Fresh Herb-Marinated Mushrooms

We're finally getting a break in KS from the hot hot weather.  One thing I hate about summer here is that it might be in the 90's temperature-wise, but the heat index makes it feel like over 100.  And lately, we've 100+ degree weather with a heat index of around 110-115...shiesh!  Times like these, it's nice to make food that doesn't require any cooking.  That's how this recipe developed.  Cremini mushrooms are yummy and quite nutritious!  And the champagne vinegar is tangy without overpowering the herbs.  Serve this as part of a tapas meal or as a side dish.  Enjoy!

Fresh Herb-Marinated Mushrooms
Serves 2-4

Ingredients:
1/2 pound cremini mushrooms, cleaned and stems removed
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon champagne vinegar
2 teaspoons fresh rosemary, chopped
1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves

Directions:
Place the mushrooms in a medium bowl with a tight-fitting lid.  In a small mixing bowl, combine the olive oil, vinegar, rosemary and thyme.  Then drizzle the mixture over the mushrooms.  Put the lid on the bowl and gently toss the mushrooms to coat.  Refrigerate at least 3 hours before serving to allow mushrooms time to marinate.  Try to eat the mushrooms within a day or they'll get mushy (which could be a good thing if you like it that way!)

Fresh Herb-Marinated Mushrooms

Tangy Quinoa Salad

The new kitchen is operational! It's so nice to be done with moving, because now I'll have time to work on cooking up some new recipes. Here's one of the first creations to come out of the new kitchen:

Tangy Quinoa Salad
Serves 2-4

Ingredients:
1 cup uncooked quinoa
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons lemon juice
2 tablespoons bragg's liquid aminos
1 tablespoon dijon mustard
1 large carrot, chopped
5 oz. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and thoroughly drained

Directions:
Cook quinoa according to package directions.  Meanwhile, make the dressing. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, bragg's and mustard.  When the quinoa is done, pour the dressing over the quinoa and stir until quinoa is evenly coated.  Stir in the carrot and spinach.  Serve slightly warm, room temp. or chilled.  It's delicious at any temperature!

Tangy Quinoa Salad

What's in my kitchen?

I haven't managed to post much lately...mostly due to all the stress of moving.  The apartment has been slowly boxed up over the last month (or more), and one of the areas I haven't quite finished packing is the kitchen.  Some of the items we have make me wonder, "Why did I buy this???"  (ex. cheap slushie maker which apparently doesn't work for alcoholic drinks...), but I think I actually use most of the stuff I've got.  Here are my top five kitchen cannot-live-withouts:

5. Spice measuring spoons - These nifty spoons are long and narrow, so it's easy to reach inside spice jars.

4. Garlic press/slicer - This takes the pain out of mincing garlic.  It's also great for creating even slices.

3. Rice maker - Funny story: I bought my rice maker for $5 from a foreign exchange student who was moving and needed to sell a lot of her stuff.  There weren't any instructions in English, so all I know about using it is what the girl told me that day.  It's been an adventure figuring out all the little tricks to get my rice just right, but now that I've got it, I love using it!

2. Large composite cutting board - Won't dull your knives and easy to clean. Enough said.

1. Santoku knife - I like the feel of a Santoku...I prefer it over a Chef's knife.  It's great for chopping vegetables, which let's face it, is a daily task for many vegans.

Have any kitchen cannot-live-withouts of your own?

What's in my kitchen?

Vegan...gone cheap!

Since the economic downturn of 2008, "cheap" has become a bit of a buzz word, especially in the vegan world.  It makes sense to connect veganism and budgeting together...because the cheapest foods are vegan! (Dried beans, grains, fresh fruits and vegetables.  The stuff that's not so cheap is prepackaged vegan convenience foods.) In order to save some money, I've jumped on the beans and rice bandwagon.  I didn't like eating beans and rice much as a kid.  BUT with the right sauce and some steamed greens on top, beans and rice make a great meal!  My favorite beans and rice dish is from Vegan Yum Yum: Tahini Lemon Rice and Beans.  If you have the Vegan Yum Yum cookbook, you can also find the recipe there.  Bonus: This recipe can easily be made gluten-free by swapping tofu for the seitan (or omitting the seitan) and using Bragg's Liquid Aminos or wheat-free tamari in place of the soy sauce.

The idea of cheap vegan food is so popular, there's now even a cookbook, Vegan on the Cheap by Robin Robertson.  I don't have a copy (trying to keep my cookbook collection under control), but let me know if it's good!  From what I've seen, each recipe costs $0.50-$2 per serving, and the cookbook includes lots of money saving ideas, such as how to creatively reuse leftovers.

And finally, for tips on cheap vegan living, check out VegNew's Savvy Abby!

Vegan...gone cheap!

Super Easy Greek-Inspired Beans

I love making dolmades (also called dolmas), and here's a fun dish I came up with to serve with them.  It's really simple to make and mostly requires items you probably already have in the pantry.

Greek-Inspired Beans
Serves 4-6

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small yellow or white onion, chopped
1 teaspoon dried dill
1 teaspoon dried mint
1 28oz. can of diced tomatoes
1 15oz. can of cannellini beans
1 15oz. can of garbanzo beans

Directions:
Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium heat.  Once hot, add the onion, dill and mint.  Cook until onions are soft and translucent.  Add the diced tomatoes (including juice), cannellini beans and garbanzo beans.  Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes to allow the flavors to develop.

Super Easy Greek-Inspired Beans

"Better Than Ramen" Noodle Soup

Recently, my co-op began selling WildWood Pasta Slim, so I grabbed a bag of spaghetti-style.  These low-cal noodles seemed perfect for a more grown up version of ramen noodles.  In my early vegetarian days, the oriental flavored ramen was an emergency last-resort food...and now I kinda miss it!  Luckily, this version I created is not only healthier (no MSG or animal products!), I also think it tastes better than the original.  For a more authentic tasting soup, use vegetarian "chicken" or "beef" flavored bouillon.  These fake-meat broths can be pretty high in sodium, so for a healthier option, use low sodium vegetable bouillon.


"Better Than Ramen" Noodle Soup
Serves 2-4

Ingredients:
4 cups water
2 vegan bouillon cubes
1 tablespoon Bragg's liquid aminos
7oz. package of spaghetti-style WildWood Pasta Slim (you can substitute cooked rice vermicelli)
freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

Directions:
In a saucepan, heat the water and bouillon cubes over medium heat.  Whisk until the cubes are fully dissolved.  Add the liquid aminos and stir well.  Drain the pasta and add to the broth.  Once the noodles and broth are hot, serve with a dash of black pepper.

"Better Than Ramen" Noodle Soup

Banana-Cinnamon Pancakes

There's nothing better than fresh, hot pancakes on a lazy weekend morning.  I made these both last Saturday and Sunday morning...what a great way to start the day!  These are adapted from the Brainless Banana Pancakes from How It All Vegan, where I've added cinnamon and some whole wheat flour to make them a little healthier.

Cooking notes:  Vegan pancakes can be a little tricky compared to their non-vegan counterparts.  I've noticed vegan pancakes are more likely to brown too much without the center fully cooking.  Putting a lid on the skillet while you're cooking them makes all the difference in the world!  It will help the center cook without over-browning the cakes.

Banana-Cinnamon Pancakes
Serves 2 as a main course


Ingredients:
1/2 cup all-purpose unbleached flour
1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
1 tablespoon vegan sweetener (sucanat works well)
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 medium-sized ripe banana
1 1/4 cups soy milk, divided
canola or vegetable oil for cooking
your favorite pancake toppings (ex. fresh fruit, maple syrup, etc.)


Directions:
In a large bowl, sift the flours, sugar, baking powder and cinnamon.  Stir to combine.  In a small bowl, use a fork to mash the banana.  Add 1/4 cup of the soymilk to the banana and stir until there are no lumps.  Add the wet mixture to the dry mixture and stir until "just combined."  Heat a lightly oiled skillet over medium heat.  When it's hot, pour 1/4 to 1/3 cup of batter into the pan to make small pancakes (pictured).  For big pancakes, pour 3/4 to 1 cup of batter.  Cover with a lid.  When little bubbles have formed, flip the pancake over and cook until the bottom is golden brown.  Repeat until all the batter is gone.  Serve with your favorite pancake toppings.

Banana-Cinnamon Pancakes