Hungry Vegan Dinner

So, I missed another day. I doubt anyone was keeping track other than myself. I promise to do better next year! I blame wine and muscle relaxers.

I know I've mentioned the Gardein meatloaf before. It's SUPER GOOD. I have now sworn to stop trying to recreate meatloaf, because it's been done. God help me if Gardein stops making it. Anyway, let's say you have some, but want to make it fancy? Well, if you've got some frozen mixed vegetables and some leftover mashed potatoes, you're cooking with gas.

This picture looked a lot better on my phone.

Meatloaf Shepherd's Pie
makes 2 small or 1 large pie

1 package Gardein meatloaf, thawed
1 1/2 cups frozen mixed vegetables
1/2 vegetable broth
1 tbsp vegan margarine
1 tsp cornstarch
 1 tsp dried thyme
1 tsp marjoram 
salt and pepper
splash red wine
3 tbsp vegan sour cream
2 cups mashed potatoes

Heat oven to 350°

Make a roux with the margarine and cornstarch over low heat. Whisk in the veg broth, and then the contents of the gravy packets. Crumble the meatloaf slices into the sauce. Add vegetables and herbs. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Add wine and sour cream. Put into small baking dishes for individual pies, or in one big casserole dish. Top with mashed potatoes, spread evenly. Bake for 30 minutes, or until the potatoes turn golden. Let rest for five minutes and serve.

Balls.

Here's a quick and easy one, and people who've never eaten vegan before will think you slaved over a stove for hours. It's really simple. All you need are meatless meatballs (I've seen them in the freezer at Whole Foods, Trader Joe's, and every co-op in the Twin Cities. I'm using Trader Joe's balls tonight), a small French bread roll or hoagie bun, some leftover marinara sauce, and some Daiya mozzarella cheese. Voila, vegan meatball hero.

Why did I opt for the quickest recipe ever tonight? I have to be up and back at work at 6:45am, and I love sleeping.

Slice open the hoagie roll. Brush with vegan margarine and crushed garlic. Toast lightly. Meanwhile, bake a few meatless balls according to the instructions on the bag. Heat up your sauce. Arrange some balls on the bread, slather with sauce, top with cheese. Broil the sandwich open faced for about two minutes, or until the cheese melts, but before you burn the bread (like I did).

Assemble your sandwich, get a bunch of napkins, and shove it in your facehole.

Back of the box, someday?

For tomorrow: Your recipe must include at least three of the following ingredients: green beans, hazelnuts, mustard greens, green bell peppers, and walnuts.

So, I had a different idea using mustard greens (which I can't remember), but I guess the farm that supplies my Whole Foods had a rough season. So,  I went with the peppers, green beans, hazelnuts, and walnuts. If any of my gardening friends have some mustard greens, I'll try to scoop through my memory for that idea. I've had a million ideas since.

I totally want to make these again using red bell peppers. I wanted to for these, but rules is rules. From here on out, this is just a basic recipe to spring from with your own ideas. But, yeah. If Lundberg sees this and, I don't know... wants to put it on a box,  then it's MINE MINE MINE ALL MINE.

Stuffed Peppers
makes 6 stuffed halves

3 bell peppers, halved and scooped of seeds and white stuff (use the ones with four bumps on the bottom- also known as the females-because you can fit more stuffing in there)
1 box Lundberg's rice mix, prepared (I went with the Garlic and Basil). If you don't get this where you are, leftover seasoned rice (about two cups) should do the trick.
1 cup assorted veggies of choice, chopped (I used green beans, onion, and some frozen peas and carrots)
1/2 cup vegan sausage, browned (or favorite burger crumbles, or browned tempeh, etc), if desired
2 tbsp walnuts, chopped and toasted
2 tbsp hazelnuts, chopped and toasted
1/4 cup white wine
pepper to taste
3 tbsp shredded vegan cheese
fresh parsley

Heat oven to 375°

Assuming that you've already prepared the rice, stir in everything but the cheese. Stuff your pepper halves, top with cheese, and wrap loosely in foil. Bake for 25 minutes. Unwrap the peppers and continue baking for another 5 or so minutes, so the cheese can melt and brown a little. Remove from oven and cool for a minute before moving to plates. Garnish with a little reserved chopped toasted nuts and fresh parsley.

Burrito night!

So, today is payday. But, since I had to work today, I didn't get a chance to do a thorough grocery trip.  I was planning to make something out of my new Non -Dairy Evolution cookbook, but apparently soy lecithin and lactic acid powder aren't readily available in town. Making my own vegan buttermilk, butter, and creme fraiche will have to wait.

So, that leaves what I did grab at the store, which was some Beyond Meat chick'n strips and some Daiya cheddar shreds.  When I got home from work at 10:45pm, my brain could only come up with burritos.

Another super easy lunch or dinner.  All you need is some warmed refried beans or black beans, tortillas, some  vegan meats if you'd like,  leftover rice, and some sauteed onion.

Top with lettuce, vegan cheese, and salsa. Maybe some avocado and Tofutti sour cream if you have some.

Roll it up, and stuff it in your face!

Cheap and Good Bacteria

It's been a rough couple of years for vegan yogurt. First, Whole Soy & Co shut down production as they built a new facility. Wildwood disappeared from shelves locally, without so much as a goodbye. So Delicious released a coconut yogurt,  but it was sweetened.  Whole Soy came back, and after a few gritty batches, became a luxury purchase at $1.99 a serving. Also, still no unsweetened plain. I assumed I'd never be able to make my sweet potato chili again. Then,  Chelsea over at Suzie V. Homemaker told me how easy it was to make my own.

I ordered a yogurt machine online (the EuroCuisine one was a steal at $14.95), a box of vegan yogurt starter (I ordered this one, and now they've started carrying it at Whole Foods), and headed to Trader Joe's for soy milk. I read that it was best to use soy milk with very little added to it; especially without carageenan, because it may hinder the culture process.  Westsoy soy milks are purely soy beans and water, and maybe vanilla. The Trader Joe's brand organic, plain, unsweetened soy milk is the same, and a steal at $1.69 for a quart in an aseptic box. I got one of those, and a quart of Westsoy vanilla.

I did entirely too much work for my first batch;  heating the milk, cooling it, whisking in the starter, and finally breaking my candy thermometer. Then Chelsea pointed out that I could skip the heating part, since the milk was in the aseptic container. Also, no cornstarch, agar, pectin, etc was needed to thicken. A good 8-10 hours in the yogurt machine made seven little jars of soygurt, for a fraction of what it would cost to buy it already made.  Once the jars are cooled, mix in fruit, maple syrup, lemon juice,  or whatever you like in your yogurt.  Use plain for recipes, dressings, and vegan cheeses.

Vegan MoFo week one: What a Broke Ass Vegan Eats

All I can say in regard to this post is, next year, I'll be more prepared. I'm down to what's left in the house that I can fix fairly quickly since I've been running around all day and I'm HUNGRY.  Everything left in the pantry requires more time than I'm willing to wait, so tonight it's Gardein chick'n sliders with barbecue sauce, green beans, salad, and mashed potatoes with some Daiya cream cheese and rosemary.  I can't wait to get paid.