

 

Saf Restaurant: Sunday roasts are a big deal in London and this place offers one vegan style. We had brunch here and started with the Raw Vegan Cheese plate. Amazing. We also had an excruciatingly expensive almond milk shake. Good but not $9 good.  

Ms. Cupcake: We seriously chased this lady down! She doesn't have an actual store; instead she sells at other stores or markets. We found her at an animal rights fair. Really, really good cupcakes and a huge variety of flavors!

We also went to the Borough Market. Really cool place to walk around...and EAT!

Soup (can't remember the name of the stand but they had a dozen soups to choose from and the ingredients were very clearly displayed...lots were vegan.)

The Veggie Table: Heavenly vegan burger! 

And finally, worth mentioning but the photo didn't turn out: Vitao. Vegan and raw buffet. 

London is vegan paradise for eating out. Such an awesome city!

Vegan Travel: Easier than you think

With all the drama involved in traveling today: long lines, pat downs, dwindling leg room, worrying about food is the last thing any vegan wants to deal with when on vacation.

Whether you are traveling domestically or internationally, the key to successful vegan travel is planning ahead. Recently I spoke with two travel agents who shared helpful suggestions for how vegans can prepare for a trip and manage hurdles along the way.

Lisa Foster, owner of Boring, OR-based LT Travel, and Donna Zeigfinger, owner of Green Earth Travel, based in Cabin John, MD, recently shared helpful suggestions for vegans planning a domestic or international trip.

The two travel experts say that putting in the time to research your destination before you leave will make all the difference.

Snacks are essential: Zeigfinger says to bring a sandwich, nuts, dried berries, and yes, even chips. It is better to purchase these items ahead of time when you have control of the selection. But she warns to be careful with fresh fruits and vegetables that may go bad or not be allowed depending on where you are traveling.

If you are flying to your destination, “contact your travel agent or the airline to establish if a meal will be served,” Foster says. Most flights under four hours don’t include a meal but allow you to bring certain food items on board. But keep in mind that airlines are becoming more strict regarding the weight of bags, both checked and carry on.

Most overseas flights do serve meals and the airport code VGML (strict vegetarian) is appropriate for vegans. Zeigfinger also says to reconfirm your meal status 24 hours before the flight to ensure that your meal will be on board.

Foster recommends bringing an icepack and lunch sack if you do have perishable items. No liquids over 3 oz are allowed through airport security. However, you can bring an empty water bottle – 12 oz or better – and fill it up once you clear the check point.

Zeigfinger says, “Recommendations are the best.” Contact local vegetarian societies, buy travel guides, go to websites to learn about the country, see what their cultures are and how they eat.

You can get a free vegan language guide here.

After you make your hotel reservations, contact the chef or concierge and tell them what you can and cannot eat. Ask if they know of a vegan restaurant near the hotel, or a health food store that offers vegan options.

Foster says, “Make a list of where you can shop and eat at your destination.” Do your research before you leave to save yourself time and discomfort when you arrive. “Not everyone knows what it means to be a vegan,” she adds. Communicating your dietary needs can be tough, so she suggests buying a Vegan Passport. It identifies in 73 different languages what a vegan can and cannot eat. This makes ordering food at a restaurant very easy because the Vegan Passport also asks politely if the restaurant can accommodate a vegan diner.

Both experts say that in big cities, vegans will not have as many issues. But, in smaller cities, Zeigfinger suggest sticking with side dishes, salads, and fruits.

“It should really not be a problem,” Zeigfinger says. She also recommends two websites that will help you locate restaurants in cities where you are staying: http://www.happycow.org/ and http://www.vegdining.com/.

“Food should never keep someone from traveling,” Zeigfinger says. “It is only fuel to get us there and to keep us going. In the techno days we have now it is so much easier to eat and travel as a vegan.”

Vegan MoFo: Z is for Zucchini in London

At last, my final post for Vegan MoFo! I had a fanastic time finding new recipes for each letter of the alphabet, but it really did wear me down. So, I am excited for December because I will be traveling the entire month and plan to post about all the interesting vegan restaurants I find along my way...while also enjoying a break from cooking!

Currently, we are in London on vacation and we ate dinner at a really good Chinese/Thai Vegetarian buffet and they had roasted zucchini as an option.

    

Here is another picture of a successful trip to the buffet.

And, here is a picture of the restaurant. It is called Cai Cafe. We found it on the Happy Cow website.